Birthday celebration at Sand's ...

June 7th, 2009, my friends and I celebrated together our birthday at Sand's, Mangga 2 Square. It was the birthday celebration of 7 of us: Ms Dian (absent), Cu Hong (organizer), Markiano, Hartaty, Ms. Dian (absent), Leonie, Melissa, and me. Among those coming are Lina, Since, Amelia, and of course Cu Hong's wife and some of our family. Nani was going overseas, while Mr. Andy was celebrating his son's birthday on the same day.

Anyway, I think the food was tasty! The music was damn COOL. The karaoke was wonderful! 2 thumbs up, especially with the big discount from Sand's for June 2009 promotion with still best services.

A reunion with Batch 1996 SMAK 1 Jakarta in Urban Kitchen, Pacific Place, May 2009

Next are two photos sir took from Agus Dwireka's facebook on SMAK 1 Batch 1996 PRE-reunion in Country Kitchen last May 2009. Wow! Some have already had babies, and I haven't! Poor sir. Ha ha ha ... on the right picture, smiling widely on the foreground is Ms. Wati, the Indonesian language teacher, also one of my best colleagues at SMAK 1.

Thanks to Henny for the source of the other photos (requiring a facebook login account) is:
http://www.facebook%20.com/home.%20php?#/album.

BTW, I've just updated Brilliant Class website, with another PRESTIGIOUS achievement, this time in Math, in University of Indonesia, sweeping all 4 top medals for LOGIKA individual events. Click: http://www.bpkpenabur.or.id/en/school/smakgsjkt

School Climate Challenge projects (a May 2009 review)

Next is my review on beginning of May 2009 on the four projects done by 4 teams of SMAK 1 BPK PENABUR Bandung. The environmental-themed projects, called School Climate Challenge (SCC) was initiated by the British Council Indonesia. Deadline: today, June 7th, 2009.
Also find in my REVIEW for the 4 projects put into blogs/website for much more complete articles and updates, including WOW! comics, youtube video links on global warming and facebook links:
http://www.bpkpenabur.or.id/en/node/4941
The SCC blogs of British Council Indonesia:
http://schoolclimatechallenge.wordpress.com

REVIEW
The British Council Indonesia, in collaboration with Ashoka Foundation, National Geographic and Pandu Pertiwi, held an environmental project called the Climate Challenge for high school students nationwide. Their website is, respectively, www.britishcouncil.or.id, www.ashoka.or.id, http://nationalgeographic.co.id/ and http://www.caretakers4all.org/.

Since February 2009, the British Council Indonesia has also launched their blogs at http://schoolclimatechallenge.wordpress.com/ and their facebook at
http://www.facebook.com/people/Scc-Indonesia/1531114087. Two of the noble purposes include involving the teenagers—1/3 of the Indonesian population below the age of 18—to take an active role to save the earth and giving the community an economic benefit as resulted by the teenagers’ actions.
The four teams have sent their application form and their proposed projects. Team A and B are supervised by Mr. Teguh Santoso (English teacher), team C by Mr. Hanky Purnama, and team D by Ms. Anna Mey Hasian Sinaga (Geography teacher). In mid-February 2009, the British Council Indonesia committee sent the email, informing the four teams of BPK PENABUR Bandung have been approved to continue their project until early June 2009. Since then, necessary steps have been taken, such as some briefing by the teachers, some data-collecting, an interview (and one coming interview with one of the British Council Indonesia partners above) as well as frequent text messaging (sms) to encourage each other about these wonderful efforts to help save and protect the mother earth, particularly from the global warming and the climate change.1

What have SMAK 1 BPK PENABUR Bandung teams done so far? You can click at http://www.bpkpenabur.or.id/en/node/4941, in which on April 28, 2009, the four blogs/website have existed, namely:

Team A (Brigita, Erlangga, Hizkia, Michael)
http://teenforgreen.blogspot.com/

Team B (Andi, Ben, David and Stephen)
http://forest-mywaymyworld.blogspot.com/
English version
http://english-mywaymyworld.blogspot.com/

Team C (Osgar, Daniel, Merry and Johnny)
http://www.freshearth.webs.com/

Team D (Erlina, Queency, Rolamjaya, Stephanie)
http://paper-saver.blogspot.com

It is interesting to take a look at the contributions made by the four teams. For instance, team A defines what global warming is at http://teenforgreen.blogspot.com/2009/04/definisi-global-warming.html, and suggests the use of the biodegradable matter and avoid, among others, the overuse of plastic bottles, which can last for 70-450 years to be degraded! Wow! Therefore, minimize the use of plastic bottle and (supermarket) bag, and if possible, use the recyclable/ eco-friendly paper bag. Team A further explains about the use of air-conditioning (A.C.) substance, called freon. Some are hazardous to the ozone, some other types are eco-friendly. Click: http://teenforgreen.blogspot.com/2009/04/freon-ramah-lingkungan.html. Hopefully, they have got time after the pre-Final exam to hold some mini research on SMAK 1 students’ use of A.C. in both their house and cars.

Comic from team B, on the other hand, provides great illustration and articles, though it was started in May 2009, after long meditation. It’s a joke, of course. Please browse here: http://forest-mywaymyworld.blogspot.com/2009/05/update-comic.html. It supports the awareness of minimizing the leak of the planetary air. One wonderful thing is that at this team B’s posting of May 9, 2009, they took part of it from Scientific America May 2009, and provided the Indonesian translation for broader range of readers. An exclusive interview with Principal Ms. Boniwidiati Bunjamin revealed the school support for the paper saving as well as the electricity saving until the coming 1,000 tree plantation. See: http://forest-mywaymyworld.blogspot.com/2009/05/interview-with-smak-1-bpk-bandung.html. Team B even went further to elaborate the importance of the reefs to the global warming.

Team C tried to present some tips on helping to reduce the threat of global warming, such as some efficient use of paper, and electricity, a bit similar to those in team A, and suggests a come back of using a handkerchief, instead of spending tissues processed from trees. This way, more and more trees are not cut, and of course, become the earth’s giant lungs. In http://www.freshearth.webs.com/ there is a shocking figure, i.e. the leak pipe of water may spend 200 gallons of water a day at home.

Finally, team D attempted to create a polling of their own on how much paper one used. They also warned us of the threat to humanity as taken from a source http://www.austrianinformation.org/volume-59-julyaugust-2006/2006/9/15/climate-change-a-threat-to-humanity.html. It is such a relief that the teenagers, like those in team D, avoided plagiarism on the environmental article by quoting the source.

Well, June 7th is the end of the competition period. What can you do for those teams, readers? Why don’t you drop by their blogs, and website, and leave some supportive comments in them. Wish the SMAK 1 BPK PENABUR Bandung students to do their best, not for the sake of getting nominated for the top environmental projects, of course, but also for the noble purposes of saving our beloved land. Our Earth!

Teguh Santoso
A Year X (regular class)
Year 11 (accelerated class)
and Year XII CIP English teacher
SMAK 1 BPK PENABUR Bandung (2008/2009)
Blogs: http://sirteguh.blogspot.com

Being a webmaster ....

Hi, just a brief notice.
Please drop by 4 school websites I'm handling at:
1. SMPK 7 PENABUR Jakarta
http://www.bpkpenabur.or.id/en/school/smpk7jkt
2. SMAK PENABUR Gading Serpong
http://www.bpkpenabur.or.id/en/school/smakgsjkt
3. SMAK 1 BPK PENABUR Bandung
http://www.bpkpenabur.or.id/en/school/smak1bdg
http://www.smak1bpkpenaburbandung.or.id

Some items of the updated news include:
a. teacher training for SMPK PENABUR Jakarta I helped to organize
with ITB and Parahyangan Univ. Bandung doctors/professors, May 25-29, 2009;
b. Singapore Mathematical Olympiad, June 2-3, 2009,
joined by 18 Indonesian students--9 of whom come from
SMAK PENABUR Gading Serpong; and
c. International Mathematics Olympiad (IMO) joined by 3 students
of BPK PENABUR Indonesia1 from Bandung and 2 from Jakarta.
d. Seminar on Bilingualism with a bilingual education expert,
Ms. Jan Edwards Dormer held by BPK PENABUR Bandung, June 9-10, 2009

Brilliant Class Year 10 exam (ESL) this morning

Hi, guys! What a relief, learning you were able to do the exam tasks in 2 hours this morning. Attached is the 2-page exam tasks, while the 1-page Jakarta Post article and the 5-page Asterix and Obelix comic (black and white) have been handed out. Enjoy! ;)

Next is the copied version of the exam document. My apology for the inconvenient format of the test due to the incapability of the blogs to have an attachment.

SMAK PENABUR Gading Serpong
Academic Year 2008/2009
1st SemesterBrilliant Class Year 10 FINAL EXAM
ENGLISH Language (ESL)
Tuesday, May 26th, 2009 / 120 minutes

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS:
1. There should be an 8-page document, including the 5-page comic of Asterix and Obelix.
2. There are 5 tasks: 3 on writing, 2 on reading and vocabulary worth 30% of the total semester mark.
3. All the writing should be done on the other side of the first 2 pages. You may take home the comic.

WRITING
A. Complete the following FORMAL letter with an appropriate content and style. You are writing a letter to the Director of the Jakarta International School to arrange for a joint swimming competition for students. You should include the purposes, the possible date, your contact number/email, and a humble closing paragraph (20 points).

Kelapa Gading Barat Raya Rd.
Tangerang, Banten

……………., ………………………………. (1 point)

………………………………………………
…………………………………………….. (2 points)

Dear ………………………………….., (1 point)

My name is ………………………………………,
a student of ……………………………………………… (1 point)
Through your website http://www.jisedu.org/ and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jakarta_International_School,
I read about the swimming lesson and facilities and wonder if …………………………………………………………………… (2 points)

To us, swimming has at least two purposes. First, ……………
…………………………………………………………………………………… (2 points)
…………., we love swimming because ………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………… (2 points)


Therefore, we wonder if we …………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………… (2 points)
I could be reached at …………………………………………………… (2 points)


…………………………………………………………………………………… (2 points)
and we are looking forward to ……………………………………… (1 point)


……………… Yours, (1 point)

…………………………………. (1 point)


B. On the other side of the paper, write around 100-word experience
of EITHER ONE of these 2 topics:
1. My Last Easter Holidays
2. One Unforgettable Evening in My Class
(10 points)


C. ERROR ANALYSIS (10 points)
Correct the italicized word(s) based on its grammatical errors.
CORRECTION
1. I would like to join pet community because I could meet
other people who loves animals. ……………….
2. And on May, I will follow the final test and will graduate in June. ………………
3. We went to the nearest lake every week and to the sea once a month. ………………
4. I am so interested to reading your “magic home stay” advertisement. ………………

5. Yesterday I was read your advertisement
on the flyer for searching talented swimmers. ………………
6. I could improve my skill on swimming. ………………
7. US official believed that the intruder appear
to have originated from China. ………………
8. This inspiring story tell us ………………
about 12-years-old boys ………………
who saved his father live. ………………

READING and VOCABULARY
A. Reading and Vocabulary
1. Complete the text below by writing the vocabulary in the list into the blanks. (10 points)
A synonym/definition of the vocabulary is supplied in the parentheses behind each blank.
Each vocabulary can be used only ONCE.

NOUN VERB ADJECTIVE
Spotlight Revive Passionate
Hostility Achieve Partial
Precedent Encourage Innovative
Mediation

Indonesia and Singapore were reported to have a high ……………………… (=enmity) over the Batam island. The news has caused a ……………………… (=incomplete) diplomatic disturbance, and become a(n) ……………………… (=glare) on TV and websites. It ……………………… (=brought back) the memories of some conflicts on a different island before.
Some people are so ……………………… (=obsessive) about it, so the rumour has topped in most Indonesian media. Even a billionaire has offered a(n) ……………………… (=negotiation) because of the interest in his import-export business. He has failed to ……………………… (=reach) his efforts as the news turned out to be a hoax! False information. It was created to find out about people’s opinion on the two countries’ international relations. Do you think it was a(n) ……………………… (=creative) way, or a destructive ……………………… (=example)?


2. Read the attached article of “American Space Tourist Buys Return Ticket to Orbit” (page 3) partly taken from:
http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2009/03/24/american-space-tourist-buys-return-ticket-orbit.html until the sentence "... He will return to Earth on April 7 in a Soyuz capsule."

Answer the questions below. (20 points)
1. Who was the American space tourist in the title?
2. What is his profession?
3. How many times has that person travelled to outer space?
4. How much has he paid for the two space vacations altogether ?
5. Has he become the oldest person to fly in space? Explain.

6. Why won’t Russia receive any space tourist starting in 2010?
7. What date did Simony go to the outer space for the 1st time?
8. What date will Simonyi go to the outer space again?
9. How old was Simony at his first outer space travel?
10. Why did Simony take only half the training period on his 2nd travel?


B. READING (30 points)
*Read the 5-page comic of Asterix and Obelix.
Retell the partial story in around 100 words on the other side of the paper. Do not copy the dialogue, please.

END of EXAM

= = = = =
*The 5-page comic in the exam here is the continuation of the previous 5-page comic task, as can be seen here at:
http://sirteguh.blogspot.com/2009/05/year-10-comics-summary-asterix-and.html
Also see my comments and correction in the last two postings 2 days before this exam was conducted.

Year 10: Comics summary (Asterix and Obelix: The Legionary)

For Year 10, please post yesterday's 1-hour assignment of summarizing comics, an Asterix and Obelix series, titled "The Legionary", pp. 4-13 into around 200 words.

Grading criteria:
1. Plots
2. Language use: grammar, spelling
3. Originality--hardly any copy of the text in the dialogue boxes
4. Extra images (from google/ website) no more than 2, please,
add a special point.

Deadline: Monday, May 18, 2009.

1-week assignment for both Year 10 & 11

Hi, guys, thanks for the bunches of assignment. Wow! It's going to keep me 2 weeks of checking, phew! Well, now here is the 1-week assignment as I am not teaching you next Tue., May 5, 2009.
Deadline:
Wednesday, May 13,2009 (Year 10)
Deadline: Thursday, May 14,2009 (Year 11)
due to Cambridge Math Paper 1 Exam on May 13

1. Year 10: From what I am sharing you today
about a novel review today,
and based on the Penguin series book
you've borrowed:
a. Write a 200-word review on the PLOTS.
b. Pick one protagonist OR one antagonist
and review their character in around 100 words.

2. Year 11: Summary on 2 articles of the magazines (online/
found in the library) with around 150 words/each summary.
You may find the online link of the magazines from:

a. ONE news item from either
http://www.sciam.com/sciammag/ (Scientific America)
OR http://online.wsj.com/ (Wall Street Journal)

b. One article from either
http://www.rd.com/ (Reader's Digest),
OR http://www.ngm.com/ (National Geographic Magazine)

Please include the complete/exact LINK of the article, please.

Thanks, guys!

Year 10: 2 assignments of WRITING a formal letter & SUMMARIZING news/a magazine article

Dear Brilliant Class Year 10,
Welcome again to my class, including those 9 students, having joined Olympiad selection, and its preparation early last week.

There are 2 assignments to do to be put in the comment box of this posting:
1. Write a formal letter based on the task on a copy of Alison Digger's IGCSE page 120.
Modified task: reply to an advertisement on your joining a singing group, OR
a swimming team, OR having a pet from a club, OR whatever topic interests you.
Don't forget to include your reason, what interests you, and what you are going to do with it
(deadline: Friday, April 24, 2009).

2. Summarize only ONE article of the three online magazines below
into around 100 words:
a. Any article from http://www.rd.com/ (Reader's Digest)
b. Any article from http://www.ngm.com/ (National Geographic Magazine)
c. Any news from http://online.wsj.com/ (Wall Street Journal)

For point 2:
Please copy and paste the LINK/ web address for references
(deadline: Monday, April 27, 2009).

P.S. Happy swimming this afternoon at the Sports Club!

Love,
SIR

2009 Easter celebration ... a brief reflection

Yesterday the Easter celebration for BPK PENABUR Jakarta teachers took place in Kelapa Gading. 2 reflections I gained from the BPK PENABUR secretariat drama related to
choosing your own cross (read: burden), and the sermon delivered by Rev. Arliyanto Larose are:
1. Drama: Never give up to the cross you have chosen, or God has chosen for you. One has certain responsibilities to take with, and never be afraid.
2. Sermon: Services to others, in this case to my students, must not be done half-heartedly. Through God's resurrection, we are reminded to serve without limit. Of course, serving others, as said, should consider contexts to avoid destructive effects.

Well, those two strong messages, I guess, have revived and recharged my spirit.

Amen.

Year 11: Wall Street Journal article on BIOTECH or ... alternative to summary: TRAVISHUNT Bio. website

DearEST my beloved Year 11 students,

Still remember your March 31st homework on
summarizing a Biotech article from a Wall Street Journal,
March 27-29, 2009? If you lose your photocopy, here is the online version:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123809943944451143.html

It was a 2-week-ago homework, eh? Come on ... elephants never forget!
It's a proverb, okaaaay? Not literally offending my own body, for goodness!

OR, if you do not want to summarize the long article of biotech,
you had better do the REAL BIOLOGY web,
try ANY 2 exercises here, then submit the answers to me.

The *website is:
http://www.quia.com/pages/travishunt.html

Please include THE EXACT LINK of the 2 (TWO) exercises
and the answers (after you try it, of course, ho ho ho). Deadline
of EITHER the Wall Street Journal summary
OR the answers to the 2 Travis Hunt
exercises ---> Friday, April 17, 2009. Post your answers in
this COMMENT BOX ....

Am I not so kind and sweet?
I know you're facing your 1st hurdle/ toughest step for
Olympiad selection this Wednesday, April 15, 2009. Good LUCK!


*I once gave it to SMAK 1 PENABUR Jakarta student,
Ferdy, and he went to the top 17 students for IBO (Olympiad)
of the Indonesian team.

Love,

SIR

SMAK 3 (Jakarta)'s SCIENCE media

Try this, guys: http://www.e-smak3.net/resources/media
It's SMAK 3 PENABUR Jakarta's resources. Activate/ download Java Applet.

Please comment what you think of our fellow SMAK 3 e-learning. Complete:
http://www.e-smak3.net How's Leonard's simple Science blogs?
Thanks for your Math postings, Leo. Others?

SIR

Good Friday and Easter period

After the lent period (40 days of fasting) started with Ash Wednesday, here came three moments in conjunction with Easter: Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter, with surely preceded by the Palm Sunday last week. Click for what the events are at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holy_Week_in_Malta.

Anway, I went to church on Maundy Thursday (Indonesian: Kamis Putih) at 10p.m. in a chill cold (now) air-con St. John's church (Melawai). Though my choir, CAVIDO took part, I observed from a distance. They looked damn smashing in their white uniforms. The sermon reminded us that Easter in the olden days means "transition/movement" from Egypt to the promised land, Kanaan, and so was our life journey.

Yesterday, I joined the 2p.m. mass at the same church, this time I was asked to sing with the same choir, CAVIDO, now with black outfits. Uedan rek, an East Javanese shoutout, meaning "My goodness!" Within just 14 hours, my choir performed again. Well, most of the repertoires were those I was familiar with (I joined the choir since 1988, and have stopped practising for more than 2 years!) though I hadn't joined the Easter choral practices before. Yet, of course, I didn't sing for some songs I was not sure of singing, lah. Ho ho ... thank God, it was a success.
Well, what a break now, this weekend.

Btw, if you happen to drop by the fX plaza/mall on Sudirman street, South Jakarta, just near Senayan, and are looking for some affordable dishes, yet with superb taste, like those in Bistro Delifrance, also click: http://www.jakartaspot.com/dir/jakarta-selatan/all,
try the Muffins! The name may trick you of a place serving only muffins, but it turned out it came up with some affordable package of dishes less than Rp. 30,000 (US$2.5), including drinks. Most of the cafe and restaurants there charge us with an average Rp. 50,000 (US$4) excluding the Rp. 20,000 (US$1.6) drinks! Anyway, I tried the minched beef with rice(Odobo package if I'm not mistaken, certainly not "Adobe", ho ho .... ). Delicious! Already 3 months of absence to fx mall/plaza since my last visit with SMAK 1 PENABUR Bandung teachers in early January 2009. It still looked damn great!! One day, I'll give a try to the f7 (7th floor) two exclusive restaurants, if invited. Gosh! So elegant. Mmm .... a bit contrast eh when talking about the lent(en) period in the start of my posting. Sigh!

Well, well, what am I going to do this Saturday? Mmm .... sleep and sleep. And of course, Extravaganza comedy show in Trans TV tonight! Easter will have to wait until Sunday morning, I guess.

Year 10 B.C. Assignment

Hi, guys, put your today's work on a persuasive letter to the President of the IOC, stating your reasons why you must be the one to go to London for the 2012 Olympic Games. Also include:
1. some ideas from passage A on page 1 (Workbook)
2. your own ideas.

Write around 150 words and post your writing in the COMMENT box.
Don't forget, guys, to write your name.

Deadline: Tuesday, April 7th, 2009

Year 11: Test and Assignments

Updated from April 7th posting:
As told in the classroom today, for those willing to revise their 1st draft,
write your REVISION on this blog comment, starting this April 21 (Tue.) until
Aprl 24th (Friday). Thanks, guys!!

Please put your 30-minute test work and 20-minute assignment on this blogs:

1. Description of people. See the photos here:
http://www.bpkpenabur.or.id/en/node/4905
a. Take one of the 5 pictures/photos of people doing a speaking test (100 words) AND
b. Take one picture of people doing the traditional "Batik" painting (100 words).

2. Descriptive essay
on First Language English (Workbook) page 37.
a. Choose ONE of the two topics below (write around 200 words):
- Describe the general atmosphere of a busy airport, and refer to particular people
and events which you observe.
- Describe a day in the life of a pilot, a flight attendant or air traffic controller.

b. Write the 10 adjectives you are writing in your essay (point 2a).

Deadline: Tuesday, April 7th, 2009.

For Year 11 BC: 200-word descriptives assignment

Hi, Year 11 Brilliant class,
As discussed today on Cambridge (First Language) textbook, page 19 and 22,
please submit your 200-word essay on the comment box of this posting.
Choose ONE of the 3 topics here:
1. My favourite animal (Kingdom: Animalia, excluding human/your friend, please)
2. My Brilliant Class teacher
3. My dorm friend

Make sure you use the descriptive devices/techniques, including some of the 5 senses.

Grading:
1. Styles (50%)
2. Language use (50%)

Since it is put in blogs, you may use some informal expressions, including some funny jokes.
Deadline: Wednesday, April 1st, 6p.m. (It's not an April Fool's Day/ April Mop, okay?)extended from Tuesday (today), March 31st, 11.59 p.m. due to my late posting of blogs.

P. S. Check your grammar/spelling with MS Word/ other word-processing facility.

Blackout TONITE helps to reduce CO2 emission

Hi, my high school students and blog readers,

I have known about "Earth Hour 2009"--a world efforts of switching off electricity for 1 hour at 20.30-21.30 local time tonite. It's just one Indonesian tv show, "Extravaganza",
awarded a Panasonic award just yesterday, is aired every Saturday nationwide 20.00-22.00. Miss you!

Mm ... guess it will take some efforts to tell my dad and others at home. Possibly reduce the use of electricity by 85-90% of regular use, excluding the fridge (user friendly, lah). This could be 100% as our Jakarta governor Fauzi Bowo planned to support Global Earth Hour 2009 by applying a partial blackout tonite. Read the Indonesian news:

http://www.earthhour.wwf.or.id/news_detail.php?id=25
Wow! Viva our Jakarta governor! Must be a tough task to persuade malls, apartments and factories to use their generator/ even experience some blackout, for sure.

Well, one suggestion from me:
Are we going to do it on "Good Friday" during the Christian's Easter week, or probably on some other international/ local holidays to reduce the CO2 emission?

My blog readers and students,
I think the information I quoted from today's Kompas Indonesian newspaper, Saturday, March 28 (page 13) titled "Satu Hari Utk Merawat Bumi" (meaning One Heart to Care For the Earth) is very worthwhile to read. The article can be clicked here:

http://cetak.kompas.com/read/xml/2009/03/28/04330059/satu.hati.untuk.merawat.bumi

Please COMMENT in the box of this posting, will you?

Next are at least three amazing figures and info for you, guys!

1. In Jakarta only, capital city of Indonesia, 284 tons of CO2 will be reduced
if Jakartan citizens switch off their electronics (and laptop, ho ho ho ...)
and light for one hour. Guess I'll be watching "Extravaganza" in dark
unless the Trans TV station joins the "Earth Hour 2009" movement. Wow!

2. 1,508 cities and towns in at least 80 countries have confirmed their involvement
in caring for our beloved Earth. What a figure!! Some of the cities are
London, Los Angeles, Chicago, Shang Hay, Moscow, Singapore and Sydney.
What a realistic and significant contribution from WWF to help preventing
from global warming and (-) climate change.

3. I read a special club in one college in Jakarta city called Climate Change Champion Club
of London School of Public Relations (LSPR) iniated to disseminate the news on WWF's
"Earth Hour 2009" through leaflets, posters and even banner. The website
http://www.earthhour.org/ even suggested the use of, to mention some, facebook, flicker,
and blogs. I'm posting this, too, to my friendster bulletin in a minute.

As an English teacher of two of at least 133 schools of BPK PENABUR in
4 Indonesian provinces, and as one of SMAK 1 BPK PENABUR Jakarta's three school
coordinators of the British Council project "Climate Change Challenge", at least I could
help to spread the knowledge within the team's projects and through this blogs.
Wish my students at SMAK PENABUR Gading Serpong (Brilliant Class) to read
my blogs as the dormitory is online 24 hours for internet access via their notebook. Guys, please drop your comments in my posting, okay?

P.S. Please don't tell me as "naught and tricky". I even set my email vacation response in my Yahoo! account for 2 days from March 28-29, 2009 (GMT +07.00), pleading for supports of "Earth Hour 2009", ho ho ho ....

Also, I sent sms/text to 15 of my Bandung and Jakarta students, as well as sending emails to all the four teams (16 students) of our SMAK 1 BPK PENABUR Bandung city, joining the Climate Change projects from the British Council. Their website, blogs and comics are soon to be uploaded. I'll notify you about this.

POST SMAK GS info/news here via COMMENT box (as of March 23, 2009)

Dear B.C.ers,
Starting March 23, 2009, please send any ACHIEVEMENTS, social activities (Easter, etc.),
news on Brilliant Class/regular class activities,and do not forget to write:
1. Date of event
2. What level: regional/ national/ international
3. Place/ campus/ high school
4. Some top schools joining.
5. If you win one award/ trophy, let me know
who are the other winners and which school.
6. Please post the original photo (1 Megabytes OK for PUBLICATION/ BANNER/
PRESS release). Email to sir at uget1st[at]yahoo.com

Example of publications sir has just created (Noel and Kelvin's being #1 Winner in ITS Surabaya this afternoon has not been created yet):
http://www.bpkpenabur.or.id/en/node/4866
on Lusia and Felik's achievements (2 prizes) in Maranatha Univ. Bandung (I.T. Competition).

PLEASE POST THE NEWS through the COMMENT area. The photos can be to your blogs/ friendster/ by a separate email to sir. Have a great Sunday, and focus on Cambridge exam, starting on May 13, 2009!

Blogs training and samples (GS, 3/18/2009)

Dear SMAK GS colleagues,
for today's training on making blogs, see this:
BLOGS / weB LOGS Via:
www.blogspot.com
www.wordpress.com

CHRISTIAN Values/ Education:
a. www.mudarwan.blogspot.com (Christian contents/ links)
E.g., http://mudarwan.blogspot.com/2008/11/pembimbing-ktb-yang-kreatif.html
b. http://penaburbestbuddies.blogspot.com/ (N2K in BPK PENABUR)

PERSONAL:
a. http://hatelovebc.blogspot.com/ (Hans, Year 10 BC)
b. http://leonz-science.blogspot.com/ (Leonard, Year 10 BC, science website)
c. http://diary-of-joses.blogspot.com/ (Joses, Year 10 BC, psychology)
with interesting comments at
http://diary-of-joses.blogspot.com/2009/02/i-feel-frustated.html#comments
d. http://noah-riandiputra.blogspot.com/ (Noah, Year 10 BC, see “about myself”)
e. http://rickysetiamanah.blogspot.com/ (Ricky, Year 11 BC, letter to university)
f. http://lushee.blogspot.com (Lusia, Year 11 BC, with photo of
UNPAR 2nd Winner programming competition)
g. http://bambanggunawan.blogspot.com (webmaster of Pahoa, OeL, and once BPK PENABUR)
h. http://sirteguh.blogspot.com/ (Mr Teguh's blogs since 2008)

For FUN:
Taken from Mr. Teguh's
a. Hobby http://sirteguh.blogspot.com/2008/12/whale-2-gold-fish.html
b. Meeting http://sirteguh.blogspot.com/2009/03/nus-high-singapore-bpk-penabur-jkt.html
c. Fun http://sirteguh.blogspot.com/2008/06/christian-n-titi-kamal-2m-fr-me.html
Food-hunting
http://sirteguh.blogspot.com/2008/07/food-hunting-on-return-trip-bali-jogja.html

For ONLINE STUDY:
a. March 2009 Blogs as Homework
http://sirteguh.blogspot.com/2009/03/holiday-assignment-for-year-10-bc.html
b. October 2008 Sample of Writing
http://sirteguh.blogspot.com/2008/10/joy-and-sorrow-be4-halloween.html
c. June 2008 link: SAT 2
http://sirteguh.blogspot.com/2008/06/june-july-holidays.html
d. SMPK 4 PENABUR Bandung:
http://k4-physics.blogspot.com/
http://www.k4-biology.blogspot.com/
http://www.k4-mathematics.blogspot.com/

SCIENCE:
a. Oxford University: http://www.ox.ac.uk/media/science_blog/
such as
http://www.ox.ac.uk/go.rm?id=8673 (Accelerate, Entertain with Physics)
http://www.ox.ac.uk/go.rm?id=8640 (The Drama of the Earth –Geography)
b. www.mudarwan.wordpress.com (Biology and others by P4 staff, Mudarwan)
E.g., http://mudarwan.wordpress.com/2009/01/20/jamur/
c. See ONLINE STUDY above, too, point d.

BUSINESS:
http://eravictoriaproperty.wordpress.com/ (initially created by Teguh S.)

Holiday assignment for Year 10 B.C., 3/17/2009

Dear my beloved Year 10 students,
Well, well, well, as I promised, you've got homework to do
during your 3-day holiday (March 16-18, 2009).
It's a reflection on your 7-month study in Brilliant Class
SMAK PENABUR Gading Serpong. The composition should be:
1. around 150 words
2. using proper grammar (be consistent, please) and style (informal)
2. typed on the COMMENT box here (write name & your blogs address as well,
so other readers can visit your blogs, guys, and make you famous! ho ho ho ....)
3. submitted before Tuesday, March 17, 2009, 11.59 p.m.

Choose one of the two topics for writing here.
1. Two of the unforgettable events in my Brilliant class:
one academic, such as class/tutor/competition, plus
one non-academic, such as sports/arts/dormitory life/Christian service/field trip.
2. What two school subjects I am fond of and why:
one science/math, such as physics, bio, chem, computer, and math, plus
one non-science/math, such as sports/language/Christian education.

Reminder: post it ONLY in my blogs comment box, please.

Thanks! Have a great holiday due to teacher-training/seminar.

3 deaths on NTU & NUS foreign students this week

Baffled! How come 3 deaths befell to 3 foreign students in Singapore in only 5-day time this 1st week of March!
1. March 2, 2009:
Indonesian top student David Hartanto Widjaja (NTU) died of falling from the 4th floor,
having been suspected to stab his professor on the 6th floor of an NTU building.
Click:
http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_344879.html
also doubts over David's death causes (in Indonesian language) at:
http://www.detiknews.com/prokontra/detail/pro/2009/03/05/113846/1094737/612/bunuh-diri-david-di-singapura-diragukan

2. March 4, 2009:
An USA undergraduate from Miami Univ. (a national merit scholar) was found dead in his
NUS hostel room, apparently over drinking with a bottle of pills found.
Click:
http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_346180.html

3. March 6, 2009:
People's Republic of China student, just graduating from NTU and started working in NTU on
March 2, 2009 (the very day David passed away) Zhou Zheng was found hanged in
Nanyang Heights.
http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_347185.html
and some interesting comments from the Straits Times readers at:
http://comment.straitstimes.com/showthread.php?t=17551&page=2

Also read the Indonesian detik.com news at:
http://www.detiknews.com/comment/2009/03/07/152155/1096029/10/setelah-david-giliran-staf-ntu-ditemukan-tewas-gantung-diri

Only God knows what has been happening this week in Singapore, involving NTU and NUS--the two most famous universities in Asia! BTW, guys, peek out my comment on the Straits Times comment page at:
http://comment.straitstimes.com/showthread.php?t=17387&page=53
Here I quote my comment:
"Regarding the Misnomer's comment of at:
http://comment.straitstimes.com/showthread.php?t=17387&page=13
saying "3.5 score over 5 is a score which many average students can achieve. Here, we are talking about an ASEAN scholar. ", allow me to inform that in MIT, yes, the GPA scale is 0-5.0., seehttp://web.mit.edu/registrar/gpacalc.html,but in NTU, at least the undergraduate study as written here:http://www.ntu.edu/Ac/bulletin/admission.pdfthe GPA scale is 0-4.0. Therefore, the demand of the required GPA for the ASEAN scholarship requires best of the best students, and not average ones."

BTW, also read one blogs' conspiracy theory on the #1 and #3 incidents from:
http://www.gabrielsai.com/blog/2009/03/a-conspiracy-theory-on-deaths-in-ntu.html