INSEAD Blog by Zanat0s the INSEAD(er) @ Tokyo ! The Biggest among INSEAD MBA blogs. Insead is over, blogging not.

A post during INSEAD read all over the world: MY GREEK PASSPORT saga in Greece. Renewal NOW

For those who don't know it or haven't heard about the PASSPORT SAGA let me bring you up to date! During 2006 The Greek government decided to cancel all passports by 2007 and issue new ones. That's OK and understandable. Of course it didn’t take into much consideration 2 important factors: Greeks who work/live abroad. Why and how?

First of all Greeks who worked in a foreign country had to travel to the embassy and give their data and request a new passport. That meant traveling to the capital or to a foreign country if there was no embassy in that country(like

Singapore

). Ah and these people would have to wake 2 months to get their passport back. Of course the geniuses at the government didn’t prepare for the situation where these Greeks couldn’t stay in that a foreign country waiting for a new passport. But how would they go back or then come back to pick it up? Brilliant isn’t it?

To cut a long story short my saga can be summed in this famous post! THE PASSPORT SAGA. For no reason I had to go back to

Greece

to renew my passport and come back to

Singapore

. Of course nobody paid my expenses. The Greek state ignored the pain it caused to thousands like me. What is really interesting is the amount of people who have problems with this matter. Let me give you an idea.

In

Japan

I met with a guy regarding information about work and life in

Japan

. During our conversation I said to him that I live in

Singapore

. He stopped me, thought for 1 minute and then uttered the earth-shattering question: “Do you have a blog?” “Have you had problems with your passport?”. There I was with a stranger who had read my blog. He had the same problem but at least he didn’t have to travel during the time he was waiting for the new one.

On another occasion I was in HK(read previous post) and was having fun in a club. I bumped into a Greek who had a modeling Job in

Japan

in 2 weeks and still was waiting for his passport from the Greek consulate and at the moment he was stranded at the island.

During my trip in February to

China

I met a Greek woman married to a Shanghainese guy. She had to stay in

Shanghai

during Easter and Golden week because she couldn’t travel. That’s 3 already!

In the

USA

now that’s crazy. In a pub in

Monterrey

,

California

, I was with my good friends from INSEAD having a drink. My Greek friend Stamatia Nikolakakis(raised in

Canada

) overheard 3 guys talking in Greek. I went over for a chat. They were 1 Major(colonel to be), 1 captain and 1 lieutenant from the Greek Navy and airforce doing their master in warfare. One of them was there already for 2 years and therefore was waiting for he had gotten his new passport in March(he had to wait though). The lieutenant had forgotten to renew it and had found my blog through Google( I have a high pagerank).

My very good friend from

Anatolia

was having a blog too. We had no contact the last 2 years. I was in

Singapore

, she was in

Belgium

,

USA

. I got an email from her. She had read online at www.e-rooster.gr my saga and then saw my pictures and recognized me.

I think there are more people who have read my story, especially in

Greece

. I hope I have helped them through this marvelous blog

Zan – Out!

To all the Greeks...

You should visit this page. i am just re posting the superb article.

Adapt, learn Greek, know thyself

Venetia Kousia, Greek director of the head-hunting agency Manpower,unravels some of the mystery of the Greek labour market and explains how towin in it

JOHN PSAROPOULOS

Venetia Kousia

Most repatriated Greeks and expatriate non-Greeks come to Greece for personal reasons, and turn to the labour market as a second priority. How can they maximise their advantages?

It depends on their priorities. If you are a lifestyle immigrant, scraping boat hulls in Kalamaki and writing poetry might make your day. It's different if you plan to support a family.

If you're in the latter category, it is important to learn Greek, partly in order to see things from the Greek point of view and become integrated, not marginalised. I can't come and say, 'I'm British, so I'll just look for work in St Lawrence.' What will you do when you meet Greek parents? Where can you go apart from St Lawrence? How will you learn from others? I'm not saying you should be a chameleon, but if you're not prepared to integrate you cannot succeed.

The Greek labour market is difficult for Greeks who have studied abroad and foreigners. Why?

It is the different culture. You have to be flexible. You can't just present yourself and say you're an expert. It's also a question of 'What do I want?' Do I want to enter a multinational company because I want to learn, or because I want my resume to say that I was at Toyota or IBM? Even if I wasn't a good employee people won't know.

What's the Greek attitude about working for a large multinational company?

There are various trends. The general social tendency is 'Let's get comfortable'. As times become harder, people have to try harder, but we're a long way from motivating ourselves to be better. Young people say, 'I paid so much for this postgraduate degree, when am I going to make it up?' Well, you can't make the money in two days.

We've seen that young people who've done a great deal of university study discover that a multinational company isn't what they thought it would be, or that their chosen profession isn't what they thought it would be. In Greece, the ambition is to find a permanent post.

Why are Greeks so successful abroad?

Because they have broader horizons. Abroad people have learned that you put them on a track, so to speak, and they chug along. Whenever they encounter an obstacle, they stop and don't know what to do. The Greek has the opposite reaction. He won't ride on the rail. He goes hither and thither. So, if a Greek goes into a multinational company and actually has a manager good enough to keep him on track, because he has the ability to find solutions to problems, he excels. He is more creative. And whoever is creative lacks something in discipline. I often tell young recruits that the road to freedom runs through discipline and they look at me unable to understand that being tied to impulse is also a kind of bondage.

What about the work ethic differences between the Greeks who have lived or studied abroad, and those who haven't?

It makes a difference to have worked abroad in a senior position, but it depends on the company and the individual. For instance, I know of some foreign-raised Greeks who went to work in a Greek public bank and were disappointed and left. I don't think the public sector can absorb foreign-trained people. You want to see the results of your work, but you are constantly overruled by the minister. You'll put up with it once or twice, but finally you'll say, 'I can't be a marionette.'

There are good cases, too, of people who were called into Greece to create startups or lead projects, and did so successfully because they didn't come in with arrogance but adapted to the local scene. No one likes arrogance, and the Greeks even less so. The successful people raised up their staff along with them, and I think that is an aspect of leadership.

A man protests outside the culture ministry in this file photo. Greek public and private sector work are two entirely different animals. The traditional domination of the state as the country's largest employer has played a role in skewing Greek expectations of the growing private sector

What is the difference, in terms of work ethic, between Greek men and women?

Greek women, even today, haven't learned to be pushy when it comes to salary. In the UK, for instance, where single women are about 15 percent of the population and are thus main bread earners in their households, they learn to demand higher pay. Here, where women often work for pocket money so they can buy Gucci bags, they aren't.

Pay is the same for men and women in the lower incomes, where everyone earns basic salary. But in career jobs, women earn less because they see their incomes as supplements to those of their husbands.

Then there is the question of what jobs women take - the less aggressive ones work in HR and PR and CSR. Few fight for the top jobs, which means that when an employer is choosing between ten applicants of whom only two are female, the odds are he'll hire one of the eight males.

Is it an advantage to be good-looking?

I'm not, and I never found that to be a problem. The eyes have it. The soul ultimately speaks out. And if you're a good-looking flake, people will soon find out. I've heard of managers picking women on the basis of their legs. These things do happen. But they weren't picking a new CEO. They were picking promoters. Whom were they going to pick, ugly women?

How do you connect the right sorts of people?

First of all, we filter out the lazy applicants.

But no one says they are lazy in their resume.

You can tell from the telephone screening; from their willingness to respond to questions; from how long they have been without work (for instance if a 25-year-old tells you they've been unemployed for a year because they couldn't find work, it's hard to believe it); from their willingness to submit to a three-hour office simulation. If it is summer and we call looking for applicants, many people have gone for a swim, to the cafe and so on. And in many cases people just turn down jobs.

Is there, then, real unemployment?

There is because there are people who don't even have basic skills. The labour market is a pyramid. At the bottom, where people have no skills, supply exceeds demand. Everyone wants to be at the top, where again supply outstrips demand. But in the middle, where companies are looking for competent middle management, there is enormous demand.

Why do we so often see young Greeks at the cafe with their cell phones, car keys and cigarettes, while Albanians paint their houses and pick their crops and often do multiple jobs?

The Greeks made money, didn't invest it and spent it farming out their work. We've decided which jobs we want to do, because we can afford to. A lot of parents have sold land and property to give their children a generous allowance equal to a gross salary of about 650 euros [a month] because they thought - wrongly - that their children shouldn't work. I think that statistically the children of educated, white-collar parents more often go out and work, while blue-collar children go to the cafe. Their parents have a lot of stress and work for their kids and sell off their property in the countryside. But this is coming to an end.

Why are Greek salaries so low compared to the rest of Europe?

I don't know why wage deals are kept so low. Greeks get by with two jobs and a measure of tax evasion (do all private tutors declare their income?). They have a dad bringing olive oil from the village and a mum looking after the kids.

What would you list as competitive advantages in the Greek career labour market?

First, if you try, you will succeed. Second, don't hide behind your degree. If you are asked what your favourite course was, be prepared to say. There is a lack of qualitative staff in the market, who can listen, learn and make a difference. Be yourself, but be flexible. Be confident in who you are but not arrogant, which means know what you cannot change about yourself and improve the things you can. Look to work at companies that share your culture and values. These are things you cannot adapt to.

In a nutshell

The 5 key ingredients for success:

1. If you try, you will succeed.

2. Don't hide behind your degree.

3. Listen, learn and make a difference.

4. Be yourself, but be flexible. Be confident in who you are but not arrogant.

5. Look to work at companies that share your culture and values.

Live your myth in Greece

This was posted by ATHENSNEWS last week. You can read the full article and other stories at www.athensnews.gr! I would like the foreigners who visit my blog to get an idea how life in Greece is.

Living in Athens means learning to live with street demonstrations. You either plan your daily activities around them or prepare to sit in traffic jams.

Demonstrations are so common in Athens that radio stations in the city alert motorists to roadblocks almost every morning.

"It wasn't this bad last year," said Nikos, a bus driver with 10 years' experience. "It's the students who just won't call it quits."

Nikos is referring to weekly mass demonstrations organised by university students and professors to protest new legislation aimed at reforming higher education.

While the most common types of protesters these days are the university students and their professors, there is a growing number of Greeks who are taking their grievances to the streets, blocking traffic and highways. They include pensioners and contract workers who claim they are barely making ends meet, farmers demanding additional state aid and immigrant workers who want to secure a legal status or citizenship rights for their children.

According to the All Workers Militant Front (PAME), which was created by the Greek Communist Party in 1999, the growing number of demonstrations is a sign of how serious things have become in Greece.

"The problems are many and they are big and getting bigger," said Dimos Koubouris, PAME executive committee member. "The living conditions of the working class are getting worse. The situation with public education is getting worse. And in general the problems concerning wages, pensions and other social issues are getting worse. This is why so many demonstrations are justified and, certainly, the demonstrations will continue. We are now preparing for the nationwide May 1 (International Labour Day) demonstration - it will be the biggest."

PAME, which represents more than 200 Greek unions and about a half million unionists across the country, is one of the biggest march organisers along with the trade unions - the General Confederation of Workers in Greece (GSEE) and the civil servants' union (ADEDY).

As for those who complain about the problems caused by demonstrations, Koubouris says they are exaggerated in the media.

Public Order Minister Vyronas Polydoras disagrees. He wants to change the rules governing street marches and rallies so that these activities no longer stop traffic.

Polydoras has proposed that one lane should always be reserved for traffic. Demonstrations in Athens heading towards parliament or the US embassy traditionally take all six traffic lanes.

Leftist lawmakers and unionists have accused Polydoras of trying to curb protest rallies altogether.

Shopowners in the downtown Athens area, however, are in favour of the minister's proposal. Athens Mayor Nikitas Kaklamanis agrees. "Athens cannot be held hostage several days of the week," he told reporters.

According to Dimitris Armenakis, president of the National Confederation of Greek Traders, local sales drop by a whopping 92 percent on the days that there is a big demonstration in Athens. He estimates that shops in Athens and Piraeus have suffered more than 500 million euros in damages between October and March due to more than three dozen demonstrations.

According to Athens Deputy Mayor George Dimopoulos, the city spends as much as 20,000 euros in order to clean up after a big demonstration. He said this includes the cost of street-sweeping, fixing broken pavement and other repairs, as well as painting over graffiti.

A five-month demo timeline

March 22 Students demonstrate in Athens and Thessaloniki

March 21 Students demonstrate in Thessaloniki

March 18 Human rights advocates demonstrate against poor prison conditions in Nafplio

March 17 Antiwar demonstration in Athens

March 16 PAME demonstrates in Thessaloniki against imperialistic wars

March 15 Students demonstrate in Athens

March 14 Pensioners demonstrate in Athens and Thessaloniki

March 12 Students demonstrate in Thessaloniki

March 9 Students demonstrate in Athens

March 9 Iraklis football club fans demonstrate in Thessaloniki

March 8 Iraklis football club fans demonstrate in Thessaloniki

March 8 PAME demonstrates in Athens and Thessaloniki

March 8 Students demonstrate in Athens

March 7 Students demonstrate in Thessaloniki

March 7 Livestock farmers and milk producers demonstrate in Mesolongi

March 6 Workers in the shipbuilding zone of Perama, outside Piraeus, demonstrate outside the merchant marine ministry

March 5 Students demonstrate in Athens

March 4 Football club Iraklis fans demonstrate in Thessaloniki

March 3 Farmers demonstrate in Fthiotida

March 2 Staff of so-called Help At Home programmes demonstrate in Athens

March 1 Students demonstrate in Athens

February 22 Students demonstrate in Athens and Thessaloniki

February 22 PAME demonstrates in Athens and Thessaloniki against the privatisation of education

February 15 Students demonstrate in Athens

February 15 Contract workers in the public sector demonstrate outside the interior ministry in Athens

February 14 Students demonstrate in Athens

February 10 Immigrant workers demonstrate in Athens

February 9 Pensioners demonstrate in Thessaloniki

February 8 Students demonstrate in Athens

February 7 Students demonstrate in Athens' northern suburb of Kastri

February 4 Students demonstrate in Athens' northern suburb of Kastri

February 3 Students demonstrate in Athens and Thessaloniki

February 1 Anarchists demonstrate in Athens

January 31 Students demonstrate in Athens and Thessaloniki

January 27 Palestinian community in Athens demonstrates outside the Israeli embassy

January 26 Students demonstrate in Athens

January 24 Students demonstrate in Athens and Thessaloniki

January 17 Students demonstrate in Thessaloniki

January 13 Local Pakistani community demonstrates against the expulsion of Pakistani community leader Javid Aslam

January 10 PAME demonstrates in Thessaloniki against privatisation of higher education

January 10 Students demonstrate against revising Article 16 of the constitution

December 19 Pensioners demonstrate in Athens

December 14 Employees at Hellenic Telecommunications (OTE) demonstrate in Athens

December 13 The country's two biggest trade unions (GSEE and ADEDY) demonstrate in Athens

December 12 Police officers, firefighters and coastguard demonstrate in Athens

December 8 Students demonstrate in Athens

November 30 Students demonstrate in Athens

November 19 Social insurance foundation (IKA) employees demonstrate in Athens

November 17 Mass demonstration organised in Athens and Thessaloniki to commemorate the 1973 Polytechnic uprising

November 16 Municipal contract workers demonstrate in Athens

November 16 Dock workers demonstrate in Piraeus

November 12 Pakistani immigrants demonstrate against the arrest of their community leader Javid Aslam

November 8 Pensioners demonstrate in Thessaloniki

November 6 Ambulance workers demonstrate outside the health ministry in Athens

November 3 Students demonstrate in Athens

November 1 Forest rangers and firefighters demonstrate outside the interior ministry

Passport Saga: The end is not yet near

A reader left a comment to the most famous post at Brutal facts: The passport saga. I would like to draw attention to his odyssey and tell him that he may contact him so i can give him valuable advice

I'm in a similar situation friends! I'm in Asia too and can go home to germany where I live.

The only thing I can get is a temporary passport for Greece but these makes no sense because in order to get a new passport in Greece i need papers from Germany!

Good Luck my fellow Greek. I can see that you are in Korea. In case you have done your military service i wish you good luck, otherwise you should have done your dute. Enjoy Korea.

Invintation to "Demonstrations"

Some days ago the KKE(Communist Party of Greece) was offended by Mr. Pagalos' comments; that the KKE has yet fully understood how democracy works and what it is about. Like how the decisions of the democratically elected parliament are to be respected by all Greek citizens. With the anniversary of the Eu's 50th birthday KKE proved Pagalos right. The party invited the people to insubordination, Insubordination to everything. The laws are there for people to disregard them. It seems KKE considers law only what agrees with its principles. And by the way only 5% of the population trusts KKE to run the country. Do the numbers a party that represents 5% of the population manages to burden the rest 95%. It seems KKE has no respect for democratic institutions like the Parliament (where it participates; destroying value most of the times) or the government.

No more! We cannot let these imbeciles destroy

Greece

’s future and image. It belongs to the new generation, not the brain damaged people who do not have the mental capability of being part of the solution. ENOUGH!

History textbook

History like it is well knows is written by the winners. Another point of view supports the fact that history depends on the way it is reported and written. As far as i am concerned History is about facts that can be presented to fit any side that has a stake in what people will say about its actions and behaviors. History is not about the facts but what will remain in paper. The winners will always get a better treatment while the losers will be described not with positive adjectives, but with a more critical approach. It requires a huge amount of spiritual maturity and a strong belief in the facts in order to try and present the plain facts, resisting the sirens who suggest altering them.
Most countries and historians when they compile their nation’s history they have a tendency to present their country in a very good and polished way, overplay their successes and downplay the bad or embarrassing moments.

Let me give solid examples to illustrate the aforesaid points Emperor Qin, who united china is seen under a very positive light. The same can be used about Alexander the Great. If they had failed in their conquests history would have labeled them as evil aggressive conquerors. What about waterloo? Waterloo for most of us is synonymous with big defeat, for the brits it is a glorious moment in their history. Try to go out in Singapore, a british colony(former) and try to find books about the Napoleonic wars. You will find thousands of books on Trafalgar and The Duke of Wellington. The books about Napoleon will have titles like Napoleon: His demise or the dark side of Napoleon.

As for the situation in Greece I will let economist cover me
In neighbouring Greece, there is a bitter controversy over a new textbook for 12-year-olds. Its approach is a challenge to some historical vignettes that are dear to modern Greek hearts: for example the idea of “secret schools” where priests taught youngsters to read and write in defiance of their Ottoman masters.

While Ireland's religious nationalism is in retreat (because the Catholic Church has lost influence), Greece's Orthodox leaders, like Archbishop Christodoulos of Athens, are putting up a harder fight to preserve the nationalist spirit which their predecessors embraced, reluctantly at first, in the 19th century. Ranged against them is a new school of Balkan history that reflects a cross-border dialogue between scholars. The net result is a fairer story—though when books try to be fair there's always a risk of being bland, says Thalia Dragona, a Greek educational psychologist.

Meanwhile some Greeks retort that 11 or 12 is too young to go looking for facts. In a web-discussion of the new Greek textbook, one participant thunders: “At university, the goal of historical research is the discovery of truth. But in primary schools history teaching has an entirely different aim—to form historical consciousness and social identity!”

The day after the deluge! Article 16

The following article has been written by one of my professors and i think my readers, especially the greek ones should learn something from it

W

ITH Greece falling further behind in international university rankings, it's obvious that Greece needs to restructure its higher education system soon.

The 2006 list of the top 522 universities in the world, published in The Times Education Supplement, includes only six Greek universities.

The fact that some countries with only one university in the list achieved higher rankings and that some countries much less developed than Greece performed better suggests that Greece needs to do some urgent restructuring.

The starting point for a successful restructuring is to define the kind of university times demand. This can reasonably be an institution that - in addition to teaching techniques - equips students with the ability to think critically and spherically, adapt to changing circumstances, and solve problems as they emerge, rather than equipping them with a piece of paper which will be mostly a passport for lazy employment in an inefficient public sector.

The suggested definition of a university implies a minimum of four years of study (120 credits) and the incorporation of at least two schools, such as business and humanities or sciences, with at least five majors each. It implies that students in whatever school get a substantial, yet obligatory humanitarian education, plus a healthy dose of critical thinking exercises. And, of course, universities should be involved in research, in addition to teaching.

The often-voiced requirement that private higher education institutions must be non-profit institutions is usually based on the notion that education is a right, not a commodity, and, inevitably, that these institutions will be demanding fees. Making them non-profit is marketed as a way of ensuring that those fees, bad as they are to have, are not "excessive".

There is, however, a confusion of two issues here - whether education is a right or whether it should be bought. We may agree that education is a right, for those who qualify. Therefore, someone (the state, presumably) should help all those who want and qualify to study, but cannot afford to. All those who can afford it should naturally pay for it. This way, the right to education is upheld, but in a socially fairer way.

After all, why should society pay for someone, especially a member of the middle-class, to become a doctor, when the doctor-to-be will be earning much more than the average taxpayer?

Subsidising all higher education students would only make sense if the incentives of high income and status in the future were not enough to attract sufficient numbers of capable people to these institutions. But because these incentives do work, the next best thing is to subsidise only those who cannot afford to pay, yet are qualified to study.

It is a sad fact that the Left in Greece does not wish to see this. It turns its back on its egalitarian origins by indiscriminately upholding the "right" of middle- and upper-class people to receive higher education degrees at the expense of the general taxpayer. Resources for those who need help most are conspicuously absent, resulting in lack of education for the really poor.

A look at the spending patterns of Greek households confirms this. The three lowest spending cohorts of Greek households (tantamount to the three lowest income groups), representing more than 37% of all households, spend nothing for higher education, whilst the top cohort (15% of households) accounts for 37% of total spending for higher education. And in the case of the lowest cohorts the reason is not that they have access to free (public-sector) higher education; rather, they receive very little of it.

This is evidenced in the fact that the three lowest spending cohorts account for less than 1% of total spending for higher education preparatory schools (frontistiria), whilst the top cohort accounts for more than 59% of such spending. Inevitably, the higher the spending (and income) household cohort, the greater the absolute and percentage household spending on education.

So the idea that private universities must be non-profit is merely a populist slogan. At worst, it will discourage the infusion of much-needed resources into higher education. Besides, a surplus is necessary for financing expansion.

The supervision issue

State supervision of higher education institutions must never become so excessive as to amount to nationalisation through the back door. On the other hand, it is justified on two grounds: to (a) evaluate whether taxpayers' money spent on higher education bears fruit, and (b) to protect students enrolling in both public and private institutions, since those students are consumers of educational services. It is doubtful whether such protection can be assured by imposing the same requirements on all institutions, especially along the "public-private" divide. There are three reasons for this:

*Discrimination. Higher education institutions are typically evaluated according to multiple criteria. Imposing a set of requirements along one criterion only (eg, staff qualifications) but ignoring others (eg, campus or infrastructure) would discriminate against some institutions.

*Inflexibility. Higher education institutions grow and change over time. The imposition of the same requirements might make it impossible for some institutions to specialise in their areas of choice, as resources would have to be diverted to meet requirements meant for very different institutions. The correct approach is to categorise higher education institutions into universities and lower echelon institutions, and allow a variety of degrees, diplomas or certificates.

*Limited scope. In Greece there are also some institutions which are franchises of foreign higher education institutions. Imposing arbitrary academic requirements on them might conflict with EU law, which sanctions home - not host - country control. Irrespective, therefore, of how the Greek state may treat all other institutions (public and private), it won't be able to impose identical requirements on all institutions.

At the end of the day, however, the greatest service the state could offer the consumer-students would be to impose professional examinations on all graduates, irrespective of country of study or type of institution having awarded the degree, particularly in professions involving the public interest. The state would then rank the institutions according to rates of success in those exams, and publicise the results.

The above remarks lead to the conclusion that equality of treatment between private and public higher education institutions must be non-discriminatory and allow for flexibility. This twin requirement strengthens the case for greater autonomy.

But this will involve accountability, and that, in turn, will force public institutions - just like private ones - to calculate the cost of each student. Ultimately, state financing will be linked to that cost. From thereon it will be a small step until one questions the rationale of providing free higher education for all, irrespective of ability to pay. Inevitably, state financing of public institutions will be confined to covering the cost of those who cannot afford it. This will lead people to ask why the poor should not be similarly state-supported in private institutions.

The hope is that allowing private institutions in Greece and making public ones more accountable will promote competition and improve higher education. On the basis of these reforms Greece can become a beacon of higher education in the Balkans and even beyond, turning the sector into a revenue-earning industry.

In 1968 Columbia University tried to obtain the junta's permission to found a full campus in Greece. Brigadier Pattakos very proudly refused this. Just imagine the higher education landscape in the country if Columbia (12th in the world last year) had been allowed in. At the very least, the Greek concept of academic asylum would cover the free exchange of ideas rather than Molotov cocktails.

Just to get an idea. The reality behind the riots.

It is 2.00 AM, i have class in 6 hours. I need to sleep, but before i do that I need to point to my readers a horbid truth.  http://news.google.com/news?client=opera&rls=en&sourceid=opera&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&um=1&tab=wn&q=greece+riots&btnG=Search+News

This is what is happenning in Greece. A state of terror and anarchy. Why? Because Greeks want everything to remain the same, or become more communist. THe state needs to provide jobs for everybody. let me enlighten you with some pictures. This is what  life in Greece is. Riots, more Riots, people trying to show their limited by capabilites by commitng horrible acts

i won't post more pictures, but at least you get the idea of normal life in the pit called Greece. Greece would be a better country without us.

O "PARAMYTHAS", He is back.

a friend from my child age visited me today. Snif SNIF. Whatever i write may not be enough to convey my feelings even if i try

www.paramythas.gr

THe site of somebody every child loved during 1980 to 1987. I do not remeber him clearly since I was too small but for an uknown reason I do remember him and i am more than excited to see that he has created a Blog. O paramythas is a great person that makes me stay in touch with my kind side. SOFT SIDE OUT!

Army? The Greek Army, military service, arguements!

@ ATHANASIOU

my point is sometimes in Life WE have to do things we do not like. True or not? Some may disagree with me when I say that choosing the easy way out doesn't work in the Long Term. TO give you an example. I do not want to pay taxes for various reasons... E.g. I do not derive value from giving my money to the state(analogous to giving my time to the state). Do you know any country that would consider this a logic arguement?

Trying to avoid some of your responsibilities(Responsibility is an obligation to follow some rules or do some actions because someone obliges you to) may be considered or viewed as a sign of weakness. On the other hand if you stay the course you may strengthen you resolve and character(debatable) and on the same time learn how to cope with unpleasant situations.

About whether this country or nay other coutnry should have or not military service. Whatever you say the are arguements pro and contra. The coin has two sides and if you are biased you will only probably see one of them. You can go on debating about the necessity of military service, but for better or for worse IMO there is not a clear cut answer.

Moreover I would like to point to my fellow readers that i completely understand their unwillingness to go to the army. There are countries even in The EU whose army service is more rough than the Greek equivalent(Finland, Switzerland) the Greek army is like kids camps compared to those.

My last comment has to do with the benefits the Greek army can bequeth you. Reading this post I get the idea that the opponnent of conscription do not see any "tangible" benefits. I will try to argue that everything depends on one's point of view. If someone goes to the army sulky and with no obvious pleasure to try and exploit this "unlucky" moment then he truly will get nothing. On the other hand if one tries to improve himself either by learning new skills, reading books, learning how to socialize with people how have nothing in common then the army is a learning experience. let me add also that in the army you can learn(if you haven't already) how to be 100% responsible, how to survive the backstabbings of the Vysmatouhos and above all you learn to be patient...

What i would change in the system if i had the chance? make it similar to the Cyprish, everyone joins the army at 18 but only for 9 months. True, 12 months is too much. As far as i am concerned trying to become officially "crazy" is the problem with Greeks, they take the easy way out no matter what.