In Ip Man 2, the fight scene (on round table) between Sammo Hung and Donnie Yen is epic !!!  The speed of Sammo Hung and Donnie Yen is impressive. The high degree of speed, precision, power, and intensity, is awesome. I was blown away by it. I couldn’t blink my eyes watching it. It’s breathtaking !!!

Ip Man & Ip Man 2 are movies about a legendary life of kung fu master, Ip Man (AKA Yip Man).  Yip Man is the grand master of Wing Chun Chinese martial art. He’s also the martial art teacher of Bruce Lee. The movie is not all-action, but it is also very touching.  Ip Man & Ip Man 2 triggered so many different emotions in me (sad, happy, excited, etc).

Some people like Ip Man more than Ip Man 2, some people like Ip Man 2 more than Ip Man. While Ip Man has more drama than fighting, Ip Man 2 has much more fighting and less drama. The story in Ip Man was more touching than in Ip Man 2, but the fight scene in Ip Man 2 was more awesome than in Ip Man. Therefore, it’s hard for me to choose between Ip Man and Ip Man 2. I love both Ip Man and Ip Man2.

You can see the video of Ip Man 2 (trailer, making of), synopsis, cast, scene, photo, etc, in the official website of Ip Man 2 ( http://www.ipman2-movie.com/ ). You can choose the language you want to see in that website. Or you can click this link ( http://www.ipman2-movie.com/en_main.html ) to enter directly to the english website.

Or you can also see the Ip Man 2 trailer in here:

Angklung is a traditional musical instrument from West Java, Indonesia. This instrument is made of bamboo. One angklung instrument produces one tone, for example an F tone. Therefore, we need several angklung instruments to play a song. You have to shake the instrument to produce the tone. Usually angklung are played by a group of people to perform a song. Every player in that group cooperates with each other in order to produce a harmonious sound.

I remember when I played angklung back then when I was in university. I & lots of people from all over Indonesia were performing several songs in the area of Presidential palace to celebrate 50th Indonesia Independence day. My group was playing certain part of the song & several other groups were playing other parts of the song. So, all of these groups had to be united into one enormous group, in order to be able to play one complete song. Before all groups met in Jakarta to play one complete song, each group had been given only its part of the song. So, before we went to Jakarta, my group was only practicing our part of the song, in Bandung. Other groups were also only practicing their part of the song, in their cities. Then one day, all groups met in Jakarta to practice playing one complete song, for each song that we had to play in the area of Presidential palace several days later. It’s not easy to play a complete song in such an enormous group because each group had never heard and never practiced a complete song before that day. But finally we made it.

Angklung produces a very unique sound. Maybe you won’t believe it if you don’t hear and see it by yourself. Do you want to hear & see angklung concert? Just click the videos below to hear & see the angklung concert.

video: Indonesian music
video source: youtube (by 40daysineurope)

video: classical music
video source: youtube (by ikyuson)

When you visit Bandung (West Java, Indonesia), you should go to saung angklung udjo to see the angklung concert & other performing arts. Click here to visit the website of saung angklung udjo.

I choose…. “to do”.  I’m going to let the world know about my country, by writing about Indonesia in several posts in my blog. So….  every now and then, I will write about some places, dances, culture, heritage, and other things about Indonesia, in this blog. Up to today, my blog’s visitors have come from 79 countries (up to march: 57 countries). By writing about Indonesia in this blog, at least visitors from 79 countries can know about Indonesia. I think that’s a good start.

globetrackr details: all countries

top countries

	United States	55.23%
	Indonesia	6.46%
	unknown	6.19%
	United Arab Emirates	5.71%
	Canada	5.40%
	United Kingdom	5.34%
	Spain	2.84%
	Romania	1.95%
	India	1.63%
	Australia	1.37%
	Malaysia	1.26%
	Norway	0.76%
	South Africa	0.66%
	Philippines	0.62%
	New Zealand	0.36%
	Singapore	0.34%
	Germany	0.32%
	Turkey	0.32%
	Brunei Darussalam	0.32%
	Brazil	0.30%
	Pakistan	0.28%
	Europe	0.25%
	Netherlands	0.16%
	Sweden	0.16%
	France	0.14%
	Japan	0.14%
	Thailand	0.12%
	Korea, Republic of	0.12%
	Portugal	0.11%
	Argentina	0.11%
	Ireland	0.09%
	Vietnam	0.07%
	Oman	0.07%
	Morocco	0.07%
	Bulgaria	0.07%
	Belgium	0.07%
	Sri Lanka	0.05%
	Mexico	0.05%
	Poland	0.05%
	Switzerland	0.04%
	Nigeria	0.04%
	Malta	0.04%
	Italy	0.04%
	Israel	0.04%
	Kenya	0.02%
	El Salvador	0.02%
	Turks and Caicos Islands	0.02%
	Saudi Arabia	0.02%
	Russian Federation	0.02%
	Hong Kong	0.02%
	Finland	0.02%
	Egypt	0.02%
	Kuwait	0.02%
	Hungary	0.02%
	Estonia	0.02%
	Denmark	0.02%
	Cyprus	0.02%
	Greece	0.02%

Usually my blog’s visitors per day were around 20 – 50 visitors, and sometimes there was only 1 visitor.  But in february 25, 2009, I was so surprised to see that there were 1089  visitors in march 24, 2009.  1089 visitors in only 1 day!  I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw that. I’ve never got visitors that much in 1 day before. What a surprise!

my blog's visitors in february 24, 2009

Awesome !!!  that’s what I thought when I saw the Red Cliff movies (both the Red Cliff 1 & the Red Cliff 2).

There were lots of strategies in these movies, but the most amazing one was the strategy where Zhuge Liang had to get 100,000 arrows in a short time. The strategy on how he got those arrows was awesome !!!

Zhuge Liang also had the capabilities of reading the nature (the wind, etc) that helped them a lot to determine what strategies they’re going to use.

The capabilities of reading each other’s mind between Zhuge Liang and Zhou Yu was amazing. They could understand each other’s mind by only looking at each other’s face. I loved the scenes where they communicate their strategies by only seeing at each other’s face.

There was also a scene when both of them communicate to each other by playing music instruments. They didn’t talked at all. They only played the music instruments and they knew what each other was saying by only listening to the music they were playing.

If you haven’t seen this movie, you should see it.  It was awesome !!!

You can see the trailer here:

Red Cliff 2:

http://www.21cineplex.com/red-cliff-ii,movie,2008.htm (see the trailer on the bottom of that page, not on the right page)

Red Cliff 1:

http://www.21cineplex.com/red-cliff,movie,1900.htm (see the trailer on the bottom of that page, not on the right page)

Yesterday I went there with my friends to see that concert. Surprisingly, I could enjoy the show. This show were divided into 2 part. Part 1 was japanese songs, and part 2 was korean songs.  I enjoyed the korean part (part 2) more than the japanese part (part 1).

These were the songs in that concert  :

Part 2  (korean songs) :

1. Arirang (beautiful dear)

Korean folksong

Arr. : Huh Cool Jae

2. Kyrie

from Missa Arirang

Arr. : Huh Cool Jae.

3. Halleluya Uri Yesu

Arr. : Woo Hyo Won.

4. Namchon

Kim Dong Hwan

Arr. : Kim Gyu Hwan

It’s a song about the beautiful landscape of Korea in spring.

5. Cheongsan E Sallira (to the green mountain)

Kim Yeon Jun

Arr. : Lee Hyun Chul

It’s a song about the beautiful green mountains of Korean peninsula.

6. Heogong (the empty air)

Cho Yong Phil

Arr. : Bae Sang Hwan

It’s a song about  the broken love that will be buried into the empy air.

7. Maebeob Eui Seong (magic castle)

Arr.: Intermuze & Dongbangshingi.

Part 1 (japanese songs) :

1. Sakura (cherry blossom)

lyrics: japanese edo period

Arr.: Toru Takemitsu

It’s a traditional japanese folksong depicting spring, the season of cherry blossom.

2. Shima Uta (island song)

lyrics: Keiko Kitagawa

song: Katsuhisa Hattori

Arr.: Chiharu Wakabayashi.

3. Tonari No Totoro (my neighbour Totoro)

lyrics: Keiko Kitagawa

song: Katsuhisa Hattori

Arr.: Chiharu Wakabayashi.

4. Kotoba Ni Sureba (if it’s said in words)

lyrics: Yasuoka Yutaka

song: the Gospellers

Arr.: Matsuhita Kou.

5. Sakura (Cherry Blossom)

lyrics: Moriyama Naotaro & Okachimachi T.

song: Moriyama Naotaro

Arr.: Imamura Kou.

6. First Love

lyrics: Utada Hikaru

song: Utada Hikaru

Arr.: Shoji Chihiro.

7. Niji (Rainbow)

lyrics: Moriyama Naotaro

song: Moriyama Naotaro

Arr.: Okachimachi Kaito.

8. Seishunfu (youth sonata)

Itsuki Hiroyuki

Arr.: Nobunaga Takatomi

Sometimes I forget to thank you for everything that You have given me all this time. I’m so sorry for that.

Thank you for giving me these eyes, so that I can see so many colors and all beautiful things in this world. Thank you God, because with these eyes :
• I can see my beloved family
• I can see the leaves blowing in the wind
• I can see the smiles on people’s face, the colors of their eyes, etc
• I can see the blue sky, the blue ocean, the green forest, the color of the flower, the cute animals, etc
• I can see amazing music concert performance
• I can see my friends
• I can see my favorite singers, actress, & actors
• I can see my favorite movies & TV shows
• Etc

Thank you for giving me these ears, so that I can hear all beautiful sound in this world. Thank you God, because with these ears :
• I can hear my family’s voice
• I can hear my friend’s voice
• I can hear beautiful music and songs
• I can hear the sound of flowing water
• I can hear the sound of the wind
• I can hear the ocean waves
• I can hear the singing of my favorite singers
• Etc

Thank you for giving me this mouth, so that I can speak & eat tasty food.

Thank you for giving me this nose, so that I can smell the air.

Thank you for giving me a healthy body, so that I can experience life and feel all beautiful things in this world.

Thank you for giving me such lovely family & friends.

Thank you for the food, the home, the job, the life experience (good and bad), and everything else that you have given me.

On 28-29 december 2008, I & my big family went to Puncak. These were my big family that went there: my mom & my sisters & my brother & my sister in law, my aunts & their husbands & children, my cousins & their husbands & children. We were there for 2 days & 1 night. Usually it only takes 2,5 hours to get to Puncak, but it took us 9 hours to get there because of the traffic jam.

It ‘s so cold in Puncak & the view’s beautiful. All of us had fun there. We played 2 games at night & 1 games in the morning. To play those games, all of us were divided into 3 teams. At the first game, the score of team 1 was 2, the score of team 2 was 2, & the score of team 3 was 2 too, so…. there was no winner in the first game. In the second & third games there was no winner too because the score of all teams were the same.

On 29 dec, we had barbeque, played cards, and gathered around the pool. When we gathered around the pool, we pushed all men to the pool eventhough they still wore their clothes. While the men were playing in the pool, the women were sitting around the pool. It was fun.

Then it was time for us to go home. I really had fun there. What a great day to end the year of 2008.

traffic jam in puncak

puncak

From 31 dec – 4 jan, I got so upset because I got ill in my vacation (I was in vacation from 25 dec – 4 jan). “I was planning on having fun in my vacation but I cannot do it because I got ill? I hate it!”, my heart said it at that time.

But when I think of it now, in the the year 2008 I’ve never got very sick (=severe illness for more than 5 days) like my illness in 31 dec – 7 jan. It means in 2008 I only got very sick once (from 31 dec – 7 jan). Therefore I should be grateful to God that I have never got very sick more than once in the year 2008.

“The campaign of “Bloggers Unite for World AIDS Day”

Several days ago, I got email from The BlogCatalog Team about “Bloggers Unite for World AIDS Day” and also read about it in the website of “Bloggers Unite”

This was what I’ve read in that email and in Bloggers Unite’s website :

On December 1st, bloggers from around the world will unite for World AIDS Day 2008. Worldwide an estimated 33 million people are living with HIV. NIDA and AIDS.gov are working with Bloggers Unite because we value and recognize the power of a voice. Multiply that voice by the thousands and the sound of humanity will echo the blogosphere. HIV/AIDS affects too many in our communities to ignore. Be a part of a growing community of leaders that lift their voices.Together, we can reduce the stigma of this pandemic through our words, voices and actions.

Unlike most campaigns where we hope awareness led to action, this is one campaign where awareness is action! If even just 10 percent of our members get involved, we can reach an estimated 4 million blog readers. And if half of our members participate, we can reach 20 million. And if all bloggers participate, we can reach the entire world.

So, I decided to support that campaign by writing this post.

“The story of one HIV/AIDS’s victim in my country”

I remember watching a talk show about HIV/AIDS in my TV. There was several guests there, but the story of one of the guests keeps on flashing through my mind and I couldn’t forget about it. Here’s her story. She was a married woman. She lived in the village and her husband lived in the big city because he worked in that big city. Therefore, they couldn’t meet everyday, but her husband went home (to the village) regularly to visit her wife. One day when her husband went home to meet her, he told her that he got HIV/AIDS from prostitute in the city where he worked. So he asked her wife to get tested for HIV/AIDS. The result was…. she also got HIV/AIDS. She got the HIV/AIDS from her husband. When the talk show’s host asked her this question “What do you feel when you know that your husband got HIV/AIDS and that you got HIV/AIDS too from your husband?”, she cried and couldn’t say a word. She looked very sad that she couldn’t say a word at all.

Picture credit to: Bloggers Unite and Inerd Hussein

Nowadays I only go to Bandung once or twice a month on weekends. It always feels good going home. I love it so much. When I am in Bandung, I usually hang out with my friends on Saturday, and stay at home (spending time with my parents, sisters, and brother) on Sunday.

These are the activities that I love to do when I’m going back home to Bandung:

- Having breakfast, lunch, and dinner with my brother, sisters, and my mom. We usually have breakfast and lunch at the backyard, and have dinner in the living room. I always love doing that. Unfortunately my father cannot join us, because he passed away in 1995.

- Watching TV together with my brother, sisters, and my mom in the living room. I don’t always like the program that we’re watching but I love being there with them.

- sitting on the sofa in the backyard to enjoy the view of the garden and the little birds that usually come and play in the garden.

I always miss going home. Going home always makes my day brighter. Home sweet home.

Mimi wanted to help feed animals in need. So she came out with an idea of creating a website to help feed those animals. She created freekibble.com and freekibblekat.com In those sites, you can see a trivia. And here is how to play the trivia: you can see a question about animals there. Click on the answer that you think is correct. Whether your answer is right or wrong the website will provide free kibble to animal shelters to help feed their hungry cats or dogs.

“How many animals have you helped so far?” the talk show’s host asked. “135000 animals for 1 day”, Mimi answered. I was amazed hearing that number. 135000 animals in 1 day?  Wow!

When I saw her websites today, I saw this information in those websites: 31,879,340 pieces of kibble donated since June 01, 2008 (in freekiblekat.com), and 54,644,980 pieces of kibble donated since April 1, 2008 (in freekibble.com). Wow!

I’m touched to see someone (Mimi) walk the talk and do some action. She is amazing, isn’t she?

If you want to help animals, you can go to Mimi’s website :

* http://www.freekibblekat.com/ , a website to help feed hungry cats.

* http://www.freekibble.com/ ,a website to help feed hungry dogs.

Dreamland Bali Indonesia (1)

“O my God! It’s so beautiful! “, I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw the view in front of me. It was the most beautiful beach I had ever seen. The color of the sea was so beautiful, with blue color in one side and green color in another side. I had never seen any view like this before. I was so astonished seeing it. “Dreamland”… is the name of this beach. It is located on the west coast of the Bukit Peninsula in Bali, Indonesia.

It was my first time in Dreamland. I went there with some friends. I heard that lots of foreigners like to surf there, but I didn’t see any surfer there at that time. Maybe it’s because it wasn’t the right time to surf?

We were walking along the beach, enjoying the touch of the sand in our feet and the beautiful view of the sea. Unfortunately we could only be there for only a short time. After taking several photos, we went home with a beautiful memory in our mind.

Dreamland Bali Indonesia (2)

Dreamland Bali Indonesia (3)

I saw his concession speech on TV. He said this in his speech: “I urge all Americans who supported me to join me in not just congratulating him, but offering our next president our good will and earnest effort to find ways to come together to find the necessary compromises to bridge our differences and help restore our prosperity, defend our security in a dangerous world, and leave our children and grandchildren a stronger, better country than we inherited.” McCain has lost the presidential election but he urged his supporters to support his former opponent. I admire him for that.

This was his concession speech (source: FOXNews) :

JOHN MCCAIN: Thank you. Thank you, my friends. Thank you for coming here on this beautiful Arizona evening.

(APPLAUSE)

My friends, we have — we have come to the end of a long journey. The American people have spoken, and they have spoken clearly.

A little while ago, I had the honor of calling Senator Barack Obama to congratulate him.

(BOOING)

Please.

To congratulate him on being elected the next president of the country that we both love.

In a contest as long and difficult as this campaign has been, his success alone commands my respect for his ability and perseverance. But that he managed to do so by inspiring the hopes of so many millions of Americans who had once wrongly believed that they had little at stake or little influence in the election of an American president is something I deeply admire and commend him for achieving.

This is an historic election, and I recognize the special significance it has for African-Americans and for the special pride that must be theirs tonight.

I’ve always believed that America offers opportunities to all who have the industry and will to seize it. Senator Obama believes that, too.

But we both recognize that, though we have come a long way from the old injustices that once stained our nation’s reputation and denied some Americans the full blessings of American citizenship, the memory of them still had the power to wound.

A century ago, President Theodore Roosevelt’s invitation of Booker T. Washington to dine at the White House was taken as an outrage in many quarters.

America today is a world away from the cruel and frightful bigotry of that time. There is no better evidence of this than the election of an African-American to the presidency of the United States.

Let there be no reason now…

(APPLAUSE)

Let there be no reason now for any American to fail to cherish their citizenship in this, the greatest nation on Earth.

(APPLAUSE)

Senator Obama has achieved a great thing for himself and for his country. I applaud him for it, and offer him my sincere sympathy that his beloved grandmother did not live to see this day. Though our faith assures us she is at rest in the presence of her creator and so very proud of the good man she helped raise.

Senator Obama and I have had and argued our differences, and he has prevailed. No doubt many of those differences remain.

These are difficult times for our country. And I pledge to him tonight to do all in my power to help him lead us through the many challenges we face.

I urge all Americans…

(APPLAUSE)

I urge all Americans who supported me to join me in not just congratulating him, but offering our next president our good will and earnest effort to find ways to come together to find the necessary compromises to bridge our differences and help restore our prosperity, defend our security in a dangerous world, and leave our children and grandchildren a stronger, better country than we inherited.

Whatever our differences, we are fellow Americans. And please believe me when I say no association has ever meant more to me than that.

(APPLAUSE)

It is natural. It’s natural, tonight, to feel some disappointment. But tomorrow, we must move beyond it and work together to get our country moving again.

AUDIENCE MEMBER: (OFF-MIKE)

We fought — we fought as hard as we could. And though we feel short, the failure is mine, not yours.

AUDIENCE: No!

MCCAIN: I am so…

AUDIENCE: (CHANTING)

MCCAIN: I am so deeply grateful to all of you for the great honor of your support and for all you have done for me. I wish the outcome had been different, my friends.

AUDIENCE MEMBER: We do, too (OFF-MIKE)

MCCAIN: The road was a difficult one from the outset, but your support and friendship never wavered. I cannot adequately express how deeply indebted I am to you.

I’m especially grateful to my wife, Cindy, my children, my dear mother…

(APPLAUSE)

…my dear mother and all my family, and to the many old and dear friends who have stood by my side through the many ups and downs of this long campaign.

I have always been a fortunate man, and never more so for the love and encouragement you have given me.

You know, campaigns are often harder on a candidate’s family than on the candidate, and that’s been true in this campaign.

All I can offer in compensation is my love and gratitude and the promise of more peaceful years ahead.

I am also — I am also, of course, very thankful to Governor Sarah Palin, one of the best campaigners I’ve ever seen…

(APPLAUSE)

…one of the best campaigners I have ever seen, and an impressive new voice in our party for reform and the principles that have always been our greatest strength…

(APPLAUSE)

… her husband Todd and their five beautiful children…

(APPLAUSE)

… for their tireless dedication to our cause, and the courage and grace they showed in the rough and tumble of a presidential campaign.

We can all look forward with great interest to her future service to Alaska, the Republican Party and our country.

(APPLAUSE)

To all my campaign comrades, from Rick Davis and Steve Schmidt and Mark Salter, to every last volunteer who fought so hard and valiantly, month after month, in what at times seemed to be the most challenged campaign in modern times, thank you so much. A lost election will never mean more to me than the privilege of your faith and friendship.

I don’t know — I don’t know what more we could have done to try to win this election. I’ll leave that to others to determine. Every candidate makes mistakes, and I’m sure I made my share of them. But I won’t spend a moment of the future regretting what might have been.

This campaign was and will remain the great honor of my life, and my heart is filled with nothing but gratitude for the experience and to the American people for giving me a fair hearing before deciding that Senator Obama and my old friend Senator Joe Biden should have the honor of leading us for the next four years.

(BOOING)

Please. Please.

I would not — I would not be an American worthy of the name should I regret a fate that has allowed me the extraordinary privilege of serving this country for a half a century.

half a century.

Today, I was a candidate for the highest office in the country I love so much. And tonight, I remain her servant. That is blessing enough for anyone, and I thank the people of Arizona for it.

(APPLAUSE)

AUDIENCE: USA. USA. USA. USA.

Tonight — tonight, more than any night, I hold in my heart nothing but love for this country and for all its citizens, whether they supported me or Senator Obama — whether they supported me or Senator Obama.

I wish Godspeed to the man who was my former opponent and will be my president. And I call on all Americans, as I have often in this campaign, to not despair of our present difficulties, but to believe, always, in the promise and greatness of America, because nothing is inevitable here.

Americans never quit. We never surrender.

(APPLAUSE)

We never hide from history. We make history.

Thank you, and God bless you, and God bless America. Thank you all very much.

“Wow! what a great speech! He’s a charismatic person too,” that’s what I thought when I saw his victory speech on TV. I admire him for that.

This was his victory speech (source: FOXNews) :

BARACK OBAMA: Hello, Chicago.

(APPLAUSE)

If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible, who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time, who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer.

(APPLAUSE)

It’s the answer told by lines that stretched around schools and churches in numbers this nation has never seen, by people who waited three hours and four hours, many for the first time in their lives, because they believed that this time must be different, that their voices could be that difference.

It’s the answer spoken by young and old, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, black, white, Hispanic, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled and not disabled. Americans who sent a message to the world that we have never been just a collection of individuals or a collection of red states and blue states.

We are, and always will be, the United States of America.

(APPLAUSE)

It’s the answer that led those who’ve been told for so long by so many to be cynical and fearful and doubtful about what we can achieve to put their hands on the arc of history and bend it once more toward the hope of a better day.

It’s been a long time coming, but tonight, because of what we did on this date in this election at this defining moment change has come to America.

(APPLAUSE)

A little bit earlier this evening, I received an extraordinarily gracious call from Senator McCain.

(APPLAUSE)

Senator McCain fought long and hard in this campaign. And he’s fought even longer and harder for the country that he loves. He has endured sacrifices for America that most of us cannot begin to imagine. We are better off for the service rendered by this brave and selfless leader.

I congratulate him; I congratulate Governor Palin for all that they’ve achieved. And I look forward to working with them to renew this nation’s promise in the months ahead.

(APPLAUSE)

I want to thank my partner in this journey, a man who campaigned from his heart, and spoke for the men and women he grew up with on the streets of Scranton…

(APPLAUSE)

… and rode with on the train home to Delaware, the vice president-elect of the United States, Joe Biden.

(APPLAUSE)

And I would not be standing here tonight without the unyielding support of my best friend for the last 16 years…

(APPLAUSE)

… the rock of our family, the love of my life, the nation’s next first lady…

(APPLAUSE)

… Michelle Obama.

(APPLAUSE)

Sasha and Malia…

(APPLAUSE)

… I love you both more than you can imagine. And you have earned the new puppy that’s coming with us…

(LAUGHTER)

… to the new White House.

(APPLAUSE)

And while she’s no longer with us, I know my grandmother’s watching, along with the family that made me who I am. I miss them tonight. I know that my debt to them is beyond measure.

To my sister Maya, my sister Alma, all my other brothers and sisters, thank you so much for all the support that you’ve given me. I am grateful to them.

(APPLAUSE)

And to my campaign manager, David Plouffe…

(APPLAUSE)

… the unsung hero of this campaign, who built the best — the best political campaign, I think, in the history of the United States of America.

(APPLAUSE)

To my chief strategist David Axelrod…

(APPLAUSE)

… who’s been a partner with me every step of the way. To the best campaign team ever assembled in the history of politics…

(APPLAUSE)

… you made this happen, and I am forever grateful for what you’ve sacrificed to get it done. But above all, I will never forget who this victory truly belongs to. It belongs to you. It belongs to you.

I was never the likeliest candidate for this office. We didn’t start with much money or many endorsements. Our campaign was not hatched in the halls of Washington. It began in the backyards of Des Moines and the living rooms of Concord and the front porches of Charleston. It was built by working men and women who dug into what little savings they had to give $5 and $10 and $20 to the cause.

It grew strength from the young people who rejected the myth of their generation’s apathy…

(APPLAUSE)

… who left their homes and their families for jobs that offered little pay and less sleep.

It drew strength from the not-so-young people who braved the bitter cold and scorching heat to knock on doors of perfect strangers, and from the millions of Americans who volunteered and organized and proved that more than two centuries later a government of the people, by the people, and for the people has not perished from the Earth.

This is your victory.

(APPLAUSE)

And I know you didn’t do this just to win an election. And I know you didn’t do it for me.

You did it because you understand the enormity of the task that lies ahead. For even as we celebrate tonight, we know the challenges that tomorrow will bring are the greatest of our lifetime — two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century.

Even as we stand here tonight, we know there are brave Americans waking up in the deserts of Iraq and the mountains of Afghanistan to risk their lives for us.

There are mothers and fathers who will lie awake after the children fall asleep and wonder how they’ll make the mortgage or pay their doctors’ bills or save enough for their child’s college education.

There’s new energy to harness, new jobs to be created, new schools to build, and threats to meet, alliances to repair.

The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even in one term. But, America, I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there.

I promise you, we as a people will get there.

(APPLAUSE)

AUDIENCE: Yes we can! Yes we can! Yes we can!

OBAMA: There will be setbacks and false starts. There are many who won’t agree with every decision or policy I make as president. And we know the government can’t solve every problem.

But I will always be honest with you about the challenges we face. I will listen to you, especially when we disagree. And, above all, I will ask you to join in the work of remaking this nation, the only way it’s been done in America for 221 years — block by block, brick by brick, calloused hand by calloused hand.

What began 21 months ago in the depths of winter cannot end on this autumn night.

This victory alone is not the change we seek. It is only the chance for us to make that change. And that cannot happen if we go back to the way things were.

It can’t happen without you, without a new spirit of service, a new spirit of sacrifice.

So let us summon a new spirit of patriotism, of responsibility, where each of us resolves to pitch in and work harder and look after not only ourselves but each other.

Let us remember that, if this financial crisis taught us anything, it’s that we cannot have a thriving Wall Street while Main Street suffers.

In this country, we rise or fall as one nation, as one people. Let’s resist the temptation to fall back on the same partisanship and pettiness and immaturity that has poisoned our politics for so long.

Let’s remember that it was a man from this state who first carried the banner of the Republican Party to the White House, a party founded on the values of self-reliance and individual liberty and national unity.

Those are values that we all share. And while the Democratic Party has won a great victory tonight, we do so with a measure of humility and determination to heal the divides that have held back our progress.

(APPLAUSE)

As Lincoln said to a nation far more divided than ours, we are not enemies but friends. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection.

And to those Americans whose support I have yet to earn, I may not have won your vote tonight, but I hear your voices. I need your help. And I will be your president, too.

(APPLAUSE)

And to all those watching tonight from beyond our shores, from parliaments and palaces, to those who are huddled around radios in the forgotten corners of the world, our stories are singular, but our destiny is shared, and a new dawn of American leadership is at hand.

(APPLAUSE)

To those — to those who would tear the world down: We will defeat you. To those who seek peace and security: We support you. And to all those who have wondered if America’s beacon still burns as bright: Tonight we proved once more that the true strength of our nation comes not from the might of our arms or the scale of our wealth, but from the enduring power of our ideals: democracy, liberty, opportunity and unyielding hope.

(APPLAUSE)

That’s the true genius of America: that America can change. Our union can be perfected. What we’ve already achieved gives us hope for what we can and must achieve tomorrow.

This election had many firsts and many stories that will be told for generations. But one that’s on my mind tonight’s about a woman who cast her ballot in Atlanta. She’s a lot like the millions of others who stood in line to make their voice heard in this election except for one thing: Ann Nixon Cooper is 106 years old.

(APPLAUSE)

She was born just a generation past slavery; a time when there were no cars on the road or planes in the sky; when someone like her couldn’t vote for two reasons — because she was a woman and because of the color of her skin.

And tonight, I think about all that she’s seen throughout her century in America — the heartache and the hope; the struggle and the progress; the times we were told that we can’t, and the people who pressed on with that American creed: Yes we can.

At a time when women’s voices were silenced and their hopes dismissed, she lived to see them stand up and speak out and reach for the ballot. Yes we can.

When there was despair in the dust bowl and depression across the land, she saw a nation conquer fear itself with a New Deal, new jobs, a new sense of common purpose. Yes we can.

AUDIENCE: Yes we can.

OBAMA: When the bombs fell on our harbor and tyranny threatened the world, she was there to witness a generation rise to greatness and a democracy was saved. Yes we can.

AUDIENCE: Yes we can.

OBAMA: She was there for the buses in Montgomery, the hoses in Birmingham, a bridge in Selma, and a preacher from Atlanta who told a people that “We Shall Overcome.” Yes we can.

AUDIENCE: Yes we can.

OBAMA: A man touched down on the moon, a wall came down in Berlin, a world was connected by our own science and imagination.

And this year, in this election, she touched her finger to a screen, and cast her vote, because after 106 years in America, through the best of times and the darkest of hours, she knows how America can change.

Yes we can.

AUDIENCE: Yes we can.

OBAMA: America, we have come so far. We have seen so much. But there is so much more to do. So tonight, let us ask ourselves — if our children should live to see the next century; if my daughters should be so lucky to live as long as Ann Nixon Cooper, what change will they see?

What progress will we have made?

This is our chance to answer that call. This is our moment.

This is our time, to put our people back to work and open doors of opportunity for our kids; to restore prosperity and promote the cause of peace; to reclaim the American dream and reaffirm that fundamental truth, that, out of many, we are one; that while we breathe, we hope. And where we are met with cynicism and doubts and those who tell us that we can’t, we will respond with that timeless creed that sums up the spirit of a people: Yes, we can.

(APPLAUSE)

Thank you. God bless you. And may God bless the United States of America.

Here was what we saw on TV:

there were many people gathered around the podium. They were the supporter of Obama who were waiting for Obama’s victory speech. I also saw Oprah Winfrey in the middle of Obama’s supporter there. There were also many supporter of McCain gathered in other place, waiting for McCain’s concession speech. “Wow! There were so many people gathered there –after hearing the election result- but no riot, amazing!”, my friend said. I remembered an incident in our country where there was a riot after hearing the result of the election. I wish someday there were no more riot -after hearing the election’s result” in my country.

Di TV terlihat kerumunan para pendukung Obama di sekitar podium pidato. Di situ juga terlihat Oprah Winfrey di antara kerumunan pendukung Obama tersebut. Mereka sedang menunggu pidato kemenangan Obama. Sedangkan di tempat lain terlihat kerumunan pendukung McCain, yang sedang menunggu pidato McCain. Orang-orang yg berkerumun di tempat Obama maupun McCain sangat banyak sekali -seperti banyaknya penonton konser besar- tapi mereka berdiri dengan sangat tertib. “Wah, di pemilu, orang sebanyak itu bisa berkumpul dengan tertib sekali ya? Sama sekali ngga ada kerusuhan seperti di sini. Hebat ya!”, kata salah satu temanku. Mendengar kata-kata temanku tsb, aku jadi teringat ttg beberapa kejadian di negaraku (kalo ngga salah, pemilihan bupati atau gubernur ya?) dimana para pendukung (atau oknum?) pihak yang kalah melakukan kerusuhan. “Semoga suatu saat masyarakat kita bisa sportif menerima suatu kekalahan dan tidak melakukan kerusuhan pada saat kalah,” pikirku saat itu.