Forbes 2008 World Most Powerful Women

Forbes magazine has this habit to rank the world prominent personalities in various categories and field of influences even on gender basis. This time around Forbes present 100 most powerful women in the world. Prior to this, Forbes has presented the Top 100 Richest People in the World and Top Richest Royals.

Interesting to note, especially for Indonesian, that an Indonesian woman that is Sri Mulyani Indrawati, Indonesia’s Coordinating minister for economic affairs and finance minister, has been ranked at no. 23 ahead of such prominent women as Gloria Arroyo, President of the Philippines, ranked at no. 41, Hillary Rodham Clinton (no. 28), Nancy Pelosi, US Speaker of House of Representative (no. 35), Oprah Winfrey (no. 36), Aung San Suu Kyi of Myanmar (no. 38). You may wonder why.
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Malaysian Blogger Arrested

[Update 23 September 2008] RPK got two years jail term under the draconian internal security act (ISA).

A Malaysian blogger arrested. The reason as the Deputy Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Ismail Omar put it:

This arrest was made after our investigations showed that he (Raja Petra) did certain things which could cause unrest among the citizens of various races in this country

The blogger named Raja Petra Kamarudin (RPK) is a popular figure in Malaysia. He’s also a journalist and politician.
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Who’s the Best Indonesian President?

On 9 April 2009 another general election will be held in Indonesia after which we will have another new democratically elected president. Since gaining its Independence from Japan in 1945, and sucessfully defended the Dutch attack in 1949, Indonesia-barring Suharto and Habibie- has democratically elected six presidents. All presidents of course has their own plus and flipside. Having said that, there should be one or two who one thinks had the best performance & capability as the head of state of the country.
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Forbes’ World Richest Royals

The royals, kings and queen, in this 21st century may not enjoy the luxury of unreserved admiration, adulation and loyalty from their subjects like it used to be not so long ago. But certainly they still enjoy the luxury of “unlimited” wealth to enjoy the extravagant lives money can buy. In its 20th August edition, Forbes magazine published the list of richest existing royals, not the richest ordinary people, two of whom are coming from South East Asian countries, Thailand and Brunei. Surprisingly, King Bumiphol of Thailand got the “gold medal.” Please watch carefully the list below, who knows you are among those top list kings and queens.
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MS Kaban

Malem Sambat (MS) Kaban SE MSi, born in Binjai, North Sumatra, 5 August 1958. Married Nurmala Dewi, is currently Minister of Forestry under President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (2004 - 2009).
Father: AM Kaban; Mother: S. Tarigan. Ethnicity: Bataknese
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Paskah Suzetta

Drs. H. Paskah Suzetta, MBA was born in Bandung 6 April 1953. He is a politician of Golkar party. He is currently a State Minister for National Development Planning/ Chairman of Bappenas in President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono’s cabinet (2005 - 2009).

Education
Graduated from political science of Universitas Padjajaran, Bandung West Java.
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Aulia Pohan

Aulia Pohan was born in Palembang, South Sumatra, 11 September 1945 was Bank Indonesia (Indonesia Central Bank) Deputy Governor between 1999 - 2004

Education
Finishing his Master in Economics Development from Boston University, USA.
Joining various educational programs abroad including;
Financial Programming Policy Course IMF, Washington;
ADB Training on Monetary and Fiscal Policies, Tokyo;
Workshop in Harvard University etc.
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Barack Obama

The last two primaries which end on Tuesday has ended the fierce battle between two democratic rivals which Obama, as expected, came out as the winner. The news is not who’s the winner, but when will Hillary Clinton budge and concede defeat ro Obama and leave him alone which seems what is happening right now. IHT reports that

Hillary Rodham Clinton will endorse Barack Obama on Saturday, bringing a close to her 17-month campaign for the White House, aides said. Her decision came after Democrats urged her Wednesday to leave the race and allow the party to coalesce around Obama.

Steve Jobs and God

What do Steve Jobs and God have in common? Jeremy Wagstaff has this to say (emphasis mine):

What I’m not interested in:
heavily corporate technology or press releases that would only make sense to someone inside the industry
any press release about some new appointment, unless his name is Steve Jobs or God (or both).

An interesting way (good sense of humor too) to express one’s admiration to the ever innovating techno-geek Steve Jobs. One wonders, however, why we rarely find such diehardism to the inventor of personal computer called Bill Gates? Is the latter such a unpleasant personality so much so that people’s dislikeness hinder any admiration to his great achiement?