Top 10 sex myths

Find out the real facts of life

Sex; it’s one of the most thought about subjects, but how much do we really know? Our knowledge of sex is often confused by rumours, misconceptions and outright lies. So, dust off your magnifying glass, pull out your probes and apply your long, investigative, latex gloves – it’s myth busting time:

A woman can’t get pregnant when it’s her first time

The notion that a woman cannot get pregnant the first time she has sex is still a commonly held belief. In Turkey 25 per cent of young people thought this was true. However, the truth of the matter is that without reliable contraception, pregnancy is possible, whether it is the woman’s first time or her fiftieth time.

I can’t darling, I’ve got a headache

Have you ever used the old headache excuse, or been denied some loving action because of one? Well, we have a cure for her sore head because sex has medicinal properties. When women have sex, endormorphins are released into her body, which in turn relieves pain. Therefore getting under the covers should help ease a woman’s headache.

Men always want it

Although many men in their late teens and early twenties want a lot of it, men do not always want to have sex. Lots of things affect people’s sex drives; stress being one of the biggest culprits. If you don’t feel like it, there’s nothing wrong with you. On average Briton’s have sex six to seven times per month, whilst American’s on average have sex twice a week.

If you masturbate you run out of semen

This is not true. The amount of semen a man ejaculates varies, being between half a teaspoon and a whole teaspoon of fluid. This equates to 40-500 million sperm.  Men who ejaculate a lot in one day may notice that the volume of semen decreases, but there is no risk of you running out of semen, you will simply produce more.

Older people don’t do it

Talking about old people getting frisky can embarrass some people; but let’s face it everyone likes sex, even the granddads and grandmas. Many people think that after the menopause women lose interest in sex, but this is not always true. Many older people enjoy an active sex life beyond the menopause and it has lots of health benefits too.

It’s good to lose your virginity when you are young

Although people are having sex younger, many regret it. The average age to lose your virginity is 16 in the UK. It was 21 in the 1950s. Sixty-three percent of sexually active adolescents wished they had waited longer and eighty-nine percent of those surveyed would advise their own brother, sister or friend not to have sex until at least after finishing secondary school.

Thin condoms break

If a condom is your preferred method of contraception, which type do you choose? There are a lot of condoms on the market: ribbed ones, sleek fitting ones, the thin, the thick and the pina colada flavored. Whichever you use, you don’t have to worry about the thickness because Durex reassures us that the thickness of the condom doesn’t necessarily correspond to safety.

We’re all porn stars

Watching two of Hollywood’s finest stars perform a hot love scene is great for getting you in the mood, but it should not be used as a sex guide. Real people do not come every time and last for three hours. Studies show that 75 per cent of men orgasm two to three minutes after penetration and an estimated 30 per cent of women can only achieve orgasm through masturbation.

Men cheat more than women

When you hear that a couple have split up because of an affair it is easy to assume it was the man’s fault, but recent studies suggest that women are much better at keeping their affairs secret. According to Dr David Holmes between eight and 15 per cent of children haven't been fathered by the man who thinks he's the biological parent.

Women don’t ejaculate

Not all women ejaculate, but some do. If you have seen women ejaculate during pornography this is not an accurate depiction. In reality, women ejaculate a small amount of fluid, which is a mixture of urine and a liquid from the G-spot (the female equivalent to a prostate). However, most women do not experience ejaculation, so if you don’t, there’s no need to worry.

10 strange sex facts

Did you know that eating celery makes men more attractive to women? Or that the clitoris has over 8000 nerve endings? Nope, neither did we, but there’s plenty more where that came from. Here are 10 facts about sex that may just make you say, “I didn’t know that!” or “ooh” or maybe even “eww”. Enjoy!

Strange sex fact 1: Ejaculation combats nasal congestion in men
Oh gosh, we’re only about to go and give men another reason to think about sexual activity. In a 2008 study published in TheJournal of Medical Hypotheses, experts state that men may overcome a blocked nose by having an orgasm. Apparently, an orgasm stimulates the adrenergic receptors in the nasal passage to get rid of that lousy blockage naturally. While we’re all for using the treatments that Mother Nature supplied us with, we hope those men never have to relieve their stuffy noses at work or at their friend’s house... That’s a strange sex fact if ever we heard one.

Strange sex fact 2: There are around 8000 nerve endings in the clitoris
Given the huge amount of fascination surrounding the female body in our society, you would have thought we’d be a little more clued up about the female sexual organs. Alas though, a simple fact about the clitoris finds its way into an article of strange sex facts. Did you know that the clitoris is comprised of around 8000 nerve endings? This is why it is perhaps the most sensitive and sensual part of the female anatomy. The tip of the penis is made up of around 4000 nerve endings– that’s half the amount of those that women have. Lucky ladies!

Strange sex fact 3: Some people are sexually attracted to objects
While we all may see beauty in inanimate objects such as the Eiffel Tower and the historical Berlin Wall, some people love buildings, objects or architecture so much that they develop a sexual attraction toward these objects. One lady became so besotted by the Eiffel Tower that she had a civil ceremony with it in 2007 and changed her surname to “Eiffel” to reflect the bond. There are a small number of people around the world who feel a sensual, emotional and physical attraction to inanimate objects and they call themselves “objectum sexuals”.

Strange sex fact 4: Pubic hair is intended to increase your sexual pleasure
While pubic hair is intended to protect the genitals, it is also intended to trap and hold ‘sex scents’, more formally known as pheromones, to enhance our partner’s sexual arousal. Indeed, pheromones are sex odours released by our bodies when we are aroused, and these in turn enhance the arousal of our partner when they’re detected. Here we were thinking pubic hair was just an unfortunate relic of having monkeys as ancestors. If only we could get a refund on that bikini wax...

Strange sex fact 5: Semen is a natural antidepressant
Feeling a little down in the dumps? Semen might just be your scientifically proven pick-me-up. Research psychologist Jesse Bering published an article in Scientific American, which stated that semen is packed full of natural mood-enhancers. Indeed, semen only contains around one to five per cent sperm, while the rest is made up of over 50 components including prolactin, oxytocin, serotonin and estrone, which are natural antidepressants.

Strange sex fact 6: Sperm is good for your skin
Semen is jam-packed full of protein which, when applied to the face, has the same anti-wrinkle properties as moisturising creams. It tightens your skin while nourishing it with zinc, magnesium, calcium, potassium and fructose... wow, it sounds like the kind of expensive ingredients you shell out lots of money for doesn’t it? We think we’ll stick to the trusty face cream that we’re already using though – the scent of flowers is second to none.

Strange sex fact 7: Eating celery makes men more sexually attractive to women
News flash: Gents, to attract the ladies you need to stock up on celery. That’s according to sexperts Dr Walter Gaman and Dr Mark Anderson who say that eating celery increases the level of pheromones in a man’s body. Brace yourselves for the scientific part: by ingesting the androstenone chemical found in the cytoplasm of celery, the male body produces more pheromones, which naturally attract the ladies. You best add this into your routine before you go out on the pull. Have a shower and shave, sort out your hair, munch on a stick of celery, and you’re good to go.

Strange sex fact 8: The average speed of male ejaculation is 28 miles per hour
Yes you heard that right. The average speed of male ejaculation is 28 miles per hour – that’s pretty fast! However, Mark Elliot from the Institute for Psychological and Sexual Health in Columbus explains that once the sperm enter the vagina, they suddenly slow down and it takes them five minutes to make the six inch journey up the cervix and 72 hours to penetrate an egg. The life of sperm sounds pretty tough.

Strange sex fact 9: Erotic asphyxiation kills 500-1000 people a year
… and that’s in America alone. Erotic asphyxiation is the act of intentionally restricting the oxygen to the brain during ejaculation, either through strangulation, hanging, or other similar methods. When the flow of oxygen from the blood to the brain is suddenly cut off, it can cause feelings of intense giddiness, which reportedly intensify orgasms. This is risky business though, and one which kills around 500 to 1000 people a year in America alone.


Strange sex fact 10: Orgasms can prolong your life
Good news at last! Something pleasurable is actually good for us. In 1997, the British Medical Journal noticed a strong correlation between orgasms and mortality rates, pointing out that those who orgasm two times a week or more can add up to eight years on to their life. Doing the deed adds a bit of ‘oomph’ to the immune system, improves hearth health, boosts brain power and much more. We can’t think of a better excuse to get it on!

Study: Non-alcoholic red wine may reduce high blood pressure

WASHINGTON: Men with a high risk for heart disease had lower blood pressure after drinking non-alcoholic red wine every day for four weeks, according to a new study published this week in the American Heart Association journal Circulation Research.

Non-alcoholic red wine increased study participants' levels of nitric oxide, which helped decrease both systolic and diastolic blood pressure, researchers said.

Nitric oxide is a molecule in the body that helps blood vessels relax and allows more blood to reach the heart and other organs.

According to China's Xinhua news agency, researchers studied 67 men with diabetes or three or more cardiovascular risk factors who ate a common diet plus one of the following drinks: about 10 ounces of red wine, non-alcoholic red wine or about three ounces of gin.

All of the men tried each diet/ beverage combination for four weeks.

The red wine and non-alcoholic wine contained equal amounts of polyphenols, an antioxidant that decreases blood pressure.

During the red wine phase, the men had very little reduction in blood pressure, and there was no change from drinking gin.

However, after drinking non-alcoholic red wine, blood pressure decreased by about 6mmHg in systolic and 2mmHg in diastolic blood pressure possibly reducing the risk of heart disease by 14 percent and stroke by as much as 20 percent.

Researchers concluded that the alcohol in red wine weakens its ability to lower blood pressure.

But polyphenols still present after alcohol is removed from wine are likely the beneficial element in wine

Bernama

Salah didik ke atau memang tidak terdidik??

Ibu Bapa Muhammad Ammar Perlu Dikutuk

LAMAN ini terkejut dengan tindakan ibu bapa pelajar, Muhammad Ammar Abd Rahman yang dikaitkan dengan tindakan menghina pemimpin negara kerana menunjukkan punggong kepada gambar Datuk Seri Najib dan Datin Seri Rosmah Mansur, kerana sanggup menyerahkan anak sendiri kepada polis untuk dikenakan tindakan!!

Ibu bapa jenis apakah ini yang sanggup lihat anak sendiri masuk lokap? 

Sementara ada ibu bapa yang sanggup menggadai nyawa sendiri demi anak, jenis yang ini pulak sanggup menyerahkan anak sendiri kepada polis untuk dilokap dan dipenjarakan.  Binatang pun rasa penulis lebih baik melindungi anak dari ibu bapa si Ammar ini.

Lagipun apalah sangat dosa budak itu?  Adakah dia membunuh, mencuri atau menculik?  Adakah sesiapa yang tercedera kerana perbuatannya itu sehingga ibu bapa sendiri sanggup menyerahkan anak mereka kepada polis?

Penulis dimaklumkan bahawa Najib tidak langsung terasa atau menyimpan dendam dengan perbuatan pemuda ini, Rosmah juga begitu rasanya – biasalah, darah muda.  Yang kecoh lebih-lebih ini hanyalah orang disekeliling UMNO dan kerajaan yang mahu mengambil hati Najib, maklumlah pilihanraya sudah dekat.

Kalau dah Najib dan Rosmah pun tidak kisah, yang mak bapak dia melebih-lebih tu kenapa?

Penulis pernah mendengar bahawa ada ibu bapa yang sanggup menyorokkan anaknya asal sahaja tidak dikenakan tindakan undang-undang, mana yang berkemampuan sanggup menghantar anak ke luar negara kerana tidak sanggup melihat dia berakhir sebagai banduan.

Itu baru betul, bukan serah anak sendiri untuk dirogol dan diliwat beramai-ramai dalam penjara nanti!!

Penulis rasa ada yang tidak kena dengan sistem bermasyarakat dibawah pentadbiran BN hari ini.  Selama 55 tahun memerintah, negara ini mungkin banyak perubahan dari segi pembangunan tapi dari segi kemasyarakatan dan kekeluargaan, hancur.

Tidak berapa lama dulu, ada ibu yang sanggup keluar TV untuk memalukan anak sendiri, yang kebetulan adalah pemimpin dan Ahli Parlimen Pakatan Rakyat yang disegani dan dihormati kawan dan lawan, YB Azmin Ali.

Sekarang, ada pula ibu dan bapa yang sanggup serah anak sendiri untuk ditangkap dan dikenakan tindakan undang-undang.

Penulis rasa keadaan ini perlu diubah dan Datuk Seri Anwar sebagai peneraju perubahan yang paling sesuai.

Lihat sahaja nilai kekeluargaan Anwar yang begitu hebat.  Dituduh apa sekalipun, isteri dan anak-anaknya tetap berdiri di belakangnya, kekal utuh tidak berganjak dari mempertahankan Anwar walaupun ketika Anwar dipenjara selama 6 tahun kerana kesalahan salah guna kuasa.

Keadaan itu kekal hingga sekarang walaupun banyak fitnah yang melanda.  Dari kes liwat Saifulnya, zina dengan pelacurnya, sokong yahudi dan macam-macam lagi – keluarga tetap di belakang mempertahankan Anwar.

Kalau orang lain penulis rasa, dah hai hai bye byelah.

Sikap semacam inilah yang kita mahu, bukan dok serah anak sendiri kepada polis untuk dikenakan tindakan.  Maaf cakaplah ya, tapi penulis rasa ibu bapa yang seumpama ini selayaknya dihukum gantung!!

Dalam masa yang sama, penulis menggesa Pakatan Rakyat agar membantu membiayai kos guaman pelajar ini atas nama kemanusiaan seperti yang biasa dilakukan sekarang.  Apatah lagi bila penulis mendengar pelajar ini akan di dakwa di dua Mahkamah berasingan – Mahkamah Sivil dan Mahkamah Syariah.

sumber

RON97 is now RM3 per litre, petrol dealers say.

RON97 is now RM3 per litre

The price for premium petrol RON97 has gone up by 30 sen from RM2.70 to RM3 per litre.

Malaysian Petrol Dealers Association president Datuk Hashim Othman said the new price was effective at petrol pumps since 12.01am Thursday.

“This is following the world fuel price in the market, which has risen,” he said when contacted.

It was reported that the price of RON97 was slashed by 20 sen from RM2.80 to RM2.60 per litre in July.

The price was later increased to RM2.70 per litre in August.

The retail price of RON97 petrol is determined by a 'managed float' in which the price will be changed according market forces.

Source

Selena Gomez's gorgeous gown

Selena Gomez

Selena Gomez looked grown-up and gorgeous at the 69th Annual Venice Film Festival premiere of "Spring Breakers" on September 5, 2012. The 20-year-old former Disney star wore a stunning strapless Versace Atelier gown and Sergio Rossi heels. A Judith Leiber clutch and Lorraine Schwartz jewelry completed the look. She admitted that the movie, about a wild spring break, would shock her fans. "People do put a label on you. I know that I have younger fans, and this is an opportunity for myself to kind of grow. It is a little shocking, I think, for the younger audiences. ... but I think it was right for me."

source

Powerful 7.6 quake hit Costa Rica, tsunami warning issued

The Atlantic Wire - Huge 7.9 Earthquake Hits Costa Rica

SAN JOSE, Costa Rica (Reuters) - A powerful 7.6-magnitude earthquake rocked Costa Rica on Wednesday, rattling buildings and cutting power in some areas of the capital.

Residents of San Jose said electricity poles were rattling along the streets of San Jose and water flowed out of pools during the quake.

The quake's epicenter was in western Costa Rica about 140 km (87 miles) from San Jose, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) said, and it was felt as far away as Managua, the capital of neighboring Nicaragua.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued a warning for Pacific coastlines from Mexico to Chile.

The last major earthquake in Costa Rica was a 6.1 magnitude quake in 2009, which killed 40 people, according to the USGS.

Reuters

popmycase.com

Gajet dapat sentuhan kreatif selebriti

WALAUPUN pernah berkolaborasi dengan syarikat jenama terkenal antarabangsa seperti Fendi, Piaget dan Levis melalui karya kreatifnya, Marini Ramlan, 34, tidak pernah mendabik dada dengan kejayaan dan penghormatan tersebut.

Dia yang lebih dikenali dengan nama Nini Marini itu merasakan setiap pelukis mempunyai cara dan identiti tersendiri dalam setiap penghasilan karya mereka. Baginya, terjemahan kreatif itu menggambarkan emosi dan juga ekspresi seseorang pelukis.

Namun, sekiranya seseorang pelukis itu diberi peluang untuk menjalin kerjasama dengan syarikat-syarikat besar untuk tujuan mempromosikan hasil karya mereka, itu merupakan suatu bonus untuk penggiat seni kreatif sepertinya.

Baru-baru ini, enam hasil karya Nini Marini telah dipilih oleh syarikat sarung telefon bimbit dan gajet, Popmycase untuk menghasilkan kaedah pengubahsuaian sarung telefon dan gajet.

Nini Marini ternyata tidak keseorangan apabila dua selebriti terkenal tempatan iaitu Amy Search dan Bunkface bersama enam penggiat seni jalanan tanah air iaitu Orkibal, Spoonman, Sheiko, Kukubesi, TheSuperSunday dan Art:Tech juga telah dipilih oleh syarikat tersebut.

Popmycase merupakan syarikat pertama di rantau Asia yang mengkhususkan rekaan dan pengubahsuaian sarung telefon pintar dan gajet pengguna. Syarikat itu juga membolehkan pengguna memuat naik gambar kegemaran untuk dizahirkan pada sarung telefon pintar mereka.

Meminati bidang seni lukisan sejak berumur enam tahun, Nini Marina ternyata sering menyelitkan elemen-elemen corak dan haiwan untuk dalam setiap karyanya.

"Untuk kolaborasi bersama Popmycase, saya telah menyumbang sebanyak enam hasil lukisan untuk pilihan peminat-peminat karya seni lukis untuk dizahirkan pada sarung telefon dan gajet canggih mereka.

"Kolaborasi saya dan rakan-rakan penggiat seni lukis yang lain dengan Popmycase mampu mengetengahkan lagi bakat serta kewujudan pelukis-pelukis Malaysia kepada orang ramai," jelasnya yang juga terlibat dengan industri media tanah air.

Enam koleksi daripada Nini Marini ialah The Fire Bird, Fishes, Fleurs, Ayoki, Peacock Feather danShelves itu mampu menjadikan sarung telefon bimbit dan gajet muda-mudi masa kini berada dalam kelas yang tersendiri.

Elemen corak yang digabungkan dengan haiwan juga memberikan mood yang berbeza kepada sesetengah individu dan corak tersebut juga menjadi trend kepada golongan muda.

"Corak The Fire Bird, yang menggambarkan seekor burung phoenix yang sedang berterbangan merupakan antara corak yang sering ditempah oleh penggemar sarung telefon bimbit Popmycase," ujarnya yang juga aktif dalam mengajar seni lukisan kepada kanak-kanak di Pusat Aktiviti Kanak-Kanak: Yayasan Chow Kit.

Bagi Nini Marini, peluang untuk berkolaborasi dengan Popmycase juga merupakan salah satu kaedah untuk pelukis-pelukis tempatan untuk melebarkan hasil karya mereka ke luar negara kerana produk tersebut juga didatangkan bersama perkhidmatan penghantaran.

JOSAFRI (empat dari kiri) bersama dengan artis, pelukis dan pereka seni grafik tanah air yang telah menyumbangkan karya kreatif mereka untuk Popmycase pada sesi pelancaran sarung telefon bimbit dan tablet itu baru-baru ini.

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Tandatangan istimewa

Legenda rock tanah air, Amy Search pula mempunyai kisah tersendiri apabila sarung iPhone 4S miliknya yang tertera gambar dan juga tandatangannya itu telah menarik perhatian rakan-rakan artis malah peminat-peminat beliau.

"Ramai yang sering bertanya kepada saya, bagaimana saya boleh mencetak gambar saya pada sarung iPhone 4S ini?

"Jawapan saya mudah, ini merupakan teknologi terbaharu yang dihasilkan oleh Popmycase dan secara tidak langsung ia turut mempromosikan sarung rekaan terbaharu saya kepada rakan-rakan artis serta peminat saya," ujarnya.

Walaupun Amy tidak mencipta atau melukis rekaannya sendiri, sarung telefon yang memaparkan gambarnya itu mempunyai aura tersendiri dan turut menarik peminat tegar vokalis kumpulan rock itu untuk mengetahui lebih lanjut mengenai sarung tersebut.

Menurut Amy, sarung keluaran telefon Popmycase itu merupakan salah satu koleksi rasmi yang harus dimiliki oleh para peminatnya.

"Segala idea dan reka bentuk sarung telefon saya ini sepenuhnya datang daripada saya dan pihak Popmycase bertanggungjawab mencetak setiap gambar saya pada sarung telefon dengan sempurna.

"Ini juga merupakan salah satu peluang perniagaan yang telah diberikan oleh pihak Popmycase kepada saya dan saya berasa amat berbangga kerana syarikat tersebut telah memberi kepercayaan kepada saya," jelasnya yang kini dalam perancangan untuk mencipta dan melukis rekaan sendiri untuk peminat-peminatnya.

Aplikasi yang terdapat di laman web memberikan kebebasan kepada pengguna untuk membesarkan gambar atau imej dan menggabungkan pelbagai corak serta warna untuk rekaan sarung telefon pintar. Ia nyata berbeza dengan rekaan sarung telefon pintar di pasaran.

Amy turut memberitahu, sarung telefon pintar daripada Popmycase juga mudah untuk disarungkan pada iPhone 4S miliknya dan mudah untuk dibawa ke mana-mana.

"Saya sudah menggunakan sarung telefon bimbit selama beberapa bulan dan sepanjang tempoh saya menggunakannya, telefon saya telah beberapa kali terjatuh dan tiada keretakan mahupun kerosakan yang berlaku kepada telefon kesayangan saya ini," jelasnya.

Aspek kualiti juga menjadi perhatian Popmycase. Bahan-bahan untuk menghasilkan setiap sarung itu menggunakan Lexan iaitu jenama resin polikarbonat yang tahan lasak, ringan, fleksibel dan memberikan perlindungan pada gajet.

Lexan pernah digunakan oleh Pentadbiran Aeronautik dan Angkasa Lepas Kebangsaan (NASA) dan menjadi bahan binaan untuk jentera kereta lumba Formula One (F1).

APLIKASI di laman web memudahkan peminat sarung telefon bimbit untuk mengubah suai sarung telefon bimbit dan tablet mengikut cita rasa mereka.

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Langkah mudah

Pengarah Digital Kumpulan Popmycase, Riz Ainuddin turut memberikan informasi yang lengkap mengenai cara-cara untuk menggunakan aplikasi di laman web tersebut.

Menurutnya, pengguna-pengguna disarankan untuk memuat naik gambar atau imej yang mempunyai resolusi besar untuk mengelakkan gambar pilihan itu pecah sewaktu proses pencetakan dilakukan.

"Dengan hanya tiga langkah mudah iaitu pilih jenis telefon pintar anda, muat naik gambar atau karya seni anda kemudian ia sedia untuk dihantar ke rumah.

"Pengguna juga boleh mengubahsuai rekaan sarung telefon pintar itu mengikut cita rasa mereka sendiri malah mereka juga diberi pilihan untuk memilih rekaan artis-artis dan pelukis.

Lebih menarik, pengguna boleh memuat turun gambar kegemaran mereka terus daripada komputer, tablet, Facebook atau Instagram ke laman web tersebut.

Tambah Riz, bagi menjaga kualiti, Popmycase menggunakan teknologi percetakan secara penerapan dakwat (ink-embedded process).

Melalui teknologi tersebut, tekanan dan haba ketuhar akan mencetak rekaan dengan cara meresap terus ke dalam permukaan sarung telefon pintar bagi menghasilkan rekaan dengan imej sangat jelas dan tidak mudah pudar.

Sumber

Hidangan Tradisi Orang Bugis Di Hari Raya

Masak juadah lapan jam

MALAYSIA memang kaya dengan kepelbagaian budaya masyarakatnya yang berbilang kaum. Lantaran itu, tidak hairanlah, ramai pelancong malah rakyat tempatan sendiri yang menyifatkan negara kita ini sebagai syurga makan.

Jika ada yang berhajat menikmati keunikan masakan tradisi, Barat, oriental atau Mediterranean, baik yang masih mengekalkan cita rasa asli mahupun telah diubah mengikut rencah rasa tempatan, semuanya boleh didapati di Malaysia.

Antara yang menjadi kegemaran ramai dan dikenali umum ialah roti canai, nasi lemak, nasi kandar, nasi dagang, nasi kerabu dan pelbagai jenis kuih-muih tradisional.

Namun, jika disebut beberapa nama hidangan warisan etnik Bugis seperti burasak, lepat lueh, nasu metti dan bejabok, pastinya ramai yang terpinga-terpinga, malahan ada tidak pernah mendengar dan menikmatinya.

Lain pula keadaannya di pekan Benut yang terletak di daerah Pontian, Johor. Di sini, majoriti masyarakatnya berketurunan Bugis yang berasal daripada Kepulauan Sulawesi, Indonesia.

"Burasak bukanlah makanan yang pelik di sini malah ia boleh dibeli di pasar minggu.

Bagi seorang peniaga burasak yang mahu dikenali sebagai Remeng, 50-an, setiap kali minggu akhir Ramadan, dia dan keluarganya tidak menang tangan menerima tempahan daripada penduduk tempatan, malah ada yang juga peminat burasak yang sanggup datang dari Johor Bahru dan Singapura menempah burasak dengannya.

"Setiap minggu saya menjual burasak di pekan Tampok. Pada bulan puasa pula, saya menjualnya pada setiap petang.

"Seminggu sebelum raya, perniagaan menjadi semakin sibuk kerana ramai pelanggan yang menempah burasak untuk dijadikan hidangan di pagi Syawal," katanya yang mengusahakan perniagaan tersebut sambil dibantu isteri dan anak-anaknya.

Sementara itu, seorang lagi pengusaha burasak di Benut, Bachok Ambok Lelang, 63, memberitahu, rupa burasak seakan-akan ketupat nasi yang dicampur dengan sedikit santan. Bentuknya pula leper seakan lepat pisang namun lebih tebal dan saiznya sedikit besar dan lebar.

"Kalau ramuannya seperti memasak nasi lemak, cuma tidak perlu ditambah bawang, halia ataupun serai hanya beras wangi, santan dan sedikit garam.

"Memasak burasak tidaklah rumit tetapi mengambil masa yang cukup lama. Mana tidaknya, ia perlu direbus antara tujuh hingga lapan jam untuk menghasilkan burasak yang teksturnya lembut dan tahan lebih lama," ujar Bachok ketika dihubungi Jurnal baru-baru ini.

Burasak yang rasanya sedikit lemak enak dimakan panas-panas bersama nasu metti atau asam pedas ikan parang.

SEBONGKAH burasak biasanya mempunyai lima atau 10 keping burasak yang dibungkus secara berasingan.

---

"Tradisinya, orang Bugis akan makan burasak dengan ikan parang, sama ada yang dimasak asam pedas ataupun masak kicap," katanya.

Selain burasak, satu lagi makanan tradisional masyarakat Bugis yang biasa dihidang ketika musim perayaan ialah lepat lueh.

Seperkara yang unik tentang makanan ini, ia sejenis hidangan berasaskan pulut yang berbentuk tiga segi seperti atap rumah.

"Memasak pulut lueh sama seperti burasak. Pulut perlu ditanak separuh masak dan kemudiannya disejukkan sebelum dibungkus menggunakan acuan berbentuk tiga segi. Ia juga perlu direbus selama lapan jam.

"Jika burasak enak dimakan dengan asam pedas ikan parang, lepat lueh pula sedap dijamah dengan nasu likkuk atau rendang ayam lengkuas.

"Bagi yang tidak biasa memasak, tempoh merebus yang cukup lama memang jadi satu cabaran kerana api dan air perlu sentiasa dipantau, apatah lagi jika memasak menggunakan dapur kayu.

"Namun, hasilnya memang memuaskan. Burasak dan lepat lueh boleh bertahan sehingga seminggu tanpa perlu disimpan di dalam peti ais.

"Begitupun, ada petuanya. Pulut atau nasi yang telah ditanak perlu disejukkan kira-kira sejam atau dua jam sebelum dibungkus bagi mengelakkan ia daripada cepat basi," ujar Bachok.

Jelasnya lagi, memandangkan kedua-dua juadah ini boleh bertahan lama, ia biasanya dimasak dua hari sebelum raya bagi mengelakkan kesibukan di dapur menjelang malam raya.

Daun pisang nipah

Jangan tidak tahu, bukan sebarang daun pisang boleh digunakan untuk membungkus burasak dan lepat lueh.

"Hanya daun pisang nipah sahaja yang boleh digunakan untuk membungkus burasak dan lepat lueh. Bukan tidak boleh guna daun pisang lain tetapi dikhuatiri pulut atau nasi akan menjadi pahit.

"Daun pisang pula harus dipilih di bahagian pucuknya atau paling muda. Daun pisang yang tua tidak boleh digunakan kerana keras dan mudah koyak," ujarnya.

Menurut sejarahnya, makanan tahan lama yang berasal dari Kepulauan Sulawesi ini sering menjadi pilihan pedagang Bugis sebagai bekalan pelayaran.

Meninjau cara memasak hidangan wajib bagi masyarakat Bugis ini, apa yang boleh disimpulkan, hampir ke semua juadah utamanya mengambil masa yang lama untuk dimasak!

BURASAK yang direbus lapan jam boleh bertahan sehingga seminggu.

Menurut pakar masakan warisan daripada Fakulti Sains dan Teknologi Makanan Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), Prof. Madya Dr. Shahrim Karim, juadah raya masyarakat Bugis memang unik berbanding masakan masyrakat lain.

"Jika masyarakat Melayu, Minang mahupun Jawa banyak menggunakan ayam, daging lembu ataupun daging kerbau dalam masakan, lain pula halnya dengan masyarakat Bugis.

"Selain ayam, mereka turut menggunakan hasil laut dalam menu lebaran. Contoh paling mudah, masak asam pedas ikan parang dan bejabok atau serunding udang kering," katanya.

Jurnal yang diberi kesempatan melihat proses penyediaan burasak, nasu metti atau asam pedas ikan parang, nasu likkuk atau rendang ayam lengkuas dan bejabok atau serunding udang kering.

Sebagai pelengkap juadah manisan berasaskan telur dan pisang seperti baulu pecak yang rupanya seakan nekbak di Kelantan dan lepat pisang tanpa tepung atau barongko turut disediakan.

"Burasak perlu disediakan terlebih dahulu kerana ia memerlukan masa yang lama untuk direbus. Cara membuatnya mudah sahaja.

"Dengan menggunakan beras wangi yang ditanak separuh masak dengan santan dan sedikit garam untuk penambah lemak.

"Setelah nasi masak, ketepikan dan sejukkan lebih kurang dua jam. Selepas itu, ambil tiga sudu beras dan letakkan di atas pucuk daun pisang nipah yang telah dibersihkan. Ratakan nasi dalam bentuk empat segi tepat.

"Selepas siap lima bungkus, satukan burasak dan balut dengan daun pisang nipah tua yang telah dilayurkan.

"Bungkus sebanyak dua kali dan ikat kemas bongkah burasak dengan tali rafia. Sekarang, burasak siap untuk direbus," ujar Shahrim.

Belajar dua minggu

Menyediakan nasu likkuk atau rendang ayam lengkuas pula tidak banyak bezanya dengan rendang biasa cuma masakan ini menggunakan jumlah lengkuas yang banyak.

"Untuk seekor ayam yang beratnya 1.5 kilogram (kg), setengah kg lengkuas diperlukan.

"Selain lengkuas, bawang putih, bawang merah dan serai, masakan ini juga menggunakan cili api dan rempah-rempah seperti ketumbar, jintan putih dan jintan manis.

JUADAH nasu likkuk dimasak seperti rendang tetapi menggunakan lengkuas dalam jumlah yang banyak.

---

"Semua bahan perlu dikisar halus sebelum dimasak dengan sempurna kira-kira 45 minit.

"Selepas itu, barulah ayam dimasukkan. Apabila daging sudah kecut, masukkan pula santan pekat. Masak sehingga ayam lembut dan kuah mengering," jelas Shahrim.

Tambahnya, masakan nasu likkuk ini amat digemari oleh masyarakat Bugis mahupun masyarakat di Nusantara.

"Bagi yang pertama kali menikmatinya, jangan risau, saya jamin anda pasti akan menyukainya," ujarnya.

Biarpun bukan daripada keturunan Bugis, lelaki ini mengambil inisiatif menulis sebuah buku masakan bertajuk Sajian Eksotik Warisan Bugis bagi memastikan keunikan kulinari Bugis terus terpelihara.

"Masakan Bugis mempunyai keunikan yang tersendiri namun ia jarang ditemui di restoran dan kurang popular dalam kalangan masyarakat di negara ini.

"Bagi saya, keistimewaan masakannya terletak pada bahan-bahan yang digunakan, cara penyediaan dan namanya yang unik.

"Rasanya juga enak dan boleh diterima oleh semua lapisan masyarakat," katanya.

Tan Sri Hamzah meninggal dunia

MALAYSIA kehilangan tokoh sukan tersohor, Tan Sri Hamzah Abu Samah yang banyak mewarnai arena sukan tempatan serta membawa nama negara ke persada antarabangsa.Berikutan penglibatan aktifnya dalam arena sukan tempatan dan antarabangsa, Allahyarham semasa hayatnya telah dilantik menjadi presiden bagi beberapa persatuan sukan tempatan dan pernah dipilih menjadi naib presiden Persekutuan Bola Sepak Antara- bangsa (FIFA).Hamzah, 88, menghembuskan nafas terakhir di kediamannya di Staffield Country Resort, Mantin, Negeri Sembilan pada kira-kira 3.30 petang semalam akibat sakit tua.Adik ipar kepada Perdana Menteri Malaysia Kedua, Tun Abdul Razak Hussein dan bapa saudara kepada Perdana Menteri, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak itu meninggalkan isteri, Toh Puan Sri Zainun, adik kepada Abdul Razak, serta tujuh orang anak.Presiden seumur hidup Majlis Olimpik Malaysia (MOM) itu, anak kelahiran Pekan, Pahang dan merupakan bekas anggota Parlimen Raub (1967-1978) dan Temerloh (1978-1980), adalah bekas pelajar Kolej Melayu Kuala Kangsar (MCKK) sebelum melanjutkan pelajaran dalam bidang undang-undang di Gray's Inn, England pada 1953.Bekas menteri kabinet sejak 1960-an hingga meletakkan jawatan sebagai menteri pada tahun 1980 selepas menjalani pembedahan 'pintasan koronari', dan pernah menyandang jawatan sebagai Menteri Kebudayaan, Belia dan Sukan daripada 1971-1973, Menteri Pertahanan (Ogos 1973), Menteri Perdagangan dan Industri (September 1974) dan jawatan terakhir sebagai Menteri Undang-Undang dan Peguam Negara.Sebelum itu, Allahyarham pernah bertugas sebagai Penolong Penyelia Pilihan Raya Pahang, hakim di Alor Setar, Kedah, Timbalan Pendakwa Raya Awam di Johor dan Penasihat Undang-Undang Negeri Selangor serta Ketua Pendaftar Mahkamah Persekutuan.Semasa lawatan Ratu Elizabeth ke Malaysia pada 1972, Allahyarham telah dilantik sebagai Menteri Pengiring kepada Ratu England itu.Allahyarham yang juga bekas Ketua Perhubungan UMNO Pahang dan anggota Majlis Tertinggi UMNO bukan sahaja seorang pemimpin politik tetapi juga pemimpin pelbagai badan sukan di dalam negara serta peringkat antarabangsa.Allahyarham pernah menjawat jawatan sebagai Presiden Persekutuan Bola Sepak Asia (AFC) pada tahun 1978 sehingga 1994 dan menjadi Presiden Kehormat AFC selepas itu.

Pakej jalur lebar serendah RM20

Penduduk luar bandar di Sabah, Sarawak, Pahang, Terengganu dan Kelantan bakal menikmati kemudahan melanggan Pakej Mampu Milik Jalur Lebar 1Malaysia dari harga serendah RM20 sebulan bermula 16 September ini.Menerusi pakej tersebut, mereka boleh memilih untuk mendapatkan perkhidmatan tanpa wayar dengan caj RM20 hingga RM25 sebulan bagi kelajuan 512 kilobait sesaat (kbps) hingga 1 megabait sesaat (mbps) manakala perkhidmatan berwayar pula RM38 dengan kelajuan minimum 384kbps dengan kapasiti tanpa had.Pakej asas tersebut akan ditawarkan oleh syarikat-syarikat telekomunikasi tidak lama lagi dengan syarat-syarat kelayakannya bakal diumumkan kelak.Menteri Penerangan, Komunikasi dan Kebudayaan, Datuk Seri Dr. Rais Yatim berkata, pakej tersebut diperkenalkan untuk mengurangkan jurang digital antara bandar dan luar bandar selain meningkatkan kadar penembusan jalur lebar."Kita cuba dulu di lima negeri itu kerana kadar penembusan jalur lebar mereka masih di bawah kadar negara iaitu 64 peratus."Jika pakej yang ditawarkan mendapat sambutan, kita akan perluaskan ke negeri-negeri lain," jelasnya kepada pemberita selepas majlis pelancaran pakej tersebut di sini semalam.

Sumber Kosmo online

Is the story that the astronaut Neil Armstrong became Muslim true?

Praise be to Allah.  

The story about Neil Armstrong, who they say was the first man to step onto the surface of the moon, becoming a Muslim is one of the stories that are passed around among people. We have researched this story and we did not find any reliable source for it. 

Neil Armstrong, the first human to walk on the moon.

We have got used to hearing stories like that which then turn out to false, and it seems that this is a deliberate attempt to shake the faith of the ordinary Muslims, especially since they fabricated this story with some exciting details, that seem to affirm the superiority of this religion over all other religions. So they spread the news that famous people, such as artists, sportsmen and others have become Muslim, and they quote something with the story that affirms the truth of the Messenger and his message, then after a while they hasten to disprove these stories. Perhaps the story about Armstrong becoming a Muslim is of this type, because he is one of the most famous people in the world. Moreover the reason why he supposedly became Muslim – as they say – is that he heard the adhaan (call to prayer) on the Moon then he heard it again in Egypt. 

If the story of such a famous person becoming Muslim was really true, you would see him calling people to Islam and you would see the scholars and daa’iyahs and the Islamic media meeting him and talking to him, none of which happened in this case. If you compare the story of Armstrong supposedly becoming Muslim with the story of Yusuf Islam (the former Cat Stevens, the famous British singer), you will see the difference between lies and truth, imagination and reality. 

Yusuf Islam is one of the most famous of those who have really converted to Islam, so you see his picture in the Islamic media and he has his schools in Britain, and he travels in the Muslim world and performs Hajj and ‘Umrah. What has Neil Armstrong done of such things, even though he is far more famous?  

Whatever the case, we do not need to hear the adhaan on the Moon in order to prove that our religion is true. If this man or anyone else becomes Muslim, he is the one who will benefit from that, and if he goes astray and disbelieves, then he is the one who will be harmed by that. 

We remind you of the words of Allaah (interpretation of the meaning): 

“Say: O you mankind! Now truth (i.e. the Qur’aan and Prophet Muhammad), has come to you from your Lord. So whosoever receives guidance, he does so for the good of his own self; and whosoever goes astray, he does so to his own loss; and I am not (set) over you as a Wakeel (disposer of affairs to oblige you for guidance)”

[Yoonus 10:108] 

“Verily, We have sent down to you (O Muhammad) the Book (this Qur’aan) for mankind in truth. So whosoever accepts the guidance, it is only for his ownself; and whosoever goes astray, he goes astray only for his (own) loss. And you (O Muhammad) are not a Wakeel (trustee or disposer of affairs, or guardian) over them”

[al-Zumar 39:41] 

And Allaah knows best what the truth of the matter is. May Allaah send blessings on our Prophet Muhammad.

Diablo III : To Hell and back

We battle our way through hordes of demons to face the evils that plague Sanctuary in Diablo III.

LONG WAIT: The epic role-playing game has been 12 years in the making. - Blizzard Inc

TWELVE years is a long time to wait for a sequel. At times it seemed like the day would never come but Blizzard has finally unleashed Diablo III upon the world.

Needless to say expectations are ridiculously high and everyone is eager to find out if Blizzard has delivered a masterpiece or if it's 12 years too late to the party.

Beginning of the end

The tale of Diablo III starts in the town of Tristam where a fallen star has crashed into an old cathedral. Strange things begin to occur, and the dead and all manner of dark creatures rise to terrorise the townsfolk.

You have to investigate the source of the disturbance and save the town but things are never that simple. Before long you learn about the lesser evils, Azmodan and Belial, who are hell bent on ending the world.

The campaign

You can play as one of the five ­classes: Barbarian, wizard, monk, witch doctor or demon hunter. We chose a female wizard largely because she was the coolest ­looking character and has spells that are great for crowd control.

DANGER AROUND EVERY CORNER: The desert canyon provides the perfect backdrop for an ambush.

From the get go, Diablo III ­immediately feels familiar and the simple control scheme keeps you focused on the game.

Combat is satisfying - as you cut down droves of demons, you gain new equipment and grow stronger with more abilities at your disposal.

The game also feels more ­strategic now because you can no longer rush into battles and spam healing potions to recover. Large hordes can easily overwhelm your character so it is all a matter of knowing when to use your abilites to gain the upper hand.

Enemies drop health orbs upon dying but sometimes that is not enough and you will have to use potions to heal yourself. Potions, however, now have a long cooldown time as do many of your skills. So timing is everything.

BRUTE FORCE: The new Monk class can go toe to toe with the best of them.

Levelling up is a drag at first. The first 10 levels are slow and don't afford a lot of fancy skills or runestones.

Things start to get ­interesting from level 13 onwards as there are a ­sizable number of skills to pick and runestones to equip your character with. Runestones modify skills in ­interesting ways and give you more choices of ­playing styles.

This made our wizard build ­interesting - she specialised in Spectral Blades melee attack to rip enemies to shreds in close quarter combat while using Diamond Skin to absorb a large amount of damage.

One particularly annoying aspect of the new system is the inability to bind more than four skills to the number keys. The limited number of ­shortcut keys forces you to click through menus, even as battle wages around you, to use an ­unassigned skill.

The game's campaign spans over four lengthy acts which should satisfy fans. There are plenty of optional side quests and hidden areas to uncover as you explore the expansive world.

It took us at least six hours to ­complete the first act of the game and we are still exploring the vast deserts of Caldeum in the second act.

DYNAMIC DUI: Sometimes it is better to bring a follower along to help you manage large groups of enemies.

Also, you don't have to march through the bowels of Hell alone as you have the option to enlist the help of one of three followers: The templar, scoundrel and enchantress.

Each follower can be equipped with a weapon, two rings and a ­special item. They even level up and gain a unique set of skills. They, ­however, cannot act as pack mules for your excess ­inventory.

Followers are helpful to have around especially for weaker ­character classes like the wizard.

Online play

Diablo III has tightly integrated multiplayer aspects into the campaign. A dedicated social button notifies you when your friends are online so you can invite them to join your game.

Inviting friends and joining others' games is extremely simple, and it's really up to you if want to go solo or as a team against the hordes of evil.

Also, the new loot drop system makes monsters drop several items specific to each player so there is less chance of fighting for treasures between players.

ENEMY AT THE GATES: The townsfolk of Tristam need your help keeping the zombies at bay.

For now players can only team up with one another although Blizzard says it will update the game with PvP (player ­versus player) mode for those who prefer a more competitive session.

One of the big additions is the auction house, a place for those who want to make a profit from rare items. Items can only be bought using in-game currency as Blizzard has yet to enable trading with real money.

Technical issues

Diablo III requires the ­computer to be ­connected to Blizzard's BattleNet server at all times in order to play the game even if you are venturing solo.

So a stable Internet connection is a must to ensure that your game doesn't get disconnected.

TIGHT SPOT: The dungeon is not where you want to be if you are surrounded by cultists out for your blood.

As expected, we ran into problems connecting to Blizzard's servers as ­gamers around the world flocked to play the game on launch night.

It took us a few hours to finally get past the login screen to reach the character creation mode.

Even then our experience wasn't smooth. We got booted out on two ­occasions, losing progress and items in the process.

Occasionally, we also ­experienced slowdowns but it was not game breaking to the point that our ­character got killed.

The problems are understandably due to heavy traffic but for ­someone who just wants to play solo, the inconvenience is incredibly annoying.

Conclusion

Diablo III is loads of fun to play. The story is the most engaging yet with lots of areas to explore and bigger and tougher enemies to defeat.

The replay value is also high as the different character classes have a unique playing style and the tight multiplayer integration means you'll be playing the game with your friends for months or even years.

However, even those wanting to play solo will have to be ­connected to Blizzard's server and at this moment it is not free from lag and disconnections.

Overall, Diablo III is highly ­addictive whether played solo or with friends but the experience is marred by Blizzard's inability to cope with the high traffic.

Pros: Fun combat system; tight ­multiplayer integration; lots of replay value.

Cons: Persistent Internet ­connection required; occasional lag; any ­disconnection from server ends the game.

Diablo III
(Blizzard Entertainment)
Action CRPG game for PC, Mac
PC SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS: Windows Vista/7, Intel Core 2 Duo 2.4GHz/AMD Athlon 64 X2 5600+ 2.8Ghz, 2GB RAM, nVidia GeForce 260/ATI Radeon HD4870, 12GB HDD space
MAC SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS: Mac OS X 10.7 or better, Intel Core 2 Duo, 2GB RAM, nVidia GeForce GT 330M/ ATI Radeon HD4670, 12GB HDD space
WEBSITE: www.diablo3.com
PRICE: RM218
RATING: 4

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