Indonesians Tax Amnesty (human conflict)

Car and real-estate sales data suggest the amnesty is resulting in people putting off purchases. Indonesian property companies had achieved only 46 percent of 2016 pre-sales targets by the end of September, with many developers attributing the slowdown to buyers focusing on the first window of the tax reprieve, Aurellia Setiabudi, an analyst at PT Maybank King Eng Securities in Jakarta, said in a note released Tuesday. PT Astra International reported a 13 percent decline in sales of non low-cost cars in September, the biggest drop in a year. Sales of Nissan Motor Co. and Suzuki Motor Corp. vehicles fell 40 percent and 34 percent, respectively, according to figures from the Indonesia Automotive Industry Association.While the amnesty should be good for vehicle sales in the longer term, it could be causing a slowdown in sales of higher-end vehicles at the moment, said Jongkie D. Sugiarto, one of several chairmen at the auto association in Jakarta.

It’s not just companies selling big ticket items that are being affected. High-end supermarket operator PT Supra Boga Lestari is down 5.5 percent since the end of August, and PT Ace Hardware, which sells home supplies and furnishings to middle-class Indonesians, has lost 14 percent.
In a nation where only 4 million people out of a population of 258 million pay tax, the amnesty is aimed at broadening the revenue base and allowing the government to have a more stable stream of income to finance infrastructure development and social spending. After a slow start to the amnesty, there was a surge in uptake in September as the window for getting the lowest tax rate closed, taking the total amount of penalty fees to 97.2 trillion rupiah at the end of last month. The government is targeting 165 trillion rupiah for the entire reprieve, which runs through March, and some 424,286 individual and companies have taken part so far.

 People who participate in the program will have to raise money to pay for their redemption penalties, especially if they are declaring non-liquid assets like companies or homes. If I joined this program, of course I spent a few hundred million rupiah to participate in this program, so I needed some breathing space before I could start spending again. Actually this program has many big effects in positive ways, such as increase our economy to develop our country.


Reflection based on http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-10-28/discretionary-stocks-hit-by-amnesty-as-indonesians-curb-spending

Human VS LPG (human problem)

A 50-kilogram liquid petroleum gas (LPG) canister at a Pizza Hut Delivery (PHD) outlet in Jatimurni, Bekasi, West Java, exploded early Sunday morning, injuring two people and damaging four buildings.
The canister exploded inside the three-story PHD outlet, Jakarta Police spokesman Sr. Comr Awi Setiyono said as reported by kompas.com. The explosion completely destroyed the PHD building and caused severe damage to three other buildings near it, including an Alfa Midi minimarket.According to Alfa Midi employees, the explosion took place at 7:20 a.m., Awi said, adding that there were no fatalities.

Meanwhile, Pondok Cabe Police chief Comr. Sukadi said the police were investigating the cause of the explosion and had secured the scene. A fritter seller and a child in the vicinity were injured in the blast, he said. The fast food employees had returned home at 11 PM so the restaurant had been emptied.

I think there are two situations where this will usually happen, the first is that something physically punctures the tank, the second is the tank becomes so hot that the pressure of the gas inside it ruptures it from within.
The general safety procedures to prevent at propane tank from exploding are not to puncture it, and to keep it cool, as in below 120F. Still, propane cylinders are not easy to explode. In a situation where flames are impinging on the vapor space of the cylinder and the metal gets near melting, the cylinder will rupture violently.
 
Reflection based on http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/10/23/lpg-explosion-in-pizza-hut-outlet-destroys-four-buildings.html

Death Penalty in Indonesia

Indonesia, one of only 25 countries in the world that still impose capital punishment, has seen 35 people sentenced to death by the courts since the start of the year, according to the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras). That number could grow in the coming years, as the country is mulling whether to widen the application of the ultimate penalty. The execution of convicts has become something of a hallmark of the presidency of Jokowi, who has declared war on drug trafficking, an offense that carries the ultimate punishment. Fourteen drugtraffickers were executed in 2015, but an earlier plan to execute14 more in July was aborted at the last minute; instead only four were sent to the firing squad.

Until today, the government has not explained the reason for the literally 11th-hour reprieve for the 10. Attorney General Muhammad Prasetyo insisted their executions were simply being delayed. Jokowi has publicly rebuked any attempt at intervention by foreign leaders who asked for a stay of executions for their citizens, citing Indonesia’s sovereignty. This did not stop European leaders from telling him to stop the executions when he visited Germany, Britain, the Netherlands and Belgium in April. Indonesia’s appetite for the blood of criminals has not stopped there. In the current debate to reform the penal code, politicians are advocating expanding the use of capital punishment to acts of treason, terrorism and terrorism-related activities, genocide, corruption, endangering flight safety, extortion and intimidation. With reports of sexual abuse against children, some politicians have also asked to add this to the list of crimes punishable by death.

In my opinion, there are many advantages of the death penalty, such as it shows that our justice system has no sympathy for the criminals and also this death penalty can address the problem of overpopulation in the prisons. However, there are also disadvantages of the death penalty. For example, the cost involved on the death penalty is much more greater than the expenses occurred in the life imprisonment of the accused.


Reflection based on http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2016/10/10/death-penalty-becoming-more-popular-indonesia.html

Elephants released in Tesso Nilo National Park, Indonesia

WWF has pushed for the protection of Tesso Nilo Forest as a national park since 2004 so that Riau’s elephants would have a safe haven. But the park is still being illegally cleared for commercial activity and may be at its carrying capacity for elephants. The current 38,000ha park is too small to provide sufficient habitat for any additional elephants. The park was originally proposed to be 100,000ha.

Eight endangered Sumatran elephants were released into Indonesia's Tesso Nilo forest, months after they were found chained to trees without food or water. WWF, which provided daily care and medical treatment for the elephants after their discovery, worked with local government officials to ensure their safe release. The elephant herd initially numbered ten when they were captured by Riau Forestry Officials after raiding crops in Balai Raja of northern Riau on the Indonesia island of Sumatra — one died of tetanus and one escaped.

This article is so deep. These elephants need room to live, which means ending problematic pulp and oil palm development. Unsustainable logging throughout the province has eliminated much of the elephants, include their original habitat and as a result have been moving into more populated areas in search of food. Even these elephants are the latest casualties in the escalating human-elephant conflict in central Sumatra, the direct result of uncontrolled destruction of their forest habitat, i wish government can stop all forest conversion, illegal logging and encroachment


Reflection based on http://wwf.panda.org/wwf_news/?70060/Elephants-released-in-Indonesias-Tesso-Nilo-National-Park

Reef health in Australia

Official Australian government reports say that the overall health of the Great Barrier Reef is poor and deteriorating. The World Heritage Site has lost more than half of its coral cover in the past 30 years, and populations of animals such as dolphins, dugongs and sharks are in decline. In addition to being one of the planet’s richest marine habitats, the reef generates nearly US$5.8 billion each year and provides about 69,000 jobs.

Megaport expansions proposed along the coast have brought new threats to the reef from dredging, dumping, and increased shipping. Plans to ban the dumping of dredge spoil in the reef’s World Heritage waters have been progressing at the federal and state level, but have not yet come into force. Last year the World Heritage Committee expressed concerns over industrialization in the area and said that unless significant improvements are made, the reef could be in inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger. Over 350,000 people from around the world have joined WWF’s campaign calling for world leaders to defend the reef from industrial destruction. They have debated the status of the Great Barrier Reef and other extraordinary natural places.

I think this decision will keep the pressure on the Australian government to turn its promises into real action and results. They have made the right decision. The future World Heritage status of the reef should rightly be determined based on the actual condition of its precious corals and marine life. I wish Australia can strengthen protection of the Great Barrier Reef to protect our marine life.

Reflection based on http://wwf.panda.org/wwf_news/?247491/UNESCO-puts-Australia-on-probation-over-reef-health

Use your own #EndangeredEmoji helps social campaign

WWF has launched its first ever emoji-based fundraising campaign to help support the organisation’s work to protect precious species and their habitats.  The launch of the campaign, which has been run on Twitter, come just ahead of Endangered Species Day on Friday 15 May.
Adrian Cockle, Digital Innovation Manager at WWF International said: “When it comes to fundraising, giving people a simple way to donate is key. By using one of the world’s biggest social platforms to highlight endangered species, we’re hoping to raise vital funds for their conservation as well as raising awareness globally.”

The idea for the #EndangeredEmoji campaign was sparked by the discovery that 17 characters in the emoji alphabet represent endangered species. WWF is seeking to translate the popularity of these characters into donations. Emoji have been used over 202 million times on Twitter since they were integrated into the platform in April 2014. The number is increasing daily.

Spider monkey Giant panda Asian elephant Galapagos penguin Antiguan Racer snake Bactrian camel Tiger Sumatran tiger Green turtle

Amur leopard Siamese crocodile Bluefin tuna Blue whale Western gray whale African wild dog Lemur leaf frog Maui’s dolphin

In my opinion, this emoji alphabet is the best idea ever. The standardized set of digital pictograph characters will be used in communication globally, contain the following characters which represent endangered species. Young people will not be in difficulty if they want to send emoji to show when they are travelling to somewhere where endangered animal live. Emoji is the first global language and with this people all over the world can get involved in protecting our earth and the animals we share it with.


Reflection based on http://wwf.panda.org/wwf_news/?246650/WWF-turns-tweets-to-donations--with-EndangeredEmoji-social-campaign

Being entrepreneur can help forests and economies grow

Analyzing the policy and entrepreneurial context in three landscapes across Asia, the report highlights how supporting innovative small-scale green businesses could help reverse the current trend where business incentives for promoting deforestation remain greater than those for preventing it. The study shows that this trend persists despite recent deforestation-free commitments made by several countries and the UN push to halt deforestation by 2020. Small and medium-sized Asian businesses specializing in forest and ecosystem services can play a key role in reducing deforestation in the region, according to a new study.

This is a collaboration between five organizations. Those are WWF, Ennovent, Impact Hub, Clarmondial and GreenWorks Asia. The report shows that there is strong potential for innovative green business approaches. The report draws on case studies from three key biodiverse countries that represent the range of conditions across Asia including: the Central Truong Son area in Vietnam; Kalimantan and Sumatra in Indonesia; and the Terai Arc region in the lowlands of Nepal. Sectoral analyses in the study show the kinds of enterprises that might contribute positively to addressing deforestation, such as rubber, cocoa, rattan, essential oils and medicinal plants. A good example is The Mountain Institute’s work in Nepal to turn medicinal and aromatic plant production into a profitable business for small producers. Since 2001, The Mountain Institute has increased the income of over 15,000 farmers through training and supporting the sustainable cultivation of plants such as Chiraito (Swertiya chirayita), Lothsalla (Taxus wallichiana), Satuwa (Paris Polyphylla) and Seto Bikhuma (Aconitum ferox, A. spicatum). The institute, in partnership with WWF and business innovation company Ennovent, plans to secure certifications for organic production, quality processing and good forest management – including in the buffer zones of national parks - strengthening linkages to the profitable global cosmetic and pharmaceutical industry.

I think this will be inspiration for those who wanna be involved in the scale-up and consolidation phase for forest-friendly initiatives and outlines recommendations to create and replicate successful models of deforestation-free social enterprises in other affected areas. However, we can show the world about the importance of bringing together entrepreneur incubators, impact investment and innovation support in a more coordinated fashion and increase investment in zero deforestation products.

Reflection based on http://wwf.panda.org/wwf_news/?267930/Small-businesses-in-Asia-can-help-forests-and-economies-grow-new-report-shows#

Set the future with partner

TLC, thoughtful loving communication, can help you find out if you and your significant other are on the same page about moving your relationship forward. It doesn't happen via text, email or any other tetchy way but with a good old-fashioned face-to-face conversation.Whether you’re married, live together or spend the majority of your time together, we all fall into routines. Maybe we make or order in dinner and break the routine. Invite him to a night at home filled with TLC. When you do, tell him with a smile that you miss him, miss us and want to connect and talk without the usual distractions. Pour a glass of wine and toast the two of you, but don’t overindulge or start drinking too early. You don’t want the wine to cause you to have loose lips or trigger tears! Then just hug him and say something sweet and reach for his hand and hold it as you speak. It’s such a simple act, but it connects two people instantly, giving each a feeling of love, comfort, connectivity and closeness.


It’s important he knows that this isn’t simply a romantic dinner. It’s a time for you both to catch up and talk. Being honest is hard, and it’s OK if you stumble and cry. Now’s the time to ask the hard questions and share what you really want. Let him know you want to spend your life with him and plan for it together, don't forget with real actionable steps. Ask him if he wants the same thing. If the answers are yes, you go, girl! Jump into his arms, hug and kiss him all over — do whatever feels right to show him how happy you are. If he has another idea how to do the same, that’s fine, too. Keep the tone of the invite open and loving — light versus heavy, to limit your pre-stress and his anxiety over what’s up.

I learned a long time ago we can never go wrong when we speak with love instead of anger and hurt. If things have gone well and you both feel that you’ve aired, shared and, most importantly, are on the same page about moving forward, agree to be present. That can mean engaging in more frequent TLC to limit uncertainties and keep your plans moving forward. Schedule your next sit-down in the next few days and start planning everything. On the other hand, if he hesitated or gave you an excuse like, "Someday, when…" it’s time for you to realize he may love you but isn’t ready to commit or doesn’t want to. The choice will then be yours to stay or start "spring cleaning" him out of your life.

Reflected based on http://www.sheknows.com/love-and-sex/articles/1114815/how-to-talk-to-your-partner-about-the-future?utm_source=zergnet.com&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=zergnet_1188651

Amoeba is everywhere !

Kerry Stoutenburgh, a Brooklyn College student of Kingston, NY, is believed to have contracted the deadly infection after jumping off a bridge into a warm body of water in Cecil County in Maryland last month. Kelly, who is just in her twenties, has died after contracting a rare brain-eating amoeba while swimming in a creek during a family vacation. The disease she became infected with, primary amebic meningoencephalitis, is caused by the brain parasite known as Naegleria fowleri, which is commonly found in warm freshwater rivers and hot springs or burrowed in soil.

The young girl, who would have celebrated her 20th birthday on October 20th, once was treated and released, but her condition worsened and ultimately killed her.
Ulster County Health Commissioner, Dr. Carol Smith said that was a catastrophic type of infection and it progressed to fatality quite quickly. According to the CDC, between 1962 and 2015, only three of 138 known infected people in the United States have survived the generally fatal infection.

The amoeba usually infects people when contaminated water enters the body through the nose and travels to the brain. This statement is according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A "brain-eating amoeba" is just as horrific as it sounds. It's a parasite that can enter the brain and lead to deadly inflammation of the brain. There have been several reports of brain-eating amoeba infections. In my reflection to avoid amoeba based on this story, we better :

1. Hold your nose shut or use nose clips when taking part in water-related activities
2. Avoid stirring sediment surrounding warm, fresh water.
3. Avoid water-related activities in warm, untreated, or poorly treated water

Reflected based on http://nypost.com/2016/09/12/student-dies-after-contracting-brain-eating-amoeba-on-vacation/

Running or Walking?

Fitness is paramount to overall health, and walking and running are two simple forms of exercise you can pretty much do anywhere. Weight loss and cardiovascular, those both activities are great ways to stay in shape, however if you want to drop weight faster, running wins. Running is more strenuous, so there’s no surprises the potential calorie burn is far greater.

Researchers found that post-exercise appetite suppression is greater after vigorous exercise, with participants eating fewer calories post workout — provided you don’t fall into the trap of a post-workout splurge and ‘reward’ yourself with a few extra slices of pizza.

However, running isn’t for everyone. Going full speed increases the risk of injury. In fact, running produces ground reaction forces of approximately 2.5 times body weight compared to 1.2 times that for walking.

Whenever you start a new form of exercise your heart, muscles, and bones all need time to adapt, and too much too soon (without adequate recovery) makes you susceptible to strains, sprains, stress fractures, and even overtraining and illness. For this reason, it’s important to build up gradually and listen to how your body responds.

If i could choose, i would choose running, although walking is the perfect place to start if you’re new to exercise. In other words, the harder you work, the more calories you’ll burn, which is the key to losing weight. Brisk walking and running both improve heart health provided you build up gradually and do it regularly.Walking and running are both safe when included as part of a balanced exercise program. To prevent overtraining, alternate days of walking or running with strength training. Listening to the body and completing a proper warm-up and cool down is key in preventing injuries. Whether you choose to run or walk will depend on your goals and preferences. It’s important to check with your GP before starting an intense training program.

Based on http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/fitness/exercise/is-it-better-to-run-or-walk/news-story/ee1628e99fc0be72f9287a0b70b57ccf

Save Arctic's Life

Since introducing the program, collaborative polar bear patrol, in 2010, WWF and the Hamlet of Arviat, Nunavut, have dramatically reduced the number of polar bears killed under Defence of Life and Property (DLP) regulations. WWF provides funding to help communities reduce instances of conflict between polar bears and communities, including hiring guards to patrol communities and scare away bears.

On February 27th 2016, before International Polar Bear Day, WWF released a video that documents the increasing challenges that communities face from polar bears, and the successful methods that keep both bears and people safer to celebrate this day. This program, daily patrols in peak bear season (September – December), particularly at night, significantly reduce conflicts. Patrol teams have a range of tools including cracker shells, rubber bullets, beanbags, flares and live rounds.

I think this program successes reducing the number of conflicts between people and polar bears successfully. Even though throughout their range, there are increasing encounters between polar bears and people and this brings major risks to human life and property, but thing things have dramatically reduced the number of polar bears killed. This action brings benefit yet risks the patrol teams' life.

Reflection based on http://wwf.panda.org/wwf_news/?262250/Polar-bear-patrols-keep-bears-and-Arctic-communities-safe#

Support Wildlife Means Support Our Future.

                   Increased anti-poaching efforts have achieved the first annual decrease in rhinos killed in South Africa since 2007 – but poachers are targeting rhinos in neighboring countries. In 2015, there were 1,175 rhinos were killed in South Africa, 40 less than in 2014. However, at least 130 were poached in Namibia and Zimbabwe in the same period, up almost 200 per cent from 2014. 

                 The organized criminal syndicates driving the rhino poaching crisis are turning their aim on previously secure populations in other African countries, but there is hope. While there are signs that South Africa is stabilizing poaching, and must improve further, Nepal has shown that it is possible to stop it. Nepal has already achieved three years of zero rhino poaching since 2011 and is close to a fourth – a remarkable achievement, and one that other countries can emulate by adopting the zero-poaching framework that WWF helped to develop. Supported by numerous international organizations, there is now a one-stop website for countries to access the best available tools and resources in the zero-poaching toolkit.

                       In my opinion, Wildlife is under threat from poaching and we must all work together to ensure a future for our wildlife for the sake of our future generations. As a human we have no rights to do everything the way we want. Even though there are many dangerous animals out there, we still need them in our life circumstances. When we conserve and protect the natural habitat of wildlife species, we enrich our planet. To do so, we must keep the animals in their natural place. Conservation of natural habitats will also be beneficial for humans since it helps keep the essential watersheds intact and ensuring clean, fresh water. Ciao!

Reflection based on http://wwf.panda.org/wwf_news/?246012/Nepal-achieves-21-increase-in-rhino-numbers

Man Versus Society

                 Conflict is present everywhere in the world around us. We experience conflict on a daily basis, and it can be minor (a disagreement with a friend about where to have lunch) or major (countries at war). However, I want to share a conflict that we maybe have experienced once in our lives. This conflict is about man versus society. Have you ever struggled with fitting in at school? You may be shy or going to a new school. There are different ways to meet people and find your place at your school. 

Communicating with others is important. Prepare yourself by thinking of some conversation starters. Some easy ways to start a conversation are to introduce yourself, give a compliment, or ask a question. Sometimes you have to be a little assertive to get the process started. Just simply introduce yourself to the people that you sit next to; or be the type of person that loves to smile and wouldn't mind going up to yourself so other people may want to talk because you look approachable. On the other hand, you have to be yourself. While these negative thoughts are normal, you can replace them with more positive things. It is important that you explore and find what interests you and what you are good at then you can join a school organization or club. It is easier to bond with someone when you all have similar interests. After that you can develop your own group. It may take some time to identify the different cliques and which students seem to be friendly; but it is okay, just figure out what and who you are most comfortable with.

As teenagers, we didn’t have the skills to reach out to classmates who seemed different from us, not to mention the fact that most of us were afraid to risk sacrificing whatever social status we had by befriending a kid who was “popular.” Some — those who are simply shy, like us — come back to life when we get home, becoming animated, feisty and fully engaged with family members. Remember that you can always get friends, at least one best friend in your life. If one method does not work, you can always try something different. Be confident and patient; fitting in takes time.In addition, I suggest while the other person is talking, try not to fidget, look around, laugh, or do anything that shows you are not paying attention.

Reflection based on http://www.wikihow.com/Fit-In- at-School