WELCOME in MUBIN BLOG

Pesangon Kiai

2011-05-21T15:21:00.004+07:00

Sejumlah kiai NU dari jawa timur mendatangi Gus Dur di Istana Negara ketika masih Presiden, layaknya kiai, mereka pakai sarung, sandal jepit. Paspampres mencegat mereka. “Maaf, Pak. Sesuai aturan, untuk masuk Istana Negara harus memakai sepatu. “kata paspampres. Para kiai itu bingung. Ditengah kebingungan tiba-tiba Gus Dur datang. “Lho, kenapa kami dilarang masuk, itu presidennya saja memakai sandal.” Ujar seorang kiai sambil menunjuk kaki Gus Dur yang memakai sandal jepit.
Akhirnya mereka pun masuk. Menjelang tengah malam, paspampres datang mengingatkan

presiden untuk istirahat. Para kiai kembali bingung karena masih ingin ngobrol dengan Gus Dur.
“ah,.. ini repotnya jadi Presiden. Sudah, kita diam-diam saja masuk dikamar. Kita bercerita disana.” Kata Gus Dur lalu mengajak para kiai kekamar tidurnya. Paspamres dilarang masuk kamar presiden. Aman.
Setelah lama bercerita, para kiai itupun pamit. “sudah, kenapa masih tinggal. Pulang saja.” Kata Gus Dur saat mereka pamit, tetapi mereka tidak beranjak dari kamar itu. “Gus, biasanya kalu kiai dipanggil presiden dikasih pesangon (amplop berisi uang). Itu yang kami tunggu, kata seorang kiai.
“Ingaat, sesama kiai dilarang meminta pesangon”. Ungkap Gus Dur.

Jack, Queen dan King

2011-05-21T15:04:00.004+07:00

Suatu hari disekolah TK, bu guru bertanya pada murid-muridnya,..
Bu Guru : Siapa yang bisa berhitung ?
Si Neli mengangkat tangan,….
Bu Guru : Benar kamu bisa berhitung ?
Si Neli : Bisa, Bu Gur,.. dengan nada lantang
Bu Guru : Baik, Coba ibu tanya, setelah tiga berapa ?
Si Neli : Empat Bu Guru…

Bu Guru : Baguuus,..setelah enam ?
Si Neli : Tujuh, Bu,..!!!
Bu Guru : Bagus,… ternyata ayah kamu benar-benar pandai dalam mengajar berhitung dirumah,.. pertanyaan terakhir ini,… berapa kalo setelah sepuluh,..?
Si Neli menjawab dengan penuh semangat karena habis mendapat pujian dari Bu Guru dengan lantang pula ia berkata “ JACK, QUEEN dan KING” Bu,….!!!!!

Joke-Joke Gus Dur (Seru,…..!!!!)

2011-05-16T10:43:00.006+07:00

Presiden Gus Dur dengan Presiden Clinton.

Suatu ketika waktu Gus Dur menjabat sebagai Presiden RI, beliau diundang oleh Presiden Amerika Serikat, Bill Clinton Ke White House. Ditengah-tengah pembicaraan, munculah seekor anjing peliharaan Bill Clinton. Bill yang dikenal sebagai penyayang binatang itu langsung memperrkenalkan anjingnya kepada Gus Dur.
Bill : “Gus Dur, lihatlah saya punya anjing yang sangat pintar, ia bisa menuruti apa yang saya perintahkan,…!!!!
Gus Dur : “masa iya ? saya ingin tahu,…”
Bill : “please anda perhatikan, “Sit Down” (Anjing itu langsung duduk)
Bill : “Stand Up”,,… (anjing langsung berdiri)
Bill : “Walk around…!” (anjing langsung berjalan keliling-keliling).
Bill : “lihat Mr. Gus Dur,.. hebat bukan.
Gus Dur : Gitu aja kok repot,..saya yang baru ketemu aja bisa lebih dari itu
(Bill Clinton keheranan mendengar jawaban tersebut..)
Bill : Boleh anda buktikan ucapan Anda ,..?
Gus Dur : “Silahkan saja,….”
Bill : “coba buat anjing ini menangis…”

*********Gus Dur berbisik kepada anjing itu “Ssssssst,… sstttt,….” Anjing itu langsung menangis sedih.
**********Bill pun heran*******
Bill : “sekarang buat anjing itu tertawa…”
*********Gus Dur berbisik kepada anjing itu “Ssssssst,… sstttt,….” Anjing itu langsung tertawa terbahak-bahak.
**********Bill pun heran lagi, dan berfikir bagaimana caranya agar Gus Dur tidak bisa memerintah anjing tersebut*******
Bill : “Nah,.. sekarang coba bikin dia supaya menjadi stress berat…..”
Gus Dur berfikir sejenak, lalu ia berbisik pada anjing tersebut, “Ssssssst…… ssttttttt,… sttttt,…” sang anjing pun langsung loncat kesana-kemari sambil menggonggong terus menerus, naik keatas meja, lemari sampai melompat menabrak kaca jendela hingga pecah dan pingsan keluar ruangan.
***** Bill kembali terheran-heran dan ia akhirnya mengaku kehebatan Gus Dur sambil bertepuk tangan, *****
Bill : Boleh saya tahu yang anda bisikan sampai anjing saya menangis begitu sedih ?
Gus Dur : “Saya Cuma bilang, Kasiha Indonesia, rakyatnya banyak yang miskin, jangankan untuk beli BBM, untuk makan sehari-hari saja mereka sangat kesulitan, kamu beruntung jadi anjing dipelihara Bill Clinton, bisa makan kapan saja kamu mau,..
Bill : Oh pantesan. Anda memang hebat. Lalu apa yang anda bisikan sehingga anjing saya tertawa terbahak-bahak,…?”
Gus Dur : “Saya bilang ke anjing itu, orang Indonesia banyak yan pintar-pintar, sehat-sehat, mereka semua lebih pantas menjadi presiden ketimbang saya. Tapi kok malah saya yang buta begini dijadikan presiden,..”
Bill : hahahahahahaaaa,.. jangankan anjing, saya juga bisa ketawa andai tadi dengar,. Nah,.. yang terakhir, apa yang anda bisikan kepada anjing saya kok bisa stress berat seperti itu, sampai-sampai pingsan,..?
Gus Dur : “lha itu yang paling gampang, Saya Cuma bilang, “””Wahai anjing, saya akan mengajak kamu tinggal di Indonesia,..” Gitu Aja Kok Repot.
Bill : “’’’…””” ////////////// ???????????????

Joke-Joke Gus Dur (maneh)

2011-05-16T10:39:00.005+07:00

Ringkasan tanya jawab dengan GUS DUR

Question : “Gus, Mengapa demam berdarah marak dijakarta ?
Gus Dur : “ya karena Sutiyoso melarang bemo, becak, dan sebentarlagi bajaj. Padahal nyamuk sini Cuma takut sama tiga roda.

Question : “Mengapa dalam kampanye mereka, Parpol-parpol selalu senang membodohi rakyat ?
Gus Dur : “masa gitu aja gak tau,…. Itu disebabkan parpol tahu kalau rakyat pintar gak akan memilih parpol-parpol itu, tau anda sebabnya kenapa? “karena,…… Orang pintar pilih Tolak Angin.” “gitu aja kok repot,…

Question : Gus,… Mengapa sampai kapanpun Partai Bulan Bintang tidak akan memenangkan pemilu ?
Gus Dur : Yaaah gampang analisanya itu,… itu,… disebabkan

Gus Dur : Yaaah gampang analisanya itu,… itu,… disebabkan masih ada Matahari…

Question : “Gus,.. mengapa sekarang kalau anda berdo’a selalu diakhiri dengan “,,, Injih.,,, Injih.
Gus Dur : Saya tidak mau bilang, Amin,.. Amin,.. Saya sebel dengan orang itu.

Question : “lha terus jabatan apa yang menurut anda pantas diduduki Amin Rais…?
Gus Dur : “Gampang, amin itu cocoknya sebagai kepala Bulog, Biar dia senang mengurusi Rice (rais)

Question : “Menurut anda partai mana yang sealiran dan pantas untuk berkoalisi ?
Gus Dur : “Partai Keadilan Sejahtea” , “Partai Damai Sejahtera” dan Partai Buruh Sejahtera,..

Question : “siapa sebenarnya yang menjadi musuh terbesar PDIP menurut Gus Dur?
Gus Dur : “ Taufik Kiemas, karena sudah sering dia menggoyang Mbak Mega.

Question : “Gus,.. gimana kalo anda dicalonkan dengan pendamping anda Akbar Tanjung…?’’’
Gus Dur : “Ogah Ah!!!! Takut Bocor…!
Question : ‘bocor kenapa Gus…?
Gus Dur : “Ntar mahsiswa naek-naek genteng MPR lagi,….”

Joke-Joke Gus Dur

2011-05-16T10:30:00.004+07:00

Sate Babi
Suatu ketika Gus Dur dan ajudannya terlibat dalam sebuah perbincangan yang serius, ini membahas tentang perbuatan yang bisa membuat orang masuk neraka karena keharamannya.
Ajudan : Gus, menurut anda makanan apa yang haram ?
Gus Dur : dengan cepat menjawab “Babi”
Ajudan : Yang lebih Haram lagi apa Gus..?
Gus Dur : ‘”””…. Mmmmm,… Babi mengandung Babi…!!!!!
Ajudan : sekarang yang paling haram Gus,…..?
Ajudan : “””,,,,…..emmmm ,… ,… babi yang mengandung babi tanpa tahu bapaknya sudah dibuat sate babi,,,,.

Orang NU Naik Lift

Inilah keluguan dan kepolosan (lugu, polos atau bodoh ya,…) kisah ini terjadi di gedung PBNU di Jln. Kramat Jakarta.

Serombongan pengajian ibu-ibu mencoba masuk lift untuk naik kelantai atas. Saat hendak masuk lift, mereka melepas sandalnya seperti hendak masuk masjid, musholla, dan ruang lainnya yang berlantai suci.
Ketika sampai diatas kepanikan terjadi, lift berhenti dan kemudian pintu terbuaka, setelah melihat keluar mereka lebih panik lagi,…”Lho sandal saya dimana,….? Tadi saya lepas disini,…!!!!!

Kiai Alahamdulillah
Ini kisah tentang kiai dari rembang yang dikenal dengan sebutan kiai Alhamdulillah, julukan ini dipaparkan karena kiai ini selalu mengucap Alhamdulillah tak peduli kejadian apapun yang dialami.
Suatu hari beliau pergi bersama rombongan kiai yang lain ke semarang untuk menghadiri sebuah acara. Menjelang demak, rombongan kiai ini dapat tontonan geratis yaitu orang-orang yang lagi mandi disungai ditepi jalan,.. melihat tontonan ini, seorang kiai berseru, “masya Allah” sebagian lagi mengucap “Innalillah” tetapi kiai yang satu ini (tanpa bermaksud melucu) tetap konsisten dan berucap “Alhamdulillah”.

SISWA MENANAM POHON

2011-04-14T14:21:00.006+07:00

Menanam pohon itulah yang selesai dilakukan oleh siswa-siswi MTs. Miftahul Ulum Karangan-Kepohbaru-Bojonegoro, kegiatan ini dilaksanakan dalam rangka tugas lapangan mata pelajaran SAINS/IPA sekaligus sebagai tugas praktek matapelajaran tersebut. Pelajaran yang dipandu oleh Mr. Been (Pak. Mubin) ini dilaksanaka pada tanggal 1 April 2011, sebanyak 120pohon telah berhasil ditanam dipinggir jalan pedesaan yang masih beraspal tanah (aspal muda ‘kata siswa sambil disambut tawa siswa yang lain’).
Kegiatan dimulai pukul 06.00 WIB, diawali

dengan menyiapkan perlengkapan (sabit, cangkul, linggis, kayu penahan dll.) dilanjutkan brifing, setelah selesai dilanjutkan perjalanan kelokasi yang berjarak sekitar 500meter dari Sekolahan.
Namanya juga anak-anak, disuruh menanam pohon malah ada yang bluron (bermain air disungai-red.) tapi alhamdulillah berjalan dengan lancar. Menanam pohon ini kami dedikasikan untuk siswa-siswi kelas IX tahun 2011 MTs. Miftahul Ulum Karangan – Kepohbaru – Bojonegoro serta untuk masyarakat sekitar semoga bisa memberikan manfaat.
Harapan Kami sebagai pendamping mata pelajaran SAINS, tentu hal ini bisa kami laksanakan setiap tahunnya serta apabila ada dari teman-teman, bapak/ibu, instansi maupun pihak-pihak yang ingin menyumbang pohon kami siap menerima dan menamnya. Hal itu akan membantu kami dalam rangka kegiatan menanam pohon ditahun-tahun berikutnya, kegiatan yang telah kami lakukan ini besumber dari sukarela siswa-siswi serta pendampin pelajaran tersebut. Salam Hijau dibumi tercinta.
Hormat Kami
Siswa dan Pendamping pelajaran SAINS.

(renungan akhir tahun) Sang Pembunuh Tuhan

2010-12-23T12:52:00.003+07:00

Masih imankah engkau kepada Tuhan-mu, Masih yakinkah engkau bahwa Tuhan-mu Maha mengawasi, Maha tahu dan maha-maha yang lain,….

Kalau engkau masih Iman, kenapa kebijakan, dan sikapmu tuk menjarah, menghasud, menginjak-injak hak-hak orang lain semakin menjadi-jadi, kau rampas hak-hak karyawanmu, kau hina-hina, caci-caci seperti hewan peliharaanmu, apakah engkau berfikir bahwa uang yang kau kasihkan kepada karyawanmu adalah uangmu sendiri, apakah engkau berfikir bahwa tanpa engkau gaji keryawanmu tidak bisa makan, kalau benar begitu berarti engkau sedang membunuh Tuhan untuk engkau gantikan.

Kenapa engkau selalu

berbohong kepada oranglain, engkau ambil nasi hak mereka untuk engkau janjikan bahwa esok engkau akan mengganti yang lebih banyak namun tak kunjung engkau berikan, padahal nasi itu engkau bungkus dan engkau jadikan makanan untuk berpesta, padahal nasi itu bagi yang berhak sangat dibutuhkan untuk mengganjal sekedar rasa lapar, jauh dari pesta….

Kenapa engkau berpura-pura tidak mengerti mana yang salah dan mana yang benar, padahal palu persidangan sudah engkau pegang berpuluh-puluh tahun, kitab-kitab sebagai acuan keadilan engkau pegang dan terlihat sangar karena tebalnya,…..
Aku nasehat ini pada diriku sendiri,…. Karena…

Tak mampu lidahku berbicara pada mereka yang tiup peluit
Tak mampu lidahku berbicara pada mereka yang pegang palu
Tak mampu lidahku berbicara pada mereka yang menguasai daerah, wilayah atau negara
Tak mampu lidahku berbicara pada mereka yang menumpuk uangnya (beruang)
Dan kepada mereka yang mengaku sebagai wakilku saja lidahku tak mampu,..

Kurang keraskah teriakanku atau mereka yang tuli, padahal suaraku sudah serak dibuatnya,..
Kurang lantangkan teriakanku atau memang telinga mereka tertutup kotoran-kotoran beruang yang sengaja ditutupkan ditelinga mereka,….
22/12/10

Merajut Nilai Kepahlawan dari Teks-Teks / Sajak Tradisional dengan semangat Kemerdekaan & Kenegarawanan

2010-11-10T18:57:00.004+07:00

Lir ilir2x tandure wis sumilir,
Tak ijio royo-royo tak sengguh penganten anyar2x,
Bocah angon2x penekno blimbing kui,
Lunyu-lunyu penekno kanggo basuh dodotiro2x,
Dodotiro2x kumitir bedah ing pinggir,
Dondomono, jlumatono kanggo sebo mengko sore2x,
Mumpung padhang renbulane
Mumpung jembar kalangane
Yok surak’o sorak iyo,….

Lir-ilir lir-ilir lagu yang dicipta oleh Sunan Kalijaga pada abad 15 yang lalu namun isi dari sajak lagu ini penuh makna, penuh petuah-petuah yang disampaikan dengan lirik sederhana, sesederhana penciptanya, kesederhanaanya beliau tunjukan dengan keluar dari kehidupan didalam kadipaten untuk bergaul dengan golongan rakyat jelata. Namu lirik/sajak yang beliau ciptakan mudah

diucapkan/ditirukan hampir setiap insan yang mempunyai lidah, setelah mendengarnya,..
Lir-ilir tandure wis sumilir “tanaman telah selesai ditanam” dapat bermakana “harapan itu ada” modal sudah ditangan, kemerdekaan sudah didapat, agama sebagai petunjuk telah hadir, pondok-pondok pesantren, sekolah-sekolah telah disiapkan lengkap dengan ahli-ahlinya, ladang-ladang luas telah terhampar, semua itu adalah karunia yang luar biasa dan sudah hadir disekitar kita.
“Tak ijio royo-royo tak sengguh penganten anyar,.. begitu dekat untuk meraih harapan itu, begitu indah harapan-harapan itu, menjanjikan kehidupan yang layak, kemedekaan yang diraih dengan penuh perjuangan, menumpahkan banyak darah, menghembuskan ratusan ribu bahkan jutaan nyawa melanyang kini sudah teraih, harapan akan masa depan yang lebih baik sudah didepan mata, harapan hidup damai penuh canda-tawa sangatlah nyata terlintas seperti tanaman yang ijo royo-royo ( hamparan luas tanaman yang terlihat hijau ) pencapaian kemendekaan itu adalah sebuah pencapaian yang mengharukan, menyenangkan laksana penganten anyar (penganten baru) diliputi penuh kebahagiaan..
Bocah angon, penekno blimbing kui, lunyu-lunyu penekno kanggo basuh dodot siro. Bocah angon (anak pengembala) adalah sosok yang mempunyai tanggungjawab besar, dia mempunyai tanggungjawab hewan gembalaannya, dia bertanggungjawab agar hewan gembalanya tidak tersesat, dia bertanggungjawab akan kesejahteraan gembalaanya dia bertanggungjawab keselamatan hewan gembalaannya, Bocah angon adalah sosok pemimpin yang dengan sendirinya akan melekat sebuah tanggungjawab besar pada dirinya serta harus dilaksanakan. Pemimpin dengan tanggungjawab dipundaknya diharuskan mempunyai wawasan yang luas sehingga dapat membawa/mengarahkan pada jalan yang lebih baik, sejahtera, aman dari segala macam gangguan.
“Penekno blimbing kui” blimbing adalah bagian dari pencapaian atas harapan itu, blimbing adalah kesejahteraan rakyat, blimbing adalah petunjuk-petunjuk untuk kemandirian rakyat, blimbing juga dapat berarti hak rakyat untuk mendapatkan informasi, hak rakyat untuk mendapatkan pendidikan yang layak, blimbing juga berarti keamanan, kenyamanan dan kesehatan untuk rakyat, Blimbing adalah simbol kesejahteraan rohani (keimanan, keilmuan) dan kesejahteraan jasmani (kehidupan yang layak). Tugas sang pengembala untuk mencarikan blimbing untuk hewan gembalaanya sehingga dalam lirik tertulis kata perintah “Penekno” (ambilkan/usahakan untuk dapat).
”Lunyu-lunyu penekno kanggo basuh dodotiro” Lunyu-lunyu penekno (meskipun licin ambilkan/usahakan untuk dapat), Sudah tugas dari Bocah angon untuk mendapatkan blimbing itu, sudah tugas pemimpin pula petunjuk-petunjuk untuk kemandirian rakyat, pemenuhan hak rakyat untuk mendapatkan informasi, pendidikan yang layak, keamanan, kenyamanan dan kesehatan. Dan bukan perkara mudah untuk melaksanakannya namun harus didapat, meskipun “lunyu” (penuh tantangan, penuh konflik kepentingan, penuh intrik dari kelompok-kelompok tertentu) harus tetap dilaksanakan dan bukan untuk dijanjikan akan kehadirannya. Karena untuk itulah pemimpin dihadirkan, karena untuk itulah kehadiran Bocah angon ditugaskan. “Kanggo mbasuh dodotiro” (untuk membasuh pakaianmu) dodot adalah busana, busana yang telah lusuh dan kotor, dodot adalah pakaian, pakaian adalah jatidiri, pakaian adalah harga diri bangsa, pemimpin harus bisa memenuhi/mengambilkan Blimbing sebagai simbol kesejahteraan rohani (keimanan, keilmuan) dan kesejahteraan jasmani (kehidupan yang layak), demi mengangkat harkat dan martabat Bangsa.
“Dodotiro kumitir bedah ing pinggir, Dondomono, jlumatono kanggo sebo mengko sore”. Bait ini mencoba memompa semangat nasionalisme ditengah terpaan konflik internal bangsa maupun konflik dengan antar negara yang mungkin menjatuhkan harkat martabat bangsa, tidak dapat dipungkiri banyak tragedi yang terjadi pada bangsa ini yang dengan sendirinya menjatuhkan citra bangsa dari pandangan negara-negara lain, sebagai contoh Tragedi MALARI, Tanjung Priok, DOM di wilayah aceh, kerusuhan 1998 dan masih banyak yang lainnya, belum lagi konflik antar negara seperti Hilangnya pulau sipadan dan ligitan, lepasnya timor leste dari pangkuan NKRI, dan baru-baru ini penangkapan petugas yang sedang bertugas mengamankan kedaulatan negara diwilayahnya sendiri namuan ditangkap oleh negara lain, yang bikin ironi lagi adalah petugas tersebut dibebaskan (untuk tidak mengatakan ditukar) dengan imbalan pembebasan pencuri(maling) ikan. Bait ini berbunyi “Dodotiro kumitir bedah ing pinggir” (Pakaianmu yang telah hanyut dan robek bagian tepinya) pakaian sebagai simbol harga diri bangsa yang telah terkikis dan hanyut oleh beberapa tragedi dan ulah oknum yang mengatasnamakan bangsa dan berdampak pada terkoyak/robeknya harga diri bangsa.
“Dondomono, jlumatono kanggo sebo mengko sore” (Jahitlah, perbaikilah untuk ganti nanti sore), robeknya harga diri bangsa, terkikisnya nilai-nilai nasionalisme warga negara bukanlah halangan untuk mejaga, mempertahankan keutuhan NKRI. Mengutip sajak modern yang dilantunkan iwan fals “robeknya kain bendera dihalaman rumah kita bukan suatu alasan untuk kita tinggalkan” dalam bait dari sajak lir-ilir disebutkan kata “Dondomono” (jahitlah/rajutlah), nilai-nilai nasionalisme bangsa yang mulai luntur harus dirajut ulang, terkoyak/robeknya harga diri bangsa harus dibangun ulang dengan semangat kemerdekaan yang dibawa oleh para pejuang kemerdekaan negeri ini, dalam hal ini peran kepemimpinan yang memiliki jiwa kenegarawanan adalah kebutuhan bangsa, pemimpin yang menpunyai kemauan keras untuk kesejahteraan rakyat, pemimpin yang mempunyai arah kebijakan “sense of hope” kepada penguatan nilai-nilai nasionalisme kepada warga negaranya, meskipun tugas dari pembangunan bangsa ini tidak melulu dibebankan kepada pemimpin. namun, hal ini adalah kewajiban dari seorang pemimpin. Warga negara sebagai bagian dari komponen bangsa dapat mengisi kemerdekaan ini dengan prestasi-prestasi dari segal hal untuk menunjukkan kepada dunia akan keberadaan bangsa, bersaing dalam kebaikan dan prestasi terhadap negara-negara lain, berkibarnya bendera pada kegiatan internasional yang diiringi kumandang lagu kebangsaan adalah bagian yang bisa memupuk nilai-nilai nasionalisme bangsa demi hari esok yang lebih baik, demi harkat dan martabat bangsa dimasa yang akan datang, dalam sajak tertulis “kanggo sebo mengko sore”
“Mumpung padang rembulane mumpung jembar kalangane” mari optimis untuk meraih harapan-harapan para pahlawan bangsa ini, sekecil apapun harapan itu harus tetap direbut, harus tetap diperjuangkan “mumpung padang rembulane” mumpung bangsa ini masih ada keberadaanya, mumpung belum terlalu parah lunturnya nilai-nilai nasionalisme, mumpung ada kesempatan untuk menata ulang, memperbaiki (mereformasi) dan mengurai keruwetan persoalan bangsa. Dan menjadikan cita-cita leluhur bangsa (para pahlawan) bahwa kemerdekaan sejatinya adalah demi keberlangsungan / keberpihakan atas hajat hidup rakyat untuk mengangkat harkat dan martabat bangsa.
Keberpihakan akan arah kebijakan yang mengarah pada kepentingan rakyat, mengangkat harkat dan martabat rakyat akan berdampak pada tercapainya kehidupan yang layak, sejahtera, aman, tenteram dan munculnya nilai nasionalisme yang tinggi oleh setiap warga negara, hal inilah sebagian dari cita-cita dari para pejuang bangsa semoga akan segera terlaksana dan apabila hal ini telah terlaksana, maka warga negara akan bangga atas negara, warga negara akan bangga dan bersorak “Yok surak’o sorak iyo”,….

APAKAH INDONESIA SUDAH WAKTUNYA HARAM MEROKOK ?

2010-04-10T14:25:00.004+07:00

1. Hukum Miras Dan Kaitannya Dengan Merokok

Perdebatan mengenai haram dan tidak merokok sudah sejak lama diperdebatkan, masih ada perselisihan pendapat tentang hal ini. Penulis mencoba menggali kenapa hal ini terjadi ? Apakah hukum tentang merokok itu adalah hukum baru ? sehingga masih perlu ijtihad yang lebih dalam, obyektif dan komperehensif berkaitan tentang hukum mengkonsumsi rokok. Di dalam Al-Qur’an memang tidak ada hukum yang langsung mengatakan bahwa merokok itu adalah haram, mubah ataupun wajib. Disinilah peran umat muslim untuk memberikan pemikiran-pemikiran yang tentunya tidak boleh keluar dari jalur utamanya (Al-Qur’an dan Hadist). Penulis mencoba mempersandingkan pengambilan hukum rokok dengan bagaimana penerapan hukum penggunaan minuman keras (MIRAS), meskipun masih ada pertentangan apakah rokok boleh dipersandingkan (untuk tidak mengatakan sama) dengan miras.
Dalam Al-Qur’an terdapat prinsip yang sangat elegan, santun dan mengutamakan asas kemaslahatan dalam penerapan hukum, terutama hukum tentang miras dimulai dari himbauan/penjelasan asas manfaat dan madhorotnya seperti dalam Surat Albaqoroh 219 “Mereka bertanya kepadamu tentang khamar dan judi. Katakanlah: "Pada keduanya terdapat dosa yang besar dan beberapa manfaat bagi manusia, tetapi dosa keduanya lebih besar dari manfaatnya” hal ini berjalan dalam kurun beberapa waktu kemudian turunlah aturan berikutnya tertulis dalam Surat An-Nisa’ Ayat 43 “Hai orang-orang yang beriman, janganlah kamu shalat, sedang kamu dalam keadaan mabuk, sehingga kamu mengerti apa yang kamu ucapkan” pada ayat ini mulailah dilakukan penerapan haram mengkonsumsi miras tetapi masih pada batasan-batasan tertentu yaitu haram penggunaan miras jiak hendak dan sedang melakukan sholat. Setelah penerapan hukum ini berjalan dengan baik, maka dikembalikan pada dasar diambilnya hukum ini yaitu bahwa asas manfaat dan madhorot penggunaan miras ternyata lebih besar madorotnya maka perlu penerapan hukum pengharaman penggunaan miras yang lebih luas yaitu tidak hanya haram saat akan atau sedang melaksakan sholat melainkan haram dalam segala aktifitas kehidupan sehari-hari, sehingga muncullah hukum berikutnya

yang tertuan dalam Ayat Al-ma’idah Ayat 90 dan 91”Hai orang-orang yang beriman, sesungguhnya (meminum) khamar, berjudi, (berkorban untuk) berhala, mengundi nasib dengan panah, adalah termasuk perbuatan syaitan. Maka jauhilah perbuatan-perbuatan itu agar kamu mendapat keberuntungan(90). Sesungguhnya syaitan itu bermaksud hendak menimbulkan permusuhan dan kebencian di antara kamu lantaran (meminum) khamar dan berjudi itu, dan menghalangi kamu dari mengingat Allah dan sembahyang; maka berhentilah kamu (dari mengerjakan pekerjaan itu)(91).
Berkaitan dengan pengambilan hukum haram dan tidak mengkonsumsi rokok tentu penulis tidak menyamakan namun hanya menyandingkan/mensejajarkan dengan miras, uraian diatas lebih menitik beratkan pada bagaimana mekanisme pengambilan/penerapan hukum dalam islam. Rokok secara ilmi’ah dan medis hampir 99,99 % menyimpulkan bahwa pada dasarnya ada efek yang tidak baik bagi penggunanya, hal ini sangat dilarang dalam Al-Qur’an seprti dalam Al-Ma’idah 88. Dan makanlah makanan yang halal lagi baik dari apa yang Allah telah rezekikan kepadamu, dan bertakwalah kepada Allah yang kamu beriman kepada-Nya. Serta dalam surat An-Nahl 114. Maka makanlah yang halal lagi baik dari rezki yang telah diberikan Allah kepadamu; dan syukurilah nikmat Allah, jika kamu hanya kepada-Nya saja menyembah. Dalam kontek pengambilan hukum secara islam dalam kontek pengharaman miras Penjelasan tentang adanya dampak negatif penggunaan rokok bagi pemakainya sudah termasuk himbauan/pemberitahuan bahwa rokok mempunyai asas madhorotnya lebih banyak dibanding manfaatnya, dan himbauan ini sudah lama sekali disampaikan bahkan dalam sampul rokok sekalipun terdapat himbauan semacam itu. Lebih jauh himbauan ini sudah dipertegas dengan adanya peraturan pemerintah yaitu dilarang merokok di area ruamah sakit, Sekolahan, tempat ibadah (masjid) dan beberapa ruang terbuka yang telah ditentukan selain itu peraturan ini sudah berlaku sampai sekarang, pertanyaan berikutnya adalah Apakah sudah sepantasnya hukum pengharaman rokok dilakukan menyeluruh kesegala aktifitas dalam kehidupan manusia? Seperti penerapan hukum miras dalam Ayat Al-ma’idah Ayat 90 dan 91 yaitu pengharaman Miras seutuhnya, dari sebelumnya dalam Surat Albaqoroh 219 yang hanya berisi himbauan/penekanan asas manfaat dan madhorot penggunaan miras, serta Surat An-Nisa’ Ayat 43 yang berisi larangan mengkonsumsi Miras disaat-saat tertentu (dalam keadaan akan ataupun sedang menjalankan sholat).
Kiranya tidak berlebihan jika di Indonesia diambil hukum haram pengkonsumsian rokok, penulis berpendapat bahwa penggunaan hukum miras disuatu daerah yang awalnya belum mengenal islam harus dimulai dari kronologi penerapan hukum itu dilaksanakan Rosul, karena hal ini lebih maslahah, tidak langsung menerapkan hukum yang terakhir yang terkesan keras, kaku dan memaksakan kehendak atas nama kebenaran (true claim), jika hal ini yang terjadi tidak jarang penerapan hukum lebih membawa dampak yang mengarah pada hubungan konfliktual, jauh dari yang diharapkan yaitu sikap saling menghormati sesama agama maupun antar umat beragama, hilangnya toleransi dan saling menghargai.
Sebelum Mengikuti haramnya merokok kiranya perlu pemikiran (Ijtihat) yang lebih dalam, setidaknya sedikit uraian dibawah ini.

A. MANFAAT DAN MADHOROTNYA ROKOK
Rokok adalah benda beracun yang memberi efek santai dan sugesti merasa lebih jantan. Di balik kegunaan atau manfaat rokok yang secuil itu terkandung bahaya (madhorot) yang sangat besar bagi orang yang merokok maupun orang di sekitar perokok yang bukan perokok, berikut beberapa hal yang biasa terjadi disekitar perokok :

1. Asap rokok mengandung kurang lebih 4000 bahan kimia yang 200 diantaranya beracun dan 43 jenis lainnya dapat menyebabkan kanker bagi tubuh. Beberapa zat yang sangat berbahaya yaitu tar, nikotin, karbon monoksida, dsb.

2. Asap rokok yang baru mati di asbak mengandung tiga kali lipat bahan pemicu kanker di udara dan 50 kali mengandung bahan pengeiritasi mata dan pernapasan. Semakin pendek rokok semakin tinggi kadar racun yang siap melayang ke udara. Suatu tempat yang dipenuhi polusi asap rokok adalah tempat yang lebih berbahaya daripada polusi di jalanan raya yang macet.

3. Seseorang yang mencoba merokok biasanya akan ketagihan karena rokok bersifat candu yang sulit dilepaskan dalam kondisi apapun. Seorang perokok berat akan memilih merokok daripada makan jika uang yang dimilikinya terbatas.

4. Harga rokok yang mahal akan sangat memberatkan orang yang tergolong miskin, sehingga dana kesejahteraan dan kesehatan keluarganya sering dialihkan untuk membeli rokok. Rokok dengan merk terkenal biasanya dimiliki oleh perusahaan rokok asing yang berasal dari luar negeri, sehingga uang yang dibelanjakan perokok sebagaian akan lari ke luar negeri yang mengurangi devisa negara. Pabrik rokok yang mempekerjakan banyak buruh tidak akan mampu meningkatkan taraf hidup pegawainya, sehingga apabila pabrik rokok ditutup para buruh dapat dipekerjakan di tempat usaha lain yang lebih kreatif dan mendatangkan devisa.

5. Sebagian perokok biasanya akan mengajak orang lain yang belum merokok untuk merokok agar merasakan penderitaan yang sama dengannya, yaitu terjebak dalam ketagihan asap rokok yang jahat. Sebagian perokok juga ada yang secara sengaja merokok di tempat umum agar asap rokok yang dihembuskan dapat terhirup orang lain, sehingga orang lain akan terkena penyakit kanker.

6. Kegiatan yang merusak tubuh adalah perbuatan dosa, sehingga rokok dapat dikategorikan sebagai benda atau barang haram yang harus dihindari dan dijauhi sejauh mungkin.

B. SEDIKIT ILUSTRASI EFEK ROKOK
Setelah penulis membaca beberapa artikel, buku2x tentang rokok, 99.99% tidak baik untuk kesehatan, sedikitnya data diatas dapat memberi sedikit info tentang kandungan rokok sehingga marugikan kesehatan.
Penulis mencoba membuat permisalan, kalo kita membeli mobil baru bisa dipastikan 99% bagus, enak dikendarai dan sistem sensornya berjalan, semisal spedo meter akan menunjukkan berapa kecepatan sekarang, bahkan kita bisa tau apakah bahan bakarnya masih penuh or mau habis, hal ini bisa terjadi jika sistem kontrolnya berfungsi, jika sudah rusak, semisal alat pengukur kecepatan (speedometer) rusak, maka berapapun kecepatanya sepedo meter tetap nol, begitu juga jika alat indikator bahan bakar rusak, maka meskipun bahan bakar kendaraan akan habis ataupun penuh kita tidak tau hal ini dikarenakan sensornya rusak.
Apa hubungannya dengan rokok? qita semua tau bahwa manusia memerlukan Oksigen dan mengeluarkan Karbon dioksida, tubuh yg bagus akan menolak jika ada karbon dioksida masuk ke tubuh, semisal, anak kecil akan batuk-batuk jika terkena asap, hal itu karena asap mengandung Karbon dioksida so harus ditolak dan dikeluarkan dari tubuh, sintem sensor yang semacam ini adalah yang masih normal dan bagus.
Maka, jika ada orang yang jika dimasuki asap kok tidak ada penolakan dari tubuhnya seperti batuk, maka perlu di bawa kebengkel eh maaf kedokter untuk diperiksa, kenapa ada Karbon dioksida (asap) yg masuk ketubuh kok tidak ada reaksi penolakan? jangan-jangan ada sistem sensor ditubuhnya yg rusak.
Wallahu A’lamu Bisshowab
“Dan janganlah kamu campur adukkan yang hak dengan yang bathil dan janganlah kamu sembunyikan yang hak itu, sedang kamu mengetahui. (Al-Baqoroh Ayat :42)

FACEBOOK SEBAGAI MEDIA KEGIATAN BELAJAR MENGAJAR

2010-01-15T09:48:00.002+07:00

1. Sejarah Peluncuran Facebook
Facebook diluncurkan pertama kali pada tanggal 4 Februari 2004 oleh Mark Zuckerberg sebagai media untuk saling mengenal bagi para mahasiswa Harvard. Dalam waktu dua minggu setelah diluncurkan, separuh dari semua mahasiswa Harvard telah mendaftar dan memiliki account di Facebook. Tak hanya itu, beberapa kampus lain di sekitar Harvard pun meminta untuk dimasukkan dalam jaringan Facebook. Zuckerberg pun akhirnya meminta bantuan dua temannya untuk membantu mengembangkan Facebook dan memenuhi permintaan kampus-kampus lain untuk bergabung dalam jaringannya. Dalam waktu 4 bulan semenjak diluncurkan, Facebook telah memiliki 30 kampus dalam jaringannya.
Dengan kesuksesannya tersebut, Zuckerberg beserta dua orang temannya memutuskan untuk pindah ke Palo Alto dan menyewa apartemen di sana. Setelah beberapa minggu di Palo Alto. Zuckerberg berhasil bertemu dengan Sean Parker (cofounder Napster), dan dari hasil pertemuan tersebut Parker pun setuju pindah ke apartemen Facebook untuk bekerja sama mengembangkan Facebook. Tidak lama setelah itu, Parker berhasil mendapatkan Peter Thiel (cofounder Paypal) sebagai investor pertamanya. Thiel menginvestasikan 500 ribu US Dollar untuk pengembangan Facebook.
Jumlah account di Facebook terus melonjak, sehingga pada pertengahan 2004 Friendster mengajukan tawaran kepada Zuckerberg untuk membeli Facebook seharga 10 juta US Dollar, dan Zuckerberg pun menolaknya. Zuckerberg sama sekali tidak menyesal menolak tawaran tersebut sebab tak lama setelah itu Facebook menerima sokongan dana lagi sebesar 12.7 juta US Dollar dari Accel Partners. Dan semenjak itu sokongan dana dari berbagai investor terus mengalir untuk pengembangan Facebook.
Pada September 2005 Facebook tidak lagi membatasi jaringannya hanya untuk mahasiswa., Facebook pun membuka jaringannya untuk para siswa SMU. Beberapa waktu kemudian Facebook juga membuka jaringannya untuk para pekerja kantoran. Dan akhirnya pada September 2006 Facebook membuka pendaftaran untuk siapa saja yang memiliki alamat e-mail.
Selain menolak tawaran dari Friendster seharga 10 juta US Dollar, Zuckerberg juga pernah menolak tawaran dari Viacom yang ingin membeli Facebook seharga 750 juta US Dollar, dan tawaran dari Yahoo yang ingin membeli Facebook seharga 1 milyar US Dollar. Tidak ada situs jejaring sosial lain yang mampu menandingi daya tarik Facebook terhadap user. Pada tahun 2007, terdapat penambahan 200 ribu account baru perharinya Lebih dari 25 juta user aktif menggunakan Facebook setiap harinya. Rata-rata user menghabiskan waktu sekitar 19 menit perhari untuk melakukan berbagai aktifitas di Facebook.

2. Facebook Sebagai Produk Ilmu Pengetahuan
Ilmu pengetahuan ( Science ) akan terus berkembang sejalan dengan perkembangan dunia teknologi dijagad bumi ini, science bagi sebagian besar manusia adalah penjawab pemasalahan dan memepermudah urusan manusia, sejalan dengan prinsip teknologi yaitu teknologi dihadirkan di muka bumi ini adalah untuk mempermudah urusan manusia, bukan sebalikanya, malah membingungkan, menjadikan masalah, tidak jarang menambah beban/masalah bagi sebagian orang yang belum menguasai teknologi.
Secara sederhana penguasaan manusia terhadap perkembangan teknologi di bagi menjadi tiga : Pertama adalah kelompok orang yang dapat memproduksi teknologi, kelompok ini meliputi orang yang menekuni sain secara spesifik dan memahami betul suatu pengetahuan sehingga menghasilkan produk teknologi. Kedua adalah kelompok orang yang dapat memanfaatkan teknologi, bisa jadi karena tuntutan profesi, sekedar keinginan dan banyak hal lain sehingga seseorang terpacu untuk memanfaatkan produk teknologi. Ketiga adalah kelompok orang yang tidak menguasai teknologi, banyak hal yang menyebabkan seseorang tidak menguasai teknologi seperti tidak ada waktu untuk mempelajari sebuah teknologi, tidak memerlukan hadirnya teknologi, atau lebih dikarenakan sudah merasa terlambat mempelajari teknologi, sehingga suatu ketika bertemu dengan produk teknologi dibenaknya sudah terfikir “tidak mungkin saya bisa seperti itu”. Kelompok ketiga ini sering disebut GAPTEK (gagap teknologi).

Pemahaman kita terhadap produk - produk teknologi semestinya meletakkan pada wilayah yang proporsional, produk-produk itu di ciptakan hasil dari sebuah proses pemahaman dan pendalaman ilmu pengetahuan / sains yang diproyeksikan dengan kebutuhan manusia. Sebagai mahluk yang beragama tentunya hal ini merupakan implementasi ajaran agama untuk memanfaatkan kekayaan alam semesta, karena alam semesta beserta isinya diciptakan untuk mahluk yang mempunyai akal dan menggunakan akalnya, namun yang perlu diperhatikan adalah mempertimbangkan porsi kebaikan dan kejelekan serta tidak berlebih-lebihan.
Sebagai seorang penganut agama sudah semestinya kita memperdalam keilmuan kita, tentu ilmu dengan makna yang luas. pemahaman tentang ilmu yang lebih luas akan memberikan pencerahan pada pikiran akan luasnya ilmu Sang pencipta. Pemahaman bahwa kitab suci sebagai wahyu dari Tuhan dan tidak diragukan lagi kebenarannya adalah dasar untuk mempelajari ilmu pengetahuan, hal ini akan mengarahkan pola fakir bahwa semua ilmu pengetahuan bersumber dari wahyu Tuhan, serta hilangnya pemahaman adanya pemisahan antara ilmu pengetahuan agama dan ilmu pengetahuan umum, dengan pemahaman bahwa semua ilmu pengetahuan bersumber dari wahyu Tuhan, maka setiap pemeluk agama harusnya bersemangat untuk senantiasa menuntut ilmu. Semisal seorang muslim yang sedang mendalami ilmu pemprogaman computer, dia akan menjadi progamer handal, dengan kemampuanya dia dapat membuat program-program dikomputer maupun dunia maya (internet) di sisi lain dia juga bisa menghacurkan/merusak program-program pengguna lain, disamping seorang programmer handal dia juga seorang muslim, maka disinilah peran ilmu pengetahuan moral bagi seorang programmer tersebut, dia akan menggunakan kemampuanya untuk hal-hal yang tidak bertentangan dengan ajaran agama yang dipeluknya.
Facebook sama dengan produk-produk ilmu pengetahuan yang lain seperti HP, E-mail, Telepon, Radio dan lain-lain mempunyai kekurangan dan kelebihan. Tidak heran jika beberapa waktu yang yang lalu sempat ada usulan dari MUI agar facebook diharamkan, hal ini menunjukkan bahwa produk dari teknologi akan bergantung pada user (pengguna) produk tersebut, terkait pengharaman facebook MUI menduga bahwa facebook memberikan peluang bagi seseorang untuk melakukan perselingkuhan, serta kemaksiatan-kemaksiatan yang lain, hal ini membuat para penggemar facebook marah, apalagi yang merasa tidak melakukan hal tersebut atau malah sebaliknya, facebook dijadikan media pemasaran, pertemuan dengan teman lama yang sudah terpisah jarak, aktualisasi diri dalam berbagai bentuk ( keluhan, pemikiran, kritik, saran dll.) dan yang terbaru banyak yang menjadikan facebook sebagai media belajar on line. MUI sebenarnya bermaksud baik yaitu ingin agar produk teknologi jangan sampai disalah gunakan, namun yang menjadi persoalan adalah MUI terlalu mengeneralisir penyalahgunaan produk teknologi tersebut, kalo hal ini dijadikan alasan bisa-bisa Handphone/Hp dapat diharamkan juga karena terbukti bisa dijadikan alat/media untuk melakukan kejahatan semisal terror bom, ancaman kepada orang lain dan sebagainya.

3. Penyikapan Masyarakat Terhadap Facebook
Facebook sebagai media jaringan social, membutuhkan user/pengguna produk teknologi ini, tanpa adanya user maka dapat dipastikan akan berhenti dalam perjalanannya. Pengguna dari facebook sangat beraneka ragam, kalo waktu awal mula diciptakan facebook lebih dikhususkan bagi mahasiswa, namun dalam perkembangannya sudah menjalar kesemua umur, sekarang siwa SD saja sudah banyak yang mempunyai akun facebook. Secara umum sikap masyarakat terhadap kehadiran facebook beraneka ragam mulai dari yang suka bahkan sangat suka, ada yang menentang semisal sebagian anggota MUI, adapula yang acuh terhadap kehadiran produk teknologi yang satu ini.
Pengguna yang menyukai produk teknologi yang satu ini sangat beraneka ragam ada yang sekedar iseng, untuk aktualisasi diri, media pertemanan, tukar pendapat, penyampaian berita dan lain-lain, Namun kedepan produk-produk teknologi harus dapat dimanfaatkan secara maksimal dalam rangka mempermudah urusan serta tujuan manusia, pemanfaatan facebook dalam dunia pendidikan menjadikan kegiatan belajar mengajar lebih efisien, tanpa terbatas oleh ruang atau tempat untuk bertatap muka, antara pengajar dan yang diajarkan bisa berdialog terhadap suatu materi pembelajaran, dalam beberapa sekolahan yang gurunya mempunyai akun facebook, hal ini sangat efektif untuk guru terutama untuk guru bimbingan konseling (BK) meskipun belum terbukti secara ilmiah, namun sudah ada beberapa sekolahan yang memanfaatkan facebook sebagai media untuk Bimbingan Konseling siswa. Tidak hanya untuk guru Bimbingan Konseling sebenarnya facebook juga dapat dijadikan media untuk kegiatan belajar mengajar semua mata pelajaran.
Produk teknologi yang satu ini sangat efektif dijadikan media untuk menjalin silaturrahmi civitas akademik dalam suatu lembaga pendidikan, silaturrohim dapat dilakukan oleh civitas aktif maupun para alumni suatu lembaga pendidikan, dapat dijadiakan media penyampaian informasi yang berkaitan dengan lembaga pendidikan, juga berfungsi untuk mengenalkan lembaga pada masyarakat luas tentang keberadaan dan proses kegiatan yang dilakukan dalam lembaga tersebut.

Kesimpulan
Ilmu pengetahuan akan terus berkembang sejalan dengan perkembangan dan kebutuhan manusia, penyikapan dan penggunaan terhadap produk-produk teknologi sangat bergantung pada user/pengguna teknologi itu sendiri, sebagai insan yang beragama disilah peran pengetahuan moral yang bersifat religius menjadi sangat diperlukan dalam penggunaan produk teknologi, pada dasarnya penggunaan produk teknologi seperti Handphone, Facebook, Yahoo Masengger, Blogging, Situs dan lain-lain bagaikan menggunakan pisau yang sangat tajam, jika digunakan untuk kebaikan semisal membuat kerajinan dan memasak maka pisau itu menjadi bermanfaan, namun jika digunakan untuk berbuat kejahatan seperti menodong untuk merampok atau melukai orang lain, maka pisau itu menjadi benda yang harus disingkirkan keberadaanya. Sebagai manusia yang hidup dizaman ini serasa tidak mungkin kita akan menjauh dari kemajuan teknologi, maka penyikapan/penggunaan terhadap teknologi untuk hal-hal positif dan bermanfaat seperti penggunaan facebook sebagai media kegiatan belajar mengajar dan kegiatan-kegiatan yang lebih produktif yang lain merupakan bagian kecil dari penyelasaian untuk menghidari dampak negatif dari hasil teknologi.

EMAIL PRITA MULYASARI TO OMNI INTERNATIONAL HOSPITAL

2009-12-16T19:35:00.004+07:00

RS OMNI DAPATKAN PASIEN DARI HASIL LAB FIKTIF

Prita Mulyasari - Suara Pembaca

Jangan sampai kejadian saya ini menimpa ke nyawa manusia lainnya. Terutama anak-anak, lansia, dan bayi. Bila anda berobat berhati-hatilah dengan kemewahan rumah sakit (RS) dan title international karena semakin mewah RS dan semakin pintar dokter maka semakin sering uji coba pasien, penjualan obat, dan suntikan.

Saya tidak mengatakan semua RS international seperti ini tapi saya mengalami kejadian ini di RS Omni International.

Tepatnya tanggal 7 Agustus 2008 jam 20.30 WIB. Saya dengan kondisi panas tinggi dan pusing kepala datang ke RS OMNI Internasional dengan percaya bahwa RS tersebut berstandar International, yang tentunya pasti mempunyai ahli kedokteran dan manajemen yang bagus. Saya diminta ke UGD dan mulai diperiksa suhu badan saya dan hasilnya 39 derajat.

Setelah itu dilakukan pemeriksaan darah dan hasilnya adalah trombosit saya 27.000 dengan kondisi normalnya adalah 200.000. Saya diinformasikan dan ditangani oleh dr I (umum) dan dinyatakan saya wajib rawat inap. dr I melakukan pemeriksaan lab ulang dengan sample darah saya yang sama dan hasilnya dinyatakan masih sama yaitu thrombosit 27.000. dr I menanyakan dokter specialist mana yang akan saya gunakan. Tapi, saya meminta referensi darinya karena saya sama sekali buta dengan RS ini. Lalu referensi dr I adalah dr H. dr H memeriksa kondisi saya dan saya menanyakan saya sakit apa dan dijelaskan bahwa ini sudah positif demam berdarah.

Mulai malam itu saya diinfus dan diberi suntikan tanpa penjelasan atau izin pasien atau keluarga pasien suntikan tersebut untuk apa. Keesokan pagi, dr H visit saya dan menginformasikan bahwa ada revisi hasil lab semalam. Bukan 27.000 tapi 181.000 (hasil lab bisa dilakukan revisi?).

Saya kaget tapi dr H terus memberikan instruksi ke suster perawat supaya diberikan berbagai macam suntikan yang saya tidak tahu dan tanpa izin pasien atau keluarga pasien. Saya tanya kembali jadi saya sakit apa sebenarnya dan tetap masih sama dengan jawaban semalam bahwa saya kena demam berdarah.

Saya sangat khawatir karena di rumah saya memiliki 2 anak yang masih batita. Jadi saya lebih memilih berpikir positif tentang RS dan dokter ini supaya saya cepat sembuh dan saya percaya saya ditangani oleh dokter profesional standard Internatonal.

Mulai Jumat terebut saya diberikan berbagai macam suntikan yang setiap suntik tidak ada keterangan apa pun dari suster perawat, dan setiap saya meminta keterangan tidak mendapatkan jawaban yang memuaskan. Lebih terkesan suster hanya menjalankan perintah dokter dan pasien harus menerimanya. Satu boks lemari pasien penuh dengan infus dan suntikan disertai banyak ampul. Tangan kiri saya mulai membengkak. Saya minta dihentikan infus dan suntikan dan minta ketemu dengan dr H. Namun, dokter tidak datang sampai saya dipindahkan ke ruangan. Lama kelamaan suhu badan saya makin naik kembali ke 39 derajat dan datang dokter pengganti yang saya juga tidak tahu dokter apa. Setelah dicek dokter tersebut hanya mengatakan akan menunggu dr H saja.

Esoknya dr H datang sore hari dengan hanya menjelaskan ke suster untuk memberikan obat berupa suntikan lagi. Saya tanyakan ke dokter tersebut saya sakit apa sebenarnya dan dijelaskan saya kena virus udara. Saya tanyakan berarti bukan kena demam berdarah. Tapi, dr H tetap menjelaskan bahwa demam berdarah tetap virus udara. Saya dipasangkan kembali infus sebelah kanan dan kembali diberikan suntikan yang sakit sekali.

Malamnya saya diberikan suntikan 2 ampul sekaligus dan saya terserang sesak napas selama 15 menit dan diberikan oxygen. Dokter jaga datang namun hanya berkata menunggu dr H saja. Jadi malam itu saya masih dalam kondisi infus. Padahal tangan kanan saya pun mengalami pembengkakan seperti tangan kiri saya. Saya minta dengan paksa untuk diberhentikan infusnya dan menolak dilakukan suntikan dan obat-obatan.

Esoknya saya dan keluarga menuntut dr H untuk ketemu dengan kami. Namun, janji selalu diulur-ulur dan baru datang malam hari. Suami dan kakak-kakak saya menuntut penjelasan dr H mengenai sakit saya, suntikan, hasil lab awal yang 27.000 menjadi revisi 181.000 dan serangan sesak napas yang dalam riwayat hidup saya belum pernah terjadi.

Kondisi saya makin parah dengan membengkaknya leher kiri dan mata kiri. dr H tidak memberikan penjelasan dengan memuaskan. Dokter tersebut malah mulai memberikan instruksi ke suster untuk diberikan obat-obatan kembali dan menyuruh tidak digunakan infus kembali. Kami berdebat mengenai kondisi saya dan meminta dr H bertanggung jawab mengenai ini dari hasil lab yang pertama yang seharusnya saya bisa rawat jalan saja. dr H menyalahkan bagian lab dan tidak bisa memberikan keterangan yang memuaskan.

Keesokannya kondisi saya makin parah dengan leher kanan saya juga mulai membengkak dan panas kembali menjadi 39 derajat. Namun, saya tetap tidak mau dirawat di RS ini lagi dan mau pindah ke RS lain. Tapi, saya membutuhkan data medis yang lengkap dan lagi-lagi saya dipermainkan dengan diberikan data medis yang fiktif.

Dalam catatan medis diberikan keterangan bahwa bab (buang air besar) saya lancar padahal itu kesulitan saya semenjak dirawat di RS ini tapi tidak ada follow up-nya sama sekali. Lalu hasil lab yang diberikan adalah hasil thrombosit saya yang 181.000 bukan 27.000. Saya ngotot untuk diberikan data medis hasil lab 27.000 namun sangat dikagetkan bahwa hasil lab 27.000 tersebut tidak dicetak dan yang tercetak adalah 181.000. Kepala lab saat itu adalah dr M dan setelah saya komplain dan marah-marah dokter tersebut mengatakan bahwa catatan hasil lab 27.000 tersebut ada di Manajemen Omni. Maka saya desak untuk bertemu langsung dengan Manajemen yang memegang hasil lab tersebut.

Saya mengajukan komplain tertulis ke Manajemen Omni dan diterima oleh Og (Customer Service Coordinator) dan saya minta tanda terima. Dalam tanda terima tersebut hanya ditulis saran bukan komplain. Saya benar-benar dipermainkan oleh Manajemen Omni dengan staff Og yang tidak ada service-nya sama sekali ke customer melainkan seperti mencemooh tindakan saya meminta tanda terima pengajuan komplain tertulis.

Dalam kondisi sakit saya dan suami saya ketemu dengan manajemen. Atas nama Og (Customer Service Coordinator) dan dr G (Customer Service Manager) dan diminta memberikan keterangan kembali mengenai kejadian yang terjadi dengan saya.

Saya benar-benar habis kesabaran dan saya hanya meminta surat pernyataan dari lab RS ini mengenai hasil lab awal saya adalah 27.000 bukan 181.000. Makanya saya diwajibkan masuk ke RS ini padahal dengan kondisi thrombosit 181.000 saya masih bisa rawat jalan. Tanggapan dr G yang katanya adalah penanggung jawab masalah komplain saya ini tidak profesional sama sekali. Tidak menanggapi komplain dengan baik. Dia mengelak bahwa lab telah memberikan hasil lab 27.000 sesuai dr M informasikan ke saya. Saya minta duduk bareng antara lab, Manajemen, dan dr H. Namun, tidak bisa dilakukan dengan alasan akan dirundingkan ke atas (Manajemen) dan berjanji akan memberikan surat tersebut jam 4 sore.

Setelah itu saya ke RS lain dan masuk ke perawatan dalam kondisi saya dimasukkan dalam ruangan isolasi karena virus saya ini menular. Menurut analisa ini adalah sakitnya anak-anak yaitu sakit gondongan namun sudah parah karena sudah membengkak. Kalau kena orang dewasa laki-laki bisa terjadi impoten dan perempuan ke pankreas dan kista. Saya lemas mendengarnya dan benar-benar marah dengan RS Omni yang telah membohongi saya dengan analisa sakit demam berdarah dan sudah diberikan suntikan macam-macam dengan dosis tinggi sehingga mengalami sesak napas. Saya tanyakan mengenai suntikan tersebut ke RS yang baru ini dan memang saya tidak kuat dengan suntikan dosis tinggi sehingga terjadi sesak napas.

Suami saya datang kembali ke RS Omni menagih surat hasil lab 27.000 tersebut namun malah dihadapkan ke perundingan yang tidak jelas dan meminta diberikan waktu besok pagi datang langsung ke rumah saya. Keesokan paginya saya tunggu kabar orang rumah sampai jam 12 siang belum ada orang yang datang dari Omni memberikan surat tersebut.

Saya telepon dr G sebagai penanggung jawab kompain dan diberikan keterangan bahwa kurirnya baru mau jalan ke rumah saya. Namun, sampai jam 4 sore saya tunggu dan ternyata belum ada juga yang datang ke rumah saya. Kembali saya telepon dr G dan dia mengatakan bahwa sudah dikirim dan ada tanda terima atas nama Rukiah. Ini benar-benar kebohongan RS yang keterlaluan sekali.

Di rumah saya tidak ada nama Rukiah. Saya minta disebutkan alamat jelas saya dan mencari datanya sulit sekali dan membutuhkan waktu yang lama. Logikanya dalam tanda terima tentunya ada alamat jelas surat tertujunya ke mana kan? Makanya saya sebut Manajemen Omni pembohon besar semua.

Hati-hati dengan permainan mereka yang mempermainkan nyawa orang. Terutama dr G dan Og, tidak ada sopan santun dan etika mengenai pelayanan customer, tidak sesuai dengan standard international yang RS ini cantum. Saya bilang ke dr G, akan datang ke Omni untuk mengambil surat tersebut dan ketika suami saya datang ke Omni hanya dititipkan ke resepsionis saja dan pas dibaca isi suratnya sungguh membuat sakit hati kami.

Pihak manajemen hanya menyebutkan mohon maaf atas ketidaknyamanan kami dan tidak disebutkan mengenai kesalahan lab awal yang menyebutkan 27.000 dan dilakukan revisi 181.000 dan diberikan suntikan yang mengakibatkan kondisi kesehatan makin memburuk dari sebelum masuk ke RS Omni.

Kenapa saya dan suami saya ngotot dengan surat tersebut?

Karena saya ingin tahu bahwa sebenarnya hasil lab 27.000 itu benar ada atau fiktif saja supaya RS Omni mendapatkan pasien rawat inap. Dan setelah beberapa kali kami ditipu dengan janji maka sebenarnya adalah hasil lab saya 27.000 adalah fiktif dan yang sebenarnya saya tidak perlu rawat inap dan tidak perlu ada suntikan dan sesak napas dan kesehatan saya tidak makin parah karena bisa langsung tertangani dengan baik. Saya dirugikan secara kesehatan.

Mungkin dikarenakan biaya RS ini dengan asuransi makanya RS ini seenaknya mengambil limit asuransi saya semaksimal mungkin. Tapi, RS ini tidak memperdulikan efek dari keserakahan ini. Sdr Og menyarankan saya bertemu dengan direktur operasional RS Omni (dr B). Namun, saya dan suami saya sudah terlalu lelah mengikuti permainan kebohongan mereka dengan kondisi saya masih sakit dan dirawat di RS lain.

Syukur Alhamdulilah saya mulai membaik namun ada kondisi mata saya yang selaput atasnya robek dan terkena virus sehingga penglihatan saya tidak jelas dan apabila terkena sinar saya tidak tahan dan ini membutuhkan waktu yang cukup untuk menyembuhkan. Setiap kehidupan manusia pasti ada jalan hidup dan nasibnya masing-masing. Benar. Tapi, apabila nyawa manusia dipermainkan oleh sebuah RS yang dipercaya untuk menyembuhkan malah mempermainkan sungguh mengecewakan.

Semoga Allah memberikan hati nurani ke Manajemen dan dokter RS Omni supaya diingatkan kembali bahwa mereka juga punya keluarga, anak, orang tua yang tentunya suatu saat juga sakit dan membutuhkan medis.

Mudah-mudahan tidak terjadi seperti yang saya alami di RS Omni ini. Saya sangat mengharapkan mudah-mudahan salah satu pembaca adalah karyawan atau dokter atau Manajemen RS Omni. Tolong sampaikan ke dr G, dr H, dr M, dan Og bahwa jangan sampai pekerjaan mulia kalian sia-sia hanya demi perusahaan Anda. Saya informasikan juga dr H praktek di RSCM juga. Saya tidak mengatakan RSCM buruk tapi lebih hati-hati dengan perawatan medis dari dokter ini.

Salam, Prita Mulyasari Alam Sutera

SEJARAH FACEBOOK

2009-11-07T10:55:00.002+07:00

Facebook diluncurkan pertama kali pada tanggal 4 Februari 2004 oleh Mark Zuckerberg sebagai media untuk saling mengenal bagi para mahasiswa Harvard.

Dalam waktu dua minggu setelah diluncurkan, separuh dari semua mahasiswa Harvard telah mendaftar dan memiliki account di Facebook. Tak hanya itu, beberapa kampus lain di sekitar Harvard pun meminta untuk dimasukkan dalam jaringan Facebook. Zuckerberg pun akhirnya meminta bantuan dua temannya untuk membantu mengembangkan Facebook dan memenuhi permintaan kampus-kampus lain untuk bergabung dalam jaringannya. Dalam waktu 4 bulan semenjak diluncurkan, Facebook telah memiliki 30 kampus dalam jaringannya.

Dengan kesuksesannya tersebut, Zuckerberg beserta dua orang temannya memutuskan untuk pindah ke Palo Alto dan menyewa apartemen di sana.

Setelah beberapa minggu di Palo Alto. Zuckerberg berhasil bertemu dengan Sean Parker (cofounder Napster), dan dari hasil pertemuan tersebut Parker pun setuju pindah ke apartemen Facebook untuk bekerja sama mengembangkan Facebook. Tidak lama setelah itu, Parker berhasil mendapatkan Peter Thiel (cofounder Paypal) sebagai investor pertamanya. Thiel menginvestasikan 500 ribu US Dollar untuk pengembangan Facebook.

Jumlah account di Facebook terus melonjak, sehingga pada pertengahan 2004 Friendster mengajukan tawaran kepada Zuckerberg untuk membeli Facebook seharga 10 juta US Dollar, dan Zuckerberg pun menolaknya. Zuckerberg sama sekali tidak menyesal menolak tawaran tersebut sebab tak lama setelah itu Facebook menerima sokongan dana lagi sebesar 12.7 juta US Dollar dari Accel Partners. Dan semenjak itu sokongan dana dari berbagai investor terus mengalir untuk pengembangan Facebook.

Pada September 2005 Facebook tidak lagi membatasi jaringannya hanya untuk mahasiswa., Facebook pun membuka jaringannya untuk para siswa SMU. Beberapa waktu kemudian Facebook juga membuka jaringannya untuk para pekerja kantoran. Dan akhirnya pada September 2006 Facebook membuka pendaftaran untuk siapa saja yang memiliki alamat e-mail.

Selain menolak tawaran dari Friendster seharga 10 juta US Dollar, Zuckerberg juga pernah menolak tawaran dari Viacom yang ingin membeli Facebook seharga 750 juta US Dollar, dan

tawaran dari Yahoo yang ingin membeli Facebook seharga 1 milyar US Dollar.

Tidak ada situs jejaring sosial lain yang mampu menandingi daya tarik Facebook terhadap user. Pada tahun 2007, terdapat penambahan 200 ribu account baru perharinya Lebih dari 25 juta user aktif menggunakan Facebook setiap harinya. Rata-rata user menghabiskan waktu sekitar 19 menit perhari untuk melakukan berbagai aktifitas di Facebook.
sumber : http://publishedmind.blogspot.com

HAPPY FASTING RAMADHAN

2009-09-03T11:06:00.002+07:00

For Tsunami

2009-06-06T12:57:00.001+07:00

In Memorial......

Rani Juliani

2009-05-07T09:12:00.009+07:00

Rani Juliani is most Wanted Media in Indonesian, She Said in Blog : "Saya seorang gadis yang manies menurut pengamatan orang2 di sekeliling aq. Diriku lahir pada tanggal 01 juli 1986. jangan lupa ngado yah... Anak ke 3 dari 4 sodara, tadinya mau bungsu, tapi bonyok gw doyan. he he..." Said Rani in http://ranijuliani.blogspot.com , She Like James Bond Movie and Song abaut Love.

oke,..

Definition of Hari Raya Aidiladha

2009-04-19T03:59:00.001+07:00

Muslims all over the world observe Eid-ul Adha (in Arabic) or Hari Raya Aidil Adha (in Malay) on the 10th day of Zulhijah, the last month of the Muslim calendar. The corresponding Gregorian date this year is on December 8th, 2008. This festival is celebrated in conjunction with the pilgrimages performed by Muslims, called the Haj and to commemorate Prophet Abraham's spirit of Qurban or sacrifice. Thus, in Singapore, Hari Raya Aidil Adha is also known as Hari Raya Haji or Hari Raya Qurban

The Haj is a pilgrimage to the holy places in and around the holy city of Mecca (the birthplace of Islam) in Saudi Arabia where pilgrims will perform certain religious rituals and prayers. It is one of the central religious duties of Muslims and is enshrined in the Quran. According to the fifth tenet of Islam, Muslims who are financially and physically able are required to perform a pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca at least once in their lifetime. The pilgrimage is also inspired by the earlier example of obedience to God set by the Prophet of Abraham. Pilgrims wear special clothes: simple garments which strip away distinctions of class and culture, so that all stand equal before God.

After the completion of the Haj, the pilgrims would perform the 'qurban' or sacrifice. This act is in remembrance of Prophet Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his elder son, Ishmael, when God commanded him to do it as a test of his commitment to his faith. At the last moment, God miraculously replaced a ram in place of Ishmael.

In Singapore, the day is spent offering thanksgiving prayers and prayers for forgiveness at the mosques early in the morning. After prayers, Muslims conduct the 'qurban' - slaughtering of animals such as lambs and goats. Though not a compulsory religious duty, it is considered an obligation for those who can afford. The meat is distributed to neighbours, friends and most importantly to the poor and needy while keeping a portion (usually 1/3) for their family. It is customary for Muslims to visit their parents and relatives where a wide selection of traditional Malay food is served.
Hari Raya Aidiladha is different from Hari Raya Puasa, also known as Aidil Fitri. Hari Raya Puasa, which falls on the 1st of Syawal, the tenth month of the Islamic calendar, marks the end of Ramadan, the month of fasting. It is a day of victory for Muslims, having successfully completed the fast.

Nutritional for Fasting

2009-04-19T03:52:00.002+07:00

Fasting is the single greatest natural healing therapy. It is nature’s ancient, universal "remedy" for many problems. Animals instinctively fast when ill. When I first discovered fasting, 15 years ago, I felt as if it had saved my life and transformed my illnesses into health. My stagnant energies began flowing, and I became more creative and vitally alive. I still find fasting both a useful personal tool and an important therapy for many medical and life problems.

Of course, most of the problems for which I recommend fasting as treatment are ones that result from overnutrition rather than malnutrition. Dietary abuse problems, more common in the Western world than in Third World countries, generate many of the chronic degenerative diseases that I have written so much about; these include atherosclerosis, hypertension and heart disease, allergies, diabetes, and cancer. I believe that fasting is therapeutic and, more importantly, preventive for many of these conditions and more.

As I use the term here, fasting is the avoidance of solid food and the intake of liquids only (true fasting would be the total avoidance of anything by mouth). The most stringent form of fasting is taking only water; more liberally, fasting includes the use of fresh juices made from fruits and vegetables as well as herbal teas. All of these limited diets generate varying degrees of detoxification—that is, elimination of toxins from the body. Individual experiences with fasting depend on the condition of the body (also mind and attitude). Detoxification might be intense and temporarily increase sickness or might be immediately helpful and uplifting.

Juice fasting is commonly used (rather than water alone) as a mild and effective cleansing plan; this is suggested by myself and other doctors and authors and by many of the European fasting clinics. Fresh juices are easily assimilated and require minimum digestion, while they supply many nutrients and stimulate our body to clear its wastes. Juice fasting is also safer than water fasting, because it supports the body nutritionally while cleansing and probably even produces a better detoxification and quicker recovery.

Fasting (cleansing, detoxification) is one part of the triology of nutrition; balancing and building (toning) are the others. I believe that fasting is the "missing link" in the Western diet. Most people overeat, eat too often, and eat a high-protein, high-fat, rich-food, building and congesting diet more consistently than they need. If we regularly eat a more balanced and well-combined diet, such as my Ideal Diet, we will have less need for fasting and toning plans, although both would still be required at certain intervals throughout the year.

In a sense, detoxification is an important corrective and rejuvenative process in our cycle of nutrition. It is a time when we allow our cells and organs to breathe out, become current, and restore themselves. We do not necessarily need to fast to experience some cleansing, however. Minor shifts in the diet such as including more fluids, more raw foods, and fewer congesting foods will allow for better detoxification; for a carnivore, for example, a vegetarian or macrobiotic diet will be cleansing and purifying. The general process of detoxification is discussed thoroughly in the General Detoxification program; here we focus on fluid fasting—its history, therapeutic use, benefits, contraindications, and, of course, how to do it, along with other aspects of lifestyle that support fasting.

Fasting in Prespectife Christianity

2009-04-19T03:49:00.002+07:00

The "acceptable fast" is discussed in the biblical Book of Isaiah, chapter 58:3-7. In essence, it means afflict the soul through abstaining from fulfilling the needs or wants of the flesh. The opening chapter of the Book of Daniel, vv. 8-16, describes a partial fast and its effects on the health of its observers.

Fasting is a practice in several Christian denominations or other churches. Some denominations do not practice it, considering it an external observance, but many individual believers choose to observe fasts at various times at their own behest. The Lenten fast observed in the Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church is a forty-day partial fast to commemorate the fast observed by Christ during his temptation in the desert. This is similar to the partial fasting within the Ethiopian Orthodox Church (abstaining from meat and milk) which takes place during certain times of the year and lasts for weeks.

Fasting Ramadan

2009-04-19T03:44:00.002+07:00

In Islam, fasting for a month is an obligatory practice during the holy month of Ramadan, from fajr (dawn), until the maghrib (sunset). Muslims are prohibited from eating, drinking, smoking, and engaging in sexual intercourse while fasting. Fasting in the month of Ramadan is one of the Pillars of Islam, and thus one of the most important acts of Islamic worship. By fasting, whether during Ramadan or other times, a Muslim draws closer to their Lord by abandoning the things they enjoy, such as food and drink. This makes the sincerity of their faith and their devotion to God (Arabic: Allah) all the more evident.

The Qur'an states that fasting was prescribed for those before them (i.e., the Jews and Christians) and that by fasting a Muslim gains taqwa, which can be described as the care taken by a person to do everything God has commanded and to keep away from everything that He has forbidden. Fasting helps prevent many sins and is a shield with which the Muslim protects him/herself from jahannam (hell).

O who believe, fasting is decreed for you as it was decreed for those before you; perchance you will guard yourselves. ...

The month of Ramadan is the month in which the Koran was sent down, a guidance for the people, and clear verses of guidance and criterion. [Quran: Chapter 2, 183]

Muslims believe that fasting is more than abstaining from food and drink. It also includes abstaining from any falsehood in speech and action, from any ignorant and indecent speech, and from arguing and fighting, and lustful thoughts. Therefore, fasting strengthens control of impulses and helps develop good behavior.

Fasting also inculcates a sense of fraternity and solidarity, as Muslims feel and experience what their needy and hungry brothers and sisters feel. However, even the poor, needy, and hungry participate in the fast. Moreover, Ramadan is a month of giving charity and sharing meals to break the fast together.

The Siyam is intended to teach muslims patience and self-control, and to remind them of the less fortunate in the world. The fast is also seen as a debt owed by the muslim to God. Faithful observance of the Siyam is believed to atone for personal faults and misdeeds, at least in part, and to help earn a place in paradise. It is also believed to be beneficial for personal conduct, that is, to help control impulses, passions and temper. The fast is also meant to provide time for meditation and to strengthen one's faith.

Fasting in Context Medical

2009-04-19T03:42:00.001+07:00

In a medical context fasting may refer to (1) the metabolic status of a person who has not eaten overnight, (2) to the metabolic state achieved after complete digestion and absorption of a meal, or (3) an unusually extended period of starvation. Several metabolic adjustments occur during fasting, and many medical diagnostic tests are standardized for fasting conditions

For most ordinary diagnostic purposes a person is assumed to be fasting after 8–12 hours. Many of the metabolic shifts of fasting begin as absorption of a meal is complete (typically 3–5 hours after a meal); "post-absorptive state" is synonymous with this usage, in contrast to the "post-prandial" state of ongoing digestion. A diagnostic fast refers to prolonged fasting (from 8–72 hours depending on age) conducted under medical observation for investigation of a problem, usually hypoglycemia. Finally, extended fasting has been recommended as therapy for various conditions by physicians of most cultures, throughout history, from ancient to modern.

Fasting

2009-04-19T03:41:00.001+07:00

Fasting is primarily the act of willingly abstaining from some or all food, drink, or both, for a period of time. A fast may be total or partial concerning that from which one fasts, and may be prolonged or intermittent as to the period of fasting.

Fasting practices may preclude sexual activity as well as food, in addition to refraining from eating certain types or groups of foods; for example, one might refrain from eating meat. A complete fast in its traditional definition is abstinence of all food and liquids except for water.

Fasting for religious and spiritual reasons has been a part of human custom since pre-history. It is mentioned in the Bible, in both the Old Testament (the Tanach) and New Testament, the Qur'an, the Mahabharata, and the Upanishads. Fasting is also practiced in many other religious traditions and spiritual practices.

Secret of Tomatoes

2009-04-19T01:39:00.002+07:00

The secret of tomatoes lays precisely in its color pigments related to that of carrots. The virtues of this great antioxidant have been demonstrated in hundreds of clinical trials. Scientists sustain it is enough to drink 2 glasses of tomato juice daily to take profit from the outstanding benefits of lycopene.

There are some of its effective therapies:

1. fresh juice boosts sugar formation in the blood, acting as an excellent natural energizer when feeling exhausted
2. contains antitoxic elements, protecting the liver and stimulating its activity
3. fights negative effects of increased fat intake, otherwise rapidly absorbed by the body
4. is an excellent remedy against sunburn: tomato slices applied on burned skin for 15 minutes decrease inflammation and accelerate regeneration; lycopene protects skin against bad UVs, reducing the risk of sunburn.

Health food: TomatoEven more important, it is proved that, by eating 2-4 servings of tomato (or tomato sauce/juice, if you prefer) per week, risk for prostate cancer is reduced by as much as 35%!

Borobodur Temple

2009-04-19T01:28:00.001+07:00

The Borobodur Temple complex is one of the greatest monuments in the world. It is of uncertain age, but thought to have been built between the end of the seventh and beginning of the eighth century A.D. For about a century and a half it was the spiritual centre of Buddhism in Java, then it was lost until its rediscovery in the eighteenth century.

The structure, composed of 55,000 square meters of lava-rock is erected on a hill in the form of a stepped-pyramid of six rectangular storeys, three circular terraces and a central stupa forming the summit. The whole structure is in the form of a lotus, the sacred flower of Buddha.

Taxonomic Kingdom of Fungi

2009-04-19T01:15:00.003+07:00

Kingdom - the highest taxonomic group into which organisms are grouped; one of five biological categories: Monera or Protoctista or Plantae or Fungi or Animalia

fungus family - includes lichen families
fungus genus - includes lichen genera
fungus order - the order of fungi
division Gymnomycota, division Myxomycota, Gymnomycota, Myxomycota - slime molds; organisms having a noncellular and multinucleate creeping vegetative phase and a propagative spore-producing stage: comprises Myxomycetes and Acrasiomycetes; in some classifications placed in the kingdom Protoctista
Phycomycetes, Phycomycetes group - a large and probably unnatural group of fungi and funguslike organisms comprising the Mastigomycota (including the Oomycetes) and Zygomycota subdivisions of the division Eumycota; a category not used in all systems
division Lichenes, Lichenes - comprising the lichens which grow symbiotically with algae; sometimes treated as an independent group more or less coordinate with algae and fungi
fungus - an organism of the kingdom Fungi lacking chlorophyll and feeding on organic matter; ranging from unicellular or multicellular organisms to spore-bearing syncytia
division Eumycota, Eumycota - true fungi; eukaryotic heterotrophic walled organisms; distinguished from Myxomycota (funguslike slime molds): comprises subdivisions Mastigomycotina; Zygomycotina; Ascomycotina; Basidiomycotina; Deuteromycotina (imperfect fungi)
Tremella reticulata - a jelly fungus with an erect whitish fruiting body and a highly variable shape (sometimes resembling coral fungi)
annulus, skirt - (Fungi) a remnant of the partial veil that in mature mushrooms surrounds the stem like a collar from :www.thefreedictionary.com

Photosinthesis

2009-04-19T00:55:00.002+07:00

Photosinthesis is The process of constructive metabolism by which carbohydrates are formed from water vapor and the carbon dioxide of the air in the chlorophyll-containing tissues of plants exposed to the action of light. It was formerly called assimilation, but this is now commonly used as in animal physiology. The details of the process are not yet clearly known. Baeyer's theory is that the carbon dioxide is reduced to carbon monoxide, which, uniting with the hydrogen of the water in the cell, produces formaldehyde, the latter forming various sugars through polymerization

Vines suggests that the carbohydrates are secretion products of the chloroplasts, derived from decomposition of previously formed proteids. The food substances are usually quickly translocated, those that accumulate being changed to starch, which appears in the cells almost simultaneously with the sugars. The chloroplasts perform photosynthesis only in light and within a certain range of temperature, varying according to climate. This is the only way in which a plant is able to organize carbohydrates. All plants without a chlorophyll apparatus, as the fungi, must be parasitic or saprophytic.

Romantic With Roses

2009-04-19T00:41:00.003+07:00

You see, I know better than most that once “rose fever” sets in, there is no cure. No matter how many roses one has, there will always be a more appealing one coming up in the next garden catalog. That means rose fever can also be hazardous to the pocketbook.

I contracted a rare strain called English Rose fever while living in London in the early 1990s. It was there that I discovered a majority of British rose gardens looked nothing like the ones I’d planted with lonely rows of prissy hybrid tea rosebushes.

Instead, roses were part of the overall landscape and many had charming, Victorian-looking, fragrant blooms that took me back to summers on my grandmother’s farm.

Spider

2009-04-19T00:36:00.002+07:00

Spider experts believe that webs were developed even earlier, but the delicate gossamer threads rarely leave any trace. Amber, or fossilized tree resin, can occasionally conserve bits of web

an earlier find in Lebanon was dated to 130 million years ago, according to Brasier.

Lavender

2009-04-19T00:17:00.004+07:00

Lavender is native to the Mediterranean region and has been used to perfume and cleanse for some 2,500 years.

Ancient Egyptians wrapped their dead in shrouds dipped in lavender. The Greeks thought that it deterred all manner of ills from insomnia to insanity.

Its fresh scent made it a favorite with the Romans, who used the herb extensively in bath water. Small wonder that its name comes from the Latin word lavare, which means “to wash.”

The Elizabethans scattered lavender on the floor to perfume their houses, deter insects in the linen closet, and mask displeasing odors. It was also sold on the streets of London by vendors who claimed that branches of lavender fastened to each wrist could ward off the plague.

About the same time, lavenders were used in elaborate knot gardens designed to resemble intricate embroidery designs of the day.

Spinach

2009-04-19T00:11:00.002+07:00

Including adverse actions gardeners might unwittingly take:

1. Such as bringing back a cute little orange tree houseplants from your winter vacation in Florida, for instance. Miniature lemon, lime, and grapefruit trees are tempting, too — and also to be avoided.

2. Don’t order citrus plants of unknown origin. Actually, it’s a good idea also to ascertain the source of all citrus plants you might be considering from a mail-order source, no matter where it’s located.

3. Don’t even take an individual orange, grapefruit, kumquat, or other citrus fruit out of Florida unless it’s been inspected and passed by the USDA.

4. You’ll also want to watch out for citrus relatives that can host citrus greening disease: mock orange, curry leaf, orange jasmine, and orange boxwood.

Compost

2009-04-19T00:00:00.002+07:00

Each serves as a time-release fertilizer and insulator. When augmented with livestock and poultry manure, nutrient-rich compost leaches into the earth and feeds countless microorganisms, earthworms and fungi.

With time, watering and mixing, discarded green kitchen scraps, yard litter and garden wastes decay into crumb-textured “brown gold” — a greatly enhanced growing medium.

Mulch, meanwhile, is a protective cover that also works its way into the topsoil. It’s made up of natural or synthetic substances — everything from crushed rock and plastic sheeting to wood chips, discarded newspapers, and straw.

Mulch minimizes gardening chores by smothering weeds, conserving moisture, eliminating erosion, and aerating packed soils. It also protects tender plants from frost and cold in winter, and from evaporation and heat stress in summer.

Compost generally is applied as a soil amendment in late fall or early spring in layers one to two inches deep. Coarse mulch then can be layered over the enriching compost to protect young plants from the elements.

Individuals Must Act to Global Warming

2009-04-18T23:50:00.002+07:00

Not just governments that have a responsibility. Individuals must act too. By opting to cycle or walk, instead of driving everywhere, we can all do something to reduce emissions.

If more of us turned off electrical devices when not in use and recycled our waste properly, our societies would be hugely less energy inefficient. If populations become greener, it will send a potent message to our political representatives. There can be a revolution in attitudes from the bottom up.

We all face this looming era of climactic unpredictability together. The window of opportunity for intervention is closing rapidly. A failure to act now will not be forgiven by future generations.

Cancer

2009-04-18T23:35:00.002+07:00

Cancer - is a rare tumor but rather insidious. It affects young men between 20 and 40 years old and sometimes very quickly gives metastases. Own health is in the full sense in the hands of men, because the bowel cancer can be detect only by himself or his attentive woman.

The peak of incidence is in 32 years (for other tumors is 68 years old), and after forty years, the risk of falling ill such disease significantly reduced. The most common bowel cancer suffer men from Switzerland (12-14 people per 100 thousand men), and least likely - African-Americans and Chinese. In recent years, the frequency of disease increases.

Bowel cancer occurs infrequently and mainly in children (about 30% of all tumors of childhood), and young people. In general, men's bowel cancer is about 1% of all malignant neoplasm. The main factors contributing to bowl cancer development are: chryptorchidism, bowl's trauma, Klyaynfelter syndrome, microwave, X-ray and gamma-radiation, infertility.

DNA as Software, and Enzymes as Hardware

2009-04-11T10:01:00.000+07:00

Think of DNA as software, and enzymes as hardware. Put them together in a test tube. The way in which these molecules undergo chemical reactions with each other allows simple operations to be performed as a byproduct of the reactions

The scientists tell the devices what to do by controlling the composition of the DNA software molecules. It's a completely different approach to pushing electrons around a dry circuit in a conventional computer.

To the naked eye, the DNA computer looks like clear water solution in a test tube. There is no mechanical device. A trillion bio-molecular devices could fit into a single drop of water. Instead of showing up on a computer screen, results are analyzed using a technique that allows scientists to see the length of the DNA output molecule.

"Once the input, software, and hardware molecules are mixed in a solution it operates to completion without intervention," said David Hawksett, the science judge at Guinness World Records. "If you want to present the output to the naked eye, human manipulation is needed." Don't Run to the PC Store Just Yet

As of now, the DNA computer can only perform rudimentary functions, and it has no practical applications. "Our computer is programmable, but it's not universal," said Shapiro. "There are computing tasks it inherently can't do."

The device can check whether a list of zeros and ones has an even number of ones. The computer cannot count how many ones are in a list, since it has a finite memory and the number of ones might exceed its memory size. Also, it can only answer yes or no to a question. It can't, for example, correct a misspelled word.

Pondok Pesantren (PONPES) Have Made to the Education of Muslim

2009-04-07T05:25:00.000+07:00

The pondok pesantren (PONPES) education is a "traditional" form of Muslim education in Indonesia. This boarding school system can be traced back to the 18th century or further. However, it was not until 1930 that the pesantren officially admitted female students, beginning with the Pesantren Denanyar of Jombang.

The acceptance of female students in the pesantren was a significant breakthrough in the Indonesian Islamic context. It has led to a unique provision of Muslim education in a largely gender-segregated setting, although the strictness of this depends on the flexibility of the pesantren leader. This paper provides a qualitative, socio-historical perspective of the current state of pesantren education for women in Indonesia, and the challenges faced in achieving gender equity. It discusses the positioning of female students vis-à-vis limited access to public space, their roles - both expected and aspired to - in society, gender bias in teaching material, and the male-centred structure of authority within the institution. While acknowledging the contributions that the pesantren have made to the education of Muslim women in Indonesia, this paper urges them to address such internal tensions to improve the quality of education provided to women

Situ Gintung Need Trained for Mental Health

2009-04-06T05:48:00.000+07:00

Experts agree that when a natural disaster of the magnitude of the Situ Gintung hits a community, psychological, cognitive, and somatic symptoms of distress may be evident in the affected population (Vijaykumar et al., 2006). However, unavailability of sufficiently trained mental health professionals and the loss of schools and infrastructure can hamper intervention programs (Math, Girimaji, et al., 2006). In an emergency situation, efforts need to be made to provide training in intervention techniques. The media "vividly

portrayed the importance of emotional support and psychological interventions" (p. 226) and helped spread the word on the importance of attending to survivors' mental health. "Keeping in mind that a vast majority of the affected population needs only minimal support in normalizing their lives, it was believed that relief workers involved in providing material relief could be trained in psychological intervention techniques" (Vijaykumar et al., 2006, p. 226). Relief workers - people from the general public, from youth organizations, and college students - were given quick training so that they would be able to attend to some of the psychological needs. In order to deal fully with such complex emotional issues of personal loss and tragedy, expertise is necessary; in the absence of experts, however, it was important to provide some training to the relief workers/ volunteers before they had direct contact with survivors.

Pray

2009-03-29T13:27:00.002+07:00

O Allah, grant Your blessings and your favours and Your Mercy to the Master of the Messengers and the Leader of the pious and Seal of the Prophets, our master Muhammad, Your slave and Your Messenger, the Pioneer of Goodness and Guide to the Goodness, the Messenger of Mercy. O Allah, bless our master Muhammad his family, his Companions, his children, his wives, his descendants, the People of his House his relations by marriage, his Helpers. His adherents, his lovers, his nation and all of us along with them, O Most Merciful of the Merciful.

Amiiiiiii.....

About MUHAMMAD SAW.

2009-03-29T13:11:00.003+07:00

Founder of Islam, born in Mecca on the Arabian peninsula. In about 616 he began to preach the worship of one God, who allegedly revealed to him the words of the Koran (it was later written down by his followers) through the angel Jibra'el (Gabriel). Muhammad fled from persecution to the town now known as Medina in 622: the flight, Hijrah or Hegira, marks the beginning of the Islamic era.

Muhammad was originally a shepherd and trader. He married Khadija, a widow, in 595, spent time in meditation, and received his first revelation in 610. The series of revelations continued throughout his life. At first he doubted their divine origin but later he began to teach others, who wrote down the words of his revelations; they were collected after his death to form the Koran.

The move to Medina resulted in the first Islamic community, which for many years fought battles against fierce opposition from Mecca and from neighbouring tribes. In 630 the Muslim army defeated that of Mecca and the city came under Muslim rule. By the time of Muhammad's death in 632, Islam had spread throughout the Arabian peninsula. After his death, the leadership of the Muslims was disputed.

Muslims believe that Muhammad was the final prophet, although they recognize other, earlier prophets, including Ibrahim (Abraham) and Isa (Jesus). Muhammad is not worshipped, but honoured by the words ‘Peace be upon him’ whenever Muslims mention his name

Considering Religion in Society

2009-03-29T13:02:00.003+07:00

In the real world there are all sorts of interesting interactions and dynamics at play when considering religion in society. There is the sense of belonging to a group, the feeling of higher purpose and moral justification. And the dark side of those things, the ostracizing of those who are different and the sense of smug moral superiority.

There are the scholars who agonize over the exact meanings of vague texts and argue interpretations with other scholars for hours. There are people who pick and choose only the parts of a religion which suit their agenda and reject any parts that don’t, even going so far as to splinter off from the main body of the faith, like Henry the 8th of England, who split from the Catholic Church and formed his own sect of Christianity so that he could divorce his wife and marry some bird he had his eye one. There are acts of good and kindness inspired by religion, the inspiration for people to uplift themselves and others. All these things form a rich and diverse tapestry of human nature, the good, the bad and the in-between.

The entire interplay of religion and politics alone is greatly fascinating, offering a wealth of options from which to create interesting lore (and plot/quests) in your game. So much missed opportunity there, generally.

The second way that the usual methodology misses the point is that it forgets that religion is about faith. Faith, not fact. It’s how people interact with their belief system, not how they operate under knowledge of facts. You completely rob your setting of the rich narrative nuances if you lay everything out plainly in front of the player and the NPCs in the world. How can you have scholars arguing over interpretations of religious texts if they can just ask their deity what he meant? Without mystery the interesting, fuzzy, human elements fall away.

Existence of God

2009-03-29T12:50:00.002+07:00

Reformed epistemologists such as Alvin Plantinga would agree that belief in God can be a properly basic belief (that is not based upon positive empirical evidence). We can properly begin with an assumption of Godï¿½s existence and allow this to affect our perception of the world. However, reformed epistemologists fundamentally disagree with any notion of anti-realism with respect to the existence of God.

In other words, though Plantinga and others would admit that there need not be positive evidence in order to justify oneï¿½s belief in God, they would maintain that Godï¿½s actual existence is of utmost importance. Indeed, Plantinga argues that we must take care to demonstrate that belief in God is not internally inconsistent or logically impossible. For the Wittgensteinian, the meaning of the phrase ï¿½God existsï¿½ is found merely in the way it is used to promote a religious way of life. The reformed epistemologist counters this argument by noting that though we may not be able to conclusively demonstrate Godï¿½s existence by appeals to evidence, His existence may still be an objective fact.

In another chapter, Iakovos Vasiliou explores how evangelism in Wittgensteinï¿½s eyes means no more than attempting to get people to accept our language-game and our way of life. Reasons or justifications for belief can only be used within oneï¿½s own game. Thus, in order to achieve conversions, we must persuade others to reject their entire view of the world and adopt ours, while admitting that our view is no more than an alternate interpretation or way of speaking. While this idea recognizes the importance of worldview in evangelism, it leaves out any tools for rational discussion of the truth! Apologetics is rendered irrelevant by this view. Instead of attempting to show why Christianity is true, according to proponents of Wittgensteinian religion, we must merely make it appealing.

Greenhouse

2009-03-29T12:34:00.003+07:00

A greenhouse and two hoop houses are a critical part of going organic at Gary's farm. On a very cold early April day, things were busy in the greenhouse at the farm.

The outside temperature was hovering at around 35 degrees but inside Gary's converted chicken coop baby eggplants are basking in a balmy 85 degree heat generated by passive solar sunlight streaming through the salvaged glass windows and a water jacketed wood stove.

The theme here is "free" heat and lots of it. The greenhouse is a deceptively simple cross between a reclaimed chicken shack, machine shed and greenhouse. The glass cladding on the solar south side of the green house is a salvaged redwood skylight from a vary old office building raised in Chicago years ago. The panes are so old that they are wavy and seated into redwood frames aged to a warm gray patina. The seedlings are set into deep wooden boxes filled with Gary's "special recipe" growing medium. Thermometers line the boxes monitoring the tropical temperatures required by the heat-loving vegetables that were started in succession in late February. The greenhouse is a primitive masterpiece of form following function. The form is unexpected but the function is suburb. Assisting in the heat gain from the sun shining through the window is a small woodstove that is surrounded by metal water tanks of varying origins. Eclectic but effective.

Arsenic and Mercury in Cell Phones

2009-03-29T12:17:00.003+07:00

Cell phones, electronics and batteries contain many toxic materials such as arsenic, mercury, lead, cadmium, nickel, copper, zinc and brominated flame retardants which would be released into

the air and groundwater supply if disposed of improperly, creating threats to human and animal health as well as the environment. Contact your cell phone company to find out where to recycle your old phone.

Many public schools cooperate with recycling businesses that pay cash for used printer cartridges, cell phones, PDAs, and other small electronics, helping our schools and our environment. Check to see if any of your local schools participate in a program like this. If you have children in a school that doesn’t have such a program, consider contacting your PTA/PTO to see if they would be interested starting one.
Over 86 percent of all inkjet cartridges sold in this country are thrown away. This translates into 350 million cartridges that end up in landfills or approximately 875 million pounds of environmental waste. Stacked end to end, these discarded printer cartridges would cover a distance of over 24,000 miles—enough to circle the earth!

Nutrition for HIV

2009-03-29T11:42:00.003+07:00

Nutrition is vital to immune function. CD8 cells, also known as cytotoxic T lymphocytes, combat Hepatatis C infection is those who are chronically infected. These cells are sensitive to nutritional status, especially with respect to selenium, zinc and glutathione.

Antioxidant vitamins are glutathione-sparing. Vitamin E can also protect liver cells from free radical damage, lowering ALT levels by as much as 40% in some studies.

Nutrition Solves The Lipodystrophy Mystery … It’s the nukes, not it’s the PI’s, no, it’s the virus …. No one has to take blame for side effects for HAART, so patients are left with dramatically high levels of blood fats, and disfiguring body fat changes in face, arms, legs, bellies, necks and sometimes shoulders. Lipodystrophy is mostly about untamed inflammation. There is some dysmetabolism caused by HIV, but mitochondrial toxicity and protease inhibitor irritations are real; nutrition to the rescue however. Use foods and supplements to repair distressed cells, and see faces fill back out, have neuropathy stop waking people up in the night, and see blood triglycerides drop 500 points. Full details the Eat Up book. Example: when testosterone levels run low, TNFa levels rise, and so do cholesterol numbers. Replete testosterone and cytokine levels drop.

Classroom Action

2009-03-19T16:06:00.002+07:00

This article is a report of a one-circle classroom action research conducted to grade seven or first year of junior high school students of KPS schools in first semester of academic year 2005-2006. Narrative discourse is one of discourses that must be given in grade 7 to 9. Therefore the students must understand the concept of narrative discourse so they can produce spoken and written language by developing language skills.

Building the concept is not an easy work. It needs long process in which involves many activities and times. That is understood by curriculum as a principle of mastery learning. The principle appreciates every student as a unique individual who has different developmental maturity. The writer decides to design a strategy that is expected as an effective way to plant the concept of narrative discourse by modifying the media and methods called “Pametdia” Strategy (Combining of various methods and media Strategy). The result showed that the research subject succeeded reaching the target (75%) for language skill. It means they understand the concept of narrative discourse and use it to communicate with others.

Astrophysics

2009-03-19T16:05:00.002+07:00

Astrophysics is the branch of astronomy that deals with the physics of the universe, including the physical properties (luminosity, density, temperature, and chemical composition) of celestial objects such as stars, galaxies, and the interstellar medium, as well as their interactions. The study of cosmology is theoretical astrophysics at scales much larger than the size of particular gravitationally-bound objects in the universe.

Because astrophysics is a very broad subject, astrophysicists typically apply many disciplines of physics, including mechanics, electromagnetism, statistical mechanics, thermodynamics, quantum mechanics, relativity, nuclear and particle physics, and atomic and molecular physics. In practice, modern astronomical research involves a substantial amount of physics. The name of a university's department ("astrophysics" or "astronomy") often has to do more with the department's history than with the contents of the programs. Astrophysics can be studied at the bachelors, masters, and Ph.D. levels in aerospace engineering, physics, or astronomy departments at many universities.

10 New Frog Species

2009-03-19T15:59:00.002+07:00

More than 10 new frog species have been discovered in the cool cloud forests of Peru's Andes in the past two years.

But researchers worry that they, along with amphibians worldwide, could fall prey to the deadly Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, or Bb, which causes chytridiomycosis, a fungal disease that is threatening species from Australia to North America. Meet Noble's pygmy frog (Noblella pygmaea). This freshly discovered amphibian is now the smallest known frog in South America's Andes Mountains. In addition to living at extreme altitudes (above and beyond 10,000 feet, or 3,000 meters), this little frog has some impressive talents, such as laying massive eggs that skip the tadpole phase and hatch into mini versions of their petite parents.

Glossary

2009-03-19T15:44:00.001+07:00

Conserved: Derived from a common ancestor and retained in contemporary related species. Conserved features may or may not be under selection.

Evolutionary drift: The accumulation of sequence differences that have little or no impact on the fitness of an organism; such neutral mutations are not under selection. Sequence polymorphisms arise randomly in a population, most of which have no effect on function. Stochastic processes allow a small fraction of these to increase in frequency until they are fixed in a population; these are detectable as neutral substitutions in interspecies comparisons.

Homologs: Features (including DNA and protein sequences) in species being compared that are similar because they are ancestrally related.

Negative selection: The removal of deleterious mutations from a population; also referred to as purifying selection.

Nonredundant protein sets: The set of proteins from which similar proteins, derived from duplicated genes, have been removed.

Orthologs: Homologous genes (or any DNA sequences) that separated because of a speciation event; they are derived from the same gene in the last common ancestor. Orthologs are distinguished from paralogs, which are homologous genes that separated because of gene duplication events.

Phylogenetic distances: Measures of the degree of separation between two organisms or their genomes, expressed in various terms such as number of accumulated sequences changes, number of years, or number of generations. The distances are often placed on phylogenetic trees, which show the deduced relationships among the organisms.

Positive selection: The retention of mutations that benefit an organism; also referred to as Darwinian selection.

Synteny: The property of being on the same chromosome. Conserved synteny means that genes that are on the same chromosome in one species are also on the same chromosome in the comparison species; these are also referred to as homology blocks.

DNA as Software, and Enzymes as Hardware

2009-03-19T15:36:00.003+07:00

Between Modern Technology and Moral Systems

2009-03-19T15:30:00.003+07:00

The relationship between modern technology, biomedical ethics and Jewish law has been well developed over the last fifty years. As has been noted in a variety of sources and in diverse contexts, Jewish law insists that new technologies -- and particularly new reproductive technologies -- are neither definitionally prohibited nor definitionally permissible in the eyes of Jewish law, but rather subject to a case by case analysis. Nonetheless, every legal, religious or ethical system has to insist that advances in technologies be evaluated against the touchstones of its moral systems.

In the Jewish tradition, that touchstone is halacha: the corpus of Jewish law and ethics. This short paper is an attempt to create a preliminary and tentative analysis of the technology of cloning from a Jewish law perspective. Like all preliminary analysis, it is designed not to advance a rule that represents itself as definitive normative Jewish law; rather it is an attempt to outline some of the issues in the hope that others will focus on the problems and analysis found in this paper and will sharpen or correct that analysis. Such is the way that Jewish law seeks truth.

In the case of cloning -- as with all advances in reproductive technology -- the Jewish tradition is betwixt and between two obligations. On one side is the general Jewish obligation to help those who are in need, and particularly exemplified by the specific obligation to reproduce, thus inclining one to permit advances in reproductive technologies that allows those unable to reproduce, to, in fact, reproduce. On the other side is the general inherent moral conservatism associated with the Jewish tradition's insistence that there is an objective God-given morality, and that not everything that humanity wants or can do is proper; this specifically is manifest in the areas of sexuality where the Jewish tradition recognizes a number of halachic doctrines which restrict sexual activity. In addition, the Jewish tradition advises one to pause before one permits that which can lead down a variety of slippery slopes whose consequences we do not fully understand, and whose results we cannot predict.

It is the balance between these various needs that drives the Jewish law discussion of all assisted reproductive technology and it is in that spirit that this is intended to be a preliminary analysis of the problem of cloning.

Cloning Techniques

2009-03-19T15:27:00.001+07:00

Cloning techniques may become instrumental in rescuing endangered species - and possibly reversing extinctions that have already occurred. Conservations have used captive propagation programs to preserve endangered species in captivity. Limitations such as restricted physical space for animals, problems with animal husbandry, and general reproductive failure of the animals have created the need for additional propagation programs. Most ethicists who strongly oppose human cloning see no problem in using the technique to rescue endangered species.

"ACT's interspecies nuclear transfer technology also creates the possibility for restoring already extinct species from which intact cell lines are available," notes Lanza. "This underscores the importance of establishing repositories of the cell lines of endangered species, which are imperative to create a 'genetic trust' for future cloning efforts." ACT is collaborating with the Soma Foundation, a nonprofit organization that has been organized to provide funding for collaborations with zoos to preserve endangered species through cloning.

ACT has reached an agreement with the Spanish government to clone the now-extinct bucardo mountain goat. In January of this year, the last of the species was killed by a falling tree at Ordesa National Park in Spain. Tissue from the last animal was preserved before the animal was killed.

The bucardo mountain goat (Capra pyrenaica) was native to the Pyrenees mountain range in northern Spain and had a distinctive thick coat to protect it from frigid mountain air. The bucardo had been listed as an endangered species since 1973, but officials were not able to end the poaching and habitat destruction that eventually led to the bucardo's extinction.

Another animal in which cloning is likely to be used is the Chinese panda, of which there are few remaining

Gamma-ray

2009-03-19T15:25:00.002+07:00

Gamma-ray bursts: the biggest, most powerful explosions in the Universe since the Big Bang. They are a million trillion times brighter than the Sun. Each day, we detect a burst of gamma radiation coming from a random direction in the sky. Lasting anywhere from a fraction of a second to several minutes, these high-energy astronomical enigmas have a deadly power.

Until very recently, we really didn’t know very much about them. Gamma-ray bursts were only discovered in the late 1960s, quite by accident. During the Cold War, the US military sent up satellites to detect signs of illegal nuclear testing by the Soviet Union. These Vela satellites were fitted with gamma-ray detectors, since nuclear explosions release copious amounts of this extremely energetic radiation. The American military was surprised that their satellites instead detected great explosions of gamma-ray photons coming from space.

So what are these gamma-ray bursts? How are they formed, and where do they come from? Over the past 15 or so years, satellites and ground-based observations have provided a mass of data that has helped scientists to answer these questions.

Means of Religion Word

2009-03-19T15:13:00.003+07:00

The English word "religion" is derived from the Middle English "religioun" which came from the Old French "religion." It may have been originally derived from the Latin word "religo" which means "good faith," "ritual,"

and other similar meanings. Or it may have come from the Latin "religãre" which means "to tie fast."

Defining the word "religion" is fraught with difficulty. Many attempts have been made. Most seem to focus on too narrowly only a few aspects of religion; they tend to exclude those religions that do not fit well. "It is apparent that religion can be seen as a theological, philosophical, anthropological, sociological, and psychological phenomenon of human kind. To limit religion to only one of these categories is to miss its multifaceted nature and lose out on the complete definition

Adventure

2009-03-19T15:02:00.001+07:00

The Adventure Centre has over 10 years of experience running residential courses for schools and youth groups. Here at the Adventure Centre we believe that all our residential courses should be more than just a fun activity week

instead we use the outdoors as a learning tool to develop participants self- confidence, motivation, comunication skills, leadership and team work. We have a flexible approach, working together with the teachers/leaders to produce a programme that meets the individual aims and objectives of the group. Programmes are wherever possible linked to the National Curriculum as their residential experience should be seen as an integral part of their education.

For the duration of your stay we endeavour to ensure your course runs smoothly. All prices include all instruction from day activities to evening activities, equipment, accommodation and catering. There are free places available for teachers/leaders in line with Local Education Authority guidelines regarding staff to pupil ratios.

Water and Sanitation

2009-03-14T20:51:00.002+07:00

By the end of the course the participants will have a comprehensive theoretical and practical knowledge of water and sanitation in the different phases of emergencies,

including disease prevention and preparedness. With this knowledge participants should be able to assess and prioritize the water and sanitation needs for a population in emergency situations with foresight, and take appropriate measures in disease outbreak control in relation to water and sanitation.

Biotechnology Industry

2009-03-14T20:11:00.002+07:00

In the early 1980s, the biotechnology industry was rapidly emerging. Reflecting its scientific and commercial significance, a position of Director of Biotechnology was created at Cambridge University in the UK to promote biotechnology research and training. Christopher Lowe, who took the initial position in 1984, has since established one of the world's leading programmes in biotechnology education, based at a dedicated institute he founded in 198

"Establishing an outward facing and commercially oriented institute with limited funds was a challenge," says Lowe. Now, from an initial grant of £50,000, the Institute has an annual turnover of £3.5 million, and has been successful in integrating biotechnology research with training in entrepreneurship. This success was recognized in the recent award of The Queen's Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education.

As well as acting as a model for other such organizations around the world established since, several companies have been spun out of the Institute, and a number of company leaders have followed courses there. For example, Prometic Biosciences, a company based on protein mimetic technology originally developed from research directed by Lowe, now has two therapeutics in clinical trials, and their current CEO, Stephen Burton, received a Ph.D. at the Institute.

Following his Ph.D. in biochemistry at Birmingham University, UK, Lowe took the classic route to academia with postdoctoral fellowships at Liverpool University, UK, and Lund University, Sweden, before taking up a lectureship in biochemistry at the University of Southampton, UK, in 1975. Here, his research shifted from fundamental biochemistry towards a number of areas important to the emerging biotech industry, such as efficient techniques for the purification of high-value biopharmaceutical proteins.

"At the same time, I became more involved with industry, patents and commercial exploitation, as I could see that academia and industry had to work much more closely to sustain the rapidly de-industrializing UK economy and its move into knowledge-based industries," recalls Lowe. So, taking on the position of Director of Biotechnology at Cambridge was a natural move to pursuing this goal.

"Creating a seamless route from fundamental science to exploitation in a single academic organization has been the major challenge," Lowe says. "Getting people with multiple disciplinary backgrounds to talk and listen to each other and act in concert can also be difficult, as is finding individuals with the ability to appreciate the market potential of their science."

With these issues in mind, Lowe has aimed to foster a strong entrepreneurial culture within the Institute, which is also reflected in his advice to would-be entrepreneurs. "The most valuable experience and lesson I have learned is to realize that one can do almost anything in life if one is sufficiently motivated, determined to succeed and willing to take calculated sensible risks," says Lowe. "One has to take that leap of faith into the unknown — or to put it another way: 'unless you buy a lottery ticket, you won't win the lottery'. Being entrepreneurial is all about seeing opportunities, ideally before anyone else does, and acting quickly and decisively to gain the advantage."

Religious and Human Rights to Freedom

2009-03-13T20:01:00.006+07:00

One locus of conflict between international human rights to religious freedom and to freedom from sex and gender discrimination has revolved around issues of reproduction. The linkage of reproductive rights and women's human rights has been consistently endorsed in United Nations' sponsored reports, conferences, agreements and conventions. The dangers that pregnancy and childbirth present to women's right to life, the infringement of the rights to liberty and security of the person that government interference with women's reproductive choice represents, the right to privacy and family life, including women's right to plan, time, and space the births of children to maximize both their health and her own, the right to health care, and the view that protection of reproductive rights is a precondition for the enjoyment of other human rights

Most recently, the Platform for Action, drafted at the UN Fourth World Conference on Women held in Beijing in 1995, explicitly states: "The human rights of women include their right to have control over and decide freely and responsibly on matters related to their sexuality, including sexual and reproductive health, free of coercion, discrimination and violence" (United Nations 1995: para 96), and that "the right of all women to control all aspects of their health, in particular their own fertility, is basic to their empowerment" and "forms an important basis for the enjoyment of other rights" (United Nations 1995: para 97)

Yet the reality is that as many as 300 million women throughout the world are denied the right to adequate family planning resources, including contraception and abortion. Statistics indicate that approximately one quarter of the world's population (one third of the developing world) lives in nations where abortion is either completely prohibited or allowed only to save the life of the mother (see Frame 1990: 32). Prohibiting or severely restricting legal contraception and abortion in effect coerces many women to become mothers against their will. Women often die as a result of such coercion; statistics indicate that at least a million women died in 1992 of reproductive causes, one-quarter of them attributable to unsafe abortion (Jacobson 1993: 34; see UN 1994c: 5-6; Cook 1991: 646; Dixon-Mueller 1990). In addition, forcing women to bear unwanted children frequently results in denying them basic education and employment. It often relegates them to a life of poverty, without any realistic possibility of improving the life chances of either themselves or their offspring.

International law itself facilitates religious restrictions on women's reproductive rights around the world by failing to establish clear limitations on the extent to which religious principles will be permitted to restrict women's reproductive rights. For example, the Programme of Action states: The implementation of the recommendations . . . is the sovereign right of each country . . . with full respect for the various religious and ethical values and cultural backgrounds of its people, and in conformity with universally recognized international human rights. (UN 1994a: 6; see Aeschliman 1994: 82).

By allowing domestic law and cultural values to override international protections for women's human rights, the UN in effect condones nations that accord priority to religious freedoms over women's rights. While the Platform for Action also states that: "While the significance of national and regional particularities and various historical, cultural and religious backgrounds must be borne in mind, it is the duty of States, regardless of their political, economic and cultural systems, to promote and protect all human rights and fundamental freedoms" (United Nations 1995: para.9), suggesting some advances over earlier international law documents, there are a number of problems with this language in the Platform. First, it continues to overlook potential conflicts between religious freedoms and women's human rights in obligating states to "promote and protect all human rights" (emphasis supplied). It ignores potential conflicts between full protections for women's human rights and existing laws regulating reproduction. In addition, the Platform language fails to acknowledge that protecting some religious and ethical values, etc., will not only fail to contribute to women's enjoyment of their human rights, but will actively function to obstruct and prevent such enjoyment. This is especially likely at the level of individual versus community values.

The Platform's language fails to take adequate account of religious and cultural diversity and the differential impacts that religious and cultural values may have within a single community, depending on an individual's gender, race, sexual orientation, etc. Further, when conflicts between religious values and women's rights are present, the Platform fails to indicate how the tension between them is to be resolved. In fact, the tension between religious rights and women's rights has actually not been eliminated in the Platform, but, instead, simply has been sent underground.

Although the official teachings of many world religions support the principle of human rights generally, their official positions on women's human rights, especially reproductive rights, are frequently contrary to that of the United Nations. During the United Nations World Health and Population Conference held in Cairo, Egypt in 1994, for example, members of the Vatican Delegation attempted to eliminate all references to abortion in all Conference documents, and lobbied fundamentalist Muslim groups to join them in opposing a draft of the Programme on the basis that it could be interpreted to endorse abortion (see Linden 1994: 64; Ruby 1994: 2; Kirshenbaum 1994: 15; Christian Century Editorial Staff 1994: 847; Doerr 1994: 35).

The teachings of most world religions that women are divinely ordained to be child bearers and rearers help to perpetuate traditional essentialist ideologies that women are mothers, primarily if not exclusively, and thus not entitled to social, political, and economic equality. Such ideologies undermine respect for women's human rights. The influence of such religious teachings is enhanced when they are given official state sanction, backed by the coercive power of law to deny women access to the means to control their reproduction. Yet the UN endorses this result by according sovereignty to governments to determine how to implement the relevant U.N. treaties in accordance with their local cultural and religious traditions and norms. Such religious influences on government undermines religious freedoms for all citizens. The negative results for women's human rights in particular is evident in the cases of the several countries mentioned above

Albert Einstein

2009-03-13T10:32:00.001+07:00

Albert Einstein was a famous physicist in his time and became infamous in the years following his death. One major reason for his success, was that he was driven to continue his studies in science, by his driving need to understand as much as possible the perfection and harmony inherent in the universe. Einstein understood that science was a means to an end not the end in and of itself. Through the use of science he could explain a small part of a Universe wholly connected and self sustaining. However, it was his belief in a higher power that motivated him and gave him the ability to study and understand a part of the Universe it had created

Another example of the benefits that can be gained through the fusion, rather than separation, of religion and science comes from the physicist Abdus Salam. Abdus Salam was born in 1926 in a small town of present day Pakistan . Born the son of an official for the department of education, schooling was always a major part of his life. By the time Abdus Salam was twenty-five years old he had already received his PhD in theoretical physics from Cambridge University and had his thesis, regarding quantum electrodynamics, published. In 1979, Salam went on to receive the Nobel Prize in Physics for his work on Gauge Unification of Fundamental Forces. Abdus Salam was an exceptionally gifted scientist who saw an interconnectivity of all human beings through science. This connection is the reason why Abdus Salam has spent his life trying to improve international peace relations and more specifically scientific development in third world countries. At the Nobel Prize Banquet, Abdus Salam quotes Allah, in his speech, saying,

“Thou seest not, in the creation of the All-merciful any imperfection, Return thy gaze, seest thou any fissure. Then Return thy gaze, again and again. Thy gaze, Comes back to thee dazzled, aweary.”

For Abdus, this quote from the Quran epitomized all of his scientific work. The longer and harder he studied physics and the perfection in which it functioned the more awe struck he became, and the greater the desire to continue studying. The religious spirit of Abdus allowed him to accept there was a divine creator that made all these unique systems for a reason and motivated him to continue his studies to learn about these systems and use that knowledge to help those that did not know about their workings. Being able to see the equalizing factor of science allowed Abdus Salam to see the equality of every human and the collectivity of knowledge that was required for him to continue his work. Salam wrote,

“The Holy Quran enjoins us to reflect on the verities of Allah's created laws of nature; however, that our generation has been privileged to glimpse a part of His design is abounty and a grace for which I render thanks with a humble heart.”

Religion and faith kept Abdus Salam grounded and shown him that although he can do great things through the understanding of these all powerful systems, he is in no position to create or alter them himself. By not wanting to act as creator Abdus Salam is able to better the lives of those that are less fortunate than he is. He participated in more than six United Nation Assignments and received seven awards for his contributions towards peace. Throughout the course of his eighty years of life, Abdus Salam knew his role in life and was extremely successful in his chosen career. On top of that, he helped and continues to help to this day, through his institutions, millions of people. He made a difference in the world, and he was able to make that difference because he had the necessary balance between a faithful spirit and an excellent mind.

Homeschool Curriculum

2009-03-07T18:11:00.006+07:00

What does a homeschool language arts curriculum need to have to make it useful, interesting and comprehensive? Are there language arts lesson plans which I can use over a number of ages?

Well, firstly we need to consider what language arts lessons makes a language arts curriculum? It would need to include reading, writing, speaking and listening. Getting to finer details, it would need to teach writing skills from handwriting to written sentences and paragraphs. It should teach interesting use of words, sentence grammar and the use of a variety of sentence structures. It should include listening, reading aloud, discussion of character, themes, actions, morals and personal application.
Quite a range of skills!

How do we go about selecting a homeschool language arts curriculum which achieves all our aims?

There are a few options available to the homeschooling family:

* Firstly, one may decide to choose a number of textbooks or workbooks to teach the various language arts lessons. Unfortunately, this leads to a number of purchases for each child for each year. You would need to check out whether the books are consumable or used as a text?

The positive in using this method, is that the parent would feel like the bases are covered - all the boxes are adequately ticked and the child should therefore be educated in this area. The downside is that a workbook style usually does not engage the child and parent in a meaningful, interactive, thoughtful discussions. If literature is used in the textbook or workbook, it is often just an excerpt and is difficult to get excited about. Another negative is that the language arts lessons in the workbooks are spread out over a convenient (for publishers) 12 year period, as though those being educated need 12 years to get it. This means there is usually a lot of repetition of concepts from one year to the next. Also, it is hard for a parent to really see what the student is learning in language arts if there are a number of children.

On the other hand, reference books on language arts contain the essence of language arts and can be used as guides which one refers to in order to answer a question on grammar, usage, spelling, writing skills in the context of learning.

* The second option is to choose programs which focus on a specific language arts skill and use that homeschool curriculum to consolidate the skill. This can be done effectively if you treat the skill area as a body of knowledge which can be taught over a short period of time. Grammar, for example, does not need to be taught over 12 years.

I like to teach grammar in stages - for example, teach the parts of speech, and then refer to it in incidental learning. Then, after a few months of consolidating what we have learned by natural immersion, we would continue our study of grammar and look at noun functions, or diagrammaing a sentence. We would study the concepts, and then implement it in our every day studies. A curriculum we have enjoyed using with this approach has been Winston Grammar.

* The third option is to teach language arts across all curriculum areas - in the context of other studies.

Each curriculum area (History, Science, Literature) have texts to read. The best thing you can do is to choose the most excellent literature in each subject area and use that as a basis of their reading.

Each book you read aloud in these curriculum areas, or each book your child reads from in these areas will provide topics which will be the content of their writing. All you need to do is to be creative to suggest a response to their reading in different forms.

As you engage with an author of a classic novel, historical fiction, poetry, play, history or science classic, everyone will be affected. Through this simple approach of reading, enjoying and discussing what was read, all language arts skills can be covered.

The classic brings us into a time period, allows us to live alongside real characters, experience life in their shoes for a while. It compels us to question, analyse moral judgements, enjoy and be moved by characters, their decisions and the circumstances of their lives. The classic brings us in touch with excellent literature, not only based on the content, but also on the writing style of the author. It encourages us to model our writing on what we have read and enjoyed. Once encouraged to model our writing on the excellent literature, we need to be familiar with grammatical terms to describe structure and style. We need to copy and learn from what is great.
This method allows us to improve our own writing by a natural immersion method of enjoying what is great.

A young child will copy the most excellent passages - practicing their handwriting or cursive as they copy. An older child will investigate the structures which made the writing so excellent - describe the methods and then use it as a base for his/her own writing. All children and adults can be engaged in conversation and discussion about the author, the techniques used, the allusions and metaphors used by the author, the characters, the plot, the decisions made and the outcome.

Will a child be engaged in this type of learning? Does this integrated approach to langugage arts cover what we normally think of when we consider language arts lesson plans? Yes!

So, how can this be done? Once again, programs which I have found to be most useful are those which have become more like reference guides for the teacher. In a sense, through my homeschooling journey, the materials which have shaped me are those which have taught me to teach, rather than those which tell me what to do each day. One such program is "Teaching the Classics: A Socratic Method for Literary Education."

New Light Shed On Marine Luminescence

2009-03-07T17:46:00.001+07:00

in the animal world, these chemical reactions take place in special luminescent cells called photocytes. These are aggregated into complex light organs, in which the intensity of light is regulated by nerve impulses, and in which light can be modulated with the help of reflectors, lenses and filters. By these means, organisms can adjust the wavelength, diffusion and intensity of light according to need. But the exact mechanisms behind these processes remain shrouded in mystery

Jenny Krönström, a researcher at the Department of Zoology of the University of Gothenburg has put another piece of the jigsaw puzzle in place by investigating the light organs of marine jellyfish, crustaceans and fish. In her thesis she reveals that krill, the luminescent crustacean, is equipped with special muscles that regulate light intensity through contraction and relaxation.

Nitric oxide is also thought to play an important role in the bioluminescence of krill. It is produced in the small capillary vessels that keep the krill's photocytes supplied with oxygen, as well as in special closure muscles, sphincters, that are located at the point where these capillaries distribute blood to the photocytes. Experiments with agents that make the sphincters contract or relax show that when the sphincters relax, the krill begins to luminesce, presumably because of the increased flow of oxygenated blood to the photocytes.

As bioluminescence has developed independently at several different points in evolution, different species have developed different methods of regulating and emitting light. Jenny Krönström's research demonstrates that nitric oxide also has different effects in different species. In the remarkable deep sea Silver Hatchetfish (Argyropelecus olfersii) nitric oxide inhibits the light reaction, whilst in the Plain Midshipman fish (Porichthys notatus) it has an opposite, stimulating effect.

Biological light is not only useful to the organism itself as a biological torch, camouflage or as a means of communication; the substances that are involved in the chemical luminescent reaction have also shown themselves to be useful in modern molecular biology, in which the discovery of green fluorescent protein, which produces green light in jellyfish, led to the Nobel Prize in Chemistry as recently as 2008.

The thesis "Control of bioluminescence: Operating the light switch in photophores from marine animals" is to be publicly defended on February 20th 2009.

Emotional Spiritual Quotient (ESQ) Important to Building Moslem Business

2009-03-07T05:55:00.002+07:00

Spirituality was conceived of as the central object on which ESQ training operated. However, it did not really exist for most Indonesian participants before they encountered the training program. This object was rendered in English and was therefore likely a term with which participants only had passing familiarity, if that. Therefore, Ary Ginanjar had to create spirituality and ensure that it was understood as located within an individual's body, before it could be activated and acted on. Spirituality was invoked as something that had been lost in Indonesia's rush to development and modernization under the authoritarian government of Suharto. Ary Ginanjar lamented that for "too long Indonesian companies have emphasized science and technical knowledge," but neglected spirituality. This meant that Intellectual Quotient (IQ) was prioritized as the index of one's work capabilities. In contrast, Ary Ginanjar saw his mission as enhancing the spiritual knowledge (which he terms SQ, an abbreviation for Spiritual Quotient) of Indonesians through spiritual training.

This emphasis on spirituality, however, was not a rejection of science in favor of mysticism. Rather, Ary Ginanjar saw his efforts to develop spirituality as commensurable with the latest developments in psychology, psychiatry, and neuroscience. When I asked Ary Ginanjar why he invoked the English word "spiritual" as opposed to an Indonesian or Arabic term like rohani as the central object of the training program he responded that it lent "universal" authority to his project of spiritual reform. He said, "if I use Indonesian [in the training] they will think that it is about religion. But if I talk in English, they will think that it is universal. That it is science, not religion." Thus, he considered cultivating spirituality as commensurable with scientific rationality, rather than a mystical endeavor.

During the ESQ training, spirituality was represented as a universal human attribute that was physically isolated in the individual bodies of every human being. For evidence of this Ary Ginanjar drew on the scientific research of the University of California, San Diego neuroscientist V. S. Ramachandran who "found the existence of the God Spot in the human brain" In his books and training programs, Ary Ginanjar argued that the center of spirituality in most humans, the God Spot, is "shackled" by preconceptions and prejudices, which leads people to behave immorally, ignore work duties, and engage in corruption. Spirituality was further conceived of as universal in so far as specific religious traditions were merely surface manifestations of the same underlying global spirituality. The goal of the training is to eliminate obstacles to "unshackle" the natural propensity for spirituality to guide action.

The mobilization of spirituality was designed to have profound effects. ESQ training involved the introduction of a new way of conceiving of one's relationship to oneself. A lecture in the afternoon of the second day of the training asserted that a universal spirituality was connected to what was purported to be an innate human propensity for making correct moral judgments. In this lecture Rinaldi depicted two possible ways in which one could respond to the "problems and challenges" that one faced. Two hypothetical courses of action were laid out in a neat flow chart. In the first, a materialistic orientation resulted in "uncontrolled emotions" like anger, dejection, and sadness. This resulted in the closure of one's "spiritual conscience"[suara hati spiritual tertutup] and a "shackling of the God Spot" This condition led to a failure in one's ability to act logically [logika tidak bekerja normal] and an imbalance in one's IQ, EQ, and SQ resulting in a "split personality." The second possible response to individual and collective crises was what was termed "a spiritual orientation toward the unity of God" In this model of subjectivity one's emotions were managed, so that one was calm and peaceful leading to an open God Spot

Immediately following this description of possible spiritual orientations Rinaldi lectured about the relationship between "opening the God Spot" and being a diligent worker. As an example, he turned to a local cultural example, invoking the Sultan of Yogyakarta's "interior servants". Rinaldi said the contemporary crisis in Indonesia was a result of the fact that people "don't know why they work" and that they needed to be reminded that "they work for God."

Later that day in a private conversation, Rinaldi said the goal of ESQ was to "unshackle the God Spot." I asked him what this meant and he continued, "Every human being is already honest, just, and accountable. But they don't always act this way. Why? Because their God Spot is blocked! It is blocked because of all the negative influences in the world. What they need is to return to spiritual values. ESQ opens up the God Spot and allows the goodness that is already inside people to come out." He continued, by explaining that knowledge of right and wrong is already intrinsic to human beings, "conscience exists in humans. No one has to teach them to not do corruption, because people already know that it is wrong. … These things are not taught by men, but given by God." Participants are thus instructed that through "unshackling" their spiritual center, the "God Spot," they can renounce degenerate pasts and become better workers, kin, and citizens.
Cultivating spirituality within subjects of spiritual reform was intended to make participants more amenable to managerial norms, but it was also intended to make participants more effective at self-management by transforming their work into a matter of religious piety. Living a virtuous religious life was likened to being a virtuous laborer and vice versa. A spiritual economy involves the creation of spirituality as an object, represented in this case as the God Spot, which is understood to be located within the self, Spirituality is then activated and acted on to elicit specific dispositions in those who participate in spiritual reform. These dispositions include the next two significant components of spiritual economies: treating work as a form of worship and cultivating an ethics of individual accountability