iPhone 3G S

I will get one tomorrow, and the best thing is that I am not typing this in my sleeping bag outside of the Soho Apple store.

No, I have hired a homeless bloke to sleep out side for me, and wait in line. I am sure to be the first iPhone 3G S owner in New York! : ) My only worry is that someone buys my homeless bloke off or he goes and takes a piss at some inopportune moment and my place gets taken.

The problem with the new iPhone will look exactly like e.v.e.r.y. other bloody iPhone ever made. How can I show off? Apple you change iPods every year, forcing hipsters to upgrade accordingly. What's the point in buying the latest and greatest iPhone if I cannot show it off?

Any ideas how I can make sure everyone knows I have the new iPhone? Use the video feature non-stop? Make use of the compass to tell people which way is north? Use the "voice control" feature to dictate snotty text messages to my homies? MMS my blog with pictures of me picking my nose?

My dad's 3 year old phone has all of those features, plus a built in torch. Hopefully a torch will be included in the iPhone 3G T, due out next year; then followed by the iPod Torch. Genius.

IVOT

Golput

I have been reading about people who are not going to vote in the up coming Indonesian presidential election, they are going to be 'Golput'.

They are effing idiots!

I kinda understand how rotten to the core Indonesian politicians are. Indonesia is one of the most corrupt countries in the world, even ignoring that, Indonesian politicians tend to be some of the biggest dicks in the world.

I would also want to have very little to do with any Indonesian politician, let alone vote for one.

Consider the recent Iranian presidential elections however. Each of the candidates were hand picked by the supreme leader, Ali Khameni. From all accounts Ali Khameni is a pretty conservative, hard line bloke (Ahmadinejad is his right hand guy).

Each of the candidates he chose follow his general policies; they only differ in shades of shadiness.

Yet, the more reform minded, liberal leaning people have sided with Mousavi and swept him to power (unfortunately a coup has stopped him from actually taking power). I doubt Mousavi is a reformist himself (he has enough blood on his hands while he was president back in the 80s).

It seems now though, that the people have given him his manifesto, rather than the other way around. It also sends out a message to other people in power what they need to do to appeal to the Iranian people.

Indonesian politicians might be greedy, but they are not dumb, you have to send them message they will understand at the ballot box. You have to make them compete for this and future votes.

If each presidential candidate is corrupt vote for the least corrupt; if each is a war criminal (I still think there's more to SBY btw!) vote for the one that has ordered fewer rapes, mass murders and torture sessions; if each is a selfish megalomaniac vote for the least selfish megalomaniac.

Voting is one of the few ways you have to change things for the better in your country.

Golputs want things to stay the same or are fucking idiots. Don't be an eejit.

Clowns without Borders

Posted about Clowns without Borders in Jakarta before, I can't resist bigging it up again.

I am Wearing Green Tomorrow

Get the word out

Get the word out-- the more of us stand together, the safer each individual will be.

German Graffiti in Dublin

The Be Erhard poster reminded me of a piece of graffiti outside a building site in Dublin.

It was in German, saying something like, "Germany doesn't allow Eastern Europeans work there, Ireland shouldn't either".

Gah!

Ok enough complaining about German related stuff. I loved my time there, it's a fantastic place to go to college : )

Be Erhard!

Saw this poster just off Wall Street the other day.

I suppose it's some kinda publicity stunt for some sorta German lobby group.

In any case, my first reaction was how effing arrogant for a German group to tell American how to solve the financial crisis (btdubs, Germany hasn't been a Wirtschaftswunder for about 20 or 30 years!). I thought the same a few years back when Americans used to come to Europe and proclaim how American economic policies were the way forward.

The reality is we're all groping in the dark, there are few clearly better ways to improve everybody's welfare.

Elections

Lebanon's Hezbollah lost their election, Ahmadinajad probably lost the Iranian election too, but it sounds like the Iranian election was rigged.

I wonder how much Obama's recent speech and general Mr. Nice Guy policy has influenced the atmosphere in the Middle East. His approach makes the US less part of the problem and sharpens the focus on the US's traditional opponents in the Middle East.

The question now is, what do you do when an election has been robbed. Do you continue the pillow talk with the Iranian regime? Having made his keynote speech in Cairo, Obama showed that he is comfortable dealing with autocratic regimes when he feels it necessary.

Does he stay the course with Ahmadinajad showing a realpolitik pragmatism? Whatever the US government does, it will be interesting to see how the fallout in Iran evolves.

I feel for people over there, it looks like they are caught between a rock and a hard place.

New Glasses

New glasses. What do you think? They cost an arm and a leg but I think they were worth it!

East Timor's Lost Children

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/newsnight/8070099.stm

My Sis

Hello again.

I walked home from Alphabet City tonight.

It must've taken an hour or more to get all the way down to the financial district where I live.

Most of the way, I was walking through China town. My favourite part of the city. Restaurants and other miscellanea open 24 hours a day even in the most deserted parts of China town. Nice to think that you can order crab live from the tank, that will be served fresher than you are after a night out.

My sister Skyped me today. She broke up with her boyfriend of 3 years. At times she broke into tears, she was telling me that she stayed the same but asked why wasn't he the same.

Having a little experience of break ups myself, I suggested a few things, trying the be the best big brother I could be. I am not sure whether it will be of any help, I am not sure how helpful words are when dealing with one of the most painful events you can go through.

Between you and me though, in truth I look up to my small sister (a whole 9 years younger than me). She's a very together, tough, smart and genuinely nice girl (niceness is too often underrated); I am sure this break up will only maker her tougher, smarter and a better person in the long term. In the mean time I feel her pain.

My brains are swimming through beer. Night.

Agony Aunt

It is Friday night. I am drunk.

Unfortunately the new iPhones are not available yet, otherwise I would be tapping up this post while holding up a bar somewhere in deepest darkest Manhattan.

Not to worry. Luckily I came home in fact, to sort out the love lives of the women in my life.

My roomie got a random phone call from an ex colleague asking her out. She did not know what to do, I picked up her phone and told him that I would gladly meet him at a local gay bar.

I wonder if he is there now. Do not worry, I am not in the least bit tempted! : )

Then a pal (pretty cute to boot!) hailing from Jakarta asked me what she should do about her cheating boyfriend. After much humming and hawing I booked her on a flight over here next week.

I am the best relationship problem solver I know, quick to the point, no beating about the bush with me. So much so, that I have decided to start an agony aunt feature on my blog, shoot me some emails about your relationships and I shall fix you up quick sharp (in the strictest confidence of course).

Falling down Indonesia's social ladder

Excellent article.

Rejection

So now that I am on this dating website, I received and sent 2 or 3 messages over the last few days to a miss vh...

Now nothing! (for ~24 hours)

The rejection is killing me, I am very bad at rejection, but I suppose that's the whim and weft of life. Keeps things interesting. George Clooney must be bored out of his tree.

Talking about rejection, one of the people who looked at our apartment recently (to rent a room) is starring in a new TV series. Royal Pains.

She's still pals with my flatmate, but ultimately, REJECTION. Gah!

Anyhow, this is my rejection anthem, I played it repeatedly during a rather painful breakup a few years back.

Enjoy! (in a kinda masochistic way, obviously)

Straight to Hell

Mother of two Prita Mulyasari gets sent to the klinck for complaing about the care she received in hospital.

She went in with dengue fever and the hospital treated her for mumps. Then she writes to a mailing list about her experiences, then gets put in the slammer.

Btw, extra points for anyone who knows which recent pop song samples the Clash song Straight to Hell : )

Insouciant Qualities

[These daily posts are getting tough]

Ok, do you think describing some Indonesian slum kids as having an "insouciant quality" sounds kinda pompous?

Well I wrote that somewhere last night. Strange how inconsistent people can be; sometimes I am pompous; sometimes a liar; sometimes an arrogant so and so; sometimes a great listener and sometimes pretty effin smart.

Suppose you gotta accept the good with the bad. I least I have Willy Mason's "If The Ocean Gets Rough" to help me through.

Criticism

I read today that criticism shows that people still care (lack of criticism means they've given up on you).

Boss, I know you read this, the lack of criticism lately is fine by me! : )

Dating Website

It's official. I have joined a dating website.

I had sworn that I never would join a dating website (cos they're sort of daggy I suppose) but in a trademark Mr-Burns-style-change-of-heart (and cos of one of my roomie's best pals) I signed up.

Why the hell why not, eh? Thing is, I am not sure what to do on there... chatting up girls through websites sounds kinda awkward, ah well, suppose can't hurt to give it a shot. Tips appreciated! : )

Free Coldplay Album

Coldplay have a free live album on their site click here to download.