I Am Greek (Will I Work for Peanuts?)

collage via tromaktiko.gr

No Pasarán

 Yesterday's vote of the Cypriot parliament to the EuroGroup-suggested (!!) plan for cutting a significant percentage of money deposits of citizens and companies in Cypriot banks was met with a resounding NO. There was not a single "yes" among the votes. For once hellenism stood and opposed the vulture-like appetites of the European credit system, instead of succumbing like Greek politicians have done so far, with George A. Papandreou leading this catastrophic dance.

But nothing is simple. In Cyprus right now there is a strenuous battle going on: between Berlin and Moscow. There is great Russian and British interest in Cyprus and its banking system, because many companies and individuals from those two countries have bank deposits in its banks. There is also the geopolitical importance of the island, the gas reserves, the proximity to Turkey controlled pipes etc.
 It is also the apex of the strange, economically-wielded World Word War III which looks like it will demolish the dream of the Unified Europe, because there is no will (and no resistance) to oppose the disruptive voices. And Germany (its administrations) is again responsible for the ominous Balkanization of Europe with all the repercussions this might entail. It remains to be seen if Cyprus will be the explosive cocktail to set Europe on fire.

Song to Athens: Nick Cave and His Lighting Bolts

It probably takes someone who has lived and loved this city and the Greek people (both locally and in Australia) to feel and share the dread of what this fate inflicted on us means for the whole world: a darkly foreboding tale of despair.

Επανάσταση και κοινωνικό υπόβαθρο

Από άρθρο του Κάρολου Μπρούσαλη: "Θέλει παιδεία η επανάσταση"
(http://bit.ly/XXACWU).

Η κατευθυνόμενη λογική θέλει τα «παιδιά των βορείων προαστίων» να παίρνουν τα όπλα για να διασκεδάσουν την ανία τους, καθ’ όσον «τα έχουν όλα». Όμως, «τα είχε όλα» και ο κόμης Μιραμπό στη Γαλλία του 1789, όταν επέβαλε τον «όρκο του σφαιριστηρίου» και πρώτος σήκωσε μπαϊράκι ενάντια στον Λουδοβίκο ΙΣΤ’. «Τα είχε όλα» και ο δούκας της Ορλεάνης που μετέτρεψε τους απέραντους κήπους του σε άσυλο των διαδηλωτών, τον ίδιο καιρό. Και «όλα τα είχε» ο δημοσιογράφος Ντεμουλέν που καλούσε «στα όπλα» τα πλήθη, τα οποία τελικά κυρίευσαν την Βαστίλλη.
Πατέρα ραβίνο και πλούσιο δικηγόρο είχε ο Καρλ Μαρξ, πατέρα εργοστασιάρχη ο Φρίντριχ Έγκελς που συνέγραψαν το κομμουνιστικό μανιφέστο στα 1848. Τσιφλικάς ήταν ο πατέρας του Μιχαήλ Αλεξάντροβιτς Μπακούνιν που ίδρυσε τον αναρχισμό και πήρε τα όπλα όπου υπήρχε εστία αναταραχής στην εποχή του. Πρίγκιπας, ο Πέτρος Κροπότκιν που θεμελίωσε επιστημονικά τον αναρχισμό διδάσκοντας: «Ο νόμος της εξέλιξης της ανθρωπότητας είναι ο νόμος της προόδου. Το Κράτος είναι εμπόδιο στην εξέλιξη και μέλλει να καταργηθεί». Είτε το θέλουμε είτε όχι, η επανάσταση συμβαδίζει με την καλή μόρφωση. Γι’ αυτό κι ο Κοραής επιθυμούσε μορφωμένο λαό που θα οδηγιόταν στον ξεσηκωμό εναντίον των Τούρκων.

Lessons from the Greek Crisis 5: There Will Be Oranges

This is a Western world country. This is a bag of oranges, part of farmers' association gifting of their products to the needy in protest for having their prices dropped while their costs have skyrocketed. These are not beggars, but normal, everyday people who have lost their jobs, seen their pensions cut down to nothing, lost their income and their livelihood and have become hopeless.
This is our dignity brought to its knees while the IMF is admitting their "wrong calculations" but isn't changing anything.

This is a 6 February 2013 exhibit.

For how much longer?

More pics: lifo.gr

Christmas Gifts

by Kipper Williams for Guardian

Greece is its own gift.

Lessons from the Greek Crisis 4: Because there are people who are hungry

"We must both have been hungry because we constantly led the conversation round to food. "What is your favorite dish, grandad?" "All of them, my son. It's a great sin to say this is good and that is bad." "Why? Can't we make a choice?" "No, of course we can't." "Why not?" "Because there are people who are hungry." I was silent, ashamed. My heart had never been able to reach that height of nobility and compassion. "

 ~Nikos Kazantzakis, Life and Adventures of Alexis Zorbas

film still from Zorba, the Greek