ZAHOS JADJIFOTIOU

 Legendary Greek bon viveur, Zahos Hadjifotiou, the epitome of the larger-than-life personality died in Athens today, he was 99.

Hadjifotiou who was also a successful businessman, journalist, and author had been hospitalized for the last several months.

He was born in Plaka, Athens on the 28 of September 1923. At the age of 17, he escaped the German occupation of Greece and fled to Egypt where he took part in military operations at the siege of Tobruk and at Rimini in Italy where he joined the legendary Third Mountain Brigade and he was decorated for bravery.    

FIRESHIPS: HOW GREECE'S DARING SAILORS DESTROYED THE TURKISH FLEET

Silently, with mute prayers to St Nicholas and the Virgin Mary, during the Greek War of Independence, Greek islanders from the small islands of Hydra, Spetses, and Psara piloted their floating bombs toward Turkish frigates. 

The bomb, an old aging ship stripped of its fittings and filled with gunpowder and pitch with tangling sticks and rags only await a spark. 

These were the fireships of the Greek War of Independence.  In early, modern naval warfare fireships had been used in many naval encounters, as a way for more nimble, better-skilled fleets to counter the large, traditional warships with their rows of cannons. 

The technology is simple and fire as a naval weapon is as old as warfare itself.  Certainly, by 1921, most navies had countermeasures and the fireship was obsolete. 

It was a weapon of necessity, which although technically obsolete was still used by skilled sailors of the Greek Navy to a devastating, asymmetric effect.

Fireships tended to be smaller vessels, which were refurbished with combustibles such as gunpowder and pitch, to basically become floating bombs. 

Greek fireships, time and again sunk Turkish naval assets like ships, etc causing Turkey's panic.

They prevented the Turkish attempts to defeat the Greeks who were renowned for their dash, courage, and faith, and the Battle of the Egyptian Fleet which they sunk. The Egyptians were allies of the Turks, 

So both the Greek navy and army defeated the Turks in the Greek War of Independence.      

GREEK CHESS PRODIGY RANKED 3RD IN THE WORLD

 

Greece is proudly rising on the global chessboard as ten-year-old Greek chess champion, Evangelia Siskou, has won bronze in the World Individual Championship which concluded in Batumi, Georgia. The Greek chess prodigy ranks 3rd in the world! 

Evangelia was among the 101 female chess players from 36 countries, who participated in the championship in the under-ten girls' division.  

Her victory followed that of a 14-year-old. Nikos Poupelos. who ranked 4th in the World Individual Championship in Romania, just a few hours prior of her getting the bronze.  

Evangelia, Niko Greece is very proud of you!   

BIDEN APPROVES MILITARY AID TO UKRAINE

 

Biden approves 1.1 billion dollars more in military aid to Ukraine. Russia denies Nord Stream sabotage allegations. 

After a series of sham referendums in 4 Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine, the results are out. The referendum is seen as rigged, as many irregular voting practices have been reported. 

Electoral officials went door-to-door with portable ballot boxes to collect votes from residents living in occupied Ukraine and the results were very painful for the Russian "Republic"

There are widespread fears that Moscow could resort to nuclear weapons to defend its territory.

European and USA officials will sanction Russia with a ferocious bill that might force Russian to remove its troops from Ukraine.       

TASTY CHILLI RECIPE

 500 g (1 lb) minced beef

Olive oil

1 onion, peeled and grated

1 tbsp minced garlic

2 roasted red peppers, diced

2 tins of kidney beans

1 roasted green chili, seeds discarded 

2 tsp salt

1 tsp chili powder

Brown sugar to taste about 1 cup

2 cups of beef broth more or less

2 tbsp tomato paste

Saute the onion and garlic in little olive oil until translucent.  Add the minced beef, red peppers, kidney beans, and green chili, tomato paste, season to taste and stir fry until brown.  Pour in the broth and bring to a simmer until completely cooked.  

  

THE ANCIENT GREEK LEXICON PUBLISHED AFTER 23 YEARS IN THE MAKING

Cambridge University Press has recently published the Cambridge Greek Lexicon after 23 years of work by the university's classics faculty. 

The group was led by the lexicon's editor-in-chief, James Diggle, a professor at Queen's College who taught Greek and Latin at the University of Cambridge for 16 years.  

This renowned group of scholars worked to produce old and contemporary definitions of some of the oldest fragments of the ancient Greek language.  One of the group's primary goals was to create definitions that were highly legible and comprehensible to break with the dense and unintelligible English definitions of ancient Greek in the lexicon's past.  

The process of forging these contemporary English definitions required the team to completely reread the entire canon of ancient Greek literature from Homer to the 2nd century AD.   

The scholars then shifted through the Greek alphabet's 24 characters on a digital database to create "a clear, modern and accessible guide" for these archaic words, providing clarity for the various valances they acquire when used in different contexts by different writers,         

RECIPE FOR BEEF AND BROCCOLI

1/2 cup white wine

3 tbsp + 2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp cornflour

500 g (1 lb) beef sliced against the grain

1/4 cup oyster sauce

Chili-garlic sauce to taste

1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp olive oil

500 g (1 lb) broccoli, the head cut into florets and the stems peeled and cut into planks 

2 tbsp butter

In a large bowl, whisk together the wine, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, and the cornflour, add the beef to the bowl and toss to combine, then cover the bowl and set aside for 20 minutes.

To make the sauce combine in a small bowl the remaining soy sauce, the oyster sauce, and the chilli-garlic and mix to combine then add 1 tablespoon of water, mix again and set aside.

Heat 1/2 a cup of oil in a wok and set over high heat.  When the oil is hot add half of the beef and stir fry until browned and crisp and hardly cooked through. about 2 minutes, transfer to a bowl and set aside then repeat with the remaining beef.

Wipe the wok and add the broccoli until charred. Mix the beef and broccoli together, pour in a little water, cover the wok and simmer until both are tender, serve with sliced tomatoes and potato chips.  

   

GREECE NAMES NEW FRIGATES AFTER GREEK NAVAL COMMANDERS

 Greece announced that it named the three modern frigates it will acquire from France after ancient Greek naval commanders.

The three FM frigates will be named Cimon, who rose to prominence for his bravery in the naval battle of Salamis in 480 BC, Nearchus an admiral in the navy of Alexander the Great and Phormion an Athenian admiral who took part in the Peloponnesian War.

In this symbolic move, Greece celebrates the great naval history of the nation from ancient times to modernity 

TURKEY FACES NOT ONLY GREECE BUT ALL OF EUROPE

 Greece's Prime Minster, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, said on Tuesday that Turkey was up against "not just Greece but all Europe and our allies in NATO."

Speaking at a cabinet meeting, Mitsotaskis repeated that Greece will remain calm and confident in positions backed by international law and not follow the path chosen by Turkey.  

He added that Greece said all it had to say at the UN both as regards its red lines and its friendly intentions towards the Turkish people.   

"Turkey can monotonously repeat its lies and threats," he added "It will remain alone in the game. We shall calmly and self-confidently rest in our clear positions with the strength of international law, the vigilance of our armed forces, and the support of our allies. 

Instead of "firely words" he urged Turkey to opt for creative actions and a path of substantive dialogue," saying that they had not only Greece against them but "all of Europe and our allies in NATO.     

HISTORICAL TRAGEDIES TIE GREECE AND ARMENIA TOGETHER

 Greece's Foreign Minister, Nikos Dendias stressed the historical tragedies that tie Greece and Armenia together. Dendias was speaking in Armenia's capital Yerevan where he met his Armenian counterpart Ararat Mirzoyan. 

"Historical tragedies tie us together. The Hellenic Parliament recognized the Armenian genocide in 1996. The Armenian Parliament recognized the genocide of the Greeks in 2015.

Dendias said that Greece has repeatedly underlined its support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all states.   "So, that goes also for our dear friends the Armenians." 

The two foreign ministers discussed bilateral relations, developments in the Caucasus region and the eastern Mediterranean as well as the EU-Armenian relations according to a tweet of the Greek Ministery of Foreign Affairs.

The two Foreign Ministers met at the high-level meeting of the 77th General Assembly in New York, recently where a trilateral meeting of Greece, Cyprus, and Armenia took place.  

Greece has centuries-old bonds with Armenia and unfortunately, the two people share painful experiences as well, as both Greeks and Armenians suffered greatly at the hands of the modern Turkish state, during the early 20th century the Greek and Armenian genocide.       

WHY THE GREEK TURKISH ISLAND STANCE FLARES UP

The war in Ukraine is having an impact on the long-lasting dispute. Turkey is adopting a more aggressive stance against Greece, claiming that most of the Aegean islands are Turkish.  President Erdogan assumes that he is the leader of the Ottoman Empire!

But fortunately, Greece, the European Union, the USA, and all democratic countries of the free world are against Turkish aggression and confirm to sanction Turkey and even fight against it if necessary.

We sincerely hope that Turkish aggression against our country, Greece, will stop and we shall become good neighbors. A eutopia perhaps?  

SOCRATES AND HIS PHILOSOPHY

 

Socrates. who lived from 470-339 BC, was the Greek thinker from Athens. is credited as the founder of Western philosophy, and one of the greatest minds of all times.

Socrates's views on death made him go down in history for his cheerfully taking poison for his radical ideas.  As the first moral philosopher of the Western ethical tradition of thought, it is worthwhile to take a look at what made Socrates view death with such insouciance and courage to the end of his remarkable life.

Socrates is the most exponent of Western philosophy, with his ideas forming a continuum from Ancient Greece to today's Western thought.

It has been said of the man that he "brought philosophy down to earth from the stars." because thanks to his personality, philosophy ceased to deal with natural phenomena and began to deal with man and society.

An enigmatic figure, Socrates is known mainly through posthumous accounts of classical writers, particularly his students Plato and Xenophon.        

 

ANCIENT GREEK CEMETERY FINDINGS FROM FALIRON FOR THE FIRST TIME

 An exhibit showing some of the most important findings from an excavation of an ancient Greek cemetery in Faliron, south of Athens, opened at the Archaeological Museum of Piraeus.

The excavation revealed an extensive cemetery of 1500 ancient Greek skeletons dating back to the 8th and 5th centuries BC. It also revealed an extraordinary mass grave of 90 skeletons, 32 of which were shackles. 

With wrists still bound by iron shackles, the skeletons were found in the Delta Faliron necropolis. The find was actually a rare and extraordinary one, which was hailed as one of the ten most important archaeological discoveries by the reputed US periodical "Archaeology".        

ITALY'S RIGHT-WING LED BY MELONI WINS ELECTIONS

On the 25th of September 2022, a right-wing alliance led by Georgia Meloni's "Brothers of Italy" party won a clear majority in the Italian elections.

The last time a fascist party won the Italian elections the winner was Benito Mussolini. so let us hope that Meloni won't drag us into World War III.   

CNN'S CHRISTIANE AMANPOUR REFUSES TO WEAR A HIBAB FOR INTERVIEW

 Political anger with Iran over the death of Masha Amini has raised its ugly head once more in the public sphere.  This time it was when CNN's Christiane Amanpour refused to wear a hijab for an interview with Iranian Leader Ebrahim Raisi.

This meeting, which was scheduled to take place in New York this Wednesday, September the 21st at the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, was canceled after she declined Raisi's request to wear a hijab.

The demand combined with her categorical refusal to wear a hijab for Raisi has become a point of political contention for both parties, due to recent mass protests in Iran over the death of Masha Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish woman from the northwestern city of Saqez.

Amini perished on September 16th after her arrest by the Iranian Morality Police who accused her of violating the laws requiring women to cover their hair with a hijab and their bodies with loose clothing.           

TENDERLOIN WITH MUSHROOMS

 

1/2 cup corn oil

1 onion, peeled and grated

2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced 

1 1/2 kg tenderloin, trimmed and sliced

1 tsp grated ginger

500 gr mushrooms, trimmed and sliced

6 tbsp white wine

Sauce

1 tsp oyster sauce

1 tsp soy sauce

4 tsp plain four

 tsp tomato ketchup

Parsley for garnish

First, saute the onion and garlic in a little oil until transparent and place on a plate. Saute the tenderloin in a little oil and sprinkle with the grated ginger and stir in the mushrooms and pour in the wine and simmer until the alcohol evaporates cover with water and cook until the meat and mushrooms are tender.  Do not add salt due to the soy sauce.

Meanwhile, prepare the sauce. mix all the ingredients together and simmer until the sauce bubbles and thickens,  Pour enough sauce so that the meat and mushrooms are tasty. You could freeze the remaining sauce for another time. Serve garnished with parsley. 

WORLD'S OLDEST AND ANCIENT GREEK'S VISION OF THE UNIVERSE

 A bronze artifact salvaged from an ancient Greek shipwreck recognized as the world's oldest computer may hold the secrets of the universe.  

When we talk about the history of computers. most of us will refer to the evolution of the modern digital desktop PC, charting the decades-long developments by the likes of Apple and Microsoft, when many consider. however,  is that computers have been around much longer.  In fact, they date back to millennia. to a time when there were analog creations. 

Today, the world's oldest computer is the Antikythera mechanism, a corroded bronze artifact that was found at the beginning of the 20th century, in the remains of a shipwreck near the Greek island of Antikythera.  It was not until the 1970s that the true importance of the Antikythera mechanism was discovered.  However, when radiography revealed that the device is in fact a complex mechanism having at least 30 gear wheels. 

The mechanism has since been established as the first-known astronomical calendar, a complex system. Technically, it is a sophisticated device "a calculator" rather than a true computer since it cannot be reprogrammed, but nonetheless, it is an impressive artifact.     

 

"RUSSIA'S INVASION MUST NOT SUCCEED" SAID THE GREEK PRIME MINISTER

 The Greek PM Mitsotakis gave a message of hope to the international community against Russia in his address to the UN General Assembly in New York.

In his speech to the UN, Mitsotakis said: "We don't want a world in which power is for the strong states and not for the weak and when disputes are settled by generals and not by diplomats." 

He added that "Russia's invasion must not succeed, not only for the sake of Ukraine but also because it is imperative to send a clear message to the authoritarian leaders that open acts of aggression which violate international law shall not be tolerated by the global community of democratic states."    

GREECE WILL NOT BE BULLIED

 The Greek Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis emphasized at the UN General Assembly in New York that "Greece will not be bullied!"  

In his speech, the Greek Prime Minister slammed Turkish claims over the sovereignty of the Greek islands and called them "baseless and unacceptable." In addition, he warned that the Turkish claims cross red lines for all Greeks. 

Mr. Mitsotakis informed the President of the Greek Republic about the UN General Assembly facts and she was very positive.

EPHESUS HISTORY

 Ephesus is located on the western shores of modern Turkey where the Aegean Sea meets the former estuary of a river 80 kilometers south of Smyrna, Turkey.  

According to a legend, the Ionian prince Androdos founded Ephesus in the 11th century BC.  The legend also says that Androdos searched for a new Greek settlement, so he turned to the Oracle of Delphi for guidance.  The Oracle told him that a boar and a fish would show him the new location.

One day as Androdos was frying fish, one fish fell out of the frying pan and landed on the nearby bushes. A spark ignited one and a wild boar ran out. 

Recalling the Oracle's wisdom, Androdos built a new settlement on the location and called it Ephesus. Much of Ephesus's ancient history is unrecorded and sketchy. What is known is that in the 7th century BC, Ephesus fell under the rule of the Lydian Kings and became a thriving city.        

7000-YEAR-OLD STRUCTURE FOUND NEAR PRAGUE OLDER THAN STONEHENGE

Archaeologists near Prague have discovered the remains of a Stone Age structure that predates Stonehenge and even the Egyptian Pyramids.  The structure is an enigmatic complex known as a roundel.

The excavated roundel is about 55 meters in diameter, about s tall as the Leaning Tower of Pisa. 

Juroslan Ridky, spokesperson for the Institute of Archaeology of the Czech Academy of Sciences IAP an expert on the Czech Republic's roundels told Live Science via e-mail "It is early to say about the people building this roundel," He stated, however, that the people who built the roundel were part of the Stroked Pottery culture which flourished between 4.900 BC and 4.400 BC.  

THOUSANDS ARRESTED IN RUSSIA FOLLOWING ANTI-WAR PROTEST.

 Russian police have arrested thousands of anti-war protesters, after President Putin's draft of reserve forces.  Armed forces detained over 1.300 Russian civilians in almost 39 cities.  

The Russian human rights group OVD, confirms that they arrested 500 in Moscow and just less than this in St. Petersburg.

Russian law enforcement took another 50 into custody in Yekaterinburg the fourth largest city in Russia.

The mass protests were in reaction to a rare televised public address, during which Putin declared on calling up 3.000 Russian reservists, though no conscripts to undo Russia's recent setback in the war in Ukraine, particularly the embarrassment of having to withdraw from the formerly occupied places in the country's north-eastern region.    

WHAT HAS RUSSIA EVER DONE FOR GREECE?

  

Russia's invasion of Ukraine has generated a debate in Greece on the historic relations between the two countries that share a common religion.

The destruction of towns and villages in eastern Ukraine, especially Mariupol where tens of thousands of ethnic Greeks live has led many Greeks to rethink and evaluate those relations. 

Greece is linked to Russia by strong historical ties of friendship based on shared spiritual and cultural values.  

An additional important factor contributing to the development of the relations between the two countries is the historical presence in the Russian Federation of a significant number of Russian citizens of Greek origin who reside, mainly, on the southern Russian periphery of the Black Sea. 

The Greek language is taught at a number of Russian universities including at the Byzantine and Modern Greek Department of the Moscow State Pedagogical University. the Greek Literature Department of Kuban State University, and the chair of philology of Petrozavodsk in the University of Saint Petersburg.                          

 

PRESIDENT BIDEN TALKS ABOUT RUSSIA

President Biden blasts Russia for its invasion of Ukraine and called it "Illegal and Reckless", during his speech at the UN General Assembly.

"A permanent member of the UN Security Council invaded his neighbor, attempted to erase a sovereign state from the map," Biden said and he accused President Vladimir Putin of causing a needless and brutal war.

"Russia has shamelessly violated the core tenets of the United Nations Charter," Biden maintains. 

"This war is about extinguishing Ukraine the right to exist as a state, plain and simple," the American President said.    

"Whatever you are, wherever you live, whatever you believe that will make your blood run cold."

Biden says Vladimir Putin has made nuclear threats to Europe adding that Russia is calling for more soldiers to fight and the Kremlin is trying to annex part of Ukraine.        

RUSSIAN UKRAINE WAR

 It is dangerous to deal with the 19th-century Clausewitzian definition of national security considerations are based on economy, technology, and trade.

There is also another important fact about the wars in the 19th century. Vladimir Putin announced a partial mobilization in Russia in a significant escalation that places the country's people and economy on a wartime footing.

The president also threatened nuclear retaliation saying that Russia has "lots of wespons to reply" to what he called Western threats on Russian territory and said he was not bluffing.   

JANNA'S BIRTHDAY

 Today, the 21st of September is my precious great-granddaughter's .birthday,  Have a lovely day Janna mou with your beloved parents and your sisters Sophia and Nephele.  My love to you all!  

GREEK-TURKISH CONFLICT

 Erdogan's attacks against Greece not paying off inside Turkey.  

The incendiary rhetoric against Greece unleashed by Erdogan in a bid to rally nationalist sentiments among the electorate in view of the upcoming elections does not appear to be paying dividends. 

According to a poll by Metropol. 51% of  Turks believe that the tension is an electoral agenda while 64% said they do not consider the Greeks as enemies, blunting the agenda.  

I was shocked to hear President Erdogan this morning lying that Greece kills refugee children and also showing photographs. 

The European Union, the USA, and all countries of the civilized world are against Erdogan's Turkey.    

  

QUEEN ELIZABETH II

 

Queen Elizabeth's II name is inscribed on a chapel stone at Windsor Chapel where she was buried. 

The late monarch was laid to rest with her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh in the George VI Memorial Chapel alongside her parents and sister.  

Buckingham Palace says the stone replaces the black slab naming George VI and Elizabeth the Queen Mother.

The names of the Queen and Prince Philip are included under a metal star of the Order of the Garter.

The fresh stone set on the floor also includes the dates of when all four were born with the year of their deaths next to their names.

.   

GREEKS AND SERBS IN THE RUSSIAN AND AUSTRIAN EMPIRES

 Greeks and Serbs formed key ethnic elements in the Russian and especially the Austrian Empires which were multiethnic.

History favors labeling rather than fine print. Not unlike social  media today, what are  usually remembered are the posts and tweets rather than the long complicated  but often more rewarding reads,  

In the details, all too often find the realities ones easily overlooked that they are no longer realities and we are left with empty headlines.

On the cult of the southward expansion of the Russian and Austrian Empires against the formerly dominant Ottomans pertaining to the 100 years between the Ottomans' defeat at the gate of Vianna in 1683 and the Russian annexation of the Crimea in 1973 the headlines are indeed few.

Most students of history will know that the Russian and particularly the Austrian Empires were multiethnic and that this would eventually figure in the collapse of both.

Few knew, however, that in both Empires, Greeks and Serbs formed key ethnic elements.     

A STATUE OF HERCULES UNCOVERED

An impressive statue depicting Hercules from the Roman times was discovered in the ancient site of Philippi in northern Greece, Alongside the statue, a richly decorated structure, potentially a fountain was also found.

A statement from the Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Sports announced excavations were carried out by the Aristotle University by Professor, Natalia Poulos, the director of excavations and collaborators Assitance Professor Aristotle Menzos and 24 students took part in the excavation.  The research was funded by the Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Sports. and will be continued this year on the eastern streets of the city. 

The point of convergence of the two streets is formed by a square surrounded by beautiful buildings and a fountain.  The buildings were uniquely adorned with fragments that were discovered.  

The magnificent statue from approximately the 2nd century AD Roman period adds a unique archtechtural style to the premises.    

  

UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

 UN General Assembly kicks off under the shadow of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

World leaders are descending for the 77th UN General Assembly that kicks off when Russia's invasion of Ukraine is expected to dominate the proceedings,

"The General Assembly is meeting at a time of great peril," UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said at a press conference.

"Strategic divides are the widest since the Cold War. They are paralyzing the global response to the dramatic challenges we face."

"Don't expect this year's General Assembly to be business as usual," US Assistant Security for International Organization Affairs, Michele Sison said recently.

"Russia's unprovoked ongoing assault on Ukraine raises serious questions about its commitments to diplomacy, the UN Charter, and the territorial integrity of nations." 

Food security is another major topic for the global forum, with the world economy hit hard by the pandemic, inflation and supply chains.

According to government sources, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is expected to highlight Greece's role as a pillar of stability in the region, at the UN General Assembly.      

MUSHROOM ORZO

 

1 onion. peeled and grated

2 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced

200 gr shitake mushrooms

1 tbsp olive oil

3 tbsp butter

250 gr medium orzo pasta

120 ml white wine

500 ml chicken stock

40 g parsley

50 gr Gruyere cheese, grated.

Place a saucepan, over medium heat, and add the onion, garlic, and sliced mushrooms. Pour in the olive oil and add 1 tbsp butter and saute for 5 minutes. Stir in the orzo and saute for 2 minutes.  Pour in the wine and allow it to evaporate, then pour in the chicken stock, lower the heat, and allow the orzo to simmer for 15 minutes, Finally, chop the parsley, remove the orzo from the heat, stir in the remaining butter, a little parsley the Gruyere cheese and stir with a spoon. Set aside to cool for 4 minutes and serve sprinkled with extra chopped parsley and enjoy a delicious, tasty meal with your family and friends. 

 

YIOUVARELAKIA IN EGG AND LEMON SAUCE

 For the meatballs:

1 onion, peeled and grated

2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

500 gr minced veal

150 g rice

1/4 bunch dill

1 tbsp mint

Salt and pepper to taste

2 tbsp olive oil

Zest of 1 lemon

2 bay leaves

1 tbsp vegetable stock

Water

For the egg and lemon sauce:

2 egg yolks

1 tsp cornflour

Juice of 2 lemons

1 tbsp dill

In a blender place the onion, garlic, and 2 tablespoons of water.  Beat very well and place the mixture in a teatowel and squeeze all the water out. Transfer to a bowl and add the minced veal, dill, and mint finely chopped, season to taste. Shape 20 meatballs and place in a saucepan.

Add the water. lemon zest. bay leaves, vegetable stock and a little water if necessary, cover with the lid and simmer gently for 40 minutes.

For the egg and lemon sauce, whip all the ingredients together and simmer gently untill the sauce bubbles and thickens.

Pour over the meatballs and serve with crusty brown bread,   

QUEEN ELIZABETH'S FUNERAL

After days of lying in state, the body of the late  Queen Elizabeth II made its final journey as part of a great state funeral.  It traveled first to Westminster Abbey for a religious service in front of a congregation of thousands and made its way to Windsor Castle for a more intimate committal service and finally a private burial. It was a day of emotion, pomp and ceremony the like of which has not been seen since the last state funeral of Winston Churchill, almost sixty years ago. The Queen made personal additions to the plans according to Buckingham Palace.  The queen's lying in state at Westminster Abbey in the heart of London, where people queued for hours to view her coffin came to an end in the early morning. A short distance away at Westminster Abbey, the doors opened for guests to start arriving ahead of the funeral service at 11.00.  Heads of state from across the world flew in to join members of the Royal  Family to remember the Queen's life and service.  Senior politicians and former Prime Ministers were also there. Members of royal families from across Europe, many of whom were blood relatives of the Queen were also in attendance. The Queen's coffin was lifted up from the catafalque at  Westminster Abbey and carried on the State Gun Carriage of the Royal Navy, drawn by 142 sailors. The carriage was last seen, in 1979. for the funeral of Prince Philip's uncle Lord Mountbatten and was also used for the Queen's father, George VI in 1955. The Queen's coffin was topped with the Royal Standard, the Imperial Crown, the Sovereign's orb and scepter and a wreath made with flowers and foliage ordered by the King from Buckingham Palace and the King's houses.   

IRENE PAPAS

    

 What do the people who worked with Irene Papas remember of her? What has stayed with them? What did people feel when they saw her for the first time?

    When asked to remember what she thought about the great actress in Michalis Cacoyiannis' "Iphigenia" (1971) Tatiana Papamoschou hesitated for a moment but then expressed her admiration for the great actress who was also a very beautiful woman who expressed these virtues with her mind as well.  "She was a free person who questioned the status quo and conventions in art and in life," Papamoschou told the press.

Papamoschou spoke of a warm and generous person. "I remember it like it was yesterday, saying to her "What a beautiful thing you are wearing!" and her replying "Take it I give it to you,"  it was a generosity that seems rare among people. Then Papamoschou said, "She was a goddess, not only about her acting ability, the beauty of face, figure and mind, the ideal Greek woman.  

Unfortunately, this talented beauty died recently to the enormous grief of her family, friends, audiences, and the Greek people.  May she rest in peace.       

PERICLES THE ANCIENT GREEK STATESMAN

 Pericles was the first great statesman of the ancient world.  Since Athens is supposed to be the birthplace of democracy, Pericles must be considered its father.

By any measure, he was without any doubt the first great statesman in the entire world, making Athens a model city-state worthy of emulation by all others. 

Pericles led Athens from 416 to 429 BC. a period historians call the "Golden Age of Pericles" establishing the rule of democracy in the city.

However, he was not only concerned with the difficult task of governing his city-state as well as he could, that could have been an enormous task for any man. He was responsible of building the structure of the Acropolis, including the Parthenon, which have survived through the ages to remind us of his greatness and visionary thinking. 

He also promoted the arts, literature, and philosophy and gave free reign to some of the most inspired writers, artists and thinkers of his time, giving Athens a reputation of being the educational and cultural center of the ancient world.  

      

SNAKE HEALERS IN ANCIENT GREECE

 Snakes were used to heal the sick in ancient Greece.

Snakes have held significant roles in the mythology of many ancient cultures, including ancient Greece, where they were used to heal the sick.

Around the world, reptiles are often seen as symbols of healing, transformation, and fertility.

In the ancient Greek Minoan civilization,  which lasted in Crete from about 3.500 BC to 1.100 BC snakes occupied a place of great importance.

One of the most iconic images from the Minoan culture is the "Snake Goddess" a bare-chested woman holding two snakes over her head.

Perhaps the most famous snakes in ancient Greece, however, are those that were used for healing rituals in the temples dedicated to Asclepius.  He was the son of the god Apollo and a hero who was known as the god of medicine.  Linked to snakes, his staff entwined with the reptiles is still used as a symbol of medicine today.

The healing god was the father of goddesses related to medicine: Hygeia the goddess of health, Iaso the goddess of recuperation, Aceso the goddess of cleanliness and Panacea the goddess of universal remedies.    

Those who were suffering from diseases would make a pilgrimage to the temples of Asclepius. The cult of the god became very popular around 500 BC when umpteen visits to the temple were recorded. 

There were over 300 Asclepeia, temples dedicated to the god across ancient Greece. The most famous of all is found in the ancient site of Epidaurus, which is home to the renowned ancient theatre/which is still in use today.

In fact, the Hippocratic Oath, the earliest text on medical ethics in the world begins by evoking a number of gods, including Asclepius.

"I swear by Apollo, Asclepius, Hygeia, Panacea and all the gods and goddesses, making them witnesses, that I shall carry out my healing according to my ability and judgement this oath and this endenture."       

  

THE PARTHENON MARBLES

 Illegal trade in antiquities is a scourge of millennia. The looting of artifacts has always been a sign of military might, and economic power,. 

To combat this illicit traffic in antiquities it is necessary to have a comprehensive international strategy that allows once and for all to stop this cultural crime. 

Over millennia, conquering generals all over the world take away with them trophies to adorn their cities.

In more recent cultures, the wealthy upper classes would make a grand tour of classical sites to acquire, whatever that means, anything from vases to statues to entire temple friezes to show off at home. 

The owners of these precious antiquities were seen as demonstrating wealth and love for ancient culture, things that nobody else had! At least this is what looters thought.

We should know the aptest way to describe this dubious form of collection is vandalism. which has historical resonance. 

So many antiquities were stolen that they fill massive imperial museums in many of the world's capital cities. The British Museum, the Louvre, the Metropolitan Musem, the Archaeological Museums in  Athens and Thessaloniki, and the Museum in Constantinople.  These and many other institutions have treasures that have been stolen from the countries of origin. 

So it is with the Parthenon Marbles, one of the most controversial acts of vandalism of them all, which are still held at the British Museum in London after being dubiously acquired by Thomas Bruce, Earl of Elgin in 1801, less than three decades before the independence of Athens from the Ottoman rule.

The UK's opposition leader, Jeremy Corbyn, recently stated that a labour government would return the marbles to Greece.  

The traditional position of the British government on the Parthenon Marbles is that it is up to the British Museum to decide if some of the artifacts return to Greece.

So the Parthenon marbles have remained in London, And the antiquities trade is still going strong depriving countries of their heritage and the world with admiration and awe of these archaeological treasures.    

                          

TURKISH RUSSIAN RELATIONS

 Turkish Rusian regional powers that have traditionally belonged to two opposing continental systems have been undergoing "teutonic" change since the late 1980s. Their relations over the past decade have been marked by a combination of cooperation and competition. 

Unprecedented levels of economic cooperation and a new climate between Turkey and Russia, perhaps even exerting a moderate influence on their geopolitical competition in Eurasia.

Turkish Russian relations also have an impact on the Black Sea, and the Caucasus. Central Asia and now increasingly the Middle East.

This article assesses the different aspects of the Turkish Russian relationship, particularly during the early years of the 21st century. It provides an account of what the most recent trends and developments are, from both domestic and foreign political perspectives.  Current dynamics of Turkish Russian relations are examined, along with the impact of these relations may have on the geopolitics at the crossroad of Europe and Asia.

Should the West be nervous about Turkey's close ties with Russia? Ankara ad Moscow are shoring their cooperation as Russia faces isolation and sanctions.  Russia and Turkey are reported to have agreed on a delivery of the second batch of S-400 missiles.  Turkey's decision to purchase the Russian air-defense system was a sign of a deepening pragmatic relationship between Erdogan and Putin.

Ankara continues to play what it calls a balancing act between Russia and Turkey on one side and NATO on the other. 

But this does not sit well with Western countries. They threaten to impose sanctions if Turkey continues to help Russia evade sanctions during the war in Ukraine. How will Russia benefit from this partnership?                

   

DNA STUDY SHOWS WHEN ANCIENT GREEKS COLONIZED ITALY.

 A recent DNA study by an international group of scientists shows when ancient Greeks colonized Magna Grecia in Italy.

Magna Grecia is the name of the coastal areas in southern Italy and Sicily that were extensively populated by Greek settlers.

The settlers brought with them their Hellenic civilization, which was to leave a lasting imprint in Italy such as the culture of ancient Rome.

While the cultural contribution of the Greeks to southern Italy is clear researchers have argued for years about their biological contribution.

"There are scenarios ranging from a colonization process based on small groups of males moderately mixed with indigenous groups to substantial migration from Greece and a Hellenic origin for a  significant part of the pre-Roman Italian population," noted author Sergio Tofanelli and his colleagues.

The team picked up DNA samples from people who lived in southern Italy and Sicily and compared them with samples retrieved from Greeks from Euboea and Corinth where archaeologists believe the first wave of colonizers came from and found the DNA was identical.

MAGELLAN'S EIGHT GREEKS THAT SAILED AROUND THE WORLD

 Ferdinand Magellan had eight Greek sailors in his crew when the great Portuguese explorer circumnavigated the Earth for the first time in history.

In a new book entitled " Greek Sailors in the First Circumnavigation of the Earth," author Pedro Olalla tells the story of the Greek seamen who joined Magellan on his ambitious journey.

It was about 500 years ago when the great explorer attempted his perilous expedition. In the only ship that managed to return 3 years later some of the survivors were Greeks.

Among them was the navigator who brought it back to port and documented his unprecedented route which was a great leap for human history. 

Spanish Hellenist author Pedro Ollala, born in 1966, is a professor, filmmaker, and photographer who has written several books on Greek modern and ancient history, culture, and archaeology.

His literary and audiovisual work was to study and promote Greek culture. They are distinguished for the strong personal idiom of the creator which is combined with literary, scientific and artistic elements.

He is also a Knight of  Civil Merit in Spain and an associate member of Greek Studies at Harvard University.  

In his current book, Ollala tells the unknown story of the Greek sailors who joined Magellan in the first circumnavigation of the earth.

The book also includes the text of the lecture that the Spanish Hellenist author delivered in Greek at the historic "Lodge of Spain" for the Knight of St John in Rhodes on the occasion of the unveiling of the monument in honor of the Greek sailors.

The Spanish embassy also published the log of the expedition, translated into 3 languages on the occasion of the unveiling of the monument,                 

  

SOPHIA, ELPIDA, PISTE AND AGAPE

 Today is my beloved daughter-in-law Elpida's and my precious great-granddaughter Sophia's name day.

Happy name day Elpidaki and Sophaki mou! Have a lovely name day with your loved ones!

JOHN GILBERT THE FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN ARCHAEOLOGIST WAS FASCINATED WITH ATHENS

 John Wesley Gilbert was a famous figure in the fields of Classics and Archaeology.  Born a slave he became a renowned scholar and the first black person to receive an advanced degree from Brown's university.

The scholar who was an accomplished linguist, classicist and archaeologist broke many barriers in his life, making history and leaving behind a complicated and impressive legacy for the future generation.

Gilbert was born in Georgia, in 1863 and he was named after the founder of Methodism, John Wesley.

After completing his primary and secondary education, Gilbert was able to attend college, an opportunity very rarely offered to black people in the USA at the time.

Gilbert enrolled first at the Augusta Institute a precursor to the esteemed Morehouse College, a historical black men's college in Atlanta, Georgia. 

A lifetime Methodist Gilbert later attended the Paine Institute, now Paine College, which was jointly founded by black and white Southern Methodists. During that time only black students attended Paine.

After great success at both educational institutions, Gilbert was offered financial assistance to attend Brown's University in Providence, Rhode Island.

Upon enrolling at the prestigious university, Gilbert became one of the first ten black men to attend the school and he was the third African-American to receive a bachelor's degree in 1888.

The young scholar was one of the first African-Americans to graduate from Brown's University in 1889.

Shortly after receiving his degree, Gilbert married Osceola Plesant who had also attended Browns.  He was hired to teach at the Paine Institution before his trip to Greece.

An impressive student of archaeology, ancient languages and Greek culture, Gilbert was offered a scholarship to study and conduct excavations by the American School of Classical Studies (ASCS) in Athens. 

When he arrived in Athens, Gilbert accomplished another historical first he became the first African-American scholar to attend ASCS .

While there, he amazed his professors and fellow students with his proficiency and excellence.                        

CONSITANCY ON ELECTIONS AND THE WIRETAPPING ISSUE

  

The Prime Minister made the right decision in keeping the electoral law as it is.  Doing otherwise would have undermined the institution and opened Kyriakos Mitsotakis to criticism, not to mention alienating an important section of voters he is hoping to reach out to.

The electoral body does not reward those who make a mockery of the institutional procedure. Changing the law again during the same term would have served a serious blow to the Prime Minster's credibility given that he had dismissed such an eventuality as ridiculous just a few months ago and assured that he would play by the rules as this is the responsible thing to do. 

 

By keeping the law as it is, the Prime Minister tried to appease thinking voters, moderate centrists whose choice makes a difference and is critical in deciding who is going to be the winner of the elections who are greatly concerned about the phone-tapping affair and would easily forgive such an unprecedented move as a second change of the election by the same administration in the same term. Such a move could, in fact, have cost New Democracy a significant number of votes.            

GREEK TURKISH TALKS 1978-1981

 During a summit that took place in Montreux in 1978 between the Prime Ministers of Greece and Turkey, it was agreed that bilateral talks between the two countries would continue.   During the Montreux summit, it was made clear that the views of Athens and Ankara diverged on all issues that exacerbated Greek-Turkish relations as a result the prospect of reaching an immediate solution seemed unrealistic. 

Unfortunately, even today Turkey is making aggressive remarks about Greece and Cyprus saying that Greece is "occupying" the islands of the eastern Mediterranean which, obvously, are Greek. Erdogan believes he is the leader of the Ottoman Empire!   

RUSSIAN UCRAINE CONFLICT

An Associated Press journalist yesterday saw a mass burial site in a forest outside the recently liberated Atrium.  Amid the trees were hundreds of graves with simple wooden crosses. most of them are marked. A larger grave bore a marker saying it contained umpteen bodies of Ukrainian soldiers.

Andrei Yermack, presidential chief of staff of Ukraine accused Russia of being "a murderer country, a state sponsor of terrorism".

Necessary procedures have already begun, and all bodies will be exhumed and sent for forensic examination.

A resident of Atrium, Sergei Gorodoko, said that among the thousands buried in individual graves were adults and children killed by the daily airstrikes of the Russian airforce.

Russia should definitely be accused of genocide by the United Nations.        

 These are the graves they ought to have for being so brave.  

A DIFFICULT WINTER AHEAD OF US

 Wood burners and solar boilers take the central stage.  With the energy crisis unabated and a difficult winter looming, households are looking for alternatives to reduce electricity bills and heating costs.