Greek election thread | 114 comments (114 topical, editorial, 0 hidden)

Re: Greek election thread (4.00 / 3)

Greece has several nationwide ministers who preside over prefectures. This is one of the elected under SYRIZA:

http://www.theworld.org/2011/10/village-greek-success-story/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yraCtUo9N6E

Although a mountain village surely isn't Athens, I think his method of problem-solving can play rather well on a national stage. Just stick to the basics: "I'm not shady," and don't always ask, "What's in it for me?"

by Upstate NY on Mon Jun 18th, 2012 at 01:37:30 PM EST

Re: Greek election thread (4.00 / 3)

Small Mountain Village is a Greek Success Story | PRI's The World

Tsoukalas also got EU money to develop green energy projects for the town, including an "ecological park." He said the village's future might be environmental tourism.
He also built a small soccer stadium, a museum and a library -- all for a town of roughly 500 people.
According to critics, Tsoukalas has milked the EU system for projects that the town doesn't need

Or to put it another way, he found creative ways to make the EU send the money back to Greece. If soccer stadiums is what the system will fund, then that is what the periphery must build.

A vote for PES is a vote for EPP! A vote for EPP is a vote for PES! Support the coalition, vote EPP-PES in 2009!

by A swedish kind of death on Mon Jun 18th, 2012 at 03:03:05 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Greek election thread (4.00 / 3)

He describes building wind parks that not only created free electricity for all residents (other than 30% of the cost of the farm is charged to the municipality) but enough electricity for 15000 homes is created and then sold, creating income.

Furthermore, there are tens of thousands of animals in the village (pigs, cows, sheep). The town used to receive power for heat in the winter months from lignite and coal factories. Now, they have a biomass generator where they use both compost and animal feces to heat all homes in winter. I'm not sure how clean the new energy source is, but surely steam from biomass must be cleaner than lignite.

by Upstate NY on Mon Jun 18th, 2012 at 03:18:22 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Greek election thread (4.00 / 5)

How clean the energy is depends on how the stuff is collected, transported, and the power plant's equipment and procedures. The EROEI on the first two is a wash or positive it's the second where the a large "profit" is taken. One thing to note is a properly run and managed farm is a net nitrogen contributor to the soil. Once a proper balance is reached there is more animal waste produced than can be properly used and the excess not only can be used for power production it should be used for power production.

Ever since I learnt about confirmation bias I've started seeing it everywhere

by ATinNM on Mon Jun 18th, 2012 at 03:34:13 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Greek election thread (4.00 / 5)

The link to the Paul Mason piece is about Anavra and how they are turning to SYRIZA. The mayor, I'm not sure what party he's from, but we will need more people like him all around the country when a progressive government finally takes power

The road of excess leads to the palace of wisdom - William Blake

by talos (mihalis at gmail dot com) on Mon Jun 18th, 2012 at 03:35:29 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Greek election thread (none / 1)

Interesting about Mason. But the mayor, he's Syriza, and not only Syriza, but one of their newly elected statewide MPs.

From Athens News: "10.50am Pasok spokesperson Fofi Gennimata will not be among the 33 socialist MPs returning to parliament. Gennimata, who was second on the Pasok's list of state-wide candidates, narrowly missed out when the final results gave her party only one state-wide MP. The state-wide deputies are elected proportionally in accordance with party percentages.

New Democracy won four state-wide deputies: Dora Bakoyannis, Haralambos Athanasiou, Chrysanthos Lazaridis and Yiannis Michelakis.

Syriza took three: Manolis Glezos, Theano Fotiou and Dimitris Tsoukalas.

All the other parties took one state-wide deputy each: former Olympics weightlifting medallist Pyrros Dimas (Pasok), Terence Quick (Independent Greeks), Christos Pappas (Golden Dawn), Spyros Lykoudis (Democratic Left) and Thanasis Pafilis (KKE)."

by Upstate NY on Mon Jun 18th, 2012 at 03:48:17 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Greek election thread (4.00 / 3)

Different Dimitris Tsoukalas (fairly common surname + very common first name)! The SYRIZA statewide MP is a former bank unionist. Compare with the mayor...

The road of excess leads to the palace of wisdom - William Blake

by talos (mihalis at gmail dot com) on Mon Jun 18th, 2012 at 03:58:38 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Greek election thread (none / 0)

Argh, when I Googled him, the mayor dominated the listings. What an embarrassing mistake.

by Upstate NY on Mon Jun 18th, 2012 at 04:24:31 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Greek election thread | 114 comments (114 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)

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