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Friday, April 19, 2013

Serious Nationalism in Europe Has Never Ended Well


Arutz Sheva

Serious Nationalism in Europe Has Never Ended Well
Daily Beast
While it may seem like a rather hyperbolic description, the parallels between Germany in the 1920s and present-day Greece are strikingly similar: Greece is in a hopeless state of economic depression and are at the mercy of western European powers in ...
Council of Europe: Greece Could Ban Neo-Nazi 'Golden Dawn'Arutz Sheva
Greece: xenophobic hatred risesWest - Welfare Society Territory
Council of Europe addresses fascism and impunity in GreeceBay Area Indymedia

all 6 news articles »

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Greek Committee To Claim Parthenon Marbles


Greek Reporter

Greek Committee To Claim Parthenon Marbles
Greek Reporter
image32 Deputy Minister of Culture Kostas Tzavaras is setting up a special committee to push for return of the marbles stolen from the Parthenon by Lord Elgin, a British diplomat, more than 200 years and now housed in in the British Museum which has ...


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At least 28 immigrants shot at Greece strawberry plantation after not being ...


RT

At least 28 immigrants shot at Greece strawberry plantation after not being ...
RT
Greek police are hunting three strawberry plantation foremen, who are suspected of shooting nearly 30 workers, mostly Bangladeshi, after immigrants demanded wages they had not been paid for six months. Officials have promised “swift and exemplary” ...


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Greek farm shootings highlight migrants' plight





The bloodletting this week in Greece's southern strawberry fields shocked the nation and put the spotlight on the plight of the financial crisis' overlooked victims: hundreds of thousands of migrant workers, many undocumented, whose lot is becoming even tougher amid rising racist violence and dropping living standards.

After a two-day manhunt, Greek authorities on Friday arrested three suspects in the shootings, which drew strong condemnation from the government, political parties and labor unions.

Police said the shootings near the village of Manolada followed an altercation between the Greek foremen and some 200 workers demanding six months' unpaid wages.

In Manolada, many laborers live in tents or shacks, stifling in the summer and freezing in winter, without sanitation or adequate access to drinking water.

Kanakis accused local communities of hypocrisy, accepting the migrants' money in local shops but ignoring their plight, including lack of access to healthcare.

The wave of illegal immigration in recent years, coupled with a spike in violent crime, has fueled anti-migrant sentiment propelling the meteoric rise of Golden Dawn, a party so far to the right that its website brims with Nazi literature and references.

Foreign workers in Greece are in a particularly parlous position, as those who have violated immigration laws are under constant threat of arrest and deportation if denounced to authorities.

Even victims of racist attacks have been detained over alleged immigration violations, a practice condemned by international rights groups.


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Celebrity birthdays today, April 19; and: Our Big Fat Greek Bundt Cake


Celebrity birthdays today, April 19; and: Our Big Fat Greek Bundt Cake
Pioneer Press
“My Big Fat Greek Wedding” – starring Nia Vardalos and the cake – tells the story of a single woman, Toula, whose big, noisy Greek family worries she'll die an old maid. Then she meets the perfect man, from a small, quiet WASPish family. Not to ruin it ...


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Greek farm shootings highlight migrants' plight

An immigrant worker recovering from a leg gunshot wound is seen in makeshift housing provided for them at a strawberry plantation near the village of Manolada about 260 kilometers (160 miles) west of Athens. on Thursday, April 18, 2013. Greek officials are promising "swift and exemplary" punishment for three plantation foremen accused of shooting and wounding 29 Bangladeshi workers who were protesting over pay arrears. Authorities have arrested the owner of the farm near the village of Manolada, about 260 kilometres (160 miles) southwest of Athens. On Thursday, they arrested a local man on suspicion of hiding the three fugitive gunmen. (AP Photo/ Eurokinissi/ Antonis Nikolopoulos) GREECE OUTATHENS, Greece (AP) — After months of pressing the strawberry plantation over pay, the Bangladeshi migrant laborers gathered in the field hoping that a deal was near. Instead, foremen peppered them with gunfire, wounding 28.



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George Osborne to challenge proposed financial transaction tax in court

Chancellor appeals to European court of justice over plan for worldwide euro levy put forward by 11 EU countries

Britain is mounting a legal challenge to plans by 11 European nations to adopt a new financial transactions tax amid concerns that the plan will affect banks and institutions in countries outside the scheme.

The scheme, also known as a Tobin tax, would put a levy on all euro transactions anywhere in the world. But hopes for it suffered a setback when George Osborne said in Washington that the UK was taking the case to the European court of justice (ECJ).

"I am not against financial transaction taxes in principle," the chancellor said, noting that the UK put stamp duty on shares. "But I am concerned about the extra-territorial aspects of the European commission's proposals."

Earlier this year 11 countries – Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Belgium, Portugal, Greece, Austria, Slovakia, Slovenia and Estonia – said they had formed a "coalition of the willing" that would allow them to forge ahead with the new tax despite the misgivings of other member states.

Despite opting out of the scheme, Britain and other non-participating members had until Thursday to launch a legal challenge to the specific proposals for the levy drafted in Brussels. Osborne confirmed this had been done, but said Britain's concerns were shared by a number of other countries including the US. The chancellor has also expressed his concerns to the German finance minister Wolfgang Schäuble.

Britain's objections concern the scope of the tax. Treasury sources said under the current plans it would be levied on a trade in a euro-denominated financial instrument conducted in Singapore by two American banks, for instance.

The City has also sought clarification on how the levy would affect euro trades completed in London between banks from countries not in the scheme, and from UK subsidiaries of banks in participating countries.

Osborne believes the tax will damage an already weak eurozone economy and be costly for savers and pensioners because the costs will be passed on.

It is thought the ECJ will take up to two years to consider the UK's case, but the Treasury believes the legislative process to put the tax into force will take longer. Britain believes its objections can be met while the legislation is being passed and sees the court case as an insurance policy.

Supporters of the financial transaction tax criticised Osborne's decision. Owen Tudor, spokesman for the Robin Hood Tax campaign, said: "This isn't about defending British interests against Europe – it's about defending one rather rich square mile against the wishes of people in Britain and across Europe.

"Not content with letting our banks off scot-free, Osborne now wants to prevent European countries from making their financial sectors pay to repair the damage caused by the crisis.

"Resorting to lawyers is the last refuge of a chancellor who has lost the argument.

"Not only is this morally wrong, it is breathtakingly hypocritical – the UK's own £3bn stamp duty on shares is collected wherever UK shares are traded and regardless of who is trading them."


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Blood and strawberries: Hard times in Greece add pressure on migrant workers


Yahoo! News

Blood and strawberries: Hard times in Greece add pressure on migrant workers
Washington Post
The bloodletting this week in Greece's southern strawberry fields shocked the nation and put the spotlight on the plight of the financial crisis' overlooked victims: hundreds of thousands of migrant workers, many undocumented, whose lot is becoming ...
Farm foremen arrested over shooting of migrant workers in GreeceYahoo! News
Greece Pledges Swift Punishment Over Farm ShootingABC News
Greece Migrant Workers Shot By Foremen On Strawberry Farm After Demanding ...Huffington Post
The Independent -BBC News
all 75 news articles »

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Ray of sunshine for beleaguered Greece as country predicts tourism bounce this ...


Daily Mail

Ray of sunshine for beleaguered Greece as country predicts tourism bounce this ...
Daily Mail
Andreas Andreadis, head of Greece's main tourism body SETE (Association of Greek Tourism Enterprises), said tourism revenues have seen a rise of up to 10 per cent this year to 11 billion euros (£9.4 billion) on the back of an expected record 17 million ...

and more »

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Cry for help

A pensioner shouts a slogan in central Athens during an anti-austerity demonstration on Friday. The EU and the International Monetary Fund have committed a total of 240 billion euros in rescue loans to Greece, obliging the heavily indebted country to pursue austerity measures in exchange for the aid it needs to avoid bankruptcy. Photo: AFP

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The Folly of Empire: Starving Greek Children

The New York Time’s Liz Alderman reports: As an elementary school principal, Leonidas Nikas is used to seeing children play, laugh and dream about the future. But recently he has seen something altogether different, something he thought was impossible in Greece: children picking through school trash cans for food; needy youngsters asking playmates for leftovers; and an 11-year-old boy, Pantelis Petrakis, bent over with hunger pains. Ryan Avent takes an uncharacteristically “balanced” view: It is no use trying to figure out what "fair" is. It is hard to blame Germans who have saved prudently and minded their own business for not wanting the value of those savings eroded by inflation, even moderately. But at some point there needs to be a bit of perspective about the relative costs and benefits of different crisis approaches. Yes. I see. Perspective. Different Approaches. These are good points. At the same time, there are children stealing food because they have nothing to eat! And, the head of the Bundesbanks says: We didn’t change interest rates at our last meeting as they are currently appropriate and in accordance with our assessment of economic developments, price stability and our monetary analysis . . . We shouldn’t expect too much” from a potential rate cut, Weidmann said today. “Monetary policy will not be able to solve structural problems in the euro area. The structural problem here is the existence of a monetary union where central bank officials believe that children rummaging through the garbage for food is an appropriate economic development. As Ryan probably knows my sentiments are unfashionable and hinge on notions like noblesse oblige and the burden of privilege. But, as long as we remain loyal to the ideal of a meritocratic democracy then we must demand institutions that meritocratic democracies are capable of managing. Loose confederations of quasi-independent nations states with no sense collective identity are not among them. Democracies cannot manage empires. The attempt is grotesque and ethos of meritocracy do not even afford us the appropriate means of redress.

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Beyoncé raises eyebrows with risqué world tour outfits

Crystal-studded bodysuit with trompe l'oeil breasts and nipples is among costumes for Mrs Carter Show

As she embarks on the first dates of a sellout four-month world tour which takes in 42 cities, Beyonc̩'s status as the world's most powerful female star has never looked more assured. But controversy over her risqu̩ stage outfits is causing cracks to appear in her claim over another lucrative title Рthat of America's sweetheart.

One outfit in particular has proved divisive this week. A crystal-studded bodysuit hand-painted with trompe l'oeil breasts and nipples, designed by the New York label The Blonds has raised eyebrows. The deliberately provocative outfit has a distinct showgirl feel and has prompted commentary beyond fashion circles. The US sociologist Dr Hilary Levey Friedman told Fox News: "You have to wonder what one of Beyoncé's biggest fans, Michelle Obama, would tell her daughters about this outfit."

So far, any kind of "crystal-nipplegate" scandal has yet to emerge. But it is conceivable that following the furore over lipsynching at the inauguration, and a chilly statement from the White House distancing the administration from the trip taken by Beyoncé and her husband, Jay Z, to Cuba, the Carters' position at the heart of the presidential court has been weakened.

Meanwhile reaction inside the fashion world has centred on the costumes' aesthetic value. Designers Phillipe and David Blond told Womenswear Daily that their outfit, which was intended "to give the illusion of being covered in crystallised honey", was handpainted on to a bespoke bustier suit for anatomical accuracy and then "hand-embroidered with approximately 30,000 Swarovski crystals that took over 600 hours to apply". The designers cited Tamara de Lempicka's paintings of the female body as a reference – although some observers were struck by a connection to the pneumatic nudes of the cartoonist R Crumb.

It is unlikely that the star's PR machine will be ruffled by the week's sartorial debate. Perhaps in a deliberate attempt to provoke media attention and chatter there is a stark contrast between the stage wardrobe – which takes Vegas showgirl sequins, hotpants and bare thighs as its central themes – and the demure persona suggested by the tour's moniker The Mrs Carter Show.

Fashion watchers have noted that Beyoncé has opted for glamour and impact over fashion kudos: while she could command bespoke outfits from any designer on the planet, she has worked with many lesser-known names. Designers who have contributed to the Mrs Carter wardrobe include Ralph & Russo, who made a white crystal and pearl bodysuit with peplum ruff in which Beyoncé opened the tour. Vretto Vrettakes, a Greek-born Royal College of Art graduate, has contributed a shimmering blue catsuit to the tour wardrobe. Dean and Dan Caten, the designers behind the Italian label Dsquared2, well known on the Milanese catwalk circuit but not quite household names, have also been involved.

One A-list exception is Givenchy's Riccardo Tisci, who designed a black sequinned leotard and matching animal-eared riding hat, which riffs on the Playboy Bunny aesthetic. Tisci is a co-host, with Beyoncé, of next month's Met Ball at the Metropolitan Museum in New York, an event considered to be the most exclusive night on the international fashion calendar. The inclusion of the Givenchy brand assures that the Mrs Carter look retains the singer's place in fashion's upper echelons.

Despite the controversy over whether the look is too risqu̩ or not cutting edge enough, the real measure of the success or otherwise of the Mrs Carter tour wardrobe may come later. Over recent years stage costumes have garnered an interest beyond the life of a particular tour or album. Exhibitions of musicians' most iconic stage looks have proved increasingly popular. The V&A's current David Bowie exhibition Рto which fashion is central Рis doing brisk business, and although it is unlikely that Beyonc̩'s crystal bodysuit will ever earn the status of the metallic Ziggy Stardust bodysuit designed by Kansai Yamamoto in 1971, in terms of the lasting impact of a tour wardrobe, the basic tenet is: the more controversial, the better.


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Greece's Hellenic Petroleum to Meet Investors for Debut Bond


Greece's Hellenic Petroleum to Meet Investors for Debut Bond
Bloomberg
Hellenic Petroleum SA, Greece's largest refiner, is said to be planning its first bond sale. The unrated company is arranging investor meetings in Zurich, Geneva, London and Athens starting April 23, according to a person familiar with the deal who ...


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Yoseph Leib Ibn Mardachya: 420 And The Hidden Jewish Cannabis Teachings

Why is Cannabis smoking identified with the secret number 420? Once, when I was young, I looked answers in the Hebrew Bible and mystical tradition.

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The Moral Case For Visiting Greece This Summer


The Moral Case For Visiting Greece This Summer
Gadling
Patmos Everyone who can afford it should visit Greece this summer. That was the conclusion I reached after reading a heartbreaking story about malnourished children in Greece on the front page of Thursday's New York Times. According to Liz Alderman's ...
Cosmos Give Bloggers A Chance to Win A Dream Greek Holiday - MarketwireMarketwire (press release)

all 2 news articles »

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Farm foremen arrested over shooting of migrant workers in Greece

ATHENS (Reuters) - Police on Friday arrested three foremen at a Greek strawberry farm on suspicion that they shot and wounded more than 20 migrant farmers who were protesting over unpaid wages.




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