Not That I’d Go To Puncak, Either

Imagine rolling hillsides side-by-side with tea plantations, encircled by really big, posh houses, all empty. Imagine virtually only one major road connecting that area to the city, and imagine it only being filled with people on the weekends – with their cars of course, creating weekly traffic jams that aren’t even news anymore.Done imagining? Yep, it’s Puncak. These hillsides, which are naturally supposed to be water catchment areas, are instead filled with big, empty houses owned by really rich people, and are usually empty during the week and rented out during the weekend. Talk about the needs of the few going above the needs of the many – the burst of villas in the 1980s in the Puncak area has caused unchecked development, and, yes, eventually, more water coming down the rivers to flood Jakarta because it is not absorbed enough by the plants that are still there.So a 20-year overdue crackdown on these villas is coming. When? We don’t know yet, as finally the authorities have the smarts to not reveal the schedule. Well, at least something is being done.

Jaga Jarak

… truk yang ‘anti cinta’ ini sebentar lagi hancur berantakan.

Not That I’d Go To Tangerang Anyway

The Tangerang government is holding weekly searches to hotels in the town area in search of ‘adulterers’, alcohol and ‘illegal prostitution’. Oh, is there ‘legal prostitution’?Anyway.Many non-married couples were caught in non-star hotels, registered before being sent home, and the hotels were also searched for alcoholic drinks, as part of the enforcement of 2005 bylaws banning adultery, premarital sex and alcohol. Bear in mind that these same bylaws practically forbid female citizens to walk alone at night in fear of suspicion of prostitution.A city public order agency official states that these actions are to avoid Tangerang becoming into a city of prostitution and alcoholic beverage sales, keeping in line with the city’s motto, “good morals”.Well, I’m no advocate of alcohol or premarital sex, but seriously, aren’t there more serious issues to handle? Like, real crime?

Bang Foke: Stay Away From My Taxes

The governer, in an applausable move, has rejected the lowering of automotive taxes proposed by the Finance Industry and Jakarta Revenue Agency. Why yes, it will remain a very big burden to motor vehicle owners, but see what happens when the tax is lowered:

• lower taxes means more people will buy cars or motorcycles.
• more cars and motorcycles equals worse traffic jams!
• more traffic jams actually hurt the economy more than it will impact the supposed revenue that comes from the increase of peope buying cars or motorcycles.

Note that the taxes have not been raised either. So Bang Foke has basically stated that “this is my call, not yours” to those agencies, and further pointing out that if we want to have a stimulus package for the industry, it shouldn’t be by cutting revenue here and there – it should be one that actually creates jobs.Let me take that point a bit further – reviving the economy doesn’t mean selling more cars *winking at Gaikindo*, but it means making sure the people have enough money to spend. And for that to happen, it shouldn’t be just considering one industry out of the thousands available in Jakarta.Maybe Gaikindo can take a hint from the telco operators, where they are actually decreasing their prices, but making money elsewhere from the same subscribers.

Four Prisoners Escape Jail – Walking Out The Door

Four prisoners escaped from the Ciracas detention center last Friday, and walking out of the centre, walking, out unlocked doors and gates. Even when other prisoners shouted, trying to get attention of the security guards – doing who knows what – the security guards didn’t budge.Erm, what’s the point to a jail where all the doors and gates are unlocked?

I peed at Tabac, and I didn???t buy anything.

I used to love Tabac Kemang. Until tonight.Sure, some friends like to say “what’s so great about that place? It’s bloody expensive, pretentious, and the crowd is not even that flattering”Well, I felt differently. I went there occasionally. As a meeting point to meet friends, or as the final destination after a fun night of club hopping.I had fun memories there. From doing a split just to amuse my friends after a few glass of beers (see pic below), or simply having a fun night out for winding myself down after a stressful day at work.Read the rest of Chibialfa’s entry here. Believe me, it’s appaling!

We’ll Always Have Paris

Paris = Pariaman City??

Rawr!

Prabowo does his Trio Macan impression.
Original article here, on the Jakarta Globe.

Presiden Bukan Pesulap, Lho!

Jadi, ada sekelompok orang sedang menjalankan sebuah citizen lawsuit, terhadap SBY-JK, karena mereka dianggap tidak merealisasikan janji kampanye untuk mengurangi kemiskinan dan pengangguran.

Gue nggak ngebelain SBY-JK ya, cuma buat gue agak aneh. Setau gue, presiden bukan pesulap. Dia tuh orang yang kerjaannya harus ngatur-ngaturin orang (yang banyak juga nggak mau diatur) supaya rakyat satu negara bisa minimal hidup berbarengan. Ga usah makin sejahtera, ga usah hidup tenang, ga usahlah – hidup berbarengan aja susah, mana pake ada grup-grup yang maunya berantem melulu.

Lagian udah tau ekonomi lagi kacrut seluruh dunia – maunya Indonesia ga kacrut sendiri? Plis deh. Ntar ada argumen bahwa ‘kalo presidennya bener kerjanya, mestinya negaranya ga kacrut2 amat kok’. Yeah well gini. Lagi-lagi gue ga ngebelain SBY-JK, mereka ada positif dan negatif lah. Tapi ga tergantung mereka doang dong nasib negara kita, tergantung kita-kita juga lah.

Gugatan ini mirip dengan class-action lawsuit yang pernah diajukan oleh seseorang yang mengaku mewakili ‘generasi muda Indonesia’ terhadap semua perusahaan rokok se-Indonesia, dengan gugatan ‘merusak kesehatan generasi muda Indonesia’ dengan nilai ganti rugi Rp 1 bilyun. NGGAK PENTING.

Ini secara prinsip sama dengan satu hal lain… kalo pengen Jakarta bersih, jangan marah-marah ke pemerintah Jakarta doang, ya kitanya juga buang sampah yang bener! Tu puntung rokok jangan dibuang di mana aja terserah, dan melempar sampah keluar jendela mobil juga ga nyelesaiin apa-apa.

Presiden bukan pesulap yang bisa tiba-tiba membuat semua masalah menghilang, tapi kita pun harus berusaha – dengan skala kita masing-masing – untuk berusaha membuat Indonesia lebih baik.

The Other 50% Is Sick Of Work

In a study that is totally serious and totally not funny, experts say that 50% of professional workers that work in office buildings suffer from “sick building syndrome”, due to various toxic chemicals inside the buildings, and other factors.Working from home is looking more and more attractive…