Dear Ali,

I was interested to see you quote me in the introduction to “Islamic

Democracy in Theory and Practice”.  I’ve explained how ALL major

institutions and businesses are regulated in a true democracy for

the good of the people who live in that system.  Notice, for example,

how your airline industry is now regulated by government to avoid

more people losing their lives.  This has been in the news all around

the world as a number of foreigners have been involved.  The

Garuda 737 crash landing at Yogyakarta Airport is a recent example.

I lost three friends from the Australian Embassy in that tragic accident

and one of the journalists I trained, Cynthia Banham, lost both her

legs.  She has just started working again for “The Sydney Morning

Herald” and is in a wheel chair until she’s fitted with artificial legs.

Indonesia’s broadcasting industry also needs regulating in the same

sort of way broadcasting (radio and TV) is controlled by government

laws in all the world’s older democracies.  And so on ….

Good luck with your Web Log (aka “blog”) and I’m very pleased

you’re keeping in touch.  So is Agus.  I hope to get to see you both

again before I’m too old!!!!

Best regards,

Tom 

Whos is Tom ? Check this : http://www.southbound.com.my/SB_UnderstandingMicronesia.htm

China has 37 million more males than females,  China has 345,000 millionaires, China has More Than 2.6 million websites. China has 162 million Internet users in 2007 (132 million Internet users in 2006), China now has 97 million broadband, users. China has about 440 million mobile phone users. The number of new HIV/AIDS infections in China was about 70,000 in 2005, with 25,000 deaths reported cross the country. Population hits 1.30756 bln by 2005: Survey.  China has 20 million bloggers.  China’s online sales to top 51 bln yuan in 2007, Economy Grew 9.9% in 2005, Statistics . China to have over 440 mln mobile phone users  Total number of journalists in China: 700,000.    By June 30, about a quarter of China’s 123 million Internet users were regularly engaged in on-line shopping, 50 percent more than the same time last year.   More than 89,000 killed on China’s roads in 2006.  China’s 2006 natural disasters killed over 3,000  The number of China-made movies reached 330 in 2006, up 27 percent over the previous year. 

I have been working with Japanese since 1980. I met almost every type of Japanese people such as Workers, Singers, Comedians, Journalists, businessmen, scholar and other Welknown Japanese artist. My personal attention to Japanese culture and their lives are almost interested and have made me, without realizing,  that I almost speak fluently (bera bera) in their Language.

In early year I met Japanese, when I was around twenties, I felt that Japanese way of life was different with current situation. For example when I worked with them at early beginning time, say in 1980~2000, most of them were almost old man. I was almost the youngest among them at the time. The young man was always stayed behind them. “Wakai desu kara” (Because they are Young). But nowadays I don’t see that situation happening. It seems that the young people have taken over the place and stay in front. And now when I work with them I am almost the oldest in the group.

Tsunoda-san, who was JICA Consultant, wrote me that Young Japanese now have more earn income with less experience and the old people have less income but more experiences and he said ; ” wakai desu kara “