Cempaka Culture and Tourism: Jakarta Overtakes Rangoon in Expat Livability Index

"The Recalibration of Awareness – Apr 20/21, 2012 (Kryon channeled by Lee Carroll) (Subjects: Old Energy, Recalibration Lectures, God / Creator, Religions/Spiritual systems (Catholic Church, Priests/Nun’s, Worship, John Paul Pope, Women in the Church otherwise church will go, Current Pope won’t do it), Middle East, Jews, Governments will change (Internet, Media, Democracies, Dictators, North Korea, Nations voted at once), Integrity (Businesses, Tobacco Companies, Bankers/ Financial Institutes, Pharmaceutical company to collapse), Illuminati (Started in Greece, with Shipping, Financial markets, Stock markets, Pharmaceutical money (fund to build Africa, to develop)), Shift of Human Consciousness, (Old) Souls, Women, Masters to/already come back, Global Unity.... etc.) - (Text version)

“… The Shift in Human Nature

You're starting to see integrity change. Awareness recalibrates integrity, and the Human Being who would sit there and take advantage of another Human Being in an old energy would never do it in a new energy. The reason? It will become intuitive, so this is a shift in Human Nature as well, for in the past you have assumed that people take advantage of people first and integrity comes later. That's just ordinary Human nature.

In the past, Human nature expressed within governments worked like this: If you were stronger than the other one, you simply conquered them. If you were strong, it was an invitation to conquer. If you were weak, it was an invitation to be conquered. No one even thought about it. It was the way of things. The bigger you could have your armies, the better they would do when you sent them out to conquer. That's not how you think today. Did you notice?

Any country that thinks this way today will not survive, for humanity has discovered that the world goes far better by putting things together instead of tearing them apart. The new energy puts the weak and strong together in ways that make sense and that have integrity. Take a look at what happened to some of the businesses in this great land (USA). Up to 30 years ago, when you started realizing some of them didn't have integrity, you eliminated them. What happened to the tobacco companies when you realized they were knowingly addicting your children? Today, they still sell their products to less-aware countries, but that will also change.

What did you do a few years ago when you realized that your bankers were actually selling you homes that they knew you couldn't pay for later? They were walking away, smiling greedily, not thinking about the heartbreak that was to follow when a life's dream would be lost. Dear American, you are in a recession. However, this is like when you prune a tree and cut back the branches. When the tree grows back, you've got control and the branches will grow bigger and stronger than they were before, without the greed factor. Then, if you don't like the way it grows back, you'll prune it again! I tell you this because awareness is now in control of big money. It's right before your eyes, what you're doing. But fear often rules. …”

Thursday, March 25, 2010

Jakarta Overtakes Rangoon in Expat Livability Index

Jakarta Globe, Arientha Primanita & AFP, March 25, 2010

For expats, Jakarta is looking just a little better these days. The Big Durian clawed its way up in this year’s ranking according to a livability index in Asia — from a shameful 39th last year to a more respectable 38th place.

According to a report from human resources consultancy ECA International, Jakarta has overtaken its close rival in the survey, Burma’s affable Rangoon, which placed just ahead of Jakarta last year. Still, not quite as nice as New Delhi, which came in at 37. Singapore retained its No. 1 ranking this year, not just for Asia but for the whole world.

The survey indicated that the city-state’s sweet spot at the top is due to world-class infrastructure, health services and air quality, as well as low crime.

Yayat Supriyatna, an urban planner from Trisakti University, told the Jakarta Globe that the capital’s placement near the bottom of the charts was probably due to factors such as accessibility, investment climate and service standards.

“We all know that in Jakarta, traffic jams are everywhere and for expats to get permits is sometimes difficult,” he said.

Expats in Denpasar, ranked No. 24 this year (down two spots from 2009), have easier access to activities and better communication with local residents, Yayat said.

“Here in Jakarta, expats are clustered in a specific area while in Denpasar and other big cities overseas, expats can more easily move around,” he said.

Arie Budhiman, Jakarta’s tourism agency head, told the Globe that the city still lacks adequate promotion abroad.

Arie said for 2010, the city budgeted only Rp 23 billion ($2.5 million) for tourism which includes domestic as well as overseas promotion. “That’s not enough compared to other world cities that have big budgets for promotion,” he said. “Jakarta has other priorities to focus on.”

Arie said accessibility remains a key barrier for the city due to problems with public transportation system.

He said moving up one place in the ranks this year was still a positive sign.

“People come here not only for leisure purposes, but also for business. So Jakarta is like a living organism with many facilities,” he said.

Arie said the city was working hard to boost the city’s facilities for residents and foreigners, including improvements to infrastructure and tourism.

Other Asian cities including Hong Kong and Beijing lagged far behind Singapore largely because of poor air quality, the survey said.

“Air pollution remains a significant problem in a number of Asian locations. New Delhi, Beijing and Hong Kong are among the worst locations studied in terms of air quality,” ECA International said.

“Health facility provision is also a problem for many parts of the region,” it said.

Hong Kong placed eighth on the list of the best locations for expats in the world, the survey said. Beijing took the 100th spot and New Delhi ranked 185th overall.

Within the top 15, Kobe, Japan, placed third followed by Yokohama, Tokyo and Copenhagen, with Australia’s administrative capital Canberra taking the seventh spot. Sydney took second place after Singapore on the global ranking list.

Related Article:

Singapore retains pole position as No.1 place for Asians to live for 11th consecutive year