SUPER SHOW

Nona Ivan, Teh Het, and Artul, are the nicknames given to Ivan Gunawan, Hetty Koes Endang, and Ari Tulang, in Indosiar recent celebrity talent show, Superstar. This show format is to have celebrities and their close relatives, like bestfriend, wife, or brother, as contestants. They will compete in a singing competition until final, and most of them aren't singers. This show has the same commentators and same hosts, just like the Supermama Celeb show, so the atmosphere and the fun is nearly the same.

Supermama itself is a developed show from Mamamia, which was conducted also by Indosiar and will be continued for next season. The origin idea of the Mamamia Show is from the Mamamia in Italy. Where the contestants bring their mommy as manager. Then the celebrity version was made by Indosiar, named Supermama. The situation of Supermama isn't as serious as other talent show. Jokes, pranks, and funny insults are often going on and on, mostly made by the hosts, Eko Patrio and Ruben, and the judges and contestants. The contestants who are celebrity brought their mommy as their managers to perform in a stage from Tuesday until Friday. From comedian, soap actors, and even an athlete, followed this show. And many of their mommas acted so funny too. This has been my favorite show so far.

Since 1st February 2008, Supermama Celeb Show has ended with the winning contestant, Mytha . And 6th February ago, the show is replaced with new show, different format but same hosts and judges. The differences are the show format. And that Madam Ivan and Bunda Hetty nicks, are changed into Nona and Teh. Both mean "Miss". Ivan Gunawan is a famous designer here, and he is commenting on fashion department. He often shocks the viewer with fashionable looks and unique hairstyle. Hetty is a legendary singer in Indonesia. Her strong beautiful voice and her skill made her chosen to carry on the music/voice department. While the performance department was using different judges each day, but in the newest Superstar show they use Ari Tulang as a performance commentator. He is a famous choreographer here.

The pranks and fun of the show looks similar to Supermama. And that what makes me like it. Moments often go outrageously funny. Ruben the host is called boncel simply for being short. Ivan is always compared to big things because his posture. Eko Patrio, who's a comedian, makes fun of almost everything that happens.

For sure, for this term or moment, this show will just replace the Supermama show, and takes the old show's fans. Therefore, will this show be boring later? Hope not. But you know trend will fade away, and sometimes in entertainment world, something that became a trend and rated, is worked to be as sporadic as it can be. But then it could cause a saturation in the society. But I think, it's still far from that. Now, people can still enjoy the show. Another laughmaker in this turning-crazy world.

Suharto's 25 Amulets

A paper article I read days ago said that Suharto, former president of Indonesia, has 25 amulets, which culturally quite normal in Indonesia, especially for big people like him. It reminds me to stories i heard, bout old men who was on his deathbed but couldn't pass away, because he has amulets or bequest that held his live. And finally they called a paranormal to take his amulet so he could he pass away. It happened to be one of my neighbor's grandpa. And my teacher's grandpa. My teacher said that his lower body was already cold, but his throat up to head was still alive, and his breath was very heavy and sound so scary..

Is it possible that Suharto could survive in so many critical situations he had, because of those amulets/bequests. No one knows for sure except himself or his relatives. It just makes me questioning this.

SUHARTO ON SPOTLIGHT

It has been weeks that former Indonesian 'dictator' Soeharto or Suharto, suffers bad illness in Rumah Sakit Pusat Pertamina, or Pertamina Hospital. The media are always updating on his news, he's been major headlines in every papers and all breaking news in the TV is about him. Even his doctors team is always updating his condition to public thru press conferences in hospital.

He got sophisticated treatment and the best doctors. And who pay that? Government. Estimated hundreds million Rupiah is being spent for him. I'm questioning is that worth it? He's old now and ill, it's not that i'm being meany, but he's suffering, what's up with letting him undergo big pains. Say, that there are so many allegations and trials for him, well, he's old now, i don't think it's proper to put him in jail. And if we want our money that is corrupted back, there are still another alleged persons, and we can also track Suharto's investment, even without him.

HONORED AND AFFRONTED

Despite all the hatred, there are still so many people honor him. Indonesian knows that his governing regime is like Indonesia's best age. Needs are not as expensive nowadays. Everything was more safe. Even holiday for students are more many. Indonesia was at its best development
with him. Although he was governing more than a period in a row, which means he's 'dictating'. he also had a foundation called Supersemar that gave students college scholarship. Lately, in a trial against his foundation, that is alleged as corrupt, students who got his scholarship stand up for him and pray that he'll be recovered. Then the judges said that this is a trial, so there's no need to pray for anybody here. In so many areas, citizens are praying for him. BEM UI or Indonesia University Students Council was trying to do a peace demo in the hospital, altho finally they were told to go. What will be government next step remains mystery. Altho so many
politicians in government has stated that this nation should forgive him. The law must be stricten, but should we bother an old sick man in his deathbed? If there are still other good solutions, i think we should let him go. What he'll face later, won't be our business. We can just forgive him and let him go.

Visit Indonesia Year 2008

Celebrating The Nation Awakening!

Government has stated that this is time to promote our tourism. Well, a bit late, I guess. But it's not a wrong thing at all!
So, if you're having an eagerness to have vacation in Asia or South East Asia, don't forget to visit INDONESIA

Do you know what we got?
visit

http://www.indonesia-tourism.com/

or

http://www.tourismindonesia.com/

or even my beloved city

http://www.jogja.com

Gondolayu Bridge

I think its a quite known bridge in Yogyakarta From this bridge you can see the beauty of Code River valley at night.. And it is close to the Tugu monument And there is a good culinary spot Where you can eat toasted bread and hot milk, while enjoying the night wind and seeing the valley with the little 'stars' from the houses below

p.s see the picture at the end of my page, thx

Catastrophe in the End of 2007

Gosh

There are so many disasters this past few months ( i guess or maybe weeks). These disasters are related with this horrible wet season in some areas in Java island. It causes land slides and floods and horrible winds. Moreover the ocean is in 'rage' too. Many fishermans lose not only their income but also their houses. Because of the high waves, 3-4 metres...
God bless Indonesia

HIGH EDUCATION BUDGET

It can't be denied that Indonesia is one of the growing countries. And as a growing country, Indonesia is now making up the instruments, growing up the power and emerging the spirit. There's nothing perfect in this world, but we may say thu a growing country is far enough from what we call perfect. Maybe a county would have great nature resources but a medium-low human resources, or vice versa. In my humble opinion, Indonesia has good and plenty nature resources and also average medium human resources.

There are so many ways that the government has done to educate the society and adding up the human resources. And I think that's good. They mwajbkn the (young) generation to have nine years of education, which means elementary school and junior high school. And it's been said that it will extend to 12 years. And I think it's also a good step to introduce to the society that courses or skill-high school are not incompetence than the regular education. In fact, it can be a very good alternative to produce good human resources.

But what I'm going to spot isn't about that alternative education. I'm going to talk about a problem in the regular/common education in Indonesia. As I have spoke in the early paragraph, Indonesia is a growing country. We are still struggling to follow and filter the globalization. Maybe the forms of globalization are already growing in Indonesia, but because of social and geographical issues, it hasn't reached every part of Indonesia.

Meanwhile there are schools which already have the forms of globalized education. I think it's common in some private schools, since in organization way, they may be more open to the global effects. But, don't want to be left, public/government schools are trying to compete for this maintenance and great education for their students.

I, as a student of a Senior High, am very happy and proud that I have a very good school. I'm now studying in a public school, and my school is counted as a good school in my province and so on. It has few class-programs, that help students (who wants) to study in a different way than the regular ones, like acceleration class and Information Tech. class. And fortunately I attend in the year of curriculum regeneration. My angkatan is now using International Cambridge Curriculum, which was only a class program two years ago. My school also has good facilities and so on. And I heard that schools like mine, those who are "go international" get some budgets from the government.

But it was quite shocking for me that the school fee is more expensive than other public schools. You may say, "Yes, it's because your school is a favorite one and it offern cash for the operational." But isn't there an allocated fund for those kinds of schools from government or what I heard was just a rumour? And I think there is some things in the budget allocation plan that actually can be fixed, not because it's wrong, but it doesn't really fit there. Like the holiday cards they have up. Each students got the card for their parents, and there are approx. 700 students. Well, it may be just a small spending rather than other spendings. But I think it'll be more economic to put the holiday greeting along with the holiday announcement letters. Aren't we fighting global warming?

Truly, I believe that this maintenance will be good for every parties that involve. But the question is, are we completely ready for this? If we sure we are, can we organize it? Is it just about the look or the image, or is it about the sake of education for this country? Now, Bawasda (Badan Pengawasan Daerah), an instance that's watching out public operations in a province, has been checking out some schools' budget plans. I hope it can clear the situation and no one will losing somethin improper.

Have you ever read Toto Chan, a Japanese novel? I think it's better to study in their train cars than learning in an unfair transparency. We're talking about billions of money. I hope big sophisticated schools have to be role models for other schools, those which haven't became as big as us.