Day: November 7, 2012

Greek debt stops cancer drug

Source: TheTimes

GREEK cancer patients will be deprived of a life-saving drug after the German company that produces it stopped deliveries to the country’s state-run hospitals because of unpaid bills.

In the latest row between Berlin and Athens, Merck blocked shipments of Erbitux, a drug for bowel cancer, to the Greek public health system although it said that private patients would still be able to buy the expensive drug.

The pharmaceutical industry says that Greece owes E1.7 billion ($2.1bn) in unpaid bills. Drug companies said that corruption was partly to blame, noting that one-quarter of all drugs sent to Greece were re-sold abroad for profit by middlemen.

German pharmaceutical companies have offered to cap this year’s bill to the Greek public health sector at E2.9bn provided that Greece honours its E1.7bn debt that stretches back several years.

“We need to see a stability agreement to meet this year’s numbers and cuts for following years in Greece, and some reforms implemented in a rational way,” said Richard Bergstrom, head of the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations.

Merck is not the first company to limit supplies. Biotest, a smaller German firm, announced recently that it was stopping exports of blood plasma products to treat burn victims and haemophiliacs after the health system failed to pay E7 million.

100 Neo-Nazi party voters for every Jew in Greece

It’s ironic and a bit strange that as Israel has developed closer relations with Greece (perhaps to replace its relations with Turkey), Greece has a rapidly growing neo-Nazi party.

Granted that the story comes from the Forward, which is a left-leaning (at best) publication, and was written by JTA, which is also left-leaning.

And granted too that the emphasis doesn’t appear to be on Jews, but rather on those seen as destroying the Greek economy.

But there is a lot here to make Greek Jews nervous.

And let’s keep in mind that the German Nazi party also arose in the middle of a crashing economy.

For every Jew who lives in Greece, there are about 100 Greeks who voted for the country’s neo-Nazi party, Golden Dawn, last spring.

The party now controls 18 seats in Greece’s 300-member parliament, and its popularity is rising rapidly: A poll taken in October showed that if elections were held again today, Golden Dawn would capture 14 percent of the vote, making it Greece’s third-largest party. A September poll showed that 22 percent of Greeks have positive views of Golden Dawn, up from 12 percent in May.

With its swastika-like flag, gangs of black-shirted thugs attacking immigrants and its ideology of Greek racial superiority, Golden Dawn’s sudden and significant rise has prompted condemnations from around the world.

It also has put many of Greece’s 5,000 Jews on edge. Community leaders already have begun a campaign to educate Greeks about the dangers of allowing a neo-Nazi party to flourish, and Greek Jews are trying to figure out what more they can do to arrest Golden Dawn’s rise.

“We definitely think that a very basic tool to promoting social equality and combating the rise of extremists like Golden Dawn is educating schoolchildren,” said Zanet Battinou, director the Jewish Museum of Greece.

The museum and its programs teach visiting schoolchildren about Greece’s Jewish community, its heritage and, in particular, about the Holocaust, in which more than 80 percent of Greek Jews were murdered.

While Golden Dawn mostly has targeted those it holds responsible for Greece’s dire economic plight and its international humiliation – immigrants from Asia and Africa, politicians and the Communist opposition – the party also has a clear anti-Semitic streak.

Golden Dawn’s leader, Nikolaos Michaloliakos, denies there were gas chambers or ovens at Nazi death camps and has a penchant for giving the Nazi salute. Statements from the party refer to Israel as a “Zionist terror state.” Party spokesman Ilias Kasidiaris, who made international headlines when he punched a female Communist Party member in the face during a live television debate, recently read out a passage from the anti-Semitic forgery “The Protocols of the Elders of Zion” in parliament.

Λάνθιμος-Τσίτου: Εκτός των υποψηφιοτήτων για το Ευρωπαϊκό Κινηματογραφικό Βραβείο καλύτερης ταινίας

Λάνθιμος-Τσίτου: Εκτός των υποψηφιοτήτων για το Ευρωπαϊκό Κινηματογραφικό Βραβείο καλύτερης ταινίας

Η «Αγάπη» του Μίκαελ Χάνεκε και το «Κυνήγι» του Τόμας Βίντερμπεργκ είναι τα φαβορί των φετινών υποψηφιοτήτων για το Ευρωπαϊκό Κινηματογραφικό Βραβείο καλύτερης ταινίας.

Οι ταινίες αυτές εκτόπισαν από τις υποψηφιότητες τις «Άλπεις» του Γιώργου Λάνθιμου και τον «Άδικο κόσμο» του Φίλιππου Τσίτου.

Τα επερχόμενα βραβεία της Ευρωπαϊκής Ακαδημίας Κινηματογράφου έχουν θέσει ως ημερομηνία απονομής τους την 1η Δεκεμβρίου και ως τοποθεσία της επίσημης τελετής τη Μάλτα.

Παντελώς απούσα είναι και η χώρα μας από τις υποψηφιότητες των μεγάλου μήκους ταινιών, υπάρχει όμως ως παρηγοριά ο Γιώργος Ζώης και οι «Τίτλοι Τέλους» του να φιγουράρουν στις υποψηφιότητες των Καλύτερων Ευρωπαϊκών Ταινιών Μικρού Μήκους.

Πάνος Κιάμος: «Όταν ξεκίνησα να τραγουδάω ο χρόνος μου στην πίστα ήταν λιγότερο από ένα λεπτό»

Πάνος Κιάμος: «Όταν ξεκίνησα να τραγουδάω ο χρόνος μου στην πίστα ήταν λιγότερο από ένα λεπτό»

Ο Πάνος Κιάμος μπορεί να βρίσκεται αρκετή ώρα στην πίστα και να σηκώνει ένα μαγαζί στον αέρα, ωστόσο όταν ξεκίνησε την καριέρα του συνέβαινε το ακριβώς αντίθετο.

«Όλο το βράδυ έλεγα μισό τραγούδι. Αυτός ήταν ο χρόνος μου, 32 δευτερόλεπτα.

Έρχονταν οι φίλοι μου να με δουν και δεν προλάβαιναν αν έπεφταν σε κίνηση.

Όλο το υπόλοιπο βράδυ ήμουν πίσω από τη σκηνή και έκανα φωνητικά.

Μεγάλη εμπειρία», αποκάλυψε  στο Πρώτο Θέμα και συνέχισε:

«Εκείνη η περίοδος ήταν μεγάλο σχολείο. Αν κέρδισα κάποια πράγματα, τα κέρδισα τότε.

Δεν έφευγα ποτέ στις 3,5 ώρες που ήταν το ωράριό μου.

Ήμουν συνέχεια και παρακολουθούσα τις συζητήσεις στα καμαρίνια.

Καθόμουν με ένα χαρτάκι και ένα μολύβι στα παρασκήνια και σημείωνα πως έδεναν το ένα τραγούδι με το άλλο. Τότε έφτιαξα το ρεπερτόριό μου».

Ένα θησαυρό αξίας 33.433 δολαρίων, είχε «θαμμένο» στη σοφίτα του σπιτιού του, ο Harve Bennett

Είχε ένα θησαυρό στη σοφίτα του...

Είχε ένα θησαυρό στη σοφίτα του…

Όσο απίστευτο και αν ακούγεται, ο «θησαυρός» ήταν ένα βιντεοπαιχνίδι που ο αμερικανός είχε κάποτε αποκτήσει σχεδόν τυχαία, έπαιξε για λίγο και μετά βαρέθηκε. Μόνο που το συγκεκριμένο παιχνίδι, θεωρείται ένα από τα πιο σπάνια.

Έτσι η τιμή του είναι ιδιαίτερα υψηλή.

Πρόκειται για το Air Raid που κυκλοφόρησε σε λίγα αντίτυπα το 1982, για τη δημοφιλή συσκευή Atari 2600. Ένα αντίγραφο του παιχνιδιού είχε πουληθεί το 2010 για 31.600 δολάρια, επειδή θεωρούνταν το μοναδικό που είχε και το κουτί του.

Ωστόσο, ο Bennett εκτός από το κουτί είχε επιπλέον και τις οδηγίες χρήσεις και όλα αυτά σε σχεδόν άριστη κατάσταση! Έτσι η πώλησή του απέφερε 33.433 δολάρια, ήτοι περίπου 26.000 ευρώ.

Ο Bennett απέκτησε το παιχνίδι, ενώ εργάζονταν στο τμήμα βιντεοπαιχνιδιών ενός καταστήματος. Ένας πωλητής του δειγμάτισε το Air Raid. Ο άντρας πήρε το παιχνίδι σπίτι του προκειμένου να το δοκιμάσει και απογοητεύτηκε.

Ωστόσο η Men-A-Vision, η εταιρεία που το δημιούργησε του είπε να το κρατήσει. Αυτός απλά το αποθήκευσε στο πατάρι, μέχρι κάμποσα χρόνια αργότερα να μάθει για την αξία του και να το βγάλει προς πώληση.

Ξεκίνησε τις εμφανίσεις της η Ελένη Βιτάλη

Ξεκίνησε τις εμφανίσεις της η Ελένη Βιτάλη

Ξεκίνησε τις ζωντανές της εμφανίσεις η Ελένη Βιτάλη.

Η σπουδαία ερμηνεύτρια καλεί το κοινό της σε μια διαδρομή με μουσικές και χρώματα.

Η Ελένη Βιτάλη εμφανίζεται κάθε Δευτέρα στην Κεντρική Σκηνή του Σταυρού του Νότου.

Το πρόγραμμα που παρουσιάζει περιλαμβάνει τραγούδια λαϊκά, δημοτικά, ροκ, καθώς και πολλά δικά της, αλλά και μεγάλες επιτυχίες που όλοι αγαπήσαμε.

Η ενορχήστρωση και διασκευή των τραγουδιών γίνεται από το Νίκο Ξύδη και τους μουσικούς της μπάντας. Στο πλευρό της τραγουδίστριας θα βρίσκεται και η ηθοποιός, Βαλέρια Κουρούπη.

The Greek Community was saddened to hear about the passing of centenarian Nicholas Peter Careedy (Karydis)

Remembering Nicholas Careedy (Karydis)

Remembering Nicholas Careedy (Karydis)

Nicholas Careedy in the Australian Royal Air Force.

The Greek Community was saddened to hear about the passing of centenarian Nicholas Peter Careedy (Karydis) on 14 October.

Careedy, the fourth child and only son of Peter and Marietta Careedy, was born in Mylopotamos, Kythera on the 1 March 1912.

After completing high school in Kythera he remained in his village until he left for military service.

He spent the first six months of service in the recruiting office of the 31st regiment in Athens and then the office of the military academy.

When he got his discharge from the army, Nick completed a bee-keeping course, establishing his own business in Mylopotamos, however the economic state of the 1930’s forced him to decide to migrate to Australia.

Nick arrived in Toowoomba on the 10th of January 1937 and worked in his brother-in-law, Harry Andronicos’s cafe.

He became involved with the Greek Community’s Kytherian Association in Toowoomba and served on the committee for eight years.

He was also a member of TOC H and the organising committee of the Greek war relief fund. When Italy invaded Greece during WW2, he was very sorry he was not there to take part in the victory the Greek army had in Albania.

When Japan bombed Darwin in February 1942, although still a Greek national, Nick enlisted in the Royal Australian Air-Force and finally was accepted in October. He served for 3 1/2 years in the security division and saw active service in Darwin and New Guinea.

After he received his discharge he went to Goondiwindi for 12 months and then to Toowoomba where with Harry Andronicos they opened a drapery business.

From 1946 he was a member of the R.S.L eventually forming a Hellenic Sub-Branch. He became the foundation President and served for thirteen years. He was also given life membership in 2001 and a certificate of merit for his service.

In 1951 he moved to Brisbane where he opened a frock salon in the city, became treasurer of the Greek Red Cross and became a member of the Greek community. This year Nick was honoured with life membership to the Greek Community.

In 1954, he joined A.H.E.P.A. where he served as National Supreme President and was honoured with life membership in 2004.

Nick received the “Multicultural Services Award”, from the Premier of Queensland in 1997. Three years later, he was honoured with the Order of Australia medal at Government House for his charity work.

Although experiencing much in his life, his proudest moments were marrying Nina Kalafatas in 1963, the birth of their much loved only child Marietta, who with her husband Paul, have been blessed with two beautiful children Connie and Nicholas.

In 2003, Nick, Nina, Paul, Marietta, Connie and Nicholas all journeyed over to Greece for five weeks, where Nick proudly got to show his family his homeland.

They even stayed in the house where he was born. This meant so much to him.

In 2007, with the assistance of Doctor Peter Marendy, $20 000 was raised to build a War Memorial that was unveiled on Remembrance Day.

The Olive tree, symbolising peace, was lovingly planted and tended by Nick. As it continues to grow, it is a reminder of Nick’s dedication to those who served in wars.

Nick was a fortunate man, living a long, happy life, which many of us got to celebrate earlier this year at his 100th birthday.

Living to the grand age of one hundred Nick daily tended to his garden, loved to travel, enjoyed fishing and lawn bowls.

Over the past two months, while the family were going through the hardest time they have ever had to face, it was the love and support shown by so many that helped to get them through. Thank you must be given to many people: To Father Laurentios and Father Gregory for officiating today’s ceremony, and taking the time to visit Nick recently.

Perry Panagiotakis for his chanting in church which Nick always loved to hear. He has inherited his dear father’s magnificent voice.

To the doctors and staff at Greenslopes Private Hospital for their professional care, and to Nick’s incredible GP Dr Steve Hambleton who he respected so very much and the staff at the Kedron Park Medical Centre. Nina, Paul, Marietta, Connie and Nicholas, wish to extend their sincere thanks and gratitude to all who knew Nick Careedy.

Nick was a fortunate man, living a long, happy life, which many of us got to celebrate earlier this year at his 100th birthday. Living to the grand old age of 100, Nick tended daily to his garden, loved to travel, and enjoyed fishing and lawn bowls.

Nick was also a religious man who enjoyed attending church on a regular basis. He and Nina would try to travel to Greece as often as possible to visit his relatives and friends in Kythera.

Nick led a full and happy life and is now resting in God’s care, watching over us. We will always be grateful to have had the opportunity for Nick to have been part of our lives. Nick will be greatly missed by all his family and friends. He was laid to rest on Friday 19 October 2012 at Agia Paraskevi, Taigum, Australia.

15 Greek Australians have been elected as representatives for the local Councils

Greek Australians make their mark in local Councils

Greek Australians make their mark in local Councils

From L-R: Bill Pontikis, Paul Klisaris, Theo Zographos and Steven Dimopoulos. Photo: Kostas Deves.

 

Fifteen Greeks have been newly or re-elected into local Victorian Councils over the weekend.
Notably, all three seats in the Oakleigh Ward are filled by Greek Australians.
Stephen Dimopoulos, Bill Pontikis, Theo Zographos were chosen by Oakleigh voters, with the hope the strong Greek community of the area is well looked after.
Stephen Dimopoulos is now in his fourth term, and with such success it would be easy to think he would have become a little complacent.
“I don’t think I ever get complacent with these things,” he told Neos Kosmos.
“I was nervous until the day”.
Also joining Mr Dimopoulos is Theo Zographos, who now promotes himself as the youngest elected Greek Australian. At just 23, it’s easy to see why.
He told Neos Kosmos, “age is not the ultimate factor; It comes down to the merits of the individual”.
“I do have many things to learn, not only in local government but generally in life,” he says.
As a representative he is looking to focus on the budget and financial issues, but also has great interest in working with volunteers and community groups.
Zographos also values his Greek heritage and believes more Greek Australians should enter politics.
“I do think it’s extremely important to have Greek Australians in local government and in other levels of government and that we support them, regardless of where they sit on the political spectrum,” he says.
Politics runs in the Klisaris family and this year Paul Klisaris of the Mount Waverly ward is joined by his daughter Jami who was elected to the Stonnington North Ward.
This year set a record for the number of candidates vying for positions and shows a growing interest in local government and community matters.
All of Victoria’s 78 councils held elections last weekend, and 610 positions were up for grabs.
The full list of Greek Australians elected and their votes are as follows:
Yarra City Council (Melba Ward), Phillip Vlahogiannis, 1289 votes
Monash City Council (Mulgrave Ward), Paul Klisaris, 7208 votes
Monash City Council (Oakleigh Ward), Steven Dimopoulos, 3444 votes
Monash City Council (Oakleigh Ward), Bill Pontikis, 2664 votes
Monash City Council (Oakleigh Ward), Theo Zographos, 1522 votes
Whittlesea City Council (South West Ward) Kris Pavlidis, 4043 votes
Whittlesea City Council (South East Ward) Mary Lalios, 8120 votes
Moreland City Council (South Ward) Lambros Tapinos, 3826 votes
Stonnington City Council (North Ward), Jami Klisaris, 971 votes
Manningham City Council (Heide Ward), Jim Grivokostopoulos, 2638 votes
Kingston City Council (North Ward), Steve Staikos, 7040 votes
Hume City Council (Meadow Valley Ward), Helen Patsikatheodorou, 4313 votes
Darebin City Council (Rucker Ward), Steven Tsitas, 3396 votes
Moyne Shire Council, Jim Doukas, 2431 votes
Warrnambool City Council, Peter Sycopoulis, 1815 votes

 

Sidney Nolan daughter puts Ned Kelly’s head on the block

Source: TheAustralian

Geoffrey Smith and Brett Ballard pictured with Sidney Nolan's Ned Kelly: Crossing the River

Sotheby’s chief executive Geoffrey Smith, left, and Brett Ballard with Sidney Nolan’s Crossing The River, which is being auctioned later this month. Picture: Dan Himbrechts Source: The Australian

ONE of Sidney Nolan’s iconic Ned Kelly paintings will be sold for the first time following a decision by the artist’s daughter to auction the work, which has been in the family for almost 60 years.

Ned Kelly: Crossing the River (1955) is expected to fetch between $800,000 and $1.2 million when it goes under the hammer on November 20 at Sotheby’s sale of Important Australian and International Art.

According to the auction house, viewing of the work in Sydney and Melbourne during the next fortnight marks the first time the work has been on public exhibition — and on Australian shores — since 1975.

Crossing the River, which is part of Nolan’s second Ned Kelly series, has spent the past three decades at the Boston home of Jinx Nolan, the daughter of Sidney and Cynthia Nolan.

The painting depicts the Victorian outlaw wading through a swollen river holding a firearm above his head.

Jinx Nolan, who inherited the painting upon her mother’s death in 1976, said selling the work was not an easy decision.

“I will miss the painting enormously,” she said. “I have owned it for a long time and although it contains one of my father’s most iconic images, it has been a familiar and comforting part of my life.”

Sotheby’s chief executive Geoffrey Smith said the work was an integral part of “arguably the most internationally known series of Australian art”. He said that was borne out by examples of the series at New York’s Museum of Modern Art and Britain’s Tate Museum.

The NGV in 2010 acquired Ned Kelly with Horse (1955) for $2.5m, while Nolan’s famous Kelly painting First Class Marksman (1946) was sold the same year for $5.4m, a record price for Australian art sold at auction.

Smith said Crossing the River was notable for its compositional clarity.

“It’s a singular image,” said Smith. “The figure is firmly placed in the Australian landscape. It really is a defining composition. When people identify with the outlaw, they identify with the helmet, and it’s smack bang in the middle of the image.”

The work is on view in Sydney this week, before travelling to Melbourne where it will be on public display until the auction.

Smith, who in 2003 curated a survey of Nolan’s work at the National Gallery of Victoria, said he was unconcerned about launching the work into a softening market.

“For works of great rarities and significance, we are finding there is great interest and depth to the market,” he said.

Crossing the River, which Nolan showed in exhibitions in London and New York in 1965 and 1966, was last seen in Australia in 1975, when it was part of The Cynthia Nolan Collection of Paintings by Sidney Nolan, which was shown at Sydney’s David Jones.

The world’s best islands, according to TripAdvisor including Santorini

Source: TripAdvisor

MOST AMAZING ISLANDS ON EARTH

If you’re itching for an island escape but don’t know where to start, check out this list of TripAdvisor’s top 10 must-see islands.

Galapagos Islands, Ecuador

Abundant wildlife on the Galapagos Islands makes it a Mecca for eco tourists. Visitors are likely to spot sea lions, sea turtles, flamingos and iguanas. Picture: blinkingidiot/Flickr.

 

Madagascar

A biodiversity hotspot, Madagascar is a nature-lover’s dream destination. A getaway to the world’s fourth-largest island would be the adventure of a lifetime. Picture: Frank.Vassen/Flickr

 

Anguilla, Caribbean

White, powdery sand, pristine waters and romantic public beaches for swimming and sunbaking. Top it off by dancing the night away to calypso music, and you’ve got the ideal island getaway. Picture: axalady/Flickr.

 

Easter Island, Chile

This amazing South Pacific island’s isolation has helped protect its 1500-year-old volcanic rock sculptures, which Easter Island is famous for. The unique landscape and uncrowded beaches are worth staying for. Picture: Travelwayoflife/Flickr

 

Ischia, Italy

The largest island in the Bay of Naples, Ischia is known for its curative spas. Picture: Chiara Marra/Flickr

Ko Phi Phi Don, Thailand

Mostly protected marine park, this pristine island is known for its unspoiled beaches and excellent diving and snorkelling. Picture: mattmangum/Flickr

 

 

Sri Lanka

This is an island of tea plantations, gorgeous beaches and ancient cities. Days can easily be filled by scuba diving, visiting an elephant orphanage, exploring the jungles and visiting temples and shrines. Picture: YIM Hafiz/Flickr.

Santorini, Greece

An island in the Aegean Sea, it is the site of one of the largest volcanic eruptions in recorded history. Santorini is famous for its dramatic views and spectacular sunsets. Picture: sanderovski & linda/Flickr.

Maui, Hawaii

Exquisite beaches to scenic wonders, the second-largest Hawaiian island has a small population and is punctuated with small towns and airy resorts. Picture: rhett maxwell/Flickr.