Learning To Be Human

Well, it's just my opinion about a TV series, an animated one. At first, it was my cousin, a second grade of elementary school student, who often watched it. Then I began to love it too. Alright, I'm talking about Curious George.

George is a monkey but his “friend”, The Man With The Yellow Hat, or simply called The Man^*), really treats him like a human child. The Man teaches George anything human do. The Man also buys George anything George wants, even if it is a hat or a children toy.

George even behaves like a human. Eating anything human eat (cakes, donuts, candies, ice creams), plays game with other children (a really human game), riding a rollercoaster, discovering something new, and even solving problems. See an episode when he created a hat. A really wonderful hat. Cause that hat could also become toys. The upper side of the hat could spin and so on. Or in an episode when Chef Pisghetti thought his cat, Gnocchi, had caused scratches on all the restaurant's chair. It was George who found Gnochhi didn't do that, but a new employer who carelessly pulled the table.

But funny things often happen. Not just because he is unable to speak in human language (but people always seem to understand what he talks about), but George often misinterprets what The Man has taught him and misinterprets what other animals do. Like in an episode where The Man taught him about planting seeds under soil, then the seeds would grow bigger and become a tree. But, George thought the other way. He thought about anything that was buried under soil would grow bigger. So he then buried papers, canned food, and some other things.

Or in an episode when The Man taught him to write number 1 and 0. He then asked him to order 1 dozen of donuts. But George then wrote it by adding so many zeros behind the number 1, that the donuts maker thought he wanted to order 100 dozens of donuts.

In other episode, when George knew about a bear in hibernation during the winter, he also tried to do the same thing. Eat as many food as he could, covered his the window in his room and turned the lamp off (so it became dark and looked like a cave). But when he finally woke up, the winter wasn't over yet.

There are other interesting episodes to watch from this series. Watch the adventure of George and The Man, and also sometimes with other animals like Hundley (a very neat dog), Charkie (also a dog, but Charkie is a very bouncy and playful dog), Gnocchi (a cat), and Jumpy Squirrel (who is often being disturbed by George's “adventure”).

I think this series can teach children to be creative like George do. George is a really creative monkey I can't even do what George does. The series also teach children try to solve any problems happened. I guess George is learning to be human (by doing anything human do).

But there is one thing I also learn from the series. Don't choose a monkey as your pet. Cause, in spite of his creativity, George also often causes a trouble and causes a room so messy.

*) The Man With The Yellow Hat is the man who brought George from Africa. His name is never mentioned both in the book and in the TV series. In spite of being called The Man With The Yellow Hat, it's not only his hat colored in yellow, but also all the things he wears.

Menggabungkan Berkas PDF dengan Une PDF

Artikel serupa pernah saya unggah ke situs linux.or.id, hanya saja ketika itu tidak saya sertai gambar, sehingga tidak ada salahnya kembali saya unggah di sini dengan gambar pelengkap.

Ada kalanya kita harus menggabungkan berkas-berkas dengan format PDF untuk keperluan tertentu, misalnya di kampus almamater penulis yang mewajibkan para mahasiswa yang menyelesaikan Tugas Akhirnya untuk menyertakan juga laporan dalam format PDF. Di mana laporan dari Bab I (Pendahuluan) sampai Bab V (penutup) dijadikan dalam satu berkas PDF saja. Saya yakin sebagian besar pasti membuat laporan dengan cara tiap bab dijadikan satu berkas dokumen (umumnya *.doc), lalu tiap bab dijadikan satu berkas PDF. Hanya saja, untuk mengubah berkas dokumen menjadi PDF tidak akan saya bahas di sini (dulu saya membuat laporan dengan OpenOffice.org (OOo), yang secara otomatis memiliki fasilitas untuk meng-ekspor ke format PDF. Karena itu gunakan saja OOo untuk mengetik dokumen anda)

UnePDF

Lalu bagaimana cara menggabungkan berkas PDF antar bab tersebut? Ada banyak perangkat lunak yang bisa dipakai, tetapi kali ini saya memilih UnePDF. Mengapa? Karena selain free (bebas dan juga gratis), UnePDF juga tersedia untuk Linux maupun Windows.

Anda dapat mengunduh UnePDF dari alamat berikut:

UnePDF tersedia dalam format terkompresi *.tar.gz (untuk Linux) dan *.zip (untuk Windows). Tak perlu kuatir, UnePDF juga bisa dikatakan portable, karena kita tidak perlu melakukan instalasi. Setelah berkas *.tar.gz atau *.zip kita ekstrak, kita bisa langsung menjalankannnya dengan melakukan klik ganda terhadap berkas biner hasil ekstraksi.

Cara menggabungkan berkas PDF dengan UnePDF

Contoh berikut menggunakan UnePDF yang saya jalankan di atas sistem operasi Linux Mint 4.0 XFCE Edition, tetapi penggunaan di atas distro Linux lain maupun Windows juga tidak jauh berbeda.

1. Jalankan UnePDF

2. Pilih berkas-berkas PDF yang akan digabungkan dengan meng-klik tombol Add

3. Tentukan lokasi berkas penyimpanan maupun nama berkas PDF hasil penggabungan

4. Untuk memulai penggabungan, klik tombol Merge

5. Tunggu beberapa saat. Saat proses penggabungan usai akan muncul dialog seperti Gambar di bawah ini.

Berkas gabungan siap untuk digunakan.

Dengan UnePDF, kita tak perlu mengeluarkan kocek dalam-dalam hanya untuk membeli perangkat lunak untuk menggabungkan berkas PDF dan juga tak perlu melakukan pembajakan (emangnya sawah kok dibajak)

Ever Since The World Began

An old hit of Survivor. I often use some lines of its lyrics as my favorite quotes. You know why? I guess the lyrics make me realize that we are nothing. There's a plan of God that we never know what it is. But we still we have to try as hard as we can Although it is not a religious song, it is actually a love song. So here they are:

Ever Since The World Began

I'll never know what brought me here

As if somebody led my hand.

It seems I hardly steer,

My course was planned

And destiny it guides us all,

And by its hand we rise and fall

But only for a moment

Time enough to catch our breath again

And we're just another piece of the puzzle

Just another part of the plan

How one live touches the other

Is so hard to understand

Still we walk this road together

We try and go as far as we can

And we have waited for this moment in time

Ever since the world began

Taking in the times gone by

We wonder how it all began

We'll never know and still we try to understand

And even though the seasons change

The reason shall remain the same

It's love that keeps us holding on

Till we can see the sun again

And we're just another piece of the puzzle

Just another part of the plan

And we have waited for this moment in time

Ever since the world began

And I stand alone, a man of stone

Against the driving rain

And the night – it's got your number

And the wind – it cries your name

And we search for clues, win or lose

In this we're all the same

The hope still burns eternal

We're the keeper of the flame

And we're just another piece of the puzzle

Just another part of the plan

How one live touches the other

Is so hard to understand

Still we walk this road together

We try and go as far as we can

And we have waited for this moment in time

Ever since the world began

Written by Jim Peterik – Franklin Sullivan

As performed by Survivor

*)The bold-italic words are my faves

Saya dan Ibu

24 Februari 2009, sekitar pukul 05.00

Saya memutar MP3 Player saya. Ketika akhirnya terdengar lagu Mama Don't You Cry milik Steelheart, mata saya kembali berkaca-kaca. Untuk pertama kalinya saya nyaris menangis mendengarkan lagu tersebut.

Dan kali ini saya memang ingin bercerita tentang ibu saya. Ya, saya memang lebih akrab dengan Ibu dibandingkan dengan Bapak saya. Mungkin karena saya adalah anak yang paling kecil. Kalau pergi-pergi, saya juga yang paling sering diajak. Pernah ketika saya masih kecil sekali, belum sekolah, Ibu berangkat ke pasar (naik andong, maklum wong ndesa). Saya tidak diajak. Seketika itu juga saya langsung menangis sekeras-kerasnya.

Ketika saya SD, Ibu menjahit sendiri sebuah celana panjang (buat dipakai tidur) dari kain bekas bungkus tepung terigu. Anehnya saya mau-mau saja memakainya. Sering pula Ibu membuatkan saya sirop (benar-benar sirop buatan sendiri, bukan sirop beli di toko).

Pernah pula saya diajak pergi oleh dua orang Bulik saya ke tempat nenek Buyut karena melihat saya pulang sekolah terlihat di rumah sendirian, padahal ketika itu Ibu sedang mencuci bpakain di sungai (sekali lagi, saya memang orang desa, jadi harap maklum, lagipula ketika itu belum kenal yang namanya mesin cuci). Ketika saya melewati jembatan, saya melihat di mana tempat Ibu mencuci.

Ketika saya kelas 4 SD (tahun 1992), Bapak mendapatkan rezeki untuk bisa berangkat naik haji. Sebenarnya ketika itu Bapak ingin berangkat berdua bersama Ibu, tetapi karena saya terlihat keberatan, Bapak akhirnya berangkat sendiri.

Dan semua kenangan indah itu mulai terhenti saat saya kelas 6 SD. Bulan Agustus 1993 (saya lupa tanggalnya), Ibu sakit keras. Karena saya termasuk anak yang tak pernah lepas dari Ibu, Bapak sampai meminta izin kepada saya senbelum membawa Ibu ke Rumah Sakit. Hanya saja saya tidak ikut mengantarnya. Saya juga belum pernah menengoknya karena Bapak lebih mementingkan sekolah saya.

Flashback
15 Agustus 1993
Keinginan untuk menengok Ibu baru terjadi hari Ahad, 15 Agustus 1993, sore hari. Saya bersama dua orang kakak saya menengok Ibu di Rumah Sakit. Sayangnya, ketika itu Ibu berada di ruang perawatan yang tidak mengizinkan untuk ditemui secara langsung. Saya hanya menatapnya dari balik jendela. Ibu tersenyum kepada saya. Dan itu adalah senyum terakhirnya yang saya lihat.

Kami kemudian keluar dari rumah sakit. Di saat itu, sebuah pesawat TV di sana sedang memutar video lagu milik Air Supply yang berjudul Goodbye. Seketika itu saya bercanda dengan kakak saya, di rumah sakit kok lagunya Goodbye, apa diharapkan penghuninya say goodbye atau meninggal dunia? Kakak saya menimpali, maksudnya goodbye untuk ke rumah sakit.

19 Agustus 1993
Kamis, 19 Agustus 1993, sekitar jam pukul 11.00, di mana ketika itu sudah memasuki jam pelajaran terakhir di sekolah. Tiba-tiba salah satu teman Bapak mengajar (Bapak saya dulu seorang guru), datang menjemput dan memintakan izin agar bisa pulang lebih awal. Saya pun pulang bersama teman Bapak tersebut. Dalam perjalanan saya hanya diberitahu kalau Ibu sudah pulang. Saya tidak tahu apa maksudnya. Saya hanya mengira Ibu sudah sembuh dan bisa pulang ke rumah.

Terbayang betapa bahagianya saya kalau saya tiba di rumah. Tapi ketika sampai, saya kaget melihat betapa banyak orang berkumpul di rumah. Saya masih belum tahu apa yang terjadi. Apa Bapak mengadakan syukuran atau apa?

Beberap saat kemudian, saat saya masih dalam kebingungan, diajak "mengungsi" ke rumah nenek yang ada di seberang jalan. Dalam hati, saya masih bertanya, ada apa? Sampai akhirnya saya menyadari kemungkinan terburuk, bahwa Ibu memang sudah "pulang". Ketika saya mendengarkan pengumuman berita duka lewat pengeras suara di masjid yang menyebutkan nama Ibu, air mata saya benar-benar tak terbendung. Beberapa kerabat saya pun datang untuk menenangkan.

Ternyata video lagu yang saya saksikan di rumah sakit (Goodbye-Air Supply) adalah isyarat dari Ibu kalau ia akan mengucapkan selamat tinggal kepada kami semua.

Saya kemudian minta di antar untuk "melihat" Ibu untuk terakhir kalinya, meski hanya jasadnya. Bapak terlihat begitu shock melihat kedatangan saya. Seorang Paman saya membukakan kain penutup dan membiarkan saya menatap wajah Ibu, sambil berujar "Lihatlah, wajahnya terlihat begitu cantik". Saya memang melihat sedikit senyuman di wajah Ibu. Namun Bapak tidak mengizinkan saya ikut ke upacara pemakaman.

Saya benar-benar kehilangan sosok Ibu. Sampai saat ini mata saya pasti berkaca-kaca jika mengingat saat tersebut maupun saat saya menatap fotonya, termasuk ketika saya menulis ini. Saya sendiri menyimpan satu buah foto kecil milik Ibu saya. Oh, ya meski selama hidupnya, Ibu belum pernah naik haji, tetapi kurang lebih 5 tahun kemudian, Bapak mendapat rezeki lagi sehingga berkesempatan "mewakili" Ibu untuk menjalankan ibadah haji. Maksud saya, Bapak naik haji untuk kedua kalinya, tetapi diniatkan untuk almarhumah Ibu.

Selamat jalan, Ibu. Kau akan selalu hidup dalam hatiku.

Sebagai penutup saya akan memuat lirik lagu milik Steelheart untuk mengenang Ibu.

Mama Don't You Cry

I fight the tears since you've been gone
And I stand in fear, can I make it on my own
Without your love to guide me thru my life

It's so cold at night without you here
And those gentle arms that held me close and dear
Oh we're all the same, we all live and die

You'll always be in my heart, oh Mama don't you cry
You'll always live in my dreams, oh Mama don't you cry

Every night when I close my eyes
I see a light and shadows of your face
It's always there like an angel over me

So many frozen years hangin' on my wall
A thousand words, I can hear them call
Oh I tried so hard but I could never say goodbye

You'll always be in my heart, oh Mama don't you cry
You'll always live in my dreams, oh Mama don't you cry

No one can kiss away the pain like you
No one like Mama, no one like you

(Solo)

You'll always be in my heart, oh Mama don't you cry
You'll always live in my dreams, oh Mama don't you cry
(You'll always be in my heart, oh Mama don't you cry - don't you cry)
(You'll always live in my dreams) in my dreams (Oh Mama don't you cry)
Oh Mama don't you cry


Written by M. Matijevic
As perfromed by Steelheart

After The Break-Up

One day after the break-up. She returned all the stuffs she had borrowed. A book, a magazine, a CD, and what made me happy was I finally got my MP3 Player back.

But when I tried to turn it on..., Damn! The battery was empty. I had to recharge it first. But it meant that I had to wait until the day after it. It took 15 hours to recharge the battery. I think i will buy some pairs of new alkaline batteries as a reservation.

At least I could fulfill my MP3 player with my favorite MP3 tracks. Yupp, most of it are the tracks from the 80's and 90's decade. That's my favorite of course. I grew up around the 90's decade, so I always love the musics of the decade.

Well, back to my broken relationship. A think it's time to walk to tomorrow. Maybe sometimes later I will start a new relationship with someone new, whoever she is (she could be you reading this). I just hope it will be better than ever.

Goodbye...

Sometimes, there's a time you must say goodbye // Though it hurts you must learn to try
("Here In My Heart" by Tiffany)

Yes. I've made a decision. My relationship with a girl has just broken. I think it will be better for us. 5 years of relationship were filled with a lot of fights and disagreements. So it will be better to break-up. I thought I never really understood what she wanted, and she never understood the way I wanted.

I believe both of us will find a better person. So, goodbye girl. Don't cry and don't feel sad. I know it's hard for both of us. But I will always be a friend of yours. Thank you for the time we have spent together. I never will forget it.

Rencana...

Berhubung saya sudah terlalu sering melakukan posting blog dengan bahasa Indonesia maupun bahasa Inggris, saya berencana dalam beberap waktu ke depan membuat posting dengan menggunakan.... BAHASA JAWA.....

Ya, tak seharusnya saya melupakan bahasa Jawa. Bagaimanapun dari saya kecil, sekolah SD, SMP, SMU sampai kuliah, saya lebih banyak berkomunikasi menggunakan bahasa Jawa. so, tunggu aja posting saya selanjutnya.

Jelang Balap 2009

Jelang balap MotoGP 2009, tak ada salahnya melakukan sedikit prediksi atau bahkan ramalan. Well, prediksi saya tentang musim 2008 yang saya harapkan lebih seru, ternyata salah. Pasalnya saat balapan kurang 3 seri saja, Valentino “The Doctor” Rossi sudah memastikan gelar juara dunia. Para rookie macam Jorge Lorenzo dan Andrea Dovizioso memang sudah mulai panas, sayang masih terksesan kurang konsisten. Bagaimana dengan musim ini?

Rossi, Casey, dan Dani

Persaingan utama tampaknya masih bakal didominasi oleh tiga rider ini. Pertarungan antara sang juara bertahan, Valentino Rossi, runner-up musim lalu, Casey Stoner, dan juara ketiga Daniel “Dani” Pedrosa tampaknya tetap bakal jadi pertarungan utama.

Rossi yang musim lalu, sempat tidak diperhitungkan membuat kejutan dengan tampil konsisten. Mesin Yamaha yang ia pakai memang masih kalah bertenaga dibandingkan Ducati milik Stoner, namun ia berhasil menutupinya dengan skill yang luar biasa. Bagi saya, Rossi masih pembalap dengan skill terbaik saat ini.

Stoner yang sangat difavoritkan musim lalu, justru berulang kali ketiban sial. Jatuh dan jatuh saat ia justru berada di posisi terdepan. Akibatnya, The Doctor pun dengan leluasa mengambil alih posisinya. Itu masih diperparah kondisi tangannya yang sebenranya masih cedera dan baru dioperasi akhir tahun lalu. Tapi, kini tentu tangan tersebut sudah pulih dan rasanya ia sudah tentu siap untuk bertarung lagi. Apalagi mesin Ducati terbaru diyakini bakal lebih dahsyat lagi.

Bagaimana dengan Pedrosa? Saat latihan pra-musim 2008, ia sempat mengalami cedera akibat terjatuh. Akibatnya, ia tidak bisa menguji mesin baru (dengan katup pneumatis) Honda secara keseluruhan. Ia juga tak percaya sepenuhnya dengan hasil pengujian rekannya, Nicky Hayden. Dari awal hingga pertengahan musim, Pedrosa lebih memilih menggabungkan mesin lama (katup pegas) dengan rangka motor tahun 2008. Hasilnya, tidak mengecewakan. Ia menjadi pembalap paling konsisten selama separuh musim. Bahkan untuk pertama kalinya, dalam keikutsertaannya di kelas tertinggi, Pedrosa bisa memimpin klasemen sementara.

Sayang, Dani terjatuh saat seri Sachsenring, Jerman. Sesudah itu prestasinya jadi angin-anginan. Ia bahkan sempat absen saat seri Laguna Seca., AS. Hal ini masih diperparah buruknya performa ban Michelin yang ia pakai. Ia pun memilih berganti ban Bridgestone di seri-seri akhir. Di seri-seri akhir itu pula, ia resmi mengganti motornya dengan mesin baru dengan katup Pneumatis, sayang belum sepenuhnya sempurna. Kini kita tunggu, apakah Dani sanggup menyamai Alex Criville sebagai satu-satunya pembalap Spanyol yang bisa menjadi juara dunia di kelas tertinggi, sekaligus menyejajarkan dirinya dengan The Doctor sebagai pembalap yang bisa menjadi juara dunia di 3 kelas berbeda.

Sekarang, mesin penumatis Honda tampaknya lebih siap bersaing dengan Yamaha dan mesin desmodromic milik Ducati. Jadi kita tunggu pertarungan ketiganya musim ini.

Lorenzo dan Dovizioso

Pembalap lain yang harus diwaspadai oleh 3 pembalap terbaik musim lalu adalah Jorge Lorenzo dan Andrea Dovizioso. Lorenzo membuktikan kelasnya sebagai pembalap dengan kemampuan hebat dan juga pantang menyerah. Ingat, saat ia dibekap cedera, ia masih nekat ikut balapan meski saat turun dari motor harus dipapah dan naik kursi roda di atas podium. Didukung mesin Yamaha yang makin OK, Lorenzo bisa jadi ancaman tersendiri. Apalagi bukan rahasia kalau Lorenzo dikenal tidak akur dengan rekan senegaranya, Dani Pedrosa.

Nama Dovizioso juga tak bisa diremehkan. Musim lalu, ia hanyalah pembalap di tim satelit Honda, yang tentu saja fasilitasnya tak sebaik tim pabrikan. Namun, ia berhasil mengungguli prestasi pembalap tim inti yang juga mantan juara dunia 2006, Nicky Hayden. Musim ini, Dovi resmi digaet oleh Repsol Honda untuik mendampingi Dani Pedrosa. Dengan dukungan teknis dan mesin terbaik milik Honda, rasanya tidak mustahil Dovi meraih prestasi terbaik. Rasanya ingin saya melihat Dovizioso kembali berduel dengan musuh lamanya di kelas 250 cc, Lorenzo.

Nama lain

Nama lain yang patut dijadikan kuda hitam adalah Toni Elias, Sete Gibernau, Nicky Hayden, dan Loris Capirossi. Elias kembali ke tim lamanya, Honda Gresini di mana di situ dulu ia meraih prestasi terbaiknya. Sementara Hayden, kini mendampingi Stoner di Ducati. Juara dunia 2006 ini memang harus dilihat seberap cepat dia beradaptasi dengan motor barunya. Kalau ia sanggup beradaptasi dengan baik, bukan tidak mungkin ia kembali tampil konsisten dan kembali merebut gelar juara dari mantan rekan satu tim-nya di Repsol Honda tahun 2003, The Doctor.

Sementara itu pembalap veteran Sete Gibernau, kembali ke lintasan setelah tahun lalu memilih pensiun dan berada di belakng layar. Kenapa ia patut diperhitungkan? Ingat Gibernau adalah sosok dibalik pengembangan Ducati. Faktor pengalamannya juga tak diragukan lagi. Sekarang tinggal, kita lihat apakah “kutukan” yang pernah ditimpakan oleh Rossi masih manjur musim ini> Ingat juga di musim 2004, Rossi sempat menyumpahi Gibernau bahwa Gibernau tak akan menjuarai satu seri sama sekali.

Bagaiaman dengan Capirossi? Pembalap paling toku di MotoGP ini, tampaknya masih tanda tanya mengingat motor Suzuki-nya tak sebaik para pesaingnya.

Rookie

Dari sekian banyak rookie yang bertarung musim ini, layak disebut dua alumni 250 cc, Mika Kallio dan Yuki Takahashi. Sayang memang, Alvaro Bautista dan Marco Simoncelli, yang saya anggap dua pembalap terbaik di kelas 250 cc musim lalu masih harus bertarung di kelas 250 cc.

Kallio memang sempat memimpin klasemen sementara kelas 250 cc musim lalu. Ia dengan cerdik memanfaatkan keteledoran Bautista dan Simoncelli yang sering bersenggolan dan terjatuh. Sayang di seri-seri akhir, ia tampak angin-anginan. Ketika itu, faktor motor yang jadi penentunya. KTM miliknya kalah bersaing dengan Aprilia dan Gilera. Tapi kini, di kelas tertinggi, Kallio bergabung dengan tim satelit Ducati, di mana motor Ducati memang dikelnal dengan power yang luar biasa. Tinggal menunggu, apakah ia sanggup beradaptasi atau tidak.

Takahshi setali tiga uang dengan Kallio. Ia terlihat kurang konsisiten saat berlaga di kelas 250 cc dan bahkan lebih parah karena hanya sanggup bertarung di papan tengah. Mudah-mudahn saja kehadirannya untuk mengisi posisi Dovizioso bisa mendongkrak prestasinya.

DownThemAll

Sebelum saya memulai tulisan kali ini, ada satu hal yang perlu saya sampaikan. Tips yang saya sampaikan di bawah ini lebih saya tujukan untuk anda pengguna browser Mozilla Firefox.

Apakah anda termasuk suka berkelana di dunia maya? Suka mengunduh berkas-berkas berukuran lumayan besar?

Fasilitas download manager yang disediakan Firefox bagi saya terasa kurang cepat dan kadang berkas yang kita unduh (terutama yang berukuran di atas 1 MB). Sebagai alternatif, kita bisa menggunakan beberapa download accelarator seperti Internet Download Manager, Free Download Manager, atau Download Accelarator Plus.

Tapi saya tidak tahu apakah perangkat-lunak yang saya sebutkan di atas benar-benar free, dan juga yang saya sebutkan di atas hanya dapat digunakan di atas sistem operasi Windows. Lalu bagaimana dengan pengguna sistem operasi lainnya seperti Linux? Pertanyaan lainnya, bagaiman jika kita sedang menggunakan komputer di warnet tetapi, tidak ada satu komputer pun yang di dalamnya terinstall salah satu perangkat di atas?

Di atas sistem operasi Linux kita bisa saja menggunakan akselerator berbasis teks, yaitu wget, tetapi hal ini bukan solusi yang mudah bagi pengguna pemula. Ada solusi lain?

Untunglah di dunia open source terdapat begitu banyak solusi. Kini dengan add-ons bernama DownThemAll (DTA), kita bisa menggunakan download accelerator yang bahkan langsung terintegrasi ke dalam browser Firefox apapun sistem operasi yang anda pakai..

Instalasi DownThemAll (DTA)

Pertama, pastikan komputer yang anda pakai terhubung dengan internet (ya iyalah, masa mau download tapi ga tersambung ke internet??). Lalu, masuklah ke alamat berikut:

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/201

Pilih opsi Add to Firefox untuk mengunduh dan langsung menginstallnya di dalam komputer yang anda gunakan. Jika anda menggunakan komputer warnet, jangan kuair, instalasi DTA ini tidak memerlukan hak admin.

Setelah terinstall, lakukan restart browser Firefox.

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Lou Pearlman

Louis J. Pearlman adalah seorang yang dikenal karena mengangkat gerombolan boyband seperti Backstreet Boys, N Sync, O-Town, LFO, dan Natural. Anehnya hampir semua artis yang pernah diorbitkannya menuntutnya dengan tuduhan ia mengambil lebih banyak keuntungan dari si artis.

Tahun-tahun berikutnya, perusahaan yang ia dirikan, Trans Continental Records dinyatakan bangkrut. Upss, tunggu dulu. Ia juga diduga melakukan penipuan, penggelapan uang, dan pencucian uang, serta membuat laporan palsu untuk Trans Continental.

Yang menarik perhatian saya, bukan hanya itu. Setelah sempat buron, ia akhirnya ditangkap pada tanggal 14 Juni 2007. Dan tahukah anda di mana dia ditangkap? Ternyata dia ditangkap di Indonesia.

Songs of My LIfe (Part 3)

23. Until The End of Time – Foreigner

Another reunion album. Foreigner were back in 1995 with this single. I loved it (and am still lovin' it)

24. Always – Air Supply

Another romantic song from this Australian duo. Just listen to it.

25. Dreaming (Tell Me) – Yngwie J. Malmsteen's Rising Force

A ballad from Malmsteen/Turner era. The strangest thing is the title in the bracket. I still don't know why the title is “Tell Me”. There isn't any phrase “Tell Me” in the lyrics. None at all.

26. Close To You – Whigfield

A hit in 1994/1995 of a Danish singer who used to perform a pop-dance music. But not in this song.

27. Babe – Caught In The Act

Another song from the boyband era. This one was from Caught In The Act. An old STYX”s song. It was before the year 1999 when it was finally revealed, that their member, Elloy De Jong, had a special relationship with Stephen Gately of Boyzone.

28. All Out Of Love – Human Nature

Back to my year in Junior High School. This cover version of Air Supply's is the one I consider to be the best version of all (even if it is compared to the original Air Supply version).

29. Dearest – Ayumi Hamasaki

The track that introduced me to Ayumi. This one was the closing theme of Inuyasha. A few weeks after, I finally bought her album that featured this song.

30. Lea – Toto

I never had a crush on a girl named Lea. I just loved this song. It was on the first Toto's album to feature Joseph Williams on lead vocal. He sung it in a really different vocal style. It didn't sound like Joseph Williams at all. Some Toto's fans even didn't believe it was Joseph singing. They thought it was the writer, Steve Porcaro, singing it. Until Toto finally made a confirmation that it was Joseph's voice in it.

31. Always – Michael Kiske

If I had to choose the best rock singer of the world, I might choose Michael Kiske, a former Helloween's singer. He and also their drummer, Ingo Swichtenberg) were fired from the band after having a “war” with two other members. This on is from Kiske's solo album that was dedicated to the memory of Schwictenberg who finally committed a suicide by crashing his body to a running train.

32. Love Conquers All – Deep Purple

It was when Joe Lynn Turner came to Deep Purple to replace Ian Gillan. Turner was former Rainbow (which was also founded by Deep Purple's gutitarist at the time, Ritchie Blackmore) singer. Some fans disliked the album that featured this track, Slaves and Master cause I sounded more like Rainbow than Deep Purple. But I guess this ballad is beautiful.

33. Memories – Within Temptation

The song that made me fall in love to this Dutch band. A gothic rock band. Listen to the beautiful voice of Sharon Den Adel

34. Wish You Were Here – Blackmore's Night

I was wrong when I thought it was Within Temptation's. This was really a song from Blackmore's Night, a band founded by Ritchie Blackmore after leaving Deep Purple once again and disbanded Rainbow for the second time. The singer is Candice Night

35. We Could Be In Love – Brad Kane & Lea Salonga

A duet of an Australian and a Philippines singer. This brought my memories to my pre-teen age and also to some times ago in a village in Demak. This was the anthem of our team. Haha.

36. Take Me To Your Heart – Michael Learns To Rock

My favourite song from the album with the same name. This was originally a song from a Chinese singer/actor, Jackie Cheung (Chang Shieh Yu), entitled Farewell Kiss. Please differ him from Jackie Chan (Chen Lung). They're not the same.

37. Lady In Red – Chris De Burgh

I often heard this one on radio, but I still didn't know who the singer was. I finally found who is him when I bought a compilation album including this song.

38. Before The Dawn – Judas Priest

Until this day, this is the only rock ballad track that Judas Priest ever released. See and hear the different side of one the biggest heavy.metal band in the world.

39. I'm All About You – Aaron Carter

My favourite from Aaron Carter's. His voice is almost similar to his brother, Nick of the Backstreet Boys.

40. A View To A Kill – Duran Duran

The song for a James Bond Movie with the same title. This was the only James Bond's soundtrack to became number one in Billboard chart. I really love this song. Sadly, this was also the last time Duran Duran made a record with Roger Taylor on drums and Andy Taylor on guitars before reuniting in 2003.

41. The Living Daylights – A-ha

The next series of James Bond movie. This was written and performed by this trio from Norway, A-ha. Although it didn't reach the same success as Duran Duran's, I still love this one.

42. Elang – Dewa 19

One of the last tracks to be recorded by Dewa 19 with Ari Lasso on vocal. I prefer this version with Ari than the new recorded version with Once on vocal. This could be my favourite from Ari Lasso's era. It was the first track to feature Tyo Nugros on Drums.

43. Wo Nan Kuo (I'm Sad) – 5566

A song from a Taiwanese boyband. I didn't even know why I loved this one. :).

44. Stay The Night – Chicago

Taken from the last Chicago's album to feature Peter Cetera's voice. I hate it when I heard Jason Scheff singing this. It's so bad.

45. Rosanna – Toto

A song about three girls. But David Paich, the writer, chose to “steal” Rosanna Arquette's name to be the title. It was included from Toto's biggest and best record of all time, Toto IV. This was the last time David Hungate ever recorded an album with Toto. He left before the release of the album and was then replaced by Mike Porcaro. I often played this song on my computer time after time. And my cousins began to love it too.

45. Will You Still Love Me – Chicago

The first Chicago's single that introduced Jason Scheff as their new bassist and singer (replacing Peter Cetera). I love his soft voice on this song. But, truly, I hate him when he sang some Cetera's song.

46. Faithfully – Journey

A classic from Journey. This was unusually witten solely by their keyboardist, Jonathan Cain (most of their hits were written by Steve Perry and Cain). Hear another beautiful soaring voice from Steve Perry.

47. Risalah Hati – Dewa

This was my favourite from “Bintang Lima” album. It was the first album to feature Elfonda Mekel aka Once on vocal. I also the story of the video. I didn't know who was the video star that time Until some years later I watched the video again, then I knew who he is. Yes, He is Indra Birowo. Yeah, he was not a famous star at the time.

48. You Come To My Senses – Chicago

This was another favourite from Jason Scheff era in Chicago.

49. This Night Is Gonna Last Forever – MSG

MSG's album was the very first album I ever bought. It was when Michael Schenker (formerly of Scorpions) was joined by Robin McAuley. He then changed his band name from Michael Schenker Group to McAuley Schenker Group. This track is still my most favourite among the others. The unique thing is that this track wasn't written by any members of MSG.

50. Satu – Dewa 19

This double-meaning lyrics song is my most favourite of Dewa 19's. It talked about love. But, I believed it was more meant to be the love from human for The Creator than a love from man to woman.

51. Untukmu Ibu – Exist

To close this session, I'd like to choose this ballad from a Malaysian band, Exist. My tears always drop everytime I listen to this. It really depicted what happened to my mother and always makes me remember her.

Songs of My Life (Part 2)

13. Words - Boyzone

It was my last year on Junior High School. Almost everyone at school were mad of this first number one of Boyzone.

14. As Long As You Love Me - Backstreet Boys

This was a hit when I entered Senior High School.

15. If I Let You Go -Westlife

My years on Senior High School had become a boyband era. This was may favourites on Westlife's first album

16. When You Love A Woman - Journey

Steve Perry is one of my favourite singer. This one is from the Journey's reunion album, Trial By Fire. Ironically, this album was their last record to feature Perry on vocal and Steve Smith on Drums.

17. My Love - Westlife

The song that fulfilled my first days on college. Taken from their Coast To Coast album. I bought it on the first week of its release.

18. Shape of My Heart - Backstreet Boys

Another song of my first days on college. Backstreet Boys is still my favourite boyband to this day.

19. Prisoner of Your Love - Yngwie Malmsteen

It was on The Seventh Sign album, which becomes my favourite album of Yngwie Malmsteen. There were nice voice of Mike Vescera and great drumming of Mike Terrana. The lyrics of this beautuful rock ballad were written by Malmsteen's former wife, Amberdawn.

20. Too Much Heaven - Jordan Hill

An old hits of the Bee Gees. I loved this cover version by Jordan Hill

21. Mama Don't You Cry - Steelheart

Once again, I'd like to dedicate it to my deceased mother. Although I can't say it face to face now. I miss you and I'll always be loving you, Mom

22. A Perfect Day - Duran Duran

From their album, Thank You. This time they were reunited with th originl drummer, Roger Taylor.

Songs of My Life (Part 1)

These songs have been parts of my life. Some reall ya had a special menaing. Some always takes back my memories to somewhere in time. Some are just my favourites

1. Goodbye – Air Supply

It was the video I watched (the last part of it) on the hospital TV. That day, August 15^th ,1993, was the last day I ever saw my mother. I never thought, it was a sign of her forever leave. Four days later she passed away. Leaving all she loved and all who'd always be loving her.

2. Save Our Love – Yngwie Malmsteen

The song that introduced me to Yngwie Malmsteen. Ever since that day I'd always be loving his guitar playing.

3. Black Or White – Michael Jackson

I was impressed by the video. It used a technology in the making of the video which I never saw before. It was also the song that introduced me to western music.

4. Without You – Air Supply

A cover version of Harry Nilson song. It was I heard it for the first time from a cassete bought by my aunt. Not the original one actually, but when I finally listened to the original song of Air Supply, I really loved it. Thanks to this both Russels.

5. The Actor – Michael Learns To Rock

It was the track that introduced Michael Learns To Rock to Asia (of course because it was also their first single ever). The funny thing about it was that I didn't know MLTR was a band's name. I thought it was the singer's name. This one is my favourite still. Although I prefer to listen to the remixed version of it (which appeared on the Strange Foreign Beauty).

6. Tears In Heaven – Eric Clapton

A song about his deceased child. I can still feel the sadness around it.

7. Do You Dream of Me – Michael W. Smith

Actually Michael W. Smith is well-known as a Christian Singer. Ya know what I mean? But there were also some secular song of him. This is one of them. A beautiful romantic song from Smith.

8. Lady of Dreams – Kitaro Feat. Jon Anderson

An almost anthemic rock ballads from Kitaro, a Japanese musician and composer. This time he collaborated with Jon Anderson (lead singer of YES). Although it strayed from his musical style, but this was my first favourite of Kitaro's music.

9. Come Undone – Duran Duran

I couldn't believe my ear when I listened to it. I couldn't believe it was a Duran Duran's song, cause it was so different from their previous single, Ordinary World. Anyway, I loved it.

10. Babe – Take That

It wasn't the hit that introduced me to Take That. It was included on their Everything Changes album (which also included the single Pray), but I heard it some times later after their Nobody Else album was released. A beautiful ballad which unusually featured Mark Owen on lead singer (Gary Barlow usually did the lead singing).

11. Strange Foreign Beauty - Michael Learns To Rock

I once had a crush on a girl (sorry, I can't mention her name here). But all I ever did was keepin' it in my heart. Yes, I had a secret love. I guessed the lyrics of the song really depicted what happened between us.

Strange Foreign Beauty/You'll never know what I felt for you/....

12. A Secret Love - Toto

As I have told you, once again is about a secret love. This one was sung by Toto's former keyboardist, Steve Porcaro.

Touch Your Heart

Maybe you'll never know the way I feel

Never even know if it is for real

Maybe I'll never even understand

The way I wanna shake your hands

Maybe you never even see me

Nor even see the person I wanna be

And maybe I can never show

All the things I need you to know

All I can do is only hope and pray

Make a wish every night and day

That I can be your light in the dark

Than you'll let me touch your heart

Maybe I can never get closer to you

Even though I really wanna do

Maybe I can only watch you smile

But it's only for a while

All I wanna do is to be near you

Be your only one and to be true

Cause it hurts when we're apart

Now let me touch your heart

I'll let you know what's on my mind

Your picture keeps roaming time after time

Your voice keeps sounding in my ear

If only you could be near

All I can do is only hope and pray

Make a wish every night and day

That I can be your light in the dark

Than you'll let me touch your heart

And all I wanna do is to be near you

Be your only one that can be true

Cause it hurts when we're apart

Would you just let me touch your heart

Words by Alvin Ace G.

Dedicated to 7.4.9. (hayo sapa..?)

© 2009 New Destination Publishing