Being and Stay Single

Being single is not easy for anybody's social life. You know the routine, friends, relatives, even close families often think that they have the right to order every single people. Like usual, the order is ALWAYS masquerade as questions like "Where is your girl/boyfriend?" or "When will you marry?". You know, questions that were asked in passive-aggressive tone. Most single people will just shut their mouth even though they are pissed by those orders. Not me. I already prepared an elaborate answer that shut the hell up of everyone who dare to give me those "perfectly camouflaged" order.

Middle Spot

Folks, let me remind you of 2 facts:

1) A good relationship is INFINITELY BETTER than being single.

2) A bad relationship is INFINITELY WORSE than being single.

Society remembers the #1, this is one of the reason they keep nagging, demanding that all single people have to have relationship. At the same time, society know perfectly well but ignore or forget #2. This 2 polar opposite facts bring us to the conclusion:

Being single is located IN THE MIDDLE of the happiness curve.

And, what is so bad about being in the middle? I heard "everything have to be in moderation" is today's mantra for happiness? That is not all. This sweet spot in the middle is even sweeter than you thought! Usually that is enough to deter those pesky friends & families, but in case they still insist ...

Calmness is good

There is also the problem that arise from the dynamic nature of a relationship. Some relationship can turn from good to bad in a second. And, it is not only the "bad relationship" that hurts, the downward movement from good to bad is EVEN WORSE! Just ask people who have been through divorce. So, people who stay single by intent, avoid all those dramas. They consciously choose to live in the calmness of the middle spot, without any movement anywhere for awhile. That calmness actually enhances the happiness! The only thing that can disturb that calmness, that sea of tranquility, is the pesky-nagging friends and relatives. 

It is not that all single people must stay single, to defend the "calmness" forever. Single people can also decide to take a risk, and seek for "mr/mrs right" and finally have a good relationship. But it is THEIR decision when and how to do it, not their friends, not their family. And let's speak about family.

Family

Oh, you are their family so you think you have the right to covertly order them? You LOVE to give them a lot of "between the lines" to be read by anyone in your family that is still single? Let me ask you this question philosophical question: 

IS IT YOUR LIFE OR THEIR LIFE?! 

Ordering anyone to have romantic relationship is easy. Making any relationship works isn't. Unfortunately, those people who give the order are not the one who suffer once the relationship gone sour. Who do you think will receive the shits when they are forced to date or, heaven's forbid, marry someone they don't like only because of social pressure? Not you, not their family, it is THEY WHO SUFFER. 

A sensible strategy

Found this quote from Niall Horan shortly before I finished this
article..He got it right.

What? You said I am too pessimistic? I don't count the potential rewards of a good relationship? Screw that, society already screaming about those rewards ad nauseam with bullhorns. It is time to for me to scream back:

"HELLO, 50% of all marriages have ended in DIVORCE! Thinking about a relationship gone sour before it happens is not pessimistic, it is realistic and rational! Any risk manager will agree with me!"

It is the opposite, people who don't calculate that risk, even after being reminded, are the one who is ignorant, or delusional, or both. 

So, stop worrying! Being single and consciously choosing to stay single is actually a sensible risk-management strategy!


Bonus: The Oatmeal already pointed out similar phenomena about having children

My Dream Car

I am appalled. Whenever I asked most men about their ultimate dream car, most of them answer with sport cars. You know, like:

Lamborghini Aventador? Pff, too regular.

Ferrari F12Berlinetta? It looks like an asshole.

Porsche 911? Are you kiddin me? That car is smaller than my fist!

Aston Martin whatever? Too snobbish.

Bugatti Veyron? Zzzzz ... snore ...

Let me list the reasons why ANY sport car sucks in my city, Jakarta:

1) Maneuverability 

The streets in Jakarta are simply too crowded. That's why you have to be brave to drive in Jakarta whenever you want to move your car to the next lane in a traffic jam. No, don't even try to shout, or scream, or pushing your horn. It is just useless. You only need to hit your gas pedal whenever you see an opening, whatever your distance to the next cars Good luck trying to do that with your Aston Martin! I bet your heart would scream far whenever you think about it. Speaking about crowded streets ...

2) Speed

That means you can't drive faster than 25 kmph. Even in some special cases whenever the streets were empty, you would hit some speed-bumps or holes or even a simple uneven surface. That would damaged your chassis in a blink of an eye. Just imagine your Ferrari's chassis got hit from below by a sledgehammer or pneumatic drill REPEATEDLY. Here, use my tissue to clean-up your tears. You'll need it!

3) Flooding

Other than that, until today (2014) flooding is still a routine problem in Jakarta. Try to run through 0,5 meter flood with your Bugatti Veyron. Picture the moment when dirty-black-waters of Jakarta flooded the gas-guzzling engine of your Bugatti Veyron. Here, I still have more tissues!

4) Criminals

Oh, driving those expensive sport cars would also draw attention of many criminals. You know, carjacks, robbers armed with axe, even corrupt policemen. Picture the moment when you and your sport cars got robbed by one of those criminals. NOT MANLY AT ALL!! BTW, looks like even all my tissues can't help you any longer ...

5) Capacity

The most popular cars in Jakarta are family cars. You know, cars where you bring not only your wife and children, but also your bro's wife, and his children too! Try to put all of that in your Porsche. Unless your  and your bro's whole family are clown by profession, that is just simply impossible! What, your dream cars can't even be used to transport your family? Man, your dream car sucks!

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

That's why none of those cars can hold the candle for my favorite car: GAZ BTR-80.

What? You never heard that name before? That's because most men were too busy eating up all the hype for those USELESS sport cars. That's because most men forget that utility ALWAYS beats fashion. Substance ALWAYS beats style. Their ears become deaf whenever a true dream car, like mine, arrive. Here let me give you its picture:

Here, let me put some of its specs (from wikipedia):

Specifications
Weight	13.6 tonnes (15.0 tons)
Length	7.7 m (25.3 ft)
Width	2.9 m (9.5 ft)
Height	2.41 m (7.9 ft)
Crew	3 (+7 passengers)

Engine	diesel KamAZ-7403 260 hp (190 kW)

Speed	80-90 km/h (49.7–55.9 m/h) swim 10 km/h (6.2 m/h)

Now, let's check those problems that make any sport car sucks again, shall we?

1) Crowded street and maneuverability

No need for arguing, screaming, or horn-pushing. A slight glance from anyone will convince them to give you ANY space! It is either YOUR WAY or the HARD WAY.

2) Speed

Read #1. With BTR-80, you just hit your gas pedal, and you'll brake for no one. Speed bumps? Holes? Uneven roads? Who cares, you are driving an 8 wheel drive armored battle vehicle!

3) Flooding

If you read the specs above carefully, you'll notice that it has 10 kmph swimming speed. Yes, BTR-80  can swim. Yes, IT REALLY CAN SWIM. 

4) Criminals

What kind of criminal dare to touch a combat vehicle? A soon-dead criminal, that's who.

5) Capacity

See the specs above? It can drive 10 people inside. Since the space is huge, you can also bring your whole family AND both yours and theirs motorcycles for examples.

Plus, there is a big bonus for every dad who owns a BTR-80.

Just imagine, everytime you drive your son to their school, EVERYONE would be awed. "Mercedes S Class? BMW? Lexus? Rolls Royce? You still can't beat my dad's BTR-80!"

Here, use my tissue to wipe your manly tears from your manly eyes. You'll need it.

BTW, I guess some of you will argue that Hummer already doing everything in my list. Not really.  Are you and your Hummer brave enough to run THROUGH Jakarta's traffic jam? Can your hummer ignore Indonesian road holes? Can your Hummer swim, I mean CAN IT REALLY SWIM? Is Hummer criminalproof? Can your Hummer bring you and 9 of your friends/families? NO, NO, NO, NO, AND NO!! So screw your Hummer too!

QED: Objectively, my dream car can objectively kick any of your dream car's buttocks anytime, anywhere, especially in Jakarta. Unlike sport cars, for BTR-80, style isn't exist to mask the absence of substance. It is the opposite, it is its utility, its substance that creates, permeates, and radiates style, MANLY STYLE!

Addendum 13.09.2014: I really envy this guy. At the same time, guys like him are those who give me hope for the future of mankind!

5 Reasons to Learn Mandarin ... and My Comments

I already stated my reason why Mandarin is stupid. And again.

So, it is only proper to comment on people who learn Mandarin. No, not only to comment, but also to judge. 

1) Because you were born in People's Republic of China/Singapore/Taiwan
Congrats! You just win a jackpot! Unlike any other people YOU will learn Mandarin as your native language! I assume that cut downs the difficulty level AT LEAST 60%. I really hope you consider to scrap that writing system of yours. You know, your logogram writing system ...


2) Because they have fallen in love with it!

No contest.

There is no accounting for taste. These people usually are fascinated, fallen in love with Mandarin because the beauty of the logogram script, DESPITE knowing how difficult they are. I say, GO FOR IT! It is always refreshing, empowering, and comforting to do things that you love!! All the problems and difficulties become fun if you really fallen in love with the language.

Nevertheless, we have to remember, some of these people refuse to admit the difficulties in Mandarin. They just assume that everyone will fall in love in it like them, and consider the difficulties irrelevant.
Also, many people fall into some confirmation bias. They can and have fall out of love of Mandarin once they face the staggering problems, but they refuse to admit it! I still love it dammit, and I still enjoy this! NO IT IS NOT DIFFICULT!

So be really careful when you ask opinion from people who "love Mandarin".

3) Because it is important!

The importance of Mandarin is undeniable. So is the fact that our time, energy, and money are limited. If you really want to master Mandarin, you will wasted YEARS or even DECADES. That means, you can already master say ... Spanish and Russian if you use that time, energy and money you spend on learning Mandarin. That means although Mandarin is arguably the 2nd most important foreign language, your energy can be used to learn the 3rd and 4th most important one, with less frustration and with similar, or even more, benefit.

Oh by the way, isn't it more efficient and effective if it were the Chinese who learn English/French/any other non-logogram language? Just sayin here ...

And you can't be Chinese, even after you speak and write Mandarin fluently. Seriously. Even overseas Chinese (See reason #5) have problems to be considered "Chinese" by many mainland Chinese AFTER mastering Mandarin. If you are a caucasian or african or South Asians, or any other people that distinctively NOT CHINESE, you will be considered similar to a monkey that can play piano. You know,"Nice tricks there, but you will only marry my daughter OVER MY DEAD BODY!" mentality.

4) Because your parents order you! No, order is not strong enough. Because your parents FORCE YOU!

News flash: you are a victim of child abuse. Seriously. What kind of parents forced their children to memorize thousands and thousands of symbol? What kind of parents obligated their children to learn a language that causes a pain in the neck whenever we use its dictionary? The time, energy, and money can be used for other things like ... learning Spanish, Swahili, and MANY other foreign languages!

Usually parents do that because they underestimate Mandarin. Show them this article and the links. Hopefully that would enlighten them.

5) Because you are a "Chinese"! An overseas Chinese BUT STILL A CHINESE!

In "Bahasa Indonesia" there is a word that is hard to translate to English: "Bebal". Usually people translate it into "foolish". Nope, it is different. A foolish person is a person who can't learn. A "bebal" person is a person who REFUSE TO LEARN.

Until today, Chinese culture IS A "BEBAL" CULTURE!! Every other people on earth already realized using a symbol for every single word is very stupid. That's why centuries or even milennias ago they created alphabet/abjad/abugida/syllabary. How the Chinese react to this difficulty? Chinese are smart and clever, they surely notice this, right? Nope. They say how PROUD they are of their "3000 years history." They are proud because their "heavenly language" permeates a high culture, unlike the "stupid alphabets" from the non-Chinese aka barbarians.

Yeah right. Sounds like 3000 years of refusal to learn to me. 

Now, YOU as a "modern Chinese" want to perpetuate this monstrosity and smugness voluntarily? SERIOUSLY?! Are you high?

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

My tips: if you learn Mandarin because reason #3 - #5 and HAVE TO learn Mandarin, SKIP THE STUPID LOGOGRAM! Just learn the Hanyu Pinyin romanization and the spoken language. The tonal nature of Mandarin already poses a challenge. No need to compound it with memorizing symbols in thousands. If reading those logograms is an absolute necessity, you can learn it AFTER you master the speaking and the Hanyu Pinyin.

Oh by the way, I don't want to put "bebal" label on any culture. That's why I really hoped that China can change and ditch that terrible logogram. I assure you, more people will learn Chinese after that. I assure you too, native speakers will learn to write FASTER than ever! Move the study of logogram into "classical Chinese", to the hobbyists only domain. Spare us, laymen, the horror.


Further reading:
Don't Learn Mandarin
Why Chinese is so Damn Hard

ISIS, ISIL, IS, Whatever

Some thugs just use brutal methods to carve some territory for themselves. They are so brutal that even Al Qaeda denounces them. Naturally this development alarmed many. Even people outside the Middle East are afraid of the new flow of terrorists. Do these thugs have any chance? Nah, they have ZERO percent chance of succeeding AT LEAST for two reasons:

1) Air Power

First, their success is due to governments everywhere underestimating them. Or in case of Syria, too busy to fight other threats. They are successful because they move in small numbers, making big powers with air supremacy unable to find and pounce them from the sky. Not anymore. Their success has made them cocky, moving in big numbers, with banners waving, providing targets for any ground attack aircraft! The Iraqi government just buy 25 Su-25 Frogfoots to do just that. How can ISIS react to such fury unleashed by these gunships? How can they stop gunships, heavy bombers, and other modern military equipments, bought from Russia or other countries, from massacring their warriors? They have no chance. Just ask Saddam Hussein army, they know the taste of fighting open war against first rate power with aerial supremacy.

2) No Money No Honey
Second, their source of income are multiple, but ultimately rest on their ability to loot Iraq and Syria. Once the Russians etc crush ISIS army (see #1), no chance in hell they can have this kind of money again. Without money, no terror organization can survive. Just ask the communist parties and rebels around the world after the collapse of USSR. Just ask how dependent the jihad recruiters schools on foreign money. They will resort to local donation. Good luck convincing Muslims to donate after the spectacular "WE WILL DESTORY KA'BAH" proclamation.


Ultimately, ISIS will fail because they are just too abhorrent, too cruel, too barbaric, even for Al Qaeda taste. When you burn everything around, everybody will go beyond afraid. Everybody will hate you and stop you. Violently. Looks like such simple logic escapes the hotshots in ISIS.

The Scariest Computer Company

Take a guess! I am sure many of you will have the same answer with me! I am sure many will also answer differently. My guess most people will think that Apple with its cult-like devotees. Others will think it is Facebook because it is the main threat to our privacy. Or the old hegemon, Microsoft, who still ruled the OS Market of desktop and still big as hell. Nope, they are not the scariest. You can guess now which company I am talking about right?

No contest. It is Google.

Yes, Google is even scarier than Apple, Facebook, & MS. Here is why:

1) Can you avoid Google?

I never buy or use any Apple product. Result: I save tons of money! Hurra!

I use Facebook all the time, but I can imagine I never use it anymore. On some busy days, I didn't touch Facebook for the whole day and nothing bad happens.

Oh Microsoft? 10-15 years ago it was impossible to avoid, but now you can use MacOS or Linux or Unix to avoid Windows; Open Office or Libre Office to avoid MS Office; Opera, Firefox, Lunascape, and many other browsers to avoid Internet Explorer, etc.

Try to avoid Google. Everyday I use Youtube, Google search, Gmail, Google Book, Google Scholar, and Google Translate. Millions used smartphones powered by Android. Millions depend on Google maps. NO FREAKIN WAY we can avoid Google in totality even only for a day.

2) Has Google failed spectacularly?

Apple lost its market share in the 1990s. Steve Jobs was fired during that era. More recently, Apple Maps sucks. Steve Jobs renaissance is great for Apple, but after his death, Apple surely lost its mojo, and I don't expect them to be as successful as his time. Not scary.

Facebook spend 1 billion Dollar to buy Instagram. Their business model is questionable at best. They only manage to make money recently. Not scary.

Microsoft Zune crash and burn, while Microsoft Windows slowly lose its relevance. Not scary at all.

Let's see ... GoogleTV failed ... that's it? Is there any other notable fail from Google? Not that I can think of! Wait, wait, I know, what you think, Google+ is Google's most spectacular failure right? Check #5.

3) Has any of them capability to watch your house 24/7?

Microsoft try to do that with their Kinect 2.0 in Xbox One. It failed spectacularly because of the massive boycott and protests. Google will try to do that. They just buy Nest Labs, you know, the company that makes smart thermostat that monior your house 24/7 and send the data to the internet. No one protests so far (How can they protest?). That's only make argument #1 even scarier.

4) Has any of them buy a military robot company?

Yes, that sounds just like Terminator's Skynet, but that's a fact. Google bought Boston Dynamics, a military robot maker. They are the only tech company not only with the capability to monitor everything, but now with the potential to enforce their control over everyone, including the government.

5) Has any of them build "The Matrix"?
What about Google+? Google screwed-up big time there right? They are far from defeating Facebook, and Youtube users screamed about its intrusion in Youtube right? We actually get it wrong. Google+ is not really geared to defeat Facebook. It is totally geared to create one umbrella online identity. They want to control your online life. In short, I am totally agree with one Guardian article that says Google + is "The Matrix".

So sorry if I just scare you shitless, but hey, better be aware of this danger now! Awareness is the first step in solution right?

Melissa Bachman and Hunting

US TV presenter, Melissa Bachmann posted her hunting photos in South Africa. Then, tons of people are screaming about that. Some in the comment section of any article about that even wish her dead. Thousands sign a petition to ban her from entering South Africa.

First, let me start with a disclaimer: I HATE HUNTING. I am not interested in shooting animals! I never, and will never ever hunt anything to spend my freetime!

How to pay the bill?

At the same time, I know that running a National Park is extremely difficult and expensive! Especially in Africa, where tons of heavily armed poachers roam freely. At the same time, millions live in abject poverty nearby the park. At the same time, local governments there ... okay, no need to say anything about them. That means, a national park in Africa is far more expensive and difficult to run than a national park in a 1st world country. The situation is of course a little bit better in South Africa, but it is definitely far worse in other poorer African countries like Tanzania, Kenya, etc.

That means, national parks in Africa needs to pay more bills. They need to buy, install, and maintain miles of fences. They need to hire, equip, and pay lots of park rangers with guns to deter poachers. In many (or all?) African countries, they can expect less helps from their government. The park needs every single cent they can get! And surprise, surprise, hunters pay thousands of Dollars for the hunt! Thousands of Dollars that can be used to pay their bills! Check this list from South Africa as an example of hunting fees: African Sky

Criticizing Melissa Bachman means deterring the hunters to hunt in general, specifically in Africa. Stopping those hunters from hunting means stopping thousands of Dollars cashflow to the national parks. That will make the conservation far more difficult than today's condition, to say the least.

Overcrowding
Then national parks also have overcrowding problems: too many animals inside the national park.

What? That sounds nuts, how come there are "too many endangered animals"? The problem is, national parks have limited space. Animals, especially big one, needs space to provide food and water for them, to provide roaming area, in general: to support them, that means the limited space of national park can only support limited numbers of animals. Small herbivores like antelope and warthog can be controlled by the carnivores, but what about a top predator like lion? Or enormous herbivore with no predator like elephants? Once they are comfortable (the goal of any national park) they will breed, their numbers will grow exponentially. Too many elephants will devastate the grass and trees, killing small birds and rodents, and start a domino effect on the ecology. Too many lions will devastate the herbivores, starting another domino effect. So, what is the solution?

Relocation -> Moving the surplus animals to other place. It is difficult and expensive. The animals can be stressed and die because of it. Plus, for some animals, there are not enough demand, i.e., no place to be relocated.
Contraception -> Limiting the number of birth. This is another method. It is not as difficult and expensive as relocation, but it only solve the problem in the long run. National parks need immediate solution to solve this problem right now!
The last option is of course killing the surplus animals. If you expect that every killing done by veterinarians, you can also expect that the park receive far more bills. If you expect the ranger to shot the animals, then we return to the initial problem, plus unlike hunters, park rangers don't pay the park for the kills.

That means, license hunting is a solution for overcrowding! Let those hunters kill the extra animals, designated by the park! That means hunting actually solve two problems with one shot!

No wonder the national park defends the hunters. Good!

Conclusion
In the end, it boils down to two options:
1) Stop the hunters, depraving the national park of the fund, and take from them one tool to solve overcrowding problem, therefore endangered the whole park, the whole ecosystem, and killed many animals.
2) Let them hunt and kill some animals, let them pay for what they have done, therefore supporting the park both financially and ecologically.

Yes, that means "animal lovers" have to choose between two evils, but that is just the facts. Life is not always easy, we have to take tough, difficult choice. C'est la vie.

Suggestion

Of course those options are the current option. I have the 3rd option, but this is the hardest one.

Here is my suggestion to "environmentalists" or "animal lovers" who love to equate those hunters with Lucifer: donate thousands of Dollars to replace them BEFORE you scream with a bullhorn. Not only now but routinely like the hunters do. Oh, you need to pay even more as a compensation for any overcrowding. Devising a cheap-humane solution for overcrowding will also be very helpful.

Oh, you can't because you don't have money? You don't know how to solve their problem? Then, SHUT UP, and stop obstructing the conservation! Yes, it is counter-intuitive to say that hunting may save more animals than animal lovers, but that is objectively what happens here since hunters pay the conservation bill, while environmentalists scream to stop them! 

What? You don't like people killing animals for fun? I thought protecting the animals is more important than our ego? The fact stands: those hunters pay for conservation and help them solving the overcrowding problem while the animal lovers work hard with love to stop the hunters! Hey, I got news for you: love alone doesn't pay the national park bills! Love alone doesn't solve the overcrowding problem! So sorry to point this out, so sorry to prove objectively that your hated "animal killers" actually help more than you do, but painful truth is far more useful than comfortable falsehood.

By the way, I am not surprised with this nonsense. Private ranches in Texas are the only hope for scimitar-horned-oryx survival. They got their money from the hunting licenses there. Guess what,they experienced this bullcrap. What can be a win-win condition between survival of a magnificent species and hunters is ruined by some holier-than-thou treehuggers. 


Last words, I think this quote is fitting to close this writing:
"The truth will set you free ... but first, it will make you miserable!"

Other article:
Elephant overcrowding problem
Lion overcrowding problem

Freedom and Responsibilities

After the US government shutdown, the fight between liberals and conservatives intensifies!

But seriously, they are not really different. Here, I will put 2 examples where both sides deep down is actually basically the same:

1) Example one: military conscription/Draft

Most Liberals-Hippies join Libertarians from the right in this case: SAY NO TO CONSCRIPTION! Say yes to 100 % volunteer army! Freedom from the military! Oh, by the way, have you noticed that none of these hippies want to join the military? Their idea about collective security is: "Let other die to protect this nation state! I can spit on the military all the day, while receiving no penalty for being a security parasite!"

2) Example two: universal health care

This time, most conservatives join Libertarians: SAY NO TO UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE! Say yes to 100% free market & charity (read: voluntary) based health care! Freedom from socialism! Oh, by the way, have you noticed that none of them want to help fellow Americans in health related financial trouble? Their idea about health care is: "WHAT? I have to pay more so other can have the chance to survive horrible diseases? SCREW THEM, LET THEM DIE!"

Extra Example: The Libertarians!

And finally of course you also have the Libertarians who are the disciples of Ayn Rand, whose idea about humanity is "everyone is a an egotistical-heartless bastard. I am only better in the sense that I am aware of this fact." They logically cheer up deaths! Hey, more deaths means less OTHER heartless bastards, that means less competition, and more benefits for ME! MORE FREEDOM BABY!

So, AMERICANS, stop all the fighting! You are all jerks, speaking about freedoms while in essence you want to act as irresponsible as possible. So, let's sing kumbaya together and celebrate your jerkiness and irresponsibility! 

God Tropes, Video Games, and Other Stuffs

You know, there is a vast conspiracy to perpetuate the grip of religion among humanities. A conspiracy to strengthened the grip of the clergies. Video games are part of it.

God Tropes in Video Games

Listen to me, how many times you play video games where in the end we discover that God is exist in some form? How many video games concluded that there is no afterlife? No even worse, most video games actually is ABOUT the fight against or for God, and about the afterlife.

This is an evidence that video games conspire
against not only atheism, but also secularism!

Here, let me list some examples:

• In Asura's Wrath, not only we play as a Demigod, the existence of "Naraka" or "Hell" is an important plot point.
• In God of War, we fight Olympus Gods, and become God itself.
• In many, if not most, RPG games, we fight in a quest to fight a demon-God, or fulfill "destiny".
• Even worse, in Civilization V, the states actually CREATE religions! That means they 100% indoctrinate the player to support theocracy! Don't let the social policy "secularism" fools you, the state still build the shrines, temples, mosques, cathedrals, etc. Can you believe that, public assets is used to finance construction of religious centers?
• Some most recent popular video games doesn't address this issue at all. For example, God and afterlife is irrelevant in Call of Duty or Battlefield series. But don't let them fool you! Absence of evidence is not the same with evident of absence!

Those examples are only the tip of the iceberg. Q.E.D., the whole video game industry conspired to repressed atheism.

Whining

Okay, step back, what do you think about my writing? I bet you thing that is just plain RIDICULOUS or STUPID or BATSHIT INSANE, or all of that. 

I can hear you complain "DUDE, CONSPIRACY THEORY IS BULLSHIT!!"

I can also hear you complain "Dude, stop being a whiner."

Hell yeah!

I wrote that piece by emulating Anita Sarkeesian approach. You know, "Everything is patriarchy conspiracy to undermine women" approach. Or should I say "I am a hammer therefore everything else is a nail" approach. I just switch patriarchy with religion, and women with atheism. 

Dear Ms. Sarkeesian, stop it. You, basically, are WHINING that the patriarchy is repressing women. Your whining actually empowered one of the bad stereotype of woman: all women are whiners. This stereotype is strongly connected to the trope you discuss: women are weak therefore need to be saved by men.


Badass Women
Your whining actually distract the public from badass women. You know, women whom you should put more attention to, in comparison with video games. Women like Hawa Abdi from Somalia who faced gun touting Somali militias. Women like Lyudmila Pavlichenko from Russia, who terrorize her countrie's invaders with her snipe. Women like Rukhsana Kauser who actually turned the table on some misogynist terrorists who tried to brutalize her family.

Those badass women prove that women are strong, intelligent, and able to rescue men. You don't help changing social stigma of your gender with your Youtube whining. Please, stop it, for your cause's sake.

Oh, playing the video games yourself (not only posting other's "Let's Play" video), or AT LEAST give some attribution to the original creator, will also help your cause tremendously. Stop hurting your case further.

Insecticide and Secularism

Insecticide

Let's start with a little story about insecticide.

Insecticide is a very important part of our life. It is a part of green revolution which increased agriculture yield astronomically. Say what you want about green revolution, the fact stands: without killing so many harmful insects with it, our food supply will be far lower, hence food will be far more expensive, hence millions will starve. Despite that importance, NEVER EVER drink any insecticide! Failure to obey this simple rule will end with your death!

"WAIT! I disagree with the last part! Many people NEVER drink insecticide, but they STILL DIE! How dare you smear the reputation of insecticide!"

See how stupid that counter-argument is? Non-consumption of insecticide is not a cure-all, but consumption of insecticide is a kill-all! To counter the last part of the 2nd paragraph, you have to show MULTIPLE CASES where people are not affected, or even become healthier, after drinking insecticide! 

Secularism

Same with religion in politics. Yes, religion is very important for many people. Nevertheless, mixing religion and politics is a certain death. Just pick ANY religious government/theocracy in our world today. You will find screwed-up countries. In most cases, they are poor and some even totally wrecked by conflicts. Countries like Afghanistan, Nigeria, etc. In some cases, they are rich ... but they treated women and non-believers like crap. You know, countries like Saudi Arabia. Oh wait, they are rich NOT because of theocracy but because they sit on top of gigatons of oil. Heck, the best non-secular country that come into my mind is Malaysia, you know the country that basically said one race (Malay) get all the perks while Chinese and Indians are second class citizens. In essence: a racist country. Even more tragic, the "Malay race" is defined by their religion. Ha!

That means theocracy is analog to drinking insecticide. Secularism is analog to NOT DRINKING that insecticide. Are there screwed-up secular countries? Sure, tons of it! Syria and Egypt for starters. Does that prove that secularism does not work? Hell, no! So many other secular countries work better than theocratic countries! Lenin once said, people vote with their feet. People move from the best theocratic countries (Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, etc) to the not-so-best far more secular country. (France, Germany, USA etc.)

Once you give political power to religious establishment, you will see prosecution of other religions. And other denominations. Just ask non-Muslims and the Ahmadiis in (Taliban) Afghanistan, Iran, etc.

Once you give religious power to the politicians, they will silence all protests against using "Heaven's mandate". Just ask the people who protest against the House of Saud. Just ask the Malaysian people, especially Chinse and Indian Malays, and Malays who want to change their religion.



Let me close this writing with a quote from George Carlin:
"I'm completely in favor of the separation of Church and State. My idea is that these two institutions screw us up enough on their own, so both of them together is certain death."
Especially if you don't have the same religion with the government. Oh wait. The government itself who define YOUR RELIGION. Usually when they don't like you, they will define "your belief" as heretics. Just like the Ayatollahs hate the Sunnis, and the Taliban hate the Shiites, despite both sides claim to be Muslims. Forget it, you are screwed anyway, no matter your "true" religion.

I Really Love to Master These Languages

Göthe once said something like: "Our world is limited by the language(s) we master."

Amen.

Sadly, nobody has the time, energy, intelligence, and money to master all languages on earth. Therefore, it is an unreachable goal. That's why we selected some languages, languages that are directly useful to us, languages that we love, or both.

There are languages that I really want to learn but after giving it second thought, I decided against it. Here they are, from the one that I most eager to learn to the least eager one. Three factors decide it: aesthetic, usefulness, and easiness. Note that aesthethic is very, very subjective. My taste may differ than yours. On the other hand, easiness is subjective because my native language is Indonesian. 

Latin

Aesthetic: 100/100
Usefulness: 40/100
Easiness: 50/100
Total: 190/300
This is the language of the Roman Empire, the parent language all Romance languages. There is this ... mythical aura, radiated from each Latin words & sentences. I think this is thanks to the fact that Latin is the language of classic literature, the language of many motto, the language of the most powerful empire in ancient Europe, etc. You sounds educated, sophisticated, and smart if you said anything in Latin!

Mastering this language means opening the gate of beauty from the classic literature, the writings of Cicero, Plutarch, Cassius Dio, etc. It is also the language of tons of early Christian documents.

Mastering this language also make learning all Romance languages easier. Those languages are used extensively in Meso and Latin America.

Unfortunately, only limited people use this language in their daily life. That's the only reason why I don't learn it.

I will learn it when: I have free time, money & energy

Esperanto

Aesthetic: 50/100
Usefulness: 20/100
Easiness: 100/100
Total: 170/300
Created in Poland in the beginning of 20th century, this language was designed to be as easy as possible, to be the universal language of the world. That's why this language is very easy!

But, its speakers are limited. No historical texts, literature, or anything written in Esperanto by its creator. This language in practice become a "geek language" just like Klingonese from Star Trek and Elvish from The Lord of The Ring.

I will learn it when: it was used as national language of at least 3 countries ... or one big country.

Japanese

Aesthetic: 70/100
Usefulness: 70/100
Easiness: 20/100
Total: 160/300
I think this is the the most popular foreign language after English and Mandarin. Probably more popular than Mandarin. Hey, this is the original language of manga and anime!  

But, in the end, I don't want to learn it. One of the thing that I hated most is formality. I prefer egalitarian culture and society. This language is ALL ABOUT FORMALITY! 

There are multiple Pronouns that indicate social position. They have different verbs to describe exactly the same activity. The different is in how they emphasize politeness differently. You can't ask "Have you seen my garden?" because it is not modest enough. You have to say "Have you glance my unworthy garden?" At the same time, I also can't say "I have seen your garden" because that is not polite! I have to say "I enjoy your beautiful garden." 

Nuts. Plain nuts.

I will learn it when: they use the Latin alphabet, and they throw away that freakin hierarchical rule.

From wikipedia user OldakQuill

Sanskrit

Aesthetic: 90/100
Usefulness: 30/100
Easiness: 10/100
Total: 130/300
This is the Vedic language, the language of Indian culture that spread to Southeast Asia. Just like Latin, it also has the mythical aura, thanks to its historic importance. Unfortunately, just like Latin too, nobody really use this language in today's everyday life.

Unfortunately, I heard that this language is designed to be AS HARD AS POSSIBLE to ensure the monopolization of knowledge in the hand of few, i.e. the Brahmanic caste. It doesn't use alphabet. Instead, it uses abugida where its vowels got special treatments. Okay ... that is not as easy as alphabet but it can be learned. Oh, It also uses complicated grammar. VERY complicated grammar. For starters, it doesn't have 6 grammatical cases like Russian, or 4 like German, or 1.5 like English, or 1 like Bahasa Indonesia and many Asian languages. No, no, no, it has EIGHT cases: nominative, vocative, accusative, instrumental, dative, ablative, genitive, and locative. Try to stomach that.

No thanks, better use my energy somewhere else.

I will learn it when: I need it to save my life.

Chinese/Mandarin

Aesthetic: 40/100
Usefulness: 70/100
Easiness: 0/100 ... no, actually it is -200/100.
Total: -90/100
This is the language of my ancestors. They said it shows the power of the Chinese culture. So, I should learn it right? Yeah, I should ... but ...

I gave up. Really. I already tried more than once, it is just TOO DAMN HARD! Oh, the fact that I DON'T LIKE HOW IT SOUNDS didn't help either.

Let me reiterate why it is so damn hard:

Because they use tone to differentiate their words.

People in other language used tone to convey EMOTION. To differentiate a statement with a question. To stress the importance of certain part of the sentence. Etc. Not the Chinese and many other tonal languages like Thai, Vietnamese, and many African languages. They use it to differentiate WORDS! If you mess the tone in Mandarin, you can mistake "mother" with "horse" for example. That would be hilarious in a sitcom. Not so if you are the one who make the mistake.

Because the script is just STUPID.
Actually stupid is an understatement for such monstrosity. Seriously, why we need to memorize at least THREE THOUSANDS different characters? How can you write a dictionary or do any kind of sorting with that script? How complicated is the Chinese typing procedure? How can you GUESS how it sounds if you encounter a character for the first time?
I heard Vietnamese is hard too because it is a tonal language like Chinese. But at least they have the common sense to use Latin alphabet!
Sanskrit don't use Latin alphabet, and they have more complicated rules to write their alphabets. But at least their alphabet is not in thousands!
Russian may have complicated grammar and strange-looking alphabet, but at least it is only 33 characters. After one intensive day you can master it and know exactly the sound of each word!

I learn it when: Hell freezes over.
It is an understatement, the chance of hell freezes over is HIGHER than the chance of the Chinese people admit that their logogram script is stupid.  Seriously, I am sure even the need to save my life can't enable me to learn this language.

Future Microsoft Game Console

Microsoft tried to shove b.s. to suck money from gamers. Their tool: their newest gaming console "Xbox One". What b.s you ask? You know, b.s like the console has to be connected to internet once every 24 hours. Why? Because they want to sell "blast processing" ... sorry, that was what Sega sold 2 decades ago. Now they used the name "Cloud computing." Okaay, I am still skeptical, but maybe MAYBE cloud computing is as awesome as they say ...

But that was not the only b.s. from Microsoft. Xbox One games can't be re-sold without big-brother permission. Their reason for this? The second-hand game market killing the developers ... yeah right. Just like second-hand car burying the car industries, second-hand clothing destroying textile industries, etc.

Oh, other than those 2 b.s., Microsoft also tried to shove its version of Orwell's 1984: Kinect 2.0.. In essence, it is a digital camera-microphone that is equipped with their own processor. It can see everything. EVERYTHING. Even your heartbeat. Oh, since the only way to turn on the Xbox One is via voice command, this baby is ALWAYS ON. They try to b.s that it can be paused. During this paused mode, it can only recognize "Xbox On" phrase. Err ... that means it is till functioning right? It is watching us all the time right? And they introduce this at the same time with the Prism scandal? No wonder Penny Arcade gave it a loaded name "Mandatory Evil Camera." A German official calls it "a twisted nighmare". Nah, either nickname is too blatant for my taste. I prefer to call it "Eye of Sauron" :) 

Of course gamers didn't take it lightly and basically boycotting "The One". The backlash was so severe that one of Microsoft direct competitor, Sony, exploited it to boost the sale of their machine, the PS4. The reaction from gamers is just ... overwhelming. For example, gamers gave Sony standing ovation when they say "WE ARE NOT MICROSOFT," we love status quo! Microsoft decided to cancel  all of their b.s. I think it is too little, too late. And it has to be noted, it is NOT a total reversal. For starters they keep the Eye of Sauron. This actually amplify the current main problem of Xbox One: the lack of trust. I use this "Xbox One" experience to guess future gaming console from Microsoft. I wonder if others think like this too ...

1) XXXbox!
Let's start with the name ... since they think that "Xbox One" is a good name for the successor of "Xbox 360," why don't go for broke? Use the name: XXXbox! It is so hardcore that one X is not enough! It will be ETERNAL, just like porn! Wicked! Bodacious! Cool! Funky! Epic! 

2) Green Pass!

Not only electricity and internet connection, XXXbox could only function if we put a special green sticker, evidence that we pay the company, I mean SUPPORTING THE ENVIRONMENT! Yay! It only cost 10 Bucks per month! What? You hate that? You don't want to save the trees? HEARTLESS BASTARDS! This is about the future of EARTH! How dare you protest this, are you intending to rip off your own planet?

3) Let's monetize EVERY SINGLE DETAIL!

Microsoft already tried to monetize the second-hand game market by ordering re-sellers to pay them. Why stop there? Using the EYE OF SAURON Microsoft can totally monitor how many people access your XXXbox! 

Two gamers playing the game console? ARE YOU TRYING TO BLEED US DRY? Second player has to pay, PAY PAY PAY! 

The whole family want to watch Netflix together with it? HEY, movie theater sold their ticket to EACH INDIVIDUAL! Are you trying to rip-off Microsoft with this so called "family gathering"? Not a chance! PAY, PAY, PAY! 

You stand in front of your TV? HA, that's mean you already intended to play, the machine will start warming up! What? You are not playin? PAY, PAY, PAY!

4) Big Brother Sucker Portal!

Why stop with the "Eye of Sauron"? In the future, you can only play your XXXbox after giving TOTAL CONTROL of your Facebook account, Twitter account, and Bank Account to Microsoft! This is for your own benefit, this way Microsoft will assist you in your social and financial live! No need to worry to buy the Green Pass, family member-pass, extra-gamer-pass or all other extra fee Microsoft will automatically charge you! Microsoft will also charge you for the latest accessories!

Oh, since Microsoft already take over your Twitter and Facebook accounts, they will also charge you everytime you mention their name in bad context! Hey, that "®" and "™" signs are there for a reason you know! How dare you smear that without paying!

LADIES AND GENTLEMAN, that is the future of gaming! Hopefully you liked them. Don't worry, if you hate that ... just buy and play an Xbox 360!

What? You think they won't be THAT evil? C'mon, these guys INSIST on putting Eye of Sauron in your room! 

Prism, Privacy, Security

News flash for Americans: you don't have digital privacy. The government is watching YOU!! NSA and its PRISM program essentially recorded every single electronic activity of every single American.

The support for this evil is BIPARTISAN! President Obama reaction to this leak can be summarized into one word: "TOUGH!" On the other side, the GOP also supports it wholeheartedly. Where is the Democratic Party that support civil liberty? Where is the GOP that fight against the overarching government? Where is the massive bipartisan movement against PRISM? Both sides defends this nasty encroachment and argues that such appalling intrusion to your life could increase security. Dick Cheney for example, said that such measure could prevent 9/11.

Wow, what a compelling logic! Hey, while you are at it, let me give some suggestions how to PREVENT 9/11. As far as I know, no one inside the big house can hijack an airplane, so you would DEFINITELY prevent 9/11 by putting every single American in jail.

What else ... AH, those terrorists are foreginers who abused their visa! How about this: interrogate and WATERBOARD every single visa-applicants to make sure they have good intention!

Heck, why we took any chance, just slaughter every single human being in USA. And Middle East for good measure! After those measures, I GUARANTEE 1000%, 9/11 couldn't happen!

In essence they said "If you crush your house with BIG BULLDOZER, you don't have to worry about the leaky roof!" They say they protect the house while actually they tear down the house, and sold every single part of the house to a shabby junk dealer.

That is just pure evil. The year is 2013, but I am totally for turning it back into 1984.

Review: The Act of Killing

This is an imperfect world. Mass oppressions, mass murders, and genocides still happens until today. Hundreds, thousands, even millions were slaughtered for meaningless reason. Nazi Germany, Communist Russia, racist Rwanda, racist Serbs, etc did that.

Decent people are always baffled by this, what kind of human beings were able to conduct such atrocities? How they deal with their empathy, their conscience? The movie maker Joshua Oppenheimer tried to somehow answer important questions like that with this documentary movie. 

The film started with an important disclaimer: unlike the Nazi Germany, or the Interhamwe militia in Rwanda, the perpetrators here were and still are the winners, people who have connections to the highest level of power in Indonesia. This is the movie about how some butchers from the 1960s "communist" massacres tried to create a movie to glorify their massacres. The movie focused especially on Anwar Congo, who before the massacre was a small-time movie theatre gangster (Preman in bahasa Indonesia).

The movie shows that those gangsters are so full of themselves. They proudly admit in front of camera how they enjoy those massacres, laughingly explained how they enjoy raping 14 years old "communist". Their pride is also extended to any other "gangster" activities, and even to the label "gangster"/preman itself. Many of them stated that the word preman came from the word "free man," people who are free, who want to do anything they like. Looks like that freedom includes freedom to threaten and extort some store owners in the market in front of a recording camera. Yes, they are THAT proud.

That pride even overcame their logic. In one scene, the gangsters re-enact the destruction of a communist village. The then-deputy of Sport Minister, Sakhyan Asmara come and lead the reenactment. After the shooting, he realized that such spectacle would impress the audience that the communists were the victims, and the gangsters were barbarous thugs. BUT, he also asked Oppenheimer NOT to delete that scene because "People need to know that Indonesians can be very furious when fighting against communist!"

That means this movie goes BEYOND the 1960s massacre. This is a documentary about Indonesia past and present gangster's culture. Oppenheimer asked Anwar Congo and his friends about "justice" and "truth." One of them said "truth is not always right, and justice is defined by the winner." As an Indonesian, I am sure there are millions who agree with this statement OR accept it as "unchangeable truth." This is exactly the reason why Indonesia will never become a developed country. Rule of law, human rights, and so many other civilized things are lower priorities in comparison with pride and personal fortune, they are SUBORDINATE to the existing gangster culture, and its acceptance by many Indonesians.

That alone make this movie fascinating, and there is one more important point here for me: the most important question is not about "justice" or the past. Not about whether those gangsters should be punished or not. For me, the future is far more important. That's why the biggest question is: 

"Can such atrocity happen again in Indonesia?" 
With such pride from doing it, with such glorification of previous atrocities, why not? And after second thought, I remember that the Shiah and the Ahmadis experienced similar atrocities TODAY. In essence, it is not the question "Can it happen again?" but "When will it stop?" At first, everything looks bleak. Looks like Indonesia is trapped in this appalling gangster culture. 

But, not all is lost. In the last part of the movie, Congo's empathy overcome his pride. He finally started to feel the pain of his victim after he played a communist sympathizer in one of the reenactment of the torture. We can clearly see from his eyes, from his body languages that the guilt finally manifested. Oppenheimer reminded him that he felt that EVEN THOUGH he knew that such torture is only a play, while all his victims knew their life would end shortly. Congo replied with "But I know Josh. I feel it." That scene alone give me hope that conscience exists, that such monstrosity is not acceptable, that Indonesia can overcome its gangster culture.

Nevertheless, it has to be stressed that looks like Anwar Congo is the exceptional case. His compatriots don't show any remorse or guilt. Indonesia still in the long way to reach "post-gangster culture" where rule of law & human rights are the norms, not mass murder & coercion.

Final verdict: 100/100. Thank you Joshua Oppenheimer, for sharing with the world the true face of Indonesia, for giving me hope that not all is lost. Let the world know the complete picture of Indonesia. Let Indonesians become aware of this atrocities and all madness that follows ...