Happy New Year ? !

I was in Athens over the Holidays and was somewhat shocked to see how many refugees there were at stop lights washing windows, begging for change, etc.

Where and when did they all come from?

Seriously.

I was in Athens in the summer and there weren't near as many.

The sheer volume of "third worldness" impressed me. Oh, I know we're supposed to say they are from 'developing' countries as a politically correct means of sounding 'nicer' and somehow enlightened. But the thing is, I don't we should sound nicer or enlightened when it comes to refugees from the third world.

One shouldn't be coerced or obliged into giving money to total strangers because they streaked a filthy squeegee across your windshield while I waiting for a stop light. Even more, one shouldn't be cursed as he goes about his daily business for refusing to give them money after they perform this "oh so valuable" service.

Seriously. It's time some people started listening to those on the far right of the political spectrum.

Refugee limits should be set and enforced now. After all, other countries do it. Even such denizens of liberal social idealogies and governments such as the French, Dutch and Germans have limits they enforce on the number of immigrants allowed into their countries.

Why can't (or better yet) why shouldn't Greece?

Does wanting limitations on the number of immigrants allowed in the country make me a fascist?

Hardly.

It makes me someone who is capable of thinking outside the politically correct box that has led to this regrettable situation.

Why is it that laws are simply not enforced here? Is it the fault of the police? Is it the social reaction to the seven year Junta still? Is it the weather? Is it the postman?

Anyway, you can see what I'm getting at.

Immigrant limitations now.

Quotas (strictly enforced) now.

Otherwise, in a few years time when we walk downtown or go to Plaka, we'll hear everything but the Greek Language being spoken.


Athenocities = disturbances encountered at red lights while waiting for them to turn green

Today's the day

Well Nov 17 has arrived.

No telling what awaits us as everyone remembers...

Ahhhh that's just it. We don't remember, therefore, we are bound to make the same mistakes.

Have a peaceful, apotelesmatika day ;-)

Is this it?

So the teachers are back to work and the kids are back in school... what happeened? Does anyone even remember?

Can anyone even say what it was they were striking about or for? Did they get it?

It seems that Greece causes choas and confusion for the sure misery of it. I, for one, have given up hoping for anything good to come out of Greek politics.

Truly a people are worthy of their rulers.

You see, it's either time for real revolution in this tip of Balkania, or it's time for the morons to shut up and go home already.

Tomorrow, the universities and other public proberty will be set ablaze in what has come to represent the absolute incompetence of the Police and public order minitries while at the same time highlighting the absurdity of the so-called "asylum" these anarchists hide behind.

Next year, me and my firends just may join the anarchists.

Greek 2 Me

OK.

So, elections are tomorrow.

Who cares?

Oh sure, I can hear your protests and howls of rage that someone dare question the importance of the democratic process; but enough is enough, already!

This past week leading up to the elections has once again demonstrated that the problems we face as a society here in Greece are certainly not going to be cured by the elected officials on this Sunday's ballot... regardless of your political idealogy.

The flooding streams, collapsed bridges and the striking teachers, are not necessarily political problems. Therefore, real solutions - NOT- political ones, need to be offered.

How about this Mr. Karamanlis?

Give the teachers a week to return to their jobs, or, face the prospect of losing them.

That's right.

Introduce a measure to be debated by the parliament to allow teachers to be fired. In other words, make teachers sign a no strike contract in order to have their precious, cushy, civil-servant jobs. It's time more was demanded from them, not less.

The time has come to call things by their real, not imaginary, names.

If teachers don't want to work - it's their privelege, by the way, to not want to work under the current conditions...

Fire them.

There are plenty - and I do mean PLENTY - of unemployed, qualified teachers who would gladly and immediately replace them within the week.

If you need someone who has hired and fired teachers to help you do this job. I volunteer my services for a week to help get it organized and done. If the department of education can't find replacements in such a short time, then you need to fire them as well.

This nonsense of the few holding the many at ransom needs to end.

If it doesn't we'll soon be sending our kids to a three or four hour "free" education and then transporting them to a frontistirio to actually learn what they need to know.

Oh wait, we already do that, don't we?


Greekleton - those who only know the Greek way of doing things...

Greek 2 Me

Once again, we've reached October and the teachers (and therefore our children) are not in school.

Where are they?

On strike, of course.

After all, this is Greece we are talking about. This is the place the socialist unions have sold the people the second biggest lie invented in history.

Namely, that teachers work hard and must prepare for classes outside of the classroom.

In truth, some teachers do work hard and yes, some, (a very small, small, percentage) must prepare for classes outside of school. How do I know these things?

Well, I've been a teacher now for almost twenty years.

But, (this is the part that's gonna hurt a little) for the most part, you can't justify paying 1,200 or 1,400 euros for a base salary to someone who literally works 7 months a year and only 4 hours a day.

Let's get real for once, shall we?

Class at the elementary level starts at what? 8:15? And ends at what? 1:40? Let's not mention the fact that the kids have gymnastics a couple of times a week or more, and they have a couple of breaks each day.

So how many hours a day does a teacher actually work with the kids?

I know what you're thinking...

"Yes, but..... "

Yes, but .... Nothing!

The problem in this case isn't teacher's pay. The problem is that a group of people have decided that they are more equal than the rest of us and are entitled to more pay, while working less than any other group or profession (with the exception of politicians, of course)

Hell, even bankers work more than teachers.

Want to know what I say?

Hell with them.

Get back in the classroom already or lose your job. There are thousands and thousands of educated people ready and willing to take your position for the salary you currently receive given the hours you currently work.

If you can't make ends meet then get a second job like the rest of us but get back to work!

ELLADISTAN = An affectionate moniker for Greece by those who face the daily absurdities here.

Return to Greek reality

Brunner Lake - New Zealand

Reality... now there's a concept.

I had a fantastic reality as I went "down under" for the first time for a much needed and long awaited holiday. Life was very good - as is evidenced by the photo above.

The plan was simple.

Stay a couple of weeks with some friends. Visit some interesting places. And just plain old relax.

Success. I had a great holiday. Perhaps the best of my life. So, heavy hearted I boarded the plane to return to my adopted land.

After a long, long flight and being recognized in Bangkok by a former student (yes it really is a small world) I landed in Athens.

Now, most people think that Athens has a modern airport. Most people are wrong.

On a scale of 1-10 for efficiency and organization I would have to give it a 5 and 2 respectively.

What is it with the inability to organize even the simplest of things in this country? Oh, I know what you are thinking, we organized the Olympics, the greatest ever - blah, blah, blah, and you actually believe what you say.

But, get this...one success does not negate the everyday madness that this country swirls in. Take a trip outside of Greece and return to Athens (as I have done many times) to see what I mean.

Olympic airways should have been closed long ago. This is just a plain fact. Like the nose on your face.

While waiting for my transfer from Athens to Thessaloniki - there was absolute chaos. There were no divider lines. Each of the four windows had three lines of travelers and bags trying to push and shove their way to the counter. Once there, the attendant shouted out that the flight to London was closing and anyone in line going to London should come up to the front.

So, naturally, everyone in the back of the crowded line with bags and children and short tempers came crashing through the mass of humanity to claim their seat on a flight to London.

What a mess!

With that - the best vacation I ever had come to an abrupt halt.

I was back to the Greek reality.


Greekacious = a displeasing situation encountered at the Athens airport.

Student Protests and koukulofori

Once again a clash between police forces and protesting students took place in downtown Athens yesterday.

This morning, there were the usual suspects on the morning talk shows flapping their gums about this or that. Everyone, just everyone, has an opinion about who's to blame and what should be done with education reform in this country.

The sad part is that the 100 or so "koukulofori," as they are called, once again committed their crimes and turned an otherwise peaceful demonstration into an angry clash of molotovs and teargas.

What's laughable is the fact that no or very few arrests were made and those that were will be back on the streets by tomorrow lunch time.

How pathetic is that?

On one talk show this morning, it was obvious that the students on air were positioning themselves for a possible seat in the parliament. They avoided issues, slandered others, digressed to name calling and empty threats in an ugly display of the so-called educated youth of today. No proposals were offered or put forth to end this stalemate.

The prevalent feeling among the grown ups of this country is one of a resigned resentment. Oh sure, if they stick a camera in your face you gotta say how you support the students blah, blah, blah - but they generation that actually sacrificed something during the junta years so that today's youth could have (and abuse) their 'asylum' and demonstrations in a watered-down, misguided romantic view of the past, have had just about enough of this nonsense.

The time to end the sit-ins have come and gone. Those who participate in the sit-ins won't even remember in a few years time why they were sitting in. The government needs to go ahead with the proposed reforms.

And then some.

Maybe then, we can get to work building a future together instead of glorying in a not so glorious past.


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Greekocity (n) = those things that pertain to Greece yet have nothing to do with Greece itself.