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Friday, May 16, 2008



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Google Terms of Service
Welcome to Google!
1. Your relationship with Google

1.1 Your use of Google’s products, software, services and web sites (referred to collectively as the “Services” in this document and excluding any services provided to you by Google under a separate written agreement) is subject to the terms of a legal agreement between you and Google. “Google” means Google Inc., whose principal place of business is at 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, United States. This document explains how the agreement is made up, and sets out some of the terms of that agreement.

1.2 Unless otherwise agreed in writing with Google, your agreement with Google will always include, at a minimum, the terms and conditions set out in this document. These are referred to below as the “Universal Terms”.

1.3 Your agreement with Google will also include the terms of any Legal Notices applicable to the Services, in addition to the Universal Terms. All of these are referred to below as the “Additional Terms”. Where Additional Terms apply to a Service, these will be accessible for you to read either within, or through your use of, that Service.

1.4 The Universal Terms, together with the Additional Terms, form a legally binding agreement between you and Google in relation to your use of the Services. It is important that you take the time to read them carefully. Collectively, this legal agreement is referred to below as the “Terms”.

1.5 If there is any contradiction between what the Additional Terms say and what the Universal Terms say, then the Additional Terms shall take precedence in relation to that Service.

2. Accepting the Terms

2.1 In order to use the Services, you must first agree to the Terms. You may not use the Services if you do not accept the Terms.

2.2 You can accept the Terms by:

(A) clicking to accept or agree to the Terms, where this option is made available to you by Google in the user interface for any Service; or

(B) by actually using the Services. In this case, you understand and agree that Google will treat your use of the Services as acceptance of the Terms from that point onwards.

2.3 You may not use the Services and may not accept the Terms if (a) you are not of legal age to form a binding contract with Google, or (b) you are a person barred from receiving the Services under the laws of the United States or other countries including the country in which you are resident or from which you use the Services.

2.4 Before you continue, you should print off or save a local copy of the Universal Terms for your records.

3. Language of the Terms

3.1 Where Google has provided you with a translation of the English language version of the Terms, then you agree that the translation is provided for your convenience only and that the English language versions of the Terms will govern your relationship with Google.

3.2 If there is any contradiction between what the English language version of the Terms says and what a translation says, then the English language version shall take precedence.

4. Provision of the Services by Google

4.1 Google has subsidiaries and affiliated legal entities around the world (“Subsidiaries and Affiliates”). Sometimes, these companies will be providing the Services to you on behalf of Google itself. You acknowledge and agree that Subsidiaries and Affiliates will be entitled to provide the Services to you.

4.2 Google is constantly innovating in order to provide the best possible experience for its users. You acknowledge and agree that the form and nature of the Services which Google provides may change from time to time without prior notice to you.

4.3 As part of this continuing innovation, you acknowledge and agree that Google may stop (permanently or temporarily) providing the Services (or any features within the Services) to you or to users generally at Google’s sole discretion, without prior notice to you. You may stop using the Services at any time. You do not need to specifically inform Google when you stop using the Services.

4.4 You acknowledge and agree that if Google disables access to your account, you may be prevented from accessing the Services, your account details or any files or other content which is contained in your account.

4.5 You acknowledge and agree that while Google may not currently have set a fixed upper limit on the number of transmissions you may send or receive through the Services or on the amount of storage space used for the provision of any Service, such fixed upper limits may be set by Google at any time, at Google’s discretion.

5. Use of the Services by you

5.1 In order to access certain Services, you may be required to provide information about yourself (such as identification or contact details) as part of the registration process for the Service, or as part of your continued use of the Services. You agree that any registration information you give to Google will always be accurate, correct and up to date.

5.2 You agree to use the Services only for purposes that are permitted by (a) the Terms and (b) any applicable law, regulation or generally accepted practices or guidelines in the relevant jurisdictions (including any laws regarding the export of data or software to and from the United States or other relevant countries).

5.3 You agree not to access (or attempt to access) any of the Services by any means other than through the interface that is provided by Google, unless you have been specifically allowed to do so in a separate agreement with Google. You specifically agree not to access (or attempt to access) any of the Services through any automated means (including use of scripts or web crawlers) and shall ensure that you comply with the instructions set out in any robots.txt file present on the Services.

5.4 You agree that you will not engage in any activity that interferes with or disrupts the Services (or the servers and networks which are connected to the Services).

5.5 Unless you have been specifically permitted to do so in a separate agreement with Google, you agree that you will not reproduce, duplicate, copy, sell, trade or resell the Services for any purpose.

5.6 You agree that you are solely responsible for (and that Google has no responsibility to you or to any third party for) any breach of your obligations under the Terms and for the consequences (including any loss or damage which Google may suffer) of any such breach.

6. Your passwords and account security

6.1 You agree and understand that you are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of passwords associated with any account you use to access the Services.

6.2 Accordingly, you agree that you will be solely responsible to Google for all activities that occur under your account.

6.3 If you become aware of any unauthorized use of your password or of your account, you agree to notify Google immediately at http://www.google.com/support/accounts/bin/answer.py?answer=48601.

7. Privacy and your personal information

7.1 For information about Google’s data protection practices, please read Google’s privacy policy at http://www.google.com/privacy.html. This policy explains how Google treats your personal information, and protects your privacy, when you use the Services.

7.2 You agree to the use of your data in accordance with Google’s privacy policies.

8. Content in the Services

8.1 You understand that all information (such as data files, written text, computer software, music, audio files or other sounds, photographs, videos or other images) which you may have access to as part of, or through your use of, the Services are the sole responsibility of the person from which such content originated. All such information is referred to below as the “Content”.

8.2 You should be aware that Content presented to you as part of the Services, including but not limited to advertisements in the Services and sponsored Content within the Services may be protected by intellectual property rights which are owned by the sponsors or advertisers who provide that Content to Google (or by other persons or companies on their behalf). You may not modify, rent, lease, loan, sell, distribute or create derivative works based on this Content (either in whole or in part) unless you have been specifically told that you may do so by Google or by the owners of that Content, in a separate agreement.

8.3 Google reserves the right (but shall have no obligation) to pre-screen, review, flag, filter, modify, refuse or remove any or all Content from any Service. For some of the Services, Google may provide tools to filter out explicit sexual content. These tools include the SafeSearch preference settings (see http://www.google.com/help/customize.html#safe). In addition, there are commercially available services and software to limit access to material that you may find objectionable.

8.4 You understand that by using the Services you may be exposed to Content that you may find offensive, indecent or objectionable and that, in this respect, you use the Services at your own risk.

8.5 You agree that you are solely responsible for (and that Google has no responsibility to you or to any third party for) any Content that you create, transmit or display while using the Services and for the consequences of your actions (including any loss or damage which Google may suffer) by doing so.

9. Proprietary rights

9.1 You acknowledge and agree that Google (or Google’s licensors) own all legal right, title and interest in and to the Services, including any intellectual property rights which subsist in the Services (whether those rights happen to be registered or not, and wherever in the world those rights may exist). You further acknowledge that the Services may contain information which is designated confidential by Google and that you shall not disclose such information without Google’s prior written consent.

9.2 Unless you have agreed otherwise in writing with Google, nothing in the Terms gives you a right to use any of Google’s trade names, trade marks, service marks, logos, domain names, and other distinctive brand features.

9.3 If you have been given an explicit right to use any of these brand features in a separate written agreement with Google, then you agree that your use of such features shall be in compliance with that agreement, any applicable provisions of the Terms, and Google's brand feature use guidelines as updated from time to time. These guidelines can be viewed online at http://www.google.com/permissions/guidelines.html (or such other URL as Google may provide for this purpose from time to time).

9.4 Other than the limited license set forth in Section 11, Google acknowledges and agrees that it obtains no right, title or interest from you (or your licensors) under these Terms in or to any Content that you submit, post, transmit or display on, or through, the Services, including any intellectual property rights which subsist in that Content (whether those rights happen to be registered or not, and wherever in the world those rights may exist). Unless you have agreed otherwise in writing with Google, you agree that you are responsible for protecting and enforcing those rights and that Google has no obligation to do so on your behalf.

9.5 You agree that you shall not remove, obscure, or alter any proprietary rights notices (including copyright and trade mark notices) which may be affixed to or contained within the Services.

9.6 Unless you have been expressly authorized to do so in writing by Google, you agree that in using the Services, you will not use any trade mark, service mark, trade name, logo of any company or organization in a way that is likely or intended to cause confusion about the owner or authorized user of such marks, names or logos.

10. License from Google

10.1 Google gives you a personal, worldwide, royalty-free, non-assignable and non-exclusive licence to use the software provided to you by Google as part of the Services as provided to you by Google (referred to as the “Software” below). This licence is for the sole purpose of enabling you to use and enjoy the benefit of the Services as provided by Google, in the manner permitted by the Terms.

10.2 You may not (and you may not permit anyone else to) copy, modify, create a derivative work of, reverse engineer, decompile or otherwise attempt to extract the source code of the Software or any part thereof, unless this is expressly permitted or required by law, or unless you have been specifically told that you may do so by Google, in writing.

10.3 Unless Google has given you specific written permission to do so, you may not assign (or grant a sub-licence of) your rights to use the Software, grant a security interest in or over your rights to use the Software, or otherwise transfer any part of your rights to use the Software.

11. Content licence from you

11.1 You retain copyright and any other rights you already hold in Content which you submit, post or display on or through, the Services. By submitting, posting or displaying the content you give Google a perpetual, irrevocable, worldwide, royalty-free, and non-exclusive licence to reproduce, adapt, modify, translate, publish, publicly perform, publicly display and distribute any Content which you submit, post or display on or through, the Services. This licence is for the sole purpose of enabling Google to display, distribute and promote the Services and may be revoked for certain Services as defined in the Additional Terms of those Services.

11.2 You agree that this licence includes a right for Google to make such Content available to other companies, organizations or individuals with whom Google has relationships for the provision of syndicated services, and to use such Content in connection with the provision of those services.

11.3 You understand that Google, in performing the required technical steps to provide the Services to our users, may (a) transmit or distribute your Content over various public networks and in various media; and (b) make such changes to your Content as are necessary to conform and adapt that Content to the technical requirements of connecting networks, devices, services or media. You agree that this licence shall permit Google to take these actions.

11.4 You confirm and warrant to Google that you have all the rights, power and authority necessary to grant the above licence.

12. Software updates

12.1 The Software which you use may automatically download and install updates from time to time from Google. These updates are designed to improve, enhance and further develop the Services and may take the form of bug fixes, enhanced functions, new software modules and completely new versions. You agree to receive such updates (and permit Google to deliver these to you) as part of your use of the Services.

13. Ending your relationship with Google

13.1 The Terms will continue to apply until terminated by either you or Google as set out below.

13.2 If you want to terminate your legal agreement with Google, you may do so by (a) notifying Google at any time and (b) closing your accounts for all of the Services which you use, where Google has made this option available to you. Your notice should be sent, in writing, to Google’s address which is set out at the beginning of these Terms.

13.3 Google may at any time, terminate its legal agreement with you if:

(A) you have breached any provision of the Terms (or have acted in manner which clearly shows that you do not intend to, or are unable to comply with the provisions of the Terms); or

(B) Google is required to do so by law (for example, where the provision of the Services to you is, or becomes, unlawful); or

(C) the partner with whom Google offered the Services to you has terminated its relationship with Google or ceased to offer the Services to you; or

(D) Google is transitioning to no longer providing the Services to users in the country in which you are resident or from which you use the service; or

(E) the provision of the Services to you by Google is, in Google’s opinion, no longer commercially viable.

13.4 Nothing in this Section shall affect Google’s rights regarding provision of Services under Section 4 of the Terms.

13.5 When these Terms come to an end, all of the legal rights, obligations and liabilities that you and Google have benefited from, been subject to (or which have accrued over time whilst the Terms have been in force) or which are expressed to continue indefinitely, shall be unaffected by this cessation, and the provisions of paragraph 20.7 shall continue to apply to such rights, obligations and liabilities indefinitely.

14. EXCLUSION OF WARRANTIES

14.1 NOTHING IN THESE TERMS, INCLUDING SECTIONS 14 AND 15, SHALL EXCLUDE OR LIMIT GOOGLE’S WARRANTY OR LIABILITY FOR LOSSES WHICH MAY NOT BE LAWFULLY EXCLUDED OR LIMITED BY APPLICABLE LAW. SOME JURISDICTIONS DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OF CERTAIN WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OR THE LIMITATION OR EXCLUSION OF LIABILITY FOR LOSS OR DAMAGE CAUSED BY NEGLIGENCE, BREACH OF CONTRACT OR BREACH OF IMPLIED TERMS, OR INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES. ACCORDINGLY, ONLY THE LIMITATIONS WHICH ARE LAWFUL IN YOUR JURISDICTION WILL APPLY TO YOU AND OUR LIABILITY WILL BE LIMITED TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW.

14.2 YOU EXPRESSLY UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT YOUR USE OF THE SERVICES IS AT YOUR SOLE RISK AND THAT THE SERVICES ARE PROVIDED "AS IS" AND “AS AVAILABLE.”

14.3 IN PARTICULAR, GOOGLE, ITS SUBSIDIARIES AND AFFILIATES, AND ITS LICENSORS DO NOT REPRESENT OR WARRANT TO YOU THAT:

(A) YOUR USE OF THE SERVICES WILL MEET YOUR REQUIREMENTS,

(B) YOUR USE OF THE SERVICES WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED, TIMELY, SECURE OR FREE FROM ERROR,

(C) ANY INFORMATION OBTAINED BY YOU AS A RESULT OF YOUR USE OF THE SERVICES WILL BE ACCURATE OR RELIABLE, AND

(D) THAT DEFECTS IN THE OPERATION OR FUNCTIONALITY OF ANY SOFTWARE PROVIDED TO YOU AS PART OF THE SERVICES WILL BE CORRECTED.

14.4 ANY MATERIAL DOWNLOADED OR OTHERWISE OBTAINED THROUGH THE USE OF THE SERVICES IS DONE AT YOUR OWN DISCRETION AND RISK AND THAT YOU WILL BE SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY DAMAGE TO YOUR COMPUTER SYSTEM OR OTHER DEVICE OR LOSS OF DATA THAT RESULTS FROM THE DOWNLOAD OF ANY SUCH MATERIAL.

14.5 NO ADVICE OR INFORMATION, WHETHER ORAL OR WRITTEN, OBTAINED BY YOU FROM GOOGLE OR THROUGH OR FROM THE SERVICES SHALL CREATE ANY WARRANTY NOT EXPRESSLY STATED IN THE TERMS.

14.6 GOOGLE FURTHER EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES AND CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, WHETHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES AND CONDITIONS OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NON-INFRINGEMENT.

15. LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

15.1 SUBJECT TO OVERALL PROVISION IN PARAGRAPH 14.1 ABOVE, YOU EXPRESSLY UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT GOOGLE, ITS SUBSIDIARIES AND AFFILIATES, AND ITS LICENSORS SHALL NOT BE LIABLE TO YOU FOR:

(A) ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL CONSEQUENTIAL OR EXEMPLARY DAMAGES WHICH MAY BE INCURRED BY YOU, HOWEVER CAUSED AND UNDER ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY.. THIS SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO, ANY LOSS OF PROFIT (WHETHER INCURRED DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY), ANY LOSS OF GOODWILL OR BUSINESS REPUTATION, ANY LOSS OF DATA SUFFERED, COST OF PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES, OR OTHER INTANGIBLE LOSS;

(B) ANY LOSS OR DAMAGE WHICH MAY BE INCURRED BY YOU, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO LOSS OR DAMAGE AS A RESULT OF:

(I) ANY RELIANCE PLACED BY YOU ON THE COMPLETENESS, ACCURACY OR EXISTENCE OF ANY ADVERTISING, OR AS A RESULT OF ANY RELATIONSHIP OR TRANSACTION BETWEEN YOU AND ANY ADVERTISER OR SPONSOR WHOSE ADVERTISING APPEARS ON THE SERVICES;

(II) ANY CHANGES WHICH GOOGLE MAY MAKE TO THE SERVICES, OR FOR ANY PERMANENT OR TEMPORARY CESSATION IN THE PROVISION OF THE SERVICES (OR ANY FEATURES WITHIN THE SERVICES);

(III) THE DELETION OF, CORRUPTION OF, OR FAILURE TO STORE, ANY CONTENT AND OTHER COMMUNICATIONS DATA MAINTAINED OR TRANSMITTED BY OR THROUGH YOUR USE OF THE SERVICES;

(III) YOUR FAILURE TO PROVIDE GOOGLE WITH ACCURATE ACCOUNT INFORMATION;

(IV) YOUR FAILURE TO KEEP YOUR PASSWORD OR ACCOUNT DETAILS SECURE AND CONFIDENTIAL;

15.2 THE LIMITATIONS ON GOOGLE’S LIABILITY TO YOU IN PARAGRAPH 15.1 ABOVE SHALL APPLY WHETHER OR NOT GOOGLE HAS BEEN ADVISED OF OR SHOULD HAVE BEEN AWARE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF ANY SUCH LOSSES ARISING.

16. Copyright and trade mark policies

16.1 It is Google’s policy to respond to notices of alleged copyright infringement that comply with applicable international intellectual property law (including, in the United States, the Digital Millennium Copyright Act) and to terminating the accounts of repeat infringers. Details of Google’s policy can be found at http://www.google.com/dmca.html.

16.2 Google operates a trade mark complaints procedure in respect of Google’s advertising business, details of which can be found at http://www.google.com/tm_complaint.html.

17. Advertisements

17.1 Some of the Services are supported by advertising revenue and may display advertisements and promotions. These advertisements may be targeted to the content of information stored on the Services, queries made through the Services or other information.

17.2 The manner, mode and extent of advertising by Google on the Services are subject to change without specific notice to you.

17.3 In consideration for Google granting you access to and use of the Services, you agree that Google may place such advertising on the Services.

18. Other content

18.1 The Services may include hyperlinks to other web sites or content or resources. Google may have no control over any web sites or resources which are provided by companies or persons other than Google.

18.2 You acknowledge and agree that Google is not responsible for the availability of any such external sites or resources, and does not endorse any advertising, products or other materials on or available from such web sites or resources.

18.3 You acknowledge and agree that Google is not liable for any loss or damage which may be incurred by you as a result of the availability of those external sites or resources, or as a result of any reliance placed by you on the completeness, accuracy or existence of any advertising, products or other materials on, or available from, such web sites or resources.

19. Changes to the Terms

19.1 Google may make changes to the Universal Terms or Additional Terms from time to time. When these changes are made, Google will make a new copy of the Universal Terms available at http://www.google.com/accounts/TOS?hl=en and any new Additional Terms will be made available to you from within, or through, the affected Services.

19.2 You understand and agree that if you use the Services after the date on which the Universal Terms or Additional Terms have changed, Google will treat your use as acceptance of the updated Universal Terms or Additional Terms.

20. General legal terms

20.1 Sometimes when you use the Services, you may (as a result of, or through your use of the Services) use a service or download a piece of software, or purchase goods, which are provided by another person or company. Your use of these other services, software or goods may be subject to separate terms between you and the company or person concerned. If so, the Terms do not affect your legal relationship with these other companies or individuals.

20.2 The Terms constitute the whole legal agreement between you and Google and govern your use of the Services (but excluding any services which Google may provide to you under a separate written agreement), and completely replace any prior agreements between you and Google in relation to the Services.

20.3 You agree that Google may provide you with notices, including those regarding changes to the Terms, by email, regular mail, or postings on the Services.

20.4 You agree that if Google does not exercise or enforce any legal right or remedy which is contained in the Terms (or which Google has the benefit of under any applicable law), this will not be taken to be a formal waiver of Google’s rights and that those rights or remedies will still be available to Google.

20.5 If any court of law, having the jurisdiction to decide on this matter, rules that any provision of these Terms is invalid, then that provision will be removed from the Terms without affecting the rest of the Terms. The remaining provisions of the Terms will continue to be valid and enforceable.

20.6 You acknowledge and agree that each member of the group of companies of which Google is the parent shall be third party beneficiaries to the Terms and that such other companies shall be entitled to directly enforce, and rely upon, any provision of the Terms which confers a benefit on (or rights in favor of) them. Other than this, no other person or company shall be third party beneficiaries to the Terms.

20.7 The Terms, and your relationship with Google under the Terms, shall be governed by the laws of the State of California without regard to its conflict of laws provisions. You and Google agree to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts located within the county of Santa Clara, California to resolve any legal matter arising from the Terms. Notwithstanding this, you agree that Google shall still be allowed to apply for injunctive remedies (or an equivalent type of urgent legal relief) in any jurisdiction.

April 16, 2007


©2007 Google - Home - About Google - Privacy Policy - Terms of Service

wisata Budaya

Mungkinkah Pariwisata Budaya Indonesia Maju?
Mengapa orang dari Amerika Serikat, Inggris, Prancis, dan sebagainya datang berduyun-duyun ke pantai Kuta dan pantai Sanur di Bali? Bukankah di negara mereka sendiri terdapat banyak pantai yang mungkin saja pemandangan alamnya lebih indah daripada pemandangan pantai Kuta dan Sanur di Bali tersebut? Bila kita kaji lebih dalam, ternyata yang menjadi tujuan mereka, para turis asing tersebut adalah ingin melihat Kebudayaan Bali yang terkenal eksotik dan unik, yang berbeda dengan kebudayaan masyarakat mereka. Bila Bali tidak menawarkan kebudayaan masyarakatnya tersebut, mungkin tidak akan ada daya tarik para wisatawan untuk mengunjunginya.
Hal itulah sebenarnya merupakan gambaran konkret dari konsep pariwisata budaya yang istilahnya sering disebut-sebut oleh para pengambil kebijakan (pemerintah) dan para akademisi, namun seringkali sulit untuk dijelaskan dalam definisi konseptual yang operasional, terutama dalam menyepakati konsep kebudayaan itu sendiri.
Dalam khazanah antropologi Indonesia, kebudayaan dalam perspektif klasik pernah didefinisikan oleh Koentjaraningrat sebagai keseluruhan sistem gagasan, tindakan, dan hasil karya manusia dalam rangka kehidupan masyarakat yang dijadikan milik diri manusia yang diperoleh dengan cara belajar. Dalam pengertian tersebut, kebudayaan mencakup segala hal yang merupakan keseluruhan hasil cipta, karsa, dan karya manusia, termasuk di dalamnya benda-benda hasil kreativitas/ciptaan manusia. Namun dalam perspektif antropologi yang lebih kontemporer, kebudayaan didefinisikan sebagai suatu sistem simbol dan makna dalam sebuah masyarakat manusia yang di dalamnya terdapat norma-norma dan nilai-nilai tentang hubungan sosial dan perilaku yang menjadi identitas dari masyarakat bersangkutan.
Dengan demikian, pariwisata budaya merupakan jenis pariwisata yang berdasarkan pada mosaik tempat, tradisi, kesenian, upacara-upacara, dan pengalaman yang memotret suatu bangsa/suku bangsa dengan masyarakatnya, yang merefleksikan keanekaragaman (diversity) dan identitas (character) dari masyarakat atau bangsa bersangkutan. Garrison Keillor, pada tahun 1995 dalam pidatonya pada White House Conference on Travel & Tourism di Amerika Serikat, telah mendefinisikan pariwisata budaya di Amerika secara baik dengan mengatakan, "We need to think about cultural tourism because really there is no other kind of tourism. It's what tourism is...People don't come to America for our airports, people don't come to America for our hotels, or the recreation facilities....They come for our culture: high culture, low culture, middle culture, right, left, real or imagined -- they come here to see America."
Indonesia adalah negara yang kaya raya dengan sumber daya alam dan sumber daya budaya yang melimpah. Bangsa kita merupakan bangsa yang serba multi, baik itu multi-insuler, multibudaya, multibahasa, maupun multiagama. Kesemuanya itu bila dikelola dengan baik dapat dijadikan sebagai potensi untuk memakmurkan rakyat dan memajukan bangsa kita.
Sayangnya, dalam wacana pariwisata budaya di tingkat nasional, yang seringkali dijadikan rujukan dan contoh adalah pariwisata di Bali. Seolah-olah hanya daerah Bali yang hanya bisa dimajukan pariwisata budayanya untuk menarik kunjungan baik wisatawan nusantara maupun mancanegara. Tidak salah memang bila kita membanggakan keberhasilan Bali sebagai daerah tujuan pariwisata dunia yang telah menghasilkan sumbangan devisa terhadap negara dalam jumlah besar. Namun bila kita terjebak hanya mengandalkan satu daerah Bali saja, maka kemajuan pariwisata Indonesia akan mengalami ketergantungan yang sangat tinggi terhadap daerah tersebut. Hal ini terbukti, ketika di Bali terjadi tragedi bom yang diledakkan oleh kaum teroris, maka penerimaan devisa negara kita di bidang pariwisata menjadi anjlok.
Kemajuan pariwisata budaya di Bali sangat ironis dengan kondisi pariwisata budaya di daerah-daerah Indonesia lainnya. Di Subang, Jawa Barat misalnya, sepuluh tahun yang lalu, anak-anak remajanya masih banyak yang berminat untuk belajar tari jaipong, sisingaan, dan menjadi dalang wayang golek. Hampir setiap minggu dan dalam acara ritual kehidupan selalu diundang pentas sebagai hiburan budaya yang meriah. Saat ini, ketika teknologi semakin maju, ironisnya kebudayaan-kebudayaan daerah tersebut semakin lenyap di masyarakat, bahkan hanya dapat disaksikan di televisi dan Taman Mini. Padahal kebudayaan-kebudayaan daerah tersebut, bila dikelola dengan baik selain dapat menjadi pariwisata budaya yang menghasilkan pendapatan untuk pemerintah baik pusat maupun daerah, juga dapat menjadi lahan pekerjaan yang menjanjikan bagi masyarakat sekitarnya.
Pariwisata Budaya
Ada banyak cara sebenarnya untuk memajukan pariwisata negara kita. Memang untuk memajukan pariwisata budaya bukan hanya tugas pemerintah tetapi juga masyarakat kita. Namun tentunya Kementerian Kebudayaan dan Pariwisata, serta Dinas Pariwisata di seluruh daerah di Indonesia, sebagai instansi pemerintah yang bertugas memajukan kebudayaan dan pariwisata Indonesia, memiliki tanggung jawab yang lebih besar. Pertama, Kementerian Kebudayaan dan Pariwisata sesuai dengan fungsinya yang hanya sebagai perumus kebijakan, harus berani dan tegas menentukan konsep, visi, dan misi pariwisata budaya Indonesia. Keberanian untuk menyepakati konsep pariwisata dan budaya juga harus dilakukan karena dalam dunia akademik tidak akan pernah disepakati kedua konsep tersebut yang disebabkan oleh selalu adanya dialektika antara temuan dan pemikiran cendekiawan satu dengan yang lainnya.
Kedua, sesuai dengan semangat otonomi daerah yang menyerahkan tugas pengembangan kebudayaan dan pariwisata kepada Dinas Pariwisata di masing-masing daerah, maka Dinas Pariwisata harus benar-benar menangkap pelimpahan tugas dan wewenang itu sebagai peluang untuk memajukan masyarakat di daerahnya. Sebagai contoh, dengan kekayaan budaya yang kita miliki, maka di setiap kabupaten atau kota Dinas Pariwisata minimal dapat mendirikan satu pusat atau sentra pariwisata budaya yang menampilkan keanekaragaman budaya di wilayahnya masing-masing. Bentuk konkretnya adalah didirikannya semacam Taman Mini Indonesia Indah (TMII) di masing-masing daerah bersangkutan.
Ketiga, para pengamat pariwisata dan budaya sudah saatnya untuk lebih mengutamakan kajian dan penelitian yang merekomendasikan bagaimana memajukan kebudayaan dan pariwisata Indonesia dibandingkan dengan kajian dan penelitian yang selalu memberikan kritik yang belum tentu konstruktif terhadap kebijakan pembangunan pariwisata dan budaya, yang seringkali justru menyebabkan ketakutan pada instansi pemerintah untuk mengambil kebijakan.
Keempat, peran serta masyarakat dalam pembangunan sentra-sentra budaya di masing-masing daerah harus diutamakan. Misalnya, kelompok-kelompok kebudayaan dan kesenian yang akan dipentaskan harus bergiliran dan tidak dimonopoli oleh kelompok kesenian tertentu saja. Di samping itu, anggota masyarakat sekitar juga harus diutamakan untuk direkrut mengelola sentra budaya bersangkutan dengan diberikan pendidikan dan pelatihan terlebih dahulu.
Bila pembangunan pariwisata budaya ini dapat segera dilakukan dengan terarah dan berkesinambungan di seluruh daerah di Indonesia, maka kelestarian budaya, inovasi dan kreativitas budaya, kerukunan antarbudaya, lapangan pekerjaan, pemasukan terhadap pendapatan daerah dan devisa negara adalah sumbangan penting yang dapat diberikan oleh bidang pariwisata budaya untuk peradaban Indonesia yang lebih baik di masa mendatang.***
Penulis adalah Pengamat Budaya dan Pariwisata, bekerja di Kementerian Kebudayaan dan Pariwisata, Republik Indonesia

Local Genius "Sastra Balik Desa"

Pada tanggal 16-18 Mei 2008, kalau tidak ada halangan dan aral melintang, Komunitas Hysteria Semarang akan menggelar hajatan sastra. Hajatan sastra ini direncanakan akan dilaksanakan di desa Gebyok, Gunungpati dengan memboyong semboyan yang cukup menggelitik yaitu "Sastra Balik Desa".
Makna di balik slogan itu tentu saja masih misteri dan menjadi teka-teki karena hajatannya sendiri belum berlangsung. Meski demikian, penulis sudah tidak sabar ingin berkomentar justru karena slogan itu cukup menarik untuk ditelaah.
Makna "Sastra Balik Desa" tentu saja multiinterpretasi. Semoga slogan tersebut tidak dimaknai sebagai wujud kekalahan sastra di lingkungan kota, sebagai wujud kegelisahan yang terlalu berlebihan para pelaku sastra yang tidak tahan dengan gempuran multikulturalisme dan sebagai bentuk kegentaran dalam menghadapi gelombang globalisasi, tetapi lebih dilihat sebagai usaha dan gerakan local genius untuk sejenak menarik diri ke desa dan melakukan pendalaman dan pengenalan identitas diri dan citra lokalitas. Desa menjadi pilihan yang sangat tepat karena kenyamanan dan ketenagannya itu memungkinkan seseorang untuk sejenak merenung dan mengenal identitas diri dan citra lokalitas dari sastra.
Pada paruh awal dasawarsa 90-an ada dua orang yang patut dicatat dalam kasusasteraan Indonesia karena telah menghembuskan isu sastra pedalaman vs pusat. Mereka adalah Suprihanto Namma dan Beno Siang Pamungkas. Waktu itu mereka ini menyinyalir adanya dominasi dan hegemoni pusat terhadap sastra. Menurut mereka, media massa terlalu berpihak ke pusat sehingga potensi sastra yang sebenarnya cukup kaya di pedalaman terabaikan.
Sayang, kedua orang itu melawan hegemoni tidak dengan karya dan akhirnya jatuh pada gerakan politis belaka. Karya-karya yang bernuansa local genius justru muncul dari mereka-mereka yang pada waktu itu tidak ikut-ikut ribut soal polemik polarisasi sastra seperti Oka Rusmini dari Bali dan Taufik Ikram Jamil dari Sumatera.
Pada tataran praktis, pada masa itu juga muncul kantong-kantong kasusastraan di berbagai daerah. Mereka berkumpul dan berkegiatan sastra di daerah masing-masing. Mereka seakan-akan mengabaikan dominasi pusat yang waktu itu dipersoalkan para penggerak isu sastra pedalaman. Sayang, di tingkat karya mereka ini sama saja dengan para penyebar isu sastra pedalaman. Penulis sungguh berharap bahwa acara "Sastra Balik Desa" nantinya tidak hanya berhenti di tingkat wacana, sebagaimanan sudah menjadi penyakit kronis beberapa kaum intelektual Indonesia yang berpandangan bahwa segala persoalan sepertinya akan terselesaikan dalam meja-meja seminar dan diskusi.
Penulis sungguh menunggu gebrakan dan geliat baru khususnya pada lingkup sastra di Semarang. Semoga saja geliat awal dengan hajatan "Sastra Balik Desa" ini nantinya tidak mandeg dan para pelakunya lantas tidak memilih tetap tinggal di desa.
Kembalilah lagi ke kota dan tinggallah di kota! Mengapa demikian? Kasusastraan Indonesia lahir karena pengaruh globalisasi. Kemunculan kasusastraan Indonesia itu pada dasarnya ada bersamaan dengan dimulainya budaya tulis dan budaya tulis timbul sebagai pengaruh globalisasi. Arus dan dampak globalisasi tidak bisa ditolak kehadirannya. Dampak globalisasi makin terasa seperti semakin samarnya batas geografis dan negara. Dunia lantas menjadi semacam pedesaan kecil. Dengannya wajar pula kalau lantas muncul sastra multikultural.
Justru dalam tekanan globalisasi, tuntutan dan kesempatan baru untuk meregenerasikan identitas lokal semakin terbuka lebar. Kebangkitan citra lokalitas menjadi penting karena globalisasi pada dasarnya telah membangkitkan kesadaran dan semangat lokal. Globalisasi adalah narasi besar yang kini terus dikikis oleh lokalisasi.
Hajatan "Sastra Balik Desa" oleh Komunitas Hysteria Semarang jutru penulis pandang secara positif yaitu sebagai gerakan genius untuk sejenak menyepi dan mengenal identitas sastra dalam karakter lokalitasnya. Menarik bahwa pada hajatan tersebut telah diagendakan tidak hanya euforia pentas sastra, tetapi juga diskusi dan seminar dengan membahas tema-tema khusus seperti: sastra di era industri, polarisasi sastra, mencari kebaruan puisi Indonesia, Menilik sejauh mana infrastruktur kasusastraan mampu menopang keberlangsungan sastrawan dan sastra Indonesia dan anak muda yang cemas. Hajatan akan lebih bermakna jika nantinya tidak hanya selesai seiring hajatan yang selesai.
Lebih dari itu semua, hajatan sastra ini penulis lihat sebagai kesempatan emas untuk sejenak merenungkan sastra dalam identitas dan khazanah lokalitasnya, sebagai kesempatan yang tiada duanya untuk mengelola nilai-nilai lokalitas menjadi sebuah kekuatan kecil (micro power). Micro power yang nantinya mampu terus bertahan dalam gempuran globalisasi karena memiliki identitas diri yang jelas. Inilah local genius itu yaitu gerakan membangun diri dengan identitas diri yang kokoh untuk nantinya terus berkarya. Semoga!
* Gendhotwukir, Penyair dan Jurnalis dari Komunitas Merapi. Penulis pernah mengenyam pendidikan di Philoshopisch-Theologische Hochscule St. Augustin Jerman.

Ho Chi Minh - Danang - Hanoi

Ho Chi Minh - Danang - Hanoi
5 DAYS 4 NIGHTS
Highlights: Former Presidential Palace, War Museum, Notre Dame Cathedral, Thien Hau Pagoda, Hanoi city tour, Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and former palace, One Pillar Pagoda, Army Museum
Day 1 Ho Chi Minh
Meet on arrival at the airport. Transfer to hotel and check-in. Sightseeing in Saigon : Visit Notre Dame Cathedral, Central Post Office, City Hall, Opera House, Reunification Palace, War Remnants Museum, Ben Thanh Market and Dong Khoi Street. Overnight in Saigon.
Day 2 Ho Chi Minh - Danang
Breakfast. Transfer to Danang. Sightseeing in Danang : Visit Cham Museum, China Beach and Marble Mountains. Overnight in Danang.
Day 3 Danang
Breakfast. Excursion to Hoi An and My Son. Visit Quan Cong Temple, Phuoc Kien Pagoda, Japanese Covered Bridge, Diep Dong Nguyen House, Tran Family Chapel, Sa Huynh Museum, Trading Ceramics Museum, Quan Thang House, Quang Dong Pagoda, Chua Chuc Thanh Pagoda, My Son and Tra Kieu. Overnight in Danang.
Day 4 Danang – Hanoi
Breakfast. Transfer to airport for flight to Hanoi. Meet on arrival and transfer to hotel. After checking-in, short day city tour to One Pillar Pagoda, Temple of Literature, Hoan Kiem Lake, Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and Opera House. Overnight in Hanoi.
Day 5 Hanoi
Breakfast. Free until time to transfer to airport for departure flight.





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Minyak Zaitun

â€Å“Mencegah Penyakit Jantung Dengan Minyak Zaitun”
Hingga saat ini penyakit jantung dan pembuluh darah masih menjadi penyebab kematian nomor satu di dunia.
Penyakit ini berkaitan dengan tingginya kadar kolestrol jahat atau LDL di dalam darah. LDL punya andil membentuk penumpukan plak pada pembulu darah menyempit bahkan tersumbat, sehingga aliran darah tidak lancar. Inilah yang memicu terjadinya stroke dan serangan jantung.
Cara yang paling tepat untuk mencegah penyakit kardiovaskuler adalah dengan menerapkan pola makan sehat, yaitu dengan memilih makanan terbuat dari bahan-bahan yang bersahabat dengan jantung.
Terkadanag orang mengesampingkan pola hidup sehat, karena sebagian dari mereka berpikir bahwa hidup sehat rumit. Harus cek kesehatan, olaraga teratur, dan selalu menghitung kalori yang masuk ketubuh setiap kali anda makan agar tidak kegemukan. Sementara banyak yang harus dipikirkan dalam rutinitas sehari-hari sehingga tidak ada waktu lagi untuk mengerjakan semua itu.
Mangganti gaya hidup menjadi lebih sehat ternyata tidak selalu menyita waktu. Di kota-kota besar, orang-orang lebih memilih semua serba instant, mudah dan cepat tetapi belum tentu serba instant itu baik. Gaya hidup sehat bisa dimulai dengan hal-hal yang kecil dan ternyata tidak membosankan dan tidak sulit. Mulailah dengan mengurangi penggunaan minyak goreng biasa dan beralih ke minyak zaitun.
Mengapa minyak zaitun? Minyak yang dibuat dari buah zaitun merupakan minyak yang sangat baik dibandingkan dengan minyak goreng dari bahan lain misalnya jagung, kelapa sawit, kedelai, kacang, kelapa, dan sebagainya. Minyka zaitun memiliki rasa yang unik (seperti almond), dan mampu mencegah peningkatan kolestrol.
Seperti dijelaskan Dr. Inayah Budiasti SpGK, penelitian saat ini menunjukkan bahwa suatu penyakit tidak lepas dari suatu gaya hidup. â€Å“pola makan merupakan sumber utama gaya hidup kita. Dari penelitian diketahui kenapa ada penduduk disuatu Negara yang penduduknya sehat. Insiden penyakit jantung, kanker, dan penyakit metabolismenya kecil. Setelah ditelaah ternyata faktor makanan berpengaruh” jelas dokter biasa disapa Asti ini.
Di Negara-negara mediterania, hampir semua masakan sehari-hari penduduknya mengandung minyak zaitun. Selain di Negara mediteranian penduduk di Negara Timur Tengah seperti Arab juga selalu mengandung lemak seperti kare, gule, kambing, kebuli dan makanan-makanan yang masuk kategori â€Å“tidak sehat”.

Omega 9

Tiga asam lemak tak jenuh yang penting adalah Omega-3, Omega-6, dan Omega-9. Minyak Omega merupakan minyak yang memiliki kadar tinggi asam lemak omega. Jadi asam lemak Omega3 berarti memiliki ikatan rangkap tak jenuh yang terdapat pada atom C ketiga dan keempat terakhir dihitung dari gugus methyl-nya, demikian seterusnya bagi Omega-6 dan Omega-9.
Omega-9 banyak ditemukan dalam minyak zaitun (olive oil). Dari hasil penelitian yang dilaporkan akhir-akhir ini, menyimpulkan bahwa Omega-9 memiliki daya perlindungan tubuh yang mampu menurunkan LDL, meningkatkan HDL yang lebih besar dibandingkan Omega-3 dan Omega-6.
Laporan hasil penelitian yang terbaru justru menyatakan bahwa Omega-6 memiliki segi negatif karena berkaitan dengan peningkatan senyawa eicosanoids yang menstimulir pertumbuhan tumor pada binatang percobaan. Tetapi untungnya Omega-3 dan Omega-9 justru memiliki potensi untuk memblokir produk senyawa eicosanoids yang berbahaya tersebut.
Pada masyarakat yang hidup dikawasan Mediteranian, dimana mereka banyak mengkonsumsi minyak zaitun, jarang ditemukan kasus CVD. Hal ini mungkin karena tingginya konsumsi Omega-9 dan Omega-3. sedangkan di Amerika-Eropa konsumsi lemaknya memiliki rasio 10:1 untuk Omega-6 dan Omega-3, sehingga dianggap tidak sehat.
Bila disbanding polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) lebih baik perannya karena pada PUFA meskipun berguna untuk menurunkan kolestrol LDL, tetapi memiliki kelemahan menurunkan LDL. Sedangkan MUFA mampu menurunkan LDL tetapi juga mampu meningkatka HDL, suatu yang justru kita kehendaki. Minyak zaitun termasuk MUFA.

Bebas sumbatan darah
Laporan para peneliti Spanyol menyatakan bahwa memakan makanan yang disiapkan dengan minyak zaitun, dapat membantu mencegah sumbatan darah pada orang dengan kolestrol tinggi. Penelitian dilakukan oleh Dr. Franscisco Perez-Jimenez dan kolagennya dari Reina Sofia University Hospital di Cardoba.
Pada tahap awal aterosklerosis, keseimbangan antara faktor pembuat sumbatan dan pelarut sumbatan di dalam pembuluh darah beralih menjadi lebih pada pembentukan sumbatan dan kadar lemak tinggi dalam darah memperburuk keseimbangan ini.
Minyak zaitun yang mengandung fenol mampu melawan penyumbatan aliran darah dalam uji di laboratorium. Unutk menyelidikinya, para peneliti mengamati 21 orang dengan kadar kolestrol tinggi untuk makan pagi dengan 2 menu berbeda. Kelompok pertama diberi roti tawar dengan minyak zaitun berkadar fenol tinggi dan pada kelompok kedua kadar fenolnya lebih rendah.
Dua jam setela makan kadar fenol tinggi, ternyata konsentrasi antigen faktor VII pada kelompok pertama lebih renda dibandingkan kelompok kedua. Antigen faktor VII dikenal sebagai pemicu pembekuaan darah. Peneliti kemudian menyimpulkan bahwa minyak zaitun baik bagi kesehatan jantung.

Khasiat Jintan Hitam

MENGUJI KHASIAT JINTAN HITAM

Jintan hitam terbukti dapat menurunkan berat badan, lingkar perut,
dan kadar adiponektin pada laki-laki

Dibandingkan jintan putih, jintan hitam (Nigella sativa L) kalah popular. Masyarakat telah lama memanfaatkan jintan putih sebagai bumbu masakan atau jamu-jamuaan, sementara jintan hitam nyaris terlupa. Padahal, khasiat jintan hitam sebagai obat tradisional lebih mumpuni.
Jintan hitam tumbuh liar sampai pada ketinggian 1100 m dari permukaan laut. Biasanya ditanam di daerah pengunungan ataupun sengaja ditanam dihalaman atau ladang sebagai tumbuhan rempah-rempah.
Biji jintan hitam antara lain mengandung minyak atsiri, minyak lemak, dan saponin. Kandungan lainnya adalah melatin, zat pahit nigelin, nigelon, dan timokinon. Minyak atsiri pada umumnya bersifat anti bakteri, anti peradangan dan penghangat perut.
Jintan hitam juga mengandung karotena yang dapat berfungsi sebagai anti kanker, hormon seks alamiah, zat pendorong produksi air seni dan empedu serta enzim–enzim pencerna dan anti keasaman. Selain itu jintan hitam pun mempunyai zat penenang sekaligus penyemagat.

Menigkatkan Kadar Testosteron Bebas?

Laki-laki memiliki testosteron yang terikat di globulin dan albumin. Testosteron yang terikat di globulin adalah testosteron yang disertai penyakit/proses penuaan, semakin tua usia seseorang, maka testosteron yang terikat pada globulin semakin menurun. Begitu juga dengan testosteron bebas (free testosterone) yang awalnya hanya berjumlah sekitar 1 sampai 2 persen, seiring usia akan semakin sedikit. Melewati usia 40 tahun, semua laki-laki akan mengalami penurunan seksual. Bila mengalami testosterone seficiency syndrome (TDS), penderitanya dapat menjalani terapi testosteron, melalui oral, temple, susuk, atau suntik. Selain penuaan, kadar testosteron bebas itu akan menggangu metabolisme tubuh secara umum.
Penelitian terbaru yang dilakukan Prof. Dr. Eulis A. Datau, SpPD-KAI, FAAAAI dari fakultas kedoktoran Univesitas Sam Ratulalangi, Manado mengunakan jintan hitam untuk meningkatkan kadar testosteron bebas tersebut.
Selain kadar testosteron bebas, tujuan penelitian jintam hitam itu adalah untuk mengetahui khasiatnya dalam mengurangi berat badan dan ligkar perut, menurunkan tekanan darah, gula darah biasa, trigliserid, dan kolestrol HDL, asam urat, adiponektin, dan high sensitive C-reaktive protein (hs-CRP).
Eulis meneliti 39 laki-laki obes berusia 30-45 tahun yang sesuai dengan kreteria National Cholestrol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III (NCAP-ATP) untuk wilayah Asia-Pasifik. Partisipan tersebut terbagi menjadi 2 kelompok. Sebanyak 19 orang mendapatkan 3000mg jintan hitam setiap hari dan 20 orang dalam kelompok control menerima placebo. Penelitian dilakukan selama 3 bulan. Partisipan dievaluasi setiap seminggu, meliputi tekanan darah, berat badan, dan lingkar perut. Tes laboratorium dilakukan saat awal dan akhir penelitian.
Hasilnya, ternyata terdapat pengurangan signifikan pada berat badan, lingkar perut, tekanan darah sistolik, dan adiponektin pada partisipan yang mendapat jintan hitam dibandingkan partisapan pada kelompok Kontrol. Meski demikian, tidak ditemukan perubahan untuk testosterone bebas, gula darah puasa, trigliserid, kolestrol HDL, asam urat, dan hs-CRP.
Dari penelitian itu Eulis menyimpulkan bahwa jintan hitam dosis 3000mg yang diberikan selama 3 bulan terbukti berkhasiat menurunkan berat badan, lingkar perut, dan kadar adionektin.
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GEBYAR

Kemesraan Gamelan Bambu dan ''Tiying Gading''
Konser dan Pentas Tari Gerantang Pelog PKB ke-26

Bali memiliki beberapa jenis gamelan bambu. Namun di arena Pesta Kesenian Bali (PKB), alunan si buluh perindu ini masih kalah jauh dengan riuh gembita Gong Kebyar. Untuk PKB ke-26 kali ini, sebuah seni pertunjukan gamelan bambu tampak berusaha mencuri perhatian penonton. Pentas tari dan konser Gerantang Pelog yang disajikan Minggu siang (20/6) di Wantilan Taman Budaya, Denpasar, oleh Yayasan Seni Suar Agung Bali, hadir dengan penuh percaya diri.

GERANTANG adalah sejenis gamelan bambu yang bersuara renyah dan bercitra lincah. Ditinjau dari segi bahan yang digunakan, gamelan ini diduga bagian dari budaya agraris tradisional. Selain gerantang, di Bali ada beberapa barungan gamelan yang terbuat dari bambu seperti jegog dan rindik misalnya. Jegog umumnya eksis di daerah Bali Barat sedangkan gamelan rindik tersebar di seluruh Bali yang biasanya dipakai untuk mengiringi beberapa varian tari Joged.

Ensambel gerantang yang berlaras pelog lima nada ini dilengkapi dengan sepasang kendang, cengceng, kajar, dan beberapa suling. Instrumen gerantang yang terdiri rentangan berjejer batangan-batangan bambu ukuran sedang dari nada terendah hingga nada tertinggi, dimainkan dengan sepasang pemukul (panggul). Dalam permainannya, sepasang gerantang membuat jalinan bunyi yang saling isi mengisi, kadang-kadang lembut, lincah dan jelimet.

Siang itu, Yayasan Suar Agung Bali menyuguhkan gamelan Gerantang Pelog, baik dalam ungkapan musik instrumental maupun dalam olah musik iringan tari. Tidak tanggung-tanggung, yayasan seni ini memboyong dua barung gamelan Gerantang Pelog. Kedua barung gamelan bambu ini ditabuh oleh grup Gerantang Pelog Suar Agung, Desa Sangkar Agung, Jembrana, dan grup Suar Dewi Stri, kelompok penabuh wanita yang berasal dari Jepang. Kedua sekaa Gerantang Pelog ini adalah binaan Yayasan Suar Agung Bali pimpinan seniman I Ketut Suwentra, SST.

Kurang lebih selama dua jam kedua grup bersanding menampilkan kebolehannya masing-masing. Para seniman tabuh dan tari Suar Agung menyuguhkan tabuh ''Pengungkab Sabda'', tari ''Pringgraha'', tabuh ''Sojar'', dan tari ''Tiying Gading''. Para penabuh wanita Suar Dewi Stri menyajikan ''Reracikan'', ''Utsahaning Putri'', tabuh ''Galang'', dan tari ''Suar Dwi Stri''. ''Saya menyadari bahwa gamelan bambu tidaklah seheboh Gong Kebyar,'' ujar Ketut Suwentra di belakang panggung, sesaat sebelum pertunjukan dimulai. Karena termarginalisasi dan kurang mendapat perhatian, tambahnya, sebagai salah satu praktisi seni ia merasa tertantang dan yang tak akan bosan-bosan mengaktualisasikan gamelan ini di tengah masyarakat Bali dan para pecinta musik bambu dunia. Menurut alumnus ASTI/STSI (kini ISI) Denpasar ini, gamelan bambu juga memiliki pancaran taksu yang tak kalah kharismanya dibandingkan gamelan Bali lainnnya.

Taksu dari gamelan Gerantang Pelog ini belakangan memang cukup berbinar. Selain mampu menjadi media ungkap musikal sarat nuansa kreatif namun juga tak kalah sigapnya dipresentasikan sebagai iringan tari. Dua tari yang disajikan grup Suar Agung yakni tari ''Peringgraha'' dan ''Tiying Gading'', terasa mampu dihidupkan melalui media gamelan Gerantang Pelog ini. Tari "Peringgraha" yang ceria dan girang serta tari ''Tiying Gading" yang gesit dan gemulai, tampak cukup berhasil mempesona penonton.

Tari ''Tiying Gading'' yang tampil pada klimaks pementasan dibawakan oleh dua orang penari cantik Ni Nyoman Cipta dan Ni Made Lusia. Tari yang berdurasi sekitar delapan menit ini bertutur tentang keberadaan tiying gading yang memiliki fungsi religius di tengah masyarakat Bali. ''Melalui estetika tari dan ungkapan musikal gamelan bambu, saya ingin menyampaikan pesan sabda alam yang di Bali kita hayati dalam konsep tri hita karana,'' ungkap Suwentra.

Dalam implementasi artistiknya, ''Tiying Gading'' yang memang khusus digarap untuk PKB ke-26 ini, tampil apik. Warna kostum yang dipakai penari misalnya, mengangkat nuansa kuning kehijauan-hijauan tampak mengacu kepada tema yang ingin digulirkan. Ini terlihat dari rangkaian bunga pada gelungan, baju tipis berpori-pori transparan, jutaian bening oncer-nya, dan ornamentasi keemasan kamben-nya. Kendati masih kental dengan karakter orientasi Bali namun terlihat mencuat inovatif.

Dalam rentetan nada-nada bambu dan tepukan kendang yang ritmik, kedua penari tampil dalam bingkai estetika gerak dan mimik berbinar-binar cerah. Stylisasi atau simbolik-simbolik gerak yagn diungkap berpadu antara kedinamisan dan kelembutan. Gerakan lentur secara vertikal yang bertumpu di pinggul adalah elemen spesifik bagian awal tari ini. Sedang pada bagian tengah kedua penari membuat rangkaian gerak yang tenang dan teduh yang digarisbawahi gesekan lembut instrumen rebab. Memasuki bagian akhir, dalam iringan Gerantang Pelog yagn riang, kedua penari kembali beringsut dalam tempo keceriaan membersitkan dimensi optimistik.

Optimisme itu rupanya kini memang sedang mengemuka pada seni pertunjukan Gerantang Pelog. Baik grup Suar Agung maupun Suar Dwi Stri dengan penuh gairah menyajikan konser dan dengan girang menampilkan garapan tari kreasi dalam kemesraan gamelan si buluh perindu. Jika ruang kreativitas seni ini terus bergelora, ada peluang besar bagi seni pentas Gerantang Pelog menjadi genre kesenian Bali yang bergengsi di kemudian hari. ''Kita jangan hanya hanyut dalam euforia Gong Kebyar saja. Potensi kesenian Bali masih melimpah untuk dikembangkan," ujar Ketut Suwentra yang pada Juli hingga Agustus nanti akan mementaskan seni pertunjukan Gerantang Pelog dan Jegog di beberapa kota besar di Jepang
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Kemesraan Gamelan Bambu dan ''Tiying Gading''
Konser dan Pentas Tari Gerantang Pelog PKB ke-26

Bali memiliki beberapa jenis gamelan bambu. Namun di arena Pesta Kesenian Bali (PKB), alunan si buluh perindu ini masih kalah jauh dengan riuh gembita Gong Kebyar. Untuk PKB ke-26 kali ini, sebuah seni pertunjukan gamelan bambu tampak berusaha mencuri perhatian penonton. Pentas tari dan konser Gerantang Pelog yang disajikan Minggu siang (20/6) di Wantilan Taman Budaya, Denpasar, oleh Yayasan Seni Suar Agung Bali, hadir dengan penuh percaya diri.

GERANTANG adalah sejenis gamelan bambu yang bersuara renyah dan bercitra lincah. Ditinjau dari segi bahan yang digunakan, gamelan ini diduga bagian dari budaya agraris tradisional. Selain gerantang, di Bali ada beberapa barungan gamelan yang terbuat dari bambu seperti jegog dan rindik misalnya. Jegog umumnya eksis di daerah Bali Barat sedangkan gamelan rindik tersebar di seluruh Bali yang biasanya dipakai untuk mengiringi beberapa varian tari Joged.

Ensambel gerantang yang berlaras pelog lima nada ini dilengkapi dengan sepasang kendang, cengceng, kajar, dan beberapa suling. Instrumen gerantang yang terdiri rentangan berjejer batangan-batangan bambu ukuran sedang dari nada terendah hingga nada tertinggi, dimainkan dengan sepasang pemukul (panggul). Dalam permainannya, sepasang gerantang membuat jalinan bunyi yang saling isi mengisi, kadang-kadang lembut, lincah dan jelimet.

Siang itu, Yayasan Suar Agung Bali menyuguhkan gamelan Gerantang Pelog, baik dalam ungkapan musik instrumental maupun dalam olah musik iringan tari. Tidak tanggung-tanggung, yayasan seni ini memboyong dua barung gamelan Gerantang Pelog. Kedua barung gamelan bambu ini ditabuh oleh grup Gerantang Pelog Suar Agung, Desa Sangkar Agung, Jembrana, dan grup Suar Dewi Stri, kelompok penabuh wanita yang berasal dari Jepang. Kedua sekaa Gerantang Pelog ini adalah binaan Yayasan Suar Agung Bali pimpinan seniman I Ketut Suwentra, SST.

Kurang lebih selama dua jam kedua grup bersanding menampilkan kebolehannya masing-masing. Para seniman tabuh dan tari Suar Agung menyuguhkan tabuh ''Pengungkab Sabda'', tari ''Pringgraha'', tabuh ''Sojar'', dan tari ''Tiying Gading''. Para penabuh wanita Suar Dewi Stri menyajikan ''Reracikan'', ''Utsahaning Putri'', tabuh ''Galang'', dan tari ''Suar Dwi Stri''. ''Saya menyadari bahwa gamelan bambu tidaklah seheboh Gong Kebyar,'' ujar Ketut Suwentra di belakang panggung, sesaat sebelum pertunjukan dimulai. Karena termarginalisasi dan kurang mendapat perhatian, tambahnya, sebagai salah satu praktisi seni ia merasa tertantang dan yang tak akan bosan-bosan mengaktualisasikan gamelan ini di tengah masyarakat Bali dan para pecinta musik bambu dunia. Menurut alumnus ASTI/STSI (kini ISI) Denpasar ini, gamelan bambu juga memiliki pancaran taksu yang tak kalah kharismanya dibandingkan gamelan Bali lainnnya.

Taksu dari gamelan Gerantang Pelog ini belakangan memang cukup berbinar. Selain mampu menjadi media ungkap musikal sarat nuansa kreatif namun juga tak kalah sigapnya dipresentasikan sebagai iringan tari. Dua tari yang disajikan grup Suar Agung yakni tari ''Peringgraha'' dan ''Tiying Gading'', terasa mampu dihidupkan melalui media gamelan Gerantang Pelog ini. Tari "Peringgraha" yang ceria dan girang serta tari ''Tiying Gading" yang gesit dan gemulai, tampak cukup berhasil mempesona penonton.

Tari ''Tiying Gading'' yang tampil pada klimaks pementasan dibawakan oleh dua orang penari cantik Ni Nyoman Cipta dan Ni Made Lusia. Tari yang berdurasi sekitar delapan menit ini bertutur tentang keberadaan tiying gading yang memiliki fungsi religius di tengah masyarakat Bali. ''Melalui estetika tari dan ungkapan musikal gamelan bambu, saya ingin menyampaikan pesan sabda alam yang di Bali kita hayati dalam konsep tri hita karana,'' ungkap Suwentra.

Dalam implementasi artistiknya, ''Tiying Gading'' yang memang khusus digarap untuk PKB ke-26 ini, tampil apik. Warna kostum yang dipakai penari misalnya, mengangkat nuansa kuning kehijauan-hijauan tampak mengacu kepada tema yang ingin digulirkan. Ini terlihat dari rangkaian bunga pada gelungan, baju tipis berpori-pori transparan, jutaian bening oncer-nya, dan ornamentasi keemasan kamben-nya. Kendati masih kental dengan karakter orientasi Bali namun terlihat mencuat inovatif.

Dalam rentetan nada-nada bambu dan tepukan kendang yang ritmik, kedua penari tampil dalam bingkai estetika gerak dan mimik berbinar-binar cerah. Stylisasi atau simbolik-simbolik gerak yagn diungkap berpadu antara kedinamisan dan kelembutan. Gerakan lentur secara vertikal yang bertumpu di pinggul adalah elemen spesifik bagian awal tari ini. Sedang pada bagian tengah kedua penari membuat rangkaian gerak yang tenang dan teduh yang digarisbawahi gesekan lembut instrumen rebab. Memasuki bagian akhir, dalam iringan Gerantang Pelog yagn riang, kedua penari kembali beringsut dalam tempo keceriaan membersitkan dimensi optimistik.

Optimisme itu rupanya kini memang sedang mengemuka pada seni pertunjukan Gerantang Pelog. Baik grup Suar Agung maupun Suar Dwi Stri dengan penuh gairah menyajikan konser dan dengan girang menampilkan garapan tari kreasi dalam kemesraan gamelan si buluh perindu. Jika ruang kreativitas seni ini terus bergelora, ada peluang besar bagi seni pentas Gerantang Pelog menjadi genre kesenian Bali yang bergengsi di kemudian hari. ''Kita jangan hanya hanyut dalam euforia Gong Kebyar saja. Potensi kesenian Bali masih melimpah untuk dikembangkan," ujar Ketut Suwentra yang pada Juli hingga Agustus nanti akan mementaskan seni pertunjukan Gerantang Pelog dan Jegog di beberapa kota besar di Jepang

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Flaps are hinged surfaces on the trailing edge of the wings of a fixed-wing aircraft. As flaps are extended, the stalling speed of the aircraft is reduced. Flaps are also used on the leading edge of the wings of some high-speed jet aircraft, where they may be called slats or Krueger Flaps.
Flaps reduce the stalling speed by increasing the camber of the wing and thereby increasing the maximum lift coefficient. Some trailing edge flaps also increase the area of the wing and, for any given aircraft weight, this reduces the stalling speed. The Fowler flap is an example of one which increases the area of the wing.
Extending the flaps also increases the drag coefficient of the aircraft so, for any given weight and airspeed, flaps cause higher drag. Flaps increase the drag coefficient of an aircraft because of higher induced drag caused by the distorted planform of the wing with flaps extended. (Induced drag is a minimum on a wing with elliptical planform.) Some flaps increase the wetted area of the wing and, for any given speed, this also increases the parasitic drag component of total drag.
Depending on the aircraft type, flaps may be partially extended for takeoff. With light aircraft, use of flaps for takeoff may be optional and will depend on the method of takeoff (e.g., short field, soft field, normal, etc.) When flaps are partially extended for takeoff it is to give the aircraft a slower stalling speed but with little increase in drag. A slower stalling speed allows the aircraft to take off in a shorter runway distance. Flaps are usually fully extended for landing to give the aircraft a slower stalling speed so the approach to landing can be flown more slowly, allowing the aircraft to land in a shorter runway distance. The higher drag associated with fully extended flaps allows a steeper approach to the landing site. This is the benefit of the higher drag coefficient of fully extended flaps.
Some gliders not only use flaps when landing but also in flight to optimize the camber of the wing for the chosen speed. When thermalling, flaps may be partially extended to reduce the stalling speed so that the glider can be flown more slowly and thereby turn in a smaller circle to make best use of the core of the thermal. At higher speeds a negative flap setting is used to reduce the nose-down pitching moment. This reduces the balancing load required on the horizontal stabilizer which in turn reduces the trim drag - drag associated with keeping the glider in longitudinal trim. Negative flap may also be used during the initial stage of an aerotow launch and at the end of the landing run in order to maintain better control by the ailerons.
Types of flap systems include:
* Krueger flap - hinged flap on the leading edge.[1][2] Often called a "droop."
* Plain flap — rotates on a simple hinge.
* Split flap — upper and lower surfaces are separate, the lower surface operates like a plain flap, but the upper surface stays immobile or moves only slightly.
* Fowler flap — slides backwards before hinging downwards, thereby increasing both camber and chord, creating a larger wing surface better tuned for lower speeds.
* Fairey-Youngman flap - moves bodily down before moving aft and rotating.
* Slotted flap — a slot (or gap) between the flap and the wing enables high pressure air from below the wing to re-energize the boundary layer over the flap. This helps the airflow to stay attached to the flap, delaying the stall.
* Blown flaps — systems that blow engine air over the upper surface of the flap at certain angles to improve lift characteristics.
There are several technology development efforts to incorporate the function of the flaps into a flexible wing, so that the aerodynamic purpose is accomplished without the weight and mechanical complexity of a flap system. The X-53 Active Aeroelastic Wing is a NASA effort to incorporate this technology, and the Adaptive Compliant Wing is commercial development effort.
Slats, also known as leading-edge flaps, have a similar purpose to trailing-edge flaps, except that they are located on the leading edge of the wing. Note that a Krueger flap and a leading-edge slat differ in how they are extended (and retracted), but their aerodynamic function is the same.

Monday, May 12, 2008

South Korea OKs direct flights to Yangon

South Korea OKs direct flights to Yangon
By Myo Theingi Cho
THE South Korean government has given the green light for the country’s two national carriers to operate regular direct flights to Myanmar for the first time, the South Korean Yonhap wire service reported last week.
The South Korean Ministry of Construction and Transportation said Korean Air and Asiana Airlines will provide seven weekly flights from Incheon International Airport to Yangon, the report said.
However, a travel source in Yangon said there was no immediate plan for the two carriers – Korean Air and Asiana Airlines – to launch regular service despite the government’s permission.
A senior official from Myanmar’s Civil Aviation Department under the Ministry of Transport said the permission was granted in accordance with an amended agreement made between civil aviation authorities from both countries in September.
“According to the original bilateral air agreement made in 1978, only one national carrier from each country could fly to destinations in both countries, but the amendment now allows two national carriers from each country to fly,” the official said. “We amended the agreement with an aim of promoting tourism.”
Korean Air offered charter flights from South Korea to Myanmar from May to September this year, while Asiana Air offered the same service from July to the end of August.
Meanwhile, Myanmar-based Air Bagan announced earlier this month that it would launch charter service from Yangon to Incheon and Osaka, Japan, at the end of this year.

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AustraliaAdventures.com is an Australia Tour, Australia Travel and Australia Vacation Guide. It features a wide variety of great information about Australia, including places to visit, tourist attractions, tour guides and much more! We would like to thank you for visiting and remind you to add us to your Favorites for future reference. Don't forget travel insurance for your Australia Vacation from AIG Travel Guard.
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Australia: An island that is isolated from other lands, inhabited by the exotic Great Barrier Reef, crystal clear water, golden beaches, wide open spaces, flora and fauna, basalt plains studded with extinct volcanoes, rugged wilderness, scenic mountain ranges, extensive coastlines, surrounding tropical islands, vast rivers, and the oldest rainforest in the world and considered by many to be the most adventurous place on Earth. Whatever type of adventure your looking for, you will find it, here in Australia.
New South Wales: The inhabitants of New South Wales are never far from adventure for the main focus of outdoor sports here is the Great Dividing Range, which runs parallel and close to the densely populated eastern seaboard for the entire length of the state. Many parts of the Great Dividing Range are rugged enough to have escaped the clearing that occurred as European settlers spread westward from the coast, and today patches of magnificent virgin forest still cloak peaks and escarpments and fill valleys. Although eucalypt forests predominate, alpine heaths cover high peaks in the south, and scattered pockets of subtropical rainforest become more common as you travel northward. The Great Dividing Range offers almost unlimited challenges for adventures, including cliffs for rock climbers, vast tracks of bushland for walkers, and scenic fire trails and rugged back roads for mountain bikers. The highest peaks and plateaus of the Snowy Mountains are a winter playground for ski-tourers. The rivers that have carved their way through the ranges offer opportunities for canoeing, kayaking and rafting, while the narrowest gorges provide a venue for the exciting sport of canyoning. Further west, New South Wales offers entirely different landscapes including semiarid plains and the red-sand deserts and dramatic rockscapes that characterize classic outback country. Adventure Further!
Northern Territory: Renowned for its outback scenery, Aboriginal culture, the great landmarks of Uluru and Kata Tjuta, and the wetlands of Kakadu, the Northern Territory is an enticing but daunting adventure-travel destination. Services are often few and far between, with many towns consisting of little more than a cluster of houses, a shop and a pub, and extreme weather can turn even a short outing into an ordeal. It is for these reasons that some of the Territory’s parks impose strict regulations on visitors. At Uluru-Kata Tjuta, for example, walking is not permitted away from approved tracks and camping is not allowed anywhere with-in the park. Other national parks have less rigid rules but do request that visitors make their plans known to rangers. Despite these restrictions, however, well-prepared travelers can take advantage of a wide range of adventure activities and almost unlimited potential for wilderness exploration. Adventure Further!
Queensland: Queenslanders market their homeland as ‘Beautiful one day, perfect the next’, and this slogan could apply equally to the state’s adventure activities. The almost unlimited scope for outdoor pursuits is mainly a result of Queensland’s
remarkable range of landforms and environments, many of which have been recognized by UNESCO World Heritage listing. The most notable of these are the Great Barrier Reef and the ancient rainforests that extend from Cape York all the way to the New South Wales border. Others include spectacular remnants of volcanic landscapes such as the Undara lava tubes and Glasshouse Mountains, the deserts and plains of the interior, the savanna and swamps of the Gulf Country, the famous fossil fields of Riversleigh and remote oases such as Lawn Hill National Park. Adventurers heading to the Sunshine State should keep in mind the region’s seasonal weather patterns when planning their itineraries. In particular, the Wet Season that affects the far north can upset many well-laid plans, turning relaxed river trips, for example, into life-threatening undertakings. Tropical cyclones are another threat, with associated sea surges swamping boats along the coast, winds toppling trees and heavy rain swelling rivers. Even Queensland’s renowned high levels of sunshine are not without their dangers and all travelers should make sure they have adequate sun protection and sufficient water. Adventure Further!
South Australia: South Australia is the country’s driest state, which means that outdoor activities require careful planning. Not only is drinking water hard to come by, but also dense forests and woodlands that might provide shade and shelter from winds are scarce. In summer, temperatures soar, particularly in the north of the state, so travelers should save ore arduous undertakings for the winter months. South Australia’s major landforms include the series of rugged mountain ranges that runs north from Adelaide culminating in the Flinders and Gammon ranges; these provide plenty of challenges for walkers, cyclists and climbers. In the south-east, the vast lagoons of the Coorong and the 404 miles of the Murray River that wend from the border with New South Wales and Victoria to the sea are favoured by canoeists and kayakers. Caving is also popular in South Australia, perhaps because the state has the best cave diving and some of the best dry caving in the country. Adventure Further!
Tasmania: Despite its often bleak and forbidding weather, Tasmania is a Mecca for adventures. Its mountainous terrain gives rise to an abundance of wild rivers to raft, sheer cliffs to climb, caves to explore and extensive pathways to walk, while its many islands and sheltered bays, especially on the east coast, make for great sea kayaking. Among the state’s most renowned outings are the world-famous whitewater-rafting trips along the Franklin River and the extended hike along the Overland Track in Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park. Throughout the island, clearly marked and well-formed trails make some of Tasmania’s most magnificent wilderness accessible to people with minimal bushwalking skills, and a wide range of guiding and tourist services means that even novice adventures can travel to remote areas. At The same time, there is plenty of terrain here that will test even the most experienced adventure travelers. Adventure Further!
Victoria: Adventure sports are widely followed in Victoria, partly because the state offers such varied terrain. As in New South Wales, the Great Dividing Range is the main focus for waking, climbing, rafting and winter sports such as cross-country skiing and ski touring. However, several other areas also have large tracts of wilderness, including the Grampians, the Otways and the magnificent coastal national parks of Wilsons Promontory and Croajingolong. And even where native bush is absent, travelers can still find adventure: for example, Australia’s top climbing area, Mount Arapiles, rises dramatically out of flat wheat country near Horsham in the state’s west. Adventure Further!
Western Australia: Adventure Travelers keen to experience Western Australia’s wide range of activities must be prepared to cover a good deal of ground. For although the state has plenty of appropriate venues, including rivers, mountains and caves, they tend to be separated by enormous stretches of outback.. Traveling through the immense arid lands of Western Australia can, however, be thought of as an adventure in itself, one that makes your arrival in places like the Kimberley or the Pilbara all the more exciting. The Kimberley alone could supply a lifetime of thrills, with its vast plateaus and myriad gorges offering endless challenges for walkers, river runners, climbers and cavers alike. Similar opportunities abound in the Pilbara. Self-sufficiency and high-level bush skills are essential in these areas and in other remote parts of Western Australia, where emergency services may be a long way away. Only in the south-west of the state will you find an impressive array of adventure-sports locations within a relatively small, densely populated area. The proximity of delightful beaches, wineries, historic towns and other more general tourist attractions make this an especially enjoyable region to explore. Adventure Further!
Travel Guide - Fishing Trips - National Parks - Popular Destinations - Tours & Vacations - Wineries
Australia by State: New South Wales, Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, Western Australia
Great places to visit in Australia: Australia Outback, Great Barrier Reef, Adelaide, Airlie Beach, Alice Springs, Ballarat, Brisbane, Broome, Byron Bay, Cairns, Campbelltown, Canberra, Carnarvon, Ceduna, Coffs Harbour, Dampier, Darwin, Geraldton, Gold Coast, Hobart, Laverton, Maitland, Melbourne, Mount Gambier, New Castle, Perth, Port Douglas, Port Lincoln, Rockhampton, Sydney, Toowoomba, Townsville, Wagga Wagga, Wollongong.
Popular Regions of Australia: Big River Country - Corner Country - Davenport Range - The Top End - Cairns and Cape York - Fraser Island - Gulf Country - Flinders Ranges - The Wild South-West - Otway Ranges - Victoria's Outback - Victorian Alps - Shark Bay - The Kimberley
External Territories of Australia: Ashmore and Cartier Islands - Australian Antarctic Territory - Christmas Island - Cocos (Keeling) Islands - Coral Sea Islands - Heard Island and McDonald Islands - Norfolk Island