Anti-war protests are heating up everywhere including Malaysia. Here at Jalan Thamrin, Jakarta, there is one almost every Sunday. Just outside the Internet Cafe where I'm typing this, looks like another protest by Muslim groups is just about to start. This spot here, right in front of the Hard Rock Cafe and the popular 24-hour McDonalds (apt symbols of American culture and influence), has become the hub for anti-American protests.

Yesterday I had a meal at McDonalds. I had to walk through a metal screen and have my bags checked by security personnel. Saw a McDonalds ad on Indonesian TV the other day; basically a PR one, extoling how McDonalds had helped to create many job opportunities for young Indonesians. I'm not very fond of fast-food. Maybe because we already have our local ones - noodles stalls, mamak stalls in Malaysia and roadside hawkers. And they certainly taste a lot better.