This Thread for anything unnecessary (NGGAK PENTING) but it's fun to be read as refresher

George Bush and John Kerry, 10th cousins! Bush related to ALL the other presidents. Bush, Kerry and their running mates descend directly from the prophet Mohammed, as do about 70% of all Americans! John Edwards more closely related to Elvis than his cousins Bush, Kerry, and Cheney. And thousands of other fascinating relationships with kings, queens, horse thieves, and just plain folk.

ALEXANDER, NC (PRWEB) September 5, 2004 -- Alexander Books a publishing imprint of Creativity, Inc.—Western North Carolina’s largest locally owned book publisher—announces the national release of Bush/Kerry and Their OTHER Cousins! by Ralph Roberts.

“Humanity,” Roberts says, “is a lot more closely related than most people realize.”

If you were to trace your own ancestry back a mere 20 generations, he explains, you’ll find that you have (and everyone has) 1,048,576 20th great grandparents, spread out over a wide geographic area, through many countries and over several continents. That would be people living around the 1400s for most of us now alive. Follow the lines of their children, their childrens’ children, and so forth back to this present time and you have tens of millions of cousins!

He calls this concept Full Genealogy, as opposed to traditional genealogy, which tends to focus on just ancestors, and thus misses the fascinating branches coming back up from the past.

Roberts, in his book, shows how using the vast family tree records now on the Internet, you can prove just about anybody related to anybody, but even he was surprised at how closely related Bush and Kerry are.

It’s easy for anyone, to do, he says. “You can proudly show your lineage from the Emperor Charlemagne and descent from a thousand years of kings and queens, knights and barons, dukes, and counts.”

One chapter in Bush/Kerry and Their OTHER Cousins! shows how about 70 percent of all Americans descend directly from the Prophet Mohammed. This means that any of the many millions of Arabs living today across North Africa, in Saudi Arabia, yes even in Iraq are no more distantly related to most of us than somewhere around 40th cousin! Bush and Kerry are both about 40th great-grandsons of the Prophet, as is documented in this book.

Take current events, for example, such as the recent conflict in the city of Najaf in Iraq, where the Islamic fundamentalist cleric Al-Sadar had taken over the Iman Ali mosque—Ali being the founder of the Sh’ite branch of Islam. Ali married Mohammed’s (or Muhammad’s) daughter Fatima, but he was also the son of Mohammed’s uncle, Abu Tabid. Which makes him the 1st cousin 40 times removed of both George Bush and John Kerry, not to mention being their great-uncle by marriage as well (38th of Bush, 37th of Kerry).

Ralph Roberts is the author of over 90 books for national publishers, including two editions of Genealogy via the Internet, the leading guide to Full Genealogy.

Bush/Kerry and Their OTHER Cousins! (Alexander Books, ISBN 1-57090-237-2, 160 pages, 6 x 9inches, trade paper, illustrated) is available through most bookstores for $12.00. To find your closest store, call the publisher at 1-800-472-0438, or send an inquiry via e-mail to orders@abooks.com.
Alexander Books (abooks.com) is a division of Creativity, Inc. Located five miles from Asheville in Alexander, North Carolina, Creativity has already published hundreds of books nationally under the imprints of Alexander Books, Blue/Gray Books, Elephant Books, Farthest Star Science Fiction, Land of the Sky Books, Mountain Church, and WorldCommÒ. As aBOOKS Distributing, the company also distributes the books of more than 60 other publishers. Ralph Roberts is CEO.

* Editors: Review copies are available with request on letterhead. Fax to 1-828-255-8719 *


http://www.prweb.com/releases/2004/9/prweb155114.htm

cheers

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Dutch farmers have devised a hot and spicy way to stop rabbits and rodents munching their lettuce, carrots and wheat.

Spraying fields with the American sauce Tabasco sends the rabbits "three feet in the air" with shock and running for cover, said a spokesman for a local agriculture cooperative.

The Dutch animal protection society is happy with the spicy repellent, unworried by the possibility of burnt bunny mouths.

"Preventive measures are exactly what we want. It's better than going into the fields with a shotgun," said animal welfare spokesman Niels Doorlandt on Thursday.

The farmers will now try to make Tabasco an officially recognised pesticide for subsidised use on a larger scale. At least five small supermarket-sized bottles of the spicy sauce are needed for spraying 1 hectare (2.5 acres) of crops.

Although rain washes the Tabasco off, the crops are only sprayed in the first phases of growth to spare the taste buds of human consumers.


is this gonna solve problem with our agricultural?

cheers

1. I can see your point, but I still think you're full of shit.
2. I don't know what your problem is, but I'll bet it's hard to pronounce.
3. How about never? Is never good for you?
4. I see you've set aside this special time to humiliate yourself in public.
5. I'm really easy to get along with once you people learn to see it my way.
6. I'll try being nicer if you'll try being smarter.
7. I'm out of my mind, but feel free to leave a message...
8. I don't work here. I'm a consultant.
9. It sounds like English, but I can't understand a word you're saying.
10. Ahhh... I see the screw-up fairy has visited us again...
11. I like you. You remind me of when I was young and stupid.
12. You are validating my inherent mistrust of strangers.
13. I have plenty of talent and vision. I just don't give a damn.
14. I'm already visualizing the duct tape over your mouth.
15. I will always cherish the initial misconceptions I had about you.
16. Thank you. We're all refreshed and challenged by your unique point of view.
17. The fact that no one understands you doesn't mean you're an artist.
18. Any connection between your reality and mine is purely coincidental.
19. What am I? Flypaper for freaks!?
20. I'm not being rude. You're just insignificant.
21. It's a thankless job, but I've got a lot of Karma to burn off.
22. Yes, I am an agent of Satan, but my duties are largely ceremonial.
23. And your crybaby whiny-butt opinion would be...?
24. Do I look like a people person?
25. This isn't an office. It's Hell with fluorescent lighting.
26. I started out with nothing & still have most of it left.
27. Sarcasm is just one more service we offer.
28. If I throw a stick, will you leave?
29. Errors have been made. Others will be blamed.
30. Whatever kind of look you were going for, you missed.
31. I'm trying to imagine you with a personality.
32. A cubicle is just a padded cell without a door.
33. Can I trade this job for what's behind door #1?
34. Too many freaks, not enough circuses.
35. Nice perfume. Must you marinate in it?
36. Chaos, panic and disorder - my work here is done.
37. How do I set a laser printer to stun?
38. I thought I wanted a career, turns out I just wanted paychecks.

ahhaha.. this is a superb thread.. well done kikitielman

Claim: President George W. Bush has been nominated to receive the Nobel Peace Prize.
Status: True.




Well, it seems that GWB has just been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. Further comment and editorial evaluation would be premature, but it's interesting, IMO.



Origins: Despite
a rumor that circulated late in 2001, President Bush wasn't amongst the nominees for the 2001 prize (which was awarded to the United Nations and its Secretary-General, Kofi Annan): The deadline for Peace Prize nominations is February 1, and Bush wasn't sworn in as president until January 20. For President Bush (or anyone else) to have produced accomplishments worthy of Nobel Prize recognition after a mere eleven days in office would have been a truly astounding feat indeed.

In February 2002, however, reports began circulating that members of the Norwegian Nobel committee had let it slip that George W. Bush was among the persons (along with British Prime Minister Tony Blair and former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani) being considered for the 2002 Peace Prize. The Reuters news agency noted, however:


Neither Bush nor Blair is likely to win. Bishop Gunnar Staalsett, a member of the secretive five-member Nobel committee which elects the winner, has spoken out against the U.S.-led and British-backed strikes on Afghanistan.
President Bush was reportedly one of 156 candidates considered for the 2002 Peace Prize, which was awarded in October 2002 to former President Jimmy Carter.

http://travel.discovery.com/fansites/worldsbest/slideshows/bathrooms/bathrooms.html

the show was on a couple months ago in Western Australia, so i think it would be good to know how can you detremine the best???

cheers

September 15, 2004
PFIZER is running a newspaper advertisement for erections in which a cackling, middle-aged woman appears to be getting frisky with a mutant jungle animal.

It's really quite disturbing. Up the top is a line reading "welcome back tiger". Down the bottom is some small print about which treatments offer "the best quality erection". And in the middle is the happy couple: She, with her beige leisure suit and fixed screech. Him, with his lime green shirt, immaculate manicure and tiger's head.

Did I happen to mention it's really quite disturbing?

Sexual dysfunction is a sensitive topic and the last thing a 290kg mutant carnivore with performance anxiety needs is more pointing and staring. But what the hell was Pfizer thinking?

It's bad enough if your partner can't get it together in the boudoir. Things are hardly going to improve if he suddenly starts sprouting a black and gold pelage and 8cm canines. Quite frankly, I'd be inclined to ask Pfizer for my money back (or at least for a regular supply of raw deer, pig and cattle flesh).

Then there's the question of whether Panthera tigris is really the most appropriate model for human sexuality.

According to one website devoted to tiger mating habits, males of the species are unfaithful pedophiles whose flirtation rituals involve domestic violence and spraying large quantities of anal gland excretions and urine.

Copulation occurs up to 50 times a day for five to six days, which sounds right up Pfizer's alley until you read the fine print and discover that the length of each episode is a blink-and-you'd-miss-it 15 to 30 seconds. Other downsides include the penis spines and the potentially fatal love bites.

Based on this information, I would not be inclined to welcome back tiger so much as drive him from my premises with a large, electrified prod. At least until mating season was over.

If Pfizer insists on getting all anthropomorphic and making references to animals' sex lives, at least it should do some research first. That way it will know to avoid breeds such as:

The red-back spider. Don't be fooled by the Kama Sutra techniques of the male of this species. Sure, they can perform mid-sex somersaults using their genitals as pivot points. But this is just to help them fling their bodies on to their girlfriend's fangs so she can chow down on them after the deed. Give them full points for effort (and the post-snuggle snack) but the cannibalism factor is likely to leave most young lovers cold.

The false spider mite. This all-female species has no need for male partners, no need for sex and therefore very little need for Viagra. False spider mites specialise in the virgin birth of daughters – unless they're treated with antibiotics, in which case they promptly turn into blokes. Go figure.

The blanket octopus. At just 2cm long, the male of this species must grapple with female companions that are 100 times larger. Not surprisingly, the little chaps require the assistance of a reproductive arm and die immediately afterwards. As a macabre point of interest, females collect these reproductive arms in their gill cavities as trophies. It's the blanket octopus version of belt notching.

Deep-sea angler fish. Apart from being extremely ugly (think mud tennis balls with fangs), deep-sea angler fish are also hideously kinky. A male gets it on by biting into his mate's side, drinking her blood, then fusing into her flesh. Some females have been found with up to six males still attached. It's the deep-sea angler fish version of reproductive arm collecting.

When it comes to future advertising campaigns, Pfizer would probably be safest if it avoided animal mating habits altogether, although it should be noted that the chinstrap penguin, the Californian mouse and the Kirk's dik-dik all have excellent track records when it comes to monogamy.

Source: The Australian

HOW TO BE A SUCCESS...
Even if you're dumb as dirt!

YOU CAN be a success even if you're a dim bulb.

"It couldn't be easier,"says author J. Mercer Krantz, who offers these tips from his forthcoming book Success for the Mentally Shortchanged. Forget about your health. Doctors are for sissies. The less you worry about physicals, immunizations and lab tests, the happier and more successful you'll be.

Eat whatever you want. Why worry about high carbs, low carbs, no carbs? Eat that extra loaf of bread. The fatter you are, the heavier your success will be.

Spit a lot. Who are the most prosperous people? Athletes. Especially baseball players. And they constantly hock 'em. So spit your way to the top. Dress like a slob. People will think you're successful because you obviously don't care what they think. And if others think you're successful, you are!

Don't exercise. You can't be successful if some muscle-bound bozo drops a 100-pound weight on your head at the gym. Vegetate in front of the tube and success will come. If not, at least you won't be tired. Maintain a lousy attitude. Expect things to be rotten and you won't be disappointed. This will make you happy, and happiness equals success.

http://www.cyberparodies.com/

if you want to have a laugh....

By ADELE WATERS

A TRIP to the curry house can stop you getting cancer, an expert said yesterday.

He revealed turmeric — the spice that gives dishes a distinctive yellow colour — protects against leukaemia.

It contains a chemical called curcumin which stops the cancer cells multiplying, a London conference was told.

Professor Moolky Nagabhushan also revealed the chemical blocks some of the harmful effects of cigarette smoke and processed food.

The scientist told the conference on childhood leukaemia that the condition is often caused by a sufferer’s lifestyle and environmental chemicals that can damage DNA.

Prof Nagabhushan, of Chicago’s Loyola University Medical Centre, added: “Our studies show turmeric in the diet mitigates the effects of some of these risk factors.”

Blood cancer rates have been rising for 50 years in the West — but its incidence in Asia is much lower.

But turmeric is not the only curry ingredient that can keep you healthy. Cumin helps protect against heart disease and coriander is known to lower blood pressure.

name the game by the sound


http://www.pbs.org/kcts/videogamerevolution/arcade/name/name_that_game.swf

cheers

OOH-LA YUCK!

THE NEWEST beauty fad to hit Parisian modeling runways is long, luxurious nose hair.

Gorgeous supermodels showing off this season's fashions are also sporting a pair of soft tresses that start inside their nostrils and reach their waistlines.

"It's very happening, very now, very hip," says French designer Yves St. Mauron.

"Soon, every woman will have luscious nasal locks running down the front of their blouses."

The look, called Proboscis Pigtails, is achieved by gluing lengths of synthetic strands high inside the nasal cavities. The Pigtails come in all colors and can be cut to fit a woman's preferences.

"Some gals chop it to chin length because they don't like nose hair in their lunch," says St. Mauron.

"For a special night out on the town it's fun to attach four or five piggies together and have them trail along on the ground. I wouldn't recommend this look if there will be dancing involved."

The snoot extensions are inexpensive and available in most beauty supply stores. The starter pack includes a tube of special fluid that dissolves the adhesive. "

Never, never yank the piggies out without using the solvent," warns St. Mauron. "It hurts like hell. Trust me. My eyes are still watering."

-- By BECKY TODD

http://www.weeklyworldnews.com/features/chamber/61558

a must see, very funny

http://www.abum.com/?show_media=1095

a laugh is guarantee

cheers

Japanese professor Asaki Geino claims that the type of pubic hair a woman has affects her sexuality. He classifies women into five types, the most likely of which to be unfaithful being the type whose hair resembles the mouth of a river.

"Usually female pubic hair grows in the form of an upside down triangle, but some women's is oblong or elliptical in shape," the professor explained.

"It's not that rare for women with oblong-shaped pubic hair to fall in love at first sight or fall head-over-heels with passion. They also don't like sitting at home on their own. The combination of these characteristics causes men to go wild over them."

The majority of eastern women have pubic hair that looks like an inverted triangle: "This type is characterized by faithfulness and fitness for family life. Women of this type are good mothers, faithful wives and caring daughters. I don't think I'm wrong when I say that precisely this type of woman helped Japan become the glorious country it is," Geino said triumphantly.

There's no doubt the professor's findings are very interesting, but nevertheless they're impossible to apply in practice: the majority of women today wax their bikini line clean. Having said this, if a man has serious intentions, it might be worth his while asking to participate in the process in order to see what his future holds.

any comment??

Ada yang inget Oshin ngak? Waktu gue kecil, gue senang sekali sama show it.

Ada yang inget Oshin ngak? Waktu gue kecil, gue senang sekali sama show it.

Well I do but I saw this serie only when I was in Indonesia for vacation. Its a japanese serie , wasn t it ??

Oshin tachibana! haha..I wonder how old is she now?

cheers

By WILL HAGERTY

STAR Wars guru Yoda was based on ALBERT EINSTEIN.

The 900-year-old Jedi Master — who taught Luke Skywalker to use “The Force” — was given wise features like the physicist’s.

The truth about the tiny alien — shown “morphing” from genius Einstein’s face above — is revealed in a new DVD of the Star Wars trilogy.

A documentary on the DVD also tells how Skywalker was originally intended to be a MIDGET and Han Solo a big green MONSTER with gills.

Chewbacca was a cross between creator George Lucas’s DOG and the apes from 2001, A Space Odyssey.

The disc shows actor Kurt Russell auditioning to be Solo and reveals that Luke’s lightsabre was made from a camera flashgun with no bulb.

http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2004431710,00.html

http://www.wftv.com/slideshow/newsofthestrange/2691965/detail.html?qs=;s=1;p=newsofthestrange

just follow the link

cheers

A Canadian scientist claims to have proven that the world's most expensive coffee really does taste better because the beans it is produced from have been eaten and defecated by a wild cat.

The Montreal Gazette says Massimo Marcone used taste machines and humans to establish that there really is a difference in taste between Kopi Luwak beans that have and have not passed through a civet cat's digestive system.

The Ethiopian beans, which sell for more than 250 pounds per pound, are craved by coffee fanatics around the world who will often pay more than R65 for a cup of the coffee they produce.

Marcone travelled to Ethiopia to track down the beans where they are found in single lines of faeces in the wild.

"You're looking for a cappuccino. You could get a crappuccino," the University of Guelph professor said.

He says they taste better because digestion breaks down protein, and protein makes the non-digested beans bitter.

He insists there is no health risk in drinking coffee from the digested beans, as there is very little bacteria left on the beans once they are washed, and roasting destroys the rest.

hmmm.... it would be nice to be tried

you never know when it becomes handy

http://www.kontraband.com/show/show.asp?ID=602

cheers

http://www.severin.ch/krassair

good luck

David Byrne has done it right. Destined to live high on the hog by way of Talking Heads royalties until the day he dies, the adventurous quirkmeister has been nothing but ballsy since his seminal new-wave outfit parted ways. You may not like everything he's tried since his career apex, but complacency has, to his credit, been Byrne's worst enemy.
Sting, meanwhile, is another story. This turtleneck-sweatered Jaguar shill has so desecrated his Policeman legacy that we're not entirely convinced the current soft-rock incarnation isn't the original Sting's evil twin. He is, without question, the most hated man in rock.

A better question is: Who're numbers two through ten? According to San Francisco Chronicle pop-music critic Aidin Vaziri, the runner-up is Eric Clapton, a ranking based almost exclusively on the guitar god's synth-slop collaborations with Babyface. While we may not agree with this ranking, the criteria for what makes a rocker "hated" is more or less spot on: have talent, use it well for a substantial period of time, then intentionally squander it for commercial riches, fame and/or forced mass appeal.

Admittedly, it is tough to find ten men who strictly adhere to such requirements, so we've chosen -- with the help of a secret, eleven-man panel -- to implement a graded system in which talented sellouts merit weightier consideration than, say, Johnny Rzeznik or Fred Durst. That said, to exclude such ass-clowns from this list outright would be doing a public disservice. So too would including Sting, as he is as consensus a top dog as doggies can top. Without further ado, let the hatred begin!


1. Paul McCartney Barely qualified to carry John Lennon's roach clip while both toiled with a grotesquely overrated boy band known as the Beatles, Sir Paul's true colors have reverberated loudly and horribly since Mark David Chapman put a tragic slug in Yoko's hubby. "Band on the Run" could have been written by a third grader, and McCartney's duets with alleged pedophile Michael Jackson -- and the ensuing public pissing match over Wacko Jacko's savvy purchase of the Beatles' catalogue -- cemented McCartney's legacy of poor taste and idiocy. And wasn't it great when Sir Paul, sharing the stage with Madonna at the close of the 1999 MTV Music Awards, thought Lauryn Hill was a man, referring to the artist of the year as "some guy named Lawrence Hill?" Nice one, asshole. Worst of all, who can forget the post-9/11 ode to freedom named, with typical genius, "Freedom"? Marrying a young, blond, one-legged starfucker twelve hours after burying your hero-philanthropist wife was a good one too, mate. Go fuck yourself, McCartney. You deserve worse than that, but such dread is unattainable on this earth. We can only hope Satan delivers the goods to Sir Paul in Hell, where knighthoods carry no currency.

2. Carlos Santana "Or else forget about it!" We wish we could, Carlos. And that would likely be possible had you made just one album of duets with flash-in-the-pan pop stars such as Matchbox Twenty's Rob Thomas. But no, you followed it up with "a little bit of this" and "a little bit of that" with no-talent teen tart Michelle Branch on the dreadful Supernatural sequel, Shaman, and proceeded to ride the low-rent pop-culture train all the way to a spot on National Basketball Association playoff lead-ins with the Black Eyed Peas. Pathetic career trajectory for a man once considered to be the heir apparent to Jimi Hendrix, and Santana has no one to blame but himself. It's not like his record label swooped in and said, "Say, Carlos, we need you to do this duet with the guy from Nickelback or else we're going to drop your ass." Look for him on the next Jennifer Lopez album.


3. Jimmy Buffett Alcohol-rehabilitation counselors, antidepressant manufacturers and shrinks should present Buffett with gold-encrusted plaques of recognition thanking the Key West ukulele hack for supplying roughly half of their paying clientele. Here's how the vicious cycle works: 1) Begin liking Buffett during perpetually drunk collegiate undergrad years; 2) prolong perpetual drunkenness by becoming Parrothead and attending Buffett shows until the age of 40; 3) crash car drunk on drive back from Buffett show at Pensacola Fairgrounds; 4) enter court-mandated rehab program; 5) get sober; 6) recognize how bad taste in music and hollow life was during personal "Cheeseburger in Paradise" bender; 7) start seeing shrink and taking Prozac; 8) realize that entire wardrobe consists of imitation Hawaiian shirts, huarache sandals, golf visors and jams; 9) start drinking again; 10) hit the road for Chattanooga stop of Buffett's "Four Inebriated Horsemen" tour with Alan Jackson, Clint Black and Randy Travis. Margaritaville, unfortunately, has inescapable walls made of petrified ape dung, which is an apt description of Buffett's entire catalogue.


4. The Adams Family (Ryan & Bryan) You've been asking for this double entry, Ryan, by refusing, time and again, to cover "Summer of '69" in concert. If you didn't want to be confused with Bryan Adams -- or, short of that, teased a little for being one consonant short of Canada's pint-size pride -- you should have changed your fucking name. Lots of rock stars do it, bro. Releasing three mediocre albums a year and mounting the likes of Winona Ryder and Parker Posey have done nothing to help R. Adams' credibility either. Bryan, meanwhile, paved the way for mediocre soloists like Phil Collins and Patrick Swayze to cash in at the box office by contributing to Robin Hood. For this, the gravel-throated Canuck will never be forgiven, even if the aforementioned "Summer" is a true-blue gem.

5. Elton John Bernie Taupin's not-so-tiny dancer was way better in the Studio 54 era, when he was as high as a Rocket Man and actually cranked out adventurous pop hits with gusto. Now sober, Sir Elton seems content to belt out cheesy power ballads for animated-feature soundtracks, host garish awards-show afterparties and retrofit "Candle in the Wind" to cash in on the It-Dead Princess of the Moment. Leavin' Levon far behind, indeed, and much the worse for it. Heaven hope the sun goes down on this pasty, toupee-wearing key tickler ASAFP.


6. Johnny Rzeznik Feel free to debate whether what the Goo Goo Dolls record can even be considered rock. Also feel free to debate whether or not it's music. Any way you slice the pie, this moronic, saccharine, neo-glam outfit is the worst band in America, with Rzeznik being the synthetic cherry filling. Quick, name one Goo Goo Dolls song! That's okay, you're not alone. The fact that Rzeznik ascends to this high a ranking without ever exhibiting an ounce of artistic talent is testament to how much people just want to drop-kick his pretty-boy bean through the goalposts at Fuckface Field. At least this Calvin Klein underwear-model wannabe has one thing going for him: Avril Lavigne evidently wants to ride him. And in Missouri, that'd be barely legal.


7. G.E. Smith We know: How can a Saturday Night Live bandleader named after a power company qualify for this list? Here's how: Smith served as Hall & Oates' lead guitarist from 1979 until 1985, which marked the peak of the Philly duo's commercial viability. And -- come on -- was there any blond ponytail more ubiquitous than Smith's during his ten-year SNL run? Absolutely not -- homeboy played on every imaginable televised tribute concert, including Bob Dylan's, Live Aid and Farm Aid. Indeed, where there was an Aid -- and a camera -- there was a blond ponytail, which Smith took great pains to flap across his face like a horse does with tail and ass. Smith was Michael Bolton before Michael Bolton was Michael Bolton. The difference is Smith didn't even have to open his mouth to attain such reviled status; his "look at me!" facial expressions did it all.


8. Conor Oberst & Chris Carrabba Who wants to hear sad, sad songs about the day-to-day pathos of well-to-do suburban white kids? Well-to-do suburban white kids, that's who. And that's about it. "Emo," then, is really a genre within a genre within a genre, which makes it a mystery as to why these two wimps have been garnering so much ink and critical fellatio. Every song they write is overwrought and essentially intellectually dishonest. Everybody's got problems, to be sure, but we'd love to transplant this double entry (two whiny weenies equal one man, by our count) of pastoral crackers to the ghetto for a few decades. Then we'll see if they continue to pump out the same prepubescent pussy bait that's gotten them this far.


9. Fred Durst It doesn't matter whether or not you believe Durst's claim that he drilled Britney Spears six ways 'til Sunday; this rap-rock goofball is largely responsible for rock's darkest era: the late 90's (Kid Rock, you can take a bow too). Fortunately it looks like Durst's career is over. Otherwise, he'd likely outstrip Rzeznik for the sixth spot and would rank number one if this poll were more concerned with sonic proficiency.


10. Bob Weir You can actually stop truckin' now, Bob. The Dead's insistence on staying on the road post-Jerry Garcia has proven, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that the band was just a collection of semi-competent nerds with a prodigiously charismatic and talented frontman. And "Rock Star Bobby" is the worst of the bunch, a bona fide gravy trainer who would've probably invited frequent guest Huey Lewis to join the band as a full-time harmonica player had Garcia not understandably kept his pink Izod-wearing ass in check. Weir's side project, Rat Dog, is basically a below-average bar band with a frontman who needs a teleprompter to remember his own lyrics. But frankly, given our unyielding love for all things Garcia, we were willing to forgive and forget until Weir & Co. jumped on a stage in a movie-studio lot to appear on Leno recently. With Garcia on the injured list (for good), Weir stepped in to sing lead vocals on "Touch of Grey." Horribly. Why he didn't just defecate on Jerry's headstone instead, we'll never know.


Rounding out the Top Twenty: 11. Glenn Frey & Don Henley. 12. Scott Stapp. 13. Rod Stewart. 14. Phil Collins. 15. Lenny Kravitz. 16. Steve Miller. 17. John Cougar Mellencamp. 18. Michael McDonald. 19. Max Weinberg. 20. Lars Ulrich.


Honorable Mention: Eric Clapton, Anthony Kiedis, Kid Rock, Scott Weiland, Liam & Noel Gallagher, Zack de la Rocha, Peter Gabriel, Kenny Loggins, George Thorogood, Bob Seger, Ted Nugent, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Bruce Springsteen, Axl Rose, James Hetfield, Ozzy Osbourne, Steve Winwood, Bruce Hornsby, Billy Joel, Dave Matthews, John Popper, Julian Casablancas, Jack White, Rob Thomas, Huey Lewis, Jackson Browne, Dave Grohl, Chris Cornell, Mark McGrath, Melissa Etheridge and the lead singer of Maroon 5 (we're too indifferent to even bother learning his name).

Do you know that could be one secret agent near you check this out

http://www.whosarat.com/

happy hunting

How to keep the fires of love alive in your 80s, 90s -- and beyond!

By Sally Fenner

YOU CAN KEEP the fires of love alive no matter how old, cranky and wrinkly you are with fabulous new intimacy tips for geezers only!

"Just because you're a bag of bones with a face like an alligator shoe doesn't mean you have to give up on romance," says Dr. Sheila Marsha, a geriatric sexologist from West Palm Beach, Fla.

"It's true that you're over the hill -- but so are your potential lovers. So that means you still can score if you keep your expectations low and accept the fact that the cute little fortysomethings you fantasize about are young enough to be your grandchildren."

Here are Dr. Marsha's tips for "getting it on" in your golden years. If you have a weak heart or high blood pressure, you might want a younger, healthier friend or grandchild to read the tips for you, and then tell you about them later after you calm down:

1. Allow yourself plenty of time to get in the mood and ready for action. If you think you're up for a "quickie" at your age, you're dreaming!

2. Don't be picky. The old sayings "Beggars can't be choosers" and "Don't look a gift horse in the mouth" hold true with geezer love. Take what you can get and be grateful for it -- regardless of the shape your sweetie is in!

3. Limit your love sessions to dark rooms to avoid confronting the harsh reality that your lover is as wrinkled and saggy as you are. A candle is O.K. if it's small and you put it clear across the room!

4. Denture wearers, be creative! The fact that you can remove your teeth from your mouth should suggest all kinds of erotic possibilities that are lost to others.

"One look at what you're up to might very well make you physically ill," says the psychologist. "And I can't think of a worst 'turn off' than getting sick in bed!"

:) :) :)

http://img69.exs.cx/img69/7209/LEO_3358.jpg

Two garbage bins have been installed very high on Jl. Jembatan Tiga, North Jakarta. The city administration plans to raise the road by one-meter because it always floods when the wet season hits the city. JP/P.J. Leo

http://www.thejakartapost.com/caption/LEO_3381.jpg
CLEAN-AIR DRIVE: Government employees and activists of a number of non-governmental organizations ride their bicycles around the Hotel Indonesia traffic circle in Central Jakarta. The event was held in conjunction with the annual World Car Free Day on Wednesday, which falls on Sept. 22. The main event for the campaign, however, will be held along Jl. Sudirman and Jl. MH Thamrin on Sunday. JP/P.J. Leo

BERLIN (Reuters) - A German telecommunications company said on Tuesday it is developing the first mobile phone that will alert users when their breath is bad or if they are giving off offensive smells.
The phone will use a tiny chip measuring less than one millimeter to detect unpleasant odors, a spokeswoman for Siemens Mobile said. A research team in the southern city of Munich is developing the device using new sensor technology.

"It examines the air in the immediate vicinity for anything from bad breath and alcohol to atmospheric gas levels," the spokeswoman said. "Some people take smelling good rather seriously

http://y.20q.net:8095/btest?x=2

they can guess your mind in less than 30 questions

try it

MICHAEL CASEY



JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) - Artika Sari Devi looks the part of a beauty queen with her million-dollar smile and hourglass figure. And she dreams of becoming Indonesia's first Miss Universe.

There is only one thing holding her back - a swimsuit. Like most international beauty competitions, Miss Universe requires participants to appear in a swimsuit - either a one-piece model or a bikini. But here in the world's most populous Muslim country, the 24-year-old Miss Indonesia faces condemnation from religious leaders and government officials who say women in swimsuits violate religious tenets requiring them to dress modestly.

"Every country can join the competition, so why not Indonesia?" asks Artika, who won the Miss Indonesia pageant in August, an event that does not require contestants to parade in swimwear. "I don't see a problem with the swimsuit. It's only to show my proportions. . . . So many Muslims wear swimsuits. I wear one swimming," she says.

Battles over bathing suits would seem out of place in Indonesia, where newsstands are filled with magazines featuring scantily clad models and miniskirts. Prostitution rings operate openly in all major cities.

But Islamic conservatives - some of whom want to replace Indonesia's secular system with one bound by Islamic law - have been emboldened since the fall of ex-dictator Suharto in 1998.

Under pressure from fundamentalists, the male-dominated parliament is debating a law that would make kissing in public and erotic dancing punishable by jail time.

Legislation that would stiffen penalties for domestic violence and allow abortion in certain cases have bogged down amid opposition from conservatives.

Film censors recently banned Kiss Me Quick, a teenage romantic comedy, after protests by a popular Muslim cleric who said the title could encourage promiscuity.

Beauty contests, too, have long been a target of Islamic conservatives in Indonesia and other parts of the world.

In 2002, the Miss World pageant was moved out of Nigeria after it sparked riots by Muslims that killed 200 people, and in 1998 the Miss Bangladesh contest was cancelled after days of violent protests by Islamic groups.

During his 32-year reign, Suharto prohibited women from participating in beauty contests because he felt they were not compatible with "Indonesia's culture."

Alaya Rohali, now a popular television presenter, defied the ban in 1996 and competed in a Miss Universe contest in Las Vegas - only to return home to threats and media attacks.

"Beauty contests manipulate the rights of women for the sake of commercial interests and that is not good for Islam," says Irfan Awwas, a spokesman for the Islamic group Majelis Mujahidin, which has vowed to launch protests if Indonesia sends anyone to Miss Universe.

Miss Indonesia organizers, led by 76-year-old cosmetics executive Mooryati Soedibyo, are seeking to win over a skeptical public, hoping to enable Artika to take part in next summer's Miss Universe pageant in Thailand.

They brought Miss Egypt to Indonesia in July to demonstrate that other Muslim countries take part, including neighbouring Malaysia. They also arranged a meeting between Miss Universe 2004, Jennifer Hawkins of Australia, and Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri.

Officials from Miss Universe, too, have tried to find a compromise - proposing last year that an Indonesian participant wear a one-piece swimsuit like a few other contestants do. But Indonesian organizers told them the country "was not ready."

"Every year, we give the women a choice of what swimsuit they want to wear," says Mary Hilliard McMillan, a spokeswoman for Miss Universe in New York.

"But they have to wear a swimsuit. Our contest has 54 years of history and in those 54 years the competition and rules have been the same. At the end of the day, it's a beauty contest and being judged on physical fitness is one-third of what determines that."

Indonesia's government has so far refrained from taking a side in the controversy, possibly mindful of the protests that engulfed the Suharto administration.

"I support the competition as long as it's in accordance with our culture," says Sri Redjeki Soemaryoto, the women's empowerment minister. "But I only support it if she does not wear a bikini."

Mooryati, a soft-spoken Javanese princess, admits her nearly 20-year campaign to send an Indonesian to the Miss Universe contest has stirred its share of controversy.

She considers opposition to the contest as shortsighted, arguing that participation by Miss Indonesia could help Indonesia's battered tourist economy. It has struggled since Islamic militants bombed two nightclubs on the resort island of Bali in 2002, killing 202 people.

"The purpose of this competition is good . . . to exchange culture, to promote your tourist industry, your country's products and arts," Mooryati says. "By doing this, we are accepting that we have entered the globalization era."

What weird is, there are so many HOT Female Magazines sold in Indonesia. For example, FHM, For men and many more, Even i saw playmate. I hope SBY can do something about this weird decision for not joining Miss Universe because of Swimsuit problem...

cheers

http://www.myindo.com

nice site.

Some of the silly tunes Japanese pay to download to use as the ring tone for their mobile phones sure have their knockers, but it's for precisely that reason that a well-known counselor is raking it in at the moment, according to Shukan Gendai (10/2).

Hideto Tomabechi -- who first made headlines in Japan almost a decade ago after he cured brainwashed members of the AUM Shinrikyo doomsday cult that unleashed deadly sarin gas on the Tokyo subway system -- claims to have developed a tune for ring tones that promises to increase the breast measurements of those who listen to it.

And Tomabechi's brainchild for better busts has boomed, with chest challenged chicks swarming to transfer data to their own phones.

"I listened to the tune for a week expecting all the time that I was being duped," says Chieri Nakayama, a 19-year-old pin-up model, tells Shukan Gendai. "But, incredibly, my 87-centimeter bust grew to 89 centimeters! It was awesome!"

Mobile phone ring tone tunes, or chakumero as they're called in Japanese, are almost an integral part of the arsenal of Japan's tens of millions of cellular phone users. Each of the big phone companies operates sites where their customers can for a few hundred yen per month download songs they use in place of the blase ring tones pre-installed in the phones. Normally, people select hit songs or TV themes, but Tomabechi's tit tune has hit a raw nerve somewhere, attracting an almost unimaginable 10,000-plus downloads in the first week it was made available, despite the numerous titters.

"Most would think it's a lie, but the techniques involved in the process have been known for some time and are the result of research I carried out in the '80s and '90s," Tomabechi tells Shukan Gendai. "I use sounds that make the brain and body move unconsciously. It's a technique involving subliminal effects."

Tomabechi claims that techniques exist to provoke movement in a certain part of the brain that reacts to sounds and light.

"It's a part of cognitive science. I suppose you could call it a kind of 'positive brainwashing,'" he says. "Sound waves travel in patterns that can be properly re-played."

It's an old adage that many illnesses are all in the mind, but if the counselor's claims are correct, the key to having a huge set of breasts could be the same. Tomabechi says he's already got plans on the drawing board for ring tones aimed at improving memory, increasing attractiveness for the opposite sex, making hair sprout and quitting cigarettes.

Even if the rockmelon ring tone doesn't prove to be as effective as its inventor claims, what can't be denied is its success on the chakumero charts.

"We offer loads of chakumero for sale at 300 yen a month and the tune promising huge breasts would have to be in our top 10 at least. It's doing far better than we ever expected," Yuichi Tsujimoto, a spokesman for Media Chic, which offers Tomabechi's tune online, tells Shukan Gendai. "We haven't done any advertising for it, so I suppose the tune's success has come about through word of mouth. We've even received mail from one user who said they listened to the tune every night before going to sleep and it made her tits bigger."

Source http://mdn.mainichi.co.jp

Wouldn't it be the most bizarre development? The article (from a Turkish newspaper) claims that a recent Gallup poll showed 42 percent of Iraqis want Saddam back. (Pretty damn close to Bush's re-elect numbers too!)

If Iraq has a democratic election and the plurality of voters want Saddam back, then what will the United States do?

I submit this scenario is a parallel, or bookend, to the reason the U.S. did not put Saddam on trial (he would've exposed too many dirty secrets about how the U.S. created him and funded his early efforts and armed him later) - in addition to the obvious violence, Bush would never have consented to Iraqi elections anywhere near his own because of the possibility of Saddam even just running - never mind winning.

Absolutely amazing.

Btw, Kerry should be prepared for this as a potential debate question. It could be a really sticky question. Way more so for Bush, though. Would Bush invade AGAIN to topple Saddam if he were democratically elected by the Iraqi people? Surely if Saddam were elected, he would 'request' the U.S. to leave!

If Bush gets this question on Thursday, watch for his eyes to begin to spin, first slowly then faster and faster, his hair to start on fire, and finally his head to explode

what do you reckon?

http://www.zaman.org/?bl=international&alt=&trh=20040921&hn=12424

Saddam to Declare Candidacy for Iraqi Elections


Overthrown Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, who was arrested by US forces last December, reportedly plans to run as a candidate in the Iraqi elections scheduled for January 2005.

Saddam's lawyer Giovanni di Stefano told Denmark's B.T. newspaper that Saddam decided during one of their discussions that he would declare his candidacy for the elections.

Stefano said that there was no law that prevented Saddam from appearing on the ballot. He added that Saddam hopes to regain his presidency and palaces via the democratic process.

Contrary to the statements of Iraqi Interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi, Stefano claims, "Saddam has no chance to be tried before the elections. Moreover, no international law prevents him from coming forward."

Saddam's lawyer defends that the ambiguity in Iraq will favor Saddam at the polls. Stefano remarked that a recent Gallup poll indicates that 42 percent of the Iraqi people want their former leader back.

Meanwhile, evaluating the conditions of Saddam in jail, Allawi said that Saddam had asked him for mercy

Ternyata menurut peraturan yg berlaku,pelanggaran lalu-lintas utk mobil
pribadi max denda hanya Rp 50,000 saja.

Untuk artikel lengkapnya silahkan tengok link di bawah
- TIPS APABILA KENDARAAN ANDA DITILANG POLANTAS
http://www.transparansi.or.id/kajian/kajian3_lalin/tips.html

- TABEL PELANGGARAN LALU LINTAS YANG DITINDAK
DENGAN TILANG SESUAI UNDANG-UNDANG NOMOR 14 TAHUN 1992
http://www.transparansi.or.id/kajian/kajian3_lalin/tabel.html

Some users can't take auction payments, withdraw funds

Online payment service PayPal continued to suffer outages Tuesday. Company officials insisted the problems were "intermittent," but many consumers complained they hadn't been able to log on to their accounts for days, and an Internet performance firm said that PayPal.com was completely inacessible on Tuesday afternoon.

advertisement

Some consumers complained their money was completely frozen by the glitch, as they were unable to access funds in their accounts. Many also could not use debit cards tied to their PayPal balances, either.

"Some people can use the system and others can’t," said PayPal spokeswoman Amanda Pires.

But at least at one point on Tuesday, the site was completely inaccessible, according to tests run by Keynote Systems Inc., which tracks Web site performance.

Roopak Patel, a senior Internet analyst at the firm, said diagnostic tests conducted at 4 p.m. ET Tuesday showed PayPal was completely inaccessible. To conduct its tests, the firm attempts to reach Web sites from computers located all around the country

"We were not able to access the site using our diagnostics during the last hour," Patel said. "There may have successful downloads of pages, but I haven't seen that."

Pires said the problems began Friday, after PayPal added some "code enhancements" to its site.

"We believe progress has been made," she said. "We’re working diligently on the problem with both eBay and PayPal technical teams. The issues are still intermittent."

EBay put up a notice on its Web site Monday afternoon alerting customers to the problem. The online auction giant bought PayPal two years ago.

'I am losing sales and money'
Some users complained to MSNBC.com that they were completely cut off from their money, and effectively cut off from their eBay business.

"Since my customers can't place an order at all, I am losing sales and money," said user Winsor White. "The term intermittent, as it is being used by PayPal, is highly misleading because it implies that the system has been more up than it has been down."

Attempts by MSNBC.com to log in to the site Monday afternoon and Tuesday morning were unsuccessful.

Auction watchdog Rosalinda Baldwin, who runs The Auction Guild, said she thought the problems were connected to a recent design update for PayPal, but Pires said the outage wasn't related to a redesign.

"We saw a small issue on Friday," after adding some new programming code to the site Thursday evening, Pires said. "We believed we solved it. But there were intermittent problems on Sunday, and then (Monday)."

PayPal is an important cog in eBay.com. The company claims it has more than 50 million account members and is available to users in 45 countries around the world. Last year, the firm handled $12 billion in transactions.

It's not clear how many members were impacted by the outage. But in an odd crossover from the cyberworld to the real world, some PayPal-branded ATM cards weren't working either, Pires confirmed.

Baldwin said the outage is causing trouble with some account balances.

"When folks go to use their PayPal debit cards, the payment is rejected, but the charge actually goes through and PayPal is deducting the amount from their account," she said. "From what I hear, a call to PayPal does correct the problem, but what a mess!"

Pires said the company is working as quickly as it can to solve the problem, but didn't have a time estimate.

PayPal users — some who rely on the firm as the main payment tool for their eBay business — expressed frustration over the situation.

"I have a small online business selling World War II DVDs whose orders are processed exclusively by PayPal," said White. "I normally average about 5-10 orders a day averaging about $20-$50 each. Over the last two days, I have not received any orders."

© 2004 MSNBC Interactive

Guoblog (sorry) banget sih! GRhhhhh....


AWALNYA banyak warga yang bertanya-tanya. Kok tanah galian proyek Banjir Kanal Timur di sudut jalan, tepatnya di Jalan Raden Inten dan Kolonel Soegiono, Duren Sawit, Jakarta Timur, itu kembali diuruk. Untuk apa?

Ada yang menduga, galian itu diuruk kembali karena Jalan Kolonel Soegiono akan dilebarkan. Kegiatan uruk- menguruk yang tiba-tiba itu tentu saja menuai protes warga di sekitarnya. Mungkin karena kaget dan khawatir kalau rumah mereka yang belum dibebaskan akan diratakan pula. Bahkan, para ibu sempat berdemonstrasi di Kantor DPRD DKI Jakarta.

Petugas yang berada di lokasi tampaknya juga tidak mempunyai jawaban yang tepat untuk menjelaskan tujuan pengurukan. Ketika ditanya, seorang pekerja mengatakan, galian diuruk karena dahulu pemerintah salah gali sehingga sebagian harus diuruk kembali.

Ketika beberapa hari belakangan ini Kompas melewati lokasi galian itu, tidak tampak lagi para pekerja yang sibuk di sana, juga alat berat untuk membawa dan menguruk tanah. Kok pengerjaan mendadak pula dihentikan.

Pimpinan Proyek BKT, Pitoyo Subandriyo, mengatakan, awalnya dia juga tidak ngeh dengan pengurukan tanah di Jalan Kolonel Soegiono dan Jalan Raden Inten itu. "Ketika ada warga demo di DPRD, saya diminta memberikan penjelasan langsung kepada mereka melalui handphone. Saya lalu berkomunikasi jarak jauh. Saya jelaskan, pekerjaan itu tidak ada dalam kontrak kerja antara kami dan kontraktor. Ya, akhirnya mereka bisa mengerti," jelas Pitoyo.

Yang mengherankan, mengapa bisa terjadi pengurukan itu? Rupanya, itu terjadi karena hal yang sangat sepele, salah dengar!

Komunikasi lewat telepon seluler memang tidak selamanya mulus. Apalagi, jika sinyalnya sedikit sehingga pembicaraan pun "putus-putus". Lha wong bicara berhadap-hadapan saja bisa tidak "nyambung" kok.

"Sebenarnya perintah pengurukan itu untuk saluran di Jalan IPN. Tapi yang ditangkap Inten. Jadilah yang diuruk adalah galian yang di Jalan Raden Inten," jelas Pitoyo.

Menurut rencana, saluran atau galian di Jalan IPN memang akan diuruk sebagian, sepanjang 50 meter. Sebelum diuruk, air di dalam saluran dipompa dulu sehingga muka air turun dan bisa diuruk.

"Kira-kira dibutuhkan tanah sekitar 20.000 meter kubik untuk menguruk. Menurut rencana, tempat itu akan dijadikan taman. Kami bekerja sama dengan Dinas Pertamanan dan Keindahan Kota," papar Pimpinan Sub-Proyek Paket Sembilan Didi Sumadia.

Rabu (13/10), memang tampak para pekerja menguruk saluran IPN di Cipinang Besar Selatan itu. Belum jelas, apakah itu tanah yang diangkut dari urukan di Jalan Raden Inten, atau tanah lain.

Yang jelas, urukan tanah di galian di Jalan Raden Inten itu kemarin masih ada.

"Wah, kalau tanah urukan itu tidak diambil, justru lebih bagus. Kan bisa untuk nambah jalan, paling tidak di tikungan. Itu akan bermanfaat karena bisa sedikit melebarkan jalan agar tidak macet di tikungan. Di sini kan sering macet," kata seorang warga.

Apakah proyek akan molor gara-gara kesalahan itu? "Saya kira tidak, itu bisa dipercepat. Tapi kalau rugi biaya, mungkin juga. Dan itu menjadi tanggungan kontraktor," jelas Pitoyo. Wah, gawat dong.(IVV)

Nothing to do with Indonesia, just like to share with you.
tata

US Tightens Restrictions on Cuban Cigars
VOA News
06 Oct 2004, 21:10 UTC


The United States Treasury Department has tightened its prohibitions against U.S. citizens importing or consuming Cuban cigars.
The department's Office of Foreign Assets Control has announced in a notice posted on the Internet that even Americans licensed to bring back up to $100 worth of Cuban goods will no longer be allowed to include tobacco products in what they carry. Previously, those licensed were exempted from what was otherwise a total import ban on Cuban tobacco products.

The notice also clarifies that Americans are barred from not only purchasing Cuban goods in foreign countries, but also from consuming them in those countries.

The penalties for violating the prohibitions include maximum criminal fines for individuals of $250,000 and imprisonment for up to 10 years. Corporations can be fined as much as a million dollars.

I always wonder, why do the media always harped on non-important items. For instance, when the Indonesian Pop Idol was announced, the world media kept on harping about how the largest Islamic nation in the world (which is not true, we are the biggest Muslims nation, we are not an Islamic nation) has voted a Christians as the winner of the pop idol. seriously, it's not a big deal in indonesia, but the world make it seems like there was revolution when it happen.

I always wonder, why do the media always harped on non-important items. For instance, when the Indonesian Pop Idol was announced, the world media kept on harping about how the largest Islamic nation in the world (which is not true, we are the biggest Muslims nation, we are not an Islamic nation) has voted a Christians as the winner of the pop idol. seriously, it's not a big deal in indonesia, but the world make it seems like there was revolution when it happen.

because they are looking for sensation. they need to warp their 'commodity' in nice package that sells.
surely it is often unfair, for us, in your case and for other country for other cases.

I personally never heard that story once until I read it from you. I more often seen the International media focusing on the economic and political aspects of Indonesia.

just check the site

http://www.angryalien.com/0204/exorcistbunnies.html

cheers

Urine may lead to collapse of major bridge in Indonesia's Sumatra

Sat Nov 27, 2:25 AM ET Offbeat - AFP



JAKARTA (AFP) - A landmark bridge in Indonesia's Sumatra island may collapse because too many people are fond of urinating on one of its steel pillars.



Public works officials have found that the Ampera bridge, the landmark of Palembang city, the capital of South Sumatra province, has begun to lean on an angle and rocks slightly when traffic is heavy, the Jakarta Post said.


An official at the public works department in Palembang, Azmi Lakoni, was quoted as saying the bridge had deteriorated because people often took a leak on one of its piers, corroding the structure.


"We are concerned that one of its main support piers has been weakened by urine, as it is a popular spot for locals to relieve themselves," Lakoni said.


He added that the acidic fluid's corrosive forces could attribute to an eventual collapse of the bridge.


Officials said cargo vehicles weighing more than one tonne would be diverted from the bridge.

Man, thats REALLY FUNNY ! :lol: :lol: :rofl:

:rofl:

cheers

*LOL* On the other hand, it's rather scary ... :runaway:

The local govt should reinforce the bottom part with concrete or sth :P

Dang, it'd be bad if that collapsed and hundreds of people died.

RI the brains in Science Olympiad

Sari P. Setiogi, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta

Indonesia has dominated in winning trophies and medals at the International Mathematics and Science Olympiad for elementary school students held here from Nov. 29 to Dec. 3.

In Mathematics, Indonesia made a clean sweep of all three trophies for Best Overall, Best Theory and Best Exploration in that event.

Best Overall and Best Theory categories were grabbed by Ivan Kristanto, a six-grade student from Yos Sudarso Elementary School, Tasikmalaya, West Java, while the Best Exploration category was won by Mugen Lensrich from Penabur Christian Elementary School Modernland, Tangerang, Banten.

In the same subject, of the 27 medals awarded, Indonesia also won one gold medal (Ivan Kristanto), two silvers (Mugen Lensrich and Muhammad Sena Luphdika) and six bronzes (Kevin Soedyatmika, Andhika Renaldi, I Wayan Adi Juliawan, M. Yusuf Isnaini Elbar, Syah Rindra Sofyan and Muhammad Ridwan).

Separately, nine medals were won by Indonesia in Science. Two gold medals were grabbed by Albert Jonathan and Fathia Prinastiti Sunarso. Silvers went to Nova Evan Baskara and Michael Austin Pradipta Lusida, while bronzes to Andreas Prasetyanto Sandiwan, Angga Ichsandria Putra, Linda Wijaya, Billal Maydika Aslam and I.B. Gde Sumbranang A.W.

Gde, who came from public school SDN 5 Tonja, Bali, broke into tears after he received the medal. "I refused my parents offer to come (to Jakarta), because if I did not win a medal it would be a big embarrassment for me," he told The Jakarta Post.

The Olympiad participants included delegations from nine ASEAN countries (all except Myanmar) and representatives from Turkey and Chinese Taipei.

Juries comprise university lecturers from the participating countries. Among them was Saladin Uttunggadewa from the Faculty of Mathematics and Science, Bandung Institute of Technology.

Minister for National Education, Bambang Sudibyo, who closed the Olympiad, told the press that the result showed that education in the country was actually not all that bad.

"It is only our own people who tend to discredit ourselves. These students showed that they can achieve excellence. We have shown that we can compete with a developed country like Singapore," said Bambang.

Its funny too when we see, Indonesia u-13 soccer team are actually won the world cup in UK for many times but their senior teams arent that good in the world qualification.

Cheers

Alanis Morisette is spending her Christmas vacation in Bali. :cheers:

I think it is a great idea! I don't think it will be possible this time, but I'm sure I would like to come back here and get married. As of now my fiancé and I plan to spend our Christmas in Bali. I love India, so I'm sure I will be back here. I don't know this strange connection I have with India. I guess I was an Indian boy or girl in my last birth.

http://www.newkerala.com/news-daily/news/features.php?action=fullnews&id=47147

Gay Theme Movie Sweeps Indonesia Festival Awards

Sat Dec 11,11:27 PM ET Movies - Reuters



JAKARTA (Reuters) - A gay-theme movie took best film honors and most of the acting awards at the Indonesian Film Festival, the first in the world's largest Muslim nation for 12 years, the Jakarta Post reported on Sunday.



The actors who played the gay couple won for best actor and best supporting actor in the movie "Arisan!," a satirical comedy mocking the life of the small super-rich set in the nation's capital and tackling the taboo subject of homosexuality.


Scenes that helped win the movie recognition included an aerial shot of oral sex in a public toilet and the gay couple kissing.


The festival's revival after a hiatus of more than a decade comes as local film production is picking up after faltering in the early 1990s due to the stranglehold of Hollywood movies in local theaters.


Nominations for this year's awards spanned 2000-2004. Just one film was released in 2000 while 31 were made in the past two years, the report said.

Norah Jones cancelled her Indonesian concert. Another win for the terrorist.

This is by Indonesian designer Sofiyulloh:

http://us.news1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/rids/20050120/i/r2424892718.jpg

They should hire me, I know Korean.

Semarang university gets Korean lecturer

SEMARANG (Antara): A South Korean architecture professor will begin a two-year stint teaching courses at Semarang State University, rector Ari Tri Soegito said on Monday.

"The lecturer, Mr. Kang Sung-hoon, will also teach classes on the Korean language for final semester students," Ari said.

"Graduates who master the Korean language will get priority if they want to work with South Korean companies in the Semarang area," he said.

Ari said the arrival of the lecturer was the result of the signing of a memorandum of understanding by Indonesia and South Korea several months ago.

This is by Indonesian designer Sofiyulloh:

http://us.news1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/rids/20050120/i/r2424892718.jpg

I want the girl... hehehhe

http://img193.exs.cx/img193/554/bil4nj.gif

SUARA PEMBARUAN DAILY
Feb 4, 2005

Biliar dan Tren Kaum Muda

Di masa lalu, permainan biliar seringkali lekat dengan konotasi miring. Lokasi bermain yang sedikit remang-remang dan kehadiran perempuan-perempuan berbusana seronok sebagai score girl menjadi salah satu penyebabnya. Kini, kesan miring itu perlahan mulai pupus. Biliar pun lama-kelamaan menjadi gaya hidup tersendiri di masyarakat, terutama kaum muda. Selain sebagai sarana berlatih dan berolahraga, arena tersebut juga memiliki fungsi lain sebagai arena kumpul-kumpul, gaul, cari jodoh, hingga bisnis. Tak heran jika di Jakarta sekarang ini bermunculan berbagai tempat bermain biliar dengan daya tarik masing-masing dan jauh dari kesan miring.

I actually already thought this was imposed (kissing ban), but there are some other frightening ideas in this article. Raids on people living together? $32,000 fines for exposing one's navel, a body part SBY is reportedly not fond of. Is that really the hope and aspiration of many of these people; to simply become a mirror, albeit a much larger one, of Malaysia and Brunei? I've got to say that it seems totally crazy to me to be worrying about these type of things when the culture of corruption spews its torture upon the people of Indonesia.

Indonesia Reportedly Mulls Kissing Ban

JAKARTA, Indonesia - Call it a kissing crackdown. Indonesia's government is considering a law banning unwed couples from pecking in public — and harshly penalizing those who do, The Jakarta Post reported Saturday.

The campaign against kissing is part of a proposal of sweeping reforms to laws adopted by the country's Dutch colonial rulers in the late 19th century.

The head of the panel that drafted the law said Muslim beliefs about decency had influenced its decision. Neighboring countries with large Muslim populations, such as Malaysia and Brunei, already enforce laws defining "khalwat," or "close proximity," a crime akin to adultery for unchaperoned meetings between Muslim men and women.

Indonesia's revised laws would set environmental protection standards and punish human rights violations and terrorism, the newspaper said.

But they would also impose penalties on unwed couples who kiss in public, while permitting police raids on the homes of those suspected of living together out of wedlock.

Pornography and public displays of "certain sensual body parts" would be outlawed and media, movies and songs censored.

Penalties for law breakers would range from fines as high as 300 million rupiah (US$32,800; euro25,300) to up to 10 years imprisonment, according to the daily.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and the legislature are expected to spend two years debating and revising the draft.


Critics say the laws would let authorities restrict personal freedoms and muzzle the media.

In recent years, Hollywood movies and TV programs have faced condemnation from religious leaders and government officials in the world's most populous Muslim nation who say such fare violates religious tenets on decency.

Islamic conservatives — some of whom want to replace Indonesia's secular system with one bound by Islamic law — have been emboldened since the fall of ex-dictator Suharto in 1998.

Yaiks...I do hope that this law won't come to live. I know we all heard that kissing in public, living together, etc breeds immorality n stuff...but making it against the law I believe is against personal freedom. I personally think that the state (secular as it is now) should be neutral towards morality, instead of promoting it.

This morality business is best left for religious groups to handle.

There has been talk..talk...talk and talk about that..since the megawati administration...but it never come true. You know...this is just another draft which will never realize. Many of human rights activist, LSM and NGO will condemn this, not to mention foreign countries and those in the nightlife business...which contribute ALOT in some government and MPR/DPR own pockets. So i doubt it.

cheers

Note: orang yg suka meres kayak gini PENTING utk dimusnah kan. Dipenggal kepalanya kalo perlu.


Kompas Selasa, 15 Februari 2005

Hendak Memeras, Eh Ketahuan


HATI-hati jika ingin berbuat jahat terhadap seseorang yang tidak bersalah. Ungkapan itu mungkin pas untuk menggambarkan ulah oknum pejabat pengolahan data di salah satu departemen pemerintah yang berlokasi di Jalan Medan Merdeka Selatan, Jakarta Pusat, yang mau mendapatkan keuntungan dari salah satu calon pegawai negeri sipil yang baru diterima bekerja di departemen itu.

Oknum pejabat pengolahan data itu, sebut saja namanya Bedul, tahu betul mengenai data calon pegawai negeri sipil (PNS) yang bakal diterima. Setelah mempelajari calon korbannya, akhirnya pilihan dijatuhkan pada calon PNS perempuan yang nampaknya polos dan mudah "dikerjai". Sebut saja namanya Sumarni.

Seminggu sebelum pengumuman, Bedul pejabat itu menghubungi telepon seluler Sumarni. Dia mengaku sebagai pegawai Badan Kepegawaian Nasional (BKN) yang hendak membantu Sumarni yang disebutkannya punya nilai ujian kurang.

Kepada Sumarni, Bedul meminta uang sebesar Rp 5 juta supaya namanya bisa masuk dalam daftar calon PNS yang diterima. Uang itu diminta ditransfer ke nomor rekening di Bank Lippo. Karena Sumarni tidak terlalu ngotot untuk jadi PNS, dia pura-pura menerima tawaran itu tetapi tidak mengirimkan uang yang diminta.

Ketika pengumuman tiba, nama Sumarni ternyata tercantum dalam daftar calon yang diterima. Karena uang tidak juga dikirim, Bedul kembali menelepon untuk menanyakan kepastian pengiriman uang. Sumarni, yang merasa di atas angin karena diterima sebagai calon PNS adalah berkat usaha sendiri, tidak menghiraukan permintaan Bedul tadi. Namun, ia sempat waswas juga saat Bedul mengancam akan mempersulit dirinya saat pendaftaran ulang nanti.

Rupanya Sumarni tak mau menyerah begitu saja. Penyelidikan ala detektif swasta ia lakukan. Pelacakan dimulai dari dua nomor rekening yang diberikan Bedul. Dengan bantuan kenalannya di Bank Lippo, didapatlah alamat pemilik nomor rekening yang ternyata bukan atas nama Bedul.

Setelah diselidiki lebih lanjut, diketahui bahwa nomor rekening itu milik istri Bedul yang tinggal di Bogor. Sumarni kemudian minta bantuan saudaranya untuk menghubungi nomor rumah Bedul. Dengan berbagai trik yang justru dari istri Bedullah terungkap identitas Bedul sebenarnya. Ternyata ia tidak bekerja di BKN, melainkan di departemen yang dilamarnya.

Merasa yakin identistas pelaku percobaan penipuan itu sudah di tangan, teman Sumarni terus-menerus menelepon ke rumah sampai akhirnya diangkat sendiri oleh Bedul. Mungkin sudah mendapat cerita dari istrinya bahwa ada orang dari BKN yang mencarinya, si oknum itu ketakutan.

Singkat kata, lewat percakapan telepon itu Bedul mengakui perbuatannya yang hendak memeras korban. Maka ketika akhirnya Bedul bertemu dengan Sumarni, ia menjadi sangat baik. "Sampai memfotokopikan berkas segala," kata Sumarni sumringah. (eln)

Two Indonesian reporters kidnapped in Iraq and shown in a video with masked gunmen (http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=516&ncid=731&e=5&u=/ap/20050218/ap_on_re_as/indonesia_iraq_missing_reporters)

http://us.news1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/rids/20050218/i/r1973090488.jpg

Hopefully they're safe and released soon.....

Police partrol in Surabaya

http://img54.exs.cx/img54/5018/pol8xt.jpg

One thing is for sure (in my opinion), Indonesian police have top-notch uniforms.

Poor policemen...they have to cycle in THAT uniform? I think they should wear special uniform for bicycle patrol, otherwise they'll get heat stroke man!

@yama: really? you think the uniform is nice?

Yep, I think they are awesome.

NO JOKE!


Rp 6 Miliar untuk 'Kambingisasi' di Sleman
Senin, 21 Pebruari 2005 | 20:42 WIB

TEMPO Interaktif, Sleman:Pemerintah Kabupaten Sleman Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta menganggarkan dana Rp 6 miliar untuk proyek kambingisasi. Untuk 2005 ini, Sleman akan memberikan kredit lunak kepada para petani sebanyak 20 ribu ekor kambing. Targetnya, lima tahun ke depan jumlah kambing di Sleman sudah menyamai jumlah penduduknya atau setara dengan Rp 130 miliar.

"Program kambingisasi ini sebenarnya sudah dimulai 2004 lalu dengan 2.000 ekor kambing. Tapi 2005 ini, DPRD dan eksekutif sudah sepakat mengalokasikan Rp 6 miliar untuk kredit lunak. Mereka yang mendapatkan giliran harus mengembalikan dalam bentuk kambing juga paling lama dua tahun," kata Bupati Sleman Ibnu Subiyanto kemarin di Sleman.

Pogram kambingisasi ini, kata Ibnu, dimaksudkan untuk meningkatkan kesejahteraan masyarakat. Dipilihnya kambing, kata dia, karena secara geografis wilayah Sleman cocok untuk peternakan kambing baik dari segi alamnya maupun rumput untuk pakan kambing. "Bagi petani, kotoran kambing juga bisa untuk pupuk kandang," ujarnya.

Untuk proyek ini, Sleman mendapat bantuan Asian Development Bank (ADB) untuk pendanaannya. ADB, kata Ibnu, setidaknya akan membantu sebesar Rp 2 miliar untuk pengadaan kambing.

Kepala Dinas Pertanian dan Kehutanan Pemkab Sleman Ahmad Yulianto menyatakan, kambing-kambing itu akan diserahkan kepada kelompok tani atau kelompok peternak dan tidak langsung kepada individu. Saat ini, kata dia, di Sleman terdapat 1.400 kelompok tani/peternak.

Jawa Tengah
Drakula Jadi Softex Didemo Massa
Jum'at, 04 Maret 2005 | 20:11 WIB

TEMPO Interaktif, Solo:"Drakula berdoa dan meminta supaya menjadi malaikat putih bersayap tetapi tetap bisa menghisap darah. Tuhan mengabulkan doanya, drakula menjadi Softex Wings".

Humor pesan pendek (SMS)di atas memicu demonstrasi. Puluhan orang yang menamakan dirinya Gabungan Elemen Masyarakat Surakarta Peduli Umat dan Gerakan Masyarakat Anti Arogansi Surakarta, Jumat (4/3) mendatangi kantor Indosat Solo di Jalan Slamet Riyadi.

Para pengunjuk rasa menuntut agar jaringan Indosat
mencabut SMS tersebut dan meminta maaf kepada masyarakat melalui televisi dan media cetak. SMS humor itu dikirim Indosat kepada pelanggannya. Sejak siang kantor Indosat yang terletak di jalan protokol kota Solo itu dijaga ketat polisi menyusul informasi adanya puluhan pengunjuk rasa yang akan mendatangi kantor tersebut.

Puluhan pemuda yang merupakan gabungan dari elemen
lembaga swadaya masyarakat dan ormas yang peduli terhadap moralitas dan keimanan, berorasi di halaman kantor. Mereka menilai SMS itu telah memicu keresahan di kalangan masyarakat. "SMS yang intinya melecehkan Tuhan dan bertentangan dengan dasar negara terutama sila pertama tentang Ketuhanan Yang Maha Esa,"ujar Koordinator lapangan Joko Trisno .

Para pendemo mendesak polisi untuk menyelidiki unsur kesengajaan dan motif penyebaran SMS itu. Menurut Branch Manager Indosat Solo Taufik Maulana Rahardjo, SMS itu bukan murni dari Indosat tapi dari salah satu provider yang bekerja sama dengan Indosat. "Kami secepatnya akan melaporkan kasus ini ke kantor pusat agar segera dicabut layanan SMS humor bermasalah itu. Ini merupakan suatu kekhilafan, pihaknya mendahului meminta maaf,"kata Taufik. Para pengunjuk rasa kemudian meninggalkan lokasi dengan tertib.

Anas Syahirul

Sigh...these ppl have problem man. I mean its just a joke, and its not even that crude. *Besides, I've heard about this one before. Who has?*

taken from thejakartapost.com

Indonesians take top spot for early risers

SINGAPORE (DPA): Indonesians take the top spot for early risers in the Asia-Pacific region, while Taiwanese are the last out of bed, a study on sleep habits showed on Sunday.

Nine in 10 of the Indonesians polled are out of bed by 7 a.m. More than 25 percent of the Taiwanese do not emerge from the sack until after 9 a.m.

The survey was conducted by ACNielsen of people ranging in age from 16 to over 60 in 28 countries across the Asia Pacific, Europe and the United States. The findings were published in The Sunday Times.

The earliest to bed and longest sleepers are the Australians and New Zealanders. Twenty-four percent of Australians are in bed by 10 p.m., followed by 19 percent of New Zealanders.

Thirty-one per cent of Aussies and 28 percent of Kiwis clock over nine hours of sleep daily.

The Japanese are the opposite, with four out of 10 getting six hours of sleep or less.

Globally, people in their 20s tend to be owls, staying up past midnight. In the Asia-Pacific region those in their 30s are more likely to burn the midnight oil, the study said.

Dr. Yeo Poh Teck, consultant neurologist at the Sleep Disorder Centre at Gleneagles Hospital in Singapore, said the recommended eight hours of sleep is not a medical requirement.

"Listen to your body," he told the newspaper. "If you feel refreshed when you wake up, and can function well throughout the day, then you have enough sleep. Otherwise, you need more time in bed."

The average person needs seven to eight hours of sleep, he said, but it can range from five to 10 hours.

Singapore turned out to be a nation of owls. The study found one in two stay up past midnight, with half of them hitting the sack between midnight and 1 a.m. The other half turned in after 1 a.m.

"The competitive Singaporean society is adapting to a longer waking day as working adults juggle their time between work and family," Vicky Santos, executive director for ACNielsen Research Singapore, was quoted as saying. (***)

Sigh...these ppl have problem man. I mean its just a joke, and its not even that crude. *Besides, I've heard about this one before. Who has?*

this is a joke I've heard 15 years ago

Making English Work / English opens doors in Indonesia



Midori Matsuzawa / Daily Yomiuri Staff Writer

Yuki Oda, 32, is every bit as dynamic as you would expect of a woman who went to Indonesia to start her own business making bamboo furniture. As president of the company she set up in 2000, the entrepreneur believes her success is in large part due to her language skills--not in Indonesian, but in English.

The company, called Kissable Zoy, has its own factory in a rural area in the eastern part of Java Island. Oda directs local technicians to ensure that her products are suitable in both size and design for Japanese homes. The furniture is then sold online via Internet mall Rakuten.

Oda cannot communicate directly with her bamboo specialists. "Although I've studied standard Indonesian for the purpose of talking to them, it's useless," she said. "They can only understand their local dialect."

For communication with the craftsmen--and business negotiations with other locals--Oda relies on an Indonesian agent who can speak both English and many local dialects. With the help of the agent, Oda found a veteran bamboo specialist in Jakarta who eventually went back home to eastern Java to establish the factory on his own plot of land.

Her fascination with Indonesia dates back to around 1999 when she visited Bali for the wedding of a Japanese friend to a local man. During the stay, Oda happened to meet an American buyer who took her around, showing her how to purchase local specialties. She went back to Japan "with strong reluctance."

"Bali products turned out to be so much cheaper and more attractive than I initially expected," Oda remembers. As she did not have a job in those days, "I thought it'd be good business (to start dealing in Indonesian products)," she added.

Deciding to focus on bamboo furniture as her main product, Oda went back to Indonesia half a year later. Since then, she visits the country regularly, attending bamboo product fairs and other specialist events around the nation,. It was at one such fair where, quite by chance, she met her English-speaking agent.

Through discussions with local businesspeople, Oda came to realize that English is indeed a global language. "Particularly in urban areas like Jakarta, it's like, if you cannot speak the language at all, what are you supposed to do?" she said. "Without such skills, locals would look down on you or wouldn't deal with you."

Oda noticed that Japanese businesspeople who could not speak English hired locals who could speak some Japanese as interpreters. "But that would make it difficult for them to discuss in detail how they wished to develop their products," she said.

Oda realized that many Indonesians in urban areas were able to speak English well compared with many Japanese who have studied the language at schools. "Even though they have never studied abroad and are relatively uneducated, many urban Indonesians can manage to communicate in English," Oda said. "They develop speaking skills by talking to foreign tourists in English."

Oda herself had used the same approach as a teenager. In Kyoto, her hometown, the young Oda would take advantage of the many foreign visitors to practice her English. At the time, the language was almost the only subject she really put effort into--in part because she loved English-language songs.

After graduating from high school, Oda headed for Los Angeles, where she spent a total of three years over two spells, mainly studying at a language school and an art school. This period was "the most helpful experience in improving my English skills," she recalls.

Oda says she acquired her foreign-language skills as "a survival method" during life overseas, using it to manage situations that were hard to handle without speaking the language.

For example, Oda shared an apartment with several friends, who "were sloppy, but had strong personalities," she says. "As they wouldn't pay the rent, I, as the official renter of the apartment, often had to demand that they pay up."

In addition, Oda often had quarrels with her roommates. "They said nasty things about me and it left me frustrated as I wasn't able to talk back immediately," she said. In such cases, "I often took a quick look in the dictionary before arguing back."

Back home, Oda realized the kind of English she had learned could not be considered "standard." "It was practical English, but it was street English," she said. "I thought I understood English grammar as I could speak fluently, but I found that I actually didn't"--a discovery she made when she failed the second grade of the Eiken test, the nation's most popular English examination. The second grade is the third-highest one with a level equivalent to high school graduates. The failure spurred her to study English grammar all over again.

Although Oda believes her English skills have played an important role in becoming an entrepreneur, she also realizes the limits of the language in Indonesia. She says it is frustrating--and sometimes causes misunderstandings--that she can communicate with many locals only through her English-speaking agent.

Yet, despite the language barrier, Oda believes she has established a relationship of trust with her craftsmen.

"If craftsmen have no love for their work, the furniture they make will tend to be pretty crude," she says. "But my people really work hard on the details, and their products are really lovely."

* * *

This column features interviews with professionals and others who use English in their jobs, in the hope of offering insights into learning the language. Readers are invited to offer themselves as candidates to be featured in this column or recommend an acquaintance. E-mail dy-edu@yomiuri.com. The column will return on April 8.

see: http://worldwind.arc.nasa.gov/

The English article reminds me of something quite interesting. I was at a sort-of comittee in Yogyakarta, and this guy from a "village" in East Java had been working up the courage to come talk to me in English. Well, he finally did and as terrible as it sounds I could not stop myself from laughing. He'd never taken an English class, he'd never spoken to a foreigner, but he spoke perfect English with a totally normal American accent. He sounded just like Jim Carrey, and I found out later he had learned it from watching movies and he was a big fan of Jim Carrey. Anyway, he's a really cool guy and we became friends.

It's just hilarious when you compare the english of this guy who learned from movies in East Java to East Asians in China, South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan that learn English all throughout middle and high school.

Welllllllllllllllll... now we have Javaenglish, Sundanenglish, Medanenglish.. Jakartaenglish... the list goes on ;)

in fact the cover of the latest edition of Newsweek talks about this issue: Who owns English?? now with the number of people speaking english as a 2nd language outnumbering those who speak it as 1st language by 3 to 1.

makes me wonder whether our government has any sense of priority...........

Circus stunts to rev up Jakarta patrols

A new police motorcycle squad has been formed in Jakarta to patrol the Indonesian capital's mean streets and perform circus-style stunts to entertain the public.

The 25-man squad, kitted out with Harley-Davidson bikes, is expected to combine duties policing the city's notorious traffic with displays of motorcycle prowess, such as standing on the saddle, riding in formation and slaloms.

"On Saturdays and Sundays, police personnel riding the Harley-Davidsons will also provide entertainment for people and street users in places that are not too busy," Jakarta police chief Firman Gani said.

He was speaking at the inauguration of the new squad, which featured a display of the team's unorthodox motorcycle skills.

- AFP

???????????
Is that squad serious????

its for real!
look..:
http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/afp/20050316/capt.sge.tmd74.160305170733.photo00.photo.default-389x272.jpg

Police motorcycles in Jakarta. new police motorcycle squad has been formed in the Indonesian capital Jakarta to patrol the city's mean streets during the week and perform circus-style stunts to entertain the public at weekends(AFP/File/Bay Ismoyo)

Hahaha
Who will submit this article to "Ripley's Believe it or Not?"

They reminded me of CHIPS. I think thats a good idea, but how much their salary will be?

cheers

At least in CHIPS they don't do circus. :bash:

Are they trying to make cops out of clowns? or clowns out of cops?

Seven steps to looking and acting intellectual :)
How to look and act like an intellectual somebody in seven easy steps.

1. Carry a dog-eared copy of one of Pramoedya's books everywhere. It dosn't matter which one. Eat a panini in QB cafe, and gush over how his stories and prose changed your life. Stress how deep and all encompassing his novels are, and casually mention your own personal library of his work and other greats. You must be either be crestfallen, brooding or quick-to-anger when you mention his time in prison at Buru Island. Don't forget to call him Pram, as other devotees call him. Otherwise you'll sound like a novice. As for foreign authors, JD Salinger, Milan Kundera and the Beat Generation writers are a safe bet (Stephen King, Danielle Steele, Sidney Sheldon are definite no-nos). Being able to namecheck a rising, young author will also improve your cred.

2. Discuss existentialism with ardent fervor, accompanied by an endless supply of cigarettes and black coffee, of course. A friend once remarked that he had fallen for a classmate who knew the work of Kafka by heart -- of course, the fact that his classmate had a huge pair of errr, Kafkas -- two large volumes in fact -- was not given even the slightest consideration.

3. Pretend that you're in the know when it comes to politics, but sigh and say that you're much too cynical, jaded and/or bitter to comment if others want to know your opinions. America is a good country to hate right now, which makes all other countries that support America fair game.

4. Pepper your conversation (and articles) with difficult, obscure, abstruse and obfuscating neologisms -- or words and phrases. Don't worry if you don't have the slightest inkling of their meaning. Your audience will nod along in agreement, what with them, being eager to look like deep, intellectual individuals themselves. Some words to get you there: Cultural relativism, intellectual torpor, enervate, inane, denouement, rube, hoi polloi and, of course, post-structuralist. (For bonus points -- use non-English foreign words; French is good)

5. Scoff at mindless Hollywood pap. Worship auteurs, not mere directors. No Steven Spielberg, please. Only Godard, Fellini, Bergman and Truffaut will do. Anybody who sounds French counts. The only local filmmaker to mention is Garin. If you have to like an American, make sure it's Kubrick. The more confusing the plot, the better. If it's boring, then it must be Cannes material. A controversial sex scene is a bonus, because if you don't have the slightest clue what the movie is all about, you can at least ogle the actors' bottoms.

6. Dislike anything mainstream. No self-respecting educated bourgeoisie would be caught dead enjoying anything off the Top 40 list. According to Toby Young, author of the hilarious memoir How to Lose Friends & Alienate People, popular culture is strictly divided between the stuff it is okay to like -- indie films, alternative rock, any form of cultural expression associated with minorities -- and the "rubbish" produced by the American entertainment industry. In order to pass muster, something has to be "authentic", it has to have an "edge". Mainstream popular culture is "plastic" and "safe". You're an avant-garde babe, with avant-garde taste. Announce to the world that you're a die-hard Radiohead fan, that Thom Yorke is the all-seeing God whose deep and moving lyrics make you cry. Denounce them when there are more than two people in the room who share the same sentiment.

7. Should you be unable to conceal your delight at hearing the opening keyboard intro of Britney's Baby One More Time, offer either of the following explanations: A) "It's just like an annoying repetitive ad, unfortunately bad things just stick in your mind," or B) "it was enjoyed strictly in a spirit of camp condescension". Baywatch, for instance, should be regarded as "hilarious" because it falls into the "so bad, it's good" category. If you're caught with one such dodgy CD or DVD at the record store, mention reason B or say that you're buying it for your don't-know-any-better 10-year-old niece.

Of course, none of these strategies need apply if you happen to be an expat. People will regard you as a stylish, intellectual individual whose words they will cling onto, despite the fact that you drool when eating, speak broken, child-like Indonesian and frequently voice your love for Britney, Baywatch, Steven Speilberg, George Bush, Jackie Collins and Starbucks. --Krabbe K. Pitting

Kenapa yah tiap kali gue makan teriyaki chicken, perut gue ngeluh banget. Aduh!!!

makes me wonder whether our government has any sense of priority...........

Circus stunts to rev up Jakarta patrols

A new police motorcycle squad has been formed in Jakarta to patrol the Indonesian capital's mean streets and perform circus-style stunts to entertain the public.

The 25-man squad, kitted out with Harley-Davidson bikes, is expected to combine duties policing the city's notorious traffic with displays of motorcycle prowess, such as standing on the saddle, riding in formation and slaloms.

"On Saturdays and Sundays, police personnel riding the Harley-Davidsons will also provide entertainment for people and street users in places that are not too busy," Jakarta police chief Firman Gani said.

He was speaking at the inauguration of the new squad, which featured a display of the team's unorthodox motorcycle skills.

- AFP
I've herd that it was Sutiyoso's "gift." Gue juga dengar orang Pemda ngak ada tau duitnya itu dari Sutiyoso atau dari Jakarta.

Not surprising to us, right? Indonesians wake up earlier than anyone in the world.


Asians burn midnight oil

Singapore - People in Asia burn the midnight oil, going to sleep later than most Americans and Europeans and then wake up earlier, a global survey on sleep habits has found.

The poll of 14 100 people in 28 countries and regions - from Asia to Europe and the United States - showed 40 percent of people in Asia only go to sleep after midnight, compared with 34 percent in the United States and 32 percent in Europe.

Asia is also the earliest to rise, the survey by market research firm AC Nielsen showed, with the Japanese the most deprived of sleep.

"There is evidence all around us that people are pushing back their bed times," said Vicky Santos, executive director of AC Nielsen's Singapore office, citing distractions ranging from late night entertainment to all-night shopping and the Internet.

Portugal boasts more night owls than any other country with three-quarters of those polled still up after midnight, the poll, conducted over the Internet in October, showed.

But seven of the top 10 nocturnal places were in Asia - led by Taiwan, where 69 percent said they only nod off after midnight, the second-highest proportion after Portugal.

Half of the 10 places with the most early-risers were in Asia, led by Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation where 91 percent said they are out of bed by 7am.

The Japanese got the least sleep, with 41 percent managing six hours or less each night.

In contrast, Australians nodded off the earliest and got the longest hours of beauty sleep.

Twenty-four percent of Australians polled said they went to bed by 10 pm and 31 percent said they average more than nine hours of sleep a night.

Half of the 10 places with the most early-risers were in Asia, led by Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation where 91 percent said they are out of bed by 7am.


for many muslim families, wake up at 7am already considered late.... thus we sleep even less.

Yep, I agree, but my fiancée (Christian) never wakes up past 5am. I can't understand it, and I never will.

RI passport to have new design

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The government launched on Monday a new design for the Indonesian passport, produced with advanced printing technology, in a bid to prevent passport forgery that has been deemed to have endangered national security.

For the same reason, the government also plans to issue another new design of the passport next year, which will contain the holder's fingerprints, face print and retina print on the last page in a move to meet security standards of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

The ICAO, according to the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights, requires all countries to issue passports with the above by 2009 at the latest.

Beginning April 1, Indonesians will be able to get the newly designed passports at home, while those living abroad can apply for ones by May 1. Others who hold current passports can use them until they expire, but they are also permitted to make new ones.

The government promised not to raise the fees for new passports, which are set at Rp 110,000 (US$11.8) for a 24-page passport and Rp 255,000 for a 48-page one.

Minister of Justice and Human Rights Hamid Awaluddin told a news conference here on Monday that the current passport design issued in 1997 did not meet ICAO security standards.

He said the newly designed passports would be able to help prevent cases of forgery and reduce the possibility of citizens having more than one passport.

"It is also our commitment to consider a passport a state document, which must not be forged under any circumstances," he said.

The minister said the current passports were prone to forgery. He did not elaborate further. Nor did his office provide details on how forgery cases had endangered national security.

However, elderly cleric Abu Bakar Ba'asyir, the spiritual leader of Jamaah Islamiyah terror group, was once jailed for passport forgery.

The cover of the new passport bears an embossed Indonesian flag as well as orange color text that reads Republic of Indonesia, and the symbol of Garuda that will be phosphoresced in yellow under ultraviolet light.

The first and last page contains significant improvements, including a serial number produced by laser technology.

In the data page, it features a machine-readable zone, which is provided specially for a passport identification machine.

"It would not be easy to forge it. But should there be a forgery case, the criminal will be subject to the 1992 Immigration Law that carries a maximum penalty of five years," Hamid said, adding that the passport contains more undisclosed technology in its format for security purposes.

Iman Santoso, who heads the immigration office, explained that the newly designed passport would be only good for one individual.

Currently, a child can also be named in his or her parent's passport. A wife is also allowed to be named in her spouse's passport according to the existing regulation.

"The principle of having individual passport-holders will be applied because the government is working on a single identification number. If it is applied, the number of a citizen's ID card would be the same as that of the passport," Iman said.

for many muslim families, wake up at 7am already considered late.... thus we sleep even less.

He he he ... Yes Tata ....

Moslem should do Fajr Prayer ( Subuh ) at about 5.00 in the morning .....
and do the praying activities/exercise .... that scientist study .... is almost the same with ..... senam pagi (morning excercise ) ... like taichi, en the like ...

That's why ... they are health and fit ....

Moslem should do Fajr Prayer ( Subuh ) at about 5.00 in the morning .....
and do the praying activities/exercise .... that scientist study .... is almost the same with ..... senam pagi (morning excercise ) ... like taichi, en the like ...


Mac I think you forget few things: Bubur ayam and kue cucur ;)

Indonesians happy battlers: Survey


Hera Diani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

While media reports often focus on doom and gloom -- price hikes and the rampant corruption, poor investment climate and widespread social injustice and poverty in the country -- a recent national survey made public on Tuesday revealed that most Indonesians are a happy, content lot, who are positive about the future.

Conducted by the U.S.-based International Foundation for Election Systems (IFES), the survey showed that 81 percent of Indonesians assessed their family's quality of life as good or very good.

The generally positive view was prevalent throughout society and even 73 percent of those at the lowest socio-economic level said their quality of life was good.

The vast majority of Indonesians (90 percent) also said that they had maintained or improved their quality of life during the past year.

There was also an increased optimism about future conditions, as 47 percent expected their family's quality of life would be better in a year's time, compared to 31 percent in 2003 and 38 percent in 2002.

The survey was conducted between Feb. 7 and Feb. 11, through face-to-face interviews with 2,020 respondents in 33 provinces, including the conflict areas of Aceh, Maluku and Papua.

Using a multi-stage random sampling method, the survey's sampling of error was estimated to be 2.2 percent at 95 percent confidence level.

Aside from questions about the future, the survey covered eight other areas: An assessment of Susilo's administration; opinions on state institutions and leaders, women in parliament, political parties, electoral bodies, the Constitutional Court; regional and local representation and the media.

However, the survey was carried out before the government's decision to increase the fuel prices, which would likely have affected the result.

Since 2001, economic problems have been regularly mentioned by Indonesians in surveys as their main concern.

The recent survey showed that 55 percent of Indonesians cited the increased prices of basic needs as the country's biggest problem, followed by the difficulty to find work (26 percent).

One issue that has lost resonance since the 2003 survey was the perceived lack of security in the country fingered as the nation's biggest problem, which dropped from 13 percent in 2003 to 2 percent this year.

Forty-eight percent of those surveyed felt safer or much safer compared to last year, including those in the conflict areas of Aceh, Maluku and Papua. In 2003, only 27 percent felt this way.

The IFES said one reason for the vastly improved perception of security issues could be the fact that Susilo's government was generally perceived as stronger on security issues than that of his predecessor, Megawati Soekarnoputri.

All in all, almost two-thirds, or 64 percent, of all Indonesians think that the country has been headed on the right track since the 2004 elections.

The most frequently mentioned reasons were the serious efforts from the government to fight corruption (43 percent), improve the security situation (18 percent), economy (13 percent) and a more honest government (12 percent).

Kamis, 14 April 2005




Mau Membawa Kambing dengan Pesawat


SULIT dipercaya, ketika seorang bapak tua datang ke Bandar Udara Polonia, Medan, dengan membawa seekor kambing hidup. Ia akan membawa kambing itu ke Jakarta dengan naik pesawat terbang untuk anaknya yang sedang merantau.

KEJADIAN nyata ini pernah ditemui Agus Pambagio, Ketua Kelompok Kerja Visi Anak Bangsa, sebuah lembaga sosial yang giat dalam pengembangan komunitas masyarakat. Termasuk pengembangan masyarakat di sekitar bandar udara (bandara).

Agus menemui kejadian ganjil itu beberapa waktu lalu. Bapak yang membawa kambing tadi ditanya petugas bandara, dan ia menganalogikan perjalanan dengan pesawat terbang tak akan jauh berbeda dengan bus umum yang bisa mengikutsertakan kambing.

Sebelumnya, bapak itu menyatakan pernah bisa membawa seekor kambing dengan naik bus umum. Entah tujuannya ke mana. Mungkin ke tempat lain yang ditempuh dalam waktu dua atau tiga jam dari Medan.

Ada kemungkinan, kemudian bapak tersebut membandingkan waktu tempuh dari Medan ke Jakarta, jika menggunakan pesawat terbang juga hanya sekitar dua jam. Dengan waktu tempuh sedemikian singkat, kambing yang akan ia bawa ke Jakarta berarti akan selamat.

Apalagi, demi seorang anak yang merantau ke Jakarta, apa pun yang terjadi diharapkan kambing itu dapat diberikan kepada anaknya. "Pada waktu itu saya turut menjelaskan kepada bapak itu bahwa kambing tidak boleh dibawa masuk bersama penumpang ke dalam pesawat," kata Agus pada suatu kesempatan kunjungan bersama beberapa wartawan ke Bandara Polonia, Jumat (8/4) pekan lalu.

Agus menjelaskan kepada bapak itu bahwa kambing yang akan dibawa dari Medan ke Jakarta dengan naik pesawat terbang akan mati. Sebab, kambing itu harus dikemas seperti barang-barang lainnya dan harus dipisahkan dengan para penumpang. "Bapak itu tetap saja beralasan ingin membawa kambing itu ke Jakarta demi anaknya," kata Agus.

Akhirnya tetap saja kambing dilarang dibawa masuk pesawat terbang. Tak tahulah kemudian nasib bapak tadi. Apakah ia pulang kembali bersama kambing ke desanya, atau ia meninggalkan kambing itu di bandara dan tetap pergi ke Jakarta dengan pesawat terbang.

Tidak tahu pula kemudian, jika jadi berangkat ke Jakarta, apakah bapak tua tadi bisa bertemu dengan anaknya. Sebab, orang desa yang bermodal tekad saja datang ke Jakarta itu sering tidak menjumpai sanak saudaranya yang merantau terlebih dahulu. Jakarta sudah penuh sesak dan keadaan lalu lintasnya semrawut dan penuh dengan kemacetan.

AGUS mengatakan, saat ini sedang terjadi perubahan sistem transportasi laut dan darat menjadi sistem transportasi udara. Perubahan ini dipicu serangan teroris di Amerika Serikat yang menggunakan pesawat terbang komersial pengangkut penumpang ke gedung World Trade Center (WTC) dan Pentagon. Pascaserangan teroris itu kemudian ditempuh kebijakan Amerika Serikat untuk mengurangi pesawat-pesawat terbang yang ada.

Sebagian pesawat terbang dari Amerika Serikat itu lalu beralih ke Indonesia. Pesawat-pesawat terbang itu lalu dikelola menjadi berbagai maskapai penerbangan yang banyak tersedia sekarang.

Sebagian besar menjadi maskapai penerbangan domestik. Hal itu menjadikan intensitas rute penerbangan antarkota makin meluas. Itu termasuk jumlah penerbangan yang meningkat.

Agus menambahkan, perubahan sistem transportasi ini belum sepenuhnya diiringi perubahan kultural sosial. Masyarakat lapisan menengah ke bawah kini dapat memanfaatkan sarana transportasi udara karena tiket yang ditawarkan mampu dijangkau.

Adapun kultur atau kebiasaan masyarakat terutama lapisan bawah masih kentara. Sampai ada yang ingin membawa kambing dengan naik pesawat terbang.

"Di dalam pesawat terbang dengan tujuan domestik sekarang bisa dilihat suasananya juga mirip di dalam bus umum. Sering ada bau balsem. Lalu, ada yang pergi ke toilet pesawat, tetapi tidak tahu cara mengunci pintunya," kata Agus.

Untuk masalah bau balsem dan melihat orang tak dapat mengunci toilet di dalam pesawat, yang diutarakan Agus itu terjadi dalam perjalanan dari Jakarta ke Padang, Kamis (7/4). Saat itu Agus mengajak beberapa wartawan termasuk Kompas, atas prakarsa kantor pusat PT (Persero) Angkasa Pura II, mengadakan perjalanan dari Jakarta menuju Padang.

Corporate Secretary PT (Persero) Angkasa Pura II Kasmin Kamil turut menyertai perjalanan tersebut. Setiba di Bandara Tabing, Padang, perjalanan darat dilanjutkan ke lokasi calon bandara baru. Namun, bandara yang dipersiapkan itu Bandara Internasional Minangkabau (Minangkabau International Airport/MIA) di Ketaping, berjarak belasan kilometer dari Bandara Tabing.

Menurut pemimpin proyek Bandara Internasional Minangkabau Nur Isnin Istiartono dari Departemen Perhubungan, pembangunan bandara baru di Ketaping seluas 473 hektar saat itu sudah mencapai 95 persen. Konstruksi bandara dibangun dengan dana pinjaman lunak dari Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) senilai 8,9 miliar yen. Sementara JBIC menyediakan dana pinjaman lunak seluruhnya sebesar 16 miliar yen.

"Pada bulan Juli 2005 nanti diharapkan Bandara Internasional Minangkabau ini dapat beroperasi sehingga Bandara Tabing dapat dikembalikan kepada TNI Angkatan Udara," kata Nur Isnin.

Perjalanan dari Padang kemudian dilanjutkan ke Medan. Di Medan itu pula meninjau lokasi calon bandara pengganti Polonia yang kini dianggap kapasitasnya kurang. Luas Bandara Polonia saat ini 144 hektar, sementara luas calon bandar udara penggantinya di Kuala Namu itu mencapai 1.365 hektar.

Kedua calon bandara pengganti di Padang dan Medan itu sama-sama berada di dekat laut, kira-kira berjarak sekitar dua sampai lima kilometer dari pantai.

Pembangunan bandara baru di Padang sudah mendekati selesai. Namun, pembangunan calon bandara baru di Medan sama sekali belum dimulai.

Lokasi calon bandara pengganti Polonia masih berupa kawasan perkebunan sawit. Menurut Adi Supranto, pembebasan lahan dari PT Angkasa Pura II sudah sepenuhnya dilaksanakan. Tetapi, saat ini masih ada 71 keluarga yang belum bersedia pindah dari kawasan yang dibebaskan tersebut.

"Pemindahan 71 keluarga yang masih berada di lokasi sekarang diserahkan kepada pemerintah daerah setempat," kata Adi Supranto, yang juga perwira TNI Angkatan Udara berpangkat kolonel tersebut.

Adi juga mengutarakan, seraya menunggu kepastian waktu pembangunan bandara baru, lahan-lahan kosong di sela perkebunan sawit akan digunakan sebagai lahan penanaman tebu. Kesepakatan sudah ditempuh dengan pengelola pabrik gula setempat.

KEMBALI pada permasalahan angkutan penerbangan saat ini, menurut Agus, yang sebelumnya pernah aktif di Yayasan Lembaga Konsumen Indonesia (YLKI), saat ini sedang terjadi eforia penerbangan komersial yang murah. "Ini dapat diprediksi tidak akan bertahan lama," kata Agus.

Berdasarkan data statistik, pergerakan jumlah penumpang dari tahun ke tahun selalu naik sampai berkisar 30 persen. Pada tahun 2004 di Bandara Tabing berkisar 1,2 juta penumpang, Bandara Polonia (3,7 penumpang), sedangkan di bandara terbesar, yaitu di Bandar Udara Soekarno-Hatta, mencapai 25,6 juta.

Menurut Agus, saat ini yang sedang terjadi adalah persaingan berbagai perusahaan penerbangan. Pada akhirnya memunculkan persaingan tingkat harga. "Pendapatan perusahaan penerbangan dengan harga murah diperkirakan belum mencukupi persediaan modal, ketika nantinya setiap perusahaan itu harus memperbarui mesin-mesin pesawat terbang," kata Agus.

Agus mengatakan, manakala harga tiket penerbangan dinaikkan sesuai dengan standar kebutuhan, setiap perusahaan penerbangan akan menemui kendala daya beli konsumen yang masih rendah. Akhirnya pula, masyarakat kebanyakan kini dapat menjangkau harga tiket pesawat terbang domestik, kendati sebagian masyarakat itu masih membawa kultur lama.

"Keadaan-keadaan seperti itulah yang akhirnya bisa membuat seorang bapak dari Medan datang ke bandara dan ingin membawa seekor kambing ke Jakarta dengan pesawat terbang," tutur Agus.

Di sisi lain, menurut Agus, sekarang ini ada hal yang perlu diwaspadai. Akibat persaingan berbagai perusahaan penerbangan yang ada sekarang, penekanan harga tiket semurah-murahnya mengakibatkan adanya pengorbanan biaya lain. Dikhawatirkan salah satu yang dikorbankan adalah perawatan pesawat terbang.

"Akibat dari banyaknya pesawat terbang, nilai perawatannya dari setiap bengkel tentu juga akan naik. Dikhawatirkan ada perusahaan penerbangan tertentu yang akhirnya tidak merawat pesawat terbang dengan semestinya," kata Agus.

Kemudian masalah kebutuhan pilot sekarang menjadi tinggi. Agus pun mengkhawatirkan, perusahaan-perusahaan penerbangan sekarang mau merekrut pilot yang berkelas rendah. (NAWA TUNGGAL)

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :naughty: :lol: :lol:

George Bush Sexiest to Indonesian Women
April 20, 2005 04:46 PM,

Laksamana.Net - Indonesian women are the most turned on by US President George W. Bush, according to the results of an international survey.

A recent online poll conducted by US-based Esquire magazine asked 11,000 women (average age 22) in 15 countries to rate Bush's sex appeal on a scale of 1 to 10.

Indonesian women gave him the highest average rating of 2.2, while American women gave him a score of 2.1

Elsewhere, women in Australia, Germany and the Netherlands gave Bush an average score of 1.4 for sex appeal, according to the magazine's ‘Global Survey of the Female Species’.

The other countries covered in the survey included Austria, Brazil, Britain, Israel, Italy, the Philippines, Russia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden. None rated Bush’s allure higher than a 2.

Predominantly Muslim Indonesia has been a strong critic of Bush’s invasion of Iraq, but the US president apparently has what it takes not to appear too unattractive Indonesian women.

In addition to Bush’s sex appeal, the poll also questioned women about their sexual proclivities.

Asked how many men they had slept with, women in Brazil, Israel and Russia came out on top, saying they had bedded 10 or more men. American women said they had slept with about nine. Indonesia women scored lowest in this category, admitting to having slept with only two different men.

As for what age women lost their virginity, 16 was the average age in Australia, Britain, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden and the US. It was 17 in Spain, Italy, the Philippines and Russia, and 18 in Brazil, Israel and Poland. Indonesian women waited the longest — until 21.

Israeli women found the size of a man's penis the most important, ranking it 7.4 on a scale of 10; while Indonesian woman rated it least important (5.4).

In Italy, 83% of women said they preferred sex to cuddling, compared to 63% of American women.

About 33% of American women said they masturbate several times a week, although British, Israeli, Brazilian and Indonesian women do so more frequently.

Asked how many dates it takes before they will sleep with a man, American women averaged 5.5 dates. Swedish women said it took them just 4 dates.

The survey’s section on Bush’s sex appeal generated many comments in cyberspace, with some webloggers questioning whether such an issue was newsworthy or just a frivolous waste of time.

One female defender of Bush wrote: “Whoever these women are they do NOT speak for me! I like manly men, like the president and my husband.”

That prompted another woman to reply: “Bush is not manly. He looks like chimpanzee with down syndrome.”

Wrote another: “Don't listen to the Bushies... they'll defend Dubya no matter what. Even if it means having to say ‘He's Sexy!’.”

What the crap?

LOL..is that for real? what makes dubya sexy?

cheers

Actually, it is true now that I think about it. I've heard Indonesian women say they thought Bush was better than Gore because they thought Bush was more handsome, but they changed their minds after he was actually in office.

But Bush is actually quite handsome when he was young, i saw his picture when he was serving at the US coast guard. And Laura Bush is actually pretty too, no wonder her daughter jenna is such a cutie.

cheers