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Wednesday, September 29, 2010

whether we have faith of not, we are by and large very tolerant of people whatever their particular view

Ed Miliband: I don't believe in God (but I WILL get married) | Mail Online

 

Ed Miliband said: 'I don't believe in God personally but I have great respect for those people who do. Different people have different religious views in this country.

'The great thing is that we are all, whether we have faith of not, we are by and large very tolerant of people whatever their particular view.'

 

Menghitung BPHTB

detik Finance : BPHTB Rumah Rp 50 Juta

Pada tahun 2009, saya membeli rumah secara over kredit senilai Rp 50 juta. Saya telah membuat akte jual beli dan akte pengalihan hak atas tanah dan bangunan di depan notaris. Di penjelasan terdahulu, disebutkan BPHTB untuk pembeli dikenakan 5%, tetapi dikurangkan dulu NPOPTKP (maximal Rp 60 juta).

Pertanyaan saya adalah bagaimana perhitungan BPHTB pembeli jika harga rumah Rp 50 juta?

Jawaban:


Berdasarkan Undang-undang No. 20/2000 tentang Bea Perolehan Hak atas Tanah dan Bangunan Pasal 7 disebutkan bahwa Nilai Perolehan Objek Pajak Tidak Kena Pajak ditetapkan secara regional paling banyak Rp. 60.000.000 (enam puluh juta rupiah), kecuali dalam hal perolehan hak karena waris atau hibah yang diterima oleh orang pribadi yang masih dalam hubungan keluarga sedarah dalam garis keturunan lurus satu derajat ke atas atau satu derajat ke bawah dengan pemberi hibah wasiat, termasuk suami, istri, Nilai Perolehan Objek Pajak Tidak Kena Pajak ditetapkan secara regional paling banyak Rp. 300.000.000 (tiga ratus juta rupiah).

Berdasarkan ketentuan diatas, maka cara perhitungan untuk pembelian rumah seharga Rp. 50 juta adalah sebagai berikut :

  • Harga Jual                         = Rp. 50.000.000
  • Nilai Perolehan Objek Pajak Tidak Kena Pajak         = (Rp. 60.000.000)
  • Dasar Pengenaan Pajak                    = Rp. -
  • BPHTB = Rp. 0

 

Women apologise more than men, Canadian study finds

| News.com.au

 

WOMEN say sorry more often than men, while men are less likely to believe they need to apologise for their actions, according to a Canadian study reported by USA Today.

Psychologists at the University of Waterloo in Ontario found men have a "higher threshold" for behaving badly.

They also don't see eye to eye with women as to what is right and wrong, the study published online in the journal Psychological Science found.

"The gender differences just sort of leapt out at us," psychology professor Michael Ross, who co-authored the study, said. "It was too big to ignore. It was just very clearly there."

The psychologists used 186 people for their study and divided them by gender.

The participants were asked to keep a diary outlining instances when they apologized for their actions or felt they should have.

 

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

How Will I Know if I Have a Cavity?

Discovery Health "How Cavities and Fillings Work"

 

This may sound a bit surprising to most people, but the large majority of cavities are completely painless. This is because the outer enamel has no nerves. It is only when the cavity enters the underlying dentin that the cavity may begin to feel sensitive. The most common symptoms are an increased sensation to cold and/or sweet foods or beverages. A cavity is often responsible for a tooth that breaks. The cavity weakens the tooth, especially when it forms under a filling or a tooth cusp, and can easily cause a fracture when biting down.

Patients are sometimes taken off-guard when they learn that they have a few cavities but they don't have any symptoms. It is far better to treat a small cavity than to wait until they have symptoms (like pain). By the time there are symptoms, the cavity may have spread to infect the dental pulp, necessitating a root canal procedure or an extraction to eliminate the infection. Always remember that most dental problems are insidious - that is, they sneak up on you. Regular dental examinations, at least twice a year, will greatly reduce the likelihood that a dental cavity will go undetected and spread, causing pain and infecting the dental pulp.

Cavities are detected a number of ways. The most common are clinical (hands-on) and radiographic (x-ray) examinations. During a clinical exam, the dentist uses a hand held instrument called an explorer to probe the tooth surface for cavities. If the explorer "catches," that means the instrument has found a weak, acid damaged part of the tooth, a dental cavity. Dentists can also use a visual examination to detect cavities. Teeth that are discolored, usually brown or black, can sometimes indicate a dental cavity. Dental x-rays, especially check-up or bitewing x-rays, are very useful in finding cavities that are wedged between teeth, or under the gum-line. These "hidden" cavities are difficult or impossible to detect visually or with the explorer. In some cases, none of these methods are adequate, and a dentist must use a special disclosing solution to diagnose a suspicious area on a tooth.

 

 

Will the RIM's tablet computer today leapfrog Apple's iPad?

Blackberry maker Research In Motion unveiled a tablet computer today that it hopes will leapfrog Apple's iPad with its potential for social networking, media publishing and corporate uses.(SMH)

Sent from my BlackBerry®powered by Sinyal Kuat INDOSAT

Monday, September 27, 2010

Socialist system creates lazy workers?

Workshy Britain: How 1.75m jobless have been on benefits for five years By JAMES CHAPMAN

The revelation that 1.75m people have been on benefits for at least five years has fueled fears that Labour has created a 'Shameless' generation, after the Channel 4 TV show Almost 1.75million adults have spent the past five years out of work and relying on benefits, alarming figures reveal.In a sign of the depth of Britain’s worklessness crisis, 1,749,770 people have been receiving one of the three main out-of-work handouts since 2005.They have been continuously claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance, Incapacity Benefit or Income Support, in some cases while receiving other benefits.The figures will fuel fears that Labour has cultivated a ‘Shameless’ generation – after the TV show about a fictional council estate – that is dependent on the state, with joblessness being passed on from parents to children.Ministers said the figures were shocking evidence of endemic worklessness in many areas of the country, with whole communities suffering from a culture of welfare dependency.The figures were revealed as Chancellor George Osborne prepares to unveil further deep cuts in welfare spending next month. The Coalition will say in next month’s comprehensive spending review that all those who are capable of work will be obliged to do so.Labour is accusing the Government of a ‘nasty’ attack on the most vulnerable.The Work and Pensions Department figures show some 4,870 people have continuously been on the headline unemployment benefit, Jobseeker’s Allowance, since 2005.Employment Minister Chris Grayling said: ‘These are people the last government fast-tracked onto a lifetime of benefit dependency.   Sent from my BlackBerry®powered by Sinyal Kuat INDOSAT

Sunday, September 26, 2010

Pencegahan Virus TBC dan Gejalanya

 « Dhiez’s Weblog

 

Penggunaan Vaksin BCG untuk Pencegahan Tuberculosis

(Indah Setiarini, S.Farm / 078115054)

 

Tuberculosis atau lebih sering disebut dengan TBC adalah infeksi kronis bakteri yang disebabkan oleh Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Sebagian besar orang yang terinfeksi oleh bakteri tuberculosis menderita TBC tanpa mengalami gejala, hal ini yang disebut dengan latent tuberculosis. Jika daya tahan tubuh mengalami penurunan karena usia, malnutrisi, infeksi seperti HIV, atau karena faktor lain, bakteri akan aktif dan menyebabkan active tuberculosis.

Siklus TBCBerdasarkan data WHO, setiap tahun, sekitar 8 juta orang di seluruh dunia mengalami active tuberculosis dan hampir 2 juta diantaranya meninggal dunia.

TBC seperti telah disebutkan sebelumnya disebabkan oleh bakteri yang disebut Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Bakteri ini biasanya menyerang paru-paru. Akan tetapi, bakteri tuberculosis juga dapat menyerang bagian lain tubuh seperti ginjal, spine, dan otak.

TBC menyebar melalui udara dari satu orang ke orang lainnya. Bakteri tuberculosis terdapat pada udara ketika orang dengan active tuberculosis mengalami batuk atau bersin. Orang-orang yang ada di sekitarnya mungkin menghirup udara yang mengandung bakteri ini dan selanjutnya menjadi terinfeksi.

Pada orang yang terinfeksi oleh bakteri tuberculosis, secara alamiah tubuh memiliki mekanisme pertahanan untuk melawan perkembangan bakteri. Akibatnya bakteri menjadi inaktif, tetapi masih tetap tinggal di dalam tubuh. Inilah yang disebut dengan latent tuberculosis. Pasien yang mengalami latent tuberculosis memiliki ciri-ciri:

1. Tidak mengalami gejala TBC.

2. Tidak merasa sakit.

3. Tidak dapat menyebarkan bakteri tuberculosis.

4. Biasanya pada PPD test (tuberculosis skin test reaction) memberikan hasil positif.

5. Pada beberapa kasus, dapat mengalami perkembangan menjadi active tuberculosis jika tidak menerima terapi.

Apabila pasien yang tidak menerima pengobatan, mengalami penurunan daya tahan tubuh maka latent tuberculosis akan berkembang menjadi active tuberculosis. Active tuberculosis adalah kondisi di mana sistem imun tubuh tidak mampu untuk melawan bakteri tuberculosis yang terdapat dalam tubuh, sehingga menimbulkan infeksi terutama pada bagian paru-paru. Gejala untuk active tuberculosis meliputi :

1. Batuk berkepanjangan selama 3 minggu atau lebih.

2. Nyeri pada bagian dada.

3. Batuk berdahak atau berdarah.

4. Penurunan berat badan.

5. Demam, menggigil, dan berkeringat pada malam hari.

6. Kelelahan dan kehilangan selera makan.

Diagnosis untuk TBC dapat dilakukan dengan Tuberculin test dan Uji mikrobiologi.

 

Some currency pairs are more predictable than others. Here are my top 5:

Currency Pairs - Most Predictable Ones | Forex Crunch

 

Some currency pairs are more predictable than others. Here are my top 5:

  1. AUD/USD
  2. EUR/GBP
  3. NZD/USD
  4. EUR/USD
  5. USD/CHF

More predictable currency pairs are currency pairs that “play by the rules” of technical anlysis. For example, if there’s a distinct resistance line or support line, than the pair will usually bounce when getting to close. Or, if this pair crosses the line, it does it “big time”, and makes a big move.

Unpredictable currency pairs tend to be hesitant, suddenly surprise and are hard to analyze. They make traders suffer. I find the USD/JPY to be the worst.

What are your most predictable and least predictable currency pairs?

 

AUD/USD Outlook – September 27 October 1 ......more gains......

| Forex Crunch

 

A big variety of indicators expects Aussie traders in the upcoming week, with building approvals being the highlight. Here’s an outlook for the Australian events, and an updated technical analysis for AUD/USD.

AUD/USD  daily graph with support and resistance lines marked. Click to enlarge:

aud usd forecast september october

Australia enjoyed the US dollar’s weakness and rose to fresh highs, with parity in sight. Will this trend continue? Let’s start: 

  1. HIA New Home Sales: Tuesday. The Housing Industry Association hast shown three straight months of sharp falls in home sales, partly the result of home sales. The biggest drop was last month – 7%. This fall will probably be followed by a rise this time.
  2. CB Leading Index: Wednesday, 00:00. This composite index is based on 7 economic indicators, most of them already released. Nevertheless, the publication tends to to have an impact on the Aussie. Last month saw a very modest rise of 0.1% in the index. A similar rise is expected now.
  3. Building Approvals: Thursday, 1:30. After three months of drops, this major figure finally rose last month, by 2.3%. This time, it’s expected to remain unchanged. Building approvals are usually slightly overshadowed by retail sales. This time, the separate release makes it more important.
  4. Private Sector Credit: Thursday, 1:30. Higher credit drives means more economic activity. Credit hardly grew last month – only 0.1%. The RBA will probably show a stronger rise this time – 0.3%.
  5. RBA Financial Stability Review: Thursday, 1:30. At the same time, the RBA will release a thorough report about the financial stability. Unless there are any surprises, Australia financial stability will remain solid.
  6. AIG Manufacturing Index: Thursday, 23:30. The Australian Industry Group publishes a PMI-like index, filling the gap for the government. After a few months of high scores, the index fell to 51.7 points last month, close to the critical 50 point mark, but still in the positive zone, meaning economic expansion. A rise is predicted this time.
  7. MI Inflation Gauge: Friday.  The Melbourne Institute publishes a month over month inflation indicator. The government releases CPI only once per quarter, so this release fills the gap. Inflation has been rather tame recently, according to MI, rising between 0.1% to 0.3% on a monthly basis.
  8. Chinese Manufacturing PMI: Friday, 1:00. Australia’s biggest trade partner has slowed down in recent months, with PMI sliding from the area of 55 to 51.7 this time. A rise to 52.9 is expected this time. This survey of 700 purchasing managers always rocks the Aussie.
  9. Commodity Prices: Friday, 6:30. Australia’s commodity-oriented economy depends on the price of commodities. This year-over-year figure has shown a 52.7% rise. A smaller one is expected now.

Let’s review the events. All times are GMT.

AUD/USD Technical Analysis

The Aussie struggled with the 0.9465 line at the beginning of the week (appeared in last week’s outlook) before making the break. Since then, it traded between 0.9465 to 0.96, closing at 0.9590.

Below 0.9465, the next significant line of support is 0.9366, which was a stubborn peak in April. Below, the veteran 0.9327 line that is of significance for almost a year, is the next line of support.

Lower, 0.9220 capped the pair in August and now serves as the next support line. It’s followed by 0.9080, which worked as resistance in July.

Looking up, 0.96, the past week’s high, provides immediate resistance. It’s followed by 0.9670, a line that capped the Aussie during May and June 2008.

Even higher, 0.98 provided resistance after the Aussie fell from the peak in July 2008. The last line is the all-time high of 0.9849.

I remain bullish on AUD/USD.

The Aussie enjoys the greenback’s strength, and also has reasons of its own to rise. The Australian economy is doing well, as seen in the recent employment figures. There’s still room for more gains.

 

bikie gang violence..police need to negotiate with the bikers

PM - Bikie gang violence may spread

Professor Arthur Vino (phonetic), the Director of the Centre for Police and Justice Studies at Monash University, says regardless of the cause of this morning's shootings bikie violence is escalating, and he says police talking to police and next month's Police Ministers' meeting won't solve the problem because police need to negotiate directly with motorcycle clubs.

ARTHUR VINO: That's what we're looking at, is the negotiation of a peaceful settlement. I mean, the police have had information that indicated that problems are on the way, and it is time - you know, it is time to start being pro-active about that information.

LACHLAN PARKER: Are you saying so far police haven't adequately acted on the information they've had?

ARTHUR VINO: The problem is that the style of policing is incorrect. The intelligence has been gathered but the actions taken haven't helped the situation.

LACHLAN PARKER: Commissioner Mal Hyde dismisses the criticism.

MAL HYDE: Well, I'd like to see specifically what he has in mind, but quite clearly this is not a mother's club activity where you can get together and talk to people and have a nice time and come to a peaceful resolution. We're talking about people here with a very strong propensity to violent behaviour between themselves, as I indicated earlier, they want to resolve their differences with violence, and we do talk to the clubs from time to time. For instance, during August there were 68 occasions where our Operation Avatar went to club premises and spoke to various club members, so we do talk to them, but if you imagine that you could sit around and peacefully negotiate out and resolve these differences, I think you're deluding yourself.

COMPERE: South Australian Police Commissioner, Mal Hyde, ending that report from Lachlan Parker in Adelaide.

Would aid flourish without religion? | The question | Comment is free | guardian.co.uk

 

If it weren't for organised religions, would there be as much humanitarian aid in the world? If not, why not?

Medecins Sans Frontieres Médecins sans Frontières transformed their Port-Au-Prince offices into a makeshift hospital after the Haiti earthquake. Photograph: Médecins sans Frontières/AFP/Getty

Would humanitarian aid flourish without religion? In one sense, the answer is obvious. There are entirely secular organisations, like Médecins sans Frontières, or Oxfam, which function without any religious allegiance at all. Most successful charities in the west, whether they are religious or not, must stress that they are not biased in their giving if they hope to raise funds. Yet it is also true that religious networks are essential to the delivery of aid and education: the Catholic church runs a third of all the schools in Africa.

Organised religions are able to connect congregations in the developed world with their counterparts in the developing world and make both feel that they are part of the same great enterprise. As the (atheist) psychologist Jonathan Haidt has observed:

"In the US, religious believers give more money than secular [even] to secular charities, and to their neighbours. They give more of their time, too, and of their blood. Even if you excuse secular liberals from charity because they vote for government welfare programs, it is awfully hard to explain why secular liberals give so little blood."

Muslims are enjoined by their religion to give 2.5% of their income to charity and many do, while the rich, secular nations of the world struggle to give 0.7% of their GDP to foreign aid.

This isn't a question about whether believers are morally superior. But it does seem they find it easier to translate compassion into action. Is this really true, and if it is, what can the secular charities do to match them?

 

Thursday, September 23, 2010

Please, don't ever come to any music concert sponsored by tobacco company

Toddlers on tobacco: the tragedy of the big picture

 

Indonesia is the world's third-largest tobacco consumer. In a nation of 235 million people, 63 per cent of men light up and about one-third of the population smokes.

The country's Central Statistics Agency said about a quarter of children aged between three and 15 have tried smoking, with 3.2 per cent of them active smokers.

The number of smokers between five to nine-year-olds increased from 0.4 per cent in 2001 to 2.8 per cent in 2004, the agency reported.

There are few government controls, no restrictions on advertising or where people can take a puff.

"Indonesia is unfortunately regarded as a basket case in international tobacco control," said Simon Chapman, Professor of Public Health at the University of Sydney, who campaigned for Clarkson to drop tobacco sponsorship from her concert last month.

"It's regarded as a smoker's paradise. Several of the transnational tobacco companies - British American Tobacco and Phillip Morris - have recently opened up big financial ventures in Indonesia."

In March, there was another video - this time of four-year-old Sandy - who swore and blew smoke rings from a clove cigarette while answering questions about sex off-camera, sparking outrage among child advocates in Indonesia.

His parents reportedly said he had been smoking up to a pack a day since he was two.

Sandy was removed from his family and spent a month in rehab at a hospital before being sent to an Islamic boarding school, Indonesian authorities said.

But many other children continue to pick up the habit, and there are no age restrictions for the sale of cigarettes.

Packs are cheap by regional standards and cost about $US1 each, while individual sticks are sold for just a few cents each.

2008 UN figures showed that on average, Indonesians took home $US2150 a year in wages.

A tobacco revenue study from the same year reported that smokers spent at least 10 per cent of their household income on cigarettes - three times more than on education and books.

Advertising is ubiquitous and tobacco companies sponsor everything from scholarships to sporting events, while the government gets about 6 per cent of its revenue from cigarette taxes.

Meanwhile, smoking-related illnesses claim the lives of more than 200,000 Indonesians every year.

"In a culture where tobacco control is not taken seriously, it's highly likely that people will think that children smoking an amusing sight rather than a tragic sight," Professor Chapman said.

"It might be that the cigarettes are even provided by the children to their parents because it's something funny."

The government has acknowledged the spread of youth smokers, saying it would try to limit the growth by dropping the production of cigarettes from 245 billion in 2009 to 240 billion this year.

But Indonesia is one of a handful of nations that have not signed up to the World Health Organisation's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control - alongside lawless Somalia and tobacco-growing nations like Malawi and Zimbabwe.

A 2009 health law recognises smoking is addictive, but recent attempts to push through a tobacco control bill has been stalled by opposition from the tobacco industry.

Professor Chapman is optimistic that despite the odds, Indonesia would one day learn from its neighbour Thailand and reign in its smoking habit.

"Thailand, which is just a short way away from Indonesia, has one of the world's largest warnings on cigarette packs with very, very gory photographs," he said.

"They don't allow tobacco products to be displayed in shops and there's no advertising in Thailand at all for tobacco products.

"The government has shown what a developing country can do."

 

The soaring dollar has led to a rush for US dollars at foreign exchange companies, a report says.

Soaring dollar leads to run on greenbacks | News.com.au

 

A currency exchange company Travel Money told theage.com.au it had experienced a shortage of US dollars earlier this week.

A staff member said that "the last weeks have definitely been the busiest consecutive days we've ever experienced".

Travellers were urged to get in early to ensure they are able to get whatever US dollars they need.

The dollar clawed its way to a 26-month high overnight before pulling back this morning and has risen more than 17 per cent since May.

At 12pm (AEST), the "Aussie" was at 95.63 US cents, down fractionally from yesterday's local close of 95.64 cents

It reached 96 US cents in offshore trade, its highest since it touched 97.92 US cents on July 25 2008.

The website said that larger currency exchange companies reported they had sufficient supplies of US dollars.

But some smaller companies had found themselves caught short. 

The dollar has surged this week after the US Federal Reserve suggested it might print more US dollars to stimulate the American economy.

The increased supply of money tends to cheapen its price relative to other currencies. The tactic has been used as part of the US response to the global financial crisis.

 

To @wolfmother, please dropped your Jakarta's concert sponsored by tobacco company. You should follow Clarkson and Keys. #anti-smoking

Aussie rockers Wolfmother and The Vines under fire over tobacco ads at concerts in Jakarta | News.com.au

 

AUSSIE rock bands Wolfmother and The Vines have come under fire for agreeing to play a Jakarta music festival sponsored by a major Indonesian tobacco company.

Both bands announced this week they would perform at next month's Java Rockin'Land festival, set to be one of the biggest music events of the year in the Indonesian capital.

A Wolfmother fan website said the band had decided to withdraw from the festival line-up, citing a statement from lead singer Andrew Stockdale. But the band's agent told the ABC the band's performance would go ahead.

Anti-smoking campaigners say if the bands do perform they will effectively be promoting its major sponsor, Indonesian cigarette maker Gudang Garam.

Sydney Medical School's director of research Simon Chapman has urged the bands to reconsider.

"If the artists put their foot down, the event organisers will get rid of the tobacco sponsorship,'' Mr Chapman said.

Indonesia has extremely lax tobacco laws and is one of only a handful of countries that refuse to sign up to the World Health Organisation's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.

Local and transnational tobacco companies often sponsor concerts and sporting events, where they hand out free samples. Cigarette advertising campaigns are often aimed squarely at teenagers.

American singer Kelly Clarkson dropped tobacco sponsorship for her Jakarta concert in April after anti-smoking groups argued she was effectively encouraging her young fans to smoke. Alicia Keys did the same thing in 2008.

Comment was being sought from both bands' managers.

About 66 per cent of Indonesian men are smokers, and women and children are taking up the habit at an alarming rate, anti-tobacco campaigners say.

At least 200,000 Indonesians die every year from smoking-related illnesses.

American bands Smashing Pumpkins and Dashboard Confessional are also on the festival line-up.

 

Untitled

Is tax avoidance immoral?

Is tax avoidance immoral? | Comment is free | guardian.co.uk

 

Nick Clegg, having compared tax evaders to benefits cheats during his party conference speech, turned his attention to tax avoiders on Tuesday. In a Radio 4 Today interview he said: 'There is an ethical question about whether it is right for people, even within the technical confines of the law, to employ an army of lawyers and accountants to get out of paying tax.' Do you think tax avoidance is immoral?

 

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

at #RCIndoTour


Today I went to watch Remarkable Current performance in Jakarta. Actually I am not a fan of hip hop music, but i just wanted to see something different, and hip hop is not that bad as I thought before....a friend took a pic of myself and DJ Anas Conan

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

PT Sinar Mas : The Forest and Climat Criminal ?

Odd things are common to happen here. For example, you know that PT Sinar Mas has destroyed our Indonesian forest.  Yet, still the  Indonesian government defends Sinar Mas, which is a real  forest and climate criminal. I was wondering, how much have the govt been paid so they are just willing to accommodate the thug?! @detik Pemerintah Kecewa Burger King 'Putuskan' Sinar Mas

Indonesia, Sinar Mas, Burger King, Green Peace

This is odd, Indonesian government defends Sinar Mas, the forest and climate criminal. How much have u been paid so u accommodate the thug?!

Read here to understand why I put such comment

Will PT Aqua Go Private?

When reading this article, I am tempted to follow Eddy's way..You can imagine 20 years ago he just bought the Aqua shares for USD 75, and now the price of Aqua shares jump into IDR 500.000/each share.. . bTo sum up, he would get IDR 109 million or USD 12000 for the shares he is having now....What a fortune

detik Finance : Kisah Eddy 'Menyulap' Saham AQUA ala Warren Buffet

Eddy Rustanto mungkin bukan seorang investor kakap bermodal miliaran rupiah. Namanya boleh jadi tidak dikenal publik. Namun tidak mustahil jika dirinya akan
menjadi sosok impian setiap investor saham.

Jika Warren Buffet dikatakan pernah menyulap saham Coca-Cola seharga US$ 1 per saham menjadi US$ 1.000 per saham, mungkin kisah yang 'hampir' sama akan dialami
Eddy.

Pada tahun 1990, tepatnya pada tanggal 1 Maret 1990, PT Aqua Golden Mississippi
menggelar penawaran umum perdana saham (initial public offering/IPO). Dengan
mencatatkan saham sebanyak 6.000.000 saham. Harga pelaksanaan IPO perusahaan
yang menyandang kode AQUA ini sebesar Rp 7.500 per saham dengan nilai nominal Rp
1.000 per saham.

Eddy Rustanto, merupakan salah seorang investor yang berpartisipasi dalam IPO
itu. Tak banyak yang ia beli, jumlahnya tidak sampai 1 lot. Sebagai catatan, untuk masa itu, investor dimungkinkan membeli saham berjumlah di bawah 500 lembar (1 lot) atau yang dikenal dengan istilah Odd Lot (lot ganjil).

"Waktu itu saya beli cuma 100 lembar saham pada harga IPO. Tujuannya ya investasi, iseng-iseng beli, siapa tahu bisa untung di kemudian hari," ujar Eddy kepada detikFinance, Senin (20/9/2010) malam.

Itu berarti, modal yang dikeluarkan Eddy untuk berpartisipasi dalam IPO AQUA
hanya sebesar Rp 750.000. Pada tahun 1994, AQUA membagikan saham bonus dengan
rasio 2:1 atau setiap pemegang 2 saham akan memperoleh 1 saham baru.

Pada tahun 1995, AQUA kembali menggelar aksi pembagian saham bonus dengan rasio
10:3 atau setiap pemegang 10 saham akan memperoleh 3 saham baru. Kemudian pada
tahun 1997, AQUA membagikan dividen saham dengan rasio 8:1 atau setiap pemegang
8 saham akan memperoleh 1 saham baru.

Demikianlah sejak 1997 total saham AQUA dalam modal disetor dan ditempatkan
penuh sebanyak 13.162.473 saham, jumlah yang sama hingga hari ini.

Bersamaan dengan serangkaian aksi itulah, tanpa menambah modal apa pun jumlah
saham Eddy kini berlipat 2,19 kali menjadi 219 lembar saham. "Jumlah saham saya
saat ini segitu, 219 lembar," ujarnya.

Pada akhir 2001, AQUA menggalang rencana go private alias mengubah statusnya menjadi perusahaan tertutup. Untuk keperluan itu, AQUA menawarkan harga tender offer sebesar Rp 35.000 per saham. Sayangnya rencana itu tidak disetujui pemegang saham lantaran harga saham AQUA merambat naik hingga menyentuh level yang sama dengan harga tender.

Pada akhir Agustus 2001, harga AQUA masih di level Rp 15.000-an. Pada Desember
2001, harganya telah menyentuh level Rp 35.000 per saham.

"Waktu itu memang pemegang saham minoritas meminta harga lebih tinggi, karena harga tender sama dengan harga di pasar. Makanya waktu itu rencana go private akhirnya gagal karena tidak dapat restu pemegang saham," tutur Eddy.

Lama berselang, AQUA kembali menggelar rencana go private pada akhir 2005. Ketika itu harga AQUA di pasar reguler berkisar di level Rp 50.000 per saham, sedangkan harga tender yang ditawarkan AQUA sebesar Rp 100.000 per saham.

Pada RUPS 14 November 2005, jumlah investor independen yang hadir hanya 52,74%,
jauh dibawah ketentuan Bapepam-LK minimal sebanyak 75%. RUPS ke 2 digelar pada 2
Desember 2005. Namun yang hadir hanya 39,27% saja. Dan pada RUPS ke 3, batasan
kuorum tetap tidak dapat dipenuhi.

Oleh sebab itu, otomatis rencana go private ini kembali gagal. Pertanyaannya
kemudian, mengapa investor-investor memutuskan tidak hadir?

Menurut Eddy, saat itu memang ada pihak-pihak yang membisikkan pemegang saham minoritas untuk menjegal go private AQUA dengan alasan harga tender yang ditawarkan terlalu murah.

"Saat itu saya termasuk yang setuju dengan rencana go private. Tetapi ada
beberapa investor minoritas yang punya saham cukup banyak, mendesak manajemen
menaikkan harga tender. Padahal saat itu, banyak sekali pemegang saham minoritas
yang setuju dengan harga yang ditawarkan," ungkap Eddy.

Hal senada diungkapkan oleh Yuli, ibu dari Ardhian Indrayana yang diberi surat
kuasa atas kepemilikan 6.163 lembar saham AQUA milik Ardhian.

"Memang sangat disayangkan kalau dari kemarin-kemarin gagal terus karena ada
investor besar yang meminta harga terlalu tinggi. Padahal, kita yang hanya punya
sedikit ingin menjualnya sejak lama. Masak karena yang besar-besar itu, kita yang kecil-kecil jadi rugi?" keluh Yuli.

Meski gagal pada tahun 2005, AQUA belum menyerah. Pada tahun 2010 ini, manajemen
AQUA kembali mencanangkan skema go private. Harga yang ditawarkan pun naik
drastis menjadi Rp 500.000 per saham.

Sebagai catatan, harga saham AQUA di pasar reguler sebesar Rp 244.800 per saham,
sedangkan di pasar negosiasi (NG) dan pasar tunai (TN) sebesar Rp 350.000 per
saham.

"Harga tender offer dari PT Tirta Investama sebagai pemegang saham kendali,"
ujar Direktur Utama AQUA, Parmaningsih Adinegoro.

Komposisi pemegang saham AQUA adalah PT Tirta Investama 12.419.090 saham
(94,35%) dan publik 743.383 saham (5,65%). Dengan harga sebesar Rp 500 ribu per
saham, maka total dana yang harus dirogoh Tirta Investama sebesar Rp 371,691
miliar.

Untuk keperluan ini, AQUA akan menggelar RUPS pada 22 September 2010 dalam rangka meminta persetujuan pemegang saham minoritas. RUPS kali ini sedikit berbeda. Manajemen AQUA telah mewanti-wanti kepada pemegang saham kalau penawaran kali ini merupakan kesempatan terakhir pemegang saham untuk menjual sahamnya di harga tinggi.

"Ini sudah merupakan penawaran terbaik. Kalau perseroan tetap jadi perusahaan publik, maka harga saham akan tergantung mekanisme pasar dan pemegang saham,
terutama yang memegang saham odd lot (jumlah saham di bawah 500 lembar saham)
dimana banyak pemegang saham perseroan yang seperti ini, akan kehilangan
kesempatan untuk menjual pada harga seperti yang ditawarkan pada tender offer.
Artinya kesempatan emas akan hilang," jelas Parmaningsih.

Parmaningsih mengakui, ancaman penolakan masih mungkin terjadi pada RUPS kali
ini. Namun ia bersama manajemen AQUA memastikan kalau penawaran kali ini
merupakan penawaran terakhir yang akan diberikan AQUA. Jika gagal, maka tidak
akan ada lagi skema go private.

"Kalau tetap ada penolakan, maka tidak akan ada lagi aksi korporasi. Ini upaya
terakhir dan maksimal yang bisa ditawarkan kepada pemegang saham," tegas
Parmaningsih.

Meski demikian, Parmaningsih optimistis kalau pemegang saham minoritas akan
menyetujui skema go private pada kesempatan kali ini. Sebab, banyak pemegang
saham minoritas yang telah menyampaikan konfirmasi atas kesiapannya mendukung
rencana tersebut.

"selama ini banyak pemegang saham yang sudah menghubungi perseroan menyatakan
keinginan untuk menjual sahamnya," ujar Parmaningsih.

Yuli pun menyatakannya kesiapannya mendukung rencana ini. Ia mengaku tidak
melihat alasan untuk menolak rencana ini.

"Buat apa repot-repot minta harga tinggi kalau ujung-ujungnya malah nggak dapat apa-apa. Manajemen kan sudah bilang kalau ini penawaran terakhir, jadi saya pikir sebaiknya semua pemegang saham minoritas setuju saja lah, supaya sama-sama enak, semuanya untung," ujarnya.

Hal itu pun diakui oleh Eddy. Ia pun mengaku siap mendukung rencana go private
AQUA dalam RUPS 22 September 2010.

"Kalau saya sih melihatnya, harga yang ditawarkan sudah sangat bagus. Kapan lagi
bisa jual pada harga segini. Kalau jual di market sulit, tidak ada posisi.
Lagipula ini kesempatan terakhir kan, kalau tidak jual sekarang, kapan lagi?"
ujar Eddy.

Bagaimana tidak, dengan modal membeli 100 lembar saham sebesar Rp 750.000, Eddy
bakal memperoleh dana sebesar Rp 109,5 juta dari penjualan 219 lembar sahamnya
di harga Rp 500.000 per saham. Itu berarti, selisih keuntungan (gain) yang
diperoleh Eddy dari penantian selama 20 tahun sejak IPO AQUA mencapai 14.500%!!
(dro/qom)

I hope this guy stickc to his promise, spending his billions to defeat global poverty

'I will not be leaving my $56bn fortune to my kids', says Bill Gates | News.com.au

 

MICROSOFT founder Bill Gates has revealed he won't be leaving his estimated $56 billion fortune to his children when he dies.

Instead the global software giant brainchild, who ranks alongside the Medicis, Romanovs, Rothschilds and Rockefellers as one of history's wealthiest people, told UK newspaper The Sun that his billions will be spent defeating global poverty.

"I will give the kids some money but not a meaningful percentage," he said.

"Setting the number so that they need to work but they feel reasonably taken care of is hard to figure out."

Bill Gates and his wife Melinda have three children - Jennifer, 14, Rory, 11, and eight-year-old Phoebe.

"I knew I didn't think it was a good idea to give the money to my kids," Mr Gates said.

"That wouldn't be good either for my kids or society. So the question was, 'Can I find something that had incredible impact?' I knew I wanted to do that."

 

AU Dollar near two year high

| News.com.au

 

THE dollar was slightly higher at noon, trading near a two year high, after the Reserve Bank gave another sign that it is ready to lift the cash rate.

At 12pm AEST today, the local unit was trading at 94.59 US cents, slightly up from yesterday's close of 94.55 cents. Overnight, the currency reached 94.94 cents, the highest since August 2008.

Since 7am AEST today, the local currency has traded between 94.49 US cents and 94.80 cents.

Commonwealth Bank currency strategist Joseph Capurso said the dollar rose one tenth of a US cent this morning after minutes from the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) September meeting showed the central bank was ready to lift the cash rate.

The central bank is ready to lift the overnight cash rate if Australia's economic strength continues to point to higher inflation, the minutes of its September board meeting show.

 

Sunday, September 19, 2010

A vow

For a while now I have been getting these feeling of needing to stop eating meat. But, I am not yet mentally prepared to do so. I will start from not eating meatballs and fatty meat. I will only eat lean one and will not touch any meatballs. I have to be commited to doing this.

My vow is created in 18 September 10.54 pm.


Sent from my BlackBerry®powered by Sinyal Kuat INDOSAT

Saturday, September 18, 2010

I dont agree with this article below

Women really can't keep secrets: 40% who have cheated on their partner admit they told at least one friend (but men prefer to tell strangers) | Mail Online

 

Women are far more likely to gossip about having an affair than men - who only tell strangers, a study reveals today.

Far from wanting to keep it secret, more than four in ten women who have cheated on their partner admitted they chatted about it with at least one friend.

In stark contrast, three quarters of men who cheat on their partner are far too scared of being found out to tell anyone at all.

But despite playing their cards so close to their chests when it comes to infidelity, it seems men are twice as likely to tell a stranger as confide in their best friend.

Just six per cent tell a friend of their affair, while 12 per cent admitted they would tell someone they had just met that they were playing around.

In contrast, the research found that 43 per cent of women who stray gossip about it to their closest friend and 15 per cent tell more than one.

A relationship expert said this is because men are far less trusting of their friends than women and are programmed not to reveal anything which could make them vulnerable.

Phillip Hodson, from the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy, said: 'In short, men don't tend to reveal things about themselves while women like storytelling and tend to have more confidence and trust in their friends.

'Men don't tend to bond in the same way and are loathe to share stuff which could make them vulnerable.

'They bond in terms of common experiences on stag weekends or in the pub but it's not the same as saying 'I'm sleeping with my wife's sister'.

'They fear that sort of information could be used against them. Men are used to being competitive and so they fear someone could blackmail them or betray them.

'Male relationships all contain a certain amount of banter and they may also fear that after a few beers it will all come out.

'In comparison women like to tell and share. They love the drama of soap operas and the like and they also trust their best friends not to tell.

 

My Studio apartment for sale : Menara Antapani C4 No 8 (IDR 80 million). Btw, I might reduce the price a bit if you are nice.:)

I have a property in Jalan Pratista Timur, Cingised, Antapani, Bandung, Indonesia. It is a studio apartment with a nice view.
I bought that apartment in January 2005. Because I plan to buy a house, I am gonna sell my apartment for IDR 80 millions (USD 8888).

My unit is on 4th floor Building C no 8 (c4/8). You will see many green things my units.

If anyone interested in buying that unit, a Studio  type C4/8, just contact me via email (pink.summer7 at yahoo dot com) or my twitter account @ichaview.
 Also, you can just leave a message in this blog. As I said, I want to sell my apartment for IDR 80.000.000 (USD 8888), but I might reduce it a bit if you are nice :).


My Studio apartment for sale : Menara Antapani C4 No 8 (IDR 80 million)

My Studio apartment for sale : Menara Antapani C4 No 8 (IDR 80 million)

I have a property in Jalan Pratista Timur, Cingised, Antapani, Bandung, Indonesia. It is a studo apartment with a nice view.
I bought that apartment in January 2005. Because I plan to buy a house, I am gonna sell my apartment for IDR 80 millions (USD 8888).

My unit is on 4th floor Building C no 8 (c4/8). You will see many green things my units.


If anyone interested in buying that unit, a Studio  type C4/8, just contact me via email (pink.summer7 at yahoo dot com) or my twitter account @ichaview.
 Also, you can just leave a message in this blog. As I said, I want to sell my apartment for IDR 80.000.000 (USD 8888), but I might reduce it a bit if you are nice :).


My Studio apartment for sale : Menara Antapani C4 No 8 (IDR 80 million)


Anti-Aging Tips

How to Look Younger -  - Good Housekeeping
Step 2: Smooth Lines with Retinoids

Why this works: In studies dating back over the past 20 years, they have been shown to help soften the look of fine lines and brown spots by increasing collagen production and normalizing skin-cell activity. "These vitamin A derivatives have a better-established track record than any other wrinkle-reduction creams," says Dr. Glogau. Even the milder, nonprescription-strength retinol may reduce the effects of chronological aging — albeit more gradually. When University of Michigan researchers applied a .4 percent retinol lotion to one of the study participants' upper inner arms as many as three times a week for 24 weeks, skin biopsies revealed that that arm had more of the building blocks that make skin smooth and resilient than the untreated arm.

What to try: The biggest challenge with retinoids is dealing with the potential side effects, such as redness and peeling skin. Your skin will, however, build up a tolerance, usually within six to 12 weeks. Retin-A is still the gold standard in prescription strength, though there are several less-irritating options — costing $100 per tube on average — including Retin-A Micro, Differin, Avage, and Tazorac. Researchers continue to seek ways of making retinoids more tolerable; one theory currently being tested at the University of Michigan is that using an ultra-mild facial cleanser and moisturizer will help calm the irritation. (The study findings are still a few years away.) Dermatologists also suggest you ease into using one: Apply a pea-size amount at night (sun exposure makes retinoids less effective), and try it every second or third night until your skin handles it better. If that's still too irritating, go with an over-the-counter retinol. These formulas are less potent, but are still effective. Try L'Oréal Paris Advanced Revitalift Deep-Set Wrinkle Repair Night Creme ($20, drugstores) or DermaDoctor Poetry in Lotion Intensive Retinol 1.0 ($75, Sephora).

Years younger: 6-7. You should start to see an improvement in a matter of weeks with a prescription formula, but don't stop there. "Keep using it," says Dr. Dover, who claims he can always spot a woman on a prescription retinoid because her skin looks "too good" for her age. Over-the-counter retinol converts to the active form, called retinoic acid, at a lower concentration — but the benefits will start to show up after a few months if you stay with it.

Step 3: Load Up on Antioxidants

Why this works: Antioxidants act as scavengers that neutralize free radicals — the particles that, in skin, cause sun damage and wrinkles, and can lead to skin cancer. They can also help protect against damage from environmental assaults like pollution and smoking, says Dr. Hirsch. Though there is still some debate about whether they can reverse sun damage, at the least they deliver modest skin brightening, says Dr. Dover, since better-protected skin appears more even-toned.

What to try: Some foods are loaded with antioxidants that are beneficial to the body overall, "but most people don't eat enough of them to benefit skin," says Dr. Hirsch. She recommends ingesting them and applying them topically. Look for vitamins C and E, pomegranate, idebenone, soy, green tea, niacinamide, and coenzyme Q10 in the top half of a product's ingredient list to get the most benefits from these often-pricey potions. Try Vichy Liftactiv CxP Bio-Lifting Care ($43, drugstores) or Desert Essence Organics Age Reversal Pomegranate Face Serum ($15, Whole Foods).

Years younger: 1-2. If your skin immediately radiates youthfulness after slathering on an antioxidant-rich cream, thank your moisturizer; antioxidants won't work that fast. You have to keep using them for five or six months, says Dr. Dover, to see the benefits. After that time, not only should your skin tone be more even, but some of the fine lines may smooth out, and drier-looking skin will appear revitalized.

Step 4: Sleep Well


Why this works: Lack of sleep definitely saps your glow,
instantly aging you (think puffy, red eyes). But it also affects your
skin in stealth ways: Fatigue causes cortisol, the stress hormone, to
rise sharply. "If cortisol is chronically high, it can age you by
breaking down collagen in skin," says Amy Wechsler, M.D., dermatologist,
psychiatrist, and author of The Mind-Beauty Connection. Just one
nighttime sleep disruption can prompt your immune system to turn
against healthy organs and tissue: When researchers at UCLA interrupted
volunteers' shut-eye from 11 p.m. to 3 a.m., they found that sleep loss
triggered the body's inflammation response; curiously, this effect was
found in women only.


What to try: "The one thing that seems to ring true for
everyone is to pick a bedtime, and then an hour beforehand, no more
BlackBerry-ing, e-mailing, or TV news," says Dr. Wechsler. "Instead,
read a novel, watch something funny on TV, or have sex." Cortisol is at
its lowest when you're sleeping, during exercise, and after sex, she
says. Then, if you wake up in the middle of the night and can't fall
back asleep, do something that bores you, like reading your least
favorite section of the newspaper (hello, sports page).


Years younger: 2-3. If your skin is aging due to lack of
zzz's, improving your sleep habits will definitely give it a youth
boost. "It's hard to know exactly how much younger you will look by
sleeping more," says Dr. Dover, "but when someone who doesn't get enough
sleep or tends to stress a lot comes back from a relaxing holiday, she
almost always looks a few years younger."



Step 5: Exfoliate Gently and Often

Why this works:
At-home peels or even a simple face scrub can make your complexion
look much more youthful and radiant and may also boost collagen
production, says Leslie Baumann, M.D., director of the University of
Miami Cosmetic Medicine and Research Institute. "It's one of the best
ways to see a quick difference," she says. As you age, skin tends to be
drier and dead cells cling to the surface, giving it a rougher texture.
When you shed those dead cells with a scrub or peel, it enhances the
functioning of your skin: Water-retaining cells come to the surface, and
active ingredients in your skin care — like antioxidants and retinoids —
penetrate better. "Regular exfoliating is also therapeutic if you have
acne-prone skin," says Dr. Glogau. One caveat: People who have sensitive
complexions or rosacea should skip this step — or at least exfoliate
less often — since those dead cells actually shield skin from
irritation.

What to try: The most effective, least
expensive options are grainy scrubs that have small, round particles.
Try St. Ives Elements Microdermabrasion ($7, drugstores) or SkinEffects
Cell2Cell Anti-Aging Exfoliating Cleansing Scrub ($10, CVS). "The
particles should be smooth and feel like sugar in your hand," says Dr.
Baumann. If they are too big or rough, they can tear skin. At-home
chemical exfoliators work more slowly and may cost more, but they too
help loosen dead cells. If manual scrubs are too harsh for your skin,
choose a chemical wash with glycolic acid, or try a gentler salicylic
acid formula (it may also treat acne). Try Aveda Enbrightenment
Brightening Cleanser ($35, aveda.com). And if you're also using a retinoid, try sloughing skin twice instead of three or four times weekly.


Years younger: 2-3. There are two provisos, say experts.
First, you've got to stick with it to keep seeing improvement. You'll
get even better results by also doing monthly doctor's-office peels
(glycolic acid or microdermabrasion), which remove the upper layer of
skin and may stimulate collagen production. Second, you'll benefit the
most if you combine this step with one (or more) of the others listed
here.


Step 6: Add Moisture

Why this works: By
menopause, the majority of women need a daily moisturizer. "It's what
gives skin that smooth, radiant look," explains Dr. Glogau. In fact,
most skin care that promises to improve the look of wrinkles in just a
few weeks is probably doing it by moisturizing.

What to try:
Effective hydrators include those, like glycerin and hyaluronic acid,
that draw water into the skin, and others that prevent water from
escaping, such as petrolatum and lanolin. Try Dove Deep Moisture Facial
Lotion SPF 15 ($7.49, drugstores) with glycerin. Natural moisturizers,
like olive, sunflower, and coconut oils, can also hydrate skin; skip
them, though, if you're prone to acne. Try: Kiss My Face Obsessively
Organic Under Age Ultra Hydrating Moisturizer ($21, Whole Foods) with
sunflower and grapeseed oils. What won't work: drinking more water.
There's little evidence that staying hydrated internally can do anything
to reduce wrinkles, though if you're dehydrated, water will definitely
give your skin a smoother look.

Years younger: 2-3. Though
they have to be reapplied in order to keep up the benefits,
moisturizers can help you look a few years younger almost immediately,
says Dr. Glogau.


Can light make you look younger?

Handheld
LED machines — scaled-down versions of the ones in dermatologists'
offices and spas — promise to stimulate collagen, improve skin texture
and tone, and smooth fine lines when their red and/or infrared light is
directed at your face. True? The Good Housekeeping Research Institute
put five recently introduced devices and their anti-aging claims to the
test. Volunteers followed each manufacturer's protocol, using the
handheld gizmos daily to once a week for four to six weeks. But with
very few exceptions, testers' fine lines and wrinkles were unchanged
after the prescribed periods. The bright spots: Evis M.D. Platinum Red
LED Rejuvenating Facial Light ($295, department stores) and Tända
Regenerate Anti-Aging Starter Kit ($275, Sephora) improved sunspots,
pores, and skin texture in lab evaluations. The bottom line: Though you
may get some skin benefits from at-home LED devices, these costly,
time-consuming treatments appear no more effective than a good face
cream at turning back the clock.





MEMBUAT YOGURT DENGAN SUSU BUBUK « BLOG YANG PUNYE BOBY FAHLEVI
Tidak hanya dengan susu cair dengan beberapa uji coba ternyata yougurt juga dapat dibuat dengan susu bubuk. susu bubuk yang digunakan adalah susu bubuk Dancou Fullcream dengan kultur Danone Activia yang Cream bukan yang Botol ya, atau bisa menggunakan Danone Milkual Yougurt yang cream juga bisa.

BAHAN-BAHAN:

1. 1 sendok yougurt danone activia atau milkuat

2. 2 bungkus dancou sachet kecil (lebih juga boleh dengan takaran biang yogurt ditambahkan)

3. 2 gelas Air matang suhu kamar (35-40 derajat celcius) jangan air panas nanti bakteri prebiotik mati)

4. botol atau wadah tertutup (kedap udara)

CARA MEMBUAT:

IMG6226A

1. aduk dua gelas air dengan 2 bungkus dancou sampai tidak merongkol lagi (tercampur rata), saya lebih menyukai menggunakan botol shakes karena cukup ampuh ratanya

IMG6227A



2. tambahkan 1/2 sendok ativia atau milkuat yogurt aduk rata

3. tutup botol atau wadah rapat

4. bungkus dengan kain/koran

5. simpan ditempat gelap dan rada hangat kayak pojok lemari (susu 30-40)

6. tunggu 15jam-24jam

7. jika terlihat air dan susu memisah berarti yougurt telah jadi simpan di kulkas (bukan Frezer)

8. bakteri bertahan 1minggu dikulkas dan sisa yogurt dpat digunakan berkali-kali (dicampur lagi dengan susu diatas

9. air dan susu akan memisah namun air tersebut jangan dibuang karena merupakan Air Whey yang berprotein dan dapat digunaikan untuk pelebut kue atau donat maupun diminum langsung karena rasanya menyegarkan

KEUNTUNGAN

1. murah

2. mudah

3. melancarkan pencernaan

4. tinggi kalsium dan protein

5. dapat digunakan untuk salad campuran jus buah

6. dapat digunakan untuk cuci muka dan masker kulit (lebih baik dari sabun pencuci muka)

7. obat jerawat (oleskan pada jerawat mampu mengempeskan jerawat)

8. mencerahkan kulit noda hitam dan keriput jika dioles ke kulit

9. untuk mengganti odol dan obat kumur

(yogurt akan menghilangkan bau mulut seketika dan mengobati sariawan dan sakit gigi terbukti karena bakteri baik akan membunuh bakteri jahat)



CARA MENCUCI MUKA DENGAN YOGURT

1. ambil 2 sendok yogurt

2. gosokkan ke wajah dan dipijat2 lembut

3. bilas dan keringkan

4 mampu mengangkat semua kotoran di wajah

5. untuk masker diamkan 15 menit baru dibilas


a note about Menara Antapani

source
TAHAPAN KEPEMILIKAN UNIT APARTEMEN MA

Menurut ‘Perjanjian Pengikatan Jual Beli Kepemilikan Atas Satuan Rumah Susun ( Apartemen ) di Menara Antapani – Bandung

no : 003/PPJB-MA-MKW/C/VII-03


1. Waktu selesai pembangunan ( Oktober 2003 di PPJB, Februari 2005 di PR on line 5 Agt 2002 ) adalah saat unit apartemen selesai dikerjakan dan izin layak huni telah diperoleh.

2. Dalam 30 hari setelah waktu selesai pembangunan ada surat ‘Pemberitahuan Selesai’. Pemilik diminta datang pada tanggal penyerahan.

3. Tanggal Penyerahan : waktu Berita Acara Serah Terima ditandatangani kedua pihak.

4. Dalam 14 hari setelah Serah Terima, pemilik boleh meminta perbaikan unitnya kepada developer jika kerusakan itu bukan disebabkan pemilik dan perbaikan dibatasi desain & spesifikasi. Jika sudah selesai diperbaiki pemilik diminta menandatangani Berita Acara Perbaikan.

5. Empat belas hari setelah penandatanganan Berita Acara Serah Terima, resiko atas unit apartemen beralih ke pemilik unit.

6. Dalam 30 hari kalender setelah ‘Berita Acara Serah Terima’ jika Perhimpunan Penghuni belum terbentuk, dibentuklah Perhimpunan Penghuni oleh pemilik bersama penghuni ( pasal 7.1 ), atau jika tidak, developer jadi pengelola sementara.

7. Pemilik wajib menjadi anggota Perhimpunan Penghuni, dan mematuhi Anggaran Dasar dan Anggaran Rumah Tangga yang ditetapkan oleh Perhimpunan Penghuni ( pasal 7.3 dan 7.4 ).

8. Para pemilik/ penghuni apartemen membayar iuran/ service charge kepada Perhimpunan Penghuni yang sudah terbentuk dengan unit pengelola yang dipilihnya dalam 3 bulan setelah Berita Acara Serah Terima.

9. Sanksi yang diperbolehkan terkait dengan keterlambatan pembayaran iuran adalah denda, pemutusan aliran listrik, air dll ( pasal 6.6 ).

10. Dalam 60 hari setelah ( sertifikat induk dipecah menjadi ) sertifikat hak milik atas satuan rumah susun ( masih atas nama developer ) diterbitkan oleh pihak berwenang ( BPN Bandung 1 ) developer akan mengirim surat ‘Pemberitahuan Penandatanganan’ kepada pemilik yang menyatakan Sertifikat Hak Milik telah diterbitkan dan pemilik diminta menandatangani Akta Jual Beli.

11. Dalam 15 hari setelah ‘Pemberitahuan Penandatanganan’, pemilik menandatangani Akta Jual Beli

12. Pemilik membalik nama sertifikat yang diperolehnya menjadi atas namanya ke BPN

13. Ongkos dan biaya hukum Akta Jual Beli, serta pajak, PBB, pungutan resmi yang ditetapkan pihak berwenang atas unit apartemen, ditanggung pemilik ( pasal 10.1 dan 10.2 ).



KONSEKUENSI ATAS KETERLAMBATAN/ KEGAGALAN PENYELESAIAN PROYEK

( bukan akibat keadaan Kahar ; bencana, perang, pemogokan umum, perubahan peraturan/ perundangan ) :

1. Jika developer lalai menyelesaikan pembangunan dan izin layak huni, pembeli unit memberi ‘Kesempatan Pertama’ selama 120 hari kalender tanpa denda dan ganti rugi kepada developer.

2. Jika terlampaui juga, pembeli unit masih memberi ‘Kesempatan Kedua’ selama 180 hari kalender kepada developer dengan denda 1 % perbulan dari harga unit yang sudah dibayar pemilik. Denda dibayar developer saat Berita Acara Serah Terima ditandatangani ( pasal 11.2 )

3. Jika developer tetap tak dapat menyelesaikan pembangunan setelah kesempatan kedua tsb, pihak kedua/ pembeli berhak mengakhiri PPJB secara sepihak dengan pemberitahuan pengakhiran perjanjian secara tertulis kepada developer. Developer wajib mengembalikan seluruh uang yang telah diterima dari pembeli ditambah denda dalam pasal 11.2

4. Developer dapat mengalihkan hak dan kewajibannya dalam PPJB setelah memberitahu pemilik secara tertulis setelah pengalihan tsb ( pasal 14.6 )



The world needs people who cannot be bought; who put character above wealth (via Ted Engstrom)

I took this line below from aactv. Ted Engstrom writes, 'The world needs people who cannot be bought; whose word is their bond; who put character above wealth; who possess opinions and a will; who are larger than their vocations; who don't hesitate to take chances; who won't lose their individuality in a crowd; who will be as honest in small things as they are in great things; who will make no compromise with wrong; whose ambitions are not confined to their own selfish desires; who will not say they do it 'because everybody else does it'; who are true to their friends through good report and evil report, in adversity as well as in prosperity; who do not believe that shrewdness, cunning and hard-heartedness are the best qualities for winning success; who are not afraid to stand for the truth even when it's unpopular; who say 'no' with emphasis, even though the rest of the world says 'yes'.' In what he calls a compromise of integrity, psychiatrist Leo Rangell analyses the relationship between former President Nixon and some of his closest confidants in the Watergate scandal. He records a conversation between Senator Howard Baker and Nixon aide Herbert Porter. Baker: 'Did you ever have qualms about what you were doing?' Porter: 'Yes, I did!' Baker: 'Why didn't you [do anything]?' Porter: '...Group pressure... the fear...of not being considered a team player.' So strive for integrity, not popularity!
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Friday, September 17, 2010

Dear Iran: Release Hikers Shane & Josh!

Source: Rolling Stones

More than a year ago, Shane Bauer, Josh Fattal and Sarah Shourd were arrested while hiking in Iraqi Kurdistan, along the Iraq/Iran border. Sarah was released Tuesday, but Shane and Josh remain behind bars in Tehran's Evin Prison, where they have been locked up for more than 400 days.

Demand that Iran's leaders release Shane and Josh immediately!

Iranian officials have alleged that they planned to carry out espionage. President Ahmadinejad alluded that they are being detained as bargaining chips to pressure the United States into making diplomatic concessions.

Enough is enough.Holding hostages is a human rights violation, and just plain wrong.Shane and Josh have been denied access to families & lawyers. Even Swiss Embassy officials, who represent the U.S. in Iran, have not been allowed to visit since April.According to Iranian and International law, protracted imprisonment without due process is illegal. No charges have been leveled. Iran, stop breaking your own laws!
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I hate you smokers

I just don't understand the mind of these poor people. You are poor and u smoke. You smoke rudely, don't respect other people who hate smoking.
U r really idiots, wasting your money to invite death coming to you! You are just useless fucking smokers, whoever u r, rich or poor. The most terribke thing they smoke rudely in the front of people who don't smoke like me. I hate these kind of people! I don't care you all die, it is your consequences of your habit! But don't make people get diseases because your stupid habit, bogans!
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Thursday, September 16, 2010

pemeriksaan EKG

Pemeriksaan EKG

Elektrokardiogram (EKG) adalah grafik yang dibuat oleh sebuah elektrokardiograf, yang merekam aktivitas kelistrikan jantung dalam waktu tertentu. Namanya terdiri atas sejumlah bagian yang berbeda: “elektro”, karena berkaitan dengan elektronika, “kardio”, kata Yunani untuk jantung, “gram”, sebuah akar Yunani yang berarti “menulis”. Analisis sejumlah gelombang dan vektor normal depolarisasi dan repolarisasi menghasilkan informasi diagnostik yang penting.

* Merupakan standar emas untuk diagnosis aritmia jantung
* EKG memandu tingkatan terapi dan risiko untuk pasien yang dicurigai ada infark otot jantung akut
* EKG membantu menemukan gangguan elektrolit (mis. hiperkalemia dan hipokalemia)
* EKG memungkinkan penemuan abnormalitas konduksi (mis. blok cabang berkas kanan dan kiri)
* EKG digunakan sebagai alat tapis penyakit jantung iskemik selama uji stres jantung
* EKG kadang-kadang berguna untuk mendeteksi penyakit bukan jantung (mis. emboli paru atau hipotermia)

Elektrokardiogram tidak menilai kontraktilitas jantung secara langsung. Namun, EKG dapat memberikan indikasi menyeluruh atas naik-turunnya suatu kontraktilitas

Sejarah

Alexander Muirhead menghubungkan kabel ke pergelangan tangan pasien yang sakit untuk memperoleh rekaman detak jantung pasien selama kuliah untuk DSc-nya (dalam listrik) pada tahun 1872 di St. Bartholomew’s Hospital.Aktivitas ini direkam secara langsung dan divisualisasikan menggunakan elektrometer kapiler Lippmann oleh seorang fisiolog Britania bernama John Burdon Sanderson.

Orang pertama yang mengadakan pendekatan sistematis pada jantung dari sudut pandang listrik adalah Augustus Waller, yang bekerja di St. Mary’s Hospital di Paddington, London. Mesin elektrokardiografnya terdiri atas elektrometer kapiler Lippmann yang dipasang ke sebuah proyektor. Jejak detak jantung diproyeksikan ke piringan foto yang dipasang ke sebuah kereta api mainan. Hal ini memungkinkan detak jantung untuk direkam dalam waktu yang sebenarnya. Pada tahun 1911 ia masih melihat karyanya masih jarang diterapkan secara klinis.

Gebrakan bermula saat seorang dokter Belanda kelahiran Kota Semarang, Hindia Belanda (kini Indonesia) bernama Willem Einthoven, yang bekerja di Leiden, Belanda, menggunakan galvanometer senar yang ditemukannya pada tahun 1901, yang lebih sensitif daripada elektrometer kapiler yang digunakan Waller.[10]

Einthoven menuliskan huruf P, Q, R, S dan T ke sejumlah defleksi, dan menjelaskan sifat-sifat elektrokardiografi sejumlah gangguan kardiovaskuler. Pada tahun 1924, ia dianugerahi Penghargaan Nobel dalam Fisiologi atau Kedokteran untuk penemuannya.

Meski prinsip dasar masa itu masih digunakan sekarang, sudah banyak kemajuan dalam elektrokardiografi selama bertahun-tahun. Sebagai contoh, peralatannya telah berkembang dari alat laboratorium yang susah dipakai ke sistem elektronik padat yang sering termasuk interpretasi elektrokardiogram yang dikomputerisasikan.

Gelombang dan interval

Sebuah EKG yang khas melacak detak jantung normal (atau siklus jantung) terdiri atas 1 gelombang P, 1 kompleks QRS dan 1 gelombang T. Sebuah gelombang U kecil normalnya terlihat pada 50-75% di EKG. Voltase garis dasar elektrokardiogram dikenal sebagai garis isoelektrik. Khasnya, garis isoelektrik diukur sebagai porsi pelacakan menyusul gelombang T dan mendahului gelombang P berikutnya.


Gambaran skematik EKG normal

 

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Thank you for a friend who just gave a comment regarding the old post titled "Societies without God are more benevolent". I really appreciate it.
That article is just personal opinion of the Guardian's writer.

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Tuesday, September 14, 2010

He is vital to my existence

When life has knocked us down, the Breath of the Almighty renews our life and refreshes our strength. He is vital to our existence! Thx, aactv for the reminder.
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"Langkah adaptasi perubahan iklim di Indonesia masih setengah hati kalau tak bisa dibilang ‘lip service", Zadrach said.

 Pakar iklim ITB, Zadrach L Dupe, menyatakan curah hujan luar biasa itu harus disadari bersama sebagai eksistensi dari perubahan iklim global yang terjadi. Kondisi itu tak bisa dilihat terpisah dari kerusakan lingkungan yang menyebabkan perubahan iklim lokal. Karena perubahan iklim lokal yang tersebar di berbagai wilayah menambah banyak titik panas sebagai pemicu peningkatan global warming. "Beradaptasi dengan perubahan iklim yang terjadi itu yang paling penting. Seringkali kita hanya mau ributnya mengkampanyekan, tapi kita tak mau melakukan adaptasi dengan sebenarnya," ujar Zadrach.Secara sederhana, Zadrach mengungkapkan sebenarnya tak ada yang berubah dari pola musim di Indonesia yang dikenal sejak dulu konsisten memiliki dua musim, yakni musim hujan dan kemarau. Dalam setahun, iklim Indonesia terbagi empat blok yakni musim kemarau pada Juni-Juli-Agustus, pancaroba kemarau ke hujan bulan September-Oktober-November. Kemudian dilanjut dengan musim hujan Desember-Januari-Februari dan pancaroba hujan ke kemarau pada Maret-April-Mei. "Perubahan iklim ini yang bisa menyebabkan apakah akan terjadi kemarau basah atau kemarau panjang. Karena faktor perubahan global tak bisa dihindari, adaptasi menjadi sangat penting," tuturnya. Zadrach melihat langkah adaptasi perubahan iklim di Indonesia masih setengah hati kalau tak bisa dibilang 'lip service'. Dia mengkritik banyaknya perusahaan atau instansi yang menjual kampanye penanaman pohon untuk menyatakan diri sebagai pahlawan ekologi. Sebuah perusahaan mobil misalnya mempublikasikan akan menanam satu pohon jika menjual satu mobil. Padahal kalkulasi emisi CO2 dari sebuah mobil rata-rata mencapai 6 ton per tahun yang harus diserap setidaknya 90-100 batang pohon berusia dewasa setiap tahun. "Rata-rata satu pohon hanya menyerap 70 kilogram CO2 per tahun, tapi sangat mudah dia bisa mengklaim sebagai pahlawan ekologi dengan hanya menanam satu pohon setiap menjual satu mobil," ujar Zadrach. Dia berharap semua orang jangan terpaku pada kampanye besar, tetapi memulai usaha menata lingkungan sendiri dengan menanam lebih banyak pohon di rumah dan lingkungan mereka untuk meredusir dampak perubahan iklim. (A-132)***
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The ABCs of Tea Aficionados explain how to buy it, brew it, and slurp it


By Heather Eng, March 2008 issue (budgettravel.com)

1. Shopping "Look at the leaves. If they're tippy (younger leaves from
the tops of tea plants), they'll have a silver, gold, or light brown
color. These are the better-quality leaves." Gary Shinner, CEO and
founder, Mighty Leaf Tea

2. Cultivating a taste "Start with Earl Grey or a flavored tea you
know you'll like. As time goes on, you'll be ready to try different
kinds. It's like the first time you tried whiskey or coffee and
thought, Why did I drink this stuff? By the fourth time, you'll
probably think that it tastes pretty good." John Harney, founder,
Harney & Sons Tea Company
A Harney & Sons gift bag (Morgan & Owens) [enlarge photo]

3. Etiquette "If you're doing a tea tasting in Asia, it's normal to
slurp your tea. Slurping mixes the tea with oxygen, bringing out more
flavor. But don't slurp if you're not in a teahouse; people may not
understand what you're doing and think you're rude." Dan Robertson,
owner, The Tea House, an importer

4. Pairing with food "Stronger infusions go with stronger foods.
Oolong stands up to spicier cuisines. Assam, a strong black tea from
India, partners well with cream dishes. On the milder side, Japanese
green tea complements seafood well." Sebastian Beckwith, cofounder, In
Pursuit of Tea, an importer

5. Culinary uses "In Japan, tea goes into things like gum and ice
cream. I've also had tea butters, Earl Grey chocolate mousse, and
tea-based soups. If you find a tea you like while traveling, bring it
home and use it in your cooking." Susan McKeen, editor in chief, Tea
Experience Digest

6. Keeping tea fresh "When I travel, I put tea in a Ziploc bag and
make sure it stays out of the sun, because light will fade the leaves
and leach out the flavor. I also have an immersion heater so I can
heat up water in my hotel room." Mary Lou Heiss, coauthor, The Story
of Tea: A Cultural History and Drinking Guide

7. Brewing "Bring the water to a boil for black teas, but only heat
the water to around 180 degrees (just before it boils) for green and
white teas. Pour the water over the tea rather than dropping in a tea
bag, so the leaves get hot enough to open fully." Bill Hall, partner,
Charleston Tea Plantation

8. Cooling off "When you cool hot tea by adding ice cubes, it gets
watery. Instead, fill a Ziploc bag with ice and put it in the tea. Or
make ice cubes out of tea." Nicky Perry, owner, Tea & Sympathy, a New
York City teahouse

Fancy a spot of tea?
On March 7, we're giving away a Harney & Sons gift bag (filled with
tea, preserves, and nuts) via our blog. Keep an eye on our homepage!

Five myths about prostitution

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/10/AR2010091002670.html?wpisrc=nl_pmopinions
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Monday, September 13, 2010

The student's quest for the ideal CV

 | Carl Andrew | Comment is free | guardian.co.uk

 

A degree is not enough. These days, students have to do much more than study in order to make themselves employable once they graduate. They are forced into a balancing act as they juggle their time between their degree, extracurricular activities and that golden nugget of CV enhancement: work experience or internship.

 

From the moment they begin their degree, students now must look for the best ways to make themselves marketable. Leaving it late (I started building my CV in the second year) has made me realise just how much this put me at a disadvantage.

 

Joining student societies is not necessarily just a matter of personal interest or enjoyment. Serving as president of the Fifa Appreciation Society, the Free Hugs Society (does pretty much what it says on the tin) or the Comic Books Society is not going to look very impressive on your CV. Employers are far more likely to look for students who have instead been president of their university's politics, history or debating society.

 

This can also be harmful for the societies when students join them, or seek positions within them, purely to boost their employability. Last year, I turned away a student from the Just Vote campaign I was organising (to encourage voting in the general election) when he mentioned that his CV was the only reason he was planning to come on board. Hypocritical though this may seem, it made me realise he would not put in the full effort this position needed and was purely applying for personal ambition.

 

The same can be said of the unpaid work experience that I and many of my friends undertook during the summer. This was not wholly for my CV, but also partly to help me decide which career I wanted to follow.

 

It is true that the bigger the name of the company where you do work experience the better it looks on your CV. But that does not necessarily mean you will gain any useful experience with a big-name organisation.

 

A friend of mine dropped out of a placement with a well-known NGO after one week due to the lack of experience she was getting, and the way she was treated as the office slave. She argued that making coffee, photocopying articles and filing offered no real benefit for her – though her friends thought she was foolish to give up this opportunity.

 

At a recent careers event, I listened to other students talk of how they spent every available week during the university holidays in placements at different companies, constantly attempting to enhance their CV and chasing that improbable goal of getting a job guaranteed before finishing their degree.

 

It disheartened me, and scared me, as I realised that I would never be able to replicate the number of work experience placements they had managed.

 

The pressures on students to make themselves the perfect job candidates are huge, and they are forced to look for new and creative ways to make themselves stand out from the crowd. Interning in another country is one such example, such as the intern scheme for UK students at the US Congress. The scheme is unpaid and a very costly; and students have to fund their own time there, so, as with many similar opportunities, it is purely for those who have the money. But for those who can afford it, the career benefits probably outweigh the costs.

 

University is becoming less a time for lazing around and more about building up experiences and creating connections. With more applicants to university each year, and fewer jobs, it looks as if the task is getting even more difficult for students as the expectations become higher.

 

postcard-australia-big-country-comparing-to-ukjapan-usa-europe-asia-new-zealand-australia-melbourne


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Saccharine Appeasement : Atheist smokes holy books in YouTube video


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Saccharine Appeasement : Atheist smokes holy books in YouTube video

Queensland Lawyer Alex Stewart smokes pages from the Koran and Bible | News.com.au

 

Holy smoke

  Alexander Stewart has posted a 12-minute clip on YouTube and says people should "get over" burning holy books. Pictures: Annette Dew Source: The Courier-Mail  

Holy smoke

  Mr Stewart said he was smoking lawn clippings in the 12-minute clip. Source: The Courier-Mail  

A BRISBANE-based atheist has risked inflaming political and religious tensions by posting a video on YouTube showing him burning pages from both the Koran and the Bible.

The video, by lawyer and Brisbane Atheists member, Alex Stewart, 29, comes as international outrage continues over the proposed burning of multiple copies of the Koran by a radical Christian pastor in the US.

Yesterday, the president of the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils, Ikebal Patel, slammed the video.

"I think it's highly offensive that he has done this to two of the holiest books in the world," Mr Patel said.

"It does not in any way add any value to trying to promote world peace and the consideration of different views - especially when there are heightened tensions around the anniversary of September 11 and the Eid el Fitr (end of Ramadan) celebrations."

The 12-minute YouTube video, one of more than 90 posted by Mr Stewart, shows the Queensland University of Technology-employed lawyer tearing pages from both books and using the paper to roll what looks to be marijuana cigarettes.

After smoking both he gives marks out of 10 - rating the Bible as a better burner than the Koran.

In his commentary, he said people should just "get over" the burning of books like the Bible or the Koran.

"I guess that's the point with all this crap," he said.

"It's just a f---ing book. Who cares? It's your beliefs that matter. Quite frankly, if you are going to get upset about a book, you're taking life way too seriously."

Yesterday, Mr Stewart told The Courier-Mail he expected people to be offended by the video but was not worried about reprisals.

He said although it looked like marijuana, he was actually smoking lawn clippings.

"The video was a joke video, of course. I never actually do drugs. People do this stuff all the time and if people get really upset about this then they're taking it far too seriously," Mr Stewart said.

He said basic freedoms, like the freedom of speech, should not be revoked just because someone might be offended.

Queensland Council for Civil Liberties president Michael Cope said he didn't believe Mr Stewart had contravened the Queensland Anti-Discrimination Act.

He said penalties for blasphemy had also been removed from the Criminal Code.

"I don't think on the face of it that what he's done is an offence . . . nor do we think it should be," Mr Cope said

Anglican Church spokesman, Dean Peter Catt, labelled it a stunt that on one level was humorous.

"But I can accept that some people would be scandalised by it," he said.

Father Catt encouraged people not to take offence, which would just escalate the issue, as had occurred with the threat by radical Florida Christian evangelist Terry Jones to conduct a mass burning of the Koran on September 11, unless Muslim plans to build an Islamic centre near the Ground Zero site were scrapped.

A QUT spokesman said the university would seek an urgent meeting with Mr Stewart.

 

Christian church leaders stabbed, assaulted in Indonesia

Christian church leaders stabbed, assaulted in Indonesia | News.com.au
A CHRISTIAN church leader was stabbed in the stomach and a reverend was beaten up in an attack on a group of worshippers in Indonesia yesterday.

The Christian church leaders were attacked as they prayed in a field in Bekasi, West Java, the Jakarta Globe reported.

The attack followed tension between the congregation and Islamic extremists in the region.

The hard-line religious group the Islamic Defenders Front (FDI) and Bakasi Mayor Mochtar Mohammad even prevented the Christian congregation from holding religious services in their local church, which was sealed shut.

The group to was instead forced to hold services in a field.

Saor Siagian, a lawyer representing the Batak Christian Protestant Church's (HKBP) Pondok Timur Indah congregation, told the newspaper that the church leaders were stabbed by unknown motorcyclists during yesterday's service. More, click this


Sunday, September 12, 2010

Societies without God are more benevolent

 | Nick Cohen | Comment is free | The Observer
Writing sometime around the 10th century BC, the furious author of Psalm 14 thundered against those who say there is no God. "They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good." If the denunciations of wicked atheists coming from today's apologists for religion are any guide, the spirit of Iron Age Israel is abroad in 21st-century Britain.

In advance of the pope's visit, clergymen and commentators are deploying every variety of bogus argument against those who advocate the superiority of secularism. Edmund Adamus, director of pastoral affairs for the Catholic diocese of Westminster, led the way when he denounced the "wasteland" secularism produced. If he had been condemning the atheist tyrannies of communism and fascism, I would have no complaint. However, Adamus was not objecting to Cuba, China or North Korea, but to the wasteland of secular, democratic Britain "with its ever-increasing commercialisation of sex, not to mention its permissive laws advancing the 'gay' agenda".

Rightwing columnists and, depressingly but predictably in these appeasing times, leftwing journalists have joined the moaning chorus. The arguments of Geoffrey Robertson QC and Professor Richard Dawkins that the cops had grounds to ask the pope to account for his church's failure to stop the rape of children in its care drove them wild. "The hysterical and abusive nature of some of the attacks on the pope will do nothing but discredit secularism," said Andrew Brown in the Guardian. "I accept, of course, that lots of secular humanists are tolerant and reasonable people," says the more restrained and judicious Stephen Glover of the Mail. "But there is a hard core which embraces and promotes atheism with the blind fervour of religious zealots."

Not all of those who condemn atheism are pious themselves, as the presence of journalists among their number suggests. Rather, they believe in piety for the masses and fear that without religion the lower orders will lose their moral bearings. "All religions are equally sublime to the ignorant, useful to the politician and ridiculous to the philosopher," said Lucretius. And behind many of the demands of today's religious apologists that we "respect" Catholicism, Islam, Hinduism, Judaism and even the Scientology cult lies a desire to keep the plebs in their place by protecting their ridiculous but politically useful beliefs. Although I am proud to be on the board of the National Secular Society, Britain's most urgently needed pressure group, I am not a militant atheist. I have seen too many vicars being moved by their Anglicanism to dedicate their lives to others to agree with Christopher Hitchens's bald statement that "religion poisons everything".

But the notion that in free countries atheism promotes intolerance and immorality is demonstrably false. Last year, Californian sociologist Phil Zuckerman responded with facts rather than witless abuse to claims from Christian psychologists and theologians that atheists were "selfish and pusillanimous curmudgeons", "unnatural" or "just damn angry". He pulled together the available evidence and found that the more atheists or agnostics a free society has the more moral it becomes.

Predictably, atheists were far more likely to be tolerant supporters of women's rights and gay rights than believers. The pope, like militant Islamists, orthodox Jews and the ultras in every faith cannot see that struggles for female and homosexual emancipation are among the most moral causes of our age. But as believers in a sternly misogynist and homophobic god, they must want to be tough on crime.

If so, they should welcome the contribution that atheists make to promoting law and order. A study in the 1990s found that a meagre 0.2% of the US prison population were atheists. In America, the states with the highest murder rates tend to be highly religious, such as Louisiana and Alabama, but the states with the lowest murder rates are among the least religious in the country, such as Vermont and Oregon.

True, there is some evidence to suggest that atheists and agnostics are more likely to engage in underage drinking and illicit drug use. But the wider conclusion on the links between crime and religious belief holds good: if you want safe streets, move to a godless neighbourhood.

Atheism and secularism, Zuckerman continued, are also correlated with higher levels of education and lower levels of prejudice not only against women and gays, but people from other ethnicities as well. For good measure, atheists were less likely to beat their children and more likely to encourage them to think independently.

In many US courtrooms, judges restrict or deny child custody rights to atheist parents. If they want children to grow up to be law-abiding citizens, and not end up back in court as juvenile delinquents, they should stand that policy on its head.

What applies at city and state level applies internationally. Sweden, the most secular country in the world, gives the highest proportion of its gross domestic product in aid. Of the top 10 aid donors, only the United States is a strongly religious country. Needless to add, the oil-rich and religion-saturated Iran and Saudi Arabia are nowhere near making the premier league of charitable nations, which should not be a surprise because Iran concentrates its overseas efforts on exporting terrorism, while Saudi Arabia uses its petrodollars to promote its brutal Wahhabi theology.

An easy point to make is that secular democrats do not stone women to death for adultery or murder Afghan teachers for the crime of teaching girls to read and write. But it is not entirely irrelevant to the argument about the papal visit. Robertson's and Dawkins's enemies can accuse them of being "hysterical" and "abusive" and in the grip of the "blind fervour of religious zealots" while knowing that secularists will not respond by trying to kill them. Ever since the ayatollah Khomeini's fatwa against Salman Rushdie they have not dared use the same language about real abusive and hysterical zealots, who just might.

Not that I agree with Robertson and Dawkins that the police should arrest the pope. The best way for anyone caught up in religious crimes to make amends is to convert to secularism. The odds are that they will be better people for it.