Sunday, August 30, 2009

Dare to try?

meet the funkiest road path in the world...



In this photo released by Hasbro, Inc., Lombard Street is transformed into a Candy Land racing board game in San Francisco Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2009. The world's crooked-est street turned into a game path to celebrate Candy Land's 60th birthday.
(AP Photo/Hasbro Inc., Darryl Bush)
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ps: sorry for long update. pretty busy this few weeks. and I'm waiting for Chicago!!! yay!!! 2 more weeks to gooo..can't wait ;)

Monday, August 17, 2009

Happy Independence Day to Indonesia

Finally, my 'beloved' country celebrate it's 64th anniversary of independence! happy independence day Indonesia! (day off...lovely!)





Sunday, August 16, 2009

Recent purchases: walk-in store, delivery, etc

Lots and Lotsa stuff..from Amazon, music stores, video stores, etc...:)



Finding Neverland, RENT: Live on Broadway and Revolutionary Road


Spiderwick Chronicles, The (Region1); Space Buddies (Region3); Barbra Streisand: The Concerts 3 Discs (Region0)...happy all the wayyy!


From Upper left to Bottom left: Titanic OMPS; Michael Jackson's Number Ones and Essential Jackson5; Sarah Brightman's The Trees They Grow So High and Time To Say Goodbye; Chicago The Heart 1967-1997 and The Essential Gloria Estefan; Michael Jackson's The Motown Years and Chicago Stone of Sisyphus


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hmm...now all I need to worry is my credit card bills...:P

Saturday, August 08, 2009

Ivy League again (not) everyone?

still forcing yourself to enter one of those universities inside Ivy League circle?? think again guys..cause this article will definitely shake your butt out...enjoy! :)


How West Point beats the Ivy League
picture courtesy of Getty Images




College senior Raymond Vetter gets up at dawn to fit in a run or a workout. Then, hair shorn neatly and pants pressed, he marches into breakfast, where he sits in an assigned seat. After six hours of instruction in such subjects as Japanese literature and systems engineering, two hours of intramural sports and another family-style meal with underclassmen, Vetter rushes to return to his room by the 11:30 p.m. curfew.
Most college students, we think, do not march to meals. A goodly number of them drink into the wee hours, duck morning classes and fail to hit the gym with any regularity. But Vetter, 21, is a cadet at the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, N.Y., where college life is a bit different.
According to students, alumni, faculty and higher education experts, the undergraduate experience at West Point and the other service academies is defined by an intense work ethic and a drive to succeed on all fronts. "We face challenges and obstacles that not every college student has to face, but we are able to be competitive in all the different areas, from sports to academics," Vetter says.
No alcohol is allowed in the dorms and freshmen are given only one weekend leave per semester. That rigor, combined with the virtue of a free education, has made West Point tops in FORBES' list of the best colleges in the country, up from sixth place last year. The rankings are compiled in conjunction with Ohio University economist Richard Vedder and his Center for College Affordability & Productivity.
West Point excels in most measures. It graduates 80% of its students in four years. It is fourth in winners of Rhodes scholarships since 1923 (ahead of Stanford), sixth in Marshalls since 1982 (ahead of Columbia and Cornell) and fourth in Trumans since 1992 (ahead of Princeton and Duke). This year 4 out of 37 Gates scholars, who earn a full ride to study at the University of Cambridge in England, graduated from the service academies. The Gates roster includes four Yale grads, one from Harvard and none from Princeton.
"I think I got a lot out of it," says Joseph M. DePinto, USMA class of '86 and chief executive of 7-Eleven. "Just the discipline, the approach I take to leadership, the understanding of the importance of teamwork. All of that stuff I learned at West Point, and I think that's what helped me be successful."
Classes are small, with no more than 18 students. Cadets work their way through a core curriculum in which an English major has to take calculus and a chemist has to take a philosophy course. Since there are no graduate programs, faculty and administrators can focus on the undergraduates.
"If you really look at Brown University or Boston College or Stanford, their number one mission is likely not to teach. It's to bring research dollars to the campus … to write the next book that will get them on CNN," says James Forest, an associate professor at West Point who is the director of terrorism studies. "Pressure to be that kind of new academic star isn't there [at West Point]."

A big factor in its top rank is that grads leave without a penny of tuition loans to repay. The Army picks up all costs and pays the cadets a stipend of $895 a month. On graduation, they start as second lieutenants, earning $69,000 a year. They have to serve in the armed forces for five years plus three more years of inactive reserve duty. The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have pulled 15% of reservists into active duty.
Behind the Numbers
Our college rankings are based on five criteria: graduation rate (how good a college is at helping its students finish on time); the number of national and global awards won by students and faculty; students' satisfaction with their instructors; average debt upon graduation; and postgraduate vocational success as measured by a recent graduate's average salary and alumni achievement. We prize the undergraduate experience and how well prepared students are for the real world rather than focusing on inputs such as acceptance rates and test scores. Our data are from publicly available sources rather than surveys filled out by the schools themselves. Special thanks to Richard Vedder and his research team at Ohio University.

Top 5 Colleges:

1. United States Military Academy
2. Princeton University
3. California Institute of Technology
4. Williams College
5. Harvard University
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Friday, August 07, 2009

random: quizzes

Insomnia did strike me again and again and again...(enough, dearest!you definitely have to sleep!!!) took some quizzes on the net...kinda happy lil bit..

first one, from Quizilla..

which era of fashion are you? result: Regency Fashion! YAY! (how I always adore Directoire and Empire period! thank you Fashion Phenomena :) )
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explanation: Think Pride and Prejudice, lush English countryside, romantic courtships with handsome gentleman (Mr. Darcy!). The Regency took inspiration from Grecian style dresses with high waists and pale, understated colours. These could be very flattering on women making them look tall and slender, though some men thought they were too revealing! Most dresses were white, had a tight band just below the bust, small bell sleeves and a square cut neckline. Match that with a parasol and a fan and you have a lovely combination for any picnic or ball!

dare to try? click http://www.quizilla.com/quizzes/12015586/which-era-of-fashion-are-you


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second, from TestQ..


Word Warrior

Your IQ Score is: 115

You are equipped with a verbal arsenal that enables you to understand complex issues and communicate on a particularly high level. These talents make you a Word Warrior.

Whether or not you recognize it, your vocabulary is your strongest suit—use it whenever you can. Since your command of words is so great, you are also a terrific communicator — able to articulate big ideas to just about anyone. Your wordsmithing prowess will also help in artistic and creative pursuits. The power of words translates to fresh ideas off paper too. Since you have so many words at your disposal, you are in a unique position to describe things in an original way, as well as see the future in your mind's eye. In short, your strengths allow you to be a visionary — able to extrapolate and come up with a multitude of fresh ideas. And you are in good company — bask in the brilliance of Word Warriors who have walked before you. William Shakespeare let loose the power of his pen. His ability to articulate the most subtle nuances of human nature and to create colorful characters are why his stories still have a major impact — even 400 years after he first wrote them. Whether you put pen to paper or use your understanding of the words around you to come up with creative approaches to problems, your potential as a Word Warrior is terrific.



dare to try? click http://www.testq.com/education/quizzes/show/121


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PS: I guess both results are true. I always adore and admire the so-called Jane Austen period. the fabric and the silhouette is light but at the same time: elegant and classy. and about that Test IQ thing, hmm...I do not have enough courage to say that I am a good communicator... you judge me then :)

on delivery: limited edition 2-disc CD and two blu-rays

Spending holiday - getting bored at home for 2 weeks doesn't mean you can't do your shopping. in this case, thank God for ONLINE SHOP! (seriously!)...currently, I'm waiting for these babies:


1.) very limited edition of 2 Disc set Sarah Brightman's Symphony (audio orchestra only) - the compilation of Sarah's best recording...what excites me most is that...I could use it for practice! yep...karaoke thing...:) [tho kinda pricey...$50!grrr]

2.) Revolutionary Road Blu-Ray. I read the announcement in my Amazon's cart that the price had somewhat decreased very sharply until $14.99 only! so...BUNGKUS*!

3.) RENT: Live on Broadway Blu-Ray... I'd been sobbing for months in order to get this baby. why? Amazon really set the price very high ($27.99) and I decided to pass because with all those shipping and such, it still expensive for me...well,looks like God wanted me to keep on waiting and be patience and YES! by the time I read the announcement, it went down to $19.99...so...BUNGKUS*! (later this day I checked again and guess what! the price increased again up to $23.99!!!thank you Lord!!!!)

PS: *) BUNGKUS means WRAP...lol - I used that word for my own version of 'okay then,buy it!'

Wednesday, August 05, 2009

HK & China Buying Trip: Photos

Hahaha..it took me ages to post these photos...lol - mind you, i'm not a 'techno' person so please, accept my apology for the so-long-lost update...buying trip from 18th-22nd March 2009 held by Lasalle and Travelux..enjoy! :)

Day 1: we look extremely tired as soon as we landed on HKIA...see those faces??? yep!...lunch time! (find me!) - went to Jewelry factory and then shopping around Mong Kok area...yippee!

Day 2: around Hong Kong Island - HK exhibition center for Interstoff and IFC mall (too bad..didn't take any pics from there, instead enjoy the sceneries of skyscrapers! :P)


see the notes above? it says: to avoid causing obstruction or injuries to others, use fishing equipment with caution. those who fail to do so will be prosecuted. ya know, the law in HK is damn strict i'm tellin ya!


picture above was taken from our bus that took us to the border for our next destination: Guangzhou via Shenzhen...what a view! kinda foggy on March 19th...:)
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Day 3: Guangzhou
above is Bai Ma/Pai Ma wholesale market...met couple of Indonesian people there...;)




above: Beijing Lu Shopping district...yes, it's not a shopping complex like most of Indonesian cities but i gotta admit, street shopping is so much fun!!! I even got some stuff that's EXTRA CHEAP...but not all of them tho...some brand like Giordano, Bossini tend to have higher price than Jakarta..;)
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Day 4: back to Hong Kong via Shenzhen...visit accessories wholesale market...lunch (this time Indonesian cuisine!! AH FEELS LIKE HOME!!!) and then to Lo Wu market @ Shenzhen...nothin to buy...kinda bored already...:P
above: view of Lo Wu railway station...you could use many kinds of transportation actually to get back to HK...rail...road...(not air I'm afraid, cause the distance was like only half hour..lol)



above: MTR station @ Hong Kong Island (or is it Kowloon? kinda forget the detail lil bit!^^)..took the pic around 12.30 AM...lol...we really shop till we drop! :)
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Day 5: back to Jakarta - Ahhhh...so saddd...:(
above: taken at Victoria Peak...look at us....still in the mood for picture although we're really in bad health...tired and such...:P




above: view of Hong Kong Island and it's skyscrapers...so INCREDIBLE!!! kinda cloudy that day...taken from the observation area...





above: we went to Madame Tussaud...only for like 10-20 minutes...time was very limited...this shot..well, not really my favorite but it's kinda funny to had our picture with Brangelina...I mean, yeah they're just wax statue but whatever!






above: okay everyone...Einstein will teach you how to use the formula correctly (well, I wish he was alive!!)







above: the view of Hong Kong and Jumbo restaurant ...again...a shot that I really liked!!! had lunch @ Jumbo floating restaurant and then back to HKIA for our departure to Jakarta - home sweet home!!! :)
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PS: actually there are more than 60 photos...unfortunately, I'm not gonna put all of them here..wasting bandwidth and pages as well...:P