Ian Bunn | Political & Popular Culture Arts

Yiannis Boutaris the 71 year old Greek businessman, politician and current mayor of Thessaloniki has given Greece’s second city, Salonika a well needed shake up after succeeding the former mayor Vassilis Papageorgopoulos a former sprinter and medical student nicknamed the Flying Doctor. On his taking of office, Boutaris accused Papageorgopoulos of providing inaccurate financial figures, resulting in an investigation. Niki Kitsantonis for the New York Times has published an article titled ‘Ex-Mayor in Greece Gets Life in Prison for Embezzlement’ highlighting how the subsequent convictions have prompted a frenzied response in the news media and on blogs, where many hailed the unusually severe sentences. Kitsantonis states “The former mayor of Greece’s second city, Salonika, and two of his top aides were sentenced to life in prison …after being found guilty of embezzling almost 18 million euros, or $23.5 million, in public money — a rare conviction in a case involving the political corruption that has contributed to the country’s dysfunction and economic decline. A court in Salonika, a northern port city also known as Thessaloniki, found that the local authorities had set up an “embezzlement machine” and that Vassilis Papageorgopoulos, a prominent conservative who served two terms as mayor from 1999 to 2010, had been “aware of the whole plan but had stayed on the sidelines, feigning ignorance.” …Two other former treasury officials were given terms of 15 and 10 years, and 13 other former employees were acquitted after a five-month trial that began after an estimated shortfall of $68 million was found in the city’s coffers. The court said there was proof that $23.5 million of that sum had been swindled. In trial testimony last month, Mr. Saxonis admitted that the cash transactions had taken place in his office in “flimsy carrier bags” and said he had been taking orders from his superiors.”

Inspired by Niki Kitsantonis, New York Times ow.ly/iuuk3 Image source Γιάννης Μπουτάρης ow.ly/iuuVi

Tainted the image of the government (May 4th 2012)

Muhammad Nazaruddin the 33 year old Indonesian businessman and politician serving as General treasurer of the Democratic Party in 2010, has been jailed for corruption. The Corruption Eradication Commission investigated bribery allegations in the development of athlete’s houses for the 26th SEA Games. Nazaruddin left Indonesia before the investigation was finalized and informed the media a number of other party officers including the Chairman were also involved. Nazaruddin was finally apprehended in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia, and now convicted of corruptly receiving $500,000 for helping the development company to win the project. Nazaruddin was sentenced to under five years imprisonment, below the seven years sort by the prosecution. Darmawati Ningsih informed the anti-corruption court “The defendant was convincingly proven guilty of committing criminal activities under the corruption law, [and] tainted the image of the government, which is trying to combat corruption”. Matt Brown of the ABC reports that “Indonesia’s anti-corruption court has put some of the country’s most senior corrupt officials behind bars and has close to a 100 per cent conviction rate. The corruption eradication commission, which investigates and prosecutes graft cases, reported more than 20,000 complaints from the public last year.”

Inspired by Matt Brown http://ow.ly/awT1l image source Equal Life http://ow.ly/awTuq

Think twice about voting for a Mormon (April 19th 2012)

Willard Mitt Romney the 65 year old US businessman, politician and 2012 Republican Party presidential candidate and likely nominee has been profiled by Bob Abeshouse on Aljazeera on the likely effect of his being Mormon on his race for the White House. Abeshouse states, “…a significant minority say that they would think twice about voting for a Mormon as president. Evangelical Christians are especially concerned, with some believing that Mormonism is more a cult than a mainstream Christian creed. Others fear a Romney administration would be unduly influenced by the church’s attitude to such matters as polygamy, gay rights and abortion… Evangelical Christians in the US have had a long competition with Mormons for converts. Evangelicals regard the idea that humans can progress to godhood as blasphemous, and take issue with many Mormon practices and doctrines, such as so-called endowment rites. In these temple rituals Mormons pass between rooms representing different stages of the eternal progression they believe all humans participate in – from the Garden of Eden to the earthly world to celestial heaven… Romney has done his best to avoid all discussion of his Mormon faith in the 2012 race. …his Mormonism could be “the x-factor” that costs him the election in a tight race against Barack Obama for the White House in November.”

Inspired by Bob Abeshouse http://ow.ly/ahSNs image source Gage Skidmore http://ow.ly/ahSFr

Rotten system in hands of political lobbies (October 28th)

Paolo Baratta the 72 year old Italian former banker and Chairman of the Venice Biennale art exhibition has been informed his position will cease at the conclusion of this year. Baratta is deeply involved with the Italian cultural sector, sitting on several institutional and organizational boards. His successor Giulio Malgara a businessman has little experience with the arts will assume the role from the 1^st January 1012, and is seen by some as a political appointment. The Mayor of Venice Giorgio Orsoni released a statement stating, “I am convinced that Giulio Malgara is an unsuitable person to carry out the role of chairman of the Venice Biennale and that it would be a mistake to confirm him in this position. It would interrupt a vital and fruitful process that needs to be seen through to the end.”

Inspired by Anna Somers Cocks http://ow.ly/6YFZP image source Starkwhite http://ow.ly/6YG7K

Get this man a plate of food (October 25th)

Michael Rubens Bloomberg the 69 year old US businessman Mayor of New York City visited the ‘Occupy Wall Street’ movement at Zuccotti Park. Although the visit was brief, he addressed members of the movement informing them they would need to vacate the park in order for it to be ‘cleaned’. Brookfield Properties the owners of the park had complained to the NYPD that concerned citizens and office workers were reporting lewdness, groping, drinking, drug use, unsanitary conditions and offensive odors, from and around the park. However members of the movement voiced concerns that it was an attempt to evict them from the park and prevent them from bringing back camping equipment. Bloomberg later confirmed the ‘cleaning’ had been postponed and the movement could stay “indefinitely”. Bloomberg has a 2011 personal net worth of $18.1 billion.

Inspired by Max Read http://ow.ly/6ZlfK image source Rubenstein http://ow.ly/6ZlzW

Put citizenship ahead of partisanship (September 14th)

Howard Schultz the 58 year old US businessman, billionaire and CEO of Starbucks global reach of 17000 stores has come out in protest at the political wrangling that he claims is wreaking havoc on the US economy. Schultz claims the rancor between the US political parties has caused a “crisis of confidence”, needing urgent rectification. In a series of newspaper open letter advertisements, Schultz calls for a forum to demand an end to the bipartisan nature that has crept into the nation’s political behavior, stating “We must send the message to today’s elected officials … that the time to put citizenship ahead of partisanship is now”. Schultz along with the support of over 100 corporations have pledged to no longer contribute to either political party until the wrangling stopped.

Inspired by Sarah Skidmore http://ow.ly/6lw2k image source Sillygwailo http://ow.ly/6lwcl

Limited myself to helping a desperate man (September 12th)

Giampaolo Tarantini an Italian businessman along with his wife Angela Devenuto, have been arrested by the Italian police on charges of extorting money from the Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi. Tarantini admitted having paid for prostitutes to attend Berlusconi’s infamous parties in order to curry favour with Berlusconi, intending to profit from unrelated business arrangements. Although Tarantin insists that Berlusconi did not pay nor was aware the women were prostitutes, he had received $722,000 and regular monthly payments from Berlusconi. Berlusconi renowned for his generosity, claims the payments were to help out Tarantini and his family who were in serious financial difficulty. “I didn’t do anything illegal, I limited myself to helping a desperate man without asking for anything in exchange. That’s how I’m made and nothing will change that.”

Inspired by Aljazeera http://ow.ly/6luLK image source Blitzquotidiano http://ow.ly/6luW1