Jive Talk in Early Rock 'n' Roll: Bill Haley and Ella Mae Morse; Dig This!

Maude Haley (nee Green) -mother of Bill Haley (born 1925)- emigrated to the USA from Ulverston, Lancashire (now Cumbria), England, when she was fifteen years old, before WWI. Her father was a baker in Ulverston. Bill was born in Michigan. Trained as a classical pianist, Maude Haley gave piano lessons at home in the USA. She also gave Bill singing lessons. I wonder what she made of her son's jive slang and rock 'n' roll.

Rock the Joint

See You Later Alligator

Crazy, Man, Crazy

Ella Mae Morse, Hey Daddy-O...I have to dig life with father

Ella Mae was born in Texas in 1924. Her father, George Morse, was a sailor from England. He was also a drummer, and Ella Mae sang in nightclubs with his small jazz dance band or combo at a very young age, from the age of 9, according to the New York Times. Her parents split up. I wonder what happened to George Morse, and what he thought of her hit records and her jive talk with pianist Freddie Slack, who asks "What's your pleasure, treasure?". Listen to the intro of House of Blue Lights.

House of Blue Lights

Pig Foot Pete

Cow Cow Boogie

Both Bill and Ella Mae recorded Razzle Dazzle ("the hipster's dance and the square cat's too"), and Forty Cups of Coffee

Bill Haley and the Comets

Ella Mae Morse

Forty Cups of Coffee, Ella Mae

Bill Haley version

Ampol Radio Show, Australia, January 11, 1957

Filmed in Essen, Germany, 1958

From Glossary of Jive Talk (Wikipedia):

Alligator  A devotee of jazz or swing music. Perhaps alludes to sharp-dressing with alligator leather

Hep  In the know. Later, hip.

Hep cat  Knowledgeable person. Later, hipster.

I'm Not a Juvenile Delinquent

Greece and Turkey: Film, "The Other Town", Nefin Dinc

I hope this film is shown in the UK

Trailer

Also on YouTube

"Frozen conflicts are international disputes that are not resolved for many years. Greeks and Turks (and especially their states) have tense relations the last decades. The two sides fought against each other in the past and at present they face a series of disagreements. The film is about this conflict and the perceptions of the citizens of the two countries. Two towns, Birgi in western Turkey and Dimitsana in central Peloponnese, are chosen for this film. These towns are rich in memories about the Other. In the past the Ottomans had captured the Greek town and the Greeks the Turkish one.
The filmmakers visited the two towns several times for a year and examined a range of aspects: how history is taught in schools, how the Other is presented during the national festivities, what the dignitaries think and say about the conflict and the past, what are the perceptions and the prejudices of the laymen and of the children, what the museums exhibit as history, etc. The inhabitants, young and old, were asked to speak about their feelings, fears and prospects vis-à-vis the Other. The film's objective was to examine at what extent the widespread popular beliefs of the citizens, as well as the state policies of opinion forming reproduce prejudices which in turn perpetuate the conflict. The filmmakers are also preparing a booklet that can be used for conflict resolution workshops and in classrooms, seminars and conferences around the world".

More

Filmmaker Nefin Dinc

"When Turkish filmmaker Nefin Dinc was a graduate student in Great Britain, she noticed that while her Greek friends and Turkish friends "liked each other a lot," they also repeated similar ideas about the other that favored their own country: "the Turkish side would say that the Greeks had 'Megali Idea', which means they want to expand and get Turkish lands still, and the Greeks would say that Turkey would attack Greece if she had the chance." Dinc realized that the basis for many of these stereotypes and prejudices came out of not only nationalistic education in Turkey and Greece, but also the influence of the media, national ceremonies, and religious ceremonies in both countries. Together with Hercules Millas, she made the documentary The Other Town "to show how we are affected by the nationalistic education in both countries."

On George Vafopoulos, Poet of Thessaloniki

From Anemourion blog in Greek

Eleni Yannakakis - about George Vafopoulos (in English)

"To the River Thames I entrust my message:

If I should forget you, Salonica.

may my ancestors’ wrath fall on me,

may my tongue be silent, if I don’t remember you".

GV, England, September 1978

Greece, Land Registry (Cadastral Survey): Over Half a Million Houses Built on State-Owned and Forest Land; Κτηματολόγιο: Στον αέρα πάνω από 500.000 σπίτια

From Ta Nea

The Greek State is claiming back land which is still classified as public property.

19,000 house-owners have received notification letters from the Greek government's State Property department (Ministry of Finance). The situation is "up in the air". House-owners all over Greece are likely to lose their sleep. It could also mean a further block to the "already compromised" Land Registry process while appeals are submitted, according to Ta Nea:

Τι σημαίνει αυτό στην πράξη; Σημαίνει μπλοκάρισμα της ήδη επιβαρυμένης διαδικασίας κτηματογράφησης από τις προσφυγές του Δημοσίου.

19.000 ειδοποιητήρια έχουν σταλεί από την Περιφερειακή Διεύθυνση Δημόσιας Περιουσίας Αττικής σε ιδιοκτήτες ακινήτων στο Γαλάτσι, στην Αγία Βαρβάρα, στη Νέα Ιωνία, στο Ηράκλειο, στο Περιστέρι και στο Χαϊδάρι

Πάνω από 500.000 ιδιοκτήτες ακινήτων στην Αττική και εκατοντάδες χιλιάδες ακόμη σε όλη την Ελλάδα αναμένεται να χάσουν τον ύπνο τους μέσα στο επόμενο διάστημα, καθώς το υπουργείο Οικονομικών έχει αρχίσει ήδη να αποστέλλει ειδοποιητήρια με τα οποία τους γνωστοποιεί ότι διεκδικεί τα σπίτια τους

Full article here (Greek)

Google automatic translation (sorry, no time to correct):

Over 500,000 homeowners in the air - The State claiming their homes Over 500,000 homeowners in Attica and hundreds of thousands more across Greece are expected to lose their sleep in the coming period, as the Finance Ministry has already started sending notices to which the notice that claiming their homes The state claiming lands in areas throughout Greece once - even 100 years ago were classified as forest and in many cases even raise the question titles and adverse possession. But these and areas normally joined the city plan, were built legally, but have only lost the forest and not the public nature. So far, according to sources from the Regional Directorate of Public Property Attica, sent about 19,000 notices to property owners in Galaţi, in Ag. Varvara, Nea Ionia, Heraklion, Peristeri and Haidari. Although the question has arisen before could still arise be settled by legislation, as requested by the competent services, it remains there, with all that implies for the agony and suffering of the owners, while a problem - the objections submitted - in the land registration process. But the proposal for legislation encounters serious difficulties, since whoever makes it risks being accused of infidelity, as against a strong interpretation would apempolouse rights of the State. The situation that has developed clearly shows the mess that exists around what is public property and what not, since the State seems to have no clear picture of what he owns. How far the problem occurred? As explained by the Directorate of Public Property Attica, the above mentioned areas were once forested. By joining the city plan lost forest nature but maintained the public. The State, by the summer of 2013, was not required to declare his real property. It is now, with the new Law on Cadastre. Meanwhile, in many municipalities, the cadastral survey is completed. And there begins the problem with tensions. From the Mortgage -which Athens Service under the Finance Ministry - blame the Forestry Department that sent in real estate services with simple documents accompanying the transmission, without documentation, and without history, the former forest polygons (SS : these include hundreds of parcels each of which may exist many rem) asking them to declare these areas of the Land and to support the rights of the State. Resources from the Regional Directorate of Public Property Attica admit that all these objections submitted to the Land Registry is Eastbound & Down. However, as explained, employees are obliged by law to go to, and therefore suffer both homeowners and the employees in a period in which the services are decimated. For example, in Heraklion, according to information from the Land Registry, within the project areas in the State claims 118 parcels (ed all plots are either structured - with building -either not). However, after the processing of appeals in only eight of them have qualified for the State. What does this mean That after the trial, if not adduce any evidence the citizen to prove the possession of this land parcel, will be recorded on the basis of the land register as owner of the State. At the same time, in N. Ionia, again within the project areas, the State claiming 6.359 parcels. But after the treatment of complaints only 254 of them have qualified the State. For this reason the Directorate of Public Service to ask for legislation. Indeed, the director of the service Evangelia Deaf had informed the previous leadership of the Ministry of Finance of the problem has already arisen from 2 October 2014. There is also a correspondence, but the subject (ie the legislation) has been frozen so far. For the property owner receiving the registered informative and surprised learns that the property claimed by the government, apart from the cold shower, means and charge even up to 500, since in most cases you will need legal assistance. And of course the question arises how to know a property owner that the land, for example, which has built belonged before 100-150 years in government, when nobody cared to tell him and even has documents market. What does this mean in practice? Means blocking the already compromised land registration process by appeals to the State.

Greece: The Morning After - Interpreting the Eurogroup Statement and Briefings; Greek and Foreign Press Reactions

More like a ceasefire than a peace agreement? Spiegel

"Sie wirkt eher wie ein Waffenstillstandsabkommen als ein Friedensschluss".



It seems a little different in the hours before dawn. The Guardian says that the Greek bailout has been extended by four months and that Greece pledges not to roll back austerity.

That's not the wording or spin used or the impression that was given in the Greek Finance Minister's upbeat national press briefing last night. He talked, perhaps in terms of constructive ambiguity, along these lines: "The Memorandum, the MoU, is finished- it's there, but in abeyance", and gave a 'dialectical' answer - 'we've progressed and evolved'.

Kathimerini Cartoon by Andreas Petroulakis

(The Finance Minister clutching the big Babinioti Greek Dictionary/Thesaurus/Dictionary of Synonyms and Antonyms)

The Guardian:

"The Greek prime minister, Alexis Tsipras, will almost certainly face fierce reaction over the deal, both from hardliners in his radical left Syriza party and from the populist rightwing Anel – his junior partner in the governing coalition – for agreeing to continue with austerity measures as part of the deal, given that he was elected on an anti-austerity programme" (Jennifer Rankin in Brussels and Helena Smith in Athens).

Were we watching the same briefing? See my notes from last night's briefing.

EU Observer

"Greece has agreed to all the conditions laid out by Germany and is likely to get its bailout programme extended by another four months, provided international creditors give a green light on Monday...several sources told this website, Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis was sidelined, as prime minister Alexis Tsipras spoke on the phone to conclude the deal personally"(Valentina Pop).


BBC Report

"In fact, what was agreed on Friday night guarantees there will be no fresh crisis - no fears of Greece quitting the eurozone - for a full two days....As for the substance of the Eurogroup statement, inevitably both Germany and Greece were claiming victory".

BBC Update, PM Tsripras, "We won a battle, not the war"

Reuters Report

'It also forced radical young Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras into a major climbdown since he had vowed to scrap the bailout, end cooperation with the "troika" of international lenders and roll back austerity...The two main combatants around the table put a radically different gloss on the result.
"Being in government is a date with reality, and reality is often not as nice as a dream," German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble told reporters, stressing Athens would get no aid payments until its bailout programme was properly completed. "The Greeks certainly will have a difficult time to explain the deal to their voters," the conservative veteran said'.

(Also on Huffington Post)

The New Yorker

How Greece Got Outmaneuvered, by John Cassidy: "a capitulation by Syriza and a victory for Germany and the rest of the E.U. establishment...an extension of the bailout...Going forward, Syriza’s policies will continue to be supervised by the hated “troika” (the European Central Bank, the European Union, and the International Monetary Fund), which many Greeks hold responsible for the dire state of their country. Moreover, the Greek government has agreed to push ahead with a series of new structural reforms, some of which it will have to detail this weekend. If the troika isn’t satisfied with what Greece offers, it could still withhold some of the money that the country needs".

Fortune report

The end of the dream: Greece bows to the inevitable, Geoffrey Smith - "Syriza’s wild election promises bump up against harsh reality as the Eurozone refuses all but cosmetic changes to the bailout deal".

Wall Street Journal

"Greece struck a tenuous agreement for a four-month extension of its bailout"

Euronews

'The new government was forced into a major climbdown on some electoral promises in order to secure the deal – but for some this was merely a pragmatic approach. “This is how agreements are: compromises, negotiations,” explained civil servant Antonis Fiamendos'.


Peter Spiegel Tweet @SpiegelPeter
Official tells me that if [non] troika disapproves of #Greece's Monday reform submission, we have another full #Eurogroup on Tues. 8:41 PM - 20 Feb 2015

Lafazanis: «Τέρμα Μνημόνια και τρόικα»
Λαφαζάνης: Δεν είναι στις επιλογές μας οι κεντροαριστεροδεξιές σούπες -  see More

Στη συνέντευξη, που παραχώρησε στην «Εφημερίδα των Συντακτών» πριν από την κατάληξη των διαπραγματεύσεων στο Eurogroup, ο κ. Λαφαζάνης τόνιζε «δεν πρόκειται να συνομολογήσουμε μια συμφωνία η οποία θα σκοπεύει να ακυρώσει τον πυρήνα του ριζοσπαστικού προοδευτικού μας προγράμματος».

More  «Η Ελλάδα δεν είναι όμηρος ούτε αιχμάλωτη των πιο τυφλών και δογματικών κατεστημένων κέντρων της γερμανικής Ε.Ε.», λέει στην «Εφ.Συν.» ο Παναγιώτης Λαφαζάνης: Αυτό που θέλω να υπογραμμίσω, πάντως, είναι ότι η Ελλάδα δεν είναι όμηρος ούτε αιχμάλωτη των πιο τυφλών και δογματικών κατεστημένων κέντρων της γερμανικής Ε.Ε. Να τονίσω, επίσης, ότι για τις χώρες και τους λαούς δεν υπάρχουν μονόδρομοι και πολύ περισσότερο δεν υπάρχουν για την Ελλάδα και την κυβέρνησή μας εξαναγκασμοί υποταγής σε εκβιαστικές μεθοδεύσεις. Θα υπερασπιστούμε με όλα τα δημοκρατικά μέσα που διαθέτουμε, και πρώτα από όλα με τη λαϊκή αγωνιστική στήριξη, την εθνική μας αξιοπρέπεια και το λαϊκό συμφέρον.

More on this issue

Internal Party Tensions and the 'Lafazani Wing' (Kathimerini)


Meanwhile, Real FM (Greek radio station) is playing this cheeky calypso

Some Greek reports on the outcomes:

Mignatiou article - Βαρουφάκης: Η Ελλάδα αφήνει πίσω το Μνημόνιο

John Psaropoulos, The New Athenian blog:

Greece’s newly installed left-wing government is declaring a new era for national sovereignty, the economy and relations with Europe. "Today Greece has turned a page," a triumphant government statement declared. "Negotiations could have happened all these years. Greece is neither isolated, nor is it sailing for the rocks, nor is it continuing with memoranda [of austerity]."

The Economist (Business Insider)

The Prime Minister on NERIT, YouTube

Kathimerini  Greece says eurozone deal won time as cash bled from banks

Iefimerida: SYRIZA's Communist Tendency

The Red Flags for Berlin


Decide for yourselves:

Eurogroup statement on Greece
20/02/2015
21:00

Statement and remarks


The Eurogroup reiterates its appreciation for the remarkable adjustment efforts undertaken by Greece and the Greek people over the last years. During the last few weeks, we have, together with the institutions, engaged in an intensive and constructive dialogue with the new Greek authorities and reached common ground today.

The Eurogroup notes, in the framework of the existing arrangement, the request from the Greek authorities for an extension of the Master Financial Assistance Facility Agreement (MFFA), which is underpinned by a set of commitments. The purpose of the extension is the successful completion of the review on the basis of the conditions in the current arrangement, making best use of the given flexibility which will be considered jointly with the Greek authorities and the institutions. This extension would also bridge the time for discussions on a possible follow-up arrangement between the Eurogroup, the institutions and Greece.

The Greek authorities will present a first list of reform measures, based on the current arrangement, by the end of Monday February 23. The institutions will provide a first view whether this is sufficiently comprehensive to be a valid starting point for a successful conclusion of the review. This list will be further specified and then agreed with the institutions by the end of April.

Only approval of the conclusion of the review of the extended arrangement by the institutions in turn will allow for any disbursement of the outstanding tranche of the current EFSF programme and the transfer of the 2014 SMP profits. Both are again subject to approval by the Eurogroup.

In view of the assessment of the institutions the Eurogroup agrees that the funds, so far available in the HFSF buffer, should be held by the EFSF, free of third party rights for the duration of the MFFA extension. The funds continue to be available for the duration of the MFFA extension and can only be used for bank recapitalisation and resolution costs. They will only be released on request by the ECB/SSM.

In this light, we welcome the commitment by the Greek authorities to work in close agreement with European and international institutions and partners. Against this background we recall the independence of the European Central Bank. We also agreed that the IMF would continue to play its role.

The Greek authorities have expressed their strong commitment to a broader and deeper structural reform process aimed at durably improving growth and employment prospects, ensuring stability and resilience of the financial sector and enhancing social fairness. The authorities commit to implementing long overdue reforms to tackle corruption and tax evasion, and improving the efficiency of the public sector. In this context, the Greek authorities undertake to make best use of the continued provision of technical assistance.

The Greek authorities reiterate their unequivocal commitment to honour their financial obligations to all their creditors fully and timely.

The Greek authorities have also committed to ensure the appropriate primary fiscal surpluses or financing proceeds required to guarantee debt sustainability in line with the November 2012 Eurogroup statement. The institutions will, for the 2015 primary surplus target, take the economic circumstances in 2015 into account.

In light of these commitments, we welcome that in a number of areas the Greek policy priorities can contribute to a strengthening and better implementation of the current arrangement. The Greek authorities commit to refrain from any rollback of measures and unilateral changes to the policies and structural reforms that would negatively impact fiscal targets, economic recovery or financial stability, as assessed by the institutions.

On the basis of the request, the commitments by the Greek authorities, the advice of the institutions, and today's agreement, we will launch the national procedures with a view to reaching a final decision on the extension of the current EFSF Master Financial Assistance Facility Agreement for up to four months by the EFSF Board of Directors. We also invite the institutions and the Greek authorities to resume immediately the work that would allow the successful conclusion of the review.

We remain committed to provide adequate support to Greece until it has regained full market access as long as it honours its commitments within the agreed framework.

Dorset: House-Building, West Dorset - Weymouth and Portland Local Plan Main Modifications Consultation; New Household Projections

See Dorset For You (main link)

I called in to the West Dorset Council Offices this morning to inspect the copy of the Main Modifications, but decided to study them online at home. I had a very helpful, open and informative short meeting with a responsible member of staff. My interest in the subject is of a general, not a specialist nature. Many people are naturally curious, or interested in where the 15,500 new homes are to be built in the course of the 20-year plan period (2011-2031), at a rate of 775 per year. I'm not sure that the documents already online (or forthcoming, 26 February) will answer those questions, nor the question about the number of  'affordable'  homes planned, given that smaller builders and developers building up to ten homes on a plot are apparently not required by government to include any social or affordable homes. Many building plots in this part of Dorset tend to be in sizes accommodating up to ten homes.

See this Gov.uk item (link)

 
Pickles cuts stealth taxes on new homes and boosts small builders

"Plans announced today will boost England’s builders, making clear that most “Section 106” charges should not be sought from the smallest house-builders – specifically on sites of 10 homes or fewer, including self-build, extensions and annexes. Mr Pickles also confirmed that in very rural areas, sites of 5 homes or fewer should not face the charge"

That doesn't help families on the housing register.

Local Plan Examination Consultation on Main Modifications - February 2015

The councils are recommending a number of Main Modifications to the submitted Local Plan following the conclusion of the Local Plan Hearing Sessions. These modifications are available for comment until the 8 April 2015.

The Inspector will then consider any comments on the modifications before issuing his final report. Each authority will then consider the Inspector's report, prepare a final adopted version of the plan and take it forward for formal adoption.

Consultation on New Household Projections - February 2015

New household projections are due to be published by Communities and Local Government (CLG) on the 26 February 2015. A link to the CLG website will be added here in due course. The Inspector is inviting parties to submit their views on the implications (if any) of the new household projections on the Local Plan by the 8 April.

These are the pdf  file sections I found most interesting, after a short read-through:

Environment and Climate Change

A Sustainable Pattern of Development

SEE ALSO, this update - Household Projection Plans, published 27 February 2015

Plans for Weymouth, 450 new homes (Dorset Echo)

Related: Rural Housing Policy Report (from Blackmore Vale Magazine)

"The ACRE Network is calling for the next Government to provide a proportion of affordable housing on all rural developments. DCA’s chief executive Alex Picot said: “We warmly welcome this report which highlights the difficulties of providing more affordable homes in the countryside.

“Rural house prices have risen 82 per cent in 10 years due to strong demand compounded by years of a shortfall in house building. Add to this the lower wages for rural workers, and we see local people wishing to buy or rent, priced out of the community.

“The ACRE Network, in its manifesto, is calling on the next Government to adopt a strategic, nationwide approach to delivering affordable rural homes before country villages become enclaves for the well-off, elderly and second home owners.”

The ACRE Network’s key concerns on the affordable rural housing crisis are:

• A chronic shortage of houses, especially in communities of fewer than 3,000 people, where a total of just 2,279 new affordable homes were built in 2013/14. According to the Rural Housing Policy Review, the fair share for rural areas should be 7,500 per year – that’s an average of one for each parish."

UPDATE April 2015, Dorset Echo. PRICED OUT: Housing shock as figures reveal only EIGHT homes in Weymouth and Portland are affordable for families

Update, June 2015, Research reveals state of the housing crisis in Dorchester