Obama: bank execs shouldn't get bonuses this year

President-elect Barack Obama thinks bank executives should forgo their bonuses this year to show they are taking responsibility amid difficult economic times. 

In an interview with Barbara Walters to air Wednesday, Obama also said he is trying to keep his BlackBerry or find another way to "break through the isolation and the bubble that exists around the president." 

Obama talked about a range of topics in Tuesday's interview, including troop deployments in Afghanistan and Thanksgiving holiday plans with his family, ABC News said. He also discussed the adjustment of moving into the White House with his wife, Michelle, and their two daughters. 

According to excerpts of the interview released by ABC, Obama said bank executives should make sacrifices because so many other people are struggling as the U.S. economy slips further. Some financial firms, including Goldman Sachs, the Swiss bank UBS and the British bank Barclays, have said they are not handing out annual bonuses to top executives, and Obama encouraged more to follow. 

"I think that if you are already worth tens of millions of dollars, and you are having to lay off workers," Obama said, "the least you can do is say, 'I'm willing to make some sacrifice as well, because I recognize that there are people who are a lot less well off, who are going through some pretty tough times."' 

Obama also said the heads of the three auto companies who came to Washington asking for a bailout are a "little tone deaf" to what's going on in the country. It was the second time this week he has had harsh words for Ford Motor Co., Chrysler LLC and General Motors Corp. The struggling companies are pressing Congress for $25 billion in government loans. 

During a news conference Monday, Obama said the Big Three may deserve some assistance, but taxpayers cannot be expected to blindly support an auto industry "that has been resistant to change." 

As for his new life in the White House, Obama said one change he is resisting is having to give up his beloved BlackBerry. 

A president's e-mail may be subject to public records laws and can be subpoenaed by Congress and the courts. It may also be a security risk for him to carry a traceable cell phone. 

Giving it up, Obama said, "is a problem." During the campaign, he was often spotted thumbing the device and was known as a bit of a BlackBerry addict. 

He said he is working with the Secret Service, lawyers and White House staff to find a solution. 

"I'm negotiating to figure out how can I get information from outside of the ten or 12 people who surround my office in the White House," he said. "Because one of the worst things I think that could happen to a president is losing touch with what people are going through day to day."

Source: Sara Kugler , The Associated Press , Chicago | Wed, 11/26/2008 12:03 PM | World 

1,000 protesters storm Chinese government building

A crowd of 1,000 people stormed a local Communist Party headquarters in northwest China, smashing cars and clashing with police following a land dispute, government officials said Tuesday.

At least 60 people - officials, police, and protesters - were injured in the riots, according to a statement on the government Web site of Longnan city, where the unrest occurred.

The protest initially began with just a small group of people complaining about the demolition of teir homes to make way for a new road in Longnan in Gansu province, according to an official from the local Communist Party surnamed Wang.

But by nightfall, the crowd swelled to a many as 1,000 as more people joined the demonstration, the city's statement said.

"Instigated by a small number of people with ulterior motives, some unlawful people started to storm the city government building and attacked government officials from the petitioning office," it said.

Protesters attcked police and officials with stones, steel pipes and bricks. They also set fire to motorcycles, bicycles and buildings, according to the statement.

After attempting to calm the crowd, police "had no option but to disperse the unlawful elements with force," it said.

By early Tuesday morning, the sitation was "under control," said Wang, who like many Chinese officials would give only his surname.

Protests are common in China over land seizures and corrupt officials. Local government officials often confiscate land for infrastructure and housing projects, with little or no compensation.
The Associated Press , Beijing | Tue, 11/18/2008 3:30 PM | World

Baku: An exciting place to explore

Are you looking for a new exotic place to explore? Do you want to see features of both Asian and European cultures in one city? Do you want to see a city where Muslims, Jews and Christians live in harmony? Then Azerbaijan's capital Baku -- the pearl of the Caspian Sea -- is the place for you.

Azerbaijan, a small but oil-rich country in the South Caucasus, is the new kid on the block of the world tourism industry.

More than 90 percent of its population is Shiite Muslim. It is not, however, an orthodox country. It has one of the most modern, secular, liberal, tolerant and open societies in the Islamic world.

"We had a very difficult period of being unknown in the world tourism market due to the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh," Azerbaijan's Minister of Culture and Tourism, Abulfas Qarayev, told The Jakarta Post recently.

Nagorno-Karabakh, an Azerbaijan territory, was seized by Armenian troops in a 1990s war.

Azerbaijan's beauty, richness, culture and ultimately its geostrategic position -- a juncture on the Great Silk Road, between the Mediterranean, Caspian, Black and Azov seas -- has attracted various tribes, travelers, invaders, traders and missionaries throughout history. More recent patrons include oil companies and even film director Michael Apted, who shot parts of the 1999 Bond film The World is not Enough here.

In this former Soviet Union state of 8.7 million people, Baku has everything.

"It was a surprise for me. Baku looks like more an European city than an Asian one," Laura Shuurmans, a Jakarta-based free-lance writer, said recently.

A city rich in culture and history, Baku has unique and varied architecture -- ranging from grand mansions with Roman and Gothic themes to a walled old city complete with cobbled streets, narrow alleys, ancient buildings and interesting historical places.

As in any other ancient city, the best and easiest way is to explore Baku is on foot. While in Baku, there is one place you will go to, more than once. In Baku all roads lead to Fountain Square. If it is dining and shopping you're after, or simply looking to meet up with friends and enjoy the night life, head to Fountain Square. It's the most popular place in the city for locals and visitors alike.

Built in the 1860s by the famous Azerbaijani architect Hajibababeyov (1811-1874), Fountain Square is home to numerous Western-style shops, restaurants, cafes and bars. Here you can find street hawkers and a playground for children: It's the spot to hang out. It's on Sunday evenings however, that the square really comes alive. A parade of beautiful Azeri girls hit the town and everybody wants to be there.

Baku or Baki (which means a city of winds in the Azeri language) is in fact comprised of three cities -- the old town (Cheri Shekher), the boom town and the Soviet-built town.

Tourists will find the walled old town, a world heritage site, the most interesting as all the major attractions of Baku are found here.
Every city has its landmark and for Baku it's Maiden's Tower, a medieval tower with a strange keyhole shape. Built as a guard tower and observatory in 12th century, Maiden's Tower or Kiz Kulesi is worth seeing. There are many stories to explain how it was named, the most accepted being that a maiden committed suicide by jumping from the top. Local people told us that distressed people still sometimes repeat maiden's act.

A set of stairs will take you to the top of the tower, which, at a height of more than 30 meters will provide good exercise. From the top you will find the best view of Baku and the Caspian Sea.

But beware of the biting wind, which comes rolling off the rough Caspian Sea and sweeps through the city's streets.

Another of Baku's historical attractions is the Shirvanshah's Palace, a 15th century royal palace with a mosque, minaret and mausoleum.

On our way to Shirvanshah's Palace, there were numerous tempting artisan and carpet shops. But prices of these items are as high as the Maiden's Tower. Don't worry thought, if you have a local guide or bargaining skills developed from years of shopping at Tanah Abang market, the prices will come down by more than half.

It is easy to loose your way in the labyrinthine old city. But not to worry, just hail a cab and ask to go to the usual place: Fountain Square. The most surprising thing was that even the locals sometimes get lost. This is because Baku is changing very fast, due to the oil boom. Many Azeris, however, point out that they are not part of the boom.

The rapid influx of oil dollars means that the whole city looks as if it is in a beauty parlor. Multistory buildings are being constructed, old buildings and roads are undergoing renovations -- all over the city.

In the evening, one should not miss beautiful Boulevard. Running parallel to Baku's sea front, Azeri people enjoy leisurely strolls here. The 100-year-old Boulevard, now a national park, is also a popular spot for young lovers. The streets, decorated with lights, add to the ambiance.

Baku is also home to numerous museums. My favorite was the State Museum of Azerbaijani Carpets and Decorative Applied Arts (formerly the Lenin Museum), which has a very rich collection of centuries-old colorful carpets. The Azerbaijan State Museum of Art, State History Museum, Museum of Independence and the Museum of Musical Culture of Azerbaijan are also worth a visit.

The city also has a vibrant nightlife -- you can find music ranging from disco and jazz to operas and classical Azeri dances. One can even enjoy belly dancing at one of the caravansarai's (ancient inn) in the old town.
On the outskirts of the city, you can explore not only numerous beaches, but also places like Gobustan, where 12,000-year-old rock carvings are preserved, and Ateshgah -- a Zoroastrian fire temple built in the 18th century.

Near Baku, the most interesting place in Azerbaijan is Oil Rocks, a town on the Caspian Sea. Built during the Soviet era, Oil Rocks has 200 kilometers of streets built on a former landfill. It is here that several scenes of The World is not Enough were shot. Further away from Baku you will find tourist places like Sheki, Ganja and Guba.

The most interesting part of the experience is the great Azeri cuisine, which is similar to Turkish food. Lamb kebabs, dolmas, caviar, yogurt soups, salads, bread, pillav and tomatoes, as well as many fresh fruits, will make your mouth water.

Baku and Azerbaijan in general are blessed with so many qualities that will provide fond memories for tourists. But it is above all, their warmness, generosity and hospitality that Azeri people are well known for. Last year around 1.3 million tourists visited Azerbaijan, a veritable leap from the 44,934 who came in 1995.

Baku has all the ingredients, and has invested billions of oil dollars, to ensure its spot as a popular international destination in the years to come. It might just be that one has to hurry up to see the original Baku, before it turns into a new star in global tourism industry.

Travel tips

Getting there: The United Arab Emirates' Emirates airlines flies daily from Jakarta to Dubai. From Dubai Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) flies to Baku six times in a week and from Baku to Dubai seven times a week. A two-way ticket may cost approximately US$1,800.

What to see

Fountain Square, Maiden's Tower, Shirvanshah's Palace, Old town (Cheri Shekher), Gobustan, Ateshgah fire temple, State Art Gallery, State Museum of Azerbaijani Carpets and Decorative Applied Arts, Boulevard, Oil Rocks in Baku and surrounding areas

Where to stay

Hyatt Regency, Holiday Inn, Absheron Hotel, Caspian Palace, and Radisson SAS Plaza and numerous budget hotels

Where to eat and what to eat

Karavanserai: An underground restaurant in the midst of walled city. The food is traditional Azeri with lots of lamb and Caspian fish. There are also regular Azeri music, magic shows and belly dance.
Yacht Restaurant: This yacht-shaped expensive restaurant on Caspian Sea offers delicious Azeri food and drinks.

Currency

One can bring in unlimited foreign currency to Baku with proper declaration. But you can't take Azeri currency manats out of the country. Azeri manat might be stronger than U.S. dollar but it is not accepted outside Azerbaijan. All manats must be exchanged before we leave Baku.

Source: Veeramalla Anjaiah , The Jakarta Post ,

Jakarta Hotel Market First Half 2007 and jan-August 2008

Jakarta Hotel Market First Half 2007
A similar trend to the final semester of 2006 continued in the 1 semester of 2007, with a number of hotels reducing their room supply. Early in the year, over 50% of rooms in The Sultan Hotel were temporarily closed , leaving approximately 505 rooms available. There is no definite plan as to the size and type of development for the above premises, as the management is still considering few options available. Hotel
Raddin Ancol was closed down in May 2007. With no new hotels opening during the review period, the total supply for 3, 4 and 5-star hotels in Jakarta declined by 3.7% to 21,200 rooms from 92 hotels. Based on the number of hotel rooms, 5-star hotels contributed the largest share of supply at 41%. Based on the number of hotels, 3-star hotels were the largest contributor to at 50%. Approximately 34.1% of the existing supply was located in the CBD.

Jakarta hotel market will see no new hotels completed during 2007. New supply is projected to enter the market in 2008-2010, totaling 2,422 rooms from 11 hotels. The 5-star hotels will contribute almost 60% or 1,344 rooms.
By 2009, the Jakarta hotel market will see a larger involvement of Aston in managing new hotels and serviced apartments in Jakarta, including Grand Aston Albergo di Bellezza (Permata Hijau, South Jakarta),
Aston Marina Ancol, Hotel & Residence (Ancol, North Jakarta), Aston SoHo, Hotel & Residence (Slipi, West
Jakarta) and Aston Mangga Dua, Hotel & Residence, (Mangga Dua, North Jakarta). Meanwhile Accor, as the major hotel operator in Jakarta, will manage 2 new hotels by 2009, adding to the 9 existing hotels managed by Accor.
During the first semester of 2007, total passenger arrivals at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport were recorded at 7,170,879 people, slightly increased by 1.12% from the level achieved at the same period last year. International arrivals grew by 3.1%,whilst domestic arrivals plunged by 9.7%.
The overall occupancy rate continued to improve over the review period, from 62.21% during the last semester of 2006 to 64.53%. All hotel categories enjoyed occupancy rate increment, led by 3 and 4 star hotels at 70.48% and 68.76%, respectively. Occupancy for 5 star hotels slightly increased to 57.29%.



Jakarta Hotel Market jan-August 2008
Property Market Overview: http://www.colliers.com
In 3Q2008, no new hotel developments were introduced to the market, a situation similar to other quarters. The hotel market remained at 21,521 rooms, comprising 5,001 in 3-star hotels, 8,213 in 4-star hotels and 8,307 in 5-star properties. New 3-star hotels are ex¬pected to enter the market by the end of this year, among them the Harris Hotel, the Aston Marina Ancol and the Kempinski Hotel In¬donesia
Over the next three years, several interna¬tional hotel operators have committed to entering the Jakarta hotel market, as indicated in the table below. Between 2008 and 2011, the hotel stock is projected to grow by 4.79% per annum.
Between January and August 2008, Indonesia welcomed 4,069,474 visitors, an increase of 36.91% over the same period in 2007, which saw 2,972,394 visitors. Likewise, foreign visi¬tors to Jakarta also increased to 979,053, up from 754,023, or an increase of 29.84% year-on-year.
The five top markets for visitors to Jakarta were Asian countries, including Malay¬sia (15.94%), Singapore (9.12%), China (7.33%), Japan (7.18%) and the Republic of Korea (4.78%).
In general, the average occupancy rate (AOR) of star-rated hotels in Jakarta experienced a rise of 0.82% quarter-on-quarter (QoQ), with the 5-star category recording a positive growth of 14.94%. By contrast, the 3- and 4-star hotel categories registered a downturn in AOR of 6.07% and 3.59%, respectively, due mainly to the Moslem fasting seasons and school holidays.
Only 3-star hotels registered a negative growth in this quarter, falling by 15.76% from Rp336,746 to Rp283,684. By contrast, 4- and 5-star hotels recorded an ARR of Rp443,486 and Rp794,464, respectively, an increase of 0.70% and 9.24%, respectively.
Generally, since early 2008, the RevPAR has shown an upward trend. On average, the RevPAR grew by around 3.04% Q0Q, which indicates that the hotel market has stepped up steadily.
With growing confidence in the security issues in the country, Indonesia has plenty of poten¬tial to become one of the big five destinations for MICE (Meeting, Incentive, Convention and Exhibition) activity within the Asia Pacific region over the next five years. This should encourage the government to provide better infrastructure to welcome inbound tourists and train more human resources in the tourism industry. This action is necessary since Indonesia currently ranks 10 in the list of primary destinations for MICE activities in the Asia Pacific region.

Agar Istri Makin Bergairah

KETIKA menerima rangsangan seksual yang cukup, perempuan, seperti juga pria, akan mengalami suatu reaksi seksual. Reaksi seksual yang sempurna berlangsung dalam empat fase yang disebut siklus reaksi seksual, yaitu fase terangsang (excitement phase), fase datar (plateau phase), fase orgasme (orgasm phase), dan fase resolusi (resolution phase).

Pada setiap fase terjadi perubahan yang bersifat fisik dan psikis. Perubahan fisik dapat dirasakan, baik pada kelamin maupun pada bagian tubuh lain, tidak hanya oleh yang bersangkutan melainkan juga pasangannya. Demikian juga dengan perubahan yang bersifat psikis.

Perubahan yang terjadi selama siklus reaksi seksual ini dapat menjadi petunjuk pada fase mana pasangan berada, agar hubungan seksual dapat berlangsung dengan harmonis. Siklus reaksi seksual perempuan dan pria pada dasarnya sama, yaitu dimulai dengan adanya dorongan seksual yang semakin meningkat karena adanya rangsangan seksual dari luar. Maka terjadilah reaksi seksual dengan fase orgasme sebagai puncaknya.

Kalau kenyataannya hubungan suami-istri tidak berlangsung seperti itu, menurut Prof. Dr. Wimpi Pangkahila, Sp.And, dari Pusat Studi Andrologi dan Seksologi Fakultas Kedokteran Universitas Udayana, bisa jadi mitos tentang seks dan perbedaan peran jenis kelamin yang menjadi penyebabnya. Dikatakan, sampai saat ini masih banyak orang yang beranggapan bahwa urusan seksual adalah urusan pria.

Masih banyak juga yang beranggapan bahwa perempuan atau istri hanyalah pihak yang pasif, yang menerima saja, dalam hal hubungan seksual. Bahkan banyak pria yang menganggap dan memperlakukan perempuan hanya sebagai objek seks.

“Mitos itu sangat berpengaruh negatif bagi fungsi seksual perempuan. Banyak perempuan yang menjadi lebih tertutup dalam menghadapi masalah seksual,” papar Prof. Wimpie.

Ditambahkan pula, setiap gangguan pada setiap fase siklus reaksi seksual dapat menimbulkan disfungsi seksual. Dari pengalaman di klinik menghadapi pasangan dengan masalah seksual, Prof. Wimpie melihat, tidak sedikit yang kemudian terungkap adanya masalah seksual pada pihak perempuan, walaupun semula pasangan itu datang karena masalah seksual pada pihak pria. Lebih dari itu, tidak jarang terjadi suami baru tahu kalau istrinya ternyata mengalami gangguan fungsi seksual karena mitos sesat yang diyakininya selama ini.
Makanya, buang jauh-jauh mitos sesat itu, dan nikmati semua fase dalam berhubungan suami-istri. Tisak perlu bangga kalau hanya bisa menikmati kepuasan sendiri.
Sumber: Lalang Ken Handita dari Harian umum Kompas