Once in a great while an opportunity comes along to deliver justice to a people, giving them what they truly deserve. Greece’s time has come.

It must be dawning on all but the most obtuse member of the banking elite that they can’t possibly steal enough money from German taxpayers to save the Greek government from default. Put it off, maybe, but collapse is inevitable.

Once this happens, what is the purpose of casting Greece into some selective temporary financial purgatory where the irrelevant Greek economy can continue embarrassing anyone foolish enough to lend their dysfunctional government a dime? Why not go all the way and give the country what many of its people have been violently demanding for almost a century?

Let them have Communism.

Hard as it is for young people to believe, Communism was once a major historical force holding billions of people in thrall. Outside the halls of elite universities, who still takes it seriously? Sure we have Cuba, where the Castro deathwatch is the last thing standing between that benighted penal colony and an inevitable makeover by Club Med. Then there is Venezuela, though hope is fading that Hugo Chavez will carry the Bolivarian banner much longer now that he’s busy sucking down FOLFOX cocktails while checking for signs that his hair is falling out. And frankly, a psychopathic family dynasty ruling a nation of stunted zombies hardly makes North Korea a proper Communist exemplar.

What the world needs, lest we forget, is a contemporary example of Communism in action. What better candidate than Greece? They’ve been pining for it for years, exhibiting a level of anti-capitalist vitriol unmatched in any developed country. They are temperamentally attuned to it, having driven all hard working Greeks abroad in search of opportunity. They pose no military threat to their neighbors, unless you quake at the sight of soldiers marching around in white skirts. And they have all the trappings of a modern Western nation, making them an uncompromised test bed for Marxist theories. Just toss them out of the European Union, cut off the flow of free Euros, and hand them back the printing plates for their old drachmas. Then stand back for a generation and watch.

The land that invented democracy used it to perfect the art of living at the expense of others, an example all Western democracies appear intent on emulating. Being the first to run out of other people’s money makes Greece truly ripe to take the next logical step beyond socialism.

As wrenching as it will be we can take comfort in the fact that Greece doesn’t have much of an economy to disrupt. The only Greek industry that’s worth a damn is tourism, rapidly collapsing as travelers get tired of being stranded by strikes while dodging Molotov cocktails. The rest of us can find plenty of other sources of lamb chops, yogurt, and olive oil. They crushed the concept of private property long ago under the burden of environmental, cultural, and social regulations that govern land use. Wouldn’t it be instructive to let them have a go at building a workers’ paradise to remind us what state enforced equality looks like?

Unlike neighboring Balkan nations that got to experience the joys of Communism after the Second World War, Greece was brought back from the brink by massive western intervention as well as a Churchillian side deal that obliged Stalin to butt out. The nasty civil war between the Greek Communist Party (the KKE) and government forces backed by Britain and the U.S. set the stage for decades of struggle between communist sympathizers who never gave up the dream, and right wing juntas determined to rule by force. The uneasy peace that has existed since the colonels were booted merely masks underlying tensions as every Greek worries, is someone else working fewer hours than I am?

How Greece conned its way into the European Union while hard working Turkey was left begging is a testament to the astute diplomats in Brussels, no doubt consulting their playbook on what dodge they can conjure up next to stick someone else with the bill. Why the E.U. extended credit to a nation whose governments have been in a chronic state of default since the country gained independence from the Ottoman Empire in 1832 is a fitting subject for a News of the World expose. Perhaps they were being advised by Fannie Mae.

So despite the frantic meetings, the tragicomedy nears its final act. It’s time for the global financial industry to pull up stakes and go home before more innocent bank employees get immolated. If you don’t want the real contagion to spread, that is the disease of believing you can perpetually consume more than you produce, leave Greece to the Greeks and let the bankers take their lumps.

As difficult as it is for a Greek-American like myself to admit, resting on 2,000 year old laurels is a stale act. While few cultures can proudly look back on as many achievements in the arts, drama, athletics, philosophy, rhetoric, and architecture that were the glory of Greece, it’s time for modern Greeks to take a good hard look at themselves. What have they done for the world lately? More importantly, what are they prepared to do to help themselves? If they can’t face that question then it’s time to sing the Internationale.

Source: Forbes.com - Author: Bill Frezza, Contributor

It is with deep sadness we announce the passing of Jon Lord, who suffered a fatal pulmonary embolism today, Monday 16th July at the London Clinic, after a long battle with pancreatic cancer. Jon was surrounded by his loving family.

Jon Lord, the legendary keyboard player with Deep Purple co-wrote many of the bands legendary songs including Smoke On The Water and played with many bands and musicians throughout his career.

Best known for his Orchestral work Concerto for Group & Orchestra first performed at Royal Albert Hall with Deep Purple and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in 1969 and conducted by the renowned Malcolm Arnold, a feat repeated in 1999 when it was again performed at the Royal Albert Hall by the London Symphony Orchestra and Deep Purple.

Jon’s solo work was universally acclaimed when he eventually retired from Deep Purple in 2002.

Jon passes from Darkness to Light.

Jon Lord 9 June 1941 – 16 July 2012.

Born in Leicester, England, Jon Lord started to play classical piano from the age of five being influenced by Bach, Medieval music and the English tradition of Elgar. At 18 years of age Lord moved to London, originally intending to take up an acting career.

To earn some money in his spare time Lord joined the jazz ensemble Bill Ashton Combo before going on join other bands such as the Artwoods and the Flower Pot Men. It was when he formed the Santa Barbara Machine Head (Which featured Art Wood on vocals and Ronnie Wood on guitar) that Lord found his style of playing the Hammond organ in a heavy blues direction with plenty of distortion. A sound for which Lord would later become world famous for.

During his time as a session player Lord would also provide the keyboards for The Kinks hit 'You Really Got Me' in 1964.

Following a suggestion from his room mate Chris Curtis of the Searchers, Jon Lord met up with manager Tony Edwards in 1967 and met Ritchie Blackmore for the first time to form a band that was originally to be called Roundabout along with Ian Paice on drums and Rod Evans, vocals and Nick Simpler on bass. With a name change to Deep Purple, the band were influenced by American rockers Vanilla Fudge whom Lord had seen in concert the same year. They made their debut, 'Shades Of Deep Purple', and a cover of the Joe South song 'Hush' was a massive hit Stateside.

This line up made three albums with the third self titled album 'Deep Purple' featuring the track 'April' which had a classical introduction written by Lord.

In 1969 Ian Gillan and Roger Glover replaced Evans and Simper in the band and the classic Mk II line up was formed. However the first major task for the new boys was not an easy one as much against the rest of the band's wishes Deep Purple were to perform at the Royal Albert Hall London with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra to perform a piece written by Jon Lord.

This caused quite a stir at the time with classical loving members of the public being offended that their music was being hijacked by a group of long haired beatniks.

The event was a success and gave Jon Lord and the band some much needed publicity although a certain Blackmore wasn't too happy that Lord was getting all the spotlight and was seen as the main focus of the band.
 
In 1970 'Deep Purple... In Rock' was released and saw the band move in a much more progressive hard rock direction and paved the way for the band to become one of the biggest heavy rock bands in the word along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath.

'...In Rock' featured the distorted Hammond sounds of Lord and the fast demonic anger of Blackmore's guitar with screaming vocals from Gillan with thunderbolting rhythm from Glover and Paice and included the classics 'Speed King' and 'Child In Time' which had an eerie intro written by Jon Lord although it was cheekily borrowed from a song called 'Bombay Calling' by the folk band It's A Beautiful Day who would in return steal Purple's 'Wring That Neck' for their own use. The album was a massive hit and really opened them up to the European market.

The Mk II line-up would make three more albums including the experimental 'Fireball' in 71 and for many the ultimate classic with 'Machine Head' in 72 which featured 'Highway Star' and Deep Purple's most popular song 'Smoke On The Water' written after the band witnessed a fire at a Frank Zappa concert whilst recording the album in Montreux, Switzerland.

Deep Purple would also release one of the first milestone live albums with 'Made In Japan' which showcased the improvisations the band were famously were becoming known for in the live setting.

Although Ian Gillan left the band and Roger Glover quickly followed suit there was no let up in the rolling of the Deep Purple machine with the new boys, a young David Coverdale on vocals and from Trapeze, Glenn Hughes on bass and vocals.

With the release of 'Burn' in 1974, Deep Purple were one of the biggest grossing rock bands which saw the band fly around the world in their own private jet and headline the Californian Jam in front of a reported 250,00 people on a bill that also included ELP and Black Sabbath amongst many others.

Later that year they would release another studio album in 'Stormbringer', the last to feature Blackmore who was unhappy in the new funky soul direction the band was moving into.

Whilst all this success was going on Jon Lord still found time to work on classical projects including 'Gemini Suite', 'Windows' and 'Sarabande' as well as an album with Tony Ashton with 'Last Of The Big Bands' and a film soundtrack with 'The Last Rebel'.

There was one more album with Deep Purple in 'Come Taste The Band' in 1975 with new American guitarist Tommy Bolin. After a disastrous Asian tour the band finally imploded after a gig in Liverpool in 76 and Ian Paice and Jon Lord agreed to call Deep Purple a day. The drugs, stress and hard touring had finally taken their toll.

However it didn't take long for Jon Lord and Ian Paice to join forces again with Lord's old buddy Tony Ashton to form the short lived Paice, Ashton, Lord - or PAL for short - to record one album 'Malice In Wonderland', A funky jazz affair which also featured Bernie Marsden on guitar.

Between 1978-84 Jon Lord joined former Purple singer David Coverdale in Whitesnake who at times also had Ian Paice in the band.

Although the band were popular having hit albums and singles, Jon Lord was unhappy at just being a hired gun and not having the room to express himself in his playing as he had in Purple. With Coverdale wanting the age group of the band under the forty age bracket Lord left the band.

Jon Lord also found time to record another solo album in 82 with 'Before I Forget'.

In 1984 the world expressed surprise as one of the first ever reformations of a major rock band took place as it was announced that the classic Deep Purple Mk II line up of Gillan-Glover-Lord-Paice-Blackmore would record a new album and tour the world.

The resulting album, 'Perfect Strangers', didn't set the world alight as before but was still regarded as a good solid rock album. The reformation gave Jon Lord the chance again to hammer away on the Hammond to the delight of many rock fans.

Although the reformed Deep Purple would take many twists and turns throughout the years with Gillan leaving and re-rejoining and Canadian Steve Morse replacing Blackmore, giving Purple yet another new dimension and this line up toured the world harder than ever before.

Jon Lord finally retired from Deep Purple in 2002 reportedly after having trouble after knee surgery, but Lord was also finding life on the road a chore and was very saddened to be away on tour when his best friend Tony Ashton sadly passed away.

Jon Lord played his last official gig with Deep Purple in Ipswich 2002 but has guested with the band on many occasions since then. Jon Lord gave his blessing for Don Airey to be his replacement.

Jon Lord continued to make music and made the classical albums 'Pictured Within', 'Beyond The Notes' and more recently 'To Notice Such Things' which was released in 2010. Lord has continued to do occasional concerts, mainly in Germany and East Europe in places such as Bulgaria and Hungary despite having to receive treatment for pancreatic cancer.

Lord held a positive attitude in fighting the disease and more recently had been touring a re-working of 'Sarabande'.

Jon Lord has moved from darkness to light. He leaves behind his wife Vickie Lord and his daughters Amy and Sara.

Jonathan Douglas Lord 9th June 1941- 16th July 2012

Source: metaltalk.net

Împrumuturile nete acordate de Banca Centrala Europeana bancilor spaniole au atins nivelul record de 337,2 miliarde de euro în luna iunie, fata de 288 miliarde euro în luna mai, a anuntat vineri Banca cetnrala a Spaniei, transmite AFP, citata de Agerpres.

Bancile spaniole se îndreapta din ce în ce mai mult spre fondurile oferite de BCE, în conditiile în care au dificultati în a strânge bani de pe piata interbancara. Acest lucru a facut ca împrumuturile bancilor spaniole de la BCE sa atinga valori record în fiecare luna dupa februarie 2012.

Potrivit cifrelor oficiale, împrumuturile brute ale bancilor spaniole de la BCE au crescut la 365 miliarde euro în luna iunie de la 325 miliarde euro în luna mai, fiind responsabile pentru 30% din împrumuturile totale în zona euro. În schimb, depozitele bancilor spaniole la BCE au scazut la 27,99 miliarde dolari în luna iunie de la 36,83 miliarde euro în luna mai.

La începutul acestei luni Spania a devenit cea de-a patra tara membra a zonei euro care a cerut în mod oficial ajutorul Uniunii Europene pentru a-si sprijini sectorul bancar. Bancile spaniole vor beneficia de un prim împrumut, în valoare de 30 de miliarde de euro, la sfârsitul lunii iulie.

Sursa: Cotidianul.ro

Asta pentru ca instabilitatea politica poate duce la pierderea sprijinului financiar din partea FMI, UE si BM, ceea ce va genera automat probleme mari economice.

„România a ales o perioada nefasta pentru a capata reputatia de instabilitate politica. Premierul Victor Ponta a fost convocat la Bruxelles joi, dupa o serie de atacuri la adresa Constitutiei care au culminat cu initierea procedurii de demitere a presedintelui Traian Basescu. Tensiunile deja s-au transmis investitorilor: leul a scazut cu 2% în raport cu euro luna aceasta.

Însa acesta s-ar putea dovedi doar vârful aisbergului daca domnul Ponta va continua aceasta strategie riscanta. Marele risc pentru România este pierderea liniei de finantare asigurata de FMI si UE prin acordul stand-by de tip preventiv în valoare de peste 5 miliarde de euro”, conform Wall Street Journal.

Sursa: mytex.ro

Liderul social-democrat s-a întâlnit cu presedintele Parlamentului European (PE) Martin Schulz, liderul eurodeputatilor socialisti Serghei Stanisev, presedintele permanent al Consiliului European Herman Van Rompuy si presedintele Comisiei Europene (CE) Jose Manuel Barroso, precizeaza cotidianul francez. „Premierul le-a tinut acelasi discurs tuturor interlocutorilor sai, pe care se pare ca i-a convins mai mult sau mai putin“ comenteaza autorul acestui material, Jean-Pierre Stroobants.

În articol se precizeaza ca aderarea României la Spatiul Schengen nu mai este atât de sigura ca înainte, din cauza crizei politice. „Bruxelles-ul urmeaza, deci, sa continue monitorizarea, iar Consiliul va decide ulterior ca, în acest conditii, nu este posibil, în stadiul actual, deschiderea portilor Schengen pentru cele doua tari", arata publicatia franceza.

Sursa: mytex.ro

Sono 248 le persone rimaste uccise ieri in tutto il paese, secondo l'osservatorio siriano per i diritti dell'uomo. Si tratta, sottolinea l'Ong, «del bilancio più pesante, per una sola giornata, da 16 mesi» di scontri. I combattimenti, secondo l'osservatorio, sono proseguiti tutta la notte in diversi quartieri di Damasco, per il sesto giorno consecutivo. Di fronte all'offensiva dei ribelli, spiega ancora l'Ong, l'esercito ha intensificato le operazioni nel centro di Damasco schierando oltre 15 carri armati.

Le forze militari siriane hanno respinto i combattenti ribelli e preso il controllo completo del distretto Midan di Damasco. Lo ha reso noto la tv locale nonostante l'Osservatorio siriano per i diritti umani sostenga che i combattimenti siano ancora in corso. ''I nostri coraggiosi militari hanno ripulito completamente l'area Midan della capitale dagli ultimi terroristi e hanno ristabilito la sicurezza'', ha spiegato la tv. L'ong ha invece riferito di violenti scontri a fuoco avvenuti ancora nel corso della notte. I combattimenti, secondo l'Osservatorio, sarebbero ancora in corso in diverse zone della capitale.

Il regime siriano ha rivendicato la riconquista del quartiere di al-Midan, uno dei più centrali di Damasco, dove da giorni erano in corso furibondi combattimenti contro gli insorti. «Le nostre coraggiose Forze Armate hanno completamente ripulito dai restanti mercenari terroristi la zona di Midan a Damasco», ha annunciato la televisione di Stato, «e vi hanno ripristinato la sicurezza».
Intanto i ribelli siriani hanno assunto il controllo di un valico di frontiera con la Turchia, dopo violenti combattimenti scoppiati ieri con l'esercito siriano. Lo ha constato un fotografo della France Presse. Mezzi pesanti turchi sono stati incendiati durante i combattimenti all'ingresso di Bab al Hawa, controllato da circa 150 ribelli armati pesantemente. Questa postazione si trova di fronte a quella turca di Cilvegozu, nella provincia di Hatay (sud).

Fonte: lastampa.it

Parada Cetatii, la care vor participa toate ordinele cavaleresti, domnite, trubaduri si trupele de muzica medievala deschid, vineri dupa amiaza, cea de-a XX-a editie a Festivalului Sighisoara Medievala.

Parada Cetatii începe la ora 16,00 si, timp de trei zile, iubitorii de arta medievala vor avea posibilitatea sa asiste la turnire organizate de ordinele cavaleresti sosite la Sighisoara din Bulgaria, Ungaria si România – Ordinul Cavalerilor Chigot din Bulgaria, Ordinul Cavalerilor Crux Alba din Ungaria, Ordinul Cavalerilor de Medias, Ordinul Cavalerilor Lup din Târgu Mures si Ordinul Cavalerilor ArtGotica din Sibiu – si la spectacole de animatie medievala, dar si la concerte sustinute de trupe de muzica medievala.

Dupa Parada Cetatii si deschiderea oficiala, programul va continua cu un spectacol oferit de Tobosarul Cetatii Sighisoara si Garda Cetatii, apoi de Ordinul Cavalerilor ArtGotica – Sibiu (Spectacol cu Steaguri), Trupa Cameleon din Sighisoara, iar de la ora 18,00 vor intra în scena participantii la Festivalul Interetnic ProEtnica – Uniunea Democrata Maghiara din România cu Ansamblul de dans Kikerics, Uniunea Bulgara din Banat cu Ansamblul Balgarce si Uniunea Ucrainenilor din România cu Ansamblul Zorea Bucuresti.

De la ora 20,00 va concerta No’Mads, apoi Nomen est Omen, Truverii si Lupus Dacus din Arad.

Aceasta editie a Festivalului Sighisoara Medievala se va desfasura pâna duminica, iar în cadrul manifestarilor se va derula si Festivalul ProEtnica, astfel încât muzica si animatia medievala va fi completata cu obiceiurile si traditiile celor opt etnii care si-au anuntat participarea.

Una dintre piesele de greutate ale evenimentului va fi spectacolul de muzica medievala ‘King Wolf’, un spectacol muzical special realizat de Filarmonica din Timisoara, formatia Lupus Dacus si Ordinul Cavalerilor Lup, care se doreste a fi o Carmina Burana româneasca.
Cu aceasta ocazie, în cetatea medievala va fi amenajata o piata de înnobilare, unde vor fi decernate titluri pentru cei mai de seama cavaleri sau mestesugari.

În cadrul festivalului, presedintele subcomisiei Premiului Europei din cadrul Adunarii Parlamentare a Consiliului Europei (APCE), Sir Alan Meale si primarul orasului german Hunfeld, dr. Eberhard Fennel, vor înmâna Primariei Sighisoara, sâmbata, în cadrul unei ceremonii, Premiul Europei 2012.

Din cauza referendumului pentru demiterea presedintelui României, durata initiala a Festivalului Sighisoara Medievala s-a redus de la 10 zile, la trei zile, iar programul a suferit mari modificari, în sensul renuntarii la o serie de spectacole valoroase, care erau programate exact în perioada la care s-a renuntat.

Din programul initial vor lipsi spectacolul ‘Ioana d’Arc’, pregatit de actori ai Teatrului National din Târgu Mures, studenti ai Universitatii de Arta Teatrala din Târgu Mures si 4 ordine cavaleresti, care era productia proprie a festivalului si avea în jur de 70 de actori în distributie, precum si la faurirea spadei Transylvanian Excalibur, înalta de 2 metri si jumatate, care urma sa fie înfipta într-o piatra si sa fie oferita ca ofranda acestei editii aniversare a Festivalului Sighisoara Medievala.

Sursa: cronicaromana.ro

In crestere cu 70% fata de aceeasi perioada din 2011, când exporturile au totalizat 1.691 tone, potrivit datelor furnizate AGERPRES de Ministerul Agriculturii si Dezvoltarii Rurale (MADR).

Încasarile din exporturile de miere au însumat 8,73 milioane de euro în primele patru luni, cu 60,8 procente mai mult decât cele 5,43 milioane euro încasate în anul precedent.

Potrivit datelor MADR, valoarea importurilor de miere în perioada mentionata a depasit 1,464 milioane de euro, pentru o cantitate de 581,9 tone, în timp ce în perioada similara a anului trecut au totalizat 963.401 euro pentru 375 tone de miere aduse de pe pietele externe.

Atât exporturile cât si importurile de miere au fost realizate din tarile Uniunii Europene si cele extracomunitare.

Românii consuma, în medie, 400-500 de grame de miere anual, mult sub nivelul înregistrat în tarile UE si cele nordice, unde anual se manânca între 1,5 si 3 kilograme de miere.

Potrivit Asociatiei Crescatorilor de Albine din România (ACAR), productia de miere din 2012 este estimata la 18.000- 20.000 de tone, similara ce cea din 2011. România ocupala ora actuala locul patru în Europa din punct de vedere al productiei de miere, dupa Germania, Franta si Ungaria, si locul sapte la numarul de familii de albine, cu aproape 1,3 milioane.

Sursa: capital.ro

1. Respectarea statului de drept si a independentei sistemului judiciar (aflat deasupra intereselor partidelor politice)

*Reinstaurarea atributiilor Curtii Constitutionale de a verifica inclusiv constitutionalitatea deciziilor adoptate de Parlament: abrogarea Ordonantei de Urgenta nr. 38

*Reinstaurarea regulii majoritatii necesare pentru validarea rezultatelor referendumului (jumatate plus unu din numarul celor înregistrati pe listele electorale): abrogarea OUG nr. 41

*Renuntarea la folosirea de ordonante de urgenta în cazul unor decizii care afecteaza statutul institutiilor fundamentale ale statului ori Constitutia si în situatii care nu prezinta urgenta

*Evitarea utilizarii publicarii selective în Monitorul Oficial pentru a urmari scopuri politice si mai ales pentru a evita decizii judiciare.

*Conformarea imediata în fata tuturor deciziilor Curtii Constitutionale.

*Angajamentul autoritatilor publice de a respecta independenta sistemului judiciar si evitarea criticarii acestor decizii judiciare.

2. Redarea încrederii:

*Numirea unui Avocat al Poporului care sa se bucure de sprijinul majoritatii partidelor politice, printr-un proces de numire transparent si obiectiv

*Nicio numire în posturile de procuror general si procuror-sef al Directiei Nationale Anticoruptie sub actuala presedintie: proceduri publice si transparente si liste deschise pentru oricine, selectii bazate pe criterii de profesionalism si integritate si de palmares în domeniul luptei anti-coruptie.

*Nicio gratiere prezidentiala în cursul actualei presedintii

*Numirea unor ministri împotriva carora sa nu fi fost formulate decizii ca nu respecta criteriile de integritate. Obligatia celor care nu respecta aceste criterii sa paraseasca posturile.

*Demisia membrilor Parlamentului care au primit decizii finale privind incompatibilitatea, conflictul de interese sau coruptie la nivel înalt”.

Sursa: cronicaromana.ro

L'assenso al pacchetto di aiuti alla Spagna da parte del Parlamento di Helsinki rappresenta inoltre un voto di fiducia per la coalizione di governo guidata dal primo ministro Jyrki Katainen, duramente criticata dai partiti dell'opposizione.

Il Parlamento finlandese ha approvato il sostegno al programma europeo di assistenza al sistema bancario spagnolo, con 109 voti favorevoli e 73 contrari, a seguito di un acceso dibattito.

L'assenso al pacchetto di aiuti alla Spagna da parte del Parlamento di Helsinki rappresenta inoltre un voto di fiducia per la coalizione di governo guidata dal primo ministro Jyrki Katainen, duramente criticata dai partiti dell'opposizione, che ritengono che il programma di assistenza al sistema bancario iberico avrà forti ripercussioni sui contribuenti finlandesi.

Katainen ha dichiarato che un voto negativo al pacchetto di aiuti alla Spagna avrebbe fatto crollare il Governo di Madrid, scatenando un contagio che in ultima istanza avrebbe potuto colpire anche l'economia finlandese.

Fonte: italiaoggi.it