Formal inaugural ceremony of Soekarno-Hatta statue

(picture taken from : www.geocites.com)

Today 29 August 2007, the Soekarno-Hatta statue will be formally inaugurated by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on 10.00 am. It will be officially stand up beside the highway of Soekarno-Hatta (the highway to the Sukarno-Hatta airport) exactly in the middle of Sheraton Hotel garden.

The statue was made from bronze and it was made on Soenaryo Studio in Bandung for eight months. Meanwhile the foundation of the statue takes time about six month to make it.

According to Alfon (the chairman of Soekarno-Hatta statue project) Soekarno's statue will be in standing position with the right hand forefinger pointing to the front of airport exit, meanwhile Hatta's statue will be holding a book in his left hand.

The statue will be standing on top of the foundation which was equip with black marble ceramic 4.8 meter in height, 5.2 meter in width, and 4.6 meter in length. The total weight of the statue is 7 ton, with height nearly 7.2 meter, and width dimension 4.4 meter.

According to Muhammad Wasfan (the speaker for PT Angkasa Pura II), "The statue will be the symbol of Indonesia for the International world". I myself feel very proud of the statue and I do hope it will make a good symbol for Indonesia :)

Children Kidnapping

(picture taken from :www.deplujunior.org)

In Jakarta, recently there is a trend in crime, it is children kidnapping. There are a few motifs in this kidnapping: economical problem, revenge, and children black market selling. The latest one is the case of Raisha kidnapping, a daughter of a coal entrepreneur name Ali Said. Fortunately the kidnapping case has ended with Raisha brought back to her parent and the kidnapper arrested by the police.

During July to August 2008 according to POLDA metro JAYA (Police force for Jakarta), seven case of kidnapping happened in Jakarta, fortunately all the case has been handled. And most of them ended with happiness.

To prevent children kidnapping. There are a few steps that you can follow:

1. Educate your children to obey the old rule “NEVER TALK TO STRANGER”
2. Tell and educated your child to run from danger. A danger is when someone or something gets in their personal space using force without they wanting it.
3. Tell them to shout out loud if someone that they don't know try to grab them
4. Tell them to use any force that is necessary to get lose from the unknown person
5. Always watch your children carefully, never let them go without anyone that you know taking care and keep an eye on them.
6. Talk to them about security and give them the comfort around you.
7. Make sure that your child know how to take care of them self around danger
8. Give them a list of family member data that they can call when they need it
9. Learn the route that your children have to pass by when they go to school or any where they have to go, so you are familiar to the route

Hope the tips can help you in taking care of your children, and hope the kidnapping case will not be happening again.

Please do take care….

Danger in Children Toys

After US and Europe Company withdraw many toys from China (Fisher-Price corp. withdraws almost 1 million and RC2 withdraw1.5 million of "Thomas the train", followed with Mattel company). APMETI (Indonesian association for educative and traditional toys activist) initiatively check a car model toy sample at Succofindo lab. And the result was very astonishing, the toy containing 353 milligram of plumbum per weight, which is 4 times higher than the standard of plumbum allowed.

Dhanang Sasongko the chairman of APMETI said that nearly 80 % toys from China contain toxic substance and plumbum. The characteristic of toys from China which suspected to contain dangerous substance are: made from plastic, 50% cheaper than regular toys, the weight are more light compared to local product. According to Dhanang, most of the toys are balls, car models (car toys), and dolls.

Toys that containing dangerous substance can be harmful if it contact with hot temperature, because the dangerous substance can decompose during the heating. The effect can't be seen in short terms, but if children play with toys that containing dangerous substance like plumbum for a long term it can cause autism, breathing problem, asthma, and low mind concentration.

Surprisingly until now, the government hasn’t done anything to control toys importer. Meanwhile the imported toys from China to Indonesia are constantly increasing.
Hemm...First it was food that containing formalin, now Plumbum in our children toys, then what else??

I do think Indonesian government has to make strict rules for imported goods if they care enough about the people of Indonesia.

Bali

I have just read from a magazine (cita-cinta, august edition) that Bali Island again for six time in a row chosen to be the best tourism Island in the world. The award was from "Travel Leisure" a tourism magazine in USA base on a survey to all the reader around the world. The survey points are in the landscape beauty, restaurant, tourism place, tourism activity and the nature of the people. Bali won the survey with 86.30 percent.

The award was given by Nancy Novogrod (the head of Travel Leisure redaction) and July Mc Gowan (the publisher of the magazine) to the Indonesia consul in New York on 23 July evening, accepted by Trie Edi Mulyani as Indonesian representative.

The other award was given to:

Florence as the best city, Oberoi Udaivilas, Udaipur, India as the Best hotel, Crystal Cruises as the Best large ship cruise line, SeaDream Yacht Club as the Best small ship cruise line, Micato Safaris as the Best tour operator/safari outfitter, Midwest Airlines as the Best domestic airline, and Singapore Airlines as the Best international airline.

Hemm... I wonder, can Indonesia in the future win all the award? Wow that would be so magnificent. In the meanwhile all of us should be very proud for Bali to win the award of the best Tourism Island in the world. Congratulation to Bali and the people in Bali. Hope we can hold up to the award :)

Indonesia raya

(Picture taken from www.indoupload.net )

In the month of Indonesian Independence Day celebration, there's a hot issue in Indonesia. Roy Suryo a well known Indonesian informatics expert, claims that he have found a video clip about Indonesia Raya songs (Indonesian nationality song) in full version which covering 2 part of the song which is now has gone from the new Indonesia raya song (the version that we use now).

Roy Suryo with "air putih" team claim that they found the original version of the song from a video that kept in a museum in Leiden-Holland. But lots of Indonesian people also claim that they have know the three step of Indonesia raya long before Roy Suryo found it.

Des Alwi one of Indonesia historical well known person said that the video was not the original one. He said that the original one is still in his hand. He said that in that video he act as the producer. The video showing the preparation of Indonesia independence whit text of the Indonesia Raya song included.


Indonesia Raya song since first introduce by the author W.R Supratman in 1928 was introduce as Indonesian nationality song. So which one said the truth actually is not really important. The important thing is one of Indonesia historical moment with historical song that help us through the struggle of independence has been found. And as a big nation we should honor this finding to enrich our history.

Although deep inside I still a little bit wonder why does the three step of original Indonesia Raya song vanish from the Indonesia raya song that we know right now as our nationality song? Is there anyone know the answer?

This is the Indonesia raya text that was claim as the original one:


Indonesia tanah airku, Tanah tumpah darahku.
Disanalah aku berdiri, Jadi pandu ibuku.
Indonesia kebangsaanku, Bangsa dan Tanah Airku.
Marilah kita berseru "Indonesia bersatu."

Hiduplah tanahku, Hiduplah negriku,
Bangsaku, Rakyatku, semuanya.
Bangunlah jiwanya, Bangunlah badannya
Untuk Indonesia Raya.

Refrain:
Indonesia Raya,
Merdeka, Merdeka
Tanahku, negriku yang kucinta.

Indonesia Raya,
Merdeka, Merdeka
Hiduplah Indonesia Raya.

Indonesia Raya,
Merdeka, Merdeka
Tanahku, negriku yang kucinta.

Indonesia Raya,
Merdeka, Merdeka
Hiduplah Indonesia Raya.

Indonesia! Tanah yang mulia, Tanah kita yang kaya.
Di sanalah aku berada Untuk slama-lamanya.
Indonesia, Tanah pusaka, Pusaka Kita semuanya.
Marilah kita mendoa, "Indonesia bahagia!"

Suburlah Tanahnya, Suburlah jiwanya,
Bangsanya, Rakyatnya semuanya.
Sadarlah hatinya, Sadarlah budinya
Untuk Indonesia Raya.

Refrain

Indonesia! Tanah yang suci, Tanah kita yang sakti.
Disanalah aku berdiri menjaga ibu sejati.
Indonesia! Tanah berseri, Tanah yang aku sayangi.
Marilah kita berjanji: "Indonesia abadi!"

Slamatlah Rakyatnya, Slamatlah putranya,
Pulaunya, lautnya semuanya.
Majulah Negrinya, Majulah Pandunya
Untuk Indonesia Raya.

Refrain

(taken from wikipedia.com)

Earthquake in Java on 9 August 2007

On 9 August 2007 12: 04 am Indonesian zone time (Wednesday, August 8, 2007 at 17:04:58 (UTC)), an earthquake with the magnitude of 7.5 happened n the Java island in Indonesia (Indramayu is the exact place). With the exact location on 5.968°S, 107.655°E, and depth: 289.2 km (179.7 miles). The earthquake can be feel slightly in Jakarta and several cities near Jakarta, Bandung, Cirebon, and Sukabumi.

A website (http://astrosymm.com/earthquakes.htm) said that this earthquake have a connection with the astral position, it said that, the three-dimensional aspect of the Sun-Star angles related to the earthquake. There are four axes involved within the ecliptic or Sun-Earth plane for this earthquake: 1) Aldebaran, 2) Uranus, 3) Jupiter-Antares and 4) Venus-Saturn-Regulus. The angles of approximately 80 and 100 degrees match the long-standing angle of powerful Regulus with energetic Antares of 99.9. On an annual basis on August 6th, the Sun is about 116 degrees from Antares. On this day the 3-D angles to energetic stars Achernar and Deneb outside the Sun-Earth or Ecliptic plane are about the same, and On August the 8th, there are still Sun-Star angles which match quite closely- symmetric angles at approximately 114, 116 and 118 degrees. The similar star position also appears in the two San Francisco earthquakes occurred 83.5 years apart. Is there any connection between the stars position with the movement of the earth?? There is still need to be research before we make the conclusion. But it is quite amazing to know about the similarity that happened.

We haven’t find a way to prohibit earthquake, but we can do things to make our self secure and save when earthquake come (although I do hope it wont come again or if it comes it wont be big or dangerous). This is some tips to make yourself secure:

1. Know where the places that can be dangerous in your house like electricity power box, stove, gas or other things.

2. If you have a big place with big amount of people you have to find the safeties way to get out and evacuate. If the proximate time to move out is more than 1 minuet than you have to find a solid place to take cover.

3. Prepared tools that might be needed when earthquake comes (flashlight, blanket, water, medicine, etc)

4. Move away from the building, and find an open space. After that stay still and drop yourself to the ground and hold on, take cover, do not move too much.

5. If there is an injury, try to cover it and clean it as soon as possible.

Hope it will give you some safety and secure from the earthquake. But the ultimate way to be safe from the earthquake is to pray to God to keep us always safe and secureJ. Hope Indonesia will be safe.

Formalin In Food

The hottest issue in Indonesia this past week (except the PILKADA DKI issue) is the issue of formalin in food imported from China. There are about more than 39 of foods that tested and positively contain formalin.

Formalin is dangerous chemical substance for human body. In short term using of formalin can cause irritation in the inhaler system, nauseous, and burning feeling in the throat. And in the long term it can cause heart, cor, brain, pancreas, nerve system and kidney damages. The common characteristics of food that contain formalin: have a long storage time before it can be rotten (last fresh longer), fluffy, soft texture, and have brighter color.

The government has declare two rule for formalin, that is The Ministry of health rule number 472 year 1996 about dangerous substance for human health, and from the ministry of industry and commerce number 254 year 2000 about the commerce rule of import and dangerous substance circulation, Both declaring that formalin is a dangerous substance and the using of formalin have to be carefully watched.

This is the list of a few food imported form China that contain formalin :
Mr. Mike Coffee Candy, Coffee Candy Huijia Food, Gingseng Candy, Crispy Candy, Corn Flavour Gelatinous Candy with Vegetable Gel, Syrup Soft Candy Ronggui Soft Candy, Kabi Candy Xin Lian Xin Rui Qun (pink), Xiao Mi Mi Candy, Kabi Candy Xin Lian Cin Rui Qun (Green). red Cherry sweets, Guo Dan Shan Zha Guang Qi Xiang Foods, Thailand Style Zhancui Jiuzhi Ximei Plum, Thailand Style Zhancui Jiuzhi Ximei Olive, Jibao Brand Preserved Mandarin Peel, Lobster peanut Crysp, Yake candy, Preserved Prune Jibao Chen Pi Mei, Preserved Prune Dayau (blue), Flake Juice Plum Dayau (red),Preserved Prune Dayau (yellow), (red Kiamboy, white Kiamboy , White Rabbit Creamy Candy), dry Cherry's Plum , White Rabbit Soft Candy Manggo, White Rabbit Soft Candy Lychee, red Swammei sweets and white slice mango, Citrun Peel Candy, Fuji Fruit Candy, Fei Lu Pai Applem Huikang Holis, Suxian Peanut, Kana candy and Sanca candy.

WOW THAT'S A LONG LIST OF FOODS. Now days when everyone wants to get a lot of money with low cost, we as a consumer really have to be cleaver to pick what the best product for us especialy for our foods.

SPMB 2007

(images from www.unimal.ac.id)

Today 3 August 2007 the result of SPMB (Indonesian selection to get in state university) will be announced. For many of Indonesian student to get in a state university is precious and prestige for them and also their parent.

State university among Indonesian people known to be low cost education but have a good qualified university. People who is graduated from a well know state university usually get bigger chance in job opportunity. That is why today lots of Indonesia student who graduated for high school waiting for the result announcement with impatient.

Unfortunately some people who have no responsibility take the advantage of this moment by trying to sell the announcement result of SPMB by SMS (Short message service) but the result are not the official one and the true is not guaranteed. According to the center committee of SPMB in Jakarta, the official result announcement is only from the website www.spmb.or.id on 2 august 2007 since 08.00 pm and from the newspaper on 3 August 2007.

Hope the student of Indonesia is smart enough to know which one to believe in. And hope they can get in the state university of their choice and be the best for Indonesia :)