Look at the Bright Side

 

Lirik Lagu - Keluhan Rindu

Lagu/Lirik :  Azha

Ambang Klasik Sdn. Bhd

Tu dia.. cover 'kaset' ye tuan-tuan & puan-puan...  

kita letaklahh 'watermark' sebab kengkadang sesetengah manusia tak reti nak 'credit' tuan punya barang.  Nak pinjam boleh.. tapi sila kredit blog ni ye.  Terima kasih.

Hah! Bukan untuk di jual.. tapi ni koleksi untuk 'throwback'..

Are You On the Rebound?

Click HERE to do a quick and easy 20 question quiz to help you decide if you're ready to love again or merely on the rebound.

*I scored 15 out of 20.. am i? realli eh..?

Are You On the Rebound?

Click HERE to do a quick and easy 20 question quiz to help you decide if you're ready to love again or merely on the rebound.

*I scored 20 out of 20.. and i'm ready for it though..

Sleepless Nites

Most of us have experienced a sleepless night at least once in our lifetimes. There are many factors that can contribute to a sleepless night; worry, stress and anxiety are common problems. Financial issues, relationships and work can all create unwanted emotions and thoughts that can affect our daily lives as well as sleep.

Stress, anxiety and worry can be caused by minor factors, but yet these can have detrimental effects on our emotional behavior; being stuck in traffic, having a bad day at work, going to an interview, taking a test and something as little as burning toast can build up unwanted stress during the day.

A sleepless night is nothing to get alarmed about. It's often difficult to let go of thoughts at night. Often when we are able to tackle the cause of worry or anxiety we are able to rest at night. It's important that we do tackle the cause of the problem quickly as prolonged experience of sleeplessness may become a learned habit and develop into insomnia.

For the insomniac a sleeplessness is an all too familiar occurrence. Insomnia sufferers usually complain about having disturbed, insufficient and non-restorative sleep, and generally:

1. have difficulty falling asleep.
2. have difficulty staying asleep.
3. have difficulty going back to sleep after waking up at night.
4. feel drowsy or tired on awakening in the morning.
5. feel excessively tired or sleepy during the day
   

Many people find it difficult to let go of worrying or troubling thoughts at night. If you try not to think of a pink elephant, you'll probably think of one. If you try to get an annoying pop song out of your head, you'll probably fail. And if you have to try and fall asleep, you're probably already suffering from insomnia. Fact is sleep isn't supposed to be forced; it's a natural process which just happens.

Often an insomnia sufferer will try to relax, but slip into the mode of thinking random thoughts involuntarily, only to get frustrated and find that they are even more awake. On other nights they may feel that their mind empties however they struggle to relax physically enough to fall asleep. They may feel tense and irritable.

How to Tell if Someone is Using You

At one time or another, you've probably suspected that someone who you thought was your friend or even a family member was using you. It's never a good feeling when you find out that someone you love or care about does not feel the same way about you and is in fact using you only for their own benefit. This can be very upsetting, especially when you first discover the truth. Here are some clues you can look for to discover if someone is just using you rather than truly being your friend.

Step 1
You meet the person when he asks you to and he has a friend or two with him. Instead of going with you to your assigned function, he tells you that he will be along shortly and just to go ahead. Then he never shows up.

Step 2
She never wants you to meet any of her family or friends and makes excuses when you push the point. She also paints a picture of friends and family that are not so good

Step 3
He always wants you to do favors for him but then when you need him, he is nowhere to be found.

Step 4

She never wants to take you home but instead insists on spending all your time together at your home. She is always showing up at your home looking for a meal, a favor or just to insinuate herself into your life whenever she wants to no matter how inconvenient it is for you.

Step 5
He behaves like an angel around your friends and family. He's affectionate and kind to you in front of them. He compliments them and pours on the flattery doing his best to make them like him. However, as soon as your family and friends have left, he begins treating you as he always does--badly.

sources : By Regina Paul

Results Anugerah Planet Muzik 2009

As i browsed thru gua.com.my, i finally saw the list of Anugerah Planet Muzik 2009 nominees. I really hope for the best!!.. Good Luck All..!!
After watching APM a while ago, here's the results.
KEPUTUSAN ANUGERAH PLANET MUSIK 2009 [ MSIA, INDON, SPORE ]

Persembahan Vokal Terbaik Dalam Lagu Untuk Artis Baru Lelaki (Best Vocal Performance In A Song By A New Male Artiste):

1. Afgan – Terima Kasih Cinta
2. Aizat – Hanya Kau Yang Mampu (WINNER)
3. Dirly – Sampai Ke Ujung Dunia
4. LoBow – Kau Cantik Hari Ini
5. Nubhan – Ada Untukmu

Persembahan Vokal Terbaik Dalam Lagu Untuk Artis Baru Wanita (Best Vocal Performance In A Song By A New Female Artiste):

1. Aura Kasih – Mari Bercinta
2. Ayu – Hanya Di Mercu - (WINNER)
   
3. Cinta Laura – Hey Baby!
4. Nana – Lafaz
5. Stacy – Aku Stacy
6. Yuna – Dan Sebenarnya

Persembahan Vokal Terbaik Dalam Lagu Untuk Duo / Kumpulan Baru (Best Vocal Performance In A Song By A New Duo / Group):

1. D’ Masiv – Cinta Ini Membunuhku
2. Hello – Ular Berbisa
3. Hujan – Pagi Yang Gelap
4. Kotak – Beraksi
5. ST12 – P.U.S.PA. (WINNER)
   

Kolaborasi Terbaik Dalam Lagu (Best Collaboration In A Song):

1. Be’te – Dewiq Feat. Ipang
2. Bersamamu – Malique Feat. Dunia Arif
3. Hikayat Cintaku – Glenn Fredly Feat. Dewi Persik
4. KepadaNYA – Taufik Batisah Feat. Hady Mirza
5. Mantera Beradu – Malique Feat. M. Nasir
6. Sujud – Mawi Feat. KRU

Artis Lelaki Terbaik (Best Male Artiste):

1. Afgan – Confession No. 1 (WINNER)
   
2. Aizat – Percubaan Pertama
3. Reshmonu – Harapan
4. Taufik Batisah – Suria Hatiku
5. Tompi – My Happy Life

Artis Wanita Terbaik (Best Female Artiste):

1. Bunga Citra Lestari – Tentang Kamu (WINNER)
   
2. Misha Omar – Misha Omar
3. Mulan Jameela – Mulan Jameela
4. Nikki – Hawa
5. Siti Nurhaliza – Lentera Timur

Duo / Kumpulan Terbaik (Best Duo / Group):

1. Andra & The Backbone – Season 2
2. Hujan – Hujan
3. Kotak – Kedua
4. ST12 – PU.S.PA
5. Yovie & Nuno – The Special One - (WINNER)
   

Lagu Terbaik (Best Song):

1. Dia Milikku – Yovie & Nuno (The Special One)
2. Laskar Pelangi – Nidji (Laskar Pelangi Official Soundtrack) -WINNER
   
3. Matahariku – Agnes Monica (Sacredly Agnezious)
4. Pagi Yang Gelap – Hujan (Hujan)
5. Terima Kasih Cinta – Afgan (Confession No. 1)
6. Terserah – Glenn Fredly (Glenn Fredly Private Collection)

Album Terbaik (Best Album):

1. Confession No. 1 – Afgan (WINNER)
2. Hujan – Hujan
3. Kedua – Kotak
4. Percubaan Pertama – Aizat
5. The Special One – Yovie & Nuno

Artis Singapura Paling Popular (Most Popular Singapore Artiste):

1. Aliff Aziz
2. Fauzie Laily
3. Hady Mirza
4. Hyrul Anuar
5. Imran Ajmain
6. Merah
7. Nurun Nuwarrah
8. Sleeq
9. Taufik Batisah (WINNER)
   
10. The Sallys
11. Zaibaktian

Artis Malaysia Paling Popular (Most Popular Malaysian Artiste):

1. Aizat (WINNER)
2. Anuar Zain
3. Bunkface
4. Estranged
5. Faizal Tahir
6. Hujan
7. Mawi
8. Meet Uncle Hussein
9. Misha Omar
10. Siti Nurhaliza
11. Stacy
12. Yuna

Artis Indonesia Paling Popular (Most Popular Indonesian Artiste):

1. Afgan
2. Agnes Monica
3. Bunga Citra Lestari
4. D’Masiv
5. Gita Gutawa
6. Hijau Daun
7. Kotak
8. Nidji
9. ST12
10. The Changcutters
11. Ungu
12. Yovie & Nuno (WINNER)

Artis Serantau Paling Popular (Most Popular Regional Artiste)

1. Singapore: AhliFiqir, Aliff Aziz, Hady Mirza & Taufik Batisah
2. Malaysia: Faizal Tahir, Hujan, Meet Uncle Hussein, Siti Nurhaliza -(WINNER)
   
3. Indonesia: Afgan, Agnes Monica, Nidji, ST12, Yovie & Nuno

Lagu Singapura Paling Popular (Most Popular Singapore Song):

1. Andai – Merah
2. Berserah – Taufik Batisah
3. Gelora Jiwa – Raven
4. Impianku – Didicazli Feat. Sleeq (WINNER)
   
5. Kau Ingin Ku Miliki – Nurun Nuwarrah
6. Lafaz – Nana
7. Lelaki Baru – Zaibaktian
8. Novela Cinta – Ross Revalina
9. Pilihan Aku – Sleeq
10. Rela Setia – Didicazli
11. Sementara – Cradle
12. Teman Istimewa – Taufik Batisah

Lagu Malaysia Paling Popular (Most Popular Malaysia Song):

• Hanya Kau Yang Mampu - Aizat (WINNER)
  

Lagu Indonesia Paling Popular (Most Popular Indonesia Song):

• Kuil Cinta - Slank (Winner)
  

Anugerah Penghargaan Khusus

Dik Doank [details can be found here]

Anugerah Khas Anugerah Planet Muzik 2009

GIGI

W.T.F [flurge]

i finally found out what 'flurge' means.. i got the meaning from 'google search'..hheheee. just wanna share with you guys. happy reading.. huarghh..! for more, get it here [By chasingLeonora / Apr 19, 2009] ok.

Flurge is a verb. It means a cross between flush and purge.
Example of using the word "Flurge"
"I flurged the wax from my ears."
source: urbandictionary dot com

argghh!! isn't it sounds erghh!! eeeeyucks!! wut the 'FLURGE'!!! hey! pic courtesy of tis blog http://scatteredjoy.blogspot.com

According to Urban Dictionary,
Flurge is - A cross between flush and purge. The usage is defined as “I flurged the wax from my ears.”
What is interesting though that people hear the word somewhere and think its either Flurg, or Flirge, or Flerge, or Flerg.

Winner Indonesian Idol - 2008

mamat ni muka biasa-biasa jek.. tp suara?? winner dowh...akademi fantasia kita ada tak mcm ni punya suara?... uhuks

Top 5 Indonesian Idol - 2008

mamat ni lak.. poyo smacam... berjaya stakat Top 5 jeks... tak tau mana silapnyer... maybe dia punya rambot kut...

Six Reasons We Have Bad Dreams - By: Brie Cadman

No one likes being jolted awake from a deep sleep, especially when what riled you up was an assailant, a snake in the bed, or being engulfed by flames. Bad dreams—or worse, nightmares—aren’t just annoying; when reoccurring, they can disrupt a good night’s sleep, and sometimes, life.

On the spectrum of dreams, missing an important exam or showing up naked to work pales in comparison to nightmares, which are defined as bad dreams that wake the sleeper. They occur during rapid eye movement (REM) late in the evening and because we jerk awake during them, we usually remember all too clearly the fear, anxiety, and horrors.

Though more common among children, nightmares and bad dreams happen throughout life. But is there anything we can do to prevent the bad things from creeping into our sleep? 1. Anxiety and Stress
Anxiety and stress, often as the result of a traumatic life event, are sometimes the cause of nightmares and bad dreams. According to the International Association for the Study of Dreams (IASD), a major surgery or illness, grieving over the loss of a loved one, and suffering or witnessing an assault or major accident can trigger bad dreams and nightmares. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is also a common cause of recurrent nightmares.

Not all nightmare triggers have to be traumatic, however. Everyday stressors, such as job or financial anxiety, or major life transitions such as moving or divorce, can also cause nightmares.

2. Spicy Foods
When and what we eat may affect our nighttime rest, if not our tendency toward bad dreams. A small study published in the International Journal of Psychophysiology had a group of healthy men eat spicy meals before bed on some evenings and compared their quality of sleep on nights where they had non-spiced meals. On the spicy nights, the subjects spent more time awake and had poorer quality sleep. The explanation is that spicy food can elevate body temperatures and thus disrupt sleep. This may also be the reason why some people report bad dreams when they eat too close to bedtime. Though few studies have looked at it, eating close to bedtime increases metabolism and brain activity and may prompt bad dreams or nightmares.

3. Fat Content of Food
Though far from conclusive, some research has indicated that the more high-fat food you consume during the day, the greater the chance that the amount and quality of your sleep may suffer. A small study published in 2007 in Psychological Reports found that the dreams of people who ate a high amount of organic food differed from those who ate “junk foods.” The authors hypothesize that certain foods may negatively influence dreaming. 4. Alcohol
Though alcohol is a depressant that will help you fall asleep in the short term, once its effects wear off, it can cause you to wake up prematurely. Excess consumption can also lead to nightmares and bad sleep; nightmares are also a common occurrence for those going through alcohol withdrawal.

5. Drugs
Some drugs, including antidepressants, barbiturates, and narcotics, can cause nightmares as a side effect. For instance, a 2008 study published in the journal Pyschopharmacology looked at ketamine, a drug used in anesthesia and recreationally, and found that compared with a placebo, ketamine use resulted in more dream unpleasantness and increased the incidence of bad dreams. Similarly, anyone who has traveled to a country where malaria is endemic may have taken Lariam and had some interesting nightmares associated with it. Nightmares usually cease once the drug is cleared from the system.

6. Illness
Illnesses that include fever, such as the flu, can often trigger nightmares. And other sleeping disorders, including apnea and narcolepsy, may also increase the incidence of bad dreams and nightmares.

While bad dreams and nightmares are considered normal responses in dealing with everyday experiences, the IASD recommends consultation with a therapist if they last in intensity and severity. But trying to eliminate these six factors first may be the best place to start in your quest to sweeten your dreams and chase the nighttime demons away.

Lesson in Logic

If your father is a poor man,

it is your fate but,

if your father-in-law is a poor man,

it's your stupidity.

I was born intelligent -

education ruined me.

Practice makes perfect.....
But nobody's perfect..... .
so why practice?

If it's true that we are here to help others,

then what exactly are the others here for?

Since light travels faster than sound,
people appear bright until you hear them speak.

How come "a b b r e v i a t e d" is such a long word?

Money is not everything.
There's Mastercard & Visa.

Behind every successful man, there is a woman
And behind every unsuccessful man, there are two.

Every man should marry.

After all, happiness is not the only thing in
life.
The wise never marry.
and when they marry they become otherwise.

Never put off the work till tomorrow

what you can put off today.

"Your future depends on your dreams"
So go to sleep

"HARD WORK never kill anybody"

But why take the risk
"Work fascinates me"
I can look at it for hours

God made relatives;
Thank God we can choose our friends.

The more you learn, the more you know,

The more you know, the more you forget

The more you forget, the less you know
So.. why learn.

A bus station is where a bus stops

A Train station is where a train stops...
On my desk, I have a work station....

what more can I say........

Depression Glossary

Antidepressant. A drug used to treat depression. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are one common class. It includes drugs like Celexa (citalopram), Lexapro (escitalopram), Paxil (paroxetine), Prozac (fluoxetine), and Zoloft (sertraline.)

Anxiety disorder. A chronic condition that causes anxiety so severe it interferes with your life. Some people with depression also have overlapping anxiety disorders.

Bipolar Disorder. A type of depression that causes sometimes extreme mood swings between depression and mania (or hypomania.) This condition used to be called manic depression.

Dysphoria. An emotional state marked by anxiety, depression, and restlessness.

Dysthymia. A type of chronic depression that is less severe than major depression. It can also last for years.

Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT). A treatment for depression that uses electric current to create a brief, controlled seizure. It is safe and often effective for depression that hasn't responded to drugs or therapy.

Hypomania. A milder form of mania.

Major Depression. The medical diagnosis for depression that lasts for at least two weeks and interferes with daily life. It causes symptoms like low energy, fatigue, and feelings of hopelessness.

Mania. A symptom of bipolar disorder, mania is a period of intense happiness, irritability, or recklessness. It is so extreme that it interferes with a person's life.

Mood stabilizers. A class of drugs used to treat some types of depression, like bipolar disorder. They include lithium and some drugs originally used for seizures called anticonvulsants.

Neurotransmitter. A chemical in the brain, like serotonin or norepinephrine, that sends messages between brain cells. Medicines that treat depression often alter the levels of these chemicals.

Panic attack. A sudden feeling of intense fear or anxiety, accompanied by physical symptoms, that isn't triggered by real danger. Panic attacks are common in many anxiety disorders.

Postpartum depression. Depression that affects women who have recently given birth.

Psychotherapy. A way of treating a mental or emotional disorder by talking with a therapist. It may also be called "talking therapy" or "talk therapy."

Psychologist. A professional who specializes in the treatment of mental or emotional disorders. Psychologists typically use psychotherapy to treat people with depression and other conditions.

Psychiatrist. A medical doctor who specializes in treating psychological disorders. Since psychiatrists are doctors, they can prescribe drugs like antidepressants. Some also use psychotherapy.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) Depression that occurs seasonally, usually starting in fall or winter and ending in spring or early summer. It is often treated with phototherapy, which is regular exposure to special lights.

click here for more INFO

J.Lo, Anthony Near Breakup

(Newser) – J.Lo and Marc Anthony were spotted Tuesday night feeding each other meatballs and kissing at a Beverly Hills restaurant, but US Weekly isn't buying: the tab suspects the show of affection is an effort to stem rumors of a crisis in their marriage: Both have been galavanting around solo sans wedding rings in recent weeks, and complaining about each other to pals. He says she's making him miserable, she says he's too controlling.

“He’s very, very controlling of her,” a friend tells US. “The skirts aren’t as short. You don’t see so much of that booty anymore.” Lopez, who used to adore Anthony’s machismo, is now more interested in motherhood. She also blames him for her career going “down the tubes,” says another pal. El Cantante, in which the duo co-starred, grossed a mere $7.5 million—half the salary Lopez once earned per movie

O. J. Simpson Found Guilty in Robbery Trial

By STEVE FRIESS
Published: October 4, 2008

LAS VEGAS — O.J. Simpson was found guilty late Friday on all 12 counts stemming from a confrontation in a hotel room last year, including armed robbery and kidnapping.

The verdict, which comes 13 years to the day after Mr. Simpson was acquitted in the highly publicized murders of his ex-wife and her friend, concluded a four-week trial that many have seen as a proxy for those unsatisfied by that 1995 outcome.

Mr. Simpson now faces 15 years to life for the kidnapping charge as well as a minimum of at least another 10 years in prison on the other charges. His attorney, Yale Galanter, said he would appeal.

The football Hall of Fame inductee showed little emotion as the verdicts were read and the judge denied him bail. As his sister, Carmelita, wept and fainted in the front row, he was led away in handcuffs. Mr. Simpson is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 5.

“He’s extremely upset, extremely emotional,” said Mr. Galanter of the demeanor of his client after being removed from the courtroom. “We knew this was going to be very difficult, we knew the jury was going to be very difficult, we knew the jurisdiction would be very difficult.”

Clark County District Attorney David Roger, the lead prosecutor in the case, said his office would not comment on the case until after sentencing. None of the jurors spoke to the media on Friday.

The charges arose after Mr. Simpson led five cohorts on a raid of a Palace Station Hotel-Casino room and departed with hundreds of memorabilia items related to the sports careers of Mr. Simpson and three other athletes.

The items were in the possession of two memorabilia dealers, Bruce L. Fromong and Alfred Beardsley, who were led to believe that a prospective buyer was coming to browse the goods. Instead, Mr. Simpson and his group burst into the room. According to several witnesses, at least one gun was brandished.

The presence of a weapon adds years to the minimum sentences for nine of the 12 charges, which also included conspiracy to commit robbery and kidnapping, burglary, robbery, assault and coercion.

The jury of nine women and three men deliberated for 13 hours, mulling weeks of testimony as well as hours of surreptitious audio recordings of the planning and execution of the event by Thomas Riccio, a memorabilia auctioneer who arranged the confrontation.

There were no blacks among the jurors, a concern of the defense that Mr. Simpson’s attorneys said would likely be part of an appeal.

Convicted alongside Mr. Simpson, 61, was Clarence Stewart, 54, one of the five men who accompanied Mr. Simpson in the raid. Mr. Stewart faces the same sentences.

Throughout the trial, Mr. Stewart’s attorney E. Brent Bryson asked repeatedly for Mr. Stewart to receive a separate trial because associating with Mr. Simpson was poisonous to the defense. Each of his severance motions was denied.

“If there was ever a trial in the history of American jurisprudence that should have been severed, it was obviously this trial,” a stunned and dazed Mr. Bryson said. “There’s a spillover effect here. There’s a gentleman by the name of O.J. Simpson who was sitting across the table. Mr. Simpson has a certain history that followed him into the courtroom and, unfortunately, it engulfed Mr. Stewart also.”

Mr. Simpson’s defense was that he sought only to retrieve personal keepsakes such as ceremonial footballs from his Hall of Fame N.F.L. career and photographs of his family that were taken from his home years ago. Mr. Roger told the jury that he should have filed a civil lawsuit to regain the items if they were, in fact, stolen from him.

“We don’t want people going into rooms to take property,” said Mr. Roger in his closing arguments on Thursday. “That is robbery. You don’t go in and get a gun and demand property from people.”

Four of the 24 witnesses who testified were the other men who had accompanied Mr. Simpson and Mr. Stewart, all of whom have accepted plea deals from prosecutors in exchange for testimony. Two of them, Walter Alexander and Michael McClinton, carried guns in the incident, and one, Mr. McClinton, testified that he did so at Mr. Simpson’s request.

Mr. Simpson said he did not know that the two would carry weapons and never saw any guns displayed during the incident.

sources from: nytimes

History of DoughNuts...a.k.a. Donuts

i found out that the website for big apple donuts & coffee is still under constructions.. maybe you guys cud juz go to sarawak outlet and get more interesting stories...

Doughnuts: A Definitive History
By Mr Breakfast

The Early Years

Doughnuts have been around for centuries. Archaeologists turned up several petrified fried cakes with holes in the center in prehistoric ruins in the Southwestern United States. How these early Native Americans prepared their doughnuts is unclear.

Because of the inherent difficulty of deriving recipes from fossils, most historians begin discussions about doughnut history with the mid-19th century and the first recorded doughnut recipes. At this time doughnuts were known as olykoeks, or oily cakes, and it's primarily the Dutch who are credited with taking sweet dough balls and frying them in pork fat.

It was pilgrims from Holland who brought olykoeks to America. These doughnuts of our forefathers were usually prepared with apples, prunes or raisins in the middle. There was a problem with doughnuts back then. When the olykoeks were pulled from the frying kettle, the centers were rarely fully cooked. By inserting a filling that needed only to be warmed, a temporary solution was achieved. But how was the doughnut ever to be cooked evenly in the center?

A Hole In One

There is a very popular half-truth in doughnut lore centered on a very real sea captain and his mother. In 1847, Elizabeth Gregory was known in her New England circle to make a very fine olykoek. Her secret was to add a hint of nutmeg and fill the center with hazelnuts or walnuts. She even had a special name for her creation -- dough-nuts. (A more plausible explanation of the name is far less exciting, early recipes instructed amateur chefs to create "little nuts of dough" and place these balls into the hot oil.)

As legend has it, Mrs. Gregory sent her son Captain Hanson Crockett Gregory on one of his sea voyages with several dough-nuts and her recipe to make more. It is here that one legend branches off into several versions. In one variation, Captain Hanson found himself having difficulty steering his ship and holding his dough-nut at the same time. The quick-thinking swabby impaled his dough-nut on one of the spokes of his steering wheel. Satisfied with his new dough-nut holder, he ordered his cook to henceforth prepare all dough-nuts with holes in the center.

Another variation of the legend might be easier to swallow. Simply stated, the Captain didn't like the nuts and he poked them out. Acting on his Captain's request, the ship's cook created all subsequent doughnuts with the centers removed using the top of a round tin pepper box as a cutter.

Did Captain Gregory invent, as he stated to the Boston Post, "the first dough-nut hole ever seen by mortal eyes"? We may never know. However, we can be sure of the positive changes that happened to the doughnut during the cooresponding period in time. Olykoeks with holes in the center cooked far more evenly and the novelty of the new-found "doughnut-shape" would soon propel the doughnut to a popularity derserving of myths and legends.

During World War I, the doughnut had already achieved status as an American favorite. Young American men fighting oversees were served doughnuts by grateful Frenchmen as a reminder of the food back home.

By the 1920's, doughnuts were being mass-produced. Their association with breakfast was only just beginning and the doughnut was more popular as a snack in theaters. To satisfy the growing demand for doughnuts in one New York neighborhood, a Russian expatriate named Adolph Levitt created the first doughnut machine. By 1934, the same year that the World's Fair in Chicago declared the doughnut "the food hit of the Century Of Progress", Levit was pulling down twenty-five-million dollars annually for the sale of his doughnut machines to bakeries.

The 1940's and 50's, saw the advent of doughnut chains such as Krispy Kreme Doughnuts and Dunkin' Doughnuts. As coffee became more of a staple in bakeries across the country, the perception of the doughnut as a breakfast item became more prevalent. There seemed to be no stopping the oily cake.


Hard Times

But alas, at the height of civil rights turmoil and our nations tribulations as the so-called "policeman of the world", so too did the doughnut face its share of troubles. The popularity of "fancy cakes" seemed to obscure what a doughnut actually was. The German bismarck had gained incredible momentum as a top-seller in bakeries. Glazes of every imaginable flavor, color and texture relegated the original olykoek to the rank of "plain doughnut" and even that was often confused with sugar-glazed raised cakes.

Just as the number doughnut shops grew exponentially in the 1940's and 50's, corner shops hawking something called a bagel grew in the 1970's and 80's. Being washed aside by the tide of bagel popularity, doughnuts, whatever they were, were being seen as the backwater hick cousin to its city-slicker alternative. But worst of all, the doughnut was being called unhealthy.

Pay no mind to the fact that a bagel with cream cheese has over 450 calories; the doughnut was called out time and time again for it's average 300 calories per cake. So, what was a doughnut to do?

Wait.


The Return Of Comfort Food

In the 1990's, America traded in its leg warmers for more comfortable shoes. Computer-driven pop was replaced by, of all things, guitars. As the cocaine buzz of a confused era wore off, we sought comfort from simpler things. And what was simpler than a doughnut?

In 1998, Winchell's House of Donuts in Pasadena, CA created the world's largest doughnut. It weighed 5,000 pounds and stood 95 feet in diameter. While it was made to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Winchell's, the giant apple fritter symbolized something more. It had been 150 years since Elizabeth Gregory sent her son to sea with a special batch of olykoeks. Like Captain Gregory's voyage, the journey of the doughnut into modern times had its share of turbulent waters, but the doughnut survived.

Krispy Kreme Doughnuts went public in 2000. By the end 2001, its stock price had increased fourfold. The following year, their earnings grew 49%. As internet company after internet company failed, the doughnut remained a symbol of prosperity. Analysts can argue that Krispy Kreme's stock has been selling far above the company's estimated earnings, but nobody can argue with the sweet smell of a doughnut shop in the morning.

Future Archaeologists may one day find the fossilized remains of our own doughnuts. "Native Americans ate oily cakes", they will write. The doughnut will outlive us all.