The rice crisis

What's driving up the price of rice?

• Unsupported agricultural researchers. Government funding has been slashed for the scientists who come up with higher yield and more durable varieties of rice.
• Other uses of land. Farm land for rice is dwindling, competing with other uses such as urban developmentand more lucrative cash crops like wine and biofuels.
• Higher-cost farm supplies. Price for festilisers have risen dramatically, and the cost of urea, an organic festilizer important for use in farming has nearly doubled in the last four years.
• Environment factors. Pesticide-resistant pests and extreme weather, such as storms, droughts and floods, are constributing to the problem.
• Profiteering rice trader and millers. Traders in some countries manipulate small cash strapped farmers by offering high-interest loans, or supplies such as seeds and festilizer, against a set price for the harvested rice.
• Budget-strapped govermments. Government stockpile rice for ermergency uses, and as a way to intervene in the market to keep prices down.
• Hoarding retailers. Wholesalers, retailer, and exporters hoard stocks of rice at time of speculate on increasing price.
• Bigger demand. More people in more countries are consuming rice, including in africa, which now consumer one-third of the world's total trade in rice, and the prosperous middle east.

( Source : Reader's Digest August 2008 )

Planets

What is a planet?
The International Astronomical Union (IAU) said that the definition of the planets are :-
a) In orbit around the Sun
b) Has sufficient mass for its self-gravity to overcome rigid body forces so that it assumes a hydrostatic equilibrium (nearly round) shape
c) Has cleared the neighborhood around its orbits
d) Has not cleared the neighborhood around its orbit
d) It's not a satellite

Then,At the same time, the new moons are also being discovered, both around existing planets and within these mysterious new worlds.

( Source : http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/ )

CPR

What is CPR???

The letters in CPR stand for cardiopulmonary resuscitation, a combination of rescue breathing (mouth-to-mouth resuscitation) and chest compressions. If a child isn't breathing or circulating blood adequately, CPR can restore circulation of oxygen-rich blood to the brain. Without oxygen, permanent brain damage or death can occur in less than 8 minutes.
CPR may be necessary for children during many different emergencies, including accidents, near-drowning, suffocation, poisoning, smoke inhalation, electrocution injuries, and suspected sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
There are three part of CPR :-

• A is for airway
• B is for breathing
• C is for circulation

( Source : http://kidshealth.org/parent/firstaid_safe/emergencies/cpr.html )

How to Prevent Heart Disease

• Don't smoke - This is the single most important thing you can do for your heart
• Have your blood pressure checked periodically
• Watch your cholestrol periodically
• If you have diabates, it should be treated and controlled
• Eat a healthy,low-fat diet and pay attention to your weight
• Keep your Body Mass Index Number - an indicator of total body fat, based on a ratio between weight and height( at less than 25)
• Maintain a waist measurement of 35 inches or less
• Report chest, arm, throat, shpulder blade, or jaw discomfort that comes on with exercise and goes away with rest
• If you are in your 40s, 50s, or 60s and experience shortness of breath, report it to the doctor
• Exercise - Take a brisk, 30 minute walk every day

( Source : Reader's Digest August 2008 )

Ketupat

The ketupat is a popular and favorite food, sometimes categorized as a dumpling, prepared and offered during the festivals of Hari Raya Aidil Fitri and Aidil Adha.
It is a simple dumpling made from rice, and is normally eaten with a somewhat sweet and sometimes slightly spicy peanut sauce or gravy, known as kuah kacang or kuah sate.

Ketupat is something like nasi himpit (or nasi kapit) except that the rice is boiled and compacted through the use of coconut leaves that has been woven in the shape of a square.
Usually, we say ketupat, it is normally referred to the nasi or rice version. Another version is the ketupat palas or pulut which is made of glutinous rice and is triangular shaped. It is cooked in a triangular-shaped receptacle or pouch made from leaves of "palas" or fan palms (licuala), hence its name.

( Source : http://www.pahang-delights.com/ketupat.html )

Balik Kampung Phenomenon

In Malaysia, the Malays living in the towns usually go back to their hometown or kampung to celebrate Aidil Fitri. This migration from big urban cities to rural areas is known as the "Balik Kampung" phenomenon in Malaysia.

And it is so because it is always multiple the joys when celebrating the Hari Raya Puasa together with parents and siblings. And with two days of official holidays, it’s normally a week of celebrations.
So in the big cities like Kuala Lumpur, the last few days of Ramadan will be a time for traffic jams on the roads leading back to the home-towns and villages. It is also a time when accidents increase dramatically even with increased police monitoring and presence to deter speedsters and traffic offenders.

( Source : http://www.pahang-delights.com/aidil-fitri.html )

Ramadan Bazaar

What is Ramadan Bazaar??

Essentially just rows of stalls selling varieties of popular food and drinks for the breaking of fast, it is a quite a phenomenon and an attraction, found not only in the state of Pahang but the whole of Malaysia.
It is Malaysia's nation-wide, month-long, delightful Food Carnival and Extravaganza.
The Ramadan Bazaars (or Pasar Ramadan in Malay) are different from night market or daily market in the sense that these Ramadan Bazaars sell mostly food and drinks for the breaking of fast.
On the other hand, the weekly night markets have a mixture of light food, farm produce, clothing and knick-knack items, while Sunday markets sell mostly agricultural farm, river and sea produces for home cooking.

( Source : http://www.pahang-delights.com/ramadan-bazaar.html )