Jef's Article

Marketing Strategies

2011-09-17T22:55:00.003-07:00

Marketing Strategies
Marketing strategy helps organizations to focus their attention to complete resource utilization to increase sales and win over their competitors. Every company applies some kind of marketing strategies to maintain existing customers, attract potential customers and also to maintain and enhance their reputation in the market.
When designing a marketing plan, first a marketing strategy is taken into consideration. The marketing plan consists of steps to be taken so as to attain success in the implementation of the marketing strategy chosen. Big projects involve selection of different strategies at different levels. Usually a strategy consists of well-sketched tactics. They are meant to meet the needs and finally reach marketing objectives. Each of the strategies has pre-calculated results because when a particular strategy is chosen at a particular level, its outcome becomes the goal of that particular level. If there is an absence of a well thought strategy in a marketing plan means it is supposedly lacking a good foundation. A reasonable marketing strategy should not only facilitate marketing goals, but also the action sequence of a campaign.
At regular time intervals the firm should analyze the marketing decision. This is done with the help of strategic models and the 3C’s model is considered for this purpose. To calculate the company’s strategic position, Ansoff matrix is used. The 3C’s model determines the factors, which leads to the success of a marketing campaign. There are three key parties involved in this model the corporation, the customer and the competitors. The involvement of all the three key parties leads to positive results and this involvement is known as the 3C’s or strategic triangle.
The role of the corporation is to increase the strength of the company in the success critical areas, when compared to that of the competitor. The customer and his interest form the basis of any strategy. The competitor also plays a vital part. The competitor-based strategies are based on the functioning of business competitors like design and engineering, sales and servicing, and purchasing.
When making a marketing plan depending on some particular strategies known as mix strategies are used. 4P’s model is used to calculate whether the plan is sticking to the strategies or not. The four Ps stand for product, price, place and promotion. Products are goods produced by the company on a huge scale for the purpose of selling them and earning profit. Price is the money paid for a product by the customer. The price is based on many factors like competition, market share, customer perception and product identity. Place where the product is sold can be either physical store or store on the Internet. It is also known as distribution channel. To make the customer knowledgeable about a product, the marketer does promotion. It involves advertising, public relation and point of sale.
There are different types of marketing strategies based on some criteria. Challenger, Leader and Follower are types of market dominance strategies. Market dominance strategies are used to dominate the market. Cost leadership, Market segmentation and Product differentiation are types of porter generic strategies. Porter generic strategies are built on strategic strength or competing abilities and strategic scope or market penetration. Close followers, late follower and Pioneers are types of innovation strategies. Innovation strategies are meant to trigger the rate of product development and model innovation. It helps the firm to incorporate latest technologies. Intensification, Diversification, Vertical integration and Horizontal integration are types of growth strategies. Growth strategies facilitate the growth of the organization. Marketing warfare strategies are conjunction of marketing strategies and military strategies.
A marketing strategy or a mix of them is chosen only after thorough market research. A marketer should always be ready to face any kind of situations like if the strategy is changed in the middle, he should be able to perform another market research so as to choose the proper strategy, within a short period of time. This can be done easily if you have experience.

Global Marketing

2011-09-17T22:55:00.001-07:00

Global Marketing
Global marketing is nothing but marketing done on national and international level and which involves understanding the similarities, dissimilarities and taking advantage of the opportunities to attain the goal. Concentrating on global marketing is as important as concentrating on domestic marketing if a company is aiming to increase sales.
The domestic market has become saturated in most categories of products and services, in all industrialized countries and hence, they started to deal with other countries to increase their sales. Usually in such case, goods that are too expensive for the domestic customers to buy are exported to other well-off countries.
When a company does marketing within the boundaries of a specific county, it has to compete with other domestic companies as well as international companies who are a part of the market. The marketing steps taken by the professionals are based on the taste of a specific audience. The product might not suit the taste of customers at a higher level. The other domestic companies that plan to go global hinder the growth of such companies. They become invisible at the international level as they are unable to cope with the growing competition and might not be aware of potential competitors. The product development is dependant on the need of the local residents. Such kinds of businesses are ethnocentric and are only bothered about their performance in the domestic marketplace.
Companies planning to go global should start with export to a foreign client first. The returns wouldn’t be satisfying in the beginning. The export department can be introduced at the headquarters that deals with all the laws. There can be a possibility of becoming secondary exporters by bringing export management company into the picture, who will deal with the language problem, time difference, paperwork and customers. If managing the exports without any help, the export department can be started at an office located abroad. This office works in collaboration with the regional headquarters. But the respective offshore offices take the marketing decisions, as they will have best knowledge about the particular market they are operating in.
Multinational marketing involves marketing in many countries. The marketing is based on the requirements of different countries and the returns are rewarding. Each region should be studied individually based on development, production and marketing. Such kinds of markets are known as region centric. Global marketing involves the whole globe. The entire world is summarized as a single market and the products that are released in the market should fit the needs of any regional marketplace. Marketers all over the world make the marketing decisions. Such a kind of market is known as geocentric.
Automotive industry is one such market that saw a global boost in sales during the last fifty years. Earlier only the local companies like Ford and General Motors used to produce cars in America, but today other international competitors like Toyota and Honda are operating in the same market and have out done the local companies. Another key factor to the global marketing is the Internet, which introduced e-commerce. Businesses went going online and global. This encouraged the sales of the company and the figures are only increasing because of ever increasing Internet users. The geographical location of customers is no longer a hindrance. Global marketing management and business-to-business e-commerce is growing rapidly.
Product, price, placement and promotion are the elements of global marketing. The product created should be such that it can sell anywhere using the same method. It should consider the primary elements of all the markets. However, the language in which the product is named can be changed, where as the content can remain the same. The price is never constant. It should be decided after reviewing the market and the currency of the country. The variables which affect prices are location where the product is being produced, cost of ingredients, transportation charges, labor charges, etc.
Placement is how the product is distributed and how it reaches the targeted market. Like in third world countries, there is a lack of superstores, so they can be placed or sold at ordinary shops. After the product is developed and distributed, it should be promoted precisely known as advertising, promotion is one of the major steps of marketing and consumes major part of the budget. If it is possible to send out the same message worldwide in a relevant and cost-effective way, it sure must be put into practice but the challenge is really big.

Advertise, Do not Spam

2011-09-17T04:38:00.001-07:00

Advertise, Do not Spam

There is a fine line between advertising and spam and unfortunately many business owners do not understand the difference between the two. This is important because while a cleaver, well planted Internet marketing campaign can help to attract new customers and keep existing customers loyal, spam is likely to alienate both new customers and existing customers. This can be extremely damaging to profit margins for the business owners. This article will take a look at a few basic Internet marketing strategies such as banner ads, email campaign and message board posts and describe how each can quickly cross the line from cleaver advertising to spam.

Banner ads are one of the most popular strategies which accompany an Internet marketing plan. These ads are usually ads which appear at the top of websites and span the width of the website. It is from this appearance that they earned the name banner ads but actually banner ads can refer to ads of a variety of different sizes and shapes which appear in an array of different locations on a website. In many cases the business owner purchases advertising space on these websites but the banner ad may also be placed as part of an exchange or an affiliate marketing campaign. Banner ad exchanges are situations in which one business owner posts a banner ad on his website in exchange for another business owner posting his banner ad on the other website. These agreements may be made individually between business owners with complementary businesses or as part of exchanges facilitated by a third party. In the case of affiliate marketing, an affiliate posts and advertisement for your business in exchange for compensation when the banner ad produces a desired effect such as generating website traffic or generating a sale. The terms of these agreements are determined beforehand and are generally based on a scale of pay per impression, pay per click or pay per sale or lead.

Now that you understand what banner ads are, it is also important to understand how they can be overused and appear to be spam. Judiciously placing your banner ad on a few websites which are likely to attract an audience similar to your target audience is smart marketing, placing your banner ad on any website which will display the ad regardless of the target audience can be construed as spam. Internet users who feel as though your banner ads are everywhere they turn will not likely take your business seriously and are not likely to purchase products or services from you as a result of your banner ads.

Email campaigns can also be very useful tools in the industry of Internet marketing. These campaigns may involve sending periodic e-newsletters filled with information as well as advertisements, short, informative email courses or emails offering discounts on products and services. Loyal customers who opt into your email list will likely not view these emails as spam and may purchase additional products and services from your business as a result of this marketing strategy. Additionally, potential customers who have specifically requested additional information on your products and services will also find this type of marketing to be useful. However, email recipients who did not request information are likely to view your emails as spam. Harvesting email addresses in a deceptive manner and using these addresses to send out mass emails will likely always be considered to be spam.

Finally, message boards provide an excellent opportunity for business owners to obtain some free advertising where it will be noticed by members of the target audience. If the products and services you offer appeal to a specific niche, it is worthwhile to join message boards and online forums related to your industry of choice. Here you will find a large population of Internet users who may have an interest in your products. You might consider including a link to your business in your signature or posting the link when it is applicable to the conversation. However, care should be taken to carefully review the message board guidelines to ensure you are not doing anything inappropriate. This technique is smart marketing. Conversely, replying to every message with a link to your website when it is not relevant to the conversation is likely to be construed as spam by other members. Once they begin to view your posts as spam, they are not likely to visit your website via the links you post.

Converting Every Visitor into Subscriber

2011-09-17T04:35:00.001-07:00

Converting Every Visitor into Subscriber

If a person visits your website and leaves, chances are that he or she will not come back, especially if there are no compelling reasons to do so. After all, we all behave rather impulsively on the Internet, so much so that we can easily forget where we were 10 web pages ago.

But the bottom line is that your visitor may not come back to your website again. If 1,000 visitors visit your website, leave and never come back again, you can imagine the amount of potential revenue lost, simply because they do not come back. You could have converted a fraction of the visitors into your customers.

Some may say that creating unique content can keep some of the visitors coming back, but very often, unique content is not the solution. The real, long-term solution lies in converting your visitors into subscribers of your mailing list.

Before your visitor leaves your website, you want to convert him or her into your subscriber via a simple opt-in to your mailing list. You do this by asking for your visitor’s name and email address through your opt-in form.

And if your visitor signs up to be on your mailing list, you can still follow up with him via email. You can get your subscriber to consider your offer, or endorse another offer to him or her.

All in all, you want to convert as many visitors into subscribers as possible and obtain the potential revenue you rightfully deserve – the easy, wise way.

Self-Disclosure

2011-08-21T07:02:00.000-07:00

    In an interaction between the individual with others, whether others will accept or reject, how they want others to know about them will be determined by how individuals in expressing themselves. Self-disclosure is the process of presenting themselves embodied in the activities to share feelings and information with others (Wrightsman, 1987).
   According to Morton (in Sears, et al., 1989) self-disclosure is an activity to share intimate feelings and information with others. Information in this self-disclosure is descriptive or evaluative. Deskniptif means individuals portray the facts about yourself that may not be known by listeners like, occupation, address and age. While the evaluative meaning individuals to express opinions or personal feelings such as the type of person who liked or things that are disliked or hated.
   Self-disclosure may include a variety of topics such as information behavior, attitudes, feelings, desires, motivations and ideas that fit and are within the person concerned. The depth and disclosure of a person depends on the situation and people are encouraged to interact. If the people who interact with the fun and make feel safe and can evoke the spirit of the possibilities for depressed individuals to open up more is great. In contrast to certain people who can just shut down because they felt less confident (DeVito, 1992).
In the process of self-disclosure appears to the individuals involved have a tendency to follow the norms of reciprocal (mutual). If someone told me something that is personal, it will tend to give an equivalent reaction. In general, expect others to treat the same as treating them (Raven & Rubin, 1983).
"Someone who disclose personal information that is more familiar than we do will make us feel threatened and we will be happy to put an end to this kind of relationship. If instead we are expressing ourselves too familiar than others, we will feel stupid and insecure "(Sears, et al., 1988).
   Culture also has an influence in the disclosure of a person. Each nation with cultural patterns each providing a certain extent appropriate or inappropriate individuals express themselves. Kurt Lewin (in Raven & Rubin, 1983) from the peneitiannya found that Americans seem easier to open than the Germans, but this openness is only limited to the superficial things and are very reluctant to reveal concerning their personal . On the other hand, the Germans were initially more difficult to express themselves even for things that are the surface, but if you already trust, then they are not reluctant to divulge their deepest personal.
Levels of self-disclosure In the process of interpersonal relationships there are different levels of self-disclosure. According to Powell (in Supratikna, 1995) levels of self-disclosure in communication, namely:
a. Small talk is the level of expression of the most weak or shallow, although there is openness among individuals, therapy is not going relationships. Each individual berkomuniikasi preamble merely modesty.
b. Talking about others disclosed in the communication was about other people or things outside himself. Although at this level of communication more in-depth content, but at this level the individual does not express itself.
c. Stated idea or opinion already woven a close relationship. Individuals began to reveal himself to another individual.
d. Feeling: every individual can have the same idea or opinion but a feeling or emotion that accompanies the idea or the opinion of each individual can vary. Any relationship that wants a private meeting between a genuine, must be based upon a relationship which is honest, open and suggest that profound feelings.
e. Relationships summit: self-disclosure has been done in depth, individuals who establish interpersonal relationships can appreciate the feelings experienced by other individuals. Any deep and true friendship should be based on self-disclosure and absolute honesty.
   While Alman and Taylor put forward a model of the development of relations with self-disclosure as the main media. The process to achieve the intimacy of interpersonal relationships is called the social penetration. Social penetration occurs in two main dimensions of breadth and depth. Breadth dimension that is where one can communicate with anyone whether strangers or close friends. While the depth dimension in which the person communicating with someone close, beginning and development of a superficial relationship to a close relationship, or revealing things that are personal about him. In general, when dealing with strangers a little in-depth self-disclosure and a narrow range (the subject a bit). While the usual introductions, self-disclosure deeper and wider ranges. While the relationship with close friend indicated the existence of a deep self-disclosure and the range is the widest (subject more) (Sears, et al., 1999).
The function of self-disclosure. According Derlega and Grzelak (in Sears, et al., 1988) there are five functions of self-expression, namely:
a. (Expression) In this life men sometimes experience a disappointment or frustration, whether it's related to the job or the other. To get rid of all this resentment will usually feel good when telling a friend I had trusted. With this kind of human self-disclosure had the opportunity to express our feelings.
b. (Self-clarification) With a sense of sharing and telling your feelings and issues being addressed to others, people expect to be able to obtain an explanation and understanding of others will be problems encountered so that the mind will become more clear and can see how the problem better.
c. (Social validation) When finished talking about the problem at hand, usually the listener will provide feedback on these issues in so doing, will get some useful information about the truth of our views. We can get the support or otherwise.
d. (social control) One can express or conceal information about his situation that is intended to hold a social control, for example, people will say something that can cause a good impression about him.
e. (Relationship development). Each other and share information about ourselves to others and mutual trust is the most important advice in an effort to pioneer a relationship that will further increase the degree of familiarity.
Guidelines for the Self-Disclosure Self-disclosure is sometimes pose dangers, such as risk of rejection or ridicule of others, can even lead to material losses. For that, we should study carefully the consequences before deciding to perform self-disclosure. According to DeVito (1992) things to consider in self-disclosure is as follows:
a. Motivation to perform self-disclosure Disclosure must be driven by a sense of self-interest in relationships with others and yourself. Because self-disclosure is not only concerned with ourselves, but also concerned with other people. Sometimes we express openness may hurt the feelings of others.
b. Suitability of self-disclosure. In conducting the self-disclosure should be tailored to the circumstances. Self-disclosure should be done at the right time and place. For example if we want to express something to people then we should be able to see whether the time and place are correct.
c. Reciprocity and others. During the self disclosure, give the listener a chance to make the disclosure themselves. If the other person's self-disclosure we are not doing well, then there is the possibility that people are not like the openness that we do.

Contribution of Psychology to Education

2011-08-21T06:48:00.000-07:00

Contribution of Psychology to Education

There was no denying that the field of psychology has long been used as a cornerstone of education in development theory and practice of education and has contributed greatly to education, including the development of curriculum, learning and assessment system.

1. Contributions to the Educational Psychology Curriculum Development.

Review of educational psychology in relation to curriculum development, especially with regard to understanding aspects of behavior in the context of teaching and learning. Apart from the various schools of psychology that characterizes education, in essence, a psychological study gives attention to how the new input, process and out of education can be run by not ignoring aspects of behavior and personality of the learner.

Psychologically, humans are unique individuals. Thus, psychological studies in curriculum development should consider the uniqueness of every individual, both in terms of level of intelligence, abilities, attitudes, motivations, feelings and characteristics, other individual characteristics.

Education curriculum should be able to provide an opportunity for individuals to develop according to its potential, both in terms of subject matter and methods of delivery.

Specifically, in the context of education in Indonesia today, which developed the current curriculum is competency-based curriculum, which emphasizes on developing the knowledge, skills, and basic values are reflected in the habit of thinking and acting. Habits of thinking and acting consistently and continuously enable one to become competent, in the sense of having the knowledge, skills and values fundamental to do something.

Thus in the development of competency-based curriculum, especially with regard to the psychological study of aspects: (1) students 'ability to do things in different contexts, (2) students' learning experience, (3) learning outcomes (learning outcomes), and (4) standardization student's ability

2. Contribution of Educational Psychology of Learning System

Review of educational psychology has spawned various theories underlying the learning system. We know of some theories of learning, such as classical conditioning theory, connectionism, operant conditioning, gestalt, power theory, cognitive theory and theories of learning. Regardless of the controversy that accompanies the weakness of each theory, in reality these theories have contributed significantly in the learning process.

In addition, the study of educational psychology has spawned also a number of principles that underlie learning activities Nasution (Daeng Sudirwo, 2002) explores the thirteen principles of learning, namely:
1.Agar a really learn, he must have a purpose
2.Tujuan it must arise from or relate to their needs rather than imposed by others.
3.Orang must be willing to experience various difficulties and strive diligently to achieve a worthwhile goal for him.
4.Belajar it should be evident from the change in his behavior.
5.Selain principal objectives to be achieved, obtained also by-product.
6.Belajar more successful by doing or making.
7.Seseorang learning as a whole, not just the intellectual aspects but also include aspects of emotional, social, ethical and so on.
Someone needs help and guidance from others.
8.Untuk study is needed insight. What is learned to be completely understood. Learning is not just memorizing facts is verbalistis loose.
9.Disamping pursue the real purpose of learning, one-t.ujuan often pursue other objectives.
10Belajar more successful, if the attempt to give a pleasant success.
11.Ulangan and training need but will have to be preceded by the understanding.
12.Belajar only possible if there is a willingness and desire to learn.

3. Contribution of Educational Psychology of Assessment System

Assessment of education is one important aspect of education in order to understand how far the level of educational success. Through the study of psychological development of behavior we can understand what is obtained by learners after attending a particular educational activity or learning.
In addition, psychological studies have provided a real contribution in the measurement of the potential of every learner, especially after the development of various psychological tests, both to measure the level of intelligence, aptitude and individual personality lainnya.Kita know a number of psychological tests that are currently still widely used to measure the potential of an individual, such as the Multiple Aptitude Test (MAT), Differential Aptitude Test (DAT), Epps and other measuring devices.
Understanding of intelligence, talents, interests and other aspects of personality through psychological measurement, has significance for efforts to develop the individual education process so that in turn can be achieved optimal development of the individual.

Therefore, the importance of mastering the psychology of education for the teachers in carrying out their professional duties.

Traffic Building Tips For Affiliate Marketers

2011-08-18T09:09:00.000-07:00

If you aren't participating in some kind of Affiliate Promoting program, you actually are missing out on the endless prospects of residual income. It's those endless potentialities, but, that make the most important problem when its time to sort through the hundreds of thousands of Web opportunities and e-books. If you're not careful, rather than finding valid opportunities and helpful e-books, what you may finish up with are scams. If you jump in without a keen eye, or if you act too quickly, on those "one-time-supply" schemes, you could finish up investing unnecessary greenbacks to programs that either do not work or that don't do anything you couldn't have done yourself for free.

Affiliate marketing is one in all the few business ventures that you really can do with very little or no financial investment. But, not many folks assume of their time as an investment. This is often a huge mistake, as a result of time, is your most precious resource. It is non-renewable - once it's gone, it NEVER comes back. This can be why you have heard "time is money" countless of times - but, time is a lot of valuable than money. Take into account the millionaire on his deathbed - he has masses of cash, however no time, and no amount of money will obtain him more time. So use it wisely. Before you opt on any affiliate venture take into account how much time you've got on your hands and what you'll be able to afford to invest.

Select a program that best suits the time you have available. If you have got a lot of time, you may save cash, but can need to place during a heap of footwork, researching, and promoting. If you have terribly very little time, you will would like to invest some cash in either a program that does most of the work for you or you will want to speculate in some advertisement for promotions and traffic building of your blog or site. (Do not have a blog? Set up a free one at Blogger. Need to set up a free website? Strive Weebly.

Most traffic building ebooks that you find online will promise to show you the way to jot down the simplest articles for Search Engine Optimization, and they can claim that this methodology is the most effective as a result of it will increase your website or blog's search engine ranking and permits individuals looking for data that pertains to your topic to find you own their own. I do not totally discount this methodology, acting at its best; it can bring many unsolicited potential customers to your site.

What I've discovered is that some e-books forget to mention that you will need to submit your site to the numerous search engines - an important step if you propose on being discovered via a groundwork engine. If they are doing mention this step it is usually accompanied with a price guaranteeing quick results, however this is often something you can do own your own at no cost and I've discovered it does not take weeks like they will tell you. I've found AddMe.com to be very useful with this.

The downside to hoping on search engine optimization and rankings, however, is that it takes an unsure quantity of your time to induce a high ranking. And such rankings are unstable - at any moment, things will modification and suddenly your website is no longer showing on the first 2 pages of a keyword search, that is the optimum position since folks do not typically go past the first number of result pages. Contemplate your own Google search habits - I rarely go beyond the first page of results.

So what different ways are there? Some e-books suggest that you simply post your blog or web site data on alternative blogs, numerous webgroups (ie. Yahoo Teams), and social sites, like FaceBook or Twitter. Essentially you're attempting to induce info concerning your blog or web site in as many places as possible to increase your probabilities of being discovered by potential customers. What this also will is increase your possibilities of being found via search engines like Google by counting on the rankings of the varied sites you have posted your blog or site to. These strategies have their usefulness, but they're time consuming.

Regardless of what traffic building method(s) you selected to use, bear in mind that there isn't a "One-Size Fits All" method to traffic building, it depends on you, your product, and/or your goals for your blog or website. Do not fall for products that guarantee anything till you've got absolutely examined them and have thought of how you will truly apply them. Be positive to realistically consider your available time and resources that you may would like to speculate before taking any more steps.

Radio Commercial Scripts - Advertising

2011-08-04T11:04:00.000-07:00

It has been said a hundred times before that if you do something you love for a living, you will never work a day in your life. If you so lucky as to be able to be in this position, you will have a far easier time advertising your business than others. Passion for what you do cannot be bought or faked in a Radio Commercial Script. When you believe in something, the advertising for it comes naturally. You know what the benefits to the consumer are because in effect, you are a consumer yourself.

Writing Radio Commercials Scripts or whatever advertising medium should be done from the consumer standpoint. They don't care how long you have been in business, or that you are tops in customer service and satisfaction. They want to be treated as if they are your only customer. When you go to create your Radio Commercial Script, jot down the top five benefits for the consumer, and see if you can't craft an ad around those benefits.Present the benefits in such a way that they have not been heard before, something that is surprising and effective. For example, instead of saying that your product is safe and effective to use on children, say that while it is not guaranteed to not turn them into toads, it will is guaranteed to heal their scrapes and bruises or their money back. Got your attention, right? This is exactly what you need from the consumer...their attention for the length of your Radio Commercial Script. Consumers are bombarded every day with thousands of messages, many of which they have stopped hearing and to which they have become impervious. They tune out that which they hear on a daily basis, and only stop to listen when it is so out of the ordinary, such as no guarantee of not turning their kids into toads.

It may seem silly or absurd, but that is what grabs the attention of the beleaguered buyer. While not easy to do, it is far more efficient and effective if you know and love the benefits of your own product or service. Another example is instead of saying your carpet cleaning service will make their carpet smell any way they want it to by adding special scents if desired.

Another tip is to get a voice over artist for your Radio Commercial Script that goes against type. How many people were expecting a gecko with a British accent for a popular insurance commercial? That has been a hallmark of that particular agency, one which sent sales soaring. If you are thinking of a middle aged man for a particular spot, how would it sound with an old lady?

Advertise something you love in a manner that catches consumer attention, and you will have to hire a truck to take your money to the bank.

Kimberly Ruzich Copywriting invites you to visit us at http://www.ruzich.com and view our services. We offer a free 1/2 hour complimentary consultation when mentioning that you found us via EzineArticles. Let us know what we can do for you!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kimberly_Ruzich

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What Dog Food Is Best?

2011-08-04T11:02:00.000-07:00

For today's dog owners 'What dog food is best' seems to be the hot topic and the most popular answer seems to be homemade recipes for dog food. In my opinion homemade recipes should be the most popular. In my house it's the only answer to the question. I've tried a lot of things over the decades and doing it myself has been far superior in every way to any other solution. I haven't had a single reason to consider trying anything else and I make it a point to stay on top of these things.

You really only need to come up with one generic recipe for main meals and by that I mean a generic blueprint that spells out the quantities and ratios of the primary and secondary nutrients required for your dog.
This recipe requires 2 sources of input.
The first sources of information are the requirements for your breed in general (obviously the needs of a Great Dane might differ from those of a Chihuahua).
The second source will be provided by the veterinarian of your choice; making sure that he is well grounded in nutrition and well as medical expertise. You may discover that your dog has food allergies or other health issue that requires an adjustment to your generic recipe.
I call it a generic recipe because with it you can produce a lot of variety by simply using a different source food for each nutritional component from meal to meal so that your dog gets plenty of variety of taste and texture. You just make a simple list and vary it as you see fit or as your vet suggests.
One thing many articles pass over but is very important is to have a source of clean fresh water made readily available for whenever your dog wants it.
The primary components are:
1. Protein
2. Carbohydrates
3. Fats
The secondary components are:
1. Vitamins & Minerals
2. Medications (if any)
Your list might look something like this.
Protein:
1. Beef = xx amount of ounces = xx grams of digestible protein per serving
2. Pork
3. Fish
4. Chicken
5. Lamb
Do the same for the other ingredients and just take turns as you go down the list. The details will vary some from dog to dog. This also makes it easy to see where you are with shopping (at least for the dog).
If you are currently feeding your dog commercial dog food and want to switch then you will need to follow a set plan for switching out the ingredients over time. Some dogs will need to adjust a bit at a time or they will have digestive problems such as bloating, gas and or diarrhea.
This topic is pretty well covered and easy to find. In general you would switch out a measurable portion of the old food with an equal measure of the new food starting with the proteins. When your dog is comfortable with the new protein source then keep going with the same measures by introducing the carbs and then the fats until the commercial food has been completely eliminated.
You should consult your vet about what you intend to do before starting so that he can help you identify any foods that are commonly a source of allergies as well as a list of foods we eat all the time but are actually very toxic to dogs. You want to be sure that you never give any of these foods to your dog.
Once started, you should be watching your dog closely for signs of distress. If you notice any discomfort you will need to either reduce the portion to half of whatever it was. If it persists, then switch to a different ingredient. If it still persists consult your vet. By discomfort I mean non alarming reactions like vomiting once or twice but no more or the signs mentioned above.
Also while you are doing this you want to keep your dog from being able to roam and possibly find other things to eat. To be honest this is a very good practice in general.

Glenn Huey has been an enthusiastic dog owner for over 50 years. He is sharing all he has learned on his website 'Dog Food Recipes Home'. For more great information on recipes for dog food visit http://www.dogfoodrecipeshome.com/recipes-for-dog-food/
Be sure and sign up for the FREE 10 Part Mini-eCourse. You will find plenty of information that will improve your dog's health, vitality and life span.

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Spiritual Counseling - Kundalini Syndrome and Pranic Energy

2011-08-04T11:00:00.000-07:00

The ancient Sanskrit word for "vital energy" is prana. It begins to be unleashed into the body from the portal of the root chakra during a Kundalini awakening. Prior to this, the Kundalini remains dormant and coiled precisely three and one half times around the base of the spine. Accompanying the release of the prana, dramatic shifts in consciousness and psychological upheavals will occur in the initiate. A wide array of symptoms are associated with a Kundalini awakening. This is known as "Kundalini syndrome."

The process of a Kundalini awakening/syndrome can vary, depending on the evolutionary requirement of the initiate. Some have very intense physical symptoms, while others experience mainly emotional or psychological symptoms. But nearly all experience a certain degree of all three. It's as if the job of the pranic energy is to transform the mental, emotional, and physical bodies, with unresolved, repressed, and unattended physical and/or emotional conditions bubbling up to the surface for resolution and release.
Prana is the intense energy that moves throughout the body and clears out physiological blocks. As this occurs, an initiate may experience intense involuntary, jerking movements of various parts of the body, including shaking, vibrations, spasms, trembling, contractions, and muscles cramps. As deeply held blockages to the smooth flow of pranic energy dissolve, the initiate may re-access memories and emotions associated with prior trauma.
Yogic postures or hand gestures (mudras) are also commonly performed among initiates without any prior knowledge of them. Similarly, they may speak or channel Sanskrit words or sounds, or have an awareness of inner music or sound, mantras, chants, or tones. Breathing patterns often shift from the lungs to the abdomen and dramatically increase or decrease in rate. Sometimes breathing stops altogether for long periods of time without any ramifications.
Toxins are released because of the unblocking of marma points throughout the body caused by the intense movement of pranic energy. Symptoms may include heart or cardiovascular problems, gastrointestinal or nervous system disturbances. Sensations of the skin burning or heating up in specific areas, alternating with other ares of the body becoming chilled and/or freezing are also common symptoms of a Kundalini awakening. This is indicative of the cold/hot, female/male, yin/yang, polarity cleansing of the ida/pingala nadis.
Other symptoms of the pranic energy surging through the body include hyperactivity or lethargy, great variations in sexual desire, and even spontaneous orgasm. Kundalini syndrome symptoms can be erratic, may come and go without provocation or warning, and are generally unresponsive to medical treatment.

Jason Lincoln Jeffers is an Spiritual Counselor and the founder of The Art of Transformation, a company dedicated to teaching Spiritual Enlightenment to the world. His Spiritual Counseling practice uniquely combines spiritual wisdom with ego transcendence, holistic wellness, life path astrology, shadow & pain-body work, heart-based intention, the power of presence, and the law of attraction.

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A New Perspective on Being "Born Again"

2011-08-04T10:58:00.000-07:00

The presence of the kingdom of God is clearly all around us - we can see signs of the Creator in His animals and His plants, and in the stars and the clouds moving through the sky. If we really look, we can see His work everywhere. Scripture tells us that the kingdom of God is within us, too. (Luke 17:21)

The kingdom of God may be all around us, even inside us, but we may not always feel it or live like it is there.

Nicodemus, a Pharisee, came to Jesus with this same concern. He said to Jesus, "We know you are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these things that you do unless God is with him." Embedded in his statement is the question he wanted to ask: "How can I get God to be with me - how can I be in the kingdom of God?"

Jesus answered him by saying, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."

Nicodemus, taking this literally (and thereby missing the lesson) responded to Jesus, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?" Jesus answered, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.'" (John 3:1-7)

The kingdom of God is certainly within each of us, and we can find it there when we look deeply into ourselves, putting aside the busyness of daily life, and quieting the noisy ego that is placing continuous, unreasonable demands on our time and psyche.

But to realize the fullness of this kingdom, to ignite it, to experience the richness of it, I suggest to you that we need other people to bring it to life. The kingdom doesn't work well alone. Yes, it works easier when we are with people of like mind; friends, partners, groups, networks, communities, churches, neighborhoods - for Jesus points out that "wherever two or three are gathered in my name, I am there also." (Matthew 18:20) It erupts in love when people meet and are able to connect at a heart-to-heart level. Maybe you've felt this at times in the past when you're with the right people, and where there is nothing in the way of deep understanding and knowing of each other.

But the kingdom can also be brought to life when we're facing a person we may be having difficulty with, someone who is frustrating us, or with whom we are in conflict. We can activate the kingdom of God even in these situations. How? By being born again.

For me, being born again is the act of deeply looking into the heart, history and hopes of the person I'm with. It's being able to put myself aside for awhile, and live the life of the other person to the point that it almost feels as though I was born that other person. I visualize myself as having been born in his or her life, growing up as they did, in the conditions that she or he had. If I've listened deeply to them, and I've looked deeply into their heart, I'll understand better where they're coming from, I'll gain a sense of why they're thinking the way they do, and I'll understand better what they're facing in life. I may realize that I would have ended up exactly as they have if I'd been born when and where they had been born.

With this deep understanding I gain about the other person, compassion begins to grow in me. I learn to accept who they are. With understanding, compassion and acceptance comes love. Who I thought was an enemy becomes a brother or sister. I see that I am indeed connected with them, and am like them in many ways. We are told to love our enemies, because as soon as we do, they are no longer our enemies. We enter the kingdom of God when we reach this level of understanding.

Being born again means taking the time to deeply listen and deeply see the other person as though we were that person. This takes patience, and time. It means asking questions instead of telling. It means observing rather than showing. It takes humility and a good sense of self. Being born again takes practice. I need the practice. Today I will begin to try to practice this better.

How many times must we be born again? Well, that depends on how many times we interact with another person. Could be quite a lot! We aren't born-again Christians because we claim to be born-again Christians. We're born again Christians because we are born again, and again, and again... (Think of all the birthdays we can celebrate!)

By being born again we can see the kingdom of God, not only in ourselves, but in the other person as well.

Daniel Schroeder is the current Guardian of the Community of the Gospel, a dispersed Christian Community formed under the canons of the Episcopal Church. For further information, visit http://communityofthegospel.org/ Daniel is author of the book, Reclaiming Eden: Taming the Serpent Ego. He has an MBA in finance and spent 32 years in the financial services industry.

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Palembang Located Near South China Sea

2011-08-01T23:54:00.000-07:00

Palembang located on the southern most rim of the South China Sea, close to one of the worlds busiest shipping lanes linking the Far East with Europe, the regions historical background is rich and colourful.

Temperatures at sea level range from 24 to 33 all year round. Humidity is high. At higher altitudes the temperature drops accordingly. Those who like to scale mountains and there are quite a few mountains to scale in Indonesia need to bring warm clothes for the nights and plenty of water to drink to avoid dehydration.

Indonesia has only two seasons the rainy and the dry season. South from the equator the rainy season generally lasts from November to April. North from the Equator it is from May to October.

The architectural legacy of Dutch colonization is still visible in the city. Deep water port facilities are built along the Musi River, which flows through the city.

This city is famous in Indonesia for its Pempek fish cakes.
The Musi Bridge is the largest bridge in Indonesia.

Masjid Agung Grand Mosque. This mosque has been renovated a few times already. Now it is a very large and beautiful mosque. In some sections of the mosque you can see old style architecture. It is located in front of the main roundabout in Palembang which you will pass coming from the Musi Bridge.

Palembang has attracted tourists from all over the world with its magnificent past and present offering great opportunities for travellers to visit places that are rich in history, culture, and tradition. It is a vibrant city and the surrounding areas spectacular.

No vaccinations are required, except for yellow fever if you arrive within six days of leaving or passing an infected area. It is advisable to get vaccinated against cholera, typhoid and paratyphoid and dont forget a tetanus shot. If you intend to stay for long periods outside the big cities, gammaglobulin injections are recommended. This will reduce the risk of getting infected with hepatitis.

The Culture and Tourism Ministry has set a target of 116 million local tourists visiting various tourist objects in the country in 2007.This target is higher than that of last year which was set at 114 million, Director for Domestic Tourism Promotion Titien Soekarya stated. Titien said that Indonesia had big tourism potentials which had not yet been exploited so far. Most of local tourists only visited the tourist objects in while Indonesia is really rich in attractive places and cultures.

Violence in Aceh

2011-07-15T12:05:00.007-07:00

Violence in Aceh

In April, after talks with Acehnese rebels broke down, President Wahid authorized his army commanders to restore law and order in Aceh, effectively resuming the war that has affected the province since the 1970s. In September, the Indonesian government sought to appease rebels in Aceh province, where violence had been on the increase since mid-August, by promising an honest and open dialogue.
However, President Megawati Sukarnoputri made it clear that the government would only offer greater autonomy, and not complete independence.

Outbreaks of violence in Sulawesi province continued in early July. Thirteen bodies, all Muslim, were found in a village outside the town of Poso. Poso had been tense since April, when a local court sentenced three Christians to death for inciting clashes with Muslims in the town.

Further violence in 2001

2011-07-15T12:05:00.005-07:00

Further violence in 2001

In February 2001, indigenous Dayaks, who are mainly Christian or animist, killed between 500 and 1,000 Muslim Madurese in central Kalimantan, in Borneo. Thousands of people fled gangs armed with machetes and spears. After ten days, security forces took steps to regain control. 15,000 Madurese had been transported to Java, with another 20,000 guarded by the military in refugee camps in Sampit waiting to go.Fighting between Muslims and Christians continued in the South Moluccas, centred on Ambon. At least 5,000 had died since the wave of fighting erupted in January 1999, set off by Laskar Jihad, a group of Muslim outsiders, and resisted by Laskar Kristus (the army of Christ) and the Maluku Sovereignty Front.

Renewed trouble in the provinces

2011-07-15T12:05:00.003-07:00

Renewed trouble in the provinces

In December 1999, the separatist Free Aceh Movement (GAM), a 5,000-strong guerrilla force, effectively gained control of much of Aceh province. President Wahid rejected demands by the army to impose martial law to put down the GAM. In mid-December 1999 more sectarian fighting broke out in Maluku (the Moluccas). The riots were reported to be between Muslims and Christians, and brought the number of victims of religious killings in the archipelago in 1999 up to 1,500. The conflict provoked demonstrations in Jakarta; some protested against the government's failure to stop the fighting, while Muslims there called for a holy war against the Christians in Maluka, on whom they blamed the slaughter of hundreds of Islamic faith.In January 2000, the EU lifted its ban on arms sales to Indonesia, which had been imposed four months earlier during the violence in East Timor. Criticism of the EU's move was based on the idea that it could
endanger Indonesia's fragile democracy, but President Wahid denied that the country was about to fragment, and dismissed rumours of an impending military coup, but seemed unable to control the spreading violence in the territories of Lombok and Bintan.

May 2000 saw the first step towards ending 24 years of confict in the province of Aceh, as Indonesia and separatist rebels signed a three-month ceasefire agreement. However, the agreement did not tackle the issue of sovereignty, and the Indonesian government continued to rule out recognition of Aceh as a separate state, saying that the agreement would not lead to a withdrawal of troops from the province. In November, there were further clashes between pro-independence residents and security forces.
Further violence in Jakarta saw mobs attack the city's Chinese community following a decline in the economy, which found the currency at its lowest level for seven months. Religious violence between Muslims and Christians continued in the Maluku islands, bringing the toll of casualties resulting from the violence for the period January 1999 to May 2000 to over 3,000. The Indonesian province of Irian Jaya declared independence on 5 June 2000. President Wahid stated, however, that the declaration was unrepresentative of true feeling in the province. Indonesia experienced disruption in another form when an earthquake measuring 7.9 on the Richter scale struck the island of Sumatra in June, killing more than 100 people, and causing multiple injuries and widespread homelessness.
Continued religious fighting in the Maluku islands in July 2000 led to the declaration of a state of emergency and the admission from the Indonesian military that some of its soldiers had taken part in the violence. In Jakarta, a number of bombs were discovered, belying the atmosphere of political instability. Conflict and political tension continued to drive down the value of the currency, and in July 2000 Christian leaders in the Maluku islands appealed to the UN for intervention. This was ruled out by President Wahid, despite increasing criticism, coming even from his own government. As increasing numbers of armed Muslims attempted to travel to the area to join the religious fighting, the government warned that the war could lead to the nation's collapse. Wahid's policies to deal with the situation included a shuffled cabinet and the delegation of some authority to the vice-president, Megawati Sukarnoputri, which included the daily running of government.
In October the UN refused to send aid workers back to West Timor, where three UN officials had been murdered in September. An official claimed that militia gangs were still holding thousands of refugees hostage.
The same month, international aid donors pledged US$5.3 billion to finance the country's large budget deficit. This was in addition to an existing IMF loan of US$5 billion. In return the government pledged to reform the economy and act against the militias in West Timor, promptly arresting the leader of the most powerful militia.
Violence in October left more that 30 people dead on Irian Jaya in clashes between native Papuans and the police. Further clashes occurred in December in both Irian Jaya and Aceh.

The trial of Suharto

The trial of ex-president Suharto, charged with stealing US$571 million during his presidency, began on 31 August 2000. The charges were dropped in September on grounds of ill-health, but in early November Jakarta's high court overturned this judgement and ruled that the trial should recommence. In February 2001, the Supreme Court overturned the high court's ruling, declaring that Suharto was indeed unfit to stand trial.

Christmas bombing

13 people were killed and 95 injured by 15 bombs, which exploded within minutes of each other outside churches across Indonesia on Christmas Eve, 2000. No one claimed responsibility for the attacks.

Towards impeachment

In January 2001, violent conflict erupted in Indonesia between supporters and opponents of President Wahid in response to calls for his resignation over two multi-million dollar corruption scandals. As members of parliament agreed to investigate the allegations of corruption, 10,000 students broke down the gates of the Indonesian parliament and engaged with riot police. In February, Wahid fired his justice minister for publicly siding with critics of his financial affairs. Thousands of Wahid's supporters stormed the offices of political opposition parties in Surabaya, Indonesia's second-biggest city, and East Java, and called for the death of politicians who wanted him impeached. However, the Indonesian parliament voted overwhelmingly to proceed with the impeachment of President Wahid in May. The vote was the third stage in a complicated four-part impeachment process, and around 1,000 supporters of President Wahid stormed the parliament compound in protest; police opened fire on the demonstrators and at least two people were killed. Determined to stave off impeachment, Wahid fired four Cabinet members and the police chief on 1 June, and claimed that he wanted to make peace with his deputy, Sukarnoputri, who had spurned an earlier power-sharing offer. Wahid became increasingly politically isolated on 12 July 2001 when his order for the arrest of his chief of police, General Bimantoro, was defied by the police force, who formed a protective cordon around Bimantoro's home. In response, Wahid reiterated his threat to declare a state of emergency if members of parliament did not abandon moves to impeach him. However, on 23 July, the Indonesian parliament voted to impeach President Wahid, and to install vice-president Megawati Sukarnoputri. Wahid had tried to avoid impeachment by dissolving parliament the day before, and declaring a state of emergency. However, the move backfired when ministers resigned and the military refused to enforce the decree. Despite the successful impeachment, many liberals were concerned about Sukarnoputri's conservative policies and her close links with the military. Hamzah Has became vice-president.

Wahid's presidency

2011-07-15T12:05:00.001-07:00

Wahid's presidency

The Indonesian leader, B J Habibie, withdrew from the presidential race in October 1999 after he lost a key vote in the top legislature. The presidency went to Abdurrahman Wahid, leader of the National Awakening Party (PKB), and a moderate Muslim in poor health. By a remarkable 373 votes to 313, MPs voted him president of Indonesia. Wahid, a scholar best known by his nickname ‘Gus Dur’, had secured the support of some of those who had earlier backed the outgoing president. Many had expected Megawati Sukarnoputri, whose party won the parliamentary elections in July, to win and her surprise defeat in the presidential election provoked violence in Jakarta. She was elected vice-president and, as Wahid called for unity and more equal sharing of wealth, protests and rioting petered out across the country.Wahid formed his cabinet and pledged to work for national economic recovery. The new cabinet balanced radical reformers with allies of the former dictator, Suharto. In February 2000 President Wahid replaced his powerful military chief, General Wiranto, with a civilian, stating Wiranto's alleged role in atrocities in East Timor as the reason. Wiranto remained in the cabinet as coordinating minister for security.

The new Indonesian government under Abdurrahman Wahid declared in November 1999 that it was willing to allow a referendum, but it was unclear whether it would be about independence or the introduction of Islamic law.

Corruption allegations against Suharto

2011-07-15T12:04:00.005-07:00

Corruption allegations against Suharto

In December 1998 the former president, Suharto, was formally questioned for the first time over allegations that he illegally amassed a fortune, estimated at between US$4–20 billion, during his 32 years in power. In October 1999, amid an atmosphere of mounting political tension, Indonesian legal authorities decided to drop a corruption investigation into financial irregularities allegedly committed by Suharto because of insufficient evidence. However, the allegations were brought against him again in March 2000 when he was ordered to appear in front of the attorney-general for questioning, but was reported by his lawyers to be too ill to do so. This, his second refusal to appear for questioning, was responded to by the public with violent demonstrations. Actions were renewed in April 2000, banning him from leaving the capital.
There were protests, some violent, demanding his imprisonment. He was placed under house arrest the following month, however in September 2000, a court ruled that, having suffered from three stokes in the past year, Suharto was incapable of standing trial. In October 2000, his son, Tommy Suharto, was arrested in connection with a bomb that had killed 15 people in Jakarta's financial district. Tommy admitted his part in the US$11 million corruption scandal that surrounded the Suharto presidency and was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment. He was the first member of the Suharto family to admit any wrongdoing.

East Timor's independence referendum

2011-07-15T12:04:00.003-07:00

East Timor's independence referendum

In mid-November 1998 44 civilians were reported, by the Catholic Church, to have been killed during a military crackdown against separatist rebels in southern East Timor. In January 1999 after months of increasing political pressure, the government consented to consider further the possibility of autonomy or even independence for East Timor, annexed by Indonesia in 1976. In April 1999, despite the signing of a peace agreement while talks on autonomy continued, fighting broke out between opposing factions. Over 25 East Timorese refugees were massacred by the militia without the Indonesian army attempting to intervene. In May, Indonesia and Portugal signed a UN-brokered deal for a referendum on autonomy for East Timor to be held on 8 August. The choice would be independence or autonomy within Indonesia. However, the referendum was postponed in June to allow UN monitors to improve security.In July 1999, the country's election commission rejected the results of the June parliamentary elections. The failure to endorse the results came after 27 of the 48 parties which contested the June election refused to sign off on the final vote count because of claimed irregularities. The five major parties who had won most of the seats in the new parliament had all signed off. The election commission finally accepted the election results in August and President Habibie conceded that the party of his rival, Megawati Sukarnoputri, had come first with 34% of the vote, followed by his Golkar party with 22%. The election was the first free ballot in Indonesia in 44 years and the result was regarded as crucial to the democratic transformation of the after decades of authoritarian rule.

In September 1999, nearly 80% of East Timorese population voted for independence in the territory. This sparked wide-spread violence throughout East Timor, which led to a humanitarian crisis. After more than 7,000 people had died and more than 300,000 made refugees by three weeks of violence which was, on the whole, instigated by pro-Indonesian militias, an Australian-led International Force for East Timor (INTERFET) peacekeeping force was sent to East Timor to try and restore order, despite Indonesian protests. All but 4,500 of the 26,000 Indonesian troops and police in East Timor were withdrawn by the end of the month. By October 1999, the Indonesian parliament had agreed unanimously to accept East Timor's independence, and the UN agreed to send 11,000 peacekeepers to oversee the implementation of independence.

Civil unrest and political reform

2011-07-15T12:04:00.001-07:00

Civil unrest and political reform

In September 1998 there were riots and looting of houses and shops owned by the country's ethnic Chinese minority, caused by rising food prices, and student protesters demanded President Habibie's resignation. In November 1998 at least 16 people, some of them students, were killed after troops opened fire on demonstrators in Jakarta. The protests, which attracted 20,000 demonstrators, had been organized to coincide with a special session of the law-making People's Consultative Assembly (MPR). This had been convened by President Habibie to make political reforms ahead of the June 1999 House of Representatives (DPR) parliamentary elections and the August 1999 election of a new president by the MPR. The protesters called for an end to the military's representation in the legislature and for the president's resignation.The MPR special session repealed much of the repressive legislation of the Suharto era, including the restriction to three officially sanctioned political parties.
New political parties were now legalized and a two five-year term limit was imposed on future presidents. There would also be a reduction of the military's quota of seats in the 500 member lower house from 75 to 38; some devolution of political power; and, it was agreed in January 1999, proportional representation, with seat allocation at the provincial level.
Unrest continued throughout 1998 and into 1999, when religiously-motivated fighting escalated, especially on the eastern Spice Island of Ambon. The violence, carried out by Christian and Muslim gangs, took religious and racial tensions to breaking point, and claimed more than 50 lives.
In October 1998, after the conclusion of a ceasefire agreement with the separatist Free Papua Movement (OPM), the government ended the status of the eastern province of Irian Jaya as a military operation zone.
In November, an independent commission reported on the country's May 1998 riots and blamed the military for provoking unrest, in an effort to create an emergency to enable Suharto to stay in power. It also urged the government to investigate former President Suharto's son-in-law, Lt-Gen Prabowo Subianto, for his activities at the time. (Prabowo officially retired from the army in late November). At the same time, Marzuki Darusman, chairman of the ruling Golkar faction within parliament, publicly apologised for past mistakes.

Suharto steps down

2011-07-15T12:03:00.003-07:00

Suharto steps down

On 21 May 1998 President Suharto bowed down to the pressure and resigned from office. His constitutional successor, vice-president Bacharuddin Jusuf Habibie, was sworn in. The commander of the country's armed forces, Gen Wiranto, pledged his support for the new president. Suharto's resignation met with cautious optimism, though certain opposition leaders warned that the nomination of Habibie, a life-long protégé of Suharto, would not hasten any significant democratic changes in the country or improve its human rights record.In July 1998, the ruling Golkar Party removed seven relatives of Suharto from the People's Consultative Assembly, while the government offered partial autonomy to East Timor, but ruled out independence. In the same month, Akbar Tanjung, a close ally of President Habibie, was elected Golkar chairman in its first-ever free vote.
In August 1998, the IMF, which was satisfied with continuing economic reforms, released another US$1 billion of its rescue package. Former President Suharto's son-in-law was sacked from the army.

By August 1998 more than 40 new political parties had been formed and registered, while the popular Megawati Sukarnoputri, the daughter of the former president Sukarno, resumed leadership of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI). In December 1998 a new party, the Justice and Unity Party (JUP), was formed by a number of senior former members of the ruling Golkar party, including General Try Sutrisino, the vice-president between 1993–98.

Growing civil unrest

2011-07-15T12:03:00.001-07:00

Growing civil unrest

From February 1998, demonstrations began on university campuses, protesting against Suharto's re-election and calling for democratic reform. These continued, gathering momentum between March and May, in defiance of government bans. A series of student demonstrations in Jakarta, as well as in Medan, Yogyakarta, and Bandung in May led to clashes with police in which at least 12 students were killed and dozens injured. The students, who claimed their action was peaceful, were calling for the removal of President Suharto and protesting at the rise in fuel prices. The most serious rioting took place in Medan, the biggest city of Sumatra, where police fired live bullets at demonstrators. The riots, considered the worst since the beginning of the Asian economic crisis in 1997, were not confined to a university campus, but spilt on to the streets and became dominated by ordinary working-class Indonesians. Indonesia's official human-rights body later claimed the death toll exceeded 1,000.The demonstrations had followed the government's implementation of austerity measures demanded by the International Monetary Fund in return for its bailout of the failing economy.
Petrol prices had risen 71% and kerosene, used as a cooking fuel by the poor, had risen 25% as a result of the end of government subsidies. The disturbances had depressed the stock exchange and driven down the value of the Indonesian rupiah. The increase in fuel prices had further affected the transportation cost of basic commodities. The economic crisis had rendered most Indonesian companies technically bankrupt. Many were laying off employees, and it was this increasing desperation which appeared to be additionally fuelling the disturbances.

Suharto re-elected

2011-07-15T12:02:00.005-07:00

Suharto re-elected

In February 1998 Gen Wiranto became the new head of the armed forces and Suharto's 46-year-old son-in-law became commander of the Strategic Reserve Command (Kostrad). President Suharto was elected to his seventh five-year term in early March 1998; he was the only candidate. He remained opposed to the economic reforms demanded by his critics and supported by the IMF. IMF officials were seeking to salvage the economic bail-out programme, a move particularly important in the context of food shortages and rising prices throughout the country. It was feared that Suharto's failure to agree with the IMF's terms might pose a grave risk to Indonesia's economic and political stability. The specially vetted People's Consultative Assembly
restored to Suharto the emergency powers he had relinquished in 1993. Bucharuddin Jusuf Habibie, the minister of research and technology, a long-time favourite of Suharto with a reputation for favouring state involvement in industry and links with Muslim intellectuals, was appointed vice-president. Suharto appointed a new cabinet in March 1998, which was dominated by a combination of economic nationalists and cronies, including his daughter as welfare minister, and his golfing partner as trade and industry minister.

Economic crisis

2011-07-15T12:02:00.003-07:00

Economic crisis

Forest fires that first blighted large areas of South Asia in 1997 continued to burn out of control on Indonesian territory in the islands of Borneo and Sumatra in February 1998. About 1,000 forest fires were burning in Kalimantan, the Indonesian portion of Borneo, killing or putting to flight endangered species such as orang-utans and proboscis monkeys. A report published in February 1998 said that the 1997 haze caused US$1 billion of damage, most of it as a result of damage to health and lost tourism and industrial production. The crisis in Indonesia claimed its first victims in mid-February 1998 as troops shot and killed civilians in escalating riots over the rising price of food. The rupiah continued to fall sharply from January 1998 (it had fallen 80% against the dollar since September 1997), as the market reacted to the government's failure to adhere to the IMF's austerity package. In late January Suharto was forced, at the IMF's behest, to rein in nepotistic monopolies, but the IMF withheld the release of its credits as it was not convinced that the government was keeping to its promises.

Financial crisis

2011-07-15T12:02:00.001-07:00

Financial crisis

In response to the financial crisis generated by a sharp 30% depreciation in the value of the currency, the rupiah, it was announced in September 1997 that major construction projects, including roads, power stations, and oil refineries, would be postponed until the economy improved. In the province of Irian Jaya it was reported in October 1997 that more than 460 people had died from famine caused by prolonged drought.Also in October, Singapore and Malaysia pledged US$10 billion and US$1 billion respectively in financial assistance to help the battered Indonesian economy, and in November an International Monetary Fund (IMF)-led rescue worth over US$43 billion was agreed. The associated restructuring reforms included closure of 16 banks, including some controlled by relatives of President Suharto, but matters failed to improve. It was estimated that the country's level of external debt exceeded annual GDP at the reduced exchange rate, and the rate of unemployment jumped to over 10%.

Reform and repression

2011-07-15T12:01:00.005-07:00

Reform and repression

Improved living standards and economic reforms led to pressure for greater political reform and openness, and in April 1991 a 45-member Democracy Forum was launched by leading members of the country's religious and cultural intelligentsia. It was seen as an attempt to ventilate ideas about freedom in politics in what remained an authoritarian state. The government imposed strict limitations on the group's operations.International outrage followed the massacre in November 1991 of 50 Timorese demonstrators by the Indonesian army. The new political openness appeared threatened in 1992 after two students were arrested for taking part in a satirical review mocking the forthcoming elections, and in early 1993 several student publications were shut down.

The ruling Golkar Party was returned to power in the 1992 assembly elections, but with a 5% drop in support. President Suharto was re-elected for a sixth consecutive term in 1993. He installed Minister Harmoko as the first civilian leader of Golkar, causing consternation among the military who were eager for Suharto's successor to be drawn from their ranks. The election in 1994 of former president Sukarno's daughter, Megawati Sukarnoputri, as head of the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) aroused further fears among the ruling Golkar elite.
In June 1996, Golkar engineered a split in the PDI, forcing out Megawati (she was later ordered to close her political office in Jakarta). Her ousting as leader led to violent street demonstrations by members and supporters of the PDI. The crackdown on anti-government activists continued in August 1996 when supporters of the PDI and the People's Democratic Party (PRD) were arrested on charges of subversive activities during the July riots in Jakarta.
In October 1996, Carlos Belo, the bishop of Dili, East Timor, and José Ramos-Horta, the exiled spokesperson for Fretilin, were jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for their efforts against Indonesian human-rights abuses in East Timor. November 1996 saw the release of the jailed supporters of Megawati.
Several hundred people were reported killed and more than 1,200 were missing after rioting and violence between indigenous ethnic groups and migrants in the province of West Kalimantan between January and March 1997. In April 1997 the radical opposition party, the PRD, was banned from taking part in the May general election. Its leader, Budiman Sudjatmiko, was sentenced to 13 years' imprisonment for ‘subversion’.