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Tuesday, December 13, 2011

16 Pages Number 2523rd Year

e-mail: info_ibp@balipost.co.id online: http://www.internationalbalipost.com. http://epaper.internationalbalipost.com.

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CITY TEMPERATURE OC

WEATHER FORECAST

24 - 33

23 - 33

22 - 31

23 - 32

26 - 34

DENPASAR

JAKARTA

BANDUNG

YOGYAKARTA

SURABAYA

Continued on page 6

PAGE 12

Michael Jacksonfans leave tributeat auction site

CelebratingTumpek Wayang inBali

Associated Press

TIMIKA — Workers at Freeport-McMoRan’s gold and copper mine in eastern Indonesia have decided to extend their strike into a fourth month.

About 8,000 miners of 12,000 unionized employees — now paid between $2.10 to $3.50 per hour — began a strike Sept. 15 to demand higher wages.

Union spokesman Virgo Solossa said Sunday that they decided to

remain on strike until at least Jan. 15 but would like to cut a deal before Christmas.

Solossa said many of the mostly Christian striking miners are wor-ried they cannot afford to celebrate Christmas.

The workers are now asking for $7.50 per hour — down from an earlier demand of $17.50 to $43. The company is offering a 35 percent increase over the next two years.

Government-mediated negotia-tions have failed.

The statement on the moratorium rejec-tion was revealed by Gde Agung in the presence of entrepreneurs in Badung in connection with the award presentation to the best taxpayers in Badung. He explained that tourism sector was still the mainstay of the revenue structure for the Badung Regency. Evidently, it had been able to improve the welfare of community of Badung and even

Bali. The tourism sector of Badung support-ed the economic growth of Bali. Similarly, it had great contribution to the employment absorption for the people in Bali and outside Bali. It was indicated by the number of un-employment in Badung which, according to the data of the Central Statistics Agency (BPS), was only 1.23 percent.

IBP/Doc

FILE - On this file photo hundreds of Freeport workers clashed with police during their strike. Workers at Freeport-McMoRan’s gold and copper mine in eastern Indonesia have decided to extend their strike into a fourth month.

Indonesian workers extend strike to 4th month

IBP/Doc

Tourists sunbathing at Kuta Beach, Badung Regency. The Regent of Badung, AA Gde Agung, firmly rejected the mora-torium on the construction of hotels in Badung. According to him, the moratorium was not yet necessary. Moreover, the tourism sector had contributed enormous revenues for Badung Regency.

moratorium of tourism business

Bali Post

MANGUPURA - The Regent of Badung, AA Gde Agung, firmly rejected the moratorium on

the construction of hotels in Badung. Accord-ing to him, the moratorium was not yet neces-

sary. Moreover, the tourism sector had contrib-uted enormous revenues for Badung Regency.

Iran says it will notreturn US drone

PAGE 6

InternationalTuesday, December 13, 20112

Bali News

Founder : K.Nadha, General Manager :Palgunadi Chief Editor: Diah Dewi Juniarti Editors: Gugiek Savindra,Alit Susrini, Alit Sumertha, Daniel Fajry, Mawa, Sri Hartini, Suana, Sueca, Sugiartha, Wirya, YudiWinanto Denpasar: Dira Arsana, Giriana Saputra, Subagiadnya, Subrata, Suentra, Sumatika, Asmara Putra. Bangli: Pujawan, Buleleng: Adnyana, Gianyar: Agung Dharmada, Karangasem: Budana, Klungkung:Bali Putra Ariawan. Jakarta: Nikson, Hardianto, Ade Irawan. NTB: Agus Talino, Syamsudin Karim, Izzul Khairi, Raka Akriyani. Surabaya: Bambang Wilianto. Development: Alit Purnata, Mas Ruscitadewi. :Jalan Kepundung 67 A Denpasar 80232. Telephone (0361)225764, : 227418, P.O.Box: 3010 Denpasar 80001. Bali Post Jakarta, Advertizing: Jl.Palmerah Barat 21F. Telp 021-5357602, Facsimile: 021-

5357605 Jakarta Pusat. NTB: Jalam Bangau No. 15 Cakranegara Telp. (0370) 639543, : (0370) 628257. Publisher: PT Bali Post

Denpasar (Bali Post)—Alleged to suffer from rabies,

a resident of Payangan, Gianyar, AA Gd WP, 18, died on Saturday (Dec 10) after getting a treatment in the Nusa Indah Room of Sanglah Hospital.

Based on information obtained by

Bali Post, the patient was a referral from Aricanti Hospital Gianyar and arrived around 5:00 p.m. Local Time. When getting down from the ambu-lance, Gd WP was vomiting and got convulsions. He was referred because of a critical condition and immedi-ately got treatment in the Nusa Indah

-corting the patient, he was suspected of suffering rabies and still required a further search. Having been treated for nearly an hour, Gd WP breathed his last. Up to Sunday, his body was still commended in the mortuary of Sanglah Hospital. (san)

Luckily the incident causes any casualties and its causer is still mysterious.

It was stated it happened around

saw smoke coming up from those roadside three shops which is south to Belayu Police. In minutes

-dents tried to turn it off yet being

were called where two units of Badung and Tabanan Govern-

turned off the location’s electricity current.

due to short circuit which attacked the rooms. A sudden explosion was also heard suspected from a 3 kg gas tube from one of the shops. Head of Marga Police, APC Surya Atmaja as permitted

incident yet his side still couldn’t make sure what have caused it. This case is now still being investigated.

Denpasar (Bali Post) –To solve Denpasar traffic Bali

Province Transportation Agency planned to operate Sarbagita Bus inside Denpasar City which is known as corridor I. This public transpor-tation is targeted to operate in the beginning of 2012 with 10 units of busses as stated by Head of Trans-portation Agency Trans Sarbagita Bus Management, Ida Bagus Parsa, stated last Sunday (11/12).

According to Parsa the 10 busses

are planned to come this December after its administration is done. It was stated the bus that will operate here will be different to the operat-ing Corridor II (Batubulan-Nusa Dua route) which had 30 seats while this one will have 20 seats. “The bus for this corridor was suited for its road situation. If it’s the same with Corridor II it will cause more traffic around Denpasar,” Parsa explained.

Confirmed separately, Head of

Denpasar City Transportation Agen-cy Gde Astika stated to welcome its operation there will be there will be a research on vehicles totals and connected its tariff it is still being researched although it is known for Corridor II the price for student/pupils is IDR 2,500 while IDR 3,500 for general public. Parsa stated more public members are using the bus with 1,300 passengers every day while 1,900 passengers per Saturday or Sunday (weekend). (kmb13)

Singaraja (Bali Post) –Major Metra Street, Liligundi

Subdistricti, Singaraja residents are shocked by a number of active ammunition found at Ida Bagus Adita’s hosue area while a worker, Ketut Somayasa, was digging the soil to place a shrine’s foundation. Based on information received last Sunday (11/12) it ws stated the ammunition was found last Saturday (10/12) afternoon. While digging, Somayasa found some kind of box which when opened consist of ammunition which then reported to Singaraja Police.

Adita suspected the 23 am-munition was from the inde-

pendence war as at that time this was the base camp to the youth soldiers in Buleleng which seemed to be buried here so

it, a trigger was also found. “A couple of years neighbours also found damaged guns,” Adita explained.

Police stated the ammunition

Head of Buleleng Operational Section, PC Ida Putu Wedana Jati, stated the information to this founding is still limited yet for sure it is being investigated. To avoid any misuse it will be

before handed to Buleleng Police to be investigated. (kmb15)

Suspected short circuit

Three shops

Tens of ammunition suspected fromindependence war found

Tabanan (Bali Post) –-

IBP/file

The Trans Sarbagita bus is seen through the traffic in Denpasar.

Next Year Trans Sarbagita corridor I operated

Alleged to be infected by rabies, a resident of Gianyar dies

3International Bali News Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Secretary of the IndonesianClove FarmersAssociation (APCI),I Nyoman Sandiyasa, when contact-

the price of cloves was haunted by adecline, the clove market prospectsin 2012 still showed a better growthrather than in 2011.

In the middle of this year, the priceof cloves could penetrate the point

per kg at the end of this year. In 2012,there would be a possibility if theprice of cloves moved to the range of

According tohim, conditionof thecloveprice in2012apparently tended

to decline, but when viewed fromthe farmer’s production costs thenthe price range was still providing a

the coming year.

period of peak harvest season in thecoming year is still arguably highenough. However, it is not better thanthe current price,” he explained.

He acknowledged that cloveposed a plantation commodityoriented in the local market, pri-marily intended to meet the needsof cigarette factory in the country.According to Sandiyasa, the clovetrade remained good nationally. Its

selling price was also quite goodeven leading to an increase. It hap-pened so due to decline in the localproduction and it was not followedby harvest in several existing pro-duction centers so far.

Under these conditions, Sandi-yasa said, the clove trading in 2012was projected to be better. In otherwords, the local clove productionwould increase from the previousyear. Moreover, the support ofweather conditions within the pastfew months would help the growthof clove. Similarly, the market ab-sorption among the cigarette manu-facturers also looked passionateagainst the local production. (bit)

Denpasar (Bali Post)—

Sanitation and Landscaping Agency-

ule of rubbish at night. Such policy wastaken to avoid the people’s negativeassessment that rubbish trucks were the

-pasar. The change of rubbish transporta-tion schedule during the night in fact hada positive impact because it was effective

-

After changing the schedule of rubbishtransportation, he said, the complaints

the rubbish trucks no longer occurred.With the absence of complaints related tothe activities of rubbish truck, his partyassumed if the schedule change was quite

Wisada said that what had been donewould be consistently evaluated so thatfrom day to day the service extended to thecommunitywouldbegettingbetter. “In termsof sanitation, actually many things shouldcontinue to be addressed, primarily related tothe public awareness of complying with theschedule of waste disposal,” he said.

Since the enforcement of the householdrubbish transportation at night, he said, hisparty remained to encounter that peopleat some places did not comply with theschedule of rubbish disposal starting at5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Local Time. As aresult of such indiscipline, his party shouldgo back and forth to transport again the

-pasar could look clean. “According toschedule, the public should take out theirrubbish only once between 5:00 to 7:00p.m. because the transportation truck be-gan to move at 7:00 p.m. However, someresidents just took out their rubbish after

became incomplete. We are forced to re--

ing rubbish,” he lamented.Responding to the indiscipline of some

residents, Wisada admitted that his partyhad made socialization repeatedly to theheadmen/village heads in order to re-socialize the schedule of household rubbish

greatly depended on the people’s obedienceagainst the rubbish disposal schedule. “Wehope that all residents have the awarenessto consistently obey the schedule of rubbish

look so clean,” he said. (kmb13)

Haunted by price decline

IBP/file

Farmers are drying their clove on the yard.

Denpasar (Bali Post)—Sales of the plantation commodities, in this regard the clove product, will be getting better

in 2012. Oriented in the domestic market, the clove commodities are still promising comparedto the export market.

Rubbish transportation at night

IBP/file

The rubbish is seen on the side of the road in Denpasar.

News International4 Tuesday, December 13, 2011

But he did not mention their calls for an end to Putin’s rule and received one insult after another on his Facebook site from people who made clear his reply was in-sufficient.

“I do not agree with any slogans or statements made at the rallies. Nevertheless, instructions have been given by me to check all informa-

tion from polling stations regarding compliance with the legislation on elections,” Medvedev said in a post on the social media site.

His statement was a sign that the Russian leadership feels under pressure after the biggest opposition protests since Putin rose to power in 1999. The protesters themselves used social media to organize their

rallies. But the protesters have demanded much more than just an investigation and are unlikely to be satisfied.

They want a rerun of the elec-tion, the sacking of Central Election Commission chief Vladimir Churov, the registration of opposition parties and the release of people they define as political prisoners.

Within hours of his statement, Medvedev had received several thousand comments on his Face-book site, many of them negative, plenty of them disrespectful and some of them highly insulting. “We don’t believe you,” wrote Natalia Akhi. Irina Arapova asked: “And who’s going to do the checking?

Associated Press Writer

PANAMA CITY, Panama — Former military strongman Manuel Antonio Noriega was flown home to Panama on Sunday to be punished once again for crimes he committed during a career that saw him transformed from a close Cold War ally of Washington to the vilified target of a U.S. invasion.

Noriega left Orly airport, south of Paris, on a flight operated by Spain’s Iberia airlines. He was delivered directly to the aircraft by a four-car convoy and motorcycles that escorted him from the French capital’s La Sante prison. The French Justice Ministry, in a one-line statement, said France turned Noriega over to Panamanian officials on Sunday in accordance with extradition proceedings. It was the only official remark.

Noriega’s return comes after more than 20 years in U.S. and French prisons for drug trafficking and money laundering. Panama convicted him during his captivity overseas for the slayings of two political op-ponents in the 1980s.

He was sentenced to 20 years in each case, and Panamanian officials say he will be sent straight to a jail cell when he lands. The ex-general, whose pockmarked face earned him the nickname “Pineapple Face,” could eventually leave prison under a law allowing prisoners over 70 to serve out their time under house arrest. A doctor was reported to be among the team of Panamanian officials escorting the 77-year-old ex-dictator back to Panama.

“He was very im-patient, very happy. He’s going home,” one of his French lawyers, Antonin Levy, said by tele-phone Sa tu rday night, a day after his last visit with Noriega. Noriega is returning to a greatly changed nation.

El Chorrillo, his boyhood neighbor-hood and a down-town slum that was heavi ly bombed during the 1989 in-vasion, now stands in the shadow of luxury high-rise condominiums that have sprung up along the canal since the United States handed over control of the waterway in 2000.

Reuters

JERUSALEM - Israel blamed the Palestinians Sunday for re-jecting a call to hold face-to-face peace talks when representatives of Middle East power brokers visit the region later this week.

Mark Regev, a spokesman for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said Israel had renewed an offer to hold direct talks with the Palestinians ahead of Wednesday’s visit by envoys of the so-called Quartet of the European Union, United States, Russia and the United Nations.

Peace talks froze a year ago in a dispute over the building of Jewish

settlements in territory Israel cap-tured in a 1967 war, which Palestin-ians seek for a state.

Palestinians have refused re-peated Israeli calls to renew the talks unless Israel stops building settlements on West Bank land Pal-estinians want for a state. Israel has rejected that demand, saying talks should not have preconditions.

Regev said Israel had urged that the coming Quartet visit be accompanied by a direct meeting of Israelis and Palestinians. But he said Israel has learned that senior Palestinian official and veteran negotiator Saeb Erekat “has re-fused.”

“We are disappointed,” Regev

said in remarks by telephone, calling it “frustrating that the Pal-estinian side repeatedly refuses to engage in peace talks directly with Israel.”

Erekat could not immediately be reached for comment. Last month Erekat told reporters that Quartet efforts to resume the negotiations had failed and that he held Israel responsible.

The Palestinians, arguing that talks have failed, appealed in Sep-tember for recognition by the United Nations, a move opposed by Israel and the United States who say that Palestinian independence should emerge only through the peace process.

Israel blames Palestinians for spurning peace talks

REUTERS/Sebastian Scheiner/Pool

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends the weekly cabi-net meeting in Jerusalem December 11, 2011.

REUTERS/Tatyana Makeyeva

Russian police officers stand in front of St. Basil’s cathedral as part of heightened security measures in central Moscow December 11, 2011.

Medvedev orders Russia poll inquiry, gets insultsReuters

MOSCOW - President Dmitry Medvedev ordered an investigation on Sunday into allegations of fraud in Russia’s parliamentary election, one day after tens of thousands of protesters demanded it be annulled and rerun. Medvedev responded on his Facebook site to the protest-ers’ complaints that the December 4 election, won by Prime Minister Vladimir Putin’s United Russia, was slanted in its favor.

AP Photo/Esteban Felix

Panama’s ex-dictator Manuel Noriega, left, gestures while being carried in a wheelchair by police officers inside El Renacer prison in the outskirts of Panama City, Sunday, Dec. 11, 2011.

Activities Tuesday, December 13, 2011 5International

Temple CeremonyCalendar Event for December 3 through 28, 2011

EVERY Temple and Shrine has a special date for it annual Ceremony, or “ Odalan “, every 210 days according to Balinese calendar, including the smaller ancestral shrine which each family possesses. Because of this practically every few days a ceremony of festival of some kind takes place in some Village in Bali. There are also times when the entire island celebrated the same Holiday, such as at Galungan, Kuningan, Nyepi day, Saraswati day, Tumpek Landep day, Pagerwesi day, Tumpek Wayang day etc.

The dedication or inauguration day of a Temple is con-sidered its birth day and celebration always takes place on the same day if the wuku or 210 day calendar is used. When new moon is used then the celebration always happens on new moon or full moon. The day of course can differ the religious celebration of a temple lasts at least one full day with some temple celebrating for three days while the celebration of Besakih temple, the Mother Temple, is never less than 7 days and most of the time it lasts for 11 days, depending on the importance of the occasion.

The celebration is very colorful. The shrine are dressed with pieces of cloths and sometimes with brocade, sail-ings, decorations of carved wood and sometimes painted with gold and Chinese coins, very beautifully arranged, are hung in the four corners of the shrine. In front of shrine are placed red, white or black umbrellas depending which Gods are worshipped in the shrines.

In front of important shrine one sees, besides these umbrellas soars, tridents and other weapons, the “umbul-umbul”, long flags, all these are prerogatives or attributes of Holiness. In front of the Temple gate put up “Penjor”, long bamboo poles, decorated beautifully ornaments of young coconut leaves, rice and other products of the land. Most beautiful to see are the girls in their colorful attire, carrying offerings, arrangements of all kinds fruits and colored cakes, to the Temple. Every visitor admires the grace with which the carry their load on their heads.

Balinese Temple Ceremony

3 Dec Tumpek Landep Pasek Gelgel Temple Pedungan Denpasar Selatan Agung Pasek Temple Tangun Titi kaler Tabanan Agung Pasek Temple Silamadeg Tabanan Pasek Tangkas Temple Kediri Tabanan Kerta Temple Banyuning Barat Buleleng Dalem Tenggaling Temple Sengguan Singapadu Kawitan Arya Wang Bang Pinatih Peguyangan

Singaraja Bhujangga Weisnawa Tegalcangkring Jembrana Taman Desa Temple Bubunan Seririt Buleleng Penataran Pande Batur Jati Banjar Pandean Mengwi Dalem Pingit Temple Taro Kaje Tegalalang dadia Pasek Gelgel Gobleg Desa Selat Sukasada

Buleleng Batur Arya Warih Kepaon Cengolo Sudimara Tabanan Ida ratu Pande Temple Besakih Mr. Pasek Temple Toh Jiwa Tangungtiti Penataran Pande Temple Kusamba Klungkung Penataran Agung Pinatih Tulikup Gianyar

4 Dec Redite Umanis Ukir Sangah Gede Dukuh Segening Tegal Tugu Gianyar

7 Dec Buda Wage Uki Pasar Agung Temple Besakih Pasek Bendesa Pasar Badung Legian Kuta Gede Gunung Agung Dukuh Munggu Badung Hyang Agung Ibuwanasari Tegal Puseh/ Desa Temple Bebalang Bangli Dalem Temple Perancak Badung Pasek Bendesa Hyang Selat Kerobokan Badung Kekeran Langit Sading Mengwi

10 Dec Purnama Kenam Kiduling Kereteg Besakih Lingsar Temple Lombok Bebengan Tanjung Lombok Pasek Gelgel Kekeran Mengwi Dalem Putra Belingkang Benawah Gianyar Prajapati Temple Balikpapan

13 Dec Anggar Kasih Kulantir Penataran Tangkas Sukawati Dalem Lagan Temple Bebalang Bangli Puseh Lembeng Ketewel Sukawati Pasek Gelgel Penulisan Kerambitan Tabanan Gaduh Temple Sanding Dalem Gandamayu Klungkung Sanghyang Tegal Banjar Taro Kaja Tegalalang

14 Dec Buda Umanis Kulantir Pasek Tangkas Temple kaler Tabanan Gaduh Benoh Temple Ubung Denpasar

18 Dec Redite Keliwon Tolu Dalem Alas Harum Kaba-kaba Kediri Tabanan.

19 Dec Soma Umanis Tolu Puseh/Balai Agung Ubung Kupang Penebel Tabanan Kawitan Sakula Gotra Tegal Kepuh Kaba-kaba Kediri

Tabanan Bhujangga Rsi-Tambak Bayuh Paibon Tangkas Kori Agung Lembongan Nusa Penida Batu Madeg Temple Besakih Penataran Agung Penatih Banjar Saba Penatih

21 Dec Buda Pon Tolu Catur, Buwana Sanding Tampaksiring

22 Dec Wraspati Wage Tolu Peninjoan Temple Besakih

28 Dec Buda Keliwon Gumbreg Pasek Gelgel Kukuh Marga Tabanan Pasek Gelgel Dukuh Selemadeg Tabanan Puseh/ Desa Guwang Sukawati Merajan Pasek Ketewel Ketewel Merajan Pangeran Tangkas Kuro Agung Jeroan

Sading Dalem Setra Batu Nunggul Swana

Nusa Penida

Having been entrusted for nearly eight months to be General Manager of Thai Airways Bali, Phiroon Sakulthong is happy and very impressed, especially on seeing a variety of natural and cultural tourist attractions. The attractions are also closely attached to their daily activities and inseparable from the inspiration of Hinduism.

“It is the most distinguishing aspect for Bali from other destinations anywhere in the world. On that account, Bali will remain attractive and be sought after by tourists, other than the existing tourism facilities in Bali had been in accordance with their needs,” said Phiroon during his visit to Bali Travel News and received by GM of BTN, Gde Palgunadi.

“In keeping with the growth of Bali as a tourist destination, it has had an impact on the economic growth and prosperity of the society. Of course, the people of Bali have tremendous potential as the market share of Thailand and vice versa. “Recently, the pilgrimage travelers from Bali to India and Thailand has showed a quite encouraging increase,” added Phiroon.

In his visit, Phiroon invited to make cooperation especially in relation to the implementation of CSR of Thai Airways. On that occasion, Palgunadi was glad to welcome the invitation of Phiroon. (BTN/014)

Phiroon Sakulthong

With Cultural Treasures, Bali Indeed Different!

Tuesday, December 13, 2011 6 News International

From page 1

Gen. Hossein Salami, deputy

broadcast on state television thatthe violation of Iran’s airspace bythe U.S. drone was a “hostile act”and warned of a “bigger” response.He did not elaborate on what Teh-ran might do.

“No one returns the symbol ofaggression to the party that soughtsecret and vital intelligence relatedto the national security of a coun-try,” Salami said.

Iranian television broadcastvideo Thursday of Iranian mili-

drone.Iranian state media have said

the unmanned spy aircraft wasdetected over the eastern town ofKashmar, some 140 miles (225

Salami called its capture a vic-tory for Iran and a defeat for theU.S. in a complicated intelligenceand technological battle.

“Iran is among the few coun-tries that possesses the most mod-ern technology in the field ofpilotless drones. The technologygap between Iran and the U.S. is

not much,” he said.Officers in the Guard, Iran’s

most powerful military force, hadpreviously claimed that the coun-try’s armed forces brought downthe surveillance aircraft with anelectronic ambush, causing mini-mum damage to the drone.

American officials have saidthat U.S. intelligence assessmentsindicate that Iran neither shot thedrone down, nor used electronic orcybertechnology to force it from

Iran says it will not return US drone

AP Photo/Sepahnews

This photo released on Thursday, Dec. 8, 2011, by the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, claims to show US RQ-170 Sentinel drone which Tehran says its forces downed earlier this week, as the chief of the aerospace division of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh, right, listens to an unidentified colonel, in an undisclosed location, Iran.

Associated Press Writer

TEHRAN, Iran Iran will not return a .S. surveillance drone captured by its armed forces,a senior commander of the country’s elite Revolutionary Guard said Sunday.

Tourism had shored up the revenue of Badung, especially from

would be further distributed to the six regencies in Bali. “Thefunds will be used for the improvement of road infrastructure,joint promotion and maintain the security of Bali. It has provideda tangible support, so we are less approving to the moratorium

Aside from delivering the matter, the main point presented byGde Agung was the observance of taxpayers to pay taxes. GdeAgung admitted to feel apprehensive as many employers still didnot pay their taxes. According to him, there was no reason for tax-payers not to pay taxes because the hotel and restaurant taxes weredeposits from the public that should be paid to government and then

so that potential tax could be maximized and the impact could bemore enjoyed by the community. (kmb2 )

Badung...

Agence France Presse

Myanmar democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi’s party said

a white star as its new voting emblem, as it prepares to re-enterthe political fray. The image, which is similar to the party’s flagand will be its official insignia at the ballot box, is a symbol of thecountry’s struggle for change, said Win Htein, a senior memberof the National League for emocracy (NL ).

“In our new seal, the white star represents the revolution. Itwas used many years ago as revolutionary symbol,” he told AFP.The announcement was aired in state-run media in an unusualconcession by Myanmar’s army-dominated government, which

The NL has accepted an invitation to rejoin the politicalmainstream and applied in November to re-register as a political

chosen in a homage to student protesters involved in the country’s1988 rallies against the military which were brutally crushed bythe then ruling junta.

“Students demonstrated against the government under the

up. Some student leaders remain in prison and their release is a

in the much-criticised 2010 election. “Because we do not wantvoters to be confused by the bamboo hat seal in the future, wehereby announce that it is totally not concerned with the NationalLeague for emocracy,” the NL ’s statement in the MyanmarAhlin newspaper said.

voters unable to read and the hat image was particularly popularwith rice farmers, who use similar head wear while tending theirfields, in the NL ’s 1990 election campaign.

power and its insignia became a source of bitter contention duringthe run-up to last year’s vote.

Myanmar icon Suu Kyi’s party unveils new logo

Tuesday, December 13, 2011 7Indonesia Today International

Reuters

JAKARTA - Indonesia’s com-modity-rich Sumatra and Kalim-antan regions are among areas at high risk of flooding in December, the state weather agency said on Monday.

The agency said the country’s rainy season is expected to peak in December and January.

The rainy season can impact output in Indonesia’s agricultural and mineral sectors. A prolonged wet season last year hurt crops

such as coffee and flooded coal mines.

“Parts of Indonesia has begun their rainy season in November (and) most of Indonesia’s terri-tory may have normal rain,” said Sri Woro Hariyono, head of the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency. “At coastal areas, there are higher potential for flood when sea water enters coastal areas.

“There are 21 provinces with flood potential, of which 16 prov-inces have high flood potential.”

In recent weeks, many Indone-sian palm oil producers have said that while the wet weather has arrived on plantations, there has been no flooding and rains are not comparable with last year.

Australia’s weather bureau said last week that La Nina, a weather phenomenon usually linked to heavy rains and flooding in the Asia-Pacific and South America and drought in Africa, has strength-ened, adding that the condition will persist until the end of the Southern Hemisphere summer.

Indonesia is only catching up with other countries in the regula-tion of trade in response to the surge of imports brought about by low tariffs and a booming economy, he told the Wall Street Journal in an interview.

“My posture is not protectionist,” Wirjawan was quoted as saying.

“The fact is that there are thou-sands of products out there that are not in compliance with the rules and regulations in terms of environmen-tal concerns, safety measures and labelling,” he added.

President Susilo Bambang Yud-hoyono in October appointed Wir-jawan as the new trade minister in a cabinet reshuffle which Yud-hoyono said was “to improve the performance and effectiveness of the cabinet”.

The respected former invest-ment banker replaced Mari Elka Pangestu, one of the country’s most high-profile ministers who is widely seen as supportive of liberal and free-trade policies.

Wirjawan has already sparked concern in business and diplomatic circles by limiting rattan exports meant to help the struggling local furniture industry and unveiling plans for tighter safety and label-

ling requirements on imports, the report said. The government is in the process of identifying which types of imports would require tighter regulations, including man-goes, potatoes, steel, toys and used clothing, it added.

Wirjawan, the outgoing chair-man of Indonesia’s Investment Coordinating Board, maintained he only wanted to ensure Indonesian businesses were shielded from un-fair competition and were spurred to make better quality goods.

“We need to climb up the value chain and make sure that we are able to produce goods and services. Hopefully we won’t just produce Nike shoes; hopefully someday we can make iPads,” he said.

Indonesia’s economy is South-east Asia’s biggest and among the fastest-growing in the world, with rich reserves of natural resources and a thriving domestic market of 240 million people.

The central bank last week predicted a 6.5 percent economic expansion for the fourth quarter and an annual expansion of 6.5 percent by the year end.

The government has estimated that exports will be worth $200 bil-lion by the end of the year.

Agence France-Presse

When Indonesia’s longest suspen-sion bridge suddenly collapsed last month, killing more than 20 people, allegations immediately surfaced that corruption was behind the disaster.

Police have come up with little explanation as to why the 720-metre-long (2,400-foot-long) structure on Borneo island -- built just 10 years ago to resemble San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge -- gave way, sending dozens of vehicles into the river.

But they are investigating accusa-tions by the country’s corruption-fighting commission and others that the materials used were of poorer quality and cheaper than the construc-

tion company claimed.“The bridge collapse is one exam-

ple of how quality is being compro-mised by corruption, where A-grade materials are substituted with lower-grade ones. That’s very dangerous,” Indonesian Chamber of Commerce chairman Suryo Bambang Sulisto told AFP.

“It’s common for corruption to happen at all stages in Indonesian infrastructure projects, whether it’s during the tender process or extortion along the way.”

After the incident, parliament called for an audit of every major bridge in the country, in which East Java province alone found nine on the brink of buckling.

As developed countries remain in the economic doldrums, overseas investors have taken a keen interest in Indonesia, with foreign direct invest-ment expected to top $20 billion by the year end.

A wealth of natural resources and a burgeoning middle class that fuels Indonesia’s economic expansion, forecast to reach 6.5 percent this year, make the country an attractive prospect.

But investors consistently cite corruption as a major deterrent and bemoan the lack of reliable infra-structure, with companies often forced to build their own roads, bridges, railways and ports to do business in the sprawling archipelago of 17,000

islands.Indonesia’s 2011-2025 develop-

ment plan calls for around $440 billion of investment in highways, har-bours and power plants, and to tackle crippling traffic in major cities.

London-based risk consultancy Business Monitor International (BMI) says high levels of corruption have “severely impeded investment in the country?s infrastructure from non-public sources”.

“Although the Indonesian govern-ment is working hard to attract private investors, there is still an underlying threat of corruption and a lack of transparency in the tendering pro-cess,” a BMI report said.

A World Bank analysis found cor-

ruption could add up to 20 percent to the existing costs of projects in Indonesia.

President Susilo Bambang Yud-hoyono has won two elections on promises to tackle graft in one of the most corrupt countries in Asia, but critics say he has failed to make any genuine difference to the culture of graft and impunity.

A Gallup poll released in October found that 91 percent of Indonesians believe corruption in government is widespread, compared to 84 percent in 2006.

At a function to mark International Anti-Corruption Day on Friday, Yud-hoyono called for action and told law enforcers to go after the big fish.

Indonesia minister denies ‘protectionist’ moveAgence France-Presse

JAKARTA - Indonesian Trade Minister Gita Wirjawan denied that the country’s move to restrict some imports and exports was protectionist, said a report published Monday.

AFP PHOTO / FIRMAN

In this photograph taken on December 9, 2011 houses line the riverbank whilea barge (back) loaded with coal being transported on Mahakam river, Kutai Kartanegara in East Kalimatan province. Indonesia’s commodity-rich Sumatra and Kalimantan regions are among areas at high risk of flooding in December, the state weather agency said on Monday.

Sumatra, Kalimantan at

Graft fuels Indonesia’s infrastructure woes

8 InternationalTuesday, December 13, 2011

Bali Today

Hatta said that the decrease is becausethe complicated bureaucracy in Indone-sia so the investors are reluctant to investtheir money in the country. “We hopethat the process to invest in Indonesiawill become shorter and more transparentin the future,” he added.

Regarding the cooperation with US,Hatta said that both countries have agreedto continue and strengthening it. “We alsokeep carry out meeting and dialog to im-prove the way to do business in Indonesiaand the point of view of other countries toIndonesia,” he said.

FOTO ANTARA/Nyoman Budhiana

Coordinator Minister of Economics Hatta Rajasa on the symposium of invest-ment climate in Nusa Dua, Bali, on Monday, December 12, 2011.

Pursuant to tradition of Hinducommunity in Bali, there is ritual thatcalled Tumpek Wayang. On this day,all thepuppeteers and thosewhohavea puppet in Bali will give a specialceremony to theirs. They call theTumpek Wayang as Odalan Wayang.In addition, many people chooseTumpekWayangasanauspiciousday

both physically and mentally.TumpekWayanghasaveryspecial

position and is considered the most

IndonesianInvestment Rank Drop to 129Antara

N SA A-TheIndonesianEconomicsCoordinatorMinister,HattaRa-asa, said that the investment rank of easy access to invest in Indonesia drop

from12 from1 3countries throughout theworld in2011. BasedonthedatafromWorldBank, Indonesianrankdropfrom12 in2010, theMinistersaidafter opening the Climate Symposium in Nusa ua, on Monday.

Celebrating Tumpek Wayang in Balisacred. Why Because of TumpekWayang poses a pile of transitional

Kajeng, Kliwon, Wayang. Saniscara

Kajeng is the last day in the count of

is the last day in the count of Pan-

Tumpek Wayang is the last tumpekin the six sequences existing in thecycle of Balinese pawukon-based

calendar. On that account, Tumpek

transitional times.

the last days, Tumpek Wayang is alsoconsideredsacredbecause theHindusalways link the day as the birthday ofLord Kala. That is why the TumpekWayang has close connection withSapuh Leger mythology, or refers tothe mythology of the birth of LordKala as the aftermath of impropersexual intercourse of Lord Shivaand his spouse Goddess Uma. In themythology is mentioned, they engagein an improper sexual intercourse soit is called kama salah and the birthof Lord Kala is said to be Salah Wetu

on Tumpek Wayang are consideredwrongly born so they have less goodand sickly properties.

Thereareseveralversionsabout themythologyof theLordKala’sbirth. IntheKalaTattwachronicle is recountedthat Lord Shiva got his passion whenhaving a leisurely walk with GoddessUma on the beach.At that time, LordShiva saw the beautiful calf of God-dess Uma because her clothes wererevealed by the blowing winds. LordShiva then wooed the Goddess Umato ‘make a love’.Thegoddess refusedon the grounds that behavior of LordShiva violated the applicable normsin heaven.

up, his semen was dripping intothe ocean and then discovered byLord Brahma and Lord Vishnu. Thesperms were then given a mantra.From the sperm of Lord Shiva wasthen born an ogre who was snarlingangrily asked who his parents were.Lord Brahma and Lord Vishnu toldthat Lord Shiva and Goddess Umawere his parents.

Before Lord Shiva was willing

asked the ogre to cut his long fangs.By doing so, he would be able to seehis parents in a complete form. Theogre then complied with the require-ments. Other than blessing, the LordShiva also named his son the LordKala. To honor the day of his birth,Lord Shiva gave a boon that LordKala was allowed to prey on peoplewho were born on Tumpek Wayang.In addition, he was also given therights to prey on people who werehaving a promenade at noon onTumpek Wayang.

Later,LordShivahadanother sonnamed Lord Kumara, who was alsoborn on Tumpek Wayang. In accor-dance with the grace of Lord Shiva,Lord Kala was entitled to prey onKumara. However, on the request ofLord Shiva, Lord Kala may prey onKumara if this younger brother hadgrown up.

As a matter of fact, Lord Shivawas unwilling if his son would be

savored. Therefore, Lord Shiva gavea boon to Lord Kumara that he wouldnever grow up or always be a kid.Since Kumara never grew up, thepatience of Lord Kala came to an end.Lord Kumara was chased by him. Inthe pursuit, Lord Kala came acrosswith Lord Shiva and Goddess Umariding the cow Nandini at midday.They also wanted to be gobbled downby Lord Kala pursuant to the promiseof his father. Then, Lord Shiva gave

to prey. Unfortunately, Lord Kala wasunable to answer all the riddles and thesun was almost leaning to the west.Asa result, the time to prey on Lord Shivaand Goddess Uma virtually elapsed.Then, Lord Kala continued his pursuitto prey on Lord Kumara.

Ultimately,LordKalaencounteredapuppet shadowplay.Sincehewasveryhungry,hedevoured theentireoblationof the show. The puppeteer begged allthe edible offerings to be thrown back

the request. Instead, he promised notto prey on people who were born onTumpekWayang, if theyhadorganizeda ceremony and staged the WayangSapuh Leger.

Basedon themythology thepeoplewho were born on Tumpek Wayang

rite with the presentation of puppetshadow play staged under the title ofSapuh Leger. (BTN Supartha)

IBP/Net

Pursuant to tradition of Hindu community in Bali, there is ritual that called Tumpek Wayang. On this day, all the puppeteers and those who have a puppet in Bali will give a special ceremony to theirs. They call the Tumpek Wayang as Odalan Wayang.

Balinese Culture

9International Tuesday, December 13, 2011

TUM BEBEK(Minced Duck In Banana Leaf)

OVERVIEW:

Tum, leaf-wrapped bundles of highly seasoned food,

are made with almost any basic ingredient in Bali,

ranging from eels, to chicken, pork, beef or duck.

INGREDIENTS :

600 gr boneless duck, skin removed and minced

1 tbsp fried shallots

1 tbsp fried garlic

1/3 cup coconut milk, thick

3 tbsp basic spice paste

4 bird’s-eye chilies, sliced

1 tbsp salt

1 tsp black peppercorns, crushed

12 pieces banana leaf, cut in 20 cm (8 in) squares

12 ea salam leaves

PREPARATION:

Combine the above ingredients except for banana

leaf and mix well. Fold a heaped tablespoon of the

mixture into the center of a banana leaf and wrap.

Steam parcels for about 15 minutes, until well cooked.

If banana leaf, use greaseproof paper in preference to

aluminum foil.

The above mixture can also be used for duck satays;

simply add 200g of grated coconut and double the

quantity of the basic spice paste salt and pepper. Spear

2 heaped tablespoons of the paste around a large satay

skewer or stalk of lemon grass.

BTN

GIANYAR - Petulu Custom-ary Village, Ubud, Gianyar, has atourism potential that is not lessunique than a number of othervillages in Bali, especially in Gi-anyar. Petulu Village inhabited by350 villagers has become a tour-ism village offering the unique-ness of egrets. The village haslong been a peaceful habitat forthousands of egrets perching andmaking the trees growing alongthe village road of Petulu as theirconvenient and timeless home.

According to the Head of Pet-ulu Customary Village, I WayanBeneh, the village consisted oftwo hamlets, namely Petulu Gu-nung and Petulu esa. In preserv-ing the habitat of egrets, PetuluVillage prohibited its residentsand people from outside the vil-lage to destroy or shoot thosewhite birds at the village. Prohibi-tion and penalties were set forthin the awig-awig or regulation ofPetulu Customary Village. “Up tothese days, the regulation remainsto be maintained and obeyed byvillagers,” he explained.

Preservation of the egrets wasalso carried out ritually. Accordingto the belief of local residents, thebirds living at their village werethe gift from God. Then, to main-tain harmonious relations among

Petulu Customary Village

Preserve Egrets using customary sanctions the people, to the environmentand those egrets, local villagersalso organized a ritual for RatuKokokan or eity of Egret. Theritual was held every Kuninganfestivity. Residents delivered theofferings to the abode of eity ofEgret as an expression of gratitudefor the prosperity of the villagesince the presence of egrets lessthan half a century ago. The tra-dition had been implemented bycustomary villagers on regularbasis. It had relations to the co-existence of egrets with villagersof Petulu Gunung that had a socio-historical value.

The existence of egrets at PetuluVillage had been known since 1965.

coming to the trees at local village.At that time, the Petulu residentssolely relied on their income fromfarming and coffee farm laborers

wanted to improve their standardof living by means of organizingrituals, namely through the imple-mentation of balik sumpah, ngusabanini, ngusaba desa and ngenteglinggih.

Exactly eleven days after carry-ing out the rituals, came a swarmof egrets and perched in front ofpeople’s house compound. Sincethe birds came after the residentscarried out the rituals, pursuant tolocal belief, they were then asking

guidance to a medium. From theeffort, it was said the presence ofthose birds was the grace of deities,he explained.

What did the egret imply Vil-lage apparatus interpreted thosewhite birds or egrets represented sa-

synonym for egret was kokokan andaccording to them it was derivedfrom the root kok meaning basic.It was further interpreted as thecapital. In other words, the SupremeGod had bestowed the Petulu villag-ers with a capital to improve theirstandard of living.

Additionally, the presenceof egrets at Petulu Village alsohad uniqueness. Population ofthose egrets diminished in Augustthrough September because theyentered a period of lust by spend-ing holidays for a honeymoon atsea, beach or swamp. Then, inOctober, they returned to Petuluand prepared a nest. After layingeggs in October to November, theywould hatch in ecember to Janu-ary and so on.

As consequence, at the begin-ning of August, the birds would bevery crowded. Then, after the end ofAugust they would be leave Petulufor honeymoon period. In relationto the preservation of the egrets, thevillage apparatus had established amanagement to organize the objectin the future, he explained. (kmb)

Tuesday, December 13, 201110 InternationalDestinations

IBP

Mas Village is one of villages in Bali fundamentally identified as an artistic countryside by focusing in artistic of wood carving. Mas Village is located in Ubud sub district and Gianyar Regency, east part of Bali. It owns the typical style of wood carving art by placing forward the distinguish synergy the humanism and naturalism. The village’s popular-ity as an art village is famous in the national and world level which is not forgetting from the highness name of some maestros which has borne and found the spirit (taksu) and soul. The famous maestro who was borne in this village is Ida Bagus Tilem.

This Artistic countryside owns the long history root. The result of wood carving art in this village owns the immeasurable and wide dimension like idol for the devoting (arca idol), representative dimension of everyday Balinese social society life (farmer, fisherman, worker, intellectual, mer-chant etc), the abstract dimension as

existing of actor imagination which is listening carefully of reality, dynam-ics and life philosophy. The villagers are same as villagers at other tourism countryside in Bali that have also experienced the transformation from agrarian society to the crafting soci-ety. Even nowadays, it is continued to service society from commerce service until levying service of the souvenir for overseas and domestic tourist.

It is strategically located in the main road from Denpasar to Ubud and it can be reached from several of angle. It is about 15 km easterly go to the majors road to Ubud from Denpasar town. If you wish to go to this place from Denpasar, the starting spandrel points step into Mas Village is Sakah, where a big baby idol monumentally existing in the middle of road. The Baby idol is a symbol and representative of human being life early which is believed by local residents with full of philosophic value, religious and dynamism.

Mas Village

IBP/Net

Tuesday, December 13, 2011 11

BUSINESSInternational

Agence France-Presse

SEOUL - South Korea on Mondayslashed its economic growth forecastsfor this year and next because of theeurozone debt crisis and the slowdownin developed nations, which is hammer-ing its export sector.

The finance ministry said it nowexpects the export-dominated economy,Asia’s fourth largest, to grow 3.8 per-cent this year and 3.7 percent in 2012 --sharply lower than its previous forecastof .5 percent for both years.

The ministry also raised its 2012

3.0 percent.The revision brings the ministry into

-casts are normally less bullish.

“The Korean economy is slowingdown as the external conditions arebecoming unfavourable,” the ministrysaid.

“The recovery has not been felt-

remain.”The ministry said it expects export

growth to slow to 7. percent next year

from 19.2 percent this year, with the2012 current-account surplus falling to16 billion from 25 billion this year.

It said domestic demand would bea substantially larger contributor togrowth than exports next year, and thegovernment would support economic

--

tives.The ministry’s director-general of

said the government would prioritisemacroeconomic stability rather thangrowth alone.

-ing the stability of many governments

seem to reflect situations whereby-

namics, thereby pushing up sover-eign borrowing rates with serious

consequences for the sustainability ofsovereign debt,” Hams Blommestein,head of public debt management atthe Organisation for Economic Co-operation and evelopment, is quotedas saying.

For the foreseeable future it will bea “great challenge” for a wide rangeof OEC countries to raise large

for the stability of many governmentsand economies, the article said.

The OEC says, according to theFT, that the gross borrowing needs ofOEC governments are expected toreach 10. trillion in 2011 and willincrease to 10.5 trillion next year- a 1 trillion increase on 2007 andalmost twice as much as in 2005.

Reuters

TEL A I - An agreement reached by Europeancountries for deeper economic integration was a stepin the right direction but not a complete solution forthe euro zone’s debt crisis, International MonetaryFund (IMF) chief economist Olivier Blanchard said onSunday.

“I’m actually more optimistic than I was a month

the Globes business conference in Tel Aviv.

the solution, but it’s not the solution.”He did not say what further steps were needed.European leaders agreed in Brussels on Friday to draft

a new treaty for deeper euro zone economic integration,although Britain, the region’s third-largest economy,refused to join the 17 euro states and nine other EU

from Europe, showing the range of opinions and inabilityto get to a logical decision process.”

EU leaders also agreed euro zone states and othersshould provide up to 200 billion euros ( 270 billion)

with 150 billion euros coming from countries in theeuro currency.

a major difference in the sense that we can now go out

given us money, can you help ,” Blanchard said.

hope so.”

whether Britain’s decision to isolate itself was right

Europeans to decide.”

chances of success, Jim O’Neill, chairman of GoldmanSachsAsset Management, said the most important thing

deal,” but the release of data that showed a slowing trendof growth in China, the world’s number two economy.

“The problem in Europe, this isn’t really a debt crisis,it’s a crisis about the structure of leadership ... Europeneeds to organize itself properly and show proper lead-ership,” he said.

“Everything around the world is being driven by some

But he added that now might be the best time in 20years to invest in Europe, saying, “Never let a goodcrisis go to waste.”

O’Neill and Blanchard had diverging forecasts forgrowth in the United States next year.

2011,” IMF’s Blanchard said. “Part of it is that 2011came out a bit better than expected. I’m not sure thiswill be repeated.”

O’Neill disagreed, saying he was optimistic on the

this quarter.

competitive position,” he said.

Euro zone agreement only partial solution: IMF

Shoppers walk past a sign read-ing ‘Love Christ-mas’ on Oxford Street in central London on De-cember 11, 2011. An OECD report due for release this month will say markets and governments face an uphill struggle to fund themselves next year amid ex-treme uncertain-ty over the euro zone and the global economy, the Financial Times said on Monday.

OECD warns of economic uphill struggle next year

AFP PHOTO / BEN STANSALL

Reuters

LON ON - An OEC report due for release this month will say markets and governments face anuphill struggle to fund themselves next year amid extreme uncertainty over the euro one and the globaleconomy, the inancial Times said on Monday.

South Korea cuts growth outlook amid eurozone crisis

Associated Press Writer

LOS ANGELES — George Clooney’s family drama “The Descendants” was chosen Sunday as the year’s best film by the Los Angeles Film Critics Asso-ciation, whose prizes are an early influence on the way to the Academy Awards. From “Sideways” director Alexander Payne, “The Descendants” stars Clooney as a neglectful father in Hawaii trying to tend his daughters after his wife falls into an accident-induced coma.

Michael Fassbender won best actor for a break-

out year that included leading roles as a sex addict in “Shame,” as a genetic mutant in “X-Men: First Class,” as psychiatrist Carl Jung in “A Dangerous Method” and as sullen Victorian gentleman Roch-ester in “Jane Eyre.” The best-actor runner-up was Michael Shannon as a man beset by apocalyptic visions in “Take Shelter.”

The critics’ group passed over big Hollywood names to bestow its best-actress prize on Yun Jung-hee for the South Korean drama “Poetry,” in which she plays a grandmother in the early stages of Alzheimer’s who struggles with a new desire to write a poem. Kirsten Dunst was best-actress runner-up as a depressive woman who finds inner strength as another planet bears down on a collision course with Earth in “Melancholia.”

Notoriously press-shy filmmaker Terrence Malick was named best director for his epic fam-ily drama “The Tree of Life,” starring Brad Pitt as a domineering father who mixes tenderness and cruelty in raising his sons. “Tree of Life” was the best-picture runner-up to “The Descendants.”

The film also helped pick up the supporting-actress honor for Jessica Chastain, who was cited for “The Tree of Life” and five other films in which she co-starred this year. “Tree of Life” also earned the cinematography award for Emmanuel Lubezki (the runner-up was Cao Yu for “City of Life and Death”).

Entertainment InternationalTuesday, December 13, 201112

Jackson, 57, and Stafford, 47, were among dozens of Michael Jackson fans who got an early look at items that will be sold at auction from the singer’s final home — and left behind tributes to the King of Pop.

Julien’s Auctions announced last month that it would sell the contents of the sprawling home where the singer died in 2009. On Sunday, the company invited Jackson fans to preview its exhibit of the home’s art and furnishings before it opens to the public Monday. Fans were also invited to leave pictures, cards, flowers, notes and other handmade trinkets that will be delivered to the Jackson family.

“This means a lot, because we don’t have a place to go” to leave things for the family, said Christine Tucker, spokeswoman for the Official Michael Jackson Fans of Southern California.

About 25 members of the fan club spent the weekend making and delivering glitter-covered cards and handmade Christmas ornaments for the tribute at Ju-lien’s Auctions. “He inspires us to create. We make these beauti-ful things and we want his kids and his mom to see it,” she said.

Karen Jackson stayed up all night working on her creation: A charm-covered chain anchored by a metal “M’’ that includes tiny photos of Prince, Paris and Blanket. “I’ve been working on this for a year,” she said. “I hadn’t finished it because I didn’t know how to get it to them.”

Darren Julien, president of Julien’s Auctions, said he sought permission from the Jackson estate to include fans in the auc-tion exhibit, and family matriarch Katherine Jackson requested that he deliver any handmade items from fans to her.

Associated Press Writer

NEW YORK — Meryl Streep may be considered one of the finest actresses around, yet she says she be-lieved her career was over 20 years ago.

Streep, now 62, tells Vogue magazine she was offered three different roles to play a witch after turning 40. She be-lieved it meant women in her age group were “grotesque on some level,” and told her husband “It’s over.”

Streep graces the January cover of Vogue magazine for the first time and jokes in the magazine she’s the “oldest person” to do so.

Next, she plays the former British Prime Minister Mar-garet Thatcher in the new film “Iron Lady.” She’ll portray Thatcher from age 49 to 85. The film opens January 13. The January issue of Vogue goes on sale Dec. 20.

Michael Jackson fans leave tribute at auction siteAssociated Press Writer

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. — Karen Jackson and Kiki Stafford were moved to tears as they walked among the items that sur-rounded Michael Jackson in his final days: The Victorian baby grand piano, the wooden armoire where Jackson had written a note to himself on the mirror, the kitchen chalkboard where his children inscribed the message, “I love daddy.”

AP Photo/Danny Moloshok

Michael Jackson fans Kiki Stafford, left, and Karen Slack-Furma, second left, cry as they read a poem by Debo-rah Soroky, right, that was left at a memorial where the headboard of the bed that Jackson died in would have been placed at a private preview of items to be auctioned from the singer’s final home, 100 North Carolwood Drive, at Julien’s Auctions, Sunday, Dec. 11, 2011 in Beverly Hills, Calif.

Meryl Streep covers Vogue

AP Photo/Vogue

In this cover image released by Vogue, actress Meryl Streep, star of the film “The Iron Lady,” is shown on the cover of the January 2012 issue of “Vogue.”

Clooney’s ‘Descendants’ leads LA critics awards

AP Photo/Andrew Medechini

George Clooney poses on the red carpet for the premiere of his movie ‘The Ides of March’, which opens the 68th edition of the Venice Film Festi-val in Venice, Italy, Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2011.

Life Style Tuesday, December 13, 2011 13International

Anomalocaris could grow up to one metre long and were considered the “great white shark” of the Cambrian era, topping the ancient marine food chain, according to lead researcher John Paterson. Modern-day houseflies have about 3,000 lenses in their eyes, while dragonflies have about 30,000 -- the only creature known to have more lenses than anomalocaris.

Paterson said the discovery showed that anomalocaris had lived in well-lit, clear waters and had developed sophisticated vision extremely rapidly, likely triggering an evolutionary “arms race” among other creatures. Spines, poison glands and other defence mechanisms had probably erupted among creatures eager to escape detection by its huge eyes, which protruded from the side of its head on stalks.

“When you look at the animal itself it’s quite an alien-looking beast,” Paterson, from Austra-lia’s University of New England, told AFP.

Aside from its protuberant eyes, anomalo-caris had formidable claws lined with spines which it used to catch its prey and a “gnarly-

looking circular mouth with teeth-like serra-tions inside”. “Those serrations were either used for shredding or chomping up its prey, so it was a pretty nasty-looking creature,” Paterson said.

The fact that anomalocaris had been found to have compound eyes also confirmed it was an ancestor of modern arthopods, which include insects and shellfish, said Pater-son, whose study was published in Nature. When the specimen was originally trapped in seafloor mud about 500 million years ago Australia, then part of the Gondwana super-continent, was in tropical waters straddling the equator, Paterson said.

The fossil had been pushed from the sea floor at about the same speed human fin-gernails grow and eventually ended up on Kangaroo Island -- now a hotbed of Cambrian artefacts -- off Adelaide in South Australia.

Paterson said the site was riddled with “a variety of fairly enigmatic” specimens that remained a mystery to science and were dif-ficult to classify because they were from a very early period in animal evolution.

Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON — Rats don’t always act like, well, rats. New experiments show rats demonstrating compassion and helping other rodents. It’s a trait some scientists thought was reserved only for humans and higher primates. And it’s certainly not the sneaky, selfish rap that goes with calling someone a dirty rat.

In repeated tests, rats freed another trapped rat in their cage, even when yummy chocolate served as a tempting distraction. Twenty-three of the 30 rats opened the trap by pushing in a door. The rats could have gobbled the chocolate before freeing their partners, but often didn’t, choosing to help and share the goodies.

“Basically they told us (freeing another rat) is as important as eating chocolate,” said study author Peggy Mason of the University of Chicago. “That’s a very striking thing.”

In some cases, the rats first took the chocolate chips out of a container, but didn’t eat them, then freed the other rat and shared “almost as if they were serving them choco-late,” Mason said. The research is reported in Thursday’s journal Science.

Also, females showed more consistent empathy than males, Mason said. All six fe-males freed their trapped partner; 17 of the 24 males did so. This confirms other studies that show females demonstrating more pro-social behavior than males, she said.

Reuters

Online spending remained strong in early December, a period that usually marks a lull in the U.S. holiday shopping frenzy, com-Score said on Sunday. For the week ending December 9, consumers spent $5.9 billion online, up 15 percent from the same period a year earlier, according to comScore, which tracks Internet activity.

E-commerce spending for the first 39 days of the 2011 holiday season reached $24.6 billion, also up 15 percent versus the corre-sponding days last year, comScore added.

Earlier in the season, the day that has be-

come known as “Cyber Monday” saw a record $1.25 billion spent online in the United States, up 22 percent from last year. Other early season shopping days were also strong, with “Black Friday” e-commerce sales jumping 26 percent from a year ago. That sparked concern that sales could weaken later in the season, but so far that has not happened, comScore Chair-man Gian Fulgoni said on Sunday.

“These highlights represent another very positive sign for the holiday shopping season, as the week following ‘Cyber Week’ often experiences relative softness in spending momentum due to retailers pulling back on their promotional activity,” he said.

Ancient super-predator eyes found in AustraliaAgence France Presse

Australian scientists on Thursday hailed the discovery of a pair of insect-like eyes belonging to a freakish prehistoric super-predator which trawled the seas more than 500 million years ago. Measuring three centimetres (1.2 inches) across and with a whopping 16,000 individual lenses the fossilised eyes, from a huge shellfish-type creature called

AFP Photo/Katrina Kenny

A University of Adelaide illustration shows an artist’s impression of an Anomalocaris which lived 500 million years ago. Fossils belonging to the huge shellfish-insect type creature were found in rocks on Kangaroo Island by Australian scientists.

Online spending stays strong in early December

This undated handout photo

provided by the journal Sci-

ence shows the presence of a

rat trapped in a restrainer elicits focused activity

from his cagemate, leading eventually

to door-opening and consequent liberation of the

trapped rat.

AP Photo/Science

Tuesday, December 13, 2011 14 InternationalSport

But Guardiola insisted Barcawere already focusing on a differentthreat in the Far East and the taskof winning their second Club WorldCup in two years. “Real Madridwere the team of the 20th centuryand it is true we have enjoyed somesuccess over them recently,” Guar-diola told a packed news conferenceon Monday.

“But there’s hardly any differ-ence between the two teams. RealMadrid are a great team, we knowthat,” he added after his eighth winin 12 ‘Clasicos’ since taking overin 2008. “We have just have to getthe players ready for this tourna-ment now. We are here to win theClub World Cup. I want the playersto relax and get over their fatigueproperly.”

Barca arrived in Japan late onSunday having jetted out of Spainimmediately after their clash withReal. “We will do a little sightsee-ing in Tokyo, have some traditionalJapanese food in the city to adjustfrom the tough trip and be ready todo the job,” said Guardiola.

Guardiola admitted he knewlittle of Asian champions Al Sadd,who could opt for damage limita-tion when they face the Spanish title

Yokohama. “We haven’t analysedour opponents yet,” said Guardiola,once a player for Al Sadd’s Qataririvals Al Ahli from 2003-05.

“Lionel (Messi) and everyone-

lection after studying our opponentsand after looking at the players intraining.”

SANTOS DANGER

Brazil’s Santos will be expectedto overpower Japanese championsKashiwa Reysol in Wednesday’s

-ola promised a better performancethan in 2009, when Barca struggledto beatArgentina’s Estudiantes 2-1

“I remember it was very hot andwe made some mistakes preparingwhich we will make sure doesn’t

happen again,” he said. “We will be

Carles Puyol said beating Realagain had given the Catalan giants

the 20,000-kilometres round tripto Japan.

“To win against a team like RealMadrid has given us a big lift,” hesaid. “It’s helped keep the playersmotivated to come to Japan andwin the Club World Cup. “It hasbeen a long road. We had to beatthe best teams in Europe to win theChampions League. Now we haveto prove we’re the best team in theworld by lifting the trophy.”

The anticipation of a shown-down against South Americanchampions Santos and their ver-sion of Barca’s Lionel Messi--Brazil striker Neymar -- drew awry smile from Puyol.

“Neymar is different class, pureand simple,” purred Puyol. “Hedoes things most players can’t.He is always trying to score. He’svery dangerous, just a brilliantplayer.”

AP Photo/Junji Kurokawa

FC Barcelona’s Xavi Hernandez, left, watches teammate Car-les Puyol during the team’s training in Yokohama, near Tokyo, Monday, Dec. 12, 2011. Barcelona will play a semi-final match in the Club World Cup Thursday.

Reuters

YOKOHAMA, Japan - Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola resisted the temptation to bask inSaturday’s electrifying 3-1 ‘Clasico’ victory over Real Madrid after arriving in Japan for theClub World Cup. The European kings overcame Real at the Bernabeu at the weekend to leapfrogtheir bitter rivals at the top of La Liga, albeit having played a game more.

Reuters

SHANGHAI - The ink is barelydry on Nicolas Anelka’s ground-breaking contract with ShanghaiShenhua but already the ChineseSuper League club is working topull off another major transfer coupby signing his Chelsea team mate

Reuters in an interview on Mon-day his club had already spoken to

their lavish spending if the IvoryCoast international was prepared toswitch west London for the Far East.Anelkawill become thebiggestnameto ply his trade in the world’s mostpopulous nation when the strikerjoins Shanghai Shenhua in January.The Chinese club said on Monday ithad agreed a two-year deal with theFrenchman.

BordeauxcoachJeanTigana toarriveas manager in January, said bringingin foreign talent was essential for thegrowth of Chinese soccer, which hasbeen blighted by scandals and cor-

an excellent player. We got in touch

Reuters near Shanghai’s Pudongtraining ground. “From our club’s

Reuters

PARIS - -jon 2-0 and move two points behind the French leaders while OlympiqueLyon failed to hit the heights of midweek but still won 1-0 at Lorient onSunday. Ligue 1 champions Lille, whose 0-0 draw with Trabzonspor onWednesday sent them out of Europe, closed the gap on Montpellier afterthe south coast side lost 1-0 at lowly Valenciennes on Saturday.

Moussa Sow’s close-range header on 16 minutes gave third-placedLille the lead as they returned to their Metropole stadium with renewedpurpose. Winger Eden Hazard made it 2-0 early in the second half fol-lowing a well-worked move involving Sow and Joe Cole as Lille rackedup a 16th domestic game unbeaten.

Sow and Cole -- with an acrobatic volley -- both also hit the post amid

moments, striking the woodwork and having an effort cleared off the line.Second-placed Paris St Germain, who won 1-0 at Sochaux on Saturdayto go level on points with Montpellier after 17 games, host Lille nextSunday.

Lille coach Rudi Garcia told reporters. “The aim now is to put in a bigperformance in Paris and do everything possible to take maximum pointsat the Parc des Princes. We will be very ambitious. Afterwards, we’ll seewhat pans out.”

Lyon, who performed a near miracle in making the Champions League

overcame a more stubborn Lorient thanks toAlexandre Lacazette’s angled

playmaker Yoann Gourcuff’s father Christian, had matched their visitors

placed side went two points behind Lille. In Sunday’s other match,Auxerrebeat fellow strugglers Nice 2-1.

AP Photo/Scott Heppell

Chelsea’s Didier Drogba celebrates his goal during their English Premier League soccer match against Newcastle United at the Sports Direct Arena, Newcastle, England, Sat-urday, Dec. 3, 2011. perspective, we have this to say -- If

-nitely welcome him.”

The signing ofAnelka and pursuitof other marquee players is evidenceof the growing financial might of

-man would certainly not be taking apaycut.

“People are aware of Anelka’s

Chelseayearly salarywhich is around5.8 million euros. So when he comes

would have a major impact on Chi-nese soccer, he added. The 32-year-oldwould raise the standardof soccerin thecountrybuthewouldalso set anexample to young people and inspirethem to take up the game.

Tuesday, December 13, 2011 15International Sport

The Briton was deducted twopoints for by referee Joseph Cooperin a split-decision defeat, one in theseventh round for pushing and one inthe 12th when Khan hit Peterson onthe break.

Those deductions proved crucialwhen the scores were announced, one

but the other two scoring it 113-112for Peterson.

Khan said afterwards he felt he was“up against two people” and his campon Sunday issued a statement question-ing the performance of Cooper and de-manding a re-match. “Firstly, we wouldlike to congratulate Lamont Peterson onhis performance againstAmir Khan,” astatement from Team Khan and GoldenBoy Promotions, said.

“Not only has he shown that he is

but also a great man out of the ring.

Team Khan and Golden Boy Promo-tions intends to make inquiries withthe District of Columbia Boxing andWrestling Commission, the IBF andthe WBAregarding the performance ofreferee Joseph Cooper and will also be

ambiguities with respect to the scores

“We look forward to an immediate

Lamont and his manager/trainer BarryHunter.” The defeat was Khan’s second

after winning an Olympic silver medal

Reuters

The Dallas Mavericks havesigned forward Lamar Odomfrom the Los Angeles Lakers,the reigning NBA championssaid on Sunday. The prospectof trading the two-time NBAchampion had been criticizedby Los Angeles’ top playerKobe Bryant but still wentahead. Odom was the top re-serve on the Lakers roster andwas given the NBA’s SixthMan of the Year award. TheMavericks said in a statementthat the versatile 32-year-oldarrived along with a 2012second round draft pick andother second round consid-erations for 2013, while theLakers gained a ‘protected firstround pick’. Last week Dallastraded center Tyson Chandlerto the New York Knicks whilethe Lakers were blocked intheir bid to bring in ChrisPaul from the New OrleansHornets. Odom, who averaged

in 82 games last season, wasreported to have been partof the trade and would haveheaded to the Hornets if the

Reuters

Robin Soderling will miss the Australian Open as he battlesto recover from illness, the 13th-ranked Swede said. Soderling,

infection mononucleosis and has not played since he won inBastad last July.

“My recovery has been longer than expected. I am feelingbetter with each day but it will still take some time before I canstart practicing in full speed,” Soderling said in a post on hisTwitter account.

“My goal is to start with practice in January and I hope fortournament comeback in February but at this stage it is hard toknow when and where. “I hope my body will allow me to dothat.”

The former world number four made the fourth round atMelbourne Park earlier this year, after never passing the second

runs from Jan. 16-29.

Amir Khan, of England, left, hangs on the ropes against

Lamont Peterson, right, during a boxing match, Sunday, Dec. 11,

2011, in Washington.

Khan camp questions referee, wants Peterson re-matchReuters

LONDON - Amir Khan’s camp plan to raise concerns about the

AP Photo/Nick Wass

Mavericks sign Odom from Lakers

REUTERS/Mike Stone

Los Angeles Lakers’ Lamar Odom (C) is double teamed by Dallas Mavericks’ Dirk Nowitzki (L) of Germany and Tyson Chandler during Game 4 of the NBA Western Conference semi-final basketball playoff in Dallas, Texas May 8, 2011.

move had come off. Speakingon Sunday before the deal hadbeen announced Byrant toldreporters: “To be honest withyou, I don’t like it. It ‘s toughto lose Lamar”. allas beat

L.A in the second round of theplayoffs last year, a point thatwas not lost on Bryant. “Wewere supposed to come backand get them back. It’s tough,”he said.

Soderling to miss Australian Open

Tuesday, December 13, 201116 SportI N T E R N A T I O N A L

But as he celebrated the achievement in Red Bull’s Home Run event in Milton Keynes this weekend, Vettel said he was starting to put 2011 in the past and focus on next year’s car. “We had a fantastic season. It takes some time to realise how special it was,” he said. “It has been phenomenal. It will be a season that we will look back on and always be very proud of.

“These kinds of seasons don’t happen every year but we’re already focused on next season. Adrian [Newey] and the guys are working hard to get the car ready for next year and we move on.” Vettel admitted it would be hard to improve on 2011, but was sure Red Bull would be able to take another step forward.

“You have to say that this year was pretty smooth - maybe faultless because we had no issues with reliabil-ity, except for Brazil but we were still able to finish the race in second place,” he said. “Other than that, nothing went wrong from a car point of view. The retirements we had were Mark [Webber]’s crash in Monza and the puncture I suffered in Abu Dhabi, but car wise and engine wise it was better than expected.

“Everything is built on the limit, we’re pushing in every

area and sometimes things might break but this year every-thing was working fine. The target is to keep that up. Next year the cars will be slightly different, not a revolution but the regulations have changed a bit again so we have to adapt and at the moment we are pushing very hard to finalise the car. Then at the beginning of next year we try to put it together, put it on the track and see how it works.

“Hopefully it will be quite reliable from the start but the most important thing is that the car is fast. It’s easier to make a fast car reliable then make a reliable car fast.” He also underlined that all the success he had achieved so far was not diminishing his motivation to keep pushing for more race wins and titles.

“Professionally, the last couple of years have been very successful but we tend to look forward,” Vettel said. “I don’t think anyone is lacking motivation so we don’t have to ask ourselves what we are doing because we have already achieved so much.

“Being 24, it would be sad to say that has been the highlight of my life and from now on it only gets worse! Even if I retire one day I will still wake up in the morn-ing and think that my best day is still to come.”

FORMULA 1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone has labelled Lewis Hamil-ton’s decision to choose a management company more accustomed to dealing with show business than motor racing as a ‘disaster’ - after suggesting the former world champion would probably have been better off keeping close ties with his father Anthony.

Hamilton endured a challenging 2011 campaign, where issues in his personal life, and a number of incidents on the track, left him out-classed by McLaren team-mate Jen-son Button. Reflecting on the season just gone, Ecclestone believes part of the problem is that Hamilton’s deci-sion to join forces with Simon Fuller’s XIX Management company - which looks after the likes of David and Victoria Beckham, Jennifer Lopez, Will Young and Andy Murray - has exposed him to influences that have not helped his performance.

“I think he had some personal prob-lems during the year which affected him quite a lot,” said Ecclestone in an interview with the Guardian. “A lot to do with these things, it depends an awful lot on the people you surround yourself with, and who are in a position to influence you.

“I think he just fell into a lot of people that I think weren’t good for him. When his dad was looking after him, his dad was a bit more ... obviously it didn’t suit

Lewis, which was why they split; I think he didn’t appreciate how much help his dad was.”

He added: “I think it’s a disaster. He gets to meet people that probably he wouldn’t have met, and [who] have probably the wrong sort of influence on him. He’s at the age, perhaps, and he has the amount of money, where when he’s influenced, he can carry things through, which he wouldn’t normally have done.”

Ecclestone was particularly unhap-py with the infamous Ice-T McLaren garage video at the Canadian Grand Prix. The rapper swore heavily during the footage of him walking around the car, and mocked the fact that a steering wheel costs more than a lot of fans’ homes. The video became a cult hit on YouTube and earned McLaren a letter of complaint from Ecclestone.

“It’s our fault, because we tend to encourage celebrities,” Ecclestone said about the incident. “It’s good. Not so much for those of us who get our hands dirty but for all the sponsors who turn up with their guests and like to say: ‘Oh, we saw whoever-it-was.’

“They forget they’ve come to watch Formula 1. The difference is that we can handle them, because we’re not directly involved. He [Ham-ilton] sees somebody like that, he admires the guy, so he’ll start copying a little bit what they’re up to.”

Sebastian Vettel says he is already moving on from his ultra-successful 2011 Formula 1 season and keen to ensure he and Red Bull Racing can be even better in 2012. The German wrapped up this year’s world championship with a 122-point cushion, having taken 11 race victories and 15 poles.

AP Photo/Martin Meissner

Germany’s F1 driver Sebastian Vettel, jumps over a fence with sparkling wine after winning the the Race of Champions Nations Cup at the arena in Duesseldorf, western Germany, Saturday, Dec. 3, 2011.

AP Photo/Prakash Singh, Pool

President and CEO of F1’s governing body Bernie Ecclestone, right, arrives for the 2011 FIA Gala awards ceremony night in Gurgaon, some 35 kilometers (22 miles) west of New Delhi, India, Friday, Dec. 9, 2011.