Meaningless Rants

I just heard an ad of Shrek 4th the Movie on the radio. Blah de blah. Dreamworks, please steal some creative nerds from Pixar. Pay them some millions of dollars if necessary. You are lost.

I saw the second Shrek. Yes, it was still funny, but there are limits to fairy tales that you can parody without making it stale. The first one was quite fresh because it poked fun on fairy tales and spun all the stereotypes around. The second one was not as fresh but still ok. I didn’t even bother watching the third one. And now they come out with the fourth one?

Take a page out of Pixar. Somehow, they could come up with fresh and cockamamie plots all along. Take a look at the amazing line-up of plots: Nightmare monsters working in a scream-powered energy plant (huh?); A fish trying to find his lost son (wha?); Talking cars (ok didn’t watch this one); Family of superpowers struggling with daily life; A rat who wants to cook (um…).

Dreamworks could only copy. Pixar released A Bug’s Life? Dreamworks released Antz (only a month apart though). Pixar released Finding Nemo? Dreamworks released Shark Tale. And all of the Dreamworks release are choke full of pop-culture reference that will be lost to young kids watching in 20 years. You can watch Finding Nemo 100 years later and it would still be relevant, much like Bambi will. Shark Tale? Its characters are basically caricatures of their voice-actors. They could somehow make a fish act “black,” or “Italian.” blergh.

Just for fun, I checked out Dreamworks and Pixar on wikipedia to make sure I don’t make any weird mistake writing this. And lo and behold, in future movies reference below the page, they are going to have Shrek fifth in 2013! Augh!

To be fair, there are talks of Toy Story 3 now. But then Lasseter had stated that he’s open to sequels as long as they can come up with stories better than the original. He got it right. They should focus on the story to tell, not some amazing techno-gizmo 3D animation to show off. A movie is nothing without a compelling story.

After Barack Obama’s victory, I keep seeing people put such high expectation on him. Of course, there’s an army of surrogates and some realists who will tamp down the expectation, but it’s just difficult to keep down the level of euphoria over this, it seems that it’s difficult not to be dissapointed.

If you think about it, he was only in the national scene for 4 years! He had been effective as a senator for only 2 years, and the rest he spent it on heading a campaign that will probably be studied in political science classes for years to come. Well, at one point, his CEO backers questioned his executive abilities, in which he replied: “watch how I run my campaign.” Yes, it’s impressive, but does that translate to good governance? Does his victory represent the excellence of his character or his campaign?

But now there are a bunch of behind-the-scenes articles about the campaigns, and so far it all looks good. He is always portrayed as this cool guy who knows what he wants and leads effectively. There are many stories and anecdotes that say a lot about his character, but there are three important points in the campaign that I think can make me feel a little more at ease with an Obama presidency.

1. The “meeting with Ahmadinejad” on Youtube/CNN debate

Asked by some weirdo on Youtube whether he would meet with leaders like Ahmadinejad or Kim Jong Il or Hugo Chavez, he said without hesitating: “I would.” His opponents, especially Hillary Clinton, immediately jumped on his comment as being naive and wet behind the ears. After the debate, Obama’s advisers were tele-conferencing, trying to figure out how to difuse the situation and wanted to make a statement to ‘clarify’ Obama’s statement and to hopefully ignore them all together. Obama overheard the teleconference and snatched his aide’s phone and said this: “No, we don’t back down. We met with Stalin. We met with Mao. Why can’t we meet with Ahmadinejad? That’s ridiculous!”

Emboldened by Obama’s stance, his aides began to defend his position and actually made it into an offense to other candidates. He came out looking strong and finally, he was vindicated when five former secretary of states practically endorse his stance. Here’s a leader who’s not afraid of taking fire!

2. Rev. Wright fiasco

When the tape of Rev. Wright ranting came out, Obama’s aides were again aghast and were at lost at what to do. They couldn’t say a thing on the tele-conference, not having any idea on what to do. They could only hope that if they ignore it hard enough, it will go away. In the middle of the desperation was a calm Obama who wasn’t feeling down at all. He knew it was coming in a way. Instead he started to ask for a lighter schedule and then told his aides, “I’m going to do a speech on race.”

His aides didn’t want him to say anything, lest it make matters worse. But that was not a point for discussion. Obama was stating his decision at that point - to make a speech of his own making that is very dangerous. But then the speech happened, and it didn’t sink him. Instead, it showed the nation his caliber. He somehow managed to acknowledge the problem of racism, while at the same time still hopeful of a better future in the discourse of racism.

3. The non-suspension of McCain’s campaign

Mid-September, Lehman Brothers went kaputt. McCain’s campaign, having made the stupid blunder of stating that the fundamentals of the economy are strong in the morning, had to make a drastic move. He went on to “suspend” his campaign, postponing the debate, and asked Obama to do the same. When Obama’s aides heard that, they thought that Obama should respond and were wondering among themselves whether they should make any similar moves. Obama raised his hands in the air, saying “No, we’re not going to postpone the debate or the campaign. A leader should be able to multitask.”

True enough, it was all only a show. McCain’s non-performance on David Letterman and his interview with Katie Couric at the same time only destroyed his credibility (at least among late night viewers). It only highlighted the difference between the two candidates’ temperament. McCain got too invested in the bailout package and then it failed due to House Republicans. He then had to make about-face and went on to the debate site as Obama was already preparing for it, giving Obama the ammunition to describe him as being erratic.

No, Obama was not born on Krypton, regardless of what he said (or was he?). But when his opponents made moves to confuse him or when there’s a threat coming, he was steady, he knows his convictions, and he faced the threats head on. It was difficult to bluff him, and that’s why I feel a little more at ease remembering those pivotal moments in the campaign.

President Barack Hussein Obama II

There will be a voluminous number of books and publications devoted to everything about the 2008 Election. There will be millions of words used to tell the story of the rise of a man with a Kenyan father and a name that sounds like the Afghan terrorist and shares a name with the Iraqi dictator from nowhere to the most powerful man on the planet. Nothing I say can properly describe the historic nature of this victory, not even with my penchant for exaggerations.

If I were to have a time machine, and I go back four years ago to write all that happened since 2007 when the primaries started, and I try to sell them to a publisher or a producer in Hollywood, I would be laughed out from the front door. No one with a great flight of imagination could come up with a story as dramatic as this.

Even now, I still have to make it all sink into me. Here we have the most powerful nation on earth. Its beginning was tainted with the sin of slavery of the black people. 143 years ago, blacks were still owned as slaves and they counted for 3/5 of a person. Emancipation proclamation didn’t end the struggle for African American. Segregation ruled the nation and it was in effect an apartheid nation. They could better exercise their civil rights barely 45 years ago when segregation officially ended. At to make the story even more biblical, Martin Luther King at exactly forty years ago had to say that he had been to the mountaintop, and he had seen the promised land, and while he might not get there, they as a people will get there.

I and many other people have said many bad things about the hypocrisy of the United States: about their double dealings with dictators and their apparent ignorance of the world. But now we are all reminded how this is a very exceptional nation. Except from Peru who voted for Alberto Fujimori, I could not name any other nation who willingly voted for the minority of a different skin color.

I shuddered at 11.00 am to see Roland Martin wet his cheeks on CNN. I could only wonder what went to the mind of the black people in their 60s, who on 40 years ago marched alongside Martin Luther King to fight for their civil rights. And to later learn that 65 million people had voted for him. That he won at least 368 electoral votes now where only 270 were required to win it. Has Martin Luther King’s dream come to pass? That his sons “will be judged not by the color of their skin but by the content of their characters?”

I remembered a passage from that comic book “Eagle” that is now antiquated. Someone repudiated a fictional senator ‘Yamaoka,’ saying “there has never been a -ski or a -stein as presidents, the weirdest they can come up with was Eisenhower.” And here we are, with a president Barack Obama.

Barack. Hussein. Obama.

A man who 8 years ago could not enter the Democratic Convention. A man who 8 years ago had his credit card rejected. A man who just paid his college loan 5 years ago. A man without connection like the Kennedy’s or the Bush’s or the Clinton’s or Rockefeller’s. A man barely serving in the Senate for 2 years before he campaigned.

Here’s what he was up against: a well oiled Clinton political machine with a candidate everybody presumes will win the candidacy - a candidate that happened to be the former First Lady that everyone in the nation knew already. Aside from that, he was against a white man who was a veteran and POW and a senator for 26 years.

And all this is not from a Michael Crichton book or a Hollywood movie or a Japanese comic book. They’re reality, and it happened.

Right now I do not know how president Barack Obama will perform. I don’t know if he is going to be a polarizing figure who will get nothing done, or whether he will be just alright, or whether people will want his likeness to be carved on Mount Rushmore. Expectations of him is terribly high as he has to fix a myriad of mounting problems in front of him - economy in tatters, two wars, global climate changing for the worse, challenges from rising nations, energy problems, and so on. But his accomplishment in winning the highest office in the United States is a fantastical, historical, and dramatic story in itself that we should relish.

Congratulations, President Elect Barack Hussein Obama II. Our eyes will be on you as you perform, while we wonder when a figure like you will appaer in our political scene.

Wow, just when I thought I should support Partai Demokrat to support president SBY’s not-too-shabby performance, they come out with the most asinine comment. Courtesy from Hakim Sorimuda Pohan of Partai Demokrat:

As if confirming it was all for the elections, Hakim Sorimuda Pohan of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s Democratic Party asked people not to vote for the PDI-P and the PDS because of their opposition to the [pornography] bill.

“People must be aware now who they should vote for. They must not vote for the PDI-P and the PDS, which support pornography,” he said.

First of all, what a freaking transparent ploy you pulled there. It’s like this guy is pulling a page straight out of Karl Rove’s book on how to use Orwellian language. How about the PDI-P and the PDS supporting women’s equality, which is a far more accurate description? Congratulations, Partai Demokrat. Are we now trying to emulate Somalia, where they stoned a 13 years old rape-victim for adultery? Man, what a glorious day for rapists and perverts in Indonesia!

Yes, thank you Mr. Hakim Sorimuda Pohan. I am now aware who I should vote for. And that’s definitely not Partai Demokrat, not until they recant their position and apologize for this guy’s comments. And I don’t think I can support PDIP’s do-nothing Megawati either. PDS? PDS is the home of Jeffrey Johanes Massie, a member who wrote a hit-job article/”analysis” in Kompas saying how Obama is a Marxist and a baby-killer. Sources? Fox News, New York Post, and National Review. Wow, is there a Republican plot to infiltrate Indonesian politics?

As it stands, I can support none of the political parties in Indonesia.

Just a couple of months ago I finally watched Michael Moore’s Sicko. In case you’re wondering, it’s about the United States’ broken health care system and the comparison between Canada, France, England, and Cuba. If you’re interested in moving the the United States, or if you’re into politics, or if you’re into a good documentary, you should watch this movie. Heck, you should watch this movie, period. Especially if you’ve been following the election and hearing Sarah Palin and Fox News cry of the evil SOCIALISM! (speaking of which, I have to blog about Sarah Palin… but… eh).

Well, Indonesian and US health care is probably not much different. Good quality health care is prohibitively expensive, so if you don’t have health insurance, or cannot afford one, then you better pray that you don’t get seriously sick. Heck, I think in US, ANY health care is expensive. And if you’re lucky enough to have health insurance, then pray that you won’t be denied coverage due to “pre-existing condition” or “experimental treatment” and a bunch of great excuses for the profit of health insurance companies.

I try not to spoil too much from the movie, but let me talk a little about one of the country in the movie: France. Yeah, in France, the health care is awesome. Everything is totally free, and health care is truly a right. Yeah, the government has a 24 hours doctor for call. Yeah, they even have a post-natal helper to watch for the baby or help the laundry or make carrot puree twice a week. The French lady asked Michael Moore whether in the states “you have this kind of association to help.” And when told that there isn’t one, she said “that’s hard!”

OK so far so good, but it comes with a cost, right? Well, Michael Moore went on to interview a middle income family. The husband and wife were happy with their condition. They earn a good wage, and they spend them on quality food, luxuries, and vacations. They don’t worry about health care or pension. Great, but what about the rich who pays 50%+ tax for all these programs? Moore didn’t interview any rich French people. I wondered what they would’ve said about this health care system.

Well, in my business, there are foreign customers who visit us on a regular basis. One of them is a rich French guy who is frankly kindda obnoxious. He’s filthy rich as in rich enough to have a villa down at the Riviera. He hates the “Arabs” (North Africans) who come to France. He voted for Le Pen, the ultra-Right candidate. He complains about many things - lazy French workers, government, etc.

So at one time in a dinner, I remembered about Sicko. I asked him what does he think about the French health care system, fully expecting him to rant and complain about it. He then was silent for a few seconds, and said (I paraphrase): “I think the French health care system is the best in the world. It’s one of the things the government did right.” Even if you pay a lot of taxes? I asked. “Yes, but it’s really high-quality health we receive.”

“I was shot in the leg with shotgun once,” it was an interesting story, but I’ll cut it short here. “They didn’t check for insurance. They didn’t check for money. I was unconscious. I was taken to the emergency room, and they did the best job they could.” For your information, this guy now runs an hour everyday.

He then conceded this much: “yes, the government has deficit, and yes the government can be inefficient. But there are many things they did right: justice, police, the train [transportation], and health care. Although the problem is that the ‘Arabs’ come to abuse the system and….” and there he went on ranting about the North Africans.

Wow, I was actually quite shocked that this rich guy admitted that his tax money is put to good use. Which makes me wonder, how can rich Americans be so greedy? I asked him if he would move to the US if he could halve his tax? His answer is a flat no. He wouldn’t want to live anywhere but France, even if he pays 50% tax.

I guess Socialism isn’t a bad term anyway. The thing is, people keep forgetting that so many good policies are actually ’socialistic.’ The Tories in Britain will never admit that the NHS is a ’socialistic’ policy. Republicans will never admit that Social Security is ’socialistic.’ Well, socialism is a terrible idea for free enterprise, and Capitalism is still the best way for value creation. So what’s the balance here? For me, the true yardstick is whether the public has bargaining power in the market. Non-essential goods or services will not fall into this category. But health care is essential: how can you bargain with a doctor over a fee to cure Tuber-culosis, for example?

I can go on ranting about capitalism and socialism for the whole day, but let me cut it abruptly here and say that you should watch Sicko.

Starting from about two weeks ago, I started hearing ads from Partai Demokrat on the radio. I’m not sure if I’ve ever heard a political ad on the radio here in Indonesia, so that was quite surprising. Then I see the ad on the newspaper. It touts president SBY’s accomplishment, which was quite factual actually (then again I’m biased). And by chance I watch one of the Indonesian channel (I’m a snob, I don’t normally do that) and there it was: another Partai Demokrat ad.

I think that’s a good sign. It is a big improvement over nonsensical banners displayed on the bridges and bazillion party flags posted on fences, which doesn’t explain exactly why I should vote for that party. What is the rational behind putting flags everywhere? Are they trying to tell me that they have a lot of money to waste to pay for the flag and the people who put them there?

I’m happy with the direction of democracy here in Indonesia. KPU is going to hold a debate, though it’s not mandatory. Then again, not going to the debate tells the voter that you’re a wuss (listen to me, bu Mega). I hope street rallies will not be as prevalent (doesn’t prove anything anyways), though rallies should still be held, but to listen to policy speech, not for a dangdut concert. Well, ok, a few dangdut songs to start won’t hurt.

On a totally unrelated rant, why do I have a feeling that anyone that sports a moustache don’t have a good chance of being Indonesian president? Is it because we have been used to having cleanly shaved presidents from Sukarno to now? I mean, as governors and mayors, yeah the KUMIS is everywhere. Man, if I hear one more time to vote someone because of his KUMIS…

"Well, I don’t know what will happen now. We’ve got some difficult days ahead. But it doesn’t matter with me now. Because I’ve been to the mountaintop. And I don’t mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I’m not concerned about that now. I just want to do God’s will. And He’s allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I’ve looked over. And I’ve seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people will get to the promised land. And I’m happy, tonight. I’m not worried about anything. I’m not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord." - Martin Luther King

It was 3rd April 1968, one day before King was struck by a bullet. He fought for the civil rights of the African-American community, and he dreamed of the day that people will be judged by the content of their characters, not by the color of their skin. Invoking the imagery of Moses, he imagined a time where his dreams will come true in the land called the United States of America.

Like the Israelis, it takes forty years to reach the promised land.

Yesterday, history was written. And, being such a historical junkie I am, it was awesome to see history being written. For the first time, a major party in the United States nominates an African American. Yes, part of my obsession with politics actually stems from my desire to catch history in the making. And what a great history this one is. Finally, an black man is nominated by a major party for president of the United States of America.

But now that I reflect on the last 5 months, it was truly unfathomable how it all unfolded. Yes, I was rooting for the dark horse, but his success caught me surprised. Five months ago, I thought that it would be lucky for him to finish second, to be nominated as the vice president. But then Iowa came, and South Carolina came, and Super Tuesday goes by, and then there are eleven unanswered primaries. And now, this guy is nominated.

Barack Hussein Obama.

Or, as Darian Dauchan said: "sounds like Osama; and don’t make me mention his middle name…. H~u~s~s~e~i~n…." This is the guy whose father is a Kenyan, whose mother re-married to an Indonesian guy. Here is the guy who had to spend his early days in Indonesia without electricity, without refrigerator, and without proper lighting. Here is the guy who had to live without his parents, seeing his father one last time when he was 10. Here is the guy who pretty much don’t have anything with him when we went to Chicago. And did I mention that he is black?

Now if he were to go against a Bob Smith, maybe his accomplishment is not as impressive. But consider what he was up against: the great Clinton dynasty, who early on has the organization, the money, and hundreds of super delegates in her pocket. Her surrogate is none other than the former president Bill Clinton who is popular among Democrats. Pundits told Obama: "Drop out now! Don’t do it! Wait for 8 years!"

Really, now that it all sinks in, I still have to say that his story is simply amazing. I can only hope that he will do what he says: that he will actually bring change in whatever ways he could. I hope that he will not fall from this pedestal we put him on very highly. I can’t wait for November to come.

It was close to noon, and there I was in Sudirman after I checked on a new spa… no, it’s not what you think. It’s a new yet-to-open spa called Anahata at Plaza FX, and the owner wanted me to come to give my "professional" opinion (ha-ha) for the purchase of my furnitures to use there. Of course, being such a hard-working man that I am (ha-ha!), I am obliged to go wherever the money is.

OK that was not my point. Anyway, I thought of grabbing lunch. And what would be a quick, cheap, and nice lunch if not a bowl of gyu-don from Yoshitori at Plaza Senayan? Besides, it’s been a while since I supported that lone outlet, screaming for attention between McDonalds and D’Crepes. I marched on to the escalator to the food court, and as the third floor came to view, I turned my head right to see that space between McDonalds and D’Crepes and I got to see it clearly.

A big cream board covering the whole premise.

…

It means, no more beef bowl in Jakarta, unless you dare to call Goiza’s nasty beef with sweet soysauce a "beef bowl."

Yoshitori, I will miss you terribly. I am truly sorry I have not supported you more earnestly before. I know that lately, we’ve been visiting Senayan City more than Plaza Senayan, but that shouldn’t be reason enough to not occassionally go there for the heck of it and grab a gyu-don. I should have asked for some willing investors to open up a franchise or two. I shouldn’t have forgotten your plight and spread the words to more people. I never even used the delivery system to order your food. Ach….

Not just to Adinda Bakrie, but also other "socialites" of Jakarta: stop being such an ass! Who the hell cares about your stupid 4 million Pashmina scarf beside your fellow brainless socialites?

Here’s what I heard from the grapevine, which I’ll take at face value: She is going to have 3 wedding parties, and 10 bridesmaid, and each of the bridesmaid will have a 5 million gown made for each party. Chalk it up at 150 million rups.

She will spend 30 million rups for each of the family members, and I sure don’t know what makes a family member, but even if it’s just 10 people (highly unlikely), that’d make it 300 million rups.

And get this: she will have Preston Bailey as her decorator - America’s preeminent decorator that has done Donald Trump and the likes. She will ask Wonbin (Korean artist) to sing or become MC or whatever. One plate at Mulia will cost US$300, which I really can’t imagine why. Would that consists lobster, shark fin soup, caviar, tiger bone, bear bladder, swallow’s nest, or what? I mean, a modest 2,000 guests would make it into $600,000, and I think it would be double the figure, and it’s just in Mulia. How much does this all stack up to, 10 billion rups at least? Just for one party?

And get this: her wedding dress will be carried straight from NYC, and will carry a price tag of $200,000. Yep! That much money would be enough to feed 30,000 people (?) affected by Lapindo mud for a week (?). Now Lapindo, that’s a company that’s majority owned by her father. And knowing her as a socialite, I’m pretty sure that it’s only for one of her three wedding parties, and the other two wedding gowns would at least cost half of that. I mean, she couldn’t be caught wearing the same gown twice, right?

Alright, I have to say this: All the facts I mentioned up above is not substantiated (although I do find this forum that talks about it). But somehow, I doubt that I’m off the mark by much. The question remains: why such insensitivity amongst the misery of Indonesian people? What’s even more ridiculous is her uncle’s position as the welfare minister. Yep! What a joke!

But OK, let’s be fair. Let’s say that Lapindo isn’t really responsible for the mud volcano, and it really is a natural disaster. Yeah OK, so they can afford it, and they are stinking rich. Fine. But to spend that much and actually be proud of it, and to spread the news around (and become the sensation of "socialite" magazines), that’s just abhorrent.

I am sure that there are many more stinking rich individuals in Indonesia who has a more, "relatively," humble wedding. I’m talking about 1 or 2 billion rups, of course. But at least they use some local vendors, though probably the most expensive ones available. At least we don’t hear about them incessantly. This Adinda Bakrie wedding, I’m telling you, is simply repugnant in so many ways. I mean, can’t they use some crazy expensive decorator from Indonesia, which would be 10 times cheaper than Preston Bailey? Or maybe call Delon instead of Il Divo? … oh wait, that might be a good idea after all. Anyway, a $200,000 wedding gown? You can get 20 Vera Wang gowns with those kind of money. What the hell?

And mind you, all these are amidst extreme poverty; increase in criminal activity; increasing gasoline price; increasing food prices; wages that cannot catch up to inflation; more unemployment; the homeless at Sidoarjo; and so on and so on. She, or perhaps her family, truly lacks empathy. They have no heart, they have no shame, and all they care about is how their precious precious wedding parties will be the talk of the "socialites" of Jakarta.

Speaking of which, I think we should ban those "socialite" magazines like "Prestige" until our country is better off. Better off as in, less wealth gap and GDP of $5,000 or something.

Gasoline price is slated to increase in 2 days (?). From 4,500 rupiahs per liter, it would be increased to 6,000 rupiahs. That would be an increase of 33%, which is pretty sickening to imagine, especially for the people who barely make enough money through the day.

Look, I can’t say that I’m against this price increase. The reality is that the crude oil price at international level is US$120 per barrel. The government have to subsidize oil to the amount of, what, 200 trillion rupiahs? Someone needs to check my math, but here’s the data I got: in 2007, the government subsidy is 90 trillion Rupiah, for annual usage of 38.2 million kiloliters. This means a Rp 2,356 subsidy for each liter sold, and this was when oil was $72 per barrel. Now it’s $120 per barrel, means that the crude oil price increase per liter is Rp 2,760. This means that the total subsidy (assuming the same level of consumption) is 90 trillion + 105 trillion rupiah, which is about 200 trillion rupiahs. That’s mighty crazy, because that would make it almost half of the government’s budget!

Yes, government can and do have deficits in their budgets sometimes. But a sensible deficit is for spending that will invest for the future of the nation, i.e. things that will increase the productivity of its people. The most basic of them would be education, health, and infrastructure. Of course, there are other things that the government needs to spend on such as security (military) and bureaucracy. But to have a large deficit without investing for the future is pretty much foolish, and this oil subsidy is one big foolishness.

But I’m talking about the macro economic theories. In other words, I’m just an armchair warrior espousing a really painful decision made by the government. Yes, it will probably hurt our business as prices increase, but I will still have something to eat tomorrow, the day after, and the day after that. And I will not profess to know and understand how painful this would be for the millions barely making it for the day. All I can do is imagine how pinched they are by this. It will not be just the oil price that will increase: everything else will. Rice, cooking oil, flour, any other food stuffs, the extent of inflation will surely eclipse any wage rise for many people.

I see no way out on this. Keep on subsidizing a $120 per barrel oil, and the govenment will commit useless deficits that will only weaken Rupiah and in return create a more indirect inflation everywhere. Meanwhile, the consumption will not be reduced no matter how many corny slogans they can produce. But if they reduce the subsidy, the poor people will feel the inflation more directly. Of course, the government can now use the money saved to invest in education, health, and infrastructure. But how likely are they to do that? And how soon can the effect be felt by the poor millions?

What makes this worse is that it seems there are several political players who want to make use of this and launch some kind of demonstrations against the government. You see, if the poor people who couldn’t grasp the concept of economy are angry, I would very much understand them. But these politicians who profess to have PhDs, or Masters degrees, or whatever, why must the inflame the anger of the people to make it worse. If they were in the position of power, wouldn’t they do the same? They really are a bunch of hypocrites, and we must remember their names for the future to figure out their duplicitious nature.

Already there are talks of riots to the like of 1998. I pray that it will not come to pass. It takes a lot to assuage the poor’s anger. The government needs to help them immediately with other methods, perhaps in school fares or direct cash payment to the poor. The politicians must help make the people understand about the reality of global forces. And the better off (most of you) need to hold back and stop being snobs. Now, what that means exactly, I can’t tell because I myself am a snob - though I try hard to correct that. But one thing is for sure: Adinda Bakrie is a fucking snob!

And THAT is for my next blog post.