Laurie had a go on Deyan's go-kart over the weekend, as did everybody else. Deyan's dad, Vlad, did extremely well to get this project together, plus we're lucky to have this place to drive around!
This shot of the public footpath that follows Sanur Beach sums up the 'Indonesian way'.
A system is in place to encourage appropriate behaviour. It is a costly system. It is integrated into the existing infrastructure in such a way that it is clearly visible and everybody is forced to deal with it from time to time. However, nobody really knows why it is there. It looks impressive. We know that the wealthy industrial nations have these systems, and we want to be like them.
It is very easy to beat the system. Functional reliability is not a design consideration, and there is no testing or quality control prior to or following installation. If you abuse the system, you are answerable to nobody, so you might as well go ahead before somebody else does, or maybe they already have. After all, the signs of this abuse will probably be ignored by the people who introduced the system, because they will lose face if they admit that their system is anything less than perfect.
In time the system will waste away or fall into disrepair due to misuse and poor maintenance. Years later, long after the designer of the original system has retired, a successor will introduce a new system. The public are tacitly aware that projects such as this provide opportunities for corruption. Ironically any ill-gotten wealth will lead to an increase in social and professional status for the designer of the new system. The new system will be described in deferential terms as an improvement on the old system, but overt criticism of the old system will be avoided. Let the wealthy industrial nations criticise their designers. We don't want to be like them.
One of the reasons I closed my Facebook account is the drop-down menus members are obliged to use when they put together profiles of themselves. While it may be true that many people are unable to impose a level of order on their lives sufficient to write coherently about themselves, standardised menus make for standardised profiles make for standardised people. May as well call it Orwellbook. Particularly annoying is the inclusion of religion as an item of 'choice'.
Let's get this straight - the vast majority of the 'religious' people in the world had NO CHOICE.
A busy month here in Bali, what with the Galungan festival and performances by the Joe Rosenberg quartet at As One Ubud, and Jenggala. I kicked things off with a short tabla solo - rather too short, perhaps, but I was amazed at how much material I had been able to get together in the time available, and at how my chops were still more or less there after so many years not playing at all!
The second of the two gigs was by far the more enjoyable - better sound, air conditioning, more appreciative - or at least more attentive - audience. I feel such a dummie for not having played for so long. At Jenggala there was also an acoustic piano for Joe's pianist, Masako, which made a huge difference to their overall sound.
These days expats in Indonesia fly Garuda because they think it's safe! This was the handle over the emergency exit on row 10 of a Garuda 737 from Makassar to Bali. Doesn't exactly inspire confidence! It was the 13th, but not Friday. Phew!
