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Peranan TIK dlm sekolah

mucklislockheart@gmail.com (khairul mucklis) — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 12:03:00 +0000

Kemajuan Teknologi Informasi dan Komunikasi telah mendorong terjadinya banyakperubahan, termasuk dalam bidang pendidikan yang melahirkan konsep e-learning.Dengan e-learning, pembelajaran menjadi lebih efektif dan efisien. Teknologi informasidan Komunikasi juga sangat memungkinkan dimanfaatkan di pesantren sehinggamenghasilkan konsep e-pesantren. E-pesantren memberikan para santri, ustadz, danpengelola pesantren untuk mengambil banyak manfaat, di antaranya fleksibilitasprogram pendidikan, dakwah syiar islam, dan bahan kajian yang dapat dibuat lebihmenarik dan berkesan. Integrasi teknologi informasi dan komunikasi pada pendidikan dipesantren meningkatkan kualitas pendidikan di pesantren dan kemudahan dakwah.Dampak ikutan dengan integrasi teknologi informasi dan komunikasi pada pendidikanadalah mendorong percepatan computer literacy pada masyarakat Indonesia.A. PendahuluanKemajauan teknologi informasi dan komunikasi (TIK) telah mendorong manusiauntuk meningkatkan efisiensi dan efektivitas pada setiap kegiatannya. Bidang-bidangseperti e-commerce, e-banking, e-government misalnya, telah banyak memanfaatkankemajuan TIK dalam aktivitasnya. Memasuki abad XXI ini, banyak institusi pendidikan,khususnya di luar negeri, berusaha meningkatkan kualitas pembelajarannya denganmemanfaatkan kemajuan TIK melalui program e-learning. Bahkan di Malaysia, programe-learning ini mendapat dukungan penuh dari pemerintahnya melalui program AgendaInformation Technology National yang dilancarkan oleh National InformationTechnology Council (NITC). Untuk membawa Malaysia siap bersaing di era global abadXXI ini, NITC melancarkan lima agenda, yaitu bidang e-community, e-public services, elearning,e-economy, dan e-sovereignity (Koran, 2003). Sedangkan di Singapura, yang1 Makalah disampaikan pada Diksusi Ahli “Pemanfaatan TIK di Pesantren” tanggal 3 April 2008 diPondok Pesantren Tremas Pacitan, diselenggarakan oleh Depkominfo, Jakarta.2mempunyai basis TIK lebih baik telah melangkah lebih maju menuju era e-governmentdengan visinya to be a leading e-Government to better serve the nation in the digitaleconomy (Djunaedi, 2003).Walaupun infrastruktur TIK di Indonesia masih kalah dari beberapa Negara diluar negeri, sebaiknya para insan yang bergerak di bidang dakwah dan pendidikan,termasuk para tenaga pengajar/ustadz dan pengelola pesantren, harus mulai berpikir danbertindak untuk memajukan dan meningkatkan fungsi dakwah dan pendidikan denganmemanfaatkan kemajuan TIK. Jika tidak segera bertindak, dimungkinkan pesantren diIndonesia dan komunitas di dalamnya, menjadi komunitas yang gagap teknologi danlekat menyandang julukan tradisional. Berdasarkan hal tersebut, dalam paper ini akandibahas secara umum tentang TIK dan Pembelajaran, pemanfaatan TIK di Pesantren, danpersiapan-persiapan yang perlu dilakukan pesantren dalam pemanfaatan TIK tersebut.B. TIK dan PembelajaranKekuatan TIK (power of ICT) telah mendorong para insan pendidikan untukmemanfaatkannya dalam bidang pendidikan. Kekuatan TIK telah mendorong terjadinyaperubahan dalam kurikulum, yang meliputi perubahan tujuan dan isi, aktivitas belajar,latihan dan penilaian, hasil akhir belajar, serta nilai tambah yang positip (Yuk, 2006).Oleh karena itu, saat ini muncul istilah-istilah seperti e-teacher, e-test, e-library, eassignment,e-education, virtual school, virtual university, e-learning, dan sebagainya. elearningadalah pembelajaran yang menggunakan TIK untuk mentransformasikan prosespembelajaran antara pendidik dan peserta didik. Tujuan utama penggunaan teknologi iniadalah meningkatkan efisiensi dan efektivitas, transparansi, dan akuntabilitaspembelajaran. TIK yang digunakan untuk menyampaikan materi pembelajaran dalam elearningini dapat berupa komputer, LAN (local area network), WAN (wide areanetwork), internet, intranet, satelit, TV, CD ROM, dan sebagainya. Bahan pembelajaranyang bercirikan multimedia, mempunyai teks, grafik, animasi, simulasi, audio, video. Halini merupakan kelebihan yang dimiliki media berbasis komputer. Di samping itu, suatu elearningjuga harus mempunyai kemudahan bantuan profesional isi pelajaran secara online.3Dari uraian tersebut jelas bahwa e-learning menggunakan TIK sebagai alat;dengan tujuan meningkatkan efisiensi, efektivitas, transparansi, akuntabilitas, dankenyamanan belajar; dengan obyeknya adalah layanan pembelajaran yang lebih baik,menarik, interaktif, dan atraktif. Hasil akhir yang diharapkan adalah peningkatan prestasidan kecakapan akademik peserta didik serta pengurangan biaya, waktu, dan tenaga untukproses pembelajaran.E-learning termasuk model pembelajaran yang berpusat pada siswa. Dengan elearning,siswa dituntut mandiri dan bertanggung jawab terhadap prosespembelajarannya, sebab ia dapat belajar di mana saja, kapan saja, yang penting tersediaalatnya. E-learning menuntut keaktifan siswa. Melalui e-learning, siswa dapat mencaridan mengambil informasi/materi pembelajaran berdasarkan silabus/kriteria yang telahditetapkan guru / pengelola pendidikan. Siswa akan memiliki kekayaan informasi, sebabia dapat mengakses informasi dari mana saja yang berhubungan dengan materipembelajarannya. Siswa juga dapat berdiskusi secara on line dengan pakar-pakar padabidangnya, misalnya melalui e-mail atau chatting. Dengan demikian jelas bahwakeaktifan siswa dalam e-learning sangat menentukan hasil belajar yang mereka peroleh.Semakin ia aktif, semakin banyak pengetahuan atau kecakapan yang akan diperoleh.Tabel 1 menunjukkan trend baru model pembelajaran dengan memanfaatkan kemajuanTIK yang akan segera bergeser dari model e-learning ke model mobile learning (mlearning).Tabel 1. Trend BelajarGenerasi ke-5 Generasi ke-6e-learning Model m-learning ModelWeb-based course Web-based courseIntegrated multimedia Integrated multimediaComputer mediated communication Mobile/handphone mediated communicationComputer intelligent system Computer intelligent systemE-learning juga memberikan kesempatan kepada siswa untuk dapat belajar secara‘bebas’ tanpa merasa ‘tertekan’. Bebas dalam artian ia dapat mencari bahan-bahan ataumateri pembelajaran. Ia juga bebas dari perasaan malu, yang biasanya terjadi pada kelastradisional, jika ia merasa lambat, tidak bisa menjawab pertanyaan guru, atau gagal dalam4belajarnya. Mereka dapat bebas bertanya dan berdiskusi dengan pakar yang ada dibidangnya atau melalui program bantuan profesional (help) secara on line yang didesainpada materi pembelajaran e-learning. Ia juga bebas mengulang-ulang materipembelajaran pada topik tertentu sampai ia memperoleh pemahaman yang lebih baik.Sementara itu, bagi siswa yang ‘cepat’ dalam belajarnya, ia dapat saja mempelajari topiklain, tanpa harus menunggu siswa yang ‘lambat’ dalam belajarnya. Dengan sistemsemacam ini diharapkan bahwa hasil akhir proses belajar dengan e-learning akan lebihbaik, sebab tuntutan belajar tuntas (mastery learning) dapat dipenuhi. Siswa juga bebasmengakses bahan pembelajaran e-learning dari mana saja ia suka.Bahan pembelajaran e-learning yang dirancang dengan baik dan profesional akanmemperhatikan dan menggunakan ciri-ciri multimedia. Artinya, bahan pembelajarantersebut di samping memuat teks, juga memuat gambar, grafik, animasi, simulasi, audio,dan video. Pemilihan warna yang baik dan tepat juga akan meningkatkan penampilan dilayar monitor. Hal ini menjadikan bahan pembelajaran e-learning menjadi lebih menarik,berkesan, interaktif dan atraktif. Dari keadaan semacam ini memungkinkan siswa selaluingat tentang apa yang dipelajari.E-learning juga dapat didesain untuk dapat menyimpan catatan prestasi siswayang sangat bermanfaat bagi proses umpan balik (feed back). Catatan prestasi ini dapatdigunakan untuk pengukuhan (reinforcement). Di samping itu, e-learning juga dapatdidesain untuk memeriksa dan memberi skor secara otomatis terhadap hasil evaluasibelajar, sehingga unsur-unsur transparansi dan akuntabilitas dipenuhi dalam proses ini.Berdasarkan hasil evaluasi ini, siswa secara otomatis dapat disarankan untuk melakukankegiatan belajar tertentu (Pribadi dan Rosita, 2003).C. TIK dan PesantrenKemajuan TIK telah mendorong orang-orang kreatif untuk merealisasikan danmemajukan gagasan atau ide secara efektif dan efisien. Pada saat ini beberapa kelompokanak muda, yang (mungkin) tidak mempunyai pesantren nyata, telah berupayamembangun pesantren elektronik (e-pesantren), seperti pesantren indigo dan pesantrenvirtual. Ide dasar dari pesantren virtual adalah upaya membangun danmenumbuhkembangkan ide Islam dengan segala wacananya. Lahirnya Pesantren Virtual5merupakan jawaban akan perlunya pengembangan sistem pendidikan pesantren di eradigital dan informasi. Pesantren Virtual juga merupakan bukti bahwa sistem pesantrenjuga bisa ikut meramaikan era informasi dengan warna dan misi yang tidak berubah daripondok pesantren (konvensional) yang ada.Dalam e-pesantren, seperti pada situs http://pesantrenvirtual.com/, terdapat jugaprogram-program seperti dalam pesantren konvensional. Menu-menu seperti KonsultasiUstadz, Dzikir dan Doa, Hikmah, Konsultasi, Tanya Jawab, Fiqih, dan kajian-kajianlainnya. Ini menunjukkan bahwa dengan TIK media dakwah atau syiar Islam dari paraustadz dan santri bisa bertambah. Setiap saat mereka akan berdakwah, tidak akanmenemui masalah karena medianya semakin mudah. Memperhatikan karakteristik epesantrentersebut, jelas bahwa model ini sangat bermanfaat, baik bagi santri maupuntenaga pengajar (ustadz), bahkan juga bagi para pengelola pesantren. E-pesantrenmemungkinkan pelaksanaan pembelajaran jarak jauh semakin mudah dan terbuka.Bagi santri jelas bahwa e-pesantren ini akan melatih dan meningkatkankemandirian santri. Di samping itu, juga memberikan kemudahan bagi santri untukmengakses materi belajar dari mana pun berada. Oleh karenanya, para santri dapatmenghemat biaya dan waktu untuk tranportasi dari dan ke pondok pesantren. Tetapi yangjelas, keuntungan yang terpenting adalah bahwa para santri dapat belajar sesuai dengankemampuannya tanpa perlu rasa minder atau malu dengan teman-teman lainnya, yangbarang kali lebih cepat dan pandai dalam belajarnya. Berikut ini adalah beberapakeuntungan yang dapat diperoleh bagi santri dengan adanya model e-pesantren :1. Membangun interaksi ketika santri melakukan diskusi secara on line.2. Mengakomodasi perbedaan santri.3. Santri dapat mengulang materi belajar yang sulit berkali-kali, sampai pemahamandiperoleh.4. Kemudahan akses, kapan saja dan di mana saja.5. Santri dapat belajar dalam suasana yang ‘bebas tanpa tekanan’, tidak malu untukbertanya (secara on line).6. Mereduksi waktu dan biaya perjalanan.7. Mendorong santri untuk menelusuri informasi ke situs-situs pada world wide web.8. Memungkinkan santri memilih target dan materi yang sesuai pada web.69. Mengembangkan kemampuan teknis dalam menggunakan internet.10. Mendorong santri untuk bertanggung jawab terhadap belajarnya dan membangunself-knowledge dan self-confidence.Sedangkan bagi para ustadz, e-pesantren juga memberikan banyak manfaat. Diantaranya yang terpenting adalah bahwa ia selalu dapat memberikan materi dan masalahmasalahyang up-to-date untuk dikaji kepada para santrinya. Keuntungan yang lainadalah :1. kemudahan akses kapan saja dan di mana saja2. mereduksi biaya perjalanan dan akomodasi pada program pelatihan.3. mendorong para ustadz mengakses sumber-sumber kajian yang up-to-date.4. memungkinkan para ustadz mengkomunikasikan gagasan-gagasannya dalamcakupan wilayah yang lebih luas.Bagi pengelola pesantren, e-pesantren juga mempunyai manfaat yang sangat luas,di antaranya adalah meningkatkan prestise dan akuntabilitas lembaga. E-pesantrenmemungkinkan menciptakan sistem distance education dan virtual school/boarding.Dengan sistem ini jelas bahwa pengelola pesantren tidak lagi perlu direpotkan denganpengadaan ruang-ruang belajar dan sarana lainnya seperti dalam pesantren tradisional. Iniberarti e-pesantren akan menghemat biaya pengadaan prasarana untuk pembelajaran danbiaya operasional pemeliharaan peralatan dan gedung.Di sisi lain pesantren (konvensional) dalam sejarahnya selalu menimbulkankekaguman dan kebanggaan atas segala perjuangannya sebagai institusi pendidikan.Pesantren (konvensional) yang pada awalnya hanya menyelenggarakan pendidikan nonformal(pendidikan Islam), sekarang sudah hampir semuanya juga menyelenggarakanpendidikan formal. Fenomena ini menunjukkan bahwa pesantren mampu melakukanadaptasi dan reposisi fungsi pendidikan masyarakat sesuai dengan kemajuan jaman dankebutuhan masyarakat.Pesantren pada hakekatnya adalah komunitas pembelajaran. Suatu komunitastentu bukan sekedar kumpulan santri di ruangan kelas. Suatu komunitas akan melahirkaninteraksi, baik formal maupun informal, sehingga menumbuhkan dialog, pertukaran ideatau pemikiran atas berbagai topik kajian. Interaksi di antara komunitas pesantrentersebut akan melahirkan pengetahuan baru, melalui pertukaran pemikiran. Di pesantren7ada narasumber, yaitu para kyai dan ustadz, dan rujukan yaitu kitab-kitab fiqih, hadist,kuning, dan sebagainya. Di sana juga terdapat media interaksi formal maupun informal,seperti misalnya dikenal metode interkasi sorogan (individual) atau bandongan(kelompok). Di pesantren terdapat leadership dan keteladanan yang diberikan oleh parakyai dan ustadz, serta ada juga kebebasan dan tanggung jawab yang diberikan dandituntut pada santri. Di samping itu, pada pesantren ada kemandirian dari para santrinyadan tentu juga ada saling ketergantungan.Memperhatikan hal tersebut seiring dengan kemajuan TIK, karena pesantren jugamerupakan satu komunitas pembelajaran, pesantren dapat memanfaatkan TIK untukmemperluas cakupan dakwah dan pendidikan masyarakat. Di samping tentu saja dapatmemperbaiki dan meningkatkan kualitas pendidikan formalnya. Hal ini sangat mungkindilakukan karena dari sisi sumberdaya manusia jelas sudah lengkap. Dalam arti, ada narasumber (kyai dan ustadz), ada santri yang biasa mandiri, ada media interaksi, ada saranadan prasarana pendidikan, dan manajemen pesantren. Karena di dunia nyata pesantrensecara umum sudah berjalan dengan baik dan teratur, oleh karena itu sangat mungkinmembawa pesantren nyata ke pesantren maya atau pesantren elektronik.D. Persiapan Pemanfaatan TIK di PesantrenMemperhatikan uraian tersebut di atas, dalam upaya untuk memperluas pesantren(nyata) menuju pesantren maya atau e-pesantren yang perlu dipenuhi adalah (1)infrastruktur, (2) sumberdaya manusia, dan (3) bahan pembelajaran. Dari sisiinfrastruktur, pemanfaatan TIK di pesantren memerlukan ketersediaan komputer, LCDproyektor, jaringan komputer, koneksi internet, daftar mata pelajaran dan isinya,homepage para kyai dan ustadz, dan e-library. Secara umum ketersediaan infrastrukturTIK di Indonesia memang masih kurang. Penetrasi komputer (PC) di Indonesia hanyasekitar 4%, bandingkan dengan Malaysia dan Australia yang mencapai sekitar 80%(Koran Tempo, 18 Februari 2008). Sementara itu menurut Asosiasi Penyelenggara JasaInternet Indonesia (APJII), sampai Desember 2007 pelanggan internet di Indonesiamencapai 2 juta dan pemakai internet mencapai 25 juta orang.Kondisi tersebut tentu tidak boleh melemahkan semangat kita untuk maju, sebabke depan, khususnya dari sisi penyediaan teknologi informasi sebenarnya akan semakin8murah. Oleh karena itu sangat dimungkinkan bahwa pesantren pun akan dapat memenuhikebutuhan hardware (perangkat keras) di bidang teknologi informasi. Sedangkan dari sisiteknologi komunikasi (termasuk koneksi internet), di bandingkan negara lain, diIndonesia memang masih tergolong mahal. Untuk itulah kita sangat berharap adanyaregulasi yang dikeluarkan oleh pemerintah (dalam hal ini Kementerian Komunikasi danInformatika) yang dapat menurunkan biaya atau tarif koneksi internet, sehingga dapatmeningkatkan lebih banyak lagi komputer yang dapat tersambung ke internet.Keberadaan warnet (warung internet) juga dapat dipandang sebagai dukunganinfrastruktur yang dapat digunakan untuk memulai pelaksanaan e-pesantren. Untuk itulahsudah saatnya para perencana, pelaksana, dan pengelola pendidikan di pesantren berpikirdan bertindak melaksanakan e-pesantren di masing-masing lembaganya.Persiapan sumber daya manusia (ustadz dan santri) untuk dapat memanfaatkanTIK adalah harus mensyaratkan ‘melek’ komputer. Tuntutan melek komputer (computerliteracy) memang tidak seragam, bergantung peran dan tanggung jawabnya. Literasikomputer merupakan istilah yang sering digunakan untuk menerangkan pengetahuandasar yang perlu diketahui orang awam (bukan “orang komputer”) mengenai komputer.Konsep literasi komputer lebih berkaitan dengan segi praktis penggunaan komputer,bukan perancangan dan pengembangan komputer itu sendiri (Sugilar, 2005). Sebagaiistilah dalam pengembangan program pembelajaran, literasi komputer merujuk pada : (1)pengoperasian program aplikasi, (2) konteks sosial penggunaan komputer, (3)pemahaman tentang apa komputer dan bagaimana komputer bekerja, (4) sejarahkomputer, dan (5) pengetahuan praktis terhadap paling tidak satu bahasa pemrogramantingkat tinggi. Literasi komputer juga dapat dipandang dari apa-apa yang telah dikerjakanseseorang dan keadaan seseorang yang berkaitan dengan komputer, yaitu : (1) lamanyatelah menggunakan komputer, (2) penggunaan paket program komputer, (3) keikutsertaandalam kursus komputer, (4) kepemilikan komputer di rumah, (5) keterampilan membuatprogram komputer, dan (6) keterlibatan dalam pekerjaan yang menggunakan komputeruntuk penyelesaiannya.Dalam menyikapi modernisasi hidup dan kehidupan sosial di masa mendatang,khususnya terkait dengan kemajuan TIK, pesantren harus mampu menyesuaikan deraplangkahnya tanpa meninggalkan paradigma lama yang dianutnya. Pesantren di Indonesia9yang mulai memanfaatkan TIK jumlahnya memang masih sedikit. Dari 15 ribu pesantrenyang ada di Indonesia yang menguasai TIK jumlahnya kurang dari 10 persen (Republika,25 Februari 2008). Walaupun dari sisi jumlah mungkin masih sedikit, tetapi hal inimenunjukkan bahwa di kalangan pesantren sudah mulai ada kesadaran untukmemanfaatkan TIK sebagai upaya untuk memperluas dan meningkatkan fungsi dakwahdan pendidikan.Untuk meningkatkan jumlah pesantren yang melek TIK dapat dilakukan denganinovasi dan pengembangan metode, konsep, acuan, atau juga bisa melalui kerjasamadengan berbagai pihak terkait. Dalam konteks kemajuan TIK, pesantren dapatmemanfaatkannya sebagai (1) media pembelajaran dan dakwah, (2) pengembanganprofesional para ustadz, dan (3) pengembangan sistem pengelolaan pesantren dan sumberbelajar.Bagi pesantren yang memiliki komputer, tetapi belum ada koneksi ke internet,bahan-bahan untuk mengembangkan e-pesantren dapat didownload dan dicopy terlebihdahulu dari tempat lain, misalnya, dapat di download dari warnet, universitas-universitasatau sekolah-sekolah yang memiliki fasilitas internet. Selanjutnya, bahan-bahan tersebutdapat dipakai di pesantren, misalnya, untuk pengayaan informasi atau diskusi kelompok,dan sebagainya. Alternatif lain untuk pesantren yang memiliki komputer tetapi belum adakoneksi dengan internet adalah dengan memanfaatkan CD ROM yang memuat materipelajaran yang banyak dijual bebas di pasaran.Memperhatikan uraian tersebut, persyaratan terlaksananya e-pesantren,setidaknya ada tiga hal utama, yaitu: (1) kegiatan pembelajaran dilakukan melaluipemanfaatan jaringan komputer, (2) tersedianya dukungan layanan belajar yang dapatdimanfaatkan oleh santri, misalnya CD-ROM dan/atau bahan cetak, dan (3) tersedianyadukungan layanan tutor, termasuk dari para kyai dan ustadz, yang dapat membantu parasantri apabila mengalami kesulitan. Pemanfaatan TIK di pesantren memang dapatmeningkatkan efisiensi dan efektivitas, baik dalam proses pembelajaran maupun dalampengelolaan. Walaupun demikian peran para kyai dan ustadz belum sepenuhnya dapatdigantikan oleh teknologi. Ini berarti dalam implementasinya e-pesantren berperansebagai suplemen. Salah satu yang jelas tidak bisa diganti oleh TIK adalah keteladananpara kyai dan ustadz. Di sisi lain pada e-pesantren, para ustadz dituntut seolah-olah10berperan seperti penulis skenario dan sutradara pada suatu permainan drama. Ia harusmenyusun “plot-plot cerita” yang merupakan urutan tampilan materi pembelajaran ataukajian, sekaligus menentukan apa yang harus keluar atau tampil pada tiap-tiap plot ceritatersebut.Memperhatikan beragamnya kondisi pesantren di Indonesia saat ini (ada yangsudah modern ada yang belum), tentu tingkat ketersediaan infrastruktur dan sumberdayamanusia juga berbeda. Oleh karena itu, tahapan pengembangan TIK di pesantren dapatdikelompokkan dalam fase emerging, applying, infusing, dan transforming (Majumdar,2005). Emerging adalah tahap di mana semua insan pendidikan menjadi memilikiperhatian terhadap TIK. Hal ini ditandai dengan kebutuhan akan dukungan terhadappeningkatan performa kerja. Applying adalah tahapan di mana para insan pendidikanmulai belajar menggunakan TIK. Pada tahapan ini kebutuhan untuk meningkatkankualitas pembelajaran tradisional dengan TIK mulai dirasakan sebagai suatu kebutuhan.Infusing adalah tahap di mana para insan pendidikan mulai mengetahui bagaimana dankapan menggunakan TIK. Hal ini ditunjukkan dengan kemampuan menyediakan fasilitasbelajar berbasis TIK bagi para peserta didik Akhirnya tahap transforming adalah secaraspesifik dapat menggunakan TIK untuk membantu menyelesaikan tugas-tugaspembelajaran dan pengelolaan pendidikan.Penggunaan TIK di pesantren akan mempunyai dampak ikutan yang luas. Jikaseorang ustadz memanfaatkan TIK dalam pembelajarannya, hal ini akan berdampakbahwa mau tidak mau para santri juga harus dapat menggunakan TIK. Jika santri tersebutadalah calon ustadz, maka ia akan dapat menggunakan TIK untuk pembelajaran padapara santrinya. Hal ini selanjutnya akan merangsang para santri belajar dan menggunakanTIK. Dengan demikian cepat atau lambat, masyarakat Indonesia menjadi computerliteracy. Oleh karena itu, pesantren yang akan menghasilkan calon-calon ustadz sudahseharusnya memberikan ketrampilan TIK untuk pembelajaran bagi para santrinya.E. PenutupKekuatan TIK telah mendorong terjadinya perubahan dalam pembelajaran.Lembaga-lembaga di luar pesantren, baik secara sendiri-sendiri atau dengan dukungankerjasama/pemerintah telah berusaha memajukan proses pembelajarannya dengan11memanfaatkan TIK. Ini berarti bahwa konsep virtual college segera mereka masuki.Dengan demikian mereka dapat menjangkau sasaran tanpa batas-batas kewilayahan. Inimenyebabkan pendidikan akan tampak semakin murah dan menarik.Pemanfaatan TIK pada pembelajaran memberikan banyak keuntungan, baik bagisantri, ustadz, maupun pengelola pesantren. Pemanfaatan TIK dapat meningkatkanefisiensi dan efektivitas proses pembelajaran dan pengelolaan pesantren. Di samping itu,dengan TIK akan memperluas dan meningkatkan dakwah syiar islam dan pendidikanmasyarakat.Walaupun infrastruktur untuk menyelenggarakan e-pesantren belum memadai,sudah sewajarnya konsep e-pesantren diperkenalkan kepada para santri. Hal ini dilakukansupaya para santri tidak ketinggalan dalam derasnya arus perkembangan TIK yang sangatcepat. Tidak bijaksana jika menunggu sampai infrastruktur untuk penerapan e-pesantrenmemadai. Jika pilihan ini yang ditempuh, dunia pesantren akan tertinggal jauh dibelakang dibandingkan dengan lembaga pendidikan lain.F. Daftar PustakaDjunaedi, A., 2003, “Beberapa Pemikiran Penerapan E-Government dalam PemerintahanDaerah di Indonesia” makalah dalam Seminar Nasional E-government di FMIPAUGM Yogyakarta tanggal 30 Oktober 2003.Koran, J.K.C., 2003, Aplikasi E-Learning dalam Pengajaran dan Pembelajaran diSekolah-sekolah Malaysia : Cadangan Pelaksanaan pada Senario Masa Kini.Koran Tempo, 18 Januari 2008.Majumdar, S. (ed), 2005, Regional Guidelines for Teacher Development for PedagogyTechnology Integeration, Bangkok : UNESCO.Pribadi, P.A., dan Rosita, T., 2003, Prospek Komputer sebagai Media PembelajaranInteraktif dalam Sistem Pendidikan Jarak Jauh di Indonesia. On line :http://202.159.18.43/jsi/82benny.htm tanggal 10 Februari 2003.Republika, 25 Februari 2008Sugilar, 2005, Hubungan Literasi Komputer Dengan Sikap Terhadap PembelajaranBerbantuan Komputer, 2005, On line : http: //www1.bpkpenabur.or.id/jelajah/02/sosial.htm tanggal 20 Februari 2005.Yuk, V., 2006, “ICT in Instruction (e-learning) & The Power of ICT “ paper in TrainingProgramme ICT for Quality Improvement of Graduate Study” organized bySEAMOLEC, ITB, DGHE MONE, Bandung, 23 – 27 June.

Internet Marketing

mucklislockheart@gmail.com (khairul mucklis) — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 11:44:00 +0000

Pemasaran Internet atau e-pemasaran (Bahasa Inggris: Internet marketing atau e-marketing atau online-marketing) adalah segala usaha yang dilakukan untuk melakukan pemasaran suatu produk atau jasa melalui atau menggunakan media Internet atau jaringan www. Kata e dalam e-pemasaran ini berarti elektronik (electronic) yang artinya kegiatan pemasaran yang dimaksud dilaksanakan secara elektronik lewat Internet atau jaringan syber. Dengan munculnya teknologi Internet dalam beberapa tahun ini, banyak istilah baru yang menggunakan awalan e-xxx, seperti halnya: e-surat, e-business, e-gov, e-society, dll.Banyak orang beranggapan bahwa pemasaran Internet adalah segala hal yang berhubungan dengan mencari uang di Internet, yang sebetulnya hal ini tidak benar. Perlu diketahui bahwa ratusan bahkan ribuan program mencari uang di Internet adalah kegiatan yang dilarang dan merupakan kecurangan alias penipuan yang hanya menguntungkan untuk orang-orang tertentu saja.Kegiatan pemasaran Internet umumnya meliputi atau berkisar pada hal-hal yang berhubungan dengan pembuatan produk periklanan, pencarian prospek atau pembeli dan penulisan kalimat-kalimat pemasaran atau copywriting. Pemasaran internet atau e-pemasaran ini secara umum meliputi kegiatan pembuatan desain web (web design), periklanan dengan menggunakan baner, promosi perusahaan lewat mesin pencari informasi (search engine), surat elektronik atau e-surat (e-mail), periklanan lewat e-surat (email advertising), pemasaran afiliasi (affiliate marketing), advertensi interaktif (interactive advertising), dll. Strategi pemasaranBanyak sekali strategi pemasaran Internet digunakan para pemasar Internet untuk menjual produk atau jasa yang mereka miliki.Strategi yang paling umum digunakan adalah dengan model CTPM yang dipopulerkan oleh Ken Evoy. CTPM adalah sekuel Content, Traffic, Pre-sell dan Monetize. Intinya, pemasaran yang berhasil adalah pemasaran yang memberikan kebutuhan dasar pengguna Internet : informasi. Langkah pertama pemasar Internet tentu saja adalah menyediakan informasi yang dibutuhkan seputar jasa atau produk yang akan dipasarkan. Langkah berikutnya adalah bagaimana mendatangkan pengunjung, membentuk kesan atas produk atau jasa tersebut baru langkah terakhir mendapatkan penjualan dari jasa atau produk yang dipasarkan.

Affiliate Marketing

mucklislockheart@gmail.com (khairul mucklis) — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 14:04:00 +0000

Pasti kita pernah bertanya :1. apa sih affiliate marketing itu?2. bagaiman menghasilkan uang dari sini ?3. apa saja yg harus dilakukan agar sukses dlm affiliate marketing ?semua ini akan di jwab di sini !!1. APA ITU AFFILIATE MARKETING ?Affiliate marketing adalah sebuah cara menghasilkan uang dari internet. Bisnis ini pada dasarnya merupakan model bisnis yang sangat lama, yakni membayar jasa seseorang hanya jika mereka berhasil menjual. Affiliate marketing termasuk sebuah bisnis besar. Diperkirakan bisnis ini bernilai sekitar 14 juta dollar setiap tahunnya. Dalam affiliate marketing, kita dibayar kalau kita berhasil menjual produk/jasa seorang merchant atau affiliate merchant. Merchant atau affiliate merchant adalah orang atau perusahaan yang memiliki produk/jasa yang mereka pasarkan melalui internet. Sementara orang-orang yang tidak memiliki produk/jasa untuk dijual, bisa membantu affiliate merchant tersebut dalam menjualkan produknya. Untuk setiap produk yang terjual, mereka akan mendapatkan komisi. Nah, orang-orang yang menghasilkan uang dengan cara tersebut di atas di sebut ‘affiliate marketers’ atau affiliate. Kadang-kadang mereka juga disebut ‘associates’ atau ‘program partners’. Kalau kita mendaftarkan diri pada ‘affiliate program’ milik affiliate merchant, artinya kita mendaftarkan diri menjadi salah satu anggota jajaran sales online mereka. Kata lain bagi affiliate program adalah ‘associate programs’, ‘bounty programs’, ‘referrer programs’, ‘partner programs’ atau ‘revenue sharing programs’. Semuanya sama saja! Hanya beda kata. Saya sendiri lebih senang menyebutnya “affiliate program” karena ini istilah yang lebih umum digunakan para marketer. :-) Anda pernah bekerja untuk seseorang atau perusahaan dan mendapatkan komisi? Affiliate marketing adalah model bisnis semacam itu. Sebagai contoh, dulu waktu kuliah, saya pernah jualan buku cerita untuk anak-anak. Saya berjalan kaki dari rumah ke rumah dan mengetuk setiap pintu, berharap ada yang mau membeli buku cerita yang saya jual. Kalau saya berhasil menjual satu produk buku yang saya pasarkan, maka si pemilik buku (affiliate merchant) memberi saya persentase dari hasil penjualan. Dan tentu saja kalau saya tidak berhasil menjual buku, saya tidak dibayar. Anda pernah juga diberi uang jasa karena berhasil mendapatkan orang yang bersedia melakukan transaksi bisnis dengan seseorang? Kalau di dunia nyata biasanya hal ini kita kenal dengan istilah ‘calo’, ‘perantara’ atau ‘broker’. Contoh lainnya, ada mobil yang akan dijual, kita bantu mencari orang yang ingin membeli mobil tersebut. Kalau kita berhasil mendapatkan orang yang mau membeli mobil tersebut, kita biasanya diberi komisi atas jasa kita mendapatkan orang yang mau membeli mobil tersebut. Affiliate marketing kurang lebih juga serupa dengan bisnis itu! Ada banyak affiliate merchant yang bersedia membayar kalau kita berhasil mendapatkan calon pembeli yang memenuhi kualifikasi mereka. Dalam dunia internet marketing, calon pembeli ini biasa dikenal dengan sebutan “leads” atau “prospects”. 2. BAGAIMAN CARA KERJANYA ?Sekarang kita sudah tahu apa yang dimaksud dengan ‘Affiliate Marketing’, dan tentunya kita ingin tahu BAGAIMANA cara kerja bisnis ini di internet sehingga kita bisa menghasilkan keuntungan! Saya akan mengajarkan ini pada Anda dari mulai yang paling sederhana alias paling dasar. Dalam bisnis online, semua affiliate marketer melakukan penjualan melalui ‘link khusus’ atau dikenal dengan istilah ‘affiliate link’. Affiliate link ini diberikan oleh affiliate merchant (pemilik barang/jasa). Cara kerja affiliate link adalah sebagai berikut: Misalnya kita menemukan sebuah produk online yang ingin kita jual. Lalu kita melihat web site tersebut menawarkan program affiliate. Setelah kita pelajari ternyata mereka bersedia memberi kita komisi sebesar 40% untuk setiap penjualan yang kita hasilkan. Kita kemudian mendaftarkan diri pada affiliate program tersebut dengan mengisi sebuah form. Biasanya merchant akan meminta kita untuk mengisi nama, alamat lengkap, nama penerima ‘cek’ (untuk komisi), email, nomor telepon, dll. Kita juga akan diminta untuk membaca ‘affiliate agreement’. Affiliate agreement adalah sebuah dokumen legal yang mengikat kita dengan affiliate merchant. Isinya biasa menyatakan kesepakatan kita terhadap syarat dan ketentuan yang ditentukan oleh affiliate merchant, seperti tidak boleh mengirimkan email spam (email komersial yang tidak diminta oleh pemilik email tersebut). Affiliate agreement ini penting karena jika kita melanggar syarat dan ketentuan yang telah tertulis di sana, affiliate merchant bisa menunda pembayaran atau bahkan mengeluarkan kita dari affiliate program mereka. Nah, setelah kita menyatakan bersedia mematuhi affiliate agreement tersebut, affiliate merchant akan memberikan sebuah ‘affiliate link’ untuk kita. Tugas kita selanjutnya adalah mempromosikan affiliate link tersebut. Misalnya saja dengan cara menempatkan link itu di web site kita atau di email signature, dengan harapan ada orang yang akan ‘mengklik’ dan MEMBELI produk/jasa yang kita pasarkan tersebut. Nah, pada saat ada orang yang mengklik affiliate link kita dan melakukan pembelian, kita akan diberi komisi untuk penjualan tersebut! Tapi ingat lho! Orang ini HARUS benar-benar melakukan pembelian. Hanya karena seseorang mengklik link affiliate kita, bukan berarti affiliate merchant perlu membayar kita. Waah.. bisa rugi dong mereka! :-) Inilah tantangan sebenarnya dalam dunia affiliate marketing. Affiliate merchant melakukan tugasnya menjual dan mengirimkan produk/jasanya pada orang yang membelinya lewat link kita. Sedangkan kita menolong mereka dengan mempromosikan affiliate link yang mereka berikan. Setiap affiliate link biasanya terdiri dari serangkaian angka atau huruf yang unik disertai dengan ‘affiliate ID’ kita, yang berfungsi mengidentifikasi KITA sebagai satu-satunya orang yang bertanggung jawab terhadap penjualan yang dihasilkan melalui affiliate link tadi! Contoh: Katakanlah Anda ingin memasarkan Asian Brain Internet Marketing Center. Anda melihat potential earning yang cukup menarik yang diberikan oleh PT. Asian Brain IMC. Lalu Anda mendaftar menjadi affiliate Asian Brain IMC. Setelah Anda mendaftar, Anda akan mendapatkan ‘affiliate link’ dari PT. Asian Brain IMC seperti ini: http://www.AsianBrain.com/index.php?aff_code=123456 (Dalam hal ini, katakanlah kode affiliate Anda adalah 123456. Catatan: setiap orang yang mengikuti Program Affiliate PT. Asian Brain IMC akan mempunyai kode affiliate yang berbeda). Lalu Anda promosikan link di atas dengan kreativitas Anda. Misalnya saja dengan membuat sebuah web site yang mengulas tentang pentingnya pendidikan internet marketing, atau menulis pengalaman Anda belajar bersama Ahira ;-), di mana di dalamnya Anda sertakan affiliate link Anda menuju situs Asian Brain IMC. Intinya, pada saat seseorang mengunjungi situs Asian Brain IMC ‘lewat link Anda’ dan kemudian dia bergabung, maka ‘sistem affiliate’ Asian Brain IMC akan ‘merekam’ bahwa affiliate code 123456 telah berhasil menjual. Sistem kami juga akan mengirimkan email secara otomatis kepada Anda pada saat Anda berhasil menjual. Selanjutnya, Anda pun akan mendapatkan komisi dari PT. Asian Brain IMC! :-) 3. BAGAIMANA CARA MENGAHASILKAN KEUNTUNGAN ?Ada banyak cara menghasilkan keuntungan (uang) dari affiliate marketing. Dalam materi ini saya akan mengajarkan SEMUA cara yang bisa kita lakukan untuk menghasilkan keuntungan melalui affiliate program. 1. Pay-Per-Sale Affiliate Program Lewat program ini, kita memperoleh keuntungan pada saat seseorang membeli produk atau jasa melalui affiliate link kita. Contoh barang atau jasa yang biasa dipasarkan dengan cara ‘pay-per-sale’ adalah penjualan e-book dan software. Besar komisi pay-per-sale ini bervariasi. Mulai dari hanya beberapa persen saja sampai 60% bahkan juga ada yang lebih. Saya sendiri lebih suka menjual e-book atau biasa disebut sebagai ‘information product’. Kenapa saya lebih suka menjual information product? Soalnya, affiliate merchant tidak mengeluarkan ‘biaya produksi’ untuk pembuatannya (seperti biaya percetakan, biaya pembelian kertas, dll seperti buku biasa) sebesar ongkos produksi lainnya. Oleh sebab itu seorang affiliate marketer biasanya akan mendapatkan komisi cukup besar dari setiap penjualan e-book. Mulai dari 40% sampai dengan 75%! Jadi, bila sebuah e-book harganya katakanlah $97, maka kita bisa mendapatkan komisi antara $38.80 sampai dengan $72.75 per sebuah e-book yang terjual. Lumayan gede ya? :-) Makanya, enak ‘kan jadi internet marketer! ;-) 2. Recurring Affiliate Program Dalam program recurring ini, affiliate merchant memberi komisi kepada kita dalam periode tetap atau secara berkala. Biasanya program ini ditawarkan jika seseorang berlangganan suatu jasa dan layanan bulanan. Seperti web hosting, auto-responder dan keanggotaan web site seperti Asian Brain IMC. Meskipun kita tidak mendapatkan persentase yang besar dari program ini, tapi program ini tetap bisa bermanfaat buat kita. Kenapa? Soalnya, kita hanya menjual jasa berlangganan ini satu kali, tapi komisi yang kita terima bisa selamanya, sepanjang pelanggan membayar biaya bulanan mereka! Recurring program seperti ini sangat baik karena memberikan kesempatan bagi kita untuk mendapatkan penghasilan tetap yang bisa kita dapatkan setiap bulan. 3. Pay Per Lead Affiliate Program Pay-per-lead adalah jenis program affiliate yang memberikan pembayaran flat untuk setiap prospek (leads) dengan kualifikasi tertentu yang kita bawa ke situs merchant melalui affiliate link kita. Dalam program ini, affiliate merchant yang memutuskan apakah leads yang kita bawa memenuhi kualifikasi atau tidak. Mereka biasa memutuskannya dari ‘informasi kontak prospek’ yang mereka dapatkan dari kita. Program pay-per-lead terbaik biasanya berasal dari situs asuransi, kredit rumah dan aplikasi pinjaman. Melalui program pay-per-lead ini, kita bisa menghasilkan keuntungan mulai dari 25 sen untuk setiap leads yang datang ke website, sampai $25 atau lebih untuk leads yang mengisi aplikasi secara lengkap. Bila kepiawaian Anda sudah terkenal di dunia internet marketing, bisa jadi banyak orang yang akan ‘mencari’ Anda. Malah Anda bisa kewalahan dengan banyaknya order dari para merchant untuk menjualkan barang/jasanya dengan cara pay-per-lead! Di samping itu, kalau Anda sengaja dicari, bayaran per lead Anda bisa jauh lebih mahal dibandingkan harga per lead di pasaran. Bahkan Anda pun bisa meminta persentase khusus dari setiap barang/jasa yang terjual. 4. Pay-Per-Click Affiliate Program Pay-Per-Click Affiliate Program menurut saya adalah program yang unik. Kita mendapatkan bayaran pada saat sebuah “link iklan” di situs kita, diklik oleh pengunjung kita. Siapa yang membayar? Ada perusahaan-perusahaan tertentu yang bersedia MEMBAYAR bila link iklan mereka “diklik” oleh pengunjung kita. Yang perlu kita lakukan adalah menyisakan ruang iklan di situs kita untuk program tersebut. Dari setiap klik pada iklan tersebut, kita akan mendapatkan sedikit uang. Program pay-per-click yang populer saat ini adalah Google’s Adsense. Dalam program ini, kita boleh menempatkan 1 sampai 3 iklan Google di setiap halaman web site kita. 5. Pay-Per-Search Affiliate Program Program pay-per-search ini hampir mirip dengan pay-per-click. Hanya saja yang berbeda adalah modelnya. Lewat program pay-per-search ini, kita akan mendapatkan penghasilan pada saat pengunjung mencari informasi melalui “search box” khusus yang telah kita tempatkan di situs kita, dan lalu mereka mengklik salah satu link dari hasil pencariannya tadi. Untuk lebih jelas lagi, Anda pasti mengenal apa itu ‘search engine’ bukan? Kalau Anda ingin mencari tahu sesuatu, Anda akan datang ke search engine seperti www.Google.com atau www.Yahoo.com Nah, pay-per-search ini kurang lebih bisa dikatakan “program yang membuat Anda menjadi search engine”. Kita tempatkan ‘kotak pencarian’ di website kita, lalu pada saat ada orang yang mencari sesuatu lewat kotak pencarian kita tadi dan mengklik salah satu atau lebih link, kita mendapatkan bayaran. 6. Hybrid Programs Ada banyak affiliate merchant yang mengkombinasikan beberapa program pembayaran yang berbeda. Contoh: Mereka biasanya menawarkan komisi 10 sen setiap kali ada orang yang HANYA mengklik banner dan kemudian komisi 15% bila terjadi penjualan. Ada juga merchant yang menawarkan macam-macam bonus kalau kita mencapai angka penjualan tertentu. Misalnya, PT. Asian Brain IMC akan memberikan sebuah laptop bagi mereka yang telah menjual 500 keanggotaan Asian Brain IMC dalam 3 bulan berturut-turut. Sementara itu, beberapa merchant lainnya ada juga yang menawarkan program semakin banyak penjualan, semakin tinggi jumlah komisi yang kita terima. 4. DUA JENIS PEMBAYARAN ?Ada dua jenis komisi pada affiliate marketing, yaitu: SINGLE-TIER COMMISSIONS: Komisi yang dibayarkan dalam 1 tingkat. Artinya, kita akan mendapatkan komisi dari hasil penjualan kita sendiri. Contoh: Affiliate Program milik PT. Asian Brain menggunakan jenis pembayaran ‘single tier commission’. Anda akan mendapatkan Rp 50.000,- per bulan dari setiap keanggotaan yang terjual oleh Anda sendiri. 2-TIER COMMISSIONS: Komisi yang dibayarkan dalam 2 tingkat. Artinya, kita mendapatkan komisi dari penjualan kita sendiri PLUS penjualan dari affiliate yang kita bawa. Contoh: Anda menjual sebuah barang kepada si A. Untuk penjualan itu Anda mendapatkan komisi 30% dari affiliate merchant. Lalu si A menjual barang itu kepada si B. Anda masih mendapatkan keuntungan -katakanlah 5%- dari penjualan si A. Dan si A mendapatkan keuntungan 30% dari merchant atas penjualannya ke si B. Dalam kasus di atas, merchant memberikan total komisi 35% kepada affiliate-nya untuk setiap penjualan. Tapi komisinya dibagi menjadi 2 tingkat. 30% untuk penjualan sendiri dan 5% dari hasil penjualan affiliate yang dibawa oleh affiliate pertama. 5. KETENTUAN MEMBAYAR ?Sebagai affiliate, kita tidak bisa memaksa affiliate merchant untuk membayarkan komisi kita kapan pun kita mau! Kita harus tahu, affiliate merchant berhak menerbitkan cek komisi kapan saja mereka menginginkannya. Tokh… mereka yang punya barang, jadi mereka yang ‘lebih berkuasa’ ;-) Oleh sebab itu, penting sekali kita membaca dan meneliti affiliate agreement yang mereka berikan. Affiliate agreement ini bisa didapat pada saat kita mendaftarkan diri pada affiliate program tersebut. Kabar baiknya, kebanyakan affiliate merchant membayar kita dengan jadwal yang teratur dan tepat waktu. Biasanya adalah setiap bulan, bahkan per 2 minggu atau kapanpun pada saat Anda telah mencapai nilai penjualan dalam jumlah tertentu (biasanya minimal pembayaran cek affiliate adalah 20$ atau 100$). Khusus bagi kita yang tinggal di Indonesia, saya sarankan untuk mengambil komisi affiliate apabila sudah mencapai minimal $100. Karena, biaya yang dikenakan oleh bank untuk mentunaikannya cek dari luar negeri sekarang ini 5. ‘Cookies’ & ‘Lifetime Commissions’ Di dunia affiliate marketing, kita akan mendengar istilah “lifetime commisions”. Ini artinya, affiliate merchant mempunyai sebuah ‘sistem pintar’ yang bisa melacak setiap pelanggan atau prospek yang kembali dan memutuskan untuk membeli barang/jasa melalui affiliate link yang pertama kali mengenalkan si pelanggan tadi pada barang/jasa yang dipasarkan. Bagaimana merchant bisa mengetahui itu semua? Mereka mengetahuinya melalui “cookies”. Cookies adalah program kecil yang diberikan kepada setiap pengunjung web site ketika mereka mengklik affiliate link kita. Cookies menyimpan informasi pada komputer pengunjung tersebut. Informasi ini bisa mengindentifikasi KITA sebagai affiliate kapanpun pengunjung tersebut kembali ke situs merchant. Contoh: Misalnya saja Anda mempromosikan link http://www.AsianBrain.com/index.php?aff_code=123456 Katakanlah Si Banu datang ke web site Asian Brain IMC melalui link Anda di atas. Tapi dia tidak memutuskan untuk bergabung saat itu. 6 Bulan kemudian, Si Banu memutuskan untuk bergabung, tapi dia hanya ingat www.AsianBrain.com saja. Nah, meskipun Si Banu mengetikan hanya AsianBrain.com saja, tanpa disertai affiliate code Anda, tapi sebenarnya komputer Si Banu akan ‘memanggil cookies’ yang berisi affiliate link milik Anda, dengan catatan Si Banu membukanya di komputer yang sama pada saat mengklik affiliate link Anda dulu pertama kali. Cookies ini biasanya berakhir pada periode waktu tertentu. Mulai dari beberapa hari, bulanan atau bahkan juga tahunan. Setelah itu cookies ini akan kadaluwarsa. Untuk program “lifetime commisions”, cookies akan berakhir dalam waktu yang sangat lama, biasanya satu tahun. Tapi tentu saja, kalau seorang pelanggan atau prospek memakai komputer baru, cookies ini akan menghilang! Cookies juga akan menghilang kalau si pelanggan dengan sengaja menghapusnya dari komputer. (Walau begitu, setahu saya, jarang orang yang menghapus cookies terlalu sering atau mereka bahkan sama sekali tidak tahu soal menghapus cookies ini, mungkin salah satunya Anda) ;-) Jadi tidak perlu khawatir soal cookies yang hilang! Kalau sudah rejeki Anda, toh pelanggan juga tidak akan lari kemana ;-) Affiliate merchant yang menawarkan “lifetime commissions” biasanya adalah pebisnis yang sangat baik untuk diajak kerjasama. Karena mereka ingin memastikan kita menerima kompensasi dari SEMUA penjualan di masa mendatang yang dilakukan pelanggan KITA. Anda mungkin bertanya, di mana kita bisa menemukan affiliate merchant yang menawarkan ‘lifetime commissions”? Kunjungi http://www.LifeTimeCommissions.com Di situs ini kita bisa menemukan daftar affiliate merchant yang selalu diperbarui. Biasanya affiliate merchant yang terdapat dalam daftar situs ini menawarkan program yang menguntungkan dan memiliki cookies jangka panjang.

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mucklislockheart@gmail.com (N3Xt G-Nation) — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 08:21:00 +0000

Kontak Person : khairul mucklis ( 085782494659 )SELAMAT ANDA AKAN MELAKUKAN TINDAKAN TEPAT DAN CEPAT…SELAMAT ANDA AKAN SEGERA BERTINDAK…SEBAB, CITA-CITA MUSTAHIL TERWUJUD JIKA TIDAK ADA TINDAKAN…SEBAB, TUJUAN TIDAK AKAN TERCAPAI TANPA ADANYA TINDAKAN…SEBAB, MUSTAHIL IMPIAN AKAN TERWUJUD JIKA HANYA DIAM, TIDAK MELAKUKAN APAPUN… SESAAT LAGI ANDA AKAN MENELUSURISYSTEM FOR SUCCESS Secara umum System for Success bertujuan untuk memperkenalkan paradigma bisnis ini dan memberikan pengetahuan awal bagaimana melakukan bisnis ini, agar Pengusaha DBS bisa melakukan kegiatannya dengan mudah dan dengan modal sederhana.Ingat, miskin itu pasti!!Tapi sukses adalah pilihan yang harus diperjuangkan!! SEBUAH TERJEMAHAN DUTA BUSINESS SCHOOLBisa jadi ini merupakan suatu solusi…Bisa jadi ini merupakan suatu hal yang sangat bermanfaat…Bisa jadi ini merupakan suatu hal yang dapat merubah kehidupan…Bisa jadi ini merupakan suatu ilmu yang sangat berharga…Tetapi, Yang pasti adalah jadikan segalanya sebagai sarana menuju kebahagiaan hakiki… menuju masa depan “abadi” yang paling baik… menuju suatu keridhoan Sang Pemilik Alam Semesta... Renungkan !Jika orang lain yakin pada Anda dan mempekerjakan Anda serta mereka pikir, Anda dapat menghasilkan uang untuk mereka. . . .Mengapa Anda tidak bekerja dan menghasilkan uang untuk Anda sendiri serta mewujudkan Rencana Masa Depan Anda !!!Sahabat,Maukah Anda mempunyai SUMBER PENGHASILAN yang akan memberikan uang kertas setiap hari kepada Anda ???Maukah Anda hidup – mempunyai uang simpanan ratusan juta rupiah di Bank – tanpa perlu peras keringat banting tulang untuk membuat kaya orang lain ???Maukah Anda mempunyai satu perusahaan yang sah, yang dapat dijalankan secara sampingan atau sepenuhnya dan memberikan jutaan rupiah setiap minggu kepada Anda ???Sebelum masuk ke System 4 Success ada sebuah pertanyaan :Sudah puaskah Anda dengan keadaan keuangan Anda saat ini ?-jika belum- Solusinya ???Kita memerlukan• Peluang usaha sendiri• Lapangan kerja baru• Sumber penghasilan baruApakah Rencana Masa Depan Anda ??? • Memiliki usaha sendiri• Banyak teman• Mempunyai penghasilan• Rumah & kendaraan• Kebebasan waktu• Kekayaan• kesehatan• Membantu orang lainBagaimana Anda dapat merealisasikan Rencana Masa Depan Anda tersebut ???Untuk mewujudkannya Anda harus mempunyai sebuah kunci.Apa kuncinya???-Kebebasan Finansial-Artinya Anda harus mempunyai sebuah pekerjaan berikut iniAda 2 Pola pekerjaanYang dipaparkan secara gamblang dalam buku Cashflow Quadrant karangan Robert kiyosaki, yang dianut oleh kaum ultrakaya seperti Bill gates dan telah diterapkan oleh para pengusaha DBS seperti ; • Bpk. Randu (22thn) Mahasiswa Teknik Fisika 2003 ITB yang telah sukses hanya dalam waktu 7 bulan kini memiliki penghasilan 1-2jt/hari (total + 250 jt), bisa mencicil hutang-hutang orangtuanya dan telah memiliki Mobil BMW pribadi.• Bpk. Andika Mahasiswa Teknik Pertambangan 2004 ITB, dengan penghasilan diatas 100 jt. Beliau adalah seorang mahasiswa yang luarbiasa. Mahasiswa yang bukan hanya bisa membayar kuliah sendiri tapi juga bisa membayar biaya sekolah saudara-saudara beliau & menaikhajikan kedua orangtua beliau, hanya dalam hitungan bulan.• Bpk. Satriyo, seorang sarjana Teknik Industri ITB yang dapat membuktikan potensi bisnis ini dapat mengalahkan lulusan ITB. Sebagian penghasilan beliau dipakai untuk menyekolahkan anak-anak yang kurang mampu. • Bpk. Margono seorang supir angkot yang tidak pernah kuliah namun telah memiliki penghasilan puluhan juta. Hidupnya telah berubah setelah menjalankan DBS.• Bpk. Bernardus, seorang anggota TNI AU Baret Jingga di Bandung, telah memiliki penghasilan puluhan juta & telah membantu banyak teman di AU menjadi sukses di usaha DBS.Pertanyaannya, Apakah Anda INGIN seperti mereka ??? Paradigma Mencari Uang2 pola pekerjaan :Pola 1 dianut oleh 90% orang diseluruh dunia, sedangkan di Indonesia sekitar 97% masyarakat Indonesia menganut pola ekonomi seperti ini. Orang (90%) KERJA menghasilkan UANG (10%) untuk mewujudkan RENCANA MASA DEPAN (RMD)Artinya Anda harus bekerja untuk menghasilkan uang dan mewujudkan rencana masa depan, kita ambil contoh 2 pertanyaan :1. Apakah Anda tetap menghasilkan uang apabila Anda tidak bekerja ?2. Sendainya Anda kerja secara terus menerus perlu berapa tahun untuk mewujudkan rencana masa depan Anda ? (coba dihitung dengan cara “sesuatu yang pengin Anda beli” dibagi dengan “jumlah uang yang bisa Anda tabung setiap bulannya!!”)Robert kiyosaki memberi nasehat, jika Anda masih di pola 1 sebaiknya Anda segera mempersiapkan diri masuk ke pola 2 mengapa? Karena pada pola 1 : 1. Pola pekerjaan tidak aman, untuk mendapatkan uang harus membarterkan waktu & tenaga. Kalau suatu saat tidak mempunyai waktu atau tenaga ( kecelakaan, sakit, kena PHK, etc ) sehingga tidak bisa bekerja, maka tidak akan mendapatkan uang. Kemudian RMD??2. Memiliki penghasilan yg Linier. Penghasilan rata-rata naik 0-20% per tahun padahal kebutuhan (BBM, tabung gas, air & listrik) naik 80-200% per tahun. Jadi hidup semakin lama semakin sulit. Bayangkan, sampai kapan kita bisa memenuhi kebutuhan hidup kita?Pola 2hanya dianut oleh sekitar 10% orang di dunia tetapi mereka menguasai 90% uang di dunia.Orang (10%) KERJA membangun ASET menghasilkan UANG (90%) untuk mewujudkan RENCANA MASA DEPAN Artinya Anda bekerja untuk membangun Aset Katakanlah hanya selama 6–12 bln. Asyiknya, setelah Aset terbentuk walaupun Anda tidak bekerja, Aset akan menghasilkan uang secara terus menerus, selain itu Pola 2 sangat menggiurkan karena penghasilan kita tidak terbatas. jadi pasti dengan sangat mudahnya Anda dapat mewujudkan Rencana Masa Depan yang Anda inginkan. Namun tidak banyak orang yang menjalankan pola 2 ini. Banyak alasan yang menyebabkan mereka mengurungkan niatnya untuk membangun ASET. Salah satu diantaranya adalah terbatasnya MODAL dan kurangnya keahlian.Sekarang permasalahannya aset itu seperti apa saja? Didalam buku Cashflow Quadrant, dijelaskan ada 3 cara membangun Aset.3 CARA MEMBANGUN ASET Aset Modal Resiko 1. Perusahan besar besar2. Waralaba besar besar kecil3. Waralaba pribadi kecil kecil kecilUsaha yang kami tawarkan merupakan usaha di pola 2 melalui Personal Franchise (waralaba pribadi). Hanya dengan bekerja sama dengan perusahaan DBS Anda dapat membangun Aset masa depan Anda sendiri. Anda tidak perlu membayar lisensi yang besarnya milyaran seperti waralaba pada umumnya Anda hanya perlu membeli lisensi Rp.200.000,- untuk mendapatkan HAK USAHA waralaba pribadi dari PT. DUTA FUTURE INTERNATIONAL. Sebagai mitra kerja, Anda akan mendapatkan komisi yang suatu saat nanti besarnya bahkan melebihi penghasilan orang yang membeli hak waralaba seperti : Alfamart bahkan Mc donalds. Sudah ada banyak bukti, seperti contoh para Leader diatas.Dan apabila Anda telah memutuskan untuk bergabung dalam klub passive income kami maka di setiap lembaran setelah ini, akan ada paparan, bagaimana cara meraih KESUKSESAN di bisnis DBS secara CEPAT & DAHSYAT!!Silahkan membaca & merubah hidup Anda!!DUTA BUSINESS SCHOOLSYSTEM FOR SUCCESSSELAMAT BERGABUNG DI DBS!! (Duta Business School)Gunakan selalu buku panduan ini dan bacalah berulang-ulang dalam Anda menjalani bisnis ini atau tanyakan kepada Leader Anda dan pastikan partner bisnis Anda memilikinya agar tetap berjalan sesuai dengan sistem yang sudah diberikan. Keputusan Anda utk mengembangkan Bisnis Duta bersama DBS-TEAM menyatakan sesuatu yang penting mengenai diri Anda. Ini menunjukkan bahwa bukan saja Anda menginginkan kehidupan yang lebih baik & cerah, tetapi Anda juga bersedia berusaha untuk memperjuangkan impian Anda. Anda percaya terhadap diri Anda dan cita-cita Anda. Sekarang Anda sudah menjadi orang yang diatas rata-rata dari kebanyakan orang. Anda adalah orang yang berbeda dari kebanyakan orang karena Anda telah mengambil peluang sukses ini yang belum tentu orang lain menjalankannya.Percayakah Anda bahwa orang yang sukses adalah orang yang unik, bukan hanya dari cara berpikirnya saja, bahkan kebiasaannya pun unik. Dengan tetap memegang aturan yang ada, dia mau melakukan hal-hal yang berbeda dari kebanyakan orang demi meraih apa yang ia inginkan. Hal-hal negatif yang kebanyakan orang pikirkan terhadapnya bukanlah urusannya, karena yang terpenting adalah apa yang ia pikirkan tentang dirinya sendiri, tentang bagaimana ia memandang dirinya sendiri, atau dengan kata lain “apa yang dipikirkan oleh orang lain tentang diriku itu bukan urusanku (Robert T. Kiyosaki) Karena ia percaya bahwa bagaimana orang memandang dirinya, tergantung dari bagaimana ia memandang dirinya sendiri. Itulah yang membuat mereka sukses.Begitu pula dengan apa yang kita lakukan di DBS ini berbeda dengan jenis usaha konvensional pada umumnya. Banyak sekali pernyatan negatif orang diluar sana tentang bisnis kita ini. Ada yang bilang bisnis ini adalah bisnis MLM(multi level marketing) ataupun money games. Tanyakan kepada orang yang mengajak Anda (Leader) mengapa pernyataan tersebut tidak benar, jadi ketika Anda mulai mengundang, dan calon prospek Anda bertanya apakah ini MLM Anda jawab dengan tegas bahwa bisnis ini bukan MLM, Anda bisa pelajari dari sistemnya.Setujukah Anda bahwa orang yang sukses adalah orang yang bisa membuat orang-orang disekitarnya sukses? Itulah inti di usaha Duta ini. Sistem pemasarannya yang luar biasa cerdas membuat para pebisnis yang menjalankannya saling bantu membantu untuk sukses bersama. Karena bisnis ini bukan bisnis piramida, maka ada kemungkinan partner bisnis yang aktif dapat lebih sukses dari pada Leader. Jadi usaha yang Anda jalankan ini adalah sesuatu yang mulia. Karena dengan menjalankan DBS, Anda dapat membantu orang-orang disekitar Anda untuk sukses bersama, karena Anda memberikan salah satu jalan kepada mereka untuk sukses. Sistem pendukung DBS diciptakan untuk membantu Anda meraih keberhasilan di DBS. Tidak ada yang yang gagal di bisnis ini, yang ada hanyalah orang yang berhenti berjuang sebelum sukses. Pada awal menjalani bisnis ini mungkin akan terasa berat, atau bisa diibaratkan seperti mendorong mobil mogok, awalnya akan terasa sulit tetapi apabila tetap dijalankan secara konsisten dan mengikuti sistem, mendorong mobil mogok itu akan mulai terasa ringan bahkan ia mulai berjalan sendiri tanpa kita dorong dan keberhasilan akan mulai Anda raih. Konsistensi, itulah salah satu kunci sukses di bisnis ini karena semangat Anda akan naik turun di bisnis ini, tetapi Anda harus terus terlihat semangat terutama di depan para partner bisnis Anda, selain semangat itu akan menular, semangat jg menunjukkan bahwa Anda bisa menuntun para partner bisnis Anda menuju impiannya.Jika Anda mulai merasa kesulitan mengenai arah atau perkembangan bisnis Anda, bisa dipastikan Leader Anda lah jawabannya, beliau akan senantiasa membantu Anda dalam menyelesai masalah Anda karena Leader Anda sudah mengalami apa yang belum pernah Anda alami. Untuk meraih keberhasilan, di bisnis ini diperlukan kerja keras. Tapi kabar baiknya, kerja keras tersebut tidak selamanya. Jika jaringan kita telah berkembang secara mandiri, kebebasan finansial dan kebebasan waktu akan menjadi milik Anda. Disaat itu, apa yang Anda inginkan selama ini telah tercapai karena uang dan waktu bukan menjadi masalah lagi buat Anda. Untuk lebih jelasnya mengenai gambaran besar bisnis ini dengarkan kontak VCD “Never Give up”.Sekali lagi sukses, Anda telah berada di jalur yang benar menuju kesuksesan Anda!!Ini adalah masa depan AndaSalah satu jalan menuju impian AndaKesuksesan ada ditangan Anda!!CARA MEMULAI BISNIS ANDA1. Datang ke acara BOS (Bussiness Opportunity Seminar), LMtg (Leaders Meeting) & NDT (Network Development Training)2. Tentukan berapa jumlah penghasilan yang ingin Anda capai bersama DBS.3. Tentukan Hak Usaha yang akan Anda ambil, 1 HU, 3 HU atau 7 HU (Hak Usaha). Menyesal kemudian tidak ada guna!4. Mulailah pelajari mengenai profil perusahaan, produk, sistem pemasaran & rencana pemasaran, tata cara pendaftaran dan hal-hal yang berhubungan dengan DBS.5. Bersama-sama sponsor & LeaderAnda untuk segera membuat rencana kerja supaya Anda segera bisa memulai bisnis Anda.Istilah-istilah yang digunakan dalam bisnis ini:- Sponsor : orang yang mengajak Anda bergabung di bisnis ini- Leader / konsultan bisnis : orang-orang yang aktif menjalankan bisnis Duta, yang berada digaris sponsorisasi keatas Anda.- Partner bisnis : orang-orang yang berada di garis sponsorisasi ke bawah Anda.- kolega bisnis : orang-orang yang berada di garis sponsorisasi yang berbeda dengan Anda. TUJUH LANGKAH SUKSES DBSTujuh langkah sukses adalah jalan utama yang harus Anda lalui untuk menuju kesuksesan Anda, sebab jika Anda tidak mengikuti sistem ini Anda akan kehilangan arah dalam bisnis ini dan jaringan yang Anda bawa pun akan ikut kehilangan arah, jika Anda perhatikan banyak yang berhasil dan memperoleh keuntungan yang berlimpah dari bisnisnya, hal itu karena sistemnya yang luar biasa, begitu pula dengan tujuh langkah sukses yang merupakan sistem yang sudah teruji dari pengalaman para leader yang sudah berhasil di bisnis ini. Oleh karena itu, jangan ada satupun yang tidak Anda jalani atau bahkan Anda “diskon” dalam menjalani tujuh langkah sukses ini. Bapak Febrian, bapak Randu, juga para leader lainnya yang sudah lebih dulu sukses di bisnis ini senantiasa tetap menjalankan tujuh langkah sukses, begitu pula dengan Anda yang tidak lama lagi merupakan calon orang sukses berikutnya. 1. Impian & SikapSeberapa besar keberhasilan di bisnis ini ditentukan oleh seberapa besar impian kita dan 95% sikap kita terhadap bisnis ini. Mengapa? Tidak ada ada Bos di bisnis ini.Andalah Bisnis owner pada jaringan Anda sendiri. Leader/sponsor Anda hanyalah orang yang lebih dulu terjun di usaha ini. Jadi Anda sendirilah yang menentukan sebesar apa usaha Anda nantinya dan seberapa cepat usaha Anda ingin berkembang. Modal sangat kecil sehingga resikonya pun sangat kecil. Segala hal yang besar di dunia ini berasal dari impian dan sikap kita.Luangkan waktu sejenak untuk merenung & tuliskan minimal 10 hal yang ingin Anda lakukan dan Anda dapatkan jika sukses di bisnis ini. Bentuknya harus TERTULIS & TERVISUALISASI, bukan Cuma di dalam pikiran saja. Setelah itu tempelkan di tempat yang sering Anda lihat, seperti sebelah tempat tidur Anda, meja belajar, ataupun folder kuliah/kerja Anda. Anda akan takjub dengan kekuatan dari impian yang Anda tulis tersebut nantinya.Tentukan berapa besar penghasilan yang akan Anda raih, Buatlah target, kapan Rp.500.000,- per minggu, kapan 1juta per minggu, kapan 5juta per minggu dan setelah itu TAKE ACTION!!Miliki Sikap Positif1. Terhadap diri sendiriManusia adalah produk dari pikirannya. Kalau Anda berpikir Anda adalah orang biasa saja, maka Anda akan menjadi orang biasa. Tetapi kalau Anda berpikir Anda adalah orang sukses, maka Anda akan menjadi orang sukses. Karena kita akan berpikir dan melakukan hal-hal yang dilakukan orang sukses.2. Terhadap orang lainSemua orang harus kita hargai & senyumi. Silaturahmi mendatangkan rezeki & Senyum adalah ibadah.3. Terhadap belajarTidak ada Superman di Dunia ini, maksudnya tidak ada manusia yang dilahirkan langsung menjadi orang Luar Biasa. Tuhan maha adil, orang yang mau belajar & yang mau kerjakeraslah yang akan diberi kesuksesan. Lebih penting mana, males datang pertemuan, males baca buku, males dengar kaset, atau IMPIAN ANDA?4. Terhadap kerja kerasKesuksesan ditentukan 10% keberuntungan / bakat + 90% kerja keras!!5. Terhadap masalah & kegagalanDalam apapun pasti ada masalah. Masalah diciptakan untuk manusia agar maju & berkembang. Setiap kali kita mendapatkan masalah dan kita pecahkan, kita akan menjadi lebih dewasa. Jadi bersyukurlah kalau ada masalah. Untuk sukses memang suLit, tapi lebih sulit lagi kalau kita tidak sukses! Tidak ada orang gagal yang ada hanyalah orang yang berhenti sebelum sukses!“Saya tidak pernah gagal. 2000 kali lampu tidak menyala adalah proses untuk terciptanya 1 lampu menyala!!”-Thomas Alfa Edison-(Bayangkan jika beliau berhenti dipercobaan ke 1999, itu adalah sama seperti ketika Anda berhenti dibisnis ini ketika ditolak persentasi. Thomas alfa Edison tidak akan mendapatkan 1 lampu yang menyala dan Anda tidak akan mendapatkan IMPIAN ANDA!!) 2. Membuat Daftar Nama & Prospekting Bisnis Anda ini adalah “Bussiness People” kekuatan awal bisnis Anda adalah relasi atau referensi. Prinsip : 1. Jangan pilih-pilih Dalam membuat daftar nama jangan berpikir “sepertinya dia tidak bisa/tidak mau menjalani bisnis ini”. Jangan jadi dukun / peramal! Yang berhak menentukan dia mau atau tidak mau menjalankan bisnis ini adalah dia sendiri, bukan kita!Berpikirlah “apabila Anda sukses, kira-kira, siapakah yang pengin Anda ajak?” artinya semua orang yang Anda kenal wajib Anda tulis. Semua orang berhak untuk sukses!!2. TertulisDalam membuat daftar nama, Anda wajib untuk MENULISNYA.Perusahaan yang besar memiliki daftar nama karyawan & kliennya. Sebaliknya kalau perusahaan kecil tidak. Terserah Anda mau memiliki bisnis yang besar atau kecil. 3. DuplikasikanBanyak member yang berhenti karena tidak lagi ada presentasi di jaringannya. Hal ini rata-rata bukan dikarenakan member malas presentasi tapi member kehabisan orang untuk dipresentasi. Bayangkan Anda menulis 40 prospek dalam daftar nama Anda, dan 40 prospek Anda tersebut menulis 40 nama lagi, dan seterusnya.Generasi I : 40 namaGenerasi II: 1600 namaGenerasi III: 64000 namaDst. Untuk lebih jelasnya dengarkan kontak VCD mengenai cara membuat daftar nama. Kalau daftar nama kita habis, atau kenalan kita ditempat kita yang baru tidak ada. Solusinya adalah PROSPECTING!! Langkah-langkah prospecting :1. Dalam prospecting, mindset kita diawal adalah untuk menambah teman, jangan singgung masalah bisnis (Build Trust) dulu. Buka percakapan dgn jangan banyak ngomong tapi lebih sering bertanya & mendengarkan “FORM” ( Family, Occupation, Recreation, & Message ) maksimal 5 menit!!2. Untuk masuk ke bisnis bisa dibuka dengan pertanyaan, misal:• Pengin tidak SMS ke Lintas Operator Mendapatkan diskon 20-90% selamanya? (untuk pengguna Ponsel)• Selain kuliah ada keinginan untuk hidup mandiri belum? (untuk pelajar)• Selain kerja ingin tidak nambah uang dapur? (untuk pekerja)• Tertarik ingin berwirausaha tidak? (untuk pengangguran)3. Kalau mereka menjawab tertarik, langsung lanjutkan ke langkah sukses mengundang. Kalau mereka menjawab tidak, jangan pernah ajak dia berbisnis. Jadikan teman saja. Suatu saat, ada masanya orang berubah atau sewaktu bertemu Anda & Anda sudah menyetir BMW pribadi Anda, dia pasti tertarik. Selalu semangat, itu kuncinya.Takutnya kalau mereka tidak suka, Anda paksa-paksa. Malah dia menghindar & menghabiskan waktu Anda saja. Paling parahnya membuat kita DOWN sendiri!! Terus solusinya apa??SOLUSINYA adalah PROSPECTING!!Jadi “WIN-WIN SOLUTION”, kalau tidak dapat prospek, minimal Anda dapat TEMAN BARU!!Kiat jago dalam prospecting adalah baca buku BERPIKIR & BERJIWA BESAR, SERING-SERINGLAH PROSPEKTING!!MINIMAL 1 PROSPEK / HARI!! 3. MengundangMengundang adalah membuat janji bertemu untuk mempresentasikan konsep bisnis DBS.Tujuan mengundang adalah fix waktu & tempat untuk presentasi. Mengundang bisa lewat telpon, sms, atau saat bertemu langsung, ketika mengundang lewat telpon tentukan dulu waktu kosong prospek.Prinsip mengundang :1. Pelajari apa kesukaan atau yang disukai oleh calon undangan (temukan Hot Button)Hal tersebut bisa diketahui dengan pertanyaan, misal:a. Pengin tidak SMS ke Lintas Operator Mendapatkan diskon 20-90% selamanya? (untuk pengguna Ponsel)b. Selain kuliah ada keinginan untuk hidup mandiri belum? (untuk pelajar)c. Selain kerja ingin tidak nambah uang dapur? (untuk pekerja)d. Tertarik ingin berwirausaha tidak? (untuk pengangguran)e. Dll.2. mengundang bukanlah menjelaskan karena hal tersebut akan dijelaskan secara terperinci dalam presentasi. Jangan ceritakan modal, hasil dan konsep bisnis Anda. Ceritakan sebatas profil perusahaan yang akan kita ajak kerjasama ( PT Duta-International, legal ada SIUP, NPWP, SK Mentri Hukum & HAM) , Produk (pulsa HP murah, transaksi simpel, cepat & 24 jam) , atau Fasilitas : SMS Murah Lintas Operator, Diskon pembelian motor (Honda, Suzuki & Yamaha) & Kartu Diskon di lebih dari 5000 merchant ternama.3. Buat prospek penasaran atas informasi yang akan Anda berikan artinya mengundang cukup singkat saja.Jangan sampai terpancing atas pertanyaan dari orang yang akan Anda undang. Setiap kali orang bertanya, jawab: saya belum tahu secara detailnya, untuk lebih jelasnya kita bertemu aja sama rekan / mentor saya (Leader).4. Minta komitmen untuk kehadirannya, misalnya sebelum acara presentasi di mulai, Anda harus konfirmasi terlebih dahulu. Takutnya kalau prospek ternyata tidak bisa. Padahal Leader sudah jauh-jauh datang.Contoh Topik mengundang adalah : Belajar cara berbisnis dengan pengusaha sukses (dengan Leader) Tawaran mendapatkan voucher potongan bahkan gratis uangmuka pembelian motor Yamaha, Suzuki & Honda Tawaran membuka agen pulsa HP Tawaran mendapatkan diskon di > 5000 merchant Tawaran kerjasama usaha Peluang untuk merubah nasib Mohon bantuan analisa bisnis baru / Bincang-bincang usaha Minta bantuan mengembangkan usaha Dan lain-lain, Untuk lebih jelasnya dengarkan kontak VCD tentang cara mengundang. Tiga langkah awal inilah ( IMPIAN & SIKAP, DAFTAR NAMA dan MENGUNDANG ) yang benar-benar harus Anda kuasai untuk tahap awal Anda bergabung di bisnis ini, dan bisa dipastikan Anda akan memiliki bisnis yang besar dalam waktu yang Anda targetkan. Saya akan mencontohkan beberapa cara mengundang yang menarik, bisa lewat telpon, sms, atau saat bertemu langsung.misalnya, “...eh kamu pengen langganan pulsa murah ga? bayangin beda harga nya terpaut jauh banget dua ribu sampai tiga ribu rupiah di bandingkan dengan yang ada di pasaran!!! trus kalo pengen dapat untung kamu bisa jual-jual lagi ke temen-temen kamu...” o iya trus gimana caranya? “nah...kalo itu temenku yang tahu, dia anak (misalnya itb, unpad, atau rekan kerja,dll), kebetulan besok siang (atau tentukan waktunya kapan) dia akan datang kesini, kamu ikut aja ok...” atau bisa saja langsung tawarkan jika dia memang suka jualan ,” kamu pengen jualan pulsa murah ga..beda harganya jauh banget dua ribu sampai tiga ribu rupiah dibandingkan dengan yang ada di pasaran” Untuk teman dekat: Jangan berbohong, tetap harus memberitahu kalau mau ada sharing sebuah usaha/kerjaan. Misal, katakan, Kita dan teman-teman bekerjasama membuka usaha mobile counter pulsa HP, dan rencananya akan dibuka cabang dilingkungan prospek (lawan bicara kita). penghasilan yang ditawarkan besar, waktu kerja singkat dan Fleksibel bahkan bisa Take Home lagi. Tapi yang dibutuhkan hanya beberapa orang. Karena kamu teman dekatku, maka kamu yang saya ajak. Daripada nanti posisinya diisi orang lain. Sayang banget. Tenang aja nanti kita kerjanya bareng-bareng, jadi bisa saling bantu. Atur waktu untuk ketemuan dengan Leader dan Edifikasi Leader.Kalau ditemani Leader: Bro, sudah tertarik pengin hidup mandiri belum? Atau punya penghasilan sendiri? Atau Bantu orangtua?(klo jawab sudah, lanjutkan) Besok jam…… ada acara ga?(klo jawab sdh ada acara, tembak alternative waktu yang lain, sampe ketemu waktu kosong.)(klo jawab tidak ada acara, lanjutkan) Wah, beruntung banget, aku punya temen walaupun masih mahasiswa sudah bisa hidup mandiri, bahkan memiliki penghasilan & usaha sendiri. Kebetulan banget besok beliau mau maen kekosku jam segitu. Aku pengin belajar dari BELIAU, bayangkan walaupun masih mahasiswa penghasilan sudah sendiri bahkan bisa ngirim duit buat ortu lagi (edifikasi habis-habisan Leader kita), pengin ga seperti itu?(klo jawab pengin) Ya udah klo gitu besok temenin aku yah buat belajar dari BELIAU. Orangnya Luarbiasa banget, sukses tapi ramah banget.(klo prospek nanya: “emang dia usahanya apa?” Belum tau yang penting besok kita belajar aja dari BELIAU, kapan lagi bisa belajar dari orang seperti BELIAU. Biar kita juga bisa menjadi Mahasiswa yang berpenghasilan juga seperti BELIAU. Asyikkhan.. Pastikan bahwa mengundang ini adalah sesuatu pekerjaan yang sangat menyenangkan buat Anda.Anda kerjakan sambil rileks tanpa rasa tegang sedikitpun dan buat bisnis Anda menjadi besar, sukses untuk Anda. 4. Presentasi & ClossingPresentasi adalah memberikan informasi tentang peluang bisnis DBS yang belum 100% prospek Anda mengerti sistemnya, secara singkat, padat, antusias/semangat, jujur dan prospek harus paham.Presentasi sama seperti ketika Anda diminta cerita sesuatu.Sewaktu presentasi disarankan memakai pakaian yang rapi dan bersih. Why? Karena orang melihat bisnis ini dari sikap & penampilan Anda sendiri. (Build Trust)Goals dari presentasi ada 3, yaitu:1. membuat prospek kita antusias untuk datang di acara BOS, 2. fix waktu&tempat untuk Follow Up selanjutnya, dianjurkan max 2x24jam, 3. Akan lebih baik lagi kalau setelah presentasi langsung diajak ke warnet untuk melihat bukti DMID para Leader yang sudah sukses di DBS. & Foto-foto para Leader di situs “www.DBS4future.com”Presentasi Anda dikatakan sukses apabila salah satu dari 3 goals tersebut tercapai, lebih diharapkan lagi 3 goals tersebut tercapai semua. Dan presentasi Anda bisa dikatakan gagal kalau tidak ada satupun yang tercapai dari 3 goal tersebut.Anda harus bisa presentasi, paling tidak bisa menjelaskan konsep bisnis secara one on one. Jangan terlalu menggantungkan kepada sponsor / Leader Anda, tetapi untuk tahap awal Anda boleh meminta bantuan Leader Anda untuk presentasi. Rahasia menjadi Presenter yang jago & handal adalah sering melakukan presentasiPengaruh dari jumlah presentasi ke bisnis kita adalah: Jika Anda presentasi 8x/bulan bisnis Anda akan bertahan. (income tetap) Jika Anda presentasi 15x/bulan, bisnis Anda akan berkembang.(income naik linier) Jika Anda presentasi 30x/bulan, no one can stop you! (income naik eksponensial)Macam presentasi dilaksanakan dalam bentuk : Prospek (one on one) Berkelompok (Home meeting) Presentasi akbar (Bussiness Opportunity Seminar)Nb. Jangan lakukan presentasi pada acara yang tidak efektif, semacam : perkuliahan, arisan, pameran, pengajian, rapat kantor, ulang tahun, dsb.Langkah-langkah presentasi:1. (2,5 menit) berkenalan, basa-basi singkat (FORM) & build trust (cth. Terbaik : Bilang kita menjalankan bisnis ini untuk membantu orang tua / keluarga)2. (2,5 menit) cari hot button (apa yang dia inginkan) dengan cara, bertanya & mendengarkan, contoh apakah Anda pengin punya penghasilan tambahan / hidup mandiri / membantu orangtua / membantu finansial keluarga? dll. Kalau sudah ketemu, jawab: bagus Anda bisa mendapatkannya disini.3. (10 menit) presentasikan profil perusahaan, produk, fasilitas yang didapat kalau bergabung, komisi cukup 3 komisi saja yang diceritakan: “komisi sponsor, pasangan & titik”, lalu prediksi terburuk 1tahun menjalankan bisnis ini. Setiap selesai menjelaskan 1 komisi, jelaskan hitung-hitungan bahwa perusahaan untung besar. Kalau tidak pakai hitung-hitungan prospek rata-rata malah takut & tidak percaya sehingga tidak akan bergabung.4. Setiap selesai 1 sesi dalam presentasi, selalu ucapkan: “untuk lebih jelasnya datang ke acara BOS, bukti-bukti REALnya ada disana” & selalu panas-panasi hot-button prospek.5. Edifikasi selalu Leader Anda & BOS (Business Opportunity Seminar) 5. Follow Up (Tindak Lanjut)Follow up adalah menindak lanjuti calon mitra Anda yang sudah dipresentasi.Tujuan Follow up adalah untuk mengetahui seberapa besar minat calon mitra Anda sekaligus mengajarkan sistem kepada prospek atau Partner bisnis Anda. Dapatkan kepastian prospek kita untuk bergabung atau tidak, ketika Follow up.Follow up yang benar adalah : Anda bertanya atas keberatan atau ketidaktahuan calon mitra Anda, atasi segala keberatannya, yakinkan tentang prospek bisnis Anda ke depannya & jangan pernah berdebat!!Follow up yang terbaik adalah ajak ke BOS!!Langkah tindak lanjut / follow up :1. Presentasi ulang secara singkat calon mitra Anda memakai brosur untuk penyegaran ingatan2. Buka pola pikirnya dan paradigmanya. (paradigma umum vs paradigma sukses)3. Tanyakan apa yang menarik dari bisnis ini. Bukan bisnis ini menarik/tidak. Lalu kompor2in.4. Gali impiannya. Dengan cara tanyakan dari prediksi terburuk saja 1 tahun bisa mendapatkan penghasilan 45juta. Jika 1 tahun kemudian Anda mendapat penghasilan tersebut. Apa yang akan Anda lakukan? Hidup Anda bakalan berubah tidak? Edifikasi Leader-Leader yang sukses! (kami sarankan dilakukan diwarnet, sembari membuka login para Leader & Lihat foto-foto para Leader di www.DBS4future.com. karena orang akan lebih yakin kalau melihat sendiri daripada sekedar diceritakan oleh orang lain.)bpk Randu DBS23944 Password: suksesbpk Andika DBS24963 Password: jinggabpk Satriyo DBS24416 Password: ilikeblue5. Atasi keberatannya dengan jangan pernah berdebat. Ungkapkan pengalaman pribadi Anda. Dengan mengungkapkan pengalaman pribadi kita, maka akan terbentuk suatu kesamaan nasib / pengalaman yang akan membuat prospek Anda menjadi senasib & sepenanggungan sehingga akan tercipta rasa aman dihati prospek. Contoh : Dulu saya juga tidak punya uang, untuk bergabung saja, hutang. tapi setelah ikut bisnis ini bukan saja saya akan punya uang, tapi pulsa HP saya akan selalu penuh sehingga saya bebas telpon kemana-mana. (edifikasi Leader-Leader yang sukses) Dulu saya juga sibuk, tapi saya tidak mau sibuk selamanya, saya pengin seperti pak Febrian & pak Randu. Pasif income ± 1juta/per hari. BE RICH and GO FREEDOM!! Dulu saya mengajak orang bahkan jauh lebih susah, karena belum ada bukti orang yang sukses. Tapi sekarang sudah banyak (edifikasi Leader-Leader yang sukses). Enakkan?!^-^ Dulu saya juga tidak punya waktu untuk bepergian dengan keluarga karena masalah keuangan yang kurang terus, dan waktu habis tapi sekarang saya Alhamdulillah sudah mulai merasakan lumayan sedikit-demi sedikit, Karena bisnis ini memang perlu proses. Bagi saya penghasilan saya itu tidak masalah, yang saya pikirkan adalah kalau Anda bergabung di grup saya, maka Andalah yang berpenghasilan, itulah yang terpenting bagi saya.6. Isi formulir pendaftaran.7. Ajarkan sistem (7 langkah sukses)! Ajarkan saat itu juga untuk membuat daftar nama dan teknik mengundang yang benar.8. Rencanakan juga dengan mitra Anda untuk mengatur jadwal presentasi / pertemuan.Untuk lebih jelasnya dengarkan kontak VCD tentang follow up.Yang paling penting setelah Anda melakukan follow up selain clossing adalah Fix’kan waktu dan tempat untuk presentasi teman-teman prospek Anda, jadi lingkaran kerja kita adalah “presentasi untuk mencari follow up dan follow up untuk mencari presentasi”. 6. Good Team Player (Konsultasi & Edifikasi but No Crosslining)!Good Team Player mengandung Tiga prinsip dasar dalam building a network yang dapat membuat bisnis Anda besar atau bahkan membuat bisnis Anda hancur berkeping-keping.Tiga prinsip dasar Good Team Player:KonsultasiKonsultasikan selalu perkembangan bisnis Anda kepada sponsor / Leader Anda setiap minggu, supaya Anda mendapat bimbingan dari mereka dan dibantu untuk menyelesaikan masalah-masalah yang terjadi sehingga bisnis Anda akan tetap berkembang. Karena merekalah yang peduli akan kesuksesan Anda.EdifikasiEdifikasi = Membangun / memberi kekuatan / mempromosikan / memuji / menghormati sesuatu.Edifikasi merupakan prinsip dasar & kunci vital Anda bekerja sebagai pembangun jaringan (Network Builder).Edifikasikan selalu sponsor / LeaderAnda, perusahaan Anda, partner bisnis Anda, cross line Anda, buku-buku positif dan juga semua pertemuan DBS!! Contoh edifikasi : sebelum Anda meminta bantuan presentasi kepada Leader Anda, ceritakan terlebih dahulu mengenai kelebihan-kelebihan Leader Anda tersebut (edifikasi), misalnya Anda boleh bicara pada prospek Anda, temen saya yang akan mengajarkan kita bisnis nanti adalah orang hebat, beliau walaupun masih mahasiswa tetapi sudah menjadi pengusaha, yang bisa membiayai dirinya sendiri bahkan sudah bisa ngasih ke orang tuanya, karena beliau lebih berpengalaman dalam bisnis ini maka suatu kehormatan bagi kita semua karena beliau mau meluangkan waktunya untuk menjelaskan bisnis yang sangat luar biasa ini kepada kita. Intinya Anda mempromosikan Leader Anda.Hal ini bertujuan agar prospek Anda mau mendengarkan, respek atau menanggapi apa yang disampaikan oleh Leader Anda karena pada umumnya 95% orang bergabung di bisnis ini ketika sudah paham. Dan kemungkinan mereka pasti paham karena mereka mau mendengarkan Leader kita yang sudah kita edifikasi. Ciri sukses bahwa edifikasi sudah berjalan dengan baik adalah presenter merasa nyaman ketika mempresentasikan bisnis ini.Jangan pernah mengedifikasi diri sendiri, karena akan terkesan Anda sombong. Semua orang tidak suka orang sombong. Mintalah partner bisnis Anda untuk edifikasi Anda. kalau terpaksa tidak ada yang mengedifikasi Anda, edifikasilah para Leader. Anda boleh menceritakan hasil yang Anda peroleh di bisnis ini, hanya jika ditanya oleh prospek Anda. itupun juga singkat saja.Kemudian satu hal yang tidak boleh terlupakan, misalkan ketika Anda diedifikasi oleh partner bisnis Anda, Anda harus edifikasi balik partner bisnis Anda tersebut. kalau tidak, semua partner bisnis Anda kalau minta bantuan ke Anda terus. Anda akan sibuk sendiri & duplikasi tidak akan berjalan lancar karena semua jaringan Anda bertumpu pada Anda, padahal Anda memiliki waktu & tenaga yang terbatas. hal ini bertujuan agar partner bisnis Anda meminta bantuan tidak hanya ke Anda, sehingga duplikasi akan berjalan.No CrossliningTidak berbicara tentang bisnis apalagi kekurangan Anda di bisnis ini kepada orang yang bukan di jaringan Anda (kolega bisnis) tetapi bicarakanlah kepada Leader Anda. Jika mental Anda sedang down, jangan curhat kepada partner bisnis Anda, tapi selalu konsultasikan ke Leader/konsultan bisnis Anda, Sebaliknya apabila mental Anda sedang berada di atas, segeralah memberi semangat kepada para partner bisnis Anda. Diskusikan mengenai kendala-kendala yang terjadi di lapangan dan cara mengatasinya hanya kepada Leader Anda.Untuk lebih jelasnya dengarkan kontak VCD mengenai “Tiga Prinsip Dasar” 7. Pengembangan Pribadi (Memanfaatkan Alat Bantu)Alat bantu yang harus Anda gunakan adalah Support Sistem kita, (Leader, buku, kontak cd & pertemuan).Kembangkan potensi Anda sebagai seorang pemimpin (leader), dengan bakat dan segala potensi yang Anda miliki.Langkah dasar menjadi seorang leader : Selalu berdoa kepada Tuhan Yang Maha Esa, agar Anda diberi kemudahan dalam menjalani bisnis ini. Lakukan minimal 3 x presentasi setiap minggu secara kontinyu & lakukan follow up dengan benar. Membaca buku minimal 15 menit per hari dari buku-buku yang direkomendasikan.1. Berpikir & Berjiwa Besar, David J.Swartz2. Cashflow Quadrant, Robert T. Kiyosaki3. Business School, Robert T. Kiyosaki4. Skill With People, Les Giblin Hadir & Promosikan setiap pertemuan yang diadakan oleh DBS (BOS, LeaderMeeting, & NDT) Selalu berpikir positif, bekerja kelompok (team work), edifikasi orang-orang disekeliling Anda. Tindakan / kerja Anda berbicara lebih keras daripada kata-kata Anda. Mempunyai hati yang bersih, tidak iri / dengki atas kesuksesan orang lain.Sudah kita ketahui DBS adalah salah satu shortcut untuk sukses & kaya raya. Walaupun ini shortcut jangan kita cut-cut lagi langkah-langkah untuk SUKSES tersebut! Lakukanlah semua langkah dari 7 Langkah Sukses! Leader-Leader DBS sudah membuktikan. Asalkan kita KOMITMEN minimal 1tahun, Insya4JJI Kesuksesan sudah ada di tangan kita. Komitmen kita terlihat dari apakah kita pernah bolos BOS!! Jangan pernah alasan!! Komitmen, selalu hadir dalam acara BOS selama 1 tahun!!OK, Sukses selalu saudara-saudaraku! Be Rich and Go Freedom!!! Catatan penting untuk presenter / trainer :1. Pelajari dengan baik materi pembicaraan Anda, karena apa yang Anda katakan akan diikuti oleh banyak orang.2. Pilih gaya bahasa yang paling mudah dipahami dan sistematis sehingga mudah untuk dipelajari & diduplikasi.3. Gunakan ilustrasi berupa cerita-cerita yang mendukung & menjelaskan maksud Anda.4. Uraian diatas hanyalah panduan. Akan lebih baik jika dalam penyampaian Anda menggunakan potensi dan gaya Anda sendiri dengan kerangka materi diatas.5. Selalu akhiri segala pembicaraan atau forum dengan kata motivasi.MENGATASI KENDALApada kenyataannya di lapangan, proses dalam bisnis Anda tidak semulus yang Anda harapkan. Hal ini disebabkan adanya keraguan sebagian orang tentang bisnis pemasaran jaringan (Network Marketing). Beberapa orang gagal dalam bisnis pemasaran jaringan, mereka menyalahkan sistem, perusahaan, Leader, dsb. Padahal kenyataannya, mereka tidak memilih dan menjalankan bisnis mereka dengan cara yang benar.CONTOH PERTANYAAN / KERAGUAN YG BIASANYA DIKEMUKAKAN PROSPEK ANDA: Saya belum punya uang !Jawab : Dulu saya juga tidak punya uang, untuk bergabung saja hutang. tapi setelah ikut bisnis ini bukan saja saya akan punya uang, tapi pulsa HP saya akan selalu penuh sehingga saya bebas telp kemana-mana. (edifikasi Leader- Leader yang sukses) Jika perusahaan bangkrut siapa yang bertanggung jawab ?Jawab : Perusahaan DBS punya keuntungan & tidak akan pernah rugi (tunjukkan beberapa keuntungan dari DBS & Progresif Index DBS) Perusahaan mempunyai badan hukum yang legal. Bakat orang berbeda-beda, saya tidak mempunyai bakat menjadi sales.Jawab : Tidak perlu bakat khusus karena kerjanya hanya mengundang, tidak menjual apapun & tidak menjadi sales. Nanti setelah datang di tempat, ada presenternya sendiri, follow up & closing bersama-sama. Di bisnis ini kita bukan sebagai sales, melainkan hanya sebagai bintang iklan, kita akan menjadi bintang iklan yang dibayar berkelanjutan. Takut tidak bisa bantu orang yang dibawah untuk memperoleh penghasilan.Jawab : Partner bisnis Anda nanti sangat tergantung dari mereka sendiri. Mereka mau mengundang atau tidak artinya mereka mau bekerjasama dengan group atau tidak. Group akan bantu satu sisi, tidak keduanya. Semua bisnis tentunya mengandung resiko, kalau tidak mau resiko ya tidak usah bisnis, tapi tentunya uangnya tidak akan pernah bertambah. Tidak bisa buat jaringan !Jawab : Buat jaringan tidaklah sendirian, melainkan bersama-sama, yang baru bergabung tugasnya mengundang, Leaderpresentasi kemudian follow up & closing bersama-sama. Tidak ada waktu / sibuk !Jawab : Mau sibuk seterusnya ? Kita pasti bisa menyisihkan waktu beberapa jam seminggu untuk bisa menggapai apa yang kita impi-impikan selama ini. Karena setiap orang diberikan waktu yang sama oleh Tuhan yaitu 24 jam sehari, mau digunakan untuk hal yang bermanfaat untuk masa depan kita atau tidak itu terserah kita. Belum berminat, masih pikir-pikir dulu atau akan dipelajari dulu !Jawab : Orang ini tandanya belum yakin dan harus diupayakan untuk mengetahui keraguannya / keberatannya. Tanyakan ke dia: “masih mikir-mikir gimana?” Kejar terus setiap jawabannya sampai dia tidak lagi menemukan alasan untuk tidak menjalankan ini atau sampai alasannya bisa dimengerti (teknik mengupas bawang). Perlu motifasi lagi : orang lain sudah melangkah jauh ke depan sedangkan Anda tidak akan kemana-mana karena masih pikir-pikir terus.. Bisnis jaringan memiliki bad image !Jawab : Dapat dijelaskan bahwa bisnis jaringan itu banyak jenisnya. Sebaiknya didengarkan dulu tentang apa bad imagenya. Baru dijelaskan kondisi yang sebenarnya. Paling paling yang dimaksud adalah money game (spt : Pomas & bisnis investasi lainnya) atau MLM ( kita bukan MLM, karena kita tidak ada Level / peringkat, tanpa tutup point, tanpa kejar target. Biasanya di MLM, omzet akan hangus kalau peringkat disalip partner bisnis, tidak tutup poin & tidak tercapai kejar target. Sehingga sangat memberatkan member, juga produk rata-rata mahal & tidak terlalu dibutuhkan). Uangnya mau saya pakai untuk modal usaha !Jawab : Saat ini uang Rp.200.000 itu mau dipakai untuk bisnis apa ? Hanya sistem DBS yang bisa memberikan peluang untuk mendapatkan hasil yang besar dari modal yang kecil. HOME MEETINGPENGERTIANWadah untuk melaksanakan kegiatan presentasi bisnis DBS di rumah atau tempat pertemuan. Ibaratnya seperti warung / outlet atau tempat usaha kita. Home meeting sebaiknya juga merupakan sebuah DBS-Node / dealer e-card.TujuanDuplikasi massal customer atau Grup & mendapatkan jaringan dalam jumlah yang banyak.PembentukSeluruh grup DBS-Team yang sudah mempunyai Hak Usaha di DBS. Diharapkan sudah bisa presentasi, kalau belum bisa harus mau belajar & bekerja sama dengan orang lain.Tempat Di rumah orang yang sudah mempunyai Hak Usaha DBS. Letak rumahnya sebaiknya di sentral dari anggota group sehingga dapat dijangkau dengan mudah. Alamat rumahnya mudah dicari. Mempunyai ruangan yang cukup luas menampung minimal 10 orang dan tidak mengganggu aktifitas lainnya. Ruangan tersebut tidak pengap. Menggunakan tempat duduk, kursi atau lesehan (karpet / tikar)JADWAL Harus rutin, minimal 1 x tiap minggu. Harus tepat waktu sehingga tidak merepotkan pemilik rumah. Sebaiknya memanfaatkan hari dimana Anda dan rekan-rekan Anda tidak sibuk.5 KUNCI SUKSES HOME MEETING1. Sekali Home Meeting dibentuk jangan sampai pernah ditutup / dibubarkan.2. Usahakan yang punya komitmen dijadikan terlebih dulu terutama yang menyediakn tempat Home Meeting.3. Kalau sudah disatu tempat ada home meeting maka buat lagi home meeting lainnya, tetapi home meeting yang lama jangan pernah ditinggalkan.4. Jangan pernah membicarakan hal-hal yang negatif kepada partner bisnis (Positif down – Negatif Up)5. Usahakan untuk tidak pernah absen / tidak hadir karena berguna untuk motivasi pribadi maupun pengembangan ketrampilan / skill.PENUTUP Baca buku ini berulang-ulang & DUPLIKASIKAN ke jaringan Anda. Buku Ini Bukan Untuk Dibaca Saja, Anda Tidak Akan Pernah Mengetahui Jika Apa Yang Anda Baca Ini Tidak Anda Lakukan. Ingatlah Support Sytem Hanya Menunjang Anda Dalam Meraih Impian Anda.Kesuksesan 100% Ada Ditangan Anda, Siapkah Anda Meraih Apa Yang Anda Impikan ? Atau Anda Sudah Puas Dengan Apa Yang Anda Nikmati Sekarang ? Diatas Segala-galanya Kesuksesan Orang Hanya Dibedakan Seberapa Kuat Impian Orang Tersebut & Seberapa Keras Kerjanya Untuk Mewujudkan Impiannya. Jika Anda mengalami kegagalan ingatlah: “Seorang pemenang bukanlah seseorang yang selalu menang dalam setiap pertarungan, seorang pemenang adalah seseorang yang selalu bisa BANGKIT setiap kali ia mengalami kegagalan” Kesuksesan itu bukan hanya dimiliki pak Randu & pak Andika. Kesuksesan adalah milik semua orang yang PERCAYA & MEMPERJUANGKANNYA!!Nb: Kunci sukses pak Randu & pak Andika adalah mereka selalu hadir dalam setiap BOS, Leadermeeting, & NDT. Karena dalam semua acara tersebut akan terjadi DUPLIKASI MASSAL!! Jadi sangat efektif dalam 1 waktu & ruang ada duplikasi ke ratusan orang. Bandingkan kalau kita muter-muter ke satu-satu partner bisnis kita. Bayangkan efektif tidak? Dan butuh waktu berapa lama untuk sukses?Pernah tidak sejak pertama kali mereka bergabung di DBS mereka tidak hadir dalam salahsatu acara tersebut?SELAMAT KARENA ANDA TELAH BERGABUNG DI BISNIS INI & SUKSES SELALU!!!GO TIME FREEDOM AND FINANCIAL FREEDOM!!!Lampiran 1Kenapa Bisnis Pemasaran Jaringan Lebih Unggul? “KEUNGGULAN BESAR bisnis pemasaran jaringan adalah Anda tetap bisa bekerja dan sekaligus membangun bisnis sendiri secara paruh waktu. Investasi dan resikonya juga jauh lebih KECIL serta tersedia pendidikan dan dukungan yang membimbing Anda meraih kesuksesan. Selain itu, sistem pemasaran jaringan adalah PIRAMIDA TERBALIK sehingga puncak sistemnya terbuka bagi siapa saja. Tidak seperti sistem korporat tradisional yang berbentuk piramida, yang hanya mengijinkan satu orang mencapai puncak perusahaan.” (Robert T. Kiyosaki, “Rich Dad's The Business School For People Who Like Helping People”)Bisnis network marketing atau pemasaran jaringan ternyata memiliki BANYAK keunggulan besar. Bahkan penulis buku terkenal “Rich Dad Poor Dad”, Robert T. Kiyosaki, meruntuhkan prasangka banyak orang selama ini yang menganggap bisnis pemasaran adalah bisnis bersistem piramida yang hanya menguntungkan orang yang berada di puncak bisnis tersebut.Dalam bukunya, “Rich Dad's The Business School For People Who Like Helping People” Kiyosaki justru menyatakan sistem pemasaran jaringan adalah piramida terbalik. Artinya, fokus utama bisnis ini adalah membawa makin banyak orang di kuadran business owner menuju puncak atau dengan kata lain puncak sistem terbuka bagi siapa saja. Sebaliknya, sistem korporat tradisional yang selama ini kita kenal, justru adalah perusahaan dengan sistem piramida. Dalam bisnis tradisional ini, fokusnya adalah memiliki para karyawan (employee) dan orang yang bekerja sendiri (self-employee) untuk bekerja pada mereka. Dan sistem ini hanya mengijinkan satu orang saja mencapai puncak perusahaan. Sedangkan pada sistem pemasaran jaringan, yang menjadi salah satu kelebihannya adalah Andalah yang akan menciptakan aset. Yaitu, para pemilik bisnis itu sendiri (business owner). Yang lain bekerja di bawah Anda dan tugas mereka kemudian adalah menciptakan para business owner lainnya bekerja di bawah mereka. Karena itu, Kiyosaki menganjurkan kepada semua karyawannya untuk mempertimbangkan pemasaran jaringan sebagai bisnis paruh waktu mereka, sementara mereka juga bekerja pada bisnisnya secara purnawaktu.Hal ini berarti bisnis pemasaran jaringan mengijinkan setiap orang yang terlibat di dalamnya berada di dalam kuadran B (business owner), sekaligus juga berada di kuadran E (employee). Kuadran B ini sering disebut-sebut Kiyosaki di seri buku-bukunya terdahulu sebagai kuadran yang bisa membawa orang menjadi ultrakaya. Untuk menjadi orang yang ultrakaya, menurut Kiyosaki, seseorang harus terlebih dahulu berada di kuadran B (business owner) dan I (investor). Namun biasanya hanya orang-orang kaya sajalah yang bisa berada di kuadran I. Karena untuk memperoleh investasi terbaik dibutuhkan uang yang sangat banyak. Sedangkan untuk berada di kuadran B, seseorang harus memiliki modal yang besar, dasar karakter dan kecerdasan emosional yang sangat bagus. Artinya jika seseorang ingin berpindah dari kuadran E menuju kuadran B, maka dia membutuhkan perubahan secara mental, emosional, fisik dan spiritual. Karena itulah, Kiyosaki menyatakan mengapa rancangan pendidikan sebuah perusahaan pemasaran jaringan lebih penting dibandingkan produk dan rancangan kompensasinya.Berdasarkan pengalaman dan pengamatan Kiyosaki terhadap pebisnis-pebisnis sukses, faktor karakter dan kecerdasan emosional adalah faktor utama kesuksesan mereka. Begitu mereka memiliki karakter sebagai orang sukses, maka kesuksesan bisnis datang dengan sendirinya. Karena itulah, Kiyosaki menyarankan orang untuk memasuki bisnis pemasaran jaringan yang menyediakan pendidikan yang bagus untuk mengembangkan kecerdasan emosional, sekaligus keahlian bisnis Anda. Di samping itu, bisnis jaringan juga mendidik orang yang bergabung dengan mereka untuk menjadi pemimpin. Nilai kepemimpinan inilah yang dinilai Kiyosaki begitu sangat berharga dalam menjalankan sebuah bisnis. Namun selain itu juga, Anda akan didampingi mentor yang akan selalu membimbing Anda, sehingga Anda tidak akan pernah merasa sendirian dalam menjalankan bisnis ini.Berubahnya Aturan DuniaSelain kelebihan pendidikan pembangunan karakter dan kecerdasan emosional, kelebihan lainnya dari bisnis pemasaran jaringan ini adalah investasi dan resikonya LEBIH KECIL dibandingkan bisnis tradisional. Karena, seperti Kiyosaki saja harus menghadapi kegagalan dua kali dan kerugian ratusan ribu dollar sebelum memperoleh kesuksesan seperti sekarang.Namun, Kiyosaki mengingatkan untuk BERHASIL di bisnis pemasaran jaringan ini, sebaiknya motivasi utama bergabung dengan bisnis ini adalah untuk membantu diri sendiri sebagai ALASAN PERTAMA dan membantu orang lain sebagai ALASAN KEDUA. Karena menurut Kiyosaki, kebanyakan orang bergabung hanya untuk mencari uang. Dan kalau mereka tidak mendapat uang dalam beberapa bulan atau tahun pertama, mereka menjadi patah semangat, berhenti dan sering kali menyebarkan kejelekan tentang industri pemasaran jaringan. Kiyosaki juga menambahkan.. "keunggulan bisnis ini tidak diukur dengan seberapa banyak uang Anda peroleh, tetapi berapa banyak orang yang Anda bantu dan berapa banyak hidup orang yang Anda ubah. Karena memang ironinya, semakin banyak orang yang Anda bantu mengubah hidupnya, Anda semakin kaya."Salah satu teori yang mendukung keunggulan bisnis pemasaran jaringan ini adalah HUKUM METCALF yang diciptakan oleh Robert Metcalf, pencipta ethernet (sebuah sistem dalam jaringan komputer). Hukum ini berbunyi:Nilai ekonomis sebuah jaringan = Jumlah Pengguna²Dalam sebuah perumpamaan yang sederhana, jika di dunia ini terdapat hanya satu buah telepon maka tidak ada nilai ekonomis pada telepon tersebut. Namun jika ada 2 telepon, menurut Hukum Metcalf nilai ekonomisnya menjadi pangkat 2. Dan bila ada telepon ketiga, maka nilai ekonomis jaringan itu sekarang 9. Artinya, nilai ekonomis sebuah jaringan naik menurut DERET UKUR, bukan deret hitung. Dan inilah yang menjadi kekuatan dan nilai bisnis jaringan.Namun, dari semua keunggulan tersebut, yang paling mengejutkan adalah prediksi diungkapkan oleh Kiyosaki dalam bukunya “Rich Dad's The Business School For People Who Like Helping People”. Kiyosaki memprediksikan kemungkinan kuat pasar saham Amerika Serikat akan kolaps, kalau tidak terjadi lebih cepat. Tahun 2010 merupakan tolok ukur, karena di tahun tersebut para generasi baby boomers akan mulai pensiun di Amerika. Ketika itu terjadi, kemungkinannya adalah pasar saham akan mulai mengempis. Mengapa pasar saham akan mengalami pengempisan? Ledakan pasar saham sejak tahun 1990 hingga 2010 digerakan para boomers yang membelanjakan uang mereka selama masa penghasilan puncak dan menaruh uang dalam pasar saham untuk pensiun. Pada tahun 2010, peningkatan pesat itu kemungkinan akan berhenti. Ini artinya, para boomers tersebut akan kehilangan mimpi mereka terjamin secara finansial selama pensiun. Sementara itu juga, dibutuhkan waktu sekitar 25 tahun untuk memulihkan pasar saham. Kejatuhan ini pun akan segera membawa efek snow balls berupa kebangkrutan sehingga makin banyak orang takut diberhentikan dari pekerjaan mereka. Pada saat itulah, makin banyak orang yang sadar bahwa Era Industri telah BERLALU dan aturan dunia sudah BERUBAH untuk selama-lamanya. Pada Era Industri, aturannya dalah Anda bekerja keras dan PERUSAHAAN serta pemerintah yang akan mengurus Anda. Sedangkan pada Era Informasi, aturannya adalah Anda akan mendapatkan yang terbaik dengan mengurus diri sendiri. Maka mereka pun mencari peluang jaminan finansial pada bisnis jaringan.Menurut Kiyosaki, sepanjang sejarah, kebangkrutan mengikuti semua peningkatan secara pesat. Hal ini bisa menjadi berita baik bagi sebagian orang sekaligus berita buruk bagi sebagian orang lainnya. Namun, bagi bisnis pemasaran jaringan, dunia adalah wilayah kita. Jika kita memiliki bisnis pemasaran jaringan internasional, kebangkrutan bisa menjadi berita baik sebagaimana halnya dengan peningkatan pesat ekonomi. Itulah beberapa alasan, mengapa Kiyosaki melihat MASA DEPAN industri pemasaran jaringan semakin cerah.Kesimpulan: Mengapa bisnis pemasaran jaringan lebih unggul?• Sistem bisnis pemasaran jaringan adalah PIRAMIDA TERBALIK, yang puncaknya terbuka bagi siapa saja. • Bisnis pemasaran jaringan membuat orang berada pada kuadran B (business owner) -kuadran tempat orang-orang ultrakaya- sekaligus juga berada pada kuadran E (employee). • Rancangan pendidikan pada bisnis pemasaran jaringan bagus untuk membangun karakter dan kecerdasan emosional seseorang, sekaligus juga keahlian bisnis mereka. • Bisnis pemasaran jaringan mendidik orang yang bergabung di dalamnya menjadi seorang pemimpin. • Anda didampingi mentor yang akan selalu membimbing Anda, sehingga Anda tidak akan pernah merasa sendirian dalam menjalankan bisnis ini. • Investasi dan resiko bisnis pemasaran jaringan LEBIH KECIL dibandingkan membangun bisnis korporat tradisional. • Semakin Anda membantu diri sendiri dan membantu orang lain dalam bisnis pemasaran jaringan, maka Anda akan semakin bertambah kaya. • Kekuatan dan nilai bisnis jaringan selaras dengan DERET UKUR dan hukum Metcalf : Nilai ekonomis sebuah jaringan = Jumlah Pengguna². • Era Industri sudah berlalu dan aturan dunia sudah berubah. Di Era Informasi ini, bagi bisnis pemasaran jaringan internasional, kebangkrutan bisa menjadi berita baik sebagaimana halnya peningkatan pesat ekonomi. Lampiran 2PRODUK DUTA INTERNATIONALProduk DUTA INTERNATIONAL bukan sekedar pulsa elektrik, namun lebih jauh yaituTEKNOLOGI KEAGENAN PULSA BERBASISKAN E-COMMERCE.Sehingga menempatkan DUTA INTERNATIONAL sebagai satu-satunya Provider Keagenan Pulsa 1-Chip-All-Opperator dengan potensi Passive Income mencapai RATUSAN JUTA bahkan MILYARAN RUPIAH per bulan.Kelebihan:• Harga rata - rata TERMURAH NASIONAL,• Bisa digunakan diseluruh wilayah di Indonesia, karena mempunyai jaringan Host-to-Host Nasional. (Jaringan Server TERBESAR Di Indonesia)• Satu Chip ( simcard ) bisa mengisikan pulsa semua operator (Multi Voucher),• Bisa menggunakan semua jenis simcard GSM, pra-bayar maupun pasca-bayar.(CDMA tidak dapat digunakan), • Disarankan menggunakan XL jempol, XL Bebas Isi paket Xtra, AS, IM3 atau Three.• Modal sangat kecil, hanya Rp.200.000,- untuk satu HAK USAHA berlaku SELAMANYA.• Transaksi 24 jam nonstop, 7 hari dalam seminggu.• Agen bebas menentukan harga jual pulsa,• Gratis biaya reply sms untuk transaksi pengisian pulsa dan cek saldo.• Bisa mereferensikan keagenan, mempunyai downline tanpa batas. Artinya komisi royalty yang akan Anda dapatkan memiliki potensi TANPA BATAS!! TATA CARA KEAGENAN DBSFORMAT TRANSAKSI: Pengisian Pulsa: (semua trx gunakan titik tanpa spasi) Format: I.KodeVoucher.NoHP.Pin Contoh: I.D20.081321161616.8888 I.M10.081572333333.8888Cek Saldo: Format: S.Pin => Contoh: S.8888Cek Harga: H.KodeProduk.Pin Contoh: H.S.8888 KodeProduk harus huruf BESAR (Biaya Reply Cek Harga Rp.100,-/SMS)INGAT!! PIN STANDAR: 8888Ganti Pin: G.PinLama.PinBaru Contoh: G.8888.1234 (Biaya Reply Ganti Pin Rp.100,-/SMS)Transfer Deposit Antar Agen: Format: T.NominalTransfer.NoHp.PIN Contoh: T.300000.08170449408.8888 (Biaya Reply Rp.100,-/SMS)SMS CENTER (sms only): (24 jam)XL : 0818 0212 1919 ; 0817 211 888THREE : 08 996 81 82 83Telkomsel : 085 2220 11111Indosat : 0856 2413 0000CALL CENTER (call only): (jam 08.00 s/d 22.00)022-70360909022-9155990008888 200 330SMS KOMPLAIN: (dari jam 08.00 s/d 22.00)0818 0222 7117085 221 090990 Fitur-fitur Transaksi:* Transaksi ONLINE 24 Jam (ada report)* Tarif SMS u/ transaksi: a. XL Bebas diisi Paket Extra (Bebas Pulsa / gratis) b. XL Jempol (Rp.99,-/SMS) c. Kartu AS (Rp.99,-/SMS) d. IM3 (Rp.100,-/SMS) e. Three (Bebas Pulsa / gratis) f. Operator lain (Rp.250-350,-/SMS)Deposit Pulsa: Rek DBS a/n Dani PurnamaBca : 7770800000Mandiri : 1300004732684bni : 0118406475Pastikan Anda selalu menyertakan 3 digit terakhir no dma Anda pada nominal transfer Anda. Misal: Pak Randu (DBS23944) ingin deposit Rp.300.000,-. Maka Beliau harus transfer Rp.300.944,- ke salah satu rek bank DBS tersebut diatas. Setelah transfer, langsung konfirmasi via telfon ke Call Centre Atau sms ke No SMS Komplain:Format: dep.noHpMember.ID_Member.Bank.Nominal transfer.NamaContoh:dep.08170449408.DBS23944.BCA.Rp300944.Randu Sekti W(kirim ke no sms komplain)Ketentuan Tambahan1.GANTI HP AGEN:Bisa telfon ke Call Centre DBSVia sms ke sms komplain: FORMAT: GANTI HP.No HP Lama.No HP Baru.PIN Contoh: GANTI HP.081802506508.08170449408.88882. Komplain Trx Gagal / Pulsa belum masuk:Laporkan via telfon ke Call Centre DBSSMS ke No. SMS KOMPLAIN: FORMAT: C.Laporan TRX sukses.Isi komplainKode Voucher & Harga Voucher DBS dapat Anda lihat di www.duta4future.com FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)1. Kemanakah komisi pulsa dari komisi pasangan saya dikirim?Secara otomatis komisi pulsa Anda akan dikirim ke deposit pulsa Keagenan DBS Anda.2. Berapakah no pin keagenan saya?No pin keagenan DBS Anda adalah 8888, Anda dapat merubah no pin keagenan DBS Anda dengan cara sms ke sms centre, trx ganti pin. Apabila Anda lupa dengan no keagenan DBS, Anda dapat menanyakan ke Call Centre DBS.3. Apakah saya harus mendaftar lagi setelah mendaftar di Internet?Tidak, Keagenan DBS Anda akan terdaftar secara otomatis setelah Anda mendaftar / registrasi via website. 4. Apakah saya harus mendaftar ke Keagenan DBS sejumlah Hak Usaha saya?Tidak, Anda cukup mendaftarkan 1 no hp Anda di HU pertama Anda. Komisi pulsa Anda di HU Anda yang lain akan ditransfer ke HU pertama Anda.5. Apa keuntungan menjadi Member Keagenan Pulsa DBS?Banyak keuntungan yang anda dapatkan setelah menjadi member DBS diantaranya:• Anda bisa membeli pulsa dengan harga rata - rata paling murah dipasaran, hemat dipakai sendiri.• Anda juga bisa menjual lagi dengan harga jual bebas yang bisa Anda tentukan sendiri.(Anda akan mendapat keuntungan langsung dari penjualan pulsa dengan menaikkan harga dasar DBS / selisih harga kami dengan harga pasar )• Bisa me-Referensikan Keagenan DBS ke rekan-rekan & saudara Anda. Selain Anda akan mendapatkan komisi CRP, Anda juga akan mendapatkan ROYALTY PULSA senilai Rp.50,- dari setiap transaksi Downline Anda, kapanpun, dimanapun, nominal berapapun & sampai kapanpun (passive income).6. Bagaimana cara mengirim pulsa??Anda dapat mengirim Pulsa seteah Anda melakukan deposit pulsa. Anda tinggal ketik, Format: I.KodeVoucher.NoHp.PINContoh: I.A25.08522227463.8888Kirim ke No SMS Centre, sesuai dengan no Hp Keagenan Anda. Deposit pulsa Anda akan berkurang sesuai dengan harga dasar DBS. Ingat gunakan titik bukan spasi.7. Adakah kemungkinan Trx pulsa gagal namun deposit kita berkurang? Trus gimana solusinya??Dealer pulsa manapun tidak akan pernah lepas dari masalah ini. Hal ini disebabkan server operator pusat sedang mengalami gangguan. Deposit pulsa Anda akan segera dikembalikan setelah Anda mengirimkan sms ke no sms komplain dengan,Format: C.Laporan Trx Sukses.Isi KomplainContoh: C.(071002-194429.1) E25 ke 022916548946 BERHASIL.Mohon dicek karena pulsa belum masuk MakasihJangan mengirim sms Anda berkali-kali ke sms Centre, karena transaksi yang sama tidak bisa dilakukan dalam waktu 12 jam. Dan jangan menelfon no sms centre, karena hal ini malah akan mengganggu kinerja server. Untuk komplain, Anda tinggal telfon ke Call Centre DBS.8. Seberapakah kecepatan Transaksi dari server Keagenan DBS?Kecepatan Trx sangat tergantung dari traffic BTS operator setempat. Pada saat jam-jam sibuk / peak time (jam 5 sore – jam 9 malam) trx akan mengalami sedikit keterlambatan. Hal ini wajar. Normalnya Trx hanya memerlukan 5 detik sampai paling lama 5 menit.9. Ketika suatu saat nanti jaringan DBS mencapai angka yang MASSIVE / besar, apakah hal ini akan mempengaruhi kinerja server? Sehingga menjadi lambat atau sering gagal?Tidak, karena dengan software yang ada saat ini, memungkinkan penambahan kapasitas server sampai tak terbatas. Sehingga tidak mungkin Overload pada server DBS.10. Bagaimana cara menambah deposit pulsa DBS??Deposit Transfer: Rekening DBS a/n Dani PurnamaBCA : 7770800000Mandiri : 1300004732684BNI : 0118406475Pastikan Anda selalu menyertakan 3 digit terakhir no dma Anda pada nominal transfer Anda. Misal: Pak Randu (dma23944) ingin deposit Rp.300.000,-. Maka Beliau harus transfer Rp.300.944,- ke salah satu rek bank DBS tersebut diatas. Setelah transfer, langsung konfirmasi via telfon ke Call Centre Atau sms ke No SMS Komplain:Format: dep.noHpMember.ID_Member.Bank.Nominal transfer.NamaContoh:dep.08170449408.DBS23944.BCA.Rp300944.Randu Sekti W(kirim ke no sms komplain)11. Berapa lama deposit pulsa masuk setelah saya transfer & kemudian konfirmasi?Deposit Anda akan masuk hanya dalam waktu paling lama 30 menit. Kecuali sedang terjadi error pada jaringan internet-banking. Tetapi Anda tidak perlu khawatir, karena begitu jaringan bank sudah online lagi, deposit Anda akan segera dikirimkan.12. Apakah saya bisa mengirimkan Deposit Pulsa sesama agen DBS?Anda bisa mengirim deposit pulsa di account keagenan Anda ke sesama Agen DBS dengan cara mengirimkan, sms dengan:format: T.NominalTransfer.NoHpAgenTujuan.PINContoh: T.300000.08170449408.888813. Kalau saya tidak mempunyai Rekening Bank, bagaimana cara saya menambah deposit?Dengan adanya transfer deposit Antar Agen, Member akan dipermudah untuk mendapatkan deposit. Yaitu dengan membeli deposit pulsa secara tunai kepada Leader-leader terdekat Anda yang memiliki deposit pulsa DBS.14. Bagaimana cara merubah no Hp Keagenan DBS saya?Telfon ke operator / Call centre. Atau Sms ke No Sms Komplain,Format: Ganti HP.NoHPlama.NoHPbaru.PINContoh: Ganti HP.081802506508.08170449408.8888(kirim ke no sms komplain)15. Apakah dengan adanya pembatasan regional akan membatasi ketersediaan stok pulsa DBS?Tidak, karena DBS menggunakan PC Online Autorefill, berbeda dengan M-Kios yang dibatasi regional (provinsi). Serta jaringan Host to Host dengan Server Pulsa di Seluruh Indonesia. 16. Kira-kira berapa keuntungan saya kalau berjualan pulsa??Biasanya sebuah counter / outlet pulsa bertransaksi 10 -100 transaksi per hari, keuntungan Anda tinggal Anda kalikan dengan selisih harga yang Anda set, biasanya Rp.1000,- sampai Rp.3000,- per transaksi. Ambil rata-rata 50 trx kali Rp.2000,- = Rp.100.000,- per hari.Atau 3juta / bulan.... LUMAYAN dari pada nganggur.. 17. Berapa keuntungan saya kalau mengembangkan jaringan?Misal: Anda akan mendapatkan Royalti dari omzet di Group Anda hingga 12 Milyar per bulan.(PASSIVE INCOME!!!!). 18. Apa keuntungan Saya menjadi Agen DBS selain dari keagenan pulsa?Anda akan mendapatkan:• Kartu Member yang berlaku discount di lebih dari 5000 merchant ternama di seluruh Indonesia, jaringan merchant berlogo EC.• Mendapatkan kemudahan untuk membeli motor secara kredit dengan potongan uang muka kurang lebih Rp.1.000.000,- Cek www.duta4future.com.• Mendapatkan Training & Pengembangan diri.• Fasilitas SMS MURAH DBS19. Wah berarti member DUTA untung dong? Kira-kira perusahaan rugi nggak??Perusahaan tidak akan pernah merugi, karena perusahaan hanya membayarkan komisi sesuai dengan omset yang terjadi.20. Klo gitu siapa yang rugi??Yang rugi adalah orang yang tidak mengambil peluang ini. GO SUCCESS!!!Lampiran 3SMS MURAH & SUPER MURAH (GPRS) DBS!!!SMS MURAHSelama ini Biaya SMS sangat bersaing antar operator seluler, bahkan ada yang berani memberikan GRATIS, tetapi INGAT!!!, biaya murah tersebut adalah biaya sms ANTAR SESAMA OPERATOR, jika diteliti biaya sms dengan tujuan operator yang berbeda, ternyata sangat mahal, ada yang mencapai Rp. 350,- / SMS. KINI kami menghadirkan PULSA DBS SMS, sehingga jika anda membeli pulsa DBS SMS ini (D20 : DBS SMS dengan nominal Rp. 20.000,-) , maka anda akan banyak berhemat untuk biaya sms LINTAS OPERATOR, hingga mencapai 60% penghematan via SMS murah biasa & 90% penghematan via SMS MURAH GPRSBAGAIMANA CARANYA ?Anda tinggal membeli pulsa D20 (berbentuk voucher elektrik) di agen-agen/dealer penjualan pulsa D20, contoh dealer penjual pulsa elektrik D20 adalah dealer dan agen yang tergabung di www.duta4future.com . Setelah pulsa anda terisi D20, anda tinggal mengikuti petunjuk penggunaan D20 yang dikirim dalam bentuk SMS ke HP anda pada saat konfirmasi pengisian pulsa berhasil.Kelebihan D20:• Masa aktif & masa tenggang D20 unlimited• Dapat dijual ke non-member (tarif SMS MURAH penghematan 30-64%)• Dipakai member jauh lebih murah (tarif SMS SUPER MURAH via penghematan s/d 90%)• Mendapatkan Royalty Rp.100,- hingga kedalaman 10 generasi hanya dengan 10 transaksi/bulan, Potensi penghasilan Rp.12 Milyar!! atau 10 kali lipat royalti pulsa biasa!POTENSI PENGHASILAN ROYALTY PULSAGENERASI JUMLAH AGEN ROYALTY JML TRANSAKSI / BULAN BONUS PER BULAN (RP)1 5 100,- 10 5.000,-2 25 100,- 10 25.000,-3 125 100,- 10 125.000,-4 625 100,- 10 625.000,-5 3.125 100,- 10 3.125.000,-6 15.625 100,- 10 15.625.000,-7 78.125 100,- 10 78.125.000,-8 390.625 100,- 10 390.625.000,-9 1.953.125 100,- 10 1.953.125.000,-10 9.765.625 100,- 10 9.765.625.000,- TOTAL 12.207.030.000,- SISTEM DBS SMSJika anda sudah mengisi pulsa D20, dan ingin sms ke operator lain, maka anda cukup SMS ke server DBS SMS yang sesuai dengan HP anda.Misal anda pengguna AS dan ingin sms ke XL, maka anda cukup sms ke server AS, sehingga biaya yang anda keluarkan dari pulsa HP anda hanya biaya sms AS ke AS.DBS SMS akan meneruskan sms anda ke no tujuan XL anda, dan disinilah pulsa D20 anda terpotong. Jika diakumulasikan biaya diatas, maka totalnya akan lebih murah jika dibandingkan anda sms langsung ke XL. Berikut daftar no server DBS SMS D20 : AS : 085 222 999 666 XL : 0819 1010 1122 IM3 : 0857 2000 2211 THREE : 0899 781 781 1Cara SMS nya, ketik : no_tujuan_sms#isi_sms , Contoh : 08170449408#DBS memang Dahsyat. SALAM SUKSES!!Pendaftaran Nama Member ke Server DBS SMS: (Dilakukan hanya sekali & setelah pengisian D20) Ketik : Nama#nama_Anda Contoh : Nama#AndhikaCek Sisa Pulsa DBS SMS: (biaya Rp.100,- tiap cek sisa pulsa) Ketik : SalKirim ke no server sesuai dengan no operator yang Anda gunakan.Fasilitas ini hanya dapat digunakan oleh member DBS. Member DBS dapat menggunakan fasilitas ini untuk sms lintas operator baik itu ke member DBS maupun non-member DBS.Tarif SMS MURAH DBSDapat digunakan oleh member maupun non member DBS. Sehingga diharapkan Omzetnya mencapai angka 1 Trilyun di tahun 2008.NO HP PENGIRIM TUJUAN SMS TARIF SMS NORMAL BIAYA USER SMS KE DBS SERVER TARIF PULSA DBS SMS BIAYA SMS USER TOTAL PENGHEMATAN USER MENGGUNAKAN DBS SMS 1 XL BEBAS MENGGUNAKAN ISI ULANG XTRA MENTARI RP350 0 140 140 60% IM3 RP350 0 130 130 63% MATRIX RP350 0 140 140 60% SIMPATI RP350 0 140 140 60% AS RP350 0 139 139 60% KARTU HALO RP350 0 140 140 60% THREE RP350 0 125 125 64% 2 XL JEMPOL SABTU MINGGU DAN MALAM HARI MENTARI RP299 RP.45 140 185 38% IM3 RP299 RP.45 130 175 41% MATRIX RP299 RP.45 140 185 38% SIMPATI RP299 RP.45 140 185 38% AS RP299 RP.45 139 184 38% KARTU HALO RP299 RP.45 140 185 38% THREE RP299 RP.45 150 170 43% 3 KARTU AS MENTARI RP299 RP.49 140 189 37% IM3 RP299 RP.49 140 189 37% MATRIX RP299 RP.49 140 189 37% XL BEBAS RP299 RP.49 133 182 40% XL JEMPOL RP299 RP.49 133 182 40% XPLOR RP299 RP.49 133 182 40% THREE RP299 RP.49 100 149 50% 4 IM3 SIMPATI RP350 RP100 170 270 23% AS RP350 RP100 174 274 22% KARTU HALO RP350 RP100 170 270 23% XL BEBAS RP350 RP100 148 248 30% XL JEMPOL RP350 RP100 148 248 30% XPLOR RP350 RP100 148 248 30% THREE RP350 RP100 150 250 30% 5 THREE XL BEBAS RP100 0 80 80 20% XL JEMPOL RP100 0 80 80 20% XPLOR RP100 0 80 80 20% IM3 RP100 0 80 80 20% 6 XL JEMPOL MENTARI RP299 RP99 140 239 20% IM3 RP299 RP99 130 229 23% MATRIX RP299 RP99 140 239 20% SIMPATI RP299 RP99 140 239 20% AS RP299 RP99 139 238 20% KARTU HALO RP299 RP99 140 239 20% THREE RP299 RP99 150 224 25% TARIF SMS MURAH DBS GPRS TO SMS (MEMBER KE NON MEMBER)NO HPPENGIRIM TUJUAN SMS TARIF SMS NORMAL BIAYASMS KE SERVER PEMOTONGAN PULSADBS SMS BIAYA SMS USER TOTAL PENGHEMATAN USER D201 XL BEBAS MENTARI RP350 RP12 RP225 237 32% IM3 RP350 RP12 RP205 217 38% MATRIX RP350 RP12 RP225 237 32% SIMPATI RP350 RP12 RP220 232 34% AS RP350 RP12 RP224 236 33% KARTUHALO RP350 RP12 RP220 232 34% THREE RP350 RP12 RP150 162 54%2 XL JEMPOL MENTARI RP299 RP12 RP225 212 29% IM3 RP299 RP12 RP205 192 36% MATRIX RP299 RP12 RP225 212 29% SIMPATI RP299 RP12 RP220 212 29% AS RP299 RP12 RP224 211 29% KARTU HALO RP299 RP12 RP220 212 29% THREE RP299 RP12 RP150 162 46%3 XPLOR MENTARI RP250 RP12 RP225 162 35% IM3 RP250 RP12 RP205 152 39% MATRIX RP250 RP12 RP225 187 25% SIMPATI RP250 RP12 RP220 187 25% AS RP250 RP12 RP224 186 26% KARTU HALO RP250 RP12 RP220 187 25% THREE RP250 RP12 RP150 162 35%4 KARTU AS MENTARI RP299 RP12 RP225 237 21% IM3 RP299 RP12 RP205 217 27% MATRIX RP299 RP12 RP225 237 21% XL BEBAS RP299 RP12 RP185 197 34% XL JEMPOL RP299 RP12 RP185 197 34% XPLOR RP299 RP12 RP185 197 34% THREE RP299 RP12 RP150 162 46%5 SIMPATI MENTARI RP350 RP12 RP225 237 32% IM3 RP350 RP12 RP205 217 38% MATRIX RP350 RP12 RP225 237 32% XL BEBAS RP350 RP12 RP185 197 44% XL JEMPOL RP350 RP12 RP185 197 44% XPLOR RP350 RP12 RP185 197 44% THREE RP350 RP12 RP150 162 54%6 KARTU HALO MENTARI RP250 RP12 RP225 237 5% IM3 RP250 RP12 RP205 217 13% MATRIX RP250 RP12 RP225 237 5% XL BEBAS RP250 RP12 RP185 197 21% XL JEMPOL RP250 RP12 RP185 197 21% XPLOR RP250 RP12 RP185 197 21% THREE RP250 RP12 RP150 162 35%7 IM3 SIMPATI RP350 RP12 RP220 232 34% AS RP350 RP12 RP224 236 33% KARTU HALO RP350 RP12 RP220 232 34% XL BEBAS RP350 RP12 RP185 197 44% XL JEMPOL RP350 RP12 RP185 197 44% XPLOR RP350 RP12 RP185 197 44% THREE RP350 RP12 RP150 162 54%8 MENTARI SIMPATI RP350 RP12 RP220 232 34% AS RP350 RP12 RP224 236 33% KARTU HALO RP350 RP12 RP220 232 34% XL BEBAS RP350 RP12 RP185 197 44% XL JEMPOL RP350 RP12 RP185 197 44% XPLOR RP350 RP12 RP185 197 44% THREE RP350 RP12 RP150 200 43%9 MATRIX SIMPATI RP250 RP12 RP220 232 7% AS RP250 RP12 RP224 236 6% KARTU HALO RP250 RP12 RP220 232 7% XL BEBAS RP250 RP12 RP185 197 21% XL JEMPOL RP250 RP12 RP185 197 21% XPLOR RP250 RP12 RP185 197 21% THREE RP250 RP12 RP150 162 35%10 KARTU AS MENTARI RP299 RP12 RP150 162 46% IM3 RP299 RP12 RP150 162 46% MATRIX RP299 RP12 RP150 162 46% XL BEBAS RP299 RP12 RP133 145 52% XL JEMPOL RP299 RP12 RP133 145 52% XPLOR RP299 RP12 RP133 145 52% THREE RP299 RP12 RP100 112 63%11 FREN RP350 KURANG LEBIH SAMA DENGAN TARIF SIMPATI12 FLEXI RP250 KURANG LEBIH SAMA DENGAN TARIF KARTU HALO13 ESIA RP250 KURANG LEBIH SAMA DENGAN TARIF KARTU HALOTARIF SMS SUPER MURAH DBS (GPRS TO GPRS)Biaya SMS SUPER MURAH sesama pengguna DBS GPRS (sesama member DBS) hanya Rp.12 s/d 45,- per sms baik sesama operator maupun LINTAS OPERATOR sehingga penghematan mencapai angka 90%!! Bayangkan berapa rupiah yang akan Anda hemat dalam waktu 1 tahun??DAHSYAT!!! Dapatkan Royalty Rp.100,- per transaksi sampai kedalaman 10 generasi group Anda yang membeli DBS SMS D20. Atau 10 kali lipat royalty keagenan DBS untuk pulsa biasa!SALAM DAHSYAT!! SETTING GPRSPETUNJUK UMUM 1. Kecuali untuk kartu IM3, penyetingan GPRS atau MMS memerlukan proses aktivasi terlebih dahulu.2. Proses aktivasi dilakukan dengan cara menghubungi operator yang bersangkutan sesuai kartu yang digunakan.3. Mengenai cara melakukan aktivasi secara detil dapat dilihat pada detil penyetingan GPRS di bawah ini.SETTING GPRS MATRIX / MENTARI PROFILE NAME : SATELINDOHOMEPAGE URL : HTTP://WAP.MATRIX-CENTRO.COMIP ADDRESS : 202.152.162.250:9200 BEARER : GPRSUSER NAME : PASSWORD : APN : SATELINDOGPRS.COM ACTIVATE GPRS : ACTGPRS KIRIM KE 888CALL CENTER : (021) 5438 8888 ATAU 222 (DARI HANDPHONE)SETTING GPRS SIMPATI (TELKOMSEL) 1. Menggunakan ponsel dengan fasilitas GPRS. 2. Masih memiliki pulsa minimum Rp. 500,- dibawah nilai tersebut Anda tidak dapat menggunakan layanan GPRS, MMS maupun SMS. 3. Mendaftar sebagai pelanggan GPRS, yang hanya dapat dilakukan melalui SMS. Caranya : - Ketik pesan SMS : GPRS [Nomor Kartu]- Contoh : GPRS 6210009922069556 - Kirim ke : 6616 Catatan : - Tarif pesan kirim SMS : Rp. 350 ,- / pesan. - Nomor kartu merupakan nomor ICCID (Integrated Circuit Card Identification) yang terdiri dari 16 (enam belas) digit nomor dan terdapat di belakang chip kartu simPATI Nusantara Anda. - Isi pesan tidak tergantung pada huruf besar atau kecil (non case sensitive). - Dalam pengetikan nomor kartu tidak boleh ada spasi. 4. Sistem akan memberikan pesan notifikasi SMS kepada Anda setelah beberapa waktu untuk memberitahukan bahwa permintaan aktivasi sedang diproses : "Your request for GPRS Setup already received. Please wait for max. 48 hours for succesfull activation notification message." 5. Pemrosesan aktivasi membutuhkan waktu maksimum 48 jam. 6. Setelah proses aktivasi sukses dilakukan, sistem akan memberitahukan kepada Anda melalui SMS dari 6616 : "Welcome to GPRS Service! Your GPRS service has been activated. Please visit www.telkomsel.com for more information" 7. Melakukan setting pada terminal komunikasi yang digunakan dengan parameter-parameter seperti berikut : - Connection Name : APN Telkomsel - Data Bearer : GPRS - Access Point Name : telkomsel - Username : wap - Prompt Password : No - Password : wap123 - Authentication : Normal - Homepage : http://wap.telkomsel.com - WAP Gateway IP Address : 10.1.89.130 - Port : 9201 (standard), 8000 (proxy) 8. Berada di wilayah layanan GPRS. 9. Untuk menggunakan WAP Telkomsel dengan GPRS, pastikan Anda telah terdaftar pada www.telkomsel.com. 10. Untuk menggunakan WAP Telkomsel dengan GPRS, pastikan Anda melakukan setting handset untuk menggunakan Access Point Name (APN) telkomsel.SETTING GPRS KARTUHALO (TELKOMSEL) 1. Menggunakan ponsel dengan fasilitas GPRS. 2. Mendaftar sebagai pelanggan GPRS, pendaftaran dapat dilakukan di GraPARI atau hubungi Caroline di nomor 111, layanan bebas pulsa dari kartuHALO Anda, atau dapat dilakukan melalui SMS : Caranya : - Ketik pesan SMS : GPRS - Contoh : GPRS - Kirim ke : 6616 Catatan : - Tarif pesan kirim SMS : Rp. 250 ,- / pesan. 3. Sistem akan memberikan pesan notifikasi SMS kepada Anda setelah beberapa waktu untuk memberitahukan bahwa permintaan aktivasi sedang diproses : "Your request for GPRS Setup already received. Please wait for max. 48 hours for succesfull activation notification message." 4. Pemrosesan aktivasi membutuhkan waktu maksimum 48 jam. 5. Setelah proses aktivasi sukses dilakukan, sistem akan memberitahukan kepada Anda melalui SMS dari 6616 : "Welcome to GPRS Service! Your GPRS service has been activated. Please visit www.telkomsel.com for more information" 6. Melakukan setting pada terminal komunikasi yang digunakan dengan parameter-parameter seperti berikut : - Connection Name : APN Telkomsel - Data Bearer : GPRS - Access Point Name : telkomsel - Username : wap - Prompt Password : No - Password : wap123 - Authentication : Normal - Homepage : http://wap.telkomsel.com - WAP Gateway IP Address : 10.1.89.130 - Port : 9201 (standard), 8000 (proxy) 7. Berada di wilayah layanan GPRS. 8. Untuk menggunakan WAP Telkomsel dengan GPRS, pastikan Anda telah terdaftar pada www.telkomsel.com. 9. Untuk menggunakan WAP Telkomsel dengan GPRS, pastikan Anda melakukan setting handset untuk menggunakan Access Point Name (APN) telkomsel.SETTING GPRS XL • Setting GPRS/MMS Secara Otomatis Kirimkan SMS berikut ke 9667, hanya Rp. 350,- (sudah termasuk PPN untuk pengguna bebas dan belum termasuk PPN untuk pengguna Xplor). o Untuk setting GPRS:GPRS o Untuk setting MMS:MMS Penulisan merk dan tipe ponsel (tidak case sensitive) :MERK TIPE (pilih salah satu) NOKIA atau NOK 3100, 3200, 3220, 3300, 3510, 3510i, 3520, 3530, 3560, 3650, 3660, 5100, 6100, 6108, 6200, 6220, 6225, 6230, 6340i, 6600, 7610, 6610, 6610i, 6650, 6800, 6810, 6820, 7200, 7210, 7250, 7600, 7650, 7700, 8910i, N-Gage, N-Gage QD, 9500SONYERICSSON atau ERICSSON atau SE T39m, T68, T68i, T230, T300, T310, T610, T630, P800, P900, P910, Z200, Z600, K700i, K500i, S700iSIEMENS S57, SL55, SX1, C62, S65, SL65, CX65SAMSUNG X100, X600, E700Untuk aktivasi GPRS/MMS di sistem, hubungi Customer Service XL di 818 melalui nomor bebas/Xplor Anda (bebas pulsa) atau 021 57959818 melalui nomor lainnya (dikenakan tarif sesuai dengan yang berlaku).• Setting GPRS/MMS Secara Manual Setting Parameter GPRS :o Connection name : XL GPRS o Data bearer : GPRS o Access point name : www.xlgprs.net o User name : xlgprs o Prompt Password : No o Password : proxl o Authentication : Normal o Homepage : http://wap.lifeinhand.com o Connection Security :- off o Session mode : permanent o Phone IP address : Automatic o Primary name server : 0.0.0.0 o Secondary name server : 0.0.0.0 o WAP Gateway IP Address : 202.152.240.50 O Port : 9201 (standard), 8080 (proxy) SETTING GPRS IM3 • Setting GPRS Secara Otomatis Kirim SMS ke 3939 dengan isi pesan : GPRS [Merk HP] [Type HP] Contoh : - GPRS Nokia 7650 - GPRS Ericsson T68 - GPRS SE P800 • Setting GPRS Secara Manual Setting Parameter GPRS : o Connection name : M3-GPRS o Access point name : www.indosat-m3.net o User name : gprs o Password : im3 o Authentication : Normal o Homepage : http://wap.indosat-m3.net o IP address : 010.019.019.019 O Port : 9201 (standard), 8080 (proxy)

Gundam

mucklislockheart@gmail.com (N3Xt G-Nation) — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 05:33:00 +0000

Gundam (ガンダム ,Gandamu?) is a metaseries of Japanese anime, featuring giant robots, or "mecha", created by Sunrise studios. The series started in April 1979 as a TV series called Mobile Suit Gundam, and later became a franchise name with more sequels, prequels, side stories and alternative timelines, published and aired in various media including TV anime, OVA, manga, novels, and video games. Gundam became a collective term for 7 different time lines, all featuring their own story-lines, with a few common denominators and war machines called Gundam.The original timeline for the Gundam series was the Universal Century (UC) series, which included Mobile Suit Gundam (1979) and Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam (1985). Since the 1990s, alternative timelines have been produced and developed, including the Future Century, After Colony, After War, Correct Century, Cosmic Era and Anno Domini timelines.As of January 21, 2008, the Gundam franchise is a 50 billion yen trademark.[1] In the 2008 ranking of average sales figures for anime copies sold in Japan (1970-2008 total sales figures averaged by episode), Gundam series were in 4 of the top 5 places: Mobile Suit Gundam ranked second, with Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny third, Mobile Suit Gundam SEED fourth, and Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam fifth. Also, New Mobile Report Gundam Wing ranked 18th and Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ ranked 20th.[2] Gunpla's (Gundam Plastic model) income is 90% of the Japan character plastic model market's income.[3]Academic fields in Japan have also viewed the series as a good inspiration in research fields, with the Gundam academy (or officially International Gundam Society) being the first academic institution based on an animated TV series.[4]Overview ConceptMobile Suit Gundam was principally developed by renowned animator Yoshiyuki Tomino, along with a changing group of Sunrise creators who went under the collective pseudonym of "Hajime Yatate".During its conceptual phase, the series was titled Freedom Fighter Gunboy, or simply Gunboy for the gun the robot was armed with, and the primarily target demographic were shōnen (boys). In the early production stages, there were numerous references to the word "freedom": the White Base was originally "Freedom's Fortress", the Core Fighter was the "Freedom Wing", and the Gunperry was the "Freedom Cruiser". The Yatate team combined the English word "gun" with the last syllable of the word "freedom" to form the name Gundom. Tomino then changed it to the current title, suggesting that Gundam signified a powerful unit wielding a gun powerful enough to hold back enemies, like a hydroelectric dam holding back floods.[citation needed]Most Gundams are large, bipedal vehicles controlled from cockpits by a human pilot. The majority of these "mobile suits" have a cockpit in the "torso" of the machine, with a camera built into the "head" to transmit images to the cockpit (with the exception of the head-mounted cockpits in Psyco Gundam) and are non-sentient machines (with the exceptions of the artificial intelligence A.L.I.C.E. in the side-story Gundam Sentinel and four mobile suits built with the EXAM System and sharing a Newtype human soul in The Blue Destiny. [5][6] InnovationMobile Suit Gundam is said to have pioneered the real robot era of mecha anime.[7]Unlike its super robot cousins, Gundam attempted a realism in the robot design and weaponry, by running out of energy and ammunition or breaking and malfunctioning like all machines do. The technology (at least in the Universal Century) is practical and is either derived from true science (such as Lagrange points in space and the O'Neill cylinder as a living environment) or at least well-explained, feasible technology, requiring only a few fictional elements to function (such as Minovsky Physics as a means of energy production from helium-3). [8]The necessity of developing humanoid robots is also explained, albeit fictional. The fictional Minovsky particle pervasive in Universal Century is depicted as interfering with radar-guided long-distance cruise missiles, anti-aircraft guns, missiles, and all early warning systems, with weapons systems having to rely on human eyes. In Universal Century, the space-based Principality of Zeon rebels against Earth Federation, requiring a weapons system that could function in zero and normal gravity, be able to open and close air locks, plant demolition charges, and engage with enemy tanks and planes; with a robotic giant being an excellent choice. Once mobile suits have been developed by one side, the opposing force had to develop a similar system, just as British invention of tanks lead to the development of tanks in Germany, and eventually lead to tank-to-tank battles.Gundam's realistic scientific setting has gained a reputation in the field itself as well. On July 18, 2007, when MIT's Astronautics Department's Professor Dava Newman displayed a biosuit, the suit was referenced as Mobile Suit Gundam's Normal Suit is now real by various news agencies.[9][10] On February 14, 2008, when NASA proposed research into nuclear thermal rockets, Technobahn, a scientific journal in Japan referred to the usage of nuclear thermal rocket engines on mobile suits in the Gundam universe.[11] NarrativeThe narrative itself revolves around the mobile suits and their pilots fighting in a war, in which destruction and dehumanization are inherent, through multiple sides; each faction having their own heroes and villains, all of which have their own unique motives, failings, and virtues. Gundam also features political battles and debates on various important philosophical issues and political ideals on the nature and meaning of war, the ideal of pacifism, and the continuing evolution - natural or engineered - of humanity and its consequences. These are often framed in the series as a debate between the protagonist and antagonist over the course of a duel, as they try to convince each other of the righteousness of their causes.Finally, most of the stories are basically structured as "coming-of-age" dramas, where the main protagonist (and sometimes the main antagonist) and most of the cast's personalities, points of view, allegiances, goals, and actions may or may not change dramatically as events unfold. This makes the plot seem more realistic than earlier super robot animated series where the hero and cast usually act in the same predictable manner and little connection between the episodes. The best example of this is how the personalities of longtime rivals, Amuro Ray and Char Aznable, are influenced by their experiences in the Gundam saga. Characteristics and VariationsAs a metaseries, Gundam functions with different designs and coloring (with most following Kunio Okawara's original Gundam design). Producer Masahiko Asano wrote in his notes on the production of S Gundam that everyone seemed to have their own idea of Gundam and in the meeting, they were trying to find the asymptotic view for everyone in the meeting.[12] * In the Universal Century timeline, "Gundam" is the name of the Earth Federation's (Chikyū Renpō, 地球連邦) first experimental general-purpose mobile suit, which is incredibly powerful, compared to most of the mass-produced models eventually used by either side. Afterwards, many powerful mobile suits based on the Gundam's design also carry the name, such as the RX-178 Gundam Mk-II, MSZ-006 Zeta Gundam, LM312V04 Victory Gundam, etc. The Anaheim Gundams, or Greek alphabet Gundams are a series of mobile suits developed by the fictional company Anaheim Electronics, some of them are notably carrying different style heads than other Gundams in the series, like the Rick Dias (Gamma Gundam) and Hyaku Shiki (Delta Gundam). * In the Future Century timeline, the word "Gundam" refers to a space colony's entry in the "Gundam Fight", a competition that determines which colony would rule the Earth for the next 4 years. The pilots who use these Gundams are known as "Gundam Fighters". However, some suits that are called Gundams are not entries in the Gundam Fight at all, with the most operative examples being the JDG-009X (JDG-00X) Devil Gundam and the JMF-1336R (JMF1336R) Rising Gundam. * In the After Colony timeline, the word "Gundam" refers to most mobile suits constructed out of a special alloy called "Gundanium", which can only be mined and produced in space. This alloy gives the Gundams high resistance to conventional weaponry and renders them stealth under radar, due to its nature of absorbing electromagnetic waves. Every Gundam has a unique name that befits the nature of the suit and/or its origins, such as the XXXG-01W Wing Gundam, XXXG-01D Gundam Deathscythe and the XXXG-01S Shenlong Gundam. * The After War timeline is a loose continuation of the Universal Century continuity, presenting an alternate scenario, with many of the mecha designs loosely based on Universal Century suits. * In the Correct Century timeline, the name "Gundam" is given to the SYSTEM ∀-99 (WD-M01) ∀ Gundam "Turn A"/White Doll mobile suit by a specific character, who was originally ace pilot, but placed under suspended animation. The color scheme of the Turn A reminds the character of the Gundam mobile suits from previous eras. * In the Cosmic Era works, Gundams are mobile suits that carry a specific type of operating system, first secretly produced (without the programmer himself knowing what he is programming the system for) by the one of the protagonist's robotics research group, and faced a few upgrades by various factions throughout the story. The acronym of the operating system always spells "GUNDAM", thus, these suits are called "Gundam". However, this is retconned by later toys and scale models tagging the "Gundam", after the unit's own name. * In the Anno Domini timeline of Mobile Suit Gundam 00, the term Gundam is the generic designation of a line of unique and highly effective mobile units developed by Celestial Being, such as the GN-001 Gundam Exia and GN-002 Gundam Dynames. Distinct from concurrently introduced weapons, suit torsos contain a core generator system known as the GN Drive or Solar Furnace, capable of sustaining independent unit function for an indefinite period of time without needing to refuel. In addition, onboard propulsion recycles the generator's GN particle exhaust for high-speed, virtually unlimited output. The particle exhaust disrupts the use of conventional radar and a range of wireless communications. See also the Japanese article for Gundam Type /ガンダムタイプ for details. Calendar systemThe majority of Gundam, including the earliest series, occur in the Universal Century (UC) calendar, with later series are set in alternate calendars or timelines mostly unrelated to the UC system (at least of these three calendar systems were actually initially numbered after the year that the series premiered, with 1979's Mobile Suit Gundam taking place in UC 0079, 1995's New Mobile Report Gundam Wing in After Colony 195, and 2007's Mobile Suit Gundam 00 takes place in 2307). * Mobile Fighter G Gundam takes place in the Future Century (FC), where space colonies have gained the upper hand over Earth, consequently attempting to put an end to the internal power struggles now plaguing the planet. * Mobile Suit Gundam Wing takes place in the After Colony (AC) calendar system, set after the foundation of the first space colony, where Earth firmly maintains repressive control over its colonies. * After War Gundam X takes place in the After War (AW) timeline, set after the conclusion of the 7th Space War, where the Earth is devastated by massive colony drops. * ∀ Gundam takes place in the CC (正歴 ,Seireki?) calendar system, where director Yoshiyuki Tomino intended as the distant future of all previous timelines. The CC sees the colonies becoming much stronger than the Earth, but unlike the FC timeline, takes a more aggressive stance towards it. The English acronym of CC is Correct Century （コレクトセンチュリー）, in the official Japanese ∀ guide book. * Mobile Suit Gundam SEED, its sequels, and spinoffs take place in the Cosmic Era, with CE referring to the years after the foundation of the first space colonies. * The latest entry in the franchise, Mobile Suit Gundam 00, is the first series to incur the Anno Domini (西暦 ,Seireki?) timeline.Bandai and Japanese-speaking fans unofficially refer to projects not directly related to the first Gundam series or its staffers (such as Gundam Sentinel and Mobile Fighter G Gundam) as "Another Gundam" stories, and to projects made after 1989 as "Heisei Gundam" stories. On a survey for a video game that would become Gundam: True Odyssey, the Cosmic Era series (including Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Astray) were collectively referred to as "21st Century First Gundam" (a reference to the original Mobile Suit Gundam series). English-speaking fans have used the term "Alternate Universe" ("AU" for short) as a nickname for the stories that do not take place within the Universal Century timeline, but this is made unofficial for use in Japan. Franchise[edit] Animated series and filmsName Media Year(s)Mobile Suit Gundam TV seriesCompilation movies 1979-19801981-1982Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam TV seriesCompilation movies 1985-19862004-2006Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ TV series 1986-1987Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack Movie 1988Mobile Suit Gundam 0080: War in the Pocket OVA 1989Super Deformed Gundam MovieOVATV series 1988-1989, 1991, 19931988, 19901993Mobile Suit Gundam F91 Movie 1991Mobile Suit Gundam 0083: Stardust Memory OVACompilation movie 19911992Mobile Suit Victory Gundam TV series 1993Mobile Fighter G Gundam TV series 1994Mobile Suit Gundam Wing TV seriesCompilation OVAs 19951996Mobile Suit Gundam: The 08th MS Team OVAsCompilation movie 19961998After War Gundam X TV series 1996New Mobile Report Gundam Wing: Endless Waltz OVAsCompilation movie 19971998Turn A Gundam TV seriesCompilation movies 1999-20002002Gundam the Ride: A Baoa Qu Amusement park attraction movie 2000Gundam Neo Experience 0087: Green Divers Specialty format movie 2001Gundam Evolve Animated shorts 2001-2005Mobile Suit Gundam SEED TV seriesCompilation specials 2002-20032004Superior Defender Gundam Force TV series 2003-2004Mobile Suit Gundam MS IGLOO MoviesOVAs 20042006Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny TV seriesCompilation specials 2004-20052006-2007Mobile Suit Gundam SEED C.E. 73: Stargazer ONAs 2006Mobile Suit Gundam 00 TV series 2007-2009Mobile Suit Gundam SEED: The Movie Movie To be announced Further developmentIn an interview in the February 2009 issue of OtonaFami, Yoshiyuki Tomino commented on the lack of planning of Sunrise and Bandai and that because a good movie needs 3-4 years of production time, it is too late for him to do anything for 2009, the 30th anniversary of Gundam. However, he did comment that it was not too late to begin considering the 35th anniversary. His wish was that in the future, a common sentence people would use would be to Think like Gundam. [13]In 2009, a new series based in Universal Century to be announced as part of the 30th anniversary celebration. [14] Live-Action FilmMain article: G-Saviour Manga and novelsMain article: List of Gundam manga and novelsThe manga narration of the original series is published in English in North America by a variety of companies, such as Viz Media, Del Rey Manga, and TOKYOPOP, among others, and in Singapore by Chuang Yi. Series based on Gundam modelsAlthough not directly related to Gundam, these series incorporate Gundam models as part of the stories (it might be noted that Genshiken and Sgt. Frog were created by subdivisions of Bandai and Media Factory and Sunrise, respectively): * Plamo-kyo Shiro * Plamo-Wars * Sgt. Frog * Genshiken Video gamesMain article: List of Gundam video gamesFollowing the popularity of Gundam, various video games feature original characters previously not found in other media. Some video games have been converted into comics or novels.Games Book title Book type DescriptionMobile Suit Gundam Side Story Gundam Blue Destiny ComicGundam Side Story: Rise from the Ashes 機動戦士ガンダム外伝―コロニーの落ちた地で…〈上〉角川スニーカー文庫機動戦士ガンダム外伝―コロニーの落ちた地で…〈下〉角川スニーカー文庫 NovelMobile Suit Gundam Lost War Chronicles 機動戦士ガンダム戦記―Lost War Chronicles〈1〉角川スニーカー文庫機動戦士ガンダム戦記―Lost War Chronicles〈2〉角川スニーカー文庫 NovelMobile Suit Gundam: Zeonic Front ZEONIC FRONT―機動戦士ガンダム0079〈1〉角川スニーカー文庫ZEONIC FRONT―機動戦士ガンダム0079〈2〉角川スニーカー文庫 Novel Super Robot WarsThe Gundam metaverse makes regular appearances in the Super Robot Wars series by Banpresto. In fact, there has not been a single non-Banpresto Original title which has not featured at least one Gundam series and characters. Some series come and go, but Amuro Ray, often in his RX-93 "ν Gundam", is a regular character and has actually never missed a single game. This all changed in Super Robot Wars Judgement for the Game Boy Advance and Super Robot Wars W for the Nintendo DS. So far, almost every single major Gundam series has made at least one appearance in the series.The mobile suit units are considered the representing unit in the "real robot" type of mecha. The games' units are often separated by being "super robots", powerful mecha that often have near-limitless powers and technology, but have a shorter range of movement, and real robots, mecha that are physically weaker, but possess a wider range of movement and accuracy. There have been so many mobile suit units that it is impossible to tell a distinct style, however, mobile suits are extremely agile and have an enormous variety of weapons. Original design series and variations Due to the sheer popularity of the Gundam franchise, especially the mobile suit design, several "Original Design Series" were published. These series are drawings and precise specifications for additional mobile suit units not found in the original animated material: * Gundam Century (1981)Gundam Century was a book published in 22 September 1981. At first it is an unofficial anime guide of Mobile Suit Gundam, published by Minori books(みのり書房) as an extra appendix of the monthly magazine 月刊OUT. The book served as the basics of all the technology and realistic demonstration of Gundam, in which at publish, it is a collection of fan material along with interviews and off-time works from the original Gundam creators like Yoshiyuki Tomino, Kunio Okawara and Yoshikazu Yasuhiko. Also collected various real world space exploration science and referenced scientific journals like L5 News, Science, Physics Today. The settings in the book has since then been adopted and endorsed by the official company Sunrise and Bandai. Although most of the numbers and history has since then been changed a few times, (for example, the One Year War started in November 0079 instead of the current official timeline January 0079).[15][16] the book is regarded as the pioneer of the realism of the Gundam franchise, and is acknowledged in Gundam Official and is republished by as an official publication in the year 2000, named as Gundam Century Renewal Version. * Mobile Suit Variations (1983) o Also known as "MSV", these variations exist from the One Year War, and considered to be official and canonical in the Universal Century timeline. * Mobile Suit X (1984) o Also known as "MSX", these are new models for a proposed, but never produced new animation series, and considered to be official and canonical in the Universal Century timeline. * Z-MSV o Variations from the Mobile Suit Zeta Gundam series. * ZZ-MSV o Variations from the Mobile Suit Double Zeta Gundam series. * CCA-MSV o Variations from the Mobile Suit Gundam: Char's Counterattack movie. * Kunio Okawara's MS Collection (M-MSV) o Kunio Okawara's personal reinterpretations of his original designs. * F91-MSV o Variations from the Mobile Suit Gundam F91 movie. * V-MSV o Variations from the Mobile Suit Victory Gundam series. * SEED-MSV o Variations from the Mobile Suit Gundam SEED series. * SEED Destiny MSV o Variations from the Mobile Suit Gundam SEED Destiny series. * 00V o Variations from the Mobile Suit Gundam 00 series. MerchandiseBandai, the primary licensee of the Gundam trademark, makes a variety of products for the Gundam fan. Other companies produce unofficial toys, models, t-shirts, etc. Categories of products include the "Mobile Suit In Action" ("MSiA") action figures, and Gundam Model Kits in several scales and design complexity. Generally, each series listed above will have its own set of products, although the MSiA and models lines, such as Master Grade and High Grade Universal Century, may extend across series. The most popular line of action figure in recent year; however, is the "Gundam Fix" series. This line of figures include the mecha shown in the animated series/manga/novels, but also included new accessories to create a more updated version. InternetBandai maintains a number of sites to promote various Gundam projects. Most prominent amongst these is "Gundam Perfect Web", the official Japanese site. Its English language counterpart is the US maintained "Gundam Official". For a brief trial period in 2005, the site hosted the "Gundam Official User Forum". These forums were based on the existing fan forum, "Gundam Watch", and made use of many of its staff. When the project was retired, Gundam Watch was reborn, before passing the torch onto "Gundam Evolution", which maintains many of the same traditions and staff.A number of series specific websites have been produced. These are often available for a limited time, usually to promote a DVD release. Common content includes character and mecha listings, lists of related merchandise and pay-for-download content. "Special" pages are also frequent, often presenting downloadable wallpaper or a small game. The Superior Defender Gundam Force site, for example, offers a game where players take the role of the villain, attempting to blast its minions with its weapons. After completion, users are rewarded with a papercraft of the Ark fans featured frequently in the show's second half. As a cultural icon Gundam is a popular cultural icon of Japan, it is a 50 billion yen business of Bandai Namco (projected 50 billion yen income of the company and reached a highest number of 54.5 billion yen in 2006).[17] Not only were stamps published, an employee of the Agriculture Ministry was reprimanded for contribution to Japanese Wikipedia Gundam related pages [18], the Japanese Self Defense Forces code-named its developing advance personal combat system as Gundam and the Fire department used Gundam to promote the future of fire fighting developments. A tram station stood a monument of the original Gundam and used the main theme of the first Gundam anime as its departure melody and other businesses like Mitsubishi not only created a test-type simulator for concept cars with a version of Gundam cockpit, it also held recruitment seminars using "How to make a Gundam" as a demo of what their development process is and based their Lancer Evolution design on Gundam. Isuzu also used a Gundam to model the VX2. A conference as a preparation for the "International Gundam Society" (国際ガンダム学会) was held on the 24 August in Hiroshima, using Gundam as the main topic to discuss about the relationship of the science and technology in sci-fi anime and the real world. Fire fighting posteroriginal locationThe RX-78-2 Gundam and 2 Medea transport planes were featured in a fire fighting poster in Japan. The RX-78-2 was equipped with water spraying equipment instead of weapons. Japanese stampsThe RX-78 Gundam was recognized as a culturally significant subject by the nation of Japan on 23 October 2000, with the inclusion of the suit and of the main pilot on two stamps in the 20th Century Stamp Series. [19]Additionally, this mobile suit and other notable mecha from various Gundam series were recognized in the second set of "Anime Heroes and Heroines" stamps, released in 2005. It was one of only four franchises to be given the honor; the others were Pokémon, Galaxy Express 999, and Detective Conan. [20] Japan Self-Defense ForcesThe code name for the under-development Japan Self-Defense Forces advanced personal combat equipment is "Gundam".[21][22][23][24] On the display exhibition on 7 November 2007, the equipment of the set contains infra-red camera and scope that can verify the incoming target is friend or foe, along with a monitor display that can browse the internet. The equipment has a total weight of 9 kg and the powered suit can run for 8 hours. The testing team consisting of troopers claims that the major improvement should be focused on increasing the battery life of the system. The researchers are also aiming for funnel type systems including missiles that can stay/hover in air and mini scouting robots.[25] Tramstation monumentOn 23 March 2008, a RX-78 Gundam monument in the south exit of the Kamiigusa Station (上井草駅), and an original Gundam head mark will be on display on the Seibu Shinjuku Line train until 4 April 2008. The music of the train departing is also changed to the melody of the opening theme of Mobile Suit Gundam. The event also featured free Gundam eco-bags. The monument pose is directed by Tomino, the original creator of Gundam, and featured a pose of Gundam pointing its hand towards the sky symbolizing paragenesis and hoping for the future. According to the director, it corresponds to the title of the first episode of Gundam, ガンダム大地に立つ!!, and carries a meaning of from Earth.[26] Isuzu VX2The concept of Isuzu VX 2 official link is inspired by RX-178 Gundam Mk-II as concept design arts released in the Jan/Feb 1998, as seen in issue no. 71 of the magazine Axis published in Japan. Mitsubishi Test-type simulatorMitsubishi has cooperated with Bandai to create a simulator for concept cars, which will show up in various places including car shows and factory sites for visitors to test run different cars. The simulator features an up to 0.5G simulated acceleration, a 100 inch screen with 24 bit digital sound and accommodation for 4 people in a 2 line formation that the front seaters will control the simulated vehicle. Although the commercial release will be a car simulator, the test-type of this simulator will be decorated like the Gundam cockpit and become a simulation theatre in the Toyota theme park, Mega Web, located in Tokyo.[27] SeminarsAs part of MHI Jobcon 2005 (Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Job Convention 2005), a recruiting event of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd, seminars were held in six Japanese cities. The topic of these seminars was "Mobile Suit Gundam Development Story"; which indicated the requirements and processes that Mitsubishi would have to implement if the company had been required to build an RX-78 mobile suit. [28] Lancer EvolutionAccording to Gundam-san 4 koma comic, the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution appearance is influenced by the RX-78-2 Gundam.[29] Ink and wash paintingIn 2008, the ink and wash painting of Gundam drawn by Hisashi Tenmyouya in 2005 was sold in the Christie's auction held in Hong Kong with a price of US$600,000.[30][31] International Gundam SocietyOn 24 August 2008, a conference was held in Hiroshima with hundreds of academic professionals in different fields joining together to discuss about the relationship of anime science and technology with the modern world, including military, economical, linguistics, possibility of the Universal Century (human colonizing space) and beam weaponry in the Gundam world. Many envisioned the science in Gundam is not far from our time.[32][33][34] One aeronautics expert in the project said Thermal nuclear rockets and spherical helper bots should be pursued.[35]

Inuyasha

mucklislockheart@gmail.com (N3Xt G-Nation) — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 03:59:00 +0000

InuYasha (犬夜叉 ?), full title InuYasha, a Feudal Fairy Tale (戦国御伽草子犬夜叉 ,Sengoku Otogizōshi InuYasha?, lit. "Warring-States Fairy-Tale Book: InuYasha") (romanized as INUYASHA), is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Rumiko Takahashi. It premiered in Weekly Shōnen Sunday on November 13, 1996 and concluded on June 18, 2008. The series follows a time-traveling high school student, a half-demon, a lecherous monk, a fox demon, a demon slayer, and a nekomata during the Sengoku period as they seek to find all the fragments of the Jewel of Four Souls and to keep them out of the hands of evildoers, especially Naraku.The manga was adapted into a 167 episode anime series produced by Sunrise. Masashi Ikeda directed the first forty-four episodes, while Yasunao Aoki directed the remainder of the series. InuYasha premiered on Yomiuri TV in Japan on October 16, 2000 and ran until September 13, 2004. The television run of the anime ceased without a conclusion to the story.In 2002, the manga won the Shogakukan Manga Award for best shōnen title of the year.[1]PlotThe story begins in Feudal Japan, when the half-demon InuYasha steals the Jewel of Four Souls—a magical jewel that enhances the power of and can grant a single wish to the one who wields it—from a village. InuYasha desires the gem in order to turn himself into a full blooded demon. InuYasha does not get far before Kikyo, the young miko of the village, shoots him with a sacred arrow that indefinitely seals him onto Goshinboku, a sacred tree in the nearby forest. After being mortally wounded, Kikyo tells her younger sister, Kaede, to burn the jewel with her body to prevent it from falling into the hands of evil.In modern Tokyo, a junior high school girl named Kagome Higurashi is on her way to school. She stops in the well house of her family's Shinto shrine to retrieve her cat, Buyo, when a centipede demon emerges from the well and pulls her into the Sengoku period of Japan.Not knowing where she is, Kagome wanders around a forest near the Bone Eater's Well. She spots Goshinboku off in the distance and proceeds towards it. On the tree, she finds InuYasha, who is still sealed in an enchanted sleep. Villagers seize her and take her to the old priestess, Kaede. Recognizing that Kagome is the reincarnation of her sister Kikyo, Kaede tells her the story of Kikyo and InuYasha.The centipede attacks again, and Kagome is forced to release InuYasha from his enchantment so he can kill it. After defeating the centipede, InuYasha tries to take the Jewel of Four Souls from Kagome. In order to thwart InuYasha and to save Kagome's life, Kaede places magical prayer beads around InuYasha's neck so that Kagome can subdue him.The Jewel of Four Souls attracts more demons, and in a battle against a carrion crow demon, the jewel is shattered into numerous shards that spread all across Japan. As the individual shards are capable of granting those who embed it in their bodies with great power, it is sought after by many demons as well as some humans.Kagome and InuYasha set out to collect the shards and restore the Jewel of Four Souls. Along the way, they befriend Shippo, a fox demon; Miroku, a cursed monk; and Sango, a demon-slayer whose brother was possessed and forced to slaughter their father and the other demon slayers. The group encounters many friends and foes during the adventure, including InuYasha's older half-brother Sesshomaru; Kikyo, who died 50 years ago but, was resurrected with part of Kagome's soul; Naraku, who tricked Kikyo and InuYasha into turning against each other; and a wolf demon named Koga, who is in love with Kagome and whenever he and InuYasha meet they constantly bicker.Eventually, the Shikon jewel is reassembled by Naraku, who is then defeated by InuYasha. Before he dies, Naraku makes a wish on the jewel that Kagome would replace the soul of Midoriko, the jewel's original creator, within the jewel and that his soul would also enter the jewel so he could survive inside as her enemy. This would only work if Kagome made a selfish wish, which Naraku tries to trick her into doing, but confident that InuYasha would rescue her, she refuses to do so. InuYasha rescues her and Kagome wishes for the jewel to disappear forever.Kagome is thrown back into her own time, and InuYasha is no longer able to see her. However, after three years when Kagome has graduated high school, a portal opens allowing her to return to InuYasha's time. They acknowledge their love for one another and she chooses to remain in the past with him.[edit] CharactersMain article: List of InuYasha charactersKagome Higurashi (日暮かごめ ,Higurashi Kagome?) Voiced by: Satsuki Yukino (Japanese), Moneca Stori (English) Kagome is a fifteen-year-old ninth grade student. She is the reincarnation of Kikyo, a miko (priestess) who died fifty years before the time Kagome first emerged from the Bone Eater's Well in the Sengoku period. Because of this, Kagome has powerful spiritual powers and can sense the shards of the Shikon Jewel, an item that is said to balance the forces of good and evil, and resembles Kikyo. Later in the series, she admits that she loves InuYasha, which is also shown when she stays with him at the end of the series.InuYasha (犬夜叉 ?) Voiced by: Kappei Yamaguchi (Japanese), Richard Ian Cox (English) InuYasha is a hanyō (half-demon), the product of an inu-yōkai (犬妖怪 ?, dog demon) and a human. He wields Tetsusaiga, a supernatural sword made from one of his deceased father's fangs. When properly wielded, the sword can destroy one hundred demons with a single swing. InuYasha can quickly recover from injuries that would be fatal to a human, largely due to his demonic blood. During the first night of each lunar month (new moon), InuYasha changes into a normal human with black hair and black eyes and loses his demonic powers. InuYasha was bound to Goshinboku by Kikyo's arrow for fifty years until Kagome freed him. InuYasha wears a special bead necklace that forces him to respond to Kagome's command "Osuwari!", which translates to "Sit!" in English. In the English-dubbed version, "InuYasha, sit!" or "Sit, boy!" are sometimes used instead. Following the command, InuYasha is thrown to the ground. Kaede had placed the necklace upon InuYasha because he had threatened to kill Kagome if she refused to give the Jewel of Four Souls to him.[2] As the series goes on, he begins to like Kagome more and more, shown when he will leave a battle to save her from being hurt.Miroku (弥勒 ?) Voiced by: Kōji Tsujitani (Japanese), Kirby Morrow (English) Miroku is a Buddhist "hōshi" (low-ranking, itinerant monk) who travels the countryside performing services such as exorcisms and yōkai exterminations to earn his living. He suffers from a hereditary curse originally inflicted upon his grandfather Miyatsu (also a Buddhist monk) by Naraku. The curse created a hole in his hand that became a kazaana (風洞 ?, air void or "wind tunnel") that sucks in anything that is not nailed down, regardless of its mass. However, absorbing poisons or sharp objects harms him and can decrease his total life-span, a fact Naraku takes advantage of by creating highly poisonous insects whose presence prevents Miroku from using his kazāna on Naraku or his allies. Miroku uses the kazāna as a powerful weapon against yōkai, but if the curse is not broken (by defeating Naraku), it will grow too large to control and will consume Miroku himself. Miroku is a talented con artist who does not hesitate to invent fictitious supernatural menaces, which he can then offer to combat in return for food and shelter. He has a distinct weakness for single women. He makes a point of asking every attractive woman he meets if she will bear his child, and he habitually strokes the buttocks of attractive women. Miroku eventually proposes to Sango, though this does little to curb his flirtations with other women. At the end of the series, they are married with three children.Sango (珊瑚 ?) Voiced by: Houko Kuwashima (Japanese), Kelly Sheridan (English) Sango is a serious "yōkai taijiya" (demon slayer) who hails from a village of professional demon slayers. Sango wields the Hiraikotsu, a massive boomerang made of yōkai bones, and uses a broad repertoire of tools and tricks to battle yōkai. Sango seeks revenge against Naraku for the death of her family and her entire village. In addition, Sango seeks to rescue her brother Kohaku from Naraku's influence and somehow save his life, even though Kohaku's life is tied to the jewel shard embedded in his back. She eventually develops romantic feelings for Miroku. Despite the fact that everyone, even InuYasha, notices her interest, she refuses to admit it exists. The manifestation of her interest often takes the form of hitting Miroku when he flirts with other single women. Miroku eventually returns her feelings and proposes to her. At the end of the series, they are married with three children.Shippo (七宝 ,Shippō?) Voiced by: Kumiko Watanabe (Japanese), Jillian Michaels (English) Shippo is a young orphan kitsune (fox demon) whose father was killed by the Thunder Brothers, Hiten and Manten, and the first character in the story to join InuYasha and Kagome in their travels. Shippo can shape shift, but his forms are temporary and often incomplete and ineffective, such that he is usually given away by his tail. His other noteworthy abilities are using illusionary tricks with toys like his giant spinning top attack, using his race's notable foxfire magic, and duplicating things, such as leaves or his own body. He tends to be naively observant and often makes pointed and cheeky comments directed towards InuYasha, earning him a retaliatory rap on the head for his unsolicited "advice".Kirara (雲母 ?) Voiced by: Tarako Kirara is Sango's faithful nekomata. She has cream-colored fur, black ears, two black stripes on each of her two bushy tails near the tip, and black-tipped paws. Kirara can change between two forms: a ferocious lion-sized yōkai with the ability to fly, and a cute kitten. Sango, Miroku, and Shippo often use Kirara's flying ability as transportation in order to keep up with InuYasha. (In the English dub, her name is pronounced "Kee-Lah-Lah", because the Japanese language treats "r" and "l" as one phoneme.)Sesshomaru (殺生丸 ,Sesshōmaru?) Voiced by: Ken Narita (Japanese), David Kaye (English) Sesshomaru is the yōkai son of the powerful Inu no Taishou and InuYasha's half-brother. Sesshomaru believes that struggle is the only way to survive, and throughout most of the series, he shows his contempt for InuYasha. Although Sesshomaru inherited his father's Tenseiga, which can bring a hundred people back to life with a single swing, he originally coveted InuYasha's inheritance, a powerful sword. However, a spell was cast on the sword so that a full yōkai cannot touch it without burning his flesh. Despite knowing that he cannot touch the sword, Sesshomaru still desires to take it from InuYasha. Throughout the series, Sesshomaru's compassion gradually grows as his rivalry with InuYasha decreases.Naraku (奈落 ?)Voiced by: Toshiyuki Morikawa (Japanese), Paul Dobson (English) The main antagonist, Naraku (literally means "underworld", or "hell") is responsible for nearly every character’s suffering throughout the series. He is a hanyō that originated from a bandit named Onigumo ("Demon Spider"). Unlike InuYasha, he can choose the time of the month when he becomes his weak human form. Like InuYasha, Naraku's main goal is to collect all of the shards of the Shikon no Tama in order to become a full yōkai. He had feelings for Kikyo because of Onigumo's love for her while he was alive. Later, he expels his human heart and with it his feelings for Kikyo and his human half, making him a full demon.Media MangaWritten by Rumiko Takahashi, InuYasha premiered in Japan in Shōnen Sunday on November 13, 1996 and concluded June 18, 2008. The chapters are also being published by Shogakukan in collected volumes, with the first volume released in May 1997. As of November 2008, 55 volumes of the series have been released in Japan.Viz Media licensed the series for an English translated release in North America. The first volume was released in March 1998. At the time, manga was normally published "flipped"--that is, printed in exact reverse order-- to conform to the American convention of reading books from left to right. This resulted in the individual pages being mirrored from the original, so the images seen are also mirrored leaving right-handed characters appearing to be left-handed. Though Viz has since stopped flipping their manga releases, as InuYasha was already well into printing by the time this change was made, it continues to be released in the flipped format. New volumes of the series are released quarterly, and as of January 6, 2009, 36 volumes have been released in North America.Viz Media is also releasing a separate series of "manga" volumes, called "ani-manga", which are derived from the anime episodes using colored frames from colored frames. These volumes are slightly smaller than the regular manga volumes, are oriented in the Japanese tradition of right to left, feature new covers with higher quality pages, and a higher price point versus the regular volumes. Each ani-manga volume is arranged into chapters that correspond to the anime episodes rather than the manga. AnimeMain article: List of InuYasha episodesBased on the first thirty-six volumes of the manga series, the InuYasha anime adaptation produced by Sunrise premiered in Japan on Animax on October 16, 2000 and ran for 167 episodes until its conclusion on September 13, 2004. It also aired Animax's English-language networks in South Asia and East Asia and it was broadcast on Yomiuri TV and Nippon Television.The anime is licensed for release in North America by Viz Media. The English dub of the series was broadcast on Cartoon Network as part of its Adult Swim programming block from August 31, 2002 through October 27, 2006, with episodes continuing to air in reruns. The series aired on Canada on YTV's Bionix programming block from September 5, 2003 through December 1, 2006, with reruns continuing to run until October 12, 2007. MoviesFour movies, which exist separately from the anime time line, have been released in Japan. All four movies have also been released as Region 1 DVDs by Viz Media. The first movie, InuYasha the Movie: Affections Touching Across Time (映画犬夜叉時代を越える想い ,Eiga InuYasha: Jidai o Koeru Omoi?), was released in Japan on December 16, 2001. In the movie, InuYasha, Kagome, Shippo, Sango, and Miroku must face Menomaru, a demonic enemy brought to life by a jewel shard, as they continue their quest for the Shikon Jewel shards.InuYasha the Movie: The Castle Beyond the Looking Glass (映画犬夜叉鏡の中の夢幻城 ,Eiga InuYasha: Kagami no Naka no Mugenjō?) was released on December 21, 2002, and depicts the group defeating Naraku and returning to their normal lives. Their short period of peace is interrupted when a new enemy emerges: Kaguya, the ruler of the eternal night.InuYasha the Movie: Swords of an Honorable Ruler (映画犬夜叉天下覇道の剣 ,Eiga InuYasha: Tenka Hadō no Ken?) was released on December 20, 2003. It gives some background into the story of Inu no Taishou's love for Izayoi, InuYasha's mother. So'unga, a legendary sword that belonged to InuYasha's father, is unleashed from its centuries-old seal and seeks to destroy the Earth and all life on it. Thus, InuYasha must join forces with his brother, Sesshomaru, and destroy the sword before it destroys the world.The fourth movie, InuYasha the Movie: Fire on the Mystic Island (映画犬夜叉紅蓮の蓬莱島 ,Eiga InuYasha: Guren no Hōraijima?), was released on December 23, 2004. The reappearance of the mysterious island of Houraijima after fifty years incurs the wrath of the four gods, the Shitoushin. With their eyes set on the powers that protect and sustain the island, the Shitoushin must be defeated while InuYasha and his friends try to help the children that are trapped on that island escape. CreditsDirectors Masashi Ikeda (Episodes 1 - 44) Yasunao Aoki (Episodes 45 - 167)Original Creator Rumiko TakahashiCharacter Design Yoshihito HishinumaArt Director Shigemi IkedaDirector of Photography Kumiko Ito Yoichi OgamiMusic Kaoru WadaProducers Hideyuki Tomioka (Sunrise) Michihiko Suwa (Yomiuri TV)Production Kyoto Animation Sunrise Yomiuri TVPhotography Anime Film MusicAll the music that was used in the series and films were licensed from the Japanese record company, Avex Trax.[edit] Opening themes"Change the world" * Opening for episodes: 1 - 34 * Lyrics by Rie Matsumoto, music by Miki Watanabe and arranged by Keiichi Ueno * Performed by V6"I Am" * Opening for episodes: 35 - 64 * Lyrics by hitomi, music by Masato Kitano and arranged by Zentaro Watanabe * Performed by hitomi"Unending Dream" (終わりない夢 ,Owari nai Yume?) * Opening for episodes: 65 - 95 * Lyrics by Nanase Aikawa, music by Hiroshi Shibazaki and arranged by Kaname * Performed by Nanase Aikawa"Grip!" * Opening for episodes: 96 - 127 * Lyrics by Kaori Mochida, music by Kazuhiro Kara and arranged by Hal * Performed by Every Little Thing"One Day, One Dream" * Opening for episodes: 128 - 153 * Lyrics by Hideyuki Kohata, music by Kei Yoshikawa and arranged by Chokkaku * Performed by Tackey & Tsubasa"Angelus" (アンジェラス ,Anjerasu?) * Opening for episodes: 154 - 167 * Lyrics by Bounceback, music by Bulge and arranged by Yasuaki Maejima * Performed by Hitomi Shimatani Ending themes"My will" * Ending for episodes: 1 - 20, and 167 * Lyrics by Mai Matsumuro, music by Yasho Ohtani, arranged by Keisuke Kikuchi and chorus arrangement by Yas Kitajima * Performed by Dream"Deep Forest" (深い森 ,Fukai Mori?) * Ending for episodes: 21 - 41 * Lyrics by D-A-I, music by D-A-I, and arranged by D-A-I and Seiji Kameda * Performed by Do As Infinity"Dearest" * Ending for episodes: 42 - 60 * Lyrics by Ayumi Hamasaki, music by CREA (Ayumi Hamasaki) + D-A-I and arranged by Naoto Suzuki * Performed by Ayumi Hamasaki"Every Heart" (ミンナノキモチ ,Minna no Kimochi?) * Ending for episodes: 61 - 85 * Lyrics by Natsumi Watanabe, music by Bounceback and arranged by H-wonder * Performed by BoA"Song of Truth" (真実の詩 ,Shinjitsu no Uta?) * Ending for episodes: 86 - 108 * Lyrics by D-A-I, music by D-A-I, and arranged by D-A-I and Seiji Kameda * Performed by Do As Infinity"Mischievous Kiss" (イタズラな ,Itazura na Kiss?) * Ending for episodes: 109 - 127 * Lyrics by Misono, music by Masato Kitano, and arranged by Mitsuru Igarashi and Day After Tomorrow * Performed by Day After Tomorrow"Come" * Ending for episodes: 128 - 147 * Lyrics by Kask/Mansson/Cunnah and music by Kask/Mansson/Cunnah * Japanese lyrics by Yuriko Mori and arranged by Cobra Endo * Performed by Namie Amuro"Change the world" * Special ending for episode: 148 * Lyrics by Rie Matsumoto, music by Miki Watanabe and arranged by Keiichi Ueno * Performed by V6"Brand new world" * Ending for episodes: 149 - 166 * Lyrics by Mizue, music by Ōyagihirō and arranged by Masaki Iehara * Performed by V6 Movie themes"No More Words" * From InuYasha the Movie: Affections Touching Across Time * Lyrics by Ayumi Hamasaki, music by CREA and Do As Infinity, and arranged by Naoto Suzuki and Tasuku * Performed by Ayumi Hamasaki"Rock" (ゆらゆら ,Yura Yura?) * From InuYasha the Movie: The Castle Beyond the Looking Glass * Lyrics by Kaori Mochida, music by Kunio Tako and arranged by Yasuo Otani, Masafumi Nakao and Ichiro Ito * Performed by Every Little Thing"Song of Love" (愛の歌 ,Ai no Uta?) * Insert song from InuYasha the Movie: The Castle Beyond the Looking Glass * Lyrics by Kaori Mochida, music by Kunio Tako and arranged by Akira Murata * Performed by Every Little Thing"Four Seasons" * From InuYasha the Movie: Swords of an Honorable Ruler * Lyrics by JUSME, music by MONK and arranged by MONK * Performed by Namie Amuro"Paradise" (楽園 ,Rakuen?) * From InuYasha the Movie: Fire on the Mystic Island * Lyrics by Ryo Owatari, music by Do As Infinity and arranged by Do As Infinity and Seiji Kameda * Performed by Do As Infinity Games This article is in a list format that may be better presented using prose. You can help by converting this section to prose, if appropriate. Editing help is available. (February 2008)InuYasha has been adapted into a mobile game released for Java and Brew handsets on June 21, 2005,[3] an English-language original Trading card game created by Score Entertainment that was first released on October 20, 2004, and the following video game console games:

One Piece

mucklislockheart@gmail.com (N3Xt G-Nation) — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 12:36:00 +0000

One Piece (ワンピース ,Wan Pīsu?) is a Japanese shōnen manga written and illustrated by Eiichirō Oda, that has been serialized in Weekly Shōnen Jump magazine since August 4, 1997. The individual chapters are being published in tankōbon volumes by Shueisha, with the first released on December 24, 1997 and 53 volumes released as of March 4, 2009. One Piece follows the adventures of Monkey D. Luffy, a 17-year-old boy, who gained supernatural abilities by eating a magical fruit, and his ragtag crew of heroic pirates, named the Straw Hats. Luffy's greatest ambition is to obtain the world's ultimate treasure, One Piece, and thereby become the next Pirate King ("King of the Pirates" in the English versions). When creating the series, Oda was heavily influenced by the manga Dragon Ball.One Piece is licensed for an English language release in North America by Viz Media. The individual chapters are being serialized in Viz's Shonen Jump manga anthology and being published in tankōbon volumes. In the United Kingdom, the series was being released by Gollancz Manga, it is now released by Viz Media along with all of their other manga previously released by Gollancz Manga. Madman Entertainment is releasing the series in Australia and New Zealand.The series was adapted into an original video animation (OVA) produced in 1998 by Production I.G. It was later adapted into a full anime series by Toei Animation that premiered in Japan on Fuji Television on October 20, 1999. As of March 1, 2009, 391 episodes of the series have aired. The anime series was licensed for a heavily edited English dubbed broadcast in North America by 4Kids Entertainment. It has since been licensed for a full Region 1 DVD release and broadcast by Funimation Entertainment in it's original and Uncut form. In addition to the anime series and OVA, One Piece has been adapted into nine feature films by Toei and multiple video games based on the series have been released.With over 140 million copies sold, One Piece is the third highest selling manga in the history of Weekly Shōnen Jump. It is considered their most acclaimed and all-time third-best-selling title in Japan.PlotMain article: List of One Piece charactersA boy named Monkey D. Luffy, inspired by his childhood hero "Red-Haired" Shanks, sets out on a journey to find the legendary One Piece, to become the new Pirate King. To accomplish this, he must reach the end of the most deadly and dangerous ocean: The Grand Line.Luffy captains the Straw Hat Pirates first through the sea of East Blue and then through the Grand Line. He follows the path of the deceased Pirate King, Gold Roger, from island to island on his way to the great treasure One Piece. On his way his crew grows to have a swordsman, a navigator, a sniper, a cook, a doctor, an archaeologist, a shipwright, and a musician.During the course of the story, the crew contend with both other less moral pirate crews and the Navy. The latter are the subordinates of the World Government, who apparently seek justice by ending the Golden Age of Pirates. Many background story elements involve the delicate balance of power between the World Government and the world's most powerful pirate crews. SettingMain article: World of One PieceThe Grand Line, also known as the Graveyard of Pirates,[1] is a fictional sea and the setting for most of the story in One Piece. It follows an imaginary line that runs north-west to south-east around the world and perpendicular to the Red Line.[1] The Red Line is a stretch of land that circles the globe from south-west to north-east.[1] These two Lines divide the two oceans of the world into four seas: North Blue, East Blue, West Blue and South Blue. There are two Calm Belts, running north and south of the Grand Line. These areas experience almost no wind and ocean currents.[2][3] The Calm Belts are also breeding ground for huge sea monsters, called Sea Kings in the One Piece world.[4][3] They are very effective barriers for those trying to enter the Grand Line.Navigation in the Grand Line is considered to be very difficult.[5] Compasses do not work on the Grand Line because of the nature of its magnetic fields.[5] The islands located in the Grand Line are highly rich in minerals which disturbs the magnetic fields in the area.[5] In order to navigate the Grand Line, a Log Pose, a compass like instrument, must be used.[5] The Log Pose works by locking on to one island's magnetic field and then, once the island is reached, adapting to the next island's magnetic field.[5]Devil Fruits are a type of fruit which, when eaten, permanently give a special power.[6] There are three categories of Devil Fruit.[7] Zoan fruits allow the user to fully and partially transform into a specific animal.[8] Logia fruits give control over and allow the user "to change their living body structure into the powers of nature".[7] "Everything aside from those is lumped into the Paramecia category."[9] Devil Fruit users can not swim.[10] When even only partially submerged in sea water, they temporarily lose their strength.[11] ProductionOne Piece started as two one-shot stories entitled Romance Dawn[12]—which would later be used as the title for One Piece's first chapter and volume. The two one-shots featured the character of Luffy, and included elements that would later appear in the main series. The first of these short stories was published in August 1996 in a special issue of Shōnen Jump and later in One Piece Red. The second was published in the 41st issue of Shōnen Jump in 1996 and reprinted 1998 in Oda's short story collection: Wanted!.[13]Oda originally planned One Piece to last five years and he had already planned out the ending, but he found himself enjoying the story too much to end it in that amount of time and now has no idea how long it will take to reach that point.[14] Nevertheless, the author states, as of July 2007, that the ending will still be the one he had decided on from the beginning and he is committed to seeing it through to the end, no matter how many years it takes.[15]The names of many special attacks and certain terminology in the manga consist of a form of punning, in which phrases written in kanji are paired with an idiosyncratic reading. For example the names of Luffy, Sanji, Chopper, Robin, and Franky's techniques are often mixed with other languages and a number of names of Zoro's sword techniques possibly involve a joke, for example, some are fearsome when read by sight but sound like kinds of food when read aloud. Eisaku Inoue, the animation director, has said that the creators did not use these kanji readings in the anime since they "might have cut down the laughs by about half."[16] Nevertheless, Konosuke Uda, the director, said that the he believes that the creators "made the anime pretty close to the manga."[16] Media MangaMain article: List of One Piece manga volumesWritten and illustrated by Eiichirō Oda, One Piece premiered in the August 4, 1997 issue Weekly Shōnen Jump, where it continues serialization. In total, 533 chapters have been released in Japan as of February 20, 2009. As of March 4, 2009, the first 522 of those chapters have been compiled into 53 tankōbon volumes in Japan by Shueisha,[17] with the first volume released December 24, 1997.[18]The series is licensed for an English language release in North America by Viz Media.[19] The creator of One Piece was "sensitive" about how it would be translated.[20] On July 8, 2002 ICv2 reported that One Piece would be in the opening line-up of the Shonen Jump magazine.[21] When its first issue was released in November 2002, so was the first chapter of One Piece.[22] The magazine has been publishing successive chapters ever since. The first volume was released by Viz in June 2003.[23] As of February 3, 2009, 20 volumes have been published.[24] And an upcoming 20th volume is scheduled for February 3, 2009.[25] The English volumes are being distributed in Australia and New Zealand by Madman Entertainment, with the first volume to be released on November 10, 2008.[26] In the United Kingdom it was published by Gollancz Manga.[27] Currently it is published there by Viz.[28] One Piece is released in Denmark, Germany and Sweden by Carlsen.[edit] Straw Hat TheaterIn addition to the regular manga series, Oda also wrote a variety of short manga pieces, generally less than five pages, featuring the One Piece characters. Unrelated to the series' plot, the side comics are drawn in super deformed style, giving all the characters large heads and tiny bodies. Some of these side comics are included in the data book One Piece BLUE: Grand Data File in four-panel format. Eight side stories, collectively referred to as the Straw Hat Theater, were included in the One Piece Logs, a series of magazine-format manga compilations released from late 2005 through April 2006. These short bonus comics were featured at the end of the 2nd, 3rd, 5th, 6th, and 7th Logs, and advertised as "Brand-New from Oda-sensei! Special Manga. According to Oda, for each comic he was given three sheets of blank paper by his editor and told to "draw anything", with these being the result. The first five Straw Hat Theater manga shorts were also included in the One Piece YELLOW: Grand Elements data book, along with another bonus side comic. These five comics were also adapted into anime shorts, narrated by Masaya Takatsuka, that aired alongside episodes 279 through 283 of the One Piece anime adaptation.[citation needed] 1. "Report Time", published in The 2nd Log: "SANJI" in November 2005 2. "Obahan Time", published in The 3rd Log: "NAMI" in December 2005 3. "No Code-of-Honor Time" (仁義ない TIME ,Jingi nai TIME?), published in The 5th Log: CHOPPER" in February 2006 4. "Chopper Man", published in The 6th Log: "ALABASTA" in March 2006 5. "Monster Time", published in The 7th Log: "VIVI" in April 2006 6. "Space Time", published in One Piece YELLOW: Grand Elements in April 2007[29] 7. "Red-Hair of Class 3-Sea Time", published in One Piece: 10th Treasures in September 2007 8. "Märchen Time", published in The 10th Log: "BELL" in April 2008 AnimeProduced by Toei Animation, the One Piece anime series debuted in Japan on Fuji TV on October 20, 1999, where it continues to air today. As of February 16, 2009, 391 episodes of the series have aired, spanning ten seasons.4Kids Entertainment licensed the series for an English language dubbed broadcast and release in North America. The 4Kids episodes aired in the United States on the Fox network as part of the Fox Box block, premiering on September 18, 2004. The first 143 episodes of the original were cut down to 104 in the dubbed version. The remaining content was subject to heavy editing. Sanji's cigarettes for example were turned into lollipops,[30] and "the skin of a black pirate was changed to a tan mulatto / white color."[31] In December 2006, 4Kids cancelled production of the dubbed version.[32]On April 12, 2007, Funimation Entertainment announced it acquired the license for the series. After producing a new English voice dub in, the company released its first unedited, bilingual DVD box set, containing 13 episodes, on May 27, 2008.[33] Similarly sized sets followed with two sets released as of September 16, 2008.[34] The Funimation English dubbed episodes premiered on the Cartoon Network on September 29, 2007 and aired until it was cancelled on March 29, 2008.[35] The remainder of Funimation's dubbed episodes continued being aired on Austrailia's Cartoon Network, and has since shifted into reruns of the Funimation dub.In Singapore, the anime is licensed by Odex, who produced an English dub which lasted 104 episodes. It was produced in two 52 episode seasons, with some of the original actors leaving in between seasons.[citation needed]In the July 2008 issue of Weekly Shōnen Jump, it was announced that the prototype one-shot that preceded One Piece, Romance Dawn, is being adapted into an anime OVA as part of the Jump Super Anime Tour.[13][36][37][edit] FilmsMain article: List of One Piece filmsSince the debut of the series on television, Toei Animation has also produced nine One Piece feature films, traditionally released during the Japanese school spring break since 2000.[38]. Although the first three films were less than an hour long and played as part of a double-bill with other anime movies. In typical fashion for movies based on serialized manga, the films feature self-contained, completely original plots with animation of higher quality than what the weekly anime allows for.Additionally, three of these movies have had special featurette shorts, showcasing the characters engaged in various activities unrelated to the series. They were shown dancing in Jango's Dance Carnival with Clockwork Island Adventure; playing soccer in Dream Soccer King! with Chopper's Kingdom on the Island of Strange Animals; and playing baseball in Take Aim! The Pirate Baseball King with Curse of the Sacred Sword. MusicFour Music & Song Collections, containing various music pieces from the anime and the first feature film have been released.For each feature film, starting with the second and thus far ending with the eighth, there has been released a Movie Single, from various artists, as well as an original soundtrack.For all of the first seven Straw Hats there has been released a Character Song Single, a single sung by the seiyū of each character, in the corresponding voice. Also, seven Character Song Albums, albums containing songs, sung by more than one of the Straw Hat's seiyū's, have been released.The first seven opening songs, as well as the first 18 ending themes, have been released in single form.Additionally, there have been 15 releases of various music collection cds, ranging from best-ofs to video game soundtracks. Video gamesOne Piece has been adapted into a whole series of video games published by subsidiaries of Namco Bandai Holdings. The games have been released on a variety of video game and handheld consoles. The series features various genres, mostly role-playing games—the predominant type in the series' early years—and fighting games, such as the titles of the Grand Battle! sub-series.The series debuted in Japan on July 19, 2000 with One Piece: Mezase Kaizoku Ou!.[39] At the moment, the series contains 27 games, not counting Battle Stadium D.O.N, the title One Piece shares with its related anime series Dragon Ball Z and Naruto. The second episode of the most recently released game One Piece: Unlimited Cruise is currently in production and is supposed to be released sometime during the winter of 2008/2009.[40] Furthermore, two unnamed titles have been announced for the Nintendo DS and PlayStation Portable handheld consoles.[41][42]As of April 2007, One Piece video games have done poorly compared to the games from other comprable Shonen titles such as Naruto or Gundam. One Piece Unlimited Adventure continued the trend with its initial launch for the Wii ranking seventh, below the Wii Starting Pack.[43]NovelizationsTatsuya Hamasaki created a series of novelizations based on the first OVA, certain episodes of the TV anime and all but the first feature film. The first of these novels One Piece: Defeat The Pirate Ganzak! (One Piece 倒せ！海賊ギャンザック ,Wan Pīsu: Taose! Kaizoku Ganzakku?), based on the OVA, was released on June 3, 1999.[44] On July 17, 2000 followed One Piece: Lougetown Chapter (One Piece ローグタウン編 ,Wan Pīsu: Rogutaun-hen?), a novelization of the TV anime's Rougetown story arc.[45] The first feature film to be novelized was Clockwork Island Adventure.[46] The book was released on March 19, 2001. On December 25, 2001 followed the second and so far last novelization of a TV anime arc in One Piece: Thousand-year Dragon Legend (One Piece 千年竜伝説 ,Wan Pīsu: Sen-toshi Ryu Densetsu?).[47] The novelization of Chopper's Kingdom on the Island of Strange Animals was released on March 22, 2002 and that of Dead End Adventure on March 10, 2003.[48][49] Curse of the Sacred Sword followed on March 22, 2004 and Baron Omatsuri and the Secret Island on March 14, 2005.[50][51] The novel of The Giant Mechanical Soldier of Karakuri Castle was released on March 6, 2006 and that of Episode of Alabasta: The Desert Princess and the Pirates on March 7, 2007.[52][53] The newest one novelizes Episode of Chopper Plus: Bloom in the Winter, Miracle Sakura and was released on February 25, 2008.[54] Trading card game One Piece has been adopted into a trading card game by Bandai.[55] A number of special cards are placed in each pack, as well as rarer cards stamped in gold and silver. In addition, an oversized golden Luffy card was offered to those who collected all the relevant map-pieced cards contained in packs, as well as the One Piece Grand Battle video game and Shonen Jump issue 34.[56] Art and guidebooksThree art books and three guidebooks for the One Piece series have been released. The first art book, One Piece: Color Walk 1, released June 2001,[57] has also been released in English on November 8, 2005.[58] The second art book, One Piece: Color Walk 2, was released on November 4, 2003,[59] and the third, One Piece: Color Walk 3 - Lion, was released January 5, 2006.[60] The first guidebook, One Piece: Red - Grand Characters was released in Japan on March 2, 2002.[61] Released on August 2, 2002, One Piece: Blue - Grand Data File not only included various character and series information, but also eight new four-panel manga side stories, the Luffy Pirates 4-Panel Theater (ルフィ海賊団四コマ劇場 ,Rufi Kaizokudan Yon-Koma Gekijō?).[62] Each of the shorts featured one of the Straw Hat Pirates in absurd situations. The third guidebook, One Piece: Yellow - Grand Elements, was released April 4, 2007.[63] ReceptionOne Piece is the second highest selling manga in the history of Weekly Shōnen Jump in Japan[64] and the first manga to increase the magazine's sales in eleven years.[65] Volume 27 holds a manga sales record in Japan, with 2.63 million units sold in its first printing alone;[15] as of volume 46, the series has sold over 140 million copies domestically;[15] and is the fastest manga to reach sales of 100 million.[15]One Piece was the most successful manga series during 2008 in Japan with 5,956,540 volumes sold. Volumes 50, 51, and 49 placed first, second, and fourth, respectively, on Oricon's list of best selling manga volumes, with sales of 1,678,208, 1,646,978, and 1,544,000 copies sold respectively. Additionally, Oricon conducted a popularity survey with Japanese male and female readers between with ages ranging from ten to fourty to determine the "Most Interesting Manga of 2008". In that survey, the four One Piece volumes published that year, volumes 49, 50, 51, and 52, placed first with an approval rating of 45.9%.[64]In ICv2's list of "Top 25 Manga Properties Fall 2008", One Piece made a 15th place with a rating of 13+.[66]The manga was a finalist for the Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize three times in a row from 2000 to 2002,[67][68][69] with the highest number of fan nominations in the first two years.[70] And the German translation of its 44th volume won the Sondermann audience award on the Frankfurt Book Fair in 2005.[71] In a 2008 poll by Oricon, Japanese teenagers elected it the most interesting manga.[72]The first opening of the TV anime, "We Are!" (ウィーアー! ?), won the Animation Kobe Theme Song Award of the year 2000.[73] In February 2001, One Piece placed 9th among TV anime in Japan.[74] In 2001, the readers of Animage, a popular Japanese anime magazine, voted the TV anime in 5th place of "The Readers' Picks for the Anime that should be remembered in the 21st Century".[75] In June 2002, the Animage readers voted One Piece to be the 16th best new anime of the year 2001,[76] and gave it another 16th place in 2004 in the category "Favorite Anime Series".[77] In a 2005 web poll by Japanese television network TV Asahi One Piece was voted 6th "most popular animated TV series".[78] Before the poll, Asahi TV broadcast another list based on a nation-wide survey in which One Piece placed 4th among teenagers.[79] In 2006, it was elected 32nd of the Top 100 Japanese anime by TV Asahi and 21st by its viewers.[80][81] In September of the same year the Newtype magazine placed it 5th.[82] It was the most downloaded TV torrent for the week ending July 7, 2008.[83]Funimation's first DVD release of the series "One Piece: Season 1 First Voyage" was nominated for the Fifth Annual TV DVD Awards.[84] ControversyThe Indonesian Broadcasting Commission reprimanded Global TV for the airing of One Piece. According to Erwida Maulia, editor for The Jakarta Post, Nina, a lecturer at the University of Indonesia, says the show was reprimanded for "'violence and blood' and 'sensual looking women', in addition to close-ups of 'women's body parts'". Nina went on to say the show, and others like it, should only be aired when children are unlikely to be watching it.[85]

Kingdom Heart II

mucklislockheart@gmail.com (N3Xt G-Nation) — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 12:39:00 +0000

Kingdom Hearts II (キングダムハーツII, Kingudamu Hātsu Tsū?) is an action role-playing game developed by Square Enix and published by Buena Vista Games (now Disney Interactive Studios) and Square Enix in 2005 for the Sony PlayStation 2 video game console. The video game is a sequel to the 2001 Disney Interactive and Square collaboration, Kingdom Hearts, which combined Disney and Square elements into an action role-playing game. The game's popularity has resulted in a novel and manga series based upon it and an international version called Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix, released in March 2007.Kingdom Hearts II is the third game in the Kingdom Hearts series. It picks up one year after the events of Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories.[1] Sora, the protagonist of the first two games, returns to search for his lost friends.[2] Like the previous installments, this game features a large cast of characters from Disney films and Final Fantasy games. Organization XIII, a group introduced in Chain of Memories, also reappears to impede Sora's progress.The game was well-received, earning year-end awards from numerous video gaming websites. In Japan, it shipped more than one million copies within a week of its release. One month after its North American release, it had sold over one million copies and was the second best-selling game of 2006.[3] As of December 2006, Kingdom Hearts II had shipped more than 3.5 million copies worldwide.Gameplay See also: Gameplay of Kingdom HeartsSora battling Sephiroth. Note the game menu at the bottom left of the screen, and the character health and magic meters on the right side.The gameplay of Kingdom Hearts II is similar to that of Kingdom Hearts, though developers made an effort to address complaints with the previous game.[4][5] The player directly controls Sora from a third person camera angle,[6] though first person perspective is available. Most of the gameplay occurs on interconnected field maps where battles take place. The game is driven by a linear progression from one story event to the next, usually told in the form of a cut scene, though there are numerous side-quests available that provide bonuses to the characters.Like many traditional role-playing games, Kingdom Hearts II features an experience point system which determines character development.[7] As enemies are defeated, the player gains experience which culminates in a "level up", in which the playable characters grow stronger and gain access to new abilities.[8] As in the first game, Kingdom Hearts II allows a certain degree of character customization through a short tutorial found at the beginning of the game.Combat in Kingdom Hearts II is in real-time and involves button presses which initiate attacks by the on-screen character. A role-playing game menu, similar to those found in Final Fantasy games, at the bottom left of the screen provides other combat options such as using magic, summoning beings to assist in battle, or executing combination attacks with other party members.[8] A new feature is the "Reaction Command", special enemy-specific attacks that are triggered when the player presses the triangle button at the correct time during battle.[9] Reaction Commands can be used to defeat regular enemies or avoid damage, and are sometimes necessary to complete a boss battle.[7] In addition to the main character, two party members are usually present who also participate in combat.[4] Although these characters are computer-controlled, the player is allowed to customize their behavior to a certain extent through the menu screen, such as attacking the same enemy Sora targets.In response to criticism, the "Gummi Ship" feature of the first game was re-imagined to be "more enjoyable". Although retaining its basic purpose of travel, the previous system was completely redone to resemble a combination of rail shooter and "Disney theme park ride".[5] In the world map, the player must now control the Gummi Ship from a top-down view and fly to the world the player wishes to enter. Worlds are no longer open from the beginning—the player must unlock the routes to them by entering a new level, controlling the ship from a third-person point of view, and battling enemy ships.[8] After the route is opened, travel to the world is unimpeded—unless it is blocked due to a plot related event. Drive GaugeSora in Valor Form, one of the Drive Forms introduced in Kingdom Hearts IIOne of the new features is a meter known as the "Drive Gauge". The Drive Gauge serves two functions: to transform into a "Drive Form" or to summon a special character. While in Drive Form, Sora bonds with party members to become more powerful and acquire different attributes;[10] some Forms also allow the use of two Keyblades. While in a Drive Form, Sora's combat statistics are heightened, though one Form reduces certain statistics. Drive Forms also give Sora new abilities that can be used outside of battle. At first, his Drive Forms only combine power with one party member, but as he gains new ones, he can bond with both party members. When allies are used in a Drive Form, they are temporarily removed from battle for its duration. Unlike hit points and magic, the Drive Gauge is not recharged at save points.[8]Like the first game, Sora can summon a Disney character to aid him in battle.[9] A summoned character will replace the two computer-controlled characters and fight alongside Sora for as long as the Drive Gauge allows. Instead of being limited to only one action, summoned characters now have a menu of their own and are capable of performing solo actions or cooperative actions with Sora. The summon ability and each Drive Form are leveled up separately and by different criteria. Obtaining higher levels allows for extended use and in the case of Drive Forms, access to new abilities.[7] Plot SettingFurther information: Universe of Kingdom HeartsThe setting of Kingdom Hearts II is a collection of various levels (referred to in-game as "worlds") that the player progresses through. As in the first game, Kingdom Hearts II allows the player to travel to locales from various Disney fictions, along with original worlds specifically created for the series. In the first game, Disney-based worlds were primarily derived from the Disney animated features canon. Kingdom Hearts II introduces worlds that are based on Disney live-action films as well.[11][12] As in the first game, each world varies in appearance and setting, depending on the Disney film on which it is based. The graphics of the world and characters are meant to resemble the artwork style of the environments and characters from their respective Disney films. Each world is disconnected from the others and exists separately; with few exceptions, players travel from one world to another via a Gummi Ship.Some worlds featured in the previous games reappear, but with new and expanded areas. There are also new worlds that are introduced and include the Land of Dragons, a fictionalized account of ancient China from the film Mulan; Beast's Castle, an 1800s-style castle based on French architecture from Beauty and the Beast; Timeless River, a past version of Disney Castle that features Steamboat Willie-style animation; Port Royal from Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl; Pride Land, a great savannah from The Lion King; and Space Paranoids, a digital world within Hollow Bastion's computer network based on Tron. Twilight Town, an original world first seen in Chain of Memories, has a greater role as the introductory world. The World That Never Was is a new world that serves as the headquarters of Organization XIII.[7] CharactersFurther information: Characters of Kingdom HeartsThe three main characters in the game are Sora, a 15-year-old boy who was chosen as master of the Keyblade, a mystical key-shaped weapon with the power to combat darkness; Donald Duck, the court magician of Disney Castle; and Goofy, the captain of the Disney Castle guard.[7] Both Donald and Goofy were ordered to find and stay with the "key",[13] which was revealed to be the Keyblade. They befriended Sora during their journey in Kingdom Hearts and draw strength from this friendship. Other original characters include Riku and Kairi, Sora's friends from his home world, Destiny Islands; Roxas, a mysterious boy who can wield the Keyblade; and DiZ, a man in red robes with a vendetta against Organization XIII.As in the previous installments, there are numerous appearances of characters from both Disney and Square Enix works. While some make a return from Kingdom Hearts, new characters from Disney fiction are also introduced, such as Scar from The Lion King and Scrooge McDuck. Pete appears as a persistent enemy who works with the resurrected Maleficent. 17 characters from Final Fantasy games appear, notably, Auron of Final Fantasy X and the return of Squall Leonhart, Cloud Strife, and Sephiroth. It was stated that although the first game strictly stuck to characters Tetsuya Nomura designed, this time around they were going to "take some risks"; implying characters not directly designed by Nomura might make an appearance.[14] This led to Vivi of Final Fantasy IX and Setzer of Final Fantasy VI appearing in Twilight Town.The various worlds that Sora explores often have an optional party character from the fiction on which the world is based. Such party members include Fa Mulan, the woman who passes as a man in order to take her ailing father's place in the army; Jack Sparrow, a pirate who seeks to reclaim his ship, the Black Pearl; Simba, the self-exiled lion who is the rightful king of the Pride Land; and Tron, a security program in Hollow Bastion's computer network who seeks to end the dictatorship of the Master Control Program.[7]Unlike Kingdom Hearts where Xehanort's Heartless was revealed in the final stages of the game to be the true antagonist, Organization XIII, a group of beings without hearts, was established as the main threat early on. Organization XIII controls both the Heartless, corrupted hearts that have become monsters, and Nobodies, the bodies left over when Heartless are created. Villains unique to the worlds are still prevalent and are often presented as challenges that Sora must overcome. StoryKingdom Hearts II begins one year after Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories. Sora, Donald, and Goofy have been asleep for the past year to regain their lost memories. Meanwhile, Roxas is trapped in a virtual simulation of Twilight Town created by DiZ so that Roxas, the Nobody of Sora,[15] may merge with his original self to restore Sora's power.[16] This is done as part of DiZ's revenge on Organization XIII.[17][18] DiZ's plans are threatened when Organization XIII's Nobodies infiltrate the virtual town, but Roxas finally merges with Sora. Sora, Donald, and Goofy wake up in the real Twilight Town and meet King Mickey and Yen Sid, who send them on another journey. Their goal is to find Riku and stop the plans of Organization XIII, who control the Nobodies—the body left over when a heart is turned into a Heartless. Sora also receives a new set of clothes that allow him to fuse with party members to gain special abilities. Afterward, Maleficent is resurrected and joins with Pete to continue her quest for power.Sora travels to many Disney-themed worlds, old and new, and resolves the troubles caused by Organization XIII, the Heartless, Maleficent and Pete, and local villains. Meanwhile, Kairi is kidnapped by Organization XIII. During a visit to Hollow Bastion, they again meet King Mickey, who reveals the true nature of Ansem, the antagonist of Kingdom Hearts. The Ansem who Sora defeated was actually the Heartless of Xehanort, a student of Ansem the Wise. Mickey also reveals that Xemnas, the leader of Organization XIII, is the Nobody of Xehanort.[19][20] Organization XIII's plan is revealed: they seek the power of Kingdom Hearts, which is the sum of all the hearts that Sora released by destroying the Heartless with his Keyblade.[21] Sora then revisits the worlds to solve lingering problems and new complications, while seeking a path to Organization XIII's base of operations. He is secretly being aided by a mysterious hooded figure whom Sora believes to be Riku.Through a passageway in the virtual Twilight Town, Sora, Donald, and Goofy arrive at the World That Never Was, the headquarters of Organization XIII, with Kingdom Hearts looming overhead. Sora finds Kairi and Riku, who reveals the nature of Sora's and Roxas' relationship. Mickey meets DiZ, who reveals himself to be Ansem the Wise.[22] Ansem the Wise uses a device that dissipates some of Kingdom Hearts' power, but a system overload causes the machine to explode and kill him.[23] At the top of Organization XIII's castle, Sora and his friends battle Xemnas, who uses the remnants of Kingdom Hearts to power his multiple forms.[24] After destroying Xemnas, Sora and Riku are reunited with their friends at their home, Destiny Islands.[25] The game concludes as Sora, Kairi, and Riku read a mysterious letter presumably sent by King Mickey, the contents of which are hidden from the player. DevelopmentDevelopment plans for Kingdom Hearts II began around the completion of Kingdom Hearts Final Mix, but specific details were undecided until July 2003.[26] Nomura has stated that there were several obstacles to clear before development could begin on a sequel. One such obstacle was the development team's desire to showcase Mickey Mouse more, which required Disney's approval.[27] The development team consisted of most of the original staff from the first game.[28] To explain the loss of all the abilities from the first game at the beginning of Kingdom Hearts II, Nomura had Sora's memories scrambled in Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories.[29]The Gummi Ship segments were redesigned for Kingdom Hearts IIMany aspects of the gameplay were reworked for this installment. Some changes were made due to user feedback and others were meant to be included in previous games but were omitted either because of time or technological constraints.[5] The camera was switched to the right analog stick of the DualShock controller instead of the shoulder buttons and the Gummi Ship travel was reworked. The combat system was completely redone and did not use any animations from the first game. Because Sora had matured, Nomura wanted his fighting style to reflect that.[12] Other changes included more integration between exploration and battles.[30] The variations in combat styles associated with each Drive Form and the addition of the Reaction Command were added to give players more choices in battles.[5] The inclusion of worlds based on live-action Disney films was aided by technology that generated the character models from live-action pictures.[30] Content editingBesides typical English translation and localization, the English version of Kingdom Hearts II differs from the original Japanese version in the content of gameplay and several scenes. The Hydra boss in Olympus Coliseum had its green blood from the original Japanese version (which was taken from the film) changed into black and purple smoke in the English version. An earlier cut scene retains the green blood.Xigbar's telescopic sight view and his weapons have been altered from the Japanese version (top) to the English version (bottom).Xigbar's telescopic sight was changed from view with a crosshair and black shading around the sides to three glowing circles.[6] An attack animation was also altered; in the Japanese version, Xigbar combined his two hand-held guns to create a sniper rifle, which was used to shoot the player's party during the telescoping sight sequence. In the English version, Xigbar does not combine his guns, but twirls them around and shoots at Sora with a single gun. The death of Organization XIII member Axel was slightly edited; in the original, he burst into flames during his suicide attack.Port Royal contains the most content edits. Cut scenes were edited to remove some of the violence, such as William Turner threatening to commit suicide while aiming a gun at his head.[6] Unlike the Japanese version, Undead Pirates do not catch fire when affected by Fire magic and their muskets were modified to resemble crossbows,[31] though the crossbows still fire with an audible musket shot sound effect. Also, in the Japanese version of the game, blood remains on the medallion throughout the game, while in the edited cutscenes the blood is only shown when Barbossa drops it into the chest. The blood is not seen on the medallion afterward. In another instance, when Jack Sparrow is stabbed by Barbossa, Barbossa's sword is seen sticking out of his chest as he stumbles backwards into the moonlight, but the sword is removed in the English version. PromotionAn unlockable trailer in Kingdom Hearts and Kingdom Hearts Final Mix hinted at the possibility of a sequel. Rumors for a sequel on the PlayStation 2 were spurred in Japan when the video game website Quiter stated that "an internal (and anonymous source) at Square Japan" confirmed that development of Kingdom Hearts II had begun.[32] It was not until Kingdom Hearts II was announced, along with Chain of Memories, at the Tokyo Game Show in September 2003[33] that rumors were confirmed. Initial details were that it would take place some time after Chain of Memories, which takes place directly after the first game. Other details included the return of Sora, Donald, and Goofy, as well as new costumes. Information about Mickey Mouse's involvement was kept to a minimum.[26][34] Aside from the game trailer and various screen shots, information regarding the game was kept secret for an extended period of time.At the 2004 Square Enix E3 Press conference, producer Shinji Hashimoto said that many mysteries of the first game would be answered.[35] Square Enix launched the official Japanese website in May 2005,[36] followed by the English website in December 2005.[37] The websites featured videos and information regarding characters and worlds. Commercials were aired in Japan which highlighted the numerous Disney characters in the game.[38] Although the game was announced in September 2003, a release date for the game was not set until two years later.[39] Nomura stated that the game was announced too early and information regarding the game was not released until a debut period was in sight.[40] Audio Musical scoreFurther information: Music of Kingdom HeartsLike the first installment, Kingdom Hearts II features music by Yoko Shimomura and Hikaru Utada. The Original Soundtrack for Kingdom Hearts II was composed by Shimomura and released on January 25, 2006.[41] The opening orchestration and ending credits theme were arranged and orchestrated by Kaoru Wada and performed by the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra.[41] The main vocal theme for the original Japanese release was "Passion", written and performed by Utada. The English version of "Passion", "Sanctuary", was used in the Western releases. Utada's involvement was announced on July 29, 2005.[42] According to Nomura, the vocal theme ties in even more closely with the game's story than "Hikari" ("Simple and Clean") did with Kingdom Hearts and Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories.[43] The CD single for "Passion" was released on December 14, 2005[44] and "Sanctuary" was first previewed on MTV's official website in early 2006.[45] Voice castKingdom Hearts II features well-known voice actors for both the Japanese and English versions. Many of the original voice actors from the first Kingdom Hearts reprised their roles; Miyu Irino and Haley Joel Osment as Sora, Mamoru Miyano and David Gallagher as Riku, and Risa Uchida and Hayden Panettiere as Kairi. New voice actors included Kōki Uchiyama and Jesse McCartney as Roxas, Iku Nakahara and Brittany Snow as Naminé, and Genzō Wakayama and Christopher Lee as DiZ.[46][10] A special effort was made to preserve the official voice actors from the Disney movies used in Kingdom Hearts II. Many actors reprised their Disney roles for the game, including American actors Ming-Na, James Woods, and Zach Braff,[10] and Japanese actors Takashi Aoyagi, Kōichi Yamadera, Yū Shimaka, and Hiroshi Fujioka. Some voice actors from the related television series or direct-to-video sequels were chosen over original voice actors where applicable (for example Robert Costanzo as Philoctetes rather than Danny DeVito). Some characters were given new voice actors in the English version; Aerith, Leon, and Hercules, who were originally voiced by Mandy Moore, David Boreanaz, and Sean Astin respectively in the first game,[47] are now voiced by Mena Suvari, Doug Erholtz, and Tate Donovan (Hercules' original voice actor).[46] ReceptionKingdom Hearts II was generally well-received, garnering positive reviews and sales figures. Within a week of its Japanese release, Kingdom Hearts II shipped one million copies,[48] selling almost 730,000 copies.[49] The NPD Group reported that Kingdom Hearts II was the highest-selling console game in North America during March 2006 with 614,000 copies.[50] In the month after its release in North America, Kingdom Hearts II sold an estimated one million copies.[51] GameStop listed the game as their best-selling title for the first quarter of 2006.[52] The game was also on IGN's "Top 10 Sellers in 2006".[53] As of December 2006, Kingdom Hearts II had shipped over 3.5 million worldwide with 700,000 in PAL regions, 1.1 million in Japan, and 1.7 million in North America.[54][55] Critical responseReview scoresPublication Score1UP.com A+[56]Eurogamer 8 out of 10[57]Famitsu 39 out of 40[58]Game Informer 9 out of 10[59]GameSpot 8.7 out of 10[60]GameSpy 9 out of 10[61]IGN 7.6 out of 10[59]X-Play 4 out of 5[9]Aggregate scoresAggregator ScoreGame Rankings 87%[63]Metacritic 87 out of 100[62]The game has received numerous awards and high ratings among reviews. It tied with Resident Evil 4 as Famitsu's "Game of the Year" 2005.[64] Famitsu's readers ranked the game 29th on their "All Time Top 100" feature,[65] ten places below Kingdom Hearts. It was ranked number one on IGN's 2006 "Reader's Choice" for PlayStation 2 games.[53] Eurogamer ranked it 34th on their "Top 50 Games of 2006" list.[66] Video game magazine Electronic Gaming Monthly awarded it "Best Sequel" of 2006,[67] and Game Informer listed it among the "Top 50 games of 2006".[68] Kingdom Hearts II also received a near-perfect score, 39/40, from the Japanese gaming magazine Famitsu, known for its extremely harsh grading.[58]Critics commended many aspects of the game. GameSpy praised the quality of the voice acting and cited the graphics as "on par with the best of Square's productions to date."[61] They also commented on the realistic and accurate character models for the characters based on the Pirates of the Caribbean. IGN rated the graphics a 9/10 and stated that the "worlds look very much like their filmed counterparts."[59] Japanese gaming site, Gpara.com also praised the look of the worlds.[69] G4 awarded Kingdom Hearts II "Best Voice Over" and "Best Soundtrack" in their 2006 G-Phoria awards show.[70]Like its predecessors, the gameplay received mixed reviews. Many compliments were directed at the new camera controls and combat interactions between party members. GamePro stated that the beginning was "sluggishly slow", but praised the action-oriented combat.[71] GameSpot said that the fixed camera system and new gameplay dynamics improved the experience, but they felt the game was far too easy and that there was too much button-mashing.[72] IGN also commented on the button-mashing aspect of the gameplay and criticized the party member's artificial intelligence (AI), citing it as "absolutely terrible", but praised the story, presentation, and new battle features.[59] Gpara.com had positive comments about the ease of combo attacks and complimented on the steady pacing of the story and gameplay.[69] Versions and merchandiseFurther information: List of Kingdom Hearts mediaKingdom Hearts II has been released in four different versions. The first three are the normal regional releases in Japan, North America, and PAL, which only differ nominally in content editing and localization. The European and Australian PAL releases were reformatted to run at 50 Hz to fit the definition size of PAL encoding systems.[73] The fourth version has additional content and was released under the title Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix. Like the previous titles, both Square and Disney released numerous types of merchandise before and after the game came out. Merchandise ranged from toys and figurines to clothing items and books. The game has also been adapted into both manga and novel series. Prior to the game's release, an Ultimania book titled Kingdom Hearts Series Ultimania α ~Introduction of Kingdom Hearts II~ came out. It provides extended information on the first two Kingdom Hearts games, as well as information on the unreleased Kingdom Hearts II.[74] After the release of the game, Kingdom Hearts II Ultimania, which focuses on the game itself, came out. Another book, titled Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix+ Ultimania, was released after the Final Mix version came out. Released along with Final Mix, Kingdom Hearts -Another Report- was a hardback book which includes game information, visuals by Shiro Amano, and a director interview.[75] In North America, BradyGames published two strategy guides—a standard guide and a limited edition version. The latter version was available in four different covers and included a copy of Jiminy's Journal along with 400 stickers.[76] Final MixBecause the first game was re-released, there was speculation whether Tetsuya Nomura would do the same with Kingdom Hearts II.[77] In a Weekly Shōnen Jump interview with Nomura, he expressed interest in a possible international version of Kingdom Hearts II, although there were no definite plans. He said that should a "Final Mix" version arise, he had a "trump card" in mind, with such features as the Mushroom Heartless found in the first Kingdom Hearts game.[43] In September 2006, Square Enix announced they would develop Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix, featuring new scenes and gameplay elements. Like the first re-release, this version would combine English audio with Japanese text, and has English as a subtitle option, and also used the "Sanctuary" theme song instead of "Passion".Kingdom Hearts II was re-released in Japan on March 29, 2007[78] as a 2-disc set titled Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix+. The first disc contains Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix with a new secret movie and additional battles and items.[79] The second disc contains Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories, a 3D PlayStation 2 remake of Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories with extra scenes and voice acting. The battle system maintains the card gameplay, with the addition of Reaction Commands from Kingdom Hearts II.[80] The two games serve as a canonical update to the series. The book Kingdom Hearts -Another Report- was included along with the game for those who reserved a copy.[75] Based on Amazon.com figures, Final Mix+ was the number one PlayStation 2 game in sales during the week of its release in Japan.[81]Cover of the first volume of the Kingdom Hearts II mangaPrinted adaptationsA manga series based on the game started its serialization in the June 2006 issue of the magazine Monthly Shōnen Gangan, published by Square Enix. The artist is Shiro Amano, who also did the Kingdom Hearts and Chain of Memories manga series. The first volume was released in Japan in December 2006.[82] Tokyopop licensed the manga and released volume one in North America on July 3, 2007.[83] The second volume has recently been released. The game has also been novelized by Tomoco Kanemaki and illustrated by Shiro Amano. The first volume, titled "Roxas—Seven Days", was released on April 22, 2006[84] and covers Roxas' story to when Sora wakes up and leaves Twilight Town. The novel depicts extra scenes that were added in the Final Mix version, such as interaction between Organization XIII members and between Axel, Naminé and Riku. The second book, "The Destruction of Hollow Bastion", was released on July 16, 2006,[85] the third book, "Tears of Nobody," revolving around Roxas' past, was released on September 29, 2006,[86] and the fourth book, "Anthem-Meet Again/Axel Last Stand," came out in February 2007.[87]

Kingdom Heart : Chain Of Memories

mucklislockheart@gmail.com (N3Xt G-Nation) — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 12:32:00 +0000

Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories (キングダムハーツ　チェインオブメモリーズ, Kingudamu Hātsu Chein obu Memorīzu?) is an action role-playing game developed by Square Enix and Japanese studio Jupiter and published by Square Enix in 2004 for the Game Boy Advance. The game serves as an intermediary between the two larger-scale PlayStation 2 games in the Kingdom Hearts series. It was one of the first GBA games to incorporate full motion video (FMV).[7] The game was remade into a PlayStation 2 game titled Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories, which was released in Japan as a second disc packaged with Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix in March 2007.[4] The remake was released in North America on December 2, 2008. It is unknown whether the remake will get a European release.Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories is the direct sequel to Kingdom Hearts, and its ending is set about a year before Kingdom Hearts II.[8] The story centers around the protagonist of the first game, Sora, exploring a mysterious castle in search of his friends. As he ascends the castle, his friend and rival, Riku, explores the basement levels and fights his personal demons. The game introduces new characters and plotlines that further expand the Kingdom Hearts universe and set up the premise for Kingdom Hearts II.Though not as successful as the other Kingdom Hearts games, it received positive reviews and sales. It was praised for its story, graphics, and FMVs. The game features a new card-based battle system that is a departure from its predecessor. When it debuted in Japan, it sold 104,000 units in 48 hours; a record for a Game Boy Advance title at the time.GameplayKingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories is a combination between a console role-playing game and collectible card game. The main role-playing aspect is an experience point system that is used to increase the character's maximum health or Card Points, or to learn a new skill.[9] The cards are utilized in the progression of the story as well as in combat. The game features a field map and battle screen. The field map is an isometric area where the player can traverse between rooms.[9][10] Enemies inhabit the field map and track the player to engage in combat, which can be initiated through contact between the player and an enemy. Once combat has been engaged, the game switches to the battle screen which utilizes a card-based battle system.[11]A unique aspect to this game is "room synthesis": to advance through the game, Sora must utilize Map cards that he has found after winning battles to synthesize rooms.[12] The properties of each room―including quality of items and strength of enemies―are determined by the Map cards that the player chooses.[11] Each card has a specific effect: red cards affect the number and type of enemies; green cards affect the power of the player's deck; and blue cards affect the properties of the room itself, such as allowing treasure chests or a save point to appear.[9][13]The game features three modes of gameplay. The first two are story modes that feature either Sora or Riku, and the third is a two player battle mode. Initially only Sora's story mode is available; once completed, "Reverse/Rebirth" mode becomes available.[13] Reverse/Rebirth allows the player to play a second story mode featuring Riku and a link mode where players can battle each other via a Game Link Cable.[12]Sora battles Vexen. Player information, including cards and HP, is located on the left side of the screen while enemy information is located on the right.CombatCombat uses a card-based battle system executed in real time.[9][14] The player can jump and maneuver around the battle screen as they would on the field map, but all physical attacks, magic, items, and summonings are activated by playing cards.[8] Cards are ranked from zero to nine, and are used for making attack combos or breaking enemy cards. The higher the rank, the more Card Points (CP) are required to place it in the player's deck. Card Points—increased through level up—limit the number of cards the player can use in a deck. Cards with rank "zero" can break any opposing card or combo, but they can be broken by any card as well.[15] Breaking an opposing card will cancel that attack and stun the enemy for a short time. Special enemy cards may be obtained by defeating enemies and bosses, and are used to give Sora a temporary ability, ranging from enhanced offensive and defensive capabilities to modifying the attributes of certain cards.Combining cards in sets of three will create combo attacks that are more difficult to break because the rank of the combo will be the sum of the ranks of the three cards in the combo. Certain card combinations will create a "sleight", a special combination that will create a powerful physical attack, magical spell, or summon attack.[12] When the player runs out of cards, the deck must be reloaded. Additionally, using a card combination will cause the first card in the combo to become unusable until the end of combat.[11]Sora's and Riku's stories differ gameplay-wise in several ways. In Sora's story, Sora obtains cards by defeating enemies or through Moogle Shops.[12] In some cases, Sora must earn the specific card first through a plot event before it becomes available. Sora can create and store three different decks in the pause menu. Unlike Sora, Riku has a closed deck that cannot be customized. The cards in his deck change depending on the world in which he is traveling. Riku is limited to mainly physical attacks and Mickey Mouse ally cards. By breaking a certain number of opposing cards, Riku can activate "dark mode" and unlock his sleight attacks.[13] Plot SettingFurther information: Universe of Kingdom HeartsCastle Oblivion, the setting of Kingdom Hearts: Chain of MemoriesThe game takes place in Castle Oblivion, a mysterious castle kept by Marluxia.[16] The castle causes visitors to lose their memories upon entering.[17] The lobby and areas between floors are white with flower-themed decorations, but each floor can be transformed into a different world from the first Kingdom Hearts game using "world cards" created from Sora's memories.[18][13] Like before, many of the worlds are based on Disney films while the rest were created by Square Enix.Unlike the previous game, the worlds are created from Sora's memories. As such, many of the events experienced in Kingdom Hearts are relived in this game; Sora encounters memory-based versions of Disney characters that he has met before.[19] The individual plotlines differ from those in the original game and revolve around the theme of memory. The exception is the Deep Jungle world which does not reappear in Chain of Memories.[19] Just as Kingdom Hearts had several worlds created specifically for that game, Chain of Memories introduces Twilight Town, in addition to the original worlds of Kingdom Hearts. The world card for Twilight Town was created from memories on "the other side of [Sora's] heart".[20] Although Sora has no direct memories of this world, its significance becomes clear in Kingdom Hearts II.[21] CharactersFurther information: Characters of Kingdom HeartsSora returns as the main protagonist of the game.[22] Donald Duck and Goofy also return, but are less involved in the gameplay and story. Like the first game, Chain of Memories features numerous characters from both the Final Fantasy series and the Disney animated features canon. Being a direct sequel, many of the characters from the first Kingdom Hearts reappear in this game. As each world and the related characters are recreated from Sora's memories, they interact with Sora as if they had never met before. Chain of Memories also introduces a handful of new characters. Several are members of the enigmatic Organization. Other new characters include Naminé, a young girl capable of manipulating memories, and DiZ, a mysterious man concealed by red robes and bandages. Riku is also featured as a playable character in the second story mode. After being sealed in the realm of darkness at the end of Kingdom Hearts, Riku appears in the basement of Castle Oblivion. During his story, he is aided by King Mickey and DiZ.Six members of the Organization serve as the main antagonists of the game, though only four appear in Sora's story mode. Among the four are Marluxia, the main antagonist and lord of Castle Oblivion; Larxene, a female member assisting Marluxia; Axel, a double agent whose loyalties are hidden; and Vexen, an unwilling participant in Marluxia's plan. Zexion and Lexaeus, allies of Vexen, appear only in Riku's story mode. Ansem also appears in Riku's story as an entity within Riku trying to gain control of him. Many of the Disney villains return; although they are memory-based recreations like the rest of the Disney characters, they have different motivations compared to their Kingdom Hearts counterparts. StoryKingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories takes place directly after the ending of the first game, Kingdom Hearts.[23][24] Sora and his friends Donald, Goofy, and Jiminy Cricket are walking down a winding path when a mysterious man dressed in a black, hooded coat appears. He directs Sora towards a massive fortress called Castle Oblivion and then disappears. When the travelers enter, they find the mysterious figure again.[13] When Sora and his companions attempt to engage the figure, they find that their abilities seem to have no effect. The figure explains that they forgot all of their abilities when they entered the castle.[17] He continues by creating a deck of cards made from Sora's and his friends' memories, and tells them that everything they encounter in this castle will be based on their memories.[9] The higher they go, the more memories they will lose in the process.[25]Meanwhile, floors below, Riku has been transported from the realm of darkness[26] and fights his personal demons as he battles upward from the basement levels of Castle Oblivion. Neither Riku nor Sora are aware that they are being watched by a mysterious group called the Organization. Marluxia, the lord of Castle Oblivion and the figure who lured Sora there, plans to control Sora with the memory-altering powers of a girl named Naminé and use him to overthrow the rest of the Organization. The Organization members Zexion and Lexaeus catch wind of this plot and observe it while the member of their circle, Vexen, fights Riku to obtain his data and creates a replica of him that lacks the original's fear of darkness, believing himself to be stronger. After the Riku Replica's fight with Riku, Vexen decides to use the replica against Sora went Leaxeus sends him up to sabotage Marluxia's plan, agreeing to have the replica's memory reworked with Naminé's powers.[27]As Sora ascends the castle, he battles Larxene, a co-conspirator in Marluxia's plot. Afterwards, he appears to remember Naminé as an old friend of his.[28] He learns that she is being held in the castle, and continues to ascend, clashing with the Riku Replica who now believes himself to be the real Riku. After witnessing the death of Vexen and killing Larxene, Sora learns about his shifting memories and Marluxia's plans from Naminé; Axel, another Organization member who serves as a double agent, had allowed Naminé to meet Sora to foil Marluxia's plans.[29] Sora forms an alliance with the Riku Replica—who discovers that his memory was also altered by Naminé—and they fight to the top of the castle and defeat Marluxia. Naminé then puts Sora and his friends into pod-like machines to help them regain the memories they lost in the castle, even though they would forget the events that transpired in the castle.[30]As this occurs above, Ansem, who took over Riku's body in the previous game, attempts to regain control of Riku below, but is continually thwarted by King Mickey's support.[31] On the way, Riku battles and defeats Lexaeus, who uses dies in his intent to force Riku's darkness to the surface as a counter to Marluxia's scheme, with Mickey saving Riku as Sora defeats Marluxia. Seeing Riku of no use to them as Marluxia has been eliminated, Zexion attempts to dispose of him, but Riku embraces his darkness and overcomes Zexion. Arriving in Twilight Town, Riku meets DiZ, an enigmatic man interested in Riku and sends him to speak with Naminé,[32] but the Riku Replica, who now seeks to justify his existence, fights Riku. After eliminating the Replica, Riku learns from Naminé that what remains of Ansem lives in his heart. Riku chooses to face him and DiZ pulls Ansem from Riku's heart to battle. After defeating Ansem, Riku vows to utilize both his darkness and his light to protect what's important to him. He sets out with King Mickey as his companion.[33] DevelopmentEarly concept art of the card-based battle systemThe idea for an intermediary title was developed after director Tetsuya Nomura and his team had already begun to develop ideas for the second Kingdom Hearts game, which he had intended to be set a year after the original. Originally titled Kingdom Hearts: Lost Memories, Nomura changed the name to match the overall outline of the story, while still reflecting the theme of memories.[34] Chain of Memories was developed to bridge the gap between Kingdom Hearts and Kingdom Hearts II.[34][35] Like most sequels, Kingdom Hearts II was planned to have the character start from the beginning, ability-wise. To explain the loss of abilities gained in the previous game, Nomura had the story revolve around Sora's memories getting disorganized and implemented the card battle system to symbolize Sora's various memories.[34]Nomura was hesitant about releasing a Kingdom Hearts title on the Game Boy Advance, feeling that the 3D graphics of the original game would not translate well into 2D. Nomura changed his position after hearing that children wanted to play Kingdom Hearts on the GBA.[34][36] After exploring ideas for the gameplay, he felt that a 2D Kingdom Hearts game would be possible, and that it could still feel like and play like what gamers were used to in the original.[24][34] Meanwhile, Nomura wanted to give the game a "lighter tone" than the PlayStation 2 games.[37]Chain of Memories was announced along with Kingdom Hearts II at the Tokyo Game Show in September 2003.[38] Initial details included the switch to 2D graphics, the use of cards to perform attacks, and that compressed movies would be utilized in some cut scenes.[10] The cut scene animations were rendered using the graphical engine of the PlayStation 2 iteration and then encoded for the Game Boy Advance by using a technology developed by Japanese company, AM3.[35][39] To help market the game, Disney and Square Enix launched official Japanese websites.[40][41] A playable demo was first made available to the public at the 2003 Jump Festa in Japan;[42] this demo and subsequent demos highlighted the card-based combat system. Aside from information gathered from the opening sequences, most details regarding the story were kept secret until the release.The card-based gameplay of Chain of Memories would later serve to inspire the gameplay of Jupiter's next game, The World Ends with You; originally, the team envisioned a similar card game-based system taking place on the lower screen of the Nintendo DS, but eventually this morphed to a battle system taking place on both screens, with a card game controlled on the upper screen.[43][44]AudioFurther information: Music of Kingdom HeartsMuch of the music from the original Kingdom Hearts is present in Chain of Memories; the main vocal theme for the Japanese release is "Hikari" (光?), while the English version of "Hikari", "Simple And Clean", is used in the Western releases.[45] Additional and reworked tracks were created for its PlayStation 2 rerelease, Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories. Since the music is reused from the original, a Chain of Memories soundtrack was never released. The new reworked tracks, however, are included on two CDs in the Kingdom Hearts Original Soundtrack Complete.[46]Due to the technological limitations of the Game Boy Advance, voice acting was kept to a minimum. Though many characters from Kingdom Hearts were voiced by the cast from before, the Japanese version used the following voice actors: Keiji Fujiwara as Axel; Tatsuya Kando as Vexen, Marluxia, and Lexaeus; and Rieko Katayama as Larxene.[1] A limited amount of voice acting was added only for the battle sequences.[47] Voice clips from the first Kingdom Hearts were inserted into Chain of Memories.[48] The English version is absent of dialogue; voices during Organization battles are replaced with simple grunts, laughter, and other battle cries. ReceptionReview scoresPublication Score1UP.com C+[49]Eurogamer 8 out of 10[50]Famitsu 36 out of 40[51]G4 4 out of 5[7]GameSpot 7.7 out of 10[23]IGN 8 out of 10[52]Aggregate scoresAggregator ScoreGame Rankings 78%[54]Metacritic 76 out of 100[53]While the least successful in the series, both critically and commercially, Chain of Memories received generally positive reviews and met with successful sales figures. In Japan, it sold 104,000 units in 48 hours, a record for a Game Boy Advance title at the time.[55] Its positive debut sales placed it in the top spot of sales charts in Japan.[56] In the first month of its North American release, it was ranked 1st on GameSpot's ChartSpot for portable systems and 6th for all consoles.[57] By February 2005, it had sold over one million copies in Japan and North America.[58] As of December 2006, Chain of Memories has sold over 1.5 million copies worldwide, with 200,000 units in PAL regions, 400,000 units in Japan, and 900,000 units in North America.[59] Critical responseThe game received positive ratings from critics. The card-based battle system received mixed reviews. GameSpot called it "unwieldy", while GameSpy called it "engaging" and GameWatch called it original.[8][23][60] Reviews also cited that the card battle system was awkward and made it difficult to plan strategies.[23][61] G4TV commented that the gameplay was well suited for portable play and that it successfully combined card battles and random dungeons, "two much-maligned RPG" elements.[7] Some critics found the Room Synthesis to be far too linear. The most frequent praise went towards the story. IGN called it an “engrossing storyline that actually changes up after the adventure comes to an end" and rated the presentation a 10 out of 10.[52]The quality of the graphics was well received, particularly the cut scenes.[52][62] IGN cited them as "wonderfully produced FMV sequences".[52] GameSpot stated that the movies were true to the art style of the original and were on par with GBA video paks. They also commented on the detailed and well animated game sprites.[9] GameWatch described the event scenes as "high quality".[60] Many critics stated that though the graphics were not as good as the PlayStation 2 predecessor, they were very good for a GBA game.[8][14][63] G4TV complimented the graphics stating that Chain of Memories was "one of the best-looking GBA games out there."[7] Versions and merchandise Further information: List of Kingdom Hearts mediaLike its predecessor, a great deal of merchandise was produced to help market the release of the game. Square Enix released two products to coincide with the release of the video game. The first was a limited edition Kingdom Hearts Game Boy Advance SP set released only in Japan. The set contained the game, a "Kingdom deep silver" GBA SP with the Kingdom Hearts logo, and a carrying strap.[64][65] The second was a Kingdom Hearts trading card game produced by Tomy.[6] The TCG featured starter decks, playing mats, and booster packs.[65] Fantasy Flight Games later acquired the rights to market it to English-speaking countries.[66] In 2007, a remake for the PlayStation 2, titled Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories was released along with Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix in a set, Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix+.[4] A manga series ran in Monthly Shonen Gangan in Japan, and was later released in the United States.[67][68] It is accompanied by three novels—two set during Sora's storyline and the third during Reverse/Rebirth, Riku's story. Like the Final Fantasy games and the first Kingdom Hearts game, Square released an Ultimania book on Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories following the release of the game. In North America, BradyGames released a strategy guide with a comprehensive walkthrough.[69] Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories Review scoresPublication Score1UP.com B-[70]IGN 8.4 out of 10[52]Cut scene featuring Larxene in the Japanese version of the PlayStation 2 remake, Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of MemoriesKingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories was remade for the PlayStation 2, titled Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories. It was released as the second disc of Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix+ in Japan on March 29, 2007[4] and as a standalone title in North America on December 2, 2008.[5] The game has not currently been announced for release in Europe. The remake includes polygonal 3D battles and worlds using the same graphics as Kingdom Hearts,[71] as well as voice acting and an improved soundtrack. While the card-based battle system and room synthesis aspects of the gameplay stayed mostly the same,[72] there were additions, such as the "Reaction Command" function from Kingdom Hearts II.[71] Voice-acted scenes only occur in Castle Oblivion, as well as the Destiny Islands and Twilight Town simulations. The remake also includes new cutscenes and battles that were not in the original game, such as a fight with Zexion in Reverse/Rebirth mode.[73][74] When the game is completed, the player has the option of watching cutscenes in a "Theater Mode".[75] MangaCover of the first volume of the Chain of Memories mangaLike the first Kingdom Hearts, Chain of Memories was adapted into a manga by Shiro Amano, following the same plot as the video game.[76] It was serialized in Square's Monthly Shonen Gangan in Japan, then released in two volumes in Japan and later in the United States by TOKYOPOP. The first volume was released in Japan on October 22, 2005.[77] A year later, it was released in English on October 10, 2006, followed by the second volume on February 6, 2007.[68][78]The manga series has had moderate success. The first volume was ranked 112th on USA Today's "Top 150 best sellers" during the week of its release.[79] IGN praised Amano's renditions of the characters and the humor added into scenes. They also commented the weak elements of the game lessened the manga's overall quality.[76] The series was followed by a third manga series, Kingdom Hearts II. The Chain of Memories manga series was rereleased in a boxed set in the United States on October 9, 2007.[80]

Kingdom Heart

mucklislockheart@gmail.com (N3Xt G-Nation) — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 12:16:00 +0000

Kingdom Hearts (キングダムハーツ, Kingudamu Hātsu?) is an action role-playing game developed and published by Square Co. (now Square Enix) in 2002 for the PlayStation 2 video game console.[1] The first game in the Kingdom Hearts series, it is the result of a collaboration between Square and The Walt Disney Company. The game combines characters and settings from Disney's animated features with those from Square's Final Fantasy series. The story follows a young hero, Sora, as he is thrown into an epic battle against the forces of Heartless. He is joined by Donald Duck and Goofy, classic Disney characters, who help him on his quest.Kingdom Hearts was a departure from Square's standard role-playing games by introducing a substantial action-adventure element to the gameplay. In addition, it has an all-star voice cast which includes many of the Disney characters' official voice actors.[2] Kingdom Hearts was longtime Square character designer Tetsuya Nomura's first time in a directorial position.[3]The game was praised for its unusual combination of action and role-playing, as well as its unexpectedly harmonious mix of Square and Disney motifs.[4] It received numerous year-end "Best" video game awards, was a dominating presence in the 2002 holiday season, and went on to achieve Sony "Greatest Hits" status.[5] Since its release, Kingdom Hearts has sold over 5.6 million copies worldwide and has prompted two sequels.[6] Three more titles are currently being developed, which have a connection to a future, unannounced game.[7]GameplayThe main character, Sora, fights against Heartless in the Monstro world. The head-up display consists of a game menu at the bottom left of the screen, and the character health and magic meters on the right side.Kingdom Hearts is influenced by its parent franchise, Final Fantasy,[8] and carries gameplay elements over into its own action-based, hack and slash system. The main battle party consists of three characters: Sora, Donald Duck and Goofy.[9] Sora is directly controlled by the player from a third person camera angle.[10] All other party members are computer-controlled,[11] though the player can customize their behavior to an extent through the pause menu.[12] Donald and Goofy are the computer-controlled characters that are usable in most areas. However, nearly every world in the game features its own party member who can be chosen to replace Goofy or Donald in the party while the party is in that world. For instance, Jack Skellington can join the player's party in Halloween Town, but can not accompany the player elsewhere. On some worlds, the party changes its appearance, has abilities unique to that world, or both. For example, the party can fly in Never Land and has aquatic forms in Atlantica, which enable them to survive underwater.Like many traditional role-playing games, Kingdom Hearts features an experience point system which determines character development. As enemies are defeated, the player gains experience which can lead up to a "level up", where the characters grow stronger and gain access to new abilities.[13] Unlike other games of its type, Kingdom Hearts allows a certain degree of character development customization through a short tutorial found at the beginning of the game. The tutorial allows the player to select from one of three main attributes―strength, defense, and magic―for Sora to excel in and one to lack in.[14] By choosing certain options, the player is able to manipulate how Sora learns abilities, grows statistically, and even gains levels.[14] Donald, Goofy, and any other additional party members are assigned specific areas of strength from the outset. Donald excels in magic and Goofy excels in defense and special attacks.[15]The game is driven in a primarily linear progression from one story event to the next, usually told in the form of a cut scene, though there are numerous side quests available that provide bonus benefits to the characters.[12] Most of the gameplay occurs on interconnected field maps where battles take place. Combat in Kingdom Hearts is in real time[16] and involves pressing buttons to initiate attacks by the on-screen character. A role-playing game menu, similar to those found in Final Fantasy games, found at the bottom left of the screen provides other combat options such as using magic and items. There is also a context-sensitive option at the bottom of the menu, usually used for interacting with the environment or performing special attacks. This menu is manipulated by using the right analog stick or digital pad, while movement is controlled by the left analog stick, allowing the player to navigate the menu while avoiding or approaching enemies.[13] Gummi ShipThe Gummi Ship is the mode of travel between the various locations in Kingdom Hearts. The gameplay for piloting the vessel is very different from the rest of the game as it switches to a rail shooter format. The player controls the Gummi Ship from a rear, third person perspective as it travels in an outer space setting. While traveling, the player must defend against enemy ships which attempt to destroy the player's vessel by firing missiles or ramming it. Surviving the route allows access to the next world. At the beginning of the game, there are few options available to customize the vessel, but as the game progresses, new weapons, engines, and armor become available. In addition, many different pre-designed blueprints can be found throughout the game which can be used to quickly construct Gummi Ships.[14] Plot Setting Main article: Universe of Kingdom HeartsThe universe of Kingdom Hearts is a collection of various levels, referred to as "worlds", through which the player must progress. Thirteen can be accessed throughout the game and one, the Disney Castle, is shown in cutscenes. Additional worlds are mentioned by various characters, but are not accessible because they have been destroyed by the Heartless, beings of darkness. Ten of the worlds are based on Disney fiction,[17] primarily from the Disney animated features canon, and the other four were created by Square specifically for the game.Each world varies in appearance and setting, depending on the Disney world upon which it is based. The graphics of the world and characters were meant to resemble the artwork style of the environments and characters from their respective Disney film. Each Disney world is inhabited by characters from their respective Disney film; Hercules and Philoctetes inhabit Olympus Coliseum, and Aladdin, Princess Jasmine, and Jafar inhabit Agrabah. Each world is disconnected from the others and exists separately. Most characters in the worlds are unaware of the existence of the other worlds, with few exceptions. Players travel from one world to another via Gummi Ship.[13]The worlds created specifically for the game mirror the overall appearance of the other worlds and feature either new characters or characters from several Final Fantasy games. The new worlds include: Destiny Islands, where the story opens;[18] Traverse Town, which serves as a launching point for most of the game; Hollow Bastion, which many of the Final Fantasy characters call home; and End of the World, a large, dark world created from the remnants of various worlds consumed by the darkness.[19] The main characters travel from world to world to seal each "Keyhole"; this protects the world from the Heartless and ultimately from destruction. They also try to minimize their interaction with characters of other worlds to maintain a balance of separation.[20] This sometimes requires Sora, Donald, and Goofy to blend in with the world inhabitants by changing their physical appearance.[21] CharactersFurther information: Characters of Kingdom HeartsThe main protagonists, from left, Riku, Kairi, Sora (holding the Keyblade), Donald, and GoofyBecause Kingdom Hearts was a collaboration between Disney and Square, it features a mixture of familiar Disney and Square characters, as well as several new characters created and designed by Tetsuya Nomura.[22] The primary protagonist of the game is Sora, who is chosen to wield the Keyblade, a sword-like weapon for battling darkness. The game also features two of his friends, Kairi and Riku. For most of the game, Sora is joined by Donald Duck and Goofy. Donald, the court wizard, and Goofy, captain of the royal guard,[23] were sent from Disney Castle to find the one who wielded the Keyblade.[24] The three join forces to search for King Mickey Mouse, Kairi, and Riku. The primary antagonist is Ansem, who is seeking to find power and knowledge by using dark beings called the Heartless. The Heartless, hearts corrupted by darkness, serve as most of the enemies encountered in the game and come in a variety of shapes and sizes.As a game meant to explore the fictional universes of various Disney films, there are over one hundred Disney characters.[25] While many serve as major characters in the story, others appear in cameo roles, such as the One Hundred and One Dalmatians puppies playing a part in a side-quest. Most worlds also feature a Disney villain whom the player must defeat. The player can summon various Disney characters to fight alongside Sora in battle, causing Donald and Goofy to withdraw from the battlefield for the duration of the summon. Available summoned characters include the Genie from Aladdin, Tinkerbell from Peter Pan, and Simba from The Lion King, among others.[14]Square also incorporated several characters from the Final Fantasy series into the game, though the characters were slightly altered to fit the game's back-story. On Destiny Islands, the player meets younger versions of Tidus and Wakka from Final Fantasy X and Selphie from Final Fantasy VIII. In Traverse Town, the player encounters Squall Leonhart (known in the game as "Leon") from Final Fantasy VIII as well as Aerith, Cid, and Yuffie from Final Fantasy VII.[14] Rikku from Final Fantasy X and Irvine from Final Fantasy VIII were both originally set to make cameo appearances, but were replaced by Yuffie and Wakka respectively.[26][27] Cloud and Sephiroth, both from Final Fantasy VII, make appearances in Olympus Coliseum, where the player can fight them in tournaments.[14] The emphasis on characters from later Final Fantasy installments stems from Nomura's hesitation to use characters he did not design.[28]The game also uses other Final Fantasy icons. Moogles appear to provide item synthesis.[13] Several weapons, such as "Lionheart" and "Save the Queen", share names with other weapons from throughout the Final Fantasy series. Early in the game, Riku suggests the name "Highwind" for the raft that he, Sora, and Kairi build, a reference to the airship of Final Fantasy VII. The magic-naming system in Kingdom Hearts (i.e. Fire, Fira, Firaga, etc.) is identical to Final Fantasy magic. The names of various spells are also the names of Gummi blocks, and various summons, weapons, bosses, and monsters are the names of Gummi Ship blueprints. StoryKingdom Hearts begins on the Destiny Islands, where Sora, Riku, and Kairi live. The three friends want to leave the islands to explore new worlds and have prepared a raft for this purpose.[13] When Sora goes to the trunk of the old tree to find mushrooms, he draws a picture of him giving Kairi a paopu fruit, which is said to bond whoever the giver and recipient forever. Just after this, a strange dark figure tells Sora that the Destiny Islands are tied to the darkness and disappears. One night, the islands are attacked by shadow creatures—the Heartless.[11] Sora seeks out his friends, finding Riku, who disappears into a dark portal. At the same time, Sora obtains the Keyblade, a weapon effective against the Heartless. After Riku is sucked into the darkness, a large being comes out of nowhere and Sora has to battle it. However, after he defeats it, the islands are destroyed and Sora drifts into space. Meanwhile, King Mickey has left his world to deal with the increasing numbers of Heartless and left instructions for mage Donald and knight Goofy to find the "key" that will protect the worlds from the encroaching darkness.[24]Donald and Goofy use the Gummi Ship to reach Traverse Town, where Sora has drifted. Sora encounters the Heartless again, and meets Leon, who explains the Heartless are beings that consume hearts, and that the Keyblade is the only weapon capable of defeating them.[29] A man named Ansem is said to have studied the Heartless. Sora meets Donald and Goofy and the three decide to travel together—Donald and Goofy to find Mickey, and Sora to find Kairi and Riku. The three go to various worlds based on Disney films, finding that the Keyblade also locks "Keyholes", passages to the "heart" of a world which, when sealed, prevent it from being consumed by the Heartless. A group of Disney villains, led by Maleficent, seek out the seven Princesses of Heart to unlock the final Keyhole that leads to "Kingdom Hearts",[10] a repository of knowledge and power and the source of all hearts. This group includes Riku; Maleficent promises that she will help him find Kairi in exchange for his support. Maleficent sows distrust in Riku, telling him Sora has abandoned him and Kairi for new friends and the Keyblade.[30] An increasingly antagonistic Riku finds Kairi's body, but cannot find her heart.Sora and his friends eventually arrive at Hollow Bastion, the homeworld of Ansem and the headquarters of Maleficent. Riku takes the Keyblade from Sora, claiming to be the true Keyblade master and that Sora only received it in his absence.[31] Donald and Goofy, taking their order to follow the "key" seriously, leave with Riku. Sora challenges Riku, stating his heart derives strength from his friends; his friends return to him, as does the Keyblade. Shamed, Riku meets a cloaked man who goads him to give into the darkness. Meanwhile, the three engage and kill Maleficent, but then meet a strangely-behaved Riku with a Keyblade that unlocks hearts. Sora finds Kairi's body and confronts Riku, who reveals that he is possessed by Ansem.[32] Ansem explains that Kairi is a Princess of Heart and that her heart has been hiding within Sora's body since the Destiny Islands were destroyed. After defeating Ansem in Riku's form, Sora impales himself with Ansem's Keyblade, releasing both his and Kairi's heart, along with the other Princesses of Heart, including Bell (Beauty and the Beast), Snow White (Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs), and 4 others. Kairi's heart returns to her body, in turn completing the final Keyhole, while Sora becomes a Heartless. Kairi recognizes Sora's Heartless and the light in her heart restores him to human form. He resolves to confront Ansem.Ansem is found in the End of the World, the combined remnants of worlds taken by the Heartless.[19] Ansem explains his belief that "darkness is the heart's true essence", and he seeks Kingdom Hearts, hypothesizing it to be the ultimate darkness. However, upon opening the door to Kingdom Hearts, it reveals its light, overwhelming and destroying Ansem. Beyond the door are King Mickey and Riku, and they help Sora and the others close the door, as there are many Heartless beyond it. Mickey and Sora use their Keyblades to lock the door. The worlds lost to the Heartless reconstruct themselves; as the Destiny Islands reform, Kairi returns there while Sora is forced to part with her. The game concludes as Sora, Donald, and Goofy resolve to find Riku and Mickey.[33] DevelopmentThe idea for Kingdom Hearts came about when producer Shinji Hashimoto met with a Disney executive in an elevator; Square and Disney had previously worked in the same building in Japan.[34] The production team was composed of over one hundred members from both Square and Disney.[16] The game began development in February 2000[35] and originally focused more on the gameplay with a simple story to appeal to Disney's target age range.[36] After executive producer Hironobu Sakaguchi told director Tetsuya Nomura the game would be a failure if it did not aim for the same level as the Final Fantasy series, Nomura began to develop the story further.[36] When choosing the Disney worlds to include in the game, Nomura and his team tried to pick worlds that had distinctively different looks.[37] They also tried to take into account worlds with Disney characters that would be interesting.[36] Though they had few restrictions on which worlds they could use from the Disney franchises, they tried to remain within each character's boundaries set by their respective Disney films.[38]Additional content was added to the North American release that was not included in the initial Japanese release:[25] new optional bosses, one of which was named after the winner of the official website's "Name-In-Game" sweepstakes,[25] an extra difficulty level,[39] and a teaser of Kingdom Hearts II accessible by meeting certain criteria.[38] Nomura included the teaser in order to gauge fan reaction to the possibility of a sequel; he felt that if the idea was not popular, then it would be best to leave certain events in the game unexplained.[40] The new content was later added to the Japanese rerelease titled Kingdom Hearts Final Mix. Final Mix also included additional content such as new items, cut scenes, and enemies. The new content served as a canonical update to the original release and further hinted at plotlines that would be explained in sequels. Some content that did not make it into Kingdom Hearts was later added into Kingdom Hearts II. The "Pride Land" from The Lion King, for instance, was infeasible because an additional program was required to process movement on four legs—a necessity since Sora would become a lion in that world.[41] Due to time constraints, the developers left out an optional boss battle, similar to the Sephiroth battle, against Tifa Lockhart. She was later included in Kingdom Hearts II as a more developed character.[42] PromotionKingdom Hearts was announced at E3 in May 2001.[22] Initial details were that it would be a collaboration between Square and Disney Interactive and would feature worlds developed by both companies and Disney characters. New characters were designed by Nomura and included Sora, Riku, Kairi, and the Heartless.[16][22] A playable demo was available at the Tokyo Game Show in the autumn of 2001. The gameplay of the demo showcased many action role-playing game elements that would be included in the final product.[43] To help market the English release of the game, Square launched the official website in April 2002, which featured trailers, a "Name-In-Game" sweepstakes, and other Internet content.[44] On May 14, 2002, a press release announced a list of the English voice actors. The list included Haley Joel Osment, David Gallagher, and Hayden Panettiere as the three new characters introduced in the game. It was also announced that many of the Disney characters would be voiced by the official voice actors from their respective Disney films.[16][45] Other marketing efforts included auctions of the game and related items before the North American release[46] and a Consumer Demo Day in San Francisco, California.[47] Audio Musical scoreFurther information: Music of Kingdom HeartsHikaru Utada composed and performed the game's main vocal theme, "Simple and Clean".The music of Kingdom Hearts was composed by Yoko Shimomura.[48] While there are some arranged melodies derived from previous Disney films, most of the soundtrack consists of original themes written specifically for the game by Shimomura. The opening orchestration and ending credits theme were arranged and orchestrated by Kaoru Wada and performed by the New Japan Philharmonic Orchestra.[48] The main vocal theme for the original Japanese release was titled "Hikari" (光?). The English version of "Hikari", "Simple and Clean", was used in the Western releases and the Japanese rerelease, Final Mix. Both versions of the song were composed and performed by Hikaru Utada. Her involvement, along with the Japanese song title, was announced in January 2002.[49] Utada was the only singer Nomura had in mind for the Kingdom Hearts theme song.[50] This marked the first time Utada had produced a song for a video game. The single, "Hikari", was released in Japan on March 20, 2002[51] and proved to be very popular; by August 2002, it had sold over 860,000 copies in Japan.[50] The Kingdom Hearts soundtrack was released on a two CD set on March 27, 2002 in Japan and a year later in the United States. The soundtrack was later included in the Kingdom Hearts Original Soundtrack Complete, which was released in Japan on March 28, 2007.[52] Music from Kingdom Hearts will be included in Yoko Shimomura's best works compilation album Drammatica.[53] Voice castKingdom Hearts featured well-known voice actors for both the Japanese and English versions. The Japanese version featured Miyu Irino as Sora, Risa Uchida as Kairi, and Mamoru Miyano as Riku. Other notable voice actors included Kōichi Yamadera, Hideo Ishikawa, and Maaya Sakamoto.[54] A special effort was made to preserve the official voice actors of characters from the Disney movies used in Kingdom Hearts. Some of the voice actors from the related television series or direct-to-video sequels were chosen over the original voice actors from films, where applicable (e.g. Dan Castellaneta as Genie, rather than Robin Williams). The English version featured Haley Joel Osment as Sora, David Gallagher as Riku, and Hayden Panettiere as Kairi.[55][56] Other notable voice actors included Billy Zane, Lance Bass, David Boreanaz, Mandy Moore, and Christy Carlson Romano.[55][57] ReceptionKingdom Hearts received overall positive reviews and sales figures. During the first two months of its North American release it was one of the top three highest-selling video games[58] and was one of the top selling titles during the 2002 holiday season. In November 2002, UBS Warburg listed it as the 6th highest console game in terms of sales during the week of November 5.[59] At the end of April 2003, Square announced that Kingdom Hearts had sold its millionth copy in the United States, which made it eligible for PlayStation's "Greatest Hits" status, and over 3 million worldwide.[5] Sales reached 1.2 million in Japan in the first quarter of 2004, and broke 4 million worldwide.[60] In December 2005, the NPD Group listed it as "one of the top ten best-selling PlayStation 2 titles of all time in North America".[61] As of December 2006, Kingdom Hearts had shipped over 5.6 million copies worldwide with 1.1 million in PAL regions, 1.5 million in Japan, and 3 million in North America.[6] Critical responseReview scoresPublication Score1UP.com A-[62]Eurogamer 8 of 10[63]Famitsu 36 of 40[64]Game Informer 9.5 of 10[65]IGN 9 of 10[18]Aggregate scoresAggregator ScoreGame Rankings 87%[67]Metacritic 85 of 100[66]The game received high ratings among reviews. In IGN's Best of 2002 awards, it was nominated for "PS2's Best Game of 2002 Editor's Choice Award" and was a runner up for "PS2's Best Game of 2002 Reader's Choice Award".[68] In 2007, they listed Kingdom Hearts as the 22nd best PlayStation 2 game of all time.[69] Critics commended the visuals, orchestral score, voice acting, and hybrid action-adventure and role-playing feel to the game. IGN named it "Best Art Style/Direction", runner-up for "Best CG Graphics", and honorable mention for "Best Animation" in IGN's 2003 list of "Best Looking Games on PS2".[70] GamePro stated the graphics were "gorgeous" and rated them a 4.5 out of 5.[17] The audio was also praised, particularly the quality of the voice-overs[11][12] and a well received musical score. GamePro had positive comments on the overall audio and rated it a 5 out of 5.[17]Criticism about the gameplay was mixed. Many reviews complained that the camera was at times frustrating and the Gummi Ship portions were out of place. GameSpot cited "tedious" gameplay and Gummi Ship sections as "pale imitations of the Star Fox series", but stated that the combat was fun, particularly the boss fights.[12] Dengeki Online commented on the camera controls, saying that the camera would often run into objects while being rotated by the player.[71] GamePro compared the battle system to "old N64 Zelda games" and had positive comments about Donald and Goofy's artificial intelligence.[17]GameSpot commented that the concept of mixing the serious elements of Final Fantasy with the lighter elements of Disney seemed impossible, but was pulled off quite well. Because of that they awarded Kingdom Hearts "Best Crossover Since Capcom vs. SNK" in their 2002 Best and Worst of the Year awards.[4] GameSpy noted that the periodic departure from the main plot into the Disney side stories was disappointing, and when the original plot builds to a climax, "...the story fails to gel thanks to a confusing mish-mash of vague terms and symbolism that probably made more sense in the director's head than in this final product." Aside from the plot, they stated the overall package was worth playing through to the end.[11] G4TV awarded it "Best Story" at their 2003 G-Phoria awards show.[72] Fan response was also positive; Kingdom Hearts was voted as the 19th best game of all-time by readers of the Japanese magazine Famitsu,[73] 16th by the users of website GameFAQs,[74] and 92nd by IGN users.[75] Versions and merchandiseFurther information: List of Kingdom Hearts mediaMultiple versions of Kingdom Hearts have been released. The first was the original Japanese release, followed by the North American and PAL releases, which included additional content. The game was later rereleased in Japan as Kingdom Hearts Final Mix, which featured the content of the North American/PAL release, as well as more new content. Both Square and Disney also released numerous types of merchandise before and after the release of the game. Merchandise ranged from toys and figurines[25] to clothing items and books. However, there is a curious absence of Kingdom Hearts merchandise at Disney Theme Parks and Disney Stores across the globe.[76] Like the Final Fantasy games, Square released an Ultimania book on Kingdom Hearts in Japan following the release of the game and a revised edition following the release of Final Mix. In North America, a strategy guide was released by Brady Games. It featured a comprehensive walkthrough and a sticker activity journal.[77][14] A manga series based on the game was released in both Japan and the United States. A novel series also based on the game was released in Japan. It was authored by Tomoco Kanemaki and illustrated by Shiro Amano. The novel series consists of two volumes and was released in North America on March 25, 2008.[78][79] Final MixSora battles Neoshadows, a new type of Heartless found in Final Mix, using the One-Winged Angel Keyblade.Released only in Japan, Kingdom Hearts Final Mix has several events and a number of gameplay tweaks that are not in previous releases. Spoken dialogue is in English,[80] with Japanese subtitles. New scenes, clarifying certain plot points, such as Riku's journey and foreshadowing of Kingdom Hearts II, were included. A gameplay option allows the player to skip cut scenes after seeing them once.[80] The optional bosses first included in the English version were introduced to Japanese players for the first time, along with "Unknown", in an attempt to raise interest for the sequel.In another attempt at foreshadowing, a video titled "Another Side, Another Story [deep dive]" plays at the ending if the player accomplishes certain tasks.[81] New music tracks incorporated were "Disappeared" and "Another Side". The "Night on Bald Mountain" and "One-Winged Angel" tracks from the English version were included as well. Other changes include new abilities, new weapons, new items, additional and recolored enemies,[82] and gameplay tweaks to make the game easier for the player, along with two new levels of difficulty.[81][83] When first released, Final Mix included either a deck of Kingdom Hearts cards or special music CD. A limited "Platinum Edition" version of Kingdom Hearts Final Mix was later released with an action figure of Sora, a sticker set, and sketches of some of the main characters.[80]Cover of the first volume of the Kingdom Hearts manga MangaThe game was adapted into a manga by Shiro Amano. The story follows the events that took place in the game with a few minor differences to account for the loss of interactivity a video game provides.[84] Some events that took place in the Final Mix version were also included. The manga was originally serialized in Japan by Enterbrain's Famitsū PS2, but has since been released worldwide in four volumes. The volumes have been published in English in the United States by Tokyopop. The first volume was released on October 11, 2005,[85] and the fourth volume was released on July 10, 2006.[86] The entire series was later released in a boxed set on October 10, 2006.[87]The manga series has had moderate success. The first volume was ranked 95th in USA Today's "Top 150 best sellers" during the week of its release.[88] IGN praised Amano's artwork and commented on wanting to replay the game after reading. They criticized the lack of new content and stated the transition from game to print lost most of the story's appeal.[84] The series was followed by others based on the game's sequels: Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories and Kingdom Hearts II.[89][90] SequelsFurther information: Kingdom Hearts (series)Kingdom Hearts was followed by several sequels, becoming the first game in the Kingdom Hearts series. It was followed by a direct sequel, Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories, on the Nintendo Game Boy Advance, which was released in Japan on November 11, 2004.[91][92] Kingdom Hearts II is the third game in the series, set one year after Chain of Memories, and was released in Japan on December 22, 2005 for Sony PlayStation 2.[93] Like the first game it was rereleased as Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix. A Kingdom Hearts game was developed exclusively for V CAST, Verizon Wireless's broadband service, and was released on October 1, 2004 in Japan and on February 4, 2005 in the United States.[94] In December 2008, a remake of Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories was released for the PS2 under the name Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories. Three new installments in the series are currently unreleased: Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days for the Nintendo DS, Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep, for the PlayStation Portable, and Kingdom Hearts coded for mobile phones.[95]

Vampire

mucklislockheart@gmail.com (N3Xt G-Nation) — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 13:12:00 +0000

Vampires are mythological or folkloric revenants who subsist by feeding on the blood of the living. In folkloric tales, the undead vampires often visited loved ones and caused mischief or deaths in the neighbourhoods they inhabited when they were alive. They wore shrouds and were often described as bloated and of ruddy or dark countenance, markedly different from today's gaunt, pale vampire which dates from the early Nineteenth Century. Although vampiric entities have been recorded in most cultures, the term vampire was not popularised until the early 18th century, after an influx of vampire superstition into Western Europe from areas where vampire legends were frequent, such as the Balkans and Eastern Europe,[1] although local variants were also known by different names, such as vampir (вампир) in Serbia, vrykolakas in Greece and strigoi in Romania. This increased level of vampire superstition in Europe led to mass hysteria and in some cases resulted in corpses actually being staked and people being accused of vampirism.In modern times, however, the vampire is generally held to be a fictitious entity, although belief in similar vampiric creatures such as the chupacabra still persists in some cultures. Early folkloric belief in vampires has been ascribed to the ignorance of the body's process of decomposition after death and how people in pre-industrial societies tried to rationalise this, creating the figure of the vampire to explain the mysteries of death. Porphyria was also linked with legends of vampirism in 1985 and received much media exposure, but this link has since been largely discredited.The charismatic and sophisticated vampire of modern fiction was born in 1819 with the publication of The Vampyre by John Polidori; the story was highly successful and arguably the most influential vampire work of the early 19th century.[2] However, it is Bram Stoker's 1897 novel Dracula that is remembered as the quintessential vampire novel and provided the basis of the modern vampire legend. The success of this book spawned a distinctive vampire genre, still popular in the 21st century, with books, films, and television shows. The vampire has since become a dominant figure in the horror genre.EtymologyThe Oxford English Dictionary dates the first appearance of the word vampire in English from 1734, in a travelogue titled Travels of Three English Gentlemen published in the Harleian Miscellany in 1745.[3][4] Vampires had already been discussed in German literature.[5] After Austria gained control of northern Serbia and Oltenia in 1718, officials noted the local practice of exhuming bodies and "killing vampires".[5] These reports, prepared between 1725 and 1732, received widespread publicity.[5]The English term was derived (possibly via French vampyre) from the German Vampir, in turn thought to be derived in the early 18th century from the Serbian вампир/vampir.[6][7][8][9][10] The Serbian form has parallels in virtually all Slavic languages: Bulgarian вампир (vampir), Czech and Slovak upír, Polish wąpierz, and (perhaps East Slavic-influenced) upiór, Russian упырь (upyr'), Belarusian упыр (upyr), Ukrainian упирь (upir'), from Old Russian упирь (upir'). (Note that many of these languages have also borrowed forms such as "vampir/wampir" subsequently from the West; these are distinct from the original local words for the creature.) The exact etymology is unclear.[11] Among the proposed proto-Slavic forms are *ǫpyrь and *ǫpirь.[12] Like its possible cognate that means "bat" (Czech netopýr, Slovak netopier, Polish nietoperz, Russian нетопырь / netopyr' —a species of bat), the Slavic word might contain a Proto-Indo-European root for "to fly".[12] An older theory is that the Slavic languages have borrowed the word from a Turkic term for "witch" (e.g., Tatar ubyr).[12][13]The first recorded use of the Old Russian form Упирь (Upir') is commonly believed to be in a document dated 6555 (1047 AD).[14] It is a colophon in a manuscript of the Book of Psalms written by a priest who transcribed the book from Glagolitic into Cyrillic for the Novgorodian Prince Vladimir Yaroslavovich.[15] The priest writes that his name is "Upir' Likhyi " (Упирь Лихый), which means something like "Wicked Vampire" or "Foul Vampire".[16] This apparently strange name has been cited as an example both of surviving paganism and of the use of nicknames as personal names.[17]Another early use of the Old Russian word is in the anti-pagan treatise "Word of Saint Grigoriy," dated variously to the 11th–13th centuries, where pagan worship of upyri is reported.[18][19]Folk beliefsThe notion of vampirism has existed for millennia; cultures such as the Mesopotamians, Hebrews, Ancient Greeks, and Romans had tales of demons and spirits which are considered precursors to modern vampires. However, despite the occurrence of vampire-like creatures in these ancient civilizations, the folklore for the entity we know today as the vampire originates almost exclusively from early 18th century Southeastern Europe,[1] when verbal traditions of many ethnic groups of the region were recorded and published. In most cases, vampires are revenants of evil beings, suicide victims, or witches, but they can also be created by a malevolent spirit possessing a corpse or by being bitten by a vampire. Belief in such legends became so pervasive that in some areas it caused mass hysteria and even public executions of people believed to be vampires.[20]Description and common attributesVampyren "The Vampire," by Edvard Munch It is difficult to make a single, definitive description of the folkloric vampire, though there are several elements common to many European legends. Vampires were usually reported as bloated in appearance, and ruddy, purplish, or dark in colour; these characteristics were often attributed to the recent drinking of blood. Indeed, blood was often seen seeping from the mouth and nose when one was seen in its shroud or coffin and its left eye was often open.[21] It would be clad in the linen shroud it was buried in, and its teeth, hair, and nails may have grown somewhat, though in general fangs were not a feature.[22]Other attributes varied greatly from culture to culture; some vampires, such as those found in Transylvanian tales, were gaunt, pale, and had long fingernails, while those from Bulgaria only had one nostril,[23] and Bavarian vampires slept with thumbs crossed and one eye open.[24] Moravian vampires only attacked while naked, and those of Albanian folklore wore high-heeled shoes.[24] As stories of vampires spread throughout the globe to the Americas and elsewhere, so did the varied and sometimes bizarre descriptions of them: Mexican vampires had a bare skull instead of a head,[24] Brazilian vampires had furry feet and vampires from the Rocky Mountains only sucked blood with their noses and from the victim's ears.[24] Common attributes were sometimes described, such as red hair.[24] Some were reported to be able to transform into bats, rats, dogs, wolves, spiders and even moths.[25] From these various legends, works of literature such as Bram Stoker's Dracula, and the influences of historical bloodthirsty figures such as Gilles de Rais, Elizabeth Báthory, and Vlad Ţepeş, the vampire developed into the modern stereotype.[20][24]Creating vampiresThe causes of vampiric generation were many and varied in original folklore. In Slavic and Chinese traditions, any corpse which was jumped over by an animal, particularly a dog or a cat, was feared to become one of the undead.[26] A body with a wound which had not been treated with boiling water was also at risk. In Russian folklore, vampires were said to have once been witches or people who had rebelled against the Church while they were alive.[24]Cultural practices often arose that were intended to prevent a recently deceased loved one from turning into an undead revenant. Burying a corpse upside-down was widespread, as was placing earthly objects, such as scythes or sickles,[27] near the grave to satisfy any demons entering the body or to appease the dead so that it would not wish to arise from its coffin. This method resembles the Ancient Greek practice of placing an obolus in the corpse's mouth to pay the toll to cross the River Styx in the underworld; it has been argued that instead, the coin was intended to ward off any evil spirits from entering the body, and this may have influenced later vampire folklore. This tradition persisted in modern Greek folklore about the vrykolakas, in which a wax cross and piece of pottery with the inscription "Jesus Christ conquers" were placed on the corpse to prevent the body from becoming a vampire.[28] Other methods commonly practised in Europe included severing the tendons at the knees or placing poppy seeds, millet, or sand on the ground at the grave site of a presumed vampire; this was intended to keep the vampire occupied all night by counting the fallen grains.[29] Similar Chinese narratives state that if a vampire-like being came across a sack of rice, it would have to count every grain; this is a theme encountered in myths from the Indian subcontinent as well as in South American tales of witches and other sorts of evil or mischievous spirits or beings.[30]Identifying vampiresMany elaborate rituals were used to identify a vampire. One method of finding a vampire's grave involved leading a virgin boy through a graveyard or church grounds on a virgin stallion—the horse would supposedly balk at the grave in question.[24] Generally a black horse was required, though in Albania it should be white.[31] Holes appearing in the earth over a grave were taken as a sign of vampirism.[32]Corpses thought to be vampires were generally described as having a healthier appearance than expected, plump and showing little or no signs of decomposition.[33] In some cases, when suspected graves were opened, villagers even described the corpse as having fresh blood from a victim all over its face.[34] Evidence that a vampire was active in a given locality included death of cattle, sheep, relatives or neighbours. Folkloric vampires could also make their presence felt by engaging in minor poltergeist-like activity, such as hurling stones on roofs or moving household objects,[35] and pressing on people in their sleep.[36]ProtectionAn image from Max Ernst's Une Semaine de BontéApotropaics—mundane or sacred items able to ward off revenants—such as garlic[37] or holy water are common in vampire folklore. The items vary from region to region; a branch of wild rose and hawthorn plant are said to harm vampires; in Europe, sprinkling mustard seeds on the roof of a house was said to keep them away.[38] Other apotropaics include sacred items, for example a crucifix, rosary, or holy water. Vampires are said to be unable to walk on consecrated ground, such as those of churches or temples, or cross running water.[39] Although not traditionally regarded as an apotropaic, mirrors have been used to ward off vampires when placed facing outwards on a door (in some cultures, vampires do not have a reflection and sometimes do not cast a shadow, perhaps as a manifestation of the vampire's lack of a soul).[40] This attribute, although not universal (the Greek vrykolakas/tympanios was capable of both reflection and shadow), was utilized by Bram Stoker in Dracula and has remained popular with subsequent authors and filmmakers.[41] Some traditions also hold that a vampire cannot enter a house unless invited by the owner, although after the first invitation they can come and go as they please.[40] Though folkloric vampires were believed to be more active at night, they were not generally considered vulnerable to sunlight.[41]Methods of destroying suspected vampires varied, with staking the most commonly cited method, particularly in southern Slavic cultures.[42] Ash was the preferred wood in Russia and the Baltic states,[43] or hawthorn in Serbia,[44] with a record of oak in Silesia.[45] Potential vampires were most often staked though the heart, though the mouth was targeted in Russia and northern Germany[46][47] and the stomach in northeastern Serbia.[48] Piercing the skin of the chest was a way of "deflating" the bloated vampire; this is similar to the act of burying sharp objects, such as sickles, in with the corpse, so that they may penetrate the skin if the body bloats sufficiently while transforming into a revenant.[49] Decapitation was the preferred method in German and western Slavic areas, with the head buried between the feet, behind the buttocks or away from the body.[50] This act was seen as a way of hastening the departure of the soul, which in some cultures, was said to linger in the corpse. The vampire's head, body, or clothes could also be spiked and pinned to the earth to prevent rising.[51] Gypsies drove steel or iron needles into a corpse's heart and placed bits of steel in the mouth, over the eyes, ears and between the fingers at the time of burial. They also placed hawthorn in the corpse's sock or drove a hawthorn stake through the legs. Further measures included pouring boiling water over the grave or complete incineration of the body. In the Balkans a vampire could also be killed by being shot or drowned, by repeating the funeral service, by sprinkling holy water on the body, or by exorcism. In Romania garlic could be placed in the mouth, and as recently as the 19th century, the precaution of shooting a bullet through the coffin was taken. For resistant cases, the body was dismembered and the pieces burned, mixed with water, and administered to family members as a cure. In Saxon regions of Germany, a lemon was placed in the mouth of suspected vampires.[52]Ancient beliefsLilith (1892), by John CollierTales of supernatural beings consuming the blood or flesh of the living have been found in nearly every culture around the world for many centuries.[53] Today we would associate these entities with vampires, but in ancient times, the term vampire did not exist; blood drinking and similar activities were attributed to demons or spirits who would eat flesh and drink blood; even the devil was considered synonymous with the vampire.[54] Almost every nation has associated blood drinking with some kind of revenant or demon, or in some cases a deity. In India, for example, tales of vetalas, ghoul-like beings that inhabit corpses, have been compiled in the Baital Pachisi; a prominent story in the Kathasaritsagara tells of King Vikramāditya and his nightly quests to capture an elusive one.[55] Pishacha, the returned spirits of evil-doers or those who died insane, also bear vampiric attributes.[56] The Ancient Indian goddess Kali, with fangs and a garland of corpses or skulls, was also intimately linked with the drinking of blood.[57] In Egypt, the goddess Sekhmet drank blood.The Persians were one of the first civilizations to have tales of blood-drinking demons: creatures attempting to drink blood from men were depicted on excavated pottery shards.[58] Ancient Babylonia had tales of the mythical Lilitu,[59] synonymous with and giving rise to Lilith (Hebrew לילית) and her daughters the Lilu from Hebrew demonology. Lilitu was considered a demon and was often depicted as subsisting on the blood of babies. However, the Jewish counterparts were said to feast on both men and women, as well as newborns.[59]Ancient Greek and Roman mythology described the Empusae,[60] Lamia,[61] and the striges. Over time the first two terms became general words to describe witches and demons respectively. Empusa was the daughter of the goddess Hecate and was described as a demonic, bronze-footed creature. She feasted on blood by transforming into a young woman and seduced men as they slept before drinking their blood.[60] Lamia preyed on young children in their beds at night, sucking their blood.[61] Like Lamia, the striges, feasted on children, but also preyed on young men. They were described as having the bodies of crows or birds in general, and were later incorporated into Roman mythology as strix, a kind of nocturnal bird that fed on human flesh and blood.[62]Medieval and later European folklore Main article: Vampire folklore by regionMany of the myths surrounding vampires originated during the medieval period. The 12th century English historians and chroniclers Walter Map and William of Newburgh recorded accounts of revenants,[20][63] though records in English legends of vampiric beings after this date are scant.[64] These tales are similar to the later folklore widely reported from Eastern Europe in the 18th century and were the basis of the vampire legend that later entered Germany and England, where they were subsequently embellished and popularised.During the 18th century, there was a frenzy of vampire sightings in Eastern Europe, with frequent stakings and grave diggings to identify and kill the potential revenants; even government officials engaged in the hunting and staking of vampires.[65] Despite being called the Age of Enlightenment, during which most folkloric legends were quelled, the belief in vampires increased dramatically, resulting in a mass hysteria throughout most of Europe.[20] The panic began with an outbreak of alleged vampire attacks in East Prussia in 1721 and in the Habsburg Monarchy from 1725 to 1734, which spread to other localities. Two famous vampire cases, the first to be officially recorded, involved the corpses of Peter Plogojowitz and Arnold Paole from Serbia. Plogojowitz was reported to have died at the age of 62, but allegedly returned after his death asking his son for food. When the son refused, he was found dead the following day. Plogojowitz supposedly returned and attacked some neighbours who died from loss of blood.[65] In the second case, Paole, an ex-soldier turned farmer who allegedly was attacked by a vampire years before, died while haying. After his death, people began to die in the surrounding area and it was widely believed that Paole had returned to prey on the neighbours.[66] Another famous Serbian legend involving vampires concentrates around certain Sava Savanović living in a watermill and killing and drinking blood from millers. The folklore character was later used in a story written by Serbian writer Milovan Glišić and in the Serbian 1973 horror film Leptirica inspired by the story.The two incidents were well-documented: government officials examined the bodies, wrote case reports, and published books throughout Europe.[66] The hysteria, commonly referred to as the "18th-Century Vampire Controversy", raged for a generation. The problem was exacerbated by rural epidemics of so-claimed vampire attacks, undoubtedly caused by the higher amount of superstition that was present in village communities, with locals digging up bodies and in some cases, staking them. Although many scholars reported during this period that vampires did not exist, and attributed reports to premature burial or rabies, superstitious belief increased. Dom Augustine Calmet, a well-respected French theologian and scholar, put together a comprehensive treatise in 1746, which was ambiguous concerning the existence of vampires. Calmet amassed reports of vampire incidents; numerous readers, including both a critical Voltaire and supportive demonologists, interpreted the treatise as claiming that vampires existed.[67] In his Philosophical Dictionary, Voltaire wrote:[68] These vampires were corpses, who went out of their graves at night to suck the blood of the living, either at their throats or stomachs, after which they returned to their cemeteries. The persons so sucked waned, grew pale, and fell into consumption; while the sucking corpses grew fat, got rosy, and enjoyed an excellent appetite. It was in Poland, Hungary, Silesia, Moravia, Austria, and Lorraine, that the dead made this good cheer.The controversy only ceased when Empress Maria Theresa of Austria sent her personal physician, Gerard van Swieten, to investigate the claims of vampiric entities. He concluded that vampires did not exist and the Empress passed laws prohibiting the opening of graves and desecration of bodies, sounding the end of the vampire epidemics. Despite this condemnation, the vampire lived on in artistic works and in local superstition.[67]Non-European beliefsAfricaVarious regions of Africa have folkloric tales of beings with vampiric abilities: in West Africa the Ashanti people tell of the iron-toothed and tree-dwelling asanbosam,[69] and the Ewe people of the adze, which can take the form of a firefly and hunts children.[70] The eastern Cape region has the impundulu, which can take the form of a large taloned bird and can summon thunder and lightning, and the Betsileo people of Madagascar tell of the ramanga, an outlaw or living vampire who drinks the blood and eats the nail clippings of nobles.[71]The AmericasThe Loogaroo is an example of how a vampire belief can result from a combination of beliefs, here a mixture of French and African Vodu or voodoo. The term Loogaroo possibly comes from the French loup-garou (meaning "werewolf") and is common in the culture of Mauritius. However, the stories of the Loogaroo are widespread through the Caribbean Islands and Louisiana in the United States.[72] Similar female monsters are the Soucouyant of Trinidad, and the Tunda and Patasola of Colombian folklore, while the Mapuche of southern Chile have the bloodsucking snake known as the Peuchen.[73] Aloe vera hung backwards behind or near a door was thought to ward off vampiric beings in South American superstition.[30]Aztec mythology described tales of the Cihuateteo, skeletal-faced spirits of those who died in childbirth who stole children and entered into sexual liaisons with the living, driving them mad.[24]During the late 18th and 19th centuries the belief in vampires was widespread in parts of New England, particularly in Rhode Island and Eastern Connecticut. There are many documented cases of families disinterring loved ones and removing their hearts in the belief that the deceased was a vampire who was responsible for sickness and death in the family, although the term "vampire" was never actually used to describe the deceased. The deadly disease tuberculosis, or "consumption" as it was known at the time, was believed to be caused by nightly visitations on the part of a dead family member who had died of consumption themselves.[74] The most famous, and most recently recorded, case of suspected vampirism is that of nineteen-year-old Mercy Brown, who died in Exeter, Rhode Island in 1892. Her father, assisted by the family physician, removed her from her tomb two months after her death, cut out her heart and burned it to ashes.[75]AsiaRooted in older folklore, the modern belief in vampires spread throughout Asia with tales of ghoulish entities from the mainland, to vampiric beings from the islands of Southeast Asia. India also developed other vampiric legends. The Bhūta or Prét is the soul of a man who died an untimely death. It wanders around animating dead bodies at night, attacking the living much like a ghoul.[76] In northern India, there is the BrahmarākŞhasa, a vampire-like creature with a head encircled by intestines and a skull from which it drank blood. Although vampires have appeared in Japanese Cinema since the late 1950s, the folklore behind it was western in origin.[77] However, the Nukekubi is a being whose head and neck detach from its body to fly about seeking human prey at night.[78]Legends of female vampire-like beings who can detach parts of their upper body also occur in the Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia. There are two main vampire-like creatures in the Philippines: the Tagalog mandurugo ("blood-sucker") and the Visayan manananggal ("self-segmenter"). The mandurugo is a variety of the aswang that takes the form of an attractive girl by day, and develops wings and a long, hollow, thread-like tongue by night. The tongue is used to suck up blood from a sleeping victim. The manananggal is described as being an older, beautiful woman capable of severing its upper torso in order to fly into the night with huge bat-like wings and prey on unsuspecting, sleeping pregnant women in their homes. They use an elongated proboscis-like tongue to suck fetuses off these pregnant women. They also prefer to eat entrails (specifically the heart and the liver) and the phlegm of sick people.[79]The Malaysian Penanggalan may be either a beautiful old or young woman who obtained her beauty through the active use of black magic or other unnatural means, and is most commonly described in local folklore to be dark or demonic in nature. She is able to detach her fanged head which flies around in the night looking for blood, typically from pregnant women.[80] Malaysians would hang jeruju (thistles) around the doors and windows of houses, hoping the Penanggalan would not enter for fear of catching its intestines on the thorns.[81] The Leyak is a similar being from Balinese folklore.[82] A Kuntilanak or Matianak in Indonesia,[83] or Pontianak or Langsuir in Malaysia,[84] is a woman who died during childbirth and became undead, seeking revenge and terrorizing villages. She appeared as an attractive woman with long black hair that covered a hole in the back of her neck, which she sucked the blood of children with. Filling the hole with her hair would drive her off. Corpses had their mouths filled with glass beads, eggs under each armpit, and needles in their palms to prevent them from becoming langsuir.[85]Jiang Shi (traditional Chinese: 僵屍 or 殭屍; simplified Chinese: 僵尸; pinyin: jiāngshī; literally "stiff corpse"), sometimes called "Chinese vampires" by Westerners, are reanimated corpses that hop around, killing living creatures to absorb life essence (qì) from their victims. They are said to be created when a person's soul (魄 pò) fails to leave the deceased's body.[86] One unusual feature of this vampire is its greenish-white furry skin, perhaps derived from fungus or mould growing on corpses.[87]Modern beliefsIn modern fiction, the vampire tends to be depicted as a suave, charismatic villain.[22] Despite the general disbelief in vampiric entities, occasional sightings of vampires are reported. Indeed, vampire hunting societies still exist, although they are largely formed for social reasons.[20] Allegations of vampire attacks swept through the African country of Malawi during late 2002 and early 2003, with mobs stoning one individual to death and attacking at least four others, including Governor Eric Chiwaya, based on the belief that the government was colluding with vampires.[88]In early 1970 local press spread rumors that a vampire haunted Highgate Cemetery in London. Amateur vampire hunters flocked in large numbers to the cemetery. Several books have been written about the case, notably by Sean Manchester, a local man who was among the first to suggest the existence of the "Highgate Vampire" and who later claimed to have exorcised and destroyed a whole nest of vampires in the area.[89] In January 2005, rumours circulated that an attacker had bitten a number of people in Birmingham, England, fuelling concerns about a vampire roaming the streets. However, local police stated that no such crime had been reported and that the case appears to be an urban legend.[90]In one of the more notable cases of vampiric entities in the modern age, the chupacabra ("goat-sucker") of Puerto Rico and Mexico is said to be a creature that feeds upon the flesh or drinks the blood of domesticated animals, leading some to consider it a kind of vampire. The "chupacabra hysteria" was frequently associated with deep economic and political crises, particularly during the mid-1990s.[91]In Europe, where much of the vampire folklore originates, the vampire is considered a fictitious being, although many communities have embraced the revenant for economic purposes. In some cases, especially in small localities, vampire superstition is still rampant and sightings or claims of vampire attacks occur frequently. In Romania during February 2004, several relatives of Toma Petre feared that he had become a vampire. They dug up his corpse, tore out his heart, burned it, and mixed the ashes with water in order to drink it.[92]Vampirism also represents a relevant part of modern day's occultist movements. The mythos of the vampire, his magickal qualities, allure, and predatory archetype express a strong symbolism that can be used in ritual, energy work, and magick, and can even be adopted as a spiritual system. The vampire has been part of the occult society in Europe for centuries and has spread into the American sub-culture as well for more than a decade, being strongly influenced by and mixed with the neo gothic aesthetics.[93]Origins of vampire beliefsLe Vampire,lithograph by R. de MoraineLes Tribunaux secrets (1864), stakings often resulted in dramatic explosions of organic material from the corpse or other phenomena, suggesting a supernatural origin. However, this may have been caused by the build-up of natural gas and fluids that the body endures after death.Many theories for the origins of vampire beliefs have been offered as an explanation for the superstition, and sometimes mass hysteria, caused by vampires. Everything ranging from premature burial to the early ignorance of the body's decomposition cycle after death has been cited as the cause for the belief in vampires.Slavic SpiritualismAlthough many cultures possess revenant superstitions comparable to the Eastern European vampire, the Slavic vampire is the revenant superstition that pervades popular culture's concept of vampire. The roots of vampire belief in Slavic culture are significantly based in the spiritual beliefs and practices of the pre-Christianized Slavic peoples and their understanding of life after death. Despite a lack of pre-Christian Slavic writings describing the details of the Old Religion, many pagan spiritual beliefs and rituals have been sustained by Slavic peoples even after their lands were Christianized. Examples of such pagan beliefs and practices include ancestor worship, household spirits, and beliefs about the soul after death. The origins of vampire beliefs can in Slavic regions can be traced to the complex structure of Slavic spiritualism.Demons and spirits served important functions in pre-industrial Slavic societies and were considered to be very interactive in the lives and domains of humans. Some spirits were benevolent and could be helpful in human tasks, others were harmful and often destructive. Examples of such spirits are Domovoi, Rusalka, Vila, Kikimora, Poludnitsa, and Vodyanoy. These spirits were also considered to be derived from ancestors or certain deceased humans. Such spirits could appear at will in various forms including that of different animals or human form. Some of these spirits could also participate in malevolent activity to harm humans, such as drowning humans, obstructing the harvest, or sucking the blood of livestock and sometimes humans. Hence, the Slavs were obliged to appease these spirits to prevent the spirits from their potential for erratic and destructive behavior.[94]Common Slavic belief indicates a stark distinction between soul and body. The soul is not considered to be perishable. The Slavs believed that upon death the soul would go out of the body and wander about its neighborhood and workplace for 40 days before moving on to an eternal afterlife.[94] Because of this, it was considered necessary to leave a window or door open in the house for the soul to pass through at its leisure. During this time the soul was believed to have the capability of reentering the corpse of the deceased. Much like the spirits mentioned earlier, the passing soul could either bless or wreck havoc on its family and neighbors during its 40 days of passing. Upon an individual's death, much stress was placed on proper burial rites to ensure the soul's purity and peace as it separated from the body. The death of an unbaptized child, a violent or an untimely death, or the death of a grievous sinner (such as a sorcerer or murderer) were all grounds for a soul to become unclean after death. A soul could also be made unclean if its body were not given a proper burial. Alternatively, a body not given a proper burial could be susceptible to possession by other unclean souls and spirits. An unclean soul was so fearful to the Slavs because of its potential for vengeance. [95]From these deeply implicated beliefs pertaining to death and the soul derives the invention of the Slavic concept of vampir. A vampire is the manifestation of an unclean spirit possessing a decomposing body. This undead creature is considered to be vengeful and jealous towards the living and needing the blood of the living to sustain its body's existence.[96] Although this concept of vampire exists in slightly deviating forms throughout Slavic countries and some of their non-Slavic neighbors, it is possible to trace the development of vampire belief to Slavic spiritualism preexisting Christianity in Slavic regions.PathologyDecompositionPaul Barber in his book Vampires, Burial and Death has described that belief in vampires resulted from people of pre-industrial societies attempting to explain the natural, but to them inexplicable, process of death and decomposition.[97]People sometimes suspected vampirism when a cadaver did not look as they thought a normal corpse should when disinterred. However, rates of decomposition vary depending on temperature and soil composition, and many of the signs are little known. This has led vampire hunters to mistakenly conclude that a dead body had not decomposed at all, or, ironically, to interpret signs of decomposition as signs of continued life.[98][99] Corpses swell as gases from decomposition accumulate in the torso and the increased pressure forces blood to ooze from the nose and mouth. This causes the body to look "plump," "well-fed," and "ruddy"—changes that are all the more striking if the person was pale or thin in life. In the Arnold Paole case, an old woman's exhumed corpse was judged by her neighbours to look more plump and healthy than she had ever looked in life.[100] The exuding blood gave the impression that the corpse had recently been engaging in vampiric activity.[34] Darkening of the skin is also caused by decomposition.[101] The staking of a swollen, decomposing body could cause the body to bleed and force the accumulated gases to escape the body. This could produce a groan-like sound when the gases moved past the vocal cords, or a sound reminiscent of flatulence when they passed through the anus. The official reporting on the Peter Plogojowitz case speaks of "other wild signs which I pass by out of high respect".[102]After death, the skin and gums lose fluids and contract, exposing the roots of the hair, nails, and teeth, even teeth that were concealed in the jaw. This can produce the illusion that the hair, nails, and teeth have grown. At a certain stage, the nails fall off and the skin peels away, as reported in the Plogojowitz case—the dermis and nail beds emerging underneath were interpreted as "new skin" and "new nails".[102]Premature burialIt has also been hypothesized that vampire legends were influenced by individuals being buried alive due to primitive medical knowledge. In some cases in which people reported sounds emanating from a specific coffin, it was later dug up and fingernail marks were discovered on the inside from the victim trying to escape. In other cases the person would hit their heads, noses or faces and it would appear that they had been "feeding."[103] A problem with this theory is the question of how people presumably buried alive managed to stay alive for any extended period without food, water or fresh air. An alternate explanation for noise is the bubbling of escaping gases from natural decomposition of bodies.[104] Another likely cause of disordered tombs is grave robbing.[105]ContagionFolkloric vampirism has been associated with a series of deaths due to unidentifiable or mysterious illnesses, usually within the same family or the same small community.[74] The epidemic allusion is obvious in the classical cases of Peter Plogojowitz and Arnold Paole, and even more so in the case of Mercy Brown and in the vampire beliefs of New England generally, where a specific disease, tuberculosis, was associated with outbreaks of vampirism. As with the pneumonic form of bubonic plague, it was associated with breakdown of lung tissue which would cause blood to appear at the lips.[106]PorphyriaIn 1985 biochemist David Dolphin proposed a link between the rare blood disorder porphyria and vampire folklore. Noting that the condition is treated by intravenous haem, he suggested that the consumption of large amounts of blood may result in haem being transported somehow across the stomach wall and into the bloodstream. Thus vampires were merely sufferers of porphyria seeking to replace haem and alleviate their symptoms.[107] The theory has been rebuffed medically as suggestions that porphyria sufferers crave the haem in human blood, or that the consumption of blood might ease the symptoms of porphyria, are based on a misunderstanding of the disease. Furthermore, Dolphin was noted to have confused fictional (bloodsucking) vampires with those of folklore, many of whom were not noted to drink blood.[108] Similarly, a parallel is made between sensitivity to sunlight by sufferers, yet this was associated with fictional and not folkloric vampires. In any case, Dolphin did not go on to publish his work more widely.[109] Despite being dismissed by experts, the link gained media attention[110] and entered popular modern folklore.[111]RabiesRabies has been linked with vampire folklore. Dr Juan Gómez-Alonso, a neurologist at Xeral Hospital in Vigo, Spain, examined this possibility in a report in Neurology. The susceptibility to garlic and light could be due to hypersensitivity, which is a symptom of rabies. The disease can also affect portions of the brain that could lead to disturbance of normal sleep patterns (thus becoming nocturnal) and hypersexuality. Legend once said a man was not rabid if he could look at his own reflection (an allusion to the legend that vampires have no reflection). Wolves and bats, which are often associated with vampires, can be carriers of rabies. The disease can also lead to a drive to bite others and to a bloody frothing at the mouth.[112][113]Psychodynamic understandingIn his 1931 treatise On the Nightmare, Welsh psychoanalyst Ernest Jones noted that vampires are symbolic of several unconscious drives and defence mechanisms. Love, guilt, and hate are emotions that fuel the idea of the return of the dead to the grave. Desiring a reunion with loved ones, mourners may project the idea that the recently dead must in return yearn the same. From this arises the belief that folkloric vampires and revenants visit relatives, particularly their spouses, first.[114] However in cases where there was unconscious guilt associated with the relationship, the wish for reunion may be subverted by anxiety. This may lead to repression, which Freud had linked with the development of morbid dread.[115] Jones surmised in this case the original wish of a (sexual) reunion may be drastically changed: desire is replaced by fear; love is replaced by sadism, and the object or loved one is replaced by an unknown entity. The sexual aspect may or may not be present.[116]The innate sexuality of bloodsucking can be seen in its intrinsic connection with cannibalism and folkloric one with incubus-like behaviour. Many legends report various beings draining other fluids from victims, an unconscious association with semen being obvious. Finally Jones notes that when more normal aspects of sexuality are repressed, regressed forms may be expressed, in particular sadism; he felt that oral sadism is integral in vampiric behaviour.[117]Political interpretationThe reinvention of the vampire myth in the modern era is not without political overtones.[118] The aristocratic Count Dracula, alone in his castle apart from a few demented retainers, appearing only at night to feed on his peasantry, is symbolic of the parasitic Ancien regime. Werner Herzog, in his Nosferatu the Vampyre, gives this political interpretation an extra ironic twist when his young estate agent hero becomes the next vampire; in this way the capitalist bourgeois becomes the next parasitic class.[119]PsychopathologyA number of murderers have performed seemingly vampiric rituals upon their victims. Serial killers Peter Kürten and Richard Trenton Chase were both called "vampires" in the tabloids after they were discovered drinking the blood of the people they murdered. Similarly, in 1932, an unsolved murder case in Stockholm, Sweden was nicknamed the "Vampire murder", due to the circumstances of the victim’s death.[120] The late 16th-century Hungarian countess and mass murderer Elizabeth Báthory became particularly infamous in later centuries' works, which depicted her bathing in her victims' blood in order to retain beauty or youth.[121]Vampire lifestyle is a term for a contemporary subculture of people, largely within the Goth subculture, who consume the blood of others as a pastime; drawing from the rich recent history of popular culture related to cult symbolism, horror films, the fiction of Anne Rice, and the styles of Victorian England.[122] Active vampirism within the vampire subculture includes both blood-related vampirism, commonly referred to as Sanguine Vampirism, and Psychic Vampirism, or "feeding" from pranic energy. Practitioners may take on a variety of "roles", including both "vampires" and their sources of blood or pranic energy.[123]Vampire bats Main article: Vampire batA vampire bat in PeruAlthough many cultures have stories about them, vampire bats have only recently become an integral part of the traditional vampire lore. Indeed, vampire bats were only integrated into vampire folklore when they were discovered on the South American mainland in the 16th century.[124] The vampire bat was revered in Central American culture; Camazotz was a bat god of the caves who lived in the bathhouse of the Underworld. Although there are no vampire bats in Europe, bats and owls have long been associated with the supernatural and omens, although mainly due to their nocturnal habits,[124][125] and in modern English heraldic tradition, a bat means "Awareness of the powers of darkness and chaos".[126]The three species of actual vampire bats are all endemic to Latin America, and there is no evidence to suggest that they had any Old World relatives within human memory. It is therefore unlikely that the folkloric vampire represents a distorted presentation or memory of the vampire bat. During the 16th century the Spanish conquistadors first came into contact with vampire bats and recognized the similarity between the feeding habits of the bats and those of their legendary vampires.[dubious – discuss] The bats were named after the folkloric vampire rather than vice versa; the Oxford English Dictionary records their folkloric use in English from 1734 and the zoological not until 1774. Although the vampire bat's bite is usually not harmful to a person, the bat has been known to actively feed on humans and large prey such as cattle and often leave the trademark, two-prong bite mark on its victim's skin.[124]Though the literary Dracula's flying shapeshifted form was originally described as merely bird- or lizard-like, it was not long before vampire bats were adapted into vampiric accoutrements; they were used in the 1927 stage production of Dracula and the resulting film, where Bela Lugosi would transform into a bat.[124] The bat transformation scene would again be used by Lon Chaney Jr. in 1943's Son of Dracula.[127] Ironically, vampire bats are small creatures and have never been used in the film industry; instead, the much larger flying fox bat is used in bat transformation scenes.[124]In modern fictionThe vampire is now a fixture in popular fiction. Such fiction began with eighteenth century poetry and continued with nineteenth century short stories, the first and most influential of which was John Polidori's The Vampyre (1819), featuring the vampire Lord Ruthven. Lord Ruthven's exploits were further explored in a series of vampire plays in which he was the anti-hero. The vampire theme continued in penny dreadful serial publications such as Varney the Vampire (1847) and culminated in the pre-eminent vampire novel of all time: Dracula by Bram Stoker, published in 1897.[128] Over time, some attributes now regarded as integral became incorporated into the vampire's profile: fangs and vulnerability to sunlight appeared over the course of the 19th century, with Varney the Vampire and Count Dracula both bearing protruding teeth,[129] and Murnau's Nosferatu (1922) fearing daylight.[130] The cloak appeared in stage productions of the 1820s, with a high collar introduced by playwright Hamilton Deane to help Dracula 'vanish' on stage.[131] Lord Ruthven and Varney were able to be healed by moonlight, although no account of this is known in traditional folklore.[25] Implied though not often explicitly documented in folklore, immortality is one attribute which features heavily in vampire film and literature. Much is made of the price of eternal life, namely the incessant need for blood of former equals.[132]Literature Main article: Vampire literature"Carmilla" by D. H. Friston, 1872, from The Dark BlueThe vampire or revenant first appeared in poems such as The Vampire (1748) by Heinrich August Ossenfelder, Lenore (1773) by Gottfried August Bürger, Die Braut von Corinth (The Bride of Corinth (1797) by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Samuel Taylor Coleridge's unfinished Christabel and Lord Byron's The Giaour (1813).[133] Byron was also credited with the first prose fiction piece concerned with vampires: The Vampyre (1819). However this was in reality authored by Byron's personal physician, John Polidori, who adapted an enigmatic fragmentary tale of his illustrious patient.[128] [20]Byron's own dominating personality, mediated by his lover Lady Caroline Lamb in her unflattering roman-a-clef, Glenarvon (a Gothic fantasia based on Byron's wild life), was used as a model for Polidori's undead protagonist Lord Ruthven. The Vampyre was highly successful and the most influential vampire work of the early 19th century.[2]Varney the Vampire was a landmark popular mid-Victorian era gothic horror story by James Malcolm Rymer (alternatively attributed to Thomas Preskett Prest), which first appeared from 1845 to 1847 in a series of pamphlets generally referred to as penny dreadfuls because of their inexpensive price and typically gruesome contents. The story was published in book form in 1847 and runs to 868 double-columned pages. It has a distinctly suspenseful style, using vivid imagery to describe the horrifying exploits of Varney.[25] Another important addition to the genre was Sheridan Le Fanu's lesbian vampire story Carmilla (1871). Like Varney before her, the vampire Carmilla is portrayed in a somewhat sympathetic light as the compulsion of her condition is highlighted.[134]No effort to depict vampires in popular fiction was as influential or as definitive as Bram Stoker's Dracula (1897).[135] Its portrayal of vampirism as a disease of contagious demonic possession, with its undertones of sex, blood and death, struck a chord in Victorian Europe where tuberculosis and syphilis were common. The vampiric traits described in Stoker's work merged with and dominated folkloric tradition, eventually evolving into the modern fictional vampire. Drawing on past works such as The Vampyre and "Carmilla", Stoker began to research his new book in the late 1800s, reading works such as The Land Beyond the Forest (1888) by Emily Gerard and other books about Transylvania and vampires. A member of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, he was keen to travel around Eastern Europe to learn about the folkloric vampires and the occult. In London, a colleague mentioned to him the story of Vlad Ţepeş, the "real-life Dracula," and Stoker immediately incorporated this story into his book. The first chapter of the book was omitted when it was published in 1897, but it was released in 1914 as Dracula's Guest.[136]The latter part of the twentieth century saw the rise of multi-volume vampire epics. The first of these was gothic romance writer Marilyn Ross' Barnabas Collins series (1966–71), loosely based on the contemporary American TV series Dark Shadows. It also set the trend for seeing vampires as poetic tragic heroes rather than as the more traditional embodiment of evil. This formula was followed in novelist Anne Rice's highly popular and influential Vampire Chronicles (1976–2003).[137]The twenty first century has brought more examples of vampire fiction, such as Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series, J.R. Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood series, and other highly popular vampire books which appeal to teenagers and young adults. Such vampiric paranormal romance novels and allied vampiric chick-lit and vampiric occult detective stories are a remarkably popular and ever-expanding contemporary publishing phenomenon.[138] L.A. Banks' The Vampire Huntress Legend Series, Laurell K. Hamilton's erotic Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter series, and Kim Harrison's The Hollows series, portray the vampire in a variety of new perspectives, some of them unrelated to the original legends.Film and television Main article: Vampire filmsCount Orlock, a well-known example of vampire fiction, from the 1922 film NosferatuConsidered one of the preeminent figures of the classic horror film, the vampire has proven to be a rich subject for the film and gaming industries. Dracula is a major character in more movies than any other but Sherlock Holmes, and many early films were either based on the novel of Dracula or closely derived from it. These included the landmark 1922 German silent film Nosferatu, directed by F. W. Murnau and featuring the first film portrayal of Dracula—although names and characters were intended to mimic Dracula's, Murnau could not obtain permission to do so from Stoker's widow, and had to alter many aspects of the film. In addition to this film was Universal's Dracula (1931), starring Béla Lugosi as the count in what was the first talking film to portray Dracula. The decade saw several more vampire films, most notably Dracula's Daughter in 1936.[139]The legend of the vampire was cemented in the film industry when Dracula was reincarnated for a new generation with the celebrated Hammer Horror series of films, starring Christopher Lee as the Count. The successful 1958 Dracula starring Lee was followed by seven sequels. Lee returned as Dracula in all but two of these and became well known in the role.[140] By the 1970s, vampires in films had diversified with works such as Count Yorga, Vampire (1970), an African Count in 1972's Blacula, a Nosferatu-like vampire in 1979's Salem's Lot, and a remake of Nosferatu itself, titled Nosferatu the Vampyre with Klaus Kinski the same year. Several films featured female, often lesbian, vampire antagonists such as Hammer Horror's The Vampire Lovers (1970) based on Carmilla, though the plotlines still revolved around a central evil vampire character.[140]The pilot for the Dan Curtis 1972 television series Kolchak: The Night Stalker revolved around reporter Carl Kolchak hunting a vampire on the Las Vegas strip. Later films showed more diversity in plotline, with some focusing on the vampire-hunter such as Blade in the Marvel Comics' Blade films and the film Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Buffy, released in 1992, foreshadowed a vampiric presence on television, with adaptation to a long-running hit TV series of the same name and its spin-off Angel. Still others showed the vampire as protagonist such as 1983's The Hunger, 1994's Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles and its indirect sequel of sorts Queen of the Damned. Bram Stoker's Dracula was a noteworthy 1992 remake which became the then-highest grossing vampire film ever.[141] This increase of interest in vampiric plotlines led to the vampire being depicted in movies such as Underworld and Van Helsing, the Russian Night Watch and a TV miniseries remake of 'Salem's Lot, both from 2004. The series Blood Ties premiered on Lifetime Television in 2007, featuring a character portrayed as Henry Fitzroy, illegitimate son of Henry VIII of England turned vampire, in modern-day Toronto, with a female former Toronto detective in the starring role. A new series from HBO, entitled True Blood, gives a Southern take to the vampire theme. The continuing popularity of the vampire theme has been ascribed to a combination of two factors: the representation of sexuality—something which has become more overt in the Internet age—and the perennial dread of mortality.[142]

Curse

mucklislockheart@gmail.com (N3Xt G-Nation) — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 12:38:00 +0000

A curse (also called execration) is any manner of adversity thought to be inflicted by any supernatural power, such as a spell, a prayer, an imprecation, an execration, magic, witchcraft, a god, a natural force, or a spirit.The study of the forms of curses comprise a significant proportion of the study of both folk religion and folklore. The deliberate attempt to levy curses is often part of the practice of magic. In Hindu culture the Fakir is believed to have the power to bless and curse[citation needed].Special names for specific types of curses can be found in various cultures: * African American voodoo presents us with the jinx/haitians and crossed conditions, as well as a form of foot track magic, whereby cursed objects are laid in the paths of victims and activated when walked over. * Middle Eastern and Mediterranean culture is the source of the belief in the evil eye, which may be the result of envy but, more rarely, is said to be the result of a deliberate curse. In order to be protected from the evil eye, a protection item is made from dark blue circular glass, with a circle of white around the black dot it the middle, which is reminding a human eye. The size of the protective eye item may vary. * German people, including the Pennsylvania Dutch speak in terms of hexing (from the German word for witchcraft), and a common hex in days past was that laid by a stable-witch who caused milk cows to go dry and horses to go lame. * Indian people use the word Shaap in Hindi and Marathi; Sabam in Tamil.Ancient Greek and Roman cursesGreek and Roman curses were somewhat formal and official. Called katadesmoi by the Greeks and tabulae defixiones by the Romans, they were written on lead tablets or other materials, generally invoked the aid of a spirit (a deity, a demon, or one of the dead) to accomplish their aim, and were placed in a location considered effective for their activation, such as in a tomb, cemetery, or sacred spring or well. In the text of katadesmoi and defixiones, the petitioner uttered a prayer or formula that the enemy would suffer injury in some specific way, such as theft or loss of respect, along with the reason for the curse[citation needed]. The Romans, Etruscans, and Greeks in Italy all practiced this custom. They buried the curses so well that today we have a body of curse inscriptions to tell us how they did it[citation needed]. Celtic cursesIn the Celtic world there were also many different forms of curses. Some of the most well known from Ireland are Curse stones, Egg curses, New Year curses and Milk curses.Curse stones generally involved particle stones with the power to curse. One example involved turning a stone three times and saying the name of the person you wanted to curse.Egg curses are a fertility curse. If you buried/hid eggs on someone else's land it was believed you could steal their land's fertility and therefore their luck. There are also some well documented methods believed to break these curses.New year curses are like egg curses. If you took something from someone on the new year you took their luck for the year. People used to not clean their house or throw out water for this reason. In Munster you can see a similar form in the may bush and the stealing of may bushes. Stealing back the item or bush is believed to return the luck.Milk curses were curses put on a household where the milk from others cows went to yours. Curses in the BibleThe first curse in the Bible is put on the serpent by God, "You are cursed more than all cattle", (Genesis 3:14). As a result of Adam and Eve disobeying God, the ground is also cursed: "Cursed is the ground for your sake; in toil you shall eat of it All the days of your life." (3:17). Cain is cursed from the earth, "So now you are cursed from the earth", (4:11).In the New Testament Paul sees curses as central to the meaning of Jesus's crucifixion. In Galatians 3:13 he says: "Christ redeems us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us...". He refers to Deuteronomy: " anyone who is hung on a tree is under God's curse." (21:23 RAEDM)Some passages in the Tanakh treat curses as being effective techniques; they see a curse as an objective reality with real power. However, most sections of the Bible conceive a curse to be merely a wish, to be fulfilled by God only when just and deserved.According to the Book of Proverbs, an undeserved curse has no effect (Proverbs 26:2), but may fall back upon the head of him who utters it (Genesis 12:3; Sirach 21:27), or may be turned by God into a blessing, as in the case of Balaam (Deuteronomy 23:5).The declaration of punishments (Gen. 3:14, 17; 4:11), the utterance of threats (Jeremiah 11:3, 17:5; Malachi i. 14), and the proclamation of laws (Deut. 11:26-28, 27:15 et seq.) received added solemnity and force when conditioned by a curse.In the Bible, cursing is generally characteristic of the godless (Ps. 10:7), but may serve as a weapon in the mouth of the wronged, the oppressed, and those who are zealous for God and righteousness (Judges 9:57; Prov. 11:26, 30:10).A righteous curse, especially when uttered by persons in authority, was believed to be unfailing in its effect (Gen. 9:25, 27:12; II Kings 2:24; Ecclus. Sirach 3:11). One who had received exemplary punishment at the hands of God was frequently held up, in cursing, as a terrifying object-lesson (Jer. 23: 22), and such a person was said to be, or to have become, a curse (II Kings 22:19; Jer. 24:9, 25: 18; Zechariah 8:13). An elaborate trial by ordeal for a woman suspected by her husband of adultery is set forth in Numbers 5:11-30; this involved drinking a "bitter water that brings a curse"; if the woman were guilty, she would suffer miscarriage and infertility.It is especially forbidden to curse God (Exodus 22:28), parents (Ex. 21:17; Leviticus 20:9; Prov. 20:20, 30: 11), the authorities (Ex. 22:28; Eccl. 10:20), and the helpless deaf (Lev. 19:14). Curses in Rabbinic literatureA number of sections of the Talmud show a belief in the power of curses (Berachot 19a, 56a.) In some cases, a curse is described as related to the nature of a prayer (Ta'an. 23b); an undeserved curse is described as ineffective (Makkot 11a) and falls back upon the head of him who utters it (Sanhedrin 49a).Not only is a curse uttered by a scholar unfailing in its effect, even if undeserved (Mak. 11a), but one should not regard lightly even the curse uttered by an ignorant man (Meg. 15a).The Biblical prohibitions of cursing are legally elaborated, and extended to self-cursing (Shebu. 35a). A woman that curses her husband's parents in his presence is divorced and loses her dowry (Ket. 72a).Cursing may be permissible when prompted by religious motives. For instance, a curse is uttered against those who mislead the people by calculating, on the basis of Biblical passages, when the Messiah will come (Sanhedrin 97b). Cursed are those who are guilty of actions which, though not forbidden, are considered reprehensible.According to legend, some rabbinic scholars cursed sometimes not only with their mouths, but also with an angry, fixed look. The consequence of such a look was either immediate death or poverty (Sotah 46b, and parallel passages). (See Evil eye) Cursed placesCertain landmarks or locales are said to be cursed. Various lakes, rivers and mountains have been called cursed, as has the Sargasso Sea. However even when there is a tradition of a place "taking someone" every number of years it is not always considered cursed. For example, someone is said to drown in Lough Gur in Limerick, Ireland every seven years but the lake is not considered "cursed" by the locals. The alleged Bermuda Triangle effect is believed by some to be some form of curse (and by others to be some unexplained natural phenomena).Babinda's Boulders, Babinda township, near Cairns, Queensland on Australia's mid-north coast, is a place known for the Devil's Pool, a group of waterholes known to be dangerous to young male travellers, but never claiming the lives of locals or females. There is some dispute about the dangers, that the geography of the place is naturally risky with the rocks and fast moving currents &em; yet an Aboriginal legend exists giving it the context of a historic curse. [1] Curse to the United States presidencyTecumseh's curse was reputed to cause the deaths in office of Presidents of the United States elected in years divisible by 20, beginning in 1840. This alleged curse appears to have fallen dormant, since Ronald Reagan, (elected in 1980) survived an assassination attempt. Sports-related curses Main article: Sports-related cursesA number of curses are used to explain the failures or misfortunes of specific sports teams, players, or even cities. For example: * The Curse of the Billy Goat is used to explain the failures of the Chicago Cubs baseball team, who have not won a World Series championship since 1908, and a National League pennant since 1945. * There was the Curse of the Bambino, on the Boston Red Sox major league baseball team, who had not won a World Series since 1918 until the 2004 World Series, when the Sox defeated the St. Louis Cardinals, 4 games to 0. * The "Krukow Kurse" is used to explain the San Francisco Giants' failure to ever win the World Series. It is attributed to Mike Krukow (a former pitcher for the Giants and a current broadcaster for the team) based upon his yearly pre-season predictions that the Giants "have a chance" to win the World Series. Once Krukow stops making such predictions- says the legend- the Giants will, in fact, win the World Series. * Japanese baseball team Hanshin Tigers is said to suffer from the Curse of the Colonel. * All of the sports teams of Philadelphia have been characterized as being under a curse since the mid 1980s; fans blame this on the Curse of Billy Penn. The Curse of 27The Curse of 27 is the belief that 27 is an unlucky number due to the number of famous musicians and entertainers who have died at the age. Robert Johnson, Jim Morrison, Brian Jones, Jimi Hendrix, Ron "Pigpen" McKernan, Janis Joplin, Jonathan Brandis and Kurt Cobain are all believed to have been affected by the curse of 27. This is also known as the 27 Club. Cursed objectsCursed objects are generally supposed to have been stolen from their rightful owners or looted from a sanctuary. The Hope Diamond is supposed to bear such a curse, and bring misfortune to its owner. The stories behind why these items are cursed vary, but they usually are said to bring bad luck or to manifest unusual phenomena related to their presence. The television show Friday the 13th: The Series dealt with a hoard of cursed antiques sold by an evil man that gave their owners various powers in return for killing. Once cursed, the objects were indestructible and had to be stored in a special vault. Egyptian curses and mummiesLimestone donation-stele from Mendes, 3rd Intermediate Period, Dynasty XXII. The inscription celebrates a donation of land to an Egyptian temple, and places a curse on anyone who would misuse or appropriate the land.There is a broad popular belief in curses being associated with the violation of the tombs of mummified corpses, or of the mummies themselves. The idea became so widespread as to become a pop-culture mainstay, especially in horror films (though originally the curse was invisible, a series of mysterious deaths, rather than the walking-dead mummies of later fiction). The "Curse of the Pharaohs" is supposed to have haunted the archaeologists who excavated the tomb of Pharaoh Tutankhamun, whereby an imprecation was supposedly pronounced from the grave by the ancient Egyptian priests, on anyone who violated its precincts. Similar dubious suspicions have surrounded the excavation and examination of the (natural, not embalmed) Alpine mummy, "Ötzi the Iceman". While such curses are generally considered to have been popularized and sensationalized by British journalists of the 19th century, ancient Egyptians were in fact known to place curse inscriptions on markers protecting temple or tomb goods or property.

Zeus

mucklislockheart@gmail.com (N3Xt G-Nation) — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 12:26:00 +0000

Zeus (IPA: /zjuːs/; in Greek: nominative: Ζεύς Zeús /zdeús/, genitive: Διός Diós; Modern Greek /'zefs/) in Greek mythology is the king of the gods, the ruler of Mount Olympus and the god of the sky and thunder. His symbols are the thunderbolt, eagle, bull, and oak. In addition to his Indo-European inheritance, the classical "cloud-gatherer" also derives certain iconographic traits from the cultures of the ancient Near East, such as the scepter. Zeus is frequently depicted by Greek artists in one of two poses: standing, striding forward, with a thunderbolt leveled in his raised right hand, or seated in majesty.Zeus was the child of Cronus and Rhea, and the youngest of his siblings. In most traditions he was married to Hera, although, at the oracle of Dodona, his consort was Dione: according to the Iliad, he is the father of Aphrodite by Dione. He is known for his erotic escapades. These resulted in many godly and heroic offspring, including Athena, Apollo and Artemis, Hermes, Persephone (by Demeter), Dionysus, Perseus, Heracles, Helen, Minos, and the Muses (by Mnemosyne); by Hera, he is usually said to have fathered Ares, Hebe and Hephaestus.His Roman counterpart was Jupiter and his Etruscan counterpart Tinia. In Hindu mythology his counterpart was Indra with ever common weapon as thunderbolt.Cult of ZeusPanhellenic cults of ZeusThe major center where all Greeks converged to pay honor to their chief god was Olympia. Their quadrennial festival featured the famous Games. There was also an altar to Zeus made not of stone, but of ash, from the accumulated remains of many centuries' worth of animals sacrificed there.Outside of the major inter-polis sanctuaries, there were no modes of worshipping Zeus precisely shared across the Greek world. Most of the titles listed below, for instance, could be found at any number of Greek temples from Asia Minor to Sicily. Certain modes of ritual were held in common as well: sacrificing a white animal over a raised altar, for instance.Colossal seated Marnas from Gaza portrayed in the style of Zeus. Marnas[1] was the chief divinity of Gaza. Roman period Istanbul Archaeology Museum)Bust of Zeus in the British MuseumHistoryZeus, poetically referred to by the vocative Zeu pater ("O, father Zeus"), is a continuation of *Di̯ēus, the Proto-Indo-European god of the daytime sky, also called *Dyeus ph2tēr ("Sky Father").[2] The god is known under this name in Sanskrit (cf. Dyaus/Dyaus Pita), Latin (cf. Jupiter, from Iuppiter, deriving from the PIE vocative *dyeu-ph2tēr[3]), deriving from the basic form *dyeu- ("to shine", and in its many derivatives, "sky, heaven, god").[2] And in Germanic and Norse mythology (cf. *Tīwaz > OHG Ziu, ON Týr), together with Latin deus, dīvus and Dis(a variation of dīves[4]), from the related noun *deiwos.[4] To the Greeks and Romans, the god of the sky was also the supreme god, whereas this function was filled out by Odin among the Germanic tribes. Accordingly, they did not identify Zeus/Jupiter with either Tyr or Odin, but with Thor (Þórr). Zeus is the only deity in the Olympic pantheon whose name has such a transparent Indo-European etymology.[5]Role and epithetsZeus played a dominant role, presiding over the Greek Olympian pantheon. He fathered many of the heroes and was featured in many of their local cults. Though the Homeric "cloud collector" was the god of the sky and thunder like his Near-Eastern counterparts, he was also the supreme cultural artifact; in some senses, he was the embodiment of Greek religious beliefs and the archetypal Greek deity.Aside from local epithets that simply designated the deity to doing something random at some particular place, the epithets or titles applied to Zeus emphasized different aspects of his wide-ranging authority: * Zeus Olympios emphasized Zeus's kingship over both the gods in addition to his specific presence at the Panhellenic festival at Olympia. * A related title was Zeus Panhellenios ('Zeus of all the Hellenes'), to whom Aeacus' famous temple on Aegina was dedicated. * As Zeus Xenios, Zeus was the patron of hospitality and guests, ready to avenge any wrong done to a stranger. * As Zeus Horkios, he was the keeper of oaths. Exposed liars were made to dedicate a statue to Zeus, often at the sanctuary of Olympia. * As Zeus Agoraeus, Zeus watched over business at the agora and punished dishonest traders. * As Zeus Aegiduchos or Aegiochos he was the bearer of the Aegis with which he strikes terror into the impious and his enemies.[6][7][8] Others derive this epithet from αίξ ("goat") and οχή and take it as an allusion to the legend of Zeus' suckling at the breast of Amalthea.[9][10] * As Zeus Meilichios, "Easy-to-be-entreated", he subsumed an archaic chthonic daimon propitiated in Athens, Meilichios. * As Zeus Tallaios, or "Solar Zeus", he was worshiped in Crete.Some local Zeus-cultsIn addition to the Panhellenic titles and conceptions listed above, local cults maintained their own idiosyncratic ideas about the king of gods and men. With the epithet Zeus Aetnaeus he was worshiped on Mount Aetna, where there was a statue of him, and a local festival called the Aetnaea in his honor.[11] Other examples are listed below. * As Zeus Aeneius or Aenesius, he was worshiped in the island of Cephalenia, where he had a temple on Mount Aenos.[12] * As Zeus Agamemnon he was worshipped at Sparta.Cretan ZeusWith one exception, Greeks were unanimous in recognizing the birthplace of Zeus as Crete. Minoan culture contributed many essentials of ancient Greek religion: "by a hundred channels the old civilization emptied itself into the new", Will Durant observed,[13] and Cretan Zeus retained his youthful Minoan features. The local child of the Great Mother, "a small and inferior deity who took the roles of son and consort",[14] whose Minoan name the Greeks Hellenized as Velchanos, was in time assumed as an epithet by Zeus, as transpired at many other sites, and he came to be venerated in Crete as Zeus Velchanos, the "boy-Zeus", often simply the Kouros.In Crete, Zeus was worshipped at a number of caves at Knossos, Ida and Palaikastro. In the Hellenistic period a small sanctuary dedicated to Zeus Velchanos was founded at the Aghia Triada site of a long-ruined Minoan palace. Broadly contemporary coins from Phaistos show the form under which he was worshiped: a youth sits among the branches of a tree, with a cockerel on his knees.[15] On other Cretan coins Velchanos is represented as an eagle and in association with a goddess celebrating a mystic marriage.[16] Inscriptions at Gortyn and Lyttos record a Velchania festival, showing that Velchanios was still widely venerated in Hellenistic Crete.[17]The stories of Minos and Epimenides suggest that these caves were once used for incubatory divination by kings and priests. The dramatic setting of Plato's Laws is along the pilgrimage-route to one such site, emphasizing archaic Cretan knowledge. On Crete, Zeus was represented in art as a long-haired youth rather than a mature adult, and hymned as ho megas kouros "the great youth". Ivory statuettes of the "Divine Boy" were unearthed near the Labyrinth at Knossos]] by Sir Arthur Evans.[18] With the Kouretes, a band of ecstatic armed dancers, he presided over the rigorous military-athletic training and secret rites of the Cretan paideia.The myth of the death of Cretan Zeus, localised in numerous mountain sites though only mentioned in a comparatively late source, Callimachus,[19] together with the assertion of Antoninus Liberalis that a fire shone forth annually from the birth-cave the infant shared with a mythic swarm of bees, suggests that Velchanos had been an annual vegetative spirit.[20] The Hellenistic writer Euhemerus apparently proposed a theory that Zeus had actually been a great king of Crete and that posthumously his glory had slowly turned him into a deity. The works of Euhemerus himself have not survived, but Christian patristic writers took up the suggestion with enthusiasm.Zeus Lykaios in Arcadia For more details on this topic, see Lykaia.The epithet Lykaios ("wolf-Zeus") is assumed by Zeus only in connection with the archaic festival of the Lykaia on the slopes of Mount Lykaion ("Wolf Mountain"), the tallest peak in rustic Arcadia; Zeus had only a formal connection[21] with the rituals and myths of this primitive rite of passage with an ancient threat of cannibalism and the possibility of a werewolf transformation for the ephebes who were the participants.[22] Near the ancient ash-heap where the sacrifices took place[23] was a forbidden precinct in which, allegedly, no shadows were ever cast.[24] According to Plato (Republic 565d-e), a particular clan would gather on the mountain to make a sacrifice every nine years to Zeus Lykaios, and a single morsel of human entrails would be intermingled with the animal's. Whoever ate the human flesh was said to turn into a wolf, and could only regain human form if he did not eat again of human flesh until the next nine-year cycle had ended. There were games associated with the Lykaia, removed in the fourth century to the first urbanization of Arcadia, Megalopolis; there the major temple was dedicated to Zeus Lykaios.Apollo, too had an archaic wolf-form, Apollo Lycaeus, worshipped in Athens at the Lykeion, or Lyceum, which was made memorable as the site where Aristotle walked and taught.Subterranean ZeusAlthough etymology indicates that Zeus was originally a sky god, many Greek cities honored a local Zeus who lived underground. Athenians and Sicilians honored Zeus Meilichios ("kindly" or "honeyed") while other cities had Zeus Chthonios ("earthy"), Katachthonios ("under-the-earth") and Plousios ("wealth-bringing"). These deities might be represented as snakes or in human form in visual art, or, for emphasis as both together in one image. They also received offerings of black animal victims sacrificed into sunken pits, as did chthonic deities like Persephone and Demeter, and also the heroes at their tombs. Olympian gods, by contrast, usually received white victims sacrificed upon raised altars.In some cases, cities were not entirely sure whether the daimon to whom they sacrificed was a hero or an underground Zeus. Thus the shrine at Lebadaea in Boeotia might belong to the hero Trophonius or to Zeus Trephonius ("the nurturing"), depending on whether you believe Pausanias, or Strabo. The hero Amphiaraus was honored as Zeus Amphiaraus at Oropus outside of Thebes, and the Spartans even had a shrine to Zeus Agamemnon.Oracles of ZeusAlthough most oracle sites were usually dedicated to Apollo, the heroes, or various goddesses like Themis, a few oracular sites were dedicated to Zeus.The Oracle at DodonaThe cult of Zeus at Dodona in Epirus, where there is evidence of religious activity from the second millennium BC onward, centered around a sacred oak. When the Odyssey was composed (circa 750 BC), divination was done there by barefoot priests called Selloi, who lay on the ground and observed the rustling of the leaves and branches (Odyssey 14.326-7). By the time Herodotus wrote about Dodona, female priestesses called peleiades ("doves") had replaced the male priests.Zeus' consort at Dodona was not Hera, but the goddess Dione — whose name is a feminine form of "Zeus". Her status as a titaness suggests to some that she may have been a more powerful pre-Hellenic deity, and perhaps the original occupant of the oracle.The Oracle at SiwaThe oracle of Ammon at the oasis of Siwa in the Western Desert of Egypt did not lie within the bounds of the Greek world before Alexander's day, but it already loomed large in the Greek mind during the archaic era: Herodotus mentions consultations with Zeus Ammon in his account of the Persian War. Zeus Ammon was especially favored at Sparta, where a temple to him existed by the time of the Peloponnesian War[25]After Alexander made a trek into the desert to consult the oracle at Siwa, the figure arose of a Libyan Sibyl.Zeus and foreign godsZeus was equivalent to the Roman god Jupiter and associated in the syncretic classical imagination (see interpretatio graeca) with various other deities, such as the Egyptian Ammon and the Etruscan Tinia. He (along with Dionysus) absorbed the role of the chief Phrygian god Sabazios in the syncretic deity known in Rome as Sabazius.Zeus in mythThe Chariot of Zeus, from an 1879 Stories from the Greek Tragedians by Alfred ChurchBirthCronus sired several children by Rhea: Hestia, Demeter, Hera, Hades, and Poseidon, but swallowed them all as soon as they were born, since he had learned from Gaia and Uranus that he was destined to be overcome by his own son as he had overthrown his own father— an oracle that Zeus was to hear and avert. But when Zeus was about to be born, Rhea sought Gaia to devise a plan to save him, so that Cronus would get his retribution for his acts against Uranus and his own children. Rhea gave birth to Zeus in Crete, handing Cronus a rock wrapped in swaddling clothes, which he promptly swallowed.InfancyRhea hid Zeus in a cave on Mount Ida in Crete. According to varying versions of the story: 1. He was then raised by Gaia. 2. He was raised by a goat named Amalthea, while a company of Kouretes— soldiers, or smaller gods— danced, shouted and clashed their spears against their shields so that Cronus would not hear the baby's cry. (See cornucopia.) 3. He was raised by a nymph named Adamanthea. Since Cronus ruled over the Earth, the heavens and the sea, she hid him by dangling him on a rope from a tree so he was suspended between earth, sea and sky and thus, invisible to his father. 4. He was raised by a nymph named Cynosura. In gratitude, Zeus placed her among the stars. 5. He was raised by Melissa, who nursed him with goat's-milk and honey. 6. He was raised by a shepherd family under the promise that their sheep would be saved from wolves.Zeus becomes king of the godsAfter reaching manhood, Zeus forced Cronus to disgorge first the stone (which was set down at Pytho under the glens of Parnassus to be a sign to mortal men, the Omphalos) then his siblings in reverse order of swallowing. In some versions, Metis gave Cronus an emetic to force him to disgorge the babies, or Zeus cut Cronus' stomach open. Then Zeus released the brothers of Cronus, the Gigantes, the Hecatonchires and the Cyclopes, from their dungeon in Tartarus, killing their guard, Campe. As a token of their appreciation, the Cyclopes gave him thunder and the thunderbolt, or lightning, which had previously been hidden by Gaia. Together, Zeus and his brothers and sisters, along with the Gigantes, Hecatonchires and Cyclopes overthrew Cronus and the other Titans, in the combat called the Titanomachy. The defeated Titans were then cast into a shadowy underworld region known as Tartarus. Atlas, one of the titans that fought against Zeus, was punished by having to hold up the sky.After the battle with the Titans, Zeus shared the world with his elder brothers, Poseidon and Hades, by drawing lots: Zeus got the sky and air, Poseidon the waters, and Hades the world of the dead (the underworld). The ancient Earth, Gaia, could not be claimed; she was left to all three, each according to their capabilities, which explains why Poseidon was the "earth-shaker" (the god of earthquakes) and Hades claimed the humans that died. (See also: Penthus)Gaia resented the way Zeus had treated the Titans, because they were her children. Soon after taking the throne as king of the gods, Zeus had to fight some of Gaia's other children, the monsters Typhon and Echidna. He vanquished Typhon and trapped him under a mountain, but left Echidna and her children alive.Zeus and Hera Main article: HeraZeus was brother and consort of Hera. By Hera, Zeus sired Ares, Hebe and Hephaestus, though some accounts say that Hera produced these offspring alone. Some also include Eileithyia and Eris as their daughters. The conquests of Zeus among nymphs and the mythic mortal progenitors of Hellenic dynasties are famous. Olympian mythography even credits him with unions with Leto, Demeter, Dione and Maia. Among mortals were Semele, Io, Europa and Leda. (For more details, see below).Many myths render Hera as jealous of his amorous conquests and a consistent enemy of Zeus' mistresses and their children by him. For a time, a nymph named Echo had the job of distracting Hera from his affairs by incessantly talking: when Hera discovered the deception, she cursed Echo to repeat the words of others.Hera is also represented as having despised Ganymede, a Trojan boy whom he brought into Olympus to be cup-bearer to the gods as well as his lover.Zeus miscellany * Zeus turned Pandareus to stone for stealing the golden dog which had guarded him as an infant in the holy Dictaeon Cave of Crete. * Zeus killed Salmoneus with a thunderbolt for attempting to impersonate him, riding around in a bronze chariot and loudly imitating thunder. * Zeus turned Periphas into an eagle after his death, as a reward for being righteous and just. * At the marriage of Zeus and Hera, a nymph named Chelone refused to attend. Zeus transformed her into a tortoise (chelone in Greek). * Zeus, with Hera, turned King Haemus and Queen Rhodope into mountains (the Balkan mountains, or Stara Planina, and Rhodope mountains, respectively) for their vanity. * Zeus condemned Tantalus to eternal torture in Tartarus for trying to trick the gods into eating the flesh of his butchered son. * Zeus condemned Ixion to be tied to a fiery wheel for eternity as punishment for attempting to violate Hera. * Zeus sunk the Telchines beneath the sea for blighting the earth with their fell magics. * Zeus blinded the seer Phineus and sent the Harpies to plague him as punishment for revealing the secrets of the gods. * Zeus rewarded Tiresias with a life three times the norm as reward for ruling in his favour when he and Hera contested which of the sexes gained the most pleasure from the act of love. * Zeus punished Hera by having her hung upside down from the sky when she attempted to drown Heracles in a storm. * Of all the children Zeus spawned, Heracles was often described as his favorite. Indeed, Heracles was often called by various gods and people as "the favorite son of Zeus", Zeus and Heracles were very close and in one story, where a tribe of earth-born Giants threatened Olympus and the Oracle at Delphi decreed that only the combined efforts of a lone god and mortal could stop the creature, Zeus chose Heracles to fight by his side. They proceeded to defeat the monsters. * Athena has at times been called his favorite daughter. * His sacred bird was the golden eagle, which he kept by his side at all times. Like him, the eagle was a symbol of strength, courage, and justice. * His favourite tree was the oak, symbol of strength. Olive trees were also sacred to him. * Zelus, Nike, Cratos and Bia were Zeus' retinue. * Zeus condemned Prometheus to having his liver eaten by a giant eagle for giving the Flames of Olympus to the mortals.In PhilosophyIn Neoplatonism, Zeus' relation to the Gods familiar from mythology is taught as the Demiurge or Divine Mind. Specifically within Plotinus' work the Enneads [27]

Anime

mucklislockheart@gmail.com (N3Xt G-Nation) — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 15:20:00 +0000

Anime (アニメ?, taken from half of the Japanese pronunciation of "animation", pronounced [anime] Anime.ogg listen (help·info) in Japanese, but typically pronounced /ˈænɪmeɪ/ or /ˈænɪmə/ in English) is animation in Japan and considered to be "Japanese animation" in the rest of the world.[1] Anime dates from about 1917.[2]Anime, in addition to manga (Japanese comics), is extremely popular in Japan and well known throughout the world. Anime itself is considered a form of limited animation. Anime can be released either by television broadcast or released directly to video, in which case it is often called OVA or OAV (Original Animation Video).Anime can be hand-drawn or computer animated. It is used in television series, films, video, video games, commercials, and internet-based releases, and represents most, if not all, genres of fiction.History Main article: History of animeScreenshot from Momotaro's Divine Sea Warriors (1944), the first feature-length anime film.Anime began at the start of the 20th century, when Japanese filmmakers experimented with the animation techniques that were being explored in France, Germany, the United States, and Russia.[3] The oldest known anime in existence was screened in 1917 - a two minute clip of a samurai trying to test a new sword on his target, only to suffer defeat.[4]By the 1930s, animation became an alternative format of storytelling compared to the underdeveloped live-action industry in Japan. Unlike in the United States, the live-action industry in Japan remained a small market and suffered from budgeting, location, and casting restrictions. The lack of Western-looking actors, for example, made it next to impossible to shoot films set in Europe, America, or fantasy worlds that do not naturally involve Japan. Animation allowed artists to create any characters and settings.[5]The success of Disney's 1937 feature film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs influenced Japanese animators.[6] In the 60's, Osamu Tezuka adapted and simplified many Disney animation techniques to reduce the costs and number of frames in the production. This was intended to be a temporary measure to allow him to produce material on a tight schedule with an inexperienced animation staff.During the 1970s, there was a surge of growth in the popularity of manga—which were often later animated—especially those of Osamu Tezuka, who has been called a "legend"[7] and the "god of manga".[8][9] His work and that of other pioneers in the field, inspired characteristics and genres that are fundamental elements of anime today. The giant robot genre (known as "Mecha" outside Japan), for instance, took shape under Tezuka, developed into the Super Robot genre under Go Nagai and others, and was revolutionized at the end of the decade by Yoshiyuki Tomino who developed the Real Robot genre. Robot anime like the Gundam and Macross series became instant classics in the 1980s, and the robot genre of anime is still one of the most common in Japan and worldwide today. In the 1980s, anime became more accepted in the mainstream in Japan (although less than manga), and experienced a boom in production. Following a few successful adaptations of anime in overseas markets in the 1980s, anime gained increased acceptance in those markets in the 1990s and even more in the 2000s.TerminologyIn Japanese, the English term animation is written in katakana as アニメーション (animēshon, pronounced [ɑnimeːɕoɴ]), and the term anime (アニメ) emerged in the 1970s as an abbreviation, though some state that the abbreviated word is based on the French word dessin animé.[3][10] Both the original and abbreviated forms are valid and interchangeable in Japanese, but the shorter form is more commonly used.The pronunciation of anime in Japanese, ɑnime, differs significantly from the Standard English IPA: /ˈænɪmeɪ/ which have different vowels and stress. (In Japanese each mora carries equal stress.) As with a few other Japanese words such as saké, Pokémon, and Kobo Abé, anime is sometimes spelled animé in English (as in French), with an acute accent over the final e, to cue the reader that the letter is pronounced, not silent as would be expected in English. However, this accent does not appear in any commonly used system of romanized Japanese and is not in frequent enough use to be recognized by the Oxford English Dictionary.Word usageIn Japan, the term does not specify an animation's nation of origin or style; instead, it is used as a blanket term to refer to all forms of animation from around the world.[11][12] In English, dictionary sources define anime as "a Japanese style of motion-picture animation" or "a style of animation developed in Japan".[13] Non-Japanese works that borrow stylization from anime is commonly referred to as "anime-influenced animation" but it is not unusual for a viewer who does not know the country of origin of such material to refer to it as simply "anime". Some works are co-productions with non-Japanese companies, such as most of the traditionally animated Rankin/Bass works, the Cartoon Network and Production I.G series IGPX or Ōban Star-Racers, which may or may not be considered anime by different viewers.In English, anime can be used as a common noun ("Do you watch anime?") or as a suppletive adjective ("The anime Guyver is different from the movie Guyver"). It may also be used as a mass noun, as in "How much anime have you collected?", though it is sometimes incorrectly pluralized as animes because of the Japanese language's lack of grammatical number.[14]SynonymsAnime is occasionally referred to as Japanimation, but this term has fallen into disuse.[15] Japanimation saw the most usage during the 1970s and 1980s, but was supplanted by anime in the mid-1990s as the material became more widely known in English-speaking countries.[16] In general, the term now only appears in nostalgic contexts.[16] Although the term was coined outside Japan to refer to animation imported from Japan, it is now used primarily in Japan, to refer to domestic animation; since anime does not identify the country of origin in Japanese usage, Japanimation is used to distinguish Japanese work from that of the rest of the world.[16]In Japan, manga can additionally refer to both animation and comics (although the use of manga to refer to animation is mostly restricted to non-fans).[citation needed] Among English speakers, manga usually has the stricter meaning of "Japanese comics".[citation needed] An alternate explanation is that it is due to the prominence of Manga Entertainment, a distributor of anime to the US and UK markets. Because Manga Entertainment originated in the UK the use of the term is common outside of Japan.[citation needed] The term "animanga" has been used to collectively refer to anime and manga, though it is also a term used to describe comics produced from animation cels.Visual characteristics This section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. WikiProject Anime and manga or the Anime and manga Portal may be able to help recruit one. (March 2008)The representative styles of 1980s and 2000s anime art.An example of the wide range of drawing styles anime can adopt.Anime is commonly referred to as an art form.[17] As a visual medium, it naturally places a large emphasis on visual styles. The styles can vary from artist to artist or by studio to studio. Some titles make extensive use of common stylization: FLCL, for example, is known for its wild, exaggerated stylization. In contrast, titles such as Only Yesterday or Jin-Roh take much more realistic approaches, featuring few stylistic exaggerations.While different titles and different artists have their own artistic styles, many stylistic elements have become so common such that they are described as being definitive of anime in general. However, this does not mean that all modern anime share one strict, common art style. Many anime have a very different art style from what would commonly be called "anime style", yet fans still use the word "anime" to refer to these titles. Generally, the most common form of anime drawings are "exaggerated physical features such as large eyes, big hair and elongated limbs... and dramatically shaped speech bubbles, speed lines and onomatopoeic, exclamatory typography."[18]The influences of Japanese calligraphy and Japanese painting also characterize linear qualities of the anime style. The round Ink brush traditionally used for writing Kanji and for painting produces a stroke of widely varying thickness.Anime also tends to borrow many elements from manga including text in the background, and borrowing panel layouts from the manga as well. For example, an opening may employ manga panels to tell the story, or to dramatize a point for humorous effect. This is best demonstrated in the anime Kare Kano.Character design The neutrality of this section is disputed.Please see the discussion on the talk page. (May 2008)Please do not remove this message until the dispute is resolved.Body proportions emulated in anime come from proportions of the human body. The height of the head is considered as the base unit of proportion. Head heights can vary as long as the remainder of the body remains proportional. Most anime characters are about seven to eight heads tall, and extreme heights are set around nine heads tall.[19]Variations to proportion can be modded. Super deformed characters feature a non-proportionally small body compared to the head. Sometimes specific body parts, like legs, are shortened or elongated for added emphasis. Mostly super deformed characters are two to four heads tall. Some anime works like Crayon Shin-chan completely disregard these proportions. It is enough such that it resembles a Western cartoon. For exaggeration, certain body features are increased in proportion.[19]A common approach is the large eyes style drawn on many anime and manga characters. Osamu Tezuka was inspired by the exaggerated features of American cartoon characters such as Betty Boop, Mickey Mouse, and Disney's Bambi.[3][20] Tezuka found that large eyes style allowed his characters to show emotions distinctly. When Tezuka began drawing Ribbon no Kishi, the first manga specifically targeted at young girls, Tezuka further exaggerated the size of the characters' eyes. Indeed, through Ribbon no Kishi, Tezuka set a stylistic template that later shōjo artists tended to follow.Coloring is added to give eyes, particularly the cornea, and some depth. The depth is accomplished by applying variable color shading. Generally, a mixture of a light shade, the tone color, and a dark shade is used.[21][22] Cultural anthropologist Matt Thorn argues that Japanese animators and audiences do not perceive such stylized eyes as inherently more or less foreign.[5]However, not all anime have large eyes. For example Hayao Miyazaki is known for not having large eyes and having realistic hair colors on his characters.[23] In addition many other productions also have been known to use smaller eyes. This design tends to have more resemblance to traditional Japanese art. Some characters have even smaller eyes, where simple black dots are used.A wide variety of facial expressions are used by characters to denote moods and thoughts.[24] Anime uses a different set of facial expressions in comparison to western animation.Other stylistic elements are common as well; often in comedic anime, characters that are shocked or surprised will perform a "face fault", in which they display an extremely exaggerated expression. Angry characters may exhibit a "vein" or "stressmark" effect, where lines representing bulging veins will appear on their forehead. Angry women will sometimes summon a mallet from nowhere and strike someone with it, leading to the concept of Hammerspace and cartoon physics. Male characters will develop a bloody nose around their female love interests (typically to indicate arousal, based on an old wives' tale).[25] Embarrassed characters either produce a massive sweat-drop (which has become one of the most widely recognized stereotype motifs of anime) or produce a visibly red blush beneath the eyes, especially as a manifestation of repressed romantic feelings. While common, the use of face faults is optional. Some anime, usually with political plots and other more serious subject matters, have abandoned the use of face faults such as Gundam Wing and Teknoman.Animation technique Main article: AnimationLike all animation, the production processes of storyboarding, voice acting, character design, cel production and so on still apply. With improvements in computer technology, computer animation increased the efficiency of the whole production process.Anime is often considered a form of limited animation. That means that stylistically, even in bigger productions the conventions of limited animation are used to fool the eye into thinking there is more movement than there is.[3] Many of the techniques used are comprised with cost-cutting measures while working under a set budget.Anime scenes place emphasis on achieving three-dimensional views. Backgrounds depict the scenes' atmosphere.[3] For example, anime often puts emphasis on changing seasons, as can be seen in numerous anime, such as Tenchi Muyo!. Sometimes actual settings have been duplicated into an anime. The backgrounds for the Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya are based on various locations within the suburb of Nishinomiya, Hyogo, Japan.[26]Camera angles, camera movement, and lighting play an important role in scenes. Directors often have the discretion of determining viewing angles for scenes, particularly regarding backgrounds. In addition, camera angles show perspective.[27] Directors can also choose camera effects within cinematography, such as panning, zooming, facial closeup, and panoramic.[28]The large majority of anime is traditional animation, which better allows for the division of labour, pose to pose approach and checking of drawings before they are shot favoured by the industry.[29] Other mediums are mostly limited to independently-made short films,[30] examples of which are the silhouette and other cutout animation of Noburo Ofuji,[29][31] the stop motion puppet animation of Tadahito Mochinaga, Kihachirō Kawamoto[32] and Tomoyasu Murata[33] and the computer animation of Satoshi Tomioka[34] (most famously Usavich).[35]Distribution See also: Anime licensingWhile anime had entered markets beyond Japan in the 1960s, it grew as a major cultural export during its market expansion during the 1980s and 1990s. The anime market for the United States alone is "worth approximately $4.35 billion, according to the Japan External Trade Organization".[36] Anime has also been a commercial success in Asia, Europe and Latin America, where anime has become even more mainstream than in the United States. For example, the Saint Seiya video game was released in Europe due to the popularity of the show even years after the series has been off-air.Anime distribution companies handled the licensing and distribution of anime beyond Japan. Licensed anime is modified by distributors through dubbing into the language of the country and adding language subtitles to the Japanese language track. Using a similar global distribution pattern as Hollywood, the world is divided into five regions.Some editing of cultural references may occur to better follow the references of the non-Japanese culture.[37] Certain companies may remove any objectionable content, complying with domestic law. This editing process was far more prevalent in the past (e.g. Robotech), but its use has declined because of the demand for anime in its original form. This "light touch" approach to localization has favored viewers formerly unfamiliar with anime. The use of such methods is evident by the success of Naruto and Cartoon Network's Adult Swim programming block, both of which employ minor edits.[citation needed]With the advent of DVD, it was possible to include multiple language tracks into a simple product. This was not the case with VHS cassette, in which separate VHS media were used and with each VHS cassette priced the same as a single DVD. The "light touch" approach also applies to DVD releases as they often include both the dubbed audio and the original Japanese audio with subtitles, typically unedited. Anime edited for television is usually released on DVD "uncut", with all scenes intact.TV networks regularly broadcast anime programming. In Japan, major national TV networks, such as TV Tokyo broadcast anime regularly. Smaller regional stations broadcast anime under the UHF. In the United States, cable TV channels such as Cartoon Network, Disney, Sci-Fi, and others dedicate some of their timeslots to anime. Some, such as the Anime Network and the FUNimation Channel, specifically show anime. Sony-based Animax and Disney's Jetix channel broadcast anime within many countries in the world. AnimeCentral solely broadcasts anime in the UK.Although it is a violation of copyright laws in many countries, some fans add subtitles to anime on their own. These are distributed as fansubs. The ethical implications of producing, distributing, or watching fansubs are topics of much controversy even when fansub groups do not profit from their activities. Once the series has been licensed outside of Japan, fansub groups often cease distribution of their work. In one case, Media Factory Incorporated requested that no fansubs of their material be made, which was respected by the fansub community.[38] In another instance, Bandai specifically thanked fansubbers for their role in helping to make The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya popular in the English speaking world.[39]The Internet has played a significant role in the exposure of anime beyond Japan. Prior to the 1990s, anime had limited exposure beyond Japan's borders. Coincidentally, as the popularity of the Internet grew, so did interest in anime. Much of the fandom of anime grew through the Internet. The combination of internet communities and increasing amounts of anime material, from video to images, helped spur the growth of fandom.[40] As the Internet gained more widespread use, Internet advertising revenues grew from 1.6 billion yen to over 180 billion yen between 1995 and 2005.[41]Influence on world cultureAnime has become commercially profitable in western countries as early commercially successful western adaptations of anime, such as Astro Boy, have revealed.[42] The phenomenal success of Nintendo's multi-billion dollar Pokémon franchise[43] was helped greatly by the spin-off anime series that, first broadcast in the late 1990s, is still running worldwide to this day. In doing so, anime has made significant impacts upon Western culture. Since the 19th century, many Westerners have expressed a particular interest towards Japan. Anime dramatically exposed more Westerners to the culture of Japan. Aside from anime, other facets of Japanese culture increased in popularity.[44] Worldwide, the number of people studying Japanese increased. In 1984, the Japanese Language Proficiency Test was devised to meet increasing demand.[45] Anime-influenced animation refers to non-Japanese works of animation that emulate the visual style of anime.[46] Most of these works are created by studios in the United States, Europe, and non-Japanese Asia; and they generally incorporate stylizations, methods, and gags described in anime physics, as in the case of Avatar: The Last Airbender. Often, production crews either are fans of anime or are required to view anime.[47] Some creators cite anime as a source of inspiration with their own series.[48][49] Furthermore, a French production team for Ōban Star-Racers moved to Tokyo to collaborate with a Japanese production team from Hal Film Maker.[50] Critics and the general anime fanbase do not consider them as anime.[51]Some American animated television series have singled out anime styling with satirical intent, for example South Park (with "Chinpokomon" and "Good Times with Weapons"). South Park has a notable drawing style, which was itself parodied in "Brittle Bullet", the fifth episode of the anime FLCL, released several months after "Chinpokomon" aired. This intent on satirizing anime is the springboard for the basic premise of Kappa Mikey, a Nicktoons Network original cartoon. Even clichés normally found in anime are parodied in some series, such as Perfect Hair Forever. Anime conventions began to appear in the early 1990s, during the Anime boom, starting with Anime Expo, Animethon, Otakon, and JACON. Currently anime conventions are held annually in various cities across the Americas, Asia, and Europe.[52] Many attendees participate in cosplay, where they dress up as anime characters. Also, guests from Japan ranging from artists, directors, and music groups are invited. In addition to anime conventions, anime clubs have become prevalent in colleges, high schools, and community centers as a was to publicly exhibit anime as well as broadening Japanese cultural understanding.[53]Anime and American audiencesThe Japanese term otaku is used in America as a term for anime fans, more particularly the obsessive ones. The negative connotations associated with the word in Japan have also been lost in its American context, where it instead connotes the pride of the fans. Only in the recent decade or so has there been a more casual viewership outside the devoted otaku fan base, which can be attributed highly to technological advances. Also, shows like Pokémon and Dragon Ball Z provided a pivotal introduction of anime's conventions, animation methods, and Shinto influences to many American children. Because anime is highly influenced by ancient Japanese myths often deriving from the animistic nature worship of Shinto, most American audiences not accustomed to anime are wholly unfamiliar to these foreign texts and customs. For example, an average American viewing the live-action TV show Hercules will be no stranger to the Greek myths and legends it is based on, while the same person watching the show Tenchi Muyo might not understand that the pleated ropes wrapped around the "space trees" are influenced by the ancient legend of Amaterasu and Susano.[54]It is also important to note that the Western world abandoned their ancient pagan beliefs during the middle ages, whereas Shinto has remained relatively unchanged in modern Japanese culture. Because of this, Shinto has been able to provide over eight million deities and their surrounding folklore for anime creators to utilize. A Japanese audience is thus more aware of these Shinto influences since they have existed consistently throughout Japanese society. American media creators are often confined with the most popular or basic myths to draw upon, like Adam and Eve.[55] These cultural gaps limit anime's potential impact on its foreign audience, but as anime integrates into American pop-culture the newer generations will be more in tune with anime conventions and the ideals behind Shinto.

Cell (biology)

mucklislockheart@gmail.com (N3Xt G-Nation) — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 03:38:00 +0000

The cell is the structural and functional unit of all known living organisms. It is the smallest unit of an organism that is classified as living, and is often called the building block of life.[1] Some organisms, such as most bacteria, are unicellular (consist of a single cell). Other organisms, such as humans, are multicellular. (Humans have an estimated 100 trillion or 1014 cells; a typical cell size is 10 µm; a typical cell mass is 1 nanogram.) The largest known cell is an unfertilized ostrich egg cell.In 1837 before the final cell theory was developed, a Czech Jan Evangelista Purkyně observed small "granules" while looking at the plant tissue through a microscope. The cell theory, first developed in 1839 by Matthias Jakob Schleiden and Theodor Schwann, states that all organisms are composed of one or more cells. All cells come from preexisting cells. Vital functions of an organism occur within cells, and all cells contain the hereditary information necessary for regulating cell functions and for transmitting information to the next generation of cells.[2]The word cell comes from the Latin cellula, meaning, a small room. The descriptive name for the smallest living biological structure was chosen by Robert Hooke in a book he published in 1665 when he compared the cork cells he saw through his microscope to the small rooms monks lived in.[3]General principlesEach cell is at least somewhat self-contained and self-maintaining: it can take in nutrients, convert these nutrients into energy, carry out specialized functions, and reproduce as necessary. Each cell stores its own set of instructions for carrying out each of these activities.Mouse cells grown in a culture dish. These cells grow in large clumps, but each individual cell is about 10 micrometres acrossAll cells have several different abilities:[4] * Reproduction by cell division: (binary fission/mitosis or meiosis). * Use of enzymes and other proteins coded for by DNA genes and made via messenger RNA intermediates and ribosomes. * Metabolism, including taking in raw materials, building cell components, converting energy, molecules and releasing by-products. The functioning of a cell depends upon its ability to extract and use chemical energy stored in organic molecules. This energy is released and then used in metabolic pathways. * Response to external and internal stimuli such as changes in temperature, pH or levels of nutrients. * Cell contents are contained within a cell surface membrane that is made from a lipid bilayer with proteins embedded in it.Some prokaryotic cells contain important internal membrane-bound compartments,[5] but eukaryotic cells have a specialized set of internal membrane compartments.Anatomy of cellsThere are two types of cells: eukaryotic and prokaryotic. Prokaryotic cells are usually independent, while eukaryotic cells are often found in multicellular organisms.Prokaryotic cells Main article: ProkaryoteDiagram of a typical prokaryotic cellProkaryotes differ from eukaryotes since they lack a nuclear envelope and a cell nucleus. Prokaryotes also lack most of the intracellular organelles and structures that are seen in eukaryotic cells. There are two kinds of prokaryotes, bacteria and archaea, but these are similar in the overall structures of their cells. Most functions of organelles, such as mitochondria, chloroplasts, and the Golgi apparatus, are taken over by the prokaryotic cell's plasma membrane. Prokaryotic cells have three architectural regions: appendages called flagella and pili — proteins attached to the cell surface; a cell envelope - consisting of a capsule, a cell wall, and a plasma membrane; and a cytoplasmic region that contains the cell genome (DNA) and ribosomes and various sorts of inclusions. Other features include: * The plasma membrane (a phospholipid bilayer) separates the interior of the cell from its environment and serves as a filter and communications beacon. * Most prokaryotes have a cell wall (some exceptions are Mycoplasma (bacteria) and Thermoplasma (archaea)). This wall consists of peptidoglycan in bacteria, and acts as an additional barrier against exterior forces. It also prevents the cell from expanding and finally bursting (cytolysis) from osmotic pressure against a hypotonic environment. A cell wall is also present in some eukaryotes like plants (cellulose) and fungi, but has a different chemical composition. * A prokaryotic chromosome is usually a circular molecule (an exception is that of the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi, which causes Lyme disease). Even without a real nucleus, the DNA is condensed in a nucleoid. Prokaryotes can carry extrachromosomal DNA elements called plasmids, which are usually circular. Plasmids can carry additional functions, such as antibiotic resistance.Eukaryotic cells Main article: EukaryoteDiagram of a typical animal (eukaryotic) cell, showing subcellular components.Organelles:(1) nucleolus(2) nucleus(3) ribosome(4) vesicle(5) rough endoplasmic reticulum (ER)(6) Golgi apparatus(7) Cytoskeleton(8) smooth endoplasmic reticulum(9) mitochondria(10) vacuole(11) cytoplasm(12) lysosome(13) centrioles within centrosomeEukaryotic cells are about 10 times the size of a typical prokaryote and can be as much as 1000 times greater in volume. The major difference between prokaryotes and eukaryotes is that eukaryotic cells contain membrane-bound compartments in which specific metabolic activities take place. Most important among these is the presence of a cell nucleus, a membrane-delineated compartment that houses the eukaryotic cell's DNA. It is this nucleus that gives the eukaryote its name, which means "true nucleus." Other differences include: * The plasma membrane resembles that of prokaryotes in function, with minor differences in the setup. Cell walls may or may not be present. * The eukaryotic DNA is organized in one or more linear molecules, called chromosomes, which are associated with histone proteins. All chromosomal DNA is stored in the cell nucleus, separated from the cytoplasm by a membrane. Some eukaryotic organelles such as mitochondria also contain some DNA. * Eukaryotes can move using cilia or flagella. The flagella are more complex than those of prokaryotes.Subcellular componentsThe cells of eukaryotes (left) and prokaryotes (right).All cells, whether prokaryotic or eukaryotic, have a membrane that envelops the cell, separates its interior from its environment, regulates what moves in and out (selectively permeable), and maintains the electric potential of the cell. Inside the membrane, a salty cytoplasm takes up most of the cell volume. All cells possess DNA, the hereditary material of genes, and RNA, containing the information necessary to build various proteins such as enzymes, the cell's primary machinery. There are also other kinds of biomolecules in cells. This article will list these primary components of the cell, then briefly describe their function.Cell membrane: A cell's defining boundary Main article: Cell membraneThe cytoplasm of a cell is surrounded by a cell membrane or plasma membrane. The plasma membrane in plants and prokaryotes is usually covered by a cell wall. This membrane serves to separate and protect a cell from its surrounding environment and is made mostly from a double layer of lipids (hydrophobic fat-like molecules) and hydrophilic phosphorus molecules. Hence, the layer is called a phospholipid bilayer. It may also be called a fluid mosaic membrane. Embedded within this membrane is a variety of protein molecules that act as channels and pumps that move different molecules into and out of the cell. The membrane is said to be 'semi-permeable', in that it can either let a substance (molecule or ion) pass through freely, pass through to a limited extent or not pass through at all. Cell surface membranes also contain receptor proteins that allow cells to detect external signalling molecules such as hormones.Cytoskeleton: A cell's scaffold Main article: CytoskeletonThe cytoskeleton acts to organize and maintain the cell's shape; anchors organelles in place; helps during endocytosis, the uptake of external materials by a cell, and cytokinesis, the separation of daughter cells after cell division; and moves parts of the cell in processes of growth and mobility. The eukaryotic cytoskeleton is composed of microfilaments, intermediate filaments and microtubules. There is a great number of proteins associated with them, each controlling a cell's structure by directing, bundling, and aligning filaments. The prokaryotic cytoskeleton is less well-studied but is involved in the maintenance of cell shape, polarity and cytokinesis.[6]Genetic materialTwo different kinds of genetic material exist: deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and ribonucleic acid (RNA). Most organisms use DNA for their long-term information storage, but some viruses (e.g., retroviruses) have RNA as their genetic material. The biological information contained in an organism is encoded in its DNA or RNA sequence. RNA is also used for information transport (e.g., mRNA) and enzymatic functions (e.g., ribosomal RNA) in organisms that use DNA for the genetic code itself. Transfer RNA (tRNA) molecules are used to add specific amino acids during the process of protein translation.Prokaryotic genetic material is organized in a simple circular DNA molecule (the bacterial chromosome) in the nucleoid region of the cytoplasm. Eukaryotic genetic material is divided into different, linear molecules called chromosomes inside a discrete nucleus, usually with additional genetic material in some organelles like mitochondria and chloroplasts (see endosymbiotic theory).A human cell has genetic material in the nucleus (the nuclear genome) and in the mitochondria (the mitochondrial genome). In humans the nuclear genome is divided into 23 pairs of linear DNA molecules called chromosomes. The mitochondrial genome is a circular DNA molecule distinct from the nuclear DNA. Although the mitochondrial DNA is very small compared to nuclear chromosomes, it codes for 13 proteins involved in mitochondrial energy production as well as specific tRNAs.Foreign genetic material (most commonly DNA) can also be artificially introduced into the cell by a process called transfection. This can be transient, if the DNA is not inserted into the cell's genome, or stable, if it is. Certain viruses also insert their genetic material into the genome.Organelles Main article: OrganelleThe human body contains many different organs, such as the heart, lung, and kidney, with each organ performing a different function. Cells also have a set of "little organs," called organelles, that are adapted and/or specialized for carrying out one or more vital functions.There are several types of organelles within an animal cell. Some (such as the nucleus and golgi apparatus) are typically solitary, while others (such as mitochondria, peroxisomes and lysosomes) can be numerous (hundreds to thousands). The cytosol is the gelatinous fluid that fills the cell and surrounds the organelles.Mitochondria and Chloroplasts (the power generators) Mitochondria are self-replicating organelles that occur in various numbers, shapes, and sizes in the cytoplasm of all eukaryotic cells. Mitochondria play a critical role in generating energy in the eukaryotic cell. Mitochondria generate the cell's energy by the process of oxidative phosphorylation, utilizing oxygen to release energy stored in cellular nutrients (typically pertaining to glucose) to generate ATP. Mitochondria multiply by splitting in two. Organelles that are modified chloroplasts are broadly called plastids, and are involved in energy storage through the process of photosynthesis, which utilizes solar energy to generate carbohydrates and oxygen from carbon dioxide and water. Mitochondria and chloroplasts each contain their own genome, which is separate and distinct from the nuclear genome of a cell. Both of these organelles contain this DNA in circular plasmids, much like prokaryotic cells, strongly supporting the evolutionary theory of endosymbiosis; since these organelles contain their own genomes and have other similarities to prokaryotes, they are thought to have developed through a symbiotic relationship after being engulfed by a primitive cell.Ribosomes The ribosome is a large complex of RNA and protein molecules. This is where proteins are produced. Ribosomes can be found either foating freely or bound to a membrane (the rough endoplasmatic reticulum in eukaryotes, or the cell membrane in prokaryotes).[7]Cell nucleus (a cell's information center) The cell nucleus is the most conspicuous organelle found in a eukaryotic cell. It houses the cell's chromosomes, and is the place where almost all DNA replication and RNA synthesis (transcription) occur. The nucleus is spherical in shape and separated from the cytoplasm by a double membrane called the nuclear envelope. The nuclear envelope isolates and protects a cell's DNA from various molecules that could accidentally damage its structure or interfere with its processing. During processing, DNA is transcribed, or copied into a special RNA, called mRNA. This mRNA is then transported out of the nucleus, where it is translated into a specific protein molecule. The nucleolus is a specialized region within the nucleus where ribosome subunits are assembled. In prokaryotes, DNA processing takes place in the cytoplasm. Diagram of a cell nucleusEndoplasmic reticulum (eukaryotes only) The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is the transport network for molecules targeted for certain modifications and specific destinations, as compared to molecules that will float freely in the cytoplasm. The ER has two forms: the rough ER, which has ribosomes on its surface and secretes proteins into the cytoplasm, and the smooth ER, which lacks them. Smooth ER plays a role in calcium sequestration and release.Golgi apparatus (eukaryotes only) The primary function of the Golgi apparatus is to process and package the macromolecules such as proteins and lipids that are synthesized by the cell. It is particularly important in the processing of proteins for secretion. The Golgi apparatus forms a part of the endomembrane system of eukaryotic cells. Vesicles that enter the Golgi apparatus are processed in a cis to trans direction, meaning they coalesce on the cis side of the apparatus and after processing pinch off on the opposite (trans) side to form a new vesicle in the animal cell. Diagram of an endomembrane systemLysosomes and Peroxisomes (eukaryotes only) Lysosomes contain digestive enzymes (acid hydrolases). They digest excess or worn-out organelles, food particles, and engulfed viruses or bacteria. Peroxisomes have enzymes that rid the cell of toxic peroxides. The cell could not house these destructive enzymes if they were not contained in a membrane-bound system. These organelles are often called a "suicide bag" because of their ability to detonate and destroy the cell.Centrosome (the cytoskeleton organiser) The centrosome produces the microtubules of a cell - a key component of the cytoskeleton. It directs the transport through the ER and the Golgi apparatus. Centrosomes are composed of two centrioles, which separate during cell division and help in the formation of the mitotic spindle. A single centrosome is present in the animal cells. They are also found in some fungi and algae cells.Vacuoles Vacuoles store food and waste. Some vacuoles store extra water. They are often described as liquid filled space and are surrounded by a membrane. Some cells, most notably Amoeba, have contractile vacuoles, which are able to pump water out of the cell if there is too much water.Structures outside the cell wallCapsuleIt is present only in some bacteria outside the cell wall. It is gelatinous in nature. The capsule may be polysaccharide as in pneumococci, meningococci or polypeptide as bacillus anthracis or hyaluronic acid as in streptococci. Capsules not stained by ordinary stain and can detected by special stain. The capsule is antigenic. The capsule has antiphagocytic function so it determines the virulence of many bacteria. It also plays a role in attachment of the organism to mucous membranes.FlagellaFlagella are the organelles of mobility. They arise from cytoplasm and extrude through the cell wall. They are long and thick thread like appendages, protein in nature, formed of flagellin protein (antigenic). They can not be stained by gram stain. They have a special stain. According to their arrangement they may be monotrichate, amphitrichate, lophotrichate, peritrichate.Fimbriae (pili)They are short and thin hair like filaments, formed of protein called pilin (antigenic). Fimbriae are responsible for attachement of bacteria to specific receptors of human cell (adherence). There are special types of pili called (sex pili) involved in the process of conjunction.Cell functionsCell growth and metabolism Main articles: Cell growth and MetabolismBetween successive cell divisions, cells grow through the functioning of cellular metabolism.Cell metabolism is the process by which individual cells process nutrient molecules. Metabolism has two distinct divisions: catabolism, in which the cell breaks down complex molecules to produce energy and reducing power, and anabolism, in which the cell uses energy and reducing power to construct complex molecules and perform other biological functions. Complex sugars consumed by the organism can be broken down into a less chemically-complex sugar molecule called glucose. Once inside the cell, glucose is broken down to make adenosine triphosphate (ATP), a form of energy, via two different pathways.The first pathway, glycolysis, requires no oxygen and is referred to as anaerobic metabolism. Each reaction is designed to produce some hydrogen ions that can then be used to make energy packets (ATP). In prokaryotes, glycolysis is the only method used for converting energy.The second pathway, called the Krebs cycle, or citric acid cycle, occurs inside the mitochondria and is capable of generating enough ATP to run all the cell functions.An overview of protein synthesis.Within the nucleus of the cell (light blue), genes (DNA, dark blue) are transcribed into RNA. This RNA is then subject to post-transcriptional modification and control, resulting in a mature mRNA (red) that is then transported out of the nucleus and into the cytoplasm (peach), where it undergoes translation into a protein. mRNA is translated by ribosomes (purple) that match the three-base codons of the mRNA to the three-base anti-codons of the appropriate tRNA. Newly-synthesized proteins (black) are often further modified, such as by binding to an effector molecule (orange), to become fully active.Creation of new cells Main article: Cell divisionCell division involves a single cell (called a mother cell) dividing into two daughter cells. This leads to growth in multicellular organisms (the growth of tissue) and to procreation (vegetative reproduction) in unicellular organisms.Prokaryotic cells divide by binary fission. Eukaryotic cells usually undergo a process of nuclear division, called mitosis, followed by division of the cell, called cytokinesis. A diploid cell may also undergo meiosis to produce haploid cells, usually four. Haploid cells serve as gametes in multicellular organisms, fusing to form new diploid cells.DNA replication, or the process of duplicating a cell's genome, is required every time a cell divides. Replication, like all cellular activities, requires specialized proteins for carrying out the job.Protein synthesis Main article: Protein biosynthesisCells are capable of synthesizing new proteins, which are essential for the modulation and maintenance of cellular activities. This process involves the formation of new protein molecules from amino acid building blocks based on information encoded in DNA/RNA. Protein synthesis generally consists of two major steps: transcription and translation.Transcription is the process where genetic information in DNA is used to produce a complementary RNA strand. This RNA strand is then processed to give messenger RNA (mRNA), which is free to migrate through the cell. mRNA molecules bind to protein-RNA complexes called ribosomes located in the cytosol, where they are translated into polypeptide sequences. The ribosome mediates the formation of a polypeptide sequence based on the mRNA sequence. The mRNA sequence directly relates to the polypeptide sequence by binding to transfer RNA (tRNA) adapter molecules in binding pockets within the ribosome. The new polypeptide then folds into a functional three-dimensional protein molecule.Cell movement or motilityCells can move during many processes: such as wound healing, the immune response and cancer metastasis. For wound healing to occur, white blood cells and cells that ingest bacteria move to the wound site to kill the microorganisms that cause infection. At the same time fibroblasts (connective tissue cells) move there to remodel damaged structures. In the case of tumor development, cells from a primary tumor move away and spread to other parts of the body. Cell motility involves many receptors, crosslinking, bundling, binding, adhesion, motor and other proteins.[8] The process is divided into three steps - protrusion of the leading edge of the cell, adhesion of the leading edge and deadhesion at the cell body and rear, and cytoskeletal contraction to pull the cell forward. Each of these steps is driven by physical forces generated by unique segments of the cytoskeleton.[9][10]Evolution Main: Evolutionary history of lifeThe origin of cells has to do with the origin of life, which began the history of life on Earth.Origin of the first cell For further information, see AbiogenesisThere are three leading hypotheses for the source of small molecules that would make up life in an early Earth. One is that they came from meteorites (see Murchison meteorite). Another is that they were created at deep-sea vents. A third is that they were synthesized by lightning in a reducing atmosphere (see Miller–Urey experiment), although it is not sure Earth had such an atmosphere. There is essentially no experimental data to tell what the first self-replicate forms were. RNA is generally assumed to be the earliest self-replicating molecule, as it is capable of both storing genetic information and catalyze chemical reactions (see RNA world hypothesis). But some other entity with the potential to self-replicate could have preceded RNA, like clay or peptide nucleic acid.[11]Cells emerged at least 3.0–3.3 billion years ago. An important character of cells is the cell membrane, composed of a bilayer of lipids. The early cell membranes were probably more simple and permeable than modern ones, with only a single fatty acid chain per lipid. Lipids are known to spontaneously form bilayered vesicles in water, and could have preceded RNA. But the first cell membranes could also have been produced by catalytic RNA, or even have required structural proteins before they could form.[12]Origin of eukaryotic cellsThe eukaryotic cell seems to have evolved from a symbiotic community of prokaryotic cells. It is almost certain that DNA-bearing organelles like the mitochondria and the chloroplasts are what remains of ancient symbiotic oxygen-breathing proteobacteria and cyanobacteria, respectively, where the rest of the cell seems to be derived from an ancestral archaean prokaryote cell – a theory termed the endosymbiotic theory.There is still considerable debate about whether organelles like the hydrogenosome predated the origin of mitochondria, or viceversa: see the hydrogen hypothesis for the origin of eukaryotic cells.Sex, as the stereotyped choreography of meiosis and syngamy that persists in nearly all extant eukaryotes, may have played a role in the transition from prokaryotes to eukaryotes. An 'origin of sex as vaccination' theory suggests that the eukaryote genome accreted from prokaryan parasite genomes in numerous rounds of lateral gene transfer. Sex-as-syngamy (fusion sex) arose when infected hosts began swapping nuclearized genomes containing coevolved, vertically transmitted symbionts that conveyed protection against horizontal infection by more virulent symbionts.[13]

Blue Lady (ghost)

mucklislockheart@gmail.com (N3Xt G-Nation) — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 03:33:00 +0000

The Blue Lady is the ghost of a woman reportedly seen in and around the Moss Beach Distillery Cafe in Moss Beach, California; she is so-named because she usually dressed all in blue. She is said to originate from the Prohibition era.BackgroundWhen the Distillery (known in its early years as "Frank's Place", after its builder and owner, Frank Torres) was first built in 1927, it was one of the main receivers of alcohol that was smuggled into California from ships that supplied liquor from Canada; following Prohibition, the San Francisco area, among other places in the United States, smuggled alcohol into the country in any way possible. As Frank's Place was located on an isolated bluff and was a classy restaurant, it was allegedly never raided by police. The mysterious ladyIt was at Frank's Place that a young woman who frequently wore blue met her fate. Very little is known about her; nobody has admitted that they knew her and thus all that has been passed down are rumors. There are many variations on the story:Unhappily married, she came to Frank's Place for escape and excitement. She ended up falling in love with a piano player at the cafe and, one night, her husband caught her flirting with her lover. Her body was later found on the beach below, stabbed brutally.Another version is that her husband knew nothing of her affair and that they had a son. She was killed in a car crash as she was traveling to meet with her lover.On episode 411 of Sci-fi Channels Ghost Hunters,investigated Franks Place, now know as "Moss Beach Distillery", and found that there was a variety of devices installed in the ceilings and walls to simulate paranormal activity. This included a speaker built into the bathroom ceiling wired to a sensor on the bathroom door, a two way mirror and a timer and hydraulic device that causes the chandeliers to shake. The Executive Chef, Spencer Gray, said he neglected to notify TAPS of the effects which were installed "many years ago" to "heighten the customer's experience without detracting from the genuine experience" because it "slipped his mind." The elusive ghostWhatever the story, the Blue Lady still frequents the Moss Beach Distillery, sometimes inside the cafe, sometimes wandering in reverie on the bluffs that overlook the sea, her clothing either bloodstained and cut, or intact and clean.The modern accounts of The Blue Lady's presence have been thrown in to question after episode 411 of Ghost Hunters. A two way mirror, and ceiling lamps that move due to an actuator arm on a timer. The staff failed to tell the Ghost Hunters of the effects.

13 Alabama ghosts and Jeffrey

mucklislockheart@gmail.com (N3Xt G-Nation) — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 03:30:00 +0000

13 Alabama ghosts and Jeffrey is a book first published in 1969 by folklorist Kathryn Tucker Windham and her former English teacher, Margaret Gillis Figh. The book contains thirteen "true" ghost stories from the U.S. state of Alabama. The book was the first in a series of seven "13... Ghosts and Jeffrey" books, most featuring ghost stories from a Southern state. Jeffrey in the book's title refers to a ghost that allegedly haunts Windham's home.Origins of the book and JeffreyAccording to a letter reprinted in the foreword to the book, Windham became interested in ghost stories after a "ghost" named Jeffrey began to haunt her family. At first, the family heard footsteps in rooms that would later be found empty. Jeffrey especially spooked the family cat, Hornblower.Jeffrey was also known to move objects. On one occasion, he is purported to have moved a heavy chest of drawers three or four inches along a wall, blocking the only door to the room. The door was only opened after pushing hard against the door to move the chest. Another time, Jeffrey almost toppled a cake which was placed on the Windham's dining room table during a frantic search for some missing car keys. During the search, Jeffrey pushed the cake to the edge of the table, so that it was teetering, about to fall, when the keys were finally found and the cake was collected.There is a picture of "Jeffrey," taken inside the Windham home. On the night the picture was made, some young people visiting the Windham home decided to play with a Ouija board, trying to contact Jeffrey. When they later developed pictures taken that night, Jeffrey appeared in one of the shots. Jeffrey appears in the picture as a dark, shadowy blot in a vaguely human-like shape, "standing" next to a girl in the picture.Soon after this picture was taken, Windham contacted Figh, who was a noted collector of ghost stories, to ask about Jeffrey. Out of that meeting, the idea of 13 Alabama Ghosts and Jeffrey was born. Stories includedIn the preface to the book, Windham says that although there are many ghost stories in Alabama, she wanted to choose stories for her book that had "entertained many generations" and were "a treasured part of Southern folklore." She also said she wanted to preserve pictures of the old houses and other places where the ghosts were said to appear.Windham sought stories from which she could describe not only the ghost, but also the community and lifestyles of the people who first reported the haunting. In fact, this has been a noted feature of Windham's writing; she spends as much time describing the people and places around the ghost stories as she does the ghost itself. * The Ghost of the Angry Architect * Death Lights in the Tower * The Faithful Vigil at Carlisle Hall * The Specter in the Maze at Cahaba * The Phantom Steamboat of the Tombigbee * The Unquiet Ghost at Gaineswood * The Face in the Courthouse Window * Mobile's Pipe-Smoking Captain * The Return of the Ruined Banker * The Hole That Will Not Stay Filled * Huntingdon College's Red Lady * The Crying Spirit at the Well * The Dancing Ghost of Grancer Harrison ControversyDespite being very popular in Alabama, the book has attracted a small amount of controversy from some Christians in the state who say the book promotes beliefs incompatible with Christianity. In fact, Windham has said that she has received letters from people telling her she is doomed to hell for writing the "...and Jeffrey" books.In an interview with The Birmingham News, Windham responded to these claims, saying "If I'm going to hell — and I can't deny that, because it's not for me to judge — it won't be for telling ghost stories; I have far greater shortcomings than that."

Ghost

mucklislockheart@gmail.com (N3Xt G-Nation) — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 03:27:00 +0000

A ghost is the apparition of a deceased person, frequently similar in appearance to that person, and usually encountered in places he or she frequented, the place of his or her death, or in association with the person's former belongings. The word ghost may also refer to the spirit or soul of a deceased person, or to any spirit or demon.[1][2][3] A place in which ghosts are claimed to appear is described as haunted. A related phenomenon is the poltergeist, literally a 'noisy spirit' that manifests itself by moving and influencing objects, though a widespread view today is that these occurrences are either fraudulent or manifestations of the psychic energy of, particularly, adolescent girls.[4] Phantom armies, ghost-animals, ghost trains and phantom ships have also been reported.[5][6]The reality of ghosts is a controversial subject which divides believers and skeptics.[7] The study of ghosts is both the subject of folklore and also, since the nineteenth century, of the investigations of parapsychologists, who have attempted to refine the vocabulary used in describing ghostly phenomena. Summoning or exorcising the shades of the departed is an item of belief and religious practice for spiritualists and practitioners of ritual magic. Though some claims of ghostly phenomena are proven frauds others remain unexplained or are subject to conflicting explanations. So far no one explanation has gained universal acceptance.[8] According to a poll conducted in 2005 by the Gallup Organization about 32% of Americans believe in the existence of ghosts.[9]Historical backgroundThe belief in ghosts as souls of the departed may be closely related to the ancient concept of animism, which attributed souls to everything in nature, including human beings, animals, plants, rocks, etc.[10] The idea was revived in the 20th century by Martin Heidegger under the new name Sein, as in his famous work Sein und Zeit (Being and Time).Nineteenth-century anthropologist James Frazer stated in his classic work, The Golden Bough, that souls were seen as the creature within that animated the body: "If a man lives and moves, it can only be because he has a little man or animal inside, who moves him. The animal inside the animal, the man inside the man, is the soul. And as the activity of an animal or man is explained by the presence of the soul, so the repose of sleep or death is explained by its absence; sleep or trance being the temporary, death being the permanent absence of the soul... "[11]Although the human soul was sometimes symbolically or literally depicted in ancient cultures as a bird or other animal, it was widely held that the soul was an exact reproduction of the body in every feature, even down to clothing the person wore. This is depicted in artwork from various ancient cultures, including such works as the Egyptian Book of the Dead, which shows deceased people in the afterlife appearing much as they did before death, including the style of dress.Another widespread belief concerning ghosts is that they were composed of a misty, airy, or subtle material. Anthropologists speculate that this may also stem from early beliefs that ghosts were the person within the person, most noticeable in ancient cultures as a person's breath, which upon exhaling in colder climates appears visibly as a white mist.[10] This belief may have also fostered the metaphorical meaning of "breath" in certain languages, such as the Latin spiritus and the Greek pneuma, which by analogy became extended to mean the soul. In the Bible, God is depicted as animating Adam with a breath.In many cultures malignant, restless, ghosts are distinguished from the more benign spirits which are the subject of Ancestor worship.[12] Although the evidence for ghosts is largely anecdotal, the belief in ghosts throughout history has remained widespread and persistent.Ghost stories date back to ancient times, and can be found in many different cultures. The Chinese philosopher, Mo Tzu (470-391 BC), is quoted as having said: "The way to find out whether anything exists or not is to depend on the testimony of the ears and eyes of the multitude. If some have heard it or some have seen it then we have to say it exists. If no one has heard it and no one has seen it then we have to say it does not exist. So, then, why not go to some village or some district and inquire? If from antiquity to the present, and since the beginning of man, there are men who have seen the bodies of ghosts and spirits and heard their voices, how can we say that they do not exist? If none have heard them and none have seen them, then how can we say they do? But those who deny the existence of the spirits say: "Many in the world have heard and seen something of ghosts and spirits. Since they vary in testimony, who are to be accepted as really having heard and seen them?" Mo Tzu said: As we are to rely on what many have jointly seen and what many have jointly heard, the case of Tu Po is to be accepted."[13] (note: King Hsuan (827-783 BC) executed his minister, Tu Po, on false charges even after being warned that Tu Po's ghost would seek revenge. Three years later, according to historical chronicles, Tu Po's ghost shot and killed Hsuan with a bow and arrow before an assembly of feudal lords.)Many other Eastern religious traditions also subscribe to the concept of ghosts. The Hindu Garuda Purana has detailed information about ghosts.[14]The Hebrew Torah and the Bible contain few references to ghosts, associating spiritism with forbidden occult activities cf. Deuteronomy 18:11. The most notable reference is in the First Book of Samuel (I Samuel 28:7-19 KJV), in which a disguised King Saul has the Witch of Endor summon the spirit of Samuel. In the New Testament, Jesus has to persuade the Disciples that he is not a ghost following the resurrection, Matthew 24. In a similar vein, Jesus' followers at first believe him to be a ghost when they see him walking on water.A celebrated account of a haunted house, from the ancient classical world, is given by Pliny the Younger (c. (50 AD).[15] Pliny describes, in a letter to a friend, how Athenodoros Cananites (c. 74 BC – 7 AD), a Stoic philosopher, decided to rent a large house in Athens, to investigate widespread rumors that it was haunted. Athenodoros staked out at the house that night, and, sure enough, a disheveled, aged spectre, bound at feet and hands with rattling chains, eventually appeared. The spirit then beckoned for Athenodoros to follow him; Athenodoros complied, but the ghost soon vanished. The philosopher marked the spot where the old man had disappeared, and, on the next day, advised the magistrates to dig there. The man's shackled bones were reportedly uncovered three years later. After a proper burial, the hauntings ceased.[16]From the medieval period an apparition of a ghost is recorded from 1211, at the time of the Albigensian Crusade[17]. Gervase of Tilbury, Marshal of Arles, wrote that the image of Guilhem, a boy recently murdered in the forest, appeared in his cousin's home in Beaucaire, near Avignon, France. This series of "visits" lasted all of the summer. Through his cousin, who spoke for him, the boy allegedly held conversations with anyone who wished, until the local priest requested to speak to the boy directly, leading to an extended disquisition on theology. The boy narrated the trauma of death and the unhappiness of his fellow souls in Purgatory, and reported that God was most pleased with the ongoing Crusade against the Cathar heretics, launched three years earlier. The time of the Albigensian Crusade in southern France was marked by intense and prolonged warfare, this constant bloodshed and dislocation of populations being the context for these reported visits by the murdered boy.Many other stories from the Middle Ages and the Romantic era rely on the macabre and the fantastic, and ghosts are a major theme in literature from those eras. The Child ballad Sweet William's Ghost recounts the story of a ghost returning to beg a woman to free him from his promise to marry her, as he obviously cannot being dead; her refusal would mean his damnation. This reflects a popular British belief that the dead would haunt their lovers if they took up with a new love without some formal release.[18] The Unquiet Grave expresses a belief even more widespread, found in various locations over Europe: ghosts can stem from the excessive grief of the living, whose mourning interferes with the dead's peaceful rest.[19] In many folktales from around the world, the hero arranges for the burial of a dead man. Soon after, he gains a companion who aids him and, in the end, the hero's companion reveals that he is in fact the dead man.[20] Instances of this include the Italian fairy tale Fair Brow and the Swedish The Bird 'Grip'.In many traditional accounts, ghosts were often thought to be deceased people looking for vengeance, or imprisoned on earth for bad things they did during life. The appearance of a ghost has often been regarded as an omen or portent of death. Seeing one's own ghostly double or "fetch" is a related omen of death.[21]In 1848 the Fox sisters of Hydesfield in New York State claimed to have communication with the disembodied spirits of the dead and launched the Spiritualist movement, which claimed many adherents in the nineteenth century.[22] The claims of spiritualists and others as to the reality of ghosts were investigated by the Society for Psychical Research, founded in London in 1882. The Society set up a Committee on Haunted Houses and a Literary Committee which looked at the literature on the subject.[23] Apparitions of the recently deceased, at the moment of their death, to their friends and relations, were very commonly reported.[24][25] One celebrated example was the strange appearance of Vice-Admiral Sir George Tryon, walking through the drawing room of his family home in Eaton Square, London, looking straight ahead, without exchanging a word to anyone, in front of several guests at a party being given by his wife on 22 June 1893 whilst he was supposed to be in a ship of the Mediterranean Squadron, manoeuvering of the coast of Syria. Subsequently it was reported that he had gone down with his ship, the HMS Victoria, that very same night, after it had collided with the HMS Camperdown following an unexplained and bizarre order to turn the ship in the direction of the other vessel.[26] Such crisis apparitions have received serious study by parapsychologists with various explanations given to account for them, including telepathy, as well as the traditional view that they represent disembodied spirits.[27][28]Skeptical analysisOne of the first persons to express disbelief in ghosts was Lucian of Samosata in the second century AD. In his tale "The Doubter" (circa 150 AD) he relates how Democritus "the learned man from Abdera in Thrace" lived in a tomb outside the city gates in order to prove that cemeteries were not haunted by the spirits of the departed. Lucian relates how he persisted in his disbelief despite practical jokes perpetrated by "some young men of Abdera" who dressed up in shrouds with skull masks in order to give him a fright.[29]Modern critics of "eyewitness ghost sightings" suggest that limitations of human perception and ordinary physical explanations can account for such sightings; for example, air pressure changes in a home causing doors to slam, or lights from a passing car reflected through a window at night.[30] Pareidolia, an innate tendency to recognize patterns in random perceptions, is what some skeptics believe causes people to believe that they have seen ghosts.[31] Reports of ghosts "seen out of the corner of the eye" may be accounted for by the sensitivity of human peripheral vision. According to skeptical investigator Joe Nickell: ...peripheral vision is very sensitive and can easily mislead, especially late at night, when the brain is tired and more likely to misinterpret sights and sounds.[30]Nickell also states that a person's belief that a location is haunted may cause them to interpret mundane events as confirmations of a haunting: Once the idea of a ghost appears in a household . . . no longer is an object merely mislaid. . . . There gets to be a dynamic in a place where the idea that it's haunted takes on a life of its own. One-of-a-kind quirks that could never be repeated all become further evidence of the haunting.[30]Sound is thought to be another cause of supposed sightings. Frequencies lower than 20 hertz are called infrasound and are normally inaudible, but scientists Richard Lord and Richard Wiseman have concluded that infrasound can cause humans to experience bizarre feelings in a room, such as anxiety, extreme sorrow or even the chills.[32]Carbon monoxide poisoning, which can cause changes in perception of the visual and auditory systems,[33] was recognized as a possible explanation for haunted houses as early as 1921.Another potential explanation of apparitions is that they are hypnagogic hallucinations.The traditional perception of ghosts wearing clothing is considered illogical by some researchers, given the supposed spiritual nature of ghosts, suggesting that the basis of what a ghost is said to look like and consist of is quite dependent on preconceptions made by society.[34] Unclothed ghosts have, however, been reported. For instance in The World's Strangest Ghost Stories (1958) R. Thurston Hopkins gives a chilling account of the "Naked Ghost of Rattlesden" (Suffolk).[35] Skeptics also say that, to date, there is no credible scientific evidence that any location is inhabited by spirits of the dead.[36]Some researchers, such as Professor Michael Persinger (Laurentian University, Canada), have speculated that changes in geomagnetic fields (created, e.g., by tectonic stresses in the Earth's crust or solar activity) could stimulate the brain's temporal lobes and produce many of the experiences associated with hauntings. This theory has been tested in various ways. Some scientists have examined the relationship between the time of onset of unusual phenomena in allegedly haunted locations and any sudden increases in global geomagnetic activity. Others have investigated whether the location of alleged hauntings is associated with certain types of magnetic activity. Finally, a third strand of work has involved laboratory studies in which stimulation of the temporal lobe with transcerebral[clarification needed] magnetic fields has elicited subjective experiences that strongly parallel phenomena associated with hauntings. All of this work is controversial; it has attracted a large amount of debate and disagreement.[37]Popular culture19th century etching by John Leech of the Ghost of Christmas Present as depicted in Charles Dickens' A Christmas CarolGhosts are prominent in the popular cultures of various nations. The ghost story is ubiquitous across all cultures from oral folktales to works of literature.Perhaps the most recognizable ghost in English literature is the shade of Hamlet's father in the play The Tragical History of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. In Hamlet, it is the ghost that encourages the title character to investigate his "murder most foul" and seek revenge upon King Claudius, the suspected murderer of Hamlet's father.Possibly the next most famous apparitions are the ghosts of A Christmas Carol, where the ghost of Jacob Marley, The Ghost of Christmas Past, The Ghost of Christmas Present and The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come help Ebenezer Scrooge see the error of his ways.Oscar Wilde's The Canterville Ghost has been adapted for film and television on several occasions. Henry James's The Turn of the Screw has also appeared in a number of adaptations, notably the film The Innocents and Benjamin Britten's opera The Turn of the Screw. Noel Coward's play Blithe Spirit, later made into a film, places a more humorous slant on the phenomenon of haunting of individuals and specific locations.Films including or centering on ghosts are common, and span a variety of genres. Ghosts can also be found in various television programs.The ghost hunting theme has also become prevalent in reality television series particularly Ghost Hunters and Ghost Hunters International, but also Most Haunted, and A Haunting. It is also represented in children's television by such programmes as The Ghost Hunter.The Grateful Dead adopted their name and iconography from a series of traditional ghost stories known as Grateful Dead.In Mathematics, Bishop Berkeley criticized the work of Newton and Leibniz work on calculus by referring to infinitesimals as Ghosts of departed quantities.

Abdul Haris Nasution

mucklislockheart@gmail.com (N3Xt G-Nation) — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 03:22:00 +0000

Abdul Haris Nasution (born Kotanopan, North Sumatra 3 December 1918 - died Jakarta 5 September 2000) was an Indonesian general who was twice appointed Army Chief of Staff and who escaped an assassination attempt during the 1965 coup attempt by 30 September Movement.Early lifeNasution was born in Sumatra on 3 December 1918. His father was a farmer but was also active in Sarekat Islam (Islamic Union), a pro-Independence movement. Nasution recalled that as a child, he quickly developed a hobby in reading.[1]After completing his education in 1935, Nasution had originally chosen a teaching career. He graduated from teaching school in 1938 and had stints as a teacher in Bengkulu and Palembang. In 1942, he became interested in a military career and joined a military academy which was run by the Dutch colonial government in Bandung, West Java. His time did not last long as the Japanese took over and occupied Indonesia. Under Japanese occupation, Nasution continued to stay in Bandung and served as a civil servant. Indonesian National Revolution See also: Indonesian National Revolution Siliwangi DivisionAfter Sukarno declared Indonesia's independence on 17 August 1945, Nasution joined the fledgling Indonesian Army which was then known as the People's Security Army (TKR) and was appointed Regional Commander of the Siliwangi Division, which looked after the security of West Java in May 1946.In this position, Nasution developed the theory of territorial warfare which would become the defense doctrine of the Indonesian Army in the future.[2][3]In January 1948, the Indonesian Government and the Dutch Government signed the Renville Agreement. During this agreement, the Indonesian Government would recognize the territories which the Dutch Army had attacked as belonging to the Dutch. Because the territories included West Java, Nasution was forced to lead the Siliwangi Division across to Central Java. Deputy commander1948 would also see Nasution rise to the position of Deputy TKR Commander. Despite being only a Colonel this appointment made Nasution the most powerful person in TKR, second only to the popular General Sudirman. Nasution immediately went to work in his new role. In April, he assisted Sudirman in reorganizing the structure of the troops. In June, at a Commanders' meeting, his suggestion that TKR should fight guerrilla warfare against the Dutch was approved.Although not the Commander of TKR, Nasution gained experience on what it was like to become a Commander of Armed Forces in September 1948 with the Madiun incident. During the course of the year, former Prime Minister Amir Syarifuddin had aligned himself with Musso of the Indonesian Communist Party. When they forcibly took over the city of Madiun in East Java, everyone knew that the matters could only be settled violently.When the news reached the TKR Headquarters in Yogyakarta, a meeting was held between the top brass. Sudirman was anxious to avoid violence and wanted negotiations to be conducted. Sudirman then commissioned Lieutenant Colonel Suharto, to negotiate a deal with the communists. After taking his trip, Suharto returned to Nasution and Sudirman and reported that everything seemed to be peaceful. Nasution did not trust this report and with Sudirman down with illness, Nasution was left in charge.[4] Nasution then decided on a crackdown, sending troops to go after the Communists to put them down and end the rebellion.On September 30 Madiun was taken over by republican troops of the Silwangi Division. Thousands of party cadres were killed and 36 000 were imprisoned. Amongst the executed were several leaders including Musso who was killed on October 31, allegedly while trying to escape from prison. Other PKI leaders such as D.N. Aidit went into exile in China.On 19 December 1948, the Dutch launched a successful attack on Yogyakarta and occupied it. Nasution, together with TKR and the other Commanders, retreated into the countryside to fight a guerrilla warfare. With President Sukarno and Vice President Mohammad Hatta caught by the Dutch, the Emergency Government of the Republic of Indonesia (PDRI) was set up in Sumatra. In this interim Government, Nasution was given the position of the Army and Territorial Commander of Java.Although all seemed lost in 1948, the tide would turn in Indonesia's favor in 1949. Sultan Hamengkubuwono IX's 1st March General Offensive inspired soldiers all over Indonesia to continue the resistance and influenced the United Nations to pressure the Dutch to recognize Indonesian Independence. The Dutch finally stopped fighting in July and by December, recognized Indonesia's independence. As the PDRI returned its powers to Sukarno and Hatta, Nasution returned to his position as Deputy Commander to Sudirman. Parliamentary democracy era First term as Army Chief of StaffIn 1950, Nasution took on his position as Army Chief of Staff, with TB Simatupang replacing Sudirman as the Commander of the newly dubbed ABRI (Armed Forces of the Republic of Indonesia).In 1952, Nasution and Simatupang decided to adopt a policy of restructuring and reorganization for ABRI. Under this arrangement, Nasution and Simatupang hoped to create a smaller Army but one that was expected to be more modern and professional[5] . It did not take long however, before factional interests comes into play. Nasution and Simatupang, who have both been trained by the Dutch Colonial Government wanted to sack the soldiers trained by the Japanese and integrate more soldiers trained by the Dutch Colonial Government. The Japanese-trained troops, led by Bambang Supeno, began speaking against this policy.In adopting their policy, Nasution and Simatupang had the backing of Prime Minister Wilopo and Defense Minister Hamengkubuwono IX. However, Supeno managed to find support from among the opposition parties in the People's Representative Council (DPR). The DPR members then began making their disagreements on the restructuring of ABRI known. Nasution and Simatupang were not happy to see what they perceived to be interference of military affairs by civilians. 17th October IncidentOn 17 October 1952, Nasution and Simatupang mobilized their troops in a show of force. Protesting against civilian interference in military business, Nasution and Simatupang had their troops surround the Presidential Palace and point the tank turrets in the direction of the said building. Their demand to Sukarno was that the current DPR be dismissed. For this cause, Nasution and Simatupang also mobilized civilian protesters. Sukarno came out of the Presidential Palace and using nothing but his famed oratory skills, convinced both soldiers and civilians alike to go home. Nasution and Simatupang had been defeated.Nasution and Simatupang were then put under interrogation by Attorney General Suprapto. In December 1952, they both lost their position in ABRI and were discharged from service. Fundamentals of guerrilla warfareDuring the time in which he was not the Army Chief of Staff, Nasution wrote a book called the Fundamentals of Guerrilla Warfare. This book was based on Nasution's own experience fighting and organizing guerrilla warfare during the Indonesian War of Independence. Originally released in 1953, it would become one of the most studied books on guerrilla warfare along with Mao Zedong's works on the same subject matter. Second term as Army Chief of StaffOn 27 October 1955 and after three years of exile, Nasution was re-appointed to his old position as Army Chief of Staff.Nasution immediately began working on the Army and its structure by adopting a threefold approach.[6] His first approach was to formulate a tour of duty system, so that officers can be stationed all around the country and gain experience. This approach would also result in Army Officers being more professional, instead of feeling personal attachment and loyalty to the Province and/or region from which they came from. Nasution's second approach was to centralize military training. All methods of training troops would now be uniform, instead of Regional Commanders setting up their own method of training troops. Nasution's third and most important approach was to increase the Army's influence and power so that it can be able to take care of itself, instead of relying on civilian decisions. Nasution did not have a problem applying the first two approaches. But he would have to wait to apply the third approach.By 1957, President Sukarno had begun to introduce the concept of Guided Democracy to his rhetoric in response to his disenchantment with the Parliamentary Democracy approach which Indonesia had adopted since November 1945. In this, he found a common bond with Nasution and the Army, who had not forgotten the way in which civilians interfered with Army affairs in 1952. On 14 March 1957, after receiving the resignation of Prime Minister Ali Sastroadmijojo and his Cabinet, Sukarno declared a State of Emergency.This move not only added to Sukarno's up until then ceremonial Presidential role, but also increased the Army's influence and power as Nasution had wished for. Under this arrangement, Regional Commanders were able to interfere with civilian matters such as the economy and administrative matters.[7] With the behest of Sukarno himself, the Army also began participating in politics, filling in positions which ranged from Cabinet Ministers to Provincial Governors and even DPR members. In December 1957, Nasution further increased the Army's role by ordering officers to take over the recently nationalized Dutch Companies. Aside from increasing the Army's role, this move was also designed to stop the influence of the increasingly powerful PKI.In 1958, Nasution made a famous speech that would become the basis for the Dwifungsi Doctrine which the Suharto regime ABRI would adopt. Speaking at Magelang in Central Java, Nasution declared that ABRI should adopt a Middle Way in its approach to the Nation. According to Nasution, ABRI should not be under the control of civilians. At the same time, ABRI should not dominate the nation in such a way that it becomes a military dictatorship.[8] The PRRI rebellionIn late 1956, there were demands by Regional Commanders in Sumatra for more autonomy in the Provinces. When these demands were not met by the Central Government, they began to rebel and by early 1957, they had taken control of Governance in Sumatra by force. Then, on 15 February 1958, Lieutenant Colonel Ahmad Hussein declared the establishment of the Revolutionary Government of the Republic of Indonesia (PRRI). This prompted the Central Government to deploy troops.As Army Chief of Staff, Nasution would have been involved in mobilizing the troops to Sumatra. However, it would be his 2nd Deputy, Colonel Ahmad Yani who would make his name by successfully putting down the rebellions. Return to the 1945 ConstitutionNasution listening to Sukarno reading his decree of 1959On 5 July 1959, Sukarno issued a decree declaring that Indonesia would now revert back to the original 1945 constitution. The Parliamentary Democracy system would be gone and for Sukarno, he was now the Head of Government in addition to being the Head of State. Nasution was appointed Minister of Defense and Security in Sukarno's Cabinet while continuing to hold the position as Army Chief of Staff. Guided Democracy era Corruption in the armySince 1956, Nasution had been trying to stamp out corruption in the Army. But the return to the 1945 constitution seemed to have renewed his resolve in this matter. According to him, the Army should set an example for the rest of society. Not long after Sukarno's 5th July Decree, Nasution sent Brigadier General Sungkono to investigate the financial dealings of Kodam IV/Diponegoro and its commander, Colonel Suharto.Sungkono's findings reveal that during his time as Regional Commander, Suharto had set up foundations to help the local people. However, these foundations were founded through charging levies (instead of voluntary donations) on production and service industries. Suharto was also involved in illegal bartering. He had been bartering sugar for rice with Thailand.Nasution wanted to take action against Suharto and actually considered expelling him out of the Army. However, Deputy Army Chief of Staff Gatot Subroto intervened.[9] Gatot had taken Suharto under his wings when he was the Kodam IV/Diponegoro Commander and had noticed Suharto's talents. Gatot asked Nasution not to expel Suharto because Suharto's talent is one that could be further developed. Nasution listened to Gatot's advice. His decision was to remove Suharto from his position and to punish him by sending him to the Army Staff College (Seskoad). West IrianDuring the struggle for Independence, Sukarno had always perceived Indonesia as also encompassing West Irian. When the Dutch finally recognized Indonesia's Independence, West Irian continued to be a Dutch colony. Sukarno did not give up and continued to push for West Irian to be included as part of Indonesia through the UN and through the Bandung Conference, where the attending nations promised to support Indonesia's claim. The Dutch continued to remain adamant. By 1960, Sukarno had ran out of patience. In July, he met with his top advisors including Nasution and it was agreed that Indonesia would confront the Dutch on the matter of West Irian.As part of the preparation for this campaign, Nasution turned to Suharto who in November 1960, finished his Seskoad course. Suharto, now a Brigadier General was commissioned by Nasution to create a strategic force unit which would be on standby, ready to be called into action at any time. Suharto was placed in charge of this taskforce and in March 1961, the General Army Reserve (Caduad) was formed, with Suharto being appointed as its Commander.[10] Caduad would in 1963 change its name to the Army Strategic Command (Kostrad).At the beginning of 1962, Nasution and Yani were the overall Commanders of the so called Liberation of West Irian, with Suharto stationed in East Indonesia as the Field Commander. Rivalry with PKIAround this time, Sukarno had begun to see the PKI, instead of the Army as his main political ally. Although he had set Indonesia on a non-aligned course during the Cold War, the revelation that the PRRI was given assistance by America, caused Sukarno to adopt an anti-American stance. In this, he had the PKI as a natural ally. For the PKI, an alliance with Sukarno would only add to their political momentum as their influence continued to grow in Indonesian politics. In April 1962, as he named a new Cabinet, PKI Chairman DN Aidit and Vice Chairman Njoto were included as ministers.Nasution was wary of the PKI's influence over Sukarno and in turn, Sukarno was aware that Nasution was not happy about the PKI's influence and made a move to weaken his power. In July 1962, Sukarno reorganized the structure of ABRI. The status of the heads of the Armed Forces branches would now be upgraded from Chief of Staff to Commander (Example: Army Chief of Staff becomes Army Commander). As Commanders, the heads of the Armed Forces Branches would have more power and they would answer only to Sukarno as the Supreme Commander of ABRI. Assisting Sukarno as Supreme Commander of ABRI, would be an ABRI Chief of Staff. Sukarno appointed Nasution to the position of ABRI Chief of Staff[11] and appointed Yani as the Army Commander. By doing this, Sukarno had decreased Nasution's powers as the ABRI Chief of Staff was only responsible for administration matters and had nothing whatsoever to do with troop handling.Now in a powerless position, Nasution began to think of other ways to stop the PKI's momentum. The right moment came at the Provisional People's Consultative Assembly (MPRS) General Session in May 1963. During the General Session, Nasution had Sukarno's Indonesian National Party (PNI) as well as the Army members present to put forward the motion that Sukarno be appointed President for Life.[12] The rationale behind this was that with Sukarno being appointed President for Life, there would be no elections, and without elections, the PKI would not be able to get in power no matter how big they would become. The motion was carried through and Sukarno became President for Life. Division with YaniNasution soon began developing an attitude of hostility towards Yani. Both Nasution and Yani were anti-Communists. But their attitude towards Sukarno was different. Nasution was critical of Sukarno for backing and supporting PKI. While Yani, a Sukarno loyalist adopted a softer stance. Nasution criticized Yani's soft stance and the two officers stopped getting along. To make matters worse, Yani began replacing Regional Commanders who were close to Nasution with those who were close to himself.On 13 January 1965, a delegation of officers representing Nasution and Yani met in an attempt to reconcile the differences between the two officers. The meeting was unsuccessful in attempting to get Yani to distance himself from Sukarno. But they agreed to hold seminars where officers could talk about the current political climate and the role of the Army in politics.As the year went on, a curious document was found. Dubbed the Gilchrist Document, the document spoke about "our local army friends" and suspicion was immediately cast on the Army wanting to launch a coup. Although Yani was quick to deny the allegations, the PKI began running a smear campaign, claiming that a Council of Generals were planning to overthrow the President. As the most senior officers in the Army, Nasution and Yani were implicated to be part of this Council. G30S and Transition to New Order Kidnapping attemptNasution having his foot treated while discussing the situation at Kostrad HQ on the night of October 1, 1965On the morning of 1 October 1965, troops calling themselves the 30th September Movement (G30S) made their move to kidnap 7 anti-Communist Army officers including Nasution.[13]That morning, Nasution's wife heard the doors in the house being forced open. Curious to see what it was, Mrs. Nasution got out of bed to check. Opening the door, she saw a soldier with his gun raised ready to shoot. Mrs. Nasution quickly closed the door and told Nasution to get away. Nasution wanted to take a look himself and when he opened the door, the soldier shot at him. Nasution narrowly avoided the shot and closed the door as Mrs. Nasution pushed him out of the bedroom window to escape. Nasution escaped to the house of the Iraqi ambassador, who happened to be his neighbor and hid in the garden.The Nasution household was in chaos as the G30S troops began looking all over the house for Nasution. In the confusion that ensued, Nasution's daughter and sister were shot by a soldier. Nasution's sister would recover while his daughter, Ade Irma Suryani was fatally wounded. At the end, the soldiers left only after detaining First Lieutenant Pierre Tendean who was Nasution's adjutant. Tendean had been mistaken for Nasution in the darkness and was kidnapped.Nasution continued hiding in the garden of his neighbor until 6 AM when he returned to his house with a broken ankle. Nasution then asked his adjutants to be taken to the Ministry of Defense and Security because he thought it would be saver there. He was then taken in a car, with Nasution crouching on the floor of the car to the Ministry. Nasution then sent a message to Suharto at the Kostrad headquarters, telling him that he was alive and safe. After knowing that Suharto was taking Command of the Army, Nasution then ordered him to take measures such as finding out information on the whereabouts of the President, contacting Navy Commander RE Martadinata, Marine Corps Commander Hartono as well as the Chief of Police Sucipto Judodiharjo, and secure Jakarta by closing off all roads leading up to it[14]. The Air Force was excluded because its Commander Omar Dhani was suspected of being a G30S Sympathizer. Suharto immediately integrated these orders into his plan to secure the city.At around 2 PM, after the G30S Movement announced the formation of a Revolutionary Council, Nasution sent another order to Suharto, Martadinata and Judodiharjo. In the order, Nasution said that he was convinced that Sukarno had been kidnapped and taken to the G30S headquarters in Halim. He therefore ordered ABRI to free the President, restore security to Jakarta, and most importantly, appointed Suharto to head the operations[15]. Just as Suharto began working however, a message came from Sukarno at Halim. Sukarno had decided to appoint Major General Pranoto Reksosamudra to the position of Army Commander and now wanted Pranoto to come see him. Suharto did not allow Pranoto to go but he knew that Sukarno would not give up in trying to summon Pranoto. To strengthen his bargaining position, Suharto asked Nasution to come to the Kostrad Headquarters.Nasution arrived at the Kostrad headquarters at around 6 PM, just as Suharto began sending Sarwo Edhie Wibowo's troops to began securing Jakarta from the G30S Movement. There, Nasution finally received first aid for his broken ankle. Once Jakarta was safely secured, Martadinata came to the Kostrad headquarters with a copy of the Presidential Decree which appointed Pranoto his position. After seeing the Decree, Suharto invited Martadinata and Nasution into a room to discuss the situation.Nasution asked Martadinata how the President came to appoint Pranoto. Martadinata replied that during the afternoon he, Judodiharjo, and Dhani had attended a meeting with Sukarno at Halim to decide who should become the Army Commander now that Yani had died. The meeting had decided that Pranoto should become Army Commander. Nasution said that the Sukarno's appointment could not be accepted as the appointment came when Suharto had begun with the operations[16]. Nasution also added that he will be backing Suharto's decision to not let Pranoto go to Halim. Nasution and Suharto then invited Pranoto in and convinced him to delay accepting his appointment as Army Commander until after Suharto finished putting down the attempted coup d'état.With Sarwo Edhie's troops, Jakarta was quickly secured. Suharto then turned his attention to Halim and began making preparations to attack the Air Base. To assist him, Nasution ordered the Navy and the Police to assist Suharto in putting down the G30S Movement. To the Air Force, Nasution issued an order saying that they will not be charged with insubordination if they refuse to obey Dhani's orders. By 6 AM on 2 October, Halim was overtaken and the G30S Movement was officially put down. Missed opportunityAlthough Suharto had been the man of the hour on 1 October, many of the other Army officers still turned to Nasution for leadership and had expected him to take more decisive control of the situation. However, Nasution seemed indecisive and slowly but surely the support began to swing away from him. Perhaps this reason was because he was still rightfully griefing over his daughter, Ade Irma, who died on 6 October.In the first few weeks after G30S, Nasution was the one who constantly lobbied Sukarno to have Suharto appointed Army Commander. Sukarno, who after 1 October wanted to keep Pranoto had originally only made Suharto the Commander of Kopkamtib but with Nasution's constant lobbying, Sukarno was finally persuaded and on 14 October 1965, appointed Suharto as the Army Commander.A golden opportunity came to Nasution in December 1965 when there was talk of getting him appointed as Vice President to assist Sukarno in the times of uncertainty.[17] Nasution did not capitalize on this and chose to do nothing. Suharto, whose political momentum was growing took the initiative in early 1966 by issuing a statement saying that there was no need to fill in the vacant Vice Presidency.On February 24, 1966, Nasution was removed from his position as Minister of Defense and Security in a Cabinet Reshuffle. The position of ABRI Chief of Staff was also abolished.By this stage, the expectation that Nasution would do something was now gone as Army Officers and Student Movements alike rallied behind Suharto. Nevertheless, he continued to be a respected figure as many Army Officers visited him in the days leading up to the handing of Supersemar. In fact, when Suharto was about to go the Kostrad Headquarters to wait for the delivery of Supersemar, he called Nasution and asked him for his blessing. Mrs. Nasution gave the blessing on behalf of Nasution who was not present.Nasution's political senses seemed to have returned after Suharto received Supersemar. It was perhaps he who first realized that Supersemar did not only give Suharto emergency powers but also gave him executive control. On 12 March 1966, after Suharto had PKI banned, Nasution suggested to Suharto that he form an emergency Cabinet.[18] Suharto, still cautious about what he can and cannot do with his new powers replied that making a Cabinet was the President's duty. Nasution encouraged Suharto, promising him full support but Suharto did not respond and the conversation ended abruptly. Chairman of the MPRSNasution congratulating General Suharto on the his appointment as acting president, 12 March 1967With his new powers, Suharto began purging the Government of what he perceived to be Communist influence. After the arrest of 15 Cabinet Ministers on 18 March 1966, Suharto went after the MPRS, removing members thought to be Communist sympathizers and replacing them with members more sympathetic to the Army's cause. During the purge, the MPRS also lost its Chairman, Chaerul Saleh and there was a need to fill in the vacant position.Nasution was an overwhelmingly popular choice as all of the factions in the MPRS nominated him for the position of MPRS Chairman. However, Nasution waited until Suharto supported his nomination before accepting the nomination.On 20 June, the MPRS General Session for 1966 began holding its assemblies. Nasution set Supersemar as the first agenda on the list by walking into the Assembly Hall with the actual document. The next day, on 21 June, the MPRS ratified Supersemar, making it illegal for Sukarno to withdraw it. On 22 June, Sukarno delivered a speech entitled Nawaksara (Nine Points) in front of the Assembly. Nasution and the other MPRS members, which had hoped for Sukarno's account of G30S were disappointed. Nothing about the G30S was mentioned. Instead, Sukarno seemed to give an account about his appointment to the Life Presidency, his plan of work as President, and how the constitution works in practice. This MPRS would refuse to ratify this speech.Over the next two weeks, Nasution presided over a busy MPRS General Session. Under his Chairmanship, the MPRS took measures such as banning Marxism-Leninism, cancelling Sukarno's appointment to the Life Presidency, and ordering for a Legislative Election to be held by July 1968. The MPRS General Session also increased Suharto's power by officially ordering him to formulate a new Cabinet. A constitutional amendment was also made which stated that if the President is unable to replace his duties, he will now be replaced by the Holder of Supersemar instead of the Vice President.As 1966 wore on, Sukarno was increasingly on the back foot and his popularity was at an all time low. Suharto, who knew that his political victory was near, took to playing the role of the polite Javanese by constantly giving Sukarno reassuring words and defending him from the protests. Other Generals such as Nasution were not as merciful, as the year drew to a close, Nasution claimed that Sukarno should be held responsible for the dire situation which his Government left Indonesia in. Nasution also called for Sukarno be taken to trial.On 10 January 1967, Nasution and the MPRS assembled again as Sukarno submitted his report (he did not deliver it in person as a speech) which was hoped to finally address the issue of G30S. Dubbed the Nawaksara Supplementary, the report spoke about Sukarno's insistence of calling G30S the 1st October Movement (Gestok). On G30S, Sukarno said that PKI made a big mistake on the morning of 1 October but also added that this was due to the cunning of the neo-colonialists. In a subtle jab towards Nasution, Sukarno added that if he was going to be blamed for the G30S, the Minister of Defense and Security at the time should also be blamed for not seeing G30S coming and stopping it before it happened.[19] The report was once again rejected by the MPRS.In February 1967, the DPR called for an MPRS Special Session in March to dismiss Sukarno as President with Suharto. Sukarno seemed resigned to his faith, officially handling day to day control of the Government to Suharto on 22 February 1967 and requiring him only to report if necessary. Finally on March 12, 1967, Sukarno was officially removed from power by the MPRS. Nasution then swore Suharto into office as the Acting President.A year later on March 27, 1968, Nasution presided over Suharto's election and inauguration as full President. In the New Order Fall from powerDespite the assistance that Nasution gave him in his rise to power, Suharto viewed Nasution as a rival and immediately began working to remove him from power. In 1969, Nasution was barred from speaking at Seskoad and the Military Academy.[20] In 1971, Nasution was suddenly discharged from military service, aged 53 and two years before the designated retirement age of 55. Nasution was finally removed in 1972 as the new batch of MPR members (elected during the 1971 Legislative Elections) came in and elected Idham Chalid to replace him as MPR Chairman.Nasution's drastic fall earned him the nickname of Gelandangan Politik (Political Bum). Opposition to the New OrderOnce he fell out of power, Nasution developed into a political opponent of the New Order Regime.By the late 70's Suharto's regime had turned from popular to authoritarian and corrupt. At this time many voices began to openly speak out and criticize the regime. After the 1977 Legislative Elections, in which there was alleged electoral fraud by Suharto's Golkar Party, Nasution said that there was a crisis in leadership in the New Order.In July 1978, together with former Vice President Hatta, Nasution set up the Institute for Constitutional Awareness Foundation (YLKB) . Suharto's Government moved quickly and did not allow YLKB to conduct its first meeting in January 1979. Nasution and the YLKB did not give up. In August 1979 managed to hold a meeting in which DPR members included. Perhaps significantly, ABRI members attended the meeting. During the meeting, Nasution criticized the New Order for not fully implementing Pancasila and the 1945 Constitution.[21]Suharto did not take the criticism lightly. On 27 March 1980, at an ABRI Meeting, Suharto in a speech said that ABRI members should be ready to defend their seats in DPR and that they should align themselves with forces that are for Pancasila and the 1945 Constitution such as Golkar. Suharto followed this up with another speech on 16 April 1980, on the occasion of Kopassus' anniversary. In the speech, Suharto denied allegations of corruption and claimed that if he has to, he will kidnap MPR members if it will prevent the MPR from having the 2/3 majority required to change the constitution.Nasution then decided that the oppositions of the regime should make a big statement. He gathered ABRI members who were disgruntled with the Suharto regime such as former Governor of Jakarta Ali Sadikin, former Chief of Police Hugeng Imam Santoso, and former Deputy Army Chief of Staff Yasin. Former Prime Ministers Mohammed Natsir and Burhanuddin Harahap as well as PDRI Chairman Syarifuddin Prawiranegara joined in. Together with many other big name critics of the Government, they signed a petition which would become known as Petisi 50 (Petition of Fifty). So-called because there were 50 signatories.The petition was signed on 5 May 1980 and delivered to the DPR on 13 May 1980. It called for Suharto to stop interpreting Pancasila to suit his own ends and for ABRI to be neutral in politics instead of favoring Golkar. The DPR, especially members of the United Development Party (PPP) and the Indonesian Democratic Party took the petition seriously and asked Suharto to respond on the issue. Suharto replied that his speeches on 27 March 1980 and 16 April 1980 was a sufficient enough response. Suharto added if there was any problem, the DPR can motion for a special investigation. Here the PPP and PDI members stopped, knowing that their motion will be beaten by Golkar's dominance.For signatories to the petition such as Nasution, Suharto imposed travel bans and made business dealings difficult so that the petition signatories would have a hard time making a living. ReconcilliationBy the beginning of the 1990s, Suharto was beginning to adopt a policy of political openness and enforcement of Petition of 50 Signatories' punishment was loosened. In June 1993, when he was in hospital because of illness, he was visited by the Army's top brass. Nasution then received a visit from BJ Habibie, Suharto's Minister of Technology. Habibie then invited Nasution and the other signatories to visit his shipyard and the aircraft factory which had been put under his jurisdiction. The Government also began claiming that although there was a travel ban for the Petition of 50 Signatories, the ban does not apply to Nasution. For his part, Nasution denied criticizing the Government, preferring to call it a "difference in opinion".Finally, in July 1993, Suharto invited Nasution to the Presidential Palace for a meeting. This was followed by another meeting on 18 August 1993, after the Independence Day celebrations.[22] Nothing political was talked about, but it was clear that both men were keen to reconcile their differences. In an interview in 1995, Nasution encouraged Indonesia to go through a reconciliation process so that the Nation can be united under the leadership Suharto.On 5 October 1997, on the occasion of ABRI's anniversary, Nasution was given the honorary rank Jenderal Besar. A rank that he shared with Suharto and Sudirman. DeathNasution died on 5 September 2000 after suffering a stroke and going into a coma. FamilyNasution was married to Johanna Sunarti, with whom he had two daughters. MiscellaneousUmar Wirahadikusumah served as Nasution's adjutant from 1946-1947

Biography

mucklislockheart@gmail.com (N3Xt G-Nation) — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 03:20:00 +0000

A biography (from the Greek words bíos (βίος) meaning "life", and gráphein (γράφειν) meaning "to write") is a description of someone's life, usually published in the form of a book or essay, or in some other form, such as a film. An autobiography (auto, meaning "self", giving self-biography) is a biography by the same person it is about. A biography is more than a list of impersonal facts (education, work, relationships and death), it also portrays the subject's experience of those events. Unlike a profile or curriculum vitae (resume), a biography presents the subject's story, highlighting various aspects of his or her life, including intimate details of experiences, and may include an analysis of the subject's personality.A work is biographical if it covers all of a person's life. As such, biographical works are usually non-fiction, but fiction can also be used to portray a person's life. One in-depth form of biographical coverage is called legacy writing. Together, all biographical works form the genre known as biography, in literature, film, and other forms of media.Early formsThe first known biographies were written by scribes commissioned by the various rulers of antiquity: ancient Assyria, ancient Babylonia, ancient Egypt, ancient Mesopotamia, among others. Such biographies tended to be chiseled into stone or clay tablets, a method called cuneiform. Classical formsAncient Greeks developed the biographical tradition which we have inherited, although until the 5th century AD, when the word 'biographia' first appears, in Damascius' Life of Isodorus, biographical pieces were called simply "lives" (βιοι: "bioi"). It is quite likely that the Greeks were drawing on a pre-existing eastern tradition; certainly Herodotus' Histories contains more detailed biographical information on Persian kings and subjects than on anyone else, implying he had a Persian source for it.The earliest surviving pieces which we would identify as biographical are Isocrates' Life of Evagoras and Xenophon's Life of Agesilaos, both from the fifth century BC. Both identified themselves as encomia, or works of praise, and that biography was regarded as a discrete entity from historiography is evidenced by the fact that Xenophon treated King Agesilaos of Sparta twice in his works, once in the above-mentioned encomium and once in his Greek History; evidently the two genres were conceived as making different demands of authors who enrolled in them. Xenophon could present his Cyropaedia, an account of the childhood of the Persian King Cyrus the Great now regarded as so fabulous that it falls rather into a novelistic tradition than a biographical one, as a serious work, without any disclaimers or caveats.Whereas Thucydides set the benchmark for a historiographical tradition comprising 'conclusions ... drawn from proofs quoted ... [which] may safely be relied upon' (Thuc. 1.21), and offering little explicit judgement on the people with whom he dealt, biographers were quite often more concerned with drawing a moral point from their investigations of their subjects. Parallel Lives by Plutarch, a Greek writing under the Roman empire, is a series of short biographies of eminent men, ancient and contemporary, arranged in pairs comprising one Greek, one Roman, in order that a broad educative point might be extraced from the comparison (for example Mark Antony and Demetrius were paradigms of tyranny, Lysander and Sulla examples of great men degenerating into blood-thirsty corruption).However, although their moralising approach is not in fashion in the current intellectual climate, Greek biographies still have much to offer the modern reader, and for the most part it is reasonable to assume that while authors may have suppressed details which did not fall in with the general theme which they wished to convey, they are unlikely to have fabricated much. Not least, they were instrumental in developing the modern idea of the person. The traditional Greek attitude to individuals was to 'reduce them to types'; the Peripatetic tradition records various categories into which men might fall: the flatterer, the superstitious man and so on. Greek rhetorical handbooks give advice on 'ethopoia', that is creating a character, one of a recognised type, to win favour in the law courts.The biographical tradition does draw on these types, but it also gives explicit recognition to the importance of individual idiosyncrasies in defining a man, and places the emphasis firmly on a man's personality rather than merely listing his accomplishments. As Plutarch says in the introduction to his Life of Alexander the Great, 'in the most illustrious deeds there is not always a manifestation of virtue and vice, but a slight thing like a phrase or a jest often makes a greater revelation than battles where thousands fall, or the greatest armaments, or sieges of cities'. Thus the individual is recognised as having some value and interest irrespective of the impact of his actions on the broader sweep of history.Under the Roman Empire, the biographical and historiographical traditions converged somewhat, likely due to the nature of government, whereby the state was dominated by a single emperor with totalitarian power and whose character and actions set the tone for the period; Tacitus's History and his Annals, as well as Dio's History contain much of the same material as the biographer Suetonius's Lives of the Twelve Caesars. However, although Tacitus in particular was extremely critical of the regime, his disapproval emerges in subtle characterisation and arrangement of his material, in contrast with Suetonius' vicious authorial comment. Middle Ages and RenaissanceThe Early Middle Ages (AD 400 to 1450) saw a decline in awareness of classical culture. During this time, the only repositories of knowledge and records of early history in Europe was the Roman Catholic Church. Hermits, monks and priests used this historic period to write the first modern biographies. Their subjects were usually restricted to church fathers, martyrs, popes and saints. Their works were meant to be inspirational to people, vehicles for conversion to Christianity. See hagiography. One significant example of biography from this period which does not exactly fit into that mold is the life of Charlemagne as written by his courtier Einhard.By the late Middle Ages, biographies became less church-oriented as biographies of kings, knights and tyrants began to appear. The most famous of these such biographies was 'Le Morte d'Arthur' by Sir Thomas Malory. The book was an account of the life of the fabled King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table.Following Malory, the new emphasis on humanism during the Renaissance promoted a focus on secular subjects such as artists and poets, and encouraged writing in the vernacular. Giorgio Vasari's Lives of the Artists (1550) was a landmark biography focusing on secular lives. Vasari created celebrities of his subjects, as the Lives became an early "best seller." Two other developments are noteworthy: the development of the printing press in the fifteenth century and the gradual increase in literacy.Biographies in the English language began appearing during the reign of Henry VIII. John Foxe’s Acts and Monuments (1563), better known as Foxe's Book of Martyrs, essentially was the first dictionary of biography, followed by Thomas Fuller’s The History of the Worthies of England (1662), with a distinct focus on public life. Modern biographyThe "Golden Age" of English biography emerged in the late eighteenth century, the century in which the terms "biography" and "autobiography" entered the English lexicon. The classic works of the period were Samuel Johnson's Critic material and letting the subject "speak for itself." While Boswell compiled, Samuel Johnson composed. Johnson did not follow a chronological narration of the subject's life but used anecdotes and incidents selectively. Johnson rejected the notion that facts revealed truth. He suggested that biographers should seek their subject in "domestic privacies", to find little known facts or anecdotes which revealed character. (Casper, 1999)The romantic biographers disputed many of Johnson's judgments. Jean Jacques Rousseau's Confessions (1781-88) exploited the romantic point of view and the confessional mode. The tradition of testimony and confession was brought to the New World by Puritan and Quaker memoirists and journal-keepers where the form continued to be influential. Benjamin Franklin's autobiography (1791) would provide the archetype for the American success story. (Stone, 1982) Autobiography would remain an influential form of biographical writing.Generally American biography followed the English model, while incorporating Thomas Carlyle's view that biography was a part of history. Carlyle asserted that the lives of great human beings were essential to understanding society and its institutions. While the historical impulse would remain a strong element in early American biography, American writers carved out their own distinct approach. What emerged was a rather didactic form of biography which sought to shape individual character of the reader in the process of defining national character. (Casper, 1999)The distinction between mass biography and literary biography which had formed by the middle of the nineteenth century reflected a breach between high culture and middle-class culture. This division would endure for the remainder of the century. Biography began to flower thanks to new publishing technologies and an expanding reading public. This revolution in publishing made books available to a larger audience of readers. Almost ten times as many American biographies appeared from 1840 to 1860 than had appeared in the first two decades of the century. In addition, affordable paperback editions of popular biographies were published for the first time. Also, American periodicals began publishing series of biographical sketches. (Casper, 1999) The topical emphasis shifted from republican heroes to self-made men and women.Much of late 19th-century biography remained formulaic. Notably, few autobiographies had been written in the 19th century. The following century witnessed a renaissance of autobiography beginning with Booker T. Washington's, Up From Slavery (1901) and followed by Henry Adams' Education (1907), a chronicle of self-defined failure which ran counter to the predominant American success story. The publication of socially significant autobiographies by both men and women began to flourish. (Stone, 1982)The authority of psychology and sociology was ascendant and would make its mark on the new century’s biographies. (Stone, 1982) The demise of the "great man" theory of history was indicative of the emerging mindset. Human behavior would be explained through Darwinian theories. "Sociological" biographies conceived of their subjects' actions as the result of the environment, and tended to downplay individuality. The development of psychoanalysis led to a more penetrating and comprehensive understanding of the biographical subject, and induced biographers to give more emphasis to childhood and adolescence. Clearly, psychological ideas were changing the way Americans read and wrote biographies, as a culture of autobiography developed in which the telling of one's own story became a form of therapy. (Casper, 1999)The conventional concept of national heroes and narratives of success disappeared in the obsession with psychological explorations of personality. The new school of biography featured iconoclasts, scientific analysts, and fictional biographers. This wave included Lytton Strachey, André Maurois, and Emil Ludwig among others. Strachey's biographies had an influence similar to that which Samuel Johnson had enjoyed earlier. In the 1920s and '30s, biographical writers sought to capitalize on Strachey's popularity and imitate his style. Robert Graves (I, Claudius, 1934) stood out among those following Strachey's model of "debunking biographies." The trend in literary biography was accompanied in popular biography by a sort of "celebrity voyeurism." in the early decades of the century. This latter form's appeal to readers was based on curiosity more than morality or patriotism.By World War I, cheap hard-cover reprints had become popular. The decades of the 1920s witnessed a biographical "boom." In 1929, nearly 700 biographies were published in the United States, and the first dictionary of American biography appeared. In the decade that followed, numerous biographies continued to be published despite the economic depression. They reached a growing audience through inexpensive formats and via public libraries.According to the scholar Caroyln Heilbrun, women's biographies were revolutionized during the second wave of feminist activism in the 1970s. At this time women began to be portrayed more accurately, even if it downplayed the achievements or integrity of a man (Heilbrun 12). Multi-media formsWith the technological advancements created in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, multi-media forms of biography became much more popular than literary forms of personality. The popularity of these forms of biography culminated in the creation of such cable and satellite television networks as A&E, The Biography Channel, The History Channel and History International. Along with documentary film biographies, Hollywood produced numerous commercial films based on the lives of famous people. Also, new web 2.0 applications such as annoknips.com enable users all over the world to compile their own biography and illustrate it with other people's photos.More recently, CD-ROM and online biographies are appearing. Unlike books and films, they often do not tell a chronological story; instead, they are archives of many discrete media elements related to an individual person, including video clips, photographs, and text articles. Media scholar Lev Manovich says that such archives exemplify the database form, allowing users to navigate the materials in many ways (Manovich 220).

Centaur

mucklislockheart@gmail.com (N3Xt G-Nation) — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 03:05:00 +0000

n Greek mythology, the centaurs (from Ancient Greek: Κένταυροι - Kéntauroi) are a race of creatures composed of part human and part horse. In early Attic vase-paintings, they are depicted with the torso of a human joined at the waist to the horse's withers, where the horse's neck would be.This half-human and half-animal composition has led many writers to treat them as liminal beings, caught between the two natures, embodied in contrasted myths, both as the embodiment of untamed nature, as in their battle with the Lapiths, or conversely as teachers, like Chiron.The centaurs were usually said to have been born of Ixion and Nephele (the cloud made in the image of Hera). Another version, however, makes them children of a certain Centaurus, who mated with the Magnesian mares. This Centaurus was either the son of Ixion and Nephele (instead of the Centaurs) or of Apollo and Stilbe, daughter of the river god Peneus. In the latter version of the story his twin brother was Lapithus, ancestor of the Lapiths, thus making the two warring peoples cousins.Centaurs were said to have inhabited the region of Magnesia and Mount Pelion in Thessaly, Mount Pholoe in Arcadia and the Malean peninsula in southern Laconia.CentauromachyPainting by Sebastiano Ricci, of centaurs at the marriage of Pirithous, king of the LapithaeThe Centaurs are best known for their fight with the Lapithae, caused by their attempt to carry off Hippodamia and the rest of the Lapith women, on the day of her marriage to Pirithous, king of the Lapithae, himself the son of Ixion. The strife among these cousins is a metaphor for the conflict between the lower appetites and civilized behavior in humankind. Theseus, a hero and founder of cities, who happened to be present, threw the balance in favour of the right order of things, and assisted Pirithous. The Centaurs were driven off or destroyed.[1][2][3] Another Lapith hero, Caeneus, who was invulnerable to weapons, was beaten into the earth by Centaurs wielding rocks and the branches of trees. Centaurs are thought of in many Greek myths as wild as untamed horses. Like the Titanomachy, the defeat of the Titans by the Olympian gods, the contests with the Centaurs typify the struggle between civilization and barbarism.The Centauromachy is most famously portrayed in the Parthenon (Elgin Marbles) metopes by Phidias and a Renaissance-era sculpture by Michelangelo.Earliest representationsThe identification of two fragmentary Mycenaean terracotta figures as centaurs, among the extensive Mycenaean pottery found at Ugarit. shows a Bronze Age origin for these creatures of myth.[4] A painted terracotta centaur was found in the "Hero's tomb" at Lefkandi, and by the Geometric period, centaurs figure among the first representational figures painted on Greek pottery. An often-published Geometric period bronze of a warror face-to-face with a centaur is at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.[5]Theories of originCentaur carrying off a nymph by Laurent Marqueste, marble, 1892, Tuileries Palace, Paris.The most common theory holds that the idea of centaurs came from the first reaction of a non-riding culture, as in the Minoan Aegean world, to nomads who were mounted on horses. The theory goes that such riders would appear as half-man, half-animal (Bernal Díaz del Castillo reported that the Aztecs had this misapprehension about Spanish cavalrymen).[6] Horse taming and horseback culture arose first in the southern steppe grasslands of Central Asia, perhaps approximately in modern Kazakhstan.The Lapith tribe of Thessaly, who were the kinsmen of the Centaurs in myth, were described as the inventors of horse-back riding by Greek writers. The Thessalian tribes also claimed their horse breeds were descended from the centaurs.Of the various Classical Greek authors who mentioned centaurs, Pindar was the first who describes undoubtedly a combined monster. Previous authors (Homer, etc.) only use words such as Pheres (Beasts) that could also mean ordinary savage men riding ordinary horses. However, contemporaneous representations of hybrid centaurs can be found in archaic Greek art.Lucretius in his 1st century BC philosophical poem On the Nature of Things denied the existence of centaurs based on their differing rate of growth. He states that at three years old horses are in the prime of their life while at three humans are still little more than babies, making hybrid animals impossible.[7]Writer Robert Graves has speculated that the Centaurs of Greek myth were a dimly-remembered, pre-Hellenic fraternal earth cult who had the horse as a totem.[citation needed] A similar theory was incorporated into Mary Renault's The Bull from the Sea.The Greek word kentauros could be etymologized as ken - tauros = "piercing bull". Another possible etymology can be "bulls slayer". Some say that the Greeks took the constellation of Centaurus, and also its name "piercing bull", from Mesopotamia, where it symbolized the god Baal who represents rain and fertility, fighting with and piercing with his horns the demon Mot who represents the summer drought. (In Greece, Mot became the constellation of Lupus.) Later in Greece, the constellation of Centaurus was reinterpreted as a man riding a horse, and linked to legends of Greece being invaded by tribes of horsemen from the north. The idea of a combined monster may have arisen as an attempt to fit the pictorial figure to the stars better.Alexander Hislop in his book The Two Babylons theorized that the word is derived from the Semitic Kohen and "tor" (to go round) via phonetic shift the less prominent consonants being lost over time, with it developing into Khen Tor or Ken-Tor, and being transliterated phonetically into Ionian as Kentaur.Female centaursThough female centaurs, called Kentaurides, are not mentioned in early Greek literature and art, they do appear occasionally in later antiquity. A Macedonian mosaic of the C4th BC[8] is one of the earliest examples of the Centauress in art. Ovid[9] also mentions a centauress named Hylonome who committed suicide when her lover Cyllarus was killed in the war with the Lapiths.In a description of a painting in Neapolis, the Greek rhetorician Philostratus the Elder describes them as sisters and wives of the male centaurs who live on Mount Pelion with their children. "How beautiful the Centaurides are, even where they are horses; for some grow out of white mares, others are attached to chestnut mares, and the coats of others are dappled, but they glisten like those of horses that are well cared for. There is also a white female Centaur that grows out of a black mare, and the very opposition of the colours helps to produce the united beauty of the whole."[10]In the Disney Classic Fantasia, during the Pastoral Symphony, some of the main characters are female centaurs. However, the Disney studio called them "Centaurettes" instead of Kentaurides.[edit] Persistence in the medieval worldPrince Bova fights Polkan in an 1860 Russian lubokCentaurs preserved a Dionysian connection in the 12th century Romanesque carved capitals of Mozac Abbey in the Auvergne, where other capitals depict harvesters, boys riding goats (a further Dionysiac theme) and griffins guarding the chalice that held the wine.A centaur-like half-human half-equine creature called Polkan (Russian: Полкан) appeared in Slavic mythology, folk art, and lubok prints of the 17th-19th centuries. Modern dayThe John C. Hodges library at The University of Tennessee hosts a permanent exhibit of a "Centaur from Volos", in its library. The exhibit, made by combining a study human skeleton with the skeleton of a Shetland pony is entitled "Do you believe in Centaurs?" and was meant to mislead students in order to make them more critically aware, according to the exhibitors.[11]A centaur is one of the symbols associated with both the Iota Phi Theta and the Delta Lambda Phi fraternities. Whereas centaurs in Greek mythology were generally symbolic of chaos and unbridled passions, Delta Lambda Phi's centaur is modeled after Chiron and represents honor, moderation and tempered masculinity.The British rock singer Roger Daltrey is depicted as a classic centaur on the cover of his album Ride a Rock Horse. FictionCentaurs have appeared in many places in modern fiction, and may be regarded as a fantasy trope. In modern literature there are very different views of centaurs that vary with the author.Eoin Colfer's Artemis Fowl series features Foaly, one of the heroes, and the most intelligent centaur on and under the Earth.In J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series centaurs are aggressive creatures that live in the Forbidden Forest. The centaurs tend to be violent if people intrude on their territory. They study the stars and planets, and can also sometimes see the future - although they may speak in very indirect and ambiguous terms about it.In C. S. Lewis's The Chronicles of Narnia, centaurs are noble, loyal, and brave. They help Aslan's army fight against the White Witch, in "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe," but they gain a more prominent role in the second book, "Prince Caspian" where a centaur named Glenstorm (who also studies the stars and reads the future) is an important character.In Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson & The Olympians series centaurs are friendly and help Camp Half Blood against the attacks of Kronos and Luke.The American poet May Swenson wrote a poem called "The Centaur," which appeared in her book A Cage of Spines in 1958, and which portrays a girl riding a make-believe horse (actually a willow branch) who comes to feel that she is the horse.In the series Kamen Rider Faiz, Kiba's Orphenoch alter ego can assume a centuar-like form.In the seriers Mahou Sentai Magiranger, Wolzard can combine with Barikion to become Wol-Kentaurus.FilmCentaurs, among many other fantastic creatures, played a key role in one of the animated shorts from The Walt Disney Company's Fantasia (The Pastoral Symphony). Among them were the typical white, bay, and chestnut centaurs, along with various unnatural colors, and also a pair of "Nubian" centaurs which were dark-skinned and Zebra.Centaurs have appeared in the Harry Potter film series and in The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe as well as in The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian. GamesCentaurs are common characters in the Shining series of games by SEGA.Tomb Raider and Lara Croft Tomb Raider: Anniversary both feature centaurs and centaur mutants as foe.The Mortal Kombat character Motaro is the leader of his centaur race.World of Warcraft Centaurs are depicted as the savage children of CenariusIn Guild Wars, Centaurs are a common enemy for a player to face. In the Nightfall Campaign, players may recruit a Centaur Hero named Zhed Shadowhoof.Centaur Man is a Robot Master in Mega Man 6. He appears as a light-green robotic Centaur with the ability to freeze his enemies and teleport around the room.Centaurs frequently appear in the video game series Heroes of Might and Magic as soldiers of the forests.Centaurs are enemies in Titan Quest.In the 2008 game Fallout 3, centaurs are radiated human enemies who have sprouted 6 arms and a tongue that attacks the player

Bloody Mary

mucklislockheart@gmail.com (N3Xt G-Nation) — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 12:40:00 +0000

Bloody Mary is a ghost or witch featured in Western folklore. She is said to appear in a mirror when her name is called three times (or sometimes more, depending upon the version of the story), often as part of a game at slumber parties. Other very similar tales use different names for the character including Mary Worth, Mary Worthington, and Hell Mary among others.OverviewIn folklore and children's street culture, "Bloody Mary" is a game in which a ghost of the same name (or sometimes other names, such as "Mary Worth") is said to appear in a mirror when her name is stated three times, though there are many variations. Other variations say that the querent must not look directly at her, but at her image in the mirror; she will then reveal the querent's future, particularly concerning marriage and children.Bloody Mary is typically described as a child-murderer who lived in the local city where the legend has taken root years ago. On the other hand, various people have surmised that the lore about taunting Bloody Mary about her baby may relate her tenuously to folklore about Queen Mary I, known in history by the sobriquet "Bloody Mary". The queen's life was marked by a number of miscarriages or false pregnancies. Speculation exists that the miscarriages were deliberately induced. As a result, some retellings of the tale make Bloody Mary the queen driven to madness by the loss of her children. It is likely, however, that Queen Mary I provided only her nickname to the Bloody Mary of folklore. She is also confused in some tellings of the story with Mary Queen of Scots.Cultural referencesThe legend of Bloody Mary has served as inspiration for movies and television shows dealing with the supernatural In 2008, for its annual "Halloween Horror Nights" events, Universal Studios Florida developed a new variation of the legend. In their version, "Mary" was a doctor who studied fear by exposing her patients to the thing they feared the most. During the experiments, Mary would sit behind a one-way mirror; the patients would shout her name three times when they wanted the experiment to end.

Phoenix

mucklislockheart@gmail.com (N3Xt G-Nation) — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 12:35:00 +0000

The phoenix (Ancient Greek: Φοῖνιξ, phoínix) is a mythical sacred firebird in ancient mythologies mentioned in the Egyptian and later the Phoenician and the Greek Mythology.ContentsAppearance and AbilitiesA phoenix is a mythical bird with a tail of beautiful gold and red plumage (or purple and blue, by some sources [1]). It has a 600-800 year life-cycle, near the end of which it builds itself a nest of cinnamon twigs that it then ignites; both nest and bird burn fiercely and are reduced to ashes, from which a new, young phoenix or phoenix egg arises, reborn anew to live again. The new phoenix is destined to live as long as its old self. In some stories, the new phoenix embalms the ashes of its old self in an egg made of myrrh and deposits it in the Egyptian city of Heliopolis (sun city in Greek). The bird was also said to regenerate when hurt or wounded by a foe, thus being almost immortal and invincible — it is also said that it can heal a person with a tear from its eyes and make them temporarily immune to death; It is a symbol of fire and divinity.[2] HistoryAlthough descriptions (and life-span) vary, the Egyptian phoenix (Bennu bird) became popular in early Catholic art, literature and Catholic symbolism, as a symbol of Christ representing His resurrection, immortality, and life-after-death. One of the Early Catholic Church Fathers, Clement, related the following regarding the Phoenix in chapter 25 of The First Epistle of Clement: Let us consider that wonderful sign [of the resurrection] which takes place in Eastern lands, that is, in Arabia and the countries round about. There is a certain bird which is called a phoenix. This is the only one of its kind, and lives five hundred years. And when the time of its dissolution draws near that it must die, it builds itself a nest of frankincense, and myrrh, and other spices, into which, when the time is fulfilled, it enters and dies. But as the flesh decays a certain kind of worm is produced, which, being nourished by the juices of the dead bird, brings forth feathers. Then, when it has acquired strength, it takes up that nest in which are the bones of its parent, and bearing these it passes from the land of Arabia into Egypt, to the city called Heliopolis. And, in open day, flying in the sight of all men, it places them on the altar of the sun, and having done this, hastens back to its former abode. The priests then inspect the registers of the dates, and find that it has returned exactly as the five hundredth year was completed.The phoenix on top of Kinkaku-ji temple, Kyoto, JapanMichael W. Holmes points out that early Christian writers justified their use of this myth because the word appears in Psalm 92:12 [LXX Psalm 91:13], but in that passage it actually refers to a palm tree, not a mythological bird.[3] However, it was the flourishing of Christian Hebraist interpretations of Job 29:18 that brought the Joban phoenix to life for Christian readers of the seventeenth century. At the heart of these interpretations is the proliferation of richly complementary meanings that turn upon three translations of the word chol -- as phoenix, palm tree, or sand -- in Job 29:18." [4]Originally, the phoenix was identified by the Egyptians as a stork or heron-like bird called a benu, known from the Book of the Dead and other Egyptian texts as one of the sacred symbols of worship at Heliopolis, closely associated with the rising sun and the Egyptian sun-god Ra.The Greeks identified it with their own word phoenix φοίνιξ, meaning the color purple-red or crimson (cf. Phoenicia). They and the Romans subsequently pictured the bird more like a peacock or an eagle. According to the Greeks the phoenix lived in Phoenicia next to a well. At dawn, it bathed in the water of the well, and the Greek sun-god Helios stopped his chariot (the sun) in order to listen to its song. Featured in the painting Heracles Strangles Snakes (House of the Vettii, Pompeii Italy) as Zeus, the king of the gods.One inspiration that has been suggested for the Egyptian phoenix is the flamingo of East Africa. This bright pink or white bird nests on salt flats that are too hot for its eggs or chicks to survive; it builds a mound several inches tall and large enough to support its egg, which it lays in that marginally cooler location. The convection currents around these mounds resembles the turbulence of a flame. In zoology, flamingos are part of the family Phoenicopteridae, from the generic name Phoenicopterus or "phoenix-winged."Some medieval Jewish commentators comment upon the Hebrew word Hol (חול) in the biblical book of Job ("...Then I said, I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiply my days as the sand (Hol)...", Job 29:18, the King James translation) as referring to phoenix[citation needed]."Phoenix" is also the English-language name given to the most important bird in Chinese mythology, the fenghuang, with its own set of characteristics and symbolic meanings. Related usagePhoenix on the portal of Nadir Divan-Beghi madrasah (part of Lyab-i Hauz complex)In Persian mythology, Si'morgh, (Persian: سيمرغ, Middle Persian: senmurv) was a winged, bird-like creature that was very large and extremely ancient. The Simurgh appears in many Iranian literary classics such as Farid ud-Din Attar's Conference of the Birds as instructor and birds leader, and in Ferdowsi's epic Shahnameh (The Book of Kings); Phoenix raised up and cherished Zaal or Zal, father of Rostam.The phoenix is a central figure in Lebanese ancient and modern cultures, as Lebanese are descendants of the Phoenicians and often claim themselves sons of the Phoenix.[citation needed] Lebanon, and Beirut particularly, is often depicted symbolically as a phoenix bird having been destroyed and rebuilt 7 times during its long history.The phoenix in the Forbidden City, Beijing, China.In China, Fenghuang ("鳳凰") is a mythical bird superficially similar to the phoenix. It is the second most-respected legendary creature (second to the dragon), largely used to represent the empress and females. The phoenix is the leader of birds. In Japan, the phoenix is called hō-ō(kanji:"鳳凰") or fushichō (不死鳥, fushichō?); "Immortal Bird".In Russian folklore, the phoenix appears as the Zhar-Ptitsa (Жар-Птица), or firebird, subject of the famous 1910 ballet score by Igor Stravinsky. The phoenix was featured in the flags of Alexander Ypsilantis and of many other captains during the Greek Revolution, symbolizing Greece's rebirth, and was chosen by John Capodistria as the first Coat of Arms of the Greek State (1828-1832). In addition, the first modern Greek currency bore the name of phoenix. Despite being replaced by a royal Coat of Arms, it remained a popular symbol, and was used again in the 1930s by the Second Hellenic Republic. However, its use by the military junta of 1967-1974 made it extremely unpopular, and it has almost disappeared from use after 1974, with the notable exception of the Greek Order of the Phoenix).In Jewish folklore, it is said that the phoenix was the only animal not to join Adam in his banishment from the Garden of Eden.

Pegasus

mucklislockheart@gmail.com (N3Xt G-Nation) — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 12:29:00 +0000

Pegasus (pronounced /ˈpɛɡəsəs/) is a constellation in the northern sky, named after the winged horse Pegasus in Greek mythology. It was one of the 48 constellations listed by the 1st century] astronomer Ptolemy, and remains one of the 88 modern constellations.Notable features Starsα Peg (Markab), β Peg, and γ Peg, together with α Andromedae (Alpheratz or Sirrah) form the large asterism known as the Square of Pegasus. 51 Pegasi, a star in this constellation, is the first Sun-like star known to have an extrasolar planet. IK Pegasi is the nearest supernova candidate. Spectroscopic analysis of HD 209458 b, an extrasolar planet in this constellation has provided the first evidence of atmospheric water vapor beyond the solar system, while extrasolar planets orbiting the star HR 8799 also in Pegasus are the first to be directly imaged. Named Stars Bayer designation Name Origin Meaning α Markab Arabic the saddle of the horse β Scheat Arabic the leg γ Algenib Arabic the flank ε Enif Arabic nose ζ Homam Arabic man of high spirit η Matar Arabic lucky star of rain θ Baham Arabic the livestocks μ Sadalbari Arabic luck star of the splendid one Deep sky objects * M15 - a globular cluster near the nose (ε Peg) of Pegasus. * NGC 7742 - a Type 2 Seyfert galaxy. VisualizationsPegasus is dominated by an asterism in the shape of a rough square, although one of the stars, Delta Pegasi or Sirrah, is now officially considered to be part of Andromeda, (α Andromedae) and is more usually called "Alpheratz."Diagram of H.A. Rey's alternate way to connect the stars in the constellation Pegasus, showing it as a winged horse.H.A. Rey has suggested an alternate way to connect the stars into the shape of a winged horse. The body of the horse consists of a quadrilateral formed by the stars α Peg, β Peg, γ Peg, and α And. The front legs of the winged horse are formed by two crooked lines of stars, one leading from η Peg to κ Peg and the other from μ Peg to 1 Pegasi. Another crooked line of stars from α Peg via θ Peg to ε Peg forms the neck and head; ε is the snout.

Meteor Showers

mucklislockheart@gmail.com (N3Xt G-Nation) — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 12:22:00 +0000

Meteor showers, some of which are known as a "meteor storms," or "meteor outbursts," are celestial events in which a number of meteors are observed to radiate from one point in the sky. These meteors are small fragments of cosmic debris entering Earth's atmosphere at extremely high speed. They vaporize due to friction with the air, leaving a streak of light that usually very quickly disappears. For bodies with a size scale larger than the atmospheric mean free path (10 cm to several metres) this visible light is due to the heat produced by the ram pressure (not friction, as is commonly assumed) of atmospheric entry. Most of the small fragments of cosmic debris are smaller than a grain of sand, so almost all fragments disintegrate and never hit the earth's surface. Fragments which do contact Earth's surface are called meteorites.The causes of meteor showersComet Encke's meteoroid trail is the diagonal red glowMeteoroid trail between fragments of Comet 73PA meteor shower is the result of an interaction between a planet, such as Earth, and a comet.Comets may be considered to be "dirty snowballs," made up of rock embedded in ice, orbiting the Sun. The "ice" may be water, methane, ammonia, or othr volatiles, alone or in combination. The "rock" may vary in size from that of a dust mote to that of a mountain. Dust mote sized solids are orders of magnitude more common than those the size of sand grains, which, in turn, are similarly more common than those the size of pebbles, and so on.Each time a comet swings by the Sun in its orbit, some of its ice vapourises and a certain amount of debris, or cometary fragments, may be shed. As the debris streams from the comet, it forms the comet's visible tail. The solid pieces of debris are a form of meteoroid. The meteoroids spread out along the entire orbit of the comet to form a meteoroid "stream." As the Earth orbits the Sun, its orbit sometimes takes us through a meteoroid stream and a meteor shower ensues. The meteoroids encounter Earth's atmosphere at high speed. As the meteoroids streak through the atmosphere, ram pressure causes the particles to burn and incandesce, forming meteors. When the meteoroid stream is particularly dense, we occasionally see a spectacular "meteor storm." The comets that spawn most known meteor showers have been identified.in the 1890s, Irish astronomer George Johnstone Stoney (1826-1911) and British astronomer Arthur Matthew Weld Downing (1850-1917), were apparently the first to offer the idea of a meteoroid stream or trail, when they calculated how meteroids, once freed from the comet and traveling at low speeds relative to the comet, would drift mostly in front of or behind the comet after completing one orbit. The same idea was independently arrived at by Adolf Berberich of the Königliches Astronomisches Rechen Institut (Royal Astronomical Computation Institute) in Berlin, Germany. The effect is simple orbital mechanics - the material drifts only a little laterally away from the comet while drifting ahead or behind the comet because some particles make a wider orbit than others.[1] These dust trails are sometimes observed in comet images taken at mid infrared wavelengths (heat radiation), where dust particles from the previous return to the Sun are spread along the orbit of the comet (see figures).The gravitational pull of the planets determines where the dust trail would pass by Earth orbit, much like a gardener directing a hose to water a distant plant. Most years, those trails would miss the Earth altogether, but in some years the Earth is showered by meteors.In 1985, E. D. Kondrat'eva and E. A. Reznikov of Kazan State University first correctly identified the years when dust was released responsible for several past Leonid meteor storms. In anticipation of the 1999 Leonid storm, Robert H. McNaught[2] David Asher,[3] and Finland's Esko Lyytinen were the first to apply this method in the West.[4][5] Peter Jenniskens has published predictions for future dust trail encounters, resulting in "meteor storms" or "meteor outbursts" for the next 50 years.[6]Over longer periods of time, the dust trails can evolve in complicated ways. One effect is that the orbits of some repeating comets, and meteoroids leaving them, are in resonant orbits with Jupiter or one of the other large planets - so many revolutions of one will equal another number of revolutions of the other. So over time since Jupiter will have the same relative position intermittently and it will tend to pull meteoroids into keeping that relative position. This creates a shower component called a "filament."A second effect is a close encounter with a planet. When the meteoroids pass by Earth, some are accelerated (making wider orbits), others are decelerated (making shorter orbits), resulting in gaps in the dust trail in the next return (like opening a curtain, with grains piling up at the beginning and end of the gap). Also, Jupiter's perturbation can change sections of the dust trail dramatically, especially for short period comets, when the grains approach the big planet at their furthest point along the orbit around the Sun, moving most slowly. As a result, the trail has a clumping, a braiding or a tangling of crescents, of each individual release of material.The third effect is that of radiation pressure which will push less massive particles into orbits further from the sun - while more massive objects (responsible for bolides or fireballs) will tend to be affected less by radiation pressure. This makes some dust trail encounters rich in bright meteors, others rich in faint meteors. Over time, these effects disperse the meteoroids and create a broader stream. The meteors we see from these streams are part of annual showers, because Earth encounters those streams every year at much the same rate.When the meteoroids collide with other meteoroids in the zodiacal cloud, they lose their stream association and become part of the "sporadic meteors" background. Long since dispersed from any stream or trail, they form isolated meteors, not a part of any shower. These random meteors will not appear to come from the radiant of the main shower. The radiant pointBecause meteor shower particles are all traveling in parallel paths, and at the same velocity, they will all appear to an observer below to radiate away from a single point in the sky. This radiant point is caused by the effect of perspective, similar to railroad tracks converging at a single vanishing point on the horizon when viewed from the middle of the tracks. Meteor showers are almost always named after the constellation from which the meteors appear to originate. This "fixed point" slowly moves across the sky during the night due to the Earth turning on its axis, the same reason the stars appear to slowly march across the sky. The radiant also moves slightly from night to night against the background stars (radiant drift) due to the Earth moving in its orbit around the sun. See "IMO" Meteor Shower Calendar 2007 (International Meteor Organization) for maps of drifting "fixed points."[edit] Notable meteor showers Perseid and Leonid meteor showersThe most visible meteor shower in most years are the Perseids, which peak on August 12th of each year at over 1 meteor a minute.The most spectacular meteor shower is probably the Leonids, the King of Meteor Showers[7] which peaks on a day near 17 November. Approximately every 33 years the Leonid shower produces a "meteor storm" with hundreds of thousands of meteors per hour. These Leonid storms gave birth to the term "meteor shower" since most meteor showers produce only a few meteors per hour, rarely producing as many as one meteor every 30 seconds. The last two massive Leonid storms were in 1933 and 1966. The anticipated storm of 1999 was much less spectacular. When the Leonid shower is not storming it is less active than the Perseids. Extraterrestrial meteor showersAny other solar system body with a reasonably transparent atmosphere can also have meteor showers. For instance, Mars is known to have meteor showers,[10] although these are different from the ones seen on Earth because the different orbits of Mars and Earth intersect orbits of comets in different ways.Although the Martian atmosphere has less than one percent of the density of Earth's at ground level, at their upper edges, where meteoroids strike, the two are more similar. Because of the similar air pressure at altitudes for meteors, the effects are much the same. Only the relatively slower motion of the meteoroids due to increased distance from the sun should marginally decrease meteor brightness. This is somewhat balanced in that the slower descent means that Martian meteors have more time in which to ablate.[11]On March 7, 2004, the panoramic camera on Mars Exploration Rover Spirit recorded a streak which is now believed to have been caused by a meteor from a Martian meteor shower associated with comet 114P/Wiseman-Skiff. A strong display from this shower is expected on December 20, 2007. Other showers speculated about are a "Lambda Geminid" shower associated with the Eta Aquarids of Earth (ie both associated with Comet 1P/Halley), a "Beta Canis Major" shower associated with Comet 13P/Olbers, and "Draconids" from 5335 Damocles.[12]