Life In Mexico Essays - Identity, Fanny Hill, Adolescence

Life In Mexico In her many letters, and through her journals, Fanny Calderon de la Barca has left us a very informative eyewitness account of nineteenth century Mexico. Although these writings can be very useful in studying this period of time, it is important to note some of the factors that may have affected what she wrote. Fanny Calderon de la Barca's own social identity was one of the factors that had the most profound impact on her writings and observations. It is because of this social identity that her writings can be used advantageously as a source for social history...However, it is the same social identity that will help alter and be disadvantageous to using her work as a source for social history. Through examples of her writing this paper will argue these merits and show how this work can and can not be used as a source for social history. It is important to understand Fanny de la Barca's social identity, in order to help clarify the pros and con's of her work. She was the fifth child of ten born. Her father was well to do landowner, as well as a legal writer in Scotland. Her mother was related to the Earl of Buchan, in addition to other noble Scottish families (pg.5). She was very well educated as a child. She did see and face some adversity growing up. This adversity and experiences help to shape her social identity, and her as a person. Her family went bankrupt, they were forced to move, soon after her father passed away. Her family moved to Boston where the remaining family members, her included, started a school. The school was temporarily successful and then closed due to a mishap. The family then moved yet again to Staten Island. Her childhood was filled with ups and downs. Throughout it all she maintained a positive attitude and grew as a result. It is obvious that losing a loved, especially one as close as a parent will have a profound impact on a person. Seeing her family go bankrupt and having to move many times has showed Fanny that anything can happen at anytime, even if your are financially secure. Experiencing these ups and downs in her family life helped to open her eyes to the trials and tribulations of others. This is apparent in her writing. She was able to understand better and sympathize with the people she would come in contact with. The moving around probably made her later travelling life much easier to become accustomed to. She never really settled anyplace for an extended period of time. Although Fanny was an outside observer, she was able to work objectively on the many things she saw and people she met. However, because of the time period she some times couldn't write exactly what she wanted to, especially when it came to certain government issues. Due to her husband's respected position in society she was able to meet many important people, generals and leaders. They were received and treated with respect just about everywhere. Sometimes even with a twenty-one gun salute, like the one from the Jason. She was able to make observations of what she saw as they traveled from place to place. This treatment had its own impact on her writing. Although she noted some of the negative things that she saw, such as the smoke blackened buildings on the way to Vera Cruz, etc., she and her husband almost always stayed in a nice and comfortable place or house. This kept her from witnessing and experiencing some of the problems firsthand. Also a lot of the information she gathered was from generals and governors, people such as Santa Anna. These were not true firsthand accounts from peasants and other lower class families. For this reason her information may have been biased. She was really analyzing the opinions of higher ups, and may have received tainted information, or limited access, in certain situations. An example would have been Mexico's breaking from Spain, the revolution and how it happened. Her own childhood experiences may have helped her in using her own insight on certain topics. This helped her form opinions where she may have been sheltered from certain information. This also could have adversely biased her writings. It is important to consider that these are Fanny's observations and opinions, and are affected by her, and the experiences in her life. It is my opinion that although she had seen and faced some adversity in life, Fanny basically led

Understanding PTSD Flashbacks

Understanding PTSD Flashbacks A flashback is an intrusive, unintentional, vivid memory of a traumatic event. Flashbacks are one symptom of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Defining PTSD Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) occurs in the aftermath of a traumatic event, including military conflict,  assault, interpersonal violence, a car accident, or a natural disaster.  PTSD can also occur among first responders,  as well as  people whose loved one experienced a traumatic event. To be diagnosed with PTSD, an individual must experience symptoms in the following four categories  for at least a month after the trauma: Re-experiencing the event. People suffering from  PTSD often re-experience the event in unwanted, unintentional ways, including flashbacks and nightmares.  Avoidance of the event. Someone who is experiencing PTSD will often  try to avoid reminders of the event.Negative thoughts or emotions. The person may experience negative emotions (or a lack of positive emotions), feel self-blame, or lose interest in activities they previously enjoyed.Hypervigilance.  PTSD patients typically feel as thought they are constantly on â€Å"high alert.† They may have trouble sleeping, be irritable, or become easily startled, for example. While many people may develop some of these symptoms immediately after a traumatic event, not everyone who experiences a trauma develops PTSD. What a PTSD Flashback Feels Like Flashbacks can  be incredibly  vivid  and involve  re-experiencing the sights, sounds, and smells that were present during the traumatic event. Some people become flooded with the emotions that they felt at the time of the trauma.  Flashbacks can be so overwhelming and immersive that the person experiencing the flashback may temporarily feel that they have physically returned to the moment of the traumatic event. In some cases, a person experiencing a flashback may behave as though they were back in the traumatic event. Flashbacks can occur as a result of a  trigger- that is, when they notice something in the environment that reminds them of  the traumatic event. However, people can also experience a flashback without being aware of a particular trigger that caused it. Flashbacks vs. Memories Flashbacks occur when individuals involuntarily re-experience a memory of a  traumatic event. Importantly, the psychological definition of a flashback  differs from the common colloquial use of the term. A flashback is  not  simply a â€Å"bad memory. Rather, it is an experience in which an individual actually feels as if they  are re-living parts of the traumatic event. Flashbacks in PTSD are different from intentional memories because they occur without the person trying to do anything to bring back the memory. In fact, psychologist Matthew Whalley and his colleagues have found that patterns of brain activation are different when people are exposed to words that they associate with flashbacks, compared to words that they associate with non-flashback memories. Studies on PTSD Flashbacks   Psychologists have investigated whether it is possible to prevent the development of flashbacks after a traumatic event. Researcher Emily Holmes and her colleagues have suggested that, since flashbacks are often powerful visual images, it may be possible to reduce the severity by distracting the visual system. To test this idea out, Holmes and her colleagues conducted an experiment in which participants watched a potentially traumatizing video.  Afterwards, some participants played Tetris, and others did not. The researchers found that participants who played Tetris only had about half as many flashbacks as the participants who didn’t. In other words, it appears that a neutral activity such as Tetris kept the visual systems in the participants brains occupied, making flashback images less likely to occur. In another paper  by Dr. Holmes’  team, researchers asked emergency room patients who had experienced a traumatic event to participate in a similar study. Some participants played Tetris while others did not, and the researchers found that participants who played Tetris had fewer intrusive memories of their traumatic event over the next week. More broadly, researchers have found that psychotherapy and medication can reduce the severity of PTSD symptoms, including flashbacks. One type of therapy,  Prolonged Exposure,  involves discussing the traumatic event in a safe, therapeutic setting. Another therapeutic technique,  Cognitive Processing Therapy, involves working with a therapist to change ones beliefs about the traumatic event. Researchers have found that both types of therapy are able to lessen the severity of PTSD symptoms. PTSD Flashbacks Key Takeaways Post-traumatic stress disorder is a mental health condition that can occur in the aftermath of a traumatic event.Flashbacks are a PTSD symptom that involve re-experiencing memories of the traumatic event.PTSD flashbacks can be extremely  vivid and may make  individuals feel as though they are re-living the traumatic event.  Several treatments are currently available for PTSD, and new research is investigating whether PTSD flashbacks can be prevented. Sources Brewin, Chris R. â€Å"Re-experiencing Traumatic Events in PTSD: New Avenues in Research on Intrusive Memories and Flashbacks.†Ã‚  European Journal of Psychotraumatology  6.1 (2015): 27180. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.3402/ejpt.v6.27180Friedman, Matthew J. â€Å"PTSD History and Overview.† U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs: National Center for PTSD (2016, Feb. 23). https://www.ptsd.va.gov/professional/PTSD-overview/ptsd-overview.aspHammond, Claudia. â€Å"PTSD: Do Most People Get It After Terrifying Incidents?† BBC Future (2014, Dec. 1). bbc.com/future/story/20141201-the-myths-about-ptsdHolmes, Emily A., James, E.L., Coode-Bate, T., Deeprose, C. â€Å"Can Playing the Computer Game ‘Tetris’ Reduce the Build-up of Flashbacks for Trauma? A Proposal from Cognitive Science.†Ã‚  PloS One  4.1 (2009): e4153. http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id10.1371/journal.pone.0004153Iyadurai, Lalitha, et al. Preventing Intrusive Memorie s After Trauma Via a Brief Intervention Involving Tetris Computer Game Play in the Emergency Department: A Proof-of-Concept Randomized Controlled Trial. Molecular Psychiatry 23  (2018): 674-682. https://www.nature.com/articles/mp201723 Norman, Sonya, Hamblen, J., Schnurr, P.P., Eftekhari, A. â€Å"Overview of Psychotherapy for PTSD.† U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs: National Center for PTSD (2018, Mar. 2). https://www.ptsd.va.gov/professional/treatment/overview/overview-treatment-research.aspâ€Å"PTSD and DSM-5.† U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs: National Center for PTSD (2018, Feb. 22). https://www.ptsd.va.gov/professional/PTSD-overview/dsm5_criteria_ptsd.aspWhalley, M. G., Kroes, M. C., Huntley, Z., Rugg, M. D., Davis, S. W., Brewin, C. R. (2013). An fMRI Investigation of Posttraumatic Flashbacks.  Brain and Cognition,  81(1), 151-159. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3549493/â€Å"What Is Posttraumatic Stress Disorder?† American Psychiatric Association (2017, Jan.). https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/ptsd/what-is-ptsd

The U.S Constitution Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The U.S Constitution - Research Paper Example According to Dahl (2003); the main way in which the constitution can be described as being democratic is the fact that it allows citizens of the land rights that can be found in the 10th amendment to the constitution. The document can also be amended in a very democratic process. This is because unlike in the document’s creation, it is elected representatives that participate in the constitutional amendment process. This brings this text to how the constitution is undemocratic. The creation of the document is itself a testament to this fact. Those who wrote the constitution were not by any means elected. They were no doubt great leaders, but the fact that there was no election proves that gave them the capacity to write the document on behalf of the entire country. It was created behind closed doors and then signed by the authors. It can therefore be argued that the undemocratic way through which the document cam to be nullifies the premise of democracy which it was meant to i nspire. Other undemocratic elements of the United States constitution are; its tolerance of slavery, suffrage, limitation of Congressional power and judicial power which gives judges the ability to deem a law unconstitutional even after it has been approved by the legislature and then sighed by the president. Amar (2005) exaplsins that since its inception, the U.S constitution has been democratized over the years. One way through which this has been done is by the bill of rights. The bill of rights came to give most rights needed in a democracy.

Comparative study of Mergers and Acquisitions processes in France and Essay

Comparative study of Mergers and Acquisitions processes in France and in the United States - Essay Example Research results reveal that the M&A transactions are generally cheaper in France than in the US. According to Alkhafaji, by the above ruling it is meant that the financial assets that are used to execute the M&A transactions together with the duration that is required. The only situation that presents the US as being at par with France, as far as the number of person-days needed to execute M&A are concerned, is when there is seen to be a phase (9a) that portends the execution of the Dispute Without Formal Litigation. This is because the person-days are almost the same in France and US. As far as cost is concerned, M&A transactions in America are significantly of exorbitant cost than France. However, Phase 9(b) Dispute with Formal Litigation in France requires more asset input than in US. In this situation, the transaction cost in the US and in France remains equal. Similarly, economic pundits, such as Terrence, point out that there is a dearth of uniformity between the US and Franc e M&A as far as the results for step-time and satisfaction are concerned. The satisfaction for steps that begins with the exchanging of preliminary information during the drafting of ancillary documents is said to be also considerably the same between US and France. Sweet and Larsson observes that the France’s step (9b) Dispute with formal litigation also remains comparably the same to that of the US. However, it is pointed out that in the US, satisfaction remains higher as far as the Dispute without Formal Litigation is concerned.

The Political And Legal Systems Of Indonesia

The Political And Legal Systems Of Indonesia 1. Country profile: Indonesia is located in the southeast part of Asia. Indonesia stretches 5120 km along the equator and has 13000 islands between Australia and Asia. Due to this there has been an influence on the social, cultural, economic and political life of the country. Indonesias total area is 80% sea mass. Java, Sumatra, Kalimantan, Papua and Sulawesi are the five a largest island of which java is the most populated island, a total population of 125 million (CIA 2010). Jakarta is the capital of Indonesia. Indonesia has a tropical climate which consists of two seasons summer from May to September and the rainy season from October to April. Indonesia experiences rain during both the seasons. The fourth most populated country in the worlds is Indonesia with a population of 242.96 million (CIA 2010). Indonesia is the largest Muslim country. It is an ethnically diverse country with more than 300 languages. http://mapoftheunitedstates.files.wordpress.com/2008/03/indonesia_.jpg Figure 1: Indonesia Map Sources: CIA Website 2010 2. Political system and Legal systems: Indonesia today is Southeast Asias most vibrant democracy. The Indonesians enjoy a level of political freedom. The present improved political system now encourages freedom and equality for the people of Indonesia. Figure 2: Political system of Indonesia Source: Indonesia 2009: An official handbook The three key branches of the Indonesian government are The executive branch The legislative branch The judicial branch 2.1 Executive branch: The president is the head of the state and government, in turn is on top of the executive branch. Under him is the vice-president, cabinet ministers and also non-departmental agencies. He is also the commander-in-chief of the armed forces. The main role of the president is to govern his nation, make policies and look in to the foreign affairs. The president has the power to assign and reject the cabinet ministers. One of the main roles of the president is to assign the judge for the Supreme Court. 2.2 Legislature branch: This branch consist a representative body which is the peoples consultative assembly or (MPR). The MPR has the right to question the integrity of the president. The MPR has two lower chambers i.e the Peoples Representative Council or the (DPR) and the Regional Representatives Council or (DPD). 2.3 Judicial branch: The Indonesian judicial system has three main courts i.e. the high court, Supreme Court and the district courts. The Supreme Court is the highest level. These courts have the rights to exercise both civil and criminal cases. Indonesia has different courts for different matters, religious courts, military courts and administrative courts. Firstly all the civil disputes are handled in a state court and then forwarded to the high court. A commercial court exists to handle bankruptcy and commercial matters. The three branches of the legal system in Indonesia are The notaries Advocates Legal consultants. A notary is appointed by the Department of Justice Human Rights who is trained legally to notarise deeds. A notary prepares and executes the formal deed called the notarised deed, it is also known as the authentic deed. The legal documents require notarised deeds. The role of the notary is to make sure that the parties have considerable amount of proof for their deeds and the deed is executed properly. The notary should be present when a party plans to start a company. A notary is appointed by the government and his duty does not include giving legal advice. These parties need to get legal advice before they meet the notary. The main duties of the notary are to prepare and verify the documents. The parties are free to choose any notary they want. Advocates are lawyers who practice privately and have formal legal training. The main duty of the advocates is to focus on litigation but they can also provide general legal advice. For advice on foreign transaction experienced lawyers are needed.Hiring a good and trust worthy lawyer is essential for doing business in Indonesia. Some of the important laws relevant for businesses in Indonesia are given below: The Law on Investment The Labour Law The bill on Mineral and Coal Mining The Oil and Gas law The Shipping Law Law on Disputes and Conflict resolution Corporate Law Land rights Few tips for the foreign investors There should not be any restrictions on the type of business the company is planning to start. A good notary is a must to set up a business. The employees who have an important position should be paid well. Build good relations with the company and the society. 3. Economic system Under the leadership of Suharto who was the president of Indonesia for over three decades the economy had witnessed two major financial crises. This was during 1997- 98 and 2008. Indonesian economy is directly dependent on three main sectors, Agriculture Manufacturing Service. These crises were direct result of corrupt politicians, natural disasters, disturbances in the society and terrorism. The result was that the economy suffered which in turn caused in drop of employment opportunities and loss of manpower that migrated in search of employment. The graph shows the distribution of workforce among the three key economic sectors. Indonesias Employment Figure 3: Indonesian Employment Source: Economy Watch The three main sectors that constitute the Indonesian Economy are: Primary Sector: Agriculture by far is the largest employment sector. Some of the common produce is rice, pork, coffee, tea, cocoa, spices, rubber, eggs, copra, palm oil and peanuts. Indonesia stands 4th in world market for the production of coffee and rice. Secondary Sector: Nearly 27.9% of Indonesians GDP comes from the manufacturing sector (EIU 2010). Tertiary Sector: Service sector has for long has been the pillar of Indonesian economy contributing nearly 38.5% towards the countrys GDP. Global financial crises slowed down the IT sector. However, it has been predicated to contribute up to 15% towards the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) during the period of 2010-2014 (EIU 2010) . Hospitality industry has surprisingly started contributing towards Indonesian economy. The tourism industry flourished with no major impact due to the global recession. 4. Economy: Indonesia has the largest economy in Southeast Asia. It is a market based economy with a significant involvement of the state. There are a large number of state owned enterprises (SOEs). Indonesia is considered as an emerging economy. In the end of 2009 the GDP was $540.3 billion and the per capita GDP was $2717. The GDP growth in 2010 reached 5.9% and to further accelerates to an average of 6.2 % a year in 2011-2014. In terms of GDP industrial sector is the largest (46.9%), followed by services (37.2%) and agriculture (15.9%)  [i]  . Indonesia is a major exporter of oil (US Department of State 2010) Indonesia is market leaders in the production of palm oil and one of the main producers of rubber, coal, liquefied natural gas and cocoa. Some of the prime industries are mining, petroleum and natural gas, cement, textiles and chemical fertilizers. There is a reduction in the poverty of the population. Indonesian economy has been improving after some major financial crisis in the past, thus investing on Indonesian Economy would be associated with low risk. Growth in GDP by field of business from 2005 to 2009: Growth (%) 2007 2008 2009 Agriculture 3,5 4,8 4,13 Mining and Quarrying 2 0,5 4,37 Manufacturing 4,7 3,7 2,11 Electricity, Gas and Water Supply 10,3 10,9 13,78 Construction 8,6 7,3 7,05 Trade, Hotels and Restaurants 8,4 7,2 1,14 Transportation and Communications 14 16,7 15,53 Finance, Rental and Business Service 8 8,2 5,05 Services 6,6 6,4 6,40 GDP 6,3 6,1 4,55 Sources: Bank Indonesia and Asian Development Bank 2010 Distribution of GDP by field of business from 2005 to 2009: Distribution of GDP (%) 2007 2008 2009  [ii]   Agriculture 13,8 13,7 15,3 Mining and Quarrying 8,7 8,3 10,5 Manufacturing 27,4 26,8 26,4 Electricity, Gas and Water Supply 0,7 0,7 0,8 Construction 6,2 6,3 1,0 Trade, Hotels and Restaurants 17,3 17,4 13,4 Transportation and Communications 7,3 8 6,2 Finance, Rental and Business Service 9,4 9,5 7,2 Services 9,3 9,3 5,6 Sources: Bank Indonesia and Asian Development Bank 2010 4.1 Inflation Rate: According to the financial report in April 2011 Indonesian inflation rate stood at 6.16 %. During the period between 1997 to 2010, Indonesian inflation rate averaged between 13.26% and reaching its all time high of 82.4% in the third quarter of 1998 and reached a all time low record of -1.17 % in first quarter of 2000. 4.2 Social Economy: The population of Indonesia stood at 232.4 million during 2010. It has a healthy percentage of population who are young. The median age is 27.2 years and the population growth is 1.175%. Looking at the age structure, 28.4% of the population is between 0-14 years, 67.5% are between 16-67 and 5.8% over 65 years. Life expectancy is 70.46 years. As of February 2011, labour force was 116.5 million. When dividing the labour force by sector, one finds that agriculture employs the most people (42.1%), closely followed by the services sector (39.3%). 18.6% are employed in the industrial sector. The table shows the distribution of the employment among the major industries. Industry # of employees % Agriculture, Livestock, Forestry, Fishery 42,689,635 41.83 Mining and Quarrying 1,062,309 1.04 Manufacturing 12,440,141 12.19 Electricity, Gas, Water 207,909 0.20 Construction 4,733,679 4.64 Trade, Hotels, Restaurants 20,684,041 20.27 Transportation, Storage, Communication 6,013,947 5.89 Finance, Real estate and Business services 1,440,042 1.41 Community, Social and Personal services 12,778,154 12.52 Source: Indonesia 2008: An Official Handbook Indonesias official unemployment level is currently 7.4 %; a decrease from former levels of unemployment between 8 and 9 %. 5. Cultural issues Indonesias workforce values is as given below: http://www.geert-hofstede.com/graphs/hofstede_indonesia.gif Figure 5: Geert Hofstedeà ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢ Cultural Dimensions Sources: Geertz Hofstede 2009 The above graph indicates that Indonesians are generally inclined towards distribution of power in a pyramid like structure as opposed to individualism which is promoted in western cultures. Culture is a multi layered which incorporates a multitude of aspects which has to be closely understood before any new venture is planned. Below figure outlines a few key determinants which constitutes a culture, Figure: Cultural Norms Source: International Business, Asia pacific edition. The Indonesian culture is quite different from the western culture. Tradition is very important for the Indonesians even though they live in a modern society. This does not mean they dont welcome the western culture. Indonesians are proud of their background and are not very keen on learning about different cultures. They in turn expect the foreigners to invest time and effort in learning their culture. In order to build good relations with the Indonesians it is better to learn their language and culture. This wont be an obstacle since the Indonesians are friendly and polite people. To establish itself it is mandatory for business to invest and participate in the development of the social structure and economy of Indonesia. Variables such as gender, age, marital status and education affect the ease with which personal and commercial relationships are formed. In order to penetrate and govern smooth operations it is advised to nominate older and mature executives to be in charge as opposed to young executives. It has been proved that aggressive nature of pursing business has many risks associated as the social structure calls for investing time in nurturing and building relationships adhering to the cultural norms which in turn will lead to successful business operations. 6. Ethical Issues: The most common ethical issues encountered are employment practices, human rights, environmental regulations, corruptions and the moral obligations. Skilled labour is more of a commodity in Indonesia as the local companies invest minimal time and effort on training their staffs. Investing on training and development is one of the key initiatives that have to be undertaken by any new ventures. Recent trends show employees value the time and money invested in training and development which in turn leads to increased loyalty and increase production. Drastic changes in management policies have to be subtle and well planned, as this might lead to insecurity and misunderstanding. It is suggested to seek assistance from independent auditors to review any human rights violations that might indirectly affect the business. But recent trends suggest minimal human right violations. Environmental regulations in Indonesia are still being formalized and this in turn posts a challenging dilemma of adhering to the policies which is far inferior to that of the home nations environment policies. Added measures have to be put in place to maintain the delicate balance of the local surroundings and ensuring minimal impact to the environment. Corruption in Indonesia has been a long standing issue. Recent change in the government structure has not been to counter this major concern. This has been a major determinant for foreign investors to shy away from Indonesian markets. To negate this factor the organizations culture and leadership should draft a code of ethics against corruption. And emphasize all business practices to strictly adhere to these ethics. 7. Trade: Due to the improvement in Indonesias trade the economy had seen a lot of positive changes. This change has increased employment opportunities, has reduced poverty and increased the status of the middle class. Indonesia has been able to recover well after the financial crisis when compared to the neighboring countries. Because of this Indonesia can increase its share in the global market and increase the domestic sales. For this to happen successfully Indonesia needs to reform its trade structure and reduce the tariffs and quotas. Even though there has been a drastic growth in the export of the countries resources, it has not made any progress in the exports of manufactured products. The main concern of the producers in Indonesia is they cannot compete with the producers who manufacture with reduced costs. One of the main reasons for Indonesias products to be weak in competition is the low level of connectivity. The high cost of transportation is one of main causes in the declining of trade. Trade between countries might be cheaper than trading among the islands. Transportation using trucks is inconvenient because of the poor roads in Indonesia. Another main disadvantage that reduces international trade is the low performance of Indonesias main ports. Just-in-time production is not possible in Indonesia because of the inefficient and expensive transports. Another issues concerning international trade is licensing and policies imposed by the government. Indonesia does not encourage in improving the logistics which deprives them of new technologies. 8. Investment opportunities by sector: Indonesian economy has great potential for foreign investments, as it is a large country with ample natural resources, mining and energy, forestry, agriculture, and marine resources, many of which are not exploited yet. The country has a very large and inexpensive workforce as well as a significant market. Indonesia has been experiencing a steady annual economic growth and this growth is continuing for years. 8.1 Energy: As an emerging economy, Indonesia depends heavily on an increased production domestically of energy resources. Energy is the largest export product and the second largest import product. When considering both the exploited/developed and unexploited/undeveloped energy resources, there is still a great potential for increased trade and investment in the energy sector. 8.2 Oil, gas and coal: Among the countries in Asia, Indonesia is among the top ranked country as it has proven gas reserves of about 3.18 trillion. It is predicated that the requirement is likely to increase in local power plants. Due to disappointing exploration by major players, oil production has decreased during the last decade. Its currently consumes nearly 1.2 million bbl/d of oil which makes it a net importer. The country has invested heavily on the production of natural gas targeting the export market, but declining oil production has forced them to divert most of its gas production into local markets. 8.3 Telecommunications: Indonesia for several years has been the fastest-growing mobile phone market in the Asia-Pacific region with annual growth rates of up to 60%. Even though Investing on mobile markets has been high its relatively small compared to the cost of establishing a fixed-line network. Millions of Indonesians who otherwise would not have access to telecom services now have a mobile Phone (CIA 2010). 8.4 Infrastructure: Indonesia has experienced rapid growth in the total number of road vehicles, particularly motorcycles, but also cars and trucks. Inadequate infrastructure is therefore often mentioned as one of the main impediments to investments in Indonesia. The government with the help other financial aids, is trying to improve the infrastructure by introducing new projects (Bloomberg 2010). 9. Foreign exchange: Exports are an integral part of Indonesian economy as it generates foreign exchange. This in turn allowed it to acquire raw materials and machinery required for the development. The earnings from Export helped Indonesia to borrow from international financial markets and development agencies. This helped government sponsor developmental projects in Indonesia. Because of the increase in borrowing by 1990 Indonesias total foreign debt was US $ 54 billion. A committee was established in 1991 named The Foreign Debt Coordinating Committee to check the growing foreign debt. Indonesia was funded by World Bank, Netherlands, Japan, Denmark and Asian Development Bank. The supply and demand relationship between international and the domestic market is determined by the foreign exchange rates in Indonesia. In an effort to stabilize the exchange rates the Bank of Indonesia regularly sterilizes the exchange rate. 9.1 Currency: The currency of Indonesia is the Rupiah It is a freely convertible currency. Since the rupiah was subjected to high inflation during the Asian Financial crisis in 1997-98, the rupiah has been considered as risky currency to hold. After the recovery of the economy the currency has been relatively stable. Today, this perception has changed as the solid fundamentals of the economy and sustained high yields underpin the attractiveness of investment. Historical exchange rates: Year IDR/USD IDR/NOK 2004 8,939 1,335 2005 9,704 1,507 2006 9,159 1,431 2007 9,143 1,559 2008 9,699 1,721 2009 9,754 1,675 2010 9,048 1,525 2011 8,590 1,534 Sources: Norges Bank, CIA 10. Financial management: Indonesia Financial sector in Indonesia is divided into banks held by local governments, banks held by state, private sector banks, foreign banks and cooperative banks. However three major players in the microfinance industry which govern the Indonesian markets are the state-owned BRIs, BPRs are small financial institutions and pawning company. Since 1986 the BRI unit has been profitable and has operated as an autonomous entity since its 1987. The Indonesian Movement for Microfinance Development (GEMA PKM) which is an organization comprising representatives of the government, NGOs, financial institutions, the business sector, universities, and research institutes. There primary objective is to partner in the drafting of a Microfinance Act, also formulating some best practices which would aid in poverty reduction and for the growth in economy. One such change was to introduce Tax Laws to fix corporate income tax to 25% from 2010.Description Description Final Income Tax Rate (%) Rentals of land and buildings 10% Proceeds from transfers of land and building rights 5% Interest on time or saving deposits and on Bank of Indonesia Certificates (SBIs) other than that payable to banks operating in Indonesia and to government approved pension funds 20% Interest on bonds other than that payable to banks operating in Indonesia and to government approved pension funds 15% Sale of exchange-traded shares on the Indonesian stock exchange 0.1% Forward contract derivatives 2.5% T ax Rate (%) The primary agenda in front of National Committee is to draft out issues and road blocks that are elevating poverty; It also organizes meeting between business and institutions in order to identify and assess policies that are currently imposed on small businesses and MFIs; They are in the process of accelerating the passage of a new Credit Collateral Law that will simplify distribution of microcredit system. 11. Recommendation: Indonesia remains as attractive destination to invest, but has been found vulnerable to multiple risks. Therefore is it imperative for Organizations to take a proactive approach while considering investment options. Below are some of the strengths which will aid in decision making and also some of the weaknesses that have to be assessed in order to formulate an effective risk management strategy. Weakness Low investment rate Limited bank intermediation Infrastructure deficiencies Persistent corruption and lack of transparency Interethnic tensions exacerbated by high unemployment and poverty Strengths Strengthened banking sector Diversity of natural resources (agricultural, energy, mining) High competitiveness underpinned by low labour costs Consolidation of political stability Dynamic tourism 12. Conclusion: The above report provides a high level overview of the feasibility and associated risk involved in investing in Indonesia. The current business environment posts several challenges some of the main issues are bureaucracy which lacks transparency, uncertain legal structure, poor infrastructure and lacks security. But recent trends all point towards organizations exploring developing economics in search of expansion as the market has tremendous opportunities. Decentralization of power is not adding in smooth investment as this structure introduces further levels of bureaucratic process. Adding to the above mentioned problems Indonesia has been prone to natural calamities which add to the existing risks. 13. Executive Summary: As the fourth most populated country in the world, Indonesias large domestic market offers a wide range of investment opportunities for foreign and domestic investors. This report will try to assess some of the key elements such as the political system and legal system asses the favorability and ease of investment in Indonesian markets. Then the report shifts its focus on the economic system which by far is one of the most important factors that directly influences investment decisions. Economic growth which has been predicated to be in the range of 5% and 7 % for the next five years, which shows proactive approach by the Indonesian government to attract FDI. The projected FDI by 2014 is expected to reach approximately US$222 billion. The government has made amendments to reduce income tax on cooperates and fixed it to a flat rate of 25%. The licensing process has been made easy to encourage investments in the mining and shipping sectors. Decentralization of government sectors has acted as a major road block in simplifying the licensing process for foreign organizations to invest in Indonesian markets. Indonesia currently has some of the largest deposits of natural gas and oil resources across Asia. According to the recent trends and investigating the various sectors contributing towards the current situation, Indonesia can be considered as a medium risk investment opportunity. It is recommended to take a cautious approach in investing in Indonesian markets. Foreign investments should consider investing on Indonesian Limited Liability Company to reduce potential risks. Also opening small branch offices and assessing the market condition is the most suitable option of investment.

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In 1999, INJAZ was established as a non-profit organization that seeks to inspire and prepare youth to become productive members of their society and accelerate the development of the national economy, helping them realize their full potential. Since its inception, INJAZ has benefited over 850,000 youth throughout its various programs, bridging the path from academia to the job market. Our Programs INJAZ brings 46 programs to public schools, universities, community colleges, and various social institutions. Programs are both curricular and extra-curricular and focus on such themes as financial literacy, work skills, leadership, entrepreneurship, career development, and inspiration. INJAZ’ programs aim to develop students' sense of personal ambition and passion for achievement through a diverse spectrum of courses, inspirational activities, volunteer projects, internships, competitions, and opportunities to gain real work experience and training before leaving the education system. Our Students INJAZ reaches out to Jordanian youth across the kingdom, a...

Heard and unheard music of Casablanca Essay

While Casablanca is one of the most know, satirized and often many lines repeated, the unsung hero of the movie is its music. Everyone knows â€Å"As time goes by†, but after seeing the movie can you think of any other music from this classic. People who have seen Casablanca dozens of times ( my father ) in their life can only remember â€Å"As time goes by†. This song brings back the happy memories of Ilsa and Rick in Paris. When Rick tells Sam not to play that song, is it possible that Rick never wants to remember the good times with a woman he will never see again or his alcoholic self destructive nature depriving himself of any happiness. Ilsa on the other hand wants to remember the good times and that is why she asks Sam to Play it. In the scene following Rick’s refusal to sell Laszlo the letters of transit, the German officers start singing a German song Die Wacht Am Rhein. Victor Laszlo never one to let the Germans get the upper hand asks the band to play La Marsellaise. Many in the crowd sing along to La Marsellaise as well as Laszlo. The German officers try in vain to out sing the crowd, but with their small numbers and their Nazi cause, the French Anthem wins the day. Shortly after this, Major Strasser orders Captain Renault to close down Rick’s. Two competing songs bring the closure of our heroes night club, a pivotal point in the movie, and few if any can remember the names of the 2 songs nor even hum a few bars. This scene also places Victor Laszlo on top of Major Strasser’s list of things he needs to clean up in Casablanca. So why is it that 2 epic anthem’s, such a critical part of this film goes unheard and a song like â€Å"As time goes by† is sung, hummed and quoted so often. It is my belief that â€Å"As time goes by â€Å" brings back the memories of the good times and Die Wacht Am Rhein and La Marsellaise bring up the confrontation that many go to the movies to forget. The next time I see Casablanca, I will be humming â€Å"As time goes by.