Goa Seplawan (Seplawan Cave)

Gap high cliffs flank children stairs toward the mouth of the cave Seplawan located in one of the top Menoreh in Mountain Village Donorejo, Subdistrict Kaligesing, Purworejo regency, Central Java. Hundreds of children household help to decrease its way toward the mouth of a cave filled stalaktit and Stalagmite it.

The ancient mountains that have been established since tens of million years that extends from Kulon Progo, Yogyakarta, to Purworejo regency, Central Java. The process has been the natural evolution of the mountains that form the surface in such a way that presents a panorama of natural wonders. At the peak of the mountain-top, there are a number of cave, such as Goa in Kiskendo Kulon Progo, Goa Seplawan in Newton Aycliffe, and the results of a number of artificial grotto culture in ancient time around Queenstown.

Seplawan cave that is at the height of approximately 800 meters above sea level is quite interesting. The mouth of the cave resembles the funnel splay at the top and narrow at the neck. The surface of the mouth of the cave is quite broad and sloping evolutif to be continually widening due to erosion. Erosion occurs in the mouth of the cave, for example, direct "swallowed" by a cave-shaped neck upright, like wells. Diameter neck cave is 15 meters, with a depth of around 12 meters.

First is not easy to reach Goa Seplawan. Just a few years, these people can be easily explored it. Before be, the basic cave is muddy and watery so difficult to explore. In any room in the dark. However, now the Government has Purworejo regency build footpaths, other than to provide lighting in the cave so that tourists can enjoy comfortable with the location.

Development facility is not simply consider the beauty cave, but more than that, namely because the cave Seplawan also leave impressions, the impressions the history of ancient civilization. In one altar in the cave walls, because there are parts that even resembles altar in the cave wall-gold statue was found at approximately 9 centimeters, with a rate of 22 carat gold. The statue consists of a pair of men and women who are hand in hand.

Believed, is the statue of Siva and Goddess Badrawati. Now the gold statuette is stored in the National Museum, Jakarta. As a sign that the statue was found in the cave Seplawan, didirikanlah replica of the statue in front of the cave mouth. Replica statue was built with a size far larger than the size that resembles the original monument.

Bali Tourism

KUTA BEACH

Description: Kuta is the center of entertainments and has become the favorite destination of multinational visitors. It has everything a tourist looks for i.e. white-sandy beach, rows of excellent bars and restaurants, discotheques, and entertainment spots for an enjoyable nightlife. Rows of kiosks selling souvenirs and everything a tourist need such as garments or latest CDs and cassettes are available along the main road with reasonable prices.

Location: 11 km south of Denpasar. Kuta can be easily reached by public transport from Tegal bemo station in 30 minutes.

NUSA DUA BEACH

Description: Nusa Dua enclave has the most complete tourist facilities in Bali, including luxurious hotels, sporting facilities, shopping center and international convention hall, to mention a few. The empty, arid land of Nusa Dua started to develop in 1974 and the government trusted the management to Bali Tourism Development Corporation (BTDC).

Location: The distance between Nusa Dua and Denpasar is 30 km, through Kuta to the south, 12 km from the Ngurah Rai International Airport.

SANUR BEACH

Description: Sanur has been known worldwide literally a century ago, when the deadly, horrendous battle of Puputan Badung took place on September 20, 1906 as the Dutch troops anchored here. This beach was first introduced into international community by a Belgian painter, A.T. Le Mayeur, who married a Balinese dancer Ni Polok, and stayed here since 1937 and often held painting exhibitions of his own.
The main attraction of Sanur is its calm beach. In the south east, one can observe Nusa Penida Island across the sea and in the eastern side, the panoramic view of South Bali along with its range of mountains is a spectacular sight that should not be missed. In a bright afternoon the scenery is simply beautiful.

Location: Sanur is six km from Denpasar, one can get to this beach by car, motorcycle or regular public transportation.

BENOA HARBOUR

Description: Benoa is the marine activity hub of the island, for both domestic and international. Boating races are regularly held here with overseas participants hosted by Royal Bali Yacht Club, RBYC. From this harbor visitors can extend their vacation to other destinations, including Nusa Lembongan, Nusa Penida and Lombok, on their own boats or on cruises available here such as Bali Hai Cruise, The Bounty, Nusa Lembongan, to mention a few.

Location: This harbor is six km to the south from Denpasar.

SOKA BEACH

Description: Soka is one of the most beautiful beaches in western part of Bali. Panorama view with chains of hills forms natural walls on the west side through to Batukaru Mountain Range on the north. On the eastside, Agung Mountain is seen in the distance and Indonesian ocean is on the south with the eastern tip of east Java in the backdrop.
Soka beach hides thousand of natural miracles and legends. One can find a massive coral stone with size of about 30 cubic meters surrounded by sand and sea water believed to be cooking pot of Balinese mighty man named Kebo Iwa. On the west side of the cooking pot, there is a another coral stone depicting a traditional stove about 10x20 meters in size believed as the stove on which the mighty Kebo Iwa cooked his meal.

Location: Soka beach is in Antap Village, sub-district of Selamadeg, Tabanan, 45 km from Denpasar or 84 km from Gilimanuk

Karangasem
The regency of Karangasem is one of the nine regency in Bali, situated in the eastern part of Bali. The distance between Karangasem Regency and the International Airport located in Denpasar is about 88 km (53 miles).



Tabanan
Tabanan regency is one of 8 districts/1 city which have agriculture characteristic, with width of the area about 893.33 km² (19.9% from width of Bali island). Administratively Tabanan regency divided into 8 subdistricts, 10.



Buleleng
The regency of Buleleng consists of 9 Subdistrict that covers 146 administrative village and traditional village 163 with width near 1.365.88 kilometers. The distance between Buleleng Regency and the Denpasar is about 88 km (53 miles).

Health Insurers Offer to Accept All Applicants, on Condition

WASHINGTON — The health insurance industry said Wednesday that it would support a health care overhaul requiring insurers to accept all customers, regardless of illness or disability. But in return, the industry said, Congress should require all Americans to have coverage.

The proposals, put forward by the insurers’ two main trade associations, have the potential to reshape and advance the debate over universal health insurance just as President-elect Barack Obama prepares to take office.

In separate actions, the two trade groups, America’s Health Insurance Plans and the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, announced their support for guaranteed coverage for people with pre-existing medical conditions, in conjunction with an enforceable mandate for individual coverage.

In the absence of such a mandate, insurers said, many people will wait until they become sick before they buy insurance.

Members of Congress said Wednesday that they wanted to pass legislation next year, as proposed by Mr. Obama, to expand coverage and rein in health care costs.

The new position taken by the insurance industry — the industry that helped sink President Bill Clinton’s plan for universal health coverage in 1994 — could ease the way for passage of such legislation.

But the industry’s position differs from that of Mr. Obama in one significant respect. Insurers want the government to require everyone to have and maintain insurance. By contrast, Mr. Obama would, at least initially, apply the requirement only to children.

In the race for the Democratic presidential nomination, that was a major point of contention between Mr. Obama and Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York. Mrs. Clinton said that everyone should be required to have coverage. Mr. Obama said he wanted to be certain that insurance was affordable and available to all before considering such a broad requirement.

Asked on Wednesday for reaction to the insurance industry’s proposals, Tommy Vietor, a spokesman for the Obama transition team, said, “We are declining comment.” Mr. Vietor cited Mr. Obama’s view that “we have only one president at a time.”

In many cases, people with cancer, diabetes, traumatic brain injuries or other serious afflictions have found that they cannot obtain health insurance at any price.

Research suggests that some insurers turn down 10 percent or more of applicants for individual coverage because of their pre-existing medical conditions.

Donald G. Hamm Jr., president of Assurant Health, explained why the industry thought an individual mandate must be coupled with any ban on such underwriting practices.

“In the individual market, people can choose whether or not to apply for coverage,” Mr. Hamm said in an interview. “If they know they can obtain coverage at any time, many will wait until they get sick to apply for it. That increases the price for everyone.”

Insurers say that is just what happened in several states that prohibited insurers from turning down applicants on the basis of their health status.

The new policy statements are silent on two important issues: how to enforce an individual mandate and how to regulate insurance prices, or premiums.

While insurers would be required to sell insurance to any applicant, nothing would guarantee that consumers could afford it. Rate regulation promises to be a highly contentious issue, since it pits the financial interests of insurers against those of consumers.

At present, insurance premiums are generally regulated by the states and often vary according to a person’s age, sex, medical history and place of residence within a state. In the individual market in most states, a person with a history of serious or chronic illness can be charged much more than a healthy person of the same age and sex.

Mr. Hamm, a member of the board of America’s Health Insurance Plans, said the group might offer recommendations to define “a fair and appropriate rating structure.”

Alissa Fox, a vice president of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, said the individual mandate was an indispensable corollary of any approach forbidding insurers to reject applicants because of health status.

“Insurance works best when everyone is in the pool,” Ms. Fox said. “You need healthy people in the insurance pool to help pay for sicker individuals who are much more motivated to buy coverage.”

Insurers did not say how the government should enforce an individual mandate: whether through fines, tax penalties or other means. Politicians have also been reluctant to specify details of enforcement, which could prove highly unpopular.

Taken from : http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/20/us/20health.html?_r=1&ref=business&oref=slogin