THE WORLD'S OLDEST CITY UNDER THE SEA

       The geo-archeological sea again make great achievements with success to reveal the existence of an ancient city submerged beneath the sea. City named Pavlopetri in Greece is estimated to exist in the bronze age 5,000-6,000 years ago or 12,000 years earlier than originally estimated. Interestingly, traces of existence of the submerged city of 4-5 meters below the sea are still visible, including the ruins of buildings and objects relics such as pottery, ceramics, etc.

        Experts estimate, this is the city's oldest submarine in the world have been found. "It is estimated that this submerged city is the port city. It is marked from the wreck that was nearby. The discovery of ceramic Neolithic era, is an extraordinary. The city was formerly a trade in goods and services are developed," said Dr Nic Flemming from the National Oceanography Centre, Southampton.

       Pavlopetri located at a depth of 3-4 meters below the water not far from the sandy beach south Laconia. City is very incomplete. Building houses, roads, courtyards, building worship, cemetery, everything is mapped using 3-D digital equipment is the most advanced.

       Pavlopetri was once thought to have originated from the Mycenaean period (about 1680-1180 BC), from the Ancient Greek history is rich in literature and myth. From the Neolithic pottery objects recently discovered shows this place might have been occupied since at least 2800 BC. By studying this important maritime places, researchers hope to better understand the heritage of Greek Bronze Age society.

       Project disclosure of this city conducted by a multidiciplinary team, including Dr Fleming, who chaired by Mr. Elias Spondylis, Ephorate of Underwater Antiques of the Helenic Ministry of Culture in Greece and Dr Jon Henderson, an underwater archaeologist from the Department of Archaeology at the University of Nottingham.

     Underwater ancient city was first discovered in 1967 by Fleming, then at the National Institute of Oceanography. She used to estimate the city was originated in 2000 BC at the bronze age. Fleming then joined the team from Cambridge University at 1968 to conduct research.

       The results published by The British School at Athens in 1969, but after that no follow-up. The study 'stag" for 40 years, since it no longer exist researchers who go there to uncover the mystery of the ancient city. 70-year Fleming joined archaeologist from University of Nottingham and Ephorate of Underwater Antiques of the Hellenic Ministry of Culture, re-start the research on the ancient site.

       "What we find here is something that two or even three thousand years older than most of the submerged city has been learned," Fleming said : "And its unique, we have a complete plan of the town, main streets and all domestic building. We can learn how it is used as a port, where ships come and how it is managed trade," he explained.

       Dr Jon Henderson, an archeologist from the University of Nottingham, joined the research led by Elias Spondylis of Underwater Archeological Object Ephorate part of the Hellenic Ministry of Culture in Greece. Dr Henderson was the first archeologist in 40 years who received a letter from the Greek government's official permission to work there.

       "This is very exciting. I had read about this site when I was young and hard to believe that I am not just dive in there but also had the oppurtunity to do it. Then we found about 9,000 square meters of new building that recently looked for movements in sand, was incredible," said Dr Henderson. 

USING TWITTER AS AN INVESTING TOOL

       Technology Review, a magazine published by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, is reporting on an analysis of 9.7 million Twitter messages from 2008 that researchers found could be used for rough predictions of stock market movements as long as six days in advance.

       The researchers - Johan Bollen and Huina Mao at Indiana University, and Xiao-Jun Zeng at the University of Manchester in England-analyzed activity in the Twitterverse to determine how "calm" people seemed to be feeling, based on a mood analysis tool called "Google-Profile of Mood States." It turns out that the algorithm also serves a good model for fluctuations in the Dow Jones industrial average, the US stock benchmark, predicting 87.6 of "the daily up and down changes in the closing values" of the Dow.

       There are some big caveats, of course like the fact that the Twitter postings could not be narrowed down by geographic origin. Still, to all the traders out there : Maybe this finding will help persuade your bosses to stop blocking your favorite social networking sites.

POLUSI UDARA GANGGU PERKEMBANGAN JANIN

       Polusi udara dari kendaraan bermotor bisa mengganggu pertumbuhan janin dan mengakibatkan berat badan lahir rendah. Para ibu hamil dianjurkan menghindari polusi itu.

       "Jika ibu hamil menderita penyakit terkait polusi udara, itu mempengaruhi suplai makanan pada bayi," kata dr Rinawati Rohsiswatmo dari Fakultas Kedokteran Universitas Indonesia.

       Dokter Rina menjelaskan, masalah berat badan lahir rendah berdampak buruk pada kesehatan bayi. Salah satunya, bayi beresiko mengalami serangan akut seperti hipertermia dan tidak bisa bernapas normal. Dalam jangka panjang, hal itu bisa menghambat perkembangan otak.

       Hasil studi di Amerika Serikat menyebutkan, tingginya polusi dari asap kendaraan bermotor pada ibu pada awal dan akhir kehamilan bisa menyebabkan janin tidak tumbuh baik sehingga bayi lahir dengan berat badan rendah. 

       

        Studi itu melibatkan 336.000 bayi baru lahir sebagai subyek penelitian di New Jersey tahun 1999-2003. Para peneliti dari University of Medicine and Dentistry di New Jersey itu memakai informasi akta kelahiran dan data rumah sakit. Mereka merekam data para ibu hamil, termasuk etnik, status pernikahan, pendidikan, perokok atau bukan, dan tempat tinggal saat bayi lahir.   

      Para ilmuwan juga mengambil data Badan Perlindungan Lingkungan Amerika Serikat tentang Polusi Udara dari titik pemantauan dengan radius 10 km diseluruh penjuru New Jersey. Data itu untuk memantau polusi udara terhadap para ibu pada trisemester pertama dari kehamilan, dari rumah ke tempat kerja.

       Hasil studi itu menunjukkan dibandingkan dengan ibu yang memiliki bayi berbobot tubuh lahir normal, para ibu yang melahirkan bayi dengan berat badan lahir rendah dan sangat rendah ternyata berusia lebih muda, tingkat pendidikan rendah, etnik Afro-Amerika, perokok, miskin, dan orang tua tunggal.

       

INTEL INVEST BILLIONS IN US

       Intel plans to invest $6 billions to $8 billions to upgrade manufacturing plants in the United States and to build a new one in Oregon, adding as many as 1,000 new high-tech positions and thousands of construction jobs.

       Intel, which is based in Santa Clara, California, has historically used its substantial cash reserves to invest in manufacturing plants through economic downturns, advancing its technology while rivals struggled to stay afloat. It is a strategy that has been largely sucessful. Indeed, the company reported better-than-expected earnings on a sharp increase its revenue.

       A $7 billions investment by Intel about 20 months ago was focused on making chips using 32-nanometer process technology. Paul S. Otellini, Intel's chief executive, vowed at that time to invest in chip factories in the United States rather than send the business abroad.

       In recent months, Mr. Otellini has railed against incentives and other practises that make it far cheaper for companies to build and operate chip plants abroad. He has estimated that it costs $1 billion less to operate a chip factory overseas than in the United States, not because of lower labor costs but because of incentives from foreign governments.

       Intel generates three-fourths of its revenue from overseas business, but three-fourths of its chip-making employees are in the United States.

       Mr Krzanich said in a conference call that Intel had benefited from the large manufacturing base in the United States despite the potential cost savings of manufacturing abroad. He said the plants were a great asset, but also because the employees were highly skilled. 

       The upgraded plants will pave the way for higher-performing and sleeker electronic devices by allowing Intel to produce a new generation of 22-nanometer chips. The new Hillsboro, Oregon, plant-Intel's first new plant since 2007-is scheduled to start  production in 2013.

MELESTARIKAN AIR TANAH DENGAN POHON

       Secara global, perubahan cuaca disebabkan oleh pemanasan global akibat dari meningkatnya gas CO2 yang mengakibatkan efek rumah kaca. Kita sering dipersalahkan karena penebangan hutan, padahal sesungguhnya penyebab gas CO2 tersebut adalah karena emisi CO2 yang dihasilkan industri negara maju.

     Ketika air hujan dari ketinggian 2-3 km jatuh ke bumi, energi tumbukannya sangat besar sehingga mengakibatkan butiran tanah tercerai-berai. Hal ini akan mengakibatkan erosi dan pelumpuran yang akan mengakibatkan sedimentasi. Sedimentasi akan memperkecil kapasitas tampung sungai yang mengakibatkan luapan air sungai dan banjir.

      Lain halnya dengan adanya tutupan hutan. Butiran air hujan akan tertahan oleh pepohonan. Ketika menyentuh tanah, energi kinetisnya sudah sangat melemah sehingga tidak mengakibatkan lepasnya butiran tanah.

        Pohon dengan perakarannya yang besar dapat menembus tanah yang semula padat dan pejal. Rekahan ini akan memungkinkan air hujan dapat meresap masuk ke dalam tanah. Air hujan akan meresap ke dalam tanah dan akan keluar melalui mata air. 

       Akibatnya banjir tidak akan datang, bahkan sebaliknya di musim kemarau, air tetap keluar dari mata air, sehingga sungai tetap berair, tidak mengering.

       Air yang masuk ke dalam tanah akan keluar berupa mata air yang dapat menunjang hidup manusia. Dengan banyaknya pohon atau hutan, ketika air hujan masuk ke dalam tanah tidak menjadi air limpasan permukaan, sehingga tidak mengakibatkan banjir.

      

        

NYAMUK, DARI ITALIA HINGGA MESIR

       Malaria berasal dari bahasa Italia, yang artinya udara buruk atau udara dari rawa-rawa. Penyakit Malaria ditularkan oleh nyamuk yang biasa hidup di rawa-rawa.

     Dr Ronald Ross yang menemukan adanya parasit di dalam perut nyamuk sebagai penyebab Malaria. Untuk membuktikan hal itu, ia merelakan dirinya untuk digigit nyamuk yang mengandung bibit penyakit malaria tersebut sehingga banyak orang percaya.

       Demam  Malaria disebabkan oleh parasit yang bernama Plasmodium, Ada 4 jenis Plasmodium, yaitu: Falciparum, Malariae, Oval dan Vivak. Setiap jenis Plasmodium penyebab demam Malaria ini mempunyai tingkat keganasan yang berbeda-beda. Demam Malaria yang paling serius adalah yang disebabkan oleh Plasmodium Falciparum. Sementara Demam Malaria yang tergolong ringan adalah Malaria yang disebabkan oleh Plasmodium Ovale, yang biasanya diakhiri dengan kesembuhan spontan.

       Ada daerah yang Endemis Malaria (sering dijumpai penyakit Malaria), di daerah ini nyamuk Anoples sudah mengandung bibit penyakit Malaria (Indigenus), daerah yang umumnya berawa-rawa ini ada di Kalimantan dan Papua. Selain itu daerah Endemis Malaria ada di Mungkid, Magelang, Jawa Tengah.

       Demam Berdarah Dengue dalam ilmu kedokteran dinamakan Dengue Hemorragic Fever. Dengue adalah sebutan untuk virus, sedangkan Hemorragic artinya ada darah yang keluar dari pembuluh darah, dan fever artinya adalah demam.

       Disebut demam karena ada peningkatan suhu badan diatas normal. Saat penyakit ini baru muncul (abad ke-18) belum merupakan penyakit yang berbahaya. Baru pada tahun 1954 penyakit ini menjadi penyakit yang berbahaya akibat terjadi mutasi pada virus tersebut.

       Demam Berdarah Dengue disebabkan oleh virus Dengue. Virus ini juga memiliki 4 macam tipe yang diberi nomor Den-1, Den-2, Den-3, Den-4. Virus ini bersifat Self Limiting atau akan mati sendiri, setelah 7 hari. Sifat Lain viris ini tidak menyebabkan kekebalan. Apabila pernah terserang demam berdarah oleh virus Den-1, hanya akan kebal terhadap virus Den-1 tersebut saja, tetapi tidak kebal terhadap tipe virus lainnya.

        Demam Berdarah Dengue ditularkan oleh gigitan Nyamuk Aedes Aegypti. Nyamuk ini disebut nyamuk Mesir karena awalnya hanya dikenal di Mesir. Selain nyamuk Aedes Aegypti, Demam Berdarah Dengue bisa disebabkan oleh Aedes Albopictus dan Aedes Polynesiensis.

       Demam Berdarah Dengue ditandai dengan adanya demam (yang mendadak dan tinggi) yang bila tidak cermat bisa dikira demam biasa. Gejala yang lebih khusus adalah demam diikuti dengan munculnya bercak merah di bawah lapisan kulit dan penurunan jumlah trombosit (zat pembeku darah). Bila tidak segera diatasi, nadi melemah dan tekanan darah tidak terukur.

       Demam Berdarah Dengue  lebih sering berjangkit di kota besar seperti Jakarta daripada di desa-desa. Penyebab utamanya di kota banyak ditemukan genangan air bersih pada wadah-wadah terbuka, seperti bak mandi, tempayan, kaleng dan ban bekas. Nyamuk Aedes Aegypti mencari mangsa di siang hari, tidak suka pada air kotor atau yang langsung bersentuhan dengan tanah. Nyamuk ini juga suka pada tempat yang teduh seperti di pepohonan tanaman hias yang rimbun.

       

POLUSI UDARA GANGGU TUMBUH KEMBANG JANIN

       Polusi udara dari kendaraan bermotor bisa mengganggu pertumbuhan dan perkembangan janin dan mengakibatkan berat badan lahir rendah . Para ibu hamil dianjurkan menghindari polusi udara.

       "Jika ibu hamil menderita penyakit akibat polusi udara, akan mempengaruhi suplai makanan pada bayi," kata dr Rinawati Rohsiswatmo dari Divisi Neonatal-RS Cipto Mangunkusumo.

       Rina menjelaskan, masalah berat badan lahir rendah berdampak buruk pada kesehatan bayi. Salah satunya, bayi beresiko mengalami serangan akut seperti hipertemia dan tidak bisa bernapas normal. Dalam jangka panjang, hal itu bisa menghambat perkembangan otak.

       Hasil studi di Amerika Serikat, tingginya polusi dari asap kendaraan bermotor pada ibu di awal dan akhir kehamilan bisa menyebabkan janin tidak tumbuh baik sehingga bayi lahir dengan berat sangat rendah.

       Studi itu melibatkan 336.000 bayi baru lahir sebagai subyek penelitian di New Jersey tahun 1999-2003. Para peneliti dari Universiti of Medicine and Dentistry di New Jersey itu memakai informasi akta kelahiran dan data rumah sakit. Mereka merekam data para ibu hamil, termasuk etnik, status pernikahan, pendidikan, perokok atau bukan, dan tempat tinggal bayi saat lahir.

       Para ilmuwan juga mengambil data Badan Perlindungan Lingkungan Amerika Serikat tentang polusi udara dari titik pemantauan dengan radius 10 km di seluruh penjuru New Jersey. Data itu untuk memantau polusi udara terhadap para ibu pada trisemester pertama kehamilan dari rumah ke tempat kerja.

       Hasi studi itu menunjukan, dibandingkan dengan ibu yang memiliki bayi berbobot tubuh lahir normal, para ibu yang melahirkan bayi dengan berat badan lahir rendah dan sangat rendah ternyata berusia lebih muda, tingkat pendidikan rendah, etnik Afro-Amerika, perokok, miskin, dan orang tua tunggal.

       Ada dua jenis polusi kendaraan bermotor yang berdampak pada pertumbuhan janin, yaitu partikel hitam dan nitrogen dioksida. Dua jenis polusi itu bisa masuk paru-paru dan menganggu fungsi organ tersebut.

15 TALLEST SKYSCRAPERS

1. BURJ KHALIFA

 

In the United Arab Emirates, its currently the tallest building in the world






2. TAIPEI 101

In Taipei, Taiwan, was the tallest buildings in the world until it was overtaken by
Burj Khalifa.





3. THE SANGHAI WORLD FINANCIAL CENTER
       Is the tallest building in the People's Republic of China and has the tallest observation deck in the world.

4. THE INTERNATIONAL COMMERCE CENTRE OF HONGKONG
      Is currently the 4th tallest  buildings in the world. The top 15 floors are occupied by Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, this hotel will be world's tallest 6-star grand hotel, replacing Park Hyatt Shanghai Hotel located in Shanghai World Financial Center.

5. THE PETRONAS TWIN TOWERS

 
 In Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, were the world's tallest's buildings from 1998 to 2004.






6. CHICAGO'S WILLIS TOWER
       Has been the tallest building in the United States since 1973.

7.  JIN MAO TOWER
       In Shanghai, China is one of the tallest buildings in the world.

8. EMPIRE STATE BUILDING

In New York, United States, was the tallest building in the world from 1931 to 1972.





9. Q1

 In Gold Coast, Australia, is the world's tallest residential Building.




10. THE US BANK TOWER
       In Los Angeles, United States, is the tallest building in the west of the Mississipi River.

11.  THE NORTHEAST ASIA TRADE TOWER
       Tropped-out in Songdo International City, Incheon Free Economic Zone, is the tallest building in South Korea.

12.  THE YOKOHAMA LAND MARK TOWER
       Is the tallest building in Japan.

13.  THE BANK OF AMERICA PLAZA
       In Atlanta, Georgia, United States, is currently the tallest building in any US capital city at 1023 feet.

14.  THE KINGDOM CENTER
       Is the tallest building in Saudi Arabia.

15.  THE IMPERIAL TOWERS
       In Mumbai, India, completed in 2009 are currently the tallest building in India and South Asia.

INDONESIA PRESS FREEDOM RANKING DROPS

       Indonesia's press freedom ranking slipped this year to 117th from 100th place last year, according to a survey by Paris-based civil society groups Reporters Without Borders.

      The organization, which also functions as a consultant for the United Nations, referenced the killing of two jornalists, and death threath several others received, mainly for their reports on the environment in Indonesia.

       The 178 countries included in the survey were ranked solely based on events between Sep 1, 2009, and Sept 1, 2010. The report took into account press freedom violations only, according to the Reporters Wihout Borders official website www.rsf.org.

       In Indonesi's case the NGO recorded that a cameramen working for SUN TV was killed in August in Tual, the eastern province of Maluku, by a group of villagers when he was attempting to cover a clash between the villagers and residents of neighboring village.

       An investigative journalist whose body was found on July 30, in a river in the eastern province of Papua - where media coverage is highly restricted - was reported to have commited suicide according to NGO.

       The journalist had been suffering from depression for months after soldiers threatened him over his report on ilegal logging there.

      In July, Jakarta-based Tempo magazine's headquarters were hit by petrol bombs thrown by unknown assailants.

       The attack was allegedly linked to the magazine's report that several Indonesian police generals had suspiciously large bank accounts.

       Copies of that issue of the magazine were removed from shelves of stores by men wearing police uniforms.

       A reporter working at the local daily of Harian Aceh was physically abused and has received death threats against him and his family alledgedly from soldiers for his reports on illegal logging, according to the report.

     

VATICAN SAYS SIMPSONS CATHOLIC

    

      The Vatican newspaper has declared that Homer Simpson is a part of the pope's flock. L'Osservatore Romano wrote in its weekend edition under the headline : "Homer and Bart are Catholic."  Last December, the newspaper also praised the show on its 20th anniversary for its philosophical learnings and irrevent take on religion.

      The paper quoted an analysis by a Jesuit priest Rev Fransesco Occhetta, discussing Homer's and his son Bart's conversion in 2005 episode after meeting with a sympathetic priest Father Sean, voiced by actor Liam Neeson. "The family recites prayers together before meals and, in its own way belives in heaven."

      "My first reaction is shock and awe, and I guess it makes up for me no going to church for 20 years", producer Al Jean saying. Jean noted that the Simpson family attends the First Church of Springfield which is decidedly Presbylutheran.

      Skeptical realism seems to prevail in the Simpson stories," it wrote. "Young generations of Television watchers are educated to not let themselves be fooled. The moral? None. But one knows that a world without easy illusions is a more human world and, perhaps, more Christian."