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The Malaysian Insider :: Food

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Raising the bar – Vietnam’s luxury chocolate pioneers Posted: 10 Feb 2014 05:26 PM PST February 11, 2014 Chocolate bars displayed at chocolate workshop Marou, Vietnam's first artisan chocolate maker. – AFP/Relaxnews pic, February 11, 2014.Deep in the Mekong Delta, two Frenchmen have their heads buried in a sack of cacao beans. The pair – co-founders of Vietnam's first artisan chocolate maker – resurface, murmuring appreciatively. The sweet-toothed entrepreneurs – who quit their day jobs to set up award-winning chocolate company Marou – buy three out of four of 64-year-old farmer Vo Thanh Phuoc's sacks of dried, fermented cacao, paying a premium on the market price for the better-than-average beans. "When we started, the farmers thought we were crazy," Marou's co-founder Vincent Mourou told AFP as he nibbled on a cacao nib. Every sack of beans is individually checked as the smell, colour, texture and taste give a good indication of the chocolate to come. "Now, they try the beans too." Cacao was likely first introduced in Vietnam by French colonialists in the late 19th century, but never took off as a cash crop. As demand for high-quality chocolate rises globally – particularly in emerging markets – while supply from traditional producers like Ivory Coast falls due to aging tree stock and other problems, the industry is eyeing communist Vietnam as a new supplier. Cacao prices hit two-and-a-half-year highs in late January amid concerns over inventory, and some industry figures are warning of a possible deficit of one million tonnes by 2020. The chocolate industry is "desperate to diversify" its supply of beans, which would lessen the risk of supply crunches owing to disease or political unrest, said Chris Jackson, lead economist with the World Bank in Hanoi. Current production in the communist country is just 5,000 tonnes per year, compared to the roughly 1.4 million tonnes exported by Ivory Coast, according to the International Cocoa Organisation. But this needs to grow to give the cacao industry a chance in Vietnam, said Gricha Safarian, managing director of Puratos Grand-Place, a Belgium joint venture which produces the majority of chocolate used locally in Vietnam – by hotels, bakeries and ice cream companies – and exports high-quality chocolate and cacao beans. "Vietnam has a place to take as a medium size producer of quality beans," said Safarian, who has worked in Vietnam's nascent cacao industry for two decades. "Year by year the market is going to be more rewarding for quality beans because of this coming shortage" as demand for quality chocolate rises, especially in Asia, he said. Vietnam's chocolate has "a different flavour profile – the Vietnamese beans are rather different from the African bean," which makes it stand out in the market, he said. "The cacao sector in Vietnam is really at a crossroads – it could go for quality or quantity," said Vien Kim Cuong, program manager for Swiss NGO Helvetas, which works with cacao farmers on certification. The country is well-known for cheap agricultural exports like coffee – it provides 50% of the world's low-end Robusta beans – and catfish so cheap it is repeatedly hit by US anti-dumping measures. Marou and Puratos Grand-Place want the government to take a different, more upmarket route with the cacao sector – they are trying to add value locally and build a reputation for Vietnamese luxury chocolate. "We transform an agricultural product, the cacao bean plus sugar, into a high-quality chocolate that we position as a premium product on the export market," said Safarian – whose Made in Vietnam chocolate is found in top restaurants from Paris to Tokyo. For Marou co-founder Samuel Maruta, setting up an artisan chocolate company in Vietnam – not known for cacao, chocolate or even high-quality export goods – was a risk. But the pair have successfully positioned their Vietnamese single-origin chocolate as part of a growing bean-to-bar revolution, a rebellion against homogeneity in an industry dominated by major players like Kraft and Italy's Ferrero. Mass-produced chocolate can be "incredibly soulless," said Maruta, a world apart from the rich, fruity, spicy notes found in a bar of the company's 78% dark chocolate. From their Ho Chi Minh City-based factory, they're now exporting close to two tons of chocolate a month, to some 15 countries. The pair want Vietnam "to push quality cacao, so that Vietnamese cacao is known for quality and not quantity," Maruta said. Officials at state department VinaCacao said they aimed to increase cacao production some five-fold by 2020, but declined to provide further details. Major buyers including industry leader MARS are eager for Vietnam to grow more higher-quality "certified" beans – MARS has pledged to use only certified beans by 2020. "Vietnam will play a role in providing certified quality beans to Mars," which is working locally to train farmers and research new cacao strains, MARS Vietnam cocoa development manager Dinh Hai Lam told AFP. The only other country to go into cacao production in recent years is Indonesia, which focuses only on producing a high volume of low-end, unfermented beans. Cacao can be a good earner for farmers – but only if they can get a premium for their beans, and the premium is based on the quality, Safarian said. Ironically, the people who are the most difficult to convince about the quality of Vietnamese chocolate are... Vietnamese. "The Vietnamese consumer does not trust the product of his own country yet," Safarian said, referring to consumers' preference for imported goods which are perceived as higher quality. "This will change," he said. "You cannot approach the chocolate market in Vietnam as you approach it in France or Belgium," he said, adding that while there is not likely to be much of a market for praline, the emerging middle class is already developing a taste for chocolate. "Being in this business for 30 years, I have still never met anyone who doesn't like chocolate at first bite." – AFP/Relaxnews, February 11, 2014.

Haagen-Dazs Japan releases commemorative floral flavours Posted: 10 Feb 2014 04:47 PM PST February 11, 2014 To mark its 30th anniversary in Japan, premium ice cream maker Haagen-Dazs has released a pair of commemorative flavours to celebrate Japanese culture: rose and cherry blossom (pic). The floral ice creams come in various shades of pink. Ribbons of cherry sauce streak through the cherry blossom ice cream, while the damask rose flavour is streaked with ribbons of "rich and sour" plum sauce. The commemorative tubs launched earlier this month across Japan. When it comes to innovative and unexpected flavour pairings in the Japanese sweets world, however, chocolate brand Kit-Kat may have the market cornered. Its flavours include everything from Hojicha Roasted Tea, Matcha Green Tea and Blueberry Cheesecake to Edamame Soybean and, of course, Wasabi. – AFP/Relaxnews, February 11, 2014.

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Ronaldo scores twice, hit by lighter as Real Madrid cruise into Cup final Posted: 11 Feb 2014 02:50 PM PST February 12, 2014 Atletico Madrid's Juan Francisco Torres 'Juanfran' (20) fights for the ball with Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo (second right) during their Spanish King's Cup semi-final second leg match at Vicente Calderon stadium in Madrid, yesterday. – Reuters pic, February 12, 2014.Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice from the penalty spot and was also hit on the head by a lighter thrown from the crowd as Real Madrid sealed their place in the Copa del Rey final with a 2-0 win (5-0 on aggregate) over holders Atletico Madrid. Any chance of Atletico recovering from their 3-0 defeat at the Santiago Bernabeu last week was extinguished after just seven minutes when Ronaldo opened the scoring after being upended by Manquillo. The Portuguese star doubled his tally nine minutes later from another penalty as this time Gareth Bale was felled by Emiliano Insua. Ronaldo's eventful evening continued as, moments after being booked for a clash with Manquillo, he was then hit by a lighter thrown by the Atletico fans as the players headed to the dressing rooms at half-time. The Ballon d'Or winner was however fit to continue at the start of the second-half before being substituted late on. Real will face either Barcelona or Real Sociedad in the final on April 19 with Barca holding a 2-0 advantage heading into the second leg of their semi-final today. Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti insisted that Ronaldo was fine after being struck and lauded his side's feat of reaching the final on the back of eight consecutive clean sheets in the Cup this season. "Cristiano is fine, he scored two goals and he doesn't have any problems," he said. "We are still alive in all competitions and whilst this is the least important of the three in comparison to La Liga or the Champions League, to get to a final is always a good thing for the team. "We have played well in all the Cup games. We have kept a clean sheets throughout and this speaks well of the mentality of the team." Atletico boss Diego Simeone appeared to have given up any hope of an unlikely comeback from the off as he rested Juanfran, Diego Godin, Arda Turan and captain Gabi, whilst four more first-team regulars missed out through injury and suspension. However, despite suffering three defeats in a week, Simeone is hoping for a positive reaction from his side as they too have La Liga and Champions League honours to fight for in the coming weeks. "You are never happy to lose or go out of a competition, much less in this manner losing 5-0. "Last year we managed to win this competition, this year we got to the semi-finals. You can always do better as a team, but now we will continue with the same desire as before and we want to remain competitive." Ancelotti named a strong side and was rewarded with the away goal that killed the tie off when Ronaldo converted from the spot after tumbling under Manquillo's clumsy challenge inside the area. Atletico briefly threatened a revival when Raul Garcia struck the post moments later. However, it was 2-0 after just 16 minutes as this time Bale went down under a challenge by Insua and Ronaldo again struck the resulting spot-kick low into the right-hand corner of Daniel Aranzubia's net. With the tie effectively over as a contest, the only spice was added by unfortunate events off the field as Ronaldo was struck as he headed towards the tunnel at half-time. The former Manchester United man did return for the second period, but he was unable to complete his hat-trick before being replaced by Jese Rodriguez 15 minutes from time. Bale and Isco both had efforts well saved by Aranzubia as Real continued to look the more likely to score after the break. Meanwhile, at the other end, Jose Sosa's drive that forced Iker Casillas into a flying save was the best that Atletico could muster as they slipped to their first home defeat of the season. – AFP, February 12, 2014.

Saints go marching on with victory over Hull Posted: 11 Feb 2014 02:43 PM PST February 12, 2014 Southampton's Maya Yoshida (right) challenges Hull City's Nikica Jelavic during their English Premier League match at the KC Stadium in Hull, northern England, yesterday. – Reuters pic, February 12, 2014.Southampton extended their unbeaten run to six matches yesterday with a 1-0 win over Hull in their English Premier League clash. A 69th-minute goal by Jose Fonte was enough to give the visitors the points and leave Hull's Steve Bruce to wait a little longer for his 100th win in the Premier League as a manager. Victory saw Mauricio Pochettino's attractive and talented side move above Newcastle – who host Spurs today – and to within two points of seventh-placed Manchester United, who are away at Arsenal today. Defeat halted Hull's mini-revival and leaves them only three points above the relegation zone. Pochettino, who forged his reputation as a coach at Spanish side Espanyol, said that it had been a complete performance by his side. "We put in an amazing shift. We dominated the entire game from start to finish. We're very happy with the performance," said the 41-year-old Argentinian. "The entire team always plays for each other. That's the Southampton way." Southampton dominated the early stages of the game, Rickie Lambert, who has eight goals to his name this season, going close in the third minute as he curled a shot inches wide from Adam Lallana's cross. Lambert was in again on goal soon afterwards this time trying to chip the ball over goalkeeper Steve Harper, but the former Newcastle netminder did enough with defender Paul McShane to clear the danger. However, it came at a cost as McShane – who had crashed into Harper in trying to clear the ball – had to be stretchered off and replaced by George Boyd. Boyd should have put the hosts ahead against the run of play after Republic of Ireland international striker Shane Long's header came back off the post but he could only miscue the rebound and minutes later sent a header wide. Having got away twice Saints came back at Hull with Lambert turning creator this time releasing Jay Rodriguez – their leading scorer in the Premier League with 10 goals – whose excellent effort from long range was only denied by the bar with Harper well beaten. The match was riveting no holds barred action as both sides threw caution to the wind. It was Hull who went close next as Long's strike partner Croatian international Nikica Jelavic, who had scored his first goal for his new club in the win over Sunderland on Saturday, got free but his shot was tame and no danger to Artur Boruc. Southampton were the livelier side after the break with Rodriguez always a threat as was Lambert, with both having shots saved by Harper. The Saints finally broke the deadlock with just over 20 minutes remaining, but it was no thing of beauty. Hull failed to clear the ball first from Fonte's header, then Rodriguez seized on the ball but his shot was blocked, Fonte had another go and then when it appeared it had not gone over the line Lambert made sure there was no debate by forcing it over. – AFP, February 12, 2014.

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Former child star Shirley Temple dies at 85 Posted: 11 Feb 2014 03:35 AM PST February 11, 2014 Shirley Temple waves as she accepts the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award at the 12th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards in Los Angeles, California, in this January 29, 2006 file photo. – Reuters pic, February 11, 2014.Shirley Temple Black, who lifted America's spirits as a bright-eyed, dimpled child movie star during the Great Depression and later became a US diplomat, died late Monday at the age of 85, a family spokeswoman said in a statement. Temple Black, who lured millions to the movies in the 1930s, "peacefully passed away" at her California home from natural causes at 10:57pm local time (2:57pm MYT), surrounded by her family and caregivers, the statement said on Tuesday. "We salute her for a life of remarkable achievements as an actor, as a diplomat, and most importantly as our beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and adored wife of fifty-five years," the statement said. As actress Shirley Temple, she was precocious, bouncy and adorable with a head of curly hair, tap-dancing through songs like "On The Good Ship Lollipop." As Ambassador Shirley Temple Black, she was soft-spoken and earnest in postings in Czechoslovakia and Ghana, out to disprove concerns that her previous career made her a diplomatic lightweight. "I have no trouble being taken seriously as a woman and a diplomat here," Black said after her appointment as US ambassador to Ghana in 1974. "My only problems have been with Americans who, in the beginning, refused to believe I had grown up since my movies." Black, born April 23, 1928, started her entertainment career in the early 1930s and was famous by age 6. She became a national institution and her raging popularity spawned look-alike dolls, dresses and dozens of other Shirley Temple novelties as she became one of the first stars to enjoy the fruits of the growing marketing mentality. Shirley was 3 when her mother put her in dance school, where a talent scout spotted her and got her in "Baby Burlesk," a series of short movies with child actors spoofing adult movies. Movie studio executives took notice and in 1934 she appeared in the film "Stand Up and Cheer" and her song and dance number, "Baby Take a Bow," stole the show. Movies such as "Little Miss Marker" and "Bright Eyes" - which featured her signature song "On the Good Ship Lollipop" – and in 1935 she received a special Oscar for her "outstanding contribution to screen entertainment." She made some 40 feature movies, including "The Little Colonel," "Poor Little Rich Girl," "Heidi" and "Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm," in 10 years, starring with big-name actors like Randolph Scott, Lionel Barrymore and Jimmy Durante. Shirley was a superstar before the term was invented. She said she was about 8 when adoring crowds shouting their love for her made her realize she was famous. "I wondered why," she recalled. "I asked my mother and she said, 'Because your films make them happy.'" She was such a money-maker that her mother - who would always tell her "Sparkle, Shirley!" before she appeared before an audience - and studio officials shaved a year off her age to maintain her child image. Her child career came to an end at age 12. She tried a few roles as a teenager - including opposite future president Ronald Reagan in "That Hagen Girl" – but retired from the screen in 1949 at age 21. Temple was only 17 in 1945 when she married for the first time to John Agar, who would eventually appear with her in two movies. Their five-year marriage produced a daughter. In 1950 she wed Charles Black in a marriage that lasted until his death in 2005. She and Black had two children. Black's interest in politics was sparked in the early '50s when her husband was called back into the Navy to work in Washington. She did volunteer work for the Republican Party while attempting to make a comeback with two short-lived TV series, "Shirley Temple's Storybook" in 1959 and "The Shirley Temple Theater" a year later. Seven years after that she ran unsuccessfully for Congress in California but stayed in politics, helping raise more than US$2 million for Richard Nixon's re-election campaign. She was later named to the United States' team to the United Nations and found that the her childhood popularity was an asset in her new career. "Having been a film star can be very helpful on an international basis," Black once said. "Many people consider me an old friend." Sometimes the public found it hard to accept her in diplomatic roles. But in 1989 she pointed out her 20 years in public service were more than the 19 she spent in Hollywood. In 1974, Ford appointed Black ambassador to Ghana and two years later made her chief of protocol. For the next decade she trained newly appointment ambassadors at the request of the State Department. In 1989, President George H.W. Bush made Black ambassador to Prague - a sensitive Eastern European post normally reserved for career diplomats. Black had been in Prague in 1968, representing a group fighting multiple sclerosis at a conference, when Soviet-bloc tanks entered to crush an era of liberalization known as the "Prague Spring." President Gustav Husak did not seem daunted by the prospect of a U.S. ambassador who had witnessed the invasion. He told her that he had been a fan of "Shirleyka." In 1972, Black was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent a mastectomy. She publicly discussed her surgery to educate women about the disease. – Reuters, February 11, 2014.

Shirley Temple Black, former Hollywood child star, dies at 85 Posted: 11 Feb 2014 03:33 AM PST February 11, 2014 Shirley Temple Black (pic), who lifted America's spirits as a bright-eyed, dimpled child movie star during the Great Depression and later became a US diplomat, died late on Monday evening at the age of 85, a family spokeswoman said in a statement. Temple Black, who lured millions to the movies in the 1930s, "peacefully passed away" at her California home from natural causes, surrounded by her family and caregivers, the statement said on Tuesday. "We salute her for a life of remarkable achievements as an actor, as a diplomat, and most importantly as our beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and adored wife of fifty-five years," the statement said. As actress Shirley Temple, she was precocious, bouncy and adorable with a head of curly hair, tap-dancing through songs like "On The Good Ship Lollipop." As Ambassador Shirley Temple Black, she was soft-spoken and earnest in postings in Czechoslovakia and Ghana, out to disprove concerns that her previous career made her a diplomatic lightweight. "I have no trouble being taken seriously as a woman and a diplomat here," Black said after her appointment as US ambassador to Ghana in 1974. "My only problems have been with Americans who, in the beginning, refused to believe I had grown up since my movies." Black, born April 23, 1928, started her entertainment career in the early 1930s and was famous by age 6. She became a national institution and her raging popularity spawned look-alike dolls, dresses and dozens of other Shirley Temple novelties as she became one of the first stars to enjoy the fruits of the growing marketing mentality. Shirley was 3 when her mother put her in dance school, where a talent scout spotted her and got her in "Baby Burlesk," a series of short movies with child actors spoofing adult movies. Movie studio executives took notice and in 1934 she appeared in the film "Stand Up and Cheer" and her song and dance number, "Baby Take a Bow," stole the show. For movies such as "Little Miss Marker" and "Bright Eyes" - which featured her signature song "On the Good Ship Lollipop," in 1935 she received a special Oscar for her "outstanding contribution to screen entertainment." She made some 40 feature movies, including "The Little Colonel," "Poor Little Rich Girl," "Heidi" and "Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm," in 10 years, starring with big-name actors like Randolph Scott, Lionel Barrymore and Jimmy Durante. Shirley was a superstar before the term was invented. She said she was about 8 when adoring crowds shouting their love for her made her realize she was famous. "I wondered why," she recalled. "I asked my mother and she said, 'Because your films make them happy.'" She was such a money-maker that her mother - who would always tell her "Sparkle, Shirley." before she appeared before an audience - and studio officials shaved a year off her age to maintain her child image. Her child career came to an end at age 12. She tried a few roles as a teenager, including opposite future president Ronald Reagan in "That Hagen Girl," but retired from the screen in 1949 at age 21. Temple was only 17 in 1945 when she married for the first time to John Agar, who would eventually appear with her in two movies. Their five-year marriage produced a daughter. In 1950 she wed Charles Black in a marriage that lasted until his death in 2005. She and Black had two children. Black's interest in politics was sparked in the early '50s when her husband was called back into the Navy to work in Washington. She did volunteer work for the Republican Party while attempting to make a comeback with two short-lived TV series, "Shirley Temple's Storybook" in 1959 and "The Shirley Temple Theatre" a year later. Seven years after that she ran unsuccessfully for Congress in California but stayed in politics, helping raise more than US$2 million (RM7.3 million) for Richard Nixon's re-election campaign. She was later named to the United States' team to the United Nations and found that the her childhood popularity was an asset in her new career. "Having been a film star can be helpful on an international basis," Black once said. "Many people consider me an old friend." Sometimes the public found it hard to accept her in diplomatic roles. In 1989 she pointed out her 20 years in public service were more than the 19 she spent in Hollywood. In 1974, Ford appointed Black ambassador to Ghana and two years later made her chief of protocol. For the next decade she trained newly appointed ambassadors at the request of the State Department. In 1989, President George H.W. Bush made Black ambassador to Prague, a sensitive Eastern European post normally reserved for career diplomats. Black had been in Prague in 1968, representing a group fighting multiple sclerosis at a conference, when Soviet-bloc tanks entered to crush an era of liberalization known as the "Prague Spring." President Gustav Husak did not seem daunted by the prospect of a US ambassador who had witnessed the invasion. He told her that he had been a fan of "Shirleyka." In 1972, Black was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent a mastectomy. She publicly discussed her surgery to educate women about the disease. - Reuters, February 11, 2014.

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New study reveals mass extinction happened fast Posted: 10 Feb 2014 09:30 PM PST February 11, 2014 Something wiped out nearly all life on Earth more than 250 million years ago, and whatever unleashed this mass die-off acted much faster than previously thought, scientists said yesterday. Based on an analysis of rocks in China, the end-Permian extinction occurred over the course of 60,000 years, give or take 48,000, researchers reported in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. That is about 10 times faster than scientists believed up until now and a blink of an eye in geological terms. "It is clear that whatever triggered extinction must have acted very quickly," said lead author Seth Burgess, a graduate student in earth science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The extinction killed off 96 percent of life on Earth. Multiple theories about its origin exist, top among them that a string of massive volcanic eruptions spewed huge amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, acidifying the oceans and causing intense global warming. The latest study is based on an analysis of zircon crystals in a geological formation in Meishan, China. Fossils discovered in this region have led researchers to believe the rocks hold the secret to the end of the Permian and the beginning of the Triassic period, which is when dinosaurs and mammals began to appear. Using the latest scientific techniques, researchers have been able to refine their estimates made in 2011, when they reported that the mass extinction happened in less than 200,000 years. A closer examination of the uranium and lead in samples from volcanic ash beds suggests the deaths of nearly every living plant and creature on Earth could have happened in as little as 12,000 years. "We've got the extinction nailed in absolute time and duration," said co-author Sam Bowring, professor of earth and planetary sciences at MIT. Together with colleagues from the Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, the team found that 10,000 years before the die-off, the oceans experienced a pulse of light carbon, reflecting the mass outpouring of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. The oceans would have undergone dramatic acidification and seen sea temperatures rise by 10 degrees Celsius or more, a heat that would have killed most marine life. Burgess said whatever happened, it moved "fast enough to destabilize the biosphere before the majority of plant and animal life had time to adapt in an effort to survive." Researchers are now analyzing rock samples from China to those from the Siberian Traps in Russia to see how the eruptions' timelines compare. "We've refined our approach, and now we have higher accuracy and precision," said Bowring. "You can think of it as slowly spiralling in toward the truth." – AFP, February 11, 2014.

Adolphe Sax, saxophone inventor, finally gets his due in Belgium Posted: 10 Feb 2014 07:54 PM PST February 11, 2014 Adolphe Sax, the inventor of saxophone. - February 11, 2014.Adolphe Sax, who revolutionised music with his invention of the saxophone, is finally getting the recognition he is due in his native Belgium, 200 years after his birth. A bicentenary exhibition has just opened in the Museum of Musical Instruments in Brussels, a stunning art deco building just across the road from the permanent display of works by Magritte, another famous Belgian son. Born in the picturesque town of Dinant on the banks of the Meuse south of Brussels, the young Adolphe was accident prone, nearly drowning and also surviving a tumble down some stairs, as well as drinking varnish used by his father, a well-known maker of musical instruments. The music world was lucky too - without the saxophone, would there have been a John Coltrane, Sidney Bechet, Charlie "Bird" Parker or a Stan Getz to work their magic? Bill Clinton also might have had to find another instrument and modern music would surely not have been the same. "Adolphe Sax would certainly never have imagined in his wildest dreams the place his highly original instrument would come to enjoy," said Gery Dumoulin, who curated the exhibition. After moving to Brussels, Sax followed in his father's footsteps, building up a reputation for quality and taking a particular interest in the clarinet for which he patented several improvements. In 1842, he moved to Paris to set up a workshop and in 1845 entered a competition for modern instruments run by the army on the Champs de Mars, now overlooked by the Eiffel Tower. In front of a crowd put at 20,000, his instruments easily outplayed those of his main rival Michele Carafa. Winning the "Battle of the Saxons and the Carrafons" sealed Sax's reputation and he came to dominate the market for the new brass wind instruments favoured by military bands for marches and fanfares. Clinton's gift sax on display Admired by Berlioz, Sax registered a patent in 1846 for what was described as "a system of wind instruments, the saxophone". Slowly, the new instruments made their way into music making, finding a place in opera orchestras by the 1880s. However, the saxophone was hampered by its association with popular, as opposed to serious music, and musicians were reluctant to learn the new instrument. At the same time, black American jazz players were beginning to show what it could do, heralding the roaring 1920s. The "Sax200" exhibition traces Sax's long life - he died in 1894 aged 79 - and the evolution of the elongated, S-shaped instrument so well known today in its many forms. In all, there are some 200 on display, including the oldest known model, a bass saxophone from 1846, and a tenor sax in the colours of the American flag given to then President Clinton when he visited Brussels in 1994. The exhibition runs to January 2015. In Sax's home town Dinant, about an hour's drive from Brussels, there are also exhibitions and events to mark the bicentennial, with the main bridge across the Meuse decked out with giant-size saxophones in vibrant colours. – AFP, February 11, 2014.

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Court backs Apple e-book monitor, within limits Posted: 10 Feb 2014 09:23 PM PST February 11, 2014 A US appeals court shot down Apple's bid to derail a court-ordered monitor in its e-book price-fixing case. The panel of judges specified, however, that the monitor's job is limited to making sure that Apple has an antitrust compliance program put in place and that workers across the board are taught its details. "It became apparent that the parties differed considerably regarding the proper interpretation of the order as to the scope of the monitor's duties," a panel of three justices from the Second Circuit Court of Appeals said in their ruling. It is not the monitor's job to ferret out wrongdoing at Apple, according to the court. With that in mind, the monitor is authorised to interview Apple executives, board members, or others at the California-based maker of iPhones, iPads, iPhones and Macintosh computers. But "the government conceded that the injunction would not allow the monitor to investigate whether such personnel were in fact complying with the antitrust or other laws," the panel of justices said in the court order. "We agree with that interpretation of the district court's order." The US Department of Justice had argued that Apple was out of line asking for an emergency order stopping the monitor from tending to business until the outcome of an appeal in the case. The Justice Department was pleased with the ruling, according to spokeswoman Gina Talamona. "Today's ruling makes abundantly clear that Apple must now cooperate with the court-appointed monitor," Talamona said. Apple declined to comment. Apple's bid for an emergency stay came after a federal judge rejected a different request by Apple to block the monitor's work and chided the company for failing to cooperate with him. US District Judge Denise Cote denied the tech giant's request to delay the work of former prosecutor Michael Bromwich, appointed last year to ensure Apple complies with an order to mend its ways after being found guilty of price-fixing. Cote said that the monitor has "important work to do" and interviewing Apple executives is part of it. Apple failed to show it would be "irreparably harmed" by complying with the court order or with the monitor, according to the judge. The company protested Bromwich's intent to question chief executive Tim Cook, lead designer Jony Ive, board member Al Gore and other top executives who aren't involved in day-to-day operations. Apple also objected to the $1,100 hourly rate for himself and the $1,025 rate for his legal support team. "The deterioration of the relationship between Apple and the monitor is unfortunate and disappointing," Cote said. "It is strongly in the public's interest for the monitor to remain in place." The trial focused on a six-week period in late 2009 and early 2010 during which Apple negotiated contracts with publishers ahead of its iPad launch and effectively reshaped the market for electronic books with a new pricing scheme. In September, the judge who found Apple guilty of illegal price-fixing for e-books ordered the tech giant to steer clear of new contracts with publishers that could violate antitrust law. Apple can still sell e-books through its online channels, but it cannot make any special arrangements or collude with publishers to fix prices. – AFP, February 11, 2014.

‘Girls’ star Lena Dunham book cover channels 1970s vibe Posted: 10 Feb 2014 08:14 PM PST February 11, 2014 Lena Dunham, creator and star of cult TV hit "Girls," will release her first book on October 7, she revealed yesterday, with a cover that harks back to the decade that taste forgot. Dunham, 27, disclosed the publication date for "Not That Kind of Girl" on her @lenadunham Twitter account, linking also to an Instagram photo of herself showing off the book's cover. Bloggers immediately spotted a resemblance to the covers of Philip Roth novels, starting with "Portnoy's Complaint" in 1969 and, in the 1970s, "Our Gang," "My Life as a Man" and a reprint of "Goodbye, Columbus" from 1959. Random House paid more than $3.5 million in 2012 to secure the rights to Dunham's literary debut, a collection of essays subtitled "A young woman tells you what she's 'learned'", the New York Times reported at the time. Drawn in part on Dunham's personal experiences, "Girls" dwells on the lives and loves of twentysomething women in hipster Brooklyn. Season three is now running on HBO, which has renewed the show for a fourth season. – AFP, February 11, 2014.

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Lost in translation, the playmaker’s role in Arsenal Posted: 10 Feb 2014 03:39 PM PST February 11, 2014 As a player, Shebby Singh won everything there was to win in Malaysia football, and represented the country on the international stage. It is simply a case of too many cooks, not enough ingredients with Arsenal after an embarrassing display at Anfield. Brendan Rodgers's men showed us a Liverpool performance that would not look out of place in the UEFA Champions League knock-out stages, let alone the English Premier League with a thumping 5-1 victory at home against the then league leaders. The Gunners may have conceded a goal in the first minute but there is no excuse for the diabolical midfield display thereafter. Utter shambles is perhaps the best word to describe the Arsenal midfield. It was prompted in this column previously that there can only be one playmaker in the Gunners midfield. This was in relation to past matches where Aaron Ramsey was noticeably in competition with Mesut Ozil, often getting in the way of Ozil's calm and precise build-up with his (Ramsey's) all-action style of play. Players like Ozil thrive in a system where the ball is often at their feet, and others around them have to be willing to release the ball back to the playmaker whenever he asks for it. Here's a homework assignment to prove my point: scour the internet for footage of Arsenal's performances this season, and take note of the number of times Ozil gives the ball to his teammates and demands it back. Players such as Mathieu Flamini, Mikel Arteta and Santi Cazorla have an innate understanding of this style of play, but far too often we see Jack Wilshere and (to a lesser extent) Aaron Ramsey receive the ball from Ozil, turn around and run across their own halfway line to spread the ball to their fullback on the opposite side. Not only does this break up the flow of Arsenal's best attacking option, but it also frustrates your teammate whose duty is quite simply to create goal-scoring opportunities. Argentina's Juan Roman Riquelme was often lamented throughout his career for what many a fan described as his "uninterested" and "languid" style of play, and for being a "prima donna" – completely undermining the fact that these players need to be involved constantly and dictate the tempo of the match. At Anfield, there were too many playmakers attempting to do their own thing, with Mikel Arteta wanting to create from deep but invariably spending too much time on the ball. The great English hope, Jack Wilshere tried to win the game on his own, reverting to the Wilshere we have all come to loathe in seasons past where he attempts to do everything by himself and woefully comes up short. Ozil made runs his teammates did not see. The wide midfielders, Santi Cazorla and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain tried hard but lacked quality to beat the Liverpool fullbacks, which is truly disappointing seeing that Jon Flanagan and Aly Cissokho are hardly world-beaters themselves. Winning is the game It may have been a home game but Tottenham Hotspur spluttered more than sparked against a well-organised, compact and sharp Everton. It's fair to say that Everton won the football match but Spurs won the game. The talking point will be Moussa Dembele playing at No. 10 after being used as a Number 8 for too long. He was strong, held the ball and opponents off but he has zero vision. Enough said. Being strong, holding the ball and holding opponents off was what Emmanuel Adebayor does well and he did not let Tim Sherwood down. Every game with Adebayor starting is like a fingers crossed, please play for the team and not yourself, plea! To date, he has delivered and the hope of every Spurs fan is that he continues doing so. His form has been akin to his loan spell at Real Madrid, total commitment only because he had respect and fear for Jose Mourinho. Hope the same sentiment holds with regards to Tim Sherwood until the end of the season. When a team has huffed and puffed as much as Manchester United and taken the lead, were the Red Devils expecting to score a third? I mean, seriously! Simply naïve. The saga of Manchester United's cluelessness continues. Go 2-1 up and the game should have been shut down. Game over. Close shop. Three points in the bag. But no, the highly-entertaining Moyes's Marvels shot themselves in the foot, yet again. – February 11, 2014. * This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insider.

Pelampau Melayu hanya golongan terpencil Posted: 10 Feb 2014 03:17 PM PST February 11, 2014 Shukur mempunyai lebih 30 tahun pengalaman sebagai wartawan dan bekerja dengan pelbagai media. Beliau kini pencen tetapi menjadi pemerhati politik yang tegar. Tindakan segelintir orang Melayu akhir-akhir ini menimbulkan pelbagai aksi yang boleh merosakkan imej Islam sebenarnya hanya perlakuan pelampau Melayu berfikiran sempit, yang jumlahnya sangat kecil. Siapakah dalangnya? Ia bukan rahsia lagi. Golongan biadap pelampau Melayu ini yang bergerak atas nama NGO Islam tidak disokong oleh majoriti orang Melayu baik di bandar mahupun di luar bandar. Mereka diperalatkan oleh golongan politik berkepentingan yang tidak mencerminkan watak sebenar orang Melayu yang patuh kepada sistem nilai Islam, cinta damai, berbudi bahasa, terbuka dan menerima hakikat kehadiran pelbagai kaum dan agama di negara ini. Aksi terbaru segelintir NGO Islam ini yang menyembelih dua ekor ayam dan menawarkan ganjaran RM1,200 kepada sesiapa yang berani menampar pemimpin DAP, Teresa Kok adalah perbuatan yang sangat biadap kerana ia merosakkan nama baik Islam itu sendiri. Beberapa minggu lalu, ada demonstrasi mengenai isu Kalimah Allah dan lain-lain yang bersifat provokasi serta boleh menimbulkan ketegangan kaum dan agama, demikian juga disusuli kejadian melempar bom api di pekarangan sebuah gereja di Pulau Pinang baru-baru ini. Sebelum itu, beberapa aksi lain pelampau juga berlaku di Pulau Pinang dan Selangor, dua negeri di bawah pemerintahan Pakatan Rakyat. Majoriti orang Melayu menentang perbuatan pelampau Melayu/Islam ini dan mereka tidak akan memberi respons kepada perbuatan jahat pelampau ini. Jika pelampau ini, yang jumlahnya sangat kecil, melambai atau hendak mengingatkan kembali peristwa pergaduhan kaum 13 Mei, maka usaha golongan ini tidak akan disahut oleh orang Melayu dan kaum lain, justeru rakyat umumnya sudah melupakan peristiwa 45 tahun lalu itu. Bagi golongan muda, anak semua bangsa, langsung tidak tahu peristiwa 13 Mei itu dan kalau pun ada yang tahu sedikit-sedikit, mereka tidak berminat memperkatakannya lagi. Oleh itu, sejarah hitam negera ini tidak mungkin akan berulang kembali. Rakyat prihatin yang ada sekarang, khususnya golongan muda, sedang memikirkan nasib masa depan negara, iaitu aspek kemakmuran negara yang mesti dinikmati bersama oleh rakyat pelbagai kaum dan agama. Mereka mahukan kebebasan hak dalam pelbagai bidang dan menentang rasuah, penyelewengan serta pembaziran yang kini berleluasa. Mereka mahukan peluang ekonomi dilaksanakan dengan adil, merentasi kaum dan agama. Melayu yang miskin mesti dibantu, bukan kerana Melayunya tetapi kerana kemiskinannya. Demikian juga kaum Cina dan India yang miskin mesti dibantu bukan atas nama kaum mereka, tetapi kerana kemiskinan mereka. Ertinya persamaan hak dan peluang mesti diberi, merentasi kaum dan agama dan inilah prinsip asas jika perpaduan nasional hendak dibina yang berpaksikan keadilan sosial. Pada masa lalu, selepas peristiwa 13 Mei 1969, Kerajaan Perikatan pada masa itu hendak membina apa yang dikatakan Perpaduan Nasional berasaskan perpaduan kaum. Maka tertubuhkah kemudiannya Barisan Nasional di mana beberapa waktu selepas itu PAS menyertai kerajaan BN atas kehendak pemimpin BN untuk kononnya mewujudkan perpaduan Melayu. Tetapi akhirnya, setelah beberapa tahun berada di dalam BN, PAS ditendang keluar oleh pemimpin BN dengan beban pengalamannya yang sangat pahit ketika di dalam BN. Episod ini berlaku 45 tahun lalu dan PAS sendiri menjadikan pengalaman ini sebagai pengajaran yang sangat berguna. Oleh itu, episod ini tidak akan berulang kembali, lebih-lebih lagi rakyat semakin menyedari bahawa semangat perkauman menjadi musuh rakyat. Maka provokasi perkauman dan agama oleh segelintir pelampau Melayu yang berlaku sekarang dipandang sangat jijik oleh rakyat prihatin. Sementara itu, pada ketika kumpulan ekstremis Melayu cuba membangkitkan ketegangan kaum, PAS turun ke padang, mengingatkan rakyat Malaysia agar memberi tumpuan kepada isu sebenar yang menghambat kehidupan mereka, seperti gaji rendah dan kenaikan kos hidup. Parti itu melancarkan kempen bernama 'Turun', bertujuan menghimpunkan rakyat seluruh negara bagi memberikan tekanan kepada pentadbiran Barisan Nasional (BN) agar bertanggungjawab atas kenaikan kos kehidupan. Kempen nasional itu adalah salah satu daripada usaha PAS menyedarkan rakyat agar memberikan tumpuan kepada kesan polisi ekonomi Putrajaya melalui penyelasaran subsidi. Ia juga dilihat sebagai usaha meluaskan sokongan kepada Umno/BN di kalangan Melayu-Islam terutama di kawasan pedalaman dan kelas pekerja yang secara tradisinya adalah penyokong kuat Umno. "Isu peningkatan kos barangan sentiasa wujud. Ia tidak akan hilang," kata Ketua Penerangan PAS, Datuk Mahfuz Omar apabila ditanya sama ada isu ketegangan kaum dan agama menyebabkan orang ramai terlupa kebimbangan mengenai inflasi. Mahfuz menyedari bahawa media masa milik BN akan cuba memainkan isu perkauman untuk menutup masalah ini. "PAS akan jelajah seluruh negara untuk mengingatkan rakyat," kata Mahfuz. Pada masa sama, Majlis Perundingan Pertubuhan Islam Malaysia (Mapim) menolak dan mengecam tindakan beberapa NGO Melayu/Islam lain yang menyembelih dua ekor ayam dan menawarkan ganjaran RM1,200 kepada sesiapa yang berani menampar Kok kerana dikatakan menghina kepimpinan Melayu. Presiden Mapim, Mohd Azmi Abdul Hamid, berkata orang Islam tidak memerlukan NGO seperti ini. Mereka tidak boleh mendakwa mewakili orang Melayu dan Islam. NGO ini, katanya, menghalalkan perbuatan batil untuk mencapai matlamat di mana dengan cara ini tidak boleh dilakukan. Beliau meminta pihak berkuasa mengambil tindakan segera dan tegas supaya ia tidak menjadi bom jangka dan seterusnya mencetuskan keganasan. Di sini, jelaslah bahawa majoriti kalangan NGO Melayu sendiri menentang perlakuan pelampau Melayu yang bertindak atas nama NGO Melayu/Islam. Ini membuktikan bahawa golongan pelampau Melayu itu sangat kecil jumlahnya dan tidak menjadi jurucakap atau mendakwa sebagai pembela kepentingan Melau dan Islam. Malah NGO ini sebenarnya mencemarkan Islam dan nama baik bangsa Melayu sendiri. – 11 Februari, 2014. * Ini adalah pendapat peribadi penulis dan tidak semestinya mewakili pandangan The Malaysian Insider.

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