If there's something I particularly like about Germans, it is their hard-nosed character trait of not only accepting responsibility, but expecting others to accept it, too.

More so than other European nations, they seem to have the ability to tell themselves and others to suck it up, tough it out, and face the consequences of foolish decisions in the past.

So I cheer when I hear German politicians proposing that Greece should start solving its national debt problem by selling islands. That's principled.

I'll add to that: sell sovereignty along with the islands. An island that goes for €2 million would easily sell for €2 billion (or more) if the buyer gets to make his own laws.