Sunday, July 31, 2011

review medela mini elektric (pemakaian)

dah hampir 8bln usia medela minel ku. mau review pompa yg sudah sangat berjasa untuk perasian kanaya ini. berikut reviewnya:
  1. diawal pemakaian, kira2 4 hari stelah melahirkankrn lom berpengalaman, jadinya makenya langsung setingan kencang. di kasih tau teman untuk pertama makenya setingan paling low, baru dikencangin pelan2 sesuai kebutuha (sakit tidaknya jg dipikirkan). mungkin karena diawal baru lahiran niple sangat sensitif, sampe lecet2 waktu dipompa + lecet krn lac on menyusui kurang pas. meringis deh jadinya. tp karena semangat juang yg tinggi untuk memberi asi eksklusif ya ditahan aja, lama2 kebal hehehe.
  2. Asi yg dihasilkan melimpah. awal2 krn sakit aku seting low terus dibantu pake tangan. ini kurang efektif krn berarti aku pumping dg 2 tangan. lama2 krn dah ga gitu sakit di kencengin dikit jd cukup dipeng aj pompanya, tangan satunya buat browsing or nelpon kanaya.
  3. di bulan ke empat, adaptornya tiba2 rusak. males klo hrs servisin ke kelapa gading. jd mulai make baterai. beli baterai ABC, ABC Alkalin, panasonic dll cuma bertahan 2-3 kali pompa dah ga bs kenceng. boros banget.
  4. beralih ke baterai energizer recharge. papa beliin yg chargernya buat 4 baterai dan beli baterai cadangan 2 biji. sebenernya beli yg chargernya buat 2 bateri dan ga pake cadangan dah cukup. baterai ini tahan lama bisa buat 5hr kerja X 3kali mompa per hari. salut! jadi klo ga pake cadangan malem ngecas nya pagi dah bisa dipake lg.
  5. sayangnya pompa ini berisik sekali, jd ga bs mompa di dkt baby. kasian keberisikan.
sebenernya pengen nyobain medela harmoni, kata temen2 manteb jg tp pegel :)

Clodi

akhirnya posting tentang clodi. clodi = cloth diapers, popok kain modern yang bisa dicuci dan dipakai kembali. dari sejak hamil dah denger tentang clodi ini, tp belum memutuskan beli.

waktu newborn, kanaya termasuk bayi asi yang pup lebih dari 5 kali sehari. jadi kanaya sampai umur 3-4bln hanya pake popok kain tradisional siang hari. klo pergi2 baru pake dispo diapers. setelah umur 2blnan malam dah mulai pake dispo diapers.

dispo diapers yang pernah dipake kanaya:
  1. mami poko biru size newborn-m, mahal dan ukuran nanggung. kanaya pake S kekecilan, pake M kebesaran. (no rush). pemakaian malam dan hari libur.
  2. Sweety clothlike yang warna merah kemasannya, ukurannya pas dengan kanaya, no rush cukup lama, tp akhirnya rush jg sampe sekarang dah ga cocok lg. hemat karena lebih murah. pemakaian malam dan hari libur.
  3. mami poko standart kemasan warna kuning, lebih hemat dari mami poko biru. bentuknya pants jd makeinnya lebih gampang, bahannya lembut. betah sampe sekarang make ini size dah pake yg L lebih longgar. pemakaian sepanjang hari jika ga pake clodi.
aku beli clodi 3 biji merek pempem, hasil review emak emak bloger ini produk lokal yang bagus dan murah, 3 pocket, 3 insert ultra bamboo thin, 3 insert microfiber. harga set pempem + insert bamboo ultrathin 67,5rb, set pempem + insert microfiber 75rb, set pempem + insert bamboo ultrathin + insert microfiber 99rb.



clodi bisa tahan paling lama 4 jam harus ganti. atau tergantung banyak ga nya pipis anak.

jadi pemakaiannya selama clodi masih ada, di pake dulu jika lg dicuci semua baru pake mami poko. klo malam hari lebih memilih pake mami poko, karena lebih nyerap pipis dah tahan sampe pagi ga pesing.

dengan pemakaian seperti itu, dalam seminggu kanaya menghabiskan 1bungkus mami poko kuning isi 20 dalam seminggu. harga mami poko bervariasi di indomaret 41.500 an, klo di hero 38rban, klo di giant bisa sampe 36rban. lumayan ngerasa bangkrut.

maka aku memutuskan beli clodi lg hari ini. beli merek GG, 1 GG pull up + insert microfiber 85rb, 1 pocket GG original 48rb, klo pake insert 77rb. dengan harapan bisa menghemat uang dispo diapers.



kelebihan pake clodi:
  1. Hemat, karena bisa dicuci dan dipake ulang. jadi modal awalnya aja yg agak gede. beli pempem 67,5rb dapat 1, mami poko kuning 40rb dpt 20, tp MP habis dalam seminggu. Kalau mau lebih hemat lg, clodinya harus cukup untuk pemakaian sehari.
  2. ramah lingkungan, mengurangi sampah diapers yang membutuhkan waktu bertahun2 untuk terurai.
kekurangan pake clodi:
  1. jika pipisnya dah agak banyak akan bau pesing, klo pake dispo diapers ga pesing :)
  2. lebih dari 4 jam, atau penuh ga diganti, akan timbul ruam. so, malam lebih milih pake dispo diapers, maknya males bangun buat gantiin clodi.
  3. agak ribet klo buat bepergian, makanya klo bepergian lebih milih pake dispo diapers.
untuk sementara aku pake clodi lokal dulu aja. lebih murah. dan sekarang dah banyak clodi lokal kualitas bagus.

Alhamdulillah...

ga terasa ya nakk.. kita dah bersama sama selama setahun ini. kata orang klo dah umur setahun bukan bayi lagi, dah jati todler apalah itu. tapi kamu tetep bayi cantik lucu imut panda. papa ma bunda seneng banget kanaya makin pinter dan bisa aja buat kita tertawa.

kemarin sengaja ngambil cuti dari hari senin sampe kamis, karena eyang dari blitar dateng nengokin cucu, kangen katanya hehehe ya iyalah cucunya ga dibawa bawa pulkam. seminggu full mainan ma kanaya, berenti dari aktivitas mompa n ngedot. haus buka gentong..

hari ini aku dah ngantor lg, kanaya sempet ga mau lepas dari gendonganku, dipanggil2in kucing mau jg ikut bibinya.. bobo pagi, kebangun nyariin nen, ga mau ngedot, nangis kejer.. kasian... tp ga pa pa nak bunda besok libur lg 2 hr :) bunda jg home sick lohh jd bete dikantor hihihi

dah bisa apa kanaya di umur setahun:
  • rabu malam dia ngajakin belajar jalan, iya dia inisiatif sendiri, dari pegangan sofa, lari ke bunda, paling dapet 1-2 langkah sambil ketawa ketawa, lama2 dia ngambil 2 jari bunda n ngrengek, minta tetah rupanya.. dan ga mau berenti sampe capek. siang jg gitu minta tetah lagi. enak ya nakk klo jalan kaki. dah bahasa tubuhnya ituloh.. dagu angkat keatas, senyum2 simpul lenggak lenggok sombong gitu :) nih kanaya pinter nih bunda jalan kaki... hehehe ayo semangat kanaya!! cepet jalan sendiri yaa.
  • ngomongnya belum nambah, papa, mama, apah, gajah. klo minta sesuatu nunjuk sambil bilang ouhh.
  • jurus andalannya, menempelkan kedua tangan, muka nunduk sedikit, uwun.. (nyuwun or minta) hehehe sapa yg tega buat ga ngasih.
  • tambah seneng jalan2 naik sepedanya bareng eyang kung n eyang ti.
  • maemnya pinter, tapi masih ga suka klo yg kasar ex wortel yg ga alus. jadi masih maem tim dan sayur diancurin, ga saring sih. disuruh ngunyah belum bisa ngunyah beneran baru bs pura2 ngunyah. jd klo maem itu langsung telen whiiihh ngeri ndukk.
  • ga suka digosok giginya pake kasa, klo pake sikat jg lom bisa nunjukin giginya. ini yg paling aku cemaskan, giginya dah mau penuh krn tumbuh terlalu muda, jd sekarang keliatah agak gripis2 kekuningan, ga putih bersih bagus gitu. pdhl maemnya jg ga diemut.
baru itu kali ya yg ku inget.. tambah pinter terus ya nakk..

sebelum tidur

hari jumat nanti pappa mo ke pekalongan untuk menghadiri acara nikahan temen kantornya. hwiiiih.. agak cemas juga sih mengingat cerita waktu pappa nginep di anyer waktu itu, kanaya itu loh.. ga bs bobo! kita dah kasih tau kanaya sih tp lom konsisten ngasih taunya, trus pappa jg mulai melatih ga mengantarkan kanaya bobo mulai weekend kemarin (alesan aja sih, padahal pengen ngobrol didepan ma yang kung mbil ngerokok, iya gak pa).

bobo tanpa papa beberapa hari ini, bukan langsung lancar, lamaa banget baru bisa bobo.

hari sabtu

dah nen, dah ngantuk, kanaya nengok belakang ga da papanya, ga nyariin sih, cuma jd gelibukan, guling sana guling sini, di ujung kasur salah, dipojokan salah, mpe hampir jam sembilan masih kayak gitu, lama2 dia teriak 'aarrrrrgh!!!' ga da tanda2 mo nangis sih cuma kayakna dia dah jengkel, ngantuk tp ga bisa bobo. dah ku elus2 aja punggungnya mbil bilang bobo ya nakk.. bobo jg akhirnya jam 9an.

hari minggu

kronologis mirip dengan hari sabtu, tapi yg ini dalam kondisi akunya jg ngantuk berat, mata dah mo kayak di lem aja. jadi kayaknya aku ngelus2 punggungnya kekencengan kali ya, kanaya gumoh agak banyak di kasur, trus dia terbangun duduk ngliatin gumohnya dia. aku suruh dia diem aja disitu kuambilin saputangan dulu, dia nurut habis ku lap dengan tisu basah tangan kaki n mulutnya dia malah cekikikan ngliatin bekas gumohnya. dia takjub sendiri kayakna karena dah lama ga gumoh. trus ku elus2 lagi punggungnya, ehhh da nyamuk mampir di pipinya, dia teplek dong pake dua tanganya, aku tersadar lagi...
nyamuk ya nduk..
uhh! (sambil nunjuk2 keatas ngasih tau nyamuknya terbang)
iya nyamuknya dah terbang, bobo lg ya...
uhh! uhh! (sambil nunjuk2 keatas ngasih tau nyamuknya terbang)
iya nyamuknya dah pergi kok, bobo lagi ya (mata dah merem)
uhh! uhh! uhh! (nunjuk2 keatas ditambah muka mengeryit)
(cling ada ide) plekk!! (kuteplekkan kedua telapak tangan)
dah, nyamuknya dah mati, bobo lagi ya...
hehehe.. (merem lagi berusaha bobo mbil dielus elus punggungnya)

hohoho dengan sedikit pura-pura, menyelesaikan masalah. jam 9an juga bobonya.

hari senin

nyerahh! ku panggil pappa yang lagi didepan, banyak PR nya, besok harus bangun pagi, lom masakin kanaya, lom makan, lom beresin ASI, lom sholat, lom cuci muka or mandi. klo kanaya bobo jam 9 padahal pergi bobo jam 7.30. gimana caranya menahan lapar!! 'loh jadi intinya td kelaparan ya'
bobo ditemenin papanya:
encutt encutt tangan explore muka bunda (nguwek2 hidung, mata, mulut) badan miring ngadep bunda kaki dijulurin kebelakang ngetekin pappanya biar ga pergi.
cepet deh bobonya, jam 8.05 dah lelap....

pfiuhh untung papa perginya pas wiken, jd lebih siap begadang. semoga ga perlu begadang ya ndukk, kanaya yang pinter yaa bobo sama bunda nanti...

PR saat ini


  • melatih kanaya gosok gigi dengan baik dan benar
kanaya suka mainin sikat giginya, dimasukin mulut disesep bentar ketawa, di emut lg. jd bukan disikatin ke giginya. pfiuhh minta kanaya nunjukin giginya itu susah banget, lidahnya malah yang di julurin. klo disuruh tepuk nyamuk capcus, klo ditanya momo bersin hadjing cepet, klo disuruh liatin giginya, tutup mulut rapet2. knapa ya nak, apa dia sengaja ato takut ato trauma. trauma kenapa ya???!! ga ngerti juga.

Ayo kanaya, yang pinter ya gosok giginya, gigi kanaya kan dah buanyak, harus disikat supaya sehat, putih bersih dan cantik..

  • melatih kanaya makan dengan baik dan benar
disuap -> telen -> kunyah deh nyaem nyaem kayak nenek nenek
beneran kayak gitu urutan makan kanaya sekarang. lagi ngajarin makanan meja (table food hihihi), yang ada keselek mulu. ya gimana disuruh ngunyah, eeee ngunyahnya seabis nelen. biasanya kanaya maen nasi tim yg sayurannya dilumatin (ga di blender ga di saring). masih sulit. dah selalu dikasih tau, dikunyah dulu baru ditelen, tp ya gitu masih aja telen dulu baru kunyah hahaha nduk nduk..

Kanaya.. maemnya abis masuk mulut di kunyah dulu ya.. abis itu klo dah halus baru ditelen, biar berasa enaknya makanan...

  • belajar bicara
sampe sekarang belum bertambah perbendaharaan katanya, masih kayak kemarin kemarin. kadang suka ngoceh sendiri ga jelas, cattta catta denga suara dikecil kecilin.. niatnya mo ngobrol kali ya..

semangat kanaya, berlatih terus buat mengucapkan kata kata ya.. ayuk sini ngobrol berdua bunda..

  • belajar berjalan
masih takut buat berjalan, sama ma proses dia melantai, lama banget karena lantai keras jadi suka kejeduk. awal2 tengkurep n merangkak klo ditaruh dilantai dia suka semaunya naruh kepala, kaki jadi bunyinya heboh banget jedak jeduk nangis deh. suka nyobain kerasnya tembok n lantai pake kepalanya, walau pelan2 banget nempelinnya kan akhirnya kejeduk juga. kalau di kasur nih, dia mau berdiri sendiri walau masih jarang, berjalan 2 langkah (msh jarang jg sih) tapi klo berjalan di lantai dia hati2 banget. klo di tetah itu nekenin kakinya semangat banget. tp klo ndorong kursi kakinya dah bagus napaknya, klo rambatan jg dah bagus napaknya.

yups yeps yaps, belajar terus ya kanaya.. semangat!!!

kanaya in orens


pic. 28.05.11

3 minggu da eyang dirumah

eyang blitar dah pulang hari minggu kemarin setelah 3 minggu menemani sang cucu, kanaya.

  • Pembicaraan suatu hari pulang kerja bersama pappa, Aku: 'pa, kanaya jadi mrusuh gemukan ya da eyangnya dirumah, lebih senang kali ya dia, dirumah da yang nemenin, sepedaan tiap pagi sore.. ' Pappa:'iya kali ya bund..'
  • Pembicaraan suatu hari berikutnya bersama eyangti, Eyangti: 'liat kanaya bundanya libur seminggu jd mrusuh gemukan, nen terus tiap saat seneng dia, giliran bundanya ngantor lg langsung nyemaming lg (kurusan)' Aku:'hee iya ya?!'
hoooo??? yang bener yang mana ya...

tapi emang sih pas kemarin libur krn cuti bersama itu, membuat kanaya lebih seger. jadi ngerasa bersalah ga sih pfiuhh.

jamur jamuran

bingung juga milih menu lauk tiap hari, ayam, ikan, daging, telur, tahu, tempe, jamur. sempet baca si ayam2 itu rajin dikasih antibiotik n telurnya jg, so pastilah tu ayam n telur mengandung antibiotik, trus kita konsumsi, ya kita konsumsi antibiotik juga dong. aku sih ga anti banget sama ayam n telur. telur masih kegemaran, ayam ditemukan dimana mana, yang bisa dilakukan mungkin mengurangi. yups mengurangi saja. PR nya jadi harus banyakin menu selain ayam. oia si pappa ga doyan ikan tawar, lele masih doyan sih tapi ga gitu suka. ikan kembung jg gitu ga gitu suka. jadinya sering masak jamur juga, walau pappa ga gitu suka jamur goreng tepung, tapi aku suka hihihi egois.

bisa diapain aja jamur itu....
  • jamur goreng bumbu tempe goreng (garam, tumbar, bawang, ga pake tempe loh)
ini fav ku dari sejak kicik, jamurnya nemu di pekarangan rumah aja. jaman dulu dikampung belum trend pembudidayaan jamur. biasanya jamur barat yang di temu.
  • jamur goreng tepung
seperti yang sedang trend sekarang, lumayan enak buat kemilan.
  • pepes jamu
bumbu agak pedas, mirip ma pepes tahu kali ya.
  • botok jamur
pake kelapa setengah baya, ga muda ga tua.
  • bacem jamur
ini yang terakhir ngikutin ibu mertua, pas nanya lagi masak apa, belio bilang bacem jamur. minta si bibi buatin, hmmm enyakkk.. jadi ketagihan nih kayaknya. dan yang terpenting pappa juga suka. nambah deh varian lauk baru.

i love jamur

berjalan

Alhamdulillahirobil'alamin..
barusan telp mba nya kanaya, dapet laporan,

kanaya bisa berjalan sendiri, pertama 4 langkah, kedua 3 langkah, tanpa diminta.

bimi sendiri ga tau awalnya, dia lg beresin mainan, tiba2 kanaya jalan kearahnya buat ngasih mainan. jadi ga ketauan proses berdiri sendirinya. tak henti hentinya ku ucapkan syukur.. sempet ngerasa sedih karena ga menyaksikan sendiri moment ini sama pas tengkurep dulu baru hari pertama ngantor setelah cuti melahirkan, kanaya tengkurep sendiri. tapi ga papa yang penting kanaya berkembang positif terus.. ga boleh egois.

jadi ga sabar pengen pulang...

panda luv you kanaya ku sayang...

pilek n sakit mata yg telah berlalu


hari rabu tanggal 22 juni 2011 kemarin kanay kena pilek n sakit mata. kasian banget, kayaknya sakit mata ini membuat kepala kanaya pusing, jadi klo malem dia nangis n ga bisa bobo. padahal biasanya klo cuma pilek kanaya ga pake nangis, paling tereak kesel karena ga bs bobo. sukur alhamdulillah, ga pake ke dokter dalam 3hr sakit matanya sembuh, rajin ditetesin asi aja ke matanya, pilek sembuh tapi trus mbeler lg walau ga separah 3hr itu. sampe sekarang masih suka keluar ingus bening.

karena sakit, sabtu minggu kemarin ga kemana2, rabu jg dirumah saja. kasian jg kanaya pengen jalan, tapi yang penting sembuh dulu ya nduk. ini dah jumat, besok kita kemana yukk..

sehat terus kanaya sayang...

Beatles



1960–1970: The Beatles

Hamburg On 12 August 1960, the group invited Pete Best to become their permanent drummer. Best had played with The Blackjacks[22] in the Casbah Club, owned by Pete's mother, Mona Best. This was a cellar club in West Derby, Liverpool, where The Beatles had played and often visited.[23] In the documentary The Compleat Beatles, Williams said that Best 'played not too cleverly, but passable'. Four days after hiring Best, the group left for Hamburg. The Beatles began playing in Hamburg at the Indra Club and moved on 4 October 1960 to the Kaiserkeller. They were required to play six or seven hours a night, seven nights a week. On 21 November 1960, Harrison was deported for having lied to the German authorities about his age.[24] A week later, having started a small fire at their living quarters while vacating it for more luxurious rooms, McCartney and Best were arrested, charged with arson, and deported.[25] Lennon followed the others to Liverpool in mid-December. Sutcliffe stayed behind in Hamburg with his new German fiancée Astrid Kirchherr. The reunited group played their first engagement on 17 December 1960 at the Casbah Club (with Chas Newby substituting for Sutcliffe). The Beatles returned to Hamburg in April 1961, performing at the 'Top Ten Club'.[26] Whilst playing at the Top Ten Club they were recruited by singer Tony Sheridan to act as his backing band on a series of recordings for the German Polydor Records label,[27] produced by famed bandleader Bert Kaempfert.[19] Kaempfert signed the group to its own Polydor contract at the first session on 22 June 1961. On 31 October Polydor released the recording 'My Bonnie (Mein Herz ist bei dir nur)', which appeared on the German charts under the name 'Tony Sheridan and the Beat Brothers', a generic name used for whoever happened to be in Sheridan's backup band.[28] In addition to the legend that this record led to the group's eventual meeting with Brian Epstein, it also resulted in their first mention in the American press. Around the beginning of 1962, Cashbox mentioned 'My Bonnie' as the debut of a 'new rock and roll team, Tony Sheridan and the Beat Brothers'. A few copies were also pressed under the Decca label for U.S. disc jockeys, as American Decca had a distribution deal with Polydor parent Deutsche Grammophon.[29] (This was ironic, considering that by this time the then-unaffiliated British Decca had turned down the group's attempt to gain a recording contract.) When the group returned to Liverpool, Sutcliffe stayed on in Hamburg with Kirchherr.[30] By then McCartney had taken over bass duties.[31] Their third stay in Hamburg was from 13 April to 31 May 1962, when they opened The Star Club.[19] Upon their arrival, they were informed of Sutcliffe's death from a brain haemorrhage.[32] Epstein took over as the group's manager in January 1962 and led The Beatles' quest for a British recording contract. Epstein had been manager of the record department at North End Music Store (NEMS), an offshoot of his family's furniture store. He played on the status of NEMS as a major record dealer to gain access to producers and recording company executives. In a now-famous exchange, Decca Records A&R executive Dick Rowe turned Epstein down flat, informing him that 'Guitar groups are on the way out, Mr. Epstein.'[33] (See The Decca audition.) While Epstein was negotiating with Decca, he also approached EMI marketing executive Ron White.[34] White (who was not himself a record producer) in turn contacted EMI producers Norrie Paramor, Walter Ridley, and Norman Newell, all of whom declined to record The Beatles.[35] White did not approach EMI's fourth staff producer – George Martin – who was on holiday at the time.[36] Record contract After failing to impress Decca Records, Epstein went to the HMV store on Oxford Street in London to transfer the Decca tapes to discs. There, recording engineer Jim Foy referred him to Sid Coleman, who ran EMI's publishing arm. When Coleman heard the demo tapes he suggested taking the tapes to George Martin, who, Coleman explained, 'does comedy records' and headed the Parlophone label at EMI. Epstein eventually met with Martin, who signed the group to EMI on a one-year renewable contract and scheduled their first recording session on 6 June 1962 at EMI's Abbey Road Studios in north London.[37] Martin had not been particularly impressed by the band's demo recordings,[38] but he instantly liked them as people when he met them. He concluded that they had raw musical talent, but said (in later interviews) that what made the difference for him was their wit and humour.[39] Martin did have a problem with Pete Best, [38] whom he criticised for not being able to keep time. He privately suggested to Epstein that the band use another drummer in the studio. There was speculation by some that Best's popularity[40] with fans was another source of friction. In addition, Epstein had become exasperated with his refusal to adopt the distinctive hairstyle as part of their unified look. Best also had missed a number of engagements because of illness. The three founding members enlisted Epstein to dismiss Best – which he did on 16 August 1962.[41] They asked Ringo Starr (born Richard Starkey), the drummer for one of the top Merseybeat groups, Rory Storm and the Hurricanes, to join the band; Starr had performed occasionally with The Beatles in Hamburg.[42] The first recordings of Lennon, McCartney, Harrison, and Starr together were made as early as 15 October 1960, in a series of demonstration records privately recorded in Hamburg while acting as the backing group for singer Lu Walters.[43] Starr played on The Beatles' second EMI recording session on 4 September 1962, but Martin hired session drummer Andy White for their next session on 11 September.[44] Their recording contract paid them one penny for each single sold, which was split amongst the four Beatles — one farthing per group member.[45] This royalty rate was further reduced for singles sold outside the UK, on which they received half of one penny (again split between the whole band) per single. Martin said later that it was a 'pretty awful' contract.[45] The Beatles' first EMI session on 6 June 1962 did not yield any recordings considered worthy of release, but the September sessions a few months later produced a minor UK hit, 'Love Me Do', which peaked on the charts at number 17.[46] ('Love Me Do' reached the top of the U.S. singles chart over 18 months later in May 1964.) On 26 November 1962, they recorded their second single 'Please Please Me', which reached number two on the official UK charts and number one on the NME chart. Three months later, they recorded their first album (also titled Please Please Me). The band's first televised performance was on the People and Places programme, transmitted live from Manchester by Granada Television on 17 October 1962.[47] As The Beatles' fame spread, the frenzied adulation of the group, predominantly from teenage female fans, was dubbed Beatlemania. At this time, the band began getting noticed by serious music critics. On 23 December 1963, The Times music critic William Mann published an essay extolling The Beatles' compositions – their 'fresh and euphonious' guitars in 'Till There Was You', their 'submediant switches from C major into A flat major', and the 'octave ascent' in 'I Want to Hold Your Hand', for example. The Beatles themselves were perplexed by this analysis by Mann: '...one gets the impression that they think simultaneously of harmony and melody, so firmly are the major tonic sevenths and ninths built into their tunes, and the flat submediant key switches, so natural is the Aeolian cadence at the end of 'Not a Second Time' (the chord progression which ends Mahler's Song of the Earth).' America Although the band experienced huge popularity on the UK record charts in early 1963, EMI's American operation, Capitol Records, declined to issue the singles 'Please Please Me' and 'From Me to You' (their first official number one hit in the UK).[48] Vee-Jay Records, a small Chicago label, issued the singles as part of a deal for the rights to another performer's masters. Art Roberts, music director of Chicago powerhouse radio station WLS, placed 'Please Please Me' into radio rotation in late February 1963, making it the first time a Beatles record was heard on American radio. Vee-Jay's rights to The Beatles were later cancelled for non-payment of royalties.[49] In August 1963, Philadelphia-based Swan Records released 'She Loves You', which also failed to receive airplay. A testing of the song on Dick Clark's TV show American Bandstand produced laughter from American teenagers when they saw the group's distinctive hairstyles.[50] In early November 1963, Brian Epstein persuaded Ed Sullivan to present The Beatles on three editions of his show in February, and parlayed this guaranteed exposure into a record deal with Capitol Records. Capitol committed to a mid-January release for 'I Want to Hold Your Hand'.[51] On 7 December 1963, a clip of The Beatles was shown on the CBS Evening News. (The story originally had been scheduled to air on 22 November, and was aired on the CBS Morning News, but was preempted by the assassination of John F. Kennedy.) The clip inspired a teenage girl in Washington, D.C. to request a Beatles song on a local radio station. The station secured an imported copy of 'I Want to Hold Your Hand' – forcing Capitol Records to release the song ahead of schedule on 26 December 1963.[52] Several New York radio stations – first WMCA, then WINS and WABC – began playing 'I Want to Hold Your Hand' on its release day. The Beatlemania that had started in Washington was duplicated in New York and quickly spread to other markets. The record sold one million copies in just ten days, and by 16 January 1964, Cashbox magazine had certified the record number one (in the edition marked 23 January). On 3 January 1964, a film of The Beatles performing 'She Loves You' was aired on the late-night Jack Paar Show. Beatlemania crosses the Atlantic On 7 February 1964, a crowd of four thousand fans at Heathrow Airport waved to The Beatles as they took off for their first trip to the United States as a group.[53] They were accompanied by photographers, journalists (including Maureen Cleave), and Phil Spector, who had booked himself on the same flight.[54] The pilot had radioed ahead, and as they prepared to land said, 'Tell the boys there's a big crowd waiting for them.' Kennedy International Airport had never experienced such a crowd, estimated at about 3,000 screaming fans.[55] After a press conference (where they first met Murray the K) they were put into limousines and driven to New York. On the way, McCartney turned on a radio and listened to a running commentary: 'They [The Beatles] have just left the airport and are coming to New York City...'[56] After reaching the Plaza Hotel, they were besieged by fans and reporters. Harrison had a temperature of 102 the next day and was ordered to stay in bed, so Neil Aspinall replaced him for the first television rehearsal.[57] Their first live American television appearance was on the The Ed Sullivan Show on 9 February 1964. The next morning practically every newspaper wrote that The Beatles were nothing more than a 'fad', and 'could not carry a tune across the Atlantic'.[58] Their first American concert appearance was at Washington Coliseum in Washington, D.C. on 11 February 1964.[59] After The Beatles' huge success in 1964, Vee-Jay Records and Swan Records took advantage of their previously secured rights to The Beatles' early recordings and reissued the songs, all of which reached the top ten the second time around. (MGM and Atco also secured rights to The Beatles' early Tony Sheridan-era recordings and had minor hits with 'My Bonnie' and 'Ain't She Sweet', the latter featuring John Lennon on lead vocal.) In addition to Introducing... The Beatles, which was essentially The Beatles' debut British album with some minor alterations, Vee-Jay also issued an unusual LP called The Beatles Vs The Four Seasons. This 2-LP set paired Introducing... The Beatles and The Golden Hits Of The Four Seasons, another successful act that Vee-Jay had under contract, in a 'contest' (the back cover featured a 'score card'). Another unusual release was the Hear The Beatles Tell All album, which consisted of two lengthy interviews with Los Angeles radio disc jockeys (side one was titled 'Dave Hull interviews John Lennon', while side two was titled 'Jim Steck interviews John, Paul, George, Ringo'). No Beatles music was included on this interview album, which turned out to be the only Vee Jay Beatles album Capitol Records could not reclaim. The Vee-Jay/Swan-issued recordings eventually ended up with Capitol, which issued most of the Vee-Jay material on the American-only Capitol release The Early Beatles, with three songs left off this final US version of the album. ('I Saw Her Standing There' was issued as the American B-side of 'I Want to Hold Your Hand', and also appeared on the Capitol Records album Meet The Beatles. 'Misery' and 'There's a Place' were issued as a Capitol 'Starline' reissue single in 1964, and reappeared on the 1980 Rarities compilation album.) The early Vee-Jay and Swan Beatles records command a high price on the record collectors' market, and all have been copiously bootlegged.[60] The Swan tracks ('She Loves You' and 'I'll Get You') were issued on the Capitol LP The Beatles' Second Album. (Swan also issued the German-language version of 'She Loves You', called 'Sie Liebt Dich'. This song later appeared (in stereo) on Capitol's US version of the Rarities compilation album.) In mid-1964 the band undertook their first appearances outside of Europe and North America. They toured Australia without Ringo Starr, who was suffering from tonsillitis and was temporarily replaced by session drummer Jimmy Nicol. In Adelaide they were greeted by over 300,000 people who turned out at Adelaide Town Hall.[61] Ringo had rejoined by the time they arrived in New Zealand on 21 June 1964.[62] In June 1965, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II appointed the four Beatles Members of the Order of the British Empire, MBE. The band members were nominated by Prime Minister Harold Wilson (who also was the M.P. for Huyton, Liverpool).[63] The appointment – at that time primarily bestowed upon military veterans and civic leaders – sparked some conservative MBE recipients to return their insignia in protest.[64] The first two were returned on 14 June 1965, before The Beatles received theirs on 26 October.[65] On 15 August 1965, the Beatles performed the first major stadium concert in the history of rock at Shea Stadium in New York to a crowd of 55,600.[66] Their sixth album, Rubber Soul, was released in early December 1965. It was hailed as a major leap forward in the maturity and complexity of the band's music.[67] Backlash and controversy In July 1966, when The Beatles toured the Philippines, they unintentionally snubbed the nation's first lady, Imelda Marcos, who had expected the group to attend a breakfast reception at the Presidential Palace.[68] When presented with the invitation, Brian Epstein politely declined on behalf of the group, as it had never been the group's policy to accept such 'official' invitations.[69] The group soon found that the Marcos regime was unaccustomed to accepting 'no' for an answer. After the 'snub' was broadcast on Philippine television and radio, all of The Beatles' police protection disappeared. The group and their entourage had to make their way to Manila airport on their own. At the airport, road manager Mal Evans was beaten and kicked, and the band members were pushed and jostled about by a hostile crowd.[70] Once the group boarded the plane, Epstein and Evans were ordered off, and Evans said, 'Tell my wife that I love her.'[71] Epstein was forced to give back all the money that the band had earned while they were there before being allowed back on the plane.[72] Almost as soon as they returned from the Philippines, an earlier comment by Lennon made in March that year launched a backlash against The Beatles from religious and social conservatives in the United States. In an interview with British reporter Maureen Cleave,[73] Lennon had offered his opinion that Christianity was dying and that The Beatles were 'more popular than Jesus now'.[74] Afterwards, a radio station in Birmingham, Alabama, ran a story on burning Beatles records, in what was considered to be a joke. However, many people affiliated with rural churches in the American South started taking the suggestion seriously. Towns across the United States and South Africa started to burn Beatles records in protest. Attempting to make light of the incident, McCartney said, 'They've got to buy them before they can burn them.' Under tremendous pressure from the American media, Lennon apologised for his remarks at a press conference in Chicago on 11 August 1966, the eve of the first performance of what turned out to be their final tour.[75] The group's two-year series of Capitol compilations also took a strange twist in the United States when one of their publicity shots, used for a Yesterday and Today album and a poster promoting the UK release of 'Paperback Writer', created an uproar, as it featured the band dressed in butchers' overalls, draped in meat and plastic dolls. This was said to be a response to the way Capitol had 'butchered' their albums[76]. Thousands of copies of the album had a new cover pasted over. Years later, a commentator linked the cover shot with the group's interest in German expressionism.[75] Elvis Presley disapproved of The Beatles's anti-war activism and open use of drugs, later asking President Richard Nixon to ban all four members of the group from entering the United States. Peter Guralnick writes, 'The Beatles, Elvis said, [...] had been a focal point for anti-Americanism. They had come to this country, made their money, then gone back to England where they fomented anti-American feeling.'[77] Guralnick adds, 'Presley indicated that he is of the opinion that The Beatles laid the groundwork for many of the problems we are having with young people by their filthy unkempt appearances and suggestive music while entertaining in this country during the early and middle 1960s.'[78] Despite Elvis' remarks, Lennon still had some positive feelings towards him: 'Before Elvis, there was nothing.'[79] In stark contrast, Bob Dylan recognised the Beatles' contribution, stating: 'America should put up statues to The Beatles. They helped give this country's pride back to it.'[80] Studio years In April 1966, the group began recording what would be their most ambitious album to date, Revolver. During the recording sessions for the album, tape looping and early sampling were introduced in a complex mix of ballad, R&B, soul, and world music. The Beatles performed their last concert before paying fans at Candlestick Park in San Francisco on 29 August 1966.[75] McCartney asked Tony Barrow to tape the event, but the 30-minute tape he used ran out halfway through the last song. The concert lasted a little under 35 minutes.[81] From then on, The Beatles concentrated on recording. Less than seven months after recording Revolver, The Beatles returned to Abbey Road Studios on 24 November 1966 to begin the 129-day recording sessions for their eighth album, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, released on 1 June 1967. On 25 June 1967, The Beatles became the first band globally transmitted on television, before an estimated 400 million people worldwide. The band appeared in a segment within the first-ever worldwide television satellite hook-up, a show titled Our World. The Beatles were transmitted live from Abbey Road Studios, and their new song 'All You Need Is Love' was recorded live during the show. The band's business affairs began to unravel after manager Brian Epstein died of an accidental prescription drug overdose on 27 August 1967 at the age of 32. At the end of 1967, they received their first major negative press in the UK with disparaging reviews of their surrealistic TV film Magical Mystery Tour.[82] Part of the criticism arose because colour was an integral part of the film, but in 1967 few viewers in the UK had colour televisions. The film's soundtrack, which features one of The Beatles' few instrumental tracks ('Flying'), was released in the United Kingdom as a double EP, and in the United States as a full LP (the LP is now the official version). The group spent the early part of 1968 in Rishikesh, Uttar Pradesh, India, studying transcendental meditation with the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.[83] Upon their return, Lennon and McCartney went to New York to announce the formation of Apple Corps. The middle of 1968 saw the band busy recording the double album The Beatles, popularly known as The White Album because of its plain white cover. These sessions saw deep divisions opening within the band, with Starr temporarily walking out. The band carried on, with McCartney recording the drums on the songs 'Martha My Dear', 'Wild Honey Pie', 'Dear Prudence' and 'Back in the USSR'. Among the other causes of dissension were that Lennon's new girlfriend, Yoko Ono, was at his side through almost all of the sessions, and that the others felt that McCartney was becoming too domineering.[84] Internal divisions within the band had been a small but growing problem during their early years; most notably, this was reflected in the difficulty that Harrison experienced in getting his own songs onto Beatles albums. On the business side, McCartney wanted Lee Eastman, the father of his then-girlfriend Linda Eastman, to manage The Beatles, but the other members wanted New York manager Allen Klein. All past Beatles decisions had been unanimous, but this time the four could not agree. Lennon, Harrison and Starr felt the Eastmans would put McCartney's interests before those of the group. In 1971, it was discovered that Klein, who had been appointed manager, had stolen £5 million from The Beatles' holdings. Years later, during the Anthology interviews, McCartney said of this time, 'Looking back, I can understand why they would feel that he [Lee Eastman] was biased against them.' Their final live performance was on the rooftop of the Apple building (see Let It Be (film)#The rooftop performance) in Savile Row, London, on 30 January 1969, the next-to-last day of the difficult Get Back sessions. Most of the performance was filmed and later included in the film Let It Be. While the band was playing, the local police were called because of complaints about the noise. Although the group was simply asked to end their performance, the band members later remarked in the Anthology video that they were disappointed they were not arrested – pointing out that the police hauling the band members off in handcuffs would have been 'an appropriate ending' for the film. The Beatles recorded their final album, Abbey Road, in the summer of 1969. The completion of the song 'I Want You (She's So Heavy)' for the album on 20 August 1969 was the last time all four Beatles were together in the same studio. Their final new song was Harrison's 'I Me Mine', recorded 3 January 1970 and released on the Let It Be album. It was recorded without Lennon, who was in Denmark when the song was recorded.[85] Breakup Main article: The Beatles' breakup John Lennon announced his departure to the rest of the group on 20 September 1969, but agreed that no announcement was to be publicly made until a number of legal matters were resolved. In March 1970, the Get Back session tapes were given to American producer Phil Spector, who had produced Lennon's solo single 'Instant Karma!'. Spector's Wall of Sound production values went against the original intent of the record, which had been to record a stripped-down live performance. McCartney was deeply dissatisfied with Spector's treatment of 'The Long and Winding Road' and unsuccessfully attempted to halt release of Spector's version of the song. McCartney publicly announced the break-up on 10 April 1970, a week before releasing his first solo album, McCartney. Pre-release copies included a press release with a self-written interview explaining the end of The Beatles and his hopes for the future.[86] On 8 May 1970, the Spector-produced version of Get Back was released as Let It Be, followed by the documentary film of the same name (see Let It Be (film)). The Beatles' partnership was finally dissolved in 1975.[87]

1957–1960: Formation

In March 1957, while attending Quarry Bank Grammar School in Liverpool, John Lennon formed a skiffle group called The Quarrymen.[6] Lennon and the Quarrymen met guitarist Paul McCartney at the Woolton Garden Fête held at St. Peter's Church on 6 July 1957.[7] On 6 February 1958, the young guitarist George Harrison was invited to watch the group (who played under a variety of names) at Wilson Hall, Garston, Liverpool.[8] McCartney had become acquainted with Harrison on the morning school bus ride to the Liverpool Institute, as they both lived in Speke. At McCartney's insistence, Harrison joined the Quarrymen as lead guitarist[9] after a rehearsal in March 1958, overcoming Lennon's initial reluctance because of Harrison's young age.[10] Members continually joined and left the lineup during that period, and in January 1960 Lennon's art school friend Stuart Sutcliffe joined on bass.[11] Lennon and McCartney both played rhythm guitar and the group had a high turnover of drummers. The Quarrymen went through a progression of names — 'Johnny and the Moondogs', 'Long John and the Beatles', 'the Silver Beetles' (derived from Larry Parnes' suggestion of 'Long John and the Silver Beetles') — before settling on 'The Beatles'. There are many theories as to the origin of the name and its unusual spelling. It is usually credited to Lennon, who said that the name was a combination word-play on the insect beetles (as a reference to Buddy Holly's band, The Crickets) and the word beat. Cynthia Lennon suggests that Lennon came up with the name Beatles at a 'brainstorming session over a beer-soaked table in the Renshaw Hall bar.'[12] Lennon, who was well known for giving multiple versions of the same story, joked in a 1961 Mersey Beat magazine article that 'It came in a vision – a man appeared on a flaming pie and said unto them, 'From this day on you are Beatles with an A''.[13] During an interview in 2001, Paul McCartney took credit for the peculiar spelling of the name, saying that 'John had the idea of calling us the Beetles, I said, 'how about the Beatles; you know, like the beat of the drum?' At the time, everyone was stoned enough to find it hilarious. It's funny how history is made.'[14] In May 1960, The Beatles toured northeast Scotland as a back-up band with singer Johnny Gentle.[15] They met Gentle an hour before their first gig, and McCartney referred to the tour as a great experience for the band.[16] For the tour the often drummerless group secured the services of Tommy Moore, who was considerably older than the others.[17] Soon after the tour, however, feeling the age gap was too great, Moore left the band and went back to work in a bottling factory as a forklift truck driver.[18] Norman Chapman was the band's next drummer, but was called up for National Service a few weeks later. His departure posed a significant problem as the group's unofficial manager, Allan Williams, had arranged for them to perform in clubs on the Reeperbahn in Hamburg, Germany.[19]

Friday, July 29, 2011

Queen Ana de Sousa Nzinga Mbande of Ndongo (Angola)




Image: Queen Nzinga of Angola (circa b: 1581 - d. Dec. 17, 1663)

A brief account of the life and times of one of the earliest recorded African warrior queens, Queen Nzinga (aka Nzinga; Dona Ana de Sousa; Ana de Souza; Zhinga; N'Zhinga; Jinga; Ngola Ana Nzinga Mbande), renowned for her strategic military tactics and political and diplomatic intelligence.
Born as Princess Nzinga among the Mbundu (Ambundu) group of the Ndongo Kingdom in the central west Africa region now known as Angola. Her father was Ngola Kilajua, the word 'Ngola' referring to the title of the ruling chief, which later developed into the national name for the region. Her mother reportedly had no blood ties to the royal family within the landed chieftain system. Nzinga had one brother, Ngola Mbandi, and two sisters, Kifunji and Mukambu. Though she resisted Portuguese colonial occupation of central west Africa for over four decades, she officially ruled Ndongo from 1624-1626 and 1657-1663.

The earliest European record of Nzinga was a report of her inclusion in her brother's envoy to an 1622 peace conference before the Portuguese's Luanda governor João Correia de Sousa. Luanda is an Atlantic coastal city, the largest city in Angola and the country's capital. An historical account of the conference includes the famous tale of Correia de Sousa's not offering Nzinga a chair, instead placing a floor mat before her to sit. In an 1690 book, the Italian priest Giovanni Antonio Cavazzi, in attendance at the court, memorialized the scene in an engraving whereby Nzinga asserts her status by sitting on the back of a maid servant within her royal envoy during the course of the negotiations.

Image: Giovanni Antonio Cavazzi, Istorica Descrizione de' Tre Regni Congo, Matamba, et Angola (Milan, 1690), p. 437 Cavazzi writes the Queen's name as 'Zingha'. (Copy in the John Carter Brown Library at Brown University)
Though a treaty was signed with the Portuguese at this peace conference it was never honored by them. They soon hired the Imbangala (aka Mbangala) to fight against the Ndongo Kingdom as they pushed to capture slaves to further their national slave trading export interests to the so-called New World. Prior to Nzinga's birth, the Portuguese had settled along the southern part of the Congo River and began moving up the Kwanza River Valley in search of slaves and gold. According to historical reports, the Imbangala in the 17th century mostly comprised bands of pillaging warriors native to this regions, founders of the kingdom of Kasanje. They aided the Portuguese colonial campaigns as early as those of Luis Mendes de Vasconcelos in 1618. The Imbangala's historical marauding customs were reportedly abandoned by the late seventeenth century.

Map: main region of military battles between Kingdom of Ndongo and Portuguese in Angola

The Mbundu tradition prohibited women rulers, so upon Nzinga's brother's death she became regent to his son Kiza, but soon convinced the Portuguese to support her bid to the throne. In 1622, she was baptized and took the Christian name Ana, the surname of the Luanda governor de Sousa and the Portuguese title Dona. Hence Princess Nzinga became known as Dona Ana de Sousa in a political move to help secure her succession to the Ndongo Kingdom throne.

The Portuguese began negotiating directly with Nzinga. The arrival of Fernão de Sousa in 1624 started with discussions with her, but because she was not submissive to the Portuguese ended with her ouster from Kidonga. That same year she is reported to refer to herself as "Rainha de Andongo" (Queen of Andongo). After the Portuguese ouster, Nzinga continued fighting against the Portguese while in exile. She fled east but reclaimed the island in 1627. She was again driven out by the Portuguese in 1629, the year her sister was captured by their military forces.

By 1641, Nzinga had entered into was is noted by commentors as the first African-European alliance against another European nations when she entered into negotiations with the Dutch. In 1646 her army defeated the Portuguese at Davanga, but her other sister was captured. By 1647 her alliance with the Dutch was fruitful in the seizure of Masangano from the Portuguese. In 1648 her army retreated to Matamba, a pre-colonial African Kingdom located in what is now the Baixa de Cassange region of Malanje Province of modern day Angola.

Photo: Statue of Queen Nzinga in Luanda, Angola on the Kinaxixi Square

In an 1657 speech, Queen Nzinga reportedly stated to her army that an alliance with the Imbangala was then a necessary evil in the military war against the Portuguese. In the same year, however, she signed a peace treaty with the Portuguese. She had fought against the their colonial and slave raiding attacks for decades. Queen Nzinga died on December 17, 1663 at the age of 80. Unfortunately, her death accelerated Portuguese colonial occupation, as well as their Atlanta slave trade activities in central west Africa.

Photo: modern day aerial view of Luanda, Angola


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Should We Care What Miss USA Thinks?


Anita Bryant sold a hell of a lot of orange juice as Miss America. She sold it as a darling of the right espousing family values. Take Sean Hannity and Bill O'reilly and put a skirt on them and give them some orange juice to sell. But what was Anita really selling. My way. She was selling her view of America versus the leftist view of America that was against Vietnam and for the college students (the bearded bums of their time) and she became emblematic of a sort of 1950's America. Miss. America had been politicized right then and she would never step out of the arena.

Say what you want. It is a silly Trump owned entity, but it is ours. Miss USA is our unofficial ambassador of a what beautiful well rounded women aspire too. Apologies to all feminists for that last sentence. Of course it is antiquated and out of step with the times. Almost retro. But Perez Hilton thought enough of it to petition to get on as a judge. Why? Air time baby. The Pageant still creates a lot of publicity and that is bankable. Celebrity blogger. Almost a contradiction in terms. A blogger by nature is a pluralist who is one of the many. Stick celebrity on there and we see someone in their pajamas writing in a glittering Elton John ensemble.

So we have this Miss. USA with a crown who parades around the world as our representative of what...women beautiful? Again all apologies to modern women all over the world. But Miss USAis a player, albeit a sort of corny one. So do we care when the Perez Hilton question swings down from the heavens...do you believe in gay marriage? A woman who looks like Miss. California responds with all her sexual gusto--NO. Hmm... I don't' believe in gay marriage. I believe it is between a man and a woman. Now the gong of Anita has been clanged once more. We can almost see the orange trees for the forest.

That is what popped up in what is really a hilarious paean to American Culture. The specter of another divisive personality hitting the Fox News circuit and serving up home cooked born in the USA intolerance. OK. I said it. Intolerance. Seems a word incongruous for a woman in a bikini, but there it is. I have to follow up now with logic. If Miss USA is a representative of... WOMANKIND, ladies please don't throw your shoes. Then she has to be a representative of tolerance. That is what our country is really all about...upper cable channels aside. In the year of our Lord, 2009, gay couples should be allowed the same rights as married couples. Why? Tolerance. Why keep them out? It's like keeping Jackie Robinson from playing baseball. It just doesn't' make sense.

And I will one up Miss. USA here. Why would she care? Really? Does it hurt anyone to have gay people get married? I had a lesbian couple behind me on on our last street with a little boy. Very nice couple. We would do what neighbors do, chat, wave as we went in our garages. They were just like any other couple. Why in the hell would Miss. America care if they get married? Unfortunately, it comes down to intolerance. And if Miss USA is a representative of... uh... what is best in Women--sorry ladies... not eggs please! Then she must be tolerant. So celebrity blogger Perez Hilton was right to ding her.

And now, ladies, I am going to leave by the back door for insulting most of the women in this country. I don't care what anyone says, these pageants are rough.

To Be Sexy, You Will Be Wearing Malibu Strings


You go online; you want something that will titillate your sweetheart. You come across a company located in Southern California in the United States called Malibu Strings. As you browse the Malibu Strings website, you find, sexy sheer, barely there bikinis and panties. Are you bold enough to order? Of course you are. You wait in anticipation for the package to arrive. Finally it comes all the way from the USA. You grab the package and run to your bedchamber to try it on. As you turn this way and that looking in the mirror, you wonder will I ever wear this? Then he walks in, and as they say in the states 'Ooooh baby!' It worked.

The Malibu String Company offers an exceptional line of bikinis, and amazingly flattering sexy bold line of clothing. All you have to be is uninhibited, even if it's only in your own home. Malibu Strings is a direct distributor, using no third party distributors, and have become a favourite company all over the world.

Even though Malibu Strings specializes in bikinis inspired by the Malibu coastline and the uninhibited life styles of the women on the California beaches they have expanded into an exquisite line of panties, t-shirts, cover-ups and shorts. The styles are simplistic in form but offer a very sexy cut. The rise in the back of their shorts creates just enough showing of skin to be sensual but not trashy. The t-shirts are tailored to fit the female body like a glove, and accentuate the bust line as well as a woman's shapely arms. This line of bikini is a legend in the United States and is highly sought after by American women. Just as popular are the Malibu Strings collection of thongs, boy shorts and bikini panties. You can get them in a variety of solid colours and prints as well as several different types of fabrics, meshes, animal prints and lace. This line of lingerie also offers micro mini skirts, hooded cover-ups, ponchos, headbands and scrunches and much more. They even offer a very stylish designer bag.

How would you like to win your favourite bikini? Enter the Malibu Stings Bikini Competition. The rules are
very straightforward. You must be 18 years of age, have a photo taken of you in a bikini and upload it to the site. Malibu Strings reserves the right to reject any entry; all photos not used will be deleted. Malibu Strings prefers photos taken in public and photos need to be untouched and natural. If they like your photo and post it on their website you will receive a gift certificate for one hundred American Dollars to purchase the bikini of your choice. You can upload as many photos and enter as often as you like.

American Flag Bikini


Swimwear has a unique history and a path that has taken it to where it is today. As the years pass, the designs change and the sizes get smaller. One design that continues to gain popularity over time is the American flag bikini and there is good reason for this popularity.

The bikini itself is a statement but when it holds the design of the United States flag it becomes an even bigger statement. Some people may see it as purely a symbol of sex but many people view this as a sign of patriotism and national pride in today's world. Not everyone can carry a flag around with them all of the time - especially to the beach or pool. A much easier way to show off your patriotism during summer or on vacation is to wear a flag on your swimwear or with an U.S. flag bikini.

Many people have seen the image of Sarah Palin in an American flag bikini while holding a rifle. This image made some individuals proud and angered others. No matter which stance you hold, the image was a fake. While Palin was the runner-up in the Miss Alaska beauty pageant in 1984, the picture was created with photoshop. The cut Palin's head off of one image and pasted it onto a photo of a young lady in an American flag bikini. Despite this, the photo still turns heads today.

Many other notable women have modeled similar bikinis, though. Jessica Simpson, Heidi Montag, and Cindy Crawford come to mind.

The designs of the swimsuits vary between designers but they all have a common theme. Some have both the stars and the stripes. Some designers mix it up and create some interesting designs. One thing is for sure. If you are shopping for swimwear you can't go wrong with an American flag bikini. It's hard to beat something that is stylish, sexy, and patriotic in one package.

Bikini women


The craze for sexy swimwear and bikini seems to be increasing over the last 50 years. There was a time when women used to wear full clothes at the beaches but today looking ravishing and hot in bikini is in trend. Throughout these various eras, the fashion has consistently changed but the only thing that has remained popular without fail is bikini. There have been many introductions in the bikini world but the basic theme remains the same.

Thong bikini and micro bikini are two popular items these seasons. Both these types of bikinis are revealing and ultra sexy. The thong bikini is available in various forms and designs. Here are few types of thong swimsuits that you can get in the market:

1. T- Band bikini: This type of bikini covers the front area of the body but reveals most of the buttocks. It is shaped as T from the back and may not be the best option for those who are looking for full rear coverage.

2. Tanga Thong Bikini: Tanga thong bikini is very popular because it provides full buttock coverage and is usually made up of thick fabric that keeps your fat from bulging out.

3. V string Bikini: The thong swimsuit as the name suggests is made in a V shaped fabric. It is a great choice for those women who wish to look sexy in bikini but does not want to reveal a lot.

4. One piece thong swimsuit: Not all bikinis are in 2 pieces, there are many swimsuits that come in one piece and give great coverage as well. One piece swimsuits make best option for those who do not wish to reveal their bodies a lot.

5. G string Bikini: These types of bikinis are the most revealing ones. They are the kind that looks great on women with hot bodies. These are true Brazilian swimwear and are very popular among teenage girls.

The sexy thong bikinis can be easily purchased both at online and offline stores. They are available in variety of designs, colors and styles. One can choose among variety of fabrics and colors available. There are many famous brands and designers who manufacture sexy thong swimwear for people who are stylish and at the same time brand conscious.

Teenage Pregnancies in United States


The New York Correspondent for the Daily Telegraph Jon Swaine reports about “New Directions high school would teach 300 boys and girls”, in line with similar free schools being set up in Britain. I think the new initiative is backed by public funding. The schools for young pregnant teenagers are expected to provide “free childcare” also for their children. The schools for pregnant American teenagers will be managed by a group of pastors and teachers in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, and it is aimed at developing self-confidence, courage to face life and its challenges, and to develop critical thinking skills as young “baby mothers”. Teenagers getting pregnant, and eventually deciding to evolve into caring responsible parents, mostly and unfortunately as single mothers, are on the rise as reports and stats from various sources suggest. Teen pregnancies were looked down upon with a lot of stigma and judgmental attitudes in the past. So, the new school for pregnant teenage American girls wants to address this problem and take care of girls becoming pregnant in school. According to the school's founders led by Jacquelyn Wideman, 'An all-inclusive high school for pregnant and parenting teens will eliminate barriers to completing high school education,' the report said. According to The Daily Telegraph ‘There are 77 pregnancies in a year for every 1,000 teenage girls in New York’, which is seven more than 70 pregnant teenage girls reported for every 1,000 teenage girls for the rest of the United States. To quote from the report: 'New York city rules state that pregnant and parenting pupils must be allowed in schools, and in that sense we believe that they are best served in the existing public schools system.' Interestingly, and sadly, the proposed school is opposing other groups that work with teenage parents in the area, such as the Brooklyn Young Mothers' Collective. As this issue are quite sensitive, needs more responsible handling, and more than ever, it needs greater cooperation with similar groups, individuals and organizations to work together. If that is the real need of the times, why do initiatives like the proposed school oppose the other groups? Any self-interest?

A homeless New York man with the American flag in the background

Homeless - American Flag
Photo by C. G. P. Grey ([1]) [CC-BY-2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

In an article titled 'Five Ways to Promote Your Text-to-Give Campaigns on Social Media', on February 28, 2011, the blog of Social Media Guide for Non-profits explains how ‘nonprofits are experimenting with Text-To-Give fundraising’, and goes on to explain how nonprofits must tap social media, especially Twitter, Facebook, and photo-sharing sites like Flickr.com to drive home the message to wealthy, or above poverty-threshold Americans that they must donate more so that the poor and hapless Americans are not forced to beg.

The site also quote startling statistics to show: “Approximately 1.4 million New Yorkers rely on soup kitchens and food pantries. Please don't make them beg...'

Please see the non-profit blog's illustrated photo below:

Food Bank for New York City

Camden: one of the poorest cities in the United States


Camden, New Jersey, is one of the poorest cities in the United States, suffering from unemployment, poverty, urban decay, and several economic and social hardships.

Sarah Palin undecided on running for presidency


Sarah Palin by infacinatorinc
Sarah Palin, a photo by infacinatorinc on Flickr.

Sarah Palin was talking to Fox News Sunday anchor Chris Wallace on the potential 2012 presidential hopefuls, when she said that she has not decided about running for presidency.
Palin, a paid contributor to the Fox network, was asked about messing up historical facts on Paul Revere, when she said that his famous midnight ride was to warn the British that they are not going to win against the well-armed Americans.
But it turned out she was messing up historical facts as Revere travelled at night to avoid being caught as he was on a mission to inform the American revolutionaries that the British planned to arrest John Hancock and Samuel Adams. He had to take extra care because some people of his circle had become British informants.
On her position on presidency, not particularly now, but right after losing the last attempt for the post of Vice President, running with John McCain in 2008, all her moves showed that she was aiming at the next presidency. And always she was considered an unconfirmed candidate, and her actions showed that. So, it is a bit surprising to hear her say otherwise!

Batu Satam, Batu Berumur Jutaan Tahun yang Hanya Ada di Indonesia


Ada oleh-oleh khas berupa bebatuan yang dapat diboyong jika bertandang ke Belitung Timur, Provinsi Bangka Belitung. Batu Satam namanya. Batu unik berwarna hitam dengan urat-uratnya yang khas itu konon adalah hasil proses alam atas reaksi tabrakan meteor dengan lapisan bumi yang mengandung timah tinggi jutaan tahun silam.
NAH PROSES TERJADINYA KAYA GINI :
1) Sekitar 780.000 tahun yang lalu sebuah asteroid yang besar menabrak bumi di Laut Cina Selatan (kemungkinan di Teluk Tonkin). Asteroid ini bergerak dari barat laut ke tenggara dan menabrak bumi dengan sudut tabrakan yang kecil.
2) Pada tahap awal dari tabrakan, energi kinetis dari asteroid yang menabrak bumi ini melelehkan dan menghantarkan momentum kepada lapisan atas dari batuan di permukaan bumi (seperti pasir dan lumpur) di daerah tabrakan.
3) Lapisan yang meleleh, terdiri dari batuan yang mencair, meninggalkan atmosfer bumi dan pecah menjadi batu semi cair berbentuk bulatan-bulatan kecil (globules) yang bernama “tektite”. Globules ini membentuk bola, dumbbells atau air mata, tergantung pada kecepatan rotasi yang terjadi saat pembentukan batu tektites atau batu satam itu.

4) Batu Satam yang berbentuk bola, dumbbells dan air mata mendingin dengan cepat, begitu cepat sehingga mereka membentuk kaca (sama dengan kaca, tetapi tidak murni, seperti di botol anggur atau bir modern).
5) Sekitar lima hingga enam menit setelah tabrakan dengan asteroid terjadi, bola yang sekarang telah membeku dan menjadi solid mulai masuk kembali ke atmosfer bumi dan jatuh di Belitung.
6) Karena Batu Satam itu memasuki kembali atmosfer bumi dengan kecepatan tinggi, gaya gesekan yang dialaminya memanaskan bagian depan dari batu ini.
7) Bila kaca dipanaskan dengan tidak merata (perbedaan temperatur yang besar antara bagian depan dan belakangnya), ia akan pecah. Seperti menuangkan air mendidih kedalam gelas minum.
8) Bagian depan dari Batu Satam ini akan membentuk pecahan-pecahan kecil. Pecahan ini ditingkatkan juga oleh tekanan yang intens karena perlambatan kecepatan.
9) Kecepatan kosmik yang dibawa oleh momentum Batu Satam ini pada akhirnya akan berkurang dan pecahnya batuan juga akan berkurang.
10) Karena ini Batu Satam akan jatuh ke bumi dengan gravitasi dengan gerakan yang lebih vertikal.
11) Di bumi Batu Satam dibawa oleh air sungai dan mungkin tererosi.
12) Pada akhirnya Batu Satam akan tergabung dengan endapan sediment yang biasanya juga mengandung timah (tererosi dari deposit panas bumi yang terkait dengan intrusi batu granit).
13) Di dalam tumpukan pasir yang berporositas tinggi, air tawar akan dengan sangat perlahan mengukir Batu Satam tersebut. Retakan setipis kertas (terbentuk karena gelas itu dipanaskan saat memasuki kembali atmosfer bumi) akan diperbesar dan membentuk parit kecil berbentuk U. Perhatikan bahwa parit berbentuk U ini hanya terbentuk di bagian yang terpanaskan, bagian depan dari Batu Satam (Tektite). Bagian belakang dari Batu Satam ini tetap seperti aslinya, berbentuk bola.

12 Tempat Dengan Pemandangan Tercantik Di Dunia


1. Puncak Himalaya Tibet
Tempat ini adalah titik tertinggi di seluruh planet Bumi.
2. Langit Alaska
Sinar Aurora Borealis yang ada di Langit Alaska (ujung utara Amerika, dekat Kutub Utara) ini bikin takjub banget! Aurora itu sendiir adalah cahaya natural di angkasa yang terjadi akibat tabrakan partikel-partikel medan magnet bumi dengan atom dan molekul dari atas atmosfer bumi. Generally, ada 2 warna yaitu hijau dan merah dan hanya bisa dilihat pada waktu malam. 3. Benteng Chittogarh, India
4. Cinque Terre, Riviera
Salah satu tujuan wisata paling populer di Italia ini merupakan bagian dari UNESCO World Heritage Site dan terletak di pinggir laut Mediterania. 5. College The Valleyfield
Sebuah universitas pendidikan di Quebec, Canada.
6. Machu Picchu
Terletak di Lembah Urumba, Peru dan memiliki ketinggian 2.430 meter di atas permukaan laut.
7. Massif De La Chartreuse
Sebuah formasi batu-batuan di pegunungan timur Perancis.
8. Laut Arktik
Imagine this, berdayung santai di laut Arktik yang sejernih Kristal dan berada di wilayah Kutub Utara Bumi.
9. Petra
Petra adalah sebuah kota yang dibentuk di dalam sebuah gunung batu di Yordania. Dibangun 100 tahun SM oleh bangsa Nabatean dengan aliran sungai di bawah tanah. 10. Gunung Tungurahua, Ekuador
11. Oasis In the Middle of Nowhere
this amazing place is built in the middle of the desert, around a small lake, dan tepatnya berada di Ica Province- southwestern Peru. Oasis bernama Huacachina ini dikenal sebagai ‘oasis of America’. 12. Millau Bridge in France
Paris also have another icon yaitu jembatan tertinggi di dunia yang bangunannya lebih tinggi dari Menara Eiffel dan menembus batas awan! Wow.. bisa bayangin nggak sih ada jembatan nembus awan?? kayak gimana ya rasanya pas lewat di atas jembatan ini? Jembatan bernama Millau ini melintasi Sungai Tarn dan lembah-lembah pegunungan Massive Central. panjang jembatan hingga 2,5 km dan tingginya 340 meter (lebih tinggi 16 meter dari Menara Eiffel), jembatan ini udah dirancang dengan kekuatan tahan gempa oleh seorang arsitek asal Inggris bernama Norman Foster.

Joanna Krupa at the Beach ! Bikini beach Photo !