Obama Gelontorkan Dana untuk Pemberontak Libia

Dukungan Amerika Serikat terhadap pemberontak Libia semakin nyata. Presiden Amerika Serikat Barack Obama, Selasa (26/4), secara resmi memerintahkan penyaluran dana US$ 25 juta untuk pemberontak Libia yang memerangi pemimpin Muamar Khadafi.

Bantuan untuk Dewan Peralihan Nasional Libia (TNC) tersebut termaktub di dalam memo dari Presiden Obama kepada Menteri Pertahanan Robert Gates dan Menteri Luar Negeri Hillary Rodham Clinton. Beberapa pejabat, pekan lalu, mengatakan bantuan itu dapat meliputi kendaraan, truk bahan bakar, ambulans, peralatan medis, jaket pelindung, teropong, dan radio.

Pemberian bantuan resmi tersebut disampaikan sehari setelah Menteri Pertahanan Inggris Liam Fox mengatakan di Washington DC, AS, pemberontak Libia "memperoleh momentum" di medan tempur dan rezim Khadafi "terdesak".

Tentara loyalis Khadafi dilaporkan didesak ke luar Kota Misrata oleh pemberontak. Tembakan roket pun terus menghujani kota ketiga di Libia itu. Ini dikatakan beberapa sumber pemberontak, kemarin. Adapun seorang koresponden AFP mengonfirmasi roket dan peluru masih menghujani kota tersebut secara terbatas, tapi tidak ada petunjuk adanya bentrokan dengan tentara dan pemberontak.

Setelah hampir tiga jam pembicaraan di Pentagon dengan Gates, kemudian Fox memberi gambaran optimistis mengenai konflik Libia. Kendati kedua pihak masih khawatir bahwa perang tersebut dapat berubah jadi kebuntuan tanpa akhir.

Sementara itu, Ketua TNC Mustafa Abdel Jalil megatakan pada Ahad silam, Kuwait memberikan bantuan 180 juta dolar AS kepada pemberontak Libia.

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Fakta Dan Mitos Tentang HIV&AIDS

Dua kata HIV dan AIDS bisa menciptakan ketakutan tersendiri bagi banyak orang. Tapi selama bertahun-tahun, banyak kesalahpahaman dan mitos yang beredar seputar HIV dan AIDS.

Sangat penting untuk mengetahui kebenaran dari mitos-mitos yang beredar seputar HIV AIDS. Percaya pada mitos yang beredar dapat menyebabkan ketakutan, penolakan bahkan membahayakan kesehatan Anda.

Berikut beberapa mitos seputar penyebab dan gejala HIV yang ditulis Dr Swapan Ghosh, MBBS dan American Board of seksologi (ABS) Certified Clinical Sexologist, seperti dilansirLifemojo, Rabu (27/4/2011):

Mitos, HIV bisa menular dari kontak biasa
Ini merupakan mitos yang paling sering dipercaya orang sehingga menyebabkan banyak ODHA (orang dengan HIV/AIDS) ditolak dan dikucilkan. Yang perlu diketahui adalah HIV hanya dapat menyebar melalui kontak dengan darah atau cairan tubuh lain (seperti sperma, cairan vagina dan air susu ibu) dan bukan dari kontak biasa (kontak kulit).

Memeluk, mencium dengan mulut tertutup, berbagi minuman, menggunakan peralatan olahraga, berbagi peralatan makan, menggunakan toilet yang sama atau ketika batuk dan bersin, keadaan tersebut tidak bisa menyebabkan penyebaran HIV.

Bahkan berciuman dengan mulut terbuka atau french kiss dianggap berisiko rendah karena air liur sebagai pembawa virus sering diabaikan. Namun yang menjadi kekhawatiran adalah ketika penderita HID AIDS mengalami luka di bagian mulut atau penyakit gusi yang nantinya bisa menyebarkan virus HIV.

Mitos, HIV adalah penyakit homoseksual
HIV adalah virus yang bisa menyerang siapa saja tanpa memandang orientasi seksual. HIV bisa diderita oleh orang yang baru lahir, lansia, wanita, remaja dan anak-anak dari setiap ras atau kebangsaan. Di seluruh dunia, HIV menyebar kebanyakan melalui kontak heteroseksual.

Mitos, nyamuk dapat menularkan HIV
Nyamuk tidak memasukkan darah orang lain ke dalam tubuh orang baru yang mereka gigit. Namun, nyamuk melakukan menyuntikkan air liur ke dalam korban-korbannya, yang mungkin membawapenyakit seperti malaria, demam berdarah, demam kuning dan lainnya. HIV tidak berkembang biak pada tubuh serangga, sehingga virus tidak bertahan cukup lama dalam tubuh nyamuk  untuk ditransmisikan melalui air liur.

Mitos, seks oral tidak bisa menyebabkan HIV
Anda bisa mendapatkan HIV dengan melakukan oral seks dengan pria atau wanita, meskipun kemungkinan relatif lebih kecil dibandingkan tertular virus melalui hubungan seksual.

Air mani atau cairan vagina dapat membawa penyakit. Risiko meningkat ketika terdapat luka terbuka pada alat kelamin dan atau mulut, atau penyakit gusi signifikan atau perdarahan. Oleh karena itu, penting untuk menggunakan penghalang lateks (kondom) selama seks oral, vagina ataupun dubur.

Mitos, jika HIV positif akan terlihat sakit
Orang dapat terinfeksi HIV selama lebih dari 10 tahun tanpa menunjukkan tanda-tanda atau gejala. Selama bertahun-tahun orang merasa baik, mampu bekerja seperti sebelumnya dan tidak menunjukkan tanda-tanda sakit. Jadi bahkan jika pasangan tampak sehat, penting untuk mengetahui status HIV.

Mitos, ibu yang menderita HIV tidak bisa memiliki anak
Perempuan yang terinfeksi HIV masih bisa subur dan risiko menularkan HIV kepada anak yang belum lahir adalah antara 15 sampai 30 persen. Namun, dengan terapi antiretroviral yang sudah tersedia sekarang, tingkat penularan dari ibu ke anak telah turun menjadi sekitar 2-3 persen. Jadi ibu yang menderita HIV tetap punya kesempatan untuk memiliki anak.

Mitos, HIV adalah hukuman mati
Ini adalah mitos terbesar dari kesemuanya. Obat-obatan, program pengobatan dan pemahaman yang lebih baik tentang HIV dan AIDS memungkinkan orang yang terinfeksi untuk hidup normal, sehat dan hidup produktif.



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Sejarah Tentang Hardstyle

Hardstyle is an electronic dance music (aka EDM) genre mixing influences from hardtechno, hard trance,hardcore and rave music. The average tempo is between 140 and 160 bpm (4/4).

The hardstyle sound typically consists of a hard sounding kick (consisting of a Bass, a Punch and in Nu Hardstyle a Tok), intense reverse basslines, and detuned and distorted sounds. It bears some similarities to hard trance. Many hardcore artists produce hardstyle tracks as well. Many Nu Hardstyle tracks are written in the 3/4 rhythm triplets, while older hardstyle tracks and also some Nu Hardstyle tracks are written in 4/4 rhythm.

History
Hardstyle originated from hard trance, gabber, oldskool hardcore, acid techno and influences from UK hard house. Hardstyle originated from Germany and the Netherlands, where the first hardstyle events started near the end of 1999 and the beginning of 2000. Hardstyle is also produced in Australia and theUnited Kingdom. 

Hardstyle takes influences from similar EDM genres, such as jumpstyle, hard trance and gabber. There are many types of Hardstyle scenes in the world, the main popular form of hardstyle being dutch Hardstyle, and its subgenre, labeled 'Nustyle'. Dutch Hardstyle is a fusion of dutch hardcore with Hardstyle, whereas, Nustyle is a more melodic form of Dutch Hardstyle where the kick is pitched to create a melodic bassline that usually plays in pitch with some supersaw or electro house melody. Hardstyle usually ranges from 140-160bpm, with early Hardstyle at 140bpm and Nustyle ranging up to 150bpm. Because of the speed of Hardstyle, it helps to separate the genre from other, faster genres such ashardcore techno. One of the iconic features of Hardstyle that distinguishes it from other genres is the use of "reverse bass", which can be heard on the offbeat after the kick. In various 'Nustyle' tracks, the reverse bass can be pitched accordingly to make the track more melodic.

Hardstyle often has melodies in triplet form, which gives the genre a pulsating rhythm, whereas other genres such as Jumpstyle have basic melodic structures to them.

A recent subgenre of Hardstyle, known as dubstyle, incorporates a fusion of hardstyle melodies, withdubstep style beats, (a hardstyle kick set to a 2-step and/or breakbeat rhythm).

Even more recently Dutch Hardstyle has split to create a new subgenre; Rawstyle. It takes Dutch Hardcore influenced Hardstyle and adds more oldschool and hardcore features and typically features more distortion on the "Kick".

Dance

There are several notable dances performed to hardstyle. The most popular dances performed to it are shuffling, jumpstyle, tecktonik, and hakken in the various hardstyle scenes. Shuffling is believed to have had originated in Melbourne, Australia; as it is commonly known as the "Melbourne Shuffle", having now caught on in a localized manner around the world. It has now become popular throughout Europe and in the United Kingdom and other countries where shuffling is now an urban subculture.

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20 Amazing Examples of Art from Obsolete Technology

Technology has advanced throughout the years at an extraordinary pace, a pace that can only be matched by the rate of “the last model’s” obsolescence. How often do we stop to think about the fate of these once-beloved, now defunct relics? A growing trend in the art world is to do just that; gifted artists around the globe have produced some truly amazing works of art by utilizing the very technology that we let fall into disuse every day.
Friendly Giant
Towering at nearly 23 feet, this three-ton European megalith of technological refuse, the WEEE Man, is literally a monument to the machinery of our recent past. Designed to be almost too human, this marvel stands as a politico-ecological statement against improper disposal of our most ubiquitous everyday appliances. His teeth are computer-mice. His brain-pan is filled with ancient computer hardware, and most striking of all, his eyes, old washing machine doors.
A Not-So-Friendly Face




Not all techno-sculpture is based on humans. Ann P. Smith dedicates her time to creating robotic animals and insects out of nearly any piece of gadgetry she can put to use. Ann’s creations often feature pose-able joints, and somehow seem to portray a sunny disposition! Her owl may even remind you of a certain favorite stop-motion character from Clash of the Titans. However, Ann doesn’t stop there. She goes as far as to recreate the object of many a child’s imagination, with extraordinary detail. Ann’s art is not kept behind lock and key from the public. She builds and sells her pieces on a regular basis, and you can find more of her work at her Web site.
The Steampunk Angle
Any discussion of obsolete technology would be incomplete these days without mention of Steampunk art. In and of itself, Steampunk idealism is based upon the concept of resurrecting long since dead technology and ways of seeing technology. There is a deep-rooted fascination with all things of the Steam Era, and these run congruently with a startlingly adaptive fashion-sense. Jewelry such as the necklace pictured above is becoming increasingly common, as the popularity of this beautiful and captivating form of practical art grows. This particular piece was made out of nothing but old watch parts.
Folk Art In Any Century
Artist D. Young creates 21st century folk art in the old fashion, but with a decidedly modern twist. Burned out or faulted electronics, once reliquated to the bin under the workbench, are now becoming tiny robot charms. Directly compared to the corn husk dolls of early America; popular among children, these tiny figures are carrying on a legacy spanning not decades but full centuries. These little treasures are sold online at obviousfront’s etsy store.
An Extinct Medium
Though the cassette tape died long ago in the hearts and minds of the entire 90’s generation, they remain today as a beacon of nostalgia, and as art. More and more aesthetic applications for these simple pieces of recording media are surfacing as time goes on; first as fashion-art, and more recently, incredibly creative exhibits. An artist going by the moniker iri5 has made waves with her artwork depicting much-loved (and often deceased) celebrities and famous musicians using nothing but the actual tape out of a cassette or film reel. As if this were not enough on its own, her attention to detail is astounding, as is shown above with her instantly recognizable depiction of the legendary Jimi Hendrix. More of her remarkable work can be found in iri5’s Flicker collection.
Functionally Fashionable

They say a designer has done their job when form meets function. Twenty-nine year old Joao Sabino has surpassed simple design and created art in his Keybags. The first word that may come to mind with this may be “geeky,” but meant in only the most affectionately possible way. Old keyboards rarely get a chance to live on as anything more than garbage in a landfill, and Joao has shown one more legitimately amazing use for something so easily overlooked. Similarly, when a computer is designed to be as pleasing to the eye as to productivity, it’s a shame to let the artistic efforts of those designers to waste. An artist going by the name pixelthis created this functioning clock out of the side of an old Mac G4. As simple as it may be, this stylish clock is art with a purpose.
When Voices Fade
Even old cellphones can be beautifully repurposed. This gorgeous precision display by artist Rob Pettit consists of 5,000 cellphones destined for the landfill. Rob’s early work utilized more traditional mediums; however, in his more recent works he has relied heavily on used and discarded wireless and cellular telephones to make his mark.
Greener Pastures

Old circuit-boards have found their way into homes as bookmarks and key-chains for years, but these most basic of uses cannot come close to this. Canadian sculptor Pierre I. Brunet created the above “Geek’s Palette,” proving silicon can be more than a stamped surface. Below, Grace Grothous stunned viewers with her “Uncharted Terrain.” Looking from afar, what appear to be buildings on a detailed topographic map are actually the original circuits for the boards used in this work.
From Classic, to Vintage, to Abstract
The Mona Lisa needs no introduction, save for the fact that she is rendered in circuitboards at this exhibit in Beijing. This is possibly as unique as the original painting; it is a masterpiece in its own right. Benton, the happy robot, can trace his lineage back to an old trolley fare box. What looks to be an enormous Faberge egg is in fact a circuit-board sculpture placed as street-art near Stanford University. This genre of art isn’t going anywhere, and we can expect to see much more in the years to come.

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Google Kembangkan Aplikasi Mesin Waktu? Yuk Kita Lihat

Sebuah aplikasi yang bisa membawa manusia menjelajahi waktu sedang dikembangkan. Google menjadi salah satu pendukung utamanya.

Aplikasi yang diberi nama GigaPan Time Machine merupakan rangkaian gambar pada daerah tertentu yang dipantau dalam jangka waktu tertentu pula. Rangkaian gambar tersebut kemudian dijalin hingga menjadi sebuah video. Pengguna bisa memperbesar atau memperkecil gambarnya di area yang diinginkan tanpa penurunan resolusi yang berarti.

Aplikasi yang dikembangkan oleh tim peneliti dari Carnegie Mellon University itu menggunakan teknologi foto GigaPan yang dapat menyatukan foto-foto resolusi tinggi untuk membuat sebuah gambar panorama. Selama 26 hari, sebuah kamera mengambil gambar setiap 15 menit. Foto-foto itulah yang kemudian "dijahit" menjadi sebuah video seperti yang dapat dilihat dalam salah satu contoh berikut:http://timemachine.gigapan.org/wiki/Plant_Growth

Ketika pengguna memutar video tersebut, mereka akan melihat berbagai perubahan yang terjadi selama kurun waktu pengambilan gambar, mulai dari perubahan warna tanaman sampai dengan seekor ulat yang sedang menggerogoti daun saat gambarnya diperbesar. Sensasi inilah yang akan membawa pengguna seolah-olah sedang menjelajahi waktu.

Selain Carnegie Mellon University dan GigaPan Systems, NASA juga terlibat dalam pengembangan aplikasi ini. Sementara Google berperan untuk mengoptimalisasi penggunaannya pada mesin penjelajah web.




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