What is XDR-TB? Most of you probably know that TB stands for Tuberculosis. A bacteria that infected one in three people in this world. XDR stands for Extensively/Extremely Drug Resistant. XDR-TB is a form of TB caused by bacteria that is resistant to the most effective anti-TB drugs. It affected all of us, but mostly the poorest people with the worst health condition.

I noticed this particular disease from this TED’s talk about James Nachtwey, a well-known photografer that captures lives of people affected by XDR-TB using his camera.  The photographs are also printed in TIME Asia that I read last week. I take it as a sign that i must write about XDR-TB as well.

Visit this site xdrtb.org and see some disturbing yet touching photographs from James Nachtwey that travels around the world to take a snapshot of life infected by XDR-TB. I encourage you to watch all the photographs because it’s really an eye and mind opener. Please raise awareness to XDR-TB in the world, especially in Indonesia.

Based on the latest statistics from WHO, as of June 2008, 49 countries have confirmed cases of XDR-TB. Indonesia is not included but once there’s such a case, there’s a possibility that it can spread one to another very quickly.

Please write about XDR-TB or place below banner to raise awareness about XDR-TB in Indonesia.

<A HREF=”http://www.lplpx.com/images/xdrtb-banner1.jpg”><IMG SRC=”http://www.lplpx.com/images/xdrtb-banner1.jpg” ALT=”XDRTB-Banner1″></A>

<A HREF=”http://www.lplpx.com/images/xdrtb-banner2.jpg”><IMG SRC=”http://www.lplpx.com/images/xdrtb-banner2.jpg” ALT=”XDRTB-Banner2″></A>

<A HREF=”http://www.lplpx.com/images/xdrtb-banner3.jpg”><IMG SRC=”http://www.lplpx.com/images/xdrtb-banner3.jpg” ALT=”XDRTB-Banner3″></A>

Ever wondered what’s like if world without us? Visit this site to catch a glimpse of the future. No more corruption, no more pornography, no more war. Seems like a good place. Too bad, I’m not going to be there to enjoy it, unless I morph into Gorilla.

World Without Us

Almost everybody knows about dejavu. It’s when you feel that you already experience something even though you do it for the first time. The opposite of dejavu is jamais vu. It’s when you feel you do something for the first time, even though you already do it over and over again. I always think that’s a good practice. While we cannot force dejavu, but we can practice our personal jamais vu everyday.

Jamais vu maintains your enthusiasm. When something become a routine, the enthusiasm level just dropped slowly until it reached zero. When you feel jamais vu, you keep your enthusiasm high to do the routines.

How? Find a new angle, a new perspective in one routine. Discover another side of a person that you haven’t found out. You can take the same road, but the scenery changes.

And today, Moslem people around me celebrating Ramadan, I hope that those people feeling jamais vu and fasting like they are fasting for the first time with the same excitement as a child when they do it for the first time.

Happy fasting!