GLOBAL WARMING - BAH HUMBUG

Don't Panic!!! There is still time to feed a rabid greenie to a Polar Bear.

Despite what you read and hear to the contrary, of 20 worldwide populations of Polar Bear only 2 have suffered any significant decline in the last 20 years. The other populations are stable and in some cases (shock, horror)
growing.

This is a bit a of a bugger. I just got finished selling all my coats and jackets and now they are telling me that Global Warming
may not be happening after all. This is bizarre, I mean rabid greens have made entire careers out of this "Global Warming thingy". Of course, those rabid greens they are robust lot.

In the seventies and eighties the RG catching sloganed t'shirt was the one that that screamed to all and sundry that a Global Winter was going to kill us all in a matter of weeks (this by the way was all America's Fault). Trouble is the screaming unwashed tshirt and hair band market was soon saturated.

After casting around for a few years with various new products such as No Nuclear Power, Free Rhodesia (that has kinda gone off a bit of late), Pro abortion, Anti Abortion, etc etc, it was obvious that a new global scare product was required ..Enter Global Warming.....

The best part is Global Warming (guess what..This is America's fault too)is hard to prove or disprove therefore this was a real winner! As with any crappy sales campain, its best to keep your remarks and scares vague and general. Unfortunately, it is hard to control your sales zealots when their blood is up.

So when the RG's starting making comments like Polar bears are disappearing (they aint!) or the ice is thinning and all the islands are sinking (actually always had problem with that one, how come only some islands are sinking..hmmm). The product is starting to smell a bit.

Anyway, they have had a good run, but looks like the jig is nearly up and someone may have to admit, "Ok you got us..No one knows what is happening yet, sorry about the dodgy data"..(Don't hold your breath)

I can hardly wait for the next one..Maybe.. "No World Wide Disasters Coming - Rabid Greens Starve"

Oh and still on the environment.. Australia is debating to rename an extinct (or not) parrot. New names touted include the
Messiah Bird (due to its constant resurrection from the dead) or the Tuckshop Parrot (due its habit of turning up where ever there is a new development planned).

Now I should point out their are no pictures of this bird as it is extinct!!! This is an interesting fact. Because the "extinct" little bugger apparently has a QANTAS frequent flyers card having stalled proposed $200 million developments in Queensland and Tasmania (about 5000km apart).

Proof of its non extinction (besides the QANTAS Frequent Flyer Registration)is Queensland Parks and Wildlife Services officer Ian Gynther that he has documented more than 30 of what he describes as "reliable" records.

"There are just too many sightings of the parrot by too many people for them not to be seeing the right thing," Gynther says. "The evidence is irrefutable"

Irrefutable??? Really Ian.. Well that's a weight off my mind.. Also helps on the flying saucer and Roswell thing as well!! Lots more than 30 sightings and they have BLOODY pictures. At least we aren't stretching the boundaries of facts here...

And this is the problem..RB's are becoming so discredited with the general populace that they have lost all credibility. Take note, most of us can recognise a SCAM when they see one. The only loser here is the environment.

Maybe time soon to do a post on those other environmental crocks, The Alternative Energy Scams...In particular Indonesia's flavour of the month bio-fuel and that western crock ..Wind power.

Something in the water

Must be something in the water!! Treespotter is having a
rant(amongst other things) about the Israel, the US and the Palistine problem/issue/crisis. That alone makes him braver than me as I don't think anyone can sort that mess out. I am certainly not one of brigade that thinks its all the JOOWS fault. Not that they help their cause with massive force in return for rocket attacks. I have never understood how Palistine can be so poor when the Middle East is awash with PetroDollars, perhaps they are of more use to some as a "cause"...I dunno..

All I can think of is uproot the UN HQ from New York with all its fat cats and money wasters. Dump the whole shebang in the middle of the disputed terrorities and let them maintain the peace on behalf of the world.

Indcoup has drawn a massive 22 comments (at last count) on being awoken at 4:30am.

Jakartass as usual has the people at heart and is appealing for help in the latest disaster to hit Indonesia.

Now a disclaimer...I have no idea, where the picture is from. It has arrived on my computer several times over the last few days. Variously titled as orginating from Indonesia, Nigera, Malaysia, China.

Does anyone know???

BUGGER

I'm bored bored bored!! Indcoup and Jakartass are just back from Holidays and now I am seriously jealous. Not that I can see any Holidays on the horizon for awhile .. bugger!

You can normally tell when you need a holiday. The motor bike thrill seekers aren't funny any more, the traffic jams lose their sense of being Indonesia's way of telling you to slow down and enjoy the view, that cheap tshirt that you bought that falls apart after the first wash becomes a major issue instead of you thinking it serves me right I knew what I was buying.

I think the vice prez has taken holidays too, as there have been no interesting little "homlies" issuing forth for the past view days....bugger!

So unless something really bizarre takes place in the next few hours, I am off to hunt Anony-mouses and try and work out the connection with the below and anything I have posted over the last week..bugger!


"what about deafeningly loud motorbikes? are u saying u do not or do tolerate religion?? "... huh?



But I will be back tomorrow...BUGGER

Strange Sad World

Tolerance: :

a. Sympathy or indulgence for beliefs or practices differing from or conflicting with one's own

b : the act of allowing something.


Indcoup is back from holidays in BEAUTIFUL Bali. He certainly hit the ground running. A quick post on the fun of living in a nation that has a majority Muslim population, in particular on the very early (say 4:30am) call to prayer has fired up the intolerant that sulk amongst us.

So far he has had a death threat (?) suggested he move to a Christian province, told he is intolerant and one comment refered to the sounds that come from a Hindu Temple as Troll Music... WELCOME BACCCCCCCCCCCKK.

Still on tolerance, Members of the Salamullah religious sect lead by Lia Aminuddin who I have spoken about before
here have reported another death threat. Sheesh..Lia believes she is both the Angel Gabriel and the reincarnation of the Virgin Mary, which is worth a chuckle but a death threat..get real! Puts Indcoup in strange company to say the least.

People like her are what gives the city its character, nothing like a good natured nutter to make you smile.

Meanwhile, Cowards are blowing up trains in India, Rockets are being fired into Israel, Israel is using tanks and planes in return.

Religion...for the final word today I shall leave it to Henry Mencken

"Religion is fundamentally opposed to everything I hold in veneration - courage, clear thinking, honesty, fairness, and, above all, love of the truth."

SOCCER FREAKS

I still think that any sport that requires the amputation of half your limbs and then play an entirely different game to decide the world champion (penalty shootout ..What is that sh#t???)is just bizarre.

However, to show that there are no hard feelings against the SOCCER freaks. I thought this photo involved a tad of humour. Still best wishes to the Italians and I reckon the other Olypmic diving teams are worried as well now.

And now back to real sports, where if you knock a man down he stays down!

Viagra and Trolls

I think I have been violated!!!!! I was out troll hunting last night and what should I come across not one but two links to www.greenstumpff.com and www.greenstumps.com... Hmpf!! Cannot access the sites yet, so not sure who or what they are! Never-the-less Rex the cyber-ferret is on the job, he has also done a good job tracking a couple of annoying spam trolls.

I feel so used..grin... These are probably the same mongrels who let the cat out of the bag that I have "may" (personally I dispute that, but then I would wouldn't I) have small penis. This piece of evil gossip prompts all and sundry to send me email telling me how I can add 4 inches in just 4 days (now thats gotta hurt, what do you do tie a brick to it) or better yet a flood of emails like this...

"Even if you have no erectin problems SOFT CIAzLIS would help you to make BETTER SE X MORE OFTEN! and to bring unimagnable plesure to her.
Just disolve half a pil under your tongue and get ready for action in 15 minutes."

Now why would I buy Cialis (?) via the internet anyway. Even if I did want/need/desire the said drug, it is available along with Viagra over the counter at all Apotiks in Indonesia (Pharmacy/Chemist)anyway.

Now before all you cynics launch and say "how do you know that?"

I am innocent (in most things anyway). Last time I had the flu, I popped into the said Apotik bought some cough syrup. Sure enough, along will the usual hard sell of the various vitamins, the beautiful young thing asked "Would you like some Viagra with that?"

HUH?? Viagra with a purchase of cough syrup???..hmmm still puzzling the connection and its not a nice mental picture.

Still it is nice to get away from the Doctor Mafia who get a cut on every scrip they write.

Thus ends todays post, a mixed grill of penises (or is it penii) trolls, viagra and spam..

BTW I can do you a good deal on the jacket pictured, I am thinking on teaming up with Indcoup's special Tiara tshirt on this (now there is a connection!!!)

I'll do the jacket and he can supply the Indcoup special
Tiara Lestari T-shirt. ...(ok, ok I can't find the exact post but you get the idea)

LOUSY DAYS, ROTTEN NIGHTS

NOT HAPPY

"Some people are like Slinkies . . . Not really good for anything, but you still can't help but smile when you see one tumble down the stairs."

What a sh@tty day!!..Ever have one of those days where you just want to explain to someone that their only reason for existence on the planet is as a sound argument for use of condoms...

But Nooooo..For the sake of peace and a sound business relationship, I shall swallow my pride yet again and it tastes like crap! I shall then make apologies for our obvious failings and move on...aaaghh!

Just another day to lose more faith in human nature (my own included I guess).

On the subject on human nature, I was surprised at the number of comments on the traffic fine issue here but none on masked men(?) beating women, I wonder why? People are scared? Don't care? Don't believe? or perhaps thinking if we ignore the issue, it will just go away? Another sh#ty little mystery for the human condition.

Anyway as you can gather I have a bad case of the grumps today..So this is all I am posting..

Gone a'droving

Sometimes working saturdays, I think I would like to change my job..perhaps go 'a-droving'

Clancy of the Overflow.

"I am sitting in my dingy little office, where a stingy
Ray of sunlight struggles feebly down between the houses tall,
And the foetid air and gritty of the dusty, dirty city
Through the open window floating, spreads its foulness over all.

And in place of lowing cattle, I can hear the fiendish rattle
Of the tramways and the buses making hurry down the street,
And the language uninviting of the gutter children fighting,
Comes fitfully and faintly through the ceaseless tramp of feet.

In my wild erratic fancy visions come to me of Clancy
Gone a-droving “down the Cooper” where the Western drovers go;
As the stock are slowly stringing, Clancy rides behind them singing,
For the drover’s life has pleasures that the townsfolk never know."


Of course, if I wanted a really interesting job, I could apply to be Vice President Kalla's Public Relations Representative. As we know the Vice President does have a way with words. Most recently, The Vice President was
quoted today defending a recent Indonesian business organisations trip to Israel as saying

" "Arabs, Egypt and Jordan also engage in trade relations with Israel. Many Palestinians are working in Israel. Maybe the goods that we buy from Israel are made by the Palestinians. So I do not see any problem in it,"

Of course, if you happen to be an athelete who had trained your whole life to be the best at your chosen sport then apparently you can expect a different level of support from the government.

"JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) -- Indonesia pulled out of a planned Fed Cup
tennis match in Israel to protest that country's actions in the Gaza Strip, a foreign ministry spokesman said Tuesday."

For some bad news Vice President Kalla is going to have to improve if he wants to win the big "He didn't really say that did he" Masters Trophy. A late challenger is
Russian President Vladimir Putin who when ask we he was photographed kissing a
young boys stomach said "I wanted stroke him like a kitten".

Well thats alright then..for second I thought you were behaving a little weird...

SHAME ON US ALL

Some days I feel ashamed to be part of the human race!

Friskodude has posted this picture of a Caning in Aceh along with some words on the issue. Which makes him a far better man than I..words with fail me.

TAX KULIT

It would appear some people have enjoyed my slide down the slippery slope of
high principles. With a theme emerging in the comments section, that I should have gone to court and paid the fine.

Ok I have to confess some ignorance here, during my time in-country I have managed to avoid the legal process (more due to good luck than good management some would say). Seriously, what is the official process for a fine for not wearing a seatbelt? Surely not court as 'Anon' says in comments to the post? If court the only way, then previous experience with any kind of Indonesian Officialdom scares me. It is bound to be a long, drawn out, expensive experience. Anyway I will leave that to others to advise me on what the official process is?

Then Indonesia Anon was concerned that my use of the term "TAX KULIT" (skin tax) inferred that Indonesians are racists.

In fact, that was not the intention (by the use of this term) at all. It is fairly common term amongst expatriates to explain a common Indonesian free market principle to charge what the market will bear (As does the rest of the free market world). Naturally a "bule" with his supposedly (?) higher income can afford to pay more than the day to day national customer. The Tax Kulit Principle is also applied to Indonesian Chinese as well, who again are viewed rightly or wrongly with having a higher disposable income.

On the flip side, those of us with KITAS (Work, Long term stays permits etc) can get fansastic discounts are virtually all hotel and motels across Indonesia.

As for the dark and potentially dynamite side of the question are Indonesians Racists? In my experience towards outsiders, the answer is generally no. However and I am not sure if the best term to use is racism ..internally towards each other..that is certainly debatable.

Traffic Fines

Bugger...!!!! As discussed before, its a long fall from the moral high ground.

I fell off the mountain yesterday and joined the Hypocrites. Calmly minding my own business, I was rounded up by the local constables for not wearing a seat belt (as the bemo bus rips past with 6 people hangine out the door..grin).

As always, you are offered two choices ..official or "Ok Pak Saya bisa bantu" (Ok Mr, I can help).

To cut a long story short, the help started at 200,000Rp which quickly came down once it was established that I could speak Indonesian. Eventually,it was decided that 50,000Rp which is about $5 was fair. The normal rate local rate is 15,000 to 30,000 but there is always the Tax Kulit (Skin Tax..you are westerner therefore costs more) to factor in.

Suffice to say, in a very short time on my way again.

BUGGER, BUGGER .. Time to climb that morale mountain again..oh well never said I was perfect just expect others to be. Meanwhile, Indonesia Anonymus has a "mommy" who fell off that same moral mountain

Indonesia Playboy (s) and Marriage

A couple of interesting links for a Sunday

Jan 28 2006.

Vice President Jusuf Kalla says the government disagrees with a plan to launch an Indonesian version of Playboy magazine. Kalla has eagerly jumped on the crowded anti-Playboy bandwagon. "From the government’s point of view, we disagree with Playboy's publication," he was quoted as saying Friday (27/1/06) by state news agency Antara.

30 June 2006.

INDONESIA'S vice-president has said he sees nothing wrong in Arab men paying local women to marry, then divorcing them days or hours later, and suggested the practice -dismissed by critics as legalised prostitution - could boost tourism.

Jusuf Kalla made the off-the-cuff remarks at a travel industry seminar on how to attract more Arab visitors to Indonesia.

No Comment from me...Nuff said I think

Guantanamo, Refugees and Indonesia

It’s a quiet Sunday first time in a long while, not a thousand things to do (yea I know I have been told a million times not to exaggerate). So today a slow lazy introspective post.

Firstly, I have been accused of (in one way or another) of being overly critical or one sided when talking about Indonesia. Well that would be and is true! It will indeed be a rare thing for me to comment places like America or Australia etc. There are thousands of bloggers already doing a far better job than me on those places. For instance you want a view of Australia for the left try here, or from the right try here, for America try…naggh bugger it, they are loud enough on their own without any encouragement from me.

But for today only, the stump offers up the following cartoon.



Be under no doubt the creation of special “zones of exclusion” to prevent refugees from accessing the legal process in Australia is perfidious and evil and Guantanamo is a long fall from the moral high ground. Then again the curent attempt by Australian Prime Minister Howard to change Australian Refugee laws to effectivly block Papuan Refugees is pathetic appeasement to the Indonesian ruling class of the most base level.

So I will continue to comment on what I see in Indonesia and the region and sorry all, I afraid the defence they do worse elsewhere just “doesn’t wash”

Have nice day and have a chuckle at this one

Hypocrisy 2 Tolerance & Decency 0

Such evil deeds could religion prompt.
Lucretius (96 BC - 55 BC),


Hypocrisy: A feigning to be what one is not or to believe what one does not; especially : the false assumption of an appearance of virtue or religion.


Well above the average, but I am going for two posts today. I wasn’t going to but after reading today’s Jakarta Post. (I really need to find another paper, it used to be funny now its just depressing) I had no choice.

The Indonesian constitution and reputation (?) for tolerance took another big hit yesterday. Religious sect leader Lia Aminuddin was sentenced to jail for two years on Thursday for blasphemy.

Now there is no doubt in my mind that Lia is a couple of tools short in the toolbox. Lia believes she is she both the Angel Gabriel and the reincarnation of the Virgin Mary, kooky but that’s her business not the states. Lets tell the truth here, half the nutters in the world are convinced they are speaking to or for the one true God. As long as I can read my paper in peace, they can claim to be the reincarnation of Vanilla Ice for all anyone should care. If you want to follow them fill ya boots and have fun on the way just leave the rest of us in peace.

Meanwhile Azyumardi Azra, rector of Syarif Hidayatullah commenting on Lia's verdict said according to the JP that “he believed the verdict was inevitable because Lia had mixed ideas from established religions”

Wow, if ever there was a comment that indicates you like leading with your chin. Which religion established or otherwise doesn’t do that. Shall we talk of the origins of Easter, or….

Meanwhile, the intolerant ascending have decided that with everything that is going on in this country the most important thing is to
prosecute Kartika Oktavina Gunawan, who posed as the centerfold in the first Indonesian Playboy.

Her crime..she showed her breasts..well no …her groin..well no….she showed her …….Shock Horror..her mid riff. We can thank a group called ‘MAPPI’, Indonesian Anti-Piracy and Pornography (Does anyone really know who they are and who they represent) for filing the lawsuit against Kartika in the first place. On the other side of the coin is this the best thing the police have to do with their time?

You see, these days Tolerance in Indonesia is just a word in low demand and currency. Now if you want a really good strong word, try Hypocrisy!. Indonesia is currently well overstocked on the word these days and can offer great deals and specials. You might want to try the Hypocrisy and Intolerance Special comes with its own ranting, barely literate lunatics, great fun at any party.

Anyway I am off to buy some copies of Playboy and leave them around to see if any of the pious reads them, should be interesting.

CONDOM SATAN

Is there something in the water or is it a collective psychosis or has the world gone mad! I don't claim to be particularly religious, never the less I remember when I thought religion, I visulised people like Mother Teresa.

Perhaps things were simpler then, maybe because I didn’t know that Satan hides in condoms and soccer balls. Tricky little fellow that Satan! How do I know Satan hides in a condom? Well because a letter to the Jakarta Post told me so, along with the new scientific fact that the aids virus can penetrate condom material (where do they get this stuff?).

As for Soccer Ball hiding Satan: Read it for yourself
here and make sure you get to the bit about the earrings. Its important! Luckily “OVAL” balls never got a mention, so I can exploit that loophole.

Still it’s pleasing to know that both Christians and Muslims (and the rest, sorry if I have not offended you yet, give me time) are so concerned about the path we travel. I have to be honest, I think the road is getting a tad narrow for humans beings and it is costing way too many lives in the name of insantity.

BTW…I am still a bit stunned that in this day and age someone could seriously argue against the use of condoms…..We are an incredibly stupid species and why any God would want anything to do with us would be a better question to ask.

HOT JAVA ANYONE

Thought you would be smart and buy some land at Muria, Central Java. Well the government has literally dealt your plans a death blow Announcing yesterday plans to speed up the development of nuclear power plant in that location . The people of Muria must be beside themselves with joy!!

I have discussed the sheer insanity of this before and Jakartass tackles the topic even better here . He asks some very important questions such as who exactly is to benefit from this??? ..It won't be the people that's for sure.

If the "powers that be" insist on playing the insanity card to make some pollies and businessmen rich at the expense of the well being of the nation, then
Ngruki, comes to mind (ok I am just being nasty).

One can only hope people start to realise there are bigger things to worry about than playboy magazine.

As for nuclear waste.............

There go da Judge

Only the man who has enough good in him to feel the justice of the penalty can be punished. ~William Ernest Hocking

You have to love this.....

"The total amount allegedly received by my client was Rp 10 million, and that was the witness' money, not from the state. So, why should my client be fined Rp 200 million?"

"The judge mentioned something about the spirit to eradicate corruption by preventing losses to the state. The problem is, the state suffered nothing."

I was wondering what to write about today and along comes lawyer Firman Wijaya with this statement after the South Jakarta District Court jailed one of its judges for four years and six months for extorting money from a witness in a graft trial. You can read the actual article in the Jakarta Post here

There is so much bizarre about Wijaya's statement as reported it beggars belief..
"The graft was only worth 10 million why should my client have to pay 200 Million??"

I dunno How about abuse of trust and position just for starters?

"The problem is, the state suffered nothing." Mmm, I would have thought the state suffered a loss of public confidence, a loss of the rule of law, a loss of investor confidence, domestic and international embarrassment. I am sure there are a million more (200 million?).

Personally, I don't know what the procedure is in Indonesia but surely Wijay's comments alone are worthy of internal review in their own right.

Reminds me of an old joke "What do you call a 100 Lawyers on the bottom of the ocean" Answer: "A good start"

Most men's anger about religion is as if two men should quarrel for a lady that neither of them care for. ~George Savile, Marquess de Halifax

Still enjoying the Jakarta Post (always good for a laugh), there is a interesting reader's letter complaining about the creeping Christianization of Indonesia including the classic statement:

"There has been aggressive proselytizing by Christian missionaries in hospitals and schools, and there also have been objections to the teaching of other faiths in privately run missionary schools"

I confess, I have a problem with any faith that tries to ram its belief down someone throat (ok, Seventh Day Adventists are cool, because you can tease them so much when they come knocking uninvited to your front door and they dress so dorky). However to complain that privately run missionary schools don't exactly encourage the teaching of other faiths, is a interesting use of the logical thought processes.

Who was the last person who sent their child to "Pesantren" (Islamic boarding School)
for a Christian education.

Of course, our estwhile letter writer quotes some detailed statistics however I would more interested in how you compile any viable census type data in Indonesia. I cannot even find out what the population of Jakarta is, with anything resembling confidence.

What is it about religion that so often removes the ability to apply rational thought? In case you were wondering, "I believe in God; I just don't trust anyone who say they work for him".

Creation Proofs?

One of the joys of living in Indonesia that with a bit of effort you can find places that must represent what the original Eden was like. For those of you that care, have a look where I have spent the last few weeks.

Of course in the Ying and Yang of the world for every thing of beauty in creation there has to be the balance in creation gone wrong

Ya Pak

After returning from a recent trip, I took a speed read of the blogshpere. It was interesting to see the reaction to a post by Indcoup describing the lack of manners by some Indonesians when dealing others they believe below their station. A classic comment by one reader was “my colleagues in my office always say 'tolong' and 'terima kasih' to our office boys and girls, even to the janitors in our office”

What even to the Janitor?? How generous, sort of makes his point really.

Knowing my own tenous grip on life, and the somewhat irritating habit of whomever is the comic controller to throw spanner into my life when things are going well. I tend to stick to great grand pappies advice “be nice to people on the way up, you will probably pass them on the back down”

Personally, I have always found the other side of that particular coin far more perplexing. That is, the excessive Indonesian politeness when dealing with anyone perceived to be of higher(?) status. It does not seem matter how corrupt, evil or morally bankrupt that person may be. It never ceases to amaze me that when dealing with that all to common corrupt government official, even in the mist of an obvious shake down, the “shaked” will still be throwing out the “Yes Paks” with gay abandon (can you still say that??)and little concern for personal dignity.

I am not sure if this is a hang over from Javanese Culture or a hang over from the times of the “New Order” when getting on the wrong side of the ruling elite (no matter how low of the “elite” chain) could have some seriously bad consequences. Still, I can’t help but think how much more effective it would be if those corrupt parasites that are draining this country dry were greeted with a spit on the ground instead of the half bow and the simpering “Yes Pak.

Oh and I have to throw this in, even though it has nothing to do with the above post. Just listening to “The Simpsons” (Ah Fox TV!). Homer Simpson “Those Catholics, its like Simon Sez with no winner”

Catholics don’t to be offended, to be fair they went on to give everyone else a hard time as well.

World Cup Yawns

Well I have tried and failed!! I really cannot get into the world cup despite the world wide frenzy surrounding it. I even watched three games..sort of, although drifted off to sleep each time. It is beyond me how anyone can find a game that mucks around for 2 hours (or so) and then ends in a nil all draw can be called exciting.

Little wonder soccer crowds have a reputation for aggressive and violent behaviour (as opposed to the world cup players, who seem to fall over screaming the the moment anyone comes within 1/2 a metre of them). The crowds must suffer terminal frustration and boredom.

Thank God, with a bit of effort you can still find some rugby, AFL or even Gridiron with a bit of dedicated channel surfing (as my grand dad used to say, if it don't draw blood, it aint a sport..mind you he was a hard bastard).

Of course at the moment, soccer fever is running high in Australia. Amongst a lot of huberious and grandisose claims, the silliest claim is soccer will be the major code in Australia soon. The reality is, soccer will fall straight back to a dismal third (fourth?) as it is now.

Australia has had soccer fever before, the last time when they qaulified for the World Cup in the 70's (I forget who they beat, Outer Mongolia or someone). Sure enough within six months, the federation had split along predicatable enthnic lines and the code collapased once again into the abyss of boring sports.

So for you soccer nuts..have fun...I am off to the RUGBY.

DEATH BY POWERPOINT

Once again, I have been remiss in my postings and will continue to do for the next couple of weeks. Its that end of year thing where I have to justify my existence to the commercial "powers that be".

Over the next two weeks, meetings in Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia. Lots of talking, new buzz words and smiling at very dull people. I think this year the words will be Six Sigma.. oh dear..here we go again and I still have not got rid of those stupid beads from Total Qaulity Management (You would know what I mean if you had ever been dragged from a real job dealing with real people to suffer through those presentations delivered by consultants who had no idea what you did or why you did it).

6 Sigma... "A transformational road to improvement utilising a framework of tools and methodologies" ...What a bunch of WANK!

However, as I am just one of the cogs in the machine, I will dutifully go and listen to the over charging consultants and bear with the slow death by power point slide..
and day dream of smogy Jakarta, bizarre Kalimantan, Beautiful Bandung, Bouncy Bali.

Wish me luck and I will see in in a a couple of weeks...

Jakarta Contrasts

Took a little trip into the big smoke (Jakarta) last weekend. Its a place I like to visit from every so often to get those things you just can't get in the provinces.

At 6'1, I am a bit bigger then the average Indonesian, so getting shoes and clothes that fit can be an interesting exercise at the best of times and Jakarta is often the last option. As usual, I had plenty of time to admire the view from the airport to city centre as a bus breakdown meant the normal 1 hour tollroad run took just over three hours.

Flew in via Garuda, the national Airline and took the time to read the Garuda in-flight Magazine. There was a fairly large section promoting Jakarta, mostly informative but where in the world did they get those photos of a smog free Jakarta??? No traffic jams, blue sky, lots of green, I must have missed that day! Whenever I am in Jakarta even on clear (?) days, the city is bathed in a very weird yellow tinge..sort of an "end of days" glow. You get the feeling the city is (has) entering an end game of terminal pollution meltdown.

Having said all that, Jakarta has a lot going for it as well. Some for the best food in the world, try Oasis or Lan Na Thai you won't de disappointed or duck down to the nearest Kaki Lima (street vendor) for some real down to earth tastes (stick to the fried stuff and you won't get sick). Personally, I love the Padang food and the way they serve it up.

Some of the malls are just bizarre in scope and size . There ia a night life scene that caters for all tastes and wants ranging from very up market clubs to downright sleazy. Best of all, a live music scene that is second to none and is easily affordable to most. One thing though, for some reason all the bands seem to come from Bandung (is there something in the water there?).

Hotel/Motels range from Hilton class five star to rent by the hour flea pits. Mind you, it might be ok to stay at the Hilton bit it seems a risky place to work at times as a poor young waiter found out here

"In the early hours of New Year’s Day 2005 Sutowo’s youngest son, Adiguna, was arrested in the bar of the Hilton Hotel, Jakarta. According to witnesses, when the woman with whom he was drinking had her expired credit card returned by a young part-time waiter, the young Sutowo said, ‘Don’t you know who I am?’, and then pulled a gun and shot the waiter dead. He was found guilty of murder, but received only a seven-year gaol term, much less than that of the well-known Australian drug smugglers."

Great movie houses can be found in Jakarta, I went saw the "Insider" in fanastic comfort. I must confess still confused about the movie, I must have missed a couple of twists somewhere.

All in all a great weekend but as usual I was left pondering the vast difference between the "haves" and "have nots". I know all cities have them but in Jakarta it is right in your face, walk 50m from your plush, air conditioned hotel and suddenly you are looking at people with no hope, no future and nowhere to go. I don't claim to have the answers by any means but it is confronting to say the least.

Earthquakes and old thugs

Went away for a couple of weeks and it looks like a lot has been happening.

The Indonesian city of Yogyakarta coped it in the neck with a massive earthquake with latest reports indicating close to 6000 people confirmed dead. Once again it appears the poorest and most disadvantaged have suffered more than their share of pain and grief. If you want to help Jakartass
has a number of links where your assistance would be appreciated.

Ex Indonesian Province East Timor has once again fallen into violence and chaos. This was once claimed by that most useless of organisations the United Nations as its jewel in Nation building. Unfortunately, with some notable personal exceptions, the 12 month postings of under qualified, over paid dreamers was never going to establish those functions needed to ensure a safe and secure society. Saddled with the inept UN combined with the sheer lunacy of decisions primarily driven by the dated Marxist Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri, the new nation never had a chance. An interesting viewpoint on the Timor crisis can be found here

An Indonesian family has lost several members to “bird Flu”. In a strange twist it was reported in the Jakarta Post this week that several people in village are blaming black magic for the deaths as no chickens have got sick.

Just to change the tone a bit, EX Prime Minister of Malaysia, Old Man Mahathir is finding out that nobody really cares for ex thugs once the power is withdrawn.
"He's been complaining about being isolated from the mainstream media," Malaysiakini.com
boss Premesh Chandran told Reuters, explaining that the major dailies that once hung on Mahathir's every word now didn't have much time for him.

Its beautiful isn’t it, you can rule a nation with respect or with fear but only one lasts. NEXT..................



On personal note, our Troll has been a bit naughty, leaving comments under false names, mine included. Pity shall be the order of the day, must be sad little life one leads as a Troll if you need to pretend you are someone else.

blogger problems

stupid blogger is not publishing again today

EDEN AND TIARA - PERFECT

Every so often in life you see something that nature in all her majesty has created that takes your breath away! Be it Tiara Lestari or something on a slightly larger scale the effect is the same, sweaty palms, shortness of breath and a rush of blood to various parts of the body.

Recently I took a long trip into the Indonesian (?) heartland and after a journey by plane followed by smaller plane followed by truck..car and then foot, I ended up standing on top of a mountain looking at what could only be described as Eden. It was truly hard to imagine that man had even set foot on the planet.

Looking down over the valleys, one could almost see the Pterodactyls soaring about the craggy knolls. You could build all the mosques and churches in the world but nothing can compare to the cathedrals that nature provides when she is not being raped and pillaged to keep some corrupt little official in a way he does not deserve.

Several hours down the track, we had the chance to meet some of the locals, Although not altogether by plan! Rather unexpectedly, a group of people surrounded the car (yep back in the car now) with a Bows and Arrows! and that introductory tool of choice the 1 Kg rock.

A few tense moments followed until it was confirmed that we were not Illegal loggers coming to plunder their home on behalf of the latest imperialist power to occupy their land. Once our identity as bone fide, but perhaps naive travelers was established, things got positively friendly.

Interestingly, language was a real issue with Indonesian and English not being the language of choice. Still it is amazing what a "swap meet" of smokes and betel nut can achieve in short time (besides a tightening buzz in the head)

As it turned out, they wanted a lift up the track. So with more arms and legs than one would thing possible in one vehicle we progressed up the track (and I use the term loosely) until suddenly it was time to stop. Our passengers got off wandered in to the forest and it was back to Eden time again.

It was nice view of a beautiful planet! It made a pleasant change meeting people who did not really care what God, I or anyone else believed in. However, all good things must end but I hope for those traditional people its a long time coming....

CLOWNS ARE SCARY

Tangerang continues to suffer and embarrass itself with the over zealous prosecution of other peoples morals. Now you would think with children forced to endure conditions like these, it may time for a re-assessment of priorities more in line with the real world, but you would be fooling yourself!!

Still you can feel re-assured that Mayor and driving force behind the regulations is a sibling of Indonesian Foreign Affairs Minister Hasan Wirayuda…

Feel better now…Time for a bex and good lay down.

Perhaps someone should write a book?

Scum of the Earth

I was going to write a quick post on my trip around Indonesia over the past few weeks but that can wait. Religious biases aside, the reproduced article below makes you despair at the human race. I can only hope someone can prove the article is not true! if you want to see it for yourself it for yourself go here and look under "scum of the earth"


Osama group in boy slave racket
Marie Colvin, Muridke, Pakistan
May 22, 2006
THE slave traders came for 10-year-old Akash Aziz as he played cops and robbers in his dusty village in eastern Punjab.
Akash, still in the maroon jumper and tie he had worn to school that day, was pretending to be a "robber".

But as he crouched behind a wall, waiting for the school friend designated as the "cop" to find him, a large man with a turban and a beard grabbed him from behind and clamped a cloth over his nose and mouth before he could cry for help.

He recalls a strange smell and a choking sensation. "Then I fainted," said Akash, a delicate little boy from a loving family who takes pride in his enthusiasm for English lessons.

Akash woke up in a dark room with a bare brick floor and no windows. The heat was suffocating. As he languished there over the next month, 19 other panic-stricken boys were thrown into the room with him.

The children, all Christians, had fallen into the hands of Gul Khan, a wealthy Islamic militant and leading member of Jamaat-ud Daawa, a group linked to the al-Qa'ida terrorist network.

Khan lives near Pakistan's border with Afghanistan, but when in the Punjab he stays at the JUD's headquarters in Muridke, near Lahore, where young men can be seen practising martial arts with batons on rolling green lawns patrolled by guards with Kalashnikovs.

Osama bin Laden funded the centre in the late 1990s.

The JUD, which claims to help the poor, says it has created a "pure Islamic environment" at Muridke that is superior to Western "depravity".

Khan's activities explode that myth. He planned to sell his young captives to the highest bidder, whether into domestic servitude or the sex trade. The boys knew only that they were for sale.

This is the story of the misery that Akash and his friends, aged six to 12, endured in captivity; of their rescue by Christian missionaries who bought their freedom and tried to expose the kidnappers; and of the children's reunions with their families, who had thought them dead.

Last week I had the privilege of taking six of the boys home to their parents, including Akash. The astonishment of mothers and fathers who had given up hope, and the fervent, tearful embraces made these some of the most emotional scenes I have witnessed.

That joy was a long time coming. In captivity, the boys were ordered not to talk, pray or play. Five of them were playing a Pakistani equivalent of "paper, scissors, rock" one day when the guards burst in and beat them savagely on their backs and heads. On another occasion, Akash was repeatedly struck by guards yelling: "What is in your house?"

"I kept telling them, 'We have nothing'," he said. "I was so afraid they would go back and rob my father and mother." It is painful to imagine blows raining down on the ribs of so slight a figure.

The guards mostly sat outside playing cards. The boys were allowed out of their room only to use a filthy hole-in-the-ground lavatory. All they could see were the high walls around the two-room building that was their prison. The other room was always kept locked.

The children were fed once a day on chapatis and dhal, but never enough.

I first saw Akash in a photograph among those of 20 boys who were being touted for sale in Quetta, the capital of Baluchistan on the Afghanistan border, notorious as a smugglers' paradise and home to fugitives of the Taliban and al-Qa'ida. He was just another black market commodity along with guns, grenades and hashish.

Unbeknown to Akash, a Pakistani Christian missionary and an American evangelist who runs a tiny charity called Help Pakistani Children, had seen the boys' photographs and taken up their cause. Neither man is willing to be identified today for fear of the consequences.

An elaborate sting was set up. The Pakistani missionary would pose as a Lahore businessman named Amir seeking boys to use as beggars who would give their cash to him.

The two men would collect evidence that could be used in any police action against the kidnappers. "We knew if we just purchased the boys, the slavers would just restock. We would be fuelling the slave trade," said the US evangelist, who asked to be referred to as "Brother David".

The two men had no idea how hazardous their enterprise was until Amir used some black market contacts to engineer a meeting with Khan and discovered his links to the JUD.

"We realised we were out of our depth," Brother David said ruefully. But they persevered.

Amir played his part well. Within a week he had bought three of the boys for $US5000 ($6600) and put down a $US2500 deposit on the 17 others, including Akash.

The first three were handed over on a Quetta street in April and returned to their families. But Khan wanted $US28,500 for the lot. He gave Amir two months to come up with the money, saying he did not mind if the deadline was missed - he could earn more if he sold them for their organs, he said.

Brother David went home to the US to raise funds. Amir travelled again and again to Quetta, taking Khan to lunch. He enlisted police officers who insisted the eventual transaction be recorded with a secret camera so the evidence against Khan would be irrefutable.

Twelve days ago, Amir received a call from Khan summoning him to a meeting at a crossroads on a dirt road near the JUD's Muridke camp.

Amir finally found his quarry under a large shady tree, where he was sitting on a rope bed while an acolyte massaged his shoulders. "You have the money?" Khan asked.

When Amir handed him the cash in a black knapsack, he examined it briskly. But he broke his promise to hand over the boys there and then.

"I will check the dollars are real first," Khan said. "If your dollars are good, you will get the children." Another anxious wait ensued. Finally, a call came through from Amir's assistant in the dead of night.

Akash had just been dropped off by the side of a road 15 minutes' drive from JUD headquarters with the remaining 17 boys.

I drove there immediately and found Akash asleep on a plastic mat surrounded by his 16 friends.

As the children awoke, the bewilderment showed in their eyes. The first task of the missionaries was to reassure them, but few seemed to believe Brother David when he said: "We will protect you. We will take you home to your mothers and fathers. The bad men who took you are gone."

Not one boy smiled. It had been too long since they had dared to hope.

Akash shook as we approached his village. I thought he would collapse. Then came a quiet, uplifting moment that brought tears to my eyes.

He had not even reached the door of his house before his grandmother, wrapped in a colourful shawl, engulfed him in an embrace in the dirt alley outside, her face lit up with delight.

Akash's mother was so strangely impassive it made me angry until I realised she was too shocked to take in the fact the son she had thought was dead was snuggling up to her. Finally, she hugged him, kissing him over and over again on the top of his head. "We were hopeless," she said. "His father searched and searched. We prayed. But we thought he was gone."

Brother David and Amir are ready to present their dossier of evidence, including the secret tape of Khan taking the money for the boys.

In almost any other country, an investigation into Khan and his work for the JUD would be automatic. It is not so simple in Pakistan. President Pervez Musharraf has announced numerous crackdowns on religious militants, but the extremists continue to gather strength.

The Sunday Times

TRAVEL INDONESIA (before its too late)

To all of my loyal readers (both of you) sorry but that primal call of the wild has come again or to use a more "OZ" term I am off walkabout.

I am sorry, I cannot tell you where as I am not sure myself but should be back in about 2-3..ok maybe 4 weeks...Anyway, its time I got out and saw some more of Indonesia before its gone forever and ever

Then again maybe I am over reacting................BOOM..introducing the Indonesian Nuclear Planning Committee...



HOO ROO STAY SAFE STAY FREE

oh...T/S Don't forget to feed the Troll's while I am gone except for that one that Indcoup has picked up..that one's from from the shallow end of the gene pool!

Nuclear Indonesia and a blog trip

This a bit of a parasite post because I just don’t have the time this week to do my own research. So a quick trip around the Indonesian Blogsphere might be in order.

Firstly over at Jakartass;
The subject of Nuclear Energy has come up again. Indonesia still intends to push ahead with the INSANE plan to pursue nuclear power. This is despite Indonesia being right in the guts of the infamous Ring of Fire.

Sheer Utter Insanity!!!!

Forgetting about the Ring of Fire for a second, why should anyone thing that such a plan is feasible here anyway? Perhaps based on the technological successes of the “National Car", Garuda, PLN, and Pertamina?

Ok, it’s about “face”? Alright if we must have it, may I suggest Tangerang.

A quick click and we are over at Indcoup and the May Day protests. I noticed he is also campaigning for higher wages for the masses, which is cool. However, sometime back I was working in a country under UN supervision (guidance..whatever and No not Tim Tim) they also advocated higher wages for all and paid 5 to 20 times to market rate. Trouble is how do the 80% of those who don’t have a job then pay for their food at the market (prices always rise to what the market will bear), so we had daily riots. Paying 100 times the market wage will not improve the life of the 60% to 80% those who do not have job in the first place.

Personally, I believe the key is government investment in education and lots of it. It is the only way out of the poverty cycle.

On a side note Indcoup has also uncovered (can I say that?) the ring leaders of the FPI in Jakarta.

Treespotter has taken an interesting approach to the application of mmm... elements of Sharia Law in some provinces. I must admit he has confused me a bit, as his points seem to lead to one conclusion but he arrives at another!

I shall leave it to you to decide. Me?..I will have to read the posts a few times before venturing back into the fray.

Speaking of FPI and Sharia Indonesia-Anonymus has transcript of one of those conversations that could only happen in Indonesia at the moment.

Well that’s it, hope you enjoyed a quick fling around the Indonesian Blogsphere, there are lots more out there… Enjoy!!

Ghost, Hantus and Ralph

The “Hantu” (Ghost/Spirit) is back. A move of house sometime back seemed to have confused things for awhile as it must take some time for Ghosts to pack for a move as he went missing for awhile. Fortunately things are back to normal and Ralph is back in residence. I would have prefered the ghost pictured but deep down I was missing ole Ralph.

Bizarrely enough, it really seems to be the same Hantu. Previously I had always thought ghosts were like region/house/forest specific. Our household Hantu, as you can see we call him Ralph, is relatively harmless (Which reminds me of a joke..What do you call a dog with no legs?...Nothing…He can’t come to you anyway). However, Ralph is a somewhat neurotic ghost with compulsive washing seeming to be the order of the day.

As with our previous abode, showers and taps in various parts of the house seem to come on at odd times of the day and night with no (?) human assistance. Additionally, for some reason Ralph gets some perverse pleasure unhooking the generator (of course, maybe he is just trying to encourage that most useless of organisations the PLN to actually to provide some basic infrastructure to rural areas.

I admit, I have yet to see him. However, the lady that helps out around the house swears she has seen him. Interestingly, she says he is wearing an old type of traditional dress she does not recognise.

Despite the advent of Islam and Christianity, Spirits, Ghosts and Black (White ?)Magic is not far below the surface of most Indonesians and they may be right. My own mother could not be shaken from the Guardian Angel theory till the day she died and who am I to say different. I personally have had drivers who refuse to travel through certain areas at certain times, not to mention getting a special cleansing for a vehicle that was involved in an accident. Sometimes it’s better to bow to things you don’t really understand rather that take the high ground.

So with that said, I guess I have a new boarder and I had better get used to it …and the higher water bills.

On a slightly more serious although still humorous (albeit in a scary way, two of the people over at Indonesia-anonymus had an interesting encounter the other day. Well worth a read.

Oh and my question for the weekend…. Why does Iran (and for that matter Indonesia) need Nuclear Power with all its inherent risks when they are sitting on the worlds biggest oil drum??

ANZAC DAY VIDEO

This was pretty emotional if you have any interest in the ANZACS

Faith Based Law in Indonesia

Being friday and in my wild, erractic fancy, a vision comes to me unexpected of .....

All political corruption trials in Indonesia being held in a Sharia Province from now on. The sight of major corruptors having a hand or two lopped off would make an interesting change. Certainly a major change from some poor taxi driver being beaten for daring to bet 1000Rp on a game of cards or someone's wife being arrested and thrown in gaol for three days becuase she happened to on the street after dark.

Might make a few pollies think about some of the technical issues with faith based law as well.

Anyway as I said..tis but a wild erractic fancy..........

ANZ, INDONESIA & LOGIC LOOPS

Previously, I have commented on getting caught in the Indonesian Logic Loops. This is where you start a seemingly innocent conversation that due differences in perception and langauge quickly descend into a bizarre half world of confusion and segments from the book Catch 22“”.

For example..

Question: Excuse me, is that the toilet over there?”

Answer: No Toilet here (Tidak ada)

Question: What is that building?

Answer: Oh..Thats the toilet

Question: Huh.. but you said there was no toilet??

Answer: Ya (Betul)

Question: But that is the toilet isn’t it?

Answer: Ya but no key, it is locked

Question: Why is it locked?

Answer: Because no-one uses the toilet

Question: Isn’t that because it is locked?

Answer: Is locked because no one uses it

Question: Giving up) Ok is there another toilet?

Answer: Tidak ada………………tapi.........


Now to be fair, if I had kept my mouth shut at the first “tidak ada” it would have saved everyone a lot of time. Strangely enough the logic loops extend to the corporate world. Jakartassoften seems to be involved in an endless battles with various companies in Indonesia, usually about hand phone bills for non existent hand phones.

Just for a change, yesterday I had a variation on the theme, the Australian Logic Loop. As regularly happens here, my credit card number was stolen (although I still had the card, another card with my number turned up in Europe). However, the great bank god was on the job. ANZ BANK rang me to inform me my card was canceled (terrific, cancel the holiday) and they would send a replacement card.

Sure enough, after four weeks a new card arrives. The card has the ominous sticker “Please ring ANZ to activate this card”. So it begins

Me: (After listening to 25 Mins of inane music) ..Hi, I have rung to activate my credit card

ANZ Girl: Please wait and I will transfer you to the activation center

Me: Aggghh….ten mins of music….transfer ring ring..

ANZ Machine: Hi you have contacted Adam Wilson, I am not in right now please leave a message….Phone goes dead….. (Adam Wilson you are a pr&cK)..

Repeat above steps (30 Mins)

Me: Hi I have rung to activate my card, here is the number

ANZ Guy: Oh sorry, we cannot activate the card as you missed a payment last month

Me: Hang on, you guys canceled the card, therefore I cannot use the net to make the payment

ANZ Guy: You will have to come down to a branch and make a payment

Me: I am 3000km from a branch

ANZ Guy: I cannot activate the card until you make a payment

Me: I cannot make the payment until you activate the card. Look at your screen, payment was made in full every month until you canceled the card

ANZ Guy: I will transfer you to someone who can help….beeeeeeeeeeeeeep.. phone dead (Another Pr#ck)

And so it went on for 7 more calls until finally I got hold of ANZ’s "Debbie". Explained the situation and in less than two minutes, card was activated, payment made and everyone happy (ish).

Debbie... you should be running the Bank not trying to fly with the turkeys.

ANZAC DAY - LEST WE FORGET

Yesterday was ANZAC DAY. It is a day of reflection and remembrance for Australians and New Zealanders on those who have paid great sacrifices in the service of their nation and their comrades.

Perhaps Australian Ex-Prime Minister Paul Keating said it best:

"That is surely at the heart of the Anzac story, the Australian and New Zealand legend which emerged from the war. It is a legend not of sweeping military victories so much as triumphs against the odds, of courage and ingenuity in adversity. It is a legend of free and independent spirits whose discipline derived less from military formalities and customs than from the bonds of mateship and the demands of necessity."

25 April 1915

"The word Gallipoli has profound meaning to the people of New Zealand and Australia. It was the first major campaign in which the ANZACs1 fought, and because of the extremely heavy casualties, it seems that every family in these young colonies was affected. In some ways the battle became symbolic in forging the national identities of both nations, and to this day it is remembered on the 25 April, Anzac Day, the day the first ANZACs landed in 1915.

The exact events and decisions made are controversial to this day, but it is clear that not enough use was made of intelligence regarding the landscape and topography of the peninsula, and the enemy's positions and preparedness. This resulted in the ANZACs being landed on the wrong beach, and being forced to fight inland up a steep eroded slope to high ground held by an enemy who was already dug in, with predictably high casualties. Worst of all for the chances of success, the element of surprise had been lost, and the Turks had time to reinforce their positions.

The ANZACs were not the only troops in the campaign. There were troops from France, Britain, India, Nepal (Gurkhas), South Africa, and most of the British and French Empires. But it was the ANZACs who bore the brunt of attacking the toughest terrain, and the toughest opponent - Mustapha Kemal. ( later known as Ataturk, the founder of the modern state of Turkey). Kemal was a young Turkish officer who had been charged with the defence of the high ground above the ANZACs' landing grounds. Unfortunately for the ANZACs, but crucially for the fate of Turkey, he was brilliant at his job.

With the high ground gone, and the casualties mounting, it became clear to the high command that the campaign was lost and the allies must evacuate. Ironically this was the only phase of the campaign which went smoothly. Through subterfuge the ANZACs managed to convince the Turks that the ships arriving and leaving were actually reinforcing their positions, rather than evacuating them, and thus managed to avoid casualties. In the end the final ANZAC soldier left on 20 December, almost eight months since their first landing.

During that time the small colony of New Zealand had suffered 7,500 casualties and Australia 26,000. Other nations had also lost many men. France had lost 27,000 and other British Empire losses were around 120,000. The Turkish losses would have been similar, if not worse. After visiting Gallipoli, the Australian war correspondent CEW Bean wrote, 'The dead lay so thick that the only respect which could be paid to them was to avoid treading on their faces.
'
This was a terrible campaign in a terrible war. Similar tales can be told about many theatres of war. The ANZACs continued to fight and die on the Western Front; everywhere else the war was waged; and small country towns on the other side of the world erected monuments to the fallen. A generation later there was another world war, and more New Zealanders and Australians died in far-off lands. However it is Gallipoli in particular that started the ANZAC Legend, and retains a place in the history and hearts of New Zealanders and Australians."

In one of the most moving things ever said by a war time leader Ataturk, despite an invasion by foreign powers showed his compassion to all those families, mothers and children who lost someone in that far away land. I think you will look for a long time to find a more noble statement of compassion.

Overlooking Anzac Cove is a wall that has a quote from Ataturk on it:

"Those heroes that shed their blood and lost their lives... You are now lying in the soil of a friendly country. Therefore rest in peace. There is no difference between the Johnnies and the Mehmets to us, where they lie side by side here in this country of ours... You, the mothers, who sent their sons from far away countries, wipe away your tears; Your sons are now lying in our bosom and are in peace. After having lost their lives on this land they have become our sons as well."

I put the above together from numerous sources and some personal knowledge. I hope those sources will forgive me if I do not acknowledge them all. The picture is from the Australian War Memorial.

No one but a complete idiot glorifies war, death and carnage. The following is also a true story.

I personally knew a man very well, who served in World War 2 in North Africa and New Guinea. He never spoke much about what he did or saw during that time except for occasional asides such as

”Well I joined up because it seemed like a good idea, a bit of lark. They gave us two weeks training in the parklands with wooden guns and two weeks later we sailed past Fremantle (a small coastal town in Australia). I remember thinking…bloody hell !!What have I gotten into! That was the last time I saw Australia for five long years.”

Many years later, this same man was well into his eighties, sick and bed ridden. I was visiting and noticed tears in his eyes (which I never seen before in his whole life). I asked him what was wrong and after much prompting came this story:

“We were looking after wounded in Alexandria (North Africa), and young boy (remembering the storyteller would have also only been in his early twenties) came in from “the Black Watch”, a bullet had passed through his lower face and jaw rendering speech impossible. We did not have much in the way of medicine and we knew he would not live but he lingered for some time.

As I would check on him, he would thrash around and gasp at my arms. As time went by the thrashing got worse and worse eventually we had to strap him down. I just assumed it was the pain.

He died later that night.

In the morning as we wearing clearing his bed space, I found someone had placed all of his personal belongings underneath the bed, amongst them were several unopened letters from home that he must have received just prior to being shot.

The poor bugger wasn’t thrashing in pain, he just wanted someone to read him his letters from home before he died….
The old man’s voice trailed off then as he was very sick himself at this time..
”I know he will be waiting for me…”

That poor old man had carried the guilt of not knowing about those letters for over sixty years, and it was still what he was thinking about in the final hours before his own death.

KARTINI

As most in Indonesia would know, April 21 was Kartini day. Raden Ayu Kartini
, (April 21, 1879-September 13, 1904), was/is Indonesia's most famous champion of women's rights in Indonesia.

Unfortunately, women generally remain very much an underclass in Indonesia. Women are daily subject to the whims and desires of a very closed patriarchal society. For the vast majority of women, it is debatable if the situation has improved at all since Kartini's time.



"In recent months, there has been a concerted push for the passage of the pornography bill by religious hardliners, as well as the enactment of a number of bylaws that single out women for punishment, including on how they dress in public, interaction with the opposition sex, even to imposing limits on what time they can be in public places."

The sanctimonious crap-trap put up in defence of these regulations "we are saving these women from prostitution and exploitation beggars belief". There is no social security structure for abandoned wives, mothers who have no income etc etc. The vast majority of women forced into these situations are there by economic and social misfortune. To jail them in the absence of an alternative support structure is the height on an unthinking, uncaring patriarchal mindset.

This is not unexpected where, for many young males social interaction with women is limited to family and direct relatives. This makes it extremely difficult for any realistic connection or empathy with members of the opposite sex.

An interesting side note, despite a plethora of statues of male heros throughout the Indonesia the one famous statue of Kartini in Jakarta was under threat of removal (with vague promises of relocation). Does anyone know if the plan went ahead?... What happened to the statue?..

FORESTS, ACEH AND PLAYBOY

Back from my trip and was thinking some nice things. It actually appeared that a lot of the forest was regenerating from the vandalism, criminal burning off, illegal logging and the other assorted quasi-condoned jungle rapes that abound in Indonesia. I was all prepared to write a happy up-beat post, when a quick spin around the blogsphere soon proved I was merely deluding myself again.

Indcoup reports on a Chinese Company that intends to join in on the rape and pillage of the Indonesia Forests, “The Chinese state company, called China Light, needed a total of 800,000 cubic meters of logs or equivalent to 400,000 cubic meters of processed wood up to 2008.”

Meanwhile in the
The Jakarta Post today, the most arrogant comment of the week goes to the PT KLI manager who when tackled about his company’s logging activities said “you can see our premises are green” referring to the leafy environment around his office.
http://www.thejakartapost.com/detailheadlines.asp?fileid=20060422.A03&irec=5

Indcoup further brought our attention that up 30%-40% of all aid funds to Aceh have been stolen!!! This is simply stunning!! I think I recall President SBY saying that Indonesia must monitor these funds correctly as the world will form an opinion of Indonesia on the way we handle these funds…Well, one wonders what that opinion is now?

In my secular soul, I find it impossible to understand these immoral, low life scum. How do you justify stealing from people so much in need? How do you look at yourself in the mirror…Aceh being what it is, I can only assume that a lot of these scum are supposedly deeply religious, what I would like to know then. Is how do you reconcile your thievery come Fridays..perhaps an extra prayer…
“ Hey I stole a few bucks but I also burnt a Playboy Magazine so we are square right?”

So with all this shocking news, you would think people would be in the streets protesting and you are right.






Of course not exactly protesting over what you may think is important but protesting none the less

Oh dear the more things change the more they stay the same

LOST

Not Blogging for a week or so. Time to wander off into the Jungle for awhile and see whats out there again...Did someone say something about numbers.....Have fun and to each his own...

Easter Funnies

A quick funny for Easter.


Meanwhile in other Easter News, Religious Hardliners in Jakarta today were severely mauled when acting on information that a Playboy Bunny was sighted in South Jakarta, Unfortunately, there appears to have been a miscommunication with the group tangling with a very angry Easter Bunny (EB). EB still smarting from the Christians knocking off his pagan weekend was in no mood to tolerate another bunch of myopic religious loons and acted accordingly. Police are now seeking suspect pictured below for questioning after several members of the hard line group were..eaten.

Suspect was last seen heading to Tangerang...

EASTER CROWS -

Because its Easter and Treespotter is trying to grasp the finer points of Footy and pick a team that is more suited to him. I am going to suggest the Adelaide Crows pictured..they are weird, openly hyper-manic depressive at times and the followers could seem all to be "Chardonney Sipping Urbo-Sexuals"

Adelaide Crows: Colours: Navy blue, gold and red. Emblem: Crows ... the Adelaide Football Club, known as the Crows

Last nights footy action, in a biblical turnaround The "Saints devoured The Lions"

This weeks rule: Remember you can only interfere (?) with another player going for a mark if the ball is within 5m ...

HAPPY EASTER ALL

HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE...

Just a religious thought ..Wouldn't it be fun if we could get all the religous over the top nutcases out here to wear bunny ears this weekend. Then we could all put the slipper on (in). Loads more fun than easter egg hunts.

Bit of Easter History:

Quite a few pagan cultures hold celebrations in the spring. It's the time of year when plants return to life after being dormant all winter and when animals mate and procreate. These festivities celebrate the renewal of life and promote the fertility of crops, animals, and even people, which was important in these agrarian communities. The Saxons believed in a maiden goddess of fertility named Eastre or Eostre (Oestre in Latin) and honored her with a spring festival. Hares and rabbits were considered sacred to Eastre because they are notoriously fertile animals.

In the second century A.D., Christian missionaries tried to convert northern European tribes. To help make Christianity attractive, the missionaries turned pagan festivals into Christian holidays. The pagan Eastre festival occurred around the same time as the Christian celebration marking Christ's resurrection so the two celebrations blended into one, rabbit and all.

Over time, Eastre became Easter, and the symbolism changed as well. Instead of the Easter rabbit symbolizing fertility, the rabbit may symbolize an innocent, vulnerable creature that can be sacrificed, similar to the lamb. To Christians, these innocents are tokens of Christ and the sacrifice he made.
Read more here

SUNSPOTS AND CGAF

Sorry for no posts for a few days I have had a bad case of “CGAF” (Couldn’t Give A Stuff). Besides annoying the bejesus out of Jakartass and his hatred of all things Freeport, Papua, I have been fairly busy work wise and lazy with everything else.

Freeport

My view is that any discussion that neglects the money that Freeport brings into Indonesia every year is a very frail discussion indeed. A Fact omitted is a truth denied!

A billion dollars in taxes and royalties is a bit more than beads and trinkets as some would have us believe.

Of course, that Papuans have not exactly seen the benefits of this wealth would be the under-statement of the decade. Like a lot of the provinces, much natural wealth has been extracted to little gain for the local populace. Unless the government seriously addresses these issues, its difficult to see anything but very sad times ahead. Meanwhile political opportunists and commentators will continue to agitate with, as usual, the poor bugger in the kampung getting the shitty end of the stick.

Still on the Papua issue, The Australian Prime Minister John Howard and Immigration Minister Vanstone have just reported they are rushing in a new policy on refugees. “Under a hardline policy announced today, people arriving illegally by boat will now have their asylum claims processed at one of three offshore detention centres”.

This then prevents any refugee from accessing the Australian Court System to appeal their claim should they be refused refugee status (once onshore in Australia, everyone has access to the courts and out of the government’s control). This according to Howard had nothing to do with Indonesian Governments tantrum of visas recently..In the words of a famous man PIGS ARSE.

On the weather front, there must be sunspots over at Indcoup as his latest post reads as if he believes China is a model Indonesia should follow… I must have read it wrong!!! Leaning left is one thing but too far and you fall off the perch.

Weirdest Conspiracy theory of the Week.

The recent of arrest of an Indonesian (amongst others) Arms Dealer in Hawaii this week, has some in blogsphere saying they were purchasing arms for use in Papua..Sh#T …..as Treespotter says unless Birds of Paradise have decided enough is enough then there is not a lot of call for Surface to Air missiles in Papua.

Fair go guys! Shady arms deals happen every day particularly with the various weak arms embargoes the US has. Perhaps its time to take a deep breath.

Is it Art or is it Porn?

Score wise, the footy was disaster this weekend. Although the Crows getting done by the Eagles by a mere 2 points was a good match to watch.

Seeing how the Indonesian Playboy according to Indcoup and Jakartass is fairly tame, with all the women fully clothed (doesn't matter we only read for the artciles anyway..right).

I thought I would throw up the above picture for your pleasure. I guess what we have to ask is it Porn or is it Art under the draft Anti Porn Bill? Personally I like it, I wouldn't mind a full size copy for the house.

Meanwhile, I am pleased to report the global warning crisis must have stopped?!.It was reported yesterday that less than 1% of the Great Barrier Reef is affected by bleaching (yet in 2002 it only had 5-10 years life left due to global warming) ..I'm confused.. Next they will be telling me the ice sheets in Greenland are getting thicker.

SHINBONERS

To continue my fixation with the Australian Rules Football. The "Kangaroos" were until recently named after their Melbourne suburb of origin "North Melbourne (The dropping of the suburb name was in the name of the never ending supporter drive). North Melbourne was/is a working class suburb and the 1996 census (bottom of post) shows an interesting ethnic, working class mix:

However to the dedicated supporter the kangaroos or North Melbourne will always be "THE SHINBONERS"

Although lost in the mists of time, it is generally believed that the name "Shinboners" nickname came from two possible origins:

1. From the days when many of the players worked at the local abattoirs and spent their days separating meat from shinbones and local butchers used to decorate their windows with the bones.

2. Or possibly the name may have been due to the Irish population playing hurley at the football ground, using their hurley sticks with little regard for their opponent's shins.

It doesn't really matter, in my wild erractic fancy, I wish they had kept the name and there I would see the supporters waving the shinbones above their heads at away matches..grin

North Melbourne

North Melbourne sprang up during the 1850's goldrush. Located on the goldfields road, the suburb's first businesses and residents served the steady flow of traffic headed between the city centre and the fossicking districts and in 1925 North Melbourne joined the VFL (Victorian Football League). In their first game the Shinboners defeated Geelong by 8 points.

Postcode: 3051
Where: 2 kilometres north of the city
Population: 8417
Born in: Australia 48%
Vietnam 8%
China 6%
UK 4%
Italy 2%
Hong Kong 2%
Religion: Christian 50%
Buddhist 6%
Islam 3%
Jewish 0.1%
Language: 53% speak only English

Trumped up Corellas and Kangaroos

There is general trend in some irrational circles to hate all things Australian at the moment but the latest piece of news from Australia is very ominous...

"April 07, 2006
THE Kangaroos are officially the least popular team in the AFL (WHAT!!!, TELL ME IT AIN'T SO), adding further ammunition for those who believe the club must flee Melbourne to build its future"

More of this calamity here

On the bright side, the article mentions the Kangaroos may have to migrate North to survive...The Indonesian Kangaroos perhaps?



In other news that will have the "deep greenies" besides themselves with indecision. An Angry, trumped-up corella (Bird) has stalled a 220Million Aud dollar alternative energy programme in Australia.

Are there mysterious forces afoot in the Animal Kingdom....

Thats What I Like About Football

Once upon a time you would grow up play for your home district team. In the good ol days teams were based around regions. Nowadays, to start you have to pick a bunch of colours to follow with a passion bordering on obsession. Players are traded and swapped and it would be rare thing to find a player actually living in the suburb he plays for (More and more teams are dropping the geo-centric names in search of a wider supporter base).

Ok base rules.

Scoring: Four Posts at both ends of oval field.

Kick the Ball thru the two center posts = 6 points (also known as a Goal) Near Miss = 1 Point (also known as a...a point)

Tackling = Yep sure can.. Anywhere between Knees and Neck and not from the back

Mark = Clean catch from a kicked ball over 15m away..No one is allowed to tackle you.

Mission = to kick more Goals than the other team over four quarters.

Required Football Terminology

Torpedo, Screw, Punt, Stab, Place, Banana, Check side, Drop = All types of kick.

Hand Pass = Legal way of passing ball by hand (punch the ball with clenched fist from palm of other hand)

White Maggot = Referee (losing its effect since they started dressing in funny colours)

One Eyed Maggot = Referee failing to see the obvious injustices your team is suffering

Mongrel = Dirty Player (other team)

Hard Man = Dirty Player (your team)

"Speccy" = Spectacular Mark (catch)

Sausage Roll = Goal (six points)

Pill = Football

"BALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL" =Holding the ball .. Shouted by the crowd when a player fails to release the ball when tackled

Sheila = Player who plays the game with the attributes of girl (sexist..but hey its football)

Red Hot Go = Valiant effort

Turn the Corner = Make a comeback

TAGHLAY = Take a good hard look at yourself (reapply yourself to the task)


Ok that’s enough to get your started, just follow the crowd and have fun,a detailed knowledge of the rules is not required and even removes a lot of the fun.

For those of you with a more serious desire to learn, you can learn more here

See you at the Bali 9's

Hotel Sahid Bans Aussies

An Oigal Note: I have edited this post because Mr Snag has pointed out that I may have been a bit harsh on the Manager of the Sahid hotel. Upon further reflection he is probably right. Unconfirmed reports indicate another group of Papuans are seeking Asylum in Australia tonight, so I don't intend to add to the insanity that may follow if I can help it.

It is reported that the Sahid Hotel in the capital of South Sulawesi "agreed in writing that we are prohibited from accepting Australian guests"

Indonesia and Oval Footballs

Its that time year to forget politics, business and differences in Religion. The football season has started, kicked off if you will.

Now of course, I am not talking that round ball game that so preoccupies the normally astute and observant Jakartass
. No I am talking the game played by the "chosen few"...

Yep..Thats right we are talking Australian Rules Football, no helmets, no round ball and no "Nil all" drawn games.

For those lucky enough to have "IndoVison" pay tv, there were no less than six games played over the weekend.

And what a great weekend it was as well, with those champions of champions The Shinboners sending that pack of wharf rats Port Power packing

Indonesia also has a small but vibrant (as in all good things) Australian Rules Football Community. Check out the(now how did they arrive at that name?) Jakarta Bintangs .

Next post will deliver a brief run down on the rules, so those sadly neglected types can understand a bit of the chosen game (except if you barrack for Port Adelaide because those wharf rates have never played by the rules anyway). Also a introduction to Bali 9's competition


LET THE GAMES BEGIN...................

Cartoons Papua and Coal

It goes on..on and....on.

"Indonesia has described as "tasteless" a caricature in an Australian newspaper depicting President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono as a dog."

The Australian caricature cartoon, drawn by award-winning cartoonist Bill Leak, shows Yudhoyono as a tail-wagging dog mounting a startled-looking Papua dog and saying "don't take this the wrong way".

The caption under the cartoon reads "no offence intended".

Meanwhile the "" war of cartoons continues to get international(ok regional then) coverage bringing further (Unwanted?) attention to the Papua situation.

Commenting on the cartoon, Presidential spokesman Andi Mallarangeng said "It's in poor taste. Sometimes the media, both in Indonesia and other countries, resort to poor taste, which actually demonstrates the level of their quality,"

Bill Leak has quite a following and is well know for biting satire. Bill rarely pulls his punches and no target is safe. Before anyone accuses him of being anti-indonesian maybe they should look here for some samples of his work.


Sorry, I don't have a copy of the actual cartoon but I shall keep looking! I have seen a copy of it and admit it did raise a wry smile. I do notice Mallarangeng was bit late commenting on the Indonesian version with Howard as a dog but better late than never I guess.

Meanwhile.....



Speaking of Papua (or cartoons), I notice the calls for more of the wealth continue and fair enough. In the interests of comparision and my own education, I would very interested in the local divestment of wealth (% or dollar) by that other huge mining organisation KALTIM PRIMA COAL. The KALTIM website seems a little out of date with PT Bumi Resources being listed as the owner, whereas I was under the impression they had recently sold out for a massive (?) profit. So if anyone has the details of local divestment please let me know.