Paris Hilton: Exposed...

I thought that Paris Hilton had a chain of fashion stores in her own name. If I am not mistaken, didn't she open one of these in Indonesia?

I am wondering if she shops at her own stores? I am also wondering if this outfit is available in Indonesia? And, the final wondering here is, if this outfit is available in Indonesia, is anyone buying it?

Hmmm...not a whole lot to the imagination here, is there?

Notice the paparazzo shadow across her back. I would hate to be a celebrity and never get a moments peace from being photographed. I am sure that there are those out there that would be arguing that hitting the streets in an outfit like this one is as good as asking to be photographed. However, Hilton, like anyone else can wear whatever they like, including this outfit, and they should be able to do it without fear of being hassled by paparazzi at every turn.

The idea that celebrities ask for it as part of being public figures, and that they have no right to personal space in the public sphere is not all that different from arguing that a woman who wears a short skirt is asking to be raped and therefore she should be afforded less protection than a woman dressed in a more 'modest' manner.

There just seems to be something inherently wrong with the logic on this one.

The truth though is that it is us, the consumers, that feed this monster. Our insatiable appetite for celebrity gossip and stupidity means there is a ready market for most pictures.

I do like the shirt though! Is she trying to tell any potential suitors what they are in for if they pursue her to the ends of the earth?

Christmas Movies and Cable TV in Indonesia

It's Christmas, well technically it is Boxing Day, so I am not going to focus on the negative. Instead I am going to focus on the positive.

I have gotta say that the Hallmark Channel had a great line-up of Christmas movies. Their program culminated with "A Grandpa For Christmas". Too bad that Will, the Wife, and I had the day out shopping.

Getting off the topic of my own post, it is great to live in a country where last minute Christmas shopping actually means you can go out on Christmas Day and shop!

Parenthood -- A Scary Prospect?

The pregnancy is going well. The most recent trip to the doctor showed that everything was going in the direction that it is supposed to. The Kid is looking healthy and is a little bit bigger than he should be, apparently, by a couple of hundred grams or so.

The trip to the doctor have moved from a once a month event to once every two weeks. The closer it gets the more exciting it becomes. The thought of being responsible for a little life is at time daunting. I do not know if it is a normal part of the process or not, but I often find myself wondering what kind of an old man I am going to make. I also find myself spotting more parents with kids and notice how they discipline them in public.

You also notice how many Indonesians have hired help to make it "easier". I am in for a no assistance schedule on the child rearing front as I have been instructed there will be no nannies or anything else involved. So, I will be the prematurely old looking fella pushing the stroller around, if you happen to notice.

Back to the doctor trips. These trips have become like a big day out, a real event in and of themselves. They usually culminate in shopping. As the due date comes ever-closer, these shopping trips tend to end in having spent way too much money of things for the Kid, all necessary of course. Last week saw us become the proud owners of a crib with all the trimmings. The weekend before saw that the Kid kitted out in all the latest fashions. This included some hand-sewn cross-stitch additions.

The thought of parenthood is both a scary one and an exciting one. Maybe it is different for kid number 2. The first kid though just has so many unanswered questions.

The beauty of life!

Jakarta Shopping

I have decided that I must make a mental note to take my little camera with me every day and start taking happy snappies of my travels. Most days it is just between home and the office. However, there are some days where I take the plunge and branch out into the big bad world of Jakarta shopping malls. Yesterday, was one such day!

It was decided that I would meet my better half at Pacific Place down in the Sudirman Central Business District. Pacific Place forms a sort of mega-shopping-hotel-center. There is a Ritz Carlton Hotel there. I have been there once before but it was not really ready for business. Yesterday was my second trip to view how the other half lives. It is probably one of those places where you could get lucky if you are into celebrity spotting or something. This is not the reason for the camera though.

I actually went there because the better half had just finished dinner with a friend and I figured there was an Optik Melawai there and I need a new pair of glasses as I am getting blind in my old age.

Anyways, I was surprised to find airport type security in order to get into this huge shopping center. There was none of this hand-held metal detector stuff here. They have a metal detector gate and an x-ray machine. Yes, shoppers, an x-ray machine. I was carrying two bags, a laptop and another bag with some paper based files so off they went through the x-ray machine. I wandered through the metal detecting gate to the tune of many beeps. Back I came and my keys and mobile phone had to get x-rayed too.

I was waiting for him to ask me to take my shoes off and place them in the basket for x-ray as well. Fortunately he did not ask.

I guess there are many people who see this as the cost of safety and security, and do not mind the inconvenience. Others just go through the motions as if you want to get inside then you have to jump through the hoops provided. For me it is just sad. It is sad that the world we live in and inhabit now requires such levels of security.

The reason for the camera was to photograph the x-ray machine so everyone could see.