Guess What? Scrutinizing batik exhibitions to add to her own collections has always been an exciting business for traditional herbal medicine tycoon Moeryati Soedibyo. She couldn't resist the temptation to buy more batik cloth when visiting the batik exhibition held by the International Conference on Cultural Tourism in her Sheraton Mustika Hotel, Yogyakarta, on Monday. When it comes to batik, money does not matter.

300 golfers take part in Trisakti Open golf tourney JAKARTA (JP): Some 300 golfers are expected to take part in the Trisakti Open golf tournament on Nov. 21 at the Padang Golf Course, Pondok Indah. Organizer Justian Suhandinata said Friday that the one-day tournament will be held to commemorate Heroes Day (Nov. 10) and Trisakti University's 32nd anniversary. The golfers will compete for three trophies and prizes of three cars for those who can make a hole in one at one of three holes.

Hollywood vixen Julia Roberts recoups her cool By Dini S. Djalal JAKARTA (JP): Oh, to be Julia Roberts. Russet hair cascading down a curvaceous frame, whiter-than-white teeth lighting a mega- watt smile, hazel eyes as big and sparkling as the Hope diamond. It's easy to see why the camera loves Julia Roberts -- she's gorgeous. Then there is her sunny "realness" that crowned her Hollywood's queen.

JakJazz's second night draws larger crowds JAKARTA (JP): After a slow opening, the second night of the 1997 JakJazz festival showed more fervency yesterday as fans packed the Soemantri Brodjonegoro youth center in Kuningan, South Jakarta, to enjoy a variety of lively performances, albeit not all jazz music. The three stages set up at the youth center were mostly standing room only as local acts faired well against their foreign counterparts.

Prasidha Cup attracts top stars SURABAYA (JP): Indonesia's contract bridge world beaters, including Fredy Waluyan, Denny Sacul, Franky Kawur, Bert Polii and Hengky Lasut, are among a field of more 200 participants in the 12th Prasidha Pahlawan Cup Bridge Championship, which started here yesterday. However, unlike in major international events when they played as a team, this time they are fighting against each other for the top honors for their respective teams.

What has happened to Indonesian folktales? By Soekanto S.A. BOGOR, West Java (JP): Remember as a child how you burst with pride after someone praised you for being smart like Si Kancil? That was because you knew of the little mouse deer's adventures, outwitting the farmer who caught him, the dog who kept watch over his cage, the alligator who tried to bite his leg off and the tiger who tried to devour him.

Music lovers walk out of 1997 JakJazz in droves JAKARTA (JP): A young man studying in Jakarta took his visiting, Jazz-loving father to the JakJazz festival Friday night. But after moving from one stage to the next for nearly two hours the father turned to his son and asked: "Where's the jazz?" The first two nights of the 1997 JakJazz have been marred by low attendance and uninspiring music which is the farthest thing possible from jazz.

In Memory of 'Don' Miguel Najdorf By Kristianus Liem JAKARTA (JP): Grandmaster Miguel Najdorf died following a heart attack on July 4th in Malaga, Spain, at the age of 87. At the time, he was the guest of honor at a Garry Kasparov simultaneous exhibition in Madrid. He appeared to be quite frail and was helped onto the stage by Kasparov. He had been advised not to attend by his doctors but said "I want to die watching a chess tournament," according to the Daily Telegraph.

Puff of pride for Jakarta cigar smokers JAKARTA (JP): Smoking a cigar is a stamp of style. The usual impression is that anyone enjoying one is rich and smartly dressed. Such an attitude is most often created through films and fictional stories. And many famous people are known as cigar buffs.

You can't be good at everything JAKARTA (JP): When the Thai soccer team snatched the men's soccer gold medal from Indonesia in the recent SEA Games, some Indonesian soccer fans raged through the main stadium, destroying whatever they could to vent their anger, cursing at anybody who could be blamed for the loss. The Senayan Sports Complex was plunged into a chaos. Many vehicles, displays, and other objects were destroyed, causing yet further loss.

Tips on how to look attractive JAKARTA (JP): Looking attractive has long been a concern of many people, especially those who have to appear before the public. Their clothing and appearance has to match their expected performance while allowing their individual character to come through. Mien R. Uno, vice president of the Indonesian chapter of the Boston-based John Robert Powers school for career and personality development, recently gave The Jakarta Post tips on how to look attractive.

Technology can sculpt a more beautiful you By Christiani S. Tumelap JAKARTA (JP): When God created His most beloved creature at the dawn of time, dust and holy breath were all that was needed for shaping the human form. When cosmetic experts resculpt and rejuvenate people in the 1990s, they draw on a collection of helpers -- creams, the operating knife, biotone machines and chemical peels.

Looking good not easy and costs pretty penny It is a case of putting your best face, not foot, forward in this youth-obsessed world. Beauty, and how to acquire it for the genetically challenged, is big business. The Jakarta Post's team of reporters, I. Christianto, Christiani S. Tumelap, Aloysius Unditu, T. Sima Gunawan, Imannudin, Ivy Susanti and P.J. Leo, delve into what it takes to transform a beast into a beauty in articles on this page, Page 2, Page 9 and Page 13.

Keeping up appearances is must for many JAKARTA (JP): Beauty is only skin deep. Yet, it cannot be denied that many people judge others by their looks, especially at the first meeting. Therefore, it is not surprising that many people spend a lot of time and money to enhance their appearance. Regular visits to beauty parlors are a must for the seriously vain, not only to get one's hair trimmed, but also for other services, including cream baths, pedicures and manicures.

Dealing with environmental problems is not that simple By Priscilla Hon The imperatives of state sovereignty and demands for some level of international governance of the environment are two opposing trends at work. SINGAPORE: Recently, the haze in South-east Asia has become a regional obsession, second only to the financial crisis. The fires raging in Kalimantan and Sumatra caught international attention.

TV today TVRI 6:00 a.m. TVRI News 6:25 Morning News 6:45 Religious Teachings: Hikmah Pagi 7:15 Healthy and Fit 7:30 Children's Program: Arena Kami 8:00 Brudy and Family 8:30 Cartoon Film 9:00 People and Event 9:30 TV Drama: Lahan Bertuan 10:00 TVRI News 10:30 Music: Album Minggu Ini 11:30 Teenager's Program: Temu Remaja 12:15 p.m.

Educating children through TV programs By Nicolas Colombant JAKARTA (JP): Singaporean parents are encouraged to haul their children out of malls and onto the family couch, so they can watch educational TV programs together on Saturday afternoons. In the Philippines, the government has set up TV sets and recorders in classrooms so that animated video lessons can be transmitted to the most remote areas.

Jakarta traffic a headache I do not live in Jakarta and I do not envy those people who have to struggle every day to go to work by going through the most archaic and inefficient traffic system in the world. I have lived abroad for over 20 years and watched how governments attempt to solve traffic problems in big cities. In my opinion, no one has succeeded yet in tackling the problems, be they are Americans, Europeans, Japanese, Chinese, Koreans, Malaysians, Indonesians etc.

Beauty salons not exclusive domain of women By Aloysius Unditu and I. Christianto JAKARTA (JP): The adage that beauty parlors are women's territory no longer holds. Today, men from all walks of life -- from blue collar workers to business executives -- frequent parlors for a myriad of reasons. They share one thing in common: they want to look better, an attribute they seek to boost their self-confidence in their everyday activities.

Depressing Ujungpandang is still great seafood catch UJUNGPANDANG, South Sulawesi (JP): All I remember of Ujungpandang is wide, wide tree-lined avenues, a gorgeous road along the beach called Strand Boulevard (this was in the days when Ujungpandang was called Makassar, which I still prefer), cakes so sweet they made your hair stand on end and the best seafood in this world and the next. But this was the Ujungpandang (or Makassar) of more than 40 years ago, and, of course, things have changed.

Hong Kong tourism wanes after the handover By K. Basrie The Hong Kong Tourist Association, in cooperation with Cathay Pacific Airways and The Peninsula Hotel, recently invited a group of Indonesian journalists to sample the New Hong Kong Experience, a campaign designed to boost the territory's tourism. It may be just in time -- tourist arrivals have dipped since Hong Kong's handover from British to Chinese rule on July 1. The Jakarta Post's K.

Teenager must work for family OSLO, Norway (JP): It is 5:30 a.m. When most children her age are getting ready for school, 14-year-old Ida Narsidah leaves for work at a cookie factory in Tangerang, West Java. She takes the bus and then walks for about 30 minutes to her workplace. Her hours are 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., with a lunch break from 11:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. Her daily wage is Rp 5,000 a day. "That's not enough. I need more money to support my family," she said.

Finding fine folktales for children BOGOR, West Java (JP): Many parents are frustrated when searching for good books for their children, but frustration doubles when it comes to quality books on folktales. Solution may be to have grandparents spin the tales to the children. Problem is the grandparents may no longer be around, and you yourself may have forgotten the details to Si Kancil Anak Nakal.

Johnny Andrean creates jobs whith the right cut By I. Christianto JAKARTA (JP): Despite his packed schedule, leading beauty consultant Johnny Andrean found time for an interview recently at his new training center at Pluit Megamal, North Jakarta. Johnny, 37, runs 65 beauty salons, including three training centers and four bridal studios, employing around 1,000 staff.

Howard govt's new course in Asia By James Cotton Australia's white paper on foreign policy contains continuities as well as significant changes from the past. SINGAPORE: The Australian government's new white paper, "In the National Interest", is the first ever document from Canberra setting down the fundamentals of the nation's foreign policy. While there are many continuities with the past, there are some important changes of emphasis.

Brunei offers $1.2 billion in bilateral assistance JAKARTA (JP): Brunei pledged US$1.2 billion in bilateral assistance to Indonesia yesterday to help restore international market confidence in its economy, especially its currency, a minister said yesterday. The Sultan of Brunei Hassanal Bolkiah made the offer during a bilateral meeting with President Soeharto at Merdeka Palace.

$3b bridge project starts in 1998 KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters): Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia are to start work early next year on a 10 billion ringgit (US$3.0 billion) bridge project linking the three nations, Bernama news agency reported on Friday. The announcement came after both Malaysia and Indonesia over the past two months announced that major infrastructure projects would be deferred due to the region's financial upheaval.

U.S. warns five firms over deals with Iran ROME (Reuters): The United States on Friday warned five non- U.S. companies, including Bakrie Group of Indonesia, that they were running the risk of real sanctions if investigations found any of their business dealings with Iran contravened U.S. law. U.S.