Assignment nr 5: EUP Block

Blog nr 5 Conclusion EUP minor

This is the final blog which I need to write for the English assignment of the year 3 at AVANS Hogeschool Breda IBMS Studies. This blog needs to give information as well as a summary about the block European Union policies.

The minor EUP can be divided into two different main subjects. The course of the block European Union Policies, or EUP. And English. In this blog I will give comments and a review on both subjects. Due to two different happenings I have missed various classes  this year. After having a car accident which kept me in bed for over two weeks I have lost my grandmother after shortly after the EURO-Trip.

EUP

The subject EUP can be divided into a project and a knowledge-line, together covering 25 of the 30 points which can be achieved during the minor EUP. The project line is divided into 6 different group assignments covering all subject which are discussed in the weekly tutor group meetings. And an individual paper about a European related subject. My topic was about the “state aid granted to ING Bank” and the economic crisis. Together these marks need to give a mark for the project part of EUP. The knowledge line is more complex, next to an oral exam we need to complete three different written exams. One knowledge test and two midterm exams. Unfortunately, due to circumstances mentioned above I have missed two of these tests which I need to redo in the second week of January 2011. Overall I am expecting to pass the exams. All the exams which I have made came out sufficient and the mark for my presentation at EU today was an eight.

English

Next to the EUP course the English course had 5 study points which needed work to pass them. A debating and an written course. To be honest I am not really a fan of the English classes in general, but this period I really liked going to the English lessons. Mainly because I am a fan of political debating. Therefore I really liked the debating classes also subjects were actual and interesting which give the groups energy. Which made them enthusiastic and eager to win the debate. Especially the rebuttals could be energetic.

EURO-Trip

What I will most remember in about four years time will be the euro trip which we have done for this course. In these four days we have been in four different cities visiting different places where important European decisions were made, are made and will be made…

When arriving very early on a Monday morning (7:30), we went for Brussels to visit the European Economic and social committee body of the European union. After a really boring but interesting presentation we went to another body of the European union. Were we got yet another boring (proven by one of my fellow students who fell asleep) but yet interesting presentation. After that we went to the Hotel where I shared a room with Rogier, Stein and Joost. When we changed some cloting we went to a restaurant where we had dinner… After this we went back to the hotel where we where joined by other students, and we started playing some card game. This was very amusing!!!

The next day we went to France, Strasbourg  where we have visited the European Commission and European court of justice, especially the European commission was very interesting because Banki moon, secretary of the United Nations was there to give a speech. Later that day we went to Luxembourg were I was picked up by my nephew to take me home……   

Thanks for reading…. Ralph Poppelaars

Assignment nr 3: News article. Stock market

Stock market

Today I have read an article about the global stock markets which have increased significantly during the last three to five weeks. After tubleing up and down for over a year now the global markets averaged profits of around 8 to 15 percent over the last weeks. The Dutch AEX-Index grew with 8.2 percent in the last five weeks. Brining the index to 352 points, which can be called said. Especially when looking back on a year opening of 342 and a year low of 301 giving the index a total year spread of only 51 points. Which brings it in the top 5 lowest changes of the index all time. Last year the index started at around 240 points, then dropped rapidly to 198, beginning of march, at the end of may the index was already 250 points and it ended the year at 342 points. Giving the Index an annual profit of almost 40 percent.

The year highs where a result of a small drop in jobless claims (USA) and a higher profit forecast by FedEx Corp.  The Labor Department said first-time claims for jobless benefits fell last week to around 420,000, the third drop in four weeks. The four-week average of claims also slid for the sixth straight week, reaching the lowest level since July 2008. That was before Lehman Brothers collapsed and markets seized up at the height of the financial crisis. The jobless claims are a good indication of the level of the economy in the United states. Therefore analysts are expecting better than expected sales figures for next year’s quarters because consumers are willing to spend money again. Which bring expectations among investors at the highest in two years. Expectations for the AEX Index for the year 2011 are that the index will grow from 10 to 80 percent annually.

That is why I want to recommend all readers to take a closer look at the Dutch stock markets, and start investing!!

Thanks for reading, Ralph Poppelaars

Assignment nr 4; The Financial Crissis (European banks)

The financial Crissis

For today’s blog I want to give a short introduction on the financial crisis, what happened, what could have happened, who are in trouble, why and what will happen in the future.

History

To start with, some basic information about the financial crisis or big recession or even depression of the ‘10’s as it will be famous for in about 30 years, or so. The financial crisis which started in 2007 and is active to the present day was triggered by a liquidity shortfall in the United States banking system. Because of this liquidity shortfall, banks and other large financial institutions where no longer able to “stand alone” and faced bankruptcy. Most of these institutions where or are simply “to big to fail”. Meaning, when such an institution collapses it takes multiple other organizations on different levels with it, which could lead to a crisis or even collapse of the entire financial system as we know it today. The part on different levels is highlighted because many different parties (people, companies small and big) have placed their funds in this institution, parties from all levels. Therefore not only a few companies will suffer from such a bankruptcy.

Due to the fact that the financial system is fully irrigated, banks, institutions and even economies all over the world, are or at least were affected or suffered from the problems which originally started on the American housing market. Under which various European banks such as ING Bank. Resulting in billions of losses which these companies were not able to cover. And as they were/are too big to fail, the government needed to give financial support.  

What happened ?

As mentioned earlier, different banks and financial institutions in Europe received state-aid. For Dutch people, the ING bank or for some ABN Amro-Fortis are the most important. Because these are the institutions which the government needed to help.

Due to the financial crisis (and miss management) Fortis bank went bankrupt or at least almost. Rapid intervention was needed to protect other banks from the same destiny which Fortis faced. Because Fortis bank had fallen, press and people speculated a bankruptcy of other banks, like ING Bank. Although ING bank was solvent enough, it needed to be protected for a loss in confidence of clients, because when clients lose confidence they will take all their funds away, phenomena also known as Bank run. Therefore the Dutch government gave the ING Bank 10 billion euro to restore their capital and liquidity. I consider this irrelevant and illegal because of European law. Articles 106,107 and 108 state stat it is illegal for governments to give financial support to public organizations. Unless it is in favor of European citizens. In these cases, these companies toke that risk. In my opinion, the state needs to harden the rules and regulations regarding bank liquidity, only to prevent it from happening in the future.

Secondly, in my opinion the euro crisis which currently plays a big role in the surviving of the European Union can be seen as an indirect result of the crisis which started in the year 2007. Due to governments which had the necessity to keep on helping these companies; banks, financial institutions building companies and many other companies.  I personally hope that the European union will survive and that it creates a new set of rules to prevent this from happening in the future.

Thanks for reading... Ralph Poppelaars

Assignment nr 2: Places to have a drink. Prinsenbeek

Prinsenbeek, “Beating heart of the Carnival”

Prinsenbeek, I hear all foreign students think what? For people from the region, I hear them thinking directly of the carnival and especially carnivals Sunday. One moment guys, soon more about the carnival in Prinsenbeek…

Originally I am living in Breda, but my roots come from a village named Prinsenbeek. Prinsenbeek has approximately 15,000 habitants which makes it a small village. Therefore since 1995 it is become a part of the city of Breda. Sharing all administrative buildings and political parties as decisions.

Once a year the carnival is a big happening in the southern part of the Netherlands, in these four days most people dress themselves like complete idiots and probably drink more than they do in the rest of the year. Or, they will leave the province of Noord-Brabant for these 4 days.

Prinsenbeek is also called the heart of the carnival due to its big parade on Sunday. In this parade various local clubs show the pride of their neighborhood, there carnivals lorry. On top of these lorries the clubs have build a complete construction which is related to a carnival kind of subject. The lory which can be up to 11 meters in height and 21 meters long, turns, rotates and flips al combined with beautiful colors. It is really something which you need to have visited when living in the south of the Netherlands. The close competition combined with the drinks and friendly atmosphere bring about 35,000 people to Prinsenbeek on this carnivals Sunday.

That is why I want to tip everybody who is in favor of a good party to come to Prinsenbeek on carnivals Sunday. After the parade a big party is hold at the market of the village, on this party different dj’s spin their tables followed by a carnival band which playes a number between the dj’s switch… Al finished with a spectacular fireworks show at the end of the evening.

Therefor I will see you all at Carnivals Sunday in Prinsenbeek!!!

Assignment 1; Movie NEW KIDS TURBO

Review “New Kids Turbo”

Today’s blog will be a short review about the movie “New Kids turbo”. As a keen follower of the series New Kids, I was really looking forward to see the first ever new kids movie. Last Friday, after waiting for about a year, it was the day, the release day of NEW KIDS TURBO.

The movie simply is about a five Dutch guy’s who are living in the little village called Maaskantje (in real life, this is also the case). Due to the economic crisis, they all lose their jobs and are forced to get money from the state. On first hand they are thinking, YES free money!!! But when they receive the first funds, they soon realize that it is not the amount they expected... Simply said, they want more money, therefore they go to the GAK (Dutch organization for people without a job) to ask for more. After threatening the local manager to death they no longer receive anything. As a reaction to that, they simply said, when we are not going to get any money, we are also not going to spend any. Which resulted in the five boys which were not going to pay anything any longer. Not for the bus.. or supermarkt, and not even the snackbar gets paid.

Soon a local news station heard about the behavior and story of the New kids. And the boys, as crewel as they are, thougt that they could make some money  out of this story. And so, the news station made a story about them, published it, and in a few moments… The whole country saw these five boys, there story and toke them as an example resulting in the whole courtry doing the same as these five boys, don’t pay any thing any longer!!! Therefore the Dutch government needed to come with a plan to stop them. After dropping a Bomb on a village nearby, the military was put into place. This created the biggest gun fight in the history of the village Maaskantje. Which is not so special because Maaskantje does not have had any gun fights in its existence.   

To conclude, the movie is very simple, childish but o so funny to watch with friends.