“Swatting a fly on TV indicates he’s not perfect,” Bruce Friedrich from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA)said about President Obama.  The President killed a fly during an interview with CNBC at the White House on Tuesday, 16th June 2009, The Daily Telegraph stated.

While answering the correspondent, John Harwood, Obama was distracted by a fly. After trying to get it go away, he waited the insect to settle (on his left hand), and smacked it right away.

PETA sent President Barack Obama a Katcha Bug Humane Bug Catcher, a device that allows users to trap a house fly and then release it outside.

“We support compassion even for the most curious, smallest and least sympathetic animals,” Friedrich stated. “We believe that people, where they can be compassionate, should be, for all animals.”

The video about President Obama killed the fly can be watched through this link.

- a PSA socializing how to tick on the voting paper -

- an ad of SBY (present president/candidate) with Mike Mohede (Indonesian Idol) singing popular Indomie jingle -

A new activity for Jusuf Kalla, Indonesia’s Vice President enriches the blogging world in Indonesia. JK who is also a candidate  for Presidential election, starts to blog since the beginning of March this year. Between the three candidate teams, JK is the only one who uses blogging medium in this presidential election campaign.

Having his own blog in www.jusufkalla.kompasiana.com, JK shares about Indonesia’s social and economic situation and his ideas on how the problems could be solved in the future. He also post his reflections on both local and international current affairs.

This blog attracts many people. Some blogers post the news of ‘JK’s blog’ on their own blogs. Comments are also coming everytime JK post an article. Most of them are supportive comments, and even added with a prayer sentence that JK could win in the election.

JK welcomes the bloggers, on his first post,  explaining that as a leader, the blog is a very good opportunity to be closer with the citizens. “Through this medium, you (actually, JK address the bloggers with Indonesian terms of ‘brothers and sisters’, which is ‘saudara’) can have an interaction with me without getting through a complicated protocolers. Personally, I am sorry for that (the protocolers)”.

The frequency of his blog productivity remains stable, almost one posting each day, with the exception of beginning April-May period, which was the period of legislative election (9th April). On his first post in May, Vini Vidi Vici, he apologised for not updating his blog, “Lately I have been very busy because of many things that are very time consuming, from the country matters, party, and such. Thus I have to accelerate with those tiring activities”.

On a gathering with bloggers at a cafe in South Jakarta, JK shares about how inexperienced he was in blogging, for it was his first time, “My children taught me, in fact, my grandchild is smarter in blogging”, as VivaNews stated.

The 67 years old Vice President could post his entry very early in the morning, such as today,  Monday 15th June, his entry about Ahmadinejad (Belajar dari Ahmadinejad/Learning from Ahmadinejad) was posted before 00.30 AM. Several comments came immediately.

Preparing for the upcoming presidential election, Indonesians are bombardised by their  president candidates’ advertorial messages.

Three teams to be chosen by Indonesia are: Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY – present president) – Boediono, Muhammad Jusuf Kalla (present vice president) – Wiranto, Megawati Soekarnoputri (earlier president) – Prabowo Subianto. The six try as hard as they could to persuade Indonesians to vote for them. National and local newspapers can’t resist to publish every activities and statements of these 6 politians competing next 8 July.

The newest statement came from present vice president, Jusuf Kalla who was doing his dialogue campaign up at Nangroe Aceh Daroessalam today. Kalla spoke up about SBY’s role in the process of Aceh’s peace conference, without mentioning the president’s name. “Everything that I did regarding Aceh’s peace conference was known by the President. And I reported it. When I reported it, he usually will nod his head. A leader can just give a nod. Our president is good because he never rejects, although he never gives direction (about the conference)”, said Kalla on Saturday noon, Indonesia’s western time.

SBY himself did a similar campaign in Kendari, South East Sulawesi, at the same time. In front of his 1000 supporters, he explained about the government that he led the past 5 years has done many things although many actions need to be done. “We have done many things within the past 5 years, crime is continuosly being fought, corruption is being diminished, economy is being grown, public’s welfare is being increased, health, education, and in the international relationship Indonesia continously showing its better role”, said SBY.

On the same island with SBY but another region, Megawati campaigned today in Manado, North Sulawesi. She critisized the present government that doesn’t take a good care of Indonesia’s naval fleet that caused victims and death of national navy army when accomodating Indonesia’s maritime safety. ”If I am selected as a president, Indonesia’s army’s strength will become  a priority, ensuring a good maintainance for the war fleet,” she explained. The campaign was closed with inviting the women in North Sulawesi to vote for her and Prabowo for presidential periodic of 2009-2014.

Megawati – Prabowo gets number 1 as her consecutive number in the election, while SBY – Budhiono gets number 2, and Jusuf Kalla – Wiranto gets number 3.

On the national websites and blogs, people keep writing their thoughts and preferences. On kompas.com for example, many comments given in reaction to articles about the candidates’ campaign. Many give credits and also discredit their opposite candidates.

Electronic medias such as television and radio are also affected. Commercials full of promises are packed within creativities and good images of each candidate. SBY for example, presents himself as a good family man by always taking picture or video with his full family (including with his daughter in law who is an actress, Anisa Pokpohan).

source: kompas.com

          37 students from all over the United States arrived at Brisbane. They don’t know each other before that flight, but they all stay under one roof at the southside, Robertson. They chose the place intentionally because it’s just 10 minutes walking from Griffith University campus. What are they doing?

          Tanner Ripley, a student of Animal Science at Montana State University in Montana shares his background, “A while back when we were in Montana, me and some friends talked about doing a summer trip but we didn’t really know where we gonna do it, and we wanna do a missions trip. We thought about it a lot, pray about it a lot, and it kinda end up in Australia. And I think this is where God wants us to be in the summer, so I’m really-really happy to be here.”

          Amanda who is also from the United States, working with a student organization, Student Life in Griffith Uni, explains that the Americans come for their summer project, just like what she did last American summer. “They’re here for 6 weeks. And I’m so glad they’re here, basically meeting students and sharing the news about Christianity with us”.

(See how the  American students’  adaptation in Griffith Uni)

“They’re here on campus everyday I think about 10 to 4, and they’re just talking with students, getting to know them and connecting with them on a friendship level, and then ministering to them spiritually as well,” Sammy, an Aussy who is part of Student Life tells about what the American students do daily.

“It’s been great. We appreciate how open Australian people are on our time just to sit and visit about real things,” Tanner added.

Besides doing the evangelistic mission as their vacation, the American students do have the normal holiday plan, too. Tim from Wisconsin shares, “This weekend we are actually going to Stradbroke Island, and we gonna go surfing and snorkling. That will be fun!”

Wednesday comes. It’s time to enjoy farm foods!

There has been a new crowd formed in the heart of Brisbane for the last two months. Each Wednesday, right in between of the City Library and the Casino, we can find colorful vegies and fruits sold in the Farmers Market.

 ”It is not a Farmers Market Co-operative. We have a number of city folk selling too, and a lot of exotic products and hold special promotions, entertaining events and chefs give cooking classes”, the website explains.

The market does present variety of entertainment. Interesting plants,  free foods to taste, and also useful knowledge about healthy foods.

 ”I offer to our costumers our products to try and then try to explain to them the bonuses of eating them, the benefits both nutritionally and taste”, Paul from Gympie Farm explains. His stalls sell many farm products such as traditional french farm cheeses, home-made butter, natural yogurt, and farm fresh foods.

Walking to another corner of the market, red-yellow-orange-yellow capsicum that were grown with clasical music 8 hours per day. “We have organic hydrophonic capsicum. We are the only people in Australia that grow this capsicum. So sweet, like eating an apple”, Michelle the farmer explains.

A customer bought Michelle’s products and gave a comment about the capsicum, “They last a long time. I only buy them here cause I make salads everyday and they are colorful and crunch and they are very pretty”.

Another crowded stall is Kiala Organic Beef. Shawn explains the certified organic beef and lamb that he sells come from Toowoomba. “The good thing about Toowoomba is it’s known that it has no thick. It’s a very healthy place for cattle”.

(Push the play button to listen to Shawn shares his business process or click here.)

In the middle of the market, an Italian chef did a pasta cooking demo and invited many people  to taste the pasta for free, “You know they say, people wanna buy, but you wanna try before you buy, right?”

Experiencing Wednesday in the Brisbane CBD can be very fruitful nowadays!

At the first weeks of new semester, the library does look different, getting long queue in front of the service table.

Besides doing an individual tutorial, the learning service also provides a group library tour and academical workshops such as Exam Strategies, Time Management, etc. To make the services more effective, library staffs now announces about the upcoming workshops just 10 minutes before they start.

“With a long, long weekend over the Easter break, it could be a great time to do a little (or a lot of) shopping”. ourbrisbane.com suggested.

“It’s a good event. A chance of getting double pay at work”, says Ellen, student from China.

May Cheung, a preacher of Hope Brisbane Church sees the phenomenon as normal but it shows that churches need to be more relevant, “The openness of the (church) people to love others will be the first step for people to see the love of God”.

Student Life, a Christian Club at Griffith Uni  gave away chocolates and shared about Easter, ”It’s about the life, the death, and the ressurection of Jesus and how it affects us personally today”, Andrew member of the club explains. Doing it in both Nathan and Southbank campus, Student Life shares more than chocolate this Easter.

Two drinks a day. A new recommendation in drinking alcohol for Australia. It’s an accurate reflection of the risks, NHMRC explains.

As soon as the National Health and Medical Research Council realesed the statement, reactions arise. Some say it got to be an un-Australian lifestyle.

Eva, drinks 2 glasses each day gave a say. “The regulation is actually good to make people realize what they can avoid in the future.”

For Eva, liver problem experience was a big lesson.”I regret what I did. I want to stop drinking”.

Eight years ago the research, NHMRC say, they have only covered the short-term safety healthiness. As for the new research, they found that the long-term effect is too dangerous, like the damage to liver, brain as well as cancers of the mouth, throat, prostate, and breast.

          UQ dominates the play since referee blows the first whistle. Chris Cunliffie changes the score into one goal to nol in the 75th minute.

        “Our team’s very tired as almost half of the team are injured and even everyone are playing in two games, in a row.” says Michael Tardif, President of Narangba.

          The goal maker Chris Cunliffie says that they play well in the second half. “We were slow, but we got better in the second half. The other team I think is very tired because of their previous match.”

         For more details of Metro1 and other Brisbane’s league visit www.footballbrisbane.com.au.