H MΕΛΒΟΥΡΝΗ ΣΤΙΣ ΟΚΤΩ (8) ΑΚΡΙΒΩΤΕΡΕΣ ΠΟΛΕΙΣ ΤΟΥ ΚΟΣΜΟΥ..

Μπορει να μοιαζει καπως και τη Νεα Υορκη η Μελβούρνη,με τα διαρκως αυξανόμενα ψηλά κτήρια ,αλλα στις τιμες ξεπερνα κατα πολύ τηνπολιτεια με τους ουρανοξύστες.

Melbourne ranked eighth most expensive city in the world

Η Μελβούρνη ,μπορει να θεωρείται η καλύτερη πόλη του κόσμου για να ζήσει κανεις,αλλα σε μια πρόσφατη έρευνα εμφανίζεται να είναι κατα 50% ακριβότερη της Νέας Υόρκης.

Σε παγκόσμια κλίμακα ειναι η 8η ακριβότερη πόλη στον κόσμο ,μια θέση πιο πίσω απο το Σύδνευ που κατέχει την 7η θέση..

Η έρευνα αποκάλυψε ότι ητιμή μιας  φρατζόλας ψωμιού στη Μελβούρνη  υπερδιπλασιάστηκε την περ.10ετία,ενω η τιμή της βενζίνης τριπλασιάστηκε ...και ανάλογα μεγαλες ήταν οι αυξήσεις σε ρύζι και σε άλλα προιόντα.

Αν και τα μονοπωλιακά μεσα ενημέρωσης αποδίδουν την αιτία των αυξήσεων στην άνοδο της τιμής του Αυστραλιανου δολλαρίου,στην ουσία όλα φανερωνουν ότι η απλειστία των μονοπωλείων και των μετόχων έχουν κάνει τη ζωή των εργαζομένων αφόρητη όπου με πολύ δυσκολία τα καταφέρνουν να ανταπεξέλθουν στις υποχρεώσεις τους..

Δεν ειναι βέβαια τυχαίο ΄οτι η Μελβούρνη κατέχει και την πρωτιά στις απόπειρες αυτοκτονίας..

Για τους αγγλομαθείς δειτε πως παρουσιάζει το όλο θέμα η σημερινή Χέραλντ -Σαν της Μελβούρνης

MELBOURNE might be the world's most livable city, but research has found it is almost 50 per cent costlier than New York.

The strong dollar is being blamed for squeezing Aussie wallets, with five of the nation's capitals ranked more expensive than destinations such as London, Hong Kong and Berlin.

Melbourne was named the eighth most expensive city, one place behind Sydney, in the Worldwide Cost of Living Survey.

The survey found the cost of a loaf of bread in Melbourne almost doubled in the past decade, while petrol prices rose three-fold and rice almost quadrupled.

Report editor Jon Copestake said the cost of living in Melbourne was up dramatically compared with 10 years ago when it was more than 25 per cent cheaper than the Big Apple.

"Exchange rates have been the greatest influence, with the Australian dollar seeing its value relative to the US dollar double," Mr Copestake said.

"Local price inflation, especially last year, has also played a part."

HSBC chief economist Paul Bloxham said 20 years of economic growth had helped fuel the increases.

"The cost base does tend to increase when that happens," Mr Bloxham said. "In some ways, it's the cost of success."

But inflation remained in check and income growth outpaced price increases.

"That's supporting our ability to meet local costs," Mr Bloxham said.

"And then, of course, the strength of the Aussie dollar is also meaning that we can afford to buy more things from overseas."

The survey, conducted by The Economist, compared the price of 160 products and services in 130 cities.

Zurich was the world's most expensive city, overtaking Tokyo. Perth (12th), Brisbane (equal 13th) and Adelaide (equal 17th) also made the top 20.

In a separate study, Melbourne rated best in the nation in the world's top 50 university cities.

The inaugural QS Best Student Cities survey said Paris was the world's best location for education with Melbourne fourth and Sydney sixth.

hoskingw@heraldsun.com.au

The ten most expensive
Country	City	WCOL index (New York=100)	Rank	Rank movement
Switzerland	Zurich	170	1	4
Japan	Tokyo	166	2	-1
Switzerland	Geneva	157	3=	6
Japan	Osaka Kobe	157	3=	-1
Norway	Oslo	156	5	-2
France	Paris	150	6	-2
Australia	Sydney	147	7	-1
Australia	Melbourne	145	8	0
Singapore	Singapore	142	9	-3
Germany	Frankfurt	137	10	-1

 

The ten least expensive
Country	City	WCOL index (New York=100)	Rank	Rank move
Amman	Muscat	63	120=	-10
Bangladesh	Dhaka	61	123	-3
Algeria	Algiers	59	124	2
Nepal	Kathmandu	58	125=	2
Panama	Panama City	58	125=	-4
Saudi Arabia	Jeddah	57	127	-6
India	New Delhi	56	128	0
Iran	Tehran	54	129	0
India	Mumbai	52	130	0
Pakistan	Karachi	46	131	0

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http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/more-news/melbourne-ranked-8th-most-expensive-city-in-the-world/story-fn7x8me2-1226270867159

Ποιο ήταν το ιστορικό κτίριο του «Αττικόν» που καταστράφηκε

Η χθεσινή καταστροφή του κινηματοθεάτρου «Αττικόν» αποτελεί άλλη μια πληγή στο σώμα της πόλης των Αθηνών, καθώς επρόκειτο για ένα ιστορικό κτίριο, από τα πλέον εμβληματικά της πόλης.

Το διώροφο κτίριο που βρίσκεται στη γωνία των οδών Σταδίου και Χρήστου Λαδά είναι αποτέλεσμα πολλών διαδοχικών αρχιτεκτονικών παρεμβάσεων. 

Αρχιτεκτονικά ανήκει στην περίοδο του εκλεκτικισμού (Νέος Νεοκλασσικισμός) που βασικό χαρακτηριστικό του έχει την εκλεκτική επιλογή αρχιτεκτονικών στοιχείων από διάφορα ρεύματα χωρίς να υπάρχει ένα ενιαίο ύφος. Το κτίριο οικοδομήθηκε από τον Αλέξανδρο Νικολούδη σε σχέδια του Ερνέστου Τσίλλερ για λογαριασμό του Χιώτη τραπεζίτη Σταμάτη Δεκόζη-Βούρο.

Μάλιστα, στους χώρους του κτιρίου εγκαταστάθηκε για μικρό διάστημα το 1914, το νεοπαγές Υπουργείο Εθνικής Οικονομίας.

Την περίοδο 1914-1920 πραγματοποιήθηκε μια βασική επέμβαση σε ρυθμό «Νεομπαρόκ», όταν οικοδομήθηκε σε τμήμα του κτιρίου το κινηματοθέατρο «Αττικόν», επάνω σε σχέδια του αρχιτέκτονα Αλέξανδρου Νικολούδη (1874-1944). Μάλιστα η αρχιτεκτονική επέμβαση είχε το πρωτοποριακό για την εποχή οπλισμένο σκυρόδεμα.

Τα μαγαζιά που στεγάστηκαν στο κτίριο ήταν ποικίλα: από παντοπωλεία ως φαρμακεία και καταστήματα κρυστάλλων ενώ βασικό στοιχείο ήταν το εμβληματικό σινεμά «Αττικόν» καθώς ήταν ο πρώτος κινηματογράφος που πρόβαλλε ομιλούσες ταινίες.

Τη δεκαετία του '30 δημιουργήθηκε και η δεύτερη κινηματογραφική αίθουσα «Απόλλων» στο υπόγειο του κτιρίου, ενώ εγκαταστάθηκαν τα γραφεία της «Σκούρας Φιλμς» υπό τη διεύθυνση της οποίας λειτουργούσαν οι δύο κινηματογράφοι.

Στη διάρκεια της γερμανικής κατοχής το κτίριο είχε επιταχθεί από τις Γερμανικές δυνάμεις και είχε μετατραπεί σε κινηματογράφο για τους Γερμανούς στρατιώτες. Το Αττικόν μετατράπη σε SoldatenKino Victoria, το Απόλλων σε Kino Apollo, ενώ οι άλλοι κινηματογράφοι υποχρεώθηκαν να αναγράφουν τους τίτλους των έργων εκτός από ελληνικά, στα γερμανικά και ιταλικά.

Το 1960 οι αδελφοί Γρηγοριάδου και ο Άγγελος Αγαλιώτης πήραν άδεια ορισμένων επισκευών από την Πολεοδομία Αθηνών, ενώ το 1982 πραγματοποιήθηκαν γενικές εργασίες συντήρησης και αναπαλαίωσης πάνω σε μελέτη του αρχιτέκτονα Ι. Χριστακόπουλου. Η αποκατάσταση του κτιρίου θεωρήθηκε υποδειγματική και αποτέλεσε πρότυπο αποκατάστασης και συντήρησης και για άλλα νεοκλασσικά κτίρια της πόλης.

Το μόνο θετικό από την τεράστια καταστροφή που υπέστη το κτίριο, είναι ότι αναζωπυρώθηκε το ενδιαφέρον των Αθηναίων για την αρχιτεκτονική κληρονομιά της πόλης η οποία παρέμενε επί δεκαετίες στο περιθώριο. Σε μια πόλη που «αλώθηκε» από το μπετό, το «Αττικόν» έστεκε και στέκει ως σύμβολο αντίστασης στην αισθητική παρακμή της πόλης. Ιδίως δε η ανακαίνισή του αποτελούσε την απόδειξη ότι η αισθητική και η Ιστορία μπορούν να συνυπάρχουν εξαιρετικά με την λειτουργικότητα ενός σύγχρονου κτιρίου.

Κοινή ελπίδα είναι το κτίριο να αποκατασταθεί στην παλιά του αίγλη και να αποτελέσει ξανά πόλο για τους κινηματογραφόφιλους Αθηναίους.

ΠΗΓΗ:Γιώργος Κοκκόλης

13.02.2012  iefimeris

Greece votes for a lesser evil.. By Dr.Nick Skrekas

14 February 2012

NICK SKREKAS

After the street violence subsided overnight in Athens, it is time to look at the remnants of the political system since the parliamentary seal of approval was affixed to the Troika bailout with its attached austerity strings.

Even the most ardent supports could only muster an argument of it being "the lesser evil" given the grave state of odious fiscal affairs.

On Sunday post-midnight Athens time, 199 deputies out of the 300 gave the milestone nod to the take-up of a Euro 130 billion bailout which will ensure liquidity until 2015 as well as a debt reduction of hopefully Euro 100 Billion imposed "voluntarily" on private bondholders to restore solvency by 2020 of the debt-laden Mediterranean country. No -one can guarantee the funding or haircut without stringent conditionality and good will, but it's a last shot to avoid full Argentinian-style implosion.

This final option to avert implosion has wreaked dramatic change to the party political landscape, on top of the ritual protests outside the parliament chanting "burn it down". A turbulent total 45 deputies has been expelled from the three parties forming the coalition backing of technocrat prime minister Lucas Papademos. In fact, the second largest party represented in parliament is now a disparate and lopsided number of 63 independents.

The reasons for breaking party voting discipline are many for the many. They extend from parochial populism to ritual hypocrisy based on a calculus of political cost. Some stuck to principles, other resented colonial-style ultimatums, while others could not shoulder the weight of public displeasures. A handful wanted to defect from faltering parties that were bigger liabilities to their re-election chances.

Former ruling socialist PASOK no longer enjoys a majority, nor does it have enough votes to survive any vote of confidence test, since its numbers have dwindled from 153 to 131. The conservative New Democracy party also suffered defections and resignations and now counts 62 deputies from 83 prior to Sunday. However, its leader Antonis Samaras, can now dictate when national elections can be held and try to capture the benefits of being in front if not determinative in fickle voter polls. And these elections are unlikely to take place end of April 29 because of procedural and legal hurdles to the bailout deals and haircuts. The most likely date is for three weeks after Orthodox Easter, and that way everyone has digested the red eggs and spit roasted lamb.

Even so it is hard to digest what will be offered to the weary Greek voter and taxpayer. Former socialist prime minister George A Papandreou (GAP) is being pressed to formally kick off the success process this Thursday post the Eurogroup meeting. Given languishing electoral appeal, the poison chalice of party leadership from GAP will likely go to finance minister Evangelos Venizelos. Big Benny is the favourite and is backed by other party leading heavy weights. Even after his late-night troika and bond holder round-the-clock meetings, the FinMin is unlikely to get much sleep since Pasok is a damaged brand after two years of tax hikes and cuts, as well as squabbling and deputy uprisings.

Centre-right New Democracy also has its challenges since grass roots elected Samaras had to do a backflip and come round to supporting this new Memo 2.0 on Sunday. He will also have to issue written binding assurances to other Eurozone countries, the IMF, ECB and Commission. It will diminish his image of a stubborn pro-growth maverick as he accedes to the wishes of official and multilateral lenders. Unpalatable but again "the lesser evil" …

However, if as some suspect the 21 conservative dissenters form a new parliamentary and party block, this could depress New Democracy's first across the post poll rankings. It appears almost certain that new centre left and centre right anti-Memo and anti-Troika parties will be formed in the crucible of ideologically unstable times.

While it is never easy to approve cuts to minimum wages, debase collective bargaining sector agreements, and slash supplementary pensions, few wish to admit any local institutional blame for four decades of bad leadership that encouraged the worst habits. The jury is still out on the distribution of blame for the fact Greece is teetering on the edge of the abyss - meaning we are facing a chaotic Euro exit, a disorderly default domestically and otherwise, and then subsequent geopolitical isolation.

The unhappiness was palpable in the populations and continues. Greeks were never told the truth as to where they were being led since the fall of the junta of 1974 with some administrations adding more to the debt and dependence parabola than others. But that post-junta restoration of partisan and patronage democracy was a fraudulent and depressive illusion. Now a new era has begun where virtue and candour are demanded by voters that can longer be bought off or silenced by loaned cash, favours or false left-right dichotomies left over from the Greek civil war.

The justified anger in some quarters and mistrust unfortunately spilled over into serious property damage late on Sunday into the early hours of Monday with 45 building destroyed mostly by fires. The anarchist and other suspect groups, which don't represent mainstream values, collided with riot police and the chaos provided cover for homeless and illegal poverty stricken immigrants to loot about 150 premises. Thankfully, there were no deaths but it has crushed sentiment and shops in downtown Athens as authorities engage in a blame game as to why the rampage was not contained even as 74 rioters were arrested.

What these run-wild rampaging groups don't consider is that they are sowing the seeds of more tough and repressive measures for order. However, putting Athens in perspective, the London riots last year and the ongoing Occupy Wall Street movements across the world have probably led to more arrest and injuries. There were 70 protesters hospitalised but none had serious problems other than light injuries and tear gas inhalation-related breathing problems, it is hardly the war zone that international media beat the drum about.

Not exactly a war zone as some portrayed it. But cheap sensationalism sells from a "copy-cat" foreign press corps camped out in front of the Hellenic Parliament. It smacks of cultural racism or perhaps ongoing reality-show news coverage.

To the chagrin of some who preferred radical shock therapies, were defeatist enough to predict bankruptcy no matter what, or other fans of conspiracy theories that believe some European economic powerhouses are engaging in a leveraged takeover of Greece, the country is still afloat - but just by the skin of its teeth. Greece allowed itself to get to point where there no good choices left on the table and even after the compromise nothing is entirely resolved other than just this last shot has not been squandered or lost for good.

It still has a credibility deficit and has to convince the world it will deliver, become sustainable and competitive and its brand has not been permanently dealt a death blow. All tough calls to convince many that Greece isn't an undeserving bottomless financial pit where good money is thrown after bad.

And there are solutions that are crucial for the country to move forward away from structural reforms of internal markets, sensible non-fire sale privatisation and generating primary budget surpluses. They have to do with values and ideals to prevent a relapse of political capture and failed elite institutions including academia and big media.

It is time to cut waste, corruption, special interests and parasitic deal and give those resources to where they can ensure social justice and are in fact much better spent - the poor, the sick, the homeless, the unemployed and low income pensioners. Delays and dithering only cost more to the weakest in this community and subvert any chance of the program being implemented and succeeding.

Foreign powers are to blame historically for much, but there are no more excuses. Greece now desperately needs to get its own house in order by committing to meritocracy, transparency, and honourable transparent leaders at all levels of public life.

And there are some promising new movements with fresh professional faces gathering momentum due to their powerful vision, convincing voice and untainted legitimacy which can provide a new much needed breed of local leaders. "Forward Greece Today" is one of the most prominent and digitally savvy, and promises extroversion not navel gazing. For an electorate sick of nepotism and powerful dominating families, it may have a novel appeal.

Solutions for any mess, even the Greek crisis, can be found. They include long overdue exploitation of the country's resource wealth from northern Greek gold mines, rare earths under islet, and stretch to massive deposits of oil and gas in the Aegean, Ionian and the plates underneath Crete toward Libya. The problems are always vision, unified commitment, and patriotic (not nationalist)

But only the people of this country can mandate the vision and execution so evils can be avoided in future. Vox Populi Vox Dei.

Nick Skrekas works as an analysts and lawyer, and has lived the European and Greek sovereign crisis on the ground and blow by blow since it initially exploded. View his full profile here.