The Maastricht Treaty - A Greek Tragedy....

[pomp 'n circumstance]

.....or how much does a Grecian earn?

I quite like the Greeks - they are friendly, gregarious and natural hosts. Admittedly, they have a propensity to throw the family china against the wall with monotonous regularity and every night is party night. You can't forgive them for Retsina which they allege is wine, but quite plainly is little more than lavatory cleanser and tastes like it. Like a lot of countries in the Med, they have always thrived on a cash economy - VAT and Tax is something that they are vaguely that peeps of other countries have to pay into the public coffers but they have little interest in. For them, the olive groves and the sound of the cicados lull them into a continuous siesta and hey-ho, it's time for another party.

So when those strange peeps from Europe invite them to join the Euro Zone - and yes, they will give them shed loads of money - the Greeks thought, why not....we'll have an even bigger party. Which they did....until they borrowed so many euro and they now owe more than their total GDP and those nice banks now want it back. Austerity? We don't do that. We owe how much? And so it was that their new Government, all resplendent in biker jackets and casual shirts, put on a charm offensive to persuade the blokes in the sharp suits to lend them just a bit to tide them over for 6 months, whilst they printed the mighty drachma and started another party and a discreet exit stage left.......shame really!

[dickinson]

You're right Pomp,

It is a shame, a proper dogs breakfast.

If Germany (holders of the European throne) allow Greece to relinquish parts of the debt then the Med countries like Spain and Italy will seek the same terms. If they allow Greece to move out of the EU and not pay debts. The USA will see the possible threat of Greece aligning themselves with other countries who oppose US foreign policy. Strategically Greece is dangerously positioned should this happen. EU will also take action to retrieve debts. It is becoming very dangerous. It might be a good time to tactically come out of Europe. Not sure. It could blow.

I too feel very sorry for the people of Greece.

[Earl Grey]

....how much does a Grecian earn?

Now Pomp, me old mucker.....the expression is, "What's a Grecian earn?".....or...."What's a Grecian urn?".

The way you have it the joke is lost because the words 'earn' and 'urn' are not interchangeable.

You can't say, "How much does a Grecian urn?".

Still, on to matters of greater moment......

The Eurozone has loaned a great deal of money to Greece and wants it back.

Squeezing the poor buggers any further who struggle to earn a living is harsh.

We have to nurture their economy until it's capable of paying its way.

Of course the rest of Europe is on its uppers already so it seems a bit much to ask for more to help the profligate Greeks out of a hole.

So the solution is......errmmm.......give 'em their marbles back (well it may help a little).

Here's what the Greeks owe.