FAHUTAN UNLAM

PINK CASIO DIGITAL CAMERA

2008-09-10T18:56:00.000-07:00

pink casio digital camera
Greetings Cards For Every OccasionBy Thomas H. LindblomThe use of ecards has profligated over recent years. You can get free ecards that relate to birthdays, for general greetings, friendship related and for almost any other occasion that you would like a loved one to be recognised by. Greetings cards do convey a very personal message for many people and it is faster than the old envelope and postage stamp method. This helps if you nearly forgot that special day or if you only remember when you see someone else�s cards being posted through the letter box.Friendships can burgeon with the use of electronic ecards. There is so much you can say, making it very romantic, or just a lot of fun. When you click on a greetings card sight, say you are looking for something to send for a birthday celebration, you simply go to that section. From there you will see a massive choice of options. Whether you want one festooned with cartoons, or maybe flowers or rural settings, you cannot go wrong. Many friendship e cards now come with animations, such as candles on a cake that you can extinguish one by one. Nearly all of them play a tune and you can replay them to ensure they suit the purpose.The most important bit, to my mind, is the area where you can right that personal message. As no one else will see it other than the person you are sending it to, unless someone else shares that address, you can get as direct as you to: anything goes. I personally never bother with physical cards for general friendships. The good thing about them is , I can send birthday cards all over the world in a split second, it really is magic. Moreover, I can check when someone has opened the card if I click on the button that asks me if I would like this option.Apart from free ecards, you can also purchase ones that are generally the latest designs and usually have superior content and animation. Again you can personalise this but to a different level. Added to this you can purchase novelty gifts that can be sent to various destinations within a given area. So that special occasion or birthday event can be recognised and appreciated to the full.Anni May Leung has worked around the world and can send all her friends greetings cards of any kind, all year round. She says it is a great way of keeping in touchAnni May Leung has worked around the world and can send all her friends greetings cards of any kind, all year round. She says it is a great way of keeping in touch and not loosing the friendship.

PENGUMUMAN PENERIMAAN THL TB PENYULUH PERTANIAN 2008

2008-08-21T18:29:00.000-07:00

PENGUMUMAN PENERIMAAN THL TB PENYULUH PERTANIAN 2008

Kabar gembira untuk para lulusan pertanian. Rekrutmen THL - TBPP tahun 2008 telah dibukaa..!!!!

PENGUMUMAN
Nomor : 32/TU.210/A5/8/2008
PENERIMAAN THL TB PENYULUH PERTANIAN 2008

Dalam rangka revitalisasi penyuluhan pertanian untuk mewujudkan visi pertanian modern berbasis iptek , berkeadilan dan berkelanjutan, Departemen Pertanian akan merekrut tenaga-tenaga (SDM) yang mampu melaksanakan tugas-tugas penyuluhan pertanian di desa-desa di seluruh Indonesia, dengan status sebagai Tenaga Harian Lepas (THL) Penyuluh Pertanian yang akan ditempatkan di kecamatan/desa di seluruh Indonesia. Penempatan Tenaga Harian Lepas (THL) tersebut akan mempertimbangkan kedudukan/domisili calon THL Penyuluh yang bersangkutan .

Bagi yang berminat, dapat mengajukan lamaran dengan ketentuan sbb:

A. Persyaratan:
1. Warga Negara Indonesia, pria atau wanita;
2. Usia maksimum 50 tahun per 31 Desember 2008;
3. Sehat jasmani dan rohani;
4. Berkelakuan baik;
5. Berpendidikan:

Tingkat pendidikan;Lulus SMK bidang pertanian dalam arti luas, kecuali perikanan dan kehutanan (SPMA, SPP, SNAKMA, STM-Pertanian, SMK Pertanian dan sejenisnya diutamakan yang mempunyai jurusan peternakan & perkebunan );Lulus Diploma (D-III, D-IV ) bidang pertanian dalam arti luas kecuali perikanan dan kehutanan;Lulus S-I bidang pertanian dalam arti luas kecuali perikanan dan kehutanan.
Dari sekolah/perguruan tinggi negeri atau swasta terakreditasi.
Nilai Indeks Prestasi Kumulatif (IPK) menjadi pertimbangan dalam seleksi administratif.
Diutamakan kepada pelamar yang telah memiliki pengalaman bekerja di bidang pertanian dalam arti luas kecuali perikanan dan kehutanan

B. Penerimaan Tenaga Harian Lepas Tenaga Bantu Penyuluh Pertanian dibuka untuk pelamar dari Propinsi seluruh wilayah Indonesia kecuali Propinsi DKI Jakarta, dan yang berasal dari Kota seluruh Indonesia karena jumlah THL TB Penyuluh Pertaniannya dianggap sudah mencukupi (berdasarkan data penyuluh yang ada).

C. Persyaratan lain:

Memiliki motivasi kerja tinggi untuk membangun pertanian melalui kegiatan penyuluhan;
Mampu bekerja keras dan dedikasi tinggi pada tugas-tugas penyuluhan pertanian;
Bersedia bekerja/ditempatkan di desa-desa di seluruh wilayah Indonesia;
Bersedia bekerja dengan status Pegawai Tidak Tetap dengan sistem kontrak dalam masa kerja tertentu maksimal (11 bulan dalam 1 tahun), dan dapat diperpanjang sesuai kebutuhan dan kemampuan dana yang tersedia dan maksimal dua kali masa perpanjangan kontrak ;
Tidak menuntut untuk diprioritaskan diangkat menjadi Pegawai Negeri Sipil;
Apabila terjadi pemutusan hubungan kerja, karena sesuatu hal, tidak akan menuntut pesangon atau ganti rugi di kemudian hari.
Bersedia mengikuti pelatihan sebelum melaksanakan tugas.

D. Jumlah Tenaga Bantu PP yang dibutuhkan 10.000 penyuluh terdiri :

Lulusan SMK pertanian sebanyak 4.000 orang;
Lulusan Diploma (D-III, D-IV ) sebanyak 1.000 orang;
Lulusan S-I sebanyak 5.000 orang.

E. Mekanisme Pelamaran:

Surat lamaran ditujukan kepada:Menteri Pertanian cq. Panitia Seleksi Tenaga Bantu Penyuluh Pertanian PO BOX 789 JKS 12001
Surat lamaran paling lambat diterima oleh Panitia seleksi THL TB Penyuluh Departemen Pertanian tanggal 10 September 2008 (tanggal pengiriman/cap pos) .
Setiap AMPLOP luar kanan atas wajib ditulis asal kabupaten dan propinsi pelamar
Surat lamaran ditulis tangan dengan , menggunakan tinta hitam dengan dibubuhi materai Rp 6.000 ’- dan dilampiri:
Daftar Riwayat Hidup;
Fotocopy Ijazah dan Transkrip Nilai yang dilegalisir oleh pejabat yang berwenang;
Pas Photo hitam putih ukuran 3x4 cm sebanyak 4 buah;
Surat Keterangan Dokter yang menyatakan sehat jasmani dan rohani;
Surat Keterangan Berkelakuan Baik dari Kepolisian;
Bersedia ditempatkan di desa-desa di seluruh wilayah Indonesia;
Surat lamaran beserta lampiran dimasukkan kedalam stopmap folio sbb:

Warna Biru untuk pendidikan S1.
Warna Hijau untuk pendidikan D-IV.
Warna Kuning untuk pendidikan D-III.
Warna Merah untuk pendidikan SLTA.

F. Seleksi dan Penetapan Tenaga Bantu:

Seluruh berkas lamaran akan diseleksi secara administratif;
Pelamar yang lulus seleksi administratif, akan dipanggil melalui internet /Website Departemen Pertanian untuk mengikuti seleksi/tes pengetahuan teknis pertanian, dan pengetahuan umum (secara tertulis) dan seleksi wawancara ;
Pelamar yang lulus seleksi/tes sebagaimana dimaksud dalam butir b akan diusulkan kepada Menteri Pertanian untuk diangkat/ditetapkan sebagai THL Tenaga Bantu Penyuluh Pertanian ;
Bagi pelamar THL TB Penyuluh yang lolos seleksi akan tetapi mempunyai Ijazah diluar SMK pertanian dan S1 pertanian seperti yang dipersyaratkan maka yang bersangkutan akan dibatalkan diangkat sebagai THL TB Penyuluh Pertanian ;
Pelamar yang lulus seleksi tertulis dan akan diangkat/ditetapkan sebagai Tenaga Bantu PP akan diumumkan melalui internet atau media massa paling lambat tanggal Minggu pertama bulan Nopember 2008;
Pelamar yang diangkat/ditetapkan sebagai Tenaga Bantu PP sebagaimana dimaksud dalam butir c, segera menandatangani Surat Perjanjian Kerja yang disediakan oleh panitia,
THL Tenaga Bantu Penyuluh Pertanian diharapkan dapat aktif bekerja mulai tanggal 1 Februari 2009.
Hasil/Keputusan Panitia seleksi tidak dapat diganggu gugat.
Apabila dalam penyelenggaraan seleksi ditemukan pelanggaran, agar segera dilaporkan disertai bukti-bukti otentik yang dapat dipertanggung jawabkan baik secara yuridis maupun administratif kepada Menteri Pertanian melalui Telp/Fax. 021-7804166

G. Lain-lain:
Informasi lebih lanjut mengenai rekrutmen Tenaga Bantu Penyuluh Pertanian akan disampaikan melalui website Departemen Pertanian,

www.deptan.go.id
http://portalagribisnis.deptan.go.id/pegawai/thl/08/rekrut-thl-08.htm
http://gis.deptan.go.id/pegawai/thl/08/rekrut-thl-08.htm

Jakarta, Agustus 2008
Panitia Seleksi THL Tenaga Bantu Penyuluh Departemen Petanian

Lebih Baik Mana: Lalapan atau Sayuran Dimasak?

2008-08-20T22:23:00.000-07:00

Sayuran mentah (lalapan) nilai gizinya lebih baik daripada sayuran matang, tapi lebih berisiko tertular bakteri penyakit. Ikuti berbagai kiat agar tetap memperoleh gizi secara optimal.

Mengkonsumsi sayuran merupakan suatu hal yang harus dilakukan bila kita ingin hidup sehat. Kondisi tubuh yang bugar dan awet muda, dapat dicapai dengan mengkonsumsi sayuran secara teratur dalam porsi yang cukup. Penyebabnya, karena sayuran merupakan pabrik vitamin, mineral, antioksidan dan serat pangan. Semuanya itu sangat dibutuhkan untuk menjaga kesehatan tubuh.

Vitamin yang banyak terdapat pada sayuran adalah vitamin C dan B komplek. Beberapa sayuran juga merupakan sumber bagi vitamin A, D, dan E. Karotenoid (prekursor vitamin A), vitamin C dan vitamin E merupakan antioksidan alami, yang sangat berguna untuk melawan serangan radikal bebas penyebab penuaan dini dan berbagai penyakit kanker. Mineral yang banyak terdapat pada sayuran adalah zat besi, seng, mangan, kalsium, dan fosfor.

Dibandingkan dengan sumber serat yang lain, sayuran merupakan sumber yang paling baik dan utama. Kandungan serat pada sayuran sangat bermanfaat dalam pencegahan berbagai penyakit. Sayuran menjadi penangkal kanker usus besar, aterosklerosis dan penyakit jantung, kencing manis (diabetes mellitus), penyakit batu empedu, dan lain-lain.

Jenis Sayuran
Berdasarkan bagian yang dipanen, sayuran dikelompokkan menjadi lima: (1) sayuran umbi (wortel, bit, lobak, kentang, bawang); (2) sayuran buah (cabai, tomat, mentimun, terung, labu siam, pare); (3) sayuran polong (buncis, kacang panjang, kecipir); (4) sayuran daun (bayam, kangkung, daun singkong, sawi); dan (5) sayuran bunga (kembang kol).

Mengingat vitamin merupakan komponen gizi yang sangat mudah rusak, maka kata kunci utama yang harus diperhatikan dalam memilih sayuran adalah tingkat kesegarannya. Kesegaran sayuran merupakan parameter terpenting yang akan menentukan kualitas hidangan, citarasa, daya awet, dan perolehan nilai gizinya. Teknik memilih sayuran yang segar, dibedakan atas kelompok sayuran

Tujuan Memasak
Tujuan pemasakan sayuran adalah: (1) menguraikan pektin yang terkandung pada dinding sel agar teksturnya menjadi lunak, (2) membunuh kuman penyakit, (3) agar senyawa beracun alami tidak aktif, (3) menguraikan residu pestisida agar tidak berbahaya bagi tubuh, (4) mengubah senyawa komplek menjadi lebih sederhana, sehingga mudah untuk dicerna dan diserap tubuh.

Dibandingkan bahan segarnya, proses pemasakan dapat menurunkan kandungan gizinya. Oleh karena itu, proses memasak harus dapat mengkombinasikan dua kepentingan. Pertama, kepentingan pemenuhan selera, dan kedua kepentingan kebutuhan gizi. Dengan demikian, memasak harus dianggap sebagai suatu pekerjaan seni, supaya bahan yang dimasak tidak hancur dan hilang khasiatnya bagi tubuh.

Lalapan
Makan lalapan dengan sambal terasi beserta nasi beraroma daun pandan yang masih hangat mengebul, merupakan kenikmatan luar biasa bagi penggemar masakan Sunda. Budaya makan lalapan sangat baik untuk dikembangkan, karena mudah penyajiannya dan banyak manfaatnya.

Secara garis besar, lalapan dibedakan atas lalapan mentah dan lalapan matang. Jenis sayuran yang umum dipakai sebagai lalapan mentah adalah daun kemangi, daun poh-pohan, daun jambu mete, kenikir, terong bulat, kacang panjang, tomat, mentimun dan kol.

Untuk lalapan matang, umumnya menggunakan bahan wortel, labu siam, kacang panjang, buncis, kecipir, daun singkong, bayam, kangkung, paria (pare) dan kol. Ditinjau dari perolehan gizinya, lalapan mentah mengandung unsur gizi lebih banyak dibandingkan lalapan matang. Tapi ditinjau dari segi keamanannya, lalapan mentah lebih berisiko dibandingkan lalapan matang.

Faktor-faktor yang perlu dicurigai dalam mengkonsumsi lalapan mentah adalah:
1. Residu pestisida. Budidaya sayuran tidak terlepas dari masalah hama dan penyakit tanaman. Untuk menjaga serangan hama, petani menggunakan aneka merek pestisida. Pemanenan sayuran tidak boleh dilakukan ketika sayuran habis disemprot pestisida, karena residu pestisida masih tertinggal pada sayuran sampai beberapa hari setelah penyemprotan, terutama saat kemarau. Menurut beberapa penelitian, masa tunggu antara waktu terakhir pemakaian pestisida dengan waktu panen sekitar 1-5 minggu. Masa tunggu tersebut tergantung dari jenis pestisida yang digunakan. Masa tunggu pada pestisida yang bersifat sistemik (terserap ke dalam bahan) lebih lama daripada pestisida nonsistemik (hanya menempel di permukaan). Pestisida yang sukar larut dalam air memiliki masa tunggu lebih lama dibandingkan pestisida yang mudah larut dalam air.

2. Pencucian yang tidak sempurna. Berbagai penelitian menunjukkan adanya beberapa zat kimia dalam pestisida yang tidak hilang akibat pencucian, apalagi kalau pencucian tidak dilakukan dengan teknik yang benar.

3. Kualitas air pencuci. Air yang bersih adalah air yang tidak berwarna, berbau dan berasa, serta bebas dari mikroba pathogen. Sumber air yang tidak bersih sering tercemar oleh berbagai kontaminan, terutama bakteri penyebab penyakit infeksi, seperti penyakit tipus oleh bakteri Salmonella typhi, disentri oleh Shigella dysentriae, kolera oleh Vibrio cholerae dan tuberkulosis oleh Mycobacterium. Untuk lebih amannya, cuci lalapan dengan air matang.

4. Kontaminasi bakteri berbahaya. Untuk meningkatkan kesuburan tanah sebagai media tempat tumbuh sayuran, petani sering menggunakan pupuk organik berupa humus atau kotoran ternak (bahkan kotoran manusia). Kebiasaan petani membuang hajat di tanah, ikut memperparah kemungkinan kontaminasi bakteri berbahaya ke sayuran. Terutama sayuran yang menjalar di permukaan tanah atau yang ketinggiannya dekat dengan tanah. Contoh bakteri patogen yang berasal dari tinja adalah Eschericia coli yang dapat menimbulkan diare, Salmonella typhi dan Salmonella paratyphi penyebab demam tifus. Salmonella juga dapat menyebabkan gangguan perut, dengan gejala berak-berak, sakit kepala, muntah-muntah dan demam yang berlangsung selama 1-7 hari.

5. Senyawa racun alami. Beberapa jenis bahan pangan, mengandung senyawa beracun alami, misalnya saponin pada kedelai, kacang tanah, bayam, dan asparagus; goitrogen pada kol dan lobak; asam sianida pada daun singkong, solanin pada kentang, dan lain-lain. Senyawa beracun tersebut hanya dapat dihilangkan melalui proses pencucian dan pemasakan dengan suhu yang tepat.

Tidak Perlu Khawatir
Untuk membuat lalapan matang, sayuran harus dimasak lebih dulu. Pemasakan sayuran untuk lalapan harus dilakukan sedemikian rupa agar teksturnya tidak hancur. Pemasakan sebaiknya dilakukan dengan teknik blansir, yaitu pelunakan bahan dengan cara pencelupan beberapa saat (sekitar 5 menit) pada suhu air mendidih, yang kemudian segera disiram dengan air dingin (matang) agar pemanasan tidak berlanjut. Cara ini sangat baik untuk pemasakan sawi, kubis, bayam, kacang panjang, wortel, pare dan labu siam.

Oleh karena waktu blansir sangat ditentukan oleh tekstur bahan segarnya. Blansir sebaiknya dilakukan untuk masing-masing sayuran, tidak dicampur satu sama lain. Sayuran sebaiknya diblansir dalam keadaan utuh dan pemotongan dilakukan setelah proses blansir selesai.

Berdasarkan uraian di atas, jelas mengkonsumsi lalapan matang lebih aman dibandingkan lalapan mentah. Walaupun demikian, kita tidak perlu terlalu khawatir bila akan mengkonsumsi lalapan mentah, sepanjang bahan tersebut dipersiapkan dengan cara yang higienis dan bebas kontaminan berbahaya. Sejauh ini belum pernah dilaporkan adanya kasus orang keracunan atau kematian, akibat mengkonsumsi lalapan mentah.

Untuk lebih memastikan keamanannya, sedapat mungkin kita memelihara sendiri di halaman rumah atau di dalam pot, tanaman yang dapat digunakan sebagai lalapan. Dengan demikian kita tahu persis bahwa bahan tersebut bebas dari pestisida dan kontaminasi bakteri berbahaya dari tinja manusia.

DR.Ir. Made Astawan
Dosen di Jurusan Teknologi Pangan dan Gizi-IPB

Obat Kanker Berpotensi Atasi Osteoporosis

2008-08-20T22:22:00.000-07:00

Obat yang digunakan untuk mengobati kanker tulang sumsum ternyata juga dapat membantu mengatasi penyakit keropos tulang atau osteoporosis, demikian hasil penelitian para ahli di Amerika Serikat belum lama ini.

Peneliti dari Massachusetts General Hospital dan Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Jumat (25/1), mengungkapkan bahwa Velcade, yang biasa digunakan untuk mengobati multiple myeloma (kanker tulang ), dapat mengaktifkan sel-sel stem (batang) yang kemudian berubah menjadi tulang.

Dalam sebuah ujicoba pada tikus terlihat bahwa Velcade tampaknya membantu pengaktifan jaringan tulang dan berpotensi menjadi teknik pengobatan bagi penyembuhan osteoporosis. Penelitian tentang potensi Velcade ini dipublikasikan dalam Journal of Clinical Investigation.

Ahli sel stem dari Harvard, Dr. David Scadden, mengatakan para ilmuwan kini tengah berupaya menemukan cara untuk menggunakan obat ini guna merangsang sel stem yang merupakan sel induk atau sel tunjang yang membentuk pelbagai jenis sel dalam tubuh manusia.

"Terapi sel stem seringkali dianggap sebagai tindakan memasukkan sel baru ke dalam tubuh, tapi studi ini menunjukkan bahwa pengobatan dapat mengaktifkan sel-sel stem yang terdapat pada jaringan dan bertindak sebagai pengobatan regeneratif dalam meningkatkan mekanisme perbaikan tubuh," ungkap Scadden.

"Obat yang mengarahkan sel-sel yang belum matang untuk menjadi sejenis sel khusus, seperti dalam riset ini, memiliki potensi mendatangkan manfaat," tambahnya.

Velcade, yang secara generik dikenal sebagai "bortezamib", merangsang sel-sel stem "mesenchymal", demikian temuan para peneliti tersebut. Sel-sel itu berkembang menjadi zat pembangun-tulang "osteoblast" dan beberapa jenis sel lain termasuk sel tulang rawan, lemak, kulit dan otot.

Ujicoba pada tikus memperlihatkan obat tersebut meningkatkan kegiatan osteoblast, dan ketika digunakan pada tikus penderita osteoporosis, obat itu secara mencolok meningkatkan kepadatan dan susunan tulang.

"Jika paradigma yang tampak dalam studi ini terbukti benar bagi jaringan lainnya, kita mungkin memiliki pilihan untuk memperbaiki dan mengaktifkan kembali berbagai tempat yang terpengaruh oleh cedera atau penyakit dengan pengobatan ini," kata Scadden.

Sumber : REUTERS

Coba Jahe untuk Terapi Kanker

2008-08-20T22:20:00.000-07:00

JAHE dapat digunakan untuk membunuh sel kanker ovarium sementara komponen yang terdapat pada cabai diduga dapat mengecilkan atau menyusutkan tumor pankreas. Demikian kata Dr. Rebecca Liu, asisten profesor pada bidang obstetri and ginekologi di Universitas Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center, AS, dan timnya, yang melakukan tes terhadap bubuk jahe yang dilarutkan dan diberikan pada kultur sel kanker ovarium.

Hasil studi itu menyebutkan bahwa terdapat bukti berbagai makanan pedas atau panas bermanfaat untuk menghambat pertumbuhan kanker. Studi itu meneliti efektivitas jahe terhadap sel penderita kanker. Meskipun demikian, studi ini masih merupakan langkah pertama.

Dikatakan, jahe dapat membunuh sel kanker dengan dua jalan, yaitu proses penghancuran yang dinamakan apoptosis dan autophagy, proses pemakanan sel. Hal ini diuraikan para ahli dalam pertemuan American Association for Cancer Research.

Menurut Dr. Rebecca, banyak penderita kanker yang mengalami resistensi terhadap kemoterapi standar, di mana tindakan kemoterapi merupakan proses apoptosis. Sementara jahe yang memiliki kemampuan memakan sel (autophagy) dapat membantu mereka yang mengalami resistensi terhadap kemoterapi.

American Cancer Society melaporkan kanker ovarium membunuh 16.000 dari 22.000 wanita AS. Jahe terbukti dapat mengontrol keadaan inflamasi, yang berhubungan dengan perkembangan sel kanker ovarium.

Dalam penelitian lain menggunakan tikus yang diberikan capsaicin (salah satu kandungan pada cabai), Sanjay Srivastava dari Universitas Pittsburgh School of Medicine, AS, mendapati bahwa capsaicin ternyata dapat mematikan sel kanker pankreas. Capsaicin membuat sel-sel kanker mati dan memiliki kemampuan memperkecil ukuran tumor.

Brokoli, Si Penghalau Kanker

2008-08-20T22:18:00.000-07:00

Jangan remehkan para petani. Karena dari merekalah kita mendapatkan obat murah. Penelitian terbaru yang dipublikasikan di American Association for Cancer Research’s Sixth Annual International Conference on Frontiers di Cancer Prevention, Philadelphia Amerika Serikat menyebutkan, bahwa buah beri hitam dan brokoli serta beberapa sayuran segar dapat mengurangi risiko kanker esophagus dan saluran empedu.

Sayur dan buah telah lama diketahui mampu mengurangi risiko munculnya kanker tertentu. Berdasar riset sebelumnya, American Cancer Society merekomendasikan agar kita mengonsumsi lima jenis buah dan sayur setiap hari.

Dalam penelitian awal, para peneliti dari Ohio State University menemukan bahwa beri hitam melindungi kita dari kanker esophagus dengan cara mengurangi proses stress oksidatif yang dihasilkan oleh Barret esophagus, sebuah kondisi pra kanker yang biasa disebut penyakit gastroesopagus refluks. Esophagus merupakan terowongan panjang yang menghubungkan kerongkongan dengan perut. Penyakit refluks menyebabkan asam perut secara terus menerus melonjak ke atas ke arah kerongkongan.

“Khusus pada pasien penderita Barret, refluks pada perut dan asam empedu menyumbang terjadinya kerusakan oksidatif. Jadi, hipotesis kami adalah bahwa makanan yang mengandung bahan-bahan pelindung seperti antioksidan, vitamin, mineral dan fitokimia lain mungkin akan merestorasi keseimbangan oksidatif,” ungkap Laura Kresty, peneliti utama.

Orang dengan penyakit Esophagus Barret biasanya 30 sampai 40 kali biasanya bakal berisiko menderita kanker esophagus dengan angka harapan hidup sampai lima tahun hanya 15 persen.

Tim peneliti ini memberi 32 sampai 45 gram beri hitam setiap hari selama enam bulan kepada 20 pasien penderita esophagus Barret. Mereka menganalisa perubahan dalam darah, urin, dan jaringan sebelum, selama, dan setelah perawatan dan menemukan kadar kadar yang lebih rendah penanda kimiawi adanya stress oksidatif baik pada contoh urin maupun contoh jaringan.

Pada penelitian sebelumnya, beri hitam memang mampu menurunkan risiko munculnya kanker mulut, esophagus, dan kolon. Ahli diet, Wendy Demark-Wahnefried, professor ilmu perilaku pada M.D Anderson Cancer Center do Universitas Texas, Huoston, mengatakan bahwa dia merasa lebih cocok menasihati penderita Barret untuk mengonsumsi beri hitam. “Ini tidak akan menyakitkan,” ungkap Wendy.

Sementara itu, penelitian yang dilakukan di Roswell Park Cancer Institute di Buffalo, New York, Amerika Serikat menemukan bahwa brokoli dan beberapa sayuran segar dapat digunakan untuk melawan kanker kandung kemih.
Dengan menggunakan tikus, tim yang diketuai Dr. Yuesheng Zhang, professor ahli kanker ini mendemonstrasikan bahwa ekstrak brokoli dapat mengngari munculnya kanker kandung kemih sampai 70 persen.

“Penelitian kami yang terkini menunjukkan bahwa ekstrak brokoli dapat menghambat berkembangnya kanker kandung kemih. Kami belum tahu, apakah ekstrak yang sama dapat menghambat kanker kandung kemih bila sudah tumbuh,” ujar Zhang yang juga mengungkapkan bahwa kandungan sulforaphane pada brokoli inilah yang mampu mencegah kanker. “Selanjutnya kami berencana meneliti ekstrak brokoli untuk melawan kanker pada manusia,” jelas Zhang.

Tim kedua pada institute yang sama menemukan bahwa mereka yang mengonsumsi tiga porsi atau lebih sayuran mentah segar setiap bulan mengurangi risiko terkena kanker kandung kemih sebanyak 40 persen. Sayuran segar ini antara lain brokoli, kobis, dan bunga kol.

Tim ini menganalisa kebiasaan diet pada 275 orang yang menderita kanker kandung kemih tahap awal dan 825 orang yang sehat. Para peneliti ini secara khusus menanyai seberapa banyak orang-orang ini mengonsumsi sayuran matang dan mentah yang mereka konsumsi sebelum terdiagnosis penyakit dan apakah mereka merokok.

Analisa ini menunjukkan bahwa makin mentah dan segar sayuran yang dikonsumsi, makin rendah risiko orang-orang ini menderita kanker kandung kemih. Sebagai perbandingan pada perokok dan mereka yang hanya mengonsumsi sayuran mentah kurang tiga porsi setiap hari, mereka yang bukan perokok dan mengonsumsi tiga porsi sayur mentah setiap hari, 73 persen lebih rendah risikonya menderita kanker kandung kemih.

“Dalam penelitian kami, ditemukan konsumsi sayuran segar dan mentah menurunkan risiko kanker kandung kemih pada perokok ringan dan berat,” ujar Li tang, ketua peneliti. Para peneliti ini menegaskan bahwa manfaat ini datang dari sayuran mentah dan segar.

“Ini juga menegaskan bahwa ada banyak ragam komponen dalam sayur dan buah yang bermanfaat menurunkan risiko kanker. Riset seperti ini membantu membantu kita memahami pengaruh nutrisi spesifik untuk tipe kanker tertentu,” jelas Colleen Doyle, Direktur Gisi dan Aktivitas Fisik pada American Cancer Society.

“Masaklah sayur secepat mungkin atau kalau mungkin konsumsilah sayuran segar setiap hari sekurangnya lima porsi, lima jenis warna. Makanan-makanan ini banyak mengandung antioksidan dan fitokimia. Kanker pasti enggan mampir di tubuh Anda,” jelas Doyle.

Source: AFP

Jamur Reishi, Penghambat Kanker

2008-08-20T21:47:00.000-07:00

Jamur Reishi, Penghambat Kanker

Sejak jaman dulu, Lingzhi, Reishi atau Ganoderma lucidum sudah dipercaya sebagai peningkat system kekebalan tubuh. Penggunaannya secara rutin diyakini dapat memperpanjang usia. Orang-orang Jepang dan Cina sudah membuktikannya sejak ribuan tahun lalu.

Li Shi Zen dari Dinasti Ming, guru besar pengobatan Cina menyimpannya dalam Ben Cao Gan Mu. Dia mengatakan,” Penggunaan LingZhi secara luas akan menjamin bentuk tubuh yang ramping dan peremajaan, menikmati usia yang panjang seperti sebuah keabadian…..”

The Materia Medica Classic of Shengnong juga menilai LingZhi sebagai “crème de la crème” dari obat-obatan herbal, atau obat herbal yang paling agung dan mulia tanpa efek samping.

Sekarang ini, dengan bantuan teknologi moderen, unsur-unsur yang menyebabkan LinZhi menjadi berkhasiat ini diteliti terus menerus dan memang terbukti secara klinis bahwa jamur ini memiliki banyak manfaat bagi kesehatan tubuh.

Prof. Feng-Lin Hsu, Ph.D, Professor dan Direktur pada Graduate Insitute of Pharmacognosy Science, Taipei medical University, Departemen Ilmu dan Teknologi Farmakognosi, Jepang menyebutkan,” Dengan serangkaian pengalaman dan penelitian saya pada pengobatan tradisional Cina dalam beberapa dekade ini, saya masih belum mampu untuk memenuhi cakupan dan pengertian tentang keajaiban dari herbal Cina.Salah satu contoh yang bagus adalah LingZhi. Dalam 30 tahun terakhir, sejumlah besar ilmuwan dari seluruh dunia sudah menyelesikan beberapa penelitian dalam bidang medis tentang LingZhi,”

Dan menurut Hsu, hasil penelitian medis tentang LingZhi menyebutkan bahwa jamur ini mampu menghambat sel kanker payudara, mendukung fungsi hati, mengoptimalkan dan mengatur system kekebalan tubuh dan fungsi lain seperti menurunkan gula darah, kadar kolesterol, mencegah batuk dan insomnia.

“Hasil riset kami mengungkap bahwa 495 mg ekstrak jamur Reishi atau LingZhi yang dikomposisikan bersama 5 mg ekstrak spora Reishi seperti yang kami racik pada tiap butir kapsul yang kami buat. Dan terbukti hal ini menggandakan khasiat Reishi dari yang pernah ada di pasaran sebelumnya. Dengan menyatukan ekstrak keduanya, tiap kapsul dipastikan memiliki kandungan polisakarida 13,5 persen dan 6 persen triterpen sehingga memberi manfaat kesehatan yang lebih baik dengan merangsang pembelahan sel kekebalan tubuh. Sel B, sel T dan sel NK serta meningkatkan kesehatan system imun secara keseluruhan,” jelas Dr. Jia-shi Zhu, MD.,Ph.D, Direktur Senior Farmakologi dan Clinical Affais Pharmanex.

Source: Gaya Hidup Sehat

Helioterapi, Matahari untuk Terapi

2008-08-20T21:44:00.000-07:00

HELIOTERAPI sudah dikenal sejak zaman Yunani kuno. Istilah ini dipakai untuk menggambarkan betapa pentingnya sinar matahari bagi kehidupan, khususnya untuk terapi penyembuhan.

Adalah Niels Finsen yang sukses menangani TBC kulit dengan radiasi sinar ultra violet (UV). Temuan itu membuat Finsen memperoleh hadiah Nobel tahun 1903. Tahun 1920-an, terapi matahari makin dikenal secara luas.

Selama Perang Dunia I, dokter bedah militer Jerman menggunakan sinar matahari untuk melakukan disinfeksi dan penyembuhan luka para tentara di klinik terapi sinar matahari di Black Forest. Dalam dekade itu, Coco Chanel, perancang mode terkenal asal Perancis, menggelapkan warna kulitnya setelah berpesiar di atas Kapal Duke of Westminster. Kelakuannya itu memberi pengaruh besar pada masyarakat di zamannya.

Tahun 1930, paparan sinar matahari dijadikan ukuran kesehatan masyarakat. Saat itu, penyakit TBC dan rickets (akibat kekurangan vitamin D) umum terjadi di kota-kota industri di Eropa dan Amerika Utara. Sinar matahari menjadi salah satu terapi untuk mencegah dan menyembuhkan penyakit TBC dan rickets itu.

Turunkan Kolesterol
Situs kesehatan Endlesssun.com menyebutkan paparan sinar matahari menambah kemampuan tubuh memetabolisasi kolesterol dan mengurangi kadar kolesterol darah hingga 13 persen.

Paparan sinar matahari memiliki efek sama dengan olahraga, seperti menurunkan tekanan darah, membuat jumlah denyut jantung dalam keadaan normal, dan menambah volume darah yang dipompa jantung sekitar 39 persen.
Helioterapi juga dapat meningkatkan hormon seks, kekuatan otot, ketahanan terhadap infeksi, jumlah oksigen dalam darah, memperbaiki tingkat stres, memperbanyak adrenalin, serta menambah energi dan ketahanan. Selain itu, terapi ini sangat efektif untuk menyembuhkan stroke dan stres.

Prinsip helioterapi juga bisa digunakan dalam ruang operasi rumah sakit karena mampu mengurangi jumlah bakteri hingga 50 persen. Sinar UV matahari mampu membunuh bakteri meskipun melewati kaca jendela.

Pasien pulih lebih cepat dan lebih sedikit terkena infeksi sesudah menjalani operasi. Bakterisida oleh sinar matahari membuat ruang perawatan di rumah sakit memiliki bakteri lebih sedikit ketimbang ruang perawatan yang gelap. Kemampuan itu penting karena infeksi menduduki peringkat yang cukup tinggi sebagai penyebab kematian setelah penyakit jantung, kanker, dan stroke.

Manfaat Berjemur
Banyak dokter spesialis anak di rumah sakit bersalin juga kerap menganjurkan bayi yang baru lahir untuk diterapi sinar matahari sebagai terapi tambahan. Caranya, bayi dijemur selama setengah jam dengan posisi berbeda. Contohnya, seperempat jam dalam keadaan telentang, seperempat jam kemudian telungkup.

Namun, hindari posisi yang membuat bayi melihat langsung ke matahari karena dapat merusak matanya. Perhatikan pula di sekeliling, apakah keadaan udara bersih atau tidak.

Baik untuk bayi maupun orang dewasa, biasanya dokter menganjurkan waktu berjemur antara pukul 07.00 sampai 09.00. “Inilah waktu di mana sinar surya efektif mengurangi kadar bilirubin. Di bawah pukul 07.00, sinar UV belum cukup efektif, sedangkan di atas pukul 09.00 kekuatannya sudah terlalu tinggi sehingga akan merusak kulit,” kata Dr. Hanifah Oswari, Sp.A(K), dari Divisi Gastroentero-Hepatologi Anak Bagian Ilmu Kesehatan Anak FKUI/RSCM.

Terapi Warna
Terapi sinar matahari sering dihubungkan dengan terapi warna. Dalam buku Sun Therapy, pengarangnya Vijaya Kumar, mengatakan di mana ada sinar matahari, di sana ada energi dan warna sinar matahari. Karena itu, sinar matahari menjadi dasar dari terapi warna sinar matahari.

Kumar menuliskan bahwa tubuh manusia berikut organ-organnya dipengaruhi oleh warna yang berbeda. Terapi warna membantu mengembalikan keseimbangan warna dan zat-zat kimia. Radiasi matahari dalam jangka waktu tertentu membantu memperbaiki kekurangan atau kelebihan warna tertentu atau zat-zat kimia yang mengganggu fungsi tubuh.

Dalam situs pengobatan alternatif Austin Holistic, praktisi terapi warna, akupuntur, hipnoterapi, dan reiki, Dr. Rochelle McCray, mengatakan tiap penyakit yang diderita manusia dapat diidentikkan dengan sebuah warna khusus. Untuk itu, tubuh manusia mesti mendapatkan sinar matahari tanpa disaring, yang langsung diserap kulit atau mata, minimal dua jam per hari.

Resep Kumar adalah dengan menggosokkan botol berwarna jingga dan biru berisi minyak wijen yang telah disinari matahari ke tubuh, lalu berjemur di bawah sinar matahari selama 15-30 menit. Selama berjemur pastikan bagian yang sakit langsung disinari, sehingga bisa efektif.

Khasiat Warna Primer
Matahari memancarkan sinar dalam tujuh warna, yakni ungu, nila, biru, hijau, kuning, jingga, dan merah. Dari ketujuh warna yang dipancarkan matahari, hanya merah, kuning, dan biru yang menjadi warna primer. Lainnya adalah warna sekunder dan tersier, yang merupakan gabungan dari warna primer.

Ketujuh warna sinar matahari itu memiliki nilai pengobatan. Cahaya dari berbagai warna itu menurut Kumar dapat diserap tubuh dengan bantuan gelas berwarna.

Air, minyak, atau gula bisa menjadi benda perantara manfaat sinar matahari. Caranya, letakkan benda tersebut ke dalam gelas berwarna lalu disinari cahaya matahari. Penyinaran tersebut menghasilkan zat-zat pengobatan dalam benda tersebut.

Berikut cara penyinaran yang diajarkan Kumar.
1. Penyinaran air
a. Masukkan air minum ke dalam botol warna jingga, hijau, dan biru yang bersih. Biarkan seperempat bagian botol kosong. Botol ditutup dan diletakkan di bawah sinar matahari selama 6-8 jam. Air ini dapat menjadi daya pengobatan selama 4-5 hari.
b. Dosisnya: usia 1-5 tahun dua sendok teh, usia 5-12 tahun seperempat cangkir, dan di atas 12 tahun setengah cangkir.

2. Penyinaran gula
a. Isi setengah botol berwarna jingga, hijau, dan biru dengan butiran gula. Panaskan setiap hari di bawah sinar matahari selama sebulan. Di malam hari tutup rapat botol tersebut dan simpan di tempat yang aman. Kocok setiap hari dan bersihkan bagian luar botol. Gula ini dapat digunakan dalam waktu lama. Bila masih tersisa, jemur botol selama 5 hari setiap 3 bulan.
b. Dosisnya: untuk orang dewasa setengah sendok teh.

3. Penyinaran minyak
Isi setengah bagian botol jingga dan hijau dengan minyak wijen, sedangkan setengah bagian botol biru dengan minyak kelapa, gliserin, atau mentega bening. Jemur botol-botol itu secara terpisah di bawah sinar matahari selama sebulan. Kocok setiap hari dan bersihkan botolnya. Minyak bisa digunakan lama. Sekali dalam 3 bulan jemur kembali botol tersebut di bawah sinar matahari selama 5 hari.

Indikasi Obat Warna Primer
Air, gula, dan minyak yang dimasukkan ke dalam botol berwarna primer (jingga, hijau, dan biru), dapat memberikan efek pengobatan yang berbeda.

1.Warna jingga
a. Pengobatan jingga bersifat alkali. Warna ini memengaruhi bagian perut, hati, usus, ginjal, dan limpa. Benda dalam botol warna jingga dapat dimanfaatkan untuk menyembuhkan demam, radang paru, pernapasan, influenza, batuk, TBC, gugup, gangguan jantung, kelumpuhan. Dapat juga membangkitkan selera makan dan membantu metabolisme sistem pencernaan, mengurangi berat badan, menghilangkan keletihan, dan meningkatkan daya ingat. Minyak dalam botol warna ini dapat menyembuhkan luka.
b. Dipakai 15-30 menit setelah makan.

2.Warna hijau
a. Pengobatan hijau bersifat menetralkan masalah kesehatan. Warna ini menumbuhkan dan memperkuat otot, membersihkan darah, dan membantu membuang benda-benda asing dari sistem tubuh. Bisa juga merangsang susunan saraf otak, mengatasi susah buang air dan sakit perut, kencing nanah, cacar, demam, malaria, tifus, borok, kanker, tekanan darah tinggi, luka tersiram air panas, jerawat, kutil, eksim, batuk kering, sakit kepala, gangguan sistem hati, kulit, ginjal, dan sakit mata.
b. Digunakan ketika perut kosong atau 1 jam sebelum makan.

3.Warna biru
a. Pengobatan biru mengandung unsur asam, bersifat dingin dan menyejukkan, serta berefek penenang. Bereaksi sangat baik seperti antiseptik. Kebanyakan pengobatan warna biru memengaruhi kerongkongan dan atas kerongkongan, manjur untuk radang amandel, sakit gigi, pembengkakan gusi, dan borok di dalam mulut. Juga efektif untuk mengobati penyakit kulit, demam tinggi, dan sakit kepala. Epilepsi, muntah, mual, kolera, disentri, diare dapat disembuhkan dengan cara ini. Minyak yang telah disinari dalam botol warna biru dapat mengurangi demam tinggi.
b. Sebaiknya digunakan saat perut kosong, 1 jam sebelum makan.

Source : Gaya Hidup Sehat

Matahari Perkuat Sistem Kekebalan Tubuh

2008-08-20T21:40:00.000-07:00

JANGAN buru-buru memusuhi sinar matahari. Hasil studi terbaru, seperti dikutip Reuters, selain membantu kita hidup lebih lama, sinar matahari memberi manfaat kesehatan lebih besar ketimbang risiko kanker kulit. “Risiko kanker kulit memang ada, tetapi manfaat kesehatan dari paparan matahari ternyata jauh lebih besar,” ujar Johan Moan, peneliti di Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo, Norwegia.

Lebih lanjut, diungkapkan pemimpin studi ini, paparan sinar matahari dalam jumlah sedang memberi manfaat atas vitamin D yang sangat besar. Sinar matahari memacu tubuh memproduksi vitamin D. Sayangnya ketakutan akan terjadinya kanker kulit membuat banyak orang menjauhkan dirinya dari sinar matahari. Tindakan ini, menurut peneliti, berarti menghilangkan perlindungan penting bagi tubuh dari serangkaian penyakit.

Sejumlah penelitian menunjukkan efek perlindungan dari asupan vitamin D yang lebih besar terhadap beberapa jenis kanker dan penyakit seperti ricket, diabetes, dan osteoporosis. Beberapa jenis makanan memang mengandung vitamin D, tetapi sumber utamanya berasal dari matahari.

Peneliti menghitung, dengan jumlah yang sama dari waktu yang dihabiskan di luar ruang, orang yang tinggal di Australia (berada di bawah garis ekuator) menghasilkan vitamin D 3,4 kali lebih banyak daripada mereka yang tinggal di Inggris dan 4,5 kali di Skandinavia. Ini berarti, meski tingkat kanker organ dalam seperti kanker usus besar, paru, payudara, dan prostat meningkat, lebih sedikit orang yang berada di garis lintang yang meninggal karena penyakit itu.

Dikatakan Richard Setlow dari Departemen of Energy’s Brookhaven National Laboratori di Amerika Serikat, “Data ini memberikan indikasi lebih jauh tentang peran vitamin D yang diperoleh dari sinar matahari bagi prognosis kanker.” Memperoleh lebih banyak vitamin D yang membantu sistem imunitas tubuh bekerja dengan baik, juga penting bagi mereka yang tinggal di wilayah seperti Skandinavia. Di sana musim dingin berlangsung cukup lama, sehingga paparan matahari amat terbatas.

Moan merekomendasikan paparan matahari setiap hari sekitar setengah dari waktu yang diperlukan seseorang untuk bisa membuat kulitnya terbakar. Waktu yang paling baik untuk mendapat paparan sinar matahari ini adalah di pagi dan sore hari. Jangan berjemur terlalu lama karena kulit bisa terbakar.

Cara lain untuk memperoleh vitamin D, bisa dengan merancang tabir surya yang dapat menghambat panjang gelombang ultra violet (UV) panjang yang memicu pembentuk kanker kulit yang mematikan. Di sisi lain, membiarkan panjang gelombang UV pendek masuk ke kulit yang memproduksi vitamin.

Source: REUTERS/ Gaya Hidup Sehat

Cukupkah Mendapat Sinar Matahari?

2008-08-20T21:26:00.000-07:00

BERUNTUNGLAH kita hidup di daerah tropis yang mendapat sinar matahari sepanjang tahun. Sayangnya, di kota besar, begitu sedikit orang yang punya kesempatan tubuhnya dibelai sinar matahari. Di pagi buta mereka berangkat kerja dan pulang ketika matahari sudah terbenam.

Apakah Anda termasuk orang yang kurang mendapat sinar matahari? Mari cari tahu dengan mengikuti kuis berikut ini.

1. Apakah mata Anda melihat sinar matahari selama 15 sampai 20 menit tanpa kacamata dengan tabir ultra violet (UV)?
2. Apakah kulit Anda terpapar sinar matahari selama 15 sampai 20 menit tanpa tabir surya setiap hari?
3. Apakah Anda mengalami gangguan tidur?
4. Jika tidak mendapat paparan sinar matahari selama 20 menit sehari, apakah Anda minum suplemen vitamin D?
5. Apakah Anda selalu memakai tabir surya ketika beraktivitas di luar ruangan?
6. Apakah Anda memakai kacamata yang memblok sinar ultra violet?
7. Apakah tempat tinggal Anda menggunakan kaca yang memblok sinar ultra violet?
8. Apakah Anda percaya bahwa cahaya yang menyilaukan itu buruk untuk Anda?
9. Apakah Anda sering merasa pening?
10. Jika Anda termasuk usia lanjut, Anda butuh cahaya alami lima kali lebih banyak untuk mengatur ritme circadian (jam internal dalam tubuh) dibanding orang dewasa. Apakah Anda cukup mendapat cahaya itu?
11. Apakah Anda mengalami kelainan emosi musiman?
12. Apakah Anda atau anak menjadi hiperaktif?
13. Apakah mengalami stres?
14. Apakah Anda kegemukan dan ingin makan karbohidrat?
15. Apakah Anda sering sakit?
16. Apakah Anda sensitif terhadap bahan kimia dan susah untuk melakukan detoksifikasi?
17. Apakah kadar kolesterol Anda tinggi?
18. Apakah Anda menderita psoriasis?
19. Apakah gairah seks rendah?

Jika Anda menjawab ya untuk lebih dari 5 pertanyaan di atas, sebaiknya waspada. Itu adalah gejala bahwa Anda kekurangan cahaya matahari. Berikut ini sejumlah fakta mengapa kita membutuhkan sinar matahari :

- Tubuh kita, juga mata kita, membutuhkan 15 sampai 20 menit terkena sinar matahari tanpa kacamata dengan tabir surya setiap hari bagi kulit untuk memproduksi vitamin D.

- Sebagian besar tabir surya hanya melindungi tubuh terhadap efek buruk sinar ultra violet B (UVB). Penggunaan berlebihan tabir surya anti-UVB justru dapat mengganggu produksi vitamin D. Kaca dan jendela mengganggu penyerapan sinar matahari spektrum penuh.

- Ketika cahaya alami diserap oleh retina pada mata, impul elektrik dibawa oleh saraf optis ke otak dan hipotalamus, kelenjar pineal, dan kelenjar pituari. Dari sini tubuh mengaktifkan neurotransmitter yang menyalakan sistem-sistem hormon, termasuk metabolisme, fungsi reproduksi, dan juga jam biologis di dalam tubuh yang disebut ritme circadian.

- Ritme circadian tubuh diaktifkan oleh cahaya yang lebih terang dan kompleks spektrumnya daripada yang dibutuhkan oleh pekerjaan visual. Badan antariksa NASA memasang cahaya spektrum penuh di pesawat ruang angka untuk keperluan ini.

- Paparan cahaya meningkatkan serotonin, zat yang membuat Anda bangun dan waspada.

- Zat melatonin meningkat dalam keadaan gelap yang membuat Anda mengantuk. Zat ini ditekan oleh cahaya. Jika Anda tidak mendapat intensitas cahaya yang cukup, Anda memproduksi terlalu banyak melatonin yang membuat Anda merasa pening. Jadi, jika Anda kelelahan di siang hari, mungkin sebaiknya Anda keluar sebentar dan terkena paparan matahari.

Lalu, sebaiknya apa yang harus kita lakukan?

- Mandi cahaya matahari di luar ruangan tanpa kacamata dengan tabir surya selama 20 menit setiap hari. Lewat mata Anda, cahaya dibawa langsung ke hipotalamus dan dari situ dibawa ke setiap sel dalam tubuh Anda. Ini akan membantu kulit memproduksi vitamin D, vitamin penting untuk tulang.
- Coba makan siang di luar ruangan. Anda tidak perlu kena sinar matahari langsung, makanlah di teras.
- Coba baca koran pagi di bawah paparan sinar matahari.
- Jika Anda tidak bisa berada di luar ruangan karena berbagai alasan, termasuk tinggal di kota besar, cobalah duduk di dekat jendela terbuka selama 20 menit setiap hari untuk menikmati cahaya matahari.

Echinacea tak Efektif Cegah Flu?

2008-08-20T21:18:00.000-07:00

SAAT ini banyak produk obat tradisional seperti jamu anti masuk angin, multivitamin atau minuman berenergi mengandung herbal Echinacea beredar di pasaran. Echinacea memang telah dikenal luas sebagai salah satu jenis herbal yang diklaim berkhasiat meningatkan kekebalan tubuh, menangkal flu dan mengobati infeksi.

Namun begitu, penelitian tentang khasiat dan manfaat herbal Echinacea terus berkembang dan kerap mengundang kontroversi. Banyak penelitian yang memberikan dukungan, tetapi tak sedikit yang meragukan manfaatnya.

Riset terbaru yang dipublikasikan dalam Annals of Allergy Asthma misalnya, meragukan khasiat herbal yang disarikan dari tanaman coneflower ini, khususnya dalam mencegah gejala flu.

Para ahli dari the University of California San Francisco mengklaim tidak menemukan bukti yang kuat bahwa echinacea dapat mencegah hidung tersumbat (nasal congestion), nyeri tenggorokan atau gejala flu lainnya.

Kesimpulan itu diambil setelah mereka melakukan riset terhadap 58 partisipan yang dipantau kesehatannya selama delapan pekan. Partisipan dalam penelitian ini secara acak diwajibkan meminum salah satu dari tiga kapsul echinacea atau tiga kapsul berisi ekstrak seledri dan plasebo. Obat ini wajib dikonsumsi secara teratur dua kali sehari selama periode penelitian.

Seminggu sekali, peneliti menanya partisipan apakah selama sepekan ke belakang mereka mengalami sakit tenggorokan, hidung berair, sakit kepala atau gejala flu lainya.

Dari hasil pemantauan terungkap, kelompok yang mengonsumsi echinacea melaporkan sembilan ¨hari sakit¨ per orang, sedangkan pada kelompok plasebo tercatat sebanyak 14.

Perbedaan jumlah tersebut tidaklah bersifat tetap ketika para peneliti melakukan analisis data statistik - yang berarti bahwa perbedaan pada ¨hari sakit¨ bisa saja disebabkan karena peluang atau kemungkinan.

¨Meskipun echinacea disebut- sebut sebagai peningkat kekebalan dan telah dijual di banyak apotik, hasil riset ini adalah salah satu dari sekian banyak yang meragukan dan tidak mendukung penggunaan echinacea dalam mencegah flu,¨ ungkap pimpinan riset Dr.Joelle O’Neil seperti dikutip Reuters Health.

Namun begitu, tegas Neill, riset ini dan banyak penelitian lainnya mengidikasikan pula bahwa penggunaan produk standar echinacea yang dipasarkan luas saat ini tidak merugikan kesehatan.

Neill juga menekankan, riset ini tidak ditujukan untuk mengetahui apakah echinacea bermanfaat meringankan gejala flu atau mempercepat penyembuhan.

Sumber : Reuters

Sehat dengan Pengobatan Herbal

2008-08-20T21:16:00.000-07:00

PENGOBATAN herbal adalah penggunaan seluruh atau beberapa bagian tanaman untuk mengobati berbagai macam penyakit dan mempertahankan kesehatan. Penggunaan tanaman sebagai obat sudah dikenal sejak ribuan tahun lalu. Walaupun sering dikategorikan sebagai pelengkap atau alternatif di negara barat, obat herbal tetap obat yang paling banyak digunakan di seluruh dunia.

Negara pengguna obat-obatan herbal tertua yang tercatat dalam sejarah, sekitar tahun 2800 sebelum masehi, yakni China. Mereka saat itu telah menggunakan 366 jenis tanaman sebagai obat. Selain di China, di beberapa belahan dunia lain juga sudah mengenal tanaman obat, seperti Yunani dan Eropa Barat. Bahkan, fisikawan Yunani Hippocrates meninggalkan daftar 400 tanaman obat yang ditelitinya.

Zaman dahulu, penggunaan tanaman obat selalu dikaitkan dengan mitos dan ilmu sihir. Namun, sekarang penggunaan tanaman obat sudah didukung ilmu modern. Banyak tanamanan obat yang dulunya hanya warisan turun temurun dari generasi ke generasi, sekarang menemukan cara penggunaan yang baru, setelah dirinci melalui analisis kimia dan uji klinis. Penelitian terus menerus dilakukan dengan tujuan meningkatkan manfaat dan keamanan tanaman obat.

Tanaman obat dapat digunakan di rumah untuk mengobati penyakit ringan dan menjaga kesehatan supaya tetap bugar. Jika anda ingin menggunakan tanaman sebagai obat, ada beberapa hal yang harus diperhatikan:

1. Pastikan bahwa anda sudah tepat mengidentifikasi tanaman yang akan anda gunakan sebagai obat. Jika ragu-ragu mintalah petunjuk.

2. Konsultasikan tanaman obat yang baik untuk memastikan anda tidak melebihi dosis yang dianjurkan

3. Jika anda mengambil tanaman obat langsung di alam bebas, pastikan tanaman tersebut banyak tumbuh di daerah tersebut. Jangan menggali sampai akar-akarnya, selain untuk menjaga kelestarian di beberapa negara tindakan ini melanggar hukum.

4. Jangan menunggu lama menemui dokter, jika sakit anda bertambah serius.

Tanaman yang biasa digunakan di rumah

Tanaman-tanaman berikut biasa digunakan di rumah. Beberapa dari tanaman ini juga dapat mudah ditanam di rumah, sebagian ada di alam dan tersedia di toko bahan kimia dan makanan kesehatan.

Stinging nettle
Tanaman ini hanya tumbuh di tanah yang baik dan kaya, karena itu tanaman ini sering ditemukan di tanah yang berkompos. Tanaman ini banyak mengandung nutrisi, termasuk zat besi dan vitamin C, oleh sebab itu sangat baik dikonsumsi para penderita anemia. Selain itu, tanaman ini juga bagus untuk mereka yang mengalami gangguan alergi, termasuk juga eksim pada anak-anak. Tanaman ini dapat diminum seperti teh, atau dimasak sebagai sayuran.

Marigold Marigold
Tanaman ini dapat digunakan sebagai antiseptik, antiradang dan pembersih. Daun tanaman ini banyak digunakan di banyak krim dan obat salep untuk menggurangi iritasi pada kulit dan gigitan serangga. Tambahkan rebusan air Marigold ke air mandi anda. Untuk menjaga kondisi saluran getah bening dan infeksi jamur, air rebusan tanaman ini bisa langsung diminum.

Cleavers, Clivers atau Goosegrass
Tanaman ini biasanya muncul pada awal musim semi. Ambil daun yang muda dan pucuknya untuk dimakan sebagai salad atau diminum seperti teh.Tanaman ini sering digunakan sebagai penambah tenaga saat musim semi, khususnya untuk kelenjar yang bengkak dan penderita gangguan limfa. Tanaman ini kaya akan vitamin C.

Dandelion
Dandelion digunakan paling baik saat ia masih muda. Dapat digunakan dalam salad atau teh. Daun dandelion sangat baik untuk merangsang fungsi ginjal, akarnya baik untuk hati. Akarnya yang dikeringkan dapat menjadi pengganti kopi yang nikmat dan sehat.

Tanaman Obat Mediterania
Rosemary, Thyme dan Sage adalah tanaman obat Mediterania yang banyak mengandung minyak aromatik. Minyak tersebut digunakan sebagai antiseptik, jadi baik digunakan sebagai pembersih luka, obat kumur saat tenggorokan serak dan infeksi pada gusi. Tanaman ini dapat diminum seperti teh dan dimasak sebagai sayur.

Ketiga tanaman ini punya kelebihan masing-masing. Rosemary sebagai perangsang, secara khusus untuk kepala. Cobalah saat anda mengalami sakit kepala, kegagalan ingatan, dan rambut rontok. Thyme, khusus untuk mengobati kondisi paru-paru, selain itu juga digunakan sebagai antijamur. Sage, menggurangi keringat, jadi cobalah saat anda mengalami keringat berlebihan ketika menopause atau untuk menggurangi susu saat seorang ibu sudah berhenti menyusui.

Yarrow
Yarrow mempunyai banyak kegunaan, seperti mengurangi masalah pada saat menstruasi, gangguan pada kelenjar darah, dan demam. Jika diminum, air rebusan Yarrow terasa sedikit pahit.Untuk mengobati influenza dan demam, Yarrow biasanya dicampur dengan Elderflower dan Peppermint. Satu ons campuran tanaman obat ini harus direbus dengan 0,56 liter air dan diminum selagi masih panas. Bunga elder Elderflower banyak menggandung vitamin C dan bagus untuk mengobati influenza, demam, sinusitis, asma, dan radang selaput lendir di hidung. Tanaman ini bisa langsung dikonsumsi tanpa dimasak atau dapat juga dikeringkan atau dibekukan untuk digunakan pada waktu lain.

Peppermint
Peppermint menggandung bahan yang mudah menguap, termasuk menthol yang dapat membersihkan saluran pernafasan dan menyejukkan pencernaan. Bunga lemon Tanaman ini memberi aroma lain pada teh yang dapat menenangkan pikiran dan menurunkan tekanan darah.

Bunga Chamomile
Tanaman ini dapat menjadi antiradang dan obat penenang, menggurangi iritasi pada lambung dan membantu mereka yang tidak bisa tidur.

Echinacea
Echinacea adalah nama latin dari bunga Purple Cone. Baik bagian akar, maupun bagian hijau tanaman ini dapat digunakan sebagai obat. Salah satu yang dianggap paling bermanfaat oleh herbalis modern yakni echinacea mempunyai kemampuan untuk merangsang sistem kekebalan tubuh. Jadi, tanaman ini digunakan untuk mengobati infeksi, demam, dan influenza. Tanaman ini juga sebagai pencegah infeksi bagi mereka yang mempunyai daya tahan tubuh yang lemah. Tanaman ini juga diharapkan bisa untuk mengobati infeksi HIV dan penyakit menular lainnya. Echinea tidak cocok untuk disedu, karena rasanya yang pahit. Lebih baik, mengkonsumsinya yang sudah dalam bentuk tablet dan kapsul.

Sumber: The Encyclopedia of Complementary Medicine

Obat Tradisional Pengusir Demam Anak

2008-08-20T21:10:00.000-07:00

Obat Tradisional Pengusir Demam Anak

Sebagai langkah pertolongan pertama, obat tradisional dapat diandalkan untuk mengatasi demam.

BANYAK orangtua panik bila mendapati suhu tubuh anaknya di atas rata-rata atau sering disebut demam. Sebagai pertolongan pertama, umumnya diberikan obat penurun panas yang berbahan dasar kimia seperti golongan parasetamol, asam salisilat, ibuprofen, dan lain-lain. Jarang sekali orangtua yang langsung teringat memberikan obat-obatan tradisional.

Padahal, obat-obatan tradisional yang berasal dari tanaman obat ini tak kalah ampuhnya sebagai pengusir demam. Malah, obat-obatan tradisional memiliki kelebihan, yaitu toksisitasnya relatif lebih rendah dibanding obat-obatan kimia. Jadi, relatif lebih aman, bahkan tidak ada efek samping bila penggunaannya benar. Soalnya, kandungan tanaman obat bersifat kompleks dan organis sehingga dapat disetarakan dengan makanan, suatu bahan yang dikonsumsi dengan maksud merekonstruksi organ atau sistem yang rusak. Selain itu, harganya pun lebih murah.

Tiga Jenis Demam

Namun, sebelum mengenal lebih jauh tentang tanaman obat penurun panas, perlu dipahami lebih dulu pengertian demam. Demam pada anak dapat dibedakan menjadi tiga, yaitu:

1. Demam karena infeksi yang suhunya bisa mencapai lebih dari 380°C. Penyebabnya beragam, yakni infeksi virus (seperti flu, cacar, campak, SARS, flu burung, demam berdarah, dan lain-lain) dan bakteri (tifus, radang tenggorokan, dan lain-lain).

2. Demam noninfeksi, seperti kanker, tumor, atau adanya penyakit autoimun seseorang (rematik, lupus, dan lain-lain).

3. Demam fisiologis, seperti kekurangan cairan (dehidrasi), suhu udara yang terlalu panas, dan lain-lain.

Nah, dari ketiganya, hanya demam yang disebabkan oleh infeksi dan noninfeksi sajalah yang memerlukan obat penurun panas. Untuk mempercepat proses penurunan panasnya, selain ramuan tradisional yang diminum, dapat juga diberikan baluran atau kompres untuk membantu.

Akan halnya demam fisiologis, tak diperlukan obat-obatan penurun panas karena umumnya jarang melebihi 380°C. Untuk menurunkan suhu tubuh, cukup diberikan minum yang banyak dan diusahakan berada dalam ruangan berventilasi baik atau berpendingin.

Aneka Obat Tradisional Penurun Panas

Inilah beberapa pilihan obat penurun panas tradisional yang dapat dicoba. Penting diperhatikan, dosis yang tercantum pada ramuan berikut adalah dosis untuk orang dewasa. Bila ingin diberikan kepada anak, bacalah aturan dosis bagi anak dan sesuaikan dengan tingkatan usianya. (Lihat boks: Dosis Aman untuk Anak.)

1. Lempuyang Emprit (Zingiber amaricans)

Memiliki kandungan senyawa minyak atsiri, yaitu sekuiterpenketon yang bermanfaat untuk menurunkan panas. Umumnya yang digunakan adalah rimpangnya; warnanya putih kekuningan dan rasanya pahit.

Caranya: Cuci bersih 10 gram umbi lempuyang emprit. Parut dan tambahkan 1/2 gelas air panas, aduk rata. Setelah dingin, peras, ambil sarinya. Campur dengan 2 sendok makan (sdm) madu bunga kapuk, aduk rata. Berikan 3 kali sehari.

2. Kunyit (Curcuma longa)

Memiliki kandungan minyak atsiri, curcumin, turmeron dan zingiberen yang dapat bermanfaat sebagai antibakteri, antioksidan, dan antiinflamasi (anti-peradangan). Selain sebagai penurun panas, campuran ini juga dapat meningkatkan daya tahan tubuh. Umumnya yang digunakan adalah rimpangnya; warnanya oranye.

Caranya: Cuci bersih 10 gram umbi kunyit. Parut dan tambahkan 1/2 gelas air panas, aduk rata. Setelah dingin, peras, ambil sarinya. Tambahkan dengan perasan 1/2 buah jeruk nipis. Campur dengan 2 sdm madu bunga kapuk, aduk rata. Bagi menjadi 3 bagian campuran madu dan kunyit ini, kemudian berikan 3 kali sehari.

3. Sambiloto (Andrographis paniculata)

Seluruh bagian tanamannya dapat digunakan. Memiliki kandungan andrografolid lactones (zat pahit), diterpene, glucosides dan flavonoid yang dapat menurunkan panas. Bahkan pada tahun 1991 pernah diadakan penelitian di Thailand bahwa 6 g sambiloto per hari sama efektifnya dengan parasetamol.

Caranya: Rebus 10 gram daun sambiloto kering, 25 g umbi kunyit kering (2,5 ibu jari), dan 200 cc air. Rebus hingga mendidih dan airnya tinggal 100 cc, kemudian saring. Setelah hangat, tambahkan 100 cc madu bunga kapuk atau mahoni, aduk rata. Bagi menjadi 3 bagian, berikan 3 kali sehari.

4. Pegagan (Centella asiatica L.)

Tumbuhan yang dikenal pula dengan nama daun kaki kuda ini tumbuh merayap menutupi tanah. Daunnya berwarna hijau dan berbentuk seperti kipas ginjal. Memiliki kandungan triterpenoid, saponin, hydrocotyline, dan vellarine. Bermanfaat untuk menurunkan panas, revitalisasi tubuh dan pembuluh darah serta mampu memperkuat struktur jaringan tubuh. Pegagan juga bersifat menyejukkan atau mendinginkan, menambah tenaga dan menimbulkan selera makan.

Caranya : Rebus 1 genggam pegagan segar dengan 2 gelas air hingga mendidih dan airnya tinggal 1 gelas. Bagi menjadi 3 bagian dan diminum 3 kali sehari.

5. Temulawak (Curcuma xanthorhiza Roxb.)

Penampilan temulawak menyerupai temu putih, hanya warna bunga dan rimpangnya berbeda. Bunga temulawak berwarna putih kuning atau kuning muda, sedangkan temu putih berwarna putih dengan tepi merah. Rimpang temulawak berwarna jingga kecokelatan, sedangkan rimpang bagian dalam temu putih berwarna kuning muda.

Temulawak memiliki zat aktif germacrene, xanthorrhizol, alpha betha curcumena, dan lain-lain. Manfaatnya sebagai antiinflamasi (antiperandangan), antibiotik, serta meningkatkan produksi dan sekresi empedu. Temulawak sejak dahulu banyak digunakan sebagai obat penurun panas, merangsang nafsu makan, mengobati sakit kuning, diare, mag, perut kembung dan pegal-pegal.

Caranya : Cuci bersih 10 gram rimpang temulawak. Parut dan tambahkan 1/2 gelas air panas, aduk rata. Setelah dingin, peras, ambil sarinya. Campur dengan 2 sdm madu bunga kapuk, aduk rata. Bagi menjadi 3 campuran madu dan temulawak, kemudian berikan 3 kali sehari.

6. Bawang merah (Allium cepa L.)

Bawang merah sering digunakan sebagai bumbu dapur. Memiliki kandungan minyak atsiri, sikloaliin, metilaliin, kaemferol, kuersetin, dan floroglusin.

Caranya: Kupas 5 butir bawang merah. Parut kasar dan tambahkan dengan minyak kelapa secukupnya, lalu balurkan ke ubun-ubun dan seluruh tubuh.

7. Daun kembang sepatu (Hibiscus rosa sinensis)

Selain daun kembang sepatu, Anda juga dapat memanfaatkan daun kapuk atau daun sirih. Kembang sepatu mengandung flavonoida, saponin dan polifenol. Daun kapuk mengandung flavonoida, saponin dan tanin. Daun sirih mengandung flavonoida, saponin, polifenol, dan minyak atsiri.

Caranya: Cuci bersih daunnya, keringkan dengan lap bersih, panaskan sebentar di atas api agar lemas. Remas-remas sehingga lemas, olesi dengan minyak kelapa, kompreskan pada perut dan kepala.

8. Meniran (Phyllanthus niruri L.)

Tinggi tanamannya mencapai 1 meter, tumbuh liar, daunnya berbentuk bulat tergolong daun majemuk bersirip genap. Seluruh bagian tanaman ini dapat digunakan. Memiliki kandungan lignan, flavonoid, alkaloid, triterpenoid, tanin, vitamin C, dan lain-lain. Bermanfaat untuk menurunkan panas dan meningkatkan daya tahan tubuh.

Caranya: Rebus 1 genggam meniran segar dengan 2 gelas air hingga mendidih dan airnya tinggal 1 gelas. Bagi menjadi 3 bagian dan diminum 3 kali sehari.

9. Air kelapa muda

Air kelapa muda banyak mengandung mineral, antara lain kalium. Pada saat panas, tubuh akan mengeluarkan banyak keringat untuk menurunkan suhu tubuh. Nah, untuk menggantikan keringat yang keluar, perbanyaklah minum air kelapa.

Dosis Aman untuk Anak

Penggunaan tanaman obat dengan dosis yang tepat tidak akan menimbulkan efek samping dan aman. Berikut dosis yang direkomendasikan untuk anak:

Usia Dosis

Bayi 1/8 dosis dewasa

2-5 tahun 1/4 dosis dewasa

6-9 tahun 1/3 dosis dewasa

10-13 tahun 1/2 dosis dewasa

14-16 tahun 3/4 dosis dewasa

Penulis: Utami Sri Rahayu

Konsultan Ahli: dr Adji Suranto, SpA dari Perhimpunan Dokter Indonesia Pengembang Kesehatan Tradisional Timur (PDPKT DKI Jaya)

Mengunci Folder Rahasia

2008-08-18T19:35:00.000-07:00

Mengunci Folder Rahasia

Menjengkelkan sekali bila ada orang lain yang membuka file/folder pribadi kita yang disimpan di komputer. Meskipun disembunyikan (hidden), tetap saja file tersebut ditemukan. Saya yakin Anda pernah mengalami hal seperti itu. Ada baiknya, file/folder yang sangat pribadi, dikunci menggunakan software. Memang, kebanyakan software tersebut tidak gratis. Namun, untuk keamanan, tidak ada salahnya kita membeli salah satu software pengunci folder untuk menyembunyikan file rahasia kita.

DOWNLOAD ARTIKEL LENGKAP (PDF):

1. http://www.ziddu.com/download/1961173/menguncifolder.pdf.html

Search Engine

2008-08-18T19:34:00.000-07:00

Search Engine

Mesin pencari web atau yang lebih dikenal dengan istilah web search engine merupakan program komputer yang dirancang untuk mencari informasi yang tersedia didalam dunia maya . Berbeda halnya dengan direktori web (seperti dmoz.org) yang dikerjakan oleh manusia untuk mengelompokkan suatu halaman informasi berdasarkan kriteria yang ada, web search engine mengumpulkan informasi yang tersedia secara otomatis.

DOWNLOAD ARTIKEL LENGKAP (PDF):

1. http://www.ziddu.com/download/1961174/searchengine.pdf.html

Memasang Widget Chatting di Blog

2008-08-18T19:30:00.000-07:00

Memasang Widget Chatting di Blog

Chatting dengan banyak orang dari berbagai layanan chatting tentu saja sangat menarik. Kita hanya membuka satu aplikasi, bisa chatting dengan pengguna Yahoo! Messenger, GTalk, MSN, ICQ, AIM, atau MySpace. Bahkan, aplikasi ini bisa ditempel di website/blog kita. Menarik bukan?
Meskipun sedikit agak lambat, tapi ga ada salahnya kalau kita mencobanya. Untuk membuktikan lambat atau tidaknya, tentu saja dengan mencobanya.

DOWNLOAD ARTIKEL LENGKAP (PDF):
1. http://www.ziddu.com/download/1961131/ngeblogsambilchatting.pdf.html

ONLINE BUSSINES NEWS

2008-08-14T17:47:00.000-07:00

Bisnis Online yang Revolusioner
Para pemain di bisnis online sedang merevolusi bisnis web baru, kelak kita akan melihat tampilnya Google dan Microsoft yang baru dalam bentuk entitas bisnis yang berbeda yang akan muncul dari para pemain bisnis online yang sekarang sedang “hot. Kejelian mereka memberikan aspirasi bagi siapa pun dalam dunia bisnis

Sang Netpreneur
Netpreneur adalah entrepreneur yang memanfaatkan kekuatan internet untuk mengorganisasi, mengoperasikan, memasarkan, mempromosikan dan berbisnis dengan segala resikonya.

Iklan Game Online
Apakah Anda bermain game sewaktu bekerja? Atau bermain game di waktu lenggang saat break? Game memang identik dengan permainan anak-anak. Namun di dunia yang sarat dengan pekerjaan dan stress, tidak sedikit para eksekutif juga mendapati diri mereka merasa disegarkan setelah bermain game tertentu kesukaan mereka. Bila Anda demikian, maka Anda akan menjadi bidikan yang tepat bagi advergame , suatu tren dalam industri game iklan yang merambah dunia online.

MENJANGKAU dan DIJANGKAU PASAR GLOBAL
Sudahkah Anda membuat MUDAH agar Pasar Global MENJANGKAU bisnis Anda? Juga apakah Anda secara aktif berupaya MENJANGKAU pasar global? Banyak cara untuk melakukan hal itu. Namun bila ditinjau dari segi investasi, apa cara yang paling murah?

Melakikan Branding Suatu Produk atau Merek Lewat RSS FEED
RSS bakal merevolusi dunia periklanan “push” online marketing
RSS akan membunuh email advertising
RSS akan merevolusi cara reporter mendapatkan berita-berita
terkini seputar industri terkait
RSS kelak menjadi pilihan dari publik online mendapatkan
berita-berita terkini dalam format yang unik
RSS pun bakal memaksa publishers media cetak untuk
membangun media online berbasis RSS dan media online

Web - Panggung Sandiwara
“Dunia ini bagaikan panggung sandiwara”, demikian salah satu syair dari sebuah lagu. Aktor utama di suatu lakon tentu harus memiliki kemampuan dan karakteristik yang lain dari yang lain. Yang hebat. Ya sang aktor utama harus mampu mengalahkan pesaing yang lain untuk akhirnya dipilih oleh sutradara untuk membintangi suatu lakon. Seperti halnya suatu lakon membutuhkan aktor dan pemeran pembantu, maka di dunia web juga demikian.

SP@MMING – Pengaruh dan Penanggulangannya
Berapa email yang Anda terima setiap hari Senin kalau Anda tidak buka di hari Sabtu dan Minggu? 25, 50, 100, atau 150? Pasti Anda bisa menerima kurang atau lebih dari jumlah itu, apalagi kalau hari Jumat Anda tidak sempat buka email karena ada urusan kerja di luar kantor.

“Trik Promosi Online yang Paling Mendatangkan Hasil”
Industri pencarian tidak bisa lepas dari dunia bisnis dan promosi di Internet. Kalau lewat media internet yang terjadi adalah “carilah yang kumau dan kubayar”. Inilah yang dimungkinkan lewat media internet! Sekarang masalahnya seberapa mudah produk dan bisnis kita dicari lewat media online. Karena seberapa bagus dan canggih suatu produk namun sulit ditemukan lewat media pencari, maka hal itu kurang efektif. Artinya kita belum memaksimalkan media pencarian yang diberikan oleh media online sebagai pelengkap dari media pencari offline seperti buku direktori bisnis atau buku kuning (Yellowpages) yang sering kali penempatan kategori produk kurang sesuai sehingga relatif lebih lama dalam mencarinya.

Seberapa Manusiawikah Web Anda ?
Bagaimana Anda membayangkan berselancar di dunia web? Pernah menonton film Space Odyssey yang mengisahkan perjalanan di suatu dataran atau gurun yang gersang yang jarang atau hampir sama sekali tidak ada manusia yang dapat kita jumpai? Itulah namanya dunia web dapat disamakan. Benarkah?

Pop-up Marketing – Efektifkah?
Iklan dalam bentuk pop-up mudah ditemukan di dunia maya, mulai dari situs web yang mengandalkan content seperti pendidikan, berita atau situs web dagang, maupun yang non-profit. Munculnya jendela pop-up juga berbeda-beda ada yang muncul pada saat kita masuk ke suatu halaman web, atau ada juga yang muncul pada saat kita pindah ke halaman yang lain dari situs web yang sama karena pengunjung tidak melakukan action seperti yang diharapkan oleh si pemilik situs web dan yang terakhir adalah pop-up yang muncul kalau si pengunjung klik pergi dari situs webnya, dengan harapan si pemilik situs web tersebut bisa mendapatkan sedikit alasan atau profile dari ”walk-by visitors” tersebut.

DOWNLOAD GRATIS APA YG KAU SUKA

2008-08-11T21:07:00.000-07:00

Ini ada beberapa file yg bs bantu kamu sukses CPNS 2008, Ok :

1. http://www.ziddu.com/download/1893753/Kamus2.exe.html

2. http://www.ziddu.com/download/1899437/FolderAccess2.0.0FreeVersion.EXE.html

3. http://www.ziddu.com/download/1899528/prediksiTestBakatSkolastik.pdf.html

4. http://www.ziddu.com/download/1899529/10_TestBakatSkolastik.pdf.html

5. http://www.ziddu.com/download/1899530/SIMULASITES.pdf.html

6. http://www.ziddu.com/download/1899531/TESTSERI.pdf.html

7. http://www.ziddu.com/download/1899527/05-TestArismetik.pdf.html

Bank Soal CPNS dan Pembahasannya

2008-07-23T17:12:00.000-07:00

Ingin Sukses CPNS 2008?
+
Uang “mengalir” ke Rekening Anda setiap hari?

Anda beruntung menemukan halaman ini!

“Selamat!!! Kami ucapkan selamat karena Anda telah sangat beruntung menemukan halaman ini… Anda akan segera membaca informasi PENTING dan BERHARGA seputar Tes Seleksi Penerimaan CPNS 2008, yang mungkin akan mengubah hidup atau masa depan anda!! dengan hanya mengklik : http://www.banksoalcpns.com/?id=kasuma ”

PAKET UTAMA

Produk eBook CPNS merupakan sebuah paket informasi CPNS dalam format eBook (PDF) sebanyak Total lebih dari 2000 soal yang berisi soal latihan CPNS dan Prediksi CPNS tahun ini.

Anda akan menemukan lebih dari 2000 soal yang dapat meningkatkan kemampuan anda dalam mempersiapkan diri untuk menghadapi Ujian Seleksi CPNS tahun ini.

Update terbaru soal-soal juga akan Anda dapatkan dengan garansi seumur hidup. Langsung dapat diakses melalui member area.

Perhatikan Soal-soal yang akan anda dapatkan:
1. TES PERSAMAAN KATA (SINONIM)
2. TES LAWAN KATA (ANTONIM)
3. TES PADANAN HUBUNGAN KATA (ANALOGI)
4. TES POLA BILANGAN/ DERET HITUNG (SERIES)
5. TES HITUNGAN BIASA (ARITMATIKA)
6. TES ABSTRAKSI BERHITUNG/ LOGIKA BILANGAN
7. TES LOGIKA KUANTITATIF (PENALARAN)
8. TES PENARIKAN KESIMPULAN (SILOGISME)
9. SOAL-SOAL PREDIKSI (PREDIKSI):
• BAHASA INDONESIA
• PANCASILA
• TATA NEGARA
• SEJARAH INDONESIA
• KEBIJAKSANAAN PEMERINTAH
• BAHASA INGGRIS
10. SOAL SOAL TAMBAHAN (SUPLEMEN1):
• BAHASA INDONESIA
• TATA NEGARA
• FALSAFAH DAN IDEOLOGI
• SEJARAH
• UUD
• BAHASA INGGRIS
11. MATERI TAMBAHAN PER DEPARTEMEN (SUPLEMEN2):
• DEPARTEMEN AGAMA
• DEPARTEMEN PENDIDIKAN
• DEPARTEMEN PERINDUSTRIAN & PERDAGANGAN
• DEPARTEMEN KESEHATAN
• DEPARTEMEN KEUANGAN
• DEPARTEMEN LUAR NEGERI
12. KUMPULAN SOAL CPNS TAHUN 2006
13. KUMPULAN SOAL CPNS TAHUN 2005
14. KUMPULAN SOAL CPNS TAHUN 2004
15. KUMPULAN SOAL CPNS TAHUN 2003
16. SIMULASI SOAL CPNS Sepanjang Tahun
17. Materi Amandemen UUD 1945
18. Materi dan Penjelasan UUD 1945
19. Pembahasan Materi Soal CPNS tahun 2005
20. MATERI PENDUKUNG: PERDA masing-masing Provinsi

Perhatian: E-Book ini bukan berupa buku/versi cetak, semuanya dalam bentuk File PDF yang dapat anda baca di komputer.

BONUS

Wah..luar biasa!!! untuk setiap pembelian pada bulan ini, kami memberikan bonus++ GRATISSS… kepada Anda:

1.
E-Book GENERAL ENGLISH, cara mudah belajar bahasa inggris berisi pembahasan dan cara penggunaan: Tenses, Gerund, etc. Senilai Rp.323.000,- (USD.34). Gratis!
2.
E-Book TOEFL Guides and Preparations, persiapan dalam menghadapi ujian TOEFL, bisa meningkatkan skor TOEFL maksimal senilai Rp.427.500,- (USD.45). Gratis!
3.
E-Book BAHASA INDONESIA, belajar memandu anda dalam menjawab soal-soal bahasa indonesia, ejaan yang disempurnakan, suku kata,pemahaman bacaan,dll. Senilai Rp. 250.000,- Gratis!
4.
Program-program pendukung (Pdf-Reader, Zip-extractor, Firefox-browser, dll.) semua bersifat portable sehingga bisa langsung digunakan tanpa instalasi ke komputer anda. Ini akan sangat membantu anda untuk membaca dan mengakses e-book cpns.
5.
E-Book SEJARAH, Edisi lengkap sejarah nasional Indonesia dalam bentuk eBook siap baca. Senilai Rp. 250.000,- Gratis!
6.
dan masih banyak lagi…

Penting!
Banyak yang mengajukan pertanyaan ke email kami yang menanyakan bentuk E-Book, cara pengiriman bagaimana, dsb. Kami tegaskan di sini bahwa “Metode Sukses CPNS 2008″ adalah berupa File PDF dan kami TIDAK MENYEDIAKAN yang berbentuk fisik buku/versi cetaknya. Itulah mengapa disebut E-Book (Elektronik Book). Anda bisa membaca E-Book ini dengan membukanya di komputer.

Hal ini adalah untuk mempercepat dan memudahkan DISTRIBUSI ke seluruh wilayah tanah air agar EFEKTIF dan EFISIEN, mengingat para peminat E-Book ini berasal dari berbagai daerah. Selain itu juga untuk memudahkan adanya SISTEM RESELLER yang akan menguntungkan Anda. Jadi, segera setelah anda melakukan pembayaran, akan kami kirim ke email anda sebuah LINK sebagai HAK AKSES ANDA untuk melakukan proses download produk ini.

Demi privasi anda, File kami PROTEKSI menggunakan password. Sehingga meskipun ada di komputer manapun, tidak akan ada yang bisa membuka kecuali tahu password-nya. Bersama LINK download, akan kami sertakan pula password tersebut. Kami akan mengirmkan LINK Hak Akses Produk ini setelah anda melakukan pembayaran dan konfirmasi.

Tidak ada untungnya bagi kami untuk tidak mengirimkan apa yang menjadi Hak Anda berupa Akses Download tersebut, jika anda memang benar-benar telah melakukan pembayaran. JAMINAN-nya adalah KREDIBILITAS dan REPUTASI kami. Sebab kami tidak hanya bermaksud menjual produk seperti ini hanya satu-dua kali, tetapi juga di tahun-tahun yang akan datang!

Berapa investasi untuk e-book yang mungkin akan mengubah hidup anda ini?

Semua paket soal++bonus diatas dapat Anda miliki hanya dengan Rp.75.000,- Rp.50.000,- saja!

Maaf, mengingat banyaknya pemesanan produk ini dari seluruh tanah air, maka bisa jadi kami akan menaikkan harga sewaktu-waktu…

oops..tunggu dulu! Setiap pembeli e-book CPNS ini akan mendapatkan komisi bagi hasil 50% dalam program RESELLER kami:

*

Semuanya dimulai saat Anda klik “PESAN SEKARANG” yang ada di atas atau yang ada di bawah. Ikuti langkah-langkahnya sampai Anda berhasil daftar.
*
Silahkan cek email anda lagi, setelah Anda melakukan pembayaran , anda akan mendapatkan sebuah web replikasi (sama persis dengan website ini) dengan alamat http://www.banksoalcpns.com/?id=username_anda. Website tersebut akan menjadi media presentasi dan promosi Anda dalam menjual kembali (re-sell) e-book CPNS ini.
*
Setiap terjadi transaksi maka komisi 50% akan otomatis masuk pada rekening pribadi anda sebab data nama dan rekening anda akan langsung diketahui oleh pembeli
*

Silahkan pula masuk pada member area dan gunakan username dan password anda yang sudah dikirimkan ke alamat email anda. Anda bisa mendownload file-file e-book CPNS langsung dari website tersebut.
*
Dengan hanya ada pembelian satu kali sehari, maka anda berpeluang memperoleh penghasilan Rp.750.000,- per bulan.

PERHATIAN !
Penawaran ini mungkin akan mengubah hidup Anda!! Jadi tunggu apa lagi, daftar segera dengan klik link diatas!

CAMERA - NEW

2008-07-16T22:25:00.000-07:00

A new camera!

Decided to splurge on a new digital camera! Got the Canon Ixus 860 IS. Went with my mini boss during lunch to Macs for lunch then proceeded to Harvey Norman to purchase my camera. I was telling her to help me bargain, and I also quite determined to bargain cause I heard you could bargain at Harvey Norman. However, when we got there, I asked to look at the camera, and she offered no support from the side! I had already set my mind on that model, so I just looked at it, turned it on, tried it for 5 secs before deciding to purchase it. I think the person was also quite eager to sell me. I had $100 worth of Harvey Norman vouchers that my mother had won at her company dinner, and so I took out the envelope to ask if I could use it. He didn’t even bother looking inside the envelope and said that the vouchers could be used, thus proving how eager he was to sell me! Well, that’s me when I buy stuff. Normally I’ll do my research online then check out some prices and then just purchase it without thinking twice. Sales people must really love me because they don’t really have to hardsell. Later in the evening, my boss told me that the guy didn’t even bother checking inside the envelope, and I could have just put some NTUC or other vouchers inside. Haha, I wonder what would have happened if I did that. I would have acted blur and said the guy told me they could be used!

Anyway, I believe the gimmick to selling camers is to give as many freebies as possible. They gave me 2 x 2GB HS SD cards, 1 Camera Case, 1 Digital Camera Kit, 1 LCD screen protector! And they even make you feel happier by putting the price tags on the items. Those prices are probably marked up anyway, to make you feel that you’re getting a great bargain, since on the price tags it’s written (not for sale) too! I guess they did the trick though, and my boss also was jealous that I bought my camera and got so many freebies and she didn’t when she bought hers! So, the summary of my purchase are as follows:

1 x Canon Ixus 860 IS Black - $669
1 x LCD Screen Protector - Free (No price tag)
1 x Camera Case - Free (Costs $39.90)
2 x 2GB HS SD Card - Free (Costs $38 each)
1 x Canon Digital Camera Kit (Digital Camera Bag, Mini Tripod, Cleaning Kit) - Free (Costs $29)

CAMERA - MAINTAIN

2008-07-16T22:18:00.001-07:00

10 Steps to Maintain Your Camera

Rituals are an important part of many cultures and belief systems. Yet rituals can also be patterns of behavior. we drive the same way to work every day, we tend to eat similar meals from one week to the next, and we do certain things each and every day, like brushing our teeth, taking a shower (hopefully anyway!), and a host of others. Well, just like other rituals, many of us become very fastidious about our work flow. We color manage things, we duplicate images, back them up, and save in multiple locations. Yet there hasn’t been anyone that has really talked about establishing rituals over cleaning their gear. Nevertheless, cleaning our gear is something we should all consider making a part of our recurring activities.

No matter what method you choose for your gear cleaning and maintenance, it is important to at least establish one that you will follow on a regular basis. Feel free to use the following guide as a baseline from which to build your own cleaning methods.

A Sample Cleaning Ritual

1. Wipe Down

This can take anywhere from 10 minutes to 2 hours depending on amount of dust and junk in your bag! First take the battery out of your camera and insert in charger. While camera battery is charging to full capacity, use lint free lens clothes (you can get a 12-pack from Wal-Mart for $1) to wipe down the camera body, the lens casings, CF cards, flash cards, everything! Next, take out all the Velcro® dividers from your camera bag. With the bag empty, use canned air and spray out the camera bag. Then, wipe everything down with an only slightly damp paper towel. Also take some time and pick any fuzzies you can see off the Velcro tabs.

2. Glass Cleaning

This takes about 20-45 minutes, depending on the number of lenses you have and whether certain lenses need multiple swipes. While many cleaning methods exist, for this purpose, a wet cleaning method will be followed, using the Eclipse/PecPad/Sensor Swab kit for all detailed cleaning. First, remove the lens caps (front and rear), and dust them off with the canned air. Setting these aside, take a PecPad out and dab a few drops of the Eclipse solution on it. In a light circular motion, wipe from the center of the lens to the edge and swoop it away in a fluid motion. Return the caps to the glass.

3. Card Clearing and Formatting

Cards need cleaning too. To do this, lightly tap the CF cards with the holes facing down and stack them label side up by your computer. After each is tapped, run them through your computer, copying any images off into a dedicated folder (one suggestion would be a folder titled “Unsorted” for easy reference in later movement into your work flow). Once the content is safely moved, then format the cards from the OS command prompt (for example: format E: /FAT32) .

4. Air cleaner

Take a Giottos® Rocket Blower and with battery compartment open, pump twice into chamber, and then close. Next, turn the camera sensor side down, uncap and repeat in that chamber with the blower. Recap the body then and lay it sensor side down on a pre-placed static bag or clean cloth.

5. Sensor Cleaning

Before just jumping in, it helps to prep a sensor swab. Make sure you do this according to instructions with firm tight folds. Take the now fully charged batter, insert in the chamber, turn the camera on and move the menu to sensor cleaning mode, flip the camera over and lay it down on the bag. Then I dab two drops of Eclipse onto the edge, uncap the body and angle the wand to 45 degrees, placing the edge against the sensor. In one motion move it from the first edge to the far edge. Without lifting the wand, then shift the wand to the opposite 45 degree angle, slide it up (or down) and align the top edge (or bottom edge) of the PecPad to the appropriate edge of the lens and in a single light motion, slide it back across the top of the sensor mirror. Using the same fluid motion lift the swab off the sensor, replace the body cap with your other hand and set the swab down on the static bag or towel. Then turn the camera back over, and power down.

6. Accessories check

Take the now mostly de-charged camera/battery combo and insert your empty CF cards back into the camera and format from the camera menu. Once the formats are complete, then insert back into computer one last time and copy a low res contact info image back onto all CF cards. This image should be one you keep on file with your name, phone number, email and mailing address. That way if your card is lost and an honest person picks it up – they have a way to get it back to you! Now, take the batter back out and recharge again. (Make sure to charge all spares too – in fact, take this opportunity to also charge all AA’s and stuff back in your camera bag. If you carry a notebook, check it for enough paper, your pen for ink, flashlight for batteries, business cards in front pocket of bag, and if you carry them, make sure you have at least 5 model release forms. Another accessory to clean are information cards, like a Krages card and cheat sheet (apertures, f-stops, sunrise/set times, etc.), as well as any gray/white cards you may carry.

7. Repack Reassemble

Velcro® dividers and insert everything back into your pack.

8. Tripod Maintenance

Take legs off tripod and wipe everything down there. Remove all quick release plates and do the same. Re-assemble the tripod and tighten down all the legs again.

9. Inventory List

Print out an checklist inventory and insert in camera bag (especially when traveling).

10. Relax

Drink an ice cold beverage!

CAMERA - WIRELESS

2008-07-16T22:05:00.000-07:00

A Wireless Camera Powered By Fluorescent Lights

NEC will be showing off a new wireless camera at iExpo2007 in Tokyo this week that actually draws its power from a fluorescent bulb. A special ring-shaped component that relies on electromagnetic induction is slid onto the bulb and power is obtained from the magnetic field generated by the light’s AC source.

Now I’m not sure if this technique ends up causing the bulb to draw more power, but the real advantage is being able to install a camera where it would otherwise be difficult to run power cables to. NEC expects the cameras to be used in office settings for checking up on employees (I’m sure that will go over well) but when you consider that almost every store in the country uses fluorescent bulbs, it also becomes a cheaper way to setup a security system.

At the moment the camera only supports VGA resolutions (640×480) but I assume that’s not a limitation imposed by the way it’s powered. What’s not clear though is whether or not a security system based on this technology can be defeated by simply turning off the lights.

[ NEC Develops Wireless Camera Powered by Fluorescent Light ] VIA [ EcoGeek ]

CAMERA DIGITAL - HELLO KITY/FUJI FILM

2008-07-16T22:01:00.000-07:00

Hello Kitty Digital Camera by Fuji Film

A special edition Fuji Film Fine Pix Z5 camera has been released in Japan, featuring the adorable Hello Kitty, decorated with Swarovski Crystals.

The Z5 Digital Camera is a 6.3 Mega Pixel with 3 times optical zoom and 6.2 times maximum digital zoom. Its corresponding operating systems include Windows 98SE / ME / 2000Pro. / XP / Vista (Japanese Edition) as well as MacOS X (10.3.9 - 10.4.7). It weighs about 130g and is approximately 9.3cm x 5.5cm x 1.9cm. Batteries are not included (rechargeable lithium ion type recommended), and it uses an xD Memory Card.

The price for this camera is currently at 57,750 yen (including tax) For more information, visit Sanrio Shop Japan.

MEMORY CARD TRAVEL CASE - DIGITAL FOCI

2008-07-16T21:57:00.000-07:00

With the introduction of each new “must have�? gadget, it seems there is also the introduction of a new form of storage media. If you own a recent PDA, Cellular phone, digital camera, digital camcorder, PSP, or PMP, odds are you have anywhere between 1 to 10,000 different types of memory cards, and perhaps even different sizes of each.

Digital Foci hopes to bring a little order to your life with its Memory Card Travel Case, a very thoughtfully designed product able to store up 8 different media cards in an iPod-sized, shock absorbent case.

The rugged case features a brushed aluminum exterior, capable of withstanding a good amount of abuse without noticeable signs of wear. Inside, the Memory Card Travel Case features four stackable media compartments able to hold CF I/II, MD, SM, MMC, SD, miniSD, MS, MS Duo, and xD cards. The stackable design means you can fit four of the same type of card, or up to 8 different cards of mixed styles, depending on the type. For instance, one compartment can hold both a SD card and then a CF card above it. Each compartment is made of molded hard rubber, providing a secure fit and great protection against accidental drops.

Conclusion

The Memory Card Travel Case by Digital Foci is a great addition to any mobile geek’s arsenal of gadgetry. It provides a very secure and stylish way to carry and protect your digital media without having to keep track of where you put what card. Priced at only $19.95, it is almost a no brainer for the gadget-obsessed traveler.

LAPTOP - BATTERY

2008-07-16T21:43:00.000-07:00

Powerbook without battery

After using it for several weeks, I noticed that my PowerBook’s battery capacity has decreased sllightly. Where it used to be able to run for about 2 hours and 15 minutes after a full charge, now it rarely able to stay on for 2 hours.
I’ve been guilty of running it for hours while plugging it to the power socket though.

Then I thought, let’s see if this thing can run without battery, just like my previous laptop (Lifebook). So I rebooted, then while it’s on the logon screen, I turned the battery lock *plop* there goes the battery, and the laptop is still running happily.

I’ll still buy a spare battery later, but now I’m no longer in any rush. Very nice.

LAPTOP - LEISURE SUIT HARRY

2008-07-16T21:39:00.000-07:00

Love Laptop">Leisure Suit Harry Looking For Love Laptop

Just arrived in Jakarta, loads of things to write about in this blog. But it will have to wait a bit, right now I’d like to write a little about my quest for a new laptop.

I’m looking to replace my old laptop. It was fine for my needs - composing documents, presentation, *nix server access. However, lately it has slowed down so much, it’s barely usable. At first I suspected spyware/virus, but found nothing. After much tweaking, it’s a bit better. However, it’s started to look worn-out (lesson: don’t buy laptop which case is painted). So I decided to look for a new one.

Here’s my requirements :

Just Works : Nowadays most laptop is alright in regard to this requirement. You can start working with it right away. However, some are still problematic and/or even buggy. I’d rather avoid those.
Looks good: Very important, since this will be the machine used to do presentation to clients
Powerful: I’d like to upgrade only after 3 years or more. Upgrading is a time-consuming process, so I’d prefer to avoid it if possible.
Won’t get scratched / worn out easily: I took care of my old laptop, yet it still got scratched somehow. Also the wrist pad looks very worn out. I think these happened easily because its case is painted. Otherwise, the case would be more resistant to wear and tear.
Size: it will have to be less than 15 inch. 15 inch is maximum really. 17 inch is really nice for work with loads of documents in the same time, but since I’m mobile, it’s quite a bother to haul and use in any places. Also these big laptops tend to feel more fragile.
Safe : I would very much prefer my laptop not to explode, cause fire which destroy my house, or damage my skin.
Have a decent battery life: This may not be achievable though, since my definition of decent is something like 5-6 hours of heavy use. Instead, I may just buy an extra battery for it.
The important features: bluetooth, wifi, etc.
Weight: Hauling a heavy laptop all over the place is not really my idea of working-out. However, if it fulfill all the requirements above, I may reconsider.

At the moment I got a very lovely Apple Aluminium 15″ PowerBook G4 on my hands. A friend of mine allowed me to try it first before decding whether to buy it or not. Only 1 inch thick, if looks could kill then this would be it.
Despite already out in the market for years, it doesn’t have many flaws. It’s quite speedy, and fulfill all the requirements above close to my satisfaction. I’m yet to find non-Apple laptop which do so.

The only problem at the moment is its power adaptor - it’s the second, and it already broke down again (!)
After looking around, it seems that the adaptor is of very poor quality; bad, bad Apple.
I’m going to purchase a new one from here, and will let you know how it goes.

So then I looked on MacBook Pro, even offered a very good deal by my friend.
However, I found out its many possible problems, and hesitated.
Don’t get me wrong, I do know it’s only a possibility. I know a lot of my friends who have MacBook Pro and happy with it (or, have problems, but still happy with it). However, I’d rather avoid problems if possible.

OK, it’s back to square two - I’ve found a possible candidate (PowerBook G4), but I wonder if there’s something better than it. Ideas ?

Tips: a few ideas for your laptop:

1. If you’re looking to buy a MacBook, here’s an excellent discussion loaded with tips and insights.

2. I asked my friend how to protect MacBook / PowerBook / laptop’s casing. I found the answer [ here ] and [ here ]. No more scratches!

3. And here’s how you can protect the LCD screen.

4. Dust kept on sticking to my laptop screen, and it’s really annoying. I wonder if this product may help.

MOTORCYCLE - MACHINE

2008-07-16T21:30:00.000-07:00

Hmmm…this is actually a cool looking machine for being green.

SYNOPSIS: The Crosscage concept bike is a fuel cell motorcycle designed to achieve optimum performance using Intelligent Energy’s air-cooled fuel cell system. Photo credit: Bill Moore, EV World.Com.

Green transportation is coming whether we think its necessary or not. Let’s face it, there is a mrket for these machines if they are viable for mass production. A Suzuki partnership does give it hope, unlike these small private ventures that simply ‘have a dream’.

Some quick questions I have:

What is the top speed (highway worthy or city commuter only)?
What is the range?
What is the distance per dollar travelled?
Where are the fuel stations?
Will it use the Suzuki deaker network?
Where is the wind protection?
Can I get neon lights and other shizzle for it?
What the hell am I doing on evworld.com?

Some people will be willing to shell out the cash simply because they want to make a statement. Others (like me) won’t touch it if there isn’t a positive impact to the wallet in terms of savings independent of emissions. Even though most of the greenies are kooks and smell like the French, I think this techie stuff is pretty cool.

Check it:

Suzuki, Intelligent Energy Develop Fuel Cell Motorcycle

Source: British Midlands Development Corp.
[Nov 30, 2007]

The British Midlands Development Corporation announced that Loughborough Innovation Center based Intelligent Energy and Suzuki have developed the Crosscage, a hydrogen-powered motorcycle that claims to make green driving a reality.

The motorcycle, which runs in almost complete silence and emits pure water, is a joint venture between British Midlands based company, Intelligent Energy, the UK’s leading commercial developer of Proton Exchange Membrane fuel cell technology and the Japanese motorcycle and scooter giant.

Although the technology to build hydrogen-powered and fuel efficient vehicles exists, they carry hefty price tags. Until now, mass-production has eluded the industry and nobody has managed to build a commercially viable motorcycle. The Crosscage represents a huge breakthrough. By combining Suzuki’s capacity for mass-production and Intelligent Energy’s lightweight, air-cooled fuel cell design, the reality of affordable green transportation moves closer to reality.

“This is just one of many examples of innovation coming out of The British Midlands,” said Vern Sebby, President and CEO of the British Midlands Development Corporation, ” There are over 3,000 foreign companies operating in the Midlands and many of them are there to partner with our local companies and universities.”

About British Midlands Development Corporation

The British Midlands Development Corporation is the North American economic development agency for central England. The Midlands region is located just one hour to the north of London and includes the major commercial centers of Birmingham, Nottingham, Coventry and Northampton.

As an agency funded by the UK Government, The British Midlands Development Corporation provides specialist advice and support to North American companies seeking to establish a presence or expand a current operation in the region. The British Midlands Development Corporation provides access to business networks, details about sources for grants and funding, business support services, and information to help companies identify opportunities to develop and grow.

The British Midlands Development Corporation is based in Chicago with branch offices in Boston, Washington, DC and San Jose.

JACKETS - BLUE

2008-07-16T21:24:00.000-07:00

Afternoon games are tricky things. People are at work, teams aren’t awake yet, what are you going to do? But when it’s the holidays, you can bet the fans are going to show up, you just can’t be sure about the players. And so it was that the Wild clashed with the Blue Jackets, and I got to be there.

First, let me say that the Xcel Energy Center is a very nice place to see a game. This was my seventh game there (third this season), and there isn’t really a bad seat in the house. But I have only been able to find one escalator to the upper level, and my friends, that just won’t do. But my birds eye view was nice, allowing me to see the entire ice surface.

To say the Wild had a slow start is to take away from their slow finish. The boys had no real jump throughout the game, and could only sustain bursts of energy for a few minutes. The fight between Derek Boogaard and Jody Shelley was pretty sad, with only a few punches thrown. And the march to the penalty box was sustained through all three periods.

The big story here is Pascal Leclaire pitching his team record sixth shutout of the season. He had quite a bit of help, some of which came from dog of the day Referee Tom Kowal, who blew the whistle for no apparent reason a slight moment before Bouchard snapped one in the net. I don’t like to bang on refs too much, but he seemed more concerned about faceoff positioning than anything else in the game.

Todd Fedoruk? How about four minutes in penalties. Way to help, Todd. Sean Hill? One shot and Minus one. Welcome back to the league, Sean (it was his second game back). There was nothing inspiring about the way the Wild played, and the fact that they took less penalties than the Jackets should surprise most people who watched the game. The power play didn’t click, the passing was off, and the energy was low.

Still, a live hockey game is a great way to spend the afternoon. I had a great time, even if the Wild faithful didn’t. And the score keeps the Avs in first place in the division, at least for a moment longer. Your final, from the Xcel Energy Center:

Sunday, if I get up in time, I will be taking in the Rockford Icehogs. See you there.

MOTORCYCLE - HELMETS

2008-07-16T21:14:00.000-07:00

NEW NITRO and GMAC Motorcycle Helmets

NOW AVAILABLE FROM WHITE DOG!!!!!!!
The Nitro N1200-VX Jeremy McWilliams Race Replica , N1620-VN (based on the Platinum shell), N810-VX Aerotech and G-MAC MECHANOID Matt balck, silver and gold Motorcycle Helmets!
ACU Gold approved, more features than you can shake a stick at and available in the Motorcycle Helmets section of our catalogue from just £49.99!

LAPTOP - CONVERTIBLES

2008-07-16T21:12:00.000-07:00

Convertibles: The new laptop bling?

news analysis Hold on to your keyboard. Laptop computer screens that flip around to become convertible tablet PCs could be an increasingly common sight within the next three years.

With manufacturing prices dropping and Microsoft touting tablet PCs, shipments of the products are expected to hit 9.7 million units by 2008. That’s up 708 percent from the 1.2 million units expected to ship this year, according to a forecast by market researchers at IDC. Convertible notebooks are expected to make up the majority of those shipments, IDC said.

The projected number of tablets is small compared with the overall number of notebooks. After all, 62.5 million notebooks are expected to ship this year, and that number is forecast by IDC to climb to 100.3 million in 2008.

If every one of those tablet PCs that ship in 2008 were actually a convertible notebook, fewer than one out of every 10 notebooks shipped would have tablet capabilities. Still, that’s a big jump from the less than 2 percent share of notebook sales tablets now have.

Just as past hardware trends–from personal digital assistants to flat-screen monitors–took years to claw out a share of the world’s tech spending before really catching on, convertible laptops are still in that early stage where they have to be proven even to bleeding-edge buyers.

“Manufacturers and consumers are still trying to figure out what to do with tablets and if they make sense for their daily lives,” said IDC analyst Richard Shim.

But it’s fair to say the convertible notebook share of total laptop sales could increase as the years go by for one simple reason–price. Today, making a convertible laptop can cost $300 more than a typical notebook. But as manufacturers ramp up their tablet production during the next two years, that premium could drop to $75, said Roger Kay, an independent analyst.

Also, as PC manufacturers deal with constant pressure to reduce the prices of their basic models, tablet capabilities could well become one of those nifty features PC makers offer to up their profits.

Tablets come in two basic forms: notebooks with screens that flip around 180 degrees and lay flat over the keyboard to make a tablet, and so-called slate tablets, which look more like an Etch A Sketch toy. The slate-style devices weigh between 3 and 4 pounds and can cost as little as $1,000. Convertible tablets weigh a bit more and retail for as little as $1,200, depending on features.

Companies like Gateway, which released an updated version of its laptop designs on Oct. 6, are optimistic about the future of tablet PCs.

“We can see a time in the future when we (and other OEMs) have a line of notebooks that can either be purchased in traditional or convertible form factor because they are manufactured using similar resources,” said Gateway spokeswoman Kelly Odle. Gateway is joined in the market by Acer, Hewlett-Packard, Lenovo, Toshiba, Fujitsu and several others.

Microsoft, which has been a major backer of tablets, has been making the rounds with educators and developers to tout the benefits of tablet-based computing.

Back to the future
While the Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005 is currently available with the purchase of a tablet-style device, users can get free upgrades at the Microsoft Web site. The next version of the Tablet OS is slated to be part of the upcoming Windows Vista Home Premium Edition. The Premium version, which is based on Vista Home Basic, is similar to the Windows XP Media Center Edition (XP MCE) but adds features designed for tablet PCs such as improved handwriting recognition and ability to use a tablet’s stylus to pan through documents.

If popularizing convertible displays on notebooks sounds far-fetched, consider the path wireless networking cards took to becoming a staple in laptop computers. Less than five years ago, consumers needed to purchase Wi-Fi cards separately if they were even thinking of accessing a hot spot. For PC makers, that required installing a dedicated PCI slot and staffing their perspective help desk employees to help consumers unfamiliar with the setup procedure. Nowadays, embedded wireless networking cards are more the rule than the exception in laptops.

There are major challenges to overcome, of course. Currently, PC makers use separate manufacturing processes for clamshell and convertible laptops, particularly when it comes to attaching the display. The core hardware for a standard laptop generally uses two hinges on the outside of the notebook. By comparison, a convertible works on a single-hinge model, which is usually anchored to the underlying frame. Simply installing a rotating screen on a standard laptop chassis is uncommon.

But a concept that just a few years ago seemed like another fanciful idea still has plenty of room to run. After all, even pen computing, one of the great venture capital sink holes of the 1990s, eventually morphed into PDAs.

And few people these days would call a Sidekick or a Treo smart phone just a silly little gadget.

LAPTOP - AMD

2008-07-16T21:09:00.000-07:00

AMD lays down laptop platform plan

What’s AMD got planned for notebook makers and buyers over the next few years? Its plans are broadly known - the ‘Puma’ platform will be released in 2008 followed by the first ‘Fusion’ architecture mobile CPUs the following year - but now we can begin to flesh it out a little.

Puma incorporates ‘Griffin’, AMD’s first mobile processor designed as such from the ground up. That said, the 65nm dual-core part will incorporate processing cores taken from the Turion X2 family, each connected to 1MB of L2 cache for 2MB in total.

AMD’s work on the CPU has focused on improving the northbridge elements: in comes HyperTransport 3 with the addition of bus-power management circuitry to clock it up and down dynamically according to need.

Inside AMD’s Griffin

Griffin’s dual-channel DDR 2-oriented memory controller features a pre-fetcher to grab ahead of time the data it thinks the processing cores are going to want from memory in the near future. It’s also tweaked to work only with notebook-style memory configurations and not the broad array of desktop and server memory options the current Turion line is architected to be able to deal with, albeit unnecessarily.

These northbridge components and the two cores are all on separate voltage planes, allowing each to run on reduced power when they’re not needed. That allows, for example, a chipset-integrated graphics engine to connect through to main memory without troubling the CPU cores. The cores themselves are able to switch frequencies independently and quickly - in microseconds rather than milliseconds - with the ability to fall to a lower base frequency than Turions - they fall to 800MHz, while Griffin will go down to 300MHz.

CAMERA DIGITAL - SPECIFICATION

2008-07-16T21:02:00.000-07:00

Samsung NV100HD offers high density specification

Samsung has announced the NV100HD (Known as the TL34HD in the US), which it describes as “The World’s highest 14.7 megapixel 28mm Wide angle lens digital camera.” And even without the qualifiers, that’s an awful lot of pixels. More impressively, it can record 720p HD video and incorporates a high-resolution, 460K dot, touch screen. It also features optical image stabilization alongside Samsung’s digital stabilization system and many of the company’s other image processing features.

Samsung tops-up NV range with new NV9

Samsung’s distinctive NV range gets another member with the announcement of the NV9 (TL9 in North America). It’s got a 5x optical zoom, 10.2 megapixel sensor and the ability to play MP3 music files. It also contains all sorts of metering and image processing cleverness to help optimise photographs of social situations, with tricks and tweaks to help ensure well-exposed, smiley faces with smooth skin and open eyes. There are even fuel-gauge-style indicators for battery life and memory card space on the top of the camera that we think will polarize opinion into either ‘cool’ or ‘entertaining’.

Samsung L310W widens range’s appeal

Samsung has announced the L310W (Known as the SL310W in the US), a 13.6 megapixel camera with a 28mm equivalent wide angle lens. The camera includes all sorts of features to help take photographs of friends and family, and an Auto Contrast Balance feature to boost dark area of back-lit scenes.

Samsung announces S1070

As part of Samsung’s new model onslaught, it has released the S1070. The S1070 is a compact camera with a 3x optical zoom and what the company describes as a “premium quality” 10.2 megapixel sensor. A large 2.7″ LCD screen, face-detection mode and 10 scene modes are provided to help capture and review the best possible images.

Samsung launches L201

Samsung has announced the L201 (SL201 in the US), a 10.2 megapixel compact camera. It has Samsung’s Auto Contrast Balance feature to brighten dark areas in high-contrast and back-lit scenes. It also has the potentially handy ability to charge batteries, in-camera. Photography purists will be able to buy the camera in black or silver, while more adventurous purchasers can splash out on the pink, turquoise or lime green versions.

Kodak fits 50MP into dynamic range

Kodak has announced the creation of a new medium format 50MP chip, to be used in the newly-unveiled Hasselblad H3DII-50. The KAF-50100 Image Sensor offers a sensitivity range of ISO 50 - 400 and the highest resolution currently available in the 36 x 48mm format. The company spoke to us to explain the chip and the technologies behind it. (18:45 GMT)

Hasselblad assembles megapixel monster

Engineers at Swedish medium format specialist Hasselblad have cooked-up the highest resolution 48 x 36 mm camera: the H3DII-50. The company has announced its intention to produce a 645 format sensor. Continuing the company’s long history of collaboration with Kodak, the new camera is based around the US company’s new 50MP sensor. The new body is also designed to accomodate the company’s HTS 1.5 Tilt/Shift cradle that allows traditional lenses to be tilted and shifted.

Canon invests in XS capacity

Canon USA has announced the EOS Rebel XS, launched in other markets as the EOS 1000D on June 10th. In the United States, the camera will be available in a choice of black or silver but will not be available as body-only, with all units coming bundled with the EF-S 18-55mm IS lens. Canon has also announced its plans to build its first new Japanese camera factory for over a quarter of a century.

D3 and D300 get firmware fixes

In addition to the announcement of the D700, Nikon has revised the firmware of the D3 and D300. The latest D3 firmware adds new function button customization options though not the ones featured on the D700. In addition to these and a virtual horizon in live view mode, Nikon has also addressed the problem that some users experienced in which the battery indicator would incorrectly register an empty battery.
This problem, which has come to be known as ‘Dead Battery Syndrome,’ has also been addressed in new firmware for the D300.

Nikon D700 plus hands-on preview

Perhaps the worst kept secret of any recent announcement Nikon has now officially revealed the compact, professional, twelve megapixel, full-frame (FX format) Nikon D700. From the outside the D700 is virtually identical to the D300, albeit for its larger ‘full frame’ viewfinder, internally it’s almost identical to the D3, except for a slightly slower shutter (five frames per second up to eight frames per second with the MB-D10 battery grip). By comparison it also includes several function improvements over the D3 including Image Sensor cleaning (’sensor shake’), more flexible ‘hard button’ programming, virtual horizon in Live View and different DX mode indication on the focusing screen. The D700 also becomes the first professional Nikon DSLR to sport a built-in flash. As far as competition is concerned the D700 really only faces the Canon EOS 5D (and any replacement that may be in the works). On sale in July for US$2999 or €2599 body only.

Nikon PC-E Micro 45 mm and 85 mm lenses

Nikon has confirmed two tilt and shift (also known as perspective correction) lenses we first heard of in January this year. There is the ‘normal focal length’ PC-E Micro Nikkor 45 mm F2.8D ED and ‘medium telephoto’ PC-E Micro Nikkor 85 mm F2.8D, both of which provide ±8.5° tilt, ±11.5mm shift and 90° axial (rotation) movement and also have the much touted ‘Nano Crystal Coat’. When used on the D3, D300 (and we presume D700) these lenses also provide automatic aperture control as well as manual override using the aperture ring on the lens.

Nikon announces Speedlight SB-900 flashgun

Nikon has today announced its new top-of-the-range flashgun - the Speedlight SB-900. The new model features a Multi-step auto zoom covering a 17-200mm zoom range, three illumination patterns (standard, center-weighted and even) and automatically detects if you are using the Nikon FX or DX format. The SB-900 will be available from the 25th of July.

Just Posted: Pentax K20D review

Just posted: our in-depth review of the Pentax K20D. The K20D is a fully-featured semi-pro DSLR available for the cost of some of the latest, upper-entry-level digital cameras. It adds a handful of features and tweaks to the highly-respected K10D and attempts to address some of its shortcomings whilst also incorporating a colossal 14.6 million photosites on a sensor co-developed with Samsung. Is this enough, given the quality of some of the competitors?

Ricoh Caplio GX-200

Ricoh has today announced the GX200 digital compact camera. The new model is replacing the GX100 and inherits the old model’s 24 to 72 mm (equiv.) lens, manual controls and a removable (optional) tilting electronic viewfinder. Resolution has been increased to 12 megapixels, the screen now measures 2.7 inches and the camera is controlled by the latest version of Ricoh’s imaging processor - the Smooth Imaging Engine III. The GX200 will be available in the UK from the beginning of July.

CAMERA DIGITAL - INTRODUCES

2008-07-16T20:58:00.000-07:00

Samsung introduces 14.7 Megapixel TL34HD
Samsung released four new cameras today, featuring things such as a 14.7 Megapixel CCD and dual “fuel gauges” showing battery life and memory card capacity. I don’t have as many specs as I’d like, but if I get them, I’ll update these news items. Let’s start with the top end model, the TL34HD:Samsung TL34HD

14.7 effective Megapixel CCD (oh dear)
3.6X optical zoom lens, equivalent to 28 - 101 mm
Optical image stabilization
Compact metal body comes in black or a unique silver with red accents
3-inch touchscreen LCD display
Uses next generation Smart Touch 2.0 user interface
Point-and-shoot operation; face and smile detection available
New “Recycle Bin” concept makes accidental photo deletion less likely
Digital Contents Management system lets you find photos by date, content, color, and more
Records movies at 1280 x 720 (720p) at 30 frames/second using H.264 codec
Optional camera dock offers HDMI connectivity
DLNA compatible (I’m not sure what that means in the real world)
Ships in September for $330

Samsung TL9
Next, we have the TL9, which has a totally wacky “fuel gauge” on the top of it, displaying both memory card and battery capacity. Check it out:Samsung TL9

10.0 effective Megapixel CCD
F3.7-4.9, 5X optical zoom lens
Optical image stabilization
Ultra-compact metal body comes in silver and black
2.7″ LCD display
Analog gauges on top of the camera show shots remaining and battery capacity
Point-and-shoot operation; face, smile, and blink detection available
Doubles as a Portable Media Player: can play movies and music
Same DCM system and Recycle Bin as the TL34HD
Records movies at 800 x 592 (at 20 fps) using MPEG-4 codec
Ships in September for $280

Samsung SL201 and SL310W
The last Samsung cameras I want to mention are two entry level models:Samsung SL201

10.2 effective Megapixel CCD
3X optical zoom lens
2.7″ LCD display
Point-and-shoot operation; face detection available
Photo Help Guide offers “a guided tour of how to take better images”
Movie mode of some sort
Ships in September for $170

Samsung SL310W

13.6 effective Megapixel CCD
3.6X optical zoom lens, equivalent to 28 - 101 mm
Optical image stabilization
2.7″ LCD display
Point-and-shoot operation, with face, smile, and blink detection
Automatic redeye removal
Same Photo Help Guide as above
MPEG-4 movie mode
Priced at $230

Casio announces slim Exilim EX-Z150
Casio yesterday introduced a new ultra-compact camera, the Exilim EX-Z150. Here are the specs on this slim, stylish, and relatively inexpensive camera:Exilim EX-Z150 [specs to come]

8.1 effective Megapixel CCD
F2.6-5.9, 4X optical zoom lens, equivalent to 28 - 112 mm
CCD-shift image stabilization
Ultra-slim body (0.79″ thick) comes in your choice of silver, black, green, pink, and red
3-inch LCD display with 230,000 pixels
Point-and-shoot operation, with 22 scene modes to choose from
VGA movie mode (30 frames/sec)
17.9MB onboard memory + SD/SDHC/MMC/MMCplus card slot
Uses NP-70 lithium-ion battery; 280 shots per charge
Ships in September for $200

Nikon introduces full-frame D700, new SB-900 flash
Nikon today rolled out their new full-frame D700 digital SLR. The best way to describe the D700 is that it’s a D3 in a smaller, lighter package. It has the same FX-format sensor, stunning image quality, super-fast performance, and build quality as Nikon’s flagship model, all in a body just a bit larger than the D300. Here’s the full list of details:Nikon D700 [specs]

12.1 effective Megapixel full-frame FX-format CMOS sensor
Supports all Nikon F-mount lenses; there will be a 1.5X crop factor and a drop in resolution when using DX-format lenses
EXPEED image processing system
Weather-sealed magnesium alloy body
Dust reduction system (ultrasonic)
Live view on a 3-inch, 920,000 dot LCD display (two LV modes to choose from)
Giant optical viewfinder has a 0.72X magnification and shows 95% of the frame
51-point autofocus with “3D focus tracking”
Shoots at 5 frames/second without optional battery grip, and 8 fps with it
Native ISO range of 200 - 6400 (expandable to 100 - 25600)
Can record 12 or 14-bit RAW images in lossless compressed, compressed, or uncompressed format
Built-in flash + hot shoe + wireless flash support
Active D-Lighting improves highlights and shadow detail as you take photos
Handy virtual horizon feature prevents crooked shots; can now be used with live view
Optional remote capture software (with live view support)
CompactFlash Type II slot; high speed UDMA cards supported
HDMI output (using smaller port than before)
Shipping in late July for $3000 (body only)

Impressive, no? In addition to the new camera, Nikon also released a new flagship external flash: the SB-900. This flash has a whopping 17 - 200 mm range (with an FX-format camera), a 2.3 second recycle time (with NiMH batteries), a redesigned control system, and an improved AF-assist lamp. The flash can also automatically detect when the included incandescent or fluorescent filters are being used, automatically changing the white balance setting on the camera. The SB-900 is expected to ship in August for $500

CAMERA DIGITAL - DESCRIPTION

2008-07-16T20:46:00.000-07:00

DESCRIPTION: Nikon Coolpix S550 and S600
And two new 10-megapixel Nikon Coolpix cameras

For those who want 10 megapixel resolution and are willing to pay a bit more for some cool features, Nikon inroduced the Coolpix S550 and S600. Both are very small and light and fit into any pocket. The US$229 Coolpix S550 has a 5X optical zoom, letting you get that much closer. The US$299 S600 has a larger 2.7-inch LCD, is among the quickest cameras around, has optical vibration reduction, and a 4X 28-112mm optical zoom that lets you shoot wide angle, and you get to go as close as 1.2 inches with the macro.
Read review of the Nikon Coolpix S550 and the Nikon Coolpix S600 .

DESCRIPTION: Nikon Coolpix S210 and S520
Two new 8-megapixel Nikon Coolpix cameras

Nikon introduced two new 8-megapixel S-series Coolpix cameras. The US$179 S210’s primary claim to fame is its slender, sexy body that’s just 0.7 inches thin. It also weighs next to nothing and fits anywhere. Yet, it has a large and razor-sharp 2.5-inch LCD that remains quite readable outdoors thanks to an anti-reflection coating. The design is clean and uncluttered, and the four available colors are quite attractive. The US$229 aluminum-bodied S520 is a bit thicker and heavier. It has active lens shift vibration reduction that eliminates most blur when you zoom and it can be used both for still pictures and for movies.
Read review of the Nikon Coolpix S210 and the Nikon Coolpix S520 .

DESCRIPTION: Olympus Stylus 850 SW and 1030 SW
Two new tough and rugged Olympus Stylus models

Olympus introduced two new cameras in its SW (Shock & Waterproof) series. The US$299 Stylus 850 SW is a 8-megapixel camera that’s waterproof to ten feet, can survive drops of five feet, and freezing temperatures. It’s designed for all sorts of outoors activities including skiing and snorkeling. The US$399 10-megapixel Stylus 1030 SW is tougher yet. You can go diving with it, down to 33 feet (and probably more), drop it from almost seven feet, subject it to extreme temperatures, dust, sand, whatever. It also has a terrific hi-res 2.7-inch LCD and a 3.6X 28-102mm optical zoom that enables wide angle photography.
Read review of the Olympus Stylus 850 SW and the Olympus Stylus 1030 SW.

DESCRIPTION: Casio Exilim Pro EX-F1
Superfast burst mode and movies in 12X zoom

Casio’s corporate slogan is “Expect the Unexpected,” but even so, few would have expected the Pro EX-F1 from the company famous for its attractive little ultra-slim cameras. What is the EX-F1? A fairly large 6-megapixel camera with a 12X optical zoom and, according to Casio, the world’s fastest burst shooting performance. How fast? Up to 60 frames per second in full resolution burst mode, and up to 1,200 frames per second in high-speed movies! And also 1920 x 1080 stereo movies at 60 frames per second.
Read review of the Casio Exilim Pro EX-F1.

DESCRIPTION: Casio Exilim EX-Z100 and EX-Z200
Two more new 10-megapixel Casios

Casio added two more stylish and attractive 10-megapixel cameras to its lineup. The Exilim EX-Z100 and EX-Z200 come in a variety of colors, have a high-res 2.7-inch display, all the goodies of the latest generation of Casios (800 x 480 pixel movies at 30fps, auto-shutter, face recognition, and digital image stabilization. They have a 28-112mm 4X optical zoom that allows wide angle shooting. No manual modes, but 39 scene modes cover about everything. The difference between the two is that the US$299 EX-Z200 has CCD-shift active anti-blur technology and the US$279 EX-Z100 does not.
Read review of the Casio Exilim EX-Z10 and EX-Z200.

DESCRIPTION: Casio Exilim EX-Z80
Even smaller and lighter than ever before

The 8.1 megapixel Casio Exilim EX-Z80, available in six colors, replaces the EX-Z77 as the entry level model in Casio’s “Zoom” series. It’s even smaller and lighter than its predecessor, can record 848 x 480 pixel movies at 30 frames per second and uses H.264/AAC recording for easy play back on iPods and automatic upload to YouTube. There is advanced face recognition that can even detect a smile, and a special “auto shutter” mode detects movement and can automatically take blue-free pictures. The EX-Z80 lists for US$199.95.
Read review of the Casio Exilim EX-Z80.

DESCRIPTION: Casio Exilim EX-S10
A sexy, ultra-slim 10 megapixel Casio

The ultra-slim (just 0.55 inches) stainless-steel bodied Exilim EX-S10 is Casio’s first Card-series 10 megapixel camera. It’s available in red, blue, black and silver, has a high-res 2.7 inch wide-format LCD, and can record 848 x 480 pixel movies at 30 frames per second. The S10, which lists for US$249, uses H.264/AAC recording and can easily play back on iPods and in iTunes/iLife’08. There are 36 scene modes (including YouTube and eBay), face recognition and a special “auto shutter” that shoots a picture when your hands don’t shake or the subject stops moving.
Read review of the Casio Exilim EX-S10.

DESCRIPTION AND SPECS: Nikon Coolpix S510 and S700

Nikon Style in stainless steel and brushed aluminum

Almost everyone now offers lots of megapixel and a slew of advanced features at very low cost, so manufacturers have been forced to differentiate low and high end cameras in different ways. The current approach is to have different “families” of cameras, with each appealing to a different group of customers. The new stainless steel 8.1 megapixel Coolpix S510 (US$299.95) and brushed aluminum 12.1 megapixel S700 (US$379.99), combine sophisticated elegance with advanced technology and speed.
Read descriptions and specs of the Nikon Coolpix S510, and the Nikon Coolpix S700.

DESCRIPTION AND SPECS: Nikon Coolpix S51C
Two Performance Series Nikon Coolpix cameras

The 8.1 megapixel Coolpix S51c is an elegant, small and handy camera with a fully internal 3X zoom. It offers an interesting feature in its built-in wireless connection that lets you send and store pictures. It primarily connects to Nikon’s own my Picturetown service, which limits choices. The camera is small enough to fit anywhere, yet has a very large and razor-sharp 3.0-inch LCD that remains quite readable outdoors thanks to an anti-reflection coating. The design is clean and uncluttered,and the camera offers full voice recording, VGA movies with sound, and active lens shift vibration reduction that eliminates most blur when you zoom. It also includes a slew of Nikon’s in-camera goodies and technologies.
Read descriptions and specs of the Nikon Coolpix S51c.

DESCRIPTION AND SPECS: Nikon Coolpix P50 and P5100
Two Performance Series Nikon Coolpix cameras

Those who want more power and versatility than point & shooters offer will be interested in two new “performance series” cameras from Nikon. The Coolpix P50 (US$229.95) is a small and handy 8.1 megapixel camera with some manual control, face recognition, red-eye reduction and electronic vibration reduction. The 12.1 megapixel Coolpix P5100 (US$379.95) offers full manual control, a high-resolution 2.5-inch LCD and true optical lens-shift image stabilization. Both have optical viewfinders to complement their LCDs, have 16 scene modes, and fit into most pockets in spite of their considerable power.
Read descriptions and specs of the Nikon Coolpix P50, and the Nikon Coolpix P5100.

DESCRIPTION AND SPECS: Nikon Coolpix L14 and L15
Two inexpensive Nikon Coolpix cameras

If you want a really inexpensive Coolpix camera, the L14 fits the bill. It is simple and easy to use, yet takes good pictures. For a bit more you can get the L15 that has a larger, higher res LCD and optical image stabilization.
Read descriptions and specs of the Nikon Coolpix L14, and the Nikon Coolpix L15.

CAMERA DIGITAL - REVIEW

2008-07-16T20:37:00.000-07:00

EVIEW: Olympus SP-560UZ and Stylus 790SW
An 18X ultra-zoom camera and one that’s shock and waterproof

If you want to get maximum zoom AND get as close as possible AND get dual image stabilization and tons of features, the Olympus SP-560UZ delivers. The shock, freeze and waterproof Stylus 790SW is the perfect companion for sports and outoor use.
Read descriptions and specs of the Olympus SP-560UZ, and the Olympus Stylus 790SW.

REVIEW: Pentax T30 and W30

Two more Optios, one with a touchscreen and one waterproof

Two more Optios complete the review of thee current 2007 30-Series models from Pentax. The Optio T30 may look like just another sleek, elegant 7.1 megapixel digicam, but it sports an innovative touchscreen interface for fast, easy operation. If you speend a lot of time near, on, or under water, the waterproof Optio W30 fits the bill.
Read reviews of the Pentax Optio T30, and the Optio W30.

REVIEW: Olympus Evolt E-330 with PT-E02 Underwater Housing System
Impressive, affordable digital SLR with Live View.

Digital SLRs are getting better and less expensive, and they are getting lots of useful new features. The Olympus Evolt-330 is a 7.5 megapixel dSLR with a terrific wide viewing angle LCD that provides live preview. It also features dust reduction technology so you don’t get specks and dirt onto the mirror when you change lenses. We extensively tested the E-330 not only on land, but also underwater with its optional waterproof housing.
Read review of the 7.5 megapixel Olympus Evolt E-330 digital SLR and its underwater housing

REVIEW: Olympus Stylus 770 SW
Waterproof, Shockproof. Temperatureproof. Crushproof.

Don’t want the bulk of a dedicated underwater camera housing? Then consider the 7.1 megapixel Olympus Stylus 770 SW that’s waterproof to 33 feet, has a terrific wide-viewing-angle 2.5-inch LCD and is still small enough to fit into any pocket. And it’s also shockproof, crushproof and can handle temperatures down to 14 degrees Fahrenheit. We extensively tested the 770 underwater and took it down to almost 70 feet. No problem.
Read review of the wateproof 7.1-megapixel Olympus Stylus 770 SW

REVIEW: Olympus SP-510UZ
For when getting close matters

The Olympus SP-510UZ is a camera to consider when you need something fairly light and small that let’s you get close, 10x optical zoom close. Reviewer Carol Cotton Walker says she’d quite likely put it in her purse and take it everywhere she goes. She also took some killer pictures with it. However, make sure you study the manual and spend an hour or so learning the many functions of this interesting camera. Both beginners and advanced photographers will like this ultra-zoom Olympus that grows on you the more you use it.
Read review of the 7.1-megapixel Olympus SP-510UZ with 10X zoom

REVIEW: Casio Exilim EX-Z1000
What’s it like to have a 10 megapixel compact?

In April of 2006, the Casio Exilim EX-Z1000 was the first announced 10-megapixel compact. Apart from the stunning resolution at a very reasonable price it offers a terrific 2.8-inch wide screen, a sleek and slender body, and no fewer than 36 shooting modes. It also has great battery life and sports a frendly, ergonomic design. But did Casio truly take advantage of scoring this historic first? We’ve been shooting with the Z1000 for several months, so read our review of the Exilim Z1000 and find out
Read review of the 10-megapixel Casio EX-Z1000

REVIEW: Nikon Coolpix P3
A Nikon Coolpix with built-in wireless LAN!

The Nikon Coolpix P3, a compact 8.1 megapixel digital camera that packs considerable power and some notable features such as an active vibration reduction mode and 802.11b/g wireless communication. That is the same wireless LAN notebook computers have and it can make transferring and printing pictures a lot easier. How does it work? And how good is the vibration reduction mode?
Read Nikon Coolpix P3 review

REVIEW: Casio Exilim Z850
Casio messes with success: now more megapixel at a lower price!

The Casio EX-Z750 won our last ultra-slim roundup of no fewer than 13 contestants with an almost perfect score. Last summer Casio replaced it with the Exilim Z850, which is part of their “Zoom” line of cameras. It looks almost identical, has 8.1 instead of 7.2 megapixel, longer battery life, and costs less. We’ve road-tested the Z850 for several months. Is it the same homerun the Z750 was?
Read Casio Exilim EX-Z850 review

REVIEW: Fujifilm FinePix A600
Are 6-megapixel and a nice LCD and a low price enough to win you over?

Fuji added the 6-megapixel A600 and the 7-megapixel A700 to its lineup of inexpensive entry level cameras. We spent time with the A600 and found much to like. It takes above-average pictures, has a nice 2.4-inch LCD and is ultra-simple to use. It has a few shortcomings as well, though. See if it’d make sense for you!
Read Fuji FinePix A600 review

REVIEW: Casio Exilim S770
Casio’s sexy card camera now with a 2.8-inch wide screen

If you want the slimmest, sexiest digital camera around, take a look at Casio’s “Card” series. We loved the stunning S500 and S600, but the Exilim S770 has a much larger, much higher resolution screen and a 7.2MB imager. Despite the big 2.8-inch wide screen, the S770 is just a little larger than its lesser siblings. What does it offer? A lot. Is it for you?
Read Casio S770 review

REVIEWS: Fujifilm FinePix F650 and FinePix F20
5X optical zoom and giant LCD, or ISO 2000 plus high tech?

We’re reviewing two 6-megapixel cameras from Fuji, both in roughly the same price range. The FinePix F650 has a 5X zoom, an awesome 3-inch LCD and terrific ergonomics. The F20 is smaller and lighter, has “only” a 2.5-inch display and a 3X zoom, but steps up to bat with very high ISO 2000 sensitivity and lots of Fuji’s highest technology. Read what each camera offers, then decide.
Read FinePix F20 review and FinePix F650 review

OPTIK LENS IT'S OK

2008-07-15T18:25:00.001-07:00

OPTIK LENS IT'S OK

Some people have had difficulty getting to grips with the Optic engine, so I have thought I'd do a tutorial which runs through step-by-step on making a lens flare, and also includes a bit of tech info along the way.

The lens flare I have created has been added to the presets library which I will link to at the end. I haven't included all the settings but rather given you a general overview about specific parts, so download the preset after you're done reading to see for yourself how it all ticks.

This tutorial applies EffectsLab DV, EffectsLab Pro and VisionLab HD. I'm using EffectsLab Pro specifically to create the tutorial and preset.

1. Locate the 'Effect' tab and add an Optic engine to the canvas, you can do this by double clicking on it or click+drag onto the canvas or the timeline.

2. Click on the 'Optic movement' track on the timeline. You will notice a square box 'handle' appears on the canvas. This is the origin for the lens flare. Currently it is located in the center of the canvas, click and drag it to move it near one of the edges, I've placed mine in the top left, but basically move it away from the center to begin.

GREY GREEN

A rare combo of hard angles and organic design to quench Spy's thirst for style.

Spy Optic Oasis Features:
Injected in resilient Epsylon
8 x 4 Base Toric ARC lenses
Integrated hinge system
100% UV protection
Frame measures: 57-15-123
More:

Frame Technology
PROPIONATE – Spy is one of the few action-sports companies to offer high quality fashion frames in propionate. Frames crafted in propionate feature a smooth, dense finish that is comfortable on the face. Some of Spy's propionate frames are fashioned with adjustable wire-core temples for a custom fit.
EPSYLON – Epsylon is a comfortable composite plastic with a high tensile strength, allowing for the unique hidden hinge systems found in several of Spy's new fashion frames. Epsylon is lightweight and very resilient in a wide range of temperatures.
MONEL ALLOY – Monel Alloy frames utilize an engineered alloy of three metals to produce lightweight and pliable – yet strong – frame.
GRILAMID – Spy's Scoop frames utilize Grilamid as the predominant frame material. Injection-molded Grilamid is an exceptionally lightweight sport material that is shatter-resistant and remains pliable in all weather conditions. Scoop frames incorporate Hytrel rubber on the temple tips. Hytrel rubber is a unique hydrophilic compound that increases in tackiness when wet.
HYTREL – Scoop frames incorporate Hytrel rubber on the temple tips. Hytrel rubber is a unique hydrophilic compound that increases in tackiness when introduced to moisture. When you heat up, Hytrel keeps Spy's shades firmly in place.
Scoop VENTING SYSTEM – The patented Scoop venting system eliminates lens fogging by increasing airflow behind the lens. The Scoop system forces air through strategically placed vents of varying aperture on the sunglass frame to reduce fogging by creating what's known as a Venturi effect. The Venturi effect is a phenomenon where air accelerates (and reduces air pressure) as it is forced from a larger area to a smaller area. Scoop technology is protected by five U.S. patents.
Lens Technology
DELTA PHOTOCHROMIC – Delta Photochromic lenses are engineered to adjust to nearly any light condition—which means as the sun gets brighter, Spy's lenses get darker, and vice versa. Active molecules are cast into the lens material for quick activation times, extended life, and durability. Spy Delta Photochromic lenses have one of the widest transition ranges of any photochromic lenses on the market and will take you from daybreak to nightfall with style and ease.
TRIDENT POLARIZED DELTA PHOTOCHROMIC – This is hands-down Spy's highest quality lens. Spy's breakthrough system combines Spy's proven Delta Photochromic and NXT technology with Trident Polarization. The result is an unbreakable, auto-tinting lens that stops over 95% of blinding glare. This lens is as good as it gets, built for those whom face the harshest daily conditions and are serious about their eyewear.
TRIDENT POLARIZED LENSES – Spy manufactures premium injected Trident Polarized lenses. Trident lenses diffuse glare through the use of a highly advanced polarizing filter layered within the injected lens, allowing incredible clarity, even in the harshest conditions. Trident Polarized lenses effectively eliminate more than 99% of blinding glare. Spy's polarized lenses may cost you more, but Spy's injected lenses will outlast and out-perform a typical polarized lens every day of the week (and twice on Sunday!).
CR-39 LENSES – Many of Spy's fashion frames are fitted with gradient CR-39 lenses. CR-39 lenses offer rich color tinting and scratch resistance while maintaining true optical accuracy.
NXT – A revolutionary innovation in unbreakable optical polymer technology, Spy's NXT lenses resist impact, scratching, chemicals, and atmospheric agents. The superior optical quality, clarity, lightness, and impact resistance provide clear, comfortable vision and the highest protection for Spy's eyes. Spy's current line of Delta Photochromic lenses are cast in NXT material. NXT is a registered trademark of Intercast Europe S.p.A. U.S. Patents 5,962,617; 5,811,506; 6,258,917; 6,127,505. Other patents pending.
UV PROTECTION – In addition to providing the highest in optical clarity, Spy lenses provide 100% UV protection (385nm). All Spy lenses, including clear, absorb 100% of UVA, UVB, and UVC rays and provide powerful protection against the harmful effects of solar radiation. Filtering agents are integrated in the lens-manufacturing process and provide eye protection in all conditions. Ultraviolet rays or UV (100 to 380 nm) are now known to be the most harmful of the sun's rays. There are three types of UV rays:
§ UVA (315 to 380 nm) are the principle cause of aging of the eye.
§ UVB (280 to 315 nm) also harmful, cause sunburn.
§ UVC (100 to 280 nm) potentially the most dangerous for the eyes, but are filtered by the ozone in the upper layers of the Earth's atmosphere.
SPHERICAL VS. TORIC VS. MOSAIC –
SPHERICAL: Traditional spherical lenses have a consistent vertical and horizontal curve in the lens. If the edge of the lens were to continue around back to itself, it would form a spherical shape.
TORIC: A Toric lens has different horizontal and vertical base curves—meaning that the vertical curvature is different than the horizontal curvature. This creates a unique appearance that is very wearable and gives high-wrap frames a modern look and feel.
MOSAIC: This one-of-a-kind lens has unique optical performance with futuristic ultra-wrapped design. Mosaic features curvature shape properties to conform to Spy's face and head for ultimate eye protection, while maintaining a consistent thickness across the entire lens surface. Eliminating distortions and reflections, Mosaic provides maximum comfort and a perfect global vision. The Mosaic lens gives the unusual appearance of turning a sharp corner while still providing precise optics

NEW GENERATIONS MOTORCYCLE, MAN

2008-07-15T18:20:00.000-07:00

NEW GENERATIONS

It is conventional wisdom that the motorcycle industry is worried about the demographic shift of the oldest baby boomers (born in 1946) hitting the United States legal retirement age of 65. As boomers or boomies retire, their older children called Generation X (born 1965 to 1980) and younger ones called Generation Y (born 1980 to 1995) are or will take major roles in our society. So, what’s our industry is doing to tap this vast potential market? Sadly, almost nothing. Do you know of any motorcycle manufacturer, print magazine, motorcycle TV show or motorcycle rally making real efforts to adjust to these 2 new generations whose taste, language and entertainment is quite different from the one of the baby boomers. Xers and Yers have their own specificities, but both were raised front of television, playing Atari 2600 or World Of Warcraft, doing their homework on a computer and socializing through internet social networks like MySpace. In addition to have raised 2 boys belonging 1 to the Xers and 1 to the Yers, I have a lot of interactions with the new generations and I know for sure that they spend more time surfing the web than watching TV, and more time enjoying HD movies than they will ever reading paper magazines. We cannot expect that all children born in a biker family are going to be bikers. And even if it would be the case, it will never be enough to support our industry. I have no doubt that the baby boomers children can acquire our taste and love for the sport of motorcycling. But they are not exposed to it because our industry exclusively “talks” to us, never to them, and never in a place or media where we would get a chance that they listen and fall in love with bikes like I did when I was 18. Let’s take Internet, the meeting place of these 2 new generations. Motorcycle print magazines limit their online presence to a “giant business card” with a few titles and pictures. But in no way they are full and complete interactive online magazines. Consequently their traffic is extremely low and much lower than any improvised website whose author is a biker dude sitting in his kitchen and publishing aggregated motorcycle news copied from other websites. I am an Internet publisher and I believe in the “word of mouse” to extend my passion for motorcycles to others, I don’t understand why my friends and fellow print publishers still don’t recognize it. Major newspapers and magazines were able to have both a successful and profitable simultaneous print and online presence. Why not us?

WATER IS IMPORTANT, MAN

2008-07-15T18:17:00.000-07:00

Why is water so important?

Water is a vital component of the human body. Between 50-60 per cent of our total body mass is made up from water. In fact an average lean healthy man who weighs 70 kg contains roughly 42 litres of water.

And, to stay healthy, we need to maintain our bodies' water levels within quite narrow limits. The body can cope with deprivation from food for quite a number of days. But if we go without water for just 2-3 days we will begin to experience serious health problems due to dehydration.

In Britain, our climate means that a relatively inactive person will lose 2 to 4 litres of water a day. In other words, we need to replace between 5 to 10 per cent of the total amount of water in our bodies every day.

So, maintaining a proper fluid balance is important for everyone in order to avoid dehydration. And for athletes involved in regular strenuous exercise who want to be in peak form during training and competition, correct fluid balance is crucial. Endurance athletes, in particular, need to manage fluid intake correctly in order to avoid blunting their performance due to dehydration.

NEW GENERATIONS NOTEBOOK, MAN

2008-07-15T18:12:00.000-07:00

Software Notebook: Color is key to Microsoft's next-generation bar code
Microsoft Corp. is getting into the business of bar codes. But these aren't your typical black-and-white stripes.

The company has developed a new type of bar code that uses multiple colors and triangular shapes to store more data per square inch than possible with the traditional approach.

The High Capacity Color Barcodes are expected to start showing up on DVD discs later this year, under a licensing deal between Microsoft and the agency that coordinates the International Standard Audiovisual Number system, or ISAN, the counterpart to the ISBN system used for books.

Microsoft says the idea isn't to replace the traditional UPC barcodes used in checkout lines, but to supplement them.

"It's more of a 'partner' bar code," said Gavin Jancke, the Microsoft Research engineering director who invented the High Capacity Color Barcode. "The UPC bar codes will always be there. Ours is more of a niche bar code where you want to put a lot of information in a small space."

Media publishers will be able to use the high-capacity bar codes to store extra identifying data about the product and implement new anti-counterfeiting measures that will be incorporated invisibly into the bar codes.

In addition, the company says consumers will be able to scan the high-capacity bar codes with Web cams and eventually with mobile-phone cameras. Once the bar code is read, using special software, consumers will be connected to online services that will provide extra information about the product -- such as a DVD rating, soundtrack details or related products.

The capacity of the new bar codes will depend on factors including the number of colors used and the amount of triangles squeezed into the space, Jancke said. Using four colors, at a triangle size that can be read by a good imaging device, the High Capacity Color Barcodes will hold about two times more data than traditional bar codes do. If the High Capacity Barcodes are designed to be read by the lower-quality cameras on mobile phones, as with the ISAN system, the capacity will be somewhat less.

Microsoft declined to disclose financial terms of the agreement with the ISAN International Agency. The PC and mobile-phone software needed to read the high-capacity bar codes will be available for free, Jancke said. The PC-based software will work initially on Windows, he said, but people using other operating systems will be able to decode the bar codes using online services.

Because of Microsoft's dominance of PC operating systems and productivity software, the company's moves into new areas are sometimes resisted by industry players wary of giving it more clout.

But Patrick Attallah, the chief executive of the ISAN International Agency, said he wasn't concerned about licensing the new Microsoft bar code technology. He cited its benefits and noted the role of the agency is not to mandate its use but to make it available through ISAN organizations around the world.

It's ultimately up to the media publishers to decide whether to use the bar codes. The first organization to implement the High Capacity Color Barcode technology is expected to be SecurePath Technology, the Hollywood-based ISAN registration agency.

"Definitely in Hollywood, I would say that the majority of DVDs that come out of there will have it," Microsoft's Jancke said, explaining that SecurePath wants to build "a big ecosystem" around the bar code.

The new bar codes won't just be used on movie discs. Microsoft plans to put them on its Xbox 360 video-game DVDs, for example. They could also eventually show up in other places, such as packaging or movie posters.

Jancke has a European patent on the High Capacity Color Barcode, and a U.S. patent is pending.

FRUITS IS IMPOATANT, MAN

2008-07-15T18:04:00.001-07:00

Horticultural Crops

Small Fruit

When growing small fruits, growers must provide an environment that reduces the risk of pests and disease while keeping plants healthy. The result will be a good yield of high-quality fruit. Consumers are increasingly concerned about environmental issues such as pesticide use. Fortunately, by using best management practices, the need for pesticides may be reduced.

The goal in small fruit production is high yield of quality fruit while preserving the environment for future production.

Soil Management

When planting small fruits such as strawberries, raspberries and blueberries, it is important to start planning and making changes at least a year before establishment takes place. Follow these steps:

Soil test - this will provide a reading of soil nutrients, organic levels and pH. Interpret results carefully. Even minor imbalances may cause problems to crops. Adjust soil pH to the following levels: 6.5 for strawberries and raspberries and 4.5 to 5.2 for blueberries.

Prepare site - the year before planting, consider soil fertility, organic matter levels, perennial weeds, drainage, pest levels and soil pH and improve where possible. Examine previous soil test results, earlier crop histories and drainage.

Determine nematode populations - if the site was planted in other small fruits or in orchards, take a soil sample to determine nematode populations. Nematodes damage roots and allow diseases to attack. If counts of root lesion nematodes exceed 500 per kilogram of soil, plants may be stunted and unhealthy. For raspberries, counts of 100 dagger nematodes per kilogram heighten risk of Tomato Mosaic Virus (Crumbly Berry Disease).

Alternatives to chemical fumigation include:

Allowing soil to lay fallow for at least one full growing season in a weed-free condition. While this reduces pest risk, it may cause erosion and breakdown of soil structure.
Planting cover crops for one year prior to the fruit crop. Use alfalfa, brome hay or another crop that suppresses nematodes.

Organic Matter

Increasing organic matter levels in the soil will improve its ability to hold water and nutrients. If a soil test shows organic matter levels are low, consider using cover crops, or adding manure, straw or hay.

Tillage, including cultivation between rows, breaks down organic matter. To reduce loss, reduce the depth and amount of tillage.

In established raspberry and blueberry fields, permanent sod between rows will reduce soil compaction and erosion, improve soil organic matter levels, make harvesting easier and moderate soil temperatures. The recommended grass for sod cover is Creeping Red Fescue and mixes containing it. This species is relatively resistant to equipment traffic, moderately vigorous and becomes dormant in hot summer months when the crop needs available moisture.

NEW GENERATIONS GUITARS

2008-07-15T18:01:00.000-07:00

Gibson Develop New Generation Guitar using Power Over Ethernet Technology

Gibson introduced the first Magic speakers, amplifiers and audio systems last year, and the company is working with 3Com to build Magic chips to embed in a variety of devices.
In essence, Magic enhances Ethernet, making it a reliable, suitable transport mechanism for multimedia. Magic has the ability to do isochronous (or time-dependant) transfers inside Ethernet, which allows for deterministic latency between two points. In other words, if you send a data packet, you'll know it will get to its destination in a specific amount of time. Magic transmits packets at a fixed size and at a fixed rate, which is what media requires.

VEGETABLES IS IMPORTANT, MAN

2008-07-15T17:57:00.000-07:00

Why is it important to eat vegetables?

Eating vegetables provides health benefits — people who eat more fruits and vegetables as part of an overall healthy diet are likely to have a reduced risk of some chronic diseases. Vegetables provide nutrients vital for health and maintenance of your body.

Health benefits

Eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables as part of an overall healthy diet may reduce risk for stroke and perhaps other cardiovascular diseases.
Eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables as part of an overall healthy diet may reduce risk for type 2 diabetes.
Eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables as part of an overall healthy diet may protect against certain cancers, such as mouth, stomach, and colon-rectum cancer.
Diets rich in foods containing fiber, such as fruits and vegetables, may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.
Eating fruits and vegetables rich in potassium as part of an overall healthy diet may reduce the risk of developing kidney stones and may help to decrease bone loss.
Eating foods such as vegetables that are low in calories per cup instead of some other higher-calorie food may be useful in helping to lower calorie intake.
Click here for more information about preventing cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and cancer.
Nutrients
Food sources of the nutrients in bold can be found in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Click on the nutrient name to link to the food sources table.

Most vegetables are naturally low in fat and calories. None have cholesterol. (Sauces or seasonings may add fat, calories, or cholesterol.)
Vegetables are important sources of many nutrients, including potassium, dietary fiber, folate (folic acid), vitamin A, vitamin E, and vitamin C.
Diets rich in potassium may help to maintain healthy blood pressure. Vegetable sources of potassium include sweetpotatoes, white potatoes, white beans, tomato products (paste, sauce, and juice), beet greens, soybeans, lima beans, winter squash, spinach, lentils, kidney beans, and split peas.
Dietary fiber from vegetables, as part of an overall healthy diet, helps reduce blood cholesterol levels and may lower risk of heart disease. Fiber is important for proper bowel function. It helps reduce constipation and diverticulosis. Fiber-containing foods such as vegetables help provide a feeling of fullness with fewer calories.
Folate (folic acid) helps the body form red blood cells. Women of childbearing age who may become pregnant and those in the first trimester of pregnancy should consume adequate folate, including folic acid from fortified foods or supplements. This reduces the risk of neural tube defects, spina bifida, and anencephaly during fetal development.
Vitamin A keeps eyes and skin healthy and helps to protect against infections.
Vitamin E helps protect vitamin A and essential fatty acids from cell oxidation.
Vitamin C helps heal cuts and wounds and keeps teeth and gums healthy. Vitamin C aids in iron absorption.

NEW GENERATION ROOFS

2008-07-15T17:50:00.000-07:00

Going Green on Top

Green roofs gain in popularity in big cities as environmentally friendly industry comes into its own
The Washington Nationals' new baseball stadium opened the 2008 season with one. Vancouver's 2010 Winter Olympics will feature many more. And earlier this year Minneapolis decreed that the city's voluminous Target Center arena will have one too.

Suddenly, green roofs are sprouting across North America. Designed to curb air pollution, decrease energy expenses and reduce storm runoff, the environmentally friendly assemblies are adding a decidedly earthy element to urban skylines — a sign that the green roof industry is rapidly coming into its own.

Particularly in cities, the rise of roof-topping grasses, succulents and other vegetation is fueling a boom for landscape architects, growers, builders and consultants in the know. As the roofs bloom in size and number, cities are weighing new incentives to developers and owners to install the admittedly costly growing medium and plant life as a long-term investment that could benefit both businesses and surrounding communities. And with a strengthening infrastructure to support them, designers are branching out in new directions.

Steven Peck, founder and president of the Toronto-based industry association Green Roofs for Healthy Cities, said the industry's "mother ship" hails from Europe, particularly Germany. Research there in the 1970s on lightweight, low-maintenance green roof systems dominated by hardy sedum grasses, he said, "opened up thousands of miles of roofscapes that had been unavailable to any sort of greenery."

German policymakers quickly took notice of the advantages, including the potential to reduce both stormwater runoff and the urban heat island effect associated with asphalt, concrete and metal surfaces. In response, they created dozens of incentives and regulations encouraging more green roof construction. In the mid-'90s, a European industry mostly dominated by French and German firms began expanding into North America and introducing the basic concepts to a new generation of specialists.

Peck, himself introduced to the idea in 1997, was tasked with leading a federal study on its benefits and barriers in Canada, only to find that there was little scientific information available for North America. "There was no proof, it was all in German academic studies," he said.

One of his committee member spent hours translating many of the studies into English. And even those reports sidestepped analysis of big-picture benefits that had been largely taken for granted.

A decade later, the industry has been buttressed by research and case studies detailing both individual benefits like savings on cooling costs and enhanced commercial values, and bigger-picture pluses like reduced air pollution and storm water overflows.

Another essential element has been building expertise across a talent pool that remains unevenly distributed. Peck's group has been working for five years on an accreditation program modeled in part on LEED certification (Leadership in Environmental Energy and Design). The new Green Roof Professional, or GRP system, should roll out sometime next year, he said. In the meantime, Green Roofs for Healthy Cities has grown to include more than 80 corporate members and has trained more than 4,500 individuals. "You can't have an industry unless you can have people who can design and deliver," he said.

Most green roofs still feature sedum and ice plant succulents, which can tolerate harsh growing conditions and are ideally suited for low-maintenance rooftops. These "extensive" roofs, as they're known, require only a few inches of growing medium, reducing overall weight and cost.

John Shepley, co-owner of Maryland's Emory Knoll Farms with industry leader Ed Snodgrass, said business is booming at their green roof plant nursery, based on a former dairy farm. "We're probably growing 50 percent annually without trying," Shepley said. Although Washington, D.C., and New York City remain big markets, he said, the federal government has been coming on strong with new mandates for green buildings.

In mid-March, Shepley delivered pregrown sedum plugs to cover a concessions area at the new Washington Nationals baseball stadium. Two years ago, the business helped install thousands more grass plugs on a massive green roof for a Library of Congress facility in Culpepper, Va.

As green roof technology matures, new projects have begun unveiling increasingly varied designs, including "intensive" roofs that require deeper growing depths and considerably more investment but can deliver more aesthetic, conservation and other benefits. Chicago's $480 million Millennium Park, a 24.5-acre cap over rail yards and a parking garage, is one of the world's largest intensive green roofs to date. An award winner from Green Roofs for Healthy Cities, the project has all the advantages of a major urban park, Peck maintains.

Considered the industry frontrunner among North American cities, Chicago used a mix of intensive and extensive vegetation to cover 20,000 square feet atop its City Hall in 2001. In August of that year, researchers recorded a rooftop temperature of 119 degrees in the planted area, compared with a blistering 169 degrees on an adjoining black tar roof. Since then, the green roof has saved the city an estimated $3,600 in annual cooling and heating costs. If all Chicago roofs were similarly clad, city officials believe peak energy demand could be cut by 720 megawatts, or enough electricity for 750,000 consumers. Similarly, the load on the city's storm sewer system could be slashed by roughly 70 percent.

Chicago is now adding green roofs to everything from office buildings to fire stations, and city governments in Toronto, Minneapolis and Seattle are following suit.

Other city-based incentives, popular in Chicago and Portland, give developers extra floor space if they add green roofs, and fast-track programs are rewarding environmentally conscious projects with a front-of-the-line approval process.

Washington, D.C., which has long struggled to control storm-water overflows into the Potomac and Anacostia Rivers, is moving toward a system that will account for impervious building surfaces that increase runoff when assessing water consumption fees. Adding more water-retaining surfaces, including green roofs, will effectively lower a building owner's city fees. Beyond relieving the impact of development, the measure is designed to encourage both public and private-sector investment into runoff-reduction technology.

Nevertheless, Mark Thomann, design director at the New York landscape design firm Balmori Associates, said high construction costs, a lack of government support, and limited expert availability are still combining to thwart many ambitious green roof plans. "We imagined doing 50 of these a year, and the reality is we do one to two a year," he said. In cities like New York, zoning laws haven't yet accounted for green roofs, relegating them to awkward spaces between traditional buildings and landscaping. Plant specialists, Thomann said, often don't have the equipment for roof access, whereas contractors often don't know enough about plant-friendly construction practices.

Even so, his firm has been trying to push the envelope on design. "Most of the green roofs have been flat green surfaces, which are great, but we've been looking at different ways of making those roofs three-dimensional," Thomann said. One of his company's completed projects, the roof of New York's Earth Pledge Foundation, features a vegetable garden.

Other design firms are teaming up with ecologists to build roofs that incorporate hollows, small cliffs, scattered rocks, dead wood and varied vegetation to mimic everything from riverbanks to high mountain meadows. The result has been a surprising burst in habitat for urban wildlife —and more aesthetically interesting roofscapes that building owners can use to attract human tenants as well.

Endangered beetles and spiders have found refuges in Basel, Switzerland, where a city mandate requires green roofs to accompany all new flat-roofed buildings. Endangered rooftop orchids thrive in nearby Zurich, while London has created new habitats for its small population of black redstart birds with crushed-brick "brown roofs" that mimic the derelict urban sites they favor. And in San Francisco, several acres' worth of dramatically sloping rooftop on the California Academy of Sciences have been designed as native habitat for the threatened bay checkerspot butterfly.

In New York, a planned visitors' center at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden is allowing staff to likewise experiment with a wide range of vegetation that might work as "living roof" plantings to fit the building's sinuous profile. Patrick Cullina, the garden's vice president of horticulture and science research, pointed out that green roofs need not be monolithic, especially ones that are meant to be seen.

The rooftop garden on Bill Clinton's Presidential Library in Little Rock, Ark., includes yellow roses, a sentimental favorite. Cullina hopes the more publicly accessible Brooklyn rooftop will include visually interesting colors all year long. He also hopes to challenge the paradigm of which plants can be used in a living roof system, using nearby seashore and pine barren environments as inspiration.

Moving beyond simple cost-benefit calculations can pay particular dividends for an institution hoping to marry aesthetics, research and community leadership. It helps when a chartreuse rooftop grass turns a particularly vivid shade of reddish-orange during an otherwise dreary New York winter.