Post-Flood

This might be a common sight elsewhere, but it is the first fall I've seen in Jakarta in my lifetime. And it's all because of the flood a couple of weeks ago. I guess the trees couldn't take being under sea water for a few days. The leaves just fell completely to the ground even though they were all still green.


I hope the trees aren't dying and the leaves will grow back again really soon.

Local Flood

We live next to the sea. The sea level is higher than the land level. We sustain the water from getting to the land with embankments or levees. Today, some levees apparently was broken and the water got as high as the thigh around dusk. These are some pictures taken when it just started and just a couple of hours later.





I saw fishes, worms, and snakes swimming on the streets. And some men even caught a tiny crocodile (or a big lizard). ^_^

Good Morning!

It was a holiday and I went to the mountain to spend it. I got up around 8am and went outside to smell the fresh air and enjoy the sun. Then I saw dozens of bees flying over the flowers in the garden. I went inside to get my camera and went back outside. I approached them slowly, hoping not to get stung. And I took some close up shots of them which I really like. I got a picture of a bee's butt with very nice stripes, but I don't want the bees to hate me so I won't post it. ^_^ Here's another good one, which is one of my favorites.

The Pretender

Keep you in the dark you know they all pretend
Keep you in the dark and so it all began

Send in your skeletons
Sing as their bones come marching in... again
The need you buried deep
The secrets that you keep are at the ready
Are you ready?

I'm finished making sense
Done pleading ignorance
That whole defense
Spending this energy
But the wheel is spining me, it's never ending
Never ending
Same old story

What if I say I'm not like the others
What if I say I'm not just another one of your plays
You're the pretender
What if I say I will never surrender

In time or so I'm told
I'm just another soul for sale, oh well
The page is out of print
We are not permanent
We're temporary, temporary
Same old story

What if I say I'm not like the others
What if I say I'm not just another one of your plays
You're the pretender
What if I say that I'll never surrender

I'm the voice inside your head
You refuse to hear
I'm the face that you have to face
Mirroring your stare
I'm what's left, I'm what's right, I'm the enemy
I'm the hand that'll take you down
Bring you to your knees

So, who are you?
Yeah, who are you?
Yeah, who are you?
Yeah, who are you?

Keep you in the dark you know they all pretend

What if I say I'm not like the others
What if I say I'm not just another one of your plays
You're the pretender
What if I say I will never surrender

So, who are you?
Yeah, who are you?
Yeah, who are you?

by: Foo Fighters

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Most of the people I know who have seen the movie said that it was the worst out of the others.. But not me. I think it was really good. Was it the great acting, the good story, or something else? Or maybe it was the combination of those things. I don't know why but it really got into me. It even made me wanna find the next book and read it.. I rarely read books and I've never read any of the Harry Potter books. So that's something. :p

Ralph Fiennes was awesome as Lord Voldemort..

The previous Harry Potter movies was OK but this one is definitely my favorite.. so far...

Stupid Busway in Pluit

500m in 2hrs.. HOW COOL IS THAT? It was all because of the Busway lane they're setting along Pluit main street. COME ON..! WE DON'T NEED NO BUSWAY HERE!




Putting a Busway lane on a 2-lane street, leaving only ONE lane for other vehicles, not to mention all the public transports (buses, angkot) that always stop selfishly wherever and whenever they want, and also the limited parking of all the crammed restaurants along side the street which causes even more traffic.

Busway on main roads with 3-4 lanes is fine, but on a regular 2-lane street? It doesn't make any sense. Maybe they won't stop there.. Maybe they wanna make Busway lane through MK Raya to PIK, too. I'd really love to see that...

Which Superhero are you?

Your results:
You are Robin

Robin 80% Superman 70% Green Lantern 65% Supergirl 58% Batman 55% Catwoman 50% The Flash 50% Hulk 50% Wonder Woman 48% Spider-Man 45% Iron Man 25%	Young and acrobatic. You don't mind stepping aside to give someone else glory.
Click here to take the "Which Superhero are you?" quiz...

Dear Mr. President

Dear Mr. President,
Come take a walk with me.
Let's pretend we're just two people and
You're not better than me.
I'd like to ask you some questions if we can speak honestly.

What do you feel when you see all the homeless on the street?
Who do you pray for at night before you go to sleep?
What do you feel when you look in the mirror?
Are you proud?

How do you sleep while the rest of us cry?
How do you dream when a mother has no chance to say goodbye?
How do you walk with your head held high?
Can you even look me in the eye
And tell me why?

Dear Mr. President,
Were you a lonely boy?
Are you a lonely boy?
Are you a lonely boy?
How can you say
No child is left behind?
We're not dumb and we're not blind.
They're all sitting in your cells
While you pave the road to hell.

What kind of father would take his own daughter's rights away?
And what kind of father might hate his own daughter if she were gay?
I can only imagine what the first lady has to say
You've come a long way from whiskey and cocaine.

How do you sleep while the rest of us cry?
How do you dream when a mother has no chance to say goodbye?
How do you walk with your head held high?
Can you even look me in the eye?

Let me tell you 'bout hard work
Minimum wage with a baby on the way
Let me tell you 'bout hard work
Rebuilding your house after the bombs took them away
Let me tell you 'bout hard work
Building a bed out of a cardboard box
Let me tell you 'bout hard work
Hard work
Hard work
You don't know nothing 'bout hard work
Hard work
Hard work
Oh

How do you sleep at night?
How do you walk with your head held high?
Dear Mr. President,
You'd never take a walk with me.
Would you?

by: Pink (feat. Indigo Girls)

Octopus vs Shark

Place Your Bets!
Which of these two sea predators would win the match? I personally like the outcome because my favorite sea creature wins. ^_^
I wanted to write more about it, but I don't want to spoil it and give out the result. So.. just watch the video and listen to the story behind it. Enjoy!

Superman's Fortress of Solitude

To all Superman fans out there. Would you like to go to the Fortress of Solitude? I know I would. It's not as cold as it seems in the movie because it's not located in the North Pole, but inside Naica mountain in Mexico.

This cave of crystals are made of minerals which takes hundreds of thousands of years to form. Some of the mega crystals are 11 meters long and there is no limit to the size a crystal can reach.

It's a beauty of nature for sure. But after being exposed to the outside air and environment, these crystals might be doomed. Hopefully they'll seal the cave or do something to let this beauty continue to grow. Otherwise, its' life will soon be over, just like everything else in nature that has been touched by us, humans...

taken from National Geographic.com

Floods in Jakarta, February 2007

This year's floods has been devastating for most parts of Jakarta. It's been said that half of the city was covered with up to four meters of water.

I took these two pictures on my way to campus on February 5 (Yeah, eventhough the city was full of water, we still had our final exams -_-"). These are scenes from Grogol, close to Ciputra Mall. More than 500 people were living under bridges in other parts of Jakarta. The number of deaths during this disaster is at least 57 people, but that's not all. Many people caught diseases from the dirty water and the poor condition they were in. According to the news, one person had contracted leptospirosis, a potentially fatal disease borne by water contaminated by rat urine, but so far there are no cases of tetanus or other serious waterborne disease.

The scarcity of food was easily seen. People had trouble getting something to eat. Both the traditional markets and supermarkets were swamped by people. Everyone bought all they can get so they would have food stocked at home.

These are the condition at Carrefour supermarket in Mega Mall, North Jakarta on February 3. Almost all fresh food products are gone: breads, veggies, meats, etc.

Well, The flooding is over, the city is now in recovery, disinfectant is scheduled to be sprayed, dirt and debris will also be cleaned to prevent diseases.