Young Woman and Drugs

Woman and DrugsDrugs, like alcohol and smoking, connotes more to men bad habit. Particularly in Indonesia, the term ”bad man” stands for a person who has at least these following bad habits: drinking alcohol (including drugs and to a “lesser extend” smoking), gambling, womaniser, etc.

But a survey reveals that such bad habit as taking drugs is no longer dominated by men.

A survey by the Edinburgh-based drugs agency Crew 2000 found that a quarter of women questioned said they had taken amphetamine or ecstasy, while almost half had used cannabis and more than one in five had tried cocaine.

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How to Quit Smoking

How to Quit SmokingI, finally and officially, Quit Smoking and today is the seventh day. 21 March 2008 was the starting day.

It’s been a long while that the intention and willingness to call it a day emerged. What I need was a momentum to start afresh the whole thing. Includng to begin leaving the “chain-smoker” label behind.

And when the moment came, I took it with both hand. Now, it’s the seventh day I live without any cigarette smokes filling my lung. Some friends amazed, surprised and shocked. But it’s just natural to go from one extreme to another if you’re determined to do so. Nothing is impossible.
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London Europe’s Dirtiest City

London Europe’s Dirtiest City how about Jakarta?A survey reveals that
London is the dirtiest and most expensive European city according to a survey of well-travelled tourists.

The UK capital edged Paris into second place for both unwanted titles according to the study from the TripAdvisor company.

Those who want a bargain holiday head first for stag party favourites Prague and Budapest, while visitors looking for a clean environment love Zurich and Copenhagen.

Suppose the survey was conducted around the world, would Jakarta, the Indonesia’s capital, get the ‘honor’ in the top ten slot?
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Mediocrity that Resists Change

Mediocrity that Resists Change IndonesiaSeth Godin as usual has an easy expression for something we feel it floating in mind but is a bit hard to say:

Remarkable visions and genuine insight are always met with resistance. And when you start to make progress, your efforts are met with even more resistance. Products, services, career paths… whatever it is, the forces for mediocrity will align to stop you, forgiving no errors and never backing down until it’s over.

Good thought for those who wants change (towards the better) but don’t have a gut to face resistance and challenge. A leader always opens a new path in which an ordinary passer-by never goes through. Naturally, mediocre forces just avoid to take any potential risk with uncertain result.  The few, the leader, will take that path. The result may be unclear. The vision is.

Reading Habit and Library: Lesson #5 from India

Reading Habit and Library: Lesson #5 from IndiaAn Indian professor once was invited to deliver a general lecture in Malang Islamic University (UIN - Universitas Islam Negeri) East Java. From Surabaya airport he went to Malang city by bus. After coming back to India, he told us, Indonesian students in India, his impression thus:

Between Surabaya and Malang, I was so amazed to see so many hypermarkets, great supermalls and big restaurants. I saw a restaurant which is so big that I never see it before in India. What “amazed” me even more was that I did NOT see any public library at all.

He then blasted (with “emphaty”) a question that unable us to answer with pride: “So, what are you people doing other than shopping and eating out?”
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Top Ten Blogger Indonesia 2007

Top Ten Blogger Indonesia 2007Year 2007 has witnessed the sweetest and most happening ever so far as blogger Indonesia goes. The rapid growth of blogging culture, more ministers and former minister started blogging which means more attention to this writing-and-reading culture. And finally the most amazing event of all, the Pesta Blogger 2007 which led to the induction of October 27 as the National Blogger Day formally annnounced by Minister of Communication and Information (Menkominfo), Mr. Mohamad Nuh who presided over the first blogger Indonesia fiesta.
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Benazir Bhutto Assassinated

Benazir Bhutto AssassinatedPolitics can be very cruel sometimes. Especially in a place like Pakistan, a country where lethal weapons can be as much as cars and motor-bike combined in Jakarta. One of the “toy-gun” in Pakistan has killed Benazir Bhutto, former Prime Minister who now is running a campaign for the next election. Assassination attempt has become a common news in the country. The current military ruler President Parvez Musharraf has luckily escaped three such attempts.
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Indonesian Blogger Ministers

Indonesian Blogger MinistersIndonesians are  known for their laid-back attitude, a sort of  a “very-busy” mindset, so to speak. Of course, with some few exception here and there, that’s those who have successfully reformed their personalities.. That’s why it’s amazing to find some (very) few Indonesian ministers who are engaged in blogging activities.  Though not many of the so-called blogger ministers it’s worth noting as they are a rare breed  we should encourage and appreciate the new phenomenon to blossom. Here is the list of the Blogger Ministers of Indonesia:
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Idul Adha, Christmas and New Year 2008

Idul Adha, Christmas and New Year 2008

Eid al-Adha or Idul Adha (Arabic: id al-’Adha) is a religious festival celebrated by Muslims worldwide as a commemoration of Ibrahim’s (Abraham’s) willingness to sacrifice his son, Isaac, under the order of Allah. It is one of two Eid festivals celebrated by Muslims, whose basis comes from the Quran. … It is also called the “bigger” Eid because it is considered more important than Eid el-Fitr or Idul Fitri [1]

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