Japanese Art of Paper Folding: Origami

Origami come from word ori meaning “folding”, and kami meaning “paper”. It is the art of paper folding, which is often associated with Japanese culture. In modern usage, the word “origami” is used as an inclusive term for all folding practices, regardless of their culture of origin. The purpose of it to transform a flat sheet of paper into a finished sculpture through folding and sculpting techniques. Modern origami practitioners generally discourage the use of cuts, glue, or markings on the paper.

Crane Origami

Colorful Crane Origami arranged in a such unique way

The most popular origami model is the Japanese paper crane. In general, these designs begin with a square sheet of paper whose sides may be of different colours, prints, or patterns. Traditional Japanese origami, which has been practiced since the Edo period (1603–1867), has often been less strict about these conventions, sometimes cutting the paper or using nonsquare shapes to start with. The principles of origami are also used in stents, packaging and other engineering applications.

In Japan history, the earliest unambiguous reference to a paper model is in a short poem by Ihara Saikaku  in 1680. He mentions a traditional butterfly design used during Shinto weddings. Folding filled some ceremonial functions in Edo period Japanese culture; noshi were attached to gifts, much like greeting cards are used today. This developed into a form of entertainment; the first two instructional books published in Japan are clearly recreational.

Chopstick holder by using the chopstick case in the origami form made by one of my friends.

Lim Jooi Soon selesa guna nama asal

MENUKAR nama bapa kepada Abdullah sudah lama diamalkan di Malaysia. Namun, ia tidak pernah diamalkan ketika zaman Rasullullah s.a.w. Contohnya Rasulullah tidak mengubah nama bapa Abdullah bin Abd. Asad biarpun Abd. Asad membawa makna hamba kepada singa, iaitu jelas mengandungi unsur-unsur syirik (Ibni Al-Jawzee, Sifatus Safwah, Jilid 1 (63).

Malah Umar Al-Khattab dan Ali bin Abu Talib juga mengekalkan nama bapa masing-masing setelah memeluk Islam. Jika wajib menukar nama bapa, apakah Rasullullah sendiri tidak mengetahuinya dan melakukannya?

Pegawai Dakwah Persatuan Cina Islam Malaysia (MACMA) Cawangan Selangor, Lim Jooi Soon berkata, ramai masyarakat di Malaysia beranggapan bahawa nama Islam adalah nama dalam bahasa Arab.

Pada zaman Rasullullah, mereka yang memeluk agama Islam dinasihati oleh Rasulullah supaya menukar nama asal kepada nama yang bermaksud baik.

Ini menunjukkan nama Islam adalah nama yang mempunyai makna yang baik, bukan semestinya dalam bahasa Arab.

Katanya, menjadi amalan bahawa orang yang masuk Islam di negara ini akan disuruh menukar nama kepada nama bahasa Arab dengan anggapan bahawa nama Islam adalah nama di dalam bahasa Arab.

Persoalannya, bagaimana dengan masyarakat Melayu yang tidak mempunyai nama dalam bahasa Arab, adakah mereka perlu menukar nama atau sebaliknya?

“Sebenarnya, pada zaman Rasullullah, ramai sahabat apabila masuk Islam mengekalkan nama asal mereka walaupun bukan di dalam bahasa Arab. Antaranya; Salman Al-Farisy dari Persia dan Bilal Ar-Rabah dari Ethopia, katanya ketika ditemui MEGA, baru-baru ini.

Pada masa yang sama, kata Jooi Soon, tiada nas untuk membenarkan penukaran nama bapa kandung kepada Abdullah atau nama-nama lain.

“Dalam kes ini saya bersetuju 100 peratus dengan fatwa Majlis Fatwa Negeri Perlis yang mengharamkan pertukaran nama bapa kandung.

“Sebagai seorang Islam, apabila kita ditunjukkan sesuatu nas atau bukti larangan atau perintah, kita hendaklah mematuhi arahan tersebut seperti mana dalam ayat 17 dan 18 dari surah al-Zumar, jelasnya.

Tambah Jooi Soon, bukanlah sesuatu yang menghairankan jika terdapat pihak-pihak yang masih mengekalkan pendapat dan tradisi walaupun dikemukakan dengan bukti yang bercanggah dengan ajaran Islam.

Golongan begini disebut di dalam al-Quran, Sesungguhnya kami mendapati datuk nenek kami menurut satu agama, dan sesungguhnya kami beroleh petunjuk menurut jejak mereka sahaja dan demikianlah halnya (orang-orang yang taklid buta) kami tidak mengutus sebelummu (wahai Muhammad) kepada sesebuah negeri, seseorang Rasul pemberi amaran, melainkan orang-orang yang berada dalam kemewahan di negeri itu berkata, sesungguhnya kami dapati datuk nenek kami menurut satu jalan agama, dan sesungguhnya kami hanya mengikut jejak mereka sahaja. Rasul itu berkata, adakah (kamu akan menurut juga mereka) walaupun aku membawa kepada kamu agama yang lebih nyata memberi petunjuk daripada apa yang kamu dapati datuk nenekmu menganutnya? Mereka menjawab: Sesungguhnya kami mengingkari agama yang kamu di utus untuk menyampaikannya. (al-Zukhruf: 22-24),

Kata Jooi Soon, sebagai Muslim berbangsa Cina, mengekalkan nama penuh dalam bahasa ibunda adalah perkara yang penting bagi sebahagian masyarakat Cina. Ini kerana setiap perkataan pada nama tersebut membawa maksud dan pengertian tertentu.

“Sebagai contoh, walaupun saya hampir sepuluh tahun memeluk agama Islam, saya masih mengekalkan nama Lim Jooi Soon kerana maksud di sebalik nama itu membawa pengertian yang indah dan terpuji dalam masyarakat dan budaya Cina serta tidak melanggar syariat.

“Lim adalah nama keluarga, Jooi adalah nama keturunan dan Soon adalah nama diri saya. Bayangkan apabila ada sebahagian daripada masyarakat Cina yang ingin memeluk agama Islam terpaksa membuang nama keturunan dan nama dirinya ini seolah-olah memutuskan pertalian dari nasab keturunan yang sama, tambahnya.

Menurut Jooi Soon, sebenarnya ramai masyarakat Cina membatalkan hasrat memeluk Islam kerana takut apabila diberitahu nama keturunan dan nama diri perlu dibuang selepas pengislaman.

“Dari segi dakwah pula, jika mereka mengekalkan nama dalam bahasa Cina, tanggapan masyarakat bukan Islam bahawa memeluk agama Islam itu bermakna ‘masuk’ Melayu dapat dihakis sekali gus menunjukkan Islam adalah agama universal, katanya .

Mengenai kesukaran mengenalpasti status mualaf Islam jika tidak dibinkan Abdullah, Jooi Soon berkata, hal itu tidak perlu dikhuatirkan.

“Perkara ini bukan masalah kerana penyelesaiannya terbukti pada status agama Islam yang tertera dalam kad pengenalan (MyKad) dan juga kad yang dikeluarkan oleh Jabatan Agama Islam Persekutuan dan Negeri,” jelasnya.

Apa yang lebih penting katanya ialah pengamalan segala suruhan dan meninggalkan larangannya berbanding dari segi nama dan pakaian mereka. Untuk sebarang pertanyaan boleh menghubungi di talian 012-3661121 atau e-mail abdlim@gmail.com

Fakta tentang menukar nama mualaf

Terdapat dua pendapat mengenai pertukaran nama kepada ‘bin’ Abdullah atau ‘binti’ Abdullah apabila seseorang memeluk agama Islam:

Pertama: Mengikut al-Quran dan sunah.

                                                                                             

Kedua: Mengikut budaya Malaysia

Menukar nama kepada bin atau binti’ Abdullah bukan ajaran Islam tetapi ia lebih menitik kepada Budaya Malaysia. Ia tidak pernah diamalkan pada zaman Rasullullah s.a.w. Agama Islam boleh menerima apa jua amalan dan budaya mana-mana bangsa selagi ia tidak bercanggah dengan al-Quran dan sunah.

Nas menukar nama bapa itu tidak dibenarkan dalam Islam.

Panggillah anak-anak angkat itu dengan ber’bin’kan kepada bapa-bapa mereka sendiri, cara itulah yang lebih adil di sisi Allah s.w.t. (Al-Ahzab: 5).

Sesiapa yang secara sedar mengubah nama bapanya kepada nama yang lain terkeluar dari syurga. (Riwayat Bukhari 8:578, Muslim 1:120 Daud 3:5094)

Sesiapa yang secara sengaja membiarkan dirinya dipanggil sebagai anak kepada yang bukan bapanya adalah kufur. (Riwayat Bukhari 4:467, Muslim 1;118, Daud 3:5095).

Beberapa pilihan mualaf berkaitan nama.

*Mengekalkan nama asal sepenuhnya (Lim Jooi Soon) kerana ia penting dan melambangkan dan mengekalkan nama generasi dan nama diri mereka.

*Meletakkan ‘bin’ di hujung nama - walaupun bukan budaya orang Cina tetapi jika ingin meletakkan ‘bin’ tidak menjadi masalah asalkan nama tersebut ber ‘bin’ kan bapa kandung dan bukan nama lain seperti Abdullah contohnya Lim Jooi Soon Bin Lim Hong Nam.

*Memilih nama Arab yang mempunyai makna yang baik sambil mengekalkan nama asal sepenuhnya (Abdul Rahman Lim Jooi Soon). Namun, ini bukan kemestian.

Berbeza dengan budaya orang India yang memang meletakkan ‘anak lelaki’ ataupun ‘bin’. Ia boleh dikekalkan dengan syarat ber‘bin’kan bapa kandung sendiri contohnya Shah Kirit Bin Kalkulai Govindji.

Hikmah di sebalik larangan menukar nama bapa.

*Untuk mengelakkan daripada berlakunya perkahwinan di antara ahli keluarga yang diharamkan berkahwin akibat tidak tahu tentang asal-usul keluarga.

*Untuk menunjukkan bahawa orang yang masuk Islam itu masih mengekalkan perhubungan anak dan bapa seperti biasa dan bahawa Islam itu tidak sekali-kali memutuskan pertalian di antara kaum keluarga.

Artikel Penuh: http://ww1.utusan.com.my/utusan/info.asp?y=2007&dt=0412&pub=utusan_malaysia&sec=bicara_agama&pg=ba_01.htm&arc=hive&arc=hive#ixzz3ZK2LhLWE 
© Utusan Melayu (M) Bhd 

KATAK UNIK

Katak Pelangi

Katak Pelangi Malagasy merupakan katak yang tinggal di hutan kering berbatu Madagaskar’s Isalo Massif, dimana ia berkembang biak di kolam sementara yang ditemukan di kawasan lembah. Jenis ini juga beradaptasi dengan mendaki cerun dalam lingkungan berbatu-batu, dan pada permukaan curam! Ketika terancam, katak ini akan mengembangkan diri sebagai mekanisme pertahanan terhadap predator.

Katak Atelopus

Katak Atelopus yang dikenali dengan banyak nama seperti katak badut atau Kosta Rika Variable Harlequin Toad. Katak, tersebut adalah jenis katak neo-tropis yang dulunya hidup cukup luas tersebar di seluruh Kosta Rika dan Panama. Spesies ini kini terancam dan sekarang hanya tinggal di Panama.

 Katak Terkecil Di dunia

Katak ini ditemui di Pegunungan Andes Peru selatan, dengan ketinggian antara 9.925 dan 10.466 kaki di atas permukaan laut.

 Katak Terbesar Di dunia

Katak Goliath atau Conraua goliath adalah spesies katak terbesar di Bumi. Katak ini dapat membesar hingga 13 inci (33 cm) panjang dengan berat hingga 8 lb (3 kg). Katak ini memiliki kitaran habitat yang kecil, terutama di Afrika Barat (Gabon). Katak Goliath dapat hidup selama 15 tahun. Makanannya kalajengking, serangga dan katak kecil. Kodok ini memiliki pendengaran tajam tetapi tidak punya kantung vokal/suara.

 Katak Panah Beracun

Katak panah beracun dengan warna seperti biru, adalah nama umum dari sekelompok katak dalam keluarga Dendrobatidae yang merupakan katak asli Amerika Tengah dan Selatan. Tidak seperti kebanyakan katak, ia merupakan spesies yang aktif di siang hari, dan sering menunjukkan tubuh berwarna cerah. Walaupun semua dendrobatids beracun di rimba, racunnya bervariasi dari satu spesies ke berikutnya, dan dari satu populasi yang lain. Banyak spesies yang terancam. Amfibia ini sering disebut “katak panah” oleh pribumi indian akibat penggunaan sekresi beracun mereka untuk meracuni ujung panah mereka.

10 self-help tips to stop smoking

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If you want to stop smoking, you can make small changes to your lifestyle that may help you resist the temptation to light up.

Think positive

You might have given up before, but tell yourself that you’re really going to do it this time.

Make a plan to quit smoking

Make a promise, set a date and stick to it. Don’t be put off by a wedding, party or other time when you’d normally smoke.

Change your diet

Is your after-dinner cigarette your favourite? A US study revealed that some foods, including meat, make cigarettes more satisfying. Others, including cheese, fruit and vegetables, make cigarettes taste terrible. So swap your usual steak or burger for a veggie pizza instead.  

Change your drink

The same study looked at drinks. Fizzy drinks, alcohol, cola, tea and coffee all make cigarettes taste better. So when you’re out, drink more water and juice. Some people find that simply changing their drink (for example, switching from wine to a vodka and tomato juice), affects their need to reach for a cigarette.

Identify when you crave cigarettes

A craving can last five minutes. Before you give up, make a list of five-minute strategies. For example, you could leave the party for a minute, dance or go to the bar. And think about this: the combination of smoking and drinking raises your risk of mouth cancer by 38 times. 

Get some quitting support

If friends or family members want to give up too, suggest to them that you give up together. 

Get moving

A review of scientific studies has proved that exercise (even a five-minute walk or stretch) cuts cravings and may help your brain to produce anti-craving chemicals.

Make non-smoking friends

When you’re at a party, stick with the non-smokers. "When you look at the smokers, don’t envy them," says Louise, 52, an ex-smoker. "Think of what they’re doing as a bit strange – lighting a small white tube and breathing in smoke."

Keep your hands and mouth busy

Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) can make you twice as likely to succeed. As well as patches, there are tiny tablets, lozenges, gum and a nasal spray. If you like holding a cigarette, use an inhalator. Try putting your drink in the hand that usually holds a cigarette, or drink from a straw to keep your mouth busy. 

Make a list of reasons to quit

Keep reminding yourself why you gave up. Make a list of the reasons and read it when you need support. Ex-smoker Chris, 28, says: "I used to take a picture of my baby daughter with me when I went out. If I was tempted, I’d look at that."

Top 14 Heart-Healthy Foods

Eating for a healthy heart means filling your plate with fruits and vegetables, paying attention to fiber, eating fish a couple times a week and limiting unhealthy fats like saturated and trans fats, as well as salt. And although no single food is a cure-all, certain foods have been shown to improve your heart health. Find out how these 14 foods may help lower your risk of heart disease.

1. Yogurt

Research shows yogurt may protect against gum disease. Left unchecked, gum disease may elevate a person’s risk for heart disease.

Researchers from Japan analyzed dietary intakes from nearly 1,000 adults and found those who consumed the highest levels of dairy—specifically yogurt and yogurt-type drinks—had the healthiest gums. Their report, published in the Journal of Periodontology, credits probiotics (a.k.a. “good bacteria”) as one possible champion of gum health. Experts believe that probiotics may help to counter growth of the “unfriendly” bacteria in the mouth. Probiotics are live active cultures used to ferment foods, such as yogurt and kefir (fermented milk), and studies suggest that they may improve digestion and boost immunity too. As for gum health, it’s not yet clear how much yogurt (or other fermented dairy foods) one needs to consume to reap the benefits, says Yoshihiro Shimazaki, D.D.S., Ph.D., of Kyushu University, the study’s lead author.

www.homemadeyogurtrecipe.com

2. Raisins

Research has shown that antioxidants in raisins fight the growth of a type of bacteria that can cause inflammation and gum disease. People with gum disease—which affects up to 50 percent of American adults—are twice as likely to suffer from heart problems. So, dealing with one can help people avoid the other. Last summer, a major heart journal and a major periodontal journal simultaneously published a consensus paper that outlines the link between the two diseases: inflammation. As a result, choosing certain foods, such as raisins, may help you protect both your gums and your heart.

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3. Whole Grains

People who eat plenty of whole grains tend to be leaner and have a lower risk of heart disease than those who don’t. This is probably because whole grains contain antioxidants, phytoestrogens and phytosterols that are protective against coronary disease.

The fiber in whole grains also has its benefits: various studies link a high-fiber diet with a lower risk of heart disease. In a Harvard study of female health professionals, people who ate a high-fiber diet had a 40 percent lower risk of heart disease than those who ate a low-fiber diet.

Aim to include plenty of foods that are rich in soluble fiber, which, studies show, can help lower “bad” LDL. Soluble fiber binds bile acid, a key component in fat digestion that our bodies make from cholesterol. We can’t digest fiber, so when bile acids are bound to it, they get ushered out of the body as waste. This causes the body to convert more cholesterol into bile acids, which ultimately has the effect of lowering circulating cholesterol levels. Foods high in soluble fiber include oatmeal, barley, beans, okra and eggplant, and citrus fruit, such as oranges.

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4. Beans

Eating beans regularly is good for your heart, and you don’t need to eat a lot of them to benefit. A study published in the Journal of Nutrition suggests having just 1⁄2 cup of cooked pinto beans daily might lower cholesterol. Soluble fiber is a key reason why, says Philip Ades, M.D., author of the EatingWell for a Healthy Heart Cookbook (The Countryman Press, 2008). “Like all foods that contain a lot of soluble fiber, beans help bind cholesterol and keep it from being absorbed in the gut,” he explains. And, as the fiber is fermented, it produces changes in short-chain fatty acids that can inhibit cholesterol formation. (By-products of this same fermentation process are what cause the gas so often associated with eating beans.) Other components in beans also may be responsible for the cholesterol-lowering effect. Beans contain a variety of heart-protective chemicals, including flavonoids, compounds also found in wine, berries and chocolate, that inhibit the adhesion of platelets in the blood, which can help lower risk for heart attack and strokes.

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5. Salmon/Fish

Consuming two or more servings of fish per week is associated with a 30 percent lower risk of developing coronary heart disease over the long term, studies show. Fish—especially “oily” kinds, such as salmon and tuna—contain omega-3 fats, which lower levels of triglycerides in the blood that may contribute to blood clotting. Omega-3s also lower blood pressure slightly and can help prevent irregular heart rhythms. No common fish delivers more of the omega-3 fatty acids than salmon. Flaxseed oil, canola oil and walnuts also contain omega-3 fats.

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6. Nuts

Nuts are chock-full of vitamins, minerals, heart-healthy monounsaturated fats and low levels of saturated fats. Research suggests that people who eat nuts—walnuts, pecans, almonds, hazelnuts, pistachios, pine nuts and peanuts (which actually are legumes)—two to four days or more per week have a lower incidence of heart disease than people who eat them less often.

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7. Chocolate

Researchers have discovered that eating moderate amounts of flavanol-rich dark chocolate has a blood-thinning effect, which can benefit cardiovascular health, and it may also boost the immune system by reducing inflammation. The Kuna people of the San Blas islands, off the coast of Panama, have a rate of heart disease that is nine times less than that of mainland Panamanians. The reason? The Kuna drink plenty of a beverage made with generous proportions of cocoa, which is unusually rich in flavanols that help preserve the healthy function of blood vessels. Maintaining youthful blood vessels lowers risk of high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, kidney disease and dementia.

Some research also suggests cocoa may help lower blood pressure. It appears that a compound in cocoa, called epicatechin, boosts nitric oxide, a substance that has been shown to be crucial to healthy blood vessels. Plentiful levels of nitric oxide help keep blood pressure from climbing. Be sure to choose dark chocolate, ideally one that’s 70 percent cocoa solids; milk chocolate lacks significant levels of epicatechin.

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8. Tomatoes

An excellent source of vitamin C, plus vitamin A, potassium and fiber, tomatoes are high in lycopene, which works with other vitamins and minerals to aid in disease prevention. Research suggests that the combination of nutrients in tomatoes may help prevent cardiovascular disease. Cooking may actually increase the health benefits of this lush fruit because although cooked tomatoes have less vitamin C, their lycopene is more available and antioxidant activity is undiminished by cooking.

Fwww.rodalesorganiclife.com

9. Apples

Apples were associated with a lower risk of death from both coronary heart disease and cardiovascular disease in the Iowa Women’s Health Study, which has been tracking 34,000-plus women for nearly 20 years. Finnish researchers studying dietary data collected over 28 years from 9,208 men and women found that frequent apple eaters had the lowest risk of suffering strokes compared with nonapple eaters. What explains the hearty benefits? Researchers suggest that the strong antioxidant flavonoid compounds found in apples—quercetin, epicatechin, epigallocatechin, kaempferol and other polysyllabic wonders—play a key role by preventing “bad” LDL cholesterol from oxidizing and triggering a series of events that result in the buildup of plaque in arteries, as well as inhibiting inflammation. Apples are also rich in pectin, a form of soluble fiber known to help lower cholesterol, and they provide a decent amount of vitamin C, another antioxidant.

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10. Berries

Eating just under a cup of mixed berries daily for eight weeks was associated with increased levels of “good” HDL cholesterol and lowered blood pressure, two positives when it comes to heart health, according to a study of 72 middle-age people published recently in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Included in the mix were strawberries, red raspberries and bilberries—similar to blueberries—as well as other berries more common in Finland (where the research was conducted): black currants, lingonberries and chokeberries. The diverse range of polyphenols—a broad class of health-promoting plant compounds that includes anthocyanins and ellagic acid—provided by the mix of berries is likely responsible for the observed benefits. Polyphenols may increase levels of nitric oxide, a molecule that produces a number of heart-healthy effects. One is helping to relax blood vessels, which subsequently results in lowered blood pressure.

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11. Pomegranates

Studies have shown that the fruit may help to reduce the buildup of plaque in arteries and lower blood pressure. Experts believe that pomegranate’s benefits come from its powerful punch of polyphenols—including anthocyanins (found in blue, purple and deep-red foods) and tannins (also found in wine and tea). In a 2008 study, researchers found that compared with other antioxidant-rich beverages including blueberry juice, cranberry juice and red wine, “pomegranate [juice] naturally has the highest antioxidant capacity,” reports David Heber, M.D. Ph.D., study collaborator and director of the UCLA Center for Human Nutrition.

www.drfuhrman.com

12. Bananas

One banana has 422 mg—about 12 percent of your recommended daily dose—of potassium. The potassium in bananas helps maintain normal heart function and the balance of sodium and water in the body. Potassium helps the kidneys excrete excess sodium, thereby contributing to healthy blood pressure. This mineral is especially important for people taking diuretics for heart disease, which combat sodium and water retention but also strip potassium from the body in the process. Other good sources include sweet potatoes (694 mg for one medium), nonfat yogurt (579 mg for 1 cup) and spinach (419 mg for 1/2 cup, cooked).

www.icmag.com

13. Popcorn

Popcorn delivers polyphenols—antioxidants linked to improving heart health. Gram for gram, popcorn boasts three times more polyphenols than kidney beans (the highest vegetable polyphenol source) and four times more than cranberries (the best fruit source), according to recent research out of the University of Scranton.

What’s more, popcorn is a whole grain—and people who eat plenty of whole grains tend to be leaner and have a lower risk of heart disease than those who don’t.

pghpopcorn.com

14. Green Tea

Some of the strongest evidence of tea’s health benefits comes from studies of heart disease. Scientists have found that those who drink 12 ounces or more of tea a day are about half as likely to have a heart attack as nontea drinkers.

Scientists also reported in 2009 that Japanese men who drank a daily cup of green tea significantly lowered their risk of developing gum disease—the more tea, the lower the risk. The researchers believe antioxidants called catechins in green tea are the key. Catechins hamper the body’s inflammatory response to the bacteria that cause gum disease. People with gum disease are twice as likely to suffer from heart problems.

www.gilchristdermatology.com