An Indian in Greece.

Greek is a funny language at times. Certainly it is rich, ancient, colourful, accurate to the human condition. I should think it will become the official language of the EU now that BREXIT is slothly taking shape. I digress, it is the use of the word Indian in the Greek language I want to discuss. Ινδιάνος, indianos, is used for native American Indians as opposed to Ινδός, Hindi or East Indian, for the people of India. Greek is like that. You can spend a lifetime tryng to figure out what something means in English and in Greek it is crystal clear. Probably the reason most medical and scientific words have Greek roots. So it is very clear to a Greek what an Ινδιάνος, native American Indian, is. As with other words in a language this one too has taken on an extra meaning, to describe those things that remind us Greeks of American Imdians.

The Honda 250 Enduro from the 70's, especialy the red ones, and later on all 650 enduros of any manufacturer where considered "Indian" bikes. To any owner of an Indian motorcycle this may sound odd but I will explain some of the reasons. One is the logo Honda used that resembled the wing of a bird, possibly an eagle, something reminiscent of native headdress. The sense of freedom and the ability to go anywhere as well as its resemblance to a horse all these things earned these bikes the honorary title of "Indian". A Honda screaming up Patission avenue doing a wheely while the driver shifts through all the gears, what could be more Indian than that?

Certainly a motorcycle revving and standing on its rear tire only is reminiscent of an Indian charging on his stallion. Indianos many time refers to the underdog, to the man taking on a task against impossible odds, to the brave and rightous.

 Tomorow, December 6th, is St. Nicolaos day, patron saint of the navy and protector of all sailors. It is also the day that the US law enforcement units at Standing Rock are to remove all protesters. I believe that the Sioux have every right to defend their lands, their water, their burial grounds and their future. An uneven fight, a huge corporation backed by the entire dirty political and financial elite taken on by a handful of natives and misfits, can't get more "Indianos" than that. Pray with me that there will be a peaceful resolution at Standing Rock, that the people will bring the nescessary change, that St. Nicolaos will intervene for the sake of Natives and their water. Let us stand with Standing Rock.

Now I am not sure how Obama's official visit to Athens could be called Indian. Maybe it is that one hour long speech he gave at the Niarchos foundation. It is so refreshing to hear a US President talk about the need for inclusive democracy and so on. Certainly a man that has taken on a tough job and up against impossible odds. His visit to Greece a message to the world about the values of Democracy and solidarity with refugees. Many references where made by the President to the brave people of Lesvos and other Greek islands who jumped into the waters of the Aegean in order to help refugees trying to cross over from Turkey. To my neighbour, a sweet little old lady on her way to water her fields, and to many other Greeks I talked to his visit signifies something else. Behind the glowing words a new arms deal and an impending war in the Aegean. I hope the elders are wrong.
Let us also sign a petition to put an end to another dirty deal. The EU Turkey refugee exchange scam. For every Syrian Greece deports to Turkey a Syrian will enter Europe directly from Turkey. The agreement puts power in the wrong hands. The hands of Erdogan. Please copy the link to learn more and sign if you like.
https://www.change.org/p/european-union-save-shabbir-and-stopthedeal-between-the-eu-and-turkey?recruiter=376568872&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=copylink

Trumpence, a definition.

Having been overpowered and beaten by nothing or by something of little or no value.

     America has lost to a candidate that plans to make her great again through isolationism, rascism, xenophobia, protectionism and elitism. Values that are nowhere to be found in the constitution or in the conscience of Americans. They are values that appeal to those that have been cheated out of their position in society, that have had their future stolen from them as the middle class shrinks. They are also values that appeal to those that remain a part of the shrinking middle class but feel threatened as their values are not mentioned anywhere. Values that go against the very grain of the American constitution that was laid down in respect of the basic human rights of the individual. Prolifers, bigots, closet gays, misogynists, overachieving immigrants, the NRA, misanthropes and religious zealots alike all embrace the rhetoric of hate and even hate itself. Values adopted by a portion of the elite that sees a clear opportunity to rule with fear, the old fashioned way. No need for an evil empire or terrorism now, fear of your neighbour is much more convenient for the system.

     Trumpence overcame the much more experienced and "liberal" Clinton. Hillary managed to alienate her grass roots support by usurping the Democratic Party nomination from Bernie Sanders with the extensive use of superdelegates in a manner that encroaches on election fraud. Certainly undermined the spirit of the primaries and to make things worse assumed she would be the next president. Many times she would use the expression "when I take office", or "under my presidency". She dismissed Trump as inappropriate and thought the election was in the bag. There is a high price for arrogance and the Democrats are paying it. Stepping all over basic protocol and running a smear campaign of their own with all the media and Hollywood to back them. Also a legacy of  mistakes (Benghazi), interventions (Syria, Libya), scandals (Podesta emails), lies (intolerance of Wikileaks) and a general war mongering killhappy personna does not earn one the progressive vote. It did earn her the "crooked Hillary" title that Trumpence gave her although Killary might have been even more apropriate.

     The big loser of this election however is overseas. It is frau Merkel that not only lost a close friend and ally but has had all her plans of domination foiled. No longer can Germany continue its austerity experiment in the rest of Europe while relying on its trade with the USA to take up the slack. Her plans for the middle East and the Ukraine have been dashed along with the development of further escalation in the Baltic states. No chance of an open conflict with Russia now as Trump and Putin will probably sit at the table and hammer out a new world order. One that may well not include the imminent wars that Merkel and Clinton were so intent upon. If Trump can manage to de-escalate tensions on the global chessboard, if he can end ISIS with Russian help while excluding Turkey from the conflict in Syria, stop NATO drones from flying over Russian airspace in the Baltics, recognize the need for the Russian anexation of Crimea, control or limit Ukraine's involvement in NATO, and generally limit US intervention then he will be a better diplomat than a businessman. He will have also offered a greater service to humanity than any damage his eristic language may have brought at home. In fact I believe his eristic language may well bring many problems that continue to persist back into public view and discussion. Not a bad thing if the American people finally start some navel gazing and self critiscism instead of always telling the rest of the world how they are so much better, blessed and #1.
     The EU is doing damage control over this election result. They are not very good at it. The "end of history" is no more and the "brave new world" of bankers and lawyers is lost. I am at the least amused and at times pleased to see the suits in Brussels issuing statements about "democratic values" and so on. It is funny when little miss May (PM) from Britain while congratulating Trump makes a statement about US-British relations how they, (EU technocrats), in a panic point out that there is no special status there. Jealous, fearful, their comfort zone in the midst of a hurricane, the ground under their feet at 8+ richter the European bureacratic class is once more exposed as the bunch of self serving clowns they realy are. Merkel and the European gang of anti-democratic henchmen offer personal freedoms and individual rights in trade for their elitist control of everything. Watching the German satellite channel today I heard the biggest joke of all time, the notion that Germany will have to take the place of the USA as world guarantor of stability and freedom. Boy those Germans.
     Here in Greece, as in other countries, the extreme right considers Trump to be their champion. Both Golden Dawm and the New Right hurried to congratulate him as did Le Pen in France and the fascists of Hungary and Austria. I am not sure if they can be called fascists yet but they are certainly bigots, xenophobes and fascist wannabees. Trump's response to the show of support from this political spectrum around the world will be an indicator of his intent. Will he be a great leader or will he stick with that which has defined him, bully tactics and mistreatment of the weak. His record so far, as would most peoples, falls short of the mark. May the wisdom of his years overcome his rashness and egocentric behaviour as Donald finaly finds a cause greater than himself he can selflessly serve, albeit his posthumous fame, which may fulfill his need to serve both his ego and humanity at large. At least he is not hindered by political ties, "experience" or party politics and obligations. I await to see a presidency at least as great as Obama' in the knowledge that as Obama failed Trump may fail as well and see none of his great plans materialize.
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My heart is Berning.

The symbols plus(+) and minus(-), the two poles of a battery, the anode, and the cathode, there is no circuit without these. Light and shadow, how could there be photography without this contrast, how would even our very vision work? Try turning down the contrast on your TV or monitor to zero and see (or not see) what happens. The very nature of life itself, the yin and the yang, is founded on the duality of the sexes, male and female. So how can it be that American politics got so watered down by vested interests, hidden agendas, lobby groups and the top 1% that it is nearly impossible to seperate the GOP from the DNC? Acronyms do not mean much if their content can't be distinguished. That is why today, at five am local time, I was so happy to see a standing ovation for Bernie Sanders and an exhilerated, emotional audience. His speech was honest and straightforward, his expressions simple and communicative. "I think it is fair to say that nobody is more disappointed by this outcome than I" his comment on Hillary's candidacy. Support with terms, how will he enforce them I do not know. In every case it is Bernie that is setting the progressive agenda in America, not Hillary. It is Bernie who is the light to Trump's darkness. It is Sanders that seeks to contain Wall street and the top echelons of society. He is the one who talks about politics in simple terms. His speech focuses on greed, hate, compassion, generosity, the human condition. How can he endorse a war monger I don't know. I think it is time to take the risk and become the third party, the other pole, the only opposition to the rising power of the oligarchy. Can Sanders do it? Unfortunately it seems not!

Err do gun - Ergo done

Erdogan solidifies his power. Who would attempt to overthrow the government on a Friday night in a city of two continents and two bridges? It is summer and people need to get home and then along comes a military imposed curfew. Like a twilight zone episode tanks blocking traffic and helicopters flying overhead. Typically enacted in the wee hours of a Sunday or Wednesday morning before people leave their residence this must be the most ill planned coup in history. It is difficult to impose a curfew when everyone is trying to get home. Then, like a twilight zone episode, whilst the TV is playing announcements from the coup leaders messages start appearing on peoples phones urging them to disobey and resist, to take to the streets and stop this coup de tat. Cell phones still up and running? Some shots are fired and a few people, including some soldiers, are killed. Arrests follow, the beating of coup leaders, one is missing an ear, and on camera confessions. Nothing coerced here. Certainly the most amateur, ill-planned, coup attempt in modern history. Nothing even comes close. Followed up by the most meticulous well-planned response ever! 6500 arrests in the first 48 hours and 65000 detentions before week's end, including everyone from judges to teachers, the press and intellectuals. Amazing, a world record for sure. Martial law, the concentration of all executive powers to the president, a three month state of emergency and an ongoing discussion in parliament of the return of the death penalty. Turkey has withdrawn from the European Human Rights Commission, all this and not even a week has passed. With German engineering precision Erdogan has become the most powerful leader of Turkey since Kemal, or Suleiman, depending on your perspective. So bravo then Erdogan on a job well done, the leaders of the west and east will be envious of your endeavours!

The EU Bremains the same...

Someone has rung the division bell and its sound ripples across the continent. We are in for a pickle with the leaders we have in the world today. So out of touch with reality, divorced from the people and absolutely unaware of everyday problems. The elite have been padding their butts and protecting their comforts for years now. Will the results of this plebiscite shake them up abit? Not! Just look at the response of the "stuffed men" of Europe to the results of the referendum. Tusk, Junker, and the merry men calling for a "quick divorce" and the enactment of article 30 "as soon as possible". Emotional responses from leaders of the EU. Now that the vote is in they meet without UK representation even though the results have not been voted on or ratified in any parliament of the UK.

As for the “hollow men” there is not much to be said of the politicians of Britain. For years the top position in Europe have been occupied by everyone but the British. Let us be fair though, remember the Bremain campaign? Neither do I. Good people who wanted to argue in favor of the European project, of unity, of a better future for all, simply abandoned by a self serving system. Immature and childish leaders on both sides deciding the fate of the world. What is becoming abundantly clear is that in Europe only the Germans ever had a plan.

Funny how every time I sit down to write this blog I draw a blank. The moment I get up ideas storm my brain. So many things are wrapped up in this one plebiscite. Again I draw a blank as though it was a vote held prematurely, as though 2017 should have been the date. Why the rush tough? What forces in Europe have pushed the British to abandon? Seems everywhere in Europe today right wing extremists want to deconstruct Europe. Is there a profit to be made in her dismantlement? Why is Europe being run by bureaucrats? What is the role of the European Parliament? Does it pass legislation of any kind? Can it change the structure of the EU? Brexit brings questions. Like a Pandora's box once opened and out come self doubt, lack of identity, fracturization...The evils of a failing Union. Our European elite have again raised their ugly head in multiple proclamation of a quick and easy divorce.

Brexit Light

Why do the Illumionated ones (Illuminati) try so hard to dim the light of civilization? It is because they glow better in the dark of course! If they were truly illuminated they would not feel the need for secrecy that so riddles their brotherhood. But what does that have to do with Brexit? Probably not much but at the same time everything. In the past few years it has become obvious on the mainland that the European Union is not united and that the European Parliament is not part of descision making or policy setting or legislating. It is mostly ornamental and bureaucrats along with secretive organizations like the Eurogroup have all the power. I can't blame the British for wanting to leave. I can't tell you what it feels like to have been threatened with a forced Grexit for so long just to see the Brits open the door and walk out. Feels kinda like Grexit takes revenge, that's what. Serves them right. Unfortunately the whole continent is about to spiral out of control along with the UK. Fortunately for them they may have a parachute to save their pink British derriere. Europe along with its mostly fascist or at best anti-democratic nomenclatura is in for a hard landing. That is what happens when somebody opens the door midflight. Sudden decompression and then a crash. This is going to prove to be the toughest pickle to get out of yet. I wonder if Gerxit will folow? Ah, to live in interesting times...

Mom - Queen backs Brexit

For the benefit of my mother I am writing a blog on the results of the crisis and 7 long years of austerity on the Greek people. We were a prosperous bunch even in 2008 and 2009. Our banking system as well as our pension system were on solid grounds and had not invested in the toxic products of the day that sent other economies spiraling into a crash. Regardless of the events that took place then and have been well hidden and obscured we would have recovered fully if not for a stubborn policy of austerity that has been set in stone here in Europe. The way that the monetary union runs its checks and balances on its nation memebers guarantees that a shrinking economy will shrink even more. The less money that pours into a nation the less money it is entitled to in transfer payments. Imagine Newfounland with its fisheries closed back in the nineties having an austerity program forced upon her and then as a result of her shrinking GDP having her transfer payments cut. After the referendum and its resounding no response Prime Minister Tsipras went back to the negotiating table in Brussels with a new resolve. Our German partners also strenthened their resolve against the only left wing government in the European Union and called a meeting of all 22 members in an attempt to exclude Greece from Europe altogether. Tsipras buckled under the threats of a forced bankruptcy that would include confiscation of all bank accounts and underwritten properties. Oland did not miss the opportunity to make a speech in favour of Greece stating that their could be no Europe without Greece. However no commitment beyond that very eloquent speech. Silly man.
   France is on fire these days and only the flooding momentarily stopped the riots, strikes and upheavels. Having the Eurocup hosted in France was probably the reason Oland and the ruling class decided to tinker with labour legislation now. The rules of the game are changing everywhere in the EU and France too has to tow the line. French trade unions and the public in general have a different and more defiant idea. The country has come to a full stop and only the riot police are not on strike. I wish there was an explanation for the riot police. I can find none. Maybe they feel that they share power with the elite. Maybe it is the bonus danger pay. Whatever the case they always seem to have endless energy to beat people with their batons and spray them with their tear gas like some kind of pest control professional.
In the meantime the Brits have found the most brilliant answer to all their European Union problems. Just leave. Brexit it is called and it is gaining momentum fast. I have a feeling it will reach the 60 percent mark, just like the Greek referendum did. After that European Union will be no more. People will have to get used to big changes. After so much tinkering with democracy I think that is the order of the day.

Putin Athens visit.

It is a strange thing to say the least. Putin visits Athens and the Greek people welcome him. Nothing unusual here. What is unusual is our leftwing Prime Minister along with his cabinet taking Putin on a royal tour of all things Greek Orthodox. At the same time the leader of the opposition is just as eager to meet with him in an after midnight press conference. The second day of Putins visit focuses on Mt. Athos (Άγιον Όρος) the holiest pilgrimmage in Greece. The President of Greece joins him. So the big deal is that Greeks are finaly united in something. That something is reestablishing our position as the bridge between east and west. This is a position shared by the left and right wing politicians alike. The extremists too. Putin has managed to persuade both the religious and the communist Greeks alike.
     This visit is not the highlight of the week for me though. In another suprise move Tsipras introduces legislation to allow MPs to aquire shares in offshore companies. The law says they must be in countries that have tax agreements with Greece and so on. This would lift the ban imposed on Members of Parliament and harmonize Greek law with the rest of the EU. The opposition and the press had a heyday with it. They pointed out the moral ramifications and the unfairness and demanded the new law be withdrawn. In a suprise move Tsipras rescinds the law introducing new legislation that extends the ban to all MPs and their families. The new law was voted today and as expected the opposition walked out. The ultimate trolling. Poor politicians will now have to sell their wives offshore shares and report the income.
 

Tsipras and Putin in Athens

At the Byzantine museum

Athens LGBT community protests in front of Parliament

Russian Orthodox monastery at Mt. Athos.

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Elections USA - Trump vs. Hillary

I have been watching the US presidential primaries. What a race! Could be Trump vs Hillary, and they're off. Big questions are troubling Americans today as the debate begins and the possible presidential candidates crystallize. How do we define ourselves as the leading superpower in the world? What direction do we take in the future, what do we do about global warming? How does the rest of the world see us, are we still the benevolent US that fed the world after WW2 and upheld the rights of the weak? Are we ready for our first female president? Where is it safe to pee? What is fracking? These are some of the profound nation shaping question that are prevailing as the presidential race nears.
Wall street and the power elite is rubbing its hands accross America today. After years of terror the plan for plutocracy is nearing completion. Two candidates both from the same sphere of influence. The battle will be epic, the gloves are going to come off. No racist or sexist slur will go too far. No mud slinging unbiased accusation will be too heavy. No holds barred in the most emotional Presidential race ever! That is what is coming to our screens this fall. A massive navel gazing national extravaganza where common intelligence and independent thinking will be the first victims. No room for a cool head when Clinton and Trump take the gloves off. Blood will boil and tempers will flair as even respected seasoned reporters will begin to take sides. America will be changed forever and will have lost its innocence. Or so it thinks.
The ultimate scam is not about who gets to govern the most powerful nation on earth. It seems so on the surface but the two puppets having it out in the ring know what they are fighting for. It is not a brilliant page they want to write in history. It is not a moment in infamy they are after,. It is not a civilization of enlightment based on equality and human rights they want to establish. These things they have already inherited from America's forefathers. What their ultimate aim is, the reason for the relentless aggression and endless conflicts of the last twenty six years, is sinister at least. They want to saddle the USA with an unserviceable debt and found the largest debtocracy in history.
Americans are an arrogant people when it comes to their country. They love to chant "we're number one" and send the "dream team" to play basketball in the Olympics. Their government has been "intervening" in more and more places around the globe. It has been creating new wars in every consecutive administration since Jimmy Carter and it does not matter if the President is Republican or Democrat. Weapons become more expensive every year and more get used. The good ol' USA borrows vast sums of money to pay for the hundreds of thousands of bombs it drops on its "enemies". Each bomb costs as much as a college tuition, an open heart operation, a bridges' maintenance, a public building. Americans need to wake up quick! The reckless spending and aggression of its leaders is costly. It will not only wipe out the American dream but American liberties as well. It is time for a change.
Their cannot be a change in the world if there is not a change in the hearts of men. Henry Miller said that years ago and he was spot on. Compassion is the key to changing America as far as I can see. Are Americans ready to care for their fellow man? To love and embrace each other? To truly care and create a holistic, inclusive society? Deeply Christian ideals that many will reject in favor of hate mongering and stale rhetoric. I believe that Bernie Sanders may be the answer but it may already be too late. By the time a peoples' candidate becomes President the only thing left to govern may be debt and it will be his duty to dismantle and sell off the American Dream piece by piece. Then we will all feel the Bern!

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EU on the freedom to violence

Just a few thoughts, no more than a short note really but longer than a tweet. Here in Greece the right wing opposition New Denmocracy party is demanding the intervention of police to clear out Idomeni of refugees and immigrants. Seems they (ND) are getting their directives straight from the right wing dominated EU. They  (EU) would like some news images of Storm Trooper attired riot police beating regugees with their billy bats while they scramble to collect their tents and protect their children and babies. FYROM police are very good at this kind of thing. The Greek government has taken a more passive aproach trying to convince refugees to leave Idomeni for one of the many organized camps around the country. Refugees and said camps remain unguarded and unhindered in their movements throughout Greece. This ires our European counterparts to no end as they try their best to deconstruct the Schegen treaty. At the same time the borders between Belgium and her neighbours shut down in violation of said treaty as a response to the terrorist attacks yesterday. Attacks perpetrated by European born muslims. Natives with Belgian passports that did not need to travel the Aegean in a homemade rubber dhingy. So if you are the victim of war trying to escape with your family Europe wants to send the message that coming here is a risk. It is a risk to cross the borders, to get trapped in Greece, to get seperated from your family, to lose your children. 10000 unescorted minors, recorded in Greece by police at refugee centers, are missing in Europe. If however you want to be part of a hard right organization and partake in violent acts there is little to stop you. If you are a native European muslim you can blow things up or if you are a native European christian you can beat refugees up. The new European morality is violence and Greece resists. Who is with us...leave a comment if you like.

NATO operating in the Aegean?

Times are changing, and rapidly. Try and bear with me as I give a short run down of the problems facing Greece and the EU as they are multilevel and intertwined like a Gordian knot. The summary goes like this:
1. Germany has an open border policy.
2. Turkey has an open border policy.
3. FYROM has shut her borders and refugees are trapped in Greece.
4. Austria spearheads group of Balkan states refusing to open borders even for transit refugees.
5. Germany is energy dependant on Russia for natural gas.
6. Germany wants access to middle east natural gas from Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.
7. Syria had refused to alow a pipeline to cross her territory to expediate point 6.
8. Austria is close ally to Germany.
9. Turkey is close ally to Germany.
10. Merkel sees threat to both Schengen zone and Euro zone from unilater Austrian actions.
Now taking into account point 1 and 2 consider point 10 to be realistic. Taking into account points 8 and 9 in combination with 5,6,7 suddenly point 10 is weakened. Countries become allies when they have common interests, I am not talking about hobbies and music, of economic, millitary and other such nature. Germany played hardball in the Ukraine supporting all kinds of pro-Nazi groups in order to tip the balance away from Russia. Failed miserably there. Germany went on to try and tip the balance by supporting ISIS in the middle east through Turkey. That episode ended with the shooting down of a Russian warplane that spent a few seconds in Turkish airspace. Turkey has been violating Greek airspace for years. Waterspace too. Now NATO warships are in the Aegean in an apparent attempt to stem the flow of refugees. The plan was that these warships would save refugees from their dinghies and then return them to TURKISH shores. Turkey has refused. The president of Turkey, Tagip Erdogan, went on a trip to west Africa to promote Turkish Airways service from Ghana and other countries with added daily flights to Istanbul at 50 euros a ticket and NO VISA REQUIRED. Turkey has an open border policy for anyone who wants to climb into a dhingy and attempt to cross the Aegean into Greece. Mekel claims to have an open border policy for any refugee that land on EU soil but NOT BY AIRPLANE. NATO has an anti-Russian mandate historicaly and is now operating in the Aegean. Russia of course has been sailing her warships down to Syria from the Black Sea through the Aegean. I think the conspiracy theory here has been proven. The only question that remains is what will the US public vote. If they vote either Clinton or Trump they will be voting for a Kissinger fan that will certainly increase the level of tension here.

Photo is from Idomeni at the Greek-FYROM border.