Islam

What do Muslims believe about Allah?
He is the one God, Who has no partner.
Nothing is like Him. He is the Creator, no one created Him.
He is All-Powerful, He has absolute Justice.
There is no other entity in the entire universe worthy of worship besides Him.
He is First, Last, and Everlasting; He was when nothing was, and will be when nothing else remains.
He is the All-Knowing, and All-Merciful,the Supreme, the Sovereign.
It is only He Who is capable of granting life to anything.
He sent His Messengers (peace be upon them) to guide all of mankind.
He sent Muhammad (pbuh) as the last Prophet and Messenger for all mankind.
His book is the Holy Qur'an, the only authentic revealed book in the world that has been kept without change.
Allah knows what is in our hearts.


Islam honors all the prophets who were sent to mankind. Muslims respect all prophets in general, but Jesus in particular, because he was one of the prophets who told about the coming of Muhammad before it happened. Muslims, too, are waiting for the second coming of Jesus. They consider him one of the greatest of Allah's prophets to humans. A Muslim does not refer to him simply as "Jesus," but normally adds the phrase "peace be upon him" as a sign of respect.

The Qur'an confirms the virgin birth (a chapter of the Qur'an is entitled "Mary") of Jesus, and Mary is considered to have been one of the purest women in all creation. The Qur'an describes Jesus' birth as follows:

"Behold!' the Angel said, God has chosen you, and purified you, and chosen you above the women of all nations. Mary, God gives you good news of a word from Him, whose name shall be the Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, honored in this world and in the Hereafter, and one of those brought near to God. He shall speak to the people from his cradle and in maturity, and he shall be of the righteous. She said: "My Lord! How shall I have a son when no man has touched me?' He said: "Even so; God creates what He will. When He decrees a thing, He says to it, 'Be!' and it is." [3:42-47] Main Pillars

Five Pillars of Islam

Shahadah

The first pillar of Islam is that a Muslim believe and declare his faith by saying the Shahadah (this means 'witness'), also known as the Kalimah:

La ilaha ila Allah; Muhammadur-rasul Allah. 'There is no god but Allah; Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.'

This declaration contains two parts. The first part refers to God Almighty, the Creator of everything, the Lord of the Worlds; the second part refers to the Messenger, Muhammad (pbuh) a prophet and a human being, who received the revelation through the Archangel Gabriel, and taught it to mankind.

Salah

Prayer (Salah), in the sense of worship, is the second pillar of Islam. Prayer is required and must be performed five times a day. These five times are dawn (Fajr), immediately after noon (Dhuhr), mid-afternoon ('Asr), sunset (Maghrib), and early night (Isha'). Ritual cleanliness and ablution are required before prayer, as are clean clothes and location, and the removal of shoes. One may pray individually or in a group, at home, outside, virtually any clean place, as well as in a mosque, though the mosque is better. The Friday noon prayer is special, and it is called Jum'ah. It is also required, but only for men, and is to be done in a mosque, in congregation or group. It is accompanied by a sermon (Khutbah), and it takes the place of the normal Dhuhr prayer.

There is no powerful religious figure in Islam, no priests or ministers. Prayers are led by any educated person who knows the Qur'an and is chosen by the congregation or group. He (or she, if the group is all women) is called the imam. There is also no minimum number of congregants required to hold communal prayers. Prayer consists of verses from the Qur'an and other prayers, accompanied by various movements of the body - standing, bowing, prostrating and sitting. They are said in Arabic, the language of the revelation, but personal prayers and requests (Du'ah) can be offered in any language. Worshippers face the Qiblah, the direction of the Ka'bah in the city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia.

The important part of prayer is that a person keeps up a continuous link to God five times a day, which helps the worshipper avoid doing bad and sinful things if he/she performs the prayers sincerely and honestly. Also, it promotes discipline, God-consciousness and placing one's trust in Allah alone, and the importance of striving for the Hereafter. When performed in congregation it also provides a strong sense of community, equality and brotherhood/sisterhood.

Sawm

The fourth pillar of Islam is fasting (not eating or drinking). Allah prescribes daily fasting for all able, adult Muslims during the whole of the month of Ramadan, the ninth month of the lunar calendar, beginning with the sighting of the new moon. Very old people and the insane do not have to fast. On the physical side, fasting is from first light of dawn until sundown, and the person does not have food, drink, and does not have sexual relations. On the moral, behavioral side, one must abstain from lying, cruel gossip, arguing and trivial nonsense.

Those who are sick, elderly, or on a journey, and women who are menstruating, pregnant, or nursing are permitted to break the fast, but must make up an equal number of days later in the year. If physically unable to do so, they must feed a needy person for each day missed. Children begin to fast (and to observe the prayers) from puberty, although many start earlier.

Although fasting is beneficial to the health, it is regarded principally as a method of self-purification. By cutting oneself off from worldly pleasures and comforts, even for a short time, the fasting person gains true sympathy for those who go hungry regularly, and achieves growth in his spiritual life, learning discipline, self-restraint, patience and flexibility.

Zakah

The third pillar of Islam is the alms-tax (Zakah). It is a tax on wealth, payable on various categories of property, notably savings and investments, produce, inventory of goods, salable crops and cattle, and precious metals, and is to be used for the various categories of distribution specified by Islamic law. It is also an act of purification through sharing what one has with others.

The rationale behind this is that Muslims believe that everything belongs to God, and wealth is held by man as a trust. This trust must be discharged, moreover, as instructed by God, as that portion of our wealth legally belongs to other people and must be given to them. If we refuse and hoard this wealth, it is considered impure and unclean. If, for example one were to use that wealth for charity or to finance one's pilgrimage to Makkah, those acts would also be impure, invalid, and of course unrewarded. Allah says:

"Of their wealth, take alms so you may purify and sanctify them." [9:103]

Hajj

The fifth pillar of Islam is to make a pilgrimage (Hajj) to Makkah, in Saudi Arabia, at least once in one's lifetime. This pillar is obligatory for every Muslim, male or female, provided that he/she is physically and financially able to do so. Prerequisites for performing the Hajj are to be a Muslim, to be free, to be an adult or mature enough, to be of sound mind, and to have the ability to afford the journey and maintain one's dependents back home for the duration. The reward for the Hajj is nothing less than Paradise.

The Hajj is the ultimate form of worship, as it involves the spirit of all the other rituals and demands of the believer great sacrifice. On this unique occasion, nearly two million Muslims from all over the globe meet one another in a given year. Regardless of the season, pilgrims wear special clothes (Ihram) - two, very simple, unsewn white garments - which strips away all distinctions of wealth, status, class and culture; all stand together and equal before Allah (God).

The rites of Hajj, which go back to the time of Prophet Abraham who built the Ka'bah, are observed over five or six days, beginning on the eighth day of the last month of the year, named Dhul-Hijjah (pilgrimage). These rites include circumambulating the Ka'bah (Tawwaf), and going between the mountains of Safa and Marwah, as Hajjar (Abraham's wife) did during her search for water for her son Isma'il. Then the pilgrims stand together on the wide plain of Arafah and join in prayers for God's forgiveness, in what is often thought of as a preview of the Last Judgment. The pilgrims also cast stones at a stone pillar which represents Satan. The pilgrimage ends with a festival, called 'Id al-Adha, which is celebrated with prayers, the sacrifice of an animal, and the exchange of greetings and gifts in Muslim communities everywhere.

Muhammad

Muhammad was an illiterate but (according to some people) wise and well-respected man who was born in Makkah in the year 570 CE, at a time when Christianity was not yet fully established in Europe. His first years were marked by the deaths of his parents. Since his father died before his birth, his uncle, Abu Talib, from the respected tribe of Quraysh, raised him. As Muhammad grew up, he became known for his truthfulness, generosity and sincerity, so that he was sought after for his ability to arbitrate in disputes. His reputation and personal qualities also led to his marriage, at the age of twenty-five, to Khadijah, a widow whom he had assisted in business. Thenceforth, he became an important and trusted citizen of Makkah. Historians describe him as calm and meditative.

Muhammad never felt fully content to be part of a society whose values he considered to be devoid of true religious significance. It became his habit to retreat from time to time to the cave of Hira', to meditate near the summit of Jabal al-Nur, the "Mountain of Light", near Makkah.

At the age of 40, while engaged in one such meditative retreat, Muslims beleive Muhammad received his first revelation from God through the Angel Gabriel. This revelation, which continued for twenty-three years, is known as the Qur'an, which Muslims believe to be the faithful recording of the entire revelation of God. The first revelation read:

"Recite: In the name of your Lord Who created man from a clot (of blood). Recite: Your Lord is Most Noble, Who taught by the pen, taught man what he did not know." [96:1-5]

It was this reality that he gradually and steadily came to learn and believe, until he fully realized that it is the truth.

Islam is the religion of all prophets. Muslims believe that all the prophets were sent to their respective peoples from God (Allah). According to Islam, they all had the same mission and message - guiding people to the right path.

The three "revealed", monotheistic religions, Islam, Christianity, and Judaism, go back to Abraham. According to Muslims, the prophets of these religions were directly descended from him - Moses, Jesus and others from Isaac, but Muhammad from IsmaŒil. It was Prophet Abraham who had established the settlement which today is the city of Makkah, and with his son IsmaŒil built the KaŒbah, which Muslims all over the world face when they pray.

Christians and Jews hold a special place in Islam. They are called the People of the Book (Ahl al-Kitab), since the original Torah and Gospel were also divinely revealed (in Islamic tradition and in the tradition of these religions) and they shared in the prophetic tradition. The stance of the Qur'an on Christians and Jews is sometimes contradictary. God (according to the Qur'an) says:

"...[T]hose who believe (in the message of Islam), and the Jews, the Sabaeans, and the Christians - all those who believe in Allah and the Last Day, and act righteously - no fear shall come upon them..." [5:69] Sometimes, however, the view of Christians and Jews in the Qur an is less favourable. For example, in the Qur'an God alledgedly says; "Lo! Allah forgiveth not that a partner should be ascribed unto Him. He forgiveth (all) save that to whom He will. Whoso ascribeth partners to Allah, he hath indeed invented a tremendous sin.(4:48)" Since Christians ascribe partners to God (namely, Jesus and the Holy Spirit), according to the Qur'an, have committed a grave sin, and so would either have to alter their basic beliefs (Christianity is based upon the idea of Jesus as God) or remain sinners against God.

Peace

"Peace" is the most common word on a Muslim's tongue. Whenever two people meet, they exchange greetings, wishing each other peace: "Peace be upon you." But peace cannot prevail except through justice. Since the concept of justice may differ from one man to another, or from one society to another, Muslims believe that real justice is that which is specified by Allah (God).

Islam permits fighting in self-defense, in defense of the religion, or by those who have been expelled forcibly from their homes. At the same time, Islam requires one to treat one's enemy mercifully. It lays down strict rules of combat which include prohibitions against harming civilians and against destroying crops, trees, and livestock. Islam also requires that if an enemy declares his desire to end hostilities and seek peace, the Muslims must do the same.

The concept of Jihad (struggling in the cause of Allah) is stated in the Qur'an. Allah said: "Fight in the cause of God those who fight you, but do not transgress limits. God does not love transgressors." [2:19] Jihad is never to be waged to force anybody to choose a particular religion. On the contrary, it is to waged to protect his right to choose freely. Therefore, if there is a force in the world that tries to prevent a person from practicing this right, Jihad may lead to fighting the force that is trying to prevent him from exercising free will.

Relevance

Since Islam is the last religion revealed by Allah, it possesses some elements that make it unique. One of these is its relevance for human beings regardless of place and time.

This means that Islam - submission to God - is a comprehensive institution which includes all the guidelines necessary for all aspects of life. Therefore, the best way to understand Islam is to look at it as more than a religion - as a complete way of life. In other words, it is a system which regulates every aspect of life, dealing with all issues - social, economic, educational, judicial, health, and even military. Thus, it is suitable for all human beings and for all times, since it is the final religion. Islamic law aims to achieve five goals for human beings in life: protecting the religion, protecting one's self, protecting one's possessions, protecting one's mind, and protecting one's offspring.

Therefore, God (Allah) decided on two main domains of law: 1. If the domain always requires change and progress, Allah legislated comprehensive yet flexible rules and gave people the chance to create and develop the necessary laws to satisfy the specific needs of a certain period of time. For example, in the rule of consultation (Shura), Allah decided that it should be the general rule for any government; however, its form and style are left open for people to choose and decide according to their needs.

2. If the domain does not require or lend itself to change or progress, Allah legislated fixed and detailed laws that govern all issues related to a specific area. Thus, there is no way for man to change or develop those laws, which were made for the welfare of all mankind. For example, the area of worshipping God contains fixed details which cannot be changed at all. These regard prayer, fasting, making pilgrimage, etc. Another example is in family matters, such as the laws of marriage, divorce, and inheritance.

To show how Islam cares for the environment, one can cite the many laws that protect the environment. About fourteen hundred years ago. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said:

"The world is green and beautiful, and Allah has appointed you as His stewards over it. He sees how you acquit yourselves."

Muhammad showed how important plants and trees are by saying: "Whoever plants a tree and looks after it with care until it matures and becomes productive will be rewarded in the Hereafter." Even in the territory of an enemy, Islam's care for plants, animals, and trees is profound. Abu Bakr, the first Caliph, or successor, to Muhammad (pbuh), instructed his troops that he was sending into battle not to cut down any trees or kill any animals except for food.

These are but a few examples of how Islam remains relevant in the modern world.

Universality

In the Qur'an, Allah says:

"We have sent you (Muhammad) as a mercy for all nations." [21:107]

Thus Islam is not restricted to any particular race or nation, as many other religions are, but is universal, meaning that its message applies to all humanity, at all times, in all places.

Since Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) was the last prophet and messenger, his message applies to all future generations. All previous prophets, from Adam, Noah and Abraham to Moses and Jesus, were also Muslims:

"Not a single messenger did We send before you without this inspiration sent by Us to him - that there is no god but I, therefore worship and serve Me." [21:25]

Since the Qur'an is the final testament, with every word and every letter unadulterated and unchanged, and protected by Allah from any change or tampering, it is the final revelation, and no other law will ever supersede it.

It applies, moreover, to every aspect of one's daily life, including personal, social, legal, economic, political, even military. Furthermore, Islam affects every part of the individual - physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual.

Women

Again, the Qur'an is sometimes contradictary on the subject of women. "And among His signs is this: that He created mates for you form yourselves that you may find rest, peace of mind in them, and He ordained between you love and mercy. Lo, herein indeed are signs for people who reflect." [30:21]

vs. "Men are in charge of women, because Allah hath made the one of them to excel the other, and because they spend of their property (for the support of women). So good women are the obedient, guarding in secret that which Allah hath guarded. As for those from whom ye fear rebellion, admonish them and banish them to beds apart, and scourge(beat) them. Then if they obey you, seek not a way against them. Lo! Allah is ever High, Exalted, Great.(4:34)"


"And among His signs is this: that He created mates for you form yourselves that you may find rest, peace of mind in them, and He ordained between you love and mercy. Lo, herein indeed are signs for people who reflect." [30:21]

Prophet Muhammad said:

"The most perfect in faith amongst believers is he who is best in manners and kindest to his wife." [Abu Dawud]

Muslims believe that Adam and Eve were created from the same soul. Both were equally guilty of their sin and fall from grace, and both were forgiven by Allah. Many women in Islam have had high status; consider the fact that the first person to convert to Islam was Khadijah,the wife of Muhammad, whom he both loved and respected. His favorite wife after Khadijah's death, AŒisha, became renowned as a scholar and one of the greatest sources of Hadith literature. Many of the female Companions accomplished great deeds and achieved fame, and throughout Islamic history there have been famous and influential scholars, jurists and mystics.

With regard to education, both women and men have the same rights and obligations. This is clear in Prophet Muhammad's saying:

"Seeking knowledge is mandatory for every believer." [Ibn Majah]

This implies men and women.

A woman is to be treated as God has endowed her, with rights, such as to be treated as an individual, with the right to own and dispose of her own property and earnings, enter into contracts, even after marriage. She has the right to be educated and to work outside the home if she so chooses. She has the right to inherit from her father, mother, and husband. A very interesting point to note is that in Islam, unlike any other religion, a woman can be an imam, a leader of communal prayer, for a group of women.

A Muslim woman also has obligations. All the laws and regulations pertaining to prayer, fasting, charity, pilgrimage, doing good deeds, etc., apply to women, albeit with minor differences having mainly to do with female physiology.

Before marriage, a woman has the right to choose her husband. Islamic law is very strict regarding the necessity of having the woman's consent for marriage. A marriage dowry is given by the groom to the bride for her own personal use. She keeps her own family name, rather than taking her husband's. As a wife, a woman has the right to be supported by her husband even if she is already rich. She also has the right to seek divorce and custody of young children. She does not return the dowry, except in a few unusual situations.

Despite the fact that in many places and times Muslim communities have not always adhered to all or even many of the foregoing in practice, the ideal has been there for 1,400 years, while virtually all other major civilizations did not begin to address these issues or change their negative attitudes until the 19th and 20th centuries, and there are still many contemporary civilizations which have yet to do so.

Source: http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islam

Empire has no heart

The Israeli army, with the financial and military support of the United States of America, has deliberately bombed civilians in Lebanon and almost all of its attacks constitute war crimes, U.S.-based rights group Human Rights Watch (HRW) stated recently.

In the wake of current developments and hard times facing the Middle East region, with Israel engaged in two brutal offensives in the Palestinian and Lebanese territories, an editorial on Jordan's Arabic-language Ad Dustour, describes how downtrodden and abused the Muslim Ummah or nation feels, as a result of the barbaric policies of both, Israel and its God father the United States.

In Ad Dustour editorial, the author refers to the U.S. as an empire that has no heart, an empire that instead of spreading democracy, created chaos across the world in general and the Middle East and the Arab world in particular.

He described the U.S. as a country of iron and fire that has no heart, while referring to the Jewish State as a monstrous country, and also "a country that has no heart".

Like he called the U.S. and Israel countries with no hearts, the author also described the destruction inflicted upon the ruined Maroun al-Ras and Bint Jubayl and Ayta al-Sha'b as a result of the brutal Israeli strikes and indiscriminate bombings, as “with no heart”.
“Cockroaches moving around our streets and destroyed roadways, and the embers of fire raining down on the buildings have no hearts,” he said.

Human Rights Watch said Israel's claim that Hezbollah fighters are hiding among Lebanese civilians did not justify its "systematic failure" to distinguish between civilians and fighters.
Some news reports say that over 600 Lebanese have died since Israel started bombing Lebanon, but some officials say that over 900, mostly civilians, were killed.

The mounting civilian death toll has fuelled the Arabs and some Western States' outcry against Israel's tactics in the four-week-old war.

"In some instances, Israeli forces appear to have deliberately targeted civilians," HRW said in a statement issued Thursday.

"The failures cannot be dismissed as mere accidents and cannot be blamed on wrongful Hezbollah practices. In some cases, these attacks constitute war crimes."

“Bush has no heart; Ehud Olmert has no heart; Condoleezza Rice has no heart. The United Nations has no heart; the Security Council has no heart; the European Union has no heart; The countries of the first, second and third worlds: have no hearts,” the author further stated.
The condemnation of some Arab leaders and humanitarian organisations didn’t strop the mad Israeli war machine from destroying beautiful Lebanon, killing innocent children and crushing the bones of women.

The Qana massacres in 1996 and 2006 are only examples of Israel’s history of heinous crimes: Dair Yassin, Tantura, al-Duwaima, Qibya, Nahalin, Kafr Qasim.

A swift action is needed now before the crisis spreads to swallow the entire Middle East region. The arrogance of the U.S., which continues to oppose calls for an immediate ceasefire at the UN, and Israel's crimes must come to an end, a global condemnation over the Israeli atrocities in Lebanon and Palestine is needed now and a “clear” UN resolution needs to be submitted to prevent future scenarios.

Source: www.aljazeera.com

What is a Blog?

So what is a Blog anyway? This is a question I am asked every week via emails, conversation and Instant Messaging chats. If you’re reading this you may well be asking the same question.
There are a number of ways I could answer this question ranging from the broad to the highly technical.

Here are a few definitions from other much wiser people to get us started:

‘A weblog is a hierarchy of text, images, media objects and data, arranged chronologically, that can be viewed in an HTML browser.’

‘A frequent, chronological publication of personal thoughts and Web links.’

‘From “Web log.” A blog is basically a journal that is available on the web. The activity of updating a blog is “blogging” and someone who keeps a blog is a “blogger.”‘

‘A weblog is kind of a continual tour, with a human guide who you get to know. There are many guides to choose from, each develops an audience, and there’s also comraderie and politics between the people who run weblogs, they point to each other, in all kinds of structures, graphs, loops, etc.’

‘A blog is basically a journal that is available on the web. The activity of updating a blog is “blogging” and someone who keeps a blog is a “blogger.” Blogs are typically updated daily using software that allows people with little or no technical background to update and maintain the blog. Postings on a blog are almost always arranged in cronological order with the most recent additions featured most prominantly.’

‘A blog is a website in which items are posted on a regular basis and displayed in reverse chronological order. The term blog is a shortened form of weblog or web log. Authoring a blog, maintaining a blog or adding an article to an existing blog is called “blogging”. Individual articles on a blog are called “blog posts,” “posts” or “entries”. A person who posts these entries is called a “blogger”. A blog comprises text, hypertext, images, and links (to other web pages and to video, audio and other files). Blogs use a conversational style of documentation. Often blogs focus on a particular “area of interest”, such as Washington, D.C.’s political goings-on. Some blogs discuss personal experiences.’

So What is a Blog???

Confused yet? Don’t be - its really quite simple. To put it as simply as possible - a blog is a type of website that is usually arranged in chronological order from the most recent ‘post’ (or entry) at the top of the main page to the older entries towards the bottom.

Ok - now you are a seasoned blog reader - you’ve seen two already at least.
Blogs are usually (but not always) written by one person and are updated pretty regularly. Blogs are often (but not always) written on a particular topic - there are blogs on virtually any topic you can think of. From photography, to spirituality, to recipes, to personal diaries to hobbies - blogging has as many applications and varieties as you can imagine. Whole blog communities have sprung up around some of these topics putting people into contact with each other in relationships where they can learn, share ideas, make friends with and even do business with people with similar interests from around the world.

Source: www.problogger.net

America supplies Israel with NSA signals intelligence

Israel, currently engaged in bloody, unjustified onslaught on the Lebanese and the Palestinian territories, is receiving intelligence from the US's National Security Agency, a report by columnist Sidney Blumenthal on Salon revealed.

Blumenthal, a former assistant and senior adviser to President Clinton, asserted that he’s in touch with "a national security official with direct knowledge of the operation" to provide the Israelis with signals intelligence from American assets to help them monitor what he described as transfer of weapons from Syria and Iran to the Lebanese resistance movement, Hezbollah.

Providing Israel with intelligence to stop weapons from reaching Hezbollah is said to be approved by the American President George W. Bush.

The Bush administration is under the direct control of and influenced by Vice President Dick Cheney's staff and Elliot Abrams, senior director for the Near East on the National Security Council, which according to Blumenthal, author of The Clinton Wars (Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 2003), and The Permanent Campaign and The Rise of the Counter-Establishment, and columnist for the Guardian, Salon.com, and OpenDemocracy.net , and a former staff writer for the Washington Post, the New Yorker and the New Republic, further stated that President Bush, seeks initiating 'four front war' by giving Israel the pretext to attack Iran and Syria.

The restricted-access article stated that” The National Security Agency is providing signal intelligence to Israel to monitor whether Syria and Iran are supplying new armaments to Hezbollah as it fires hundreds of missiles into northern Israel, according to a national security official with direct knowledge of the operation. President Bush has approved the secret program,” according to Raw Story.

“Inside the administration, neoconservatives on Vice President Dick Cheney's national security staff and Elliott Abrams, the neoconservative senior director for the Near East on the National Security Council, are prime movers behind sharing NSA intelligence with Israel, and they have discussed Syrian and Iranian supply activities as a potential pretext for Israeli bombing of both countries, the source privy to conversations about the program says. (Intelligence, including that gathered by the NSA, has been provided to Israel in the past for various purposes.) The neoconservatives are described as enthusiastic about the possibility of using NSA intelligence as a lever to widen the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah and Israel and Hamas into a four-front war.”


“Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is said to have been "briefed" and to be "on board," but she is not a central actor in pushing the covert neoconservative scenario. Her "briefing" appears to be an aspect of an internal struggle to intimidate and marginalize her.

Recently she has come under fire from prominent neoconservatives who oppose her support for diplomatic negotiations with Iran to prevent its development of nuclear weaponry.”

Quoting informed sources in both the U.S. and Israel, Asharq al-Awsat newspaper reported earlier that Washington was planning to deliver 100 "bunker buster" bombs to Israel to kill Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of the Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah, and destroy the group trenches.

A New York Times report, citing U.S. officials, further stated that the bombs were part of a sales deal approved by the Pentagon last year.

Source: www.aljazeera.com

The Logic of Israel’s War on Civilians

By: Ramzy Baroud

A Sky News newscaster, interviewing British Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett on Sunday, July 30 demanded an answer to this paraphrased question: if indeed Israel had precise intelligence that a Hezbollah operative was present in the village of Qana, in South Lebanon, how could it possibly fail to realize that the area was also crowded with civilians?

The question was prompted by Beckett’s insistence that while Israeli attacks that victimize uncountable civilians — like that in Qana which killed scores, mostly children — were "appalling", they resulted from tactical errors, and were never deliberate. In fact, she referred to the "apparent deliberate targeting" --as described by UN secretary Kofi Annan — of the UN peacekeepers compound in South Lebanon and the killing of four unarmed observers, as a "mistake."

In effect, Israel is hardly accused — at least in the Western narrative of the Middle East crisis, as exemplified in media coverage and political discourse — of deliberately targeting civilians, even among those who are daring enough to describe Israel’s response to Hezbollah’s "provocation" — the capturing of two Israeli soldiers on July 12 — as "disproportionate."

Israel often ackinowledges — with "regret" — the high civilian tolls of its war; sometimes it goes as far as apologizing for such unintended "mistakes." The Israeli government however is adamant that it will continue to carry out such attacks; that it’s those who "hide among the civilian population" which deserve the blame, not Israel; that neither Hezbollah nor Palestinian resistance groups seem to care much for the life of Israeli civilians, while Israel does care for Palestinian and Lebanese civilians. In fact, and ironically, according to various Israeli politicians and media pundits, one of Israel’s objectives is to liberate its neighbors from the suffocating grip of "terrorists". An objective journalist is expected to highlight both narratives, without pointing out the fallacies of one or the other.

Such "objectivity" has served Israel well, since facts on the ground are hardly consistent with its claims.

For example, out of nearly 4,000 Palestinians killed during the Second Palestinian Uprising — in the last 5 years — the overwhelming majority have been civilians, many of whom are children. Such figures are also mirrored in much of the damage inflicted by Israel’s military machine against Palestinians in the Occupied Territories: the great majority of the wounded, the destroyed infrastructure, the confiscated land, the razed orchards, the bulldozed homes, etc, have been overwhelmingly civilian. Wednesday, July 26, was hardly a diversion from that norm, as 29 Palestinian civilians, many of whom were children as young as a few months old, were killed in northern Gaza, all in the span of 24 hours.

As of today, including the Qana onslaught, the number of Lebanese civilians confirmed dead has crossed the 750 mark; more than one third of them are children, according to UN counts. Likewise, the destroyed Lebanese infrastructure, not only in Hezbollah’s strongholds in the south, but across Lebanon were built primarily for the benefit of the civilian population.

The handy excuse that Hezbollah and Hamas fighters launch their rockets at Israel from civilian areas, no longer suffices. There is yet to be one shred of evidence, one video or bit of satellite footage — at least in the ongoing war in Lebanon — that confirms such an allegation. In fact, it seems imprudent for Hezbollah’s fighters to expose their operations to Israel’s informers, while they can safely fire from the numerous orchards dotting the south region and quickly redeploy elsewhere.

Concurrently, the "unintended mistakes" theory, promulgated by Israel’s apologists — read the Bush Administration, among others — is utterly inconsistent with claims promoted by Israel and its apologists that Israel is the "most moral army in the world", and that Israel uses the most advanced war technology to avoid harming civilians.

These allegations cannot all be accurate, all at once. If Israel is indeed very "moral", then why does its army continue to repeat the same "unintended mistakes", over and over again, for decades? Is it possible that the killing and wounding of tens of thousands of Palestinian and Lebanese civilians as a result of those "unintended mistakes" didn’t induce a very moral army to reexamine its tactics and adopt a decisive change in military policy?

Wouldn’t that be the "moral" thing to do? (Note that the small village of Qana was bombed by the Israeli air force in 1996, as civilians were seeking shelter in a UN compound, killing over 100 people, including many children and UN peacekeepers.)

The second claim, that Israel strives to obtain high-tech (American) weapon technology to minimize civilian casualties, is also fraudulent. Once again, the numbers indicate the precise antithesis; denoting that either the "fifth strongest army in the world" is so horribly inept, that most of its military strikes result in blunders, or that the killing of civilians is in reality part and parcel of Israel’s military strategy. This latter assertion, in my opinion, is the true objective; but why?

Israeli officials may parrot to the media that Hezbollah (like Hamas) is an outsider force that holds no legal legitimacy, and that its true strength arises from its "terrorist" links to Iran and Syria. Conversely, Israeli conduct on the ground gives evidence to a different conviction: punishing the true party — ordinary Lebanese — that provide Hezbollah with the needed support to sustain such costly military confrontations with Israel, or ordinary Palestinians who elected Hamas to power.

Both Hezbollah and Hamas are homegrown; there should be little contention over this. But they cannot be divorced from their immediate surroundings: Hezbollah emerged as a result of Israel’s frequent bloodbaths in Lebanon and its members are comprised primarily of victims of Israel’s past wars, while Hamas sprung from Palestinian refugee camps in the Occupied Territories and has been sustained with the support of the poorest segments of the population.

Whatever strategic alliance they hold outside — Iran, Syria or whomever else that is willing to acknowledge their right to fight Israel — is out of a desperate need for a safe haven, financial assistance and a political platform.

Israel knows well that "destroying" Hezbollah and Hamas is a losing battle — they’ve tried this time and again, and have failed with each attempt.

The Israeli tactics, however, are reaping a conflicting outcome, as both Hezbollah and Hamas are emerging more powerful than ever before, widely viewed as the only defenders of Lebanon and Palestine, as conventional Arab governments have finally declared, and without reservation, their military impotence and political bankruptcy.

Regardless of its media utterances, Israel has committed yet another colossal strategic error, comparable in magnitude and consequence to the American debacle in Iraq. Indeed, both governments are fighting two impossible wars, where civilians are killed with extraordinary "precision."

- Ramzy Baroud is a U.S. author and journalist, currently based in London. His recent book, The Second Palestinian Intifada: A Chronicle of a People’s Struggle, is available at Amazon.com. He can be reached at ramzybaroud@hotmail.com- He is also the Editor-in-Chief of the Palestine Chronicle.

Source: http://www.aljazeera.com/cgi-bin/review/article_full_story.asp?service_ID=12203

Please post comment(s).

Masih ada Gmail Invitation. Mau?

Kayaknya udah basi, ya? Tapi tetep masih banyak yang nyari.

Buat yang belum tau:
Karena masih versi Beta (percobaan), pendaftaran Gmail (Google Mail)enggak bisa dilakukan langsung. Kalo pengen daftar, harus ada anggotaGmail yang meng-invite (mengundang).

Kelebihan Gmail:
1. Kemampuan pencarian yang canggih
2. Ada mode e-mail percakapan
3. Space 2500 MB lebih. Gak perlu men-delete e-mail
4. Ada filter folder e-mail
5. Ada POP3 f0rwarding gratis
6. Anti spam
7. Iklan teks. Tidak mengganggu (bandingkan dengan Yahoo!)

Aku masih punya 114 invitation (total dari 2 akun). Bagi yang mau, kasih komentar post ini dan alamat e-mail kamu. Pasti aku invite.

Things to know about war

War is a conflict involving the organized use of weapons and physical force by states or other large-scale groups. Warring parties usually hold territory, which they can win or lose; and each has a leading person or organization which can surrender, or collapse, thus ending the war. Until the end of World War II, participants usually issued formal declarations of war.Other terms for war, often used euphemistically, include armed conflict, hostilities, and police action (note). A time when no formal war is taking place, although there may be international and internal tensions, is called peacetime or peace.

Wars usually take the form of a series of military campaigns between two opposing sides involving a dispute over, amongst others issues, sovereignty, territory, resources, religion, or ideology. A war to liberate an occupied country is called a "war of liberation"; a war between internal factions within a state is a civil war.
Morality of warThroughout history, war has been the source of serious moral questions. Although many ancient nations and some more modern ones viewed war as noble, over the sweep of history concerns about the morality of war have gradually increased. Today, war is generally seen as undesirable and, by some, morally problematic. At the same time, many view war, or at least the preparation and readiness and willingness to engage in war, as necessary for the defense of their country. Pacifists believe that war is inherently immoral and that no war should ever be fought. This position was passionately propounded by the Indian leader Mohandas (Mahatma) Gandhi.The negative view of war has not always been held as widely as it is today. Many thinkers, such as Heinrich von Treitschke saw war as humanity's highest activity where courage, honor, and ability were more necessary than in any other endeavour. At the outbreak of World War I the writer Thomas Mann wrote, "Is not peace an element of civil corruption and war a purification, a liberation, an enormous hope?" This attitude has been embraced by societies from Sparta and Rome in the ancient world to the fascist states of the 1930s. The defeat and repudiation of the fascist states and their militarism in the Second World War, the shock of the first use of nuclear weapons and increasing belief in the value of individual life (as enshrined in the concept of human rights, for example) have contributed to the current view of war.

Today, some see only just wars as legitimate, and believe that it is the responsibility of world organizations such as the United Nations to oppose wars of unjust aggression. Others believe that world organizations have no more standing to judge the morality of a war than that of a sovereign country.

Causes of warNations go to war because:They have or perceive no other options for resolving differences or grievances.They face an immediate or perceived threat from an aggressor.They want something that another nation has, such as land, a kind of wealth, etc.An immediate need for essential provisions for survival (food, water, and shelter) may push a nation to go to war in order to secure these resources for themselves. For example, if a nation gets its water supply from a single river, and an enemy force captures that river, that nation would then go to war for the purpose of securing that river again so it can continue to use it as its water supply.Areas of a country (such as provinces, states, and colonies) may choose to fight for their independence from that country.A long standing hatred between nations that has built up over a number of years (rivalry or other antagonisms).Belief in one nation's or race's superiority over others may cause wars as that group attempts to cast aside people it sees as inferior.Religion can cause wars if the nations involved cannot agree on what is morally right or wrong. Religious texts, customs, beliefs and ways of life may prohibit compromising with another nation or force.Ideological differences can often trigger conflict in a manner similar to religion. For example, Nazism's hatred of Communism contributed to the outbreak of war between Germany and the Soviet Union during the Second World War. The Sino-Soviet Split nearly became an armed conflict between the Soviet Union and China over the goals of Communism.Some nations may wish to pursue global domination, but all historical attempts at this have failed.

Limitations on war At times throughout history, societies have attempted to limit the cost of war by formalizing it in some way. Limitations on the targeting of civilians, what type of weapons can be used, and when combat is allowed have all fallen under these rules in different conflicts. Total war is the modern term for the targeting of civilians and the mobilization of an entire society; when every member of the society has to contribute to the war effort.While culture, law, and religion have all been factors in causing wars, they have also acted as restraints at times. In some cultures, for example, conflicts have been highly ritualized to limit actual loss of life. In modern times, increasing international attention has been paid to peacefully resolving conflicts which lead to war. The United Nations is the latest and most comprehensive attempt to, as stated in the preamble of the U.N. Charter, "save succeeding generations from the scourge of war."

A number of treaties regulate warfare, collectively referred to as the laws of war. The most pervasive of those are the Geneva Conventions, the earliest of which began to take effect in the mid 1800s.

Treaty signing has since been a part of international diplomacy, and too many treaties to mention in this article have been signed. A couple of examples are: Resolutions of the Geneva International Conference, Geneva, 26 October-29 October 1863 and Geneva Convention relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War, 75 U.N.T.S. 135, entered into force 21 October 1950. It must be noted that in war such treaties are generally ignored if they interfere with the vital interests of either side;[citation needed] some have criticized such conventions as simply providing a fig leaf for the inhuman practice of war. By only illegalising "war against the rules", it is alleged, such treaties and conventions, in effect, sanction certain types of war.

Redefining "war" for legal reasons.

Sometimes the term "war" is restricted by legal definition to those conflicts where one or both belligerents have formally declared war. This has resulted in wars (in the sense defined in the introduction to this article) without formal declaration and combatants who officially choose terms other than "war," such as:"armed conflict";"state aggression by armed force";"police action";"crime against international peace".

For example, the United States Government referred to the Korean War as a "police action", and the British Government was very careful to use the term "armed conflict" instead of "war" during the Falklands War in 1982 to comply with the letter of international law. Sometimes the term "war" will not be used in order to circumvent national constitutions which restrict the power of the executive to wage war without the agreement of other branches of government.

Kucing (my fave pet)

Kucing, Felis silvestris catus, adalah sejenis karnivora kecil dari keluarga Felidae yang sudah dijinakkan selama ribuan tahun. Kata "kucing" biasanya merujuk kepada "kucing" yang dijinakkan, tetapi bisa juga merujuk kepada "kucing raksasa" seperti singa, harimau, macan dan sebagainya.

Kucing telah berasosiasi dengan kehidupan manusia paling tidak sejak 3.500 tahun yang lalu, ketika orang Mesir kuno menggunakan kucing untuk menjauhkan tikus atau hewan pengerat lain dari hasil panen mereka. Saat ini, kucing adalah salah satu hewan peliharaan paling populer di dunia. Kucing yang garis keturunannya dicatat secara resmi disebut sebagai kucing ras atau keturunan, seperti persia, siam, manx, sphinx. Kucing seperti ini biasanya dibiakkan di tempat pemeliharaan hewan resmi. Jumlah kucing keturunan hanyalah 1% dari seluruh kucing di dunia. Sisanya adalah kucing dengan keturunan campuran seperti kucing liar atau kucing kampung.


Karakteristik

Kucing peliharaan atau kucing kampung adalah salah satu predator terhebat di dunia. Kucing ini dapat membunuh atau memakan beberapa ribu spesies— kucing besar biasanya kurang dari 100. Tetapi karena ukurannya yang kecil, kucing tidak berbahaya bagi manusia— satu-satunya bahaya yang dapat timbul adalah kemungkinan terjadinya infeksi rabies akibat gigitan kucing. Kucing dapat berakibat fatal bagi suatu ekosistem yang bukan tempat tinggal alaminya. Pada beberapa kasus, kucing berperan atau menyebabkan kepunahan. Kucing menyergap dan melumpuhkan mangsa dengan cara yang mirip dengan singa dan harimau — menggigit leher mangsa dengan gigi taring yang tajam sehingga melukai saraf tulang belakang atau menyebabkan mangsa kehabisan napas dengan merusak tenggorokan.

Kucing dianggap sebagai "karnivor yang sempurna" dengan gigi dan saluran pencernaan yang khusus. Gigi premolar dan molar pertama membentuk sepasang taring di setiap sisi mulut yang bekerja efektif seperti gunting untuk merobek daging. Meskipun ciri ini juga terdapat pada famili Canidae atau anjing, tapi ciri ini berkembang lebih baik pada kucing. Tidak seperti karnivora lain, kucing hampir tidak makan apapun yang mengandung tumbuhan. Beruang dan anjing kadang memakan buah, akar, atau madu sebagai suplemen jika ada sementara kucing hanya memakan daging, biasanya buruan segar. Dalam penangkaran, kucing tidak dapat diadaptasikan dengan diet vegetarian karena mereka tidak dapat mensintesis semua asam-asam amino yang mereka butuhkan hanya dengan memakan tumbuhan; berbeda dengan anjing peliharaan, yang sering diberi makan produk campuran daging dan sayuran dan kadang dapat beradaptasi dengan diet vegetarian secara total.


Meskipun memiliki reputasi sebagai hewan penyendiri, kucing biasanya dapat membentuk koloni liar tetapi tidak menyerang dalam kelompok seperti singa. Setiap kucing memiliki daerahnya sendiri (jantan yang aktif secara seksual memiliki daerah terbesar, sedang jantan steril memiliki daerah paling kecil) dan selalu terdapat daerah "netral" dimana para kucing dapat saling mengawasi atau bertemu tanpa adanya konflik teritorial atau agresi. Di luar daerah netral ini, penguasa daerah biasa akan mengejar kucing asing, diawali dengan menatap, mendesis, hingga menggeram, dan bila kucing asing itu tetap tinggal, biasanya akan terjadi perkelahian singkat. Kucing yang sedang berkelahi menegakkan rambut tubuh dan melengkungkan punggung agar mereka tampak lebih besar. Serangan biasanya terdiri dari tamparan di bagian wajah dan tubuh dengan kaki depan yang kadang disertai gigitan. Luka serius pada kucing akibat perkelahian jarang terjadi karena pihak yang kalah biasanya akan lari setelah mengalami beberapa luka di wajah. Jantan yang aktif biasanya sering terlibat banyak perkelahian sepanjang hidupnya. Hal ini tampak pada berbagai luka di bagian wajah, seperti hidung atau telinga. Kucing betina kadang juga terlibat perkelahian untuk melindungi anak-anaknya bahkan kucing steril pun akan mempertahankan daerah kecilnya dengan gigih.

Melihat dari perilaku kucing yang ada saat ini, kucing liar yang merupakan nenek moyang kucing peliharaan diperkiraan berevolusi pada iklim gurun. Kucing senang dengan suasana hangat dan sering tidur di bawah hangatnya sinar matahari. Kotorannya biasanya kering dan kucing lebih suka menguburnya di tempat berpasir. Kucing dapat mematung, tidak bergerak cukup lama terutama ketika sedang mengintai mangsa atau bersiap untuk "pounce". Di Afrika Utara masih ditemukan kucing liar yang mungkin berkerabat dekat dengan nenek moyang kucing peliharaan saat ini.

Karena memiliki kekerabatan yang dekat dengan binatang gurun, ketahanan kucing terhadap panas dan dinginnya iklim daerah subtropis agak terbatas. Kucing tidak tahan terhadap kabut, hujan, dan salju, meskipun ada beberapa jenis seperti Norwegian Forest Cat dan Maine Coon yang mampu bertahan; dan berusaha mempertahankan suhu tubuh normalnya, yaitu 39°C, dalam keadaan basah. Kebanyakan kucing tidak suka berendam dalam air, kecuali jenis Turkish Van.

Penis kucing jantan memiliki tulang seperti duri yang mengarah ke belakang. Ketika penis dikeluarkan, duri ini akan menggaruk dinding vagina kucing betina. Stimulasi ini diperlukan agar terjadi ovulasi pada kucing betina. Karenanya jarang terjadi kehamilan pada perkawinan pertama. Masa kehamilan atau gestasi pada kucing berkisar 63 hari. Anak kucing terlahir buta dan tuli. Mata mereka baru terbuka pada usia 8-10 hari. Anak kucing akan disapih oleh induknya pada usia 6-7 minggu dan kematangan seksual dicapai pada umur 10-15 bulan. Kucing dapat mengandung 4 janin sekaligus karena rahimnya memiliki bentuk yang khusus dengan 4 bagian yang berbeda.

Kucing biasanya memiliki berat badan antara 2,5 hingga 7 kilogram dan jarang melebihi 10 kg. Bila diberi makan berlebihan, kucing dapat mencapai berat badan 23 kg. Tapi kondisi ini amat tidak sehat bagi kucing dan harus dihindari. Dalam penangkaran, kucing dapat hidup selama 15 hingga 20 tahun, kucing tertua diketahui berusia 36 tahun. Kucing peliharaan yang tidak diperbolehkan keluar rumah dan disterilkan dapat hidup lebih lama (mengurangi resiko perkelahian dan kecelakaan). Kucing liar yang hidup di lingkungan urban modern hanya hidup selama 2 tahun atau bahkan kurang dari itu.

Kucing peliharaan yang tinggal di dalam rumah harus diberi kotak kotoran yang berisi pasir atau bahan khusus yang dijual di toko hewan peliharaan. Perlu juga disediakan tempat khusus bagi kucing untuk mencakar. Hal ini penting karena kucing memerlukan kegiatan mencakar ini untuk menanggalkan lapisan lama pada kukunya agar kukunya dapat tetap tajam dan terjaga kesehatannya. Tidak adanya tempat khusus ini akan menyebabkan kucing banyak merusak perabotan.

Sering kali kucing menunjukkan perilaku memilih makanan. Hal ini dikarenakan mereka memiliki organ pembau khusus di langit-langit mulutnya yang disebut sebagai organ vomeronasal atau organ Jacobson. Ketika organ ini terstimulasi oleh suatu jenis makanan tertentu, kucing akan menolak makanan selain makanan itu.

Mata kucing

Kucing dapat melihat dalam cahaya yang amat terang. Mereka memiliki selaput pelangi atau iris membentuk celah pada mata yang akan menyempit. Meskipun demikian, penyempitan ini juga mengurangi bidang pandang kucing. Suatu organ yang disebut tapetum lucidum digunakan dalam lingkungan dengan sedikit cahaya. Organ inilah yang menyebabkan warna-warni mata kucing ketika difoto dengan menggunakan blitz. Seperti kebanyakan predator, kedua mata kucing menghadap ke depan, menghasilkan persepsi jarak dan mengurangi besarnya bidang pandang. Mata kucing memiliki persepsi trikomatik yang lemah.

Ketika cahaya yang ada terlalu sedikit untuk melihat, kucing akan menggunakan "kumis" atau misainya (vibrissae) untuk membantunya menentukan arah dan menjadi alat indera tambahan. Misai dapat mendeteksi perubahan angin yang amat kecil, membuat kucing dapat mengetahui adanya benda-benda di sekitarnya tanpa melihat.

Kucing memiliki kelopak mata ketiga yang disebut membrana niktitans. Kelopak ketiga ini terdiri dari suatu lapisan tipis yang dapat menutupi mata dan nampak ketika mata kucing terbuka. Membran ini menutup sebagian ketika kucing sedang sakit. Kadang kucing yang amat mengantuk atau gembira juga memperlihatkan membran ini.

Suara kucing sering ditulis "meong" dalam bahasa Indonesia. Dalam bahasa Inggris yang digunakan di Amerika, suara kucing ditulis "meow". Di negara Inggris sendiri, penulisannya adalah "miaow", "miaow" dalam bahasa Perancis, "nya" dalam bahasa Jepang dan berbagai penulisan lain dalam berbagai bahasa. Suara "meong" kucing memiliki berbagai arti tergantung pengucapannya oleh si kucing. Kucing juga dapat mengeluarkan suara seperti dengkuran panjang yang sering disukai manusia. Karena suara ini bukan merupakan suara vokal, maka kucing dapat mengeluarkan suara dengkuran dan mengeong pada saat yang sama.

Umumnya semua daun telinga kucing tegak. Tidak seperti pada anjing, kucing dengan telinga terlipat amat jarang ditemukan. Jenis Scottish Fold adalah salah satu jenis kucing dengan mutasi genetik yang langka ini. Ketika marah atau takut, daun telinga kucing jenis ini akan tertekuk ke belakang sementara si kucing mengeluarkan suara menggeram atau mendesis. Ketika mendengarkan suatu suara, daun telinga kucing akan bergerak ke arah sumber suara; daun telinga kucing dapat mengarah ke depan, ke samping, bahkan seolah menoleh ke belakang.

Kucing termasuk hewan yang bersih. Mereka sering merawat diri dengan menjilati rambut mereka. Saliva atau air liur mereka adalah agen pembersih yang kuat, tapi dapat memicu alergi pada manusia. Kadang kala kucing memuntahkan hairball atau gulungan rambut yang terkumpul di dalam perut mereka.

Kucing menyimpan energi dengan cara tidur lebih sering ketimbang hewan lain. Lama tidur kucing bervariasi antara 12-16 jam per hari, dengan angka rata-rata 13-14 jam. Tetapi tidak jarang dijumpai kucing yang tidur selama 20 jam dalam satu hari.


Jenis-jenis kucing peliharaan

Ras

Jumlah jenis kucing ras di seluruh dunia amat banyak. Setiap ras memiliki ciri khusus, tapi karena sering terjadinya kawin silang antar ras, banyak kucing yang hanya dikelompokkan dalam jenis bulu panjang dan bulu pendek, tergantung jenis rambut penutup tubuhnya.

Macam

Kucing memiliki banyak warna dan macam pola. Ciri fisik ini tidak bergantung pada rasnya. Kucing rumahan dikelompokkan ke dalam jenis berikut berdasar penampakan fisiknya :

> Bulu pendek

> bulu panjang

> oriental (bukan ras khusus, semua kucing yang bertubuh langsing, mata berbentuk almond, daun telinga lebar, dan rambut tubuh halus yang pendek)


Gen yang mengatur warna dan pola pada bulu kucing menentukan penampilan fisik dari kucing yang membedakan mereka ke dalam:

> Calico
putih dengan sedikit bercak warna hitam atau oranye (atau biru atau krem). Orang Jepang sering menyebut pola ini sebagai mi-ke. Karena gen warna bulu bertaut dengan kelamin, kucing Calico yang beraneka warna ini umumnya betina.

> Tortoiseshell
hitam dengan warna oranye dan putih tersebar di seluruh tubuhnya. Kucing yang memiliki warna hitam, oranye terang, dan oranye gelap disebut sebagai Calimanco atau Clouded Tiger.

> Tabby
bergaris dengan bermacam pola. Pola klasik pada kucing ini berbentuk bulatan-bulatan atau lingkaran. Tabby jenis mackerel mempunyai tiga garis yang tampak di samping tubuhnya, membuat kucing ini seperti ikan mackerel.

> Maltese
nama lama dari kucing biru (abu-abu).

> Bicolor (dua warna)
disebut juga Tuxedo cat atau Jellicle cat karena memiliki bulu berwarna hitam dengan sedikit warna putih pada bagian kaki, perut, dada, dan mungkin pula di bagian wajah.


Domestikasi

Seperti halnya hewan yang telah mengalami domestikasi atau penjinakan, kucing hidup dalam hubungan mutualistik dengan manusia. Tapi sejarah mutualisme ini jauh lebih pendek dibandingkan dengan hewan domestikasi yang lain dan tingkat domestikasi kucing juga masih diperdebatkan. Karena keuntungan yang diperoleh dari adanya kucing, maka manusia membiarkan kucing liar berkeliaran di pemukiman. Nenek moyang kucing rumahan tidak terlalu dekat dengan pemiliknya, berbeda dengan hewan domestik yang lain. Sejarah inilah yang mungkin menyebabkan tidak adanya ikatan yang kuat yang dimiliki kucing pada pemiliknya. Akibatnya, kebanyakan pemilik kucing menganggap kucing adalah hewan yang tidak terlalu peduli dan mandiri. Namun, kucing dapat sangat dekat dengan pemiliknya, terutama jika ia dibesarkan sejak kecil dan sering mendapatkan perhatian.


Sejarah dan mitologi

Catatan paling awal tentang usaha domestikasi kucing adalah sekitar tahun 4000 SM di Mesir, ketika kucing digunakan untuk menjaga toko bahan pangan dari serangan tikus. Namun, baru-baru ini dalam sebuah makan di Shillourokambos, Siprus, bertahun 7500 SM, ditemukan kerangka kucing yang dikuburkan bersama manusia. Karena tikus bukanlah hewan asli Siprus, hal ini menunjukkan bahwa paling tidak pada saat itu, telah terjadi usaha domestikasi kucing. Kerangka kucing yang ditemukan di Siprus ini mirip dengan spesies kucing liar yang merupakan nenek moyang kucing rumahan saat ini.

Orang Mesir kuno menganggap kucing sebagai penjelmaan dewi Bast, juga dikenal sebagai Bastet atau Thet. Hukuman untuk membunuh kucing adalah mati, dan jika ada kucing yang mati kadang dimumikan seperti halnya manusia.

Di abad pertengahan, kucing sering dianggap berasosiasi dengan penyihir dan sering dibunuh dengan dibakar atau dilempar dari tempa tinggi. Beberapa ahli sejarah berpendapat bahwa takhyul seperti inilah yang menyebabkan wabah Black Death menyebar dengan cepat. Black Death diperkirakan merupakan sebuah wabah penyakit pes di Eropa pada abad ke-14. Cepatnya penyebaran wabah ini menyebabkan banyak orang waktu itu percaya bahwa setanlah yang menyebabkan penyakit tersebut. Pernyataan Paus yang menyebutkan bahwa kucing, yang berkeliaran dengan bebas, telah bersekutu dengan setan. Karena pernyataan ini, banyak kucing dibunuh di Eropa pada saat itu. Penurunan jumlah populasi kucing menyebabkan meningkatnya jumlah tikus, hewan pembawa penyakit pes yang sesungguhnya.

Saat ini, orang masih percaya bahwa kucing hitam adalah pembawa sial sementara ada yang percaya bahwa kucing hitam justru membawa keberuntungan. Kucing juga masih diasosiasikan dengan sihir. Kucing hitam sering diasosiasikan dengan Halloween. Penganut wicca dan neopaganisme yang lain mempercayai bahwa kucing sebenarnya baik, mampu berhubungan dengan dunia lain, dan dapat merasakan adanya roh jahat.

Di Asia, kucing termasuk ke dalam salah satu zodiak Vietnam. Namun kucing tidak termasuk ke dalam zodiak Tionghoa. Menurut legenda, ketika Raja Langit mengadakan pesta untuk hewan yang akan dipilih menjadi zodiak, ia mengutus tikus untuk mengundang hewan-hewan yang telah dipilihnya. Bagian cerita ini dikisahkan dalam berbagai versi, tikus lupa untuk mengundang kucing, tikus menipu kucing mengenai hari pesta, dan berbagai variasi lainnya. Pada akhirnya kucing tidak hadir dalam pesta itu, tidak terpilih menjadi hewan zodiak, sehingga memiliki dendam kesumat pada tikus.

Sumber: http://id.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kucing

Berita buruk terus, nih...

Aku suka nonton berita di TV. Tapi sekarang jadi rada eneg. Banyak sekali bad news-nya. Bencana, kasus korupsi, demo mahasiswa, bentrokan antar warga, de el el. Berita-berita macam gituan emang pantes ditayangin. Tapi kalo tanpa diselingin sama good news ya, jadi mbosenin.

Kalo kita lihat masa lalu, pas TVRI masih jadi the only one TV station selama dua dekade, hampir enggak ada bad news sama sekali. Kebalikan sama berita sekarang. Dulu di TVRI ada Berita Daerah (punya TVRI lokal), Berita Malam (berita nasional, jam 19.00) dan Dunia Dalam Berita. Berita Daerah dan Berita Malam isinya kira-kira seputar kunjungan Presiden Suharto, seminar dan lokakarya, P4, kunjungan pejabat, peresmian proyek pembangunan, dsb. Sering ditampilin Pak Harto bersalaman, mukul gong, menggunting pita, atau duduk berderetan sama pejabat lainnya dalam suatu acara. TVRI waktu itu memang lebih sebagai media propaganda pemerintah daripada media informasi.

Karenanya, masyarakat (pemirsa) jadi bosen. Beritanya monoton. Jadi banyak orang yang matiin TV-nya pas acara berita. Tapi kalo Dunia dalam Berita, lain. Isinya lebih beragam. Kelaparan di Ethiopia, perang Balkan, agresi Israel, dsb yang menambah wawasan pemirsanya.

Awal 90-an, mulai muncul RCTI dan stasiun-stasiun TV lainnya. Karena mereka pengen rating acara (termasuk berita) yang tinggi. TV swasta mulai menampilkan berita-berita kriminal, bencana, dll yang lebih menarik daripada "propaganda" pemerintah. Pemirsa juga mulai punya pilihan acara yang beragam.

Tapi seiring dengan era keterbukaan dan kebebasan informasi, acara TV makin enggak karuan. Mulai muncul berita kekerasan macam Buser, Patroli, dll. Mulai ada tayangan-tayangan misteri yang sama sekali enggak mendidik. Plus booming sinetron yang menebar tren negatif ke pedesaan. Dan berita TV pun sekarang makin bikin sedih aja. Seolah negara kita ini enggak bisa dibanggain. Padahal banyak juga yang bisa bikin kita bangga. Anak-anak jenius juara olimpiade sains internasiona, satelit buatan dalam negeri, robot canggih kreasi para mahasiswa, dll. Tapi pemberitaan itu cuma sedikit saja. Kalah sama gosip para selebriti, tertutup oleh berita kriminal dan bencana alam.

Dulu kita bisa bangga dengan beberapa pesawat dan helikopter buatan IPTN. Sekarang, kayaknya hampir enggak ada yang bisa dibanggain.

Misi Utama Agresi Israel ke Libanon, Bukan untuk Bebaskan Serdadunya yang Ditawan

Ketegangan di Timur Tengah kembali memuncak setelah Israel melakukan agresinya ke Jalur Gaza, Palestina dan Libanon. Agresi militer Israel ke kedua wilayah itu dipicu oleh hal yang sama yaitu tertawannya serdadu-serdadu Israel oleh para pejuang Palestina dan Hizbullah. Tapi benarkah agresi militer Israel itu semata-mata hanya untuk membebaskan serdadunya?

Ternyata tidak. Israel sebenarnya punya agenda utama yang lain, yang menjadi prioritas utama agresinya, khususnya ke Libanon. Hal ini terungkap dalam wawancara Efraim Inbar, profesor ilmu politik di Universitas Bar-Ilan dan Direktur sebuah organisasi think-tank, Israel yang dimuat situs al-Jazeera. Berikut petikannya;

Apa sebenarnya tujuan utama agresi Israel ke Libanon?

Tujuannya sederhana saja. Israel ingin menghentikan ancaman serangan misil ke wilayahnya, memaksa Hizbullah keluar dari Libanon selatan dan berusaha untuk menghancurkan sebanyak mungkin peralatan militer Hizbullah. Tanggung jawab langsung dari Hizbullah yang dengan tegas ingin menghancurkan Israel dan mendeklarasikan Israel sebagai musuh mereka.

Pemerintah Libanon secara formal mungkin dalam kondisi perang dengan Israel, tapi mereka tidak melakukan tindakan apapun terhadap Israel. Persoalannya, pemerintah Libanon tidak mampu memperluas kedaulatannya ke seluruh negara bagian, sehingga memungkinkan Hizbullah beroperasi sebagai kelompok bersenjata yang independen yang ingin mendirikan negara dalam negara.

Menurut Anda, apakah publik Israel berpendapat bahwa membunuh lebih dari 300 warga sipil Libanon-kebanyakan warga sipil-sebagai tindakan yang proporsional?

Umumnya, warga Israel mendukung pemerintahnya. Yang menjadi isu di sini sebenarnya bukan penculikan dua serdadu Israel, tapi Hizbullah yang sejauh ini dianggap mengancam kehidupan seperlima populasi Israel. Katanya, Hizbullah punya misil-misil jarak jauh yang bisa menjangkau lebih banyak penduduk Israel.

Dalam konteks itu, menjadi kewajiban moral dan tugas utama Israel untuk melindungi warganya. Secara pribadi, Saya tidak yakin apakah yang sekarang kita lakukan merupakan tindakan yang benar. Saya pikir fokusnya seharusnya adalah Damaskus, bukan Libanon.

Apakah ada kemungkinan pemerintah Israel sudah melakukan kontak dengan pemerintah-pemerintah Arab tertentu?

Kemungkinan ada konsultasi dalam level yang bervariasi dengan Mesir, Yordania dan negara-negara lainnya seperti Tunisia, Maroko, di Oman atau Qatar. Jalur diplomasi tidak tertutup untuk jangka waktu tertentu dan kemungkinan, dialog masih berlangsung.

Invasi terakhir Israel ke Libanon, telah menimbulkan luka yang memicu munculnya ekstrimisme di wilayah itu. Mengapa hal ini tidak menjadi pertimbangan Israel dalam agresinya kali ini?

Saya tidak yakin, Israel-lah yang memicu ektrimisme di dunia Arab. Penyebab utamanya adalah kegagalan negara-negara Arab untuk melakukan transisi bertahap ke arah modernitas, sehingga menimbulkan masalah politik dan sosial yang mengarah pada ektrimisme.

Penjajahan Israel di Libanon selatan bisa jadi berperan dalam menumbuhkan gerakan Hizbullah, tapi menurut pandangan Saya, hal itu merupakan faktor sekunder karena sudah ada 'radikalisasi' di kalangan komunitas Syiah sebelum Israel menjajah.

Apakah Israel juga akan menyerang Iran dan Suriah?

Saya menganjurkan untuk menyerang Suriah, dalam beberapa hal Kami sudah kehilangan banyak amunisi di Libanon. Tapi Saya tidak yakin pemerintah Israel akan mempertimbangkan hal itu. Pemerintah sudah membuat pernyataan tidak akan memperluas konflik dengan melakukan serangan ke Suriah.

Iran terlalu jauh dan Saya pikir Kami menyerahkan saja persoalan Iran pada Amerika, setidaknya untuk saat ini.

Bagaimana anda melihat proses perdamaian saat ini?


Lupakan saja. Semua itu sudah berakhir. Kita dalam kondisi pascaparadigma dua-negara (Israel-Palestina). Utamanya karena Palestina gagal membangun entitas politiknya. Sama dengan Libanon, Palestina telah membiarkan keberadaan kelompok milisi.

Selain mengajar di Universitas Bar-Ilan, Efrim Inbar juga dikenal sebagai penulis dan kolomnis di Jerusalem Post serta Direktur Begin-Sadat Centre for Strategic Studies. (ln/aljz)

Sumber: http://www.eramuslim.com/news/bc2/44c5cb5c.htm

Iki postingan pisananku (ini adalah postingan pertamaku)

Kok judulnya pake bahasa Jawa? Ya.. karena aku orang Jawa. Tapi bukannya aku kena chauvinisme, sukuisme, dsb. Sebagai orang Jawa, aku kuatir bahasa ibu ini punah beberapa dasawarsa lagi (seperti yang diramalkan para ahli).

Sinau artinya belajar. Blog ini aku tujukan buat meng-ekpresikan hobiku: Belajar. Belajar bukan berarti baca buku. Belajar itu luas. Bertanya, bepergian, mencoba, membaca, dll juga belajar.

Semoga aku bisa konsisten ng-update blog ini. Amin...