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Sabtu, 29 November 2008

Listening to your PDF files

Adobe Reader 8 has a built-in function which allows you to listen
to a PDF file instead of reading it on the screen.

Like most similar programs
it has its limitations. Listening to an artificial voice is
tiring compared to a human voice and there is a big difference between
the spoken word and the written word. However it has an interesting potential use for

authors.

To listen to a PDF file double-click on it to open it in Adobe Reader.

Click the top menu item "View" then on "Read Out Loud" which is the last menu item.
Click on "Activate Read Out Loud". You'll have to do this for each PDF to which you
want to listen.

To hear a certain paragraph put the cursor anywhere over the paragraph and left-click.
The reader will start after a second or two.

To read a particular page scroll to the required page and choose View/Read Out Loud/Read This Page Only. The number of the current page is displayed in the box in the top menu bar.

Choose View/Read Out Loud/Read to end of document to read from the current cursor position to the end
of the document.

The "Read Out Loud" menu also has "Pause" and "Stop" options.

While the read function is satisfactory for plain text "Read Out Loud" will read everything on
a page including the index and the header and footer.

For writers the "Read Out Loud" function could be a useful tool. When your article is ready
open it in OpenOffice (a free "word processor" program available from www.openoffice.org)
Click on the "Export Directly as PDF" and give it a name. Open in Adobe Reader and listen.

Rabu, 26 November 2008

Evento no Japão coloca robô para cozinhar prato típico

Motoman preparou o tradicional okonomiyaki sobre chapa quente.
Feira também tem robô controlado pelo olho e manequim high-tech

Uma feira de robótica realizada nesta semana em Osaka, no Japão, reúne produtos de 60 empresas desse setor. Entre as novidades exibidas estão um robô que cozinha, uma máquina controlada quando o usuário pisca os olhos, um robô com visual de manequim e também um cotovelo robótico.





TV Digital vs. Internet - A Batalha da Década.


Um dos assuntos mais quentes do momento - em se tratando de audiovisual - é a TV Digital e sua ALTA DEFINIÇÃO. Há uma forte especulação sobre as suas consequências na vida dos cidadãos comuns e sobre a realidade da TV como mídia. A data oficial de lançamento no Brasil será dia 02 de dezembro próximo, diga-se de passagem uma nova data histórica.

Pra ficar um pouco mais por dentro sobre as perspectivas e diferenças proporcionadas pela implementação da TV Digital, você pode acessar:

http://g1.globo.com/Noticias/Tecnologia/0,,MUL178732-6174,00TV+DIGITAL+VAI+SER+A+BATALHA+DA+DECADA.html

Apesar das dezenas de explicações, ainda há uma série de incertezas sobre o real impacto dessa nova tecnologia sobre a população em geral, bem como onde essa tecnologia irá mudar os rumos da TV, como ela se apresenta hoje em dia.

O que se diz por aí é que as mudanças só serão realmente sentidas por quem tem alguns trocados a mais para acessar esta nova tecnologia, a base de aparelhos de televisão modernos.

É a velha democracia, acessível ainda para poucos.

Car reviews: 2005 Mazda RX-8



Japanese cars have never been known for the passion they invoke. This isn't to say they are bad cars, they certainly aren't, in fact, it usually just means they break less. But there is a certain feeling that a Japanese car usually lacks in the minds of automotive enthusiasts when compared to their counterparts from say Italy or England. Japan is known for churning out cars such as the Nissan GT-R or the Mitsubishi Evo, cars that are complete techno showcases, making people the world over stand in awe staring at something that can't be seen, a program within the car, active yaw-control, 4-way traction control, exciting sounding devices like that. The Mazda RX-8 however, is a different animal. Nothing else can compare, even to any car from the lands of passion and electrical fires. For many years this passion has been defined and quantified by an invisible substance most commonly referred to as soul', this is a completely subjective term, there are however a few cars that are undeniable full of this soul' people speak of, an old hand-built Aston Martin, an old air-cooled Porsche, and any rotary powered Mazda, such as the RX-8. This is mainly because people don't understand these things, how can an Aston, hand built by some man in England, hold together and not fall apart in some glorious fire? How can an old Porsche be so much fun to drive, when the engine is in the wrong end? And what is this funky little engine under the hood of this Mazda, and how does it make 240hp from just 1.3 liters, and more shockingly, how does such a small engine get such horrible fuel economy? It's the magic of a rotary engine, only the strangest of the strange really understand how it works, and why it works. You don't have to though, it's completely irrelevant to the sublime driving experience that goes along with a Mazda RX-8.

Driving an RX-8 is unlike driving any other car on the road, everything feels the way it should, everything gives you a connection to the road under you, and the car you're controlling. Perfect harmony, all executed at a silky smooth 9000 RPMs. This is the true magic of this car, the culmination of all it's working parts, the funky engine, the telepathic steering, the gloriously precise shifter, the forgiving yet planted suspension, all coming together to form one spectacular car. Even while standing still you can tell this is a special sort of car, from it's rearward opening back doors, to the little triangles hidden into the cars styling that give you a constant reminder of what sort of engine is under the hood. To it's perfectly form fitting bucket seats and thick leather wrapped steering wheel, it's immediately apparent that this is a serious driver's car. And that it is, this is no normal car, it is certainly not for everybody. This is not the car to buy if you are looking for a grocery getter, or a generic piece of transportation to get you efficiently and comfortably from point A to point B. It has it's little quirks, it burns oil, it's quite natural, it's simply what rotary engines do, but it is something that needs to be watched after on a regular basis, generally every other time you fill up the gas tank, which is actually quite frequently, when you combine it's abysmal gas mileage, a typical combined mileage of 18 MPG, and it's modestly sized gas tank, with a capacity of 15.9 gallons, you'll end up at the gas station rather frequently. But once you leave the fill-up station and put all of these things behind you, the car is pure bliss. But that is very important, you have to love cars enough to be able to forget all it's minor inconveniences and short-comings, which is remarkably easy to do if you are a sucker for any sort of inspiring driving dynamics. Hitting your favorite twisty road on a Sunday evening listening to the engine wind it's way up to 9000 RPMs, and not sensing a thing, in fact, Mazda included a little chime that comes in at 8500 RPMs to remind the driver it's nearly time to shift, feeling the car will itself through a turn with it's perfect weight distribution and beautifully tuned suspension, none of it's short comings matter, the fact that it burns a little bit of oil and drinks gas like the biggest SUVs on the road mean nothing. It's a small price to pay to feel true motoring genius. And if you agree with that sentiment, and if you are willing to put sheer joy in front of a bit of practicality, then this car is quite possibly for you. And if so, then I salute you, fellow car guy, and enjoy your ride in Japan's interpretation of that soul' thing the Italians have been trying for so long to perfect.

Selasa, 25 November 2008

Online networking dos and don'ts


Online networking is a great way to meet others and even find new opportunities for yourself. You can share interests, network with professionals, and expand your horizons. As wonderful as online networking is, there are a few rules to follow.

The following is a list of things you should DO when networking online.

-Be respectful of others. You want respect; therefore, you should respect other users. The more respectful you are, the better you online networking experience will be.

-Read and comment on other's posts. If you really want to get people to view your posts and information, take the time to return the favor. The more you read and comment, the more people that will be willing to view your material.

-Look at the profiles of people who add you as a friend. This will help you to learn more about the people who view your posts and material. By viewing profiles, you will see what type of audience you have.

-Make any comments and replies meaningful. It may be quicker to just type "Great Post!", but it's worth the time to add in a reason why the post was so great. People will be more likely to talk to you when you take the time to post a meaningful reply or comment.

-Be confident. First of all, you're online. This takes a lot of the pressure off of you. You know your information, so act like it. Don't be afraid to talk to others and share your knowledge. Confidence is a key factor in networking online.

-Be yourself. This is very important. The more lies you create, the harder it will be to keep up with them. The easiest way to successfully network online is to just be yourself. You will be more at ease and your knowledge and confidence will shine through.

Now that you know what you should do, it's time to learn what you shouldn't do.

-Never reply to spammers. They could care less about you or your material and posts. They are out to make a quick buck and cause problems for you. Since you don't like spammers, don't spam others either. No one likes spam and your account may be deleted if you do so.

-Don't lie about what you know. If you try to fake knowledge, it will show. You want people to respect you, not avoid you at all costs.

-Never try to create romantic relationships unless that is the site's purpose. Otherwise, no one will take you seriously. People are there to network, not meet their soul mate.

-Never download or click on anything questionable. Unless you're 100% certain that the link or download is safe, it's best to leave it alone.

-Don't give out personal information. This is for your own personal safety. You can network and share interest without revealing your full name, address, phone number, or other personal information.

-Never flame others. One of the quickest ways to get a site to suspend or delete your account is by flaming others. It's disrespectful and makes you look like a child. Avoid getting in arguments and if one starts, refuse to participate. You will be much better off.

Online networking is popular and a great way to meet with others that share you interests. By following the above lists of Dos and Don'ts, you're online networking experience will be successful and fun.

Senin, 24 November 2008

New Laptop MSI wind (Intel Atom Tecnology)





The MSI Wind has a large 10-inch 1024×600 pixel display, 1.6 GHz Intel Atom processor, 1GB RAM (expandable to 2GB), 80GB hard drive running at 5400 rpm, integrated 1.3 megapixel webcam, integrated WiFi, integrated Bluetooth (option) and weighs in at 2.6 pounds with the 6 cell optional battery (3 cell included). The device also has a 4-in-1 memory card reader (SD, MMC, Memory Stick, and Memory Stick Pro), three USB ports, stereo speakers, headphone jack, VGA port, and ethernet jack. The Windows XP Home model is priced at US$499 and the SUSE Linux model will be available for US$399. It looks like it will be coming in different colors (black, white, and pink) so there will be a variety for those who want a bit of differentiation.

Minggu, 23 November 2008

How to prevent a webpage 'breaking out of a frame' on a traffic exchange

Traffic exchanges are where two sites link to each other, or where people agree to browse other people's websites, in exchange to traffic to theirs. The problem with setting up a traffic exchange is that each site must be scanned thoroughly to make sure that the content is legal, virus & spyware free, and free of annoying JavaScript. Due to the way JavaScript is set up, it's not possible for the traffic exchange network to disable popups, or override any JavaScript commands.

The only practical way to keep the sites from breaking out of the frames, or creating popups is with periodic server side scanning. You set up a script that downloads the main HTML file, and all linked JavaScript Files from the site in question. It then scans all JavaScript files for commands such as window.open or window.location. If these commands are found, then the site should be flagged as "bad" or "questionable", and someone will have to test it manually before it can be allowed in the traffic exchange.

Another snafu with all of this is that some crafty web developers will serve up "clean" content to the checking script, but return other content to regular browsers. There are several methods to circumvent this technique. First, your script must pretend to be a real browser. The User-Agent must be set to IE or another browser. Additionally, you may consider having your script make the request via a proxy server, so the site won't know what IP address the request will be coming from/ Lastly, you should periodically re-check all the sites in the traffic exchange to make sure the content hasn't changed.

This is one of those "moving target" type of problems, but if you're on top of it, and periodically check the sites manually, you can have a traffic exchange network that is safe and reliable.

Sabtu, 22 November 2008

Free Antivirus Software

From Mary Landesman, your guide to Antivirus Software, links to free antivirus sofware, evaluation antivirus software, and free virus removal tools.
Downloads DOS (9)
Free virus removal tools (28)

Free firewall software (2)

ClamXav -- Free Mac Antivirus Software
ClamXav is based on the open source ClamAV virus scanner. Popular among open source fans, in practice ClamAV lags behind the detection capabilities of commercial antivirus software.

PC Tools iAntivirus for Mac

PC Tools iAntivirus offers solid Mac antivirus free for home use. iAntivirus guards against Mac only malware - a focus that helps keep performance costs and system impact low but may not be the best choice in a mixed Mac/Windows environment.

Phishing Filters and Toolbars

Phishing filters and toolbars are designed to protect the web surfer from socially engineered phishing scams which try to trick the intended victim into visiting a fraudulent website disguised to look like a valid eCommerce or banking site. The victim thinks they are logging into their real account, but instead everything they enter on the fake site is being sent to the scammers. Armed with this

SmitFraudFix Removes Zlob and Other Pests

SmitFraudFix is a free antivirus tool that removes the Zlob downloader trojan and the rogue scanner software that Zlob typically installs.

Use SmitFraudFix to Remove Zlob and Other Pests
SmitFraudFix is a free antivirus download that removes the Zlob trojan downloader and the malware that Zlob installs. These instructions describe how to use SmitFraudFix properly.
Build Your Own (Free) Security Suite for Windows
Security suites typically combine antivirus, antispyware, and a firewall with value-added features such as antispam and phishing filters. But full blown suites can be pricey. Fortunately for those on a budget, it is entirely possible to build your own free security suite without spending a dime.

Antivirus Software Review: Free Antivirus Software
Free antivirus software may be the only option for those on a limited budget. But how well does it protect your PC, how easy is it to use, and - if something goes wrong - will you be left out in the cold? The answers may surprise you. This review looks at three free antivirus solutions: AntiVir PersonalEdition Classic, AVAST 4 Home Edition, and AVG Free Edition.

Antivirus Software Review: AntiVir PersonalEdition Classic
AntiVir PersonalEdition Classic provides free antivirus protection for Windows XP/2000/NT/ME/98
Antivirus Software Review: AVAST 4 Home Edition
AVAST 4 Home Edition provides free antivirus protection for Windows XP/2000/NT/ME/98
Antivirus Software Review: AVG Free Edition
AVG Free Edition provides free antivirus protection for Windows XP/2000/NT/ME/98
AntiVir Personal Edition
AntiVir Personal Edition, from H+BEDV, runs under Windows 9x/Me/NT/2000/XP and is available free for personal use.

Avast
From Alwil, free antivirus protection for home and non-commercial use. Supports Windows 95, 98, ME, NT, 2000, and XP.

AVG
AVG provides a free English version language of their antivirus software for Windows.
Top (Free) Online Scanners
An online scanner can be a valuable adjunct to security. These online scanners are best-of-breed and can offer an important extra layer of protection.

McAfee AVERT Stinger
Free tool takes the sting out of several newer viruses.

Jumat, 21 November 2008

The best free anti virus software

All anti-virus software work in the same way. But the question is which one is more trustable. Honestly you won't be able to select the best anti-virus software, because there isn't just one best anti-virus software.

It is just that which one would people feel comfortable working with? Which one would people trust the most? Which one costs less?

These are the questions that will make one program stand out. If you have read the questions carefully, you will notice that which one is better for detecting virus? Isn't there, because that is not what will separate the best from the worst. Like I said before that the good virus software will all detect the viruses completely.

One software which does come into my mind which fits every person right is Norton Anti-virus. Now you might be wondering why I would choose this because it isn't about detecting virus, it is about other features.

Norton Anti-Virus is in-built in most computers, with not cost price. Now any anti-virus software which even costs a dollar isn't worth it because it will do the same function with or without money. Norton-Anti virus isn't any better at detecting, but it costs less.

Now you see one of the questions I stated above have been answered. Norton Anti-Virus costs no money in most computers. But beware it does cost around $200 if you don't have it.

Then comes the question, which software will people feel comfortable using? Norton Anti-Virus is one of the first viruses detecting software made by a trusted company, Symantec. Would you trust a product made by Microsoft or a product made by elfanzosdik? Elfanzosdik brand name does not even exist, but if there was such a name, most people would look away and buy the Microsoft product.

With having more profit also comes better customer Service. Rather than saving money on the product costs, huge companies like Symantec spend more time thinking about customer service. Which is why people prefer to buy from these companies, because they will not hesitate when you return a product, or get angry because you didn't like it? They want the status of being the best, which comes from treating customers properly.

Once again Norton Anti-virus wins because of having the "fame" and having the "name" in the market which allows them to treat customers in a better way.

Now I must answer the last question, "Which is easier to use". Norton Anti-virus if in-built requires no download and ready to use right away which means viruses will have no time to enter the computer. Norton also notifies users when there is an update and installs it. On top of that, Norton Anti-Virus gives frequent updates and bug fixes for no cost which means that you are always being protected against any new types of viruses.

Giving free updates is one of the things that separate Norton from the rest. Hackers are always making new viruses, and Norton is always updating their databases. This is one feature that is lacking in many free virus programs which have no versions or updates. You buy it and you are only protected against some viruses, but not all.

These are the things that separate Norton-Anti virus from the rest. It has awesome customer Service, excellent quality, it is trusted by everyone, and provides free updates.

For a virus-free computer Norton is a must and is also used by websites such as Yahoo Mail, because it has created an establishment for itself which no one can exceed. Similar to Microsoft Norton-Anti Virus has created an image for them for being the best and they are!

Why wiki's are so popular


Wikis have quickly become popular as they emerge on the wide open spaces of the Internet. What started off rather quietly has taken the global Internet society by storm as people come together to work on a platform in the spirit of teamwork.

Prior to the materialization of the Internet being formed, collaboration was bit of a challenging process, but with the increasingly popular presence of the wiki, this has all changed. With the wiki, Internet users find themselves offered an interesting option to participate on many websites.

WHY WIKI?
With the capabilities to network, people come together through the use of computers, all it takes is an Internet connection and a few clicks of the mouse to embark upon a collective effort, and the wiki helps foster this goal.

Collaborative works have never been easier and the wiki has made this process pretty convenient and painless. The wiki is a tool which has been established on the basis of being "open" which means anyone can add information, make changes or edit work already added; it is a true shared effort.

The wiki is unlike most web pages which are controlled by a webmaster or other designated person to approve changes, suggestions or other various aspects of adding content. With the wiki, there is no need to submit changes or suggestions to a webmaster for approval or to ask permission to make an entry. Instead the fundamental establishment of the wiki is based on freedom to add, edit and refine written work.

POPULAR WITH USERS
Many people using wiki love it because the process of reading and editing is combined and it's a quick way to work (Brian Lamb, EDUCAUSE Review, 2004). In fact, the word "wiki" is taken from the Hawaiian word meaning "quick", which aptly describes what is involved in using a wiki. Putting up a page is a rather fast process.

This capability offers a feeling of empowerment because users are not constrained by access restrictions, denied access or having to work on strict designated procedures. Instead, with wiki there is a definite feeling of freedom for users and many find this a very attractive benefit. Who likes to be confined in a project they enjoy working on? Most people would say they prefer autonomy and the ability to work freely.

An attractive attribute of the wiki is how users don't have to be expert programmers nor do they need to learn complicated programming languages to interact; instead the wiki uses a simplified and stripped version of hypertext markup anguage (HTML) which makes it much easier even for the novice user. This is probably one of the more prevalent reasons and advantages people like to use the wiki format.

Another reason wikis are popular is because they are traditionally immersed in community values where people come together to work with a common goal in mind. The joint efforts of many produce a viable product which is an open portal to share information. Projects are never "finished" because there is never an end to the revision process if someone sees fit to make a change, a true work in progress. People who engage in wiki communities traditionally are problem solvers at heart and like to share information they are knowledgeable about.

Rabu, 19 November 2008

Funding a new business: Creative use of your credit cards


As the owner of a small business, I am always targeted by credit card companies that offer me large lines of credit. It is tempting to say the least and I am sure that if I were in a position where I couldn't finance my business by any other means, I may be tempted to accept their offers.

While most of us use credit cards for personal purchases, we do feel somewhat mistrustful toward the credit card company. As a result, there is an inherent hesitation to commit to further involvement with the credit card company. I have to say that on occasion, I have been offered fairly decent interest rates on a credit card line of credit. I always worry, however, that if I miss a payment, that generous interest rate could disappear.

There are other creative ways , however, to use your credit card and not feel like the credit card companies own you or your business. Credit cards can be used to fill a gap when you are experiencing a short term cash flow problem. A utility bill is due but you haven't yet received payment from a client. You are able to use your credit card to pay the bill in the interim. My only advice would be, is that as soon as the cheque comes in, make the adjustment on your credit card bill.

If you are unable to finance needed supplies in order to meet your customers demands, there is no harm in charging the costs to your credit card. This enables you to get on with the business at hand, which in turn provides you with revenue. Once you have made the sale you are again in a position to pay off the credit card company.

Being able to rely on a credit card to finance your business, is like having your own private bank. Yes, the interest rates can be high but the advantage is that you have access to funds when needed to keep your business afloat. Using your credit card for short term purposes, requires you to be diligent and careful with your accounting. Try to repay the "loan" at the earliest opportunity, preferably before the interest kicks in.

Having a credit card with a decent limit is like having a lifeline for your business. You access the funds only when they are needed to meet your customers' needs and keep your business solvent. It is prudent to have a separate credit cards for your business and personal use. Use it wisely and treat it as an insurance policy for your business.

Sabtu, 15 November 2008

Nokia Morph Cell Phone With Nano Technology



One of two very different concept phones from Nokia, the Nokia Morph is a theoretical future device based on nanotechnology that can change shape and size according to function. The Morph concept device is a bridge between highly advanced technologies and their potential benefits to end-users.



Morph concept technologies might create fantastic opportunities for mobile devices. The concept is currently a theoretical one only, and is the result of research between Nokia and the University of Cambridge.

Nanotechnology enables materials and components that are flexible, stretchable, transparent and remarkably strong. Nokia say that it is possible that some nanotech elements could be incorporated into handsets within the next seven years, but there are potential pitfalls with nanotechnology too.


Nanotechnology also can be leveraged to create self-cleaning surfaces on mobile devices, ultimately reducing corrosion, wear and improving longevity. Nanostructured surfaces, such as “Nanoflowers” naturally repel water, dirt, and even fingerprints utilizing effects also seen in natural systems.

Jumat, 14 November 2008

US elections 2008: Predicting the impact of energy costs on the next election


The Impact of energy costs should be the biggest concern of every candidate running in the upcoming election. Rising energy costs have forced prices to rise across the board, and the pinch has been felt by every American in one form or another. Indeed, any candidate without a plan to deal with this, may as well stay home and save his own fuel.

Our country and its economy runs almost entirely on fossil fuels, and all alternatives at this point are a long way off. Even the simplest alternatives like ethanol have proven inefficient and uneconomical. Ethanol is made from cellulose, which in turn comes from plants like corn. The problem with this is we simply cannot grow enough corn for both our food supply and fuel needs.

Another idea is fuel cell technologies. These use electricity and high compression to extract electricity from hydrogen atoms. The system is completely dependent on pure hydrogen, which is rather hard to get at this time. There are a few ways to get pure hydrogen; the most efficient and viable sadly, require the burning of vast amounts of coal. This of course would be disastrous to our environment and cause shortages in electricity. Coal is the number one source used in generating electricity at this time, and will most likely remain so for quite some time.

We also have budding new technologies in molecular energies. One of the most promising uses regular water, and takes a single hydrogen atom each from the molecules and combines the left over atoms into water molecules and oxygen again. This idea sounds like science fiction, but it is scientifically proven and already used in small test cars and machines. The problem with this technology is it is new, and at this time very expensive to manufacture. In addition the devices used to "make the magic" are very limited, fragile and require frequent replacements.

Solar energy is both very expensive, and requires a lot of space to work effectively. Forget all the stories told to you by many environmentalists; at this time turning the entire landscape of our countries deserts into solar panel fields, is inefficient and unreliable. Not to mention the effects such an undertaking would have on the ecosystem there.

Liquid or clean burning coal is equally unattainable, and with current technology levels completely unrealistic. Also the fact that the ratio of liquid fuel gain from coal used is pathetic, and would make coal the next fossil fuel crisis. If a large section of the world suddenly needed 4 times or more the amount of coal they currently use, what would happen to coal reserves in say 10 years? Or even 5 for that matter. We would be in the same state we are in now.

The simple and easy answers do not exist at this point and most likely will not for years. The only way to make alternative fuel sources viable and attainable in our lifetime will be from universal effort and support from both our government and business, and not the placating nonsense given to us right now.

Sure we can drill for oil on every spot of the globe, but that will not change anything in the end. We drill in Anwar and in 2-3 years when its gone, we will drill in the Gulf of Mexico, and then where else? Under the Polar Ice Caps? The bottom of the oceans? Why not lay claims to the future oil deposits where our graveyards are right now. Hey, in a few million years it will be a nice fossil fuel.

I was being a bit facetious in that last paragraph, but the point is a valid one. We will only be doing the same things we have done in the past. We will be taking from the planet and not contributing to it again. My father always told me to try and make a place better from my passing and not worse for it. To keep doing what we have done in the past will only prolong the inevitable. We will eventually have to maintain our own fuel supplies because there will be none left. Why not start right now instead of waiting until we have no choice?

In the next few months before the final elections, we will hear half-truths, see false evidence, and be told outright lies about the looming energy problems ahead. One side will be backing oil and energy companies, and the other will be in the pocket of the labor unions. Neither one will have any real answers that will change anything on the scale required. All great change comes from the necessities of the people, and not from those of big business. To wait for a person to come along and give you an answer is an exercise in futility.

The idea may come from a business but the application must come from the people's voices. More simply put; if you want a viable and reusable energy source in your or your children's lifetime, each one of us must accept nothing less from our leaders. We must stop accepting what we are given and demand what we must have. Do we need cell phones that can store 10,000 songs, or a renewable fuel source? How about a Blu-Ray hi def recorder for our HDTV or a way to prevent this energy crisis of ours from becoming the crisis of our children?

We have many things to put back into proper perspective before we can expect any elected official to do anything to help us. This election will be no different than those in the past; we will be told what we want to hear and vote for the one who placates us best. However when you go to vote this year, vote in the way that best represents your values and beliefs. Then when they get into office no matter if it was your choice or not, you have the right and duty to make your voice heard by them. Give them no peace until they must act on your wishes. If given enough grief they will do what you demand, they have no choice; they will or face being the next ex-president or official.

Our reliance on fossil fuels starts and ends with us. It would never have become the necessity of today without our participation and consent, and it will not be the necessity of tomorrow without it.

How to detect an online customer using a fake credit card


Fraud is a fact in today's day and age, especially with the birth and growth of online purchases. Merchants want tools and resources that confirm transactions are legitimate, thereby avoiding fraud. Consumers want assurance that their account information is being guarded.
So here are some things to detect an online customer using a fake credit card.

First of all, validate each order carefully. Don't accept orders unless complete information is provided (including full address and phone number).
The merchant can require the customer to also fax copies of both sides of the credit card. Some merchants also require a copy of their state-issued ID, or driver's license. It also provides additional proof the person authorized the purchase, preventing a chargeback.
The Card Security Code can also be requested. As this number is printed on the card's signature strip or front but stored nowhere on the card, it can be used to verify that the customer has the card in his or her possession and that the card was not stolen by a "skimming" process.
A merchant may call telephone numbers. If told that the telephone number has been disconnected, or the number has been changed. This should certainly send up some red flags for filling an order that was made.
A common preventive measure for merchants is to allow shipment only to an address approved by the cardholder, and merchant banking systems offer simple methods of verifying this information.
Be wary of orders with different "bill to" and "ship to" addresses. Make customers who use a different "ship to" address send a fax with their signature and credit card number authorizing the transaction.
Be especially careful with orders that come from free email services. There is a much higher incidence of fraud from these services. Anyone can open a free, anonymous email account in another person's name and then send the merchant an order using the fake email account and a fraudulent credit card number.

Additonally, ScamBusters recommends taking these precautions:

Be wary of orders that are larger than your typical order amount and orders with next day delivery. Crooks don't care what it costs, since they aren't planning on paying for it anyway.

Pay extra attention to international orders. Do everything you can to validate the order before you ship your product to a different country.

Consider using software or services to fight credit card fraud online.
If you're suspicious, pick up the phone and call the customer to confirm the order. Believe us, it will save you a lot of time, and money, in the long run.

Behavior to Watch Out For during fraud protection and to control fraud, you need to recognize the signs. Be alert for transactions with several of these characteristics:

First-time shopper. Criminals usually hit a merchant once and don't return.

Larger-than-normal orders. (This requires knowledge of what a "normal-sized" order is.) Because they may be using stolen cards or bogus account numbers that have a limited life span, crooks need to maximize the size of their fraudulent purchase.
Orders consisting of several of the same products. As these items are intended for resale, having more of them increases the criminal's profits
Orders made up of "big-ticket" items. These items have maximum resale value and therefore maximum profit potential.
Orders shipped "rush" or "overnight". Crooks want these items in their hands as soon as possible for the quickest possible resale and are not concerned about extra delivery charges.
Orders from Internet addresses making use of free e-mail services. For these services, there is no billing relationship and often no audit trail or verification that a legitimate cardholder has opened the account.
Orders shipped to an international address. A significant number of fraudulent transactions are shipped to bogus cardholders outside of the U.S. In addition, the Visa Address Verification Service cannot validate non-U.S. addresses.
Transactions on similar account numbers. This is particularly popular among criminals who are using account numbers generated by a CreditMaster-type scheme.
Orders shipped to a single address but made on multiple cards. This is characteristic of a scheme based on CreditMaster-generated account numbers or a batch of stolen cards.
Multiple transactions on one card over a very short period of time. Sometimes this is an attempt to "run" a card until the account is closed.
Remember, none of these by itself means fraud-but several of them together might. Check everything. Never ship a valuable order unless it checks out and you have received a valid authorization.

How to spyproof your PC for secure transactions


Dear fellow freedom fighter,

Concerned about the global surveillance, and a lack of respect for your rights & privacy? Do you feel like a criminal within your own borders? Are you ready to make your (PC) disappear, atleast away from the global surveillance network?

Well, let's get started! I'm going to give you four tips to accomplish this goal. This is going to give you what you need and not an ounce more. So, sit on the edge of your seat cause here it comes!

Tip #1 Use two PC's instead of one, this is an excellent way to boost your security. The reason I suggest this is because-if your security online is breached,your confidential data "offline" system remains secure. (I suggest you use a disk for money matters, and private concerns.)
Tip #2 Disable your "Universal Plugs" or (UPnP) on your computer. The (UPnP) makes all software compatible. A free program is available to asist you. http://grc.com/UnPnP/UnPnP.htm .
Tip #3 Practice safe surfing.
Minimize your online sessions. Obtain a anonymous dial-up service. The fastacess connections that are constantly connected are a serious security risk. You see, they can be used to retrieve information easily because they are constantly connected. Even spy software gets through with privacy software installed. Unlike "dial-up" connections,that can be unplugged after every use.
Tip #4 Use privacy enhancing software.
There are countless way to accomplish this goal; but today I'm going to suggest using a "proxy server". www.webwasher.com
A server between you and your browser so when your online all they'll see is the false image that your opperating through. That's all for now folks, peace, and stay free!

Info Terkini: Hati-hati Virus Obama di Inbox Anda

Info Terkini: Hati-hati Virus Obama di Inbox Anda

Sebuah Karya Fenomenal Dunia Anak Bangsa

Di Industri seluler tanah air, siapa yang tak kenal Kendro Hendra, pembuat aplikasi khusus di ponsel Nokia. Kita ketahui, Nokia “penguasa” pasar ponsel tanah air. Merek ponsel sejuta umat yang digemari karena kemudahan fitur dan desainnya yang elegan.


Siapa sangka juga, dua aplikasi Nokia yang digunakan miliaran orang di dunia di 127 bahasa yakni Setting Wizard dan Data Mover untuk Nokia Communicator diciptakan Kendro Hendra.

Tiga tahun belajar arsitek di Canada sekitar tahun 1976, ternyata malah serius menggeluti bidang software dan aplikasi. Bisa dibilang gak nyambung dengan sekolahnya yang arsitektur. Maka Kendro pun menggali ilmu kembali di University of Manitoba, Canada untuk ilmu komputer. Jalan hidup menyeretnya mengotak-ngatik gadget yang akhirnya justru membawa harum namanya di tingkat global.

Kendro membuktikan kepada dunia, bahwa orang Indonesia juga mampu menciptakan sesuatu, “Kalau mau ditelusuri, banyak aplikasi dan software yang dibuat orang kita, seperti real player di ponsel yang menciptakan orang Indonesia yang tinggal di Seatle Amerika Serikat,” jelas Kendro.

Dan perlu dicatat ! khususnya oleh mereka yang mengaku dirinya merah putih, bahwa bangsa ini bangsa yang patut diperhitungkan. Bukan saatnya lagi mengatakan bahwa kita bangsa yang tertinggal, kalaupun benar tertinggal tentu saja, karena korupsi di negara ini merajalela, dan tak ada yang mampu mengatasinya. Akibatnya hampir di semua sektor tak bergeliat. Anak-anak tidak bisa sekolah dan kelaparan. Korupsi yang membuat bangsa ini makin terpuruk.

Ketika pulang ke tanah air pada tahun 1983, Kendro yang identik dengan Communicator ini nemutuskan untuk membuat sekolah pendidikan komputer, Pusdikom. Alasannya logis, karena ilmu komputer masih sangat sulit di Indonesia. Sekolah dengan kurikulum yang dibuatnya cukup mumpuni, bisnis sekolah ini merupakan kerjasama atau revenue share dengan beberapa koleganya, dan sekolah yang dibuatnya saat itu terbilang cukup mewah, karena didukung dengan ruangan ber AC.

Tidak sampai disitu, Ia kemudian juga dipercaya membuat software untuk perusahaan semikonduktor di tanah air, serta beragam aplikasi untuk quality control. Kemudian perusahaan komputer Amerika, Apple mempercayainya sebagi distributor lewat perusahaan InMac, dan ketika itu produk Apple meluncurkan PDA yang pertama di dunia dan menggunakan data card milik Nokia. “Nokia masih belum terkenal sat itu,” ujar Kendro. Tak lama, Nokia juga menghadirkan Communicator 9000, kemudian Kendro pun ditawari Nokia untuk mensuport aplikasi 9000. Saat itu, 9000 menggunakan Operating System Bios belum Symbian.

Prestasi dimulai ketika pada tahun 1999 Kendro menciptakan aplikasi pertama, yakni layanan mobile banking pertama di dunia, layanan mobile banking American Ekspress-Amex untuk Communicator 9110. Aplikasinya sempat diujicoba di IT Department Amex di New York Amerika Serika, di kantor pusat Amex. “Setelah mobile banking di aprove di new york, setelah itu pesta, dan aplikasi digunakan secara global oleh Amex,” kata Kendro sambil tertawa. Saat itu, ada sekitar satu juta pelanggan Amex dan pelanggan diberi gratis Nokia Communicator 9110.

Menurut Kendro, asal kita punya keyakinan yang kuat dan ngotot rasanya kita pasti bisa berbuat sesuatu. “Kadang memang tidak pede, terkadang bila bicara sama orang ditertawai, negara mana, Indonesia, ntar dulu, ah mana bisa, paling bisanya buat sandal,” kata Kendro terbahak-bahak.

Dalam urusan menciptakan teknologi, bangsa sendiri gak percaya buatan indonesia. Bangsa ini terkadang melecehkan buatannya. Ini menjadikan tantangan terberat. Padahal, kata Kendro, banyak orang Indonesia, kerja di microsoft.

Tidak sampai disitu, seri Communicator selanjutnya dan ponsel Nokia lainnya yang hadir setiap enam bulan, Kendro selalu dipercaya menyediakan aplikasinya. “Setelah berhasil, kepuasan tiada tara,” tuturnya.

Di Communicator E 90 yang merupakan Communicator 3G pertama, ada cerita unik sebelum peluncuran dilakukan. E90 yang tidak didukung layanan Fax, dan beda series Operating System, E90 OS Symbian V9.2 Series 60, sedangkan seri Communicator sebelumnya OS Symbian Series 80 V 7 seperti pada 9500 terus ke 9300 dan seterusnya. Ini menjadi tantangan Kendro berikutnya. Hasan Aula, GM Nokia Indonesia, memintanya untuk membuat layanan Fax di E 90, “Gak lucu E90 dengan seabrek kecanggihan fitur masa layanan fax gak bisa,” ungkapnya.

Tidak adanya layanan Fax di seri E 90 tak lain karena 3G, sedangkan fax ada dilayanan GPRS di jaringan 2,5 G. Hasan Aula, minta Kendro mencari solusi, akhirnya ditemukanlah, dan Fax di E90 tersalurkan lewat IP, konsepnya sama dengan voice over IP. Ini menjadi kebanggaan dapat memberikan jalan, dan selalu dihargai Nokia.

Di Nokia layanan selalu menjadi nyata, sehingga membuat konsumen menjadi semkin loyal. Karena bottom linenya Communicator market terbesar di indonesia. “Sebagai contoh, kita memperlakukan konsumen lebih dari sekedar beli, sesuatu yang nyata bagus tetapi ada hasilnya. Handphone yang paling canggih dan mahal,” ujar Kendro.

Agak aneh memang, sebagai negara yang penetrasi pengguna internetnya rendah, serta GDP (Growth Domestic Product) juga rendah, tetapi merupakan negara yang pengguna Communicator terbesar di dunia. Sungguh fenomena.

Pengalaman sebagai pencipta, selain kebanggan tersendiri, seperti yang dialaminya saat di Rusia, Saat itu, penjaga toko menawarkan aplikasi Setting Wizard kepadanya, Kendro pun terdiam dalam hati, ketika Setting Wizard yang dibuatnya itu ditawarkan kepadanya di belahan dunia lain.

Prestasi terbaru Kendro terus meluncur, April kemarin Kendro mengenalkan kembali layanan baru bernama More, layanan yang memberikan nilai lebih kepada konsumen seluler. More menciptakan value yang tidak diduga dari pelanggan seluer yang selama ini dimiliki pelanggan. Konsepnya,kata Kendro, reward kepelanggan.

Pencipta Aplikasi Piranti Gerak

Kendro Hendra, pria kelahiran Palembang, 31 Desember 1955, orang Indonesia yang mampu menciptakan aplikasi peranti bergerak yang memungkinkan sebuah ponsel lebih bermakna dan bergaya. Sarjana Ilmu Komputer dari University of Manitoba, Kanada, ini telah mencipta puluhan aplikasi peranti lunak untuk membuat ponsel memiliki kelebihan.



Jika sulit membayangkan aplikasi peranti lunak, bayangkan seseorang yang menciptakan permainan (games) yang ditanamkan pada ponsel. Ponsel itu pun akan memiliki fitur lebih dibandingkan ponsel lainnya.

Apa yang Kendro ciptakan bukan sekadar dolanan, tetapi sebuah aplikasi yang memungkinkan ponsel memiliki tingkat keamanan tinggi, meski dicuri orang. Mungkin harga sebuah Nokia communicator sebagai devices "tidak seberapa" dibandingkan data-data yang tersimpan di dalamnya, entah teks, foto, atau video. Jika data rahasia turut lenyap seiring hilangnya ponsel, maka celakalah. Kendro menciptakan hal-hal kecil yang tidak banyak dipikirkan orang, tetapi bermanfaat bagi banyak orang.

"Salah satu peranti yang saya ciptakan untuk menyelamatkan data yang hilang itu bernama AirGuard, yang sudah ditanamkan di ponsel communicator Nokia. Saya bisa menghubungi pencuri telepon, meski dia sudah mengganti simcard-nya dengan nomor lain," kata Kendro saat ditemui di arena Nokia World 2007 di Amsterdam, Belanda, 5 Desember lalu. Sebagai mitra, Kendro yang membangun perusahaan InTouch itu hadir atas undangan Nokia.

InTouch adalah satu dari sedikit perusahaan komunikasi dan informasi Indonesia dengan reputasi internasional. Kantor pemasaran perusahaan yang didirikan tahun 1996 itu berada di Singapura. Di Indonesia, InTouch mempekerjakan sekitar 60 karyawan yang setiap hari berkutat menciptakan peranti lunak.

Lisensi peranti lunak yang memiliki kata depan "Air" selain AirGuard tersebut antara lain AirAlbum, AirFax, AirRadio, dan AirVouchers. Tetapi, aplikasi paling luas dan banyak digunakan adalah SettingsWizard dan S80-DataMover yang dilisensi Nokia secara global untuk dimasukkan dalam setiap ponsel Symbian S60 Nokia. Kini, temuan Kendro itu diterjemahkan ke dalam 127 bahasa.

SettingsWizard adalah peranti lunak yang ditanamkan di ponsel Nokia, di mana saat pemilik ponsel memasukkan simcard dari operator seluler mana pun, ponsel itu otomatis bisa men-setting sendiri, baik SMS, MMS, e-mail, maupun GPRS, sehingga tidak harus diketik ulang. Demikian juga S80-DataMover yang memungkinkan pemindahan data secara otomatis dari satu ponsel ke ponsel lain atau dari satu communicator ke communicator lain, juga tanpa harus mengetik ulang.

"Banyak orang enggak percaya bahwa itu aplikasi buatan orang Indonesia. Dengan aplikasi yang diterjemahkan ke dalam 127 bahasa, menunjukkan orang Indonesia punya kemampuan," kata Kendro yang mempekerjakan dua orang Singapura sebagai tenaga pemasaran global bagi produk-produk InTouch.

Membangun perusahaan

Dilahirkan di Palembang tahun 1955, Kendro yang kini lebih sering mukim di Singapura itu bukan orang kemarin sore yang serta-merta akrab dengan dunia informasi dan teknologi (IT). Bidang ini, khususnya sebagai pengembang aplikasi bergerak atau mobile application developer, sudah ia geluti saat kuliah jurusan ilmu komputer di Kanada selepas menamatkan sekolah menengah atas di tanah kelahirannya.

Seusai menyelesaikan masternya di Kanada, ia langsung kembali ke Indonesia tahun 1981. Sampai saat ini Kendro sudah berhasil menciptakan sekitar 30 peranti lunak yang semuanya khusus untuk aplikasi bergerak.

Pria yang menikahi Linda Widjaja, teman kuliahnya di Kanada, itu memulai usaha dengan mendirikan perusahaan InMac, yakni distributor Apple Macintosh. Pada awal 1990-an Kendro mulai terjun pada aplikasi bergerak setelah Apple mengeluarkan PDA (personal data assistant) pertama bernama Newton. Tahun 1996 Nokia mengeluarkan communicator 9000 pertamanya.

Nokia cabang Indonesia kemudian menawarinya kerja sama dalam hal peranti lunak apa saja yang bisa disuntikkan ke dalam communicator. Pada Februari 1999, saat Kendro ditawari kerja sama dengan Nokia Asia Pasifik, ia membangun perusahaan di Singapura karena wilayah operasinya regional, tetapi pengembangan tetap dilakukan di Indonesia.

Mengapa harus membuka kantor di Singapura?

"Jujur saja, Pemerintah Singapura memberikan insentif yang baik. Badan penanaman modal Singapura juga sangat mendukung dengan memberikan insentif, grand, tax holiday, dan subsidi lain yang sangat menguntungkan buat orang berusaha," kata Kendro.

Ditanya apakah banyak orang Indonesia yang berpikiran maju di bidang IT, ayah tiga anak ini tanpa ragu menjawab, "Banyak."

Kemampuan IT anak-anak muda Indonesia, kata Kendro, tidak kalah dengan orang-orang India. Hanya kalau bicara outsourcing IT itu, selalu merujuk ke Bangalore, India, salah satunya karena anak-anak muda India unggul dalam berbahasa Inggris. Karena itu, mereka lebih cepat menyerap ilmu dan tanggap terhadap tren baru.

"Selain menguasai bahasa programming, anak-anak muda Indonesia wajib menguasai bahasa Inggris. Punya bakat besar di bidang IT tetapi terkendala bahasa Inggris, kan sayang kalau larinya cuma jadi tukang hacker," tutur Kendro.

Pria berkacamata ini tidak berhenti mencipta peranti baru. Kini ia mengembangkan Mobile Reward Exchange (MORE) sebagai "mata uang baru" dalam berbisnis. Alat bayar baru dari kumpulan reward (bonus/diskon) beberapa perusahaan dapat ditukar dengan barang apa pun yang menjadi mitranya. Kelak, orang membayar burger dari reward pembelian buku di Toko Buku Gramedia, misalnya, hanya dengan menunjukkan jumlah reward kepada kasir cukup dari ponselnya.

Gagal Jantung akibat Obesitas


MASALAH kegemukan atau obesitas nyatanya tak hanya mencederai estetika bentuk tubuh, tapi juga sejumlah fungsi organ tubuh. Salah satu organ tubuh yang berpotensi mengalami kerusakan akibat obesitas adalah jantung.

Masih ingat kasus kematian salah satu aktor komedi Ngelenong Nyok yang kondang dengan sebutan Big Dicky, 30. Aktor bertubuh tambun itu meninggal setelah sebelumnya sempat beberapa hari mendapatkan perawatan di RS MMC, Kuningan, Jakarta Pusat.

Big Dicky yang menderita obesitas itu dikabarkan meninggal akibat gagal jantung. Sudah sejak lama pria bernama asli Agung Firmansyah itu diketahui mengalami penyempitan pembuluh darah di sekitar jantung dan parunya.

Sebetulnya bukan cuma Big Dicky yang mengalami gagal jantung akibat kegemukan. Sudah banyak penderita obesitas lainnya yang mengalami nasib serupa. Apa sebenarnya pengaruh obesitas terhadap munculnya penyakit jantung, sehingga obesitas sering pula disebut sebagai penyebab utama penyakit jantung dan pembuluh darah (kardiovaskuler)?

Salah satu dokter spesialis jantung di RS Jantung dan Pembuluh Darah Harapan Kita dr Adnil Basha menjelaskan penderita obesitas sangat berpotensi mengidap penyakit jantung karena tingginya beban kerja pada jantung mereka.

Menurut dokter yang kerap menangani penderita jantung dengan faktor risiko obesitas itu, dengan besarnya tubuh seseorang yang masuk kelompok obesitas, jantung harus bekerja lebih keras memompakan darah ke seluruh jaringan tubuh.

"Bila kemampuan kerja jantung sudah terlampaui, bisa terjadi yang disebut gagal jantung," kata dr Adnil kepada Media Indonesia seusai jumpa pers memperingati hari ulang tahun ke-50 Perhimpunan Dokter Spesialis Kardiovaskuler Indonesia (PERKI).

Kerja jantung, lanjut dr Adnil, kian diperberat karena penderita obesitas umumnya juga mengalami tekanan darah tinggi (hipertensi). Munculnya tekanan darah tinggi itu, kata Adnil, disebabkan adanya penyempitan pembuluh darah akibat timbunan lemak.

"Kombinasi antara obesitas dan hipertensi ini tentu saja memperberat kerja jantung. Akibatnya, bisa timbul penebalan pada dinding bilik jantung yang disertai dengan kekurangan oksigen. Keadaan itulah yang akan pula mempercepat terjadinya gagal jantung," tambahnya.

Selain mengalami penebalan dinding bilik jantung, Adnil menjelaskan, biasanya penderita obesitas juga mengalami pembengkakan jantung atau jantung membesar. Hal itu, menurutnya, disebabkan volume cairan darah yang dimiliki oleh penderita kegemukan lebih banyak.

Dua tipe

Sebenarnya obesitas sendiri, menurut Adnil, dibedakan atas dua tipe, yakni obesitas yang merupakan bawaan sejak lahir dan yang baru diderita setelah orang dewasa.

"Biasanya, penyakit jantung itu hinggap pada penderita obesitas yang baru mengalami masalah kegemukan setelah dewasa, bukan yang sejak lahir. Karena pada penderita obesitas setelah dewasa, jantungnya belum beradaptasi dengan tubuh yang besar," jelas dr Adnil lagi.

Berdasarkan hasil penelitian yang telah ada, lanjutnya, sekitar 50%-60% penderita obesitas mengalami masalah pada jantungnya. Tapi, menurut dia, permasalahan lanjutan dari obesitas itu masih sangat tergantung pada pola hidup yang dikembangkan oleh penderita.

Lantaran itulah, yang harus dibenahi pertama kali dalam penanganan penderita jantung dengan faktor risiko obesitas adalah pola hidup serta makan mereka. Sehingga hasil yang bisa dicapai adalah badan lebih kurus, darah lebih encer, dan penurunan kolesterol.

"Pengurangan berat badan hingga 10% bisa menurunkan kemungkinan penyakit jantung. Karena itu dalam penanganan pasien jantung dengan dasar obesitas, mesti dilibatkan juga ahli gizi," kata dokter yang juga menjabat sebagai Kepala UPF Kardiologi Preventif dan Rehabilitatif RS Harapan Kita itu.

Lebih lanjut, dr Adnil menegaskan dalam proses penurunan berat badan pada penderita obesitas, ia tidak menyarankan penggunaan obat pelangsing secara bebas. Sebab, kata dia, obat pelangsing juga berpotensi menimbulkan gangguan jantung.

Ihwal tindakan operasi pada pasien jantung yang menderita obesitas, Adnil menuturkan, risikonya jauh lebih tinggi ketimbang pasien tanpa obesitas. Sebab, kata Adnil, mesti dicermati betul tekanan darah pasien, komposisi darah, serta fungsi ginjal, paru-paru, dan juga jantung.

Khusus untuk laki-laki, Adnil memberi gambaran bahwa obesitas dapat diukur dari lingkar pinggang. Lelaki dengan sentral obesitas di bagian perut, menurut dia, cenderung menderita penyakit jantung koroner.

"Sedangkan untuk wanita, ukuran seseorang menderita obesitas atau tidak dapat diukur pada lingkar pinggulnya. Tapi wanita memiliki hormon pelindung dari serangan jantung yang bekerja selama dirinya masih datang bulan," katanya

Senin, 10 November 2008

Hati-hati Virus Obama di Inbox Anda

Demam Obama boleh jadi telah melanda dunia, menyusul kemenangan bersejarah calon presiden Demokrat itu pada Selasa lalu.

Kini, jutaan pengguna komputer terancam oleh virus Obama, beberapa perusahaan keamanan jaringan menyatakan akhir pekan lalu.

Pencipta virus tersebut berharap dapat mengeruk keuntungan dari begitu besarnya minat terhadap presiden terpilih Barack Obama, dengan limpahan pesan sampah yang katanya berisi berita kemenangannya.

Pesan itu menawarkan kepada pengguna hubungan ke video yang kabarnya berisi pidato kemenangan Obama. Padahal para pengguna diarahkan ke laman internet yang mengunduh program mata-mata, yakni mencuri informasi sensitif dari komputer pengguna.

Informasi ini kemudian dapat dipakai untuk mengakses rekening online, mencuri identitas dan memalsukan trasaksi kartu kredit.

"Para peretas (hacker) mengambil keuntungan dari masyarakat yang keranjingan Obama," kata Graham Cluley, konsultan teknologi senior pada SophoLabs, seperti dilaporkan DPA.

"Begitu banyak orang dilanda eforia atau tertarik pada pemilihan tersebut, sehingga mereka boleh jadi sangat rawan dengan ancaman ini. Kami berharap orang mulai menyadari untuk tak meng-klik tawaran-tawaran semacam ini," katanya. (*)

Kamis, 06 November 2008

Peneliti Indonesia Merintis Bahan Bakar Nabati yang Kedua

Bahan bakar minyak yang terus menurun kandungannya di perut bumi dibarengi dengan harganya yang cenderung menanjak mendorong penelitian untuk meningkatkan pemanfaataan alternatif energi lainnya. Salah satunya pilihan energi adalah Bahan Bakar Nabati.

Penelitian Bahan Bakar Nabati di Indonesia telah dirintis sejak tahun 1980-an antara lain oleh Badan Pengkajian dan Penerapan Teknologi (BPPT). Pada tahap awal penelitian ini telah melibatkan lembaga riset Jepang seperti NEDO.

Kerjasama riset energi yang dilakukan Indonesia-Jepang lebih terfokus pada teknologi pemanfaatan biomasa dan energi surya, serta upaya mengkombinasi sumber energi yang ada dengan sistem hibrid, jelas Komaruddin Hidayat, peneliti energi yang juga Rektor Universitas Dharma Persada, dalam sesi diskusi tertang energi terbarukan, di Japan Expo.

Produksi Bahan bakar Nabati, lanjut Komaruddin mengalami peningkatan hasil dan reduksi biaya produksi karena diterapkan metode pemanasan suhu tinggi tanpa katalis (non catalytic superheated methode).

Daur ulang minyak goreng atau jelantah sebagai bahan baku biodiesel telah diterapkan di rumahtangga dan restoran di kota Kyoto Jepang, sejak tahun 1997. Penelitian tersebut, jelas Yasuyuki Sagata dari Universitas Tokyo, selain dilakukan peneliti dari universitasnya, juga melibatkan University of Sluga Perfecture, National Food Research Institute dan pihak swasta yaitu Kajima Corporation. Biodiesel yang dihasilkan dari minyak jelantah melalui reaksi termal trans-esterifikasi ini kemudian dicampur dengan minyak solar atau diesel dengan komposisi 20 : 80.

Sekam padi

Kerjasama penelitian juga dilakukan pada pengembangan tungku yang menggunakan sekam padi. Optimasi efisiensi tungku dilakukan dengan mendesain sistem pembakaran hingga tercapai peningkatan efisien nilai kalor sebesar 11,8 persen. Untuk memasak 200 liter selama 3 jam diperlukan bahan bakar seberat 35 kilogram.

Sementara itu, penggunaan minyak jarak pagar (jatropha curcas) secara besar-besaran di Indonesia diketahui telah diintroduksi Jepang, ketika menjajah Indonesia pada tahun 1942. Pengembangan teknik pengolahan minyak jarak, kini dilakukan kedua belah pihak Indonesia-Jepang dalam kerjasama riset. Dalam hal ini Jepang memperkenalkan metode gelembung (bubble methode) untuk memisahkan atau memurnikan minyak jarak dari getah atau lemaknya, sehingga menjadi lebih encer dan jernih.

Hasil penelitian ini lebih lanjut dikembangkan untuk skala lebih besar. BPPT misalnya membangun pabrik biodiesel dari minyak sawit berkapasitas 8 ton per hari di Pekan Baru. Adapun kan pabrik minyak jarak dibangun di Sukabumi, Jawa Barat

Teknologi bahan bakar nabati generasi kedua dilakukan di Universitas Kyoto dan Universitas Tokyo dengan melibatkan peneliti dari Universitas Dharma Persada di Indonesia. Salah satu hasilnya adalah penemuan metode Saka-Dadan, oleh Dadan Kusdiana dari peneliti dari Direktorat Jendral Listrik dan Pengembangan Energi. Ia menemukan metode pembuatan biodiesel berkualitas tinggi tanpa katalis. Untuk itu digunakan dua tahapan proses hidrolisis dan esterifikasi dengan metode supercritical metanol

Dosen Ternyata Lebih Gaptek Dari Mahasiswa Khususnya Tentang E-Learning

“E-learning” atau pembelajaran virtual masih sebatas kebutuhan sekunder semata. Tidak hanya di Indonesia, di negara maju seperti Jepang pun, “e-learning” tidak mampu menggantikan sistem kelas seutuhnya, kata staf pengajar dari Kumamoto University Jepang, Prof Toshihiro Kita.

Menurut dia, “e-learning” di Jepang saat ini hanya berupa alat bantu bagi dosen dan mahasiswa sehingga belum dapat menggantikan sistem kelas biasa.

“Saya pikir ini bukan bertujuan untuk mengganti sistem kelas, hanya semacam alat tambahan untuk menyampaikan materi,” katanya dihadapan para peserta Kumamoto Forum di Auditorium Pasca Sarjana Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember Surabaya (ITS), Rabu.

Menurut dia, pihaknya telah melakukan riset mengenai “e-learning” di universitas, namun tren ini dianggap masih bertahan di era selanjutnya. Bahkan meskipun berbagai model “e-learning” telah banyak dikembangkan, namun pembelajaran melalui kelas masih dianggap yang terbaik.

Di universitas Kumamoto sendiri, baru sekitar sepuluh persen dari jumlah pengajarnya yang sudah memanfaatkan konsep “e-learning” ini. Namun, dari kacamatanya, jumlah ini tidak menunjukkan rendahnya penggunaan kelas virtual di kampusnya.

Pasalnya banyak “open source” yang menyediakan model “e-learning” yang mungkin tidak terpantau olehnya. Buktinya, jumlah mahasiswa yang menggunakan “e-learning” di universitasnya cukup banyak. “Hampir seluruh mahasiswa disana menggunakan `e-learning`,” katanya.

Memasyarakatkan penggunaan “e-learning” di tingkat mahasiswa ini menurut Toshihiro yang patut digaris bawahi. Sebab, membudayakan “e-learning” di tingkat mahasiswa inilah yang sangat krusial untuk dilakukan.

“Nanti akan terjadi timbal balik. Jika mahasiswa banyak yang menggunakan
‘e-learning`, maka dosennya juga akan terdorong untuk memakainya,” katanya.

Sementara itu, staf pengajar Teknik Elektro ITS, Prof Dr Ir Achmad Jazidie MEng berharap agar “e-learning” ini segera dapat diterapkan di ITS.

Namun sebelum penerapan secara global, ITS harus menyiapkan satu badan khusus yang akan mengelola “e-learning” ini. Jazidie menegaskan, hal ini tidak sulit dilakukan mengingat ITS sudah mempunyai P3AI (Pusat Pengembangan Pendidikan dan Aktivitas Instruksional).

“Sekarang kan P3AI ini yang bertanggung jawab untuk `learning process`, mungkin `e-learning` ini sekalian masuk dibawahnya,” katanya.

Rabu, 05 November 2008

Teknology Dan Informasi: Metode Pembelajaran

Teknology Dan Informasi: Metode Pembelajaran

Metode Pembelajaran

1. Metode Studi Kasus
Metode studi kasus berbentuk penjelasan tentang masalah, kejadian, atau situasi tertentu, kemudian mahasiswa ditugaskan mencari artenatif pemecahanya. Metode ini digunakan untuk mengembangkan ketrampilan berfikir kritis dan mendapatkan persepsi baru dari suatu konsep dan masalah. Metode ini tepat digunakan untuk mahasiswa yang mempunyai latar belakang pengetahuan yang cukup dalam masalah tersebut.
Kesulitan metode ini adalah :
a. Mendapatkan kasus yang ditulis dengan baik sebagai hasil penelitian lapangan yang sesuai dengan lingkungan kehidupan mahasiswa
b. Mengembangkan kasus sangat mahal
2. Metode Diskusi
Metode diskusi merupakan interaksi antara mahasiswa dan mahasiswa dan pengajar untuk menganalisis, menggali, atau memperdebatkan topic dan permasalahan tertentu.
Untuk menggunakan metode ini pengajar harus :
a. Menyediakan bahan, topic atau masalah yang akan didiskusikan.
b. Menyebeutkan pokok-pokok masalah yang akan dibahas atau memberikan studi kasus kepada mahasiswa sebelum menyelenggarakan diskusi.
c. Menugaskan mahasiswa untuk menjelaskan, menganalisis, dan meringkas.
d. Membimbing diskusi, tidak memberi ceramah.
e. Sabar terhadap kelompok yang lambat dfalam mendiskusikanya
f. Awas kepada kelompok yang tampak kebingungan atau berjalan dengan tidfak menentu
Metode diskusi tepat digunakan untuk:
a. Tahap menengah atau tahap akhir proses belajar
b. Pelajaran formal/menengah
c. Perluasan pengetahuan yang telah dikuasai mahasiswa
d. Belajar mengidentifikasi dan memecahkan masalah serta mengambil keputusan
e. Membiasakan mahasiswa berhadapan dengan berbagai pendekatan, interpretasi, dan kepribadian
f. Menghadapi masalah secra berkelompok.
Tetapi, metode ini mempunyai keterbatasan sebgai berikut:
a. Menyita waktu lama dan jumlah mahasiswa harus sedikit
b. Mempersyaratkan mahasiswa mempunyai latar belakang yang cukup dalam topic/masalah yang didiskusikan.
c. Tidak dapat digunakan pada tahap awal proses belajar bila mahasiswa baru diperkenalkan kepada bahan instrksional baru.
3. Metode Ceramah
Metode ceramah yang dimaksud disini adalah ceramah dengan kombinasi metodeyang bervariasi. Mengapa disebut demikian, sebab ceramah dilakukan dengan ditujukan sebagai pemicu terjadinya kegiatan yang partisipatif (curah pendapat, disko, pleno, penugasan, studi kasus, dll). Selain itu, ceramah yang dimaksud disini adalah ceramah yang cenderung interaktif, yaitu melibatkan peserta melalui adanya tanggapan balik atau perbandingan dengan pendapat dan pengalaman peserta. Media pendukung yang digunakan, seperti bahan serahan ( handouts),transparansi yang ditayangkan dengan OHP, bahan presentasi yang ditayangkan dengan LCD, tulisan-tulisan di kartu metaplan dan/kertas plano, dll.
4.Metode Curah Pendapat (Brainstorming)
Metode curah pendapat adalah suatu bentuk diskusi dalam rangka menghimpun gagasan, pendapat, informasi, pengetahuan, pengalaman, dari semua peserta.Berbeda dengan diskusi, dimana gagasan dari seseorang dapat ditanggapi (didukung, dilengkapi, dikurangi, atau tidak disepakati) oleh peserta lain, pada penggunaan metode curah pendapat pendapat orang lain tidak untuk ditanggapi. Tujuan curah pendapat adalah untuk membuat kompilasi (kumpulan) pendapat, informasi, pengalaman semua peserta yang sama atau berbeda. Hasilnya kemudian dijadikan peta informasi, peta pengalaman, atau peta gagasan ( mindmap) untuk menjadi pembelajaran bersama.

5. Metode Simulasi
Metode simulasi adalah bentuk metode praktek yang sifatnya untuk mengembangkan ketermpilan peserta belajar (keterampilan mental maupun fisik/teknis). Metode ini memindahkan suatu situasi yang nyata ke dalam
kegiatan atau ruang belajar karena adanya kesulitan untuk melakukan praktek di dalam situasi yang sesungguhnya. Misalnya: sebelum melakukan praktek penerbangan, seorang siswa sekolah penerbangan melakukan simulasi
penerbangan terlebih dahulu (belum benar-benar terbang). Situasi yang dihadapi dalam simulasi ini harus dibuat seperti benar-benar merupakan keadaan yang sebenarnya (replikasi kenyataan).Contoh lainnya, dalam sebuah pelatihan fasilitasi, seorang peserta melakukan simulasi suatu metode belajar seakan-akan tengah melakukannya bersama kelompok dampingannya. Pendamping lainnya berperan sebagai kelompok dampingan yang benar-benar akan ditemui dalam keseharian peserta (ibu tani, bapak tani, pengurus kelompok, dsb.). Dalam
contoh yang kedua, metode ini memang mirip dengan bermain peran. Tetapi dalam simulasi, peserta lebih banyak berperan sebagai dirinya sendiri saat melakukan suatu kegiatan/tugas yang benar-benar akan dilakukannya.

6. Metode Sandiwara
PengertianMetode sandiwara seperti memindahkan ‘sepenggal cerita’ yang menyerupai kisah nyata atau situasi sehari-hari ke dalam pertunjukkan. Penggunaan metode ini ditujukan untuk mengembangkan diskusi dan analisa peristiwa (kasus). Tujuannya adalah sebagai media untuk memperlihatkan berbagai permasalahan pada suatu
tema (topik) sebagai bahan refleksi dan analisis solusi penyelesaian masalah. Dengan begitu, rana penyadaran dan peningkatan kemampuan analisis dikombinasikan secara seimbang.

7. Metode Demonstrasi
Demonstrasi adalah metode yang digunakan untuk membelajarkan pesertan dengan cara menceritakan dan memperagakan suatu langkah-langkah pengerjaan sesuatu. Demonstrasi merupakan praktek yang diperagakan kepada peserta. Karena itu, demonstrasi dapat dibagi menjadi dua tujuan: demonstrasi proses untuk memahami langkah demi langkah; dan demonstrasi hasil untuk memperlihatkan atau memperagakan hasil dari sebuah proses.Biasanya, setelah demonstrasi dilanjutkan dengan praktek oleh peserta sendiri. Sebagai hasil,
peserta akan memperoleh pengalaman belajar langsung setelah melihat, melakukan, dan merasakan sendiri. Tujuan dari demonstrasi yang dikombinasikan dengan praktek adalah membuat perubahan pada rana keterampilan.

8. Metode Praktek Lapangan
Metode praktik lapangan bertujuan untuk melatih dan meningkatkan kemampuan peserta dalam mengaplikasikan pengetahuan dan keterampilan yang diperolehnya. Kegiatan ini dilakukan di ‘lapangan’, yang bisa berarti di tempat
kerja, maupun di masyarakat. Keunggulan dari metode ini adalah pengalaman nyata yang diperoleh bisa langsung dirasakan oleh peserta, sehingga dapat memicu kemampuan peserta dalam mengembangkan kemampuannya. Sifat
metode praktek adalah pengembangan keterampilan.

9. Metode Permainan ( GAMES)
permainan (games), populer dengan berbagai sebutan antara lain pemanasan (ice-breaker) atau penyegaran (energizer). Arti harfiah ice-breaker adalah ‘pemecah es’. Jadi, arti pemanasan dalam proses belajar adalah pemecah situasi kebekuan fikiran atau fisik peserta. Permainan juga dimaksudkan untuk membangun suasana belajar yang dinamis, penuh semangat, dan antusiasme. Karakteristik permainan adalah menciptakan suasana belajar yang menyenangkan (fun) serta serius tapi santai (sersan). Permainan digunakan untuk penciptaan suasana belajar dari pasif ke aktif, dari kaku menjadi gerak (akrab), dan dari jenuh menjadi riang (segar). Metode ini diarahkan agar tujuan belajar dapat dicapai secara efisien dan efektif dalam suasana gembira meskipun membahas hal-hal yang sulit atau berat.Sebaiknya permainan digunakan sebagai bagian dari proses belajar, bukan hanya untuk mengisi waktu kosong atau sekedar permainan. Permainan sebaiknya dirancang menjadi suatu ‘aksi’ atau kejadian yang dialami sendiri oleh peserta, kemudian ditarik dalam proses refleksi untuk menjadi hikmah yang mendalam (prinsip, nilai, atau pelajaran-pelajaran). Wilayah perubahan yang dipengaruhi adalah rana sikap-nilai.