SUPERFRUIT

Superfruit is a marketing term first used in the food and beverage industry in 2005. Superfruit has no official U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) endorsement.The designation of a fruit as a superfruit is entirely up to the product manufacturer.

Resulting from a deliberate business strategy of a manufacturer to bring together marketing, science and potential health value to consumers, a superfruit product is specifically designed in manufacturing and marketing.

Keys to marketing a successful superfruit product include the native fruit qualities, scientific evidence supporting a potential health benefit, marketing, protection of intellectual property and developing a strategy to attract consumers. Combined in the right way, these elements may allow a fruit to achieve "critical mass" as a superfruit.

To date, superfruits have been developed mainly as juices, but began in 2007 to appear as single piece products or as ingredients for functional foods, confectioneries andcosmetics. Current industry development includes applications for creating novel consumer products, such as energy drinks, dietary supplements, and flavors with nutrient qualities, e.g. fortified water.

Although used increasingly in new food and beverage products, superfruits have not been defined by scientific criteria that would allow consumers to objectively assess nutrient value and potential for furnishing health benefits. Consequently, the term superfruit is used liberally to include a growing list of fruits having sparse scientific evidence for being "super" other than being relatively unknown to common consumers.

nurnajwa (p)

4 Easy Ways of Keeping Yourself Fit and Healthy

1.Diet - It is the most important aspect in order to keep yourself fit.It mainly depends on how active you are during the day and the kind of physical activity you do.The food we eat provides calories which give us energy.A Balanced diet is required.A Balanced diet must consist of carbohydrate, protein, fat, vitamins, mineral salts and fibre. It must contain these things in correct proportions.Best diet depends on
-the amount and for how long you work out

-the kind of physical activity

-your body weight and size

-age

-basal metabolism of the body

Eat healthy food.Flour,Rice etc are a must as they are a cheapest and the best source of carbohydtrates.Fats is something u need to keep a check on.Mainly depends on your age and body weight.Though its the richest source of energy,but its the richest cause of heart problems too.So it must be taken within limits.Besides carbohydrate and fat,you need a good amount of proteins(milk,egg,chicken) and food like fruits, vegetables, and grains, include peanut butter, nuts, and yogurt.Salads and fibrous food are really important too.Last but not the least water.It makes up 60%of our body.Lack of water can lead to dehydration, a condition that occurs when you don't have enough water in your body to carry out normal functions.

2.Good Workout - The aim behind it is to lose weight and gain muscle.Overweight people have an increased risk of high blood pressure, heart disease,and few other illness.They become lethargic.Exercising redueces all these problems.Dieting may help here but it is important to lose yout weight safely.Consulting your doctor wont be a bad idea.A 30 minutes brisk walking would really help for a normal individual.Our goal is to burn up the extra calories that we eat.For some people who are already slim,weight training will be a good idea for them.It builds up strength and muscles.
Some people start working out but dont really stick to it.They end up failing.For such people it important that they make their exercing fun so that they stick to it.Few ways that can help are

-choose a sport or exercise that you like and which is easy for you.For e.g. some people enjoy swimming.

-Try to workout with a partner so that its not boring.

-make sure when you start exercising you are not tired.Choose a comfortable time during the day or evening.

-Dont get discouraged if you dont see any change in your body during the first few weeks.It comes gradually.


3.Mental Fitness - You must assess your emotional health regularly.Try to take a break from your concern and worries.Try to feel free.You mus recognize that dedicating even a short time every day to your mental fitness will reap significant benefits in terms of feeling rejuvenated and more confident.Various factors invloving mental fitness are
-Mental Fitness
-Emotional Fitness
-Relaxation
-Coping with Stress
-Facing Difficulties
-Overcoming Addictions
-And Countless Others!

It is really simple to practice mental fitness:

Daydreaming -Close your eyes and imagine that you at the best place you want to be.Imagine you are the smartest guy on the earth and women are mad about you.Just think whatever you want to be.

Learn to face your problems and negative thoughts -Try to interrupt them but dont run away from them.Dont let them take over.Try distracting yourself if you cannot solve the problem right away.

Share Humour -If anything funny happens or happened in your life.Try to share it with everyone.A little humour can go a long way to keeping us mentally fit!

Start enjoying your hobbies -Take up hobbies that you enjoy and you want to do them.It can really take you free of pressure from your daily tasks.

4.Preventive Measures - Get regular medical examinations. Go for a yearly checkup, which should include at the minimum a chest X-ray, ECG, urine examination and blood test.This way you can be treated in time if you are already suffering from an illness that you dint know about.Dont forget, Prevention is better than Cure.

nuramilaafisya(p)

Egypt launches initiative to halt Israel-Palestinian conflict

(Reuters) - Egypt launched an initiative on Monday to halt fighting between Israel and Palestinian militants, proposing a ceasefire to be followed by talks in Cairo on settling the conflict in which Gaza authorities say more than 170 people have died.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will convene his decision-making security cabinet on Tuesday to discuss the proposal on the Gaza violence, an Israeli official said.

The militants resumed rocket attacks on Tel Aviv on Monday after a 24-hour lull in strikes on the Israeli commercial capital, while Israel kept up its air and naval bombardments of the Gaza Strip despite the growing international pressure for a ceasefire.

Egypt's proposal, which would take effect at 0600 GMT (2 a.m. EDT) on Tuesday, calls for a ceasefire within 12 hours of that time, followed by negotiations between both sides in Cairo within 48 hours, the state news agency MENA said.

A foreign ministry spokesman told state television that Egypt would seek Arab backing for the initiative at an extraordinary meeting of the Arab League on Monday night.

Asked if there would be a ceasefire on Tuesday morning, an Egyptian official told Reuters: "We hope so."

"We are not at the negotiations stage yet. First the sides would cease fire and then each will send delegations to Egypt to discuss the terms," the official added.

So far the international calls for a ceasefire have had little effect and there were no immediate signs that the initiative by Egypt - which struck a peace treaty with Israel more than 30 years ago - would necessarily succeed.

However, the Israeli official seemed to put a positive face on the proposed truce, saying that Israel's week-old offensive in Gaza had weakened the Islamist Hamas group militarily.

Earlier, the Israeli military said it had shot down a drone from Gaza, which is sandwiched between Israeli and Egyptian territory. This marked the first reported deployment of an unmanned aircraft by Palestinian militants and a possible step up in the sophistication of their arsenal, although it was not clear whether it was armed.

Their rocket attacks have been regularly intercepted but more than half a dozen Israelis have been wounded since the start of the week-old offensive. Gaza health officials say Israeli air strikes have killed 180 Palestinians and wounded 1,390, most of them civilians, in the densely populated enclave.

Egyptian media said U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry was due in Cairo on Tuesday for talks on the Gaza situation. There was no immediate U.S. confirmation of the report.

The European Union said it was in touch with "all parties in the region" to press for an immediate halt to the hostilities, the worst flare-up of Israeli-Palestinian violence for almost two years.

Two members of Netanyahu's security cabinet suggested a truce might be in the works. "There are contacts all the time," Communications Minister Gilad Erdan said when asked about the possibility of Kerry visiting Cairo.

Economics Minister Naftali Bennett said in remarks on Channel 2 television "all options are on the table," though the far-right leader said the fighting could also go on.

The violence was prompted by the murder of three Israeli teenagers and revenge killing of a Palestinian youth. Israeli officials said on Monday three people arrested over the Palestinian's death had confessed to burning him alive.

Peace efforts have been complicated by Hamas's rejection of a mere "calm for calm", in which both sides hold their fire, in favour of wider conditions including prisoner release and an end to Israel's Gaza blockade.

The Israeli army said its aircraft and naval gunboats attacked dozens of targets in Gaza on Monday and that Palestinian militants fired 115 rockets into Israel, wounding a boy in the port city of Ashdod, where a home was damaged, and two girls, 11 and 13, near Beersheba.

Palestinian health officials said at least 20 people in the Gaza Strip were wounded.

Beezus and Ramona

This humorous book is not in a series but is the first in a collection of eight books with Ramona Quimby as the main character. Written by Beverly Cleary, the Ramona Collection is published by HarperTrophy, which is an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.

Beezus and Ramona is written for kids ages 8 to 12. The age range reflects readability and not necessarily content appropriateness.

Plot Summary

Beezus Quimby thinks that her little sister, Ramona, is a big nuisance. Whether she's riding a tricycle through the living room, blowing bubbles in her lemonade or finger painting on the family cat, Ramona finds a way to exasperate her sister. Nine-year-old Beezus decides to stop embroidering a potholder for her Aunt Beatrice so she can read to Ramona, hoping to quiet her down.
The plan backfires when Ramona chooses a book about a steam shovel and insists on making noisy sound effects as Beezus reads. Finally Beezus offers to walk with Ramona to the library so she can choose a different book. Ramona embarrasses her sister by wearing a pair of paper bunny ears and showing a neighbor the scabs on her knees. Instead of accepting the books Beezus suggests, Ramona chooses another book about a steam shovel, annoying her sister once again.
At home, Beezus shows Ramona how to spell and write her name, and Ramona practices by writing it on the pages of the library book in purple crayon. This makes Beezus furious because the book was checked out on her card. Mrs. Quimby gives Beezus $2.50 and tells the girls to walk back to the library to pay for the damaged book.
As Beezus and Ramona walk to the park, Beezus thinks about how people always comment on Ramona's imagination. She wishes that she had a good imagination, too. Ramona plays in the park while Beezus attends an after-school art class nearby. Soon after class begins and Beezus is painting a picture of a make-believe animal, Ramona arrives with a make-believe lizard on a string. The art teacher invites Ramona to sit with Beezus and paint.
Although Beezus complains that she doesn't have any imagination, the teacher encourages her to just try and have a good time. Beezus does have fun painting, but when Ramona steals a classmate's lollipop, Beezus decides that it's time for her to go back to the park where she belongs. While Ramona plays outside, Beezus is inspired and paints a dragon decorated with lollipops down its back. The teacher praises Beezus for her imagination and tacks the painting on the wall where everyone can see it.
Another day, the Quimbys' neighbor Henry Huggins stops by to play checkers with Beezus. Ramona wants to join them, but Beezus says she's too little. When Mrs. Quimby tells Ramona not to bother them, Ramona has a tantrum and is sent to her room. When she agrees to leave them alone, she is allowed to leave her room, but then she immediately gets into more trouble by locking Henry's dog, Ribsy, in the bathroom after he eats her cookie. Finally Mrs. Quimby is able to open the door by slipping a nail file into the lock. As Beezus listens to her mother and Aunt Beatrice talk on the telephone, she realizes that she would like to have a close relationship with Ramona, but she finds it difficult because Ramona is so annoying.
Mrs. Quimby asks Beezus to watch Ramona after school while she goes to the market. When Ramona wakes from her nap, Beezus gives her a treat and goes to her own room to change clothes. Then she wants to read Ramona a story, but can't find her. Beezus looks all over the house and finally discovers Ramona in the basement, where she has taken one bite out of dozens of apples. Beezus worries that her mother will be angry with her for not watching Ramona more carefully. When Aunt Beatrice calls, she advises Beezus to ignore Ramona and playfully suggests that their mother make applesauce. Beezus shares this information with her mother, and the girls help Mrs. Quimby make applesauce all afternoon. Even though Ramona admits to being "bad" that afternoon, she is not punished, which surprises her.
One afternoon, a neighbor leaves her children at the Quimbys' house to play with Ramona. Soon after that, several other children arrive, and it becomes clear to Mrs. Quimby that Ramona has invited all of her friends to a party. Beezus thinks quickly and decides that having a parade will entertain the crowd. She makes flags out of rulers and handkerchiefs and serves everyone applesauce.
On Beezus' 10th birthday, her mother bakes her favorite cake. As she is preparing it, Beezus reads Hansel and Gretel to Ramona. Then, while no one is watching, Ramona puts her rubber doll in the oven where it melts, spoiling the cake. Beezus realizes that sometimes she doesn't love her little sister. Aunt Beatrice brings another birthday cake when she comes to dinner that evening. After the presents are opened, Aunt Beatrice and Mrs. Quimby reminisce and laugh about things that happened when they were young. They admit that they didn't always love each other, either. Beezus blows out the 10 candles on her cake, wishing every birthday could be as happy as this one.


post for 14th of july 2014 :)

SINOPSIS CERAMAH KEISTIMEWAAN PUASA DAN BULAN RAMADHAN Saudara Pendengar Sekelian, Setiap orang yang mengaku beriman dengan kebesaran Allah pasti akan bergembira apabila tiba bulan Ramadhan Al Mubarak di setiap tahun. Ini disebabkan Ramadhan satu-satunya bulan yang penuh dengan rahmat dan keberkatan yang tidak terdapat di dalam bulan-bulan yang lain, oleh sebab itu Rasulullah s.a.w. menjelaskan Ramadhan adalah penghulu kepada sebelas bulan yang lain. Hanya orang yang kenal kelebihan Ramadhan sahaja yang akan bersedia bila menjelangnya bulan yang mulia ini. Betapa besarnya fadilat bulan Ramadhan ini dapat kita fahami dari hadis Rasulullah s.a.w. yang diriwayatkan oleh Imam Bukhari dan Muslim yang bererti: Apabila masuk bulan Ramadhan maka dibuka pintu-pintu syurga dan ditutup pintu-pintu neraka serta diikat semua iblis dan syaitan. Oleh kerana itu apabila seorang melangkah masuk ke bulan Ramadhan bererti mereka memasuki gerbang pertapaan yang penuh dengan ujian dan latihan. Kerana itu sudah sewajarnyalah kita membuat persiapan yang perlu dari segi rohani dan jasmani iaitu. 1. Mengulangi kembali pelajaran-pelajaran yang berkaitan dengan puasa agar kita memasuki dan menjalani amalan puasa ini dengan pengetahuan dan yang dibaharui dengan pedoman-pedoman yang baik serta pengalaman-pelangalam yang baru dan sempurna. Pelajaran-pelajaran itu hendaklah yang berhubung dengan rukum, syarat sah, syarat membatalkan puasa, perkara-perkara sunat, makruh, abad berpuasa dan hikmat yang terkandung serta perlaksanaan ibadat puasa yang merupakan ibadat yang istimewa ini. 2. Membuat persiapan dari segi Rohani rasa hati dan ketenangan jiwa dalam menghadapi bulan puasa sebagaimana yang dilakukan oleh Rasulullah s.a.w. dan para sahabat baginda. 3. Membanyakkan doa moga-moga Allah memberikan kesihatan, tenaga, kelapangan dan kesempatan mengerjakan puasa dan mudah-mudahan Allah memberikan taufik dan hidayahNya supaya kita dapat menunaikan puasa dengan hati yang jujur, tulus ikhlas dijauhi dari riak, ujub dan dari segala rupa penyakit yang menghilangkan pahala puasa. 4. Menguatkan semangat dan hemat untuk melaksanakan latihan yang akan kita jalani sepanjang bulan ini dengan sempurna agar kita memperolehi kesan yang dimaksudkan iaitu peningkatan ketaqwaan kita kepada Allah s.w.t. Bulan puasa itu merupakan bulan latihan berjihad memerangi hawa nafsu yang loba dan tamak. Bulan puasa adalah bulan bercucuk tanam untuk akhirat, bulan menghasilkan bekalan untuk hari kemudian, bulan membersihkan dan menyuci diri dari berbagai dosa dan noda serta menghiasi diri dengan budi yang tinggi dan pekerti yang luhur. Maka oleh itu hendaklah kita menyediakan diri kita dalam melaksanakan hak puasa dengan perkataan-perkataan dan perbuatan-perbuatan yang baik dengan sepenuh hati, jujur dan ikhlas semata-mata kerana Allah. Kita hendaklah berusaha menyediakan diri untuk menjaga benih-benih amal yang kita tanam di bulan Ramadhan itu kerana seorang yang menanam benih jika tidak membaja, menyiram serta memelihara pasti tidak akan mengeluarkan hasil yang baik apabila datang masa menuai tegasnya semasa berhadapan dengan Allah s.w.t. Kita hendaklah mengelakkan daripada kebiasan-kebiasan yang memberatkan dan merugikan diri kita seperti berbelanja berlebihan, boros, suka berhibur, membuang masa dan bersembang yang tidak mendatangkan faedah kerana perkara-perkara tersebut adalah bertentangan dengan hikmat berpuasa. Sebaliknya hendaklah kita menyambut bulan puasa dengna cita-cita dan azam yang tinggi membanyakkan ibadah samada siang atau malam hari dengan kemahuan hendak melatih diri serta mensucikan jiwa. Kita hendaklah mengucapkan tahniah di atas kedatangan bulan Ramadhan itu kerana ianya merupakan hak muslim ke atas muslim. Rasulullah S.A.W. pernah bersabda yang bermaksud: Daripada hak seorang muslim kepada muslim yang lain ialah apabila mereka menerima kebaikan hendaklah kita mengucapkan tahniah. Diriwayatkan oleh Ahmad dan Nasaie daripada Abi Khurairah bahawa Rasulullah s.a.w. sentiasa menggembirakan para sahabat di atas kedatangan bulan Ramadhan, bulan yang membawa rahmat serta nikmat yang tidak terhingga kepada mereka yang berpuasa, bulan melebur dosa dan memerdekan hambanya dari azab api neraka. Rasulullah s.a.w. menggembirakan para sahabatnya dengan sabda baginda: Ertinya: Sesungguhnya akan datang kepada kamu bulan Ramadhan bulan yang diberkati, Allah mewajibkan kamu berpuasa di dalamnya. Pada bulan Ramadhan dibuka pintu-pintu syurga, dikunci semua pintu neraka, dibelenggu semua syaitan. Di malamnya ada satu malam yang lebih baik daripada seribu bulan. Barangsiapa yang tidak memperolehi kebajikan pada malam itu berertilah diharamkan baginya segala kebaikan untuk dirinya. Terkadang-kadang Rasulullah s.a.w. mengucapkan kepada para Sahabat ucapan yang bermaksud: Telah datang kepada kamu bulan Ramadhan Penghulu segala bulan , maka selamat datanglah kamu kepadaNya. Maka telah datang bulan puasa membawa segala macam keberkatan. Oleh yang demikian muliakan tetamu yang datang itu dengan seberapa baik. Daripada hadis-hadis di atas dapatlah kita membuat kesimpulan:- 1. Bahawasanya bulan Ramadhan adalah bulan istimewa bulan yang penuh dengan keberkatan dan rahmat dari Allah s.w.t. Sewajarnyalah setiap muslim mengambil kesempatan daripada ketibaan bulan Ramadhan Al Mubarak ini dengan memperbanyakkan amal-amal soleh samada disiang hari atau dimalamnya. Bulan Ramadhan adalah bulan pendidikan dan latihan maka setiap orang yang menerima kedatangan bulan Ramadhan ini hendaklah membuat persiapan yang sekucupnya samada dari segi jiwa, fizikal dan spiritual.

Peer Pressure. It is one of the most common reasons a young teen will get started on drugs. When in high school, everyone is just trying to fit in. If you don't wear jeans and a flannel, you're considered an outsider and not cool. The desire to fit in can go as far as taking drugs or alcohol.

On February 28, 14 teenagers ages 11 to 14 in Woburn, Massachusetts overdosed on a muscle relaxant. That's right, not cocaine or crack, but a muscle relaxant. This incident (at a Boys and Girls Club dance) could have turned deadly if action wasn't taken as quickly as it was. The drugs were supposedly stolen from the front porch of an elderly person who was waiting for them to arrive in the mail. The questions remain: why did these kids steal and take so many pills? Many adults would say that they just didn't know what they were doing, but it goes deeper than that. The need to be cool, and peer pressure, contribute a great deal to drug and alcohol abuse. The way people act in society and adult behavior also contribute to what kids do and think.

How can teens combat peer pressure? The convenient way of just saying no just doesn't work. Sure, it sounds good to say no but in reality, a person may want to say no, but just can't. Walking away and making up a story are a few very good ideas.

The thing you want to get out of an encounter with drug user is your own safety. Safety is the major factor when dealing with any type of drink or alcoholic beverage. Parents and adults in communities must set a good example for the teenagers.

Hollywood must also help fight drugs. Having drugs on a TV program might improve ratings, but it gives America's children the wrong idea that drugs can bring glamour.

We all hope that the incident in Woburn is an isolated incident and taking others' prescription drugs will not become a new trend of the '90s. Negative peer pressure can pose problems for teens but the right education can at least help.

It is the responsibility of parents to educate their children about the dangers of drugs and how to avoid them. Drugs are a scary reality in the world but everyone has to deal with them at some point. Teenagers have to ultimately ask themselves, "Is it worth risking my life to be cool?" No. ?

Malaysia National Library

National Library Malaysia's premier library which is also popularly known as Perpustakaan Negara Malaysia is located at Jalan Tun Razak. If you are visiting Istana Budaya and the National Art Gallery which are also located along Jalan Tun Razak and are within walking distance of each other, drop by this library and get some information about this place. You will appreciate the architecture of this building, so remember to bring along your camera for a shot or two. The design of the National Library is unique in that it is designed based on a traditional Malay headgear known in the Malay Language as the "tengkolok". The roofs of the building resembles this headgear. The traditional songket design is also embedded on the roofs of the building, a pride and part of the Malaysian culture.

-nuramilaafisya(p)