Dr. Masaru Emoto - Author, Scientist and Doctor of Alternative Medicine, 2 Day Appearance in Bali June 28 & 29, 2006 to Speak on 'The Hidden Message of Water.'
Born in Yokohama in 1943, Dr. Masaru Emoto obtained his certification as a Doctor of Alternative Medicine from the Open International University in 1992. Focusing his studies on the concept of micro cluster water as revealed by Magnetic Resonance Analysis, he is credited with a radical rethinking of what water is and the role it plays in the planet's life. In his groundbreaking research he has sought to demonstrate the water shares a connection to our individual and collective human consciousness.
Capturing frozen water crystals in photographs, his work argues that water is capable of memorizing, retaining, and relaying types of information contained in music, pictures, the written word, prayers and thoughts. Each water crystal photographed by Dr. Emoto is uniquely different, reflecting the differentiated impact of being taken from a glass of water or a major body of water; similarly his work argues the crystals vary in their appearance after being exposed to the energy found in music or the written word.
Dr. Emoto is author of 3 best-selling books translated into over 30 languages: Messages from Water, The Hidden Messages in Water, and The True Power of Water.
As part of a world-wide tour to promote water as a medium for peace, Dr. Masaru Emoto is including Bali where he will present a two-day seminar on Wednesday and Thursday, June 28 & 29, 2006, at the Bali Mandira Hotel & Spa on Jalan Padma Legian.
Reservations are a must. Telephone ++62-(0)361-731129 or send an email through the link provided for bookings and more information.
Exhibition of Rare Photos by and About Walter Spies Through August 8, 2006 at Ubud's ARMA Museum.
Born in Moscow in 1895, German musician-artist landed in Ubud in 1927 where he lived until shortly before his death in 1942. A Renaissance man by any standard, Spies limitless artisitic energy managed to have a lasting impact on Balinese art, dance, music, documentary film-making and early anthropological studies of the Island.
The life of this remarkable man who lived a most remarkable life is recalled in the 111th anniversary of his birth in a special exhibition at Ubud's ARMA Museum Bali of reproductions of his paintings and photos of Spies by family and friends.
Sponsored by The Spies Family Foundation of Germany, Walter Spies 1985 – 2006 is the result of careful research and preparation by Gundel Sholz, a lecturer at Hochschule fuer Bildbende Kuenste in Braunschweig, Germany. For the current exhibition she has reproduced original photographs, many including the hand-written comments of Walter Spies, collected from a variety of European sources.
The exhibition also include reproductions of many of Walter Spies paintings, considered groundbreaking in their approach to lighting and composition, and now treasured parts of important museum collections worldwide.
111 Years Walter Spies – 1985-2006
111 Years Walter Spies – 1985-2006 will run through August 8, 2006 at the Arma Museum Bali.
Arma Museum Bali
Jalan Raya Pengosekan, Ubud
Telephone ++62-(0)361-974228
A HIT to Miss
Government Withdraws Top-Selling Insecticide HIT Due to Cancer Causing Ingredients.
The Indonesian Department of Agriculture has ordered the recall from the market of two top-selling mosquito insecticides HIT 2.1A and HIT 17L - both found to contain the dangerous dikloroyos - a known carcinogenic and considered a general health threat to human internal organs.
In issuing the withdrawal order the Government has granted PT Megasari Makmur the company producing the insecticide and its distributors a grace period of two months to effect a complete removal of HIT from store shelves.
According to local press reports, the company producing the mosquito repellent were first ordered to stop producing the spray in 2003. Apparently, the latest order from the Government will see the dangerous product removed from circulation.
A check at local markets 4 days after the official announcement from the Department of Agriculture showed that HIT was still being sold freely at local markets with shop keepers saying they had yet to receive any official notification on how to dispose of stocks purchased from local distributors.
Australian-Indonesian Diplomacy on the Mend
Return of Indonesian Ambassador to Canberra Signals Thawing in the Officials Relations Between Jakarta and Canberra.
Indonesia's Ambassador to Canberra, T.M. Hamzah Thayeb, flew back to the Indonesian Embassy in Canberra on Saturday, June 10, 2006, after being absent from his post since March 24th. Thayeb was summoned back to Jakarta "for consultations" in late March when Indonesian and Australian relations suddenly took a turn for the worse when Canberra granted temporary asylum to 42 Papuans refugees.
Thayeb's return to Canberra was precipitated by a series of meetings between senior representatives of Australia and Indonesia, including recent meetings between Indonesia’s Foreign Minister Hasan Wirajuda and his Australian counterpart Alexander Downer.
Ambassador Thayeb's return to his Ambassadorial post in Canberra will allow final preparations to be undertaken in connection with the scheduled visit of Australian Prime Minister John Howard to Batam (Indonesia) on June 26 where he will hold meetings with Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
Australians represented the second largest group of inbound travelers to Bali. However, recent events and a souring of relations between Australia and Indonesia have resulted in a downturn of nearly 40% in this market.
'Sugarcane Blues' Photographs by Eddy Hasby
Veteran Indonesian Photo Journalist Exhibits at Rio Helmi Photo Gallery June 18 – July 17, 2006.
Born in Palembang, Sumatra in 1966, Eddy Hasby began his photo journalism career in 1989 working with a local newspaper in Yogyakarta, later joining the leading national newspaper Kompas. He and his camera have been witness to major world events including covering the Thomas and Uber Cup competitions in Glasgow, Scotland; the Southeast Asian Games in Chiang Mai, Thailand; and the transfer of power in Dili, Timor Leste.
Winner of the Grand Prix Award from UNESCO in 1995, he was profiled by NHK Japan in their program of Asia's Who's Who. Hasby was named best photographer in the 1992 National Journalistic Photography Contest and won the silver and bronze awards in the Salon Foto Indonesia, Canon Asia Pacific Photo Contest, Nikon Calendar 1999.
He has participated in joint exhibitions in the Yogyakarta Arts Festival (1992); in Jakarta at the Erasmus Huis (1999); and in an exhibition of sports photographs at the Indonesian Journalistic Gallery in Jakarta (2000).
His solo exhibitions include "East Timor and Indonesian Children" in Japan and Indonesia.
Hasby's work, beside being a regular fixture in the pages of the Kompas daily, it has also been published in three books dedicated to his photography.
Sugarcane Blues
The current exhibition, "Sugarcane Blues" was originally held in Jakarta at the Antara Gallery in 2001.
"Sugarcane Blues" - a photographic exhibition by Eddy Hasby runs from June 18, 2006 through July 17, 2006, at the Rio Helmi Photo Gallery.
Rio Helmi Photo Gallery
Jalan Raya Basangkasa 88, Seminyak, Bali
Telephone ++62-(0)361-735688
Government Seeking New Debt Schedule for Garuda
Can Garuda Reduce its Debt Burden from US$794 Million to Just US$274 Million?
Indonesia's Minister of Transportation, M. Hatta Rajasa, has stated that the Government will soon propose a debt rescheduling to the European Credit Agency (ECA) - the consortium that holds the bulk of Airlines estimated US$794 million debt.
Fundamental to any rescheduling that may be finally agreed is an agreement by Garuda's creditors to a haircut or basic reduction in the outstanding principal and interest owed them.
The Government has established a steering committee consisting of representatives from the Ministry of State-Owned Enterprises, the Finance Ministry, and the Department of Transportation to guide a Government team attempting to renegotiate its debts with the ECA.
Minister Hatta, quoted in the Indonesian-language Bisnis Indonesia, complained that the 6 Airbus A330 aircraft, purchased via ECA loans by Garuda Indonesia in 1996, appeared to be over-priced for the actual market value of the aircraft at that time.
In desperate need to improve the condition of its balance sheet, Garuda is exploring a whole range of options - including a business-to-business renegotiation of its debt burden, a conversion of debt to equity and a rescheduling of its outstanding debt burden. Meanwhile, the Indonesian National Carrier is undertaking dramatic steps to enhance its operational efficiency by cutting operational costs by 10% system-wide, rationalizing its international and domestic route system, and reducing the types of aircraft it flies.
Pending finally coming to an agreement with ECA on its debt total, Garuda has ceased from late 2005 to make payments on its principal debt of US$794 million.
According to local press report, Garuda is seeking to reduce its debt burden from US$794 million to US$274 via the combination an agreed haircut with ECA and a conversion of outstanding debt to equity.
Gamelan & Jazz
Jazz Gamelan Fusion Group to Perform at Bali Arts Festival on June 21, 2006.
One of Bali's most prominent composers and musicians, I Nyoman Windha, will bring an exciting and very contemporary program of modern Balinese music - "Jazz Gamelan Fusion" to the stage of the Bali Arts Center at 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 21, 2006.
Windha, leading a group of some 26 musicians and singers, will presents a program of 5 compositions performed on instruments from both the traditional gamelan orchestra and selected western musical instruments.
A faculty member of the Institute of Arts (ISI) in Denpasar, Windha has performed and taught Balinese music to appreciative audiences around the world, including Japan, Europe, Hong Kong, U.S.A., and Australia. Credited with having composed over 40 original pieces of music to accompany dance and Balinese drama, Windha has worked in collaboration with artists and groups such as Evan Ziporyn, Dieter Mack, Keith Terry and the San Francisco Bay Area's Gamelan Sekar Jaya.
Mulih ke Bali
Adopting "Mulih ke Bali" or "Bali Recovery" as the central theme to his groups contribution to the 28th Bali Arts Festival, I Nyoman Windha will use this performance to express his love for his Island. "The concert performance is born from my nervousness and concern for Bali which has had its position eroded. I wish to invite all levels of society to reflect for a moment and once again give meaning to the fresh breeze of wisdom and peace that will preserve Bali as a precious jewel," explained Windha.
Assisting Windha in this special evening of new compositions are Tri Haryanto, a Javanese musician from Klaten, who works at the ISI and who is adept in both Javanese and Balinese musical forms; Saptono, another instructor at ISI performing on the Kendang Ciblon and undir; Suminto, a Javanese singer; Ketut Sumerjana, an alumnus of ISI Yogyakarta, with extensive Western musical experience, playing keyboard and the bass guitar; Nengah Rai Suteja, a full-time policeman and a respected drummer in local gamelan circles; Ketut Artika, a talented young composer who plays the gong; Hari Mahardika, another young composer who has performed internationally on the Jembe and Jegog; Gede Suparka on the gangsa; Made Indra Sadguna well know in Bali for his skill as a gamelan musician and a dancer; Nyoman Mariyana, who plays both the Undir and Balinese flute; Kadek Wahyi Dita, a well know tabuh player who has performed and studied in London; Ari Astika, playing the Kantil Jegog and Balinese flute; Ni Putu Hartini an active member of Denpasar's female Gong Kebyar group; Luh Trisna Dewi another talented female musician who often represents Bangli in performance competitions; and two sons of Windha – Agus Cahyadi and Wahyu Indira, performing on a range of Balinese and Western instruments.
Foreign musicians joining this special performance include a Japanese guitarist Saito; renowned American violinist Robert Brown; and Paula, an English violinist currently studying at ISI.
Concert Program
Scheduled for performance at the June 21st performance are the following compositions:
• Threnody for Carlos Chavez by Lou Harrison (1978). Originally composed for violin and Sundanese gamelan, Harrison, who died in 2003, was a professor at Mills College (USA) where Windha earned his Masters Degree.
• Jaya Baya – Victory Over Disaster by I Nyoman Windha. Originally written in 2002 by Windha as part of his Master's Thesis, this composition is a reaction to the tragic bombing of October 12, 2002, that claimed more than 200 lives.
• Bali Pop Rap "Cecimpedan" lyrics by I Wayan Sugartha with arrangements by I Nyoman Windha and Ketut Sumerjana. Inspired by the Balinese children's game of Cecipmpedan, this composition is intended to remind the Balinese to preserve their traditional culture and Balinese values.
• Manusia dalam Bayangan by I Made Sidia and I Nyoman Windha. "Man in the Shadows" is an innovative piece incorporating traditional shadow puppetry by puppet-master I Made Sidia, presented in free association with a gamelan performance.
• Jes Fusion One by I Nyoman Windha. "Jazz" or "Jes" as created by the combination of the gamelan jegog and the gamelan semaragulingan in joyful collaboration with keyboard,saxophone, guitar, and drums.
"Mulih ke Bali" at the Bali Arts Center in Denpasar as part of the 28th Bali Arts Festival on Wednesday, June 21, 2006, commencing at 8:30 p.m..
CNN Focuses On Bali's Neighbor of Lombok
Slower-paced and Still Relatively Untouched by Mass Tourism, Lombok's a Short Flight or Sail Away from Bali.
In a copyrighted Associated Press(AP) article published on CNN.com, the many unexplored charms of Bali's near neighbor of Lombok were examined in an article "Bali's Neighbor Awaits its Time in the Sun."
An excellent article explaining why many visitors to Bali are now finding the time to include a visit to Lombok.
Not Your Typical Shaggy Dog Story: A 3 Legged Bali Dog Immigrates to Australia and Sets Up a Successful Pub in Albury-Wodonga.
Did you hear the one about the three-legged Bali Street Dog that Acts as the Hostess at an Australian pub named in her honor?
Right. We, too, were doubtful of this story's veracity until we recently came across an article in [The Border Mail] confirming that indeed "Nessa," the three-legged Bali dog, actually does exist and works a regular shift at "The Three Legged Dog" bar and restaurant - Albury's newest watering hole named in her honor.
The tale of the tail and its owner begins on Bali's Jimbaran beach where two Australian holiday makers, Matt Dillon of Nowra and Jacinta Mackay of Albury, were enjoying a beachside meal. Jacinta's enjoyment of her meal was disturbed by the sight of a malnourished, dehydrated and discarded four-week old Bali street dog limping through the sand on only three legs where she was almost managing to survive on table scraps.
Taking pity on the pup, Jacintha cradled the pup on her lap. Recalling the meeting, Jacintha said, "She was just the most beautiful girl, and was so placid. You could tell there wasn’t a mean bone in her body."
While fellow Australians were busy shopping in local stores, Matt and Jacintha had "made their purchase" and spent the remainder of their Bali holiday arranging medical care and the "immigration" of Nessa to her new home – Australia.
Discovering that three-legged dogs don't travel well or cheaply, Matt and Jacinta managed to spend some AU$8,000 shipping their dog home to her new home, including a month's quarantine in Singapore and a five-month's quarantine in a Sydney kennel.
That expense and experience now behind them, Nessa's now very much at home in the twin-cities of Albury-Wodonga, towns of 90,000 people straddling the Murray River on the border between Victoria and New South Wales.
On to a good thing and repeating a trick well-learned in Bali, Nessa's known to happily climb into any welcoming lap at her bar and restaurant – "The Three Legged Dog."
Bali Fashion Week Postponed Until June 2007
Organizers Cite Lack of Government Support as Reason for Postponing 2006 Fashion Week Until June 2007.
Despite having firmly established itself as a major international fashion event, organizers of the Bali Fashion Week VII have decided to postpone the event originally set for June 2006 to June 3-6, 2007.
The event, founded and championed by Bali's Fashion icon Mardiana Ika, managed to draw hundred of top fashion buyers to Bali to view the latest creations by Indonesian designers and national fashion houses. However, according to the organizers, "a thorough evaluation of all economic aspects in Indonesia including the lack of financial support from the government to name a few, ModaBali Foundation decided to postpone The Bali Fashion Week VII that was scheduled to be held on 4-7 June 2006 to June 2007."
The organizers added: "We hope that within the following year, the economic conditions in Indonesia will develop where all business players have more confidence in conducting the promotions locally as well as internationally. We still highly believe in the strength possessed by the industry in Indonesia to create competitive & unique products for both domestic and international consumption. However, the great assistance and support from the Indonesian government will be much needed in order to gain maximum results from the Bali Fashion Week event that functions as one of the vehicles for promoting (Indonesia’s) fashion & textile industry to the world market."
2nd Indonesian Edition of Controversial Men’s Magazine Makes it Re-debut in Bali.
In a business in which levels of being risqué and pornographic are graded on a mileau ranging from "soft" to "hard" - the second Indonesian edition of the U.S. men's magazine Playboy would qualify for a definitive "limp" rating on that scale. And sadly, those who shelled out a hard-earned Rp. 50,000 (approximately US$5.40) in hopes of seeing sensual secrets that even Victoria couldn't keep, must have been disappointed by the very toned-down Indonesian take on "raunchy."
No doubt disappointing many in the process, there were no nudes to be found between the covers of the June edition of Playboy Indonesia. Instead, readers were compelled to settle for a centerfold showing less cleavage than that readily viewable at any Balinese temple ceremony or via the ladies at the early morning market whose bustieres double as cash drawers.
The first issue of the magazine, with its debut in Jakarta two months ago, was equally tame, but managing nonethless to evoke the ire of fundamentalist religious elements in the capital who protested the magazine's publication, demanded its banning, and ransacked its editorial offices for good measure.
Traumatized by the experience, the publishers of Playboy Indonesia moved their offices to Bali where, perhaps it was hoped, the lads are more "red blooded" when it comes to viewing the scantilly clothed female form. Still eager to distribute the magazine on a national basis, however, the Editors began busily preparing the second edition peppered with attractively photographed but otherwise fully-clad young women.
But, in keeping with the tradition of its American namesake, the second issue did carry well-written and informative articles including a profile of an Indonesian singing star; an interview with a convict sitting on death row; an article on land mine victims in Cambodia; and the de rigueur cuisine article highlighting regional cuisine.
And yes, Mom, believe it or not, in Indonesia we really do buy Playboy because of the interesting articles.
Bali FreeRide Nations Cup September 2-3, 2006
World Champion Jet Ski Acrobats to Compete on Bali's Seminyak Beach.
Ski Jet Riders from around the world are expected to compete for US$31,000 in prize money at the inaugural International Freeride Water Craft Association (IFWA)/ Bali Freeride Nations Cup to be held in the roaring surf along Bali's Seminyak Beach September 2-3, 2006.
Established in 1999 to foster and promote the then "new sport" of freeriding, the IFWA sanctions a yearly calendar of events in which top-form athletes perform "death defying" feats on supercharged jet skis. Man and machine crash through waves, do perilous jumps and perform mid-air summersaults for appreciative and awe-struck crowds lining nearby beaches.
Organized by PT Bali Proevents the action is set for the beach opposite Bali's Double Six Club with ESPN Star Sports TV signed up to record the action for rebroadcast in a one-hour TV special.
The competition will feature two classes of competition: Pro Stand up Class (Ski) and Pro Sit Down. A team of international judges will be observing every move of the athletes, tallying scores, and enforcing the rules of the IFWA - chief among which is staying alive.
The event is free of charge to the public, so mark your calendar for two exciting days of competition on the beach September 2-3, 2006 in Bali.
