A Citizen’s Guide to Greece 2015
Protection rackets
Say you are an eager entrepreneur seeking to launch you own business. In the past, says Alexis Papahelas of Kathimerini, you might have faced “tailor-made amendments, biased legal and standards committees, and odd circula...
Saying of the day: 5/13/13
“I learned… that writing is play. So is reading. They are things you do to enjoy yourself. I found out that I enjoyed writing, and I could do it for hours on end, for my own amusement, rather than for any ass...
The US is not Greece; or, beware of economists bearing regressions
Matthew O’Brien says in this month’s Atlantic, “No, the United States will never, ever turn into Greece.” What he means is that, contrary to the view of certain economists, the US will never “spend...
A National Day of Celebration of Greek and American Democracy
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA A PROCLAMATION Each year, America celebrates Greek Independence Day to strengthen the bonds between the birthplace of democracy and the world’s oldest republic. We recognize th...
Citizen? No more
The Canadian paper Globe & Mail has published a searching editorial on the circumstances under which citizenship might be revoked. The case at hand involves the question of what punishment to mete out to Canadians who commi...
One crook for another
This one’s rich. According to todays Chicagoland blog in the Chicago Tribune, “Republican voters are suggesting the 2nd Congressional District replace one felon with another after picking ex-convict Paul McKinley as...
Citizens who want to guard their privacy
Tips from an article in today’s New Scientist on how to resist the efforts of governments to encroach on their privacy. “… for citizens who want to guard their privacy, there are a number of options. Apps like...
Relief fund for victims of flooding in Serbia
A relief fund has been created by the Serbian government for anyone who wishes to support victims of the terrible flooding in Serbia. Thank you for taking note and sharing this information with your friends and acquaintances.
None of the above
Voters in democracies often express their dissatisfaction for the candidates, the parties, and, indeed, the political system itself by abstaining from voting on election day. (American voters may also vote for so-called “...
Hungry?
Originally published by Stathis on February 19, 2013, at http://www.enikos.gr/stathis/121761,Apergia_dioti.html.
Ikea Swedish meatballs withdrawn from Greek shelves
From the pages of today’s Greek Reporter: “Swedish furniture retailing giant IKEA decided to withdraw its meatballs from its restaurants in Greece after the Czech State Veterinary Administration reported finding ...
Open data: what it is, what it is not
This clip, courtesy of The Guardian, provides a nice overview of the state of thinking about open data, which advocates argue will revolutionize political practice in positive fashion in the months and years to come. See...
Among the first inhabitants of Thessaloniki
The remains of one of the earliest inhabitants of the city of Thessaloniki, those of a young woman, roughly twenty-five years of age, adorned with a gold crown, have been uncovered and published in a tomb dating from the third ...
The YouTube citizen
Google and YouTube claim they can help teachers turn teenagers into better citizens. Watch the clip below to find out how.
Center. Period.
A soon-to-be-released book by Charles Wheelen called The Centrist Manifesto is described thus on the web site of amazon.com. “A vision—and detailed road map to power—for a new party that will champion America’s rati...
German Pension Info For Greeks
A public service announcement from our friends at Greek Reporter. “Insured workers who have worked in Germany will be able to contact the Goethe-Institut of Thessaloniki from April 16 to 19 to find answers to questions co...
Suddenly, elections that haven’t much mattered may have a real impact
Catchy title in today’s euronews: “Could youth vote stir up next European elections?” Excerpts from Anders Melin’s article below. “A survey released by the European Commission last week showed 65 p...
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