did you know?

optical illusion

2010-10-17T05:58:00.001+07:00

Did you know optical illusion?
In simple words, optical illusion is the condition when something we see but not as what it seems in our sight. We may see something behind something. We may find something hidden, but we can see it from different angle of view.

Here are some examples of pictures related to optical illusion.

Kopi Luwak

2010-08-04T17:12:00.000+07:00

Kopi Luwak..... did you know? Maybe, you can find it somewhere, but try the Indonesian' s kopi luwak. It is often known as civet coffee. And, this kopi luwak from Indonesia is the best one in the world. Moreover, it is the most expensive beverage of all drinking water.

After MUI (Majelis Ulama Indonesia or Indonesian Ulema Council) stated that kopi luwak is halal (allowed to be consumed), the coffee becomes more popular because Indonesian moslem people (especially and moslem of the world generally) don't have to feel worry or afraid to consume this coffee anymore.

The process of producing this kopi luwak is very very unique. The given name kopi luwak is derived from the words kopi (coffee) and luwak or musang (civet/Paradoxurus hermaphroditus).

The civet eats the seeds of coffee. After a long time, in its stomach, proteolytic enzymes seep into the beans, making shorter peptides and more free amino acids. Passing through a civet's intestines the beans are then defecated, having kept their shape. After gathering, through washing, sun drying, light roasting and brewing, these beans yield an aromatic coffee with much less bitterness, widely noted as the most expensive coffee in the world.

So, actually, kopi luwak is actually the feces of the civet after this animal eats the seeds of the coffee. And from now on, we can say that this kopi luwak is the most expensive dirt in the world. And the civet has changed the dirt into the GOLD.


The luwak (civet) enjoys the coffee seeds on the tree


The Civet consumes the seeds

The Dirt

Can you see THE GOLD here?

This is the Gold

Kopi Luwak in Oprah

In this movie, Drink kopi luwak before you die

Ishihara Test

2010-08-03T11:05:00.001+07:00

Can you distinguish these numbers?

Color blindness is a common eye condition that makes it difficult to distinguish certain colors. A person that is color blind often experiences problems determining colors like yellow, red, blue or green. Color blindness refers to a deficiency in the way you see color, and not any form of blindness.

Color blindness or color vision deficiency is the inability to perceive differences between some of the colors that others can distinguish. It is most often of genetic nature, but may also occur because of eye, nerve, or brain damage, or exposure to certain chemicals. The English chemist John Dalton published the first scientific paper on the subject in 1798, "Extraordinary facts relating to the vision of colours", after the realization of his own color blindness. Because of Dalton's work, the condition was often called daltonism, although this term is now used for a type of color blindness called deuteranopia.

The Ishihara Test is usually tried to be taken to test red-green color deficiency. Dr. Shinobu Ishihara, a Professor at the University of Tokyo first published his test in 1917 and now his method has become a great reference to test eye deficiency. He used what he called Ishihara Plates. It consists of a number of colored plates that each of which contains a circle of dots appearring randomized in color and size.

Do you want to check your eyes with Test for Colorblindness? If you are ready, just Start to click here

reference:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ishihara_color_test

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Color_blindness

http://www.bobpowell.net

http://www.axisgear.ca

Watch this image below!

....... And, this is the names of colors that you should know....

M o u n t B r o m o

2010-08-03T09:51:00.013+07:00

Mt. Bromo is located in Probolinggo, East Java, Indonesia. It is an active volcano (stratovolcano). The crater is widely open bursting sulfuric ashes. It has 2.329 metres high (7.641 ft). To reach the top of the mountain, there is a stair consists of 250 steps.

Mt. Bromo is a unique mountain with its sand sea. The typical way to visit Mount Bromo is from the nearby mountain village of Cemoro Lawang. From there it is possible to walk to the volcano in about 45 minutes (around 3 - 4 km), but it is also possible to take an organised jeep tour, which includes a stop at the viewpoint on Mount Penanjakan (2,770 meters). The best views from Mount Bromo to the Sand Sea below and the surrounding volcanoes are at sunrise.

Sometimes, it can be found from inside the caldera, sulfur is collected by workers.

reference:

http://wikitravel.org/en/Mount_Bromo

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Bromo

Which is the highest mountain in Indonesian Borneo?: An article from: Borneo Research Bulletin

Echolocation

2010-06-11T19:47:00.004+07:00

Did you know: "echolocation"? This term was first introduced by Donald Redfield Griffin in 1944 when he demontrated the existence of the echolocation in bats. It is also called "biosonar" or active sonar. It is used by certain animals, such as: bat and dolphin. Bats and dolphins use echolocation to navigate in the dark when hunting preys. They use the echoes to locate, range and identify the objects in various environtments.

Echolocation employed not only in animals, but there is also human echolocation. It has been known and formally studied at least since 1950s. It is the ability of humans to sense objects in their environtment by hearing echoes from those objects.This ability is used by some blind people to navigate within their environment by interpreting the sound waves reflected by nearby objects.
Echoes can give detailed information about location (where objects are), dimension (how big they are and their general shape), and density (how solid they are). Location is generally broken down into distance from the observer and direction (left/right, front/back, high/low). Dimension refers to the object's height (tall or short) and breadth (wide or narrow).

The Story of Ben Underwood - the boy who sees without eyes

Ben was born in Riverside California on January, 26th, 1992. At the age of two, he was diagnosed with Bilateral Retnoblastoma (retinal cancer in both his eyes). At the age of three, he had his eyes removed.

But, destiny is a destiny. This young marvelous boy who has inspired so many people should leave us forever. At January 16th, 2009 he passed away in 16 years old because of cancer.
From him, we can learn how expensive and important are our eyes and our life. From him, we can get inspiration that we should never surrender and give up of any kinds of condition. From this video, we should learn something more ......

Reference:
www.benunderwood.com

www.worldaccessfortheblind.org
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_echolocation

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animal_echolocation
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Griffin

BALI, The Greatest Amusement Park in The WORLD

2010-06-08T15:09:00.001+07:00

If you never heard Indonesia, it is okay. But, it is not so funny if you don't know Bali. It shows how important is Bali towards Indonesia. Some people said that they knew better about Bali, but they didn't know Indonesia. That seems so ridiculous. I have to say that Bali is actually only a part of Indonesia. Bali is one of the 33 provinces of Indonesia. Here is the map of Indonesia, the richest archipelago country in the world. Try to find Bali, it is the middle between East Java and Lombok Island. There are many famous cities in Bali, like: Denpasar (the capital), Singaraja, Sanur, Ubud, Tabanan, Klungkung, Gianyar, Amlapura, Legian, Kuta, Nusa Dua and many others.

Have you found it? Many famous celebrities have visited that island for the sunrise, the sunset, the culture, the arts, the galleries, the dances, the temples, the lakes, the mountains, the parks, the warmth, the people, the waves of the beaches, the surfing, the pleasure, the amusement. Anything left?

Here is the map of Bali. There, you can find what you are looking for. If you only spend a night, so make a night to remember. Bali will provide everything you may need. Even President Barrack Obama spent his nights in Bali, not in Jakarta (the capital of Indonesia). You know the reason? Because, Bali is too expensive to leave. You will find the most expensive moments in your life. This is the map!

There are many great beaches in Bali. You will enjoy Kuta Beach for the sunset or surfing, Kintamani mountain, Mt. Agung, Lovina Beach (Singaraja) for the dolphins - if you are lucky enough, Besakih and Bedugul for Parasailing, Banana boat, jet skiing, diving, swimming, etc, Tanjung Benoa for the rare turtles, Lake Batur, Tanah Lot Temple. And many other valuable activities for your interesting journey.

Another tourism map to make you easier to find the place you like to visit first. Here is the map.

Afterall, those are what Bali may have. It doesn't give only a pleasure but also the great journey and it will serve you a lot of amusements. Bali, indeed, is the biggest and the greatest amusement park in the world.

Bali never sleeps. In many places, you can find a lot of people spend the time in cheerful days and nights.

Make arrangement to visit Bali or do some revisits, BALI will give you warm welcome .......

See you there .....

reference

http://www.baliprov.go.id/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bali

My greatest moment in Bali .................

in Tanjung Benoa..............

Richard Cocciante - Margherita

2010-06-02T16:19:00.012+07:00

Riccardo Cocciante

Margherita
(the previous - Italian - version of Just For You)

io non posso stare fermo
con le mani nelle mani,
tante cose devo fare
prima che venga domani ...
E se lei gi sta dormendo
io non posso riposare
far in modo che al risveglio
non mi possa pi scordare

perch questa lunga notte
non sia nera pi del nero
fatti grande, dolce Luna
e riempi il cielo intero ...
E perch quel suo sorriso
possa ritornare ancora
splendi Sole domattina
come non hai fatto ancora...

E per poi farle cantare
le canzoni che ha imparato
io le costruir un silenzio
che nessuno ha mai sentito ...
Sveglier tutti gli amanti
parler per ore ed ore
abbracciamoci pi forte
perch lei voule l'amore

poi corriamo per le strade
e mettiamoci a ballare
perch lei voule la gioia
perch lei odia il rancore
poi con secchi di vernice
coloriamo tutti i muri
case, vicoli e palazzi
perch lei ama i colori
raccogliamo tutti i fiori
che pu darci primavera
costruiamole una culla
per amarci quando sera

poi saliamo su nel cielo
e prendiamole una stella
perch Margherita buona
perch Margherita bella
perch Margherita dolce
perch Margherita vera
perch Margherita ama
e lo fa una notte intera

perch Margherita un sogno
perch Margherita sale
perch Margherita il vento
e non sa che pu far male
perch Margherita tutto
ed lei la mia pazzia
Margherita, Margherita
Margherita adesso mia,
Margherita mia

sing the English version (Just For You)

Richard Cocciante - Just for You

2010-06-02T12:21:00.019+07:00

Richard Cocciante

He was also known as Riccardo Cocciante. He is a French Italian singer-songwriter and also an actor. He was born in Saigon (now: Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam) to an Italian father and French mother in 20 February 1946. That is a little thing I know. About his discography or anything related to him, just visit his official website.
I just want to write about his great song, JUST FOR YOU. This song is actually "The English version of Margherita"

Just For You

I can't stay now and just wait how my hands they grow so impatient
Many things I've got to do now for the first breathe of the morning
Though she dreams in peaceful slumber, sleep to me just doesn't come
When she wakes I'll try to tell her everything I have to say

And the night so dark inside me, makes me finally understand
With the love that she has given, she can light the sky forever
It's the way she gives so freely, it's the way she takes my hands
I'll just ask the sun shine brightly got to see her smile again

Then I'll sing the song I've written and I'll make the whole world listen
In a silence just for you, like no one has ever heard
And I'll wake up all the lovers and I'll keep them there for hours
And we'll do the things we wanted, the way that lovers do

Then we'll run into the streets and we'll start to dance like crazy
'Cos she wants only to feel joy in the love she gives and needs
And we'll take it as some colors and we'll paint the street and building
Rainbow colors everyone those she wants, colors to sing

And we'll play full-filled with flowers, make the street alive with spring
Make a place where lovers go, fly the way like lovers know
Then we'll fly into the sky and we'll choosing true star
And our star will tell the whole world, the love we have, we are

The love we share is sweet, the love we know is real
That love is now the dream that lasts a lifetime long
Because you love and mine we give without dreaming all we need
And the love that you have given returns to us the wing

'Cos your love for me is the beginning and the end
Your love and mine, this love, for me, forever...... (and more...)
Your love for me
Forever....

sing the Italian version (Margherita)

barcode

2010-05-19T20:48:00.035+07:00

Barcode, Did you know what is it?

I remember the day when I went shopping in a local mini market with my little daughter, a 5 year kindergarten learner. After filling all we need in a basket, she put them to the cashier. Almost quickly, the cashier counted all the things and said how much we should pay.

From home, my daughter asked me how the cashier can count so quickly without calculator? She knows the thing what we call calculator, because her mom often used it. I couldn't give good answer at that moment.

Another day, when we went to another mini market, I asked her to watch how the cashier count the things that we bought. She noticed everytime the cashier put the things into a scanner.
From home, with her cute little smile, she asked me again (I hoped I could satisfy her with my answer).
"Abbi, (she used to call me this way) What is it?" she pointed the barcode in the back of a chocolate bar.
"That's barcode." I said
"What is barcode?"Uppps!! I couldn't give good explanation for a little kid about barcode.
"Yaaa, it is a barcode. A symbol to differ something." I knew she was not so impressive with my answer.

To make better answer and to avoid more curiousity of my daughter, I searched in the net. I found better information. Honestly, I knew nothing about barcode.
According to Wikipedia, barcodes represents data in the widths (lines) and the spacings of parallel lines, and may be referred to as linear or 1D (1 dimensional) barcodes or symbologies.

Barcode (like in the picture above), applies bars which have black and white colour. Black represents number zero (0) that will absorb the light from barcode reader, and in contrary, white represents one (1) that will reflect the light. So, each bar represents number 1 (one) and empty space represents 0 (zero). American Standard Code for Information Interchange (ASCII) forms 7 digits binary code to open the barcode.
Each barcode has a space for 113 lines (bars). Because it uses 7 digits binary code, One group of 7 bars (including blank spaces) represents 1 (one) number. Besides, it may also symbolize alphabet or special characters, such as; + , $ , etc. Moreover, the thickness of the bar also represent certain value.

The use of Barcode

To classify or identify goods, books, cards, or else accurately and quickly
In super market, department store, mall, barcode helps much to recognize the price quickly
In a library, it helps the librarian to recognize the identity of the books (ISBN - International Standar Book Number).
And still so many usage ....

Barcode Diagram

Left Hand Guard Bars - These bars serve as a starting reference point for the scanning devices.
Number System Character - This digit identifies the type of manufacturer or how the barcode will be used. For example 0, 6, and 7 are generally used in the retail industry, while 3 is assigned to the health and drug manufacturing industries.
Number System Bars - These bars correspond to the Number System Character.
Manufacturer ID Number - Each company must apply for a Universal Product Identification Number with the Uniform Code Council. The UCC assigns each company a unique six digit identification number for use on all of their products. The number is composed of the Number System Character and a five digit manufacturer's code.
Manufacturer ID Bars - These bars correspond to the Manufacturer's ID Number.
Tall Center Bar - These bars serve as a middle reference point for the scanning devices.
Item Number - Each company is responsible for assigning a unique five digit number to each of their products.
Item Bars - These bars correspond to the Item Number.
Modulo Check Character - This digit is derived from a mathematical formula based on the unique set of numbers in each barcode that helps ensure the accuracy of the data scan.
Modulo Check Bars - These bars correspond to the Modulo Check Character.
Right Hand Guard Bars - These bars serve as an ending reference point for the scanning devices.

Types of Barcode

UPC A: Uniform Product Code version A is widely used style of barcode in retail stores for sales checkout.
UPC E: Version E is a compressed UPC A also called Zero Suppressed. Used on small items like cans of soda, cigarettes, candies, and so on.
EAN 13: European Article Numbering encodes 13 characters and is used throughout the world (except for USA and Canada) to mark physical goods in retail shops.
ISBN: International Standard Book Number includes the price of the book in the barcode. The last 5 digits in this example translate to $44.95
PostNet: Barcode used by the United States Postal Service to automatically sort mail. The code is made with evenly spaced bars of two different heights.
Code 39: Code 3 of 9 is a variable length symbol commonly used in military and health applications (like in their ID card).
Code 128: Full alpha-numeric barcode that supports both upper and lower case characters.
Data Matrix: Two-dimensional barcode which can store 2,000 ASCII characters. It can encode a lot of information in a small space.
Maxicode: 2D symbology used by UPS to sort and track packages. This barcode can read at extremely high speeds.

References:
Wikipedia
Barcodeart (dot) com
Kaskus (dot) com

first strike

2010-05-13T09:11:00.002+07:00

Hai, it's my first strike to make my blog. It's still messy, I think. But, for sure, I will try to make my blog more interesting to visit.

It is designed to give something interesting and important for the readers of my blog. I hope it can give a place to find a kind of good reference. Or, it's just a comfortable place to share something.

I hope I don't make you feel disappointed and reluctant to revisit my blog. So, you may ask simple requests (as if who knows I can make your requests come true) or ask questions (as if who knows I can give better answers).

It's just my little step to make a bigger one. It's just a little step to make a better one. First thing is always tolerable as it's like a blind passes a new way. He knows nothing but he tries. That's what I try to do.

Hopefully, you as my readers can bring and get something from visiting me in my blog. At least, you will know a little experience, and know about me.

Thanks for visiting. Just enjoy your voyage ......