Greece
Over the past week, the word Grexit has been thrown about. It’s a term coined to describe a Greece exit from the euro. But will it actually happen?
Only last week German Chancellor Angela Merkel said that Germany wants the country to remain in the bloc. But recently, financial leaders from the European Central Bank (ECB), International Monetary Fund (IMF) and various Heads of State have broken their silence, and publicly commented on such a move. It’s something they avoided for fear of an overreaction on global share markets.
But investors are certainly pricing in the possibility, as they sell out of risky assets like the Australian dollar which fell to below parity with the greenback. The Australian share market lost more than $100 billion dollars last week.
Continue reading "No drachmas for Greece, unless there’s a tragedy" »
When Tim Berners-Lee launched the world-wide-web in 1989, the Berlin Wall fell. At that time the web was a domain for practitioners only. Today it’s: “Here comes everybody.”
The web 2.0 enables communication and collaboration on a scale thought unimaginable only a few years ago. Today people want more of a say in everything we do - and that includes our democracy. Voting every few years is not enough for people anymore. What we’re talking about is how to bring our democracy into the 21st century and to align it better with our modern lives.
We have moved on, leaving our Parliaments behind. When the Berlin wall fell, so too did political divides. Yet our current democracy - Democracy 1.0 - continues to divide us. In our daily lives, at work and in our communities, collaboration is the norm. In Parliament, collaboration is the exception.
Continue reading "The system’s broken: Time for Democracy 2.0" »
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St. Michael says:
The next best thing is not representative democracy, as has been demonstrated. The “un-rationals” are already making decisions on your behalf. Read more »
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Joan Bennett says:
Direct democracy would only work if people were all Rationals. As the majority are not, I do not want un-Rational folks making decisions on my behalf. Until we can find a “perfect” system, the next best thing will do for me. Read more »
“Okay it’s time to go now - they have started throwing stones.”
The words were calm but it was hard to miss the rising panic in the voice of my Greek host Danai as stones pummelled into the building behind us as we watched the latest episode in the demonstrations that have been rocking Athens for the past month now.
Yesterday the tension was palpable.
Continue reading "The wheels have been Greeced for too long" »
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John says:
The way i looked at it. 1. EU zone only benefit the Germany and France as they out compete the smaller EU nations, this results in smaller EU nations that can’t compete to be out of jobs. 2. The smaller nations who have no job’s, then borrow from the international… Read more »
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John says:
I don’t blame the Greek people, blame their western financial system that runs printing press’s at five times the rate the country produces. Look around every country is debt to international banking cartel. It’s time every western country cut ties with IMF, World Bank and FED. US dollar’s should be… Read more »
They say the best thing about travel is that it gives you a better understanding and appreciation of home. That’s certainly the case for me. A recent trip to Europe, to attend the annual conference of the International Labour Organization, has shown me that while life in Australia is not perfect, we are still a long way ahead of most countries.
You don’t have to look far in Europe to see that the continent is still struggling through an economic crisis.Greece has seen riots as citizens protest the austerity package the government has been forced to implement to pay back its debts.
The move to an austerity package is dragging down the Greek economy by cutting wages and jobs, limiting the country’s ability to grow its economy and pay off its debts. The victims of this are working people and their families, many of whom did not benefit in the good times.
Continue reading "It’s never been clearer, there really is no place like home" »
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Steve says:
Gomez. sorry i referred to monetary policy instead of fiscal policy when talking about budget surplusses. ( still had my mind on interest rates at the time) Also on tax cuts under Costello you have to factor in the family tax benifit part A and B as tax cuts. That… Read more »
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Steve says:
I hope you haven’t been comparing the pre 1990 cash rate with the post 1990 cash rate? They are 2 different eras in how much the cash rate influenced lending rates. Why don’t you go back and see what the actual rates businesses were paying to their banks under Keating.… Read more »
In Rhodes it was one power plug between 30 tourists vying for a place to charge their phone and camera batteries. The stench of toilets made me dry retch, as did the bird poo splattered windows that flung open, letting cold air into my room every night.
Cold showers, no elevator and the useless guy at reception reckoned he’s done his back, so no help there.
For 10 Euros a night, what do I expect?
Continue reading "Enough with dodgy hostels, we need a system people" »
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papachango says:
Take some advice from an old fart (38) who according to you shouldn’t be allowed in to hostels anyway. I stayed in a fair few in my time, and while I had my share of dodgy dives, it’s not that hard to find the better ones. Allow me to ping… Read more »
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regina says:
10 euros a night and you expected the guy at the front desk to carry your bags for you. that’s very funny. Read more »
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