Latest news, Hottest news

Duo Victory Angel Lebih Cantik dan Seksi Ketimbang Siap Geser Duo Serigala

2015-03-10T06:40:00.001-07:00

Jagat panggung dangdut bakal makin panas. Hot goyang drible Duo Serigala bakal mendapat saingan duo Victory Angel. Duo pedangdut ini selalu tampil dengan goyangan seksi.

Ini alasan yang membuat Victoria Angel bakal menyangingi popularitas Duo Serigala? Lady Shinta dan Nonna menginjakan kaki di pentas musik dangdut dengan bekal sebagai model majalah pria dewasa. Tak heran jika busana yang dikenakan terlihat elegan meski tampil terbuka.

Shinta menjelaskan, sebagai biduan tak hanya cukup bermodal suara. Penampilan di atas panggung juga sangat mendukung untuk terus eksis di tengah sengitnya persaingan di kancah musik dangdut.

"Penampilan sama suara itu satu kesatuan. Makanya suara yang oke juga ditunjang sama penampilan kita yang emang seksi tapi elegan," ujar Shinta.

Apakah keduanya tak khawatir dicap hanya menonjolkan seksi semata tanpa dibarengi vokal yang berkualitas? "Itu terserah pendapat orang aja sih. Buat kita suara sama penampilan porsinya sama harus bagus," tegas Nonna.

Namun, duo Victory Angle rupanya tak punya goyangan khas. "Hmm, kalau goyangan belum punya namanya, kami sih lebih menyesuaikan saja sama lagunya. Yang penting penampilan kami serasi terus nadanya nggak kemana-mana. Intinya kualitas suaranya itu penting," tutur Shinta.

Victory Angle telah mempunyai single berjudul Janda Muda. Meski begitu duo seksi ini belum mau menceritakan secara detail tentang lagunya tersebut. Tanggal perilisannya pun masih dirahasiakan oleh dua wanita cantik tersebut.

Banjir Hujatan, Duo Serigala Santai Saja

2015-03-10T06:39:00.003-07:00

Duo Serigala belakangan ini menjadi bahan olok-olok di dunia maya. Meski begitu, para personelnya menanggapi dengan santai.

Dua penyanyi dangdut yang tergabung dalam Duo Serigala menjadi bahan pembicaraan lantaran goyang drible yang mereka usung. Meskipun banjir hujatan, namun para personel Duo Serigala mengaku biasa saja.

"Ada pro dan kontra, tapi kita biasa saja," ujar Pamela, salah satu personel Duo Serigala saat dijumpai di Studio 1 RCTI, Jakarta, Rabu (4/3/2015).

Bagi grup yang dibentuk oleh Andika Mahesa tersebut, mereka hanya sekadar berniat untuk menghibur masyarakat semata.

"Ya, kita niat menghibur saja," pungkasnya.

Sebelumnya, Duo Serigala menjadi bahan pembicaraan di internet lantaran goyang drible yang mereka usung ternyata diambil situs guyonan asal Amerika Serikat. Para netizen dari seluruh dunia pun mencemooh goyang drible, meski ada sedikit yang memberi pujian.

Berapa Duit Pensiun Sniper Tatang Koswara?

2015-03-10T06:38:00.003-07:00

Kepala Dinas Penerangan TNI Angkatan Darat Brigadir Jenderal Wuryanto mengatakan TNI AD sedih mendapati kabar Tatang Koswara, pensiunan tentara penembak jitu, hidup dengan membuka warung makan di lingkungan Kodiklat TNI AD di Bandung.

Menurut Wuryanto bukan rahasia lagi bahwa pensiunan tentara zaman dulu seperti Tatang tak mendapat dana pensiun yang layak. "Untuk setingkat peltu seperti almarhum, dana pensiunnya kurang dari Rp 1 juta," kata Wuryanto ketika dihubungi Tempo, Rabu, 4 Maret 2015.

Menurut Wuryanto, dana pensiun yang diperoleh Tatang hanya berupa gaji. Tak ada remunerasi seperti upah yang diterima tentara saat ini. "Sebetulnya pimpinan TNI zaman dulu sudah berupaya menaikkan gaji pensiun prajuritnya, tapi kemampuan pemerintah terbatas," kata dia.

Tatang wafat pada Selasa malam, 3 Maret 2015, karena serangan jantung setelah diwawancara dalam acara Hitam Putih, Trans 7. Ketika itu Tatang langsung dibawa ke Rumah Sakit Medistra yang tak jauh dari studio Trans 7. Namun nyawa Tatang tak tertolong saat dilakukan upaya medis.

Tatang adalah pensiunan TNI AD dengan pangkat terakhir pembantu letnan satu. Meski begitu Tatang masuk jajaran penembak jitu terbaik di dunia.

Dalam buku Sniper Training, Techniques, and Weapons karya Peter Brookesmith terbitan 2000, nama Tatang masuk dalam daftar 14 besar Sniper's Roll of Honour di dunia.

Tatang mulai masuk militer melalui jalur tamtama di Banten pada 1966. Pada 1977-1978 Tatang beroperasi di Timor Timur. Di bekas provinsi Indonesia itu, lebih dari 40 orang Fretilin menjadi korban tembakan jitunya.

Meski punya ijazah sekolah teknik (setara SMP), Tatang melamar sebagai prajurit tamtama menggunakan ijazah SR (sekolah rakyat) atau sekolah dasar. Selang beberapa tahun ia mengikuti penyesuaian pangkat sesuai ijazah yang dimiliknya itu.

Sebagai bintara, Tatang ditempatkan di Pusat Kesenjataan Infanteri (Pusenif). Di sana pula Tatang Koswara mendapatkan mengikuti berbagai pelatihan, mulai kualifikasi raider hingga sniper. Tatang Koswara menggunakan sandi S-3 alias siluman 3.

Australia Muak dengan Eksekusi Mati Bali Nine, Indonesia Jangan Khawatir

2015-03-10T06:37:00.003-07:00

Pemerintah tidak perlu khawatir yang berlebihan atas pernyataan PM Tony Abbott yang geram dan muak dengan pelaksanaan hukuman mati. Pakar hukum internasional Prof Dr Hikmahanto Juwana menegaskan Presiden Jokowi tidak perlu khawatir dengan Australia pasca eksekusi mati dilaksanakan.

"Ketidaksukaan pemerintah asing, termasuk Australia, ditunjukkan paling maksimal dengan pemanggilan Duta Besar mereka untuk berkonsultasi. Pemanggilan diperkirakan tidak akan berlangsung lama karena Dubes akan dikembalikan untuk bertugas di Jakarta," kata Hikmahanto kepada detikcom, Kamis (5/3/2015).

"Hal ini yang terjadi pada Belanda pasca pelaksanaan hukuman mati bulan Januari lalu," sambung pria yang disapa dengan Prof Hik di kampusnya.

Menurut Hikmahanto, pemerintah Australia diharapkan tidak melakukan reaksi lebih dari pemanggilan dubes, mengingat kepentingan dan ketergantungan kedua negara sangat besar. Kepentingan yang saling menguntungkan bila dirusak akan tidak sebanding dengan pelaksanaan hukuman mati atas dua WN Australia yang melakukan kejahatan serius menurut hukum di Indonesia.

"Bahkan tindakan berlebihan dari pemerintah Australia akan dikecam oleh publiknya sendiri. Ini tentu membahayakan posisi PM Tony Abbbot yang sedang berada di ujung tanduk dalam kedudukannya sebagai Perdana Menteri," ujar Hikmahanto.

Dalam wawancara dengan radio ABC, seperti dilansir Herald Sun, Rabu (4/3/2015), Abbott mencetuskan, jutaan penduduk Australia muak dengan perkembangan kabar mengenai eksekusi mati Chan dan Sukumaran.

"Kami benci kejahatan narkoba, tetapi kami juga benci hukuman mati, yang kami pikir tak pantas dilakukan untuk negara seperti Indonesia. Terus terang kami muak dengan prospek pelaksanaan eksekusi tersebut," ucap Abbott.

Duo Bali Nine yaitu Andrew Chan dan Myuran Sukumaran saat ini sudah berada di Pulau Nusakambangan untuk dieksekusi mati. Pengamanan di pulau penjara itu kini diperketat.

Ahok Tak Rayakan Cap Go Meh

2015-03-10T06:36:00.003-07:00

Jakarta - Sebagai turunan Tionghoa Gubernur DKI Jakarta Basuki Tjahaja Purnama tak ikut merayakan Cap Go Meh . Hal tersebut disampaikan Ahok lewat pesan pendek kepada Tempo. "Kami tidak ada tradisi Cap Go Meh," ujar Ahok saat ditanya soal adakah perayaan tersebut dalam tradisi keluarganya, Kamis, 5 Maret 2015.

Cap Go Meh sendiri merupakan sebuah perayaan yang melambangkan hari ke-15 dan hari terakhir dari masa perayaan Tahun Baru Imlek. Tahun ini, perayaan Cap Go Meh dirayakan pada awal bulan Maret. Perayaan ini biasanya identik dengan perayaan jamuan makan besar dan berbagai kegiatan atraktif seperti festival-festival.

Berdasarkan informasi yang diperoleh Tempo, khususnya di Asia Tenggara perayaan Cap Go Meh dikenal sebagai hari Valentine atau kasih sayangnya komunitas Tionghoa.

Di Indonesia sendiri beberapa daerah mulai banyak merayakan perayaan satu ini dan melibatkan masyarakat setempat, tak hanya komunitas Tionghoa saja. Masyarakat Indonesia turut merasakan suasana Pecinan dari budaya dan kesenian Tionghoa dari perayaan-perayaan yang digelar.

Sebagai contoh Perayaan Cap go Meh di Bogor tahun ini. Puluhan ribu masyarakat keturunan Tionghoa dan masyarakat pribumi Bogor tumpah dan memadati lokasi vihara Dhanagun dan sepanjang Jalan Raya Suryakancana, Bogor yang dijadikan sebagai lokasi pelaksanaan Street Festival Cap Go Meh (CGM) 2015. Perayaan ini makin ramai karena turut dihadiri oleh Presiden RI Joko Widodo dan kabinet kerja.

agu Baru Aura Kasih untuk Glenn Fredly

2015-03-10T06:35:00.004-07:00

Jakarta Tak ada yang tak mengenal Aura Kasih. Selain sibuk bernyanyi, wanita kelahiran Bandung 28 tahun yang lalu tersebut juga kerap mondar-mandir di layar infotainmen.

Aura Kasih pernah digosipkan dekat dengan sejumlah nama tenar. Sebut saja vokalis band Ungu, Pasha, dan Glenn Fredly yang belakangan santer terdengar. Namun siapakah sebenarnya pemilik hati mantan Miss Lampung tersebut?

Entahlah, meski beberapa waktu lalu sempat beredar foto yang menunjukan kedekatan Aura kasih dan Glenn Fredly saat Aura merayakan ulang tahunnya, tak banyak informasi lebih lanjut mengenai keduanya.

Satu hal yang pasti, Aura Kasih baru saja meluncurkan lagu terbarunya yang berjudul Pemilik Hati. Dan ya, lagu tersebut merupakan daur ulang dari lagu milik band Armada yang sempat menjadi hits beberapa waktu lalu.

Tak hanya single baru, menurut rencana ia juga akan merilis album terbarunya, sebuah mini album berisi enam lagu dimana hits lawasnya Mari Bercinta yang juga akan masuk ke dalamnya. Bedanya, Mari Bercinta akan dikemas ulang menjadi lebih fresh.

Jadi, siapakah pemilik hati Aura Kasih sebenarnya? Mungkinkah Glenn Fredly?

Kebakaran Tanah Abang, ACT Gerak Cepat

2015-03-10T06:34:00.003-07:00

Belum juga lekang warga Jakarta menerima kabar musibah kebakaran di Kelurahan Karang Anyar, Sawah Besar, Jakarta Pusat pekan lalu, musibah serupa terjadi di wilayah Kebon Melati, Tanah Abang, Jakarta Pusat. Sekitar pukul 17.00 WIB, Kamis (5/3/2015), kebakaran akibat korsleting listrik tersebut menghanguskan 284 rumah di 2 wilayah kerukunan warga (RW), di Kelurahan Kebon Melati.

Para relawan yag tergabung di Masyarakat Relawan Indonesia (MRI) Jakarta Pusat melaporkan kebakaran melalap rumah di RW 012 (RT 16 dan 19) dan RW 014 (RT 11, 12, 13, 14,15, 16 dan 17) yang dihuni oleh 533 kepala keluarga (KK) atau 2.122 jiwa. Sementara itu kebakaran juga menimbulkan korban jiwa sebanyak 4 korban tewas dan korban luka 7 orang.

“Tidak lebih dari dua jam, pukul 18.30 MRI bersama Aksi Cepat Tanggap (ACT) sudah membuat Posko pertama di rumah salah seorang tokoh di Tanah Abang, H. Anton, di Jl. Lontar Bawah pukul 18.30, “ tutur Hanie Hanifah, salah seorang relawan MRI Jakarta Pusat. Sebelum Posko berdiri tim Emergency Response ACT sudah lebih dulu bahu-membahu bersama warga memadamkan api.

Selain Posko, MRI bersama ACT juga membangun Dapur Sosial untuk para korban kebakaran di Kebon Melati ini, mulai Jumat siang (13/3) di Sentra Dapur Sosial Ciputat. Untuk sementara, tambah Hanie, Jumat pagi ACT dan MRI Jakarta Pusat telah mendistribusikan makananan-makanan kecil untuk pengganti sarapan bagi para pengungsi kebakaran. Malam harinya, juga sudah terdistribusi beberapa set kasur lipat, sarung dan makanan siap santap untuk pengungsi beristirahat.

Sementara itu Direktur Disaster Management Institute of Indonesia (DMII) – ACT Insan Nurrochman, berdasarkan laporan dari tim Emergency Response ACT di lokasi, menjelaskan saat ini kebutuhan mendesak yang dibutuhkan oleh para pengungsi adalah selimut, tikar lipat, karpet, baju baru untuk dewasa dan anak-anak, kebutuhan seragam sekolah anak, paket personal higyiene, serta kebutuhan harian untuk para perempuan, anak dan manula.

Selain kebutuhan sandang tersebut, para pengungsi juga membutuhkan ketersediaan pangan siap santap untuk sepekan ke depan. “Kami sudah mengaktifkan Dapur Sosial Kebakaran kembali, namun untuk kebakaran di Kebon Melati ini, dukungan masyarakat masih kami harapkan. Setidaknya kebutuhan bahan-bahan makanan seperti beras, minyak, lauk-pauk atau sayuran akan sangat diperlukan untuk keberlangsungan DapSos ini,” ujar Penanggungjawab Dapur Sosial kebakaran Jakarta, Sukorini, di Sentra Dapur Sosial ACT, Ciputat.

Dalam catatan DMII, empat peristiwa kebakaran yang terjadi dalam sebulan ini di Jakarta, bahkan di kurun tiga tahun terakhir, hampir 90% penyebabnya adalah karena hubungan pendek arus listrik, disusul oleh kompor meledak, rokok dan pembakaran sampah.

Kecelakaan Harrison Ford, Si Anak: Ayah Babak Belur

2015-03-10T06:33:00.000-07:00

Aktor Harrison Ford, 72 tahun, mengalami luka-luka ketika pesawat tempur kuno yang ia terbangkan mendarat darurat di sebuah lapangan golf di Los Angeles, Amerika Serikat, Kamis, 5 Maret 2015.

Pesawat mesin tunggal itu tersangkut di pohon saat berusaha kembali ke Santa Monica Airport setelah lepas landas. “Sang pilot tanggap dan berbicara ketika dibawa ke rumah sakit lokal,” kata asisten Kepala Pemadam Kebakaran Los Angeles Patrick Butler.

Juru bicara Ford, Ina Treciokas, menyampaikan bahwa sang aktor sudah mendapat perawatan. "Lukanya tidak mengancam keselamatan jiwa, dan dia diharapkan bisa pulih sepenuhnya," katanya.

Putra Ford, Ben, mengatakan pada akun Twitter bahwa dia berada di rumah sakit. "Ayah oke. Babak belur, tapi oke!" demikian potongan tulisannya di Twitter.

Situs TMZ melaporkan pesawat latih militer era Perang Dunia II yang dikemudikan Ford mengalami kegagalan mekanik. Situs berita ini menyatakan wajah Ford bersimbah darah saat ditemukan. Putranya, Ben, menyatakan ayahnya terluka cukup parah tapi kondisinya stabil. "Kulitnya terkelupas dan darah menetes dari wajahnya," kata seorang saksi mata.

Ford melaporkan kegagalan mesin kurang dari dua menit setelah lepas landas. Pesawat yang dikemudikannya itu, Ryan Aeronautical ST3KR, bermesin tunggal.

Carlos Lugo, 63 tahun, seorang saksi mata, mengatakan dia sedang bermain golf di Penmar Golf Course ketika melihat pesawat yang baru lepas landas dari Santa Monica Airport kehilangan tenaga dan memutar balik. "Ketika dia terbang melewati kami, kami tahu itu sudah terlambat untuk berbalik ke bandara," kata Lugo.

Juru bicara Dewan Keselamatan Transportasi Nasional Amerika Serikat menyatakan pilot melaporkan bahwa mesin kehilangan tenaga sesaat sebelum jatuh pukul 02.20 waktu setempat. Lembaga itu akan melakukan penyelidikan menyeluruh untuk menentukan penyebab kecelakaan.

HomeMetroLayanan publik Sabtu, 07 Maret 2015 | 05:23 WIB Ahok Vs DPRD: Presiden Jokowi Jangan Dengar Kodok Bangkong!

2015-03-10T06:32:00.001-07:00

Ketegangan antara Dewan Perwakilan Rakyat Daerah dan Gubernur DKI Jakarta Basuki Tjahaja Purnama semakin tinggi. Meskipun Ahok sudah laporkan temuannya ke Presiden Joko Widodo, sejumlah pihak belum melihat aksi Jokowi. Aktivis Indonesian Corruption Watch menyayangkan sikap Presiden Jokowi yang terkesan diam saja.

"Presiden Jokowi jangan seperti hujan sore-sore mendengarkan suara kodok bangkong!" kata Koordinator Divisi Monitoring dan Analisis Anggaran ICW Firdaus Ilyas kepada Tempo, Jumat, 6 Maret 2015.

Firdaus terheran-heran dengan sikap diam Presiden Jokowi menanggapi ketegangan politik di Ibu Kota. "Apa dia tidak mendengar, membaca, atau menonton berita? Siapa, sih, yang menutupi semua akses sehingga Presiden Jokowi terlihat di sisi berseberangan dengan pemberantasan korupsi?" kata Firdaus. Sebab, menurut dia, Jokowi bersikap seolah-olah tidak tahu ada ketegangan ini.

Menurut Firdaus, momen ini adalah kesempatan bagus bagi Jokowi untuk menunjukkan keberpihakan melawan korupsi. Yang dapat dilakukan Jokowi, kata dia, adalah memperkuat Komisi Pemberantasan Korupsi. "Bukan menggerogoti perlahan," ujarnya.

Mengenai e-budgeting, Firdaus menunggu keberanian Jokowi menggunakannya dalam skala nasional. Menurut dia, tak ada kendala untuk bermigrasi ke e-budgeting dan e-catalogue. "Ahok saja berani, masak Jokowi tidak," katanya sambil menantang janji Jokowi mencegah korupsi.

Sebelum melaporkan dugaan anggaran siluman yang mencapai Rp 12,1 triliun ke Komisi Pemberantasan Korupsi, Ahok terlebih dulu bertemu dengan Joko Widodo di Istana Kepresidenan pada 27 Februari 2015. Keduanya membahas polemik antara Ahok dan Dewan yang berujung hak angket. "Jokowi harus manfaatkan momen ini dengan bertindak. Jangan diam saja," kata Firdaus.

Hindari Kemacetan, Perjalanan Christina Perri Dikawal Polisi

2015-03-10T06:31:00.003-07:00

Christina Perri merasakan macetnya Kota Jakarta sesaat tiba di Indonesia. Namun karena ada pengawalan Polisi, Christina pun senang karena waktunya tak terbuang sia-sia. Maklum dirinya sangat lelah melewati perjalanan panjang dari Amerika Serikat.

"Saya sampai hari ini jam 3 sore. Saya terkena macet, tapi ada polisi mengawal kita untuk melewati kemacetan," kata Christina Perry dalam Exclusive Interview Christina Perri bersama MNC Media di Studio 1 RCTI, Kebon Jeruk, Jakarta Barat, Jumat (6/3/2015).

Pengawalan dari Polisi adalah hal yang sangat mengejutkan dari pelantun A Thousand Years itu. Bahkan dengan leluconya, perjalanan sangat cepat bahkan jika tak terhenti sampai di kota asalnya.

"Dan itu keren banget. Saya pikir saya harus bersama mereka sampai ke Los Angeles," kelakarnya.

Dalam Mega Konser Dunia, Christina Perri akan membawakan dua buah lagu. Konser pun akan ditayangkan secara live di RCTI, pada pukul 22.00 WIB.

Meme Haji Lulung Bisa Perkeruh Suasana

2015-03-10T06:30:00.003-07:00

Nama Wakil Ketua DPRD DKI Jakarta Abraham “Lulung” Lunggana ramai diperbincangkan di dunia maya. Bahkan, hastag #SaveHajiLulung menjadi trending topic di media sosial Twitter. Hal itu terkait perseteruan antara DPRD dengan Gubernur DKI Jakarta Basuki Tjahaha Purnama alias Ahok.

Namun, munculnya meme #SaveHajiLulung itu menjadi kontroversi tersendiri. Sebagian berpendapat hal tersebut sebuah lelucon di tengah kisruh antara Ahok dan DPRD. Namun, ada juga yang menilai hal itu merupakan sebuah akrobatik yang tidak beretika. Sebab, makna #SaveHajiLulung justru memiliki makna mengejek.

Sekjen Forum Indonesia ‎untuk Transparan Anggaran (FITRA) Yenni Sucipto mengatakan, sebaiknya publik tidak terpengaruh dengan adanya cemoohan viral melalui media sosial tersebut. "Hentikan akrobat-akrobat yang tidak beretika. Sehingga ada beberapa isu yang memperkeruh suasana," kata Yenni dalam sebuah diskusi di Jakarta, Sabtu (7/3).

Dia mengimbau, eksekutif dan legislatif Jakarta mengedepankan kepentingan masyarakat serta segera mengakhiri kisruh yang selama ini terjadi. "Segera setujui APBD yang diajukan Pemprov DKI," katanya.

Di sisi lain, Wakil Ketua DPRD DKI Jakarta Abraham “Lulung” Lunggana tidak mempersalahkan adanya meme dirinya di Twitter. Lulung justru mengapresiasi adanya candaan tersebut.

"Saya apresiasi #SaveHajiLulung itu, tapi harus objektif yang dikemukakan," kata politikus PPP itu.

Lulung pun mengaku baru tahu soal meme di Twitter tersebut dari salah seorang stafnya. ‎Sebab, dia tidak memiliki akun media sosial dan tidak paham cara menggunakannya. Lulung menyarankan agar media tidak berat sebelah dalam memberitakan polemik DPRD dan Ahok sebagai gubernur DKI Jakarta. Sebab, hal itu bisa menambah kisruh baru. ”Jangan memuat di berita Ahok vs DPRD. Tapi, gubernur vs DPRD," tegasnya.

Eurovision 2013 Song

2013-05-21T09:10:00.000-07:00

Russia came fifth - but did they lose out on points from Azerbaijan's voters

Eurovision's voting often provides as much entertainment as the song contest itself, with colourful hosts and pithy commentary.

But now an apparent voting anomaly has left Russia complaining about an "outrageous incident".

Azerbaijan, a former Soviet republic, is trying to find out why the votes announced on the night did not give any points to Dina Garipova for her entry What If .

And Russia is investigating an alleged vote theft.

Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov met Azerbaijan's foreign minister Elmar Mammadyarov, who said the country's mobile phone operators reported Russia came second in the local vote, which would have given Dina 10 points.

She is also reported to have scored highly with the jury.

Mr Lavrov called it an "outrageous incident". He added: "When 10 points have been stolen from our participant it doesn't please you, particularly in the way the event is organised.

On the night Azerbaijan awarded its points to Ukraine (12), Georgia (10), Malta (8), Belarus (7), Romania (6) Denmark (5), Greece (4), Lithuania (3), Norway (2), Moldova (1).

Russia gave Azerbaijan a 12-point maximum.

With 39 countries taking part, Russia received points from 29 of them, with Malta, Romania, Greece, Italy, Norway, Austria, San Marino, Albania and Switzerland the other countries not to give them any points.

Russians take Eurovision very seriously and won in 2008 with Dima Bilan. This year's entry finished fifth overall on Saturday , 17 points behind fourth-placed Norway.

Azerbaijani television is investigating. It was unclear where any mistake or vote manipulation might have occurred.

Final Four

2011-03-27T06:30:00.000-07:00

ANAHEIM, Calif. - Jim Calhoun could scarcely watch when the most improbable postseason run of his coaching life at Connecticut came down to an open 3-point attempt by Arizona's Jamelle Horne.

The shot clanged off the back rim. The clock hit zeros.

Nine victories in just 19 days. Calhoun has seen just about everything, but nothing like this — and now his Huskies will keep running all the way to Houston.

Kemba Walker scored 20 points, freshman Jeremy Lamb added 19 and UConn earned its second Final Four berth in three years, beating Arizona 65-63 Saturday to win the West regional.

After missing the NCAA tournament entirely last year, Calhoun's tireless team is headed to the Huskies' fourth Final Four, punctuated by an ebullient on-court celebration in a building packed with Arizona fans.

UConn simply hasn't lost since a .500 Big East regular season, winning five games in five days at the conference tournament before this NCAA run. Walker claims he isn't surprised by this sprint through the postseason, while Lamb has nothing to compare it to, leaving Calhoun alone in his grateful disbelief.

"Never did I imagine a team winning nine games in tournament play in 19 days," Calhoun said. "These brothers, these young guys, have just given me a thrill beyond compare. Our march in the past nine games, I haven't experienced anything like this."

UConn also made the Final Four in 1999, 2004 and 2009 — all three times out of the West. In sweet redemption for a program and a veteran coach tarred by scandals over the past year, the Huskies will face the winner of North Carolina's East regional final against Kentucky next Saturday.

Derrick Williams and Horne missed go-ahead 3-pointers in the final seconds for Arizona, allowing the third-seeded Huskies (30-9) to hang on after Lamb scored six key points down the stretch when Walker encouraged the Huskies to run plays for the fearless frosh.

"This is no time to be tired," Walker said. "We're trying to get as far as possible. We want to win this whole thing."

Williams had 20 points while battling foul trouble for the fifth-seeded Wildcats (30-8), who led with 6 minutes to play. After Lamb pushed the Huskies ahead and Walker hit a jumper with 1:13 left, Lamont Jones and Horne then hit late 3-pointers for Arizona, but the Wildcats couldn't convert two good looks in the final seconds.

"The second one, I thought it was definitely going in," Lamb said. "When he missed it, I looked at the clock and saw zero-zero, and I just went, 'Whooooo.' It's the best feeling I've ever had."

The Huskies are the last team standing from the Big East's 11 NCAA entrants. After going 9-9 in regular-season conference play, they've done more than even Calhoun might have expected just three weeks ago.

After the Wildcats missed their final two shots, Walker and Calhoun wrapped each other in a bear hug at center court after the buzzer as Emeka Okafor, Jake Voskuhl and other UConn alums celebrated on the court.

The two-time national champion coach has referred to his group as "an old-fashioned team," a praise of their work ethic and resilience. But they also showed remarkable poise down the stretch in a building firmly in favor of the Wildcats.

A year after Arizona's 25-year streak of NCAA tournament appearances ended, the Wildcats and second-year coach Sean Miller were one 3-pointer away from a return to the Final Four. Williams demolished Duke in the regional semifinals with a career-high 32 points, but three early fouls limited him to 7 minutes in the first half against UConn.

"I've never been prouder of a team, and I've never seen a team come so far as we did in a short period of time," Miller said. "It will probably feel better in a few weeks than it does now."

Manchurian Candidate: Which Version is Better? Frank Sinatra or Denzel Washington?

2011-03-27T06:15:00.000-07:00

The 1962 film the Manchurian Candidate is a certified classic. The political thriller was so good that it earned the best tribute it could get. A remake. In 2004, Denzel Washington took on the role originally played by Frank Sintra.

There was of course some updating in the remake, some new tweets, and lots of color. But the original black and white, still holds it own. So which one is better and what has been said in comparing the two films?Most film fans who were familiar with the original political thriller tend to side with the 1962 version. But under the direction of Johnathan Demme with a cast that included along side Denzel the likes of Meryl Streep and Liev Schreilber, they do a fabulous job. It’s a strong piece of cinema that comes as a fresher, bright version of the dark and foreboding original.

Grant Helps Butler's Friesner Herbarium Put Plants Online

2011-03-27T04:27:00.000-07:00

More than 1,900 specimens of ferns and orchids that grow in Indiana can now be seen and studied online, thanks to an $8,000 grant Butler University received from the Indiana State Library.

The digital images, along with specific information on each plant, are available here. The plants are part of the collection in Butler’s Friesner Herbarium, which houses specimens from more than 43,000 Indiana plants as well as 55,000 samples from elsewhere. (Herbaria are systemic collections of pressed and dried plants with labels that document who collected them, when, and where. The focus of the Friesner Herbarium is plants that grow outside of cultivation.)

The University will publicly unveil the project at 3 p.m. Aug. 18 at Irwin Library. The event is free and open to the public.

“The idea is that hopefully, having this information available will make more people aware of the collection and its historical value,” said Rebecca Dolan, director of the Friesner Herbarium. “And as people are interested in the history of a county, they can look back at our records. Many of our specimens were collected in the 1920s, ’30s and ’40s, before there was a lot of development in most of the state.”

Digitizing the first 1,900 specimens began a year ago as a joint project between the Herbarium and the Irwin Library. Lewis Miller, dean of the libraries, was the principal investigator on the grant. Butler partnered with IUPUI’s library to photograph the plants, then linked the images with data from each specimen. Irwin Library Catalog Librarian Janice Gustaferro entered the pictures and information into a searchable database.

Dolan said the process went so well that a second grant – this time $20,000 – will enable the University to digitize another 6,400 specimens from the sunflower/daisy family.

“The ultimate goal would be to get all 43,000 Indiana specimens digitized so people don’t have to come here to see the specimens,” she said.

The herbarium’s collection is kept in folders inside lockers that protect the specimens from light, water and insects. Dolan said the plants are useful in a variety of ways – for professional botanists interested in species distributions; for students and teachers studying Indiana natural history; for people trying to establish historical landscapes; for people interested in the spread of non-native plants.

The project is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Sciences under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act, administered by the Indiana State Library.

The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of federal support for the nation’s 123,000 libraries and 17,500 museums. Its mission is to grow and sustain a “nation of learners,” because lifelong learning is essential to a democratic society and individual success. Through its grant making, convenings, research and publications, the institute empowers museums and libraries nationwide to provide leadership and services to enhance learning in families and communities, sustain cultural heritage, build 21st century skills and increase civic participation. More information is available at www.imls.gov<http://www.imls.gov>.

The Butler University Year book Online

2011-03-27T04:25:00.000-07:00

So in lamenting Pitt's annual early exit from the NCAA tourney I felt obligated to look into Butler University because I have no idea who Butler is, where they are from and why they have to stir up trouble for the basketball powers that be.

While my main passion is college football, I graduated from Pitt so, of course, I love Pitt's basketball team unconditionally as well.
Needless to say I was disappointed by Butler's 71-70 dismissal of Pittsburgh.

After the game I had to look up a little bit about Butler. How many scholarships do they have?.. What conference do they play in?.. Do they have a Div. 1 football team?

Ultimately, I was convinced enough that Butler is an actual college, so I entered "Butler University Yearbooks" into the search bar and I was surprised to see that Butler University has their yearbooks posted online.

The yearbooks have had several names over the years, The Carillon, The Gallery and the name the yearbook started with and has come back to time and time again: The Drift.

The earliest yearbook Butler has available online is from way back in 1891, and butler boasted a solid football team even way back then.

One of the interesting things regarding any early yearbook the occasional bias exhibited by student writers.
I particularly liked this page from the 1891 Drift where the writer directly refutes a score on account of the ref not knowing the rules.
That is definitely a possibility in those early days- especially considering that there were two sets of rules committees even as late as 1896, but I have found no evidence thus far to suggest that Butler was robbed of 16 points vs Hanover and lost the 1887 Indiana state championship as a result.

So while these texts can certainly offer us some more clarity on football's salad days - the accounts can be biased and may raise as many new questions as they answer.

In all, this is another great surprise addition to the yearbooks collection. This one was produced by the Internet Archive and looks great, is easy to use and is keyword searchable. Pitt's loss to Butler in the round of 32 was hard to swallow, but at least I found this one positive in another painful Pitt tournament loss.

2011-03-26T22:25:00.001-07:00

STJHMA623KMY

How a Georgia Tax Attorney Can Help You

2011-03-25T16:57:00.000-07:00

Taxes are based on laws. Since laws are made by human beings, they are imperfect. A good Georgia tax attorney can help you because of this innate imperfection of laws. How?

First of all, let us consider the factor of time: no man can predict what will happen in the future. New technologies and industries are developed on a regular basis. Because of this, no law can truly cover every event happening every day. A good Georgia tax attorney can help you by making use of the time factor to find loopholes in different tax laws. He or she should be creative in order to pull this off. This involves a lot of research and familiarization of history of tax laws and different factors affecting those laws. By finding certain laws that could serve you and not burden you, a good Georgia tax attorney would be able to help you solve your problems.

There is also the matter of interpretation. All of tax law can be interpreted in different ways. A good Georgia tax attorney would be able to spot any ambiguity or erroneous interpretation in tax laws to help you with your case. A good Georgia tax attorney will be able to show you a number of different ways to interpret tax law in the light of various statutes, the internal revenue code, IRS rulings and a number of other legal standards. This means that you will have a number of different solutions in your hand.

There is always the question of what is effective and what is creative. You might be able to find a Georgia tax attorney who could tell you how to solve a problem the conventional legal way. This is the "effective" Georgia tax attorney. However, there are a few who are able to "think outside the box." These Georgia tax attorneys can look at a problem from a very unique perspective. A Georgia tax attorney who is creative can solve a problem and save you a lot of time and money in the process.

The general view of people today is that we live in a world of compromise. And they might be right. In this world today, there are no absolutes, not even taxes. A good Georgia tax attorney will be able to form a compromise between you and the IRS. Yes, you can actually settle with the IRS. Why?

Well, the IRS itself knows how complicated tax laws can be. They also know that they are capable of error. Because of this, they are willing to negotiate with any person who realizes that the tax laws are not perfect. A good Georgia tax attorney can help you by coming into agreement with the IRS and giving you a break. This of course, is only possible if you actually can prove that some sort of error has been made.

A good Georgia tax attorney will be able to help you if he or she has extensive experience in dealing with the IRS. This is because he or she would know what goes on in the minds running the agency. Through extensive experience dealing with the IRS, a Georgia tax attorney would be able to "get into their heads" and settle with them in a way that would be most beneficial for you. This is how a Georgia tax attorney can help you.

Where to Find Information About Tax Debt Attorneys on the Internet

2011-03-25T12:46:00.000-07:00

If you find yourself looking for information about tax debt attorneys, then you should try looking in the internet. This is probably the best resource you can use as it gives you access to the largest collection of information available today. Be careful, however, as the internet can become quite a maze if you do not know where to look. What you need is a guide or at least something to point you in the general direction where you should go. Here are some places in the internet you can check out:

1) Online encyclopedias– These sites are visited a lot on the internet because of the various types of information that can be gotten from them. These online encyclopedias are often used by people in search of comprehensive information regarding a certain topic or subject.

If you are looking for information on tax debt attorneys for research purposes, then you can go to one of the online encyclopedias available on the internet today. These online encyclopedias often offer information regarding the various specializations of tax debt attorneys, the methods that they use to help people and how they can be found. This means that you can actually find out how a tax debt attorney can help you through an online encyclopedia.

2) Listings– Many firms prefer to list their contact details in various websites in order to become accessible to more clients. Searching through these listings for tax debt attorneys can pretty much be equated to searching in the yellow pages. Sites like these offer the various contact details of tax debt attorneys under one heading. This can be very convenient especially if you are still trying to make up your mind on which tax debt attorney to hire.

Listings can also be very helpful if you have very little idea of what type of tax debt attorney that you will need. This way, you will be able to scout out if a certain firm or tax debt attorney will be able to help you before committing to anything.

3) Company sites– If you are interested in a specific firm or tax debt attorney but do not know how to contact them, you should try to find out if they have a website. Most companies today realize the fact that the internet has become a very important medium in bringing information to people. Because of this, companies try to advertise on the internet.

4) Web directories– People more or less begin their searches using web directories. Using this type of website, a person looking for tax debt attorneys would be able to screen results quite quickly. This means that a person looking for tax debt attorneys will be able to eliminate the ones that he or she does not need and stick to the ones that can help him or her the most.

Web directories are also very user friendly. This means that people using these sites to look for tax debt attorneys will have an easy time and not have to go through different processes such as clicking various buttons only to find out that they lead you to dead ends.

This guide should at least help you get started on your search for tax debt attorneys. By following these tips, you should do just fine and you should be able to find the information you need in no time at all.

How to Find Tax Attorneys in Sacramento

2011-03-25T09:40:00.000-07:00

If you are trying to find tax attorneys in Sacramento, you should not have a very hard time doing so. After all, lawyers abound in the United States. But if you need a little help, here are some tips for you:

1) The newspaper – Most people read the newspaper for news and casually ignore all of the advertisements until such a time when they are in need of a job or services of some kind. Many advertisements for tax attorneys in Sacramento can be found within the newspaper. In fact, this type of advertisement can be quite reliable since it tells you right away that you will be dealing with a firm that is localized. This means that you will be able to contact a tax attorney that's actually in Sacramento. Of course, you can only make sure of this if you are looking inside a locally published paper.

2) The phone book– This is another useful tool that many people take for granted. Because of the technology of the internet, it is often hard for people to realize that they can still get information from a telephone book. From the yellow pages, you can find different advertisements of tax attorneys in Sacramento. You will be able to access information regarding their telephone numbers, office addresses and even e-mail details. Another advantage to using the phone book is the fact that all tax attorneys in Sacramento can be found listed under the same heading. This way, you have all their contact details in one page.

3) The television– As said before, America practically has an oversupply of lawyers. Because of this, they need all the advertisement that they can get. Many lawyers today advertise using the television. This is a smart move, considering the fact that American households spend an average of 8 hours a day watching TV. In fact, you might even find the contact details of a tax attorney in Sacramento flashing on your screen right now! Through the TV, you can get entertainment and legal advice at the same time. Isn't that amazing?

4) Word-of-mouth– This is probably the most reliable type of advertisement available. By going with the recommendation of other people you will be able to find tax attorneys in Sacramento that have already been tested. You will be sure that there are people who have availed of the services of these attorneys and are very satisfied with what they received. In fact, the best tax attorneys in Sacramento do not even need to advertise, since word travels fast if you are really good at what you do.

5) The internet– The internet can offer the most comprehensive information if you are looking for tax attorneys in Sacramento. Through the internet, you not only get contact details of tax attorneys in Sacramento, you also get tips on how to choose tax attorneys and other types of information concerning tax attorneys in Sacramento.

The internet is also accessible from wherever you are at whatever time you need information. This means that a tax attorney in Sacramento is always at your fingertips.

As you can see, there are a lot of ways to find tax attorneys in Sacramento. The key is to using every type of resource available to you and to never underestimate the usefulness of any piece of information.

Minnesota Tax Attorney: Put an End to Your Tax Nightmare

2011-03-25T05:08:00.000-07:00

No case is doomed to failure. However, you also need to do something to save yourself from doom. You have to take the necessary moves to preclude tax penalties and debts from quickly piling up and strangle your finances. Simply, you have to end your tax nightmare and get on with your life. Tough questions must be answered and tax burdens must be given timely solution. Dealing with tax problems is nerve-racking. Battling them alone is so tough. However, doing nothing is dangerous. In addition, the mounting costs and penalties are difficult to bear.

Once and for all, you have to settle you tax problems. Take the initial step and consult a professional tax attorney. If you are in Minnesota, an ideal Minnesota tax attorney might be just a few blocks away. Or perhaps, he is just one call away.

A professional tax attorney will tell you not to fear the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Said attorney will have a talk with the IRS about your tax problems. He is expected to know IRS’ rules so as to get the best remedy for your tax trouble.

Taxation in the United States covers payment of tax liabilities to at least 3 varying levels of government – local government, state government, and federal government. Local government is getting property taxes and fees. Sometimes, it is also financed by income tax. Consequently, the state government is financed by the combination of sales and income taxes. Finally, the federal government is financed mainly by income tax.

Taxation is an inherent power of the government. It is treated as its lifeblood because it is the main source of the state’s revenue. The revenue flows and maintains the life of the state. This is reflected in government programs, infrastructures, and the like.

Without taxes, it is hard for the government to survive. In addition, the imposition of taxes is aimed at supporting government’s operations and functions. Taxes are also used to influence the performance of economy, redistribute resources among citizens, and to modify employment and consumption patterns within an economy.

There are several types of taxes. The first type is income tax, which is a progressive tax. To make reliable collection, the government allowed direct withholding. Another type of tax is the capital gains tax, which is the tax imposed on the profit from the sale of an asset.

Corporation tax is the company’s tax on the profits. Poll tax, also known as the capitation tax, is the tax levied on a set amount per person. Excise tax, on one hand, is an ad valorem tax based on the declared value or purchase price of an item.

Another type is the sales tax, which is levied on a particular sale of a commodity. The final consumer is liable to pay said tax. Tariffs are tax on the importation and exportation of goods through a political border. Value added tax (VAT) or the goods and services tax is the equal of sales tax. However, the former reduces market distortion. Property taxes are based on the value of the involved property. This is usually imposed on real estates.

Stamp duty is the charge for the stamp needed in a particular document. Inheritance tax, on the other hand, the tax imposed on the transfer of property by virtue of one’s death.

Your hired tax attorney must know these taxes as well as the taxation system of the state for you to take advantage of the best legal remedy available to you. Choose nothing but the best.

The FAQs for the Arizona Tax Attorney

2011-03-25T01:05:00.000-07:00

The Arizona tax attorneys are always available to answer the queries of the taxpayers who are bugged with the disputes over their annual taxes. Here are among the common questions posed by the taxpayers as they get the chance to confer with the Arizona tax attorneys.

What is common the things to happen in the event of an unfiled tax return?

Unfiled tax returns only signify one thing—and that is being in real trouble with the Internal Revenue Service. If for example you owe IRS some taxes for about ten years, then they will compute it all. They will try their level best to reach you through your old address. If in this event you have moved out of the country and once you come back, IRS will go after you demanding your dues for your taxes in the entire year of your absence.

When such case arises, you know one thing for sure. You know that you can be condemned for tax evasion. This is a crime which is punishable by the law. IRS will be very religious in sending you reminders. At one point, these reminders will become unfriendly and you will just be shocked to receive a Notice of Intent to Levy all your wages and assets.

Does it mean trouble for the unfiled tax returns that date way back?

It is in fact very much complicated if your unfiled tax returns trace to at least six years backwards. It is so because the files are kept in storage and it will need enough concerted effort to locate those records. An agent will need to browse through all of the kept files to be able to gather them all. You can just imagine how difficult it could be if your unfiled tax returns date back to some more years back in time.

What is meant by wage garnishment?

With the term wage garnishment, it means that a levy is imposed in another method. This method is concerned with the manner of collecting the back taxes which a taxpayer owes the IRS. With regards to the IRS attacks, the words levy and garnishment mean the same thing. The typical targets of the garnishment are your bank accounts and wages but the rule may also apply to the seizure of your furniture, equipment, your home, your vehicles, and your other valued possessions.

Is any bank permitted to turn over an account to IRS without the concerned party's consent?

When IRS imposes a levy on your account in the bank, your bank is legally bound to turn over whatever amount is in your existing account. It does not regard the fact as to whether it is your own money or not or where you got your money. Keeping those monies in your own account is enough justification. Most people keep direct deposits for the Social Security, pensions, child support, and many others but then the IRS does not consume time to locate the source of the money. At the time when the money gets deposited in an account which is under your name, it automatically loses its own identity.

When will these levies on the bank account be stopped?

In comparison with the wage garnishment, a levy in your bank account will only happen once. Meaning, the next batch of money that gets deposited in your account will solely be yours again.

In Tax Return Preparation, Alabama Tax Attorney is a Wise Investment

2011-03-24T21:21:00.000-07:00

Just the mention of the word tax would send an eerie feeling to many individuals. However, every person must accept the fact that paying tax burdens is part of the duty as a citizen of a state. You are left with no choice but to pay tax liabilities. If you don’t, you are to suffer tax penalties, fines, or even imprisonment. Moreover, it is better to comply with your duties on time to preclude you from further troubles with the government.Before a taxpayer can pay his taxes, he must first prepare his tax return. Tax return preparation is one ordinary thing to individuals earning income. This is because all income earners are duty-bound to pay taxes to the government. Taxes are paid annually. Hence, before the scheduled time for the collection of tax contributions, the taxpayer must already be ready.

Tax return is the official document given to taxpayers for them to list their tax contributions for a certain period. It is necessary that this document be prepared and submitted early in time so as to avoid penalties.

Preparing a tax return can be done personally by the taxpayer. This is if he is keen in doing the task on his own. However, if you want an easier way, there are currently advanced software that are especially designed to prepare tax returns. Taxpayers can use said software to help them compute tax contributions. This software can be had online. You just have to download and install it in the computer after that you will be able to use it to ease the burden of tax return preparation.

If you do not want the software, you can hire the services of expert tax return calculation personnel. You just have to be certain that the person you hire is the best that you can have. Better yet, hire the services of a tax attorney.

A tax attorney guides a client to avoid future tax problems. He also defends clients in cases of criminal and civil suits regarding tax troubles. When a taxpayer has trouble with the state department of revenue or Internal Revenue Service, he may opt to remedy it himself or hire the services of a tax attorney. However, the taxpayer can be better served by a tax attorney.

Tax attorneys specialize in solving tax problems with the IRS. They are experts in taxation issues and relief. Nonetheless, they are considered a great help in advising their clients on how to lessen their tax liabilities. They also can also give valuable advice on what exemptions are available to them. They can also give the demarcation line between legal and illegal ways of reducing or avoiding taxes.

One important thing in hiring the services of lawyers is that they must be equipped with knowledge and expertise about the subject matter. Alabama tax attorney, for instance, is an expert in terms of Alabama taxation laws. If you are a resident of Alabama, it is better to hire the services of a good Alabama attorney to assist and defend you.

Knowledge and expertise are boosted by the fact that the tax attorney is also a resident of your state. Hence, it can be presumed that he is updated with the laws and customs of the land than other lawyers.

Bear in mind that tax return preparation is an important process in taxation. One mistake can invite criminal actions and penalties. Moreover, it is better to consult a trusted tax attorney in your territory. A good tax attorney is considered a taxpayer’s wise investment.

Dressing Up to Train

2011-03-24T16:27:00.000-07:00

Like all martial arts or sports for that matter, Aikido has their own set of uniforms. The aikidogi or the uniform used in aikido is similar to the keikogi used in most martial arts. Keikogi is a term used to refer to uniform for training.

This is a general term used to refer to uniforms of donned for traditional martial arts class. For Aikido it’s the aikidogi, for Judo it’s judogi, for Jiujitsu it’s the jujutsugi, karategi for Karate, kendogi for kendo and the shinobi-iri and shinobi shozoku for Ninjutsu arts. The training uniforms used in martial arts are often times referred to as mere gi or dogi.

The aikid?gi consists of simple trousers and a white jacket or uwagi or upper garment. For aikidogi, wraparound jackets used in judo and karate are acceptable. Judo jackets are thicker and are built for durability since in judo the jacket receives considerable stress from the techniques like seizing and throwing.

For aikidokas, judo jackets might be advisable since some Aikido techniques also involve some keikogi grabbing which could tear the cloth during practice. Sometimes, aikido uniforms are customized to handle precisely the stress in some techniques. Although, personalized or specialized aikodogis are uncommon. If you do find keikogi specially made for Aikido training, you'll notice that the gi has reinforced kneepatches.

The jacket is also a little longer around the waist which allows the aikidoka to easily tuck them to their hakama. The Aikdo jacket might also have shorter sleeves since basic techniques of Aikido focuses on wrist grabs and twists. The uwagi might be made from heavyweight tightly woven terrycloth which is similar to uwagi of Judo or from heavy canvas similar to karategi. Regardless, both are strong enough to withstand the regular grappling and throwing found in Aikido training.

Aside from the trousers and wraparound jackets, Aikido schools also add hakama, which looks like a dress or skirt, to the uniform. The concept behind wearing a hakama is to be able to hide the movements of the feet. The hakama is commonly black or indigo in color and are usually reserved for aikidokas that have received the dan rank.

In Aikido, most of the styles or schools use the ky?/dan ranking system which is the norm in the martial arts world. However, each style has different qualifications for meeting each rank and each style might use colored belts for ky? levels while others do not. In some schools the hakama is worn by all students regardless of rank. While in other styles, only female aikidokas are required to wear them.

When buying for first aikidogi it is important to make sure that the size and fit is right. Uniforms that are too small will constrict your movements while too big a size will get in the way of executing techniques. As mentioned before, in Aikido you'll get considerable pulling, stretching, sliding, jumping and throwing thus the need for a set of uniform that will not easily tear from the regular training routine. Double stitched uniforms are usually stronger and will handle the stress.

Extra knee padding is also a plus. However, do remember that these things cost a little extra but its all worth it since you'll be having a uniform that will lasts longer. This is definitely better than buying a new one every time you tear it up during training.

The Underlying Principle of Everything

2011-03-24T13:21:00.000-07:00

In quantum physics, one of the foremost theories that promises to revolutionize how we see the world is the theory of strings. The main premise of this particular theory is that strings are the most basic structure that makes up everything we can and cannot see within the physical world. Strings of course is just a word to label this most profound substance that theoretical physicists say dictate everything we see, perceive and have in and around us in this physical world.

Although no direct correlation has ever been claimed between string theory and that of the principles of ch'i prevalent in the East, they share the same premise in the most basic sense that it is said that there is a basic energy substance that underlie everything. In understanding the nature of this substance we are able to harness its power and utilize it.

The concept of ch'i or qi in Chinese and ki in Japanese, is very much relative to the type of school that teaches it. Some say that ch'i is a force separate from matter as we know it. Some say that ch'i arises from matter. Still some say that matter arises from ch'i.

What all schools have in common however is the fact that they all more or less say that ch'i is a fundamental energy that can be harnessed to bring power to oneself wither physically, mentally or spiritually. With all the different premises that try to explain ch'i, it is clear that mere instructions in words will not be able to fully expound on what ch'i is. Perhaps because of this, it is better to pass on the knowledge of ch'i through actual and practical instruction.

One school that may be successful in being able to teach what the ch'i is and how to be able to use it for one's own benefit is Aikido. At the heart of the spirituality and philosophy or Aikido is the ki, which is similar or perhaps, one and the same with what is otherwise known as the ch'i or qi.

Aikido's ki is the heart of the principle of this particular martial art. While technically, martial arts are means for combat and war, Aikido is often known as the art of peace because it espouses a peaceful means towards aggression. Aikido ki, like in other concepts of ch'i teaches that there is a fundamental energy that can be harnessed. Aikido ki being energy means that its substance is something that flows.

The principle of peace and relaxation taught by Aikido presupposes the fact that the ki flows more smoothly and strongly when it is uninterrupted. A better illustration might be something like, if water is ki, then to harness its power, it must be allowed to flow to produce hydroelectric force.

This is why in Aikido, ki energy comes from being relaxed. It is said that in the relaxed state, the flow of ki is better aided. Aikido as a martial art is not about muscle strength or superior physical attributes. It is really about relaxation, flexibility and stamina. This allows a smaller person to be able to topple and throw a larger opponent during practice.