Sangat Disayangkan

Hari Minggu 08 Agustus 2010, membuat saudara kita di Bekasi mengalami kesedihan, disaat mereka dilarang melakukan kebaktian digereja yang dekat dengan pemukiman Islam itu.Dan sampai akhirnya, seminggu kemudian kebaktian dilangsungkan di istana negara tanggal 15 Agustus 2010. Masyarakat yang saling menyapa itu akhirnya pecah dengan seruan "Tidak Boleh Ada Gereja Di sekitar Kami". Sedih mendengarnya, belum kasus-kasus yang membingungkan itu siap, sudah timbul masalah, yang mengundang perang saudara itu.

Kurang sadarnya rasa Nasionalisme di negriku, sehingga tega membuat kericuhan di tengah-tengah masyarakat, hanya karena berita yang tidak jelas itu. Sadarlah bangsaku, kita dinegara ini satu tanah air, satu bangsa dan satu bahasa, mengapa saling menyerang. Mengapa agama menjadi suatu permasalah yang hebat untukmu negriku.

Kericuhan itukah yang kamu minta saudaraku, yang menimpa masyarakat yang kamu bilang itu satu bangsa?.Siapakah mereka itu dibanding dengan orang-orang yang kamu lihat lalu-lalang disetiap harimu. Akankah wajahmu berisi kesombongan saat saling bertemu muka, hanya karena disebabkan perbedaan kepercayaan itu. Sampai kapan kita menemukan kedamaian di Indonesia ini.

Lihatlah bangsamu, menangis karna pukulan tanganmu, sampai kapan kamu bisa melihat semua itu terjadi. Itulah caramu memuji TuhanMu. Mata hati kecilmu pun kurasa tak tega melihat itu, tapi kamu buta dan menutup mata hatimu. Mengapa harus ada UUD di negara ini, Bukankah "Ketuhan Yang Maha Esa " lagi yang kamu pegang dalam beragama itu. Bukankah kamu sadar hal itu akan mengumbar seluruh pelosok negri ini menangis dan kemunafikan akan tertawa melihatnya. Karna sampai kapanpun kebenaran dan kepercayaan itu tak akan goyah oleh amukan? Hanya menimbulkan benci yang mendalam, jurang pemisah yang semakin terjal antara kita di Indonesia ini.

Bukankah kamu pernah impikan Indonesia ini aman, damai dan tentram. Semua menginginkan ini saudaraku . Bukankah kemerdekaan ini hadiah terindah dari pejuang-pejuang bangsa kita, yang rela berkorban , menumpahkan darah merebut dari mereka yang ingin menelantarkan bangsa ini. Mengapa kamu lain sendiri disini ? menunjukkan bahwa kamu sangat besar, berdiri tegap, menginjak-injak hak hakiki dari bangsamu itu?

Hai negriku, tunjukkanlah bahwa kamu masih memiliki jiwa nasionalisme untuk negri ini. Bertanah air yang satu, berbangsa yang satu, berbahasa yang satu yaitu Indonesia tercinta ini

Ada Apa dengan Batam?

Batam terkenal dengan sebutan no 2 dari Singapur.Sebenarnya ada apa dengan Singapur itu?
Apakah karena terkenalnya dengan Industri dan gemerlap malamnya?

Selama 5(lima) tahun di Batam, mungkin sudah mulai mengenal Batam dan liku-liku Batam sudah hampir saya ketahui, maklum kalau bisa dibilang Batam itu lebih kecil dari Pulauku Samosir. Mengenal Batam, sebuah hadiah buat saya.Saya bisa bekerja disini, kuliah disini, dan semua bisa kuperoleh disini. Sebelum saya tiba diBatam ini, tercium dengan keburukan yang sangat membuatku tidak suka, dan hampir tak ingin menginjakkan kaki disini. Tapi dengan semua alternatif pilihan saat itu, membuatku harus memilih Batam.

Benarkah Batam seperti pandanganku dulu?
Benar, Batam itu kejam, kotor, hura-hura, bagi orang yang mau terjerumus didalamnya. Dulunya saya tidak percaya dengan semua itu, tapi semua jelas dan nyata setelah melihat dengan mata kepala sendiri.

Investasi-investasi dari luar negri sangat berdampak positif, dan sebanding dengan dampak negatif. Budaya luar begitu gemerlap membuat warga Batam lupa daratan, lupa budaya, lupa Tuhan, lupa keluarga dan yang lainya yang sebenarnya tidak pantas dilakukan. Begitu gampangnya berdiri hotel-hotel, club-club, krauke-krauke yang berbau luar negri. Itulah yang dibanggakan di Batam.

Orang-orang Singapur di Batam seperti Raja, disambut, dipuji, dihormati, ditakuti, sebenarnya siapa dia di negara kita?Sesukanya menghina kita, membentak kita di negara kita sendiri, memecat dengan secara tidak hormat.Uang telah membutakan mata hati kita. Dengan ikut - ikutan gaya orang - orang Indonesia menjadi gaya orang Singapur untuk membentak, menghina bawahannya, dan tak sadar dengan apa yang dilakukanya itu .

Diperusahaan-perusahaan mereka selalu dijajaran paling tinggi, makan satu tempat dengan karyawan tetapi makanan orang itu seperti direstorant dan karyawan hanya dengan yang namanya makan saja, lauk dan nasi yang disediakan perusahaan. Mereka melihat kita dengan hanya sebelah mata saja dan memandang rendah. Itukah yang akan kita pelihara diBatam ini. Semua usaha-usaha dikuasai orang Singapore, dan menghilangkan pasar bagi masyarakat kecil. Apakah penduduk Batam nantinya jadi orang Singapur.

Semua rakyat Batam mengadopsi kelakuan Singapur, mulai dari kejamnya, cueknya, foya-foyanya, gemerlap malamnya, dan pemakaian obat terlarang, dan tidak perduli dengan sekitarnya. Masyarakat banyak hancur, gadis-gadis Batam banyak yang menjadi pelacur, dan terjerumus dan semakin terjerumus .Dengan bangganya gadis-gadis itu menggandeng apek-apek yang tidak sebanding dengannya lagi, bagaimana tidak itu sudah menjadi malam-malamnya.

Kehidupan malam lebih ramai di Batam, dihotel, diclub, tempat massage, dan dikatakan itu penghasilan yang sangat tinggi di Batam. Ada apa dengan malam, bukankah seharusnya tidur? Jam 10 malam gadis-gadis itu keluar dengan gaya pakaian tak sepantasnya. Tertawa-tawa mengundang mata melihat dia, menarik perhatian orang di sana. Sungguh menyedihkan, mengapa semua itu terjadi disini???????/

Hal yang belum lama di Batam ini berdiri banyak tempat massage dan tempat remang - remang, sebenarnya apakah pemerintah tidak melihat ataukah dibuta-butakan. Tempat itu penuh dengan hidung belang. Dengan hanya ditutup dengan kain horden dan tempat cukup untuk berdua saja. Manusia itu menjadi binal dan seperti binatang. Tempat-tempat seperti itu juga dikunjungi orang - orang yang tidak tau diri. Dengan pendapatan yang minimal tetap juga ingin mengetahui apa yang terjadi disana. Dengan cara tidak mau ketinggalan akhirnya ikut-ikutan juga dan tak perduli dengan anak istrinya.

Apakah itu sebuah penyebab kemiskinan di Batam????????

Dengan yang saya alami, hal itulah yang menyebabkan kemiskinan di Batam. Kontraktor-kontraktor perkapalan diBatam kebanyakan orang Singapur. Dengan membayar gaji yang kecil dan mengorek uang sebanyak-banyaknya untuk diri sendiri, tanpa memperdulikan kesejahteraan karyawan dan pergi berfoya- foya disana. Basik di Batam telah ditentukan 1.177.000/ bulan dan sekitar 6.800 per jam, tetapi bagaimana dengan gaji orang yang 4.500 per jam, tanpa jamsostek? Dimana pemerintah yang ada di Batam. Apakah sebenarnya tidak mendengar ???

Sebelum ada GMKI(Gerakan Mahasiswa Kristen Indonesia) di Batam, saya berpikir, akan seperti apa Batam nantinya????. Mahasiswa diBatam tidak perduli dengan itu, baik kristen maupun non kristen tidak peduli dengan kemiskinan itu. Dengan menghadapi kehidupan yang makin mencekik, takut kehilangan pekerjaan, membuatnya harus bekerja keras sekuat tenaga, untuk menjalani hidup di Batam. Dan disinilah timbul ketidak pedulian dengan sesama. "Selama dia tak merugikan saya, berbuatlah sesukamu" lambang pemuda Batam.

GMKI membuka mata sebagian dari kalangan itu, berkat senior-senior yang masih setia membimbing kami dan mengajari kami, membakar semangat kami, menjanjikan harus lahir pemimpin disetiap kami. Yang tak pernah terpikir olehku, mulai kujalani bersama-sama teman dan sahabatku disana. Tertawa di lampu merah itu membuat tawa kami semakin menggema dimanapun kami berada, Sahut-menyahut menjadi sebagai kakak-adik.

Berjuanglah GMKI, aku bangga aku ada didalammu, tumbuhlah di hati pemuda-pemuda, mahasiswa-mahasiwa Batam!!! Siapa yang membangun Batam kalau bukan kita? saudaraku.! Menunggu pemerintah seakan tiada titik akhirnya. Bukalah mata dan pikiran, ikutilah misi dan visi Kristus, tunjukkanlah bahwa kamu masih mengenal Yesus Kristus.

Berdiri Teguh, Jangan Goyah
- 1 Korintus 15:58

By: Ellis Veronika Sitinjak

Tubuh Kristus

Maraknya gereja-gereja dunia membuat manusia, membuat tubuh Kristus terpecah-pecah dan sudah hampir membuat benteng keegoisan yang mendalam.Membangun gereja dengan nama dan simbol tersendiri membuka jalan bagi iblis-iblis memasuki ruang-ruang tubuh Kristus. Kadang gereja bukan lagi mencari kedamaian, dan hampir mencari nama dan kepentingan golongan.Dimana-mana telah terdengar keributan gereja antar gereja, itukah yang dinamakan mencari Kristus. Bermacam-macam cara untuk memuji dan memuliakan namaNya dan itu jugalah yang menjadi permasalan.Dengan ketidakcocokan cara antar tubuh kristus membuat ruang pemisah dengan tubuh kristus yang lain.

Kebenaran demi kebenaran manusia mencari dan tak pernah putus asa mencari. Kepintaran-kepintaran dari para pendeta membuat umat menggunakan logika hidup dalam gereja. Mungkin orang bilang, dimanapun aku gereja itu tak masalah asal saya gereja dan mencari Tuhan. Bagaimana bisa kita bilang mencari Tuhan jika didalamnya kita menemukan orang yang sebenarnya bukan sepenuhnya dengan Tuhan.

Jemaat yang lain saling mengejek cara yang berbeda itu, sehingga timbul keegoisan diantara jemaat dan itulah awal hancurnya tubuh-tubuh Kristus. Pandangan-pandangan pendeta yang jahat menanamkan paradigmanya kepada jemaatnya, pendeta yang lain menanamkan paradigma kepada jemaatnya dan seperti itu seterusnya, bagaimana dengan tubuh Kristus yang cuma satu?

Dunia menyatakan "Berilah maka Aku akan Memberi" dan mulai menerobos masuk kedalam Tubuh Kristus. Saling menyapa antara umat Kristiani hampir hilang .Bagaimana masihkah ada kedamaian dalam Tubuh Kristus.Bagaimana mencintai Tuhan yang tidak nyata, dimata kita sedangkan manusia yang kita lihat saja kita tak bisa saling mencintai.

Meninggalkan gereja dengan menyatakan imanku bertubuh disana, apakah yang sebenarnya yang kamu tinggalkan itu bukan tubuh Kristus, dan yang kamu cerca itu tubuh Kristus. Sejauh mana kamu mengenal Dia. Bukankah semuanya memiliki alkitab yang sama? Dan apa yang membuatmu meninggalkan Dia. Tergiur dengan cara yang baru, yang belum seutuhnya kamu tau itu siapa yang membawa kamu kesana?

Memilah-milah tentang gereja saat ini bukanlah suatu hal mengherankan. Ratusan gereja sudah mendunia dengan cara masing-masing dan membuat identitas masing-masing.

Dan saat masalah datang masuk dalam tubuh Kristus itu, manusia hanya mempertahankan identitasnya saja, tanpa melihat tubuh Kristus yang lain yang dalam kesusahan.Dan disinilah kita tahu bahwa tubuh kristus itu tidak sempurna lagi melainkan tubuh yang banyak dengan dosa-dosa umatnya. Itukah yang menjadi tujuan kita dalam menyatukan diri di dalam tubuh Kristus?


Matius 22:36: Guru, hukum manakah yang terutama dalam hukum Taurat? Tuhan Yesus menjawab: Hukum yang terutama dan yang pertama adalah kasihilah Tuhan, Allahmu, dengan segenap hatimu dan dengan segenap jiwamu dan dengan segenap akal budimu. Dan hukum yang kedua, yang sama dengan itu, ialah: kasihilah sesamamu manusia seperti dirimu sendiri.

Hai saudaraku, jangan sebut kamu dari greja manapun, tetapi marilah kita tunjukkan sikap kita yang memiliki Tuhan dengan mencintai sesama manusia seperti diri sendiri, dan jika tidak, sama saja kita tidak memiliki Tuhan dan hanya memiliki identitas saja

PLANNING TODAY

Kucoba menulis sebuah kertas
Dan kutulisi 17 ide sebagai rencana bulan ini yang menurutku
Mantap, pas, sempurna,
Kuwarnai, dengan warna pikiranku saat ini
Yang indah dan penuh harapan
Kububuhkan dengan rencana September bulan depan,
yang menungguku
Berharap aku masih bisa menuliskan rencanaku lagi
Kugantunggkan dengan nama seseorang......... , inspirasiku

Kumulai memohon, padaMu Tuhan,
Inilah aku Tuhan,
Keterbukaan hatiku padamu
Izinkan aku berjalan
Melewati satu demi satu rencana itu
Karna Hanya kuingin Engkau menyertaiku
dan membimbingku

Waktuku

Walau hidup itu seperti kumelihatnya, buram
Tapi kumerangkai lagi, seperti ada cara
Seperti ada lorong menyapaku
Janji-janji yang belum terbayar
Meyakinkanku, itu sebuah tanggung jawab

Mengapa padam
Dimana semangat yang pernah ada
Membungkam seperti tak ada yang kurang
Namun tersimpan berjuta-juta sesal

Sesal,
Apa yang disesalkan
Bagaimana dengan waktu yang menunggu untukmu
Bagaimana dengan saudara yang menunggumu
Bagaimana dengan cita-citamu dulu
Apakah itu akan tinggal tiada jawaban

Tidakkah kamu mengenal dirimu
Yang punya hak sama diantara siapapun itu
Yang mau membangun dan mau merusak dengan sesukanya
Adakah kamu masih disana, Mengapa bisu?

Bagaimana dengan waktumu
Setiap pagi yang menyapamu
Lembut membangunkanmu
Memberikan hawa lembut
Berharap engkau menyapanya dengan senyum
Dan dirimu hanya bungkam
Akankah kamu biarkan menangis disetiap kamu lewati
Akankah kehausan mengikutimu, dengan tiada harapan
Sehingga terbiasa dengan kekosongan dan putus asa

Maafku yang tak termaafkan
Kumulai mengungkapnya dengan terbatah-batah
Maafkan aku, tak akan kubiarkan sedetikpun waktuku menangis lagi
Aku berjanji, warnamu akan kubuat penuh dengan kemilau dan arti
Ku akan hias lebih dari yang kau minta waktuku
Kau mengingatkan ku,
Kau sahabatku yang terbaik, mengantarkanku dengan penuh makna.

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http://www.investopedia.com/articles/financial-theory/

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What Makes An M&A Deal Work?
Do you know why companies merge? Here we'll take a look at three successful company acquisitions and why they succeeded.

Oil As An Asset: Hotelling's Theory On Price
Not sure where oil prices are headed? This theory provides some insight.

The History Of Information Machines
Discover how technology changed the way we exchange information when trading.

The Basics Of Game Theory
Break down and examine the potential consequences of economic/financial scenarios.

The Market And Presidential Promises
How can the presidential election affect your portfolio? Find out here.

A Guide To Core/Satellite Investing
Find out how this approach reduces risk and costs so you can maximize your portfolio return.

Value Investing + Relative Strength = Higher Returns
Buying value stocks that are moving higher helps investors steer clear of value traps.

Shifting Focus To Sector Allocation
Investing in sectors may trump international investments for providing diversification.

A Deeper Look At Alpha
The Jensen index helps investors compare realized returns to what should've been achieved.

From Beads To Binary: The History Of Computing
Investing today couldn't happen without the inventions of yesterday. Learn more here.

Can You Invest Like Carl Icahn?
Buying up failing investments and turning them around helped to create the "Icahn lift" phenomenon.

From The Printing Press To The Internet
Find out how this invention contributed to the development and evolution of the U.S. economy.

Warren Buffett: The Road To Riches
Find out how he went from selling soft drinks to buying up companies and making billions of dollars.

Disciplined Strategy Key To High Returns
The strategy you use is less important than how precisely you follow it.

Scenario Analysis Provides Glimpse Of Portfolio Potential
This statistical method estimates how far a stock might fall in a worst-case scenario.

The Risk Of Ruin For Retirees
Your golden years are meant to be stress free. Keep them that way by protecting your assets.

Risk Tolerance Only Tells Half The Story
Just because you're willing to accept a risk, doesn't mean you always should.

Rate Cuts Don't Guarantee Great Returns
Pundits often advise buying after the Fed cuts interest rates, but this advice could cost you.

Volatility's Impact On Market Returns
Find out how to adjust your portfolio when the market fluctuates to increase your potential return.

Make Your Portfolio Safer With Risky Investments
A high-risk security can reduce risk overall. Find out how it works.

Take On Risk With A Margin of Safety
Find out how Mr. Market's mood swings can mean great opportunities for you.

Five Investment Risks Created By Global Warming
Climate-change deniers and believers alike would be wise to prepare for the worst.

Diversification: It's All About (Asset) Class
Frustrated stock pickers rejoice. Asset class selection is simpler and safer.

Eliot Spitzer - Man Of A Thousand Scandals
Learn about the Wall Street scandals Eliot Spitzer prosecuted before perpetrating his own.

Measuring And Managing Investment Risk
Risk is inseparable from return. Learm more about these measures and how to balance them.

The Rise Of The Modern Investment Bank
Get to know a little bit about the institutions whose actions help to guide free markets.

All Returns Are Not Created Equal
How much are your investments actually returning? Find out why the method of calculation matters.

Nobel Winners Are Economic Prizes
Before you try to profit from their theories, you should learn about the creators themselves.

Portfolios Rise From Oblivion To Omnipresence
Consider an investment's "risk"? In the 1930s that was crazy talk.

A Trip Through Index History
Find out how the first market averages were calculated and what they mean for investors today.

Do-It-Yourself Analyst Predictions
Regular investors can build their own financial models using the mosaic theory.

Owners Can Be Deal Killers In M&A
A merger and acquisition advisor is often the best choice when selling companies.

The Green Marketing Machine
Don't let corporations greenwash their dirty laundry. Learn how to spot a phony.

Change The World One Investment At A Time
Socially responsible investing allows you to express your political views in an unlikely way.

For Companies, Green Is The New Black
Sustainability and reducing environmental impact are hot corporate objectives. Find out why.

Basel II Accord To Guard Against Financial Shocks
Problems with the original accord became evident during the subprime crisis in 2007.

M&A Competition Is Cutthroat For Acquirers
Strategic acquisition is becoming a part of doing business. Meet the key players here.

Bettering Your Portfolio With Alpha And Beta
Increase your returns by creating the right balance of both these risk measures.

The Quest For True Value
Learn the strengths and weakness of passive and active management for uncovering the overall market's worth.

Private Equity A Trendsetter For Stocks
This funding is one of the forces that drives capital market valuations.

Seeing The Market Through The Trees
Find out how a cat and a ladybug prove markets are both random and efficient.

The SEC: A Brief History Of Regulation
Learn how SEC was formed, and other important events that shaped financial regulation.

Dissecting The Bear Stearns Hedge Fund Collapse
Learn how a deadly mix of greed and leverage cost investors millions.

Cashing In On The Venture Capital Cycle
Find out how VC firms make the market go round, and round, and round.

Top 3 DCF Analysis Pitfalls
This method can be difficult to apply to real-life valuations.

Microfinance Has Major Impact
This growing industry is full of opportunities for the socially conscious investor.

An Inside Look At Internal Rate Of Return
Use this method to choose which project or investment is right for you.

Re-evaluating Emerging Markets
Get the full story on this asset class before you write it off as too risky.

The Intelligent Investor: Benjamin Graham
Learn about the man who taught investing to the Oracle of Omaha, Warren Buffett.

A Guide To Global Investment Performance Standards
Is your investment management firm GIPS compliant? Learn more here.

Modern Portfolio Theory Stats Primer
Learn how to follow the efficient frontier to better returns.

Introduction To Monte Carlo Simulation
This technique can reduce uncertainty in estimating future outcomes.

Exploring The Exponentially Weighted Moving Average
Learn how to calculate a metric that improves on simple variance.

The Chinese Wall Protects Against Conflicts Of Interest
After the crash of 1929, this barrier helped define ethical limits, but it did little to prevent fraud.

Accelerating Returns With Continuous Compounding
Learn the natural log and exponential functions used to calculate this value.

The Sharpe Ratio Can Oversimplify Risk
When it comes to hedge funds, this measure is not reliable on its own.

Does The Basel Accord Strengthen Banks?
This 1988 agreement sought to decrease the potential for bankruptcy among major international banks.

Monte Carlo Simulation With GBM
Learn to predict future events through a series of random trials.

Find The Right Fit With Probability Distributions
Learn how to illustrate an asset return's sensitivity.

Using Historical Volatility To Gauge Future Risk
Use these calculations to uncover the risk involved in your investments.

Using Logic To Examine Risk
Know your odds before you put your money on the table.

The Capital Asset Pricing Model: An Overview
CAPM helps you determine what return you deserve for putting your money at risk.

Taking A Chance On Behavioral Finance
Curious about how emotions and biases affect the market? Find some useful insight here.

Investing Articles - Financial Theory

http://www.investopedia.com/articles/financial-theory/

In this section you will learn about various financial theories, the master minds behind them, and how modern financial theory relates to your portfolio.

Financial Theory Article Archive

Why Investors Stick With Proven Failures
Investors delude themselves into sticking with bad decisions. But why do they do this and how can you avoid it?

The 10 Greatest Entrepreneurs
These 10 entrepreneurs' names will live on long into the future - perhaps even after their enterprises are gone.

Understanding The Sharpe Ratio
This simple ratio will tell you how much that extra return is really worth.

Redefining Investor Risk
Changing the way you think about time and risk can change the way you invest.

Catch On To The CCAPM
The consumption capital asset pricing model smoothes over some of CAPM's weaknesses to make sense of risk aversion.

The 4 Key Elements Of A Well-Managed Portfolio
If you choose an actively managed portfolio, be sure that your manager isn't neglecting one of these four points.

Gauge Portfolio Performance By Measuring Returns
Calculate returns frequently and accurately to ensure that you're meeting your investing goals.

Calculating The Equity Risk Premium
See the model in action with real data and evaluate whether its assumptions are valid.

Understanding Investor Behavior
Discover how some strange human tendencies can play out in the market, posing the question: are we really rational?

Deleveraging: What It Means To Corporate America
Getting rid of debt is usually a good thing, but companies can also use it to become more profitable.

The Uses And Limits Of Volatility
Check out how the assumptions of theoretical risk models compare to actual market performance.

How To Convert Value At Risk To Different Time Periods
Volatility is not the only way to measure risk. Learn about the "new science of risk management".

An Introduction To Value at Risk (VAR)
Volatility is not the only way to measure risk. Learn about the "new science of risk management".

Clean Or Green Technology Investing
Innovations in energy and consumption grow as companies adopt them to reduce costs.

The Equity-Risk Premium: More Risk For Higher Returns
Learn how the expected extra return on stocks is measured and why academic studies usually estimate a low premium.

A Clear Look At EBITDA
This measure has its benefits, but it can also present earnings through rose-colored glasses.

Management Strategies From A Top CEO
Find out what this winning manager did to grow one of the biggest companies in the world.

A Disaster-Protection Plan For Your Portfolio
If you can't predict the future, you'll need to plan ahead to protect your assets from the impact of major world events.

Investing Books It Pays To Read
We provide some classic and lesser-known titles to add to your collection.

Modern Portfolio Theory: Why It's Still Hip
See why investors today still follow this old set of principles that reduce risk and increase returns through diversification.

January Effect Revives Battered Stocks
Make sure you buy in low to ride this phenomenon for all it's worth.

'Twas the Night Before Christmas
Here's our investing adaptation of an old holiday classic.

10 Books For The Holidays
We give you a list of informative and entertaining reads that you'll want to share with others this season.

Projected Returns: Honing The Craft
Find out how to forecast long-term returns on the three major asset classes.

Invest Like A Pro
By following the strategies of the pros, even a beginner can learn to invest like an expert.

Ivar Krueger: Businessman Or Scam Artist?
Match monopolist Ivar Kreuger started as a brilliant businessman, but his high-flying lifestyle led to some shady dealings.

Identifying And Managing Business Risks
There are a lot of risks associated with running a business, but there are an equal number of ways to prepare for and manage them.

How Credit Cards Built A Plastic Empire
A decade before Mastercard or Visa existed, the first credit card company was introduced.

These Financial Products Are Too Complex For The Average Joe
Structured financial products are so elaborate that investors are unable to assess costs and risk.

Investing Lessons From Across The Pond
There's a lot to learn from Anthony Bolton, who is known as Europe's Peter Lynch.

Andre Kostolany: Germany's Stock Market Guru
We can learn a lot from Kostolany and his "steady or shaky hand" investing philosophy.

Profitable Investing, Ivy League Style
Historically, Ivy League endowments have had a successful investment strategy. Will it work for you?

Haunting Wall Street: The Halloween Terminology Of Investing
Beware of zombies and Jekyll and Hyde companies! Read about the spooky terms circulating Wall Street.

The Ghouls And Monsters On Wall Street
Learn about some of the creepiest cases of fraud and the characters behind them.

The 5 Most Feared Figures In Finance
Gates, Soros, Icahn, Rockefeller and Morgan caused chills on Wall Street.

Market-Based Asset Allocation Lowers Your Risk
Not all investors are incredibly brave with their money. Thankfully, there are ways to measure your risk level.

October: The Month Of Market Crashes?
In the finance world, October is a month to be feared, but is it justified?

Fundamentals And Technicals: Together At Last
It's a big mistake for a fundamental investor to ignore technical analysis. Find out how to become chart smart.

10 Books Worth Investing In
Kick back and learn something new! These are 10 reads worth adding to your collection.

What Are The Odds Of Scoring A Winning Trade?
Just because you're on a winning streak, doesn't mean you're a skilled trader. Find out why.

The Evolution Of Banking
From coins to credit, find out how the earliest system of money management started.

Free Market Maven: Milton Friedman
As proponent of free market capitalism, this economist changed the way the world's economies operate.

Why Financial Advisors Disagree
Financial advisors sometimes offer conflicting opinions that can be confusing for many investors.

What Is Market Efficiency?
The efficient market hypothesis (EMH) suggests that stock prices fully reflect all available information in the market. Is this possible?

Permanent Portfolio Locks In Long-Term Profits
Harry Browne believes his "permanent portfolio" theory is the ideal long-term investing strategy.

Infamous Insider Traders
Check out these bizarre insider trading cases that helped define the SEC's laws against it.

Reduce Your Risk With ICAPM
Avoid unnecesary risks involved in CAPM calculations by also incorporating ICAPM into the mix.

Thomas Rowe Price: Always Right
This great investor mastered a new type of investing with every new market he faced.

Finding Your Margin Investment Sweet Spot
Borrowing to increase profits isn't for the faint of heart, but margin trading can mean big returns.

How The Sarbanes-Oxley Era Affected IPOs
After the infamous collapse of companies like Tyco, Enron and WorldCom, the government responded to try and prevent it from happening again.

Buy When There's Blood In The Streets
Contrarian investors find value in the worst market conditions. Find out how they do it.

Financial Forecasting: The Bayesian Method
This method can help refine probability estimates using an intuitive process.

The Leverage Cliff: Watch Your Step
Understanding your risk tolerance level can save you a lot of grief and financial instability in the future.

The Getty Oil Takeover Fiasco
It was the largest takeover in history and one of the most dramatic. Learn all about the fate of Getty Oil.

Regression Basics For Business Analysis
This tool is easy to use and can provide valuable information on financial analysis and forecasting. Find out how.

The Unsung Pioneers Of Finance
We all know names like Rockefeller, but there are other influential pioneers of finance in America's history.

Is Stock Picking A Myth?
Find out if mutual fund managers can successfully pick stocks or if you're better off with an index fund.

George Soros: The Philosophy Of An Elite Investor
George Soros spent decades as one of the world's elite investors, and even he didn't always come out on top. But when he did, it was spectacular.

Calculating Beta: Portfolio Math For The Average Investor
Beta is a useful tool for calculating risk, but the formulas provided online aren't specific to you. Learn how to make your own.

Investing In China
This emerging market is making strides in regulation and disclosure.

The Pioneers Of Financial Fraud
These fraudsters were the first to commit fraud, participate in insider trading and manipulate stock.

How Will Your Investment Make Money?
Learn which investment vehicles are bringing in income, which type of income, how much and the tax advantages.

Logic: The Antidote To Emotional Investing
Playing follow-the-leader in investing can quickly become a dangerous game. Learn how to invest independently and still come out on top.

Financial Markets: Random, Cyclical Or Both?
Are the markets random or cyclical? It depends on who you ask. Here, we go over both sides of the argument.

The Misery Index: Measuring Your Misfortune
The misery index measures a combination of unemployment and inflation, but what does it mean for your finances?

The Government And Risk: A Love-Hate Relationship
Though the U.S. government can help its citizens by subsidizing risky loans, the costs always come back to the taxpayers.

The Giants Of Finance: Andrew Carnegie
Though not as well-remembered as some of his contemporaries, Andrew Carnegie's legacy is strong and moralistic.

Can Business Evolve In A Green World?
Learn how global warming is starting to heat up America's corporate climate.

Does International Investing Really Offer Diversification?
Historically, international investing has worked out well for investors, but this may no longer be the case.

Game Theory: Beyond The Basics
Take your game theory knowledge to the next level by learning about simultaneous games and the Nash Equilibrium.

Working With Islamic Finance
There is no division between the spiritual and the secular in this type of socially responsible investing.

The Uptick Rule Debate
This rule was deemed ineffective and repealed in 2007, but critics argue it protects the market from bear raids.

Peer-To-Peer Lending Breaks Down Financial Borders
Banks are no longer the only option for a loan - the P2P lending system operates without them.

Investment Misselling A Global Problem
When banks and advisors focus on fees and commissions, it is investors and the market that take the hit.

Diversification: Protecting Portfolios From Mass Destruction
This investing strategy retains its charm as a protection against random events in the market.

The Uptick Rule: Does It Keep Bear Markets Ticking?
This rule prevents traders from driving stocks down, but its effect on market volatility is debatable.

Moral Hazards: A Bump In The Contract Road
Learn how this phenomenon can cause a party in an agreement to behave differently than expected.

Love Around Wall Street
It's not all hearts and flowers, but there's romance in the language of Wall Street!

Taking Shots At CAPM
Find out why many investors think the capital asset pricing model is full of holes.

Where's The Market Headed Now?
Whether up, down or sideways, learn about some of the factors that drive stock market moves.

Lobbying: K Street's Influence On Wall Street
Corporate lobbyists have the power, influence and political backing to affect your portfolio. Find out how.

The Globalization Of Financial Services
The key to survival for many financial institutions will be to efficiently serve a global customer base.

How Risk Free Is The Risk-Free Rate Of Return?
This rate is rarely questioned - unless the economy falls into disarray.

Benchmark To Show Winning Returns
You can't win if you don't keep score. Read on to learn how to measure your returns.

Standard Of Living Vs. Quality Of Life
These measures may seem similar, but the reality is an issue of qualitative versus quantitative.

Mark-To-Market Mayhem
Did this accounting convention contribute to the credit crisis of 2008? Find out here.

Multivariate Models: The Monte Carlo Analysis
This decision-making tool integrates the idea that every decision has an impact on overall risk.

Dialing In On The Credit Crisis
Would a similar crisis have occurred if iPhone investors were offered the same loan options as homeowners?

Biggest Merger and Acquisition Disasters
Find out which companies collapsed after merging.

A Nightmare On Wall Street
These tales of banking terror sent shivers down the spines of even the most steadfast bankers.

The Copper King: An Empire Built On Manipulation
Find out how Yasuo Hamanaka's actions in the copper market forever changed the rules for commodity traders.

Breaking Down Binomial Trees
Find out how to carve your way into this valuation model niche.

Understanding Leveraged Buyouts
LBOs are often presented as predatory by the media, but it really depends on which side of the deal you're on.

Giants of Finance: Charles Dow
Find out how this financial visionary helped everyday people enter the world of finance.

What Makes An M&A Deal Work?
Do you know why companies merge? Here we'll take a look at three successful company acquisitions and why they succeeded.

Oil As An Asset: Hotelling's Theory On Price
Not sure where oil prices are headed? This theory provides some insight.

The History Of Information Machines
Discover how technology changed the way we exchange information when trading.

The Basics Of Game Theory
Break down and examine the potential consequences of economic/financial scenarios.

The Market And Presidential Promises
How can the presidential election affect your portfolio? Find out here.

A Guide To Core/Satellite Investing
Find out how this approach reduces risk and costs so you can maximize your portfolio return.

Value Investing + Relative Strength = Higher Returns
Buying value stocks that are moving higher helps investors steer clear of value traps.

Shifting Focus To Sector Allocation
Investing in sectors may trump international investments for providing diversification.

A Deeper Look At Alpha
The Jensen index helps investors compare realized returns to what should've been achieved.

From Beads To Binary: The History Of Computing
Investing today couldn't happen without the inventions of yesterday. Learn more here.

Can You Invest Like Carl Icahn?
Buying up failing investments and turning them around helped to create the "Icahn lift" phenomenon.

From The Printing Press To The Internet
Find out how this invention contributed to the development and evolution of the U.S. economy.

Warren Buffett: The Road To Riches
Find out how he went from selling soft drinks to buying up companies and making billions of dollars.

Disciplined Strategy Key To High Returns
The strategy you use is less important than how precisely you follow it.

Scenario Analysis Provides Glimpse Of Portfolio Potential
This statistical method estimates how far a stock might fall in a worst-case scenario.

The Risk Of Ruin For Retirees
Your golden years are meant to be stress free. Keep them that way by protecting your assets.

Risk Tolerance Only Tells Half The Story
Just because you're willing to accept a risk, doesn't mean you always should.

Rate Cuts Don't Guarantee Great Returns
Pundits often advise buying after the Fed cuts interest rates, but this advice could cost you.

Volatility's Impact On Market Returns
Find out how to adjust your portfolio when the market fluctuates to increase your potential return.

Make Your Portfolio Safer With Risky Investments
A high-risk security can reduce risk overall. Find out how it works.

Take On Risk With A Margin of Safety
Find out how Mr. Market's mood swings can mean great opportunities for you.

Five Investment Risks Created By Global Warming
Climate-change deniers and believers alike would be wise to prepare for the worst.

Diversification: It's All About (Asset) Class
Frustrated stock pickers rejoice. Asset class selection is simpler and safer.

Eliot Spitzer - Man Of A Thousand Scandals
Learn about the Wall Street scandals Eliot Spitzer prosecuted before perpetrating his own.

Measuring And Managing Investment Risk
Risk is inseparable from return. Learm more about these measures and how to balance them.

The Rise Of The Modern Investment Bank
Get to know a little bit about the institutions whose actions help to guide free markets.

All Returns Are Not Created Equal
How much are your investments actually returning? Find out why the method of calculation matters.

Nobel Winners Are Economic Prizes
Before you try to profit from their theories, you should learn about the creators themselves.

Portfolios Rise From Oblivion To Omnipresence
Consider an investment's "risk"? In the 1930s that was crazy talk.

A Trip Through Index History
Find out how the first market averages were calculated and what they mean for investors today.

Do-It-Yourself Analyst Predictions
Regular investors can build their own financial models using the mosaic theory.

Owners Can Be Deal Killers In M&A
A merger and acquisition advisor is often the best choice when selling companies.

The Green Marketing Machine
Don't let corporations greenwash their dirty laundry. Learn how to spot a phony.

Change The World One Investment At A Time
Socially responsible investing allows you to express your political views in an unlikely way.

For Companies, Green Is The New Black
Sustainability and reducing environmental impact are hot corporate objectives. Find out why.

Basel II Accord To Guard Against Financial Shocks
Problems with the original accord became evident during the subprime crisis in 2007.

M&A Competition Is Cutthroat For Acquirers
Strategic acquisition is becoming a part of doing business. Meet the key players here.

Bettering Your Portfolio With Alpha And Beta
Increase your returns by creating the right balance of both these risk measures.

The Quest For True Value
Learn the strengths and weakness of passive and active management for uncovering the overall market's worth.

Private Equity A Trendsetter For Stocks
This funding is one of the forces that drives capital market valuations.

Seeing The Market Through The Trees
Find out how a cat and a ladybug prove markets are both random and efficient.

The SEC: A Brief History Of Regulation
Learn how SEC was formed, and other important events that shaped financial regulation.

Dissecting The Bear Stearns Hedge Fund Collapse
Learn how a deadly mix of greed and leverage cost investors millions.

Cashing In On The Venture Capital Cycle
Find out how VC firms make the market go round, and round, and round.

Top 3 DCF Analysis Pitfalls
This method can be difficult to apply to real-life valuations.

Microfinance Has Major Impact
This growing industry is full of opportunities for the socially conscious investor.

An Inside Look At Internal Rate Of Return
Use this method to choose which project or investment is right for you.

Re-evaluating Emerging Markets
Get the full story on this asset class before you write it off as too risky.

The Intelligent Investor: Benjamin Graham
Learn about the man who taught investing to the Oracle of Omaha, Warren Buffett.

A Guide To Global Investment Performance Standards
Is your investment management firm GIPS compliant? Learn more here.

Modern Portfolio Theory Stats Primer
Learn how to follow the efficient frontier to better returns.

Introduction To Monte Carlo Simulation
This technique can reduce uncertainty in estimating future outcomes.

Exploring The Exponentially Weighted Moving Average
Learn how to calculate a metric that improves on simple variance.

The Chinese Wall Protects Against Conflicts Of Interest
After the crash of 1929, this barrier helped define ethical limits, but it did little to prevent fraud.

Accelerating Returns With Continuous Compounding
Learn the natural log and exponential functions used to calculate this value.

The Sharpe Ratio Can Oversimplify Risk
When it comes to hedge funds, this measure is not reliable on its own.

Does The Basel Accord Strengthen Banks?
This 1988 agreement sought to decrease the potential for bankruptcy among major international banks.

Monte Carlo Simulation With GBM
Learn to predict future events through a series of random trials.

Find The Right Fit With Probability Distributions
Learn how to illustrate an asset return's sensitivity.

Using Historical Volatility To Gauge Future Risk
Use these calculations to uncover the risk involved in your investments.

Using Logic To Examine Risk
Know your odds before you put your money on the table.

The Capital Asset Pricing Model: An Overview
CAPM helps you determine what return you deserve for putting your money at risk.

Taking A Chance On Behavioral Finance
Curious about how emotions and biases affect the market? Find some useful insight here.

What Does Cash Flow Mean?
1. A revenue or expense stream that changes a cash account over a given period. Cash inflows usually arise from one of three activities - financing, operations or investing - although this also occurs as a result of donations or gifts in the case of personal finance. Cash outflows result from expenses or investments. This holds true for both business and personal finance.

2. An accounting statement called the "statement of cash flows", which shows the amount of cash generated and used by a company in a given period. It is calculated by adding noncash charges (such as depreciation) to net income after taxes. Cash flow can be attributed to a specific project, or to a business as a whole. Cash flow can be used as an indication of a company's financial strength.

Investopedia explains Cash Flow
1. In business as in personal finance, cash flows are essential to solvency. They can be presented as a record of something that has happened in the past, such as the sale of a particular product, or forecasted into the future, representing what a business or a person expects to take in and to spend. Cash flow is crucial to an entity's survival. Having ample cash on hand will ensure that creditors, employees and others can be paid on time. If a business or person does not have enough cash to support its operations, it is said to be insolvent, and a likely candidate for bankruptcy should the insolvency continue.

2. The statement of a business's cash flows is often used by analysts to gauge financial performance. Companies with ample cash on hand are able to invest the cash back into the business in order to generate more cash and profit.

Where Did My Life Go?

If you feel like you’re just treading water through your life right now you’re not alone. Most people at one time or another feel the same way.

The mediocrity, the fatigue, the lack of drive or passion is a slippery slope, and before you know it you find yourself wallowing in apathy, lying on your sofa watching TV and wondering how you got to this point.

Here’s a truth for you:

In life you’re either moving ahead or moving back. And if you feel stuck, frustrated and in a life of someone else’s making, you’re probably going in the wrong direction.

Time is our greatest enemy. Once gone, you cannot get it back – no matter what you do. One day you “wake up” and you are 40, 50, or even 60 years old and wonder what happened to all those great dreams you once had.

And that’s why you might catch yourself saying…

Where did my life go???

Of course you probably have all kinds of hopes and dreams, but it’s as if every year that goes by you’re drifting further and further away from them, and you start to wonder if realizing these dreams is ever going to happen.

Albert Einstein said: “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results.”

Tell me, do you want to continue…

• to lose precious time?
• to live a hectic but unsatisfying life?
• to fear ending up broke?
• to be afraid of old age?
• to think you could do and be more but still don’t take the right action?

Or do you want more today, RIGHT NOW!!!

You don’t want to end up with “the song” still in you!

You want and deserve Success!

You want and deserve Financial Freedom!

You want and deserve Happiness!

You want and deserve Fulfillment!

AND NOW YOU CAN GET IT!

FPI Serang Jemaat HKBP Pondok Indah Timur Bekasi

by Gerakan Sejuta Umat mendukung pembubaran FPI on Sunday, August 8, 2010 at 6:16pm

Ratusan massa Front Pembela Islam (FPI) menyerang jemaat gereja Huria Kristen Batak Protestan (HKBP) Pondok Indah Timur pukul 9 pagi di Kampung Ciketing Asem, Kecamatan Mustika Jaya, Kota Bekasi, Jawa Barat.

"Kami belum sempat kebaktian, tiba-tiba massa FPI sudah menduduki lokasi dengan menerobos barikade polisi," kata Hendrik Siagian, pendamping jemaat gereja HKBP, Ahad (8/8).

Penyerangan massa FPI tersebut berawal saat jemaat akan melakukan kebaktian. Ratusan polisi sudah berjaga mengamankan kebaktian yang akan berlangsung itu, namun ternyata massa FPI berhasil menerobos barikade polisi. Melihat situasi yang mulai tidak kondusif, jemaat bermaksud membubarkan diri.

"Saat di jalan mau pulang itulah, massa FPI mengejar kami dan melakukan pemukulan. Situasi saat itu mulai rusuh. Saya melihat langsung di depan saya seorang ibu dipukuli oleh FPI," ujar Hendrik menjelaskan situasi saat itu.

Beberapa menit kemudian, massa FPI langsung membubarkan diri. Penyerangan oleh massa FPI tersebut mengakibatkan belasan jemaat luka-luka akibat pukulan. "Kebanyakan yang jadi korban adalah ibu-ibu," tandanya.

Hendrik menduga penyerangan tersebut merupakan skenario yang dibuat oleh pihak kepolisian dan FPI. Alasannya, saat massa FPI berdatangan penjagaan polisi tidak ketat. "Pagar betis polisi rapuh, tidak dalam posisi melindungi jemaat saat massa menerobos. Polisi seperti menyerah. Seharusnya kan polisi sudah mempersiapkan itu," tegas Hendrik.

Penolakan massa FPI terhadap jemaat HKBP Pondok Indah Timur sudah berlangsung cukup lama. Sebelumnya, FPI juga pernah membubarkan kebaktian yang dilakukan jemaat gereja HKBP dengan alasan tempat kebaktian yang digunakan jemaat dinilai tidak berizin.