An economic downturn is a phase of the business cycle in which the economy as a whole is in decline.This phase basically marks the end of the period of growth in the business cycle. Economic downturns are characterized by decreased levels of consumer purchases (especially of durable goods) and, subsequently, reduced levels of production by businesses.
While economic downturns are admittedly difficult, and are formidable obstacles to small businesses that are trying to survive and grow, an economic downturn can open up opportunities. A well-managed company can realize the opportunity to gain market share by taking customers away from their competitors. Resourceful entrepreneurs capture the available opportunities, from an economic downturn, by developing alternate methods of doing business that were never implemented during a prior growth period.
The challenge of successfully navigating your business through an economic downturn lies in the realignment of your business with current economic realities. Specifically, you, as the business owner, need to renew a focus on your core clients/customers, reduce your operating expenses, conserve cash, and manage more proactively, rather than reactively, is paramount.
Here are best practices that will help you to successfully navigate your business through an economic downturn:
Goals:
The primary goal of any business owner is to survive the current economic downturn and to develop a leaner, more cost-effective and more efficient operation. The secondary goal is to grow the business even during this current economic downturn.
Objectives:
• Conserve cash.
• Protect assets.
• Reduce costs.
• Improve efficiencies.
• Grow customer base.
Required Action:
• Do not panic… History shows that economic downturns do not last forever. Remain calm and act in a rational manner as you refocus your attention on resizing your company to the current economic conditions.
• Focus on what YOU can control… Don’t let the media's rhetoric concerning recessions and economic slowdown deter you from achieving business success. It´s a trap! Why? Because the condition of the economy is beyond your control. Surviving economic downturns requires a focus on what you can control, i.e. your relevant business activities.
• Communicate, communicate, and communicate! Beware of the pitfall of trying to do too much on your own. It is a difficult task indeed to survive and to grow your business solely with your own efforts. Solicit ideas and seek the help of other people (your employees, suppliers, lenders, customers, and advisors). Communicate honestly and consistently. Effective two-way communication is the key.
• Negotiate, negotiate, and negotiate! The value of a strong negotiation skill set cannot be overstated. Negotiating better deals and contracts is an absolute must for realigning and resizing your company to the current economic conditions. The key to success is not only knowing how to develop a win-win approach in negotiations with all parties, but also keeping in mind the fact that you want a favorable outcome for yourself too.
Recommended Best Practice Activities:
The Nuts and Bolts… The following list of recommended best practice activities is critical for your business' survival and for its growth during an economic downturn. The actual financial health of your particular business, at the outset of the economic downturn, will dictate the priority and urgency of the implementation of the following best practice activities.
1. Diligently monitor your cash flow: Forecast your cash flow monthly to ensure that expenses and planned expenditures are in line with accounts receivable. Include cash flow statements into your monthly financial reporting. Project cash requirements three-to- six months in advance. The key is to know how to monitor, protect, control, and put cash to work.
2. Carefully convert your inventories: Convert excess, obsolete, and slow-moving inventory items into cash. Consider returning excess and slow-moving items back to the suppliers. Close-out or inventory reduction sales work well to resize your inventory. Also, consider narrowing your product offerings. Well-timed order placement helps to reduce excess inventory levels and occasional material shortages. The key is to reduce the amount of your inventory without losing sales.
3. Timely collection of your accounts receivable: This asset should be converted to cash as quickly as possible. Offer prompt payment discounts to encourage timely payments. Make changes in the terms of sale for slow paying customers (i.e. changing net 30 day terms to COD). Invoicing is an important part of your cash flow management. The first rule of invoicing is to do it as soon as possible after products are shipped and/or after services are delivered. Place an emphasis on reducing billing errors. Most customers delay payments because an invoice had errors, and therefore, will not pay until they receive a corrected copy. Email or fax your invoices to save on mailing time. Post the payments that you have received and make deposits more frequently. The key is to develop an efficient collection system that generates timely payments and one that gives you advance warning of problems.
4. Re-focus your attention on your existing clients/customers: Make customer satisfaction your priority. A regular review of your customers' buying history and frequency of purchases can reveal some interesting facts about your customers' buying habits. Consider signing long-term contracts with your core clients/customers which will add to your security. Offer a discount for upfront cash payments. The key is to do what it takes to keep your current customers loyal.
5. Re-negotiate with your suppliers, lenders, and landlord:
i) Suppliers: Always keep your negotiations on the level of need, saying that your company has reviewed its cost structure and has determined that it needs to lower supplier costs. . Tell the supplier that you value the relationship you have developed, but that you need to receive a cost reduction immediately. Ask your supplier for a lower material price, a longer payment cycle, and the elimination of finance charges. Also, see if you can buy material from them on a consignment basis. In return for their price concessions, be willing to agree to a long-term contract. Explore the idea of bartering as a form of payment.
ii) Lenders: Everything in business finance is negotiable and your relationship with a bank is no exception. The first step to successful renegotiations is to convince your lenders that you can ultimately pay off the renegotiated loan. You must point out to your lenders why it would be in their best interest to agree to a new arrangement. Showing them your business plan and your action plan that includes your cost-savings initiatives, along with "the how" and "the when" of the implementation of your plan is the best way to achieve this goal. Explain to them that you will need their cooperation to insure that you can survive, as well as, grow your business during the economic downturn. Negotiated items include: the rate of interest, the required security to cover the loan, and the beginning date for repayment. A beginning date for repayment could be immediate, within several months or as long as a year. The key is to realize that your lender will work with you, but that frequent and continual communications with them is critical.
iii) Landlord: Meet with your landlord. Explain your need to have them extend the term of your lease at a reduced cost. Make sure you have a clause in the lease agreement that entitles you to have the right to sublet any or all of the leased space.
6. Re-evaluate your staffing requirements: This is a very critical area. Salaries/wages are a major expense of doing business. Therefore, any reduction in the hours worked through work schedule changes, short-term layoffs or permanent layoffs has an immediate cost saving benefit. Most companies ramped up hiring new employees in the good times, only to find that they are currently overstaffed due to slow sales during the economic downturn. In terms of down-sizing your staff, be very careful not to reduce your staff to a level that forces you to skimp on customer service and quality. Consider the use of part-timers or the current trend of outsourcing certain functions to independent contractors.
7. Shop for better insurances rates: Get quotations from other insurance agents for comparable coverage to determine whether or not your present insurance carrier is competitive. Also, consider revising your coverage to reduce premium costs. The key is to have the right balance-to be adequately insured, but not under or over insured.
8. Re-evaluate your advertising: Contrary to the other cost-cutting initiatives, evaluate the possibility of increasing your advertising expenditures. This tactic realizes the advantage of the reduced "noise" and congestion (fewer advertisers) in the marketplace. The downturn period a great opportunity to increase brand awareness and create additional demand for your product/service offerings.
9. Seek the help of outside advisors: The use of an advisory board comprised of your CPA, attorney, and business consultant offers you objectivity and provides you with professional advice and guidance. Their collective experience in working with similar situations in past economic downturns is invaluable.
10. Review your other expenses: Target an across-the-board cost-cutting initiative of 10-15%. Attempt to eliminate unnecessary expenses. Tightening your belt in order to weather the downturn makes practical, financial sense.
Proactively managing your business through an economic downturn is an enormous challenge and is critical for your survival. However, through well-planned initiatives, an economic downturn can create tremendous opportunity for your company to gain greater market share. In order to take advantage of this growth opportunity, you must act quickly to implement the above best business practices to continue realigning and resizing your company to the current economic conditions.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
At Fundraiser, Bush Goes After Democrats
By Michael Abramowitz
President Bush tonight used his final appearance at the annual GOP fundraiser for House and Senate candidates to serve up some of the reddest meat he has dished out in recent days, trashing congressional Democrats even as he is trying to eke out a few legislative victories before Congress shuts down for the summer.
"These days, if you want to know how a Democrat in Congress is going to vote tomorrow, just visit the Web site of MoveOn.org today," Bush said, drawing applause from a friendly audience of Republican donors at the Washington Convention Center. The event raised about $21 million for the party's congressional committees.
Bush went after the Democrats hard on Iraq, saying they had declared the "surge" of troops "a failure before it began."
"And now that the surge has turned the situation around, they still call for retreat," Bush added, before taking a veiled shot at the presumptive Democratic nominee, Sen. Barack Obama. "The other side talks a lot about 'hope,' and that sums up their Iraq policy pretty well: They want to retreat from Iraq and hope nothing bad happens. But wishful thinking is no way to fight a war and to protect the American people."
Bush offered some of his most copious praise of Sen. John McCain since his onetime adversary secured the necessary delegates to become the presumptive GOP presidential nominee.
"The stakes in this election are high," Bush said. "I know the pressures of the Oval Office -- the daily intelligence briefings, the unexpected challenges and the tough decisions that can only be made at the president's desk. In trying times, America needs a president who has been tested and will not flinch. We need a president who has the experience and judgment to do what is right, even when it is not easy. We need a president who knows what it takes to defeat our enemies. And this year, there is only one man who has shown those qualities of leadership -- and that man is John McCain."
President Bush tonight used his final appearance at the annual GOP fundraiser for House and Senate candidates to serve up some of the reddest meat he has dished out in recent days, trashing congressional Democrats even as he is trying to eke out a few legislative victories before Congress shuts down for the summer.
"These days, if you want to know how a Democrat in Congress is going to vote tomorrow, just visit the Web site of MoveOn.org today," Bush said, drawing applause from a friendly audience of Republican donors at the Washington Convention Center. The event raised about $21 million for the party's congressional committees.
Bush went after the Democrats hard on Iraq, saying they had declared the "surge" of troops "a failure before it began."
"And now that the surge has turned the situation around, they still call for retreat," Bush added, before taking a veiled shot at the presumptive Democratic nominee, Sen. Barack Obama. "The other side talks a lot about 'hope,' and that sums up their Iraq policy pretty well: They want to retreat from Iraq and hope nothing bad happens. But wishful thinking is no way to fight a war and to protect the American people."
Bush offered some of his most copious praise of Sen. John McCain since his onetime adversary secured the necessary delegates to become the presumptive GOP presidential nominee.
"The stakes in this election are high," Bush said. "I know the pressures of the Oval Office -- the daily intelligence briefings, the unexpected challenges and the tough decisions that can only be made at the president's desk. In trying times, America needs a president who has been tested and will not flinch. We need a president who has the experience and judgment to do what is right, even when it is not easy. We need a president who knows what it takes to defeat our enemies. And this year, there is only one man who has shown those qualities of leadership -- and that man is John McCain."
Afghanistan Battles Taliban in South
By Candace Rondeaux
Washington Post Foreign Service
Thursday, June 19, 2008; Page A10
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, June 18 -- Hundreds of Afghan and Canadian troops launched a major attack Wednesday against Taliban fighters who have moved into several villages in southern Afghanistan in recent days, according to military officials.
Troops with the Afghan army and the Canadian command of NATO's International Security Assistance Force initiated joint patrols around Arghandab district in Kandahar province early in the morning. Helicopter gunships flew overhead and armored vehicles rolled into the district as Taliban fighters exchanged fire with NATO and Afghan forces.
Kandahar's provincial police chief, Sayed Agha Saqib, said at least 16 Taliban fighters were killed and four injured in the counteroffensive. He said insurgents had staked out positions in the orchards of Arghandab and were generally surrounded by NATO and Afghan forces.
NATO spokesman Mark Laity said there were no reported NATO casualties. A NATO general told the Reuters news service that some Afghan troops had been killed.
"The operation is on track and on schedule. So far, we've had only minor contact with insurgents," Laity said.
Laity said Afghan and Canadian troops confirmed that there was a Taliban presence in Arghandab, but he added that reports that hundreds of insurgents were active in the region were "greatly exaggerated."
Saqib, the provincial police chief, said that it was difficult to estimate the exact number of insurgents in the region but that the numbers probably were exaggerated by Taliban spokesmen. There "are not that many to worry about," he said.
Washington Post Foreign Service
Thursday, June 19, 2008; Page A10
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, June 18 -- Hundreds of Afghan and Canadian troops launched a major attack Wednesday against Taliban fighters who have moved into several villages in southern Afghanistan in recent days, according to military officials.
Troops with the Afghan army and the Canadian command of NATO's International Security Assistance Force initiated joint patrols around Arghandab district in Kandahar province early in the morning. Helicopter gunships flew overhead and armored vehicles rolled into the district as Taliban fighters exchanged fire with NATO and Afghan forces.
Kandahar's provincial police chief, Sayed Agha Saqib, said at least 16 Taliban fighters were killed and four injured in the counteroffensive. He said insurgents had staked out positions in the orchards of Arghandab and were generally surrounded by NATO and Afghan forces.
NATO spokesman Mark Laity said there were no reported NATO casualties. A NATO general told the Reuters news service that some Afghan troops had been killed.
"The operation is on track and on schedule. So far, we've had only minor contact with insurgents," Laity said.
Laity said Afghan and Canadian troops confirmed that there was a Taliban presence in Arghandab, but he added that reports that hundreds of insurgents were active in the region were "greatly exaggerated."
Saqib, the provincial police chief, said that it was difficult to estimate the exact number of insurgents in the region but that the numbers probably were exaggerated by Taliban spokesmen. There "are not that many to worry about," he said.
Khamenei seeks permanent Security Council seat for Muslim world
Tehran (ANTARA News) - Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei said yesterday Islamic countries are required to secure a permanent seat on the UN Security Council.
"Despite enjoying great capacities, the Islamic world has been deprived of the power to defend itself. Islamic nations must take practical steps in this regard and do away with geographical, racial, and sectarian conflicts," Ayatollah Khamenei was quoted by IINA as telling visiting President of the Union of Comoros Ahmad Adbullah Sambi.
Khamenei said the enemies have made huge investments to foment discord among Muslims and fuel sectarian violence among Shiites and Sunnis.
"Unfortunately some Muslim politicians, intellectuals, and scholars have fallen into this trap but they all should know that the Islamic world can become powerful through unity and practical cooperation."
He described unity as the "major necessity" for the Islamic world, saying that Islamic world, with its bountiful natural resources, geostrategic importance, and skilled workforce, can turn into a key power.
Turning to Iran's efforts to access civilian nuclear technology, the Supreme Leader criticized the "Islamic world's enemies" for opposing Tehran's progressive nuclear program, although they know that Iran's nuclear activities are peaceful.
On his part, Sambi called for stronger relations with the Islamic Republic, saying the Union of Comoros views Iran?s assistance as essential to its development. (*)
"Despite enjoying great capacities, the Islamic world has been deprived of the power to defend itself. Islamic nations must take practical steps in this regard and do away with geographical, racial, and sectarian conflicts," Ayatollah Khamenei was quoted by IINA as telling visiting President of the Union of Comoros Ahmad Adbullah Sambi.
Khamenei said the enemies have made huge investments to foment discord among Muslims and fuel sectarian violence among Shiites and Sunnis.
"Unfortunately some Muslim politicians, intellectuals, and scholars have fallen into this trap but they all should know that the Islamic world can become powerful through unity and practical cooperation."
He described unity as the "major necessity" for the Islamic world, saying that Islamic world, with its bountiful natural resources, geostrategic importance, and skilled workforce, can turn into a key power.
Turning to Iran's efforts to access civilian nuclear technology, the Supreme Leader criticized the "Islamic world's enemies" for opposing Tehran's progressive nuclear program, although they know that Iran's nuclear activities are peaceful.
On his part, Sambi called for stronger relations with the Islamic Republic, saying the Union of Comoros views Iran?s assistance as essential to its development. (*)
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Central Java gubernatorial candidates to intensify campaign
By Bustanuddin
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Five pairs of Central Java gubernatorial candidates still have a relatively short time to intensify their campaigns in the last part of a two week-campaign scheduled from June 5 to 18, 2008 which will end on Wednesday.
The five pairs of contestants are Bambang Sadono and Muhammad Adnan, Agus Soeyitno and Kholiq Arif, Sukawi Sutarip and Sudharto, Bibit Waluyo and Rustriningsih and Tamzil and Rozak Rais.
Bambang Sadono and Muhammad Adnan, are supported by Golkar Party, Sukawi Sutarip by Democrat Party and Justice and Prosperity Party (PKS), Bibit Waluyo by the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), H.A. Kholiq Arief by the National Awakening Party (PKB), and Mohammad Tamzil by the Muslim-based United Development Party (PPP) and the National Mandate Party (PAN).
In the previous day of the campaign, they promised to raise the people`s welfare, apart from paying more attention to education and improve the facilites for health services.
They also expressed readiness to win or lose in a direct election which will take place on June 22, 2008.
Their note of expression to win or lose was read out by K.H. Sahal Mahfud, chairman of the Indonesian Ulemas Council (MUI) in a mass prayer (Istighotsah) conducted on the occasion of the upcoming gubernatorial election.
The contestants also expressed their readiness to take part in the direct elections in a fair, just, and democratic as well as polite manner, and without violating the election rulings.
A survey made in Semarang recently showed that Bibit Waluyo and his running mate Ms Rustrinigsih were the most favored among the five pairs that are to contest the gubernatorial election.
Bibit Waluyo, retired three-star general is former commander of Army`s Strategic Reserved Command (Kostrad), while his running mate Rustriningsih is a one-time regent of Kebumen, Central Java.
The Bibit Waluyo-Rustriningsih candidates with the highest poll rating need at least five million votes to win one round of Central Java`s gubernatorial election, a party leader said.
Murdoko, chairman of the Central Java chapter of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), said that the pair should win 30 percent or more than five million of the votes to win one round of the election which will take place on June 22, 2008.
According to Murdoko, the number of non-voters was expected to reach about 35 percent, so that if the election was participated in by some 26 million people, there would be about 9.1 million non-voters.
Thus, the Bibit-Rustriningsih pair should at least grab 30 percent out of the 16.9 million valid votes (65 percent).
Under the regulations, a pair of candidates can win the first round of the election if they managed to collect 30 percent of the number of valid votes.
"This is a very difficult job, so we need support from all cadres of the party," said Murdoko who is also chairman of the Provincial Legislative Assembly (DPRD).
In the meantime, Pramono Anung, secretary general of PDI-P wished that the party`s candidate could win in the first round in a bid to save energy, ideas and funds.
The incumbent Central Java governor H. Ali Mufiz has called on all the people in the province to come to the polling booths (TPS) on the vote casting day on June 22.
The governor made the remarks in anticipating the recent apahty of the people in the province not to take part in the gubernatorial election.
"I hear directly when I accompanied the president in his official visit to Magelang some time ago that a number of people would not cast their vote," Ali said.
The governor reminded that the 2008 direct elections in the province would be held for the first time and this would become a historical event. (*)
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Five pairs of Central Java gubernatorial candidates still have a relatively short time to intensify their campaigns in the last part of a two week-campaign scheduled from June 5 to 18, 2008 which will end on Wednesday.
The five pairs of contestants are Bambang Sadono and Muhammad Adnan, Agus Soeyitno and Kholiq Arif, Sukawi Sutarip and Sudharto, Bibit Waluyo and Rustriningsih and Tamzil and Rozak Rais.
Bambang Sadono and Muhammad Adnan, are supported by Golkar Party, Sukawi Sutarip by Democrat Party and Justice and Prosperity Party (PKS), Bibit Waluyo by the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), H.A. Kholiq Arief by the National Awakening Party (PKB), and Mohammad Tamzil by the Muslim-based United Development Party (PPP) and the National Mandate Party (PAN).
In the previous day of the campaign, they promised to raise the people`s welfare, apart from paying more attention to education and improve the facilites for health services.
They also expressed readiness to win or lose in a direct election which will take place on June 22, 2008.
Their note of expression to win or lose was read out by K.H. Sahal Mahfud, chairman of the Indonesian Ulemas Council (MUI) in a mass prayer (Istighotsah) conducted on the occasion of the upcoming gubernatorial election.
The contestants also expressed their readiness to take part in the direct elections in a fair, just, and democratic as well as polite manner, and without violating the election rulings.
A survey made in Semarang recently showed that Bibit Waluyo and his running mate Ms Rustrinigsih were the most favored among the five pairs that are to contest the gubernatorial election.
Bibit Waluyo, retired three-star general is former commander of Army`s Strategic Reserved Command (Kostrad), while his running mate Rustriningsih is a one-time regent of Kebumen, Central Java.
The Bibit Waluyo-Rustriningsih candidates with the highest poll rating need at least five million votes to win one round of Central Java`s gubernatorial election, a party leader said.
Murdoko, chairman of the Central Java chapter of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), said that the pair should win 30 percent or more than five million of the votes to win one round of the election which will take place on June 22, 2008.
According to Murdoko, the number of non-voters was expected to reach about 35 percent, so that if the election was participated in by some 26 million people, there would be about 9.1 million non-voters.
Thus, the Bibit-Rustriningsih pair should at least grab 30 percent out of the 16.9 million valid votes (65 percent).
Under the regulations, a pair of candidates can win the first round of the election if they managed to collect 30 percent of the number of valid votes.
"This is a very difficult job, so we need support from all cadres of the party," said Murdoko who is also chairman of the Provincial Legislative Assembly (DPRD).
In the meantime, Pramono Anung, secretary general of PDI-P wished that the party`s candidate could win in the first round in a bid to save energy, ideas and funds.
The incumbent Central Java governor H. Ali Mufiz has called on all the people in the province to come to the polling booths (TPS) on the vote casting day on June 22.
The governor made the remarks in anticipating the recent apahty of the people in the province not to take part in the gubernatorial election.
"I hear directly when I accompanied the president in his official visit to Magelang some time ago that a number of people would not cast their vote," Ali said.
The governor reminded that the 2008 direct elections in the province would be held for the first time and this would become a historical event. (*)
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Biggest blast in months leaves at least 50 dead in Iraq
Baghdad (ANTARA News) - A car bomb blast in northern Baghdad left more than 50 people dead and 80 wounded on Tuesday, a police source said.
"The car that was parked in a garage in al-Hurriya district, north Baghdad, has exploded leaving at least 130 casualties. All of them are civilians," sources told Deutsche Presse-Agentur DPA.
The bomb ripped through the garage and a bus stop as well as striking an outdoor market and apartments in Hurriya, a predominantly Shiite neighborhood, according to the CNN website.
Sources added that the explosion, the biggest of its kind in the Iraqi capital for months, had left women and children among the dead and wounded.
The blast came as officials tried to tamp down violence in Shiite areas, where US and Iraqi forces have battled militias.
"Security forces sealed off the area and prevented vehicles and pedestrians from entering, while ambulances rushed the wounded to nearby hospitals for treatment," the source added. (*)
"The car that was parked in a garage in al-Hurriya district, north Baghdad, has exploded leaving at least 130 casualties. All of them are civilians," sources told Deutsche Presse-Agentur DPA.
The bomb ripped through the garage and a bus stop as well as striking an outdoor market and apartments in Hurriya, a predominantly Shiite neighborhood, according to the CNN website.
Sources added that the explosion, the biggest of its kind in the Iraqi capital for months, had left women and children among the dead and wounded.
The blast came as officials tried to tamp down violence in Shiite areas, where US and Iraqi forces have battled militias.
"Security forces sealed off the area and prevented vehicles and pedestrians from entering, while ambulances rushed the wounded to nearby hospitals for treatment," the source added. (*)
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Monday, June 16, 2008
World Bank approves grant for Afghan irrigation infrastructure
Kabul (ANTARA News/Asia Pulse) - The World Bank has approved an additional grant of $US28 million to continue supporting the Afghan government's effort to restore irrigated agricultural production in rural areas.
The additional financing to the Emergency Irrigation Rehabilitation Project is designed to provide reliable water supplies to rehabilitated traditional irrigation schemes, in order to increase irrigated areas and to boost agricultural production in rehabilitated schemes.
Source:
Business in Asia Today - June. 16, 2008
published by Asia Pulse
The additional financing to the Emergency Irrigation Rehabilitation Project is designed to provide reliable water supplies to rehabilitated traditional irrigation schemes, in order to increase irrigated areas and to boost agricultural production in rehabilitated schemes.
Source:
Business in Asia Today - June. 16, 2008
published by Asia Pulse
McCartney gives huge free concert in Kiev
Kiev (ANTARA News/afp) - More than two hundred thousand people gathered Saturday under a downpour on Kiev's Independence Square, the high place of Ukraine's "orange revolution", to hear a free concert by ex-Beatle Sir Paul McCartney.
The singer greeted the audience, which included former Ukrainian and actual Georgian presidents Leonid Kuchma and Mikheil Saakashvili, by the words in Ukrainian "Pryvit, druzi!" (Hello, friends!). "Thank you for coming out in the rain tonight".
The event, called the Independence Concert, was organised by Ukrainian tycoon Victor Pinchuk and aimed to unite the country split between the pro-Western central and west and pro-Russian south-eastern regions.
The concert was played live on big screens in the centres of several major Ukrainian cities, as well as broadcast on television.
McCartney's performance included works of the Beatles, the Wings and some solo songs, which had been chosen by Internet vote, where more then 20 thousand people took part.
"And now a little bit of history", the ex-Beatle said in Ukrainian before singing "Back in the U.S.S.R.", the hit that had been perceived by the Soviet fans of The Beatles as a hint that "Liverpool four" had intentions to visit their state. (*)
The singer greeted the audience, which included former Ukrainian and actual Georgian presidents Leonid Kuchma and Mikheil Saakashvili, by the words in Ukrainian "Pryvit, druzi!" (Hello, friends!). "Thank you for coming out in the rain tonight".
The event, called the Independence Concert, was organised by Ukrainian tycoon Victor Pinchuk and aimed to unite the country split between the pro-Western central and west and pro-Russian south-eastern regions.
The concert was played live on big screens in the centres of several major Ukrainian cities, as well as broadcast on television.
McCartney's performance included works of the Beatles, the Wings and some solo songs, which had been chosen by Internet vote, where more then 20 thousand people took part.
"And now a little bit of history", the ex-Beatle said in Ukrainian before singing "Back in the U.S.S.R.", the hit that had been perceived by the Soviet fans of The Beatles as a hint that "Liverpool four" had intentions to visit their state. (*)
Sunday, June 15, 2008
First Lady presents awards to East Kalimantan women`s organizations
Balikpapan (ANTARA News) - First Lady Ani Yudhoyono presented awards to several women`s organizations in East Kalimantan here on Monday.
The women`s organizations which were awarded, included Dharma Wanita (the Association of Civil Servants` Wives), PKK (Family Welfare Movement), organizations of military and police personnel`s wives, and a women`s coalition.
The First Lady was accompanied wives of cabinet ministers and military chiefs, such as wives of Legal, Political and Security Affairs Coordinating Minister Widodo AS, Agriculture Minister Anton Apriantono, Environmental Affairs Minister Rachmat Witoelar, Indonesian Military (TNI) Chief Djoko Santoso, Air Force Chief of Staff Subandrio, and Naval Chief of Staff Mrs. Sumarjono.
The First Lady in her speech urged the women to help empower the poor, particularly women.
"Be a magnet of the empowerment of women," First Lady Ani Yudhoyono said. "And help improve the life quality of women and children," she told the province`s women.
She especially asked members of the PKK to become a mobilizing motor in their community. (*)
The women`s organizations which were awarded, included Dharma Wanita (the Association of Civil Servants` Wives), PKK (Family Welfare Movement), organizations of military and police personnel`s wives, and a women`s coalition.
The First Lady was accompanied wives of cabinet ministers and military chiefs, such as wives of Legal, Political and Security Affairs Coordinating Minister Widodo AS, Agriculture Minister Anton Apriantono, Environmental Affairs Minister Rachmat Witoelar, Indonesian Military (TNI) Chief Djoko Santoso, Air Force Chief of Staff Subandrio, and Naval Chief of Staff Mrs. Sumarjono.
The First Lady in her speech urged the women to help empower the poor, particularly women.
"Be a magnet of the empowerment of women," First Lady Ani Yudhoyono said. "And help improve the life quality of women and children," she told the province`s women.
She especially asked members of the PKK to become a mobilizing motor in their community. (*)
ZOO, Sebuah Peta Penelusuran Mental untuk Memahami Alam
BANDUNG, itb.ac.id– Mulai Sabtu (7/6) kemarin, di Galeri Soemardja, Fakultas Seni Rupa dan Desain (FSRD) ITB, berlangsung pameran karya seni dengan tema “ZOO, A Mental Map to Understanding Nature”. Pameran ini menampilkan karya dari sembilan perupa yang dengan bahasa berbeda mencoba mempresentasikan persoalan yang sama, yaitu soal jarak yang mereka pahami selama ini dalam hubungan mereka dengan alam, termasuk pengetahuan mereka mengenai konsep dan definisi alam.
ZOO, mencoba untuk melihat kembali persoalan jarak antara manusia dengan alam sehingga diharapkan dapat memberikan sudut pandang yang berbeda bagi publik dalam memahami alam dan fenomena kesenian. Mengenai makna, ZOO yang berarti kebun binatang adalah sebuah miniatur alam, di dalamnya terdapat berbagai makhluk hidup dengan lingkungan pendukungnya. Sebuah kebun binatang selalu hadir di tengah–tengah masyarakat kota, merupakan representasi konkrit dari keterpisahan manusia dengan dunia hayati. Di dalamnya dilakukan konservasi untuk kelangsungan hidup makhluk–makhluk di dalamnya dan menjadi semacam sarana hiburan bagi manusia. ZOO adalah bentuk usaha manusia dalam merekayasa alam dan menghadirkannya di tengah–tengah manusia di perkotaan. “Pameran ini merupakan sebuah usaha untuk mendekatkan jarak manusia dan alam melalui seni,” seperti dikutip dari kurator Albert Yonathan Setyawan.
Karya–karya yang ditampilkan merupakan karya Agung Prabowo, Cinanti Astria Johansyah, Endira Fitriasti Julianda, Faisal Habibi, Feby Babyrose, R.Yuki Agriardi, Rizaldi Fakhrudin, Sekarputi Sidhiawati, dan Syaiful Aulia Garibaldi. Pameran akan berlangsung hingga 17 Juni mendatang, buka pukul 09.00–16.00 WIB.
Shuttle back from mission with 'beautiful landing'
CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida (AP) -- Shuttle Discovery and its crew of seven returned to Earth on Saturday and capped a successful expansion job at the international space station, more spacious and robust thanks to a new billion-dollar science lab.
art.landing.cnn.jpg
Discovery makes a perfect landing Saturday after a two-week mission to upgrade the international space station.
The shuttle descended through a slightly cloudy sky and landed at 11:15 a.m., under the control of commander Mark Kelly.
"Beautiful landing, Mark, and congratulations on a great mission," Mission Control radioed when Discovery came to a safe stop.
"Great to be back," Kelly replied.
Discovery's mission spanned 14 days, 217 orbits and 5.7 million miles, and was described by NASA as being about as smooth as it gets. Video Watch shuttle make its safe return to Earth »
Kelly and his crew accomplished everything they set out to do in orbit. They delivered and installed Japan's Kibo lab, now the space station's biggest room and most sophisticated science workshop, and dropped off a new pump that the two Russians on board used to fix their toilet.
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The space station also got a new American resident who took the place of astronaut Garrett Reisman, returning home after 95 days in space.
Reisman's wife, Simone Francis, was waiting at the Kennedy Space Center. Over the past week, Reisman described in quite romantic terms how much he missed her, calling her "my favorite Earthling" and "doll face."
Although the mission itself unfolded almost flawlessly, Discovery left behind a battered launch pad on May 31. Some 5,300 bricks flew off the flame trench when Discovery blasted away, most likely because they were not attached properly to the underlying concrete wall when the pad was built in the 1960s for the Apollo moon shots.
NASA managers are confident the launch pad can be fixed in time for the next shuttle flight in October, by Atlantis to the Hubble Space Telescope.
The next time a shuttle flies to the space station, now three-quarters complete, isn't until November. That's because NASA needs to have a shuttle ready to rush to Atlantis' aid in case of serious damage to its thermal shielding. Atlantis' astronauts will not be able to get from Hubble to the space station for shelter.
NASA had no such rescue plan in place when Columbia took off in 2003 on a solo-flying research mission. In any event, mission managers had no idea Columbia's left wing was severely damaged at liftoff, and the shuttle shattered during re-entry. All seven on board were killed.
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Shades of Columbia briefly surfaced Friday when Discovery's astronauts spotted something floating away from their spaceship. It turned out to be a little metal clip that broke off the rudder, and engineers ascertained within just four hours that its absence posed no danger for Discovery's re-entry.
The three space station residents watched Discovery's smooth landing on live TV transmitted from Mission Control. Astronaut Gregory Chamitoff, who's just starting a six-month mission, called it "an awesome sight.
Rare male sea dragon pregnant
Rare male sea dragon pregnant
The Georgia Aquarium's attempts to coax sea dragons to mate have finally worked -- just in time for Father's Day. The pregnant male weedy sea dragon is now only the third of its kind in the United States to successfully become pregnant outside of its natural habitat. full story
The Georgia Aquarium's attempts to coax sea dragons to mate have finally worked -- just in time for Father's Day. The pregnant male weedy sea dragon is now only the third of its kind in the United States to successfully become pregnant outside of its natural habitat. full story
Dollar firms in Asia after G8 remarks
Tokyo (ANTARA News) - The dollar rose against the yen in Asian trade Monday after oil prices declined and Group of Eight finance ministers generally showed support for a stronger greenback, dealers said.
The dollar gained to 108.34 yen in Tokyo morning trade from 108.15 in New York late Friday.
The euro was steady at 1.5388 dollars against 1.5384 while rising to 166.68 yen from 166.38.
With central bank chiefs absent from a weekend meeting of finance ministers from Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and the United States, currencies were not mentioned in the joint communique.
But most G8 finance ministers supported Washington's call for a stronger dollar during press conferences at the weekend meeting, said Kenichi Yumoto, vice president of forex sales and trading at Societe Generale.
"There were no openly critical remarks about America's desire for a stronger dollar, that it's unfair or that it opposes market fundamentals," Yumoto was quoted by AFP as saying.
The G8 also stressed the economic threat from inflation, saying rising oil and food prices pose "a serious challenge to stable growth worldwide."
"The G8 appeared to sanction a stronger dollar as providing a key role in easing the inflation threat to the world economy," NAB Capital analysts wrote in a note to clients.
The greenback was also propped up by a fall in oil prices after UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said he was told by Saudi Arabia that the OPEC powerhouse would increase oil output by 200,000 barrels a day from next month.
Further support came from expectation that interest rates in the United States may rise to deal with inflation, which has overtaken the credit crisis as the number one economic concern of US policymakers, dealers said.
But traders were cautious ahead of earnings reports by US investment banks Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley this week as they are expected to disclose large write-downs due to the credit crunch, dealers said.
However, the bank results may have less market impact than at the height of the credit crisis, said Yumoto, noting that traders are waiting for US economic data due this week including housing and inflation related figures.
The dollar gained to 108.34 yen in Tokyo morning trade from 108.15 in New York late Friday.
The euro was steady at 1.5388 dollars against 1.5384 while rising to 166.68 yen from 166.38.
With central bank chiefs absent from a weekend meeting of finance ministers from Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and the United States, currencies were not mentioned in the joint communique.
But most G8 finance ministers supported Washington's call for a stronger dollar during press conferences at the weekend meeting, said Kenichi Yumoto, vice president of forex sales and trading at Societe Generale.
"There were no openly critical remarks about America's desire for a stronger dollar, that it's unfair or that it opposes market fundamentals," Yumoto was quoted by AFP as saying.
The G8 also stressed the economic threat from inflation, saying rising oil and food prices pose "a serious challenge to stable growth worldwide."
"The G8 appeared to sanction a stronger dollar as providing a key role in easing the inflation threat to the world economy," NAB Capital analysts wrote in a note to clients.
The greenback was also propped up by a fall in oil prices after UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said he was told by Saudi Arabia that the OPEC powerhouse would increase oil output by 200,000 barrels a day from next month.
Further support came from expectation that interest rates in the United States may rise to deal with inflation, which has overtaken the credit crisis as the number one economic concern of US policymakers, dealers said.
But traders were cautious ahead of earnings reports by US investment banks Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley this week as they are expected to disclose large write-downs due to the credit crunch, dealers said.
However, the bank results may have less market impact than at the height of the credit crisis, said Yumoto, noting that traders are waiting for US economic data due this week including housing and inflation related figures.
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