Fish Sambal (Sambal Ikan)

Serve with boiled rice or use as sandwich filling or topping for bruschetta.























Ingredients

100g red snapper fillet, cubed and grilled
40g big onions, sliced
20g fresh red chillies, sliced
10g bird’s eye chillies, sliced finely
10g turmeric leaves, sliced finely
20ml lime juice
Salt to taste
Sugar to taste

Method:

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl, except the last three. Pound lightly in a mortar to flatten the fish. Drizzle over the lime juice and season to taste with salt and sugar.

No harm in trying, don't you think?
(sedapnimim)

ISTIMEWANYA WANITA

1- Wanita auratnya lebih susah dijaga berbanding lelaki.

2- Wanita perlu meminta izin dari suaminya apabila mahu keluar rumah
tetapi tidak sebaliknya.

3- Wanita saksinya kurang berbanding lelaki.

4- Wanita menerima pusaka kurang dari lelaki.

5- Wanita perlu menghadapi kesusahan mengandung dan melahirkan anak.

6- Wanita wajib taat kpd suaminya tetapi suami tak perlu taat pd
isterinya.

7- Talak terletak di tgn suami dan bukan isteri.

8- Wanita kurang dlm beribadat kerana masalah haid dan nifas yg tak ada
pada lelaki.

Pernahkah kita lihat sebaliknya??

Benda yg mahal harganya akan dijaga dan dibelai serta disimpan di tempat yg tersorok dan selamat. Sudah pasti intan permata tidak akan dibiar bersepah- sepah bukan? Itulah bandingannya dgn seorg wanita. Wanita perlu taat kpd suami tetapi lelaki wajib taat kepada ibunya 3 kali lebih utama dari bapanya. Bukankah ibu adalah seorang wanita?

Wanita menerima pusaka kurang dari lelaki tetapi harta itu menjadi milik peribadinya dan tidak perlu diserahkan kepada suaminya, manakala lelaki menerima pusaka perlu menggunakan hartanya utk menyara isteri dan anak anak. Wanita perlu bersusah payah mengandung dan melahirkan anak, tetapi setiap saat dia didoakan oleh segala haiwan, malaikat dan seluruh makhluk ALLAH di mukabumi ini, dan matinya jika kerana melahirkan adalah syahid kecil. Manakala dosanya diampun ALLAH (dosa kecil). Di akhirat kelak, seorang lelaki akan dipertanggungjawabkan terhadap 4 wanita ini: isterinya, ibunya, anak perempuannya dan saudara perempuannya.

Manakala seorang wanita pula, tanggungjawab terhadapnya ditanggung oleh 4 org lelaki ini: suaminya, ayahnya, anak lelakinya dan saudara lelakinya.

Seorang wanita boleh memasuki pintu Syurga melalui mana-mana pintu Syurga yg disukainya cukup dgn 4 syarat shj: Sembahyang 5 waktu, puasa di bulan Ramadhan, taat suaminya dan menjaga kehormatannya. (betulkan jika saya tersilap).

Seorg lelaki perlu pergi berjihad fisabilillah tetapi wanita jika taat akan suaminya serta menunaikan tanggungjawabnya kepada ALLAH akan turut menerima pahala seperti pahala org pergi berperang fisabilillah tanpa perlu mengangkat senjata.

MasyaALLAH... sayangnya ALLAH pada wanita... kan?

RAHASIA MENGAPA ALLAH TIDAK SEGERA MENYIKSA ORANG-ORANG KAFIR

Salah satu rahasia yang diungkapkan dalam al-Qur'an adalah bahawa manusia tidak segera dibalas atas perbuatan buruk yang mereka lakukan, tetapi siksa tersebut ditangguhkan hingga waktu tertentu. Hal ini dikemukakan dalam ayat-ayat sebagai berikut:
“Dan kalau sekiranya Allah menyiksa manusia disebabkan usahanya, niscaya Dia tidak akan meninggalkan di atas permukaan bumi suatu makhluk yang melata pun akan tetapi Allah menangguhkan mereka, sampai waktu tertentu; maka apabila datang ajal mereka, maka sesungguhnya Allah adalah Maha Melihat hamba-hamba-Nya.” (Q.s. Fathir: 45).
“Dan Tuhanmulah Yang Maha Pengampun lagi mempunyai rahmat. Jika Dia mengazab mereka Kerana perbuatan mereka, tentu Dia akan menyegerakan azab bagi mereka. Tetapi bagi mereka ada waktu yang tertentu yang mereka sekali-kali tidak akan menemukan tempat berlindung daripadanya.” (Q.s. al-Kahfi: 58).
Bahawa ramai orang yang tidak segera dibalas atas perbuatan buruk mereka menyebabkan mereka beranggapan bahawa mereka tidak akan pernah diminta tanggung jawab atas perbuatan jahat mereka. Anggapan ini menyebabkan mereka tidak mahu bertaubat, merasa menyesal, dan memperbaiki kesalahan mereka. Di samping itu, hal tersebut semakin menambah keangkuhan mereka. Kerana terjauh dari hikmah, mereka tidak dapat melihat bahawa apa yang mereka lakukan itu akan menyebabkan datangnya azab, bahkan azab tersebut semakin berat di akhirat kelak. Dalam al-Qur'an, Allah menyatakan sebagai berikut:
“Dan janganlah sekali-kali orang-orang kafir menyangka bahawa pemberian tangguh Kami kepada mereka adalah lebih baik bagi mereka. Sesungguhnya Kami memberi tangguh kepada mereka hanyalah supaya bertambah-tambah dosa mereka, dan bagi mereka azab yang menghinakan.” (Q.s. Ali Imran: 178).
Inilah penangguhan yang diberikan Allah untuk menguji manusia. Namun, tentu saja ada waktu yang telah ditetapkan Allah sehingga setiap orang akan dibalas atas apa yang mereka perbuat. Ketika waktu yang ditetapkan ini tiba, maka waktu tersebut tidak dapat ditunda atau dipercepat, meskipun hanya sesaat. Allah memberi tahu kita bahawa setiap orang pasti akan memperoleh balasan:
“Dan sekiranya tidak ada suatu ketetapan dari Allah yang telah terdahulu atau tidak ada ajal yang telah ditentukan, pasti (azab itu) menimpa mereka.” (Q.s. Thaha: 129).
“Dan Aku tangguhkan mereka. Sesungguhnya rencana-Ku amat teguh.” (Q.s. al-A'raf: 183).

Sceneric view

NURUL then 5 yrs old

Nice sceneric place.

sometime in Dec 2002

No more UPSR and PMR

Since yesterday, many parents were talking about school without exams. The proposal was made by the Malaysian Examina-tions Syndicate (MES) to abolish the Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR) and the Penilaian Menengah Rendah (PMR).

The proposed school-based assessment system to replace two major public examinations would increase the workload of teachers, state National Union of Teaching Profession chairman Lim Ming Tzong said.
“In this modern times, more and more parents are relying on teachers to not only educate their children but also to discipline them.
“This has made the teaching profession become unattractive and if this proposed system is to be implemented, teachers will be overburdened with the responsibility of planning, implementing and preparing the reports for the assessment,'' he said.

Some teacher were too frantic about it and start accusing the ministry of trying to overload teachers with another task, ie, to run school based assessment test in the place of UPSR and PMR.

Whatever it is, I don't agree that teachers will be burden with this, because all this while they have been doing it with all the monthly test, not forgetting the twice annually school exam which was never ever overlooked by any school.

With the implementation of school based assessment test or examination the teachers will surely be more responsible for their pupils achivement as the test and examinations which their pupils sit are being prepared by the teachers themselves.

The education ministry I assume must have something in their mind when the proposal was made. Even by now, the ministry has decided that the teachers in charge of examinations be given a computer, which is to be used to gather information and data of students achivement, to store students progress records and other necessary items in running the examinations successfully.

It wouldn't surprised me if extra hands are hired in schools by the ministry in years to come, to make sure that school based examinations or assessment test are conducted in a fairly orderly manner plus taking off the workload for teachers to fill in forms, to key in datas' of students achivement or to prepare students progress records and certificates.

So what has teachers to lose in this proposal? I don't tthink the NUPT chairman of Penang state really knows what he is talking about.

I fully support these opinion:

SJK(C) Kwong Hwa Parent-Teac-her Association (PTA) chairman Ong Thean Lye welcomed the proposal, saying “the present system is too exam-oriented”.
“Students these days just want to concentrate on the exam subjects while a subject like Moral Education, which is important in moulding a student’s personal character and development, is not given any attention,” he said.
Parent Audrey Cheong, 41, has always believed that a student does not need to have a string of As to be successful in life.
Cheong, who has a daughter in Year One, said she had even asked teachers in her daughter’s school not to put her in the first class.
“I want her to enjoy her school life as learning should be fun. If she is in the first class, she would be pressured to do well,” she said.

I think these are well headed people than the one above

Kaunter LHDN diserbu

PETUGAS LHDN menunjukkan peti untuk orang ramai memasukkan borang taksiran cukai pendapatan mereka di Kaunter LHDN Jalan Duta, Kuala Lumpur, semalam.

KUALA LUMPUR 30 April – Kaunter Lembaga Hasil Dalam Negeri (LHDN) Jalan Duta di sini ‘diserbu’ pembayar cukai yang mahu menunaikan tanggungjawab itu pada saat-saat akhir.Ini kerana, hari ini merupakan hari terakhir bagi orang ramai mengembalikan borang cukai pendapatan mereka.Tinjauan Utusan Malaysia mendapati, orang ramai menyerbu kaunter tersebut seawal pukul 8 pagi. Walaupun terdapat kemudahan e-filing, orang ramai terus ‘berpusu-pusu’ bagi menunaikan tanggungjawab masing-masing.Difahamkan, kesukaran untuk mengakses sistem e-filing menyebabkan orang ramai terpaksa menyerbu kaunter-kaunter LHDN.Bilangan pengunjung semakin bertambah menjelang waktu tengah hari apabila pembayar cukai terdiri daripada kakitangan kerajaan, swasta dan persendirian memanfaatkan waktu rehat bagi menunaikan tanggungjawab tersebut.Kehadiran begitu ramai pembayar cukai turut menyebabkan jalan masuk ke kompleks kerajaan itu menjadi sesak.Ini kerana, kekurangan kawasan letak kereta memaksa orang ramai meletakkan kenderaan mereka di sepanjang bahu jalan. Begitu pun, kehadiran anggota polis trafik berjaya mengawal keadaan.Bagi memudahkan urusan pembayar cukai, pihak LHDN telah menyediakan kaunter-kaunter di Blok 8A dan 11. Ia termasuk kaunter-kaunter bagi perkhidmatan e-filing. Kesemua kaunter itu akan beroperasi sehingga pukul 10 malam.Dalam pada itu, beberapa pembayar cukai yang ditemui memberi pelbagai alasan kenapa menunaikan tanggungjawab itu pada saat-saat akhir.

What a brain!

By Dr LEE MOON KEEN

Though the physical body inevitably winds down with age, there’s no reason why the brain should suffer the same fate.
IN the developed world, and now increasingly in developing countries such as Malaysia, a person can reasonably expect to live for quite a long time past middle age.
No longer is one considered “old” at the present retirement age of 56 years. In fact, back in 2004, life expectancy for Malaysians had already reached 69 years for men and 74 years for women. Life expectancy will continue to increase with better health status in the whole population.
Unfortunately, the later years come with a risk of dementia – a feebleness of the mind, a slowing of the intellect. The incidence of dementia doubles every five years after the age of 65 so that there is a 22% risk in those over 80.
There is, therefore, a discrepancy between physical well-being and brain function in a large proportion of the elderly.
And yet, now and then, we are cheered by a report of some very senior person living in good health past the age of 100, with the mind alert and wits intact. In fact, a rather “with-it” centenarian named Olive Riley, living in Sydney aged 107, even has a blog site – check this out at http://www.allaboutolive.com.au/
Can we hope to live longer lives and still maintain our mental capacity? How is brain function preserved? Can we prevent mental decline?

The brain weighs on average only three pounds but co-ordinates the myriad functions needed to maintain our physical, emotional and intellectual selves. – Photos.com
A complex and delicate structure

The brain weighs only three pounds but co-ordinates the myriad functions needed to maintain our physical, emotional and intellectual selves.
Brain power can be diminished by disease, but more commonly, the feebleness is more gradual over the passage of time, the so called “age-related mental decline”.
This is well documented, and quite poignantly summarised by Shakespeare in the 16th century in “The Seven Ages of Man” (see quotation above).
Mental decline due to disease is termed dementia, the causes being Alzheimer’s Disease and Vascular Dementia.
Rather than focus on disease, this article will deal with keeping the brain healthy and forestalling, as far as possible, age-related mental decline.

Is age-related mental decline inevitable?
Casual observation will reveal that at least some people remain mentally sharp up to an advanced age.
Travel documentaries are replete with very senior citizens toiling away and smiling for the camera in regions as diverse as Okinawa and Azerbaijan. Famous geriatric personages are Mahatma Gandhi (died at 78; assassinated) and Winston Churchill (died at 90; stroke).
That “normal folks” can remain mentally agile has now been confirmed in a large study on 9,704 women conducted at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in San Francisco, as part of a broader study on osteoporotic fractures.
It was reported: “One in 10 women will reach the age of 85 with their mental abilities completely intact, while another 58% will experience only minor reductions in their cognitive abilities”.
It can be presumed that a study of elderly men would bear similar results.

Is brain-power pre-determined?
There is no doubt that a large part of brain functioning is governed by the genes you inherit.
The highest percentage of long-lived people has been recorded in Okinawa, Japan, where the frequency of centenarians is 40–50 per 100,000 persons compared to 10–20 per 100,000 in industrialised countries.
These healthy elderly were also mentally agile.

How can we improve on our genetic endowment?
We can nurture the brain and enhance function up to an advanced age. This is achieved by providing a supportive environment for the brain and avoiding harm from external sources.
The first crucial stage of brain development takes place in the womb during the earliest part of pregnancy.

Provide good nutrition in the womb
It goes without saying that maintaining good health in the mother can only be good for the baby. Pregnant mothers should have a well-balanced and nutritious diet supplemented with vitamins.
A special mention should be made of folate, one of the B vitamins. This should be taken before and during pregnancy to prevent maldevelopment of the brain and spinal cord in the developing baby.
Major neural tube defects are anencephaly (failure of the brain to form, a fatal malformation) and the less severe but still disabling spina bifida (failure of the spinal cord to fold and close up).
Folate is especially important for those who abuse alcohol and for people who have abnormal forms of the oxygen-carrying haemoglobin, such as occurs in thalassaemia.
Is there any other supplement one could take? It turns out that at least one old wives’ tale has been borne out.
In a recent study conducted in Bristol, greater intake of fish and seafood by mothers during pregnancy was associated with higher IQ and better social skills in their children.
The study confirmed that omega-3 fatty acids contained in fish are very important for brain development.
The benefit was evident in spite of the presumed adverse effect on nerve development of mercury which has been detected in many types of large fish in the waters of the Western Hemisphere as a result of environmental pollution. Omega-3 fatty acids are most abundant in oily fish.

Avoid harm to the baby
Prevent toxins from reaching the baby. It makes sense to avoid contact with chemicals and other harmful substances during pregnancy. Discuss any medications with your doctor to check if they are safe.
Smoking in pregnancy has been proven to affect baby’s development, and result in small babies. It has now been shown in a Dutch study that smoking specifically slows the growth of baby’s head. Pregnant mothers are now discouraged from smoking.
Substance abuse of any kind (cannabis, glue, Ecstasy, etc.) can bring disastrous effects on both mother and child.
Beyond taking proper nutrition, the pregnant woman should maintain a healthy balance between reasonable activity and adequate rest. Stress is a big “no-no”.
Maternal stress during pregnancy is associated with increased levels of stress hormones which may increase the likelihood of premature birth, delayed childhood development and behavioural abnormalities in adult life.

It's all numbers to me...exercise your mind with mental activities and problem solving.

How to keep your brain young
Provide nutrition for the brain – we are what we eat.

In addition to a good set of genes, the long and healthy lives of the Okinawa people is attributed to consumption of locally grown vegetables and huge quantities of tofu and seaweed. Before the advent of modernisation, their diet was lean in calories, low in sugar and fat and devoid of processed or canned food.
This advantage was lost when they emigrated elsewhere or changed to a more modern lifestyle and eating habits, as practiced by the younger generations.
A similar dietary pattern is found in the exceptionally healthy and long-lived Abkhazians in Central Russia, the Vilcabambans in Ecuador, and the Hunzans in Pakistan.
Their diet is low in calories with fresh food which came from natural sources such as whole grains, vegetables, and fruits. Conversely, it is low in fat (in fact devoid of animal fats). There are no processed foods, sugar, preservatives, artificial flavours, or other chemicals.
It has been found that the modern “Western” diet has a higher proportion of omega-6 compared to omega-3 fatty acids (at around 15:1) compared to that of our ancestors, whose intake was probably in a 1:1 ratio.
Omega-3 fatty acids contained in fish, game and vegetables have been largely replaced by omega-6 fatty acids of cereal oils.
This is believed to contribute to diseases of ageing. A ratio of about 3:1 is associated with lower risk of degenerative diseases.
A study at Tufts University in Boston showed that people who ate the most fish (equivalent to three servings of oily fish per week) were nearly 50% less likely to develop dementia.
These people had higher levels of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), the so-called “heart-healthy” omega-3 fatty acid. Higher consumption of omega-3 fatty acids is, of course, also good for heart health.
It is not known if omega-3 supplements are needed if an appropriate omega fatty acid ratio is maintained through sensible eating.
In sum, a brain healthy diet is nutritionally balanced, low in calories, fat and sugar; ideally fresh, with minimal processing; and has a favourable omega fatty acid composition.

Avoid head injury
The brain is a soft structure contained within the skull. It is easily damaged from direct and indirect impacts. Quite a number of human activities expose the brain to physical injury. Road traffic accidents, extreme sports and dangerous work may all cause the loss of valuable brain cells.
In fact, the American Association of Neurological Surgeons has debated whether to call for a ban on boxing as a sport. Do take reasonable care and wear protective head-gear to avoid injury in your daily activities.

Zero tolerance for ingested toxins
A great number of chemical and organic substances may poison our brain cells. Every day, people consume toxins without paying much attention to the consequences. The principal neuro toxins around us are alcohol and tobacco smoke. A recent European study confirmed that smoking speeds up brain decline in the elderly by a factor of five times. It was thought that smoking accelerates atherosclerosis and contributes to high blood pressure, stroke and small artery blockage in the brain.
Keep our environment safe
Children can suffer brain damage from being exposed to chemicals, such as very low levels of lead. Even adults may suffer from environmental toxins.
There have been tragic incidents of environmental neurotoxins causing epidemics of brain diseases. In Minamata, Japan, mercury poisoning was due to environmental contamination.
On the other hand, a freak accident of nature in the Chamorro Islands resulted in an epidemic of muscular weakness, parkinsonism and dementia in young people, which was eventually traced to poisoning through seeds of the cycad plant (the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis-parkinsonism-dementia complex of Guam).
As a concerned citizen, support initiatives to minimise pollution.
Brain maintenance – neuroprotective foods
The brain needs help with the removal of damaging products of its metabolism. The free radical concept of ageing holds that free radicals, (charged oxygen molecules) which are produced in the body’s metabolism of oxygen, cause the oxidation of lipids, protein and nucleic acids, a process termed oxidative stress.
Antioxidants help to protect against the effects of free radical damage. Sources of antioxidants are foods rich in vitamin C and vitamin E. A group of compounds called flavonoids have been reported to protect against brain ageing by acting as an antioxidant and reducing inflammation.
Returning to the Okinawan story, the native diet is high in flavonoid content. Foods which are rich in flavonoids are red grapes, red wine, chocolate, cocoa, white onions, ginger, garlic, turmeric, and tea (both green and black varieties).
A comprehensive list is available from the US Department of Agriculture at http://www.ars.usda.gov/nutrientdata/flavonoid.
What about supplements?
It is now quite common for supplements to be taken in the hope of promoting healthy ageing. However, there is as yet no definitive proof of benefit from any agent, including gingko biloba, ginseng, folic acid, or Coenzyme Q10.
The same goes for drugs such as statins, aspirin, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents and hormone replacement therapy. Research is ongoing to identify nootropics, drugs which can maintain brain function.

A healthy mind in a healthy body
For the brain to function optimally, the body as a whole needs to be in good health.
Absence of high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity and heart disease will contribute to brain health. General good health goes a long way to preserve mental agility.
Quite apart from promoting heart and lung function, recent studies suggest that physical activity in early and mid-adult life can help prevent dementia. Exercise is associated with increase in levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) which enhances brain function, as well as reduced build-up of beta-amyloid, the abnormal protein which accumulates in Alzheimer’s disease.
In this regard, aerobic exercise appears to more beneficial than anaerobic exercise. This is yet another incentive to keep physically active.

An active mind is a healthy mind
Exercise your mind with mental activities and problem solving. The more the mind is exercised through mental tasks, the more likely it is to stay nimble. This is most pleasurably done by staying engaged with life.
When you retire from work, do not retire from life! Being productive gives a sense of self-worth and well-being. Emotionally sustaining social networks such as family and friends keep the elderly active and make them feel valued.
Stay happy. Stress and depression during adult life has been found to be a risk factor for future development of dementia.
Finally, a February report announced that coffee drinking slows cognitive decline. So stay active and happy with friends at your neighbourhood warung kopi or other suitable coffee outlets.