Dog, Fish, Cat, and another Pets

Life is becoming harder and harder. People are going to be stress and depressed. We're now living in stressed society. We're need to relax, but sometimes we have no time to relax, or we can't stop thinking and sleep peaceful.

Many studies found that interacting with pets can help us to fight the stress and depression. In some research, scientists are using pets to help patients recovered.

I have a friend that got vertigo disease, was recovered by looking fish in the aquarium every evening. The motion of the fish helped her eyes and brain to get better coordinated and the attack of the vertigo was significantly decreased.

We have 7 dogs in our home (hehehehe). My sister loves dogs very much. The dogs help her to be stronger facing the complicity of life. As my personal view, she can handles a lot of depression-potential problems that occurs in her life.

I love fish than dog. But in fact, I also have a female dog in my own home. We have no cat, but my grandma love cats very much. Having pets need a commitment to share time, attention, money, and also love to share. That's why having pets can help us to maintain nice behavior and develop good character. So, why not trying to have one ?

Understanding credit cards and the business behind

This is an article based on my experiences using credit cards.

The basic idea of credit card is to make payment procedure easier, faster, and saver. How come ? By using credit cards, people should not carry huge amount of cash, which is placed them into criminal's target. Just sweeping the card and sign the bill, the payment was made.

But, now using credit cards can places the card's holder in a big trouble. Why ? Because they lost control of shopping, and forget that the amount was used should be paid back as soon as possible.

The due date

Every card has a print date and a due date. Print date means the date when bank prints the bill of all transactions was made by a particular card and send the bill to the card's holder. The bill should be paid before the due date. If the card's holder pays all of the total amount printed in the bill, the case is closed. But if the card's holder can't pays the total amount of the bill, he/she can pays only at minimum payment or more. The minimum payment currently is 10% of the total amount of the bill. The rest that hasn't paid yet will be charged by interest.

The interest of credit card is very high, currently is around 3.25% - 4% per month depends on bank's regulation. This interest is being main income of the bank that issues the card. Another incomes for the bank are annual membership fee, late payment penalty fee, cash withdrawal fee, joint venture card payment fee with another banks, and so on.

Cash withdrawal fee is special one. The amount of interest is higher than ordinary (shopping) interest. Currently, the cash withdrawal fee is around 4%-4.5% of the amount of cash withdrawal. If your withdrawal amount is too small, there is a minimum fee applied. Once you withdraw some cash, the day after the withdrawal day will counted as interest. So, there is no grace period for cash withdrawal in credit card usage. You should pay it back as soon as possible. Watch out !!

The Debt Collecting

If the card's holder can't pays the bill, the amount of the bill will be higher and higher. I think the bank has already spare some percentage of non performing loan to cover its business. So, what will bank does if you can't pay the bill ? Bank will hires a debt collecting company to collect the debt from you. As I know, if the debt collecting company can collects some money from you, 50% will belong to them, and 50% will belong to the bank. The debt collector will uses any ways in order to collects the money from you, including psychological pressure to you or even to your family. They have to push you to pay the bill.

How to use credit cards wisely ?

Some people decide to not to own any card at all. But actually we can use credit cards wisely. First, choose credit card from a well known issuer bank. Read some reviews and customer's complain in the newspapers or internet related with credit cards. Second, hold only one or two cards from high reputation banks, no more. Remember, each card will charges you an annual membership fee. Third, use the cards for emergency use or frequently scheduled expenses only. It means you're already budgeting some amount of money to pay the expenses. Paying using credit cards just to complement the way to pay in cash. So you should pay total amount of the bill and this will avoid you from interest. You have to do this consistently.

May be the bank will offers you some discount programs or other promo in order to make you spend more money and increase you credit card usage. But still, you have to control your expenses using credit cards.

The advantages of using credit cards

Based on my experience, using credit cards in order to buy airline's tickets will give you more advantages. Because if you buy a ticket using credit card, you will be covered by some amount of insurance. Another experience is when my family member has to be hospitalized, credit cards would be helpful in that kind of situations.

So, don't be afraid to have a credit card. What you should have just control and discipline of using credit cards. Peace !!

Simple name

Hi... just wanna inform you that you can access this blog by addressing at BudhiKristianto.TK

I think this more easier for you to remember my blog address right ? Peace !!

Who is who ? Who are who ?

Hahaha.... sound strange huh ? Who is who ? Who are who ?

Today I'm studying about Social Network Analysis. This topic is describes about how to mapping who is the key person in the organization, what is his/her roles, and what the affect of that person to the organization.

Some times we can see, one business organization lost its managers or even directors, but there's no influence to the company's performance. But some times we can see, one company lost its engineer, and the company suddenly bankrupt.

Wise people always say : don't ever judge a book by its cover. This term is 100% true. We usually think, that the key person or most important person in a company is the director or even the owner. We often think that ordinary staff has not much power than the manager, or another similar perceptions. Some times it's totally wrong.

A real story told, there is a party in a company. Actually, in reality, sales department is not talk each other with R&D department. But there is a photographer that has good relationship with members of R&D dept and also sales dept. So, because of that photographer, that 2 departments want to involve into the party. In this case, the photographer is the most valuable person in that company.

There's always structural power map that show the positions and roles of the member of an organization or even in a friendship. We can always see it explicitly. Manager has higher position and granted to make a decision. But there's always an underground power map that not seen in the surface, that reflects the real power map in the grass level. May be in your organization there is an ordinary cleaning service staff. But may be you don't know, that his uncle has a close relation with the owner of your company. So, you don't know, that the man actually is a powerful person in your company's underground power map.

Don't ever judge a book by its cover, is 100% reflected to this situation. We have to be wise, not to judge everything in a minutes until we clearly understand, what is the underground power map in our company or friendships. There are always hidden informations that we don't understand. Being humble and low profile person, is the key. With this behavior, all hidden informations will shown to you, you'll clearly see what you've never see before.

Leung_Wing_Kei

Since I arrived in Taiwan, my friends always ask me about F4. Hei... I'm a man. Why I like F4 ? Of course I like girls than F4. hehehehe....

Then someone ask me : who is the Taiwanese girl that I like. Well.... it's hard to say. But let me make it simpler. Taiwanese, HongKong, and Main land China's star... I just know as one : chinese star.

OK. If I pushed to choose which girl star that I like, I choose Leung Wing Kei, or known as Gigi Leung. Watch these pictures...



So, let me ask you : what makes me like this beauty girl ? Let it be your homework !

It's a small world !

In the 1960s, social psychologist Stanley Milgram claimed that anyone on the planet could be linked to anyone else by a chain of only six other people -- the famous "six degrees of separation."

Hmm.... it's so interesting to me. Let's say, Me and Bill Gates. According to this theory, Me and Bill just 6 hops away. Let's analyze it.

I have a best friend who works in Motorola Indonesia as a Marketing Manager(1). He(1) has a boss as Marketing Director of Asia(2). This man(2) has to report to his boss at Motorola's Head Quater in USA(3). This man(3) has a best friend who working in Microsoft as a Director(4). And this man(4) of course is in a close relation with Bill Gates(5), because he is one of Microsoft's Director. So, between me and Bill Gates just 5 hops away ! Hmm.... make sense....

So... how about you and the cute girl stands at the corner ? hehehehe....

My new article has been published !

Dear Friends,

Just wanna inform you guys that my new article about Barack Obama's childhood has been published. You can read the article HERE. Just spend 3 minutes and you can see what I wrote :)

God must be joking

Oh no !! It's like no way to go, no choice, every things seem going worst...

Well... I think as normal human, we're so often found in that kind of situations. We've prayed, cried to God, but nothing happened. Time still runs, and every things seem going worst. But do you think that God does not care ? Does He so busy ? Is there so limited ways so He could not add even one ?

I'm experiencing that kind of situation. My research is stuck. No progress. Time continues running. The deadline approaching very fast. So many things should be completed perfectly, instantly, quickly. So many prayer were asked, shouted to up above. But... no response found.

I let myself remember about God's love. He always offers His hands ON TIME. I regaled myself and said : "I believe He knows what is exactly happened. He knows what He should do. May be right now He is smiling at me and wanna say not to be afraid".

Hmm... God must be joking. Well.... I'll try to keep my smile on face, even storm attacks my mind. But God, no more joking please.... I need Your help ASAP. Please send message to 0800-123.... ups.... sorry Lord (shy... sms addicted)... Please hold me and guide me. Give me peace in my heart, and let me see every things would be all right very soon. I love You so much !

Get side job, increase your income !

As a father, we (men) are encouraged to increase our income in order to provide all of family member's need, including meals, education, clothes, recreation activities, and so on. But not just that physical need that should be provided, emotional needs also should be provided, such as feeling of financial secured that make you see smiles on your family's faces.

Some times it's so hard to find the correct side jobs. It's commonly happened that people got
side jobs with small income but lots of work, or high income but need much time that disturbing the main job time schedule.

What I did are tried to optimized the internet to drive income to me. For example, I've developed MateriKuliah.Com. This site by today get around 300 unique visitors a day. So it's start to attract sponsors to deliver income to me. Thank God.

Another way is using my domain name such as IndoDomainer.Com to drive new income through PPC (pay per click) scheme. It is listed on Sedo.Com by today and starting to generates traffic and income for me $ by $. Thank again Lord.

Also I've tried to wrote some articles and publish them in paid news services. So if my article be published and viewed hundred or thousand times, it will deliver $ to my account. The example is my article about Taiwan's presidential election. It's already delivers several $ cent to my account, and still increased. Another article still under review process and will be online soon.

The last way that I try to optimized is using Google AdSense. Actually, it's already generates traffic, but not yet delivers money. Just wait and pray. Also Amazon affiliate, I already listed as a member. It generated search, but not yet become transaction. No problem. We have to use all ways to complete our task as a father. Just pray and work. God will bless us.

Steven Gerrard of Liverpool....

Just like another man, I like football. There are several competitions of football in the world, such as Liga Indonesia, Champion League, Serie A, English Premiere League, etc. But I like English Premiere League more than others :)

One of the reason that makes me love football is their love life. In term of football, there is a term tittled "WAG". WAG means wife and girlfriend. As known worldwide, a world class football player can generate income minimum 20,000 pound a week equivalent to 40,000 US$ and the super star can generate more than 100,000 pound a week or 200,000 US$ per week. This huge amount of money become strong magnet for girls around the world to become wife or girlfriend of football player. They can live together in a magnificent style. Wooow.... imagine that I'm a football player... :))

But why I like Steven Gerrard ? Well... let me tell you the reason :) In my opinion, Steven Gerrard which is captain of Liverpool Football Club of EPL (English Premiere league), is a smart guy. He also calm, stable, and not showing man. I mean, he is low profile. Look at his eyes. Very sharp. He is not like Christiano Ronaldo or Wayne Rooney in term of goal maker, but still, he is the key person in his team.

Another reason why I like Steven Gerrard is his love life. Not like another player who playing love with hot and sexy girls, Steven Gerrard keep his loyalty to Alex Curran, the woman that he love. Even they just been married after living together for several years and blessed with 2 daughters, still... he is proofing about his commitment.

Life is fluctuating journey. You never know about the future. Some how you're jump to the top, but some times you down to the lowest place. I saw Steven Gerrard realize that situation. And he keep his track, doing his best, and keep his own love life. Another football players were published with their rumors, sex scandals, and their bad behavior, but Steven Gerrard success to make it steady.

Cheating... is it nice to try ?

What is cheating ? Indonesian people say it : selingkuh. Cheating means you left your spouse and fall in love with another one. Do I love cheating ? Well, I'm not. I love my wife, and also my daughters. But how not to do it ? Well... let's sit and talk seriously :)

Human being is social creation. It means you and I have a natural feeling when we meet someone that make us feel comfort to be with. Let's say hang out together, talking each other, working together, even studying physics together :) When you've been with some one, the feeling occurs. It's a natural thing. You can't stop or even control it. Unless you are God :) When you feel comfort, you want to be with him/her again and again. Hope to meet him/her again. But if you feel uncomfortable, you will leave him/her immediately.

When you feel comfort with some one, and this situation continues somehow, let's say because both of you in same group, the feeling will become love. You'll pay more attention to him/her, watching his/her life, the way he/she smile, etc. Again, this is natural, and you can't even control it. The only thing you can control is commitment. Once you have commitment in your heart and keep in your mind that you will love your wife and your family, you'll still in border. It's not so easy to leave your group, or not to pay attention to him/her anymore, because that is your life and you're in it.

One night stand is not recommended. It just about sex, no love involved. Your finger will said to you. But you'll be happy if you can keep the commitment with your beloved wife and family, and giving time to let that irrational feeling become steady and your relation become friendship. And that time, you are winning the battle.

Debt... how to handle it ?

I think every body have experienced of debt. Let's say debt of credit card, debt of cell phone bill, or debt of loan. Having debt or not-paid-yet bills is uncomfortable experience. We have to meet debt collector, arguments fighting, or even physical fighting with them, and answering rushed calls. When we have a debt, we're always thinking : it's so nice and peaceful without debt.

But how to handle debt ? Here is my suggestion. List all of the bills that you have to pay. List it from highest of amount ones to the lower. Then identify which ones are involve interest. List them from highest rate of interest ones to the lower. If you have debt without involving interest, such as loan from your parent, you can ask them gently to pending the due date. The most priority debts you have to pay are the debts which are involve highest rate of interest, such as credit cards. The interest of credit card are 3% to 4.5% per month ! This debt should be paid first.

If you don't have enough income to pay them, you have to think how to improve your income. But still, you have to press your expenses in order to pay your debts. Call the customer service, and tell your financial situation honestly. Best loan provider always welcome and help their customers in this situation. If you are not get solution, push your self to pay the debt and close the case. You can maintain good relationship with loan provider who give you the best solution.

I've experienced this kind of situation. I had 3 credit cards and used them to build my house. Then I should pay them back with their high interest. 2 years I and my family pressed our expenses to pay the bills. And thank God, 2 are fixed and closed gently, and 1 left in safe ratio. I realized that nowadays are difficult time for people not to get loans, since live expenses rises very fast. But still, we have to keep our financial resources in balance and safe ratio. Good luck !

Sandra Dewi

I must be crazy if I said : I am not impressed with her beauty. Absolutely, I like her beautiful face. Her career boosted very fast. Hopefully she can maintain her success very well, and be a classy celeb in Indonesia.

Ladya Cheryl

I'm not a man who easily impressed by a beautiful girl. But Ladya Cheryl is one of little number of beautiful girl that impressed me. I was seen her acting in "Ada Apa Dengan Cinta" and "Biarkan Bintang Menari". And don't know why, i like her. Look classy for me :)

Rachel Leigh Cook .... hmm....

I always remember her innocent face when being a star of 1999 She's All That movie. Even she hasn't involve in box office movies anymore, but still, I like her innocent face ever :) She is one of little number of my favorite celeb.

I always want these...

As a father of 2 beautiful daughters, I always thinking what is the best car for us. Since we need a car to accommodate our need, I spare more time to think which is the best car for us, and how to spare money to buy it.

We need a car that fits some criteria such as : low fuel consumption, low cost of maintenance, low cost of taxes, comfort, and also cheap. May be we'll buy a minibus or MPV.

But do you know what is the car that I always want to own ? Here it is : W123 series 2000 cc Mercedes-Benz. In Indonesia, this car known as Mercy Tiger. Not so expensive, low taxes, comfort, and don't forget.... it is a Mercedes-Benz !!

And what about motorcycle ? Well... actually currently we have 2 motorcycles, 2006 Kawasaki Blitz and 2004 Suzuki Smash. These are our "daily feet" to go to office, school, campus, or even mall.

But the motorcycle that always make me want to own is : Suzuki GSR 600. In Indonesia, there is an authorized Suzuki distributor sold this motorcycle. But the price is so high to reach ! So I just can dream to have it :)

Wynne Prakusya : Tennis Professional

Gabrielle Reece : Volley-ball Professional

Sania Mirza : Tennis Professional

Michelle Wie : Golf Professional

Maria Sharapova : Tennis Professional

Malia Jones : Professional Surfer

Anna Kournikova : Tennis Professional

Fly Jetstar Asia, Air Asia, and Penguin Ferry

I live in Semarang, Indonesia and currently studying for my master degree in Taiwan. In the winter vacation (Jan 2008) I went home for a cheap budget. Here the detail :

From Taiwan to Singapore I used Jetstar Asia for 6551 NT$ return (1 NT$ = 285 Rupiah). The aircraft taken off from Taoyuan International Airport Terminal 1 at 18.25 (Taipei time) and landed on Changi International Airport Singapore on 23.05 (no time difference between Taiwan and Singapore). So I stay at Changi before take ferry to Batam, Indonesia in the morning.

From Changi, I toke MRT to Harbour Front. From terminal 1 Changi, you can take skytrain (free) to terminal 2, and going down to Changi MRT station. The fare for one way from Changi to Harbour front is 2.8 SG$ (1 SG$ = 6550 rupiah).

From Harbour Front, I toke Penguin Ferry to Batam Centre, Indonesia. The fare was 45 SG$ return (1 SG$ = 6550 rupiah). The journey toke 1 hour. Since there is a difference time between Singapore and Batam, it takes no different time when I arrived in Batam Centre, Indonesia. For my case, I toke ferry on 08.40 and arrived to Batam Centre on 08.40 also.

From Batam Centre to Hang Nadim International Airport, you can take taxi. The fare is 80,000 rupiah. But my friend has picked me, so I can save my money.

From Hang Nadim International Airport at Batam, I toke AirAsia to Soekarno Hatta International Airport in Jakarta. The fare was 615,800 rupiah return. The airport tax in Hang Nadim was 30,000 rupiah. The journey toke 1,5 hours from Batam to Jakarta.

From Jakarta airport you can take train or plane to Semarang. I was toke AdamAir to Ahmad Yani International Airport in Semarang for only 230,000 rupiah one way. The airport tax in Jakarta airport was 30,000 rupiah.

So, if I count my journey from Taiwan - Singapore - Batam - Jakarta - Semarang (return), it toke only 3,315,925 rupiah including airport taxes. If I take direct flight from Taiwan - Jakarta - Semarang (return), it will be a significant differences. The normal fare is 12,000 NT$ (3,420,000 rupiah). Let's say you get a cheap one, plus AdamAir ticket from Jakarta - Semarang return (460,000 rupiah; it's very cheap), plus local airport taxes in Jakarta and Semarang (2 X 30,000 rupiah), plus international airport tax (cause you directly exit from Jakarta by plane, the tax is 100,000 rupiah). So total cost is 4,040,000 rupiah. So, there is a significant differences of 724,075 rupiah.

Borobudur: The Magnificent Creation in The World

Borobudur, is the greatest Budhist temple in the world and counted as magnificent creation in the world.

Borobudur located several kilometers south east Jogjakarta, Indonesia. This is the famous tourist spot in Central Java beside Jogjakarta and Solo. How to travels to this beautiful place ?

From Jakarta

If you arrive in Jakarta Soekarno Hatta International Airport (terminal 2), you can directly take Garuda flight to Jogjakarta. Garuda Indonesia Airlines is the premium airline in Indonesia. If you need cheaper flight, you can take free shuttle bus to terminal 1, and take various cheaper airlines such as Adam Air, Lion Air, Mandala Air, Batavia Air, Sriwijaya Air, etc to Jogjakarta. The fare is around 300,000 to 700,000 rupiah one way depends on which airline and season.

From Jogjakarta international airport, you can find various hotels and budget hostels in this cultural city. I suggest you to take a place to stay in this city, and take one day tour to Borobudur temple, because you can get various cultural attractions in this city. The price for 1 night stay is vary from 150,000 to 1,500,000 rupiah depends on your chosen place.

If you want to take a trip to Borobudur, you can go to the Jogjakarta bus station and ask the tourism officer, how to go there. Basically you just take a bus to Borobudur tourist area, both direct bus or stop-over bus. The fare around 50,000 rupiah return.

From Bali

If you start your trip from Bali, you can take any airlines such as mentioned above to Jogjakarta. The fare is vary from 300,000 to 800,000 one way depends on your chosen airline and season.

By Train

You can take cheaper trip by using train to go to Jogjakarta if you start your trip from Jakarta. But if you start from Bali, its better you take flight because there is no train from Bali to Jogjakarta.

If you interested to take train from Jakarta, you have to consider, which class of service you will take. If you take business and economy class, from Soekarno Hatta International Airport you can take Damri bus service to Gambir Train station. The fare is 15,000 rupiah one way. From Gambir train station, you take busway to Pasar Senen Train station or take bus. But I suggest you to take busway since its service better than ordinary bus service. The fare just 5,000 rupiah one way. All business and economy class trains from Jakarta depart from this station. But for first class and executive class trains depart from Gambir train station.

You can take trains to Jogjakarta from Gambir train station (first class and executive class) or Pasar Senen train station (business and economy class). The fare vary from 45,000 (economy), 75,000 (business), and around 200,000 first and executive class.

Jogjakarta, Solo, Semarang

If you take trip to Jogjakarta, don't forget to take around this beautiful city. Every things are cheap. You can shop until you drop here. This city is well known as cultural city. There is King Palace in this city.

Beside Jogjakarta, you can visit Solo, the sister city of Jogjakarta. You can take train named "Prambanan Express" from Jogjakarta train station. The fare just 10,000 rupiah one way. Or you can take various bus service from Jogjakarta bus station to Solo. Solo just one and half hour away from Jogjakarta. You can get famous Batik in this city. There is King Palace also in Solo. Don't forget to try Nasi Gudeg (meal) in Jogjakarta or Nasi Liwet (meal) in Solo.

Between Jogjakarta and Solo, you can visit Prambanan Temple, the biggest Hindustan temple in Indonesia. If you wan't to get modern atmosphere, you can take trip to Semarang, the capital city of Central Java. You can take bus from Jogjakarta or Solo. The fare for executive class bus from Jogjakarta is 35,000 rupiah one way and from Solo is 25,000 rupiah one way. Even Semarang is the capital city with modern atmosphere, there still so many cheap things you can buy and enjoy. Semarang just 3 hours away north side from Jogjakarta and 2.5 hours away from Solo. So, enjoy your trip !!

Note : fare may changes, please be updated. For train schedule, you can visit the website of Kereta Api Indonesia

Electronic engineering... the real challenge

Whew... now I know, being an electronic engineer is a hard work. Why ? Let me share what I'm doing now.

Currently I'm studying for my master degree in Taiwan under the scholarship. The major that offered is electronic engineering. Since I came from Information Technology field, I was though that these difference of two majors are not so far. I was simply think, It is electronic. But I was wrong... totally wrong. Since may background is not electronic engineering, it so hard for me to complete the projects. Especially for my thesis, it's so challenging. I toke my project in biomedical engineering field, titled as "Portable Laser Doppler Flow Meter". So it's dealing with laser and advance digitized circuits.

There are several students who have same background as me, they come from Information Technology field but take electronic engineering field for their study. They've experienced same problem just like me, even their project are in different area like networking and image processing. But still, they are dealing with advance digitized circuits such as FPGA and VLSI chips. Every things are new for us. The condition become worst since we're international students in Taiwan, so we should able to speak chinese both in daily life or in academic life.

But, I still believe, God will guide me through this and let me finish my study on time. Amen ! Now I give admire to electronic engineers, and when I buy an electronic stuff, I always remember... it's so hard to create the stuff that I've bought :)

How to manage income and salary

As a Christian, God has teach me to return 10% as my gift to His works in this world. So, here the way how I manage my income and salary.

First thing that I always did when I receive the salary or money, I prayed a thanks to God for giving me blessing and money to support our life. I also ask Him to bless the money to blessing my family with all good things we will do about the money. Second, I take 10% of total received money, and take it to the Church as our gift to God. Finally, I spread the rest of money into several post like for pay card bill, electricity bill, phone bill, etc. I also arrange some part of the money for saving, just in case me or my family member get an incidental case to pay out.

With this procedure, me and my family can cover all expenses that occurs in a whole month. May be you can use my experience to manage your income and salary. Peace !