hidup itu indah

Road to KPU office closed

2009-07-23T14:50:00.000+07:00

Authorities closed Thursday the main road to the General Elections Commission (KPU) office on Jl. Imam Bonjol amid the vote counting of the July 8 presidential election.

Dozens of police officers were posted at both end of Jl. Imam Bonjol, forcing all guests to walk along the road to reach the KPU office, Kompas.com reported.

The heightened security measure is taken because the vote counting process will finish either today or Friday.

The KPU has said it would announce the result of the presidential election on July 25.

Nara Sumber : thejakartapost.com

R.I.P. Michael Jackson: The Greatest of All Time

2009-06-26T14:21:00.005+07:00

It still has not hit me. It feels so strange. Michael Jackson is dead. He was only 50 years old, a milestone age. He just celebrated the 25^th anniversary of "Thriller," the best-selling album of all time, and re-released it in February.

He was scheduled to start his show run in London in a few weeks

Maybe Michael's career had reached its peak, but I was not convinced that he was done with music. When he turned 50 last August, I did a series of interviews with radio stations. All of the DJs asked me if I thought Michael Jackson could make a comeback. They wanted to know if he could get past the controversies that dominated his news coverage over the last 10-plus years. My answer was a matter-of-fact "yes."

People often underestimate the power of music, and the effect that it has on us. We sometimes forget how a great song with a feel-good message lifts us up, and makes us smile and remember the place we had the most fun dancing to it and with whom.

Michael Jackson is one of the few artists in the history of the art form to be able to take one song, like "Billie Jean," and reach people of all age groups, races, and nationalities

Michael has done this time and time again for decades, as both a solo artist and member of The Jackson 5.

This type of legacy cannot be erased by even the most horrible of charges and allegations. His music and performances are historic and forever engrained in our hearts.

Rick Sanchez, a floor manager at the popular Amoeba Music in Hollywood, says that his staff was "equally shocked" when they heard the news of Jackson's passing. "A lot of people are buying his music which usually happens in these situations," Sanchez says, referring to the breaking news of a musician's death.

Sanchez adds that all of Jackson's music always sells well at his location.

Rosemary Jean-Louis, a Michael Jackson fan and blogger from Atlanta, is nervous, hoping the news reports that Jackson has died are not true. "I don't want to believe it because it's Michael Jackson," Jean-Louis says. "He has been the guy considered invincible who always seems to come back. He is only 50. He was on the verge of such a big comeback with his concerts. No matter what he's gone through or what the crazy circumstances and dark period of his life with that poor trial-that taken aside-he is one of the musical geniuses of our times, truly the King of Pop."

I never learned to do his moonwalk dance move, but like everyone else, I was blown away when I saw him unveil it on Motown's famous 25th anniversary TV special in 1984.

I was too shy of a kid to get one of the red-and-black stripped jackets like the one he wore in the "Thriller" video, but I thought it was cool.

I did, however, have an afro Jheri curl in 1979, when Jackson released his album "Off the Wall," which included jams like "Don't Stop ‘til You Get Enough" and "Workin' Day and Night." I was 10, and whenever the high school girls on my block told me that I was cute and looked like Michael Jackson, I blushed and took it as a huge compliment.

My 6 1/2-year-old twins know and love his music as do the rest of us. This will never change.

I know he had been dealing with a lot these last few years. I hope that at the time of his passing he was in a happy place. Reportedly, he had been rehearsing in Los Angeles for the last two months, preparing for his London dates. His 50-year-old life may have been short, but it was impactful. His accomplishments are tremendous.

Sumber : yahoo.com

Tourism Indonesia

2009-06-18T13:35:00.004+07:00

1 Jakarta
2 Sumatra Utara
3 Riau
4 Sumatra Barat
5 Jawa Barat
6 Jawa Tengah
7 Yogyakarta
8 Jawa Timur
9 Bali
10 Lombok

Tourism jawa timur

2009-06-15T14:01:00.001+07:00

Kota Surabaya
Kota Malang
Kota Batu
Gunung Bromo
Gunung Semeru
Gunung Ijen - Banyuwangi
pantai Sendang Biru - Malang Selatan
Pulau Sempu - Malang Selatan
Pantai Balekambang - Malang Selatan
Pantai Ngliyep - Malang Selatan
Air TTerjun Kakek Bodo - Pandaan, Pasuruan
Telaga Sarangan - Magetan

Bebaskan Ibu Prita Mulyasari!

2009-06-04T12:28:00.001+07:00

Post this as support for the mother Prita Mulyasari:

Indonesian model success to escaped from ''abused'' Malaysian Prince

2009-06-02T10:09:00.004+07:00

Indonesian model success to escaped from ''abused'' Malaysian Prince
Indonesian Model Manohara Odelia Pinot after waiting for more than two months, in the end is a successfully to escaped from her Malaysian Prince husband Tengku Temenggong Muhammad Fakhry, and arrived in Jakarta, Sunday, May 31, 2009.
She has a change to escaped from her husband when Manohara and her husband Tengku Fakhry went to visit his Royal family who has hospitalized in Singapore hospitals. Daisy Fajarina, Manohara mothers who get the info from Manohara on Saturaday, May 30, 2009, that she and her husband had a plan to visit Singapore, immediately rush to fly to Singapore to pick her doughtier two days a go.

When Manohara know that her Mother arrived in her Hotel, She went immediately to see her Mother in the hotel lobby. But, when Manohara enter to the elevator, the Tengku Fakhry bodyguard try to stop and follow the Manohara. In the level of three inside the elevator, the Tengku bodyguard had tried to hold Manohara, but She knock the elevator bell, and a view second later, Hotel body guard, local police, and Indonesian diplomat base in Singapore rush to save Manohara, and bring Manohara out of Hotel to her Mother Hotel. Manohara and her Mother Daisy Fajarina and Manohara older sister went to fly to Indonesia, and arrived in Jakarta, Sunday, May 31, 2009.
''The Royal family and my husband treated me like a toys. He did not love me like a wife. Some times he bite me. When I went out to attend any ceremonial occasion, I must show my face to smile, if he know that I am not smile, he hit me,'' said Manohara. Manohara’s mother, Daisy Fajarina, in many occasion in Jakarta said that her daughter Manohara Odelia Pinot has being abused and other harrashment from her husband Tengku Temenggong Muhammad Fakhry in Malaysia.
Daisy said, the Malaysian royalty had forcefully taken her daughter away in a private jet from Saudi Arabia, where the family had gone to perform the umrah (pilgrimage) three months ago. Fajarina added that She had also tried to come to Malaysia to track down her daughter but alleged that she was denied entry at the “request of the Kelantan palace.
Daisy, who claims to have evidence of her daughter being abused, had also sought the help of the Indonesian Foreign Ministry. “My child has been tortured; her chest has been cut with a razor. This is what people in the palace who were sympathetic with our plight have told me,” Daisy said. Malaysian Prince Muhammad Fakhry (The Tengku Temenggong) married pretty Indonesian girl, Manohara on August 26, 2008.
Before the marriage, on New Year’s Eve of December 2007, Muhammad Fakhry had forcefully raped her. The marriage took place in August 2008. This marriage, in the opinion of The Mighty Pen, was forced upon Muhammad Fakhry, who earlier consented only to an informal marriage called ‘nikah siri’. This is the standard practice of Muslim men wanting to marry more than one wife (or even for first timers), not wanting to attract too much publicity. Or you may want to call it a ‘secret marriage’. This is quite common in Indonesia. Many wealthy Malaysians keep mistresses in Bandung, Surabaya, etc under this secret marriage practice, without the knowledge of their wives in Malaysia.
In 2008, the young Manohara Pinot, mix Indonesian and French, adopted two children - one with special needs - to be taken care of at her house. She calls Cannes her home and Jakarta her ‘new’ home but ended up in Kelantan as the wife of a prince who is said to be keeping her locked in the palace.
One story goes that she was involved with the Kelantan Prince at the age of 15 and was promised to be married to the prince who kept his promise last year when Manohara reached the age of 16.5. It is also said that she wanted to be involved with the son of the Bakri family but had found out that the boy in question was involved with an Indonesian actress. This made her return to Kelantan where she got married and is said to have been living a sad life. It is also said that she was introduced to the prince during a party where Najib Tun Razak was present. In December 2006, Daisy and Manohara were invited to attend a dinner with the then Deputy Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak and this was where the model had met her husband. The invitation was made through a close friend.
Nara Sumber : http://www.allvoices.com

Manohara is Back

2009-06-01T17:46:00.005+07:00

The Indonesian government is ready to facilitate if Manohara Odelia Pinot, an Indonesian who became daughter-in-law of the Klantan Sultan and managed to escape to Indonesia, decides to use the legal channels to solve her case.

“If Manohara takes her case to the court, we will assist her,” Foreign Ministry Spokesman Tengku Faizasyah said here on Sunday.

He said that if Manohara`s case was taken to court it would of course have to be registered with the Malaysian court, and therefore the foreign ministry would provide diplomatic channel facility to assist her.

The foreign ministry spokesman said the Manohara`s case was a family affair. If she wanted to file a lawsuit against domestic violence she should have evidence.

He said that Manohara had not yet contacted the foreign ministry. “I heard Manohara will come to the foreign ministry but I have not received any confirmation about it,” he said.

Manohara, who married the Klantan Sultan`s son, has in recent days been widely reported in the Indonesian media that she was being `locked up` by her husband and was not allowed to meet her mother in Indonesia.

Manohara said her escape to Indonesia was thanks to the assistance of the United States Embassy and the Indonesian Embassy in Singapore as well as the Singapore police so that she was able to sneak out from the Royal Hotel, where the Sultan`s family was staying during a visit to Singapore.

“Their guards tried to find and catch me but they were afraid of having their actions recorded by the escalator`s camera that would leave their tracks so they let me go,” she said when asked how she managed to avoid the Klantan Sultan guards.

At that time she said several doctors from the Sultan palace still tried but failed to inject her with tranquilizers.

The daughter-in-law of Klantan Sultan, Manohara Odelia Pinot, who has managed to escape and return to Indonesia, promised on Sunday to help other `Manoharas` who got `locked up` in neighboring Malaysia.
“Mano wants to assist other `Manos` in Malaysia,” Manohara told reporters here on Sunday. Manohara who married the Klantan Sultan`s son, has in recent days been widely reported in the Indonesian media that she was being `locked up` by her husband prince and was not allowed to meet her mother in Indonesia.

She said that she was very disappointed with the Indonesian ambassador to Malaysia who, she said, did not offer his full assistance. “They basically did not perform their duties,” she said.

Previously, Manohara said her escape to Indonesia was thanks to the assistance of the United States Embassy and the Indonesian Embassy in Singapore as well as the Singapore police so that she was able to escape from Singapore`s Royal Hotel, where the Sultan`s family was staying during a visit to Singapore.

“Their guards tried to catch me but they were afraid of having their action recorded by the escalator`s camera that would leave their tracks, so they let me go,” she said when asked how she could escape from the supervision of the the Klantan Sultan guards.

At that time she said several doctors from the Sultan palace still tried but failed to inject her with tranquilizers.

Asked about what she was going to do following her escape from the Sultan supervision, she said that she would first discuss the matter with her lawyers. “We will discuss first what steps we are going to take,” she said.

Manohara, who said she was still willing to return to her previous modeling profession, said she hoped that her husband would no not do the same thing to other women.

In the meantime, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Tengku Faizasyah said the Indonesian government was ready to facilitate through diplomatic channels if Manohara officially made such request.

“If Manohara takes this case to a court of law, we are ready to provide assistance,” he said.

Wisata Alam Surabaya ( Kebun Binatan Surabaya )

2009-05-19T21:51:00.000+07:00

Tattoo khusus gilr's 6

2009-05-16T10:28:00.004+07:00

Tattoo khusus gilr's 5

2009-05-01T16:21:00.005+07:00

Tattoo khusus gilr's 4

2009-04-30T14:48:00.005+07:00

Tattoo khusus gilr's 3

2009-04-30T14:35:00.003+07:00

Tattoo khusus gilr's 2

2009-04-30T14:23:00.004+07:00

Tattoo khusus gilr's 1

2009-04-30T14:16:00.007+07:00

layout fs RONALDO 1

2009-04-20T14:58:00.003+07:00

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2009-04-20T14:51:00.002+07:00

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layout fs M.U

2009-04-20T13:49:00.002+07:00

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layout fs sakura

2009-04-16T11:55:00.002+07:00

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Friendster-Layouts luna maya

2009-04-16T11:38:00.004+07:00

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Friendster-Layouts vj marissa

2009-04-16T11:33:00.002+07:00

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My Flickr widget

2009-04-07T00:04:00.006+07:00

Roy Tanck's Flickr Widget requires Flash Player 9 or better.

Talk about picking a poor name for this project. I first considered giving it a catchy name, but decided to simply call it ‘Flickr widget’ becaused that best describes what it does. But then I found that Flickr itself has a Flash widget too. And now I’ve made it support Picasa feeds too, so the name doesn’t make any sense anymore.

The upside is of course that Picasa users can now use the widget to show off their favorite albums on their websites. It accepts the feeds from your ‘My Photos’ page and album pages. If you, like me, have only a couple of albums under ‘My Photos’, the feed from that page will only show the album covers, so it makes more sense to use an album feed (on the left is a trip to the zoo with my daughter in 2007). Like with Flickr, the total number of thumbs shown is limited to 20.
Fortunately, Google uses a very similar feed format to Flickr, so I was able to put support for both into one Flash movie. Please feel free to try it, and let me know if you run into anything.

Get the widget here

NARA SUMBER : http://www.roytanck.com/

Thai 'spider-man' rescues autistic boy

2009-03-29T13:18:00.001+07:00

BANGKOK (AFP) – A Thai fireman turned superhero when he dressed up as comic-book character Spider-Man to coax a frightened eight-year-old from a balcony, police said Tuesday.
Teachers at a special needs school in Bangkok alerted authorities on Monday when an autistic pupil, scared of attending his first day at school, sat out on the third-floor ledge and refused to come inside, a police sergeant told AFP.
Despite teachers' efforts to beckon the boy inside, he refused to budge until his mother mentioned her son's love of superheroes, prompting fireman Sonchai Yoosabai to take a novel approach to the problem.

The rescuer dashed back to his fire station and made a quick change into a Spider-Man costume before returning to the boy, he said.
"I told him Spider-Man is here to rescue you, no monsters are going to attack you and I told him to walk slowly towards me as running could be dangerous," Somchai told local television.
The young boy immediately stood up and walked into his rescuer's arms, police said.
Somchai said he keeps the Spider-Man costume and an outfit of Japanese television character Ultraman at the station in order to liven up school fire drills.

Edgar Mueller

2009-03-26T11:50:00.002+07:00

A STREET rages into a wild river, a road melts to the earth's core and a pier falls into an icy crevasse – Edgar Müller did it all.
The "master street painter" has transformed some of the world's most ordinary-looking streets into dramatic landscapes using three-dimensional paintings to create the perfect illusion.
Müller, 40, sent chills down the spines of the people of Laoghaire, in Ireland, when he created a giant crevasse on the town's East Pier.
Ice Age, the dramatic frozen chasm took just one day to create as Müller and fellow painters worked from sunrise to sunset during the town's Festival of World Cultures.
"I wanted to play with positives and negatives to encourage people to think twice about everything they see," Müller told the UK's Daily Mail.

"It was a very scary scene, but when people saw it they had great fun playing on it and pretending to fall into the earth."
The artist received similar acclaim at the Prairie Art Festival in Canada when he created Waterfall, a sweeping river scene featuring a wooden raft disappearing into a street in Moose Jaw.
But Edgar Müller's biggest and most impressive project was creating the optical illusion of an apocalyptic volcano in the German town of Geldern.
Müller and his painters worked around cars and shopfronts to produce a Lava – a breath-taking illusion of a road disappearing into the earth's core.
"It gets thrilling when the observer runs into the picture," Müller said.
The artist, who is believed to have been inspired by the British "Pavement Picasso" Julian Beever, once chalked a swimming pool on the street so realistic that shoppers swerved to avoid it.

NARA SUMBER : http://www.news.com.au/

US firm to close branch due to lack of employees

2009-03-18T08:46:00.000+07:00

TAMPA, Florida (AFP) – A Florida-based firm will soon close one of its North Dakota offices for a reason that seems unfathomable during the deepening US recession: it can't find enough employees to hire.

Sykes Enterprises, which specializes in creating and maintaining computer customer care services for corporations, opened a telephone call center in Minot, North Dakota in 1996. Last May, management wanted to increase the number of employees to 450.

Yet an unexpected thing happened: so few people applied for the Minot jobs that the Tampa-headquartered company will have to close the call center on May 10 -- a cutback by Sykes that will result in 200 people losing their jobs.

"We've been working for several months there (in Minot) to find enough applicants for the work, since we have been experiencing significant growth in the US," said Sykes spokeswoman Andrea Burnett.

She also told AFP that Sykes advertised for many months in the local Minot electronic and press media for applicants.

The state of North Dakota has bucked the national trend which has seen the US economy hemorrhage 651,000 jobs in February, pushing the unemployment rate to a 25-year high of 8.1 percent and pointing to an ever-deepening recession.

But the unemployment rate in North Dakota stood at just 5.1 percent, one of the lowest in the nation.

And Minot in particular has been seemingly recession-proof with the city's economy being based on agricultural commodities and oil production, and with it being the home town of a US Air Force base. The micro-economies of all three are productive, leading to Minot's economic healthiness.

Geography, demographics and weather may have kept outsiders from applying for the jobs. The sparsely populated state of just 640,000 residents is in the far northern Great Plains, one of the remotest regions in the contiguous United States.

Parts of North Dakota, including the northwest where Minot, a city of about 40,000, is located, can be as cold as Alaska during winter months.

Dating Advice: Top 10 Relationship Tips

2009-03-16T12:27:00.000+07:00

Beginning a relationship is generally the easy part; it's maintaining the connection that gets a little tricky. That's why a growing number of twosomes (whether or not they've tied the knot) are going into couples therapy as a preemptive strike against the tough times that will inevitably hit... and to learn how to keep the good times flowing. To give you a leg up in your love life, we asked the country's top relationship experts to share the most crucial things they've uncovered over the years -- from big-picture philosophies to little gestures that go a long way. These practices will help keep your union in a happy, healthy place.

1. Act Out of Character. Couples develop a particular dynamic: the way they relate to each other that repeats itself over and over. If you break that pattern and act against type -- in a positive way -- you inject new life into the relationship. For example, if you always get angry at your guy when he doesn't follow through on some chore, try addressing him in a nicer, more friendly tone, then thank him when he does a good job. It works every time. -- Toni Coleman, psychotherapist and relationship coach in McLean, Virginia
2. Get in Touch a Lot. No doubt you hug and kiss each other. But simple acts like stroking his arm while you're watching TV and taking his hand when you're walking down the street are also ways to bond. Touching your partner throughout the day triggers your feel-good hormones, which reinforces your affection and makes you feel closer on an instinctive level. -- Psychotherapist Barton Goldsmith, PhD, author of "Emotional Fitness for Couples"
3. Take Turns Talking. To make sure you both get a chance to state what's on your mind during a disagreement -- and get your points across -- alternate playing reflective therapist, where one listens while the other talks. -- Psychologist Diana Kirschner, PhD, author of "Opening Love's Door"
4. Find the Intersection. When making decisions together, try to find common ground. You each should write down exactly what you want. Let's say you're angling for a vacay in San Francisco to see the sights and hit up the cool shops and restaurants, while he wants a tropical getaway where he can veg out by the pool and sip drinks with umbrellas in the glass. Now that your desires are clearly laid out on paper, you can pick a place that will satisfy both your needs. A cool city, a little sun... how about Miami? -- Paul Dobransky, MD, author of "The Secret Psychology of How We Fall in Love"
5. Be More Positive Than Negative. There's a more effective way to air grievances than to file an angry complaint. Sandwich your negative comment between two positives. If you want to complain about how he's always late, for example, try something like "You know, I love that you're so laid-back and easygoing, but it really bothers me when you show up so late. I'm sure you can still be the fun guy I adore and also be on time." -- Los Angeles psychologist Yvonne Thomas, PhD
6. Echo Each Other. When you and your man are having a serious relationship talk, it's easy to get so caught up in how you want to respond that you're not really listening to what's being said. That's why it's important for both of you to repeat each other: so you know you've been heard and you feel understood. -- Yvonne Thomas
7. Take a Time-Out. Neither of you is perfect, and the quirks you both have are here to stay. So rather than let those annoying traits work your last nerve, try to get in touch with the upside of those particular flaws, even if it's not immediately recognizable. Instead of getting annoyed when he starts screaming at the TV, for example, remind yourself how much you love his passion. Or if his shyness with new people bugs you, think about how refreshing it is to be with a chill, genuine guy rather than a blowhard who needs to chat with everyone in the room. -- Denver psychologist Jennifer Oikle, PhD, dating coach for Coupling Connection
8. Have His Back. You might not agree with your guy when he's had a riff with a friend or he thinks his boss is being unfair, but you should always be on his side... and vice versa. Otherwise, you'll both feel like you can't count on each other. That doesn't mean you have to take the "you're so right" route all the time. Just hear him out, and let him know that you'll support him no matter what. -- New York City psychotherapist JoAnn Magdoff, PhD
9. Spend a Little Money on Each Other. You don't have to wait for a special occasion to give small presents to show your love. In fact, gifts are more fun -- and meaningful -- when they're not expected. Try to get into the habit of exchanging sweet tokens of appreciation for no particular reason. Don't go and blow your paycheck though. It's not about being extravagant; it's just a way of showing that you really get -- and think about -- each other. Maybe you buy him a tee of his favorite band that you saw on sale or he gets you a pair of pajamas in your favorite color. -- Barton Goldsmith
10. Be a Good Date. Face it, no one can stay fascinating forever. After being together for a while, the initial excitement fades, and your guy can start to get kind of boring sometimes. Hey, don't think you're off the hook -- if you're feeling a little ho-hum about him, the feeling is likely mutual! To combat the blahs, take turns coming up with an interesting date idea every month. Keep the time and details to yourself, and try to think outside the box -- dinner and a movie is not exactly innovative. An awesome concert or a snowboarding lesson, for example, is a much less predictable treat. -- Jennifer Oikle

Putera Sampoerna:: Market to meet the Future

2009-02-25T22:55:00.000+07:00

Putera Sampoerna, the Indonesian business world by selling all of his family shares in PT HM Sampoerna is worth Rp18, 5 billion, at the time of performing well. Sampoerna third-generation family who later acted as CEO Sampoerna Strategic, this is indeed a visionary businessman who is able to reach the market of the future.

Various steps are often not affordable to another businessman before. He was able to create a sensation (but measurable) in the business world. So worth it Warta Ekonomi ordain son Liem Swie Ling (Aga Sampoerna) as one of the most influential business figures in 2005. Previously, Forbes magazine put it in the ranking of the 13 Southeast Asia? S 40 Richest 2004.

Putera Sampoerna, the Indonesian Schidam birth, the Netherlands, 13 October 1947. He is the third generation of family Sampoerna in Indonesia. Her grandfather is Liem Seeng Tee up a cigarette company Sampoerna. Son is the third company's president director of PT cigarettes. HM Sampoerna it. He replaces his father, Aga Sampoerna.

Then, in 2000, Son mengestafetkan operational leadership of the company (the director of the president) to his son, Michael Sampoerna. He sat as President Commissioner of PT HM Sampoerna Tbk, to share the Sampoerna family (40%) in companies that go public is already sold to Philip Morris International, March 2005, worth Rp18, 5 billion.

Men penggemar number nine, a graduate of Diocesan Boys School, Hong Kong, and Carey Grammar High School, Melbourne, and University of Houston, Texas, USA, before leading the PT HM Sampoerna, first in the company that manages an oil palm plantation belonging to the Malaysia. At the time, he lived in Singapore tercintanya with his wife, Katie, the descendants of Chinese citizens the United States.

He began to join in the operations of PT. HM Sampoerna in 1980. Six years later, precisely in 1986, Son dinobatkan occupied calyx operational leadership PT Sampoerna human rights as a CEO (chief executive officer) menggantikani his father, Aga Sampoerna.

However ruh leadership are still attached to the father. Just after his father died in 1994, the Son truly mengaktualisasikan leadership capacity and business instinct in full. He also recruit professionals in the country and abroad to develop mendampinginya and menggenjot performance.

Truly, this family company is managed with professional support professional managers. The company also go public, sahamnya be superior in the securities exchange Jakarta and Surabaya. Like a ship that sailed the wide ocean of wavy, PT HM Sampoerna mengarunginya successfully with a variety of tricks and creative innovation.

Not only brilliant innovation in the product's core business, namely cigarettes, but also successfully mengespansi business opportunities in other business segments, including in the areas of the supermarket and mengakuisi Alfa Bank was founded Sampoerna late 1980s.

In the cigarette business, HM Sampoerna is a pioneer product in the mild air, ie, low tar cigarettes and nicotine. In the 1990s, Putera Sampoerna is a creative introduce the latest product of cigarettes: A Mild. At the time, the Son launched as A Mild cigarettes and low-nicotine? Taste to the future, in the middle market ramainya Cigarette. And other cigarette companies to follow.

He was a visionary businessman who is able to reach the market of the future. Various steps are often not affordable to another businessman before. He was able to create a sensation (but measurable) in the business world. Step the most sensational throughout history since HM Sampoerna was founded in 1913 is a decision to sell all shares in the family Sampoerna PT HM Sampoerna Tbk (40%) to Philip Morris International, March 2005.

Decision-making is very surprising that the other business. For a while the performance of HM Sampoerna (2004) in very good position to successfully obtain net income of Rp15 trillion production value of 41.2 billion cigarettes. Third position in the company of the cigarette market, which is the 19.4% market share of cigarettes in Indonesia, after the Gudang Garam and Djarum.

Son why the company to remove the families that have been aged more than 90 this year? That's a question that appears in the middle of the business and the public a while.

Later the public to understand the vision of most influential business figures in 2005 Warta Ekonomi magazine version of this ((Warta Ekonomi 28 December 2005). He saw the future cigarette industry in Indonesia will be more difficult to develop. He also wanted to meet the market of the future that can only be diraihnya with step kriatif and revolutionary in the business. The revolutionary change her business from its core business of cigarettes to the agro-industry and infrastructure.

This is revealed from the steps six months after release in the shares of PT HM Sampoerna. Also revealed from the greeting Angky Camaro, people trust the Son? Directions to the infrastructure and agro-industry.

Finally, under the flag of PT Sampoerna Strategic intend he had acquired PT Kiani Kertas, but while he refused to continue the negotiations because the terms of the transaction proposed Bank Mandiri is not considered equivalent. Dikabarkan he will enter the toll road business, if the bureaucracy and social conditions conducive political.

source: tokohindonesia.com

Year 9 children Married!

2009-02-25T21:12:00.000+07:00

Gosh! A daughter aged 9 years with a married friend who was also under age. But marriage is made strange kid because it is estimated that women will not live longer!
Jayla Cooper married to Jose Griggsn a new age of 7 years. Their wedding was held at the Great Wolf Lodge in Grapevine, Texas, USA. Jayla was suffering from leukemia for two years. Doctors estimate, age Jayla two more weekends.
To mark last sunday sunday-Jayla in the world, wed the daughter of the family with the dicintainya friend, Jose. Bocah men was also suffering from leukemia.
The second kid was married on Sunday, 22 February and promised to be "friends forever."

"I feel for him, and this is very important for me," said Jayla dilansir such as Associated Content, Wednesday (25/2/2009).
"I like dancing with my father and he and my grandmother," said the little girl.
By the death of Jayla, her family tried to make the kid happy every time.
"He was new 9 years. What can I do to give what is of interest. I give and give, because I do not know what else can I do," said Lisa Cooper, the mother of Jayla while crying.
Jayla and Jose met for both treated at Children's Medical Hospital in Dallas. Unlike with Jayla, Jose began to improve conditions. However, about Jayla, the doctors do not believe fate seberuntung Jose.

Crazy , sister Create 6 thousand in the body piercing

2009-02-25T20:19:00.000+07:00

It's just madness, there is this Davidson Elain. For the record-breaking Guinness World Records, he was willing menindik entire body with the metal.
Brazil Women's origin was first recognized in 2000 in the Guinness World Record. At that time, he only has 462 tindikan with 192 tindikan in the face.

"I'm not comfortable ditindik but for the record, you must achieve a higher level again. Pecahkan I want to record," said Elain such as Davidson dilansir Daily Telegraph, Wednesday (25/2/2009).

Now, women who work as a practical nurse in 6005 tindikan body. 1500 of which there are in the body.

"Family I do not like tattoos or tindikan. But I pleased. I decided to change myself and be myself is," he said.

Shindy Kalimantan giant snake long 33 Meters

2009-02-21T10:38:00.000+07:00

BARU-BARU this, showing an aerial photo of Malaysia make a scene. A giant snake swimming in Baleh River, Sibu, Serawak, the north entrance region of Kalimantan Malaysia. Hiii ...
A giant snake images seen swimming melenggak-swing in a river surrounded by tropical forest peat moss. Black snake was very big, almost meets the river, located in the midst of a dense swamp forest. Beriak left in the water right. Say, the image is taken from a helicopter, 11 February 2009 ago.

Photo of a debate that is knowledgeable in Malaysia at this time. Kalimantan indeed have a giant hose. However, during this, the big snake that is found a new kind sanca society or python or serpent called Kalimantan field, a dozen meters in length.

However, snakes that are visible in the image and the wide circulation on the internet, including Youtube, far longer than most and the findings during this python. Estimated length of 100 feet or approximately 33 meters.

Picture taken by team members of the floods and then published by the Messenger of Sarawak, a local newspaper, last week. New Straits Times in Kuala Lumpur, also load the image which is then released by The Telegraph, UK.

There are also images that do not believe it and thought that engineering alone. This is because the image is too great serpent is. True or not, the image that people have created around Serawak, particularly Sibu, fear. The river was a transportation intravenously for this community.

Based on legends that live in the local community, the trust of the Anaconda in the area called Nabau. According to belief, Nabau is a snake with a 80 meter long with a dragon head and seven nostril. Villagers who live in the Borneo river Baleh trust these mystical creatures. In addition, people often see the hose in the area was large.

Now, the question, if the photo is genuine, whether the snake that looks like it python or Anaconda? Up to now it has not been found in the Anaconda Kalimantan, except in the movie Anaconda: The Hunt For The Blood Orchid is a demand.

Ular terpanjang record at this time the Anaconda (eunectes) from Amazone. Anaconda is the boa family. The length of the new Anaconda is found 50 feet, but scientists believe that Anaconda is 80 feet long, and even 100 feet from the snake's skin findings by British scientists an expedition in 1992. Anaconda in the family, according to the site environment Mongabay, the largest green Anaconda (Eunectes murinus). Length reaches 43 meters.

Asia is a python snake terpanjang second. Scientists call this Asiatic Reticulated Python (python reticulatus). Python terpanjang found in Kalimantan area 33 feet long, and is a world record sanca terpanjang at this time. Scientists long believed python can reach 50 feet or about 15 meters.

The difference, Anaconda more slender and expert swimmers. While python more fat and only like humidity, not in the water. Anaconda mangsanya bite to death before the swallow, while using the power of python wrap prey to bone-belulangnya destroyed or did not move again, and then go flat.

Early February, scientists find fossil snake seberat a small car. Snakes that can be estimated melumat animals seukuran cattle. Along the 45 foot monster called Titanoboa very large and living with eating crocodiles and giant turtles. Weight reached 1.25 tons. He always seemed around the forests of tropical South America 60 years ago. (yan / various sources)

Considered incarnation

2009-02-21T09:52:00.000+07:00

Jambi, THURSDAY-Sinyulong Freshwater crocodile (Crocodylus PIDUO) as long as two meters in width and the meter is found dead, trapped in fishing nets belonging to farmers in the Lake City Sipin Jambi, buried in a cemetery near Putri Ayu dikeramatkan the local population.
The head of the Center for the Conservation of Natural Resources (BKSDA) province of Jambi, Jambi Wurdjanto didy on Thursday (19 / 2), said the crocodile was buried in a cemetery near Putri Ayu (the daughter of the king, who gave origin Jambi Jambi Kingdom first hundred years ago), because in the tomb of the saint.

"Agriculture is protected Sinyulong was buried in a cemetery near Putri Ayu because people assume that the sacred tomb. Comunitarias must follow a course," he said.

The crocodile, when he called the first time, many people are clumsy, as the body wrap bracelet crocodile, as well as people pull back into the lake.
"When the crocodile was released a number of people have become possessed, it seems that trust is a resident crocodile Putri Ayu incarnation," he said. Jambi community every year or for several days or in the good days and good days always berziarah Putri Ayu menyempatkan time to the grave, as in the legend of serious Kramat, that a society that can provide security, food, mat, etc..
Sinyulong Agriculture indicate that keputihan snout, it is also one of Jambi maskot after the Sumatran tiger (Panthera Sumatrae Tiger). Agriculture is very much living in the rivers and streams Batanghari Sipin lakes in the area east of the mouth pantain Jabung Regency Tanjung Barat and Tanjung Jabung Timur Jambi province.

GUITAR GILR'S

2009-02-19T22:38:00.000+07:00

Previous many-many thanks for your visit.
because relatives have come to the small I, I as host, will give something
to the family and as a thanks to my brothers, because taking the time to have
a visit to the kecilku this, simply do .......?
a woman who is very beautiful, the beauty of its many men who tempted ........?
but no less interesting with the very skilled hands to pluck the guitar rays.
Because it is the music that play in it so very perfect. and that my young brother enjoying ......?
and do not forget to leave a comment because the comment brother brother is very valuable as the knowledge I add, thank you ......?

The Woods family would like you to meet their newest addition

2009-02-19T12:54:00.000+07:00

Ladies and gentlemen, Sam and Charlie Woods, the two luckiest kids on earth. If you look really closely, you can see the Nike swoosh tattoos.

Charlie Axel Woods was born on Feb. 8 to Woods and his wife Elin Nordegren (well, mostly to Elin), and these photos from Golf magazine are the first public appearance of the lil' duffer.

"Both Charlie and Elin are doing great, and we want to thank everyone for their sincere best wishes and kind thoughts," Woods wrote on his website when Charlie was born. Woods, of course, has been out of the game since the U.S. Open in June 2008, but expects to return to competition in the next few weeks ... just in time to dodge the majority of diaper-changing duty.

Indeed, Charlie is a lovely and precious kid. Now, Chuck, tell your daddy to get back to work!

(For the best in daily golf coverage and baby pictures, be sure to bookmark Yahoo! Sports' Devil Ball golf blog and follow us on Twitter. It'll be fun.)

Danica Patrick's back tat a no-go for SI swimsuit issue

2009-02-19T12:35:00.000+07:00

Ah, Danica Patrick stories. What would the world of racing be without you?

The latest pseudocontroversy surrounding Danica comes as several folks with way too much interest in Ms. Patrick's ink noticed something hinky going on with her back tattoo in the latest Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue -- namely, said tat wasn't even there. (For a comparison of the tattos and airbrushed photos, look to the sports blog Gunaxin. Then check out Danica in 2008 and Danica in 2009. Also note that some of her 2008 shots were Photoshopped as well.)

Gracious! As breaches of journalism ethics go, it's not exactly darkening OJ Simpson's skin tone for a magazine cover. Heck, it's not even as bad as Photoshopping a few pounds off Katie Couric.

Still, it's using technology to alter reality, so CNBC's Darren Rovell did a little digging. SI wouldn't comment, but Danica's people were just fine with it, saying "Danica is aware of the edits and is comfortable with the final photos."

As are we, Danica. As are we.

(Hat tip: Sports By Brooks)

For the best daily NASCAR news, opinion, humor and conversation -- but no Tony Stewart swimsuit photos, we promise -- bookmark Yahoo! Sports' From The Marbles NASCAR blog and follow us on Twitter. You'll be glad you did.

World's Shortest Man

2009-02-18T13:16:00.000+07:00

The world's shortest man alive and certified by Guinness World Records, Chinese He Pingping, 20, at 74.1 centimeter-tall (2 feet, 5.17 inch-tall) smiles as he gives a press conference in Tokyo Friday, Feb. 13, 2009. He visited Japan to promote Japanese 2009 edition of the annual book

The world's shortest person, He Pingping, shakes hands with a three-year-old Japanese girl in Tokyo on February 13, 2009. He said on Friday that his small size let him slip through tiny spots and eat as much as he wanted for a pittance.

He Pingping, the world's shortest man, with a giant shoe on February 13, 2009. Wearing a sparkly white suit and sporting a tuft of dyed, slicked-back hair, he said on Friday that there was every reason to think big about being tiny.

The world's shortest man alive and certified by Guinness World Records, Chinese He Pingping, 20, at 74.1 centimeter-tall (2 feet, 5.17 inch-tall) shows up to meet media in Tokyo Friday, Feb. 13, 2009. He visited Japan to promote Japanese 2009 edition of the annual book.

The world's shortest man alive and certified by Guinness World Records, Chinese He Pingping, 20, at 74.1 centimeter-tall (2 feet, 5.17 inch-tall), drags a replica of a 55-centimeter (21.7-inch) shoe worn by the world tallest man, late Robert Wadlow of U.S. in Tokyo, Japan, Friday, Feb. 13, 2009. He visited Japan to promote Japanese 2009 edition of the annual book.

The world's shortest man alive and certified by Guinness World Records, Chinese He Pingping, 20, at 74.1 centimeter-tall (2 feet, 5.17 inch-tall) shows up near a replica model of the world tallest man, late Robert Wadlow of the United States, in Tokyo Friday, Feb. 13, 2009. He visited Japan to promote Japanese 2009 edition of the annual book.

The world's shortest man alive and certified by Guinness World Records, Chinese He Pingping, 20, at 74.1 centimeter-tall (2 feet, 5.17 inch-tall) drags a replica model of a 55-centimeter (21.7-inch) shoe worn by the world tallest man, late Robert Wadlow of the United States, in Tokyo Friday, Feb. 13, 2009.He visited Japan to promote Japanese 2009 edition of the annual book.

The world's shortest man alive and certified by Guinness World Records, Chinese He Pingping, 20, at 74.1 centimeter-tall (2 feet, 5.17 inch-tall) pranks a translator during a press conference in Tokyo Friday, Feb. 13, 2009. He visited Japan to promote Japanese 2009 edition of the annual book.

Confessions of a Hotel Housekeeper

2009-02-18T12:29:00.000+07:00

"Instead of Vacuuming, I Picked Up Some Crumbs"

The best guests sleep in

Three simple letters could inspire the "Hallelujah" chorus: DND, or do not disturb. One sign hanging on a doorknob, and the day's work was shortened by half an hour. Two signs? Pure heaven, but only if they remained there until my eight-hour shift ended—otherwise I'd have to circle back and clean the rooms. My daily list of 15 rooms (out of 325 in the hotel) consisted of DOs (due out) and Os (occupied), which in housekeeping lingo meant the guests were scheduled to check out or were staying another night. An occupied room was less labor-intensive (making the beds rather than changing the sheets saved me 20 minutes), but there was always the possibility the guest would stay in the room while you worked. One man watched me clean his entire room, from scrubbing the toilet to emptying the trash—and told me at the end that I was "building character." Condescension is not nearly as encouraging to a maid as a couple of dollars.

As long as it looked clean

I cut corners everywhere I could. Instead of vacuuming, I found that just picking up the larger crumbs from the carpet would do. Rather than scrub the tub with hot water, sometimes it was just a spray-and-wipe kind of day. After several weeks on the job, I discovered that the staff leader who inspected the rooms couldn't tell the difference between a clean sink and one that was simply dry, so I would often just run a rag over the wet spots. But I never skipped changing the sheets. I wouldn't sink that low, no matter how lazy I was feeling.

A bacterial wonderland

I was disgusted by the many guests I came in contact with through the things they left behind: the hairs on the pillow, the urine on the toilet seat, the half-eaten cookie, the stained sheets. One woman had soiled her sheets so thoroughly that we had to toss them in a biohazard bag—they could never be used again. Rooms where young kids stayed were the worst, with food ground into the carpet and piles of used diapers in the trash. That kind of demoralizing mess could take 45 minutes to clean up. Most maids wore rubber gloves when they worked, but mine were too big, so I discarded them. Unsurprisingly, I got the flu twice.

Not for love — or money

I didn't know maids received tips, so it took me weeks to realize that the coins left in rooms were an intentional gift. My tips were paltry: I almost never received more than $1, and at times guests left religious pamphlets. One day, however, I was shocked to find a crisp $100 bill lying on a table. Although the generous tip put a little spring in my step and compelled me to do a better job that day, it didn't change my work ethic for long. I apologize to you now if you ever stayed in one of my rooms. You deserved better. But if housekeepers were paid more than minimum wage—and the tips were a bit better—I might have cleaned your toilet rather than just flushed it.

Check Out Confessions Of A Vegas Massage Therapist at BudgetTravel.com

Joaquin Phoenix: Actor, Rapper, Or Freakiest Man Alive?

2009-02-18T12:17:00.000+07:00

When Joaquin Phoenix was on David Letterman's Late Show last week, he became the latest celeb to turn a Letterman appearance into a spectacularly awkward freak show, joining a list of greats that includes Madonna, Courtney Love, Paula Abdul, and Paris Hilton. Take a look at these infamous moments and more in the clips below on Burner to see who deserves the title of the all-time strangest.

As for Joaquin, only one thing is certain: The man can grow a good beard. A full, thick face bush that brings to mind Grizzly Adams in the wild, Jim Morrison in Paris, or Matisyahu on his way to temple. That's clear. What's less clear after his appearance on Letterman is what's going on under the beard.

Joaquin has been saying for the last few months that he's quitting acting for music, specifically for a career as a rapper. In January, he celebrated this news by getting on the mic in Las Vegas and promptly falling off the stage. On hand was Casey Affleck, who's been filming Joaquin for the past few months for a documentary.The speculation that it's all a bit of performance art for Affleck's camera was only fueled by Joaquin's appearance on Letterman to promote what may or may not be his final movie, Two Lovers. He seemed out-of-it and generally unable to put a sentence together, causing many people to wonder if this isn't an Andy Kaufman-esque stunt. On the other hand, Two Lovers director James Gray told MTV News that Joaquin has built a bona fide studio at his house, and was working on music the last time Gray visited. So who knows?

No one will be surprised if this all turns out to be a joke. What would be really shocking is if Joaquin Phoenix is working on some sort of Johnny Cash-Wu Tang Clan mashup in his home studio. Walk The Line meets The 36 Chambers? Joaquin, you can do it!

Chinese blogger stabbed after public reading

2009-02-17T14:17:00.000+07:00

A Chinese blogger whose satirical postings have gained a wide following was stabbed in the stomach at a Beijing book store after giving a reading, witnesses and friends said Monday. Xu Lai, who writes under the pseudonym Qian Liexian, was attacked Saturday evening at the Wanda branch of the Beijing Danxiangjie Book Store, a staffer there confirmed Monday. He was meeting readers "and it happened after that," said the clerk, who declined to give her name as is common among Chinese. She gave no other details. Xu, who is also culture editor at the Beijing News paper, was apparently stabbed in the store's bathroom by two men who later fled, according to friends and fellow bloggers who posted the news online. The motive was unclear for the assault, which was the first known physical attack on a prominent blogger. Xu's blog, entitled "Qian Liexian Wants to Speak," offers witty, satirical observations

on society and politics. At times provocative, he has also commented on government corruption and the recent scandal of milk contaminated with an industrial chemical. Last year, he was listed among the "20 Most Influential Figures in China's Cyberspace" by Southern Metropolis Weekly. Xu was in a Beijing hospital Monday recovering after surgery for his wounds, which were not life-threatening, according to postings by friends on the bullogger.com Web site. "According to the doctor, there was only a small hole in his stomach, and no other injuries were found in his other organs," one post said. "The doctor said it seemed that he was in a good condition. So people who care for him should not worry." Police responsible for that area of Beijing did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Xu's blog was one of many hosted on the Chinese blogging Web site bullog.cn, which was shut down in January as part of a government crackdown on the Internet. The successor site, bullogger.com, is hosted overseas. Online writers and commentators in China are often censored and sometimes persecuted by authorities over controversial postings.

Vacancy rates in these spots spell lots of empty neighborhoods.

2009-02-17T09:35:00.000+07:00

Call it a modern-day tale of two cities.

For decades, Las Vegas, ripe with new construction and economic development, burgeoned into a shimmering urban carnival. Detroit, once the fulcrum of American industry, sagged and rusted under its own weight.
Las Vegas edged Detroit for the title of America's most abandoned city. Atlanta came in third, followed by Greensboro, N.C., and Dayton, Ohio. Our rankings, a combination of rental and homeowner vacancy rates for the 75 largest metropolitan statistical areas in the country, are based on fourth-quarter data released Feb. 3 by the Census Bureau. Each was ranked on rental vacancies and housing vacancies; the final ranking is an average of the two.
In Depth: America's Emptiest Cities
These days, it's the worst of times for both.

Cities like Detroit and Dayton are casualties of America's lengthy industrial decline. Others, like Las Vegas and Orlando, are mostly victims of the recent housing bust. Boston and New York are among the lone bright spots, while Honolulu is the nation's best with a vacancy rate of 5.8% for homes and a scant 0.5% for rentals.

Still, empty neighborhoods are becoming an increasingly daunting problem across the country. The national rental vacancy rate now stands at 10.1%, up from 9.6% a year ago; homeowner vacancy has edged up from 2.8% to 2.9%. Richmond, Va.'s rental vacancy rate of 23.7% is the worst in America, while Orlando's 7.4% rate is lousiest on the homeowner side. Detroit and Las Vegas are among the worst offenders by both measures--the Motor City sports vacancy rates of 19.9% for rentals and 4% for homes; Sin City has rates of 16% and 4.7%, respectively.

"It's a mess," says Vegas developer Laurence Hallier. "Right now, things are just frozen. Everybody's scared."

Hallier, 40, knows from experience. His $600 million Panorama Towers complex was a tremendous success at its inception three years ago. The first of his four planned residential skyscrapers sold out in six months; the second, which opened in 2007, sold out in 12 weeks. As the third tower neared completion last fall, Hallier had sold 92% of its units. Then the recession hit, and only half the units ended up closing. Hallier says it will take years to break even, and plans for the fourth tower have been delayed indefinitely.

There are others who've made--and lost--far worse gambles on Vegas property. In 2007, Israeli billionaire Yitzhak Tshuva and partner Nochi Dankner paid $1.25 billion to buy a 34.5-acre site on the Strip, with plans to build an $8 billion mega-casino modeled after New York's Plaza Hotel. By November, the value of the lot had plummeted to $650 million--half what they paid for it. Groundbreaking on the casino has been pushed back to 2010, and today, the land may be worth less than the $625 million Tshuva and Dankner borrowed to buy it.

The Plaza debacle is emblematic of the problems afflicting millions of property owners in Vegas and around the country--and can explain, in large part, the origins of America's housing crisis.

As real estate prices skyrocketed during the boom, consumers took out massive loans to buy homes, assuming values would continue to rise. Instead they took a nosedive, especially in places like Las Vegas, Florida and Phoenix, where the housing boom had created excess inventory and so-called "bad loans" were rampant. Many homeowners suddenly found themselves with properties worth far less than the mortgages they'd taken out. In the worst cases, banks foreclosed, leaving people without homes--and with more debt than they'd had to begin with.

The situation in places like Las Vegas is bad enough, but Detroit's problems run much deeper. Though its vacancy rates are marginally better than Sin City's, Motown has been on the empty side for decades. An industrial boomtown during the first half of the 20th century, Detroit's population swelled from 285,000 in 1900 to 990,000 in 1920, reaching a peak of 1.8 million in 1950.

But starting in the 1960s, Detroit began a precipitous decline. Detroit's population is now 900,000--half what it was in the middle of the century--and many of its neighborhoods languish in varying states of decay. Most scholars blame rapid suburbanization, outsourcing of manufacturing jobs, and federal programs they say exacerbated the situation by creating a culture of joblessness and dependency.

Yet after more than half a century, countless scholars, politicians, community organizers developers and nonprofit workers have been unable to come up with a solution to fix Detroit.

Will Las Vegas eventually suffer the same fate?

"I don't think Vegas is overbuilt," says Hallier. "Despite what everybody says, Vegas still has 2 million people."

Time will tell if this sort of optimism is warranted. Cynics who've witnessed Detroit's decline might liken Hallier's opinions to another Dickens oeuvre: Great Expectations.

In Depth: America's Emptiest Cities

PHOTO 3D

2009-02-15T14:09:00.000+07:00

ANIMAL CUTE

2009-02-14T23:51:00.000+07:00

Royal watchers can track British Queen on website (Reuters)

2009-02-13T12:04:00.000+07:00

LONDON (Reuters) - More than 30 years after she sent her first email, Britain's Queen Elizabeth will unveil a new version of her website on Thursday that allows her subjects to keep track of the royal family using an online map.
The revamped site, http://www.royal.gov.uk , displays the royals' past and future engagements on an interactive Google map.
Other features include direct links to royal video clips on YouTube, job listings and a new section on the royals' animals.
There are currently openings for trainee butlers, whose duties include delivering "tea and coffee trays, breakfast trays and newspapers ... in an efficient and discreet manner."

While the Queen has yet to start a blog, the site will have new audio and video footage, including her first public speech.
Broadcast on October 13, 1940 while she was still Princess Elizabeth, the speech was a message to the children of the Commonwealth, many of them living away from home due to World War Two.
With a discreet royal crest at the top of each page and a clear layout, the site is designed to be more user-friendly. It is the third version of the site, first launched in 1997.
The Queen will inaugurate it at a Buckingham Palace reception with scientist Tim Berners-Lee, who invented the World Wide Web while working at the CERN laboratory in Switzerland.
The Queen sent her first email in 1976 during a visit to an army base.

(Reporting by Peter Griffiths, editing by Paul Casciato)

200 Years Later, Lincoln Still Resonates

2009-02-13T11:49:00.000+07:00

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation …

Across the country today, Abraham Lincoln's Legacy is coming out in words, immortalized in his most famous speech: The Gettysburg Address, CBS News correspondent Jeff Glor reports.

Two hundred years since his birth, Lincoln's well-worn story still fascinates. More than 15,000 books mine the story of our 16th president.

He's an icon - honored this week with a new look on our penny and a stamp, in a performance at the newly restored Ford Theater, in exhibits across the country.

"I'm fascinated by anything that humanizes Lincoln the man," said Jonathan Mann, a Lincoln collector.

Mann organized one of the largest exhibits in the country, at New York's Federal Hall, with some items never before seen to the public - from an inaugural ball dance card to a ticket to a pivotal campaign speech.

"That's the only known ticket to the Cooper Institute," he said, showing off the ticket. "This put Lincoln on the national stage."

But it was the Emancipation Proclamation that put Lincoln on history's stage. It freed slaves, his signature feat.

"It's what he most wanted to be remembered for, what he was most proud of," said Larry Sellers, the Lincoln curator of the Library of Congress. "Not saving the union. Humanity. He really believed in the principal of equality."

Between Lincoln's election in November 1860 and the time he entered office in March, 1861, seven states had already seceded from the union. By its end in 1865, America's deadliest war had taken more than 600,000 lives. Through it all, Lincoln bent, but never broke.

Two hundred years later, his legacy still endures - and so does this nation.

This nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom and that government of the people, by the people, for the people shall not perish from the earth."

Hollywood sheds few tears over Beckhams

2009-02-11T17:07:00.000+07:00

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Maybe it was Posh's hair, her high-fashion style, the meager five goals from David or simply a lack of time.

But after the excitement over the arrival in Los Angeles of British soccer star David Beckham and his wife, Victoria ("Posh Spice"), almost two years ago, the Hollywood celebrity scene is shedding few tears over their expected departure.

"Their impact was hugely anti-climactic for me," said Ted Casablanca, online columnist for celebrity show E! "Hollywood should have kept Posh and Becks as a fantasy, because in reality they didn't pan out."

Beckham, who has a five-year deal worth an estimated $250 million with the Los Angeles Galaxy, joined the Major League Soccer club in June 2007 amid a wave of publicity and enthusiasm about helping raise soccer's profile in America.

But after an injury-plagued first season and a total of five goals during his time with the Galaxy, Beckham, 33, made clear this week he wanted to make a permanent move to Italian club AC Milan, where he is on a two-month loan.

Milan has not yet made an offer but lawyers on both sides are exploring the best way forward.

The news made the inside pages of the Los Angeles Times sports section and barely a mention in celebrity magazines.

Household names in Britain and the rest of Europe, the Beckhams struggled to translate their appeal to star-heavy Los Angeles and a celebrity media obsessed with the antics of Britney Spears and the expanding family of Angelina Jolie .

Victoria Beckham 's passion for high heels and tight black dresses were at odds with LA's laid-back flip flops and sweatpants, and earned her the epithet of worst dressed-celebrity of 2007 by style maven Mr. Blackwell.

Bonnie Fuller, former editor of Us Weekly, said she loved Posh, 34, and her style, but felt the average American did not relate to the former "Spice Girls" singer.

"She didn't have enough hair," Fuller said of Victoria's Beckham's short mane, which she cropped further last year.

"American women are big hair girls. They want celebrities with long, sexy hair which they can aspire to. Posh is also superglam most days, all day, and American women relate much more to Jennifer Aniston or Angelina Jolie 's uniform of jeans, T-shirts and sexy little sweaters."

FRIENDS WITH TOM AND KATIE

Fuller, who now runs Bonnie Fuller Media, said time was also a factor. "In America it takes time for your star to build, especially if you are not on a regular TV show or starring in a hit movie. And professional soccer still doesn't get that much national attention," she said.

Victoria Beckham landed a cameo acting role -- as herself -- in an episode of the TV comedy "Ugly Betty" in 2007, did an advertising campaign for fashion designer Marc Jacobs and both Beckhams made waves stripping down for an Emporio Armani underwear advertising campaign.

They struck up a friendship with Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes , but never appeared on the biggest red carpet of them all -- the Oscars -- and not a whiff of scandal marked their LA adventure.

Casablanca said Victoria Beckham seemed nervous and timid. "It was as if now she'd got to Hollywood, she was afraid people would see she didn't have what it takes once she was up among the big guns," he said.

Hollywood PR veteran Howard Bragman said the Beckhams may have seen the lack of intense scrutiny as a plus. "I'm not sure if they chose to not be that social or if it was because there are so many other celebrities in Los Angeles."

"I think their careers are just fine. I think they both have had enough publicity for 10 lifetimes and I don't think not getting it is something they go home and commiserate about," said Bragman, author of "Where's My 15 Minutes?"

Rihanna delays Malaysia show after alleged attack

2009-02-11T16:38:00.000+07:00

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia - Pop superstar Rihanna has postponed a concert in Malaysia this week, organizers said Tuesday, following reports that she accused her longtime boyfriend Chris Brown of assault.

Rihanna 's Los Angeles-based representatives informed Malaysia's Pineapple Concerts that the Feb. 13 show would have to be rescheduled to an unspecified date "in light of recent events involving Rihanna ," Pineapple Concerts said in a statement to The Associated Press.

Rihanna had been slated to visit Indonesia and Malaysia on her "Good Girl Gone Bad" tour.

Her planned stop in Kuala Lumpur drew publicity after organizers said she would shun skimpy outfits to conform with Muslim-majority Malaysia's strict rules on performers' dress.

The Los Angeles Times, citing law enforcement officials familiar with the case and other sources it did not name, reported that Rihanna told police that Brown had hurt her the night before the Grammy Awards.

A police statement released Sunday said Brown and an unidentified woman began arguing while riding in a car following a pre-Grammy party where they were spotted together Saturday night. The fight escalated when they got out of the car, the report said.

The report indicated the woman was injured, but Brown was booked only on suspicion of making a criminal threat after walking into a police station Sunday night. Authorities said the district attorney could choose to expand the charges.

Beyonce, Gwyneth, Jen Aniston & More At Cancer Benefit Tuesday In LA

2009-02-11T16:07:00.000+07:00

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. -- Tonight in LA for a cancer benefit, honorees Gwyneth Paltrow and Courteney Cox will join Jennifer Aniston , David Arquette , Sheryl Crow , Lisa Kudrow , Laura Dern , Jennifer Meyer and Tobey Maguire , Angie Harmon and Jason Sehorn, Josh Groban , Lisa Rinna and Harry Hamlin , Kirk and Anne Douglas, Jessica Capshaw , along with the Entertainment Industry Foundation's (EIF's) Women's Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) honorary chairs Rita Wilson and Tom Hanks , and Kate Capshaw and Steven Spielberg .
Also attending are EIF's WCRF co-founders Kelly Chapman Meyer, Jamie Tisch , Anne Douglas, Quinn Ezralow, Marion Laurie, and Saks Fifth Avenue Beverly Hills' Vice President & General Manager Larry Bruce.
VIEW THE PHOTOS: Jennifer Aniston: From Red Carpet Darling To Nude Cover Girl!
The event, at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, will feature a performance by Beyonce.
The 14th Annual Saks Fifth Avenue's Unforgettable Evening benefiting the Entertainment Industry Foundation's Women's Cancer Research Fund (EIF's WCRF), raises much needed funds each year for innovative cancer research, and recognizes one remarkable individual for his or her unwavering commitment to the cause.

Oscar winner Gwyneth Paltrow will receive the 2009 Courage Award. She, along with her mother, Blythe Danner , and brother, Jake Paltrow, established the Bruce Paltrow Fund in memory of her father who lived with oral cancer for several years. The Bruce Paltrow Fund, set up through The Oral Cancer Foundation and with support from the EIF, works to prevent oral cancer through public education, early detection and patient support. In 2008, Paltrow served as ambassador for EIF and Saks Fifth Avenue's KEY TO THE CURE Initiative, appearing in a nationwide public service announcement to raise funds and awareness for women's cancers.
Courteney Cox will be presented with the 2009 Nat King Cole Award for her dedication to helping people, especially those near to her, who have battled cancer.
The Women's Cancer Research Fund, a program of the Entertainment Industry Foundation, was established by Chairs Rita Wilson and Tom Hanks , Kate Capshaw and Steven Spielberg , along with Founders Kelly Chapman Meyer, Anne Douglas, Quinn Ezralow, Marion Laurie and Jamie Tisch . The Fund supports innovative research, education, and outreach directed at the development of more effective approaches to the early diagnosis, treatment and prevention of all women's cancers.

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Colonel's secret recipe in new, safer vault at KFC

2009-02-11T01:40:00.000+07:00

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Colonel Sanders' handwritten recipe for fried chicken was back in its Kentucky home Tuesday after five months in hiding while KFC upgraded security around its top corporate secret.
Nothing went afoul when the recipe was returned from an undisclosed location to KFC's headquarters late Monday in a lockbox handcuffed to the wrist of a security consultant.
KFC President Roger Eaton was visibly relieved when the door to a new electronic safe was shut with the single sheet of yellowing paper stashed inside. "Mission accomplished," he said.
"It was very nerve wracking," Eaton said later of the recipe's hiatus from a vault where it has been kept for decades. "I don't want to be the only president who's lost the recipe."
KFC is a subsidiary of Louisville-based Yum Brands Inc., which also owns Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, Long John Silver's and A&W All-American Food.
The recipe lays out a mix of 11 herbs and spices that coat the chain's Original Recipe chicken, including exact amounts for each ingredient. It is written in pencil and signed by Harland Sanders.

The iconic recipe is now protected by an array of high-tech security gadgets, including motion detectors and cameras that allow guards to monitor the vault around the clock.
"It's like an onion of security — many layers," said security expert Bo Dietl, who brought the recipe back to the building.
Thick concrete blocks encapsulate the vault, situated near office cubicles, that is connected to a backup generator to keep the security system operating in times of power outages.
"I can guarantee you, once it's in there, it will be safe," Dietl assured Eaton.
The recipe is such a tightly held secret that not even Eaton knows its full contents. Only two company executives at any time have access to the recipe. KFC won't release their names or titles, and it uses multiple suppliers who produce and blend the ingredients but know only a part of the entire contents.
"We've very comfortable with the security," Eaton said. "I don't think anyone can break into it."
Just how valuable is the recipe?
Thomas P. Hustad, professor of marketing at Indiana University's Kelley School of Business, said the recipe "goes to the core of the identity of the brand." The recipe, along with the man who created it, conjure images for the chain that help set it apart in the minds of customers, he said.
"I would say that the heritage value is just as high for this secret recipe as the stories around the Coke formula," Hustad said by phone Tuesday. "I guess I'd put the two of those at the top of the pyramid."
Dietl said the security measures he installed replaced an "antiquated" system. For years, the recipe was kept in a filing cabinet equipped with two combination locks in the vault.
"The colonel could have used a pry bar to open that thing up," Dietl said.
Sanders developed the formula in 1940 at his restaurant in southeastern Kentucky and used it to launch the KFC chain in the early 1950s. Sanders died in 1980, but his likeness is still central to KFC's marketing.
KFC had 15,580 locations worldwide at the end of 2008, including 5,253 in the U.S.
The chain is hoping to revive sluggish U.S. sales with the launch of a value menu and an April rollout of a new grilled chicken product aimed at health-conscious consumers.

Blowing your nose? Beware

2009-02-11T01:09:00.000+07:00

Blowing your nose to alleviate stuffiness may be second nature, but some people argue it does no good, reversing the flow of mucus into the sinuses and slowing the drainage.
Counterintuitive, perhaps, but research shows it to be true.
To test the notion, Dr. J. Owen Hendley and other pediatric infectious disease researchers at the University of Virginia conducted CT scans and other measurements as subjects coughed, sneezed and blew their noses. In some cases, the subjects had an opaque dye dripped into their rear nasal cavities.

Coughing and sneezing generated little if any pressure in the nasal cavities. But nose blowing generated enormous pressure — “equivalent to a person’s diastolic blood pressure reading,” Dr. Hendley said — and propelled mucus into the sinuses every time. Dr. Hendley said it was unclear whether this was harmful, but added that during sickness it could shoot viruses or bacteria into the sinuses, and possibly cause further infection.

The proper method is to blow one nostril at a time and to take decongestants, said Dr. Anil Kumar Lalwani, chairman of the department of otolaryngology at the New York University Langone Medical Center. This prevents a buildup of excess pressure.