Economic Article

Holiday Season

2011-12-06T08:03:00.000+07:00

Long weekend is a long-awaited moment a lot of people to eliminate the tired routines leave for a moment to re-create the body and mind become fresh. No wonder many people are taking ration coupled with the long holiday sabbatical in order to enjoy a longer holiday.

The tradition of the people of Indonesia for homecoming (returning home) is ingrained throughout the region. not only Javanese people who do it, but almost all areas even for people who wander out Indonesai negeripun do. Given the current density at each ahead of the holiday homecoming danjang, the travelers is difficult to get tickets according to what he wanted. Although no price has doubled. ticket agents and travel companies are considered as the party raise the price. Tiketpun brokers do not miss these opportunities to reap the benefits.

Actually the government has issued regulations regarding the upper limit and lower limit for airfare, bus or other transportation back and forth. But the fact remains there is an increase in field tickets that go beyond the specified limits. For airline companies usually abide by the rules that have been set by the government, but often there are several elements which cooperate with ticket scalpers ticket that causes a rare and people are forced to buy through brokers that cost far more expensive than listed on the ticket.

TIP: To Which Will Vacation
Based on my experience and also my friend's friends, there are a few tips that might be useful for you all:
1. Plan your holiday from the far-distant day. eg for a plane ticket Eid, a year before D-day tickets usually can already be booked. Be careful in determining the date of departure if you will be buying tickets promo, promo tickets because usually it will be difficult if you have to do flight schedule changes. executive for train tickets and tickets are already sold 40 business days prior to departure and economic train one week before the day of departure.
2. Prepare your luggage to be brought. Bring items that you really need it. the more goods you bring you will be more troublesome and also passengers. Separate place your personal items in places easily accessible. such drugs should not be included into the trunk, because if you suddenly need it will be hard to pick it up.
3. Bring cash as needed. bring the money in the form of an ATM card or other shopping cards are safer than carrying cash in large numbers.
4. Avoid striking appearance and Nudity. Wearing sexy clothing, flashy jewelry that will invite crime.
5. If not get a ticket, your trip should be postponed. Do not buy tickets at brokers or in a place that is not official if it is not very forced at all.

Civet coffee (Luwwak Coffee) mint flavors

2011-09-30T11:08:00.001+07:00

What do you think if you hear about Givet Coffee or Luwak coffee? Will you be my think about coffee with special coffee taste. Luwak coffee verry famous in the word because of the taste. The price of Civet Coffee is verry expensive, but the price is worth a taste. So what do you think if you hear about Civet Coffee with min flavors?

As at the posting in the forum detik.com (http://forum.detik.com/wow-ada-kopi-luwak-rasa-mint-t290308.html) that in West Lampung is developing Luwak coffee mint flavors. With the development of civet coffee variant is expected to increase the attractiveness of West Lampung as a tourist destination in the province of Lampung.

Luwak coffee with mint flavour is a new variant of coffee flavor, Luwak coffee ment flavour-making ideas into a strategic move to boost sales of these products luwak coffee. Variations Luwak coffee products in West Lampung will impact on employers' economic improvement, other than that of the new product will add to the diversity of processed coffee products. ( Gunawan (38), luwak coffee entrepreneur from Way, Kecamatan Balik bukit, Lampung Barat, in Liwa

West Lampung is the largest coffee producing areas in Lampung Province. For half of the coffee region were developed as the main livelihood of local masyarat.

Kopi Luwak become one of the leading products in the district of West Lampung. Coffee product called West Lampungincreasingly recognized in foreign countries. Luwak coffee production is still limited mint flavor. Employers only meet consumer demand Based on the orders. Mint Luwak coffee prices reached Rp900.000/Kg.

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Spices from the Maluku

2011-09-26T14:11:00.000+07:00

Maluku known as the Thousand Island area and has a socio-cultural diversity and abundant natural wealth. The Dutch called it 'the three golden from the east' of Ternate, Banda and Ambon. Before the arrival of the Dutch, Portuguese writer and physician, Tome Pirez wrote the book 'Summa Oriental' who have engraved on Ternate, Ambon and Banda as 'the spices island '

The main commodities Maluku archipelago in terms of spices are cloves and nutmeg. Both commodities are now a symbol of the province of Maluku. Maluku Province is located in eastern Indonesia with the capital Ambon. fertile soil make the province of Maluku has abundant natural resources. not only well-known spice since antiquity, the sea was also already a commodity exports to several countries such as Japan and Thaialand.

After Splitting Provinis embarrassment, it gives birth to the northern province of Maluku. After the birth of North Maluku province is expected to natural resource management more leverage so as to increase the production of spices in north Maluku. until recently head of production at the new North Maluku reach 5,000 tons / year. nutmeg plantation area of 1,000 ha is one of the efforts of local governments to increase the production of nutmeg. with programs that support the development of production of spices and marine comodity in the next few years Maluku will get rich with the spices and the sea.

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Mudik Time

2011-08-23T07:20:00.001+07:00

Mudik or Homecoming is a tradition of Indonesian society during Idul Fitri arrived. The settled foreigner have prepared since long time back and forth time. for travelers that use train, They can buy the ticket 40 days before the day of homecoming time. for the travelers that use plane, They can bay the ticket about six months earlier.

Mudik usually do urbanites in cities to their rural homelands. Large cities become deserted while in the township became crowded during homecoming. Migrants from various regions gathered in their hometown. The gathering of the community is always accompanied by economic activity in the area. rural economy began to rise when going home arrived.

In addition to improving economic activity, the moment of going home can also be used as a means of promotion for rural communities. Many products - products that have a rural high economic value, but has been less developed due to lack of capital and marketing are not systematic. with the gathering of urban society from the urban, is expected to be intersting their interest to invest in goods from the countryside.

Urban communities are considered to have the ability to process the products produced in rural areas to be processed materials that have high economic value. Creative ideas and capital are expected to increase in the rural economy.

Selamat menjalankan Ibadah Shoum!

Selamat Mudik

Selamat Hari Raya Idul Fitri

The Effect of Infrastructure (Transport) to The Economic Growth

2011-08-10T07:43:00.001+07:00

Translated from : http://lubmazresearch.wordpress.com with Googletranslate

The development of infrastructure to economic development has a close relationship and interdependence with each other. repair and improvement of infrastructure in general will be able to increase the mobility of people, the creation of drop shipping the goods, the presence of the transport of goods with higher speeds, and improved quality of services such transportation.

At this crucial infrastructure problems to be addressed on the agenda of local government, because the infrastructure is a major determinant of the sustainability of development activities, such as to achieve economic development targets both qualitatively and quantitatively. In the short-term infrastructure development will create jobs in the construction sector medium and long term will support increased efficiency and productivity related economic sectors. So that infrastructure development can be considered as a strategy to encourage economic growth, poverty reduction, improved quality of life, increased mobility of goods and services, and can reduce the cost of domestic and foreign investors (Marsuki, 2007).
The relationship of infrastructure to economic growth is directly infrastructure provides benefits to households (household) and also much enjoyed by the company which led to economic growth and ultimately provide welfare Prud'homme (in Briceno et al, 2004).

The linkage between the infrastructure (transport sector) with partumbuhan economic context of government spending (Government spending) transport sector in accordance with the Theory Keyles (in Gardner Ackley, 1961) states that the activities of government seeping into all areas of assuming a closed economy, where Y is economic growth, C is consumption, G is the volume of government spending, and I is investment.

Systematically have the identity as follows: Research on the effects of public investment in infrastructure (in this case the transport and communications) on the growth made by Easterly and Rebelo in 1993. Using assessment as a helper variable to avoid linking the two endogenous variables and the possibility of reciprocal causal relationships. With the pool method of regression, found that public investment in infrastructure has always been a positive relationship with relatively high coefficients of between 0.59 to 0.66 on the growth.
In encouraging the development of infrastructure, the government as a major player in the infrastructure sector should maintain the sustainability of development investments in infrastructure and prioritize infrastructure development plans, so the infrastructure can be improved both in quantity and quality. Infrastructure development should involve the private sector and communities to achieve sustainable development. There must be a right combination between large and small scale infrastructure to achieve the target income distribution and poverty reduction. For that we need a more integrated approach in infrastructure development from planning to service to the community, to ensure synergy across sectors, regions and territories. In more detail the provision of infrastructure to economic development are: (Basri, 2002).
1. Accelerate and provide the necessary goods.
2. Availability of infrastructure will enable the availability of goods for more people with a cheaper cost.
3. A good infrastructure can facilitate the transport which in turn stimulates the stabilization and reduce the price disparity among regions.
4. Infrastructure that facilitate the transport services led to the production areas can be transported and sold into the market.

Macroeconomic Assumptions Revised 2011

2011-07-11T08:25:00.004+07:00

The economy is expected to grow about 6.5% in the State Budget Changes (APBN-P). The number is higher than the 2011 state budget assumption of 6.4%. This was conveyed by Deputy Finance Minister Anny Ratnawati, while Working Meeting (Meeting) with the Commission XI of the House of Representatives (DPR) at the Parliament House Senayan, Jakarta on Wednesday (06/07).

In line with the improving global economy and domestic, there is a change in the estimated sources of growth in GDP (Gross Domestic Product). "Sources of GDP growth in 2011 came from public consumption by 4.9%, 5.1% government consumption, PMTB (Gross Fixed Capital Formation) 9.5%, 14.1% of exports and imports 17.3%," explains Wamenkeu. Estimated GDP growth in 2011 will be the highest growth since the crisis of 1997/1998.

According Wamenkeu, is expected to shift the composition of the sources of growth. Rising oil prices in 2011 is estimated to boost the mining sector. While the estimated normal weather conditions and a variety of policies to increase agricultural productivity, is expected to enhance the growth of the agricultural sector.

Meanwhile, the inflation rate in 2011 is expected to be in the range of 6%, higher than the budget assumption for 2011 of 5.3%. The rate of annual inflation in June 2011 reached 5.54% (year on year), or higher than the same period in 2010 amounted to 5.05%. This occurs along with the increase in world commodity prices and continued high global demand.

NES 3-month interest rate will be the reference calculation of debt payments to replace SBI 3 months. Wamenkeu conveyed, during the first six months of 2011, NES 3-month interest rates fluctuate. "At the last auction, on June 21, 2011, interest rates SPN 3 months amounted to 5.44%," he said.

Problem strengthening of the rupiah, Wamenkeu argues, the average value of the rupiah in 2011 estimated at $ Rp8.800/US level. Reinforcement is influenced by several things. First, the strong capital inflows into the domestic market. Then, the increase in direct investment is encouraged by the improving investment climate and macroeconomic stability. Finally, the positive sentiment from the sovereign credit rating that will reach investment grade.

For the price of oil, the Government set a U.S. $ 95/barel in APBN-P 2011. "The average ICP (Indonesia Crude Price) January to June 2011 amounted to U.S. $ 111.0 / barrel, higher than the budget assumption of U.S. $ 80.0 / barrel," said Wamenkeu. He added, the average oil lifting the period December 2010 to May 2011 reached 888 thousand barrels per day (bpd), below the budget target in 2011.

Macroeconomic Assumptions 2011
GDB (Trillion Rp)		7.019,9
Growth(%)		6,4
Inflation (%)		5,3
Exchange Rate ($/Rp)		9.250,0
SBI 3 bln (%)		6,5
Oil Price (US$/brl)		80,0
Oil Lifting (Thousand.brl/day)		0.970
Coal Prod. (Million tons)
GasLifting (MMSCFD)
APBN 2011 (In Trillion)
Gov. Revenue			1.104,9
-	Tax Revenue		850,3
-	Non Tax Revenue		250,9
-	Grant		3,7
Expenditure			1.229,6
-	Cent. Gov. Expenditure		836,6
-	Regional Expenditure		393,0
Financing			124,7
-	Domestic		125,3
-	International		-0,6

Source www.fiskal.depkeu.go.id

13th salary (Gaji ke-13) paid by Governments to the civil servants (PNS)

2011-07-07T07:53:00.002+07:00

The government has prepared to disburse 13th salery this Jul. Policy to give 13th salery to civil servants since the government started Abdul Rahwan Wahin (Gusdur). Many pik that welcomes this policy as it is considered very effective to help the staff of the government to improve their welfare.

13th salery awarded in July or early to know the new school. So it is very helpful for civil servants to send their children to new school. This was confirmed by the Minister of Finance.

--<depkeu.go.id>--

Minister of Finance Agus D.W. Martowardojo affirmed that 13th salary paid by Governments to the civil servants (PNS) is a mandate of Law. It was submitted by the Minister of Finance when he was met after the plenary meeting with House of Representatives (DPR) in Parliament House Senayan, Jakarta, Tuesday (05/07).

Minister said, the 13th salary payment is a mandate of Law, so it is Governments’ obligation to conduct it. “Because of Law, we have to prepare the 13th salary,” he said.

Besides that, for smooth implementation, central governments remind local governments to always maintain their budget health, including in the case of 13th salary payment. “So, regions have to maintain their budget health. That there is region that is objected or imposed, it is a consequence that they have to prepare because of 13th salary payment,” he said.

Minister explained, the regulation regarding 13th salary payment has been finished to discuss. This regulation has been finalized and ready to run on this July. “We are done and it has run this month.

--<depkeu.go.id>--

13th salery given for one month salary. If this is converted to a salary increase, then the same with a salary increase of 1 / 12 or by 8.43%. But if the government giveit in the form of a salary increase of 8:34% then this will cause price increase or inflation which has been used to accompany the increase in salaries of civil servants.

13th salary (Salary to-13) must be paid Earlier

In the month of June is usually the parents are busy looking at schools for their children. At times like that's supposed salery 13th salary is provided at the beginning of June so pns already have the money when looking for schools for their children.

CALCULATING PROFIT SHARING iB

2011-05-29T06:40:00.000+07:00

Profit sharing in Islamic banks - Perbankan Syariah - use the term profit sharing ratio, that is the proportion of profit sharing between the customer and the Islamic bank. For example, if customer service Islamic banks offer profit sharing ratio of 65:35 iB Savings. That means customers of Islamic banks would get the result by 65% of the investment return generated by the Islamic banks through the management of public funds in the real sector. Meanwhile, Islamic banks would get a portion of revenue sharing by 35%.How to calculate the revenue sharing?

For financing products / deposits of Islamic banks, such as Savings iB and Deposit iB, the determination of the profit sharing ratio is influenced by several factors: the type of deposit, the estimated investment income and bank operational costs. Only iB deposit products with an investment scheme (mudaraba) who get the return for the results. Meanwhile, for deposit products iB with deposit scheme (wadiah), return that was given in the form of bonuses.

First of all calculates the level of investment income that can be distributed to customers. Expected investment income is calculated by Islamic banks to look at the performance of economic activity in sectors that become an investment destination, for example in the property sector, trade, agriculture, telecommunications or transportation sectors. Each economic sector has different in characteristics and performance, so will provide investment returns in different as well. As befits a manager of investment, Islamic banks will use a variety of economic and financial indicators that can reflect the performance of the sector is to calculate the expectations / projections of investment returns. Including historical indicators (track record) from investing activities of Islamic banks has been done, as reflected by the average value of all types of financing iB that had been given to the real sector. From the calculation, it can be obtained from the amount of investment income in the form of equivalent rate-that will be distributed to customers for example by 11%.

Furthermore, calculated the amount of investment income which is a section forIslamic banks themselves, to cover operational costs while providing a reasonable income. The amount of operating costs depending on the level of efficiency of each bank. Meanwhile, a fair amount of revenues, among others, refer to the financial indicators of Islamic banks in question such as ROA (Return On Assets) and other relevant indicators. From the calculation, shows that Islamic banks requires investment income, which also counted in the equivalent rate-for example at 6%.

From both these figures, then the profit sharing ratio can be calculated. The portion of the results for our customers is: [11% divided (11% +6%)] = 0.65 or 65%. And for the results to Islamic banks amounted to: [6% divided (11% +6%)] = 0:35 or 35%. So the ratio for the results then can be written as 65:35.

Of course, in practice iB customers not need bother with a difficult calculation for the results of this kind. Society just ask how many rate indicative of the Savings Deposit iB iB or she is interested. Rate this indicative rate is the equivalent value of the investment income will be distributed to customers, expressed as a percentage eg 11% or 8% or 12%. So the community with a fast and easy to calculate how much profit to be earned in the savings and invest in Islamic banks. Very easy isn’t it?

quoted from www.bi.go.id

Effect of the digital revolution in consumer behavior and marketing

2011-05-09T09:42:00.004+07:00

Digital revolution is a massive change in the use of digital tools. Digital revolution is meant here is the use of advanced technology in marketing.

Effect of digital revolution has caused a drastic change to the business environment, this can be seen as follows:

1. Consumers have more power than ever before.

2. Consumers have access to more information than ever before.

3. The marketers can offer more products and services than ever before.

4. The exchange between marketers and consumers will be more interactive and spontaneous.

5. Marketers can gather more information about consumers to quickly and easily.

Consumer Behavior:

Is the behavior of consumers, where they can illustrate the quest to buy, use, evaluate and improve their products and services. Focus of consumer behavior is how individuals make decisions to use the resources they have available to consume a product.

Two types of consumer

1. Personal Consumer: The consumer buys or uses goods or services for their own use.

2. Organizational Consumer: The consumer buys or uses goods or services to meet the needs and running the organization.

Production Concept

Consumers are generally more interested in products that are cheaper. Absolute is known that the object of marketing is cheap, efficient production and distribution-intensive.

Product Concept

Consumers will use or purchase products offered are high quality, best performance and feature-complete feature.

Selling concept

Marketers have the overriding goal of selling a product which unilaterally decided to produce.

Marketing Concept

The company wants consumers to know through research that has been done before, and then produce products that consumers want. This concept is called the marketing concept.

Market segmentation

Dividing the group of heterogeneous market into homogeneous groups of market.

Market targeting

Selecting one or more segments that identify the company to determine.

Positioning

Develop a different idea for goods and services that exist in the minds of consumers.

Providing customer value is defined as the ratio between the benefits perceived resources (economic, functional and psychological) are used to generate these benefits. Gains have been felt in the form of a relative and subjective.

Customer satisfaction is the individual's perception of the performance of the product or service in relation to expectations.

Maintaining customers is how to maintain that consumers remain loyal to one firm compared to other companies, almost in all business situations, more expensive to find new customers than retain existing ones.

Source : organisasi.org

Inflation

2011-04-25T07:10:00.003+07:00

In simple inflation is defined as the increase in general prices and continuously. The increase in the price of one or two items alone can not be called except when rising inflation was widespread (or the resulting price increase) on other goods. The opposite of inflation is called deflation.

Indicators are often used to measure the rate of inflation is the Consumer Price Index (CPI). Changes in the CPI from time to time showing the price movement of a package of goods and services consumed by society. Since July 2008, the package of goods and services in the CPI basket has been done on the basis of Cost of Living Survey (SBH) in 2007 conducted by the Central Statistics Agency (BPS). Then, the BPS will monitor the price development of goods and services on a monthly basis in several cities, in traditional and modern markets for some types of goods / services in each city.

Other inflation indicators based on international best practice include:

Wholesale Price Index (WPI). Wholesale Price of a commodity is the price of the transaction between the seller / merchant the first major with a buyer / trader next big market in large numbers at the first of a commodity. [More detailed explanation about the WPI can be viewed at the web site www.bps.go.id Statistics]

Gross Domestic Product Deflator (GDP) price level measurements describe goods (final goods) and services produced within an economy (country). GDP deflator is produced by dividing nominal GDP at current prices by GDP at constant prices.

Grouping Inflation

Inflation as measured by the CPI in Indonesia is grouped into 7 groups of expenditures (based on the Classification of individual consumption by purpose - COICOP), namely:

1. Food Group

2. Food Groups So, Beverage, and Tobacco

3. Housing Group

4. Clothing

5. Group Health

6. Group Education and Sports

7. Transport and Communications Group.

Source: Bank Indonesia

Theory of (the) Second Best in the ASEAN-India Free Trade Area (AIFTA)

2011-04-11T07:36:00.001+07:00

Economic integration is a response from the Theory of (the) Second Best from Canadian economist who coined by economist Richard Lipsey and Kelvin Lancaster Australia-America in 1956. This theory states that ideally the world economy is free trade where there is free competition and there are no barriers to trade (trade barriers). Economic integration into the second best choice (second best option) because in practice in this world is very difficult to eliminate trade barriers.

This theory assumes that in the current economic market failure in certain sectors, which caused low levels of efficiency in the sector and while in other sectors may have reached an efficient level, it is expected the economy would be better to merge the two markets different and will eliminate another level of inefficiency of the other market. Merger process is known as economic integration.

The concept of competitiveness as a comparative advantage introduced by the theory of comparative advantage by David Ricardo in 1817 through his book On the Principles of Political Economy and Taxation, known as the Ricardian model. However, comparative advantage was first expressed by Robert Torrens in 1815 in an essay published in the Corn Laws.

Measurement of the competitiveness of the most popular use is Revealed Comparative Advantage (RCA), which measures the comparative advantage. Balassa (1965) uses to measure a country's comparative advantage dengaan compile an index known as the Balassa Index. This index identifies whether a country has a comparative advantage that can be shown but not to determine the origin of its comparative advantage. This definition has undergone revision and modification so that the use of RCA as a measurement of comparative advantage vary as at the global level, sub-global/regional or bilateral between two countries as trading partners.

A study by the Fiscal Policy Board concluded that given the similarities in products which have export competitiveness, the trade policy related to exports and imports such as import duties and export taxes can affect competitiveness. Second, for items that are included in a group of products where a country's export and import, there are two possible impacts of trade AIFTA creation or trade diversion. This impact is dependent on changes in relative prices of products exported or imported by any scheme of tariff reduction or elimination AIFTA. On the product in the group that does have a very high competitiveness, then to maintain or improve competitiveness, then that can be done is product differentiation. Third, in each of the ten export products of Indonesia, India and ASEAN, with the highest competitiveness in the period 2000-2009, not seen consistency in the position of the competitiveness of products that do not show the export product specialization. And lastly, the comparison between India's exports to Indonesia with ASEAN showed differences in export market in India and ASEAN, while India's exports to ASEAN and ASEAN in addition to Indonesia is relatively the same. Indirectly, this export market differences indicate differences in access to productive resources and technology between Indonesia and the ASEAN as a whole.

Based on the above conclusion, we recommend:
1. Policies related to import duties need to consider their impact on the level of competitiveness of export products.
2. With the factors that influence and determine the level of competitiveness of export products, the trade policy on products that already have competitiveness should focus on efforts to maintain or improve competitiveness through product differentiation.
3. With the factors that influence and determine the level of competitiveness of export products, the trade policy on products that do not have competitiveness should focus on product differentiation. Within the framework AIFTA, then the scheme reduction and elimination of import duties aimed at trade strategy creation.

Comparison of silver and gold

2011-03-28T08:32:00.000+07:00

Historical facts

In the past, gold and silver are considered a symbol of wealth and power of the king. The more gold and silver owned by the king, the higher the position of the king in the eyes of the people and the other kingdom. Gold and silver are commonly used as currency, jewelry and even used the throne as a symbol of greatness. But there are differences between them. Gold is more valuable and have a high position in terms of social status in the community owner. This view is further maintained for many years until now.

The availability of abundant silver

In nature availability of silver is more than gold. So that gold became scarcer and the selling price even higher. In other words, the more limited availability, gold becomes more exclusive than the silver. This is an effect on the price of gold and silver.

Academic assessment

In some states a lot of scientific work associated with the ratio of the value of gold and silver. And of course the value of gold is higher than the silver. In some poems also often use gold and silver as the ratio between the two different things.

In the case of medals, gold, silver, placed under

In a tournament, gold has always given to the first winner, while the silver for the second. gold value was more dominant than the silver.

But in the next few years it may have its turn. As in my previous posting

Silver will outperform Gold

2011-03-08T07:41:00.001+07:00

Optimistic tone of the narrative it becomes part of the President Director of HMV Bullion, Vizal Fepwarmen, during their presentation to the media about the investment in Batam on Monday (03/07/2011).

According to records Vizal, world gold price since March 2010 until now risen 30 percent. Now gold reached 1438 U.S. dollars per troy ounce. "But in the same period, silver prices rose 110 percent," said Vizal.

He added that the current silver price per troy ounce in the range of 1 U.S. dollar. The price of a kilogram of silver was still 42 times cheaper than a kilogram of gold. "But wait three or four years into the future, the price of silver will be more than gold," he said.

Silver eventually become expensive because of its uniqueness. Silver this has been part of photography equipment, health, until the jewelry no one recycles. Moreover, rod-shaped silver-certified that it produced for investment purposes.

Vizal said that consumers are reluctant to accept silver bullion, certified scratched or dirty. "If conditions are such that silver prices will fall," he said.

Gold always be a part of recycled goods, such as watches to jewelry. In conclusion, over time become unique gold rather than silver.

However, Vizal recognize need much explanation to the general public was increasingly choosing to silver as a vehicle for investing. "We must teach to the community," said Vizal.

HMV Bullion, said Vizal, is a company selling the precious metal gold and silver.

Company based in Batam, Riau Islands Province, was executed with the online system, "We present real time information for gold and silver prices," said Vizal Fepwarmen.

It is all predictions Vizal Fepwarmen. Now the choice is your hands, Silver or Gold

Quoted from kompas.com

Retirement Investing

2011-03-03T13:10:00.000+07:00

Used Traditional Investment for Retirement Investing

Saving for retirement is the same as saving for other things. Here are some investment options to prepare for your retirement.

Stock

Stocks provide the highest growth potential of all Retirement Investments but also come with the highest risk potential. Investing requires more attention, so you need a lot of time if want to invest in stocks.

Bond

Although the profit rate is lower than stocks, but bonds have the advantage in terms of a small risk. Bond has been chosen people with a reason.

Mutual Funds

Mutual funds are the container and the pattern of fund management / capital for the group of investors to invest in investment instruments available in the market by buying mutual funds. These funds are then managed by the Investment Manager (MI) into the investment portfolio, whether it is stocks, bonds, money market or securities / other security.

As retirement investing, mutual funds can be a good way to diversity your portfolio without micromanagement that may be involved. Mutual fund allocation decisions must be made based on what types of stocks or bonds they invest in along with the type of asset allocation in the mutual fund itself.

Retirement Investment Retirement Account

When saving for retirement, you have several tools that are not available for other investment types. This Retirement Investing which was built specifically to support your retirement investment. The following is a brief overview of various types of retirement investment accounts available.

IRA

Individual Retirement Account (IRA) is similar to a 401k with tax deferral feature. He only has a $ 5,000 annual contribution limit and no opportunity for employer contributions. Once you have fully contributed 401k, you should put the remaining money into the IRA until the limit is reached.

Annuity

Retirement annuities offered by life insurance companies and have a very high cost of around 3% per year. This instrument should only be used for pension investment if the special features offered commensurate with the cost of 3%. This investment retirement rather is driven by financial salespeople because the commission is very high that they provide. Make sure you get information before diving headlong into something that could very well be a poor investment choice for your retirement.

Property Investing Course

2011-02-28T15:57:00.003+07:00

It should be a good strategy in determining investment in the property, but it was not easy. There are different kinds of Property Investing courses - Seminars, Property Sourcing, Real Estate Investing Coaching, Home studies plus and much more. The first decision you need to make is "What kind of Property Investment Course I want to do".

In terms of determining the type of investment in proverti largely determined by your current circumstances. Someone who already has 10 properties may be looking for something different than someone who just started their trip investment property.

The main point that separates the investment program most of this property

· Some investment properties Colleges you step by step education or guidance on 'how to invest in property. Then after you finish the course investment property it's up to you to do the follow up of the knowledge you have gained.

· Other property investment program will be much more 'one and one' and really hold your hand as you go through the process of purchasing your investment property. Generally, this course will be 'source' is actually a property to you.

So the Property Investment Course If you choose?

Education and do it yourself approach

Let the professionals make decisions and approach to hold my hand

There is no right or wrong answer here, but it just depends on your personal situation.

Let's see some positive and negative aspects of both types of investment property only.

Education and do it yourself approach

This style is suitable for property investment are the people who have the desire (and time) to become a professional long-term investors. At the time this strategy will be difficult and you may even feel like giving up but if you choose a good course then you should feel supported enough to be able to put those instructions into action. The main benefit of this type of course is that once you have learned, understand and apply the information you will forever have these skills you want.

The best thing about most of the courses that property investment is that almost all 100% money back guarantee offer. This gives you the option of no risk to try the course and if he lives in the hope that then you can decide to save it.

Let the professionals make decisions and approach to hold my hand

This style is suitable for property investment are a number of different people. If you do not have enough time or just not interested to learn how to invest in property but wants the results of the few courses can be great. Or if you want to become a professional investor but feel like you need a helping hand with the first one or two properties that you buy - just to make sure you do everything right.

Generally, property investment program that includes sourcing property will cost a little more than programs that only offer education.

So what type of person are you? Remember that there is no right or wrong answers, you just need to find a property investment course that best suits your needs. The most important thing is that you actually take some action and start your property investment journey. If you have not bought an investment property then this time may feel like an impossible dream but trust me - once you start increasing your knowledge will be surprised how quickly you can begin to create a portfolio of properties.

property investment strategy

2011-02-23T13:17:00.003+07:00

Many people want to invest with high returns but with little risk. It is very difficult because in accordance with the principles of investment that hight risk hight return.

But it is not absolute. With knowledge of investment and by following the tips, tricks and suggestions listed below you can ensure that you avoid (or at least minimizing) any loss incurred on your investment

1.   Think long term
Property, whether land or buildings, is a long term investment. There might be situations where you might be able to earn some quick bucks by buying and selling property quickly but it is best to treat your investment as a long term option. You will be able to gain more profit due to capital appreciation over a longer period of time. You must know this situation.
2.   Select an appropriate location
Investing in property is very sensitive to the location. Good location areas will provide benefits in a relatively short time and considerable amounts. Select a location lang likely to develop in the near future. as an aid, you can see the city plan made by the local government.
3.   Take care with the loan
Do proper and comprehensive background research before going for a loan. Remember to read the fine print. Chose the minimum of interest rate with plat rate.
4.   Get advice from a financial expert
It is always recommended that you work in conjunction with a financial advisor or an accountant. This will ensure the correct procedures being followed as also avoid any pitfalls in the investment.
This is obviously not a comprehensive, let alone an exhaustive list. But keeping these tips in mind will go a long way in helping you plan your investment.
Although any type of real estate or property would be good investment, apartments are probably the best bet. The simple logic behind this is the fact that an apartment, apart from being a good and regular source of income for you, can also be turned into your own abode, if you feel like it. If you are looking for an apartment in Wollongong, you don’t need to look far; Invest Construct Pty Ltd is here for you. Based in the glorious Illawarra, Invest Construct Pty Limited has been involved in property development within the Wollongong City area since commencing operation in 1996. With a care for quality and value-for-money Invest Construct has adopted an in-house design and estimating policy resulting in the best possible outcome for investors and owner-occupiers.
The range of projects handled by this company is substantial and varied. Wollongong’s skyline today is replete with buildings that have been developed by Invest Construct. The range includes such developments as Abercrombie (1994), Rowland (1996), Osborne (1998), Atchison (2000), Loftus (2003) and Kembla (2005). All of these have become landmarks in the city and the company is currently selling The Shores and Best Western Wollongong

Affiliate Marketing On Facebook

2011-02-23T05:17:00.000+07:00

More and more people are using facebook every day. Mualai of children, adolescents, adults samapai with parents using facebook. more than 500 million active users on facebook individuals and 50% of that log in every day. 70% of facebook users not from USA. There are 190 countries and 20 million use facbook installed applications every day. 250 million are involved with a facebook to other external websites. Even mobile phones are used in interacting with others and their 200 million of them. More than 200 mobile operators in 60 countries promoting facebook. This shows great potential on facebook as a medium for marketing.

Facebook account you'll use for business should be different with your facebook account to socialize. A lot of facebook users were just for socialization only and we don't want them to go away. Let us keep our current facebook friends and interact with them naturally. Now having a new account in facebook for business is the best way in order to identify our specific viewers and audiences of interest. Ask some of your current friend to join your society and be honest of what it is all about. Load your wall with free knowledge of how to make money using your affiliate products. Do it everyday and invite more people all over the world. Facebook Group
What is facebook group? It is a special feature on facebook where we can create a specific group of our desire in a specified interest. This is a powerful tool we can use on facebook because it is a live forum platform where we can chat with each other live. Meaning, fresh ideas can be build here and more topic will be exposed here. A direct question and answer portion will be happening too. Search inside the facebook and join other group related to your product or topic. In this way you can widen your audience and you going to a have huge opportunity to sell your products.

Facbook Fan Page
It is another facebook tool where we can leverage and make the best of it. It is an extension to your website, blogs or affiliate site and promotes your product. There are tons of tool we can apply on your fan page and modify it until it will look more decent and convincing. Post banner in your fan page and more articles related to your product to sell. Remember, keep doing it everyday and you will achieve your goal as an affiliate marketer. Add more friends everyday and be professional in approaching them.

Choosing Business Location

2011-02-18T13:10:00.004+07:00

In a business, location is a very important role in achieving success. Especially in the retail business. Before determining the location of the retail business there are some things you need to note that later can be a consideration in determining the location of your retail business. Consider the following questions:

1. Who are your customers?

2. How do you visualize your building?

3. Do you know what you want to sell and what the benefits of your business?

4. Area where your retail, storage, office, or the size you need?

If you do not know the answers to these questions, it will be difficult for you to find that perfect location to produce the maximum profit for your retail store.

Commodity

Identify what type of product you sell, because some products will require certain types of locations. You need to know whether you should consider a shop, store or shop the special shopping.

1. Comfort items require easy access, allowing customers to make quick purchases. A mall would not be a good location for convenience goods. These products are low price and bought by many customers.

2. Specialty goods are more unique than most products and customers generally will not mind traveling out of the way to purchase the product. A specialty shops can also do well near other shopping stores.

3. A shopping stores typically sell at higher prices are often carried by the customer. Furniture, cars and clothing are examples of high-end products found in a store shopping. Because prices of goods, customers usually want to compare prices before making a purchase. Therefore, retailers would do well to find their shop in similar stores.

Population and Your Customers

Regional research carefully before making a final decision. Read local newspapers and talking with other small businesses in the area. Get the demographic location of the local library, trade room from the Census Bureau. These resources will give you information about, income and age of local residents. If you know who your target market, make sure you find the location where they live, work and shop.

Accessibility, Visibility and Traffic

An area with a lot of traffic does not mean that it will also generate a lot of customers. Retailers want to be placed where there are many buyers but only if the purchaser meets the definition of their target market. small retail stores to take advantage of the traffic near the larger stores.

1. How many people walk or take a train through the site?

2. Is the area served by public transport?

3. Can customers and delivery trucks easily in and out of the parking lot?

4. Is there adequate parking?

Depending on your type of business, it is wise to have somewhere between 5 and 8 parking spaces at 1,000 square feet of retail space.

Signage, Zoning and Planning

Before signing the lease, make sure you understand all the laws, policies and procedures relating to the location of your grocery store. Contact the local city hall and the commission zones for information about the regulations regarding signage. Ask about any restrictions that may affect your retail operations and future plans that could change the traffic, such as road construction.

Competition and Neighbors

Other business areas in the candidate location you really can help or hurt your grocery store. Determins if your type of business that is compatible to your store. For example, a high-end fashion boutiques may not be successful in the various discount stores. Place next to the nail salon or hair and may be doing more business.

Business coaches

2011-02-12T17:33:00.001+07:00

In each case every one need a teacher. Humans can learn from the seniors, the experience of others, books, or on natural events. Likewise, if you want to succeed in business in a relatively short time then we need teachers. There are several reasons why we need teachers in the business, such as:

1. Coach gives way of looking outside the box

It is impossible for everyone to look at him self. Coach can see what is the weakness of you. Like a chess game, people who see these games can usually be more to see the weaknesses of the players. Thus the coach could give advice to you in taking action

2. To make sure you stay on track

In every business there is usually a short-term plans, medium term and long term. Most of us difficult to continue to follow a predefined plan. Thus the coach can serve as a watchdog that will remind you if you've strayed far from the plan.

3. Coach can be a stabilizer Motivation and Energy

We know that the spirit can rise and fall. By engaging in an intensive program, coaches can work as a voltage stabilizer that stabilizes the spirit, to still have enough energy to the finish line. Coach has the ability for athletes “SPIRIT”, and energetic performing each exercise.

4. Coach Gives clear SUCCESS MAP

Like was driving to a destination, a driver will have difficulty if you do not have a guide, at least there should be a guide map and compass tool. Coach has two functions, namely to give a map / road and in the right direction towards success.

5. Resource brainstorming two-way

Imagine, how good a coach as well as discussing a mutual friend to build. Coach will give positive feedback about all the things that are constructive, and this is very powerful for mental and physical development of athletes. Be a very big opportunity is wide open if this strategic relationship built consistently.

On the sports field to the presence of coaches, even in your business. The competition is going on during the business life, have we as business owners realize the hidden dangers due to not having a business coach?

source : antaranews

Save your money when shopping

2011-02-08T21:50:00.000+07:00

Many people are addicted to shopping, especially women. Spending time and money for shopping has become commonplace. Things like this can make your head dizzy on how to manage your household budget. To fix this, here are some tips from me:

1. Use your money wisely. Take your money to taste according to your spending needs. Make your grocery list, and that is important to remember is "buy the things you really need and not the goods you want to be owned.

2. Before you go shopping you should know the estimate or price range of goods that you buy. Do not stare at one store only and try to find information on the price of other stores.

3. Shop at bargain prices. Based on your experience, certainly within a year there are certain times when the price of cheap goods, for example at the end of the year. Purchases of goods durable goods such as clothing and others who can you save it first. But this way is less suitable for people who always follow the latest model

4. You may shop in dollar stores where you can find items that are on sale and where prices are low. Although the quality of some items is not the same when you buy in malls and shopping galleries but the merchandises are still new and not yet used. These stores can provide you the best prices that can cope with on your budget.

5. Another way to save money while shopping is to economize the travel you make in finding the stores you want to buy an item. You may take a stop on your daily route to check if the items you buy regularly have not changed their prices or are still in the price of your budget. You may purchase the item even before you do your shopping schedule. This can save you fuel and time.

6. Try to find discount stores that offer quality items that have discounts and can offer a very affordable price on your desired item. The prices on discount stores may vary depending on the season of the year. These stores can be located in large shopping areas like in malls and shopping galleries.

Make Business Out of Foreclosed Homes

2011-02-04T07:46:00.001+07:00

At first glance, the prospect does not seem to spoil for those wishing to start their own business on the side while holding day jobs. It also may seem risky for those who want to jump into the business of selling real estate full time since the hotel was the former.

home for sale

Small-time investors to seek gold in the economy is bad, if you have a financial IQ can help sniff the good from the bad. When the bad economy at the beginning of 1990, Robert Kiyosaki Rich Dad, Poor Dad fame does not go directly to the local real estate office. Instead, he went to the office to find a bankruptcy lawyer in negotiating transactions taken over the house could easily sell it again in 90 days. The reason I chose to households in difficulty is that these properties are often sold at lower prices, about 30 percent less than their market value. All he had was subtle, simple way to finance standards, research, and a lot of guts to back him in his business.

Some smart people tend to keep their jobs and real estate flipping in his spare time. A small transaction is taken over the house to produce a few thousand dollars, and investors after they make the company grow into a full time hobby.

Rentals

How others can make money from seizures is through leasing. A good way to increase personal income from their work day is to have a steady cash flow of small houses can be rented. This is especially attractive to families or individuals who work and still can not commit to buying their own homes because the economy is bad.

When the benefits of the housing market is up, that are rented the same house could be sold, even for twice the price paid by buyers of bad moments. Everything is a matter of time and a good eye for business.

This scheme can be repeated again and again when people take a second look over the house.

Fixed Rate Secured Loans

2011-01-29T17:55:00.001+07:00

Some time we need loans from friends, family or financial institutions such as banks. These loans can be for investment purposes, school fees, fees for medical treatment, purchase houses, purchase of vehicles and other financing.

When we decide to use banking services in financing our needs, then one thing of our concern is the bank interest. Each bank offers loans with varied interest rates. Some offer fixed rate and the other offer floating rate. Each offer has its own advantages respectively.

In a system of floating rate bank usually offers low interest in a certain time, for example the first year, and then use the floating system. In this system there is no certainty in interest rates after the fixed rate period ends. When the economy is good and stable condition, usually it is advantageous for the borrower, while in an unstable economic situation this could be a boomerang for the lender.

The system of fixed interest payments due to better ensure the sustainability of debt repayments and interest are not affected by economic conditions. Although the interest rate offered is usually higher than the floating rate system but this is safer for borrowers.

Each option has risks respectively. In addition to the interest system, there is also the sharia system more friendly for the borrower, although not so popular in the community. Every person has the choice of each and all of them back on their personal.

Fast Loan or Payday Loan

2011-01-25T17:01:00.002+07:00

Finding Money is difficult for some of people, but managing money well is much more difficult. Many people who have high income, but their money is not managed well so quickly exhausted and can not be saved. Every one should have a savings account for emergencies needed when there are problems such as sickness, accident and others.

Tiadak For some people who have savings for things mendeak, must seek a solution to get money quickly. One of them is a Fast loan or payday loan. This is one way when other methods such as loans to friends or relatives is not possible anymore. So fast loan can be one solution to your finances.

Fast Loan (paydayloan)

Fast loan can be obtained from the lending firm. Unlike the banks that require a long process for approval, from lending firm you will get approval on the spot after you fill out the online form. If your application is approved, then your loan money will be transferred to your account within 24 hours after approval.

The need for fast payment requires fast loan. So there is little time to evaluate the paying capacity, credit standing, or financial status of the person. The only guarantee that lenders have is that the person will receive the paycheck in a few days time. In this regard, the payday loan as a fast loan is derived from the idea that the loan will be paid upon payday. Lenders then require that applicants provide the bank account where they receive their paycheck so they can readily debit the amount of the loan plus its interest and charges.

Overall, fast loans are short-term loans secured with the person’s paycheck. It is then important that the person has a job that guarantees immediate payment of the loan. The use of a loan should be to meet obligations that require fast payment.

One Stop Travel Deals

2011-01-23T06:11:00.000+07:00

Author: Diana Bluche

Are you looking to find the best deals on travel and your next vacation? If you are planning a vacation and want to find the best deals that you can enjoy to help save money and still plan the best vacation, you can find all that you need with one stop travel online. You can choose the type of package that you want and you can book all of your travel plans together easily and in one place. You can book your hotel stay, transportation and airfare easily in one stop and be able to plan your whole vacation easily.

If you have been trying to find the best deals on one stop travel and want to be able to book your vacation easily and in one stop, you can go online and find everything you need to plan the best vacation. You can also find the best deals on some of the best locations to travel to. If you know when you are going to be traveling and want to find cheap deals on airfare and lodging, you can go online to the web site and find what you are looking for.

You can find that when you book all of your travel arrangements in one place and all together, you are able to save a lot of money. Booking your vacation online is quick and easy and in no time you will be able to find what you need to be ready to go. A lot of travel companies offer you great deals when you book early and choose a package that includes all of your expenses together. One stop travel is a great way to get the best deals on all of your travel expenses and plans. A lot of the popular hotels and resorts offer discounts when you book airfare and other travel plans at the same time.

If you have been trying to find the best deals on your next vacation and need to be able to plan when you are going to go, how you are going to get there and where you are going to stay, you can easily do all of that online at one stop travel. You will be able to choose from many of the best hotels and resorts that you can stay at and be able to choose your flights so that you find the best deals. If you plan early and book all of your travel plans online you can also save a lot of money and easily keep your plans organized. You can also get alerts for when the prices drop or if there are more affordable packages available.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-tips-articles/one-stop-travel-deals-2067052.html
About the Author

For more information on one stop travel deals visit http://onestoptravels.org

Government Must Help Fishermen

2011-01-20T15:23:00.001+07:00

Bad weather lately is not friendly for fishermen. Too risky to go to sea in the extrime weather like this. Many fishermen who have no income in times like this. All they do is just fix the damaged nets and boats.

Most of the fishermen in Indonesia rely on fish catches from the sea to sustain their life. Theyare generally do not have any other skills to earn a living. For fishermen who are in a major port area they could switch to a stevedore as porters. But for fishermen who are in remote areas difficult to find another job.

In this situation the government should active to help the fishing economy. Food is urgently needed assistance at this time. Big waves make some fishing boats were damaged, Their need more money to repair their boot.

Program providing skills to the fisherman's wife can also be used as an alternative income for families of fishermen. The wives of fishermen could be provided with the ability to produce handicrafts or food products which will be sold to help the family economy.

Qantas Jumbo Plane Fly To USA This Sunday

2011-01-15T19:44:00.001+07:00

After the events of explosion of one of Trent 900 engines made in a Rolls Royce on Airbas A380, Qantas Air on the path Londo – Singaphore – Sydney, Qantas cease all jumbo flights to Europe and America. For flights to Europe have opened back in November 2010, but for the flight to the USA can not be done because the plane needs more fuel.

Number of fuel that must be transported in a single flight from Australia to Los Angeles is expected to be a burden too heavy when the plane will take off. Excess load on the fuel is suspected to be the cause of explosion in one engine after 15 minutes of takeoff. but after consultation with the parties Airbas as the maker of this plane, Qantas has decided to re-open Los Angeles - Australia flights this Sunday (01/16/2011).

With the resumption of flights was the U.S. economic activity - Australia will more smoothly.

Export of Fisheries Sector Papua

2011-01-11T15:23:00.000+07:00

Papua as one of Indonesia's most eastern provision has enormous potential for fisheries. Potential of fisheries sector in the waters of West Papua Province reached 700,566 tons, while the result of fishing currently at 273,756 tons per year or approximately 35.87%. With these data means that there are many that can be dug from the sea fisheries sector in Papua.

Papua excellence of Fisheries sector has been attracting investors to export seafood Papua. Some seafood that has been exported include: tuna fish, tuna, grouper, shark fin and shrimp. These commodities have been widely exported to several countries including: China, Japan, Taiwan, United States (U.S.), and European countries. In July 2010 re-recorded exports of live crabs after missing in May and June 2010, worth 0.02 million dollars intended to Singapore.

Papua water potential should be developed wisely. Floating can be done by extensification and intensification. The government is charged with his role in providing capital and training to local fishermen. However, efforts to improve this fishery potential not to damage the environment because in the end will reduce the catch in this region in the long term.

Besides equipping the local fishermen with capital and skills in the Capture of fish, the government also must be able to protect the waters of this easternmost theft of disruption of foreign fishermen. Potential Papua-rich waters of economic resources is very tempting foreigners to take it.

In addition to the above factors the government can also play a role in building the infrastructure of fisheries. Construction of the wharf, construction of fish processing and other infrastructure that support the fisheries industry in Papua should be developed, so that later we are not only exporting fresh fish, but also exporting processed fish.

China interested in transport infrastructure investment in Papua

2011-01-04T07:23:00.002+07:00

Papua has the economic potential is extraordinary. Papua economic potential derived from minela resources, fisheries, forests and cultural art that can be developed toward the tourism industry.

This potential seems to have kissed by China, as reported in "Cash Online" that China plans to invest in infrastructure, especially transportation. one of the obstacles to underdeveloped regions of Papua is the problem of transportation and distribution of goods / services. when it was realized very well by the Chinese government, so they plan to invest in port infrastructure.

Investors from China interested in investing in transport infrastructure development in Papua. Cooperation which will be offered to China on them for the construction and development of port terminals and airports in Papua.

According to the Minister of Transportation, Freddy Numberi China will meet with the Governor of Papua and will be facilitated by the Ministry of Transportation in Jayapura on January 5, 2010. Those who will come to attend the presentation was the Chinese Ambassador and 9 representatives of Chinese companies interested to invest. "This cooperation is very good because we open the public private partnership (PPP)," Freddy said on the sidelines of the economic evaluation, 2010, Tuesday (02/01).

Freddy said the investment could be done by the Chinese side in Papua include the construction of new port infrastructure in Jayapura and Sorong and Biak Port development.

For the development of the port, Freddy said Chinese investors could build highway infrastructure to support the trip overland to the port. In addition, China can also make the development of port and beach area that has not been explored. "For the basic port infrastructure has been built to stay their progress," said Freddy.

Port to be built and developed will be international and has a capacity of loading and unloading large enough. The government will also invite Chinese investors to develop the airport in Manokwari, Sorong, Jayapura and Timika.

While the Ministry of Transportation are port director Kelvin Saputro said port development that could cooperate with Japan one of which is the port of Arar, Sorong. "There are plans to build a pier quotation gold there," said Kelvin

Cooperation with the private sector according to Kelvin is very possible to be done in line with the new rules that allow private management of ports. But the chances of China to collaborate not only on the transport sector, Freddy said they could work on other sectors such as mining or cement.

Cooperation with China to work on transport infrastructure in Papua was the first time. But China also has invested the oil sector in Papua.

Typical Papuan Crafts

2010-12-31T08:50:00.000+07:00

Papua is one of the large island in eastern Indonesia. The journey requires 5 to 6 hours from Sukarno Hatta Airport to arrive at Sentani Airport Jayapura. Papua has a different time of 2 hours from Jakarta, it means that Papua geographically very far from Jakarta as the capital of Indonesia.

So did his thing with the cultural diversity of Papua which is distinctive in terms of culture. Crafts of Papua is very unique and special. If developed and managed properly, can be a craft typical Papuan economic commodity that is high enough.

Promotion of handicrafts typical of Papua to the outside of Papua and to the Foreign Affairs will increase the economic value of the craft and also introduce Papua as one object jam Bali tourist destinations and other areas that have been widely known by the world.

Some typical of Papua Crafts among others are:
1. Arrow typical papua

2. The mummy of Wamena chieftain


The mummy of Wamena chieftain who have died since the war between the tribes, and his body later in the preserved by way of fumigation, the age of the mummy tsb kira2> 200 years

3. Papua Hats

used when traditional ceremony, derived from birds of paradise feathers

4. Bone necklace + decoration

Used in the neck during traditional ceremonies

5. Noken

Used as a means of bringing goods home garden or carrying infants in use in the head, usually used by women

6. Bracelet

Made from wild grass

7. Koteka

Koteka typical papua, used as a cover genitals male

8. Stone ax


Derived from natural stone, which is used for splitting wood, sweet, Manggali soil, etc.

9. Pig bone


Made from pork bones are in use on the nose at certain events

You

Seaweed In Papua

2010-12-20T07:13:00.000+07:00

Seaweed has 27 genera. If the commodity is processed further, he could produce approximately 500 types of commercial products. Starting from the agar-agar, animal feed, food, medicines, cosmetics, toothpaste, shampoo, paper, textiles, until the lubricating oil in drilling oil wells.

Utilization of seaweed in Indonesia has been started in 1920, but its use is still limited to medicine and food with a traditional way of processing. One is the antitumor efficacy, lowering blood pressure, and cope with glandular disorders. That is why, some people claim seaweed as the "god plant".

Along with the presence of the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, the great potential of sea grass was dug up and developed. In addition to encouraging cultivation, these agencies are also increasingly keen to raise research and assessment, ranging from nursery, maintenance, maintenance, production, marketing, and product processing. Included on the procedure utilization, counseling, fundraising for farmers, and crawl investment.
In 2003, cultivation of seaweed through intensification in the area of 17,416 hectares spread across 18 provinces. When the seeds or seedlings were distributed as much as 209 tons of sea grass.

Until now as many as 20 572 new medium-scale companies to invest in the cultivation of seaweed with a total investment of Rp 5, 143 trillion. The company mostly operates in Papua 9.2940 units or Rp 2.323 trillion, Maluku 3826 units or USD 956.481 billion, Central Sulawesi, 1969 units or USD 492.130 billion, and the most
slightly in NTT 19 units or USD 4.630 billion.

For large-scale investment, as many as 617 companies investing in seaweed with a total investment of Rp 1.974 trillion. This investment is the largest in Papua, which is 279 units valued at USD 892.267 billion company. Followed Maluku 115 or USD 367.289 billion company. Central Sulawesi 59 firms or Rp 188.978 billion, Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam 58 companies with an investment of USD 185.067 billion. The smallest investment in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), only one company with an investment of USD 1.778 billion.

Tanah Papua is rich in potential seaweed, was very interested in international society since the country of origin Cenderawasih seaweed that is still considered purely from a variety of chemical pollution. According to the Head Office of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (DKP), Papua Province, Ir Astiler Maharadja who told ABC News in Jayapura, on Wednesday confirmed international community has accepted the request through a letter sent to the field of economy as well as professional organizations print and electronic media and e-mail about wanting to buy seaweed production fishermen in Papua Province.

Countries that have offered his intention to buy seaweed from Papua namely Japan, China, Korea, Hongkong, Taiwan, Philippines and some countries in Europe and America. The consumers from Asia, Europe and America knows that the quality seaweed from Papua quite high and have not contaminated chemicals. Therefore, the benefits of seaweed for agar-agar (food), cosmetics, pharmaceuticals capsules to human health even red seaweed species can be managed as raw material for paper.

Red seaweed species that have been developed in various regions in the province of West Nusa Tenggara (NTB). The same opportunities will be developed in Papua Province. Asitler respond seaweed enthusiasts from Papua and it has delivered economic leadership of professional organizations including the leadership of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry areas of commerce (Kadinda) Papua seize opportunities for this market because its benefits are very large for the development of domestic economy, particularly in Papua Province.

Moreover, the sea waters in the province is still pure and not contaminated with various chemicals. These opportunities need to be anticipated economic actors as well as encourage the participation of fishermen and farmers in the coastal areas including cultivating seaweed red seaweed species that have been developed society in NTB's.
Ir.Asitiler said it had to fight to the Department Keluatan and Fisheries (DKP) in Jakarta in fiscal year 2007 through the state budget allocated Rp 5, 3 billion for the cultivation of seaweed and fish cage development of Tilapia species.

Funds amounting to Rp 5.3 billion aid budget that DKP with details of the development of seaweed in Nabire Rp 1.5 billion, ocean seaweed and tilapia in Jayapura city of Rp 1.3 billion. Development of tilapia fish farming in Lake Sentani, Jayapura regency Rp 300 million, seaweed cultivation in the District
Biak Numfor USD 350 million and the District Supiori with seaweed cultivation amounted to USD 1.3 billion.

In addition, the cultivation of seaweed in Kampung Angkaisera, Meosnum Island, Mesopundi Island, Islands and Villages Ambai Yapen Kabuena in obtaining development funds amounting to Rp 500 million.

The development potential of the sea in Papua have to pay attention to environmental sustainability which is a plus for seafood papua.

Source: http://bisnisukm.com

Potential of Papua's forests

2010-12-16T16:48:00.005+07:00

The total potential of forests in Papua, although physically quite large, but less economical because of the potential per hectare is very low ie 35 m³ / ha for commercial species and 61 m³ / ha for all species. In addition to its potential is very low, mostly composed of wood species that has not been known in the market (not commercial), the situation is very severe topography and in most areas there is no river that can be used as a means of transport so the cost of exploitation is very high. In comparison to other areas of potential per hectare on average the highest in Kalimantan is 84 m³ / ha (commercial) and 90 m³ / ha (all types), followed by Sumatra, which is 64 m³ / ha (commercial) and 79 m³ / ha (all types) and Sulawesi, for commercial and all types of consecutive 44 m³ / ha.

Sustainable production forest management requires planning which is based on the potential of existing forests. Thus the calculation of the potential of forests together with the calculation of forest area has a very vital role in forest management planning production.

The types of timber that used grouped; Meranti group consisting of; Matoa (Pometia spp.), Merbau (Instia spp.), Mersawa (Anisoptera spp.), Walnuts (Canarium spp.), Nyatoh (Palaquium spp.) Resak (Vatica spp.), Pulai (Alstonia spp.), Damar (Agathis spp.), Araucaria (Araucaria spp.), Lime (Dryobalanops spp.), Batu (Shorea spp.), forest Mango (Mangifera spp.) Celthis (Celthis spp.), and Chinese Wood (Podocarpus spp.). Mixed Wood Group consists of; Ketapang, Binuang, Bintangur, stretched, BIPA, Wood Bugis, Cempaka, nutmeg forest. Beautiful Wood Group consists of a kind; Dahu (Dracontomelon spp.), Linggua (Pterocarpus spp.), and Nails. The potential of this wood has been used / cultivated in the form of forest concessions (HPH) and wood processing industry.

Translated from http://www.papua.go.id/

Domestic Market Is Government Priority

2010-12-15T09:09:00.001+07:00

Presiden Susilo Bambang Yodhoyona confirm that governmant will push economi activity to domestic market. Inter-island and inter-province trading is inclouded in it. "We must admit that equal distribution has not yet been optimally achieved and therefore businesses must not always be export-oriented because the 230 million population is also a market," he said at a general lecture at the Surabaya Institute of Technology (ITS) here on Tuesday.

This is now trading just concentrated in big cities like Jakarta, Surabaya, Medan, Bandung and Makassar. Though many of the island and another province that remains to be explored and improved economy.

For example, in eastern Indonesia such as in Jayapura, Biak, Kupang and Maluku Islands for commodities like fish, but for agricultural produce such as rice, vegetables and other commodities such as building materials is very difficult. so with the collection and inter-trade between provinces will be improved to reduce economic disparities.

In addition to reducing economic inequality, trade and inter-provincial inter-collection can also expand the domestic market, so the value of selling a product in a region will increase

Cheap Or Expensive?

2010-12-08T07:43:00.000+07:00

Money is one component that very important in our life. Money is any object that is generally accepted as payment for goods and services. Money can be a measurement on how the good or services is cheap or expensive.

Cheap or Expensive?

goods or services is said to cheap or expensive due to several factors including:

Comparison between the price of goods or services with a sacrifice to make or obtain goods;
Comparison between the prices of goods or services in a region with other areas;
Comparison between the prices of goods or services in a store with another store;
Purchasing power of goods or services.

Comparison between the price of goods or services with a sacrifice to make or obtain goods

For some goods, the value of the good determine with s sacrifice to make the good. for example if we make fried rice or nasi goreng in then Kaki Lima and need :

a bowl of rice;
margarine or cooking oil;
onion;
seasoning or other flavour.

For this material we need Rp5000 and the cost of cooking is Rp2000 for a bowl of fried rice, so the price for a bowl fried rice is Rp7000. But in some restaurant, the price of fried rice up to Rp50.000. Therefore we call price in restaurants is expensive and the prices on FIVE FEET (Kaki lima) is cheap. This situation does not apply to the art product. The price of painting can not be count from the cost of the material to make the painting.

Comparison between the prices of goods or services in a region with other areas

Distance from place of production to the marketing cause additional costs in the form of the cost of transporting goods
This distance difference causes the difference in price in a region with other regions. for example the price of cement in Papua is more expensive than the price of cement in jakarta.

the six key variables customers consider when determining their "right price." thera are:

Need: Is what you're offering a "nice to have" or a "need to have?" Necessities and luxuries each have an emotional quotient, but it's easier to trigger a purchase--often at a higher price--if the customer believes she needs what you're selling.
Alternatives: What other products, solutions or services are available in the market to meet the customer's needs? There are almost always choices--even if they're not perceived as equal choices--including the decision not to purchase at all. You need to understand customers' views on what else exists in the market that meets their needs or a meaningful part of their needs, or that solves a particular problem. And remember that making no purchase is, in itself, a purchase decision.
Perception of value: What worth does the customer assign to what you're offering? People assign value in a number of ways, such as whether it simplifies a complex task, makes an unpleasant one more delightful, brings added convenience or mitigates perceived risk. Value isn't about money; it's about how your product or service improves your customer's life.
Suitability: Is your offering relevant to what the customer is looking for? Determine if what you plan to bring to market is on point, not beside the point.
Credibility: Are you viewed as a viable contender in the market in which you plan to sell? If not, you'll have a much bigger hurdle than a better-known company, even if you have a superior solution. Credibility is especially challenging for new market entrants or for those that are well-known in one space but not in a new vertical they might want to enter.
Performance: In short, how well does your offering do what it says it will do? Perceptions of quality are related directly to what the product or service is supposed to do, not just what it can do.

PT KRAKATAU STEEL IPO

2010-11-04T13:53:00.000+07:00

The IPO of KS still sparked controversies. Some said that the price set by the government at Rp850 per share was too low. However, the government and the underwriter were firm in their opinions that the price was set based on the reasonable valuation
Many quarters have urged state-owned steel firm PT Krakatau Steel (KS) to explain to the public its Initial Public Offering (IPO) where it was alleged to have sold its share at lower price.
State-Owned Enterprises Minister Mustafa Abubakar previously said Krakatau Steel aimed to raise between Rp 4 trillion and Rp 5 trillion from the IPO, which is scheduled to be launched on Nov. 11

Marzuki told the press at the parliament building here on Wednesday that one of the ways to solve the polemics was to ask explanations from PT KS management and the state-owned enterprises (BUMN) minister regarding the questions over the sale of the firm`s shares.
Capital Market observer Dany Daruri said that the government had better explain to the public the IPO of KS`s 20 percent shares. This is to prevent a process that could cause losses to the state but on the other hand benefit others a lot from this process.

In order to eliminate the black market, one of the ways that could be taken is to raise share prices. "This could still be carried out until November 9, because at present it is still the stage of payments, not yet in the recording period. Raising the price will of course deal a blow on the black market," he said.
ANTARA & KRAKATAUSTEEL SITE

Indonesia Trade Project

2010-11-02T07:10:00.001+07:00

Data from the agency show Indonesia`s exports in the first nine months of 2010

grew 38.27 percent to US$110.81 billion from the corresponding period last year.

The Central Statistics Agency (BPS) has projected Indonesia`s exports may reach
US$150 billion or above this year.

"In the January-September 2010 period alone, our exports reached US$110.81
billion. With exports from October to December projected to average US$12-13
billion, our exports may reach US$150 billion or above at the end of this year,"
BPS Chairman Rustam Heriawan said here on Monday.

He said in the January-September 2010 period the export of industrial products
grew 34.16 percent, farm products 15.72 percent and other mining products 41.95
percent compared to the same period last year. The main markets for Indonesia`s
exports in the first nine months of 2010 were Japan, the United States and
China. Over the period Indonesia`s exports to Japan were valued at US$11.79
billion, the United States US$9.68 billion, and China US$9.31 billion.

Indonesia-Brazil Trade Projected to Reach US$2,5 Billion

Ivan Ramalho, the Brazilian Development, Industry, and Foreign Trade deputy
minister, said his office had projected trade with Indonesia to reach US$2,5
billion this year. He is optimistic that the target is achievable as both
countries’ trade had already reached US$2 billion. However, according to
Indonesian statistics, the total trade value has not reached that amount yet.
according to Gusmardi Bustami, the Trade Ministry’s International Trade
Cooperation director-general, the total trade so far has not reflected the real
potential. Both countries’ trade can still be improved because Indonesian and
Brazilian products complement each other.

Based on the Trade Ministry’s data, Indonesia’s non-oil and gas exports to
Brazil last year was valued at US$ 888 million. Meanwhile, in January to July
this year, the export value was US$ 788 million.

So far, Indonesia is still experiencing a trade deficit against Brazil. Last
year, the deficit was US$ 198.5 million. As of the first seven months this year,
the deficit was still US$ 147.3 million. Some products exported to Brazil
include textile products, footwear, and rubber products like tires.

Bali Moniaga, the former Indonesian Ambassador in Brazil, said the Brazilian
market is full of potential. Brazil is the eighth richest country in the world
with 199 million people. “Half of them are in the upper-middle group,” said
Bali.

Some of Indonesian exports that can be sent to Brazil include palm oil, rubber
and cocoa. Three years ago, Indonesia’s palm oil exports were worth only US$60
million per year. This amount is still below that of Malaysia. However,
Indonesia’s palm oil exports to Brazil now has reached US$300 million per year.
Palm oil is used in industrial raw materials like food and cosmetics. In
addition, Indonesia has an opportunity to develop rubber exports.

Brazil will not plant rubber trees as it can endanger the Amazon forest. The
same goes for cocoa, because Brazilians are fond of chocolate. “Their chocolate
consumption is the fifth highest in the world,” he said. Besides these products,
opportunity is still open for the automotive, electronic, and home furniture
industries.

more info at:
www.tempo.co.id
www.antaranews.com

Japan watchdog asked to review Yahoo, Google deal

2010-10-20T16:31:00.000+07:00

The Jakarta Post

A Japanese online shopping mall operator said Wednesday it has asked the country's anti-monopoly watchdog to review a tie-up between Yahoo Japan Corp. and Google Inc.

Rakuten Inc. said the Yahoo Japan-Google partnership will hinder competition and growth in the Japanese Internet market. It asked the Fair Trade Commission to probe the deal, which was announced in July.

Yahoo Japan is aiming to launch a search service using Google's search and advertising technology by the end of this year.

The company declined to comment on Rakuten's action.

Yahoo Japan has more than a 50 percent share of the Japanese Internet search services market, with Google around 40 percent, according to Japanese research firm Video Research Interactive Inc.

Google dominates the lucrative Internet search market worldwide. It generates income by charging advertisers to display links along with search results. Few companies have the technology, user base and funds required to compete in search.

Shares in Yahoo Japan dropped 2.9 percent to 28,630 yen ($350) on Wednesday, and Rakuten shares slipped 0.5 percent to 60,900 yen.

Yen Falls On View BOJ To Ease Policy This Week

2010-10-04T12:25:00.001+07:00

TOKYO (MarketWatch) -- The yen fell against the dollar and euro in Asia Monday on speculation that the Bank of Japan will loosen its monetary policy further this week.

The BOJ will conclude its two-day policy-setting meeting on Tuesday, and many Japanese investors believe the central bank will take additional easing measures. A likely step is to expand its programs to pump more cash into the money market.

Traders also said that the yen's loss could well be short-term.

If any central bank easing is less than or in line with market expectations, the Japanese currency will likely resume its rise, according to dealers in Tokyo, since some type of easing has already been factored into current levels. Such easing could also disappoint some short-term-focused funds, who expect the BOJ will take the radical measure of increasing its buying of Japanese government bonds from the market.

"The yen may shoot up if the BOJ's decision meets the market's mainstream forecast," said Hideaki Inoue, chief manager of forex trading at Mitsubishi UFJ Trust and Banking.

As of 0450 GMT, the dollar was at Y83.61 from Y83.32 Friday. It rose to as high as Y83.88 as European banks executed automated stop-loss buying orders at Y83.50, dealers said. Japanese importers were also active, they added.

In the longer-term, the dollar may remain weak against its Japanese counterpart because the U.S. Federal Reserve will likely take more easing measures than might the BOJ to help prop up slowing growth in the world's largest economy, dealers said.

Currency investors will watch for whether Japan's ministry of finance will intervene in the currency market again if the greenback falls below Y83.00. Japan in September sold the yen when the dollar was around Y82.95.

"If Japan does not act at where it acted before, investors may take that as a go-ahead to buy the yen more. In that case, the yen may start rising sharply," said Shinichi Hayashi, a senior dealer at Shinkin Central Bank.

Japanese officials, including Prime Minister Naoto Kan and Finance Minister Yoshihiko Noda, have repeatedly said that Tokyo will intervene again when necessary. But so far it has apparently remained quiet since Sept. 15, the day of Japan's first market intervention for more than six years.

Meanwhile, the euro rose to its highest since March 17 against the dollar due to pessimistic views over the U.S. economic outlook, dealers said, though the euro gave up all the gains due to profit-taking orders.

It was at $1.3764 as of 0450 GMT from $1.3784 Friday. Against the yen, it was Y115.08 from Y114.81. The single unit also hit its highest against the yen since May 18.

The ICE Dollar Index was at 78.196 from 78.076.

Short-Term Health Insurance

2010-09-20T10:33:00.001+07:00

There can be times in your life when you need a temporary health insurance option to help you and your family. It may be while you are in between jobs or while you wait for another group policy to begin, but if you no longer have access to COBRA coverage or if you need a less expensive option then a short-term health insurance policy might be a good option for you.

When you get health insurance quotes online, short-term health insurance is one type of insurance you can get a quote for. They are usually inexpensive since they cover a very limited period of time and the likelihood of having significant claims occur during this period is low. That means that the insurance company does not take on a great amount of risk when insuring you.

The Downside of Short-Term Health Insurance

Much like catastrophic insurance policies, short-term health insurance policies will not likely count as creditable coverage under HIPAA. This can have a major impact on your future health insurance purchases and can mean that your pre-existing conditions can be excluded for a limited period of time from group policy coverage. It also means that when you have a short-term health insurance policy, you may not qualify for coverage under HIPAA. These are important considerations for individuals opting for short-term coverage instead of COBRA.

Speaking of pre-existing conditions, short-term health insurance policies generally exclude them from coverage. In addition, short-term plans often don't provide any benefits for preventative care or routine physicals.

The need for short-term health insurance policies is limited. They are not a good fit for every family and you should research a plan in full after getting online health insurance quotes in order to make sure it is a good fit for you and your family.

Term Life Insurance

2010-09-16T10:02:00.001+07:00

If you have been comparing life insurance rates then chances are good that you have looked at term life insurance. Term life insurance is a terrific product for people who:

Need a high dollar death benefit with a low dollar premium.

Need a temporarily high amount of life insurance death benefit.

Need a gradually decreasing amount of life insurance.

Need a simple, small burial policy.

Understanding Term Life Insurance

Term life insurance is a policy that offers the policyholder a death benefit for a limited period of time, generally anywhere from 5 to 30 years. Term life insurance rates are based on the actual cost of insurance alone and not on accumulating cash values (as they are in whole or permanent life insurance policies). This makes rates much cheaper. In addition, because the insurance company is only obligated to offer you insurance protection for a limited period of time, they have less risk of you actually dying during the term of the policy and can offer lower rates based on that reduced risk.

Uses of Term Life Insurance

As we mentioned above, term life insurance is the perfect product for many different situations.

Because it has a low premium, it can offer affordable, high-dollar protection.

Because it is issued for a set period of time, it offers a great resource for temporary protection.

Term life insurance policies can have decreasing death benefits which can reduce the protection over time-mimicking the reduction in your bills as you pay off debt.

Term life insurance is simple to understand since there are no complex cash value accumulation figures, and is a great product for small burial policies.

Comparing Life Insurance Rates

A term life insurance policy should be considered when you understand the ramifications of buying a term policy. Remember that you are paying for only a temporary insurance coverage and that, as your health changes and you age, getting new coverage can be expensive or impossible once your term policy ends.

Remember, the comparison of life insurance rates isn't just about price. It should be about the coverage offered, the conditions of the policy and the way in which it fits in with your lifestyle, health and needs. After all, if a life insurance policy has cheap rates but doesn't give you the kind of coverage that you need, then it can hardly be considered a good deal.

Insuring Your Home Business

2010-09-13T16:20:00.000+07:00

With unemployment rates reaching an all time high and economic recovery that brings in new jobs slow to appear, freelancing and working from home are becoming more and more popular among the recently laid off. Whether you have the choice to work at home or not, you need to make sure that your home business is properly insured through your home insurance policy.

Is Cheap Home Insurance Good For Business?

One of the top goals for consumers is to find cheap home insurance that offers them protection against risk. Unfortunately, when you are simply searching for cheap home insurance instead of home insurance that offers good coverage for the activities you use your home for, you could be in trouble. If you choose regular home insurance and do not disclose that you are running a business on site, then you could suffer from unpaid claims, lost equipment and lawsuits resulting from the damages your business or home causes to others.

If you have clients who come on site to your home business, then your home insurance company needs to be made aware of this so that you can get proper liability coverage. If you have equipment at home that is for business use, then your home insurance company needs to know this so that they can cover it properly and you won't have to suffer any loss of use while you scramble for the funds to replace it.

When your clients rely on your continued business to keep THEM in business, then your non-disclosure of home business activities to your home insurance company could result in a slowdown of your production and a financial loss for your clients. This is a dangerous risk as not only could you lose the money you paid in buying your equipment initially, but your clients could sue you because they depended on you to stay productive even after an insurable incident.

In addition to ensuring you have the proper coverage for your home business through your home insurance company, you should also get professional liability coverage so that no business can take your personal assets as a result of a business lawsuit.

So remember, let your home insurance company know about your home business and make sure their policy protects you properly.

HMO -The Full Story

2010-09-07T10:50:00.001+07:00

When you are searching for low cost health insurance an HMO plan is likely to come across your radar. HMOs, or health maintenance organization plans, offer some of the lowest cost full coverage insurance benefits but they have certain drawbacks.

With an HMO, you will be treated exclusively by doctors and medical treatment centers that are in the HMO network. If you receive treatment from someone outside of this network, unless it is an unpreventable emergency, your claim is likely to be denied. Unlike a PPO, HMOs do not offer any coverage for treatment received outside the network unless it is emergency treatment in an area with no network treatment centers or physicians. So if you have a favorite doctor that you or your children visit, make sure he or she is on the network list before you take out the HMO's cheap health insurance coverage. If you don't, then you will be forced to pay out-of-pocket for the full cost of all your visits to this physician.

With an HMO you are likely to have a copayment amount each time you visit a doctor or treatment facility. The copayments are fixed dollar amounts that will be listed out on your policy and possibly on your insurance card. They do not vary although they may be increased when your policy is renewed.

Some HMO plans have deductibles which is an amount of money that you must pay out-of-pocket before the policy kicks in and pays a benefit. These deductibles are variable and you can choose yours when you take out your policy. The larger your deductible the less expensive your insurance premium will be.

Your policy will also have a limit, or cap, in the amount of benefit you can receive over your lifetime. This protects the insurance company from having to commit to pay too much in benefits. Since the limits are usually set above one million dollars, it's doubtful that most consumers will need to worry about exceeding them.

Remember, check your rates, choose an affordable deductible and a reasonable limit, and check that your favorite physicians are on the network list before you take out an HMO plan. Then your family will be happy, safe, well cared for and not at financial risk.

17 Way To Reduce Traffic Jam

2010-09-03T10:55:00.003+07:00

Jakarta officials are preparing a slew of measures to ease the traffic crisis that is costing the city an estimated Rp 12.8 trillion ($1.42 billion) a year.

"We need very serious action or Jakarta will see total gridlock by 2012 ," vice presidential spokes-man Yopie Hidayat said after a meeting to discuss the problem on Thursday.

The meeting, chaired by Vice President Boediono and attended by ministers, governors, senior officials and the city's traffic police, considered efforts to improve traffic flow in and around the capital.

Citing research by the Presidential Working Unit for Development Supervision and Control (UKP4), Yopie said the high cost of traffic jams included the extra cost of running cars, increased health problems and productivity lost while stuck in traffic.

He said Boediono had appoint-ed UKP4 head Kuntoro Mangun-subroto to coordinate the government's efforts.

The meeting came up with 17 ways to solve traffic problems in the short, middle and long term, and they involve the transportation and public works ministries as well as the governors of Jakarta, Banten and West Java.

Ideas include speeding up the introduction of an electronic road pricing system for the main south-north artery, clearing TransJakarta bus lanes and opening more of them, reviewing parking by laws and improving railways.

The government will also offer incentives to phase out minivans in favor of larger buses, crack down on illegal buses and forge ahead with Mass Rapid Transport and monorail development.

Select public transportation will get access to cheaper fuel and a Greater Jakarta Transportation Authority is to be established.

Governor Fauzi Bowo said that although the government could not restrict the growth in the number of vehicles on the roads it could limit their use.

He cited restrictions for pri¬vate vehicles and limiting trucks and vans to evening deliveries.

Regarding the ERP system, Fauzi said authorities were still studying whether to use a satel-lite-based GPS system or the gate system.

In the short term, police have closed Plaza Semanggi's vehicle entrance on Jalan Gatot Subroto and a nearby city toll entrance.

The city has already closed several U-turns that clog traffic and more closures are expected.

Danang Parikesit, the chairman of the Indonesian Transport Society (MTI), said the crisis demanded radical action. He said if the congestion were not taken seriously, traffic could be crawling along at five kilometers per hour within five years.

According to Yopie, the average speed is now 8.3 kph.

Danang said transportation in the Greater Jakarta area must be integrated and the central government must allocate enough funds to ensure the systemworked.

He said 4.5 million people commuted to the city daily, 2.5 million in private vehicles.

17 point plan to cut the jams are:

1. Electronic Road Pricing scheme to be fast-tracked.
2. Crackdown on vehicles using TransJakarta busway lanes.
3. Jakarta administration to review parking bylaw.
4. Road repair fund based on multiyear contract.
5. Two more busway corridors to open this year and two in 2011.
6. More gas stations to offer subsidized fuel for TransJakarta buses.
7. Drive to reduce number of road-clogging mikrolet vans. Government to urge use of bigger buses with more capacity.
8. Trains rerouted and more services and cars added to move three million commuters daily.
9. Police to crack down on illegal buses.
10. Renewed pledge to start building MRT stage one from Lebak Bulus to Hotel Indonesia traffic circle in 2011, for monorail building to restart and Manggarai-Cengkareng railway development to be fast-tracked.
11. Greater Jakarta transportation authority to be estabilished.
12 Marter plan for Greater Jakarta integrated public transportation system to be revised.
13. Rail line to Cikarang to be made a double track.
14. Faster inner-city rail project to be integrated with Jakarta's Transportation system.
15. Six new inner-city toll road to be built.
16. Government to issue policies aimed at healting grouth in vehicle use.
17. Park and ride side to be built near the train stations to cut private vehicle use. home affairs minister urge governors of Jakarta, Banten and West Java to coordinate.

Indonesia's Biggest Batik Street Festival

2010-09-02T08:08:00.001+07:00

Surakarta once again has organized the Solo Batik Carnival which attracted hundreds of participants and was attended by thousands

THE BIGGEST BATIK festival in Indonesia, Solo Batik Carnival, was held for the third time on 23^rd June in Surakarta, Central Java. This time the theme was "sekar jagad" or "flowers of the world" which is one of the motifs in traditional batik.

Just like in previous years, the event was centred on Jalan Slamet Riyadi which splits the town centre down the middle. About 300 participants in lively costumes paraded along the streets which were throng with people. The everyday activities of the locals seemed to be hold. Music was filling the air as it accompanied the graceful dancing of the participants

Solo Batik Carnival has indeed become a celebration that the people of Surakarta are proud of. This annual parade was conceived by Joko Widodo, the Mayor of Surakarta, in collaboration with a consultant called Dynand Fariz who had previously been behind the Jember fashion Festival. That evening, the Mayor donned an aristocratic cotume and rode a horse. Following behind him were local government staff wearing the uniforms of Keraton soldiers, who were in turn followed by the other participants

The theme "sekar jagad" manifested itself in various coloured flora and fauna designs. Participants using the flora theme costumes walked at the front The colours chosen varied, from red, yellow and green to blue and purple. The fauna motifs were no less lively. Batik based costumes were decorated with accessories in the shapes of various animals from land, water and air. One of the participants fascinated the onlookers with a dazzling butterfly costume.

Solo Batik Carnival is an endeavour on the part of Surakarta government to promote the town as a "batik town" In the national history of batik, Surakarta indeed holds a special place It was here that legendary batik companies sprung up in two kampong-Laweyan and Kauman. The preeminent batik museum, Museum Danar Had!, is also located in Surakarta and has become a reference for batik lovers all over the world who want to learn about the development of batik from one era to another.