Notebooks vs. Recorders for Journalism

Notebooks vs. Recorders for Journalism Which works better when interviewing a source: taking notes the old-fashioned way, with pen and reporters notebook in hand or using a cassette or digital voice recorder? The short answer is that both have their pros and cons, depending on the situation and the type of story youre doing. Lets examine both. Notebooks Pros A reporters notebook and a pen or pencil are the time-honored tools of the interviewing trade. Notebooks are cheap and easy to fit into a back pocket or purse. Theyre also unobtrusive enough that they generally dont make sources nervous. A notebook is also reliable - no need to worry about it running out of batteries. And for the reporter working on a tight deadline, notebooks are the fastest way of taking down what a source says and accessing his or her quotes when writing the story. Cons Unless youre a very speedy note-taker, its hard to jot down everything a source says, especially if he or she is a fast talker. So you can miss key quotes if youre relying on note-taking. Also, it can be hard to get quotes that are totally accurate, word-for-word, using just a notebook. That may not matter much if youre doing a quick person-on-the-street interview. But it might be a problem if youre covering an event where getting the quotes exactly right is important - say, a speech by the president. One note about pens - they freeze in subzero weather. So if its cold out, always bring a pencil just in case. Recorders Pros Recorders are worth buying because they  enable you to get literally everything someone says, word-for-word. You dont have to worry about missing or mangling key quotes from your source. Using a recorder can also free you up to jot down things in your notes you might otherwise have missed, such as the way a source acts, their facial expressions, etc. Cons Like any technical device, recorders can malfunction. Practically every reporter whos ever used a recorder has a story about the batteries dying in the middle of an important interview. Also, recorders are more time-consuming than notebooks because a recorded interview has to be played back later and transcribed in order to access the quotes. On a breaking news story, there just isnt enough time to do that. Finally, recorders can make some sources nervous. And some sources may even prefer that their interviews not be recorded. Note: There are digital voice recorders on the market that are designed to transcribe everything thats recorded. But such recorders are usable for dictation only and the best results occur with top-quality voice recording via a headset microphone and clearly enunciated, accent-less speech. In other words, in a real-world interviewing scenario, where theres likely to be lots of background noise, its probably not a great idea to rely on such devices alone. The Winner? Theres no clear winner. But there are clear preferences: Many reporters rely on notebooks for breaking news stories and use recorders for articles that have longer deadlines such as features. Overall, notebooks are probably used more often than recorders on a daily basis.Recorders are good if youre doing a long interview for a story that doesnt have an immediate deadline, such as a profile or feature article. A recorder allows you to better maintain eye contact with your source, thus making the interview feel more like a conversation. But remember: Even if youre recording an interview, always take notes anyway. Why? Its Murphys Law: the one time you rely solely on a recorder for an interview will be the one time the recorder malfunctions. To sum up: Notebooks work best when youre on a tight deadline. Recorders are good for stories where you have time to transcribe the quotes after the interview.

The Best Small Colleges in the United States

The Best Small Colleges in the United States SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips If you’re interested in attending a small college, you may be wondering which schools offer the most rigorous academic experience combined with the best quality of life. In this article, I’ll give you a list of the best small colleges in the nation based on student reviews and academic ratings. What Is a Small College? For the purposes of this article, I’ll define â€Å"small† colleges as colleges with undergraduate student enrollments below 5,000.These colleges are characterized by small class sizes, close student communities, and professors who engage directly with students.Attending a small college is sort of like being a part of a big family that's brought together through shared experiences and pride in the school.You can expect to see familiar faces everywhere you go and will most likely have many opportunities to take on leadership positions and get involved in campus culture. What Do I Mean By the â€Å"Best† Small Colleges? To make a decision about which small colleges are the best in the nation, I used the information available in the 2015 Fiske Guide to Colleges as well as college rankings from Forbes and US News.I paid particular attention to overall ratings for academics, social scene, and quality of life.In the Fiske Guide to Colleges, all of these schoolswere rated at least 4.5/5 for academics. I considered the academic ratings the most strongly, but I also took the other ratings into account to choose the colleges with the best overall student experiences.I tried to pick colleges that were among the best in the country for academics but also had thriving social scenes and happy, engaged students. All of these schools have excellent programs for undergraduate teaching with small classes and hands-on professors who are dedicated to the success of their students.They also have highly intellectual students who are passionate about learning and making positive changes in the campus community and the world at large.These are schools you should attend if you want to be motivated and challenged by your professors and fellow students in a close-knit, constantly evolving community. Lists of the Best Small Colleges in the US First, I'll go through a list of the top ten best small colleges overall. Then I'll give you lists of the best small women's colleges and engineering colleges.I’ll provide statistics below each of the schools to get you started in finding out more about them.If you want to do further research on these schools, check out my article on the best websites for conducting your college search.I’d recommend using a college matching-making site called Cappex to start compiling a list of colleges and comparing data between different schools. The Top Ten Best Small Colleges 1. Williams College- Williamstown, MA Undergraduate Enrollment: 2,011Acceptance Rate: 17%Location: Small Town Students say: Most people are â€Å"athletic, well-rounded, driven, friendly, and liberal.† â€Å"Professors insist on having a personal connection with the students and always help if needed. The quality of teaching is excellent.† â€Å"Williams students are amazing. I know people who can readHarry Potterin Latin, translate rap songs into Arabic, and sight-read ‘Rocket Man’ perfectly on the piano.† 2. Pomona College- Claremont, CA Undergraduate Enrollment: 1,579Acceptance Rate: 13%Location: Suburban Students say: â€Å"Pomona professors are bright, enthusiastic, and highly respected leaders in their fields.† â€Å"Pomona offers a unique and desirable juxtaposition of rigorous academics and comfortable social atmosphere.† â€Å"I appreciate the diversity and depth that the five-college community brings to the social life.† Note: Pomona is one of the Claremont Colleges, a system of five colleges in Claremont, CA that also includes two other schools on these lists: Claremont-McKenna College and Harvey Mudd College. 3. Amherst College - Amherst, MA Undergraduate Enrollment: 1,817Acceptance Rate: 13%Location: Small Town Students say: â€Å"Amherst students are always doing extraordinary things: academically, athletically, artistically, and for the benefit of the world.† â€Å"If your education is really your first priority, then I don’t think there’s a better school.† Amherst is made up of â€Å"some of the kindest and most laid-back people I can imagine.† 4. Swarthmore College- Swarthmore, PA Undergraduate Enrollment: 1,532Admissions Rate: 14%Location: City Outskirts Students say: â€Å"Swat is a truly intellectual place where people love idea with all of their hearts, but that doesn’t prevent them from having an eye for activism and a knack for partying hard.† â€Å"You will often see students reminding each other of assignments, giving each other tips on how to succeed, and studying in the library together.† â€Å"Each of us in our own way has found a place where our passionate, geekiest interests are validated, appreciated, and celebrated by our fellow Swatties.† 5. Wellesley College- Wellesley, MA Undergraduate Enrollment: 2,352Acceptance Rate: 30%Location: Suburban Students say: â€Å"Students here are conscientious workers with a history of high achievement. They expect a lot of themselves.† â€Å"It’s a wonderful place to grow as individuals, as students, and as women.† â€Å"It’s hard to say which department is the best because I believe that each department has a lot to offer.† 6. Bowdoin College- Brunswick, ME Undergraduate Enrollment: 1,830Acceptance Rate: 16%Location: Suburban Students Say: â€Å"If you’re passionate about anything, Bowdoin provides you with the resources to explore those passions.† â€Å"Being able to make friends with my professors is something I’ll treasure forever.† 7. Claremont-McKenna College- Claremont, CA Undergraduate Enrollment: 1,250Acceptance Rate: 14%Location: Suburban Students say: â€Å"CMC provides students with a pragmatic liberal arts education that will prepare them for grad school and a career; it’s a great place to spend four years.† â€Å"There are very difficult courses that will push you to the brink of your comfort zone in every major.† â€Å"CMC’s campus is often the center of the social life for all of the Claremont Colleges - there are always parties, club events, barbecues, movie screenings, and other events.† 8. Haverford College- Haverford, PA Undergraduate Enrollment: 1,205Acceptance Rate: 23%Location: Suburban Students say: â€Å"Nearly all students who come here share common values of trust, concern, and respect for others as well as academic integrity.† â€Å"Haverford offers an opportunity to work hard, be trusted, and learn about issues, while still feeling comfortable.† â€Å"The professors are only here for us. They really enjoy teaching as well as involving us in research.† 9. Carleton College- Northfield, MN Undergraduate Enrollment: 2,035Acceptance Rate: 26%Location: Small Town Students say: â€Å"Our profs are incredible. The instruction we receive is available not just in the classroom but during office hours, phone calls, Skype sessions, and many other modes of communication.† â€Å"Students are ambitions, aware, and ready to ‘save the world’† â€Å"At Carleton, everyone is a bit nerdy and everyone is free to be whomever they want.† 10. Middlebury College- Middlebury, VT Undergraduate Enrollment: 2,516Acceptance Rate: 17%Location: Rural Students say: â€Å"We’re a small liberal arts college [that is] big on individuality and character.† â€Å"The quality of teaching is excellent, and I would say it is the absolute best part of Middlebury. All classes are taught by professors, most are relatively small, and discussions are generally encouraged.† Best Small Women’s Colleges 1. Wellesley College - Wellesley, MA (see #5 in top ten small colleges overall) 2. Smith College - Northampton, MA Undergraduate Enrollment: 2, 643Acceptance Rate: 42%Location: Suburban Students say: â€Å"Smith has an open curriculum, a great college town, and a very strong science program.† â€Å"My professors have all been accessible and supportive as well as open-minded and articulate.† It’s a â€Å"community of close, intelligent, interesting, and compassionate women.† 3. Barnard College - New York, NY Undergraduate Enrollment: 2,466Acceptance Rate: 23%Location: City Center Students say: â€Å"Barnard is a rigorous yet nurturing environment† â€Å"The quality of teaching here is unparalleled; one of my professors arguably founded the field I’m studying.† â€Å"Although the students here are really intelligent, they are also really down to earth, and are supported by each other and the academic community.† 4. Bryn Mawr College - Bryn Mawr, PA Undergraduate Enrollment: 1,305Acceptance Rate: 41%Location: City Outskirts Students Say: â€Å"Bryn Mawr is a place where you will figure out who you are and what you want to do with your life.† â€Å"Professors really want to get to know you and to expand your horizons.† â€Å"When you are surrounded by strong, talented, driven women who respect you, it inspires you to be like them.† Best Small Colleges for Engineering 1. California Institute of Technology - Pasadena, CA Undergraduate Enrollment: 997Acceptance Rate: 12%Location: Suburban Students say: â€Å"The atmosphere promotes a love of science, learning, and discovery that is truly exhilarating.† â€Å"The unique student body, how available professors are, and how much we learn make Caltech a special place.† However, social life is a little grim (don’t go here if you’re looking to party): â€Å"Ask any local bartender for a Caltech Cocktail and you will get three ounces of straight water.† 2. Harvey Mudd - Claremont, CA Undergraduate Enrollment: 782Acceptance Rate: 19%Location: Suburban Students say: â€Å"The professors truly care about the students’ well-being. They put in countless hours to help us get the most out of our experience.† â€Å"Every student at Mudd brings something different to the table.† â€Å"HMC is one of the most rigorous science schools around, but the thing that makes it special is that it develops you as an entire person.† 3. Rice University - Houston, TX Undergraduate Enrollment: 3,848Acceptance Rate: 17%Location: City Outskirts Students say: â€Å"Students here are very self-motivated. Classes are hard.† â€Å"Rice puts a lot of trust and responsibility on students. It’s a very maturing experience.† â€Å"We have been challenged to think creatively and apply principles.† 4. Olin College of Engineering - Needham, MA Undergraduate Enrollment: 342Acceptance Rate: 19%Location: Suburban Students say: â€Å"Olin professors are amazing. They take the time to get to know their students individually and never fail to provide academic or personal advice.† â€Å"Students who are passionate about things and excited about engineering would do well here.† Olin aims to produce students who can â€Å"come up with innovative ideas and products.† What's Next? Even if you've settled on attending a small college, you may still be unsure where you want to be in terms of location. Read this article for advice on deciding whether a college close to home is the right choice for you. If you're interested in very selective colleges, you should take a look at this guide on how to get into the Ivy League and other super competitive schools. Not sure where to begin in the college search process? Read my guide on how to choose the best college for you. Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points?We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Clothing adaptation vs. weather and body Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Clothing adaptation vs. weather and body - Essay Example The company has to strategize on the cheapest mode in which the materials get transported from the supplier. The company should also seek to diversify its resource use to make the very best from the material inputs. Such diversification may fall under designing subsidiary industry where by-products may be of value (Lewis 23). Competition is healthy for a company in a business environment. Within the same industry, No Forecast faces the problem of competing with other major companies. To compete efficiently, No Forecast should give out sample products to the consumer. Sample products help in familiarizing the products with the consumers. There is also the importance of an aggressive advertisement. The advertisement should be affordable and should cover a wide geographical area. Channels of advertisement have to reach as many people as possible. For instance, the company may resolve to use the internet to sell its products. The product has to be of higher standard and consumer friendly. Customers should feel proud by identifying with the No Forecast apparel (Lewis 45). For the brand to be popular, No Forecast can venture with a famous company so as to identify with the product. Selling the product by venture increases its chances of reaching the market faster. It should also aim at participating in the corporate social responsibility. Company’s brand has to stand out from its competitor. No Forecast should focus in distributing the product in different market spheres, especially those having greater purchasing power (Lewis 53). For buying of the company by another company, it has to be attractive and profitable. The company’s profile has to align with its visions and objectives. It has to be the best place that investors are comfortable doing business. The company has to maintain competitive strategies in reaching its goals. Employees have to be at the forefront in making the company a better place. The management should focus on the

Compensation HR Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Compensation HR - Essay Example This is mainly used to determine which job should get a higher pay than the other. There are methods used in job evaluation such as job grading, job ranking and factor comparison. Job evaluation is advantageous as it helps to define a job according to an individual specialization so as to fix the fairest salary on it. Job evaluation analysis also helps when selecting a job that relates to the qualifications of an employee. Jobs are evaluated by ranking jobs. This is by evaluating a job using a single factor such as how technical a job is, or the educational level requires needed to perform the job effectively. The more technical a job and the higher the educational level required, the higher the job is ranked. Compensation is then based on the ranking where the highest in the rank is paid more (Poels and Frans 22). Salary surveys are normally used in job evaluation. This is by comparing a job with the same kind of job, with the same description and the same expectations in another organization in the job market. This helps in knowing how competitive the organization is as compared to other organizations. As a result of this survey, the ranges of salaries are normally revised as soon as the survey shows the need of a revision. This helps the organization stay competitive in the market. Compensation program is important in attracting and retaining talented employees. The program is normally done by the human resource manager. This is normally done together with the training and development officer. The aim of a training and development officer is to ascertain the performance of employees. This is so as to see if they have reached the set target of if they have improved in their performance. This helps the human resource manager department in efficiently administering the compensation program. Merit increase is given based on the performance of an employee where, if an employee performs better, they get a better compensation. There is

The Yellow Wallpaper, by Charlotte Perkins Gilman -- Literary Analysis

Charlotte Perkins Gilman wrote an amazing story in 1892 entitled â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper†. The story is full of symbolism and was inspired by Gilman's own life struggles. This analysis of her work will cover some important parts of the author’s life, the characters, the setting of the story, and the plot. Throughout the analysis will be explanations of symbols and how the author tied her personal experiences into the story. Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s work, â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper† is a story that the author wrote to depict her own struggle with mental illness. In order to really appreciate this story, it may help to know about the author’s life. Born in 1860, she was the only child of Mary Finch Westcott and Frederick Beecher Perkins, a librarian and writer. It is said that Charlotte’s father abandoned his family, and, on the verge of poverty, they were forced to move around frequently (Merriman). At the age of 24, Charlotte married her first husband, Charles Watson Stetson, with whom she bore a daughter, Katharine Beecher Stetson. Shortly after giving birth, Charlotte began to suffer from severe postpartum depression and had a nervous breakdown. She spent some time at a sanitorium in Pennsylvania, under the care of Dr. Silas Weir Mitchell (Merriman). In 1913, Gilman wrote â€Å"Why I Wrote ‘The Yellow Wallpaper’†; For many years I suffered from a severe and continuous nervous breakdown tending to melancholia – and beyond. During about the third year of this trouble I went, in devout faith and some faint stir of hope, to a noted specialist in nervous diseases, the best known in the country. This wise man put me to bed and applied the rest cure, to which a still good physique responded so promptly that he concluded that there was no... ... the characters in the story, the setting of the story, and the plot of the story. While times have changed drastically since Gilman wrote her story, it is my hope that women everywhere will read â€Å"The Yellow Wallpaper†, recognize the struggles she faced in her life, and be grateful that she chose to not accept the advice of a male physician wanting her to submit to a domestic, docile, stereotypical housewife sort of life. Works Cited Booth, Allison and Kelly Mays. The Norton Introduction to Literature. 10th ed. New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2010. Merriman, C.D. â€Å"Charlotte Perkins Gilman.† Jalic, Inc. 2006. 27 Feb. 2015. http://www.online-literature.com/charlotte-perkins-gilman/. Voight, Heather â€Å"Symbols in the Yellow Wallpaper, by Charlotte Perkins Gilman.† 2010. 27 Feb. 2015. http://www.helium.com/items/1753292-symbols-in-the-yellow-wallpaper.

Cyprus Financial Crisis Essay

I. Introduction With a population of only 1 million and no more than half a percent of Euro zone economy, it is surprising to find out that the financial crisis in a tiny country called â€Å"Cyprus† has enormous global implications (Long 2013). It cannot be also denied that the â€Å"Subprime Mortgage Crisis† of the US in 2008 has its downbeat domino effect to the world including European Union and Cyprus. In this report, not only the most critical reasons but also the aftermath of Cyprus financial crisis and possible alternatives which could have been done to ease such economic downturn will be carefully examined. II. Body 1. Main Reasons The root of the crisis lies when Cyprus experienced a terrible recession in 2009 when the country’s economy was diminished by 1.67% including significant reduction in tourism and shipping which obviously caused high unemployment rate (CIA 2013). Since then, the country’s economy worsen and with the 30% decline of the real estate market has put enormous pressure on a rise in non-performing loans of banking system (The World Bank 2013). Therefore, the banks ended up with Greek Private Sector debt of Euro 22 billion and accumulated $120 billion inclusive of $60 billion from Russia according to Jolly and Castle (2012). Furthermore, it is the direct result of the crisis in Greece known as Greek Debt Crisis where the second biggest retail bank in Cyprus over-invested in Greek Bonds and as a result of this, Cyprus failed on its recapitalisation where the Government is left with limited time and option as mentioned in Aljazeera news podcast (2012). Besides, Hans Humes pointed out during an interview conducted on 21 February 2012 that one of the significant reasons that led to a threat in collapse of the Cyprus Banks is 50% haircut in 2011 during Greek Crisis. Next, Cypriot Banking system is in shortage of at least 10 billion Euros in new capital plus 8 billion to satisfy public debts (Long 2013) and to make matter worse, the government has not got enough money to help out as it is impossible to raise money in bond market due to high level of borrowing rates. The country’s credit rating was rated CCC by Standard & Poor’s in September (Bases 2013) and this left the country with no benefits but high rise in percentage of yields on long term bond. This can be added as a reason to confirm that the country is not in the position to calm down its banking sector. They also made a wrong step in refusing UN’s plan for uniting their island which clearly annoyed their E.U partners and caused weak strategic position (Dixon 2013).The country’s economy could be a lot healthier if it had restructured the banks. 2. Consequences The consequences of the Cyprus financial crisis has had a surprising impact on the eurozone and raised concerns about the euro currency in the market. The two main financial institutions in Cyprus were both effected by the Greek financial crisis due to their operation heavily in the Greek Government Bond & the Greek Debt. The two largest banks in Cyprus, the Bank of Cyprus and Laiki Bank were both heavily impacted by the Greek financial crisis through exposures to their own operations in Greece and to Greek sovereign debt. According to the latest confirmation of GDP data, Cyprus is gliding deeper into recession and no sign of financial stress in economy is abating (Ernst & Young 2013). The Cyprus financial crisis have had helped driving the value of the euro currency to fall down from $1.36 at Feb to $1.28 at the end of March and lead to rising unemployment caused industrial unrest. Many workers struggle against wage cuts. However, the unemployment rate will likely continue to rise and wages fall, contributing to reduced consumption in the next few years (Ernst & Young 2013). To resolve the nation debt a solution was introduced by the government to force depositors and savers to scarify 10% of their life savings. As part of the Government’s austerity program, the VAT rate was raised from 17% to 18% in January 2013. The Inflation rate under impact of higher VAT was also increased from 1.5% in December to 2% in January (Ernst & Young 2013). That decision let Cypriots themselves furious and they have responded by trying to clear out their accounts and that will negatively impact on the deposit security or stability. Apart from any possible instability in deposit base, Eurozone banks may see their ability to rise unsecured funding deteriorate. Cyprus became the first ever Eurozone country to apply capital controls with limits on credit card transactions, daily cash withdrawals, foreign money transfers and cashing cheques. This is a clear indication of the severity of the situation and, effectively, at least temporarily devalues Euros located in Cyprus as they are now less easy to transfer. More than a thousand bank employees marched in the capital Nicosia on Saturday, angry that their jobs could be lost in the forced restructure of the island’s economy — and that the government had proposed to nationalise pensions in order to fund the bailout. That option was later rejected. Some protests to express Cypriots’ indignation happened on the street, while parliament voted overwhelmingly to reject the tax on bank accounts. Furthermore, Banks have been closed for more than a week, to prevent depositors moving their money off the island, which would have caused the banks to collapse and made the entire situation worse. However, ATMs were still opened, and they were quickly ran out of money as everyone tried to withdraw as much as possible (Ghostagenda 2013). Many businesses are refusing to take credit cards. Retailers have faced cash-on-delivery demands from suppliers, the Cyprus Mail reported, and shelves are emptying. Some are running out of coffee, cigarettes, alcohol and soft drinks. European governments rejected taking money from depositors in order to pay for necessary bailout packages. The fact created a panic, led to emergency negotiations. For example, the discussion happened between the Cypriot government and the troika in an attempt to reach a deal which was successfully achieved that managed to save the country from bankruptcy at the 11th hour (Ghostagenda 2013). Nobody doubts that, after such this financial crisis Cyprus will be pushed into a harsh recession. According to forecast in the troika’s source, GDP will shrink by about 10% before any hope of recovery. 3. Strategies In order to overcome the current financial crisis, focusing on the economic itself is not enough. Policymakers should include the full range of factors which interact the country’s financial situation- such as economic security policies, investment, interest rate, inflation, employment, etc. (The Star, 2009). In general, developed countries need to save their incomes more and consume less; developing countries, in contrast, have to boost their domestic demand as well as export. However, Mohsen, Abdulla & Jalal (2011) states that it is much easier said than done in the real circumstance. Iqbal (2010) suggests some strategies to overcome such difficult situation and avoid this particular issue in the future: †¢ The existing financial structure of related countries is required to modify. †¢ Creating and monitoring an effective exchange rate policy. †¢ The accounting standards need to be customised to fix the global economic situation, for instance: the convergence of United State and international accounting standards in terms of changing from fair value measurement back to historical value measurement. †¢ Globally coordinated and huge fiscal stimulus †¢ More transparency in the operation of financial institutions. Application in real situation of Cyprus: The Cyprus’s banking system has done a huge number of works in order to reduce the impact of financial crisis on its economy. Encouraging international investors to invest in Cyprus is one of its most effective policies which were proved to boost its economy. By providing â€Å"attractive† policies and tax, more and more Chinese investors are interested in putting their money into this market in many different sectors, for example: shipping, construction and energy industry. They also offer the opportunity to become a permanent resident to foreigners who purchase  £300,000+ in value of property. According to the Cypriot embassy in Beijing, more than 500 properties had sold to Chinese investors so far (Shengnan, 2013). Cypriot government is also seeking the financial assistance to solve their current debt crisis, primarily happened as a result of over-invested in Greek banks. European Union (EU) is a main target which Cyprus considers as its assistance for such an issue. On 25/3/2013, Greek-Cyprus government and EU singed a commitment which stated that EU would provide â‚ ¬ 10 billion bailout fund associated with some conditions: reducing money laundering, increasing the corporate tax and the one-off tax on bank deposits (Burgin, 2013). This was planned to catch â‚ ¬5.8 billion contribution for the bailout packages from internal resources. The Cypriot government has also declaredspecial fiscal measures with the aim of improvement the investment into their main industries such as tourism and construction. However, there is no empirical evidence on how it worked for their own circumstance (The Economist Intelligence Unit Limited, 2009). In addition, government also boost the guarantee on deposit to â‚ ¬100,000. This action encourages foreign investors to deposit in Cyprus banks as the EU guarantee was only â‚ ¬50,000 (7/10/2008). Furthermore, the It is estimated that Gas revenues will be an important factor in solving Cyprus’s the economic malaise forecast for the next few years. The Government agreed to set up a resource fund to cope with the expenditure from gas exploitation. They hope that Cyprus can start exporting the natural gas in 2019. This should contribute to stronger growth in the medium term (Ernst & Young 2013). III. Conclusion To conclude, this is a difficult stage for Cyprus. There is still some argument on how will affect government debt sustainability when this country borrow under the economic adjustment programme and how the government debt burden can be reduce from the income of natural gas exploration and exploitation. However, the agreement was reached with the troika is a significant step in restoring the country’s economy. Everyone has shown understanding, consensus, readiness and elasticity to adopt a programme of financial reform, fiscal and structural amendment in accordance with the needs of the country. In the future, it is estimate that the Cyprus economy as well as its financial sector will overcome the current crisis and become stronger than before. The economic reform program is seen as an effective way to strengthen and stabilize the macro economy and the domestic financial. It also contributes to the revival of private economic activity, promotes economic growth and creates more jobs for labors. Moreover, in longer term, Cyprus may have good prospects for growth in the shape of its offshore gas reserves, which could help lower the debt burden of future generations (Central bank 2013).

Description and Care of the Monkey Puzzle Tree

Monkey-Puzzle Tree is a wild, scary evergreen with open splaying and spiraling branches. The tree can grow to 70 feet tall and 30 feet wide and forms a loose, see-through, pyramidal shape with a straight trunk. The tree is so open you can actually look through it. The leaves are dark green, stiff, with sharp needles that cover the limbs like armor. Monkey-Puzzle tree makes an attractive, novelty specimen for large, open yards. It is seen in large numbers in California. Specifics Scientific name: Araucaria araucanaPronunciation: air-ah-KAIR-ee-uh air-ah-KAY-nuhCommon name(s): Monkey-Puzzle Tree or Puzzle TreeUSDA hardiness zones: 7b through 10Origin: Chile (national tree) and the Andes of South America.Uses: garden specimen; indoor tree specimenAvailability: somewhat available, may have to go out of the region to find the tree. Monkey Puzzles Range There are no native monkey puzzle trees in the United States. The natural monkey puzzle tree is now found in two small areas in the Andes and on the coastal mountain range. It is a highly fire-adapted species, occurring in an area where fires have long been caused by volcanic activity and, since the early Holocene, by humans. The tree can grow in North America along the coastal zone from coastal Virginia, down the Atlantic, west through Texas and up the Pacific coast to Washington. Description Dr. Mike Dirr in Trees and Shrubs for Warm Climates says: The habit is pyramidal-oval in youth, later with a slender bole and ascending branches near the top....cones are about twice the size of hand-grenades and hurt even worse. Tolerates extremes of soil, except permanently moist. Etymology The origin name Monkey-puzzle derives from its early cultivation in Britain in about 1850. The tree was very popular in Victorian England. Legend has it that an owner of a young tree specimen in Cornwall was showing it to a group of friends, and one made the remark, it would puzzle a monkey to climb that. The popular name became, first monkey-puzzler, then monkey-puzzle. Prior to 1850, it had been called Joseph Banks Pine or Chile Pine in Britain even though it is not a pine. Pruning The Monkey Puzzle needs to be isolated from other trees for the best display of its graceful and natural limb sweep. Maintain a central leader and do not top for best effect. Branches should be protected and only pruned if dead wood appears. Dead branches are hard to work on but will cause the tree to decline if not removed. Monkey Puzzle in Europe Monkey-puzzle was introduced to England by Archibald Menzies in 1795. Menzies was a plant collector and naval surgeon on Captain George Vancouvers circumnavigation of the globe. Menzies was served the seeds of the conifer as a dessert while dining with the governor of Chile and later sowed them in a frame on the ships quarterdeck. Five healthy plants made it back to Great Britain and were the first plants to be planted. Culture Monkey puzzle tree does best where the summers are cool and humid, and they are popular landscape oddities in England.Light: Full sun to partial shade.Moisture: Likes a moist, but well-drained soil and regular watering.Propagation: By seeds or by tip cuttings from vertical shoots. Cuttings from lateral-growing shoots will develop into sprawling shrubs. In-Depth Description Monkey-puzzle prefers well-drained, slightly acidic, volcanic soil but will tolerate almost any soil type provided drainage is good. It prefers temperate climates with abundant rainfall, tolerating temperatures down to about −20 Â °C. It is far and away the hardiest member of its genus and the only one that will grow in mainland Britain, or in the United States away from the extreme south. In Canada, Vancouver and Victoria have many fine specimens; it also grows on the Queen Charlotte Islands. It is tolerant of salt spray but does not like exposure to pollution. It is a popular garden tree, planted for its unusual effect of the thick, reptilian branches with a very symmetrical appearance. The seeds are edible, similar to large pine nuts, and are extensively harvested in Chile. A group of six female trees with one male for pollination could yield several thousand seeds per year. Since the cones drop, harvesting is easy. The tree, however, does not yield seeds until it is around 30-40 years old, which discourages investment in planting orchards.