| A Human Tragedy. 17:59 - Jun 18 with 4114 views | Discodroids |
Ive Just heard a sobering radio 5 live special report from Greece and the direct effect of austerity and the resulting E.U fallout creating strained marriages, divorces and family break up . Thus leaving children to live in crumbling orphanages where the parents can no longer look after them , feed them ,clothe them..
im not intelligent enough to understand the nuances of european treatys and fiscal reponsibilities , but when i hear of tiny children being left in conditions that reminded me of the end of the Ceausescu era, something must be very ,very wrong.
I can see these Euro M.P'S On SKY TV now at a summit discussing the Greek Bail out. ..bespoke suited ,bloated sawdust caesars on a balcony, glugging coffee and canapes.
Im just a layman, but how can a one size fits all european currency fit a culture such as Germany and one thats so different like Greece?.
id normally make a joke about Greyfrias bobby about now , but the news about the abandoned children seems abhorrent, and a terrible price to pay so these fat bastards can sit around in Brussels all day drinking cognac and slapping each other on the back.
just tragic.
Im going home to give the kids a cuddle.
[Post edited 18 Jun 2015 18:05]
|  |
| "...The monkey is never dead, Dealer. The monkey never dies. When you kick him off, he just hides in a corner, waiting his turn." |
| |  |
| A Human Tragedy. on 18:13 - Jun 18 with 2592 views | batmanhoop |
isn't simply like someone running up debt on their credit card knowing there is no way they can afford it and more importantly no intention of paying it. The irony of the EU was it would prevent conflict among European countries. Who knows what a desperate country will do in the near future and what effect it will have on countries who have played by the rules |  | | |
| A Human Tragedy. on 18:31 - Jun 18 with 2548 views | QPR_John |
I am no financial expert far from it but I have always wondered how a common currency can exist between disparate countries and economies without political union. The conclusion must be that political union is really what the EU is about but nobody likes to mention it. | | | |
| A Human Tragedy. on 19:00 - Jun 18 with 2489 views | johncharles |
I heard a retired director of the World Bank on the World Service saying that hounding Greece to pay a debt that they obviously can't pay was financial and economical nonsense. |  |
| Strong and stable my arse. |
| |
| A Human Tragedy. on 19:00 - Jun 18 with 2491 views | BklynRanger |
Terrible increase in the suicide rate in Greece in recent times. Whatever anyone says about responsible vs irresponsible fiscal policy etc etc that is a tragedy.
I saw a psychiatrist on the news last week who's main role was to counsel and prevent suicide, and his son had committed suicide only two weeks earlier. |  | | |
| A Human Tragedy. on 19:38 - Jun 18 with 2414 views | batmanhoop |
| A Human Tragedy. on 19:00 - Jun 18 by BklynRanger |
Terrible increase in the suicide rate in Greece in recent times. Whatever anyone says about responsible vs irresponsible fiscal policy etc etc that is a tragedy.
I saw a psychiatrist on the news last week who's main role was to counsel and prevent suicide, and his son had committed suicide only two weeks earlier. |
agree, increase in begging and homelessness in Italy too. Needs to be addressed sooner rather than later | | | |
| A Human Tragedy. on 19:39 - Jun 18 with 2406 views | SpiritofGregory |
Ah yes the wonders of the EU. |  | | |
| A Human Tragedy. on 19:41 - Jun 18 with 2403 views | Dorse |
From what I can gather, the Greeks aren't suggesting that they shouldn't pay their debts, simply that they want a chance to get their economy moving so that they can pay without crippling what little finances they have left through yet more austerity. The current state of affairs may lead to an entire nation whose savings disappear, pensions become worthless and salaries get cut with costs rising.
The current situation sees Greece paying something like 3% of it's GDP quarterly, paying interest on the loans to people gave them to pay off the previous loans they'd arranged with them. Effectively, taking out a mortgage to pay the interest on your previous mortgage with the same bank. The system is fcuked - the Greeks know it, the Germans know it, the rest of the EU knows it. But no-one will change it, out of sheer self interest. Countries like Ireland, Portugal, Spain et al are all shouting for Greece to take their medicine, Germany is in too deep to back down, the IMF wants it's pound of flesh or it'll blacklist them (like Zambia, Zimbabwe all the zeds) and if they default their payment to the European Central Bank, then they'll face trade sanctions. Should that happen, watch Greece pull out of the Euro.
But the point is, no-one can afford for that to happen and Greece knows it. Their position is that the Eurozone can only work if it works for everyone, and it clearly doesn't. Restructure the debt and it might. The next few weeks will need a lot of coffee for the EU finance ministers. And possibly placing Nigel Farage in stasis to protect him from unhealthy levels of schadenfreude.
The Euro is on it's hindquarters, Gentlemen. Time to pull up the drawbridge and resurrect Francis Drake. |  |
| 'What do we want? We don't know! When do we want it? Now!' |
| |
| A Human Tragedy. on 20:37 - Jun 18 with 2292 views | DWQPR |
What really angers me is that the Germans get away with anything and everything. Reunification should never been allowed to happen, they were happy to use EU funding to help pay for it, they were the first country to break the borrowing rules laid down in the treaty governing entering the Euro and what they have very short memories about is that 70 years ago the rest of the western world pumped huge amounts of cash into what was the new West Germany in order to get their economy up and running quickly to help establish the country after the ruinous effects of the war, which lest we forget the fûckers started. And now they are playing with the future of another country, which OK allowed their own citizens to cheat the tax system, but I am sure the lesson has been learned and when you are dealing with people's lives, which is the situation now in Greece, maybe it is about time to just get things going again and return to the debt at a stage when Greece returns becoming a vibrant economy. | |
| |
Login to get fewer ads
| A Human Tragedy. on 20:57 - Jun 18 with 2247 views | londonscottish |
| A Human Tragedy. on 18:31 - Jun 18 by QPR_John |
I am no financial expert far from it but I have always wondered how a common currency can exist between disparate countries and economies without political union. The conclusion must be that political union is really what the EU is about but nobody likes to mention it. |
That's the nub of it |  |
| |
| A Human Tragedy. on 21:09 - Jun 18 with 2201 views | BrianMcCarthy |
| A Human Tragedy. on 19:39 - Jun 18 by SpiritofGregory |
Ah yes the wonders of the EU. |
Christ, you're even an arsehole on a thread about human tragedy. |  |
| |
| A Human Tragedy. on 21:11 - Jun 18 with 2188 views | BrianMcCarthy |
Good post, Disco.
There's no political nuances to consider here, no point-scoring. Just tragedy. I feel for them, they've become a plaything, a political pawn. | |
| |
| A Human Tragedy. on 21:15 - Jun 18 with 2168 views | Brightonhoop |
Same in Spain I'm afraid, corruption is endemic. Nobody seems to pay tax, the collection levels are terrible. And that hasn't changed, so I think those advising caution are right, Greece may never repay it's debt. Why they cannot a lot emergency funds for people, families in particular makes no sense at all.
The Greek Govt needs to sort themselves out big time, corrupt, over spending, dodgy books and unable to collect simple taxes....some insane rule that new houses don't get taxed until the windows go in...guess what, the islands are littered with houses with no windows. So change the law retrospectively and demand people pay up or take the property from them and sell it. Crazy that some are allowed such affluence whilst others have to give up children, crazy. No good Greeks blaming others. Sort it out. Faking awful.
At least here in Spain it's 'just' dogs being dumped. It's still savage, local Church Groups looking after families by begging in the Supermarkets whilst the Vatican still sits on Nazi gold. Ffs. [Post edited 18 Jun 2015 21:26]
|  | | |
| A Human Tragedy. on 21:17 - Jun 18 with 2162 views | Jamie |
| A Human Tragedy. on 21:09 - Jun 18 by BrianMcCarthy |
Christ, you're even an arsehole on a thread about human tragedy. |
She is a castiron case of personality disorder. | | | |
| A Human Tragedy. on 21:24 - Jun 18 with 2124 views | essextaxiboy |
| A Human Tragedy. on 21:09 - Jun 18 by BrianMcCarthy |
Christ, you're even an arsehole on a thread about human tragedy. |
Happily placed on "ignore" a couple on months ago |  | | |
| A Human Tragedy. on 21:42 - Jun 18 with 2066 views | GetMeRangers |
| A Human Tragedy. on 18:31 - Jun 18 by QPR_John |
I am no financial expert far from it but I have always wondered how a common currency can exist between disparate countries and economies without political union. The conclusion must be that political union is really what the EU is about but nobody likes to mention it. |
You can not have monetary Union without political Union and centralised fiscal control. Every country has disperat micro economies. The engine of the south-east of Britain helps maintain areas that are not as thriving. The role of government is to decide who much redistribution should take place and how fair it is. Depending upon your political views, you will have your own opinion as to whether they are or not meeting your ideas
Germany has benefited tremendously with a weakened Euro caused by the failures in poorer areas. In a fair EU, those gains would be redistributed to the areas that are suffering.
The moaning we have about the money this country contributes is, depending upon your point of view, a little excessive. Britain is a richer member than some other states. If you believe in redistribution then it follows we should pay in more than we get out.
Why do we complain? Because we can see corruption all over the place within the EU and in particular the poorer states. That is my nub of grumble about the EU. Why should hard earned taxes over here go into the EU subsidies for countries rife with corruption. Similarly, it is probably why Germany is loathed to bail out this countries despite is huge financial benefit it has gained from the weakened Euro |  | | |
| A Human Tragedy. on 23:59 - Jun 18 with 1928 views | SomersetHoops |
| A Human Tragedy. on 21:42 - Jun 18 by GetMeRangers |
You can not have monetary Union without political Union and centralised fiscal control. Every country has disperat micro economies. The engine of the south-east of Britain helps maintain areas that are not as thriving. The role of government is to decide who much redistribution should take place and how fair it is. Depending upon your political views, you will have your own opinion as to whether they are or not meeting your ideas
Germany has benefited tremendously with a weakened Euro caused by the failures in poorer areas. In a fair EU, those gains would be redistributed to the areas that are suffering.
The moaning we have about the money this country contributes is, depending upon your point of view, a little excessive. Britain is a richer member than some other states. If you believe in redistribution then it follows we should pay in more than we get out.
Why do we complain? Because we can see corruption all over the place within the EU and in particular the poorer states. That is my nub of grumble about the EU. Why should hard earned taxes over here go into the EU subsidies for countries rife with corruption. Similarly, it is probably why Germany is loathed to bail out this countries despite is huge financial benefit it has gained from the weakened Euro |
It seems to me Germany benefits hugely by having a currency devalued by the basket case econometrics of countries they share the euro with, making their exports cheaper than they would otherwise be. It suits them for the euro to be in moderate crisis, so expect the Greek situation to roll on for some time yet. If Germany had any compassion for the Greeks they could sort it out easily. The problem is there are reforms the Greek government could make, such as more efficient tax collection and tackling tax evasion that would not be considered austerity, but they don't have the will to do it. Probably because politicians are some of the worst offenders. |  |
| |
| A Human Tragedy. on 06:59 - Jun 19 with 1777 views | Hoop_Du_Jour |
| A Human Tragedy. on 21:09 - Jun 18 by BrianMcCarthy |
Christ, you're even an arsehole on a thread about human tragedy. |
How is SoG being an ar5ehole??? SoG issued a reply about how wonderful the EU is with ladles of sarcasm, that would indicate agreement with the sentiment of the original post and other posters.
Maybe I'm missing something... |  | | |
| A Human Tragedy. on 07:48 - Jun 19 with 1720 views | BerkoRanger |
| A Human Tragedy. on 19:00 - Jun 18 by johncharles |
I heard a retired director of the World Bank on the World Service saying that hounding Greece to pay a debt that they obviously can't pay was financial and economical nonsense. |
And yet the Greek government are demanding even more bailout money. And lets not forget that America are the richest country in the world - and they are three trillion in debt. All of us have grossly overspent on credit cards, loans and overdrafts encouraged by advertisers to buy now and help economic growth. Maybe time is now up!  | | | |
| A Human Tragedy. on 08:14 - Jun 19 with 1675 views | BrianMcCarthy |
| A Human Tragedy. on 06:59 - Jun 19 by Hoop_Du_Jour |
How is SoG being an ar5ehole??? SoG issued a reply about how wonderful the EU is with ladles of sarcasm, that would indicate agreement with the sentiment of the original post and other posters.
Maybe I'm missing something... |
Disco's OP was about kids in dire financial straits and masses of suicides. Instead of showing empathy, like Disco and others, SoG showed none, instead making a cold, political point about the EU, as if their plight was that simple.
The situation out there is unimaginably horrible for the Greek citizens, and it's this kind of lazy, catch-all, sloganeering and politicking that will consign them to decades more of wretchedness. | |
| |
| A Human Tragedy. on 08:19 - Jun 19 with 1659 views | Metallica_Hoop |
I hope the Greeks default and go back to the Drachmas, it's the only way to save themselves.
Worryingly the EU 'President' said the they would not stop 'ever closer Union'.
I remember all the scaremongers saying we can't survive without the EURO etc blah blah. Looks like Pound lovers like me were correct all along.
 |  |
| Beer and Beef has made us what we are - The Prince Regent |
| |
| A Human Tragedy. on 08:23 - Jun 19 with 1645 views | WokingR |
| A Human Tragedy. on 21:24 - Jun 18 by essextaxiboy |
Happily placed on "ignore" a couple on months ago |
+1
Can you imagine Christmas round her house ? |  | | |
| (No subject) (n/t) on 08:37 - Jun 19 with 1614 views | Discodroids |
| |
| "...The monkey is never dead, Dealer. The monkey never dies. When you kick him off, he just hides in a corner, waiting his turn." |
| |
| A Human Tragedy. on 08:38 - Jun 19 with 1614 views | Discodroids |
unusually for me i didnt sleep too well as the sound of these little scraps of fluff crying for their parents was still haunting me this morning.. Are these the tangible assets of a balance sheet ??Families being torn apart and children orphaned over mindbending figures on a profit and loss account ?, shouldnt we have Evolved into something more than this ?.
ahh fk it ,my normal service to resume after ive had a coffee and picked another loser for ascot this afternoon. | |
| "...The monkey is never dead, Dealer. The monkey never dies. When you kick him off, he just hides in a corner, waiting his turn." |
| |
| A Human Tragedy. on 09:01 - Jun 19 with 1570 views | TheBlob |
Bloody Goldman Sachs and the others should dip into their coffers,they're the ones that encouraged the Greeks - come on in lads the water's lovely in the EU,bundles of subsidies and bailouts,pay yourselves big wages for less work don't worry about racking up the debts.
Scum bankers with deep pockets and short arms. |  |
| |
| A Human Tragedy. on 09:03 - Jun 19 with 1559 views | BromleyHoop |
| A Human Tragedy. on 08:14 - Jun 19 by BrianMcCarthy |
Disco's OP was about kids in dire financial straits and masses of suicides. Instead of showing empathy, like Disco and others, SoG showed none, instead making a cold, political point about the EU, as if their plight was that simple.
The situation out there is unimaginably horrible for the Greek citizens, and it's this kind of lazy, catch-all, sloganeering and politicking that will consign them to decades more of wretchedness. |
Brian, I normally really enjoy your posts and agree with a lot of what you say but I do agree with Hoop de jour on this. Pretty much all the posts on this thread have made political comments on the EU. |  |
| |
| |
By continuing to use the site, you agree to our use of cookies and to abide by our Terms and Conditions.
