Friday, November 28, 2008

Roy Suryo Melaporkan Ahmad Dhani Ke Polisi

Yep, you read the title right.
Gara-garanya, menurut pakar telematika tersebut, Ahmad Dhani melanggar undang-undang tahun sekian tentang penggunaan bendera, karena dalam videoklip Dewa 19 ada satu adegan logo Dewa 19 dengan latar bendera merah putih. Harusnya bendera merah putih nggak boleh ada tambahan sulaman, coretan atau tanda lain, berdasarkan undang-undang tersebut. Bapak Roy Suryo bahkan bawa barang bukti berupa videoklip.

Nah, gue punya pertanyaan nih.
kenapa Ahmad Dhani doang yang dilaporkan? Kan Dewa 19 ada 5 orang tuh.
terus, bukannya labelnya, EMI Music, yang bertanggung jawab atas produksi video?
dan, emang pertama kali bendera merah putih dipakai sebagai latar sesuatu? pasti udah banyak pelanggaran yang lain dong, nggak mau dilaporin juga?
Katanya ini bentuk tanggung jawab sebagai warga negara - ok deeeh.

Kok menurut gue banyak hal yang lebih penting yang bisa diurusin ya? Kalau memang pakar telematika, coba pikirin gimana caranya lebih banyak orang melek internet. Mungkin masyarakat butuh lebih banyak daripada sekedar klarifikasi keaslian foto porno artis.

Gue merasa tanggung jawab gue sebagai warga negara yang baik adalah membangun negara, minimal dari sekitar kita. Minimal mencerdaskan masyarakat, bukan memperbodoh. Telematika itu ilmu yang cukup luas dan aplikatif kan.

Oh, kalau gue nulis gini bisa kena tuntutan pencemaran nama baik ya? Nggak mencemarkan nama baik kok - cuma mempertanyakan tindakan orang. Boleh dong.

Thursday, November 27, 2008

What Do You Think?

How would you feel if suddenly you know how someone really thinks about you after years of thinking otherwise? And apparently it's far worse than you ever imagined.

Wouldn't you feel... worthless?

Saturday, November 22, 2008

I Wonder What Else Can't Be Seen And Thus Not A Problem

Remember this post?

The MUI has mentioned that they will not deem yoga 'haram' for Muslims in Indonesia. MUI leaders have said that 'if Malaysia enacts it, it doesn't mean we have to enact it', and that 'Indonesia does not have to enact it since Indian influence is weaker in Indonesia compared to Malaysia. They add 'There are only Indian influences in dangdut, nothing more' for effect.

Why isn't a ban needed? They say, no Muslims do it here. If there are, it can't be seen, so it's not a problem.

Okay man.

Pemerintah Ingin Melacak Penderita HIV/AIDS dengan menanam RFID

Pemerintah Papua sedang mempersiapkan sebuah peraturan daerah yang akan menanam microchip ke dalam tubuh para penderita HIV/AIDS.

Katanya, supaya dapat melacak kelakuan pengidap HIV/AIDS yang 'agresif' yang dalam artian ini 'selalu mencari hubungan seks', dan 'ini untuk menghargai hak asasi orang yang sehat/belum mengidap AIDS'.

Memang katanya ini bagian dari kumpulan perda yang lebih besar... tapi.... emangnya ternak ya? Ternak di Indonesia aja belum ditanam RFID.

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Isn't It Sad

In this article, our Marines, the front line of defense of our country, are using weapons as old as the Marines themselves - with a lot of the transport vehicles, air support equipment and so on produced in the USSR in the 1960s.

Also, a majority of the budget for the Navy goes out to payrolls, thus limiting the amount of actual money they can spend for acquiring new equipment. I'm not going to question the payroll - if needed, the armed forces (and the police) should really, really get better pay. But isn't it sad that our armed forces can't buy new toys, in the century where unmanned combat is projected to rise?

Oh well, I guess the money is going somewhere else. I hope it's something like education or civil services, not bailing out big companies.

Sunday, November 16, 2008

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Feeling's Not Mutual

We, Sas and me, are a bit sad, but over nothing significant, actually. It's just a feeling we have. What should we feel if people you feel are close to you, apparently do not feel the same way about you? Don't think we did anything wrong, and we have never been less supportive.

I shouldn't even be thinking this, it's not that important. But what are we if not defined by the people we love?

Monday, November 10, 2008

The Morning After

One more great, yet popularly underrated band from Indonesia, coming from Malang. I really, really recommend getting the album. And get the original, kids, don't get a pirated one. Really.

Thursday, November 6, 2008

I'm Glad

My ego is hurt a bit because apparently my previous post did not rouse many people into thought or action - but I'm glad that at the same time, the victory of Barack Obama has instilled hope for a better world in many people, myself included. 

As it is a joint effort, as I pointed out in my previous post, I shouldn't be worrying about my ego so much, should I?

One man (or woman) CAN make a difference. The more people there are to make a difference, the larger the change felt.

The future of our nation depends on YOU.

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

So Obama Wins, Yeay - A Blog Post Not About Obama

Despite the sarcasm of the title, personally I am thrilled that Americans went out and voted for significant change, busting through layers of apathy and complacency. It will be an interesting 4 years ahead for the US, and I do think he's the right man for the job.

But how does it affect us, I ask again?

Reading through Obama's victory speech, it seemed to me that the general problems afflicting the US are almost the same around the world, including Indonesia. But how do we deal with it?

A lot of us take for granted - young and old - that Indonesia was founded with the blood and tears of the 1945 generation. We did not have it handed to us on a gold platter, we did not inherit just about anything from our former colonizers, save for a few buildings, but we pushed on and kept it real, and now, 60 plus years later, Indonesia is the country with the world's largest Muslim population but uniquely not a Muslim state (and will stay that way if I can help it), the largest producer of various produce in the world, and many other things that we should be proud of but I do not know because of my ignorance.

Referring back to the speech - I realise that many things that Obama tries to rouse in the average American, seems fitting to be roused in your average Indonesian as well. It's about time for Indonesia to feel a new wave of patriotism - ask yourself, do you love your country? I think many would say, the country has done nothing for you but make life harder. Shall I remind you of JFK's favorite quote is?

Do we even remember our country's history? Did you know that the Republic of Indonesia only received international recognition in 1949, and not after the Proclamation of Independence? So after 1945, we still had to fight for 4 long years, fighting off the Dutch and various insurgent groups until we were truly a sovereign nation.

We are all so engulfed with our daily lives, problems, bills, enemies, sinetrons - that we forgot why it is all for. Our politicians are so concerned with pornography that they do not think about welfare. Political parties sprout up right and left, differing ever so slightly in ideologies - and in egos, as well - while the average man on the street can't even tell them apart and doesn't care. And then there's people like me who just babble on and on via blogs and other chatter, but do not do anything about it. The bus driver who breaks traffic laws here and there, because he just doesn't give a damn - nobody else does, and we have no hope of it changing. 

We have become a nation of complaining and apathy. 

Ask yourself again, do you care? I think I care. And I want to do something about it beyond just blogging about it. I urge every one of you - whoever reads this blog - to write something on their blog about nationalism, patriotism, Indonesia, or... well, you get the idea. Make our voices heard - if not through the ballot box, then at least let it be through the internet. Find out who you should vote for president next year - I know who I'm voting for, and the campaign hasn't really started yet.

The US is lucky to find one person in Barack Obama that seems to inspire millions - I really think Indonesia lacks this one figure. But that shouldn't stop change in Indonesia, should it? If each and every one of us just starts caring, and throw away the apathy that held tight to us all these years, I am sure we can make our own change. 

Forget caring about the politics - we still have a few months until we really have to vote. But start caring about each other. Really. It sounds simple but is, in fact, difficult. Difficult for those of us born in a time where events speed by, money is always less than you need, and the more aggresive of us just simply push for advantage whatever the cost - like the melamin-laced milk in China. 

Would melamin found in milk ever be found if the factories producing it cared more for people's well being, instead of profits? What about the people who cooked stale meat and sold it? Oh, how about those fake eggs made from chemicals? And here's the kicker - what about the people who skimmed off other people's money to buy their 4th house?

Now, do you know how a simple smile from a stranger can help somebody's day? How being nice and curteous can affect people positively? How thinking about we can help you along much faster than thinking about me? And it doesn't stop with people - declining to use the plastic bag every now and then to purchase something small, which can actually fit in your bag, can make a big difference; as long as enough people do it all over the years. If you like shoes, make sure your older, never-worn-again shoes go to some charity, or even your housemaid. 

I CARE! I care because I believe every word I write while writing this blog post. I am hoping I am not in the minority here. I care enough to write something about it, which you should be feeling too. I know I'm not alone, but so many of us are born into apathy - come on, let's go, let's kill that fucker together.

Let's override the self-interested jerks ruling the politics and make our own voice - for knowing a problem is the first step to overcome it. Look at the big picture guys! I really think pornography is the least of our problems - we know it, so let's do something about it. 

I don't want to talk anymore about the stupid porn bill; let's leave it at that. The bill itself demonstrates how out of touch the people who claim to be our representatives are, with actual reality. We know what reality is - at the least, we know what reality is for us and the people around us, so let's just work on that area. We're not highly-funded political people so let's start small. It will be enough, let's not go over our heads. Care more for those around you, and with time, effort, and 200 million people later, our country will be better, with or without ridiculous politics. But it starts with you.

Believe me, the more you write about this the more liberated you feel, so I encourage you to start writing, now! 

We have to fight our own apathy. NOW. We have to start to CARE.

Yes, we can. And yes, we care.

Monday, November 3, 2008

Midnight Thought

No matter how hard you try to do good, somehow you are always judged by what you have done wrong.

Sunday, November 2, 2008

Less Yoga Makes You Less Flexible

Malaysia's National Fatwa Council, something like the MUI here in Indonesia, has ruled that Muslims will be barred from practising and spreading yoga.

Through its intentions, even the much-debated Anti-Porn Bill has logic in it. The fatwa to be issues above shows how arcane the rules can be.

The fear is that those who practice yoga may deviate from Muslim teachings. Seeing that yoga comes from Hindu roots, that must be what they are talking about, because I can't figure out why. Never mind the proven benefits for health, how widespread yoga is around the world, in various countries of faith, or how general yoga has become that the Hindu part almost has no relevance.

I'm sure the kyais feel that nowadays, many Muslims are not good practitioners of their faith, and thus they try to create fences to keep everybody in line and return to the true path of Islam. But wouldn't it be better to inspire rather than repress? Why isn't there anybody showing us how to live as proper Muslims in the 21st century? Surely being a good Muslim has more to it than wearing a headscarf and Friday prayer.

And it certainly doesn't have anything to do with doing yoga or not.

Best Of Both Worlds

Every now and then, when the contents of my wallet allow it, I and Saski like to go out and eat sushi at Sushi Nobu. And whenever I'm there, this is what I always order:



This is the Kalimantan Roll... well, what's left of it. I'm not too sure of the exact ingredients, but I'm pretty sure it's fish, some vegetables, and the total kicker: chilli. The small ones, the cabe rawit ones, that usually burn off your tounge but leaves you wanting more. Dip the roll into wasabi-filled soya sauce, and you'll know that torture for your tounge has never been so exquisite!
If you like spicy food, try it out! I always order this, and almost never any other dish.