Now consider, if I have some pride in being Texan, with less than 200 years of history, proud as it is, what is it like to be Greek or Irish or French or German or any of the European mix?
It is thought that Greek philosopher Socrates became his own executioner - sentenced to death by drinking poison - and in ancient Athens it was said city magistrates kept a supply of poison for anyone wishing to die.
"UK debt is 56% of national income, Greek debt is almost twice that about 115%... when it comes to growth the Greek economy is expected to be in recession to the tune of 2.5% this year and 3.5% next year, while the British economy is actually growing and... the UK current account deficit is less than 2% of GDP of national income, the Greek figure is about 10%".
But it is possible for the Greek Legislature to pass retrospective laws changing the terms of the bond contracts.
FORBES: What's the Value of an Honest Legal System, Or, Why the Greek Bailout Still Might Not Work
But it is important that the Greek government carry on with the fiscal measures and reforms that are frequently under discussion with the EU and the IMF.
Which would mean that the Bundesbank's loss from non-repayment of what it is owed by the Greek central bank, for example, would be 19% of what the Greek central banks owes to all the eurozone's central banks.
It is hard to say, as the Greek law is very strict about taking and publicizing polls two weeks before the elections.
Its mini-croissant, at euro0.60, is a favourite with Greek snackers, but it is too expensive for many peckish Bulgarians, so both the recipe and the size have been adjusted to make the product more affordable.
The message is that if - and it is still a big if - the Greek government is able to pass that austerity package in the next few days, the eurozone will fulfil its side of the deal by coming up with a structure for a second Greek bailout, which Germany and everyone else can support.
It is just possible that the Greek people will have their say, that they will simply refuse to go along with austerity plans demanded by outsiders, their creditors.
As the OBR noted last year, it is also possible that a Greek exit would push down the UK government's cost of borrowing even lower, due to safe haven flows into sterling.
While the merger will have to overcome several political obstacles, it is a sign that the Greek banking system begins to respond to the economic crisis, and a vote of confidence by foreign investors that can become the model for other Greek and European banks.
FORBES: Bank merger lights up Athens Exchange, up 16 percent!
But if talks fail, the EU has said it is prepared to admit the Greek part alone, leaving the impoverished Turkish Cypriot community out in the cold. (The Greek bit was one of the ten countries invited to join in Copenhagen.) Were that to happen, the Greek Cypriots would most likely oppose Turkish membership for some years.
The Greek pension system is so broken that it cannot afford to buy new bonds to bail out the Greek government.
FORBES: Why The Lessons Of New York City's Debt Crisis Won't Help Greece
Well-preserved and containing extraordinarily complex patterns and decorations, as well as a plethora of Greek inscriptions, it is the best such mosaic in the Palestinian lands, according to Mr Zadek.
From those figures alone, 50% should do it and that is around and about where Greek debt is trading at the moment.
It is also thought that private investors in Greek debt are likely to have to accept a 50% reduction in what they are owed, our editor says.
Has DB also sold on- and off-exchange CDSs on Greek debt and is it against the restructuring to protect itself from having to pay out on the CDS contracts?
Such runs would become much more likely after a Greek exit, but it is possible that they could start before one, and indeed precipitate it possibly the worst of all bad options.
ECONOMIST: How much do Greece and the rest of Europe stand to lose?
It is true that Jorge salted the leadership with other self-made Cuban success stories, in part because he admired their achievements and in part because he wanted their contributions. (Is this really any different from Jewish, or Greek, or Turkish American organizations?) But it is also true that he never forgot the poor Cubans who sought to escape as he once did.
It is thought that the shortfall came because the Greek coalition could not agree to restructuring pensions.
And they think the Greek Government is doing everything it can to get on top of the problem.
It is true that unemployment is high by Icelandic standards at 5.8%, but Greek joblessness stands at more than 16%.
It has an equator and is reminiscent of the Greek letter theta.
As with any work of art coming from any historical period there is a legal owner, be it the Greek government or the British public.
It is for this reason that, while the Greek CP wants out of the euro, the growingly influential far left parliamentary group SYRIZA does not, and neither does the hard-right religious party LAOS. Everybody can see that an external devaluation will be chaotic, painful and cause its own kind of social unrest, just as the attempted internal devaluation is doing.
If there is one thing on which all Greek parties, including the anti-EU communists, agree it is that Greece must not leave the euro.
ECONOMIST: The streets of Athens are in the grip of an ugly mood
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