NUCLEAR FACE OFF

The concept of “Face” is an incredibly difficult and dangerous concept particularly when it is Nuclear Powered!

I say face because that can be the only reason that the “powers that be” would even consider a Nuclear Power Plant in Indonesia. Does anyone with even one last firing synapse believe that Nuclear Power Plant could be built and operated safely in the current conditions in Indonesia?

Indonesia has been beset by an on-going list on natural disasters whose most inglorious claim to fame is rather than being mitigated by human invention, the suffering is magnified by powers of 10 by a combination of greed, corruption and a sheer lack of concern for others. Not content with natural disasters, we have decided that we can do so much better than Nature and create the conditions for a disaster that will ensure suffering for thousands of years by building a Nuclear Power Plant in one of the worlds most geographically unstable regions. But hey there are some big bucks to be made!

Why should we be concerned you ask? We assured that Safety protocols will be investigated later.

Well that’s a relief; perhaps we could use the agencies that are responsible for quality and standards on:

Railways…ooops maybe not
Shipping and Ferry’s …oops maybe not
Airlines…..Sorry
Toll roads…nope

I am more than willing to be corrected, to which agency would you be willing to trust the health of the next five generations of your family? As for the rest of South East Asia are you willing to trust country that renders your air unbreathable year after year due rampant burning off of World Heritage Forest for the sake of the rich few?

Besides the above it is economically stupid. Indonesia sits on the world’s largest coal reserves and year after year ships millions of tones of coal to provide power and lighting to other countries. Meanwhile over 40% of her citizens sit in darkness.

How hard would it be to invest some of the billions of Nuclear dollars into Clean Coal Technology and the welfare of her own people? Just the stopping of the wide spread practice of “transfer pricing” would pay for the coal required for the foreseeable future.

It will be interesting if the now discredited environmental group WALHI can make a difference and serve the environment as it is supposed to instead on some bizarre political/personal agenda.

Anyway, I am off to check out the wind patterns to see in which 20,000 sq km area is out of bounds for the next 5000 years.
By the way, I am actually a supporter of Nuclear Power as clean, robust answer to the earths future energy needs. However a couple of fairly basic considerations are required:

a. A robust system of checks and balances
b. A safety regime that is not subject to money politics
c. A stable Geographic Location
d. The ability to assess the above.

In the meantime, before we start thinking about a Nuclear Power Plant, we concentrate on:

Planes that stay in the air
Ferries that don’t sink monthly
Toll roads that don’t collapse after six weeks
Capitial cities that don’t flood every year

Sorry if some find this a bit brutal…But a Nuclear Power Plant…ARE YOU SERIOUS?

GREEN WANK

There is saying from a movie ‘Build it and they will come” and more realistic twist would be “Green it and the Scam will come” Indonesia has it own versions, the more ominous and far reaching being the now strangely silent Newmont pollution trial which Unspun covers here

(Where have all those accusers gone..Still they will be back on the other side when the lawsuits start).

In a worrying trend, Australia seems to leading the way in gold medal for “Green Stupids”. The latest "green wank" may well not be a scam, but it is certainly a stupid way to be parted from your money and a sleazy way to make some. Essentially a company is selling you carbon credits that will off set your carbon foot print on the planet. Or as it was reported the company “vows to spend the $8 you give them on products, such as energy-saving lightbulbs and water-saving shower heads, that reduce emissions elsewhere (if not in your own backyard)”.

Now obviously the you can spend more than $8 on carbon credits with the company (as I sure they would want you too) like one sad soul “For $20, the company made Jenny XXXX into a "carbon-neutral granny" last year. Her daughter, Emily, gave her a gift certificate to offset two years' worth of flatulence. "I don't like to brag, but I actually don't have much flatulence," Mrs XXXX says. "But when I do, I feel OK about it, because the damage to the planet has been offset."…. or “Take Sally XXX and her husband, Stephen XXXX, of Sydney's northern beaches. They have a four-wheel drive, two children - George, 3, and Olivia, 1, both of whom wear disposable nappies - and take three interstate trips a year.

Easy Being Green used a complicated mathematical formula (I bet they did) to value the family's "footprint" at $600 a year, so Mr XXXX bought $600 worth of carbon credits for his wife for her birthday.”
Pleaasee… The amazing thing is not that these people bought this stuff but they actually made any money in the first place. Seriously, you have a lazy six hundred dollars and best thing thing you can think of to improve the planet is an Anti Granny Fart Tax Certificate.

The Chief Executive commenting on a “Simliar money for Green” scheme that generated millions of dollars, mostly from tax payer was cancelled by the government when it proved unworkable (surprise) said "Well, not to rort, but it obviously had its problems."..yea right!

Still the old adges seem to apply – A fool and his money…….

Still if anyone has $600 they want to spend contact me and I will install some light bulbs and even plant a tree for you or buy you a cork for granny’s bum. Oh, I also have some left Y2k recovery plans left over going cheap.

P.S ..Anyone want to bet the CE of the company owns more than one car?

WE HATE BUSH

Along with the plethora of Starbucks across the world, the other parallel trend is the rise in “Anti-America/Bush/USA-ism”. Of course, in Indonesia as in so many other places, your resident “rent a crowd” doffs the placards, the fake blood, complete in the US inspired uniform of jeans, t shirts and base ball cap (guys, the pointy pit goes to the front, its not really that hard) much to the amusement of many.

The Republicans in particular are reviled by many in Indonesia. Although sadly in a lot of cases, the Protestors would be hard pressed to tell you what party Bush represented. To be fair, it’s unreasonable to expect any deep thought process from a mob.

Ironically, a Democrat President with a Democrat controlled congress would be a disaster in real terms for Indonesia. Democrats are traditionally far more interested in human rights abuses (perceived or otherwise) than the Republicans. ..Hello Papua..Munir, East Timor ..How’s that coming along Indonesia? Democrats also place far more emphasis on domestic trade protection, guess where that will be felt.

Of course, the more isolationist foreign policies of the Democrats and need to fund domestic welfare programs will severely restrict foreign aid programs in countries viewed as less than critical in the new order (aka Indonesia). But hey we hate bush, so it’s all going to be good.

So is it to be principles or practical for Indonesia??

I must admit I did kind of like a recent article by Janet Albrechtsen which said in part:

“Anti-Americanism has morphed into a desire to bring America to heel, something that coincides with the goal of Islamists. But if the big, fast rich guy retreats, it’s worth asking who will step up to the plate when the West needs things fixed. The dawdling burghers of Europe may recall that small and slow did not help the Kuwaitis, Bosnian Muslims, Kosovars, Afghanis or the tsunami victims.”
‘So the Islamic world will complain the US is anti-Muslim while overlooking Bosnia. Europeans regularly overlook the fact that American power, resolve and, yes, idealism, delivered them from both Nazism and communism. Nor, when they nip down to the corner store for some foie gras in their BMWs or Citroens, do they remember the contribution the Marshall Plan made to their postwar prosperity.”

Disclosure time. Personally I dislike Bush as well; trouble is I dislike the vast majority of leaders (?) who dislike America more. I think dear ol Janet is probably a bit over the top in defence of America but the point is well made.

Honour..what honour!

"Rape of Pakistani girl leads to protest
Bruce Loudon, South Asia correspondent
February 02, 2007

IN a savage repeat of the Mukhtar Mai case that ignited international outrage, a 16-year-old Pakistani girl was reported last night to have been kidnapped and pack-raped by 11 men, then paraded naked through her village near the town of Ubaro, 530km from the port city of Karachi.
The teenager is believed to have suffered horrifying injuries during the brutal and sustained attack, described as an "honour revenge" after her cousin eloped with the female relative of one of the men accused in the case.
Adding to her agony, police initially expressed scepticism that there had been any sexual assault, refusing to take action, adopting the same attitude they did in the Mukhtar Mai case.

Women are often used in Pakistan's backward rural areas as a means of settling tribal vendettas and so-called matters of "honour". What is clear from last night's reports is that despite the reform of the country's rape laws - forced through parliament by President Pervez Musharraf in the face of trenchant opposition from Islamic fundamentalists - dreadful outrages continue."

I wonder if this will come up in the next round of talks between the Presidents..

It really is a matter of how low can you go..scum!

April Fools

After months of feeling a bit "crook" finally found out whats wrong. Although still not sure why it did not show up on the first blood test a month ago or why it always takes 3 hours to get a blood test done in Indonesia. Anyway it would appear I have picked up a stomach bug which gives rise to on-going fevers and saps any remaining energy and rational thought you may have. Still feverish, so enjoy the following fever induced rant,

Yesterday was the first day, they let me out of hospital and lo and behold its the 1st of April, I had no idea I was out that long!! The Jakarta Post was just full on, with one story after another each topping the other for best April Fool's Joke.

The Agriculture Minister Anton Apriyanto is quoted as saying the nation's commercial poultry breeders were "more well informed about bird flu than back yard farmers and more prepared to deal with the disease and most commercial concerns have implemented proper bio-security measures, successfully combatting bird flu in commercial poultry"

That's a hoot, anyone who has the misfortune to visit the majority of commercial poultry concerns in Indonesia would see the filth and generations of fowl shit raising meters from the floor. Even on the best of days, most Indonesian chickens look at best half starved, racid excuses for poultry. One for the journos..Did not one of you want ask about the well known state of these "concerns"? Or why Singapore banned poultry products from Indonesia a full 12 months before the first ever warning about bird flu in Indonesia?

The Chief Editor of the Jakarta Post learnt (relearnt) the old adage "never share the stage with animals or small children". At a panel discussion regarding the role of Indonesia as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, the chief editor said " Indonesia needed to be both pragmatic and idealistic in its decisions with the UNSC or risk falling into a double standard of behaviour" sensible words indeed! Trouble was, he was follwed up by Government Minister (?) Djoko Susilo with "for instance, it should be made clear why Indonesia decided to abstain on the Myanmar resolution whilst we uphold democratic and human right values"... Hard to act to follow...although I must be thick coz it still ain't clear to me.


The absolute gold star gem of April Fool's articles was the report that the Jakarta Health Agency was revising a draft law to punish those who refuse to take part an active part in efforts to curb commincable diseases. "For example if we find, during a door to door inspection, find mosquito lavae in a water container, we will give the resident a santion" said Agency Head Salimar Salim. It is said the administration has mulled sending offenders to jail for six months or leving a fine of Rp 50 million ($5488).

Yea..right..Right law..wrong target. How about sending to jail for six months those useless bastards, who despite forever granting themselves allowances, are quite happy for the residents to live next to non-flowing, stinking black cesspits that Jakaratans have to call rivers. Or the kilometers of open sewage drains, or the dodgy developments that increase Jakarta's flooding year in year out..
The poor guy in the kampung, with his bowl of water is the evil one..I think not.. Next thing you know he will get the blame for creating the bird flu crisis..Oops sorry already done that..

As Unspun says..where are the real journalists and media? Who will ask the questions that will reveal these people as the year long April Fool's Joke they are?

One last point, thanks to all for looking after my Troll while I have been away. I know he is immature, not very bright, abusive and somewhat boring after awhile. However it pays to remind us that even evolution forks off into a dead end from time to time. We should all take care that if we wade in the shallow end of the gene pool always wear protection.