rianology

Lately we were quite often to heard about US presidential election. Almost every day in every newspaper, radio and television we would found stories about one of the candidates, senator Barack Obama and his historical background. Well, like we were told before by press and the media, that mister Obama once happened to be lived in Indonesia when he just a little boy. He spend four years of his childhood in this beautiful country.

Apparently this side of story is being covered by press and the media in such a way that Obama has special connection with Indonesia and there is a chance that if this man won the presidential election then Indonesia will also get the price. Actually there is nothing wrong with that, because it is true that he got connection with us, but not that special. Only related due to his short terms childhood memories in this beloved country. He is just a little kid at the time, not as he is now, now he is a man who runs the United States of America.

Of course it is a common thing to wish an old friend a congratulation and good luck, as an Indonesian that is our kind of hospitality, but it will be a massive joke if we go too far on celebration.

http://www.kompas.com

If you were a foreign traveler, and Jakarta is your next destination, here is some of traveling advice for you (due to election phase that stands right around the corner)

• Keep a marine uniform handy
• Do not wear a shirt that has a words of " Wiranto for President "
• Avoid wearing a police helmet and police uniform
• Avoid humming a military march while you walk
• Wear a tear gas mask
• Always wave your hand on every building (as a salute to snipers)
• If you meet police or military forces,DO NOT explain anything! They won’t listen since they don’t know your language.Explanation : it means that they only use shooting, smacking and spanking as their language
• Maintain 120 km/h at the toll road, if it is possible (to avoid the traffic jam)
• Shake every student hand you meet as you walk (hugging is not necessary)
• Don’t try to cover yourself as a journalist, since a journalist is not a bullet-proof person !

Wont be home for a while, I am quite sure that everything is still the same. Never thought before that the words " home sweet home " would crossed my mind. But anyway out come from nowhere my hands goes instinctively typed the magical word " LINTAU " into google search images, and guess what. Between all of search result that appeared in my screen, this is the one that really gives me goosebumps.

How was I supposed to forget this one, if this is what I am. This old style mosque has been there since the day I was born, the time I spend my childhood and even now when I almost completely forget about it.

This place has been faithfully stands in each day I went home and when I left. This is the place that will be the first one which extend a warm welcome for me and will be the last things that I will have to say farewell to. I never realized before how much this mosque means alot to me as a person. Looks like this mosque has become some sort of key to my memories storage, this image brings up all of memories kind a like opening a pandora box of my life.

Menggunakan fitur pencarian di internet membantu dewasa dan orang berusia lanjut untuk mempertahankan daya ingat agar tetap berada pada kondisi optimal, menurut ilmuwan AS baru-baru ini. Ilmuwan di University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) melakukan studi ini dengan merekam aktivitas otak melalui functional magnetic resonance imaging scan melihat bahwa "orang-orang yang sering melakukan pencarian di internet menggunakan lebih banyak aktivitas otak sewaktu mereka mencari," kata Dr. Gary Small, pakar penuaan UCLA dalam sebuah wawancara telepon, "menegaskan bahwa pencarian di internet dapat melatih otak dan menjaga otak agar tetap aktif dan sehat."

Banyak studi yang mengatakan bahwa permainan asah otak seperti puzzle dapat mempertahankan fungsi otak, namun belum banyak yang mempelajari dampak penggunaan internet terhadap daya ingat. Small mengatakan bahwa "ini adalah pertama kalinya seseorang melakukan pindai otak saat obyek sedang melakukan pencarian di internet."

Studi dilakukan pada 24 orang yang berusia 55 sampai 76 tahun. Separuh dari mereka sudah sering melakukan pencarian di internet, sementara separuhnya lagi belum memiliki pengalaman mencari. Kedua kelompok kemudian diminta melakukan pencarian internet dan membaca buku sementara aktivitas otak mereka diawasi.

"Kami menemukan bahwa aktivitas membaca buku mengaktifkan visual kortex — bagian dari otak yang mengontrol bahasa. Pada pencarian internet, aktivitas yang dilakukan jauh lebih banyak, namun hal ini hanya berlaku bagi kelompok yang biasa menggunakan internet," jelas Small.

Small mengatakan bahwa orang yang terbiasa menggunakan internet dapat memicu tingkat aktivitas otak yang jauh lebih dalam. Pada otak yang sudah menua, pengurangan aktivitas sel dapat berdampak negatif pada fungsi kognitif. Aktivitas otak yang lebih dapat mempertahankan kesehatan otak dan kemampuan berpikir.

Small berpendapat bahwa mempelajari cara melakukan pencarian di internet merupakan salah satu aktivitas tersebut. "Mungkin kita dapat mengajarkan trik internet baru pada otak yang sudah tua," tutur Small.

(Washington Post)