Cyprus may raid bank accounts, 10% of savings

[roo_ster]

>(an? how do you choose the article for a word like this?) <

I always just go with which one sounds right, and to hell with the actual grammar rules.

Grammarchist!

[SADShooter]

Grammarchist!

 

[RevDisk]

http://bayourenaissanceman.blogspot.com/2013/03/have-russians-already-pulled-their.html

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2013/03/25/uk-eurogroup-cyprus-dijsselbloem-idUKBRE92O0IL20130325

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/03/25/eurozone-cyprus-muddle-idUSL5N0CG13920130325

Surprise, the Russians transferred the majority of their offshore funds to Latvia. Cyprus banks in the UK remained open, and their subsidiaries apparently did not lock down withdraws. So the Russians flew someone to UK (or likely just made a phone call), and got their billions routed through the UK to Latvia. Anyone with large liquid funds in Cyprus likely moved their capital out. When the banks reopen, they will be very short on capital. Hence, the massive levy. They're billions short of what they thought they'd have.

Either the Cyprus bankers were stupid, or they managed to keep a corridor open for personal reasons. Could be they were bribed or threatened by the Russians. Could be they wanted their own money out. Honestly, if I was from Cyprus, I'd be calling for blood of the bankers. While I acknowledge, unchecked socialism is the underlying cause, the bankers haven't been above buying socializing losses and privatizing gains.

[Regolith]

http://bayourenaissanceman.blogspot.com/2013/03/have-russians-already-pulled-their.html

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2013/03/25/uk-eurogroup-cyprus-dijsselbloem-idUKBRE92O0IL20130325

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/03/25/eurozone-cyprus-muddle-idUSL5N0CG13920130325

Surprise, the Russians transferred the majority of their offshore funds to Latvia. Cyprus banks in the UK remained open, and their subsidiaries apparently did not lock down withdraws. So the Russians flew someone to UK (or likely just made a phone call), and got their billions routed through the UK to Latvia. Anyone with large liquid funds in Cyprus likely moved their capital out. When the banks reopen, they will be very short on capital. Hence, the massive levy. They're billions short of what they thought they'd have.

Either the Cyprus bankers were stupid, or they managed to keep a corridor open for personal reasons. Could be they were bribed or threatened by the Russians. Could be they wanted their own money out. Honestly, if I was from Cyprus, I'd be calling for blood of the bankers. While I acknowledge, unchecked socialism is the underlying cause, the bankers haven't been above buying socializing losses and privatizing gains.

I'd be after the blood of the politicians. Sure, the bankers ain't innocent, but nothing they did would be possible without the politicians. You can't socialize loss without an amenable coven of policritters, and it was their attempt to grab more money that kicked all of this off.

[Jamisjockey]

I'd be after the blood of the politicians. Sure, the bankers ain't innocent, but nothing they did would be possible without the politicians. You can't socialize loss without an amenable coven of policritters, and it was their attempt to grab more money that kicked all of this off.

Truth.  And does anyone think for one gorram minute those politicians are leaving their cash where it gets taxed?

[Scout26]

If the noun starts with a vowel, use "an". If with a consonant, then use "a".  At least that's what I was taught in Hih Scrwel.   

Paging MrsSmith, Please bring your Red Pen !!!

[birdman]

If the noun starts with a vowel, use "an". If with a consonant, then use "a".  At least that's what I was taught in Hih Scrwel.   

Paging MrsSmith, Please bring your Red Pen !!!

I thought it was the first sound, so the above plus silent leading vowels, use "a", consonants that sound like vowels, use "an"

For instance, its "an yttrium atom" not "a yttrium atom"

[makattak]

I thought it was the first sound, so the above plus silent leading vowels, use "a", consonants that sound like vowels, use "an"

For instance, its "an yttrium atom" not "a yttrium atom"

Well, your example suffers from the fact that y is sometimes a vowel and sometimes a consonant. I believe it is acting as a vowel in "an yttrium atom".

I think we ought to go with the sound rule, as language is meant to reflect the words spoken, rather than hard and fast rules about writing. (At least for phonetic languages. Pictograph languages, like Kanji, I'm guessing deal with how things look, rather than sound.)

[birdman]

Well, your example suffers from the fact that y is sometimes a vowel and sometimes a consonant. I believe it is acting as a vowel in "an yttrium atom".

I think we ought to go with the sound rule, as language is meant to reflect the words spoken, rather than hard and fast rules about writing. (At least for phonetic languages. Pictograph languages, like Kanji, I'm guessing deal with how things look, rather than sound.)

I picked that example on purpose, as I couldn't think of a silent leading consonant (a word where it starts with a consonant but sounds like a vowel) other than that.

We -do- go by the sound rule--if it sounds like a vowel, it's "an", if it sounds like a consonant, it's "a".  That was my point :)

[makattak]

I picked that example on purpose, as I couldn't think of a silent leading consonant (a word where it starts with a consonant but sounds like a vowel) other than that.

We -do- go by the sound rule--if it sounds like a vowel, it's "an", if it sounds like a consonant, it's "a".  That was my point :)

Of course, I didn't mean to "sound" like I was disagreeing with you. I was meaning that your point about the sound rule was the correct one for our phonetic language, as opposed to some rule about what the word looks like. 

(So, my question's answer would be, I suppose, European should have an "a" as an article, rather than an "an" because, although it begins with a vowel, it sounds like the "y" consonant.)

[longeyes]

Socialism.  Banksterism.  Why not just call it neo-feudalism and leave it at that?  These people aren't capitalists, they're financialists, something altogether different.  And what's going on today is an insult even to socialism.  These people are just warlords in suits.

[Doggy Daddy]

I picked that example on purpose, as I couldn't think of a silent leading consonant (a word where it starts with a consonant but sounds like a vowel) other than that.

Much to your honor.   

[AZRedhawk44]

Evidently all the Russian mega-rich pulled their money out and now it's the local minorly affluent Cypriots that will be footing the tax bill.

Even the president of Cyprus pulled 21 million Euros out of Cypriot banks and transferred his family's holdings to London, just days before this whole thing began.

http://www.infowars.com/mega-rich-withdrew-money-from-cyprus-before-looting/

Accordingly, the confiscation rate is now scheduled at 60% of everything over 100,000 Euros.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-21992745

[dogmush]

Ouch. Gotta wonder if they're looking for rifles.  Pitchforks are so passe.

[Viking]

Evidently all the Russian mega-rich pulled their money out and now it's the local minorly affluent Cypriots that will be footing the tax bill.

Even the president of Cyprus pulled 21 million Euros out of Cypriot banks and transferred his family's holdings to London, just days before this whole thing began.

http://www.infowars.com/mega-rich-withdrew-money-from-cyprus-before-looting/

Accordingly, the confiscation rate is now scheduled at 60% of everything over 100,000 Euros.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-21992745

This is my shocked face.

[TechMan]

Ouch. Gotta wonder if they're looking for rifles.  Pitchforks are so passe.

I hear the guillotine is coming back in vogue.

[Viking]

I hear the guillotine is coming back in vogue.

Excellent.

[Nick1911]

Has this triggered any runs on banks outside of Cyprus yet?

[Jamisjockey]

Evidently all the Russian mega-rich pulled their money out and now it's the local minorly affluent Cypriots that will be footing the tax bill.

Even the president of Cyprus pulled 21 million Euros out of Cypriot banks and transferred his family's holdings to London, just days before this whole thing began.http://www.infowars.com/mega-rich-withdrew-money-from-cyprus-before-looting/

Accordingly, the confiscation rate is now scheduled at 60% of everything over 100,000 Euros.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-21992745

Called it. 

[AZRedhawk44]

Has this triggered any runs on banks outside of Cyprus yet?

I really hope this crushes the Euro.  Into the dust.  It's a currency designed to rape and pillage the entire European middle and lower class, and increase socialism.

I fully expect bank runs in PIIGS before the end of the year.

[makattak]

I really hope this crushes the Euro.  Into the dust.  It's a currency designed to rape and pillage the entire European middle and lower class, and increase socialism.

I fully expect bank runs in PIIGS before the end of the year.

Actually, the currency (the Euro) isn't the problem. It's the bureaucracy behind it. Even if the Euro goes, I'm betting the designs on a Europe-wide "aristocracy" will persist.