SIX ANCIENT GREEK FEMALE PHILOSOPHERS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT

1. ASPASIA OF MILITUS

Aspasia of Militus, most active around 400 BC was the most famous philosopher in Classical Athens or we should say notorious because, although a foreigner, she became the mistress of Pericles, the leader of Athens during the Peloponnesian War.  She was not only remembered for her captivating beauty but also for her captivating mind.

2. CLEA

Clea most active around 100 BC was a priestess at Delphi, and one of the most esteemed philosophers in the ancient world. She found many opportunities for in-depth philosophizing with Plutarch the most famous intellectual of his time. 

3. THEKLA

When she first appeared on the scene, on the Acts of Paul and Thekla, she lead a normal middle-class life, staying at home and about to make an advantageous marriage. But leaning out of her balcony she hears the preaching of Paul and decides to follow a different path.  She follows Paul, resists a variety of amorous advances, and survives being thrown to carnivorous seals in the arena and finally, she is confirmed as a teacher in her own right. 

4. SOSIPATRA

Sosipatra most active in the 4th century AD lived in a dream. She had a successful career as well as a happy family life. After an education in mysticism, she became a respected teacher in Neoplatonism interpreting difficult texts and meditating on Devine knowledge. 

5. MACRINA THE YOUNGER 

Macrina circa 330 to was the oldest of ten in an influential, well-educated Christan family of Cappadocia. She kept the family together through her sharp mind, devout soul, and strong will after transforming her ancestral estate into a successful community for ascetics.  

6. HYPATIA OF ALEXANDRIA  

Most famous for her dramatic death at the hands of a  Christian mob the female philosopher was a Neoplatonic teacher admired for her mathematical and astronomical works. One of her successful students the Christan Bishop Synesius wrote a letter to her about philosophy.     

ANCIENT GREEK MOSAIC CELEBRATES THE JOY OF LIFE

A magnificent ancient Greek mosaic discovered in Hayat, Turkey continues to amaze archaeologists and historians who are trying to ascertain the exact meaning of its images and inscriptions.  

The mosaic which is likely from the 3rd century BC is believed to have served as an elaborate centerpiece of the floor of a wealthy man's home.

WHY NASA NAMES ITS SPACECRAFT AFTER ANCIENT GREEK GODS

Throughout its 64-year history, NASA has named several of its aircraft after ancient Greek gods, and mythological figures. But where is the connection between NASA and ancient Greek Mythology?

From the Apollo program which came between 1961 and 1975, to the ongoing Artemis program which began in 2017 NASA has a tendency to name its most important endeavors after Greek mythological figures.

Abe Silverstein was the person responsible for naming NASA's early missions. He named two missions after the Greek gods Mercury and Apollo, Mercury was the Roman name for the Greek god Hermes.
 

THE DECLINE OF SPARTA AS SEEN THROUGH ITS FOOD

 

Athenaeus of Naucratis in his famous work "Deiphosofists" stated sarcastically that the decline of Sparta lay through its cooks, who because of the influence of the Roman Empire lost the ability to prepare the traditional recipes that for centuries had maintained the strength of the city. 

For anyone who knows anything about Spartan cuisine its impossible not to laugh at the Spartans' expense.   

ABRAHAM LINCOLN

Abraham Lincoln was an American Lawyer and Statesman until he became the 16th President of the United States from 1861 until his assassination in 1864.

Lincoln led the nation through the American Civil War. abolished slavery and succeeded in preserving the Union and modernized the United States.

Lincoln was born in poverty in a log cabin in Kentucky and was raised in Indiana and passed the Emancipation Proclamation on January 26th, 1863.  

In this proclamation, he emphasized that "All Slaves would be Free."

Despite the expansive wording, the Emancipation Proclamation was limited in many ways. and only applied to the States that seceded from the United States leaving slavery untouched in the legal border States which were under Northern control. Most important the freedom promised depended upon the Southern Victory. 

Although the Emancipation Proclamation did not end slavery it captivated the imagination of many Americans who fundamentally hated slavery.

BLACKOUT IN UKRAINE AS RUSSIA STRIKES ENERGY GRID

Satellite images captured on November 24th show vast tracts of Ukraine in almost complete darkness. On Wednesday, Russia launched a wave of missile attacks against the Ukrainian energy grid of their power plants were disconnected and even Moldova was affected.  

Several people were, unfortunately, killed in the barrage. Moreover, across Ukraine and particularly in the East, the damage has left millions of people without heating, light or wateras the country enters the colder ,months of the year,         

THE SHOPPING STREET IN GREECE IS THE 14TH MOST EXPENSIVE IN THE WORLD

 Ermou Street in Athens ranks as the 14th most expensive in the world. During the Covid-19 pandemic, online shopping boomed to millions of Euros in profits. which became 26.5 trillion Euros by 2020 and prices skyrocketed. 

However. now that Civid-19 restrictions have almost ended, people wearing masks are getting out more again.  As a result of real estate prices have escalated. 

Ermou Street was already famous for its international brands, stylish boutiques, and history.  It is 1 1/2 kilometers long, and actually consists of several sections. To the east, the street stretches to the pedestrian zone, and it is one of the busiest and likewise exclusive parts of Athens.  

At present, Ermou remains one of the most popular streets for tourists and Athenians alike. It is not only a place for shopping but also for relaxing, sightseeing and discovering one of the wonders of Athens the capital of Greece.          

CENTAURIDAE THE MYTHICAL CREATURES OF ANCIENT GREEK MYTHOLOGY

 

The Centauridae or Centauresses were fantastic creatures of ancient Greek Mythology, blending women's heads and torsos with a horse's body.  Called in ancient Greek "Centaurides" they were much like Centauroi who had men's heads and torsos and bodies of horses. 

Called in ancient Greek Kentaurides or Ceutauresses they made their first appearance as members of the tribe of Centauroi. Oddly enough, the Centauresses are only occasionally mentioned in writing sources but they appear frequently in Geek art and Roman mosaics.  

The Centauress who appeared more frequently in literature was Hylomene the wife of centaur Cyllarus.  These half-man half-horse creatures lived in the mountains and forests of the Greek region of Thessaly.

Centaurs were said to belong to tribes making their homes in caves while they hunted wild animals using rocks and branches for weapons. Among the original myths of Centaurs is that Centaurius the offspring of King Ixion mated with the cloud Nephele whom Zeus created in the form of his consort Hera. 

The Centaurs that resulted from the pairing were left on Mount Pelion where the daughters of immortal Chiron nursed them. 

Centaurs were followers of the god Dionyssos, the god of wine and revelry in ancient Greece, thus they were depicted as being boisterous, savage, and uproarious the result of them being governed by the beastial half. The implication there was clear for all those who could decern the meaning. 

Although not technically considered to have been a Centauress Medusa the fearsome female monster, featuring in many a tale in Greek mythology was early depictions portrayed with the lower body of a horse and the torso and head of a woman.  

The Greek rhetorian Philostratus the Elder, who lived in the 3rd century AD rhapsodizes about the physical appearance of the Centauredae and notes that their existence at Pelion ostensibly describing an ancient Greek painting located in Neapolis (Naples) in his words; "How beautiful the Centauridae are even if they are horses, for some grow out of white mares, others are attached to chestnut mares and the coats of others are dappled but they glisten like horses that are well looked after. There is also a white female Centaure that grows out of a black mare and the very opposition of colors helps to produce the united beauty of the world.       

THE ELECTRIC CAR PRODUDCED IN GREECE BEFORE ELON MUSK'S TESLA

 

The electric car was built on the Greek island of Syros in the 1970s was one of the first mass-produced electric cars. 

Decades before Elon Musk's Tesla, the Enfield 8000 built in  Neorio, Syros was the brainchild of the UK-based Greek millionaire Giannis Gulandris.  

Goulandris had a business called Enfield Automotive, which was based on the Isle of White.  He pioneered the design of the electric car way back in the 1960s. when the United Kindom Electrical Council invited people in a competitive way to build an electric car. The Enfield 8000 was born from that idea.  

The car had passed all the necessary tests for production in the United Kingdom and was on its way to being produced in the USA, 

It is said that the Governor of California, Ronald Regan, sent a cargo plane to have 3 Enfield 8000s transported to California in support of his Clean Air legislation. However, it was never produced in the USA.       

AHENS ACROPOLIS BECOMES VISUALLY ACCESSIBLE TO THE VILUALLY IMPARED.

The Acropolis has been made accessible to the blind through a route inaugurated that combines models of monuments, haptic feedback pictures, and signs in Greek and English Braille.

During the inauguration, Culture and Sports Minister, Lina Mendoni, noted that "equal access to culture is our goal, an objective and a bet for the Ministry and its services." 

The haptic course features 12 stops and 4 information points, with signs in Greek and English Braille, and a tactical ID model of the archaeological site of the Acropolis also with Braille notations in several languages, among several types of aid. guards have been trained to assist blind people with the available tools. 

In addition an app for Android and IOS cellphones is also available through the Ephorate of the city of Athens.       

SAINT CATHERINE'S DAY

 

Today is Saint Cathrine's Day and my dear childhood friend Katy Tzouganatos celebrates her  name day!

Katy is a very pleasant and was a student for  archaelogy under Professor Marintos so many years ago.

Katy dear, please call me if you see this article.

With tons of love from your old friend 

Joy Cocali💘  

NEW DRUG FIGHTS CANCER AND COVID-19

 In order  to combat inrectious diseases scientific advances have become faster, better and more advsnced.  Now scientists have discovered a new drug called HA15 that may be useful in the fight against both cancer and SARS-COV-2.

It was in the surch of the right drug that researchers discovereed HA15. Other studies also identified proteins such as DDX3 a cibonucleic acid which prevents the spread of both maladies.  

A RUSSIAN SONG CALLED "OCHI CHRONIJE"

 Ochi chronije ochi zhuchije i perkasnije 

Kak i labluyavas kak bajuyavas etc

And a translation into English:

Oh dark eyes that shine with flame devine

You've enchanted me, yet you frighten me.

At first sight you made a slave of me

Not in vain are your beautiful black eyes  

Yet I see you when my soul must weep

And I see you somewhat sad for me

Yet a flame lights your victory

But I do not grieve and I am not sad

I take comfort in the joys I've had

All that is good in life and God gives to me

Eyes full of fire, stirring up desire

You've enchanted me, yet you frighterned me

Just the sight of you made a slave of me.

VIA EGNATIA THE ANCIENT ENGENEERING MARVEL THAT TRAVERSES NORTERN GREECE

 Via Egnatia was an ancient Roman road that stretched across an impressive distance between the Adriatic Coast and Byzantium (modern-day Constantinople) on the Bosporus Strait.  

Roman civilization is famous for its stunning for its mosaics and marble statues but it was Rome's advanced network of roads that allowed this civilization to thrive for centuries.  

Via Egnatia was the first highway to traverse the length of the Balcan Peninsular and the first road built outside Italy by the Romans.

Via Egnatia was built between 146 and 120 BC By the Roman Senator Gnaius Egnatius who named it after himself.  Egnatius became governor of the Greek province of Macedonia shortly after it had been conquered by the Romans in 148 BC during the Macedonian war. 

The road was approximately 1.120 kilometers long although the easternmost portion was completed decades after Egnatius governed Macedonia. Parts of Via Egnatia were built on an earlier military road between Illyricum and Constantinople. 

  Via Egnatia connected several important cities in Northern Greece, Illyria, and Thrace. 

Via Egnatia still exists today with the Greek name Egnatia Odos.

WHAT ARE THE EFFECTS OF DEVORCE ON CHILDREN?

 Divorce can be a difficult time for the family. Not only are the parents realizing ways of relating to each other but they are learning new ways of parenting their children. 

Most children suffer and reach a stage of melancholia While others who are more resilient understand that their parents will be happier divorced, so they are happy also.💓   

NASA EXPECTS HUMANS TO LIVE ON THE MOON THIS DECADE

 

NASA the U.S. space agency says humans should be able to live on the Moon for longer periods this very decade, based on the successful launch of the Artemis spacecraft.

Howard Hu, the leader of the Orion lunar spacecraft for NASA, said watching Artemis liftoff was "an unbelievable feeling" adding that "its the first step we are taking to the long-term deep space exploration not just for the United States but for the world."

Hu however indicated that certain conditions would need to be made available to support scientific missions and stressed that the Artemis' launch was a "historic event for human space flight."  

He said, "We are going to the Moon and we are working toward a sustainable program this is the vehicle that will land us back on the Moon again."  

He explained that if the current Artemis flight is successful, then the next will be with a crew followed by a third on which the astronauts would land on the Moon again for the first time since the APOLLO Moon Mission 50 years ago.  

He told the press that the current mission was proceeding well with all systems working.    

 

TURKEY BOMBS TOWNS IN NORHERN SYRIA AFTER CONSTANTINOPLE BLAST

 Turkey bombed towns in northern Syria on Saturday after Ankara blamed Kurdish Workers' Party PKK for last Sunday's deadly bombing in central Constantinople.   Airstrikes hit several towns,  including the city of Kobane, Kurdish-led forces and Britain monitoring group have said,  

"Kobani the city that defeated ISIS, is subjected to bombardments by the aircraft of the Turkish occupation," tweeted Farhad Shami, a spokesperson for the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces  (SDF).    

CIVIL PROTECTION ACADEMY INAUGURATED AT VILLIA ATTICA

 

The Academy of Civil Protection was inaugurated on Saturday at Villia Attica, with the leadership of the climate crisis and civil protection Ministry attending.

The Academy seeks to signal a new start for volunteering in Greece.  Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Minister, Christos Stylianides said, noting that there will be a new structure that is open to society and will enhance the skills and knowledge to volunteers, covering a long-standing need for crisis management issues in Greece.

He said the Academy will "be the heart of national civil protection policy" of Greece, revealing that the school of volunteers and volunteer organizations started appearing the previous day.  "Voluntarism is an inextricable part of the Civil Protection Mechanism", Stylianides said. 

"Volunteerism in Greece has a long history and tradition that needs to be made systematic. Its contribution is great, on the one hand, but needs to be structured in a way that serves both the final outcome and the volunteers," he added.  

The inauguration was attended by government officials, the leadership of the fire brigade, MPs, representatives of the armed forces and local government and volunteer organizations      

TENSION BETWEEN GREECE AND TURKEY

 Washington's tilt in favour of Athens aggravated Turkey who insults Greece saying that the Greek islands of the Aegean Sea are Turkish. 

Turkish President Erdogan is famous for his outbursts of anger. In recent months, he has focused against the Greek government and its Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

"For me, no one named Mitsotakis will exist from now on,"  said Erdogan, "I shall never accept seeing him again."

According to the Greek Ministry of Defence, between January and October 2022, a total of 8.880 violations of Greek airspace by Turkish planes and drones were recorded, compared with 2.744 the previous year

Perikles Zerzovilis. President of the Greek Institute for Security and Defence Analysis said: " When so

many fighter jets fly over such a small area, the possibility of an accident is very real,"          

GREEK DISCOVERY OF ICELAND BY LINGUISTIC EVIDENCE

The Greek discovery of Iceland more than one thousand years before the Vikings is supported by evidence published in "The Houseman Society Journal".

Based on an essential linguistic hypothesis of his own inspiration Dr. Andrew Charles Breeze pens his latest attempt to shed light on the mystery that surrounds the exact location of the legendary Thale, the world/s northernmost land discovered by ancient Greek geographer, astronomer and explorer Pytheas of  Massalia. around 300 BC 

The philolo gy professor at the University of Paloma, Spain, known for his expertise in historical linguistics appears convinced that the "island with ice flows close to it", which took Pythias six days to reach by sailing from north of Britain, can now be fully acknowledged   

USA ELECTION RESULTS WHEN WILL KNOW WHO WON

 Days after US voters cast their ballots, the final results of 2022 mid-term remain unclear with officials across the country warning that the outcome may still not be known by weeks.

The delays are the results of a number of factors, including razor-thin margins between the candidates and the fact Georgia, a Key Senate battleground is headed to a run-election. 

Other delays are due to the decentralized way in which elections are set up in the USA in which states have valid rules for how mail-in ballots are counted and when. 

The issue of delays has been possibly a constant one when then-President Donald Trump attempted to claim victory the following morning, while votes were still being tallied declaring continued voting as a "fraud" and an "embarrassment".  

This week Mr. Trump has again cast doubt on the process of taking to his Truth Social social media platform to call several state elections a "voter integrity disaster" and accusing his political opponents of "trying to steal the election the machine and delay."

Ahead of the mid-term, however, election officials across the country warned the public that delays are normal, expected part of US elections.

In a speech on the2nd November, President Joe Biden also weighed and warned that "It's important for citizens to be patient while ballots are being counted in a legal and orderly manner."  

Although the final numbers are not yet the preliminary data from the US elstection project sugge that more than 11534 million Americans about 47 percent of eligible voters who participated in the 2018 midterm turn-out in some states appears to have been historically high. 

The elections also saw 42 million people cast their ballot in an early voting by mail ahead of the 5th of November, surpassing 2018's total 39 million. This is among the key factors to find vote tribulations being delayed.    

NATO SAYS RUSSIA IS TO BLAME FOR POLAND MISSILE HIT. MOSCOW DENIES STRIKING KYIV IN LATEST ATTACK

 

A flurry of urgent talks is taking place among NATO members regarding the missile that struck Poland last night.

Russia was heavily suspected of firing the missile that killed two Polish citizens, although they denied their involvement as a "provocation".

Meanwhile, NATO members especially Poland and its Eastern European neighbors and the eastern Soviet states in Baltics said there would be a tough response if Russia is found to be behind the attack. 

Initial findings suggest, however, that the Russian-made missile was not likely to have been fired from Russia.  

US President, Joe Biden, said the trajectory of the missile denied the support of the theory. AP cited US officials suggesting that it could have been Ukrainian forces firing a missile to intercept a Russian one.

As investigations continue Poland has called an emergency meeting of NATO under the alliance of "Article 4" provision which provides for NATO members to call for urgent meetings when they feel threatened. It will take place on Wednesday in Brussels. 

The Poland missile incident took place after Ukraine experienced a barrage of Russian missiles attacks on its civilian and energy infrastructure     

ANCIENT GREEK PAPYRI BURNED AT MOUNT VESUVIOUS NOW REVIVED

 Ancient Greek papyri that burned have now been revived. The knowledge from the papyri was carbonized beyond recognition by the explosive volcano has been recovered. Many are pleased to hear it and wish to know more.

The Herculean papyri sometimes referred to as the Herculean scrolls, total more than 1.800.  They were found in the ancient Italian village of Herculaneum in the 18th century,

European scientists have found ancient Greek hidden on the back of the scorched scrolls. Carbonized by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD, it has been a difficult burden to overcome.

Today, new technologies are finally able to reveal their contents. Just as challenging as understanding the new technology has enabled scientists to revive our access to ancient Greek scrolls trying to understand them.

                                                      Mount Vesuvius erupting  
       

PRAWN AND SPINACH CURRY

 

Olive oil

1 onion, peeled and sliced into half moons

2 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced

1 thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled and grated

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp  ground turmeric

200 ml (7 fl oz) coconut milk

125 ml ( fl oz) vegetable stock from a cube

600 g raw prawns, shelled and deveined, thoroughly washed and patted dry

Zest and juice of a lemon

 230 g (4 oz) baby spinach

Salt and pepper to taste

a small bunch of fresh coriander

Brown rice and lemon wedges to serve.

Heat a glug of oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Add the onion, garlic and ginger and saute for 5 minutes until soft. Then add the spices, stir and cook for one minute more.  

Pour in the coconut milk and vegetable stock, bring to a boil, and simmer for 3 minutes, Add the prawns, lemon zest and juice and simmer until the prawns turn pink.

Place spinach leaves and cover with a lid for a minute or so until they have wilted into the curry. Season to taste and then add some chopped coriander reserving some for garnish.  

Serve over brown rice, scatter with the remaining coriander  and squeeze over some lemon juice.    

ALEXANDER THE GREAT'S ASSASSINATION AND THE LOCATION OF HIS TOMB

 Every time we hear of Alexander the Great. we think of the greatest of Greek conquerors who reigned over an empire where the sun never set. Some even believe that Alexander's very existence was prophesized in the Jewish religion 200 years before his birth.

Historians say that he succumbed quite young from a mysterious disease,  His tomb fell into oblivion over the centuries to disappear from the memory of historians and ordinary people.

Only a few passionate archaeologists and treasure hunters hope to discover the remains of the Greek who became a god in his lifetime.

About 2.300 years after his death and after hundreds of biographies by Greek and Roman authors, one realizes after a complete analysis of writings about this man and king were very incomplete, contradictory, and even false, historians add.  His tomb was never found.        

GAS RESERVES OF GREECE COULD SUPPLY THE EU FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.

Natural gas has always been a valuable commodity in Europe and is becoming even more so. now, the reason the elevated prices due to the interruption in supply caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.  

According to Worldmeter, there is just over 1.000.000.000.0000 BOE (barrels of oil equivalent) worldwide. That number rapidly decreases in the span of seconds as one follows it, however.

The good news is that the German newspaper "Handelsblatt" believes Greek natural gas may save the day!

The reason is the fact that Greece is sitting on 600 billion cubic meters. The International Energy Agency (IEA) forecasts that demand for natural gas grows slowly in the coming years given the turbulence in an increasingly narrow market.     

ATHENS MARATHON THREE GREEKS TOP WINNERS

 

The 39th Athens Marathon took part last Saturday and had its own Greek heroes to celebrate.  Two Greek men and one Greek woman came first, second and third among so many others.

The first was noteworthy for being the fastest of all both Greek and foreign, and the second for being the runner-up. but the most remarkable was the third for being the fastest woman who took part in the Athens Marathon. 

Thousands of athletes from all over the world came to Athens this year to take part in the race. Charalambos Pitsolis came in first, Konstandinos Ghelaouzos came second and Vasiliki Konstandopoulou came third. 

    

CONSTANTINOPLE ATATURK AIRPORT ATTACK WITH CASUALITIES

Six people have been killed and more than 94 injured as an explosion rocked the busy pedestrian street in central Constantinople, an incident that president Erdogan called an incident "That smells terrorism". 

Ambulances raced to the scene on the packed Istiklal avenue which police cordoned off. The area in the Beyoglu district of Turkey's largest city had been crowded with shoppers, tourists, and families with young children.   

"Our people can be assured that the culprits behind the attack will be punished as they deserve," Erdogan added at a press conference.  

Our sincere condolences to the families who lost their loved ones and our best wishes for a speedy recovery to the injured.  

MAN RETURNS STOLEN GREEK ANTIQUITIES INHERITED FROM HIS GRANDMOTHER

 There are not many people who would admit to being in possession of pilfered loot.  Especially if it includes stolen Greek antiquities among other artifacts. 

John S. Gompert is an exception to that rule, however. having returned over 19 pieces he had inherited from his grandmother, which came from illegal excavations. The American had no clue, however. until he saw the article in The Guardian. 

Gompert had been reading the newspaper when he came across an article on stolen artifacts he realized that the stolen items mentioned he owned himself. There were 19 pieces in total, 12 belonging to Greece. 4 to Italy, 2 to Cyprus, and 1 to Pakistan.  

His grandmother, Gisela Shneider Hermann was of German Dutch origin. She died at the age of 98 in 1992.  Gompert knew that she had taken part in excavations in Greece and Italy in the 1950s and 1960s. She had even published scientific articles. 

But as Gompert stated: "I have no idea how she actually acquired these objects. She was a prime and proper person. But there were different norms os those days. These objects were her entire existence."  

Though some of the artifacts had receipts. he had a suspicion of a link between archaeologists and merchants who participated in the illegal trade of the era. 

It was gifted to him by his grandmother including 4th-century ceramic tablets from Southern Italy with figures of acrobats. There were also vases from the 4th century that Greeks used at their wedding ceremonies.  

Gompert's grandmother also owned fragments of a Buddha from the 3rd century. and also 2 flower pots from Cyprus. 

The total value of the items was about 90.000 euros. Gompert had no idea of their value. Once he knew, he made the ethical move to return them.  

Yet making ethical movements is clearly part of Gompert's nature having headed a number of government organizations.

SPECKLED BREAD

 500 g (2 cups) self-rising flour

450 g mixed fruit

100 g brown sugar

425 ml tea Earl Grey or Lapsang Shousong 

1 tsp salt

1 tsp allspice

1 large egg

Place the fruit and sugar in a bowl and pour the hot tea over and let it infuse for at least 5 hours. 

Preheat the oven to 180 C (350 F) and line a loaf tin with parchment.  Stir the flour, salt, and allspice into the soaked fruit until everything is properly combined, then crack the egg, whip it, and stir into the mixture.  

Spoon the batter into the loaf tin and bake for 50-60 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean. Let it cool completely in the tin, take it out of the tin, cut it into slices, spread it with butter, and enjoy. It freezes well.

 

JOHN FETTERMAN AS SENATOR SUPPORTS THE STRUGGLE OF HAGIA SOPHIA BECOMING A MUSEUM

 

The Deputy Governor of Penninsylvania and Senator, John Fetterman, made a clear and stong starement regarding religious freedom in Turkey, the treatment of the Ecumenichal Patriachate, but also Turkey's behaviour towards the Greek Orthodox Church, supporting the Greek-American community to the utmost. 

The great winner of the midterm elections in Penninsylvania to openly take a stand describing Turkey as a "region of concern" for him and exressing his concern about the confiscation of thousands of properties of the Ecumenical Patriachate by Turkey and the coversion of Hagia Sophia to a mosque, the closure of the Halki seminary but also Ankara's practice of intervening in the Ecumemichal Patriachal succession and his support that Hagia Sophia becomes a museum and not a mosque.     

11TH NOVEMBER

 

The 11th of November was my beloved husband's birthday. He was a loving husband and father of our two precious sons and a proud grandfather and I miss him terribly every day every hour.

 

FRENCH CHICKEN RECIPEtted

 

4 eggs

2 tbsp milk

1 cup plain flour

4 rashers of bacon, finely chopped

1 pinch of cayenne pepper

1 1/2 lbs skinless, boneless chicken legs pounded flat

1 tbsp butter

1 tbsp olive oil

1 cup vegetable stock

1/2 cup dry sherry

Lemon juice to taste

1/4 cup cold butter, cubed

1/2 cup pitted prunes

Beat eggs and milk together in a shallow bowl.  and stir bacon and cayenne pepper in another shallow bowl,  Gently press the chicken into the flour mixture to coat and shake off the excess flour, Dip it into the egg mixture and fry in butter and olive oil in a large frying pan, over medium heat until slightly brown about 3 minutes per side, until slightly brown and transfer to a dish.

Cook and stir vegetable broth, sherry, and lemon juice in the same frying pan and boil until the sauce has reduced by half, Remove from the fire and add the butter cubes until the butter melts and the sauce thickens about 2 minutes.  Stir in the parsley and season with cayenne pepper and pitted prunes.

Return the chicken to the frying pan, over medium heat, and cook for 3 minutes more until the chicken is thoroughly cooked, and serve with steamed rice

  

   

THILLER IN THE AIR TWO EMIRATE FLIGHTS FROM ATHENS DIVERTED FOR POSSIBLE TERRORIST ATTACK

 

Two Emirate flights from the Athens airport "Eleftherios Venizelos" to Dubai and New York were ordered to divert the following information relayed by the CIA to Greek authorities of a possible terrorist threat.

After intelligence from the CIA was assessed as serious by the Greek National Intelligence Services EYP that a suspected Arab passenger was aboard a company flight from Athens was immobilized before take-off and the second returned to land in Athens. 

At the Athens airport, a crisis management committee quickly made passengers on the flight to Dubai thoroughly checked as well as their luggage without locating the suspected person. Shortly after 9 pm passengers started boarding the plane again. The flight will be delayed by three hours. 

The second flight EK 209 bound for New York had already taken off and was over Sardinia in Italy when the pilot was notified to land immediately.  However. neither Italy nor France allowed the plane to land at any oftheir airports forcing it to return to Athens 

ANAFIOTIKA THE HIDDEN ISLAND OF ATHENS

 The tiny neighborhood of Anafiotika in Plaka, below the Acropolis, is often overlooked by tourists.  It has about 60 residents who love living in their beloved village.  

It was built in the 19th century by workers from the tiny island of Anafi in the Cyclades, hence the name. 

In 1841, King Otto I encouraged workers to come and help transform independent  Athens into  modern metropolis.   

DOCTOR WHO EXPERENCED AFTERLIFE SAYS IT WAS LIKE PLATO'S WORLD OF IDEAS

 

Eben Alexander, a neurosurgeon doctor who claims to have experienced the afterlife during a 7-day coma, says the experience was like Plato's World of Ideas.   

In 2008, Dr. Alexander went into a coma after catching an acute bacterial infection that had a severe neurological impact on his brain. For 7 days he was unconscious.  When he woke, he described seeing a beautiful spiritual guide on a butterfly wing that took him through a wormhole. 

Sharing his story with US Sun, Dr. Alexander described it as a scene of "very dense forests, and rainbow waterfalls into crystal blue pools, absolutely spectacular and beautiful".

Before detailing what his spiritual guide looked like, the neurosurgeon referred to the theory of Plato the Greek philosopher who asserted that the physical world was not the real world.  On the contrary, ultimate reality exists beyond the physical world.  

In his words: "It was kind of Plato/s World of Ideas," adding "it was a world of perfection."  

After Dr. Alexander's amazing experience, while in a coma, dubbed "Gateway Valley", he write a book "Proof of Heaven a Neurosurgeon's Journey"and dedicated his life proving the existence of heaven. 

Dr. Alexander made it clear to the US Sun" that although recent medical reports show that his mind was in "no shape to have any dreams or hallucinations" even so he managed to experience a life-changing encounter. 

 

PARENTS BEWARE

 Parents, please don't forget to vaccinate your beloved children against Meningitis B because it is a deadly disease.

GREECE ANNOUNCES SEISMIC SEARCHES FOR ENERGY RESOURCES

 Greece announces seismic searches for energy resources to be conducted by energy giant Exxon Mobil by 70% and Hellenic Petroleum by 30%  off the Peloponnese peninsular and the island of Crete.

Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, said during an exclusive interview with one of the country's prominent private broadcasters ANT1.

"This discovery of natural gas there, as we hope for, would contribute to the energy of the whole region," he said.

Referring to the possible extension of Greek territorial waters to 12 nautical miles south of  Crete, as brought by the main opposition Syriza Mitsotakis said that they will never rule out such a move.   

LAB-GROWN BLOOD GIVEN TO HUMANS IN FIRST-WORLD TRIAL

 A clinical trial has tested lab-grown blood on two people to observe how it performs inside the human body. Teams in Bristol, Cambridge, London, and the NHS Blood and Transplant Department conducted studies in which tiny amounts of blood equivalent to two spoonfuls were tried out on red blood cells that carry oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body.  

Professor Cedric Ghevaert, the Chief Investigator and Specialist in Transfusion medicine and consultant Haematologist at the University of Cambridge and NHS Blood and Transplant said: "We hope that lab-grown red blood cells will last longer than those that come from blood donors."   He added: "If our trial, the first such in the world, is successful, it will mean that patients who currently require regular long-term blood transfusions, will need fewer in the future."  

According to the research team, red blood vessels normally last for about 120 days before they have to be replaced, whereas a typical blood donation contains a mix of young and old blood cells, lab-grown blood is freshly made and for that reason, it will last much longer. 

Currently, two people have taken part in the trial, yet the team aims to test the blood of 10 healthy volunteers. The participants will get two donations of 5-1 ml for at least four months. One normal blood and one lab-grown.   

When I was young, I was a blood donor so I am delighted to read about this fantastic but amazing news!!    

GREEK-TURKISH RELATIONS OVER CYPRUS

 

Tensions between Greece and Turkey have deteriorated recently as the USA has lifted an arms embargo from the Greek Cypriot administration.

Turkish Foreign Minister, Mevlut Cavousoglu, criticized the United States for its stance towards Greece, saying that the  United States has become a toy of Athens over the Cyprus issue. 

President Jo Biden also criticized Turkey for saying constantly that half the Greek islands in the Aegean Sea are Turkish!

The American President warned Erdogan against false accusations against the USA and Greece but Erdogan remained unmoved..

America refused to send war plains to Turkey while Greece is extending a bilateral military agreement with the USA to counteract the tension caused by Turkey in the Aegean Sea. 

It is very unfortunate that we Greeks have such deplorable neighbors.

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LAMB SHANKS WITH WINE AND LEEKS

 

2 large leeks. trimmed and roughly chopped

2 celery stalks. threaded  and chopped with the leaves

1 tsp caraway seeds, bashed

1 tsp cumin seeds. bashed

1 tbsp smoked paprika

A few sprigs of mint leaves finely chopped

Olive oil

8 lamb shanks  

1 bottle of good white wine

1 head of garlic, broken into unpeeled cloves

1 dry red chili

1 small bunch of thyme 

In a large casserole with a lid, add the leeks and celery and soften for10 minutes.  Bash the caraway and cumin seed with a pestle and mortar and add the smoked paprika. mint, salt, and pepper, and a splash of oil.  Rub the shanks with the above mixture before placing them snuggly in the casserole with the leeks Pour over the wine and add the garlic cloves, chili, and thyme. The shanks should be completely covered if not, pour in some stock to cover them. place on the lid.  bring the liquid to a simmer and cook gently for 2 1/2 to 3 hours until the meat is falling off the bones. 

If there is a lot of liquid left over, remove the lid and simmer until the sauce thickens.

VEGETABLE SOUP WITH POACHED EGGS

 

2 tbsp olive oil + extra

4 celery stalks, threaded and finely chopped

1 onion, peeled and grated

1 garlic clove, peeled and minced

1 garlic clove, cut in half

1 tsp thyme

200 g mushrooms, trimmed and finely chopped

250 g plum tomatoes, skinned, deseeded, and chopped

1 tbsp chopped parsley

4 slices of bread

Salt and pepper to taste

4 eggs

Saute the celery, carrots, and thyme for 15 minutes until soft.  Add the tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes more.

Add 500 ml (2 cups) of water and bring to a boil, add the parsley and season to taste,  Grill the bread and drizzle with olive oil, and rub with the halved garlic clove.

Crack the eggs in the simmering soup and cook gently for 2-5 minutes.

Serve this delicious soup in hot bowls, with an egg in each bowl and toasted bread,

AUTHORITIES ON ALERT AS STORM "EVA" APPROCHES

 

Authorities across the country are on high alert due to the impending arrival of the "Eva" bad weather from Saturday. which is expected to last at least 48 hours. 

On Friday evening. residents of the Ionian Islands and Epirus received an emergency 112 alert warning them of dangerous weather conditions from early Saturday morning and calling them to avoid unnecessary journeys.   The bad weather will initially hit western Greece before gradually moving inland, marked by clouds, with localized rain and sporadic storms.  

From midday, rain, wind, and lightning can be expected in the Ionian Islands, western Central Greece, and the western Peleponnese.  And from the evening in the eastern Peloponnese, the middle of Central Greece, eastern Thessaly. and western and central Macedonia. 

During the night, bad weather is expected to reach Central Greece, Attika, Evia, and the rest of Thessaly.  Visibility in the morning hours will be locally limited due to the fog which will form in places in the east.

Southern winds blowing 4-6 on the Beaufort scale are expected in most  places and 7 on the Beaufort scale in the Ionian and Aegean Seas.            

THE SINKING OF ALEXANDRIA FACING UP TO THE CATASTROPHE COMING

 

The Mediterranean port city of Alexandria. Egypt is in danger of vanishing under the waves in decades. Alexandros the Great's metropolis on the Nile Delta is on the edge of catastrophe due to the rising sea levels brought about by global warming and its sinking landmass.

According to the United Nations, even the best scenario would still force 1.5 million people out of the total population of 6 million to leave their homes, if a third of the city was underwater or uninhabitable by 2050. The ancient ruins and historic treasures. would also be in danger of destruction if Alexandria sinks.

Every year, the city sinks by more than 3 millimeters. This and the constant flooding, as in 2015 and 2020 have already caused many Alexandrians to flee from their homes.

The situation today seems even direr given to the distressing predictions made by the UN's panel of climate experts.  According to IPPC the Mediterranean could rise a meter (3.2 feet) within the next 30 years. 

The report said "a third of the highly productive agricultural land in the Nile Delta as well as of historical importance such as Alexandria would flood.

UN experts stated that the Mediterranean would rise the fastest than anywhere else in the world.

       

RAVIOLI

 

3 cups plain flour

4 large eggs and

1 egg yolk

Place the flour in a large bowl, and make a well in the center.  Whisk the eggs and yolk with a fork whilst slowly incorporating the flour until combined.  Bring the dough together with your hands to form a ball and knead for 10 minutes until smooth and pliable. Wrap the dough in cling film and leave to rest for 30 minutes, out of the fridge.

Roll out the dough and fold and roll it out again 4 times. Then cut the dough sheet into small squares and stuff it with your favorite filling.  

Recipe for the stuffing:
1 tbsp olive oil

1 onion, peeled and grated

1 carrot, grated

1 celery stalk. threaded and sliced

600 g minced meat

3 tbsp tomato paste

2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced

500 ml (2 cups) tasty meat stock

2 tsp fresh thyme

Hot melted butter and

Tomato sauce.

Saute the onion, carrot, and celery stalk in olive oil for 10 minutes until softened and starting to brown. Stir in the minced meat and cook breaking the lumps with a wooden spoon. until brown. 

Add the tomato paste, garlic, and thyme and simmer for 2 minutes more. Pour in the meat stock, cover with a tight-fitting lid and leave to simmer gently for 1 hour and 15 minutes until the meat becomes tender and the sauce thickens.

Stuff each small pastry square with 1 tbsp of the filling, roll it up, and seal firmly with a fork.  Repeat the same procedure with the remaining ingredients. 

Boil the ravioli in batches in salted water until they rise to the surface and remove with a slotted spoon and place on a hot dish and serve drizzled with hot butter and tomato sauce. 

Tomato Sauce Recipe:

2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 a medium onion, peeled and grated

1 small carrot. finely chopped

1 small celery stalk, threaded, plus leaves, finely chopped

1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

1 tbsp fresh basil, thickly chopped

1 3/4 lbs fresh tomatoes. halved. deseeded. grated, skins discarded

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Saute the onion, celery, carrot, parsley and basil in olive oil and cook 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. until the vegetables are cooked completely. Add the minced garlic and cook for 3 seconds.Add the tomato paste, grated fresh tomatoes and basil  Season to taste and cook uncovered for 15 minutes. Pour over the ravioli   

 

WHAT IS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE?

 

Artificial Intelligence can decode words and sentences from brain activity with surprising accuracy, using only a few seconds of brain activity data. 

AI guesses what a person has heard, it lists the correct answers in the top ten possibilities, up to 75% of the time, researchers found in a preliminary study.

The AI's "performance was above what people thought was possible at this stage," said Giovanni Di Liberto, a computer scientist at Trinity College Dublin, who was not involved in the research. 

Developed by the parent company of Facebook Meta the AI could be eventually used to help people around the world communicate through speech, typing, and gestures researchers report on August 25th at arxiviory, which includes many patients in locked-in "vegetative states" what is now generally known as "unresponsive wakefulness syndrome" (SN 2819).

Most existing technologies to help patients communicate need risky brain surgeries to implant electrodes This new method "could provide a viable path to help patients' communication difficulties without the use of evasive methods." said neuroscientist Jean-Remi King. a META AI researcher at the Ecole Superieure of Paris. 

King and his colleagues a computational tool to detect words and sentences on 50.000 hours of speech recoding from 53 languages. The tool, also known as the language model, learned how to recognize specific features of language both at the fine-graning level - think letters or syllables - and at a broader level such as a word or sentence.  

ERDOGAN THREATENS GREECE THAT A NEW MISSILE HAS ATHENS IN ITS RANGE

                                         Ballistic Missiles of Chinese Expertise  

 Turkish president Erdogan threatens Greece again claiming that the newly-tested ballistic missile has "Athens within its range."  

Speaking during a press conference on ATV and Haber Channels Erdogan referred to the ballistic missile Tayfun (Typhoon) claiming that it has frightened Greece. 

President Biden called on Erdogan to warn of false accusations about Greece and the USA, saying that Turkey will be sanctioned once more.

"Enough is enough with Turkey," said Greeks wherever they may reside, in Greece or abroad!

RUSSIA''S MILITARY CONSIDERS USE OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS

 

Multiple senior American officials have issued a warning concerning conversations by senior Russian leaders over the case of nuclear weapons against Ukraine, increasing concerns in Washington and other Western capitals. 

An official report by New York Times said that Putin, who repeatedly threatened to use nuclear arms against Ukraine and is the sole decision-maker in charge of Russia's nuclear arsenal, was not part of the conversation.

The fact that senior Russian military leaders were having the discussions in the first place is what alarmed the Biden administration.

Russian generals seem to be frustrated about their failures on the ground, and these discussions suggest that Putin's threats to use nuclear weapons are not only empty words,

     

LIBYA AND TURKEY'S ENERGY DEALESCALATES MEDITERRANEAN TENSION

 

The Libya Tukey energy deal is escalating the dangers of open conflict between Athens and Ankara.  Turkey and Libya have demarcated potential oil and gas-rich regions in the Mediterranean.  This maneuver has also irritated Egypt. 

On October 3rd Turkey signed a preliminary agreement with Libya's Tripoli GNA government to explore for oil and gas off the Libyan coast. without specifying whether the survey could take place in waters South of Greece, where Athens says Turkey has no right to be.  

Greece and Turkey are in constant conflict over the spheres of influence in the Aegean Sea. Recently Germany condemned Turkey's threats against Greece. 

Greece's Foreign Minister, Nikos Dendias, accused Turkey of exploiting "the turbulent situation in Libya to further destabilize the security in the Mediterranean region and establish a regional hegemony"   

RUSSIAN UKRAINE WAR

 

Ukraine accuses Russian occupiers of spreading fake news in Kherson to make civilians leave in a forced evacuation which is a war crime.

In a statement the General Staff if the Armed Forces of Ukraine said: "The occupiers continue the forced displacement of civilians in the temporarily occupied territory of the Kherson region."

"The enemy resorts to intimidation of civilians by spreading misinformation about a possible explosion of the Kakovka hydroelectric power plant dam." the statement said.  

The Ukraine armed forces explained that the local population of Kherson has been "deprived of means of communication and are unable to get a clear picture of what is happening in the war."

Earlier this week, Russian-installed officials announced a new evacuation from the Kherson region of Ukraine saying that they are taking civilians to safety because the Ukrainians might use unconventional weapons!

The Pentagon has concerns that Russia May also seek to acquire additional advanced munition capabilities from Iran, for example, surface-to-surface missiles and more attack drones for its war against Ukraine. 

CNN reports that Iran is preparing to send approximately 1.000 additional weapons for its war against Ukraine. 

Iran has provided Russia with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and the Pentagon expects that Iran will send more UAVs to Russia,             

THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER

 November derives from the Latin root "Novem" meaning nine because in the Roman calendar there were only ten months and November is indeed the ninth month.

Every November it is time to begin preparations for the winter ahead such as buying extra woolen clothes, wood for the fireplace, heating petrol for the central heating etcetera. 

The Hindu festival of lights Diwali" is celebrated in November according to the Hindu lunar calendar.  

November has some of the most important events of the year, such as elections in the USA, Daylight Saving Time, Veterans Day, and Black Friday. 

Veterans' Day is observed on the 11th of November and honors veterans and all those who have served in the Armed Forces. My beloved husband's birthday was on the 11th of November and I miss him terribly every day, every hour. 

Black Friday is a colloquial term for the Friday after Thanksgiving in the USA and stores offer money-saving specials so that one can buy a  variety of goods at cheaper prices before Christmas and lure more shoppers so it's not really a loss.  

Today is the 1st of November and as we say in Greece "kalo mena" have a good month!    

  

KING OTTO WHO LONGED FOR HIS BELOVED GREECE

 King Otto, the Bavarian prince who ruled as King of Greece from May 27th, 1832 until October 23rd, 1862, was a polarising figure who tried to bring Greece out of the chaos of the revolution into the modern world. 

The attempt, he made to energize all the powers at play in the world of Greek politics led to a departure from the country on the same boat on which he had come to Greece. But in the following years, he left an indelible mark on the country by transforming Athens into the great capital it is today. 

The second son of King Ludwig I of Bavaria, Otto ascended the newly created throne of Greece at the age of 17, as a minor, who had a regency of three Bavarian nobles ruling in his name.

The Great Powers insisted that he will be called the "King of Greece" rather than "King of the Hellenes" because the latter would imply a claim over the millions of Greeks living outside the borders of the country who were still under Turkish rule.  

Otto landed in Greece with his three Bavarian advisers Count von Armansperg, Karl von Atel, and Georg Ludwig von Mauer after sailing on the British frigate "HMS Madagaskar".

Thousands lined the docks of Nafplion, the Greek capital of the time, to witness his arrival, including many heroes of the revolution such as Theodoris Kolokotronis and Alexandros Mavrokordatos. 

His arrival was enthusiastically welcomed by the Greek people as an end to the chaos of the prior years and the rejuvenation of the Greek nation. 

Prince Otto was the second son of Crown Prince Ludwig of Bavaria however he did have blood ties with Greece through his ancestor Byzantine Emperors Komnenos and Laskaris.

The London Conference of the Great Powers establish Otto as a Greek monarch In addition his father was a prominent philhellene who provided significant assistance to the Greek War of Independence.

At the end of the war, the three great powers, Great Britain, France, and Russia formulated the London Protocol of 1829, which established an autonomous Greek state and Otto became a"Hereditary Christian Prince"  The political situation remained unstable for several years with unsuitable figures to rule as regents to Greece...

In 1832, the British Foreign Secretary Lord Palmerston convened at the London Conference and offered the crown to the teenage Prince Otto which he happily accepted. The Bavarian House of Helsbach had no connections to the ruling dynasties of any of the Great Powers, so Otto was a mutual choice with which they were all satisfied.  

Otto left an indelible mark on Greece with his decision to move the Greek capital from Nafplion to Athens for its former greatness.

By the 1830s the population of Athens was estimated at 5.000 people, who mainly lived in what is now the Plaka district near the Acropolis. 

Otto's first task as a King was to make a detailed archaeological and topographical survey of Athens assigning Gustav Edward Shubert and Stamatis Kleanthis to complete his task.  A modern city plan was laid out and public buildings were constructed.  One of the first was Otto's palace located in an area of Athens called Perivolakia.  The palace was designed by the Bavarian architect Friedrich von Gunter and was paid for by Otto's father. 

Apart from the palace which became the Parliament Building, Otto's finest legacy includes the stunning Classical building of the University of Athens, the Athens Polytechnic University which was founded in 1807 as the Royal School of Arts, the Public Libary, and the Athens National Park which sill grace Athens today. Another contribution to Greek culture is when Otto introduced beer to Greece. He was certain to bring his personal brewmaster, Herr Fuchs with him when he came to the country, knowing that Greeks drank wine only, Herr Fuchs stayed on in Greece when Otto left and made his own beer called FIX which is still produced today. 

The Bavarians and Otto were very unpopular in Greece, despite all Otto had done for Athens, so, unfortunately, they had to depart from the country in 1862.  Are we Greeks ungrateful?      

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