Former presidential candidate, founder of the U.S. Labor Party and co-founder of the Schiller Institute in Germany, Lyndon LaRouche talks with Alex on the Thursday, March 22 edition of the Alex Jones Show. Mr. LaRouche talks about Obama's martial law executive order and other recent political
While high-ranking U.S. military leaders, together with Russian and Chinese leaders, have engaged in increasingly active war-avoidance measures, the London-based financial oligarchy re-mains committed to global conflict, and is counting on President Obama to deliver.
Indeed, when Obama was in Seoul, South Korea, for the Nuclear Security Summit on March 26-27, the U.S. Defense Department announced plans to erect a missile defense system in the Asia-Pacific region and the Mideast in addition to the anti-missile defense system (AMD) to be installed in Europe, near Russian borders. In response to the U.S. provocation, a major strategic shift in military plans is underway both in Moscow and Beijing.
In an unsigned editorial on March 29, China’s Global Times warned of the consequences -- including possible thermonuclear war – saying the U.S. plans “will no doubt create disturbance and tension in the region, as it has in Europe. Japan, South Korea and Australia, which are invited to join the system, must seriously ponder the consequences. North Korea and Iran are named by Washington as the targets of the missile defense system, though it is clear the real targets are China and Russia [our
emphasis].
“China should firmly oppose it... and assess what long-term damage this system will impose on China’s strategic security.” Although China may not be able to stop the installation, the editorial of the Communist Party daily writes, it can counter-balance the impact. “China can copy it and upgrade its nuclear weapon capability due to the possible threats posed by the US system. Specifically, China can improve its nuclear weapons in both quantity and quality as well as develop offensive nuclear-powered submarines. China’s ballistic missiles should be able to break the interception capability of the US system.”
The editorial goes on to strongly suggest that the government may be obliged to abandon its “no first use” policy. “If Japan, South Korea and Australia join the system, a vicious arms race in Asia may follow. It is not what China wants to see, but it will have to deal with it if the arms race happens. The US is creating waves in Asia. The region may see more conflicts intensify in the future. China should make utmost efforts to prevent it, but prepare for the worst.”
Russian leaders have also warned in the starkest terms of the drive for war targetting in fact Russia and China, and have decided to reinforce the country’s ability to respond. Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov announced, after a March 22 meeting with President-elect Putin, ambitious plans to develop and deploy a wide range of weapons systems based on “new Physical principles,” including directed-energy beams (cf. SAS 13/12).Further adding to tensions in the region, when the North Korean government announced its long-awaited plan to launch a satellite into orbit on a North Korean-made rocket, the US suspended all food aid to the starving country, and is threatening to deploy AMD systems and retaliatory strike capabilities. The March 30 Global Times editorialized that President Obama’s plans to enhance the anti-missile program is actually targetting China, but using the North Korean crisis as a cover.
Meanwhile, from following the media in Europe, one would hardly know of the acute war danger in the world. In the French Presidential campaign, with the exception of Jacques Cheminade, the major candidates don’t even mention it, or only to push the regime change policy. One exception is German Defense Minister Thomas de Maizière. He told the Bild Zeitung (March 27) that, during his meeting with his Israeli counterpart Ehud Barak, he warned of the “incalculable consequences” of any Israel strike on Iran. But he came out of the meeting “more worried than confident.”
Well here is some good news, and a good deed on the part of Greece's "elite". According to reports, Lamda Development which is operated by the Latsis family is going to give 300,000 euros to keep the historical marathon cup won by Spyros Louis in Greece following a decision by the family to put it up for auction over a week ago. The silver cup was awarded to the Greek runner when he won the first Olympic marathon in (at the first modern-day Olympic games) which in 1896. Unfortunately it was placed for auction by his grandson at Christie's Auction House in London, but now, and thanks to the generosity of the Latsis family, is going to remain in Greece. His grandson, who has the same name, said he wanted the proceeds would be given to
his children.
The decision to sell this symbolic cup came under heavy criticism. The younger Spyros Louis said that his family has been very proud to have the honor of looking after the
trophy for the last 116 years, but he felt that looking after his children had top priority.
Just the thought of the cup being removed from Greece did not sit well with many people who regard Spyros Louis' historical race as a source of inspiration and for good reason. The Greek Ministry of Culture said it did not have the funds needed in order to keep the cup in Greece, but thanks to the Latsis family it now does, and it remains to be seen what they will do from hereafter.
Spyros Louis (1873 – 1940) was a Greek water-carrier who won the first modern-day Olympic marathon at the 1896 Summer Olympics, thereby becoming a national hero.Louis was born in the town of Marousi, which is now a suburb to the north of Athens, into a poor farmer's family. His father sold mineral water in Athens, at the time lacking a central water supply, and his son helped him by transporting .
Louis's victory set off wild celebrations in Greece, as described in the official report of the Games. He was received with full honour by Greece's King George I who apparently rose from his seat and congratulated him on his success. Some of the King’s aides-de-camp, and several members of the Committee went so far as to kiss and embrace him and Louis was then carried in triumph to the retiring room under the vaulted entrance. The scene witnessed then inside the Stadion cannot be easily described, and even foreigners were carried away by the general enthusiasm.
Reportedly, the king offered Louis any gift he would care to ask of him, and all Louis could think of was a donkey-drawn carriage to help him in his water-carrying business.
After this historical victory, Spiros Louis received gifts from many people across Greece, from items such as jewelry to a life-long free shave at the barber shop. As silly as it might sound this was a profound gift at the time. Till this day, it is still unknown if Spiros Louis accepted all these gifts, although he did take back home the carriage he had asked of the king.
Following the games, he retreated to his hometown, never again competing in running and apparently lived a quiet life working as a farmer and later on it was reported that he served as a local police officer.
Greek citizens fear being unemployed, according to a recent opinion poll conducted for Crash magazine by the ALCO public opinion polling company. According to the results, 42 percent of respondents claimed that unemployment was their biggest fear for the future while their second fear was the inadequacy of the politicians (26 percent). The nationwide poll that was conducted by ALCO on a sampling of 1,200 adults from March 20 to 27 noted that citizens also feared a wider spread of corruption, or some 15 percent, while approximately 11 percent of respondents said their biggest fear was the concession of Greece's national sovereignty and 5 percent said they were afraid of the aspirations of foreign lenders. Even the Wall Street Journal said in a recent report that the worst unemployment figures in Europe come from Greece (or stand at an official 21% because the unofficial numbers are at least 30%) and Spain (23.6%), with youth unemployment topping 50%. The particular report said that Greece's unemployment was a comparatively modest 14.3% in 2011 and now there is near-impossibility of finding a job.
Here we have the interview he gave to a MEGA channel correspondent on Monday evening, where he more or less speaks about the same issues
Main opposition New Democracy (ND) leader Antonis Samaras was adamant that early general elections will be held on May 6, next month, addressing a party rally at the weekend in Aigaleo. stressing: "elections will take place, whether they want it or not; we do not fear the people, it is others who are hiding". "Greece will succeed, we can proceed differently," he said, adding: "We did away with (former prime minister) George Papandreou, now we will do away with PASOK." Samaras further ruled out any co-governance between ND and PASOK, explaining: "Co-governance is desired by three types of interests: First, PASOK itself. Second, all those vested interests and guilds that do not want anything to change in Greece. Third, all those inside and outside Greece that want tomorrow's government to be weak and controllable."
ND, he continued, has a clear-cut goal for the elections: "We are asking for a clear mandate from the Greek people in order to change everything." Moreover, he said he has been vindicated in his predictions with respect to the Memorandum. "From the beginning we warned that the recipe was wrong, and it proved to be wrong. We warned that the crisis would deepen and debt would increase, and this was confirmed. I told them in Brussels that I have no problem with the targets of the program, but I cannot arrive every so often with my hand extended for the next tranche. I was alone in saying this because PASOK -- Papandreou, Venizelos, Papaconstantinou -- were assuring them that the program was working. "The Papandreou government made a fatal mistake when it decided to hold a referendum. The destruction was completed because Greece was fully isolated by Europe," Samaras added.
Explaining his own reversal for the second Memorandum, Samaras said Papandreou and PASOK had brought the country before an immense problem, making the debt unsustainable and leading the country to unprecedented international isolation and deepening the recession. With his own policy, Samaras added, the two first problems have already been dealt with: The debt was shaved and Greece stopped being isolated, while "we have already sent the message to our lenders that we will ask that there is a recovery".
"PASOK tied us up hand and foot, whereas I am trying to untie the bonds," he said.
On taxation, he said that it is neither fair nor developmental that the same people are paying excessive taxes and surtaxes over and over. Outlining his own program, Samaras said that the first priority is recovery, the second is to remedy the excessive injustices in order to have social cohesion, the third is the safety of the citizens, zero tolerance for crime and halting illegal migration, and the fourth is to restore among the people a sense of justice.
On speculation that new austerity measures will be decided in June, Samaras stood firm on measures of equal results and a clampdown on wasteful spending, adding that recovery will arise from the utilisation of the EU funds of the National Strategic Reference Framework (NSRF) that have remained unused, a guarantee of liquidity in the market with the return of all the money owed by the state to the enterprises, and with a timetable for the reduction of taxes, beginning with a reduction of the tax rates to 15 percent.
Samaras further said that he will set up a Parliamentary commission to investigate why country reached the point of the Memorandum, noting that all that he is promising is more or less an elimination of the consequences of the Memorandum, adding that "this cannot be done hand-in-hand with those (PASOK) who led the country to the Memorandum".
Finally, he also attacked new PASOK leader and former finance minister Evangelos Venizelos, calling him "one of the main authors of the Memorandum", and noting that Venizelos had predicted that with the Memorandum a "bottom" was being put in the barrel whereas everything fell apart, and added that even some of the leading cadres of PASOK were accusing Venizelos today.
In a later response, PASOK spokesperson Fofi Gennimata charged that Samaras' line is "unfortunately fueling blind policies that endanger the Greek people's sacrifices." She also claimed that the ND leader was exhibiting a vain language and a complete lack of self-criticism, along with demagogic promises with half-truths. (combined reports - AMNA)
Talk about an electric -and eye-opening interview- on today's news show with host Popi Tsapanidou. Her guest Minister of Environment and former finance minister George Papakostantinoy could not get a word in edgewise, she was on to him from the very first minute. Asked how he felt when people ask him about the memorandums, Papakostantinoy said that he does not regret signing the agreements because Greece did not have any other alternatives at the time. He said that he wished reforms could have been implemented sooner, and he defended the government of George Papandreou saying that some of the toughest legislation to date was implemented under his term as finance minister.
Asked why Papandreou's gov't did not accept the loan that was offered to Greece prior to the memorandums, and that would have blocked Greece from entering the IMF, Papakostantinoy first denied it and then he said that the state could not do that because it would have shown the world markets that we were desperate for funds, while he defended his characterization of the Greek economy as being a sinking "Titanic".
When Tsapanidoy insisted noting that this particular decision led Greece to the IMF and is today being looked at as being suspicious by key officials (and even being termed as treason by some politicians), Papakostantinoy defending his policies once again said that "treason would have been committed if he had allowed Greece to suffer bankruptcy". He added that this would have had serious repercussions on Greece's ability to import fuel, pharmaceuticals, etc.
Editor's Note - Simberasma - Kalitera na masas... para na milas - Please don't ask us for the translation
Dora Kritikopoulou, from the Athens Bar Association of Lawyers, has drafted a lawsuit against former prime minister and leader of the PASOK party George Papandreou, George Papakostantinoy, etc. accusing them of committing the act of treason against Greece (and its people) and cheating voters (in regards to the elections in 2009) and she is calling out to all citizens to co-sign the indictment so that her case can be brought to trial. She says that over the past two years citizens have witnessed a terrible crime being committed against them and the nation of Greece. "The nation and its people are being exhausted on a daily basis, others migrate (to other countries for employment), others commit suicide, this cannot continue and I cannot permit myself -since I am an acting attorney- to sit back and not act". Kritikopoulou notes that when citizens (and especially lawmakers) brake the law they have to face the consequences, "this is what my university background taught me". The lawsuit will be submitted to an Athens Prosecutor on April 27, 2012. She says that all citizens that believe that they were betrayed and/or deceived by Papandreou, Papakostantinoy, etc., can co-sign her indictment. For further information / or additional information contact kritikopoulou.th@dsa.gr
The popularity of Greece΄s two mainstream political parties, which have backed the country΄s coalition government, fell to a new all-time low, according to poll results Monday, just days before the official start of the campaign for the country΄s national election.
According to the survey, conducted by pollster GPO for TV channel Mega, the conservative New Democracy and Socialists, also known as Pasok combined would still command just 32.4% of votes, while six other parties would also be represented in parliament. About one out of three voters doesn΄t intend or hasn΄t decided what to vote.
Based on the poll numbers, it appears that the election to replace the current caretaker government could yield a fractured result that would require the creation of a multiparty government to follow through on promised changes to continue to qualify for a new EUR130 billion bailout package from international lenders.
Specifically, according to GPO nationwide poll, New Democracy would command 18.2% of the vote, down from 19.4% in February and Pasok just 14.2%, up from 13.1% in the previous poll. In March former Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos took the reins as new Socialists΄ party leader.
The same poll shows that the newly formed, right-wing Independent Greeks would command 7%, benefiting from languishing support for New Democracy. The party wasn΄t formed yet during the poll in February.
Small, right-wing nationalist Laos party would receive 4% of the vote, down from 5.1% support previously, while the extreme-right neo-Nazi Golden Dawn party is backed by 3.1% of voters, which is the minimum threshold needed to enter parliament. Its support was below 1% in the previous poll.
As regards to the leftist parties, which openly oppose the austerity measures, Stalinist KKE is backed by 8% of voters, down from 9.5% previously, the newly formed Democratic Left by 5.9% and the Coalition of the Left by 6.2%, down from 12% and 8.5%, respectively.
Another 3% of those surveyed said they would prefer another smaller party, while 10% said they wouldn΄t cast a vote or 19.2% haven΄t decided what they are going to vote.
The Greek government is expected to dissolve parliament on Wednesday, paving the way for the official start of the campaign for the country΄s national election thereafter. Speaking on Greek Radio 9 on Monday, Greek government spokesman Pantelis Kapsis said that "the announcement of the date of election is a matter of days" and he reiterated that this week Prime Minister Lucas Papademos is going to visit President Karolos Papoulias to do just that. Last Friday, Interior Minister Tasos Giannitsis said that the most likely election date is May 6 or slightly later. This is in line with a previous announcement from Kapsis, who said the elections could be held on April 29 or May 13.
A shocking report by Russia's Federal Security Services (FSB) states that top French diplomat Richard Descoings was “suicided” by American intelligence agents shortly after he arrived in New York and was due to report to the United Nations that France’s Central Directorate of Interior Intelligence (DCRI) and the United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) were “directly responsible” for the massacres in France being blamed on Mohamed Merah.
Richard Descoings was a senior member of the Conseil d'État which is the body of the French national government that provides the executive branch with legal advice and acts as the administrative court of last resort and was a personal friend of President Nicolas Sarkozy who was found dead, naked, next to a bottle of whisky, antidepressant drugs, and a few condoms, in a Manhattan luxury hotel room on 3 April. Subsequent reports state that blood was coming out of his mouth, and his cell phone was discovered on a lower-floor landing. (We featured a similar story on hellasfrappe several days ago click here)
Mohamed Merah [photo inset 3rd left] has been blamed by the French government as being the mastermind behind what are called the 2012 Midi-Pyrénées Shootings (also called the Toulouse shootings) that targeted French soldiers and Jewish civilians (including 3 children) [photo bottom left], in the cities of Montauban and Toulouse in the Midi-Pyrénées region of France. In total, seven people were murdered, and five others were injured, four seriously. After a 30-hour siege, on 22 March 2012, Merah was shot and killed in a gunfight with the special operations tactical unit of the French National Police, otherwise known as RAID.
This FSB report, however, states that Merah was a “known operative” of the DCRI, a fact known to Descoings who became “highly agitated” upon learning the truth of this “false flag massacre,” and fearing his own complicity in this crime against humanity, made the fateful decision to leave France with the information needed to implicate the top levels of both the French and American governments as being behind these attacks.
Former French security chief Yves Bonnet told the Toulouse paper La Dépêche du Midi that it was “striking” that Merah seemed to have a DCRI handler: “Having a handler—that is not an innocent thing.”
Rachid Merah’s comments came after similar questions were raised by police experts, such as Claude Prouteau of the Intervention Group of the National Gendarmerie (GIGN), who noted that the special police unit that killed Merah could easily have captured him alive. Instead, the police stormed Merah’s flat and killed him in a hail of nearly 300 bullets. During the siege, Interior Minister Claude Guéant nonetheless asserted that everything would be done to capture Merah alive, so he could stand trial.
To the reason behind the Midi-Pyrénées Shootings, this FSB report asserts, is the upcoming French presidential election, which prior to these massacres Sarkozy was set to lose to his socialist rival François Hollande, but which afterwards vaulted Sarkozy to a near-lead based on his new “law and order” platform and attacks against Muslim immigrants.
The FSB notes in their report that a Hollande presidency is most feared by both the European Union and United States due to his many vows to attack the very foundation of Western capitalism in order to bring it under the control of the people, and where the biggest losers would be the banks who have preyed on the masses of these peoples for decades.
As many nations, and individuals, have learned all too often, the surest way in today’s world to earn a death sentence is to attack the Western banks and those politically elite oligarchs that protect their interests at all costs, most especially the Americans and the French who regard their class status as sacrosanct.
Sadly, Richard Descoings forgot this truth and, like so many other before him, has now paid for it with his life.
If you are planning to do your Easter shopping in Athens this week, then stop by the Hatzikyriakio Childcare Institution's Easter Bazaar that set up shop at the Syntagma metro. Items on sale include candles, faux jewelry, clothes, clothes, books, sweets and lots and lots of goodies. The items have great prices and with every sale you would be contributing to a wonderful cause. The Hatzikyriakio Childcare Institution is one of the oldest childcare centers in Greece. It was founded in 1889 by Ioannis Hatzikyriakos and his wife Marigo with the mission to take care of the orphaned and homeless girls in Greece. It hosts girls from the age of 6, coming from families with serious social and financial problems and offers, in addition to accommodation, care and emotional support as well as great educational opportunities in order to learn how to live as adults in a modern society.
A home-made bomb exploded in the early hours of Monday morning right in front of a building that is currently housing the offices of Greece's Ministry of Administrative Reform. According to reports, the explosion occurred at 1:52 am (2252 GMT) and caused serious damages to the ground floor as well as several automobiles that were stationed nearby. A report on protothema said that the explosion was so intense that it is a miracle no injuries were reported. Nonetheless, the explosion did give way to a massive fire but luckily it was placed under control through the tireless work of 21 fire fighters and seven fire trucks.
Managing director of the International Monetary Fund, Christine Lagarde, explains to CBS' 60 Minutes how Greece's upcoming elections could help - or hamper - the country's economic recovery. "The concern at the moment is that there be solid, consistent, require and steady implementation of the reforms and that all political parties in Greece endorse the plan that has been so hard to negotiate."
She sad that the elections is a moment when political parties have to be brave and tell the population the truth, and voters should turn away from populist parties. Asked what the repercussions on the people are, she said that there were no other options at the moment, but focus should rather be placed on the expectations of the future.
On his part University of Athens economist Yanis Varoufakis tells Steve Kroft that austerity measures in Greece have been "poisonous" to its economy. The professor said that citizens feel that the medicine administrated by the Troika is not helping towards reform, but rather "is killing the patient". (We totally agree).
(We ask... if all Greeks die from starvation Mrs. Lagarde because of the strict austerity measures you and the other members of the Troika imposed on us... then how can you expect to get your money back? Wake up... your measures guarantee us NO FUTURE. The enforcement of "austerity measures" is simply a method of milking our country by extracting interest payments which make it poorer and in more need of more loans. IT IS A TRAP. We can only free ourselves by all countries abandoning their debts and thereby bankrupting or at least marginalizing the money lenders).
A shattering report from RIA Novosti’s Washington D.C. bureau appears to prove that the mainstream press in America has become nothing more than a propaganda arm of the Obama regime when during a White House news briefing this past week they were effectively ordered not to report on this past weeks credit rating cut of US government debt.
The Russian International News Agency (RIA Novosti) is a Russian state-owned news agency based in the capital Moscow whose clients include the presidential administration, Russian government, Federation Council, State Duma, leading ministries and government departments, administrations of Russian regions, representatives of Russian and foreign business communities, diplomatic missions, and public organizations.
The White House news briefing referred to in this report occurred this past Thursday (5 April) when Obama regime officials were queried about the latest shock downgrade of the United States credit rating stating that to the American people this critical event should be kept in the category of a “non-story” so as not to confuse and/or shock them.
Most surprisingly, this report continues, the mainstream US news media, including their most important television networks and major newspapers, dutifully followed the directives of the Obama regime and failed to uniformly inform the American people of this momentous event.
Credit rating agency Egan Jones (EJR) downgraded the United States Thursday on concern over the sustainability of public debt. Egan Jones is one of the most important ratings firms in the world; they lowered the US credit level from AA+ to AA. The firm reduced the US from AAA to AA+ in July 2011, just before Standard & Poor's did the same.
So dire have economic conditions become in the United States that American freelance alternative press online columnist Allen Roland stated to Press TV this past week that the United States is experiencing a deep depression and cited the following facts:
To how the Obama regime is really dealing with the catastrophic rate of unemployment, aside from keeping the American media from telling the truth, appears to be through mass arrests of those who dare to protest, and as of 29 March showed nearly 7,000 US citizens jailed for protesting in at least 113 separate cities.
Even worse, new reports from the United States are further warning that a new wave of home foreclosures is underway that will rival the upheaval seen by those who lived through the Great Depression of the 1930’s.
To how the Obama regime will deal with future instability caused by unprecedented economic dislocation and chaos Americans are being warned that their police forces have now adopted Israeli techniques which, in essence, labels all protesters as terrorists while at the same time the US Department of Homeland Security is still refusing to say why they ordered 450 million rounds of ammunition.
Most sadly in all of these events, the once great United States, whose press freedoms were once legendary, has been placed at No. 47 on the world’s press freedom index by the internationally respected Reporters Without Borders (RSF) organization in a stunning move reflecting how deprived of real truth the American people truly are.
With that warning going unheeded, however, the quote of the great American author Mark Twain seems to be the more appropriate one to use for this American generation, “There are laws to protect the freedom of the press's speech, but none that are worth anything to protect the people from the press.”
An incredible report was published on Sunday in To ProtoThema which claims that many citizens who have suffered greatly as a result of the Greek crisis and the austerity cuts dictated in the Memorandum are now seeking refuge at major psychiatric wards. "If we do not take care of them, they will choose the same method (of killing themselves as the 77yo retiree) Dimitris Christoulas did, who ended his life outside the parliament building due to financial problems," Michalis Giannakis, chairman of employees at the Dromokaiteio Psychiatric Hospital, told protothema.gr. According to him, there have been a number of people who have/ar threatened-ing to kill themselves if the institution refuses to host them. He made it clear that these people are not addicts, are not suffering from chronic psychological problems, but are just desperate people who have lost everything due to the economic crisis. "These people do not seek medication from us, but just a plate of food and a place to sleep at night" said Christoulas. According to him, approximately 20 "neo-poor" each month seek refuge at Dromokaiteio hospital.
After thousands of years since the first journey was made a group of Greek citizens got together and decided to organize one of the most exciting adventure ideas to date. "The "Adventures of Philoctetes" will take travelers to areas such as the island of Lemnos, and the mythical cities of Troy and Melivoia. In fact it will follow the same path our ancient Greek hero did. The new initiative was taken by mamal.gr, which began this effort in the hopes that it would become the cultural event of the summer as well as open a new window on newer travel ideas giving Greece's maritime infrastructure
a shot at highlighting people's adventures. It combines the beautiful region of Kisavos on the island of Lemnos, as well as takes you on a journey through time.
According to Greek mythology, Philoctetes was the son of King Poeas of Meliboea in Thessaly. He was one of the many men who competed for the hand of Helen of Troy and as such was required to participate in the conflict to reclaim her for Menelaus in the Trojan War. He was the subject of at least two plays by Sophocles, one of which is named after him, and one each by both Aeschylus and Euripides.
Apparently Philoctetes was stranded on the Island of Lemnos after suffering a snake bite while hunting and this caused his foot to let out such a stench that it put off a lot of the people around him, but then again there are a few more versions as to why he was apparently abandoned here. Regardless, Philoctetes was exiled by the Greeks and was angry at the treatment he received from Odysseus, King of Ithaca, who had advised the Atreidae to strand him. Medôn took control of Philoctetes' men, and Philoctetes himself remained on Lemnos, alone, for ten years.
Acccording to Wikipedia, Helenus, the prophetic son of King Priam of Troy, was forced to reveal, under torture, that one of the conditions of the Greeks' winning the war was that they needed the bow and arrows of Heracles. Upon hearing this, Odysseus and a group of men (usually including Diomedes) rushed back to Lemnos to recover Heracles' weapons. Surprised to find the archer alive, Odysseus nonetheless tricked the weaponry away from Philoctetes, but Diomedes refused to take the weapons without the man. And then Heracles came down from Mount Olympus and told Philoctetes to go and that he would be healed by the son of Asclepius and win great honor as a hero of the Achaean army. And he did. After the war, he returned home to Meliboea. From there he went to Italy where he founded the towns of Petilia and Crimissa in Calabria and established the Brutti. He also aided Sicilian Greeks. When he died, he was buried next to the Sybaris River.
There is apparently an underwater cave with streams and a serene environment named after Philoctetes on the island of Lemnos which is very close to the archaeological site of Kaviria and visitors can go by boat or by foot.
If you want to learn more about this, then go to mamal.gr
And if you are booking a trip to Greece remember to do so on our right-hand column.
The spiritual and emotional image of the Exodus marking the beginning of the Messologi - Lazaria - Three day celebration with folklore events this year became witness to much booing and hissing, especially from residents when they found out that various parliamentarians taking part. The Exodus takes place on the Saturday night before Holy Week begins -or Lazarus Day- and a similar procession is held on Palm Sunday as well. "Traitors, you betrayed our country, you have sold out your nation's wealth, mocked the memory of our dead ancestors, shame on you" said the crowd. When the representatives were called to lay a memorial wreath at the main Square they were booed and hissed once again. On the other hand the crowd warmly welcomed officials from Cyprus, the Greek Armed Services, etc...
"Χαίρε και ευφραίνου πόλις Σιών..." Ιδιόμελο των κεκραγαρίων του Λυχνικού της Κυριακής των Βαϊων.
Nowhere else in the world can the spirit of the Holy Resurrection of Christ be felt as much as it is in Greece. All the preparations for Easter: the characteristic foods of this important holiday, the red-colored eggs, the roasted lamb, the Kokoretsi (Lamb Entrails Grilled on the Spit), Mageritsa (Easter Soup), together with the cheerful tolling of the bells, the liturgy in church, the pure white candles with their flames dancing in unison, all this and more, makes one feel from within the uniqueness and magnificence of this glorious feast. Easter marks the entrance of Spring and is one of the most popular holidays celebrated in Greece for it is also the start of the tourist season.
ANDROS - On the island of Andros at the Resurrection afternoon young people place iron pipes in the ground, fill them with gunpowder and fire them. On Resurrection day people are eating the traditional “easter” roasted lamb or goat (usually kid) cooked in wood-burning oven and stuffed with vegetables. In Paleopolis, in Korthi and in other villages the afternoon of Easter Sunday people are playing in the streets a traditional game –similar to bowling- called “tsounia”.
HERAKLIA - On the island of Heraklia (Iraklia) the housewives on Easter’s Eve are cooking “magiritsa” (a creamy, lemony soup made from the lamb sweetmeats) and “melitinia”, which are sweets made of fresh local goat cheese. During the afternoon they are preparing the traditional stuffed with rice and liver lamb, which is cooked in wood-burning oven, until the end of Holy Saturday’s service. On Easter day people gather in house’s courtyards, cook lamb and have fun listening to traditional songs and dancing all night long.
KOUFONISIA - On the Koufonisia islands on Great Thursday, after the end of the church service, the local residents gather in church and decorate -all night long- with flowers the Holy Sepulchers (called epitaphios), while a lady is psalms Virgin’s Mary’s mourning chant. On Good Friday the port is floodlit by torches and the inhabitants of the island stream into the streets and follow Jesus Christ’s portable Holy Sepulchres. On Easter day, people are eating stuffed with rice lamb, which is the traditional food of this day. The following day, the nameday of the patron Saint of the island, Saint George, is celebrated with a procession of the Saint’s icon, which is accompanied by fishing boats sailing along the procession. After the end of the procession, a traditional feast takes place; food and drinks are offered by the “panigiras”, who organizes the feast (after being selected by lot).
KYTHNOS - On the island of Kythnos on the evening of Holy Saturday, those who have relatives that have recently died, are bringing roast meat, wine and bead to the church. After these have been blessed by the priest, they are distributed among visitors and residents of the island. Kythnos celebrates Easter with a traditional custom called Kounies (swing). On Easter Sunday, a swing is set up in the town's main square in which boys and girls in traditional costume take a swing. To push someone on the swing on this occasion is a commitment to marriage before God and men.
MILOS - On the island of Milos in Plakes village, on the evening of Good Friday the representation of taking down the Holy Sepulchres is taken place. On Easter Sunday the “burning of Juda’s effigy” is taken place; this is a custom that its origin stems from the early Christian time. On the same day the custom of “gunpowder” is taken place in the courtyards of Saint Spyridon (Triovasilos) church and Saint George church.
MYKONOS - On Mykonos women whitewash the houses and bake dough doll-shaped cookies in called “lazarakia”. On Good Friday takes place the procession of the portable Holy Sepulchres in Matoyianni; while on the Holy Saturday the liturgical service of the Resurrection takes place at the monastery of Palaiolastro and at the Metropolis of Alefkandra. On Easter Sunday local residents burn Juda’s effigy. Series of spits are set in Yialos, in order to prepare the roasting of lamb on the spit.
NAXOS - In Naxos Easter is celebrated in all monasteries and churches with religious devoutness. On Good Friday young ladies clean the churches and decorate the epitaph. On the Easter day, the local residents prepare the traditional “patoudo”, which is lamb stuffed with vegetables, lettuce, currants, rice, eggs and cheese cooked in oven.
PAROS - While in Paros, the procession of the portable Holy Sepulchres at Marpissa presents an interest for all the island’s visitors. A lot of people as they chant follow the procession. During this route a visitor can notice children dressed as Roman soldiers or disciples of Christ react scenes from the entry into Jerusalem, the prayer of the Mount of Olives, the Crucifixion and the Resurrection. At midnight on Holy Saturday, the island is filled with the lights and noise of countless fireworks. In Marpissa arena on Easter day the festivities go on with the meal of Love, which is an open party where traditionally grilled lamb is offered and of course with a lot of music and dancing.
SANTORINI - On the island of Santorini, morning young women decorate the epitaph with flowers on Holy Friday. In Oia, the Holy Week service took place at the church of Virgin the Platsani. In the village of Pyrgos after the unnailing of the Holy Sepulchres, the “tantalo” comes out on the streets, in order to announce the procession and the church bells ring slow and steady. Thousands of faithful lining the narrow streets holding candles and slowly following behind the procession around the village. The women from their courtyards sprinkle with rosewater the procession.On Holy Saturday, after the Resurrection service the local residents take a “koutsouna” (baked pastry) and a red egg and go to their home to eat “sgardoumpia”. On Easter Sunday, in several villages take place a kangaroo court where a “Jew” (a fabric human effigy) is sentenced to death by hanging and burning. In Emporio village, the residents go around making sound by hitting metallic items, casting away, by that way, the “forces of evil”.
SERIFOS - On the island of Serifos late in the evening of Holy Saturday, all families go to church holding a basket, which has cheese, cookies and red eggs (as many as the number of the family members). After the end of the Resurrection service, the devotees carry their white candles, which they have lighted with the Holy Flame, back home. With the Holy Flame of the candles they thrice make the sign of cross on the door post over the front door of their houses. Then they all gather around the festively laid table, they crack and eat red eggs.On Holy Saturday, after the Resurrection, the inhabitants of the island create a Judas effigy, which they symbolically burn.
SIFNOS - In Sifnos on Holy Thursday, the housewives are busy baking the traditional “Easter birds” (a variety of sweet egg-bread kneaded in the shape of animals and birds) and dye and decorate Easter eggs. On Holy Thursday, when the priest reads the Sixth Gospel, young men and women rush to all the island’s chapels, in order to light the holy lamps. They return later, so as to decorate the epitaph. Holy Saturday and Resurrection as well as Easter Sunday are celebrated with devoutness in the monasteries of Virgin the Vrisiani, Virgin the Koxi in Artemonas and in other churches as well. Interestingly, the Easter lamb is slowly cooked in “mastelo” style here, a ceramic pot placed on a grill made of vine sticks and is accompanied by the local red wine and by a variety of local cheese and honey cheese-cake called “melopita”. On Easter Sunday, at the central square of Apollonia, the Cultural Association of Sifnos, organizes the burning of Judas effigy. In some villages a game resembling bowling (“tsounia”) is organized.
SKYROS - On the island of Syros and particularly in Ano Syros (Upper Syros), the portable Holy Sepulchres of the Catholic Community set off from the church of Saint George, while in Ermioupoli the starting point of the procession is the church of Evangelists. The Orthodox Holy Sepulchres set off from the parishes of Saint Nicolas, the Assumption and the cathedral of the Saviour’s Transfiguration. The end destination of all the portable Holy Sepulchers, which are carried in procession through the streets is Miaoulis central square. The portable Holy Sepulchres of the Orthodox community are followed by people holding poles with the Chiton, sponges and dice, symbols of Jesus Christ’s Passions. In the orthodox church of Resurrection, which is located at Vrontados hill of Ermoupolis, the liturgical service of the first proclamation of the Resurrection takes place on Holy Saturday morning; the members of congregation hit the pews of the church with all their strength. After the end of the Easter Resurrection service, the Catholics carry in procession Jesus Christ’s statue, which is placed in a golden baldachin open on all four sides and covered with violets, lemon blossoms and lilacs.
SCHOINOUSA - On the island of Schoinousa on Easter day, all local residents are gathered in the central square and are playing a traditional game similar to bowling called “bilioi”.
TINOS - On the beautiful island of Tinos in Sklavoxori village, the procession of the Epitaph on Good Friday is simple and is celebrated with Holy devoutness. On the same day, all the churches in Chora, after following their own procession, assemble the Epitaphs at the harbour, by a grand platform. In particular, the Epitaph representing the St. Nektarios church makes its way towards the beach, in the region of Kalamia at Kionia, where it is placed into the water. On Easter Monday, in the village of Ktikados revives the traditional custom “Table of Love”, where a feast with traditional appetizers is held. On Holy Thursday, in the village of Volakas, at the catholic chapel of Virgin Kalaman, after the holy service, takes place a feast with music and food.
FOLEGANDROS - On the island of Folegandros on the Holy Saturday, all the houses open their doors, in order to receive the blessing of the icon of the Annunciation of the Holy Mother. The carrying in procession of the icon of the Virgin to Chora starts on Easter Sunday. On Easter Monday the procession passes through Ano Meria; while on the third day the carrying in procession of the Virgin’s icon passes the settlements of Petoussis and Livadi (through mountain paths) and gets to the region of Karavostasis. The fishermen receive the presence of the Virgin in their caiques and kneel before her icon. At the night the devotees return the Virgin’s icon to the chapel, where it remains there until the next Easter.
ARACHOVA - In the village of Arachova, to the northwest of Athens, the older men eat, sing and dance and then run races, with the winner is awarded a whole lamb as his prize.
EVIA - Meanwhile, on the large island of Evia (Euboea) to the north of Attica, dances are lead by the 'papadhes' (Greek Orthodox priests), and then there are races with various prizes.
CORFU - On the island of Kerkyra (Corfu), a bucket is filled with water and adorned with flowers, and all who pass by it are required to drop a coin in it. With the tolling of the church bells after the midnight mass, at the moment that Christ's resurrection is announced, those closest the bucket wash themselves with the water to receive forgiveness for their sins. Other famous traditions include the smashing of the clay pots. On the morning of Holy Saturday each Easter period the throwing of clay pots begins, marking the First Resurrection. The Pot Throwing tradition dating back to the Venetians who used to throw all their old and useless objects and pots out of their windows on Jan1st, Just as we celebrate new years eve by opening the doors and windows to let the old year out and the new year in, and of course not forgetting the banging pans, fireworks, sounding of horns and sirens. This tradition is now carried on by local people all over the Island.
MEGARA - In the city of Megara, close to Athens, girls perform a dance called 'trata' while veiled, the dance named for a fishing boat that uses seine nets, its movements mimicking the pulling of those nets out of the sea. This dance is said to resemble Byzantine dances.
CRETE - On the island of Crete and especially in the village of Harakas Monofatsiou, a unique celebration is also held every Easter period in which they burn an effigy of Judas. You can find many villages who prepare for the bonfire effigy of Judas throughout the island. Just take a trip through any rural area in the week leading up to Easter Sunday and enjoy the sight of men and women on their donkeys gathering sticks and branches in preparation for the effigy burning.
E.MACEDONIA/THRACE - In Eastern Macedonia and Thrace Pontians dye eggs in different colors (ploumista) on the Saturday before resurrection. The first clinking of the eggs was made by the children at the yard of the church after the resurrection. The clinking lasted for three days of Easter. Many people could distinguish the harder eggs from the sound they made when bobing them on their teeth. The Pontian cultural club of Thrilorio established years before a competition of clinking eggs, egg battles, since the Pontians were gathered every Easter at coffee houses with many eggs to clink. The first, second and third winner are rewarded since their eggs were the hardest.
THESSALY - In Thessaly, visitors to the rock towers of Meteora live a unique Easter experience as the region combines natural beauty, spirituality and rich local tradition.
ATHENS - Several days before Easter shepherds from the island of Naxos come to Athens and set up their stalls in the Psiri area. They sell lambs and goats of all sizes, as well as cheese and home-made wine. Children marvel at dyed Easter eggs, strewn flower petals and candles lit throughout the city which puts on its holiday flair. On Holy Saturday, at midnight, everyone gathers at the Metropolis in the center of the city where the Archbishop of Greece gives the liturgy, and the fireworks erupt and sirens blare with the resurrection. On Easter Day, local Athenians venture into the countryside to craft traditional wreaths out of wild flowers, or others head to the beach where they have their first swim of the season.
Greek interim Premier Lucas Papademos said during an official visit to Cyprus that current projections suggest Greece’s economic output - or GDP- will rebound in the second half of 2013. If it does so, it will be bucking five years without growth. In each one of the those years, the potential for production, innovation and demand in the Greek economy were, by common consent, far better than they are now. He said this miracle turnaround will happen “if the Greek authorities stick to reforms and take additional measures to speed up economic recovery such as introducing job creation schemes”. As none of these are likely to come from the existing Greek elite of corrupt boobies, we can see that the Greek Goldman implant’s prediction is worth about as much as his former employer’s confideniality agreements.
But in a final attempt at hocus-pocus, Papademos said a sizeable portion of the Troika rescue loans “have been earmarked to boost the liquidity of Greek banks which took huge losses after agreeing to voluntarily join a swap deal and accept a deep cut in the value of their Greek government bond holdings”. What Papa Doc didn’t get round to mentioning here is that, by its very existence, the Troika agreement’s 159 pages ensure that, each and every month, Greece is $1.5 billion deeper in debt. Which, if you’re trying to win a race from the back, is a helluva a weight handicap for the judges to hand you. So in brief then, Lucas Papademos was remaining strictly loyal to his firmly-established track record of talking complete bollocks.
In a measured response to the Greek leader’s judicious mixture of dissembling and cant, Athenian pensioner Dimitris Christoulas yesterday stood a few hundred yards away from the Greek legislature, and blew his brains out with a handgun.
Greek Pensions have been slashed by up to a quarter as part of the austerity measures demanded by the Troika. In a suicide note left at the scene (extract above) Christoulas wrote that the Government had “nullified any chance of my survival which was based on a decent salary that for 35 years I alone, without state support, paid for”.
So far in Greece, the self-destruction score stands a two incidents in a week. Last Tuesday, a 78-year-old Italian woman living in Sicily threw herself from a third-floor apartment after her monthly pension was cut by 25%.
A week earlier, a 58-year-old Bologna businessman tried to commit suicide by setting himself alight while sitting in his car outside a tax office in northern Italy.
The Troika, Brussels and Berlin should take heed: once inhumanity can be quantified by pointless death, it is the end for any regime in terms of affection and respect from its followers. Twenty five years on, a crass Sun headline emerging from the disordered head of Newscorp butterball Kelvin Mackenzie about ‘scouse blame’ for the Hillsborough tragedy still damns The Sun readership in Liverpool to a level 30% lower than anywhere else in the country. Once the Murdoch gargoyles were caught hacking infant corpses and their distraught parents, the end for the News of the World was in sight. In this way does evil – infuriatingly slowly, but inevitably – die. A year ago, I tended to see Angela Merkel as a leader on the side of taxpayers against banks. Now she seems more like a heartless Stalinist, and her hitman Schauble a small man made bitter by his disablement.
Putting loony conspiracies and simplistic analyses aside, to suggest that the anti-growth discipline being applied to the ClubMeds is PURELY to ‘put their house in order’ (the sanctimonious drivel Berlin would have us believe) is a blatant untruth: the main objective is to save banks in general, Wall St in particular, and the gravy train in Rompuy-Pompuy land.
It’s such a shame that the innocent, the meek, and the defenceless have to die before we can get rid if the European Bunion. How much better it would’ve been if politicians from London to Liege had simply grown some balls thirty years ago – and told the Federals to go read some social anthropology before letting the heat of their rape-engorged egos burn the science books.
During a news broadcast on Friday, extreme leftists attacked a television news broadcaster with eggs and yogurt that at one point became so intense that it almost destroyed the props, and all this LIVE. The anarchists were angry because the broadcaster had hosted an an interview with the representative of a Greek extreme rightist party called "Golden Dawn" (Chrysi Avgi) a week earlier.Golden Dawn ceased political operations in 2005, and it was absorbed by the Patriotic Alliance, which ceased operations after Michaloliakos withdrew support. In March 2007, Golden Dawn held its sixth congress, where Party officials announced the resumption of their political activism. At local elections on November 7, 2010 Golden Dawn got 5.3% of the vote in the municipality of Athens, winning a seat at the City Council. In some neighborhoods with big immigrant communities (such as Agios Panteleimonas in central Athens) it even reached 20%, and what's more, they are expected to enter parliament in the upcoming elections. On the other hand, anarchists in Greece have emerged from occasionally overlapping but are mostly from the far-left wing. We often see them clashing with riot police in every Greek protest to date. These two groups have always been at odds with each other and are sworn enemies, and whenever they meet... they usually clash. Poor broadcaster....
The government flatly denied a report, carried in the "Financial Times", that Greece would not send teams to this summer's Olympic Games in London, with a top sports official blaming the Greek athletics federation (SEGAS) for generating "misinformation" that caused the negative press. Sports general director head Panos Bitsaxis, whose post comes under the culture ministry's portfolio, told an Athens radio station that Greece's participation in the upcoming Summer Games will be exceptional, with nearly 100 Greek athletes set to participate. "I am witnessing SEGAS misinform the international press with a bogus report, namely, that the Greek teams will not go to the Olympics. The Greek presence at the Olympic Games will be exceptional," Bitsaxis said, adding that the government is not neglecting SEGAS or athletics."Certain gentlemen in SEGAS should take under consideration the time and place in which we live. It is undeniable that the crisis cannot leave Greek sports untouched; resources have been cut. However, from the era of waste and wholesale grants, we've moved into an era of a more rationale management of money," he concluded. (AMNA)
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