INDONESIAN TOURISM

INDONESIAN TOURISM


Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia (Indonesian: Republik Indonesia [rɛpublik ɪndonesia]), is a sovereign transcontinental country located mainly in Southeast Asia with some territories in Oceania. Situated between the Indian and Pacific oceans, it is the world's largest island country, with more than thirteen thousand islands.^[9][10] It has an estimated population of over 260 million people (September 2016) and is the world's fourth most populous country, most populous Austronesian nation, as well as the most populous Muslim-majority country. The world's most populous island of Java contains more than half of the country's population.
Indonesia's republican form of government includes an elected legislature and president. Indonesia has 34 provinces, of which five have Special Administrative status. Its capital and most populous city is Jakarta. The country shares land borders with Papua New Guinea, East Timor, and the eastern part of Malaysia. Other neighbouring countries include Singapore, the Philippines, Australia, Palau, and the Indian territory of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Indonesia is a founding member of ASEAN and a member of the G-20 major economies. The Indonesian economy is the world's 16th largest by nominal GDP and the 8th largest by GDP at PPP.
The Indonesian archipelago has been an important region for trade since at least the 7th century, when Srivijaya and then later Majapahit traded with China and India. Local rulers gradually absorbed foreign cultural, religious and political models from the early centuries CE, and Hindu and Buddhist kingdoms flourished. Indonesian history has been influenced by foreign powers drawn to its natural resources. Muslim traders and Sufi scholars brought the now-dominant Islam,^[11][12] while European powers brought Christianity and fought one another to monopolise trade in the Spice Islands of Maluku during the Age of Discovery. Following three and a half centuries of Dutch colonialism starting from Amboina and Batavia, and eventually all of the archipelago including Timor and West Papua, at times interrupted by Portuguese, French and British rule, Indonesia secured its independence after World War II. Indonesia's history has since been turbulent, with challenges posed by natural disasters, mass slaughter, corruption, separatism, a democratisation process, and periods of rapid economic change.
Indonesia consists of hundreds of distinct native ethnic and linguistic groups. The largest – and politically dominant – ethnic group are the Javanese. A shared identity has developed, defined by a national language, ethnic diversity, religious pluralism within a Muslim-majority population, and a history of colonialism and rebellion against it. Indonesia's national motto, "Bhinneka Tunggal Ika" ("Unity in Diversity" literally, "many, yet one"), articulates the diversity that shapes the country. Despite its large population and densely populated regions, Indonesia has vast areas of wilderness that support the world's second highest level of biodiversity. The country has abundant natural resources like oil and natural gas, tin, copper and gold. Agriculture mainly produces rice, tea, coffee, spices and rubber. Indonesia's major trading partners are Japan, the United States and the surrounding countries of Singapore, Malaysia and Australia.

Indonesia is the largest archipelago in the world, range from Sabang in Aceh to Merauke in Papua, which is made up of thousands of large and small islands, which are connected by the strait and sea. According to data from the Ministry of Interior of the Republic Indonesia in 2010 was as much as 17,504 islands. 7,870 of them have names, while 9,634 do not have a name.
The total area of the Indonesian ocean broader than its land, Indonesia's land area of 1.91 million km2, while the area of oceans is 6.279 million km2. With such widespread Indonesia kept many natural resources on land and under the sea is beautiful. No wonder if Indonesia has many wonderful spots especially in the sector of the beach. Due to the geographical position of Indonesia itself that is located in parts of the equator. Among the many beaches, there are several beaches in Indonesia are categorized as the most beautiful beaches in the world. Among other Senggigi Beach in Lombok, Kuta Beach in Bali, Bunaken Beach in Manado, and many other beautiful beaches.
Indonesia has very beautiful natural wealth. Because of its natural beauty that Indonesia has become a tourist destination that is much coveted by both local and international travelers from around the world. Panorama in Indonesia is certainly not inferior to other countries. For it would not hurt if we went on holiday to enjoy a variety of natural beauty that exist in Indonesia and make it as a tourist destination.
Not only that, Indonesia is also rich in culture, various tribes living in Indonesia with harmony and peace, each tribe has its own characteristics that make cultural diversity in Indonesia, besides Indonesia also has a distinctive culinary in each territory.
Indonesia is the country that has extraordinary natural wealth. In fact, all the world is well-known attractions here. Indonesia has hundreds of National Parks that must to visit. One of them is the Komodo National Park is the sole habitat of Komodo in the world. In addition, there is also a favorite of international climbers is Carstensz Pyramid where this mountain was shrouded in eternal snow. Indeed, the wealth of natural attractions Indonesia countless. To prove it, please visit Indonesia as recommended tourist destination by presenting the most complete natural wealth on earth.

TOP 12 MUST VISIT PLACES IN INDONESIAN:
1.BALI

 Bali is a living postcard, an Indonesian paradise that feels like a fantasy. Soak up the sun on a stretch of fine white sand, or commune with the tropical creatures as you dive along coral
2. SURAKARTA or SOLO

Surakarta or more famous as Solo is lying across in fertile plain terrain along the longest river in Java, Bengawan or River Solo. Flanked by mountain volcanoes Merapi and Merbabu in the north, and mount Lawu in the southeast border, is famous as a stronghold and center of Javanese culture and tradition. Surakarta, is the cradle of Javanese culture, with two royal houses in one single city: the Kraton of Solo and the Mangkunegaran, a principality. Descendants of these two royal houses are still considered leaders of Javanese culture and traditions. Majestic ceremonies and royal festivals are still held with great affectation nowadays. Surakarta or Solo (550000 inhabitants) draws its name from the longest river of Java, which passes in this city. It was the capital of the kingdom of Mataram from 1745 to 1755. There are many Becak (rickshaws decorated with naive scenes) croos the city.

Solo offers an incredible list of eateries also popular far beyond the city. Solo today remains a distinctly Central Javanese with an elegance all its own. It is one of the centers of batik and other Javanese fabrics, and souvenir hunters may find exquisite 'objects d'art" and ornate trinkets in the local markets. Those interested in old, Javanese culture and art should not miss Solo. Solo is called the city that never sleeps. From the evening throughout the whole night one can always find something to eat or buy, as vendors of all kinds as well as small food-stalls remain active and open 24 hours. Home of two royal houses with centuries of power and influence over the city. There are nice inns and hotels in Selo for accommodation. This place was a famous holiday resort of Surakarta Royal Families.

Solo is Surakarta's commercial as well as its administrative center, and produce from the surrounding desa fills the markets every day. Solo produces cigarettes, herbal medicines and various other light industry products, but batik is far and away the most important manufacturing activity in the city. Batik is a traditional textile working process involving the use of wax to cover the cloth in patterns and thus control the areas affected by dying. In the traditional process, batik tulis ("written batik") hot wax is applied with incredible patience and skill with an instrument that looks like a pipe but is used like a pen. The women and girls sit circled around an often-smoky little burner that heats the wax.

Many of the larger houses participate in the batik industry, with an area set aside for a covey of from 10 to 30 women and girls, who usually come from the village (desa). Really skilled workers are generally old, and the present level of batik production is not likely to continue in economically developing Java as alternative, less demanding activities absorb more of this cheap labor.

3.BROMO MAUNTAIN EAST JAVA

Bromo mountain, is the most popular destination in Indonesia that always been visited by both local or foreign. This mountain is also belongs to the Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park. Bromo Mountain is an active volcanic mountain that located in Probolinggo regency, East Java. At 2,329 meters (7,641 ft) it is not the highest peak after all, but is the most well know mountain.

4.BAWAEAN ISLAND

Bawean Island is one of wonderful island in Indonesia, precisely in East Java province area. This island has many tourists destinations which are not inferior to other tourist destinations in Indonesia. Besides its marine tourism,, lakes and waterfalls toursm, the visitors can also enjoy the culture of the indigenous people in Bawean Island.

5.IJEN CREATER

Ijen Crater or Kawah Ijen is the complex of volcanic area, which there is a crater of Ijen and its plateau, which has 2,600M and 8,660 M high. Ijen crater is located in three parts of regencies, which in Situbondo, Bondowoso, and Banyuwangi, East Java. This volcanic area become the most incredible and surreal volcanic area which has a gigantic turquois crater lake in East Java.

6.KOMODO NATIONAL PARK ISLAND

Komodo National Park also has amazing underwater life. The divers states that Komodo island is one of the best dive sites in the world. With stunning views of sea bottom where there are 385 species of beautiful corals, mangroves and sea grass, as well as home to thousands fishes, 70 sponges species, 10 species of dolphins, 6 kinds of whales, green turtles, and various types of sharks and stingrays. The combination of a variety of vegetation in the park provide a good environment for different types of animals in this region

7.SEMARANG

Semarang city, the capital of Central Java province is located on the north Coast of Java Sea. Semarang is situated on Java's northern coast and is called the capital of Central Java, as it lies just about halfway between the extreme east and west coasts of the island. From Candi Hill we get amazing scenery of the port, the lowlands and green paddy fields, the city itself and the surrounding mountains. The environs around Semarang are perfect for clay trips side-excursions. Semarang is the five major cities in the nation. It is situated on Java's normally flat northern coast and appropriately called the capital of Central Java.

Semarang is a busy administrative and trading city, most of the offices, business centers, industrial estates are concentrated in the low land, where as in the hilly side, there are many houses with the beautiful gardens with a superb view to the town and the sea. The old records of this city date back to the 15th to the 18th century AD in where captivating ancient and colonial monuments still standing to present date.

There is an older part of the city, close to its ocean harbor, where we can still find an interesting collection of odd-looking buildings dating back to the Dutch colonial era and further back still, to the time of the Dutch East Indies Company. The old city has colonial era buildings (Dutch) and is well worth a stroll. If have time we can try and catch a traditional Wajang puppet performance.

The population of Semarang is predominantly Javanese, though with smaller numbers of people from many regions in Indonesia. The city is known for its large ethnically Chinese population. The main languages spoken are Indonesian and Javanese. As a result of its large ethnically Chinese population, the city boasts several Chinese temples. These include Sam Po Kong (Kedung Batu), built in honor of the Chinese Great Admiral Zheng He who visited the area in 1405, and Tay Kak Sie Temple. Blenduk Church, a 1753 Protestant church built by Dutch, is located in the old town (called "Oudstad"). Tugu Muda (Youth Monument), a monument to heroes of Indonesia's independence struggle, is located in front of Lawang Sewu Building, at the end of Pemuda Street, one of the city's major shopping streets.

8.SOUTH SUMATRA TOURISM

South Sumatra province since centuries ago also known as 'The Earth of Sriwijaya'. In the 7th century to the 12th century AD, this region was the center of Sriwijaya kingdom which also known as the largest and strongest maritime kingdom in the archipelago. Echoes and its influence even to Madagascar in Africa.

9.JAYA WIJAYA MAUNTAIN

Indonesia is a country known for having the most world's volcanoes. Jayawijaya Mountains is the name for the mountain range that stretched lengthwise in the center of the province of West Papua to Papua New Guinea Newguinea on. Rows of mountains that has some the highest peaks in Indonesia is formed by removal of the sea floor thousands of years ago. Although located at an altitude of 4800 meters and includes the highest mountain in Indonesia, fossilized sea shells, for example can be seen in limestone and clastic rocks contained in the Jayawijaya Mountains. Therefore, besides being a paradise of the climbers, Jayawijaya Mountains is also a paradise researchers geological world.

Besides known as Puncak Jaya, the highest peak is also known as Carstenz Pyramide, or the Carstensz Peak. The name was taken from an adventurer from the Netherlands, namely in January Carstensz, who first saw the snowy peaks in the tropics, specifically in New Guinea. The observation was made by Jan Crastensz through a ship in 1623. Since not be proved by direct observation, the report was considered absurd. Because, for Europeans, found the snowy mountains in the tropics is something that is impossible.

Truth Carstensz report revealed after nearly three hundred years later, when in 1899 a Dutch expedition to New Guinea make a map and find snow-covered mountain peaks as reported by Crastensz. In honor of Carstensz, the mountaintop is then named as the name implies. While the designation Jayawijaya Peak is pemeberian President Sukarno after successfully embrace the sovereignty of West Papua from the Netherlands. This name meaning "summit victory", as an expression of gratitude for the unification of West Papua with the Unitary Republic of Indonesia.

Jayawijaya Mountains is also the only mountain and mountain in Indonesia, which has a peak covered with eternal snow. Although not all peaks of the cluster Jayawijaya Mountains that has snow. Snow is owned by several peaks even at this time is lost due to climate change globally. Lots of things are very beautiful in Indonesia and this has made Indonesia a place of Heaven Tour.

10.BOROBUDUR TAMPLE

This famous Buddhist temple, dating from the 8th and 9th centuries, is located in central Java. It was built in three tiers: a pyramidal base with five concentric square terraces, the trunk of a cone with three circular platforms and, at the top, a monumental stupa. The walls and balustrades are decorated with fine low reliefs, covering a total surface area of 2,500 m². Around the circular platforms are 72 openwork stupas, each containing a statue of the Buddha. The monument was restored with UNESCO's help in the 1970s.

This famous Buddhist temple, dating from the 8th and 9th centuries, is located in central Java. It was built in three tiers: a pyramidal base with five concentric square terraces, the trunk of a cone with three circular platforms and, at the top, a monumental stupa. The walls and balustrades are decorated with fine low reliefs, covering a total surface area of 2,500 m². Around the circular platforms are 72 openwork stupas, each containing a statue of the Buddha. The monument was restored with UNESCO's help in the 1970s.

Borobudur Temple Compounds (Indonesia) © UNESCO

Outstanding Universal Value

Brief synthesis
The Borobudur Temple Compounds is one of the greatest Buddhist monuments in the world, and was built in the 8th and 9th centuries AD during the reign of the Syailendra Dynasty. The monument is located in the Kedu Valley, in the southern part of Central Java, at the centre of the island of Java, Indonesia.
The main temple is a stupa built in three tiers around a hill which was a natural centre: a pyramidal base with five concentric square terraces, the trunk of a cone with three circular platforms and, at the top, a monumental stupa. The walls and balustrades are decorated with fine low reliefs, covering a total surface area of 2,520 m². Around the circular platforms are 72 openwork stupas, each containing a statue of the Buddha.
The vertical division of Borobudur Temple into base, body, and superstructure perfectly accords with the conception of the Universe in Buddhist cosmology. It is believed that the universe is divided into three superimposing spheres, kamadhatu, rupadhatu, and arupadhatu, representing respectively the sphere of desires where we are bound to our desires, the sphere of forms where we abandon our desires but are still bound to name and form, and the sphere of formlessness where there is no longer either name or form. At Borobudur Temple, the kamadhatu is represented by the base, the rupadhatu by the five square terraces, and the arupadhatu by the three circular platforms as well as the big stupa. The whole structure shows a unique blending of the very central ideas of ancestor worship, related to the idea of a terraced mountain, combined with the Buddhist concept of attaining Nirvana.
The Temple should also be seen as an outstanding dynastic monument of the Syailendra Dynasty that ruled Java for around five centuries until the 10th century.
The Borobudur Temple Compounds consists of three monuments: namely the Borobudur Temple and  two smaller temples situatued to the east on a straight axis to Borobudur. The two temples are Mendut Temple, whose depiction of Buddha is represented by a formidable monolith accompanied by two Bodhisattvas, and Pawon Temple, a smaller temple whose inner space does not reveal which deity might have been the object of worship. Those three monuments represent phases in the attainment of Nirvana.
The temple was used as a Buddhist temple from its construction until sometime between the 10th and 15th centuries when it was abandoned. Since its re-discovery in the 19th century and restoration in the 20th century, it has been brought back into a Buddhist archaeological site.
Criterion (i): Borobudur Temple Compounds with its stepped, unroofed pyramid consisting of ten superimposing terraces, crowned by a large bell-shaped dome is a harmonious marriage of stupas, temple and mountain that is a masterpiece of Buddhist architecture and monumental arts.
Criterion (ii): Borobudur Temple Compounds is an outstanding example of Indonesia’s art and architecture from between the early 8th and late 9th centuries that exerted considerable influence on an architectural revival between the mid-13th and early 16th centuries.
Criterion (vi): Laid out in the form of a lotus, the sacred flower of Buddha, Borobudur Temple Compounds is an exceptional reflection of a blending of the very central idea of indigenous ancestor worship and the Buddhist concept of attaining Nirvana. The ten mounting terraces of the entire structure correspond to the successive stages that the Bodhisattva has to achieve before attaining to Buddhahood.

11.LOMBOK ISLAND

Long overshadowed by its superstar neighbour across the Lombok Strait there's a steady hum about Lombok that catches the ear of travellers looking for something different from Bali. Blessed with exquisite white-sand beaches, epic surf, a lush forested interior, and hiking trails through tobacco and rice fields, Lombok is fully loaded with equitorial allure. Oh, and you'll probably notice mighty Gunung Rinjani, Indonesia's second-highest volcano, its summit complete with hot springs and a dazzling crater lake.

And there's much more. Lombok's southern coastline is nature on a very grand scale: breathtaking turquoise bays, world-class surf breaks and massive headlands. They keep saying development on these splendid beaches is just around the corner, but until that moment comes, they are easy to explore over much-improved roads.

If you're going to the Gilis, a Lombok stopover is a must. Transport options are good and the mood could not be more laid back.

Lombok and the Gilis

Almost as big as Bali, Lombok is the largely undiscovered island next door. From its volcanic centre to untrodden idyllic beaches such as Mawun, it rewards travellers who want to explore. Many are drawn to mighty Gunung Rinjani, Indonesia's second-highest volcano. Rivers and waterfalls gush down its fissured slopes, while its summit – complete with hot springs and a dazzling crater lake – is the ultimate trekker's prize. The fabled Gili Islands are three exquisite droplets of white sand sprinkled with coconut palms and surrounded by coral reefs teeming with marine life and, on Gili Trawangan, legendary nightlife.

12.FLORES ISLAND

Flores Island is one of the most popular destinations in Clayoquot Sound. Here, visitors can enjoy hiking, whale watching, fishing, kayaking, beach camping and more. This vast, untamed wilderness area protects undisturbed watersheds with old-growth forest stands of Sitka spruce, as well as representative coastal and marine ecosystems, including excellent spawning conditions for coho salmon, exposed rocky coasts, sandstone reefs, beaches, sheltered channels and bays, fast narrows, mudflats and shallow banks.

One of the main attractions of Flores Island is the “Walk the Wild Side Trail,” a route that extends 10 km from the village of Ahousat to Cow Bay. First Nation peoples have used this route for centuries to reach the wild beaches on the west side of the island, and this vital circuit can now be explored by park visitors. Most of the route follows sandy beaches, and trails cut across headlands to join with the next beach. Muddy and slippery sections are present on this route, at this time.

The park offers excellent opportunities to see Gray whales, who pass by the Island in their annual migration from Baja California to Alaska. Seasonally resident Gray whales also use the bays for feeding during the summer. Visitors come from around the world to see the whales and kayak the waters in Clayoquot Sound, and a trip to the area would not be complete without discovering all that beautiful Flores Island has to offer.

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N219 INDONESIAN AEROSPACE

INDONESIAN AEROSPACE

Design and development

The N-219 was developed from the CASA C-212 Aviocar and, like that design, is also of all metal construction. It is claimed that it will have the largest cabin volume in its class (6.50 x 1.82 x 1.70m), along with a flexible door system to allow a multi-purpose missions for transporting passengers and cargo. The aircraft is designed to comply with FAR 23 (commuter category aircraft) and will be certified in 2016, with the first deliveries scheduled for 2017. Indonesian Aerospace has also planned to have a first roll-out of the N-219 aircraft on 10 August 2015 to coincide with the Indonesia's National Technology Day. Foreign certification will be pursued later with the help of EADS CASA. The initial price was forecast to be US$4 million each, while the predicted development budget was about $30 million for 15 aircraft. The forecasted price was later adjusted to $5 million.
Due to funding shortages loans for US$65M to develop the N-219 were procured from the $1B Qatar-Indonesia Joint Investment Fund in 2006.
In June 2011, the Industry Minister requested that the Indonesian government provide Rp.59 billion (US$6.9M) to complete the N-219 prototype. Budi Darmadi, Director General of the Industry Ministry's Advanced Technology-Based Seed Industry indicated he believed that the aircraft has good market potential, due to the age of most other aircraft in its class.
The total market for the N-219 was forecast as 97 civil and 57 military aircraft. In August 2013, the company announced that they had secured an order for 100 aircraft from Lion Air for delivery in 2016.On 13 April 2015 three memoranda of understanding were signed between the manufacturer and Nusantara Buana Air for 20 aircraft with ten on option, with Aviastar Mandiri for 20 aircraft with ten options and with Trigana Air Service for ten aircraft with five options.
The roll-out of the N-219 to the public was scheduled for 10 November 2015, after many delays, but, this has been delayed indefinitely, due to the unavailability of President Jokowi to officiate.
In November 2015 one prototype had been completed, but an official roll-out had still not been carried out, nor had flight testing commenced.

SPESIFICASIONS

General characteristics

• Crew: 2
• Capacity: 19 passengers
• Length: 54 ft 1 in (16.49 m)
• Wingspan: 64 ft 0 in (19.5 m)
• Height: 20 ft 3 in (6.18 m)
• Empty weight: 9,500 lb (4,309 kg)
• Max takeoff weight: 15,498 lb (7,030 kg)
• Powerplant: 2 × Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-42 turboprop engines, 850 shp (630 kW) each
• Propellers: 4-bladed Hartzell Propeller

Performance

• Cruise speed: 210 kn (242 mph; 389 km/h)
• Stall speed: 59 kn (68 mph; 109 km/h)
• Range: 840 nmi (967 mi; 1,556 km)
• Service ceiling: 10,000 ft (3,000 m) operating altitude, max altitude 24,000 feet (7,315 m)
• Rate of climb: 1,938 ft/min (9.85 m/s)

US PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE

US PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE

Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump will take the stage Monday night for the first presidential debate, due to be broadcast live most everywhere.

It's one of the most anticipated political events of the year, and if you plan on watching it, here's what you need to know.

The Commission on Presidential Debates, a bipartisan organization that manages the events, will host the first of three general election presidential debates at Hofstra University in New York on Monday, September 26.

CNN will air the event in its entirety on its networks as well as online through . CNN Politics will host a live blog offering instant analysis and reaction as the debate unfolds at the top of the screen.

The debate is due to begin at 9:00 p.m. ET and is scheduled to last 90 minutes, without commercials. If you haven't gotten your fill from that, there will be a vice presidential debate on October 4 and two more presidential debates on October 9 and October 19, with the former hosted by CNN's Anderson Cooper.

The commission said this first debate will have six time segments for about 15 minutes each. NBC's Lester Holt will act as moderator and open the segments with a question, then Clinton and Trump will have two minutes each to respond. After their initial answers, they can respond to each other for the remainder of the segment.

Holt announced the topics he would draw from a week ahead of the debate. They are: "America's direction," "achieving prosperity" and "securing America" -- three ambiguous terms pointing to a focus on the economy and security.

ALLO REVIEW

GOOGLE ALLO REVIEW

If you didn’t catch the news when Google first announced Allo back in May, I'm going to start with the basics. How a messaging app works can be surprisingly complicated, so bear with me a bit as I go through it. There are some neat little surprises in how Google decided to set Allo up — but if you really don’t care about things like SMS relay, I won’t blame you if you skip on down to the next section.

Allo is available starting today on both Android phones and iPhones — but that’s it. Google hasn’t made it available on the web, on desktop, or on tablets. In fact, you can’t even use the same account on multiple phones. The Google Assistant will only be available in English to start, but it will be coming to more countries soon.

Allo identifies you by your phone number (which it verifies with a text message), which is great because it means you don’t have to fiddle with account setup. You can associate your Allo account with your main Google ID (for me, this happened automatically) or keep it separate if you’d prefer that.

The downside to this system, as I said above, is that it’s only going to work on your phone. Google says it will look to expand Allo to other platforms eventually. For me, that’s a nonstarter. I can’t think of a single messaging app I use that doesn’t have a web or desktop version that I use all the time — heck, even Android SMS can work with third party apps to let you converse from your big keyboard. But maybe I'm the weird one — in today's mobile-first/mobile-only world, Google may do just fine.

On the other hand, that aggressive simplification has benefits. For example, Allo also doesn’t have any contact lists for you to maintain. It just piggybacks off your phone’s main contacts app. If your contact has Allo installed, they’ll show up on top.

If your contact doesn’t have the app installed, one of two things happen. Both are actually kind of interesting.

If they’re on an iPhone, they’ll receive an SMS with your name, the contents of your message, and a link to download the app. They can then download it or — if they want — just reply via SMS. Google has set up a full SMS relay so that your recalcitrant friends can avoid installing it at all if they don't want to.

If they’re on an Android phone, something new and intriguing happens. Google is calling it an "app preview notification," and basically it shoots a notification directly to your Android device instead of going through SMS. Your friend will get a notification that looks and acts almost as if they had the app installed in the first place, message content and all. It means they won’t incur any SMS fees, either. Your recipient can reply within the notification, or tap on it to install the app.

Why go into this much detail on how all this works? Beyond the interesting technical details, it illustrates the lengths to which Google must go to give Allo even a small chance of building up a critical mass of people to try a new messaging app. It’s radically, almost violently unclear how Allo is going to take on WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Line, iMessage, and all the rest. Many of these apps have more than a billion users, and so the Big Question for Google is how it’s going to get Allo distributed to an equally large number of people. We don’t know yet whether it will be installed by default on Android devices — we only know that Google decided not to hijack SMS like Apple’s iMessage does.

This system of pushing out the full contents of messages while still offering an easy way to download is a clever way of creating a network effect. Having somebody demand you install an app to chat is annoying. Getting a text you can’t do anything with unless you install an app is also annoying. I don’t know if Google’s approach will actually work to acquire users, but it’s a much more coherent strategy than we heard back in May.

Even if it does work, it won’t be the real draw for Allo. That job falls to the Google Assistant, ostensibly the reason Allo exists in the first place.

NEW JERSEY,ELIZABETH EXPLOSIVE

Explosive device detonates near Elizabeth train station

 

An explosive device in a backpack detonated near the Elizabeth train station early Monday as authorities were using a bomb robot to examine the item, officials said. 

The blast occurred around 12:40 a.m. near Morris Avenue and Julian Place. The explosion was not a controlled blast, but happened as the robot was cutting the device, according to Mayor Christian Bollwage. No one was injured in the blast, Bollwage said.

Authorities found five devices inside a single backpack near the train station, including one that went off. After the explosion, press and bystanders were moved back because the other explosive devices inside of the backpack were believed to still be live, Bollwage said. As of 4 a.m., no other explosions were heard.
On Twitter, the FBI's Newark division said "multiple improvised explosive devices" were found near the train station.
The incident unfolded after two men found the backpack in a waste basket on North Broad Street and Julian Place around 9:30 p.m. Sunday, the mayor said.
The men took the backpack "because they thought it was of some value," walked for a bit, then saw wires and a pipe, dropped the package and notified Elizabeth Police, he said.
Bollwage told reporters the explosives were found not far from Wally's Pub near the train station.
"If that pub was crowded and there was a lot of people there, it could have severely injured, killed and maimed many, many people," Bollwage told reporters.

After the items were found, Union County's Bomb Squad was called in and used a drone to examine the backpack, the mayor said.
"The drone indicated it could be suspicious and it could be a live bomb," Bollwage said

Reached after midnight on Monday morning, a spokesman for the FBI in Newark, Special Agent Michael Whitaker, said only that his agency had responded to the scene, and declined to provide any details of the investigation. The FBI asked anyone with information to call 1-800-CALL-FBI.
Police cordoned off the station and many streets surrounding it. The investigation halted train service on the busy Northeast Corridor and North Jersey Coastline commuter rail lines, officials said early Monday.
Tickets and passes on both rail lines are being cross-honored on PATH along with NJ Transit and private buses, according to the transit agency.
Amtrak service was also suspended near Elizabeth, spokesman Craig Schulz said in a statement.
"We apologize to our customers for the inconvenience and will resume service as soon as it is safe to do so," the spokesman said.
Approximately 2,400 Amtrak passengers were impacted by the service suspension, the spokesman said.
"Robust security measures are in place at stations, on trains and along the tracks and Amtrak Police remain in close contact with local, state and federal partner agencies to coordinate and share intelligence information," the statement said. "At this time there are no specific or credible threats against Amtrak."
Officials could not say yet when rail service would be restored as the investigation continued early Monday.
It was not immediately clear if the Elizabeth incident was linked to a bombing Saturday night in New York City that injured 29 people or another pipe-bomb style device that went off near a military charity race in Seaside Park also on Saturday.
Mayor Bollwage did say that the Elizabeth devices did not contain a cell phone or any other electronic detonators.

 

FBI DOCUMENTS REVEAL NEW DETAILS "extremely careless" ON HILARY CLINTON'S e-Mail

FBI DOCUMENTS REVEAL NEW DETAILS "extremely careless" ON  HILARY CLINTON'S e-Mail

WASHINGTON — Former secretary of state Hillary Clinton and her staffers used an informal and sometimes haphazard system for exchanging and storing sensitive information and were at times unaware of or were unconcerned with State Department policy, documents from an FBI investigation into her private e-mail server system show.

The documents reveal myriad new details about the e-mail setup and show that investigators found multiple attempts by hackers to access Clinton’s system — a series of personal devices and servers that the Democratic presidential candidate told investigators she used as a matter of convenience while she was secretary of state.

The materials, which include a summary of the FBI’s entire investigation as well as Clinton’s hours-long interview with agents in July, contain no major revelations. But they offer fresh details that Clinton’s political opponents will be able to use in the months leading up to the November election. The summary shows that Clinton’s account to law enforcement was generally consistent with what she has said about her e-mail situation publicly, but she repeatedly told agents that she could not recall important details or specific e-mails she was questioned about.

Clinton has been dogged by questions about her use of the private e-mail server since the start of her presidential campaign, and her Republican opponent, Donald Trump, has used the issue to argue that she is untrustworthy.

Clinton campaign spokesman Brian Fallon said, “While her use of a single e-mail account was clearly a mistake and she has taken responsibility for it, these materials make clear why the Justice Department believed there was no basis to move forward with this case.”

Trump said in a statement: “Hillary Clinton’s answers to the FBI about her private e-mail server defy belief. I was absolutely shocked to see that her answers to the FBI stood in direct contradiction to what she told the American people. After reading these documents, I really don’t understand how she was able to get away from prosecution.”

FBI Director James Comey announced in July that his agency would not recommend criminal charges against Clinton for her use of a private e-mail server, though he said at the time that she and her staffers were “extremely careless” in how they treated classified information. He said the decision was based largely on the fact that investigators did not find that Clinton intended to mishandle classified material, though such material did traverse her private server.

Ordinarily, internal documents from FBI investigations are not made public. However, Comey has said the unusually high-profile case warranted more robust public disclosures than is standard.

The FBI found no evidence that anyone penetrated the e-mail of the former secretary of state, although “hostile foreign actors successfully gained access to the personal e-mail accounts of individuals with whom Clinton was in regular contact and, in doing so, obtained e-mails sent to or received by Clinton on her personal account,” the bureau wrote. Those people included confidant Sidney Blumenthal, whose e-mails were hacked and publicly revealed by Romanian hacker Marcel Lehel Lazar.

The bureau wrote in its report that it was unable to track down all of Clinton’s electronic equipment because some of it had been destroyed or lost. One staffer told investigators that he had destroyed two mobile devices “by breaking them in half or hitting them with a hammer.” The FBI said it had requested 13 devices from the law firm representing Clinton, and the firm replied that it could not produce any.

The FBI wrote that “investigative limitations, including the FBI’s inability to obtain all mobile devices and various computer components associated with Clinton’s personal e-mail systems, prevented the FBI from conclusively determining whether the classified information transmitted and stored on Clinton’s personal server systems was compromised via cyber intrusion or other means.”

Clinton told the FBI that she used the private server for convenience, not to evade public-record laws. But the documents show that former secretary of state Colin Powell appeared to advise her early in her term that private e-mail could give her more control over her communications in the face of public inquiries.

In January 2009, according to the FBI, Clinton contacted Powell, who also used a personal e-mail account during his time in office, to ask about his use of a BlackBerry. According to the FBI, Powell “warned Clinton that if it became ‘public’ that Clinton had a BlackBerry, and she used it to ‘do business,’ her e-mails could become ‘official record[s] and subject to the law.’ ”

“Be very careful,” Powell advised Clinton, according to the FBI. “I got around it all by not saying much and not using systems that captured the data.”

Clinton told investigators that she understood Powell’s comments to mean any work-related communications would be government records, and they did not factor into her decision to use personal e-mail. She indicated that she believed her records were being preserved when she e-mailed other State Department officials at their government addresses.

Powell said he could not recall the details of the years-old exchange, though he said that he used his e-mail system “openly for unclassified communication” and “saw no need for, say, an e-mail to one of my kids or a friend becoming an official record.”

The FBI’s report traced the history of Clinton’s private server use, detailing ad hoc efforts to back up data and respond to requests for records. In one instance, after Clinton left office, someone created a personal Gmail account to move an archive of Clinton’s e-mail from a laptop to a server run by Platte River Networks, a company Clinton had hired. The person then attempted to ship the laptop back to another person connected to Clinton.

According to the FBI report, the laptop, which had not been wiped, got lost in transit. And the bureau would come to find on the Gmail account dozens of classified e-mails.

Someone, apparently at Platte River, did delete Clinton e-mails in late March 2015 in what the person described as an “oh s—” moment, having been instructed months earlier to permanently destroy the e-mails of two Clinton aides and change how long e-mails were retained.

That person, whose name is redacted, had received a request on March 9 from the House Select Committee on Benghazi to preserve e-mails. Clinton told investigators that she was unaware of the deletions.

Reached late Friday, Platte River’s lawyer Kenneth Eichner said he had not looked the FBI documents or spoken to his client yet and did not want to comment until after he had done so.

Clinton told FBI agents that she did not know much about how the government classified information. For instance, she said she did not pay attention to the differences between levels of classification, such as “top secret” and “secret,” indicating that she took “all classified information seriously.” When shown an e-mail she had received in which a paragraph had been marked with a “C,” a standard way of noting that it included “confidential” information, Clinton at first speculated to agents that the mark indicated that the e-mail contained bullet points in alphabetical order.

Clinton indicated that she never sought nor received permission to use a private server and said she largely turned over the setup of the system to aides. She said she could not remember a cable that was sent to all State Department employees under her name in June 2011, advising them not use to private e-mail for work. She said all cables of a “certain policy nature” went out under her name.

Clinton told agents that she generally received classified material in personal briefings or on paper, which she read in specially prepared secure facilities, and that she didn’t remember ever receiving an e-mail that she thought shouldn’t be sent through the unclassified system. The FBI’s report says Clinton took her BlackBerry into a Diplomatic Security Service post where other State Department personnel were not allowed to carry mobile devices, though a Clinton aide said Clinton left the secure area before using it.

Much of Clinton’s interview, which is described in an 11-page summary, appears to have consisted of FBI agents showing her specific e-mail exchanges that they determined included classified content and asking her to comment.

Repeatedly, Clinton said she could not remember the specific exchanges but had trusted at the time that her staff at the State Department knew how to handle classified material and would not e-mail her material they should not. The exact nature of those classified e-mails is redacted in the version of the summary released by the FBI, but it is clear they included deliberations on drone targets. Shown one July 2012 e-mail she exchanged with President Barack Obama at his own highly secure address, Clinton indicated that she recalled sending the note on an airplane during a trip to Russia.

Clinton also told the FBI that she played no role in sorting her work and personal e-mails after she left office, other than to instruct her legal team to submit to the State Department all e-mails that were “work-related or arguably work related.” Comey has indicated that the FBI discovered thousands of work-related e-mails that Clinton had not turned over but said the agency found no effort to purposely delete or conceal e-mails.