The feeling when you look out of the hospital window is that life is out there and it is passing you by indifferently, cold toward your small, insignificant drama. It is as if you have been immobilized in a static parallel universe.

Sam Mendes’ war epic “1917” has captured the attention of audiences and critics alike; it’s also an Oscar favorite. Watching the film made me think about Greece’s experience in the Great War.

It is ironic that in politics a smart move can coincide with a failed one. Starting with the second, the government’s admission, by the prime minister himself, that it was actually not prepared to deal with the refugee crisis, leaves an unpleasant taste.

Recently I was traveling through a provincial town where I met with a journalist at a local newspaper. An old-timer, who had set up his own paper, one of the town’s really experienced veterans, he conveyed to me his deepest concern: The country’s financial crisis had essentially demolished his work.

Greece might be the only country where the smoking ban has triggered so much resistance, transformed into a battle against repression, a human rights issue. 

I will share some thoughts regarding an issue which is not really in my purview, namely the economy in terms of the labor market. I won’t mention any particular economic theories (I am not an expert, after all) as I am addressing a personal concern based on everyday experience.