RE - L@x

Hari Besar

2008-12-24T15:14:00.001+07:00

1 januari hari perdamaian dunia.
25 januari hari gizi.
9 pebruari hari pers nasional
1 maret hari kehakiman Indonesia
8 maret hari wanita internasional
7 april hari kesehatan Internasional
9 april hari penerbangan Indonesia
21 april hari kartini
24 april hari angkutan nasional
1 mei hari buruh internasional
2 mei hari pendidikan nasional
8 mei hari palang merah internasional
17 mei hari buku nasional
20 mei hari kebangkitan nasional
1 juni hari lahirnya pancasila
3 juni hari pasar dan modal Indonesia
5 juni hari lingkungan hidup sedunia
24 juni hari bidan nasional
29 juni hari keluarga nasional
23 juli hari anak nasional
10 agustus hari veteran nasional
4 september hari pelanggan nasional
8 september hari aksara
9 september hari olah raga nasional
17 september hari perhubungan nasional
29 september hari sarjana
14 oktober hari pangan sedunia
10 november hari pahlawan
12 november hari kesehatan nasional
21 november hari pohon
25 november hari guru
10 desember hari HAM
22 desember hari ibu

DEATH NOTE (manga)

2008-07-29T11:10:00.002+07:00

Death Note (デスノート, Desu Nōto) is a Japanese manga series created by writerTsugumi Ohba and illustratorTakeshi Obata. The series centers around a high school student who discovers a supernatural notebook that allows him to kill anyone by writing the victim's name and picturing his or her face. The plot follows his attempt to create and lead a world cleansed of evil using the book, and the complex conflict between himself and his antagonists.

Light Yagami is an ace student with great prospects--and he's bored out of his mind. But all that changes when he finds the Death Note, a notebook dropped by a rogue Shinigami death god. Any human whose name is written in the notebook dies, and now Light has vowed to use the power of the Death Note to rid the world of evil. But when criminals begin dropping dead, the authorities send the legendary detective L to track down the killer. With L hot on his heels, will Light lose sight of his noble goal... or his life?

10 Ways To Sleep Better And Soundly

2008-07-28T16:21:00.002+07:00

Sleep is a better way to relax. Everyone needs sleep. Sleep is a great way to energize yourself.

Here are 10 tips on how to sleep better and soundly :

1. Clean yourself before going to sleep.

2. Wear loose clothes made from soft fabric.

3. Make sure that the air circulation is good in your bedroom.

4. Head should lay higher than other parts of the body.

5. Foot relaxation could be done by placing both of your feet on a higher position.

6. Lay your head on a pillow that secures your head position. It must not be too low or too high.

7. Sleep on a comfortable mattress that is good for your back.

8. Take off all the assesories from your ears, hand, neck, etc.

9. Lay on your back.

10. Don't forget to pray.

KELIMUTU - 3 LAKES, 3 COLOURS (travel)

2008-07-18T16:28:00.004+07:00

Kelimutu is a volcano, close to the town of Moni in central Flores Island of Indonesia containing three summit crater lakes of varying colors. Tiwu Ata Mbupu (Lake of Old People) is usually blue and is the westernmost of the three lakes. The other two lakes, Tiwu Nuwa Muri Koo Fai (Lake of Young Men and Maidens) and Tiwu Ata Polo (Bewitched or Enchanted Lake) are separated by a shared crater wall and are typically green or red in color, respectively. The lake colors do vary on a periodic basis. Subaqueous fumaroles are the probable cause of active upwelling that occurs at the two eastern lakes.

The lake have been a source of minor phreatic eruptions in historical time. The summit of the compound 1639-m-high Kelimutu volcano is elongated two km in a WNW-ESE direction; the older cones of Kelido and Kelibara are located respectively three km to the north and two km to the south.

BIWAKO - The Shaman's Lake (travel)

2008-07-11T15:17:00.003+07:00

Lake Biwa (琵琶湖 Biwa-ko), formerly known as Ōmi (淡海) Lake, is the largest freshwater lake in Japan, located in Shiga Prefecture (west-central Honshū), northeast of the former capital city of Kyoto. Because of its proximity to the ancient capital, references to Lake Biwa appear frequently in Japanese literature, particularly in poetry and in historical accounts of battles.

The area of this lake is about 670 km², which is larger than Awaji Island. Small rivers drain from the surrounding mountains into Lake Biwa, which serves as a reservoir for the cities of Kyoto and Ōtsu and is a valuable resource for nearby textile industries. It provides drinking water for about 15 million people in the region. Lake Biwa is a breeding ground for freshwater fish, including trout, and for the pearl culture industry.

The lake's surface rises as much as three metres in spring due to melting snow and spring rains, and in autumn after typhoon rains.

Its main outlet is the Seta River, which later becomes the Yodo River and flows into the Pacific Ocean at Osaka Bay near the said city.

The Lake Biwa Canal, built in the late 1890's and later expanded during the Taisho Period played a role of great importance in the rekindling of Kyoto's industrial life, after a steep decline following the transfer of the capital to Tokyo.

Lake Biwa is home to many popular beaches along the southwestern shore, in particular, for example, Shiga Beach and Omi Maiko. The Mizunomori Water Botanical Garden is also of interest

BUNAKEN is PARADISE OF THE SEA (travel)

2008-07-11T14:27:00.005+07:00

Bunaken is part of the Bunaken National Marine Park, which has some of the highest levels of marine biodiversity in the world. Scuba diving attracts many visitors to the island. Bunaken is located at the north of the island of Sulawesi, Indonesia. It belongs administratively to the municipality of Manado.

The Bunaken National Marine Park was formally established in 1991 and is among the first of Indonesia's growing system of marine parks. The park covers a total surface area of 890.65 km², 97% of which is overlain by sparkling clear, warm tropical water. The remaining 3% of the park is terrestrial, including the five islands of Bunaken, Manado Tua, Mantehage, Nain and Siladen. Although each of these islands has a special character, it is the aquatic ecosystem that attracts most naturalists.

The waters of Bunaken National Marine Park are extremely deep (1566 m in Manado Bay), clear (up to 35-40 m visibility), refreshing in temperature (27 to 29 °C) Pick any of group of interest - corals, fish, echinoderms or sponges - and the number of families, genera or species is bound to be astonishingly high. For example, 7 of the 8 species of giant clams that occur in the world, occur in Bunaken. The park has around 70 genera of corals; compare this to a mere 10 in Hawaii. Although the exact number of fish species is unknown, it may be slightly higher than in the Philippines, where 2,500 species, or nearly 70% of all fish species known to the Indo-western Pacific, are found.

Oceanic currents may explain, in part, why Bunaken National Marine Park is such a treasure trove of biodiversity. Northeasternly currents generally sweep through the park but abundant counter currents and gyros related to lunar cycles are believed to be a trap for free swimming larvae. This is particularly true on the south side of the crescent-shaped Bunaken Island, lying in the heart of the park. A snorkler or diver in the vicinity of Lekuan or Fukui may spot over 33 species of butterfly fish and numerous types of groupers, damsels, wrasses and gobies. The gobies, smallish fish with bulging eyes and modified fins that allow them to attach to hard surfaces, are the most diverse but least known group of fish in the park.

Biologists believe that the abundance of hard corals is crucial in maintaining the high levels of diversity in the park. Hard corals are the architects of the reefs, without them, numerous marine organisms would be homeless and hungry. Many species of fish are closely associated with particular types of corals (folious, branching, massives, etc.) for shelter and egg-laying. Others, like the enormous Bumphead Parrotfish, Balbometopon muricatum, are "coralivores" and depend on hard corals for their sustenance. Bony mouth parts fused into an impressive "beak" allow these gregarious fish to crunch corals like roasted peanuts.

Some 20,000 people live on the natural resources of Bunaken National Marine Park. Although there are inevitable conflicts between resource protection and use by people, the Indonesian government is taking a fairly unusual and pragmatic approach to park management. The idea is to promote wise resource use while preventing overexploitation. Local communities, government officials, dive resort operators, local nature groups, tourists and scientists have played an active role in developing exclusive zones for diving, wood collection, fishing and other forms of utilization. Bunaken Marine Park has become an important example of how Sulawesi, and the rest of Indonesia, can work to protect its natural resources.

NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK STAGE COMEBACK !!! (music)

2008-07-11T12:11:00.003+07:00

After months of speculation and rumor, the Kids are coming back. A well-placed source tells PEOPLE exclusively that New Kids On The Block are indeed getting back together.

The band's Web site, www.nkotb.com, which had been dormant, is now back up and running in anticipation of the official announcement, which the source says will be made in the next few weeks.
The site currently features a television graphic with a fuzzy, flickering photos of NKOTB in their heyday, and a link inviting fans to sign up for info.

The boy band, which made legions of tweens swoon in the early '90s, selling more than 50 million albums, became a worldwide phenomenon before calling it quits in 1994.

Eighteen years later, they're still "Hangin' Tough." The oldest "Kid," Jonathan Knight, now a real estate developer, will turn 40 later this year. Since the band's demise, former members Donnie Wahlberg, 38, and Joey McIntyre, 35, have seen acting success, while Danny Wood, 38, has worked as a music producer and Knight's brother, Jordan, 37, has continued to record.

SPAIN - THE CHAMPION EURO 2008 (sport)

2008-06-30T11:58:00.002+07:00

A championship 44 years in the waiting is worth a special celebration.

Spain made sure it didn’t disappoint any of its fans Sunday night, both during its 1-0 victory over Germany in Vienna, Austria, that won the European Championship, and after it.

Fernando Torres scored in the 33rd minute, and the Spaniards never backed down. Their last significant title came in the 1964 Euros.

“It is to me the most important day in Spanish football in many, many years,” Torres said.

The Spaniards got the one goal they needed and set off chants of “ES-PANA!” and “Ole, Ole Ole!” at the final whistle.

The entire Spanish squad ran over to the huge rooting section of red and gold, exchanging hugs, while many of the spent Germans collapsed to the turf.

“We played the best for the entire tournament, and we beat some great teams,” Torres said. “We beat Italy, the World Cup champion, and we beat Russia and now Germany. That is how you become champion.”

When Spain goalkeeper and captain Iker Casillas accepted the trophy on a stage, the Spanish fans began chanting the melody to their national anthem, which has no words. Thousands of camera flashes went off as the players jumped in place and then headed onto the field to show off their prize.

The Spaniards weren’t close to being finished with their celebration. They marched to their rooting section, hoisting the cup and saluting their flag-waving, firecracker-exploding fans.

“We have won in a brilliant way,” coach Luis Aragones said. “We will be able to start saying we can win, a European championship as well as any other thing.”

BLEACH (manga)

2008-06-18T16:12:00.002+07:00

Bleach (ブリーチ, Burīchi^?, romanized as BLEACH in Japan) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Tite Kubo that has appeared in Weekly Shōnen Jump magazine since August 2001.

Bleach follows the adventures of Ichigo Kurosaki, a high school student with the ability to see ghosts, and a Soul Reaper named Rukia Kuchiki. The early parts of the story focus mainly on these characters. As events unfold, the story begins to delve deeper into the world of the gods of death.

The manga series has been adapted into an animated television series, two OVAs, two animated feature films, a rock musical, numerous video games, and a collectible card game. Compilation volumes of the manga have sold over 40 million copies in Japan, and have reached the top of manga sales charts in the United States. The manga received the Shogakukan Manga Award for its shōnen title in 2005, and the anime has been nominated for several American Anime Awards.

The story opens with the sudden appearance of Rukia Kuchiki in Ichigo Kurosaki's bedroom. She is surprised at his ability to see her, but their resulting conversation is interrupted by the appearance of a "hollow", an evil spirit. After Rukia is severely wounded while trying to protect Ichigo, she intends to transfer half her powers to Ichigo, hoping to give him the opportunity to face the hollow on equal footing. Ichigo unintentionally absorbs almost all her powers instead, allowing him to defeat the hollow with ease.

The next day, Rukia appears in Ichigo's classroom as a transfer student. Much to his surprise, she appears to be a normal human. She theorizes that it was the unusual strength of Ichigo's spirit that caused him to absorb almost all her powers, thus leaving her stranded in the human world. Rukia has transferred herself into a gigai — an artificial human body — while waiting to recover her abilities. In the meantime, Ichigo must take over her job as a Soul Reaper, battling hollows and guiding lost souls to Soul Society.

KUTA BEACH (travel)

2008-06-17T16:24:00.002+07:00

Kuta is a town in southern Bali, Indonesia. A former fishing village, it was one of the first towns on Bali to see substantial tourist development, and as a beach resort remains one of Indonesia's major tourist destinations. It is known internationally for its long sandy beach, varied accommodation, many restaurants and bars, and substantial Australian population. It is located near Bali's Ngurah Rai Airport.

Kuta was the site of the October 12, 2002 Bali bombing (202 killed) and the October 1, 2005 Bali bombing (26 killed).

Kuta is now the center of an extensive tourist-oriented urban area that merges into the neighboring towns. Legian, to the north, is the commercial hub of Kuta and the site of many restaurants and entertainment spots. Most of the area's big beachfront hotels are in the southern section of Tuban.

Legian and Seminyak are northern extensions of Kuta along Jl. Legian and Jl. Basangkasa. They are somewhat quieter suburbs with cottage-style accommodations, where many of the expat crowd live. Also to the north are Petitenget, Berawa, Canggu, and Seseh - new and quieter continuations of Kuta's beach. They are easy to reach through Abian Timbul or Denpasar and Kerobokan. Several large hotels are located in this area: the Oberoi Bali, Hard Rock Hotel Bali, the Intan Bali Village, the Legian in Petitenget, the Dewata Beach and the Bali Sani Suites in Berawa.

To the south, Kuta Beach extends beyond the airport into Jimbaran. Other nearby towns and villages include Seseh (6.4 nm), Denpasar (4.5 nm), Ujung (1.8 nm), Pesanggaran (2.0 nm), Kedunganan (2.9 nm) and Tuban (1.0 nm).

The Balinese Provincial Government have taken the view that the preservation of the Balinese culture, natural resources and wildlife are of primary importance in the development of the island. To this end they have limited tourist development to the peninsula on the extreme southern aspect of the island; Kuta beach is on the western side of this peninsula and Sanur is on the east. To the north of the peninsula no new tourist development is supposedly permitted.

GERMANY VS AUSTRIA - Go To Quarter Final EURO 2008 (sport)

2008-06-16T15:23:00.001+07:00

The Euro 2008 has been a great spectacle for the world to watch this year. Many teams have proven that they are among Europe’s finest even when their Euro 2008 odds did not. A very important match in the 2008 Euro Cup will take place on Monday June 15th. Germany is going to take on neighbor and tournament host Austria. Both teams will need this crucial win if they hope to advance to the quarter finals this year. The oddsmakers at Sportsbook.com currently have Austria set as the

In Austria’s last game they barely managed to get a tie against Poland. They were awarded an extra time penalty kick, which was taken by Ivica Vastic. He sniped the goal home and Austia received the 1-1 draw. They know that they will need the full 3 points against a tough German squad on Monday to move on past the group stages. They seemed to play very well in their first match against group leader Croatia. They went down early 1-0 on a penatly kick and this ended up being the final score. Currently Euro 2008 odds at Sportsbook.com have Austria as a huge +900 underdogs heading into Monday’s big Euro 2008 game.

Germany will head into Monday’s Euro 2008 game poised and ready to strike with favored Euro 2008 odds. They began Euro 2008 with a positive start when they beat Poland by a score of 2-0. Lukas Podolski lead the way for Germany as he had both tallies. He also managed to find the net in Germany’s second game against Croatia. Although it was not enough because Croatia already has a 2-0 lead. The Germans lost this tough game 2-1. Nevertheless, a single point against Austria would allow Germany to advance to the quarter finals for the first time since they won the tournament back in 1996. A key stat to take into account is that Germany has won the last four meetings by a combined score of 17-4. The two most recent meeting were in May 2002, when Miroslav Klose had a hat trick for Germany, as they won 6-2. The next one was in June 2004, when Germany also won 3-1. Germany will be to strong for Austria to handle and I like them to win this match easily and advance to the quarter finals.

KUNG FU PANDA 2008 (movie)

2008-06-16T14:47:00.000+07:00

In Kung Fu Panda, Jack Black is the voice of Po, a clown-eyed, sheepishly neurotic, roly-poly panda of no visible athletic ability who trains to become a lightning-limbed martial-arts master. Black gets off a few good lines (''Oooo, my tenders!'' he exclaims when Po is bashed in the crotch), but he doesn't make crazy full use of his wild side — the eager, riffing glee he has shown in films like School of Rock. Instead, Black taps a quality that isn't so visible when he pops his eyes with mock ferocity on screen. He gives Po a slightly abashed suburban-couch-potato sweetness.

Po, who works in his father's noodle shop, dreams of kung fu glory, and it certainly seems preposterous that this lazy, soft-bodied bear would attain it. But after causing an accidental fireworks display in the Jade Palace, where the Furious Five — Tigress (Angelina Jolie), Crane (David Cross), Monkey (Jackie Chan), Viper (Lucy Liu), and Mantis (Seth Rogen) — are showing off their twirly, whip-cracking moves, Po is decreed to be the Dragon Warrior, and he starts to train with the Furious Five. That's when Kung Fu Panda ignites.

As Master Shifu, the group's Fu Manchu-mustached raccoon of a karate-kid guru, Dustin Hoffman, his voice a-growl, has a wonderful persnickety surliness. It's as if Yoda were being played by Burt Lancaster. Po's total lack of skill is quite funny — he's such a flabby compendium of wrong moves that even his screwups have a bass-ackwards logic that is nearly balletic. But then Master Shifu figures out how to teach this hopeless case the art of kung fu. He uses a bowl of dumplings, which Po is so eager to eat that he'll scramble anywhere, at any speed, to get at them. Kung Fu Panda is light and goofy, yet the fight scenes, which are the heart of the film, are lickety-split mad fun. Just about all animated movies teach you to Believe in Yourself (the rat who finds the courage to cook! The ogre who learns to love!), but the image of a face-stuffing panda-turned-yowling Bruce Lee dervish is as unlikely, and touching, an advertisement for that message as we've seen in quite some time.

STREET FIGHTER IV (game)

2008-06-16T14:32:00.001+07:00

Street Fighter IV (ストリートファイターⅣ, Sutorīto Faitā Fō^?) is a fighting game and the next installment in Capcom's long-running Street Fighter series. Although Capcom USA owns the rights to Street Fighter, the game is being developed by Japanese developer Dimps [verification needed], a company founded by Street Fighter co-creator Takashi Nishiyama, best known for working on the Dragon Ball Z: Budokai series of video games for the PlayStation 2 console.

Gameplay

While Street Fighter IV will feature 3D rendered characters and backgrounds, the game will still play in traditional 2D, thus creating a "2.5D" effect. While more concrete details on the game's gameplay have yet to be revealed, producer Ono has stated that he wants to keep the game closer to Street Fighter II than to its sequels, and as such the "parry system" from Street Fighter III has been dropped. A new system temporarily called "Saving" has been introduced, as well as Ultra moves. The traditional six-button control scheme will return, with new features and special moves integrated into the input system, mixing classic gameplay with additional innovations. On December 30, 2007, a gameplay trailer showed how typical gameplay worked, with the 2D plane of fighting shifting and rotating, characters reacting facially to particularly hard blows.

The game has the same feel as Super Street Fighter II Turbo, with several features from Street Fighter III 3rd Strike. Pressing both light attack buttons is still for throwing, and both heavy attack buttons are for the personal action or taunts. Both medium attack buttons are for the saving strike. Dashes and quick standing are also in the game. At the moment, C.Viper is the only character who can perform a high jump.

It is intended that the car-smashing bonus rounds from earlier Street Fighter games will return. Ono has claimed, "They'll be in there if I have to program them myself!" although he noted that there may be problems if the game's vehicles resemble models by real-life manufacturers. Ono later stated that the bonus stages would not be in the arcade game, but may be in the console ports. He cited the reason being capitalism, that the time the player spends on bonus stages is money out of arcade operators' pockets.

Saving System (Focus Attacks)

The system that has been referred to as "Saving" for the time being, but will be renamed "Focus" for North America, is a new system that is being introduced in SFIV. The system features a four-segment "Revenge" gauge that builds up as the character takes damage. A player can use one segment of the gauge in combat by simultaneously pressing both medium punch and medium kick to unleash a special attack that will deal instant damage and render the opponent immobile for a short time. The buttons can also be held down and charged to unleash a devastating unblockable attack at the cost of 3/4s of the full "Revenge" gauge. The gauge can also be used to fuel EX Specials—stronger versions of regular special moves—at the cost of one stock of the gauge. Both the Saving/Focus move and EX Specials can be "canceled" by dashing towards the opponent (the move will still be performed and will still do damage however), this dash can again be "canceled" by performing another EX Special or Saving/Focus move, this however will require pinpoint timing so that only skilled players may execute this kind of combo.

Ono has stated that this system was incorporated in order to shift the emphasis away from combos and toward a more realistic system he has compared to boxing, in which "the skill is in reading your opponent's move before he starts moving ... We haven't forgotten about combos and linked moves, but saving makes it so that you have to read your opponent." The system aims to make ground attacks as viable a way of approaching opponents as jumping was in previous games. The saving system is a core part of Street Fighter IV's gameplay and will continue to evolve as the game is developed.

Super and Ultra Moves

Super moves will return in Street Fighter IV, however, the team is still undecided on how to implement them. Currently, the team is considering three options, the first being similar to Super Street Fighter II Turbo where each character has one set super (this is the option the game is currently using), the second is based on the Street Fighter Alpha series where characters have multiple supers (but without the Alpha series' multilevel chargeable supers) and the third follows Street Fighter III where the players choose which super they want to use for their character before the match.

In addition to the series staple Super Moves (since Super Street Fighter II Turbo), the game will also feature Ultra Moves. Ultra Moves are performed by performing a character's Super move but executing it with 2 attack buttons (much like an EX Special move). The Ultra is a long and cinematic move featuring a lengthy combination of punches, kicks, etc. Along with the regular Super moves, the Ultra will be the only time wherein the camera will break from its normal fixed position to offer a more dynamic, cinematic view of the action.

Online

Street Fighter IV will feature online gaming and is the fifth game in the series to do so (the first four being Super Street Fighter II X—Grand Master Challenge for Matching Service which was only released in Japan for the Sega Dreamcast, the Xbox version of Street Fighter Anniversary Collection, the Xbox Live Arcade version of Street Fighter II′ Turbo: Hyper Fighting and the latest being Super Street Fighter II Turbo HD Remix for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3). Unlike other games such as Virtua Fighter 5 or Tekken 6, Street Fighter IV will reportedly not feature any item collection or customization. Producer Ono is also looking into the possibility of utilizing microtransactions for future downloadable content updates which might include new characters and stages, however, he stated that the final decision for that would be up to Capcom as a whole.

Story

It was revealed in the January 2008 issue of EGM that the game will take place in between Street Fighter II and Street Fighter III making it (storywise) an interquel similar to Street Fighter Alpha, which took place between Street Fighter and Street Fighter II.

During AOU 2008 event held in Japan, a brief description of Street Fighter IV's was revealed on one of the arcade flyers. A rough translation of the description is as follows...

"The year after the legendary World Warrior Championship (SF2) it silently begins. Suspicious incidents occur, and behind it a mystic organization is on the move in the shadows. Those chasing and being chased in the complicated middle of friendship and betrayal. Now, the curtain rises and a new fight begins."

RF ONLINE (game)

2008-06-16T14:11:00.000+07:00

RF Online, originally named 'Rising Force', (Korean:라이징 포스 온라인) is a 3D MMORPG developed by CCR.

The first version of the game was released in South Korea and was later followed by Chinese (Mandarin), Japanese, Brazilian and English translations. The North American/European version of the game launched its retail phase on February 21, 2006.

Storyline

Humanity had spread through the entire galaxy, until an ancient race known as the Herodians infected them with a rage/hate virus, leading them to tear each other to extinction. Only three groups of humans survived, isolated on remote planets in distant corners of the galaxy. The Accretia, descendants from criminals locked in the furthest removed, harshest world humanity had colonized, the Bellato, living in a high gravity world, and the Cora, descendants from a lone scientific station dedicated to the study of psychic abilities. These groups continued to evolve separately, until they forgot they ever were members of the same race.

Over time, the Bellato Union (descendants from a human colony on a high gravity world) took control of the galaxy, enslaving the other races (Accretia and Cora) until their slaves allied and rebelled. Now, the Bellato Union (the remains of their old empire) strive to survive in a three-way war against the Holy Alliance of Cora and the newly formed Accretia Empire.

Meanwhile, the Herodians have returned and located the young races, watching with amusement as they tear each other apart with no need for encouragement.

The game is centered on the conflict between 3 races (descendants of the now extinct human race) in their bid to control precious resources, and their desire to advance their respective agendas through any means necessary. These three races are:

Accretia - A race of cyborgs who were forced to turn to artificial bodies due to the harsh environment on their home planet. Now they have forsaken flesh in their pursuit of perfection and they scorn every flesh being in the universe. Their metallic bodies are the toughest in the game and they have the highest technology, but no access to magic. Re-established as the Accretia Empire, Accretia entered the Novus conflict against both Cora and Bellato.

Social Background:
Accretians consider themselves the closest to perfection any race is ever going to achieve. They are cyborgs due to organic brains being merged into mechanical bodies… Not being mere robots acting accordingly to a rigid piece of software, they are to obey a motive, and that motive is the pursuit of perfection.

While individualism is not promoted, and not even tolerated, self-consciousness does remain; the Accretian society is not to be seen as a hive or a collective mind. The way they are created, educated and indoctrinated makes the Accretians solely concerned by the evolution of the society as a whole. However, perfection at a higher level can only be achieved through perfection at an individual level.

Accretians are cloned and, during their first years of life, indoctrinated via a combination of neurochemical procedures and education, until they are estimated efficient enough to become fully fledged citizens of the Empire. Then, they undergo a radical surgical procedure to get rid of their weak and disposable flesh and have their brains integrated into mechanized bodies.

Abilities and potential of every Accretian are estimated as early as the first stages of the creation process; education and training unfold accordingly to these estimations. Every Accretian is assigned a specific task, the one at which he will be the most efficient. They embrace it totally; it is their path to perfection.

Accretian society is organized as a strict hierarchy ladder; the farther along the ladder, the more complex and far-reaching the task assigned to the individual. Despite that hierarchy, there are no social classes, not in the way the other races could understand it, for social segregation comes only from resentment and will for changes, and contentment and will for status quo. Such things do not exist in the Accretian society. At least, they shouldn’t…

Bellato - Due to the intense gravity on their home planet, the Bellateans are a small people. Theirs is a race of inventors that are able to combine creative tools and weapons with the Light form of universal magic. The Bellato enter the war with small but strong bodies, thanks to the high gravity of their home planet. Before they became the Bellato Union, however, they were the Bellato Empire, who seized control and enslaved the other races after the Cora civil war but, their empire of slaves was destroyed by the Accretians. Under such sustained attacks they fell from power, yet they have bided their time until they can become a force to be reckoned with once again. They learned from their Accretian foes, and built MAUs (Massive Armor Unit) to use as gigantic armor and siege units, since they were unwilling to give up their bodies.

Social Background:
The Bellato learned early on that the fastest way to develop technology and profit is for their people to be happy. A happy person is a productive person. This is why they have freedom of expression and individualism (as long as you are a Bellatean).
However, most, if not all of the dominant Bellateans are members of Houses. Houses are congregations of individuals who share the same blood (family ties being taken very seriously by Bellateans) and/or interests (wealth and power being taken much more seriously by Bellateans).

Success breeds success, and while Bellateans promote individual achievement, over the years, the same families harvest most of the wealth and power. Influential Bellateans then lend money, offer services or help to lesser ones, for the conduct of their business or other matters, and strong ties develop between all sides. Soon enough, it is a vast network of interests that emerges. A House. Several networks can intertwine, of course, but the core of every one of them is a powerful and identifiable family that will do its best to keep the relatives, allies, and clients in line with the House’s interests.

Cora - They favor their own mental prowess over the crouch of technology. Highly spiritual and gifted with highly developed psychic abilities, Corites regard themselves as the highest form of creation. Their psychic arts are far superior to that which the Bellato practice. Their deity is known as Decem, whom they believe gave Corites their powers as well as their fate, to reach ascension in his name and rid the galaxy of technology. The Holy Alliance of Cora was thus born to carry out their crusade.

Social Background:
Decem created the world to turn oblivion into beauty, and the Corites to enforce His will. Knowing they are the chosen race, Corites have organized their society accordingly to their faith. Everything they do in “This Life” is to ascend to a higher station or being, gaining a closer relationship with their god. It is evident that those who do enforce His will are granted more powers and abilities, becoming stronger in the use of the their mental powers, to which they refer to as the Dark Force, the most precious gift Decem made to His children.

Corite society is based on a caste system. This caste system is a meritocracy; the Corites are organized into their castes solely based on their relevant skills in life, their devotion, and their dedication to Decem’s will. This way, the castes function much like that of old ‘tribal clans’ where priests were of a higher station than warriors and they in turn were of a higher station than workers. One’s strength in the Dark Force and capacity to serve Decem and enforce His commands sets one`s caste. The Spiritualist is the highest caste because they have the greatest strength in the use of Dark Force.

The entire population is grouped into a caste or another; once in a caste, your fellow members become your family. Blood relationships are not a priority amongst the castes. Indeed, nothing is to be put before Decem, marriage is not allowed, and the couple has been replaced by the group, because of the conflicts that could otherwise arise between family and god. Because everything Corites do is overseen and judged by their god, their children are gifted in a manner directly proportional to their deeds. Choosing the best possible mate to have children with, is thus a incredibly important decision. Corite children are raised in intern schools, only visiting a parent during vacations and Holy celebration's. The Corites use the term Sires for parents, not showing either one mother/father as more important than the other.

A mixture of science fiction and classic fantasy, RF Online (or RFO, as many of its players call it) is set in a distant planet in the Novus system where magic exists alongside high technology. Like most MMORPGs it follows the typical fantasy setting complete with swords and sorcery, but it also emphasizes the three-way Race vs. Race vs. Race (RvRvR) concept and modern/futuristic technology such as mecha and nuclear weapons.

SAMURAI DEEPER KYO (manga)

2008-06-13T16:28:00.000+07:00

Samurai Deeper Kyo (サムライディーパーキョウ, Samurai Dīpā Kyō^?) is a manga series written and illustrated by Akimine Kamijyo. The manga was serialized from October 15, 1999 to May 10, 2006 in Kodansha's Weekly Shōnen Magazine, and collected over 38 volumes.

Samurai Deeper Kyo follows the story of Demon Eyes Kyo (鬼目の狂, Oni Me no Kyō^?) as he seeks to regain his body after his soul was sealed inside the body of his rival, Mibu Kyoshiro. Kyo is joined in his search by the bounty-hunter Shiina Yuya, the heir to the Tokugawa shogunate Benitora, and Sanada Yukimura, a known rival of the Tokugawa.

The manga was adapted into an animated television series in 2002. The Studio Deen production aired on TV Tokyo from July 2, 2002 until December 23, 2002, for a total of 26 episodes. As of March 2008, 27 volumes have been released in the United States and Canada by Tokyopop. The series has also been released in France, Spain, Singapore, Germany Indonesia.

Plot

Further information: Samurai Deeper Kyo manga summaries

Underlying the principle story arc of Kyo's search to reclaim his body, there are many smaller arcs, each leading to the next one. The basis of many later revelations are established many volumes in advance. In the manga, it is revealed that all of the Mibu, except for Kyo , are descendants of "Battle Dolls", creatures created by the Mibu to fight for their amusement. In time, the Battle Dolls come to believe they were the real Mibu, and that the real Mibu were destroyed by infighting. The extant Mibu are gradually being killed by the "Disease of Death". Muramasa's sister was the first to be killed by the Mibu Disease, but others soon followed. The disease manifests itself when the infected person reaches a certain age. For this reason, the aging process has been stopped in Antera, Tokito, and probably others.

LIBERTAD - VELVET REVOLVER (music)

2008-06-13T16:16:00.000+07:00

Libertad is the second studio album released by American supergroup Velvet Revolver. The album was released in the US on July 3, 2007. The name is Spanish (Castillan) and translates to "liberty" or "freedom" in English. According to a 2007 interview with Rolling Stone, along with the Stone Temple Pilots album Core, Libertad is the only album lead singer Scott Weiland has written sober.

Libertad was the last album to feature Weiland on vocals before he was fired by the remaining members of Velvet Revolver in April 2008.

Velvet Revolver originally announced their plans for a second album in late 2005, when lead singer Scott Weiland said that the band was planning on recording a concept album. Although it is not certain how concrete the concept album plans were [1], they were eventually scrapped and the band began to work with famed producer Rick Rubin. However, the bandmembers felt that Rubin was not a good fit for the band and thus parted ways with him. In December 2006, Velvet Revolver began working with producer Brendan O'Brien, who had previously produced albums for Stone Temple Pilots, Weiland's former band. As Scott Weiland commented in Kerrang! magazine, "We were really excited about six months ago, when we first began writing. Then we really kind of flat-lined for a while, We didn't know which way we were going. Once Brendan (O'Brien) came on board, it was kind of like a shot in the arm. It was a new energy." Recording began on December 11 and continued through December, January, and February. The process was documented by a series of video blogs, or "Vlogs", available on the band's website.
On June 26, 2007, Velvet Revolver released a sneak peek of Libertad in its entirety.
The album debuted at number five on the U.S. Billboard 200, selling 92,000 copies in its first week; as of October 12, 2007, it has sold 222,000 copies and has fallen off the charts.[2] The album is certified Gold in New Zealand. Upon its release, Libertad has received good reviews and was said to possibly be "THE rock record of the summer" according to the Associated Press.

Libertad is an Enhanced-CD which includes a 10-minute video documentary called "Re-Evolution: The Making of Libertad" (Directed by Rocco Guarino). A deluxe edition was also released which includes a DVD containing a 30-minute documentary called "Tierra Roja, Sangre Roja" (Directed by Rocco Guarino), that documented the band's journey across South America.
To promote the album, Velvet Revolver embarked on a South American tour with Aerosmith. The final performance saw 70,000 fans in attendance. Shortly thereafter, VR embarked on a North American club tour, revealing several new songs. The band also played major music festivals such as the Download Festival. On August 2007, they began a North American arena tour with Alice in Chains, and later tour Europe and Asia.

Songs from the album were featured at X Games XIII as being the official background music to the event. The track "Let It Roll" is also used as the official theme song for the 2007 WWE Diva Search. The song "American Man" has also been used in promotional ads for the popular drama Prison Break.

The album's cover features a stylized 10 pesos coin from Chile produced from 1976 to 1991. The coin is an allegory to the Coup d'etat in Chile in 1973. [3]
It was actually later stated by Slash in an interview in September 2007 by 102.1 The Edge in Dallas that the image came from a friend's necklace. Slash reported that he had no idea what the significance of the image was until a concert in Brazil. However it also resembles a Led Zeppelin logo,a band Slash was very fond of.

Track listing
All songs written by Scott Weiland, Slash, Dave Kushner, Duff McKagan and Matt Sorum except where noted.
1."Let It Roll" - 2:32
2."She Mine" - 3:24
3."Get Out the Door" - 3:14
4."She Builds Quick Machines" - 4:01
5."The Last Fight" - 4:03
6."Pills, Demons & Etc." - 2:54
7."American Man" - 3:56
8."Mary Mary" - 4:34
9."Just Sixteen" - 3:59
10."Can't Get It Out of My Head" (Jeff Lynne) - 3:58
ELO cover
11."For a Brother" - 3:26
12."Spay" - 3:06
13."Gravedancer" - 8:42 (actual track time 4:32)
Contains a hidden track named "Don't Drop That Dime" (3:59) starting at 04:43.
14."Gas and a Dollar Laugh" (Japanese Bonus Track)
15."Messages" (iTunes Bonus Track)
16."Psycho Killer" (iTunes Bonus Track)
Talking Heads cover

Personnel
Scott Weiland - lead vocals, keyboards
Slash - lead guitar
Dave Kushner - rhythm guitar, backing vocals
Duff McKagan - bass guitar, backing vocals
Matt Sorum - drums, percussion, backing vocals

IRON MAN (movie)

2008-06-13T16:03:00.000+07:00

Synopsis:

For both comic book fans and those who can't tell the Green Lantern from the Green Arrow, IRON MAN is the type of summer blockbuster whose appeal lasts far beyond the season. Robert Downey Jr. stars as Tony Stark, a billionaire playboy and genius who puts as much effort into chasing skirts as he... For both comic book fans and those who can't tell the Green Lantern from the Green Arrow, IRON MAN is the type of summer blockbuster whose appeal lasts far beyond the season. Robert Downey Jr. stars as Tony Stark, a billionaire playboy and genius who puts as much effort into chasing skirts as he puts into chasing his next big idea. A trip to Afghanistan to sell weapons quickly devolves into chaos, and Stark finds himself at the mercy of a warlord who wants him to build a missile. Instead, Stark creates a powerful suit of armor, turning him into Iron Man and allowing him to escape. When he returns to America, his assistant Pepper Pots (Gwyneth Paltrow), friend Rhodey (Terrence Howard), and right-hand man Obadiah Stane (Jeff Bridges) all marvel at the change in the man they knew. IRON MAN is the first film to be self-financed by Marvel Studios, and they should be proud of their freshman effort. They didn't take any obvious routes with choosing the cast or crew, and it pays off. Director Jon Favreau, who also has a small role in the film, is best known for directing ELF, but his first action-driven effort is nearly flawless. Casting Downey was gutsy but inspired: this is his first big action picture as well, but the wit he displays in films such as the cult hit KISS KISS, BANG BANG works perfectly for the character of Stark. IRON MAN features nods to its beloved source material, as well as to the classic animated series of the 1960s. But even for the uninitiated, this film provides an interesting entry into the Marvel superhero's universe. Audiences who keep watching after the credits have rolled will be rewarded with a bonus scene.

Genre : Action/Adventure

Starring : Robert Downey , Jeff Bridges , Terrence Howard , Shaun Toub , Gwyneth Paltrow

Director : Jon Favreau
Screenwriter : Mark Fergus , Hawk Ostby , Art Marcum , Matthew Holloway
Producer : Avi Arad , Kevin Feige
Composer : Ramin Djawadi