TOEFL vs GMAT

I've been through this dilemma, either taking iBT TOEFL or take a GMAT test for postgraduate abroad.
For easy way, I skip the chapter how I get a scholarship or fund raising for the postgraduate study and focusing on "which one is harder, iBT TOEFL or GMAT?"

First, let me explain what is TOEFL.
In Indonesia, there are many kind of TOEFL, TOEFL prediction, TOEFL ITP and TOEFL iBT.
The point is this test is to test you your english fluency (of course).
So lets get down to the definition (my definition) hahaha :D

1. TOEFL prediction.
TOEFL prediction is a kind of TOEFL that measure your english language in the most easiest way. Usually it conducted in paper based test. It consist of 3 part of test, listening, grammar (sentence correction) and reading passage (the cheapest package)
In some english langage center, it cost you Rp150.000-Rp400.000 ($1=Rp9.000-Rp10.000). The more expensive you pay, the more complicated the test (including writing and maybe speaking).
The purpose of this test is maybe for applying jobs or for academical purpose (senior-senior high school level).

2. TOEFL ITP (institutional)
This TOEFL costs Rp300.000, the price rise, does the difficulty.
Not all english language centers can held TOEFL ITP tests because the scoring was dome from ETS (Educational Testing Service).
The test still consist of 3 parts, listening, grammar and reading.
But the interesting part is here, that the vocabulary is one step higher than TOEFL prediction.
The purpose for this test is as complementary requirement for domestic and some foreign postgraduate admission.

3. iBT TOEFL
Well, this is the ultimate TOEFL in the universe, the highest level.
But the interesting part is that the vocab is nearly similar from TOEFL ITP. i said that because i've tried it before. It cost around $160, you can afford it by credit card or from voucher costs Rp1.500.000 (us$150-us$160) which sell by some language center in big cities in Indonesia.
The test is evaluated also by ETS. All result is sent to ETS center and being evaluated and scored there. They will sent the result by mail or email.
This test consist of 4 types of test, listening, reading, speaking and writing.
And there is no GRAMMAR brotha and sistaaa (hurray!) haha :D
Not all english language center can conduct this test. Usually we can choose it, in which center we would do the test when we booked for the test online.
The function of this test is to apply foreign graduate or postgraduate degree all around the world. The test is valid for 2 years.
There is PBT TOEFL (paper based test), CBT TOEFL (computer based) and iBT TOEFL (internet based), actually all of them are same, only the medium of testing is different. In indonesia only iBT TOEFL is available.

So, which test you will choose? And how do you measure your skill. I give you a hint.
I've tried TOEFL Prediction, scored 600. When Im doing the ITP ROEFL, resulted 557 for second attempts. Yeah, my score shrink around 50 points.
And after I try iBT TOEFL, my score is 78, in my opinion, 78 equals to 550 for paper based TOEFL (PBT TOEFL).
So my language skill is still same (at that time). Although I only read and practice iBT TOEFL guide book from ETS in pdf format.
Not so bad for beginner :p

And I almost forgot to discuss about the GMAT :D

4. The GMAT
Well, for me this is the hardest test I've tried, some opinion said that this is IQ test in english. But there is fewer mathematical questions than logical-reading paragraph questions like in Indonesian regular IQ test.
I've tried paperbased GMAT and scored 290, 370 and 390
Seems high but the smallest score is 250 and 800 as the highest :(
The problem for GMAT, the result paper is just like end of semester transcript print out.
It rewrote your previous test. Of course its good that your score raised, but if vice versa?
Thats a problem for your dream campus admission.

Thats all for my TOEFL vs GMAT blog. The choice is in your wallet :D See ya!

"Most of our lives is a paperless test" Bagus Hariadi.

Passion, there you are!

Hello there, its been a loooooong weeks I havent wrote any blogs :D
After very busy office duties, some drama in my life and idul fitri holiday now im back with something that maybe we are looking for.
Its not about politics or some credit cards data anymore, but its about my life, your life and our life.
Have you heard a out "passion"?


Its a word, 7 letters that deals alot in our life.
What is a world without passion? Its very boring then. No music, pictures or maybe there wont be Monalisa in Louvre, France.
Passion is a word that explain what kind of things that we enjoy in our life.
As we are getting older, the students should go to college, the college boys should graduate and find a tea spoon of diamonds and filling their garage with cars, I mean finding a job.
And how does it to found a dream job, a job that fits with my passion???
I think this is the most questioned question in all campuses after recieving our bachelor or undergraduate certificate.


Some follow their friends, "if they apply to this office, we should go too"
Some follow their parents, some being directed by their parents and some follow their hearts finding their dream job.
A dream job is a kind of job that fits to your heart and match to your passion (kinda exaggerating, isnt it? :p)
But its true, you are craving for a job that suitable for you, either from the light workload or from the sallary.


I also feel the same, where Im stucked here (in my current job), during "quiet times" I tried some activities that I liked previously, but didnt have enough courage to do it!
At first, its very relieving to do it, I enjoyed a lot. Here, I feel appreciated and learned many very very new knowledge. Day by day im always spirited when im wake up in the morning, to do my side job.
And the best thing is that this passion also earn something, another pay check :D


What is passion,
Passion is a thing that makes me willing to stay awake in the middle of the night,
to do it again,
learned it,
reading books about it, collecting infos about it and keeping me awake, waiting the sunrise and very joyful in the morning, unpatience to do it again!


Remember this feeling is like tomorrow is my birthday, and my dad has a surprise for me :) anything I want it is there and im unpatience waiting for tomorrow \m/

To find your passion, we can retrace it from your hobby.
My hobby of course the things that I like, but passion is stronger than hobby.

Passion = hobby which earn money

Some people have many hobbies, you named it, he/she liked it :D thats very challenging.
This is the part that he/she should figured out, which hobby is the most loved by tried them one by one :)


I've found my passion and this is the first hobby from my many hobbies. It already runs for months and it earns a little, but Im very very proud of it.
I loved it alot and it keeps me awake untill now (23:20), because Im very very excited to write about it and share my story to all :)

Passion, there you are!

Product review Polygon Metro 3.0

Below I wrote down product review of Polygon Metro 3.0, a fold able bike that i've used for 2 months.

The design is mainstream, almost similar like other folding bike, but some flaws are the joint (welding) result between frames that looks untidy.

It weighs around tenths of kilogram, not so differ from other brands.
The second flaw is the rubber for stand guard is not tight fit on the tip. Once i've lost it when I used it to go to my office, but then I notice that it still stick on the groove of my home carport :p
I should stick it tightly with a power glue.
Check picture.



Folding city bike most of them are completed with gear ratio so you can conquer uphills. The switch is located in the right hand near the hand grip. Sometime trouble happened when the handgrip also twisted when you want to switch gear, so the handgrip will move to the outside of the handbar.
See pictures below.



I think that if I put glue on it, my hand will be troubled that the hand grip will hold my gear switch movement.
Until now I haven't found solution to this problem.

And the last is that maybe I should bought bike with suspension. If you think city streets are not bumpy? You wrong. In some points, there are craters ready to swallow them that uncautious :p
Or maybe that the shape of the seat is "split" my butt? I think so. Compare to motorcycle seat that broader.
The choice is yours, remember, ride safely.

Social media 4.0??

Did you still have your Friendster account? And did you still remember the password?
Im not. I've deleted my account because its too complicated to have many social media accounts. YM, Facebook, Twitter and Blogger. Many accounts with many passwords?? Yikes! 
And now, there comes a new social media machine!
Friendster became the first social media that came up around 2006. At first, it only connect people with text. Then, came Facebook with picture upload, share and tagging feature. Facebook also combine between realtime text and regular text, like Instant Messaging (chat) and text (wall). 
Pictures, walls, chat, comments, events, ads and solala solala are those you'll see in Facebook. Dont want to be bothered with that, just move to Twitter. Compact and worldwide connected social media is the simplest way to enjoy it.
The best thing for Twittter is that you can follow your idols without have to become his/her friend (like in Facebook). But Facebook is also dont want to loose its customer, by create the "like" button, you will also automatically recieve newsfeed from person you like. Dont forget also the "mention" technology in Facebook.
Now Facebook has an opponents, Google+.
Honestly that I have no idea what is Google+. some info said that its not yet being public, you must wait for the invitation from it. We should wait longer :p

But Facebook is not yet to be done, because they will provide video chat and conference chat for its customers.
Sorry, but the news is in Indonesian.
http://mobile.kontan.co.id/investasi/read/72223/Bareng-Skype-Facebook-rilis-layanan-terbaru-berupa-video-chat

I think the real contender for Facebook is Instagram.
If in Twitter you share words, in Instagram you share photos.
The first story is Instagram was made specially for iPhone! Now it expanded to many OS. Here is some info about Instagram :)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Instagram
Social media 4.0? 
Bet ya do! 
I think since a year ago, people in Indonesia (specifically) is mad about photography hobby. And this people-SLR-armed is just not produce family portrait. 
Kind of sephia, artistic pictures and solala.
Instagram is now available for iOS, Android, Blackberry, MAC, Web, Windows and Symbian :p
Sometimes i share photos in Facebook or by email. I also has many many photo collections. But just put it in my 1tb hard disk is useless. I'd love to share them.
Well, now im confirmed that I want to have an Instagram account immediately!

Credit Card Interest Rate

Biar blog gue banyak yang baca, tentu gue harus ngasih ilmu yang berguna bagi nusa bangsa atau info yang berguna bagi nusa bangsa juga :p
So, gue kasih deh data bunga kartu kredit yang berhasil gue kumpulin dalam dua hari ini.
Note, kalo yang ada linknya, berarti data itu rasional n bisa anda cek sendiri. Kalo yang ga ada linknya berarti:
1. Gue tanya langsung ke cabang terdekat, atau
2. Penerbit kartu kredit ga nyediain info di website mereka n gue ga nemu cabang penerbit yang terdekat hehe.
Viel spaß beim Lesen.
Interest list:

Mandiri: 3,5%
http://www.mandirikartukredit.com/index.php/utama/terms.php

BCA: 3,5%  (in the website cannot be found)
http://pitoyo.com/mod.php?mod=publisher&op=viewarticle&artid=467

Citibank: 3,5%
https://www.citibank.co.id/IDGCB/APPS/portal/loadPopup.do?path=/promo/det/hit_bunga.htm&eOfferCode=CICHBLNAV

BRI: 2,85%  (in the website cannot be found)
sumber dari bertanya ke Bank BRI Cabang Jakarta Selatan

BNI: 2,95%
http://www.bni.co.id/KartuKredit/tabid/162/Default.aspx

HSBC: 3,5%
http://www.hsbc.co.id/1/2/personal_en_US/credit-cards/card-info/interest-calculation

ANZ Panin:         (in the website cannot be found)

BII: 3,5%; gestun: 4%
http://www.bii.co.id/index.asp?fl3nc=1¶m=c3Nob3c9c3RhdGljJnN1aWQ9MDAwMjAwMDAwMmE2

Permata Bank: 0%; 0,88%; 1,39% (there are many schematic interest methods)
http://www.permatabank.com/product/320/index.html

Standard Chartered: retail 3,59%, cash advance: 4%
http://www.standardchartered.com/id/personal-banking/credit-cards/classic-cards/en/

CIMB Niaga: retail 3,25%, cash advance 3,75%
http://www.cimbniaga.com/index.php?ch=gen_fee&pg=gen_fee_list&category=45:4

Note: all interests are in % per month value.

Culture war

2011, in Jakarta theres so many foreign artist concert, like in Java Jazz Festival, Deftones, Justin Bieber, Avril Lavigne and many more. 
Gosh, wish i have a lots of money.
Dont forget about the KIMCHI Concert, consist of many Korean musicians sing their song, dancing held in 4th June 2011. 
Korean culture since i think 5 years ago enter Indonesia with the legendary "Winter Sonata" Korean drama. After that Indosiar found its viewers segment by playing K-drama like My Sassy Girl, Hotelier and many many drama titles.
Culture war? Yes! 
Dont forget other famous korean brands like Hyundai, KIA, Samsung, LG and Lejel Home Shopping. For Ssanyong, although its a koreans car brand, its engine used Mercedes-Benz engine.
Remember in the 70s, japan cars enter Indonesia and there was a riot named "Malary Tragedy"? the core of the story is about banning japanese cars in that time.
90s, remember the japanese drama? 
Or american drama like Beverly Hills 90210? Melrose Place?
Indias movies lined up in SCTV?
Vampire movies in Saturday morning in RCTI?
and in 2000 taiwanese drama F4? (sorry, i forgot The name) :p 
Dont forget the duet of Upin-Ipin from Malaysia.

How about our indonesian culture? Did our goverment promoted too? 
Yes, we have cultural mission went abroad, or did you remember about foreigners that studied our batik, gamelan and many of them?
Yup, we did!
Thats in the official ways, in "inofficial" ways, we had our musicians having concert abroad (Malaysia, Singapore or Hongkong).
In my opinion, this is the greatest culture war from our side. Some of the spectators are not Indonesians migrant workers.
Although the news is not so often, but still our musicians has a place in their fans heart outside Indonesia, shown as Indonesian musicians as nominees in Anugerah Planet Muzik, like this lonk below:
Happy reading.

http://rollingstone.co.id/read/2011/06/10/160712/1657767/1093/artis-artis-indonesia-meraih-nominasi-anugerah-planet-muzik-2011

Mr marketing, Sumardy

Its been a loong long time that i've absent blogging world, now im back and lets get into it. Now lets talk about sumardy. 
This guy suddenly became famous about his advertisement company promotions methods by sending coffins to media companies.
He has twitter account http://mobile.twitter.com/sumarketer/about and he runs a marketing company named Buzz&Co.
He said that marketing method by advertisement is out of date. Through his book he wants to introduce "word of mouth" marketing. Book title is 'Rest in Peace Advertising Killed by Word Mouth Agency'

Now he's famous, not only in media, but also with police and book readers. He must be interogated for "unpleasant act" (tindakan tidak menyenangkan) and his books were sold.
Some media companies were reported him to the police, but one media denies for doing it (see link below):
http://megapolitan.kompas.com/read/2011/06/06/21491090/Tidak.Benar.Kompas.com.Laporkan.Sumardy

Well, new ideas at first are controversial, he should look for an marketing project to proove your hipothesis about the dead of advertising.
Welcome mr Sumardy :)