Political, financial turmoil in Greece

Hope no one gets seriously hurt in that......

I will be amazed if there isn't trouble, Lily - and this is just the start. Thing is, opposition to the EU had been pretty much confined to UKIP and other somewhat, er, eccentric, parties. Now, everyone that hasn't got their fingers in the honeypot wants to see an end to the whole business, thanks to Merkel and co.

She may get away with bullying Greece, but she's destroyed everything the whole EU idea was supposed to be about along the way.

Further back in this thread, there is a link to a big German company defrauding Greece of billions of euros in tax - why isn't Merkel jumping up and down about that, and other financial scandals involving her fellow countrymen?

...And the petrol bombs are flying.

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2015-07-15/greek-protesters-start-amassing-syntagma-square-ahead-historic-vote-riot-police-watc

Kostas Kallergis @KallergisK
Fighting in front of Greek parliament continues as assembly meets inside #Greece #Agreekment #GreekCrisis #rbnews
4:19 PM - 15 Jul 2015


Update: Things have deteriorated with protesters throwing petrol bombs at police.

GREEK PROTESTERS THROW PETROL BOMBS AT POLICE IN ANTI-AUSTERITY PROTEST CLOSE TO PARLIAMENT, POLICE RESPOND WITH TEAR GAS

I remember that, Bonny.  Nothing was done about that fraud on the Greek people, but should we be surprised?

So it begins.......

You may all be right, but you aren't seeing it from my point of view. The Euro was never supposed to be a gravy train, which Greece thought it was.

Personally, I don't care what they do. But I do know that Greece can't go on behaving in the way in which it is. Greece has to stop spending money that it does not have. This is just basic economics.

My State Pension has always been way below what your average Greeks gets. But I don't see fit to complain about that. I put up with it. Probably lucky I am to have it.
The ultimate point is that I don't starve, or anywhere near it. So I have absolutely no sympathy for silly people crying in the streets because now they are only getting what I have survived on for about ten years now.

I have no conception of The Deuche Bank, or any other Bank. But I do not believe that any bank seriously wants to stitch up any person of any Country, because there is no point.

The Greeks, but only in my opinion, have very badly taken the piss. I don't know if it was their Government, or even the common people who elected them, but I do know that it cannot go on.

Euro or Drachma? Money has to be supported, usually by silly things like Taxes, which The Greeks have lately thought they didn't need to pay.

For God's sake leave. Or stay. Just don't give me a hard time. I have been coping with austerity for too long now, albeit for perhaps different reasons.

Just consider the fact that no one can interminably spend money that they don't have.

Love you all. And really sorry if I offend.

I have no conception of The Deuche Bank, or any other Bank. But I do not believe that any bank seriously wants to stitch up any person of any Country, because there is no point.

You are absolutely wrong, Sabot. Maybe you have an old-fashioned notion of banking, and don't grasp what a greedy, international monster it has turned into?

France is in just as much of a financial mess as Greece is - they've just managed to keep the plates spinning a bit longer. When France gets the bill, these people will rip the clothes off your back for a cent profit and walk away laughing.

And I have EVERY sympathy for the homeless Greeks, for the Greeks who cannot get the most basic medical treatment, for the Greek businesses that have gone bankrupt because of 'austerity', for the elderly who have lost everything they worked and saved for, for the professional women that have been driven to prostitution to feed their families, for all the young people who have been forced to leave their homeland.

I suppose you do know that the average Greek works longer hours per week than the average German? I honestly do not know what money you imagine it is Greece has been spending. 92% of the past loans has gone straight to various banks, and this has been going on since 2008, all over the world, since public money was used to bail out failing banks.

My heart breaks for the 'silly people crying in the street' - and so should yours, because France is pretty near the top of the debt list, too. One of these days, Merkel is going to come knocking on French doors, too.

And so my opinion will never be of any importance.

You have pretty nearly deprived me of my opinion, simply because I have no desire to offend. And so I have tried to stay out of this.

Sorry, I got a bit shirty, and then got exactly what I expected.

No, I am not absolutely wrong. No one ever is. And you insult my intelligence to suppose that I am.
You are taking the worst of the worst, while the rest of us just get on with it. Whatever that might be.
But I presume that this is a Forum, wherein I might be allowed to say what I think, without recourse to insult.

And as it is, I probably know more about basic economics than you do.
.Please do not assume that I don't understand. Look to UK if you really want to get pissed off. And don't even begin to imagine that what The UK is doing is of no importance.

The UK uses The EU, but never quite comes across in return.

Vote to leave, please do that. We, the likes of me, don't want you. But then I go way back longer than you do.

I know what should have happened, but it didn't. And it is far too late now. Britain will always be the loser. And I am really sorry for that.
But then I was never an Englander.

Please just afford me my opinion.

You might have a better grasp of what is happening in Greece if you read some of the many links that have been posted about the subject, instead of the Daily Mail. And you have just pitchforked an entire nation with your dismissive remark about 'silly people crying in the streets'.

I take it you have never worked for cash in hand? Never done a job that hasn't gone through the books? Every single penny or cent you have ever earned has been reported to the taxman?

We love you too, Sabot.  I think you may have the honorable old fashioned view of banking that went by the wayside too long ago.  

The Big Banks like Deutsche had to get rid of very toxic securities and they didn't want to have to lose on them.  They needed somewhere to dump them.  Greece was one of the favored dumpees.  So, not only did they cheat them they wanted them to pay for the privilege of that outrageous criminal activity.  They will never get out of debt.....but what do the Big Vampire Bankers care?  

Coming soon to another country.........

Just a reminder of how much money the big banks were given by taxpayers - naturally, without those taxpayers' consent:

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2015-07-17/germany-approves-third-greek-bailout-wide-margin-despite-surge-nein-votes#comments


This unlocks the process on finalizing what the Third Greek bailout will look like and grants passage of the €7 billion Greek bridge loan, the bulk of whose proceeds will be used to repay the ECB and the IMF.

More ones and zeros flashing across computer screens in assorted banks - but hey, they've kicked the can for another few weeks.

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2015-07-17/greece-burning-literally


Greece Is Burning, Literally



See what happens when you offend Zeus?

Arson?

Another good article from ZH.

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2015-07-16/why-germany-would-prefer-grexit-debt-forgiveness

lily wrote:Arson?

The annual wildfires, just like most parts of that area of Europe. We are at the low end as we are near Italy and are averaging 34-40C, they get the very high temps that, just like in California, causes large conflagrations. LL

Thanks LL.  Was wondering with all the tensions etc.........

lily wrote:Thanks LL.  Was wondering with all the tensions etc.........

What tensions? Something I've missed? LL

In Greece, LL.

http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2015/07/greece-crisis-banks-greedy/398603/

Blame the Banks
Why is Greece chastised for reckless borrowing while the financial institutions that profited for years seem to get off scot-free?

That does a reasonable job of going back to the roots of this mess.

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2015-07-17/greece-burning-literally

Update: it appears that far from accidental, there may be an arson element behind these events. According to Greek ERT1 TV, "66 wildfires broke out simultaneously", which is highly improbable without human intervention, begging the question: is someone employing "scorched earth" tactics with Germany's latest vassal state?

Andrew McC Crawford @andymccc
via #ERT1 TV - 66 wildfires broke out simultaneously.


Oh, sh*t.

That Atlantic article is really good, Bonny.  Thanks for posting.

bb1 wrote:http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2015-07-17/greece-burning-literally

Update: it appears that far from accidental, there may be an arson element behind these events. According to Greek ERT1 TV, "66 wildfires broke out simultaneously", which is highly improbable without human intervention, begging the question: is someone employing "scorched earth" tactics with Germany's latest vassal state?

Andrew McC Crawford @andymccc
via #ERT1 TV - 66 wildfires broke out simultaneously.


Oh, sh*t.

I hate to say this but I really did wonder if it was arson.

Haven't the people been through enough?  Are the arsonists ordinary Greeks?  

Athens is such a majorly densely populated area.  Cannot image their horror....

It could be anyone, Lily. It could be disgruntled Greeks burning them down before they're sold off, it could be unpaid forestry workers, it could be the sharks that are circulating around Greek assets doing a bit of premature land clearance...

In a situation where there are so many angry people, and so many crooks, anything can happen.

Thank you, Bonny.  I really dread to think what might happen next.