December 31, 2002
2002 The Past
A year after I've been blogging in this website. I still remember at that time, it's a difficult to say how is me been obsessed to publish all my thought thoroughly. I was scared If I couldn't put it off and I the stopping to write. I was very worried if I didn't has any idea to write. But, as you were realized now, and I too, weblogging is a wonderful ways to fullfilss our daily lifes. I just can't be happened to live without blogging a day (if I was connected to the internet).
Many happened through years, and we happily could met here. In this wonderful medium, I just can't imagined that I create it too. From the launch of this website at Jan 1, 2002, I get 10.047 visitors (until this writing), I get an average of 66 visits a day (I never imagined to count on such number before), and my official statistic tells me that I get more than 2000 visit in month (I still surprised). At August 2002, this website have listed at Guardian Weblog Special worldwide sections, it bring me huge amount of visitors. It's all surprising me until recent, surely it make me happy :). How wealthy our website is (probably) reflect on how peope aware of us. And, this all happened because of you. The best of all, by that nice time, I get meet a lot of nice people, some is become friend, and many become buddiest. It's really amazed me. So, for the last, present and future of things, I should thank you all by this happening.
Another nice thing to cite is, what does people in the world think in this recent years left? The International Herald Tribune leads on a survey of global citizens' attitudes to themselves and the world, conducted by the Pew research centre in Washington DC. The survey reflects the deteriorating global image of the US since 2000, and the consistent opposition outside the US to war in Iraq (except in Britain, where opinion is equally divided) - but perhaps most interesting is a question asking Muslims if 'suicide bombing in defence of Islam' is justifiable. Some 73% of Lebanese say it is - compared with 43% in Jordan, 33% in Pakistan, 27% in Indonesia and just 13% in Turkey.
Yes, the world as I wrote last year in my first post is rapidly changing in nowadays. The widespread fear of terorism attack our country after Bali Bombing (starting from this post). Happily, I could provide a little thing here to cover these events and it's also increasing many hit to this website. After all, by all changing of the world, one thing things just left to us, we should bravely chalenge ourself, how we could join on that changing and give the best for all. A little job like blogging in this medium probably could bring us a best way to look ourself. And, happily, I happy to do that.
In Indonesian culture, new year is just an ornidary event. People said, the differences is number that changed. But, because that change, we could only say to record a many happenings of our whole life. All happy, all joy, all cry or sad happened coloring our daily life. But it's life. And we never run off it. We live, and (just by geek way) we blog it every day. After all, never to forget, I just want to cheer you Happy New Year! May God sake for our togetherness.
PS: Oh yeah, congratulate for Farida who has been launched her website today! Enjoy your life sis!
A Poet for Indonesia
Just to remember I still an Indonesian man, I proud to present this my first English poet to you. It's my personal choir of my beloved land. A beautiful place whereever I look and dream.
A Gift to LandA complete anthologies can be found at this page (muchly in Indonesian)Is it really hard to live?
I ever asking it to my bone
But he never tell me whyIs it really hard to be?
I ever asking it to my blood
But he never spoke it whyIs it all just a vivid cry?
Is it all just an avid happy?
Is it all just a sad imaginary?But here
In the island of wherever man
I live in search of love, of greed, and of gloryYet I still doesn't know exactly is
A thousand island named after greedy
A multiculture country named after glory
A malicious home named after loveWhatever it be
A man is a man
In his own island
Loving to live without to be
Just living, in all but only life in endSouth of Behemoth Jakarta, December 31, 2002 11:00 AM
©2002, Arif Rokhmat-Widianto
December 30, 2002
The History of Indonesia
So, what the hell Indonesia is? May be you've once asked yourself, what does is it? Or, you ever been heard it several times before, but you never imagined where is it, or how large is it if compared with you region? Or just you doesn't know exactly where to point this country on the map even it's the biggest archipelago country in the world? It's a pretty funny fact that outsider seemly knew Bali enough than Indonesia who is the country of Bali. Yes exactly, you still a normal people whether you doesn't, or you just a lucky one that seemly smart enough to know my beloved country. Though, I happy and more friendly with the last one, just joke :p
Now, whether you knew it or not, i think this document probably better to understand what does really my country is? Luckily, i just very impressed myself that I doesn't read a few of it before, and it's a good reference if you wish to know about. It tells the brief history of Indonesia from pre-Indonesia period-from BC and more age, from Hindus kingdoms--when it happen the rise of Indonesia of global civilization at that age, then the period of Islamic kingdoms, until the 'falls' (is it fall geek?) of Indonesia and the present history. Quite short but clear. Never late to read!
Know Who Rule Your Country
So you want to do research of heads of state and heads of government (and, in certain cases, de facto leaders not occupying either of those formal positions) of all countries and territories, going back to about 1700 in most cases? Yes, by the sake of the internet, now you easily just go to Rulers.org. There also included are the subdivisions of various countries (the links are at the bottom of the respective country entries), as well as a selection of international organizations. Recent foreign ministers of all countries are listed separately.
December 24, 2002
A Reporter's Life
And, a nice reading about A Reporter's Life. All of about his story, his idea to end the war, Al Qaeda, unnamed sources, and much of reporter's inside policies.
Nice weekend to spend, and Merry Chirtmas!
Our Credibility Problem: It’s a Conspiracy
It's a nice perspective to read. Looking toward whatsocalled conspiracy theories from Diana to Bali bombing from muslim views.
Our Credibility Problem: It’s a ConspiracyIt seems so elementary: don’t repeat everything you hear as fact if you don’t have evidence for it. Test theories with investigation, and modify theories in light of results. That’s the scientific method that we all learned in sixth grade.
Conspiracy theories are like black holes--they suck in everything that comes their way, regardless of content or origin...Everything you've ever known or experienced, no matter how 'meaningless', once it contacts the conspiratorial universe, is enveloped by and cloaked in sinister significance. Once inside, the vortex gains in size and strength, sucking in everything you touch.
Selling America
The consensus among George W. Bush’s advisers is that America must do a better job of making friends. Millions of Muslims view America as corrupt, brutal and arrogant, indifferent if not outright hostile to Islamic concerns.
Twice lately The Pentagon has floated half-baked ideas for covert propaganda campaigns to loosen Saddam Hussein’s grip on power in Iraq, and to boost America’s image throughout the region and even among its European allies. Those schemes didn’t get far: they’re too tricky, and too embarrassing when they unravel.
Ugh, refering to most of all my experiences, I do hate salespeople, even they're handsome, cute and sexy :((
December 23, 2002
Buy Mecca-Cola and Support for Palestine
May be you are very hate Washington policy for global world and democracy. May be you were very disgusting of what Bush done with Iraq. So, what a best to do against them? Boicott is a good answer.
May be boicott could be a ridiculous way because it is like we live in uncommon way, but it's nice thing to do, if you lived in an empty bottle, a life which losing all spirit like Palestinian kids and most Iraq or Iran people which know nothing why their country are in the gate of War.
It is Mecca-Cola, produced by a French Tunisian who has opened up a second front in what has turned into a cola war -- by producing a drink named Mecca Cola mainly for European markets. And, they're sold out.
Instead of just political statement, its producers promise that 10 percent of profits will go to Palestinian causes. "No more drinking stupid," its label reads in French. "Drink with commitment."
Hello there, I think you need to ship a ton of Mecca-Cola bottle to Indonesia. We'd love it by :))
December 19, 2002
If I Were American
(For non American) Are you ever thinking that probably you were American, or you were think that ever born at the heart of the States? I do thinking this several times, on my personal contemplation, the result I thought it very nice.
Look at this new articles i cutted from the latest Time magazine:
The U.S. fleet patrols Asia's sea lanes, ensuring that precious oil can be imported and profitable consumer goods exported. Tens of thousands of American servicemen are stationed in nearly 200 military installations across Asia, in theory to protect the region from ruinous conflict. American culture has put its technicolor stamp just about everywhere. The West Wing is a hit in Hong Kong and Friends is very popular in—of all places—Pakistan.Why then, is the U.S. losing friends in Asia? Last month, South Korean students hurled Molotov cocktails onto U.S. military bases while in Pakistan mourners thronged the streets for the funeral of a man who murdered two CIA employees. A recent survey by Washington D.C.'s Pew Research Center confirmed that over the past two years America's image has slipped in 19 out of 27 nations worldwide, including South Korea, Japan and Indonesia. In other Asian nations it held up, barely. In India, for example, only 54% of the population said they liked America, in Bangladesh even fewer.
If I were American, I will feel hurt, I will feel angry, I will feel disgusting that my beloved country do the most freak policies that faces like Two Face, the Batman's Enemies. Why do they hate us? Why do we lost my friends? As normal people and normal nation, i would prefer to think that we'd better to understand them than stand behind our egos (that make our friends gone). The world itself will proved that if we don't understand others, or if we lost my freinds, there must be a root of causes that we must be deeply losing our hearts and minds.
For me, as an Indonesian, I do feel very like with McDonald's although they have been famously an icon of America, but I still very hate if the United States as an independence country living together with others nations do their policies like now.
10 (Ten)
You may have been thinking that there're a difficult situation to live in Iran while president Bush said it as the Axis of Evil country. Yeah, actually it doesn't. Fortunately, Iran has it own celebration for their works on movies when they has been acclaimed and awarded many international prizes. If you may heard before, one of their movie A Taste of Cherry are created by Abbas Kiarostami, a celebrated Iranian movie creator. I have seen a few of his films when it played here at the Jakarta Internation Film Festival several years ago. A few famous of them are The Wind Will Carry Us, Close Up, and And Life Goes On.
About his new film, Ten, openDemocracy wrote:
A film of love, pain, divorce, womanhood and everyday humanity through conversations between a Tehrani woman and the passengers she picks up in her car.Related links:Ten is a great film. Ten car journeys, ten dialogues, ten emotional situations. The result is the most powerful sense of intimacy: a power deriving from the depth of realism achieved. Watching Ten, in contrast to the comfortable contract of voyeurism associated with most film viewing experiences, fact or fiction, one has the slightly uneasy sense of sudden personal involvement. A film supremely sensitive to the impact of some lives on other’s lives, it is as if the spectator is welded into the fabric of the car – the inanimate eavesdropping on the animate.
- Filmref Abbas Kiarostami Works
- An interview on Taste of Cherry
- Abbas Kiarostami on Scarrufi's Web
- In dialogue with Kiarostami
- Abbas Kiarostami on Iranian Movies website
December 18, 2002
I Want To Kiss You Once
Nice quote from Sigit's weblog:
Aku Ingin Menciummu Sekali Saja (I Want To Kiss You Once) is an excellent innovative feature film created by the Indonesian renowned director Garin Nugroho. The film features the landscape and culture of Papua (easternmost of Indonesia). "Papuan landscape and culture have not been featured in fiction thoroughly as if it's in the context of news," said Garin. The film tells about the love story between a young sixteen year old Papuan boy Arnold (Oktavianus Rysiat Muabuai) who falls in love with Kasih (Lulu Tobing), a 26 year old Javanese girl who comes to Papua to teach. He suddenly has the intention to kiss her."Papua is a vast terrain, rich in geopolitic aspects, yet hasn't been contained adequately in the context of cinema and television. In this film I try to surface contemporary Papuan issues related to cultural identity and human rights in the course of regional autonomy," added Garin. This film is entirely taken in Papua for twelve days, and use mostly Papuan actors and actresses. Surprisingly, according to Garin, Papuans have excellent acting capabilities (the audition gathered around 60 Papuans).
All in all, this film, planned to have launch in December 28th 2002, is a good example of innovation. It must be watched by every Indonesians who care enough about humanity in this region. One last message from Garin states "The message is that no matter what colour your skin is, we all have red blood. We are all the same... love can cross all borders of race and culture..."
Update 2002/12/19: Talking cross-cultural relationship is a nice thing, honestly. Even I thought a little bit of racism view would never lost in our perspective, but I think we can tolerate it. And I think, talking this subject, in openly view and discuss it, would be help to develop an warm situation, a toleration.
Somewhile, I, maybe you too, have been thinking that a girl in another race or culture (or a man if you're girl) is had their affinity, an untold passion in your deep heart. May be someone think, a Chinese girl have its affinity with their pure skin, if compared their average dark color skin. Also, a European girl (or man) may be has its different passion for every Indonesian, so that is happened much cross-relationship like this. Or, something like a Caucasian man, is prefer to have a wife from Asian than European. It's all nice to have cross-relationship. As it also nice to hear that a generation which comes from cross-marriage in fact (general view) has its nice things to say. End of all, i proved that there'll no civilization if there're no cross-relationship in the world, i assure it. So, is it wrong to say that somewhile I think that, "I want to kiss you once?", while I stand in front of a Persian girl (may be, they're nice beauty)? Of course, I'm not innocent :)
December 16, 2002
I'm back
Taking holiday is a good things, very nice though. But, come back to work after holiday is another things, which feels bad for me. If you're Indonesian, another bad things must be added with your trip sessions. It has several factors to analyze how good or bad your trip would be. I had both experiences on my last trip to my parents house at last holidays.
I decide to talk the bad ones, which in Javanese culture always been picked up before the goods (there's a joke about a Javanese people, "If a Javanese man eat, they must have to take the non-delicious food first before the delicious ones"). The bad in my story is about my comeback trip to Jakarta while I decide to use train transportation. It happen because, I had a difficulties to buy an executive train class ticket (my city is not an executive train point), so I decide to take the business class, and it's not a nice decision. Phew..., it's really not a nice story, the train is uncomfortable, everything has been messed up, and my stomach was very starve. The only good is, I can safely into Jakarta in 100% condition without any part of my body drop behind. The good story was happened on my trip to Jombang, which I decide to use air transportation. It's only take one hour a quarter, and I happily come to my lovely hometown. The other story will continue after :)
December 01, 2002
Happy Iedul Fitri
Titik PutihIn the heart of all seasons, I happy that we could met here in all of happy and joy. Today is my last day on Jakarta. Mostly like the Thanksgiving culture, there's a culture of Javanese people to meet the whole big families at the end of Ramadan. In Indonesia, this tradition known as Mudik. Tomorrow, I will take my vacation to mudik to visit my parents at Jombang, a small resident of East Java Province. I will stay there until December 15, 2002. Hence, i'd like to inform that I will break off blogging until that day. Here the time I will use for my family, hanging around, and take our traditional gatherings. Second reason, because our parent's house in village is very far to the city (where there is only place we could find a capable internet cafes), so I decide to not blogging until that day. Yet, I hope i had a lots of story to share in this weblog.Gemetar kupegang pena itu
Kumencari, kumendaki, kuseru
Tiada, diam menuliskan keluHampir kusut masai kertas itu
Tak berupa wajahnya, putih kuyu
Semakin rejam kutorehkan tintaKuderai, kucerai, kugapai, kupegang musnah, kuraba sirna
Hingga, berhasil kutuliskan
Sebuah, hanya sebercah, titik putih
In time, I really enjoy to present this poets (Indonesian) for you. Happy Iedul Fitri, May God bless you with Ramadan!
Rule Your Own State
Jennifer Government: NationStates is a nation simulation game. You create your own country, fashioned after your own political ideals, and care for its people. Either that or you deliberately torture them. It's really up to you.
