Greece...

[????]

...it's gonna end in fooking tears aint it?

[maxxi]

???? Wrote:

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> ...it's gonna end in fooking tears aint it?

Word. (Greece is the...)

[numbers]

from my hero, Larry the Cat*

"Germany's got chills, they're multiplying. And its losing control. 'Cos the bailout they're supplying. It's intensifying."

*follow him on twitter @Number10cat (sorry quids, I know you hate twatter)

[Loz]

???? Wrote:

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> ...it's gonna end in fooking tears aint it?

I'm not so sure. The new Greek PM has publicly said that he doesn't want to exit the EU or come out of the Euro. And, if you aren't willing to walk away, your negotiating position isn't strong. The EU has had two years to prepare for Grexit - you can bet they have a plan in place.

I suspect that a deal will be made to try and make both sides look good, but actually little will change.

[apbremer]

Hurrah for the Greeks! I just hope that they can torpedo the wretched Euro and give a broken Europe some hope. I can even forgive that walking disaster, GB. for keeping us out!!

[Jeremy]

Not convinced Alexis Tzipras (sp?) is the safest pair of hands - but you certainly can't blame the Greek people for wanting radical change.

[MrBen]

"We want to be in the Euro but we want you to write of our massive debt incurred through our own fiscal incompetence" isn't going to wash.

Give them the boot.

[Salsaboy]

Down with the Euro. Bring back whatever it was before. I never liked it.

[Gardenman]

The expression " Never a lender, nor a borrower be" comes to mind!

The European banks have had their boot on the necks of the Greek people, & the Greek government up to now run corruptly by 2 families for the last 30 odd years, were making people unemployed as their main policy to somehow pay back the money borrowed & used by themselves & their non tax paying friends. Something had to give. And Europe, mainly Germany & the banks are scared! But one has to ask; why did they loan the money to a country with a very poor GDP & corrupt system?? Did they seriously think the people would be happy to pay for money they never got to see? Not too different from the UK!!

[Michael Palaeologus]

I liked the Drachma. It was part of a Greek island holiday.

[Blah Blah]

Indeed Gardenman. I think Greece reched that tipping point of the haves and have nots some time ago. And most Western governments operate a system which is about not getting to that tipping point, rather than tackling poverty and unemployment. Corruption is commonplace in all economies, including our own. We have a political party in power for example, funded by the very institutions (ie the banks) who created the recent financial catastrophe. When government and corporations are in bed like that together, there's very little the people can do but take to the streets and withdraw labour. If they happen to live in a 'democracy' (whatever that actually means anymore) they can also elect radical parties into power.

The outcome will be most likely that Greece is allowed to renegotiate repayment terms. The last thing the EU wants is a collapsed economy on it's doorstep, and bang in the centre of the mediterranean.

[Michael Palaeologus]

I suspect that there will be a little flexibility but not enough. The Germans are talking tough and this is obviously pre-negotiation posturing. However, Greece is economically and physically peripheral. For Greece to leave the Euro is not a complete disaster for Europe. Perhaps for Greece but not necessarily. The Greeks managed with a basket case economy with the Drachma. It was entering the Euro that was the trigger for massive over-spending, because they could.

German eyes will be on Spain, Italy and Portugal. if Greece receives a Get Out of Jail card, others will want one and that wont wash with the German voter and is unsustainable for the economy of Europe.

German politicians and EU bureaucrats are saying the once unsayable, "Of course we want Greece to stay in the Euro, but it they leave, we can live with it".

[DulwichFox]

Germany seems to have a short memory..

Wasn't their post war debt written off in 1953 .??

DulwichFox

[DulwichFox]

Michael Palaeologus Wrote:

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> I liked the Drachma. It was part of a Greek island

> holiday.

Something very strange has just happened.. I have just found a 100 Drachma note on my coffee

table in front of me amongst all the other documents piled up.

I have not been to Greece since 1994. ?? So its been floating around my living room for 20 years..

Don't tidy up that often. Just tend to move piles of crap around from time to time.

DulwichFox

[KidKruger]

I think Greece needs to present it's credentials for remaining part of economic Europe.

Otherwise a precedent is set for milking Europe as a charity.

Separately they need to pay back the money they borrowed, and squandered.

Sorry, but if you make the bed, you lie in it. Nobody did this to Greece but Greece.

[Otta]

The sequel deserves more respect than it gets.

Michelle Pfeiffer in tight leather trousers gets my vote any day.

[Otta]

http://www.michelemollkoy.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/untitledgy09.png?w=206

I mean come on!!!!

[Loz]

Well I think we can safely guess what Otta was doing between 11.22 and 11.28 this morning.

[miga]

I

[Seabag]

DulwichFox Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Michael Palaeologus Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > I liked the Drachma. It was part of a Greek

> island

> > holiday.

>

> Something very strange has just happened.. I have

> just found a 100 Drachma note on my coffee

> table in front of me amongst all the other

> documents piled up.

>

> I have not been to Greece since 1994. ?? So its

> been floating around my living room for 20

> years..

>

> Don't tidy up that often. Just tend to move piles

> of crap around from time to time.

>

> DulwichFox

Now there's a suprise

[baroldmc]

If the new Greek government could show that their country can instate fair, equitable tax collection and that it can stamp out the easy corruption that pervades, then perhaps their creditors would give them a second chance. Otherwise, I see little hope. Of avoiding a damaging impasse for the EU

[Seabag]

Haaa haa

" jokes "

Ever worked in Greece baroldmc ?

[Blah Blah]

Tax is though an important issue for Greece. But how do you impose a system that has never really exisited when people are prepared to riot in the streets?

[Loz]

Tax evasion. The national sport of Greece.

[Loz]

Looks like for all their brave election words, Syriza have realised that the only way they are going to move forward is to agree roughly the same deal with the Troika, but call it something different.

It's like, 'Rejoice! We have told the Troika that they are not going to roger us senseless anymore! After careful negotiation, we are now entering an exciting new programme of exuberant sphincter penetration..."