Posted on 02/13/2015 2:11:33 PM PST by Kaslin
At midnight, Greece turns into a pumpkin. The clock is clearly ticking but is this the 10th or 11th hour?
Given the eurozone propensity to extend deadline after deadline, it's hard to say precisely what time this is. But we can say Greek Bailout Talks with Europe Break Down.
Eurozone finance ministers’ first attempt to grapple with the bailout demands made by the new Greek government broke down in recriminations after the two sides failed even to agree a way to take negotiations forward after six hours of talks in Brussels.Does Anyone Really Know What Time It Is?
Jeroen Dijsselbloem, the Dutch finance minister who chairs the committee of his 18 colleagues, said that while he had hoped a blueprint for future talks could have been agreed at the session, no negotiations were scheduled ahead of a self-imposed deadline to reach agreement on a bailout extension by Monday.
Although no final deal on Greece’s proposals was in the offing at Wednesday’s meeting, senior eurozone officials had hoped that, following days of public sniping over what a new bailout programme might look like, Athens and its creditors could at least find a road map to resolving the standoff.
But officials said even those low expectations were not met and there are currently no talks expected before another meeting of finance ministers on Monday, where eurozone leaders had hoped a deal could be clinched.
According to eurozone officials involved in the talks, a joint statement had been agreed between the finance ministers and Yanis Varoufakis, their new Greek counterpart, that would have held out the chance of reaching a deal to extend Greece’s current €172bn programme beyond its February 28 expiration.
But after the meeting broke up, Mr Varoufakis consulted officials in Athens and then raised new objections to the statement’s wording, and despite efforts to find an 11th-hour compromise, the statement was scrapped. Greek prime minister Alexis Tsipras has vowed not to extend the current bailout.
In honor of the 10th, 11th, or whatever hour, I offer this musical tribute:
Does Anybody Really Knows What Time It Is?
Actually at first it worked too well.
All of the silver they imported from their colonies debased the currencies of Europe and caused massive inflation.
Portugal has (IMNVHO, of course) profound economic problems. Big international conglomerates very often do NOT provide high levels of employment in their home country, in which right unemployment reportedly hovers somewhere in the neighborhood of 15%, and in real life may be, as these things go, somewhat higher. I am sure many an unemployed Joao really gets a patriotic thrill walking past those jazzy HQ buildings.
(a)off the cuff,
(b)ignorant,
(c) asshat comments
In re:
(a): Most assuredly, however there is a lot written on the cuff
(b): In many areas
(c):I have forwarded your stirring defense of Portugal to the appropriate Chamber of Commerce, however they may not approve of your intemperate language.
I do however, somewhat agree with your off-the-cuff generalized remarks about the Euro
OBTW, welcome to the site. Keep those posts coming!
Ironically, it was a massive silver strike near Athens that helped propel them ahead of the other cities Athens came to dominate and also financed Athenian colonies and trading posts abroad.
This entire display of gamesmanship for the world to see is just a show.
It’s an “Eminence Front”.
It’s a put on.
For what it’s worth from my perspective and for those that are listening.
Deception is so commonplace among so many countries in the Middle east that we in the “west” don’t get it.
I would include Greece in this group.
Not so much Italy.
But all the Arab states certainly practice the art of deception to advance their goals.
Americans don’t understand the need to lie or deceive any counter-party in any transaction.
We think that those “counter parties” have a the same fundamental foundation for truth that we have.
They don’t.
It’s in many ways the difference between Peter and Paul.
Here's what Alexis Tsipras says about it:
"What happened in Chile when the dictatorship fell, what is happening in Venezuela today, what happened in Argentina ten years ago, when the IMF left Argentina, all this constitutes experiences that make us much richer and help us to perfect and concretise our strategy, both in Greece and in Europe."
At the same time, Venezuela and Bolivia are copying the Greek Model!
Greece is looking for a total reset.
Debt forgiveness without austerity ?
Those that have been given debt forgiveness are right back where they started.
It’s an issue of the culture and it’s acceptance of corruption that the people accept as normal.
It’s ultimately, IMHO, the difference between who is thought to be “the source” of rights vs the “custodians”.
True, free market capitalism is really scary.
Free market capitalism is the purest form of the expression of human nature.
This expression is what the Leftist fear.
They think that “everybody” is out to screw over everybody they can because that is what they would do.
True capitalism is a leap of faith in the integrity of ones fellow man.
Leftist’s, progressives have no faith in their fellow man. They don’t trust the capitalist because they don’t trust themselves.
At the end of the day it all comes down to “The Fall”
Man is flawed according to God.
or
Man and society is a work in progress.
The question the progressive liberal has always underlies their foundation of uncertainty.
Liberals are very proud and while they accept certain aspects of the “Fall” they can’t, like most Arabs accept the “fall” in it’s entirety.
Judge me not ye saints for my history may be tainted
But I’m sober enough to know blood when I see it
I’ve borne my share of stones most of them easily thrown
But who’s to deny your water shed side leading me home?
What am I supposed to do about it now?
Past regrets and long laments, they find me somehow
O, what am I supposed to do about it now?
What have I to do but fall down?
To spy from far away may seem that I’m one to betray
But O, how I try the spirit to guide, the promise you made
What am I supposed to do about it now?
Past regrets and long laments, they find me somehow
O, what am I supposed to do about it now?
What have I to do but fall down?
Hold me up, never let me go
Love me when I am broken and speak to me
What am I supposed to do about it now?
Past regrets and long laments, they find me somehow
O, what am I supposed to do about it now?
What have I to do but fall down?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5zjOl3DpZA
The “What am I supposed to do about it now” is the issue.
Faith ?
or
Force ?
They seem to have chosen force.
another perspective, from the economist
what is the collateral on these loans?
if there is no collateral, then perhaps the problem is with the loaners.
yet another take
http://america.aljazeera.com/opinions/2015/2/germany-owes-greece-for-nazi-era-debts.html
...but not for long...seems that the Turks are re-introducing islamic curriculum into the schools......Ataturk spinning in grave.
Greece needs a Pinochet type figure.
Greece needs to bail out of the Euro and the Eurozone. Default the debt and go back to basics
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