Where's the Germans when you need them?

Also, Greece has gone bankrupt a few times, going all the way back to antiquity.

Long read, but worth it, especially if you're don't know much about what happened in Greece or don't speak financial jargon.

Michael Lewis - Beware of Greaks Bearing Bonds. Link pops.

Greeks even

\fffffffffffuuuuuuuuuu...

In January, the popular American radio programme This American Life devoted an entire episode to revising how the Greek crisis unfolded, pitched at people with little financial conversance. Its tone may be slightly patronising to British ears, but as a potted history of the debacle it is invaluable.

Take that, Ira Glass!

namatad: Radak: Best use of "obvious" tag in Μαιμακτηριών.

lawl

Kostas Vaxevanis, the editor of the Greek magazine Hot Doc, was arrested after publishing what has become known as the "Lagarde List".
So rather than arrest the criminals, you arrest the guy who names the criminals.
And THEN you are confused when Germany and the rest of EU want you to either shape up or ship out??

It's pretty astounding what the abusive will do then threatened with the loss of their enablers, and this goes for governments just as with people.

Don't worry, it'll all get cleared up ad calendas graecas.

Italy too...

I wonder how many other nations have this particular cultural issue?

I know in the US, tax is fought against...but not typically evaded, except in legal loopholes.
No one farks with the IRS...at least, not in the long-run.

namatad: Radak: Best use of "obvious" tag in Μαιμακτηριών.

lawl

Kostas Vaxevanis, the editor of the Greek magazine Hot Doc, was arrested after publishing what has become known as the "Lagarde List".
So rather than arrest the criminals, you arrest the guy who names the criminals.
And THEN you are confused when Germany and the rest of EU want you to either shape up or ship out??

Hope they don't make him drink hemlock.

In January, the popular American radio programme This American Life devoted an entire episode to revising how the Greek crisis unfolded, pitched at people with little financial conversance. Its tone may be slightly patronising to British ears, but as a potted history of the debacle it is invaluable.

This from the country whose idea of "journalism" is tits on page 4?

[CSB] When I worked in the bankruptcy field, one of the most common dodges of accounting for property was buying a house in Greece. I think we had three clients in two years who committed fraud by owning a Greek House and not reporting it on Schedule A. [/CSB]

cefm: In January, the popular American radio programme This American Life devoted an entire episode to revising how the Greek crisis unfolded, pitched at people with little financial conversance. Its tone may be slightly patronising to British ears, but as a potted history of the debacle it is invaluable.

This from the country whose idea of "journalism" is tits on page 4?

I know what he means, but it's hard to describe. He's definitely not saying Brits are more sophisticated than the target audience, it's just that some American docos sound patronising to the non-American ear - even if they are not actually talking down to you.

Michael Moore would be the most egregious example (even Americans complain about the tone). Most US docos aren't anywhere near that bad, but many do have a very slight "whiff" of Michael Moore.

I think it's the friendly/excited style clashing with the subject matter. We expect "real" info to come in the form of formal lectures and to be interesting enough that it doesn't need an excited tone to attract our attention. (Think David Attenborough ... he has a lovely voice, but his delivery is really quite flat - it doesn't need to be amped up, the natural history docos are interesting enough.) When the tone is too excited/informal, it sounds like a kindy teacher doing that fake-happy voice to get the kids interested. So it comes off as patronising - regardless of actual subject matter.