Another Greek success story

A funny thing happened on the way to the market. Or how I found myself covering a forest fire on my day off.

Fire fighting aircraft dropping sea water on a forest fire near Thessaloniki, Greece, a photo by Teacher Dude's BBQ on Flickr.

Yesterday proved once again that cameras are like credit cards and we should never leave home without them. My original plan was to go into the centre, find a cafe with wifi and catch up with things on the internet and then do some shopping. As it turned out I found myself walking for miles in 40C along a dirt track in search of a forest fire.

 But I get ahead of myself, while tweeting I saw that my friend, Asteris was in the centre as well and went off to catch up on his news and find out how he's spent his time at the Global Voices conference in Nairobi. Later, more friends happened upon us (Thessaloniki is that kind of town, despite having a population of over one million inhabitants).

 In the midst of catching up and discussing what we planned to do for our summer holidays,I noticed a couple of Canadair fire fighting planes circling over the city. Usually, that means there are off to fight forest fire in the north of Greece but on the off chance that something was happening closer to home I asked Asteris (i think he's never offline, even in his sleep) to check out Twitter and as I'd guessed there was a fire raging on the outskirts of the city in the Seix Sou woods.

Quickly grabbing my helmet and my bag I made my way to the site but couldn't get very close ad all the access roads had been closed by the authorities. Instead I ended up parking a mile or so away and trekking towards the smoke. Once again luck was on my side an professional photojournalist was also heading in the same direction and offered me a lift. Also she knew from her job many of the fire fighters on duty so there was no problem about me being stopped or turned away and so I was able to take photographs just a few metres from where the planes and helicopter were dropping seawater on the fire.

The only problem was that my bike was at least a 50 minute hike away and the temperature was still in the high thirties but it was worth it and exhausted, red faced and foot sore I ended another Saturday nobody could have predicted.

Greek general strike 29/06/2010 - Thessaloniki

Greek general strike 29/06/2010 - Thessaloniki, originally uploaded by Teacher Dude's BBQ.

Between 8,000 and 10,000 striking trade unionists took to the streets in the northern port city of Thessaloniki in order to show their opposition to the recent austerity package which they claim will plunge millions of Greeks into poverty by allowing mass redundancies and by cutting pensions.

More pictures can be found on Demotix

Off to the Big City

Greek trade unions organise general strike and marches nationwide, originally uploaded by Teacher Dude's BBQ.

So what does one do on a visit to the nation's capital? Take in the sights, hit the museums, perhaps just enjoy the night life? Or take in a demonstration or two? Yesterday I was in Athens for a job interview so I spent most the night on a coach which dropped me in the capital at 6.30 am, which, believe it or not is a great time to arrive in the city. The weather was great, the streets relatively quiet and so I had the chance to kill time before my midday appointment walking through the Plaka district, taking in views of the Acropolis at dawn and to get ready for the protest marches set to start at 10am. Always like to mix business and pleasure, you see.

So after marching along with the PAME trade unionists who were demonstrating against the government's latest hair brained scheme to cut costs (Pensions? Who needs thems?) and make firing employees easier (Yep, with close on a million out of work sacking people is apparently so difficult that PASOK has given employers a helping hand). The march was a peaceful affair and wound its way through the centre and passed by the Greek parliament under the watchful eye of enough police manpower to pacify Somalia.

Then, much in the manner of Clark Kent I transformed myself back into my daytime persona of a mild mannered teacher, complete with tie and shiny shoes to go to the interview. Not sure if I got the job but fingers crossed.

UPDATE

Just found out that I got the job. Once again the wolf at the door goes hungry. Let's hope the rest of summer is as good.

Street Panthers protest - Thessaloniki, Greece

Street Panthers protest - Thessaloniki, Greece, originally uploaded by Teacher Dude's BBQ.

Shouting out slogans such "Pedestrians off the sidewalks now" and "Please make way for vehicles" the ecological group, Street Panthers took to the streets of Greece's second city, Thessaloniki in an ironic protest to make people aware of the way in which cars and bikes have taken over the country's sidewalks and public spaces.

Bemused bystanders cheered the event though many expressed their dissatisfaction with the slogans and remonstrated with protesters not understanding at first the ironic tone of the event.

Protesters also handed out stickers saying "I'm as stubborn as a mule. I park where I like" and encouraged people to put them on illegally parked cars that are a permanent fixture of Greek towns and cities.

More photos at Demotix.com

Last of a dying breed

Last of a dying breed, originally uploaded by Teacher Dude's BBQ.

One of the last tailors working in the centre of Thessaloniki, Greece.

Lydia

Lydia, originally uploaded by Teacher Dude's BBQ.

Lydia and I had a great time this weekend relaxing and catching up on each other's news. Sometimes just doing nothing is enough and I'm not a great one for structuring a child's time with a plethora of activities. I've seen enough young people run ragged by parents who think that unless their offspring are engaged in some activity 24/7 then they've failed in bringing them up correctly.

As much as we want to give our children the best opportunities possible there is still a place for fun, contemplation and even laziness.

Down on the Street

Down on the Street, originally uploaded by Teacher Dude's BBQ.

Greek protesters vent their anger at government's austerity measures - Taken last Thursday

Greek protesters vent their anger at government's austerity measures - Taken last Thursday, originally uploaded by Teacher Dude's BBQ.

Greece set to explode over austerity package

Greece set to explode over austerity package, originally uploaded by Teacher Dude's BBQ.

On Wednesday the Greek government announced its long awaited package of economic measures to deal with the financial crisis the country has been facing since the discovery that the previous conservative government under prime minister Kostas Karamanlis had systematically lied about the country's debt load,. At the beginning of 2009 the Greek minister for finance, Yiannis Papathanasiou confidently predicted that Athens public lending requirements would not go above 3% of GNP, a figure that gradually creeped up over the following months.

However, no one, including Greece's EU partners nor the international money markets were quite ready for the real figure of 12.3% which only came to light following the crushing defeat of New Democracy in the October general elections.

On taking power Giorgos Papandreou, like president Barack Obama immediately found himself in the middle of an economic maelstrom unprecedented in recent history. Unlike America, Greece's chronically weak economy combined with a history of fiscal deception and misinformation meant that newly elected socialist PASOK party had very little room for manouevre with state coffers empty and debt repayments looming. A situation not aided by the role of speculators who saw in Greece a way of exploiting fears about the Euro and so bet on the currency losing value.

The upshot of the crisis is that a socialist government elected on a platform of social reform and aid to the poorest is currently attempting to implement a conservative fiscal reforms which are straight out the Thatcher - Friedman play book and so achieve in five weeks that which the previous right wing administration failed to do in five years in power.

Already swingeing price hikes in the cost of petrol, VAT and and the promise of wage cuts across the board have produced a wave of strike actions and protests. And this is just the beginning. Last weeks marches were marked by violent confrontations between marchers and the riots police who, despite orders by the Minister of the Protection of the Citizen, Mihalis Chrysohoidis used tear gas to disperse those present.

In scene reminiscent of December 2008 the heart of Athens once more resembled a war zone. In addition trade unionists and left wing protesters attempted to storm the ex-ministry of Macedonia and Thrace in Thessaloniki, Greece's second largest city. Like the 2008's outbreak of violence the confrontation are being fueled by a deep sense of outrage and injustice and are drawing support from a wider cross section of society. Enraged pensioners are just as likely to take part in these protests as disenfrancised youths.

As the austerity package starts to bite and the knock on effect of such a drastic change in the economy is reflected in skyrocketing unemployment then these clashes are set to increase in both size and intensity as more and more people take to the streets to voice their disagreement.Next week the country's trade unions have declared another general strike and with the work stoppages are planning public demonstrations which are likely to see a repeat of last Friday's violence.

At the heart of the protests lies the belief that while the country is indeed corrupt and that the public service is bloated and inefficient billions of euros has been siphoned off illegally and that the man in the street is being asked to pay for the folly of the local economic and political elites who have used their power to get rich at the cost of the rest of the country.

The fact that the PASOK politicians asking Greeks to make sacrifices have been repeatedly embroiled in corruption and bribery scandals has done little to convince voters to accept such painful cuts. Over the last decades members of both main parties, New Democracy and PASOK have been accused of a seemingly endless list of scandals involving corruption and influence peddling yet not one MP has ever been convicted or gone to jail. In such a climate of lawlessness where those in power seem able to float the law with impunity few have the moral stature to ask ordinary Greeks to give up so much in such a short time frame.

Although untouched by scandal personally, Prime minister Giorgos Papandreou's party is currently facing allegations that the German Siemens electronics corporation paid bribes to high ranking PASOK officials in order to win contracts for the 2004 Olympic Games held in Athens.

The Games which cost three times the previous ones in Sydney provide an insight into how the present economic crisis came about. Massive cost over runs, lack of transparency over contracts and a legacy of expensive facilities which lie rotting and unused across Athens are testiment to Greece's system of crony capitalism where efficiency, cost, competion, and innovation count for very little in an economy where political favours, kick backs and bribery are the rule rather than the exception.

Greek protesters attempt to storm government building - Thessaloniki

Greek protesters attempt to storm government building - Thessaloniki, originally uploaded by Teacher Dude's BBQ.

Greek protesters charge gates of ministry building - Thessaloniki, Greece

Greek protesters charge gates of ministry building - Thessaloniki, Greece, originally uploaded by Teacher Dude's BBQ.

In what is shaping up to be a clash between the entire labour movement and the Greek government, thousands took to the streets today to march in the protests against prime minister's Giorgos Papandreou's new economic package which sees widespread cuts in public sector services and pay cuts for civil servants. In addition a number of raises in VAT and indirect taxes have sparked off a wave of anger and demonstrations. Thessaloniki, Greece. 05/03/2010.

In today's marches organised by the PAME trade union confederation, demonstrators shouted “Give us back our stolen money” a reference to the widerspread belief that much of the country's 300 billion euro debt as been pocketed by mainstream politicians and those with close economic ties to Greece's two main ruling parties, New Democracy and PASOK which have governed since 1974.

Riot police used tear gas and pepper spray when protesters belonging to a coalition of left wing parties and groups attempted to bring down the main gate at the entrance to the ex – ministry of Macedonia and Thrace in the northern port city of Thessaloniki. About a dozen of the demonstrators managed to enter the ground of the government building to stage a symbolic occupation.

More picture here on Demotix.com

Lydia profiled

Lydia profiled, originally uploaded by Teacher Dude's BBQ.

Taken with the Canon Powershot kindly given to me after the theft of my previous camera by David Morton.

Mind the GAP

Giorgos Papandreou - Prime minister of Greece, originally uploaded by Teacher Dude's BBQ.

Giorgos Andrea Papandreeou or GAP (ΓΑΠ) as he is often called on Twitter.

Veteran protester - Greek general strike -2010

Veteran protester - Greek general strike -2010, originally uploaded by Teacher Dude's BBQ.

Down on the street

Down on the street, originally uploaded by Teacher Dude's BBQ.

Huh!
Down on the street
Where the faces shine.
Floatin' around i'm
A real low mind.
See a pretty thing - ain't no wall.
See a pretty thing - ain't no wall.
No wall,
No wall,
No wall.
Uuh!
Yeah deep in the night
I'm lost in love.
Yeah deep in the night
I'm lost in love.
A thousand lights
Look at you.
A thousand lights
Look at you.
I'm lost, i'm lost, i'm lost - yeah.
Huh
Faces shine - real low mind.
Real low mind.
I'm a real low mind.
Real low mind

The Stooges/Rage Against the Machine

Back in the saddle again

I thought I'd keep you all up to date with what has been happening over the last week. Following the theft of all my camera equipment last Tuesday people have contributed 511 euros via Tipit and 40 euros via Paypal. This is more than I ever possibly thought possible.

I Intend to leave the Tipit account open till next wednesday, which one week after I set it up. Then I will use the money to buy a replacement camera. I will keep you up to date with what I buy so you can see where your money went.

If you would like to contribute before Wednesday you can do it here.

https://tipit.to/tipjar/savethedude

or use my email cpwefl2003@hotmail via Paypal.

The picture was taken with Eleni's camera. She wanted me to borrow hers following what happened. Also thanks to D H Morton for his offer to send one of his camera to replace mine.

An appeal for help

Following many offers of help I have decided to set up a TipIt account (see here for more details on who they are) If you feel that you'd like to help me replace the camera equipment that was stolen and so allow me to continue photographing and reporting what's happening here in Greece please feel free to contribute.

For examples of my work check out these sites;

Demotix

Nowpublic

Flickr

Youtube

For any any more questions of how Tipit works check out their FAQ page. I chose them as they were being used by the arrestblair.org site and so seem legit.

Alternatively, you can contribute via Paypal using this email - cpwefl2003@hotmail.com

Thanking everyone in advance.

Craig

Greek folk dancers from Sohou - Thessaloniki

Greek folk dancers from Sohou - Thessaloniki, originally uploaded by Teacher Dude's BBQ.

The Greek carnival season (apokries as it is called) is almost upon us.

Tony Blair set to sign contract with Louis Vuitton

Tony Blair - The man, the politician, the fashion icon, originally uploaded by Teacher Dude's BBQ.

"At last we have found Tony Blair's core ­principles, his true ­beliefs, the real third way. It is handbags. He is in the final stages of negotiating a job with Louis ­Vuitton Moët Hennessey. It not so much a corporation as a posh-brand pile-up on Millionaire's Row. Louis Vuitton is a shop that sells dog bags for £1,260 (breathable mesh window is included)."

The Guardian