Komodo Out of Favor With Voters in 7 Wonders Polling

C'mon Indonesia, get those votes in! I read this article in the Jakarta Globe recently.

Indonesia’s Komodo Island is currently sitting at 26th place on the list of 28 finalists in a competition to name the seven natural wonders of the world, a tourism official said.

“Among international votes, over the past four weeks, Komodo has only been able to reach a 60.28 percent support level, ranking it at 26 of the 28 finalists,” said Ubaldus Gogi, the head of promotions at the East Nusa Tenggara tourism office.

The New7Wonders competition ranks the entries according to how many votes they receive from outside of their country of origin.

Speaking in Kupang on Sunday, Ubaldus said that the two finalists coming in below Komodo were Jeju Island in South Korea and the Sundarbans mangrove forest, which is located between Bangladesh and India.

Topping the votes was Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, with 99.96 percent of its votes coming from outside of the country.

Rounding out the top three were the Mud Volcanos of Azerbaijan, and the Galapagos Islands.

Ubaldus said that rankings continued to change with time and Komodo could still hope to get more votes before the seven finalists are named at the end of the year.

He called on all Indonesians to campaign both at home and overseas to gather support for Komodo in the New7Wonders poll.

“The organizers are targeting a total of one billion votes for this event, so we should aim to get at least 200 million votes for Komodo,” Ubaldi said.

On Friday, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said he would also take part in promoting Komodo. He said he would call for more votes during National Press Day celebrations in Kupang on Feb. 9.

The first round of the competition narrowed the list of 440 participants down to a shortlist of 77 entries. After a public online vote the list was again whittled down to just 28. The winner of the contest will be announced on Nov. 11.

The tourism ministry estimated that 25 percent of Indonesians who had access to the Internet had voted for the national park.

Antara.

Source

Floods in Australia

Just a small comparison to show you how extensive these floods in Australia really are!

Floods in Australia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Belmont Common flood, Belmont, 1952. Flooding in Newcastle. QLD 2010-2011 floods. This is a list of notable recorded floods that have occurred in Australia. ...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Floods_in_Australia

BBC News - Floods force mass evacuations in Queensland, Australia
29 Dec 2010 ... About 1000 people are evacuated as the worst flooding in decades wreaks havoc across north-eastern Australia.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-12087870

Australian floods may boost RIs coal sales |
7 Jan 2011 ... Floods inundating Queensland have disrupted Australian coal production, and in turn may offer opportunities for Indonesia to boost coal ...
arsipberita.com/.../australian-floods-may-boost-ris-coal-sales-132714.html

Australian floods look set to get worse | euronews, world news
29 Dec 2010 ... world news - The worst flooding for decades in northeastern Australia has turned towns into lakes – and there are warnings that the worst is ...
www.euronews.net/2010/.../australian-floods-look-set-to-get-worse/

More Topeng Monyet (Street Monkeys)

You can see topeng monyet on the streets in Jakarta, almost everyday begging for some money for their owners. Their life is but a pale significance of what they once where. I feel sorry for them, but do not know what I can do to help them.

Once they were part of Javanese culture, traveling around neighbourhoods performing tricks and shows for admiring children. Now they are stuck on a chain, at a smoky, polluted and hot traffic intersection.

The Ashes Cricket Jokes

Boxing Day at the MCG. Australia's lowest ever score against England in an Ashes series.

A guy walks into a brothel, and says:
'I am a bit kinky- how much for total humiliation?'
The madam replies $60
'Wow, what do I get for that?' he says.
'A baggy green cap and an Australian cricket shirt'.


What do you call an Australian who can handle a bat?
A Vet!
Ho Ho.


What is the difference between Cinderella and the Australian cricketers?
Cinderella knew when to leave the ball


And why isn`t there anybody drinking bottles of wine in Oz right now ?
Because they don`t have any openers..


Q what do you get if you cross the Australian cricket team with an Oxo cube?
A A laughing stock!


Q. What is the height of optimism?
A. An Australian batsman putting on sunscreen.


Q. What would Jimmy Anderson be if he was Australian?
A. An all rounder.


Q. What is the main function of the Australian coach?
A. To transport the team from the hotel to the ground.


Q. Why don't Australian fielders need pre tour travel injections?
A. Because they never catch anything.


Q. What's the Australian version of LBW?
A. Lost, Beaten and Walloped.


Q. What do you call an Australian with 100 runs against his name?
A. A bowler.


Q. What's the most proficient form of footwork displayed by Ponting?
A. The walk back to the pavilion.


Q. Who has the easiest job in the Australian squad?
A. The guy who removes the red ball marks from the bats.


Q. What do Australian batsmen and drug addicts have in common?
A. Both spend most of their time wondering where their next score will come
from.


Q. Why are Australian cricketers cleverer than Houdini?
A. Because they can get out without even trying.


Q. What does Ryan Harris put in his hands to make sure the next ball almost
always takes a wicket?
A. A bat

You don't need a maid. The dangers of DIY housework.

You don't need a maid. No-one needs a maid. I don't have one. You don't need one

Hmmmm, one may hear this sort of comment from friends and family back home, who have not experienced living in Asia with home help. I have been inspired me to write this. Last week our maid informed us that she has a 'swollen heart' and needed to rest (and visit the hospital again) so she has a month off.

Being so close to the Lebaran holiday, which is not dissimilar to Chinese new year in that the entire country all go to their village homes for a week it is next to impossible to get a temporary maid.

So up to us to do it ourselves, both of us work, so Sunday was a big housework day. The Mrs mopped the floor with gusto, perhaps too much gusto, by early evening she was complaining of a sore lower back.

Not surprising really.

Yesterday, she could not get out of bed. So I took her to the local hospital thinking we'd visit the local GP and get some anti-inflammatory's and painkillers till it got better.

We got that, but we also pretty much spent the day in the hospital, her in a wheel chair she needs help walking, sitting and simple things like dressing and going to the bathroom.

She also needed some X-rays, and the specialist said yep, she's actually done some real harm, her muscles are holding her spine rigidly straight, the natural curve of the spine is gone right now.

We also had to visit a physiotherapist and needs to return each day for a week and lots of bed rest.

I took the day off yesterday and fortunately her mother is coming over to visit today to assist.

Poor old driver has been given the job of mopping today...

I pray he doesnt bladdy well do the same thing to his own back.

So, there you go, we do need a maid! Tis no laughing matter!