Just another overpriced T shirt from Armani? Or an item of subversive clothing that threatens the very fabric (sorry!) of Indonesian society?

Well both actually.

The first point of contention is its astronomical US$42 retail price.

Utterly mad.

By way of comparison, I usually get my T shirts from Blok M for between US$3-10 depending on the quality. And as they manage to survive the brutal scrubbing of my thick-armed maid, they can’t be half-bad.

As for the Armani T shirt being subversive? Well, this is what Eva Kusuma Sundari, a member of the nationalistic Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), had to say:

"It's such an insult for us… The Garuda is very sacred to us as a nation.”

But threats from some members of the House of Representatives to sue Armani Exchange for willfully desecrating the Garuda Pancasila - which carries a prison term of one year or a Rp 100 million fine - seem to have worked.

Armani have removed the product from their Indonesian website.

So if you want one you’ll have to buy from an overseas seller.

Like Amazon!

You don’t get a much more interesting Point of View than from a Space Shuttle, and that’s why this image of Mount Agung and Mount Batur is so impressive.

But that sort of got me wondering. What else - apart from any cheeky surveillance of course! - have NASA been up to in Indonesian skies?

And have they produced any other of those wonderful topographic maps with their Space Shuttle data?

Well, there aren’t, alas, any topographic maps of Java or Indonesia, but NASA have done one of Bali. And it’s truly impressive: the whole island of Bali beneath the Space Shuttle as it whizzes around the Earth some 300 km above…


Click on pic for full size image

Ever wanted the PURRfect pet to inflate your already oversized ego? Well why not consider a critically endangered Sumatran tiger?!!!

Yes folks, this is a once in a lifetime offer that you’d be foolish to let slip through your fingers!

And not only will these cuddly cats impress your friends but they will also keep your children entertained for hours on end (sometimes even eating them!)

But you’ll have to be quick – there are only around 400 of these cats left in the wild and they are PRICED to GO at only US$100,000 a pair!

So contact us today! We look forward to doing business with you!!!!!!

Source: AFP

The Save the Gecko Coalition has reacted strongly to news that Indonesia’s much loved little reptile, the Gecko, is being hunted down by heartless Indonesian villagers in Banjarsawah, East Java:

The industry began four years ago when one villager, Abdurrahman, began drying geckos at home and selling them to an exporter.

Now, more than 100 hunters scour the forest nightly catching the skittering lizards and delivering them to Abdurrahman, 40, who delivers them to the exporter.

Most villagers in Banjarsawah are now involved in dried gecko production. Hunters venture into the forest in groups of four or five, wearing battery-powered head lamps and catching the lizards with their gloved hands.

Source: ABC News

“We cannot allow this to go on”, said Doug Graves, the head of the Save the Gecko Coalition, adding that Geckos were not only a “highly intelligent fellow species”, but also “prophetically gifted.”

This ability of geckos to predict the future is acknowledged by the Javanese said Doug, explaining that if you hear a gecko make its distinctive “ge-koo” cry an even number of times then you know it’s a sign of good luck but if, God forbid, it’s an odd number, then things are going to get bad.

Other Amazing facts about geckos:

- It may not please Indonesians but the word "gecko" comes from the Malaysian word "geckok".

- Over 900 different types of gecko have already been discovered.

- Geckos can reach lengths of up to 14 inches.

- As you might have guessed, most geckos are nocturnal.

- Geckos that eat birds!!!

- Geckos are the only reptile to have a voice. They use it to communicate with other geckos as well as to let the Javanese know whether they are in for good or bad luck.

- One of the most amazing geckos is Kuhl's Flying Gecko (Ptychozoon kuhli). It doesn’t actually fly as such but glides through the air thanks to the flaps on either side of its body, its webbed feet and flattened tail. These geckos can be found in Indonesia but you’d have a hell of a time finding one because of their remarkable camouflage - their eyes are often the only thing that allow you to see them.


- Geckos are thought to live 80 years and are so tough that they can take on a crocodile and beat it. Well maybe that’s stretching it a bit much…

Uh Oh. This is a pretty worrying development –

It looks like the rat population in Bali has started to get infected with rabies!!!!!

On Thursday night, Tabanan regional hospital's management confirmed the death of 46-year-old Ni Nyoman Koming.

Based on the diagnoses, the victim suffered from rabies symptoms when she was firstly admitted to the hospital on Jan. 13.

The doctor added the patient was bitten by a rat two months ago causing an infected wound on her leg.

Source: the Jakarta Post.

Hell, I can just see it now.

Rabid armies of delirious rodents foaming at the mouth, coming out of the open drains in their millions and descending on Kuta to seek ultimate revenge…Arggh!!!!!

Or maybe not.

Cos rats are very keen to avoid contact with humans and you’ve got to be real unlucky to be bitten by one – although I was many years ago when one of the blighters somehow found its way into my bedroom and gnawed at my hand whilst I was still asleep.

Since then I’ve always slept with gloves on, of course, which although a tad annoying (especially as this is the tropics), does seem to have done the trick –

I have never been bitten again since.

But rabid rats aren’t the only zany thing in Asia.

There’s plenty more.

But be warned. Click on the link below and you’ll be altered forever. No going back and more questions raised than at a DPR inquiry on Bank Century…

Just WTF is it with Asia?!!!!

1. Gunung Kemukus. Or the lucky mountain. It’s located 25km north of Solo, and on top of the hill is said to be the grave of Pangeran (prince) Samodra and Dewi Ontrowulan. People come here seeking blessings to either become rich, get a promotion at work, win the lottery or perhaps find a suitable marriage partner. However, there is a catch. And it’s this: you have to have sex on the sacred hill. And with a stranger!!!

2. Sukuh temple. On the western slope of Mount Lawu, Central Java, the Javanese constructed an ancient temple which pays homage to, er, sex. Carvings of sex and genitalia are all over the place – a sort of porn set for the ancients. Shocking! And most bizarre of all is this peculiar chap:

Oh My God - what on Earth does he think he's up to?!

3. Dolly. The name of SE Asia’s largest red light district where over 15,000 girls ply their trade. Named incidentally after one of its most popular girls (and not the cloned sheep), Dolly is a bloody incredible place - it’s like they took a huge honky-tonk Mexican border town and simply moved it piece by piece to Surabaya. There are row upon row of little shacks, and the streets are full of young women, old hags, greasy pimps, roaming minstrels, destitute beggars, and even little kids wandering around. If you visit, go with a mate – it’s safer and more enjoyable.

4. Pasak Bumi jamu as an alternative to Viagra. Indonesians are skeptical toward modern medicines and often rely on herbal remedies (better known as jamu) instead. Not only are these herbal medicines cheap but they are also thought to be effective. There are jamus for headaches, stomachaches and back pain; a jamu to make you slim; a jamu to help you put on weight; a jamu for flu; and, yes, even a jamu to “help” impotent men. Indonesia’s herbal version of the wonder drug Viagra comes from a plant called Tongkat Ali (or “Ali’s walking stick” in English!), a slender tree which reaches heights of about 10 meters and can be found in the tropical rainforests. But besides Pasak Bumi Jamu Indonesia also has a slightly more practical solution to the age old problem of male erectile disfunction and it takes the form of three or four raw eggs (free range, naturally) mixed into a large glass full of Guinness!

5. Production of a durian flavored condom. In a bold attempt to encourage safe sex, condom manufacturer Simplex launched a durian flavored johnny. But does it leave a “bad taste” in the mouth? Well, I wouldn't know but English writer Anthony Burgess would certainly not have approved: he once famously remarked that feasting on durian was a lot like eating custard in the latrine!

6. Paying respect to the “Si Jagur” Portuguese canon near Fatahillah Museum in Jakarta. The allegory of a large and strong canon capable of spouting out huge cannonballs has not been lost on the people of Jakarta, and the ancient Portuguese “Si Jagur" canon has attained the sacred reputation as an object which is able to cure infertility. At the base of the canon is this fist:

And, as you can see from the picture, the thumb is penetrating between the index finger and the middle finger, and we all know what that can only mean! So don’t be surprised if you come here and see Jakarta women attempting to mount the damn thing as if it were a wild horse or something – with some of the women even falling off the canon (much to the amusement of onlookers!).

7) The Palang. If you really want to stand out from the crowd you might want to consider getting a Palang done. This involves having the glands of the male member pierced horizontally and a barbell inserted (somewhat smaller than the one pictured on the left obviously!). A custom of the former headhunters of Borneo (the Dayaks), the term "Palang" translates as "Crossbar" in Iban and can be related to the timber roof supports of the longhouses of the tribes of the area, and symbolizes the protective power of the male over the family. But be warned: the pain of having the piercing done is said to be indescribable and, on top of that, the healing process can take up to six months. Not for the fainthearted!

One more fact (added 2 August 2010)

It’s a little known fact that Japanese AV star Miyabi (Maria Ozawa) recorded a rather steamy video in Indonesia back in 2006. Quite possibly this is the only XXX rated footage of an international AV star shot in Indonesia – although many amateur videos exist of course – none less notorious than the two featuring Peter Porn and his co-stars Cut Tari and Luna Maya. Ironically enough, religious zealots prevented Miyabi from coming to Indonesia to star in a family friendly production a few years later, completely unaware that the Japanese head turner had already done the Indonesian porn gig (the footage was shot on a beach in Bali – where else?). For those of you who are interested – and I’m sure there are many – Miyabi’s erotic (s)exploits can be seen on a S1 Video production (available exclusively in Indonesia at Glodok). And no – the title of the film is not Bali Bonking! Hahaha!

Maria Ozawa: cute but far from innocent

Schapelle Corby: buxom Aussie lass who tried to smuggle 4.2 kg of wacky baccy into Bali. She got 20 years, but will serve less thanks to yearly remissions (provided she doesn’t die first of course). This is her cell:

Where: Kerobokan Prison, Bali
Size of cell: ? (shared with SIX others)
Bed: green mattress on the floor
Drapery: None
Floor: ceramic tiles
Cooling: crappy little wall fan
Treasured possessions: Nelson Mandela's autobiography, Long Walk to Freedom, and a Donald Duck toy.
Facilities: None.

Artalyta Suryani: narcissistic businesswoman who handed over 660,000 big ones to a bent prosecutor. She got five years but will almost certainly serve only a fraction of her sentence. This is her cell:


Where: Pondok Bambu Women's Detention Center, Jakarta
Size of cell: 690 square feet (single, not sharing)
Bed: King Koil double bed (well, you never know when it might come in useful, right?)
Drapery: designer curtains made of premium quality material.
Cooling: Air Con
Floor: soft carpeting
Facilities: flat-screen TV, karaoke, fridge/freezer, leather sofa, private kitchen, en-suite bathroom, playpen for kids, and an attached beauty parlor to get “facials” and other essential cosmetic treatments.

Poor old Corby.

And no wonder she feels bad done by!

There is some interesting news of a huge gift given to Harvard University, ostensibly to boost Indonesian studies at one of the world’s top universities:

A $20.5 million gift -- described as one of the five largest in the Kennedy School's 74-year history -- is funding the creation of a new Institute for Asia as well as a new Indonesia Program at the Kennedy School.

The Kennedy School today announced the gift from the Rajawali Foundation, the charitable arm of the PT Rajawali Corporation, one of Indonesia's largest conglomerates. The private company, founded in the early 1980s by billionaire owner and director Peter Sondakh, is a major player in cement, retailing, palm oil, hotels and other industries.

Source: Boston.com

This is good news of course because the US has a pretty poor reputation when it comes to research on Indonesia. So hopes are high the gift will lead to better research on the world’s largest archipelago.

But why has Peter Sondakh made the gift? For purely altruistic reasons I hope, but if you’ve ever studied economic psychology you’ll know that people very rarely give money away for nothing. And as for the money being donated to a foreign university rather than to a university in Indonesia, that should also raise a few questions, I think.

According to Professor Anthony Saich, director of the renamed Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation at the Kennedy School, not many Indonesians study at Harvard:

"I think that one of the big advantages of this gift is that Southeast Asia generally has been poorly studied and understood across Harvard, and we have barely one or two students here a year from Indonesia".

Well that might be true.

But just look at who they do have!

I always thought Prita Mulyasari’s letter of complaint about a dodgy hospital was a bit tame.

Hunter S. Thompson would have done a far better job.

Slumdog Millionaire was one of the best films I saw in 2009.

Based on the book Q & A by Vikas Swarup, young Jamal has to answer nine questions to get the grand prize.

The questions he answered are listed here.

But what would the questions have been if the story had instead been set in the slums of Jakarta rather than in the slums of Mumbai?

Well, here’s my guess (most of the answers can be found on this blog if you look hard enough):


1. Which of the Azhari clan starred in the low budget American popcorn flick "Outraged Fugitive"?

a. Ayu Azhari
b. Sarah Azhari
c. Tia Azhari
d. Rachma Azhari

2. What motto is used as the national emblem of Indonesia?

a. Money alone triumphs
b. Power alone triumphs
c. Beauty alone triumphs
d. Bhinneka Tunggal Ika

3. What weapon does an Acehnese warrior hold in his right hand?

a. Rencong
b. Celurit
c. Keris
d. AK-47

4. Who painted this?


a. Affandi
b. Antonio Blanco
c. Basoeki Abdullah
d. Walter Spies


5. Whose picture appears on the newly issued Rp2,000 banknote?

a. Imam Bondjol
b. Soekarno/Hatta
c. Barack Obama
d. Pangeran Antasari

6. What is the name of the thieving spirit which appears as a boy with his head shaven and is responsible for the vast proportion of “in house” theft in Indonesia?

a. Pocong
b. Tuyl
c. Iblis
d. Kuntilanak

7. South East Asia’s largest red light district can be found in which Indonesian city?

a. Bandung
b. Jakarta
c. Surabaya
d. Medan

8. Which of the following is NOT the flavor of an Indonesian condom?

a. Strawberry
b. Mango
c. Durian
d. Banana

9. Which city received the dubious honor as “dirtiest city” in 2006?

a. Bandung
b. Jakarta
c. Medan
d. Surabaya


Answer key: 1) a 2) d 3) a 4) c 5) d 6) b 7) c 8) b 9) a

The road to Tanah Tinggi
Satoo
Pulau Tidung
ISL
Rumah Sakit Cikini, Jakarta

Wikileaks Indonesia
365
Lake Bratan, Bali
Uluwatu Temple, Bali
Potato Head, Jakarta

Nusa Dua, Bali
Weeping Angels
10 things not to do in Bali
Zeno's paradox
Spotted: Mbah Maridja
Honda Tiger 1997

Wow! Gunung Agung and Gunung Batur like you have never seen them before:

in a color-coded 3D image produced from data obtained from NASA’s Space Shuttle Endeavour that was launched on 11 February, 2000!!


That’s one hell of a POV, I’m sure you’ll agree, and truly depicts the majesty and expanse of Bali’s major volcanic group.

The huge cone on the left is Gunung Agung, and at 3,148 meters (10,308 feet) is the highest point on Bali. This volcano is of great significance to the Balinese and commands huge respect. This is probably understandable given its potential to cause widespread damage if the gods are not kept happy – the last time it exploded in 1917, thousands of people were killed and lava flows caused extensive damage.

To the right of Gunung Agung is the huge caldera (volcanic crater) of the Batur volcano, left over from a “massive catastrophic eruption” about 30,000 years ago, which if it happened today, might just get people out of their beds in places as far away as Jakarta or Singapore.

According to NASA, around 140 cubic kilometers (33.4 cubic miles) of material must have been ejected by this eruption - certainly food for thought for today’s global warming brigade. Since the 1800's Batur has erupted at least 22 times, and has been simmering with violent intent over the last year.

NASA NOTES (EXTRACTS)
Two visualization methods were combined to produce the image: shading and color coding of topographic height. The shade image was derived by computing topographic slope in the northwest-southeast direction, so that northwest slopes appear bright and southeast slopes appear dark. Color coding is directly related to topographic height, with green at the lower elevations, rising through yellow and tan, to white at the highest elevations.

Elevation data used in this image were acquired by the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour, launched on Feb. 11, 2000. SRTM used the same radar instrument that comprised the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SIR-C/X-SAR) that flew twice on the Space Shuttle Endeavour in 1994. SRTM was designed to collect 3-D measurements of the Earth's surface. To collect the 3-D data, engineers added a 60-meter (approximately 200-foot) mast, installed additional C-band and X-band antennas, and improved tracking and navigation devices.

Mediatype: image
Creator: NASA/JPL/NIMA
Date: 0000
Instrument: X-Band Radar, C-Band Radar
Program: Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM)
Object: Earth
Insightuid: nasaNAS~4~4~14812~117474
Source: http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA04951
What: Crater
What: Earth
What: Shuttle Radar Topography Mission
What: Space Shuttle Orbiter
What: Endeavour
What: SRTM
What: Spaceborne Imaging Radar
What: Enterprise
Where: Indonesia
Where: Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
Where: Washington
Identifier: PLAN-PIA04951
Addeddate: 2009-10-14 10:26:05
Publicdate: 2009-10-14 13:40:12

Kerapan Sapi
Christian Gonzales
Tanamur
Treespotting

Street food Jakarta
Secrets of survival in Jakarta
Honda VTR250
Trolleyology
Kasepekang

The End of History and who took the Borobudur Buddha heads?!!!!
Gereja Koinonia, Jatinegara
Toko Merah and does the preservation of historic buildings really matter anyway?
Besakih Temple, Bali: sacred extortion?
Kebon Kacang and Hansel and Gretel

Wacky holidays
Gus Teja at Ubud’s 2010 festival
On Ayam Taliwang and personal legacies
Speaking English in Indonesia
Obama Anak Menteng: movie review

Indonesia: land of smiles
Where are Jakarta’s garden gnomes? Arggggggg
The Spirit of Pink Floyd
Gili Trawangan: Paradise lost?
Secure Parking? Not.

Ten great Indonesian gifts
Renew British Passport in Indonesia? Arggggggg
The Indonesian communist quiz
The tourist’s guide to Bali, tempo dulu
Stiff neck syndrome hits Indonesia!

When one hundred trillion dollars ain’t enough, thanks
On a violent meeting and psychedelic fish
Gereja Immanuel Jakarta
Health cigarettes and fitness in Indonesia
Punk Indonesia

Puncak: the perfect place for a honeymoon holiday
Bitchy Brits say no to Indonesian frogs’ legs!
Lee Man Fong’s “Bali Life” sells for US$3.3 million!
Amazing facts about Indonesian volcanoes
Sandi Wedhus: the foul-mouthed four-year old smoker!

Innospec in Indonesia
Porn quiz
Versace Indonesia
10 amazing Bali fruits
Indonesia’s richest people 2010 (Forbes)

The Selat Sunda Bridge
On long distance bus journeys in Indonesia
Why are some countries richer than others?
Ngurah Rai International: one of the world’s ugliest airports?
Obama’s Indonesian school records

Obama Bar, Jakarta
The Garuda Wisnu Kencana Statue
Never judge a country by its clothes
Doing deals with the Bin Ladens
The Armani Exchange AX Studded Eagle T-Shirt gets banned in Indonesia!

Bali topographic map
FOR SALE: RARE SUMATRAN TIGERS!!
Indonesian geckos are being hunted!
Rabies in rats and other madness
Seven amazing sex facts about Indonesia

The best prison cell in Indonesia
Peter Sondakh and the Harvard Connection
Slumdog Millionaire (Jakarta setting)
Gunung Agung and Gunung Batur as seen from the Space Shuttle!!
Will the visit of Placebo in Jakarta create controversy?

Archives - 2009
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Carve your name into my arm.
Instead of stressed, I lie here charmed.
Cuz there's nothing else to do,
Every me and every you…


It’s not often that a decent band does a gig in Jakarta so I’m well pleased – but also very surprised - to see that the brilliant alternative rock band Placebo are scheduled to give a concert at Istora Senayan on 16 February 2010. I say surprised because Placebo are no strangers to controversy and their visit to Indonesia may raise more than just a few eyebrows.

Questioning gender norms
Strange as it may seem, it is actually correct to say – statistically wise at least - that the average person is androgynous (females and males are roughly in a 50 50 mix) but even so, I don’t think too many people would describe Placebo’s lead singer Brian Molko as an average dude.


Brian Molko questions gender norms

The band’s questioning of gender norms is a theme which runs through many of the bands top songs including one of their most popular songs, the excellent "Nancy Boy".

Potent sexual imagery
Placebo like to make use of potent imagery to explore the theme of non-normative sexual identities. Let’s just hope the authorities – particularly the moral ministry of truth and information – don’t get too hot under the collar about this and try to remember some of the things Gus Dur (RIP) said about pluralism and tolerance.


Drugs
Drugs are, of course, an essential part of rock and roll and, at times in the past, Placebo members have been known to take them like the average person drinks coffee and tea. Hopefully, Placebo will be fully aware that the authorities in this part of the world are a tad less tolerant on such things (just ask Robert Paul McJannett who was caught, not with his pants down, but with drugs in his socks).

The music
Placebo are sort of a cross between Nirvana (only more listenable) and the Cure (but without the Gothic wimpiness). There’s also influences from Sonic Youth, the Pixies, and Depeche Mode.

Essential Listening
Every me every you
Nancy Boy
Special K
Pure Morning
Where is my mind?
English summer rain
Bigmouth strikes again (superb version of the Smiths’ classic hit)

Hugues de Montalembert and Indonesia's olfactory delights
Christmas in the tropics
Suparwono: Indonesia’s tallest man!
Indonesia outperforms Google in 2009!
Travel quotations and Indonesia
Double One Villas: Amed, Bali

Should I buy an England football shirt for a lot more than sweet FA?
KLM revives the Amsterdam-Bali route!!!
The Antonio Blanco Renaissance Museum
Nomad Restaurant: Ubud, Bali
Driving a motorcycle in Bali
Jalan Jaksa vs. Gang Poppies

The comfort zone
Indonesian World Records!
Bali, dogs, the monkey forest and RABIES!!!
40 things to do in Indonesia before you die
This doesn’t add up
Ponsel orgy in Sukawati!

Toni Jack's replaces McDonalds at Sarinah!
The Jakarta Post penetrates new territory
Julia Roberts: 'Eat, Pray, Love' in Bali
The Garden at Sanur
Philanthropic tourists and unlicensed taxi cabs in Bali
Heil Hitler in Jakarta!

Obama snubs SBY!
The expat guide to Indonesian women
The FDA ban on clove cigarettes: fair or not?
Bali Ha’i or Bali Hai?
Three new films that won’t be shown in Indonesian cinemas this year
Free WIFI Hotspots Jakarta

The definitive guide to Indonesian politicians
Ismail Marzuki and the yobs
Glodok declared a “World Heritage” site!
How to tell a good bule husband from a bad one
A part of me dies: the Rp1,000 bank note is to become history!
Indonesian etiquette: Do’s and Don’ts in Indonesia

Which premiership club should Indonesians support?
Roadside dentist of the week: Tanah Abang
Why move Komodo dragons to Bali?
Joint with us?
Tony Blair visits Bali!
Indonesian recipes (1): nasi goreng (fried rice)

Two pints of lager and a packet of crisps please
UNESCO is mulling over adding Batik to its cultural heritage list
Are we more like chimps or orangutans?
Family trees and creationism
Michael Jackson is liberated!
Anyone for scaly anteater soup?

Archives - 2008
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