Andreas Papandreou would be proud -- but he's dead. Greeks are alive but miserable.

Never since the '60s has Greece been headline news as now! Then it was Sirtaki, Sophia Loren on Hydra, Greek kefi (

Later, in the '80s, noises from a premier Andreas Papandreou (father of the current premier @ the same name) renewed lukewarm interest in the country, as the man amusingly referred to terrorists as "freedom fighters" and incessantly frustrated Americans & US policy in public (he was a US citizen) , there was something to say.

Since then, not much -- until now, that is. ever since Greece voted its Socialists back to power in October 2009, Greece has hit the headlines.

Not directly because of the Socialist government; rather, because of its huge debt and a reported ethical lassitude that hit the news very hard.

Andreas Papandreou, the father of the current premier, is reportedly the man who led Greece onto the path that led to the financial and ethical bankruptcy of today

He is also the man who first in Greece used the media to practise Goebbels type propaganda with Soviet euphemisms in official statements; for example, the tax increase in the current austerity plan in Greece is called "Measures to re-establish justice in taxation"... Since his time, politicians particularly those of Socialist persuasion, have been able to hoodwink Greeks into believing that the earth is flat.

* That others are all the root of all evil; not "us".

* That successive Greek governments will hoodwink "others" into lending us money for nothing ("...and the chicks for free" said the song).

* That others made us goes into a spending spree...


Anyway, Greek governments since the 1980's continued in Andreas Papandreou's glorious footsteps and now we have two important money men travelling to Germany to meet up with the chancellor for the sake of Greece. And other matters no doubt.

Because as we all realise, now is the time to pay the bill and "others" have to lend us the money. Not only that, but it is a lot of money: at least half total estimated public debt! The money-men DID think of Greece's near future in their proposed rescue plan.

And all must pay back money some have pocketed.

And Greek television still stars its politicians!
Goodness, the Romanians would have hanged them, and Romanians are known to be temperate people!