Recycle Paper to protect your children's future By Laila Faisal JAKARTA (JP): We take paper for granted every day of the week. When we need paper it can be almost guaranteed that a sheet or two can be found on the desk, in the drawers or in your bag. We throw away paper without a second thought if we make a typing error or spelling mistake, but nobody realizes the amount of paper wasted every day. Twenty years ago, the United States consumed more than 530 pounds of paper per capita per year.

Int'l schools battle on amid dwindling enrollments By Stevie Emilia JAKARTA (JP): The girl's little fingers tap and squeeze a portion of play dough from a large chunk prepared by her teacher. A few minutes later she laughs cheerfully, showing off her work to her teacher and a classmate. The teacher caresses her blonde hair, smiles and murmurs soft words, praising her work.

Tourism development in East Timor needs investors By I Ketut Sutika DILI, East Timor (Antara): A harmonious blend of valleys, mountains and the sea offers a spellbinding view along the southern coast of East Timor. The stretch of 250 kilometers from Dili to Manufahi by way of Ailiu over predominantly green hilly areas in the rainy season is breathtakingly beautiful.

WB to organize food aid for RI WASHINGTON (Reuters): The World Bank will coordinate an international humanitarian relief program to aid Indonesia, Australia's foreign minister said on Friday. "The World Bank has now agreed to coordinate a very significant humanitarian relief effort for Indonesia," Foreign Minister Alexander Downer told a news conference after meeting with World Bank President James Wolfensohn in Washington.

Why I didn't set up my own business By Idrus I am an employee of an Indonesian import-export company. My office is a newly painted garage. I have a desk the size of a pocket handkerchief and an old rocking chair. When I come to the office in the morning, I open an almost- empty cabinet and take out a stack of last month's newspapers and put them on my desk. These are the acts of a man eager to start in on lots of accumulated work.

Report of rescheduling rejection dismissed JAKARTA (JP): State Minister of Research and Technology Rahardi Ramelan has denied media reports that Japanese banks rejected a request by Vice President B.J. Habibie to reschedule Indonesia's private sector overseas debts. Rahardi, one of Indonesia's senior officials accompanying Habibie to Japan, said yesterday that Japanese banks had never expressed such a turndown in their meeting with the Vice President.

Plenty of choices in IT education in RI By Zatni Arbi JAKARTA (JP): Quality computer education has always been one of my main concerns. It is so obvious that, although personal computers can be found everywhere, their utilization is still very limited in general. It is really sad to see expensive Pentium computers being used only as a glorified typewriter -- to borrow a term frequently used by senior researcher Melly G. Tan.

Let's be resourceful and innovative JAKARTA (JP): "We need to adopt a new life style," wrote my friend Zatni in an email message. "Everything has gone up in price, from the computer magazines I need for my writings to all food stuff. So now, we are cutting down on pizza, hamburgers and those sorts of things. We eat more tempeh and tofu. I think I have lost some weight." I was happy to read that.

Court acquits Catholic priest and his brother JAKARTA (JP): Bekasi District Court acquitted Catholic priest Ignatius Sandyawan Sumardi and his brother Benny Sumardi of charges of harboring activists accused of masterminding the July 27 riot in Jakarta in 1996. Presiding judge Den Sjarfuni said in his verdict that providing shelter for the three activists was all well- intentioned and conformed with the Jesuit priest's humanitarian duties.

'As Good As It Gets' rebels with extraordinariness By Rayya Makarim JAKARTA (JP): The opening scene of As Good As It Gets shows Melvin Udall (Jack Nicholson), a romance novelist, hurling his neighbor's dog down the garbage chute. In the next 15 minutes, Melvin proceeds to insult everyone in sight, turn his door lock five times, throw away bars of soap after one use, avoid cracks on the sidewalk, and dine out taking along his own plastic utensils.

Local TV stations sell program abroad to survive By Antariksawan Jusuf JAKARTA (JP): Although still seen by some as just a penny- making industry, exporting television programs looks promising for local stations at a time when advertising revenues continue to free fall. It could help contribute to the growth of local program productions. The question is, of course, whether the producers and stations are ready for wider markets and consider them an opportunity.

Indonesia-IMF talks seen to be encouraging JAKARTA (JP): Talks between the government and an International Monetary Fund (IMF) team here to review the country's economic reform program have made considerable progress, according to Indonesian and IMF officials.

French flair flavours 'Paris of the Orient' By Wang Su Tiak JAKARTA (JP): While artists around the world may look to the Orient as a source of creative inspiration, oriental art and architecture itself draws stimulation from a multiplicity of cultural influences. Hanoi is one Asian city rich in arts and architecture. The French arrived in Hanoi 120 years ago, and French style has formed the root of modern artistic and architectural development in this "Paris of the Orient".

Shall I not? Shall I not Come to you On a dark night When it is raining A Bogor rain? Shall I not look Into your eyes when they are moist With love? Shall I not speak The music of my heart When your footsteps Sound on wet pavement? Shall I not lift A finger to touch Resounding chords In your heart? Shall I not hear When your sighs are Filled with the sweetness Of moon and star filled Night?

Shooting association seeks tax exemption for bullets JAKARTA (JP): Chairman of the Indonesian Shooting Association (Perbakin) Sutiyoso urged the government yesterday to consider classifying imported bullets and other shooting materials as exempt from taxes. Sutiyoso said the sports organization could only barely maintain a supply of bullets for its athletes before the economic crisis crippled the country.

Spotlight Photo A: Poet JP/leo WINNING POET: Poet Sutardji Calzoum Bachri (left) and Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso hold aloft the Chairil Anwar Award. Sutardji received the award, which was organized by the Jakarta Art Council, Friday night at Taman Ismail Marzuki in Central Jakarta. Photo F: Frogs The Omni Batavia Hotel EXTERMINATOR FROGS: General manager of The Omni Batavia Hotel Peter A. Hill holds up a couple of predatory frogs to be released into the hotel's garden.

Don't expect power to sap Hasan's brashness By Devi M. Asmarani JAKARTA (JP): When he accepted the immense task of becoming the new industry and trade minister, Mohamad (Bob) Hasan subjected himself to fresh brouhaha on top of his already controversial persona. Known then as a timber tycoon, one of the richest Indonesians and a golf and fishing pal of President Soeharto, Bob was brought back into the spotlight when his name appeared among those in the new cabinet lineup.

Sidewalk 'literature' functions as alternative reading By A. Ariobimo Nusantara JAKARTA (JP): The domino effect of soaring print paper prices is increasingly being felt now, particularly in book publication circles. Many publishers have given up launching new books for fear that the selling prices would be unrealistically high. A novel by Mira W., previously sold at below Rp 9,000, is now priced at Rp 17,500. Fans of S. Mara Gd.

Putu offers intrigue, greed to the masses JAKARTA (JP): Intrigue has always inspired one of Indonesia's foremost writers and theater icons, Putu Wijaya, to create award- winning works. But nothing inspires him more than society's problems. Having at least twice snatched up the FFI film award, he is launching yet another of his local social dramas on TPI, titled Intrik (Intrigue).

Geuzenprize for Pakpahan The Indonesian Prosperous Labor Union has announced that the Netherlands' Stichting Geuzenverzet foundation awarded Muchtar Pakpahan the prestigious Geuzenprize. Some background information was published in a newspaper article, which needs some clarification. The article states: "Geuzen was a leading opponent of his nation's colonization policies and he had a fighting spirit for the liberation of colonized races".