It Looks Like Greece Will Vote for Grexit
Things look difficult for Greece as it looks like they are going to have another vote according to this report. Signs are they will reject the austerity plan and thus vote for Grexit.
The Greek Economy and Breast Implants
One lady, who had the faulty PIP breast implants, has just said on Radio 5, that the surgeon who did the operation, can’t replace them with new ones, as he has gone to work in Greece.
Obviously, more than the obvious is going bust in that country.
The Grexit
The Greek Euro crisis now has its own name; the Grexit.
Greek Travel Costs
I found this article, entitled Is it cheaper to put Greek train passengers in taxis? on the BBC’s web site.
They come up with figures that show if there are more than two passengers, the taxi is cheaper.
And these figures ignore the fact that Greek Railways have borrowed €9 billion, which is all guaranteed by the Greek government.
Germany v Greece
If things work out right, Germany will play Greece on June 22nd in Euro 2012 in the midst of a Greek General Election.
What fun?
Greece Eight Weeks Away From Euro Exit
This headline was in the Sunday Times today.
So don’t book a holiday in Greece in the middle of July!
Pioz is the Most Indebted Village in Spain
Pioz in Guadalajara has just 3,000 inhabitants, but the village has run up debts of €16,000,000 and at the current repayment rate will take over 7,000 years to pay the debts back. It all stems from a previous administration that built an elaborate water purification plant.
And then there was the €150,000,000 airport at Castellon near Valencia, which never attracted a single aircraft.
No wonder Spain and Spanish banks are in trouble!
The Headmistress Lays Down the Rules
The headmistress or is it the Chief Warder, has put on her sternest East German face to lay down the law to the naughty Greeks, who have said they won’t take her medicine.
I’m afraid I think they will have to otherwise the financial police of New York, London, Frankfurt and the Far East, will make it so expensive for them to get the money they need to spend on expensive cars and the other imports they need.
The state of the Greek parties are outlined here. Just look at the face on the Chief Warder’s picture.
As if the Chief Watrder hasn’t got enough on her plate with the Greeks, and the French decide to play by their own rules. I suppose they have to, as reportedly, it’s the French banks, who are up to their necks in Greek debt.
Could the London Overground Call at Brixton?
The London Overground extension of the East London Line to Clapham Junction station goes on a viaduct across a lot of South London and before flying right over the top of Brixton tube station to reach its destination by way of Clapham High Street and Wandsworth Road stations. This picture show the two bridges that cross Brixton Road to the north of the tube station.
The Two Rail Bridges Over Brixton Road
The high bridge in the foreground will carry the London Overground, whereas the one just visible behind takes the main line trains to and from Victoria. The picture was actually taken from the entrance tro the tube station and you can see how difficult it would be to get passengers between the two levels.
Turn the corner into Atlantic Road and you see how difficult the problem is.
The Overground Flies Over Brixton Station
The track that will take the Overground extension, now flies over Brixton railway station. It is almost as if, the designer of the rail lines in the area, went out of his way to make connecting them difficult, To further complicate matters, there used to be an East Brixton railway station on the line that the Overground will use. This was closed in 1976 and demolished soon afterwards.
If the East Brixton station was to be rebuilt, it does give some interesting connection options, albeit with a bit of a walk.
I tend to think that the only solution would be to spend millions to create a proper interchange station, that connects all of the three lines; Victoria, East London and main line together. But in the present financial climate that is impossible.
One point is that today, after seeing Brixton, I took a 35 bus to Clapham Junction station. It is obvious, that one of the UK’s busiest stations needs a proper connection to the Underground network. It is possible the Northern Line extension will eventually deliver this. At present the best you can do is to take a train to either Waterloo or Vauxhall stations and get the Underground from there.
The Anonymous Widower 