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Author Topic: Verbal images of the Breakdown in Greece  (Read 3816 times)

JimD

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Verbal images of the Breakdown in Greece
« on: August 16, 2013, 07:17:52 PM »
A great blog I read  to check up on collapse in Greece.

http://yanisvaroufakis.eu/2013/08/13/three-brief-greek-summer-tales/
We do not err because truth is difficult to see. It is visible at a glance. We err because this is more comfortable. Alexander Solzhenitsyn

How is it conceivable that all our technological progress - our very civilization - is like the axe in the hand of the pathological criminal? Albert Einstein

theoldinsane

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Re: Verbal images of the Breakdown in Greece
« Reply #1 on: August 16, 2013, 08:30:12 PM »
I think we should study what is happening in Greece very closely. Yes, Greeks are living through hard times, but so far without serious violence. But the Greeks have reduced their oil consumption by about 30% in 6 years due to the continuing recession. They are my heroes in the fight against climate change. Although it is an imposed situation, but it is the path we all must walk in the end.

The decline can probably be called depression, but so far without collapsing, which I think is a little inspiring. However, I am not sure that the Greeks agree.

I live in Sweden and here we have not yet noticed whether recession or serious consequences of climate change. I do not think the Greeks see themselves as heroes, but unfortunately I do not think many here in Sweden (and most other OECD countries) regard themselves as villains in the climate game.

But the situation will change ...

http://ourfiniteworld.com/2013/06/07/high-oil-prices-are-starting-to-affect-china-and-india/

JimD

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Re: Verbal images of the Breakdown in Greece
« Reply #2 on: August 16, 2013, 09:41:41 PM »
I think we should study what is happening in Greece very closely. Yes, Greeks are living through hard times, but so far without serious violence. ......

The decline can probably be called depression, but so far without collapsing, ....

Hmm...I guess we count differently.  I see lots of violence and indications it is going to get much worse.  The current situation can rightly be called a depression but the trends are towards collapse.

The link below discusses the rapid rise in violent anarchist groups.  The article mentions 527 arson and bomb attacks in 2012 and 254 in the first 6 months of this year.  The level of political violence is well more than 10 times higher than when I lived there in the early 90's.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/08/14/us-greece-anarchists-specialreport-idUSBRE97D0AK20130814

And then you have the Golden Dawn neo-Nazi party which has committed lots of violence in the past few years especially targeted towards immigrants.  It has strong ties to the police and security forces.  It has 18 members in Parliament and is patterned after Hitler's National Socialist Party.  Don't think for a second that they are not waiting to see if they can seize the government and institute a fascist regime.  They have no interest in democracy and Greece's history is not one of democracy as many think, but rather dictatorships, military rule and monarchies.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jun/01/greece-golden-dawn-violence-eu-crisis
We do not err because truth is difficult to see. It is visible at a glance. We err because this is more comfortable. Alexander Solzhenitsyn

How is it conceivable that all our technological progress - our very civilization - is like the axe in the hand of the pathological criminal? Albert Einstein

retiredbill

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Re: Verbal images of the Breakdown in Greece
« Reply #3 on: August 17, 2013, 12:50:13 PM »
I, too, didn't think Greece has shown much violence. But then I get most of my international news from CNN, BBC World News America and the PBS Newshour.  People in Greece haven't started going hungry due to climate change. That should up the ante when it happns.

While we are talking about Europe, I'm waiting to hear more about the effects of climate change on Venice. How much longer will it remain viable aa a city?

JimD

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Re: Verbal images of the Breakdown in Greece
« Reply #4 on: August 17, 2013, 04:53:10 PM »
retiredBill

Good question and it made me go out and look for info.  I found a great site so I am going to post it in a new topic so everyone can go back and refer to it when they have a question.

http://geology.com/sea-level-rise/

Note the maps there work like google maps.  You can zoom in and move all over the earth.  You can also adjust the amount of sea level rise to see what different rises will cover.  Very nice work.
We do not err because truth is difficult to see. It is visible at a glance. We err because this is more comfortable. Alexander Solzhenitsyn

How is it conceivable that all our technological progress - our very civilization - is like the axe in the hand of the pathological criminal? Albert Einstein