Once upon a time in a forest, there is a mousedeer....

Indonesian folklore world knows mousedeer, a very wellknown cunning little animal that lives in a jungle. It always make it to go through dangers with its bright ideas. It can easily fool its foes, such as crocodiles and tigers. However, in one of occasions, a mousedeer was lured into the darkworld. It stole cucumbers from farmer's farm, and the farmer made it to cath it with yet another cunning idea.

Jakarta is another jungle and in this jungle, mousedeer proves itself as an incumbent winner, as yet. Early this month Jakarta administration just issued a decision letter to "set free" kancil (Indonesian word for mousedeer), a minivan cab for passengers, to operate in its busy streets. Each kancil that operates will take place one bajaj (Indian-style-three-wheeler-passenger transport), despite of huge protests from the latter's owners. The owners are supposed to give up their bajaj and take kancil, instead. Kancil is bigger, environmental-friendlier, easier to operate, quieter, and newer.

Owners insist that kancil is much too expensive (almost three folds) and they were not included in decision making process to let kancil out in the street. City administration remains stone-faced (one of its first echelon's official maintains that the administration is very strong now, it can go on doing its policy, though unpopular).

I don't really care which side will come up as a winner. In fact one should just wait and see whether kancil has a stand off with farmers or tigers. At the end of the day, I just want to see people moving cheaply and smoothly from one place to another in this beloved city without having to come accross traffic jams, unlawful acts of motorcycles and buses, and ignorant drivers. We don't mind parking our cars at home as long as we can use public transports in civilized condition. Gosh, I miss Malmoe bus... "Nature gasbus, bra for dig och alla andra."

Welfare Justice Party

Be patient, brothers and sisters, members and fellow sympathizers of Welfare Justice Party (PKS). The party leaders are yet to announce their stance over which presidential candidate will be given their vote. Patience is one thing, but I agree with an opinion that members and sympathizers are not to be kept waiting in vain.

What make the leaders wait that long to vote? I believe that being a full-fledged party PKS elite have formulated ideal criteria on who will be this country's president. So, why taking time? Are they in a process of "cow-purchase" with some candidates? Are they under pressure from "higher" authority? Are they testing members and sympathizers?

PKS "only" gained 7,8 million votes out of two hundred millions, yet this vote is very significant in a share of chances amongst the five candidates. C'mon man, say it, who (s)he is. Your prompt stance, I believe will make a lot more difference now, rather than last minute announcement.

Spooky fact of life

Do one really have got to have reasons to do something?
Many people do something because they have got strong motives, high ideals, (un)realistic dreams, or what say you, yet also I found that some people do something just because they can.
I can do it, so I do it....

Indonesia's House of Representative's members

Several honorable member of Indonesian parliaments just got back from Sounth Korea, they went, as per the house spokesman said, to observe progress of Pertamina's new tanker's building.

In so doing their noble task (watching how public fund is spent by the state's company), the MPs were accompanied by their loving spouses. Understandable; that will close slightest opportunity from stinky parties to distract the MPs with, for example,
opposite sexes lure.

How much is the tanker's worth? millions of US dollars, so the members of parliament were supposed to sleeve up and scrutinize the process to safeguard that huge amount of public money.
How much does the visit cost? 150 million rupiah (or around 15.000 USD).

150 million rupiah for 4 days journey; Day one: arrival in Hongkong at day time, free program, short presentation, day two: free morning, depart to South Korea, arrive at night, day three: 30 minutes presentation by dockyard and consultant, free afternoon, prepare to fly back to Jakarta, Day four: arrival in Jakarta.

150 million rupiah....of course it is much lower than the budgeted 500 million for the visit, but 30 minutes of presentation and short explanation? Somebody please enlighten me with something!

My dear France team

How can you do that to me?
You really dissapointed us in the last world cup tournament with your first round expulsion. In this "smaller" scope tournament you gave us very high hopes with that 2-1 magic over mighty England but then, what did you offer afterward?

2-2 with the Croats? Big deal. Croatia scored twice, one from that white spot thanks to, again, sloppy mistake by Silvestre and amazing twist from Dado Prso. Wish I had watched magical and much entertaining skills, yet again from Zidane, but no. Two consolations came from own goal and a goal from Trezeguet (with his own hand's help).

Please, please don't let us down next time, show your true value next match against Switzerland.

Regards,
Me.

Jakarta's sway...

Jakarta's sway
'Tis just like that of young females' hips
Everyone is eager to see or even feel them...

Jakarta, my beloved city, a place where I was born. It is so dynamic, progressive, modern, and... and... it is limping.

Wherever one saw some info featuring my city, one will not fail to see nice buildings, luxury cars passing by on a wide roads, glimmering lamp lights at night, people with optimistic smile in their business dresses.

But wait, lo and behold! Where are those rusty city buses weaving their ways in crowded street? Where are those petit-hell-angel drivers on their motorbikes? Where are small kiosks selling everyting along the street? Where are beggars, street hawkers, street singers? Where are they? Seems that the city administrator's hard work does make it to make the city's problem out of sight, yes, out of sight.

On the other hand, the administrator doesn't even have to sweat to cover pictures of public room from the feature, because? They are simply not there. Jakartans can just marvel on NY's central parks. Jakartans can just dream about sports fields, open space for people to merely sit, read, walk with their children and lovers. People don't have enough room to move about and trained their bodies. People did have a public open room in city center, but they have to make room for royal deer brought down from Presidential Palace in Bogor, the city administrator think that only those animal have the right to enjoy such a beautiful and strategic space.

No wonder, I, the connoisseur of female beauty, will not spend my precious seconds in life to see those young Jakartan female hips, a glance is enough for those untrained physique.

Powerful machine

Law allows no distiction between high officers and common people.
That beautiful statement comes from a highly respected Western liberal country, thus not an empty statement. We have witnessed how government officials are brought to justice and prosecuted, there.

What I don't understand is that why the US said that their president is not to be touched by Geneva Convention and International Law? Are they trying to say that he doesn't belong to one of the two? If the US, a prominent sponsor of democracy, hence, rule of law can stand such thing, can allow Abu Ghraib incident to happen, what will happen in other countries, disciples that just start to learn democracy?

No wonder, Lee Kuan Yew is still respected as a hero despite of his long gone history of shouting press' mouth in Singapore, Soeharto is still enjoying his retirement although the world witnessed his action in cruely eliminating communism on his own way.

Scientists can strive their utmost effort to create a powerful machine to move people at no time, but I still believe, dream is the most powerful machine to move people from one place to another; reality to fantasy.

hue he he

Again, laughter is the best medicine...!
Starting the morning with a very low mood, a good laughter finally lifts my moral high. Thx master dew1s!

Words of gratitude

Oh Good Life I thank Thee! I was born complete.

I was born with love and hatred, faith and doubts, fidelity and infatuation, confidence and jealousy, fear and courage.

I thank Thee, Dear Life, for I was born for not reading people's mind.

May, 2002

Kastrup, Copenhagen, a door to my second encounter with European soil. Already anticipating a confusion on how to get a bulk of my luggages into a train to Malmoe, I've got to forego a first sensation of riding passenger rail train connecting two countries as Goran, WMU's staff is there, waiting with a WMU banner in his hands.

He asks me to wait as he is supposed to wait some other new students that is due to come, in the SAME flight with me all the way up from Bangkok. There they come, Asians, all look very Indonesian. Once they approach, one of them asks me with strange language (later, Bay told me that he thought I was Philippino and he greeted me in Tagalog).

Goran, my first Swede "contact", helps us with our mountains of bags and drives us to the city where we will be studying for about two years, passing a new bridge that connects Denmark and Sweden, The Oresund Bridge.

I ask a Philippino sits beside me about the names of Philippines' students that are coming, he mentions three out of four. Whispering, he said that he doesn't know one person in front and adds that he refers to the one sitting with Goran as "Sir", adding that it is his first meeting with him. Well, no wonder, Bay is the most senior of all Philippines' coast guards in the batch, he is a Lieutenant Commander.

One hour passes and the car pulls over in front of our hostel. As we pass I manage to see one familiar face on the street, Adrian of Indonesia Port Corporation III, I did not know he is studying at WMU, too.

Goran walk me to my room, brand new room, my room lies at the brand new wing of the hostel. He passes over my keys, first keys, as we are receiving much more keys afterward and soon we are just like many other Malmoe citizens, carrying all our keys around, yes, ALL Malmoe citizens carry their keys around, some brandish the keys out in their chains, some put them in their bags or pockets.

Malmoe, small city with vast variety; ethnics, languages, nations. I soon call this beautiful city a home, after tear drops at my first night.

All generalization is wrong

I started a new week with one quote I heard from Nuim Something of ABC, "All generalization is wrong" (Chesterton). I love this quote and I feel that this quote is in line with one of several principles of which I stick my life into: each of us; man, humanbeing, person, lives in our own box.

We live in there, alone, regardless our civil or social status. Forget about our beloved mother, lovers, children; we were born ALONE in the box. We "create our life" (No offense, dear God), around the box. We see things through little holes we make on it. We perceive facts of life based on it. In some cases, some of our box's side is touching that of others', sometimes we even share the side, but still, each one possesses his/her own box.

Who are we to say "OUR opinion..., WE think..., We believe...?" Well, they are gramatically right, but then again I believe that what they really tried to say is "MY opinion, which is also shared with..., I think, and some also think..., I believe and they also do...."

What WE call as "we" is a group of "I s" and "they" is a bunch of "yous". So, no more: Those Sundanese are really fond of sambal, you Irish are a crowd of drunkards.

All generalization is wrong, and why on earth did, again and again, I say "ALL generalization?"

Peace to you all, people with or without same opinion as mine.

headache

My head is trying to kill me this morning.

I started the morning uneventfully. Waking up, rushing to back-bathroom (family bathroom was occupied), putting on my dull uniform, running to my car, waiting for my daughter preparing herself up for school, driving as fast as police allows to reach my angels' school, my wife's office, and my office in time.

Office, the annual report project was waiting for me and I thought I was ready for battle. All guns loaded, swords brandished, I tried to steal a bit of time reading several emails and browse. Browsing, and I got struck by thunderbolt.

Call it hollow stomach, subconscious mind, jealousy, lack of sleep, undetected tumor, or what have you. All I know, I felt that my head was trying its might to kill me, paralyze my body, holding me from finishing whatever I got in hand.

Two tablets of pain killer to the rescue..! They made it to fulfill their jobs swiftly. Headache, what headache? Smiles come up, new spirit is high and I am ready again for yet another battle: boooooredooom....

burnt down by jealousy

Just as I thought that I had made peace with my trueself...

...
Jealousy you tripped me up,
Jealousy you brought me down
You bring me sorrow you cause me pain
Jealousy when will you let go?
....

-Courtesy of Queen