Comparative charts of Indonesian economic development indicators, or why Malaysia is just better.

A secular based moral education system is the way forward for Indonesia, says Ben.

Reading Ambassador (Duta Baca Indonesia), television celebrity Tantowi Yahya said at the proclamation event in Pontianak for the "West Kalimantan Reads" movement that Indonesians were not voracious readers for largely reasons of poverty:

"Above all it's based on economic factors, on whether families can afford to buy books and newspapers."

Poor families would naturally prioritise food, school fees, and school textbooks, over the purchase of recreational reading material.

He suggested two methods to ameliorate the problem:

• libraries; from the national down to the village level, to enable poor people access to books for free
• parents, especially mothers, should read in front of their children regularly, to sow an interest in reading in their spawn

Tantowi Yahya extolling the virtues of reading

However on at least the first point - libraries - Tantowi said Indonesia still had very far to go in providing adequate public facilities, and that most regional government heads had little interest in developing library facilities:

How many local politicians campaign on building up library infrastructure?

There was one bright spot, he said, that being the province of Riau, where the Governor had built a very big and comprehensive public library right next door to his own office building: [1]

The example of Riau has to be followed in other regions.

Starlet Chelsea Olivia on virginity testing for prospective female students of high schools.

The woeful English speaking skills of Indonesian beauty pageant contestants.

A Christian short stay type complex in Cisarua, Bogor is burned to the ground by the 'Puncak Line'.

Criteria for passing in Depok schools, Ujian Nasional test results plus religious knowledge.

State imposed religiosity and conformity, or freedom from woeful ignorance of holy texts.

Problematic religious schools on Java, which ones and police monitoring of them.

How hot are the fires in hell and how they are full of women.

The building of specifically Hindu religious schools for primary and secondary education in Bali.

Ross finds fault in employers' obsession with physical appearance.

Ross on the bigotry of teachers of religion in Islamic schools, ideological jilbabs, and Dewi Persik.

Ross rails forth on the ex faculty deacon of IPDN, Lexie M. Giroth, murder cover up convict and now promoted professor.

Three Indonesian institutions make it into the top 500 world's best universities list.

Discussion on Barack Obama's childhood and schooling in Indonesia.

Comparing cost of living in Indonesian cities, most expensive, Balikpapan to cheapest, Mataram.

Sadanand Dhume's My Friend the Fanatic - Travels with an Indonesian Islamist.

Therry says overseas educated Indonesian women are faced with prejudice back at home and poor choices on the men front.

Rima says the government creates distractions and the media willingly participate, to hide the real problems of Indonesia.

Areocam on whether the state or parents have the right and responsibility to prevent children's access to pornography.

The Indonesian way of death is too graphic for some.

Ross worries that western do-gooders are trying to have spanking and caning outlawed.

Sylvester questions the philosophy of education in Indonesian schools.

Janma wonders about the spirit of nationalism among young people today.

Arema wants to start a political party.