Rules that govern the Females

This weekend, I talked about this issue with some friends (male and female) and they agree with my evaluation of female behaviour. So, with the knowledge that there are others who feel the same way I do, I post this Rant for your amusement.

1. The Female always makes THE RULES.
2. THE RULES are subject to change without notice.
3. No Male can possibly know all THE RULES.
4. If the Female suspects the Male knows all THE RULES, she must immediately change some of THE RULES.
5. The Female is never wrong.
6. If it appears the Female is wrong, it is because of a flagrant misunderstanding caused by something the Male did or said wrong.
7. If Rule 6 applies, the Male must apologize immediately for causing the misunderstanding.
8. The Female can change her mind at any time.
9. The Male must never change his mind without the express written consent of The Female.
10. The Female has every right to be angry or upset at any time.
11. The Male must remain calm at all times, unless the Female wants him to be angry or upset.
12. The Female must, under no circumstances, let the Male know whether she wants him to be angry or upset.
13. The Male is expected to read the mind of the Female at all times.
14. At all times, what is important is what the Female meant, not what she said.
15. If the Male doesn't abide by THE RULES, it is because he can't take the heat, lacks backbone, and is a wimp.
16. If the Female has PMS, all THE RULES are null and void and the Male must cater to her every whim.
17. If the Male, at any time, believes he is right, he must refer to Rule 5.

Don't forget, GOD is a woman... You will NEVER win an argument that is based on Female Rules...

Right to hold demonstrations

Jakarta is still busy as usual. Demonstrations are being held almost everywhere for different reasons. During the Suharto era, no one could organize a demonstration on any issue. So for a nation that was under a dictatorship for decades, the right to demonstrate is no doubt a precious one.

Nowadays, demonstration has become too commonplace. It is even more mondaine when protestors in a demonstration are not doing it for a cause, but money! There are professional protestors who are willing and able to carry banners, shout slogans and march in Jakarta’s heat and polluted air as though they were protesting something they believed in. You can find the same people the next day in another demonstration wearing a different outfit, carrying a different banner, and shouting a different slogan. And they will do the same thing again the next day, as long as they get paid.

I don’t mind with them, but I just can’t agree if it involves violence. The demonstration ended with the destruction of public and government facilities and in some cases, private premises. The demonstrations have become a public nuisance. In Jakarta traffic jams are already bad enough but with these demonstrations they have worsen.

As for business, demonstrations are a problem. When demonstrations take place on major streets where business offices are located, most of them are forced to close since their employees cannot get to work. This is a cost that no one but businesses affected by demonstrations have to bear. And the more frequently demonstrations happen, the higher the cost to the business community.

Indonesians are proud of their democratic right to hold demonstrations. But when they overdo it, demonstrations become commonplace and when demonstrations get violent, destructive and disruptive to society and business, they are a problem that should be dealt with properly.

Difference eating habits

What’s behind the packing on the pounds? Is it simply too much fast food, soft drinks and snacks? Or is there more to the fitness equation? Poor eating habits, huge portion sizes, fat-filled diets, too much TV and or video games and not enough exercise are common choices for a growing number of today’s Westerner especially Americans…

How detected a rich man

Rich or wealth usually refers to money and property. A person that is wealthy or rich is someone that has accumulated substantial wealth relative to others in that society or reference group. The state of being wealthy is a relative term. A person considered wealthy in West Africa may not be considered wealthy in Southern France.

Well, who cares? If you are rich and living in West Africa, you can buy also the company of the powerful and the beautiful…

Source: Wikipedia

Unusual use

The Indonesian Cellular Show was recently held in Jakarta, much to the delight of the “handphone”-mad population. Indonesians love their handphones, from the rich who think nothing of splashing out a small fortune on the latest models, to elementary school kids and even maids and street-food vendors, handphones are much coveted in Indonesia.

And Indonesia really is the perfect market. There can be few nations where people like to gossip and chat as much as Indonesians do. Besides this, Indonesians also like to show off their latest gadgets. These handphone owners fulfill the deep inward urge that Indonesians have to gossip, but, at the same time, they can also lap up the envy of their friends.

Nowadays handphones can be very useful, perhaps the most useful function -other than the phone of course- is the built-in camera. Not for the quality which is bad, but the possibilities.

Indeed, you shouldn’t be surprised to know that they took this course of action after a number of girls had been expelled from schools and universities for – shock horror - using the phones to photograph their classmates.

Also in Indonesia, some handphone users are taking things further. A lot further in fact. Because the big trend now in indonesia is of handphone users taking uncompromising photos of girlfriends and hookers and then posting them up on the Web for everyone to see...

Padang food

Padang food, which you can find all around the country, some of Westerner would be somewhat reluctant to eat in Padang restaurants mainly because of the food is very spicy or they worry about the food quality after so many hours being kept outside.

But it has the advantage of being easy to order. Padang restaurants display all their offerings (cooked fresh in the morning and served, like much Indonesian food, at room temperature) in the window, neatly stacked in pyramids of white dishes, so what you see is what you get. When you enter the restaurant, a waiter will begin bringing over dishes with small portions of that day’s offerings. You’re not expected to eat everything - this is the menu!

You will be given a bowl of white rice, a small bowl of water (for hand-washing, not drinking), and a cloth napkin. You can then help yourself to appropriate portions of whatever looks tempting - just spoon out as much as you want. Mix the food with the rice. The spiciness of the dishes is meant to serve as counterpart to large quantities of bland rice.

You will be charged for each item you select, along with your bowl of rice. However, sauce from a dish is usually free, and the side vegetables often are as well. Since it’s the sauces that are so delicious, you may want to try a few. The waiter will come back when you’re done, note what’s missing from the dishes, and tally your total.

Many Padang dishes, like the delicious beef rendang, can be found on hotel menus, cooked at a more appropriate heat for Western tastes.

And don’t forget to eat with your right hand, the left hand is supposed to be out of sight…

Just Soto

Indonesians love yellow soup (soto) of all kinds, and many areas have their own special varieties. Soto Surabaya, soto Madura, soto Lamongan, soto Kudus, soto Banjar, soto Jakarta or soto Betawi (so-named for the areas where they’re served) are extremely fragrant soups made with herbs, coconut milk and meats. Soto Madura is soup with beef and organ meats inside, while Soto Lamongan or Soto Surabaya with chicken inside - otherwise, they’re usually made with.

There are a lot of places sell these classic dish but each of them has his own characteristic. You may choose which one you prefer… without needing to worry with the price…

Dual Citizenship

In response, Indonesia, which does not recognize dual citizenship, passed a law making the SBKRI mandatory for all Chinese-Indonesians if they wanted to obtain legal documents.

The chairwoman of antidiscrimination watchdog Solidaritas Nusa Bangsa, Esther Yusuf Purba, told The Jakarta Post over the weekend. “The new law will only slightly reduce discrimination against Chinese-Indonesians. Theoretically, they no longer need an SBKRI (Indonesian citizenship certificate) to be recognized as Indonesian citizens, but what happens in reality is different”….

She said “the new law did not provide any assurances that discrimination against Chinese-Indonesians would end in the near term. For them, (discrimination) is simply the consequence of being different. They will still have to bear the burden of prejudice from some people who think that all Chinese-Indonesians are well-off and therefore it is ‘justifiable’ to extort them”….

The government has promised to put an end to any form of discrimination against minorities, but it hasn’t even set up ways to dilute the segregation in society, which is actually the root of the problem....

Source: Jakarta Post, 18 Juli 2006

The Role of the Indonesian Ethnic Chinese

“Bhinneka Tunggal Ika” (Unity in diversity) was the Indonesian nation motto proclaimed by the Republic of Indonesia’s fore fathers. The fact is that Indonesia consists of many ethnic groups but one nation - Indonesia.

The Indonesian Chinese has been in Indonesia for more than a thousand years, and as history showed, the Indonesian Chinese has struggled for their identity as one of the Indonesian ethnic group, and to take their place as “Putra Indonesia” (Sons of Indonesia).

The Chinese culture played a significant role in the development of science and technology in Indonesia, to which the Indonesians enjoy the comforts of their daily lives today.

1. The Dutch initially paid little attention to agriculture in Java; it was the Chinese who developed rice cultivation.
2. In the seventeenth century, the Chinese in Batavia cultivated sugar cane for the sugar trade.
3. The Chinese never monopolized rice cultivation, but rendered the service of inventing new technologies, such as a system of rice hulling in 1750 which, using two or three cows, could process 500 tons of rice per day. This replaced the traditional system of manual pounding using a mortar that processed only 100 tons per day.
4. It was the Chinese who invented these simple devices for farming – the pedal pump, sugar cane press, coconut juicer, rice huller, and plow.
5. The Chinese also produced wine from fermented rice, sugar cane juice, and palm sap, having developed distillation from 1611.
6. They cultivated crops such as peanut and indigo. Peanut was introduced in Batavia in 1755, probably from China, while indigo was indigenous to Indonesia, having been used as a dye under the local name tarum.
7. The Chinese succeeded in cultivating vegetables and fruits, the best watermelon coming from Tanjung Kait. They also imported plants such as cotton and eggplant.
8. A protein-rich crop introduced by the Chinese was the mung-soy bean, all the products of which have Chinese names: tauge (bean sprouts), tahu (tofu), and taoco (fermented soy beans). Kecap is also made from one type of bean.
9. The Chinese were pioneers in the fields of metallurgy and mining. They worked in lead mining in Bangka and gold mining in West Kalimantan in the first half of the nineteenth century. The technique used by Chinese miners was very efficient for the time and originated from irrigation techniques: controlling the natural water flow to wash the mineral all along the surface of the slope.
10. Other things developed by Chinese effort were sewing needles – the fabrics sewn were also initially imported from China – and household items such as the clay pot.
11. The Chinese also had a role in casting cannons in Aceh and Patani.
12. Chinese people have made contributions to marine technology as well. They were the ones who built the ships used by Pati Unus, the prince from Jepara, to attack Malacca. The deep sea fishing boat or perahu mayang used by local fishermen off the northern coast of Java uses waterproof partition material characteristic of Chinese ships.
13. The Chinese were active in cultivating oysters, mussels, and fishponds.
14. Salt-making techniques were developed by the Chinese, who did monopolize this industry before the nineteenth-century Dutch colonial government developed modern methods by taking possession of the large salt ponds in Gresik and Sumenep.
15. Ethnic Chinese authors have played an important role in the development of modern Indonesian literature. Over the course of 90 years (1870-1960), this ethnic group gave rise to approximately 806 authors of 3005 books, while in the 50-year period from 1918 to 1967, non-Chinese authors of modern Indonesian literature numbered only 175 and produced around 400 books (not including translations).

All this time the Indonesians never realized the size of the Chinese contribution to the development of technology – sophisticated at the time and seemingly simple today – that has been so important in improving living conditions and social welfare. Even some of Indonesian daily diet originated in culinary techniques developed by the Chinese.

The noodles eaten every day by many Indonesians came from China. The method of making noodles was then adapted by local ethnic groups so that today they have a variety of noodles, such as Binjai noodles, Belitung noodles, and Aceh noodles. The tofu they enjoy every day was developed by a Chinese settler in Sumedang in 1917. Today, Sumedang is known for its tofu. Other popular foods are bakpao and siomay. Many snacks originated in China, such as hunkue (gelatin made from mung bean flour) and kwaci (dried watermelon seeds). Some kitchen utensils from China are the cobek (mortar), ulekan (pestle), kuali (clay pot), and anglo (clay brazier).

Also not forget that the Chinese took part in fighting for the independence of Indonesia. Naval officer Major John Lie was involved in smuggling from Singapore to generate funds for the republic (Lie 1992). Likewise, some centuries earlier in West Kalimantan, the Chinese fought against the Dutch colonial regime (Siahaan 1994).

Throughout the New Order, and peaking in the May 1998 riots, anti-Chinese sentiments by certain group in Indonesia have made the Indonesian Chinese as scapegoats. Perhaps one reason is that they have no idea of the true contributions of the ethnic Chinese to Indonesian civilization. This anti-Chinese certain group believe they are nothing but brokers, usurers, middlemen, and people who monopolize their economy.

References
- Adam, Asvi Warman. 1990. “Les Relations entre les Indes Néerlandaises et l’Indochine, 1870-1914.” Thèse de doctorat, Paris, EHESS.
- Colombijn, Freek, and J. Thomas Lindblad, eds. Roots of Violence in Indonesia: Contemporary Violence in Historical Perspective.
- Lie, John. 1992. “Dari Pelayaran Niaga ke Operasi Menembus Blokade Musuh.” In Memoar Pejuang Republik Indonesia Seputar “Zaman Singapura” 1945-1950, ed. Kustiniyati Mochtar.
- Lohanda, Mona. 2002. “Perspektif Historis Anti Cina.” In Antara Prasangka dan Realita (Telaah Kritis Wacana Anti Cina di Indonesia), ed. Andreas Pardede.
- Lombard, Denis. 1995. Nusa Jawa: Silang Budaya, jilid II Jaringan Asia.
- Pramoedya Ananta Toer. 2000. “Rasialisme Anti-Tionghoa dan Percobaan untuk Menjawabnya.” A recollection in Yusiu Liem, Prasangka Terhadap Etnis Cina: Sebuah Intisari.
- Siahaan, Harlem. 1994. “Konflik dan Perlawanan Kongsi Cina di Indonesia.” Ph.D. Diss. University of Gajah Mada.
- Siauw Tiong Djin. 1998. Penyelesaian Masalah Minoritas Adalah Bagian dari Reformasi Total.
- Sukma, Rizal. 2002. “Dimensi Eksternal Masalah Anti Cina di Indonesia.” In Antara Prasangka dan Realita (Telaah Kritis Wacana Anti Cina di Indonesia), ed. Andreas Pardede.
- Suryadinata, Leo. 1984. Dilema Minoritas Tionghoa.
- Kepustakaan Populer Gramedia and Intisari Magazine. Data from 2002.

Cerita Silat

Cerita Silat is a martial art story about Chinese Martial arts warriors. These stories are adapted to Chinese history before, around, and after the Ming dynasty. They are stories about Chinese rebellious patriots who fought for freedom from the Manchu’s occupation of China, and stories about warriors who defended the poor against landlords, the oppressive rich, powerful Lords, corrupt eunuchs and incompetent Emperors.

Many of these stories originated from mainland China, Hongkong and Taiwan and translated into Indonesian by famous writers including the first generation writer Tan Tek Ho (or aka Kwo Lay Yen, or aka Bong Kok No, or aka Hoh Hoh Sianseng), Lim Tiang Tjoen, Ho Nai Chuan, Tjan Khim Hiap, Yoe Soen Po, Oey An Siok (aka Boe Beng Tjoe), Oey Kim Tiang (aka OKT), Gan Kok Liang (aka Gan KL), Gan Kok Hwie (aka Gan KH), Tjan Ing Djioe (aka Tjan ID), Sie Djiak Liong (aka SD Liong). Before 1960, serial Martial arts short stories can be read in the daily Keng Po and Sin Po.

One of the few writers who remained active in publishing Martial arts stories is Kho Ping Hoo (aka Asmaraman Sukowati), borned in Sragen, Central Jawa in 1926. He wrote more than 200 titles and published these Chinese Martial arts stories in the new Indonesian language. Kho Ping Hoo’s stories did not use as much of the Chinese Martial arts terms as done by other translators, maybe because he had never been to China before 1985.

These free translation stories usually include many terms in Hok-Kianese to somewhat preserve the Chinese character of the story. Even though the root of the word is Chinese, many of the translation are uniquely Chinese Indonesian. The story writers and the translators are usually very good in promoting addiction to the reader. Both old and young love Martial arts stories. The Martial arts story writer’s and translator’s position in Indonesian Literature is currently unknown and unappreciated.

The latter famous writers of Martial arts stories played an important role in popularizing this genre literature that is not taken seriously by critics. Many of the older books are no longer available in Indonesia, but are available at Cornell University Main Library, Ithaca, New York, and at the University of Hawaii.

Thanks to the efforts, Chinese Martial arts stories await their readers for an adventure in the Gobi desert or at the Shaolin temple...

Indonesian Ethnic Chinese

History
In the early 19th century, the Chinese in Indonesia can be identified into two groups. One group was newly immigrated Chinese known as “totoks” (full-blooded Chinese, usually foreign born). This group spoke Chinese and was culturally oriented towards China. The other group is known as “peranakan Tionghoa” (descendants of Chinese) who has been in Indonesia over the centuries, speaks Indonesian or local Indonesian dialect, with a culture that is neither wholly Chinese nor wholly Indonesian.

Unlike the more strictly male-dominated “totok” Chinese, “peranakan Tionghoa” families recognized descent based on both female and male lines. The “peranakan Tionghoa” families were more likely to have converted to Christianity and to have assimilated in other ways to the norms of Indonesian culture. Some even converted to Islam. The latter group is also categorized as “WNI Keturunan Tionghoa” i.e. Warga Negara Indonesia (Indonesia Citizen) of Chinese descend. This group has since fight for equal rights as Indonesian Citizens.

In the early 1990’s, “totoks” considered themselves as keepers of Chinese cultural ideals and maintained their traditions through household shrines, reverence for ancestors, and private language instruction in Chinese schools. Highly oriented toward success, they saw themselves as more dedicated to hard work, individual social mobility through the acquisition of wealth, and self-reliance than the peranakan. Whereas peranakan were more likely to have settled on Java, “totoks” were better represented in the other islands.

Language
The root of most Indonesian Chinese word is Hok-Kien (Fu Chien in Mandarin). These words are often used in daily conversation, some has been adopted in the new Indonesian language (since 1970’s).

Surnames
The Indonesian Chinese family names are uniquely Indonesian Chinese. These Indonesian Chinese family names were probably created by the Dutch immigration office during the Dutch colonial time. The scenario is that the overseas Chinese immigrated to Indonesia, a Dutch colony, and were verbally asked what his or her family name was. Most likely the Dutch officers did not read Chinese characters, and therefore wrote the immigrant family name in alphabets, closest to its sound. Most of the overseas Chinese used the Chinese dialect (i.e. not Mandarin) in pronouncing their family name. As an example, the sound “OO – ee” (Huang in Mandarin) had been translated to Oey or Oei. Note that “Oe” is equivalent to “U” in the old Dutch language. In this case two Indonesian Chinese family names were created.

Some Indonesian Chinese Family names:
Ang, Bhe, Feng, Go, Goei, Gouw, Ko, Kho, Khouw, Lauw,Liang, Liauw, Lie, Liem, Lim, Lo, Nio, Oei, Oey, Ong, Ouw, Pang, Pouw, Siauw, Sie, Siem, Sim, Souw, Tan, Teng, Thia, Thio, Touw

Counting
1 = It, 2= Jie, 3 = San, 4 = Sie, 5 = Go’, 6 = Lak, 7 = Chit, 8 = Pe, 9 = Qiu, 10 = Chup, 11= Chup-it, 12 = Chup-jie, 13 = Chup-sah
20 = Jie-chup, 30 = Sa-chup
100 = Che-pek, 200 = No-pek, 300 = Sa-pek
1.000 = Che-cheng, 2.000 = No-cheng, 3.000 = Sah-cheng
10.000 = Che-bhan, 20.000 = No-bhan, 30.000 = Sah-bhan
100.000 = Che-pek-cheng, 200.000 = No-pek-cheng

General Addressing and relatives
Nchek = Uncle
Nchim = Aunt
Ngkoh = Older brother
Nchi = Older sister
Nsoh = Wife of an acquaintance

Mpe’ = Uncle (Father’s older brother)
Nchek = Uncle (Father’s younger brother)
Nchim = Aunt (Wife of father’s younger brother)
Ngkim = Aunt ( Wife of father’s older brother)
Ngkoh = Older brother
Nchi = Older sister
Chi-hoo = Older brother in-law
Mey-hoo = Younger sister-in-law

Addressing of an uncle, aunty or any older person are often depends on the position within the brotherhood. The eldest prefix with “Toa’. The second oldest is prefix with “ji” (second), the third with “Sa” (third) and so on. As an example:

Toa-pe’ = Uncle (Father’s eldest brother)
Toa-em = Aunt (Wife of Father’s eldest brother)
Toa-koh = Eldest brother
Toa-chi = Eldest sister
Ji-pe’ = Uncle (Father’s 2nd older brother)

Other common expressions
Be-po’ = Not good
Chukong = Boss, rich boss
Go-su = Dangerous
Kam-sia = Thank you
Kiong Hie = Greetings
Peng-an = Grace
Put-houw = Not obedient, not good
Put-tiong = Not loyal

For Love or Money

If you were ask which is more important ‘love or money’, which one are you going to choose? Some people may say love is more important, and some may say money, and there is nothing wrong with that. Each and every one has their own opinion.

Love can be categorized as love to family, friends, boyfriend or girlfriend, pets, etc. People who claim that money is more important said that it is because money can buy everything for them. There is no need to have love as a person claims that he or she will have a boyfriend or a girlfriend who is rich, no love is required, as long as he or she can support me is enough.

Not only that, just now, I just saw a case where money can buy the value or tie of a family. Just imagine at how a woman who cares too much for money and can use or corrupt the money for her own use eventhough that is not her own money. It is a company’s money which owned by the family (brothers and sisters). I think to her, money is more important than the family tie itself.

Sometimes because of money, people cannot think logically (red eyes). Some people may just protect a person who is in fact on the wrong side eventhough that person know that he or she is wrong.

Not much too say on these, it depends on what type of persons are they?
What do you think?…

Basa-Basi

In Indonesia, you must have to do all the sweet talking, even though you just barely know the person. When you want to eat, you have to ask them if they want it so you can share it with them, but still you’ll get criticized if you do not show or not even trying to show any intention to do that.

It won’t be long before someone invites you to come over. Addresses and telephone numbers are exchanged. Then, when you show up, you may be embarrassed to experience that the hosts apparently had forgotten about the appointment.

Whenever your relatives, friends or neighbours see you arrive from somewhere, they ask you “Dari mana?” (“Where have you been?”) or every time they see you ready to go somewhere, they ask you “Mau ke mana?” (“Where are you going?”). When they see you sitting in your dining chair, with a plate of food in front of me, and a spoonful of rice in my mouth, they ask you “Baru makan nih?” (“Are you eating?”).

What is it? Is it being courteous, nosy or just annoyingly stating the obvious? These small talk and peculiar questions are called ‘basa-basi’. It means best with courtesy or conventional phrase of greeting. These Indonesian courtesies can be divided into three categories: positive courtesy, meaningless courtesy and cynical courtesy.

Which one is which? I think you have to be an Indonesian to truly understand the difference...