Today is my section's birthday... We had a great time making DetEksi as a youth section in Jawa Pos for 4 years... We even had several annual events, from music concert, mading exhibition, high school journalist competition to basketball league...

TRIVIA QUIZ: Where's Pip?

Dealing With Infinite Stupidity

I once had a client with a certified crazy person. As we encounter each other, I've gathered these nonsense infos like the following:

1. That she wants "one of those things like in the Fast and the Furious" that "makes your car faster." This "thing" turned out to be a manual transmission.

2. That her husband was beating her (not that I blame him). This man got so drunk at an office party that he fell in the swimming pool. She proceeded to smack him and scream "I hate you!" until they left. She had several amusing stories about them getting into slap fights in public and how people "stared."

3. That she was divorcing said husband due to beating. This turned out to actually be due to the fact that she was fucking someone in her art department and needed out of her marriage.

4. That the guy she was fucking in the art department was "stalking" her for some unknown reason (turns out she was now denying fucking him and had him fired for "harassing" her, his girlfriend). She reported that he had a fascination with her she had never cultivated nor encouraged.

5. That she was remarrying her husband, who doesn't know she fucked/lived with this other guy for almost a year.

6. That she was still fucking the artist, who didn't know she was the reason he was fired.

7. That she doesn't give blowjobs because her mother told her it was nasty and wrong to do.

She's also convinced she's hot and thinks every male in her office (including the gay men) are in love with her.

A bit ago a coworker friend of mine discovered his wife was pregnant. This was exciting news, everyone was very happy for him. Now, apparently the psycho didn't like someone else getting all the attention. She grilled him on his wife's symptoms and she surprisingly had ALL of them.

Soon after she started reporting that she was pregnant. According to her, she should be about six weeks along.
Couple days later she started wearing materinity clothes. Now, I know I'm not a doctor, but maternity clothing, especially not those apparently made for someone carrying quints, does not need to be worn less than two months into a pregnancy.
She also is having a rough time keeping the facts straight. When asked about how far along she was, she answered, "oh, we don't know yet." Yet she has been to the doctor twice. She has also never had an ultrasound and wasn't sure what prenatal vitamins were.

Now, either this is a fake and we're in for listening to two more months of her whining about her pregnancy before enduring a faked miscarriage, or she's not going to the doctor and leaving her pregnancy up to God.
Either way, we've decided to have some fun with this. We're making up words and procedures pertaining to pregnancy and hounding her about whether or not they've been done. She didn't seem to understand the purpose of an ultrasound, so we can go pretty far out there without her being suspicious.
So far we've decided to ask if she's had her endoscope yet and when she is getting the baby's phallanges rotated.
I managed to catch her purchasing a soda and told her how bad it was for the baby. She, of course, looked shocked and a little scared, then calmly told me she "hadn't heard that" before.

But the best happened in some night.
Two of my artist friends at work were busy on a layout project when Ms. Pregnant came waltzing over. The female artist said to her, "that's a cute top."
"Oh, thanks. It's a maternity top."
"Oh," the artist replied, not looking up.
"I'm wearing maternity clothes," she emphasized.
"Oh, okay," the artist said, still not interested.
"I'm PREGNANT."
At this point the artist looks up and asks, "wow, how far along are you?"
She perks up, "we think about six weeks."
"And you're wearing maternity clothes already?"
She falters a bit, "um, I think so."
"Wow, that's strange. Most women don't even start to show until 4 or 5 months out."
"Um... well, I AM."
And with that she stomped off.
The two artists looked at each other and were unable to contain their laughter.
"What a psycho!" says the girl.
"Does she think we believe her?" says the guy.
"The only place she's showing is her gigantic ass!"
And they giggle and carry on for about 10 minutes.
A slam and shuffling papers silence them. The female artist peeks her head over the wall and sees Ms. Fakeababy angrily going through files.
She hasn't said anything to them or about the incident, but she's considerably quieter afterwards.

I find her much more tolerable this way.

________
UPDATE

This is the first time I use w.bloggar to post.... ternyata enak juga ya ^_^

The Sex Ended Up Today

It's a grieving time to those who like to have Sex and the City. After six years of sex, the final episode is on the air. I'm gonna miss those charming ladies. ^_^

Sex and the City is about four late 30's New Yorkers women, Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker), Samantha (Kim Cattrall), Miranda (Cynthia Nixon), and Charlotte (Kristin Davis). The story evolve in their sex life, about their way to get a perfect man of their dream.

This series is so horrendous that many books having it as subjects and references. Some universities are even take it as a class subject.

There are three possible endings:
1. Carrie stays in Paris with her lover, a Russian artist (Mikhail Baryshnikov)
2. Carrie is going back to New York and rejoined her best friends.
3. Carrie founds a perfect happy life with a rich guy, Mr. Big (Chris Noth).

Which ending is going to be aired?

News Flash
For those who don't want Sex and the City ended on TV screen, there's a possibility to watch them in a bigger screen. Top executive Sex and the City, Michael Patrick King, reported to have a "serious" conversation with HBO and the stars for the BIG screen. I hope they're really serious about it.

The Quartette

Carrie Bradshaw
(Sarah Jessica Parker)
This main cast is a sex columnist and a fans of Manolo Blahnik shoes. For years she had an awful on-off-on-off relationship with Mr. Big.



Samantha Jones
(Kim Cattrall)
Her profession as a public relations demands her to deal with a lot of people. And, she did dealing with LOTS of men.



Miranda Hobbes
(Cynthia Nixon)
Independent and cynical woman. Working as a successful lawyer, on a successful baby and then onto successful husband.



Charlotte York
(Kristin Davis)
Very idealistic and optimistic woman, although her life was, well, a mess. Her former marriage with a doctor was failed, she couldn't have children too. At near end, she founds another love with a Jewish-couple-seperation lawyer.

____________________
All images belongs to HBO

Nurturing an Online Family

I have a strange but fun dream couple nights before. Maybe it's because the chocolate, which, by the way, is still plenty of them now. I still remember each and every detail of it because I wrote it the second I woke up. So the story goes like this…

I'm on my office doing usual thing when suddenly a message pop-up on my computer screen.
"You've got mail"
As I opened it, turns out I'm entering a chat room. So I chat with this person long enough that I decided to go to the toilet to, in case you've might ask, take a pee.

On the way, I spot someone chatting, or as I thought, on his computer. It was Isman. Don't ask me how I know him, I just knew. I then go back to my desk and continue chatting with him as if I didn't know that he was there. I suspect that he wanted to give me a surprise. So he did.
"Hi Pip," he said.
"Hey, you're here!," I acted like I was surprised.
There so many conversation that I can't remember. But the point is, he asked me to go to his house that night. So we went to his car, which is a bat-mobile, and off we go.

At his beach side house which looks like an apartment, I meet his spouse, Donna, with a little girl who I believe to be their daughter. She, the little girl, ran towards me and give me a big hug,
"Ooom Piiiiip!" she shouted.
She then holds me tight and dragging me to her mother.
"You must be very tired by now because of the long trip," Donna said.
"Oh yes, I have to… WHOAH!"
I suddenly feel a heavy burden on my back. The little girl just ask me to tote her. So I did. Meanwhile, I saw Isman bringing my bags, which I have no idea where that come from, into the house.

Inside the house, which is somehow become much bigger, we enjoy Donna's macaroni schotel for lunch (Yes, lunch! Means it’s in daylight. I guess timeline inside a dream could change at own will). While a message from Emil appears on Isman's computer saying his sorry for not being there with us.

The little girl was so smart. She could speak in many language, but mostly English and Japanese. We played games, read Tarot card and swimming on inside-house pool (don't ask). Then Donna show me around the house, which by now turn into hospital like. I go to one of the room and found a lot of patients there.

One of the nurses, which I found out later that she was Lei, was writing something on her notes. What surpirsed me was that I could read her mind. She was grouching to have a tumor on some part of her body. And she keep saying the only thing that can cure her is nano-robots (just don't ask).

Decided to help her, I go to other part of the hospital looking for some doctors when I bumped into a beautiful girl. She was wearing some kind of uniform which looks like one of Macross (a famous anime title) battle suits. As I hold her I noticed her name tag. It says: Ndari.
"Oops, sorry. I didn't notice you," I said spontaneously.
"Never mind. I seem to bumped on every new guy in my world," her voice indicating a surprise there.
"So you like being surprised by a guy, eh?" I asked.
"Only if that someone is smart enough not to bump on a girl" she answered.
"Hey, you're the one who bumped on me," I equivocated.
And it continued into a longer heart-to-heart conversation.

So I asked her out for a date (I know it didn't make any sense, but hey, this is my dream!). We drove around the city, which God knows where, until some gangs stopped us. They pull off the car's door with Hulk's strength and hauled my girlfriend, euh, I mean, Ndari. Then all of a sudden, Ganda and Roi emerged from nowhere and drive away the gangs with their baseball bats. Having Ndari safely back to the car, I quickly stepped the gas pedal right away and leave those heroes.

We arrived at Isman's house and spent the night there telling stories. Donna showed her wedding pictures to us. But the moment I take a look at it, it became an article on newspaper about Adhitya and Ninit's wedding in United States (you can tell that from the flag behind them) written by Atta. I’m beginning to imagine my wedding with Ndari. Shaking hands with a lot of guest. I saw my neighbour, Poy. She approached me and said, "You look awful!" With a male voice. "Wake up you fool!" my brother face shows up on my face.

Then it’s over…

Is this a sign? Do you believe in dreams? Well, dreaming or not, I have a new family now… and it's a good one!

__________
UPDATE

Fixed the typo's, thanks to Isman

No one was harmed during this dream. If you didn't appear in my dream doesn't mean that I intend to. After all, it's only a dream...

Happy Happy Joy Joy

This noon, I finally got home after a super-heavy-duty day managing my event, DetEksi Party, which runs successfully. I go directly to my bedroom with one purpose: Proving on how soft and tender my bed could be! So I threw myself onto it. But... "Whadaw!" There's something unusual on my bed. A brown package! It says "For Pip".

Eagerly I opened it because there's also my mom's name written on it. Found a knitted bracelet, a funny Chinese strap, and a picture of Donna and Isman. I couldn't believe my eyes! I'm so happy! My weary were all gone! I said many thanks to Donna through SMS. And she replied that she made that bracelet by herself. Wow! It suits me perfectly like it was supposed to be mine all along. ^_^

Aaaahhh my presssssciousssss... *Gollum-like voice*

Chocolate at Late Night

Have you ever visited by someone in the middle of the night just to give you some chocolates? I have... a bucket full of it!

Before that, my cell phone rings
Girl: Pip, are you awake?
Me: I picked this up... is that answers your question?
Girl: Uhm, so you're not sleeping?
Me: Hmmm, lemme check by biting my tongue... AUCH!... nope!
Girl: Do you like chocolates?
Me: You just gonna ask that in 1 o'clock in the evening?
Girl: Err, could you just go out with me now?
Me: Whoa... time out!... are you just asking me out... NOW?
Girl: Just go outside your house and we'll talk about it...
*CLICK*

So I walk outside my house... and there she was, on my front porch, beautiful as she can be.... well, if you compare it to me who just woke up only wearing t-shirt and boxer pants.... She then gave me a bucket full of chocolates! We then spent the night eating those chocolates... forgeting that I still have some chocolates myself on the refrigerators...

That was three years ago on Valentine's day.

Last night, it happened again. But this time, I got TWO buckets from two different girls. Plus, I still have some chocolates back home. And right now I'm still struggling to deplenish those buckets... wanna help me?

Still waiting for the video camera though... I wish my significant other would send me something... and if I may asked, no more chocolate!

Did you know?
Chocolate contains more than 300 known chemicals. Among those are caffeine and theobromine which may provide the "lift" that chocolate eaters experience. Phenylethylamine is also found in chocolate. It's related to amphetamines, which are strong stimulants. All of these stimulants increase the activity of neurotransmitters (brain chemicals) in parts of the brain that control our ability to pay attention and stay alert.


Chocolate also contains pharmacologically active substances that have the same effect on the brain as marijuana, and that these chemicals may be responsible for certain drug-induced psychoses associated with chocolate craving. It's called anandamide. Interestingly, anandamide is also produced naturally in the brain. But it doesn't mean that eating chocolate will get you high.

________
UPDATE

I also received those SMS greetings... (26 SMS in total)
#7 is the most memorable one. It's from my lovely mom
#12 is the most ridiculous one. It's from Isman

I got another box of chocolate yesterday. It was sealed nicely with one of those funny looking tapes. This tape smells like a candy. CAUTION: Do not attempt to lick it unless you want to feel the "yucks" like I did.

Spit Furthermore

Hotheads Light Up
Can't seem to keep your cool -- or kick that smoking habit? There may be a connection. A team of University of California researchers found that people who tend to be angry, aggressive or anxious are likely candidates for nicotine addiction. "We call this brain response a 'born to smoke' pattern," said Dr. Steven Potkin, a brain-imaging specialist who led the research. The study, which used psychiatric personality tests and PET scans, indicated that the same genetic variations that create hostile personality traits also often create a predisposition to cigarette addiction. Perhaps it's time to take some deep, calming (smoke-free) breaths.

From Pariah to Protector
An Israeli rabbi wants to hang bags of pig fat on buses to discourage Muslim suicide bombers from boarding the vehicles. Islam, like Judaism, considers pigs unclean, so it would be an extreme tactic in any case. But Eliezer Fisher, an ultra-Orthodox rabbinical judge, said special dispensation can be granted for placing bags of lard on buses and in other public places in an effort to prevent attacks. Although police have not responded to Fisher's suggestion, Israel's deputy public security minister says he thinks it's a good idea.

Dial 'R' for Romance
He loves me, he loves me not. Now there's a foolproof way to determine whether your love interest shares your tender feelings. The Love Detector, made by V Entertainment and based on Israeli counterterrorism technology, supposedly rates a phone conversation's emotional temperature on a scale from five (hot and heavy romance) to one (abandon all hope now). Users connect a phone to a Windows PC running the $50 Love Detector, and the software rates the amount of affection in the voice of the beloved. The love level is represented by a daisy on the computer screen -- the more petals, the better. If ardor is absent, sadly, the flower starts to wilt. Users will need a $15 phone connector and a sense of irony.

S.F. Marries Gay Couple
Two days after San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom said he wants to see homosexual marriage legalized, the city issued a marriage license to a lesbian couple and a city official wed them. By doing so, San Francisco directly challenges California state law, which recognizes marriage as the official union between a man and a woman. Longtime lesbian activists Phyllis Lyon, 79, and Del Martin, 83, who have been together for 51 years, were married in a civil ceremony at City Hall. City officials said the city plans to issue marriage licenses to anyone who wants one.

Beefing Up
McDonald's makes cheap hamburgers and sells them in a sterile, plastic environment. But now the fast-food chain says -- and with a straight face -- that it hopes to make its outlet on the fashionable Strand in London a hot spot for ladies who lunch. By ditching Ronald McDonald and the ghastly red and yellow decor for chrome, leather armchairs, retro seating, glass and sophisticated lighting, a spokeswoman said, "We think we can give Harvey Nichols or The Ivy a run for their money." Really? You can put earrings on a hog, but it's still a hog.

Apple of Their Eye
Jonathan Ive, designer of the original iMac and the iPod, and now head of Apple's industrial design facility, has been named the most influential person in British culture. Ive beat out better-known names like Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling and Ricky Gervais, star of The Office and a Golden Globe winner. Ive joined Apple in 1992 after working with them through his own design firm. His two-color, solid-case iMac has been widely imitated and the iPod is the top-selling portable MP3 player.

Some Working Buttons in Wish-List

Is it just me or has the time gone by faster than the Britney Spears' marriage? It's Valentine already? How is that possible?

As we speak, the Valentine spirit is beginning to grip me and I'm already compiling an extensive wish-list.... I need a video camera!

Well, I don't actually need one as much as I covet one. It's the satin-smooth finishing that just does it for me, with all those hi-tech looking buttons and the unspoken promise that, in just a few easy steps, you too, could be making your very own Oscar-winning documentary of your holiday.... But the reality is often much more mundane and embarassing....

If you're one of those people who still can't figure out how to programme all of your electronic appliances, you'll know what I mean....

Never mind that four-year-olds can master the intricate functions of the record and stop buttons, while I'm still struggling to find the on-button. As for downloading the images onto my computer, excuse me while I giggle hysterically..... And after I read Isman's post on the big button that doesn't do anything will just make it worse....

I once holidayed in Lombok with my friend, Yudi, you know, the one who owns portable TV in my reality show post.... He had an entire piece of luggage just devoted to carrying around his must-have gadgets. For staying in touch with the rest of the world, he explained to me..... Even at elementary school, Yudi was the guy who had the latest gadgets, the latest GameBoy, the latest walkman and the latest handphone.... Meanwhile, I'm still yearning for coins in public phone booth.

For the Lombok trip, Yudi brought along a complete arsenal of hi-technology that could easily double up as props for a Schwarzenegger movie.

There was the handphone again, but this one could shoot an entire movie and came with an ear-plug that looked like a souped-up hearing aid.... Then there was the laptop that was the colourof a marshmellow and make binging noises every time something exciting, like an email, happened. And a PDA, which, until recently, I thought, stood for Public Displays of Affection.

Then, there was the electronic book. The videocam. And the slim multi-media Discman with LCD screen built-in. Which was making my iPod looks like Tamara Blezinsky compared to Dian Sastro. Both hot, but one is occupied and the other just confessed that she's still single (Thanks God)..... I know that was not a proper comparison, but you get the message, right?

And nothing is more exciting than arriving at the hotel to find there aren't enough sockets to plug in all the chargers for all the gadgets. You would think, would you not, that in this day and age of multi-tasking that there would be one charger for everything? But, no.... Each and every gadget had its own loop and tangle of wires, plugs, spare batteries and clunky adaptors....

"Why do you need all this stuff?" I asked, watching Yudi unpack with the military precision of an ex-SAS commando. Which his father was. "What could possibly happen to the world that you won’t find out about in the morning news?"

"I'm supposed to explain this to someone who is still struggling with predictive text?" came the gruff replay.

"Hey, it was on Chinese!" I defended myself.

I sulked for the rest of the day. I secretly envied Yudi's consummate ease with the videocam as he just pointed, shot, edited and saved images of Senggigi beach for downloading later back at the hotel room.... Meanwhile, I clicked away unhappily with my disposable camera that I got for 50 thousand rupiahs at the airport gift shop.

So, my point is this. It's Valentine and I'm depressed for my girls are so far away. So I need cheering up. Some presents would be nice. We can start with the videocam and move on from there. Oh, and please make sure that it's the latest model.

Good Luck!

With compliment - The Management Board
Avec nos meilleurs compliments - Le directoire
Mit freundlicher Empfehlung - Der Vorstand
Con nuestra mejor consideracion - La Junta Directiva

I got those words from a card. Obviously it was coming with something attached to it. That something was palm size chocolate box wrapped nicely with cinnamons paper. Smells good too. But nothing else written on it. Eagerly I opened it, and what did I found?.... Another box! But this time it was crystal clear box with a coffee bean right in the middle of it... That's it? No! When you look carefully at the bean, you'll see two words written with golden ink that say "Good Luck!"

We wish each other good luck for all sorts of reasons and in all sorts of different ways from our culture to culture: at the beginning of a new year, on a birthday or name day, at a wedding or the birth of a child. Often these wishes are link with symbols or rituals that are hundreds or even thousands of years old. But in many cases we are not really aware of their origins or their significance.


I understand that goldfish attracts luck, and this ornamental little member of the carp family is found in virtually every garden pond in the Far East. In Japan the name of this swimming lucky charm is similar to the word for love, and it is regarded with special affection there.




Because the chimney sweep clears out the dark nooks and crannies where the evil spirit can hide, he is regarded as a symbol of luck with almost magical powers. Shaking hands with the chimney sweep or crossing his path can bring you good luck.


Sources from antiquity through to the Middle Ages record a special way of helping children with the reading skills. They were given a printed, hand-written, or baked alphabet to eat. The small letters were stirred into their porridge, broth or soup.




The Oriental dragon embodies the principle of masculine strength. It can confer eternal life, and offers reliable protection against all sorts of evil spirits.


The fly agaric mushroom is a symbol of luck in shamanism and represents the transitions between dream and reality, death and life. Of course it is by no means lucky if you eat too much, because it is highly poisonous, but in small amounts it can lead to a state of trance. It is found in the forests of Central and Eastern Europe, and according to the saga it grows where the foam fell from the mouth of Odin's horse.

The horseshoe is a lucky symbol, and is often seen hanging over a stable door or the entrance to a house. It is said to drive away evil spirits, who are supposed to be afraid of iron. But it is very important that the horseshoe has been found accidentally. Then the gods will have put it in your path.



Throughout the western world, the Orient, the Indian sub-continent, and Central Asia there is the widespread belief that special trees are closely linked with good fortune in our lives. Often a tree of life is planted when a child is born. As the tree flourishes it ensures that the child will grow up healthy. Evergreen trees or fruit trees are particularly popular for this purpose in many regions. A young tree is hauled onto the roof of new buildings in parts of Europe for a topping-out ceremony intended to keep evil spirits and lightning away from the building and its future occupants.



The pig is a symbol of luck in many parts of Europe. The wild boar was holy for the Celts, and was the favorite animal of the great goddess, who was revered under a variety of names as Mother Earth and in winter also as the Goddess of Death.

Most people probably associate the four-leaf clover with the luck of the Irish, but it is also a powerful symbol in India and Nepal, where it is used and honored as a mandala for meditation. it represents the world, and the four leaves symbolize the four parts of the earth.



Whether you find one on the street or in your pudding, a lucky coin is a good thing to have. This symbol of luck goes back to Ancient Greece, when money was linked to rituals and initially bore the images of deities. Later with the rise of Christianity these gave way to images of saints, before it became more usual to depict the ruler of a country.

The ladybird has a positive image throughout Europe, and it is said to have prophetic powers. It is supposed to be lucky if it lands on your hand or on your clothes. For young girls it is said to be a harbinger of love.




Mistletoe was revered in ancient times in Europe for its magical powers. It was a wonder-cure against all kinds of illnesses, and protected against demons. It was often hung up over a door or window, or on the gables of house to protect the inhabitants and drive away misfortune. The habbit of kissing under the mistletoe at Christmas time is relic of its use by ancient Celts as a fertility symbol. The parasitic plant was particularly holy when it grew on the oak tree. It had to be cut by the light of the full moon with a golden sickle, and was not allowed to touch the earth.

And how about the coffee bean that I got? And what is that good luck for? Even so, it was sent in no particular time with no particular event. I just don't get it... but these lucky charm thing sure will become a very unusual gift someone would give...

The Action Goes Figures....

I remembered among the first time I had toys... there was it... a full set of G.I. Joe's action figures! So much for a kid isn't it? So, instead of playing them by myself I let my friends playing with me... you know boys stuff... and then we use an army of Barbie as our enemies...

But then I got interested in Barbies... you know, the boobs and all... I even hijacked my cousins Barbie's collection... undressed them all with just one think on my perverted mind: to satisfied my libido........ And that marks a point where I realize that you could never rip off Ken's shorts........................ Naaaaaah, do you really think I did all of that? I just made that up. But you are thinking what I made you think, right? Hehehe... Aneehoo, where was I? Oh, yes, Barbie's big-sexy boobs.

I still have those toys... I even have some of them on my office desk: Wolverine looms over the printer while Yoda secures the inbox and Homer Simpson scratches his head beside the phone. They are the foot soldiers that cartoons, movies, and comic books send into our mundane reality......

But now, a new kind of plastic pet is on the scene - one not born of a corporate media franchise..... These action figures emerge directly from the minds of their artist-creators, and they're intensely cool - funky fusions of surrealism, urban fantasy, and punchy design that are at once arty and in-your-face..... For a certain breed of niche collector, these toys have become the new sneakers....


Junkie by Michael Lau


In Japan, where uber-trendy clothing labels like A Bathing Ape and Bounty Hunter are responsible for some of the most startling dolls, they're even called "fashion toys."

In London, the high-profile streetwear label Maharishi sells a special-edition doll dressed in the designer's signature camouflage.... The few American shops that specialize in these action figures - 360 Toy Group, on Manhattan's Lower East Side; Kidrobot, in San Francisco and SoHo - look more like boutiques than toy stores....




ERIC SO
Eight years ago, So hacked G.I. Joe and transformed him into Bruce Lee. Today his creations, like Masks 02, sport G-Shock watches and gas masks; Coca-Cola has licensed his work.


The origins of this scene lie in Hong Kong, a commercial center not usually associated with creative design. In 1996, Neco Lo organized a festival there called Toycon, a gathering of fanatic collectors of classic Japanese toys: Ultraman, Astro Boy, Kikaida. In 1997, Lo invited Chinese artists Michael Lau and Eric So to exhibit some 12-inch figures of their own creation. Their approach: cannibalize body parts from American dolls like G.I. Joe and Ken, and then add heads, shoes, and outfits fashioned from leather, foam, and cloth. So presented a set of Bruce Lee dolls, while Lau showed off a group of exaggerated street toughs based on his own friends, trendsetters in Hong Kong's budding hip hop underground......... They were a surprise hit, especially with the toy-crazy Japanese. In a few years, Lau and So were licensing their figures to Sony and Coca-Cola, while Toycon morphed into what it is today: a small but crucial international gathering of action-figure designers....

PETE FOWLER
Super Furry Animals cover artist Fowler spawned the Monsterism series, which has scared up a major following with critters like Worm Bank, Big Monstrooper, and Yensquid Bank.


JASON SIU
After years of drawing Frey Mui, a comic about a girl and her panda, Siu went 3-D. Today the hip hop attitude of toys like DJ Dom has become his trademark.








DOINK DESIGN
Blown away by the figures on eBay, designer Charlie Calderin decided to get in on the action. His Rippa Bear made a killing this past Halloween.




MICHAEL LAU
Lau was the first to reimagine the action figure as a piece of art. He modeled his early work on friends in Hong Kong's hip hop scene. His latest, like Crazychildhood girl and her cat, wear bags over their heads.







All of this remind me of something.... I did try to pull off the body parts and put it on other dolls... the result was hideous! Barbie has Hulks's arms and Olive Oil's legs.... Homer Simpson's head on Doraemon's body..... and Spiderman now has Superman's wings!

________________________________
All pictures was taken by Mike Lorrig

To Korn Or Not To Korn...

The opening act is good
The music is good
The crowd is good
The show is, well, not that good



Is it just me or I did heard Jonathan Davis struggling to synchronize his voice to the music? Sometimes his vocal did ahead and behind the music... he might got that tunes in his own ways, but to me he was not moving the audience... the crowds finds the momentum on their own... and they did sing along till the end! That's good... This is what I love in concert... I felt the energy comes all together!



Then again Korn stage performance was not at their best... They've lost the stamina.... They're all growing old I tell you! And they have to leave immediately for the next concerts... That's one of the risk of being a well known stars, don't you think?

______________________
photos by Muhammad Ali/JP

The Beauty of Equations

You'll need that formula to form one of these Julia Fractals...



Nice art isn't it? Read here

Trying To Be Khusyuk

Dear mighty God, please forgive me for not being khusyuk...

I've prepared this Idul Adha seriously. I've take those sunnah fests. I even do several sholat sunnah. So, I woke up this morning at 4 am in just one thing on my mind: facing God. Then, preparing for sholat Id...

Being a normal 6'3" guy gives me the ability to look around my surroundings without giving pain in my neck. And that where the problem started...

I stand beside this man (iya lah, masak cewek?) who look normal by the way he dressed. But I soon regret that thought. In the middle of sholat Id, in the corner of my eye, I spot him being drooling successfully! It's long-elastic-thread-like drool! Going straight to his sajadah! Otomatis gua nutup mata supaya konsentrasi gua nggak pecah.... but then comes the "slurp" thing! Every minutes I heard him "slurrp"-ing... SLuuuurrrrp!...... Sluuuuurrrrrpppp!

Oh my God! I tried to ignore him, but I can't! His production of saliva won't let his mouth rest... it just won't stop! Pas waktunya salaman, dia dengan santainya nyodorin tangan yang buat ngelap iler luar biasa banyaknya itu.... Oh my God!
I guess I've failed this test....

Dear mighty God, please forgive me for not being khusyuk...

:: Selamat Hari Raya Idul Adha!

I just bought a new cell phone from a friend today. He bought it 3 days ago and then decided to sell it to me in half price. Only because of 1 reason: it's so sophisticated that he couldn't operate it!

So, before I remove my SIM card from the old one I decided to see how much time I use it since October. And it turns out to be surprising....

Last call : 00:14:47
Dialled : 03:05:07
Received : 65:02:55
Total : 68:08:02

65 hours means 2 days 17 hours!

Kalo rata-rata aku nerima telepon 1 jam, berarti ada 65 telepon yang masuk
Kalo rata-rata aku nerima telepon 1/2 jam, berarti ada 130 telepon yang masuk
Kalo rata-rata aku nerima telepon 1/4 jam, berarti ada 260 telepon yang masuk
Oktober-Januari = 120 hari
Berarti sehari bisa nerima telepon lebih dari 1/2 jam!
Padahal ada beberapa hari di mana aku nggak nerima telepon sama sekali...
Berarti ada beberapa telepon yang durasinya mencapai lebih dari 1 jam! di HP!
Bandingkan dengan kalo aku yang telepon! Cuman 3 jam!

This makes me wonder... what am I talking about in such a long time in a cell phone?