64th anniversary of Indonesia Independence

Happy Independence Day

On 17 August 1945 Indonesians proclaimed its Independence from Dutch colonial rule. Today we Indonesians are celebrating the 64 anniversary of its Independence. There are so many way to do ceremony and celebrate the Independence Day.

Below are some of ceremonies that have been held on 64th Anniversary:

First Picture (Left) is about Underwater ceremony: Divers wave a red and white flag in an underwater ceremony to celebrate the country’s 64th Independence Day at Malalayang beach, Manado on Monday. The event is the first of its kind and will be included in the Guinness Book of World Records.

Second Picture (Right) is about Celebrate it in the old way: Dozens of old bicycle lovers took part in a ceremony to commemorate the country’s 64th Independence Day in front of the Lawang Sewu building in Semarang on Monday.

The common way that usually do by the Indonesian people is to held some games such “makan kerupuk”, “balap karung”, and many more.

Pelukan Sebagai Terapi

Riset membuktikan bahwa pelukan dapat menyembuhkan masalah fisik dan emosional yg dihadapi manusia di zaman serba stainless steel dan wireless ini. Bukan hanya itu saja, para ahli mengemukakan bahwa pelukan bisa membuat kita mengatasi stress dan depresi, mempererat hubungan keluarga.

Helen Colton, penulis buku The Joy of Touching juga menemukan bahwa ketika seseorang disentuh, hemoglobin dlm darah meningkat hingga suplai oksigen ke jantung dan otak lebih lancar, badan menjadi lebih sehat dan mempercepat proses penyembuhan. Maka bisa dikatakan bahwa pelukan bisa menyembuhkan penyakit "hati" dan merangsang hasrat hidup seseorang.

JENIS - JENIS PELUKAN

The Full Body Hug
Merupakan pelukan yg paling hangat dan akrab dimana keduanya tidak hanya saling berangkulan erat tapi jg sangat dekat hingga dapat merasakan kehangatan tubuh dan detak jantung masing2. Cocok diterapkan untuk pasangan, orangtua, atau orang yg secara emosional sangat dekat dgn kita. Dengan jarak tubuh yg hampir menyatu ini, kamu dan dia akan merasa lebih lega, aman dan terlindungi.

The Bear Hug
Jenis pelukan yg paling popular, ekstrim dan antusias. Seperti beruang yg sedang berpelukan, sepasang lengan besar (biasanya pria) akan merangkul erat sepasang lainnya, mengangkat tubuhnya dan berputar putar dgn girang. Biasanya dilakukan ketika bertemu dgn seseorang yg kita cintai namun sudah lama tidak saling berjumpa.

The One Arm Hug
Buat kaum adam yg pasang gengsi tinggi atau canggung untuk berpelukan sesama jenis namun ingin menyampaikan bahwa mereka saling mendukung satu sama lain, pelukan dgn satu lengan ini adalah jurus yg paling tepat.

The A - Frame Hug
Satu lagi jurus memeluk bagi mereka yg masih segan adalah merangkul bahu namun dgn jarak kaki yg sangat sopan satu sama lain untuk mengurangi kontak. Dari samping, tubuh kedua orang tsb akan membentuk huruf A.

The Quick Greeting Hug
Pelukan ringan sekedar untuk "say hello" atau "good bye". Biasanya bisa disertai tepuk punggung, cium pipi kiri-kanan, atau air kiss.

The Back Pat Hug
Tidak bs dibilang pelukan sebenarnya, karena jenis yg satu ini lebih seperti tepukan sayang di punggung untuk sohib sekedar untuk menyampaikan, "Hey, Man! Aku tau kamu pasti bisa!" atau "Kamu bisa percaya sama aku, kawan!"

The Lip Lock
Ini dia trik untuk membuat pasangan kamu terpana dan tidak bisa bicara. Pelukan ini hampir sama dengan yg biasa dipraktekkan waktu slow dance, namun lebih dekat dan mesra lagi.

The Soothing Hug
Pelukan yg menenangkan dan menghibur, biasanya diberikan kepada anak2 atau yg sedang berduka. Tidak hanya rangkulan, pelukan jenis ini jg berbonus kata2 membangun serta elusan sayang di kepala dan punggung.

The Group Hug
Berpelukan tidak hanya dilakukan oleh 2 orang saja, tapi juga bisa melibatkan satu tim. Biasanya dengan melingkarkan lengan satu sama lain membentuk lingkaran atau saling tumpang tindih.

Sekarang, setelah mengetahui jenis dan kapan mempraktekkan pelukan2 di atas, berikanlah satu yg terbaik untuk orang yg kita sayangi. Jangan menunggu sampai terlambat. Selama kesempatan masih ada, katakanlah cinta dengan kedua lenganmu.

Going Bananas

Bananas... This is very interesting. After Reading THIS, you'll NEVER look at a banana in the same way again - Bananas. Containing three natural sugars - sucrose, fructose and glucose combined with fiber, a banana gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy. Research has proven that just two bananas provide enough energy for! a strenuous 90-minute workout. No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world's leading athletes. But energy isn't the only way a banana can help us keep fit. It can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions, making it a must to add to our daily diet.

Depression: According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND amongst people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating a banana. This is because bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier.! PMS: Forget the pills - eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood. Anemia: High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of haemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia.

Blood Pressure: This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it the perfect to beat blood pressure. So much so, the US Food and Drug Admi! nistration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit's ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.

Brain Power: 200 students at a Twickenham (Middlesex) school were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break, and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power. Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert.

Constipation: H! igh in fiber, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives.

Hangovers: One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey. The banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system.

Heartburn: Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if you suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.

Morning Sickness: Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness.

Mosquito bites: Before reaching for the insect bit! e cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.

Nerves: Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system.

Overweight and at work? Studies at the Institute of Psychology in Austria found pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort food like chocolate and crisps. Looking at 5! ,000 hospital patients, researchers found the most obese were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs. The report concluded that, to avoid panic-induced food cravings, we need to control our blood sugar levels by snacking on high carbohydrate foods every two hours to keep levels steady.

Ulcers: The banana is used as the dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronicler cases. It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach.

Temperature control: Many other cultures see bananas as a "cooling" fruit that can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers. In Thailand, for example, pregnant women eat bananas to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): Bananas can help SAD sufferers because they contain the natural mood enhancer tryptophan.

Smoking: Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking. The B6, B12 they contain, as well as the potassium and magnesium found in them, help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.

Stress: Potassium is a vital mineral, which helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body's water balance. When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, thereby reducing our potassium levels. These can be rebalance! d with the help of a high-potassium banana snack.

Strokes: According to research in "The New England Journal of Medicine, "eating bananas as part of a regular diet can cut the risk of death by strokes by as much as 40%!

Warts: Those keen on natural alternatives swear that if you want to kill off a wart, take a piece of banana skin and pl! ace it on the wart, with the yellow side out. Carefully hold the skin in place with a plaster or surgical tape!

So, a banana really is a natural remedy for many ills. When you compare it to an apple, it has four times the protein, twice the carbohydrate, three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals. It is also rich in potassium and is one of the best value foods around. So maybe its time to change that well-known phrase so that we say, "A banana a day keeps the doctor away!"

PS: Bananas must be the reason monkeys are so happy all the time!

How to Drive In Indonesia

To operate a motor vehicle in Indonesia, you must understand the transportation gestalt in an entirely different way. Definitions that you thought were above redefinition will immediately be redefined. Please pay attention.

The Road:
Includes not only the paved portion of the highway, but also what others might call the verge, the curb, the sidewalk, the front yard and the roadside restaurant. The paved portion of the roadway is generally one lane wide. Not one lane in each direction, but one lane.

Respect:
All animals are granted the greatest respect in Indonesia. It is presumed that, being highly evolved creatures, chickens and dogs and the like know how to sidestep a Mitsubishi going 78 mph on a fog shrouded road during a national religious holiday.
This same position of honor is granted to small children, men with 30 pounds of hay on their heads, unattended oxcarts and elderly women in mystic trances. Slowing or swerving to avoid these beings would cause them dishonor.

Lanes:
These colorful white and yellow markings wish a hearty Selamat Datang (welcome) to every traveler. They have no other function.

Passing:
The national sport of Indonesia. Observant motorists may encounter the vertical triple (passing three vehicles in one acceleratory movement), the horizontal triple (passing a vehicle that itself is in the process of passing a vehicle), or even the rare double-double (passing a vehicle at precisely the same time that another vehicle, coming in the other direction is also engaged in the act of passing).

Tailgating:
What to do when not passing.

Being Passed:
An insult not to be endured. The greater the differential between your vehicle (say, a Boeing 747), the great the potential loss of prestige. The owner of the less powerful vehicle must always do everything in his/her power to thwart the attempt to overtake.

Seat Belts:
Absolutely unnecessary. Not only are they not worn, they are not even provided. Passengers are fully protected by the horn.

Lights:
Rapidly blinking the headlights can mean many things, including "OK to pass now," "dangerous to pass now," "get out the way," or "may you find the thread of gold in the linen of existence. "It takes years, sometimes entire lifetimes, to learn this subtle and intriguing intuitive nonverbal communication skill. Generally, however, you have about three seconds.

The Horn:
When sounded loudly and frequently, the horn sets up an invisible energy barrier protecting the vehicle and its inhabitants from all harm. The faster the vehicle is going, the better the horn works. This is the central concept of Indonesian motoring.

Accidents:
Rare. Usually the result of a malfunctioning horn.

Adapted from: An article by Jon Carroll, San Francisco Chronicle