LOS ANGELES, April 29 — Watch a 35-minute reel taken from "Beyond: Two Souls," presented at the Tribeca Film Festival on April 27.
With both Ellen Page ("Inception") and "Beyond: Two Souls" director David Cage appearing at a Tribeca Talk discussion, a lengthy clip from the game was shown to illustrate Cage's latest in a quest to unite cinematic presentation with an emotional narrative core.
As such, it shows Page as a homeless young woman, both blessed and cursed with a mysterious gift, and some of her encounters on the street — begging and busking with a downtempo rendition of Beck's "Lost Cause," rescuing a friend from thugs, acting as a makeshift matron, and pulling her comrades from a burning building.
The game is due on PlayStation 3 from October 8 this year. — AFP/Relaxnews
Actor Mark Wahlberg and his wife Rhea Durham arrive at the premiere of his new film "Pain & Gain" in Hollywood April 22, 2013. — Reuters picLOS ANGELES, April 29 — Action comedy "Pain & Gain" starring Mark Wahlberg and Dwayne Johnson grabbed the top spot at the US box office in its debut this weekend, snagging US$20 million, industry estimates showed yesterday.
The Paramount Pictures production about bodybuilders caught up in crime pushed "Oblivion" into second place, according to tracker Exhibitor Relations.
The post-apocalyptic action flick starring Tom Cruise picked up US$17.4 million (RM52.77 million) in ticket sales, ahead of "42," a biopic about trailblazing black baseball star Jackie Robinson, which came third with US$10.7 million.
The fourth spot, with US$7.5 million, went to new arrival "The Big Wedding" — a star-studded comedy featuring Robert De Niro, Katherine Heigl, Diane Keaton and Robin Williams.
"The Croods" — a stone-age cartoon — came fifth, collecting US$6.6 million, outperforming action sequel "G.I. Joe: Retaliation," which earned US$3.6 million.
"Scary Movie 5," the latest installment in the slasher-comedy franchise, took the seventh spot with US$3.5 million.
Action thriller "Olympus Has Fallen," in which terrorists capture the White House and hold the president hostage, followed with US$2.8 million.
"The Place Beyond the Pines," starring Oscar nominees Ryan Gosling and Bradley Cooper trailed in ninth place with US$2.7 million.
Rounding out the top 10 at US$2.3 million was the 3D re-release of Steven Spielberg's 1993 dinosaur classic "Jurassic Park." — AFP/Relaxnews
LOS ANGELES, April 24 — The last play from the writer of "When Harry Met Sally," "Julia & Julia," "Sleepless in Seattle" and "You've Got Mail" will form part of October 29 hardback release The Most of ... Read More
VIENNA, April 24 — Irish author John Banville is to be awarded the Austrian state prize for European literature in July, the government said on Monday, praising the novelist's "unconventional" ... Read More
WASHINGTON, April 23 — Washington state's governor signed into law yesterday the final piece of a six-year effort to rewrite state laws using gender-neutral vocabulary, replacing terms such as "fisherman" ... Read More
LOS ANGELES, April 23 — Ten category winners and two lifetime achievement awards in the LA Times Book Awards were announced over the weekend, with Katherine Boo's portrayal of Mumbai slum living in Behind ... Read More
NEW YORK, April 22 – Award-winning author E.L. Konigsburg, who wrote or illustrated some 20 children's books spanning 45 years, has died aged 83.Konigsburg, whose best-known title "From the Mixed-Up Files ... Read More
Musa bimbang dengan keganasan politik dalam Pilihan Raya 2013. - Gambar The Malaysian InsiderKUALA LUMPUR, 29 April — Bekas Ketua Polis Negara (KPN) Tan Sri Musa Hassan telah menyertai majlis penasihat keselamatan Pakatan Rakyat (PR), dan mengatakan hari ini beliau bimbang dengan keganasan politik dalam Pilihan Raya 2013.
Musa menegaskan dirinya tidak memihak kepada mana-mana parti politik, memberitahu pemberita beliau akan melakukan perkara sama jika pemerintah Barisan Nasional (BN) meminta nasihatnya mengenai urusan keselamatan.
"Saya tidak memihak kepada mana-mana parti politik… Saya datang hari ini kerana saya mengambil urusan keselamatan rakyat dengan serius," kata Musa dalam sidang akhbar di sini.
Najib berkata rakyat perlu memilih pemimpin yang mempunyai agenda masa depan dan bukan setakat pemimpin yang hanya tahu menabur janji-janji kosong seperti yang dilakukan pihak pembangkang di Selangor. - Gambar The Malaysian Insider PONTIAN, 29 April — Datuk Seri Najib Razak meminta rakyat Johor supaya tidak mengenepikan sejarah bahawa negeri ini merupakan tempat bermulanya sejarah Malaysia Moden.
Beliau berkata, rakyat di negeri ini wajib memastikan perjuangan Malaysia Moden dipertahankan daripada pihak yang hanya mahukan kuasa semata-mata tanpa mempunyai kelayakan untuk mentadbirnya.
"Jangan buta sejarah, kita wajib pastikan perjuangan Malaysia Moden dipertahankan.
"Kita kerajaan (Barisan Nasional) BN bukan semata-mata hendak kuasa tetapi
kita menuntut mandat daripada rakyat sebab kita lebih layak memimpin negeri ini dan bukannya kerana meminta sokongan secara membuta tuli," katanya.
Najib berkata demikian ketika berucap di Majlis Perhimpunan Bersama Rakyat di Dataran Pasar Lambak, Pekan Nenas di sini hari ini.
Majlis turut dihadiri isteri Perdana Menteri Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, Menteri Besar Johor Datuk Abdul Ghani Othman, Menteri Dalam Negeri Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein dan Timbalan Menteri di Jabatan Perdana Menteri Datuk Ahmad Maslan.
Turut hadir calon BN bagi kerusi Parlimen Tanjung Piai Datuk Wee Jack Seng, calon Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN) Kukup Suhaimi Salleh dan calon DUN Pekan Nenas Wong You Fong.
Najib berkata rakyat perlu memilih pemimpin yang mempunyai agenda masa depan dan bukan setakat pemimpin yang hanya tahu menabur janji-janji kosong seperti yang dilakukan pihak pembangkang di Selangor.
"Saya tahu sebab saya Pengerusi BN, rakyat Selangor telah kena tipu lima tahun, Menteri Besarnya angkat punggung lari tengah malam tanding di Pelabuhan Klang, kita tunggu dia di sana dan orang Ijok tahu dia hanya janji kosong di sana tanpa buat apa-apa.
"Sedangkan kerajaan BN kita mempunyai agenda wawasan bukan hanya main janji kosong dan main tabur janji. Kita ada peta jalan dan perancangan serta kemampuan untuk laksanakan," katanya.
Menurutnya pilihan raya umum kali ini akan menentukan destinasi dan hala tuju negara dalam tempoh lima tahun akan datang.
"Kita tengok muka anak-anak dan isteri di rumah dan tanya diri kita apakah bentuk Malaysia yang hendak kita warisi. Kita harus tanya diri kita, kalau kita diberi kuasa, pilihlah orang dan parti yang boleh beri masa depan yang lebih cerah.
"Jangan pilih masa depan yang sarat dengan masalah, sarat dengan masalah dan konflik serius dan jangan tolak keharmonian yang telah terbukti selama ini berlaku di Johor," katanya.
Sehubungan itu, katanya, semua rakyat termasuk rakyat Johor tidak mempunyai pilihan lain selain terus menyokong BN dan mereka perlu memberikan sokongan penuh kepada calon-calon BN supaya parti itu mendapat kemenangan besar dalam pilihan raya umum nanti.
Katanya, kemenangan besar BN di Johor akan menjadi hadiah perpisahan terbaik kepada Abdul Ghani yang selama ini telah mencurahkan bakti sebagai Menteri Besar Johor selama 18 tahun.
Pada majlis itu, beliau turut mengumumkan pembinaan 1,000 unit rumah rakyat dan mampu milik untuk penduduk di Parlimen Tanjung Piai. – Bernama
Uthaya Sankar SB berkarya dalam Bahasa Malaysia. Beliau adalah presiden Kumpulan Sasterawan Kavyan (Kavyan) dan pemilik tunggal Perunding Media, Motivasi dan Penerbitan Uthaya. Selain menulis, membaca dan bercakap, beliau juga suka menonton filem.
29 APRIL — Tarikh mengundi sempena Pilihan Raya Umum Ke-13 (PRU-13) semakin hampir dan antara topik yang masih hangat adalah mengenai tindakan Barisan Nasional (BN) meletakkan Zulkifli Noordin sebagai calon bagi kerusi Parlimen Shah Alam.
Agak menarik untuk diperhatikan bahawa Zulkifli adalah "calon rakan BN" dan bukannya "calon BN". Nampaknya Umno dan Presiden Umno sendiri tidak berani mengambil risiko meletakkan lelaki rasis, fanatik, etnosentrik dan ultra kiasu itu sebagai "calon BN" bagi bertanding kerusi Parlimen Shah Alam!
Pada masa sama, perlu diingat bahawa Zulkifli bukan calon dari mana-mana parti komponen BN; sebaliknya calon pilihan Pengerusi BN sendiri secara langsung. Mungkin itulah antara sebab MIC tidak berani bersuara menentang pencalonan itu sebaik diumumkan pada 16 April.
'Kenapa Hindu tak pecahkan buah betik ke, buah tembikai ke?' — Zulkifli NoordinDalam pada itu, ada pihak yang mengatakan bahawa kaum India/Hindu perlu memaafkan Zulkifli (atau sesiapa sahaja) yang pernah menghina agama Hindu dan mengundinya dalam PRU-13. Seolah-olah kemenangan BN adalah lebih besar daripada maruah para pengundi.
Rayner Sylvester Yeo dari Bandar Baru Klang (Parlimen Shah Alam) memberikan reaksi menerusi mesej Facebook kepada saya bahawa beliau berterima kasih kepada Pengerusi BN. "Terima kasih kerana memudahkan saya untuk membuat keputusan," kata pemuda itu yang berasal dari Sabah.
"Dia (Zulkifli) telah meminta maaf dan saya mendapat maklum balas bahawa sebilangan besar kaum India menyokong beliau," kata Pengerusi BN seperti dilaporkan di Utusan Malaysia (23 April).
Saya percaya bahawa pandangan itu adalah "imaginasi" Datuk Seri Najib Razak semata-mata. Mungkin juga beliau mengeluarkan kenyataan itu apabila MIC, PPP, IPF Hindraf dan parti-parti lain dalam BN "tidak cukup jantan" untuk tampil menolak pencalonan Naib Presiden Pertubuhan Peribumi Perkasa (Perkasa).
Keadaan "membisu" itu mungkin dianggap oleh Najib sebagai "bersetuju" tanpa mengambil kira realiti masyarakat pelbagai kaum dan agama membidas serta menolak pencalonan Zulkifli.
Baru-baru ini, lebih 100 ahli MIC di Shah Alam dilaporkan keluar parti berikutan isu Zulkifli, Ibrahim Ali dan Ahmad Nawawi M Zin. Ibrahim adalah Presiden Perkasa yang amat rasis tetapi tidak pernah diambil sebarang tindakan oleh Kerajaan BN walaupun dia menghina agama. Dia bertanding kerusi Parlimen Pasir Mas, Kelantan dan calon BN/Umno, Che Johan Che Pa menarik diri pada saat akhir.
Ahmad Nawawi pula calon DUN Batu Tiga dan dia pernah terlibat secara langsung dalam insiden menghina penganut agama Hindu dengan memijak kepala lembu pada 28 Ogos 2009. Kejadian itu berikutan bantahan terhadap cadangan pemindahan Kuil Sri Maha Mariamman dari Seksyen 19 ke Seksyen 23, Shah Alam.
Umno dipenuhi pemimpin rasis?
Di Sungai Rapat, Perak pula, seorang lagi calon BN/Umno, Hamidah Othman dilaporkan pernah mengguris hati kaum India dengan mengeluarkan kenyataan "Jika bertemu ular dan orang India, bunuh orang India dahulu". Maknanya, Umno memang dipenuhi pemimpin yang rasis serta tidak tahu menghormati perasaan orang lain.
Berbalik kepada isu pencalonan Zulkifli, Shahrul Nizam, seorang pegawai Jabatan Sumber Manusia di sebuah syarikat swasta di Shah Alam menyatakan bahawa walaupun beliau tidak mengundi di Parlimen Shah Alam, sebagai seorang Islam, beliau berasa amat malu apabila Zulkifli mengeluarkan kenyataan yang jahil sifatnya.
"Islam melarang umatnya menghina agama dan kepercayaan umat lain. Pemimpin yang tidak mampu menyelaras minda ketika berucap bukanlah seorang pemimpin. Mereka ini tidak lebih daripada seekor burung kakak tua. Malaysia tidak perlu kepada pelaris agama yang bersifat menghina kepercayaan orang lain kerana Islam terlalu indah, Malaysia terlalu aman," kata pemuda itu yang berasal dari Alor Star.
Seorang lagi rakan di Facebook, Khairul Azhar Tarmizi yang berasal dari Batu Gajah mengatakan bahawa golongan oportunis seperti Zulkifli akan berbuat apa sahaja untuk mendapatkan undi. Pada pandangan juruukur bahan ini, kesalahan Zulkifli mungkin boleh dimaafkan "tapi jangan lupakan".
Ibrahim Ali pernah menghasut orang Melayu membakar kitab Bible.Ghanthimathi, seorang pegawai teknologi makanan di Sungai Buloh pula meluahkan rasa sedih dan kecewa dengan sikap politikus yang tidak tahu menghormati sensitiviti masyarakat pelbagai kaum dan agama di Malaysia.
"Mengapa golongan ini sentiasa mengeluarkan kenyataan yang menghina dan mengguriskan hati kaum India dan penganut agama Hindu? Mengapa mereka seolah-olah begitu membenci kaum India?" Demikian tanya wanita ini yang saya kenali sejak zaman sekolah rendah di Aulong, Taiping.
Pembantu penyelidik dari Kajang, Mohamad Firdaus Rosli turut berkongsi pandangan semasa topik ini dibincangkan di laman rangkaian sosial baru-baru ini.
"Seorang Muslim sejati tidak akan menghina rakannya yang berlainan agama kerana perkara sedemikian ditegah oleh Rasulullah s.a.w. tercinta," pemuda yang berasal dari Sungai Petani itu mengingatkan.
Bagi Baradhan Krishnan dari Taman Seri Sentosa, Jalan Klang Lama, Kuala Lumpur, biarlah Tuhan sahaja yang menghukum Zulkifli jika dia bersalah dan orang ramai tidak perlu emosional dengan kenyataan Zulkifli yang menghina agama Hindu.
"Jika kita menentang, seolah-olah kata-katanya adalah benar. Kalau mahu menyentuh mengenai orang yang menghina kaum India dan agama Hindu, bukan Zulkifli sahaja yang berbuat begitu. Tindakan perlu diambil terhadap ramai lagi orang. Cara terbaik adalah dengan kerajaan menggubal undang-undang ketat bagi menghukum mana-mana pihak yang menghina mana-mana agama atau kaum," kata eksekutif pemasaran insurans itu.
Konsep 1Malaysia sudah terkubur
Seorang rakan perunding kewangan, Aslambigai dari Kuala Lumpur mengakui bahawa penganut agama Hindu di Malaysia sering menjadi mangsa penghinaan. Bagaimanapun, katanya, penganut Hindu diajar supaya tidak membalas perbuatan itu dengan turut menghina orang lain.
"Kita tidak perlu risau memikirkan adakah kenyataan Zulkifli itu benar atau salah. Malah, agama Hindu mengajar kita supaya bertolak ansur dan sifat itu amat penting dalam konteks Malaysia. Kita terpaksa menerima hakikat bahawa orang seperti Zulkifli memang wujud dan kita yang beragama perlu menguatkan iman serta bertolak ansur," kata wanita ini yang berasal dari Taiping.
'Bila nampak seekor ular dan seorang India, pukul India dulu, setuju?' — Hamidah Othman Turut berkongsi pandangan dalam isu ini ialah Mohanan @ Mohan Perumal, editor berita di akhbar Makkal Osai. Walaupun beliau ahli MIC, Mohan tetap lantang bersuara menentang pencalonan Zulkifli.
"Saya ada beberapa kawan rapat dalam MIC dan sebahagian daripada mereka turut dicalonkan untuk bertanding dalam PRU-13. Ada dalam kalangan mereka yang kecewa kerana saya lantang mengkritik keputusan Najib meletakkan Zulkifli sebagai calon.
"Saya sedar bahawa ramai di antara rakan-rakan saya dalam MIC juga marah dan kecewa dengan tindakan Najib yang menghancurkan usaha MIC sejak empat tahun lalu untuk meraih kembali kepercayaan kaum India terhadap BN. Rakan-rakan dalam MIC memilih untuk memendam rasa marah dan kecewa tetapi saya berani meluahkannya secara terbuka," katanya.
Bagi Tharmaraj Bathmanathan dari Klang, agama dan bahasa adalah identiti serta diibaratkan seperti "dua mata" bagi setiap kaum.
"Perdebatan intelektual tentang kedua-dua topik itu boleh diterima tetapi kutukan dan penghinaan tidak boleh diterima sama sekali. Apatah lagi apabila individu terbabit adalah seorang yang berpendidikan tinggi (peguam) yang sepatutnya mampu berfikir secara rasional sebelum bertutur.
"Dalam kes Zulkifli, jelas menunjukkan fikiran dan pendirian rasis serta fanatik. Individu seperti ini tidak boleh mewakili penduduk pelbagai kaum dan agama di Malaysia dengan memenangi pilihan raya. Najib telah menguburkan konsep 1 Malaysia dengan menamakan Zulkifli sebagai calon PRU-13," jurutera rangkaian itu menegaskan.
Pasti sahaja pemimpin, penyokong dan juak-juak dalam MIC, Umno dan BN akan berusaha bersungguh-sungguh untuk "memutihkan" imej Zulkifli menjelang tarikh mengundi pada 5 Mei 2013. Namun, saya percaya bahawa para pengundi pelbagai kaum dan agama di kawasan Parlimen Shah Alam akan tetap menolak calon yang rasis, fanatik dan sanggup menghina mana-mana agama.
Biarlah keputusan pengiraan undi di Parlimen Shah Alam menjadi pengajaran kepada BN bahawa masyarakat pelbagai kaum dan agama di negara ini menolak politik perkauman dan politikus yang bersikap etnosentik dan ultra kiasu.
* Uthaya Sankar SB berkempen menolak politik perkauman menerusi tulisan. Lebih banyak tulisan boleh dibaca di www.uthayasb.blogspot.com
* Pandangan di atas hanyalah pandangan peribadi penulis.
A geology graduate turned writer, Khairie Hisyam Aliman enjoys stating the obvious... occasionally in writing. He is still figuring out how to write a proper bio of himself.
APRIL 29 — "Familiarity breeds contempt — and children." — Mark Twain
Some time ago, after breaking the news of my wife's pregnancy to a couple of acquaintances, the talk drifted to the subject of parenthood. Then one of them said: "I'm never having children. This world is so terrible, what for I want to bring new life just to suffer in it?"
But is the world really that terrible?
In a way, maybe it is. The world is coming to an end at some point — for Muslims, we are already seeing some of the foretold signs of the doomsday.
Regardless of religion, we all have rising concerns about global warming, pollution and resource depletion. For the most part the way we live on this big blue planet is still unsustainable.
The Food and Agricultural Organisation estimated that between 2010 and 2012 nearly 870 million people worldwide didn't have enough to eat. North Korea is making scary nuclear noises now, and it's probably wishful thinking to hope that the last global financial crisis in 2008 will be the last in the history of mankind.
But let's look closer to home. The cost of living is going up. We hear of horrendous crimes every other day, it seems. Children are still going missing. There's always some sort of rumour or another about corrupt politicians when all we want are honest people who make the right calls for us.
So yes, maybe the world is a terrible place. I guess at some point in our lives, we just wake up to a darker, crueller world as our innocence slipped away during the transition from childhood to adulthood.
But are we that fragile, we humans who dominate this planet?
Despite it all, we still find moments of happiness in our lives, in our own ways, day after day. There are pain and tears and yes, blood. But lest we forget, there are also smiles, laughter and love. More than just enduring the terribleness of the world we live in, we persist and fight back every day to make each tomorrow slightly better to wake up to.
In our small way we keep persevering to improve the tiny part of this world that we live in. Some great people are even privileged enough to improve the lives of many in their lifetime. We endure, we persist, and we eke out what happiness we can.
I guess that's one reason to have children despite the terrible things that define our age: to leave behind individual(s) who are kinder, smarter and more capable than we ever were in our short lives.
So that when we die, we pass knowing that we tried our best to make things ever so slightly better by leaving behind sons and daughters who are greater people than we were and who can pursue better lives than we lived — our final legacy.
Eventually, maybe the world won't be so terrible after all.
KUALA LUMPUR, April 28 — Butter prawns has got to be one of Malaysia's finest gastronomic contributions. The presence of Malay, Chinese and Indian cooking methods and ingredients is very symbolic of the ... Read More
PETALING JAYA, April 27 — Just the Thai laksa alone with the fish curry was worth my making another trip to Old Siam in 1 Utama last week. I was joined by two friends who happened to be walking past and ... Read More
KUALA LUMPUR, April 28 — Butter prawns has got to be one of Malaysia's finest gastronomic contributions. The presence of Malay, Chinese and Indian cooking methods and ingredients is very symbolic of the ... Read More
PETALING JAYA, April 27 — Just the Thai laksa alone with the fish curry was worth my making another trip to Old Siam in 1 Utama last week. I was joined by two friends who happened to be walking past and ... Read More
LONDON, April 28 — Reading and Queens Park Rangers were relegated from the Premier League after the strugglers drew 0-0 on Sunday in a lacklustre and scrappy clash that epitomised their dismal seasons.
Both sides needed a win to have any chance of staying up but Reading now return to the Championship (second division) after one season back in the top-flight while big-spending Rangers must plot a return after two seasons among the elite.
Reading and QPR have 25 points with three matches to play, seven adrift of third-bottom Wigan Athletic. Aston Villa, one place above the drop zone, have 34 with four games remaining.
In later matches, fourth-placed Chelsea host Swansea City (1400) and Arsenal, one place above, welcome champions Manchester United to the Emirates (1500). — Reuters
Reuters file pic of golfer Brett Rumford.SEOUL, April 28 — Australian Brett Rumford eagled the first playoff hole to beat compatriot Marcus Fraser and Peter Whiteford of Scotland to win the European Tour's Ballantine's Championship in Seoul on Sunday.
Rumford rifled a long iron to four feet at the par-five 18th in the sudden death shootout and he confidently rolled in the putt to seal a fourth European Tour title and first for six years.
"I'm really pleased with the result and I owe a lot to Ronnie my caddy and I've got a great team around me," the world number 253 said in a televised interview after his win.
The Australia had looked set to win the 2,205,000 euro ($2.87 million) event in regulation after six birdies on the front nine helped him to a two-shot lead from Fraser and Whiteford standing on the 17th tee.
But the 36-year-old Australian notched a double-bogey six on the hole after driving into a bush and taking a penalty drop.
That mistake pushed him back to 11-under for the tournament and he needed to roll in an eight foot putt on the 18th to save par after another wayward drive to finish with a four-under-par round of 68 and a 277 total.
Playing partner Fraser matched his 68 and came close to moving into the lead when he narrowly missed a 20ft birdie effort on the last before Rumford's putt.
That left Whiteford (69) in the final group needing to birdie the 543-yard hole to seal a first European Tour title but the Scot produced a nervous chip with his third shot from the edge of the green and then pushed his five-foot putt to win wide of the cup.
Pep talk
Before embarking on the playoff, Rumford called coach Pete Cowan for some advice on how to fix his driving.
"A lot of thanks go to Pete," the Australian said. "I battled with my driver constantly and I guess that's what keeps me out of most golf tournaments.
"I left a few drives right - it wasn't just the last two drives, it was the whole back nine I was feeling stuck and a little bit trapped - had a quick word with Pete and hit a five or six balls off the first tee and it obviously did the trick."
All three found the 18th fairway with their drives in the playoff but Whiteford again went right with his second, while Fraser sent his approach over the back of the green, leaving the flag open for Rumford.
His superb approach pitching short of the flag before rolling up just a couple of feet behind the cup and he kept his composure as Whiteford made birdie and Fraser chipped up close to the flag with his third.
Frenchman Romain Wattel had a final round 69 to finish fourth, two off the playoff, while South African world number seven Louis Oosthuizen (69) was a further shot back.
Past champion Thongchai Jaidee (65) of Thailand was joint sixth alongside Noren and South Korean Kim Hyung-sung (67) in the Asian Tour co-sanctioned event. — Reuters
A foodsharing site in Germany has been created to reduce food waste. – shutterstock.comLOS ANGELES, April 28 – In an effort to reduce food waste and divert garbage from overflowing landfills, a website has been created to allow users to give away – and receive – unwanted foods from freezers and pantries across Germany.
In the same spirit as Freecycling in which users post and pick up unwanted items in online networks around the world, Foodsharing.de serves as a digital marketplace where users can post surplus foods they won't be able to use before the expiration date, or ingredients they know they won't be consuming.
Recently adopted a gluten-free, carb-free diet? Instead of throwing out that perfectly good, fresh loaf of bread bought recently, users can post it online and see it make a few good sandwiches and morning breakfasts.
Threw a huge dinner party and overstocked the fridge with fruits and vegetables that risk going bad? Post them online and help feed a struggling family in need.
Currently, items up for grabs include boxes of cornflakes cereal, bananas, bags of frozen peas, jars of Nutella, tea, and microwave popcorn.
The principle prohibits the exchange of money.
'Deadly sin'
According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation, one-third of produce is thrown away or lost every year, while 870 million people suffer from chronic malnutrition – a fact which Slow Food founder Carlo Petrini calls mankind's "deadly," unforgivable sin.
"We must stop this never-ending cycle," Petrini wrote in an article for Relaxnews earlier this week for Earth Day.
"...If waste is indeed a deadly sin, we will discover that doing penitence for it can be as pleasant as it is profitable."
To avoid throwing perfectly edible foods into the garbage, stick to a grocery list and buy only what you need, and get creative with recipes for leftovers, Petrini advises. – AFP/Relaxnews
Obama revealed the strategy he and First Lady Michelle Obama have been using to keep their daughters away from tattoos. - Reuters pic
WASHINGTON, April 28 — If they were thinking about getting tattoos, the Obama daughters may want to reconsider.
Speaking on NBC's "Today" show in a segment originally filmed before the Boston Marathon bombings, President Barack Obama revealed the strategy he and First Lady Michelle Obama have been using to keep their daughters away from tattoos.
"What we've said to the girls is, 'If you guys ever decide you're going to get a tattoo, then mommy and me will get the exact same tattoo, in the same place, and we'll go on YouTube and show it off as a family tattoo'," Obama said.
"Our thinking is that might dissuade them from thinking that somehow that's a good way to rebel."
During the segment, the president also said he understood his wife's "slip of the tongue" when she called herself a "single mother" in early April, noting that they were often apart for a week at a time when he was campaigning for the Senate and presidency.
"I tend to cut my wife or anybody some slack when it comes to just slips of the tongue," he said.
"But there's no doubt that there have been times where Michelle probably felt like a single mom...
"She definitely, I think, understands the burdens that women in particular tend to feel if they're both responsible for child rearing and they're responsible for working at the same time," he added. – Reuters
The Malaysian Insider :: Showbiz
LOS ANGELES, April 24 — The last play from the writer of "When Harry Met Sally," "Julia & Julia," "Sleepless in Seattle" and "You've Got Mail" will form part of October 29 hardback release The Most of ... 
VIENNA, April 24 — Irish author John Banville is to be awarded the Austrian state prize for European literature in July, the government said on Monday, praising the novelist's "unconventional" ... 
WASHINGTON, April 23 — Washington state's governor signed into law yesterday the final piece of a six-year effort to rewrite state laws using gender-neutral vocabulary, replacing terms such as "fisherman" ... 
LOS ANGELES, April 23 — Ten category winners and two lifetime achievement awards in the LA Times Book Awards were announced over the weekend, with Katherine Boo's portrayal of Mumbai slum living in Behind ... 
KUALA LUMPUR, 29 April — Bekas Ketua Polis Negara (KPN) Tan Sri Musa Hassan telah menyertai majlis penasihat keselamatan Pakatan Rakyat (PR), dan mengatakan hari ini beliau bimbang dengan keganasan politik dalam Pilihan Raya 2013. 
KUALA LUMPUR, April 28 — Butter prawns has got to be one of Malaysia's finest gastronomic contributions. The presence of Malay, Chinese and Indian cooking methods and ingredients is very symbolic of the ... 
PETALING JAYA, April 27 — Just the Thai laksa alone with the fish curry was worth my making another trip to Old Siam in 1 Utama last week. I was joined by two friends who happened to be walking past and ... 
LONDON, April 28 — Reading and Queens Park Rangers were relegated from the Premier League after the strugglers drew 0-0 on Sunday in a lacklustre and scrappy clash that epitomised their dismal seasons.
