Athens Journal: Greeks Dread Future as Their World Deteriorates

In the past week, as I expected, the ECB, Troika, German officials and others have all warned Greeks to not vote for Alexis Tsipras and his radical-left party Syriza. The question is will it backfire. I suggest it already has. The pertinent question is whether it backfire enough to matter. Please consider Greeks rail against 'crude' German editorial.

ATHENS (Reuters) - Gre

While the Greek economy remains under the proverbial knife of the Troika, it appears the wealthy in the island nation are transforming themselves at record rates. Der Spiegel reports that not only does Greece have the second highest rate of cosmetic surgery per capita in the world but thanks to a slumping economy, surgeons have cut prices by up to 40% and rich Greeks are tucking, lifting, and firming at record rates...  

RIGA/LISBON — Long after the debt crisis is over, Europe will be grappling with an even more serious problem — how to pay for growing numbers of old people. The population of some countries is stagnant or already shrinking, notably Germany’s. That will reduce savings and potential economic growth. The workers who remain are getting older and so are less productive. That will hold back living standards. And the ranks of retirees are swelling. That will threatening the financing of pensions and health care.

The government … knew it was heading for a haircut and did nothing for these people, which I find hard to stomach ATHENS — In the heat of a June night, Eleni Spanopoulou found her audience at an Athens hotel turning ugly. Mutiny and violence hung in the air.