The last great journalist at CNN is out

First it was Christiane Amanpour jumping ship to ABC:

Now , via Nicole Belle, comes the news that the last great journalist from CNN, Michael Ware, has been tossed out on his ear, after having bled and torn open his soul doing courageous and brually honest coverage of the Iraq War:

In addition to having taken a break recently in order to work on his book, it is no secret that he has been grappling with PTSD, brought on from the hellish years he worked in Baghdad. I was told that, unfortunately, when he needed more time off in order to deal with things, his request was denied. So he will not be returning.

While it is a huge loss for us (and for CNN) I am extremely relieved that he chose to take care of his own needs first. And while I sincerely hope that he will return to US television someday on another network, it is far more important that he gets the care he needs.

His work for CNN over the past four years has been an astonishing and brutally honest look at the causes and results of war. Not easy subject matter to watch… but he made us care. His urgency and passion burst through our television sets and made us pay attention, made us want to understand.

Personally, I will never forget the first time I heard him, speaking with Anderson Cooper via telephone to discuss Saddam Hussein’s trial as well as an article he had just written about an embed he had been on in Ramadi. It wasn’t even five minutes of airtime, but it was riveting. When it was announced that he would be joining CNN, I was delighted, because it meant we would be getting even more insight from him. And that we did — he worked like a stevedore, appearing on CNN at all hours of the day and night to make sure that we knew what was really going on in Iraq. As a viewer, you could tell that it mattered to him that the American people understood the issues in this far-away war of ours. He didn’t give a damn about the politics; he cared about what the grunts were going through and what the innocent Iraqi citizens (whose blood, he had to keep reminding us, is no less valuable than ours) were suffering.

His work was always insightful and informative, and on the too-rare occasions when he was able to do longer-format programs for them, it was like being in a classroom. He knew the material cold and presented it in a way that made it easy to comprehend. He is far from the average buffed-and-polished pretty boy posing for the camera. He’s real. He’s a guy — sorry; a bloke — you’d want to sit down and have a beer with, to ask how he’s doing and how he copes with all the craziness he reports on. And want to ask more about what he knows, what he’s seen, what he’s witnessed … no matter how unpleasant the answers would be to hear.

And exactly how does a news organization justify (to themselves, even!) not giving their war correspondents whatever they need in order to deal with their wounds, whether they are visible ones or not? If ABC had treated Bob Woodruff so callously, there would have been hell to pay. I don’t doubt they wanted him back in the field ASAP — doubly so after losing Christiane Amanpour — but don’t force him to make a choice between getting better and getting paid. That just sucks. Surely it would be better to have him off the air but still yours once he is ready to come back than to have him off the air and someone else’s upon his return? So not only has CNN made a callous move here, they have made a stupid one, as well.

I remember Michael Ware doing reportage for the late and still lamented Morning Sedition. The thing with Ware was that his style was so intense that you often couldn't tell whether he was doing parody or the real thing -- until he went to CNN and we found out that it was all for real. Ware, like Greg Palast, is what investigative journalism that seeks out truth used to be about. Palast can't get work in the U.S. It remains to be seen if Ware will either. Inconvenient truthtellers are usually not wanted here.

The Week in Review: Pretty Fly for a White Guy edition

850,000.

From the people who brought you Dick Cheney, try to imagine what 850,000 gallons of crude oil looks like. Then try to imagine that many gallons of oil spilling into the Gulf of Mexico each day. That's what's going on next to New Orleans, Louisiana, a disaster that's shaping up to be almost the ecological equivalent of Chernobyl, already surpassing the Exxon Valdez oil tanker spill in sheer scope and magnitude.

6,000,000 gallons of black sludge is already washing up on the shore, meaning that it had to travel 40 miles, crippling if not outright killing the ecosystem in its wake and devastating the local fishing trade. It's as if the poor people of New Orleans, mere months after winning the Super Bowl, can't catch a break. And hurricane season begins in exactly a month.

It hasn't been a kind week for people of color in general. Last week, Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer signed into law a bill that empowers police departments to ask ethnic-looking people for their proof of citizenship. Essentially, it legalizes racial profiling and the rationale behind this is so outrageous the ordinarily passive Obama Justice Department is thinking of investigating whether this new law is constitutional.

This noxious trial balloon having successfully passed over the Arizona desert, 11 other xenophobic states with large minority constituencies are trying to push through similar or identical legislation. The "Papers, Please" law has proven to be so polarizing it's seeped into Major League Baseball like the Gulf coast's toxic oil spill. There have been calls to boycott Arizona, one of our 50 states, regardless of the fallout to innocent people in any boycotted industry that may have been against the bill.

It wasn't a very good week to be a minority of any stripe, as the gay community was outraged to hear that Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Joint Chief Chairman Adm. Mike Mullen recently implored Congress to not repeal Don't Ask, Don't Tell. Gates' and Mullens' almost laughable rationale was that, even after more than a year of political pressure to end this contemptible legacy of the Clinton years, the Powers That Be are still claiming they hadn't asked the men and women in uniform what their thoughts are on the subject.

As a former military man, I can assure you that seriously entertaining the personal thoughts of any enlisted person in uniform has never been until now a top priority of one's superiors, especially with the Pentagon's top dogs. If they did, they'd ask our all volunteer military what their thoughts are about getting dropped into one war zone or another in an unjustly and illegally-invaded country. Suddenly, they're supposedly on a listening tour asking soldiers, marines and sailors what are their personal thoughts on what is supposed to be the most personal part of the human experience: One's sexual identity.

It was, however, a very good week to be a rich, white man, as Mr. Blankfein and Mr. Tourre of Goldman Sachs showed Congress and the country this week. Goldman Sachs has all but been proven to have bilked investors and the people of Main Street by selling them mortgaged-back and other securities handpicked according to their level of toxicity (the more toxic, the more profitable) and all the SEC can do is name one person in a civil suit. Criminal charges against Goldman is little more than a pipe dream.

When one reviews the past week, we saw vivid delineations of the same old story: Old, rich, white people fucking over poor people of color and other minorities and getting away with it, even laughing all the way back to the bank. British Petroleum posted unexpected record 1Q profits 135% higher than this time last year, Goldman Sachs reported profits of almost $3.5 billion in their own first quarter and Robert Gates and Mike Mullens are still firmly ensconced in the Pentagon.

Meanwhile, Latinos nationwide are in danger of becoming the new Jews of our brave, new world, gay people are still getting kicked out of the military and the mostly African American residents of New Orleans are now fearing the fallout of a toxic oil spill that may still not be cleaned up when hurricane season officially begins, a toxic spill that has affected sea, land and air.

Why now?

In Florida, state Senate Democrats are just barely blocking (for now) an abortion restriction advocated by Republicans that would force women to have, pay for, and view, an ultrasound image before having an abortion.

In Oklahoma, it is already law that women are forced to undergo and view such an ultrasound, along with listening to a detailed description of the embryo or fetus. In a completely inconsistent addendum, a doctor is permitted to withhold information about any defects that are revealed in such an ultrasound.

In Virginia, new budgetary measures cut Medicaid funding for abortions, even if the woman's life is in danger.

In Nebraska, a medically unsupported "pain provision" bars all abortions after 20 weeks and requires women seeking abortions before then to undergo a mental health evaluation.

In Kansas, only a gubernatorial veto stands between women's right to self-determination and being reported to the state for having abortions.

Wny now? Foes of women's sovereignty over their own bodies have been working on abortion restrictions for decades. But after standing pat during the Bush years, perhaps thinking that sooner or later George W. Bush would give them the magic prize they've coveted for so long, all of a sudden state after state is passing abortion restrictions that make very clear the misogynistic leanings of these states' legislatures. Forcing women to have invasive vaginal ultrasounds? Forcing them to view images? Mental health evaluations?

But is it just about misogyny? Or does it have something to do with the pee-in-the-pants terror of the teabag movement at the inevitable end of white majority that's coming in this country?

Let's look at the populations of the above-mentioned states and the percentages of abortion by race in them, shall we?

The following 2007-2008 figures are fromStatehealthfacts.org:

FLORIDA: 62% white, 15% black, 20% Hispanic, and 3% other.

OKLAHOMA: 66% white, 8% black, 8% Hispanic, and 16% other.

VIRGINIA: 67% white, 19% black, 7% Hispanic, and 7% other.

NEBRASKA: 84% white, 4% black, 8% Hispanic, and 3% other.

KANSAS: 80% white, 6% black, 9% Hispanic, and 5% other.

All states that are overwhelmingly white.

Now let's look at some states WITHOUT this kind of abortion restrictions, from the Godless Heathen Liberal Northeast, plus California:

NEW YORK: 60% white, 15% black, 17% Hispanic, and 8% other.

NEW JERSEY: 59% white, 13% black, 17% Hispanic, and 10% other.

MASSACHUSETTS: 80% white, 6% black, 7% Hispanic, and 6% other.

CALIFORNIA: 43% white, 6% black, 37% Hispanic, and 14% other.

With the exception of Massachusetts, these states all have larger minority populations -- and no move to restrict abortions.

Now let's look at the racial distribution of abortions in the states cited above that have recently instituted, or are about to institute, restrictions. These figures are from 2006 and are from CDC statistics:

FLORIDA: Not reported

OKLAHOMA: Not reported

VIRGINIA: 57.3% White, 36.5% Black, 5.3% Hispanic

NEBRASKA: Not reported

KANSAS: 77.3% White, 17.2% Black, 4.4% Hispanic

It's clear that the states with overwhelmingly white populations are the states instituting abortion restrictions. And while the percentages of abortions in the two states that reported to the CDC are not proportional to the racial groups' representation, it's clear that in these states, a larger percentage of White women are having abortions than their Black and Hispanic counterparts.

Just for fun, let's take a look at Arizona, where the population is 58% White, 4% Black, 31% Hispanic, and 8% Other. White women in Arizona have 76.8% of the abortions in that state. So where does Arizona law stand on abortion? You guessed it:

Arizona has not repealed its pre-Roe abortion ban, which is unconstitutional and unenforceable.

The ban provides that any person who supplies to a woman any substance or employs other means with the intent to induce an abortion, unless necessary to preserve the woman's life, will be imprisoned for two to five years. A woman who submits to the use of any means with the intent to cause an abortion, unless necessary to preserve her life, will be imprisoned for one to five years. Any person who advertises abortion services is guilty of a misdemeanor. Ariz. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§ 13-3603 (Enacted 1901; Last Renumbered 1977), 13-3604 (Enacted 1901; Last Renumbered 1977), 13-3605 (Enacted 1901; Last Renumbered 1977).

Arizona outlaws a safe second-trimester abortion procedure with no exception to protect a woman's health. H.B. 2400, 49th Leg., 2009 1st Sess. (Ariz. 2009) (Enacted 2009) (to be codified at Ariz. Rev. Stat. §13-3603.01).

The Arizona law makes the provision of certain previability, second-trimester abortion procedures a felony and imposes a criminal penalty of imprisonment for up to two years and/or fines including statutory damages of three times the cost of the abortion unless the procedure is necessary to save the life of the woman whose life is endangered by a physical disorder, physical illness or physical injury, including a life-endangering physical condition caused by or arising from the pregnancy itself. H.B. 2400, 49th Leg., 2009 1st Sess. (Ariz. 2009) (Enacted 2009) (to be codified at Ariz. Rev. Stat. §13-3603.01).

In 1997, a court held that an earlier version of Arizona's ban was unconstitutional because it was void for vagueness, was an "undue burden" on a woman's right to choose, and had no exception to preserve the woman's health. Ariz. Rev. Stat. Ann. §13-3603.01 (Enacted 1997). The court issued a permanent injunction prohibiting its enforcement. Planned Parenthood of S. Ariz., Inc. v. Woods, 982 F. Supp. 1369 (D. Ariz. 1997). In 2009, the Arizona legislature enacted an amended, enforceable version of the ban. H.B. 2400, 49th Leg., 2009 1st Sess. (Ariz. 2009) (Enacted 2009) (to be codified at Ariz. Rev. Stat. §13-3603.01).

And there's more:

Arizona has a partially unconstitutional and unenforceable law requiring that a woman may not obtain an abortion until at least 24 hours after the attending physician or the referring physician tells her, orally and in person: (1) the name of the physician who will provide the abortion; (2) the nature of the proposed procedure; (3) the immediate and long-term medical risks of the procedure; (4) the alternatives to the procedure; (5) the probable gestational age of the fetus; (6) the probable anatomical and physiological characteristics of the fetus; and (7) the medical risks of carrying the pregnancy to term.

In addition, at least 24 hours prior to the abortion, the attending physician, a referring physician, another qualified physician, a physician's assistant, a nurse, a psychologist, or a licensed behavioral health professional must deliver to the woman, orally and in person, a state-mandated lecture that includes: (1) that medical assistance benefits may be available for prenatal care, childbirth, and neonatal care; (2) that the "father" is liable for child support even if he has offered to pay for the abortion; (3) that public and private agencies and services are available to assist the woman during her pregnancy and after the birth of her child if she chooses not to have an abortion; and (4) that she can withhold or withdraw her consent to the abortion at any time without affecting her right to future care or treatment and without the loss of any public benefits. H.B. 2564, 49th Leg., 2009 1st Sess. (Ariz. 2009) (Enacted 2009) (to be codified at Ariz. Rev. Stat. A 36-2153).

It's no accident that Arizona, a state with one of the largest proportions of Hispanic residents but one where White women have over three-quarters of the abortions, has one of the most restrictive abortion laws in the country. It's no accident either that these restrictions on abortions are being implemented in majority-White states at the same time as the conservatives of those states are having apoplexy about immigration.

It's not about Teh Baybeeeeezzzzzz, and it's not about human life. It's about forced childbearing for White women, instituted by men who are terrified of losing their White male sovereignty into this country, by turning women into unthinking, unfeeling, nonhuman vessels for their fears and their loathing.

10 Makanan Khas Jepang Paling Aneh

1. Shirako

Wahh.. dari tampangnya sepintas mirip usus sapi, tapi ternyata ini adalah Shirako, yang merupakan alat kelamin laki-laki ikan dan sebuah kantung yang berisikan sperma. Shirako menjadi hidangan populer di pub-pub yang ada di Jepang (Izakaya) dan sushi bar.

2. Inago no Tsukudani
“Inago no Tsukudani” adalah masakan tradisional Jepang yang populer di masyarakat pedesaan daerah Yamagata, Nagano, dan Gunma. Mungkin kemasannya sedikit berbeda dengan gorengan serangga yang ada di Indonesia. belalang di rebus dengan “tsukudani”, yaitu kecap manis dan ditambah bumbu-bumbu khusus ala Jepang. Mau coba? Hehehe..

3. Basashi
“sakuraniku” adalah sebuah nama untuk daging mentah kuda. “Sakura” yang berarti bunga sakura mekar dipadukan dengan “niku” yang berarti daging. Namun, jika dihidangkan dengan irisan tipis sashimi akan menjadi “basashi”. Makanan ini terkenal di daerah Kumamoto, Nagano dan Oita dan menjadi makanan yang umum juga di wilayah Tohoku.

Selain dagingnya, ada juga makanan penutup berupa es krim yang terbuat dari daging kuda “es krim basashi”. Eww.. rasanya kaya apa yah??

4. Natto
Nahh.. makanan yang satu ini mungkin udah ga asing lagi buat kita. Natto adalah makanan hasil fermentasi kedelai yang berbau cukup menyengat dan sangat lengket seperti jaring laba-laba biasanya disajikan sebagai menu sarapan di Jepang.

5. Fugu
“Fugu” adalah kata dalam bahasa Jepang untuk ikan buntal. The kanji karakter yang digunakan untuk menulis Fugu secara harfiah memiliki arti babi sungai. hahaha.. lucu banget babi aer =P
Daging fugu bisa dimakan, tetapi kulit, hati dan ovariumnya mengandung sejumlah racun mematikan tetrododoxin. Jika salah satu unsur ini dikonsumsi maka racunnya akan melumpuhkan otot-otot, sementara korban tetap sadar sepenuhnya dan akhirnya bisa meninggal karena sesak napas.
Restoran di Jepang bisa menyajikan daging Fugu jika dilakukan oleh koki Fugu yang memenuhi syarat. Jadi, jangan pernah coba-coba untuk makan ikan ini kalo kita ga punya keahlian khusus

6. Hachinoko
Ketika bar lokal di Jepang kehabisan kacang untuk cemilan dan kita memerlukan asupan protein yang cukup untuk kembali beraktifitas, maka larva lebah “Hachinoko” yang renyah ini bisa jadi penggantinya. hehehe..

Larva lebah “hachinoko” juga menjadi makanan populer

Larva lebah ini ternyata menjadi hidangan favorit almarhum Kaisar Hirohito dicampur dengan nasi yang dibumbui kecap dan gula. Waduh.. tampangnya engga banget nih

7. Zazamushi
Makanan lain yang tersedia secara luas di Jepang baik dalam kemasan kalengan atau di restoran, adalah zazamushi (serangga yang hidup di air). Zazamushi sebenarnya bukan serangga, tapi sebuah nama yang diterapkan pada larva serangga yang hidup di dasar sungai. Serangga “Mushi” yang berada di tempat, di mana sungai membuat suara “zaazaa” ketika mengalir. Lucu banget bikin namanya hehehe.. zaaazaaa…zaaazaaaaaaa…. ^^

8. Kujira & Iruca
Bukti nyata bahwa di Jepang, ikan paus “kujira” masih dikonsumsi sebagai makanan dalam hidangan berupa sashimi. Wahh.. saya tidak menyarankan untuk yang satu ini, soalnya paus termasuk hewan yang dilindungi dan sudah terancam populasinya.

Bahkan lumba-lumba “iruca” yang lucu berakhir naas di dalam kemasan di supermarket. Ckckck..

9. Shiokara
Shiokara adalah makanan hasil laut yang sudah difermentasi dengan rasa yang asin dan amis.

10. Shirouo no Odorigui
Shirouo adalah sebuah nama untuk ikan kecil yang transparan. Disebut Shirouo no Odogui, karena ikan-ikan ini dimakan secara hidup-hidup yang kemudian akan terasa seperti menari-nari dimulut kita “odorigui”.

source: http://adesholaeman36.wordpress.com/2010/04/30/10-makanan-jepang-paling-aneh/

8 Upacara Adat Unik Khas Indonesia

1.Ritual Tiwah

Ritual Tiwah yaitu prosesi menghantarkan roh leluhur sanak saudara yang telah meninggal dunia ke alam baka dengan cara menyucikan dan memindahkan sisa jasad dari liang kubur menuju sebuah tempat yang bernama sandung.
Ritual Tiwah dijadikan objek wisata karen unik dan khas banyak para wisatawan mancanegara tertarik pada upacara ini yang hanya di lakukan oleh warga Dayak Kalteng

2.Kebo-Keboan

Prosesi upacara adat Kebo-keboan yang dilaksanakan setiap tahun oleh warga Desa Alasmalang. Awalnya upacara adat ini dilaksanakan untuk memohon turunya hujan saat kemarau panjang, dengan turunnya hujan ini berarti petani dapat segera bercocok tanam.
Puncaknya prosesinya adalah membajak sawah dan menanam bibit padi di persawahan. Orang-orang yang bertingkah seperti kerbau tadi dapat kesurupan dan mengejar siapa saja yang mencoba mengambil bibit padi yang ditanam. Warga masyarakat Desa Alasmalang berusaha berebut bibit padi tersebut, karena dipercaya dapat digunakan sebagai tolak-balak maupununtuk keuntungan

3.Adu Kerbau (Mapasilaga Tedong)


Adu kerbau diawali dengan kerbau bule.
Partai adu kerbau diselingi dengan prosesi pemotongan kerbau ala Toraja, Ma’tinggoro tedong, yaitu menebas kerbau dengan parang dan hanya dengan sekali tebas. Semakin sore, pesta adu kerbau semakin ramai karena yang diadu adalah kerbau jantan yang sudah memiliki pengalaman berkelahi puluhan kali.
Sebelum diadu, dilakukan parade kerbau. Ada kerbau bule atau albino, ada pula yang memiliki bercak-bercak hitam di punggung yang disebut salepo dan hitam di punggung (lontong boke). Jenis yang terakhir ini harganya paling mahal, bisa di atas Rp 100 juta. Juga terdapat kerbau jantan yang sudah dikebiri—konon cita rasa dagingnya lebih gurih

4.Rambu Solo

Rambu Solo adalah pesta atau upacara kedukaan /kematian. Adat istiadat yang telah diwarisi oleh masyarakat Toraja secara turun temurun. Bagi keluarga yang ditinggal wajib membuat sebuah pesta sebagai tanda penghormatan terakhir pada mendiang yang telah pergi.
Setelah melewati serangkaian acara, si mendiang di usung menggunakan Tongkonan (sejenis rumah adat khas Toraja) menuju makam yang berada di tebing-tebing dalam goa. Nama makamnya adalah pekuburan Londa.
Yang unik dari upacara rambu solo adalah pembuatan boneka kayu yang dibuat sangat mirip dengan yang meninggal dan diletakkan di tebing.Uniknya lagi... konon katanya, wajah boneka itu kian hari kian mirip sama yang meninggal

5.Pasola Sumba


Ini adalah bagian dari serangkaian upacara tradisionil yang dilakukan oleh orang Sumba. Setiap tahun pada bulan Februari atau Maret serangkaian upacara adat dilakukan dalam rangka memohon restu para dewa agar supaya panen tahun tersebut berhasil dengan baik. Puncak dari serangkaian upacara adat yang dilakukan beberapa hari sebelumnya adalah apa yang disebut pasola. Pasola adalah ‘perang-perangan’ yang dilakukan oleh dua kelompok berkuda. Setiap kelompok teridiri atas lebih dari 100 pemuda bersenjakan tombak yang dibuat dari kayu berdiameter kira-kira1,5 cm yang ujungnya dibiarkan tumpul

6.Dugderan

Duderan adalah sebuah upacara yang menandai bahwa bulan puasa telah datang. Dugderan dilaksanakan tepat 1 hari sebelum bulan puasa. Kata Dugder, diambil dari perpaduan bunyi dugdug, dan bunyi meriam yang mengikuti kemudian diasumsikan dengan derr.

Kegiatan ini meliputi pasar rakyat yang dimulai sepekan sebelum dugderan, karnaval yang diikuti oleh pasukan merahputih, drumband, pasukan pakaian adat “BHINNEKA TUNGGAL IKA” , meriam , warak ngendok dan berbagai potensi kesenian yang ada di Kota Semarang. Ciri Khas acara ini adalah warak Ngendok sejenis binatang rekaan yang bertubuh kambing berkepala naga kulit sisik emas, visualisasi warak ngendok dibuat dari kertas warna – warni. Acara ini dimulai dari jam 08.00 sampai dengan maghrib di hari yang sama juga diselenggarakan festival warak dan Jipin Blantenan

7.Tabuik

Berasal dari kata ‘tabut’, dari bahasa Arab yang berarti mengarak, upacara Tabuik merupakan sebuah tradisi masyarakat di pantai barat, Sumatera Barat, yang diselenggarakan secara turun menurun. Upacara ini digelar di hari Asura yang jatuh pada tanggal 10 Muharram, dalam kalender Islam.

Pada hari yang telah ditentukan, sejak pukul 06.00, seluruh peserta dan kelengkapan upacara bersiap di alun-alun kota.Para pejabat pemerintahan pun turut hadir dalam pelaksanaan upacara paling kolosal di Sumatera Barat ini.

Satu Tabuik diangkat oleh para pemikul yang jumlahnya mencapai 40 orang. Di belakang Tabuik, rombongan orang berbusana tradisional yang membawa alat musik perkusi berupa aneka gendang, turut mengisi barisan. Sesekali arak-arakan berhenti dan puluhan orang yang memainkan silat khas Minang mulai beraksi sambil diiringi tetabuhan.

Saat matahari terbenam, arak-arakan pun berakhir. Kedua Tabuik dibawa ke pantai dan selanjutnya dilarung ke laut. Hal ini dilakukan karena ada kepercayaan bahwa dibuangnya Tabuik ini ke laut, dapat membuang sial. Di samping itu, momen ini juga dipercaya sebagai waktunya Buraq terbang ke langit, dengan membawa segala jenis arakannya

8.Ngaben

Ngaben adalah upacara pembakaran atau kremasi jenazah umat Hindu Bali.
Dalam prosesi Ngaben, ketika api mulai disulut, perlahan-lahan kobaran api akan membesar dan mulai berkobar menyulut sosok jenazah. Lama-kelamaan kobaran api mulai menghanguskan jazadnya yang dipercaya akan melepaskan segala ikatan keduniawian dari orang yang meninggal itu. Bila ikatan keduniawian telah terlepas, maka semakin terbukalah kesempatan untuk melihat kebenaran dan keabadian kesucian Illahi di alam sana.
Beberapa hari sebelum upacara Ngaben dilaksanakan, keluarga dari orang yang meninggal dibantu oleh masyarakat membuat “Bade dan Lembu” yang sangat megah terbuat dari kayu, kertas warna-warni dan bahan lainnya. “Bade dan Lembu” ini merupakan tempat jenazah yang nantinya dibakar

sumber: kaskus.us

Kucing Pemberani Didunia

ternyata ada kucing yang berani dan dengan penuh keyakinannya menyebrang di tengah-tengah baris anjing-anjing herder


sumber: kaskus.us

"Ryugyong" Hotel Yang Tak Pernah Selesai

Jika Dr. Evil benar2 ada, dia pasti membutuhkan tempat persembuyian, dan tempat persembunyian yang paling mungkin adalah Ryugyong Hotel di Pyongyang, Korea Utara. Monolit raksasa ini memiliki 105 lantai, tapi tanpa satupun jendela. Tinggi hotel ini adalah 330 meter, memiliki 3000 kamar, dan direncanakan memiliki 7 restoran putar, tapi sayangnya tidak pernah selesai.



Banyak surat kabar yang memperkirakan biaya konstruksinya adalah sebesar $750 juta--2% dari pendapatan domestik Korea Utara--dan konstruksinya berhenti pada tahun 1992 karena kurangnya biaya, kurang listrik, dan kelaparan. Gedungnya sendiri sudah selesai, tapi tidak memiliki jendela, peralatan dan perlengkapan lainnya--yang menjadikannya sebagai Bangunan Kosong Tertinggi di Dunia!! Sebenarnya, bangunan ini merupakan bangunan tertinggi di Korea Utara dan tertinggi ke 18 di dunia, dan jika pembangunannya selesai, maka akan menjadi hotel tertinggi dunia.



Setelah 18 tahun hotel ini mulai hidup kembali. Egypt’s Orascom Group sudah mulai memperbaharui lantai atas menara. Perusahaan tersebut telah memasang panel2 kaca dalam kerangka beton dan memasang antena2 telekomunikasi. Biayanya diperkirakan sebesar $2 juta untuk menyelesaikan hotel tersebut, setara dengan 10% pendapatan domestik Korea Utara.

sumber: http://eksplorasi-dunia.blogspot.com/2010/04/ryugyong-hotel-yang-tak-pernah-selesai.html