REDS UNDER THE BEDS OR BLOGS

Just goes to show how wrong a bloke can be. I thought my posts may have been leaning a little bit too far right and pro business lately and perhaps it's time that I did a post in support of the environment and a bit of social comment. All in the name of balance of course.

Well lo and behold, along comes a commentator on Indo Matters who "outs me" and my meager scribblings as "gunk" with "cultural marxist undercurrents". Well "GUNK" is probably a fair description, marxist undercurrents?? Oh well, its so Manchurian Candidate(the original not the one where business replaces the evil commies), I just never knew.

I haven't had such a good chuckle since the pictured comment below and thought I would share the joy!..cheers



"Seriously, Achmad, I do not pick on people, unless they are very infantile people who mix into adult debate. They should be seen and not heard if they cannot hold a steady discussion without the sort of tantrums evinced in the post just above this.
I do not let temper dictate my posts, but type them equably, addressing civilised critics in a civilised manner. However, I reserve the right to make exceptions of little reds like Ogglet, who first made my acquaintance with the greeting ’sac of pus’ in another thread. That was his sophisticated analysis of a theory supported by many historians, notably the Dutchman Dake, and which accords with all that’s known of communist practice everywhere.
I must express surprise at your claim that he is not a commie, or fellow-traveller, but then, as you say, ‘reading is different from understanding.’ I shall take you at your word also, and assume you read all his gunk yet did not see the cultural marxist undercurrents. (like his last throwaway phrase on J. Edgar Hoover- types like Ogglet usually parrot the Comintern smear about Hoover, regardless of the fact it was a figment of some NKVD agents’s imagination.)"

Anyway I have to go now, I feel this strange urge to throw away 40 years of hard work and hand over all my assets to the state and work on a collective.

Howard Rudd and Communist Dolphins

A the battle royal goes on in Australian Politics, much to mangy lefts horror the Labour Party's (Little Kevin Rudd' Mob) reported huge lead in the polls has been cut by half in the first week. Of course that was to be expected, the people of Australia are tired of the Howard (Liberal Party) Government and have expressed a desire for change. Unfortunately, the more they look at the alternative, the more it appears Rudd is just a Bangkok Whore, pretty to look at but bloody expensive and unpredictable in a long term relationship.

The big debate between Rudd and Howard was televised tonight and that may give the whore a bit of a push as Howard was caught flat footed on a number of occasions.

Meanwhile those of you lucky enough to be regular passengers of EMIRATES AIRLINES (I hear they are very "Swish"). You will be pleased to know that EMIRATES are also the bastards that supply the transport and support the live Dolphin trade. One of the more repugnant things we do to other species.

HONIARA, Solomon Islands - The carcasses of three bottlenose dolphins - including a calf - were found dumped near a holding pen in the Solomon Islands where controversial exports of the mammals were planned. The exporting company on Wednesday denied any knowledge.

The partly decomposed bodies of the dolphins, which were torn open, apparently by stray dogs, were found on Tuesday night lying in the open near a coastal garbage dump site near the capital, Honiara.

Solomon Island Marine Mammal Education Center and Exporters Ltd. is preparing to airlift 28 live bottlenose dolphins to an aquatic park in the United Arab Emirates city of Dubai.

Speaking of repugnant things, I have never had much time for people who justify the slaughter of families in the name of any belief, be it religion (grotesque fantasy for insecure grownups) communism, fascism, socialism or any of the other isms. A regular contributor here manages to revive long dead hatreds, look for idiots in the comments section (although you may need to check under the bed for reds before you go).

Its Election Time !!

It's Election time in Australia and for the first time in a long time I will be making sure I take the opportunity to vote.

Essentially the choices are a Prime Minister (John Howard) and the liberals who have delivered over a decade of high employment and record growth or the challenger Kevin (I stand for nothing they don't tell me to stand for) Rudd.

Of course, the oz's harping left and its professional tax payer funded trough slurpers are positively beside themselves with pre-orgasmic glee that the Labour (Shiney Kev's Pack)Party might actually win. The polls certainly seem to indicate a mass stupid has descended upon the Australian Voting Public but then again...and I quote

"By November 24 its (liberal/howard's) record in delivering the good times and ensuring more to come will prevail over Kevin Rudd's high-falutin bombast, nerdy vacuities, and his conga-line of party hacks and trade union reactionaries. What voter in the mortgage belt, or what battler who owes his job to Work Choices, is going to risk his future on Rudd and his broadband? Hands up who wants to take running the economy from Peter Costello and hand it to Wayne Swan! Or take foreign policy from Alexander Downer and give it to Simon Crean!"

Seems to sum it pretty well...

Stupid knows no boundries

In the name of balance..laugh

The Price of Stupidity

What a world? (country NSW)... On Thursday, 24 January 2002, Derek Guille broadcast this story on his afternoon program on ABC radio.

In March, 1999, a man living in Kandos (near Mudgee in NSW) received a bill for his as yet unused gas line stating that he owed $0.00. He ignored it and threw it away. In April he received another bill and threw that one away too.

The following month the gas company sent him a very nasty note stating they were going to cancel his gas line if he didn't send them $0.00 by return mail. He called them, talked to them, and they said it was a computer error and they would take care of it.

The following month he decided that it was about time that he tried out the troublesome gas line figuring that if there as usage on the account it would put an end to this ridiculous predicament. However, when he went to use the gas, it had been cut off. He called the gas company who appologised for the computer error once again and said that they would take care of it. The next day he got a bill for $0.00 stating that payment was now overdue.

Assuming that having spoken to them the previous day the latest bill was yet another mistake, so he ignored it, trusting that the company would be as good as their word and sort the problem out.

The next month he got a bill for $0.00. This bill also stated that he had 10 days to pay his account or the company would have to take steps to recover the debt.

Finally, giving in, he thought he would beat the company at their own game and mailed them a cheque for $0.00. The computer duly processed his account and returned a statement to the effect that he now owed the gas company nothing at all.

A week later, the manager of the Mudgee branch of the Westpac Banking Corporation called our hapless friend and asked him what he was doing writing cheque for $0.00. After a lengthy explanation the bank manager replied that the $0.00 cheque had caused their cheque processing software to fail. The bank could therefore not process ANY cheques they had received from ANY of their customers that day because the cheque for $0.00 had caused the computer to crash.

The following month the man received a letter from the gas company claiming that his cheque has bounced and that he now owed them $0.00 and unless he sent a cheque by return mail they would take immediate steps to recover the debt. At this point, the man decided to file a debt harassment claim against the gas company. It took him nearly 2 hours to convince the clerks at the local courthouse that he was not joking. They subsequently assisted him in the drafting of statements which were considered substantive evidence of the aggravation and difficulties he had been forced to endure during this debacle. The matter was heard in the Magistrate's Court in Mudgee and the outcome was this:

The gas company was ordered to:

[1] Immediately rectify their computerised accounts system or show cause, within 10 days, why the matter should not be referred to a higher court for consideration under company Law.

[2] Pay the bank dishonour fees incurred by the man.

[3] Pay the bank dishonour fees incurred by all the Westpac clients whose cheques had been bounced on the day our friend's had been.

[4] Pay the claimant's court costs; and

[5] Pay the claimant a total of $1500 per month for the 5 month period March to July inclusive as compensation for the aggravation they had caused their client to suffer. And all this over $0.00.

An Inconvenient Lie

The environment is a emotive issue and a there is a whole swag of nutters propping up the edges. Still it was mildly confusing to see the inconvenient self promoter Al Gore awarded the Nobel Peace Prize earlier this month.

The Peace Prize??? Were the carrots denying land rights to the tomatoes on the basis of colour or perhaps they were worshiping the wrong fertilizer brand (All hail the life giver). The cobras of Indonesia were planning to launch a ssssssssssssssneak attack on the Malaysian Cobras for sssssssssssstealing a sssssong that nobody gives a stuff about and then in rode Al Gore and brokered a peace deal. Or just maybe its because if he was nominated for the Nobel Science Prize, his little home movie would actually have to go before a panel of scientists and be assessed on facts.

The truth of the matter is the Noble Peace Prize has long been a bit of a politically correct joke. Lets grab a couple of past winners for a laugh (or perhaps a sob), Kofi Annan (for shady family oil deals and the ability do absolutely nothing no matter how many lives it costs), Yassar Arafat, Shimon Peres (for middle east peace?? and more shady money deals) OH well you get the picture.

Back to fat Al's little movie of big fibs. A British High Court Judge, Justice Michael Burton has ruled that the movie can no longer be shown in schools unless accompanied by a fact sheet detailing the outright lies and untruths big Al so skillfully presents as uncontested truths.

This of course is a ruling of much needed good sense. Lets not forget Paramount and Jackgreen International, which makes money from the global warming scare offered free DVDs of An Inconvenient Truth to every school in England not to mention other places. A nice piece of propaganda, still brainwashing kids is the hallmark of lying fanatics.

Lets have a look at what Justice Burton ruled to be big fat fibbs:

Gore presents Mt Kilimanjaro's melting snows as proof of global warming. In fact, the snows are vanishing thanks to local factors, including deforestation.

Gore suggests Antarctica's ice cover is melting. Most studies says it is increasing or stable.

Gore shows scary graphics of cities drowning in seas that rise 7m, causing millions of refugees. But the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change says the seas will rise at worst by 59cm this century.

Gore uses images of Hurricane Katrina and suggests it was caused by global warming. The Government's expert in this case admitted such one-off events can't be blamed on warming.

Gore suggests ice-core evidence shows rising CO2 caused temperature rises, which ended the past seven ice ages. In fact, the CO2 rises followed temperature rises by 800 to 2000 years.

Gore claims global warming could stop the Gulf Stream, causing an ice age in Europe. Recent studies deny it.

Gore blames global warming for species losses and coral reef bleaching. The Government couldn't show evidence to back this claim.

Gore claims a study showed polar bears had drowned because of vanishing ice. The study actually said just four polar bears drowned, and only because of a bad storm.

Gore suggests Greenland's ice could melt, causing a dangerous rise in sea levels. In fact, Greenland's ice won't melt for thousands of years.

Gore shows the drying up of Lake Chad and claims this was caused by global warming. The Government's expert agreed this was not the case.

Gore claims rising seas have forced people to flee Pacific islands to New Zealand. There is no record of any such warming-caused evacuation.


Geez...Doesn't leave much of the movie huh?

I also loved this bit by another commentator

"The British Government has now rewritten its guidance to teachers to take in those 11 objections, while trying very hard not to make Gore's film seem fraudulent.

To correct that last false claim, for instance, of global warming causing islanders to evacuate their homes, the guide now includes this weasel disclaimer: "It is not clear that there is any evidence of evacuations in the Pacific due to human-induced climate." What: not clear?"

But that's not the only sign that the educationists who push Gore's film on to students are as devoted to his apocalyptic faith as are our own class of teacher-preachers.

Note this line from the guide, urging children to question even their parents' lack of faith: "Pupils may ask, what were my parents and grandparents doing during this time? Did they know that this was happening?"

I am actually very much in favour of the environment, the trouble with people like Gore is they divert valuable resources and funds into self serving pie in the sky billion dollar twaddle for an Armageddon that is at best dubious. Closer to home, I could say the same thing about the NEWMONT case here in Indonesia a patently obvious bunch of wank driven by money, politics and a seriously compromised environmental group(and religious nutters)now better known as the Wanky Wallies!

Last environmental point today, if you are taking part in major religious festival and giving all praise to GOD/Allah/Buddha whomever, does it seem a bit rude to leave the area covered with plastic water cups, paper, fire crackers. Seems to me that the big guy/girl is gunna be a bit pissed that he invited everyone for a party and they all crapped in his back yard.

AN UPDATE: On my last post "IA" quite correctly pointed out that it is also very difficult for the average Indonesian to escape paying income tax as well as their wages are garnished before they see them. Which raises the point WHY ARE THERE ONLY 1.3 INCOME TAX PAYERS in Indonesia, who are the parasites then, the tax office? the employers? the phantom? Mmmmm...the plot thickens and I would still love to know what the "dear leader" of the new order and the fabulous baker boys paid in tax last year.

INDONESIA IS TAXING

There were only 1.3 million income tax returns filed last year in Indonesia! Can that be right? Out of 220 Million people? I thought unemployment according to the government was only 10% (suree...). There would be more than 1.3 million public servants alone in Indonesia.

Check out this from the Jakarta Post of 9 Oct 07:

"Darmin now manages at least 10 million registered individual income-tax payers, of which almost seven million were netted under a massive campaign in 2005.

However, Darmin put the number of registered income-tax payers last week at a mere four million. Even more disappointing is only 33 percent or 1.32 million of them filed their annual tax returns -- the other 2.68 million were classified as non-filers."

Besides the obvious fuzzy maths, how the hell does this work?

On the plus side, the non filing of tax returns should make it easy to collect those missing funds from the old regime (and sections of the current?) and their families. Just check the tax returns, if its not declared they have admitted its not their money/assets, so the poor people can have a win for once, no lengthy court battles just take it.

For an expat is is extremely difficult to avoid paying tax and most accept Tax is necessary (unpleasant but necessary) part of maintaining any sort of just society. The concept that the country owes someone a living is as dead as Port Power's Pride after the grand final.

Why do I mention expats? Well in view of only 1.3 Million people contributing to the coffers of the country, maybe the next time that inane xenophobic "us vs them" "you are only a guest" bullsh*t arises. Perhaps the response should be "as least I am a paying Guest and you are a ....... on the country"

Facts are if you can afford a computer then you should be filing a tax return, if not chances well...it needs no further explanation without getting nasty.

Here's a thought, how about anyone who buys a new car must produce a tax file number..that'll get em!

HAVE FUN

P.S. Wouldn't it be cool of every elected official had his tax return published by the Tax Department and just how much tax did the Fabulous Baker (ie) Boys pay last year?

CAT INDUCED POWER FAILURE

GEEZ WHAT A SHELLACKING!!!!!!!!!!!

GEELONG (CATS) 24-19 163 PORT ADELAIDE (PORT POWER) 6-8 44

Back the bottom of the Harbour for these blokes!!

Meanwhile..some roundball induced numbdom has been played between ...who cares! (see the "girls are us blog" for netball and soccer scores)

More Knuckleheads

Yet another bunch of do-gooders, who have lost their way..

I hope they don't succeed, I did hear a plan the execution was to take place in Bali. I am sure they could find plenty of offers of help to pull the trigger (Hey SB, call me, it might take a few shots tho..with a bit of luck)

AMNESTY International is calling on Australians and others to write to Indonesian authorities urging them to halt plans to execute three Bali bombers.

The three Islamic militants - Imam Samudra, Ali Ghufron (alias Mukhlas) and the so-called smiling assassin Amrozi bin Nurhasyim - could face the firing squad soon after Indonesia's Supreme Court rejected their final appeals.

The three played key roles in the 2002 terrorist attacks on the resort island of Bali, which killed 202 people including 88 Australians.

Amnesty International Australia anti-death penalty coordinator Tim Goodwin said the human rights group was stepping up efforts to lobby Indonesian authorities to put a stay on the executions.

“Amnesty is completely and universally opposed to the death penalty in any case,” Mr Goodwin said"

Mr Goodwin, here's a letter from one Australian..PISS OFF

EVIL BLOGS AND PARTIES

Chuckle.. I do love a Free Press unlike the sad version that exists here in Indonesia, where are plundering despots awarded millions in joke court decisions.

Talking of jokes, the local blog swamp has developed into a bare knuckle, knock down blue as the self appointed guardians of the Indonesian Blog Swamp decide what and who should blog and what should or should not be said..There is no idiot like a self important idiot

We have Jakartass declaring himself a balanced act.. tee hee.. Left Wing, Green and alternative views need not apply but you know what you are going to get and well written.

Tree..Who seems to think Blogs should be a sort of Adrian Mole's Diary only, with a yearly "spit" at expats/west/bush and/or howard. Never the less worth a read if only to confuse yourself. Needs to get over his yearly spit, or have a bex and a lie down.

UNSPUN and Maverick or unspun maverick (whatever) seem to have decided that expat blogs are insignificant (true but who cares)but again interesting reading most of the time.

Jakchat..Who exist to annoy to Tree and talk about tacky sexual habits of unattractive men. (Actually its like visiting a down market pub outside the market gardens, takcy but everyone should visit at least once to see what happens if you drink too much all your life)

Ok (not sure if these guys are involved in the fight yet but what the hell)

Indo Matters...An Essentially Anti Muslim, pro christian site dressed up as a newsy type service (Although the Nuttier Muslims only have themselves to blame with their bizarre behaviour making negative reporting like shooting fish in barrel). Seriously why doesn't the main stream press make fun of these throw backs (Nutty Muslims aka FPI not Indo Matters). Do visit and do keep an eye out for a bloke named Ross, the last of the "reds under the bed" neo cons (NEOCONS ..what cool bullshit word)

Indo Coup..Demands high standards of others but he himself is a self admitted toiler in the grey Zone. Great chick pics tho.

I think the blue all started because someone was not invited to a Party (I am having an Australian Rules Grand Final Party as well tomorrow and none of you soccer sockheads are invited to that either as a matter of principle).

It didn't take long to get nasty..Expats are only here for the money and they critise too much and should go home or be reported to the immigration office for being nasty. Jakchat's website is repulsive and talks cheap sex or whatever and they should be nice coz they are guests..Indonesians are too thinned skinned and/or trying to make a cheap buck, excluding the expats ..blah blah..

Gee rocket science..Expats are here for the money..gee no kidding..who's faults that? Indonesia is where on the world curruption index? A report that 40% of students cannot pass the most basic exam..leads to more money in regional schools..nope we weight the scoring factor so everyone passes..

Indonesians are thinned skinned..you bet but if you have not noticed that any act that causing a loss of face will result in anger and hurt then you really have not noticed much at all. Quick buck...you betcha its a national and presidential approved pass time. No use getting pissed at the expats, as someone said in the big picture they are insignificant, they are not the cause or the solution to the problems in Indonesia.

Finally, who cares if JAKCHAT or other expat blogs are tacky and tawdry, you want nasty and evil try the peanut from Solo (Gee why is that no surprise). If you think expats down the Blok is evil. Go for a visit at the Indonesian sponsored Surabaya Dolly street,,(bugger me they keep the poor buggers in Aquariums)

Anyway, if I haven't slashed any one side enough let me know and I will balance it out..if you have been unfairly maligned ..stiff

Ok thats enough fun..not too serious guys..relax ..but whatever you do, don't promote that fat useless WW as a champion free speech..shiiittt.

I LOVE A FREE PRESS

P.S. Most of the links you need are on the side of the page..this ain't serious enough for me to link in the post.

If this doesn't get youse blokes arced up then

tomorrow I think I will post on:

Indonesia - the last of the Colonial Powers

Javanese economic refugees to the provinces (are they expats?)

TNI or the Dutch (A history of deaths in comparision)

Bugger it..maybe something serious..

GOD must have left the planet how else to explain that the Mighty Kangaroos are not in the grand final tomorrow....

SHARIA LAW AND THE GREENS

What is going on with the Green NGO's in Indonesia? Unspun is still awaiting a response from a discredited NGO after a rather aptly titled post "WALHI slutting around with Islamic groups?".

As UNSPUN states it's all to do with credibility and it would appear that Greenomics has fallen into the same sad peat pit.

The latest in "green" environmental groups happily discrediting themselves is the NGO Greenomics. Greenomics Executive Director, Elfian Effendi was reported yesterday (Jakarta Post, extract of article at end of this post) as demanding an apology from the Aceh BBR chief Kuntoro for criticising the implementation of Sharia Law in the province.

Now thought I, that's unusual! Greenomics is an environmental group, who solicited donations and support on that basis. So I looked a bit further into the information I had at hand, but couldn't find any extra bits that said "and ardent supporters of Sharia Law". Mmmm A misrepresentation of the truth..or even..........?

Now a quick look at the Greenomics website was in order, lo and behold there is a "mission statement" of sorts and quite a noble one at that:

"Greenomics Indonesia is a policy development institute that is devoted to introducing innovative empirical and field-based economic, financial and policy approaches for the purpose of supporting a move towards good natural resources governance"

Checking ..checking...nope nothing about Sharia Law yet..oh well maybe I have just missed it in the fine print?

Now I don't think that a random supporter of Greenomics and "good natural resources governance" would automatically assume she/he has just become supporter of Sharia Law. It is more than presumptuous for good ol Elfian to speak out like that from his position as the Greenomics executive director. Of course, as a director of anything, your personal views are your own. However, in the spirit of transparency and responsibility so often demanded by various NGO's perhaps a little professionalism would go a long way.

This hi-jacking of an environmental platform into a religious one is a real shame and seemingly increasingly common. "Greenomics" appear to be doing some good and much needed work but you can bet (actually you can't "bet" if you are reading this in a Sharia Law province or you will get a whipping!) this will cost them. It also raises the question of funding. It would be interesting to see how they are funded as (I can't seem to find much on their website).




So until Greenomics clarifies their position its only fair to ask:

Are Greenomics supporters of this?




or this???...




By the way, BBR Chief was right (for once) of course foreign investors and visitors are wary of Sharia Law, by its very nature, it is ill-defined, randomly applied and brutal.


EXTRACT FROM THE POST

BRR sharia comment slammed
National News - September 24, 2007


Ridwan Max Sijabat, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

An Aceh-linked organization that advocates for environmental issues demanded that the Aceh-Nias Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Agency (BRR) apologize for implicitly blaming the slow reconstruction work on sharia in Aceh province.

Greenomics Indonesia was responding to the statement of BRR chief Kuntoro Mangkusubroto, who on a visit to The Jakarta Post on Thursday said that the implementation of sharia had "hindered" the development programs in the province, which enjoys special autonomy.

"Kuntoro's statement on sharia is intolerable and has offended Acehnese people's religious beliefs. He must withdraw it and make an apology to the Acehnese," Greenomics executive director Elfian Effendi told the Post over the weekend.

As Time Goes Bye

Just stopping by for a breather, but not really into posting yet just thought I would pop in and see if I missed much in the world's most dysfunctional democracy (?!).

I see its been a fairly interesting TIME here, while I have been away. We all knew things were not going so well, but Indonesia really has come the full circle since the heady hopes brought about by the student led Indonesian 1998 Revolution. A revolution of hope, which pushed the autocratic President Suharto of Indonesia kicking and screaming from power (but not for long, it seems).

After some fits, starts and farts, aspirations were high when the current president took power with the vast support of the the people. Finally, here was a man who had the moral mandate and the peoples support to clean out the corrupt, the evil and the insane who seem to make up the vast majority of the political and the elite of Indonesia. Unfortunately, like so many things in Indonesia it was only surface gloss and the opportunity has slipped away along with the chances of better life for the average Indonesian.

As Time magazine (only read the previous link, if you have an extermely developed sense of the absurb) and the people of Jakarta have found out, the more things change, the more they stay the same. Still was good to see such revered (?) institutions as the Supreme Court willing to take a stand in the face overwhelming good sense, shame they are not so proactive in demanding justice for ..say the Mud Lovers in Surabuya . You really should get a copy of this piece of classic television soapie. The series is in Bahasa Indonesia but that should not stop you, bizzare transends language. A bigger shame is in the early days of Independence the Supreme Court really was a defender of Justice..where did all the good people go?

For a quick read on just how far the hopes of of 1998 have fallen try here.

Meanwhile close to our quaint little village, well away from the mainstream eight people died in recent floods. Our local religious nutters (RN's)...we grow our own here, its more organic and nothing warms the cockles of your heart more than seeing little kids clad head to toe in black, sorry I digrese. Our RN's declared the flood was God's Wrath as people were not observing Ramadam with due piety. Of course it had nothing to with the fact that a bunch of new developments have blocked off natural water runoffs or the majority of the streams are treated as waste disposal pits.

Speaking of things religious, I have never really got the hang of religion since our nice (but crazy) old Grandma,grabbed my little sister by the ear and held her in front of a picture of Jesus and yelled at her the tears in Jesus's eye's were becuase she was naughty (now even at that tender age, I could tell the tears probably had a lot more to do with the nails than us dropping a bottle of lemonade).

I can't help but think, if there was a GOD, he/she would be much more impressed if we cleansed things like THIS before we decided to cleanse ourselves during this holy month of Ramadam. But as I said I just don't get it...or maybe I will come judgement day.

Have a good one..

Nuclear NGO's

NGO's serve a real need but unfortunately a large number of NGO's seem to think the principles of accountability and transparency they demand from others does not apply to them. An abject failure to realise that one bad act can ruin years of good work has compromised a number of NGO's to the stage where they a little more than fronts for political and corperate thugs.

Unspun has a number of posts and articles (search for WALHI) on this and other issues. Perhaps aptly should be titled "Where's WALHI as they seem to have little to say about their own internal practices.

The relative ease of which allegations are made, careers ruined and the selective nature of environmental and other protests are made should be a concern for any reasonable person (Newmont vs Lapindo anyone).

More importantly (I am not singling out any particular sleazy mob here) it is common practice to engage "rent a mob" under an environmental, nationalist or whatever umbrella to force more favourable company take-overs. Of course, once the share price has been driven down, the environmental or other issues just fade away.

There is an interesting article here about the control regulation of various NGO's (both environmental and religious). Something has to be done in Indonesia to restrict the damage they do with their secret and unaccountable agendas.

Some excerpts of the article below for your enjoyment..

"The Trade Practices Act has long recognised that there is a clear line between a business or a union criticising a corporation and organising with others to harm that corporation or prevent it from competing. It’s similar to religious vilification laws. I can say I think Christianity is wrong, even evil. But I can’t organise with others to hurt Christians. So in future, NGOs can speak out all they want but if they cross the line by using business blackmail, they like other extortionists, will be zapped by the new laws. (WALHI would find this kind of law worth a lot of study)

For some time, the Australian Taxation Office has been pursuing a related path. It has been cracking down on politicians dressed up as charities. An ATO probe has been cross-checking Australian Electoral Commission records on political donations against the names of tax-deductible bodies. The rule is simple. If a charity spends most of its time politicking, then it’s not a charity. (Gee wouldn't that sit MUI on their arse in Indonesia)

Some NGOs have long operated in a nether world of tax scamming and lack of accountability. Whilst always the first to proclaim their virtues and the vices of others, applying the blow torch (even on very low heat) to them produces screams of indignation."

All of the above...TOO BLOODY TRUE!

Of course, these is any number of real environmental issues in Indonesia that need pursuing, for instance:


INDONESIA – Agreement on nuclear plans dated 28 Aug 07

Korea Electric Power Corp (KEPCO) and Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power Co (KHNP) have signed a memorandum of understanding with Indonesia's PT Medco Energi Internasional (Why does this name ring a bell..clear as mud?) to start implementing the country's nuclear plans.

This will involve construction of two standard 1000 MWe OPR-1000 units from KHNP at a cost of US$3 billion.

The agreement was part of a wider energy collaboration. Earlier plans were to call for tenders for these Muria units in 2008.

- News sourced from Australian Uranium Association Weekly News Digest"

Three Billion USD!!!!!!!!!.. What kind of drugs are these idiots on and where's WALHI??

Three Billion from a nation where you cannot throw a stick in the ground without hitting oil/gas or coal!!..

Here's a bizarre idea for discussion:

Instead of syphoning off billions in royalties and taxes to build yet another obscene palace in Jakarta or Singapore. How about a contract with a provision for the building and running of a non-nuclear power station? Ok, just kidding..We know why, its easier to steal cash, power stations are hard to fit into a brown paper bag.

That said, its a disgrace that a nation who exports millions of tonnes of coal and and gas every single year cannot provide a semblance of reliable domestic power to its own people.

They say these nuke poisoning plants will be up and running by 2014, so the stump still has a couple of years before its time to move upwind of Indonesia. Fortunately the nuke stations will have little impact on the native jungles in 2014 as it is unlikely there will any left by then, just "glow in the dark" people

Justice Indonesian Style

TEN Islamic militants jailed over the 2002 and 2005 Bali bombings in which hundreds died or were maimed have been handed sentence cuts.

The reductions, of between two and five months, were made today to mark Indonesia's Independence Day, when prisoners are traditionally granted dispensations for good behaviour.

I would like to say surprised...but no..

As time goes by

Busy with studies at the moment, lots of work and bugger all time, so much to relief of some not much to say. Speaking of time:

Some time sensitive Bahasa Indonesian Words:

Nanti = Later On

Sebentar = Later On but before “Nanti”

Belum = Not Yet and before Sebentar

Besok = Tomorrow or mean tomorrow’s tomorrow or tomorrow's tomorrow's tomorrow..

Any more???

If you really want to get confused try Sabtu Malam or Malam Sabtu....Sabtu means Saturday, Malam means night but the same time??..Sorry you miss out by a day.

Ok off to make myself smarter?..Enjoy the picture of sunny Sumatera..

Dafur and Idiots

For the majority of Expats, tourists (are there really any outside of Bali anymore?) and other English speakers the daily paper of "no choice" is the aptly named Jakarta Post.

More than a tad Jakarta/Javacentric, the post seems to consist of mostly "op-ed pieces" from very dubious sources and a whole swag of cut n paste. One notable Post achievement is that it does seem to evade that old truism (?) Today's News, Tomorrow's Fish and Chip Wrapper...Mainly for three reasons:

1. The post carries no News:

2. There are no Fish and Chip Shops in Indonesia;

3. Even if there were Fish and Chip Shops, the ink used by the post has a bad habit of running whilst you are reading the paper, let alone with battered fish adding to the mystery.

Speaking of the more moronic op-ed pieces, a few days ago the JP had some moron praising the benefits of safe (???????) nuclear power in Indonesia (Don't these knuckle heads even notice what is happening outside of Java?). Then, in a masterpiece of sanctimonious claptrap, some forgettable idiot dropped an op-ed on the deployment of 100 (woo---hoo a hundred…wow!!!, the international community stands stunned at the gesture) Indonesian Police into Dafur.

Titled “Stop Crying For Dafur” and reproduced at the end of this post, the writer uses the great deployment of Indonesia police to slash all the major western countries and the UN in a sludge of straw-man rubbish. Of course, the writer carefully ignored such obvious issues such as

The Indonesian Government is being paid for those Police by the UN, which in turn is funded by the very nations he slashes …Mmmm What was Indonesia’s financial contribution to the UN last year??? Takes the gloss off when you are being paid for it huh?

100 police is a bit like the monkey pissing into the sea at the same time declaring for all the world to hear “every little bit helps” and wondering why people are laughing at him.

The writer then launches into his anti-west tirade, starting with

“Not least our neighbor down under, which is eager to dispatch its military might to war in Iraq and Afghanistan but hesitant to spare military personnel for a humanitarian mission in Sudan”

This idiot does not really what to get into who provides what in world aid or even regional aid does he?

“There must be no question as to the goals, rules of engagement and contingencies available before anyone is deployed.
More importantly it is imperative that preset time lines are in place, along with an exit strategy. “

Ah its that easy!!!…As long as the combatants in Dafur understand and agree to the rules. Didn’t someone once say “No plan survives contact with the enemy”

His understanding of the conflict and the rules is infantile best, but hey if he can do I so can I. How about the conflict is based on the old “Animal Farm” theory that "All Muslims are equal but some Muslims are more equal than others". As a general rule of thumb..Arab..Asian..Africian (with plenty of room for regional xenophobia and racism)

Or this .. “Perhaps the situation would change if oil and gas was found in Darfur.” It is moron, that is what it is all about.

Tiresome twit..Anyway for reading pleasure and laughter here is the article as published in our beleaguered Jakarta Post.

Stop crying for Darfur
Stop anyone on the street and ask them about Darfur. With a shrug of the shoulders most would claim complete ignorance. One or two might identify it as a French hypermarket chain.
If the majority of Indonesians know nothing about Darfur why then is Indonesia sending more than 100 of its police officers to the Sudanese region whose inhabitants are seemingly intent on killing each other?
The answer is simple: Because it is our moral duty.
The world has shed too many tears for a place that has bled too much, but has yet to take any action to stop the killing.
Some 200,000 corpses, three million refugees and four years too late the world community, under the aegis of the United Nations, has agreed to send a stronger peacekeeping force, with a supposedly comprehensive peace plan, into Darfur.
Despite the best efforts of the African Union, its peacekeeping mission to Darfur has been a failure, overwhelmed by the scope of the crisis.
We fully back the government's decision to dispatch a civilian police force to take part in the UN mission.
While world leaders such as British Prime Minister Gordon Brown have called Darfur "the greatest humanitarian disaster the world faces today", we regret -- but are not surprised -- that major powers have been reluctant to contribute to the UN mission.
Not least our neighbor down under, which is eager to dispatch its military might to war in Iraq and Afghanistan but hesitant to spare military personnel for a humanitarian mission in Sudan.
Perhaps the situation would change if oil and gas was found in Darfur.
Though the world applauds the UN initiative few have committed to it. Only France, Denmark and Indonesia have so far committed peacekeepers, while other countries are still considering deployments.
However, more countries need to step up and soon if the UN mission is to hit the ground before the end of the year.
For Indonesia it is imperative for the UN to define and clearly specify the mission objectives for our officers.
There must be no question as to the goals, rules of engagement and contingencies available before anyone is deployed.
More importantly it is imperative that preset time lines are in place, along with an exit strategy.
The debacle of American forces in Somalia and other prolonged UN missions cannot be repeated.
The UN has had a presence in the country since 2005 with the United Nations Mission in the Sudan. We must be careful that this latest mission does not become another "permanent" UN peace mission.
The necessity of setting mission objectives and an exit strategy is particularly important in a region like Africa, which is known for protracted and expansive conflicts.
Darfur has a long history of resource-based tribal conflicts involving as many as four ethnic groups. This was exacerbated when two political groups entered the fray -- the Sudan Liberation Movement/Army and the Justice and Equality Movement -- sparking a full-scale rebellion against the failing government in Khartoum.
Indonesia should be ready to commit itself to peacekeeping and peacemaking, but remain cautious so its soldiers and police officers do not find themselves trapped in intractable circumstances.
As for the countries who could help but do not wish to, please stop crying your false tears for Darfur.

Sumatra Holiday

Had a wonderful time in Sumatra, trying a lot of the traditional “Pandang” style food where they bring everything out at once and you just pick what you want from the plates. Watch out for the little hidden green chillies tho! They bite!

Spent a bit of time Medan, Padang and Bukit Tinggi (High Hill or Tall Hill), passed on the Banda Aceh S&M festivals but generally tried to see as much as possible in 10 days. Temperature range was hot and muggy (Padang) to jumper and coat weather (BT) so made a nice change from the normal (for us at the stump anyway). The other surprising thing was the condition of the roads, which ranged from good to excellent. Drivers however remained as nutty as ever but with more fatal results. On two occasions we arrived just after two “bemo” buses had plunged down a ravine spreading bodies everywhere. The actual yearly road toll must be truly horrific.

A little way out of Padang we came across this rock which (I have no idea if this true and/or the translation is right as my Bahasa Padang is not so flash). Apparently the man fought with his love and she flung herself into the sea and drowned. Upon realising what he had lost, he fell to the ground, weeping and was turned to stone. To this day the “rock cries” even when the tide is out.



Sumatra: One of the Greater Sunda Islands and the second largest island after Borneo (Kalimantan) in Indonesia. It is separated in the northeast from the Malay Peninsula by the Strait of Malacca and in the south from Java by the Sunda Strait.

Mangy Lions and Customer Service

Just back from holidays, having spent a nice couple of weeks travelling through Sumatera. Pretty countryside although a bit over the top religion wise (why is it that so many people are concerned where I will be spending the afterlife? Perhaps they want me to save them a seat?)

It was great to be able to sample fresh vegetables and fruit, high in the mountains sucking fresh air as well. More on that later.

On the downside, we flew “Lying Air” who managed to achieve the enviable record on being late on all six flights (and we are not talking minutes here) and managed to stuff up a ticket rebooking.



It is never a good plan (or polite) to abuse the poor staff behind the counter. Keeping our collective cools, we requested to speak to the manager but despite two appointments (which involved separate trips across town) to see the local Lying Manager (in the time honoured tradition of useless and cowardly twits) he managed to ensure he was not in the office nor could he return phone calls (Although he could return calls to his staff?!).

Not to worry, next holiday, we will search out some place where the concept of customer service has considered as a concept and most importantly we don’t need the mange ridden cats planes to get there. Maybe this one........



P.S. Why is it planes at Jakarta Airport seem unable to access the terminal bridges leaving passengers to wander all over the tarmac?

Global Warming Nazis

Let me be clear, I detest those amongst us who pollute and destroy the environment with no concern for anything else but their own pockets. Perfect examples of such human parasites are those companies responsible (yet again) for the fires in Sumatera.

Those burn offs are particularly obnoxious as they, in the main are set by companies clearing land for those ecological deserts that are palm oil plantations. A Palm Oil plantation provides little in the way of benefits to the local people with the exception of extremely low paying jobs with abysmal working conditions coupled with complete destruction of the natural environment. I challenge anyone to demonstrate where the local people are better off after the introduction of a Palm Oil plantation in their region. Of course, some absentee “business” owner gets obscenely rich (but then you would want a lot of money to compensate for being totally morally bankrupt).

Now I have got that off my chest, just because I am a supporter of the environment doesn’t mean I have to swallow “hook, line and sinker” the latest “chicken little” fad from the Green Nazi’s. More commonly known as The Great Global Warming Swindle, this Cult of Impending Disaster has a dogma that makes traditional religions look like veritable free for alls. Any challenge of the Cult's “facts” results in swift and complete retribution along the lines of a green fatwah or Catholic excommunication.

Like all cults, they do provide some grim amusement at times. Check out this response to a documentary that had the audacity to suggest the cult was not the one real church.

“Critics say the documentary damages the credibility of science because no scientist can make definitive claims about what will happen in the future.”

Huh? Excuse me, isn’t that exactly what the green cultists are saying. Bugger me they even have the ocean sea levels rising down to the millimeter.

"Anybody who tells you they know what is going to happen 20 years from now, 100 years from now, is not a good scientist,".

Best the spokesman tell the authors of the “Stern Report” there is about a 1000 of them who are doing exactly that!

Maybe the cultists are right, maybe be the religious fanatics are right but surely there is room for questions or as the man said

“(People are)being told that the theory of man-made global warming is proved beyond doubt - but they are being told a lie.”Which is a good point, I have always found it wise that when someone starts a sentence with “Honestly” or “Its beyond Doubt” it’s a good time to check your wallet.

Oh and by the way, for those that wish to reduce their carbon footprint, feel free to send me $600 and I will plant some trees to off set your guilt...Honestly.

Disclosure: The picture is from last year, I saved it because the government promised...Without a doubt they would fix the problem before this year's burn off season...Honestly....

Reglious Nutters

If I were not an atheist, I would believe in a God who would choose to save people on the basis of the totality of their lives and not the pattern of their words. I think he would prefer an honest and righteous atheist to a (self proclaimed god botherer) whose every word is God, God, God, and whose every deed is foul, foul, foul. ~Isaac Asimov, I. Asimov: A Memoir

One thing you can count on with religious nutters there is no stopping them trying to push their beliefs onto you for your own good..even if it kills you.

As a rule a humour-less lot, but it should not stop the rest of us…



Just to be balanced, lest someone accuse me of picking on just one section of fundamentalist nutters, It was reported today in an “The Australian Newspaper”

“The Vatican has described the Protestant and Orthodox faiths as "not proper Churches" in a document issued with the full authority of the Pope.
Anglican leaders reacted with dismay, accusing the Roman Catholic Church of paradoxical behaviour. They said that the new 16-page document outling the “defects” of non-Catholic churches constituted a major obstacle to ecumenism”

An another huge religious leap forward in tolerance of others. Is there like one central cess-pool of intolerance that nutters all go to drink from?

It really is enough to drive a man to Atheism but the holidays suck, I guess I will stick to my own personal belief system about God “I will give Him the benefit of the doubt and He should return the favour”.

I still think its ok and probably a good thing to believe in God, but you should seriously question the sanity of those that claim to work for him.

Hypocratic Oath

“But it may also be within my power to take a life; this awesome responsibility must be faced with great humbleness and awareness of my own frailty. Above all, I must not play at God.

I will remember that I remain a member of society, with special obligations to all my fellow human beings, those sound of mind and body as well as the infirm”

Part of the Hippocratic Oath, I guess some people (?) must have cut that class, still I guess at least one person is hoping that those treating him paid more attention to the Oath than he did.

Well that’s it, not around for awhile why? Who cares not me. Whatever? Perhaps I am taking Vice Prez Special K's advice, smoke some rope, take advantage of the Indonesian "Arab tourist plan" and "rent a wife" until it time to go home..then again maybe not maybe I am still sane.

So I would ask that someone else take care of my Troll. Don’t be too hard on it as it does have significant disadvantage, this not being its home planet (of course that does not explain the broken nose).

Have fun and remember the following:

It’s not Garuda’s fault the EU just does not understand us.

Nuclear Power is not dangerous just ask the Japanese, Russians or Americans.

It’s unreasonable to expect the minister for people’s welfare to visit Surabaya.

George B… Will ya finish one fight before you start another

John H….Good Luck on the master plan, the biggest trouble is not the grog but the loony left

S.... Aagh bugger it…see ya.

One last serious question..Is there Doctor's Review Board in Indonesia, where you can report knuckleheaded, dangerous doctors who prescribe potentially fatal medicine in disregard to the directions on the medicine to Kampung People who know no better.. or is it just the rule of the broken nose again?