7 Things you need to know BEFORE you buy LIFE INSURANCE

faris_gntk@yahoo.com — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 04:59:43 PDT

The delivery of TAX-FREE LIFE INSURANCE proceeds is one of the most powerful social and economic forces in our country. What a shame that so many people don’t understand or appreciate its value.

As you carefully read this post, you’ll be better able to make wise and forward-thinking decisions regarding your LIFE INSURANCE.

By far and without exception, a life insurance claim is the most sobering and rewarding aspect of my profession as an insurance agent.
Sobering in that it reminds me of the brevity of this life and the certainty that it will end for all of us… eventually.
Rewarding because it’s an opportunity for me to deliver: A stay-at-home mother to children and the promise of a quality education for them, a paid-for house and a debt-free existence to the family, or a comfortable retirement for a weary widow.

It’s ONLY with the incredible power of LIFE INSURANCE that these are possible. When it comes time for you to consider this valuable cornerstone to your financial plan, you’ll want to make some very informed and calculated decisions.

Let me walk you thru some of them to help you make the ones that are best for you.
If you’ve read any of our other reports, you’ll know that even though insurance has been part of our culture for over 100 years, to most people – It’s still a just a mystery. And because they don’t understand it, a lot of people think they’re being “ripped off” by the Insurance Industry; aka “The Club”
I want to end that for you.

I'm an industry "insider": A licensed member of “The Club”
I’ve been inside the insurance business for over 25 years and I know it like the back of my hand: From policy to claims and back again.
I've sold insurance. I've bought Insurance.
I've studied it and I've learned that there's "good insurance" -- and there's "not-so-good insurance".
All insurance is "created equal".
Let’s take a quick trip with your imagination.

Picture yourself gone. Yes, I mean GONE, gone! Kind of morbid, I know. So if it makes it easier, go ahead and picture your exit as some grand, heroic or adventurous one. Maybe you went out skydiving or chasing wild horses in Wyoming. Or possibly you saved some kids from drowning when a school bus plunged into the lake. Either way… you’re gone.

Now -- Just ask yourself a few of simple questions.
Are there some bills left to pay? Funeral? Credit cards? Maybe a car? Or possibly a gambling tab out at Viejas Casino?

Is someone going to suffer without your income?

Is there anything to which you’d like to leave a legacy? Possibly you’d like to start a scholarship fund for some special group or just kids who need it. Maybe you’d like to have a small part of funding Meals-on-Wheels or grant some wishes come true through Make A Wish Foundation. Or maybe you’d like to leave something for your church. The possibilities are really endless.

If you answered yes or will be answering yes to any of those in your future, then LIFE INSURANCE is something you should seriously consider.

LIFE INSURANCE IS USUALLY THE LEAST EXPENSIVE WAY TO PAY FOR ANY OF THE ABOVE ITEMS.

“How is that possible?” you ask.
Life insurance dollars come to your beneficiaries costing just pennies on the dollar. Here's how it works... Dollars you earn and have put into savings, on the other hand, cost MORE THAN A DOLLAR for every dollar you receive. You work; you get taxes taken out of your pay. Every dollar you spend really costs you about $1.27 to get after you’ve paid the tax man. Life insurance, on the other hand, is ALWAYS delivered for just a fraction of a dollar! You may pay $500 per year for $100,000 of insurance. You may have it for 25 years before you die. $500 x 25 years is only $12,500, yet the policy will pay $100.000. You've paid only 12.5 cents for every dollar of benefit.

I think I know what you’re thinking about this point.
You’re thinking of all the hassle it is to decide what kind and how much and then complete the application and then to get the physical (often you DON’T need one) and then on and on and on…

I know how you can quickly get past all that…
In reality, it only takes about an hour. You can just skim this report to get an overview of what you need to be thinking about and then if you’d like…JUST CALL ME.
I’ll likely take about 10 minutes of your time on the phone to see where you’re at and then, if you’re ready, we’ll set a time to get together. If you just want the information for future reference, that's fine too. It’s really pretty simple and I’LL DO MOST OF THE WORK FOR YOU.

A world-renowned university

faris_gntk@yahoo.com — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 04:58:33 PDT

UC Davis is one of the nation's top public-research universities, with a tradition of service to the region, nation and the world. UC Davis, which celebrated its centennial in 2008, is a pioneer in interdisciplinary problem-solving. Its four colleges, five professional schools, more than 100 academic majors and 86 graduate programs provide a comprehensive, rigorous and research-based learning environment for students, faculty and researchers. The 30,000-student university has its main campus in the Sacramento Valley, near the state capital and the San Francisco Bay Area.

One of 10 campuses in the University of California system, UC Davis ranks 6th among U.S. universities based on contributions to society (Washington Monthly), 10th in research funding among public universities (National Science Foundation) and 9th among public universities nationwide and 39th among public and private research universities (U.S. News and World Report's 2011 "America's Best Colleges"). It is one of 62 North American universities admitted into the prestigious Association of American Universities.
UC Davis Health System is one of five health systems within the University of California. It is an integrated, academic health system consisting of the UC Davis School of Medicine, the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing, the 613-bed, acute-care hospital and clinical services of UC Davis Medical Center, and the 800-member physician group known as UC Davis Medical Group. The health system also includes a National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center, a comprehensive children's hospital and a Level I trauma center. In 2007, the health system was named as one of the 100 most highly integrated health networks in the United States.

UC Davis School of Medicine is ranked 44th among U.S. medical schools in research funding from the National Institutes of Health. It is ranked by U.S. News and World Report among the top 50 medical schools in the nation for both primary care and research. The school operates the largest family nurse practitioner and physician assistant training program in California.
UC Davis Medical Center serves as a clinical training site for health-care professionals, including physicians, nurses, pharmacists, radiological technicians, medical transcriptionists and others. The medical center's all-R.N. nursing staff is one of the most highly regarded in the nation, and is distinguished by its peer/partner relationship with medical staff. Nurses are encouraged and given assistance to seek advanced degrees. They also are encouraged to design, conduct and publish their own research studies, reflecting the health system's commitment to academically rigorous, evidence-based health care.
The health system maintains the historic UC Davis campus tradition of being guided by public service in all of its endeavors: research, care and education. The health system has a reputation for encouraging students to cross traditional dividing lines among departments, divisions and programs, emphasizing teamwork, partnerships and interdisciplinary collaboration.
Faculty, researchers and students have scores of collaborative relationships, not only among units within the health system, but also with the university's other colleges and professional schools and outside organizations, including:
• UC Davis professional schools, including the School of Education, Graduate School of Management, School of Veterinary Medicine and School of Law, and the colleges of Engineering, Biological Sciences, Letters and Science, and Agriculture and Environmental Sciences.
• California National Primate Research Center
• Shriners' Hospital for Children-Northern California
• Veterans Affairs Northern California Health Care System
• USDA Western Human Nutrition Research Center
• Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
Among the distinguishing features of UC Davis Health System include:
The Center for Health and Technology. This program is a world leader in the use of telecommunications and information technology to improve the availability and delivery of high-quality health care. Its “distance education” program uses interactive technologies to deliver continuing medical education (CME) and continuing nursing education (CNE) to health professionals in remote regions. Consumer health information also is delivered via distance education, with wellness classes in adult and pediatric asthma management, heart disease prevention and prenatal care, among many others.
The Family Nurse Practitioner/Physician Assistant Program. UC Davis has the oldest and largest program of its kind in California, and the only physician assistant program in the UC system and other California public universities. The program is recognized for the excellence of its training, the diversity of its student body, and the placement of graduates in medically underserved areas of California. The program has earned honors from the Song Brown Commission and the California Office of Statewide Health, Planning and Development.
The UC Davis Clinical and Translational Science Center. This is the academic home for innovative and collaborative medical research conducted at UC Davis and its many institutional and community partners. The center expedites the translation and integration of science from a variety of disciplines into discoveries and treatments that benefit society. Established with a Clinical and Translational Science Award from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the center is transforming how scientists and clinicians are trained and how they conduct clinical and translational research so that new treatments reach patients more quickly.

Stanford experts: how 9/11 has changed the world
Never-ending war? A new "greatest generation?" A professor whose 3-year-old son is on the government's watchlist? Six Stanford experts talk about the world since that terrible day a decade ago.
BY CYNTHIA HAVEN
As we approach the 10th anniversary of the al-Qaeda attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, the Stanford News Service posed this question to a series of Stanford experts: "How has the world changed as a result of 9/11?" Their insightful answers are below.
Robert Crews
Robert Crews, expert on Muslim networks
The most striking change has been the emergence in the United States of a garrison mentality. In the name of security, Washington embarked in 2001 on a course of open-ended war. Politicians have called intervention in Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, Yemen and Libya essential to America's safety. Yet the military has shouldered this burden alone. Meanwhile, these policies have brought death to hundreds of thousands of Iraqis and tens of thousands of Afghans. A perpetual state of chaos reigns.
The United States is more intolerant and less curious about the world beyond the walls of the garrison. State legislatures have introduced harsh legislation against immigrants and demonized Islam. Few question Guantanamo – or a U.S. prison population of more than 2.2 million. Study of foreign language, history, literature, and the arts – knowledge that might inform a dialogue with the "barbarians" – is mostly ignored. Huddled in their insular world, Americans imagine that technology – drones, computers and smartphones – will make the world safer for them, no matter what the costs for foreign civilians. Delusion has followed tragedy in the garrison state.
Robert Crews, the director of Stanford's Center for Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies, is the author of For Prophet and Tsar: Islam and Empire in Russia and Central Asia.
________________________________________
Priya Satia
Priya Satia, expert on war, technology and culture
My 3-year-old is on a Department of Homeland Security blacklist. The problem is his blessing of a name: Kabir. Kabir is Arabic for "great," but the name has a special significance on the Indian subcontinent, where it refers to a medieval mystic poet beloved by Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs. But the DHS is, alas, deaf, dumb and blind to such cultural subtleties and the syncretism they capture – and, apparently, to age. So, last week when we flew from Delhi to San Francisco, Kabir underwent special screenings and pat-downs, although his unruly tresses produced some confusion about his gender in addition to the concern with his possible involvement with an unspecified terrorist network. Once I clarify his status with the DHS, his name will not be simply struck from the blacklist but will be included in another list – individuals who sound like they might be terrorists but are not. The world has indeed changed since 9/11.
In other ways, however, our times uncannily echo past eras. The reliance on covert aerial policing; military occupations that deny their own existence; and a democratic polity sufficiently appeased by the discretion with which occupation and counter-insurgency are pursued – these were features of the interwar British occupation of the Middle East, too. But alongside the global enmities produced by 9/11 – the world of "us" versus "them" – the past decade has also unleashed the power of new forms of social communication and media. It is difficult to judge which aspects of our changed world – for instance, the unanticipated flowering of political protest from Egypt to Israel to India – are rooted in the newly wired world and which in the atavistic binaries that structure the U.S. government's post-9/11 understanding of the planet. For us, 9/11 might be everything, but as so many of these protestors have shown, the real story is at once more local and more global – those old demons of economic inequality and political exclusion.
Priya Satia, an assistant professor of history, is the author of Spies in Arabia: The Great War and the Cultural Foundations of Britain's Covert Empire in the Middle East.
________________________________________
John Taylor
John Taylor, economist and government adviser
Ten years after 9/11 we now have a "new greatest generation" of Americans on the scene and ready to lead. It includes, of course, all the post 9/11 Afghanistan and Iraq veterans to whom Time Magazine dedicates its cover this week. Fifty-one have enrolled at Stanford with more to come. As [Stanford President] John Hennessy and [Stanford Provost] John Etchemendy say, "We are honored and proud to have many excellent current students and alumni who have served in the military."
But I see a new greatest generation that also includes equally dedicated civil servants, like those at the U.S. Treasury who froze terrorists' assets after 9/11 or funded new schools in Afghanistan; young entrepreneurs, who through ingenuity and hard work have been developing new products to improve peoples' lives; and the teachers, the doctors, the engineers who are just beginning their careers.
This is the best news and the most promising.
John Taylor, a fellow in economics at the Hoover Institution, served as a member of the President's Council of Economic Advisers from 1989 to 1991 and as under secretary of the treasury for international affairs from 2001 to 2005. He is currently a member of the California Governor's Council of Economic Advisors.
________________________________________
Ali Yaycioglu
Ali Yaycioglu, expert on globalization and economic institutions in the Islamic world
Perhaps the main impact of 9/11 is the consolidation of a conviction that the world is divided by the Western, Islamic, Hindu and East Asian civilizations and there are inherent tensions or clashes among them. Such a perspective, however, not only ignores the interconnectedness of the world through diverse cultural and economic ties but it also overshadows several other categories of understanding human history, such as class, gender and environment. On the other hand, 9/11 and following global violence committed both by the terrorists and the states seeded distrusts and phobia among peoples of the world. This process of distrust has been further strengthened by the consolidation of advance surveillance technologies employed by the states to control their societies and mobility of individuals and ideas. Although we are far from the birth of global civil society that Immanuel Kant once imagined, we should make efforts to challenge the established paradigm of 9/11.
Ali Yaycioglu, an assistant professor of history, is the author of the forthcoming Partners of the Empire: The Rise of Provincial Notables and the Crisis of the Ottoman Order.
________________________________________
Amy Zegart
Amy Zegart, expert on intelligence and security
Osama bin Laden is dead. Yet 10 years after 9/11, it would be dangerous and wrong to think that the terrorist threat is behind us. Violent Islamist extremism comes from many places, not just the 50-100 core al-Qaeda fighters holed up along the Af/Pak border. The years 2009 and 2010 have seen a spike in plots against the U.S. homeland. Nearly all of them have come from radicalized homegrown terrorists or "franchise" groups with loose and murky ties to the core al-Qaeda organization. In addition, WMD terrorism remains a haunting future possibility. And the FBI has not made the leap from crime-fighting to intelligence. FBI analysts, whose work is vital to connect dots and protect lives, are still treated like second-class citizens – labeled "support staff" alongside janitors and secretaries, and relegated to middle and lower rungs of the bureaucracy. So long as FBI analysts are treated like second-class citizens, Americans will get second-class security. These three factors – diversification of the terrorist threat, the potential to combine destructive motives with devastating weapons and the FBI's continued weaknesses – suggest that the future may not be any safer than the past.
Amy Zegart is a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution and an affiliated faculty member at the Center for International Security and Cooperation. She is the author of the forthcoming book, Eyes on Spies: Congress and the United States Intelligence Community.
________________________________________
Lisa Blaydes
Lisa Blaydes, an expert on Middle Eastern politics and the dynamics of authoritarianism
[The events of] 9/11 made it increasingly clear that the grievances of citizens in the Islamic world – legitimate or falsely constructed – impact not just Muslim populations but also residents of Western democracies. Since 2001, survey researchers began taking a much greater interest in understanding how Muslims view religion and extremism, Americans and U.S. policy, as well as Muslim attitudes toward democracy. What we have come to know is that citizens of Muslim-majority countries place tremendous value on democracy as a form of government while simultaneously disliking the way that Western democracies – like the United States – have projected their interests and power in the world.
Lisa Blaydes is an assistant professor of political science. She is the author of this year's Elections and Distributive Politics in Mubarak’s Egypt.
________________________________________
Byron Bland
Byron Bland, international conflict negotiator
Since 9/11, the practice of tolerance has come increasingly under assault. The adage, tolerance is tolerant of everything but intolerance, provides little guidance for dealing with seemingly intolerable threats looming on the horizon. In the post-9/11 world, because what we can afford to tolerate appears much less certain, tolerance must mean more than indifference toward whatever some fool might do or think. Under pressure, it seems that we are tempted to tolerate only those things that we respect. However, if we allow only those things we find meaningful, valuable or comfortable, are we really practicing tolerance?
Tolerance is hard to pin down because it revolves around two distinct and opposing principles: first, the freedom to be different, and, second, a positive regard toward these differences. When these principles conflict, the practice of tolerance suffers if either is allowed to eclipse the other. Take, for instance, the turmoil surrounding the proposal to build a mosque near the World Trade Center Memorial. Tolerance requires that freedom of religion trump apprehensions that non-Muslims may have about Islam. At the same time, unless Muslims who seek to exercise this right also make clear their deep respect for the dignity and worth of every human being regardless of their religion, tolerance will remain superficial and fragile. If tolerance is to flourish, the tension that exists between these two vibrant principles must be not only balanced but continuously cultivated.
Byron Bland is a senior consultant for the Stanford Center on International Conflict and Negotiation and a lecturer at the Stanford Law School. He is currently exploring the social and political dynamics of reconciliation in Northern Ireland. He is also working with community groups and civil leaders in Israel and the West Bank.

Dow tops 9,000 as home sales rise for 3rd month

faris_gntk@yahoo.com — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 19:09:14 PDT

NEW YORK – Investors celebrated news of another jump in home sales by propelling the Dow Jones industrials to their first close above 9,000 since January. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090723/ap_on_bi_st_ma_re/us_wall_street

Obama health plan delayed — trouble ahead?

faris_gntk@yahoo.com — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 19:04:23 PDT

WASHINGTON - Slow down, Senate Democrats told President Barack Obama on Thursday, dashing hopes of rushing his sweeping health care overhaul to a summertime vote and adding to the troubles the plan could face as the year wears on. "That's OK," the president replied gamely. "Just keep working." http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090724/ap_on_go_co/us_health_care_overhaul

AP IMPACT: Cash-strapped states raid 911 funds

faris_gntk@yahoo.com — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 18:53:42 PDT

NEW YORK - More than $200 million collected from cell phone users for upgrades to the 911 system has been diverted in the last two years to plug state budget holes, keep campaign promises and, in at least one case, buy police uniforms, an Associated Press analysis has found.http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090724/ap_on_re_us/us_tec911_fund_raiding

Mass. police 'deeply pained' by Obama's criticism

faris_gntk@yahoo.com — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 18:51:53 PDT

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. - The Cambridge police commissioner says his department is "deeply pained" by President Barack Obama's statement that his officers "acted stupidly" when they arrested a renowned black scholar in his home.

NJ mayors, lawmakers arrested in corruption case

faris_gntk@yahoo.com — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 18:37:24 PDT

EWARK, N.J. - An investigation into the sale of black-market kidneys and fake Gucci handbags evolved into a sweeping probe of political corruption in New Jersey, ensnaring more than 40 people Thursday, including three mayors, two state lawmakers and several rabbis

7m2iua6znr

faris_gntk@yahoo.com — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 10:15:35 PDT

7m2iua6znr

Violet Affleck: Lollipop, Lollipop

faris_gntk@yahoo.com — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 20:29:18 PDT

Violet Affleck licks on a sweet treat as her mom Jennifer Garner takes her to a medical building on Thursday (July 9) in Pacific Palisades, Calif.

Looks like Jen needed to bribe Violet, 3, with a lollipop to get her to go to the doctor’s office!

Things are getting a bit more busy now with two kids in the family! Ben and Jen have their hands full!

10+ pictures inside of Violet Affleck and her lollipop…

French tourists seen as world's worst: survey

faris_gntk@yahoo.com — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 19:34:45 PDT

PARIS (Reuters Life!) – French tourists are the worst in the world, coming across as bad at foreign languages, tight-fisted and arrogant, according to a survey of 4,500 hotel owners across the world.

They finish in last place in the survey carried out for internet travel agency Expedia by polling company TNS Infratest, which said French holidaymakers don't speak local languages and are seen as impolite.

"It's mainly the fact that they speak little or no English when they're abroad, and they don't speak much of the local language," Expedia Marketing Director Timothee de Roux told radio station France Info.

"The French don't go abroad very much. We're lucky enough to have a country which is magnificent in terms of its landscape and culture," he said, adding that 90 per cent of French people did their traveling at home.

Stricter labeling urged for bottled water

faris_gntk@yahoo.com — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 19:30:24 PDT

bottles than what they can drink almost for free from the tap because the two are regulated differently, congressional investigators and nonprofit researchers say in new reports.

Both the Government Accountability Office and the Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit research and advocacy organization, recommend in reports released Wednesday that bottled water be labeled with the same level of information municipal water providers must disclose.
read all here
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/ap_on_bi_ge/us_bottled_water_vs_tap

Berorasi Gerakkan Tangan, Boediono Minta Capres Kalah Jangan Musuhi Pemenang

faris_gntk@yahoo.com — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 19:32:31 PDT

Cawapres Boediono berorasi dengan gaya berbeda. Pria yang sebelumnya dikenal lembut itu mengubah gayanya dengan berorasi berapi-api sambil menggerak-gerakkan tangannya ke arah massa. Boediono meminta capres yang kalah jangan sampai memusuhi yang menang.
ADVERTISEMENT

Boediono berorasi saat berkampanye di Stadion Gelora Bung Karno (GBK) Senayan, Jakarta, Sabtu (4/7/2009). Boediono berorasi sebelum SBY. Ratusan ribu pendukung SBY-Boediono hadir dalam kampanye ini. Bendera parpol-parpol pendukung dikibar-kibarkan di banyak tempat. Begitu juga dengan bendera merah putih.

"Empat hari lagi rakyat akan menentukan pilihan. Saudara-saudara akan memilih pemimpin republik kita buat lima tahu mendatang. Mari berdoa agar pemilihan ini berjalan teratur dan berakhir dengan damai. Siapa pun yang menang. Mari kita berharap bahwa yang menang tidak akan melecehkan yang kalah, yang kalah tidak akan memusuhi yang menang," kata Boediono dengan mimik serius.

Boediono yang mengenakan kemeja warna putih merah berlogo SBY-Boediono menyatakan bahwa masyarakat harus optimitis bahwa Pilpres akan berlangsung damai. "Kita patut optimistis pemilu baru lalu menunjukkan rakyat kita sangat arif, sangat bijaksana dalam memilih wakil dan pemimpin mereka. Rakyat bisa menjaga kedaulatannya karena menolak untuk dibeli dan tidak terpedaya oleh janji-janji muluk," kata Boediono sambil menggerakkan tangan kanannya ke arah massa.

Dengan sambil sesekali melihat catatan yang dibawanya, Boediono menyampaikan bahwa SBY-Boediono tidak mau memberi janji berlebihan. "Cita-cita yang tinggi tidak membuat kami menjual mimpi," ujar Boediono yang disambut tepuk tangan.

Lebih lanjut Boediono menyatakan untuk membangun kembali Indonesia perlu kerja keras dan tekun, dengan kesadaran kekuatan dan juga keterbatasan yang dimiliki rakyat. "Indonesia berhasil bila kita bekerja semangat, sesuai naskah proklamasi, dengan cara seksama dan dalam tempo sesingkat-singkatnya," kata pria bergelar profesor itu.

"Singkat, tapi harus tangkas. Selain tangka, kita juga harus seksama. Kepemimpinan efektif tidak sama dengan kepemimpinan asal terobos dan asal jadi. Kita perlu kepemimpinan efektif, karena didukung rakyat, bukan karena membungkam suara rakyat. Kita perlu kepemimpinan yang membuktikan keadilan ditegakkan, tidak melanggar HAM, tidak KKN dan tidak korupsi," sambung Boediono dengan nada menyindir.

Setelah itu, Boediono juga mencoba interaktif terhadap massanya. "Alhamdulillah, di antara kita, ada pemimpin yang memenuhi syarat-syarat itu. Siapa dia?" tanya Boediono dengan masih berapi-api. "SBY," jelas Boediono yang juga diiringi oleh jawaban massa pendukung.

Boediono juga memuji SBY yang dianggap berhasil memerintah Indonesia lima tahun terakhir. "Di bawah beliau, NKRI tetap utuh, demokrasi berkembang dan HAM terjaga. Indonesia juga bisa swasembada beras, setelah lepas seperempat abad," tutur Boediono.

Karena itu, menurut dia, rakyat tidak salah pilih bila dalam Pilpres kali ini memilih SBY lagi. "Saya sangat yakin Pak SBY akan membawa Indonesia ke masa depan dengan arah yang tepat," tegas Boediono.

Setelah itu, Boediono memanggil SBY untuk berorasi. "Mari kita sambut Dr H Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono," kata Boediono sambil diiringi tepuk tangan. Hingga pukul 17.20 WIB, SBY masih menyampaikan orasi dengan berapi-api dan suara menggelegar.

Michael Jackson’s life cut shockingly short

faris_gntk@yahoo.com — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 21:06:32 PDT

LOS ANGELES - Michael Jackson, defined in equal parts as the world's greatest entertainer and perhaps its most enigmatic figure, was about to attempt one of the greatest comebacks of all time. Then his life was cut shockingly — and so far, mysteriously — short.

The 50-year-old musical superstar died Thursday, just as he was preparing for what would be a series of 50 concerts starting July 13 at London's famed 02 arena. Jackson had been spending hours and hours toiling with a team of dancers for a performance he and his fans hoped would restore his tarnished legacy to its proper place in pop.

http://newsvideosimages.blogspot.com/

An autopsy was planned for Friday, though results were not likely to be final until toxicology tests could be completed, a process that could take several days and sometimes weeks. However, if a cause can be determined by the autopsy, they will announce the results, said Los Angeles County Coroner Investigator Jerry McKibben. read more

Yahoo! Toolbar kini dilengkapi Anti-Virus dan Anti-Adware gratis. Download Yahoo! Toolbar sekarang .

New US commander in Afghanistan meets Karzai

faris_gntk@yahoo.com — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 09:55:19 PDT

KABUL – President Hamid Karzai met with the new incoming commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan on Sunday and told him that the most important part of his mission was to protect Afghan civilians.

Gen. Stanley McChrystal takes up his new command on Monday. The four-star U.S. general, a former special forces commander, is expected to bring a fresh approach to an increasingly violent eight-year war.

Civilian casualties have long been a point of friction between Karzai and the U.S., and the early warning reflects Karzai's impatience over the continued killings of Afghan villagers during military operations.

The Afghan government "will fully cooperate with you toward achieving this very important goal" of protecting civilians, Karzai's office said in a statement.

McChrystal replaces Gen. David McKiernan, who was fired by U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates one year into his two-year assignment.

During his confirmation hearing in Washington earlier this month, McChrystal said his measure of effectiveness "will not be enemy killed."

"It will be the number of Afghans shielded from violence," he said.

McChrystal assured Karzai that he would take "practical measures to prevent civilian casualties during counterinsurgency operations," Karzai's office said.

In early May, dozens of civilians were killed when U.S. and Afghan troops backed by U.S. fighter aircraft battled militants in southwestern Farah province. The Afghan government says 140 civilians died, while an Afghan human rights group says around 100 were killed. The U.S., however, says no more than 30 civilians were killed, and 60 to 65 militants.

McChrystal, a former commanding general of the Joint Special Operations Command, will lead the largest international force in Afghanistan since the U.S.-led invasion that ousted the Taliban regime in late 2001. A record 56,000 U.S. troops are in the country, alongside 32,000 NATO-led forces.

President Barack Obama has increased the U.S. focus on Afghanistan this year, ordering 21,000 additional troops to the country as the U.S. military begins to pull out of Iraq.

Thousands of American troops have poured into Helmand province in an effort to stamp out an insurgency that has a strong hold in the world's largest opium-poppy growing region.

The governor of Helmand said Sunday that the government controls only eight of the province's 13 districts.

Gov. Gulab Mangal said the government has no control in three districts at the northern end of the province and two in the south. He said he hopes Afghan and NATO security forces can implement the rule of law in those regions in coming weeks.

It appears an optimistic assessment, given the levels of violence and lawlessness that still prevail in Afghanistan's largest province, three years after NATO forces first deployed to Helmand. Thousands of British troops have struggled to contain the insurgents there.

Thousands of U.S. Marines arrived last month to help them extend the government's reach.

In the province's latest violence, a roadside bomb blast killed two civilians and wounded five others in Helmand's Gereshk district, said Doud Ahmadi, spokesman for Mangal. The blast occurred as a police vehicle was passing by, but there were no reports police casualties, he said.

http://balcknews.blogspot.com/

Drug lords and Taliban militant are believed to earn hundreds of millions of dollars each year from the Afghan narcotics trade, which is centered in Helmand. Mangal predicted that Helmand's poppy crop would drop this year, but didn't say by how much.

Meanwhile, Karzai called Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Sunday to congratulate him on his victory in his country's presidential election, Karzai's office said.

The Afghan president, who faces his own electoral fight on Aug. 20, said that relations between Afghanistan and its western neighbor "expanded" during Ahmadinejad's time in office and that he hoped ties would continue to strengthen.

___

Manohara Diiming-imingi 2 Juta USD Untuk Cabut Tuntutan

faris_gntk@yahoo.com — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 09:39:13 PDT

Jakarta - Keluarga Besar Kerajaan Kelantan dibuat resah karena Manohara memilih jalur hukum untuk menyelesaikan masalahnya dengan putra mahkota kerajaan. Manohara mengaku diiming-imingi 2 juta dolar Amerika apabila mau menarik kembali gugataannya kepada mantan suaminya, Tengku Fachri.

"Terus terang saya ditawari sejumlah uang sebesar 2 juta dolar Amerika untuk menarik gugatan saya kepada Tengku Fachri," tutur Mano, kepada MetroTV, Jumat (12/6/2009).

Namun demikian Mano enggan menerima tawaran itu. Mano mengaku sudah terlanjur sakit hati atas perlakuan Tengku Fachri selama menjadi suaminya. Mano pun bertekad tetap melanjutkan proses hukum yang sedang berjalan.

"Meskipun jumlahnya cukup besar tapi saya tidak akan berubah pikiran, sudah terlalu menyakitkan selama bersama Tengku. Ibu saya sudah difitnah menjual anak dan masih banyak lagi. Saya kira tidak ada artinya diberi berapapun. Harta tidak menjamin kebahagiaan saya," keluh Mano.http://balcknews.blogspot.com/

Senada dengan Mano, Ibu tercintanya Daysi Fajarina juga tidak mau 'melepas' Fachri begitu saja. Daysi berharap Fachri menerima hukuman sepantasnya.

"Beliau itu sudah dimanjakan dengan uang seumur hidupnya, saya ingin beliau dihukum betul-betul, keadilan betul-betul ditegakkan dalam masalah ini," tegasnya.http://balcknews.blogspot.com/

Selama Tur, Bruce Dickinson Dilarang Jadi Pilot

faris_gntk@yahoo.com — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 01:35:59 PDT

Bukan lagi rahasia jika salah satu minat Bruce Dickinson selain musik rock adalah menulis, bermain anggar dan menerbangkan pesawat. Ia bahkan adalah seorang pilot komersial di salah satu perusahaan penerbangan http://balcknews.blogspot.com/ swasta di Inggris. Tapi selama tur Iron Maiden nanti, vokalis ini dilarang keras menerbangkan pesawat

Lebih bersih, Lebih baik, Lebih cepat - Yahoo! Mail: Kini tanpa iklan. Rasakan bedanya!

Ngintip Musica Ajang Promosi Lagu-Lagu Musica

faris_gntk@yahoo.com — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 01:31:28 PDT

Studio rekaman Musica mengeluarkan 'jurus' baru dalam mempromosikan grup-grup band yang bernaung di bawahnya. Program promo itu diberi nama Ngintip Musica, yang nantinya menjadi ajang informasi grup band mana saja yang akan meluncurkan lagu, album maupun video klip.

lirik lagu dan mp3

Yahoo! Mail Sekarang Lebih Cepat dan Lebih Bersih. Rasakan bedanya!

Personel Debu Berpindah Jadi Warga Negara Indonesia

faris_gntk@yahoo.com — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 23:54:39 PDT

Personel grup musik Debu sedang dalam proses mengurus perpindahan kewarganegaraan dari Amerika Serikat menjadi warga negara Indonesia (WNI). Kini mereka tengah melalui beberapa tahapan untuk diakui sebagai warga negara Indonesia oleh Imigrasi.

Lebih bersih, Lebih baik, Lebih cepat - Yahoo! Mail: Kini tanpa iklan. Rasakan bedanya!

Malaysian Islamists urges ban on 'sexy' parkwear

faris_gntk@yahoo.com — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 09:26:21 PDT

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP) - – Malaysia's conservative opposition Islamic party has urged a ban on skimpy outfits in public parks in a northern state it controls, a state official has confirmed.

A Chinese language daily on Wednesday published pictures of a park sign urging non-Muslim users to cover up in the PAS-ruled state of Kelantan.

"We just want to educate Muslims that they should wear clothes according to Islamic teachings and to the non-Muslims, we encourage them to respect each other in Kelantan," Takiyudin Hasan, the state cabinet minister in charge of local government, tourism and culture told AFP.

The signboard tells non-Muslim women to wear tops that have sleeves and which are long enough to cover the waist. Trousers have to be knee-length and there should be no skin-tight outfits, it says.

The local government does not have the legal power to enforce the ban, but previous recommendations it has made, including the banning of heavy make-up and high heels, have been widely obeyed.

Malaysia's 27 million population is dominated by Muslim Malays but also has large ethnic Chinese and Indian minorities who have raised concerns over the rising "Islamisation" of the country.

PAS-ruled Kelantan has banned gambling, restricted the sale of alcohol and requires men and women to queue in separate lines at shops as part of its move towards a more "Islamic" way of life.http://balcknews.blogspot.com/

Yahoo! Mail Sekarang Lebih Cepat dan Lebih Bersih. Rasakan bedanya!

Cari: Meski Konflik Memanas, AS Tak Punya Rencana Invasi Korut

faris_gntk@yahoo.com — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 01:56:53 PDT

[IMG]Konflik antara Amerika Serikat (AS) dan Korea Utara (Korut) kian memanas. Pemerintah AS berjanji akan melakukan apa yang diperlukan untuk keamanan negaranya dan sekutu-sekutunya.
ADVERTISEMENT

Namun AS tidak punya rencana untuk menginvasi Korut ataupun menggulingkan rezim negeri komunis itu dengan kekuatan militer.

Demikian disampaikan utusan khusus AS Stephen Bosworth seperti dilansir kantor berita Reuters , Rabu (10/6/2009). Hal itu disampaikannya dalam acara makan malam tahunan Korea Society di New York, AS.

Dikatakan Bosworth, uji coba nuklir dan peluncuran rudal yang dilakukan Korut belum lama ini merupakan langkah provokasi. Menurutnya, tindakan-tindakan Korut itu "mengharuskan kita memperluas pertimbangan kita akan respons-respons baru termasuk sikap militer kita."

Namun ditegaskan Bosworth, sejauh ini AS tidak berencana menyerang Korut. "Kita tidak punya rencana untuk menginvasi Korut atau mengganti rezimnya melalui kekerasan," ujar Bosworth.

Menurut Bosworth, Washington terbuka untuk adanya dialog bilateral dengan Korut guna mencapai normalisasi hubungan dengan negeri itu.

Bosworth juga meminta pemerintah Korut untuk membebaskan dua jurnalis AS yang dihukum 12 tahun penjara di negeri komunis itu. Kedua wanita itu ditangkap pada Maret lalu dan didakwa masuk ke Korut secara ilegal.[/IMG] http://balcknews.blogspot.com/

RI Lakukan Persiapan Kunjungan Obama

faris_gntk@yahoo.com — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 01:23:28 PDT

Washington D.C. (ANTARA) - Pemerintah Indonesia kembali menyatakan harapan bahwa Presiden AS Barack Obama dapat mengunjungi Indonesia pada bulan November mendatang di sela-sela kehadiran Obama dalam pertemuan para pemimpin ekonomi Asia-Pasifik (APEC) di Singapura.
ADVERTISEMENT

Menteri Luar Negeri Hassan Wirajuda di Washington D.C, Rabu mengatakan pemerintah Indonesia sudah mempersiapkan agenda Presiden Obama di Indonesia, kendati AS belum menentukan tanggal maupun keputusan final tentang kemungkinan kunjungan Obama ke Indonesia.

"Kita masih punya waktu lima bulan (sebelum November, red). Menurut pembicaraan-pembicaraan awal, Presiden Obama akan menghadiri KTT APEC pada pertengahan November nanti. Dalam konteks itu, Presiden Obama sendiri telah menyatakan keinginannya untuk mengunjungi Indonesia," kata Hassan.

Menurut Hassan, agenda utama akan berkisar seputar isu-isu menyangkut Kemitraan Menyeluruh (Comprehensive Partnership) yang diluncurkan kedua negara saat kunjungan Menlu AS Hillary Clinton ke Jakarta pada Februari lalu.

Sebelumnya, pada Senin (8/6), Menlu Hassan melakukan pertemuan dengan Menlu Hillary Clinton di Gedung Deplu-AS, Washington.

Dalam pertemuan itu, menurut Hassan sempat dibicarakan rencana kunjungan Obama ke Singapura dan kemungkinan ke Indonesia.

"Tapi sampai sekarang belum ada tanggal spesifik ataupun keputusan final. Kita akan senang jika Presiden Obama bisa mengunjungi Indonesia," ujar Hassan.

Sementara itu, ketika ditanya apakah presiden RI akan melakukan kunjungan terlebih dahulu ke Washington sebelum Presiden Obama mengunjungi Jakarta, Menlu Hassan mengatakan pihaknya belum membicarakan hal itu dengan AS.

Jika dilihat dari segi prioritas urusan dalam negeri yang harus diselesaikan, Menlu mengisyaratkan bahwa Indonesia belum membahas kemungkinan bahwa presiden RI akan berkunjung terlebih dahulu ke Washington sebelum November.

"Tentunya pemerintahan presiden Yudhoyono ingin merampungkan tugas nasional terlebih dahulu menyelenggarakan pemilu presiden dengan baik. Pemerintahan Kabinet Indonesia Bersatu masih akan bertugas sampai bulan Oktober," kata Hassan.

"Sejauh ini kita belum berbicara tentang siapa yang mengunjungi terlebih dahulu atau sebaliknya. Yang jelas, dari pembicaraan-pembicaraan pendahuluan, memang kita berbicara tentang kemungkinan kunjungan Presiden Obama ke Indonesia," tambahnya.

Dalam pertemuan mereka hari Senin, Hassan dan Hillary juga mendiskusikan berbagai masalah bilateral dan internasional serta menekankan kembali komitmen kedua negara untuk melaksanakan Kemitraan Menyeluruh, yaitu hubungan dan kerjasama kedua negara di berbagai bidang termasuk politik, keamanan, ekonomi, pembangunan, sosial-budaya serta pendidikan.

Salah satu realisasi Kemitraan Menyeluruh, Hillary pada Senin mengumumkan komitmen AS untuk memberikan bantuan senilai 10 juta dolar AS untuk mendanai program pendidikan tinggi bagi Indonesia.

Dalam kunjungan dua hari di Washington D.C, Hassan juga melakukan pertemuan dengan sejumlah pejabat dan tokoh penting AS, termasuk Direktur Intelijen Nasional Dennis Blari, Kepala Staf Perwakilan Dagang AS (USTR) Julianne Smoot, Senator John Kerry (Demokrat) - Massachusetts), Senator Jim Webb (Demokrat-Virginia) dan Senator Dick Lugar (Republik-Indiana).

Cari: Pilih Lipstik dengan Bahan Alami

faris_gntk@yahoo.com — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 00:58:05 PDT

KOMPAS.com — Menggunakan lipstik yang tepat akan membuat penampilan wanita terlihat lebih "hidup" dan bergairah. Untuk itu, perhatikan cara memilih dan memulas lipstik.
ADVERTISEMENT

Pertama, pilihlah lipstik yang terbuat dari bahan alami. Memilih bahan alami dapat membuat kesehatan Anda tetap terjaga. Contohnya, pilihlah lipstik dengan kandungan seperti vitamin E, aloe, dan gliserin. Selain itu, pilihlah lipstik yang memiliki kandungan pelembab. Pelembab dalam lipstik dapat membuat bibir Anda terlihat lebih segar. Bahkan, pelembab pun dapat menjaga kesehatan bibir Anda.

Kedua, lipstik yang mengandung minyak pun dapat menjadi suatu alternatif. Lipstik tipe seperti ini dapat memberikan kesan basah pada bibir Anda. Oleh sebab itu, lipstik seperti ini biasanya cocok digunakan untuk pesta resmi sehingga memperlihatkan bibir yang basah dan memberikan kesan yang seksi.

Ketiga, sesuaikan lipstik yang akan dipilih dengan aktivitas Anda. Untuk perempuan yang memiliki aktivitas tinggi, gunakan lipstik yang berdaya tahan lama. Memilih lipstik jenis ini dapat membuat penampilan Anda segar selalu tanpa harus berulang kali memoles bibir.

Keempat, pilihlah lipstik yang memiliki komposisi yang jelas. Jangan pernah membeli lipstik yang tak memiliki kadar komposisi yang jelas. Apalagi jika Anda memiliki bibir yang sensitif, sebaiknya Anda hati-hati dalam memilih jenis lipstik. Sebab, salah memilih lipstik dapat berbahaya bagi kesehatan bibir Anda.

Kelima, sesuaikan warna lipstik pilihan Anda dengan penampilan. Sebaiknya Anda tidak memilih warna lipstik menyesuaikan tren yang sedang berlangsung. Salah satu pertimbangan yang tepat adalah sesuaikan dengan gaya dan kepribadian Anda. Jika Anda menyukai pakaian dengan warna-warna yang cerah, gunakanlah lipstik yang memiliki warna-warna cerah juga.Sementara, jika Anda gemar menggunakan pakaian yang bersifat elegan, gunakan lipstik yang memiliki warna tenang.
http://balcknews.blogspot.com/
Keenam, belilah lipstik di tempat-tempat yang tepat. Kini banyak tempat yang menyediakan lipstik. Mulai di pinggir jalan hingga toko-toko. Demi kesehatan dan keamanan Anda, belilah lipstik di toko-toko kosmetik yang terpercaya. Sebab, selain menyediakan lipstik-lipstik yang berkualitas, mereka pun menyediakan beragam pilihan.

berita laen

Cari: Manohara Tanggapi Positif Langkah Deplu

faris_gntk@yahoo.com — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 00:50:03 PDT

Meski dinilai lamban, kubu Manorahara Odelia Pinot menanggapi positif langkah Deplu yang akan mendaftarkan kasus penganiayaan Manohara ke Polisi Diraja Malaysia.
ADVERTISEMENT

"Mereka lamban, kalau sudah ketahuan saja baru rajin," kata Farhat Abbas, salah seorang pengacara Manohara, kepada detikcom, Rabu (10/6/2009).

Farhat menilai langkah Deplu tersebut merupakan kewajiban negara dalam membela warga negaranya. "Itu merupakan hak warga negara," katanya.

Sebelumnya Deplu menyatakan akan memfasilitasi dan mendaftarkan laporan kasus Manohara itu setelah dilengkapi dengan bukti-bukti. Namun itu akan diberikan bila Manohara meminta.

Pada Selasa kemarin, Manohara melaporkan 8 orang ke Mabes Polri dengan tuduhan penganiayaan. Mereka yang dilaporkan adalah suaminya, Tengku Fakhri, Raja Kelantan dan permaisuri hingga WNI bernama Ichsan yang sering tampil di TV. Mabes Polri mengaku tak bisa memeriksa 8 orang itu di Indonesia dan menyarankan Mano mendatangi Deplu.

Manohara Bantah Dijual Deasy

Manohara Bantah Dijual Deasy

faris_gntk@yahoo.com — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 20:25:38 PDT

Setelah sebelumnya pihak Manohara Odelia Pinot membantah tidak serius mengurusi kasus penganiayaan yang dituduhkan pada Pangeran Kelantan, Mano juga membantah jika sang ibu, Daisy Fajarina, menjualnya kepada Tengku Fakhry.
ADVERTISEMENT

"Saya cuma dapat 50 ribu ringgit, ya kalau dirupiahkan sekitar Rp150 juta," jawab Mano saat ditanya mas kawin yang diperolehnya dari Fakhry. "Pengacara aja jauh lebih besar ngasihnya dibanding Pangeran Kelantan itu," seloroh Hotman Paris Hutapea, kuasa hukum Mano.

Soal perhiasan-perhiasan mewah yang selalu dikenakannya di acara-acara resmi, Mano menuturkan jika perhiasan itu hanya pinjaman saja. "Itu bukan punya Mano. Kalau misalkan habis selesai acara pasti dibuka dan dikembalikan lagi, dan itupun harganya kurang dari Rp100 juta," ungkap gadis cantik itu.
http://balcknews.blogspot.com/2009/06/manohara-bantah-dijual-deasy.html
"Pas kemarin ke Singapura saja, saya bawa tas dan tas itu diambil dan barang saya ditaruh di kardus," tambah Mano saat menggelar konpers di Hotman Paris Law Firm, Gedung Summitmas, Kawasan Niaga Sudirman, Jaksel, Senin (08/06). (kpl/ant/npy)

Jackie Chan Tampil di Konser 'Descendants of the Dragon

faris_gntk@yahoo.com — Tue, 05 May 2009 17:45:31 PDT

Ikon film, Jackie Chan tampil di konser dan bernyanyi di pangging bersama beberapa bintang pop lainnya di stadion Bird's Nest, hari Jumat (01/5). Konser bertajuk Descendants of the Dragon: Jackie Chan and Friends ini meruppakan konser berskala besar pertama yang digelar di stadion ini setelah konser menyambut Olimpiade. http://balcknews.blogspot.com/
ADVERTISEMENT

Chan sebelumnya memang telah menjanjikan akan menjadikan konser ini sebagai acara spektakuler. Aktor film lagi ini sebelumnya juga menunjukan kemampuannya bernyanyi bersama beberap penyanyi lain saat acara pembukaan Olimpiade.

Setelah konser ini, penyanyi folk China, Song Zuying akan menggelar konser susulan pada 30 Juni mendatang dengan beberapa penyanyi lain. Bird's Nest sampai saat ini mendapat kunjungan 3,08 juta pengunjung. ( http://balcknews.blogspot.com/

Top News

7 Things you need to know BEFORE you buy LIFE INSURANCE

A world-renowned university

Dow tops 9,000 as home sales rise for 3rd month

Obama health plan delayed — trouble ahead?

AP IMPACT: Cash-strapped states raid 911 funds

Mass. police 'deeply pained' by Obama's criticism

NJ mayors, lawmakers arrested in corruption case

7m2iua6znr

Violet Affleck: Lollipop, Lollipop

French tourists seen as world's worst: survey

Stricter labeling urged for bottled water

Berorasi Gerakkan Tangan, Boediono Minta Capres Kalah Jangan Musuhi Pemenang

Michael Jackson’s life cut shockingly short

New US commander in Afghanistan meets Karzai

Manohara Diiming-imingi 2 Juta USD Untuk Cabut Tuntutan

Selama Tur, Bruce Dickinson Dilarang Jadi Pilot

Ngintip Musica Ajang Promosi Lagu-Lagu Musica

Personel Debu Berpindah Jadi Warga Negara Indonesia

Malaysian Islamists urges ban on 'sexy' parkwear

Cari: Meski Konflik Memanas, AS Tak Punya Rencana Invasi Korut

RI Lakukan Persiapan Kunjungan Obama

Cari: Pilih Lipstik dengan Bahan Alami

Cari: Manohara Tanggapi Positif Langkah Deplu

Manohara Bantah Dijual Deasy

Jackie Chan Tampil di Konser 'Descendants of the Dragon