Read + Write + Report
Home | Start a blog | About Orble | FAQ | Blogs | Writers | Paid | My Orble | Login

Chatterpillar - Metamorphosis come on!!

 
Big Cat lives in Sydney (Nthn). Originally he was a news writer. Then he focused on entertainment. Now his articles are on good news. This is about transformation. Metamorphosis come on!! Spiritually.

Chatterpillar - October 2006

Indonesia's unfair prison system: Australians languish while worse offenders freed

October 31st 2006 21:08
- Monday: Tommy Soeharto waves "I'm well", adding he plans to go on a pilgrimage to Mecca. (BBC pic) -

The generous sentence remissions given to wealthy criminals on national holidays smack of corruption, Jakarta Post reports say, quoting local activist organisations Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) who claim the remissions are being bought and sold.

"Granting remissions is apparently based on how close convicts are with the chief wardens, said Indonesia Corruption Watch coordinator, Emmerson Yanto.

"Well-known convicts have easily obtained remissions not solely because of their good conduct but also because of these relationships." According to Yanto, remissions are allowing prisoners to walk free long before the sentences handed down to them by the courts expire. He questioned whether many high-profile convicts had been properly rehabilitated.

The latest example is "Tommy" Mandala Putra Soeharto, the youngest son of former president Soeharto. He walked free this Monday having served less than half of his 10-year jail term for arranging the murder of an Indonesian Supreme Court justice who had sentenced him to 18 months in jail in a land fraud case. Initially set at 15 years, his murder-related sentence (2002) got reduced on appeal to 10 years. Subsequent remissions each Independence Day and Idul Fitri Day did the rest.

Also in line for early release through Indonesian holiday remissions are:

. Soeharto's step-brother and high-profile graft convict Probosutedjo, doing 10 years (from 2003) for abusing reforestation funds, costing the state nearly US$11 million in losses

. Former Aceh governor Abdullah Puteh who got 10 years jail last year for corruption including appointing a company to purchase a Russian helicopter causing US$1 million in state losses.

Earlier report: Judges' death sentences heartless to Aussies, who have given $ millions to Indonesians
113
Vote
Comments (3)Comments (3) Add CommentsAdd Comments
[ Link ]
Posted By: Big Cat - Category: Indonesia (News)
   


It's alright, it's OK, it doesn't matter if you're old and grey

October 29th 2006 21:33
Thanks BBC

Did you know that the theme of New Tricks now in the Saturday 7:30 ABC timeslot vacated by Doctor Who is sung by Dennis Waterman? (Same singer as "I could be so good for you" - among others.)

I was hoping he would have a bigger part in Episode 3 with his Jack-the-lad character, Gerry Standing, with the three former wives still all good friends. And he did. Not that I don't appreciate the other characters and the actors who play them who, thankfully, remain unchanged in this new series. Viewers will know who I'm talking about. Wikipedia details.

Most crime/who done-its are so deadly serious, especially the American ones. It's such a treat to see humour stitched into the plots of this series and another, The Last Detective, also on ABC on Saturday night.

Good old BBC! It's ironical about the lead actors of New Tricks ( Amanda Redman) and The Last Detective (Peter Davison). They were the wife Alison and husband David Braithwaite in Sally Wainwright's BBC black comedy "At Home with the Braithwaites". The one about the family from Leeds with three daughters , whose lives got turned upside down after winning £38,000,000 in a lottery. Wikipedia details.


Review of New Tricks Episode 3:

Reviews of last Saturday night's New Trick's can be seen on this BBC page.

Like a Somerset reviewer, who said: "What an imaginative, fascinating, and unlikely plot. Who'd ever think that dog murders could make such riveting TV? Only the New Tricks team could have pulled this off and they did so superbly. As usual the mix of humour and pathos was perfect, and the dialogue was clever.

"The comparisons made by the first suspect, of third world problems and our treatment of each other as opposed to the care we lavish on dogs here in the West, was food for thought. He presented this in a very slick and convincing manner. I almost felt a little empathy with his views even though I own dogs."

And for you Dr Who fans, cop this about New Trick's characters from an Amazon review site.

"With small snapshots of their family life as well (aka Rose in Dr Who), they all come across as being 'real people' and perhaps because they are nice characters and such well known faces you care what happens to them (oh no don't hurt `Gerry')."

Okay, maybe not as interesting to younger viewers. But there's hope, considering this other comment from another Episode 3 reviewer:

"What a wonderful series. Even my cynical 19-year-old daughter loves it and always works out who the murderer or criminal is before the end. Having Richard Briers as the villain in this episode was sheer genius."

And remember: It's alright, it's OK, it doesn't matter if you're old and grey.

But it sure helps!
118
Vote
Comments (9)Comments (9) Add CommentsAdd Comments
[ Link ]
Posted By: Big Cat - Category: Reviews (Entertainment)
   


Not true that top cleric's 'meaty' sermon will go unpunished

October 26th 2006 22:58

World headlines this morning say Australia's top Muslim cleric will not be punished over a sermon in which he likening scantily-dressed women to uncovered meat and saying they're responsible for sexual attacks.
A group of senior Muslims from Sydney's Lakemba Mosque decided last night to accept the argument put by Sheikh Taj Eldin al-Hilaly that his comments were taken out of context from his sermon and that the sermon was targeted against men and women who engaged in extra-marital sex and did so through alluring types of clothes. Reference BBC


Actually, it's not true that he won't be punished. Punishment started yesterday with news that the Federal Government will no longer be asking him to be an advisor to officials and official meetings. Source


And State politicians are calling for tougher action. "Young Muslim men who now rape women can cite this in court, can quote this man… their leader in court," said Federal Sex Discrimination Commissioner and New South Wales Liberal Party candidate, Pru Goward. She does not believe the sheikh can backtrack over his comments and insists he could be guilty of incitement to the crime of rape and should be deported.
Source ABC


Meantime the Muslim community has fears ordinary Australians will punish them for their leader's "meaty" views. "I am expecting a deluge of hate mail," said Walid Ali of the Islamic Council of Victoria. "I am expecting people to get abused in the street and get abused at work." Source
113
Vote
Comments (4)Comments (4) Add CommentsAdd Comments
[ Link ]
Posted By: Big Cat - Category: Australia (News)
   


Why are aid donations lagging despite Aussies being richer?

October 25th 2006 23:51
A SMH report yesterday by Matt Wade throws light on Australians and donor fatigue. "Aussie households spent $573 billion last year but we gave less than one-500th of that to organisations helping the world's poorest people. Despite the public response early last year to help victims of the tsunami we still spent about twice as much on chocolate than on overseas aid last year."

Wade quoted from a Washington DC think tank called Centre for Global Development, which rated Australia sixth in aid spending and trade, investment, migration, environment and security issues - behind Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, Norway and New Zealand per capita


[ Click here to read more ]
108
Vote
Read MoreRead More Comments (6)Comments (6) Add CommentsAdd Comments
[ Link ]
Posted By: Big Cat - Category: Australia (News)
   


Indon Govt failure - Houses still not replaced 5 months after Yogya earthquake hit 631,000 households

October 23rd 2006 07:21
Central and local Indonesian Governments have failed to replace houses destroyed or severely damaged in the Yogyakarta earthquake, which affected more people than in Aceh from the 2004 Boxing Day Indian Ocean tsunami. And now it gets worse for the affected Javanese, as the rainy season is starting, says a report in today's The Age, Melbourne, called "The disaster the world forgot too soon" by Julia Suryakusuma and Tim Lindsey.

The 27 May 06 Yogyakarta earthquake disaster in West Java didn't have anything near the world donations support that Aceh and Nias got for rescue, relief and rebuilding after the 26 Dec 04 tsunami


[ Click here to read more ]
98
Vote
Read MoreRead More Comments (4)Comments (4) Add CommentsAdd Comments
[ Link ]
Posted By: Big Cat - Category: Indonesia (News)
   


Pic: New big beverage logistics operator starts next week

October 19th 2006 02:13
- Bubbly bimodal -

A new logistics operation starts next week. Don't have a pic of the livery of the new trucks, so here's a guess.

[ Click here to read more ]
84
Vote
Read MoreRead More Add CommentsAdd Comments
[ Link ]
Posted By: Big Cat - Category: Business News (Business News)
   


Here's a strategy for all you mad keen cycle racers

October 13th 2006 05:02
- What's more, if you time it like exactly right, it will stop that big chested, red headed bitch from catching us up - cool, eh? -


An emailing friend from a Victorian country town told me it, harking from a climate where the cold mornings can be conducive to the sniffles


[ Click here to read more ]
84
Vote
Read MoreRead More Comments (2)Comments (2) Add CommentsAdd Comments
[ Link ]
Posted By: Big Cat - Category: No Category
   


Grimy reporters did it to her like Lindy, Denton's interview with Joanne Lees exposes

October 9th 2006 23:18
-ABC pic of Peter Falconio and Joanne Lees-

Nuts to you editors who let your reporters try and do a "Lindy Chamberlain" on the reputation of the quietly spoken, brave young woman.

[ Click here to read more ]
87
Vote
Read MoreRead More Comments (1)Comments (1) Add CommentsAdd Comments
[ Link ]
Posted By: Big Cat - Category: Australia (News)
   


More Posts
April 2010
1 Posts
February 2010
1 Posts
January 2010
2 Posts
Older Posts
41 Posts dating from August 2006
Email Subscription
Receive e-mail notifications of new posts on this blog:
[ View Blog Summary ] [ Create A New Post ]
Moderated by Big Cat
Copyright © 2006 2007 2008 On Topic Media PTY LTD. All Rights Reserved. Design by Vimu.com.
On Topic Media ZPages: Sydney |  Melbourne |  Brisbane |  London |  Birmingham |  Leeds     [ Advertise ] [ Contact Us ] [ Privacy Policy ]