Meblog

Bush: Not your president?

We've all seen the bumper stickers, signs and t-shirts that declare, "Bush: Not my president."

Today, walking down a dingy hallway in the linguistics building, I passed a grungy, black-clad undergraduate whose t-shirt declared that rather silly phrase.

It was all I could do to keep myself from tapping him on the arm and saying, "Oh, he's not your president either? I'm from Europe, where are you from?"

That statement, "Not my President," is simply indicative of the divorce such people have from reality.  When a country has a President, that person is PRESIDENT.  A President is not created or legitimized by the heart-commitment of the people, but by the votes of a majority.  When one says, "He is not my President", one either means that one is from another country (as I am), or that one is being totally ridiculous, basing a presidency on emotional loyalty. 

Saving Face is always the name of the game

Indonesia and Malaysia don't seem any friendlier these days over the disputed oil-rich land off of Kalimantan! In the first rounds of talks to move towards a resolution, both sides remained absolutely stubborn that they would not back down. 

I predict that (beyond the riches of oil on the island)  this is simply one big show of "saving face" for both nations. Neither wants to say it is acting wrongly.  Sadly, it may be that violence will end up being the deciding factor on coming to a resolution.

As of Wednesday, Indonesian and Malaysian warships continued their patrols around the disputed blocks. Indonesian Military chief Gen. Endriartono Sutarto said the military would maintain its presence there while the negotiations were underway.

What's slightly amusing is that more talks are planned for May.  Do they honestly hope that the other side will humbly step down?  In the meantime, Indonesia will complete a lighthouse it is building on the disputed land.  Indonesia claims to have legal rights to the land, but will wait 'til the next round of talks to explain these rights.  Indonesia has also politely requested Malaysia to explain its claim to Ambalat.

"Both sides have been very open and straightforward about their respective positions. We asked (Malaysia) about the basis for their argument in determining the borders,"

Wouldn't it seem (to those of us more accustomed with more logic-driven agendas in the public) that the issue of who has the legal claim to Ambalat should be the first subject of the first round of talks? 

...Indonesia is in a very interesting time in its history.  This is a nation "in transition" that is worth studying and observing, even from a distance, via the Internet.

The Softer Economist in Jakarta

On a trip yesterday, I browsed The Economist magazine during the flight. I always enjoy the magazine, for the breadth of subjects they cover.  This issue was that of March 5, 2005.

It had an article on Indonesia's recent decision to slash fuel subsidies.  This comes as one of the first actions after a long period of inaction (the tsunami and cultural holidays did slow things down in the last few months).  Yudhoyono (President) ran his campaign, promising to clean out the corruption that is inherent to Indonesia, but has done nothing to show for it.  Another concern of his was the poor.  The reduction of subsidies on various oils raised fuel prices by 30%, which has angered many. But Yudhoyono promises to direct $1 billion, from that subsidy cut, into social spending. He points out that the Indonesian government has been spending more on fuel subsidies than on education and health combined.

He is now using the media to reach the poor with the message that he is taking active steps to reform the economic system in Indonesia.  One TV commercial features a tycoon's driver explaining to fellow workers how the subsidies have been benefiting the rich, not the poor.  In truth, Yudhoyono did protect the poor in one big way with this subsidy cut. He is not allowing kerosene prices to increase. Many poor depend on kerosene for cooking and lamp light.

Indonesia still has a long ways to go, but it is refreshing to hear Yudhoyono (who interrupted his campaign to finish a doctorate in economics) draw attention to social issues in his country.  His vice-president is reportedly more focused on immediate economic matters, like increasing bank lending and improving the country's infrastructure.  If the two can continue working together, they might strike a balance that strengthens Indonesia.  Indonesia isn't doing too poorly, but some of its neighbors (like Malaysia) are experiencing greater growth.  It will be interesting to see where southeast Asia is at, 5 years from now.

I am curious to see what sorts of ideas Yudhoyono has for decreasing corruption in Indonesia.  Corruption there seems as efficient of a system as the lack of corruption works in Scandinavia.  Today's Jakarta Post reports that "stern action" is encouraged against any who are caught in corruption... hmmm... what exactly does this mean?

Also, I wonder how he will distribute the $1 billion into social spending?  I've seen some of the government's "social programs" in Indonesia, and I have only observed inefficiency and lack of training among the government workers. But perhaps he will be more observant and creative with the government's programs than Suharto ever was. He does seem to have a softer side to him, balanced by that economist degree he now has.

Indonesia, onward towards secularism

Today I marveled, as I read The Jakarta Post online, at how news has changed since the years under Suharto, when I lived there.  I remember getting the 3-days old International Herald Tribune from Singapore, with sections inked out in dark black by the Indonesian press regulators.  It used to be that Tempo would bravely express a politically opposing view, and that was the extent of the "secularism" of the press.  Nowadays, we read a very different press in Indonesia, because society is changing.  

Jakarta is considering legalizing prostitution and gambling, because it will be easier to control (think HIV, condoms, etc.) and because it will increase city revenues.  Concerns raised include the safety of children possibly involved in prostitution, and "the public in general." 

Of those fighting prostitution in their neighborhood, one district leader had a very creative, likely highly effective method for closing a local brothel:

Separately, head of Ciracas district Muhammad Iwan said that the district office had decided to convert a former brothel complex into a to dump site.

"We have cleared the complex of prostitutes nine times since January this year, but the sex workers just return again and again," he complained.

He said the conversion of the complex into a dump site was meant to deter sex worker's clients from coming to the area. 

Correspondent in Borneo toughens up again

We received news from the jungles of Borneo. The Cessna 185 lacked necessary paperwork to comply with recent Indonesian military security measures, so the river-system will be the way back interior for our sister and parents.  But the latest bureaucracy in Indonesian "security" works out for the good in this situation.  For our correspondent there, It mean taking a series of boat rides further and further into Borneo, as far as the existing "express" route will take them. Then they will have to wait for a boat from their tribe to take them home.  This is just the sort of adventure one would desire, after a desk job in an American office.  Only our correspondent's feet were complaining. Winter stockings and fancy office carpeting do nothing for toughening up the feet, but the sun, rocks and jungle paths will quickly make up for that.  Hopefully those feet will toughen up quickly, so that our sister can explore and enjoy the jungle fully.

This may be a bit of a stretch, but it reminds me of our society and of our individual lives.  Our society is seeing a general "weakening", mentally, physically and emotionally.  Mentally, we are expecting the media to entertain us, lest we be unfairly forced to think for ourselves. Physically, well, 60% of the adult population in this country is overweight. Emotionally, we are whining about stress at work and are unwilling to give up personal "rights to happiness" when a marriage is at stake. (I'm speaking in general terms of the popular culture prevalent in today's young people; there are many tremendous individuals in this country who endure hardships that I am not fit to even write about.)

As a result of our poor mental, physical and emotional stamina, we are not going to be enjoying and exploring our life's potential as fully as we could, if we were willing to toughen up.

One symptom (and cause) of this weakening is that we don't want to work anymore. The other day in the gym I overheard a young college student whine incessantly on her cell phone about having to go to work that afternoon. It struck me how ungrateful our younger generation is for our work, and how we regard it as a gross injustice whenever it is less than comfortable, while others around the world dream of having such a life of ease: time to go to the gym, time and money to go to college, a job at a cozy coffee shop, and 1200+ stores to blow the easy-earned money on. 

Ah, America. Everything has to be comfortable and custom-made to fit your preferences. This is both the strength and the Achilles' heel of this nation.

We're seeing a similar down-turn in a work ethic since years in urban Europe as well: shorter work weeks, more paid vacations, etc. etc.  Where is the incentive to work? Where is the honor of a work rewarded?  I, being European, must say I don't see a healthy future for Europe.  What I see is an ever increasingly obese European youth, following the American model of "more" is better. 

Somehow we need to start valuing challenges and suffering again.  Only once we're strengthened by them can we be more useful to others, whether physically, mentally or emotionally.

Sadly, popular culture is not alone in where it is headed. The Western Christian church is usually only 2 steps behind the rest of the world in its passions and inclinations. And so we rightly earn the accusation of "hypocrites."

John Piper pointed at our church-going young generation in one of his messages and said :

So I ask all of you now: are you going to throw your life away with the rest of the world by striving to minimize your suffering and maximize your comforts in this life? Are you going to work for the bread that perishes? Build bigger barns? Lay up treasures on earth? Strive for the praise of man?

Or will you see in Christ crucified and risen, bearing the sins of his people—will you see in this God-Man the all-satisfying treasure of your life? Will you say with Paul, “To live is Christ and to die is gain . . . I count everything as loss for the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord”?

If your generation buys into the American mindset of preserving comfort and safety and security and ease, you will be passed over, and God will get his work done another way. And over your generation—as over much of mine—will be written “Fool! Whose will these things be?” And the tragic word: “Wasted!”

For those who value God's hand in our lives, ponder 2 Corinthians 12:9-10:

He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Repressing hunger in the bugs, but what about the hungry people?

I think this article speaks for itself... (see below)

If all we knew of NK was from its news sources, we'd all be clamoring to move there! The liberals might even forgo Canada and head straight to the DPRK instead! As it is, most North Koreans would rather move out...

    Pyongyang, March 3 (KCNA) -- Scientists of the Koryo Biological Medicine Center of the Branch Academy of Biology under the Academy of Sciences of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea have developed a new Koryo biological agricultural medicine. "Myongrok"-branded natural organic medicine is made in proper combination of extracts from some medicinal herbs with nourishing and activating materials and additives by the method of manufacturing traditional Koryo medicines.
    It kills harmful insects of rice and other crops, fruit trees and vegetables including rice stem borer, defoliator, Leucania selarata, Aphididae and caterpillar.
    Even though it is diluted to the point that it is unable to kill harmful insects directly, it can reduce their appetite more than a half to repress their growth. 
    It is hard for the insects to be immune from Myongrok. It, with a long period of medicinal value, gives no harmful effect to human body, fish, livestock and crops.
    If seed is treated with Myongrok, it promotes sprouting and root growth, activates photosynthesis and thus shortens the period of crop growth. The medicine also makes crops and vegetables resist unfavorable weather conditions.
    According to Yu Son Ok, a section chief of the center and one of the developers, last year Myongrok was applied to more than 30,000 hectares of rice fields of many co-op farms including those in Hwangju County, North Hwanghae Province. It remarkably reduced damage from harmful insects and raised the grain output.

Pharma Propaganda: Pfizer, Lilly and North Korea

Great news, just in from the Korean Central News Agency of the DPRK! The latest, most promising drug on the market.  Really, who needs Pfizer, Lilly and the others any more, when we could save millions, perhaps billions of $$ by obtaining superior medications from the DPRK!?  Maybe they will be key in developing life-saving drugs for the developing world, while Big Pharma continues on its self-destructing path of re-marketing old drugs and creating new disorders for us to be diagnosed with.  ...But back to North Korea's latest phenomenon:

Pyongyang, March 9 (KCNA) -- The Branch Academy of Biology under the Academy of Sciences in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea has developed a new kind of medicine for hepatitis. Made by the traditional method of Koryo Medicine and after over twenty years of research based on modern science, it is very efficacious for acute and chronic hepatitis, cholestatic hepatocirrhosis, cholecystitis, cholelithiasis, alcoholic and toxic hepatopathy as well as acute and chronic gastritis.
    It was proved through clinical experiments by many hospitals in Pyongyang and local areas including the hospital attached to Pyongyang University of Medicine that more than 90 percent of patients were recovered from hepatitis in some twenty days in case of acute hepatitis and in thirty days in case of chronic.
    Researchers say the tablet has a great detoxification power.
    The result of its application to those patients who could hardly stop drinking shows that its effect is little different from that on those who did not drink.
    A pill of this medicine taken after a drink neutralizes alcohol regardless of its amount. With this medicine 10-20 days are enough for a long-tern indigeston.
    With no side-effect, it is good for the protection of the liver and stomach.
    The medicine obtained a state patent in Juche 93 (2004).

Pfizer, are you listening? Sounds like they have some excellent products! Or perhaps they're even better at propaganda than you!?

Choose your News wisely

In this, the most liberal of all institutions I've ever attended, we are not to mention Fox News, nor President Bush (unless in a very derogatory way), nor anything the hints of personal responsibility and discipline (because, remember, it's the evil system's fault, and you are a victim of the conservatives).

In an examination of the news this week, classmates looked at the major TV  channels to find how much international news is covered.  They were disappointed that only BBC did a decent job, while CNN could've done better, and the local stations simply did not report anything international except a public pillow-fight in Israel.

I asked if anyone had looked at Fox News (I would've, had we a TV, but we don't). My classmates and professor looked at me in visible horror. One even shuddered and made a dramatic gesture with her hands as though I had just described a grotesque scene all too vividly.

Somewhere in the discussion of media, I reported on the LA Times' rather disgusting article "North Korea without the Rancor."  Read it and marvel at the propaganda being spread through American media in service to the Dear Leader. No mention of the gulag, of the abuses, of North Korea's failure to keep its promises.  Instead, the article implies that the USA has been unduly harsh on the hermit kingdom that it is feeding. Anyways, no one seemed to care.

The discussion continued onto other topics ---like the USA's decision to send John Bolton to the UN.  I had just heard (on Fox News, radio) how Bolton will make an excellent representative to the UN, because he will not be afraid to challenge the corruption there.  However, my classmates had only heard that it was a terrible, terrible, terrible idea to send a man to the UN who had (unthinkably) criticized the UN in the past!!!  (Oh NO! He has criticized the UN? Who in his right mind would do such a thing!)

My only observation to them was,

"Hmm, it's rather interesting that you would have that view. It just shows how we are influenced by the news we hear. Actually, this will be good to have Bolton in there. You know as well as I do that any organization is strengthened by a healthy amount of criticism. The UN has a history of corruption, and needs some fresh voices in it, to challenge it to stay its course. We don't want to simply come crawling on our hands and knees back to this organization. We want to be an active part of it.  My own father started out as an idealistic UN worker, but left after barely 2 years on account of the widespread corruption he saw in it.  The UN can only stand to gain from Bolton in it."

I wish John Bolton wouldn't bother going to the UN, but come to the UMN, where we need some fresh air of healthy criticism.

International Currencies, Territorial Disputes and MN bus rides

[Our tumbleweed has tumbled into the jungles of SEA, where Internet access will be severely limited. Her brother and I will be the visiting bloggers for a while...] Today I received an email (cc:ed) from the head of a company I recently worked for, containing a news excerpt from Indonesia's Jakarta Post on protests over the ongoing territorial dispute off the Sulawesi coast. The news piece was followed by a question about selling the company's US Dollars and buying up cheap Indonesian Rupiah for the time being. It said, "Should we sell all US$? The Rupiah is weak." It's a clear and interesting example of how international companies scan the news horizons for any easy short-cuts to increasing their cash flow.

Vast the linkages across economies and societies in today's world, and immense the differences of concerns at varying economic levels.  It seems that these Muslim students in Java are quite in earnest (they're willing to start a war), though I cannot imagine how they would be affected by any change in the governance of the disputed piece of land. I suspect that they have a few radical leaders who gleefully stir up passions among their young follower. A pity, really. These students have more immediate issues that they could become radical about.

There's winners and losers in every situation. Sometimes the winners are far from the scene of the fight; an international company, operating in South America, Europe and Asia, is benefitting from all the ruckus between Indo and Malaysia. The company can play with the consequences of the dispute from a safe distance to increase its cash flow, with absolutely no involvement in the dispute.

Sadly, sometimes the losers can be entirely separated from the issue as well. My husband and I often speak in Bahasa Indonesia while we're on the bus, to keep our conversations more private. Through this, we've met a Malaysian and an Indonesian. The Malaysian young man has become a good acquaintance --we laugh and talk on the way to school in Bahasa. But this morning he was far less friendly than normally. And the Indonesian who rode with us today was quite chilly when we asked if he knew our Malaysian acquaintaince. He said quite rudely, "No, I have nothing to do with Malaysians." and got off at the next stop. We never even got his name. We wondered if we had said anything to offend him... or could it be that this anti-Malaysian attitude is worse than we think?

Anti-Malaysian protests continue

JAKARTA (Antara): Hundreds of people staged Anti-Malaysian protests across the country on Tuesday with a burning of Malaysian flags in Makassar, South Sulawesi, to protest a territorial dispute off the Sulawesi coast. In front a house used as a registration for migrant workers in Makassar, protesters burned four Malaysian flags to protest Malaysian's claim over the Ambalat area in Sulawesi sea.

In Jakarta, hundreds of people, some supporters of the Islamic-based United Development Party, staged a rally in front of the Malaysian Embassy.

In Jember, East Java, dozens of students grouped under the Islamic Student Movement, also conducted a rally, urging to be ready to make war if the negotiations with Malaysia failed. (*)

Lullaby on NWA, Asian Politics, and Singapore Airport

I'm typing in front of a waterfall surrounded by orchids and tropical plants, and the Internet is free.  Doesn't get much better than this.  So where is this wonderful place?  Singapore Airport.  The most beautiful airport in the world, I think.  I just saw some kue lapis (layered cake) as I was on my way over here so I'm heading over there next.  The only thing that has put a damper on my trip so far is the weight of my carry-ons.  Surprise.  I'm guessing my carry-on is over weight.  The bruises on my legs and arms and the fact that I can barely lift it up into the overhead compartment are my clues.  And I think only I would call my purse a purse and not another carry-on.  It's so heavy my sternum aches from the strap.  But it's extremely hard to be prepared for every and any possibility and still pack light.  In Tokyo (a surprise stop for me since it wasn't mentioned on my ticket or itinerary), they searched my bags as I was headed into the plane.  The lady spoke about five words of English and looked very flustered as she was trying to do a thorough job on my bags.  She eventually gave up. lol  But guess what - they now let you bring tweezers on the plane.  Boy is security getting lax.

I sat next to an electrical engineer from Singapore on the second half of the long stretch from Portland to Singapore.  I was asking him about the political situation in this part of the world.  He told me that he thinks that the reason Singapore has less trouble with corruption is due to it's very strict laws that are enforced and the fact that they pay their elected officials very well.  They are paid very well for the work they do, which is key.  Their government job is not all they do; they have regular jobs.  Therefore, since it is more like service instead of their sole source of income, they are less likely to squeeze every last penny from their position and the opportunities it affords.  It was an interesting conversation.

Sadly, after talking politics, there was no one to sing me to sleep like there was on the way to Japan.  This old Japanese man sat in front of me on that leg of the flight singing along with the songs on the new entertainment center in the plane.  Everyone would be falling asleep, when all of a sudden there would be loud burst of song.  Not quite the soothing lullaby, but at least, he didn't have the worst voice in the world. Unfortunately, we had to say goodbye to him in Japan.

I did learn that we give and get when it comes to salad dressing.  When I was opening my salad dressing packet for dinner, the dressing shot forward from the pressure decorating the chair in front of me, and when the guy next to me opened his at the next meal, I got spots, on my shirt, jeans and blanket.  Thankfully, I like ranch.  Unfortunately, my shirt doesn't.