The Democrat Party Response to a Tsunami...

The Jakarta Globe is reporting that the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Marzuki Ali, has an idea. Ali who happens to be a member of the party that acts as the political vehicle of the current president that allowed him to motor into the big chair, has decided that the best way to avoid tsunamis and other extreme wave events is to not live on islands.

In the world according to Ali, all people living on islands should be located to areas further inland in order to protect them from being swept away during a tsunami. I wonder if it is also part of the world according to Ali plan that Indonesians also be forcibly removed from active volcano areas and any low-lying area likely to flood (like Jakarta for instance)?

You know, Ali's idea is good. The safety of all Indonesians is paramount. Although, there is a small problem. Indonesia is an archipelagic nation. Ali, my dear friend, this means that it is a nation that is made up of islands. If you depopulate all the islands in order to protect the people from tsunamis, just as a matter of interest, where are you going to relocate them to?

Maybe what Ali meant to say was that he was all for relocating the DPR to Mentawai and relocating all the villagers of Mentawai and the surrounding islands to the DPR housing complex.

Ali, mate, a word of advice, if you do not open your mouth then you cannot get your foot in there!

Funnily enough it was Ruhut who had to trot out and apologise on behalf of the Democrat Party for Ali's insensitivity. Ruhut is the fellow that can no longer afford to buy Cuban cigars on his parliamentary salary.

The How Sad Files...

In some truly very sad news, Ruhut Sitompul can no longer afford to smoke cigars since becoming a member of the Democrat Party and entering parliament. All together now, ooooooooooohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, poor Ruhut!

It would seem, if The Jakarta Post is to be believed, that Ruhut is now scraping the bottom of the very deep cigar barrel he owns. As Ruhut describes it, he is almost running on cigar fumes as his only remaining cigars are gifts from former clients of his legal practice days.

However, I do not feel for Ruhut. He reckons that while working as a lawyer he was earning somewhere between USD 100,000 and USD 300,000 per month. Now, a man of his smarts must have surely socked some of that away in a shoe box that he now hides under his bed, right? I reckon the man can still afford to buy cigars. This latest "look at me" sound bite reeks of arrogance and a real lack of appreciation about how tough ordinary Indonesians are doing it on a daily basis.

Seriously, if Ruhut cannot afford to buy cigars then buy cigarettes. Ruhut, no one cares but you! If you are really poor, but still need to chomp on a cigar then buy local, buy the cigars that Indonesia produces. My guess is that your paltry parliamentarian salary will stretch far enough to buy locally produced cigars. I am pretty sure that Sampoerna makes a cigar. If not, then Gudang Garam makes one, right?

Indonesian parliamentarians might not be the best paid parliamentarians in the world but, in the big scheme of all things economic in Indonesia, they are far from being at the "poor" end of the Indonesian salary scale.

Ruhut, time to focus on the really important stuff, mate. Your lack of cigars is not that important to those Indonesians living on or below the poverty line, particularly those who choose to buy cigarettes in preference to feeding or educating their children.

Mr. Sitompul when you have something serious to say the feel free to pipe up and share your wisdom, but in the mean time...Ruhut, please deh!

The Cork & Screw...

It sounds more sexual than it really is! Yet, then again a really good bottle of wine can be an experience that makes you feel warm and fuzzy and perhaps tingly all over :)

I have gotta say I have been a bit of the proverbial loser on the going out front and have not been devoting sensible time to going to one of the now many many excellent wine bars that have sprung up across the capital (Jakarta). I am sure there must be a fine wine (and cigar) guide that lists all these establishments and the relative cost involved!

I did have cause to go to the Cork and Screw in Wisma Kodel last week after the launching of a new website that I am involved with...Why a week you ask? Well, as I am sitting here in front of my computer screen thinking that I should be doing some work and not blogging, I am also thinking about how a nice glass of red would taste! A Margaret River or a Penfolds would probably hit the mark...

Red wine -- my poison of choice!

Perhaps I will make a concerted effort to write a few reviews of the myriad of wine bars in Jakarta...I might just be able to swindle a bottle or two for my efforts (I might have to embellish my visitor stats a little in order to convince them I am reaching a lot of people).

Unfortunately, the Cold Chisel song, Cheap Wine is out of place here as there is not a lot of cheap imported wine, but when it is all said and done I could find myself mellowing out in a wine bar to the rockin' grooves of Cold Chisel...