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Mohon maaf hanya berlaku untuk penduduk yang tinggal di Jepang.
Ganbatte kudasai
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Ada 17 nama lain dari formalin seperti formol, morbicid, formoc aldehyde, methyl oxide, oxymethylene, methylene aldehyde, oxomethae, formoform, parafforin dan banyak lagi.
Kasus penggunaan formalin ke berbagai jenis makanan di tanah air ini begitu menghebohkan. Sementara itu, masyarakat hanya tahu bahwa formalin biasa digunakan untuk pengawet mayat dan makanan. Padahal tidak demikian. Diluar dugaan, ternyata formalin banyak digunakan untuk produk-produk lainnya.
Formalin yang ternyata nama dagang dari formaldehid itu, merupakan larutan tidak berwarna dan baunya sangat menusuk. Ada 17 nama lain dari formalin seperti formol, morbicid, formoc aldehyde, methyl oxide, oxymethylene, methylene aldehyde, oxomethae, formoform, parafforin dan banyak lagi.
Selain digunakan untuk mengawetkan mayat dan makanan, formalin juga digunakan untuk membunuh kuman yang biasa terdapat pada pembersih lantai dan pakaian. Digunakan sebagai zat pewarna, bahan pembuat sutra buatan, pengeras lapisan gelatin padafotografi, pembuatan pupuk urea, parfum dan kosmetika.
Bukan hanya itu, formalin juga digunakan untuk bahan busa, perekat (lem) kayu lapis, semir sepatu, lilin dan pembersih karpet. Tapi jangan kaget, ternyata bahan peledak pun mengandung formalin.
Penggunaan formalin yang salah sangat disesalkan oleh berbagai pihak. Sebenarnya ada beberapa peraturan yang mengatur penggunaan formalin. Pemerintah memiliki Undang-Undang N0.7/1996 tentang pangan dan UU NO.8/1999 tentang perlindungan kosumen. Juga ada Peraturan Menteri Kesehatan N0.116/ Menkes/PER/X/1999, ditambah Peraturan Pemerintah Rl N0.28 Tahun 2004 tentang keamanan mutu dan gizi pangan. Namun semua peraturan tidak menjelaskan sanksi yang jelas bagi pelanggarnya.
Formalin merupakan bahan beracun dan berbahaya bagi kesehatan manusia. Jika kandungannya tinggi dalam tubuh, akan bereaksi secara kimiawi dan dapat mematikan sel-sel tubuh sehingga kita menderita keracunan. Formalin juga dapat menyebabkan iritasi lambang, alergi dan menyebabkan kanker, muntah-muntah, diare bercampur darah, serta kematian karena kegagalan dalam peredaran darah.
Penggunaan formalin akan terlihat secara pisik pada beberapa makanan. Pada tahu, bentuknya sangat bagus, kenyal, tidak mudah hancur. Mie basah tidak mudah basi. Ayam potong terlihat berwarna putih bersih, awet dan tidak mudah busuk. Ikan basah warnanya akan terlihat putih bersih, kenyal, insangnya merah tua (bukan merah segar), dan tidak mudah busuk,
Jika ada tanda-tanda keracunan karena diduga mengkonsumsi makanan berformalin, berikan arang aktif (norit) sebelum ke rumah sakit. Jangan melakukan rangsang muntah pada korban, karena akan menimbulkan resiko pada alat pencernaan atas.
Laporan: Juli Sofyan/berbagai sumber ( taken from amanah.or.id ) |
Adanya formalin atau tidak dalam makanan bisa dengan tes kalium permanganat (KMnO4, kadang disebut PK, singkatan Permanganas Kalikus, warna serbuk ungu metalik kehitaman dapat dibeli diapotik).
Uji ini cukup sederhana.
Dengan melarutkan di air serbuk kalium permanganat hingga berwarna pink (merah jambu seulas, istilah teman2 analis kimia). Jika kita taruh potongan bahan makanan (mis: tahu) kedalamnya, jika warna pink hilang (berkurang), ada kemungkinan ada komponen formalin.
Sebenarnya analisa ini salah satu dari puluhan standard uji yang dilakukan terhadap susu segar (yang datang di pabrik susu bubuk) sebelum dinyatakan diterima sebagai bahan baku, mengalami tes ini.
Metoda pengujian: Tabung reaksi berisi 10 ml susu dibubuhi 1 tetes larutan KMnO4 1 N. Larutan susu yang putih akan menjadi pink(merah jambu seulas). Lama waktu hilangnya warna pink (warna merah jambu seulas) dari tetesan larutan Kalium permanganat kedalam tabung reaksi berisi sample susu segar menjadi indikator kemungkinan kandungan formalin didalam susu tersebut.
Jika 1 jam tidak ada perubahan warna (warna pink stabil) berarti susu tidak mengandung formalin (atau lebih tepat dikatakan tidak menggunakan formalin sebagai pengawet), dan dilanjutkan dengan rangkaian uji lainnya sebelum dinyatakan dapat diterima sebagai bahan baku.
Jika warna pink larutan kalium permanganat tersebut segera pudar/ hilang menjadi tak berwarna, berarti ada kemungkinan dalam sample susu terkandung formalin yang bersifat bereaksi menghilangkan warna(mereduksi) kalium permanganat.
False positive (hasil palsu) bisa saja terjadi jika dalam bahan makanan terkandung reduktor lain yang bereaksi dengan Kalium Permanganat misalnya asam oksalat, dll.
Tapi kebanyakan makanan yang diawetkan adalah pangan nabati/hewani (ikan basah, bakso,tahu) yang berprotein tinggi kemungkinan sangat kecil mengandung asam oksalat secara alami. sains@yahoogroups.com
(taken from http://www.e-dukasi.net)
Saturday morning May 27th, i was talking with my 1rst sister on the phone, then i heard my nephew said "ohh,whats going on....look at the cupboard,its moving" I thought its earth quake,suddenly i closed the phone. After 5 minutes i called again n its true. Alhamdulillaah all family are ok. After 5 hours i got news from family that many people died,suffer,and thousands houses and buildings are ruined and collapsed in Yogyakarta and central Java, especially Bantul which is near Java coast. Innaa lillaahi wa innaa ilaihi rooji'uun.
Are you interest to know more about these recent earth quake info ? pls visit these sites below :
Java quake kills 2700 http://www.theage.com.au/news/world/java-quake-kills-2700/2006/05/27/1148524933086.html
Quake toll nears 5000 http://www.theage.com.au/news/world/indonesia-quake-toll-nears-5000/2006/05/29/1148754901792.html
Indonesia earthquake kills more than 3,000 people http://www.eitb24.com/portal/eitb24/noticia/en/international-news/tragedy-in-indonesia-indonesia-earthquake-kills-more-than-3-000-p?itemId=D33674&cl=%2Feitb24%2Finternacional&idioma=en
Java earthquake kills 3000 http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2006/05/27/1148524929781.html?from=top5
Indonesia Earthquake Kills More Than 2,500 http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=2011409
Indonesia quake toll passes 3,000 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/5022558.stm
Your donation helps to make a difference in their lives. Thank you for all countries, people and organisations who has been given moral and material support. Thank you all. Doumo arigatou gozaimashita.
wana give donation ? please check it :
http://www.dompetdhuafa.org/home.php
http://www.islamicity.com/Donate/?ref=39
Jika Anda dapat berhenti sejenak kemudian memikirkan tentang kehidupan Anda, Anda akan menyadari bahwa semua ingatan Anda walaupun mungkin terdiri atas beberapa dekade, akan berarti sebagai perbincangan beberapa menit saja. Apa yang pernah Anda pikir penting, atau yang benar-benar Anda kejar, atau yang coba Anda hindari, kini semuanya adalah bagian dari masa lalu. Apa pun yang mengingatkan kita pada pikiran-pikiran dan perasaan ini, itu hanyalah kenangan.
Bagaimanapun juga, dalam pandangan Allah, setiap kata yang Anda ucapkan dan setiap pikiran yang terlintas dalam benak Anda telah diketahui-Nya. Setelah mati, di mana masing-masing manusia telah ditetapkan waktunya, rekaman setiap tindakan kita akan dibeberkan di hadapan kita. Yang akan terlihat dari kehidupan kita hanyalah terdiri atas detik demi detik, tanpa terlewat satu bagian kecil pun. Dalam pandangan Allah, tak ada rincian hidup kita yang terlupakan.
Jika dalam setiap aspek kehidupan, Anda menghabiskan hidup dengan berserah diri kepada kekuasaan mutlak Allah, menerima tujuan penciptaan-Nya, kemudian menyadari kebaikan dalam segala hal, serta sadar akan kesempurnaan dalam setiap rencana Ilahiah yang ditetapkan oleh Allah, Anda dapat memastikan bahwa hasil akhir Anda akan baik.
Hal itu karena di saat kematiannya, manusia dihadapkan pada dua pilihan. Jika yang satu telah dijalankan dengan nilai-nilai yang dinyatakan oleh Allah, ia akan mendapatkan keselamatan abadi. Jika tidak, ia kan menderita kesengsaraan tak berujung. Akhlaq yang Allah meminta kita untuk melaksanakannya adalah berupa rasa syukur terhadap-Nya dalam setiap hal, tak peduli bagaimanapun kondisi dan keadaannya. Allah menginginkan agar kita meyakini bahwa pasti ada kebaikan dalam segala hal yang menimpa kita dengan menyadari bahwa semua itu berasal dari Allah.
Menerima apa pun yang menimpa kita dan meyakini bahwa ada kebaikan dalam setiap kejadian walaupun tampaknya merugikan, bahkan malah bersyukur untuk semua itu, bukanlah hal yang mustahil untuk dilakukan. Ia adalah kebenaran yang disadari melalui pemahaman akan kebesaran dan keagungan Allah. Seseorang hanya perlu mengenal Tuhan-Nya—Pencipta alam semesta—dan peristiwa apa pun yang terjadi di dalamnya serta bersyukur atas semua itu.
Sejak pertama kali seseorang membuka matanya di dunia, Allahlah yang menetapkan setiap peristiwa yang terjadi dalam kehidupannya. Allahlah Yang Mahakuasa, Mahabijaksana, dan Mahaadil. Semua diciptakan Allah dalam rangka memenuhi rencana-Nya dan untuk tujuan Ilahiah, sebagaimana difirmankan Allah dalam sebuah ayat Al-Qur`an, “Sesungguhnya, Kami menciptakan segala sesuatu menurut ukuran. (al-Qamar: 49) Dalam cahaya kekuasaan dan kehebatan Allah yang tiada batasnya, manusia hanyalah makhluk yang lemah. Tanpa kemurahan dan kasih Allah, ia tidak akan bisa bertahan. Melalui kemampuannya untuk memahami dan mempertimbangkan, manusia dapat memahami sesuatu hanya seluas apa yang diizinkan Penciptanya. Adalah sebuah keharusan bagi kita untuk menyerahkan diri sepenuhnya kepada Allah dan maksud-maksud Ilahiah yang telah ditetapkan-Nya. Apa pun yang kita alami dalam hidup ini, kita harus tetap ingat bahwa Allah adalah Tuhan yang menguasai seluruh alam semesta dan Dia mengetahui, melihat, dan mendengar apa yang tidak dapat kita ketahui, lihat, dan dengar; dan bahwa Allah mengetahui sesuatu yang akan terjadi dan tidak kita sadari. Demikianlah, kita menyadari bahwa Allahlah yang menyebabkan terjadinya setiap peristiwa sesuai dengan tujuan ilmiah, yaitu untuk kebaikan kita.
Dengan meyakini hal ini, kita akan memiliki pandangan yang lebih baik. Dengannya, kita merasa bersyukur atas segala yang terjadi pada diri kita. Dengan kata lain, seseorang akan berupaya untuk melihat kebaikan dalam segala sesuatu yang didengarnya, dilihatnya, dan menimpanya. Dalam setiap fase kehidupannya, ia akan memahami kehidupan ini secara benar dan tepat. Ia dapat membuat keputusan yang benar antara apa-apa yang ditawarkan kepadanya. Dalam Al`Qur`an digambarkan, “Sesungguhnya, Kami telah menunjukkan jalan yang lurus; ada yang bersyukur dan ada pula yang kafir.” (al-Insaan: 3) Kehendak manusia dan kehendak Allah mencapai hasil akhir yang mulia, yakni kehidupan abadi di surga.
by Harun Yahya
LOOKING FOR PLANTS: WHEN AND WHERE
Almost all natural environments are suitable for searching for plants for the herbarium, so you must not overlook places which could appear sterile and dry. Even in the cities is possible to look for plants, just do not take specimens from the parks and gardens! At first you could rely on the richness of the flowers and plants which live on grasslands and prairies, but you will soon notice how easy it is to find interesting specimens during trips to the mountains, swamps, coast, woods or wherever the climate and the temperature are not too extreme for plant survival.
The most important part of every collected specimen is the flower, so the best seasons for picking up plants are spring and summer; but remember that certain species show their flowers in autumn or even winter, so do not neglect colder months for your excursions. As you can read in the books, a few plants have a very short blooming time, which you must strive to catch them at! The most convenient specimens to pick up are those which seem quite dry, and lacking any trace of surface moisture. For that reason it is better not to look for plants during rainy days, or early in the morning. Also, the hottest hours during summer days should be avoided, as plants will not show their freshest appearance.
NATIVE AND INTRODUCED SPECIES
A herbarium with scientific merit usually relies on the plants which grow naturally in a specific geographic area, so it is important to distinguish between the wild species which actually are your object of interest from those who have grown after a human intervention, as happens for some garden flowers or most cultivated plants. Anyway it is also true that often a plant species previously introduced by man can continue to spontaneously grow outside its original artificial environment; in that case the plant can actually become a new element of the spontaneous flora and can consequently become part of a herbarium. During your excursions you will discover that it is not always easy to understand whether a plant is still an introduced species or has become a wild plant; a suggestion for that purpose could be of looking nearby for gardens or cultivated fields from which that particular plant might have originated, without having gained any level of actual spontaneity.
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TOOLS
Some tools are rather important while picking up plants for your herbarium: A small knife, scissors, thorn-proof gloves and a small handy spade could be of great help. The collected specimens should be put into a strong bag made of cloth or polythene or similar material (plastic etc), the function of these containers being to protect plants from damage during your outing. If your excursion takes place in summertime or lasts for two or more days, it is better to bring a folder of approximately 45x30 cm or more. The folder must be made of cardboard or some other strong stuff, e.g. aluminum, and it must contain some old newspapers (the more plants you collect the more newspapers you need). The folder can be covered with cloth and it should be closed with straps or belts, and a handle or shoulder-belt should be added for easy carrying (see. Fig. 1 and Fig. 2). |
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The picked specimens must be arranged inside the folder between a few layers of paper, so that every plant has some paper on both sides. The closed folder does not have to press the specimens too firmly between the newspapers. If the plants are fleshy more newspapers are needed and you can also add some additional cardboard inside the folder. Small delicate plants should be placed inside smaller bags. A large waterproof bag can be carried too: it will carry aquatic plants and can be used to cover the folder in case of rain.
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The folder could be made in some different way too, for example a couple of plywood boards containing some newspapers, the boards can be kept together with some large rubber straps or ropes. Blotting paper can be used instead of newspapers, but the latter is much cheaper, as you do not have to buy it just for the purpose of the herbarium. |
PICKING UP PLANTS
The plants which you are interested in should be fresh and not wet (apart from plants which live in aquatic environments of course), so keep away from old or damaged plants as long as you can find fresh items of the same kind. If you wish your herbarium to have a scientific value is important that every plant is coupled with written information about the place and date of finding and the terrain characteristics. So while you are out looking for plants you either must remember the place you found each specimen, or add a label with written information to some or all the specimens. When you pick up plants from the natural environment, keep in mind that you will have to fix up all of them once you return home, and you will have to classify them too, in order to achieve a scientific value for your herbarium. Those operations require a substantial amount of time, so try not to collect so many specimens that you can not find the time to settle and study all of them. You will have to section and basically tear apart some flowers during your classification, so do not pick up just one or two flowers of each species when you are out looking for plants, otherwise you could be forced either to sacrifice every flower for the classification job or to simply give up the classification.
You also must keep in mind that it is not always possible to get a successful classification if you do not have particular parts such as seeds and roots, so try to pick them up when you are looking for your plants. You can bring along some small bags or envelopes which should contain seeds and other small separate components, just remember not to not mix the seeds of different plants! Sometimes the seeds are necessary for a successful identification, but during some particular excursions you could happen to pick up the plant when the seeds are not yet formed; in that case it is advisable to return in the same place some weeks later, hoping to find some newly grown seed. Otherwise, if you can't find the seeds you may have to rely on some different books, or ask some expert to help solve your taxonomic problem. That kind of trouble happens also with species that bloom before having the leaves formed, or other similar situations. Actually, many herbaceous plants are too bulky for the average sized herbarium, so often you will take only a couple of branches, or only a few leaves of a specimen. Anyway you must pay attention not to forget some relevant part which could pass unnoticed at first sight. For example some plants have different leaves depending on their location on the main stem, and you could happen to take only one kind of those leaves. Once home, you will have an incomplete specimen, and it could be very difficult to classify a plant lacking one or more important characters.
Some plants have short lived flowers which are deliquescent and will break up in pieces unless picked early in the day and immediately pressed in the folder you must have during the excursion. Before putting your specimens in the bag or the folder you should carefully remove all the insects, spider-webs and foreign bodies attached to your specimens.
RECORDING DATA
Your herbarium could encourage the collection of many written data which can actually increase the botanical knowledge of certain geographical areas. Hence it is a good idea to write down various information regarding the specimens you are picking up; these notes not only will help the identification of the specimens, but also can be compared and added to the current botanical knowledge. A note-book can be used, otherwise a tape recorder with tapes and a number of batteries could make this work easier. This is a list of what you could record to add many valuable information to your herbarium: · locality: be precise, if possible include the longitude and latitude and also a sketch map if useful · habitat and ecology: terrain characteristics, vegetation type, associations with other plants · plant habit: describe the overall size and shape of the plant (tree, bush, epiphyte etc.) · stems and trunks: height and diameter; color, texture, thickness and hardness; the presence of thorns and spines · leaves: deciduous or evergreen; color, texture and overall aspect; orientation; exudate or glands · inflorescence and flowers: note of everything that could be undetected in prepared specimens; color; heterostylous, monoecious or dioecious; different behaviour (open / closed) during the day; exudate or glands; pollinators · fruits and seeds: size, shape, color, texture; smell · underground organs: take some samples or describe them (size and shape, tap root, tubers, bulb etc.) · scent: record any particular scent, especially of cut parts and flowers · sap or latex: note the color, smell, consistency etc. · name: record the locally used name(s) · uses: record the uses, getting confirmation
TAKING PICTURES
Taking color pictures of each plant in its natural environment is also something which could substantially enrich the quality of your herbarium, not only aesthetically, but also from the scientific point of view. In that way the dried specimen can be placed together with one or more photographs, which are very helpful for bulky plants like trees or bushes, which obviously can not be entirely included in a herbarium! Also the habitat of a plant can be well described with a photograph, taking care not to be too distant from the nearby bushes or trees. The suggested equipment is a 35 mm. single lens reflex camera, with a standard lens and a macro-lens, the latter very useful for close-ups of flowers and other specific features. Also a tripod can be very important if many close-ups have to be made, allowing the camera to remain steady. A tripod can also alleviate the need for a flash, which may be used when taking pictures in low light, but has the disadvantage of giving quite unnatural looking images. The speed of print films can range from 64 - 100 ISO to 200 or 400 if pictures in the woods are planned. Each photograph you take should be recorded in a note-book to provide further data for the classification and to include in the herbarium. Be careful that your camera and films are not damaged by rough handling and do not become wet.
PROTECTED SPECIES
As with animals, some species of plants are protected by the law, so it is not wise to pick them up from the environment. In certain areas, such as parks, there are particular laws that often do not allow the gathering of any plant; for this reason you must collect all the information concerning this matter before going after plants in such areas. Some rare plants are protected in the whole territory of some regions or districts; it is your responsibility to get a list of the protected species. Maybe you could get permission to collect some protected species too, but that's something you must ask for yourself with the proper agency. You can also substitute color photographs for samples of the protected species. Anyway it is wise never to pick up an excessive amount of specimens of the same plant, especially if you do not see many of them around. Just harvest the minimum number of plants you need for classification and collection.
AT HOME: IDENTIFICATION AND CLASSIFICATION
Setting up an herbarium can be a work of remarkable scientific importance, as you will contribute to the knowledge of the vegetal populations of the areas you examined while looking for plants. Sometimes you could discover a new kind of plant (i.e. a subspecies or an endemic form typical of a particular area) and your data will be added to existing botanical knowledge. Anyway, any seriously considered collection of plants must report the most exact taxonomic denomination for each specimen, along with the date and place of collection. The name you should apply to ever collected plant is the scientific name, a Latin noun which represents the only denomination that unequivocally identifies your specimen.
BOOKS
There are various books available for the classification of plants, some are very complete and expensive, others are handbooks reporting only a particular group of plants (e.g. from a certain geographical area, or from a typical habitat), others acquaint the reader with every kind of plant with little or any limitations, but they can not actually cover all the specimens you may find during your travels. To actually gain the ability of classifying every plant you pick up, you need one of the books that describe all the species (and hopefully the subspecies too) of plants living in the region of your interest. This kind of book usually includes only black and white pictures, often drawings, and focus on all the parts (fruits, flowers, roots etc.) that can help the one who is trying to classify a plant. Of course you are encouraged to buy further books which have some further utility with their color photographs of the most common species.
COMPARING THE SPECIMENS TO THE BOOKS DATA
During this job, as you have to carefully examine very small and complex parts like flowers internal features and little seeds, you will need some very important instruments such as a magnifying glass, tweezers and a cutter. It is also important that you try to finish your classification work before the plants start to wilt, in fact to compare your specimens to the books descriptions you must hold fresh plants, otherwise your work could become very difficult and maybe wrong in the end too. By the way, if some plants seem already rather wilted once you return home, you can place them in a vase or in a bottle, letting the roots (or the bottom of the stem) in contact with water. Some elements which can help to renew the plant can be added to the water, they are a piece of rusted iron, some wood coal or one teaspoon of sodium nitrate. Doing so, after one day you will have proper specimens to be studied and dried. If some flowers dropped after you picked the plant, new flowers could bloom in case there were buds in the plant. Nevertheless, sometimes you will discover that you do not have any other choice but ask to some more informed fellow plant collector, even though you gathered all the components of the plant and did your best with the books!
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DRYING
After you have found the name of the plant, you must hurry to go on to the drying process. Remember to work in a dry and ventilated room, avoiding damp, which could easily harm your specimens. Flowers and other plants parts must be dried up into a peculiar kind of press. It is not difficult to build a home-made press for that purpose, keeping in mind that what must be accomplished is to keep the specimens squeezed between layers of paper (newspapers or blotting paper) until they are totally devoid of the original content of water, that is dried. As for the folder previously mentioned, the upper and lower parts of the press might be made of heavy cardboard or thick plywood or equivalent material. The specimens will be placed between the layers of paper, which will be pressed by the two pieces of wood; these two pieces must be held tight by putting some heavy body on top, i.e. bricks or large books (Fig. 3). |
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It is important that the plants are put under sufficient pressure, otherwise more time will be required to achieve a good desiccation, besides they could be damaged by dampness and moulds. Every specimen in the press must be linked with its own written data, the best you can do is to use a tag for each specimen, you can attach the tag with string. As circulating air is very important to get your specimens dried in a short time, it is better to add some corrugated cardboard sheet between the paper layers, so that some air can penetrate and speed up the drying process. Corrugated aluminum sheets are even more effective than cardboard. Bulky parts can directly be placed in contact with corrugated material to speed up drying. If no such material is available, keep the filled press size small. Instead of newspapers, someone recommends to use blotting paper together with tissue paper: at the base of the press you should place about three layers of blotting paper, then one layer of tissue paper (or paper handkerchiefs) on which the specimens will be placed, another layer of tissue paper and finally three layers of blotting paper; several such strata can be put in a single press for a good drying up! Anyway you must always be sure to have enough paper at home, also in case you need it for the folders you bring some during long trips; the large amount of paper you need suggests the use of newspapers, which are cheap and usually widely available.
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A more advanced kind of press might be built for an optimal drying of your plants. This press can be made with two wooden boards with screws and nuts placed at each corner: turning the nuts the two boards will come closer pushing together the paper with the plants (Fig. 4). This kind of press can be built at home or bought in some art tools stores. The press should be exposed to a gentle heat source, avoiding excessive heat that will "cook" the specimens. If fire is the heat source, keep the press at safe distance to prevent fire starting on the press. Sometimes it is also possible to exploit the heat from the sun. In this case the presses must be rather small. |
Changing the paper is surely a very important step whose importance must not be underestimated, though it could become pretty boring if you happen to have many drying specimens! In the first three or four days a paper change should take place every day, then you can leave more time between two changes. If you neglect the change of paper the plants will take more time to loose their water content, besides they could be damaged if the paper stays wet for a few days. While changing the paper you must try to keep the specimens intact, besides you have to not mix up the tags or labels with the name and the other information regarding the drying plants. The minimum time required for complete dying ranges from two to four days or more. A single species could have some separate parts already dry when the other must stay in the press, just remember not to mix or loose some parts. Once a specimen has become dry and stiff, it can be placed into the herbarium.
SETTING THE PLANTS UP FOR THE HERBARIUM
One of the most difficult steps is gaining the right arrangement of the specimens in the herbarium. The arrangement must be carefully considered, since when you place the specimens into the press they will acquire a shape and appearance that will last after the drying process, and so be similar or identical to the specimen's shape in the herbarium. Because of size and thickness limitations, it will probably be necessary to remove certain branches, leaves and bunches of flowers, or to carefully section them, always with the goal of obtaining a more suitable specimen to be placed in the press. Carry out this delicate job with the help of a knife and tweezers, trying to arrange the flowers in the best possible manner, letting them show the most natural shape and all their features. During this process care should be used to avoid the elimination of relevant elements, especially those which were important for the taxonomic classification. Any loose part may be kept inside paper envelopes which will be placed on the same mounting sheet as the specimen. Each species should also display both sides of its own leaves; if only one leaf is available, you may cut off a part, so that the other side can be observed. If you have more than one flower available, you can arrange some to show the back of the flower also. Depending on the size of your herbarium folders, you will be able to dry more or less large specimens; anyway it is almost sure that some plant will have to be cut or bent, due to its excessive size. When bending a stem, form an acute angle and always try to give a not too unnatural appearance to the whole. While arranging the specimens on the paper layers, various plants can be placed on the same piece of paper, but remember not to superimpose two or more specimens upon each other. It is better to choose specimens of the same thickens so that the pressure on that layer will be equally distributed. If rather thick parts must be placed in the press, try to get an uniform thickness by {placing some pieces of paper near the more thick elements, so that the layer with the plants will have approximately the same height} [building up the thinner sections of the arrangement with extra paper, so the layer will have approximately uniform height].
SPECIAL TREATMENTS
Some particular group of plants must be specially treated to achieve a good drying and durability. Cactus and succulent plants must loose their high percentage of water before being put to dry. To do that they must be placed below some blotting paper sheets, on them you will rapidly pass a hot iron. That must be done a few times, always changing the blotting paper. Before the iron treatment, the softening of the cactus can be aided by the immersion in boiling water for half a minute, taking care of avoiding the immersion of the flowers. Instead of boiling water you can employ diluted acetic acid or strong alcohol (20 minutes) or formalin (1.5 parts formalin, 1 part water). Since most cactus are really bulky and fleshy, it is appropriate to just keep and dry sections of the whole plant. Some plants have tubers or bulbs as roots, and they must be treated before drying. As with cactus plants, a few minutes in boiling water softens the parts. Remember to immerse in water only the roots you have to treat! Many plants have some (or all) parts which are so bulky that it will be possible to dry only a longitudinal section (e.g. of the stalk or the inflorescence), so it may be necessary to eliminate most of the internal parts and pulp, leaving the external features untouched. Conifers and heathers generally loose the leaves during desiccation; to prevent that the use of warm paper is suggested, adding some passes with a hot iron. It could be helpful to put the specimens in boiling water first, then drying them as fast a possible. Before the drying process the small branches and the leaves can be smeared with diluted liquid universal glue like Vinavil (glue used for plastic, wood, cardboard, leather etc). Many flowers change color in some way during the drying process; usually that is not any real trouble for your herbarium, but some flowers show a dramatic change, particularly some violet, blue and red petals. To prevent that problem it is vital to achieve a fast desiccation, with many changes of the paper sheets. Other suggested methods are to put the drying plants in contact with salicylic acid sheets (the sheets previously wetted with a 1% salicylic acid solution); another practice is to immerse the flowers in petrol (American equivalent: gasoline), then they must be air dried and finally treated with the paper sheets as the other flowers. Some plants have rather fleshy flowers (some orchids, iris, lilies etc.) that must be filled with cotton wool before being put to dry. Every time the paper is changed, the cotton wool should be replaced too. The parts can be dried separately and then the flowers will be reassembled with the help of gum Arabic. If the flowers are likely to stick to the folder and break when handled, you can detach them and dry them apart using tissue or non-absorbent toilet paper, opening their folders only when the flowers are well dry.
MOUNTING THE SPECIMENS ON PAPER
Once the specimens have been dried, they will be mounted on a paper sheet. Doing so, you will display the specimens and its data in the most clear possible way, and the specimens will be carefully preserved being attached to strong mounting paper.
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ARRANGEMENT
It is very important that the plant be arranged so that you can immediately see all the main characters of that particular species, at least if you want a scientific kind of herbarium; so do not look only at the aesthetics of the mounted specimens. For that reason the dried specimens which do present their characteristics well will be further arranged, bearing in mind that a dried plant can easily broken if handled without care (it is advisable to arrange them before being placed in the press). The best manner to place the plants on the mounting sheets is to align them with the right side of the page (or diagonally if space is required) and to have the heaviest parts and specimens at the bottom (see Fig. 5). The longest specimens can be folded if that can prevent the cutting the stem into pieces. It is better to leave an empty space at the borders of the mounting sheets; but you can either arrange your specimens (along with the labels and envelopes for small parts) in a regular way from page to page, or stagger the specimens at different positions on each sheet, so that each group of sheets will have a more equally distributed pressure. |
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PAPER
The best permanent support is good white or cream cartridge-type paper, in particular 100% rag or chemical wood pulp. The size for mounting paper can range from 42x26 cm. to 45x30 cm., even if you will need larger sheets for some bulky specimens. Anyway it is up to every collector to choose the most suitable size, which depends also on the cabinet or box which will contain the bundle of plants. The most delicate mounted specimens could be covered with a protective sheet of translucent paper, which must be rather strong and easy to fold. This paper can be used also to cover only parts of plants, such as fragile petals (Fig. 6). |
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SMALL ENVELOPES
Small paper envelopes can contain particular portions (e.g. seeds) or very small plants; when these envelopes are folded and glued to the sheet it should be possible to open them flat and close them without clips; besides they must securely hold their contents (Fig.7). |
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MOUNTING
There are different ways to mount the specimens to the herbarium sheets: · Strapping: this method will let you to remove and examine the specimen every time is needed, but will allow a certain degree of movement which can cause some trouble. The specimens can be strapped with linen or cotton thread, that will be knotted on the reverse side of the sheet, where it is better to add some gummed paper to avoid contact with underlying specimens (Fig. 8). Also gummed linen tape, like the one used by bookbinders, can be used; it must be placed where the specimens have greater strength, avoiding covering delicate details such as flowers. |
· Gluing: if glue is chosen to mount the specimens, try water-based woodworking adhesive or library pastes or latex adhesive, which must be applied quickly, taking care of not using an excessive amount. You can employ a brush or a nozzle applicator, otherwise the specimen (especially if it is a small one) can be put in contact with a plate full of glue then attached to the sheet. Be always careful not to detach any fragment or part from the plant and not to soil the specimens during the process. Glued material should then be left under pressure overnight, covering each sheet with waxed paper and with drying paper. With aquatic plants only latex glue is the right solution for gluing the specimens, as these plants can take up water from the glue.
· Pins: some herbaria have their specimens mounted using small paper bands which fix the plant to the sheet with the help of pins. The strip is placed on the stem (or other crucial parts of the specimen) and the pin joins together the mounting sheet, the stem and the strip, passing below the specimen (Fig. 9). As for strapping, this manner leaves a remarkable freedom of movement for further examinations. · Nothing: some collections have been made leaving the specimens free on the individual sheets, avoiding strapping and gluing. You can do so, just be careful every time you handle the sheets, and place the bundles in safe boxes where they can not move. |
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LABELS
Each specimen must have a label on its own sheet, which should include the taxonomic denomination (at least family, genus and species) along with information on the date and place of collection. If you want, more details can be included, such as ecological notes about the locality. The name of the collector and of the individual who did the determination should be added too. Anyway read the "Recording Data" chapter to see what can be included in every single label. To write your labels it advisable to use permanent and water resistant ink (black or blue), otherwise a pencil can be used (medium lead).
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HERBARIUM ORGANIZATION
The mounted specimens will be placed in bundles, which could be kept together with the help of strings or straps, besides it is better to have cardboard or millboard supports at top and bottom of the bundles, to gain further steadiness (Fig. 10). Each bundle must have its own label so that you will be immediately able to recognize the contents of each particular group of specimens. The labels must be easy to read, so they will be placed on the outside of the bundle. Depending on the number of plants in each bundle and on the criteria chosen when dividing the collected plants into groups, you will write down the geographic origin or the taxonomic level (family, genus etc.) or whatever identifies every particular bundle. |
Your herbarium must follow a certain arrangement which will give some logical and scientific order to the collection. Again, you should look at the books to find how species, families and so on are currently arranged, then you can divide your specimens into groups which will reflect the systematic arrangement. Note that there are various systematic arrangements that can be followed, it is up to you to opt for a recent (an maybe simple) one; you can ask some expert to have information about that topic. You could also choose to divide the specimens by their families (or even genera) alphabetically, or else you can group them geographically. These collections of specimens should then be kept inside boxes or cabinets which should remain tightly closed and dust-proof. The best places you can choose for your herbarium should be safe from the danger of fire, floods and other accidents. The temperature should be around 20 C and the humidity should not exceed 60%, in order to prevent fungal infections. Adequate ventilation is required, especially if the herbarium itself has a high concentration of insecticide or fungicide. A dry room is the best to avoid proliferation of insects and consequent damage. Naphthalene and paradichlorobenzene (PDB) are chemical repellents often used for preventing infestation; anyway they are very effective only at high concentrations, which increases the risks for human health. Other products which have been used in large herbaria are mercuric chloride, cresol and LPCP, but they are complicated to use, and the results can be dangerous to human health too.
COLLECTING OTHER GROUPS OF PLANTS
It is also possible to build a herbarium with ferns and other non- vascular plants such as lichens and fungi. Here is a brief description of the main topics regarding this particular kind of herbarium.
PTERIDOPHYTES
The ferns and allied plants are grouped together in the Pteridophytes; among them there are some rather well known species, such as the ones belonging to the genera Lycopodium and Equisetum. Typically, Pteridophytes have photosynthetic organs called fronds, which resemble the leaves of vascular plants. Most of the ferns have their spores in sporangia usually found in the margins or under the fronds; this is a very important feature as these plants must be collected when they are fertile, otherwise no identification will be possible. In many allied plants the spores are arranged or aggregated in different manners, as you will see in every detailed botanical book. If you are interested in collecting these organisms remember to carry a x10 hand-lens to look for the presence of sporangia. To gain a successful identification it is also advisable to collect part of the rhizomes, examining their covering elements and the appearance they give to the plant. Smaller ferns sometimes have long rhizomes which can form mats even with different species, so they must be carefully distinguished. With larger ferns it is important to collect and dry all the most significant features, even if some will be cut into pieces. Note or make a picture of all the aspects which can not be seen in the collected parts.
BRYOPHYTES
These small non vascular plants include mosses (Musci), liverworts (Hepaticae) and hornworts (Anthocerotae). Their life cycle includes a long-lived green phase (gametophyte, which reproduces sexually) and a short-lived sporophyte which reproduces by spores. It is better to collect them into paper envelopes and to avoid polythene [plastic], which can badly interact with humidity. To find many interesting species is important to look in particular habitats like rocks, trunks, soil and other plants, remembering to carry a magnifying glass. During drying, which should be begun quickly, you must be careful not to overcook the specimen if heat is used.
FUNGI AND LICHENS
For collecting fungi it is better to use a basket along with paper to keep the specimens separated. Only fresh specimens in good conditions should be collected; it is possible to pick many specimens of the same species if they show different development stages. Always look carefully before picking a fungus to detect the presence of parts hidden in the soil (pick them up too). Remember to take note of the habitat and, if the fungus is parasitic, look where it grew. Besides, some relevant characteristics could changed after collecting the specimen, so observe whether color changes occur, note the presence of latex, the consistency, the odor and so on. An interesting feature to add to the collection is the spore print, which is done leaving the specimen overnight with its hymeneal surface downwards onto a white sheet of paper. A quick drying must soon follow, keeping the specimens at a temperature of approximately 40 C, avoiding lower temperatures and dampness. Larger fungi should be cut in two or more parts to allow drying. Before placing the fungi in the herbarium it is better to leave them in a freezer for two days, to kill any insects or eggs. The specimens, if not particularly fragile, can be kept in paper envelopes (18 x 12 cm. or less) with their data, then glued to standard herbarium sheets. The delicate species, as many fungi are, will be placed in a small cardboard box (approx. 7.5 x 4.5 x 1 cm.) within the paper packets. Lichens should not be pressed and, once dry, they must be placed in packets on sheets with their data.
ANCILLARY COLLECTIONS
The preservation of plants (or parts of them) in liquid medium allow the maintenance of the natural three dimensional aspect of the specimen, so that various techniques have been developed to keep plants in spirit. Some groups like orchids or succulents are always better kept in spirit rather than on mounting sheet. Different preservative liquids can be formed using alcohol, formalin or other components, which can be rather dangerous to handle. The Kew preservative is a mixture of 53% industrial methylated spirit (i.e. ethanol + 2-4% methanol + 9% water), 37% water, 5% formalin solution in water and 5 % glycerol. The glass jars for the ancillary collection can range from 70 to 3000 cc and they must have wide necks.
THE ORIGIN OF HERBARIA
The first botanist to be credited as the inventor of the herbarium is Luca Ghini (1490-1556) from Bologna, Italy. He was a well known teacher who had a collection of about 300 specimens (in 1551), that were gummed on paper. Not much is currently known about his herbarium, which is now lost, even though the herbarium of Ghini's pupil Gherado Cibo is still preserved in Rome. Then there are various references of an herbarium made by John Falconer, an Englishman who probably met Ghini in Italy. In the middle years of the sixteenth century three Ghini students, namely Aldrovandi and Cesalpino from Italy and Turner from England, also made their own herbaria. Cesalpino's herbarium, currently in Firenze, is very important as it can be compared with his book "De Plantis Libri XVI", which introduced a scientific approach to the study and classification of plants. In various European cities there are currently preserved more than twenty herbaria created before 1600. The first recorded publication dealing with making a herbarium is dated 1606, written by the Brussels native Adrian Spieghel. In "Isagoges", a botany treatise, we can read how to dry plants under a press and what kind of paper one should use, along with other accurate information. On the other hand, the first time the word "herbarium" have been used in the same way we intend it is in the book "Elemens" by Pitton de Tournefort. During the seventeenth century other herbaria were developed, such as the one in the Muséum National d'histoire Naturelle in Paris. In that period many collections of exotic plants were been created, as a result of the many geographical explorations which took place. Some of these exotic herbaria have been of the greatest importance for the advancement of scientific knowledge of some areas like Asia or Africa, and can be currently seen in a few European museums.
REFERENCES
Many books can give you details on how to start and build a herbarium, though this essay could be enough for a private collection. However, if you want to know more about some particular topic, or if you want to build a large scientific herbarium which is supposed to include species from distant places, you are encouraged to ask an advice to your local herbarium (or museum of natural history) employees or botanists, and to look for books in university libraries and in scientific book stores. About the plants identification and classification, you may again ask botanists and book stores employees to know which are the best handbooks regarding the geographic areas of your interest. Here is a short list of books which may be of some help (especially the first one):
· Forman L. & Bridson D. (1989). "The Herbarium Handbook" RoyalBotanic Gardens, Kew · Franks J.W. (1965) "A Guide To Herbarium Practice" Handbook For Museum Curators, Museum Association, London · Holmgren P.K., Keuken W., Shofield E.K. (1981) "Index Herbariorum, Part I. The Herbaria Of The World" 7th Ed Regnum Veg., 106 · Womersley J.S. ( 1981) "Plant Collecting And Herbarium Development"Fao Plant Production And Protection Paper, 33, Xi, Rome
Many thanks to Dr. Morsetti of the Herbarium of Bologna
(taken from Fun Science Gallery http://www.funsci.com) Forgiveness is what is best and most
advantageous for a person
“It is He Who accepts repentance from His servants and pardons evil acts and knows what they do.” (Qur’an, 42:25). As is expressed in this verse, God is forgiving. And believers, obeying the morals God approves of, know to forgive when they face malevolence and how to banish wickedness with kindness. Without a doubt, to overlook wickedness by being patient and not be vindictive by forgiving the wrongdoer are qualities specific to a pious person. And the recompense for this behaviour is God’s approval and love. God informs us in one of His verses:
Those who give alms in times of both ease and hardship, those who control their rage and pardon their fellow man—God loves the charitable. (Qur’an, 3:134)
By responding to wrong-doing with goodness, the person forgiving would also be creating a place full of peace and comfort for himself and others. Of course, such an environment is vastly superior in terms of ease, comfort, and peace to one ruled by continuous revenge, grudge, hatred, and animosity. Of course, the individual may have to control himself and exercise great patience for some time to rid himself of the anger and feelings of resentment which at first well up him, but in return he will achieve an environment and soul full of friendship, love, respect, and peace. This is what God tells believers in His verses:
A good action and a bad action are not the same. Requisite evil with good and, if there is enmity between you and someone else, he will become like a bosom friend. But none will obtain this save those who are truly steadfast. None will attain this save those who have great good fortune. (Qur'an, 41:34-35)
As a reward for good morals, God gives people a good and an easy life. Around a person who doesn’t forgive, there are always enemies who hate and despise him, whereas one who forgives is blessed with a life full of comfort and peace in this world and warm friends.
* Wishing you forgive all of my mistakes,peace forever*
(taken from Beberapa Rahasia Al-Qur'an by Harun Yahya)
Hampir setiap orang memiliki kriteria sendiri-sendiri tentang yang benar dan yang salah. Kriteria yang digunakan untuk menetapkan yang benar dan yang salah ini sangat berbeda-beda. Sebuah buku, seseorang, seorang politisi, atau kadang-kadang seorang filsuf, barangkali dijadikan pembimbing dalam kehidupan seseorang. Namun demikian, jalan yang benar, sebagai satu-satunya jalan yang menuju kepada keselamatan, adalah agama yang telah dipilihkan oleh Allah. Menurut jalan ini, tujuan utamanya adalah untuk mencari keridhaan, rahmat, dan surga Allah. Sedangkan jalan-jalan lainnya, betapapun menariknya jalan itu kelihatannya, hanyalah menipu dan menjerumuskan kepada kehancuran, keputusasaan, penderitaan, dan siksa yang pedih, baik di dunia maupun di akhirat.
Orang-orang yang dibimbing ke jalan yang benar merupakan rahasia yang diungkapkan dalam al-Qur’an. Mereka adalah hamba-hamba yang dibimbing Allah kepada jalan-Nya dan yang memperoleh surga-Nya.
Beriman dengan Penuh Keyakinan
Sebelum yang lain-lainnya, orang perlu memiliki iman agar dapat memperoleh bimbingan kepada jalan yang lurus. Jika seseorang meyakini bahwa pemilik dan Pencipta langit dan bumi dan segala sesuatu di antara langit dan bumi itu adalah Allah, dan ia merasa yakin bahwa tujuan keberadaannya di dunia adalah untuk menjadi hamba Allah, dan ia mencari ridha Allah dalam seluruh kehidupannya, maka Allah akan membimbingnya ke jalan yang lurus. Beriman kepada Allah, akhirat, dan al-Qur’an haruslah merupakan iman yang teguh dan yakin. Meskipun sebagian orang mengatakan bahwa mereka adalah orang-orang yang beriman, tetapi mereka menyimpan keraguan. Ketika mereka berkumpul dengan orang-orang kafir dan berada di bawah pengaruh mereka, orang-orang seperti itu kemungkinan menampakkan kelemahan dan bersikap memusuhi terhadap Allah dan agama-Nya. Akan tetapi, orang-orang yang dibimbing Allah kepada jalan yang lurus memiliki iman yang teguh dan tidak tergoyahkan:
“Dan agar orang-orang yang telah diberi ilmu meyakini bahwa al-Qur’an itulah yang hak dari Tuhanmu lalu mereka beriman dan hati mereka tunduk kepadanya, dan sesungguhnya Allah adalah Pemberi Petunjuk bagi orang-orang yang beriman kepada jalan yang lurus.” (Q.s. al-Hajj: 54).
Berpaling kepada Allah dengan Penyerahan yang Sempurna
Orang-orang beriman yang berpaling kepada Allah dengan penyerahan yang sempurna merupakan rahasia lain dalam memperoleh petunjuk ke jalan yang lurus. Bagi orang yang beriman kepada Allah dan takut akan akhirat, dunia ini tidaklah menarik baginya.
Karena yang didambakannya hanya mencari ridha Allah, orang-orang yang benar-benar beriman berpaling kepada Allah dalam semua perbuatan mereka, dan mereka mengetahui bahwa Allah menguji mereka, mereka berserah diri kepada Allah atas takdir mereka yang telah ditetapkan Allah. Allah telah memberi tahu bahwa orang-orang yang berserah diri kepada-Nya akan memperoleh petunjuk kepada jalan yang lurus:
“Dan bagaimanakah kamu menjadi kafir, padahal ayat-ayat Allah dibacakan kepada kamu, dan Rasul-Nya pun berada di tengah-tengah kamu? Barangsiapa berpegang teguh kepada Allah, maka sesungguhnya ia telah diberi petunjuk kepada jalan yang lurus.” (Q.s. Ali Imran: 101).
“Dia telah mensyariatkan bagi kamu tentang agama apa yang telah diwasiatkan-Nya kepada Nuh dan apa yang telah Kami wasiatkan kepada Ibrahim, Musa, dan Isa, yaitu: Tegakkanlah agama dan janganlah kamu berpecah belah tentangnya. Amat berat bagi orang-orang musyrik agama yang kamu seru mereka kepadanya. Allah menarik kepada agama itu orang yang dikehendaki-Nya dan memberi petunjuk kepada-Nya orang yang kembali kepada-Nya.” (Q.s. asy-Syura: 13).
Mengikuti Nasihat yang Diberikan
Perintah Allah lainnya kepada hamba-hamba-Nya yang menginginkan petunjuk kepada jalan yang lurus adalah sebagai berikut:
“Dan sesungguhnya kalau mereka melaksanakan pelajaran yang diberikan kepada mereka, tentulah hal yang demikian itu lebih baik bagi mereka dan lebih menguatkan mereka. Dan kalau demikian, pasti Kami berikan kepada mereka pahala yang besar dari sisi Kami, dan pasti Kami tunjukkan mereka ke jalan yang lurus.” (Q.s. an-Nisa’: 66-8).
Orang-orang beriman yang bertakwa kepada Allah berusaha untuk membersihkan diri mereka dari kesalahan dan berusaha untuk memperoleh kesempurnaan akhlak yang menjadikan Allah ridha kepadanya. Namun, orang perlu bersikap rendah hati agar kesalahan-kesalahannya diampuni dan agar memperoleh petunjuk kepada jalan yang lurus. Orang yang rendah hati yang berusaha untuk membersihkan dirinya, pertama-tama akan bersungguh-sungguh mengikuti perintah-perintah Allah. Di samping itu, orang-orang beriman yang ikhlas saling menjadi teman dan pelindung bagi orang lain. Mereka memerintahkan yang benar dan melarang yang mungkar. Dengan demikian, karena mengetahui bahwa peringatan seorang yang beriman itu sangat penting bagi penghisaban seseorang di akhirat, maka orang-orang yang beriman juga harus saling mau menerima nasihat. Orang yang mau mengikuti nasihat yang baik akan memperoleh petunjuk kepada jalan yang lurus. Allah memberikan kabar gembira kepada hamba-hamba-Nya yang menjauhi bujukan setan dan menaati orang-orang yang menyeru kepada al-Qur’an dan perintah-perintah-Nya:
“Dan orang-orang yang menjauhi thaghut tidak menyembahnya dan kembali kepada Allah, bagi mereka berita gembira; sebab itu sampaikanlah berita itu kepada hamba-hamba-Ku, yang mendengarkan perkataan lalu mengikuti apa yang paling baik di antaranya. Mereka itulah orang-orang yang telah diberi Allah petunjuk dan mereka itulah orang-orang yang mempunyai akal.” (Q.s. az-Zumar: 17-8).
* special thanks for Ahmed Egale who always remind me about my lovely one.Yaa Rabbii, please forgive me * In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah, the Cherisher and Sustainer of the worlds; Most Gracious, Most Merciful; Master of the Day of Judgment. Thee do we worship, and Thine aid we seek, Show us the straight way, The way of those on whom Thou hast bestowed Thy Grace, those whose (portion) is not wrath, and who go not astray.
Kelayakan Guru Mengajar
Oleh INDRA GUNAWAN., S.Pd., M.Si.
MUNGKIN sebagian kalangan beranggapan setiap orang bisa melakukan pekerjaan guru, atau menjadi guru tidak memerlukan kecakapan khusus. Untuk tampil di depan kelas, menerangkan sebuah pokok bahasan atau subtema tertentu, bisa dilakukan cukup dengan membaca buku sumber lalu diterangkan. Setelah itu, siswa diberi soal tes, diperiksa, dicatat dalam daftar nilai, lalu hasilnya dibagikan, selesai.
Tugas guru tentu tidak sesederhana itu. Banyak hal yang harus dipersiapkan sebelum -seorang memutuskan menjadi guru. Seperti orang yang akan mengambil profesi dokter, ia terlebih dahulu harus melewati masa pendidikan kedokteran di perguruan tinggi. Setelah melalui proses panjang, barulah dia mengukuhkan dirinya sebagai dokter profesional.
Demikian pula guru, ia harus melewati masa pendidikan keguruan di sebuah Lembaga Pendidikan Tenaga Keguruan (LPTK), di universitas yang memiliki Fakultas Keguruan Ilmu Pendidikan (FKIP), Sekolah Tinggi Ilmu Keguruan dan Pendidikan (STKIP), atau Fakultas Tarbiyah dengan berbagai jurusan yang disediakan, baik program diploma maupun sarjana.
Bagi mereka yang telah menyelesaikan studinya di sebuah LPTK, ia akan memperoleh dua lembar ijazah. Yaitu, ijazah kesarjanaan atau ijazah diploma, dan ijazah akta yang merupakan sertifikasi kewenangan mengajar. Ijazah yang dimiliki seorang guru merupakan bukti kelayakan dalam menjalankan tugas profesinya sesuai mata pelajaran yang dipilihnya. Misalnya seseorang yang berijazah sarjana pendidikan bahasa dan sastra Indonesia, seyogianya mengajar pelajaran tersebut, bukan mengajar bahasa Inggris. Sebab, jika terjadi demikian, itulah yang disebut seorang guru mengajar tidak sesuai keahliannya atau tidak berkelayakan.
Sulitnya mencari pekerjaan menyebabkan sebagian kecil sarjana non kependidikan, seperti sarjana pertanian, sarjana hukum, sarjana ekonomi dan sarjana lain melirik profesi guru. Pada akhirnya, bagi mereka yang telah benar-benar jatuh hati pada profesi ini, tentu ia harus menambah persyaratan, yakni kuliah lagi mengambil akta IV. Namun demikian, ada pula di antara mereka yang menjadikan profesi guru sebagai batu loncatan. Adanya kekurangan guru di sekolah-sekolah tertentu menyebabkan para sarjana non kependidikan ini masuk ke wilayah pendidikan. Jika ditilik latar pendidikannya, eksistensi sarjana non kependidikan ini dapat dikategorikan tidak layak mengajar.
Akhir-akhir ini temuan tentang ketidaklayakan mengajar guru, mulai SD, SMP, hingga SMA/SMK telah diekspos dan diketahui secara luas di masyarakat. Direktur Pembinaan Diklat Depdiknas, Sumarna Surapranata, Ph.D., dalam dialog publik di gedung Program Pascasarjana Uninus, sebagaimana dimuat di harian "PR" (20/1) mengatakan, dari total guru PNS yang ada di Indonesia, sebanyak 45,2% (558.675 orang) guru SD dan 23,3% (108.811 orang) guru SMP, tidak layak mengajar. Sedangkan untuk guru PNS SMA, yang layak mengajar sebanyak 87.374 orang, dan yang tidak layak mengajar 35.424 orang.
Berbeda dengan data yang dikemukakan Sumarna Surapranata, Guru Besar Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia (UPI), Prof. Dr. Nanang Fatah, M.Pd., mengemukakan, sebagian besar dari sekira 2,7 juta guru PNS di Indonesia, tidak layak mengajar. Untuk guru SD sebanyak 605.217 orang (49,3%), guru SMP 167.643 orang (35,9%), guru SMA 75.684 (32,9%), dan guru SMK 63.961 orang (43,3%) ("PR" 15/12/05).
Mungkin ada indikator berbeda yang digunakan kedua pakar itu untuk mengukur layak dan tidak layaknya seorang guru mengajar, sehingga datanya berbeda. Namun demikian, tampaknya ada pula sisi yang sama yakni menyangkut latar belakang pendidikan serta kesesuaian mata pelajaran yang diajarkan dengan latar belakang ijazah yang dimiliki seorang guru. Misalnya untuk guru SD, latar pendidikannya ada yang masih SPG, SGO, atau D1, padahal tuntutannya adalah D2. Begitu pun untuk guru SMP, SMA atau SMK, ada yang mengajar tidak sesuai dengan latar pendidikannya.
Berdasarkan tuntutan yang semakin kuat kepada profesi guru, maka untuk mencapai tingkat kelayakan yang diharapkan, setiap guru sebaiknya Pertama, sedapat mungkin segera menyesuaikan batas minimal pendidikan sesuai tuntutan UU Guru dan Dosen. Kedua, mengajar sesuai dengan latar ijazah yang dimiliki.
Ketiga, menguasai mata pelajaran yang menjadi tanggung jawabnya, serta memiliki keinginan yang kuat untuk terus meningkatkan pengetahuan, sehingga setiap saat siap untuk menghadapi uji kompetensi. Keempat, dapat mengaplikasikan pengetahuan kependidikannya (didaktik, metodik, maupun pedagogik) dalam proses belajar mengajar sebagaimana mestinya, sehingga siswa sebagai peserta didik terlayani dengan baik. Kelima, melakukan peran lainnya secara profesional, baik sebagai pendidik maupun sebagai pembimbing.***
Penulis, guru SMAN 1 Karangpawitan Garut.
http://www.pikiran-rakyat.com/cetak/2006/022006/06/99forumguru.htm
Jarang Ikut Latihan Kualitas Guru Rendah
Yogyakarta, TP Kendati secara kuantitas jumlah guru di Indonesia cukup memadai, namun secara kualitas mutu guru di negara ini, pada umumnya masih rendah karena mengikuti kegiatan-kegiatan seperti studi lanjut, penataran, seminar, lokakarya, semiloka, workshop, latihan, dan simposium di bidang pendidikan. “Hal itu disebabkan mereka jarang dilibatkan dalam kegiatan-kegiatan yang secara langsung maupun tidak langsung yang bisa meningkatkan profesionalismenya,” kata pakar pendidikan dari Universitas Taman Siswa Yogyakarta, Prof Dr Ki Supriyoko, di Yogyakarta, Selasa (6/8) pada seminar “Kajian Cerdas Berakhlak Mulia” yang diselenggarakan Pemkab Bantul, Propinsi D.I Yogyakarta. Menurut Supriyoko, para guru di Indonesia masih kurang bisa memerankan fungsinya. “Secara umum, para guru di Indonesia kurang bisa memerankan fungsinya dengan optimal, karena pemerintah masih kurang memperhatikan mereka, khususnya dalam upaya meningkatkan profesionalismenya,” katanya. Dijelaskan, secara kuantitatif, sebenarnya jumlah guru di Indonesia relatif tidak terlalu buruk. Apabila dilihat ratio guru dengan siswa, angka-angkanya cukup bagus yakni di SD 1:22, SLTP 1:16, dan SMU/SMK 1:12. Meskipun demikian, dalam hal distribusi guru ternyata banyak mengandung kelemahan yakni pada satu sisi ada daerah atau sekolah yang kelebihan jumlah guru, dan di sisi lain ada daerah atau sekolah yang kekurangan guru. Dalam banyak kasus, ada SD yang jumlah gurunya hanya tiga hingga empat orang, sehingga mereka harus mengajar kelas secara paralel dan simultan. Dalam keadaan seperti ini, maka sangat sulit diharapkan adanya pengembangan kecerdasan siswa dapat dilaksanakan secara optimal. Bila diukur dari persyaratan akademis, baik menyangkut pendidikan minimal maupun kesesuaian bidang studi dengan pelajaran yang harus diberikan kepada anak didik, ternyata banyak guru yang tidak memenuhi kualitas mengajar (under quality). Hal itu dapat dibuktikan dengan masih banyaknya guru yang belum sarjana, namun mengajar di SMU/SMK, serta banyak guru yang mengajar tidak sesuai dengan disiplin ilmu yang mereka miliki. “Keadaan seperti ini menimpa lebih dari separoh guru di Indonesia, baik di SD, SLTP dan SMU/SMK. Artinya lebih dari 50 persen guru SD, SLTP dan SMU/SMK di Indonesia sebenarnya tidak memenuhi kelayakan mengajar,” katanya. Ia menambahkan, dengan kondisi dan situasi seperti itu, diharapkan pendidikan yang berlangsung di sekolah harus secara seimbang dapat mencerdaskan kehidupan anak dan harus menanamkan budi pekerti kepada anak didik. “Sangat kurang tepat bila sekolah hanya mengembangkan kecerdasan anak didik, namun mengabaikan penanaman budi pekerti kepada para siswanya,” katanya. (ant)
http://www.indomedia.com/timikapos/2002/08/07/070804.html  | ねむい | Feb 16, '06 12:01 AM for everyone |
2月14日は終了発表でした。その前は1週間ぐらい終了発表を作りました。はじめてパワポインタを作った、とても好きです。だっから毎晩れんしゅうした。いろいろなおもしろい写真をいれました。先生はきんちょした。私だけまだ終わりませんから。私は”だいじょうぶ先生、このパワポインタを作るのは好きですから”と言いました。13日はおわった。そして、先生とまみさんとれんしゅうした。はやく会館にかえたあと韓国の友達とも1回れんしゅうした。時間が20っ分ですから、だっからたくさん写真をカットした。午後9時に母にでんわした。私はいつもいろいろなしけんがあたら、母とはなします。インドネシア語はMINTA DOA RESTUです。そのあと早く寝ました。
その前1週間ぐらい1日に1時間だけ寝ましたから、今ねむいね。会館にかえる。
ではまた。
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