One Big Happy Family
There is no premiership football for Charlton fans this weekend, but no matter. Whatever the result, league position or cup failure, we Addicks can be proud.
The only fly in the liniment to my mind is that the Charlton Athletic Community Trust is now a political football. Trust chief executive Steve Waggott said: "I sense election fever in the air and the trust and the many strands of excellent community work being delivered by us across the South East is being perceived as a real vote winner for the incumbent government."
Mark Carroll, of the Home Office, and Health Secretary John Reid have visited recently with Gordon Brown, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, interested in discussing Charlton's planned Community Centre for Skills.
Further afield, former Charlton forward Andy Hunt has written to Jakartass from his Belize Jungle Dome, to say that his wife, Simone, is very involved with educational projects. Indeed she is.
The Jaden Foundation is a non-profit, non-faith based organization aimed at improving the lives of Belizean children through education, vocational training and scholarships. We aim to break the cycle of poverty and provide the opportunity for children to create a future where they are fully self-reliant.
The Jaden Foundation is currently sponsoring 30 children. Our aim is to sponsor at least 100 children for the next school year (2005/2006), including those of the local children's homes. The Foundation provides support to local schools, funds school transport and supports the building of a vocational training center for children with special needs in Belize City (a project of the International Women's Club).
Back at the Happy Valley, there is a need to recruit another goal-scoring hero in the mould of Andy. Jakartass wonders if Ruud van Nistelrooy, that well-known Charlton fan, would be interested in a summer transfer now that he is seemingly surplus to requirements at Old Trafford.
One Big Happy Family?
Letter to the editor
Well, for most of Indonesian, I think oil is not the main issue. We're just fed up with the attitude of Malaysian Govn. Treating our workers like they don't matter after everything they'd done for the country ... so arrogant and ungrateful ...
Malaysia wouldn't be where they are right now if it hadn't been for all the hardwork of the international workers, the majority of them are Indonesian, legal or illegal! There wouldn't be those tall buildings, bridges, and highways. And now, Sipadan and Ligitan are not enough for them they decided to steal Ambalat too! For oil !!
As I said before, it's not about oil for me and the majority of Indonesian people. It's about the integrity of our nation. Losing Sipadan & Ligitan and Timor Timur is hurtful enough, we just can't cope losing another part of us. It's about our pride and self-esteem that has been hurt!
I don't want war! Ambalat belongs to Indonesia! And we'll do anything to make sure that it still does.
Kuningan
Comment
Kuningan is quite properly concerned about the territorial integrity of Indonesia. Whether the former Portugese colony of Timor Timur, now Timor-Leste, which was annexed by Indonesia in 1975, was ever part of the Indonesian diaspora is a moot point.
The 'loss' of Sipadan and Ligitan was determined by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on December 17th 2002. From 1945 to 1969, when the dispute first arose, Indonesia failed to add the islands to its territory. Until Malaysia, with knowledge of the rich oil deposits, began to extol the tourism potential of the islands, Indonesia had done little to assert its authoritative presence on the islands. This is the key to Malaysia's victory. It can be argued, therefore, that far from being a loss, Indonesia failed to gain.
The concern of Jakartass is that jingoism is rearing its ugly head, manipulated by hawkish generals and legislators with private agendas. There are several disputes over 'ownership' of island specks in these waters, including the Spratleys which are claimed by Malaysia, China, Vietnam and the Philippines. Until an agreement is reached by those elected or appointed to take responsibility, it is premature to say, as Kuningan does, that "Ambalat belongs to Indonesia".
It is to be hoped that an amicable solution can be found to all these disputes. The obvious one is to share the spoils, as in the Gulf of Thailand, where Malaysia and Thailand are jointly developing the hydrocarbon deposits.
Failing that, referral to the International Court of Justice remains as the last resort.
All That Jazz
A one page history of jazz, albeit a long page, with samples can be found here.
Nerd Corner
Just a brief note to say that the new clock shows up very nicely for those of us using Safari - the Mac OS X browser.
Nick in Muscat, Oman
According to Microsoft's Word grammar check, "us using" should be us uses, us is using or us was using. Fair enough. This is yet another reason to give a plug, for those without Mac computers, to open source software, especially
.What the ...?
TV Treats
Indonesia TV viewers will be familiar with Rowan Atkinson, aka Mr. Bean, one of a long line of British TV comedians who have mixed one-liners with sketches. News that the Two Ronnies are reuniting after 18 years for a series will be of interest to Brits with longer memories and satellite reception.
We Brits will feel saddened by the death of Dave Allen who delivered his laid-back observations on the human condition with a tumbler of whiskey (actually ginger ale) in one hand and a cigarette in the other.
"Goodnight, thank you, and may your God go with you."
