Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2009

New Year

Blue January light, cold, scoured, clear.

From the Sandia foothills looking down

and back to where I came from, and the town

spread out below, then back to the past year,

 

or three or more years carrying this load,

how do I feel unburdened: free and light?

Unanchored, dizzy, my precarious tight-

rope lowered to a mere terrestrial road?

 

The blank new month requires divination.

Sword, wand, ship, sandal: at the Flying Star

(we talk our way along; improvisation),

the cards laid out spell struggle, choice, and pain;

also a white horse champing in a green

meadow; a maiden moving down a long dark stair.

(by Rachel Hadas)

Bon Jovi singing Halleluyah

You've got to watch this.  I have the DVD, but I found it on Youtube also:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E-yvZygFtIg

I heard there was a secret chord
that David played and it pleased the lord
but you don't really care for music do ya
Well it goes like this the fourth the fifth
the minor fall and the major lift
the baffled king composing hallelujah

Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah

Well your faith was strong but you needed proof
you saw her bathing on the roof
her beauty and the moonlight overthrew you
she tied you to a kitchen chair
she broke your throne and she cut your hair
and from your lips she drew the hallelujah.

Hallelujah,hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah

Baby I've been here before
I've seen this room and I've walked this floor
You know, I used to live alone before I knew you
And I've seen your flag on the marble arch
and love is not a victory march
it's a cold and it's a broken hallelujah

Hallelujah,hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah

Well there was a time when you let me know
what's really going on below
but now you never show that to me do you
but remember when I moved in you
and the holy dove was moving too
and every breath we drew was hallelujah

Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah

Well maybe there's a god above
but all I've ever learned from love
was how to shoot somebody who outdrew you
And it's not a cry that you hear at night
it's not somebody who's seen the light
it's a cold and it's a broken hallelujah

Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah
Hallelujah

Siapa?

ku tak temukan kata tuk ungkapkan kata hati
dan ku tak tahu, siapa yang kan mengingat
siapa aku, siapa yang bicara
siapa?

Halleluyah

Ive just listened to Bon Jovi singing Leonard Cohen's "Halleluyah".  I have to say that the song pull me up from reality.  There is something more up there.  God?  But it just fells so good to sneak out from reality.  Because, you know, sometimes reality is very tiring.  It's not that dark, but it is either boring or unattainable.

Now that I think that some people I know keep coming back to something they feel good but it's not right, maybe it's because of this kind of ecstasy.  Christians keep coming back to their churches because it satisfy them emotionally.  So does Moslem and maybe even me, a Buddhist.  If the temple doesn't give me some emotional push, maybe I won't come in every week.

Humans just need something to hold on to...  whether it is right or wrong, it's another matter.

Halleluyah!  Praise the Lord!

Back from Medan

Back from Medan.  Back from the city where I was born.  It was such an experience that almost magical.  My grandma's house in Medan is not big.  The furniture is all outdated.  The bed, wardrobe, all is old style.  It's almost like returning to the 70's.

There is still a lot to do at home in Medan.  The house is going down.  It is getting older, just like I am.  Someday, all my new possessions now will be old, just like that.  Just be sure that it is as durable as that.  But nowadays it is difficult to find a durable goods.  Technology runs like hell.  Things are more fragile and more expensive.  Friends come and go.  One thing that is good from the old timer is that everything is made to last at that time.  Things made to last.  House made to last.  Friends made to last.  Love made to last.

Everything is made to last.

How I envy them...

What about now?  I can't see a thing that lasts more than five years.  In old-timer, even twenty years seems so short.  TWENTY YEARS!  Can you last your job five years?  I have met someone that have been in his job for twenty years... and even he is not considering himself an expert.

The beauty of old-timer.

Some business can even last more than half a century, where nowadays it is good if you can see a new business last more than five years.  Change is the essence of this changing times.  I know, none of the old-timer can beat us, new-ager in the race in everything.  Not money.  Not power.  Not functions...  But they beat us in this:  emotional fullness.  You feel full when you are with them...  They maybe are simpletons, but they have their own way of doing, that we don't have.  They have that kind of loyalty, that we all lack of these days.

Loyalty to your belongings.  Loyalty to your relatives, friends, community, religion...  Loyalty to your clothes, lover...  Loyalty to what you believe...  Loyalty to your job.  They are these all things in one.  They are old-timer.  They are not changing.  Dinosaurs.  They won't blog nor read blogs.  But I envy them... for their feeling of fullness.  Of feeling enough with what they have, instead of us that are always chasing for something else.

A new thing.  A new friend/network.  A new job.  A new girlfriend/boyfriend.  A new home.  A new book.  New everything.  What is best word in marketing world right now is maybe "NEW!".  What a big change...what a big change...

I maybe not the most sophisticated person in the world.

This is just a reminder.  Sometimes, the old ways of doing things... may last longer than our new ways...  in the long run...  we can't always run.

A sprinter won't win a marathon runner in a marathon.  Life is a marathon.  And from centuries ago, some runners have found the way to win the game.  And it is not by sprinting every time and every day.  Won't you want to learn their ways also???

Second Thought of Elevator

On a second thought, after seeing some more calculations on the ratio of elevator and room, I think it's almost enough, so I hope it won't be of a big problem, except for that peak 5-minutes in the morning and in the evening.  It only that I can't just go up and down whenever my heart likes.

Cukupkah Elevatornya?

Aku baru saja serah terima kunci Apartemen City Park.  Baru inspeksi ke unit, ternyata elevatornya cuma ada dua!  Satu buat penumpang kapasitas 1000 kg (10 orang) sama satu buat barang kapasitas 1600 kg (16 orang).  Apartemen itu satu tower ada 12 lantai.  Unitku di lantai paling atas.  Ada 25-an unit satu lantainya, berarti ada sekitar 300 unit di tower itu.  Taruhlah 250 unit.  Ratio elevator seharusnya 1 : 90.  Jadi, idealnya ada 3 elevator di situ, plus satu service elevator.  Ini cuma setengahnya.

Aku khawatir...

Emang sih, ini rusunami, tapi waktu beli, aku kira elevatornya ada empat.  Aku lihat di gambar denahnya.  Nah, makanya walaupun beli yang awal-awal, aku pilih unit yang paling atas, hampir pojok, karena alasan view, nggak ada debu, lebih tenang, nggak bakalan bocor, dan privacy.  Kalau tahu begini, mungkin aku malah prefer yang di lantai dua sekalian, jadi tidak usah pakai elevator, cuman bakalan agak berisik.

Belum lagi kalau elevator-nya rusak.  Wah, runyam!

Elevatornya dari China gitu.  Dari pengalaman sih, bisa-bisa setelah dua tahun banyak merongrong.  Tampaknya setelah dua tahun dan apartemen ini ramai, aku harus segera cabut nih, over kredit, ciao!  Soalnya, bisa nggak tahan nunggu itu elevator lama-lama.

Tapi kalau masih sepi sih... OK OK aja.  Aku mungkin akan moving in benar-benar mulai tahun depan (2009), walaupun sudah serah terima kunci hari ini.  Targetku 2011 uda dapat rumah jadi apartemen ini bisa aku jual lagi.

Funny Bush

http://www.biertijd.com/mediaplayer/?itemid=10198

Ujian Sertifikasi Penilai (USP)

Wah, gue lagi gugup banget nih.

USP tinggal lima hari lagi, dan bahannya buanyak banget.

Peraturan dan Undang-undang ini itu, teori ekonomi ini itu, sama bahan-bahan standar ujian penilaian.

Emang sih, dari empat modul, dua modul terakhir rasanya dengan lulus ujian P3-P4 kemarin harusnya lulus juga ujian yang ini.  Tapi dua modul pertama yang susah, karena belum pernah gue dalamin sebelumnya.  UU No.20 tahun 2000?  KMK tahun 1994?  Weleh2...  Mana gue tahu???

Dan abis keempat modul itu ada sidang pula.  Buset deh.

I need some help...

Sunrise Discovery of Angkor Wat

Sunrise Discovery of Angkor Wat, originally uploaded by Stuck in Customs.

Someday I want to see this monument.

Artikel Sumpah Pemuda yang Bagus

http://www.detiknews.com/read/2008/10/29/094028/1027635/103/sumpah-pemuda-virus-perusak-ingatan

Verify Paypal Using BCA mc2 (Tazmania)

Hari ini aku mencoba verify account Paypal-ku menggunakan kartu kredit yang baru karena Visa dari Bank Niaga direject terus.

Dan ternyata... Tazmania dari BCA Mastercard berhasil masuk ke kancah Paypal.  Bisa di-verify.  Horray... (walaupun gunanya untuk saat ini masih gelap...)

The Fourth of July

That date is going to mean something else to me...  guess what is it?

Google Translate!

Another Google WOW!

Now I can read pages in any language, including Chinese, Italian, etc.  Google will automatically translate it for me.  I can't imagine how engineers in Google can think something like this.  *hats up*

Just try to search Google as usual and click a link to translate besides each link generated.  I tried it in Italian and Chinese, and I can understand what they say!

Genius!

Cibodas

Cibodas, originally uploaded by themomentnotice.

I've just returned from Puncak.
A nice holiday indeed!

The Mist

Have you watched "The Mist"?

I've been always a fan of Stephen King and I know his type of everyday horror.  I like it.  That's why this movie hooked me from the beginning  because of it ordinariness.  I watched this movie and being warned in the DVD cover as "one of the most shocking movie endings ever".  But well...  the ending... is not that good at all.  Even, it is worse...

How the movie should end, I wonder.  I don't like the ending.  But it taught a lesson:  never quits!  Never say die.  It said the lesson in reverse way... but it works.  Maybe if David can get it straight and summon up all his courage, everyone can be saved.  That definitely not happen in the movie.  Also another thing, firearm is a pure stupidness.  I never like guns and the like.  It's like giving a lot of power to someone who doesn't deserve it.

Watch this movie.  Then tell me what you think about it.

Sofa Lucu-Lucu

Lihat di sini:

http://freshome.com/2008/09/08/35-of-the-most-unique-creative-sofa-designs/

Buku Sekolah Elektronik

Ini adalah ide yang sangat bagus!

Kenapa tidak terpikirkan sebelumnya.

Sekarang di website ini: http://bse.depdiknas.go.id/ bisa di-download 95 buku sekolah secara GRATIS.  Jadi, yang punya komputer nggak perlu lagi beli buku.

Aplikasinya banyak sekali.  Misalnya, di setiap kelas jika ada satu saja komputer dengan proyektor, maka bisa saja ditampilkan di layar pelajarannya, lalu bahan-bahan yang penting di-print lalu difotokopi untuk murid-murid.  Jika Anda mengajar di daerah terpencil, maka dengan saluran internet, Anda bisa download bahan-bahan tanpa harus ke kota beli buku.  Kalau saja setiap murid punya satu komputer, net book yang murah saja, maka tidak menutup kemungkinan kita bisa merevolusi cara kita belajar.

Ternyata perkembangan komputer sudah ke tingkat yang baik sekali, dan Depdiknas bisa mencetuskan ide ini.  Bagus!  Lanjutkan ya, saya dukung.  Mungkin jika ada swasta yang mau diajak kerjasama, dan donatur diperlukan, lebih baik lagi.  Saya pasti ikut bantu.

Google Chrome: Cool New Browser From Google

http://www.google.com/chrome

See it for yourself.  Launched yesterday.  I've used it and loving it.  So FAST.

Comic:

http://www.google.com/googlebooks/chrome/index.html

Law of Attraction

I didn't read "The Secret". But this article answers some of my questions about the law of attraction.

Anyway, if we are only projection of our own subjective reality, then... for everyone there's a unique world than for another. That explains almost everything! Except... if we're not "sane", then we are either autis, or insane. Having a world of his own = autis. Out of this world = insane.

Can "sane" people really apply the law of attraction? How can we connect but still attract what we want to our lives? These concepts must have answers somewhere...

I'm grounded pretty much on "reality" in my thoughts. And I believe in a reality, the truths of impermanence, unsatisfactoriness, and without-eternal-me.

So... is this law of attraction (intention-manifest) is only a hyped version of the simpler law of cause and effect? Maybe, because it's the only thing I believe so far.

Red Alert 1 For Free (Original)

Please find it here:
http://www.ea.com/redalert/news-detail.jsp?id=62

Can't Understand Love...

Puncak, originally uploaded by themomentnotice.

I can't understand the meaning of love through friendship,
but through love, I can understand the meaning of a friend.

Jakarta 9:26 PM

Jakarta 9:26 PM, originally uploaded by Suharwan.

Another one.

Is this Jakarta???

The Hidden Buddhist Temple of Borobudur at Sunrise

The Hidden Buddhist Temple of Borobudur at Sunrise, originally uploaded by Stuck in Customs.

Nice photo of Borobudur...

2 Minutes To Midnight

2 Minutes To Midnight, originally uploaded by Suharwan.

Is this Jakarta?

Yes, it is.

EARTHQUAKE!!!

Cara Kapitalis Merampas Negara

I'm quite agree with the following comment. We've been too long being held hostage by "money" a.k.a. "capital". Even this country suffer because of it. But it is the big game the world play these days, so you can't fight it. Not until you can win the game. Then maybe you can make a utopia for a select few persons nearest to you.

At least that's what I'm thinking...

Cara Kapitalis Merampas Negara

Oleh A. Jafar M. Sidik

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - "Siapa pun yang ingin mengetahui apa yang sesungguhnya terjadi di dunia, mesti segera membaca buku ini."

Itulah komentar majalah Rolling Stone tentang buku "The Shock Doctrine; The Rise of Disaster Capitalism" karangan wartawati Kanada, Naomi Klein, yang diterbitkan Penguin Books, London, Inggris (2007).

Buku setebal 558 halaman yang struktur kisahnya rapi dan dinilai koran "The Observer" sebagai buah dari riset mahasempurna ini menyingkap muslihat kaum kapitalis yang secara menyeramkan menggasak aset negara, tak peduli jutaan orang mati dan jatuh melarat karenanya.

Para kapitalis ini mengarsiteki sekaligus mensponsori kudeta-kudeta berdarah di seluruh dunia, swastanisasi aset dan sistem pelayanan publik, krisis moneter, merger dan akuisisi perusahaan pasca krisis, liberalisasi perdagangan, invasi Irak, bahkan gerakan demokratisasi.

Selain mewujud dalam perusahaan-perusahaan multinasional (MNCs), mereka mengotaki Dana Moneter Internasional (IMF), Bank Dunia, Organisasi Perdagangan Dunia (WTO), bahkan organisasi-organisasi bantuan internasional seperti Badan Bantuan Pembangunan Internasional AS (USAID).

Mereka melekat pada lembaga-lembaga "think tank" terkenal seperti American Enterprise Institute, Heritage Foundation dan Cato Institute, sementara ruhnya bersemayam dalam sejumlah universitas Barat yang menjadi tempat berkuliah para teknokrat negara berkembang yang belajar karena biaya asing.

Kaum kapitalis ini tak peduli sebuah rezim zalim atau tidak, demokratis atau tidak, korup atau tidak, yang penting menguntungkan mereka, persis pepatah mantan pemimpin RRC Deng Xiaoping, "Tak penting kucing itu putih atau hitam, yang penting bisa menangkap tikus.."

Kaum yang disebut Naomi neoliberal ini sangat anti kepemilikan publik dan berupaya membuat pemerintahan di banyak negara lumpuh sehingga merekalah yang sesungguhnya berkuasa atas negara dan sistem transaksi sosial, ekonomi dan politik antar-bangsa.

"Saya ingin pemerintah dikerdilkan sampai saya bisa menyeretnya ke kamar mandi untuk kemudian membenamkannya dalam bak mandi," kata Grover Norquist, pelobi kepentingan bisnis MNCs terkenal di AS sekaligus pembela fanatik neoliberal.

Untuk mengerdilkan pemerintah, mereka mempunyai modus, yaitu mengacaubalaukan negara dengan menciptakan situasi krisis sampai kesadaran nasional negara itu hilang, terutama berkaitan dengan konsep dasar pengelolaan ekonominya.

Negara itu lalu dipaksa menelan resep ekonomi propasar dalam dosis tinggi nan beruntun, tak peduli rakyatnya bakal sengsara. Hal terpenting, negara itu menjadi amat tergantung pada modal asing(kapitalis) sehingga setiap saat bisa dieksploitasi oleh kaum kapitalis itu.

Metode membuat syok nasional sehingga negara tak sadar telah dikuasai kapitalis ini disebut Naomi Klein sebagai "Shock Doctrine."

Naomi menganalogikan terapi syok ekonomi ini dengan doktrin militer AS "kejutkan dan takutkan" (shock and awe) dan metode cuci otak ala dinas intelijen AS (CIA), "kubark counter intelligence interrogation."

Lewat "kubark", CIA membunuh karakter manusia dengan teknik interogasi mengerikan sehingga memori manusia hilang untuk kemudian diganti karakter baru jadi-jadian, seperti dalam kisah trilogi "Bourne" yang dibintangi aktor Hollywood, Matt Damon.

Dalam format berbeda, para ekonom neoliberal mengaplikasikan metode dekarakterisasi ala CIA ini ke tingkat negara dengan membuat negara berada dalam suasana krisis, sehingga gampang dipaksa untuk menelan resep kebijakan ekonomi prokapitalis yang formula dasarnya adalah liberalisasi pasar, penghapusan subsidi, dan swastanisasi aset publik.

Penggagas terapi syok itu adalah ekonom Universitas Chicago, Milton Friedman, seorang penentang intervensi negara dalam pengelolaan ekonomi yang dulu disarankan ekonom besar pasca-Perang Dunia I, John Maynard Keynes.

Friedman percaya bahwa perekonomian harus diserahkan sepenuhnya pada pasar dan ia ingin dunia mempraktikannya tanpa kecuali.

Terinspirasi sukses Mafia Berkeley di Indonesia akhir 1960-an dan junta militer Brazil pimpinan Castello Branco yang mengakhiri ekonomi kerakyatannya Presiden Joao Gullart pada 1964, Friedman membidik Chile sebagai kelinci percobaan pertamanya.

Chile awal 1970-an diperintah Salvador Allende yang mengusung sistem ekonomi sosialis yang tak mengharamkan kepemilikan swasta, namun mengharuskan negara melindungi kepentingan publik. Ekonomi sosialis Chile berbeda dari komunisme, seperti diklaim AS, bahkan mirip azas demokrasi ekonominya Mohammad Hatta di Indonesia.

Karena ingin menasionalisasi perusahaan asing, maka sosialisme Allende itu lalu dipandang korporasi-korporasi multinasional asal AS sebagai ancaman. Salah satu yang terancam, American Telephone & Telegraph (AT&T), mendesak pemerintah AS untuk mencungkil Allende dari kekuasaannya.

Sebelum mendongkel Allende, AS mendidik mahasiswa-mahasiswa Chile di Universitas Chicago di bawah asuhan Milton Friedman dengan tujuan mengimbangi popularitas para ekonom sosialis pimpinan Pedro Vuskovic Bravo yang menjadi arsitek kebijakan ekonomi Allende.

Untuk mengaburkan intervensi, pemerintah AS bersembunyi dibalik Ford Foundation, yang juga mensponsori para mahasiswa Indonesia berkuliah di Universitas California, Berkeley, pada 1956 hingga menjadi teknokrat Orde Baru.

Para mahasiswa Chile yang dibiasakan mempelajari ekonomi neoliberal ini disiapkan sebagai teknokrat pasca Allende.

Pada 1973, Allende akhirnya digulingkan oleh Jenderal Augusto Pinochet dukungan CIA.

Selagi Pinochet menebarkan teror hingga rakyat Chile syok dalam ketakutan, para ekonom Friedmanis menyuntikkan resep propasar (prokapitalis) dalam dosis tinggi hingga Chile terperangkap utang dan kekuasaan asing.

Paparan Chile ini adalah awal cerita horor pasar bebas yang menjadi isi utama buku yang disebut Dow Jones sebagai salah satu literatur ekonomi terbaik abad 21 ini.

Horor berlangsung hingga era pemerintahan George Bush yang disebut sebagai puncak kebrutalan pasar bebas hingga dunia pun muak sampai-sampai Amerika Latin alergi dengan apa pun yang berbau Friedmanis seperti IMF.

"Tuan-tuan, kami ini berdaulat. Kami ingin melunasi utang kami, tapi maaf-maaf saja jika kami harus membuat kesepakatan lagi dengan IMF," kata Presiden Argentina, Nestor Kirchner.

Sambil membopong diktator dan rezim sokongannya, kaum kapitalis mensponsori para ekonom didikan kampus-kampus neoliberal untuk menyiapkan karpet merah bagi kapitalisme dengan menyusun kebijakan ekonomi reformis propasar, satu eufemisme dari kebijakan prokapitalis.

Afrika Selatan pasca-Nelson Mandela, Rusia di bawah Boris Yeltsin, dan Polandia pasca-komunis adalah beberapa contoh.

Negara-negara yang semula khidmat mendengarkan rekomendasi para ekonom reformis bimbingan Bank Dunia dan Dana Moneter Internasional (IMF) itu kemudian sadar telah dibohongi para ekonom dan birokrat bimbingan Barat yang ternyata para calo swastanisasi negara.

Para penyusun kebijakan reformasi ekonomi tersebut memang kerap berperan menjadi mulut korporasi asing, bahkan konsep kebijakan swastanisasi Bolivia semasa Presiden Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada disusun para analis keuangan perusahaan asing, seperti Solomon Brothers dan ExxonMobil.

Nelson Mandela adalah salah satu yang kecewa karena cita-cita memakmurkan warga kulit hitam, seperti dipesankan Piagam Perdamaian tak tercapai, justru karena orang dekatnya, Tabo Mbeki, menyusun kebijakan pro-kapitalis sehingga mayoritas rakyat Afsel terpinggirkan.

Polandia juga menyesal mematuhi nasihat pialang George Soros dan ekonom Jeffrey Sachs, seorang Friedmanis dari Universitas Harvard, sehingga aset-aset strategis Polandia jatuh ke tangan asing, justru ketika Partai Solidaritas memerintah negeri itu.

Demikian pula Rusia, yang kehilangan aset-aset strategisnya setelah ekonom reformis Yegor Gaidar, seorang Friedmanis di bawah bimbingan IMF, mempromosikan kebijakan propasar. Vladimir Putin kemudian mengoreksi kesalahan itu, dan mengakhiri hubungan mesra Rusia dengan IMF.

Buku tersebut juga menyebut krisis moneter Asia 1997 sebagai hasil desain kaum kapitalis karena mereka ingin menguasai aset-aset strategis di kawasan itu, mencaplok aset-aset perusahaan nasional Asia yang tumbuh meraksasa, dan hendak menggulingkan rezim-rezim yang berubah kritis, seperti Soeharto di Indonesia.

Menurut Naomi, di masa tuanya, Soeharto yang pro-Barat itu bosan diperah korporasi asing, sehingga ia "berkhianat" dengan membagikan aset nasional kepada kroninya yang berakibat korporasi asing itu berang, lalu merancang pembalasan dengan membesarkan skala krisis moneter Asia.

Ketika Indonesia dan Asia akhirnya lunglai karena krisis moneter, IMF datang menawarkan obat dengan syarat liberalisasi pasar, sebuah formula klasik ala Friedman. Semua Asia menerima resep itu, hanya Malaysia yang menampik formula rente itu.

Hanya dalam 20 bulan, perusahaan-perusahaan multinasional asing berhasil menguasai perekonomian Indonesia, Thailand, Korea Selatan, Filipina dan juga Malaysia lewat 186 merger dan akuisisi perusahaan-perusahaan besar di negara-negara ini.

"Ini adalah pengalihan aset dari domestik ke asing terbesar dalam limapuluh tahun terakhir," kata ekonom Robert Wade.

Tak puas di situ, para kapitalis merancang serangan ke Irak setelah Presiden Saddam Hussein memberi keleluasaan pada Rusia menambang minyak di Irak.

Perusahaan-perusahaan minyak seperti Shell, Halliburton, BP dan ExxonMobil lalu mengipasi pemerintah AS dan Inggris untuk mencaplok Irak.

Namun, saat Irak sulit digenggam karena masalah terlalu kompleks, negeri itu disulap menjadi lahan bisnis keamanan sehingga para pedagang senjata, konsultan keamanan perusahaan di wilayah krisis, tentara bayaran dan para spesialis teknologi keamanan mendadak bergelimang uang.

Kemudian, saat kaum kapitalis itu membutuhkan relaksasi setelah penat berburu laba, maka sejumlah lokasi dibidik menjadi situs wisata eksotis, diantaranya Srilangka.

Namun, para nelayan miskin yang mendiami pantai-pantai indah Srilangka tak mau hengkang sampai tsunami menghantam Asia bagian Selatan pada 2004.

Bertopengkan bantuan rekonstruksi pascabencana dan bergerak dalam kerudung USAID, para kapitalis menyandera pemerintah Srilangka, agar "menukarkan" pantai indah Srilangka dengan bantuan tsunami. Situasi serupa berlaku di Thailand dan New Orleans pasca-badai Katrina.

Intinya, kaum kapitalis telah membisniskan perang, teror, anarki, situasi krisis dan bencana alam. Naomi Klein menyebutnya, "kapitalisme bencana". (*)

http://antara.co.id/arc/2008/8/6/cara-kapitalis-merampas-negara/

Credit Card Foolishness

I'm not a big fan of credit cards because it'll add up only useless expenses for the advantage of the bank. And it's not secured. But because of its practicality, a few months ago I got myself one.
But now it pose a problem. Not because I spend over my limit, but because of the telemarketing of a company called "Diva Tour and Travel Indonesia" and its "Paradise Club" program. Credit card holders, beware! It has been four years since this company operated and it has hundreds of telemarketer trying to fool people everyday, and make them buy their card.

It works like this: first, they'll call you and confirm your address. They'll say that they are from Visa/Mastercard. Then they'll speak about the FREE hotel voucher (for three nights) and discounts. Then they'll try to convince you that you're special, good credit rate, etc, etc. And last, they'll say that you will be billed Rp.2,990,000. (whether you like it or not). They'll say that you'll have a certificate of guarantee to refund your money, but I don't believe a word. And they'll send a courier to your home with a machine or something (luckily this guy never came).

As long as you DON'T give your credit card number and/or your bank, it'll OK. But for safety, today I blocked my credit card (maybe I over-reacted).

Be very careful, new credit card owners out there. Several people I know go through this from time to time, fall into their traps. You read this, hopefully you'll be immune. Just don't entertain them. Hang up on the second you're suspicious. Nowadays, robbers are not using knives anymore. They are using their telephones.

I don't know their mode of operation at first, but I do remember a credo:
"There's no such thing as a free lunch."

That saves me because it made me awake of the COST, before the benefits.
Like it saves me from a lot of other things.

About Free Will

Is there a "free will"? Or is it also another marketing hype from the Western world? You're free to buy this, to buy that. This cosmetic makes you the real you. This cigarette makes you the real you, etc...

Or there isn't really a "free will"? That everything is conditioned.

Borrowing a line from Buddhism "Paticca Samupada", everything exists because other things exist. Cause and effect. There's a reason to everything. Nothing is independent of itself. There must be something that cause it. Every moment is related. There is no coincidence. It is not a coincidence I write this blog, and it is not a coincidence that you read it. There is a reason to everything.

So does your will, and my will.

So, there is no free will.

In fact, there's no "you" and "me". We are one, only consciousness that travels through time and space, trying to find its own home back. Borrowing another line "Anatta", there's no eternal "me". Not even our souls. Not even our wills. Not even the consciousness. There's an escape. There's a way back home.

Economy Thoughts

Yesterday I was daydreaming about my own economic condition. I can't help but conclude that I'm still doing stupid things sometimes... Let's sum up. I have worked for about three years: one year as a teacher, and two years as a valuer. I saved a little, but I've put all my money on an cheap apartment ("rusunami"/"apartemen bersubsidi") in Cengkareng ("City Park"). Now I'm left with not much. I can't even make my stock account to its minimum limit, so I can be categorized as "poor" right now. And to be poor makes me sad...

My success must be measured with how much I can save, not how much I can make. If I make much, but spend all of it, then it's not a success yet for me. Now I'm living without any savings. It is depleted because of the apartment, besides the down payment, the other costs (stamp duty, notary, APHT, certificate, etc) account for another 10% of the apartment's value. That's the heavy cost of buying a property. Disturbs the cashflow very much...

I'm thinking of my goals in work. Reputation, knowledge, skill, and some cash. The three in front are intangible assets. I've used all my tangible asset, now I'm left with intangible ones. Yet, it still requires a great deal of time investment to do the work and get a salary, which is quickly become a very bad investment done for long.

I met a guy one day in Lombok. He's a foreigner and own a yatch. In other words, he's very rich. It's his resort that I value. One line hits me: people are like polished diamonds. You must polish many facets of it to make it shine. You can't only use one skill and one side of yourself. You must polish many sides. If you have mastered a job, it's time to leave it, so that you can polish your other skills.

Because it came from a successful man, I know that it is true. There is no job security. You are in the control of your boss if you work for someone. Someone else is controlling your fate. So now, regain it back. There's some other ways to make a living: being an entrepreneur, invest, work from home, online jobs, trade, sell, etc. That are the skills I still need to polish heavily, not just this one. I still need to learn to manage people, to negotiate with clients, to explain without teaching (this I must unlearn), and to be brave.

Sunday Morning

Ahh... Sunday morning. Saturday and Sunday are always my favorite days from back at the school days. The reason is simply because we can do what we want to do on these two days. Freedom is essential to happiness.

Great Ideas!

It took a great deal of creativity and dream to do like these two:

1. http://www.milliondollarhomepage.com/
2. http://oneredpaperclip.blogspot.com/

It manifest an idea into a great deal of money.  GREAT!

The next big idea will be mine.

Why I Choose Aikido

I'm taking a Kyu 1 test (one level before Dan), and I need to make a paper of "Why I Choose Aikido" which is one page long.  I wrote this in five minutes, and think it's a good idea to publish it.  Comments welcome, especially if you're also an aikidoka (e.g. Jean). :)

Let's start:

There are many martial arts out there.  “Why I choose” referring to a comparison, so I’ll compare aikido with a martial art I learned before, and is actually one of the origins of aikido, jiujitsu.  I was also a student at jiujitsu before I trained aikido.  In jiujitsu, the focus point is also on throwing someone, rather than hitting them with punched and kicks.  But, in jiujitsu, sometimes we must use maximum power to defeat our opponents.

I went into a match in jiujitsu once.  And I won the first round.  But what happens?  I lost the second and third round, so I’m eliminated in the first phase.

I also have seen some of kung fu and tai chi.  The training in kung fu is rigorous and very exhausting, while tai chi is very very hard to master, without any practical application in its initial levels.

Now, why I choose aikido?  Besides some factors I will describe below, because I’m suppose to write a paper, the reason I choose aikido is:  because I like aikido.  No more.  No less.  That is the main reason I choose aikido as my martial art of choice.  Sure, aikido may has its own drawbacks, but as a whole art, I like it.

OK, now to the other reasons why I choose aikido, I’ll explain in points:

1. No competition.  This is important since life is competitive enough, and the dojo is a safe haven where uke and nage can both hold hands to cross the finish line together.
2. Let aikido work, not make it work.  Ask any aikidoka, can you push an aikido technique to a success?  You can’t!  You can only train a technique again and again and again until you can do it.  Focus on improvement, which is also a good philosophy of life.
3. Effective self-defense.  Touch me, and I can lock your joint anytime.  But I don’t need to hurt you if that can neutralize your attack (if I don’t want to).
4. The say, aikido is based on “love”.  What other martial art can match that?
5. The movements of aikido is beautiful.  Really.
6. Aikido is  cool.

Well, I can rant on about aikido, but since my paper is only one page, I need to stop here.

Twitter

Today I added the Twitter sidebar in this blog.  I'm getting and getting used to these web 2.0 applications that is actually so cool...  How can I join in the game?

Thinking further...  These web applications are the best socialist country in the world.  Everyone can speak freely.  The majority of them are free, with no entry price to the users.

I'm currently using:

1. rememberthemilk.com:  a very good GTD application to manage lists.
2. twitter.com:  a very good look at my time usage, since I'm mostly at the computer in the office.
3. Google Calendar
4. Gmail
5. Google Doc
6. Flickr
7. Friendster
8. meebo.com:  since I have several IMs with just a small bunch of buddies

You should try some of those applications, if you haven't already.

I've just realized, the life in the modern world is sometimes so complicated that I'm in paralysis sometimes.  Do you ever feel that you live on automatic?  I am, sometimes.  But looking further, I need to know my real goals in this life.  Why?  So that I don't only get along with any waves in front of me.  The world offer everything to be gained.  It also offer everyone to be helped.

Don't Take Things Too Seriously

Like I do...  He he he...
Seriously, I'm writing this because I tend to take things to seriously, and man, IT DOESN'T WORK OUT.  So, now, I'm abandoning that stance and adopt a more joyful stance:  "Life is play."
Yes, actually, life is more worthwhile when seen as a playing ground rather than a prison.  A corporate world may seem like a prison (nine to five anyone?), so I'm also abandoning it... soon.

Taj Mahal

Scaring Parrots at the Mahaal, originally uploaded by Devilz Haircut.

Somehow I just need to show this picture... because it's just amazing to see...

The Beauty of Doing Nothing

"Doing Nothing" in modern version might not be the meditation done by Buddhist monks in the past.  This is my "doing nothing" style:  I explored the web and try out various new stuffs like zoho.com, google maps, and a myriad of other things.  Apparently, there are many things in the internet that now support ordinary people to get information, easily, and painlessly, given you have the time and enough intelligence to dig it out (and to del.icio.us it).  It is very helpful in making the gestalt, or the overall picture of the world.  Right, now the world is flat.  What happens in the other side of the world can be broadcasted instantly by Yahoo! News to my computer screen in like... a second (just watch the Dow Jones and Nasdaq closing price).  Wow!
Living in the abundance of information like this is actually very fun.  We can swim through and makes many many links in our heads that connects things.  At Google maps, you can even explore the map with photos attached to it.  You can peek into a NTU student's mind in her blog, and a Buddhist monk also in her blog.  It's like the internet has revolutionized our world in a sense that no one can imagine before.
If I'm not "doing nothing" today, maybe this development will be missing also from my head.  The next big thing is still the internet, how we can use it more effectively to improve productivity and communication.
I never imagine how computers have evolved.  My parents can't use it very well.  I never use computer until about 10 years ago, and my first computer has CGA monitor (black and white).  I wonder who can use this myriad of technology?  It's too good to be true, but I see that this technology is targeted for us twenty-somethings, and maybe thirty-somethings.  But people over forty might not learn the new skill very well.
Wow!  What if everyone can use this... 

Menikmati Pekerjaan (by Ven. Sheng Yen)

Very nice and calming advices (taken from milis Dharmajala), worth every word in gold:

1. Menjadi sibuk tanpa kehilangan keteraturan, dan menjadi lelah tanpa kehilangan semangat.
2. Menjadi sibuk tapi bahagia, lelah tapi penuh sukacita.
3. Boleh saja sibuk: asal jangan sampai kesibukan itu membuat anda marah dan tertekan.
4. Bekerja dengan cepat, tetapi jangan sampai perasaan anda menjadi tegang; tenangkan tubuh dan pikiran anda dan jangan sampai anda menjadi tegang baik tubuh maupun pikiran.
5. Bekerja dengan cepat dengan cara yang teratur; jangan pernah berlomba dengan waktu dalam langkah yang gugup dan kacau.
6. Jangan mengukur kesuksesan dan kemenangan dengan kekayaan dan pangkat: yang paling penting adalah kita melakukan yang terbaik untuk menguntungkan diri kita sendiri dan orang lain.
7. Untuk menjalankan tugas-tugas yang berat, seseorang harus siap untuk menerima keluhan. Dan untuk memikul tanggung jawab berarti siap untuk menerima kritikan. Namun demikian, keluhan membantu mengembangkan perasaan welas asih dan kritikan mengandung nasihat emas.
8. Tetap merasa ringan/santai dalam segala keadaan, dan memberi setiap saat itu memungkinkan.
9. Tiga rumus untuk meraih kesuksesan adalah: bekerja mengikuti penyebab dan kondisi, rebut mereka saat mereka datang, dan ciptakan saat mereka tidak ada.
10. Ambil kesempatan emas saat mereka datang, ciptakan saat kesempatan itu tidak ada, dan jangan pernah memaksakan sesuatu itu harus diselesaikan.
11. Setiap naik dan turun dalam kehidupan kita merupakan pengalaman yang sangat bergizi bagi perkembangan kita.
12. Hadapi masalah dengan kebijaksanaan, dan pedulikan orang lain dengan perasaan welas asih.
13. Perbaiki penyimpangan dengan bijaksana, bantulah orang lain dengan empati.
14. Semakin dalam empati kita, semakin besar kebijaksanaan kita dan semakin sedikit rasa kesal di hati.
15. Hadapi segalanya dengan kebijaksanaan dan perlakukan orang lain dengan perasaan welas asih, tanpa mengkhawatirkan untung atau rugi. Demikianlah maka kita tidak akan pernah terjangkit wabah kekesalan.
16. Membiarkan keadaan mendikte pikiran seseorang adalah manusiawi; membiarkan pikiran mendikte keadaan adalah bijaksana.
17. Seekor bebek besar mengayuh dalam olakan besar; seekor bebek kecil mengayuh dalam olakan kecil. Besar atau kecil, setiap bebek akan mengayuh jalannya sendiri ke pantai seberang -- tetapi hanya jika bebek itu mengayuh.
18. Bila sang gunung tidak dapat pindah, bangunlah jalan mengelilinginya. Bila jalan tersebut tidak dapat berbelok, ganti jalur anda. Bila anda bahkan tidak dapat mengubah jalur anda, cukup ubah saja pikiran anda.
19. Pandai bukan berarti meregang di luar batas anda. Itu berarti terus menerus menunjukkan kegigihan.
20. Kapal yang lewat tidak meninggalkan jejak di air; burung yang terbang tidak meninggalkan jejak di langit. Saat kesuksesan, kegagalan, keuntungan, atau kerugian yang berlalu dengan cepat tidak meninggalkan jejak di hati, kebijaksanaan besar dalam pembebasan telah tercapai.
21. Membantu orang lain adalah membantu diri kita sendiri.
22. Tekanan biasanya berujung dari terlalu banyak memperhatikan hal-hal eksternal dan pendapat orang lain.
23. Berikan pelayanan anda dengan hati yang bersyukur, seolah sedang membalas kebaikan, maka anda tidak akan merasa penat atau lelah.
24. Selalu bersyukur dalam hati anda, dan memberi/berbagi kekayaan, kekuatan fisik, usaha mental dan kebijaksanaan anda tanpa henti.

Monday Moment: Not Feeling So Good

I’m feeling the least energetic today.

• Maybe because it’s Monday.
• Maybe because I’m too tired in my weekend, Saturday and Sunday (two weddings to attend, and one or two problems to deal with).
• Maybe because I need the cash I loaned to somebody who delayed the payment for so long (2 months or so)
• Maybe because I no longer feel connected to my job.
• Maybe because I’m bored.
• Maybe because somebody give me a message today that I don’t expect.

But I am perfectly okay, because:

• Monday will soon become Saturday again. It’s just cycle days.
• The weddings are both my friends’, and the weekend is meant to be used, and I could use my problem solving skills perfectly.
• The cash is a part of my capital for stock market investing, so loaning it actually hedge it from loss in this turmoil market because of ever-increasing world oil price (US$135! Wow!).
• At least my job give me paycheck for the time being, while I’m seeing things unfold after 2009’s election day.
• Well, I could take up some challenge.
• It’s a peaceful message actually, but came from someone I once loved. I’m feeling mixed. But anyway, past is past.

Blend, don't Resist

I am an aikidoka.  Nowadays I rarely practiced because of work, and right now my thumb is injured.  So maybe I won’t hit the dojo in two weeks or so.  But, I still use the aikido way in resolving every conflict available in this world.  In aikido, we don’t “make” something work.  We “let” it work.  Observing how things work is in itself is enlightening.  Maybe that is the most valuable lesson in aikido.  There are a bunch more lessons and philosophies, but for now, letting something work, instead of pushing your own way, is the most important thing.

In life, we may have our own agenda.  But, we are surrounded by people who have their own agendas.  Whew, that will make a headache if you try to think things through.  But, by letting events unfold and taking calm, relaxed, but correct stance in moment by moment, every events can be turned into everyone’s advantage, not just one.

What a beauty of harmony.

Also read another blog entry:  How Aikido Changes Us.

Imagination and Darkness

I observe that darkness always ignites imagination.  Maybe it’s because of the nature of the our mind tend to substitute the missing sights, or sounds, or touches, or memories – with something beautiful.

So, is it the real thing?  Isn’t it that nothing matters in the darkness.  For instance, if you went out with someone at night, she usually looks more beautiful (or at least more mysterious), and that adds up to the occasion.  Or when you play the music softly… it usually conveys the ambience more that if you play it at the normal level.  Especially if the one I’m playing is old-school rock, where the voice of the singer is the least of beautiful (but I like it anyway).  Or… the one you know least is the one you’re always thinking of… no matter if it’s not true in the end.

Mystery add the spice in life.  But it is not the real thing.  All six of our perceptions always deceives us in every twist and turn.  Of course, I’m still the biggest fan of the “dark and beautiful” thing.  I still love all things mysterious.  It’s just sometimes I notice things like these…  strange, but a truth rings in it.

These Trinkets Were Once Treasures

I’ve just tried to organize my bedroom.  And what have I found?  Hundreds and hundreds of items.  Or, if you can say, trinkets, that were once treasure.  It’s a song line from Bon Jovi, titled Lost Highway.  Really, what I consider important in the past, seems very trivial right now.

My current profession is a valuer, so I tend to translate items into money.  Let’s count what cost me to buy those things I can actually live without.

1. Tens of audio cassettes, let’s say 50, each about Rp.20,000-25,000.  That’s Rp.1,000,000.
2. Hundreds of computer CDs (games, softwares, etc).  Let’s say another 200, each about Rp.10,000-25,000.  That’s Rp.4,000,000.
3. Hundreds of movie and MP3s, Rp.5,000 each.  Let’s say 200, that’s Rp.1,000,000.
4. Hundreds of books (and keep counting).  Let’s say about 250, ranging about Rp.30,000-350,000.  Well.  This is the biggest chunck of my cost each month.  It’s quite hard to quantify, but let’s say about Rp.50,000 each.  That’s a whopping Rp.12,500,000.
5. What more?  Electronics.  This is the biggest single expense in modern life.  Okay, this computer (cost about Rp.12,000,000)  is out of context, because I need this one.  What I didn’t really need is my PDA (Rp.2,900,000), handphones (Rp.4,000,000++, but I gave them to my brother), and my CD player (Rp.2,000,000).
6. My clothes.  Many many of them I use no more now.  Each about Rp.50,000-300,000.  Let’s say 50.  That’s about Rp.10,000,000!
7. Anything else?  My playstation (Rp.1,000,000).  Right now I still love my Nintendo DS (Rp.1,700,000).
8. Miscellanous.  Let’s say another Rp.1,000,000.

So, that’s add up to… Rp.53,000,000 including everything, Rp.41,000,000 excluding my computer, or Rp.35,000,000 if half of my books is of use (and not imported and/or overpriced).

I’ve incurred a cost of over Rp.35 million in the course of, let’s see… 3 years.  That’s Rp.12 million in a year, or about Rp.1,000,000 a month.  I started with a salary of Rp.1,500,000 a month.  So, I was spending more than half of my salary for trinkets then (maybe more).  But wait, let’s count my total income in my working life… umm… about Rp.90 million.  Okay, so I’ve doubled my college fee, but I spent a third of my money on trinkets… how sad.  The money I should invest, and grow…

Now I get much more than that, but… after this realization, I save, and invest.  I better loaded up with assets than with trinkets.  Why?

Wait, before we got there, let’s count the value of my trinkets…

Books… maybe 25% of my cost… about Rp.3,000,000.  Audio cassettes and computer CD… worthless.  Electronics… worthless.  Playstation… worthless (broken).  DS (maybe Rp.600,000).  This computer maybe Rp.2,000,000.  The scrap value of my trinkets is Rp.5,600,000.  That’s less than 15% of the cost incurred!!!  No wonder many people stay in middle class all their life, if they live like me all the time.  No matter how big the income, the toys keep getting more and more expensive.  A Nokia N-series or iPhone will cost me more now than ever.

Okay, so what’s the better way to live?  I can’t hold my shopping.  That trinkets were once treasures, remember?  They were important (some are very important even) to me some time in my life.  Well, I still shop, but I’m shopping things that can go up in value.  Now I don’t collect CDs anymore.  I collect stocks.  I don’t collect electronics anymore besides the essential.  I collect apartments (only one actually).  I told my loved one to collect gold if they wish to shop, instead of fancy clothes or shoes.

I can’t say that I’m going to be rich soon, but if I’m to be a collector, I better be collect things that can go up in value.  Only several things fit this definition.  Books can provide knowledge, and it will give interest exponentially, so that’s still OK.  Electronics is a big no.  CDs are also a big no.  Luckily I have internet now, so the boring computer is no more.  There’s always something new in the net.  Toys… No.  Clothes… maybe a few choice ones (and hopefully cheap).  What fits the definition are:  real estate (house, apartment, land, shophouse, kontrakan, etc), stocks (sure…), art (if I know what I’m doing), and gold.

Common sense?  Yep!  But sometimes common sense is not so commonly done.  There’s shopping malls, advertising keep calling us to buy.  And friends that are keeping up with the Joneses.  Whew.  These days…

Blue Energy???

What do you think of water-based fuel?  Science fiction?  You bet!  Shocking?  Must be.  Especially for the giant economic powers in this world.  But I really really wish that someday, someone will come up with one.  That way, we can save a lot of trouble.  No Iraq war, no pollution, no economic shake-up because of rising world oil prices, no need BLT, no demonstration, etc.  You see, oil is the blessing and curse of modern era.  If there's no oil, many things are not possible.  Now, take out oil, change it with everlasting source, such as the sea water.  WOW.  Imagine...

For a more theoretical take of this matter:
http://priyadi.net/archives/2007/12/06/bahan-bakar-blue-energy/
http://rovicky.wordpress.com/2007/12/12/mengapa-sby-menyebut-blue-energy-dan-apa-yg-mungkin-menghambat/
http://forum.detik.com/showthread.php?t=11172
http://forum.detik.com/showthread.php?t=11139

Is This Useful?

There are news of protests and demonstration today.  Open detik.com and you’ll see most of it.  And what is their reason?  The increase of fuel price.  So now 1 liter of premium will cost us Rp.6,000 instead of Rp.4,500.  The question is: what caused the government to do that?  The college-educated students that do the protests should know that the world oil price is rising insanely!!!  If they know that, what will they do if THEY are the government?  I believe that they’ll do the same thing.  Even I will do the same thing.

Things should be straightened-up, but in the short term, all we can do is this.  So, we need to live up with it instead of doing useless protests.  Do the protestants have a better solution?  I don’t think so.  We can nationalize some oil well, but it’ll take time.  We can use domestic oil to cut oil import, but that also takes time and a huge change in bureaucracy.  One thing for sure:  we can’t control world oil price.

So, what should we do now?  I recommend saving program.  If you can live with the current price, that’s OK, but if not, save!  Travel less.  Use less electricity.  Maybe it’s also a signal to GO GREEN.  Use less energy is the main point here, especially fossil-based fuel, because it’s non-renewable.

Indiana Jones

Yesterday I watched the newest Indiana Jones movie.  Well done, dude!  It was awesome!

 

If you’re still curious about the starring object in the movie, the crystal skull, there is also was an interesting article about it here.

The Moment Notice

This is another blog I created out of mood. Well, sometimes I like to name by blog based on my mood at the time, so that in time, it wears out somehow. So now, I find a better name for my blog: The Moment Notice. A blog should be the representation of this moment, not the moment I actually created it, thus the name. I may notice something of interest and I write, or of any mood, the blog address now can accomodate. Even hopes and dreams, and such things that can make even my own head spin when I re-read it.
So, enjoy what you can enjoy. See you later!