Updated my Picasa

I've just updated my Picasa with some pictures taken from Ragunan, Bogor and Sudirman - Thamrin during the Zidane visit (I was unable to take his picture). Below are the slideshows (for more slideshows please visit my Picasa).

People power, driven by bloggers

I ran across an interesting website named blogactionday.org. Quoting the website:

On October 15th, bloggers around the web will unite to put a single important issue on everyone’s mind - the environment... Our aim is to get everyone talking towards a better future.

If you notice the banner in left top corner of this blog, you can say I'm in. The idea itself is pretty cool, utilizing what's been called "people power" to drive something huge--in this case, the betterment of the environment. Coup d'état in Philippine is another accomplishment of such power.

Of course, asking thousands of bloggers to blog on a particular topic on a given day won't do much to the fate of rain forests worldwide. Creating awareness is OK, but it's the act of doing that really matters. Let's hope the forthcoming blogs won't just end up archived.

Until today

It's almost two months since my last blog, office works (among others) had set me back from writing. Today's Independence Day, I'd set myself free from routine. Let get blogging!

Digged my blog

I've successfully put Digg This button in every entry in the blog. It took me an hour to investigate all placement possibilities, ended up using the default button (top left big ugly button).

My first try was to put small icon next to "Email Post" icon. I was unable to adjust the margin (the button was not "in line", a little too "upper"), and after given up trying (and accepting the layout the way it is), the front page still displayed the button in its default form (big button)! I don't know why.

After that, I revisited all entries to make sure the addition doesn't screw their layout. I modified some entries to make them look pretty. What a work.

For those who want to put Digg This button in their Blogger, do the following:
1. Open "Template" -> "Edit HTML"
2. Check "Expand Template Widget"
3. Look for "data:post.body" in the code
4. Insert the following code before that element:
<span style='float: left; margin: 6px 6px 6px 0pt;'>
<script type='text/javascript'>
digg_url = &#39;<data:post.url/>&#39;;
digg_bgcolor = &#39;#fff3db&#39;;
digg_title = &#39;<data:post.title/>&#39;;
</script>
<script src='http://digg.com/tools/diggthis.js' type='text/javascript'>
</script>
</span>
5. Save the modified template

I make no guarantee it will work on your page, but it works with me. Feedbacks welcome.

Multiply's "blog import" feature multiplied my blog entries

Recently I "reactivated" my long dormant Multiply account. Multiply has a neat feature allowing you to "import" blog entries from Blogger (blog system I currently use). This is good since I don't have to maintain two separate blogs.

I was aware that importing means copying. What I didn't notice was Multiply doesn't differentiate imported entries and new entries (entries recently added to Blogger but haven't been imported to Multiply).

When I chose "import", it displayed all entries (regardless the fact some had been imported). Thinking that selecting only the newest posts would make me loose all imported entries, I decided to re-import everything (I thought they would override already imported ones). And what do you know, there were duplicate entries!

I spent almost an hour to delete those duplicates. And the worst is, I loose comments people wrote in some entries (that I deleted). I'm sorry if your comment is one of them.

7 reasons NOT to have hot girlfriend

A friend of mine asked me whether he should look for hotter chicks. I said that there are some caveats when he decides to have one. Here’s a list I gave him, in no particular order:

1. High maintenance cost
The hotter the chick, the higher cost to maintain her "hotness". Just like expensive cars, hotter chicks tend to spend more on maintenance and accessories.


2. The bigger her boobs (or the more beautiful she is), the smaller her brain
Hot chicks are not conditioned for rough environment. They usually get "special treatment" so they’re not challenged to sharpen their skill/intelligence. There are always dickheads who'll be more than happy to help them.


3. High ego
Since they know their "competitive advantage"-ness, they can be emotionally irritating. They ask too much but they do less. They are picky, stubborn and selfish. Unfortunately you can’t do a thing. It’s a take it or leave her.


4. High level of jealously
Not her being jealous, but you. Dickheads are everywhere like hungry wolves. Off a bit and you have your girl being teased by somebody.


5. Low level of loyalty
Since hot chicks have better options when it comes to choosing partner, they tend to take commitment too lightly. You’ll be reluctant to hard on her because she might leave you in an instant.


6. Can’t live life the hard way
There are ups and downs happening throughout life. Sometimes we’re under, financially speaking. Hot chicks are not comfortable hanging out with poor guy (even though they are not rich himself!) and will find greener hill.


7. Higher tendency to have sex
This is you. The hotter chick you have, the more likely you want to have sex with her. It’s OK if she enjoys it, but she’ll leave you ASAP if she doesn’t because she will think you’re a maniac (you ARE, she IS hot).

My friend decided to stick with his current girlfriend and have occasional no-commitment-relationship with hotter chicks. Wise choice.

Melihat pameran SPG

Gw ketemu artikel kocak di Malesbanget.com berjudul Melihat pameran SPG. Artikel itu menunjukkan intensi banyak cowok ketika pergi ke pameran mobil: melihat SPG :-)

Membaca judul artikel itu membuat gw berpikir, "Betul juga ya, mungkin gw ke pameran itu pengen lihat SPG dengan hiburan mobil (bukannya kebalikannya)."

Ah.. serasa nostalgia :-)

[Announcement] JaMU 07.06

Dear JUGgers,
JaMU 07.06 rencananya akan diadakan pada tanggal 30 Juni 2007. Berikut ini detil acaranya:

Java Meet Up (JaMU) 07.06 - Jakarta

Tempat:
SUN Microsystem Indonesia
Lantai 13, Gedung Wisma Metropolitan I (WTC Sudirman)
Jakarta

Waktu:
10.00 - 12.00 WIB

Hari/Tanggal:
Sabtu, 30 Juni 2007

Pembicara dan Topik:
Arif Rachim - Guice Framework

Biaya:
-- FREE --

Pendaftaran:
Kirim email ke: jug-indonesia-owner@yahoogroups.com

Subject: [JaMU 07.06] Registration
Content:
Member Information
Name:
Position:
Company:
Website:
Contact Number:
Comment:

Note:

• Tidak ada konfirmasi dari moderator, jadi silakan langsung datang ke acara.
• Registrasi diperlukan untuk keperluan administrasi JUGI dan Sun Microsystems Indonesia.

The illustration above is copyrighted. If you want to put it in your blog, please mention its source (this website).

Updated Multiply account

I've just updated my long dormant Multiply account. It's here: http://wiradikusuma.multiply.com. The good thing is they can connect to my blogspot. The bad thing is they can't reach my Picassa Web Album.

Friendster, Multiply, Blogger, JRoller, bla bla bla, things are getting unmanageable. I must find some time to organize "my presence".

Jakarta Bersepeda

Hari Minggu kemarin (10/06/07) gw dan beberapa teman berpartisipasi dalam event Jakarta Bersepeda. This blog entry is somewhat outdated, sorry, soalnya gw menunggu publish foto dulu.

Jakarta Bersepeda adalah event yang diselenggarakan oleh Pemerintah DKI Jakarta dan komunitas Bike To Work (BTW) dengan menggandeng beberapa sponsor (yang gw liat: Indosat dan Polygon). Gw mendapat info ini secara kebetulan: gw kenalan dengan salah seorang panitianya (it’s brotherhood stuff, I saw him riding a bike) ketika sedang makan nasi goreng di daerah Meruya.

Singkat cerita, Minggu pagi (4:45) gw meluncur ke rumah teman gw untuk selanjutnya berangkat bareng (5:30) ke Monas. Kami bertiga bersepeda. Menjelang Monas kami bertemu beberapa pesepeda lain yang sama-sama menuju Monas. Beberapa dari mereka bercerita mereka rutin bike to work. Terlihat banget dari betis mereka yang segede paha.

Sesampainya di Monas kami muter-muter sebentar melihat pemandangan (tiga cowo berkumpul, ga usah ditanya pemandangan seperti apa yang dicari). Temen gw bahkan sibuk mencari penjual rokok (ya, itu kontradiktif dengan kegiatan yang mau kita lakukan). Gara-gara ga langsung daftar, kami ga dapet kaos dan cukup dihibur dengan snack.

Kemudian kami (seluruh cyclist yang hadir) berkonvoi keliling kota. Rutenya gw ga hapal, kurang lebih daerah Medan Merdeka, Museum Fatahilah, Mangga Besar dan Stasiun Kota. Ini menyenangkan sekali, baru kali ini pesepeda bisa melaju di jalur tengah (biasanya rebutan jalan sama tukang es krim dan tukang gerobak sampah).

Meski demikian ada beberapa hal yang gw sayangkan. Hanya karena kita bersepeda, bukan berarti bisa seenaknya melanggar lalu lintas. Gw kadang melihat rekan-rekan (termasuk gw, hehe) menerobos lampu merah, melewati trotoar, bahkan melewati jalur busway. Menurut gw ini berbahaya.

Anyway, ga lama kemudian (ga sampai 1/2 jam kayaknya) kami kembali ke Monas. Disana kami disuguhi snack dan hiburan panggung. Terus terang hiburannya kurang efektif, IMHO. Mataharinya terik banget. Orang-orang cenderung memilih duduk di tempat sejuk ketimbang berdiri di depan panggung yang terbuka.

Setelah menunggu doorprize (gw ga begitu menyimak, tempat istirahat gw lumayan jauh dari panggung), gw dan teman-teman pulang ke Bekasi. Dan perjuangan sesungguhnya pun dimulai.

For your viewing pleasure, I’ve uploaded a significant amount of pictures I took during the event. You can see them in my Picassa Web Album. Those pictures are copyrighted, but you may use them for non-commercial use. Please e-mail me first for permission.