08/03/15

[Maik]

Old naval mine discovered at Patras' northern port

A corroded naval mine was discovered at the northern port of Patras in the northern Peloponnese on Sunday, the Coast Guard said.

According to them, the mine weighs 400 kilos and may have sunk at that spot during World War II. Authorities said the Coast Guard’s special operations officers are guarding it until army deminers arrive to remove it.

Appropriately, that's from... newsbomb.gr

WWII mine disarmed in Patra

Bomb squad experts on Saturday conducted a controlled explosion of a mine that was discovered two weeks ago in the northern part of the Port of Patra, in western Greece. The blast from the mine, which weighed around 400 kilograms, was felt in the city of Patra and surrounding areas. The mine is believed to have dated from World War II.

http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_wsite1_1_07/03/2015_547987

[Maik]

http://www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/National-Smoking-Day-rescuing-dog-Corfu-saved/story-26130301-detail/story.html

[Maik]

Population drop to raise age of retirement to over 70

Greece’s poor demographic performance is evolving into a major threat for the country’s social security system, as a recent study conducted by the National Actuarial Authority and submitted to the European Commission has shown that the Greek population will shrink dramatically from 11.045 million last year (according to Eurostat) to 8.5 million in 2060.

According to the report, the retirement age will come to 71.9 years and main and auxiliary pensions will drink drastically.

The main reason given for the population decline is a drop in net immigration up to 2030.

http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_wsite2_1_08/03/2015_548000

[Maik]

Crufts dog death: Poisoning probe after Irish Setter dies

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-birmingham-31787558

[Maik]

Austria is fast becoming Europe's latest debt nightmare
A mini-Greece is about to go off in Europe's heartlands, and markets don't even know it

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/comment/jeremy-warner/11455671/Austria-is-fast-becoming-Europes-latest-debt-nightmare.html

[TonyKath]

Crufts dog death: Poisoning probe after Irish Setter dies

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-birmingham-31787558

We were at Crufts on Sunday.  Dreadful story - but no way the dog was worth £50K as some reports (not the Beeb) state.  It would be relatively easy to poison a dog unfortunately.  Dogs are left for some time either tied to their "bench" and benching areas are at times very empty. Dogs are quite often left in their travelling crate, where food could be very quickly and surreptiously given between the bars.  We showed dogs briefly a few years back and still go from time to time.  Cat showing is generally very friendly and mostly not that competitive, but mostly pretty much OK - even to complete newcomers.  Dog showing distinctly cool and unwelcoming to newbies and can be pretty darned competitive. So sadly dogs can be poisoned in the UK, not just Greece. 

Another Crufts story barely reported and which we saw from very close up.  A protester leapt into to arena waving a paper sign saying "Mutts against Crufts" right where the new Best in Show winner was arriving at the podium directly in front of the Kennel Club toffs.  He was rapidly and very efficiently wrestled to the ground by the security guys.  Channel 4 showing the event supposedly live (?15 second delay) managed very skilfully to not give the slightest idea anything happened. 



Posted by PETA - the outfit behind the protest.

Telegraph and Argus

Tony

[Maik]

Blimey, if I had a dog worth anything like that much I wouldn't leave him alone for a minute.

[TonyKath]

The very most it would have been worth would have been £2K - still a tidy sum to most people.  They said they paid £850 for it as a puppy, pretty much round the standard price for most breeds.  Lovely looking dogs Irish Setters, but need a lot of exercise.  My Greek teacher was saying last week that as a child her family had one in an apartment in Thessaloniki and eventually gave it away to a nice farmer who let them come and visit it.  Until it was... poisoned by someone. 

Tony