Another Victoria's Secrets

1. "Mustangs" By Robert Glen, Las Colinas, Texas, USA




2. "Expansion" by Paige Bradley, New York, USA




3. "The Monument Of An Anonymous Passerby", Wroclaw, Poland

 

4. "Salmon Sculpture", Portland, Oregon, USA

 
5. "People Of The River" by Chong Fah Cheong, Singapore


 6. "The Shoes On The Danube Bank" by Can Togay & Gyula Pauer, Budapest, Hungary

 

7. "The Knotted Gun", Turtle Bay, New York, USA



8. "Break Through From Your Mold" by Zenos Frudakis, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA




9. "Black Ghost", Klaipeda, Lithuania





10. "Les Voyageurs" by Bruno Catalano, Marseilles, France

 
11. "Nelson Mandela", South Africa




12. "De Vaartkapoen" by Tom Frantzen, Brussels, Belgium

 
13. "Cattle Drive", Dallas, Texas, USA




14. "Maman" spider, Tate Modern, London, UK

 
15. "Hippo Sculptures", Taipei, Taiwan



16. "Sinking Building Outside State Library", Melbourne, Australia

 
17. "Iguana Park", Amsterdam, The Netherlands

 
18. "Man At Work", Bratislava, Slovakia

 
19. "A Scene From The World War With Real-Size Statues", Eceabat, Turkey



20. "Man Hanging Out" by David Černý, Prague, Czech Republic



21. "The Kelpies", Grangemouth, UK



22. "Rundle Mall Pigs", Adelaide, Australia



23. "Monument of The Unknown Official", Reykjavik, Iceland



24. "Bench" outside Bukcheon Museum, Seoul, South Korea


Image was taken from everywhere. I do not claim any of the pictures above.

~ Damien Rice

Wherever you are, you know that I adore you
No matter how far, well I can go before you
If ever you need someone, what not that you need help in
But if ever you want someone, you know that I am willing
 
 I don't want to change you
I don't want to change you
I don't want to change you
I don't want to change your mind
I just came across an angel, out among the danger somewhere
In the stranger's eye
 
Wherever you go, I can always follow
I can feed this real slow, if it's a lot to swallow
If you just wanna be alone, I can wait without waiting
If you want me to let this go, I am more than willing

'Cause I don't want to change you
I don't want to change you
I don't want to change you
I don't want to change your mind
I just came across some angel, out among the danger somewhere
In the stranger's eye
 
I don't want to change you
I don't want to change you
I don't want to change you
I don't want to change your mind
I just came across some angel, out among the danger somewhere
In the stranger's eye
 
I-I've never been with anyone in the way I've been with you
But if love is not for fun, then it's doomed
'Cause water races, water races down
The waterfalls, water races, water races down
The waterfalls!
 
I don't want to change you
I don't want to change you
I don't want to change you
I don't want to change your mind
I just came across some angel where there is no danger
 
Where love has eyes, it is not blind

So two of my friends from different circles (that surprised me they knew each other but then again Bandung is a small city) decided to form a band with two others named Zealspeaks. They play rock based on British music and now they need our vote to enter Kickfest 2014. Click here to vote.. and thank you in advance for your support!

via healthdigezt

It is believed in Chinese Medicine that acne that flares up on different parts of your face represents health problems on different parts of your body. It’s like this part of your face corresponds to this organ. To know what conditions you’re suffering from, just look at where your acne is.

Upper Forehead

Affects: Digestive System and Bladder
What to do:

• Drinking water helps to flush out the toxins in your body, so boost your water intake and have a look at the foods you are eating.
• Minimize intake of fizzy drinks and high caffeinated drinks. Also look at switching to herbal teas, especially green tea!
• Consume less chocolate, cakes, lemonade and Coke, drink more mineral water without gas. Eat food that helps eliminate toxins from the body: boiled cabbage, and baked apples.
• Go to bed early (10pm) and wake up early (6am). Even if you can’t fall asleep. it’s good to relax so your liver can rest and be ready for work the next day
• 20-30 minutes of light exercise every day, especially outdoors
• Practice relaxation techniques to worry less
• Better hygiene (washing hair, hats)
• Green Tea, lemon water and berries can also help as these are antioxidant rich foods

 

 Lower Forehead

Affects: Heart
Your heart is a massive organ that pumps blood all over your body. If it’s stressed out due to poor diet, inactivity and various mental and physical stresses, then not only are you likely to get pimples on your lower forehead, your entire body will be doomed if you don’t fix the problems. Having a healthy heart means to do regular exercises to strengthen the heart, as well as eat a healthy diet, and keeping stresses low.
What to do:

• Try to exercise regularly
• Drink at least 8 glasses of water
• Eat healthy, preferably low cholesterol, high fiber diet
• Quit smoking

 

Ears

Affects: Kidneys
When kidneys are not taken care of, you’ll find these large, painful pimples on your ears that refuses to leave no matter what.
What to do:

• Increase water intake
• Avoiding eating too much salty food, caffeine
• cleanse your kidneys with diuretics like parsley and water

 

Eyes, orbital area and between the Eyebrows

Affects: Liver
Oiliness, redness, flakiness and pimples between the eyebrows can indicate that your liver may have been overworking and need a cleansing.
What to do:

• Eat fruits and vegetables with high content of vitamin C (kiwi, sweet pepper, oranges) will help in providing you with a good mood.
• Try to avoid eating late at night; especially right before bedtime as your body will not break down the food as effectively, leading to a toxin build up.
• Cut back on fatty, sugary, greasy and rich foods, alcohol and diary, particularly if you’re lactose intolerant.
• Some of the best foods to cleanse your liver include garlic, grapefruit, green tea, carrots, beets, leafy green vegetables, lemons and lime.

 

Upper Cheeks

Affects: Lungs and Respiratory System
Stresses to the lungs is likely to cause flare ups in the upper cheeks and even break your capillaries. These stresses include smoking, asthma, allergies, and lung infections.
What to do:

• Avoid smoking and passive smoking
• Exercise
• Avoid polluted area

 

 Lower Cheeks

Affects: Gum or Teeth Problems
Gum or teeth problems may contribute to acne in the lower cheeks area.
What to do:

• Hygiene:
  • Change your pillowcase at least once a week, and wipe down your phone with an antibacterial wipe every few days.
  • Always keep on top of your dental health, brushing, mouthwash and flossing twice a day and regular check ups at the dentist at least twice a year! Don’t just wait until you have a dental problem to make an appointment.
• Food:
  • Foods great for healthier lungs include, kale, sprouts and pumpkin.
  • Include fresh vegetables, oatmeal and brown rice in your diet.
  • Eat more cooling foods such as gourds, winter melons, and green beans
  • Don’t overeat
  • Avoid fast food and junk food, artificial sugar and sodas
  • Avoid mango, taro root, wine, and seafood or other foods you may be sensitive to
  • Eat less sugar

 

Sides of the Chin

Affects: Hormones and Genitals
This may affect a lot of girls. When sides of the chin often flare up, it’s a sign of hormonal imbalance, often caused by menstruation. Sometimes, even emotional or physical stress can cause hormonal imbalances. There are also herbs that can help balance hormones such as licorice, schisandra, holy basil, maca, burdock, red raspberry leaves, rhodiola and milk thisle. Green tea is also a brilliant anti-androgen.
What to do:

• Reduce the habit of eating before bed
• Eat more fresh fruit and vegetables
• Get more rest and sleep
• Get 20 minutes of exercise each day and massage your body for relaxation
• Sleep early and wake up early
• Try herbs that can help balance hormones such as licorice, schisandra, holy basil, maca, burdock, red raspberry leaves, rhodiola and milk thisle. Green tea is also a brilliant anti-androgen.

 

Centre of the Chin

Affects: Small intestines and stomach
This is also caused by poor diets and food allergies. Be sure to eliminate those bad foods.
What to do:

• Eat more fresh fruit and vegetables
• Get more rest
• Increase water intake and fiber in your diet

 

Chest and Neck

Chest areas are usually caused by stress, so be sure to figure out what’s stressing you out and try to eliminate that stress. It’s also important to be comfortable in your outfits. When areas around the neck flare up, it’s often caused by your body fighting off infections.
What to do:

• Try to eliminate stressors
• Use comfortable clothing
• Increase water intake and maintain ascorbic acid intake to fight off infections.

Copied from healthdigezt. 

Found this great new movie on the internet, watched it and loved it! I have just known that Keira Knightley could sing (of course she could, who couldn't? well I mean professionally..) The movie plot is light and entertaining and the musics are great.. I love Knightley's outfits and the way the movie ends. A kind of indie movie indeed.

I haven't really share anything about this project I've been involved in with you but here it is, the upcoming movie about Indonesia's heritage, tosan aji or heirloom in form of keris (kris). Right now this project is still in the pre-production phase but as soon as we get enough funding (that means we need investors to make it happen), we are all-ready to deliver the best of Indonesia's treasure packed in an adventure sci-fi movie to be released on 2016 and it's gonna be big. Are you with me?


PS. Notice my name as one of producers at the credit part there?

via bisnis

Have you ever been to Galeri Indonesia Kaya? It is located in the area of Blitz Megaplex in Grand Indonesia West Mall floor 8. It had been years since my last visit to the mall, and in my recent visit on Aug 17, we saw this game booth with "Mencari Sinta" game in it that we should find the image of Wayang Sinta (of Ramayana epic) an the mask. When we succeeded, we were given a code to redeem a gift.

the game booth

Ten2Five Zamrud Khatulistiwa CD

So we went up and redeemed our gift. We got a Ten2Five CD "Zamrud Khatulistiwa" and entered the installation zone. We were greeted by three couples on screen, welcoming us in different tribe languages in the tunnel of rattan waves, then a virtual wayang show, virtual applicable traditional clothes, virtual interactive tour about and around Indonesia and some other virtual games.

via jktgo

The whole concept is very interesting, to introduce Indonesian richness from the many tribes by the material and pattern selections of the interior. This, I think, is a really nice idea for those who never knew Indonesia before, more suitable to build in the Indonesian embassies abroad, not in this country. I mean, for the people who never know about the nation, this place is a really cool place.

virtual wayang show

But for those who are already in Indonesia, why don't they just go to the actual provinces/villages, talk with the actual tribe people with the actual languages, try the actual game, music instruments and and learn their actual habit of living? I think this gallery would be complete if they provide with tour & travel arrangement for people to visit all of the provinces in Indonesia, to encourage people to travel the whole country and increase the tourism and its foreign exchange.

manuscript in Javanese

This gallery also support cultural and art performances and activities, also introduce Indonesian art and craft products that are sold in Alun Alun at floor 3. The schedules of shows can be checked at the website. But if you cannot or would not come here, better idea is to plan a holiday to one of Indonesia's great tribes, don't you think?

via blogspot

Have you watch this movie Lucy? You may relate this to recent movie Limitless starring Bradley Cooper about a man consuming a nootropic drug of NZT-48 that made him brilliant. Lucy, like Eddie did, consumed a certain amount of blue synthetic powder of CPH4 that made her extend her brain activity from just an average of 10%. 

I know it sounds too absurd, too fictional, delusional, and so on. You may judge anything about this movie/idea. But let's think about it in a deeper level: what if this was the true nature of human being? Since we use only 4-10% of our brain capacity, there should be another chance of 90-96% truth that we do not know about yet, that are much way bigger than our imagination could handle. Once again, what if this was the truth?

In my opinion, if I may analyze this, the idea of this theory could work. I have seen 'average' people who use only 1-5% of their brains and those who use their 10% (let's say, our investors such as Einstein, Da Vinci, you name them). But in this world, there are also people who could maximize it more than 10% that we are dissociated from.

via scifinow

Imagine the ancient world. Not the neanderthal people or monkey ancestor like in this film, but the more religious/ ancient with deities, gods and demigods. Remember the stories of Zeus, Hercules and Odin; remember stories of witchcraft and wizardry, all the black magic and sixth sense stuff.. I think they're all related: an 'abnormal' man or man with a superpower is just a person who use more than 10% of his brain.

Therefore, relating the movie Lucy with Bible, "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them" (Gen 1:27)--people are indeed the image of God, with capabilities like Him, but we are limited with only 10% of cerebral capacity. Perhaps gods and the deities are the ones that could use it up to 100% based on their levels.

Take it like Sang Hyang Wening and the ones before him (God Almighty) could use the 100% of it--that's why they don't take forms, then Sang Hyang Batara (Ismaya, Antiga, Manikmaya) perhaps in the capacity of 90%, their children (Batara and Batari) in the 80%, their grandchildren (Dewa and Dewi) in the 70%, their great-grandchildren (Bidadara and Bidadari) in the 60%, their great-great-grandchildren (Widadara and Widadari or Dang Hyang) in the 50%, then the demigods in the 40% and human, based to their level of learning, can do it up to 30%--which made them called 'sakti' (mighty, powerful, can do magic etc). Perhaps.

via soaznewsx

I personally like some quotes from this movie, a 10-years project that finally came true. Like the professor's saying "We humans are more concerned with having than with being", Lucy's "We've codified our existence to bring it down to human size, to make it comprehensible, we've created a scale so we can forget its unfathomable scale" and another Lucy's "We never really die."

I think there is a part of us that resembles God that we call as "subconscious", "conscience" or "heart" that tells us what to do, how to react, etc. It is the part that we usually don't understand, but live inside us. It is shut down until we reach a certain level of "enlightenment" to connect with our deeper self. That is why, we never really die. It is either to choose immortality or reproduce. I personally choose the first one.

Therefore, we must rethink what we know about supernatural, magical or mystical things. There are bigger chance they exist in this world along with us, only we never really aware of them. Therefore all the miraculous stuff not really an occult thing anymore. They are simply there, exist beyond our brain capacity could process and digest, and since we miss the big 90% of knowledge, I think we must start to open our mind to the greater truth.

What do you think?

"Life was given to us a billion years ago. Now you know what you can do with it."

It had been four years now since the issue of reclamation in Benoa Peninsula in Bali started. Now the issue had been brought nationally, involving not just people of Bali but also its immigrants and also public figures. One thing that made me interested on the case is how strong the resistance that came onto it and the fact that it has been blown up as trending topic in the social media these days.

As Buddha had said before, "If you propose to speak, always ask yourself: Is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary?" The same questions need to be asked here. The first thing we need to know: is it true? Is reclamation really going to drown Bali? Is it so or perhaps the other way around? Therefore we must ask a little further back from here. The big question we need to know now is: what is a reclamation?

via beritabali

"Reclamation", according to Merriam-Webster: rec-la-ma-tion: noun \ˌre-klə-ˈmā-shən\:  the act or process of reclaiming: as
And described in wikipedia:

Land reclamation, usually known as reclamation, and also known as land fill (not to be confused with a landfill), is the process of creating new land from ocean, riverbeds, or lake. The land reclaimed is known as reclamation ground or land fill.
In a number of other jurisdictions, including parts of the United States,^[1] the term "reclamation" can refer to returning disturbed lands to an improved state. In Alberta, Canada, for example, reclamation is defined by the provincial government as "The process of reconverting disturbed land to its former or other productive uses."^[2] In Oceania it is frequently referred to as land rehabilitation.

Second thing we need to know, what is and how will the project working? Is it going to be kind to us, to the nature and its ecosystem? What are the effects and impacts if it will get done? What are the effects if it's not done? As what I know about it, this Benoa reclamation project will not touch any of the mangrove forest but to process the sediment that is already piled from all the developments around the area into something that is more functional and useful.

via balidiscovery

The project will create a new tourism destination in Bali on little islands (like the palm-tree shape in Dubai or Sentosa island in Singapore), including a recreation park like Disneyland and a concert/function hall that Bali doesn't have yet. Therefore this project is more suitable to be called a revitalization (according to Merriam-Webster: re-vi-tal-ize: verb \(,)rē-ˈvī-tə-ˌlīz\: to make (someone or something) active, healthy, or energetic again).

Now let's talk about the ecosystem around the area. Will it get better if the reclamation is done or the other way around? The condition of mangrove forest is now filled with garbage, the fishes can't swim around due to the sedimentation and the sea line is going up by the dredging that conducted around the harbor so the ships can get thru. All of these facts already there before the reclamation project.

via beritabali

Then, what about the helipad built by strangers that cut down some of the mangrove? What about the luxurious hotels owned by strangers that are built on the most beautiful beaches in Bali? What about the new Mandara tollway that built on the sea all the way from Benoa Harbor to Nusa Dua? What about the developments of restaurants and villas that eat up rice fields and subak that destroyed the ecosystem?

Why didn't they all get protested but welcomed happily instead while this project now is resisted so strongly by so many? Do they already get the clearest information about the project itself? Have they do a study on the environment condition itself, whether it'd be helped or not with the reclamation? Don't you smell something fishy here that perhaps there is a conspiracy against the project?

One of reclamation project in Nusa Dua via blogspot

Now the third thing we need to know: is it necessary to have the reclamation in Tanjung Benoa? Many of the areas we have been happily living on are results of reclamation, including the north parts of Jakarta, Mertasari-Sanur beach and Nusa Dua area. The areas are now enjoyed by many people, apart of its negative impacts. But for this Benoa project, why don't we list up neutrally of what are the pros and cons about it so we can decide the best for our nature and humanity in Bali? Is it gonna bring more benefit for the Balinese, especially the residents around the area?

As a young generation that has so many access for resources (NOT just social media or any media), we must be smart and wise on addressing our voice and support. I recommend everyone to stay neutral until we really know what is actually going on there, keep our emotional thoughts away on researching about the actual condition and be an objective observer together on the case because I, like all Indonesian and the whole world do, love and care about Bali so much that I want only the best for the future of Bali.

#bijakdalammemihak


P.S. I think you need to read this about reclamation and urban planning in Indonesia. Or just research about it on your own and share with me!

me, Tante Astrid and Aunt Lena

Yesterday was all about my mom because it was her 56th birthday. The day started as usual, but at lunch time my aunts Agnes and Lena came with my cousin, Lauren. Then, mom's best friends, ex-neighbors from Bandung came, all 6 of them: Tante Patsy, Tante Astrid, Tante Olive, Tante Diana, Tante Vonny and Tante Catherine.

We had late lunch at Bukit Pelayangan, then after lunch we had some coffee at Old Town, The Breeze. The ladies had fun catching up with each other while Lauren and I patiently listening to them. At around 6 p.m. they went back to Bandung and the party was over. But the night ain't over yet for us. I asked mom to accompany me to a meeting at Central Jakarta and she agreed to come.

When we reached Grand Indonesia at around 8 p.m. she still thought she was gonna meet my colleagues whom she knew already. You can imagine how confused and surprised she was when she saw my sister Clemency and her boyfriend, Maruli, were sitting on a sofa at Ninety-Nine resto (we should've recorded it!)

Surprise!

She was literally stunned for some precious seconds that we all then burst into laughter. She was still amazed and not recovered from the surprise for another minutes, but then Ben, my brother who just arrived that very noon from Bandung, tapped her on the shoulder and surprised her even more. It was a really great time we enjoyed as a family, the togetherness we always cherish.

After we ordered the food, she opened the birthday gift and finished our late dinner meals, we had prepared another surprise for her. Clemy said she was going to Gramedia so the group just followed her there. It was already 9.30 so my sister said "we should go home now" and mounting an elevator that went up instead of down to the parking floor.

Mom didn't realized to which direction the lift was going, so when the doors opened to an elegant dimly lit room, she was surprised once again. She was ushered to the open space and Maruli could get us a seat next to the pool, which was the best seat of all the areas. We ordered red wine and I think this was the best birthday my mom ever had, even without dad.

chillin' out in the Skye

We brought her up there to 56th floor because she said before that she had been wanting to go to Skye. And I gave to her my first ever copy of Gapura, that published on her birthday, earlier for her gift. My siblings and I are really glad we could make her that surprised and happy--it feels so joyful to see her unexpectedly amazed like that. It really made it all worth it. We really love her very much! :)

My book GAPURA is officially published now via nulisbuku.com. Indonesian readers can order and read the printed words while readers outside Asia & Pacific can purchase it at Amazon Kindle. After you have the book in your hand and read it, I'll inform the book signing and discussion later, which will take place around South Jakarta for now, perhaps on mid September. (update: the book is inactive in Kindle because it is not written in English. Will work on this in the following year through an official publisher when I get one).

Below is the review, in Bahasa Indonesia:

via finedininglovers

I am so excited because tomorrow, August 27, 2014--at my mother's birthday--my first (physical) book of Gapura is gonna be published online. I'll let you informed about where to buy it. Just don't forget to buy it! The e-book is already available to purchase here (except for Asia & Pacific). Thanks guys!

up there, garden café Dedaunan

I was so stuck up with malls and buildings in Jakarta that today I decided to go to Bogor. We arrived a little late due to traffic and lunch time but at least we got a moment in the botanical gardens. Don't laugh at me, but this is my first time to visit Kebun Raya Bogor as a grown up (I don't recall any family vacation to here in my childhood). I went passed it a couple of times in my 3x visits to Bogor before (Bogor is that small that you must've drive pass it) and in my fourth visit this time, I finally went inside, although not to trace all of its corners.

me walking down the road

To quote from wikipedia: 

The Bogor Botanical Gardens is located in Bogor, Indonesia, 60 km south of Jakarta. The gardens are in the city center and adjoin the Istana Bogor (Presidential Palace). The gardens cover more than 80 hectares. The area that was now Bogor Botanical Gardens was part of the samida (man-made forest) that was established at least around the era when Sri Baduga Maharaja (Prabu Siliwangi, 1474-1513) ruled the Sunda Kingdom, as written in the Batu Tulis inscription. 

beautiful greenery and pond

Also from wikipedia:

This forest was created to protect seeds of rare woods. Another similar samida was established near the current border between Bogor and Cianjur, called Ciung Wanara Forest. This forest was neglected after the Sunda Kingdom was defeated by the Banten Sultanate.

red bridge with advanced suspension

One thing that caught my attention was this red hanging bridge with advanced suspensions that similar to Golden Gate of San Fransisco that started the construction in 1933. A source mentioned that the gardens were first built in 1817 by a Dutch chemist named Prof. Caspar Georg Karl Reinwardt, so the red bridge must be built around that time, too. This red color was said to be a reminder of the flood that took lives of some photographers years ago--or as a sign of love, as it is also known as the Bridge of Love.

bridge of love

At the end of the bridge is the cemetery of Her Majesty Queen Galuh Pakuan, wife of Prabu Siliwangi. The myth said any couple who walk across the bridge together would break up but every two persons (just friends) walking here together, could end up in marriage. But the true story about this is not confirmed yet. I personally just admired the technology used to build this bridge. What do you think? Wanna try the magical power of the bridge?


PS. To enter with car, go to Gate 3 in front of Plaza Pangrango, jl. Jalak Harupat. No fee is charged and you can park near the café or travel around the gardens with your car. The gate for walkers is at Gate 4, few hundreds meters before the car gate.