Greece accumulated debt in a foreign currency (Euro). Had they been using a free-floating currency with Greece as the sovereign issuer, it would have been much less of a problem. But that's a different discussion.

You brought up retirement benefits. These benefits have been a major talking point over here in mercantilistic Germany. Unfortunatly, a lot of inaccuracies crept into the debate over time. A closer look reveals that it's not as black and white as it is made out to be. One point at a time...

The effective retirement age, if we look at OECD stats, is basically the same for men in Greece and Germany. The age of 56 is often thrown around as the expected average retirement age for workers in Greece, but that's only for the totally messed up public sector. The average for the private sector is significantly higher, as the OECD numbers indicate.

Yet the size of retirement benefits is even more controversial. There are, in fact, some very dubious practices going on in Greece, which result in rediculous retirement benefits for a select group of people, even at very young ages. Decades of nepotism, that's what it produces. But even so, pension expenditure as a % of GDP was not significantly higher in Greece before the GFC than in Germany. When Greek GDP collapsed, expenditures as a % increased, naturally. Some have gotten absurd benefits, but the majority got a pittance. And as if that wasn't bad enough, Greece doesn't have a social safety net, unlike Germany. There is no welfare. Many people have to take early retirement at reduced benefits to have any income at all.
So I'll say it's bad in Germany. Last decade's changes to our retirement system have a metric fuckton of people (~40% of workers) heading straight into poverty when they retire. It's social security for them, and nothing else. Still, it's bliss compared to what the plebs in Greece now ended up with.

However, even all those beautiful OECD stats have to be taken with a grain of salt. Germany has a working bureaucracy. Everything is documented. Greece is a mess. Therefore, all comparisons are guesstimates at best.

Finally, as long as the Greek economy produces enough goods and services, it is for them to decide how to distribute their wealth. If they want a lavish retirement system, so be it. Our governments opted to create a true underclass of the working poor, and gutted a retirement system that made it through two world wars unscathed. If German retirees want to bitch about their benefits, it should be aimed squarely at our governments and their intentional deconstruction of our social welfare state.

Love this game, second best final fantasy game (after 6). How does it rate overall? I don't know, so hard to compare to half life, or braid.

Worst/best finale cliffhanger so far. What-The-Fuck

The last, best Final Fantasy for me was number 6. The switch over to 3D just plain killed it. That's when they went cut-scene crazy and the game mechanics started getting overly convoluted. Heck, I was saying it back when VII first came out--if I wanted to watch a movie, I'd watch a movie, not play a game. But Square-Enix fans both in Japan and the U.S. eat this stuff up. I have no idea why. I personally think you kind of have to have masochistic tendencies to begin with to play some of these RPGs, considering the time commitment you have to make if you ever hope to finish them.

I don't believe in conquering people (or proselytizing - if that means any more than entering into civilised debate). I personally believe that this world is big enough for atheists and theists to live peacefully together.

I have read the God Delusion - cover to cover - and I have gone back to look at it again in light or recent debates on the Sift. It is not a work without merit - and for that reason I would encourage all theists to read it. Furthermore, I salute Dawkin's intention in writing the book - to raise consciousness in people who are trapped in a religion and can’t even imagine life without it - for two reasons. Firstly, from an academic perspective I believe in free, open and civilised debate. If theists don't question their faith then they will never understand it. Secondly, if Dawkins' book does offer solace and hope to people trapped by religion - then I support that too.

However, just as Dawkin's urges us to be sceptical about the claims of religion I would urge atheists to be sceptical about some of the claims of Dawkins. There is currently a debate raging in my religion about the future direction and shape of Islam. I think that there should also be such a debate raging at the heart of atheism. One thing I particularly don't like about Dawkins is his conviction that the world would be a better place if religion were hastened to extinction.

My first objection to this is scientific - that it is at best empirically unverifiable and at worst wrong. I think this is why Dennett says that he is an agnostic with regards to this issue. For every crazed fundamentalist that kills, there is a peaceful thoughtful person of faith involved in an act of charity. Atheism, as a doctrine, is simply the belief that God does not exist. One can be an atheist and still believe that religion - despite the fact that it is based on a delusion - has an overall positive effect on the world. In other words, a belief in atheism does not logically entail a belief that the world would be better off without religion.

My second objection is pragmatic. I think that such an assertion encourages atheists to look at all religious people in a negative manner. If the world would be better off without religion then all religious people are making the world a worse place for everyone else. Instead of dismissing all theists it would be better to attack those elements of religion that you find most distasteful. Pragmatically, I think that this approach is best.

Finally, even if God is a delusion then he/she/it is the most persistent illusion in the history of mankind. For that reason I believe that one cannot dismiss theism as casually as Dawkins does. Understanding the very existence and persistence of 'the God delusion' is key to understanding the nature of humanity and the human experience.

Comment hidden because you are ignoring dag. (show it anyway)

The title might be a bit of hyperbole, but this was a cool idea, and good show - *save.

FWIW my vote for best finale would go to Six Feet Under.