Athens: Outcry of a Lost Generation

admin — Sun, 17 Oct 2010 23:25:59 +0000

We have been on a recent city break trip to Athens.

The time is October 2010, shortly after Chinese PM Wen visited the country and announced buying Greek debt, saving the country from an oblivion.

What feast the tourists, was not Acropolis, but Graffiti. Every wall in Plaka, historic neighbourhood nested below Acropolis and everywhere around the town.

It surely is a bewilder experience.

As Deepening in recession, young Greeks find no hope in job market, are leaving. Those cant express their emotion and outrage in a brutal way.

And unlike other EU countries, there is no quick fix to generate jobs and lead the country out.

Attributed to the ‘Closed Profession’ the soviet style economy, via prohibiting licensing regulation, ‘ Every stone you turn here, there are regulations’. (1)

From lawyers, engineers, taxi drivers, speech therapists, welders, notaries, street market vendors, newsstand operators and architects.

Because people in the business had been paid such a high fee to enter the trade, it builds a barrier from competition.

Not only customers have to pay distorted fee for product/service, it also prevents new business entering the market.

“If you want to have a decent life, you can’t do it here,” he said. “It’s always been difficult. Now it’s nearly impossible.” (2)
The latest official figures show that unemployment among 15- to 24-year-olds was 29.8 percent in June, 25-to-34-year-olds, the figure was 16.2.

See the photo essay

Reference 1: “Push to End Job Barriers Rattles Greece and Economy” (the New York Times)
Reference 2: “Young Greeks Seek Options Elsewhere” (the New York Times)

Trooping the Colour

admin — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 12:52:20 +0000

Trooping the Colour is a ceremony performed by regiments of the Commonwealth and the British Army. It has been a tradition of British infantry regiments since the 17th century, although the roots go back much earlier. On battlefields, a regiment’s colours, or flags, were used as rallying points. Consequently, regiments would have their ensigns slowly march with their colours between the soldiers’ ranks to enable soldiers to recognise their regiments’ colours.

Since 1748 Trooping the Colour has also marked the official birthday of the British Sovereign.[1] It is held in London annually on the second Saturday in June[2] on Horse Guards Parade by St James’s Park, and coincides with the publication of the Birthday Honours List. Among the audience are the Royal Family, invited guests, ticketholders, and the general public. The colourful ceremony, also known as “The Queen’s Birthday Parade,” is broadcast live by the BBC.

from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trooping_the_colour

Please find the audio slide show for 2010 event God Save the Queen.

jing photography » documentary

Athens: Outcry of a Lost Generation

Trooping the Colour