It's just a blog

Nasib Indonesia

2010-04-14T18:57:00.000+07:00

Hari ini semua mata di Jakarta (bahkan Indonesia) tertuju pada Tanjung Priok dimana warga bentrok dengan Satpol PP. Puluhan korban berjatuhan dari kedua belah pihak dan sampai saat ini masih belum jelas apakah ada korban tewas atau tidak.

Beberapa minggu sebelumnya, semua orang membicarakan soal Gayus yang menggelapkan Rp 28 M.

Beberapa bulan sebelumnya, semua orang menyaksikan Pansus DPR yang berusaha membongkar kasus Bank Century.

Sebelumnya lagi, semua orang dengan tekun mengikuti kasus Cecak vs. Buaya

Ini belum ditambah dengan demonstrasi yang dilakukan oleh massa yang mengaku mahasiswa dan anarkisme atas nama suatu agama atau kelompok tertentu,

Saya jadi ingat tagline kantor pajak yang bunyinya "Apa kata dunia?" yang digembar-gemborkan selama ini. Dengan melihat kejadian-kejadian seperti ini, saya jadi berpikir "Apa kata pahlawan-pahlawan nasional kita yang telah gugur dalam memperjuangkan kemerdekaan?"

Saya rasa mereka semuanya akan menangis melihat negara yang mereka perjuangkan sampai titik darah terakhir malah jadi semrawut begini. Mestinya kita malu.

Japan has a new PM

2009-09-02T18:13:00.000+07:00

August 30, 2009.

That's a unforgettable date for the whole Japan nation as the general election took place. Liberal Democratic Party of Japan (LDP) that has ruled the government for more than 50 years, has lost to Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ). DPJ earned a landslide victory by winning more than 300 from 480 seats available in the Lower House. This is a historical moment in Japan since DPJ (finally), a party with less experience, has managed to topple LDP superior domination.

Now, I'm not a expert in Japanese politics, but this victory really shows how the Japanese people want a change in their country. In a time span less than 5 years, Shinzo Abe, Yasuo Fukuda, and the current PM Taro Aso, failed to live up the people's expectations. Corruption scandal during Abe's administration, Fukuda's war with the Lower House, and Aso's slip of the tongue comments surely didn't impressed many people.

DPJ's chairman Yukio Hatoyama will be soon installed as the new PM somewhere in mid-September. And that's where the real work start where he has to live up his promises. It would be interesting to see what DPJ can do to bring the promised changes in Japan. Surprisingly, DPJ's victory is more likely because the people doesn't want to see LDP rule the government again. Winning the general election doesn't mean DPJ receive sympathy from the public. And now they have to answers all doubters and critics.

I'm very curious on how DPJ will make changes in the future. For example, they want to get rid of bureaucracy in the government and be more transparent.

Hatoyama said he wants to create a solid relationship with other Asian countries and distance Japan from the US. And he stated he won't visit the Yasukuni shrine.

It would also be interesting to see how the new government will change (or maintain?) its stance towards the country's Self Defense Forces that is dispatched to Iraq and Somalia as DPJ is a big fan of the Japan Constitution's Article 9.

And I'm wondering whether they are going to put some changes in their history books that has been altered for decades.

And for a 5.7% unemployment rate, DPJ has a lot of homework to do.

Again, it would be interesting to see how Japan will go through a new direction. But for a time being, the Japanese people should celebrate for the soon-to-be-appointed PM.

Ganbatte kudasai, Hatoyamasan

Gossip oh gossip

2009-02-19T18:28:00.000+07:00

There has been too much talk behind my back lately. Even some of my good friends that know nothing got dragged in this.

I'm not going to clarify anything or bother to rectify some statements out there. It's not needed because why should I bother on things that are not even true? I'll pick my own war wisely.

This situation just confirms of those who are my real friends. Friends that believe and trust in me no matter what they hear about me from other people. Or at least they confirm with me first before making any judgment.

And to those who still are listening and believing in some baseless gossips, well, go ahead and waste your time. It just shows how shallow you are.

True 'good country' deserves SDF's efforts (Asahi Shimbun)

2008-12-20T07:36:00.000+07:00

I love this editorial from Asahi Shimbun. Written by Yoshibumi Wakamiya, this article heavily critize Japan's Self Defense Forces (SDF).

Based on the 1947 consitution, SDF is established to avoid any kind of war criminal actions that was once done by the Japanese Imperial Army. Japan is only allowed to build its military based on defensive purposes, so in other words the country is banned to possess any kind of offensive weapons.

SDF always remains a controversy in Japan, where the extreme right wing activists demand Japan to stop apologizing and star to build its military. Meanwhile, others remind Japan not to forget about the A-bomb which was a result of Japan's Asia-Pacific war campaign that already started even before the World War II.

A month ago, Air Self Defensive Forces Chairman Toshio Tomogami made the headlines of his writings that won an essay competition. In his essay, he wrote that Japan actions back in World War II was 'the right thing to do', and that Japan was 'not the aggressor.' Within several days, Prime Minister Taro Aso ordered his resignation. As predicted, his essays created a controversy storm and even China had some comments about this issue.

I love Asahi Shimbun's editorials. It's straightforward and brutally honest about what they are thinking. And this is one of it.

***

Dear A:

It has been a long time since I heard from you. I hope this finds you well. Is your goal of becoming a senior officer of the Self-Defense Forces beginning to take shape? I decided to write to you because I thought you might have misgivings about recent developments regarding your organization.

I am referring to the controversy stirred by Toshio Tamogami, who was ousted as Air SDF chief of staff for writing an appalling essay for a prize contest.

Certainly, it is natural for SDF members to be puzzled when a top SDF officer makes remarks or behaves in a way that deviates from the principle of civilian control. At the same time, however, I heard that quite a few SDF members empathize with his plight. I find this development disturbing.

I hope you don't think The Asahi Shimbun is happy at the turn of events. On the contrary, I, along with my colleagues, feel as though I had cold water thrown in my face.

You might recall that The Asahi Shimbun ran an editorial a few years ago in which the newspaper took the drastic step of supporting legislation to deal with a possible military contingency. Our belief that Japan must stick to war-renouncing Article 9 of the Constitution remains unchanged. But in May 2007, we proposed the establishment of quasi-constitutional legislation that we tentatively called a "basic law on peace and security" to properly define the legality of the SDF. Both moves were made when I was a chairman of the Editorial Board.

It is true that the SDF, which has been in existence for more than a half century, faces many problems. However, we made the proposal because we thought that unlike the former Imperial Japanese forces, the SDF had taken root as an organization of a democratic society. We thought that what the SDF must protect is not the nationalistic state that Japan once was but the democratic nation that came into being. This is all the more reason that mutual trust between the SDF and the public is indispensable. Then like a bolt from the blue, Tamogami stirred things up with his controversial essay. Please try to imagine the magnitude of our shock.

Tamogami's essay is based on the notion that Japan was dragged into war, having fallen into a trap set by foreign leaders such as Kuomintang leader Chiang Kai-shek and U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt, and was thus a victim. Since many credible historians agree that the essay is full of factual errors and convenient assumptions, I will not bother to repeat them here. Please refer to what they are saying in this regard.

What I wish to address is Tamogami's statement to the effect that "Who can stake their lives to protect their country unless they can think of Japan is a good country?" Apparently, it struck a chord with some SDF members.

I can understand the logic that one must love one's country to protect it. Still, the argument that there is no way Japan could have made a mistake or it never resorted to aggressive behavior is childish beyond belief.

In this regard, Emperor Akihito took up the issue of patriotism during a June 2006 news conference.

He was referring to the period between 1930 and 1936 when leading figures were attacked one after another. Four active and former prime ministers were among those killed. It was around this time that party politics came to an end and freedom of speech was lost. Having pointed out those developments, the emperor said: "I believe that many of the Japanese people will bear in mind that there existed such a period prior to World War II, and that Japan will continue along a path on which such circumstances will never arise again."

The attacks on leading figures that the emperor mentioned include the so-called May 15 and Feb. 26 incidents of 1932 and 1936, respectively. The uprisings were launched by radical elements of the military. He no doubt made the comment to remind himself that the Japan-China War (Second Sino-Japanese War), which had its roots in the 1931 Manchurian (Mukden) Incident, and the Pacific War also occurred as an extension of such developments.

Without doubt the emperor loves Japan. We can sense his feelings of remorse all the more when we think that Japan is an irreplaceable and precious country for its inhabitants. Does Tamogami mean that such acts of terrorism and attempted coups d'etat were also traps set by foreign countries?

Asahi Shimbun's past mistakes

Actually, we are also suffering from acute feelings of remorse. The Asahi Shimbun, which criticized the May 15 Incident, cheered for Japan in the Manchurian Incident that occurred the previous year. This almost certainly encouraged the military to run amok. After the Tokyo head office was attacked in the Feb. 26 Incident, the newspaper shamelessly waved a banner of support for the government in the Marco Polo Bridge Incident in 1937 and Japan's following invasion of China as well as starting war against the United States.

After the war, our predecessors made a fresh start, having seriously reflected on their past mistakes. The Asahi Shimbun recently ran a series of articles titled "Shimbun to Senso" (newspapers and war) to examine its coverage of events at the time. The articles were published in book form. What was written by us in those days makes us cringe today. But we have no choice but to engrave in our minds these memories and accept them as a bitter lesson.

Just because we made mistakes in the past, it doesn't mean the role that newspapers played in the modernization of Japan should be denied. Nor does it make us lose pride in what we are doing today. On the contrary, the fact that we can scrutinize our past mistakes, albeit belatedly, gives us courage.

What Prime Minister Shigeru Yoshida (1878-1967) paid closest attention to when the SDF was inaugurated in 1954 was to sever ties with the old Imperial Japanese forces. I wonder if young people like you know that. Tomoo Maki (1891-1968), who served as the first president of the National Defense Academy of Japan, also wrote that he was asked by the prime minister to provide SDF education in a democratic setting.

It is true that our society today has a mountain of problems. We may come across many frustrating situations. Still, compared with times of war and oppression, there is no doubt that we live in a much better society. Tamogami expresses antipathy toward the statement Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama made in 1995 on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the end of World War II to express remorse and offer apology for this nation's past military aggression. However, I believe that a country that reflects on its past mistakes and apologizes for them with good grace is "a good country" that deserves to be protected.

Finally, I wish to tell you that our American friends are surprised at the controversy. They are appalled that of all people, a top leader of an SDF arm would try to justify the war that Japan entered hand in hand with Nazi Germany and call it a conspiracy orchestrated by Roosevelt. They are shocked that an ally it trusts so implicitly would allow a top official to make such utterances. If similar cases happen repeatedly, they could undermine Japan's relations with not only Asia but also with the United States.

Please do not allow yourself to be swayed by this controversy. I want you and your fellow SDF members to show your mettle and pride in a manner that is vastly different from the old Japanese military. This is my earnest wish.

Take good care of yourself. Let's get together soon and have a heart-to-heart talk.

* * *

The author is an Asahi Shimbun columnist.(IHT/Asahi: December 10,2008)

Stranded in Osaka

2008-09-21T04:00:00.000+07:00

All cellphone numbers are not working (3? Helloooo)...

Internet is down at the hotel...

So, I;m now online at Kansai Airport using this weird Jap keyboard.

Now, that:s what you called being totally isolated...

Pelebon Ceremony (15 July 2008) -2

2008-07-26T20:47:00.006+07:00

On my last blog, I wrote that it was too bad I couldn't witness The Royal Cremation Ceremony (Pelebon).

I was dead wrong.

During an internal meeting (on Monday) I was told that I was going to join the team that would set up a Media Center in Ubud. That night it was confirmed that I'd definitely go there, and on Thursday I set my foot in Bali.

I didn't know what to expect. What I knew was that there were three royal family members of Ubud to be cremated. Their bodies would be put in a tower (bade, in Balinese)) carried by thousands of people to the cremation site.

What I also knew was how huge the ceremony was...huge in numbers that is.

A Bade that is 28.5 meters tall
It weighs 11 ton
8,000 people would carry the Bade, in shifts
It would take 1 kilometer to the cremation site
300,000 people would watch this ceremony
500 police officers would be on the streets (This was huge deal considering how small Ubud is)
Ubud would be in locked down for the whole day during the Pelebon Ceremony
And there were other statues that would be carried such as a (smaller) Bade, a dragon (naga banda), and a pair of bull effigy (lembu).

What else?

Oh yeah, a series of detailed and complex ceremonies that would take place prior to the Pelebon Ceremony. And I must not forget to mention that it's expected to wear a sarong and udeng (Balinese hat) while attending the ceremonies. So, there I was.... not being able to walk comfortably because of this sarong.

During those days in Bali, I have watched ceremonies, taken pictures, informed the media and gathering information. While those ceremonies took place, the construction of the Bade caught a lot of attention. It's amazing how the Balinese people are passionate to craft such big statue.

And then there it was....July 15^th

This was the day that everybody had been waiting for and this was one of the days that I won't forget for the rest of my life. In the morning, it started with a ceremony inside the Puri Agung and followed by loading the bodies into the bade and carrying it with the other statues to the cremation site.

The scene was amazing. Words wouldn't be enough to describe the whole ceremony.

Hundreds of people carried all those statues and moved forward to the streets while thousands of spectators were standing taking pictures. This was followed by a small crowd playing the energetic traditional music to support those who were carrying the statues.

Watching that scene gave me shivers and at one point I really could be in tears. When I met Dayce, I said "This is amazing."

She only replied, "Yes, this is amazing."
And then we were quite overwhelmed and amazed by the situation. This was what everybody had worked hard for. And it paid off. And they were the reason why I was there.

The statues were carried through the streets and watched by thousands of people. It was so amazing to see the large crowd. I mean, this could only happen during the World Cup, except there was nobody carrying flags or wearing football jerseys. And I had no need to be concerned about the crowd control because it went peacefully.

All of my colleagues decided to wait at the cremation site and we raced going there. But I just couldn't miss the activities, so I decided to go back and take pictures of the statues and the crowd. I was well armed for this: a digital camera, a handycam and a flip camera.

Just so you know, once the people carried the statue, there was no turning back. This means, they would have to race forward (yes, they run like hell) and no obstacle on the street would stop them. This could be exciting and deadly at the same time if you're standing middle of the street. While they were running, several people standing on the statue gave orders to keep everyone well coordinated while some were pushing the statue at the front in order to maintain direction.

After taking pictures, I ran after one of the bade to the cremation site which was not easy because of this damn sarong (Yes, that's why I wore my Adidas shoes!!!). Not to mention I got sprayed with water, shoved by the musician and my HT fell to the ground several times (oops...).

The statues successfully reached the cremation site and after another ceremony, the cremation started. In less than 20 minutes, all those beautiful statues were burnt to ashes.

The next day after the ceremony, I was still impressed and it felt as if I stayed for months in Ubud.

That's my story in mid July. Yep, I didn't go to Kuta, didn't go to the beach, didn't go to Kudeta. I didn't even have the time to buy souvenirs. But I did witness one of the greatest ceremonies... ever.

Another conversation via Wincom

2008-07-22T11:35:00.001+07:00

"well....play along enjoy the ride"

Someone gave me this advice. The best one for today...

The Royal Ngaben Ceremony (15 July 2008)

2008-07-05T11:15:00.004+07:00

On July 15th, 2008, Ubud Royal Family will escort three of their elders in completing their roles in the circle of life. Many call this event the Royal Ngaben Ceremony. Some call it a journey back to purity and nirvana.

Ngaben or the Cremation Ceremony is the ritual performed to send the dead through the transition to his next life. The village Kul Kul, hanging in the tower of the village temple, will sound a certain beat to announce the departure of the deceased. The body of the deceased will be placed at Bale Delod, as if he were sleeping, and the family will continue to treat him as if he were still alive yet sleeping. No tears are shed, for he is only gone temporarily and he will reincarnate into the family.

The Priest consults the Dewasa to determine the proper day for the ceremony. On the day of the ceremony, the body of the deceased is placed inside a coffin which is then placed inside a sarcophagus in the form of a buffalo (called Lembu) or a temple structure called Wadah made of paper and light wood. The Wadah will be carried to the village cremation site in a procession.

The climax of Ngaben is the burning of the Wadah, using fire originating from a holy source. The deceased is sent to his afterlife, to be reincarnated in the future.
(http://www.indo.com/culture/cremation.html)

The reason why I love Bali is because of the unique and mystical culture. Too bad I can't witness this event on the 15th.

Hikki

2008-07-05T10:39:00.004+07:00

hikki_00

For years I've been using this name for my email account (and YM). But lately, several colleagues (to my surprise) are calling me hikki and there are people that asked me what hikki_00 means.

Well, hikki is Utada Hikaru's nickname. She's perhaps the only Japanese musician that is recognized worldwide. I'm a huge fan of her since she's very different from those other s0-called Japanese musicians. At least she can write her own songs, sing properly and isn't controlled by label companies.

And the 00 part I simply took it from the anime Neon Genesis Evangelion. This controversial anime is about enemies called Angels descending to earth trying to create armageddon. To fight these Angels, a secret organization under the UN has created robots (well, they're not robots actually, but let's leave it at that) named Evangelion Unit 00, Unit 01, and Unit 02, each controlled by a pilot. Yeah, Eva 00 is my favorite because the pilot is Rei Ayanami :D

Something About Us (Daft Punk)

2008-06-27T22:36:00.003+07:00

It might not be the right time
I might not be the right one
But there's something about us I want to say
Cause there's something between us anyway

I might not be the right one
It might not be the right time
But there's something about us I've got to do
Some kind of secret I will share with you

I need you more than anything in my life
I want you more than anything in my life
I'll miss you more than anyone in my life
I love you more than anyone in my life

Nederland 1 Guus Hiddink 3

2008-06-22T04:19:00.003+07:00

The Netherlands lost 1 to 3 against Russia, a team that is coached by Dutchman Guus Hiddink. Russia indeed played better and their attacking style was entertaining to watch. Meanwhile, the Dutch team that became the favorites of the tournament after beating Italy and France was not even close to their best performance.

So, after succesfully coaching South Korea and Australia, Hiddink has made the best out of this Russian team.

Chaos at the Townsquare

2008-06-07T18:17:00.002+07:00

Last Wednesday during a training session, a colleague told me that someone got stabbed at the townsquare in Cilandak. It was ugly. Blood everywhere. This was no hoax, this was for real.

Later on, I received a call from my mom who witness the whole chaos. It started with some people shouting at a cafe, followed by throwing chairs and tables at each others and then, like in the movies, they all grabbed their swords and started to stabb each other. Everyone went histerical and runned away hiding in tennants that shut their doors closed.

The police has arrested 5 suspects and the guy who got stabbed died in the hospital.

Now, where is security?

When I worked at the mall, I often was appointed as Manager on Duty. During the shift, the first thing I do is to check security. Housekeeping, parking, mechanical, electrical department can wait. Security first. Yes, it sounds paranoid but I'd rather not screw up by taking it lightly.

Amazingly, the townsquare is totally open without any proper security checks. There are four entry/exit points with security people standing who are not more than just decoration. So, here you have a bunch of guys swinging with their swords inside the townsquare. Luckily, no innocent bypasser got injured.

To my disbelieve, yesterday when I picked up Toby at the townsquare, there were still no improvement. I still could carry a sword and go inside.

When do people learn?

This Is The Playoffs

2008-05-01T20:14:00.002+07:00

"This is the playoffs. You think you want that ring? You really wanna know if you're really ready? Do me a favor, sit down with any legend, any Hall of Famer who even came close but never got one, and ask them what that ring means to them. Then tell me, if what you see in their eyes matches what's in your mirror every morning. Alright?"
-Actor Jeremy Piven on TNT Playoff commercial-

Yes, we're in the second week of the NBA Playoffs. Orlando Magic, LA Lakers, New Orleans Hornets, and San Antonio Spurs are in the second round while Denver Nuggets, Toronto Raptors, Phoenix Suns, and Dallas Mavericks are having an early vacation (or go fishing so they say in the NBA).

I think the Eastern Conference Finals will be Boston Celtics vs. Detroit Pistons and the Western Conference Finals will be LA Lakers vs. San Antonio Spurs. The NBA Finals will be Celtics vs. San Antonio Spurs. Spurs will win in 6.

Just Another Conversation During Lunch

2008-04-08T21:12:00.002+07:00

A: Jadi elu ke eX?
Me: Nggak, ke Grand Indonesia
B: Tapi elu jalan kaki nyebrang ke eX kan?
Me: Nyebrang? Ke Plaza Indonesia? Kan berseberangan.
A: Elu jalan kaki nyebrang ke sana kan?
Me: Lah? Kan berhadapan gitu
B: The bottom line is, elu jalan kaki nyebrang ke Plaza Indonesia kan?????!!!!!!!!!
Me: Iya, jalan kaki. Emang kenapa?
A+B+ Others: Ya gak papa, kita juga jalan kaki kok ke Plaza Indonesia

Dammit...

Just Another Conversation

2008-03-31T20:08:00.004+07:00

Just another conversation after office hours. This time it's about MP3 players...

Y: Weekend ini beli MP3 player ajaaa
X: Apa tuh nama MP3 player dari Creative?
Y: Zuma?
X: Iya... bentuknya kayak apa?
Y: Kecil kok
X: Nggak mau... maunya yang gede
Y: Ya udah, Ipod aja (sambil nunjukkin Ipod Video yang segede gaban)
X: Tapi maunya yang ada kameranya
Y: .....

And so she left the cubicle....

Open letter to Geert Wilders

2008-03-29T00:45:00.005+07:00

Dear Mr. Wilders,

I just found out that you have launched 'Fitna' yesterday evening. Prior to the launching you said this movie decribes how misleading Islam is.

Today I had a chance to watch your 17 minute movie. After watching it, I have only one question: "Is that all you have?"

I was expecting something provoking. Something that could make me angry, wanting to beat the crap out of you, wanting to grab a gun and hunt you down to the end of the world.

Unfortunately, this movie you claimed to be your last warning, is only clips of bunch of terrorist, headline clippings and some after-math terrorist attacks scenes. Well, I saw all it in CNN so it wasn't something new. It was kinda boring to watch. The fact that I watched with several colleagues was the only excitement I had at that moment.

Sorry to dissapoint you, but your movie is crap. If offers nothing new.

Next time if you want to make a movie, please give Michael Moore a call. He might help you. At least 9/11 Fahrenheit topped the box office. But I think you should stop being a movie maker and focus on being a lawmaker instead. Leave the movie stuff to the pros.

Cheers,

Rizal

PS: get a new haircut

Gongdong Gyeongbi Guyeok JSA

2008-03-13T22:53:00.009+07:00

I just watched this movie again. I bought the DVD several years go because the raving reviews from critics. Joint Security Area (JSA) was a top hit in South Korea back in 2000 since the story is focused on the tension between North and South Korea.

This is a story about a shooting accident that took place somewhere at the DMZ border. Two North Korean soldiers are dead and this accident could trigger a full-scale war between the two Koreans. Korean-born Swiss-raised Major Sophie E. Jean (Young-ae Lee) is summoned to investigate why the accident happened. South Korean Sgt. Lee Soo-hyeok and Sgt. Oh Kyeong-pil and North Korean Nam Sung-shik were the only survivors of the shootout and all of them refuse to cooperate with Maj. Sophie.

(Warning: spoilers)

The story reveals flashbacks of the accident according to the survivors perspective but Maj. Sophie finally learned the truth after Sght. Oh suicide attempt. The cause of the accident was plain simple. Lee, and Oh were caught hanging out with Nam and another soldier at the North Korean post. Despite coming from two countries that are enemies, these four people were good friends. Unfortunately, their friendship ended when a North Korean caught them and everone started to point a gun to each other. It it took only one mistake for them to shoot at each other...

The moral of the story: being the enemy doesn't mean being the bad guy.

The Newest Japanese Soccer Jersey

2008-03-08T20:32:00.005+07:00

Last week at Grand Indonesia, I went to an adidas store. Surprisingly, to my delight, I saw that finally adidas has released the newest Japanese soccer jersey. But I was more suprised seeing the design of the jersey, which now has yellow lines on the front. Usually, the Japanese soccer jersey colour is only light blue, with three stripes on the shoulders and the logo of JFA and adidas on the front. Just plain simple. This is similar to the red Korean soccer jersey that only has the KFA and Nike logo.

It's kinda different but it looks cool.

Any Given Sunday

2008-03-08T13:59:00.006+07:00

"I don’t know what to say, really. Three minutes to the biggest battle of our professional lives. All comes down to today, and either, we heal as a team, or we're gonna crumble. Inch by inch, play by play. Until we're finished.
We're in hell right now, gentlemen. Believe me. And, we can stay here, get the shit kicked out of us, or we can fight our way back into the light. We can climb outta hell... one inch at a time.
Now I can't do it for ya, I'm too old. I look around, I see these young faces and I think, I mean, I've made every wrong choice a middle-aged man can make. I, uh, I've pissed away all my money, believe it or not. I chased off anyone who's ever loved me. And lately, I can't even stand the face I see in the mirror. You know, when you get old, in life, things get taken from you. I mean, that's... that's... that's a part of life. But, you only learn that when you start losin' stuff.
You find out life's this game of inches, so is football. Because in either game - life or football - the margin for error is so small. I mean, one half a step too late or too early and you don't quite make it. One half second too slow, too fast and you don't quite catch it. The inches we need are everywhere around us. They're in every break of the game, every minute, every second. On this team we fight for that inch. On this team we tear ourselves and everyone else around us to pieces for that inch. We claw with our fingernails for that inch.
Because we know when add up all those inches, that's gonna make the fucking difference between winning and losing! Between living and dying! I'll tell you this, in any fight it's the guy whose willing to die whose gonna win that inch. And I know, if I'm gonna have any life anymore it's because I'm still willing to fight and die for that inch, because that's what living is, the six inches in front of your face!
Now I can't make you do it. You've got to look at the guy next to you, look into his eyes. Now I think ya going to see a guy who will go that inch with you. Your gonna see a guy who will sacrifice himself for this team, because he knows when it comes down to it your gonna do the same for him.
That's a team, gentlemen, and either, we heal, now, as a team, or we will die as individuals. That's football guys, that's all it is. Now, what are you gonna do?"

This speech is delivered by Miami Sharks Head Coach, Tony D'amato (Al Pacino), to his players during the playoffs.

I love this speech. He didn't know what to say in the beginning but as he started, words came flowing out his mouth and the players were totally hyped up to go out there and win the game.

Any Given Sunday is one of my all-time favorit movies. It's a story about Jack D'amato coaching the dysfunctional Miami Sharks. His favorite quarterback, Jack 'Cap' Rooney (Dennis Quaid) got badly injured and is replaced by the unkown third stringer QB, Willie Beaman (Jamie Foxx). Being nervous in the beginning, Beaman found his game and soon starts to impress people.

Unfortunately, the sudden fame made him big headed. During plays, he doesn't listen to his offense coordinator and starts to bootleg (not playing according the tactic book). This of course pisses off the end receiver, Julian Washington (LL Cool J) and it didn't take long before they both got involved in a fist fight.
To add up D'amato problems, Sharks' owner, Christina Pagniacci (Cameron Diaz), is impressed with Beamen. Despite the bootleg plays, Sharks starting to winning and that's all what matters for Pagniacci. Meanwhile, Dr. Harvey Mandrake (James Woods) is a corrupt doctor that let injured players play as long as they are happy. And not to mention personal problems faced by Beaman, Rooney, and D'amato

So, facing all this trouble, the moment came down to this speech. Being desperate, D'amato delivered a message about winning as a team. And so they did. Beaman, Rooney, Washington and the others teamed up and delivered a last second win.

Shaq + Phoenix Suns = Championship?

2008-02-17T19:32:00.003+07:00

Shaquille O'Neal is coming to Phoenix!

Yeah, this is perhaps the most shocking trade that happened last week ago. Almost everyone doubt that Shaq still has something left and The Suns management are considered desperate to get their hands on a center after The Lakers increase their arsenal by adding Pau Gasol.

Phoenix is known as a run and gun team. Shaq is known as a huge force under the ring but he's not known as a fast player. Steve Kerr, Suns' GM, is confident that it won't change the teams' chemistry while Shaq see himself as the guy who gets the rebounds and start the fastbreak. He also wants to be a good mentor for Amare Stoudemire, one of the NBA's mos rising star.

Since Shaq is still injured while playing for Miami Heat, he will play in the next one or two weeks. There are still 42 games left and then the real test begins: The Playoffs.

I hope this will be something. It's time for The Suns to get their hands on the trophy. Steve Nash is already 34 and he will be no longer considered as the best point guard in the NBA. O'Neal is also in search for his fifth championship.

They have to win it now.

When introduced from the VIP Box to the home crowd during one game, Shaq made a gesture of putting a ring on his finger. The championship ring. The crowd when crazy. Then during an interview, Shaq said he will answer his critics. When he's mad, he will do something crazy... like winning the championship.

Let's hope he will be mad this season.

The Chosen One Steps Down

2007-09-21T22:33:00.000+07:00

Mourinho latest comment:

"It is omelets and eggs. No eggs -- no omelets. It depends on the quality of the eggs. In the supermarket you have class one, class two or class three eggs and some are more expensive than others and some give you better omelets. So when the class one eggs are in (upscale store) Waitrose and you cannot go there, you have a problem."

This comment shows Mourinho frustration where Abramovich, the Chelsea owner, overrulles his decision to buy players. Yesterday, Mourinho and Chelsea parted based on mutual agreement.

Too bad he left that soon.

Thank You Indonesia

2007-07-19T19:59:00.000+07:00

I knew it will happen when I watched the match in the first 30 minutes. Korea is playing the way they suppose to play. Indonesia is playing with all their effort, energy, and everything they could throw in but unfortunately, it's clear that the Koreans have the experience.

Indonesia 0 Korea 1

Indonesia failed to reach the second round but what they did in the Asia Cup makes everyone proud. They played good football, shocked Bahrain 2-1, lost 1-2 to the Arabia thanks to this UAE referee (Arabia, UAE, Arabia, UAE... Something smells fishy here), and made Korea play hard to score the only goal.

So, thank you for making this an exciting week.
Thank you for uniting this nation.
Thank you for turning us into maniacal nationalists.
Thank you for showing other countries that playing against us is not a walk in the park.

Thank you for making us proud

I never cheered so hard for the Indonesian team in my life. And I hope this isn't the last time.

Hopefully this is a good beginning for our national football team.

[Reserved]

2007-07-19T19:58:00.000+07:00

This space is reserved for my last weekend's experience at Senayan.

Asia Cup Fever

2007-07-17T19:10:00.000+07:00

Tuesday, 10 July 2007

This is the day where Indonesia plays against Bahrain. Unfortunately, I didn't have the time and attention to watch the game. Hell, I wasn't really interested either since I don't know how Indonesia will survive against Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and South Korea.

2.30 pm - I had a client meeting at Coffee Club Plaza Senayan on 3 pm, and on the streets near PS I saw everyone wearing red. Four hours left before kick-off. Well, the mood was there, especially when I entered the Nike store at the top floor. Everyone was getting their hands on merchandise that is red or has a Garuda logo on it. Suddenly, I regret the fact that I didn't order tickets for Sunday's match Indonesia against Saudi Arabia.
Then during the client meeting, I saw a bunch of people wearing red. For me it's amazing to see the enthusiasm because I thought I was the only one who was a bit fanatical about the Asia cup (Fanatical about Korea and Japan, that is).

7.00 pm - I was at the office and I heard Indonesia is leading 2-1 against Bahrain. Hey, that's good! Too bad I couldn't watch it on TV because I was too busy. Later on I found out that Indonesia managed to maintain the score and won.

09.30 pm - I went to McD Kemang for a quick dinner. There I saw a bunch of people wearing red sitting in front of McD. Everyone was satisfied. Yeah, this is something to remember. I don't want to be sarcastic, but this is something you don't watch or see everyday where Indonesia snatch a victory against a good team.
But I'm happy to see that the supporters are getting something in return: a well deserved victory. For a while, let's forget all our problems and celebrate this victory.

So... next match: Indonesia vs. Saudi Arabia. Where the hell can I buy tickets?

Asia Cup: this is our home

2007-07-06T22:57:00.000+07:00

Asia Cup is in South East Asia! Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia are co-hosting the Cup. Indonesia will play against Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Korea.

So, I was expecting some excitement. Yeah, there are big banners from Nike located near Plaza Senayan showing our football players with the tag line "Ini kandang kita."

Yes, this is our home. Don't mess with the host.

I like the idea of that tag line and of course let's hope our national soccer team will do well (they look cool in Nike kits). Unfortunately, these big banners are only to be seen near Senayan. I haven't seen any other decorations around the city that shows signs of hosting the Cup or supporting our national team. Ok, there are several small banners (I repeat: small) scattered around Kemang but it's nearly invisible.

Helloooo? Are we hosting the Asia Cup or not? This tournament is similar as the Euro cup to the Europeans, Copa De America to the South Americans, Golden Cup to the North Americans, and now Indonesia is not only co-hosting the Cup but also hosting the finals. The great thing is that AFC is one who appointed us to host the finals. So, I think this is something what we must proud of because it will be strictly monitored by AFC and FIFA.

But again, it's sad to see no any decorations throughout the city. And even in the stadium self I don't see any decorations (I went to the stadium to buy some tickets a few weeks ago), let alone English signages for any foreign supports that are going to watch the match (Can you imagine the finals between Australia and Japan in Senayan? That's super cool). I'm hoping on that time they haven't started to decorate the whole thing.

Perhaps for some people, this is just another international tournament like badminton, basketball or what other sport it might be. For me, this is an once in a life opportunity (Ok, don't compare this with the World Cup) to watch the best Asian countries competing.

Nevertheless, this is our home and let's support our national team. Go Indonesia!!

(But I'm dying to watch Korea playing and hope to see Japan in the finals. Oh well, Go Indonesia!!)

"Totti? Totti who?"

2007-04-15T16:20:00.000+07:00

If you are a AS Roma or Totti fan, please do not read this.

Last week I watch this Champions League quarter finals, ManU versus AS Roma. Because of my situation where I don't need to wake up early the next morning, I took the liberty to stay up all night long and watch this 2nd leg of this match. This is a high profile match, not only because AS Roma manged to win 2-1 in the first leg at Roma a week before, but it's because of what happened before and after the match.

It started with ManU issuing a travel warning for its fans that travel to Rome to not to gather at certain public places in order to avoid this ultra (hardcore) Roma fans. The Mayor of Rome was upset and made a statement that ManU is overreacting and Rome will treat this just as another football match. Then, ManU's manager, Alex Ferguson, who was asked about who are the best players of Rome, mentioned a few names but not Fransesco Totti. Those who don't know this guy, he is Rome's icon and one of the best players Italy ever had. Totti retaliates by saying that he will make Ferguson remember his name. He also added that he is not interested at all to play at the English Premier League.

Well, Totti helped his team to win the 1st leg by 2-1. But this got overshadowed by a brawl between the ManU's supporters and the anti-riot police. It started with Roma's supporters throwing projectiles to ManU'S supporters. They threw back but got then anti-riot police started to chase and beat them. Another thing, this anti-riot police were standing at ManU's tribune as if they were waiting for that moment. Eleven ManU's supporters are taken to the hospital including a fan that got stabbed in the neck. Roma officials accuse the behaviour of the English (ManU) supporters. ManU accuse the police for being too brutal.

This is now investigated by the UEFA. So, because of this tension, I watched this 2nd leg last week. I was expecting something dramatic and exciting. I was hoping that ManU will do something big. I was waiting for Totti to fulfill his promise.

It was a one sided game....

Here, do the math.
ManU's position is currently at the top of the English Premier League. AS Roma is currently 2nd at Serie A. So, we're talking about 2 big teams, right? Well, the result was a bit different.

ManU steamrolled AS Roma with 7-1. Yep, 7 goals to 1 goal. This result you only get to see when a giant team play against a division 3 team. The match was virtually over before halftime because they already led with 4 to 0 and made 3 goals within 8 minutes. It was very entertaining to see ManU playing football. It reminds me back in 1999 when they won the Champions League Cup.

And Totti? Well, he was almost invisible. Nowhere to see. Nada. Zero. The only good thing was that ha made an assist for the only goal for Roma. But I think that isn't enough to make Ferguson to remember his name. All he remembers now is how perfect they were during that match.

So, if I was Ferguson, I would say after the game: "Totti? Totti who?"

Lack of Sleep

2007-03-22T14:50:00.000+07:00

I thought that only watching 24 gave me sleepless nights. Now I'm hooked on Prison Break. And damn, this TV serie is addicting, full of suprises and twists. And this is the reason why I stay up so late.

The story is about Michael Scofield, a guy that intentionally robbed a bank to get in prison. His purpose is to help his brother, Lincoln Burrows, who is framed for killing the Vice President's brother. Scofield, a structural engineer, once redesigned this prison and has calculated every step in order to escape with Burrows. To do that, he has his body tattoed with the blue print of the prison and with other numbers, symbols that will help him out.

Meanwhile, Scofield's Lawyer, Veronica, is getting curious and try to investigate and reopen the Burrow's case. Because of this she gets hunted by the Secret Service who are trying to keep a lid on this case.

So, scientists said that we must sleep at least 8 hours a day. I did... Eight hours in 2 days.

Xbox360 Commercial

2007-03-21T11:22:00.000+07:00

I read that this commercial is banned. Perhaps because of "usage of firearms" (LOL). But it's very funny, anyway! :))

This is another version made by the students of University of Florida

Infernal Affairs

2007-03-15T15:17:00.002+07:00

Last week I went on leave for 2 days and spent the whole time at home. Finally I have a chance to watch some DVDs and playing PS2, in this case, trying to continue one of those endless RPG Games.

Then I watched Infernal Affairs again for a couple of hundred times and it's still addicting since from the very first time I watched it.

Sam (Eric Tsang), Triad's boss, tries to infilitrate the Police by sending his young people to the Police Academy. One of them is young Ming (Edison Chen), a guy that has potential to become a good cop/mole for Sam. Meanwhile, SP Wong (Anthony Wong) discovered and recruited young Yan (Shawn Yue), a cadet that has skills to become an undercover cop. According Wong's scenario, Yan get booted from the Academy and join the underground world by becoming as a bad guy.

Ten years has passed. Ming (Andy Lau) is now one of HK's top police officers and Yan (Tony Leung) is Sam's most trusted employee in the Triad. Everything seems perfect until Wong to raid a drug dealing involving Sam and some Thai people. There the Police and Triad discovered that they both have been infiltrated.

Now Ming and Yan are both racing trying to discover the mole before one of them gets discovered first.

This is one of my favourite movies. The plot are full of twists and suprises... Wong get thrown off a building by the Triad... Yan always tries hard to remind himself that he is an undercover cop, not a bad guy... Ming eventually wants to be a real good cop and shoots Sam... And the ending, yes, the ending is not according everyone's liking: Yan gets killed and Ming continued to be the good cop.

Later on, this movie is adapted to the American version, The Departed, which had a huge triumph at the Oscars but for me, I prefer IA because it's fast paced and detailed in developing the plot.

Now, I haven't watched IA3 at all yet... Hopefully I can get it done by this week.

PSP or NDS?

2007-03-07T21:54:00.000+07:00

I think I should start to own a handheld console. At least I get to play during the office break or when I'm in the middle of a total traffic jam (pssst... don't tell anyone).

Now, what should it be?

PSP?

NDS?

Both are good and tempting.

2006-07

2007-02-01T14:11:00.000+07:00

It's already been 1 1/2 month in 2007 and I haven't got a chance to write anything. Well, let's hava look back in 2006... good things happened, bad things happened and voila! it's 2007 already.

Here are some moments in 2006 I experienced and/or witnessed:

1. The Office

Early 2006 the Management announced the new organization chart. For some people it was like waiting for a lottery... Anyway, I moved to a new position: Media Relations/Public Relations. Interesting job considering I'll be the guy you're gonna see on TV or hear on radio if the Mall issues a statement (which at this moment didn't happen at all, except for those events). Challenging but interesting job.
I experienced something funny. During the opening of the opening event of holiday season, I got surrounded by a group of journalists and I was like being preyed by a pack of wolfs. They came with a lots of questions, which some of it were though. On that moment i looked like as if I was a famous guy telling about my celebrity status to them. After they were finished, I thought they will head to their office and write a story about it. No... Instead they handed me list of their names and waited. Apparently they were expecting well, a thing you called 'funding' or 'fee' or something because they were there covering the whole event (Hell, 90% of them weren't on the invitation list). Since this was my first experience dealing with such kind of situation, I just posed a very big smile and said "Sorry mate, but got no budget. Perhaps next time. But hey, I got your name cards, don't worry, I'll give ya'll a call."

And so I left them speechless.

2. The Office (MOD)

No, it ain't a Mod Chip. It's Manager On Duty, a where the person is in charge of the Mall after office hours and during weekends/holidays. Before working at the Mall, I thought MOD is a guy neatly sitting behind a desk waiting till shit happens. And then he's the one who's got to fix it. Well, it was more than 'waiting'. It's the guy who makes the ultimate decision during the Mall's operational hours. For example: interior lightings will be activated automatically on 5.30 pm but it's a bit dark outside and raining at 4 pm and the electrical guys want to activate the interior corridor lighting. Of course, permission is needed to do that. So who you gonna call? Right, the MOD guy.

Since we only have 2 guys, sometimes it's needed to replace them when they're on leave, sick etc. So, I started this job on 25 December 2005 and since then throughout 2006 I got a chance to be MOD several times. It's always interesting for me, because this job needs me to take quick decisions and make sure that other divisions such as security, house keeping, parking, engineering, electrical etc. are doing their job. So, this change my whole perspective about being the watch dog at the Mall.

3. Miami Heat: the 2005/2006 Champs

I'm an NBA fan. And luckily I got a chance to watch the 2004 Finals where the DEtroit Pistons demolished Shaq & Kobe's LA Lakers 4 to 1. A few days later, Shaquille O' Neal demanded for a trade and the Lakers shipped him to Miami Heat. Shaq is guy that believes in himself and when officially introduced, he promised to bring the championship to Miami.

That guy is over confident. Too cocky. That was I thinking. Playing 82 regular games, winning 3 playoff series and winning a best of 7 Finals is not a walk in the park. They started the 05/06 season very unconvincing. During the playoffs, Miami wasn't impressive at all. At some point Gary Payton and Jason Williams are shouting and blaming each other during a game.
Perhaps this is what true champions are. Despite their difficulties, they manage to reach the finals and beat Dallas Mavericks 4-2. Yes, O'Neal kept his promise but it was Dwayne Wade who made it happen. People now see him as the next Michael Jordan.

Mission Accomplished...

4. World Cup 2006

This is worth waiting for. The World Cup. An event where the best football teams compete to be the world champs. My favourite teams? Japan, S. Korea, Holland, England. Unfortunately, they all failed to live up the expectations. Japan was far from promising. The 2002 semifinalist, S. Korea, even failed to reach the knock out stage. Holland? Well, one could only remember the brawl against Portugal. And England has a team full of stars but that wasn't enough to do something big.

Italy became champions after beating France. These 2 teams had their own issues to deal with: match fixing scandals in the Italian League and France was a team that nobody even expected to be that far.

I watch the match anyway and hoping France to win the finals because I don't like Italy. Their arrogance, boring display of football didn't impress me at all. But this all got overshadowed with a shocking image of Zidane headbutting Italy's Materazzi. The replay showed they were exchanging some words, Zidane turned around and shocked the world with his head. A headbutt into Materazzi's chest and of course he felt as if he was shot.

So, the Italians could forget their scandal for a while... And Zidane? He got a lot of explaining to do. He is a world class player but headbutting some guy (whatever the reason is) is inappropriate.

5. The 4 word sentence.

I'm a regular visitor to Riga's Blog. And at one moment I read something that's she was facing at that moment: The 4 word sentence. A few days later I met her on YM and ask what her answer will be. Without doubt, without hesitation, she said it's a yes.

Congratulations to both Riga and Indra. They both came from other parts of the world (one from Jakarta and Melbourne and the other from Bandung and The Netherlands) but their first encounter was at Spice Garden PS. I'm lucky to witness that moment and it's always nice to see a good ending.

They will get married on 1 April 2007.

6. Hikki, move over

Give room to Sowelu. Nuff said...

Bush's visit to Indonesia today...

2006-11-20T16:21:00.000+07:00

... is welcomed with Anti-Bush, Anti America demonstrations throughout the nation. C'mon, do we really need THAT? Mentok-mentok para demonstran juga makan di KFC/McD/A&W/Wendy's.

Let Go (M-Flo loves Yoshika)

2006-11-02T12:40:00.000+07:00

Let go (let go) let go (let go) let go...
I know I gotta let go
Let go (let go) let go (let go) let go...
I know I gotta leave my past behind and let go
Let go (let go) let go (let go) let go...
I know I gotta be strong
You better know where you're going
and know where you're from
Better believe it baby, let's go...

kono mama wasurerarenakute
tojikomete wa irarenakute
fumikonja ikenai to wakattetemo
kono kimochi doushitemo gotta let you know
atsuku hageshiku ugoku jikan no naka de
hoshii yo kimi no heart,boy isshun demo

kanawanai koi ni oboretemo kono mama
yume kara sametakunai CAN'T LET GO
wagamama demo ii
yuruganai ai ga koko ni hoshii yo

come one now baby, come on...

yeah, yeah, yeah...
subete no hajimari wa "Hey how you doin'?"
yeah, yeah, yeah...
futari me to me ga ai maku aketa SUTO-RI-
yeah, yeah, yeah...
soshite, deai to wakare ga SETTO ka no you ni
yeah, yeah, yeah...
toki wa tomari, soba ni inakutemo
I'm alright nante tsuyogari
demo tonari ni inai to kokoro itami
Just wanderin' if you feel the same onaji
kimochi na no ka tashikametakute maji
karamawari shite bakari ain't nobody demo
kowagarazu ni tazuna yurumete'kou
jiyuu tsukamu tame let go... I'm tellin' you
EGO wa kokoro no TERO...

so, just listen

amaku shizuka ni toki wa nagareteku noni
karada ga It's breaking apart boy doushite

kowaresou na kurai fuan ni naru dake
Oh why hitorijime shitaku naru no
nani mo iwazu ni
tada kimi no ai ga koko ni hoshii yo

Love train... ni kakekomi jousha shita kedo
matte wa kurenai risou kara straight no chase
mou speed de genjitsu made run,run,run
tomaru koto nai tokei no hari
ichido dake tsukaeru MAJIKKU,unmei no kagi
love de gyakuten, azawarau logic
isoganai to Mr. Heartbreak might stay
makimodosu iroaseta kioku saisei

Tell me how to be free
Oh baby, oh baby
Will my heart be free
So tell me isshun demo

---

How things stand, I couldn't just forget you
I can't just shut you away
While I know that we couldn't let it get any deeper
No matter what, I've got to let you know how I feel
Especially when I'm giving it all I've got
I want your heart boy, even if it's just for one moment

I'm still drowning in this love that cannot be
I don't want to wake from this dream CAN'T LET GO
It's selfish, but I don't care
I want your unwavering love right here

come one now baby, come on...

yeah, yeah, yeah...
It all started off with "Hey how you doin'?"
yeah, yeah, yeah...
A love story wound open as we met eye to eye
yeah, yeah, yeah...
And now, I'm left wondering "do love and loss come as a set?"
yeah, yeah, yeah...
Time stands still, even though I left you

I make myself believe that I'm alright
Though it hurts my heart for you not to be by my side
Just wanderin' if you feel the same (same)
I wanna see if these feelings are for real

Idling away your life doesn't make you nobody
So don't be afraid, loosen up your reins
If you wanna be free, let go... I'm tellin' you
EGO is terrorism of the heart

so, just listen

Though sweet and silent time passes by
My body - It's breaking apart, boy why does it have to be like this?

I'm envoloped by dark anxiety. (I feel like I'm going to break.)
Oh why do I try to monopolise love?
All without saying a thing
All I want is for your love to be right here

I lept aboard just as the Love Train's doors began to shut
A man who doesn't like to wait, straight no chase
Speeding towards the reality we now face. run, run run,
The hands on my watch don't stop
The magic that only works once, the key to destiny
How suddenly things changed, it ridicules logic
Don't hurry and Mr. Heartbreak might stay
Rewind, fade, the memory returns

Tell me how to be free
Oh baby, oh baby
Will my heart be free
So tell me even for just a moment

I'm a Fin

2006-10-20T15:39:00.000+07:00

You scored as Finland. Your army is the army of Finland. You prefer to win your enemy by your wit rather than superior weapons. Enemy will have a hard time against your small but effective force.

Finland

88%

British and the Commonwealth

81%

France, Free French and the Resistance

63%

Italy

56%

Poland

56%

United States

50%

Germany

44%

Soviet Union

44%

Japan

38%

In which World War 2 army you should have fought?
created with QuizFarm.com

England's blooper

2006-10-13T11:25:00.000+07:00

I'm a big fan of the England's Soccer National Team. But what happened 2 days ago is not a pretty sight when Croatia host England in the Euro Qualification match.

Garry Neville passed the ball back to Paul Robinson, the goalkeeper. He takes a full swing to kick it back into the middle of the field, but somehow he missed and kick nothing but air. The ball rolled into the net. If this was a South American team, Robinson is perhaps already shot dead.

Ps: McLaren, when are you going to call Beckham?

Jose Mourinho comments (Quote #2)

2006-09-26T16:22:00.000+07:00

"As we say in Portugal, they brought the bus and they left the bus in front of the goal." - after a 0-0 draw with Tottenham Hotspur.

"Everybody wants Chelsea to lose a game. When they do they should declare a public holiday." - Speaking in a press conference about Chelsea's leading Premiership start in the 2005/06 season.

"I saw their players and manager go for a lap of honour after losing to us in their last home game. In Portugal if you do this, they throw bottles at you." - on Manchester United.

Jose Mourinho is a guy that made the headlines back in 2004. Being the manager of FC Porto, he managed to win the Champions League Cup. During the process, FC Porto beats Alex Ferguson and Manchester United (Ferguson refused to shake hands with Mourinho after the game of the first leg). After winning the Champions League, Mourinho moved to Chelsea and made huge improvement and also hit the spotlight because of his controversial comments.

I love this guy. He's brilliant and confident, if not arrogant. Now let's see if he can win the Champions League with Chelsea.

Things-to-do-list

2006-09-26T15:38:00.000+07:00

Things to do:

Finishing games such as:
-Final Fantasy VII
-Final Fantasy X
-Xenosaga Episode 1
-Xenosaga Episode 2
-Xenosaga Episode 3
-Yakuza
-Lego Starwars 2
-Resident Evil 4
-Forbidden Siren 2

And also the forthcoming Final Fantasy XII, Omikami, Valkyrie Profile 2: Sylmeria

Watching movies such as:
-Crash
-The Sopranos Season 1
-The West Wing Season 3
-CSI Season 3
-Alias Season 4&5
-Gundam Seed

After Gundam Seed there is Gundam Seed Destiny....^^

doh!

SMS Shocker

2006-09-14T12:31:00.000+07:00

This morning, when I was struggling trying to get up at 9 am (after being MOD at the previous boring night), I receive a message from Riga:

Innalilahi wa inna ilaihi roji'un. Telah berpulang pada hari Selasa 12 September 2006, eDonkey network. Semoga segara ada penggantinya.

Turut berdukacita, Rig... Semoga cepet-cepet ada pengganti eDonkey.

Making some changes in life

2006-08-26T19:26:00.000+07:00

As of yesterday, I'm technically not living at Pluit anymore.

Sorry, no offense, but damn, I love being back in South!

A new nickname?

2006-08-24T10:25:00.000+07:00

When I watched the Dutch team during the World Cup Finals 2006, this guy got my attention for several reasons. A defender with a unique name, Khalid Boulahrouz, played very well, at least to my opinion. The second reason, his first club is RKC Waalwijk, my hometown, and it's not everyday I see a RKC player going to the big clubs.

Now Boulahrouz plays for Chelsea after spending a few years at SV Hamburg. And here I found a funny story about his nickname (Khalid The Cannibal) from Yahoo! Sports:

"Nicknames are always a little bit over the top," said Boulahrouz, who was sent-off in the fiery World Cup finals second round match with Portugal which the Dutch lost.

"I went to Hamburg and my German was not so good. So I tried to explain with my hands and show some moves how I am on the pitch.

"The next day I opened the paper and it said 'The Cannibal signs contract until 2008'. I didn't say I eat my attackers."

He explained: "My philosophy of football is quite easy. I go on the pitch and play only to win. I'm a defender so I have to do my job and that's to control the striker so he doesn't score goals."

So, what's his nickname now?

Quote #1

2006-08-20T19:22:00.000+07:00

In the modern world, great leaders solve their conflicts with words.

Words like: Scud Launcher ... Carpet Bombing ... Tomahawk Missile

(Command & Conquer Generals)

From Jason Bourne to Operation Red Storm

2006-08-11T10:22:00.000+07:00

A few months ago, I purchased Bourne Identity by Robert Ludlum. I have finished reading Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan verse 12 out of 13 books (I'm now in search of "The Cardinal of The Kremlin") and now it's time to move over to another book.

I love the movie, I love the character and I thought "Hey, it will be great if I'm able to read all of the 3 books before Bourne Ultimatum gets out." Well.. this sounds similar to my will to finish "Lord of The Rings."

It was harder than I thought, and at the end I'm struggling to read that book. It's about a character named Jason Bourne, an assassin who lost his memory and for some reason the CIA and other certain organizations are after him. While trying to escape from all those attentions, he's trying to find out exactly what happened and who he really is.

Somehow, it wasn't interesting enough for me to read further, so I left the book for days, weeks, months. Last week I tried to continue reading it, but no.. enough is enough. Perhaps another time.

So, now I'm back to Tom Clancy. This time it's Red Storm Rising which is not a part of the Jack Ryan Verse. This book takes place during the Cold War and tells about World War III. The scenario is simple: Some pissed off terrorists blew up an oil field at Nizhnevartovsk. USSR is now facing a major energy crisis and some brilliant (or stupid) member of the Politburo suggested Operation Red Storm Rising, a campaign to take over the oil fields in the Middle East. To do that, they need to take out NATO in Europe and having done that will leave America only staring at distance. Easy, right?

While reading this book, I'm looking for another writer that's similar to Tom Clancy.

Beautiful

2006-08-11T09:59:00.000+07:00

Here we are

Finally together

Holding close

Never release this feeling

This moment

My dream is now

That I'm with you

'Cause your beautiful

Something in your eyes

Tells me I have found

Love that never dies

I don't have to dream

Reality is beautiful in you...

I've never felt more true

There you are

Finally the answer

Take my hand

Never release

The sweetness

The magic

The happiness

I found in you

Cause you're beautiful

Something in your eyes

Tells me I have found

Love that never dies

I don't have to dream

Reality is beautiful in you...

I've never felt more true

Cause you're beautiful

Something in your eyes

Tells me I have found

Love that never dies

I don't have to dream

Reality is beautiful in you...

I've never felt more true (x3)

Cause you're beautiful

I've never felt more true...

Beautiful...

(Beautiful, Late Night Alumni)

I found this song from a chillout compilation by Ibiza (I forgot the title) which has a nice tune and good lyrics...

War of Words

2006-08-10T17:40:00.000+07:00

I'm just browsing around and I just remember about what happened a few months ago. Let's put it this way... There are 2 people: X and Y who are friends. Then on a day, X doesn't like Y. But X doesn't talk to Y. X then shutdown Y without any expalanation. So, whose fault is it?

I just remember because I'm browsing X's blog now. And honestly, I think this person needs help because it seems that this person lives in an own created world.

Red Alert & Forbidden Siren

2006-08-10T13:50:00.000+07:00

This blog is temporarily under construction. I tried to put some changes in it but unfortunately since I'm working on limited resources at the office (in another words: the internet connection sucks!), I'll make the changes as soon as I'm home.

This time I choose the name red-alert23 as the name of my blog. Why? Because I'm a videogame fanatic and Command & Conquer: Red Alert is one of my favourites. It's a real time strategic game which is addictive in every aspect: the gameplay, graphics, sounds, music, you name it...

As for Forbidden Siren, I took it from the game named well.. Forbidden Siren, a Japanese horror game, which is similair to Resident Evil, only here the zombies are smarter and harder to beat (Can you imagine a Sniper Zombie? No? Wait till a zombie sniper put a hole in your head). The interesting part of this game is that the story is not based on the timeline, but based on each characters experience. This includes around 25 characters, and while playing further, the real plot will unveil.

Question: "Did you finish Forbidden Siren?"

Big no... it sucks to confront zombies without being well armed. Luckily, in Forbidden Siren 2, there is a character that happens to be a JSDF (Japan Self Defense Forces) Soldier. So, at least I know I'm equipped with an automatic rifle.

A new blog

2006-08-10T13:27:00.000+07:00

Ok, this is another new blog. I'm currently writing at Friendster (Forbidden Siren), but I'm not familiar with certain features. And somehow (call me stupid if you want to) the display of my blog is a bit awkward and I don't know how to adjust it. So, I'm going back to blogspot (Sorry Friendster!).