Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Jelang El Clasico - Pepe Mungkin Main di Camp Nou

FOTO:Getty Images/Dennis DoyleBeritabola.com Madrid - Sosok
yang jadi sorotan pada laga pertama El Clasico di Copa del Rey punya
peluang besar main di leg kedua yang digelar di Camp Nou. Jika tak
terkendala masalah fisik, Pepe dipastikan diturunkan.

Pepe
dikecam media Spanyol dan Eropa saat Madrid kalah 1-2 di leg pertama
babak perempatfinal Copa del Rey pekan lalu. Dia dianggap telah
beraksi secara brutal dalam laga tersebut, dengan kejadian yang paling
kontroversial saat dia dituduh dengan sengaja menginjak jari tangan
Lionel Messi.

Dalam pernyataannya beberapa hari berselang, bek
asal Portugal itu mengajukan permintaan maaf atas apa yang terjadi di
Santiago Bernabeu. Tapi dia tetap menolak tuduhan ada faktor
kesengajaan saat menginjak Messi.

Pepe, dan kubu Madrid,
beruntung. Selain sang pemain tak dapat kartu akibat insiden tersebut,
otoritas liga juga tidak menjatuhkan hukuman. Alhasil dia akan bisa
bermain di leg kedua yang akan digelar di Camp Nou, Kamis (26/1/2012)
dinihari WIB.

Meski tengah dalam sorotan dan hampir dipastikan
akan jadi sasaran cemooh fans The Catalans, Jose Mourinho tetap
membuka peluang Pepe main. Jika tidak ada masalah terkait kondisi
fisik, bek 25 tahun itu akan ikut berlaga di Camp Nou.

"Ada
tiga pemain yang bermasalah, termasuk Lass dan Granero. Jika secara
fisik dia (Pepe) fit maka dia akan bermain," sahut Mourinho dalam
konferensi pers jelang laga seperti diberitakan Reuters.

Pepe
tak dimainkan Mourinho saat Madrid menggebuk Athletic Bilbao dengan
skor 4-1 di ajang La Liga akhir pekan kemarin. Mantan pemain FC Porto
itu dikabarkan mengalami cedera ringan.
(dtc/din)

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PLN identifies 96 potential locations for hydro-power plants

PLN identifies 96 potential locations for hydro-power plants
Rangga D. Fadillah, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Wed, 01/25/2012 2:12 PM
A | A | A |

State power company PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN) said on Wednesday that it had identified 96 locations across the country suitable for hydro-power plants with a total capacity of 12,800 megawatts (MW).

Around 60 percent of the locations would be developed by PLN, while the remaining 40 percent would be offered to independent power producers (IPP), PLN president director Nur Pamudji revealed at his office in Jakarta.

“However, we still face several problems due to poor management of the concession areas. Regional administrations, in some cases, issue permits to private companies [to develop areas which have been determined as hydro-power plant locations],” he explained.

According to the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry’s data, Indonesia has a potential total of 75,670 megawatts (MW) of hydro energy, with only 5,705 MW being utilized.

 

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Jakarta Satpol PP to Control Night Entertainment Places

As follow up of fatal accident on Jl. MI Ridwan Rais, Gambir, Central
Jakarta, which caused 9 casualties due to drunk driver, Jakarta Satpol
PP will inventory and intensify control over cafes and discotheques
where drugs transaction and party often happen. Besides to cut drugs
circulation, this effort is also conducted to control night
entertainment places operational hours

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Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Jelang El Clasico - Guardiola Sudah Lupakan Masalah Pepe

FOTO:ReutersBeritabola.com Barcelona - Bagi
Pep Guardiola, masalah terkait kontroversi yang ditimbulkan Pepe
adalah masa lalu. Ia meminta untuk melupakan masalah tersebut dan
fokus kepada pertandingan saja.

Pepe dikritik banyak pihak
ketika dirinya tertangkap kamera menginjak tangan Lionel Messi. Bek
asal Portugal tersebut kemudian meminta maaf dengan mengatakan bahwa
ia tak sengaja melakukannya.

Pepe, dan kubu Madrid, beruntung.
Selain sang pemain tak dapat kartu akibat insiden tersebut, otoritas
liga juga tidak menjatuhkan hukuman. Alhasil dia akan bisa bermain di
leg kedua yang akan digelar di Camp Nou, Kamis (26/1/2012) dinihari
WIB.

"Mari kita biarkan Pepe, dan jika pelatih Real Madrid
menyiapkannya untuk bertanding, maka biarkanlah dia bertanding," ujar
Guardiola dalam konperensi pers jelang laga Copa del Rey
tersebut.

"Biarkan mereka bermain. Mari lupakan masa lalu dan
menampilkan pertandingan indah untuk kita semua. Saya tahu mereka akan
mencoba mengalahkan kami. Saya tahu mereka akan bermain demi lolos ke
babak semifinal."

"Biarkan yang berwenang menangani masalah
tersebut," tukas Guardiola.
(dtc/roz)

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Oscar Nominations: 'Hugo' leads the pack with 11 nominations

Best Picture

  • "The Artist" Thomas Langmann, Producer
  • "The Descendants" Jim Burke, Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor, Producers
  • "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close" Scott Rudin, Producer
  • "The Help" Brunson Green, Chris Columbus and Michael Barnathan, Producers
  • "Hugo" Graham King and Martin Scorsese, Producers
  • "Midnight in Paris" Letty Aronson and Stephen Tenenbaum, Producers
  • "Moneyball" Michael De Luca, Rachael Horovitz and Brad Pitt, Producers
  • "The Tree of Life" Nominees to be determined
  • "War Horse" Steven Spielberg and Kathleen Kennedy, Producers

 

Actor in a Leading Role

  • Demián Bichir in "A Better Life"
  • George Clooney in "The Descendants"
  • Jean Dujardin in "The Artist"
  • Gary Oldman in "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy"
  • Brad Pitt in "Moneyball"

Actor in a Supporting Role

  • Kenneth Branagh in "My Week with Marilyn"
  • Jonah Hill in "Moneyball"
  • Nick Nolte in "Warrior"
  • Christopher Plummer in "Beginners"
  • Max von Sydow in "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close"

Actress in a Leading Role

  • Glenn Close in "Albert Nobbs"
  • Viola Davis in "The Help"
  • Rooney Mara in "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo"
  • Meryl Streep in "The Iron Lady"
  • Michelle Williams in "My Week with Marilyn"

Actress in a Supporting Role

  • Bérénice Bejo in "The Artist"
  • Jessica Chastain in "The Help"
  • Melissa McCarthy in "Bridesmaids"
  • Janet McTeer in "Albert Nobbs"
  • Octavia Spencer in "The Help"

Directing

  • "The Artist" Michel Hazanavicius
  • "The Descendants" Alexander Payne
  • "Hugo" Martin Scorsese
  • "Midnight in Paris" Woody Allen
  • "The Tree of Life" Terrence Malick

Animated Feature Film

  • "A Cat in Paris" Alain Gagnol and Jean-Loup Felicioli
  • "Chico & Rita" Fernando Trueba and Javier Mariscal
  • "Kung Fu Panda 2" Jennifer Yuh Nelson
  • "Puss in Boots" Chris Miller
  • "Rango" Gore Verbinski

Art Direction

  • "The Artist" Production Design: Laurence Bennett; Set Decoration: Robert Gould
  • "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2" Production Design: Stuart Craig; Set Decoration: Stephenie McMillan
  • "Hugo" Production Design: Dante Ferretti; Set Decoration: Francesca Lo Schiavo
  • "Midnight in Paris" Production Design: Anne Seibel; Set Decoration: Hélène Dubreuil
  • "War Horse" Production Design: Rick Carter; Set Decoration: Lee Sandales

Cinematography

  • "The Artist" Guillaume Schiffman
  • "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" Jeff Cronenweth
  • "Hugo" Robert Richardson
  • "The Tree of Life" Emmanuel Lubezki
  • "War Horse" Janusz Kaminski

Costume Design

  • "Anonymous" Lisy Christl
  • "The Artist" Mark Bridges
  • "Hugo" Sandy Powell
  • "Jane Eyre" Michael O'Connor
  • "W.E." Arianne Phillips

    Documentary (Feature)

    • "Hell and Back Again" Danfung Dennis and Mike Lerner
    • "If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front" Marshall Curry and Sam Cullman
    • "Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory" Charles Ferguson and Audrey Marrs
    • "Pina" Wim Wenders and Gian-Piero Ringel
    • "Undefeated" TJ Martin, Dan Lindsay and Richard Middlemas

    Documentary (Short Subject)

    • "The Barber of Birmingham: Foot Soldier of the Civil Rights Movement" Robin Fryday and Gail Dolgin
    • "God Is the Bigger Elvis" Rebecca Cammisa and Julie Anderson
    • "Incident in New Baghdad"James Spione
    • "Saving Face" Daniel Junge and Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy
    • "The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom" Lucy Walker and Kira Carstensen

    Film Editing

    • "The Artist" Anne-Sophie Bion and Michel Hazanavicius
    • "The Descendants" Kevin Tent
    • "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" Kirk Baxter and Angus Wall
    • "Hugo" Thelma Schoonmaker
    • "Moneyball" Christopher Tellefsen

    Foreign Language Film

    • "Bullhead" Belgium
    • "Footnote" Israel
    • "In Darkness" Poland
    • "Monsieur Lazhar" Canada
    • "A Separation" Iran

    Makeup

    • "Albert Nobbs" Martial Corneville, Lynn Johnston and Matthew W. Mungle
    • "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2" Edouard F. Henriques, Gregory Funk and Yolanda Toussieng
    • "The Iron Lady" Mark Coulier and J. Roy Helland

    Music (Original Score)

    • "The Adventures of Tintin" John Williams
    • "The Artist" Ludovic Bource
    • "Hugo" Howard Shore
    • "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" Alberto Iglesias
    • "War Horse" John Williams

    Music (Original Song)

    • "Man or Muppet" from "The Muppets" Music and Lyric by Bret McKenzie
    • "Real in Rio" from "Rio" Music by Sergio Mendes and Carlinhos Brown Lyric by Siedah Garrett

      Short Film (Animated)

      • "Dimanche/Sunday" Patrick Doyon
      • "The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore" William Joyce and Brandon Oldenburg
      • "La Luna" Enrico Casarosa
      • "A Morning Stroll" Grant Orchard and Sue Goffe
      • "Wild Life" Amanda Forbis and Wendy Tilby

      Short Film (Live Action)

      • "Pentecost" Peter McDonald and Eimear O'Kane
      • "Raju" Max Zähle and Stefan Gieren
      • "The Shore" Terry George and Oorlagh George
      • "Time Freak" Andrew Bowler and Gigi Causey
      • "Tuba Atlantic" Hallvar Witzø

      Sound Editing

      • "Drive" Lon Bender and Victor Ray Ennis
      • "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" Ren Klyce
      • "Hugo" Philip Stockton and Eugene Gearty
      • "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" Ethan Van der Ryn and Erik Aadahl
      • "War Horse" Richard Hymns and Gary Rydstrom

      Sound Mixing

      • "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" David Parker, Michael Semanick, Ren Klyce and Bo Persson
      • "Hugo" Tom Fleischman and John Midgley
      • "Moneyball" Deb Adair, Ron Bochar, Dave Giammarco and Ed Novick
      • "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" Greg P. Russell, Gary Summers, Jeffrey J. Haboush and Peter J. Devlin
      • "War Horse" Gary Rydstrom, Andy Nelson, Tom Johnson and Stuart Wilson

      Visual Effects

      • "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2" Tim Burke, David Vickery, Greg Butler and John Richardson
      • "Hugo" Rob Legato, Joss Williams, Ben Grossman and Alex Henning
      • "Real Steel" Erik Nash, John Rosengrant, Dan Taylor and Swen Gillberg
      • "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" Joe Letteri, Dan Lemmon, R. Christopher White and Daniel Barrett
      • "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" Scott Farrar, Scott Benza, Matthew Butler and John Frazier

      Writing (Adapted Screenplay)

      • "The Descendants" Screenplay by Alexander Payne and Nat Faxon & Jim Rash
      • "Hugo" Screenplay by John Logan
      • "The Ides of March" Screenplay by George Clooney & Grant Heslov and Beau Willimon
      • "Moneyball" Screenplay by Steven Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin. Story by Stan Chervin
      • "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" Screenplay by Bridget O'Connor & Peter Straughan

      Writing (Original Screenplay)

      • "The Artist" Written by Michel Hazanavicius
      • "Bridesmaids" Written by Annie Mumolo & Kristen Wiig
      • "Margin Call" Written by J.C. Chandor
      • "Midnight in Paris" Written by Woody Allen
      • "A Separation" Written by Asghar Farhadi


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      Equity funds seen outperforming other mutual funds’ returns in 2012

      Equity funds seen outperforming other mutual funds’ returns in
      2012
      Esther Samboh, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta | Tue, 01/24/2012 9:54 PM
      A | A | A |

      “High risk, high gain” may be an apt description of mutual fund investment this year as those with larger stock portfolios appear likely to post the highest returns, buoyed by positive sentiments toward the country’s economic resilience and its impact on the stock market.

      Equity funds, which are considered to be riskier than the other types of mutual funds, are expected to gain 12 to 15 percent in 2012, versus an 0.8-percent loss booked last year, said Edbert Suryajaya, an analyst at capital market research company PT Infovesta Utama.

      In 2011, only 20 of 64 equity funds posted higher annual returns than the index gauge, with Makinta Mantap’s 23.93 percent gain topping the chart, followed by Millennium Equity’s 10.02 percent and Panin Dana Maksima’s 9.7 percent returns.

      The balanced mutual funds, which are invested in both stocks and fixed income instruments like time deposits, government and corporate bonds, performed weaker last year, with average annual return of 0.94 percent. Gains ranged from the highest 19.98 percent managed by Sucorinvest Flexi Fund to Valbury Inklusi’s 24.39 percent loss.

      Fixed income funds, which have the lowest investment risk, shined in 2011 with average annual returns of 11.11 percent, with BNP Paribas Prima II leading gains at 23.44 percent, followed by Panin Gebyar Indonesia II’s 19.28 percent and GMT Dana Obligasi Plus’ 19.1 percent returns.

      “Investors have become more sophisticated and educated. Previously, when the market went down, investors redeemed their mutual funds. Now, they buy instead, seeking for gains in the next few years,” said Abiprayadi Riyanto, head of the Indonesian Association of Mutual Fund Managers (APRDI).

      The benchmark Jakarta Composite Index (JCI) saw sell-offs and heavy volatility last year as international funds avoided risky investments and shifted to safer instruments as threats of global economic slowdown loomed.

      The index gauge dipped 28.27 percent within two months of setting a record high 4,193 in August, but ended 2011 in the black with a slight 3.2 percent annual gain to 3,822.

      This year, the stock index is expected to perform better, with analysts predicting gains as much as 30.82 percent, bring the JCI to 5,000, thanks to expectations that the recent upgrades in investment status will widen the country’s investor base across the board.

      “Equity funds will remain a favorite choice, because the current 6 percent benchmark interest rate is too low for our investors who, in the past, enjoyed 7 to 8 percent returns. They might not be attracted to buy products with low yields,” Abiprayandi said. Yields move in the opposite direction to prices.

      The government bond index jumped 14.32 percent to 5,352.38 and the corporate bond index gained 10.38 percent to 1,963.35 in December 2011, Infovesta data shows. Fixed income funds will continue posting gains this year, but lower than last year, analysts said.

      “The fixed income funds have already reached rapid growth in 2011. They will post lower gains at about 9 percent in 2012,” PT Samuel Aset Manajemen president director Agus B. Yanuar said.

      Mutual funds pool money from many investors, from individuals to institutions, and the funds’ managers will buy stocks, bonds, short-term money market instruments, and other securities, depending on risk profiles of the investors.

      There are currently 646 mutual fund products to choose, in which 463,327 investors invest their money totaling in Rp 168.24 trillion (US$18.1 billion) assets under management, according to data from the mutual fund managers’ association.

      The association expected a 15 to 17 percent increase in assets under management this year, but if the eurozone debt crisis worsens, the growth may slow to less than10 percent from 12.84 percent in 2011.

      The rapid economic growth of more than 6 percent, combined with factors such as the domestic consumption-reliant economy, a growing middle class, and the government’s commitment to solve infrastructure bottlenecks comprised a good profile for investors to pump their money into Indonesia, PT Trimegah Asset Managemeent president director Denny Thaher said.

      “We are optimistic on Indonesia’s market,” Denny said. “Mutual funds depend on investors’ risk profile and investment purposes. The equity funds are long-term investment of about 10 to 20 years in which Indonesia has a good profile.” (rcf)

       

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      Monday, January 23, 2012

      Senen Market Kiosks` Owners Cleaned Up Fire Debris

      The owners of kiosks which burnt in Senen Market Block 6, Senen,
      Central Jakarta, started to clean up their kiosks from debris of fire
      which occurred on Sunday (11/6) morning. Luckily, the fire incident
      did not cause any casualties although the material loss reached
      hundreds of million rupiah

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      Sunday, January 22, 2012

      Kenny G and Wife Split Up

      Kenny G and Balynda "Lyndie" Benson-Gorelick wife of two decades is splitting up.

      The sax player musician's wife filed for legal separation in Los Angeles Superior Court on January 9th, Benson-Gorelick citied the seperation as irreconcilable differences as the reason behind the divorce and if asking for full physical custody of their one minor child 14-year-old Noah, the couple also has an adult child Max.

      Kenny G the saxophone player is reportedly worth up to $50 million and is backed up with a high power divorce attorney Laura Wasser, while Benson-Gorelick has hired her attorney Gary Fishbein to guide through this divorce process.

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      Mourinho Disoraki Fans Madrid di Bernabeu

      FOTO:Getty/Jasper JuinenBeritabola.com Madrid - Untuk
      kali pertama sepanjang karirnya, Jose Mourinho disoraki fans klubnya
      sendiri. Terkait insiden di Santiago Bernabeu tersebut, pria asal
      Porrtugal itu, seperti biasanya, punya jawaban menarik.

      Empat
      hari setelah kalah dari Barcelona di ajang Copa del Rey, Madrid
      menjamu Athletic Bilbao di Santiago Bernabeu. Kemenangan bisa didapat
      Cristiano Ronaldo cs dalam laga tersebut, namun Mourinho dapat
      perlakuan tak menyenangkan dari fans El Real.

      Dikutip dari
      Marca, sekelompok penonton di Bernabeu menyoraki Mourinho terkait
      kekalahan atas Barca dan kabar retaknya hubungan dengan beberapa
      pemain. Sorakan yang dikabarkan datang dari suporter garis keras
      tersebut kemudian seperti dapat sambutan dari fans lainnya, yang ikut
      meneriaki sang pelatih.

      "Saya tidak terganggu dengan sorakan
      tersebut. Itu bukan masalah. Ini yang pertama terjadi pada saya.
      Mereka menyoraki nama-nama besar sepakbola di sini, jadi itu tidak
      masalah. Zinedine Zidane disoraki di sini. Ronaldo disoraki di sini.
      Kenapa saya tidak bisa disoraki di sini," sahut Mourinho usai
      pertandingan.

      Dilanjutkan mantan pelatih FC Porto, Chelsea dan
      Inter Milan itu, dia akan menanggapi lebih serius sorakan dari fans
      andai masih membesut klub-klub yang sebelumnya pernah dia
      tukangi.
      (dtc/din)

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      Tough choices ahead on the road to democratic consolidation

      Tough choices ahead on the road to democratic consolidation
      Justin Snyder, Jakarta | Fri, 01/20/2012 10:19 AM
      A | A | A |

      As legislators mull over possible revisions to the 2009 Election Law, Indonesia enters an important phase of its democratic transition. It is perhaps too early to tell whether those in the House of Representatives (DPR) will have the courage required to press on with difficult reforms for the benefit of the country or whether they will promote instead their own narrowly defined self-interests.

      Observers of Indonesian politics have long acknowledged the impressive levels of progress Indonesia has achieved since the beginning of its transition to democracy in 1998. Democratic transitions are not easy, nor do they happen overnight. Over the last 15 years separatist conflicts, communal violence, natural disasters and financial collapse, at one time or another, made the prospects of achieving a fully consolidated democratic system look increasingly remote. However, Indonesia has not simply survived, but it has emerged with a thriving economy and an encouraging set of democratic institutions and pluralistic democratic behavioral norms in place.

      However, serious challenges remain on the road to democratic consolidation, which require the careful consideration among members of the DPR as they debate revisions to the 2009 election law.

      Primarily, calls to return to a closed-list system, supported by as many as five of the nine parties currently in the DPR, would constitute a major setback in Indonesia’s democratic progress. By pushing for a closed-list system, parties are effectively advocating for restrictions on political competition, participation and the democratic aspirations of the public. Rather than simplifying political party financing, or making elections easier for the public, such a move would usher in a return of “money politics” practices and cronyism, through which a candidate could simply buy spots on a party list.

      Strengthening campaign finance rules, including closing loopholes on donations to individual candidates and party structures, and providing adequate support for their strict enforcement should be a chief concern moving forward. The system of state funding was ineffective in controlling corruption, not to mention costly. Suggestions that the state should resume funding of parties would simply be throwing good money after bad.

      Rather, legislators should work on developing better guidelines, and should provide the KPU with the material and political support it needs to do its job effectively. Furthermore, by making reports of campaign fund-raising and campaign spending available to the public, political parties and their respective candidates would drastically improve the transparency of Indonesia’s political system.

      While political party factions in the DPR have been preoccupied with the legislative threshold, it remains a relatively small part of the electoral problems facing Indonesia today. True, it may be simpler to pass effective legislation with fewer parties and a legislative threshold of 4 percent may be effective in achieving that end; however, it seems that the DPR’s poor performance has had little to do with outright ideological differences over proposed policies, and had more to do with infighting over perceived privileges among coalition members.

      The tendency to form “rainbow coalitions”, political alliances which encompass a broader spectrum of political parties than is necessary for legislative victory, has given rise to what some political scientists have described as “cartel politics”. This is a problem within the existing political culture, not the regulations that govern its operation, and to focus excessively on this issue serves as a major distraction from larger steps that could be taken to improve the quality of Indonesian elections.

      As debate continues over proposed revisions, both in the DPR and in public at the warungs and coffee shops across Indonesia, it is important to distinguish between problems in the law and the “implementation” of that law.

      First, elections are often criticized for being messy — which certainly can be true without effective guidance or impartial election dispute mechanisms, conflicts over the results can be traumatic. However, this should be taken as a “teachable moment”, and an opportunity to further refine the system, rather than abandon it or significantly hamper its operation. The General Elections Commission (KPU) must be given adequate support, in terms of manpower, financial resources and operational discretion, to effectively carry out its duties. Delays in the formulation of rules set in the DPR only trickle down to problems in implementation later on.

      Second, elections are also criticized for their cost. True, they can be expensive, but they do not necessarily need to be. By synchronizing elections, and holding several ballots in a single day, local, provincial and national level governments can realize huge potential savings in printing, logistics, and management. Most people would agree that the cost of elections is far cheaper than the cost borne by the population without them.

      Third, vote-buying, and allegations of electoral fraud need to be taken seriously, dealt with efficiently, impartially and with serious penalties. Indonesia actually has fairly good laws on the books in this regard; however, enforcement bodies often lack the political will or the political independence to pursue these cases in any serious manner. For democracy to function properly, a level playing field build on equal legal footing is crucial.

      Policies designed to help develop the practice of electoral politics in Indonesia beyond simple popularity contests among celebrity candidates to issue-based campaigns with well-articulated policy suggestions should be supported, encouraged and accelerated.

      A great deal of credit needs to be given to Indonesia, for its ability to move from the so-called “Festivals of Democracy” to establish genuine elections with meaningful participation by all parts of society as the new behavioral norm in such a short time.

      Responsibility begins in the DPR, and their ability to hammer out an agreement on the 2012 election law by April, to avoid passing any procedural delays onto the KPU.

      The writer is a former staff member of the National Endowment for Democracy, an American NGO which focuses on promoting democracy around the world. He now lives in Jakarta

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      Damaged Roads Repaired

      Jakarta Provincial Government is continuously repairing damaged city
      roads. But from 397 thousand square meters damaged roads in Jakarta,
      there are only 15,880 square meters roads or around 4 percent have
      been finished repaired. The remaining damaged roads are still being
      repaired by patching the potholes temporarily. It is targeted all
      damaged roads in Jakarta will be finished repaired this June

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      RIP Etta James

      Etta James - best known for her hit song At Last amongst others - has died, at age 73.

      The singer's health has been ailing the past few years battling with leukemia, dementia and Hepatitis C. 

      She died in a hospital in Riverside, California. 

      Her manager, Lupe De Leon, confirmed the news to CNN.  "This is a tremendous loss for the family, her friends and fans around the world," De Leon said. "She was a true original who could sing it all – her music defied category. I worked with Etta for over 30 years. She was my friend and I will miss her always."

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      Facebook may double international headquarters (rumor)

      Facebook is reportedly looking to more than double the size of its international headquarters in Dublin, Ireland. The social networking giant may move and lease as much as 11,150 square meters (120,018 square feet) of office space in the Irish capital over five years. Facebook’s Dublin office currently occupies about 5,000 square meters (53,820 square feet).

      Menlo Park is considering the former Bank of Ireland headquarters building and two office blocks in south docklands close to its existing location, according to three people with knowledge of the matter cited by Bloomberg. The deadline for building owners to pitch proposals for the new space was January 13, 2012, but it’s still not known whether Facebook took the plunge or not.

      Facebook has 800 million active users, but its headquarters in the US is not responsible for the majority of them. Facebook set up its international headquarters in 2008, due to the tax incentives: approximately 2 percent tax in Ireland instead of 35 percent tax in the US.

      Ever since, all users outside of the US and Canada have been subject to Irish and European data protection laws. This is why the Irish privacy audit last year, which Facebook managed to pass with flying colors, was such a big deal.

      The social networking giant, which has over 3,000 employees, has been moving and expanding quite a bit in 2011, and the trend is going to continue into 2012. As you can see in the links below, the expansion is far from over: Facebook has big plans for growth and the company knows it has to be mindful of where it’s going to house all of its busy bees.

      Since this is still a rumor, Facebook declined to comment on this article.

      See also:

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      Saturday, January 21, 2012

      Jelang Malaga vs Barcelona - Los Cules Diminta Waspada di La Rosaleda

      FOTO:Getty Images/Manuel QueimadelosBeritabola.com Barcelona - Sejak
      promosi tiga tahun lalu, di kandangnya Malaga selalu kalah dari
      Barcelonai. Meski punya rekor bagus, Gerard Pique meminta Los Cules
      waspada karena catatan tandang yang sedikit bermasalah musim
      ini.

      Setelah terdegradasi musim 2005/2006, Malaga akhirnya
      kembali ke La Liga pada musim 2008/2009. Tiga kali sudah mereka
      menghadapi Barca di La Rosaleda dan kesemuanya berakhir dengan
      kekalahan.

      Di musim pertamanya setelah naik kasta, Malaga kalah
      1-4 lalu musim berikutnya kalah 0-2 dan musim lalu Barca menang 3-1.
      Dengan catatan seperti ini bukan hal sulit bagi Azulgrana mengulang
      hal sama kala berduel, Senin (23/1/2012) dinihari WIB.

      Apalagi
      Barca tengah dalam kondisi mental terbaik usai mengalahkan Real Madrid
      di leg pertama babak 16 Besar Copa del Rey. Tapi Barca pun juga punya
      "cacat" terkait rekor away mereka musim ini.

      Dari delapan kali
      bermain di luar Camp Nou, Barca cuma menang empat kali dan
      mengumpulkan empat hasil seri serta satu kekalahan. Bandingkan dengan
      Madrid yang delapan kali menang, satu seri dan satu
      kekalahan.

      Meski Malaga yang bertabur bintang masih ada di
      posisi ke-8, tapi dengan catatan kandang lima kemenangan, dua hasil
      seri dan satu kekalahan, pasukan Manuel Pellegrini itu diprediksi bisa
      menyulitkan Barca.

      Untuk itu Pique meminta rekan-rekannya agar
      tak menganggap remeh Malaga dan berkonsentrasi penuh meraih tiga poin
      agar tidak kian ketinggalan dari Madrid di puncak, yang saat ini
      unggul lima poin.

      "Liga merupakan kompetisi yang sangat
      berbeda," ujar Pique seperti dilansir ESPN Star.

      "Mereka
      (Madrid) unggul lima poin di atas kami. Kami harus fokus untuk laga
      kontra Malaga. Kami tidak boleh gagal lagi," tandas bek berusia 24
      tahun itu.

      Foto: Laga Malaga vs Barcelona di La Rosaleda musim
      lalu, 21 Mei 2011 (Getty Images/Manuel Queimadelos)
      (dtc/mrp)

      vicki gunvalson|north carolina|earthquake in japan|alpe d huez|us mint

      Fauzi Gives Donations for Ancol Fire Victims

      Post fire incident at RT 01/02 and RT 11/02, Ancol Urban Village,
      Pademangan Sub-District, North Jakarta, Jakarta Governor Fauzi Bowo
      directly visited the location. Besides controlling the public kitchen,
      healthcare post, Tagana (Taruna Siaga Bencana), and evacuation tents,
      he is also distributing donations like blankets, mats, plastic tarps,
      and money to the family of Kastri (70) who becomes the casualty in
      this incident

      hrc|chesapeake bay bridge|green card lottery|eric cantor|amzn

      Illegal Buildings on Jl. Pemuda to Be Dismantled in Two Weeks Ahead

      After controlling effort toward hundreds of illegal buildings on a
      9,820-square meter land owned by Jakarta Provincial Government at
      intersection of Jl. Pemuda, East Jakarta, yesterday (1/18) and tough
      negotiation, hundreds of those buildings’ inhabitants finally promised
      to leave the location in two weeks. This is stated by Andi Baco,
      spokesman who is also and attorney of Eleng bin Dji’ih heir, Marajo
      Elson Hutagaol

      spotify|blagojevich|charlie sheen dead|tumblr|sinkhole

      George Lucas Retiring

      The Legendary filmmaker George Lucas has announced that he is retiring from Hollywood.

      George Lucas insisted that he no longer wants to make blockbuster movies, The Stars Wars creator is best known for his work on the iconic sci-fi franchise as well for the Indiana Jones films, and most recently worked on the upcoming blockbuster Red Tails.

      Lucas insist that unless a fifth Indiana Jones movie is made he's finished with the business and instead would like to concentrate on smaller independent projects.

      The 67-year-old has told New York Times, "I'm moving away from the business, from the company, from all kinds of stuff. I'm retiring".

      Rick McCallum who has produced Lucas' movies for more then two decades has backed up his vow telling sources, "Once Red Tails is finished, he's done everything he ever wanted to do. He will have completed his task as a man and filmmaker".

      brian wilson|bastille day|ali lohan|dev|uva

      What do you do with a BA in English?

      Avenue Q is just about my favorite musical of all time. Bloody, Bloody Andrew Jackson edges ahead sometimes depending on my mood, but I can’t help but think of my oldest son whenever the first line of Avenue Q’s theme song starts leaking from a set of earbuds (which happens with remarkable frequency in my house):

      What do you do with a B.A. in English,
      What is my life going to be?
      Four years of college and plenty of knowledge,
      Have earned me this useless degree.

      Why does this make me think of my oldest son? Because he’s an English major, of course! Well, a Professional Writing major, but still, his minor in theater adds some extra bang for my tuition buck, right?

      Removing my tongue from my cheek briefly, I have to tell a quick story about one of my other kids. He’s 16 and just had to write a research paper and give an oral report for his English class. He got a B on the written portion, but a D on the oral portion because he didn’t look at the audience. He was appalled. “How can I look at the audience when I have to be looking at the board?” he exclaimed.

      I naively asked why he had to look at the board. “How else am I supposed to read my PowerPoint?” he responded.

      I should have known.

      All of a sudden, that BA in English with a minor in theater started to look awfully attractive. I can’t think of a more important “21st Century Skill” than communication, whether written or verbal. A bit of theater? Gee, maybe he’ll be able to think on his feet and improvise and actually glance away from the projector or his feet and talk to his audience, whether that audience is in a boardroom or a lecture hall. There is nothing more disconcerting than watching a business leader reading from notes or delivering a death-by-PowerPoint presentation, droning on about slides that I could just as easily read myself on a set of handouts. Disconcerting because by the time someone is in a position of leadership, they should be able to speak extemporaneously and yet remarkably common.

      Kid #3 (the 16-year old) should be so lucky as to have some experience on stage and I could have hugged his English teacher for calling him out on his public speaking. Only a tiny minority of our students graduate high school (or college, for that matter) with the ability to deliver an effective presentation. We should get rid of standardized tests and just make every high school senior give a 15-minute oral presentation on an infographic they prepare with an accompanying slide deck. Anyone who reads their deck or loses their audience before the 15 minutes is up doesn’t get to graduate. It’s not exactly a “standardized” test, but talk about outcomes-based education!

      I don’t know what Kid #1 will do with his BA in English (OK, writing…whatever!). Maybe he’ll write the next great American novel. Maybe he’ll be a marketing rockstar. Maybe he’ll write for ZDNet. Maybe he’ll be the next Sondheim. It doesn’t matter. The more I think about it, the more I wish my doctors had been English majors. Maybe they could at least fake some bedside manner and communicate clearly with their patients. Honestly, an engineer with a BA in English could rule the world. There aren’t too many people who can bridge the gap between engineers and users with a truly effective grasp of the English language in all of its forms or present technical concepts without making audience members start gnawing their arms off to escape.

      It isn’t too much of a stretch to say that a degree in English (or communications, or whatever) might just be one of the more useful and relevant degrees a student could obtain, with applications across a wide variety of disciplines. The point of college remains to learn to think (and master beer pong, of course); that can happen with a degree in biophysics just as easily as a degree in the humanities. That liberal arts major, though, just might have better job prospects in a knowledge economy than the biophysics major who avoided English and public speaking courses like the plague.

      I started out as a biophysics major in college. This lasted until I took organic chemistry. I quickly switched to public health which, through a part-time job, morphed into a degree in information systems with a focus on statistical computing and healthcare IT. Interestingly, though, the single class that was more useful to me than any other, where I learned things that I couldn’t have learned from a book or online, was a public speaking class.

      Useless degree? I think not.

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      Rihanna, Coldplay to perform together at Grammys

      Rihanna, Coldplay to perform together at Grammys
      Associated Press, New York | Thu, 01/19/2012 10:06 PM
      A | A | A |

      Rihanna and Coldplay sing together on the group's latest album, and they'll do so again at next month's Grammy Awards.

      Rihanna, who is nominated for four Grammys including album of the year for "Loud," tweeted the news to her followers Wednesday night, calling it "BONKERS."

      Coldplay is up for three awards.

      Paul McCartney was announced Thursday by The Recording Academy as another performer on the Feb. 12 broadcast.

      McCartney is being honored during Grammy week as the MusiCares person of the year. His new album, "Kisses on the Bottom," will be released Feb. 7.

      LL Cool J will host the show, to be broadcast on CBS from Los Angeles.

      Other performers include the Foo Fighters, Taylor Swift, Bruno Mars and Jason Aldean.

      malawi|north carolina|nba lockout|bcs bowl games|debt ceiling

      Friday, January 20, 2012

      Clash Between Two Mass Organizations Occurred in Joharbaru

      Clash occurred between two mass organizations on Jl. Percetakan
      Negara, Joharbaru, Central Jakarta, this afternoon (1/20) around 11.30
      AM. This clash is continuation from earlier clash in early morning
      which allegedly caused by parking lot seizure between youth mass
      organization and ethnic mass organization. As a result of this clash,
      one post owned by one of the mass organizations on Jl. Percetakan
      Negara I is wrecked. Luckily, there was no casualty reported on scene

      scrabble word finder|shannen doherty|seven eleven|redskins|nikola tesla

      Kenny G and Wife Split Up

      Kenny G and Balynda "Lyndie" Benson-Gorelick wife of two decades is splitting up.

      The sax player musician's wife filed for legal separation in Los Angeles Superior Court on January 9th, Benson-Gorelick citied the seperation as irreconcilable differences as the reason behind the divorce and if asking for full physical custody of their one minor child 14-year-old Noah, the couple also has an adult child Max.

      Kenny G the saxophone player is reportedly worth up to $50 million and is backed up with a high power divorce attorney Laura Wasser, while Benson-Gorelick has hired her attorney Gary Fishbein to guide through this divorce process.

      nfl news|deloitte|mike vrabel|bcs bowl games|vera bradley

      CES 2012: Razer Project Fiona is a Windows 8 tablet with dual controllers for PC gaming

      Not satisfied with releasing gaming accessories like mice and headsets, Razer has taken a big turn into system building. First, it announced the forthcoming Blade gaming laptop, and now it’s unveiled a concept tablet that claims it will bring real PC gaming capabilities to a slate.

      Project Fiona comprises a 10.1-inch tablet, along with a pair of integrated gaming controllers (though the screen will include multi-touch and accelerometer support). According to our sister site CNET, it will run Windows 8, as well as an “Android overlay”.

      It will pack an Intel Core i7 processor, and presumably it will rely on that chip’s integrated graphics, which suggests it will be an Ivy Bridge CPU (with superior integrated graphics to Sandy Bridge). Also included is a Dolby 7.1 surround sound system that’s been THX certified. Razer promises pricing under $1,000, which makes sense since you get pick up an Alienware M11x gaming netbook with a discrete graphics card for $899.

      Yes, this tablet might be able to play Crysis, but don’t get your hopes up that it will play it at anything but the lowest settings. Nonetheless, Razer seems out to prove that you can get your game on — in a more traditional sense — with Windows 8 tablets. There’s no word on when exactly Project Fiona will become a real commercial product (or if), but we’ll be keeping a close eye on its development in the coming months.

      More CES 2012 coverage from CNET and ZDNet.

      patti labelle|john kennedy jr|truffles|1truffles|george carlin

      Another Band Reunion

      Canada’s own Treble Charge has reunited and will be performing at Canadian Music Week in Toronto. They will be playing March 21 at the Phoenix Concert hall and tickets for the event can be bought here.

      For more details on Canadian Music Week, you can check out their website: http://canadianmusicfest.com/

      kyle orton|roger clemens|nags head nc|luigi|7 eleven

      Behind the Scenes: NeNe Leakes guest stars on 'Glee'

      When Will tries to plan a special surprise for Emma, he enlists the glee club to help him sweep her off her feet. Meanwhile, Becky sets her sights on Artie, and Finn makes an announcement about his life plans after high school that surprises the glee club, tomorrow (January 17) on Glee.

      NeNe Leakes makes a guest appearance as a swim coach. Watch NeNe talk about her role, and get a behind the scenes glimpse in the video below.

       

       

       

      ivanka trump|delaware|pbs|shooter|dancing with the stars winner

      Petani Buah Naga Kebanjiran Pesanan

      Metrotvnews.com, Tuban: Perayaan Imlek tinggal
      menghitung hari. Permintaan buah naga untuk hari raya warga Tionghoa
      itu meningkat. Petani buah naga di Tuban, Jawa Timur, pun mendapat
      banyak pesanan.

      Begitu pula dengan petani buah naga di
      Kecamatan Palang. Mereka mendapat permintaan buah naga dari pembeli
      dalam kota maupun luar Jawa Timur. Para petani mendapat pesanan hingga
      15 kilogram per hari. Di hari biasa, pesanan buah naga hanya 3
      kilogram.

      Biasanya, penghasilan maksimal para petani hanya
      Rp120 ribu per hari. Tapi menjelang Imlek, mereka meraup omset hingga
      Rp600 ribu dengan harga Rp40 ribu per kilogram.

      Lantaran
      pesanan yang membeludak, beberapa petani menolak pesanan. Sebab, hasil
      panen tak mencukup semua permintaan. Ditambah lagi lahan yang sempit
      membuat hasil panen tak melimpah dan jumlah produksi yang masih
      terbatas.(Rizal Fahlevy/*****)

      eric cantor|thanksgiving|ja rule|roger clemens|north carolina

      Thursday, January 19, 2012

      Intel betting on its 2012 pipeline

      Intel’s fourth quarter results delivered few surprises given its previous profit warning, but the company hit an optimistic tone for 2012 as it bets its mobile strategy and ultrabook push pays off.

      The chip giant reported fourth quarter earnings of $3.4 billion, or 64 cents a share, on revenue of $13.9 billion. for 2011, Intel reported earnings of $12.9 billion, or $2.39 a share, on revenue of $54 billion. CEO Paul Otellini called 2011 “exceptional” and the financials broke records.

      In addition, Intel said it was expecting first quarter revenue of $12.8 billion, give or take $500 million. In other words, Intel could crush Wall Street’s first quarter projections of $12.77 billion or miss that target by a country mile.

      What’s the worry? Intel’s 2012 roadmap may not pay off. Otellini said that the chip giant has a “tremendous product and technology pipeline.” That’s true, but there are significant wild cards to consider. First, Intel’s ultrabook efforts may not resonate with consumers and businesses. Meanwhile, Intel’s smartphone and tablet chips need to show they can push out ARM-based devices. The only sure bet for Intel is that it’ll continue to dominate the data center.

      Overall, it appears that Intel is betting that its fourth quarter, which was lower than expected due to hard drive shortages, was a blip.

      The outlook breaks down like this:

      • Intel projected gross margins for the first quarter of 63 percent.
      • 2012 capital spending will be $12.5 billion, give or take $400 million.
      • R&D spending in 2012 will be $10.1 billion.

      Here’s a look at Intel’s business unit performance.

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      FTC asked to probe Google+, search integration

      Updated Jan. 13 at 12:40 MT  with Google statement

      Privacy advocate the Electronic Privacy Information Center Thursday aimed its concerns at Google sending a formal letter to the Federal Trade Commission asking it to review the integration of Google+ and the company’s search results.

      EPIC says a review should take place given an ongoing FTC investigation of possible antitrust violations related to the way Google compiles search results, as well as, an April 2011 settlement Google made with the FTC regarding deceptive privacy practices.

      EPIC claims the integration of Google+ and Google search, called Search plus Your World, raises concerns over fair competition and the search giant’s adherence to the FTC settlement.

      EPIC said in its letter to the FTC, “Google’s [search] changes make the personal data of users more accessible.”  The letter was signed by Marc Rotenberg, executive director of EPIC.

      EPIC’s concerns were over personal data -  photos, posts, and contact details - being gathered from Google+ users and included in search results. “Google allows users to opt out of receiving search results that include personal data, but users cannot opt out of having their information found by their Google+ contacts through Google search,” the letter said.

      The EPIC letter to the commission, dated Jan. 12, cited a quote in the New York Times from James Grimmelmann, an associate professor at New York Law School who specializes in Internet law. Grimmelmann said the Google+, search integration “breaks down a very clear conceptual divide between things that are private and things that are public online.”

      In the same interview with the Times, Grimmelmann  added that many Google users would find the integration confusing, and that the updates would lead to a “sense of erosion of their privacy.”

      EPIC wants the FTC to review the changes in light of its April settlement with Google.

      A Google spokesman provided this statement when asked about EPIC’s letter.

      “Our goal with search has always been to provide the most relevant results possible. That’s why for years we’ve been working on social search features to help you find the most relevant information from your social connections no matter what site it’s on. Search plus Your World doesn’t change who has access to content, it simply helps people rediscover information they already have access to. We’ve taken special care with our new features to provide robust security protections, transparency and control for our users.”

      The 2011 settlement related to the introduction of Google’s Buzz social site in 2010. The settlement called for Google’s privacy practices to be scrutinized for the next 20 years and required Google to obtain the consent of users prior to new or additional sharing of personal information with any third party.

      At the time of the settlement, Jon Leibowitz, chairman of the FTC, said, “This is a tough settlement that ensures that Google will honor its commitments to consumers and build strong privacy protections into all of its operations.”

      The FTC investigation of Buzz was spurred by a letter from EPIC.

      In addition to the privacy concerns, EPIC is troubled with possible antitrust implications given that Google is accused of favoring its own social information over other sites in its search results.

      EPIC is asking the FTC to investigate “Google’s business practices, specifically whether the company prioritizes its own services in search results.”

      The scrutiny of Google comes just a week after EPIC asked the FTC to investigate potential privacy concerns over Facebook and its new Timeline feature.

      seattle sounders|betty broderick|sugar bowl|up all night|tom watson

      Digital cameras to watch for in 2012: A recap of CES announcements

      Even after swallowing up the photo industry’s PMA tradeshow, this year’s CES didn’t see as much digital camera action as last year’s show, with most big vendors trotting out fewer cameras this year than last (with the exception of Fujifilm’s 19 announcements, up from 16 last year). Panasonic dropped to just five new cameras this year, while Sony (last year’s second runner up for most cameras with 11), brought out only three. But while the usual point-and-shoot extravaganza was quieter this year, the hottest cameras at the show turned out to be geared toward higher-end shooters such as the Nikon D4 professional dSLR; the Canon PowerShot G1 X, a new big-sensor compact shooter; and the Fujifilm X-Pro1, the company’s new interchangeable lens compact (ILC) camera and worst kept secret. Look for more new cameras to be announced next month at Japan’s CP+ show, which debuted in 2010. Until then, though, here’s a recap of digital camera announcements from CES:

      Canon
      Rather than announcing its budget cameras as usual, Canon blew out the stops by announcing its latest and greatest G series high-end compact, the PowerShot G1 X.

      Casio
      Casio didn’t have anything as exciting as last year’s Tryx up its sleeve, trotting out four entry-level Exilim models along with its top-of-the-line Exilim EX-ZR15.

      Fujifilm
      Fujifilm was the star of the show, coming out with its first ILC, the Fujifilm X-Pro1, as well as a whopping 19 point-and-shoot cameras.

      GE
      These licensed GE cameras from General Imaging aren’t the most exciting, but they do offer some advanced features at low prices.

      Kodak
      Poor, beleaguered Kodak expanded its EasyShare line with the WiFi-enabled EasyShare M750 as well as a 26x megazoom, a waterproof snapshooter, and two budget models.

      Nikon
      One of the biggest announcements of the show, the long-rumored Nikon D4 professional dSLR is poised to take on the Canon EOS-1D X announced last fall.

      Olympus
      Speaking of beleaguered companies, Olympus tried to make some scandal-free headlines for a change. With its latest ILC line already on the market, Olympus focused on a couple of compact megazoom this CES, as well as the latest addition to its rugged Tough series.

      Panasonic
      Though Panasonic did announce some conversion lenses for its ILC cameras, its actual camera announcements at CES were mostly mid-range offerings, including a pair of 10x compact zooms and a pair of ultracompact point-and-shooters.

      Polaroid
      Though not quite as buzz-worthy as having Lady Gaga as a booth babe, Polaroid did create a bit of a stir this year with the first Android-based digital camera. The question is, who needs a “smart camera” if they already have a smart phone?

    • Samsung
      Samsung kicked off the pre-CES camera announcements with its WiFi-enabled DualView DV300F, and then followed up with three more WiFi cameras with long zooms, including a feature-packed 21x compact megazoom.

      Sony
      Compared to its 11-camera blow out last year, Sony practically took a pass this CES, announcing three measly budget shooters.

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