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Greek Government Resorts To Wartime Emergency Act: Threatens Economy-Paralyzing Strikers With Prison Time
In an advance reminder that the National Lampoon's European Austerity Vacation Tour is coming to an end, and with it come back pestilence, plauge, locusts, flash crashes and 24/7 cripping strikes, the Greek government has just issued a war-time emergency decree which forces striking truck drivers of fuel-tankers to get back to work or face criminal charges and up to five
years of jail time (such an order issued to striking US unions would likely lead to civil war almost overnight). In other words, the Greek austerity plan is working so well, the country now finds itself resorting to wartime measures. As Market News reports, "The drivers had been on strike for three days through Wednesday,
protesting a government effort to open up their profession, which is
part of the austerity package agreed by Greece in exchange for up to
E100 billion in loans from the Eurozone and the IMF. About 70% of gas station owners say they have run out of supplies,
while shortages of food and other goods have also been reported,
affecting tourism at peak season." Amusingly the Greek economy resumes its collapse despite the ever louder lies by one version of G-Pap or another that the country's economy is now stronger than ever. Odd then how this works with increasing numbers of striking people: perhaps Greece should fire everyone and see its GDP shoot up by 100%? Even funnier, the emergency act coincides with the arrival of the so-called
"troika" officials from the European Commission, the ECB and the IMF,
who have been inspecting the Greek economy since Monday and will
continue doing so for the next seven days - we hope they filled up their gas tanks in advance of their goal seeked tour. Obviously, the three stooges will find nothing wrong with Greece, and over the mortar fire in the background, will say G-Pap is doing so well he deserves another cool trillion from the US taxpayers. In other news, the fraud circus must go on.
More from Market News:
The government announced it would issue the civil mobilization order, normally used in times of war or national disaster, and send letters to each of the truck drivers ordering them to report to duty. If they fail to comply, they could face criminal charges and up to five years of jail time.
The drivers had been on strike for three days through Wednesday, protesting a government effort to open up their profession, which is part of the austerity package agreed by Greece in exchange for up to E100 billion in loans from the Eurozone and the IMF.
Earlier Wednesday, discussions between the truckers union and the socialist government had collapsed and drivers vowed to continue the strike indefinitely. They complain that under the government plan, licenses to new drivers would be issued for much less than they paid, thereby putting them at a disadvantage.
The government said it will not back down and will table the draft bill to liberalize the sector this week. Under the terms of the EMU/IMF bailout plan, the sector must open up by the end of September.
The officials will draft a report in mid-August and have already indicated that the Greek plan "is broadly on track." While the second installment is considered essentially a foregone conclusion, the Socialist government is now faced with the toughest decisions, such as the opening up of closed professions, liberalizing the energy market, and further reforms in the labor sector.
Again - if this is happening with 90% of Europe on vacation, just wait until people get back to their jobs and realize they have all been relocated to the basement, without a stapler, and with a "glitch" in payroll after two IMF consultants named Bob have made everyone's pension redundant.

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Insomnia pays off at times like this.. crazy shit man.
Agreed. Now I can sleep soundly knowing I didnt miss something good.
Ummm hi, it's Bill Lumbergh again. I just wanted to make sure you Greek strikers knew that we, uh, did start at the usual time this morning. Yeah, it isn't a half day or anything like that. So instead of STRIKING could you get here as soon as possible, that would be great. Yeah.
---------------
Meanwhile the HFT computer (virus)programs are working so well they are removing billions from the USA conomy and right into the pockets of the banksters.
What a brilliant example of witheringly vitriolic snarkomania. Tyler you freakin rokk!
BTW are you still able to receive Goldman reports, or is that now rendered impossible with that RFID-barcode nonsense?
California yesterday, greece today. time to go long states of emergency by the looks of things
You can take this j-o-b and shove it!
It's a four-letter word - according to VP Joe.
Office Space was a great movie. Greek guys cleaning streets after they find there are no jobs:
[Peter and Lawrence are working on the crew cleaning up the burned Initech building]
Peter Gibbons: This isn't so bad, huh? Makin' bucks, gettin' exercise, workin' outside.
Lawrence: Fuckin' A.
Peter Gibbons: [nods] Fuckin' A.
they will get food in prison..no? and they will be safe from the fools outside..
actually does Greece have the funds to run the prisons?
Damn! I admire the striking Greeks, they don't put up with shit. Can you imagine how fast the US Govt would react if 35,000 truckers blockaded Wall Street and called the bluff on the ponzi looting scheme.
they would just connect over VPN to watch large server farms and not understand in the slightest clue to what the server racks were doing.
I don't completely get the part where the US Taxpayer funds the Greek government... ??
It's referring to IMF bailouts. The US taxpayer ultimately foots the bill for em. (which is fair enough given that the IMF's gunboat diplomacy is used to ensure US dollar supremacy and the exploitative extraction of natural wealth from 3rd world countries at prices that ensure said countries remain 3rd works forever more. ...until they actuially do get their shit together like china india et al)
In recent times the refrain here in Italy was: we have to do this and that (read cutting and slashing of welfare state despite the public pension fund balance being always positive) either "we'll end up like Argentina", now the Greeks are on the frontline... they end up like Argentina: if this only would mean stretching the finger (do you say so?) to the IMF, monetary reform and a new start, it would be a rather fascinating perspective for us as well... and ultimately for US Taxpayers as well!
#Reuters# BREAKING NEWS: IMF team finds 80% of Greeks have been faking their TPS reports since 1999. IMF head Dominique Strauss-Kahn told reporters "you can go ahead and panic now".
Imagine if the fiat,QE currency delivery drivers went on strike,or the printing press service engineers or the banknote paper delivery drivers,obviously more essential than things like petrol or food.Moves like that would be ....... well .........um........just damned unpatriotic.
The truck drivers are protesting the license fee being reduced.
So they want barriers to working to protect their position.
Same crap in the US with Federal Drivers Licenses for trucking. State and local licenses for everything from plumbers to hair dressers. Does anybody really think they are about anything but keeping the number of workers down so the cost of these services is higher?
Not quite: imagine you had to pay 1000€ license just in order to enter a job and now, for the same job only 10€ are required. In your "cost structure" you have to take in account the mortage of 1000€ instead of 10€: this isn't exactly what one would call "compete on equl terms" isn't it?
One solution could be that actual drivers were allowed to deduct the difference of the license price from tax?
In more familiar terms, imagine you are Ford Motor Company.
The news and the picture from the movie "Office space" are awesome.
the greeks; they live on one of the most beautiful group of islands in the world, their food and wine is fantastic, and what do they do all day? Run around with firebombs screaming for anarchy complaining they cannot have eight months paid holiday and retire with a pension at 24 years of age. Perhaps I embellish a bit, but you get the idea.
This is a gross "rethoric exageration" and I take it as such, however if you look closer at the numbers, while it is true that Greece is among the EU Countries with the higer increas in labour costs vs. roductivity you have also to look at the fact that starting point of these increases were mean wages which are far below european average. No wonder Germany doesn't increase much since German workers already enjoy highest salaries among EU Countries (still, for how long?). Problem is that basic goods cost almost the same across Europe and you are asking people who already "enjoy" net average wages well below 1000€/months to further tighten the belt... No wonder to see them resourcing to Molotov Cocktails... I'm sure if they could they'd rather take a Margarita leaning on the pool side...
Truckers have paralyzed the country's economy, but their tactics will backfire. At the height of the tourist season, which is a primary source of revenues for millions of Greeks, this is the stupidest blockade ever. But some Greeks still manage to keep up their good spirits. My brother told me a waiter who served him earlier this week was wearing a T-shirt which said "What Crisis?". Wait till the winter months, you'll see the crisis...
You lie once again. Today the traffic in Athens was pretty heavy and nothing seems that there is a shortage of fuels.
Socialist propaganda lies and Papandreou tries to insult all working classes in Greece.
Papandreou is a traitor.
Another Greek with poisonous political views that engulf his entire being. All Greek politicians are to blame for what is going on right now, especially Papandreou senior, now dead. But Karamanlis was in my opinion, the worst PM ever. He did absolutely nothing while in power.
Too much of Socialist propaganda once more.
Papandreou is going to end behind prison bars for genocide
Leo,
Sure he did....lined his pockets, and lived like a KING.
Wonder if they have enough PRISON space for all the protestors/strikers?.
If they attempt/do lock up them up, more Greeks will strike........
HUGE problens feeding and housing ,guarding them, and the COST will be thru the roof.
After 3000 plus years of recorded history, the Greeks have perspective and know that this crisis shall also pass. They will survive the EU, as they survived the Persians, Romans,Mongols etc etc
Shit, now the greeks can't stand up for their rights. What to do?
I know, I know! The greek prison workers should just all go on strike as well.
There, problem solved.
Today, the true strike for a westerner worker would be to work and rise the output to unprecedented levels leaving the Companies sitting on the unsold stocks.
If a worker strikes, today, he makes the Company he works for happy, for it saves two times: one time the wage of the day (lost by the worker) and second the unsold finished product on stock: if the workers were to work beyond the will of the company, the company had thecost for the wages AND for the finished products sitting around on stock: even better if due to lack of parts they are unfinished thus not sell-able...
All is well...until it isn't.
My thought as well.
This is how supply chains get broken and the real harm is done.
When you least expect it:
Greek Socialist Gvnt after civil mobilization order now is in dialogue with the truckers.
Total fiasco of Papandreou as the civil mobilization order in against the Constitution.
Socialists prepare a junda in Greece.
Let me enlighten you, gentlemen:
The Book of Apocalypsis (The Revelation, describing modern times, including the whore of Babylon - an oil, as well as rockets Apollo, helicopters-Scorpions, tanks etc) were written by John the Apostle on Greek Island called Patmos. And the New Testament were written in greek. And the greek language was the international language during Pontius Pilate's times.
That is why Greece is very special and should obtain LIBERTY FIRST - from stupid illegal euro-zone, and from stupid corrupt socialistic government.
Whore of Babylon, Apocalypse, Scorpions, and Tanks?...So you also know my ex-wife<g>?
I dont get your humor. "Russki standart" is quite strong sort of vodka. Do not drink too much, my russian boy.
Who Carez about a bunch of stinky feta eating greeks striking? Is this news after 3000 years of greek civilization? Tell us something new about Lindsay Lohan.
A quote to go along with the last photo: "That's it. That's the last straw... I'm gonna burn the place down" - Mike Judge, "Office Space"