Tuesday 6 December 2005

Speaking Again

Lovenkrands the hero on a raucous night at Ibrox
RANGERS 1-1 INTER

Unbelievable............Once again our thanks go to Porto

Sunday 20 November 2005

Saturday 19 November 2005

And it rained - again Posted by Picasa
You know it makes sense - Poster from "5+1" Jakarta Posted by Picasa
Latest addition to "D's" Kemang menu, the 22 slice Bacon Sandwich - Eat it if you dare! 0 )Only30,000Rupiah ($3) (Per Bite) Posted by Picasa
Feeling Peckish? Check the Menu! Posted by Picasa

Wurdz

It’s been a busy week with work and accordingly some things slip, specifically research and posting of the uniquely Indonesian day to day happenings.
Language here is fraught with pitfalls, being a mis-match of over a hundred languages, welded together recently to create Bahasa Indonesian, there are bound to be words for which there are no counterparts in English.
Do you need LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas), look no further than the trucks with signage saying El-Pi-Ji.
However, there are some cracking words, a few of which are listed below(Desus being my favourite)
DIDIS
To search and pick up lice from one's own hair, usually when in bed at night.
NYLENTIK
To flick someone with the middle finger on the ear.
KUCIR
A tuft of hair left to grow on top of an otherwise bald head. (Mine)
LATAH
Uncontrollable habit of saying embarrassing things. (Dedicated to a chef we know often known as Tourette John)
NING-NONG
The ringing of a doorbell.
DESUS
The quiet, smooth sound of somebody farting but not very loudly.

Friday 11 November 2005

Starting Line of Blok M Bajaj Grand Prix Posted by Picasa

Formula Bajaj

After the resounding success of the 2nd Annual Bajaj Grand Prix last month, the consensus of opinion was that the existing course left much to be desired and a more formidable challenge was required.

To put all of these things into perspective it is important that the rules and regulations for this sporting spectacular are explained and understood.

The Bajaj Grand Prix requires that drivers be completely blotto and effectively legless in order to comply with FBA (Formula Bajaj Association) specifications.

Drivers are required to submit a bond of One Million Rupiah to cover potential damage to their chosen Bajaj.

Drivers cannot nominate their Bajaj until 15 minutes before race start time, only Bajaj available within the vicinity of the race track are eligible for consideration as a race vehicle.

Bajaj emission levels are to be inspected prior to start of race to ensure maximum pollutants and Bajaj with a functioning exhaust system are to be disqualified.

Bajaj with working indicators (an unlikely scenario I admit) are to be disqualified.

Contestants who are able to walk unaided to their vehicle are to be disqualified.

Here’s the real deal! An Ozzie chap who shall remain nameless (Papa Lou) decided that a Bajaj Race was a great idea. This of course was an idea which sprung to mind after umpteen frothy glasses in the Blok. Three sheets to the wind, the contestants ventured into the street, cornered a number of Bajaj and proceeded to co-erce said Bajaj Drivers to allow the crazy Buleh (Foreigners) to drive the vehicles around Blok M, completely pissed.

After much discussion and waving of lots of bank notes, the drivers were convinced that this was a far more lucrative option than driving around looking for legitimate passengers.

Without much further ado, the boys ordered the drivers into the back seat of the Bajaj, and the first Jakarta Invitational International Bajaj Grand Prix was underway.

Hurtling around Blok M at One o’clock in the morning, a bunch of drunken Schumakers swerved their way through every chicane, traffic light and pedestrian crossing, narrowly missing the traffic from Blok M Bus Terminal and the Pasaraya Pit Lane, the winner being first back to the Sportsman’s Bar in an undamaged Bajaj.

With the success of the inaugural event, the second of these extravaganzas took place last month, although lack of road works, high quality roads and zero traffic to interfere with diminished the pleasure.

Having fully researched all options, Kemang has been nominated as the alternative venue and the upcoming Kemang Festival promises to provide the occasion for the third (now Bi-Annual) Jakarta Invitational International Bajaj Grand Prix.

The rules shall remain unchanged and the course conditions are likely to favour the more intoxicated of the drivers, the map below showing the proposed route In conclusion we can only pray that on the chosen day it rains like buggery so that the Bajaj running on “wet tyres” rather than “slick’s or intermediates” will be able to demonstrate the advantage on the treacherous Kemang circuit.

Mr. Ecclestone look out, the future is on its way and F1 may die a death when the world experiences “Formula Bajaj” for the first time.

The New Course Posted by Picasa
And the winner is - Papa Lou! Posted by Picasa

Monday 7 November 2005

Saturday 5 November 2005

Ayam Pie

BLOK M – A Guide to Flora and Fauna

There are a number of places in Jakarta that I know off, however, very rarely visit. Mostly my reticence has more to do with travelling time than lack of attraction. There is however a little corner of South Jakarta which is usually spoken of in hushed voices or referred to simply as the “Blok”.

The Blok, despite its apparent notoriety consists mainly of a single street called Jalan Falethehan and boasts a number of bars which wax and wane in popularity for no apparent reason. However, one thing is for sure, explorers find many hitherto unknown species here and many individuals have conducted many “in depth” expeditions in order to identify the various indigenous inhabitents which can be found in the said bars……

After years of painstaking study there has been a report issued by the Reveller who has finally arrived at a taxonomy of the varieties of fauna to be found in south Jakarta, here presented to educate the novices among you and to amuse the cognoscenti.

Sharks
The hardened professionals, they hunt in pairs or packs. Smart dressers, skilful users of make-up, they have X-ray vision that would make Superman weep and can spot their prey across a crowded bar with uncanny accuracy. They move in quickly and silently for the kill. English rarely gets beyond the "what you name, you buy me drink, you go home same me" stage.

QuickFits
Named after the well-known UK car repair company that guarantees to replace your brakes, exhaust and/or tyres in less than ten minutes. Usually slim, attractive, and sexy, they ooze lust. But when you get them into the hotel room, they're out of their clothes and into bed faster than a grand-prix tyre change. They haven't even heard of foreplay, and as soon as you've come they've gone - usually straight back to their bar of choice to line up the next victim.

Derelicts
Older girls who are past their shelf-date, they home in on anyone with whom they have - or think they have - an acquaintance, to cadge money for taxi/rent/sick child/sick parent/kid's school-fees/house repairs/phone bill/etc. Some display the remnants of bygone beauty, but many are now so brawny they could make a new career in the Scottish Shot Putting Team.

Lolitas
Should really be at home doing their homework. Skimpy little waifs, fragile and vulnerable looking, they invariably add at least three years to their real age. Smoke non-stop and have a sink-like capacity for whisky colas. Often very inexperienced - they know what the Naughty Bits are for, and what goes where, but not how, when, or why.

Sulks
The attractive (and often highly intelligent) girls who sit morosely at the bar glaring into their drinks. Smoke heavily with obsessive intensity. Oblivious to the other girls, and don't even look at the guys. Some are getting over broken relationships, others suffering a general attack of angst or schizophrenia. Beneath a frigid exterior they're actually seeking companionship and a bit of sympathy, and if they can be drawn out of their shells are excellent company.

Piranhas
Once they smell blood, they are ruthless in their pursuit of a victim. They can gauge to a milligram their victim's blood-alcohol level, and respond accordingly. They home in on the erogenous zones, and you're lucky if you get to the pub door without shooting your bolt.

Leeches
You've made the deadly mistake of taking these more than once. Thereafter you are "Theirs" and they will haunt you for the rest of your natural days. 'Fatal Attraction' has nothing on these harpies.

Psychos
The basket-cases, girls who are completely out to lunch. Faces set in a rictus of a smile, with glazed and fixated eyes, they often have razor-scars on both arms and a can of Baygon in the handbag. Throw towering fits of rage and jealousy when 'their' guy ignores them, or suggests that they push off and leave him alone. Sometimes stalk guys round the Blok and cause embarrassing scenes. Pester non-stop on their handphones if they get hold of a victim's number.

Wallpaper
These are the largely decorative totty, usually lounging around the walls and chatting to the bar staff. Seemingly oblivious to the guys, they have a glazed stare and are immune to the usual 'come hither' signals.

Brain-dead beauties
These are the sultry, sexy, curvaceous, luscious creatures you could die for - until you try to engage them in conversation. You then realise that they drop off the bottom of the IQ scale.

Sleeping beauties
Vivacious and lively in the bar, as soon as you get them into the hotel room they become drowsy and fall into a deep coma. Not even a scale eight earthquake will wake them, and forget about Prince Charming. Fine if you're into necrophilia, otherwise a waste of time.

Butterflies
Charming and attractive young creatures who flit from guy to guy to say hello, share a joke, stop for a drink and a chat if invited. Wonderful smiles, flashing eyes, bubbly personalities. Bright and canny, they quickly sense a guy's mood and never outstay their welcome. Absolute gems.

Amateurs
These are the occasional visitors, the quiet girls. They usually wear jeans or sensible skirts and woollen tops. They don't drink much, and rarely smoke. They don't wear much - or any - make up. They avoid the obvious Lotharios and loud-mouthed lechers, but quietly and efficiently attach themselves to the less vociferous guys. Often the best performers and they never argue about the remuneration.

Sylphs
Slender, willowy young girls with wistful expressions and fawn-like gracefulness. Deep dark eyes, and fine exquisite features shadowed by gently swaying jet-black hair. They've got 'look, but don't touch' written all over them, and a quintessential femininity that you'll find nowhere else in the world. As they get older they usually become regular girlfriends of - and sometimes marry - good-looking young expats.

Sirens
Named after the mythical creatures, half bird and half woman, that lure sailors to destruction by the sweetness of their songs. These girls are the maddeningly attractive, stunningly sensuous control-freaks who get their kicks from leading guys on until they are quite besotted, mercilessly toying with their victims - and then dumping them. Some guys never recover from the experience.

Starfish
Complete non-performers who become inert as soon as they hit the mattress. Like their marine counterparts, they just lie there with arms outstretched and legs wide apart. All the joie de vivre of a wet weekend in Shettleston, and about as much sex-appeal as cold porridge. The more lively specimens are reported to mutter "you want pom-pom?" in a bored voice.

Scalp-hunters
These girls aren't just after money - they're out to impress their friends by the number of guys they manage to notch up. A sub-species of the genus Shark, very popular with the blokes as they're singularly attractive and invariably good performers. Indeed, the host male not infrequently recommends the girl to all his mates, thereby unwittingly raising her peer-prestige rating.

Tag teams
These girls pose as Best Friends and snare the unwitting victim into taking both of them, with hints of unbridled erotic pleasures to follow. But once in the hotel room they switch on the TV and chatter together non-stop (usually in Javanese), and instead of the exotic "two up" that was salaciously anticipated it's more like tag team wrestling. While one is vaguely active, the other is listlessly watching television - she then rolls over, taps her friend on the shoulder, and takes over while the one you were dallying with assumes the TV-watching role.

Scavengers
These are the Hungry Girls. You've barely closed the hotel room door before they announce that they're ravenously hungry, and proceed to order half the room service menu. By the time the food has come and been devoured your libido has packed up and gone home, and if you've been carousing all night you're probably in the arms of Wee Willy Winkie rather than the sweet young thing by your side.

Paradoxies
This type has a disdainful, haughty demeanour - but punctuated by occasional flashes of eyes and pouting of lips. Pays exaggerated attention to another guy while she shimmies up to you. Disappears without warning for minutes on end while she secretly watches your every move from a distance, then greets you like a long-lost friend on her return. Pushes her best friend at you to see if you're tempted. Looks shocked and embarrassed when you ask her the inevitable question - then drags you out of the bar and sets off like a rocket for the nearest hotel. Pure Gorbals!

Barnacles
These are the personable, friendly girls who just seem to latch on to you and become fixtures. Undemanding and unassuming, they're happy to sit with you, have a drink and a chat, and never ask for money or push you to go with them. They're often loners, for whom the bars and discos are a pleasant break from the tedium of a humdrum job or a claustrophobic family. Many are separated or divorced, and may have a kid or two to bring up single-handed.

Limpets
These are the frotteuses who hook onto you and spend the night rubbing themselves lubriciously against your body. They aren't aggressive or forceful about it - every contact is made to seem like a delicious accident, the girl pretending that nothing's happening while the guy's hormones spiral out of control and he risks shooting his bolt. They somehow contrive to get all their erogenous zones into contact with yours, giving a whole new meaning to thrills and spills.

OEMs
These are generic look-alikes who pack the bars and discos - instantly recognizable by their long black hair, pale complexions, slim figures and black outfits. Listless and bored, they rarely smile or show any sign of animation - all the vivacity of a telephone answering machine. Bussed into Jakarta as job lots from the remoter kampongs of Indramayu, they're re-branded as Blok M girls.

Gold-diggers
These sleek and slinky harpies think you're a walking ATM. They demand the most expensive drinks in the bar, want you to buy them a handphone after the briefest acquaintance, expect you to pay their rent at the end of the month, and claim to have a string of costly family misfortunes that would keep a Gasgow Alkie going for a year. If they hook a guy they dig in for the duration and life is one long demand for house, car, gold, jewellery and cosmetic surgery.

Pumpkins
The Cinderella who suddenly vanishes into the night as midnight approaches, leaving you bereft in the bar with only your drinks tab for company. Even after promising an all-nighter invariably invents a feeble excuse for being unable to stay and scoots off after the briefest of clinches. You're left feeling like a mouse that got whacked by a trap and didn't even get to eat the cheese.

Edsels
Named after the overpriced and over-engineered gas-guzzling luxury car that was one of the biggest flops in motoring history. Dresses up to the nines, typically high-heeled thigh-length boots, tight leatherette mini skirt, frilly translucent blouse and gaudy jacket. Usually wears a loopy hat on top of streak-bleached hair and totes a futuristic shiny plastic shoulder bag. Make-up way overdone, nails long and crimson, looks like something from a vampire B-movie. Demands the most exotic drinks in the house and turns her nose up at any bloke she considers can't afford her. Doesn't pull many guys, but provides priceless entertainment in the bar.

Retreads
These girls are like car tyres that have been remoulded and given a new tread. The standard model is slim and trim from medication-boosted dieting, has straight black lustrous hair from industrial-strength dyes and chemicals, smooth pale complexion from a major replastering job, eyebrows scraped, shaped and rebuilt with impasto liner, eyelashes reinforced with heavy-duty all-weather mascara, eyes dark and glistening from synthetic belladonna. The luxury model includes silicon-enhanced nose, lips and mammaries. In the bar they look like a million dollars, and think they're worth a million rupiah.

Zombies
Completely catatonic, these girls are dysfunctional wallflowers who stand limp and lifeless on the fringes of the bar staring vacuously into space. They don't dance, they don't talk to the guys - they don't even talk to each other. Chatting them up makes Scotland winning the World Cup seem like a doddle.
As if Burd Flu wisnae enough, Jakartans are warned of possible dengue outbreak ..more good things from the Big Durien

Sorry for the break, I've been out of town for the past week - never mind back to the grind!

City residents have been warned of a possible dengue fever outbreak this year during the transitional period between the dry and wet sessions, when dengue is normally at its most prevalent.

"Although the data from the hospitals does not show any increase in the number of dengue fever cases so far, we need to be alert," a Jakarta Health Agency spokeswoman told The Jakarta Post.

Citing data collected from all hospitals across the capital, the spokeswoman said that the total number of patients coming down with dengue fever from January to October stood at 15,795, while the number of fatalities was 74.

In October, according to the Health Agency, 642 patients had been treated in a number of hospitals, as compared to 1,902 in August, 2,525 in July, 1,352 in June and 1,472 in May.
One hospital was currently treating 32 dengue fever patients -- 16 adults and 16 children. Of these patients, six had been accommodated in extra beds, while two were placed in the corridor.

(Lovely – healthcare at it’s finest – imagine if Burd Flu became a reality with not enough corridors to go around)

The problem with the offending mosquito Aedes aegypti is that they are most active during the early hours of the morning and early evening when all of the normal malarial mosquitoes have buggered off for the day. It’s common to put on that nasty bug repellent shit at night, however, you really have to pay attention to remember to put it on in the morning and evening as well.

In truth, if you live nearby to a festering canal or waterway full of faeces, it’s a pretty tempting neighbourhood for these bastards, and in much the same way as the government is trying to get people to avoid keeping chickens and birds in their backyards, they are having a problem encouraging people not to empty effluents (read shit & piss) into these natural latrines.Next thing you know, hunners of mossies with bites like midges with steel wallies (false teeth) are after your body big time.

The government has urged people to take part in the 30-minute anti-dengue fever cleanups held in neighbourhoods every Friday at 9 a.m. – methinks it will take more than a weekly spray of Baygon fly spray to sort this one out.

Monday 24 October 2005

Da Pizza Delivery Statue - Sudirman Square

F**k me this effen plate's hot Posted by Picasa

Heavy Lift - Jakarta Style

Oh sh*t!
(Stick strikes again) Posted by Picasa
Bajaj driver spots the hazard and legs it...(Another Stick speshul)Posted by Picasa

Busy Doing Nothing

Have a break-Have an Ojek
Yet another example of things that only our local chums can do! (As spotted by Stick) Posted by Picasa

Volcanoes, Clouds and Death on the Road

It’s amazing what a bit of rain can do, probably for the first time this year the sun was shining and lo and behold, the silhouettes of the volcanoes that surround Jakarta were clearly visible in the distance to the south.

White fluffy clouds skirt the city and the almost unheard off blue skies set the morning off just nicely. Another rarity in around this neck of the jungle is the need to wear sunglasses! Normally pollutants haze the sun so that its normal appearance is a muted overhead glow. Not so this morning with an untold radiance spilling down over the city.

Unbelievably, from Jakarta Seletan (South Jakarta) the spires and towers of the central business district can be seen (another rare occurrence) with the reflections from the sunlight sending shards of light beaming over the skyline like Star Wars laser beams. Mornings like this make it all worth the normal grey and gloomy existence here.

Needless to say, this idyllic scene will not last long. The usual morning scramble to work sends out a noxious exhaust plume which shuffles into the stratosphere to hover for the rest of the day bringing the normal pallor to the city.

There are of course negatives to the scene described. The fact that the “fluffy clouds” are around merely serves as a warning that later in the day they will marshal their forces and send yet another deluge into the metropolis, once again causing the havoc which is typical of the rainy season here.

The storms of Saturday and Sundays demonstrated that although seemingly sound, my house is a veritable colander with more leaks than Watergate. The minions who arrived to assess the problem seemed less than overjoyed as in order to identify where the problem lies there would need to be a major examination requiring removal of roofing tiles. Not a happy bunch of campers. This roof-ectomy has not yet been scheduled, however when it starts it is bound to bring many opportunities for the kind of stupidity at work which only South East Asia can provide.

As I write this in the car on the way to work, the prospect of a pleasant day is destroyed by, you guessed it “traffic”. With only another 10 km to go, everything ground to a halt, gridlocked on the toll road and no sign of any movement faster than snails pace. Once again the problem is asinine behaviour with the tailback apparently caused by a truck who decided to change lanes without indicating, promptly taking out the central barrier and spilling his load of aggregate over the road. With the weight of the load making it impossible to move the truck, minions are despatched to shovel the shit from the back until the truck is light enough to move. The front end of the truck was totalled and judging by the look of things there will be another horde of motorbikes with yellow flags escorting the driver to his planting later today.

Ah, just another day in paradise……..

The Volcano next door

Is that a puff of smoke? Posted by Picasa


Tollway Mayhem



Another one bites the dust Posted by Picasa

The Storm Approaches

Mair rain!
Yesterday was a belter.
Clouds brew with the distant sound of thunder in the background. Posted by Picasa

Sunday 23 October 2005

And the Heavens opened...(Taken from Puri Casablanca - 15th Floor, downtown Kuningan) Posted by Picasa
It rained a little bit yesterday.
(No shit Sherlock) Posted by Picasa
Not spotted in Kemang!
(Makes on a little homesick) Posted by Picasa
One of the workers at the Jakarta "Nike" Factory takes a break. Posted by Picasa

Choice Neighbourhood

There are many select areas within Jakarta for
those who wish to live "the Good Life".
Posted by Picasa
Typical Jakarta Streetart
The Tembok Bomber strikes again. Posted by Picasa

Saturday 22 October 2005

Looking for a new job?



Playboy TV UK/Benelux LimitedCompliance Viewer
Free-to-air Compliance Viewer required, short-term contract
Playboy TV is looking for a person experienced in viewing programmes for television broadcast for compliance with Ofcom regulations, ideally with an understanding of the rules applied to late-night erotica.The ideal candidate will be available immediately to work for about one month, although this may be extended.Applicants will need to be comfortable watching material aimed at an adult audience.Please send your CV, availability and current salary details (or expectations) to Richard Ings, Head of Programming, Playboy TV. Please do not submit CVs if you do not have relevant experience.

Thursday 20 October 2005

Rain Rain Rain

Flooding and general wetness – the Rainy Season returns in force.

Wet, wet, wet is the only way to describe the current climate. Rains are battering Jakarta daily with an average deposition of 2” per day.

Great though it is for vegetation and farmers, the general populace has had to look out last year’s waterproofs and umbrellas and batten down the hatches for the seasonal onslaught.

With the advent of this plethora of precipitation comes the standard mayhem on the roads with the usual nutters unable to control their cars and skidding all over the shop. The local traffic police seem to accept this type of behavior and seem to delight in the antics of the motorists in their care; probably betting on whose idiocy is going to cause the next pileup.

As the surface water increases, so does the amount of crap which flows from the verges at the sides of the roads until the fast lane often resembles a landslip with the amount of rich brown soil which slithers across the lanes.

While the toll roads are normally busy at any time, the traffic increases during the rain due to the side roads which are free to drive on becoming flooded and as the toll roads are built on higher ground they inevitably become crowded to the point of saturation.

While the annual drenching is expected, no-one as always seems to have planned and windscreen wipers which have never been checked in six months appear to have deteriorated into useless strips of rubber with the driver’s complete lack of visibility causing even more havoc.

Even better, pick-up trucks, normally laden with goods tend to be uncovered. When the rain starts, there is a mad frenzy to get plastic or tarpaulin or anything to cover the goods in the back. One poor bastard had a truck full of washing powder, which you guessed it was frothing away merrily while he tried to cover his truck. Brilliant! (where is the effin camera when you need it).

Aquaplaning is another popular pastime with most idiots in the fast lane being unaware of the fact that the fine veneer of liquid they can see in the distance is actually three or four inches deep. Hitting that puddle at 80 km/hr is like watching a cat that has been shot up the arse with an air rifle. POW – the stupid f**ker is all over the shop and cannot figure out that slowing down may actually help the problem.

Having said that, there are plus points and bonuses. Half the female population of the city look like evacuees from a Wet T Shirt competition.

The underpasses and areas under motorway bridges become crowded with those attempting to avoid the inevitable drenching, buses and taxis eager for the attendant business stop wherever they please, and the tomfoolery slides into a scene from the “Blues Brothers” with crashes, bumps and fender benders everywhere.

On a brighter note, the rain cuts through the smog and pollution with the benefits being that once the downpour ceases, Jakarta looks almost habitable in a post holocaust sort of fashion. Blue skies peep cautiously from behind the rain clouds, waiting for their fifteen minutes of fame before the cumulative exhaust haze forces them back into hiding.

Ah – Jakarta!

Wednesday 12 October 2005

What Price Security?


As more and more building owners are reluctant to call the police after receiving bomb threats, public safety is now at stake. The main reason is that the supposedly free public service now has a price tag.

A Senior Criminologist from the University of Indonesia, who often acts as an advisor to the police, said that the police should take tough measures against officers who demanded payment. (Ha!)

An Indonesian Corruption Watch (ICW) activist said the excuse of budget constraints to justify police demanding payment for their services was unacceptable as it was the right of citizens to get security protection from the state.

"Police always say that they don't have the money to finance their operations. But, we know that they get huge amounts of money from illegal sources. Why don't they use that money to pay the bomb squad?"

He asserted that many reports had showed that many police officers had billions of rupiah in the bank, while a bomb squad officer earned about Rp 1 million (less than US$100) a month.

A number of building managers in the capital complained earlier that they were forced to make a deal on the payment before the police agreed to send in the bomb squad to sweep the buildings after receiving bomb threats.

Many of them, who received more than one call, suspected a new mode of extortion.

The issue surfaced last week after the police made public their displeasure with the management of French hypermarket Carrefour (the one nearest my house springs to mind as it probably has the largest Expatriate community in Jakarta using it) which failed to inform them about a bomb threat and, instead, deployed its internal security (sic) guards to sweep the store.
The hypermarket opened the following day as no bomb was found by the security guards. Please bear in mind these security guards would be incapable of finding a rattle in a babies pram!

The Criminal Law Procedures Code has stipulated that only the police have the right and expertise to investigate terror threats.

The police said that if there had been an explosion, the hypermarket could have faced criminal charges for negligence resulting in injuries.

Senior sources also suggested that the police communicate with building managers and convince them politely that they were not going to disrupt the operations of the building.

I can see the wailing of sirens arriving at the building in question convincing the building residents that there is nothing amiss!

"Furthermore, the public should stop giving money to the police so it won't become a habit," he added. (As if it is not already- traffic fines, jump to the top of the line ect)

A senior police sokesman said that it was clear that police's internal regulations prohibit officers from asking money for their services.

"It's bribery and abuse of power at the same time. We never tolerate that. If we ever catch an officer asking money from the public, we will punish him,".

He said that public should refuse any demands for payment for a bomb sweeping service, and immediately report the officers to the Jakarta Police either by sending a text message to 1717 or by calling the police hotline on 112.

As stated earlier: What Price Security?

Tuesday 11 October 2005

With the cost of fuel spiralling higher, some companies rely on more traditional methods for deliveries. (He goes faster with a tailwind!)

However, given the delivery boys roadsense, inability to see traffic behind and general behaviour of other drivers our advice is "Get a F**king Van"

Thanks again to Stick Posted by Picasa
Go into Google Search, type "French Military Victories" and hit I'm feeling lucky......
Ramadan

As we get through the first week of the “Holy Month of Ramadan” the effects of fasting all day and gorging all night are becoming evident with people drifting into work later and trying to leave earlier.

Curiously, while spending their time in religious contemplation, there are some other rules which apply which are lesser know than the fasting.

I am of course referring to the procreative pastimes which are banned during daylight hours in Ramadan. Thou shalt not think impure thoughts nor indulge in bare bottom boxing or any other antics, which, along with the fact that there is no food or water must make for a dull time based on western styles of living.

However, look on the bright side, you’re allowed to get into it hammer and tong all night long.

Is it any wonder that those individuals whom you see in the morning waiting for their buses and taxis are all worn out, but, take a closer look and there is a big satisfied grin under the baggy eyes

I dont know if it just me or wjether the roads have really gotten quieter. Is it the price increase on fuel, is it Ramadan or has it not changed at all? The only time that the traffic seems to be normal is during the rush leading up to Iftar & Maghreb where the faithful break the days fast.

I noticed in the Middle East press that the hour preceding Iftar has caused a massive increase in Traffic Accidents . (See photograph below)

“Brigadier Mohammad Saif Al Zafein, Director of Dubai Police's General Traffic Department, said the increase was mainly due to speeding and reckless driving in the rush to get home for Iftar.”

The operations room received 2,313 accident reports in the first three days of Ramadan.
Brigadier Al Zafein pointed out that about 500 minor accidents without injuries take place on Dubai roads every day. The number of accidents usually increases during Ramadan.

This is not reflected within Jakarta as no one can drive fast enough to have a bad accident, unless of course you are a motor cyclist. Staff at one of Jakarta’s watering holes have been hit hard by this rash of motorcycle mayhem with one of the barmaids hobbling around sporting a huge graze under the chin, while in addition, two of the chefs both suffered spills which left the single able bodied chef to manage the nights orders single handed.
Nokia
Connecting People with Lamposts
Another Middle East Iftar accident Posted by Picasa

Sunday 9 October 2005

Joint Chiefs of Staff unveil latest weaponry in the War against Terror Posted by Picasa