Touch and go: Aromatherapy makes good 'scents' for health Hera Diani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta In a recent holistic aromatherapy seminar, practitioner Rina Poerwadi asked four women participants to sniff an essential oil and give their reaction to it. The responses were very different for each woman. One immediately pushed the oil away; the others reported a pounding heart and migraine, stiffness, chills and even feeling a fresh sensation.

Jakartans start preparing for Monday runoff Bambang Nurbianto, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta Crisp, white, and a sight to behold, thought Nur, 25, who spent Saturday with his fellow workers erecting 11 tents that will serve as polling stations on Monday, on Jl. Kartika Utama in Pondok Indah housing estate, South Jakarta. They braved the sun, but putting up the tents was hardly a battle for the 12 workers.

Amid the chaos, do not go softly into the night A short while ago on a flight to Jakarta, my fellow passenger, a woman from Beijing, told me about her fears regarding security in Indonesia. I downplayed those concerns, saying that the outside world generally had an exaggerated picture of the situation in Indonesia, and that life in Jakarta was in reality no more dangerous than in most big cities around the world. After Sept. 9's bomb blast, I doubt she left Jakarta feeling that way.

Coffee culture in Bengkulu The pungent aroma of coffee filled the afternoon air in Curup, a cool hill town some 85 kilometers northeast of Bengkulu, the capital of the province of the same name. "Bengkulu coffee is 100 percent pure, not mixed with corn flour or anything. It tastes even better than Lampung coffee," boasted Sudiyono, my driver and guide.

Smear campaign mars cooling-off period The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Two days before the presidential election runoff on Monday, the campaign team for Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono was kept busy countering allegations that could harm its candidate. A tabloid called Fakta (Fact) hit the streets in Jakarta on Saturday, running one-sided stories about what it called Susilo's "public deception".

Indonesia ready and waiting for historic elections The Jakarta Post, Jakarta/Makassar/Pekanbaru Indonesia is putting the finishing touches on preparations for the historic presidential election runoff on Monday, and the country appears ready for the polls despite some minor glitches. The excitement was already building on Saturday, with residents of neighborhood units around the country erecting polling stations.

Filmmaker taps into Imelda's power Ong Sor Fern, ANN/The Straits Times/Singapore --------------------------------------------------------------- Ramona Diaz's documentary on Imelda Marcos has received an award at the Sundance Festival, divisive responses from Filipinos and a lawsuit from the former first lady herself. ---------------------------------------------------------------- Filmmaker Ramona S.

Police brace for terrorist activity ahead of polls The Jakarta Post, Jakarta/Banda Aceh/Palu/Jayapura In the wake of bomb threats in several cities, the National Police are taking steps to prevent terror attacks ahead of and during the presidential election runoff on Monday. "The terrorists most likely would like to target public facilities, certain embassies, government offices and police headquarters," National Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar said on Saturday.

Water hazard: The soggy blight on old buildings Maria Endah Hulupi, Contributor/Jakarta Restoring an old, damaged building to its former glory requires careful planning, handling and, of course, considerable financing.

Life's a beach in the north East Timor's main attractions, apart from its ever changing scenery, are its shores and seas along the north coast. Pristine beaches of white talcum powder-like sand meet turquoise seas that feature some of the best diving in the world. Martin Van Driel, a dive instructor at Dive Timor Lorosae in Dili, boasts that you can easily spot giant turtles and sharks in the teeming waters off Tutuala on the east coast. However, just getting there is a big part of the fun.

Same name but different taste... Sudibyo M. Wiradji, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta The name may be the same but the taste is different -- that seems to be the story with many foreign dishes served up in Indonesian restaurants. China's Peking Duck, for example, is much more spicy and sweet than it is in Canton, where the dish originates.

Hartati finds her feet on the dance floor Hera Diani The Jakarta Post/Jakarta Dancing has always worked as escapism for choreographer Hartati. A child of divorce, caught in the tug of war between grandparents and her mother, turned her into a painfully introverted girl. Luckily, she found refuge in dance. "Dancing is like a discharge ... Every burden would be released. It's a space to throw it all away, to neutralize the pressure," said Hartati, a Jakarta Arts Institute (IKJ) graduate.

Rickshaws riding high in Germany Christina Schott, Contributor/Berlin When springtime starts and the air slowly becomes warmer in Central Europe, they suddenly sprout at every corner. They are the Velotaxis and Rikschataxis -- the German answer to Indonesian becak and Asian rickshaws. The rickshaw boom in Germany started 1997, when inventor Ludger Matusczewski had the idea to develop an alternative form of environmentally friendly transportation that also could provide a place for advertising.

Kuznetsova to meet Weingartner in Wismilak International final Eva C. Komandjaja, The Jakarta Post/Nusa Dua, Bali Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia is in position to win her second Wismilak International tennis tournament less than two weeks after her U.S. Open triumph, when she takes on Marlene Weingartner of Germany in the final of the US$225,000 tournament here on Sunday.

Broken dream Yenni Djahidin She sat there on a wooden bench under a maple tree, her eyes following the small boy running in the playground. Her face was long and narrow with dark eyes, a small nose and a small mouth. I saw her as I entered the park. I knew she must have been Indonesian because of the jilbab (head scarf) that she wore loosely around her head. There were plenty of babysitters in my neighborhood: some were called au pairs, nannies or mother's helpers.

Scholar Julia takes on patriarchal powers Carla Bianpoen, Contributor/Jakarta ------------------------------- Sex, Power, Nation An Anthology of Writings 1979-2003 Julia I. Suryakusuma, Metafor Publishing, 2004 Rp 108,000 ------------------------------------- Amid speculation and anxiety about the next presidency and the nation's future, Julia Suryakusuma has launched an anthology of her writings in English published between 1979 and 2003, to mark her 50th birthday.

Five RI women die in crash MALAYSIA: Five Indonesian workers were killed in southern Malaysia after a bus was hit by a container that apparently separated from a speeding truck, police said on Saturday. The truck driver was negotiating a sharp bend when the container separated from the vehicle and then slammed into the bus, which was transporting workers to a nearby factory in Johor state early Saturday, a police spokesman, speaking on condition of anonymity, told The Associated Press.

Broken dream Yenni Djahidin She sat there on a wooden bench under a maple tree, her eyes following the small boy running in the playground. Her face was long and narrow with dark eyes, a small nose and a small mouth. I saw her as I entered the park. I knew she must have been Indonesian because of the jilbab (head scarf) that she wore loosely around her head. There were plenty of babysitters in my neighborhood: some were called au pairs, nannies or mother's helpers.

Hartati finds her feet on the stage Hera Diani, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta Dancing has always worked as escapism for choreographer Hartati. As a child of divorce, caught in the tug of war between grandparents and her mother, she became painfully introverted. Luckily, she found refuge in dance. "Dancing is like a discharge ... Every burden would be released. It's a space to throw it all away, to neutralize the pressure," said Hartati, a Jakarta Arts Institute (IKJ) graduate.

Chiropractor teaches route to mind-body health David Kennedy, Contributor/Jakarta A pain in the neck can take on a whole new meaning if you visit Jakarta's newest chiropractic clinic. You may find your pain and stiffness -- often caused by misalignments of bones in the neck from accidents, stress and bad posture -- is at the root of some other major challenges in your life.

Angie to take lengthy break for injury recovery Eva C. Komandjaja, The Jakarta Post/Nusa Dua, Bali Angelique Widjaja, whose Wismilak bid crashed in the quarterfinals, plans to take a lengthy rest to allow her nagging knee injury to recover. Angie said that the Honsel Korean Open, which starts on Sept. 27, would be her last tournament before she took a break. She will return to the scene for the January 2005 Australian Open.

TV Program: Sunday, September 19, 2004 .TB.30" .90" TVRI 6:00 a.m. Morning News 7:05 Documentary 9:00 Music: Delta 10:00 Sports 11:00 TV Drama 12:30 p.m. English for Fun 1:00 News: Berita Siang 2:00 Music 3:00 English News Service 4:30 Zooming 5:00 Robocon 6:30 Talk Show: Obrolan Wong Cilik 7:00 News: Berita Nasional 9:00 News: Dunia Dalam Berita 9:30 Music TPI 5:30 a.m.

A leap of faith: Taking the plunge in interreligious marriage Hera Diani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta As the projector flickered, people in interfaith relationships told their stories. Indah said she and her siblings were labeled illegitimate and mocked because their parents were of different religions. A married couple claimed there was never a problem; the differences, in fact, helped their children become more tolerant.

Thai food, a favorite for many T. Sima Gunawan, Contributor, Jakarta It's spicy and sour. And it tastes really good, especially when it's still hot. And who can resist the delicious aroma of tom yam goong soup? The popular Thai dish is a favorite among many Indonesians as well as expatriates here. Indeed, Thai cuisine has a big fan base worldwide, with its great variety of mouth-watering foods.

Desperate man appeals for euthanasia on wife The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Hasan Kesuma, 33, appealed to the Bogor Council on Friday to allow doctors to euthanize his wife, Agian Isna Naili, who has been in a coma for almost two months. The unprecedented plea was made after doctors at Pertamina Hospital in South Jakarta said Agian had suffered permanent brain damage and would never return to her previous self. Agian has been in a coma since undergoing surgery days after giving birth.

No sparks fly at Arantxa Adi's 'affair' Sherry Samtani, Contributor/Jakarta Hotel Mulia Senayan, Sept. 10: Just a day after the tragic bombing that rocked the city, the unfurling of Arantxa Adi's latest collection seemed to be a different world altogether. Although there were a few prayers dished out at the pre-show press conference, Jakarta's socialites were all dolled up in anticipation of a night that promised glitz and glamour. But did it deliver?

Do not go softly into the night A short while ago on a flight to Jakarta, my fellow passenger, a woman from Beijing, told me about her fears regarding security in Indonesia. I downplayed those concerns, saying that the outside world generally had an exaggerated picture of the situation in Indonesia, and that life in Jakarta was in reality no more dangerous than in most big cities around the world. After Sept. 9's bomb blast, I doubt she left Jakarta feeling that way.

Pictures released of suspected bombers' accomplices Sari P. Setiogi, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta The police released on Saturday a photograph and a sketch of two men who allegedly helped Malaysian bomb makers Azahari bin Husin and Noordin Moh. Top perpetrate the blast outside the Australian Embassy here earlier this month. National Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar said one of the men, identified as Heri, was the last owner of the white Daihatsu Zebra van carrying registration number B 9065 NH.

Scholar Julia takes on patriarchal powers Carla Bianpoen, Contributor/Jakarta ------------------------------- Sex, Power, Nation An Anthology of Writings 1979-2003 Julia I. Suryakusuma, Metafor Publishing, 2004 Rp 108,000 ------------------------------------- Amid speculation and anxiety about the next presidency and the nation's future, Julia Suryakusuma has launched an anthology of her writings in English published between 1979 and 2003, to mark her 50th birthday.

Gus Dur meets Megawati again INDONESIA: A day after signing a declaration of support for presidential candidate Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, former president Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid attended a gathering of founding president Sukarno's children on Saturday night. President Megawati Soekarnoputri, who will face Susilo in Monday's election runoff, also attended the event, which was hosted by her brother Guruh Soekarnoputra. Gus Dur said the event was an informal social gathering.

Unspoiled nature awaits visitors to East Timor David Kennedy, Contributor/Dili The first thing a newcomer to East Timor notices is the peace and quiet. Even Dili -- where daily Merpati flights arrive from Bali -- has more the character of a sleepy seaside town than a capital city. Its wide roads are deliciously free of traffic, the silence only broken by the occasional blast of techno music from aimlessly roving taxi drivers.