Last week in Greece, a Socialist politician and former minister by the name of Tsochatzopoulos as well as his daughter were incarcerated for alleged fraud, corruption, and a few other bad deeds of similar and dissimilar nature. It is speculated that the remainder of the family will follow.
For anyone concerned, it is rumoured that the two are doing fine under the circumstances, and enjoy preferential treatment. In a recent declaration to media (from jail), Mr Tsochatzopoulos stressed the calamitous nature of the allegations against him. His daughter followed suit.
Dire straits for a man who is among the founders of Greece's socialist Pasok party, and VP of the European socialists.
If the allegations are proven in court, we hope that Mr Tsochatzopoulos is not a standard example of what European socialists have become. If so, Europe is in trouble.
(Coming to think of it, Europe is in trouble...)
Not all is dark and hopeless, however, and there should be hope yet in the horizon for Mr Tsochatzopoulos. A parliamentary internal affairs committee had examined allegations of corruption, apparently leaving no stone unturned, and returned a clean bill of health.
Prominent amongst the committee members signing the exoneration is the current leader of the Greek Socilast party, Mr Tourkoglu / Venizelos and a socialist minister, Mr. Loverdos -- the latter, a man of mind-boggling cretinism. Mr Loverdos single-handedly doubled the unemployment rate in Greece simply by enacting legislation limiting access to employment in Greece (2010) and revolutionised the pharmaceutical distribution network by declaring distribution centres illegal, whereby pharmacies in Greece now are missing just under 30% of the standard sku's!
For those of us planning holidays in Greece and take non-standard medication, it's a good idea to pack a few extra pills to last us the trip.
Friday, 27 April 2012
Tuesday, 24 April 2012
Where's the magic wand - transform politicians to global corporations
It seems that politicians have caught on to the fact that voters have caught on to their impotence. Not of the physical impotence which would have been heaven sent, but of the useful, action-based kind.
The French seem bent to try out a a man named Holland as President -- but watch out for the 2nd round of elections. Hollande, as the Socialist candidate is spelt, talks some of the talk and walks none of it as yet. If he were to do so, he would need a magic wand the existence of which he has kept hidden.
Maybe he is simply voicing his wish-list and he hopes daddy & mummy will foot the bill when, and if, he moves the list onto his "panier" (shopping basket).
Meanwhile in Holland proper, the government has collapsed. People there seem exasperated, and they should be; their government has had to admit it can't find the magic wand any more. Known for their tolerance, the Dutch seem to have reached the end of their tether with traditional politics.
In Greece, the world's only Soviet Democracy, "politician" is a bad word.
Accordingly, each and every Greek politician clamours to convince all & sundry of how NON political he or she is. The well-fed leader of the ruling socialist party fancy himself as a national hero, while the tepid leader of the presently (research-wise) leading party promises to rid Greece of the aforementioned well-fed native.
Come elections time, let's hope nobody is fooled. Whatever the outcome, it won't be easy for Greece to rid itself of its authoritarian junta of traditional politicians and their cronies.
So, while politicians still enjoy their unearned cookies and more, there is a lot of unrest.
WHY, what is going on?
I think that what is going on is simple:
for many years of prosperity, we left politicians on their own, to do as they liked, for as long as they did not hamper with what we were doing. On occasion they showed their appreciation by actually helping us in our pursuits such as they were, hence the projects, reforms and similar political memorabilia.
Little by little, however, politicians turned into the self-serving, corrupt, authoritarian double-crossers they have now become -- in varying degrees of course, exceptions confirming the rule. Any politician reading this is, indubitably, an exception. "Turned into" is a euphemism for "let their true virtue shine through".
I.e. politicians have become guilty of what corporations are usually taxed with by government administrations, vociferous disgruntled minorities, and generally those who didn't get their share of the loot: authoritarian attitude, shady deals, evading the law, ignoring the environment, self-serving policies, playing with shareholder value, use of marketing to absolve hypocrisy.
Arguably, Greece has the finest of the bunch. They offer a beautifully clear example of what happens when you let the thieves guard the till.
Or wolves, the lamb.
{This is a Soviet era wristwatch, made & purchased recently. It is a 40 year old model, still made today. It is sturdy, unassuming and unprepossessing. Something useful to come out of the Soviet Union. The Greeks have nothing to come out of their Soviet rule, except corruption.}
The French seem bent to try out a a man named Holland as President -- but watch out for the 2nd round of elections. Hollande, as the Socialist candidate is spelt, talks some of the talk and walks none of it as yet. If he were to do so, he would need a magic wand the existence of which he has kept hidden.
Maybe he is simply voicing his wish-list and he hopes daddy & mummy will foot the bill when, and if, he moves the list onto his "panier" (shopping basket).
Meanwhile in Holland proper, the government has collapsed. People there seem exasperated, and they should be; their government has had to admit it can't find the magic wand any more. Known for their tolerance, the Dutch seem to have reached the end of their tether with traditional politics.
In Greece, the world's only Soviet Democracy, "politician" is a bad word.
Accordingly, each and every Greek politician clamours to convince all & sundry of how NON political he or she is. The well-fed leader of the ruling socialist party fancy himself as a national hero, while the tepid leader of the presently (research-wise) leading party promises to rid Greece of the aforementioned well-fed native.
Come elections time, let's hope nobody is fooled. Whatever the outcome, it won't be easy for Greece to rid itself of its authoritarian junta of traditional politicians and their cronies.
So, while politicians still enjoy their unearned cookies and more, there is a lot of unrest.
WHY, what is going on?
I think that what is going on is simple:
for many years of prosperity, we left politicians on their own, to do as they liked, for as long as they did not hamper with what we were doing. On occasion they showed their appreciation by actually helping us in our pursuits such as they were, hence the projects, reforms and similar political memorabilia.
Little by little, however, politicians turned into the self-serving, corrupt, authoritarian double-crossers they have now become -- in varying degrees of course, exceptions confirming the rule. Any politician reading this is, indubitably, an exception. "Turned into" is a euphemism for "let their true virtue shine through".
I.e. politicians have become guilty of what corporations are usually taxed with by government administrations, vociferous disgruntled minorities, and generally those who didn't get their share of the loot: authoritarian attitude, shady deals, evading the law, ignoring the environment, self-serving policies, playing with shareholder value, use of marketing to absolve hypocrisy.
Arguably, Greece has the finest of the bunch. They offer a beautifully clear example of what happens when you let the thieves guard the till.
Or wolves, the lamb.
{This is a Soviet era wristwatch, made & purchased recently. It is a 40 year old model, still made today. It is sturdy, unassuming and unprepossessing. Something useful to come out of the Soviet Union. The Greeks have nothing to come out of their Soviet rule, except corruption.}
Invest in Greece 11: death of the calendar month OR "go directly to prison, do not pass go..."
In the newest of their string of vapidity-induced measures, the Greek government decided on 23rd April 2012, that private sector organisations are obligated to pay Social Security contributions on the month salaries are paid.
Mind you, this applies ONLY to privately owned entities!
This brings corporate cash-flow needs one month forward in a time when cash in Greece is non-existent as the state has siphoned most of it out of the market.
No problem: you can pay late at a cost of +3% -- IF your debt is below the threshold of Euro: 75k. If it is over, you go to jail, directly as in the game.
This means that corporations with long payrolls have to pay social security contributions before they know what sum the actual salary + benefits is; or, they can resort to paying personnel on the basis of a different period say, for work completed 20 days before...
In other words, in matters of remuneration, gone is the calendar month in Greece!
This makes me wonder:
the people governing Greece are writing the book on mismanagement, mistakes, and mess-making. They do all the wrong things, and they do things wrong.
Are they so unfathomably stupid -- or is this, finally, a case for the ubiquitous hidden agenda?
Mind you, this applies ONLY to privately owned entities!
This brings corporate cash-flow needs one month forward in a time when cash in Greece is non-existent as the state has siphoned most of it out of the market.
No problem: you can pay late at a cost of +3% -- IF your debt is below the threshold of Euro: 75k. If it is over, you go to jail, directly as in the game.
This means that corporations with long payrolls have to pay social security contributions before they know what sum the actual salary + benefits is; or, they can resort to paying personnel on the basis of a different period say, for work completed 20 days before...
In other words, in matters of remuneration, gone is the calendar month in Greece!
the people governing Greece are writing the book on mismanagement, mistakes, and mess-making. They do all the wrong things, and they do things wrong.
Are they so unfathomably stupid -- or is this, finally, a case for the ubiquitous hidden agenda?
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