Greeks Protest Shut Down of State-Owned Television, Radio
Cash-strapped government shuttered broadcaster to save money

Earlier this week, the cash-strapped government of Greece shut down its state television and radio broadcaster as a cost-cutting measure. Today, the Greeks are holding another general strike.
Greek workers rallied in central Athens on Thursday after unions called a general strike to protest the government's sudden decision to halt activities at the country's state broadcaster.
Thousands gathered outside the headquarters of the broadcaster, ERT, whose TV channels and radio services were pulled off the air overnight Tuesday to Wednesday.
Government officials are defending the decision as a necessary budget-cutting move as the country struggles with a debt mountain, soaring unemployment and a lengthy recession.
Also this week, Greece was downgraded from a developed country to an emerging market.
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"I want my MTV ERT!" - Pete Townsend
I want my hat tip. Not some link to 24/7.
Viginti quattuor/septem delenda est!
All things considered, does anybody think that they would not be able to survive without NPR?
Yes, of course, the pun is intended.
Hey, if the government won't hand out propaganda, where you gonna get it?
Tony?
Shriek?
I think the events of the last several days have fried the CPU inside Chony Krugnuts' head. Haven't seen him here since then.
He's on the Carbon Pricing Debate Thread, ranting that his religion is the truth and accusing all the reality-based people of being 'science deniers'.
Yesterday he was accusing the people marching against Jim Crow of being narcissists.
I thought I just saw him explaining why the IRS needs AR-15s.
"If Tony did not exist, he would have to be invented."
And there are those who say that that's exactly what happened.
Yup, 'Tony' is a sockpuppet troll.
How many private broadcasters are there in the area? If there isn't much choice in content providers, you're taking the circuses half of the bread and circuses formula away.
Apparently the ERT's market share is around 6%.
Oh, okay. I honestly had no clue, greece is not my strong suit.
State shuts down program citing lack of tax revenue.
People respond by refusing to work.
I think I'm starting to see the problem here.
Don't be absurd, Hugh, there is no connection between tax revenue and unemployment or productivity. Money grows on trees. In this case, olive trees and whatever kind of tree grows feta cheese.
In the case of the Greeks, it's not that money grows in trees, it's that it comes from Germany.
so the Germans need to plant more trees?
Plant a tree, offset your Greek credits.
Seems an odd use for the word "emerging."
It's a euphemism for "third world Kleptocracy".
Sort of like a turd "emerging" from a sphincter.
Greece was downgraded from a developed country to a [steaming pile of feces].
See, in that context, it works perfectly.
Just a warning to the ERT guys, if everybody leaves except for that giant wooden horse...
" Greece was downgraded from a developed country to an emerging market."
I guess that means out with the togas, and in with the loin cloths. At least it's late Spring. Maybe they can get back "developed country" status by October.
Those stupid fuckers protest everything. Fuck the Greeks.
Any bets on how long until someone calls the protestors anarchists?
Those stupid fuckers protest everything.
Seriously, I know someone living in Athens who keeps inviting me to visit, but every time I look into it there are riots and strikes.
Must...not...make...obvious joke...
Do people even say "going greek" anymore?
Well, I giggle a bit every time I go to a Greek festival. Which is often. Heh heh heh.
If Warty invites you to a Greek festival IT'S A TRAP.
Yeah, it's just gonna be the two of you!
"Bring out the greek."
Haha, last time I visited my family over there the train people were on strike when I got there then the taxi people went on strike the day before I left.
That's hilarious, but I wonder how the customers feel. Doesn't this also open up some opportunities for non-strikers? Ok, I can see the limitations with something like trains, but something like taxis or other businesses?
Well, I was pretty annoyed when I had to haul my bags around Athens looking for the bus station.
Any bets on how long until someone calls the protestors anarchists?
Is there any chance someone hasn't already?
Also, the chick in the sidebar with the Molon Laabe shirt has the biggest fivehead this side of Christina Ricci.
How is it possible to even have an iota of sympathy for these crybabies?
an iota of sympathy
I laughed.
Eh, I dunno, most of them are just as economically illiterate as anybody else. They've become acclimated to a certain lifestyle based on malfeasance by their government and now that lifestyle is being pared back. I don't envy their position. Greek riots are at least more interesting than OWS, even if they're also more counter productive.
If the Greeks got paid for protesting like here in the U.S., they'd be well into their summer of recovery.
Hey, what happens in Greece, stays in Greece.
this is what happens when the free pony breaks a leg. This is one of the things I am glad my late father is missing.
Next on tap for Greece: Confiscation of bank accounts.
How's a vault work with fluted columns instead of walls?
They don't have walls, they have yellow tape on the floor where walls will someday be.
Alternative headline: Parasites Protest Death of Host
http://nymag.com/daily/intelli.....usion.html
NY Magazine: Conservatives are the ones who are delusional about the wonderful, flawless Obamacare.
I am too lazy to read it. Any mention of congresscritters and aides planning to retire before that monstrosity takes effect on them?
They must be deluded as well, but I guess we already knew that.
NY Magazine is a third-rate events rag with pretensions of relevance.
Hmmm. 2 y/o falls to the floor and squawls when Mommy runs out of cash to buy whatever the tricycle motor impulsively grabs off of the store shelves.
Wouldn't that make it a submerging market? How can it be emerging if it's going in the other direction...
The directionality of submersion is arbitrary, airbreather.
-Thanks for all the fish, Dolphins.
Please excuse my cultural imperialism. I will make up for it by linking to the traditional songs of your people.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYz6qMbWpAw
Also this week, Greece was downgraded from a developed country to an emerging market.
My first instinct is to laugh. But, then I stop and wonder just how far most of the developed world is behind them.
What did socialists use before candles to light their homes?
Who told me that one not long ago? Was it you?
I tried that one on my wife and her friends. Stellar.
It was someone else, but I'm using it to great effect.
Is there an angle to this I'm missing or is the joke that socialism is outdated?
Q "What did socialists use before candles to light their homes?"
A "Electricity".
Ah hahahaha!
It's the condensed version of Anthem.
Zeus, it's like they served up Big Bird on the rod!
You can say that again!
Zeus, it's like they served up Big Bird on the rod!
We are on track for a socialist world paradise. We will have plenty to eat. Here, have a huge slice of cognitive dissonance covered generously in suspension of disbelief sauce.
Yawn. Get back to me when the Greeks protest the EXISTENCE of state-run media.
Also this week, Greece was downgraded from a developed country to an emerging market.
That's because they aren't allowed to say 'declining market'.
State television is necessary.
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