Film of Barack Obama's childhood in Indonesia debuts

BBC News, Wednesday, 30 June 2010 14:16 UK 

The film's cast is made up of
little-known Indonesian actors

The premiere of a film about Barack Obama's life as a child in Indonesia is taking place in the capital Jakarta.

Obama The Menteng Kid, based on a book, is a fictionalised biography of the boy who went on to become the US president.

The title refers to the Jakarta neighbourhood where Mr Obama lived and went to school for four years.

Potentially controversial scenes of a young Obama reciting the Koran with Muslim pupils have not been included.

The scenes of the future US president - a Christian - were dropped after they were deemed "too political".

Producer Raam Punjabi said the film was meant to send a message of hope and not religion.

"We wanted to make the movie from the point of view of the children. We did not want to enter into politics. We did not want to enter into religious matters," he told the BBC.

"The message is about the friendship, about the determination, about reaching the sky and that is the sole message of this movie."

'Good memories'

Mr Obama lived in the upmarket Jakarta neighbourhood of Menteng from 1967 to 1971 with his mother and Indonesian stepfather.

The film portrays the young Obama - seen wearing sarongs and Muslim caps - in a different light to the man in the White House.

The cast is made up of little-known Indonesian actors and was shot on a budget of $1m (£670,000) over a month in West Java.

Hasan Farooq Ali, 14, who plays Mr Obama in the film, said he had learned a lot about tolerance and how to accept people's differences.

Clips show the young Obama learning to box to fight off school bullies, but ultimately learning to resolve conflicts by peaceful means.

Hasan told the BBC: "I'd really like it if [Mr Obama] were to watch the film... I just hope it brings [back] memories, good memories."

There was huge excitement in Indonesia when Mr Obama was elected in 2008.

The film's release was originally timed to coincide with his first official visit to Indonesia - but the visit has already been postponed twice because of pressing domestic issues.

Mr Obama is now expected to visit in November.

speed paint

Pourquoi Pas?

Why not pull out your favorite lingerie today and where it just for you? Walk around all day with an air of confidence and power which only you will know its source.

{tumblr and weheartit}

Stay beautiful darlings!

Alisa - Le Marais - Paris

Alisa
"I am a student in Fashion Management.
For me Fashion is not very important.
Today, my look is minimalist Rock.
I love plenty of things. I hate snobism.



I wear a Top by COS
Shoes by ANN DE MEULEMEESTER
Pants by JEROME R
Bag by YSL
Sunnies by GIVENCHY
Perfume by MARGIELA

Marcela - Place Vendôme - Paris

I work as Stage Designer in Paris Opera
"For me Fashion reflects the mood of the day
My look is a working day look
If I had 1000€ I would buy a RICK OWENS Jacket
and MC QUEEN Shoes ...
I love smile. I don't like not kind people...
My message to the world:
Try to be the one you would like to meet".

Outfit by KRISTOFER KONGSHAUG
Shoes by URBAN OUTFITTERS
Sunnies by RAY BAN
Perfume= "Angel" by T.MUGLER

Clémence - Place Vendôme - Paris

Clémence
"I am just graduated of a Fashion School.
For me Fashion is a way of Life. My look
is Rock-Chic. I love to be always on the
movement. I hate to be bored. My message
to the world: Stay cool. Be Fashion !"

I wear a jacket by LEVI'S
Leather shorts by ABERCROMBIE FITCH
Shoes by SURFACE TO AIR
Bag by BALENCIAGA
Perfume "Flower Bomb" by VIKTOR&ROLF

Tatiana - Place Vendôme - Paris

Tatiana
"I am a Fashion student at Studio Berçot
For me Fashion is game. My look is sober.
I love to laugh and to have fun.I hate people
that don't give you a break. If I had 1 000€
to spend in Fashion Stuff, I would buy the last
Alexander Wang Bag with cloves. My message
to the world: Live your life to the max !"



I wear vintage Skirt top-shirt and jacket.
Shoes by Zara
Headband selfmade
Bag by AA
Perfume "Alien" by T.MUGLER

Whiplash - Heman rip work in progess

I'm thinking a new styled HeMan fighting game (streetfighter ish),, hence the mma gloves and sponsors on his shorts. Might have a crack at RamMan next.

Amsterdammers

I took a day trip last weekend to Amsterdam with some of my sorority sisters and we had quite a lovely time. I can't say that I can spend more than a weekend there, because there isn't too much to do other than museums, well if you are not looking to partake in the (illegal)legal activities I suppose. But on the whole we had a great weekend and it was nice to visit the Netherlands.

Amsterdam Cool Point #1 is that everyone...EVERYONE rides a bike. The streets are full of parked bikes rather than cars. It was kind of refreshing to see honestly.

Amsterdam Cool Point #2, waterfront city. All waterfront places automatically get my vote. I wasn't born near the beach, it wasn't even our regular vacation spot but for some reason I have an obsession with water. Its relaxing to sit next to, its fun to play on, and its pretty in pictures. Check, check, check.

Amsterdam Cool Point #3, the city seemed pretty lively and exciting. Yes, we did visit on a day of a huge soccer match, so I am not sure how hopping it normally is in town, but I enjoyed watching people run about the city with excitement nonetheless.

Amsterdam Cool Point #4, the people are SUPER friendly. Anytime we got lost which we managed to do many times in one day, someone gladly left everything they were doing to step outside and help us with our bearings. They also did this with a smile and jokes, they were so happy rather than annoyed that someone would dare come visit their city and then not know every street by heart.....ahem...France.

Have you visited Dutch-land mes cheries?

Andy of Style Scrapbook - Paris

Andy of Style Scrapbook

Dress by H&M
Shoes by H&M
(both next collection)
Belt by MOSCHINO
Sunnies by D&G

Denni the Chic Muse - Paris

Denni the Chic Muse

Blazer and Dress by D&G
Shoes by TOPSHOP
Perfume: "Idole" by ARMANI
"Fashion is everything for me. I want to be a Stylist ...
I love Paris & New-York and I don't like brown color.
If I had 1 000 €, I would buy a BALMAIN Jacket.
My message to the world: Be Happy and always move on !"

Andrea - Montorgueil - Paris

"I study to be a photographer.
For me Fashion is change. Today, my look is
very casual. I don't like people who are late.
I love to take pictures of my friend, Pauline.
(3 posts under). If I had 1 000€ I woul buy
an Alexander McQueen dress. My message
to the world: You don't know me yet, but I will
become a famous photographer !"



I wear shorts and T-Shirt by H&M
Shoes by POTI PATI
Silk Scarf by ETAM
Watch by SWATCH
Bracelets selfmade
Perfume: "Chance" by CHANEL

Chow 202

This was done for the Character of the week 202

Enigmatic Boy - Paris Fashion Week

Joyeux Anniversaire

It's a Happy Birthday to me today! I find as I am getting older that with each birthday I can evaluate where I am in life and measure myself up to my goals thus far. This year is a hard one to assess, am I where I thought I was going to be? No. I am happy with where I am? Yes. Am I content to stay where I am? Absolutely not. So, I am very proud for stepping out and literally turning my life upside down to come live in France for a year. I have learned a lot, more than just the language I set out to learn. I have expanded my knowledge of culture, cuisine, people. I have learned how different people are, and at the same time; exactly alike.

{weheartit}

For today I have been saving an American Funfetti Birthday Cake to eat with my friends, and I am very excited! I will probably be seranaded in a Joyeux Anniversaire/Happy Birthday Duo, and there will be more of a grand occasion with champagne and good French wine. I had a Frenchman yesterday explain it to me perfectly, "Like Americans the French only use champagne for Grand Occasions, but the French just happen to find more Grand Occasions!" I love that. I will give it to the French, they definitely have the Joie de Vivre thing down pat!

Happy Birthday to Me!!

Nina - Place Vendôme - Paris

Nina
"I am a Fashion & Design Student
For me, Fashion is representing the way you feel
and the opportunuty to wear clothes that make you feel
better. Today, my look is confortable casual-chic.
I love to dance. I hate exams. If I had 1 000€ to spend
in Fashion Stuff, I would buy a leather jacket, but I don't know
which one because at this moment I can't offer this to me, so
I don't look at it ...."



I wear a jumpsuit by H&M
Shoes by SUPERTRASH
Bag by URBAN OUTFITTERS
Necklace by H&M
Perfume "Just Her" by ROBERTO CAVALLI

Pauline - Montorgueil - Paris

Pauline
"I am a student in HighSchool
For me Fashion is a game where you can choose
your character. I have no idea about what my look is ...
I love LaDurée's Macaroons
I don't like to talk about me
If I had 1 000€ to spend in Fashion,
I would buy Sartore SR1731 shoes
and a one life leather jacket.
My message to the world:
Protect Pandas and grow bamboos !"



I wear a T-Shirt by NAF-NAF
Skirt by H&M
Shoes by ASH
Belt from my mother
Bag by ZARA
Glasses by YSL
Jewels from London
Watch by SWATCH
Perfume: "L'Oriental" by L'EAU JEUNE

Sunny Saturday & Giveaway Winner

Cheries I hope you have had a lovely first week of Summer and have even more exciting plans on how to spend the first weekend! Maybe you'll dive into a pool, shop around the city with an iced frap in one hand and a dozen bags in the other or just maybe you'll jet out to the Hamptons for the weekend and catch up on all the socialite parties you've been missing. Whatever you're weekend consists of I hope its fab! And speaking of cities, shopping and the Hamptons, lets see who gets to win her own key into the glamorous city of New York!

Congrats to...

True Random Number GeneratorMin: Max: Result:1Powered by RANDOM.ORG

Wendy of It's Really Only a Purple World you have just won yourself a copy of Big Career in the Big City, so now you can work on Landing a Job and Getting a Life in New York!

{weheartit}

Have a Sunny Saturday mes cheries!

Indonesia host to Asia Pacific global peace festival

Antara News, Saturday, June 26, 2010 02:13 WIB

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesia will be host of the Global Peace Festival (GPF) 2010 for Asia Pasifik from October 15 to 17, 2010.

"As a country with many ethical origins, religions and other resources, but everybody living in close harmoney, it is only reasonable that Indonesia had been elected to become host," GPF Executive Director of Asia Pasifik Chandra Setiawan said in Jakarta Monday.

GPF is a celebration to unite all efforts for world peace.GPF has been held in more than 30 countries. This year, not only in Indonesia, GPF is also held in Kenya and many other parts of Africa, Paraguay and Nepal as well as in South Asia.

The holding of GPF in Indonesia is the result of a cooperation between GPF Foundation Internasional, GPF Indonesia, and Nahdlatul Ulama central executive board with the support of ICRP, religious leaders, Universities, and governmental institutions.

The activities of GPF include international conferences of religious leaders followed by 400 participants from October 15 and 16, 2010.

"We hope the conference would not merely in the form of dialogues but realized and practiced in daily programs, Siti Musdah Mulia, one of the GPF chairmen of Asia Pasifik.

Anohter program of the GPF is a social activity involving 10 thousand young people of different religious believes in various cities and activities to strengthen the marital institution and family as a school of love.

The peak of the program will be held at Gelora Bung Karno on October 17 with cultural and art performances from many regions in Indonesia and from various Asean countries with a message of peace from religious and public leaders, local and overseas.

Dutch envoy bids farewell to Yogyakarta Sultan

Antara News, Friday, June 25, 2010 18:34 WIB

Yogyakarta (ANTARA News) - Dutch Ambassador to Indonesia Nikolaos van Dam bade farewell to Yogyakarta Sultan Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono X here Friday.

"During the five years, there were good times and not-so-good ones but the Netherlands was always a good friend of Indonesia," Nikolaos van Dam, who has filled his ambassadorial post here since 2005 until August 1, 2010, said when saying goodbye to the Sultan.

He said the Dutch government and people had provided assistance, including to victims of a powerful earthquake which devastated Yogyakarta a few years ago through the Java Reconstruction Fund, or directly to the government.

"We provided assistance to the earthquake victims in Yogyakarta, among other things for reconstruction of school buildings and rehabilitation of old houses," he said.

The Sultan confirmed that the Dutch government, non-governmental organizations, foundations and people had helped the disaster`s victims and given assistance to Dr Sardjito Hospital.

"We are grateful to the Dutch government and people for helping the victims of earthquake in Yogyakrata," the Sultan said.

On the occasion, the Sultan presented a batik shirt to the outgoing Ambassador Nikolaos.

The magnitude-5.9 earthquake which hit Yogyakarta in May 2006 killed more than 5,000 people.

Shopping Nirvana

I like shopping, I get to browse beautiful things, gain information about my industry, people watch, and get a little cardio in as a bonus! The marketing side of me always really enjoys when a store has been completed successfully. By this I mean, not just a box with things inside and on a rack. I love to find stores that really invite the consumer in, tell a story, and convince you to stay a while. That is a successful store.

On my few visits to Paris I had never managed to get over to the Galeries Lafayette but finally I ventured upon it a couple weeks ago. I was not disappointed. This store puts Macy's, and even Bloomie's, to shame. You walk in and it seems like a normal high end department store. You continue walking toward the center and you stumble upon an escalator? Nope....this:

Yeah, I know. You can close your mouth now. Imagine actually shopping in here, it is just gorgeous. It makes you feel like you are shopping in a castle rather than a store. With a great selection of any brand you may have your eye peeled out for, Galeries Lafayette is definitely how the French do department stores best. Too bad one of these doesn't carry over into every city in France...well that is probably a good thing for my wallet.

What do you think mes cheries?

Indonesia census turns up Papua tribe living in trees

Reuters, JAKARTA, Thu Jun 24, 2010 5:58pm IST

(Reuters) - A tribe of hunter gatherers living in trees in the remote forests of Indonesia's easternmost region of Papua has been discovered officially for the first time by the country's census, an official said on Thursday.

The nomadic tribe, called Koroway, numbers about 3,000 people speaking their own language and living off forest animals and plants, census officials found during the country's 2010 census survey.

"Their houses are in trees, their life is stone age," said Suntono, head of Indonesia's statistics agency for Papua.

After receiving reports from missionaries, census officials needed to walk for up to two weeks to find the tribe, after travelling by boat from the nearest permanent villages, but still only reached the fringes of their territory.

The nearest city to the swampy southeastern corner of Papua is Merauke, the site of a planned giant food estate attracting interest from investors such as Singapore's Wilmar to grow sugar.

Scientists said last month they had found new species in Papua, including the world's smallest wallaby. The discoveries come as scientists warn of the threat of species loss as the planet warms and forests are destroyed to feed humans.

Suntono said tribe members, who wear nothing but banana leaves, protected their area from outsiders as they depended on it for food such as deer, wild boar, sago and bananas.

A secessionist movement has smouldered for decades in politically sensitive and resource-rich Papua, with attacks in the past year on workers at Freeport McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc's Grasberg mine that has the world's largest gold reserves.

There are more than 2,500 tribes in Papua and all have different languages, Suntono added.

Papua makes up most of the western half of the island of New Guinea. Papua New Guinea, a separate country, occupies the eastern half.

(Reporting by Telly Nathalia; Writing by Neil Chatterjee; Editing by Nick Macfie)

Around 2,868 'isolated and primitive' people from the Korowai tribe were interviewed by census workers. -- PHOTO: AFP

Related Article:

Papuan tree-people in census

Waai, Tulehu villages to be Maluku`s tourism mainstay

Antara News, Thursday, June 24, 2010 13:38 WIB

Ambon, Maluku (ANTARA News) - The villages of Waai and Tulehu on Ambon island will be the mainstay of Maluku`s tourism development in the future.

"The tourism objects in Waai and Tulehu villages will be the mainstay of tourism in Maluku because both domestic and foreign tourists continue to visit the two villages," Maluku Culture and Tourism Office spokesman Ima Tualeka said on Wednesday.

Tualeka made the statement when familiarizing the upcoming international marine event of Sail Banda 2010 to the people of Waai and Tulehu villages.

He said the domestic and foreign tourists were so far more interested in visiting Waai to see giant eel with earring and to Tulehu to take a bath at natural hot springs bathhouse.

Besides, Waai village also has Waitasoi fall and Salahutu mountain resort for tourists.

While in Tulehu there are a lot of traditional arts and culture that the tourists can see.

Tulehu village will also be the center of Surya Baskara Jaya health operation to give free medical services to the people of Salahutu subdistrict, as well as the the people of Haruku, Nusalaut, Saparua, and Seram islands as part of Sail Banda event. 

Where For Art Thou Shakespeare & Company?

Darlings, I would love to introduce you to one of my favorite places in Paris, The 5th Arrondisement. As you wander around the beauty of Notre Dame why not take a stroll across the street? Among a smörgåsbord of diverse cultural cuisine on a bustling fun street, here you will also stumble upon the world famous hole in the wall bookstore, Shakespeare & Company. Now for any bibliophile, like myself, you WILL be in Heaven. Serving as not only a bookstore but also a relaxing place to read, all day if you'd like, it specializes in English Language Literature and has a fascinating history. Now, as you all know I can't resist a unique boutique, but add a complex and fascinating story like this one and you will easily see why I am in love with this shop!

Originally started by Sylvia Beach, and expatriate from New Jersey, S&Co. has been around since 1919. Not always in its originally cozy corner along the Seine, before the last World War it was on the Rue de l'Odeon, and frequented daily by the greats such as, Ernest Hemmingway, James Joyce, and F. Scott Fitzgerald. S&Co at the time was the center of Anglo-American literary culture and repeatedly housed books that were banned in the UK and America. It closed in 1941 after, allegedly, Beach refused to sell a last copy of a Joyce novel to a German soldier.

But it lives on now, thanks to George Whitman, a Massachusetts boy who merged it with his book shop on left bank after the death of Sylvia Beach in 1951. George calls the bookstore a "socialist utopia masquerading as a bookstore". The store also has 13 beds and over the years has housed some 40,000 young writers, called Tumbleweeds, who earn their keep by working in the shop a couple hours a day. George welcomes you to stay as long as you want and prop up your feet upstairs and read everything in the store, the only thing he asks in return is a one page essay about your life, he even provides a typing booth, complete with an old fashioned typewriter for you to tell your story on! At 96 years old, he remains the figure head of the shop but has past the legend onto his daughter, what an incredible legacy to keep alive.

*historic info is thanks to wikipedia and shakespeareandcompany.com*

Pretty amazing isn't it mes cheries?