January 18, 2008 N°. 583 - Vol. 6
“Trouble brings experience, and experience brings wisdom.”
In today's Law Firm Marketing: Web sites: make your prospect's job easier and attract more new clients
Default fears unnerve markets
The turmoil on Wall Street is beginning to rock a foundation of the financial system: the ability of institutions to make good on their many trades with one another. Today, a struggling bond insurer, ACA Financial Guaranty Corp., will ask its trading partners for more time as it scrambles to unwind more than $60 billion of insurance contracts it sold to financial firms but can't fully pay off, according to people familiar with the matter. The contracts were intended to protect Wall Street firms from losses on mortgage securities and other debt they own. The problem is that the insurer itself is teetering -- with repercussions across the financial world. Some of its trading partners, called counterparties, already are writing off billions of dollars because of its inability to pay.
Italian justice minister resigns
Italy's Justice Minister Clemente Mastella has said he is stepping down after his wife was put under house arrest over a corruption scandal. Mastella said the inquiry was part of a witch-hunt against him. It has emerged in a court document that he, too, is under investigation. Prosecutors are looking into allegations of a corrupt hospital appointment at a state hospital in Caserta near Naples. In a statement, Prime Minister Prodi said he rejected his justice minister's resignation. Click here to read more.
NYSE Euronext to acquire American Stock Exchange
Transatlantic exchange NYSE Euronext said on Thursday it agreed to acquire the American Stock Exchange (Amex) for $260 million in stock to boost its options business, exchange traded funds and cash products. Exchanges worldwide have embarked on a consolidation spree to expand into new markets. NYSE Euronext operates the New York Stock Exchange and runs bourses in Paris, Amsterdam, Brussels, Lisbon and operates the Euronext.Liffe derivatives exchange.
Brazil starts celebrating arrival of first Japanese 100 years ago
Brazil Thursday raised the curtain on months of celebrations marking 100 years of Japanese immigration that have created the biggest ethnic Japanese community in the world outside Japan. Lula oversaw the launch ceremony, ushering in a program of more than 200 events over the rest of the year. The highlight will come in June, the centenary of the first Japanese arrivals on board a ship on June 18, 1908 who were headed to work on Brazil's thriving coffee plantations.
Germany redrafts Volkswagen law after EU court ruling
The German Federal Ministry of Justice Wednesday circulated a new draft of a law aimed at maintaining state control over auto maker Volkswagen AG . The European Court of Justice ruled in October 2007 that a previous version of the law, which protects Volkswagen from hostile takeovers, was illegal because it limited "the free movement of capital" and discouraged foreign direct investment in Germany. The new version drops a provision that limited shareholder voting rights to 20 percent, but requires the agreement of shareholders holding more than 80 percent of all shares to approve important changes. The European Commission initially challenged the "Volkswagen Law" in 2005. In February 2007, Advocate General Damaso Ruiz-Jarabo of the ECJ advised the court that the law should be repealed, saying the law restricts the free movement of capital and "strengthens the position of the Federal Government and the land, preventing any intervention in the management of the company."
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China cracks down on inside deals
China has warned its government officials against profiting from insider trading. Communist Party officials found to be acting on privileged information in stock market or business deals will be punished, the corruption watchdog said.
Web sites: make your prospect's job easier and attract more new clients
I've seen a lot of discussion about how to get prospects to come back to your Web site over and over. The thought is that the more often they return, the more likely they are to hire your services.
Personally, I think it’s asking a lot to hope or expect a prospect to come back to your site again and again. Frankly, you’re lucky to get him to visit your site once much less two or three times. Even more times, and your task becomes nearly impossible.
Here’s how I approach it: The first time a prospect comes to my site, I give him lots of good reasons to give me his name and e mail address. I place “submit” forms all over my site even in my welcome message so if my prospect spends only 60 seconds at my site, I still have a reasonable opportunity to capture his name and e mail address.
You can use submit forms for many reasons: At my site, my prospect can (1) add his name to my e mail list, (2) request additional articles, or (3) ask a marketing question all of which result in his giving me his name and e mail address. And all of which result in my adding his name to my mailing list.
Once I have his e mail address, he never has to return to my site. Instead, I send my Lawyer Marketing Alert, so this lawyer hears from me weekly even if he never goes back to my Web site. In this way, I still provide him with ongoing information, and he has to exert no effort to get it. And if my prospect ever wants off my list, he sends me an “unsubscribe” message and he’s history. Fortunately, I get many more add-ons than deletes.
So, don’t spend time trying to get prospects back to your Web site again and again. Put your effort into getting prospects to your site once. Then capture their names and addresses (or e mail addresses). In this way, YOU assume the burden of communicating with prospects and you control the flow of information. This is much easier for your prospect and much more profitable for you.
© Trey Ryder
FREE LAWYER MARKETING ALERT: If you'd like to receive Trey Ryder's weekly Lawyer Marketing Alert, send an e-mail to [email protected]. Write "Subscribe LMA" in the subject line and write your name and e-mail address in the body of the message.
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Tren
El Gobierno argentino ha firmado un acuerdo con el consorcio francés Alstom para la construcción del que será el primer tren de alta velocidad del país sudamericano y del continente, uniendo las ciudades de Buenos Aires, Rosario y Córdoba.
Colombia – Venezuela
Mientras los presidentes de Colombia, Álvaro Uribe, y de Venezuela, Hugo Chávez, continúan intercambiando acusaciones mutuas, la Asamblea Nacional venezolana reconoció a las guerrillas colombianas como grupos beligerantes y no como organizaciones terroristas, atendiendo una propuesta del presidente Chávez.
Chile x Perú
Un día después de que Perú presentara su demanda fronteriza en La Haya, la Presidenta Michelle Bachelet recalcó que Chile mantiene su postura de que no existen asuntos limítrofes pendientes entre ambos países y que esto se dará a conocer como corresponde. En tanto, autoridades peruanas conforman una Subcomisión multipartidaria para apoyar del Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores ante la Corte Internacional de Justicia por el diferendo marítimo.
Asilo
El ex vice-canciller boliviano Jorge Gumucio, que enfrenta un proceso penal en Bolivia por la venta ilegal de visas para ciudadanos chinos, pidió asilo político en Estados Unidos, por una supuesta falta de garantías en el sistema judicial boliviano.
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Ahmadinejad scorns US and Israel
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has accused Bush of "sowing the seeds of division" during his recent Middle East visit. He said Bush had brought a "message of confrontation" during his tour, during which he warned Arab allies that Iran posed a threat. He spoke as Israel announced it had test-fired a ballistic missile. Reports in the Israeli media said the long-range missile was aimed at intercepting aerial threats against the Jewish state. Israel radio said the weapon could carry an unconventional payload, an apparent reference to a nuclear warhead. The Iranian leader also said Israel "would not dare" attack Iran.
Recession fears unsettle markets
Weak manufacturing data and massive losses at Merrill Lynch send US shares tumbling sharply lower. The benchmark Dow Jones industrial average fell 306.95 points, or 2.46%, to close at 12,159.21. A survey showed that factory activity in the US mid-Atlantic region slowed to levels that typically signal recession.
Kenya's Protests: A Moment of Truth?
Kenyan opposition supporters vow to defy a ban on rallies for a third day in protest over disputed elections. The European Parliament has called for the EU to suspend budgetary support to the Kenyan government in the wake of post-election violence there.
Chile-Peru spat over sea border
Chile has summoned home its ambassador to Peru for consultations, amid resurgent tensions between the neighbors over maritime boundaries. The recall comes a day after Peru asked the International Court of Justice at The Hague to consider the dispute. Now the Chilean foreign minister says he wants to consult their envoy to Lima to "ensure a decent legal defense". At stake is a large area of sea which is rich in fish, representing an important source of commercial income.
SEC Requests Money-Market Data
The Securities and Exchange Commission is sending out examination letters requesting information from mutual-fund companies about how they value and assess their money-market fund holdings. In particular, the SEC says it is focused on asset holdings, valuation and board oversight for the funds.
Press president
Sarkozy enjoys a closer relationship with the press than any previous French president. But his 'saturation' strategy raises fears for media freedom. From the very beginning, he has styled himself as a star and, as his recent romance with pop star Carla Bruni has shown, he enjoys going public with his private life. Sarkozy's strategy is to saturate the media. Every new event that happens under Sarkozy starts before the end of the last one. This means there is no space for the opposition and no space for the media to make commentary, or analysis and evaluation, on what happened during the last media event.
Film directors agree studio deal
Film directors in the US have reached a contract deal with film and TV studios after five days of negotiations. It could put pressure on striking writers to end their 10-week walkout. The Writers Guild of America has been on strike since November over "residuals" - royalties for work distributed online or on DVD.
Qantas may seek Dreamliner payout
Australian airline Qantas has said it will seek compensation from Boeing after a second delay in the delivery of the plane maker's 787 Dreamliner jet. Qantas could claim damages in certain circumstances under the terms of its contract with Boeing. Analysts have compared the problems to those suffered by Boeing's rival European plane maker Airbus, which was hit by costly production problems to its flagship super jumbo A380 and had to pay huge compensation costs.
Total guilty of French oil spill
A court in Paris has convicted French oil company Total of "maritime pollution" over France's worst oil disaster in 1999. The tanker Erika sank 75km (45 miles) off the coast of Brittany, leaking 20,000 tons of oil into the sea. Fuel contaminated 400km of coastline after the tanker broke up on 12 December 1999. Total was fined 375,000 euros and ordered to pay a share of nearly 200m euros in damages. The fine was the maximum penalty allowed.
TGV in Argentina
Alstom is leading a consortium that has won a $1.3bn contract to build a high-speed rail link (TGV – train a Grande Vitesse) in Argentina. Argentina's President, Cristina Kirchner and the French Transport Minister, Dominique Bussereau, signed a letter of intent in Buenos Aires on Wednesday. The 700km link is due to be completed in 2011 and will connect Buenos Aires with the northeastern city of Cordoba in 3 hours (from 14). There is also a strong demand for Alstom's power generating equipment in countries such as Brazil and China.
Nano car factory cases dismissed
A court in the Indian state of West Bengal has ruled that land acquired for manufacturing the world's cheapest car by Tata Motors was done legally. The decision comes a week after industrialist Ratan Tata unveiled the Nano car, priced at $2,500.
Libya Faces Billions in Fines For 1989 Airline Bombing
The Libyan government and six of its officials face billions of dollars in fines for their role in a 1989 airline bombing. All 170 people aboard UTA flight 172 were killed when a suitcase bomb exploded en route from the Republic of Congo to Paris. The jet blew up over the desert in Niger, killing all aboard. If Libya does not pay the award soon after it is final, attorneys can move to seize Libyan asserts inside the U.S.
CIA chief never objected to destruction of interrogation videos: Lawyer
Former CIA Director Porter Goss never objected to plans by former head of the clandestine branch of the CIA Jose Rodriguez to destroy destruction of videotapes showing CIA interrogation of terror suspects, Rodriguez's lawyer said Thursday. This contradicts reported Wednesday closed session testimony before the US House Select Committee on Intelligence by Acting General Counsel for the CIA John Rizzo that Rodriguez ordered the tapes destroyed against the direction of both Goss and himself. Goss declined to comment when asked about his role in approving the tapes' destruction by an AP reporter. Rodriguez is currently at the center of an investigation by the US House Select Committee on Intelligence and a criminal probe spearheaded by the US Department of Justice (DOJ). Rodriguez was excused from testifying before the House subcommittee earlier in the week because he said that he would refuse to answer questions unless he was granted immunity for fear that his testimony could be used against him in the DOJ criminal investigation.
US, Mexico strengthen gun checks
The US has said it will give Mexico access to an electronic database to trace weapons smuggled from the US to powerful drug gangs across the border. US Attorney General Michael Mukasey said Mexican police who seized arms could use the system to notify the US who would then target the dealers.
In Today's World, the Well-Rested Lose Respect
From Bill Clinton to Martha Stewart, many successful people brag about how little sleep they need. But sleep researchers say some people sneak in some extra shut-eye during the day, and the truly sleep-deprived usually pay a price.
Kenya braced for further protests
BBC News, Centrist newscaster, London, England
Nkunda's rebel group spells out demands
CongoPlanet.com, Independent online news aggregator
CPP will remove politics of bitterness, anger - Nduom
GhanaWeb, Online news portal, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Kenya: End Police Use of Excessive Force
Human Rights Watch (Africa), International news press releases
Lekota sentenced for speeding
africa, Online news portal, Cape Town, South Africa
Lekota's 'intense remorse'
Independent Online, News portal, Cape Town, South Africa
Sanef slams arrest of journalist
Mail & Guardian Online, Liberal, Johannesburg, South Africa
Boy stabbed 9 times for phone
News24.com, Online news portal, Cape Town, South Africa
Chinese firm to explore oil in Costa Rica
Brazil Sun, Independent online news aggregator
Junior Reid and Eve together?
Caribbean News Portal, Online news aggregator
UN: Unacceptable Compromise by Rights Council on Darfur
Human Rights Watch (Americas), International news press releases
Chile-Argentina: Pascua Lama Mining Project on Hold
IPS Latin America, International cooperative of journalists, Rome, Italy
'Save our men'
Jamaica Gleaner, Independent daily, Kingston, Jamaica
Peru: Photo of the day - Keeping Children from Gambling
Living in Peru, News portal, Lima, Peru
Taser executive faces tough questions
The Globe and Mail, Centrist daily, Toronto, Canada
Innocent bystander shot dead
Toronto Star, Liberal daily, Toronto, Canada
Indonesia central bank not worried about rupiah
Antara News, News agency, Jakarta, Indonesia
Promising Signs as Lee Talks to Lawmakers
Chosun Ilbo, Conservative daily, Seoul, South Korea
Girl found murdered in Mumbai
India Times, Conservative daily, New Delhi, India
Brewing sake amid a cacophony of miracles
Japan Times, Independent centrist, Tokyo, Japan
US company 'cloned humans and made stem cells'
New Zealand Herald, Conservative daily, Auckland, New Zealand
Teens taunted tiger before lethal zoo attack
People's Daily Online, English-language, Beijing, China
Tom Cruise vows to 'clean this place up'
Sydney Morning Herald, Centrist daily, Sydney, Australia
Goa: Congress, NCP emissaries hold talks
The Hindu, Left-leaning daily, Chennai, India
Experts probe Heathrow air crash
BBC News, Centrist newscaster, London, England
BA jet crash-lands at Heathrow
International Herald Tribune, Independent daily, Paris, France
Panic selling shuts 2bn property fund
The Guardian, Liberal daily, London, England
UN criticises Burma's 'slow progress'
The Irish Times, Centrist daily, Dublin, Ireland
Experts probe Heathrow plane's crash landing
The Telegraph, Conservative daily, London, England
Hollywood strike 'nears end, as studios cave in
Times Online, Conservative daily, London, England
Jordan, Egypt to Cooperate Vs. Israel Anti-Terror Ops
Arutz Sheva, Online, right-wing, Tel Aviv, Israel
Bahraini Bank Suspends Business with Iran
Asharq Al-Awsat, Pan-Arab daily, London, England
Kenyan protests to end after Friday
Gulf News, Independent daily, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
New ambassador to U.K. steps up PR to boost Israel's image
Haaretz, Liberal daily, Tel Aviv, Israel
Rights-Iran: Gov't "Leading by Fears", Activists Say
IPS Middle East, International cooperative of journalists, Rome, Italy
Saudi Arabia's inflation reaches 6.5% in December
Middle East North African Network, Online financial portal, Amman, Jordan
U.S., Israel on Canadian Torture Watch List
Nahamet, Online news portal, Beirut, Lebanon
US, Iran vie for China's ear over proposed UNSecurity Council sanctions
The Daily Star, Independent daily, Beirut, Lebanon
Security authorities crack down on rally activists (Front)
Yemen Times, Independent weekly, Sana'a, Yemen
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