Kurau Field Trip XII - Day 1-2

by Eko Prasetyo @ 6:40 AM The time to visit my company's area of operation has come again. This time, I have to do things that are handovers from other engineers. First, a well completion that will be handed over from a drilling operation. This started with removing the drilling-caused mud-cake layers deposited in front of hydrocarbon containing sub-terranean formations. Another is supervision job to watch over a completion and production testing of a high-temperature high-pressure well. Last (yet) is a water-dominated high-paraffinic well stimulation using combination of paraffinic solvent and surfactant, both dissolved in diesel fuel.   The first job, completion, has been estimated to be delayed for two days. It was scheduled to be performed in Saturday, but rig malfunction and downhole problems have caused estimated 2 days of delays. The second job was also delayed due to the inability of slickline operators to pull out an RZG plug downhole, causing the whole completion string to be pulled, reassembled, and reinstalled. This causes estimated 3 days of delays. The last job can only be performed using tools and equipments that are still used by these 2 delayed jobs, causing it to be delayed for at least two weeks. If in the next two weeks both of the previous jobs were not completed, the third job will not be performed by me.   IF all of the jobs above were delayed by a week or so, I will ask my boss to go home. My presence here will be time wasting. Not on my side though, since I will be properly fed, clothed, housed, and paid during my field duties.   Anyways....while waiting for the current delayed jobs, I have done a laboratory job. And since the lab is small and already filled with an analyst, a junior engineer performing experiements on emulsion breakers and reverse-emulsion breaker, and an intern analyst performing various analysis, the equipments required are all used by them, causing me to do only basic stuffs with what's left of the equipments. The much sophisticated lab jobs must be delayed.   Delays seem to be the theme of my field trip this time...     | My Alter Ego | Blogroll Me! | 0 blogger comments | | |

Trap of Life or Simple Fate?

by Eko Prasetyo @ 2:37 PM It is simply a question that perhaps majority of intelligent beings asked in this world: Why am I living the way I am? This questions have been hammering my mind and shaking the foundations of my mental building. I am now living far from my dream jobs, and have been having my most coveted dreams shattered before me, jobs, ambitions, girls, physics. I have been questioning this questions ever since I graduated as bachelor in engineering and found that my first job for me is a mix of blessing and torment with torments getting dominations lately.   Torments from the fact that each day, I found out that essences of my life, my dreams, have been taken from me inch for inch by each coming day. If I let this continue by accepting the fact that this kind of life is my destiny, I realize that I will become a hollow biological machine that walks the earth without dreams on its nerve central and without compassions flowing from its nutritional tranports central terminal. In short: I will become slave of the machines of the civilizations.   And I realize that I am just too damn proud and naif to become another slave of the machines. My greatest dream is to become the machine itself with my ideas and realization of my dreams. Simply accepting my current state is not what I am suppose to be.   A man's life is determined by his own  to always try to walk the path where his heart is, with all of his heart.   Trap of Life or Simple Fate? My answer is both. You are trapped in this life by a simple flick of a fate, but that doesn't mean you can not fill this trap with what you desire.   I have decided to keep whats left of my dreams alive and continue to life my double lives: a lazy engineer and a dreamy philosophical artist  | My Alter Ego | Blogroll Me! | 0 blogger comments | | |

Tales of Coup d'etat

by Eko Prasetyo @ 12:58 PM Military Coup d’etat took place in Thailand two days ago, after a said “period of high tensions between office of prime minister and offices of the military and police”. It took place when the overtaken prime minister, Thaksin Siniwatra was attending a United Nation General Meeting in New York. The general who lead the coup d’etat was said to be “close to the King of Thai”, and said to be “a muslim”.   See any complication?   First, the said general said the he “dismisses all of parliamentary and cabinet”. A military general, who supposes to be far from politic, is taking over a political matter. This signifies that civil powers are not present enough in Thailand. One can blame the overtaken Thaksin for this lack of civil power. Said to be corrupt and full of nepotism, Thaksin is said to have shut any civil politicians that deviate from his “wisdom”. This make the current King, Bhumibol Adulyadej, seeks another “medium of voice”. The only option left is out of the civil power, the military.   Sonthi Boonyaratglin came into view. The first Muslim to hold the office of military chief-of-commander of Thai Army in the nation's history, more recently he became embroiled in the kingdom's political deadlock, acting at times as an unofficial voice for Thailand's King Bhumibol Adulyadej in the crisis which has gripped the country for most of the year In promoting Boonyaratglin, the government was hoping to bring order to the violent southern provinces of Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat, where more than 800 (and possibly as many as 1,200) people have died in bombings and targeted attacks by Muslim insurgents. Sonthi's supporters said at the time that he could help counter the impression that the government discriminates against Muslims.. It is quite a two-edged sword. One, a muslim soldier is hoped to contain violence (suspected) caused by muslims is like telling one brother to shut his brother up. This can become nice if the brothers are understanding each other, but if the soldier is told to contain the civil in “military way”, this may lead to another southern-muslims distrust for Thai military.Two, concerns would come from the Buddhists soldiers, the ones who are the majority bulk of the Thai Army. If this muslim general shows any partial, muslim weighted decisions regarding the south, his command will be weakened and the army will power be in the same state as the civil power: content but disordered.   One interesting thing is this muslim general closeness with the titular King, the much loved Bhumibol Adulyadej. This shows that actually there’s nothing wrong with being a muslim in a Thai military. Perhaps, there’s nothing wrong for being a Moslem in Thailand. Because of his relationship with the palace, Sonthi role in the coup is again being widely interpreted as a signal of the king's unhappiness with the political situation under Thaksin. The king preference to military faction signals the ultimate general populace distrust in the civil power, because Bhumibol is known to reflect the majority of his people, and very much love and loved by his people. Everything he says will be heard by the people.   So, when he said that Sonthi Boonyaratglin, a muslim general, is okay to perform a Coup d’etat, no one will protest, except perhaps Thaksin and his Shin Corps cronies.   The fact above also shows that no matter what kind of government a country have, good leaders are the ones who determine its value.   And the fact that there is a coup d’etat in Thailand shows that the laws, no matter how good they were conceived, are meant to be broken.             | My Alter Ego | Blogroll Me! | 0 blogger comments | | |

My IQ Test by Tickle

by Eko Prasetyo @ 9:04 AM By Tickle.com   You scored 135 on Tickle's IQ test. This means that based on your answers, your IQ score is between 125 and 135. Most people's IQs are between 70 and 130. In fact, 95% of all people have IQs within that range. 68% of people score between 80 and 120. The following chart to your right, shows these percentages and where your IQ score is on that scale.   Your Intellectual Type Is: Visionary Philosopher   Your mind's strengths allow you to think ahead of the game — to imagine or anticipate what should come next in just about any situation. Because you're equally skilled in the numerical and verbal universes of the brain, you can draw from multiple sources of information to come up with great ideas. The timelessness of your vision and the balance between your various skills are what make you a Visionary Philosopher.   In addition to your strengths in math and linguistics, you have a knack for matching and anticipating patterns. These skills and your uncanny ability to detect the underlying blueprint of most of life's situations add to your Visionary Philosopher mind. Two philosophers who share the same combination of skills you possess are Plato and Benedict Spinoza. Spinoza had insight into how things worked in the world. He could envision a future based on the patterns he saw in life, and used mathematical logic as a structure within which to present his philosophical arguments. With that base he was able to use logic to formulate his theories. Borrowing from his linguistic strengths he wrote eloquent texts and, therefore, was able to bring his philosophical ideas and structure to the rest of the world. His story exemplifies the talents that are present in the Visionary Philosopher intellectual type.   Whatever you decide to do in life, you've got a powerful mix of skills and insight that can be applied in a wide variety of ways. You can expand your mind to understand a situation. Your strong balance of math and verbal skills will help you explain things to others. For example, if you were on an archaeological dig and discovered an object, you could probably use your deductive powers to figure out not only what the object was but also how it was used. Given your ability to put things together, you are more than capable of inventing a life plan that is in synch with your perspective on how things were, how they are, and how they might be one day.   Your 4 Intelligence Scales     Now let's look at the factors that contribute to you being a Visionary Philosopher with a 135 IQ score.   Based on the results of your test, Tickle divided your scores into four distinguishable dimensions — mathematical intelligence, visual-spatial intelligence, linguistic intelligence and logic intelligence.   Here's how each of your intelligence scores break down:     Mathematical Intelligence   You scored in the 100th percentile on the mathematical intelligence scale.This means that you scored higher than 90% - 100% of people who took the test and that 0% - 10% scored higher than you did. The scale above illustrates this visually.   Your mathematical intelligence score represents your combined ability to reason and calculate. You scored relatively high, which means you're probably the one your friends look to when splitting the lunch bill or calculating your waitresses' tip. You may or may not be known as a math whiz, but number crunching might come a little easier to you than it does others.   Flexing Your Math Muscles Like anything, keeping or improving your math talents requires practice. Here are some everyday mental exercises that could be particularly helpful to you: Balancing your checkbook Figuring out your monthly budget Predicting what the change will be the next time you buy something Calculating your waitperson's tip in your head     Visual-Spatial Intelligence   You scored in the 100th percentile on the visual-spatial intelligence scale. This means that you scored higher than 90% - 100% of people who took the test and that 0% - 10% scored higher than you did. The scale above illustrates this visually.   The visual-spatial component of intelligence measures your ability to extract a visual pattern and from that envision what should come next in a sequence. Your score was relatively high, which could mean that you're the one navigating the map when you're on an outing with friends. You have, in some capacity, an ability to think in pictures. Maybe this strength comes out in subtle ways, like how you play chess or form metaphors.     Vision Quest Like anything, keeping or improving visual-spatial talents requires some practice. Here are some everyday mental exercises that will be particularly helpful to you: Playing chess, or video games like Tetris Studying maps and become the navigator on your next trip Sculpting or photography         Linguistic Intelligence   You scored in the 100th percentile on the linguistic intelligence scale. This means that you scored higher than 90% - 100% of people who took the test and that 0% - 10% scored higher than you did. The scale above illustrates this visually.   Linguistic abilities include reading, writing and communicating with words. Tickle's test measures knowledge of vocabulary, ease in completing word analogies and the ability to think critically about a statement based on its semantic structure. Your score was relatively high, which could mean you know your way around a bookstore and maybe like to bandy about the occasional 25-cent word to impress friends.   Word Power Like anything, keeping or improving linguistic talents requires some practice. Here are some everyday mental exercises that will be particularly helpful to you: Doing crossword puzzles Start reading just for fun Befriending your dictionary The next time something breaks, try reading the instruction book first         Logical Intelligence   You scored in the 100th percentile on the logical intelligence scale. This means that you scored higher than 90% - 100% of people who took the test and that 0% - 10% scored higher than you did. The scale above illustrates this visually.   Tickle's logical intelligence questions assess your ability to think things through. The questions determine the extent to which you use reasoning and logic to determine the best solution to a problem. Your logic score was relatively high, which could mean that when the car breaks down, your friends look to you to help figure out not only what's wrong, but how to fix it and how you're going to get to the next gas station.   Logic Lessons Like anything, keeping or improving logical talents requires some practice. Here are some everyday mental exercises that will be particularly helpful to you: Trying some brain teasers Throwing away the instructions and relying on instinct to fix something Playing chess   What factors helped determine my score?   If your score isn't as high as you thought it would be, remember that there are plenty of external factors that can affect your performance on the test. If you were tired, hungry or distracted, you might have scored lower than you expected because you were less able to concentrate.   Your level of formal education and your familiarity with taking these kinds of tests also influence how well you do. That's part of the reason IQ tests aren't a perfect measure of your intelligence. Your score would probably be quite different if the IQ test was designed to take into account your musical, artistic, emotional and social skills.   On their own, IQ scores can't predict someone's ultimate success or definitive potential for success. Many of the qualities that lead to great achievements are learned through culture, experience and schooling - not solely from doing well on an IQ test.   What your IQ test can help explain, however, is how your brain works best. By looking at the kinds of questions you answered correctly and the kinds of questions you answered incorrectly, we can tell you more about your intelligence type — the type that explains the kind of information that makes sense to your brain. | My Alter Ego | Blogroll Me! | 0 blogger comments | | |

Nurtured by Lies

by Eko Prasetyo @ 9:00 PM I am one of those people around you who happens to be reading a lot. My favourites are writings who tries to convince people that they are telling conspiracies that have been happening in the background of civilizatiions since the start of recorded history. Although many of them can be considered "bombastic imaginations", but they are telling stories that have similar ingredients: lies and energies spent to make them humanity's truths. Da Vinci Code is one example. Another are Zachariah Sicthin's works. More recently, Michael Chricton's. Chricton's speech, that can be seen on his website tell insights on how lies have been able to be made to creep into civilization's mind and be made global decisive factors. A more recent and popular examples would be 9/11. A factor so deeply implanted into the mind of the waning europeans and the lost americans that have made them say "yes" to clear and present examples of invasion to sovereignities. In the past, many were nurtured by their parents with the tales of Gods and evil demons that will claim lives if not pleased. Today we are nurtured by tales of creeping terrorist islam, need for insurances, and global economy that is supported by bulls (a.k.a lies) inflating nominal prices of pieces of imaginary treasures. As I make this entry, I am currently exhausted by lists of things that could have been lies all along. One of them is the concept of religions. Religions are "sets of beliefs that make you able to believe ideas that can't be scientifically proven". God is one clear example of ideas that can't be scientifically proven, directly. Islam teaches that God's existence can be proven from looking at the universe, the supposed creations of Him. It makes sense. But please note that it makes sense to me, one man who has been implanted by this idea since my first days of becoming self-aware, so you can debate it. Looking at the current state of the world, religions seem to be the reason why soldiers are throwing around hot leads. But it still a possibility, and still not the real thing, scientifically. Statistically, capitals are the real reason for modern era wars. But still, statistics effectiveness, efficiencies, and degree of truths are still open for debate. Lets face it, it is possible that lies are the ones who nurture the majority of this world, not truths. But it still a possibility, and I am, grown by the set of beliefs implanted on my mind, still hoping that it is truth, not lie, which support the majority of the growth of civilizations. | My Alter Ego | Blogroll Me! | 0 blogger comments | | |

Carreers Marriage

by Eko Prasetyo @ 7:10 PM A kinda two-sided look on the increasing rate of careers causing divorce can be seen here It really is a brain teaser, and a new way for carreers blessed people to look on the meaning of their marriages. Just look at the guy way of putting fear for carrers women in the hearts of the average men: with statistics backed up by somehow legitimate scientists. So man, right? And now look at the lady way of rebutting the guy's statistic laden article: with stories of how happy she is, so that all carreers woman can become empathical and learn from her. So girly. And basically, this article shows that man's technical mind can stand side by side in harmony with woman's emotional views. | My Alter Ego | Blogroll Me! | 0 blogger comments | | |

Wacom Grapphire

by Eko Prasetyo @ 8:39 AM   After so long, I was finally able to purchase one of the thin I coveted most: a Wacom Grapphire. I bought it on a Indocomtech 2006, a local computer expo held here in Jakarta. It was discounted around 30%, an offer I cannot refuse. So I bought it, paid in cash, and have been learning how to use it these past 4 days.   It turned out that using a graphic tablet is quite not as I hoped it would be. It is not as naturally usable as using traditional pencils and inks, so trainings and adaptations are required. I am hoping that this graphic tablet can fully replace my dependence for drawing pens and open up new possibilities for my artistic creativity.   Watch this gallery for future development in my graphic table controlling capabilities | My Alter Ego | Blogroll Me! | 0 blogger comments | | |

Kurau Field Trip XII - Day 2

by Eko Prasetyo @ 1:16 PM Aah, day 2. The day of lots of concepts cooking and ideas mixing with results that are not so different from what has been done. Geh. I simply feel that this whole Trip XII is quite...bleh. But whatever, I'm paid nicely for it, so the only complaint I have will be the total BOREDOM !!!   And oh yeah, Honours to The Crocodile Hunter who got killed by Stingray. I love this guy, he is the only one who can make Crocs look like a hell lot of FUN!! | My Alter Ego | Blogroll Me! | 0 blogger comments | | |

Kurau Field Trip XII - Day 1

by Eko Prasetyo @ 10:21 AM It was saturday, and I was ordered to go to Kurau Field on SUNDAY!! So, I thanked God that Telkom Speedy (my ISP) connection was running good so I can open up my office e-mail Online Web Access (a good feature of MS Exchange) and dealed with the Transportation Supervisor and other related personnel regarding my departure. Two hours later, a travel agent called me and saying that my ticket was ready to be picked up at my office. Two hours later, I took the ticket.   Sunday. I took the plane and landed safely on Sutan Syarif Kasim II Airport, Pekanbaru, Riau. I have been readying myself in case there were no one to transport me to Kurau from there. Praise Lord, a regular crew transportation officer showed up and told me that the Ford Everest was ready, but I still need to wait for an "unspecified drilling cargo". Geh.   An hour later, we departed. After 2 hours of travel, 30 minutes stop for lunch, another 2 hours of travel, 30 minutes of boat waiting, and 30 minutes of jet boat riding, I arrived at Kurau.   One hour later, I am already in a meeting, discussing about the long disputed Field Factor. Basically, it is a number derived from Total Production of Fields (measured by our field personnel) and Total Flow Received by Storage Vessel. It has been rising lately, and Upper Management think that something is wrong.   Things have been wrong, and my team is on chasing it. | My Alter Ego | Blogroll Me! | 0 blogger comments | | |

9/11 Gave Birth

by Eko Prasetyo @ 6:25 AM 9/11 gave birth to the biggest terrorists of them all, killing more people than two planes hitting the twin towers. Who orchestrated the whole Plane Battering Act, no one knows for sure except the composers of the said project. But who gave order to invade Iraq and Afghanistan? Everyone knows: Dubya dan Dickney.   Now Dubya and Dickney has killed more than Plane Battering Act. They have become more evil than their "Sworn Enemies"   Read it all here : http://edition.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/09/03/death.toll/   Have fun, and be contemplating. | My Alter Ego | Blogroll Me! | 0 blogger comments | | |

Democracy

by Eko Prasetyo @ 8:15 PM Democracy is moving in full force here in Indonesia: we have President directly voted by people, Governors and Mayors are directly elected by people. We even select the next batch of celebrities by the use of votings, a la American Idol. And so far, the trend is conclusive: Indonesian people tend to go for packaging then the quality. The results of our practiced Democracy? An everyday question: "Gee, why did I chose that loser in the firt place?" That above self-introspective question applied to those who have chosen the ever-doubtful SBY as President or those who have chosen their favorites sms-based celebrities wannabe in those "who wannabe celebrities" events. With their lack of qualities apparent when they are out of their promotional packagings, satisfactions are far-cry from expectations. So, in the end, Democracy is not a solution for people selection here in Indonesia. Not when people tend to go for packagings then the actual inherent-qualities of the candidates. | My Alter Ego | Blogroll Me! | 0 blogger comments | | |

Days of Blindness

by Eko Prasetyo @ 7:20 AM It is quite staggering to know that level of customer relations here in Indonesia is so close to trash level that you can smell it the second the so called costumer relation guy answers your phone. You can smell the incompetence that reeks from his words. You can smell irresponsibility the moment he asked you to contact other persons. You can smell inability the moment he tell you that he will contact the technicians regarding your problems.   You can smell your own anguish the moment you realized that you have been wasting money on phone calls and you have been losing potential fortunes due to you inability to perform your daily business chores because your tool is out of order.   You can smell the blood of the incoming technicians smearing your hands.   Damn TELKOM SPEEDY !! | My Alter Ego | Blogroll Me! | 0 blogger comments | | |