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Eurozone Crisis

It seems in the news at the moment that everywhere you turn there’s some form of crisis. The most well known of these is currently the economic crisis, which is something we are all feeling the effects of strongly, but as well as this there’s then the environmental crisis, the energy crisis and now the Eurozone crisis. So what is the Eurozone crisis, and is it something you need to be concerned about?

            The Eurozone is a term used to describe the region of countries using the Euro (currency). This then includes many of the countries of the EU such as Germany, France and Greece, but not all of them (countries like England and Poland still use their own currencies). The Eurozone ‘crisis’ then refers to the plunging value of the Euro caused by the economic crisis and amplified by the multitude of countries using the system. The problem is, that while one country might be coping well with the financial hardships, others that are fairing less well (such as Greece) can end up pulling the value back down making it a vicious cycle and one that is hard to escape from. Germany has been shouldering much of the brunt of the economic turmoil and handing bail outs to Greece, but this not yet enough

Other causes of the Eurozone crisis include too much debt from the member states, a lack of competition between the countries, the differing mechanisms of the various economies tied to one currency, and disagreements coming from the lack of a single authority and so many different member states each with vested interests – a ’17 headed hydra’. Criticisms have been leveled at the very idea of a single currency which some skeptics see as unstable and unfeasible.

This Eurozone crisis however is not a problem that is contained to Europe; rather it is one that affects the rest of the world through investments, debt and trade and that is risking serious global economic decline. I is in every one’s best interests to solve this crisis as soon as possible. Many meetings have been held between the member states of the EU to this end, but as yet no satisfactory solution has been found.

Europe Crisis

European Dress Sizes

Certain areas of Europe are particularly known for their dresses and their fashion in general. Take France for instance which is the birthplace of many a great dress design, or Italy which many designers also call home. Thus it’s no surprise that many people will want to pick up European dresses while traveling, or will order them online. The only problem is European dress sizes, which are different from those in the US and which many people shopping online will not know.

Making life more difficult is the fact that European dress sizes vary between say Germany and France and are completely different in the UK than they are in mainland Europe. Fortunately help is at hand, and below you can find a guide to European dress sizes compared to US and UK dress sizes.

            By observing this chart it is possible to recognize which European dress sizes will fit you as well as which UK dress sizes. Note however that UK dress sizes are notorious for changing depending on which manufacturer produced the clothes – if you are a ten in one shop you won’t necessarily be in another. Note as well that the sizes in Belgium and France are slightly larger than in Germany, and slightly larger again in Italy (a 40 in France is a 44 in Italy). Make sure when buying UK or European dresses online that there is a good return policy.

Another point of interest is that European dress sizes are set to change with the introduction of EN 13402 which is an optional new system developed by the EU in order to create more consistency among European dress sizes. This is based on cm and measures the physique in several dimensions, though it is not currently in widespread use.

Choosing European Hotels

Choosing a hotel is an incredibly important part of any journey. Even if you’re the kind of holiday maker who doesn’t intend to spend too much time in the hotel you will still find that feeling safe and warm in the room makes a big difference to how much you enjoy your stay. However many people still take the process for granted and incorrectly assume that European hotels are much of a muchness.

There are certainly things to look out for to make sure you make the most of your European travel. Here we will look at a few things to look out for with European hotels to help you choose one correctly.

Price: The price is of course an important selling point. You will likely have a budget and be restricted by this to an extent. At the same time though the price can sometimes reflect the quality of the hotel (you get what you pay for in other words) – so make sure that you look at the star rating of the hotel too and the other facilities on offer and then choose the cheapest of the hotels you like.

Location: Obviously this is very important for any hotel. It is not enough to just look for European hotels in the city you are visiting, but also hotels with good transport links, good amenities and facilities nearby and in short distance from the sites you wish to visit. You also want to make sure the area is pleasant, safe and clean. Look on Google Maps to get a good idea of the area and use route planners online to find the distance between your location and the sites you want to see. Read reviews and lookout for indicators of the area too. If you are staying in a big city, then European hotels near metro stations and underground stations will generally be very useful as these usually provide links to all the major sites.

Parking: Many people will travel around Europe with a car and this will mean then that they require somewhere to keep it. Look into then whether or not there is parking in your hotel – and choose one that offers somewhere free to keep your vehicle off road. If you’re parking in the street or paying for parking then other European hotels might be more convenient and cost effective.

Sharing: If you are staying hostels rather than European hotels, then you risk having to share with other travelers. For some people this will be off-putting as they will want to keep themselves to themselves and as they will worry about thieves. For other travelers it will be a bonus to get to socialize and meet other people. When booking your European hotels make sure to look at whether or not you’ll be sharing with other people.

Opening Hours: if you plan to be out all night partying then yo don’t want to stay somewhere where the last check in is 11pm. Likewise it is important to know the closing times of European hotels when you are arriving – particularly if you are running late.

Choosing European Hotel

European Computer Games

The computer game industry may just be the next Hollywood and is one of the biggest growth industries out there, continually performing better and better each year with more cinematic graphics and bigger budgets and more family oriented games all becoming more possible as the technology improves. As such it’s highly beneficial for any country to get involved and thus it’s no surprise that there are some great European computer games out there and while Japan and America are arguably the industry leaders, there are enough European computer games to ensure that the continent has a strong presence in the market. Following are just a few of the best known European computer games.

Rayman: If European computer games had a mascot, Rayman would arguably be the man (?) for the job. With a highly European flavor that makes you feel a bit like you’re in an impressionist’s painting, and with a certain charm , this is also a highly popular free-roaming series that has persisted through various console generations. Originally the character’s lack of limbs was designed to make him easier to animate more fluidly, but today it is just a unique character trait that makes him instantly recognizable.

Fable: Fable is designed by Peter Molyneux, a well known British computer game designer who is also responsible for the games Dungeon Keeper, Populous and Black and White along with his current production company Lionhead Studios. Fable is one of the more ambitious European computer games providing a huge sandbox world in which you can get married, apply for jobs and do many of the things you would do in real life. Like other European computer games it also has a very distinctly European feel and is set in a fantasy world that takes heavy cues from European history.

Anarchy Online: Anarchy online is a MMORPG (massively multiplayer online role playing game) like World of Warcraft that was developed in Norway. In many ways it was a highly groundbreaking venture featuring some of the first in game advertising, a great science fiction setting and ‘dynamic quests’. A great step forward for European computer games.

Angry Birds: An example of how European computer games can have a truly global appeal and take the world by storm. Again featuring some quirky characters and kitsch situations, this game developed by Rovio in Finland, was calculated carefully to be a game with the broadest appeal possible and a highly addictive gameplay. The strategy was a success and the game quickly became a the top selling game on iTunes and Android demonstrating just how lucrative the European computer games market really can be – and what a powerful tool these mobile platforms are for developers.

European Video Games

USA vs Europe

Both the US and Europe have an awful lot going for them, and of course it’s impossible to say definitely who ‘wins’ in a competition between USA vs Europe – it’s a very subjective decision with far too many factors. That said, we can certainly compare the two and look at how they measure up.

The first thing you need to consider when looking at the USA vs Europe is that Europe is a continent with lots of different countries whereas the USA is a single country (though North America is also a continent). This then means that in terms of diversity, the US is going to lose out. There is just one government in the US and there is just one main language; this is opposed to Europe where there are many governments and regimes, many languages and generally huge differences depending on where you go. However that said, North America is still a highly racially and ethnically diverse region. In terms of climate and scenery both America and Europe have a lot of diverse views to offer up – compare Alaska to the Grand Canyon in the US. However it’s probably fair to say that Europe has just slightly more to offer in terms of variety of scenery and this is due to one simple fact: Europe is larger than North American. If it’s cities you’re interested in however then the US is the place to enjoy some of the largest cities and New York is considerably larger than Europe;s biggest city, London. And there’s nothing quite like Vegas in Europe either…

US vs Europe

The culture in Europe and the US is very different and hard to compare as a ‘USA vs Europe’ competition. The US is relatively young compared to Europe and so it has less to offer in terms of history – there is nothing comparable to the Colosseum in Rome for instance. However at the same time, US culture now dominates – partly thanks to its flourishing entertainment industry and partly due to the huge success of capitalism that ensures that even in the remotest areas of Europe you can find a Coca-Cola dispenser. The US has largely the most influential culture in the world.

Europe vs USA

In terms of economy it’s hard to say who wins out of USA Vs Europe. This is because reports vary and it also depends on precisely what you are measuring. While wealth has fallen across the world, it seems to have dropped fastest in the US and this has left Europe with the greater share of the wealth. This is to say that Europe wins USA vs Europe in terms of wealth distribution. The EU also has the highest GDP and the largest economy, as well as the most Fortune 500 companies. That said, the US has a higher GDP than any single European country, so it is really only the combined might of those European countries that is able to compete.

Indeed the Euro was partly formed in order to compete with the dollar and so US vs Europe has never been a hotter issue. However the strength of this ‘combined’ economy is also it’s weakness and the failure of a few poorer countries that use the Euro can very much affect the value of the Euro. Meanwhile opportunities in some areas of Europe are vastly different from those in other countries – while the same opportunities are offered all across the US (though that’s not to say that the wealth is evenly distributed).

Europe vs US

In terms of military might and political influence on a global stage, it is fair to say the US has the upper hand – and this is likely to continue as long as Europe consists of smaller countries. The EU military currently consists of the various national armed forces of the 27 member states rather than a single military.

It is impossible to view the USA vs Europe objectively as they are very different creatures that are inexorably different. That said, both are huge superpowers, culturally diverse, developed and proud regions and the great thing is that we don’t have to choose between them as the two go hand in hand quite nicely…

USA vs Europe

Euro Basket 2011

Europe Blog would like to congratulate Spain for winning Euro Basket 2011. Good job guys !

France and Macedonia, better luck next time.  Also, let us not forget Lithuania. Lithuanians were wonderful host and favorites of many. Thank you for the tournament.

Immigrating to Europe

If the idea of immigrating to Europe appeals to you then you are not alone. Europe for anyone offers a great opportunity to live somewhere new and beautiful and exciting while still getting the trappings of Western life. Depending on where you move there are often a wide range of career options, a safer environment to raise a family, a better climate or a more stable economy. Likewise you may find that somewhere like Southern France offers you a more laid back way of life and a slower pace of living and this too makes European immigration a highly attractive prospect for many.

The problem is that European immigration can be tricky for those living outside the continent and there are many laws in place designed to prevent too many people from getting a European visa. Here we will look at some steps you can take to make getting a European visa easier and to improve your chances of making it in.

Get help: The first tip is to get in touch with someone who can provide you with a wealth of advice and guidance regarding immigration. In other words find an immigration attorney who will be able to use their specialist knowledge to ensure you get into the country.

Find work: When the European immigration officials look at your credentials to decide whether to provide you with a European visa, they will base this on many factors but none will be weighted as highly as having a job lined up for you which will demonstrate that once you have your European visa you will be able to help boost the economy rather than claiming benefits and thereby drain it. Try to find work by looking online or otherwise if you work for an international company ask them if they will be able to provide you with work overseas. In some cases they will even handle your European immigration and European visa for you.

Get education: Failing actual work what will also help you to get over there and get a European visa is demonstrating the ability to *find* work. In other words if you’re highly qualified or educated then your chances of getting a European visa drastically improve. Multiple degrees will give you the best shot of getting in, as will particular skills in various fields such as medical skills or trades such s carpentry or plumbing. Alternatively expertise in areas such as IT which are up and coming and highly lucrative are also highly helpful in getting that European visa for obvious reasons.

Stay clean: Conversely though having a criminal record or even a very bad credit history can badly impact your chances of getting that European visa so try to stay clean. You can even find yourself being deported after getting into the country for something you did years prior to moving there.

How to Get a European Visa