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GREBEG AND SEKATEN CEREMONY IN YOGYAKARTA PALACE

Rabu, 27 Mei 2009



Grebeg (jostle each other) is a ceremony to guard the important person like the King or Princess. Sri Sultan from Yogyakarta and Sri Sunan from Surakarta (Solo) go to Sitinggil and guarded with each warrior to give a certain adoration to the King of the King.

The history of Grebeg Sekaten come from Wali Songo (sunan) especially Sunan Kali Jogo. It is one way to introduce Islam Religion to Indonesian people. Inancient time culture and art is very important. So Wali sogo made Grebeg Sekaten to showed to the people if just one God in this world. Allah SWT.

Grebeg is hold 3 times in a year in Yogyakarta and Surakarta (solo) palace. They are in the birth of Muhammad SAW (Grebeg Maulud in 12 Maulud), Idul Fitri holiday at 1 Syawal after the Moslem people fasting for a mount and Idul Adha holiday / Hari Raya Kurban (Grebeg Besar) in 10 Dzulhijah.

Grebeg Maulud is a party that is hold to commutate the birth day of Muhammad SAW at 12 Rabi’ul Awal. There are any 3 kind of celebrations. Sekaten (Pasar Malan / Night Market), Sekaten ceremony at 5th till 11th Maulud and Grebeg Maulud at 12 Maulud.

Sekaten ceremony is night market that is begun at 1st and 2nd week before the Sekaten Traditional Ceremony is hold. It held in Alun-Alun Utara. There are any game, traditional food and band show.

Usually the citizen make traditional foods and formed like a mountain. It is called Gunungan. There are 3 couple of Gunungan. The women and the man.

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Vagina's Problems

Causes of Vaginal Dryness A woman's vagina naturally produces a clear, relatively odorless vaginal lubrication that assists in sexual penetration. How much lubricant is produced is influenced by a number of different factors and varies from woman to woman. Factors that can influence vaginal dryness are:
  • Intercourse
  • Diaphragms
  • Antidepressants
  • Antihistamines/decongestants
  • Antibiotics
  • Chemotherapy
  • Radiation
  • Allergens such as dyes and fragrances in toilet paper and laundry detergent
  • Drying soaps
  • Douches
  • Tampons
  • Condoms
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Low Estrogen and Vaginal Dryness

For most women, however, vaginal dryness is a direct result of lower estrogen levels that occur naturally during menopause, after the ovaries are removed and at other times in life. Estrogen causes the vagina to thicken. When estrogen decreases, the tissues of the vagina naturally thin, become less elastic, drier and more fragile.
Low estrogen levels may result from:
  • Menopause, perimenopause, postmenopause
  • Hysterectomy and related surgeries
  • Menstrual cycle changes
  • Pregnancy
  • Childbirth
  • Nursing
  • Some hormonal contraceptives
  • Endometriosis drugs
  • Infertility drugs
  • Stress, fatigue
  • Rigorous exercise
Over 80% of women suffer from vaginal dryness during perimenopause and beyond. For women who stop using HRT, vaginal dryness may be especially difficult.

Treatment Options

Whatever the cause or severity, you don't need to live with symptoms such as vaginal itching, burning, irritation and pain. Whether constant or intercourse-related, these symptoms should be brought to the attention of your health care provider.

Self-care

Women have several options for improving vaginal dryness and increasing the health of vaginal tissue without a prescription and without using hormones. Self-care basics include increasing your water intake to be sure your entire body is properly hydrated and avoiding certain products that may increase dryness or irritate sensitive vaginal tissue. These include soaps, detergents, bubble bath, douches, feminine sprays and other products with allergens, dyes and fragrances. Kegel exercises may help increase circulation to the pelvic area to keep tissue healthy and strong. Regular sexual activity can also help boost your body’s ability to produce vaginal moisture even after menopause.
Water-based Lubricants. If dryness is a problem during sexual intercourse, a water-based lubricant like Astroglide can increase vaginal comfort. Always use a personal lubricant that's water-based and water-soluble, and slightly acidic (pH balanced) to match normal body fluids. This slight acidity helps inhibit the growth of harmful microorganisms, particularly yeast. Never use a petroleum-based product, petroleum jelly, mineral oil or edible oil in place of a good personal lubricant. These can adhere to vaginal walls, masking infections and providing a place for harmful organisms to multiply. They can also damage latex condoms and diaphragms, compromising their effectiveness for safe sex or birth control.
Moisturizing Creams. Although lubricants are fine for occasional dryness during intercourse, vaginal moisturizing creams are formulated to help improve the health of vaginal tissues and moisturize the vagina for a longer period of time. Some formulas include phytoestrogens that may help to naturally replenish declining estrogen levels. Generally, a small of amount of these creams is applied two or three times a week. Moisturizers may also help maintain the acidic environment in the vagina and decrease infections.
We have created a collection of products you can use to help improve your vaginal health.


Treatment Options

Whatever the cause or severity, you don't need to live with symptoms such as vaginal itching, burning, irritation and pain. Whether constant or intercourse-related, these symptoms should be brought to the attention of your health care provider.

Self-care

Women have several options for improving vaginal dryness and increasing the health of vaginal tissue without a prescription and without using hormones. Self-care basics include increasing your water intake to be sure your entire body is properly hydrated and avoiding certain products that may increase dryness or irritate sensitive vaginal tissue. These include soaps, detergents, bubble bath, douches, feminine sprays and other products with allergens, dyes and fragrances. Kegel exercises may help increase circulation to the pelvic area to keep tissue healthy and strong. Regular sexual activity can also help boost your body’s ability to produce vaginal moisture even after menopause.
Water-based Lubricants. If dryness is a problem during sexual intercourse, a water-based lubricant like Astroglide can increase vaginal comfort. Always use a personal lubricant that's water-based and water-soluble, and slightly acidic (pH balanced) to match normal body fluids. This slight acidity helps inhibit the growth of harmful microorganisms, particularly yeast. Never use a petroleum-based product, petroleum jelly, mineral oil or edible oil in place of a good personal lubricant. These can adhere to vaginal walls, masking infections and providing a place for harmful organisms to multiply. They can also damage latex condoms and diaphragms, compromising their effectiveness for safe sex or birth control.
Moisturizing Creams. Although lubricants are fine for occasional dryness during intercourse, vaginal moisturizing creams are formulated to help improve the health of vaginal tissues and moisturize the vagina for a longer period of time. Some formulas include phytoestrogens that may help to naturally replenish declining estrogen levels. Generally, a small of amount of these creams is applied two or three times a week. Moisturizers may also help maintain the acidic environment in the vagina and decrease infections.
We have created a collection of products you can use to help improve your vaginal health.

Treatment Options

Whatever the cause or severity, you don't need to live with symptoms such as vaginal itching, burning, irritation and pain. Whether constant or intercourse-related, these symptoms should be brought to the attention of your health care provider.

Self-care

Women have several options for improving vaginal dryness and increasing the health of vaginal tissue without a prescription and without using hormones. Self-care basics include increasing your water intake to be sure your entire body is properly hydrated and avoiding certain products that may increase dryness or irritate sensitive vaginal tissue. These include soaps, detergents, bubble bath, douches, feminine sprays and other products with allergens, dyes and fragrances. Kegel exercises may help increase circulation to the pelvic area to keep tissue healthy and strong. Regular sexual activity can also help boost your body’s ability to produce vaginal moisture even after menopause.
Water-based Lubricants. If dryness is a problem during sexual intercourse, a water-based lubricant like Astroglide can increase vaginal comfort. Always use a personal lubricant that's water-based and water-soluble, and slightly acidic (pH balanced) to match normal body fluids. This slight acidity helps inhibit the growth of harmful microorganisms, particularly yeast. Never use a petroleum-based product, petroleum jelly, mineral oil or edible oil in place of a good personal lubricant. These can adhere to vaginal walls, masking infections and providing a place for harmful organisms to multiply. They can also damage latex condoms and diaphragms, compromising their effectiveness for safe sex or birth control.
Moisturizing Creams. Although lubricants are fine for occasional dryness during intercourse, vaginal moisturizing creams are formulated to help improve the health of vaginal tissues and moisturize the vagina for a longer period of time. Some formulas include phytoestrogens that may help to naturally replenish declining estrogen levels. Generally, a small of amount of these creams is applied two or three times a week. Moisturizers may also help maintain the acidic environment in the vagina and decrease infections.
We have created a collection of products you can use to help improve your vaginal health.

Prescription Therapy

Several prescription options are available for vaginal comfort and health. Conventional hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can be used to treat vaginal dryness and thinning associated with low estrogen as well as many other symptoms of menopause such as hot flashes and night sweats. However, your doctor may suggest localized estrogen therapy if your main concern is vaginal comfort and health. Localized therapy can:
  • Help maintain muscle tone of the vagina and urethra.
  • Reduce vaginal dryness, irritation, and pain.
  • Reduce urinary tract irritation and tendency toward infection.
Options for localized estrogen therapy delivered directly to the vaginal area include topical estrogen creams, vaginal estradiol rings and a vaginal tablet, all available from Madison Pharmacy Associates.

Discharge

A small amount of clear or slightly milky vaginal discharge is normal. It acts as a lubricant and keeps the vagina healthy. There may be more discharge on certain days of the menstrual cycle. If there is much more discharge than normal, or it is discoloured or smelly, then it could be thrush (candida), gardnerella, or a sexually transmitted infection. Infections that cause a change in discharge:
  • Gardnerella - a greyish, foamy discharge, with a strong fishy smell
  • Candida (thrush) - a thick creamy whitish discharge, with a yeasty smell
  • Chlamydia - increased vaginal discharge
  • Gonorrhoea - yellow or greenish discharge with a strong smell
  • Trichomonas (TV) - a frothy discharge, sometimes a yellowy-green colour
Gardnerella (bacterial vaginosis) is caused by an overgrowth of bacteria that naturally live in the vagina. After a swab test to confirm the infection, it can easily be treated with antibiotics.

Soreness and itching

This can be sometimes caused by perfumes, strong soaps, nylon underwear, and tight fitting trousers. Use a mild, unperfumed soap when you wash, and steer clear of vaginal deodorants and talcs - they can irritate the area and make things worse. Women and girls who use tampons during periods have to remember to change them frequently and shouldn't forget to remove the last one when the period is over. Anyone who suffers from skin conditions like psoriasis may find that they can affect the groin area too. It could also be caused by thrush or sexually transmitted diseases such as chlamydia, genital herpes, warts, pubic lice, gonorrhoea, or trichomonas.

Lumps and bumps

Common causes of lumps and bumps are ingrowing hairs, acne spots, and blocked glands. Sexually transmitted diseases such as warts, scabies, syphilis, and herpes blisters may be the reason too. If you think you might have a sexually transmitted infection, sort it out straight away. Go to a genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinic, available at most large hospitals. GUM clinics give free and confidential advice and treatment. Or you can make an appointment to see your GP. You reduce your risk of infection by avoiding unsafe sex and using condoms.

Vaginal Infections Overview

Vaginal infections, or vaginitis is an inflammation of the vagina that creates discharge, odor, irritation, or itching. It is difficult to diagnose because vaginitis has many causes. Women use a variety of over-the-counter medications to treat the itching, discharge, and discomfort of these conditions.
  • The vagina creates its own environment and maintains a balance among the normal bacteria found there and the hormonal changes in a woman's body. Vaginitis occurs when the vaginal ecosystem has been changed by certain medications such as antibiotics, hormones, contraceptive preparations (oral and topical), douches, vaginal medication, sexual intercourse, sexually transmitted diseases, stress, and change in sexual partners.
  • Some vaginal infections are transmitted through sexual contact, but others such as yeast infections probably are not. Vaginitis means inflammation and is often caused by infections, but may be due to hormonal changes (especially when a woman is going through menopause) or due to trauma in young girls. Some infections are associated with more serious diseases.
  • Three vaginal infections are the most common. Their causes are quite different, their symptoms similar, and treatment varies.
  • Many women often mistakenly think they have a "yeast infection" and treat themselves when, in fact, they have a similar vaginal infection that will not respond to self-treatment with over-the-counter yeast medications. A recent study by the American Social Health Association found that 70% of women self-treated vaginal infections before calling a health care provider. Most often, they incorrectly thought they had a yeast infection when, in fact, it was bacterial vaginosis.
  • The important thing is not to guess, but to recognize the symptoms if you develop a vaginal infection. See your health care provider for precise testing and to get the most appropriate and effective treatment right away.

Yeast infections



Yeast infections are a type of vaginitis. The hallmark symptom of a yeast infection is itching of the external and internal genitalia, which is often associated with a white discharge that can be thick and/or curdy (like cottage cheese). Severe infections lead to inflammation of the tissue and subsequent redness, swelling, and even pinpoint bleeding.
Yeast infections (vaginal candidiasis) can be treated either with oral antifungal medications (e.g. fluconazole [Diflucan®]) or topical antifungal medications (e.g., miconazole [Monistat®], clotrimazole [Gyne-Lotrimin®]). Doctors often prescribe antifungal medications for insertion into the vagina, either as a cream using a special applicator or as a suppository, for three to seven nights. Antifungal cream may be applied topically to the vulva (external genitalia) to help relieve itching.
Some doctors believe that a well-balanced diet low in fats, sugars, and refined foods is important for preventing vaginal infections caused by Candida. In one preliminary trial, avoidance of sugar, dairy products, and artificial sweeteners resulted in a sharp reduction in the incidence and severity of Candida vaginitis.1 Many doctors advise women who have a yeast infection (or are predisposed to such infections), to limit their intake of sugar, fruit juices, and refined carbohydrates. For persistent or recurrent infections, some doctors recommend that fruit also be avoided.
Another trial found that dramatic increases in intake of several sugars in healthy people partially increased stool sample levels of Candida, but only in 12 out of 28 people.2
According to one study, yeast infections are three times more common in women who wear nylon underwear or tights, than in those who wear cotton underwear.3 Additional predisposing factors for Candida infection include the use of antibiotics, oral contraceptives, or adrenal corticosteroids (such as prednisone).
Underlying health conditions that may predispose someone to Candida overgrowth include pregnancy, diabetes, and HIV infection. Allergies have also been reported to promote the development of recurrent yeast vaginitis. In a preliminary trial, when the allergens were avoided and the allergies treated, the chronic recurrent yeast infections frequently resolved.4 In most cases, sexual transmission does not play a role in yeast infection. However, in persistent cases, sexual transmission should be considered, and the sexual partner should be examined and treated.
Lactobacillus acidophilus is a species of friendly bacteria that is an integral part of normal vaginal flora. Lactobacilli help to maintain the vaginal ecosystem by preventing the overgrowth of unfriendly bacteria and Candida. Lactobacilli produce lactic acid, which acts like a natural antibiotic.
Lactobacillus acidophilus can be taken orally in the form of acidophilus yogurt, or in capsules or powder. It can also be administered vaginally. In a controlled trial, women who consumed 8 ounces of Lactobacillus acidophilus-containing yogurt per day had a threefold decrease in the incidence of vaginal yeast infections and a reduction in the frequency of Candida colonization in the vagina.5 In another trial, women who were predisposed to vaginal Candida infection because they were HIV-positive received either Lactobacillus acidophilus vaginal suppositories, the antifungal drug, clotrimazole (e.g., Gyne-Lotrimin®), or placebo weekly for 21 months.6 Compared to those receiving placebo, women receiving Lactobacillus acidophilus suppositories had only half the risk of experiencing an episode of Candida vaginitis—a result almost as good as that achieved with clotrimazole.
Many women find relief using an acidophilus-containing yogurt douche daily for a few days or weeks, depending on the severity of the infection.7 Three capsules of acidophilus or one-quarter teaspoon of powder can be taken orally one to three times daily. Acidophilus can also be taken preventively during antibiotic use to reduce the risk of Candida vaginitis.8 9
Boric acid capsules inserted in the vagina have been used successfully as a treatment for vaginal yeast infections. One study demonstrated that 85% of women who used boric acid vaginal suppositories were cured of chronic recurring yeast vaginitis.10 These women had all previously failed to respond to treatment with conventional antifungal medicines. The suppositories, which contained 600 mg of boric acid, were inserted vaginally twice a day for two weeks, then continued for an additional two weeks if necessary. Boric acid should never be swallowed.
A small, preliminary trial found that a mouthwash with diluted tea tree oil was effective in decreasing the growth of Candida albicans and in improving symptoms in AIDS patients with oral Candida infections (thrush) that had not responded to drug therapy.11 People in the study took 15 ml of the oral solution (dilution of tea tree oil was not given) four times per day and were instructed to swish it in their mouth for 30 to 60 seconds and then spit it out. For use of tea tree oil as a mouthwash, one should not exceed a 5% dilution and should be extremely careful not to swallow the solution.
Many doctors recommend that people with recurrent yeast infections take measures to support their immune system. Echinacea, which has the capacity to enhance immune function, is often used by people who suffer from recurrent infections. In one study, women who took echinacea experienced a 43% decline in the recurrence rate of yeast infections.12
The essential oil of cinnamon contains various chemicals that are believed to be responsible for cinnamon’s medicinal effects. Important among these compounds are eugenol and cinnamaldehyde. Cinnamaldehyde and cinnamon oil vapors exhibit extremely potent antifungal properties in test tubes.13 In a preliminary study in people with AIDS, topical application of cinnamon oil was effective against oral thrush.14
A test tube study demonstrated that oil of oregano, and an extract in the oil called carvacrol in particular, inhibited the growth of Candida albicans far more effectively than a commonly employed antifungal agent called calcium magnesium caprylate.15 However, clinical studies are needed to confirm these actions in humans.

Write Letters to The Press

Selasa, 26 Mei 2009



The print medium is a very powerful means of influencing people. It can create unity among people. It can also divide people. It can create fear and it can bring joy to the people. Newspapers have to be independent to provide accurate news. Some countries have a “Censorship Board”. This Board can decide what news should not be printed but other countries have a free press where they are able o write stories about any event. But the press has a very great responsibility because most people believe in the printed word.
Communication from the mass media is mass - produce. Thousands of copies of the same newspaper are printed. They are distributed throughout country in a few hours. They are bought and read by thousands of people. Thus events which happened in remote places are communicated to all parts of the country in a day. There are international agencies that collect news from all parts of the world. These items of news they use in their paper. U.P. (United Press) and Reuters are two of the global press agencies.
Mass – media communications are usually one way communications. That is people can read the description of events written by journalists somewhere far away. But they can not ask them for explanations or criticize their opinions directly. They can write letters to the press some of them may be printed or explanation given but not all letters can be answered.

5 million lunches are prepared every day in Australian


DID YOU KNOW?

  • It is estimated that around 5 million lunches are prepared every day in Australian homes for school children and worker.
  • And many more are purchased each day from delis, takeaway outlets, cafeterias and restaurant.
  • The three most popular takeaway items in Australia are sandwich, chips and hamburgers.

BUT HOW SAFE IS THE FOOD WE PREPARE AND BUY LUNCH?

  • Consider this. Over 1.5 million Australians get sick each year from eating food! This is know as food-borne illness. And in most cases it CAN be prevented.

ABOUT FOOD – BORNE ILLNESS


There has been a great deal of press lately about contamination of food and in particular, fresh produce. The focus has been on Escherichia coli ("E. coli") and Salmonella typhimurium ("Salmonella") infections, but there are many other bacteria, such as Campylobacter, Shigella, and Vibrio species, that also cause debilitating gastroenteric infections.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently advised consumers about how to reduce the risk of foodborne illness from fresh produce. The advice is superb, and so I will use it as the foundation of a more comprehensive approach to produce handling and preparation that takes into account the realities of wilderness and foreign adventure travel. The italicized advice is the original offered by the FDA. The non-italicized comments that follow are mine:

Buying Tips for Fresh Produce

Purchase food that is not bruised or damaged. Penetrating wounds to the food that can introduce bacteria through the surface are probably worse than a bruise, unless the latter is extensive and indicates a large volume of underlying rot.

When selecting fresh cut produce - such as a watermelon or bagged mixed salad greens - choose only those items that are refrigerated or surrounded by ice. This is practical in an urban market, but not likely an option in an outdoor market or from street vendors. If you are trekking, you will be carrying your produce without refrigeration, so will be avoiding most items intended for raw consumption, unless they can tolerate prolonged periods of lack of refrigeration without decomposition. As you can see from the photo, you will have many opportunities to buy fruit and vegetables that has been peeled. If you look closely at the photograph, you will notice that the fruit is covered with insects, whose tiny feet spread germs.

Bag fresh fruits and vegetables separately from meat, poultry and seafood products when packing them to take home from the market. This is a great recommendation. Abide by it.

Storage Tips for Fresh Produce

Certain perishable fresh fruits and vegetables (like strawberries, lettuce, herbs, and mushrooms) can be best maintained by storing in a clean refrigerator at a temperature of 40 degrees F or below. If your're not sure whether an item should be refrigerated to maintain quality, ask your grocer. Don't carry these. They are high risk under the best of circumstances.

All produce that is purchased pre-cut or peeled should be refrigerated within two hours to maintain both quality and safety. Again, don't buy or carry pre-cut or peeled fruits or vegetables.

Keep your refrigerator set at 40 degrees F or below. Use a refrigerator thermometer to check.


What if it's cold outside? Is that equivalent to refrigeration? The answer is, only if the environmental temperature is constant and within the accepted ranges for domestic refrigeration, from a safety perspective. If your food freezes or becomes too warm, it is at risk for destruction and/or contamination. Coolers with ice maintained at proper temperature are acceptable, but do not mitigate the other forces of improper hygiene, like introduction of dirt (e.g., bacteria).

Preparation Tips for Fresh Produce

Many precut, bagged produce items like lettuce are pre-washed. If so, it will be stated on the packaging. This pre-washed, bagged produce can be used without further washing. You shouldn't be carrying this sort of item in the backcountry.

As an extra measure of caution, you can wash the produce again, just before you use it. Precut or prewashed produce in open bags should be washed before using. This seems to conflict with the advice immediately above. If you have clean hands and reliably disinfected water, it seems like a better recommendation than the one above. However, remember that most of the pre-washed items are quite safe, so you need to be sure that you aren't taking a good situation and making it worse.

Begin with clean hands. Wash your hands for 20 seconds with warm water and soap before and after preparing fresh produce. Amen! Do this before handling any food. Hand sanitizer is an alternative to soap and water. Remember, it is important to wash hands even if handling something that will be emerging from a wrapper, like an energy bar, if there is a chance that you will touch the food before it passes your lips.

Cut any damaged or bruised areas on fresh fruits and vegetables before preparing and/or eating. Produce that looks rotten should be discarded. This is an excellent suggestion. Use a clean knife to do the cutting. When you cook meat and produce, you should thoroughly clean the cooking implements (e.g., knife, cutting board) if they have been used for handling meat before they are used for preparing produce.

All unpackaged fruits and vegetables, as well as those packaged and not marked pre-washed, should be thoroughly washed before eating. This includes produce grown conventionally or organically at home, or produce that is purchased from a grocery store or farmer's market. Wash fruits and vegetables under running water just before eating, cutting or cooking. You likely won't have running water, so use disinfected water intended for this purpose.

Even if you plan to peel the produce before eating, it is still important to wash it first. This is because you don't want to drag microscopic infectious organisms that you cannot see with the naked eye from the surface down into the part of the food that you intend to eat.

Washing fruits and vegetables with soap or detergent or using commercial produce washes is not recommended. This is because the residue of these products, when not completed removed from the food, can be toxic and make you ill.

Scrub firm produce, such as melons and cucumbers, with a clean produce brush. Mechanical forces greatly improve your ability to remove infectious micro-organisms.

Drying produce with a clean cloth or paper towel may further reduce bacteria that may be present. This is from the mechanical effect and from removing any surface moisture that may continue to carry infectious bacteria, viruses, and/or cysts.




  • Food – borne illness is sometimes caused by eating foods which contain certain types of bacteria which are called pathogens. Salmonella is a pathogen you have probably heard of.
  • But remember, these types of illness don’t just happen! They are usually caused by poor handling of food in which pathogens are passed from the food handler to the food.
  • Believe it or not, bacteria are everywhere – in the air and on our skin, and most are harmless! The only way you can see them is through a microscope – several million of them can fit on a head of a pin!
  • Bacteria particularly like those foods which contain lots of proteins and nutritionist. Food like meats, chickens, seafood, eggs and dairy products. Bacteria feel most comfortable when the temperature is between 5 oC and 60 oC – so this tell us we must keep perishable foods either very hot (steaming hot) or very cold (refrigerator cold

Spanish FM Arrives In Indonesia For Talks On Military Aid

Minggu, 24 Mei 2009



Spanish foreign minister Miguel Angel Moratinos arrived in Jakarta on Wednesday and will head on Thursday to tsunami-devastated Aceh province to meat the president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono for talks on military aid.
Susilo left Jakarta on Wednesday for Aceh and north Sumatra Provinces.

The Spanish minister met vice president Jusuf kalla on Wednesday and discussed the planned dispatch of a Spanish Navvessel and 650 troops to Indonesia, the Spanish embassy in Jakarta informed The Jakarta Post.
On Wednesday, Kalla gave a deadline of there months for the withdrawal of foreign troops, saying the sooner they left, the better.

Forces from Australia, The United States, Singapore, Melaysia, Germany, China, India, Spain, Pakistan, Japan and Switzerland have scrambled to help with relief efforts in Aceh, on the northern tip of Sumatra’ island, following the December 26 disaster.

More than 106.500 people were killed in Indonesia by the magnitude 9 earthquake and ensuing tsunami, with almost all those deaths occurring in Aceh. Around the Indian Ocean the death toll from the disaster at more than 158,000.

“Three months are enough. The sooner {they leave} the better,” said Kalla, quoted by the official Antara news agency, when asked how long should foreign troops should stay in Aceh. When asked about long term relief efforts, he said:“We do not need foreign troops.”

The issue of foreign troops is sensitive in Indonesia, the world’s most populous Moslem nation. There presence in scen of a long-running separatist rebellion, has also raised some nationalist hackles.
Many Indonesians, however, have praised the helping hand.

LUCRETIA MOTT

Jumat, 22 Mei 2009



This story describe one of many experiences that affected Lucretia Coffin Mott in a lifetime of struggle.
In 1840 Lucretia Coffin Mott made a voyage from America to England. She went to London to attend the first World’s Anti-Slavery Conversation in London. Lucretia had been elected a delegate by the American Anti Slavery Society.

Before the meeting everyone thought of all kinds a reason to defend slavery. “We need the slaves to harvest the cotton and other product on farms and plantations,” said the slave owners. "It gives the Negroes something to do. They can not do anything else,” others would say. “You can not own someone just because the person’s skin black,” Lucretia argued. But few listened.

At the meeting they were surprised to find that a special place behind a curtain was set aside just for women. Women were not supposed to speak at meetings because it was thought to be “unladylike”. They were not allowed to do a lot of things that men could do. And p course, they couldn’t vote in elections.

Lucretia whispered. “I can not believe this! We have come three thousand miles across the ocean. And we might not get to be part o this meeting! Just because we are women! It is not fair,” she moaned.

“The young woman, next to her, named Elizabeth, agree with her. The men argued and argued until we time to vote. When the vots were counted, the woman had lost.

“This is a terrible day,” Lucretia whispered to Elizabeth, “We came here to fight against slavery of a people-just because their skin are black. The convention has just vote against reedom for half of all humanity.”

“I think,” said Lucretia to Elizabeth, “That we should begin to fight for our own right. I can tell by what happened today that no one is going to do it for is.”

“Yes,” said Elizabeth, “But hoe can we get them to hear us?”
“I think that we must have our own conversation on anti-slavery! What a wonderful idea,” Elizabeth beamed.

Eight years passed before Lucretia and Elizabeth met at another convention. This time to fight for their own rights. They meet at the first Woman’s Right Convention in New York. This was the beginning of the Woman’s right in America.

Craft Industry Sinking Behind Other Countries




“Give a Balinese man a piece of wood and he will create a beautiful carving or a statue. But don’t take him to the forest or he will cut down all the tress and produce handcrafts.”

These word illustrate a common perception of people of Balinese ethnicity. Although not all Balinese have the skill and talent to become artisans, such as description is true of Made Tatib, 48, who has been a woodcarver for the last 30 years. His love of carving is evident in his works, which are of high artistic merit and very “saleable”. Indeed, he has made enough money to build a beautiful Balinese-style house and to send his children to universities in Denpasar and Surabaya, East Java.

“But, that money was made a few years ago when there were a lot of tamu (foreign buyer or visitors) coming to Bali. Since 2001, Bali has been through a series of crises and only a few people have visited the village to buy our products, “ he said.




In the village of Mas in Gianyar, some 25 kilometers northeast of Denpasar, there are dozens of perhaps hundreds of artisans like Made Tatib. The village is Bali’s major centre for modern woodcarving. They offer mass-produced item, made of cheep wood and priced at less than a dollar. There are other exquisite woodcarvings made of ebony or sandalwood price at over US$100 and some works valued at over a thousand dollars a piece. A number of artisans have made good money through exporting their carvings, particular to Japan and Australia.