Deisha Tamar

October 23, 2011

The Jakarta Post

(as published here)

In an effort to give something back to society, six alumni of the Study of the United States Institutes (SUSI) of New Media 2010 organized a one-day seminar called Indonesia Young Netizen Day (IYND), on Oct. 1 at @america in the Pacific Place mall, Jakarta.

The event, themed “The Use of Social Media Tools to Promote Social Change”, aimed to raise awareness for young people in using social media responsibly.

The entire event itself was prepared by Internet services. Participants hoping to join the seminar and get certificates first had to register themselves using an online form. Those who had not registered online could still attend the seminar, but were not given certificates. 

The initiators, each from a different city (Jakarta, Bandung, Yogyakarta, Medan, Padang and Makassar), relied on social media and the Internet to make preparations for the event for a whole year, through a conference using Yahoo Messenger, while Twitter and Facebook were also used to contact each other and to exchange information. Then, on the day of the event, the six committee members finally met each other face-to-face in Jakarta.

The six, who were part of the SUSI short scholarship program organized by the US State Department, created the event after winning a grant from a non-profit US-based organization, AED, which soon would be integrated into FHI360. The US Embassy in Jakarta and @america were their partners in organizing the event.

More than 150 people attended the seminar, ranging from high school and university students to members of the general public and youth organizations. 

During the first session, blogger and managing director of salingsilang.com, Enda Nasution, talked about trends in social media use in Indonesia and how to be a responsible social media user. Wisnu Martha, a new media analyst from Gadjah Mada University, gave a short yet enjoyable lecture about new media and how it affects young people’s lives.

In the second session, with a more relaxed and youthful vibe, Indonesian Future Leaders president Iman Usman and Febry Fakhurrizal from Bantu Indonesia shared their experiences in utilizing social media to promote social change.

Both youth organizations successfully gained followers on Twitter and Facebook — especially with Bantu Indonesia, which enables people to donate money through social media. 

Of course, it wouldn’t have been a social media event if there weren’t live tweets of the seminar content from IYND twitter account @YoungNetizenID and live streaming from the @america website. At the end of the seminar, the committee asked participants and everyone attending the event to simultaneously tweet “I am a responsible netizen” using the hashtag #IYND2011, to show their commitment to start being responsible netizens.

But, IYND didn’t end there. To give the event a bigger impact, there is also a writing competition open to high school and university students aged 16 to 25, with three topics to choose from: responsible netizen, social media and youth, or new media for social action. 

This competition is organized in the hope that the participants can implement what they have learned through the seminars in a written essay. Enda Nasution and Wisnu Martha will pick three winners, to be announced on Oct. 25.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

Deisha Tamar

October 23, 2011

The Jakarta Post

(as published here)

The London School of Public Relations (LSPR) in Jakarta and its Climate Change Champions Community (LSPR 4C) held the Asia Pacific Youth Assembly from Sept. 6-10, focusing on global environmental issues.

Delegations from Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, Nepal and Indonesia got together to share updates on environmental issues, and were encouraged to act and inspire others to build a better environment.

Indonesian youth motivators such as Alanda Kariza, Goris Mutaqim and David Sihombing were some of the speakers of the seminar themed “Utilizing Young People to Act on the Environmental Issues Solution”. They shared their experiences about youth initiatives.

Representatives from WWF Indonesia, the Environment Ministry and the US Embassy in Jakarta were also present to share their knowledge and experiences on environment-related topics.

The delegations were taken to Taman Mini Indonesian Indah for an opportunity to learn more about the country’s culture and heritage. In addition, they planted 10 trees beside the Keong Mas Theater in TMII, and also taught others how to plant and fertilize them.

On the last day of the event, the Youth Assembly held Green Carnival, a free event open to the public, which featured various performances and entertainment.

What makes the Asia Pacific Youth Assembly different from other environmental seminars is that each delegation must create an idea to solve an environmental issue at home and implement it once they return.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

Deisha Tamar

October 23, 2011

The Jakarta Post

(as published here)

IPMI Business School held a two-day Student Entrepreneurship Challenge Program (SECP) for freshmen on September 21-22.

Although the name of the program might sound like another business competition, it was actually an orientation program aimed at introducing start-up initiatives to the students as soon as possible. 

“Education is an important part of the social setting that prepares students to be professional, ethical and genuine — separate from hazing, violence and bullying that occur in many modern education institutions,” IPMI Business School dean Budi W. Soetjipto said.

Established in 1984, IPMI Business School has a vision of being one of the best business schools within Asia. That is why IPMI Business School conducted the SECP, which could manifest those values and also create a fun education atmosphere and bring out the students’ potential through their own initiatives. The orientation consisted of seminars from IPMI Business School alumni, lecturers and team-building games.

Freshman Evy Nafisah said she found the orientation program highly interesting. “I really enjoyed the outdoor team-building games. We were taught to learn through games and fun activities, not the usual boring learning process.” 

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

Deisha Tamar

October 21, 2011

The Jakarta Post

(as published here)

Art should be free. 

In the modern world where money is everything it is a rare occasion when really good art is free. But, the Public Affairs Section of the US Embassy and the Department of State’s Performing Arts Initiative brought a great dance group all the way from America, and the performance was free. 

Founded in 1976, the Battery Dance Company has performed in over 40 countries worldwide and is currently based in New York. With its mission to teach, present and advocate in the field of dance and with the motto “dancing to connect New York and the world”, it has supported over 200,000 public school students through its Dancing to Connect program. 
Believers: The Battery Dance Company has a mission to teach, present and advocate in the field of dance. Courtesy of US Embassy

The company believes in bringing free classes, lecturers and performances across geographic and linguistic borders to relate with people through dance.

The company has also produced 100 original pieces of choreography, created by its founder and artistic director Jonathan Hollander. With five outstanding dancers, the Battery Dance Company has choreographed many fresh contemporary dances and one of them was showcased on Oct. 10 at Teater Jakarta, Taman Ismail Marzuki.

For one night, Teater Jakarta was packed with over 1,000 people who were keen to watch one of America’s best dance companies. The show was introduced with a speech from US Ambassador to Indonesia Scot Marciel. 

The dance itself was separated into two parts; the first part, Autobiographica, consisting of 10 different acts mixing ballet with hip hop and other contemporary dance forms.

Autobiographica started with ballet, the dancers in black costumes, lulling the audience into theidea that this was going to be just another ballet performance. 

However by act 5, this all changed with a video of the dancers dancing underwater in slow motion with an ambient backing track, transforming the theater into a giant underwater theme park. 

The act continued with a female dancer dancing solo against a background of pool tiles and a “No 
Diving” sign. The female dancer was dancing as though diving and being continuously dragged offstage by two male dancers to stop her from “diving” — the men eventually spitting water over the female dancer to finally stop her.  

Modern: The Battery Dance Company offered fresh contemporary dance at a showcase on Oct. 10 at Teater Jakarta, Taman Ismail Marzuki. Courtesy of US Embassy

Every act in Autobiographica seemed to illustrate the struggle of human beings in staying true to their own selves while society demands that everyone be in conformity, and how that conformity can lead to frustration and exhaustion. 

For example, in act 7 a female dancer is forced to stay in her group and dance in harmony with the 
other dancers. 

The backdrop was an eye with a lifeline, and the backbeat a female voice whispering “why are you 
staring at me?” At the end of the act the lifeline goes flat and the eye half-closes.

One of the most enjoyable acts was the eighth act, where all of the dancers wore bright and colorful shirts as they performed random joyful dances and movements. 

During this they created their own music, with each dancer stepping one by one, recording their voices and then gradually overlapping them in a resultant musical rhythm. 

This act, the last of the first part, emphasized that every human being has their own color and style, unique from one another but when put together they create a harmonious life like an overlapping musical rhythm.

The second part of the dance performance was titled Layapriya, a Sanskrit term for “one who loves rhythm”. For about 30 minutes, the dancers wore traditional Indian-inspired white costumes and danced to Indian music. 

Robert Johnson of Tanssi, the dance magazine of Finland, wrote that the dance borrows from the Indian tradition, showing true understanding and assimilation while also an observation of Asian style.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

Deisha Tamar

October 16, 2011

The Jakarta Post

(as published here)

It’s a widely known fact that technology changes within the blink of an eye. Fashion also changes so quickly that it often turns fashionistas into fashion monsters while trying to keep up with all of the latest trends.

It was not until a few years ago that fashion bloggers appeared on the scene. Now all the people running fashion-themed blogs are proclaiming themselves fashion bloggers. 

Yes, even those who use fashion in all the wrong ways and make it look like a terrible disease are proudly announcing that they are “fashion bloggers”.

However, we can finally get answers to this mind-boggling question: “Will the real fashion bloggers please stand up?” At www.nowmanifest.com, we can distinguish between the true professionals and the self-proclaimed fashion bloggers.

NOWMANIFEST started up this year under the wing of Fashion Networks, a global platform for user-generated fashion media and e-commerce that’s been around since 2009. Based in Sweden, Fashion Networks produce three other fashion and beauty-related websites — Minoufit, Seconds and Freshnet — all in Swedish. NOWMANIFEST is its first English language site.

I found the website through Fashiontoast — a famous fashion blog by Rumi Neely — and noticed that her website domain had changed to run off of www.nowmanifest.com. In one click, I was swept away to NOWMANIFEST. With a simple yet chic and lustrous design, it is visually appealing.

What is NOWMANIFEST exactly? It is a premium fashion publishing platform uniting leading bloggers and collecting their creative power. The website gathers renowned worldwide fashion bloggers under the NOWMANIFEST umbrella, as their goals are to inspire and guide readers around the world through fashion and beauty. One of their other missions is to act as a diving-board for people aspiring to enter the world of modern fashion.

Targeting women aged 15–35, the NOWMANIFEST expects their audience to be experienced consumers looking for inspiration. They have purchasing power and are plugged in, always keeping an eye out for new products. 

NOWMANIFEST has united four influential global fashion phenomena that might already be familiar to those with a passion for fashion: BryanBoy, Style by Kling, Fashiontoast and Industrie magazine. 

Along with Industrie are three independent fashion bloggers that became wildly popular for sharing the latest fashion trends. As for Industrie, it is an independent fashion magazine updated frequently online and distributed in print twice a year.

Not all fashion bloggers can join NOWMANIFEST, so you cannot simply request to have your blog included 
among NOWMANIFEST’s household names. They handpick the cream of the fashion blogging crop, selecting writers who are making a difference in the fashion world. 

You may think you can make it on the NOWMANIFEST list. Thanks to your awesome blog, you have been invited to top-notch international designers’ fashion shows and sit in the front row next to Anna Wintour – at least, that’s how BryanBoy gained fame. 

Or maybe your blog has been featured in numerous notable media outlets with praise that your blog is the next big thing in the fashion world, as happened with Fashiontoast, or perhaps you have followed in the footsteps of the blogger Kling, who was offered a deal by a retail department store to create your own clothing line or establish a huge following of devoted readers such as Industrie.

Well, then maybe you can get your fashion blog on to NOWMANIFEST, but make sure your invitation doesn’t get lost in the World Wide Web.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

Deisha Tamar

October 14, 2011

The Jakarta Post

(as published here)

What do you get when you mix fashion with blogs? The popular fashion blogs, created by novices and professionals alike, of course.

Meet Tavi Gevinson, a 15-year-old who has become an international sensation after starting her fashion blog back in March 2008, during her pre-teen years. The owner of www.thestylerookie.com who lives in Chicago, Illinois, US – has taken the world of fashion by storm with her quirky and out of the box style. 

Although she described her blog as just an online diary mixed with scrapbooks, she receives 35,000 visitors per day, according to www.glamour.com. She has also caught the eyes of international fashion designers such as Karl Lagerfeld and Rodarte. 

She was also invited to Fashion Weeks in New York and Paris and sat next to Anna Wintour, the infamous Vogue US editor, and has been featured in various media.

Tavi became interested in fashion after reading other fashion blogs in 2008 and decided to create one afterward. Her style might not be everyone’s cup of tea, and some people consider her not stylish at all – but that is what she is all about. 

As she wrote on her blog, “The general voice of my blog has been very much against the idea of those [or, in a way, any] standards for a long time, maybe not in so many words, but definitely in spirit.” 

Through those words she was describing her ideas of breaking standard beauty or sexy definitions, especially for a 15-year-old American girl, who would usually opt for sexier clothes trying to look mature.

Her blog takes us to view outside mainstream fashion, and more into Tavi’s personal eclectic style and likings. You will also be surprised by how well and mature her writings are for a 15-year-old – as she is able to express her thoughts deeply through her engaging and poetic words.

The next young fashion blogger prodigy is Evita Nuh, owner of the blog www.jellyjellybeans.blogspot.com. She is an Indonesian who is just three years younger than Tavi, but has an exceptional talent and passion for fashion. 

Blogging by the age of nine, she has gained national and international readers, even her Facebook page has more than 3,500 likes.

When you visit Evita’s blog, you can tell that her style is far different from Tavi. She is more playful and chooses a more classic look – although the two both love to experiment a lot with their style. 

It is always fun to see Evita’s outfit photos, because they are taken and edited professionally by her two sisters. A lot of her devoted readers turn her outfit photo into pretty drawings and illustrations that she also proudly displays on her blog. 

Evita’s blog and her personal style have been featured in so many magazines, blogs and other media, local and international. Her blog success does not end in being featured in various media – she has even collaborated with a local designer by launching her own clothing collection called Little Nuh, for pre-teens to teens and is available at The Goods Dept. in Plaza Indonesia, 4th floor.

Tavi and Evita might still be in their tender teen years – you might like or dislike them, but their passion and creativity, proves that young talents like them should be taken seriously and the blogosphere is an enriching playground.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

Deisha Tamar

July 24, 2011

The Jakarta Post

(as published here)

There are several factors that make good movies, such as good acting, interesting locations, a meaningful storyline and last but not least an epic soundtrack. That is also the case with a TV series.

Indonesians have found there are few good TV series on local channels, so sometimes movie enthusiasts opt for international TV series, or more often Hollywood series.

If you are lucky enough to have cable at home, then the options for TV series are endless — but there are also DVDs of course, and even some well-known series are aired on our local channel.

While watching the films on TV, you may hear really cool songs that you like so much. But sometimes you might not be able to figure out what the title is or who the singer is.

It happened to me. I tried to find the name of a really good piece of music that I heard on the Parenthood series. It took me several weeks to finally track down the song I was looking for. And in the end I got my answer from www.heardontv.com. It really helps me search for good music that I have heard on TV.

The simple layout of the website looked rather unpromising at first, as I thought maybe it was just another bogus website, but all that changed when I found my song with the exact artist and title of the song.

Heard on TV is a user-generated website that helps you discover the music you have heard on your favorite TV shows. However, you cannot download songs from the website. you can only search for music — although they provide links as options for you to buy the song legally from Rhapsody, Amazon or iTunes store, or you can watch the video on YouTube.

When looking for a certain song from a series, it is best if you jot down the exact season and episode of the show — to make your search easier on the website. Another cool way that you can help yourself search is by uploading a sound clip of the song you are looking for other users to listen to and help you with your search — you can even add a personal note, like in what scene the song was played.

However, in order to do this, you must first sign up to be a member at Heard on TV. You can also add your favorite music or TV shows and rate or comment on them, once you have signed up as a member. Besides searching for songs, you can actually help other users identify the songs that they are looking for by suggesting a title of the song.

Currently, Heard on TV offers over 135 TV shows to choose from and most of them are Hollywood series. The website also caters to music searches for blockbuster movies, although the options are still limited. It also has a database of hundreds and hundreds of artists’ names.

If you can’t find the song or movie that you were looking for, you can make a request to the website so they can add the criteria of your search.

The website just recently added a new feature which identifies trends of popular songs according to tweets on Twitter, which reveals the singer and song title — so at least you can add some really hot music to your music library, all thanks to Heard on TV.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

*i missed posting this article here which was published last Feb!*

Deisha Tamar

Feb 27, 2011

The Jakarta Post

(as published here)

Have you ever felt annoyed by someone, a stranger, your boss or your family where you wish you could tell of your problem with them to their face but you just didn’t have the guts? Well, perhaps now you can channel that annoyance through this website.

Dear Blank Please Blank — no, it is not a typo or a name of some indie band — it is an über website that truly makes my day every time I visit it. It all started when a friend tweeted, “Dear Facebook, Congratulations on becoming a verb. Welcome to the club. Sincerely, Google #dearblankplease”.

I became curious and tried to find out where those witty tweets came from and eventually it led towww.twitter.com. dearblankpleaseblank before I was led to www.dearblankpleaseblank.com.

The website was created by creative duo Jared Wunsch and Hans Jhonson based in Seattle, Washington, US. Why did they create such a website? They stated, “We had this idea for a website, mostly because Hans had a bad experience. So we built it, and now you’re here... Welcome.”

“Dear blank please blank was built by us, hand coded line by line, pixel by pixel. As a rule of thumb, If you can’t see it, Jared built it, if you can see it, Hans built it, if it sparkles, Edward built it,” referring to Edward Cullen, the vampire from Twilight movie, whose skin sparkles under the sunlight.  

And yes, every bit of the website is filled with witty words or comments that will definitely hit your funny bone or at least makes you grin a little.

So, what is Dear Blank Please Blank?

Well, it is a website where you can pour out everything on your mind through submitting a “letter” following the “Dear ... Please ... Sincerely...” format. You can address the submission to anyone, from your brother, parents, your boss, president, cartoon characters or simply random objects.

For example, a submission taken from the website said, “Dear Tom, Kill Jerry, you’re embarrassing the rest of us. Sincerely, cats of the world” or “Dear colleges, please don’t send me giant packages of mail unless they contain my acceptance letter. I really don’t like having heart attacks every time I open one of your official looking envelopes to find yet another pamphlet about how awesome your school is. I know it’s awesome, that’s why I applied. Sincerely, stressed out senior” or here’s another one copying Rihanna’s song lyric, “Dear rug, I love the way you lie. Sincerely, floor”.

More of those submissions are available on the website, from the really comical one to the rather offensive ones. The letters are divided into six categories: How Dare They, You’re A Douche, Hilarious, I Like This, Umm, WTF?! and Random.

How Dare They consist of submissions that will create an unlikely reaction of “how could you?!” after you read it. Usually addressed to a person who has done terrible or bad things, for example, “Dear mother, please realize it wasn’t a phase, and it still hurts that you think it is. Sincerely, Your gay son”.

You’re A Douche consists of submissions that are rather annoying and offensive, and well, not that amusing to be read. An example of this would be the one reading, “Dear grandmother, please stop muttering to yourself and forgetting things. If you keep this up, I’m putting you in an old folks home”.

If you’re looking for a motivational and a more considerate submission, you should check out I Like This, one of my favorite submissions: “Dear Women, please stop thinking you have to be a size 0 to be beautiful. Those magazines got it all wrong, no one ever told them that beauty is also on the inside. Be confident and happy with yourself. Some guy out there is going to fall in love with everything about you. Sincerely, a real man”.

However, Hilarious and Random has submissions that will definitely make you laugh out loud, like this one perhaps,

“Dear Boyfriend, I can make your girlfriend scream louder than you can. Sincerely, Spiders”.

Submitting your very own “Dear Blank Please Blank” is easy. When you open the website, find a yellow tab reading “Submit your own”, where you can write your addressee, the content of the letter and the addresser.

You can also choose to be notified when your submission is published. If you don’t feel like writing something, you can moderate the submissions to help Jared and Hans decide if those submissions are appropriate or hilarious enough to be published on the website.

I personally think that this website is a good way to channel all of those emotions in a fun and different way, perhaps it is subtle to compare it to a very short and effective diary. You may use an alias or initial names for the addressee and for yourself, and no one will find out about it.

So why not give it a try?

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

Deisha Tamar

July 17 2011

The Jakarta Post

(as published here)

See the full gallery on Posterous

 

It’s not only New York that has been dubbed the city that never sleeps. Chicago, which also is known as the Windy City, is another of America’s restless cities.

Chicago, located in Illinois, US, is one of the three most populated cities in the US. It is a metropolitan city, similar to Jakarta with all of its hustle and bustle, and cars honking here and there, traffic and skyscrapers. Of course with the exception of adequate and reliable public transportation, fresh air to breathe and decent sideways, which pamper the needs of pedestrians — and unlike Jakarta, people in Chicago prefer to walk, from tourists like myself to businesspeople. 

Navy Pier, located on Lake Michigan, is one of Chicago’s landmarks and a one-stop place for everything entertainment. It’s almost like Ancol here in Jakarta, with more and better selections for recreation. Built in 1916, it holds one of the most famous Ferris wheels in the US. With just US$10 you can ride on it and view the spectacular Chicago view – best to see at night when all the lights from the buildings and roads sparkle. The Pier is also home to several interesting museums and theaters, such as Chicago’s Children’s Museum, the breathtaking Smith Museum of Stained Glass Windows, Chicago Shakespeare Theater — which holds occasional Shakespeare plays and also a Shakespeare resource center — and the IMAX Theater offering its viewers a top notch 3-D movie experience.

Next stop is the Magnificent Miles — the nickname given to Michigan Avenue for holding celebrated stores such as Prada, Aldo, Zara, Victoria’s Secret, Forever 21, H&M and even a Disney store. These stores are actually located right on the sides of the busy streets where pedestrians can easily window shop. And yes, the best way to enjoy the magnificent “shopping” journey on the Magnificent Miles is by walking. Water Tower, located at the same street, was built in 1869 to hold water pipes but now it is one of Chicago’s famous landmarks for its distinctive castle-like design.

Chicago is also well-known for its skyscrapers and bold architecture. Sears Tower, formerly known as the Willis Tower, was once the world’s tallest building in 1974. Another skyscraper worth visiting is John Hancock Observatory, which claims to have the fastest elevator in the world — it only takes a minute to reach the 96th floor. There is also the brand new Trump International Hotel and Tower, which is of course owned by property mogul Donald Trump. The luxurious tower is also the filming location for Trump’s reality show The Apprentice. 

Just a few minutes’ walk from the Trump Tower, is Hotel 71. Located on 71 East Wacker Drive, the hotel itself is another famous and must visit place in Chicago. The hotel is often used for Hollywood movie productions. It was used last July as the set of Transformer: Dark of the Moon that will be released later this year. The Dark Knight — of the Batman movie sagas — was also partly shot there.

 
Contemporary art statues and sculptures are spread around Chicago such as The Bean or Cloud Gate, located at the Millennium Park — which is also a must visit – the sculpture is created by British artist Anish Kapoor. It is shaped like a bean made with stainless steel and reflects the city’s skyline. If you want to get a better photo spot you can go to Chicago Port, where the Adler Planetarium and Museum of Astronomy is located. From Chicago Port, you can get a spectacular view of Chicago’s skyline.

Most rivers in Jakarta are filthy, yet this is not the case with Chicago River. It is also a favorite tourist destination as it is clean and wide. You can take a boat ride along the river.

Some famous people in the world also have their own place here in Chicago: Oprah Winfrey, Barack Obama and Muhammad Ali. The Harpo Studio is located at the West Washington Boulevard, Barack Obama owns a house located in the area of University of Chicago and just a few blocks away is the house of Muhammad Ali. And just a few blocks away from Obama’s highly-guarded house, local people could probably direct you to an ice cream place where it was said that Obama and Michelle shared their first kiss, and to a barber shop where Obama used to get his hair cut. 

E! channel presenters Giuliana and Bill Rancic also most of their reality show Guiliana and Bill running around Chicago.

It would take thousands of words to list and describe all of the marvelous Chicago landmarks and interesting things to do. Spend a week or two or even more to discover and explore all Chicago has to offer.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

Deisha Tamar

July 17 2011

The Jakarta Post

(as published here)

English Department students of Binus University invited author Raditya Dika to its Anggrek Campus in Jakarta to share his knowledge on how to become a writer, or one who can rake in the cash.

In the talk titled “Get Creative in Your Writing to Keep You Prosper” on June 16, the students’ body, HIMSI, partnered with stationery producer Faber-Castell. Almost 500 people flocked in to join the talk show or perhaps merely see their favorite wacky blogger-cum-writer in person although tickets were Rp 40,000 (US$4.86) each for students and Rp 50,000 for the public.

With writing as its theme, HIMSI hopes to open the knowledge of young people who, nowadays, like to express their feelings or share their stories through blogs or other various kinds of social networks — and help them turn that hobby into a source of income. 

In addition, it helps to enlighten young people on career opportunities in writing – not just by publishing a book or becoming a novelist. As said by Desvina, the head of HIMSI, a writer is actually a highly promising job, and by becoming and learning to be a good one, we can generate a good income.

Raditya delivered his presentation with his wittiness and comical approach that kept the audience laughing throughout the entire seminar. He pointed out that it was important to keep personal stories as a foundation of our writing, even the most bitter ones. Yet we need to be able to turn them into something unique. Distinguishing ourselves and our style of writing are also vital, as there are more and more writers emerging today. We have to create our own signature and set ourselves apart. 

After three hours of knowledge sharing, he asked the audience to engage in a 10-minute writing session and question and answer session before ending the event. During the event, some of the participants and Faber-Castell did live tweeting, and even held a quiz via Twitter. Putri Utami, a Binus University student tweeted that it was her second time joining seminar with Raditya Dika as the speaker, and she was pleased with the seminar and Raditya’s approach. 

Desvina contributed to the story

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

Deisha Tamar

June 19 2011

The Jakarta Post

(as published here)

The Bina Nusantara University English department closed the academic year out with a bang with its annual stage production. 

This year, the faculty and students produced Masquerade at the campus auditorium on June 11 before a paying audience of nearly 300.

In 2009, the English department debuted with The Fall of Men, and the play the next year was Don’t Mess with Charlie. After the success of the first two productions, this year’s play was even more successful, with a bigger audience and more media coverage.

Directed by Venantius Vladimir Ivan, who has directed all the productions the last three years, the script was written by Yani Susanti, an English Department lecturer, who also plays Maritje in the play. Though keeping with the concept of a production by the English Department faculty and students, a Chinese Department lecturer will also join in this year to play a Chinese-Indonesian woman who occasionally grumbles in her native tongue.

After presenting the Western way of life and culture in The Fall of Men, a story surrounding the Roman Empire, and Don’t Mess with Charlie, about Chicago’s mafia, Masquerade harkens back to the Dutch colonial period in 1910, when Jakarta was still known as Batavia. Masquerade represents the multi-cultural and ethnically diverse Batavia that still exists in Jakarta today. Unlike the department’s previous productions, this year’s play features singing and dancing. 

The story revolves around Bara, a homeless boy who, in a turn of events, meets Nilam, the mistress of Menner Karel van der Meer, a rich Dutch landlord. On her way to tell Karel about their son, Panji, she is robbed and stabbed by Gading, an infamous bandit. In her final moments, Nilam tells Bara her secret. 

Hoping to change his fortunes, Bara pretends to be Karel’s illegitimate son. However, the plan crumbles when he meets Karel’s daughter, Maritje, and falls in love with her.

Bara’s plan falls even further apart when Panji shows up at Karel’s 50th birthday party, masquerade ball, to tell Karel the truth about him and his mother, Nilam. Although Bara stretches the lie a while longer, he eventually confesses because of his feelings for Maritje. Another revelation during the party is the identity of Gading, who in fact is a woman. 

The play also tells the story of local villagers who are dying to attend Karel’s glamorous masquerade and pretend to be in the upper class for one night. Moreover, there is also Cakradara, the narrator who appears on stage from time to time and narrates the story using poetry.

The play ends rather happily, since all of the secrets are revealed and it reminds the audience that the play actually represents real life, where people pretend to be somebody they are not when in fact it is better to just be ourselves. “Everybody wears a mask tonight, but it’s my life that has been a mask all along!” The line from the play echoes with the cast’s final bow.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

Deisha Tamar

June 15 2011

The Jakarta Post

(as published here)

She is young, beautiful, talented, dedicated and making a difference in the Philippines through her artistic touch.

Twenty-one-year-old Filipino painter Anna Karina Jardin is usually mistaken to be above her age because of her looks, but make no mistake, despite her young age she is already dedicating herself to make a change in the Philippines. 

She is the president and founder of Artistikong Kabataan (AK) Philippines, Inc. (Artistic Young People), based in Manila. Founded in 2010, the non-profit organization aims to activate leadership with a heart among the youth, connect young people and empower them to create an impact in society through the universal language of art. It focuses on cultural and art appreciation, sustainable development, peace and human rights education, artistry and world values, social entrepreneurship and volunteerism.

The organization also offers painting classes, leadership and charity workshops, charity works, cultural exchanges, personality development workshops, mural paintings for schools and peer counseling.

Beside being AK president, Jardin is also the chairwoman for culture, arts and music under the Asia America Initiative organization based in Washington, DC., an organization focusing on interfaith dialogue, peace and security.

 

In the past, she was also involved in several other prominent organizations such as the United Nations Youth Association in the Philippines as secretary-general.

Even though she travels a lot in her job and just recently was asked to speak at a congress held by youth-based organization AIESEC here in Jakarta – education is still the most important thing for her, “I’m going to arrive in the Philippines around 4 a.m. and I’m going to my classes at 8 or 10 a.m., so there will be no break. 

I don’t care if there is a huge time difference, but I still go to my classes because it’s my responsibility. And I have to finish because it’s my obligation to my parents.” Jardin is currently an international relations student majoring in diplomacy in Lyceum of the Philippines University and will graduate next year.

As a painter and an artist, Jardin says, “You have to look good and be well-presented at all times. First impressions are the most important thing”. Perhaps she assumed that attitude after enrolling into the John Robert Powers school in 2007, an etiquette school. 

The school also gave her the opportunity to join a local beauty queen contest in 2008 and thanks to her beauty she was a finalist. Jardin was also asked to join the Miss Philippines beauty pageant for two years although she said she had not yet decided if she would.

The Manila girl, as she refers to herself as, although she comes from Cavite City in the Philippines, is a self-taught painter. This passion began when she was nine years old, “My mom got angry when I painted on the wall, but now I’ve turned it to good use.”

She also explains that painters in the Philippines rely more on portraying social issues in their country, “I believe artists can also see the future and try to integrate it through colors and lines.”

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

Deisha Tamar

Sunday, 12 June 2011

The Jakarta Post

(as published here)

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to live life frequently moving from one country to another – while at the same time playing the roles of mother, wife and also art enthusiast? 

If you don’t know, read Kaho’s stories on her blog. The blog (www.ChuzaiLiving.wordpress.com) is run by Kahori Matsui or Kaho, who is a Japanese national and currently living in Indonesia. 

When she first started her blog in March last year, she was still living in Arlington, Virginia, before she moved to Jakarta in July. Kaho has also lived in Senegal, Japan, and Texas, the US.

“In Japanese, Chuzai means living overseas for an extended period of time due to an occupational assignment,” she writes on her blog. 

In short, Chuzai Living translates to Expat Living. Kaho’s husband has a job that requires them to move quite frequently every two to three years.

The mother of two, who comically refers to her daughters as “monkeys” for their active, playful ways, wrote that she wanted to have a place where she could document and share her family’s life overseas while exploring her interest in photography, design, fashion, traveling, food and parenting. 

“This blog is a place where I can become myself, away from the daily routine and hectic life as a parent of two small children. It stimulates me to be active and enjoy and gives me opportunity to appreciate my surroundings to a fuller extent,” she added. 

Kaho organizes and themes her posts according to days of the week. On Monday she posts on fashion, on Tuesday she posts about random things that grabs her attention, Wednesday she posts on interior design using the title Wednesday Wall2Wall – as she is involved in Project KOI. 

On Thursday she posts on KOI Restaurant and Gallery and on Friday her theme is Friday Finds, where she posts about restaurants, galleries or other unique things she visits and recommends. 

She writes in English with a Japanese translation — and never forgets to include photos.

Jakartans and other Indonesians can use her blog to find out about places and activities they may not yet have known about or have simply forgotten. 

For example, taking a bajaj with her daughters for the first time last year, or eating local oranges from Bali, when local Jakarta people mostly choose to eat imported fruits.

It is also a nice blog to read during your spare time, even just to be entertained by the photos of her two little “monkeys”.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

Deisha Tamar

5 May 2011

The Jakarta Post

(as published here)

If you like spending your time creating accessories, jewelries, handicrafts or any other things, you should visit this website so that you can start sharing and selling your works to the world.

With a simple yet elegant design, www.etsy.com has been a place for users to sell or buy anything handmade or vintage. It is a haven for those who search for the unique and one-of-a-kind handmade creations.

Etsy allows personal online connections between makers and buyers, even if they live across the globe. It emphasizes handmade products. As founder Robert Kalin said, people want things that are unique and they can go to Etsy to find things they want that do not exist anywhere else in the world. 

Founded in 2005, Etsy is now a growing community with buyers and sellers coming from 150 countries. Even some Indonesians have started to join this online community to sell or buy handmade goods. 

It has now more than an online marketing site. It also provides Etsy Labs, where the Etsy team hosts a weekly public craft night in Brooklyn, New York, and now in Berlin, Germany. Etsy Labs offers business development workshops, craft workshops and also gives knowledge on how people can start their business using Etsy and be successful. 

Selling and buying in Etsy are easy; all you need to do is set up an account, fill out some forms and you’re good to go. However, if you decide to sell your products on Etsy, you will be charged 3.5 percent of the total price of every sale you make. 

An important note for future Etsy sellers is make sure you only sell handmade goods made by themselves, vintage items that are 20 years or older and commercial or handmade supplies. The rules are strictly applied by Etsy, and if you violate them Etsy will take action against your store, which can lead to account suspension.

When buying from Etsy, you must comprehend that they use the US dollar for the prices of every item sold on the web. If you purchase products from another country, you can make the payment via PayPal, credit card or whatever convenient between you and your seller. 

The way Etsy works is pretty much similar to a social networking site, where you can add people or shops to your circle (or befriend them). You can also mark certain items as your favorite if you like them. 

There are numerous categories of items sold by Etsy, from accessories, books, dolls, furniture, toys and wedding supplies. When you want to buy something on Etsy, make sure you have a specific item that you are looking for or you could find yourself browsing for hours or even days, not to mention drooling over all of the unique and creative goods.

Nevertheless, if you don’t have the budget to shop on Etsy, you can always just browse around searching for ideas or inspirations to start creating your very own handmade goods.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

Deisha Tamar

15 May 2011

The Jakarta Post

(as published here)

See the full gallery on Posterous

World student organization held Asean Youth Congress in Bina Nusantara (Binus) University in Jakarta aimed at empowering the youth. 

The Asean Youth Congress (AYC) that ran from April 25 to 27 was the first ever held by AIESEC, a global, non-political NGO dubbed the world’s largest student-run organization focusing on youth leadership and management development. 

Although AIESEC is contracted from French’s Association Internationale des Etudiants en Sciences Economiques et Commerciales, the organization expands wider than just economic and commercial sciences.

With the vision of peace and fulfillment of humankind’s potential, AIESEC was established in 1948 and now present in more than 107 countries with more than 50,000 members. 

In Indonesia, AIESEC has been around since 1984 and is ranked in the top 10 countries according to Ika Rahmayutari, the president of AIESEC Indonesia. Ika said there were six universities already joined AIESEC; including University of Indonesia, Andalas University in West Sumatra and Diponegoro University in Central Java.

“The memberships would soon be expanding to Binus University, Gadjah Mada University and Bogor Institute of Agriculture,” said Ika.

Ika herself has been in AIESEC since 2006 when she was still a student at Andalas University, although she took time off for a year to do her thesis and later became a tourism ambassador for Padang, the capital city of West Sumatra. She also mentioned that the event was first initiated by the AIESEC in the region as it wanted to involve more youth in their activities. 

Themed “Impactful ASEAN Youth Leadpreneur”, the event is a combination of leadership and entrepreneurship trainings. Its aim is to activate the leadership of youth, to connect youth leaders and empower young leaders to make positive impacts among ASEAN countries. The congress also allows participants to discuss ASEAN issues, engage in leadership skills training and design business plans or projects, which will be implemented after the congress.

The AYC was chaired by 22-year-old Denise Adeva, also the president of AIESEC in the Philippines. Just like Ika, she joined AIESEC in 2006 when she was still at university. She will also be the next vice president of AIESEC International after her term is done in AIESEC Philippines. Other AIESECers (as they called the member of AIESEC) from Germany, India and Uganda, also joined the event to act as facilitators.

The congress was continued with another three-day camp until April 30 for those who are interested. The AIESEC committee invited various influential people to speak at the congress. ASEAN director general Djauhari Oratmangun attended the event to remark at the 
opening ceremony. 

Businessman and politician Jusuf Kalla, Indonesia’s former vice president, gave a session on the third day as he talked about entrepreneurship, leadership and youth. He also shared his experience when he was still vice president. One of the things he said during his session which really sticks with me was that, “It is a leader’s task to influence the people and do jobs that will not be easy or popular. If you want a job that is easy and popular, then you must not be a leader.” He provided an example of when he was vice president where he had to raise the oil price, which was not a popular decision, but then again it was his job as a leader to convince and influence the people and the media that it was the right thing to do, or this country could 
go bankrupt.

Also present at the event were Torsten Kuenzlen, the president of Coca-Cola Indonesia; Betti Alisjahbana, who once worked as a president director for IBM; Andi S. Boediman, a creative entrepreneur; Julie Adams from True Nature Personal Development Australia and not to forget the inspiring youth activist Alanda Kariza, Iman Usman, the co-founder of Indonesian Future Leaders; and Anna Karina Jardin, a young entrepreneur from the Philippines.

Furthermore, not only did the congress invite important speakers to give lectures, but it also allowed participants to implement the knowledge they received through a leadpreneurship challenge, a Southeast Asia cultural exhibition, and a showcase of several other youth-based NGOs other than AIESEC.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

Deisha Tamar

May 1 2011

The Jakarta Post

(as published here)

Are you getting bored with your daily routine? Are you tired of what the Internet has offered so far? Are you sick of all that bad news circulating everyday? Do you wish to just get away for a moment and laugh it all out?

Well, now you can do that. Now, you can laugh while surfing the Internet with Funny or Die.

Of course, this is not a matter of life and death — it is in fact a matter of rating a video that you think is funny, or not (if it is not funny it is categorized as “die”). The website www.funnyordie.com was created by funny man Will Ferrell, who has starred in comedy films including Elf, Anchorman and The Other Guys, along with Gary Sanchez Productions.

As a comedy video website, Funny or Die combines user-generated content with original and exclusive content. It allows celebrities, up-and-coming comedians and ordinary users to upload things they consider funny.

The website is said to have offices in Japan, Madagascar and Bahn, nine full time lobbyists in Washington, plus security forces of four hundred soldiers and six attack helicopters — although you can believe that at your own risk.

The website is pretty much user friendly — anyone familiar with YouTube should grasp the website’s features easily. However, the front page display of the website is a bit dense and crammed with pictures and text.

On the top of the website are Funny or Die (FOD) Exclusive videos — which change every week. Below these you have options for more videos, Pictures & Words, and Caption Contest. If you scroll down the page, you can find the videos which are Trending Now, Hits You Missed and Hall of Fame.

If you are new to FOD, I suggest you check out the videos on the Hall of Fame first, so that you could get a better idea of what you will be dealing with. Hall of Fame mostly contains videos featuring well-known Hollywood artists or big names in the entertainment industry. Many are hilarious — including a joke presidential campaign by Paris Hilton, and a fake sex tape like that of Eva Longoria.

One of the Hall of Fame videos which became the viewers’ favorite and also a personal favorite of mine is a video featuring Will Ferrell and a cute toddler named Pearl, called The Landlord.

The video was created almost four years ago but is still a favorite as it has reached 76 million viewers, all thanks to baby Pearl’s cute factor. The viewers loved baby Pearl so much that she was featured again in another video called Good Cop, Baby Cop.

Funny or Die has also become a place where people can voice their opinion against something in a funny yet cynical way, as shown in the video A Gaythering Storm, which fires back at a Public Service Announcement against gay marriage in the US.

It also has become a place of “refugees” for big names as they turn bad news about them into funny videos. Besides videos, it also offers Pictures & Words, where people can post their funny pictures and words if they don’t have a video to upload.

I personally enjoy this website a lot, as it helps to take my mind off work for a while and allows me to have a good laugh at people or celebrities acting hilariously. However, perhaps there are some videos or jokes that can be quiet offensive or that just do not click with you — but remember you have the choice to label them Funny or Die.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

Deisha Tamar 

April 21 2011 

The Jakarta Post

(as published here)

Foreigners who want to learn Indonesian usually go to Yogyakarta, as the city is famed as the education hub of Indonesia. 

And when they want to have a nice vacation they go to Bali. They may not know, however, that they now can kill two birds with one stone by leaning Indonesian in one of the Island of Gods’ most vibrant cities.

Cinta Bahasa is an Indonesian language school located in Ubud, Bali. Cinta Bahasa, which means “Love Language”, is an abbreviation of aku cinta bahasa Indonesia (I love Indonesian). 

The course provides classes for those who want to master Indonesian. The course is located at Campuhan College, a non-profit school specializing in language and communication training for low-income Balinese students.

The course is also situated in the same place as Campuhan College, which is on the main Campuhan-Sanginggan highway, on Jl. Raya Sanggingan, west of Ubud. Both Cinta Bahasa and Campuhan College are part of the Karuna Bali Foundation, which focuses on education and individual growth opportunities for the Balinese.

Mastering Indonesian at Cinta Bahasa will cost around US$475 (Rp 4,500,000) for 40 hours of classes — that’s two hours a day, five days a week for a month. 

The school also provides textbooks and flashcards for students to practice their Indonesian outside of class. Students can opt for private, group or corporate classes depending on their skill level, of which there are three — Beginner Indonesian, Intermediate Indonesian and Advanced Indonesian. 

Besides providing the language course, Cinta Bahasa can also provide accommodation in Ubud for its students through special packages.

The curriculum offered by Cinta Bahasa is modeled in part on the Realia School in Yogyakarta. 

They also use various effective methodologies, such as movies, music, movement, flashcards, semi-structured conversation, and interactive role-playing situations. 

For beginner students, they focus on everyday conversation and role-playing situations — and formal language and grammar for intermediate students.

Cinta Bahasa was founded by husband and wife Stephen DeMeulenaere and Yoshida “Ochie” Chandra DeMeulenaere, both of whom have had good experience with language and teaching.

Stephen studied at Realia School in Yogyakarta in 2000 and also worked as a language teacher in Canada, Argentina and Japan, can speak six languages. 

His wife, Ochie, had worked as a lecturer at Binus University, taught English at Campuhan College, and worked as an interpreter and translator, and copywriter at several renowned advertising agencies. 

She was also involved as a coordinator at the Ubud Writers and Readers Festival.

Ochie is also one of the teachers at Cinta Bahasa, along with Noviana Kusumawardhani, a published author who taught at Realia for five years. Dyah Prasetyo Hening acts as Cinta Bahasa’s school advisor and teacher training consultant. Dyah — who founded Realia School — has more than 20 years of experience teaching Indonesian.

One of the students of Cinta Bahasa, Diana Darling, said in her testimonial that, “it’s a good idea, too, to learn the body language, etiquette and social manners of Indonesian, all of which are part of any language. 

A school can speed up this process and help save you from unintentionally causing offense.”

The language school also offers several other language-related services, such as translation, editing, and copy-writing and technical writing.

Set in the picturesque location of Ubud, Cinta Bahasa Indonesian Language School is an interesting choice for learning Indonesian. 

Especially since Ubud has gained recognition as a tourism and cultural town in Bali — with many events held annually such as the much-celebrated Ubud Writers and Readers Festival and Bali Spirit Festival. 

This makes Cinta Bahasa the perfect place to not only learn Indonesian, but also to dive into the local exotic Balinese culture.

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

Deisha Tamar Manuhutu

The Jakarta Post

April 10, 2011

(as published here)

It wasn’t until late last year that I finally bought myself a BlackBerry. I was certain that after almost 12 years being a devoted Nokia user, it would take a while to really master the gadget — with a lot of help from the Internet of course.

It really doesn’t matter if you use a BlackBerry or not, www.berryindo.com is one of the many tech websites out there that will help you gain more knowledge about the device. The website claims itself to be a portal for Indonesia’s BlackBerry community.

For a newbie, this website is really helpful. From finding news about the latest BlackBerry applications to successfully upgrading and downgrading BlackBerry software, using this site I was able to do it all by myself.

The website is in Indonesian and might not be the best looking website on the World Wide Web, but I consider it user friendly as I was able to navigate through its pages smoothly  on my first visit.

However, prepare yourself for what I consider to be a “nuisance”, which is the 15 seconds ad that will appear on the bottom of your screen offering you the chance to register your email, name and city to get free updates from BerryIndo.

I did get the updates through my email address — they were quite helpful as they usually send the latest updates on everything about BlackBerry, and they haven’t spammed me either.

What I actually enjoy about BerryIndo is that they send me news updates and information about the BlackBerry world that really caters to the needs of BlackBerry users. You can also check if a trendy broadcast message that you have received on your BBM (BlackBerry Messenger) from your peers is true or just another hoax — as BerryIndo will usually clarify them on their website.

BerryIndo has several interesting features for a gadget website, from weather, videos, exchange rates, movies to buying and selling. However, one of the most important features is its forum.

The forum allows you to interact with other BlackBerry users. Yet, you must first register to be able to post on the threads. And here’s the catch, if you want to upload a picture on your BerryIndo profile, you will need to upload it through another website: www.gravatar.comwww.gravatar.com and not only that, you need to register again on the Gravatar website before you can upload your picture.

I found this step to be highly time consuming and it could be a bit confusing for those who are not so web-savvy. However, you could just leave your picture with silly emoticons provided by the BerryIndo if you want an easy way out.

The BerryIndo forum works just like the Kaskus forum, which gives profiles scores and ranks based on the number of times you have posted on the forum.

If you are new to the forum, you will be given the rank of BerryNewbie and the more you post and contribute the greater your score will become, and the higher your rank.

However, I was not looking for scores or ranks on the forum; every time I visited the forum it was because I needed answers for problems that I had with my BlackBerry. At first I was doubtful that anyone would bother replying to my post, but as it turned out the members of the BerryIndo forum are highly responsive and helpful. Plus, sometimes the forum administrator helps and replies to common questions.

I found myself falling head over heels for the forum, as I was able to search for almost anything about BlackBerry — from links to free applications to tutorials on how to upgrade software.

BerryIndo is also an official reseller of various BlackBerry applications, so you can search and buy your favorite applications through BerryIndo safely. They can even help you buy applications that are offered on BlackBerry App World so you don’t need to pay in dollars and you can just transfer the money to BerryIndo’s bank account.

So, are you ready to become a crackBerry addict?

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

Deisha Tamar Manuhutu

The Jakarta Post

March 27, 2011

(as published here)

Six Flags’ Emporium gift shop.

This may not be Disneyland or Universal Studios, but if you are planning to go the United States, this theme park is definitely worth a visit.

According to a 2008 survey on www.themeit.com, Six Flags is the world’s largest theme park, with over 19 locations across the American states, from California, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Jersey, New York and Texas, and even in Canada and Mexico.

During my visit to the US, I happened to go to the Six Flags in St. Louis, Missouri, and believe me, the place is so huge it would take a few days to actually try all of the rides they offer in the park.

Six Flags gets its name from the six different flags that have been flown throughout history in the territory that is modern day Texas: Spain, France, the Republic of Texas, Mexico, the Confederate States of America and the United States of America. 

The park was founded in 1960 by Angus G. Wynne from Texas and opened in 1961, featuring Native American replica villages and rides such as a gondola, railroad and stagecoach, and shows such as the “Wild West”. Today, all of the parks offer a variety of rides, from roller coasters and carousels, to water parks.

The website www.sixflags.com shows the complete list of rides each park has to offer, plus their thrill ratings. You can find rides dedicated to kids and families, or those for people seeking a greater adrenaline rush.

Now I’m not much of an adrenaline junkie, but I loved seeing the looks on my friends’ faces as soon as they got off the roller coaster called Mr. Freeze — rated “max” on the website — which is only for those who have the guts or are crazy enough to try it. 

Lasting only one minute and 45 seconds, it reaches 112 km per hour and is definitely a ride to remember. At first it seems like any other roller coaster, but when you reach the highest point, you stall in a vertical, 90 degree position for a moment before sliding back down and repeating the whole ride, this time backward. 
Super Slam with Colossus on the background.

Six Flags St. Louis has some other wicked rides to offer visitors. The Boss really shows who is boss after you ride it. For a first impression, perhaps it looks like any other coaster, and for adrenaline junkies it seems no more threatening than a merry-go-round. But once the ride starts, it feels like the coaster is about to collapse because of its classic, wooden frame. 

Another must-try wooden coaster is the Screamin’ Eagle. Although it only reaches speeds of 100 km per hour, unlike Mr. Freeze, it once held the Guinness World Record for the largest coaster at 34 meter high. Don’t bother screaming when you plummet over the first sharp slope. Chances are the people around you are already screaming louder.

Batman: The Ride is a coaster inspired by the Batman movie. The ride involves crazy elements of loops, zero-g rolls, corkscrews and wingovers. I have to say it is definitely dedicated to thrill-seekers.

Six Flags St. Louis is divided into several uniquely themed locations: Studio Backlot, Bugs Bunny National Park, DC Comics Plaza, Old Chicago, 1904 World’s Fair, Britannia, Hurricane Harbor, Gateway to the West and Illinois. All the rides and shops match the themes according to their location. At the Bugs Bunny National Park, you can find a lot of rides for kids.
M&M steps

Six Flags St. Louis doesn’t only cater to the needs of thrill-seekers and adrenaline junkies, but also to families and young kids. There are fun rides for kids such as Colossus, a classic Ferris wheel, Scooby-Doo: Mystery of the Scary Swamp, or the Log Flume. 

If you come with a swimsuit and intend to get wet, go ahead to the Hurricane Harbor water park that offers water rides such as the Tornado, Tube Slides, Wahoo Racer or the Tree House Slides.

I have to give credit to the park for ensuring guests’ comfort and safety by providing safe lockers at points around the park where people can put all their belongings for just US$3 for a couple of hours. That way you don’t have to worry about your things while you are enjoying the rides. 

There are also countless food stalls and gift shops all over the park. I recommend Friar Tuck’s, located in the Britannia area, which sells delicious roasted turkey legs for around $15. 

This spring, the park will add a new thrill ride, the SkyScreamer — and from the looks of it, it will soon be a new favorite at the park. However, if you are planning to visit Six Flags, better check the park calendar first, because the park operates on a seasonal basis. 

It is closed from January-March, open on certain dates through April and May, and fully opens in June-July. Tickets for adults cost $50, $35 for children under 122 centimeters and entry is free for two-year-olds and younger.

— Photos by Deisha Tamar Manuhutu

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

Deisha Tamar Manuhutu

The Jakarta Post

March 13 2011

(as published here)

Despite the boom of Twitter and Facebook, Ndoro Kakung, one of Indonesia’s noted bloggers, said the growth of blogs in the country is still relatively small.

But Benazio Rizki Putra, or best known as Bena, may reverse the trend, rising to fame by his blog www.benablog.com. 

For a while, his blog reminds people of Raditya Dika, as they offer wittiness and quirkiness on both of their blogs, and of course, due to the fact that Bena’s inspiration is Raditya Dika himself.

When having a bad day, it is a good thing to read Bena’s blog as he entertains you through his witty and comical style of writing and hilarious pictures. 

His signature piece on the blog is putting on moving images or .gif images and creating his very own face as emoticons called “benamoticons” — which really give the exact emotions he is trying to present to 
his readers.

His blog posts are mostly written in Indonesian language. Looking at his blog, anyone could easily see Bena as a creative person. 

For many bloggers, it is tough to get the cyber readers’ attention when they are just writing about personal matters or treating their blog like a diary. 

Readers these days want something more when they are surfing the World Wide Web. Plus, when it comes to young Indonesian readers, they usually tend to avoid reading, but they love to look at pictures — and the same thing also applies to blogs.

Yet, with Bena, he successfully attracts young readers and fans to his blog. Even though he usually posts his daily or personal experiences, he is able to create a story and turn it into something comical and fun that grabs the readers’ attention, leading them to wonder what happens next.

Through his blog, Bena has received many opportunities and recognition by various brands. 

Last January, he was invited by Coca Cola for a three day trip to Sydney, Australia. Now he is giving away free iPads sponsored by Axe after they spotted one of his videos on his blog. He also did a feature with last year’s Sinta and Jojo, who hit popularity with their lip-sync video on YouTube.

Having a degree in IT, Bena created his blog in a unique kind way. He even put his most popular posts and Benablog facts that change every few seconds. One of his popular posts is Fashion Fail, which is when he tried to imitate fashion blogger by putting on clothes and posing in front of cameras just like fashion bloggers. However, he is doing it in “Bena’s style”, as he turned it into a comical and “failed” fashion post.

With his afro hair trademark and huge geeky glasses, the fresh graduate of Bina Nusantara University, who had to defend his thesis on Valentine’s Day (you can read more about this on his blog, of course), had won the Best Teen Blog of 2009 during Pesta Blogger 2009 event, Prambors BLOGAN 2009 from Prambors Radio and several other awards. 

He is also one of the administrators of Rumahblogger (www.rumahblogger.com), a community-based website for Indonesian bloggers. As for now, he regularly hosts blogging seminars at various places to spread his blogging knowledge.

He is also available on twitter www.twitter.com/benakribo and his several other website projects and you can find the links on www.benablog.com. Happy blogging!

Permalink | Leave a comment  »