Unspun

@Martin: Thanks and glad to see you on the list too.

@Rockybru: Thanks bro for the kind words but its really the doing of all those readers in Indonesia and malaysia. Thanks to all of you guys too.

@Jakartass: Ah, Jakartass, the self-appointed champion and sheriff of expat bloggers in Indonesia: It is scary to think that once you were a teacher of young minds. One can only wonder the number of dishonest tricks in argument they must have picked up.

“Self-criticism is all very well…”

You know that was not the intention, yet you chose to take a swipe. Argument by misrepresentation.

“…but you’re the only expat blogger I’ve come across who’s ever been negative about other bloggers here.

Argument by exaggeration probably a variation of Dishonest Argument #2 of Thouless’s Straight and Crooked Thinking
. You sure you want to stand by that statement, because all Unspun has to do is to find one blogger who’s critical – you term it negative, an emotional word and another dishonesty (See Dishonest argument #1) – and your argument here falls to bits.

“…but most of us (’expats’) are encouraged that so many Indonesians are now articulating their emotions and opinions openly.”

I think Dishonest Argument #24: Suggestion by false credentials. Again, a self-appointed sheriff is not the spokesperson for expats. I am sure that if they have opinions they can all speak for themselves without you being claiming to speak with the authority of expat bloggers (although you may represent the viewpoint a narrow grouping of expat bloggers).

“There’s a hell of a lot of colonial history and ’subjugation’ to overcome, something that Malaysians supposedly achieved in 1957 (?) when we Brits retreated to our island home.”

What’s this got to do with the price of fish? Dishonest argument #7: Proof by inconsequent argument.

“Many observers have been surprised at the general level of maturity displayed by Indonesians in their writing.”

Which observers? Or is it Jakartass channelling himself in all his personas?

And me not having “given links to those blogs in English?”

Whose blog is this anyway? Last time I checked, if it is your blog you can give links and take away links to anyone, Sheriff. I believe the idiom that describes this attitude in Indonesian is “sudah makan ati mau ampela nya” and in Malaysian: “Seperti Belanda minta tanah.”

@Indcoup: Why do you think I am always trying to create divisions? I’d have to conclude that you’re extremely thin skinned and that you think that my references to “some” refers to you and the whole non-Indonesian population.

One who exactly believe Indonesians can’t blog: here’s one that goes by the name softsell in the e-mail chain in which you guys tried to claim that those of us organizing Pesta Blogger were ding it for commercial interests, political interests, financial gain and other dirty thoughts that came to your minds.

Softsell: “The truth is that expat bloggers are not a big factor in the Indonesian bloggersphere? Ergo, Indonesian bloggers ARE? Bit like the state of Indonesian journalism you know – “Indonesians should be the ones writing about Indonesia’ one of them once said to Keith Loveard one of my mentors – he agreed, as I do, but don’t hold your breath………You are dead right Tel – you English language bloggers are the link to the outside world – that’s recognition with a capital R………Roy Simpson was constructively dismissed by a crowd of has beens who managed to persuade Laksamana Sukardi to change his world class Laksamana Net to a blog. Fine, except they forgot that Roy was the poorly paid slave who brought in the big hits. They even removed the Laksamana net database of articles from cyberspace – gone for ever – just like any serious interest in ‘paras Indonesia” !”

Pissheads who have been building their readership for how many years as opposed to the other upstarts who have started over the past one or two years? Sure, its a great achievement and first movers have great advantage. Cheers.

@Jakartass:

“Strange, also, that most of your posts are about Malaysia or are second-hand bits of gossip about other spinners of the truth. What is the relevance of this blog to life in Indonesia?

Read the description of the blog: “Deciphering Indonesia, Malaysia and other stuff.” Duh.

Moi the self appointed sheriff for helping to organize Pesta Blogger? Puhlese. Let’s see you do one better next year. I’d gladly hand over the organizer’s reins to you. Up to the challenge to put your money or reputation where your mouth is?

@Toshi: And so you should. The rest of us do not need sheriffs.