Surprised to see a parliament so pissed off about a governments decision to not seek EU membership. I thought Iceland didnt really have an interest in the EU.

Not really. A large part of Iceland's legislation is already EU customized as far-reaching cooperation agreement. Icelandic government announced simultaneously interest for even more enhanced cooperation.
And there are only 320000 Icelanders.

But this is Scandinavia:)

The leader of the Bright Fu­ture party (‘Björt framtíð’), Guðmundur Ste­in­gríms­son, has stated in no un­cer­tain terms that the gov­ern­ment has no man­date to make this de­ci­sion on be­half of the Ice­landic peo­ple. He de­scribes the For­eign Min­is­ter’s let­ter as an “at­tack on Ice­land’s con­sti­tu­tion, democ­racy and sys­tem of rep­re­sen­ta­tive gov­ern­ment.”

...corruption and its fanatical defence...

Still trolling with that straw man* I see. The only thing I've defended so far is math and common sense.

What country are you from? Let me know and I'll show you exactly how fanatical I am about corruption's big picture.

Does this mean conceding wrongdoings, making amelioration, putting an end to corruption and its fanatical defence, starting paying taxes and debts?

Any 2nd rate opposing party politician of any 1st world country could say that (about his own country) and find a few simple minds to applaud him. It's too generic.
EDIT: (My point is) You could translate that into any language and apply it to any country in the world. Kinda like this week's astrology predictions.




*A straw man is a common reference argument and is an informal fallacy based on false representation of an opponent's argument. To be successful, a straw man argument requires that the audience be ignorant or uninformed of the original argument.

This technique has been used throughout history in polemical debate, particularly in arguments about highly charged emotional issues where a fiery, entertaining "battle" and the defeat of an "enemy" may be more valued than critical thinking or understanding both sides of the issue.

In the United Kingdom the argument is also known as an Aunt Sally, after the pub game of the same name where patrons throw sticks or battens at a model of an old woman's head.

Hey Alex, don't do that to me! I read the quote first and thought WTH, there's nothing on the BBC site about it???

Apologies Chris! I'll post dates up front next time :) BTW Always loved the word ‘supergrass’.

Then there is to grease one's palm

Actually, now that you mention it, I wouldn't be surprised if it's the actual origin of the Greek expression. A lot of slang expressions get translated into Greek.

You are truly a colossus of critical thinking.

Oops:) Fingergate.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekwEl8nWnSg
Yanis Varoufakis: No Grexit, Greeks should ... stick the finger to Germany and say well, you can now solve this problem by yourself ...

Fingergate explained.
http://www.microsofttranslator.com/bv.aspx?from=&to=en&a=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.e-typos.com%2Fgr%2Foi-krisimes-diapragmateuseis-tis-elladas-me-tin-ee%2Farticle%2F120908%2Fvaroufakis-sto-germaniko-kanali-ard-tha-kanoume-to-pan-gia-na-plirosoume-olous-tous-pistotes-kai-tous-sudaxiouhous%2F

Yeah, this is gonna get ugly! :) Looks real, so I guess he'll be in hot water soon with a lot of embarrassing backpedaling and apologizing.

But since he was talking for almost an hour and made sense the whole way through... Je suis Varoufakis :)

April 27, 2010 3:00 am April 27, 2010 3:00 am

Three terms associated with Greece’s culture of bribery.

Writing for The Wall Street Journal, Marcus Walker argued that for many in Greece the discrepancies between public expenditure and tax collection can be summed up with two words – fakelaki and rousfeti:

Fakelaki is the Greek for “little envelopes,” the bribes that affect everyone from hospital patients to fishmongers.

Rousfeti means expensive political favors, which pervade everything from hiring teachers to property deals with Greek Orthodox monks. Together, these traditions of corruption and cronyism have produced a state that is both bloated and malnourished, and a crisis of confidence that is shaking all of Europe.

A study to be published in coming weeks by the Washington-based Brookings Institution finds that bribery, patronage and other public corruption are major contributors to the country’s ballooning debt, depriving the Greek state each year of the equivalent of at least 8% of its gross domestic product, or more than €20 billion (about $27 billion).

Walker reported that, according to a Transparency survey, “last year, 13.5% of Greek households paid a bribe, €1,355 on average,” and noted

A senior government official says some tax offices operate a “4-4-2 system,” a reference to soccer tactics. If an individual or company owes €10,000 in taxes, they slip €4,000 to the inspector, keep €4,000, and pay €2,000 to the state.

That helps explain why, in a developed country of 11 million people, only around 15,000 individuals declare an annual income of over €100,000, according to Greece’s finance minister.

From 2010, but it appears that little if anything has changed in 5 years, except more debt for the EU and the W.M.F.

:|

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"Sour Grapes make a bitter Whine." <(0)>

Unless I'm reading those figures wrongly, it has the biggest shipping fleet in the world, but it only brings in less than 5% GDP, but costs 1/3 of the trade deficit. In other words they are running it with just a handful of people and at a loss. Correct? If that was a company they would go bust and into receivership. Oooops they have!

You are reading it wrong. Trade deficit does not mean the shipping industry operates at a loss. Trade deficit literally only means that a country imports more than it exports. Basically, the Greek Merchant fleet brings in more goods than it ships out. Its not necessarily good for Greece, but it says nothing about the shipping industry itself.

Fingergate:)
https://twitter.com/Conflict_Report/status/578127112495824896/photo/1

Today the the debt to IMF 750 million euros is paid. But Greece's margins are burdened to the breaking point and the collapse close. Two weeks - then the money runs out, says Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis.

A French expression comes to mind.
Alas Hellas...

Via Mr Paul Mason, Economics editor, Channel 4 News, an IMF Office Memorandum:

http://blogs.channel4.com/paul-mason-blog/wp-content/uploads/sites/72/2015/05/page1.jpg
http://blogs.channel4.com/paul-mason-blog/wp-content/uploads/sites/72/2015/05/page2.jpg

I think, this is very sad, but fakelaki corruption and its support are unacceptable.

Fakelaki corruption are not mentioned in the memorandum.
Only fiscal reforms.
Fakelakis are not the cause of the Greece finansial disaster...

Alas Hellas...

As that IMF memo was headed "Strictly Confidential" should it have been published here at Seti? Or is it being assumed that it is already in the public domain?

It was posted by some Channel 4 guy right? I think its safe to assume that once you can find something on a Channel 4 blog, you can post it on the Seti boards as well.

Janne has quoted the Wikipaedia description of Channel 4 which is completely unhelpful, we all know what Channel 4 is.

Here is a link to the Channel 4 blog that Мишель referred to.

Ch4 Blog

However, just because some oik at Ch 4 has posted something, does not make it right nor legal to perpetuate it. In fact Ch 4 has courted far more controversy in it's life than almost any other UK TV channel. I have campaigned in the past to have it shut down. It is anti British and anti establishment, and has no place in a decent country.

Controversy

Banned

LOL You are something else.
Does americans know that?

What the ...
What have happened to England I used to know.
Banning this Movie?

Monty Python's Life of Brian (which was preceded by a warning that viewers may find the film's treatment of religious themes upsetting)

However, just because some oik at Ch 4 has posted something, does not make it right nor legal to perpetuate it. In fact Ch 4 has courted far more controversy in it's life than almost any other UK TV channel. I have campaigned in the past to have it shut down. It is anti British and anti establishment, and has no place in a decent country.

Actually I'm pretty sure that linking to a page is legal, as long as the website itself is legal. As far as I'm aware, the only time linking to a website is illegal in most countries is when it involves such things as child porn. I am pretty sure this counts as freedom of the press though. The government would have to issue a gag order and shut the page down if they want to prevent people from seeing it.

As for it being right, well I count it as freedom of the press.

As for it being right, well I count it as freedom of the press.

Well you would do wouldn't you, you supported the Snowden revelations!!

Of course I do. Exposing that my privacy is getting violated on a near constant basis by the government, both national and foreign, is something I think we should know about.

Gianis "Janne" Varoufakis are now having a BIG headache.
Alas Hellas.

I wonder if Greece will become a third world country after they drop out of the EU.. (which will probably happen I guess)

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rOZZ
Music
Pictures

Asked whether the European Union and the International Monetary Fund were bluffing Varoufakis said: "I hope they are."

https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/greeces-varoufakis-says-believes-europe-080933173.html
I think the proper question is, will Tsipras and Varoufakis eventually end bluffing, squirming, fakelaki system and start behaving before it is too late?

The Fakelaki system is older then the EU.
Every new EU member goes from party time to a hangover.
Greece has a very big hangover now.

Εβίβα!