Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Ego & Democracy Fail: Ma and Putin
Vladimir Putin, Russian Prime Minister recently gave an interview to Andrey Kolesnikov, Kommersant's special correspondent and Russia's best-known print journalist, who travelled with the prime minister along a new federal highway between Khabarovsk and Chita. Putin made comments that curiously echo those that have been made by Taiwan's President Ma. To whit:
Both Ma and Putin are members of formerly hard line Leninist parties who have found a niche in a post communist order to gain popular support to effectively reinvigorate those orders in a new 'democratic' form. Both exercise high levels of influence over the media, police, and judiciary and both have previously openly stated their distaste for democratisation and individual freedoms. Both sport bloated egos and both have a penchant for drama - Putin likes to cultivate a rough and populist outdoors 'xtreme' image whilst Ma prefers utilising Confucious and the manufactured narrative of ROC lineage to 5000 years of Chinese history and the Greater China people, not to mention copious references to the Yellow Emperor, to build an image of the educated, benevolent but firm classical Chinese monarch.
I can't wait for the ROC 100 year 'celebrations' to watch a hugely expensive turkey absolutely fail to generate any public enthusiasm whatsoever. Before that, we get to see on November 28th just how popular with the public Ma's 'new' KMT really is ....
Vladimir Putin today angrily dismissed protests against his regime as "provocations" and said anyone who took part in unsanctioned street rallies against the Kremlin should expect a "whack on the bonce".Putin's message is that all assemblies are allowed if they have permits. If they don't, police brutality is justifiable. The PM has no hand in restricting rallies and refusing to grant permission and he has made no mistakes in the past decade. The only difference with President Ma and KMT of Taiwan is that police brutality is only allowed when the KMT are likely to lose big face in front of visiting Chinese delegations. Otherwise, the police just form a barrier or cordon off streets so that impromptu assemblies are restricted to the point of ineffectiveness. Ask the police what law they are acting on in Taiwan and you are likely to get the answer that they either need to look it up and get back to you or 'shouldn't probably say' (see recent Tibetan protest at the National Palace Museum).
Putin said Russians needed to get permission before they could take to the streets.
He explained: "You've got it? Go and march. If not, you don't have the right. Go to a rally without permission and you get a whack on the bonce. It's that simple."
He said that in London demonstrators who protested without permission also got a "whack on the nut".
Writing on his blog today the opposition leader Boris Nemtsov said the interview revealed Putin to be "mendacious, ignorant and spiteful".
Moscow's city government has consistently refused to grant permission for opposition rallies, and last week fenced off Triumfalnaya square ahead of tomorrow's protest. Asked why the government seemed bent on thwarting the rallies at all cost, Putin said: "Believe me, I don't know about this. This isn't my affair."
Asked whether he had made mistakes over the past decade, Putin said he could not think of any.
Both Ma and Putin are members of formerly hard line Leninist parties who have found a niche in a post communist order to gain popular support to effectively reinvigorate those orders in a new 'democratic' form. Both exercise high levels of influence over the media, police, and judiciary and both have previously openly stated their distaste for democratisation and individual freedoms. Both sport bloated egos and both have a penchant for drama - Putin likes to cultivate a rough and populist outdoors 'xtreme' image whilst Ma prefers utilising Confucious and the manufactured narrative of ROC lineage to 5000 years of Chinese history and the Greater China people, not to mention copious references to the Yellow Emperor, to build an image of the educated, benevolent but firm classical Chinese monarch.
I can't wait for the ROC 100 year 'celebrations' to watch a hugely expensive turkey absolutely fail to generate any public enthusiasm whatsoever. Before that, we get to see on November 28th just how popular with the public Ma's 'new' KMT really is ....
Disgusting: This is why I have little sympathy for Israeli nationalists
(Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, center, the spiritual leader of the ultra-Orthodox Shas party, addresses a convention of religious Jewish women in Jerusalem on June 28. Photo: EPA)89 year old Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, spiritual head of the religious Shas party in Israel’s government has made the following comments:
“Abu Mazen ( Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas) and all these evil people should perish from this earth” “God should strike them and these Palestinians — evil haters of Israel — with a plague.”
The US called the comments 'inflammatory' whilst Netanyahu's Government distanced themselves from them (though we know they are sympathetic to them).
Note that the picture is from an address to Jewish women yet not one person surrounding the outspoken and racist cleric is female ... how many are from Brooklyn I wonder?
Yuma
Every once in a while I treat myself on a journey to a comfortable overnight resting point. Last night it was at the Yuma Motel in Taipei County. With weekday rates at almost 50% of Fri-Sun rates, I couldn't resist booking a night in a room that features all the advantages of a hotel with the bonus of space to fit in a spa ...
1. The garage is immaculate ...
2. Inside I find a large soft bed and a separate KTV room ... (the selection of English songs was limited)
3. Bathroom prep area. The toilet is around the wall to the right.
4. The end of the spa room. Note the option of standard shower and 'raining' shower as well as (top left) a waterfall feature that is like standing in a warm typhoon without the wind.
5. I am useless with my camera. This was the best picture of the spa area that I could get with a flash. The back pool is the hot tub / jacuzzi and the one at the front is larger and for cooler water.
6. The hot tub all lit up. Attention is given to lighting that adds a touch of romance to the spa experience ....
7. The lights are also built into the cool pool to very nice effect ...
... all that for NT$3600 which I think is a steal. I stayed there from 6pm til 10am the next morning. If I had the budget I would stay at motels over hotels any day. Two things that the UK desperately needs: 1. Decent pool / spa facilities for plebs like me in every town and 2. high class motels on commuter routes in Cornwall, the north and Scotland.
1. The garage is immaculate ...
2. Inside I find a large soft bed and a separate KTV room ... (the selection of English songs was limited)
3. Bathroom prep area. The toilet is around the wall to the right.
4. The end of the spa room. Note the option of standard shower and 'raining' shower as well as (top left) a waterfall feature that is like standing in a warm typhoon without the wind.
5. I am useless with my camera. This was the best picture of the spa area that I could get with a flash. The back pool is the hot tub / jacuzzi and the one at the front is larger and for cooler water.
6. The hot tub all lit up. Attention is given to lighting that adds a touch of romance to the spa experience ....
7. The lights are also built into the cool pool to very nice effect ...
... all that for NT$3600 which I think is a steal. I stayed there from 6pm til 10am the next morning. If I had the budget I would stay at motels over hotels any day. Two things that the UK desperately needs: 1. Decent pool / spa facilities for plebs like me in every town and 2. high class motels on commuter routes in Cornwall, the north and Scotland.
Monday, August 30, 2010
What Happens When Community Colleges Take Away The Helping Hand?
This is one of my favorite statues:
Booker T. Washington lifting the veil of ignorance. For the Black community,
from the moment laws were enacted to prevent us from READING…
EDUCATION has been the key to lifting the Black Community.
It isn't a 'cure all', but it's been one of the most dependable paths to self-improvement that the Black community has known.
I have been in the process of possibly transitioning from one career to another. But, in
order to get into the program that I’m interested in, I have to prerequisites
for those programs. The cheapest way to get those credits where I live is
community college. Going to the local community college has been a positive
experience. You meet all types of people at the community college: races,
ethnicities, age groups, differing goals.
Which is why, when I read this article, I was definitely upset:
Consider me in the concerned group. The point of Community College to me is that
it is THE place where someone wanting to improve their lot in life – through
education – could go. There is a sizeable group of Community College students
who need these remedial classes in order to be able to GET to the beginning of
where they want to go. These are the students who suffered through inadequate
public schooling that hasn’t been in the business of educating urban Black youth
for about 30 years. So, you send them to crappy public elementary and high
schools, and they are shuffled through, out in the world, unprepared for any
jobs except for the lowest of rungs on the job ladder. Then, these folks decide
to challenge that, and see there is a professional goal that they have, but they
have to be fit to take the classes. These folks are not in remedial classes
because they have nothing else to do- they are in those classes because that is
the FIRST rung to get them on the way of their professional goals.
WHY would you want to cut off that rung for them? City colleges are the cheapest
way for those students to get this educational uplift that they need in order to
be able to compete in this society. It’s not just the classes themselves; for
many students who need these classes, college isn’t something that they grew up
in a household knowing that would just ‘ happen’ for them. It’s something
nebulous that happens to ‘ other’ people. For many, Community College is the
first time that they are in an educational environment where they are surrounded
by people who view education in a positive light. Coming from dangerous urban
high schools, the Community College is quite possibly the first SAFE educational
environment that they’ve experienced. Even though they would be in remedial
classes, it’s still in a college environment, and they would be near other
students. They would see in front of them where they want to go for themselves;
I don’t think positive reinforcement can be underestimated.
This story bothers me, because, if the ‘MISSION’ of the Community College is to
be open for all where the only requirement is the DESIRE for education and the
willingness to work for it, then what is the mission?
This galls me, because Richard Daley and his cronies have done nothing to
improve education for the average Black Public School Student, and the Community
Colleges WERE the place where those students could begin an educational journey.
So now, he’s condemning these students will not get a hand up anywhere. But, as
this article points out, this isn’t just a Chicago problem, this is happening
all over the country, and it is students in Urban areas – BLACK students – who
are getting the shaft.
If you are interested in voicing concern about this possible disastrous change in policy, please drop a letter to the new Chancellor:
Cheryl Hyman
Chancellor
District Office
City Colleges of Chicago
226 W. Jackson
Chicago, Illinois 60606
312.553.2500
You also can fill out the ' Ask the Chancellor' at the website.
It was a kick in the teeth to read the new Chancellor’s 'life story’, and realize that she graduated from
a school that where more than likely, the CURRENT students graduating from her alma mater won’t be able to attend Community Colleges without that remedial help?
Booker T. Washington lifting the veil of ignorance. For the Black community,
from the moment laws were enacted to prevent us from READING…
EDUCATION has been the key to lifting the Black Community.
It isn't a 'cure all', but it's been one of the most dependable paths to self-improvement that the Black community has known.
I have been in the process of possibly transitioning from one career to another. But, in
order to get into the program that I’m interested in, I have to prerequisites
for those programs. The cheapest way to get those credits where I live is
community college. Going to the local community college has been a positive
experience. You meet all types of people at the community college: races,
ethnicities, age groups, differing goals.
Which is why, when I read this article, I was definitely upset:
Community Colleges Rethink 'Open Door' Admissions as Remedial Costs Rise
By Caralee Adams on August 13, 2010 6:03 AM
Chicago Mayor Richard Daley this week called for an end to the "open
door" admissions policy at Chicago City Colleges, citing concerns about
the cost of remedial courses and a desire to build a quality program.
Every year, the system spends about $30 million for remedial
classes—about 6 percent of its $457.5 million budget. Daley suggested
that a better approach might be to offer programs through alternative
high schools to get students up to speed before they enter college.
Is this a sign of things to come?
Unfortunately, Chicago's approach is not unique, says George Boggs,
president and chief executive officer of the American Association of
Community Colleges. In tight economic times, community colleges are
looking for places to cut back, and some are stopping their most basic
remedial education programs.
"I'm a little concerned about this," Boggs says. "Community college has
always been an open door for college. We have taken everybody."
Students are assessed upon entry and take remedial programs if they
aren't prepared. Boggs doesn't want to see colleges weed out students
who are least able and don't have many other options.
Consider me in the concerned group. The point of Community College to me is that
it is THE place where someone wanting to improve their lot in life – through
education – could go. There is a sizeable group of Community College students
who need these remedial classes in order to be able to GET to the beginning of
where they want to go. These are the students who suffered through inadequate
public schooling that hasn’t been in the business of educating urban Black youth
for about 30 years. So, you send them to crappy public elementary and high
schools, and they are shuffled through, out in the world, unprepared for any
jobs except for the lowest of rungs on the job ladder. Then, these folks decide
to challenge that, and see there is a professional goal that they have, but they
have to be fit to take the classes. These folks are not in remedial classes
because they have nothing else to do- they are in those classes because that is
the FIRST rung to get them on the way of their professional goals.
WHY would you want to cut off that rung for them? City colleges are the cheapest
way for those students to get this educational uplift that they need in order to
be able to compete in this society. It’s not just the classes themselves; for
many students who need these classes, college isn’t something that they grew up
in a household knowing that would just ‘ happen’ for them. It’s something
nebulous that happens to ‘ other’ people. For many, Community College is the
first time that they are in an educational environment where they are surrounded
by people who view education in a positive light. Coming from dangerous urban
high schools, the Community College is quite possibly the first SAFE educational
environment that they’ve experienced. Even though they would be in remedial
classes, it’s still in a college environment, and they would be near other
students. They would see in front of them where they want to go for themselves;
I don’t think positive reinforcement can be underestimated.
This story bothers me, because, if the ‘MISSION’ of the Community College is to
be open for all where the only requirement is the DESIRE for education and the
willingness to work for it, then what is the mission?
This galls me, because Richard Daley and his cronies have done nothing to
improve education for the average Black Public School Student, and the Community
Colleges WERE the place where those students could begin an educational journey.
So now, he’s condemning these students will not get a hand up anywhere. But, as
this article points out, this isn’t just a Chicago problem, this is happening
all over the country, and it is students in Urban areas – BLACK students – who
are getting the shaft.
If you are interested in voicing concern about this possible disastrous change in policy, please drop a letter to the new Chancellor:
Cheryl Hyman
Chancellor
District Office
City Colleges of Chicago
226 W. Jackson
Chicago, Illinois 60606
312.553.2500
You also can fill out the ' Ask the Chancellor' at the website.
It was a kick in the teeth to read the new Chancellor’s 'life story’, and realize that she graduated from
a school that where more than likely, the CURRENT students graduating from her alma mater won’t be able to attend Community Colleges without that remedial help?
Sunday, August 29, 2010
The President on the Anniversary of Hurricane Katrina
President Obama Speaks on the 5th Anniversary of Hurricane Katrina
Xavier University, New Orleans, Louisiana
August 29, 2010 3:00 PM EDT
President Barack Obama, with daughters Malia and Sasha and First Lady Michelle Obama, arrive in New Orleans to commemorate the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, Sunday, Aug. 29, 2010.
----AP Photo/Cheryl Gerber
U.S. President Barack Obama is greeted by Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal (2nd R) after stepping off Air Force One with First Lady Michelle Obama and their daughters Sasha (C) and Malia in New Orleans, Louisiana, August 29, 2010.
---FREUTERS/Jim Young
New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu greets President Barack Obama, with daughters Sasha and Malia as First Lady Michelle Obama talks to Rep. Joseph Cao and Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal after arriving in New Orleans to commemorate the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, Sunday, Aug. 29, 2010.
----AP Photo/Cheryl Gerber
U.S. President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama arrive at Xavier University in New Orleans, Louisiana, August 29, 2010. ----REUTERS/Jim Young
US President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama greet the crowd at Xavier University as they arrive to attend a ceremony on the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, Louisiana, on August 29, 2010. Obama arrived in still-struggling New Orleans to join residents marking five years since flood waters driven by Hurricane Katrina inundated the famous jazz capital. ----JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images
US President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama greet the crowd at Xavier University during a ceronomy on the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans on August 29, 2010. Obama arrived in still-struggling New Orleans to join residents marking five years since flood waters driven by Hurricane Katrina inundated the famous jazz capital.
----JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images
U.S. President Barack Obama (C), First Lady Michelle Obama (L) and their daughters Sasha (3rd L) and Malia (2nd L) place a food order at Parkway Bakery and Tavern in New Orleans, Louisiana, August 29, 2010.
----REUTERS/Jim Young
US President Barack Obama speaks at Xavier University on the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans on August 29, 2010. Obama arrived in still-struggling New Orleans to join residents marking five years since flood waters driven by Hurricane Katrina inundated the famous jazz capital.
----JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images
US President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama visit Columbia Parc Housing complex in New Orleans, Louisiana, on August 29, 2010. Obama arrived in still-struggling New Orleans to join residents marking five years since flood waters driven by Hurricane Katrina inundated the famous jazz capital.
----JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images
US President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama are greeted by Maude Smith to her house as they visit Columbia Parc Housing complex in New Orleans, Louisiana, on August 29, 2010. Obama arrived in still-struggling New Orleans to join residents marking five years since flood waters driven by Hurricane Katrina inundated the famous jazz capital.
----JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Image
US President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama visit Maude Smith's house at Columbia Parc Housing complex in New Orleans, Louisiana, on August 29, 2010. Obama arrived in still-struggling New Orleans to join residents marking five years since flood waters driven by Hurricane Katrina inundated the famous jazz capital.
----JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images
Xavier University, New Orleans, Louisiana
August 29, 2010 3:00 PM EDT
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
President Barack Obama, with daughters Malia and Sasha and First Lady Michelle Obama, arrive in New Orleans to commemorate the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, Sunday, Aug. 29, 2010.
----AP Photo/Cheryl Gerber
U.S. President Barack Obama is greeted by Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal (2nd R) after stepping off Air Force One with First Lady Michelle Obama and their daughters Sasha (C) and Malia in New Orleans, Louisiana, August 29, 2010.
---FREUTERS/Jim Young
New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu greets President Barack Obama, with daughters Sasha and Malia as First Lady Michelle Obama talks to Rep. Joseph Cao and Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal after arriving in New Orleans to commemorate the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, Sunday, Aug. 29, 2010.
----AP Photo/Cheryl Gerber
U.S. President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama arrive at Xavier University in New Orleans, Louisiana, August 29, 2010. ----REUTERS/Jim Young
US President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama greet the crowd at Xavier University as they arrive to attend a ceremony on the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, Louisiana, on August 29, 2010. Obama arrived in still-struggling New Orleans to join residents marking five years since flood waters driven by Hurricane Katrina inundated the famous jazz capital. ----JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images
US President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama greet the crowd at Xavier University during a ceronomy on the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans on August 29, 2010. Obama arrived in still-struggling New Orleans to join residents marking five years since flood waters driven by Hurricane Katrina inundated the famous jazz capital.
----JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images
U.S. President Barack Obama (C), First Lady Michelle Obama (L) and their daughters Sasha (3rd L) and Malia (2nd L) place a food order at Parkway Bakery and Tavern in New Orleans, Louisiana, August 29, 2010.
----REUTERS/Jim Young
US President Barack Obama speaks at Xavier University on the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans on August 29, 2010. Obama arrived in still-struggling New Orleans to join residents marking five years since flood waters driven by Hurricane Katrina inundated the famous jazz capital.
----JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images
US President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama visit Columbia Parc Housing complex in New Orleans, Louisiana, on August 29, 2010. Obama arrived in still-struggling New Orleans to join residents marking five years since flood waters driven by Hurricane Katrina inundated the famous jazz capital.
----JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images
US President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama are greeted by Maude Smith to her house as they visit Columbia Parc Housing complex in New Orleans, Louisiana, on August 29, 2010. Obama arrived in still-struggling New Orleans to join residents marking five years since flood waters driven by Hurricane Katrina inundated the famous jazz capital.
----JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Image
US President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama visit Maude Smith's house at Columbia Parc Housing complex in New Orleans, Louisiana, on August 29, 2010. Obama arrived in still-struggling New Orleans to join residents marking five years since flood waters driven by Hurricane Katrina inundated the famous jazz capital.
----JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images
Another Falun Gong Practioner Dies in Detention
Between Heaven and Earth reports on a clear reason why 'rights issues' matter, Mrs Clinton.
Quote of the Week: 33% of Taiwan's Energy Used to Generate 4% of GDP
This quote from the Taipei Times is this week's winner and my first post back in the country.
Gloria Hsu (徐光蓉) of National Taiwan University (NTU) (a member of the Taiwan Environmental Protection Union (TEPU)) told a press conference that the TEPU would publish a brochure titled The Illusory Petrochemical Kingdom to highlight the major mistakes and unanswered questions in the EIA report presented by Kuokuang Petrochemical Corp.:
Gloria Hsu (徐光蓉) of National Taiwan University (NTU) (a member of the Taiwan Environmental Protection Union (TEPU)) told a press conference that the TEPU would publish a brochure titled The Illusory Petrochemical Kingdom to highlight the major mistakes and unanswered questions in the EIA report presented by Kuokuang Petrochemical Corp.:
Hsu said Taiwan imports almost all of its energy sources, with the petrochemical industry consuming about one-third of this but contributing only about 4 percent of GDP.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
August 28, 1963: 'A Check Stamped Insufficient Funds'
Most people ignore the financial concerns explicit in the entire speech, choosing to focus only on ' I have a dream.'
Friday, August 27, 2010
Hikmah Ramadhan
Surabaya, 18 Ramadhan 1431 H
Puji syukur ke hadirat Illahi Rabbi, yang telah mempertemukan kita dengan Ramadhan tercinta. Bulan dimana Allah memberikan keberkahan tiada tara, ampunan magfirahnya kepada umat manusia.
Memaknai Ramadhan menjadikan kita senantiasa ingat bahwa setiap orang diciptakan hanya untuk beribadah kepada Allah swt. Apapun hal yang dikerjakannya sekarang, entah pekerjaan, status, kondisi keluarga dll adalah sarana dia untuk selalu dekat dengan sang pencipta dunia beserta isinya.
Ramadhan kali ini, gusti Allah memberikan hadiah padaku. Suatu hal yang menjadikanku semakin dewasa, lebih mengenal apa itu dunia, semakin berusaha untuk tenang dalam menjadi hidup, dan lebih yakin bahwa segala sesuatu telah ada takdirnya di lauhul mahfudz. Niat, Ikhtiar dan tawakal menjadi hal yang harus terpatri dalam diri setiap orang.
Tepat 1 Ramadhan kemarin, Allah memberiku amanah. Istriku hamil satu bulan. Alhamdulillah ditengah segala hal yang mendera, kami bersyukur atas apa yang telah diberikan. Ini anugerah Ramadhan bagi kami berdua, khususnya bagiku yang kedepannya harus bersiap-siap untuk menjadi seorang bapak. Hehe.. seorang bapak. Kadang hati kecilku bertanya, kok secepatnya itu ya. Tapi saya yakin, Allah memberikan sesuatu sesuai dengan kesanggupan hambanya. Diatas satu kesulitan pasti ada dua kemudahan. Ah, kenapa harus risau apalagi kalut. Jalani saja semua yang ada dengan terus bersyukur kepada-Nya. Jalan pasti ada, pertolongan sesungguhnya sangat dekat, hanya kita saja yang terkadang berpikir itu sulit, ini ga bisa.
Rabu,25 Agustus kemarin saya diberi kesempatan oleh Allah untuk kembali melihat begitu sempurna ciptaan-Nya. Terbang dari Bandung ke Surabaya, walau hanya 1 jam 10 menit tapi cukuplah bagiku untuk terus bersyukur. Pesawat yang melintasi kumpulan awan, melihat betapa hijaunya sepanjang pulau Jawa, sungai-sungai, pabrik-pabrik yang mulai memadati daerah pemukiman warga, menjulangnya gunung-gunung. Ah begitu indah pemandangan dari atas.
Tiba di Bandar Internasional Juanda, Surabaya sangat berbeda dengan kondisi di Bandung. Kebersihannya lebih terjaga. Tak lama menunggu disana, karena aku harus segera tiba di lokasi acara. Hotel Ibis. Jl Rajawali. Demikian nama tempatnya. Berada di tengah-tengah bangunan tua Surabaya. Tak jauh dari sana berdiri masjid Sunan Karang Ampel. Jumatan kemarin saya sengaja ke sana. Alhamdulillah bisa berada di shaff ke dua terdepan. Jamaahnya cukup banyak, sampai memadati area luar masjid. Tapi pas hariphari biasa, ternyata jamaah pasariyah lebih banyak daripada yang berada di dalam masjid. Ya, toko-toko yang memadati area sebelum pasar sangatlah banyak. Menjejali stiap orang sebelum masuk pelataran masjid.
Bersambung..
Puji syukur ke hadirat Illahi Rabbi, yang telah mempertemukan kita dengan Ramadhan tercinta. Bulan dimana Allah memberikan keberkahan tiada tara, ampunan magfirahnya kepada umat manusia.
Memaknai Ramadhan menjadikan kita senantiasa ingat bahwa setiap orang diciptakan hanya untuk beribadah kepada Allah swt. Apapun hal yang dikerjakannya sekarang, entah pekerjaan, status, kondisi keluarga dll adalah sarana dia untuk selalu dekat dengan sang pencipta dunia beserta isinya.
Ramadhan kali ini, gusti Allah memberikan hadiah padaku. Suatu hal yang menjadikanku semakin dewasa, lebih mengenal apa itu dunia, semakin berusaha untuk tenang dalam menjadi hidup, dan lebih yakin bahwa segala sesuatu telah ada takdirnya di lauhul mahfudz. Niat, Ikhtiar dan tawakal menjadi hal yang harus terpatri dalam diri setiap orang.
Tepat 1 Ramadhan kemarin, Allah memberiku amanah. Istriku hamil satu bulan. Alhamdulillah ditengah segala hal yang mendera, kami bersyukur atas apa yang telah diberikan. Ini anugerah Ramadhan bagi kami berdua, khususnya bagiku yang kedepannya harus bersiap-siap untuk menjadi seorang bapak. Hehe.. seorang bapak. Kadang hati kecilku bertanya, kok secepatnya itu ya. Tapi saya yakin, Allah memberikan sesuatu sesuai dengan kesanggupan hambanya. Diatas satu kesulitan pasti ada dua kemudahan. Ah, kenapa harus risau apalagi kalut. Jalani saja semua yang ada dengan terus bersyukur kepada-Nya. Jalan pasti ada, pertolongan sesungguhnya sangat dekat, hanya kita saja yang terkadang berpikir itu sulit, ini ga bisa.
Rabu,25 Agustus kemarin saya diberi kesempatan oleh Allah untuk kembali melihat begitu sempurna ciptaan-Nya. Terbang dari Bandung ke Surabaya, walau hanya 1 jam 10 menit tapi cukuplah bagiku untuk terus bersyukur. Pesawat yang melintasi kumpulan awan, melihat betapa hijaunya sepanjang pulau Jawa, sungai-sungai, pabrik-pabrik yang mulai memadati daerah pemukiman warga, menjulangnya gunung-gunung. Ah begitu indah pemandangan dari atas.
Tiba di Bandar Internasional Juanda, Surabaya sangat berbeda dengan kondisi di Bandung. Kebersihannya lebih terjaga. Tak lama menunggu disana, karena aku harus segera tiba di lokasi acara. Hotel Ibis. Jl Rajawali. Demikian nama tempatnya. Berada di tengah-tengah bangunan tua Surabaya. Tak jauh dari sana berdiri masjid Sunan Karang Ampel. Jumatan kemarin saya sengaja ke sana. Alhamdulillah bisa berada di shaff ke dua terdepan. Jamaahnya cukup banyak, sampai memadati area luar masjid. Tapi pas hariphari biasa, ternyata jamaah pasariyah lebih banyak daripada yang berada di dalam masjid. Ya, toko-toko yang memadati area sebelum pasar sangatlah banyak. Menjejali stiap orang sebelum masuk pelataran masjid.
Bersambung..
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Gil-Scott Heron - Ain't No Such Thing As Superman
Ain't No Such Thing As Superman
Gil-Scott Heron & Brian Jackson
Lyrics:
You have understood
The riddles of the ages
Yes and you have understood
The universal mind
You have placed your footprints on
The everlasting sands of time
Yes so tell me why
Can't you understand that there ain't no such thing as a superman?
There ain't no such thing as a superman
You was on the Nile
You went to see great Egypt fall
It fell down to the ground
Yes, and you was out there on the corner
When being cool went blind
Oh, you alone understand that if we gonna win
We've got to get together, stay together, be together, stick together
So tell me why, can't you understand
That there ain't no such thing as a superman
There ain't no such thing as a superman
You alone consider mercy after it seems like all you get is pain
It seems to me that you have found the courage that others could not find
You alone have the wisdom to take this world and make it what it needs to be, wants to be, will be, someday you'll see
The day, the day you understand
That there ain't no such thing as a superman
There ain't no such thing as a superman
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Vienna
Last weekend I went on a business trip to Vienna. Here are some of the photos I took. The city itself is on the Danube in a fairly flat part of the country. The Alps are 200km odd to the south west.
A map courtesy of Geographic Guide . Net:
First up, the St. Stephen's cathedral right in the center of Vienna (I couldn't fit all the interesting parts in one shot). This was right next to the apartment where I was staying - the old center of Vienna. The buildings are mostly 17th -18th century stock but there are a number of churches dating back 4-6 hundred years old and older.
The shops were exquisite and very very elegant ... from clothes to chocolates
Vienna has old and new trams. Would LOVE to see something like this on the roads in Taichung rather than an ugly overground ZaHu line MkII ...
These actors sat motionless then made small moves in the baking afternoon sun ... how the body paint didn't drip I don't know.
One popular way for tourists to view the city. 80 Euros for a long tour, 40 Euros for the short one.
A lunch of sausage and saurkraut ...
This scooter is a 250cc. It would be perfect for touring Taiwan
Finally, 'Mozart's House' museum. 9 Euros for an adult, electronic guide included. Didn't have the funds nor time to go in though, mores the pity.
A map courtesy of Geographic Guide . Net:
First up, the St. Stephen's cathedral right in the center of Vienna (I couldn't fit all the interesting parts in one shot). This was right next to the apartment where I was staying - the old center of Vienna. The buildings are mostly 17th -18th century stock but there are a number of churches dating back 4-6 hundred years old and older.
The shops were exquisite and very very elegant ... from clothes to chocolates
Vienna has old and new trams. Would LOVE to see something like this on the roads in Taichung rather than an ugly overground ZaHu line MkII ...
These actors sat motionless then made small moves in the baking afternoon sun ... how the body paint didn't drip I don't know.
One popular way for tourists to view the city. 80 Euros for a long tour, 40 Euros for the short one.
A lunch of sausage and saurkraut ...
This scooter is a 250cc. It would be perfect for touring Taiwan
Finally, 'Mozart's House' museum. 9 Euros for an adult, electronic guide included. Didn't have the funds nor time to go in though, mores the pity.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Kendrick Meek: The black man who beat a billionaire
Have you ever beat a billionaire in anything…me neither. But, today Rep. Kendrick Meek did in the Democratic primary for the U.S. Senate when he defeated Jeff Greene. Two months ago, it was not at all sure that Meek hadn’t made the biggest mistake of his political career in giving up a safe congressional seat for the dangers of a senate bid.
Read the rest at The Loop.
Read the rest at The Loop.
Monday, August 23, 2010
Serbia Debate Academy Final Round
Debate - WUDC - Sex in Advertising - Serbia Debate Academy Final 2010 from Alfred Snider on Vimeo.
This is the final round of the Serbia Debate Academy 2010.
Motion: This House would ban all advertising that uses sex to sell.
First prop: Victor Prija & Slobodan Trivic
First Opp: Teo Radetic & Marko Krajnc
Second Prop: Petros Papaliardis & Fabian Farkas
Second Opp: Goran Januloski & Tijana Mijalkovic (first place)
The Serbia Debate Academy 2010 was sponsored by Open Communication Serbia, World Debate Institute at University of Vermont USA (worlddebateinstitute.blogspot.com/), the USA Department of State and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.
Find the tournament results at
globaldebateblog.blogspot.com/2010/08/university-of-belgrade-wins-serbia.html
and also at
debate.uvm.edu/usudc/sda2010/
WDI Uses Debate to Help Chinese Students Bridge to the USA
Students from China who participated in the "bridge" program stand in from of the Vermont state capitol
A program sponsored by the University of Vermont and Kaplan Centers has brought 28 Chinese students to the University of Vermont for a ten week program. These students prepared last year to study this fall in USA universities, and this "bridge" program in the USA at the University of Vermont was designed to complete that process before the students enroll at the university in the fall.
Continuing Education at the university was involved in designing and implementing the program, and thought that a great last step in this program would be to teach them how to debate. Thus, they called on the World Debate Institute to design and implement a program for the last week of the bridge summer term. "It seemed clear to them and to me," said instructor Alfred Snider of the World Debate Institute, "that if they can debate, then they should also be able to participate in the classroom, asking and answering questions, making presentations and participating in seminars. After being in debates where your positions get attacked logically and where you have to answer difficult questions, most classroom situations will be something that they can handle."
The students learned the World Universities Debating Championship format, engagedf in public speaking, argument construction and related drills, and then participated in four debates. "I think it was learning the brainstorming process that may have helped them the most, because they saw academic creative thinking as it should be -- logical and organized. Plus, they were pretty good at it," said Snider.
The program used undergraduate debaters as tutors and also created friendships and bonds between students that will help them get oriented in a new environment. "I hope some of them will join the debate team," said program English tutor and star debater Sarah Anders, "and several of them have already indicated that they will."
There are plans next year to expand the program and include college bound high school students as well.
Friday, August 20, 2010
POTRET PEMENUHAN HAK PENDIDIKAN DI KOTA BANDUNG
Oleh Ramlan Nugraha
A. Pengantar
Meski terpaut 65 tahun, tetapi suasana kemerdekaan di republik ini masih terus bergelora. Dulu, kita harus berjibaku melawan penjajah. Memakai segala jenis alat perjuangan untuk satu tujuan, mengusir penjajah dari tanah air Indonesia. Semangat perlawanan itu timbul dari setiap anak bangsa yang merindukan sebuah kemerdekaan, sebuah kebebasan untuk menuai hidup mulia.
Setelah tercapainya kemerdekaan dari penjajah, bukan berarti pada saat ini kita terlena dengan situasi tersebut. Ada pekerjaan lain yang harus diselesaikan oleh bangsa ini. Masyarakat kita belum serta merta terbebas dari buta huruf, masih banyak gedung sekolah yang rusak dan tidak memadai, pencapaian wajib belajar yang tersendat karena kemiskinan, dan masih banyak lagi hal yang harus diselesaikan.
Salah satu fungsi Negara adalah mencerdaskan kehidupan bangsa. Dalam Pasal 31 UUD 1945 disebutkan “Setiap warga negara berhak mendapat pendidikan”. Atas dasar itu maka pemerintah sebagai penyelenggara negara telah mengemban tugas besar. Sebuah amanah konstitusi dari rakyat Indonesia. Pendidikan sebagai soko guru peradaban tentu mempunyai nilai tersendiri di mata semua orang. Keyakinan yang mendalam bahwa bangsa ini akan menjadi bangsa yang besar dan berperadaban tinggi jika pondasi masyarakatnya dibangun dengan moralitas dan pendidikan yang bertanggung jawab.
Posisi pendidikan tidaklah main-main. Ia bukanlah barang komoditas yang ada harganya sehingga bernuansa sangat ekonomis. Ataupun bukan pula ibarat modal sehingga wajar kalau ingin berpendidikan maka harus punya uang yang banyak. Tetapi sudut pandangnya mengerucut bahwa pendidikan merupakan tanggung jawab negara dan masyarakat berhak untuk mendapatkannya dengan kondisi yang layak, bukan asal-asalan.
B. Situasi Pemenuhan Hak Pendidikan di Kota Bandung
Salah satu pelayanan publik dari pemerintah adalah menyangkut aspek ketersediaan sarana/prasarana pendidikan. Sarana/prasarana merupakan pra syarat adanya proses pendidikan. Kita bisa mengetahui apakah kondisi sarana/prasarana pendidikan sebuah daerah sudah mengikuti standar minimal pendidikan atau belum. Hal ini bisa menunjukkan terkait ketercapaian penyelenggara daerah dalam memenuhi hak pendidikan masyarakat. Berikut di bawah ini gambaran singkat terkait dengan pemenuhan hak pendidikan khususnya di Kota Bandung.
Pada tahun 2009 di Kota Bandung terdapat sekolah untuk tingkat dasar sebanyak 939 buah dengan jumlah murid sebanyak 218944 siswa dan 7705 guru. Ini artinya seorang guru membimbing 28 siswa. Pada tingkat SMP terdapat 214 sekolah dengan kapasitas siswa yang mengikuti pendidikan sebanyak 106410 siswa dan jumlah guru sebanyak 1836 orang. Rasio murid dan guru pada tingkat SMP sangat besar yaitu 1 : 57 atau seorang guru membimbing sekitar 57 siswa. Untuk jumlah SMA terdapat 45 sekolah dengan jumlah siswa sebanyak 51447 siswa dan jumlah guru sebanyak 6210 orang. Sedangkan jumlah SMK sebanyak 88 buah dengan jumlah siswa 80782 orang dan jumlah guru sebanyak 4709 orang.
Data diatas menunjukkan bahwa pada tingkat SMP, rasio rata-rata seorang guru harus membimbing sekitar 57 siswa. Hal ini tentu bisa dibayangkan ketika seorang guru harus menangani begitu banyak siswa. Peran guru sebagai pendidik akan sulit tercapai karena terbentur dengan overnya siswa. Usia SMP merupakan masa dimulainya tahap remaja awal. Dalam usia ini, sangat dimungkinkan secara psikologi seorang siswa membutuhkan peran guru bukan hanya sebagai pengajar di kelas. Oleh karena itu, dengan kondisi tersebut menunjukkan bahwa Kota Bandung mengalami kekurangan guru SMP.
Menurut data di atas, jumlah SMP swasta sebanyak 162 buah dan negeri sebanyak 52 buah. Rasio murid-guru antara negeri dan swasta pun masih sangat besar yaitu diatas 50 siswa per satu guru. Dengan besarnya rasio tersebut, pemerintah dituntut segera mengeluarkan kebijakan untuk mengatasi kekurangan guru SMP baik di negeri ataupun swasta.
Perbandingan antara jumlah SMK negeri dan swasta cukup besar, yaitu lima kali lipat. Jumlah SMK negeri sebanyak 15 buah sedangkan SMK swasta sebanyak 73 buah. Dengan banyaknya SMK swasta, hal ini menunjukkan bahwa peran swasta untuk ikut meningkatkan sumber daya manusia tenaga kejuruan sangat besar di Kota Bandung. Selain itu, menurut sumber dari Dinas Pendidikan Pemkot Bandung, SMK swasta jauh menampung lebih banyak murid daripada sekolah negeri. Jumlah murid SMK swasta sebanyak 62096 orang sedangkan murid negeri sebanyak 18686 orang. Minat siswa untuk masuk SMK swasta ternyata lebih besar dibandingkan masuk SMK negeri. Jumlah pendaftar SMK swasta sebanyak 30053 siswa sedangkan SMK negeri sebanyak 10030 siswa.
Minat siswa untuk masuk SMK tidak diimbangi dengan rasio jumlah ruang kelas dan murid. Dari jumlah 1817 ruang kelas ternyata menampung siswa sebanyak 80472 orang. Ini artinya setiap ruang kelas diisi sekitar 44-45
Dari data rasio jumlah ruang kelas dan jumlah murid, diketahui bahwa perbandingan antara jumlah kelas dengan jumlah murid adalah 1 : 66 untuk tingkat SD, 1 : 133 untuk tingkat SMP, 1 : 38 untuk tingkat SMA dan 1 : 44 untuk tingkat SMK.
Data di atas menunjukkan bahwa Kota Bandung masih mengalami kekurangan ruang kelas. Untuk tingkat SD, dari 3317 ruang kelas ternyata menampung 218944 siswa atau setiap ruang kelas untuk 66 siswa. Yang mengkhawatirkan adalah jumlah siswa SMP sebanyak 106410 hanya ditampung dengan 799 ruang kelas. Ini artinya rasionya 133 siswa berbanding satu kelas. SMA dan SMK pun demikian, meski tidak terlalu parah seperti SD ataupun SMP, kondisinya masih kekurangan ruang kelas.
Kualitas bangunan sekolah dilaporkan dari 3317 ruang kelas SD yang ada di Kota Bandung, sebanyak 406 buah atau 12,2 persen mengalami rusak berat. Jumlah SD yang mengalami rusak ringan sebanyak 645 buah atau 19,4 persen. Jumlah ruang kelas SD yang mengalami rusak berat ini sangat dikhawatirkan karena apabila kita bandingkan dengan rasio jumlah kelas-murid maka dari 406 ruang kelas rusak berat ada 26796 siswa yang harus belajar dalam kondisi tersebut. Dengan jumlah siswa SD yang harus belajar dalam ruang kelas rusak berat tersebut maka pemerintah dituntut untuk segera menanganinya.
C. Penutup
Dari paparan diatas, sekilas kita bisa melihat gambaran tentang kondisi pendidikan di Kota Bandung. Walaupun posisinya sebagai ibu kota provinsi, tetapi ketersediaan ruang kelas masih sangat jauh dari standar minimal pendidikan. Sebagai contoh adalah rasio jumlah ruang kelas dengan murid untuk tingkat SMP yaitu 1 : 133.
Demikian pun pada tingkat dasar, pemerintah daerah masih belum bisa menyediakan ruang kelas yang layak bagi siswa SD. Rasio jumlah ruang kelas dan murid mencapai 1 : 66 dengan 26796 siswa belajar dalam keadaan ruang kelas yang rusak berat. Masalah kekurangan guru SMP pun menjadi persoalan yang harus segera ditangani oleh pemerintah daerah. Dengan rasio jumlah guru dan murid 1 : 57, hal ini menunjukkan belum memenuhi standar minimal pendidikan. wallahu’alam.
Bandung, 21 Agustus 2010
A. Pengantar
Meski terpaut 65 tahun, tetapi suasana kemerdekaan di republik ini masih terus bergelora. Dulu, kita harus berjibaku melawan penjajah. Memakai segala jenis alat perjuangan untuk satu tujuan, mengusir penjajah dari tanah air Indonesia. Semangat perlawanan itu timbul dari setiap anak bangsa yang merindukan sebuah kemerdekaan, sebuah kebebasan untuk menuai hidup mulia.
Setelah tercapainya kemerdekaan dari penjajah, bukan berarti pada saat ini kita terlena dengan situasi tersebut. Ada pekerjaan lain yang harus diselesaikan oleh bangsa ini. Masyarakat kita belum serta merta terbebas dari buta huruf, masih banyak gedung sekolah yang rusak dan tidak memadai, pencapaian wajib belajar yang tersendat karena kemiskinan, dan masih banyak lagi hal yang harus diselesaikan.
Salah satu fungsi Negara adalah mencerdaskan kehidupan bangsa. Dalam Pasal 31 UUD 1945 disebutkan “Setiap warga negara berhak mendapat pendidikan”. Atas dasar itu maka pemerintah sebagai penyelenggara negara telah mengemban tugas besar. Sebuah amanah konstitusi dari rakyat Indonesia. Pendidikan sebagai soko guru peradaban tentu mempunyai nilai tersendiri di mata semua orang. Keyakinan yang mendalam bahwa bangsa ini akan menjadi bangsa yang besar dan berperadaban tinggi jika pondasi masyarakatnya dibangun dengan moralitas dan pendidikan yang bertanggung jawab.
Posisi pendidikan tidaklah main-main. Ia bukanlah barang komoditas yang ada harganya sehingga bernuansa sangat ekonomis. Ataupun bukan pula ibarat modal sehingga wajar kalau ingin berpendidikan maka harus punya uang yang banyak. Tetapi sudut pandangnya mengerucut bahwa pendidikan merupakan tanggung jawab negara dan masyarakat berhak untuk mendapatkannya dengan kondisi yang layak, bukan asal-asalan.
B. Situasi Pemenuhan Hak Pendidikan di Kota Bandung
Salah satu pelayanan publik dari pemerintah adalah menyangkut aspek ketersediaan sarana/prasarana pendidikan. Sarana/prasarana merupakan pra syarat adanya proses pendidikan. Kita bisa mengetahui apakah kondisi sarana/prasarana pendidikan sebuah daerah sudah mengikuti standar minimal pendidikan atau belum. Hal ini bisa menunjukkan terkait ketercapaian penyelenggara daerah dalam memenuhi hak pendidikan masyarakat. Berikut di bawah ini gambaran singkat terkait dengan pemenuhan hak pendidikan khususnya di Kota Bandung.
Pada tahun 2009 di Kota Bandung terdapat sekolah untuk tingkat dasar sebanyak 939 buah dengan jumlah murid sebanyak 218944 siswa dan 7705 guru. Ini artinya seorang guru membimbing 28 siswa. Pada tingkat SMP terdapat 214 sekolah dengan kapasitas siswa yang mengikuti pendidikan sebanyak 106410 siswa dan jumlah guru sebanyak 1836 orang. Rasio murid dan guru pada tingkat SMP sangat besar yaitu 1 : 57 atau seorang guru membimbing sekitar 57 siswa. Untuk jumlah SMA terdapat 45 sekolah dengan jumlah siswa sebanyak 51447 siswa dan jumlah guru sebanyak 6210 orang. Sedangkan jumlah SMK sebanyak 88 buah dengan jumlah siswa 80782 orang dan jumlah guru sebanyak 4709 orang.
Data diatas menunjukkan bahwa pada tingkat SMP, rasio rata-rata seorang guru harus membimbing sekitar 57 siswa. Hal ini tentu bisa dibayangkan ketika seorang guru harus menangani begitu banyak siswa. Peran guru sebagai pendidik akan sulit tercapai karena terbentur dengan overnya siswa. Usia SMP merupakan masa dimulainya tahap remaja awal. Dalam usia ini, sangat dimungkinkan secara psikologi seorang siswa membutuhkan peran guru bukan hanya sebagai pengajar di kelas. Oleh karena itu, dengan kondisi tersebut menunjukkan bahwa Kota Bandung mengalami kekurangan guru SMP.
Menurut data di atas, jumlah SMP swasta sebanyak 162 buah dan negeri sebanyak 52 buah. Rasio murid-guru antara negeri dan swasta pun masih sangat besar yaitu diatas 50 siswa per satu guru. Dengan besarnya rasio tersebut, pemerintah dituntut segera mengeluarkan kebijakan untuk mengatasi kekurangan guru SMP baik di negeri ataupun swasta.
Perbandingan antara jumlah SMK negeri dan swasta cukup besar, yaitu lima kali lipat. Jumlah SMK negeri sebanyak 15 buah sedangkan SMK swasta sebanyak 73 buah. Dengan banyaknya SMK swasta, hal ini menunjukkan bahwa peran swasta untuk ikut meningkatkan sumber daya manusia tenaga kejuruan sangat besar di Kota Bandung. Selain itu, menurut sumber dari Dinas Pendidikan Pemkot Bandung, SMK swasta jauh menampung lebih banyak murid daripada sekolah negeri. Jumlah murid SMK swasta sebanyak 62096 orang sedangkan murid negeri sebanyak 18686 orang. Minat siswa untuk masuk SMK swasta ternyata lebih besar dibandingkan masuk SMK negeri. Jumlah pendaftar SMK swasta sebanyak 30053 siswa sedangkan SMK negeri sebanyak 10030 siswa.
Minat siswa untuk masuk SMK tidak diimbangi dengan rasio jumlah ruang kelas dan murid. Dari jumlah 1817 ruang kelas ternyata menampung siswa sebanyak 80472 orang. Ini artinya setiap ruang kelas diisi sekitar 44-45
Dari data rasio jumlah ruang kelas dan jumlah murid, diketahui bahwa perbandingan antara jumlah kelas dengan jumlah murid adalah 1 : 66 untuk tingkat SD, 1 : 133 untuk tingkat SMP, 1 : 38 untuk tingkat SMA dan 1 : 44 untuk tingkat SMK.
Data di atas menunjukkan bahwa Kota Bandung masih mengalami kekurangan ruang kelas. Untuk tingkat SD, dari 3317 ruang kelas ternyata menampung 218944 siswa atau setiap ruang kelas untuk 66 siswa. Yang mengkhawatirkan adalah jumlah siswa SMP sebanyak 106410 hanya ditampung dengan 799 ruang kelas. Ini artinya rasionya 133 siswa berbanding satu kelas. SMA dan SMK pun demikian, meski tidak terlalu parah seperti SD ataupun SMP, kondisinya masih kekurangan ruang kelas.
Kualitas bangunan sekolah dilaporkan dari 3317 ruang kelas SD yang ada di Kota Bandung, sebanyak 406 buah atau 12,2 persen mengalami rusak berat. Jumlah SD yang mengalami rusak ringan sebanyak 645 buah atau 19,4 persen. Jumlah ruang kelas SD yang mengalami rusak berat ini sangat dikhawatirkan karena apabila kita bandingkan dengan rasio jumlah kelas-murid maka dari 406 ruang kelas rusak berat ada 26796 siswa yang harus belajar dalam kondisi tersebut. Dengan jumlah siswa SD yang harus belajar dalam ruang kelas rusak berat tersebut maka pemerintah dituntut untuk segera menanganinya.
C. Penutup
Dari paparan diatas, sekilas kita bisa melihat gambaran tentang kondisi pendidikan di Kota Bandung. Walaupun posisinya sebagai ibu kota provinsi, tetapi ketersediaan ruang kelas masih sangat jauh dari standar minimal pendidikan. Sebagai contoh adalah rasio jumlah ruang kelas dengan murid untuk tingkat SMP yaitu 1 : 133.
Demikian pun pada tingkat dasar, pemerintah daerah masih belum bisa menyediakan ruang kelas yang layak bagi siswa SD. Rasio jumlah ruang kelas dan murid mencapai 1 : 66 dengan 26796 siswa belajar dalam keadaan ruang kelas yang rusak berat. Masalah kekurangan guru SMP pun menjadi persoalan yang harus segera ditangani oleh pemerintah daerah. Dengan rasio jumlah guru dan murid 1 : 57, hal ini menunjukkan belum memenuhi standar minimal pendidikan. wallahu’alam.
Bandung, 21 Agustus 2010
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Black Muslims and the Ground Zero Mosque
As is their way, Republicans not only do not care about minority opinions (note their positions on healthcare reform and the 14th amendment), they believe that dumping on minorities will help them with conservative white voters. Sadly, they might be right.
Read the rest at The Loop.
Read the rest at The Loop.
Monday, August 16, 2010
Editorials
(Editorial Cartoon from the Taipei Times Tuesday August 17th 2010)I like this editorial from the Taipei Times, this one from the Taiwan News on the KMT's lack of respect for Aborigines in Post-Morakot reconstruction and this one on the DPP's new vision on Taiwanese identity. Notable were these paragraphs:
... charges by KMT-friendly media that the DPP's admonition to its members not to view "postwar immigrants from mainland China" as "outsiders" as a sign that the DPP is "a Taiwan Nazi party" are overwrought.This letter to the Taipei Times is an excellent expose of how flexible the KMT's relationship to the law and constitution is - at once proclaiming a desire to be a government of the constitution and law whilst trampling over both at will ...After all, there are simply no historical examples of fascist parties which have publically advocated civic nationalism that are inclusive of new immigrants without regard to ethnic origins and which advocates human rights as firmly as the DPP has in its short history.
On the other hand, since regaining power in May 2008, Ma and other KMT leaders have repeated declared that "the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait belong to the Chinese race" and are "all children of the Yellow Emperor."
Ironically, while the DPP is reaffirming its embrace of Taiwan national identity based on civic nationalism, the KMT government is reviving a monistic racial nationalism, a common characteristic of fascist parties, which threatens to turn Taiwan's oceanic rainbow country into part of a monochrome "Chinese racial nation."
Quotes of the Week
('Volcano' - a photo portrait B. E. N. Goren circa 2010)Following a shouting match at the National Palace Museum over a Tibetan Buddhist exhibition that managed to entirely absent the Dalai Lama (e.g. An exhibition of catholic history without one pic of any of the Popes), Taiwan's increasingly politicised police spouted the following absurdities:
Although police said the activists should have applied for a permit before the demonstration, an officer told the Taipei Times it would not have been approved even if they had applied.
“We could not possibly have approved the application because it involved politics,” the officer said. (Does that mean all political protests are now to be disallowed?)
The officer could not explain why, if the application for the rally had been political in nature, it would have been turned down.
“You ask me based on which law?” he said. “Well, maybe I should not answer this question.”
Museum Southern Branch deputy director Lin Chen-feng (林振豐), who is in charge of the exhibition venue, said the museum would only deal with purely cultural and artistic issues.Mmmm ... a portrait is not art? That discounts the works of Rembrandt, Gainsborough, Hogarth, Turner, Van Gogh, Cezanne, Picasso and Freud among many others. And that's just the European catalogue.
“[The activists’] demands are political. That’s not something I can respond to,” he said.
Asked why a portrait of the Dalai Lama could not be considered a piece of art, Lin said he did not consider a person’s portrait art.
===================
Meanwhile ... somewhere on Mars ... Galactic Regional Leader Ma was busy defending DPP turncoat Yang and making more absurd claims:
“I know how to sell Taiwanese fruit and fish, but I am not capable of selling out Taiwan,” Ma said in Taichung County yesterday.Since the DPP were only in power for 8 years, I'm guessing that the 'iron shoes' Ma is referring to were fitted sometime in the 1970's and were used all the way through the 1980's and 1990's when the KMT were in absolute power. As for winning first prize ... it may be an analogy but it still smells with extreme fetidness of other pie-in-the-sky promises. '633' anyone?
He visited a technology firm, which is supposed to benefit from the recently signed cross-strait Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA).
Ma said he understood the ECFA was not a panacea, but it could help local businesses by removing competition barriers and improving Taiwan’s competitiveness.
“In the past, it was like our businesses were wearing iron shoes so they could not run fast,” he said.
“Now with the ECFA, they are wearing the lightest running shoes in the world so they can easily win the first prize,” he said.
Big Bikes
They may be the bane of bicyclists in Taiwan but in the UK riding a big bike is (if the weather is good) a fantastic way to see the country and become part of a large community of riders who have a strong sense of camaraderie (always give a nod when passing another biker on the road). On Saturday I visited a Honda showroom to have a look at some of the models and accessories and on Sunday, my brother and his wife took me out for a ride on their machines to a local rider's cafe on the A4074 from Reading to Oxford. First up, Em tries out a Kawasaki 600 which, despite the protestations of her husband, will not be the next bike she'll be riding ...
This beast below has an angular feel on the front .. a bit minimal for my taste.
Whereas this model below was almost ridiculous in its length and narrow width ... I could barely touch the pedals. Looks sleek but utterly impractical.
A big phat tourer ala 'Chips'. Looks great, weighs a ton.
Matt and Em's bikes respectively. On the left a Honda 125. On the right a Honda Fireblade 990. I rode pillion on the latter - a truly underpants soiling experience (from fear not delight - the acceleration is like (to paraphrase Bike magazine) 'a grenade going off in silk lined knickers'.
Me kitted up in leathers ready for the ride out (part tough biker pose, part frightened in anticipation of what is to come).
After a 30 minute ride out on the Fireblade we stopped at the H Cafe. Being a sunny Sunday, it was full of bikers and a great opportunity to see what everyone else is riding ... I think this is Buell ...
Quite a few Triumphs out on the mac ... a nice soft tail here
Another not green Kawasaki .. I liked the all black finish though the Triumph Sprint ST was a sexier model ...
Got £15,000? (That's about NT$745,415) ... pick yourself up a KTM monster as below ...
Aprilla are a brand making a comeback. Sleek 'Streethawk' lines on this one ...
Touring in style ... sit back and let the huge engine and its torque gracefully take you any distance you wish in comfort ...
A Yamaha Fazer FZ1 sans wingmirrors. Here's some blurb off the net:
Ah ... finally a Kawasaki in traditional colours .. I've seen sexier models in Taiwan though ...
Another tourer with a huge front end ...
My goal is to get myself a big bike license and then buy myself a 600cc or near enough. Trouble is I'm not the biggest chap and I'm not Danny Pedrosa (excellent MotorGP rider who is my dimensions) so its not easy to know which bike to choose. Would love a sports bike but want to use it for commutes and long distance. My original idea was a ... Triumph Daytona 675 Triple:
My criteria for a bike is as follows:
a) Very fuel efficient
b) Sips engine oil rather than guzzles it
c) Good for commutes and long long rides
d) Has torque for hills and mountains but is not a 150bhp screamer
e) I can get my knee down on the really good bends
f) No more than 800cc
Any suggestions? (and please don't say 'get a bicycle' !)
This beast below has an angular feel on the front .. a bit minimal for my taste.
Whereas this model below was almost ridiculous in its length and narrow width ... I could barely touch the pedals. Looks sleek but utterly impractical.
A big phat tourer ala 'Chips'. Looks great, weighs a ton.
Matt and Em's bikes respectively. On the left a Honda 125. On the right a Honda Fireblade 990. I rode pillion on the latter - a truly underpants soiling experience (from fear not delight - the acceleration is like (to paraphrase Bike magazine) 'a grenade going off in silk lined knickers'.
Me kitted up in leathers ready for the ride out (part tough biker pose, part frightened in anticipation of what is to come).
After a 30 minute ride out on the Fireblade we stopped at the H Cafe. Being a sunny Sunday, it was full of bikers and a great opportunity to see what everyone else is riding ... I think this is Buell ...
Quite a few Triumphs out on the mac ... a nice soft tail here
Another not green Kawasaki .. I liked the all black finish though the Triumph Sprint ST was a sexier model ...
Got £15,000? (That's about NT$745,415) ... pick yourself up a KTM monster as below ...
Aprilla are a brand making a comeback. Sleek 'Streethawk' lines on this one ...
Touring in style ... sit back and let the huge engine and its torque gracefully take you any distance you wish in comfort ...
A Yamaha Fazer FZ1 sans wingmirrors. Here's some blurb off the net:When you open the throttle on the FZ1 Fazer/ABS, you’ll feel the surge of the R1 based 998cc in-line 4-cylinder engine.
Inside the aluminium chassis, this muscular engine delivers brutal performance in the mid-range, and excellent day-to-day versatility.
Ah ... finally a Kawasaki in traditional colours .. I've seen sexier models in Taiwan though ...
Another tourer with a huge front end ...
My goal is to get myself a big bike license and then buy myself a 600cc or near enough. Trouble is I'm not the biggest chap and I'm not Danny Pedrosa (excellent MotorGP rider who is my dimensions) so its not easy to know which bike to choose. Would love a sports bike but want to use it for commutes and long distance. My original idea was a ... Triumph Daytona 675 Triple:
My criteria for a bike is as follows:a) Very fuel efficient
b) Sips engine oil rather than guzzles it
c) Good for commutes and long long rides
d) Has torque for hills and mountains but is not a 150bhp screamer
e) I can get my knee down on the really good bends
f) No more than 800cc
Any suggestions? (and please don't say 'get a bicycle' !)
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