Jennie S. Bev

[Artikel ini pernah dimuat di majalah Forum Manajemen Prasetiya Mulya, Juli-September 2010 halaman 34-39.]

Download PDF file Forum Manajemen Juli-Sept2010

Note to English-speaking readers:
The article is in Indonesian language. I wrote about how the current US crisis changed the way I see things, particularly pertaining to finances and managing funding.

oleh Jennie S. Bev, San Francisco

Perubahan selalu ada. Musim selalu berganti, senang dan susah, berhasil dan gagal, kuat dan lemah. Semua filsuf barat maupun para sufi mempertanyakan, “Apa arti semua ini?” Untuk menjawabnya, kita tidak perlu menjadi seorang pemikir, karena kita tidak henti-hentinya menjawab pertanyaan ini setiap kali mengalami perubahan, baik kecil maupun besar, baik dari luar maupun dari dalam.

Inti dari Ilmu Manajemen Bisnis sendiri adalah bagaimana memperbesar kemungkinan sukses dalam setiap perubahan. Jadi, “perubahan” sepatutnya selalu disadari dan diantisipasi oleh setiap pelaku bisnis manapun.

Ada dua jenis perubahan berdasarkan sumbernya: eksternal maupun internal. Dalam dunia bisnis, ini bisa diartikan dari dalam maupun dari luar organisasi, baik yang berorientasi laba maupun nirlaba. Dalam pandangan mikroskopik, organisasi merupakan organisme yang terdiri dari individu-individu yang bekerja bersama-sama membentuk suatu sistem. Secara otomatis, para individu ini juga mengalami perubahan setiap kali organisasi mengalaminya. Mungkin bisa kita imajinasikan sebagai borg di dalam serial Star Trek, di mana pikiran satu borg tersampaikan secara serial kepada setiap borg yang terkait.

Perubahan yang berasal dari dalam biasanya lebih mudah dikontrol karena variabel-variabelnya lebih mudah dijangkau dan dimengerti (controllable and understandable variables). Contohnya adalah perubahan-perubahan dalam ranah sumber daya manusia, sistem, dan struktur. Perubahan yang berasal dari luar lebih sulit dikontrol dan dimanipulasi. Contohnya adalah perubahan-perubahan dalam ranah lingkungan bisnis, regulasi, dan iklim bisnis internasional. Read the rest of this entry »

[This article was previously published in The Jakarta Post, August 31, 2010.]

by Jennie S. Bev

The Indonesian Health Ministry claims to have spent eight years drafting a universal healthcare bill, but has been facing a series of hurdles: lack of funding and other technical issues. The 2008 health insurance scheme for the poor, Jamkesmas, is notorious for its complex procedures and documentation requirements.

For Indonesia to pursue universal healthcare is constitutional, as it is stated in the 1945 Constitution amendments of Article 28H and Article 34 (2) and (3), as the poor’s healthcare is assured by law. The underlying premise is the financially able should assist those who are not.

The notoriety in defining “poor” in Indonesia is: it is based on a local authority’s letter stating one’s poverty (surat pernyataan miskin). Compared with the USA, where one must show annual tax report statement that quantifies the exact taxable earnings. Such a subjective statement of being “poor” in Indonesia must be revised, which brings with it implications for tax-reporting procedures.

What is exactly “universal healthcare”? Why is it appealing? Is it the answer to all healthcare issues? Is it the same as America’s forthcoming healthcare system, known as “Obamacare”? What are the issues surrounding healthcare systems in general? Read the rest of this entry »

(Image: Jubilee show at Bally’s Las Vegas)

[This article was previously published in The Jakarta Post, August 19, 2010.]

by Jennie S. Bev

I visit Las Vegas whenever I want to watch my favorite singers perform. A few years ago, Celine Dion dominated Caesar Palace’s center stage, now it is Cher. Barry Manilow at Paris Las Vegas and Jubilee at Bally’s are two other top shows to see. Another show worth watching is Zumanity by Cirque Du Soleil.

Jubilee is a lavish cabaret show with topless dancers wearing beads, furs, and enormous glittery headdresses.

These flexible dancing girls are in top physical condition, and the ambiance is sensually acrobatic. Most performers wear skimpy attire. Only Barry Manilow wears a full tuxedo when performing.

Is morality determined by the length of someone’s clothing? Should we bother thinking about what people wear in Indonesia? Why, or why not?

It is not my place to judge morality or values, other than praising these Vegas dancers as top-notch international performers. Their cultured skill and stamina have been tested and appreciated by audiences for years.

In Indonesia, talkative and communicative ministers like Communications and Information Technology Minister Tifatul Sembiring and Justice and Human Rights Minister Patrialis Akbar have taken to dictating Indonesia’s “high moral values.”

In his latest statement, Patrialis urged western women not to wear only their bras when visiting Indonesian markets because it doesn’t adhere to Indonesian values. Tifatul has committed to blocking porn websites during Ramadan.

We respect our Muslim brothers and sisters who are fasting in the holy month of Ramadan. Perhaps blocking porn websites is a logical precautionary action to ensure Muslims fast without thinking about sexual intercourse or masturbation. Yet I believe “temptation” is a good test of one’s faith. Read the rest of this entry »

[This article was previously published in The Jakarta Post, August 10, 2010.]

by Jennie S. Bev

Integrity is a rarity in Indonesia, which explains why it’s ranked the 111th in the corruption perception ranking according to Transparency International.

While many kinds of efforts have been undertaken to prevent and eradicate corruption, appropriate workable solutions haven’t been found.

Interestingly, other countries, such as Angola, Latvia, Kosovo, Nicaragua and Haiti have been able to collect state revenues in an efficient and proper manner.

The key is outsourcing integrity, when other methods have been exhausted.

First things first, there are three types of corruption: bribery, extortion and nepotism. All these result in considerably lowered state revenues.

In Corruption: Its Nature, Causes and Function, Prof. Syed Hussein Alatas stated the functions of corruption: transactive to win business, extortive as threatening harm, defensive to avoid harm to self or family, investive as a way to look for future rewards and nepotistic that favors family or friends.

In short, any behavior abusing public trust for private gain is a form of corruption. Read the rest of this entry »

[This article was previously published in The Jakarta Post, August 3, 2010.]

[Note: This article is an example of my attempt in peace-building and creating better understanding in a pluralistic and multicultural society.]

by Jennie S. Bev

In Indonesia, clerics and their “political” organization Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) have been making headlines with their so-called “fatwas.” Even though some fatwas make sense, like forbidding smoking, which is bad for one’s health, other fatwas sound trivial.

Their edicts on haram (forbidden) and halal (not forbidden) are often interchangeable, making them sound like a group of lost people who change their minds quite easily. Some of these clerics are also known to be anti-pluralism and anti-multiculturalism.

In short, some members of this group of religious leaders have been creating instability and confusion among laypeople in Indonesia and fear among Indonesian minorities.

Thus, it is preferable to understand the process of interpreting something with valid reasoning and interpreting skills. This way, people can learn to be more mature spiritually and believe in their conscience more. And we all can see that being anti-pluralism and anti-multicultarism is a fallacy. Read the rest of this entry »

[This article was previously published in The Jakarta Post, July 26, 2010.]

by Jennie S. Bev

The world is both rational and irrational. Specifically, the world of politics is full of irrationality throughout the history of mankind. Thus, it might attest that men are intrinsically irrational, or at least those with power are.

In Laws, Plato said, “Peace is only a name; in reality, every city is in a natural state of war with every other.” Peace is the rational choice, yet those in politics have been deliberately choosing violence in the name of security and maintaining power status quo.

To balance this out, idealists have been using diplomacy as its antidote. But why doesn’t diplomacy always work? Is diplomacy over-rated? Some diplomatic missions are even abandoned due to no result. What are alternatives to diplomacy in building and maintaining peace? Read the rest of this entry »

(Image: “My Dress Hangs There” by Frida Kahlo)

[This article was previously published in The Jakarta Post, July 19, 2010.]

by Jennie S. Bev

News on corrupt officials, intellectuals who work for oppressive conglomerates and businesses causing extreme pollution and catastrophe have been selling newspapers and magazines.

Indonesia is in crisis and we aren’t talking about finances or its poor international image. We are talking about of the lack, or even a non-existence, of knights (the closest Western analogy to ksatria) in modern Indonesia.

It is as if not being corrupt is stupid, because corruption has reached a cultural, not merely structural, level. Stealing has become a “last resort” that can be justified. How anarchic such a mind-set is.

Merriam-Webster defines mind-set as a mental attitude or inclination or a fixed state of mind. For instance, a winner’s mind-set says don’t give up after losing a match. A loser’s mind-set says give up instead of trying again.

A corrupt person sees handling a budget as an opportunity to steal, while an honest individual sees such a privilege as an opportunity to prove his or her skill and efficacy. Read the rest of this entry »

From time to time, I write about writing. Here are two of them published by MediaBistro.com:

• Publish Your Freelance Work Abroad
• Teach Online to Raise Your Writing Profile
  

(Image: Lily Pond by Monet)

[This article is previously published in The Jakarta Post, July 7, 2010.]

by Jennie S. Bev

I live with a strong sense of awe and wonder. I love and adore mysteries. They are all around and inside me. Things unknown, things in the future, things far away, and things I keep close dearly to heart.

Mysteries keep me alive and craving for more.

In the end, they give me ecstasy.

We might have been looking for answers throughout our lifetime, yet answers are actually not what we are looking for.

Answers are finite; they close cases and books. Answers are closure, despite the following questions requiring new and more elaborated answers.

Sometimes the best things in life can’t be answered. Some things are better left unsaid, untouched and unanswered. Read the rest of this entry »

(Image: The School of Athens by Raffaello Sanzio)

[This article was previously published in The Jakarta Post, July 4, 2010.]

by Jennie S. Bev

Raphael’s painting The School of Athens depicted Plato pointing to the sky and Aristotle pointing to the ground. It encapsulates the two approaches in how we perceive the world: perfection and grounded reality.

These perspectives divide the world into unconstrained and constrained views, using terms used by Harvard professor of behavioral studies Tal Ben-Shahar.

In psychology, they become perfectionism and optimalism; in politics, they become communism and capitalism; in everyday arguments, they become can-do and cannot-do.

Plato’s unconstrained view distinguishes the world into the perfect model and the one we’re experiencing as mortals. He believed that an archetype always precedes the perceived world. Read the rest of this entry »

[This article was previously published in The Jakarta Post, June 20, 2010.]

by Jennie S. Bev

In 16 years after the apartheid ended in South Africa, Johannesburg has already become the host of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. This achievement has made Africa proud as it is the first time this continent has hosted a prestigious sporting event like this.

Historically speaking, South Africa has been colonized for 300 years by the English and the Dutch with 48 years of apartheid rule. In 16 short years, South Africa already built 1.1 million houses for the poor and has a rising number of middle class, although Caucasians still dominate the publicly traded companies on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange.

What an achievement unlike others. Something Indonesia should learn from and implement.

The movie Invictus played by Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon is a reminder of how deep Nelson Mandela’s reconciliation works have been carried out prior to and after the apartheid system collapsed.

Though no peacebuilding and reconciliation works are perfect, many things can be learned from Mandela and South Africa’s triumphant story. Read the rest of this entry »

(Image: The Garden by Joan Miro)

[This article was previously published in The Jakarta Post, June 16, 2010.]

by Jennie S. Bev

The historical backdrop of the Israel-Palestine conflict can be traced back 5,000 years to 3000 BC. The story of struggling Jews is part legend, part scriptural, part psychological, and entirely political.

Religions happens to be in the picture because the Middle East is the birthplace of three monotheisms — Judaism, Christianity and Islam — thus making it “the cradle of civilization.”

This “cradle” status ensures the region is continuously in the limelight. Religions are involved, yet they are not the main concern. Instead, this conflict is a humanitarian issue of massive proportion. Like the Mindanao conflict, the Israel-Palestine conflict also centers on a piece of land.

The notion that Jews are highly regarded because of the notion of “the chosen” people is not a valid argument, to begin with. A religious belief, after all, is simply a belief.

Many things can be learned from the Jewish Diaspora, which started 3,700 years ago. Contrary to popular belief, such Diaspora was not induced by the Romans in 70 CE.

The story of this people is more of betrayals and preservation of culture, something we all should acknowledge and be aware of. Read the rest of this entry »

Writing and idealism complement each other. Yet both can stand by themselves.

We can choose whether a writing career is solely for the sake of writing. Or, it can be used as a vehicle in attaining other goals or as a stepping stone.

So far I’ve been writing for love and change, just for the sake of writing and love for humanity. I’m happy with this privilege.

Perhaps someday I’d be able to write vampire books prolifically.

Artikel ini merupakan terjemahan dari “Anniversary of Indonesian riots spurs talks of pluralism” yang diterbitkan oleh Common Ground News Service Washington DC, May 25, 2010.

Read the English version of this article here. Translated by staff of Common Ground News Service.

Peringatan kerusuhan Mei 1998 dan wacana pluralisme
28 Mei 2010
(Diterjemahkan oleh staf Common Ground News Service.)

oleh Jennie S. Bev

San Francisco, California – Pada Mei ini genap 12 tahun kerusuhan Mei 1998, sebuah peristiwa penting dalam sejarah Indonesia. Menyusul meninggalnya empat orang mahasiswa yang ikut berunjuk rasa menuntut mundurnya Presiden Suharto saat itu, orang-orang pun ramai turun ke jalan, membuat kerusuhan dan melakukan penjarahan.

Meski banyak orang menyatakan bahwa kerusuhan tersebut adalah buntut dari kekecewaan terhadap rezim yang berkuasa dan adanya pengangguran massal, komunitas orang Tionghoa-lah yang langsung menjadi sasaran amukan massa, di mana, menurut berbagai laporan, hampir 100 perempuan Tionghoa diperkosa.

Memperingati tragedi ini, kita harus mengambil kesempatan untuk meninjau kembali pluralisme etnis dan agama – toleransi terhadap keragaman kelompok dan budaya – dalam masyarakat Indonesia saat ini. Read the rest of this entry »

(Image: “Butterflies” by Salvador Dali)

[This article was previously published by Common Ground News Service, May 25, 2010.]

by Jennie S. Bev

San Francisco, California – This month marks the 12th anniversary of a critical event in recent Indonesian history – the May 1998 riots. Following the death of four university students who were participating in a protest to demand the resignation of President Suharto, people took to the streets, rioting and looting.

Though many claim the riots were a result of frustration with the current regime and mass unemployment, the ethnic Chinese Indonesian community quickly became a target of mob violence, including reports of nearly 100 Chinese Indonesian women being raped.

On the anniversary of this tragedy, we must take the opportunity to look at ethnic and religious pluralism – toleration for a diversity of different groups and cultures – within Indonesian society today.

Jemma Purdey, a fellow at the University of Melbourne Department of Political Science and author of the book, Anti-Chinese Violence in Indonesia 1996-1999, says that Chinese Indonesians were targeted in these riots because of a widespread belief in Indonesia that they control the economy and are corrupt. These kind of harmful misperceptions were pervasive during the Suharto administration and unfortunately have continued after its fall.

Obstacles to overcoming these stereotypes and achieving true pluralism in Indonesia can be traced to the emergence of certain extremist ideologies and to poor governance. By understanding the underlying reasons for widespread anti-pluralism in Indonesia, we can look at the landscape of Indonesian pluralism with fresh eyes, hopefully inspiring a change of behaviour and attitude toward those who are different. Read the rest of this entry »

(Image: “Exploding Clock” by Salvador Dali)

[This article was previously published in The Jakarta Post, May 23, 2010.]

by Jennie S. Bev

Justice and Human Rights Minister Patrialis Akbar said recently the Indonesian government was no longer prioritizing the search for the culprits responsible for The May 1998 Tragedy.

He said, “It’s a bit difficult for us to look for who is responsible. However, we agree to hand out compensation [for the victims and their families], such as the chance to get a job. I even guarantee a job at the Justice and human rights ministry for them.”

Yeah, right.

This statement is outright appalling. Monetary compensation and job benefits sound good, but they cannot replace the men and women who were killed, the raped women, and, most importantly, the loss of trust in the government.

Do not punish the victims and survivors of an atrocity by discontinuing the search for culprits. They have suffered more than enough. Read the rest of this entry »

(Image: “The Rose” by Salvador Dali)

[This article was previously published in The Jakarta Post, May 19, 2010.]

by Jennie S. Bev

Along with Serbia, Iraq, Iran and North Korea, the peace-building approach in Indonesia is both polarizing and dualistic. In a term used by Johan Galtung, these traits are “manicheistic.”

Manicheism itself is a term originated from religious studies referring to a dualistic system of good and bad. In this case, it is referring to a preference in a security-oriented approach, rather than in a peace-oriented approach.

In Indonesia, the state prefers to see “security” as identical to “peace.”

Indonesia must learn to adopt peace-oriented approaches in both daily living and policy making activities and attitudes. Failure to do so will exacerbate the already tarnished face of peaceful Indonesia with ongoing violent incidents and persecutions of minorities. By adopting a peace-oriented rather than a security-oriented approach, Indonesia will be able to cultivate peace from the ground up, where human rights — including minority rights — are upheld respectfully. Read the rest of this entry »

[This article was previously published in The Jakarta Post, May 14, 2010.]

by Jennie S. Bev

Reality is the one word that Vladimir Nabokov said shouldn’t go without quotation marks, despite the fact it is something that most artists and writers have been pursuing and imitating as closely as possible.

This explains why every artist’s movement has been sprinkled with dashes of credo to return to reality. Reality, after all, is the canvas – no matter how full it has been filled – and the raw material.

An interesting noteworthy version of “reality” is aphorism, which is one of the oldest forms of literature. Aphorism is basically a collection of sayings and criticisms, just like Heraclitus’ fragments, Confucius’ musings, Aurelius’ snippets of wisdom, and Franz Kafka’s notebooks. These fragments and musings were results of observation and reflexive activities to encapsulate “reality” and “realities.”

To encapsulate reality, one needs to have a calm and critical mind. A peaceful heart is another prerequisite, which is oftentimes rather hard to attain, since the ambiance of an environment affects the overall experience. Read the rest of this entry »

Download From Golden Bridge to Golden Monument: Essays on Humanity, Fairness, and Peace in PDF here.

[This article was previously published in The Jakarta Post, May 11, 2010.]

by Jennie S. Bev

Twelve years ago, our family and my parents’ house were saved by a mosque. A mob came to torch down the neighborhood but a good Muslim neighbor shouted, “Don’t torch our homes. There is a mosque nearby!” I was fortunate I was there and not on the way to my house in Tangerang, West Java.

Afterward, I heard many cars and their occupants were violently attacked on Kebon Jeruk toll road. One of those cars could have been mine.

Questions on forgiveness and justice have been haunting me since.

As a triple minority, based on my ethnicity, gender and religious affiliation, I belonged to “the weakest link” group, which explains why women of Chinese-Indonesian descent were targeted.

At that time, being at the right place at the right time saved me from harm, while 1,338 people were killed and 92 Chinese-Indonesian women were raped and sexually assaulted. It is common knowledge that for centuries, rape and other forms of sexual assault have been widely used as instruments of war and terror worldwide. Read the rest of this entry »

In a recent interview with a VOA broadcaster Jimmy Manan, I talked about anti-foreclosure housing activism that the residents of Mountain House, California, has been doing. Listen the radio interview segment here: VOA Breakfast with Newsmaker Jennie S. Bev 05-03-2010

I hope it is useful and inspiring.

Writing is a virtue because one must stare at a blank page and produce something beautiful worth reading. (JennieSBev.com)

(Image: “Woman at the Window” by Salvador Dali, 1925)

[This article was previously published in Tracy Press, May 5, 2010.]

by Jennie S. Bev

We Americans are fortunate. We live where ideas of democracy, equality and freedom live on. It is a privilege that I can’t stop being grateful for.

In other parts of the world, such as Indonesia, the country where I was born and raised, even breathing and worshipping are oftentimes a risky business.

This month marks the 12th year after the May 1998 Tragedy in Indonesia, where looting and rioting resulted in 1,338 deaths and the rapes of 92 Chinese-Indonesian women, shaking the nation.

As a triple minority — based on gender, ethnicity and religious affiliation — I was among the targeted group. I am grateful to this very day that I escaped the incident and now enjoy cultural and religious freedom in the United States.

At least 8 million Chinese-Indonesians and a few more millions of religious and sexual-orientation minorities in Indonesia still reside there. They are experiencing religious, sexual-orientation and ethnicity persecutions and hate crimes on daily basis. Read the rest of this entry »

[This article was previously published in The Jakarta Post, April 28, 2010.]

by Jennie S. Bev

Barack Obama has not confirmed when he’ll be visiting Indonesia, thus it is not too late to remind ourselves that Indonesia is interested in promoting liberal democracy alongside the United States.

It is good timing for Indonesia to end its ambiguity in world politics by supporting Obama’s cause. Especially with recent persecutions against minorities – LGBTQ, non-Muslim and Chinese-Indonesian – and the continued condonation of violent acts performed by Islamic-fascists, the Indonesian government needs to express repentance and utmost support toward minorities and its people. By the time Obama arrives in Indonesia, we should be prepared to present that we are ready to change.

Yes, change is the name of the game. To initiate change, we need to be aware of the people’s power in influencing policies assisted by external forces and be aware of the harmful and coercive effects of “quasi secular” or “pseudo theocracy” under the beautiful name of “Pancasila”.

First of all, Indonesia is (or isn’t?) a secular state, though Pancasila (Five Principles), the UUD 1945 Constitution and a myriad of laws and regulations clearly state that Indonesia is a country based on belief in God. One obvious example is the goal of national education according to Article 3 of the National Education Law No. 20/2003, which is “to develop students’ potentials related to creating faithful and pious individuals under God as well as noble, healthy, learned, skillful, creative, independent, responsible and democratic persons.” Read the rest of this entry »

Here is the list of 2010 Pulitzer Prize winners. As most writers strive to win a Pulitzer, some are simply happy to be making a living from writing full-time and be well-fed. Like me!

A Pulitzer is probably just a wishful thinking for me, but I’m grateful with my columns, books, and e-books. One small victory a day keeps frowning away.

Thank you for subscribing to this archive blog where I post published articles, books, and announcements. I notice, however, many new subscribers did not confirm their subscription, for some reasons.

If you did not receive a confirmation email, please re-subscribe here. Check your email Inbox afterwards and confirm immediately.

Have a great great weekend to you and yours.

(Antara Photo/Ismar Patrizki)

[The edited version of this article was published in The Jakarta Post, April 16, 2010.]

Below herewith is the unedited version.

by Jennie S. Bev

Immanuel Kant posited that not all humans are considered as persons. He argued that being a human isn’t sufficient to make one and to be considered as a person. A human being is considered a “person” when he or she possesses more than rationality, but more importantly a community in which he or she has a place to experience consciousness, reason, motivation, communication, and presence of self.

Arguably, in Indonesia, being a member of minority groups, based on faith, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, and political affiliation oftentimes places one in a difficult position where he or she is “discounted” person, even a “discounted” human being.

The recent clash between poverty-stricken Chinese-Indonesian community called Cina Benteng, which is an assimilated minority group, in Tangerang, West Java, with the authority evicting their homes on the basis of 2000 bylaw on cleanliness, orderliness and beauty by erecting permanent buildings along the river bank, is allegedly believed as a form of legalized persecutions done by the government of Indonesia towards minority groups, especially the ethnic Chinese. Read the rest of this entry »

[This article was previously published in The Jakarta Post, April 4, 2010.]

by Jennie S. Bev

The motivation and self-help industry is worth US$64 billion worldwide. People, who are seeking for a voice of reason and enlightenment, turn to print, electronic, and audio books and videos of motivational learning.

It taps a huge market for the optimization in human achievement, which can be attained more efficiently through positive psychology and liberated learning.

It is something to ponder upon pertaining to optimization of dissemination of democratic learning opportunities throughout the Indonesian archipelago. By narrowing the digital divide throughout Indonesia, we should be able to implement effective liberated learning through an online environment based on positive learning psychology.

While many of self-help and motivation gurus are self taught, a few distinctive positive psychologists are making their marks in the scientific study of optimal human functioning. In a nutshell, positive psychology is based on understanding of creating an environment that fosters happiness while limiting anxiety. The state of happiness as a feeling must be translated into learning activities. Read the rest of this entry »

The Jakarta Post has confirmed that my opinion column will appear every other week either on Tuesday or Wednesday. So far it’s unnamed, but it may change in the future.

One more is about my forthcoming book on Electronic Commerce, which I have been brewing for quite a while. It will be completed within –fingers crossed– five months as of April 1, 2010 (not April’s Fool, though, it’s serious). The research focus is an exploration of successful e-commerce ventures, from which case studies are analyzed and synthesized. (No, it’s not about Internet Marketing or making money using blogs and publishing articles on Internet.)

Meanwhile, I owe myself to write prolifically on social and human right topics, my other idealistic passions. Thank you for your patience and enjoy my opinion column at The Jakarta Post –both in print and online.

[This article was previously published in The Jakarta Post, March 15, 2010.]

by Jennie S. Bev

Barack Obama is a different kind of president. He is not merely a president per se, as he is also a strong activist and a reformist. As Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “We are reformers in Spring and Summer, in Autumn and Winter we stand by the old, reformers in the morning, conservers at night.” And like most, if not all reformists, his presence makes many people uncomfortable.

His planned visit Indonesia on March 20-22, 2010, has sparked much debate. For instance, Hizbut Tahrir said it would rally 5,000 supporters to stage a demonstration in Surabaya.

In Serang, Banten province, the Campus Islamic Proselytization Institute has also argued that Obama’s visit would not benefit Indonesian Muslims. It is obvious that hard-line Islamists don’t appreciate Obama’s reformist characteristics.

In a seminar I attended in 2007 at the University of California, Berkeley, Dr. Angus Hawkins of Oxford discussed three types of leader: anchors, fixers and visionaries. An anchor leader brings and maintains balance, and Harold Wilson belongs to this category.

A fixer identifies and fixes problems for workable solutions. Clement Atlee is a fixer. A visionary searches, finds, and provides renewed fundamental principles. Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher belong to this category.

Of those three, Obama belongs to the fixer and visionary categories. And to become a visionary leader, one must possess 3Cs: consensus, charisma, and control. Tony Blair belonged to this category as well. This charming English bloke was as captivating as Obama. And perhaps the latter can learn from his senior on how to be both captivating and practical. Read the rest of this entry »

[This article was previously published in The Jakarta Post, February 25, 2010.]

by Jennie S. Bev

We all live as avatars. The term “avatar” refers to the projection of one’s personality, particularly over the Internet. While in Hinduism, an “avatar” is a reincarnation of Vishnu, in today’s society, it is nothing more than an image of ourselves that we wish to convey to the world. “Avatarism” is probably an appropriate term to refer to the practice of using a particular persona in a particular circumstance.

Most people wish to be recognized by at least one of their strong qualities, be they artistic, intellectual, musical or inspirational qualities. However, not all of them are fully aware of “packaging” their avatar. Read the rest of this entry »

My two homes are represented in two landmarks: Tugu Tani statue (Jakarta) and Golden Gate bridge (San Francisco Bay Area). I am coming home to the home of the statue.

Contrary to popular belief, I don’t live the lifestyle of a “celebrity.” I live in a suburb-rural area of Northern California, where there are acres of land and nature surrounding me. Occasionally, I travel the world for business meetings, family visits, and pleasure.

At the moment, I’m writing 3 major books: one on compassion, one on electronic commerce, and one memoir based on my life story. To have them published by a reputable NY publishing house, I would need a reputable literary agent. A while ago, I was approached by Jessica Faust of BooksEnd, LLC pertaining to writing a how-to book on Robert’s Rules, which I declined due to my limited familiarity in the topic. I might want to beam her again regarding my new manuscripts (most likely available by fall this year).

In between writing books and columns, I’m learning to fly a Cessna and preparing for the launching of an online university. The legality of the university has been completed and I’m currently working on curricula and technical infrastructure.

Wish me luck that I can finish all these gigantic tasks this year, so next year I can focus on applying for a PhD program in California –my home state– (and Harvard, just because my mom wants me to) and preparing for the launching of a cosmetics and fragrance company.

Thus, please accept my apology to avid readers who would like to meet me in a “meeting with fans” event, as I simply don’t have the time and energy to organize one. Thank you for your kind understanding.

Namaste.