Makan ibn Kaki

Abu Mansur Makan ibn Kaki (died 25 December 940) was a Daylamite military leader active in northern Iran (esp. Tabaristan and western Khurasan) in the early 10th century. He became involved in the succession disputes of the Alids of Tabaristan, and managed to establish himself as the ruler of Tabaristan and Gurgan for short periods of time, in competition to other Daylamite warlords such as Asfar ibn Shiruya or the Ziyarid brothers Mardavij and Vushmgir. He alternately opposed and secured support from the Samanid governors of Khurasan, and eventually fell in battle against a Samanid army.

Biography

Like his father, Makan served as an officer in the army of the Alids of Tabaristan, a Zaydi branch of the Alids that had established an independent emirate in Tabaristan, on the southern shore of the Caspian Sea, which periodically included some neighbouring regions (Daylam, Gilan and Gurgan) as well. Makan had established family ties through marriage with the Alids, as Ja'far, the son of imam Hasan ibn Ali al-Utrush (r. 914–917), was his son-in-law. The latter was engaged in a complex struggle against al-Utrush's designated successor Abu Muhammad Hasan ibn Qasim (r. 917–928), known as the Da'i ila'l-Haqq ("Missionary of the True Faith"), and it was not until 923 that Ja'far and his brother Ahmad succeeded in ousting the Da'i and forcing him to exile. Makan was then appointed governor of Gurgan, the easternmost province of the Alid emirate. When Ja'far died in 924, he left the throne to Ahmad's son Abu Ali Muhammad, but Makan deposed Muhammad and installed his own grand-nephew Ismail, a son of Ja'far, in his place. Muhammad, however, managed to escape from his captors and with the aid of the Daylamite military chief Asfar ibn Shiruya, who had seized control of Gurgan, defeated Makan and retook his throne.

Pondok Indah

Pondok Indah is an upscale residential area in Kebayoran Lama, South Jakarta, Indonesia. Dubbed the 'Beverly Hills' of Indonesia, this is a much sought-after suburb by expatriates due to the proximity to the Jakarta International School. Ciputra & Brasali, Indonesia's pioneers real estate developer and the Metropolitan Kentjana Group built Pondok Indah in the 70s into the most prestigious and complete residential complex and commercial area in Indonesia.

Reportedly, the median salary for expatriate residents is US$ 557,200 annually plus benefits; however, this is difficult to verify as the Indonesian government does not publicly release these figures. Houses in this suburb can run upwards to millions of U.S. dollars. Many mansions in the area comprise one to three floors, with designated quarters for household staffs. Many of the larger mansions are inhabited by wealthy Indonesians. The 'Jakarta Post' estimates that 74.5% of residents in Pondok Indah are expatriates, following their annual survey of Indonesia. (Jakarta Post, issue 6 edition 21, January 6, 2007) Most expatriate children in the suburb attend the Jakarta International School. Younger children are commonly accompanied to school by their nannies..