As the holy month looms an Australian journalist plans his escape from the restrictions and impositions of Ramadhan and its aftermath.

Dutch linguist Gusti Dertik, founder of the comparative study of Indonesian languages; his romancing, or lack of it; and the Christianising (and Islamising) of the Bataks.

A celebration of the foundation of Israel at a Puncak hotel, students in Situbondo outraged.

A portrait of a Sundanese wife and her family of the late colonial era.

Authorities in Cianjur take a tough stance, formally, to any possible outbreaks of sectarian type violence.

Scenes from a colonial era love between a Dutchman and a village girl in Priangan.

Sometimes despite all the laughs, Indonesia is hard to take as a serious nation.

Pop Star Ariel was convicted of violating the Anti-Pornography Law and the Criminal Code in relation to three sex videos that feature a man resembling him having sex separately with TV presenters Cut Tari and Luna Maya, the singer’s girlfriend. He was also fined Rp 250 million ($28,000) and 3.5 years gaol.

The presiding judge, Singgih Budi Prakoso, said one of the factors affecting Ariel’s sentence was his celebrity status.

His “crime” was someone stole a personal Video of him having sex and a bunch of sad sexually inadequate tossers decided he should be punished???

Compare that to torturing and burning an Indonesian’s testicles by Indonesian Military, 10 months for lowest ranking person involved and not so much as a reprimand for his Superiors.  Not so much as an arrest for those FPI thugs who beat and bashed 100s at Monas square.  Burn a church no problem, harass orphans not an issue.  Major corruptor, multi exit travel at the airport of your choice. Private sex tape ...go to gaol, you sinner...What absolute nonsense.  One has to wonder if there is any truth in the rumour this was payback because Ariel happened to make one very senior government official, shall we say a bit jealous and more than lacking in comparison.

As for Budi the judge, seems to me isn’t a basic principle of law that it applies equally to all people since when did being a celebrity change things.  Sounds like envy to me and looking at the freaks from the FPI I can see why they are envious.  No wonder they are hanging out for the virgins in paradise, because no human would wish to copulate with them unless under duress..

WHAT SAD STATE OF AFFAIRS INDEED…AND WHAT A COMMENTARY ON THE NATION INCLUDING THE SO CALLED SILENT MAJORITY.

UPDATE: Sometimes despite all the laughs  - "Indonesia is hard to take as a serious nation"  (I want to change that, to Indonesia is just hard to take)  We have since had the grotesque incident were 1500 animals attacked 20 people and beat/hacked 3 to death.  This of course has now been flashed around the world making a mockery of the nation and it's claims of civilized tolerance. Even more galling was watching government official after government official make apologies and excuses for these cowardly pigs.  The Governor of the region even had the sheer audacity to say the tragedy was beyond humanly powers...Say What!! Who the hell did this person (?)think was doing the hacking and videoing for later viewing pleasure ..a wandering gang of angry peacocks.

Still one would think the government at higher levels would be shocked if not humiliated into doing their job and yet...

Are we ashamed of ourselves yet or what does it take?

From the Jakarta Globe..

Two days after a Muslim lynch mob killed three members of a minority Islamic sect, crowds of furious Muslims set two churches alight as they rampaged in anger over the prison sentence imposed on defendant Antonius Bawengan, 58.

A court in the Central Java town of Temanggung had sentenced the man to five years in jail, the maximum allowable, for distributing leaflets insulting Islam.

But this only enraged the crowd, who said the sentence was too lenient, police said.

"Today was the climax of the trial ... The mob shouted that he should receive the death sentence or be handed over to the public," Central Java province police spokesman Djihartono said.

"There are two churches that have been burned. The windows were shattered and the roofs were charred ... There is also another church that was damaged."

About 1,500 protesters took to the streets and pelted stones at the police, who responded with tear gas and fired warning shots into the air. One police vehicle was set ablaze, Antara news agency reported.

They chanted "kill, kill" outside the court and "burn, burn" as they set upon the churches.

You would think that would spur some action on behalf and yet today..

Two days after a Muslim lynch mob killed three members of a minority Islamic sect, crowds of furious Muslims set two churches alight as they rampaged in anger over the prison sentence imposed on defendant Antonius Bawengan, 58.

A court in the Central Java town of Temanggung had sentenced the man to five years in jail, the maximum allowable, for distributing leaflets insulting Islam.

But this only enraged the crowd, who said the sentence was too lenient, police said.

"Today was the climax of the trial ... The mob shouted that he should receive the death sentence or be handed over to the public," Central Java province police spokesman Djihartono said.

"There are two churches that have been burned. The windows were shattered and the roofs were charred ... There is also another church that was damaged."

About 1,500 protesters took to the streets and pelted stones at the police, who responded with tear gas and fired warning shots into the air. One police vehicle was set ablaze, Antara news agency reported.

They chanted "kill, kill" outside the court and "burn, burn" as they set upon the churches.

Rampage by militant groups in in Bandung & Tasikmalaya, while a senior Democrat Party figure calls for their banning.

Tourists polled, their favourite hotels, restaurants, malls, and holiday destinations in Indonesia.

Incidence, prevalence rates, and other statistics on AIDS in Indonesia, with Papua province being the worst affected.