Writtern by: Nico Piere Simarmata

I found my way over to the fence's hole. It's encroached upon by vines and leaves. This is one of the several entrances to Gillette Platinum, an abandoned factory in the woods that my friends and I frequently visit. I strain to keep from slipping as I walk down the path to the factory, which is covered with brown leaves.

All of the trees had lost their leaves by this point, allowing me to see further down the trail. I arrive at my location, an empty parking lot hidden away in the woods, and take a seat. From behind the woods, the parking lot begins to be seen. It's cluttered with broken glass and empty beer bottles left by drunken youths. There are electrical poles every few meters, their cables broken and flowing in the wind. I'm in a lifeless, urban jungle, sitting in an empty parking lot surrounded by withered trees. This place was once bustling with activity, but it is now mostly deserted.

Everything is visible from this viewpoint. From where I sit, the rooftops of five abandoned buildings form an urban skyline. Where a building previously stood, a bulldozer now stands. The sun is starting to set, casting a bright light through the windows of the buildings. The sky is a combination of oranges and reds that looks like something out of a Helen Frankenthaler painting. The purple clouds appear unmoving, as if they are waiting for the sun to set before sleeping.

I'm currently back in the parking lot again. I could leave the factory anytime by going a few hundred metres into the fence’s hole, but the scenery here is too appealing to leave. The arrival of human in this factory makes the natural scene look far more real. I sit another few metres and admire the lovely landscape that nature and people have created. If the sun never sets, I would have stayed here longer and enjoyed every detail in the factory.

Written by: Nico Piere Simarmata

A few years ago, a boy named Daniel, was bullied in high school for being the only one that often got below passing grade among his friends. Everyone in his school was very talented. One day, the teacher asked what they wanted to be when they grew up. They wanted to be a doctor, an astronaut, a pilot, and other big dreams. While Daniel only murmured to himself.

“I want to be in the military...”

Pfft

Fenix, who sat beside him started to laugh when he heard what Daniel wanted to be.

“Military!? No way, you are very skinny and not smart at all. Remember when you got hit by the younger class, and you cried?” said Fenix.

Everyone else started to laugh too. Daniel didn’t say anything until he went home. As he arrived home, he went to his room. Daniel got pissed when he thought of what his friends laughed about him. However, He used it as a motivation to train harder. Daniel planned to bulk his body. He agreed to constantly train himself while keeping what his friends laughed about him as a motivation.

The day after, as he walked to his class, everyone giggled about what he said yesterday. But Daniel didn’t even mind them.

“Are you going to take your remedial score again, lieutenant Daniel?” mock Fenix

“Yeah…,” said Daniel.

Daniel didn’t feel hesitant to take any remedial test. He thought that was his way to get better and better. Even though he’s not as talented as his friend, he studied harder to be better. Year after year, Daniel was able to bulk his body and improve his studies.

Ten years ever since he got bullied, Daniel has been successfully achieved his dream and became a captain in the military. On the other hand, Fenix, his old classmate who wanted to be a pilot, failed in attempting every job application, and now he became unemployed.

Written by: Nico Piere Simarmata

In a world filled with millions or even billions of people, technology has developed rapidly and has affected society and the economy. Technology has become a functional tool to connect two or more things and make many things simple in our lives. However, this leads to the question should young people get all new technologies?

Internet of Things(IoT) is a large web that connects many objects to other people and things. IoT will be able to send and receive any information data. However, it looks like the developers are not being responsible for customers' privacy and security. They might use the data and sell it to other people for money. This action has led many people to refuse on getting connected devices. As the data shows that 47% of people refuse to buy due to privacy and security concerns.

Regardless of how many people are hesitant to buy connected devices, there are still people that would buy them. These people are divided into three groups. The first group is called "early adopters," this group of people is those who care too much about their social status. They love the sensation of having the product before others. Then there is this other group that also wants to have the product before others but for professional intentions. Then there is the last group called "normal," this group of people is those who buy based on their needs. They prefer to observe the product from other people's reviews or experiences before buying it.

Now to answer the question of whether should young people get all new technologies, it goes back to everyone's opinion and situation. Young people will need to think about which group are they in and how important is it for them. They will still need to be careful that their data might be exposed.

In conclusion, being up-to-date with the latest version of technologies is important. But don't waste your money when it is not necessary for you and be responsible for managing personal information.

Article Writting:

Are smartphones made for communication only?

“Photography has always depended on technology, and every change in technology change has affected the history of photography, but the smartphone, in its nature, is a device that is not for photography. It’s a device that is for communication.” Henry Jacobson, a photographer, and filmmaker tell TIME. This statement can be false, but at some point, it can be true. Smartphone has been greatly evolved up to this time.

I disagree with this statement. Nowadays, many smartphones have cameras. Instead, there are only a few smartphones that don’t have cameras. Back then, smartphones without cameras are popular, but they are used for calling, chatting, or playing snack games only. We can’t deny the fact that smartphones developed from time to time. There is nothing wrong with providing a camera on a smartphone. Moreover, smartphones with cameras can be easier to bring rather than bringing an actual camera everywhere. Smartphone cameras are more portable to take pictures compared to a camera as well.

However, for some reason, I agree with this statement. Back then, photography might be rare and memorable, where you want to look at it twice. But now, I’m pretty sure we have our smartphones full of pictures that we don’t even look back after a year. If you were to ask me, I don’t think those random homework pictures or your friend sleeping can be called photography because photography should be a form of art. Besides, the editing apps are way more attractive than the original picture taken by the smartphone. Compared to real cameras, smartphones have less camera quality as their main focus is not on the camera. So, I would agree that smartphones are used for communication.

For some people, smartphones camera quality is enough to take good pictures, but will that be enough for photographers? I wonder, will photography still be a form of art in the upcoming years? Or will there be smartphones that have better camera quality compared to an actual camera? Are smartphones made for communications only or not? What do you think?

Charity Letter: Everlasting Love Foundation

Written by: Nico Piere Simarmata

Everlasting Love Foundation

Yayasan Lestari Sayang Anak

Dear Supporter,

Children are the nation's next generation. They need to be loved and cared for. According to a 2008 survey by Save the Children, up to half a million children live in residential care in Indonesia, what a terrifying number. Isn't it heartbreaking to see the number of abandoned children in Indonesia? There are no children that should experience harmful or inequalities. Every child needs educations. They need to be supported to grow well and be independent.

Everlasting Love Foundation is a non-profit organization that was made on 18 April 2009. The founder decided to care about raising children until they were independent. Through the Everlasting Love Foundation, he set up a small-scaled orphanage. A place that allows for high-quality care and gives attention to each child.

Some parents are rejecting their children, abandoning them, and even abusing them. Then at the end, children are placed in the orphanage. How would you feel if you became one of them? No one wants to be rejected, especially by their parents. Therefore, the organization has the mission to run an orphanage for abandoned babies and toddlers who cannot be cared for by their biological families. The orphanage is a small home full of individual care and attention, where they will not suffer from feeling a lack of love. The orphanage provides basic needs like healthy food, clothing, good education, medical and loving care. The children are raised until they are grown up, by providing them all they need to become happy, healthy adults in the future.

However, to achieve this, Everlasting Love Foundation will need your support. Any kind of donation matters. Even a small act can make a difference for these children because acts of giving are the foundations of the world. All donations that we receive will be used for the children. We hope everyone can take part in this action to achieve our mission and see a brighter future for these children.

Yours Faithfully,

Nico Piere Simarmata

Everlasting Love Foundation

IT ISN’T JUSTIFIED TO KEEP WILD ANIMALS IN CAPTIVITY

Written by Nico Piere Simarmata

Wild animals are living things just like humans. How would you feel if you were locked in a cage for the rest of your life? How would you perceive if people come to see you as an exhibition, then walk away? This issue has been a very controversial topic around the world. Wild animals should not be caged, they should be living in their habitats. In my opinion, wild animals shouldn’t be kept in captivity because people are making them suffer unnecessarily, using them for entertainment, and taking them away from their natural habitats.

First of all, keeping wild animals in captivity makes them suffer unnecessarily. I agreed that some zoos are well on taking care of them. But some zoos don’t, they do not provide the best care for the wild animals. A zoo is a place for the captivity of animals. However, this is not the purpose in some zoos. The zoo is supposed to be a facility in which the animals are taken care of.

Second, zoos used wild animals for entertainment against their will. Visiting zoos gives an unconscious message that it’s okay to use animals for their wants. However, it implicates their freedom or quality of life. There might be a counterpoint that says zoos are a good tool for our education. The reality is that zoos are deficient in education. People do not go to zoos for educational reasons. They simply go to be entertained by those animals. I believe we agree that it’s the reason most people come to the zoo.

Lastly, they are taking them away from their natural habitats. Wild animals belong in their natural habitats. People violate their natural rights by taking them into captivity. Although, the study showed that more than 80% of the mammal species lived longer in captivity. But it showed that elephants have longer life spans in the wild than the captivity. These also affect their survival skills because wild animals are trained to survive in the wild and hunt for food. We destroy the natural cycle by interrupting their food cycle.

In conclusion, Animals shouldn’t be kept in captivity. Because it’s making them suffer unnecessarily, making them as an entertainment, and taking them away from their natural habitats. Wild animals need freedom as well. They have the skills to survive in the wilds. It’s better to accommodate wild animals that don’t have a house rather than to hunt animals to be kept in captivity.