TRIBUTE - 11 Years Without Stelios Kazantzidis

September 14 marks the eleventh year without Stylianos (Stelios) Kazantzidis (August 29, 1931 – September 14, 2001). The singer of the poor, the blue collar worker and the Greek of the Diaspora who evolved into one the most cherished singers of all time. Till this day he has an almost worship-like approach from his fans, who continue to feel a wave of emotion with every single one of his songs.

When you talk about Stelios Kazantzidis you have to take into account that he was the most prolific Greek singer of all time. In his musical career, this legend of singer recorded more than 1,500 songs and over 120 albums. His voice combined joy and sorrow as well as surfaced an entire range of emotions to all who listened to him. He was known as the voice of the people, of the weary, of the exploited, of the betrayed, of the refugee and of the immigrant.

Stelios, would not accept singing to commercial songs, and because of that he lost his company and died a poor man. He once said: “I sing for the poor, the immigrants (Greek Diaspora) and the weary. These people cannot afford to go to expensive night clubs, they simply buy my records and regard them as their own Gospels.” And he stuck by this principle until his dying day.

Kazantzidis was born in Nea Ionia (an Athens suburb) on August 29, 1931 into a a family with traditional Pontian roots. When his father passed away he was forced to seek employment in order to support his family.  Life was very difficult in post-war Greece, and Stelios found work as a baggage handler in Athens Omonia Square, or sold roasted chestnuts at the open market and he was even employed at the New Ionia textile mill. In fact he even served in the military on Makronissos island.

Anything to get by another day as most people did during that period.

Things turned around for him though right after he was released from the military. The owner of a factory in Perissos (an Athens suburb) gave him a guitar and Stelios spent hours everyday fiddling with it to create music. Almost immediately he began to channel his feelings into every note and he purposely chose songs that dealt with the difficulties and suffering of the working class, or the blue-collar workers. He also especially sung to the Greeks of the Diaspora who during that time were leaving Greece by the thousands in order to find new pastures in new lands. Till this day, most of the families that left in the 50s, 60s and 70s all have 45's of Stelios' work.

He began to take his new passion more seriously and he soon after made his first nightclub appearance in Kifissa. Two short years later, or specifically in 1952 he made his first studio recording, and his deep voice was brought to life through the music of famous composer Apostolos Kaldaras. Following that he worked with legends such as Yannis Papaioannou, Hiotis, Yiorgos Mitsakis, Tsistanis, Loizos, Hatzidakis, Theodorakis and Xarhakos.

In 1965 and only thirteen years after starring in the Greek nightclub scene he abandoned the "Athens by night" lifestyle and made very few live appearances. He recorded many albums and after releasing no. 120 in 1976,  he decided it was time to hang up his coat and occupy himself with his other passion... fishing.

Stelios died of a brain tumor (brought about by cancer) on September 14, 2001. His death was an emotional event for Greece, as attested to by the many obituaries in appreciation of his life and work. He was given a national funeral through the streets of Elefsina (south of Athens) and the whole thing was broadcasted live on Greek television.

His wife Vaso, and his former wife Marinella were by his side until his last hours.

What can we say: The songs: timeless; The list: endless; There are no amount of words to describe Stelios,


Watch over us in peace

Signed
MS

Golden Dawn To Immigrant - For Caviar, Lobster, Shrimp Pasta, Go See Tsipras & Papariga (VIDEO)

The Golden Dawn party has set up a soup kitchen nationwide, and routinely hands out bags of food to families who are in dire need. The only thing is... they refuse to help illegal immigrants, and rather only aid Greek nationals. Well during one such routine food handout at the Aghio Panteleimona area, one of their strongest supporters, a foreign woman approached party MP Ilia Panagiotarou and asked him for a bag of food and he simply said "for lobster, shrimp pasta, and caviar go see Tsipras and Papariga", or SYRIZA leader Alexis Tsipras and leader of the Greek Communist Party Aleka Papariga. (Meaning that because the two latter parties support the illegal immigrants in Greece, they should also be obligated to support them.)

Ex PASOK MPs Well Aware That Switzerland Cannot Give Info On Accounts

Former President of the Greek Parliament under the George Papandreou government Filipos Petsalnikos and controversial and sometimes scandalous Karhimakis (who did a lot of mud-slinging against the conservative government of Costas Karamanlis on the Vatopedi issue) knew for months now that Swiss authorities could not provide figures for accounts of MPs. Check out what Swiss authorities answered the Greek Members of Parliament, especially the parts which are highlighted in the document below. -What a bunch of buffoons- (Source in Greek dexiextrem)

Legislation For Transparency In Political Funding

Συνέντευξη Τύπου για την παρουσίαση του σχεδίου μεταρρύθμισης του ΟΣΕ και ΤΡΑΙΝΟΣΕ (Photo credit: stylianidis)

Plans for new legislation to regulate the funding of political  parties, political finance and transparency in the political system  were the main focus of a meeting held at the interior ministry this week with the participation of Interior Minister Evripidis  Stylianidis, Alternate Interior Minister Haralambos Athanassiou  and Transparency and Human Rights General Secretary  George Sourlas.

"The legislative initiative we are planning takes into account all  European data monitored by the Council of Europe. Our goal is  that it should incorporate all the reports of national Parliaments,  combine the views of the parties and answer society's demands  for a blow to 'black money' and the establishment of a new  political culture, a modern democracy," Stylianidis said.

According Sourlas, all necessary measures for dealing with the  issues will be taken so that Greece will no longer be under CoE  oversight for corruption issues. (AMNA)

Authorities Miraculously Discover Construction Sector Cartel

Noooooo... really? Slap us silly with a toothpick, State officials discovered the existence of a construction sector cartel! According to reports, an investigation by the Directorate General for Competition of  the Hellenic Competition Commission (HCC) discovered that a construction sector cartel was operating in the country between 2002 and 2009. We only have one question: Why only during the period 2002-2009? What about all the previous years, and especially during the period prior to the Olympic games? E?

The investigation, said the state news agency, was launched in response to media reports on  high real estate prices and after an announcement in the  Association of Constructors (EKKE) website calling on sector  professionals to refrain from constructing new buildings until 70  pct of the available real estate had been sold.

According to the Directorate General for Competition, EKKE  through repeated decisions and recommendations to its  members contributed to limiting the real estate market and price  fixing.

The HCC plenum will convene on Nov. 1 to decide whether  national or EU legislation was violated.

EKKE represents 14 pct of the construction companies in the  greater Athens region.

Greek Unions Organize Massive Strikes

The civil servants union federation ADEDY along with the General Confederation of Employees of  Greece (GSEE), are getting ready to hold a nationwide strike in late  September/early October to protest further wage and pension cuts as well as scheduled layoffs in the public sector.

ADEDY says that these actions will disable public services and demolish all that  remains of the social welfare state. The union has urged  public-sector workers to organise a variety of protest actions  and rallies while it also planning to organise labor  demonstrations on the day that the measures are announced all over the country.