Latar Belakang PDK Selayang

SEJARAH PENUBUHAN:

PDK Selayang (Pusat Pemulihan Dalam Komuniti Selayang) telah ditubuhkan pada 1hb Sept 1991, oleh sekumpulan ibubapa kepada kanak-kanak kurang upaya (pada masa tersebut dipanggil sebagai kanak-kanak istimewa) yang mana anak-anak mereka telah dinafikan hak untuk menerima pembelajaran wajib dari aliran perdana sekolah.

Pada 29 Oktober 2017, Pertubuhan Pemulihan Dalam Komuniti Selayang (Pertubuhan PDK Selayang) telah didaftarkan sebagai sebuah Badan Bukan Kerajaan (Non-Gorvermental Asoociation-NGO) dengan Pendaftar Pertubuhan Malaysia Cawangan Selangor.

Bermula dengan 15 orang kanak-kanak kurang upaya kelas diadakan sekali seminggu pada setiap hari Sabtu dari jam 8:30 pagi hingga 1:00 tengahari, dengan dilatih oleh seorang Petugas PDK (panggilan Cikgu PDK pada masa tersebut) iaitu Puan Noraini Othman.

Hari ini PDK Selayang telah berkembang pesat dengan jumlah pelatih OKU PDK seramai 84 orang melalui beberapa program iaitu Kelas Harian EIP, Kelas Harian LPV, Kelas Harian Pemulihan Perubatan (Pemulihan Anggota, Pemulihan Pertuturan dan Pemulihan Carakerja), Lawatan ke Rumah dan Program Rumah Kelompok (lelaki).

Kumpulan Sasar Utama:
OKU (Orang Kurang Upaya)

Kumpulan Sasar Tambahan:
Anak-Anak Yatim, Kanak-Kanak Kurang Bernasib Baik, Ibu Tunggal/Ibu Tinggal, Warga Emas dan Keluarga Miskin (dari lingkungan kumpulan sasar utama)

Kelas Harian EIP:
5 hari/minggu; Isnin-Jumaat; 8:30am-12:30pm.

Kelas Harian LPV (Latihan Pemulihan Vokasional):
5 hari/minggu; Isnin-Jumaat; 9:00am- 4:00pm.

Kelas harian Pemulihan Perubatan pula dijalankan seperti berikut:

Pemulihan Anggota:
3 hari/minggu; Isnin, Rabu danJumaat; 8:30-11:30am; untuk OKU dari keluarga miskin dan berpendapatan rendah.

Sabtu & Ahad pula dikhaskan kepada OKU yang keluarganya mampu bayar penuh kos pakar (OKU dari keluarga kaya).

Pemulihan Pertuturan:
2 hari/minggu, Rabu dan Jumaat 8:30am- 12:00pm; untuk OKU dari keluarga berpendapan rendah dan miskin dan hari 2 hari dalam seminggu dikhaskan untuk OKU dari keluarga kaya yang mampu membayar kos pakar.

Pemulihan Carakerja:
3 hari/minggu; Isnin, Rabu dan Jumaat; 8:30-11:30am; untuk pelatih kanak-kanak; 2:30-4:00pm untuk pelatih remaja PDK.

Program Lawatan ke Rumah:
2 kali/minggu; Selasa (2:00-4:00 petang) dan Sabtu (9:30am-12:30pm). Berdasarkan keperluan dan persetujuan dari ibubapa/penjaga untuk kehadiran Petugas PDK di kediaman mereka.

Program Rumah Kelompok (Lelaki):
Menempatkan seramai 4 OKU yang telah bekerja. (telah ditamatkan pada Januari 2015)

Pengurusan:
PDK Selayang yang ditadbir-urus oleh Jawatankuasa Pertubuhan Pemulihan Dalam Komuniti Selayang yang mana barisan Jawatankuasa terdiri dari ibubapa/penjaga OKU, Masyarakat Tempatan dan seorang OKU

Kakitangan:
Seramai 12 kakitangan berkhidmat di PDK Selayang yang diketuai oleh Penyelia PDK iaitu Puan Noraini Othman, (sila lihat
side menu).


Thursday, September 29, 2011

World's oldest two-faced cat



CONWAY (Massachusetts): Frank and Louie, a gray feline with two mouths, two noses and three eyes, just turned 12 years old and is the world's oldest, living two-faced cat.

Sara Wilcox, a Guinness World Records spokeswoman said he is the "longest surviving Janus cat," referring to the name coined by British zoologist Dr. Karl Shuker, based on the two-faced Roman god of transitions, gates and doorways.

Frank and Louie has craniofacial duplication, an extremely rare congenital condition.
The disorder, also known as diprosopia, can cause part or all of an individual's face to be duplicated on its head.

It has been recorded multiple times in the domestic cat, but few two-faced kittens survive into adulthood, Wilcox said.

Frank and Louie was born on Sept. 8, 1999. His remarkable life will be commemorated in Guinness World Records' new 2012 edition, Wilcox said.

The cat's owner, a woman only identified as Marty, lives near Worcester, Massachusetts.
She was a veterinary technician in 1999 when a day-old, two-faced kitten about the size of her thumb was brought into her clinic to be euthanised.

The life expectancy for a two-faced cat is about four days because they usually suffer from other disorders.

"When he was first born, every day was a blessing," Marty told a local radio station on Tuesday.
She immediately adopted Frank and Louie. The cat has one brain so both faces act in unison. Two of his eyes - the outermost ones - are normal, while the middle eye is larger but doesn't function.

The cat eats on the right side, using Frank's face, which is connected to his esophagus, while Louie's nose twitches at the same time, his owner said.

Marty told the local radio station that the cat is more like a dog because it walks on a leash and loves car rides."

Shell says fire contained at Singapore plant

Royal Dutch Shell said it had contained a fire at its 500,000 barrel-per-day (bpd) refinery in Singapore.
The company said all its staff were accounted for and non essential staff had been evacuated to safety.

Smoke and flames engulf the Royal Dutch Shell's Pulau Bukom offshore petroleum complex in Singapore September 28, 2011.
 
"We believe it was an accident. A full investigation will be conducted once the fire is put out," Shell said.

Neighbouring units were shut down as a precaution. In the process of a shutdown, Shell advised that a larger flare would be visible and that the flare was no cause for alarm, as no toxic vapours were being released.
 
One Shell firefighter sustained a superficial injury, and five other firefighters had heat exhaustion and pulled muscle, the company added.
 
Shell had earlier said it shut some units at its refinery after the fire.

Typhoon Nesat hits HK, closing financial markets

HONG KONG (Reuters) - A typhoon swept past Hong Kong on Thursday, closing markets, schools and most businesses in one of Asia's most important financial centres.

Government offices and schools are expected to remain closed for the rest of the day as Typhoon Nesat makes its way past Hong Kong en route to south China, after passing through the Philippines where it left at least 35 dead and 45 missing.

"Nesat is closest to Hong Kong now," the observatory said in a statement. "Gale winds are expected to persist over Hong Kong."

The Hong Kong Observatory's No.8 typhoon warning signal will remain in effect for most of the day, it said on its website. That means the city's financial markets will continue to be closed for the afternoon session.

Earlier, the Hong Kong stock exchange had said trade may resume if the signal is cancelled by 0400 GMT.

Hong Kong has a series of different typhoon warnings. Schools, businesses and government services stop when any No.8 or above typhoon warning is hoisted.

As of 0245 GMT, Nesat was centred about 350 kilometres (220 miles) southwest of Hong Kong, which saw winds of up to 121 kilometres per hour. The tropical cyclone on Tuesday hit the Philippines, where it also caused an estimated 100.3 million pesos ($2.3 million) in damage to agriculture.

No deaths were reported in Hong Kong, but local television showed footage of at least two people who were hospitalised after being hit by falling debris as a result of strong winds.

A ship weighing 1,677 deadweight tonnes ran aground in the early hours of Thursday morning, but there were no injuries, the Hong Kong Marine Department said.

Disabled people category extended to those 'blind in one eye'

KUALA LUMPUR: Individuals who are blind in only one eye will be classified under the disabled people category from Saturday.

Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Shahrizat Abdul Jalil said the decision was made at a meeting of the National Council for the Disabled on Tuesday to enable this category of people to receive the same privileges as other disabled persons when they register with the Social Welfare Department.

In addition, she said, local authorities throughout the nation were required to include a representative from the disabled community in their planning and development committee. BERNAMA

Taufan Nesat landa Filipina : 23 mati



BEBERAPA penduduk mengharungi air banjir di Calumpit, utara Manila semalam.


CALUMPIT - Puluhan ribu orang di Filipina menghadapi banjir semalam selepas Taufan Nesat menyebabkan 23 orang mati.

Beberapa tempat di pinggir Manila dipenuhi dengan air banjir setinggi 1.5 meter.

Pihak berkuasa menghantar bot-bot untuk menyelamatkan orang ramai yang terperangkap di atas bumbung di rumah mereka.

Salah satu kawasan yang teruk dilanda taufan itu ialah di wilayah Bulacan yang sejam perjalanan dengan menggunakan kereta dari Manila.

"Dua daripada anak saya terperangkap, mereka menghantar mesej pesanan ringkas yang menyatakan terpaksa tinggal di atas bumbung," kata seorang pengawal keselamatan, resty Tolentino di rumahnya di sini.

Taufan itu melanda Pulau Luzon menjelang subuh kelmarin sekali gus membawa sejumlah hujan yang lebat.

Ramai di antara yang mati itu adalah akibat tanah runtuh di kawasan pergunungan di utara Filipina.

Kuala Terengganu dilanda ribut



BEBERAPA orang pekerja memotong dahan pokok yang menimpa sebuah kenderaan di luar Stadium Sultan Ismail Nasiruddin Shah, Kuala Terengganu semalam.


KUALA TERENGGANU – Beratus-ratus rumah di sekitar Kuala Terengganu di sini rosak teruk akibat dipukul ribut dan angin kencang dalam kejadian malam kelmarin.

Turut terjejas adalah kawasan Stadium Sultan Ismail Nasiruddin Shah menyebabkan lebih 10,000 penonton yang menyaksikan perlawanan Piala Malaysia bertempiaran lari.

Kejadian kira-kira pukul 9 malam itu menyebabkan bumbung-bumbung rumah rosak teruk sementara lebih sepuluh kereta milik penonton yang diletakkan di luar stadium rosak dihempap pokok.

Selain itu, puluhan papan iklan turut diterbangkan angin manakala beberapa keping zink di kawasan stadium tercabut.

Menteri Besar, Datuk Seri Ahmad Said yang turut berada di stadium berkenaan ketika kejadian berkata, bencana ribut itu berlaku mungkin disebabkan perubahan cuaca.

Bagaimanapun kata beliau, laporan awal mengesahkan beratus-ratus rumah telah rosak selain beberapa pokok besar di tengah bandar tumbang.

“Kita belum mendapat angka sebenar rumah yang terjejas tetapi antara tempat yang teruk dilanda bencana ini ialah di Seberang Takir dan beberapa kampung sekitar Kuala Terengganu,” katanya ketika ditemui di sini semalam.

Mengenai kejadian di stadium, beliau menjelaskan tiada sebarang kecederaan serius dilaporkan setakat ini dan semua kerosakan akan dibaik pulih dengan segera.

Sementara itu, seorang penonton, Nurul Huda Hussain, 26, berkata, ribut dan angin kencang itu berlaku ketika perlawanan bola sepak baru memasuki minit kesepuluh.

LOGO HALAL : Hanya logo Jakim mulai 1hb Januari 2012

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
MULAI 1 Januari 2012, logo halal seperti yang dikeluarkan oleh
Majlis Makanan Halal Asia Tenggara ini tidak lagi diiktiraf. - Gambar hiasan


PUTRAJAYA - Mulai 1 Januari depan, hanya logo halal yang dikeluarkan Jabatan Kemajuan Islam Malaysia (Jakim) boleh digunakan dan diiktiraf.

Menteri Perdagangan Dalam Negeri, Koperasi dan Kepenggunaan, Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob berkata, langkah itu susulan penguatkuasaan Akta Perihal Dagangan 2011 yang diluluskan Parlimen Julai lepas dan akan berkuat kuasa 1 November ini.

"Ini bermakna premis makanan, restoran, hotel dan pihak-pihak lain yang sebelum ini menggunakan logo halal bukan dikeluarkan Jakim, perlu membuat permohonan baharu kerana selepas tarikh 1 Januari nanti, semua logo halal sedia ada adalah terbatal.

"Mana-mana pihak lain juga tidak boleh lagi memperakukan atau mengeluarkan sijil halal ataupun membuat pengisytiharan sendiri berhubung status halal," katanya kepada pemberita di sini semalam.

Ismail Sabri berkata, selepas tarikh itu mereka yang masih menggunakan logo halal lain boleh didenda sehingga RM250,000 bagi pertubuhan perbadanan dan sehingga RM100,000 bagi orang perseorangan atau tiga tahun penjara atau kedua-duanya sekali.

Ismail Sabri berkata, bagi pihak industri pula, tempoh setahun diberikan untuk menukar semua produk keluaran mereka dengan logo halal Jakim.

Ikuti berita selanjutnya di KOSMO! hari ini.

Sunday, September 25, 2011

Bekas tukang sapu jadi Presiden Zambia

MICHAEL SATA (kanan) menyanyikan lagu kebangsaan Zambia selepas beliau
mengangkat sumpah sebagai Presiden Zambia yang kelima kelmarin. - AFP

LUSAKA, Zambia - Seorang bekas tukang sapu di stesen kereta api Victoria, London dipilih sebagai Presiden Zambia yang baharu.

Berikrar mahu "menyapu Zambia menjadi lebih bersih", Michael Sata yang menerajui parti Barisan Patriotik, mengangkat sumpah sebagai Presiden Zambia Khamis lalu setelah partinya memperoleh kemenangan tipis dalam pilihan raya baru-baru ini.

Berusia 74 tahun dan mempunyai lapan orang anak, Sata giat menentang pengaruh China yang semakin meluas di negara berkenaan.

Zambia yang dikelilingi lapan negara iaitu Republik Demokratik Congo, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Namibia dan Angola adalah pengeluar tembaga terbesar di dunia selain kaya dengan galian lain.

Sata, 74, menuduh pemerintah terdahulu, Presiden Rupiah Banda yang mentadbir Zambia selama 20 tahun sebagai terlalu berlembut dalam menangani gejala rasuah.

Tidak mahu mengulangi kesilapan sama, beliau berikrar akan berkongsi kekayaan hasil mineral negara itu dengan rakyat secara lebih adil dan telus.

"Zambia tidak boleh lagi mundur ke belakang. Kita semua mesti bergerak ke hadapan sebagai satu bangsa," katanya.

Digelar Tedung Selar kerana ucapan berbisanya yang sukar ditepis pihak lawan, Sata lahir di Zambia ketika negara itu masih bergelar koloni British bernama Rhodesia Utara.

Pada tahun 1950-an, beliau berhijrah ke London sebelum diambil bekerja sebagai tukang sapu dan porter oleh syarikat kereta api Britain, British Rail.

Sata kemudian belajar separuh masa untuk mengubah nasibnya. Beliau juga pernah bekerja di sebuah kilang pemasangan kereta di Britain sebelum kembali ke Zambia.

Sata kemudian menyertai pasukan polis negara itu.

Semasa berkempen, Sata pernah bersumpah bahawa beliau tidak akan minum air minuman yang dibotolkan sehingga semua rakyat Zambia mendapat bekalan air bersih.

Walaupun kaya dengan pelbagai hasil Bumi, negara di selatan Afrika itu masih dikategorikan sebagai mundur.

Menurut Pertubuhan Bangsa-Bangsa Bersatu (PBB), 70 peratus daripada 13 juta rakyat Zambia hidup dalam kemiskinan dengan purata gaji tahunan di negara itu cuma £255 (RM1,250). - Agensi

Kanak-kanak Sindrom Down maut jatuh dari tingkat lima

MARANG - Seorang kanak-kanak lelaki berusia enam tahun maut selepas terjatuh dari tingkat lima kuarters Ibu Pejabat Polis Daerah (IPD) Marang di sini semalam.

Ketua Polis Daerah Marang, Deputi Supritendan Ahmad Mazlan Yahaya berkata, mangsa, Ahmad Safuan Syafik Afandi yang mengalami sindrom down dan hiperaktif dipercayai terjatuh kira-kira pukul 7.45 pagi.

"Mangsa meninggal dunia di tempat kejadian selepas tangan dan kaki kirinya patah dan mengalami kecederaan parah di kepala.

"Sebelum kejadian, ada seorang anggota polis terserempak dengan mangsa di tingkat enam di kuarters berkenaan dan bertanya kepada mangsa, dia hendak ke mana, tetapi mangsa terus berlari ke tingkat bawah," katanya kepada pemberita.

Ikuti berita selanjutnya di KOSMO! hari ini

Satelit jatuh : Malaysia juga boleh ditimpa serpihan dari langit

KUALA LUMPUR – Insiden satelit milik Amerika Syarikat (AS) jatuh ke bumi akibat tarikan graviti tidak sepatutnya dipandang ringan memandangkan Malaysia juga tidak terkecuali daripada terkena serpihan objek seumpama itu yang jatuh dari langit.

Ketua Makmal Satelit, Jabatan Kejuruteraan Aeroangkasa Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), Profesor Madya Ir. Renuganth Varatharajoo (gambar) berkata, bandar raya seperti Kuala Lumpur, Johor Bahru dan Ipoh merupakan lokasi yang berpotensi menyebabkan kemusnahan jiwa dan harta benda yang besar.

“Walaupun objek yang jatuh itu bersaiz 10 sentimeter panjang, kelajuannya tetap memberi impak sangat kuat,” kata beliau lagi.

Beliau mengulas insiden Satelit Penyelidikan Atmosfera Amerika Syarikat (UARS) yang jatuh ke bumi awal pagi semalam dengan dipercayai bertaburan di Lautan Pasifik.

Satelit itu dilancarkan ke orbit pada tahun 1991 untuk kajian lapisan ozon sebelum perkhidmatannya ditamatkan pada 2005.

Menurut Renuganth, satelit seperti UARS akan meluncur selaju 28,000 kilometer sejam sebaik sahaja memasuki atmosfera bumi sebelum terbakar dan berkecai.

Ikuti berita selanjutnya di KOSMO! hari ini.

Satelit AS jatuh ke bumi

GAMBAR UARS yang sempat dirakamkan di ruang udara
Belanda pada 18 Jun 2010.
WASHINGTON - Sebuah satelit tamat tempoh seberat enam metrik tan milik Pentadbiran Aeronautik dan Angkasa Lepas Kebangsaan (NASA) berkecai semasa memasuki atmosfera bumi pagi semalam dengan serpihan-serpihannya jatuh bertaburan di rantau Lautan Pasifik.

Pusat Operasi Bersama Angkasa Lepas AS dan NASA dalam satu kenyataan memberitahu, serpihan-serpihan satelit sebesar sebuah bas itu tidak semestinya menjunam ke dalam laut tetapi mengesahkan ia jatuh dalam kawasan seluas 800 kilometer persegi di rantau Pasifik.

Setakat berita ini ditulis, pihak berkuasa belum ada mengenal pasti lokasi yang tepat tempat serpihan-serpihan tersebut jatuh.

GAMBAR satelit UARS yang dikeluarkan oleh NASA selepas
ia jatuh ke bumi kelmarin.

Menurut kedua-dua agensi AS itu, satelit sepanjang 11 meter itu jatuh antara pukul 1.23 petang (5.09 petang semalam waktu Malaysia).

Semasa menembusi atmosfera bumi, ia berkecai kepada lebih 100 kepingan tetapi cuma sekitar 26 kepingan logam berat dengan serpihan terbesar seberat 135 kilogram dijangka menjunam ke bumi.

NASA meramalkan kelajuan serpihan satelit itu apabila memasuki ruang udara ialah kira-kira 109 meter sesaat.

NASA sebelum ini meramalkan satelit yang dikenali sebagai Satelit Penyelidikan Atmosfera Amerika Syarikat (UARS) itu jatuh ke bumi seawal Khamis lalu.

Ikuti berita selanjutnya di KOSMO! hari ini.

Saturday, September 24, 2011

Centuries of Portuguese heritage has impacted state greatly, says Mohd Ali Rustam

Portuguese Fort
MALACCA: Five centuries of Portuguese heritage in Malacca has turned the state into a “melting pot of the world,” according to Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam.

He said the legacy left by the Portuguese had greatly impacted Malacca in terms of cultural diversity and also provided an impetus for the local tourism industry.
“I would like to compliment the Portuguese community for their relentless commitment to place Malacca in the world map as a unique state with cultural extravaganza.

“Malacca is the birthplace of a community with mixed European and Asian parentage, commonly known as Eurasian,” he said in an interview ahead of a four-day celebration to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the Portuguese conquest of Malacca.
Celebrating 500 years: The Portuguese community celebrating the Feast of St Peter
on a gaily decorated boat at the Portuguese Settlement in Ujong Pasir, Malacca.
It has been 500 years since Alfonso d’ Albuquerque arrived here from Goa.

The event, themed “Our Roots, Our Heritage, Our Home”, will be organised by the Malacca Portuguese-Eurasian Associa-tion (MPEA) from Oct 26 to Oct 29 at the Portuguese Settlement in Ujong Pasir.

There will be traditional food fairs, live music and band performances, cultural and performing arts presentations, traditional games, beauty contest, a football tournament, cottage industries promotion and a handicraft exhibition.

Mohd Ali said the existence of the Portuguese community here was significant as it brought about a new kaleidoscope, turning Malaysia into a colourful multi-cultural paradise.

He said the state would continue to safeguard the community's status as a minority group.

He added that the state would also protect their welfare besides conserving the rich heritage and customs inherited from their ancestors.

Mohd Ali said Malacca had prospered as a nautical haven since Alfonso d' Albuquerque arrived from Goa with an entourage of 18 ships on Aug 24, 1511.

Economic Transformation Programme (ETP) : Govt to increase average household income from about RM1,500 to RM4,000 per month

PETALING JAYA: The Government is taking steps to increase the average household income from about RM1,500 to RM4,000 per month.
The Performance Management and Delivery Unit (Pemandu) said this was necessary to keep up with the rising rate of inflation.

Its National Key Result Areas and National Key Economic Areas director D. Ravindran said this during The Star's “Protect Our Pockets” roundtable on the rising cost of living on Tuesday.

He added that various initiatives under the Economic Transformation Programme (ETP) were formulated to address the problem of uneven income distribution to transform the nation into a developed one within 10 years.

Other panellists at the roundtable were Malaysian Retailers-Chains Associations secretary-general Valerie Choo, Carrefour marketing communications (Singapore and Malaysia) director Low Ngai Yuen, Pemandu senior manager Phillip See and The Star's executive editor Datuk Wong Sai Wan.

Wong said young Malaysians shied away from working here as they were not paid enough.

“The private sector, which employs most of the workforce, should take the lead in initiating a pay increase,” he said when responding to the issue of brain drain in Malaysia.

He also suggested that instead of relying on foreign workers, the Government could also consider hiring capable senior citizens.

Asked how Carrefour handled the income gap between foreign and local talents, Low said the company had a standardised pay structure.

“The good news is Malaysians get an increase in salary based on the foreign talents we bring in. We do not want to see a big difference in salary between a senior and junior manager,” she said.

ETD (Estimated Time Drop) Six-ton NASA science satellite falls to Earth (updated)

CAPE CANAVERAL (Reuters): A six-ton NASA science satellite plunged to earth early on Saturday, but where any debris ended up was not immediately clear.

Re-entry was expected between 11:45 p.m. EDT Friday and 12:45 a.m. on Saturday (0345 to 0445 GMT), NASA said. During that period, the defunct Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite passed over Canada and Africa, as well as vast areas of the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian oceans.

NASA was attempting to confirm the re-entry location and time.............?

Satelite Fall Back : Seen any strange debris? DON'T PICK UP!

KUALA LUMPUR: Have you seen any strange debris?. If you have, NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) of the United States wants to know you.

What you have found could be debris from one of its satelite that have plunged back to earth.

Members of the public are advised not to keep the debris which could be sections of the satelite.

"NASA wants any discovery of strange objects or debris to be reported to them or the relevant agencies in their respective countries for further action," said the National Space Agency (Angkasa) in a statement Saturday.

The six-tonne satelite, launched into orbit in 1991, fell back to earth between late Friday and early Saturday.

It was reported to have re-entered the atmosphere and fell over the Pacific Ocean. The precise re-entry time and location had yet to be ascertained.

Japan Open : Chong Wei vs Chen Long in final

TOKYO: Datuk Lee Chong Wei earned a place in the Japan Open when he beat two-time champion Peter Gade of Denmark 21-13, 21-16.

However, Lee's anticipated clash with Lin Dan will not materialise. World champion Lin Dan conceded a walk-over in his match with teammate Chen Long in the other semi-final due to an injured foot.

RESULTS:

MEN'S SEMI-FINALS

Lee Chong Wei (MAS x1) bt Peter Gade (DEN x3) 21-13, 21-16

Chen Long (CHN x4) bt Lin Dan (CHN x2) walkover

WOMEN'S SEMI-FINALS

Wang Yihan (CHN x1) bt Liu Xin (CHN x6) walkover

Juliane Schenk (Ger x8) bt Saina Nehwal (IND x4) 21-19, 21-10

Satelit NASA terhempas ke bumi, lokasi belum diketahui???

CAPE CANAVERAL (Florida): Pentadbiran Aeronautik dan Angkasa Lepas Kebangsaan Amerika (NASA) mengesahkan satelit sains yang tidak lagi berfungsi seberat enam tan sudah jatuh dari ruang angkasa menuju ke bumi.

Dalam laman Twitter agensi itu, Satelit Penyelidikan Atmosfera Atas (UARS) memasuki ruang angkasa bumi awal pagi tadi tetapi lokasinya terhempas belum diketahui lagi. Difahamkan, satelit berkenaan akan terbakar keseluruhannya.
UARS adalah satelit terbesar milik NASA yang terapung di orbit tanpa kawalan sejak 32 tahun lalu.

UARS dilancarkan dari kapal angkasa Discovery pada 1991.

NASA menamatkan khidmat satelit berkenaan pada 2005 selepas menurunkannya ke paras orbit rendah. - AP

Rumah Kebajikan diserbu : Biarkan penghuni tidur atas najis

Saksikan melalui klip video di bawah:
 
TAK TERURUS...tempat tidur warga emas di pusat terbabit.
TAK TERURUS...tempat tidur warga emas di pusat terbabit.
PINDAH...seorang penghuni dibawa keluar anggota PBSM.
PINDAH...seorang penghuni dibawa keluar anggota PBSM.

KUALA LUMPUR: Dua remaja lelaki berusia 16 tahun dirantai, seorang warga emas berusia 68 tahun dibiarkan tidur dan tinggal bersama kira-kira 40 anjing, manakala sepasang suami isteri yang uzur dibiarkan berbaring atas katil dipenuhi najis.

Lebih menyedihkan apabila bilik tidur tiga lagi warga emas sudah usang dengan atap dan dinding bocor menyebabkan mereka basah dan kesejukan ketika hujan manakala lapan kanak-kanak berusia 10 hingga 14 tahun berhimpit dalam bilik tidur seluas kira-kira enam meter persegi.
Begitu kehidupan daif ditanggung empat warga emas berusia 50 hingga 70 tahun serta lapan kanak-kanak termasuk dua remaja yang berlindung di sebuah pusat kebajikan tidak berdaftar sejak tiga tahun lalu.

Difahamkan, pusat kebajikan itu turut menyediakan khidmat asuhan kanak-kanak dan 36 orang dilaporkan dihantar waris ke pusat terbabit.
Penderitaan warga emas dan kanak-kanak itu berakhir apabila seorang waris iaitu ibu seorang remaja yang dirantai melaporkan kejadian itu kepada Jabatan Kebajikan Masyarakat Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur (JKMWPKL), baru-baru ini.





Dapatkan akhbar Harian Metro untuk berita selanjutnya.

NASA: low chance falling satellite will hit U.S.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (Reuters) - Predictions for the timing and path of a falling defunct NASA satellite shifted on Friday and officials put North America back in a potential area where the debris could come crashing down.
The seven-ton Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS) is deployed by the Space Shuttle Discovery (STS-48) in this NASA handout photo dated September 1991. (REUTERS/NASA/Handout/Files)
The research satellite -- about the size of a bus -- is now likely to tumble to Earth by early Saturday, showering pieces over a still unknown part of the planet, NASA said.

Scientists are unable to pinpoint the time and place where the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite, or UARS, will return to Earth due to the satellite's unpredictable tumbles and changes in the thickness of the atmosphere, fueled in part by a powerful solar flare on Thursday.

The solar flare released a blitz of highly charged particles called a coronal mass ejection in the direction of Earth. When the particles slam into the atmosphere, they cause it to heat up and expand, which in turn impacts the density of the air UARS is encountering as it tumbles uncontrollably in orbit.

Initially, scientists believed North America was out of the zone where up to 26 pieces of UARS debris, weighing a total of about 1,100 pounds (500 kg), would land or splash down.

There is now a low probability that debris will land in the United States, NASA wrote on its website on Friday.

"The satellite's orientation apparently has changed and that is now slowing its descent," NASA said.

"There is a low probability any debris that survives re-entry will land in the United States but the possibility cannot be discounted because of this changing rate of descent."

NASA said the orbit of UARS was 100 miles by 105 miles (160 km by 170 km) at 10:30 a.m. EDT (1430 GMT) and re-entry is expected late on Friday or early Saturday Eastern Daylight Time.
"Solar activity is no longer the major factor in the satellite's rate of descent," NASA said.

With most of the planet covered in water and vast uninhabited deserts and other land directly beneath the satellite's flight path, the chance that someone will be hit by falling debris is 1-in-3,200, NASA said.

The satellite flies over most of the planet, traveling between 57 degrees north and 57 degrees south of the equator.

UARS was dispatched by a space shuttle crew in 1991 to study ozone and other chemicals in Earth's atmosphere. It completed its mission in 2005 and has been slowly losing altitude, pulled by the planet's gravity, ever since.

The satellite is one of about 20,000 pieces of space debris loitering in orbit around Earth. Something the size of the 13,000-pound (5,897 kg) UARS falls back into the atmosphere about once a year.
NASA held a news conference earlier this month about UARS' re-entry and has been posting daily updates on its website.

Technology : "Neutrino faster than light" particles may be physics revolution

GENEVA (Reuters) - Leading scientists said on Friday the discovery of sub-atomic particles apparently traveling faster than light could force a major rethink of theories on the makeup of the cosmos if independently confirmed.
A general view of the detector "OPERA" at the LNGS (Gran Sasso National Laboratory) near L'Aquila, central Italy in this undated handout photograph. (REUTERS/CERN-INFS/Handout)
Jeff Forshaw, a professor of particle physics at Britain's Manchester University, told Reuters the results if confirmed would mean it would be possible in theory to "send information into the past". "In other words, time travel into the past would become possible...(though) that does not mean we'll be building time-machines anytime soon."

The CERN research institute near Geneva said measurements over three years had shown neutrinos pumped to a receiver in Gran Sasso, Italy, had arrived an average of 60 nanoseconds sooner than light would have done -- a tiny difference that could nonetheless undermine Albert Einstein's 1905 special theory of relativity

"Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence, and this is an extraordinary claim," eminent cosmologist and astrophysicist Martin Rees told Reuters.

"It is premature to comment on this," Professor Stephen Hawking, the world's most well-known physicist, told Reuters. "Further experiments and clarifications are needed."
Professor Jenny Thomas, who works on neutrinos at CERN's friendly rival Fermilab near Chicago in the United States, commented: "The impact of this measurement, were it to be correct, would be huge."



CERN's own research director Sergio Bertolucci said if the findings were confirmed -- and at least two separate laboratories are likely to start work on this in the near future -- "it might change our view of physics".

The high level of caution is normal in science where anything that could be a breakthrough discovery, especially overturning well-established thinking, is in principle always checked and rechecked by other researchers.

In a comment issued by CERN, the world's leading laboratory for particle research on the edge of Geneva, Bertolucci underscored this principle.

"When an experiment finds an apparently unbelievable result and can find no artefact of the measurement to account for it, it is normal to invite broader scrutiny....it is good scientific practice," he said.

The measurements were posted on the scientific website http://arxiv.org/abs/1109.4897 overnight.
The discovery would open up intriguing theoretical possibilities.

"Light speed is a cosmic speed limit and it exists in order to protect the law of cause and effect," said Professor Forshaw.

"If something travels faster than the cosmic speed limit, then it becomes possible to send information into the past - in other words, time travel into the past would become possible. That does not mean we'll be building time-machines anytime soon though - there is quite a gulf between a time-travelling neutrino to a time-travelling human."

Agong bids Selangor farewell

SHAH ALAM: The Yang di-Pertuan Agong, Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin and Raja Permaisuri Agong Tuanku Nur Zahirah bid farewell to Selangor residents Friday on the final day of their three-day official visit to the state.

They had earlier attended a farewell ceremony at the Dataran Dewan Negeri Selangor, Bangunan Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah, here at 9.15am.

The King reviewing the guard-of-honour on the final day of his three-day visit to Selangor

Tuanku Mizan and Tuanku Nur Zahirah were greeted by the Sultan of Selangor, Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah and Selangor Mentri Besar Tan Sri Abdul Khalid Ibrahim. Also present was Agricultre and Agro-Based Industry Minister Datuk Seri Noh Omar.

Tuanku Mizan received a royal salute before the national anthem and Selangor state anthem were played by the Royal Malay Regiment Central Brass Band from Sungai Besi Camp, followed by a 21-gun salute.

The Yang di-Pertuan Agong then inspected a guard-of-honour mounted by the First Battalion of the Royal Malay Regiment, Sungai Besi Camp.

This was followed by a doa recitation by Selangor Mufti Datuk Mohd Tamyes Abdul Wahid before the two anthems were replayed.

Tuanku Mizan and Tuanku Nur Zahirah departed at about 9.30am while hundreds of residents lined the street waving the Malaysian and Selangor flags in goodbye. - Bernama

Pegawai FAM tak tahu buat kerja : 'Bukan Cardiff nak tumpang populariti Safee'

p/s 1 : Yang pastinya Pegawai FAM tidak tahu buat kerja.

p/s 2 : Pegawai FAM tidak mahu buat kerja, tetapi pada masa yang sama mereka yang sebenarnya mahu menumpang populariti Safee Sali. FAM sepatutnya membantu dan bukan menyalahkan orang lain. Jika Safee gagal di Cardif City mereka yang patut dipersalahkan dahulu sepatutnya FAM.

p/s 3 : ADAKAH FAM MASIH RELEVAN UNTUK BOLASEPAK MALAYSIA

SEANDAINYA ada yang mendakwa bahawa kelab England, Cardiff City hanya mahu menumpang populariti penyerang sensasi Harimau Malaya, Safee Sali (gambar) bagi meraih publisiti percuma di sini, anda silap.

Bagi pemilik Cardiff, Datuk Chan Tien Ghee, tohmahan itu ternyata menyedihkan dan ia boleh 'membunuh' semangat kesukanan bola sepak.

Isu permit kerja yang disensasikan segelintir pihak kononnya Cardiff seolah-olah 'tidak ikhlas' dalam usaha menjadikan Safee sebagai pemain pertama Malaysia beraksi di England juga mengguris hati ahli perniagaan itu.

Menurut Tien Ghee, beliau hairan apabila peluang yang diberikan Cardiff kepada Safee bagi membentuk kariernya sebagai pemain bola sepak langsung 'tidak dipandang' sesetengah pihak, berbanding isu negatif tersebut.

"Kami berusaha sedaya upaya mahu membantu pemain negara seperti Safee supaya mendapat pendedahan menjalani latihan bersama pemain-pemain Cardiff, ini penting bagi peningkatan karier mereka.

"Malah, seorang lagi pemain iaitu Safiq Rahim juga pernah memberitahu saya betapa dia hanya mahu beraksi di sana di atas keupayaannya sendiri, bukankah itu lebih penting (daripada mensensasikan isu permit kerja)," katanya kepada Kosmo! semalam.

Kosmo! semalam melaporkan jaminan Tien Ghee yang akan berusaha sedaya upaya membantu penyerang kelahiran Kajang, Selangor itu menya- rung jersi The Bluebirds meskipun dilaporkan berdepan masalah permit kerja.

Antara jaminan beliau termasuklah meminjamkannya untuk beraksi seku- rang-kurangnya setahun di kelab lain di Eropah sebagai salah satu syarat mendapatkan permit kerja, itupun jika aksi Safee berjaya memikat pengendali Cardiff, Malky Mackay.

Selain Safee, Cardiff yang diambil alih oleh Tien Ghee bersama rakan perniagaannya, Tan Sri Vincent Tan yang juga rakyat Malaysia sejak Mei tahun lalu juga dilaporkan berminat memberikan peluang yang sama kepada Safiq.

Ketika ditanya mengenai dakwaan Setiausaha Agung Persatuan Bola Sepak Malaysia (FAM), Datuk Azzuddin Ahmad yang mendakwa kelabnya tidak merujuk isu permit kerja itu kepada badan induk seperti mana dila- porkan akhbar tempatan kelmarin, Tien Ghee memberitahu,

"Isu ini sepatutnya tidak timbul kerana pemergian Safee telah diketahui oleh (Timbalan Presiden FAM) Tengku Abdullah Sultan Ahmad Shah dan jurulatih (Datuk K. Rajagobal), surat rasmi juga telah dihantar.

"Bagi saya, ada baiknya kita melihat dahulu sejauh mana keupayaan Safee memikat Mackay. Ketika ini kami hanya menunggu 'lampu hijau' daripada beliau.

"Malah, dakwaan mengatakan kami menumpang populariti Safee juga tidak berasas. Jika benar kami mahukan publisiti, sudah tentu kami menanda- tangani pemain-pemain luar seperti David Beckham," katanya.

Dalam pada itu, semasa ditanya mengenai peluang Safee menyarung jersi Cardiff, Tien Ghee memberitahu, sega- lanya terpulang kepada Mackay.

"Bila akan diumumkan (sama ada Safee menyarung jersi Cardiff ataupun tidak), kami tunggu keputusan Mac- kay," katanya.

Safee yang menjalani ujian pemili- han bersama The Bluebirds sejak seminggu lalu selepas mendapat pelepa- san daripada kelabnya, Pelita Jaya, kini kembali menjalani latihan ringan bersama rakan-rakan sepasukannya yang berjaya mara lebih jauh selepas mene- waskan Leicester City 7-6 menerusi penentuan sepakan penalti pada pusi- ngan ketiga Piala Liga, Rabu lalu.

Badminton Terbuka Jepun : Chong Wei cemas sebelum menang

CHONG WEI terpaksa bekerja keras sebelum berjaya menewaskan
pemain Jepun, Tago pada pusingan suku akhir semalam.

JAGUH perseorangan negara, Datuk Lee Chong Wei cemas seketika sebelum berjaya mengesahkan slot ke peringkat separuh akhir Kejohanan Badminton Siri Super Terbuka Jepun 2011.

Tampil selaku pemain pilihan pertama kejoha- nan, Chong Wei dipaksa bekerja keras sebelum mampu menjinakkan perseorangan Jepun, Keni- chi Tago pada aksi peringkat suku akhir yang ber- langsung di Tokyo semalam.

Chong Wei yang merupakan pemain ranking No. 1 dunia, tewas pada set pertama 21-23 sebelum bangkit semula untuk mengatasi Tago dengan 21-7, 21-18 dalam masa 56 minit dalam dua set berikut- nya.

Kemenangan tersebut dianggap sangat penting buat pemain No. 1 dunia itu dalam usaha memburu kejuaraan keempat pada kejohanan yang telah berusia 30 tahun itu pada edisi kali ini.

Pada aksi separuh akhir hari ini, juara Seluruh England itu akan berdepan dengan pemain vete- ran Denmark, Peter Hoeg Gade yang mara selepas menewaskan Simon Santoso 21-14, 21-15 dalam satu pertemuan suku akhir.

Sementara itu, beregu utama negara, Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong turut melangkah ke sepa- ruh akhir selepas menundukkan pasangan sene- gara, Goh Wei Shem-Lim Khim Wah 21-16, 19-21, 21-17.
Kien Keat-Boon Heong yang merupakan beregu pilihan ketiga kejohanan, akan menentang pilihan utama, Cai Yun-Fu Haifeng dari China pada aksi separuh akhir hari ini.

Teknologi : Neutrino lebih laju daripada cahaya

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
GAMBAR menunjukkan bangunan Pusat Penyelidikan Nuklear Eropah pada 30 Mac 2010.


PARIS, Perancis - Sekumpulan ahli fizik melaporkan kelmarin bahawa sejenis partikel yang yang dinamakan neutrino boleh bergerak lebih laju daripada cahaya.

Partikel itu lebih kecil daripada sebutir atom.

Jika penemuan tersebut disahkan, ia boleh mencabar teori relativiti yang diperkenalkan oleh saintis legenda, mendiang Albert Einstein.

Teori berkenaan menyatakan tiada unsur yang dapat mengatasi kelajuan cahaya di alam semesta ini.

Kumpulan ahli fizik terbabit memberitahu, uji kaji yang dilakukan di Pusat Penyelidikan Nuklear Eropah (CERN), Switzerland dan sebuah makmal di Itali menunjukkan partikel itu bergerak selaju 300,006 kilometer sesaat.

Pergerakan partikel itu adalah sekitar enam km/s lebih laju daripada kelajuan cahaya.

"Keputusan ini amat mengejutkan," kata seorang jurucakap eksperimen berkenaan yang dikenali sebagai OPERA, Antonio Ereditato.

"Kami mahu mengukur kelajuan neutrino tetapi kami tidak menjangkakan akan membuat penemuan luar biasa seperti ini," tambahnya. - AFP

Friday, September 23, 2011

Pantai burka di Albania




BEBERAPA wanita memakai burka mandi di sebuah pantai di Spille, Albania pada bulan lalu.



SPILLE - Sebuah kawasan di sebuah pantai di sini diberi jolokan pantai burka kerana ia dikhaskan untuk wanita Muslim yang tidak memakai bikini.
Albania

Ia terletak di barat daya Tirana di Albania dan beberapa meter dari kawasan pantai yang membenarkan wanita berjemur dan berenang dengan memakai bikini.
Sebuah pantai perkelahan di Albania

Pantai tersebut merupakan satu-satunya pantai yang dikhaskan untuk wanita Muslim berenang dan bermain air laut dengan memakai burka.
Saranda, sebuah bandar pantai selatan Albania

Kira-kira dua pertiga (70%) daripada penduduk Albania berjumlah 3.5 juta orang merupakan penduduk Muslim.

albania/tirana_view
Tirana, ibu kota Albania (foto 2007)
p/s 1: TERBALIK, kita di Malaysia pula ada pantai khas yang sengaja disorok untuk berbogel, atau PANTAI BOGEL menurut beberapa cerita yang meniti bibir masyarakat sejak tahun 1982 lagi, penulis semasa menaikki feri dari Mersing ke Tioman pernah menyaksikan sendiri pantai bogel tersebut (melalui teropong) di sebuah pulau kecil berhampiran Pulau Tioman, penulis pada masa tersebut bersama-sama kumpulan peserta kursus belia ke Pantai Kampung Tekek, Tioman pada penghujung 1982.

p/s 2 : kita boleh buat apa, nak mengadu kat siapa, teropong ajelah!

A rich beggar with cars and properties

A man, who often seen begging for money on the streets of Bejing in China, has been found to be richer than anyone can imagine.

He has four cars and several properties in Beijing, Jiangxi Satellite TV reported in its morning news on Tuesday.

The news has immediately captured the attention of the netizens, who conducted a search on the beggar's identity.



According to the news report, the man is living in the China's capital with a mother and two sons.

"His mother wears a lot of gold jewellery, and his sons use branded stuff from head to toe," the TV station claimed.

"He is richer than those who gave him money," a netizen said.

The man is often seen on the streets of Xidan district.

He would kowtow to everyone who walked pass him, asking them for money and thus gained his nickname "Xidan Kowtow King".

A netizen, however, sympathised with the beggar, saying he was not wrong, by law, just lack of moral.
Some said they would not give him money anymore.

'Ghost' watches shooting of drama

Taiwanese idol drama Love Recipe began airing in Taiwan on Sept 4 and a set of photographs was released by the production team to promote the drama.

Strangely, one of the pictures show lead actor Kenji Wu leaning against a van with a face resembling that of a woman appearing near his right armpit.

The crew insisted that the van was empty at the time of the photograph was taken.



Taiwan's Next Magazine, meanwhile, reported that Kenji had fallen sick after shooting the scene with him kissing actress Ivlyn Li in the van.

The actor-singer was on a three-day medical leave, it reported.

Kenji later said he felt "someone" patting him on the back when he was in the vehicle.

"When I turned around, there was no one," he said, adding he also heard a voice saying 'No' next to him.
"After that, I felt dizzy and very cold," he said.

Kenji's manager said the incident could be a good sign that the drama was so interesting that even the spirits wanted to watch it.

The manager added he would bring the star to perform some prayers "to call back his frighten soul".

Japan Open Badminton : Chong Wei through to Japan Open last eight


Chong Wei who secured his quarter-final slot after defeating unseeded Wang Zhengming of China 21-19, 21-14, takes on Japan's rising star Kenichi Tago on Friday.

In the men's doubles, the two Malaysian pairs will meet each other in the quarter-finals, thus ensuring Malaysia's representation in the semi-fnals.

Goh/Lim pulled off an impressive upset by beating world number eight Chai Biao/Guo Zhendong of China 19-21, 21-19, 21-19 while the third seeded Koo/Tan were made to work hard before defeating unseeded Yoshiteru Hirobe/Kenta Kazuno of Japan 17-21, 21-11, 21-18

Goalposts : Is the Serial Killer? : 'Accidents' in schools must stop

The rusty goalpost that toppled and took the life of 14-year-old Teoh Chao Sheng while he was playing football at a field in Larkin, Johor Baru, in July 2005. Similar incidents have happened in several schools and playgrounds.
The rusty goalpost that toppled and took the life of 14-year-old Teoh Chao Sheng
 while he was playing football at a field in Larkin, Johor Baru, in July 2005.
Similar incidents have happened in several schools and playgrounds.
p/s : 6 cases of fatalities was reported in 10 years, maybe it's more with unreport cases!
 
DEATH comes in many guises, or so goes an old saying, but from a falling goalpost is one of the least expected.

Yes, accidents can happen anywhere and sometimes they are unavoidable, unless we can turn back time.

But there are accidents that can be prevented, and would not have happened if certain precautions were taken.

These are unacceptable. More so if they occur in a place we trust our children to be safe -- school. Or when they are with people we trust to keep them safe -- teachers.
On Saturday, an 11-year-old Liverpool fan died when a goalpost fell on him in the school field.

Muhammad Fakhrul Amin Abdul Rahman, a Year Five pupil at SK Kampung Jawa 2, in Klang, was playing football with his friends when his head was crushed in what journalists would usually refer to as a "freak accident".

There's nothing freakish about the accident, however. Death by falling goalpost is not entirely rare as it has happened several times in school fields around the country.

Just last year, in Kepala Batas, Mohd Khairi Iskandar Onzek, 8, died when a goalpost landed on his chest.

In 2008, a 10-year-old student died at the SK Taman Sri Wang field. The killer? A falling goalpost.

In 2000, two Pahang schoolboys were killed when goalposts in school fields fell on them.

The death of the two boys came within six days of each other. One was playing football when the goalpost toppled over and landed its full weight on him, while the other was crushed by a goalpost (not the same one) while he was in the midst of warming-up exercises.


Read more: 'Accidents' in schools must stop http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/17guise/Article#ixzz1YhjgxPcm

Fallback of UAR Satellite : Fiery re-entry this weekend

single
KUALA LUMPUR: A dead American satellite the size of a bus is expected to fall back to earth this weekend and Malaysia is among the countries within its impact zone.
But the satellite is expected to break up into smaller pieces upon re-entry and the risk to public safety or property from the falling debris is said to be extremely small.

Nevertheless, Malaysia’s National Space Agency (Angkasa) is monitoring updates from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa) of the United States.
Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS)

The satellite is Nasa’s decommissioned Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS), and so far, the US space agency could not put the exact time and place where the 6,000kg object would fall. Nasa’s latest update showed the expected re-entry date as tomorrow, US time, plus or minus a day. This puts the expected date for Malaysia between tomorrow and Sunday.

Angkasa’s spokesman said their team, based at the National Observatory at the Bukit Malut Dam in Langkawi, Kedah, is monitoring the satellite.

“Although it is difficult to use the facility’s telescope to track the satellite, we will still try,” he said yesterday.

“Our team is also monitoring Nasa’s website round-the-clock for the latest updates on the expected time and location of the re-entry.” Angkasa, unlike Nasa, does not have the equipment or expertise to monitor space debris or near-earth objects.

The spokesman said members of the public could also monitor the updates through the Nasa website at www.nasa.gov/uars.

He said there was no need for people to worry as the satellite would break up into pieces and the odds of being struck was estimated at 1 in 3,200.

He said the 20-year-old research satellite was expected to break up into more than 100 pieces as it reentered the atmosphere, most of them burning up.

Twenty-six of its heaviest metal parts are expected to reach Earth, the biggest chunk weighing 136kg.

The debris could be scattered over an area of about 800km.

The UARS’ trajectory takes it between 57 degrees north latitude and 57 degrees south latitude, which is also its crash zone.

The zone covers everything from Canada down to the tip of South America, and from Siberia down to the tip of Africa and Australia.

The UARS was launched on Sept 12, 1991, aboard space shuttle mission STS-48 and it was deployed on Sept 15, 1991. It was the first multiinstrumented satellite to observe numerous chemical components of the atmosphere for better understanding of photochemistry. UARS ceased its productive scientific life in 2005.

US media advised its citizens not to pick up any debris that they suspect came from the satellite.

The space agency says there are no toxic chemicals present, but there can be sharp edges. Also, it’s government property. It’s against the law to keep it as a souvenir or sell it on eBay. Nasa’s advice is to report any findings to the police.

US media reports said that UARS was getting advance publicity because it was the biggest Nasa satellite to make an uncontrolled re-entry in about three decades.


Read more: Fiery re-entry this weekend http://www.nst.com.my/nst/articles/Fieryre-entrythisweekend/Article/#ixzz1Yhfy31EC

Thursday, September 22, 2011

Minda Pengarang: Sekolah wajar dinilai jika berjaya bantu murid lemah

ISU tiga murid Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Bandar Bintangor, dalam Bahagian Sarikei, Sarawak yang tidak dibenarkan menduduki Ujian Pencapaian Sekolah Rendah (UPSR), walaupun masih belum selesai, sudah mendapat pembelaan Kementerian Pelajaran.

Timbalan Perdana Menteri, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin yang juga Menteri Pelajaran kelmarin mengarahkan Lembaga Peperiksaan Malaysia (LPM) membenarkan calon berkenaan menduduki UPSR dalam tempoh empat minggu lagi.

Murid berkenaan yang dianggap lemah oleh guru masing-masing, minggu lalu tidak dapat mengambil UPSR kerana didakwa dikurung pentadbir sekolah terbabit.

Pentadbir sekolah dikatakan bertindak demikian kerana tidak mahu prestasi keseluruhan sekolah itu terjejas berikutan mereka dijangka gagal dalam ujian berkenaan.

Kita bersimpati dengan ketiga-tiga calon berkenaan dan memahami perasaan ibu bapa mereka.

Ibu bapa mana yang tidak kecewa dan marah jika anak diperlakukan sedemikian.

Peristiwa ini tidak sepatutnya berlaku dan pastinya masyarakat mempersoal keikhlasan guru serta sekolah berkenaan dalam menjalankan tanggungjawab mereka sebagai pendidik tulen.

Sebagai guru, mereka sepatutnya lebih mengetahui mengenai pentingnya setiap pelajar diberi peluang dan hak membuktikan potensi masing-masing, lebih-lebih lagi dalam ujian penting seperti UPSR.

Jika peluang ini disekat, ia menutup terus potensi yang kemungkinan dimiliki pelajar ini, sekali gus menggelapkan masa depan mereka.
Kejadian ini tidak boleh dibiarkan berulang dan Kementerian Pelajaran harus menjalankan siasatan menyeluruh bagi memastikan tidak ada sekolah yang bertindak sama.

Apakah ia berpunca daripada tekanan untuk memastikan prestasi UPSR meningkat setiap tahun sehingga ada sesetengah pentadbir sekolah sanggup melihat pelajar dicatatkan sebagai TH (tidak hadir) dalam keputusan ujian Tahun Enam ini? Catatan TH itu difahamkan tidak diambil kira dalam prestasi keseluruhan sekolah, memungkinkan sekolah terbabit mengekalkan laporan prestasi baik.

Selain tindakan berkenaan, difahamkan ada juga segelintir guru sengaja menasihatkan pelajar yang tidak ada harapan langsung untuk lulus, memangkah saja jawapan tertentu dalam ujian format objektif, seperti jawapan B atau C yang dianggap kerap muncul sebagai jawapan betul.
Isu murid SK Bandar Bintangor ini sekali lagi menyerlahkan kepincangan pengukuran prestasi sekolah sekarang yang mana pencapaian 5A dalam UPSR menjadi ukuran utama.

Bukan hanya guru, tetapi ibu bapa juga menjadi terlalu taksub dalam pencapaian ini sehingga memberi tekanan kepada calon. Kita berpendapat peningkatan dalam pencapaian UPSR ini penting, tetapi janganlah sampai menidakkan hak pelajar lemah.

Mereka sepatutnya dibantu dan mendapat perhatian guru melebihi pelajar cemerlang. Kejayaan sekolah tidak sepatutnya dinilai dari segi keupayaan melahirkan pelajar cemerlang, tetapi keupayaan memulihkan pelajar lemah juga patut diambil kira

Sebenarnya, kes ini bukanlah kali pertama berlaku di negara ini, bahkan sudah lebih dari 10 kali dilaporkan oleh pelbagai media sejak milenium baru ini (Cuma penulis tidak ingat bila dan di mana-perlu rujuk ke arkib). Adakah ini penyakit milenium yang melanda guru-gur dan guru besar.

Ini termasuk kalau diambil kira kejadian yang sama berlaku pada adik ipar penulis yang dinafikan hak untuk bersekolah oleh sebuah sekolah di Sg Tua, Batu Caves pada tahun 1991.
(untuk cerita lanjut boleh layari pdkselayang.blogspot.com)

Penulis bersetuju dengan cadangan pengarang bahawa sekolah yang boleh memperbaikki keputusan peperiksaan yang melibatkan pelajar kelas pemulihan diambil kira dalam 'grading system'.

Taufan Roke mengarah ke loji nuklear


PEMANDANGAN dari udara menunjukkan bandar Toyokawa  tengah Tokyo ditenggelami banjir  selepas Taufan Roke membadai Jepun, semalam.
PEMANDANGAN dari udara menunjukkan bandar Toyokawa tengah
Tokyo ditenggelami banjir selepas Taufan Roke membadai Jepun, semalam.
 
Taufan ragut enam nyawa, lebih 575,000 penduduk Tokyo bergelap

TOKYO: Taufan Roke dengan kelajuan angin 220 kilometer sejam kini dilaporkan menghala ke loji nuklear Fukushima yang rosak teruk akibat gempa bumi Mac lalu, selepas membadai Tokyo semalam.
Di ibu negara Jepun itu, Roke yang membawa hujan lebat, menyebabkan sekurang-kurangnya enam terbunuh, ratusan penerbangan dibatalkan, manakala beribu-ribu penumpang kereta api terkandas.
Jurucakap syarikat pengendali elektrik Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO), Junichi Matsumoto, berkata pihaknya sudah mengambil langkah berjaga-jaga tahap tertinggi di loji Fukushima, tetapi meramalkan taufan itu tidak akan memusnahkan loji terbabit.

“Apa yang paling membimbangkan ialah kemungkinan paras air dicemari radioaktif mungkin meningkat di dalam turbin. Loji itu masih mempunyai kadar air yang banyak untuk digunakan sebagai penyejuk reaktor, selepas terjejas akibat gempa dan tsunami Mac lalu.

“Kami juga khuatir, hujan lebat akan menyebabkan air dicemari radioaktif melimpah ke laut. Bagaimanapun, setakat ini kami yakin dapat menahan limpahan air, jika parasnya meningkat tiba-tiba,” katanya.

Jabatan Meteorologi Jepun melaporkan, Roke, taufan kedua terkuat melanda Jepun bulan ini, juga mengakibatkan hujan lebat sehingga 40 sentimeter di timur dan barat negara itu sejak 24 jam lalu.
“Kami perlu mengambil tindakan berjaga-jaga tahap tertinggi berikutan hujan lebat, angin kencang dan ombak besar yang kini melanda bahagian timur dan utara Jepun,” kata Ketua Setiausaha Kabinet, Osamu Fujimura dalam pada sidang media di sini, semalam.

Taufan Roke menyebabkan lebih 575,000 penduduk di wilayah yang mendapat perkhidmatan TEPCO, termasuk loji industri kereta, Nissan dan Mitsubishi bergelap apabila bekalan elektrik terputus.

Toyota menyatakan, pihaknya bercadang untuk menutup 11 buah kilang di bahagian tengah negara itu lewat petang ini dan membatalkan syif kerja pada sebelah petang.

Roke mengakibatkan hujan lebat di wilayah Hamamatsu, 200 kilometer ke barat Tokyo, kira-kira jam 2 petang waktu tempatan sebelum menghala ke utara bandar raya itu pada sebelah petang

Syarikat khidmat haji dipantau

DUBAI: Kementerian Ekonomi sedang mencari cara lain untuk mengurangkan beban kewangan jemaah yang bakal menunaikan ibadah haji.

Pengarah Jabatan Perlindungan Pelanggan, Hashim Al Nuami semalam, berkata, kementerian itu akan sentiasa memantau syarikat yang menawarkan pakej haji.
“Kontraktor haji mesti mencari jalan untuk mengurangkan kos dan perbelanjaan jemaah haji,” katanya.

“Ia adalah untuk berusaha mencari cara yang terbaik untuk meningkatkan kualiti perkhidmatan kepada jemaah haji,” kata Hashim.
“Kementerian mencari cara untuk menambah perkhidmatan yang diberikan oleh lapangan terbang di Emiriyah Arab Bersatu (UAE) kepada jemaah dan juga meningkatkan lagi perkhidmatan di lapangan terbang Arab Saudi dalam kerjasama dengan Syarikat Penerbangan Arab Saudi di Dubai,” katanya.
Jabatan Perlindungan Pelanggan kementerian itu bekerjasama dengan Pihak Berkuasa Am Hal Ehwal Islam dan Wakaf telah mengadakan perbincangan dengan wakil daripada syarikat penerbagan dan kontraktor haji semalam di pejabat kementerian itu di Dubai.

Mereka yang hadir di perbincangan itu bersetuju untuk bekerjasama dengan dua kementerian itu dan akan melantik pekerja supaya semua lapangan terbang di UAE dapat menyelaras operasi mereka dengan syarikat penerbangan supaya perjalanan jemaah haji tidak tergendala.

Kata Hashim lagi, kementerian akan bekerjasama dengan Pihak Berkuasa Am ketika musim haji untuk memastikan syarikat perkhidmatan haji tidak menaikkan harga dan mengeksploitasi jemaah dengan mengenakan bayaran tambahan kos penerbangan. - GN

p/s 1 : Kos haji di UAE ialah antara 16,000.00-70,000.00 derham (EAD).

p/s 2 : Exchange rate EAD1,000.00 = RM861.00

p/s 3 : Walaupun UAE berjiran dengan Arab Saudi tetapi kos mereka antara 1.6 - 7.1 kali ganda (anggaran)

PM Somalia ucap takziah kepada keluarga Noramfaizul

NEW YORK: Perdana Menteri Kerajaan Sementara Somalia Dr Abdiweli Mohamed Ali menyampaikan ucapan takziah beliau dan negaranya kepada Malaysia terutamanya kepada keluarga jurukamera BernamaTV Noramfaizul Mohd Nor yang terkorban semasa menyertai misi bantuan kemanusiaan di Mogadishu pada awal bulan ini.
Allahyarham Noramfaizul Mohd Nor
Ucapan takziah itu disampaikan Abdiweli kepada Menteri Luar Malaysia Datuk Seri Anifah Aman dalam pertemuan dua hala antara kedua-dua negara yang menghadiri Mesyuarat Agung Pertubuhan Bangsa-bangsa Bersatu (PBB) yang berlangsung di New York.
“Abdiweli sangat terharu tentang keprihatinan Malaysia terhadap Somalia, dan usahanya menerusi badan bukan kerajaan menyalurkan pelbagai bantuan kemanusian seperti makanan dan perubatan kepada rakyat negara itu,” kata Anifah memberitahu Bernama di sini.

Anifah berada di New York mengetuai delegasi Malaysia menghadiri Perhimpunan Agung PBB ke-66 dengan tema 'Peranan Mediasi dalam Penyelesaian Pertikaian dengan Cara Aman'.
Noramfaizul, 39, terkorban selepas terkena tembakan curi ketika dalam perjalanan pulang ke tempat penginapan dengan menaiki pacuan empat roda semasa menyertai misi bantuan kemanusiaan anjuran Kelab Putra 1Malaysia di Mogadishu, Somalia pada 3 September lalu. - Bernama

Datuk Maharaja Lela : Hanya tinggal nama besar

TERBIAR...rumah Datuk  Maharaja Lela menunggu masa untuk roboh. Gambar kecil menunjukkan keadaan perabot yang rosak serta tilam dipercayai digunakan untuk tujuan maksiat.
TERBIAR...rumah Datuk Maharaja Lela menunggu masa untuk roboh. Gambar kecil menunjukkan keadaan perabot yang rosak serta tilam dipercayai digunakan untuk tujuan maksiat.

PASIR SALAK: Rumah pejuang tersohor, Datuk Maharaja Lela Pandak Lam, di sini, bukan saja dijadikan sarang maksiat, malah menjadi ‘port’ penagih dadah di kawasan ini.

Kediaman warisan yang terletak bertentangan dengan Kompleks Sejarah Pasir Salak itu berada dalam keadaan terbiar dan menunggu masa roboh.
Lukisan bersejarah

Penduduk, Ramli Abas, 43, berkata, dia sedih apabila menyaksikan rumah peninggalan pahlawan negeri itu terbiar begitu saja tanpa sebarang tindakan membaikinya diambil kerajaan negeri. “Saya kecewa kerana perjuangan Datuk Maharaja Lela dipandang sebelah mata sesetengah pihak apabila kediamannya dibiarkan tanpa mendapat pembelaan sewajarnya.

“Jasa dan pengorbanannya diiktiraf dengan beberapa jalan, sekolah serta kawasan dinamakan bersempena namanya tetapi menyedihkan apabila keadaan kediaman dan kawasan sekitar yang pernah menjadi kubu pertahanan masyarakat daerah ini satu ketika dulu, menunggu masa untuk menyembah bumi,” katanya.
Rumah Datuk Maharaja Lela

  Tinjauan wartawan Harian Metro mendapati, rumah Maharaja Lela yang pernah dibaik pulih, kini dipenuhi belukar serta sukar dimasuki.

Tambah mengejutkan, selain barangan hiasan di dalam rumah berkenaan hilang dan rosak, ia dijadikan lokasi ‘selamat’ oleh penagih dadah dan remaja melakukan maksiat.

Ia berdasarkan penemuan beberapa barangan untuk menghisap dadah dan tilam buruk di bahagian dapur kediaman berkenaan yang didakwa Ramli angkara golongan muda tempatan.

Mengikut sejarah, selepas mendapat persetujuan dan sokongan penduduk sekitar Pasir Salak, Kampung Gajah dan pemimpin tempatan, Datuk Maharaja Lela mengepalai perjuangan menentang penjajahan British di Perak yang membawa kepada pembunuhan James Wheller Woodfird Birch (JWW Birch) iaitu Residen British pertama Perak.

Malangnya, daripada sanjungan sebagai pejuang, beberapa individu kalangan bangsa sendiri yang dipercayai sebelum itu, berpaling tadah dengan menuduh beliau serta beberapa lagi rakan seperjuangannya, selaku pemberontak sebelum beliau dijatuhkan hukuman gantung sampai mati terhadap mereka.

Lebih tragik, difahamkan sebagai pengajaran kepada 'pemberontak-pemberontak' lain supaya tidak mengikut jejak Maharaja Lela dan teman seperjuangannya, pihak penjajah British difahamkan mengarahkan supaya mayat Maharaja Lela dikerat tiga dan ditanam secara berasingan di tepi tebing Sungai Perak. Biarpun tiada fakta sahih mengenainya, perkara ini masih menjadi persoalan sehingga kini kerana bukti juga tiada untuk mengatakan 'Makam Maharaja Lela' yang terletak di Taiping, benar-benar milik perwira sejati ini.

“Saya meminta pihak bertanggungjawab memandang serius perkara ini kerana selain kediaman Maharaja Lela, keadaan Kompleks Sejarah Pasir Salak juga dalam keadaan menyedihkan.

Keadaan sekarang cukup menyedihkan berbanding beberapa tahun lalu kerana ini adalah kawasan bersejarah yang mempunyai nilai begitu penting dalam sejarah Malaysia," katanya

King and Queen on three-day visit to Selangor

The Yang di-Pertuan Agong Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin and the Raja Permaisuri Agong Tuanku Nur Zahirah were greeted on arrival at Padang Mahkota by the Sultan of Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah yesterday.

Formal welcome: Sultan Sharafuddin welcoming Tuanku Mizan and
Tuanku Nur Zahirah on their arrival at Istana Alam Shah in Klang Wednesday.

Tuanku Mizan was welcomed by a royal guard-of-honour before Negaraku and the state anthem were played by the Royal Malay Regiment's brass band from Sungai Besi Camp led by Major Zailani Mohd Okhtat.

This was followed by a 21-gun salute.

Tuanku Mizan and Sultan Sharafuddin then inspected the royal guard-of-honour consisting of 107 officers and men from the first battalion of the Royal Malay Regiment, Sungai Besi Camp headed by Major Ahmad Muzaimi Mohd Ali.

The royal couple then visited the royal mosque and the royal car gallery at Istana Alam Shah.

A big hit – over 86,000 fans on police Facebook page

KUALA LUMPUR: The Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) Facebook page is the most popular among government agencies with an estimated 86,000 fans.

Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Ismail Omar said that as at yesterday, the number had exceeded 86,000 with youths and the elderly making up most of the fans.

“Our fan page, launched on Sept 21 last year, has not only locals but also users from abroad who have been monitoring the activities of the force closely.

“With the page, we are able to communicate with the public without any barrier and exchange information on issues affecting them,” he said after launching PDRM Twitter another social network as part of plans to keep the public informed about police updates, their successes and activities at the senior police officers college in Cheras here yesterday.

Ismail said he was pleased with the support, adding “it broke all barriers for better communication between the police and the public”.

He also said that besides exchanging information with the public, there were times when the fan page was besieged with constructive criticism.

“We take these comments seriously and will try to improve the force in anyway we can,” he said, adding that the Twitter fan page was for the public to follow the activities of the force even more closely.

“We are using all our resources to reach out to the public to better serve them. We want to be fast and efficient.”

Currently, there are about 30 police personnel involved in managing the Facebook and Twitter accounts. They will update information on a regular basis.

MRT : Alternative route looked at to save KL heritage buildings

PETALING JAYA: An alternative mass rapid transit (MRT) route proposal is being seriously considered to safeguard the heritage buildings along Jalan Sultan, said Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz.

“The MRT project needs a huge piece of land that does not interfere with buildings, thus, the new alternative route proposal fits the bill,” he told reporters after receiving the proposal from Pandan MP Datuk Seri Ong Tee Keat on Thursday.

Nazri said the alternative route would go along Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock and there would be no need to tear down any historic building.

The route would go all the way to Jalan Petaling and Jalan Pudu before going back to Bukit Bintang where it was originally linked.

Apart from that, MRT trains needed a smooth and gentle turning which Jalan Sultan was lacking, he said.
“Some of the buildings in Jalan Sultan are over 100 years old and if we tear them down, we are tearing down history,” said Nazri.

Nazri also stressed that the property owners were not anti-development, they were merely against tearing down historical buildings.