Greece

[Old Codger]

Jonesy,

"The austerity package will affect the police and their families too."

Yep, but ANY government needs the Army and the Police on their side, so their wages will be less severely effected than the ordinary worker.

They will stay in their job because they can be mutually protective of each others families and property.



OC

 

[Jislizard]

It amazes me that the police will treat their own neighbours and fellow citizens with such violence.

Not if you knew many police!

I knew a few and a few customs officers. They deal with criminals everyday of their life and eventually their views get completely screwed. They see everyone as a criminal (particularly those acting in a criminal manner such as rioting)

British citizens are allowed to travel abroad and buy cheaper goods as we are all part of Europe. In France Cigarettes and Alcohol are taxed at a lower rate so are way cheaper. Brits would go abroad and could buy as much as they wanted for personal use (Which can include giving them as presents to other people) but can't sell it.

Of course it didn't take long to, literally, back the truck up and fill it with fags and booze. (a policy encouraged by the ferry companies with their Booze Cruises when passengers didn't even get off the ferry but filled up in the duty free shop)

Customs officers were tasked with preventing this and copped a lot of abuse. So they responded by tearing people's cars to pieces and handing over the bits for the owner to put back together, as well as impounding cars and anythig else they wanted.

So they brought out new laws to stop customs officials stopping every car and pulling it to bits, bad for business but at least little old ladies weren't harrassed for having a couple of bottles of sherry.

Of course there was a loophole, if an officer suspected you of having drugs they could still pull you over and impound your car. So what did the customs officers do? They just 'suspected' anyone they didn't like 'of having drugs' and just continued to go about their business essentially ignoring the law put there to protect the public from undue harrassment.

They do a difficult job but that does not excuse them from acting like thugs, a long time ago in the UK they had an advert with a skinhead spitting in the face of a police officer and said if you can't stay calm in this situation, don't apply. This was around the same time they were accused of institutional racism. Not a job I would like.

 

[jpanggy]

It amazes me that the police will treat their own neighbours and fellow citizens with such violence.

Not if you knew many police!

I knew a few and a few customs officers. They deal with criminals everyday of their life and eventually their views get completely screwed. They see everyone as a criminal (particularly those acting in a criminal manner such as rioting)

British citizens are allowed to travel abroad and buy cheaper goods as we are all part of Europe. In France Cigarettes and Alcohol are taxed at a lower rate so are way cheaper. Brits would go abroad and could buy as much as they wanted for personal use (Which can include giving them as presents to other people) but can't sell it.

Of course it didn't take long to, literally, back the truck up and fill it with fags and booze. (a policy encouraged by the ferry companies with their Booze Cruises when passengers didn't even get off the ferry but filled up in the duty free shop)

Customs officers were tasked with preventing this and copped a lot of abuse. So they responded by tearing people's cars to pieces and handing over the bits for the owner to put back together, as well as impounding cars and anythig else they wanted.

So they brought out new laws to stop customs officials stopping every car and pulling it to bits, bad for business but at least little old ladies weren't harrassed for having a couple of bottles of sherry.

Of course there was a loophole, if an officer suspected you of having drugs they could still pull you over and impound your car. So what did the customs officers do? They just 'suspected' anyone they didn't like 'of having drugs' and just continued to go about their business essentially ignoring the law put there to protect the public from undue harrassment.

They do a difficult job but that does not excuse them from acting like thugs, a long time ago in the UK they had an advert with a skinhead spitting in the face of a police officer and said if you can't stay calm in this situation, don't apply. This was around the same time they were accused of institutional racism. Not a job I would like.

+1.

Exposure to the same crap every single day can change a person's perspective. What may have started as a noble aspiration can become an apathetic view of fellow humans.

I think we lack respect for the authorities. We can complain all we want but the public often does not understand the difficulty the front line officers face.

 

[Clawhammer]

It amazes me that the police will treat their own neighbours and fellow citizens with such violence.

Not if you knew many police!

I knew a few and a few customs officers. They deal with criminals everyday of their life and eventually their views get completely screwed. They see everyone as a criminal (particularly those acting in a criminal manner such as rioting)

.... Not a job I would like.

+1.

Exposure to the same crap every single day can change a person's perspective. What may have started as a noble aspiration can become an apathetic view of fellow humans.

I think we lack respect for the authorities. We can complain all we want but the public often does not understand the difficulty the front line officers face.

+2
It happens to our hospital staff & ambulance officers too. They get used to seeing 'stuff' and get blase' to it. The problem is, their judgmental and noncholante' attitude doesn't do much for the family and friends of the poor sod who's bleeding on the ground or convulsing on the ground. They may well know that it's a totally survivable condition, but it's distressing for their next to kin to watch.

There have been enough cases that end badly where ambo's have started making their thoughts about illicit drug users known while working on an overdose victim and sorrounded by his/her friends at a house party. Or when distraught parents bring a screaming child to an emergency room and is told by a seemingly disinterested nurse/doctor to just wait in the corner.

 

[Lovey80]

It amazes me that the police will treat their own neighbours and fellow citizens with such violence.

+

They are supposed to protect citizens, not assault them

Blah Blah Blah, There are three types of people on this planet. Sheep, Sheep Dogs and Wolves. The sheep walk around ignorantly blissful and scorn at the sheepdog as he is seen as mostly unwanted, unneeded and more of a drain on resources than is really necessary. That is of course until the Wolf comes knocking. And who then will it be that moves towards the sounds of the guns?

These are not peaceful protesters we are talking about here. These are full on unlawful riots. These aren't just a bunch of uni students burning brass or waving placards. These are criminals that are assaulting police and burning buildings because they do not like what is being dished up to them. In MOST cases half the riots were about lazy fat Greeks (mostly government leaches) simply coming up to the same pay and remuneration as their fellow germans (who are funding all of their debt).

I am all for small government and less intrusive government on private life. But these people got off lightly in my book. If I was a cop and I could get footage of a group of people throwing rocks or molly cocktails at me, I would not rest until I had hunted down and locked up every single one of them.

 

[fishball]

These are not peaceful protesters we are talking about here. These are full on unlawful riots. These aren't just a bunch of uni students burning brass or waving placards. These are criminals that are assaulting police and burning buildings because they do not like what is being dished up to them. In MOST cases half the riots were about lazy fat Greeks (mostly government leaches) simply coming up to the same pay and remuneration as their fellow germans (who are funding all of their debt).

Not sure if it's a bunch of fat lazy greeks or a bunch of poor people but really, you cannot have a revolution without physical action. I guess it's a riot for now but it is looking more and more like a revolution to me. The people are unhappy with Puppetrandreau and wish to remove him from office. Probably through force.

As Thomas Jefferson said, "What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must from time to time be refreshed with the blood of patriots and tyrants. It is its natural manure."

I'm sure as always there are two sides to this and it may very well be just a bunch of douchebags causing havoc but lets not forget a revolution could look very similar and result in bloodshed on both sides.

 

[Norrin Radd]

It amazes me that the police will treat their own neighbours and fellow citizens with such violence.

+

They are supposed to protect citizens, not assault them

Blah Blah Blah, There are three types of people on this planet. Sheep, Sheep Dogs and Wolves. The sheep walk around ignorantly blissful and scorn at the sheepdog as he is seen as mostly unwanted, unneeded and more of a drain on resources than is really necessary. That is of course until the Wolf comes knocking. And who then will it be that moves towards the sounds of the guns?

These are not peaceful protesters we are talking about here. These are full on unlawful riots. These aren't just a bunch of uni students burning brass or waving placards. These are criminals that are assaulting police and burning buildings because they do not like what is being dished up to them. In MOST cases half the riots were about lazy fat Greeks (mostly government leaches) simply coming up to the same pay and remuneration as their fellow germans (who are funding all of their debt).

I am all for small government and less intrusive government on private life. But these people got off lightly in my book. If I was a cop and I could get footage of a group of people throwing rocks or molly cocktails at me, I would not rest until I had hunted down and locked up every single one of them.

This is BS IMO

You seem to have things mixed up. The police here are protecting the wolves

Police can be ok individually but put them in a group and they become a gang like any other. i'v seen it plenty of times with my own eyes, police striking first, picking on people just to get a response so they are justified in getting physical and locking people up. Its the same as groups of Ego driven youths walking the streets on a Saturday night.

 

[Nugget]

In the end, a government will desert it's own people and view it's own citizens as the enemy in order to maintain it's power. And this is called the birthplace democracy.

Aussie Politicians move on to lucrative jobs in the "private" sector when they lose office. The UK has a serious problem with pro-EU politicians getting voted out routinely only to get plum tax-free EU jobs. Nothing democratic about it.

It amazes me that the police will treat their own neighbours and fellow citizens with such violence. The austerity package will affect the police and their families too. Makes me wonder about the kind of people who chose to join the police force in the first place. They are supposed to protect citizens, not assault them.

I don't want to sound rude but FFS grow up or at the very least open your eyes. The vast majority of people are killed by their countrymen. I'm not scared by the Taliban or Al qaeda. These guys pose very little risk to me, a factory worker in Australia who pretty much just works and surfs the net. My biggest threat comes from fellow Aussies, criminals, ignorant drivers, thugs, government (in no particular order). Actually, one of the biggest threats is from Anna Bligh putting Fluoride in my water. I read a lot of BS from US based net users saying (paraphrased) "our soldiers won't shoot us" yet ignore the evidence (Kent state, riots, some military action post WWI etc). Succinctly $$$ will buy thugs ready to beat protesters with batons. Enough $$$ and an excuse will have those thugs open fire.

Want to know how Yugoslavia fell? Angry protesters outside milling around. A photographer ran up their parliaments stairs to get a decent photo. A cry rang out "Look. He isn't scared" and the crowd followed.



As far as I'm concerned this Greece issue is looting on a state level. The debt is unsecured. Let the bond holders burn before burning the taxpayers. Seriously, if anyone were dumb enough to loan me $500k for a holiday more fool them.

 

[systematic]

Greece is under financial occupation by the IMF bankers.

 

[CriticalSilver]

In the end, a government will desert it's own people and view it's own citizens as the enemy in order to maintain it's power. And this is called the birthplace democracy.

Aussie Politicians move on to lucrative jobs in the "private" sector when they lose office. The UK has a serious problem with pro-EU politicians getting voted out routinely only to get plum tax-free EU jobs. Nothing democratic about it.

It amazes me that the police will treat their own neighbours and fellow citizens with such violence. The austerity package will affect the police and their families too. Makes me wonder about the kind of people who chose to join the police force in the first place. They are supposed to protect citizens, not assault them.

I don't want to sound rude but FFS grow up or at the very least open your eyes. The vast majority of people are killed by their countrymen. I'm not scared by the Taliban or Al qaeda. These guys pose very little risk to me, a factory worker in Australia who pretty much just works and surfs the net. My biggest threat comes from fellow Aussies, criminals, ignorant drivers, thugs, government (in no particular order). Actually, one of the biggest threats is from Anna Bligh putting Fluoride in my water. I read a lot of BS from US based net users saying (paraphrased) "our soldiers won't shoot us" yet ignore the evidence (Kent state, riots, some military action post WWI etc). Succinctly $$$ will buy thugs ready to beat protesters with batons. Enough $$$ and an excuse will have those thugs open fire.

Want to know how Yugoslavia fell? Angry protesters outside milling around. A photographer ran up their parliaments stairs to get a decent photo. A cry rang out "Look. He isn't scared" and the crowd followed.



As far as I'm concerned this Greece issue is looting on a state level. The debt is unsecured. Let the bond holders burn before burning the taxpayers. Seriously, if anyone were dumb enough to loan me $500k for a holiday more fool them.

Is there such a big difference between the Greek Police and the Queensland Police under Johannes Bjelke-Petersen (State Premier Sir Joe)? When I was a kid I well remember the news of police brutality in Queensland.

Wasn't it last year here in Victoria that police shot a 12 year old kid to death for waving a knife at them?

How many people have died in police custody? How many people have been tasered to death?

You never bite the hand that feeds you and when the chips are down you can well anticipate there will be state funded police protecting the status quo of the political class, regardless of how history will judge their actions. How do you think Ribert Mugabe has stayed in power.

 

[Clawhammer]

I thought the Greek cops were getting their wages cut too!

 

[silverfunk]

an update from greece i am currently here till end of august, real unemployment is probably around the 25% mark, have heard and seen many views of the current situation. Government here will be slashing public sector jobs soon just for info someone whose job is to stamp paper work in a goverment job brings home around 2500 euro a month! this is a alot of money! average wage here is about 700-800 euro per month.police have had their salaries slashed to about 1500 a month and many police have been involved in the recent protests in athens . I have been in contact with under 30 year olds who have parents who make good money and these kids are not struggling. nepotism is rife in the public and private sector usually along political party affiliation, many greeks are against privatization of assets as many believe that this will destroy the countries sovereignty.brutallity is rife here amongst the police and maby think its bordering on facism. many think that they will see tanks again in the streets similar to the late 60s if the protests continue. Their are many sheeple here who have no idea whats happening, media is not reporting much on the economic issues. the one positive is that people in the shops have become more friendly as they need money. this is a country that is being ruled by incompetent government that has been elected by incompetent people, the current communist party kke is the only party in goverment which is speaking out against most of the mayhem.

if anyone would like to know more feel free to ask

 

[Clawhammer]

if anyone would like to know more feel free to ask

Do greek men still think sharking female tourists is a cool thing to do? Happened to a number of female friends while over there...ruined their trips!

 

[silverfunk]

if anyone would like to know more feel free to ask

Do greek men still think sharking female tourists is a cool thing to do? Happened to a number of female friends while over there...ruined their trips!

lol have u been to italy? happens over there 2. We spent 9 days in mykonos group of about 11, 6 girls all very attrative, not one greek local bothered us to try and lure the girls away, then again they may have been scared by a guy in our group who had tatts everywhere.

 

[JulieW]

what is sharking btw

Silverfunk - how about the day to day? Is it evident that there is a collapse - more petty crime, etc,, or is it quarantined?

 

[errol43]

Silverfunk. Are any of them converting their euros to gold or silver?

Regards Errol 43

 

[silverfunk]

what is sharking btw

Silverfunk - how about the day to day? Is it evident that there is a collapse - more petty crime, etc,, or is it quarantined?

day to day is business as usual, alot more shops have closed, property prices have halved, you can pick up. 2 brm here in salonika for about 40k euro and rent it out at 250 per month. Petty crime is on the increase, break ins, muggings
etc, i have seen alot of people rummaging through bins for food and begging.

 

[silverfunk]

Silverfunk. Are any of them converting their euros to gold or silver?

Regards Errol 43

gold yes silver no. some people ive spoken 2 are buying sovs at around 450 per full sov, have not been to any coin store yet but most greeks know the value of gold. older generations have been stacking for years.

 

[Blockhead]

what is sharking btw

Silverfunk - how about the day to day? Is it evident that there is a collapse - more petty crime, etc,, or is it quarantined?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sharking

Debagging as sexual fetish (sharking)

There is a sexual fetish subculture in this type of debagging which is known as sharking which means males pulling up or down females' clothing for sexual reasons. This is an illegal act in most parts of the world.

Videos of sharking are popular in Japan. The women in the videos are sometimes paid actresses.

 

[Jislizard]

There is a big divide in the Greek employment laws....back in the day when my wife was working for a private company over there they would sack a woman when she got married on the grounds that she was probably going to get pregnant in the near future. The waitresses in the villages take home a couple of euros an hour and teachers would often not be paid for 3-4 months at a time.

The Greeks in the villages go crazy over the summer months, working the tourists, domestic and foreign, and then pretty much retire over winter.

We had greek relatives who rent out an apartment for a couple of months each summer for their break, mind you, they were on a government pension.

All in all it is a mad mixture of private, government and off the books employment, no wonder it is hard to tell how their economy is.