Cyprus still groping for a solution to a banking crisis that's roiling Europe

Cyprus lawmakers are facing hard choices. Swallowing a bitter pill in exchange for a European bailout or leaving the eurozone are just two of them.

By Robert Marquand,?Staff writer / March 22, 2013

A woman waits as two people use the ATM machines in central capital Nicosia, Cyprus, Friday. Cypriot authorities were putting the final touches Friday to a plan they hope will convince international lenders to provide the money the country urgently needs to avoid bankruptcy within days.

Petros Karadjias/AP

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The instant saga of Cyprus ? and whether it will go belly up, default, and shake the European, if not the world, economy like some crazed mouse that roared ? continues along with enough hourly news to bring live updates here and here.?

Skip to next paragraph Robert Marquand

Staff writer

Over the past three decades, Robert Marquand has reported on a wide variety of subjects for?The Christian Science Monitor, including American education reform,?the wars in the Balkans, the Supreme Court, South Asian politics, and the oft-cited "rise of China." In the past 15 years he has served as the Monitor's bureau chief in Paris, Beijing, and New Delhi.?

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Cyprus has until Monday to come up with $7 billion and a reform plan, or face losing its creditors and sinking into ignominious pools of red ink.

Today the Russians said "nyet" to Cypriot officials, who waited in Moscow for three days?to get a possible bailout. Russian oligarchs hold at least 40 percent of Cyprus bank deposits. Cypriots had hoped, for some reason, that Russia might bail out what is essentially a banking system that thrives on helping the wealthy evade paying Russian taxes.

?The next few hours will determine the future of the country,? Reuters reports?Cypriot government spokesman Christos Stylianides said today, ahead of a vote on a slew of different and changing plans to stay solvent. ?We must all assume our share of the responsibility.??

What first caught world attention was an EU-inspired plan, voted on and killed by Cyprus lawmakers this week, to tax or expropriate private bank deposits in the country. That sent a shudder through the minds of ordinary Europeans, not to mention a lot of Russians and Cypriots themselves.

Yet facing looming insolvency, the largest Cypriot bank today called for the nation?s parliament to levy a tax on holdings over 100,000 euros ($120,000), arguing the alternative is collapse.

Plans on Cypriot tables include the creation of ?good? banks with credible holdings and ?bad? banks with toxic holdings, and to cordon off the bad Greek bank debt whose exposure helped cause the problem in the first place, in the midst of a three-year euro crisis that started in Athens.

EU approval is essential to get the tranche of bailout funds from the European Central Bank. Today the Germans said no to a Cyprus pension raiding scheme that has been floated for days.

Cypriot banks remain closed, ostensibly until Tuesday, when no one knows what will happen; bank ATMs are for now providing petty cash for the commercial sustenance of regular folk and lines are long.

As the world starts to focus on why an island making up 0.2 percent of the EU economic picture could shake world markets, the question is being asked: Why would Cypriot officials turn their island into a quasi-money laundering center for offshore oligarchs and at the same time buy Greek debt that was already shaky ? and imagine this would somehow turn out fine?

Paul Krugman of The New York Times continues to probe the story, writing Thursday that Cyprus has combined on one tiny Mediterranean island all the mistakes made by the European economies of Portugal, Greece, Spain, Italy, Ireland, and so on (the so-called ?PIIGS?) that have helped bring the euro crisis to bloom.?

This includes ?runaway banking,? the all-too familiar real estate bubbles brought by ?massive overvaluation,? and the problem of not having enough productive capacity to pull out of a dive into debt when things went sour.

Mr. Krugman asks:

So then what? As a number of people have pointed out, Cyprus is arguably better positioned than Iceland to do an Iceland, because devaluing a reintroduced Cypriot currency could bring in a lot of tourism. But will the Cypriots ? who haven?t even reconciled themselves to the end of their round-tripping business ? be willing to go there

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/csmonitor/globalnews/~3/BypO6pVAFgg/Cyprus-still-groping-for-a-solution-to-a-banking-crisis-that-s-roiling-Europe

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Bar Refaeli Controversy: Model Criticized For Role in Pro-Israel Campaign

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2013/03/bar-refaeli-controversy-model-criticized-for-role-in-pro-israel/

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How You Can Find Out If Personal Bankruptcy - HWM Personal ...

Making the decision to file for bankruptcy isn?t an easy one, but sometimes it can be the only way out of a mountain of debt. It is best to go into this kind of thing when you know what going on and how to go about doing it. This article contains wisdom and knowledge to help you fully understand the bankruptcy process.

Find people who are going through bankruptcy on the internet and talk with them. Going through bankruptcy can put a strain on your mental health and make you feel like a stranger when you are trying to have fun with friends. The Internet gives you a place to talk about your hardships and seek advice from those who?ve previously filed for bankruptcy.

Gain an understanding of bankruptcy law before you file. There are many traps in the bankruptcy laws that could trip up your case. Small errors could even cause your case to be dismissed. Do the proper research on bankruptcy before taking the next step. This will make things easier in the long run.

TIP! Examine all of the possible options available to you before you choose to file for bankruptcy. Take stock of your debts, and figure out which ones can be discharged through bankruptcy.

Do not delay in filing your personal bankruptcy case. If you have no other options, then delaying it will not improve the situation. Your financial position may deteriorate even further and make an already stressful situation even less tolerable. Stress has an adverse affect on your health and negatively impacts your life. It is best to file as quick as possible.

Be brutally honest when you file for bankruptcy, as hiding assets or liabilities, will only come back to haunt you. Penalties may include fines, imprisonment or denial of the filing. Don?t withhold information, and create a smart way of coping with the reality of the situation.

Learn as much as you can about bankruptcy by going to informational websites. The United States Justice Department, the ABI (American Bankruptcy Institute), as well as the NABCA (National Assoc. Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys) are excellent sources of information. You will find that the process of filing for personal bankruptcy is easier and less of a hassle with the more information on the subject you gather ahead of time.

If you?re considering filing for bankruptcy, it is critical that you assess what events and behaviors brought you to this point. You should not worry about your money managing skills if you owe money because of unplanned medical expenses, but if most of your money has been spent irresponsibly, you need to look for a long-term solution to manage your finances. If you are a spend-a-holic, you should consider getting some help so you can avoid putting yourself right back into the same bad financial situation once the bankruptcy is complete.

TIP! No matter what?s going on, make sure you tell the truth about your situation. Lying about assets and debts is something you really should not do at all.

Before you make the final decision to file bankruptcy, consider the other options you have. Think about seeing a credit counselor. There are some good non-profit organizations that could help you. They can negotiate with each of your creditors to work out payments that you can afford, along with reduced interest rates. Often, they make the payments to your creditors, and you make your payment to them.

You will find many people, who have filed for bankruptcy, completely separate themselves from ever using credit again if possible. This isn?t necessarily a good strategy to follow because good credit is established by getting, and handling, credit responsibly. If you don?t use your credit, you won?t be able to make big purchases on credit in the future. Keep it simple with one card and take a slow approach to rebuilding.

Obtain copies of all credit reports about six months after the bankruptcy petition has been approved. Make sure that the report accurately represents your discharged debts and closed credit accounts. Ask about any discrepancies once you see any, so that you could start repairing your credit.

Make sure that you act at the appropriate time. When filing for personal bankruptcy, it is very important that you act at the correct time. Sometimes it is the best option to file quickly, whereas in other situations filing should be put off until the worst has already passed. Speak with a bankruptcy lawyer about when the best time is to file for your specific needs.

Don?t make the mistake of thinking that Chapter 7 bankruptcy is a magic debt eraser. Some debts require you to reaffirm them by signing a new repayment agreement, while some others are very rarely dischargeable at all. For instance, child support debts, court fines and alimony obligations cannot be discharged in Chapter 7 cases.

Make sure that bankruptcy is used as a last resort, so that your credit history remains as clear as possible. Some creditors will work with you on other ways to pay off your debt, such as lowering your interest rate, forgiving late fees, or extending your payment schedule. In addition to saving money, this will allow you to raise your credit score. Explore the option of a consolidation loan for your debts before filing.

If you think you have to file a petition for bankruptcy, get a lawyer who specializes in bankruptcy. An attorney can offer valuable advice and help to simplify an extremely complex process. Attorneys can prepare your documents and help you with any concerns you may have.

TIP! If you are considering using credit cards to pay your taxes and then file for bankruptcy, you may want to rethink that. In a lot of places, the debt cannot be discharged, and you may still owe money to the IRS.

When you feel certain that you must file for personal bankruptcy, refrain from squandering your life savings to pay off unsecured debt. You should not use your retirement savings unless the situation calls for it. If you do have to dig into your savings, make sure that you leave enough to sustain you and your family for a couple of months.

Nobody wants to file for bankruptcy, but in some cases the situation becomes necessary. Having studied the information in this article, hopefully you are better prepared to deal with the bankruptcy process. If you can understand the path that others have followed, your journey will be more successful.

tips

Source: http://hwm.cc/?p=628

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Wellcome Trust Science Writing Prize 2013

One of the most prestigious writing prizes for upcoming UK-based science writers is back. Organised by The Wellcome Trust, in association with the Guardian and The Observer, the Wellcome Trust Science Writing Prize 2013 is welcoming entries from non-professional writers until 28 April. And the science writing tips series, a great resource for any upcoming science writer, is also back with new guest posts from experienced science writers.

Similar to previous years?, this year?s competition comprises two categories: professional scientists or postgrads and anybody with a non-professional interest in science. Winners of both categories will have their entries published in either the Guardian or The Observer. Plus, winners pocket a cool ?1,000 (? $1,500) each.

Entries should be 800 words long and can be about any area of science. As a general rule, the more enthusiastic you are about what you are writing, the more this will show in your writing, so it might be a good idea to cover something that blows your mind. This eager voice is actually one of the things the judges will be looking for:

?The judges are looking for originality, bright ideas and a clear writing style. Your article should show a passion for science and encourage the general public to consider, question and debate the key issues in science and society.?

Another good tip about writing in general:

?Above all, write simple prose. Don?t use baroque phrases, and avoid over-embroidering your story with unnecessary feats of linguistic acrobatics. It?s much more important to find a good story to write about than to come up with flowery turns of phrase or stunning metaphors.

Good writing is clear, pithy and accessible. Good writers want to impress readers with the tales they tell; they are not interested in making themselves sound clever with the words they use.?

Be sure to check out shortlisted entries from the previous years as well. Don?t try to copy the styles of those writers but instead figure out how they tell their stories and how they show why their stories matter.

Beside the actual competition, another great thing that comes out of the Wellcome Trust Science Writing Prize is the yearly science writing tips series which runs on the Guardian. The series typically pins experienced writers against the wall and ask them to write short posts about science writing in general: how to start writing, how to tackle a science story, etc. The series probably contains at least a hundred posts so it?s well worth checking out even if you?re not submitting anything.

In a few bullet points, here?s what you should remember:

A few links:

A cup of tea and a laptop is all you need to enter. Good luck!

Source: http://rss.sciam.com/click.phdo?i=f3871483846dffc72ae52b595ef37ee2

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How the consumer is impacting search engine optimisation ...

Forget generic search terms, today?s consumer is more likely to get social recommendations and hone their target before they hit Google and brands need to take notice says David Bain in a piece that first appeared in Encore.

Nine years is a long time on the internet. In 2004, 11.5 per cent of the world?s population was online. By December 2012 that figure had increased to more than 34 per cent, or more than 2.4 billion people.?

Yet despite this surge in internet usage, Google is reporting a significant drop in the popularity of many common search terms. According to Google Trends, there has been a 400 per cent decrease in popularity for the search term ?hotels? over the past nine years.

This drop is too steep to just be an industry slowdown. In fact, many other generic search terms in other industries are following a similar downward trend.

Each year the world?s internet population continues to grow and Google is still the number one site in the world, so we?re not seeing a reduction in the popularity of search as a medium. Rather, what is happening is that online consumers are now more selective in how they search ? not surprisingly they are becoming increasingly sophisticated.

So why are consumers changing their online search habits?

Specialist websites such as niche booking sites and limited-time sale sites allow consumers to go elsewhere to find what they are looking for ? and often at a better price.

Thanks to the emergence of social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter, web users are now able to quickly and easily ask for recommendations from their friends rather than rely on search engines.

Search engines themselves are changing the types of results they deliver. Last year Google introduced Search Plus Your World, which shook up search results by enhancing them with personalised results. This sped up the change in consumer search behaviour.

However, that is not to say that all Google searches are decreasing in popularity. People still tend to rely on search engines to look for specific deals, categories or locations of items. For example, they are now increasingly searching for the term ?hotel deals?.

As consumers now have more places to go, and as they become more comfortable at being able to conduct online research without the help of search engines, search engines have to take more signals into account when it comes to determining the ranking of web pages.

What we are seeing relates more to the evolution of the internet as a whole, and the increased level of sophistication of the average internet user. Users are now more likely to first refer to other websites ? or ask people they trust ? before making up their minds which niche area of the generic topic really interests them.

Only then, after feeling comfortable with which niche area is relevant to them, will the average internet user revert to a search engine to further enhance their knowledge. And more importantly, consumers are now becoming increasingly likely to stick with a brand they know and trust, combined with asking their friend?s opinion on what they should do.

Five years ago it was relatively easy for a search engine optimisation firm to position a website towards the top of Google organic results for highly searched, popular keyword terms.

Now it?s not so easy ? and not necessarily as rewarding.

Search engine optimisation is now firmly part of the marketing mix ? and needs to be thought of alongside website design, brand positioning and content production. Building a brand that people love and want to evangelise is a large part of effective SEO. If people search for ?hotel deals? and they don?t like what they find, the short time they spend on your site will send a negative signal to Google ? and you won?t be ranked for that keyword phrase for long.

Clearly, the increasingly sophisticated consumer is having a significant impact on SEO due to the precise nature of their searches and the actions they take while on a website. This is causing a few headaches for SEO firms, but if it has a positive impact on the quality of search results, then surely it?s a good thing.

In short, move with the times. This isn?t something that?s going away and agencies that continue to focus on the increasingly unrewarding ?head terms? will discover that their initial internet land grab is starting to erode.

Professional SEO agencies will need to be business consultants to their clients in the future. That means getting under the skin of what their business is about ? fully understanding their product and service range and the psychology of their customers. Agencies will need to be at the cutting edge of multi-touch attribution modelling, ensuring their clients understand the true long-term value of specific keyword phrases.

Now, and more so in the future, the best keywords will be those that convert at the highest ratios over the long term ? not the ones that deliver the most website visitors. A quick visit from an irrelevant visitor just sends out a negative message to search engines. That old adage ?turnover is vanity, profit is sanity? will apply to websites more and more in the future.

David Bain is the SEO manager at MEC.

?

This story first appeared in the weekly edition of Encore available for iPad and Android tablets. Visit encore.com.au for a preview of the app or click below to download.

March 18th, 2013 at 9:34 am

Source: http://mumbrella.com.au/how-the-consumer-is-impacting-search-engine-optimisation-145754

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Americans sympathize with Israel; Want U.S. out of it

Many more Americans continue to side with Israel rather than the Palestinian Authority, but - with President Obama's first visit there days away - most also prefer to leave peace negotiations to the two protagonists, rather than having the United States take the lead.

Fifty-five percent in this ABC News/Washington Post poll sympathize more with Israel, vs. 9 percent who side more with the Palestinian Authority, with the rest favoring neither, or undecided. It's been a similar gap for many years, including polling back to the 1980s testing Israel vs. the Arab nations of the Middle East.

See PDF with full results, charts and tables here.

Despite that preference for Israel, seven in 10 want the U.S. largely to leave resolving the conflict to the Israelis and Palestinians themselves - a result that underscores the difficulties in finding a solution to the decades-old conflict. Preference for the United States to eschew a leading role is 15 percentage points higher than the last time it was asked in an ABC/Post poll, during an outbreak of violence between the two sides nearly 11 years ago.

Even among those who are more sympathetic to one side or the other, regardless of which side it is, about two-thirds don't want the U.S. to take the leading role. That preference rises to about three-quarters of those who don't favor either side.

In another expression of support for Israel, more Americans say the Obama administration has put too little pressure on the Palestinian Authority than too much pressure - 34 vs. 8 percent. They split about evenly, by contrast, on whether the administration has put too much or too little pressure on Israel. About four in 10, meanwhile, think the U.S. has appropriately pressured each side in the conflict.

RELIGION and POLITICS - This poll, produced for ABC by Langer Research Associates, finds little sympathy for the Palestinian Authority across groups, always well behind support for Israel. However, breadth of support for Israel varies considerably, with the Palestinian Authority and frustration with both groups gaining somewhat among less broadly pro-Israel groups.

Among religious groups, sympathy for Israel peaks, at 76 percent, among evangelical white Protestants, falling to 55 percent among non-evangelical white Protestants and Catholics, and bottoming out at 39 percent among those who aren't religiously affiliated. Religiosity is a factor as well, with those who attend religious services more apt to side with Israel.

Support for Israel also is broad - more than seven in 10 - among Republicans and conservatives alike. This drops to roughly five in 10 moderates, independents and Democrats, and to just 39 percent of liberals, with more saying they favor neither side, compared with Republicans and conservatives.

A similar pattern plays out on the matter of the Obama administration's use of influence on each side, with Republicans and conservatives more likely than others to think Israel is being pressured too much and the Palestinian Authority too little. Majorities of Democrats, not surprisingly, are happy with the pressure the Obama administration's applying to each side.

On the other hand, when it comes to U.S. involvement in the peace process, there's agreement across religious, partisan and ideological groups (from 66 to 70 percent) that the two sides should handle negotiations themselves.

Age is another prominent marker of support for Israel, ranging from 48 percent among younger adults to 57 percent of 40- to 64-year-olds and topping out at two-thirds among seniors. Views that the Obama administration is putting too much pressure on Israel, and is applying too little of its muscle with the Palestinian Authority, also peak among seniors.

Obama is scheduled to leave Wednesday for a two-day visit to Israel and the West Bank, ruled by the Palestinian Authority.

METHODOLOGY - This ABC News/Washington Post poll was conducted by telephone March 7-10, 2013, among a random national sample of 1,001 adults, including landline and cell-phone-only respondents. Results have a margin of sampling error of 3.5 points, including design effect. Partisan divisions are 33-25-35 percent, Democrats-Republicans-independents.

The survey was produced for ABC News by Langer Research Associates of New York, N.Y., with sampling, data collection and tabulation by Abt-SRBI of New York, N.Y.

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Source: http://news.yahoo.com/more-americans-sympathize-israel-dont-051205946.html

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Lil Wayne: Still in ICU, Still in Rough Shape

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2013/03/lil-wayne-still-in-icu-still-in-rough-shape/

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