ECB member Juergen Stark : Markets Can’t Assume Rest of EU Will Rescue Greece

Quote from Debaser82:

allows the Greek citizens a fairly comfortable life style
It's all relative I guess. Compared to Turkey or North Africa I am sure the Greek live fairly comfortable :cool:
 
Quote from makloda:

It's all relative I guess. Compared to Turkey or North Africa I am sure the Greek live fairly comfortable :cool:

It is all relative indeed.

I have been to some of the homes of people in France with millions on their bank account who to me lived in caves but they liked it because of the coolness.

Life in Western Europe, although at first sight of higher quality indeed, is also far more TV oriented ensuring a higher need for useless shit, a much lesser degree of social coherence and a sense of unhappiness if not all the useless shit in the world is acquired.

Have you ever watched French or Italian TV?

There ain't nothing on, it's ridiculous!:p

So to me It probably is a mixture between a cultural thing and the nice weather.

I wouldnt be able to pin down why I would enjoy to live in a modest house say somewhere near the coastline in Southern Europe rather than in a palace located at many other places around the world though.
 
Quote from Martinghoul:

What about Belgium? I remember before the PIIGs came to the fore, it was all about the breakup of Belgium and its dysfunctional government...

It's just that there's an OLO (Belgian govt bond) auction scheduled for next week. Would be curious to hear your thoughts on how things stand currently, debaser, if you're willing to share 'em. Apologies if off-topic.

Martinghoul, the following chart just popped up overhere which I thought you might find interesting.

schuld.jpg


What's remarkable is the foreign holding percentage as Belgian debt was far more localy financed about a decade or 2 ago.

Such high level of depence across the boarders certainly makes matters far more complicated I would think.
 
Quote from Ivanovich:

Everyone ALWAYS says they won't do bail outs until the market makes things really ugly and they falter/cave.

When the shit hits the fan, Greece will be bailed out one way or the other, and the market knows it has the almighty power. Hell, everything has been going its way for how many years now? Governments continue to ride to the rescue. No one is responsible for making risky/bad calls anymore.

Look what happened with Dubai? "Dubai must stand and make things good on it's own." - Abu Dhabi.

Yeah right. Then the market showed them a glimpse into the abyss and they came a runnin'.

correct until it reaches a breaking pt. either economically or politically for the rescuer.
 
Excellent point about greek life style.

There that story about the guy from wall street who wants to make a fishing village more productive so they can make more money so they have have more time to go fishing.


How much is half your life worth or whatever portion you are spending working your ass off compared to the guys who live in a trailer park in Carlsbad - who plays golf and tennis or guys surfing everyday. (perhaps writing a book in his free time.)

I ponder those types of choices frequently.
Making more money can come a very high cost.... your life.
 
Quote from Debaser82:

Martinghoul, the following chart just popped up overhere which I thought you might find interesting.

What's remarkable is the foreign holding percentage as Belgian debt was far more localy financed about a decade or 2 ago.

Such high level of depence across the boarders certainly makes matters far more complicated I would think.
Well, that's the new globalized world for you. Everything is intertwined and it sure is complicated.
 
Quote from Martinghoul:

Well, that's the new globalized world for you. Everything is intertwined and it sure is complicated.

What's the point of a Belgian bank financing Greek debt and vice versa?

Is it spreading the risk? Chasing higher returns? Or just chasing any return.
 
Quote from Debaser82:

What's the point of a Belgian bank financing Greek debt and vice versa?

Is it spreading the risk? Chasing higher returns? Or just chasing any return.

Globalization with fiat money is a modern day financial tower of Babel.
 
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