26 Des 2011

Clothing and Fashion

BATIK





Batik is a cloth that traditionally uses a manual wax-resist dyeing technique. Batik or fabrics with the traditional batik patterns are found in (particularly) Indonesia, Malaysia, Japan, China, Azerbaijan, India, Sri Lanka, Egypt, Nigeria, Senegal, and Singapore.
Javanese traditional batik, especially from Yogyakarta and Surakarta, has notable meanings rooted to the Javanese conceptualization of the universe. Traditional colours include indigo, dark brown, and white, which represent the three major Hindu Gods (Brahmā, Visnu, and Śiva). This is related to the fact that natural dyes are most commonly available in indigo and brown. Certain patterns can only be worn by nobility; traditionally, wider stripes or wavy lines of greater width indicated higher rank. Consequently, during Javanese ceremonies, one could determine the royal lineage of a person by the cloth he or she was wearing.
Other regions of Indonesia have their own unique patterns that normally take themes from everyday lives, incorporating patterns such as flowers, nature, animals, folklore or people. The colours of pesisir batik, from the coastal cities of northern Java, is especially vibrant, and it absorbs influence from the Javanese, Arab, Chinese and Dutch cultures. In the colonial times pesisir batik was a favourite of the Peranakan Chinese, Dutch and Eurasians.
UNESCO designated Indonesian batik as a Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity on October 2, 2009. As part of the acknowledgment, UNESCO insisted that Indonesia preserve their heritage.



Source : en.wikipedia.org

City Living

JAKARTA









Jakarta  formerly Batavia, is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. Officially known as the Special Capital Territory of Jakarta, it is located on the northwest coast of Java, has an area of 661 square kilometres (255 sq mi), and a population of 9,580,000. Jakarta is the country's economic, cultural and political centre. It is the most populous city in Indonesia and in Southeast Asia, and is the thirteenth-largest city in the world. The urban area, Jabodetabek, is the second largest in the world. Jakarta is listed as a global city in the 2008 Globalization and World Cities Study Group and Network (GaWC) research.
Established in the fourth century, the city became an important trading port for the Kingdom of Sunda. It was the de facto capital of the Dutch East Indies (when it was known as "Batavia") and has continued as the capital of Indonesia since the country's independence was declared in 1945.
The city is the seat of the ASEAN Secretariat. Jakarta is served by the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport, Halim Perdanakusuma International Airport, and Tanjung Priok Harbour; it is connected by several intercity and commuter railways, and served by several bus lines running on reserved busways.



Source : en.wikipedia.org

Other Worlds

The New Planets





 REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, WASHINGTON - Kepler Mission of the United States space agency (NASA) sure has found two Earth-sized planets orbiting a star like the Sun in our solar system, according to NASA as quoted by Reuters on Thursday (22/12)

NASA called this discovery is a milestone in the search mission Earth-like planets.

Both planets are named Kepler and Kepler-20e-20F is the smallest planets outside the solar system which was confirmed around a Sun-like star, according to NASA.

Both the new planet is too close to their stars to be called were in the zone occupied decent living (habitable zone) where there is liquid water on the surface of the planet.

"This discovery shows for the first time that Earth-sized planets around other stars (out of the Sun) and that we are able to detect it," said Francois Fressin of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Both the new planet is believed to be a rocky planet. Kepler-20e somewhat smaller than Venus, with a radius 0.87 times that of Earth's radius.

Kepler-20F slightly larger than Earth with a radius of 1.03 times the radius of the Earth. Both of these planets are in the system of five planets that are named after Kepler-20, whereas the distance is 1,000 light-years away in the constellation Lyra.

Kepler-20e orbits its star every 6.1 days, while Kepler-orbiting every 19.6 hari.Kepler 20F-20F, a temperature of 800 degrees Fahrenheit, similar to the average day of the planet Mercury.

The temperature at the surface of the Kepler-20e which reached more than 1,400 degrees Fahrenheit, to melt the glass.

Kepler space telescope to detect planets and planetary candidates by measuring the light power more than 150,000 stars as planets pass in front of their stars.



Music and Festival

JAZZ



Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th century American popular music. Its West African pedigree is evident in its use of blue notes, improvisation, polyrhythms, syncopation, call-response, and the swung note.
The word "jazz" (in early years also spelled "jass") began as a West Coast slang term and was first used to refer to music in Chicago at about 1915.
From its beginnings in the early 20th century jazz has spawned a variety of subgenres: New Orleans Dixieland dating from the early 1910s, big band-style swing from the 1930s and 1940s, bebop from the mid-1940s, free jazz and a variety of Latin jazz fusions, such as Afro-Cuban, from the 1950s and 1960s, jazz fusion from the 1970s, acid jazz from the 1980s (which combines funk and hip-hop elements), and nu jazz in the 1990s. In a 1988 interview, trombonist J.J. Johnson said, "Jazz is restless. It won't stay put and it never will". As the music has spread around the world it has drawn on different local, regional and national musical cultures giving rise over the years to many distinctive styles.


Source :  en.wikipedia.org

Travel and Adventure

Traveling to Mountain and Climbing Mountain.
Preparing to Climb Your First Mountain
Mountain climbing gives the climber an exhilarating experience. However, anyone looking to enter the sport needs to understand that it can be dangerous if you are not prepared for the mountain you plan to take on. You need to plan your experience and you need to have the proper equipment before you set out on your challenge.
Have you heard of the following: glissade, crampons, self-arrest? If you answered ‘no’ then you need some training. If you know one but not all of them, you, too, need to learn the basics. There are several ways you can gain the knowledge you need. The first way is to research. There are many great sites on the web that can give you the basic information you need in regards to equipment, methods, and key terms.
You might also turn to a friend who is an experienced climber. S/he may be willing to spend the needed time with you in order to train you in the proper way to climb a mountain. If you can afford the expense one of the best ways to learn everything you need to know is to join a mountain climbing school. Here you will learn the basics. Most schools also offer walls, usually referred to as a ‘rock wall,’ for you to begin your basic climbing. They will also teach you about the equipment as well as how to use it. Whatever you decide just make certain you are prepared before you undertake your first climb.
When you decide you want to begin this sport, after you have received some basic training, you will need to have the proper gear. Usually you can rent the major items needed. This is often the best way to go as you might decide, after your first or second climb, that the sport is not what you want to perfect after all. If you have rented then you will not lose, what can be, a somewhat large monetary investment.
Although some people do not realize the value of being in shape in order to climb a mountain it is really an important aspect of the sport. You should first hit the gym before trying to climb a mountain. You would be wise to concentrate on some activities to increase your leg strength along with stair climbing. Outside the gym you should increase your running distance. Long hikes will also benefit you.
You should put some effort into planning your climb. It is wise to have a minimum of one other person climbing with you. A small group of climbers is a better option. However, under no circumstances should a person start out alone on a climb.
When you are ready for your first climb you have already learned to use your crampons, how to glissade, the self-arrest position, and how to use the ropes. Make certain you have the needed equipment. This will vary depending on the mountain you plan to challenge. If you plan to spend a day then you will not need a tent, for example. Most people begin with a basic mountain so the items you will need include warm clothing. It is better not to have clothing that is made from cotton. Your most important equipment will be your climbing boots along with crampons. You will need to carry a backpack with basic items such as water, food, and a first-aid kit (at a minimum). You will, of course, need rope. In some areas you will also need a climbing permit. Sometimes these are issued at no cost but often there is a charge involved.
During your initial climbs you should try to start early in the day. Always remember to stay with your group and to stay close to the more experienced climbers. During your trip you should make certain to frequently drink fluids and to keep yourself hydrated. After your first climb is under your belt you will, most likely, be hooked and ready to plan your next trip.



Source : http://www.mountainclimbing.net/

Amazing Animal

IRISH ELK or Giant Deer (Megaloceros giganteus)


The Irish Elk or Giant Deer, was the largest deer that ever lived. It lived in Eurasia, from Ireland to east of Lake Baikal, during the Late Pleistocene and early Holocene. The latest known remains of the species have been carbon dated to about 5,700 BC, or about 7,700 years ago. The Giant Deer is famous for its formidable size (about 2.1 meters or 7 feet tall at the shoulders), and in particular for having the largest antlers of any known cervid (a maximum of 3.65 meters/12 feet from tip to tip and weighing up to 90 pounds).

Discussion of the cause of their extinction has still focused on the antlers (rather than on their overall body size), which may be due more to their impact on the observer than any actual property. Some have suggested hunting by man was a contributing factor in the demise of the Irish Elk as it was with many prehistoric megafauna, even assuming that the large antler size restricted the movement of males through forested regions or that it was by some other means a "maladaptation". But evidence for overhunting is equivocal, and as a continental species, it would have co-evolved with humans throughout its existence and presumably have adapted to their presence.


Source : www.oddee.com, en.wikipedia.org

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