Next Step: "Freeze" For Temporary

Because my job and school, I don't have time so much to develop this blog. So my plan is freeze this blog for few months and I hope KAMPOENG will be better than now. I'm sorry for inconvinience because the lack of information and absence. Thanks for all....

Regards

Maverick89

World AIDS Day Is Coming

HIV/AIDS has been a global epidemic for more than 27 years. Most of today's youth have never known a world without it. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently published national HIV incidence (new infections) that showed much higher numbers that previous estimates. The time is now. Together, we can prevent the spread of this pandemic – through awareness, care, prevention, education and research.

On December 1st, individuals and organizations will recognize World AIDS Day. This year’s theme is leadership – from all sectors, including government, but also leaders among individuals and families, communities, non-profits and other organizations. The question is not should you participate, but how can you? Both NIDA and AIDS.gov recognize the leadership of Bloggers Unite and invite bloggers to join them in their mission to prevent and stop the spread of HIV/AIDS.

Borneo: Equator Zamrud

Borneo is the third largest island in the world, bordered by the South China, Sulu, Celebes, and Java Seas. Nearly three-quarters of the island is taken up by the Indonesian provinces of East, West, Central, and South Kalimantan. The vast majority of the remainder of Borneo is occupied by the Malaysian states of Sabah and Sarawak, with Brunei making up less than one percent.

The island features spectacular rain forests that are home to more than 15,000 known species of plants and animals, such as orangutans, flying squirrels, pygmy elephants, and hornbills. But Borneo's biodiversity faces an increasingly uncertain future as the natural resources that have long brought people to the island—timber, oil, natural gas, coal, gold, spices, and rubber—are harvested and exported to satisfy growing global demand.

Only half of Borneo remains forested, due to extensive logging that accelerated in the 1970s and the more recent spread of commercial crops such as oil palm. Fires have also contributed substantially to forest loss. Set to clear land for agriculture, they have often spiraled out of control and burned neighboring forests. Tropical rain forests usually can resist fire because of their high moisture content. However, in recent decades Southeast Asia has frequently had El Niño years, which have brought droughts to the region. Soils in logged forests are also drier because they're more exposed to sun and wind, and logging often leaves behind highly flammable tree litter. All of which has led to major fires that have claimed millions of acres of forest and other land cover during drought years (1982-83, 1991, 1994, 1997-98, 2002, 2006). The largest of these fires occurred in 1997-98, when 16 million acres burned in Indonesian Borneo alone, roughly half of which was forested area.

Removing forests not only puts flora and fauna at risk by reducing their habitat, but also contributes to long-term environmental problems such as climate change. Indonesia is the third largest carbon emitter in the world,. behind China and the United States, but its emissions, unlike those of these industrial giants, are mainly the result of land-use change and deforestation.

The future of Borneo's forests will depend on how the concerns of a wide array of stakeholders with often competing interests are addressed. Consumers in importing countries who seek exotic hardwood furniture, plywood, and palm oil (used in cosmetics, food, detergents, et cetera) put pressure on the forests. Timber and oil palm companies clear forests to supply these products. Small farmers compete with large companies for access to land. Conservationists push to leave large swaths of land untouched or to limit how they're used, hoping to protect Borneo's flora and fauna as well as its water and air quality. Since prime land is valuable and finite, access is restricted, and government at all levels, including the police and the military, is involved in providing that access (by issuing permits, enforcing permit boundaries and regulations on resource extraction, granting tax breaks and other financial incentives). Corruption and illegal logging happen because demand outweighs the legally available supply of timber products. Any program that seeks to remedy the devastating forest loss in Borneo needs to look for ways to sustain the environment while still allowing people, companies, and governments to make money and provide the world with resources.

Local, national, and international parties working to preserve Borneo's natural resources understand and are aware of the urgency and complexity of the situation. Good governance is a necessary first step, though it doesn't come easily, requiring commitments to transparency, public accountability, participatory processes, and dealing in good faith, along with an ongoing fight against corruption.. One program that may help change deforestation rates and carbon emissions as well as lead to better governance is known as REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation). It's a program of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, the parent treaty of the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, which seeks to stabilize global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Under REDD, countries that reduce their GHG emissions through improved forest protection, and sustainable-production plans would be eligible to receive benefits: Essentially, countries could earn money for preserving their forests instead of cutting them down.

Other programs focus on the unique problems faced by an island owned by three countries. Forestry and land-use law and practices vary from country to country. Logging and mining restrictions can often be sidestepped by crossing a border. Many conservationists have called for transnational management of the island's natural resources, especially since forests and creatures like monkeys and elephants don't adhere to human-delineated borders. One such project is the WWF's Heart of Borneo conservation plan, which has persuaded the governments of Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei to help preserve 85,000 square miles of connected forested areas on Borneo.

Note link:
"Borneo: Treasure Island at Risk." WWF Germany, 2005.
"Reducing Emissions From Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Indonesia: REDD Methodology and Strategies Summary for Policy Makers." Indonesia Forest Climate Alliance, 2008.

Picture from Indonesia

(Nikon N90x, Nikon AF 20mm lens, Aquatica Underwater Housing, Fuji Velvia film)

Grand Prize winner Hillary Atiyeh's travels have taken her from her home in, Lyon, Oregon to Holland, Lebanon, Cambodia, and beyond. While on a live-aboard diving trip in Indonesia photographing fish and coral, Atiyeh snapped photos of these local children. "The kids are always the curious ones," she says. "They were playful and I found them much more interesting to photograph than the fish. I think they thought I was interesting, too."

Was Michael Jackson the World's Biggest Environmentalist?

Michael Jackson was famous for his socially-conscious music, but "Earth Song," his big, bold environmental call-to-arms, is often overlooked. Still, by sheer dint of his reach, the song might have made Jackson (who bears no relation to U.S. EPA chief Lisa Jackson) a kind of super-sized Al Gore, a decade before An Inconvenient Truth.

"Earth Song" is indisputably the most popular green-themed tune ever. It remains Jackson's best-selling song in the U.K. (yes, bigger than "Thriller" or "Billie Jean"), and beat out the Beatles' first single in 25 years for the top spot on the British charts. But the song, and its lavish globe-trotting video, barely registered in the U.S.

Record executives at Epic apparently didn't think it had much life in the U.S. Perhaps the themes of ecological destruction weren't suited to pop radio in the U.S. market, or the song's musical approach -- gospel, blues and opera -- was considered too offbeat for American audiences.

Whatever the reason, the song was never released as a single in Jackson's home country. And the dramatic music video -- shot in four different places and depicting man-made ecological devastation and renewal -- was only rarely played on American MTV.

Update: Jackson performed "Earth Song" at the 1996 World Music Awards in France, backed up by a choir of young children and cheered on by a crowd of crying fans.

The Whole Earth Catalog -- Except Global Warming

With its themes of drought, over-fishing, deforestation, pollution and war, the song and video speaks as loudly today as it did in 1996. And its image of smog being sucked back into a smokestack foreshadows the ambitious hopes of clean coal proponents.

Notably absent however was what has become the most talked-about environmental issue: climate change.

At the time, climate change was still a relative seedling of an ecological crisis to many (and the science of greenhouse gases doesn't lend itself easily to the pop form). Still, heard by millions, "Earth Song" was pop music's biggest environmental song, and probably the first ecological eye-opener for millions of young fans. The message was clear: we are the world indeed, and we need to take care of it accordingly.

In the epic music video, scenes of environmental destruction and war are cut with Jackson wandering across a landscape of drought and fire, before he does his yell-through-the-wind thing, undoing all of our ecological damage like magic.

It was named by MTV one of the top 40 most expensive music videos, and was also likely one of the most carbon-heavy, too: locations included the Amazon rainforest, Croatia, Tanzania, and Warwick, New York, where a safe forest fire was simulated in a corn field.

Since it was filmed, more than 38,600 square miles have been cleared for pasture in the Amazon, where deforested land now equals the size of Iceland.

Here's what Jackson said of the song:

I remember writing Earth Song when I was in Austria, in a hotel. And I was feeling so much pain and so much suffering of the plight of the Planet Earth. And for me, this is Earth's Song, because I think nature is trying so hard to compensate for man's mismanagement of the Earth. And with the ecological unbalance going on, and a lot of the problems in the environment, I think earth feels the pain, and she has wounds, and it's about some of the joys of the planet as well. But this is my chance to pretty much let people hear the voice of the planet.

R.I.P. Michael. Long Live Climate Action?
A day after the King of Pop's death, the U.S. House is readying to pass historic but weakened legislation on climate change. But it's hard not to wonder whether the Waxman-Markey bill mark the birth of a new global "We Are the World" moment to be advanced at talks in Copenhagen, or leave us stuck in the political mud.

Rather, will it be a step forward, or just more moonwalk?

In another of his famous socially-conscious songs, Jackson had some good advice for Washington politicians, and everyone really:

I'm gonna make a change...
I'm starting with the man in the mirror
If you wanna make the world a better place
Take a look at yourself and
Then make that Change!


Just lift yourself
You know you've got to stop it.

News from Greenpeace

Hello bloggers!

As the leaders of the world’s most powerful nations arrived at the G8 Summit today, over 100 Greenpeace activists from around the world have occupied four coal-fired power stations across Italy, demanding the G8 Heads of State take leadership on climate change.
You can follow all the action here.

We need your help to get the story out!

1) Please post about our actions on your blog adding a hyperlink to www.greenpeace.org/G8action

2) Add the twitter feed in your blog using this code (you can adjust the size easily to fit your blog):



3) Tweet using these tags #G8 #climateaction and this short URL http://bit.ly/zjJqL

Thanks!

Good Bye Jacko

I watch and hear Michael Jackson's song for the first time at age 7 years old. My mother played that song from local radio. If i didn't wrong, that song is "Black or White." At that age, I still didn't understand abiut the meaning of song. But I admire jacko's performace. He's only the man who born 50 year with had wonderful gift. 

I can't express my emotion when I heard his dead. But as a Christiant, I pray for Michael, his family, and a lot of fans who inspired by his music. Thank you Jacko and farewell.

KAMPOENG.....will cooling down for temporary

To all viewer and visitor of KAMPOENG, forgive me if KAMPOENG will cooling down for temporary moment. Because I have to do duties from my company, then I must say goodbye with internet connection. Don't worry beacuase next week, KAMPOENG will live again in new posts!

Thank you for your attention.

Green Your House with LED Light Bulbs

If you've gone green, then you probably have those curly-cue compact florescent light bulbs hanging from your fixtures. That's wonderful. But what if I told you that there was a new bulb in town that may one day tell CFLs, "C U L8R?"
The new bulb on the block is the LED bulb, and the advantages of LED bulbs are truly staggering. First off, a 1.3-watt LED bulb uses less electricity than both the 60-watt incandescent and the 9-watt CFL bulb. Secondly, LED bulbs last for a long time. How long? Let's just say that you could get married, have a child and go to his or her college graduation without ever changing bulbs. Some bulbs can last up to 100,000 hours, and they are clean. LED light bulbs don't contain mercury like CFL bulbs.
While compact fluorescent bulbs are currently the most popular option for more energy efficient lighting, LED lighting is already hitting the market. LEDs are even more efficient than CFLs but come at a higher price point, costing as much as $100 a bulb. And while the LEDs will take 5 to 7 years to pay for themselves, the original bulbs are likely to last well past that.
There are only two major drawbacks to the LED bulbs. They aren't that bright. You can find bulbs that produce light that's equivalent to a 50 or 60-watt incandescent bulb, but that's about it. They are also quite expensive. An LED bulb will cost you at least $80 dollars. Seems expensive, but LEDs will save you money in the long run. Imagine two decades of not buying light bulbs.
LEDs aren't mainstream yet, but if they can perform as well as advertised, they'll certainly be the bulb of choice for the future, and the future looks bright.

Again, "Playing For Change"

If you want another clip from playingforchange.com, KAMPOENG have more. This clip came from SXSW Music 2009, an event of musical performance. The Playing for Change Band is: Clarence Bekker, Mohammed Alidu, Tal Ben Ari (Tula), Peter Bunetta, Grandpa Elliott, Mermans Kenkosenki, Jason Tamba Matondo, Reggie McBride, Louis Mhlang. The musicians of world get topgether to change definiton of music at SXSW Music 2009.
Here it come, "Don't Worry, Be Happy"

Addicted With Playing For Change!!

Hello world!!! World, you can proud with this web. Because with this web, music can be one of ways to unite human around the world. And now, KAMPOENG is officially claimed as supporter of playingforchange.com. KAMPOENG will and always  spread the message of playingforchange.com, because we have a similarity goal and mission.

The next message is: "One Love" from Bob Marley and people!

Stand By Me

You must see this video. I have a tears in my eyes after look this video. This video is very inspire for all of us. The idea is diversity under universal goal.

Thank You Kaskus!!!

Yesterday I'm so boring.

Yesterday I want to have fun.

Yesterday I look my gmail.

Yesterday I saw the video which change my mind.

Yesterday I had tears in my eyes after saw the video.

Yesterday I truly become Greenpeace Supporter.

Yesterday I sproud the video at Kaskus( The largest forum at Indonesia).

And today my blog become the 30th at blogtoplist.

Thank you very much for guys at Kaskus. Because of you, KAMPOENG is become the one of my pride. For Greenpeace, I must say thank you too. Keep on your spirit to save Earth!!

Sincerely,

KAMPOENG author

maverick89

Today is Earth Day! Act Now!

This Wednesday - April 22nd, Earth Day - Greenpeace are releasing our long awaited (here at GPI) Inspiring Action video - and the end result was definitely worth the wait. I won't say too much more, and will just let you watch it for yourselves:

This release is part of a recruitment drive to get 3 million more people signed up with Greenpeace as climate activists and taking action in an extremely important year for our climate - at the end of which will be the most important conference this century, the UN Climate Conference in Copenhagen, where deals will be struck that will determine our planet's environmental future.

Greenpeace are going to be promoting this video all day on Earth Day - through Facebook (our page has over 220,000 fans) and Twitter (over 4,400 followers) and elsewhere. KAMPOENG is a blog wich support Greenpeace action. We want to  promote to the world that WORLD IS DYING! We must stop our habit, our lifestyle, and our goal with real act. We, human, are the living creature who ruin the circle of balance at nature.

Change AMERICAN DREAM which force US people to have bad lifestyle. Now we must look above of GLOBAL DREAM, "Green Earth Dream." Dream where earth back to green from sky above, a dream which human won't worry about global warming again, a dream which ecosystem get to the real balance again. KAMPOENG hope that dream will realized or we will get our judgement day soon......beyond your mind.

Earth Day!

Earth Day 2009, April 22, will mark the beginning of the Green Generation Campaign! This two-year initiative will culminate with the 40th anniversary of Earth Day in 2010. With negotiations for a new global climate agreement coming up in December, Earth Day 2009 must be a day of action and civic participation, to defend the Green Generation’s core principles: Family with windmills: Renewable energy for future generations. Founded by the organizers of the first April 22 Earth Day in 1970, Earth Day Network promotes environmental citizenship and year round progressive action worldwide. Earth Day Network is a driving force steering environmental awareness around the world. Through Earth Day Network, activists connect change in local, national, and global policies. Earth Day Network’s international network reaches over 17,000 organizations in 174 countries, while the domestic program engages 5,000 groups and over 25,000 educators coordinating millions of community development and environmental protection activities throughout the year. Earth Day is the only event celebrated simultaneously around the globe by people of all backgrounds, faiths and nationalities. More than a half billion people participate in Earth Day Network campaigns every year.  

For those of you getting out on Earth Day, with a shovel, a garbage bag or just a pair of gloves and your two hands, you are in for a treat. The Green Apple Network has announced free concerts in 10 cities with famous music acts and their "friends." Find one near you, or just find out how you can get involved hugging and planting trees this Earth Day. The Green Apple Festival, in partnership with the Earth Day Network is encouraging people to take time out on Earth Day, April 22, 2009 to volunteer to do something for the planet & their community and get back out into nature. You have to sign up online to participate in the actions and then you will be able to attend the concerts, held in cities across the US April 17-19, 2009. The cities included are: Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, New York City, San Francisco, Seattle, Washington DC.

Here is a look at the lineup:

Atlanta, GA: Galactic, Victoria George, and Friends

Austin, TX: Travis Tritt and Friends

Boston, MA: Soulive and Friends

Chicago, IL: Cracker and Friends

Denver, CO: Ian Neville's Dumpstaphunk and Friends

Los Angeles, CA: Cary Brothers and Friends

New York City, NY: Deep Banana Blackout featuring Fred Wesley and Friends

San Francisco, CA: BassNectar and Friends

Seattle, WA: The Blue Scholars and Friends

Washington, DC: (The Big Final Show on the National Mall) artists to be announced soon for the big show

Green Act: Clothing From Bamboo Charcoal

San Diego based cycling clothing company Zoic just released their spring line, which now includes EcoZoic - an organic and bamboo charcoal blend of clothing that is both functional as well as eco-friendly. But while Zoic wants to get you properly outfitted, they also want to help you hid the road and the trails with the latest biking information for your locale.

Named their Enlightened Line, this spring hosts the unveiling of the first eco-friendly line of clothing for the company.EcoZoic clothing is branch of Zoic that features a mens and womens cycling clothing that uses muted shades of yellow, blues and browns on simple designs like cargo-style bike shorts and jersey tanks. The styles are pretty basic with just a few tops and shorts for both men and women (their conventional clothing line has a far expanded repertoire with hoodies, socks and padded shorts). Note: many of the jerseys and tees still use over 60% polyester in their blends. 

The mens shorts use an organic cotton/hemp blend, but many of the jerseys use a bamboo charcoal and polyester blend (two materials, not three). As this was new to me, I wondered just what is bamboo charcoal? In a post by Warren, he explains the benefits of bamboo charcoal - and lets just say the list goes on and on from filtering toxins, cleaning your fish tank and dissipating electromagnetic waves, not to mention its usefulness in clothes as an anti-fungal and thermal regulator. Added bonus: many of the bamboo charcoal jerseys come with a pocket/holder for your mp3 player.

The Commuter Corner is the Zoic blog designed to get you out of the car and biking here there and everywhere. Currently in its intro-stages, the blog only has a few posts on getting involved in bike to work week and where you can find more biking gear (on their website, of course). Though they do plan to update the site regularly with local, regional and national commuting tips, events and advice. 

Zoic also includes more than just eco-friendly clothing, by offering mens, womens and childrens conventional cycling clothing (not organic or sustaianable materials). Eco-tees retail for around $35USD, jerseys for $45USD and shorts for $60USD. You can find them online at Zoic.com or at biking and outdoor gear companies like REI, Nashbar and Zappos.

More about Bamboo: Bamboo Charcoal

Bamboo Charcoal have FOUR Characters:

• Soothe the nerves 
  Infrared produced by the bamboo charcoal promotes human body blood circulation, active brain cell and snoothe the nerves.
  
• Anion effect 
  The anion in bamboo charcoal is penetrable which could relax nerves, purify air and cure headache, insomnia and arthralgia. 
• Humidity adjustment 
  The relative surface of bamboo charcoal is large with hundreds of gaps, which makes it's able to adjust the humidity of environment.
• Deodorant
  Bamboo charcoal has the function of absorbing the odor of hair, sweat, smell of inhouse and decomposes with detoxification.
  
  

More about Bamboo, Bamboo Fabric

It was a brand new concept years ago when Beijing University discovered a way to produce fabric from bamboo. Owing to its organic and ethical benefits, the bamboo fabric industry has been growing dramatically compared to other clothing fabric industries. So, why is bamboo fabric becoming so popular and generating such a dedicated consumer following in such a short period of time? Find out its benefits now!

• Anti-bacterial
  Bamboo contains an antibacterial agent that kills almost all bacteria. The same goes for bamboo fabric. This helps bamboo fabric to stay odour free. It is fresher and healthier than conventional fabrics. it is perfectly suitable for sensitive skin or for anyone suffering from allergic skin reactions.
• Soft, glossy and smooth
  Bamboo fabric is inherently tenacity, slippery, good lateral and vertical intensity and smooth, just like a second skin. The feeling of wearing it is as luxurious as silk and cashmere, but without expense or the need for hand washing
• Hygroscopic and breathable
  The function moisture absorption, damp release and ventilation of bamboo fibre has proved to be best compared to that of other textile products from authorized test. The cross-section of bamboo fibres are filled with various micro-gaps and micro-holes, it has much better moisture absorption and ventilation. With this unparalleled micro structure, bamboo fibre garment can effectively absorb and evaporate human sweat in a split second, and makes to feel cool in summer and never suffocative in winter. From test figure, apparel made from bamboo fibre is 1-2 degree lower compared with normal clothing in hot summer. This property of bamboo fabric keeps you warm in cold weather, and it can also keep you cool in hot weather because of the same micro structure and its breathable quality. 
• Ultraviolet radiation resistant
  Bamboo fabre can raely be penetrated by 200-400nm ultraviolet radiation which is most harmful for human being, and this is what other textile products cant compete.
• Environment friendly
  As well as being able to provide you with the best quality bamboo fabrics, organically grown and fertilizer free, bamboo also has other environmentally friendly characteristics. Bamboo fibre is 100% biodegradable without harm to the environment. Moreover, Bamaboo grows rapidly and therefore helps to improve soil quality in environments where the soil quality has been degraded or where there is soil erosion.

Green information: Why are bamboo products Eco friendly?

• Bamboo is the fastest growing plant on earth. 
  It is known to produce a greater biomass and 30% more oxygen than a hardwood forest of comparable size, while improving watersheds, preventing erosion, restoring soil, providing sweet edible shoots and removing toxins from contaminated soil. Ecologists promote bamboo as a renewable source used for building materials as well as food. Many promote bamboo planting for erosion prevention, and even to reverse the effects of global warming.
• Bamboo helps reduce carbon dioxide gases 
  Carbon dioxide is a known cause of global warming. Some bamboo sequesters up to 12 tons of carbon dioxide per hectare, which makes it a highly efficient plant, and conducive to fresh air. Bamboo can be selectively harvested annually and regenerates without replanting.
• Bamboo is a natural water control barrier. 
  Because of its wide-spread root system and large canopy, bamboo greatly reduces rain run off, prevents massive soil erosion and keeps twice as much water in a watershed. Bamboo helps reduce water pollution due to its high nitrogen consumption, making it a solution for excess nutrient uptake of wastewater from manufacturing, livestock farming and sewage treatment.
• Bamboo can restore degraded lands. 
  It is a pioneering plant and can be grown in soil damaged by overgrazing and poor agriculture. Proper harvesting does not kill the bamboo plant, so topsoil is held in place. Because of its dense litter on the forest floor it feeds topsoil, restoring healthy agricultural lands for generations to come.
  

World’s First Wind & Solar Powered Antarctic Research Station Officially Opened

In Antarctica on Sunday the world’s first “zero emission research station” was officially opened: The Princess Elisabeth Antarctica. Commissioned in 2004 by the Belgian government, the Princess Elisabeth Antarctica (sounds like a hotel, doesn’t it?) will allow 20 scientists to carry out research on climate change, and, apart from getting down there, not contribute to it while doing that research:

The whole base is powered through renewable energy sources: Eight small-scale wind turbines, as well as solar panels provide all the electricity; solar thermal technology melts snow to provide water. Currently, this is the only polar research station entirely powered through renewable energy, most bases being powered by diesel generators. So the researchers can say goodbye for solar now while they try to save antartica from galobal warming effect.

To operate Princess Elisabeth on renewable energy required a lot of planning and built-in redundancy of systems. The station itself is aiming for zero emissions, will have on-site wind turbines, many solar panels (though with the large amount of solar rays that hit the station, cooling becomes as important as heating) two bioreactors and two filtration units. There is also an emergency diesel generator back-up and outside the station's buildings researchers are reliant on some diesel for snow mobiles and snow movers (they hope to eventually run these with a fuel cell). Special materials were used to build the station, which actually was first assembled and displayed in Belgium, then deconstructed and reassembled at Utsteinen.

A Week To World Health Day

World Health Day is celebrated every year on 7 April, under the sponsorship of the World Health Organization (WHO). So this event less than a week to celebrate and make some act. The only treasure of human is just health of their body. But just don't think yourself health, but think about the condition of health of anybody. You can try to act with some posts in your blog, or maybe spread this events to youyre friends. People must unite under one goal to reach purpose of World Health Day. We won't alone, because WHO always move with us.

In 1948, the World Health Organization held the First World Health Assembly. The Assembly decided to celebrate 7th April of each year, with effect from 1950, as the World Health Day. The World Health Day is celebrated to create “awareness of a specific health theme to highlight a priority area of concern for the World Health Organization (WHO)”. World Health Day 2009 focuses on the safety of health facilities and the readiness of health workers who treat those affected by emergencies. Health centres and staff are critical life-lines for vulnerable people in disasters - treating injuries, preventing illnesses and caring for people's health needs.

They are cornerstones for primary health care in communities – meeting everyday needs, such as safe childbirth services, immunizations and chronic disease care that must continue in emergencies. Often, already fragile health systems are unable to keep functioning through a disaster, with immediate and future public health consequences.

Themes from previous World Health Day event:

• 2008: Protecting health from the adverse effects of climate change
• 2007: International health security
  
• 2006: Working together for health
  
• 2005: Make every mother and child count
• 2004: Road safety
• 2003: Shape the Future of Life: Healthy Environments for Children
  
• 2002: Move for Health
  
• 2001: Mental Health: Stop Exclusion, Dare to Care
  
• 2000: Safe Blood Start with Me
  
• 1999: Active Aging Makes the Difference
  
• 1998: Safe Motherhood
  
• 1997: Emerging Infectious Diseases
  
• 1996: Healthy Cities for Better Life1995: Global Polio Eradication
  
  

World Autism Awareness Day

One in every 150 child is diagnosed with autism and every 20 minutes there is a child diagnosed with autism. At the moment Autism is on the top 3 of the 10 developmental disorders.

On December 18, 2007, the United Nations General Assembly adopted resolution 62/139, tabled by the State of Qatar, which declares April 2 as World Autism Awareness Day (WAAD) in perpetuity. Her Highness Sheikha Mozah Bint Nasser Al-Missned, Consort of His Highness Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, the Emir of the State of Qatar, supported the campaign for a World Autism Awareness Day through the current 62nd UN General Assembly Session, garnering consensus support from all United Nations Member States.

The United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon welcomed the UN World Autism Awareness Day last year. Mr.Ban ki-moon said: 'As we advance the universal human rights of children with disabilities, let us focus on building enabling environments for them to prosper as future members of their communities, citizens of their countries and as fully-fledged members of the global community. Let us pay tribute to the courage of children with autism and their families, as they strive every day to confront the disability with a powerful combination of determination, creativity and hope. Let us empower them and respond to their needs today, so as to make our societies more accessible, enabling and empowering for all our children tomorrow. 

This UN resolution is one of only three official disease-specific United Nations Days and will bring the world's attention to autism, a pervasive disorder that affects tens of millions. The World Autism Awareness Day resolution encourages all Member States to take measures to raise awareness about autism throughout society and to encourage early diagnosis and early intervention. It further expresses deep concern at the prevalence and high rate of autism in children in all regions of the world and the consequent developmental challenges.

World Autism Awareness Day shines a bright light on autism as a growing global health crisis. WAAD activities help to increase and develop world knowledge of the autism epidemic and impart information regarding the importance of early diagnosis and early intervention. Additionally, WAAD celebrates the unique talents and skills of persons with autism and is a day when individuals with autism are warmly welcomed and embraced in community events around the globe.

Earth Waiting Your Act

1 billion people worldwide will turn off their lights for one hour, from 20.00-21.00, for Earth Hour 2009.

On 28 March 2009 the movement is hoping that a total of 1 billion people worldwide will turn off their lights for one hour, from 20.00 to 21.00 (SA time), for Earth Hour 2009, a global event using mass action to campaign against global warming and climate change.

Earth Hour is not about saving electricity. According to the official website,
“it’s much broader than that – it is a symbolic action to show governments that the people of the world want an effective global climate deal at the end of 2009.”

Earth Hour is an annual international event created by the WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature/World Wildlife Fund), held on the last Saturday of March, that asks households and businesses to turn off their non-essential lights and electrical appliances for one hour to raise awareness towards the need to take action on climate change. It was pioneered by WWF Australia and the Sydney Morning Herald in 2007, and achieved worldwide participation in 2008.

With 35 countries around the world participating as official flagship cities and over 400 cities also supporting, Earth Hour 2008 was a major success, celebrated on all seven continents. Iconic landmarks all around the world turned off their non-essential lighting for Earth Hour which included the Empire State Building (New York City), Sears Tower (Chicago), Golden Gate Bridge (San Francisco), Bank of America Plaza (Atlanta), Sydney Opera House (Sydney, Australia), Wat Arun Buddhist Temple (Bangkok, Thailand), the Colosseum (Rome, Italy), Royal Castle (Stockholm, Sweden), London's City Hall (England), Space Needle (Seattle), the CN Tower (Toronto, Canada) and SM Mall of Asia & The Giant Globe (Manila, Philippines).

The result of Earth Hour 2008 for energy saved are:

• According to WWF Thailand, Bangkok decreased electricity usage by 73.34 megawatts, which, over one hour, is equivalent to 41.6 tonnes of carbon dioxide. The Bangkok Post gave different figures of 165 megawatt-hours and 102 tonnes of carbon dioxide. This was noted to be significantly less than a similar campaign initiated by Bangkok's City Hall the previous year in May where 530 megawatt-hours were saved and 143 tonnes of carbon dioxide emission was cut.
• Toronto saved 900 megawatt-hours of electricity. 8.7% was saved if measured against a typical March Saturday night.
• Ireland, as a whole, had a reduction in electricity use of about 1.5% for the evening. In the three-hour period between 18:30 and 21:30, there was a reduction of 50 megawatts, saving 150 megawatt-hours, or approximately 6 tonnes of carbon dioxide.
  
• In Dubai, where external lighting on several major city landmarks was turned off and street lighting in selected areas was dimmed by 50%, the Electricity and Water Authority reported savings of 100 megawatt-hours of electricity. This represented a 2.4% reduction in demand compared to before the hour began.
• The best result was from Christchurch, New Zealand. The city reported a drop of 13% in electricity demand. However, Transpower reported that New Zealand's power consumption during Earth Hour was 335 megawatts, higher than the 328 megawatt average of the previous two Saturdays. (Salute for Town of Christchurch!)
• Melbourne, Australia saved 10.1% of electricity. Sydney, being the city that participated both 2007 and 2008 Earth Hour, cut 8.4% electricity consumption. This is less than last year's 10.2%, however Earth Hour executive director Andy Ridley made the claim that after factoring margin of error, the participation in this city is the same as last year.
• The worst result was from Calgary, Canada. The city's power consumption actually went up 3.6% at the hour's peak electricity demand. In Calgary, however, where weather plays a large role in power consumption, the city experienced weather 12°C colder than the previous Saturday's recorded temperature. (Keep try save your Earth, Calgary's people!)
• Earth Hour has also received free publicity from the Google corporation. From 12:00 a.m. on March 29, 2008 until the end of Earth Hour, the Google homepage in the United States, Colombia, Canada, Denmark, Ireland and the UK was turned to a black background. Their tagline is, "We've turned the lights out. Now it's your turn - Earth Hour."
  

In 2050, Renewable Will Be The Major Energy Supply

US would generate 100% of its electricity from renewable sources within the next 10 years. A more sober projection was made at the Copenhagen Climate Congress by Professor Peter Lund of the Helsinki University of Technology. In his presentation "Global market penetration of new renewable energy technologies: assessing future growth rates and energy impacts", Lund said with the proper financial and political support, by 2050 renewable energy could supply 40% of the world's electricity supply. Of that 15% would be from solar power and 25% from wind power (20% of that from offshore wind farms).

To get there though, "by 2030...renewables need to be the mainstream technologies. About 80% of (new) electricity has to come from new renewables." However, with proper support in the shorter term, renewable energy technology could be marginalized and amount to as little as 15% of the global electricity supply.

For support the plan of future energy plan, Greenpeace is calling for an Energy (R)evolution. Put together in collaboration with the European Renewable Energy Council , the report outlines a way in which carbon emissions will peak by 2015 and decline thereafter, with emissions being 50% below 1990 levels by 2050, thereby keeping global temperature rise below 2°C. These are the steps that would need to be taken:

1. Phase out all subsidies for fossil fuels and nuclear energy
   The phasing out of fossil fuel subsidies is sure to sit well with anyone with even a tinge of green in their thinking. Nuclear energy though has more supporters, but Greenpeace explains their nuclear energy position like this:
   Although nuclear power produces little carbon dioxide, there are multiple threats to people and the environment from its operations. These include the risks and environmental damage from uranium mining, processing and transport, the risk of nuclear weapons proliferation, the unsolved problem of nuclear waste and the potential hazard of serious accident. The solution to our future energy needs lies instead in greater use of renewable energy sources for both heat and power.
2. Internalize the external (social and environmental) costs of energy production through ‘cap and trade’ emissions trading
   Though we may quibble about whether cap and trade or a carbon tax would be the better thing to do—and we’ll side with Jeffrey Sachs in saying that a carbon tax is probably the better route, though the two options aren’t mutually exclusive—this is something that should be applied to far more than simply energy production. The environmental externalities of all economic activity need to be internalized if we are to get any sort of handle on the conjoined problems of energy use increasing, global warming, population growth and natural resource depletion.
   
3. Mandate strict efficiency standards for all energy consuming appliances, buildings and vehicles
   Are the only people not advocating higher fuel efficiency standards car manufacturers themselves?
4. Establish legally binding targets for renewable energy and combined heat and power generation
   How these would be enforced should be carefully considered—if penalties are levied that decrease the ability of a utility to invest in renewable energy, when they’ve already failed to meet targets that might be counterproductive—but this is crucial.
   
5. Reform the electricity markets by guaranteeing priority access to the grid for renewable power generation
   Very important, but also important is ensuring that the transmission capacity exists to move electricity from areas where it is most easily generated to where it is most needed.
6. Provide defined and stable returns for investors, for example by feed-in tariff programs
   We should have a national feed-in tariff program in the United States. Forget piecemeal net metering, feed-in tariff and other programs. It’s been shown on numerous occasions that feed-in tariffs are less expensive to administer and provide greater levels of market stability than do other renewable energy promotion schemes. In Germany its been shown that an effective feed-in tariff program spurs renewable energy deployment, with the costs being minimal on the consumer (in the range of $3 more per month for an average family).
7. Implement better labeling and disclosure mechanisms to provide more environmental product information
   While most of the time we think of product labeling and consumer goods, it could also be applied to energy use. How about your electric bill containing a chart that shows exactly what source was used to generate your electricity and what sort of carbon emissions that created. Something easy to read, graphic. Cigarettes have warning labels, perhaps your electricity bill should as well.
8. Increase research and development budgets for renewable energy and energy efficiency
   In times of economic hardship this may be easier said than done, but it must be done nonetheless. The costs of not doing so are too high. Remember that Nicolas Stern said back in 2006 that failing to act on climate change could cause economic hardship not seen since the Great Depression, with reductions in GDP in the range of 5-20%. You think the current round of financial turmoil is bad? Just wait until unchecked climate change and peak oil come at us.

For detail document about that plan, the files could be download in Energy [R]evoltution. They're already have plan to change the world, and what's your act? Stick your eyes and mind at KAMPOENG for next plan.

World Water Day 2009

International World Water Day is held annually on 22 March as a means of focusing attention on the importance of freshwater and advocating for the sustainable management of freshwater resources.

An international day to celebrate freshwater was recommended at the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED). The United Nations General Assembly responded by designating 22 March 1993 as the first World Water Day.

The UN invited its member nations to devote this day to implementing UN recommendations and promoting concrete activities within their countries. Each year, one of various UN agencies involved in water issues takes the lead in promoting and coordinating international activities for World Day for Water.

With the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs coordinating, World Day for Water 2005 also marked the start of the second 'UN International Decade for Action for Water', also referred to as the Water for Life Decade 2005-2015.

In 2006, World Day for Water was coordinated by UNESCO with the theme: 'Water and Culture'.

In 2007, the theme is 'Coping with Water Scarcity', coordinated by FAO.

In addition to the UN member states, a number of NGOs promoting clean water and sustainable aquatic habitats have used World Day for Water as a time to focus public attention on the critical water issues of our era.

Every three years since 1997, for instance, the World Water Council has drawn thousands to participate in its World Water Forum during the week of World Day for Water. Participating agencies and NGOs have highlighted issues such as a billion people being without access to safe water for drinking and the role of gender in family access to safe water.

In 2009, the theme for World Water Day is "Shared Water - Shared Opportunities". Special focus will be placed on transboundary waters. Nurturing the opportunities for cooperation in transboundary water management can help build mutual respect, understanding and trust among countries and promote peace, security and sustainable economic growth. 

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) leads the activities of the World Water Day 2009 with the support of United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

The Exotic of Fort Rotterdam of Makassar

The main gate opens into the Benteng harbor facing the Strait of Makassar

A second interior door of the gate of the fort

In pre-colonial Dutch East India period, Benteng Ujung Pandang or the Fortress of Ujung Pandang, was a showcase of the great Gowa kingdom of South Sulawesi whose success and prosperity was borne from the famous as seafaring Bugis tribes. It was built by the King of Gowa in 1545 and was just one of about 17 defensive fortresses along the coastline of Makassar. First made of clay, it was later completed in stone in the 1600s.

A becak sits under the shadow of a solid arch inside Fort Rotterdam, Makassar, South Sulawesi, Indonesia

The fort was no match though to the gunships of the Dutch and it fell to the hands of the invaders. While all the other 16 fortresses were destroyed, Benteng UPandang was taken over and reconstructed after the treaty of Bungaya in 1667. Serving as a safe gateway to Maluku (Moluccas), the fabled spice islands, the Benteng was built in the shape of a turtle going down to sea, hence the local term panyua. The five-meter walls of the fort were of natural black stone and were designed to repulse attack.

Preserved remnant of the original Gowa stone walls

A window and door of a building inside the fort

During the 17th and 18th century, the fort was a walled city, with numerous buildings that serve the military, political, economic and even religious functions. There was the governor’s residence, the military officers’ quarters, government offices, the armory, the library, the warehouses, the garrison and at the center, a Protestant church. The fort has five bastions in every corner of the wall.

The Protestant Chapel in the middle of the fort courtyard

Colonial Dutch architecture is basically simple, almost severe. Exterior walls, though thick, are unadorned. Windows, sparsely distributed around the buildings, are few. Most buildings have louvre windows with open slats that can admit air – obviously a concession to the hot climate of the island- but some are also solidly constructed vertical panels fit for a garrison.

The former military officers’s quarters

The colonial-era Dutch buildings inside are remarkably well-preserved. Some are given new life as a public museum and as a center for culture and arts. On occasion, spaces can be used for music and theatre performance rehearsals. From a distance, the buildings inside the fort look quite robust and solid, transporting you to a different place in time. Despite the modern usage and the refurbishments, the fort remains a solid remembrance of an aggressive military past.

The View Of Indonesia in 2009

ENJOY INDONESIA

THE WONDERLAND OF ASIA

It's Time To Visit Indonesia !!![Again]

2009. Once again, another year will be a chance to people of world, to visit Indonesia. I know if anyone of you never go to Indonesia, or I realize that there are people who know Bali better than Indonesia itself. So VISIT INDONESIA 2009, the tourism campaign from Ministry of Tourism and Culture, launched in the end of 2008, to extend VISIT INDONESIA 2008. If you didn't travel in Indonesia in 2008, don't worry -- 2009 will also be the year to visit, with the government planning to extend the "successful" Visit Indonesia program.

Why must extend the program? Because in 2008, total international tourists who came to Indonesia increase 12,73% or 4,07 million people (Januari-August 2008). That's fantastic number, but the program didn't reach target of VISIT INDONESIA 2008, which the number is 7 million tourist. "At first many doubted the program's success, yet we have set a new record in our tourism history," Culture and Tourism Minister Jero Wacik said Wednesday.

If you plan your vacation to go to Malaysia, I ask you, why you don't accros the sea and step your foot at Indonesia's soil. Maybe Malaysia can provide more facilities and the quality maybe better than Indonesia. But Indonesia offer tourist the adventure, the nature, and the culture, which not provided by Malaysia. Go to Indonesia with cheap price, you can feel the same experience at Malaysia. With current exchange of currency, tourist are have more benefit, beacuse 1 US$=Rp 12.000,- is our point of consumption and production. So come to Indonesia, and feel the experience of Emerald of Equator.

The fit place to holiday? Named it at line, from Bali, Lombok, Jogjakarta, Jakarta, Medan, Makassar, Borneo, and many islands. Yes, you can get your holiday at small islands with high facility resort because Indonesia have 17.ooo islands. Relax at the white sand beach of Bali, safari at virgin jungle of Borneo, taste the extraordinary culinary of Jogjakarta, shopping at Jakarta, The Town of Thousands Entertainment, and feel the harmony of religious life at Medan. With 200 million people full of smile, Indonesia wait and greet each of tourist, especially YOU, to come to Indonesia. Because your coming is our happiness!!