Mars probe and women

With the successful landing on Mars of the NASA robot, "Spirit," recently in search of water drops, perhaps only women in Indonesia will now be intrigued by the question of how great a sign there is on the Red Planet of the human female species, which may have survived the heat over millions of years.

Indonesian women have progressed so dynamically that their curiosity in the field of science and technology should not be underestimated. Already, we know that they are given the privilege, oddly enough almost imposed by the election law, to occupy 30 percent of seats in legislative councils. Their role in politics in future years will be formidable. And understandably, their attention is now focused on space exploration by men and women.

Ordinary women may wonder why the U.S. spends so much money and resources looking for water drops in Mars and not in the river by the name of Bengawan Solo, also a world famous -- especially in Japan -- Indonesian song, equivalent to the An der Schonen Blauen Danau (Blue Danube) by Johann Strass Jr.

These women may think the money should be spent on more down- to-earth projects like education or assisting the poor, as demonstrated by U.S. Ambassador to Indonesia Ralph Boyce, among others.

GANDHI SUKARDI Jakarta