Gotta feel for the Greek people

[Robert Taylor]

Yep - too many benefits for people. 14 to 16 months salary for g'ment works per year, retire on 80% at 55.

You cannot spend spend spend and borrow, borrow borrow and expect not to go broke. Thank fuck JK got in and broke the labour "spend spend spend and borrow, borrow borrow" model and actually is making NZ live within its means.

of course the leafties want more and more for the poor and nett takers of soceity - they are the fuckers that cause the issue - so Wayhay National ! way to go guys !

Couldnt agree more, too many people elect Governments that promise to give give give but where the flippin heck does the money come from in the first place? The Greeks have obviously gone for the soft options for way too long, as we did here. Now they are paying the price. Same with the poms, and they are so bloody stupid. They had a golden opportunity to elect a Tory government and they have blown it.

[Voltaire]

When I was living in Ireland in the 'boom' times ( no not the IRA) one of the papers said that it was amazing Ireland was asked to join the EU in the first place as it was so poor.
They got billions in grants so when it came time to let Greece in they could not say no.
I was in Greece in 2002 and petrol must have been subcidised as it was 1.3 Euros in Germany and only .75 Euros in Greece.
It struck me as odd that the Euro zone was so regulated yet the countries in it so different economically.
As they are part of Euro they can't devalue as NZ did in 84.
I'm guessing they are worried in Europe of a domino effect...the PIGS Portugal, Italy, Greece and Spain.
Ireland is not so bad as most of the companies are US owned.

[scracha]

Couldnt agree more, too many people elect Governments that promise to give give give but where the flippin heck does the money come from in the first place? The Greeks have obviously gone for the soft options for way too long, as we did here. Now they are paying the price. Same with the poms, and they are so bloody stupid. They had a golden opportunity to elect a Tory government and they have blown it.

Boom times were caused by the bloody Tories. "buy your house for $10K from the government and sell it 10 years later for $500K".

[scumdog]

Yet another government fucking up its economy and expecting the people and the finances of other countries to bail them out... Can't wait for NZ to go broke... I quite fancy seeing what kind of TV JK has...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8664161.stm

You'll get it in NZ soon enough - pyramid marketing economies will always go tits up.

Enjoy.

(So what would YOU do?)

[LBD]

Yup, read about that the other day here Much tax avoidance it would seem

Seems its a national pass time...on Euro News this morning they were estimating 25 to 30 Billiion of tax avoidence a year....

[SS90]

When I was living in Ireland in the 'boom' times ( no not the IRA) one of the papers said that it was amazing Ireland was asked to join the EU in the first place as it was so poor.
They got billions in grants so when it came time to let Greece in they could not say no.
I was in Greece in 2002 and petrol must have been subcidised as it was 1.3 Euros in Germany and only .75 Euros in Greece.
It struck me as odd that the Euro zone was so regulated yet the countries in it so different economically.
As they are part of Euro they can't devalue as NZ did in 84.
I'm guessing they are worried in Europe of a domino effect...the PIGS Portugal, Italy, Greece and Spain.
Ireland is not so bad as most of the companies are US owned.

True, Ireland (the republic) is as poor as it gets now, a country that lives and dies by it's educated workforce, that, as soon as it became a member of the EU, became flooded with Polish immigrants, who in no way "become part of the community", are totally legally entitled to benefits (unlike home), that include a free house and a few hundred Euro's on top.

Rent an apartment in Dublin? Bahahhahahah, not for less that €1200 per month....and that is for a shit hole.

Ireland will follow Greece (Iceland was the first country to go belly up, but they seem to be making good now), Italy is in a state of perpetual "bankruptcy tomorrow", infact, the EU is only really propped up by Germany (by far the biggest contributor, and, infact the only country that actually meets the rules required to be a member, followed by the UK, then France)

Oh, Spains Fucked too, and there is every chance that they will go under if something is not done soon.

Feel sorry for the Greek people? yes and no, the country needs to be put "under management" to come right.

I pay 43% tax, and now Greece,Spain,and the Republic of Ireland have all got their hands out for more loans from the EU (and the only countries that put any money in to the EU are Germany,France and the UK (and to a small extent Austria)

If you drive around Europe, you will see in places (like Greece ) signs saying "this highway was built with money from the EU", no such signs exist in central Europe, infact, Croatia are pledging to become part of the union now, and, one of the conditions of all "applicants" is a minimum standard of highway BEFORE they are even considered. Croatia now has a brand new (three year old) highway, that, yes, is tolled (cheapest in Europe), and did not borrow money from the EU to do it, and, it "pays it's own way" already.

Greek is a lame dog of the EU, and, as such should be removed from the Union.

[mashman]

You'll get it in NZ soon enough - pyramid marketing economies will always go tits up.

Enjoy.

(So what would YOU do?)

I'm looking forward to seeing JK's TV...

I shan't one bit.

( hmmmmm... well... apart from doubling the police force overnight.........)

[mashman]

Seems its a national pass time...on Euro News this morning they were estimating 25 to 30 Billiion of tax avoidence a year....

How much do you think is lost here using similar "tax evasion" practices?

[LBD]

How much do you think is lost here using similar "tax evasion" practices?

Mate I wouldn't put a value on NZ evasion but as NZ is the officially least corrupt contry in the world I doubt it is anywhere near that....and the point being made was that Tax evasion is a national pass time...chronic llevels of evasion in Greece.

[mashman]

Mate I wouldn't put a value on NZ evasion but as NZ is the officially least corrupt contry in the world I doubt it is anywhere near that....and the point being made was that Tax evasion is a national pass time...chronic llevels of evasion in Greece.

So i've read recently... How's things around you at the moment? settled?

[jonbuoy]

Another problem for Greece and Spain is the Euro being so strong (at the moment anyway), traditionally Greece, Spain and Portugal have been "Cheap" places to go on holiday with northern European tourists cashing up their Marks, Sterling, Guilders etc.. now with the Euro and a weak pound the tourists are better off staying at home or heading for non euro countries (what few there are left).

[Toaster]

Greeks in the poo.


Enough said.

[scracha]

I did'nt realise you were ignorant. They do'nt get a choice, they stand that line because they're told to. You ca'nt just say you do'nt want to do it, you are ordered there.

Ze ver only following ze orders Ja?

I'm sure I've hard that before somewhere in history.

[Voltaire]

Feel sorry for the Greek people? yes and no, the country needs to be put "under management" to come right

Last time that happened was in 1941....
Beats me why the Germans and the French prop up the EU.

[Robert Taylor]

Boom times were caused by the bloody Tories. "buy your house for $10K from the government and sell it 10 years later for $500K".

At least they had the opportunity afforded to them to buy their own homes. I dont think many Brits would historically begrudge that, excepting those that idolise Tony Benn and Arthur Scargill.

Its the same old story, Torys put money in the bank, along comes a Labour Government and squanders it. Just look at Kevin Ruddiculous in Austruckingfailure, wasting the reserves so capably accrued by Howard and Costello. Just like the old Monty Python sketch its all not so far from the truth, a battle between the ''Sensible '' party and the ''Silly'' party.

One thing is clear, Botchup Brown is easily the worst Priminister that Britain has had since the James Callaghans and Clement Atlees of this world. As Enoch Powell so capably said ''all political careers end in failure'' Im looking forward to the idiot being evicted from No 10 so a slick and articulate Etonian can start wielding the knife.