Dunia Properti Indonesia

http://duniapropertiindonesia.blogspot.com/

FINALLY!!!

I am done with all the exams of my last semester of my Undergraduate School at UBC!!!!

Yihaaawwww!!!!!!!! Time for more and new challenges..........

Almost There

So two days ago was the last day of class of my 4 year (aka. 5 years including 4 co-op workterms) engineering undergraduate university life at UBC. I am pretty excited about finishing and getting my engineering degree. However, I still have to go through a lot of studying for one more assignment and 5 more final exams.............

and I am aiming to in the end get average grade of 80% ++....... Am I talking impossible here? Absolutely NOT...... "I wanna finish well and I WILL"

I promise I will deliver the best out of me....... This is gonna be the last BLOW!!!! Yiihhaaww!!!!

lol...... I am getting excited (*actually tired from studying which is why I ended up writing this new blog entry)

Alrighty, the last 5 final exams in my life (if not, for a while) are:

CIVL 433 - Advanced Concrete Design (2009/04/14)

CIVL 406 - Water Treatment and Wastewater Management (2009/04/16)

BUSI 400 - Residential Property Analysis (2009/04/21)

CIVL 402 - Engineering Law and Contracts in Civil Engineering (2009/04/23)

CIVL 403 - Engineering Economic Analysis (2009/04/24)

My Canadian Engineering Pride

My working hand on my Canadian Concrete Handbook

My own Canadian Iron Ring (size = 4 - my pinky is small)

Iron Ring!!!!

Last Tuesday, March 24, 2009, I received my Canadian Iron Ring!!!! Finally afer 4 years of hard work!!! tears and happiness...... (exaggerating a li' bit) haha

The ceremony was supposed to be a private ceremony, not secretive ceremony. And people don't usually talk about it after they get their rings.

One interesting fact about the ring is that it's made out of stainless steel, NOT iron. Hmm......

Well, it used to be made of iron. However, through the years, engineers of Canada has considered other aspects that support the use of stainless steel instead of pure iron.

More info could be found on wikipedia!!!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_ring

More news about 2009 irong ring ceremony......

Earth Hour 2009

This year, Earth Hour has been transformed into the world’s first global election, between Earth and global warming.

For the first time in history, people of all ages, nationalities, race and background have the opportunity to use their light switch as their vote – Switching off your lights is a vote for Earth, or leaving them on is a vote for global warming. WWF are urging the world to VOTE EARTH and reach the target of 1 billion votes, which will be presented to world leaders at the Global Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen 2009.

This meeting will determine official government policies to take action against global warming, which will replace the Kyoto Protocol. It is the chance for the people of the world to make their voice heard.

Earth Hour began in Sydney in 2007, when 2.2 million homes and businesses switched off their lights for one hour. In 2008 the message had grown into a global sustainability movement, with 50 million people switching off their lights. Global landmarks such as the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, Rome’s Colosseum, the Sydney Opera House and the Coca Cola billboard in Times Square all stood in darkness.

In 2009, Earth Hour is being taken to the next level, with the goal of 1 billion people switching off their lights as part of a global vote. Unlike any election in history, it is not about what country you’re from, but instead, what planet you’re from. VOTE EARTH is a global call to action for every individual, every business, and every community. A call to stand up and take control over the future of our planet. Over 74 countries and territories have pledged their support to VOTE EARTH during Earth Hour 2009, and this number is growing everyday.

We all have a vote, and every single vote counts. Together we can take control of the future of our planet, for future generations.

VOTE EARTH by simply switching off your lights for one hour, and join the world for Earth Hour.

Saturday, March 28, 8:30-9:30pm.

Source: http://www.earthhour.org/

The Breakdown of Situ Gintung Dam

Another tragedy to the country of Indonesia (not to mention my own home country that I'd like to brag so much about), the breakdown of Situ Gintung Dam.

"The break down of Situ Gintung dam has claimed 28 lives, and seven houses were swept away," Chrysnanda Dwilaksana, a spokesman for the Jakarta police, said in a telephone text message to Reuters.

*I'm not sure if it's still 28 now since the other sources have mentioned a number many more than 28*

According to the press information, the dam was used to retain water in Lake Situ Gintung in Tangerang District, southwest of Jakarta. The dam failed early Friday morning (March 27, 2009). The cause of the breakdown is still unknown although the heavy rain in the area for these past few days could have been the cause.

"Hundreds of houses are flooded, tens of houses damaged, it was like a small tsunami," Rustam Pakaya, an official at the health ministry, told Reuters.

If we are trying to calculate the cost of this cathastropic disaster, the result would be unattainable. The cost of so many lives? OK, economically, the high cost would be the destruction it has done to the local houses, businesses, and the operational loss of the dam itself. But, who can pay the price of a life? Not to mention the social and psycological impacts the local people have to carry for the rest of their lives.

I know for sure that something could have been done. For sure, something like the *PROPER* periodical maintenance of the dam. In addition, as far as I know in the design of a dam, there should be a factor of safety consideration to the local inhabitants that consider the worst case scenario. Was it taken into account? Was the construction of the dam done with careful planning? How about site investigation and feasibility study? 

I don't want to blame it on anybody. But, to build such a dam really close to a local community? Neigh.

When something like this happen, you would not have time to even escape.

Sometimes I have doubts with Indonesian government. Are they really doing their job *properly*?

Now, who should take the blame? More importantly, what can we do now? What will the government of Indonesia do?