Page 249: Sister and Paths

Hey you,

I know right now you think you want more than what you have right now. And you think it’s not greedy, it’s normal, it’s natural, because you always think that if a person wants things it means that that person needs them as well. And sometimes you’re just tired of hearing people telling you about letting go and say things will just get better or everything happens for a reason.

And yeah, life is a bitch sometimes.

And I feel you, my dear sister. I really do.

So shake those thoughts out of your head, that my life is way better than yours. That you have made stupid decisions and wish that you can turn back the time (you know we’re not in one of episodes of Fringe, or Star Trek, or Doraemon right?).

Regret is okay, but it’s there only to remind you that you shouldn’t repeat the same mistakes in the future. You’re wrong if you think that I’ve never had any regrets with what I’ve done. You have no idea how tired I was when those people told me to be just a little bit like you. You know, to be “a good girl”, less rebellious, can cook and bake, this and that. But I ignored them anyway because I knew it’s pointless and stupid to compare two people just because they’re sisters. And maybe now it’s your turn to ignore them when they say that you shouldn’t have done several things so you could have a life just like mine. They don’t know me that well..about my life, about my problems, about my thoughts, about how I see things in life. And I’m pretty sure they don’t know you that well and what you’ve been facing, and they say things because maybe they think that they’re that wise. Maybe they even think that they’re the next Dalai Lama.

And I know that I’m not that kind of sensitive sister who will always notice if you lose weight, or just cut your hair. You know I’m pretty insensitive and really dumb when it comes to read emotions. But I love you and care about you.

We took different paths, and now you’re dealing with steep part of yours just like I’m facing mine.
We took different paths embellished with different stories, dramas, and bitterness.
We took different paths and that’s that.

Page 248: Low Cost Cars? Really?

“Four of Japan’s top automotive manufacturers are set to produce cheap and green cars in Indonesia by the end of the year.
And while the government has agreed to exempt the vehicles from the luxury tax to boost domestic sales, the vehicle industry has condemned the alternative decision to impose an excise tax.
The four companies — Toyota, Daihatsu, Suzuki and Honda — plan to produce a combined 500,000 low-cost green cars (LCGC) a year with total investment at $1.8 billion, according to Industry Minister M.S. Hidayat.

The plans follow the introduction of a government program offering carmakers incentives if they manufacture LCGC in the country as parts of an effort to make Indonesia an automotive production base for Southeast Asia and promote the use of local content.

“This program will employ many workers, from the primary industry to the spare-parts industry,” Hidayat said on Friday.

Still, the manufacturers are seeking to secure significant incentives from the government before deciding to proceed.”

Full article - go to jakarta globe

My brain had frozen for a moment after I read the news, right before I started to curse on how stupid that decision was. Really? Dude, you don’t need to be a genius to think that this plan would only worsen the city’s already clogged streets. Why don’t you just upgrade the current public transportation? We don’t need more cars in the street to make us more cynical about the traffic that we have to face every single day. Oh dear lord.

image courtesy: http://indonesiaurbanstudies.blogspot.com