A: Let me show you what I woke up to today (and it's a pretty typical day).
Firstly there's a story about maid abuse, then there's an undercover exposé of prostitution in SE Asia.
Oh and this is another story I read a while back.
(I gotta write up some of my thoughts on prostitution itself one of these days...)
Saturday, July 28, 2007
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Sunday, July 22, 2007
Saturday, July 21, 2007
Rush Hour 3
I loved Rush Hour 1 & 2. In fact Rush Hour 2 is probably my favourite movie of all time.
However I've been watching some trailers of Rush Hour 3 on YouTube. They are terrible!!
Movie studios may have own the rights to these movies, and obviously they want to maximise their profits -- but in the process they are sucking the life out of my favourite characters.
Ditto Spiderman 3, Pirates of the Caribbean 2 & 3.
TV series are no different -- I loved Desperate Housewives series 1, the following series are just turning it into a fantastically twee soap.
Lost series 1 was brilliant too - but it's turning into the X Files, there's no beginning, middle and end!! The mysteries will just go on and on and on, leaving me feeling unsatisfied and cheated. That's in contrast to something like Neon Genesis Evangelion, which had a proper ending after 24(?) episodes!!
I love Heroes series 1 - and I just hope beyond hope that series 2 won't sour my affection for all the characters - fat chance I reckon...
The sad part is, that I'll probably go along to Rush Hour 3, and sit through it. It will most likely ruin my love of Chief Inspector Lee and Detective James Carter... But however forlorn my hope is, I can't give up on them just yet.
It's the hope that is killing me!
However I've been watching some trailers of Rush Hour 3 on YouTube. They are terrible!!
Movie studios may have own the rights to these movies, and obviously they want to maximise their profits -- but in the process they are sucking the life out of my favourite characters.
Ditto Spiderman 3, Pirates of the Caribbean 2 & 3.
TV series are no different -- I loved Desperate Housewives series 1, the following series are just turning it into a fantastically twee soap.
Lost series 1 was brilliant too - but it's turning into the X Files, there's no beginning, middle and end!! The mysteries will just go on and on and on, leaving me feeling unsatisfied and cheated. That's in contrast to something like Neon Genesis Evangelion, which had a proper ending after 24(?) episodes!!
I love Heroes series 1 - and I just hope beyond hope that series 2 won't sour my affection for all the characters - fat chance I reckon...
The sad part is, that I'll probably go along to Rush Hour 3, and sit through it. It will most likely ruin my love of Chief Inspector Lee and Detective James Carter... But however forlorn my hope is, I can't give up on them just yet.
It's the hope that is killing me!
Friday, June 22, 2007
My Brother's Blog
Seeing as I'm off on hols tomorrow and probably won't be updating this blog so much, you could always kill some time by checking out my brother's blog.
He's got some really funny posts in there.
He's got some really funny posts in there.
Sunday, June 17, 2007
Saturday, June 16, 2007
Strawberries and Slavery
It's almost Wimbledon time again - strawberries and cream are in the air - delicious!
Throughout the last week there's been many stories about slavery in China, for example here, here and here (I seriously doubt that such large scale slavery would be possible in Indonesia, unless Kalla gets in and goes the way of China).
As I have noted before, there is a big difference between desperate people working of their own free will in harsh working conditions, and people being violently forced to work.
It's one of my pet hates when I read stories where journalists confuse the two.
Working in poor nations is often very harsh, because life for many in those nations is /extremely/ tough. I wish it was different, but boycotting dirt cheap imports from China is counterproductive (link -- in German).
Meanwhile British strawberries are withering on the vine, because not enough immigrant workers are being allowed in to pick them. I am sure unskilled workers from Indonesia and China could earn at least the equivalent of their usual monthly wage /every/ day if they were allowed to pick strawberries in Britain.
It looks like strawberries will have to be imported en masse to make up for the shortfall - thank God for Mexican immigrants working on American strawberry farms!
Throughout the last week there's been many stories about slavery in China, for example here, here and here (I seriously doubt that such large scale slavery would be possible in Indonesia, unless Kalla gets in and goes the way of China).
As I have noted before, there is a big difference between desperate people working of their own free will in harsh working conditions, and people being violently forced to work.
It's one of my pet hates when I read stories where journalists confuse the two.
Working in poor nations is often very harsh, because life for many in those nations is /extremely/ tough. I wish it was different, but boycotting dirt cheap imports from China is counterproductive (link -- in German).
Meanwhile British strawberries are withering on the vine, because not enough immigrant workers are being allowed in to pick them. I am sure unskilled workers from Indonesia and China could earn at least the equivalent of their usual monthly wage /every/ day if they were allowed to pick strawberries in Britain.
It looks like strawberries will have to be imported en masse to make up for the shortfall - thank God for Mexican immigrants working on American strawberry farms!
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Indonesians Don't Pay Tax
What complete and utter bullshit!
What about the millions paid in bribes to government employees?
Indonesians (rich and poor) are forced to pay more bullshit "taxes" than most other places around the globe. These government officials have some chutzpah.
Makes me want to puke!
What about the millions paid in bribes to government employees?
Indonesians (rich and poor) are forced to pay more bullshit "taxes" than most other places around the globe. These government officials have some chutzpah.
Makes me want to puke!
Sunday, June 10, 2007
I Heart Jusuf Kalla
Kalla, the vice president of Indonesia, is the tops.
He's innovative - how to boost Indonesia's tourism industry? Last year he suggested that Indonesian women prostitute themselves to Arab tourists. Sex sells, so why not use it to sell Indonesia! Genius!!
That's old news.
Last week he was in China, waxing lyrical about his Chinese host's lack of democracy, and complaining about how every Indonesian has rights now.
(Don't get me started his predecessor's "leaps" into the aircraft and automobile industries)
What are his specific examples of problems with democracy?
Personally I find that encouraging.
Disputes such as Meruya Selatan, Pasuruan etc. have /grown/ from an era where if you did have to get rid of a handful of villagers to enforce your "rights" over their property, you could with little or no problem - I wonder how many such disputes were widely publicised in Sukarno and Suharto's time?
Obviously we don't hear about all the minutiae of bad governance in Indonesia, but in China we have to wait for whole towns to riot, or reams of villagers killed by local police in order to get a blip of acknowledgment in state run media.
Indonesian politicians have never had it worse, little by little they and their cronies are becoming accountable. Finally there is a chink of light for the people in small communities across the archipelago.
Kalla is complaining about hard work - good! Now let's hope he doesn't try to make his job a lot easier if he wins the next presidential election.
And as anyone with a smidgen of economics knowledge knows, secure property rights are perhaps the most important determinant of economic well being. Something which the Chinese themselves are increasingly having to come to terms with.
He's innovative - how to boost Indonesia's tourism industry? Last year he suggested that Indonesian women prostitute themselves to Arab tourists. Sex sells, so why not use it to sell Indonesia! Genius!!
That's old news.
Last week he was in China, waxing lyrical about his Chinese host's lack of democracy, and complaining about how every Indonesian has rights now.
"In the past seven years, we have been busy with so many problems, large debts, rallies, arson, problems related to democracy, disasters... And we've never thought of development leaps."
(Don't get me started his predecessor's "leaps" into the aircraft and automobile industries)
What are his specific examples of problems with democracy?
Citing the East Canal Flood project, he said most people would not sell their land at fair prices once they knew that infrastructure projects were planned for the area.
Personally I find that encouraging.
Disputes such as Meruya Selatan, Pasuruan etc. have /grown/ from an era where if you did have to get rid of a handful of villagers to enforce your "rights" over their property, you could with little or no problem - I wonder how many such disputes were widely publicised in Sukarno and Suharto's time?
Obviously we don't hear about all the minutiae of bad governance in Indonesia, but in China we have to wait for whole towns to riot, or reams of villagers killed by local police in order to get a blip of acknowledgment in state run media.
Indonesian politicians have never had it worse, little by little they and their cronies are becoming accountable. Finally there is a chink of light for the people in small communities across the archipelago.
Kalla is complaining about hard work - good! Now let's hope he doesn't try to make his job a lot easier if he wins the next presidential election.
And as anyone with a smidgen of economics knowledge knows, secure property rights are perhaps the most important determinant of economic well being. Something which the Chinese themselves are increasingly having to come to terms with.
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
Heroes
Ever see Taxi Driver?
Classic movie.
The "hero" of the film is a psychotic taxi driver. At the climax, by some fluke (if I remember correctly) he is deflected from assassinating a presidential candidate. His raison d'etre now evaporated, he goes on a suicide mission to save a young girl caught up in a brothel.
There's a huge shoot out and he almost dies. But in the end he saves the girl and is proclaimed a hero.
A friend of a friend of a friend just murdered another friend of a friend of a friend. Even though some believe that the murdered wasn't necessarily the better guy; posterity will probably remember him better than the killer.
How shocking and how fickle fate is.
As Philip Zimbardo says, heroism and villainy are banal.
Everyone is capable of both; and yet often so sickeningly self-righteous.
Classic movie.
The "hero" of the film is a psychotic taxi driver. At the climax, by some fluke (if I remember correctly) he is deflected from assassinating a presidential candidate. His raison d'etre now evaporated, he goes on a suicide mission to save a young girl caught up in a brothel.
There's a huge shoot out and he almost dies. But in the end he saves the girl and is proclaimed a hero.
A friend of a friend of a friend just murdered another friend of a friend of a friend. Even though some believe that the murdered wasn't necessarily the better guy; posterity will probably remember him better than the killer.
How shocking and how fickle fate is.
As Philip Zimbardo says, heroism and villainy are banal.
Everyone is capable of both; and yet often so sickeningly self-righteous.
Sunday, June 03, 2007
RT2500 WPA Ubuntu Feisty & Gutsy Howto
I spent most of the weekend configuring my wireless card to use WPA wireless lan encryption.
Why? Because WEP encryption takes less than 2 minutes to crack. It's like leaving all your personal documents lying out on the side of the road for passersby to peak at.
Hopefully this saves someone's weekend :)
[Update: after upgrading to Gutsy I realised I forgot to mention that you should also remove the "network-manager" package - hopefully that'll help most to get things up and running.]
1) The "/etc/network/interfaces" file should look like this:
[Update2: I have the "rt2500-source" package installed, suspect it may provide this file that some people said they were missing -- I haven't compiled the rt2500 module from source in about a year, so the stock Ubuntu module should work, there should be no need to compile it by hand]
The "/etc/Wireless/RT2500STA/RT2500STA.dat" file should like like this:
The full documentation for the "/etc/Wireless/RT2500STA/RT2500STA.dat" file is below. I found the documentation in the README file of the original RT2500 driver source code bundle.
Why? Because WEP encryption takes less than 2 minutes to crack. It's like leaving all your personal documents lying out on the side of the road for passersby to peak at.
Hopefully this saves someone's weekend :)
[Update: after upgrading to Gutsy I realised I forgot to mention that you should also remove the "network-manager" package - hopefully that'll help most to get things up and running.]
1) The "/etc/network/interfaces" file should look like this:
iface lo inet loopback2)
address 127.0.0.1
netmask 255.0.0.0
auto ra0
iface ra0 inet dhcp
auto lo
[Update2: I have the "rt2500-source" package installed, suspect it may provide this file that some people said they were missing -- I haven't compiled the rt2500 module from source in about a year, so the stock Ubuntu module should work, there should be no need to compile it by hand]
The "/etc/Wireless/RT2500STA/RT2500STA.dat" file should like like this:
CountryRegion=03) Reload your network:
WirelessMode=0
TXBurst=0
TurboRate=0
BGProtection=0
ShortSlot=0
TxRate=0
PSMode=CAM
SSID=ITypedMyASCIISSIDNameOutHereLikeThis
NetworkType=Infra
Channel=1
AuthMode=WPAPSK
EncrypType=TKIP
WPAPSK=ITypedMyASCIIPasswordOutHereLikeThis
/etc/init.d/networking restartYou may have to reboot to reload the RT2500 module - not quite sure about that point...
The full documentation for the "/etc/Wireless/RT2500STA/RT2500STA.dat" file is below. I found the documentation in the README file of the original RT2500 driver source code bundle.
Syntax is 'Param'='Value' and described below.
1. CountryRegion=value
value
0: for use channel 1-11
1: for use channel 1-11
2: for use channel 1-13
3: for use channel 10-11
4: for use channel 10-13
5: for use channel 14
6: for use channel 1-14
7: for use channel 3-9
2. WirelessMode=value
value
0: 802.11 B/G mixed
1: 802.11 B only
3. SSID=value
value
1~32 ascii characters.
4. NetworkType=Infra
value
Infra : infrastructure mode
Adhoc : adhoc mode
5. Channel=value
value
1~14 depends on CountryRegion
6. AuthMode=value
value
OPEN For Open System
SHARED For Shared key system
AUTO
WPANONE For pre-shared key in adhoc mode
WPAPSK For pre-shared key in infrastructure mode
7. EncrypType=value
value
NONE :For AuthMode=OPEN
WEP :For AuthMode=OPEN or AuthMode=SHARED
TKIP :For AuthMode=WPAPSK or AuthMode=WPANONE
AES :For AuthMode=WPAPSK or AuthMode=WPANONE
8. DefaultKeyID=value
value
1 ~ 4
9. Key1=value
value
10 or 26 hexadecimal characters eg: 012345678
5 or 13 ascii characters eg: passd
10. Key2=value
value
10 or 26 hexadecimal characters eg: 012345678
5 or 13 ascii characters eg: passd
11. Key3=value
value
10 or 26 hexadecimal characters eg: 012345678
5 or 13 ascii characters eg: passd
12. Key4=value
value
10 or 26 hexadecimal characters eg: 012345678
5 or 13 ascii characters eg: passd
13. WPANONE=value - use for adhoc mode
value
8 ~ 63 characters
or
64 hexadecimal characters
13. WPAPSK=value - use for infrastructure mode
value
8 ~ 63 characters
or
64 hexadecimal characters
14. TxBurst=value
value
0: Disable
1: Enable
15. TurboRate=value
value
0: Disable
1: Enable
16. BGProtection=value
value
0: Auto
1: Always On
2: Always Off
17. ShortSlot=value
value
0: Disable
1: Enable
18. TxPreamble=value
value
0: Long
1: Short
2: Auto
19. TxRate=value
value
0: Auto
1: 1 Mbps
2: 2 Mbps
3: 5.5 Mbps
4: 11 Mbps
5: 6 Mbps //WirelessMode must be 0
6: 9 Mbps //WirelessMode must be 0
7: 12 Mbps //WirelessMode must be 0
8: 18 Mbps //WirelessMode must be 0
9: 24 Mbps //WirelessMode must be 0
10: 36 Mbps //WirelessMode must be 0
11: 48 Mbps //WirelessMode must be 0
12: 54 Mbps //WirelessMode must be 0
20. RTSThreshold=value
value
1 ~ 2312
21. FragThreshold=value
value
256 ~ 2312
22. PSMode=value
value
MAX_PSP Power Saving Mode
23. AdhocOfdm=value
value
0: Tx MAX rate will be 11Mbps in Adhoc mode.
1: Tx MAX rate will be 54Mbps in Adhoc mode.
24. StaWithEtherBridge=value
value
0: Disable sta with ethernet to wireless bridge.
1: Enable sta with ethernet to wireless bridge.
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Hardline
Looks like a great movie, and Jakarta Casual's write up ain't bad either.
Hopefully I'll get to see it!!
Hopefully I'll get to see it!!
Sunday, May 27, 2007
Saturday, May 26, 2007
Lazy Thinking
During the week one of my favourite bloggers referred to one of my posts about the Middle East.
[I have to admit I was quite proud, cos she is quite a sharp writer.]
However another blogger (DVP) having read her post, wrote up a rather biased, partly anti Jewish, partly anti-Israeli / anti-Zionist take on the modern history of Jewish peoples in the Middle East.
In my opinion, it dehumanised Jews and demonised Zionists. As my original post linked to an article which evenly humanised both Jews and Arabs, I thought DVP's work was particularly twisted and conniving.
This caught me off guard and has shown up my hitherto lazy thinking on the conflict. Apart from his simply racist remarks, he quoted histories which blamed Zionists for the repression of Jews that remained in their ancestral homes in the Middle East (i.e. Iraq, Egypt etc.).
My view had been that the creation of Israel was of course a factor of this repression and ensuing violence, that cannot be denied. You cannot displace peoples that lived on land for centuries and expect to live happily ever after. However the key point is, that Arabs had NO moral justification for treating Jewish people that lived in the wider Middle East so badly - no matter what was going on in Palestine.
Similarly, after 9/11 white western bigots have no justification for racist acts and taunts against Muslims in America, Australia and elsewhere.
-------------
Although I am angry at DVP's article, it has cleared my thinking on the issue. For that I am grateful.
It's a platitude, but as the old cliché goes; two wrongs don't make a right.
[I have to admit I was quite proud, cos she is quite a sharp writer.]
However another blogger (DVP) having read her post, wrote up a rather biased, partly anti Jewish, partly anti-Israeli / anti-Zionist take on the modern history of Jewish peoples in the Middle East.
In my opinion, it dehumanised Jews and demonised Zionists. As my original post linked to an article which evenly humanised both Jews and Arabs, I thought DVP's work was particularly twisted and conniving.
This caught me off guard and has shown up my hitherto lazy thinking on the conflict. Apart from his simply racist remarks, he quoted histories which blamed Zionists for the repression of Jews that remained in their ancestral homes in the Middle East (i.e. Iraq, Egypt etc.).
My view had been that the creation of Israel was of course a factor of this repression and ensuing violence, that cannot be denied. You cannot displace peoples that lived on land for centuries and expect to live happily ever after. However the key point is, that Arabs had NO moral justification for treating Jewish people that lived in the wider Middle East so badly - no matter what was going on in Palestine.
Similarly, after 9/11 white western bigots have no justification for racist acts and taunts against Muslims in America, Australia and elsewhere.
-------------
Although I am angry at DVP's article, it has cleared my thinking on the issue. For that I am grateful.
It's a platitude, but as the old cliché goes; two wrongs don't make a right.
Monday, May 21, 2007
Trip to Indonesia
Last week I booked tickets to Indonesia!
So, I again join the stream of Bule looking for cheap hookers, pirate DVDs, crass Balinese tourist rituals, ego boosting cheers from kids and condescending mock empathy for really poor people. Let's face it, it's fucking great to be white in Indonesia!
Not that I am against this modern Meneer mentality, their cash goes a long way.
Well anywayz, in an effort to be 4 real this time round; back up my big mouth when it comes to all things RI; and rediscover my Madurese roots, I am going to learn learn Indonesian in Jakarta for a week (Madurese is way too tough for mere mortals like me!).
I still have to find a teacher, the less English the better.
For the other week, the plan is to go up to Medan and seek out THE best bika Ambon in existence. The stress on my heart from all that Bika Ambon will make other stresses (traffic, chatting up pretty warias and bird flu) pale into insignificance. That's the plan anyways.
Will probably end up in Kuta, learning Aussie, drinking Bali Hai. God I hate Kuta, it's like some kind of East West purgatory.
If anyone wants to meet up - drop me a line!
So, I again join the stream of Bule looking for cheap hookers, pirate DVDs, crass Balinese tourist rituals, ego boosting cheers from kids and condescending mock empathy for really poor people. Let's face it, it's fucking great to be white in Indonesia!
Not that I am against this modern Meneer mentality, their cash goes a long way.
Well anywayz, in an effort to be 4 real this time round; back up my big mouth when it comes to all things RI; and rediscover my Madurese roots, I am going to learn learn Indonesian in Jakarta for a week (Madurese is way too tough for mere mortals like me!).
I still have to find a teacher, the less English the better.
For the other week, the plan is to go up to Medan and seek out THE best bika Ambon in existence. The stress on my heart from all that Bika Ambon will make other stresses (traffic, chatting up pretty warias and bird flu) pale into insignificance. That's the plan anyways.
Will probably end up in Kuta, learning Aussie, drinking Bali Hai. God I hate Kuta, it's like some kind of East West purgatory.
If anyone wants to meet up - drop me a line!
Sunday, May 20, 2007
The Gift And The Curse
I just read this post. I love Mr. Aroengbinang's pictures of everyday Indonesia.
I don't agree with the chief point though:
I reckon that many Indonesians live on under $2 a day /because/ of Indonesia's great natural wealth, NOT in spite of it!
Citizens of naturally wealthy countries are almost always worse off than those with few natural resources. Indonesia, Nigeria, DR Congo, Zimbabwe, Russia, Iraq, Saudi Arabia [The Happy Kingdom (c)] have phenomenal natural wealth, yet many of their citizens are relatively poor. [Of course there are outliers, like Norway and North Korea]
Why?
Number one, whoever controls the copper mines, oil wells etc. has enough cash to buy heaps more weapons than the opposition.
Number two, it's not in the interests of government to develop the nation's citizens. Why waste money on education, when all you need is miners and soldiers? Education is real a hindrance in both professions.
Indonesia's natural wealth is a curse.
I propose selling as much as possible of Indonesia's natural wealth to Singapore.
Those smug smartasses won't know what they're letting themselves in for. Indonesia's politicians, meanwhile, won't be tempted to ingeniously scam Pertamina etc., giving them more time to worry about Indonesia's human capital.
I don't agree with the chief point though:
We just need to open our eyes to look around to see how lucky we are, and find more ways to help those fellow poor citizens of a rich country named Indonesia.
I reckon that many Indonesians live on under $2 a day /because/ of Indonesia's great natural wealth, NOT in spite of it!
Citizens of naturally wealthy countries are almost always worse off than those with few natural resources. Indonesia, Nigeria, DR Congo, Zimbabwe, Russia, Iraq, Saudi Arabia [The Happy Kingdom (c)] have phenomenal natural wealth, yet many of their citizens are relatively poor. [Of course there are outliers, like Norway and North Korea]
Why?
Number one, whoever controls the copper mines, oil wells etc. has enough cash to buy heaps more weapons than the opposition.
Number two, it's not in the interests of government to develop the nation's citizens. Why waste money on education, when all you need is miners and soldiers? Education is real a hindrance in both professions.
Indonesia's natural wealth is a curse.
I propose selling as much as possible of Indonesia's natural wealth to Singapore.
Those smug smartasses won't know what they're letting themselves in for. Indonesia's politicians, meanwhile, won't be tempted to ingeniously scam Pertamina etc., giving them more time to worry about Indonesia's human capital.
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