Twists and turns in the big ring Thunderous cheers greeted each feat by the Chinese acrobats performing with the Indonesia Oriental Circus during their show in a giant tent in Kelapa Gading, North Jakarta. Set up in the 1960s, the Indonesia Oriental Circus hires renowned acrobats from China -- selected as the winners of several international acrobatic competitions -- for a year to allow their local counterparts to learn from them.

Women on top? Equality does not come from spouting slogans Glenn Marsalim, Contributor, Jakarta Among the aggressive TV ad campaigns for the recent legislative election, one made me cringe the way I do when I am watching a nasty horror flick. The woman in the ad, while serving jamu (herbal tonic), said that she would only cast her vote for a party with many women in its ranks.

Voter turnout lower than 1999 polls: KPU Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The General Elections Commission (KPU) admitted on Saturday that voter turnout was low for the April 5 legislative election, but mainly attributed it to an administrative quandary rather than to public apathy toward the event. KPU deputy chairman Ramlan Surbakti said many registered voters were unable to exercise their constitutional right because they did not receive their voter's card.

How trouble came to paradise in colonial Java Bruce Emond, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta ------------------------------------------------- The Thugs, the Curtain Thief and the Sugar Lord: Power, Politics and Culture in Colonial Java Onghokham, Metafor Publishing, 2003 xiv + 338 pp Rp 135,000 ------------------------------------------------- It takes skill to be able to dig beyond the dry facts of history and bring to life a distant time and place for latter generations.

Suns in the East will outshine the West Tom Plate The Straits Times Asia News Network Singapore From the perspective of the Atlantic coast, Asia seems a very, very long plane ride and several colossal conceptual leaps away. Europe, on the other hand, is but a half dozen or so time zones distant and, for some reason, thoroughly less complicated. The inevitable result is that Asia has played second fiddle to Europe in the American foreign-policy mind for as long as anyone can recall.

Getting rid of the pack mentality to travel solo Lia Lenggogeni, Contributor, Jakarta Traveling to a foreign place can be a daunting experience in itself. So would you embark upon it alone? Yes, alone. As in by yourself, no companion at all, just-the-way-you-were-born-into- this-world alone? The Indonesian single traveler is still a rare breed. Indonesians, and probably most Asians, travel in packs. Even to bathrooms!

More people soaking in the tub as bathing habits change Sudibyo M. Wiradji, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The growing trend toward spas and pampering oneself among well-to-do Indonesians has had a positive impact on sale of bathroom fixtures, such as bathtubs, home spa sets and showers in the country. For most affluent Indonesians, the bathroom is no longer just a place to take a quick shower, but more of a personal retreat.

The high cost of becoming a civil servant Take a quick survey of people in my hometown of Pandeglang, some 150 km west of Jakarta, about their most wanted job, and I bet you that one profession would stand out over the rest. Civil servant. This position, at least in my hometown, is considered to be a "future saver", a safeguard for a rainy day. Meaning that while it may have a small salary, it is an almost guaranteed lifetime position and there is a pension to look forward to.

The iron village Korrie Layun Rampan The name of the village, Kampung Besi, always made me wonder. For all I knew, the village soil contained no minerals, like iron, nickel, gold, silver or copper. My grandma said it was so called because the village was as strong as iron in the face of pengayau (headhunters) in bygone times. The locals managed to resist their attacks like an iron shield, and used spears, daggers, swords and krises to overwhelm their enemies.

Cellular catwalk: Accessorize I. Christianto, Contributor, Jakarta Mobile phones have gradually entered a new niche as fashion accessories with the widespread availability of interchangeable covers, personalized ring tones and artful displays. They are more stylish now, with casings produced in different colors and with more futuristic and chic designs, combined with an all-in-one functionality.

Fashion designers: Seeking exposure, knowledge and real critics Iwan Tirta, Contributor, Jakarta I have said it before, and I will say it again: Most Indonesian fashion designers are still cut from the same cloth. By and large, we are still dressmakers who have yet to learn that becoming a real designer takes more than just producing a few pretty dresses.

KPU website hacked INDONESIA: The General Elections Commission (KPU) website fell victim to hackers on Saturday evening. At 6:40 p.m. the attack occurred and the hackers seemed to have a sarcastic sense of humor, substituting the names of political parties on the computer-based tabulation site with fruits. The website, functionion as the main public display for the computer-based ballot counting, returned to normal at 10:40 p.m.

One country, two parties From Koran Tempo The General Elections Committee (KPU) has done its utmost in fulfilling its duties with the facilities available and under existing conditions. It is the election timetable and the preparation period that should be reviewed for next time. For such a big country as Indonesia, the parties to contest the election should be determined at least a year ahead.

Colonial Java: How trouble came to paradise Bruce Emond The Jakarta Post Jakarta ------------------------------------------------- The Thugs, the Curtain Thief and the Sugar Lord: Power, Politics and Culture in Colonial Java Onghokham, Metafor Publishing, 2003 xiv + 338 pp Rp 135,000 ------------------------------------------------- It takes skill to be able to dig beyond the dry facts of history and bring to life a distant time and place for latter generations.

Myanmar junta permits reopening of Suu Kyi's party HQ Aye Aye Win Associated Press Yangon Myanmar's military government reopened the headquarters of Aung San Suu Kyi's pro-democracy party on Saturday, almost a year after shutting all of the party's offices and arresting its top leaders, party officials said. It was unclear whether the step indicates the ruling junta is preparing to release Suu Kyi, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, who remains under house arrest.

Quakes hit Bali, East Java, Bengkulu Wahyoe Boediwardhana, The Jakarta Post, Denpasar, Bali The resort island of Bali and several areas of neighboring East Java province were rattled by an earthquake early Saturday morning. But there were no immediate reports of casualties or injuries. A quake also occurred early on Saturday morning in Bengkulu, on the east coast of Sumatra, The Associated Press reported.

Opposition parties should learn to accept defeat V.K. Chin The Star Asia News Network Selangor, Malaysia The opposition must be dreaming if it feels it can overturn the results of the 2004 general election, which was won by a landslide by the Barisan Nasional coalition. Two of the biggest losers in the election, PAS and Keadilan, are conducting road shows throughout the country in the hope that the 11th election on March 21 will be declared null and void.

Putrajaya a grandiose dream Julia Yeow, Deutsche Presse-Agentur, Putrajaya, Malaysia A majestic room in the west wing of the prime minister's official residence offers guests a commanding sight of Malaysia's newest tourist attraction -- the sprawling administrative capital of Putrajaya.

Indonesian broadcasters: Losing the moral high ground Martin Jenkins Editor Danareksa Sekuritas Jakarta The downfall of Soeharto's New Order regime back in 1998 marked the start of a new chapter for Indonesia's broadcasting industry. Since then, the industry has transformed itself in a broadcasting revolution that has seen much of the staid and conservative programming replaced with increasingly controversial and risque material.

Public discussion of FTAs needed The Nation Asia News Network Bangkok The government appears to have finally put together a structure and comprehensive strategy to pursue Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations with selected trading partners. But the road ahead is still paved with obstacles. As FTA negotiations get underway with the U.S. and Japan and intensify with Australia, India and China, the Commerce Ministry has decided to form two working teams.

Ad images, and society, still give women no respect Hera Diani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The composite impression of the Indonesian woman in advertising in 2004 is that she is not so strong, certainly not invincible but she does suffer gladly and lives to please. Some choice examples. * An undeniably pretty young woman is still (somehow) sentenced to be the perennial wallflower until her skin is transformed several shades lighter. Oh, and make that wavy hair super straight.

TMII turns 29, holds 9-day gala Tony Hotland, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Although not as popular as other amusement parks in Jakarta, the Taman Mini Indonesia Indah (TMII) park is still standing strong and proud after over a quarter of a decade. The park, which is a scale-model of the country's over 17,500 islands on some 150 hectares, will turn 29 on Tuesday after its April 20, 1975 inauguration.

A soulful home celebrating life in the tropics Maria Endah Hulupi, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta A fondness for architecture and appreciation of nature inspired house owner Sajan Koch to design and build a beautiful tropical courtyard house in Kemang, South Jakarta. Located in a housing complex, the house is also evidence of Koch's strengths in calculation, construction and artistic touches, even though he does not come from an architectural background.

Turning the bathroom into a relaxing retreat Debbie A. Lubis, Contributor, Jakarta As our daily routines cause increasing strain and fatigue, the bathroom has become a source of relaxation and rejuvenation for both body and mind. Although the style of a bathroom invariably depends upon the homeowner's unique taste and character, interior designers claim there is a growing trend toward a natural ambience for the bathroom.

Susilo to name Jusuf Kalla as running mate Sri Wahyuni and Andi Hajramurni, The Jakarta Post, Yogyakarta/Makassar Leading Presidential candidate Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono revealed on Saturday that he would choose Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Jusuf Kalla as his running mate for the July 5 election, making him the first to name a vice presidential candidate.

TV Program: Sunday, April 18, 2004 .TB.30" .90" TVRI 6:00 a.m. Morning News 7:00 Children's Program 9:00 Music: Delta 10:00 Sports 1:00 p.m. News: Berita Siang 1:30 TV Drama 2:30 English News Service 3:00 Music 3:30 City News 4:30 Pak Odor's Show 6:30 English for Fun 7:00 News 7:30 Music: Dansa Yo Dansa 9:00 News: Dunia Dalam Berita 11:30 TV Drama TPI 6:00 a.m.

IT chief Merry sets own course for success Hera Diani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta The sexist aside leveled at many women who make it to the top is they must have climbed the corporate ladder on their backs. Starting out as a secretary, Merry Harun, now director of Canon division at the national business solutions company PT Datascrip, admitted she often faced suspicion about her competence. "Oh yes, I have been underestimated. Especially because IT is still a male-dominated field.

17 more live bombs found in Poso Ruslan Sangadji, The Jakarta Post, Palu, Central Sulawesi Police here on Saturday found an additional 17 live bombs in Poso regency, Central Sulawesi, through the door-to-door search for arms in operation since last week's renewed attacks. The homemade bombs were discovered at around 11:55 a.m. under a bridge in Masani village, Poso Pesisir subdistrict, following a tipoff from local residents who reported seeing a suspicious package there.

Nokia launches new 7200 model in style Rivalry in the cellular phone business has been even fiercer than in recent years, not only in the race to design a terminal that caters to the lifestyles and daily activities of consumers, but also in the race to launch ever-new products. In such a tight market -- as is seen in Indonesia -- cell phone makers must also be more creative in luring buyers for particular products.