Cucumis

Cucumis is a watermelon for all language lovers, especially for those who like doing translation or who wish to get help in translation.

How does it work?
No money term at all.
You only have to register as its member.
You need points to submit a text to be translated.
You can get points by doing translation.
What if no one needs the translation of your language, or if your language is on weak demand?
Well, you can still earn points by spreading Cucumis to anyone, like what I'm doing now..ehem.. ;-)

So I would thank you in advance if you join Cucumis through my Cucumis.

Other than that translation stuff, this site also provides a place for finding some language exchange partners, for learning, for searching job offers, and/ or for exposing your project to community so to get help in translation.

Six-words Memoir Contest

Don't we like competition?
Even if we couldn't win, the waiting, the wishing, and the feeling is somewhat exciting and worth to experience. I learnt this from Leet.

So here it is....
Smithmag has team up with Twitter and set up something juicy.
They're waiting for short story comprising 6 words.
Yes SIX words only, so don't waste your fingers energy.
If they find your words top all the contestants' words, then wash your hands, clean your ears, and prepare yourself for a new iPod !

Here's the email I received from Twitter this morning:

Hello Twitter-ers!
This email comes with a special treat from Twitter and Smith
Magazine: The Six-Word Memoir Challenge! Twitter your own memoir
in exactly six words and you could win a free iPod!
HOW TO ENTER
1. Make smithmag a friend: http://twitter.com/smithmag
2. Preface your six-word entry with "smithmag" like this:
smithmag He wore dresses. This caused messes.

ABOUT THE SIX-WORD MEMOIR CHALLENGE
Legend has it that Ernest Hemingway was once challenged to write a
story in six words. The result was "For sale: baby shoes, never
used." More recently, Wired Magazine revived the challenge and
author Margaret Atwood came up with this short but funny beauty:
"Longed for him. Got him. Shit."

We realize November is National Novel Writing Month but 50,000
words in 30 days? That seems heavy considering genius may surface
in just six words. The folks over at Smith Magazine think everyone
has a story and they want to reward you for yours.
For more information visit: Smithmag

Here are some witty 6-Words stories for ideas:

Failed SAT. Lost scholarship. Invented rocket.
- William Shatner
Longed for him. Got him. Shit.
- Margaret Atwood
Wasted day. Wasted life. Dessert, please.
- Steven Meretzky
We kissed. She melted. Mop please!
- James Patrick Kelly

Too bad I'm not the one who invented them!
Go..go..twitter for an iPod --> is it qualified?? :-D

I Love You

Isn't he full of love?
For me killing dog is like diminishing love from this world!!
Stop cruelty against our earth angels.
Don't eat, kill, skin Dr. Eddie and his friends!

Sign the petition please.
Tell eBAY to stop allowing the Sale of Dog Fur, Live Dogs and Cats, in China.

China's long history of animal abuse, including the recent slaughtering of 50,000 dogs (many of whom were considered "pets") and other appalling atrocities, such as skinning conscious dogs and cats for their fur (which is then exported to the West, where it is illegal in many places), is allowed to continue because China has no animal protection laws. In China's live-animal markets, many animals, including cats and dogs, are crammed into wire cages with no room to move. It's outrageous that even after reviewing photos and video footage of the plight of dogs and cats in China, eBay still refuses to prohibit the sale of these animals on its Chinese Web site. Sellers post items openly advertised as dog fur, which is not just terribly cruel but also in violation of American federal law.

I urge you to do the right thing and stop facilitating the suffering, torture, and death of animals by ending eBay's sale of cats and dogs in China.

Thank you.

Some small number of people in Indonesian also eat dog :-(((

Internet Companion

There are already some radios in internet world, but I like musicovery - an interactive webradio- most currently. It has clean, simple but very nice interactive interface.
It's easy to operate, just pick music genre, set period of year, mood, hit/ non hit, danceable or not and sound quality.

All those choices then will appear on the right panel as a map of song titles, each song has colour depends on its genre. The radio then will play continuously from one song to another based on that map.
It's become my new internet companion now.

...Andrea Bocelli...Con te partiro...Lenny Kravitz...I belong to you...Luigi Boccherini...Quintette cordes, op 115: minuetto...Verve...Bitter Sweet Symphony...

Busy Bushiness

GWB, the president of the United State is coming to Indonesia.
Since some weeks ago Bush has been making some people very busy, i.e. the Indonesia presidential and governmental people, the security people and of course those protesters.

Timun (means cucumber), my favourite Indonesia comic strips, depicts the frenzies of Bush' pre-arrival in Indonesia.


Some clues to understand the strips:

Debush
It's actually spelled Debus.
Debus is a supernatural ritual that makes anyone under magic spell becomes invulnerable that then enables the person to eat for instance shattered glasses.
There on the strips the man is showering himself with quicksilver :-D

Gambush
It's actually spelled 'Gambus.'
A music genre with Arabic influence.

Bushana
Originally spelled 'busana'. Means 'outfit'.

Rebush
Orinally spelled 'rebus'. Means 'boiled' or 'stewed'.
'Mie rebus' means 'Stewed Noodle'.

Bushyet
Originally spelled 'buset.' Means 'gosh', an exclamation.

Indonesia is very bushy now, I mean busy!

The Guest

Yesterday morning I spot a stranded butterfly perched on my bathroom wall.
I thought it would find its way out soon or later.
I was wrong.
This morning when I entered the bathroom I was happy to see the empty wall, until I spot it on the ceiling.

There's a superstitious believe in my country that butterfly in a house is an omen of guest coming to that house.
That will be a good-looking guest then, since the butterfly was good-looking ;-)

The butterfly is safe now, after my sister came and rescued it.

Future Generation

Here are my cute niece, Lulu, 2,5 years and my gorgeous nephew, Rabin, 6 months.
They look alike, though they have different parents. Their fathers are my elder brothers.
Here are the clues:
Rabin's pics are only two, "save our forest" and "pace"
A pic of Lulu when she's 6 months "Save Mother Earth."
Then the rest are Lulu's.


Picture display by PictureTrail

Proofreading

My best friend asked me to proofread her email to one important person she used to deal with when she still worked in her ex-company. This person is a big boss of some companies and has been trying to recruit her, but his offers don't attract her.
Of course though she has to refuse those offers, it's necessary to be polite, cos she doesn't want to lose her link to a big fish ;-)

To make it short, here's her email part that made me laugh:

I have been trying to reach you but no luck, therefore before far too late with so many excuses, I hope it is appropriate if I deliver the massage by email.

MASSAGE??
I sms-ed her instantly asking what kind of job he's been offering her, sounds kinky.
And she still fails to spot the mistake! Well, at least she's saved from embarrassment.

Quirky

From one friendly site,

Hey my name is **** ,i come from ireland and im 19 im here to sell my wife, maybe we can arrive at some deal, you give me 11 camels and i give you the wife. Sounds fair eh?
I'm looking preferably for some1 to speak German with over Voice chat, i have enough typing done and i need some speaking practise. And please don't be ignorant if i send you an email please at least reply. My MSN ******@hotmail.com

Good ad? Ridiculous but it's a laugh booster :-D

Oohh...and thanks Phydeaux3 for informing me about the good news concerning d2B. You're a charm for bloggers ;-)

Rare Tour

Google took me to Asia Pundit where I (sorry) could not help but to laugh at the picture of a man posing in front of Corby's cell.
It's unbelievable.
Wonder how could that happened?
Photoshoped picture?
I ran a search on blogger about that tour, and the comments I read on Baliblog also made me laugh.

James | March 18th, 2006 at 12:49 am
What are you talking about? His website is incredibly cruel. It's about as tasteful as gathering a crowd to watch a public torture and having a good giggle over it.
You lot are a strange bunch. I don't understand your lack of compassion.

BillyBoy | March 20th, 2006 at 2:01 pm
James - you don't get a giggle out of that sort of thing????? Well I won't include you on my invite list to Saudi later this year.

James Bond | March 22nd, 2006 at 7:17 am
I dont know what to say.

The link of that rare insensitive tour can be found on Asia Pundit or Baliblog.

Uncommon Courtesy

I was lounging alone in a steam room of a club.
It's nice to have it empty cos sometimes there're many people at the same time. The amenity broke up as a girl came in and sat across me.
"Hello," nodding her head to me and smiled widely.
I smiled and helloed-back.

Hmm..what a nice and friendly person, I thought.
Not only that, she also passed the good-looking criteria.
Then another girl came in, silently as most of people here will do.
She sat and covered her head and face with towel.

According to Reader's Digest World of Courtesy Survey, Jakarta people have the low rank of politeness, but still topping the people of Taipei, Moscow, Singapore, Seoul, Kuala Lumpur, Bucharest and Mumbai.
I also read in that magazine, that people in Jakarta are likely unwilling to greet or smile to fellow passengers on elevator.

I remembered that survey, this girl had to be an exception.
But, then suddenly that nice, good-looking, and polite girl became a history when she bow down and....

"howekkk.....chuuuhh...." - an onomatopoeia of spitting phlegm.

And that's what she did, spitting on the floor of the humid steam room!
Disbelieving and speechless, I checked the other girl, but she seemed to be too isolated by her towel and remained motionless.

Not me, I decided to leave straight off.