Teachers VS Students Touch Rugby Official Match Report

Teachers VS Students Touch Rugby Official Match Report

Conditions were perfect for this long anticipated showdown between youth and experience. A cool wind and zero humidity ensured that perspiration never impacted on ball handling and player skills could really shine through (Even butter fingers Liam managed to hold on to a few balls).So yeah thanks to the weather. The match was marred only by the late showing of the Barbarians captain. Yes, the Anzacs had to start the fight without the full Pomie contingent, bloody typical..Lest We Forget. There was much talk going into this truly international affair and it didn't fail to deliver. I even heard the sweet sound of sheep late in the second half which was a highlight for me especially. Beautiful animals that they are. It didn't take the Indonesian teachers long to pick up the intricacies of the game and to stamp their mark on the match. Final Score: 20-10 to the Teachers..

Cheers for fronting up, especially those who hadn't played before ..the students really enjoyed it.

Protected Eagles and Owls for Sale

What to do about this man who sells Eagles and Owls each day by the roadside in Jakarta ? :( They are supposed to be protected birds, what sort of idiot would buy a bird like that to keep in a cage ? I assume he pays off the police.

links
Wild Life trade in Javan markets still high


Black Shouldered Kite

Reviews The Best New Science Books

Reviews The Best New Science Books

Neil deGrasse Tyson, Area 51, modern life vs human nature, and more
From the February 2009 issue, published online February 20, 2009

The Pluto Files by Neil deGrasse Tyson (Norton)
What did Pluto ever do to Tyson? In his latest book the energetic astronomer and television host taps pop culture and breaking research to explain why he led the charge to banish Pluto from planetary status.

The Well-Dressed Ape by Hannah Holmes (Random House)
Holmes ignores our self-congratulatory tendencies and gives a witty, detailed look at Homo sapiens through the eyes of an evolutionary biologist, exposing us as a thin-skinned, dull-toothed, small-clawed, and pitiable species.

The Crowded Universe: The Search for Living Planets by Alan Boss (Basic)
The space race is on. No, not back to the moon. The next great achievement for humanity will be to find alien life on another planet. Astronomer Boss gives an inside view of how new space telescopes like Kepler and Corot are on the verge of finding Earth-like worlds around other stars.
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It Takes a Genome: How a Clash Between Our Genes and Modern Life Is Making Us Sick by Greg Gibson (FT Press Science)
Is modern life corrupting our DNA? Gibson’s cautionary tale points to the alarming rise in diseases like diabetes, asthma, and Alzheimer’s, warning that more than half of us will die from our genetic vulnerabilities if we stay the course in our do-nothing, eat-a-lot lives.



Blank Spots on the Map: The Dark Geography of the Pentagon’s Secret World by Trevor Paglen (Dutton)
Area 51 is probably the most famous place that doesn’t exist on a map—at least not any map the U.S. government wants you to see. But it’s far from the only one. Paglen pulls back the curtain of secrecy on the military’s classified locations, from downtown Las Vegas to Kabul, Afghanistan, to the Washington, D.C., suburbs.

Remarkable Creatures: Epic Adventures in the Search for the Origins of Species by Sean B. Carroll (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)
Darwin is the public face of evolutionary biology, but he doesn’t deserve all the credit. Carroll, a noted evolutionary biologist himself, gives a nod to the scores of underappre­ciated researchers who have filled in the gaps. In this exhaustive history, we learn the true extent of evolution’s influence on the way we think.

Cyberabad Days by Ian McDonald (Pyr)
The advanced technology of the near future runs smack into a millennia-old culture in McDonald’s clever imaginings of life in 21st-century India. This anthology includes previously published short stories and an intricate new novella that explores the digital divide in surprising ways.



TV American Experience: The Polio Crusade

PBS, Monday, February 2, at 9 p.m. (EST) In the early 1950s there were more than 20,000 cases a year of poliomyelitis, a disease that causes paralysis or death. But on April 26, 1954, researchers began administering a vaccine in what would become the largest public health experiment in American history. The experiment paid off: By 1960 the number of annual cases had dropped to about 3,000, and by 1979 there were only about 10. This intimate PBS documentary chronicles the story of the polio vaccine’s success—a triumph of science over disease

from http://discovermagazine.com/2009/feb/best-new-science-books

Idul Adha: a time of sacrifice and sharing

This goat will have been sold and already sacrificed for Indonesia's Idhul Adha ceremony (last Friday), in memory of biblical Abraham's readiness to sacrifice his son to God. The meat is then distributed to poor people. I like this concept.

More information here.
Under the Knife For Islamic Holiday

Asep Syaefullah is quite renowned around the streets of Bendungan Hilir in Central Jakarta. The 53-year-old has worked as a caretaker at a privately-run high school in Benhil for 33 years — but it’s not his day job that has given him special status among Benhil residents.

For the past 15 years, Asep has been moonlighting as a butcher, particularly for Idul Adha. On this day, Muslims around the world sacrifice animals to commemorate the willingness of the Prophet Ibrahim to surrender his son, Ismael, to God.

It is said that the prophet dreamed he had killed his son. Believing it was a command from God, Ismael asked his father to carry out his dream. Just as Ismael lay down to be killed, God told Ibrahim not to do so and to sacrifice an animal instead.

“Go to Pak Asep. He’s the man for the job,” said a member of the Idul Adha committee at a Benhil mosque, when asked if he knew of any butchers in the area who would slaughter an animal as a sacrifice.

A young mother gave the same answer.

“Just go and see Pak Asep. He lives over there in the school compound,” she said.

Short and stocky, with a mustache and beard, Asep seems to fit the general stereotype of a butcher. Together with his younger brother, Usman, the father of two has been a member of the Idul Adha committee at Muhammadiyah secondary school for years.

“It’s pretty simple,” said Asep when asked about preparing for Idul Adha. “Just sharpen the machete. That’s all.”

He said a well-kept machete was the most important tool when slaughtering an animal. The animals, he added, should not suffer too much and a keen blade helped to hasten their death.

“You know how it feels when you accidentally cut your skin on bamboo? The animal should not even feel pain like that,” he said. “That’s why it is very important to prepare the machete.”

Asep has a special way of checking to see if his machete is up to scratch, one he said he learned from other butchers many years ago.

“Just run the blade along your hair like you are trimming it,” he said, his right hand drawing the machete over his head. “If you can cut some hair, then you can be sure the machete is ready to use.”

When slaughtering a goat, he said, one slash is usually enough to cut its throat. But it can take twice the amount of force for cows.

“A cow’s skin is very thick. You have to slash it a couple of times,” he said. “I can slaughter a goat by myself, but for a cow, I need at least three people to help me.

“A cow will struggle to free himself. And that’s when they can kick you really hard.”

Asep knows this all too well. During last year’s Idul Adha, he was kicked in the chest by a cow.

“[The bruises] didn’t fade for weeks,” he said with a rueful grin.

Every year, Asep slaughters no less than eight cows and 40 goats on Idul Adha, which falls on the tenth day of Zulhijjah, the 12th month of the Islamic calendar. The backbreaking work is usually completed within three hours.

“There are two important things when slaughtering an animal for Idul Adha. First, we direct the head of the beast toward the qibla [the direction of the Kaaba, the sacred building in Mecca, to which Muslims turn for prayer]. Second, we have to say ‘Bismillahi Allahu akbar’ [‘In the name of Allah, Allah is great’]. These two things are compulsory.”

His main duty as a butcher is to slaughter the animals, and he leaves the other tasks, such as skinning and cutting the meat, to other members of the committee.

“But when I’m done with slaughtering, I can help them with that, too,” he said.

Krisnandana, a veterinarian from the Veterinary Public Health division at the Ministry of Agriculture, said the ministry recommended butchers follow its guidelines for Idul Adha.

“In general, the slaughter of an animal should be conducted in a slaughterhouse. However, for religious or personal reasons, it can be done outside, but it should be supervised by a qualified person, such as a veterinarian.”

He added that the slaughtering should meet the ministry’s hygiene and sanitation requirements: The area should have clean water and holes dug in the ground for blood drainage and to bury the entrails.

Before Idul Adha, the committee at a local mosque registers the names of poor families in the neighborhood and distributes coupons so that they can receive the meat of the slaughtered animals. The members of the committee are also given some meat for their efforts.

On the night of Idul Adha, many people use the meat to make holiday dishes, such as sate kambing (skewers of meat with peanut sauce) and goat’s meat and bone soup.

In addition to Idul Adha, customers also call upon Asep to slaughter goats for aqiqah, the Islamic ritual of shaving a baby’s hair for the first time, usually on the seventh day after birth.

Asep’s skills with a knife have also taken him further afield, to Bogor, as word of mouth advertises his reputation for slaughtering animals.

“People tell other people,” he said.

However, Asep has one rule — he never charges his customers.

“But they always give me money for doing it,” he said.

When asked to slaughter a cow, he said, he usually receives Rp 200,000 ($20), and a minimum of Rp 50,000 for goats.

“But really, I don’t ask for money, let alone set prices,” he said. “It’s for lillahi ta’ala [for the sake of Allah Almighty].”

When asked if he ever felt bad for the animals, Asep smiled and shook his head.

“I guess it is part of their fate as an animal,” he said. “I know that slaughtering an animal is part of Islamic teachings, so I don’t regret doing my job.”

Asep Syaefullah is quite renowned around the streets of Bendungan Hilir in Central Jakarta. The 53-year-old has worked as a caretaker at a privately-run high school in Benhil for 33 years — but it’s not his day job that has given him special status among Benhil residents.

For the past 15 years, Asep has been moonlighting as a butcher, particularly for Idul Adha. On this day, Muslims around the world sacrifice animals to commemorate the willingness of the Prophet Ibrahim to surrender his son, Ismael, to God.

It is said that the prophet dreamed he had killed his son. Believing it was a command from God, Ismael asked his father to carry out his dream. Just as Ismael lay down to be killed, God told Ibrahim not to do so and to sacrifice an animal instead.

“Go to Pak Asep. He’s the man for the job,” said a member of the Idul Adha committee at a Benhil mosque, when asked if he knew of any butchers in the area who would slaughter an animal as a sacrifice.

A young mother gave the same answer.

“Just go and see Pak Asep. He lives over there in the school compound,” she said.

Short and stocky, with a mustache and beard, Asep seems to fit the general stereotype of a butcher. Together with his younger brother, Usman, the father of two has been a member of the Idul Adha committee at Muhammadiyah secondary school for years.

“It’s pretty simple,” said Asep when asked about preparing for Idul Adha. “Just sharpen the machete. That’s all.”

He said a well-kept machete was the most important tool when slaughtering an animal. The animals, he added, should not suffer too much and a keen blade helped to hasten their death.

“You know how it feels when you accidentally cut your skin on bamboo? The animal should not even feel pain like that,” he said. “That’s why it is very important to prepare the machete.”

Asep has a special way of checking to see if his machete is up to scratch, one he said he learned from other butchers many years ago.

“Just run the blade along your hair like you are trimming it,” he said, his right hand drawing the machete over his head. “If you can cut some hair, then you can be sure the machete is ready to use.”

When slaughtering a goat, he said, one slash is usually enough to cut its throat. But it can take twice the amount of force for cows.

“A cow’s skin is very thick. You have to slash it a couple of times,” he said. “I can slaughter a goat by myself, but for a cow, I need at least three people to help me.

“A cow will struggle to free himself. And that’s when they can kick you really hard.”

Asep knows this all too well. During last year’s Idul Adha, he was kicked in the chest by a cow.

“[The bruises] didn’t fade for weeks,” he said with a rueful grin.

Every year, Asep slaughters no less than eight cows and 40 goats on Idul Adha, which falls on the tenth day of Zulhijjah, the 12th month of the Islamic calendar. The backbreaking work is usually completed within three hours.

“There are two important things when slaughtering an animal for Idul Adha. First, we direct the head of the beast toward the qibla [the direction of the Kaaba, the sacred building in Mecca, to which Muslims turn for prayer]. Second, we have to say ‘ Bismillahi Allahu akbar ’ [‘In the name of Allah, Allah is great’]. These two things are compulsory.”

His main duty as a butcher is to slaughter the animals, and he leaves the other tasks, such as skinning and cutting the meat, to other members of the committee.

“But when I’m done with slaughtering, I can help them with that, too,” he said.

Krisnandana, a veterinarian from the Veterinary Public Health division at the Ministry of Agriculture, said the ministry recommended butchers follow its guidelines for Idul Adha.

“In general, the slaughter of an animal should be conducted in a slaughterhouse. However, for religious or personal reasons, it can be done outside, but it should be supervised by a qualified person, such as a veterinarian.”

He added that the slaughtering should meet the ministry’s hygiene and sanitation requirements: The area should have clean water and holes dug in the ground for blood drainage and to bury the entrails.

Before Idul Adha, the committee at a local mosque registers the names of poor families in the neighborhood and distributes coupons so that they can receive the meat of the slaughtered animals. The members of the committee are also given some meat for their efforts.

On the night of Idul Adha, many people use the meat to make holiday dishes, such as sate kambing (skewers of meat with peanut sauce) and goat’s meat and bone soup.

In addition to Idul Adha, customers also call upon Asep to slaughter goats for aqiqah , the Islamic ritual of shaving a baby’s hair for the first time, usually on the seventh day after birth.

Asep’s skills with a knife have also taken him further afield, to Bogor, as word of mouth advertises his reputation for slaughtering animals.

“People tell other people,” he said.

However, Asep has one rule — he never charges his customers.

“But they always give me money for doing it,” he said.

When asked to slaughter a cow, he said, he usually receives Rp 200,000 ($20), and a minimum of Rp 50,000 for goats.

“But really, I don’t ask for money, let alone set prices,” he said. “It’s for lillahi ta’ala [for the sake of Allah Almighty].”

When asked if he ever felt bad for the animals, Asep smiled and shook his head.

“I guess it is part of their fate as an animal,” he said. “I know that slaughtering an animal is part of Islamic teachings, so I don’t regret doing my job.”


Goat Seller Makes A Killing on Holiday

An elderly woman stopped by a bamboo pen filled with goats. She stood for a while, her eyes roaming over the beasts.

“A few days before Idul Adha, people will just look around, comparing prices, but they don’t usually buy until two or three days before the big day,” said Abdul Hamid, a goat seller in Benhil.

Pak Haji, as he is known by his regular customers, has been selling goats for Idul Adha for 15 years. Throughout the rest of the year, the 45-year-old sells chickens in Pasar Benhil, a traditional market in the area.

About 150 goats are brought from his hometown in Cirebon, West Java, usually five days before the festival. The goats, brought to Jakarta in large trucks, are purchased from a middle man who buys them from individuals in several villages in Cirebon, he said.

Abdul said that over the last 15 years, he had only once failed to sell all of his goats for the Muslim holiday.

“I guess I just bought too many at that time,” he said. “I don’t know why I insisted on buying more than 200 [goats] that year.”

The prices, he said, range from Rp 800,000 for goats weighing 15 kilograms and Rp 2.5 million for those between 50 and 60 kilograms.

“I don’t actually like to play with prices with my customers,” he said. “But I know they like negotiating, so I usually add Rp 200,000 [$20] [to the original price] at the start of bargaining.”

Over the years, Pak Haji has gained a following of loyal customers who return year after year for the holiday.

“An Islamic foundation in Manggarai [South Jakarta] purchases 30 to 35 goats every Idul Adha,” he said.

“But all customers are the same,” Abdul said. “Selling all of my goats is what matters the most.”

http://thejakartaglobe.com/culture/under-the-knife-for-islamic-holiday/343771

http://thejakartaglobe.com/home/meat-flukes-and-runaway-cows-all-on-the-menu-for-idul-adha/344212

West Java Inundated by floods

The regular trip down to the sailing club took twice as long last weekend. But I guess these people living here had more problems than me!

A casestudy “The Ecological Footprint Dilemma”

This case study is a “clicker case.” It combines the use of student personal response systems (clickers) with case teaching methods and formats. The case is presented in class using a series of PowerPoint slides punctuated by questions (called “clicker questions”) that students respond to before moving on to the next slide. In this way, students work through the material to understand (and usually also solve) the problem presented in the case. Specifically designed for use in large introductory science classes, the method integrates lecture material, case storylines, student discussion, (clicker) questions, clarification of answers to those questions, more lecture, and data.

The world’s resource base is quickly becoming depleted and a steady increase in the human population is a concern as we seek long-term solutions to a global, environmental crisis. In addition to this, affluence in industrialized countries constitutes another challenge for a more equitable distribution of resources in the pursuit of a better quality of life for more people. For these reasons, this case study will be of interest to students in an introductory biology course. As they work through the case, students calculate their ecological footprint. They are then asked to decide whether a new parking lot is more effective in accommodating the needs of an expanding university campus than a community garden. Campus greening is becoming a challenging component of the experience of millions of college students throughout the world. Many institutions of higher education are committed to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions as a way to educate students to become better stewards, and are actively seeking viable strategies to better control global climate change. The American Association for Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) counts among its membership hundreds of colleges and universities in the U.S. Moreover, since 2006, about 400 presidents of institutions of higher education have signed a petition to reduce CO2 emissions from their campuses.

Written for a non-majors introductory biology class, this case would also be suitable for courses in ecology, environmental science, conservation biology, environmental studies and general biology. The case is designed to be taught at the end of an ecology unit of the curriculum. Students should be familiar with population ecology concepts (richness, distribution, carrying capacity, competition, symbiosis), including human population ecology, growth, and competition.

Using Word Clouds as a teaching activity

Whether they’re mastering scientific vocabulary, writing poems, or analyzing presidential speeches, students are immersed in words. Encourage lively conversation about words with the help of tools that turn text into visual displays.

Wordle (wordle.net) is a free tool that turns a block of text, or simply a list of words, into a cloud pattern. Words that are used most frequently are displayed most prominently. You can play with layout, font, and colors to change the appearance or highlight certain vocabulary.

Teachers across subject areas and grade levels are finding good uses for this simple to use tool. For example, as a prereading activity, you might use Wordle to highlight key vocabulary. Are there unfamiliar words here that students will need to understand? Patterns to pay attention to while they are reading?

Students can create Wordle displays using their own writing, too. They will gain new insights into word choice. Are they using certain words too often? Or is their word repetition deliberate? This information can lead to more productive writing conferences and will help them as they move on to the revision stage.

Some teachers recommend Wordle as a tool for reflection. By combining students’ reflective entries into one Wordle display, you can see at a glance what students are
thinking about. Their “hot topics” can be the jumping-off point for a lively classroom discussion.

from http://www.edutopia.org/files/existing/pdfs/Edutopia-10-top-tips-for-teaching-with-new-media.pdf

Its MOvember.... raising money for prostrate cancer research

Movember is an annual, month-long celebration of the moustache, highlighting men’s health issues, specifically prostate cancer and depression in men.

Mo Bros, supported by their Mo Sistas, start Movember (November 1st) clean shaven and then have the remainder of the month to grow and groom their moustache. During Movember, each Mo Bro effectively becomes a walking billboard for men’s health and, via their Mo, raises essential funds and awareness for Movember’s men’s health partners – The Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia and beyondblue – the national depression initiative. At the end of Movember, a series of Gala Partés are held to thank Mo Bros and Sistas for their support and fund raising efforts.

The idea for Movember came about in 2003 when a few mates were having a beer in a small bar in Fitzroy, Melbourne. Inspired by the women’s health movement, it was recognized that men were lacking a way to engage and actively involve themselves in their own health. During a conversation about fashion and past trends, the idea came up to bring the moustache back for one month, and in doing so, have some fun, raise a small amount of money and hopefully encourage men to talk about their health with each other.

Since this time, Movember has continued to grow each year, both in terms of participation numbers and funds raised. In its first year, 30 Mo Bros took part in Movember and last year, in Australia alone, 125,000 Mo Bro & Sistas got on board, raising more than $8million for each of Movember’s men’s health partners.

http://au.movember.com/about/

The Jakarta Schools Football is about to start again... http://twitter.com/JakartaFootball

Bangkok Sixes

The Jakarta Gonads gave it a good crack, the cricket was excellent craic, now back at work waiting for the next tournament ! More info here. http://www.thailandsixes.com/

Getting your drivers license in Jakarta the easy way!

I know we shouldnt support KKN (Korruption, Kullusi, dan Neoptism) but I've heard stories of even Indo friends being given the run around when doing to get their license. (one chinese indo friend took 3 days to get her drivers license).

Using agents may cost more, but it gets the job done.

This year, I used a local friendly sergeant in the area.

For 600,000 rupiah, I had a private police escort, we took the tollways and busways, drove through every red light.

At the office he jumped every queue and it literally took me 29 minutes from start to finish!

FOR SALE – TROPHY DISPLAY CABINET

FOR SALE – DISPLAY CABINET, one of the most elegant and functional display cabinets currently on the market.

Features
Fine timber details
4 leadlight options
4 side access doors (there is maximum frontal display)
Adjustable shelves are extra deep to accommodate large items
Halogen down lights
Mirror back with glass shelves provide max illumination of collectables from top to bottom.

To give indication of size of the Cabinet it previously held the following:
The Ashes Trophy
Tri Nations Trophy
Super-14 Trophy
Rugby League World Cup
Rugby Union World Cup
International Rules Trophy
Rugby 7
Davis Cup
Hockey World Championship Trophy
and the
Bledisloe Cup.
2008-2009 SA / Aust Test
All these trophies are now overseas and the Cabinet is excess to requirements.

To make an offer call R Stuart, R Ponting, S Mortlock or P. Fitzsimons who once commented “…the Australian Cabinet is groaning under the weight of all the trophies!”

They can be contacted on: 1800-LOST-THE-LOT

Fish Spa Therapy

Ichthyotherapy is the practise of using fish for spa and theraputic massage. Being at the mall today we thought we'd try it out. 120,000rupiah each for 30 mins, pics to follow later.

The fish nibble the dead skin and also release an enzyme which promotes healthy cells to grow. The sensation is ticklish but relaxing. The fish act like pumice stone rubbing off the dead epidermal layer of the skin leaving behind baby smooth
Skin. The feeling of the fish biting is quite relaxing and acts like micro-acupunture.

The fish are of a type called Garra ruffa, apparently a type of carp from Turkey and Iran

Did they really say that?

And in part 735 of 'Did they really say that?' I bring you a story told to me today.

A local landlord of a western style bar here noticed one day that a workman was standing on a ladder fixing an outside light, in pouring rain.

So, he queried the manager allowing this to happen, you know electricity and water and all that dangerous stuff.....

They reply was, "Oh, it's ok, we have another guy here just in case"

!!!

my boat

this is the life aint it?

Playing Rugby in Balikpapan

French froggy frogs get beaten 10-0 playing Rugby union against my Aussie rules football team!

Did I mention the friendly rugby game that we put on, aussie rules blokes vs the french bastards? and that we won 10-0 !

Suramadu Bridge - connecting Java and Madura

Crowds swarm ahead of RI's longest bridge inauguration

The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Wed, 06/10/2009 10:26 AM | National
Hundreds of local residents were swarming the Tambak Wedi area in Surabaya, East Java ahead of the inauguration of the Suramadu bridge – Indonesia's longest and first-ever toll bridge – on Wednesday morning.

Antara state news agency reported that people, coming from Surabaya and its surrounding area, had started to arrive at 6 a.m., although they were not allowed to enter the inauguration ceremony area.

“It’s fine. It's enough for us to be able to see the bridge,” said Lukman, who came from Driyorejo with his family.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is scheduled to inaugurate the 5.4-kilometer bridge at 10 a.m. in a ceremony expected to be attended by 6,500 people including foreign guests, state officials and religious leaders. (dre)

Jakarta's Red Axe Gang

In something straight out of Kung Fu Hustle - Jakarta has its very own Red Axe Gang, recognisable due to their red axes they all carry. In fact, their reputation is so fierce, that the very sight of a thug gently tapping a red axe on your car window in heavy traffic will be enough for you to hand over all your valuables, so I've been reliably informed.

How does one differentiate between the real red axe gang and copycats, I do not know. However, after a year or two hiatus they are back.... with rather dubious results....

[quote]

Bati Kartini
Axe Gang’s Comeback Gig Foiled By Police

After a long hiatus, the dreaded Red Axe gang made an unwelcome, and unsuccessful, return on Monday when two suspected members were arrested in the middle of an attempted robbery.

Ahmad K. Permana, deputy chief executive officer of Danamon Sharia Bank, was on his way home when he got stuck in traffic in front of Balai Kartini on Jalan Gatot Subroto in South Jakarta.

From out of nowhere, two men wielding red axes ran up to the car and smashed the right front window.

“They approached the car and immediately broke the front window on the driver’s side with two strikes of their red axes,” Adj. Sr. Comr. Ahmad Rivai, the head of the Mobile Investigation Unit of the Jakarta Police’s General Crimes Investigation Directorate, said on Tuesday.

Rivai said that the gang members demanded Ahmad’s driver, Andi, surrender his cellphone. Members of the Mobile Investigation Unit spotted the incident and immediately pursued and apprehended the would-be thieves.

However, two other gang members, who were standing by with a motorcycle, managed to escape. “The police tried to pursue them but lost them as they sped toward Kuningan,” Rivai said.

The police seized the axes from the arrested gang members as evidence, and also impounded Ahmad’s car. During questioning, the two suspects identified themselves as Hendri Suryana, also known as Aseng, 26, and Sandy Setiadi, 23.

The two members who managed to escape were identified as Hendra and Beni, also known as Benben. “We’re still looking for them,” Rivai said.

The Red Axe gang was a feared criminal group several years ago, but Monday evening’s incident was the first time they have been heard of for almost two years.[/quote]


http://thejakartaglobe.com/news/axe-gangs-comeback-gig-foiled-by-police/311200

White boarding in Science classes

White boarding in Science

White boarding is a term used to describe the student use of a 3’ x 2’ sheet of tile board to record group work.

White boarding was first used in physics classes (Wells, Hestenes, and Swackhamer, 1995). White boarding requires a small group of students (usually about four) to share their understanding, knowledge, and experience, in response to a specific question or problem. Each group is then required to present their findings back to the class in order to compare separate understanding and conclusions (Henry, Henry, and Riddoch, 2003).

The science department at SGJ ordered a trial set of six whiteboards to be made for one classroom. The initial feedback has been very positive among the students, hopefully, (and we are feeling confident) this will translate into improved student learning. Various classes have been using them, from MYP general science to UNAS and IB students.

Students have reported several benefits in using white boards as a tool in class. When students see their thoughts or another student’s thoughts in writing, the idea becomes more concrete, and they are more likely to develop an opinion about the idea, to agree or disagree. (Henry, Henry, and Riddoch, 2003).

Secondly they foster a classroom of cooperative learning, one of our ESLRs and they allow the students control of the learning, by creating an atmosphere in the classroom where ideas are student-generated.

Finally, the whiteboards can be erased, and thus are easy to change, students are perhaps more likely to discuss and consider ideas, knowing that they are easily revised and modifiable.

Henry, David., Henry, Julie., and Riddoch, Stephanie,. (date unknown) “White boarding your way to great student discussions: Using large whiteboards to facilitate group learning helps students communicate their ideas” Buffalo State University from http://physicsed.buffalostate.edu/pubs/Elem_whiteboarding.pdf date last retrieved 28th April 2009

Wells, M., Hestenes, D., and Swackhamer, G. (1995) “A modeling method for high school physics instruction.” American Journal of Physics, 64, 114-119.

topeng monyet or performing street monkeys

I saw this article in the Jakarta post today, made me sad. But that's life.


Much-abused macaques may soon face extinction

Anissa S. Febrina , The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Tue, 04/21/2009 2:26 PM | Lifestyle

They entertain children, feed those with unusual appetites and sacrifice their freedom for the sake of science.

Humans are indebted to the long-tailed macaques, possibly familiar to locals as street entertainment topeng monyet, who are now endangered due to unmonitored exploitation.

A recent investigation by UK-based pro-animal group, British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection (BUAV), has raised concerns of the exploitation of Macaca fascicularis, as exports of the animal have not been in line with international trade regulations.

The BUAV report stated while the long-tailed macaques were not necessarily threatened with extinction, they could soon be at risk unless their export was more strictly regulated.

The trade of the animal is regulated by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES), which Indonesia ratified in 1978.

CITES bans the international trade of wild-caught macaques and only allows those that have been captive-bred to be sold.

BUAV accused Indonesia of exporting wild-caught macaques under the guise of captive breeding.

The export of macaques is lucrative and the country has exported a total of 24,811 macaques worldwide between 1997 and 2006.

Indonesia is the United States' third largest supplier, after the Philippines and Mauritius.

Most animals end up in laboratories, as they are among the five species of Macaca suitable for biomedical research test subjects.

Between 3,000 and 4,000 long-tailed macaques are exported from Indonesia every year. According to data obtained from CITES, 6,078 long-tailed macaques were exported in 2005 and 2006 alone.

The country exported 4,007 captive-bred long-tailed macaques last year, data from the Forestry Ministry's directorate of biodiversity conservation revealed.

But are the so-called captive-bred macaques actually bred?

Captive breeding in Indonesia can involve setting free wild-caught long-tailed macaques on remote islands. One of the most famous is Tinjil Island in Banten, where the captive breeding of long-tailed macaques started in 1988, with 520 animals brought to the island from the wild. BUAV argued such breeding could not be categorized as captive breeding as the monkeys roam free and are intertwined in a living ecosystem.

The Forestry Ministry's director general for forest protection and nature conservation, Darori said it was debatable whether captive breeding systems, such as that on Tinjil Island, violated CITES regulations.

Setting debates aside, the increasing quota for captured monkeys is also concerning environmentalists.

NGO ProFauna reported the number of captured long-tailed macaques had continuously increased from 2,000 in 2006 to 4,100 in 2007 and 5,100 in 2008.

According to the Schmutzer Primate Center, there was no valid data on the current population of long-tailed macaques.

Meanwhile, the BUAV investigation revealed population surveys of the monkeys by the Indonesian Institute of Science (LIPI) were conducted by third parties and based on invalid extrapolation methods. The quota for captured monkeys is based on these population surveys.

Such continuously increasing quotas also raised concerns of captive breeding centers becoming a pool for wild-caught macaques later on sold as bred ones.

"Captive breeding centers in Indonesia have always been a failure as they always need a new supply of wild-caught macaques," ProFauna activist Asep R. Purnama said.

In 2008 alone, the Forestry Ministry allocated 2,000 wild-caught macaques to captive breeding centers. The monkeys were caught in North Sumatra, Riau, Jambi, Bali and Central Kalimantan.

Without detailed and accurate measures of macaques' population and a strict monitoring on captive breeding centers, Indonesia could risk completely eradicating the species, Asep added.

For pro-animal activists, it was not only the numbers that mattered, but also how the animals would be treated once their fate as an internationally traded species was decided.

Macaques are subjected to mental and physical abuse, particularly during capture and during transportation between breeding centers.

Hunters usually capture infant macaques after chasing away their mothers with rifle shots.

Arriving safe and uninjured in the breeding centers does not guarantee a comfortable life for the macaques. They are often cramped in cages to be later on transported in small wooden crates. If they are meant for export, they will be kept in the cages for a long time.

For those destined to be test subjects in research laboratories, the suffering continues as medicines are tested on them. Sometimes the primates are intentionally hurt during behavioral observations.

As they are the closest known primates to humans, they are used extensively in medical experiments, particularly those connected with neuroscience.

Since the human race is obviously able to benefit from nature, we should bear in mind that making the most of nature should not involve exploiting it.

Krakatoa volcano trip

Krakatoa Volcano, probably the most famous volcano in modern history, it exploded in 1883, the resulting sound and waves observed in countries halfway around the globe, allegedly disrupting the earths climate for several years. It is now a World Heritage Site, and thus worth a visit if you are in Indonesia.

wikipedia tells me this ...

Quote:
With a Volcanic Explosivity Index (VEI) of 6, the eruption was equivalent to 200 megatons of TNT—about 13,000 times the yield of the Little Boy bomb (13 to 16 KT) that devastated Hiroshima, Japan during World War II and four times the yield of the Tsar Bomba (50 MT), the largest nuclear device ever detonated.

The series of islands above are the remnants of the Krakatoa that exploded in 1883, the grey smudge in the centre is Anak Kratatoa, (son of Krakatoa), like a phoenix rising from the ashes is growing anew, reportedly at a rate of 5 metres per year. The islands are the edges of the caldera, measuring about 7kms across.

We left from Kalianda, but you can also do the same sort of trips from Anyer, Cerita, or Tanjung Lasung, since Krakatoa is in the middle of the choppy Sunda Straits separating Sumatra from Java.

Of course, it aint cheap or easy. Your looking at 3.5 million rups ($350) for a boat for a day plus lunch, entry fee and guide, a speed boat will seat 4 people and take 2 hours each way or an older wooden fishing boat will seat up to 10 people and take 4 hours each way.

Our first sight of the Volcano, in fact, it is actually, Anak Krakatoa, (son of Krakatoa) was impressive, a belching, smokey grey smudge on the horizon. You can see the other islands, that are part of the caldera.

The volcano, erupted silently, billowing clouds about every 5 minutes or so.

The west side of the island is slightly more sheltered, and has a variety of plant and animal life, growing on soft, black sand. Albeit punctuated with the odd hardened lava flow.

We ate some lunch and set of on a hike up the mountain side. Through the trees which thin out quickly and then onto baking hot scoria and black ash. The views back down were nice though.

this recent activity started in 1994 and according to Reuters Indonesia's Krakatau roars, dazzles with fireworks | World | Reuters

Quote:
A vulcanologist monitoring Anak Krakatau said the volcano was likely to rumble and roar for some time.
"It is still at the third level of alert. It is safe and there aren't any problems. There were approximately one hundred explosions yesterday," Saut Simatupang, head of volcano observation in Bandung, told Reuters.

However, the rangers, told us that someone died last October, walking too close to an explosion.

Anyway, we continued walking up the hillside, baking black scoria, verdant oceans, blue blue skies, all the while Anak Krakatoa belching ominously in the background. Strangely enough, these cloud belches did not make any sound.

We got to about 100 feet shy of a ridge top, close to the mouth, and suddenly with a strange whooshing sound, it sent up a burst of fist/head sized rocks with the gasses and ash, we watched the rocks like slow motion, rise up and begin coming down towards us, I started thinking about needed to dodge this flying debris, Key was just frozen in shock.

Fortunately, much like my fielding skills, I had misjudged the distance these rocks had traveled and we were never in danger of them reaching us, that time. Our ranger/guide was not quite so blase about it, nor MrsKW, with some urging I suggested it would be a shame to climb so far, and not make it 100 feet more.

OK, you have about 10 minutes here and then that is it!

It was worth it, another shower of rocks or two, and then we began the trip back down.

Was there are strong smell of sulphur and what are the chances of another eruption?
not much smell at all.

As we were walking back down, I heard an almighty boom, much like a thunder clap, unfortunately (I thought) we were in the trees, and could not see how much rock or ash had been thrown up this time. But it did cause much excitement, we heard another just before we left as well. I just loved the feeling of being so close to raw power.

this is the volcano saying goodbye to us as we left.

As to the chances of another explosion, who knows really? even the vulcanologists will admit they dont really understand when and why they happen. Apparently some scientists are suggesting that we stay at least 3 kms away from the volcano

An interesting factoid from Wiki:-

The most literal meaning of blue moon is when the moon (not necessarily a full moon) appears to a casual observer to be unusually bluish, which is a rare event. The effect can be caused by smoke or dust particles in the atmosphere, as has happened after forest fires in Sweden and Canada in 1950 and, notably, after the eruption of Krakatoa in 1883, which caused the moon to appear blue for nearly two years.

You could actually do it in a weekend, though a long weekend or week trip might be better.


FRIDAY: Arrive Jakarta airport early evening. Rental car (probably best pre-arranged) pick up airport and drive to Anyer/Cerita which is west coast of Java. There is plenty of resorts/hotels along this area. (about 3 hour trip) or 5 hours to the resort I was staying at in Sumatra, or indeed, catch a second flight to Lampung (30 mins) then 2 hour drive by taxi (cost $25)

SATURDAY: boat trip to Krakatoa leaves after breakfast, returns mid afternoon.

SUNDAY: travel back to jakarta.

or stay a few more days, there is canoes to hire, swimming pool, bicycles, camping trips, ropes course, etc other places of interest include a national park, a beach area called pasir putih that has boats trips to islands and coral reefs etc.

I stayed at a resort called Travellers Krakatoa Nirwana Resort - decent rooms and restaruant a week of dinners, alcohol and accomadation cost about $500

travellers_resortkalianda[at]yahoo.co.id
Welcome to Krakatoa Nirwana Resort Website
+62 727 322 888, 322 900

The resort even had free wireless internet at the dining areas.

From the diary of a Pre-School Teacher...

From the diary of a Pre-School Teacher...
My five-year old students are learning to read.
Yesterday one of them pointed at a picture in a zoo book
and said,
"Look at this! It's a frickin' elephant!"

I took a deep breath, then asked..."What did you call it?"

"It's a frickin' elephant! It says so on the picture!"

And so it does...

" African Elephant "

‘Tangerang searches hotels for liquors’

Dangerous stuff: A custom officer holds two bottles of liquor seized during an operation in an illegal warehouse in Jakarta. (JP/J. Adiguna)Dangerous stuff: A custom officer holds two bottles of liquor seized during an operation in an illegal warehouse in Jakarta. (JP/J. Adiguna)

Banten’s Tangerang administration is holding a search operation on hotels suspected of having illegal prostitution or receiving couples who were not married. Secretary of the Tangerang city administration, Harry Mulya Zein said the city public order agency had held raids on “adulterers” in hotels of the area. “Almost every week, the officers searched for hotel guests who were not husband and wife,” he said, as quoted by Antara.

from http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2009/02/28/%E2%80%98tangerang-searches-hotels-liquors%E2%80%99.html

Bloody hell, that's a customs official???

Balaclava and submachine gun ?

:(

One of those crazy teaching stories

At work today, I got one of those dreaded cover classes, the bane of all teachers. Never mind, I generally dont mind them, and I do not really get them that often, however, a quick check showed that not only did I have a cover class on but I had also been the lucky recipient of an exam supervision....at the same time. Doh, whoever organised that had not checked their own work properly.

I visited the administrator in question's office and politely let him know of his error. He asked me to do the cover class and he would sort out the exam supervision. Next problem, turns out the teacher missing the class had forgotten to set some work for the students and write out the class instructions.

It was an IT class, so I wander up to the room, the year 7's were out the front lined up, the previous class was just finishing up, and the teacher of that class, a regular IT teacher, invited me in.

I invited the year 7's asked them to continue their work and got to some of my work also. Roughly 15 minutes later the same IT teacher came back into the room to talk to me a confused look on his face.

IT teacher: "you have my class"
Me : "Have we both been put on the same cover then?"
IT teacher: "No, this is my regular class"

WTF?

turns out the cover class, I had been given wrong room number, but why on earth would a regular teacher just give me his class without question ? the class i was supposed to cover was next door.

Made me laugh.

Australia vs Indonesia in the Asian Cup Qualifiers

One perk of living in Asia is that going to the world class sports games is relatively cheaper, about $10 for front seat tickets to the soccer! The stadium, Bun Karno as it is affectionly known as was about 3/4 full and boy did they make some noise!

A-Leaguers grab point in Asian Cup qualifier

THE Socceroos' hastily assembled A-League outfit have pinched a 0-0 draw against Indonesia to start the country's Asian Cup campaign. In a match which was a 90-minute arm wrestle with few chances, the Australian team, featuring seven debutants, battled manfully to take a point from their first Group B qualifier.

The squad was thrown together within the past 48 hours with little preparation, and looked solid defensively but lacked cohesion in the final third. Indonesia had perhaps the two best chances of the match, while Australia put the ball in the back of the net in the second half only to have it ruled offside. The home side, ranked 144 in the world - 115 places below the Socceroos - gave the Australians a huge fright in the 35th minute when striker Talaohu Musafri shot just wide after the Socceroos lost possession in midfield. Then striker Budi Sudarsano found himself in a great position on 62 minutes, but his close range header from a Musafri cross lacked power.

Socceroos striker Archie Thompson tested goalkeeper Markus Horison three minutes later - his long-range shot spilled by the keeper and just falling short of substitute Matt Simon's despairing boot. Adelaide United midfielder Paul Reid went close in the 69th minute, bending a free-kick just wide of the left-hand post, before Central Coast's Simon headed home a cross 14 minutes from time which was correctly ruled offside. In a four-team group comprising the Socceroos, Indonesia, Kuwait and Oman, the top two sides qualify for the 2011 Asian Cup finals in Qatar.

The Socceroos will bring back their European-based stars for their next match - a World Cup qualifier against Japan in Yokohama on February 11. Their next Asian Cup qualifier is against Kuwait in Canberra on March 5, when Australia are again likely to field an all-A-League outfit.

Road Rage - Wonder Warrior

I hate leaving late for work, the traffic gets blocked up, if i leave at 6.30am the red route outlined is basically empty, if I leave at 6.45 the the traffic is backed up at least as far as the start of the red lines i've indicated.

The road leaving the roundabout has enough room for one car lane, the road entering the roundabout has room for 2.5 cars.

I'll let you figure what usually happens. Anyway today I'm just about to enter the roundabout and some Indo clown comes tearing up the inside lane, he had to stop right next to me (but had jumped at least a half dozen places in the queue.) So then its stop start with the car in front of me, and him trying to push his way in front of my car.

In indo its all a game of bluff, dont hit the other cars, but try and get your car as close as possible to the car in front, dont even leave a 30 inch gap that the other car can nose into.

Anyway, the inevitable happened, our side mirrors brushed, he had to give way, since he was hard against the shoulder, and I was slightly in front.

Nothing more said or down, in fact when we had brushed I'd looked over at him, and he just stared straight ahead, no acknowledgment no eye contact. Mind you he probably cannot see into my car, it has very dark tinted windows.

Ten minutes later, I am turning into my workplace so indicate early, I suddenly hear all this commotion car horn blowing and blowing, someone screaming, I look in the side mirror this same bloke is hanging half way out his drivers window wearing a shit eating grin to flip me the bird, up and down up and down like a fuckn deranged yoyo all the while leaning on his horn as he goes past me.

WTF?

Too scared to make a fuss until he knew I was gone?

Suddenly just thought of that reaction ?

He'd been stewing on it for the last 10 minutes and just suddenly snapped.

The security at my work asked me if they wanted them to stop him, but i dunno what for, extract some money, he has scratched my car after all.... but its only the plastic side mirror. I told them not to worry. I'm wishing i had not now, I should have go them to stop and detain the idiot, and I could have demanded money from him .... (well, maybe i'm dreaming, its always the westerners fault)

I was just too surprised to do anything, and by the time i realised it was me it was pretty much too late.

What would you have done?

Chili (Cabe) trees in Jakarta

A couple of months ago I noticed what I thought we weeds growing in my front garden, I very nearly ripped them out of the ground. They appeared next to each other right in the middle of the lawn.

They grew quickly, imagine my surprise when I realised that they were Chilli trees!




I do not know what type they are, not endemic to Java, I assume perhaps that they are left over kitchen scraps that were scattered or spilt in the garden.

Should I do anything special to help them grow?

I'm inclined to leave them be, since they have managed this far without my interference.

Contact Sports: Fun or too dangerous ?

I was playing football (aussie style) over the weekend. Towards the end of the game, one of the fellows injured himself, I was nearby, didnt quite see what happened, I think he just fell funny.

However, he didn't get up, so wandered over to help, his foot was at a 90 degree angle sideways, the tibia bone pointing up. Ouch. It looked like one of those horrible worst sporting injuries emails or youtube videos. (out of respect for the guy we didnt take pictures of him.)

It did get me thinking though, over the years, I've seen a number of damaged knees, torn or stretched hamstrings, a team mate had his head caved in (needed 3 plates in it i think) a few dislocated shoulders, broken nose, and a few concussions.

Makes me wonder, is playing footy (or rugby) worth it? I enjoy the sport, I enjoy playing, I enjoy the contact. But makes me worry about getting a serious injury.

Perhaps I should just work on my golf or cricket instead....