halcyon days

Herbert James Draper, "Halcyone"

From "Love Myths"


Ceyx, the king of Thessaly, was the son of Lucifer, the light bringer, the star that brings in the day. His wife, Alcyone, was the daughter of Aeolus, the King of the Winds. They were a faithful and devoted couple and never separated. Nevertheless, there came a time when Ceyx decided that he must leave her and make a long journey across the sea to consult an oracle. Alcyone was hysterical with grief and worry. She had grown up in the palace of the King of the Winds and knew very well what often happened to ships at sea. When she was that he was firm in his determination to make this trip, she begged to be allowed to go with him, "I can endure whatever comes to us together." Yet, although Ceyx loved Alcyone as much as she loved him, he would not allow it. So he sailed alone.

That night a great storm broke. The crew was terrified, but Ceyx was happy and at peace, knowing that his beloved Alcyone was safe on shore. The boat sank and all were drowned. As the waters closed over Ceyx, the word "Alcyone" was on his lips. Time passed, and Alcyone waited patiently for Ceyx's return. She prayed nightly to Hera (Juno) to safeguard her beloved husband, and the goddess was touched by her earnest prayers for a man already dead. She sent Morpheus, son of the old god of sleep to visit Alcyone in a dream. Morpheus assumed the shape of the drowned Ceyx. He said to Alcyone, "Poor wife, look, your husband is here. Do you know me, or is my face changed in death? I am dead, Alcyone. Your name was on my lips when the waters overwhelmed me. There is no hope for me any more. But give me your tears; let me not go down into the shadowy world unwept." Alcyone stretched out to touch her husband and cried aloud, "Wait for me; I will go with you," and her own vice woke her up. Alcyone knew her husband was dead. "I will not try to live." When the sun rose, Alcyone went to the shore of the sea; as she stared out over the water she saw something in the distance floating ashore. As it got closer she saw it was a body. She ran down to it. It was the body of her husband Ceyx. She ran through the surf, splashing, and crying, "Husband, dearest!" But, oh wonder, instead of sinking into the waves she was flying or riding the waves. The gods took pity on the couple and turned them into to special sea birds. Every winter there is a week when the sea is perfectly calm. These are the days when Alcyone, the gannet bird, broods over her nest floating on the sea. Ceyx, the kingfisher, a bright colored, crest headed bird, is nearby. And these days of perfect peace are named after her, Alcyone, or more commonly, Halcyon days.

a favorite poem by Humbert Wolfe

A little music
-Humbert Wolfe

Since it is evening, let us invent

Love’s undiscovered continent.

What shall we steer by, having no chart

But the deliberate fraud of the heart?

How shall we find it? Beyond what keys

Of boyhood’s Spanish piracies,

False Eldorados dim with the tears

Of beauty, the last of the buccaneers?



Since it is evening, let us design

What shall be utterly yours and mine.

There will be nothing that ever before

Beckoned the sailor from any shore.

Trees shall be greener by mountains more pale,

Thrushes outsinging the nightingale,

Flowers now butterflies, now in the grass,

Suddenly quiet as painted glass,

And fishes of emerald dive for the moon,

Whose silver is stained by the peacock lagoon.



Since it is evening, and sailing weather,

Let us set out for the dream together;

Set for the land fall, where love and verse

Enfranchise for ever the travellers.

Something to Consider

The following email was forwarded to me today, and I thought I would share it here, it makes some good points. I really don't agree with all of this- obviously there is an agenda at work, but at the same time I would really hate to see our car makers fail. It is so sad to lose our domestic manufacturers, I hope the big greedy ones will step aside and let the business rebuild.

Our office, our families and our entire state of Michigan has been glued to the news the past few weeks watching the auto bridge loan saga unfold. Political views aside, it has been a fascinating PR issue.
It’s clear that the domestic industry has done a poor job reaching out to Washington and the rest of the country for too many years. As PR professionals, one of our objectives is always to make sure
that information in the news is accurate, so I cringe with nearly every article or newscast I see that talks about the auto bailouts (point #1…it’s a loan, not a bailout). So, I am on a bit of a crusade to set the record straight wherever possible.

Each of you are leaders in the world of public opinion; if I may, I’d like to share a few myths/facts about the auto industry that perhaps you could share at holiday parties if the topic comes up (though, if the auto industry is coming up at your holiday parties, it might be time to examine y our circle of friends). Much of this information comes from the Detroit Free Press, theengineofdemocracy.com and industry sources.

Myth No. 1: Nobody buys the vehicles of the Big 3
Reality: GM, Ford and Chrysler sold 8.5 million vehicles in the United States last year. GM outsold Toyota by about 1.2 million vehicles in the United States last year and holds a lead over Toyota of nearly 700,000 so far this year. Globally, GM in 2007 remained the world's largest automaker, selling 9,369,524 vehicles worldwide -- about 3,000 more than Toyota. Ford outsold Honda by 850,000 and Nissan by more than 1.3 million vehicles in the United States last year. Chrysler sold more vehicles here than Nissan and Hyundai combined in 2007 and so far this year.
The #1 and #2 top-selling vehicles in this country are from GM and Ford, and 5 of the top 10 are made by the Big 3.
There are over 40 car-producing companies globally…3 companies, Ford, GM and Chrysler, account for more than 50% of market share of the cars sold around the world. Somebody’s buying their vehicles.

Myth No. 2: Their cars are built poorly
Reality: The creaky, leaky vehicles of the 1980s and '90s are long gone. Consumer Reports recently found that "Ford's reliability is now on par with good Japanese automakers." The independent J.D. Power Initial Quality Study scored Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Ford, GMC, Mercury, Pontiac and Lincoln brands' overall quality as high as or higher than that of Acura, Audi, BMW, Honda, Nissan, Scion, Volkswagen and Volvo.
J.D. Power rated the Chevrolet Malibu the highest-quality midsize sedan. Both the Malibu and Ford Fusion scored better than the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry. The 2008 Chevy Silverado earned the highest ranking in the Large Truck category; the Dodge Dakota and Ford Ranger were #1 and 2 for Midsize Pickup initial quality.
The 2008 North American Car of the Year was the Chevy Malibu; in 2007, it was the Saturn Aura, and the Truck of the Year was the Chevy Silverado.

If you look at recalls in 2008, the worst auto companies (those with the most recalls as a percent of sales) in North America are 1. Hyundai, 2. Mitsubishi, 3. Volkswagen and 4. Nissan. The only domestic automaker to break the top 5 in recall rates is GM, which is essentially tied with Mercedes.

Have you driven any of their cars lately? The Cadillac CTS, the Chevy Malibu, the Ford Fusion, the Buick Enclave, the Dodge Grand Caravan, and so many others…incredible, innovative cars. These are not the Citations and Pintos of the early ‘80s.

Myth No. 3: They build gas-guzzlers
Reality: All of the Detroit Three build midsize sedans that the Environmental Protection Agency rates at 29-33 miles per gallon on the highway. The most fuel-efficient Chevrolet Malibu gets 33 m.p.g. on the highway, 2 m.p.g. better than the best Honda Accord. The most fuel-efficient Ford Focus has the same highway fuel economy ratings as the most efficient Toyota Corolla. The most fuel-efficient Chevrolet Cobalt has the same city fuel economy and better highway fuel economy than the most efficient non-hybrid Honda Civic.
And consider this: GM has 2 times as many models that get 30 mpg or better than its nearest competitor. GM also has 8 hybrids on the road today with a total of 20 planned by 2012. Its 2-Mode Chevy Tahoe full-size SUV was named Green Car of the Year in Los Angeles last November. And the new Ford Fusion Hybrid and Mercury Milan Hybrid beat the Toyota Camry Hybrid by 6 miles per gallon.

Myth No. 4: They already got a $25-billion bailout
Reality: None of that money has been lent out and may not be for more than a year. In addition, it can, by law, be used only to invest in future energy-efficient vehicles and technology, so it has no effect on the shortage of operating cash the companies face because of the economic slowdown that's killing them now.
An interesting point here – it’s reported that the Japanese government paid for the R&D for the Toyota Prius, a 10-year project that cost nearly $100 billion.

Myth No. 5: GM, Ford and Chrysler are idiots for investing in pickups and SUVs
Reality: The domestics' lineup has been truck-heavy, but Toyota, Nissan, Mercedes-Benz and BMW have spent billions of dollars on pickups and SUVs because trucks are a large and historically profitable part of the auto industry.
The most fuel-efficient full-size pickups from GM, Ford and Chrysler all have higher EPA fuel-economy ratings than Toyota and Nissan's full-size pickups.

Myth No. 6: Their workers are lazy and overpaid
Reality: Chrysler tied Toyota as the most productive automaker in North America this year, according to the Harbour Report on manufacturing, which measures the amount of work done per employee. Eight of the 10 most productive vehicle assembly plants in North America belong to Chrysler, Ford or GM. And GM has more plants today leading their respective segments in productivity tha n any other competitor, foreign or domestic.
Those opposed to the bridge loan often cite the $70-an-hour wage and benefit figure for UAW workers. This figure inaccurately adds benefits that millions of retirees get to the pay of current workers, but divides the total only by current employees. That's like assuming you get your parents' retirement and Social Security benefits in addition to your own income.
Hourly pay for assembly line workers maxes out at $28; benefits add about $14. New hires at the Detroit Three get $14 an hour. There's no pension or health care when they retire, but benefits raise their total hourly compensation to $29 while they're working. UAW wages are now comparable with Toyota workers, according to a Free Press analysis. Overall, labor makes up just 10% of the cost to produce a vehicle…’labor’ is not the real cause of the current state of the industry, the economy is.
Myth No. 7: The Big Three are dinosaurs and have done nothing to improve their bottom lines
Reality: Ford was profitable in the first quarter of 2008 before the economic crisis began. The company has been working for two years on improving its balance sheet through aggressive restructuring while accelerating the development of safe, fuel-efficient and high quality products.
GM has reduced structural costs in North America by $9 billion since 2005; eliminated raises and bonuses for executives and salaried employees; and aggressively addressed its manufacturing footprint, shifting from trucks and SUVs to smaller cars and crossovers.
Daimler-Benz bought Chrysler in the late 90s, stripped it down like an abandoned car, and spit it back out. Its new owner, Cerberus, is acting fast to improve its foundation; the economic downturn could not have come at a worse time for this company.
Myth No. 8: Letting them die won’t affect me
Reality: The auto industry provides $293 billion in annual economic benefit to this country. If the domestic automakers do not receive this loan to help them weather the economic downturn and credit crunch brought on by the financial markets, the manufacturing base of the U.S. is in jeopardy. The reason Toyota, Honda and others assemble some of their cars is because of the Big 3. If the Big 3 disappear, there will be little reason for the others to continue manufacturing here.
The auto industry is a complicated, far-reaching industry that impacts millions of jobs. For example, the automotive supplier industry, which would face a disastrous domino effect should the Big 3 fail, employs 4.5 million people in the U.S. alone. The supplier industry is the largest manufacturing employer in seven states (Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, South Carolina, Tennessee).
In the days following 9/1 1, the president went to the Big 3 and requested they do something to get the economy going. In addition to sending hundreds of vehicles and tens of millions of dollars to aid victims and the city, the companies quickly introduced its “Get America Moving” program with 0% financing and incentives on vehicles. The companies stepped up again to aid the victims of Hurricane Katrina. Go back to World War II when, again at the request of our government, the companies stopped producing cars to instead make tanks, armor, ammunition and supplies to support our troops. These actions were taken without hesitation, complaint or question, to support the country…the same one that now seems to take joy in stepping on them.
It is easily arguable that a domestic manufacturing base is essential to national security. Other governments seem to understand this notion. In Germany, the government agreed last month to $1.25 billion in loan guarantees to its auto industry. The French government has agreed to a $1.9 billion boost for its auto industry, the provision of a $1300 bonus to car buyers who trade in their old cars on a new, more fuel efficient one, and $400 million in state aid for R&D and restructuring costs. The Swedish gov ernment has agreed to provide over $3 billion in the form of credit guarantees, loans, and R&D investment to Volvo and Saab. And Australia recently announced $4.2 billion of taxpayer funds would be made available to make the Australian auto industry economically and environmentally sustainable by 2020. Industry minister Kim Carr noted that between 2001 and 2007 the auto industry received $2.5 billion in assistance under the automotive competitiveness and investment scheme and spent 10 times that amount on plants, equipment, research and development, wages, salaries and taxes.

The automakers are requesting a bridge loan, not a bailout as Wall Street has done. The companies need the loan – which they will pay back with interest as they have done before – because the U.S. credit freeze has essentially closed capital markets and squeezed their cash flow from operations that are being devastated by extremely low consumer demand across the industry. This freeze happened as the automakers are in the midst of huge restructuring costs, heavy pension and health care payments and massive-yet-crucial product and advanced technology investments so that today’s and tomorrow’s vehicles are even safer and more environmentally friendly.


If you’ve made it this far, thanks for listening, and please feel free to share this information. If there’s a side or point I’m not considering, please let me know – I welcome any thoughts and views you have on the issue. Now get out there and test drive some vehicles!

Season of Eating

But often taste your dishes
while you are boiling them. Do they want salt?
Add some: is any other seasoning needed?
Add it and taste again until you've rrived
at harmony of flavour, like a man
who tunes a lyre until it rightly sounds
Athenaeus

It's that time of year when cooking and baking become comforting homely pleasures, the house fills with aromas of much loved once a year treats, dietary restraints are set aside, it's time to EAT!

Friends from I.B.

soon

Greek Riots Continue to Spread

click on title
further protests at Greek embassies of Berlin and London.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7771860.stm

Riots in Greece: From the International Herald Tribune

Police shooting sparks riots in Greece
By Anthee Carassava
Published: December 7, 2008


ATHENS: Militant youth mounted fresh attacks against the police Sunday, marring at least two marches by demonstrators angered over the death of a teenager whose police shooting sent hundreds of extremists on a weekend rampage, destroying scores of shops, cars and businesses across the country.

The violence rattled Athens and Thessaloniki, the second-largest city in Greece, where black-clad youths hurled gasoline bombs, rocks and clubs at the police, sending hundreds of bystanders and peaceful protestors to a scramble.

In Athens, riot police officers retaliated, firing several rounds of tear gas that cloaked the Greek capital's azure blue skies with plumes of acrid grey smoke.

At least one apartment bloc was evacuated after masked youth torched a car dealership and the ensuing flames licked up to the balconies of residents, the private television state Alpha reported.

About 3,000 defiant protestors managed to peel away from the riots, continuing their march to the national police headquarters.
Today in Europe
Thieves get €85 million in jewelry from Paris boutique
Russian Orthodox Patriarch Aleksy II dies at age 79
Ministers dismissed in Georgia

The riots, triggered late Saturday when a small group of youths attacked a police car in central Athens, sparked a spree of violence that ripped through the country, leaving many cities shattered like war zones.

"We've never seen anything like this," said a senior police official who requested anonymity because of his involvement in the investigation. "The tension is so thick you can almost cut it with a knife."

The circumstances surrounding the fatal shooting remained unclear.

Still, a police statement issued in the early hours of Sunday said the shooting took place while two officers were targeted by some 30 youths - many of them hurling stones - while patrolling the central district of Exarchia, an unruly haven of leftist extremists.

Both officers left their car to confront the rioters, "firing three shots that resulted in the death of the minor," according to the statement.

Private Greek media and a Web site popular among leftist youths, www.indymedia.org, said the teenager had been shot in the chest and died while being transferred to a hospital.

Both officers - members of Greece's elite police corps - have been suspended and senior officials vowed "exemplary punishment" for anyone found responsible.

"It is inconceivable for there not to be punishment when a person, let alone a minor, loses their life," said Interior Minister Prokopis Pavlopoulos. "The loss of life," he said at a news conference Sunday, "is something that is inconceivable in a democracy."

The deadly shooting sparked widespread riots, with hundreds of militant youth storming the streets of Athens within hours of the incident, hurling firebombs, rocks and slabs of concrete at police officers who retaliated with tear gas.

Private television networks broke into scheduling programming, broadcasting violent shows of street fights, the worse in recent years.

Black-clad youth were seen smashing storefronts, targeting bank branches, torching dozens of garbage bins and cars lined along the meandering streets of Athens's main shopping district.

Similar protests rattled Thessaloniki and a string of other Greek cities, including Chania on the island of Crete.

No casualties were reported, but the overnight riots left Athens and other major cities strewn with shattered glass, burnt appliances and a stinging stench of tear gas.

At least six people were arrested for looting goods from the debris of destroyed department stores and boutiques.

The authorities in Athens braced for heated protests at scheduled demonstrations.

Pavlopoulos on Sunday called for restraint during those rallies. Earlier, he had tendered his resignation but it was not accepted by the prime minister.

"People have the right to protest and will do so, but while the pain and grief caused by the minor's death is understandable," he said, no outrage "can lead to the violence and destruction of private property that was witnessed."

revival

OK little blog, it is time to come back to life! You have been withering here, and I admit it, I have been avoiding you. But I have not stopped loving you and now I have returned. Together we can ward off the dark spirits of winter.

Name Days in December

December Greek Name Days

December 1 - Theoklitos
December 2 - Muropis
December 4 - Varvara
December 5 - Savvas
December 6 - Nikolaos, Nikos
December 7 - Amvrosios
December 9 - Anna, Agias Annis
December 12 - Spiridon, Spiros
December 13 - Eustratios, Loskias, Stratos, Stratis, Lukia
December 15 - Eleftherios, Lefteris, Eleutherios
December 17 - Daniel, Dionysios, Zakunthos, Diosnysos
December 18 - Sevastionos, Zois
December 19 - Aglais
December 20 - Ignatios
December 21 - Themistokleous, Ioulia
December 22 - Anastasias, Anastasia
December 24 - Eugenias, Evyenia
December 25 - Christmas Day - Kristos, , Manolis, Emmanouela
December 26 - Theotokos, Manolis, Manuella
December 27 - Stefanos, Stephania

If you are a magician...

buy this book!!!


(click on title for order form)

Yes, we can. Yes we did.

I am so happy and hopeful, I am crying tears of joy.

The day has come...

I am so excited...

Greek Name Days in November

November Greek Name Days

November 1 - Anarron, Kosma, Damianos, Anargiros, Argiris, Kosmas, Damianos
November 8 - Michalis, Angelos, Angela, Angeliki, Stamatis, Stamos
November 9 - Nektarios
November 11 - Minas, Viktoros
November 13 - Ioannos, Xrysostomos Greek Name Days in November
November 14 - Filippos, Philippos
November 16 - Mathaios
November 18 - Platonos
November 21 - Eisodia tis Theotokis, Maria
November 22 - Filimonos
November 25 - Merkourios, Aikaterini, Katerina
November 26 - Stulianos, Stelios, Stella, Stylianos
November 27 - Nathanail
November 30 - Andrea, Andreas

A Break From All of This: The Idea of the Writer

I have become so obsessed with this election, I can barely think of anything else. I endlessly surf the internet from blog to blog and the many youtube videos and comments and on and on well into the early hours. It will be a relief when this is finally over and President Obama readies himself to take the helm.But sometimes it becomes overwheming and downright stressful. Although most polls have Obama ahead by a good margin there remain those others like the AP poll and there remain some states, like FL, PA and MO that still need to push ahead before we can breathe a sigh of relief. I am beginning to get stomach cramps just thinking about the next week. So maybe it is time for a break. Something thoughtful and interesting. I am posting here the link to David Milch's"The Idea of the Writer" lecture series. Milch is a screenwriter and producer, he gave us what I believe are the best two series ever! "John From Cincinnati" and "Deadwood".
(Click on title)

Truth

Now seems like a good time to contemplate the notion of truth, so I am posting several quotes to ponder.

The great enemy of the truth is very often not the lie--deliberate, contrived, and dishonest--but the myth--persistent, persuasive, and unrealistic.
-John Fitzgerald Kennedy

During times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act.
-George Orwell

Truth indeed rather alleviates than hurts, and will always bear up against falsehood, as oil does above water.
-Miguel de Cervantes

You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you mad.
-Aldous Huxley

Seek not greatness, but seek truth and you will find both.
-Horace Mann

Respect for the truth comes close to being the basis for all morality.
-Frank Herbert

When I tell the truth, it is not for the sake of convincing those who do not know it, but for the sake of defending those that do.
-William Blake

To be persuasive, we must be believable; to be believable, we must be credible; to be credible, we must be truthful.
-Edward R. Murrow

All great truths begin as blasphemies.
-George Bernard Shaw

If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything.
-Mark Twain

A man can?t be always defending the truth; there must be a time for him to feed on it.
-C.S. Lewis

I tore myself away from the safe comfort of certainties through my love for the truth; and truth rewarded me.
-Simone de Beauvoir

The pure and simple truth is rarely pure and never simple.
-Oscar Wilde

If you shut up truth and bury it under the ground, it will but grow up, and gather to itself such explosive power that the day it bursts through it will blow up everything in its way.
-Emile Zola

We are hidden in ourselves, like a truth hidden in isolated facts. When we know that this One in us is One in all, then our truth is revealed.
-Rabindranath Tagore

I know that most men, including those at ease with problems of the greatest complexity, can seldom accept even the simplest and most obvious truth if it be such as would oblige them to admit the falsity conclusions which they have delighted in explaining to colleagues, which they have proudly taught to others, and which they have woven, thread by thread, into the fabric of their lives.
-Leo Tolstoy

Whenever, therefore, people are deceived and form opinions wide of the truth, it is clear that the error has slid into their minds through the medium of certain resemblances to that truth.
-Socrates

We do not err because truth is difficult to see. It is visible at a glance. We err because this is more comfortable.
-Alexandr Solzhenitsyn

The discovery of truth is prevented more effectively, not by the false appearance things present and which mislead into error, not directly by weakness of the reasoning powers, but by preconceived opinion, by prejudice.
-Arthur Schopenhauer

Finding the occasional straw of truth awash in a great ocean of confusion and bamboozle requires intelligence, vigilance, dedication and courage. But if we don't practice these tough habits of thought, we cannot hope to solve the truly serious problems that face us - and we risk becoming a nation of suckers, up for grabs by the next charlatan who comes along.
-Carl Sagan

Error, indeed, is never set forth in its naked deformity, lest, being thus exposed, it should at once be detected. But it is craftily decked out in an attractive dress, so as, by its outward form, to make it appear to the inexperienced?more true than the truth itself. One far superior to me has well said?, 'A clever imitation in glass casts contempt, as it were, on that precious jewel the emerald...' Lest, therefore, through my neglect, some should be carried off, even as sheep are by wolves, while they perceive not the true character of these men, because they outwardly are covered with sheep's clothing (against whom the Lord has enjoined us to be on our guard), and because their language resembles ours, while their sentiments are very different.
-Irenaeus of Lyons

It is error alone which needs the support of government. Truth can stand by itself.
-Thomas Jefferson

Are you Greek? How Can you Tell for Sure?

One more, sent from the Eagle:

ARE YOU A GREEK? HOW CAN YOU TELL FOR SURE?

1) If you have ever been hit by a 'PANTOFLA' or a 'KOUTALA'

2) If your Holidays include 5 meats and 50 relatives.

3) If others tell you to stop screaming when you are really just
talking.

4) If you light a candle to Panayia on the night before your big test.

5) If you use your chin to point something out.

6) If you have at least 2 relatives within walking distance'

7) If your mother yells at the top of her lungs to call you for dinner,
if it's a one bedroom apartment.

8) If you ever attended, graduated or dropped out of Greek School

9) If during Greek Easter you take off from work for religious reasons,
and attend the Epitafio at NIGHT.

10) If you become sick and anemic because you did not eat meat.

11) If whenever you feel under the weather, you compulsively dab on
> some 'Vick's vapor rub' all over your chest and inside your nostrils.

12) Your mom makes your bed every day even though you've just turned
thirty-two.

13) If you call all non Greeks 'XENI' even if you know their
nationality.

14) If at least 2 other cousins have the same name as you.

15) If you hated fakes, bamias, or fasoulakia as a kid , but started
enjoying them as you grew up.

Send this to all your Greek friends! You can also send this to
your non-Greek friends, but if you have to explain more than three
items, what's the point?

Camp

Camp
- by Skorda

Running from the law, the family, bad debt.
or maybe just running, chasing fortune
with dreams and picks they headed west
to the edge of the hills, Deadwood.
Whatever they had been, this is what they are now,
ragtag men with muck on their boots.
Just men, with strong backs and hopeful hearts
thrown together by chance,
the fateful cry of "gold!"
Perhaps this day will be the one
when luck will change and gods will smile ,
promises will be kept.
Or maybe this day will end
as have a thousand others
for these tired, dirty men,
caught in their breaking dreams.
One more night in the rough saloon
knocking back whiskey, numbing fear.
Camp women lean across the bar
smiling into the dirty darkness,
a promise of their own.
Here in this land of dreams
where everyone can make a buck
the lonely heart will pay.

One Big Union

ELECTION ALERT

Check it out here - apparently it is true.

http://www.snopes.com/politics/ballot/straightticket.asp

Subject: ELECTION ALERT: Pass it along, Avoid this vote counting trap

ELECTION ALERT: Straight Party Voting Trap. You may have read about
this; Here are the details and what to do about it:THE PROBLEM:
"Straight party voting" on voting machines is revealing a bad pattern of
miscounting and omitting your vote, especially if you are a Democrat.
Most recently (Oct. 2008), a firm called Automated Election Services was
found to have mis-coded the system in heavily Democratic Santa Fe
County, New Mexico such that straight party voters would not have the
presidential vote counted.STRAIGHT PARTY VOTING is allowed in 15 states.
Basically, it means that you can take a shortcut to actually looking at
who you are voting for and instead just select a party preference. Then
the voting machine makes your candidate choices, supposedly for the
party you requested.HOW TO PROTECT THE COUNT against Straight Party
Trap:1) NEVER CHOOSE THE STRAIGHT PARTY VOTE OPTION, because it alerts
the computer as to your party preference and allows software code to
trigger whatever function the programmer has designed.
2) SEND THIS INFORMATION OUT TO AS MANY PEOPLE AS YOU CAN, blog it, root n' toot it out there to get the word out.
3) ESPECIALLY GET THE WORD OUT TO PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING STATES, which
have straight party voting options:
Alabama, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, New Mexico, North Carolina,
Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, West
Virginia, Wisconsin
4) DEMAND COMPLETE AND CAREFUL TESTING OF THE STRAIGHT PARTY OPTION IN
LOGIC & ACCURACY TESTS.
5) LOOK FOR UNDERVOTES (high profile races with lower-than-average
number of votes cast) and flag them, post them, bring them to the
attention of others for additional scrutiny.Details, links to documents,
news stories, more specifics
here:http://www.bbvforums.org/forums/messages/1954/78367.htmlVoting
machine miscounts of straight party votes were proven by California
researcher Judy Alter in the 2004 New Mexico presidential election; in
Alabama Democrat straight party votes were caught going to a Republican,
and Wisconsin a whole slew of straight party votes disappeared
altogether.

Both DRE and optical scan machines are vulnerable. Private contractors
are involved; private firms like LHS Associates, Automated Election
Services, Harp Enterprises, Casto & Harris and others will program
almost all systems in the USA this November. ES&S scanners were involved
in examples cited, but Diebold has also issued a cryptic Product
Advisory Notice in 2006 about unexpected results from certain Straight
Party option programming practices. (More:
http://www.bbvforums.org/forums/messages/1954/78367.html )PERSPECTIVEThe
big "Oops" needs a new frame of reference. For example: You are counting
the cash for a fund raiser. Somehow, it's discovered that $500 didn't
make it into the count and someone put it in their pocket. They say
"Oops" and tell you it was a mistake. Really? Will you let them count
the cash again? Probably not. Consequences! Where are they for Automated
Election Services, ES&S, or Diebold?A LEHTOISM - From voting rights
attorney Paul Lehto: "Being at the mercy of whoever's in power is not a
definition of freedom, if I may seize on the power of understatement."*
* * * *

With Thanks to Andrew Sullivan at "The Daily Dish"

Name Days in October

Name Days for October
October 1 - Ananios, Pomanos, Melodos
October 2 - Kuprianos, Iosstiounis
October 3 - Dionisios, Dionisos
October 4 - Ierotheos
October 5 - Xaritinis
October 6 - Thomas
October 7 - Poluxronios
October 8 - Peladias
October 10 - Eulampios
October 15 - Loskianos
October 18 - Loska, Loskas
October 19 - Kleopatras
October 20 - Artemios, Gerasimos, Kefallinias, Yerasimos
October 21 - Sokratous, Sokrates, Sokratis
October 23 - Iakovos
October 24 - Sevatianis
October 26 - Dimitrios, Dimitris, Dimitria
October 27 - Nestoros
October 28 - Agias Skepis
October 30 - Xaritinis, Zinovios

Rare Bob Dylan Footage - The Times They Are A-Changin

This version of this incredible song- which has so often been the one that fits as we tumble through time and stumble into new realities- sounds like the song did when I first heard it many years ago, on a slightly scratchy vinyl LP that was played over and over and over again. All night long. I am finding the bare boned unenhanced Dylan soothing, just the thing for right now, comforting in its depth and familiarity. Know and remember that it is true, we can get through whatever comes our way. Change is part of the story, always.

homeland

Sometimes- times like now- when things are unsettled and divided all around or sometimes just when I see changes in the landscape, or turn to the wrong radio station or think about the war and the fact that Americans have become torturers, or hear the voice of just about anyone within the current administration, I can feel so damned alienated from this land of ours and it seems like it will never feel like home again. But then there are the little things, different for all of us I'm sure, for me it happens for me when by chance I hear certain songs- Simon and Garfunkle's "America", for one-or when I catch the scent of the Atlantic ocean on the fog, or go to a big city and watch all the different people going about their business and, then, unexpectedly, I will feel a rush of gratitude and good fortune for being here, in the U.S., a thankfulness for the past and for the future, for the possibilities and dreams that may be battered but not yet relinquished. There's something about this poem that kindles that feeling. Despite the conceit of its Eurocentric premise, the words are just so powerful and so beautiful that I think it speaks to everyone here on this soil, all of us whose lives are the stories that shape our land, a place not yet done becoming.

The Gift Outright
- Robert Frost

The land was ours before we were the land's.
She was our land more than a hundred years
Before we were her people. She was ours
In Massachusetts, in Virginia,
But we were England's, still colonials,
Possessing what we still were unpossessed by,
Possessed by what we now no more possessed.
Something we were withholding made us weak
Until we found out that it was ourselves
We were withholding from our land of living,
And forthwith found salvation in surrender.
Such as we were we gave ourselves outright
(The deed of gift was many deeds of war)
To the land vaguely realizing westward,
But still unstoried, artless, unenhanced,
Such as she was, such as she would become.

The Chimeras

The Chimeras
-W.H. Auden

Absence of heart- as in public buildings,
Absence of mind- as in public speeches,
Absence of words- as in goods intended for the public,

Are telltale signs that a chimera has just dined
On someone else; of him poor foolish fellow,
Not a scrap is left, not even his name.

Indescribable- being neither this nor that,
Uncountable- being any number,
Unreal- being anything but what they are,

And ugly customers for someone to encounter,
It is our fault entirely if we do;
They cannot touch us; it is we who will touch them.

Curious from wantonness- to see what they are like,
Cruel from fear- to put a stop to them,
Incredulous from conceit- to prove they cannot be,

We prod or kick or measure and are lost;
The stronger we are the sooner it is over;
It is our strength with which they gobble us up.

If someone, being chaste, brave, humble.
Get by them safely, he is still in danger,
With pity remembering what once they were,

Of turning back to help them. Don?t.
What they were once was what they would not be;
Not liking what they are not is what now they are.

No one can help them; walk on, keep on walking,
And do not let your goodness self-deceive you;
It is good that they are but not that they are thus.

Take Sarah Palin, Please!

Recently a friend asked why some Democratic women harbor such antipathy towards Sarah Palin. Is it that she is not Hillary? Is it something more?

My first thought in answering this was that I do not want Sarah Palin to lead our country because she is stupid. Crafty, yes, and shrewd, but lacking in breadth and depth, a small mind in her own small world, centered on things black, white, punitive and restricting. But such an answer is too crude and flip. I expanded my thoughts, and I am posting them here.

My feelings about Sarah Palin have nothing to do with Hillary, and everything to do with leadership.

Looking at John McCain these days, it seems apparent that his health is suffering from the stress of the campaign. I would not be at all surprised if he has undisclosed health problems that will surface within the next months or years. We must choose a vice president with the confidence that, if necessary, this person could make a seamless transition to President of the United States, the most difficult and challenging role imaginable.

I don’t want a leader who brings the role of world leader down to the level of a fourth grader, which is what, I am sorry to say, Sarah Palin does. I don’t want a “WallMart” politician whose strongest asset is relating to the average citizen. I am sorry if it sounds “elitist”, but what I want is a LEADER.

I want a leader whose wisdom and learning goes far beyond mine, someone who takes the time to learn about the world and the cultures of its people, someone who understands the nuances of diplomacy, someone who is solidly versed in the basics and complexities of economics. Someone with expansive open ended thinking who is comfortably familiar with the history of this country and the world, someone who will recognize the pitfalls of repeating disastrous patterns. Someone who has taken the time to study policy and can trace the roots of current political processes and policies to the great thinkers who laid the foundations of our country Someone who truly understands the responsibilities that come with leadership.

I want someone who can think on his or her feet, pulling in knowledge from sources and books that I don’t even know exist. Someone who truly values education, and will support our students and our schools, someone who measures educational progress through more equitable and meaningful criteria than improved standardized test scores. I want a leader who is a statesman, a scholar, a diplomat a negotiator. I want someone who values life in the broadest sense, not just the fetal sense. I want a leader who will work with others to devise an affordable health care system that will be available to every American. Someone who will strive towards the impossible goal of helping the citizens of this country reach their full potential. Someone who sees the dangerous road we are on where wealth, resources, and ultimately power,accumulate in the hands of the chosen few.

I want someone who has worked hard to achieve a leadership position through years of both formal education and hands-on experience. I want someone who has sacrificed for knowledge, a person whose vision is not limited by self interest and reaches beyond the United States to every corner of the world. Someone who knows the geography of the world, can mentally position where countries are in the world, knows the names and positions of world leaders and where they stand in relation to one another. I want someone has made the effort to learn about diverse systems of government, someone who can let go of the notion of American isolationism and be willing to learn from, and work with, other people and other countries to explore new ways of solving problems. I want someone believes government is by the people, for the people and of the people, and that that is something good and valuable, not to be disparaged or demeaned.

So that’s my ideal. Obviously not Sarah Palin. Not even close. I do not want her speaking for me.

Mario Frangoulis in Concert‏

Message from the Greek Institute:

Mario Frangoulis in Concert

October 30, 2008
Cutler Majestic Theatre at Emerson College
219 Tremont St. Boston, MA 02116

Tickets: 1-800/233-3123
or visit Telecharge.com

Theatre website:
www.maj.org

Bebe

I met Bebe two years ago. He was not young, and his life had been difficult and abusive. My sister heard about him through Maltese rescue and, as she already had two dogs , she was hesitant to commit to a third and decided to foster him until he could find a loving home. Of course, that decision went by the wayside once she met him and fell in love. He was not in good health, his body was covered with sores and benign tumors, he had been kicked so much his spleen was enlarged and he had liver damage. When I met him he had just been released from the vet’s and was shaved and stitched and looking like Franken pup. I set him on my lap and we drove that way all the way to southern Florida. I bonded with him in a way that I had not with my sister’s other small white dogs, even though he bit me hard when I inadvertently touched his sore body. It hurt like hell, but I forgave him. I understood this scrappy dog, Bebe had soul. He was just so damned grateful for every crumb of attention, every act of kindness. In his previous life (as Hank) Bebe had been taught to perform, he could walk on his hind legs, twirl around and dance, he was very skilled at this, and seemed to enjoy it. This is how I will remember him, dancing for cheese.

bonnie prince billy

I find I just keep wanting to hear this song!

Horses
- Will Oldham
-Bonnie "Prince" Billy

I'd be riding horses if they let me
sleep outside at night and not take fright
I would ride the range and never worry
I would disappear into the night

Everybody needs an angel
but here's that devil by my side
Deaths head ring upon his finger
poor boy hanging on the light

They'll be drawing straws inside the courtroom
as the sudden twilight turns to black
torches burn into the sad eyes
on the wrong side of the track
make those horses jump through hoops of flames
they won't kick and they won't scream
let the good lord do the driving
while the poor boy sinks in the stream

I can smell the campfires burning
but I'll go out walking on my own
by day and night the world keeps turning
frightened people hiding in their homes

yikes!

*

I have been mopey , empty, sadly misty gray as if I am this day, without even a peek of sunshine ,watching the wind blow the leaves from the trees , all about endings, that unfocused dread, and I found myself staring into the cupboard trying to decide if I had the energy to pop corn or whether I would just plunge a spoon into the peanut butter jar- but then I had a simple thought: September is not December. The heat may not be as intense, the flowers as prolific or the colors as varied, but there is still time. So I ran out of the house, took a long walk and -Oy! What did I do? I went to the gym and made a commitment to exercise. And now I must change the mental tape to the one that says I think I can, I think I can.

Religious Literacy (or not)

A few months back, a friend recommended Stephen Prothero's book, Religious Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know-and Doesn't.

The book is based on the premise that American people, while professing great religiosity, are actually incredibly ignorant of the foundations and teachings of all religions, including Christianity. Prothero argues that such ignorance has a high social cost. He makes a case for "religious education", not in the sense of dogma or indoctrination, but as a tool for understanding the teachings, symbols and "scripts" that underlay various religious beliefs and may motivate people to action. It's a good book-somewhat heavy on the Judeo Christian, and lacking in other traditions, but well worth reading. If you are interested in learning more, click the title of this post to visit the author's website

Anyhow, there is a section in the book that gives examples of our ignorance and commonly held misconceptionsand I thought I would lighten up this afternoon by posting a few of Prothero's findings.

(figures are from what Prothero calls "scientific survey" and are footnoted, but I am not going to include sources here)

10% of Americans believe that Joan of Arc was Noah's wife.

Only 10% of American teenagers can name all five major world religions and 15% cannot name any.

Nearly two thirds of Americans believe that the Bible holds the answer to all or most of life's basic questions, yet only half of
American adults can name even one of the four Gospels and most Americans cannot name the first book of the Bible.

8% of teenager responding to a Gallup poll believed that Moses was one of the 12 apostles

When asked whether the Bible locates Jesus' birthplace as Jerusalem (it does not), 60% of evangelical Protestants and 51% of Jews answered yes.

In 1982, while the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit was debating whether the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (Hare Krishnas) was a religion, they said that the Bhagavad Gita (a Hindu scripture) is ?as important in the Buddhist religions (sic) as the Bible is to Christians and Jews?.

Most Americans have difficulty distinguishing between Hinduism and Buddhism and only a tiny minority can name a single scripture from any Asian religion.

He also includes "unscientific" bloopers of the sort that circulate among teachers. Apocryphal, but funny, (in a somewhat sad way).

The epistles were the wives of the apostles.

Jesus enunciated the Golden Rule, which says do one to others before they do one to you. He also explained: Man does not live by sweat alone.

Moses led the Jews to the Red Sea where they made unleavened bread, which is bread without any ingredients.

The Egyptians were all drowned in the desert. Afterwards, Moses went up Mount Cyanide to get the Ten Commandments.

Moses died before he ever reached Canada. Then Joshua led the Hebrews in the Battle of Geritol.

St. Paul cavorted to Christianity. He preached holy acrimony, which is another name for marriage.

Name Days for September

September 1 - Simeon
September 3 - Anthimos
September 4 - Moisi, Ermionis
September 5 - Zaxarios, Zacharias
September 8 - Gennisi tis Theotokos
September 9 - Ioakeim & Annis
September 11 - Evathia (Eve)
September 13 - Kornilios, Aristeidos, Kornilia
September 14 - Ypsosi tos Timios Stauros, Stavros (Steven)
September 15 - Nikita
September 16 - Eyfimias
September 17 - Sofias, Pisteos, Agapis, Elpidas, Sofia, Agapi, Elpida
September 18 - Eumenios, Ariadnis (Ariadne)
September 20 - Eustathios, Stathis
September 22 - Fokas
September 23 - Sullipsi Prodromos
September 24 - Theklas, Thekla
September 25 - Eyfrosinis
September 26 - Metastasi Ioannos Euaggelistos
September 27 - Kallistratos
September 29 - Kuriakos, Kiriakos

Poseidonians

The Poseidonians
- by Constantine Cavafy

The Poseidonians forgot the Greek language
after so many centuries of mingling
with Tyrrhenians, Latins, and other foreigners.
The only thing surviving from their ancestors
was a Greek festival, with beautiful rites,
with lyres and flutes, contests and wreaths.
And it was their habit toward the festival's end
to tell each other about their ancient customs
and once again to speak Greek names
that only few of them still recognized.
And so their festival always had a melancholy ending
because they remembered that they too were Greeks,
they too once upon a time were citizens of Magna Graecia;
and how low they'd fallen now, what they'd become,
living and speaking like barbarians,
cut off so disastrously from the Greek way of life.

DeWolf Tavern

Oyster Monday

This is my favorite home away from home.Every Monday night, the DeWolf Tavern offers oysters at the bar for $1.00 each. I usually eat a dozen, along with a shaken Hangar One keffir lime vodka.Their oysters are always fresh, and they usually have at least three varieties available, sometimes more. About a year ago they decided to keep the focus on east coast varieties, which was fine with me, for I have always preferred the briny crispness of Atlantic oysters to the mud and grassy undertones of the west coast! But wait! I will tell you about DeWolf Tavern now, and then create a new post to
wax poetic over my beloved oysters.

If you find yourself in Rhode Island, it is worth visiting the town of Bristol, and most definitely worth stopping in at the DeWolf Tavern for lunch or dinner. Built in 1818, used the building was a warehouse used by the DeWolf brothers as they shipped goods and humans for "triangle trade". years ago, when I first came to Rhode Island, the building was a hardware store. In the very back of the store's warehouse area it was possible to see the remains of what had been a holding area for humans. A very sad and despicable history, yes, but a part of our American history that must be acknowledged. The DeWolf Tavern does not hide the building's past, but neither does it exploit it. During renovations, 19th century graffiti were discovered etched onto the stonewalls of the building. These have been preserved and can be seen in the lobby and in the upstairs restaurant.

The drinks are somewhat expensive, and so are some of the emtrees' but they offer a variety of small plates, and from Monday through Thursday there is a $19.95 Prix Fixe 3-Course Dinner that includes a glass of beer or house wine. Most definitely a bargain. Taki and Thierry usually get the dinner, sweet fresh oysters are enough for me. But I usually get to taste a bit of everything and everything at this establishment is superb! (and no, I have no connection to them nor am I paid to say this!!!. Their homemade sorbets and ice creams are out of this world! I adore the blood orange sorbet, and that is the only one I cannot resist. I am not compelled to eat ice cream but some of the flavors are rather interesting- cardamom lavendar, fig port, even bacon toffee!
(I've linked the title of this post to their website, so you can see the menu!)

From the Greek Institute, Cambridge, MA

We're sending a note to remind you about the Mario Frangoulis concert on October 30, and to alert you to the discount available until September 6. We very much look forward to this concert and hope you will join us!

The Cutler Majestic Theatre is quite beautiful, as you know, and we have a wonderful conductor in Steven Karidoyanes. We've also invited well known Boston lyric soprano, Kristen Watson, to sing several duets with Mario. The program will include songs from his latest CD - Passione, songs from his Greek repertoire and others.

See you on the 30th!


Friends of Mario Save $5

Offer ends September 6

Click Here www.maj.org for Tickets
Or call Telecharge at 1-800-233-3123
Or in person at the Ticket Office
Mention Discount Code M5FRIEND
219 Tremont Street
Mon-Fri 10am-6pm

Never Again

see more pwn and owned pictures

Vote November 4!

Wisdom of a Hopi Elder

Wisdom of a Hopi Elder

Keynote Speaker the Rev. Tony Robinson read this story as part of his presentation to the fall 2005 Annual Meeting of the Connecticut Conference.

"You have been telling people that this is the Eleventh Hour, now you must go back and tell the people that this is the Hour. And there are things to be considered…

Where are you living?
What are you doing?
What are your relationships?
Are you in right relation?
Where is your water?
Know your garden.
It is time to speak your Truth.
Create your community.
Be good to each other.
And do not look outside yourself for the leader.

Then he clasped his hands together, smiled, and said, "This could be a good time! There is a river flowing now very fast. It is so great and swift that there are those who will be afraid. They will try to hold on to the shore. They will feel they are torn apart and will suffer greatly. Know the river has its destination. The elders say we must let go of the shore, push off into the middle of the river, keep our eyes open, and our heads above water.

And I say, see who is in there with you and celebrate. At this time in history, we are to take nothing personally. Least of all ourselves. For the moment that we do, our spiritual growth and journey comes to a halt. The time for the lone wolf is over. Gather yourselves! Banish the word struggle from your attitude and your vocabulary. All that we do now must be done in a sacred manner and in celebration. We are the ones we've been waiting for."

(Oraibe, Arizona; Hopi Nation)

Big Sur Bakery and Restaurant: a Favorite Place

Click on title for more info and menu!
Recipe published in The New York Times:
Big Sur Bakery Brown Butter Peach Bars

For the jam:

1 cup sugar

Zest and juice of 2 oranges

½ vanilla bean, halved and seeds scraped

4 cups ½ inch diced, peel-on, peaches (about 2 pounds whole)

For the crust:

1 cup unsalted butter

½ cup confectioner's sugar, sifted

1 ½ cups flour

For the filling:

3 large eggs

1 cup sugar

Zest of 2 oranges

¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons flour

½ vanilla bean, halved and seeds scraped

10 tablespoons unsalted butter.

1. Make the jam: in a 3 quart pot and using a wooden spoon, mix together the sugar, orange zest and juice, and vanilla bean and seeds. Place a candy thermometer in the pot and set over medium heat. Bring to a boil and cook for a few minutes, until it reaches 220 degrees. Add the peaches and boil, stirring occasionally, until the peaches turn into a thick jam and the thermometer returns to 220 degrees, 35 to 45 minutes. Wear long oven mitts as the jam can splatter. (When the jam begins to stick to the bottom of the pan, it's nearly there). Transfer the jam to a wide pan to cool. Remove the vanilla bean.

2. Prepare the crust by melting the butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Cook until the white milk solids start to brown and smell nutty, 5 to 10 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve set over a heatproof container. Freeze until solid.

3. In a large bowl, mix together the confectioner's sugar and flour. Scoop the chilled brown butter into the flour mixture and, using a pastry cutter, blend until crumbly. Transfer the crumb mixture to a 9-by-13-inch baking pan and firmly pat it evenly across the bottom of the pan. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, adjust the oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Bake the crust until golden, 18 to 20 minutes. Let cool.

4. Make the filling: whisk together the eggs, sugar, zest and flour in a large bowl. Place the vanilla bean and seeds and the butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook until the white milk solids start to brown and smell nutty, and then strain through a fine sieve. Carefully add the brown butter to the egg and flour mixture, whisking until the butter is incorporated. Remove the vanilla bean.

5. To assemble the bars, spread half of the filling over the baked crust. Spoon large dollops of the peach jam over the filling, reserving a quarter of the jam. Pour the remaining brown butter filling over the peach jam, and finish by spooning smaller dollops of the reserved jam over the top. Bake until the filling is golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool completely. Makes 24 bars. All recipes adapted from Big Sur Bakery in Big Sur, Calif.

Big Sur Coast

This is where I have been for the past few weeks. My three children and their friends have the great good fortune to make their homes in Big Sur. It is such very beautiful place, with its own very special energy. A part of my heart has a new home now. Click on title to see!

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Friday, August 1, 2008

Name Days in August

AUGUST

August 6 - Sotiris, Sotiria
August 7 - Asterios, Asteria
August 15 - Assumption Day - Koimisis tis Theotokos, Maria, Despina, Thespina, Marios
August 24 - Kosma tos Aitolos
August 26 - Andrianos & Natalias, Adrianos, Nathalia, Natalia (Adrian)
August 27 - Fanourios, Fanouria
August 30 - Alexandros, Alexandra
(Alexandra, Sandra, Sander, Alexander)

Favorite Places: Amfiliki

Amfiliki is a traditional restaurant located directly across from the Health Center, right by the playground and Aghias Triada. It overlooks Megali Ammos. Why is it a favorite place? Not just for the view. The food is very, very good. They use only local produce, something that unfortunately is becoming unusual, and the waiters are not rushed as they are in so many other places. This is a place with traditional Greek hospitality. They also have guest rooms, many with sea view.

Ah, modernity!

Too poor, sick for Greek pilgrimage? Email a prayer!
(Unfortunately, the link function is not working. Copy and paste)

http://www.reuters.com/article/internetNews/idUSL2298010120080722

Nothing Helps

I try to forget how much I want to be in Greece, but I cannot. It hurts me to come to this blog. I'm sorry.

Favorite Places: Tsougria

I will not get to Greece this year. It is breaking my heart, but it is true. When my mind must escape, this is where I go. Tsougria, a small island, is in the Aegean, just a short boat trip from Skiathos. At one time the people of Skiathos brought their olives here to be pressed. The press and outbuildings remain, but are in disrepair, crumbling. The island is now uninhabited, but boaters and tourists come for the day to swim at the beaches. The water is clear and it is the bluest of blues. A small monastery remains on the island, it is beautifully tended. Throughout the years many rich and powerful people have tried to buy this island, and they are still trying. In the seventies, the Beatles fell in love with the island. It is said that the song "Strawberry Fields" was written there. They tried to purchase the island. Fortunately, they did not succeed. Skeptics say that it is a matter of time before it is developed and turned into a money making property. I hope that never happens. There is one small operating taverna, open only during daylight hours. They serve excellent food, but, if you are lucky, they will also cook seafood that you have harvested yourself. From the shores it is not difficult to gather sea urchins. Perhaps even an octopus. I have been there with others that have brought in several small fish. What a treat that is! Fresh fishand other seafood, good Greek salad, a little ouzo, some ice cold beer, and for dessert some ripe fruit- watermelon, green melon, peaches, maybe some grapes. Heaven on Earth!

Brett Dennen - Ain't No Reason (Official Single Video)

I love this guy. I really do. My daughter brought me the DVD last year, at first I was so taken my his voice and then I listened. Really listened. He is good. Damned good

Evil Eye Manicure

Name Days for July

Greek Name Days for July

July 1 - Kosma & Damianos
July 3 - Yakinthos
July 7 - Kuriakis, Kiriaki
July 8 - Theofilos, Prokopios
July 9 - Pagratios
July 11 - Eufimias, Olgas
July 12 - Veronikis
July 14 - Nikodimos
July 16 - Athinogenoss
July 17 - Marinas, Marina
July 18 - Aimilianos
July 20 - Profiti Elia, Ilias
July 22 - Marias Magdalinis, Magdalini, Magda, Magdalena, Lena
July 26 - Parakseuis
July 27 - Panteleimonos, Pantelis
July 29 - Kallinikos
July 31 - Iosif Arimatheias, Iosif, Sifi

Appliance Alliance

I have been having a difficult time with my teeth this year. Years of bruxism, together with some less than top quality dental care performed overseas in a small village, have taken their toll, leaving me with no choice but to enter into a long term committed relationship with my dentist. The grinding has cracked roots and done untold damage, my jaw muscles are so highly developed I could be a circus performer flying through the air with a bit in my mouth. Truly. So this last time, after the consult when he told me how much it would cost and how long it would take to put my mouth in order, he closed the deal with the promise of a new night guard. I was not impressed. ?But wait?, he said. ?This one will not be like the others, trust me?. So I did. And, from the very first night, for the first time in years, I could finally sleep through the night.
And I woke up with this love song in my head...

Appliance Alliance: Love Song to My New Night Guard
-by Skorda

I never wanted the likes of you
one more worry, the care

the maintenance needed
to make it work beyond a day or two.
Always the possibility of loss,
the guilty pain that follows.
I never thought I needed you,
until, lying in my bed,
with you inside me
I knew at last
how great my need had been.

O!
Night guard
night guard night guard
brand new night guard
Yes!

There were others before you,
many,
and each I welcomed,
to save me from myself,
unknowing
of the damage I could cause.
And every one I loved, for their time.
The newness of each a promise,
a perfect fit, alas, short lived.
Some caused pain,
others, so smooth in the beginning,
revealed their sharper edges,
or began to irritate
until I would dread the thought of night.
I must admit I have broken a few,
or cast them out before the light of day
they were not made like you, so strong,
yet soft where I need you to be, up against me.

I think of you when you are not with me
times when I need you
today, in traffic
stopped thirty minutes
my hands clenching the wheel,
I missed you so
had you been there on the seat beside me,
I would have leaned down low,
where no one could see
and taken you in my mouth
in broad daylight.

O!
Night guard
night guard night guard
brand new night guard
Yes!

Sometimes the need is greater than want
I can say this now
thinking how night after night
grinding only against my own self
I was wearing down,
becoming old before my time
and not knowing how simple
the answer can be.
But this morning I knew.
I woke up refreshed and renewed
You had stayed all night
hard in my mouth, but comforting
and I loved the way that felt
having you to protect me
and I knew that I would keep you
here, to be mine.

O!
Night guard
night guard night guard
brand new night guard
Yes!

©Skorda 2008

Family Dinner (a true story)

Family Dinner
(a true story)

My sister is older
(I'm sure that I'm bolder)
She's certain she's wiser
(sometimes I despise her)
She now owns the house that at one time was mine
She's made it all fancy, now she thinks it?s fine
My acre of garden's been left to go fallow
she says she's been busy
(I think that she's shallow)
it seems that whatever it is I might say
She looks and me, nods,
then says "what does THAT pay"?
Should I acquiesce just because she is rich?
(when inside I'm thinking (My God, what a bitch!?)
But then we start talking of all that we share
I can hear in her voice that she really does care
We speak of our mother, we?re thankful she?s well,
we love her, although she still makes our lives hell.
I'm not always quiet, and is that so bad?
(depends I suppose, on how much wine I?ve had)
I opened my mouth during dinner to say,
Daddy, did you never know that your brother was gay??
My sister looked over, her face filled dread
I didn't back down from the words that I'd said.
My father said No, though I knew he was other
I thought he just liked to take care of our mother
My sister stood up, looked right at him and said
But Daddy the two of us know that its true.
Everyone knew it, except maybe you.
Then I made it clear if he votes for McCain,
It will be a mistake causing everyone pain
I went then to open just one more champagne.
We are all a bit tipsy,
(I try not to show it)
Taki's feeling better, and playing the poet.
We're all laughing now, cause he really is funny
we've moved past resentment, the shocks and the money.
my sister gets up then and brings back a sweet
my childhood favorite, I so loved so to eat
I think no one knows me as she knew me then.
But then we get fighting all over again.
Oh, not really fighting, it's just how we act
like children again, perhaps not exact
in the roles that we once played, but still it is plain
in sisters grown up, childhood still remains.
And so when it came to the end of the night
we saw that we really did not want to fight.
I looked and I saw her, my only sister
then I got up, went over and kissed her.

Nikos Gkatsos, "Dark Mother"

translation by Marios Dikaiakos

"Dark Mother"

I brought you up with soil and water
a young swallow to be and yet a wild creature,
to have you as my alphabet-book in the times
and as my unfading nightlight in memory.

But you, looking for the source of dreams
near the Virgin Mary,
developed wings, refused the land
our dark, our first mother.

Favorite Places: le Bistrot

This is where I want to be on this lovely Saturday night in June. The Bistrot, is often our last stop of the evening-or should I say morning- high on the hill overlooking the old harbor. Although we had passed by the Bistrot every summer evening for years, we had favorite and regular places to go, and had never ventured in. We met the owner, Marco, in the festivities following Greece's victory in the EuroCup in 2004. He invited us to come join him for a drink one evening, and a few nights later we took him up on his offer. We have been regular, loyal customers ever since. It is where we often take guests for dinner, the food is among the finest on the island, and from the balcony there is an amazing view looking out over the harbor. Go for dinner, or go for a drink, it is a great place!

Rembetiko (English Subtitles) exiled derbederis

Athens Pride

From Athens News:

On June 7, gays and lesbians from around the country and across Europe will gather at downtown Klafthmonos Square to participate in the fourth annual Athens Pride Festival. Participants will parade through the city's historic centre and outside the parliament building. For more information email contact@athenspride.eu

Greek Kids

Greek Kids vs American Kids

Here is a post that arrived today via the Eagle:

American kids: Move out when they're 18 with the full support of their parents.
Greek kids: Move out when they're 28, having saved enough money for a house, and are two weeks away from getting married....unless there's room in the basement for the newlyweds.

American kids: When their Mom visits them, she brings a Bundt cake, and you sip coffee and chat.

Greek kids: When their Mom visits them, she brings 3 days worth of food, begins to tidy up, dust, do the laundry, and rearrange the furniture.

American kids: Their dads always call before they come over to visit them, and it's usually only on special occasions.
Greek kids: Are not at all fazed when their dads show up, unannounced, on a Saturday morning at 8:00, and starts pruning the fruit trees. If there are no fruit trees, he'll plant some.
American kids: Always pay retail, and look in the Yellow Pages when they need to have something done.
Greek kids: Call their dad or uncle, and ask for another dad's or uncle's phone number to get it done...cash deal. Know what I mean??

American kids: Will come over for cake and coffee, and get only cake and coffee. No more.
Greek kids: Will come over for cake and coffee, and get olives, feta cheese, homemade wine, pilafi , Kalesonia Choice of two meats, salad, bread, a baklava, fruit, little coffee, and a few after dinner drinks.
American kids: Will greet you with "Hello" or "Hi".
Greek kids: Will give you a big hug, a kiss on your cheek, and a pat on your back.

American kids: Call your parents Mr. and Mrs.
Greek kids: Call your parents Mom and Dad.
American kids: Have never seen you cry.
Greek kids: Cry with you.

American kids: Borrow your stuff for a few days and then return it.
Greek kids: Keep your stuff so long, they forget it's yours.

American kids: Will eat at your dinner table and leave.
Greek kids: Will spend hours there, talking, laughing, and just being together.

American kids: Know few things about you.
Greek kids: Could write a book with direct quotes from you.

American kids: Eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on soft mushy white bread.
Greek kids: Eat Moussaka or crusty bread dripping with olive oil.
American kids: Will leave you behind if that's what the crowd is doing.
Greek kids: Will kick the whole crowds' butt who left you behind.
American kids: Are for a while.
Greek kids: Are for life.

American kids: Think that being Greek is cool.
Greek kids: Know that being Greek is cool.

American kids: Will ignore this.
Greek kids: Will forward it

another favorite place

The Admiral Benbow
It may seem rather strange that in my longing for Greece I find my thoughts returning to a British Rock n Roll Bar. Maybe because it is Saturday today, and that is where I would like to be tonight. The Admiral Benbow does not have a water view, there is no live music, but the owners are always friendly and the place draws a great crows. I miss it!
If you find yourself in Skiathos, wander over to Polytechniou St. (some people call it Bar Street), and have fun!

Greek Name Days for June

June 2 - Nikiforos
June 4 - Marthas & Marias, Martha
June 5 - Dorotheos (Dorothea, Dorothy)
June 7 - Sevastianis (Sebastian)
June 8 - Kalliopis
June 11 - Vartholomaios / Varnava
June 22 - Zinonos
June 29 - Petros & Paulos, Petros, Pavlos (Peter, Paul)
June 30 - Sunaksi ton 12 Apostolon, Apostolis, Apostolos

2,400 pounds of bird seed for 'John From Cincinnati'

Once again, HBO is airing that wonderfully innovative and uplifting series, "John From Cincinnati".

Set in the decidedly less than elegant border town of Imperial Beach,California,the series examines the lives and circumstances of a multi-generational surfing dynasty,the Yost family,along with a widely diverse assortment of friends and characters. At the core of the series is a mysterious stranger- John Monad- who arrives on the beach one day, to deliver the message that, "Mitch Yost should get back in the game". John, seemingly incapable of uttering an original thought, sets in place a string of mystifying events that challenge the nature of reality, border on the miraculous and forever change the lives of those around him.
Created by David Milch (Deadwood), the writing and dialog in this series are absolutely brilliant. The plot line is fluid, not always easy to follow and open for multiple interpretations. There is no one definitive answer to the question of John's identity or the meaning of his message, and that is the beauty of the series.
If you do not have the opportunity to watch John From Cincinnati on HBO, you may purchase the entire first season for just $27.99 at Amazon.com. The price includes shipping making it a true bargain!! Watch it!! And then let me know what you think!

The video above this text was created through the efforts of dedicated "John From Cincinnati" fans. Many individuals contributed to this project and the purchase of seed, but the three known as SaveJFC, Chatangel and Raymcd19 are the ones that must be sincerely thanked for organizing, implementing and filming the JFC Birdseed Campaign.

Let's Make Spanakopita!

If you are going to go through the trouble and time to make this delicious dish, why not MAKE LOTS!! Spanakopita freezes beautifully. If you prefer, you may choose to make one large pie, using a rectangular pan. I am going to give instructions for making small, triangular pitas, as I find these just the perfect portion to serve for party appetizers, light lunch or an afternoon snack. If you freeze them on a cookie sheet you can then transfer them to plastic bags and keep them in the freezer for an easy
I am NOT making homemade phyllo! Maybe some other time!
This is a flexible recipe, use ingredients that suit your own taste!

Ingredients:
-Spinach- 2 pounds fresh or 2 packages frozen chopped
-Scallions about 10, finely chopped
(you may use 2 finely chopped onions)
- Feta Cheese, 1- 1 1/2lb.
(you may supplement the feta with pot cheese, cottage cheese, or even ricotta if you wish)
-Garlic- 2 or 3 cloves, minced (I like garlic, but you may omit)
-Dill, one bunch, chopped chopped if you wish, or to taste.
- Parsley, flat leaf.One bunch chopped.
-Eggs, 4 or 5, beaten (sometimes I use only 3 and it still comes out great)
-Butter- at least 2 sticks! Melted.
-Olive oil-at least 1 cup, depends on whether you use all butter or a mixture of butter and olive oil between the layers of phyllo!
- Bread crumbs, 1/4 cup, optional (I usually do not add these)

Procedure:
-Lightly steam spinach if using fresh. Cut off any tough stems, chop, then squeeze out all moisture. If using frozen, defrost and squeeze dry.
- Mix with scallions, herbs, garlic, eggs and crumbled feta (and other cheese if using
-Add a glug of olive oil to mixture and stir it all together.
Lay out one leaf of phyllo and brush with melted butter or a combination of butter and olive oil. Repeat. You may use either two or three layers, depending on how flaky you like your pastry. (If you are NOT making triangular pitas you will want to use 5 or 6 layers of phyllo).
- Cut the phyllo lengthwise into strips about 2 inches wide. Cover all but one strip with a slightly damp cloth so that it stays moist.
-Drop about 2 T spinach mixture onto the phyllo strip and then begin folding, as you would fold up a flag. Make a triangle then fold, fold, fold until you have a little triangilar bundle.
Brush with butter or butter oil mixture.
Place on cookie sheet and cover with clean, damp cloth while you continue making pastries.
Bake in 350 degree oven. Check after 15 minutes, they may take another 5 or ten miutes to bcome golden brown. If you are going to be freezing these you will want to remove them from the oven while they are slightly underdone , so they will not overcook when you reheat them! Cool and enjoy!

Cats

Reading the Bukowski poem got me thinking about all the cats and kittens I have known and loved. When I was a kid I always had an orange tabby cat named Pierre. Pierre the original, and after he met his unfortunate and bitterly mourned demise, Pierre II. My sister, five years older than I, was given a wire haired terrier named Cindy while I was still really young. I know she felt very privileged by that, as if a cat were a kind of booby prize pet. I never saw it that way.

Almost all of my childhood memories take place outdoors, I can barely remember doing anything of consequence inside the house. And when we were in the backyard, my sister would spend some time playing with her dog. Every once in awhile she would let me play with Cindy, and I admit it was fun to throw a ball and have the dog bring it back, or to dress up the dog in funny clothes. But most of the time the dog just sat there, or barked, or slept or chewed on one toy or another.

My cat, on the other hand, was always going off to do something interesting. We had a big garden and he would prowl through the cornstalks proudly, a princely predator surveying his domain. Occasionally he would bring a mouse, mole or (sadly) a rabbit or bird and leave it by the back door as if offering to share the bounty of his prowess. Both Pierres were manly cats, but still they loved to cuddle, and if you showed affection they would show it right back, purring with delight and making little mushing motions with their paws. I thought the Pierres were so very cool, I loved them each of them for their catly selves.

But, truth be told, it is my last cat, the six-toed Elmo, that was most like Bukowski’s. Elmo, a stray, probably dumped into the woods next to what used to be my house, yowled at my door for several days before I broke down and took him in. He was in such bad shape-one ear half gone, one eye destroyed, a huge oozing growth on his side- he needed several months of medical treatment before he was well enough to be neutered. But that brave cat wasn’t afraid of anything- fox, big dog, the road. He lived a long, adventure filled life. I think he knew how fortunate he was to have a loving home, but he could not resist the allure of the big wide world. He would disappear for days-sometimes weeks- but then return as if he had just stepped out to sun himself on the patio and -hey! where's dinner? When I moved, and my father moved into what had been my house, I did not have the heart to bring Elmo into town. He was a rover, and would either whither in confinement or meet an early death on the streets of the town. So he stayed on the land he had made his own. My Dad, a longtime dog man, fell in love with that scrappy tabby. As he grew older, Elmo learned to sleep on a human bed. I'm sure it was not a difficult skill to acquire. When he was old-very, very old- he disappeared one last time. I found out from the animal control officers that he had been found with a shattered jaw and had been euthanized. I am glad that he did not continue to suffer. But I was so sorry that he was gone.

I am rambling on far too long here. And so, I will close my feline revery with little ditty about an imagined kitty.

doggerel for kitten

Satisfied, the bowl licked clean
Warm sunbeam sprawl now, tiny sphinx.
Soft fur blissful, stretching, dozing
off to dream brave lion dreams:
the tiny tail tip of the quick gray fieldmouse
that scurried through the grass
away from you.
The many legged bug
you batted and played with,
but it died before the game was through.
Happy dreams of bravely stalking,
boldly hunting bird and mole
King of the backyard deep grass jungle,
spiderweb and groundhog hole.
Set to pounce at any movement,
whether it be mouse or snake.
Dream great adventures, little kitten,
You will live them when you wake.

Bukowski

This poem was posted on a bulletin board I frequent, I just HAD to post it here!

The History Of One Tough Motherfucker
by Charles Bukowski

he came to the door one night wet thin beaten and
terrorized
a white cross-eyed tailless cat
I took him in and fed him and he stayed
grew to trust me until a friend drove up the driveway
and ran him over
I took what was left to a vet who said,"not much
chance...give him these pills...his backbone
is crushed, but is was crushed before and somehow
mended, if he lives he'll never walk, look at
these x-rays, he's been shot, look here, the pellets
are still there...also, he once had a tail, somebody
cut it off..."
I took the cat back, it was a hot summer, one of the
hottest in decades, I put him on the bathroom
floor, gave him water and pills, he wouldn't eat, he
wouldn't touch the water, I dipped my finger into it
and wet his mouth and I talked to him, I didn't go any-
where, I put in a lot of bathroom time and talked to
him and gently touched him and he looked back at
me with those pale blue crossed eyes and as the days went
by he made his first move
dragging himself forward by his front legs
(the rear ones wouldn't work)
he made it to the litter box
crawled over and in,
it was like the trumpet of possible victory
blowing in that bathroom and into the city, I
related to that cat-I'd had it bad, not that
bad but bad enough
one morning he got up, stood up, fell back down and
just looked at me.
"you can make it," I said to him.
he kept trying, getting up falling down, finally
he walked a few steps, he was like a drunk, the
rear legs just didn't want to do it and he fell again, rested,
then got up.
you know the rest: now he's better than ever, cross-eyed
almost toothless, but the grace is back, and that look in
his eyes never left...
and now sometimes I'm interviewed, they want to hear about
life and literature and I get drunk and hold up my cross-eyed,
shot, runover de-tailed cat and I say,"look, look
at this!"
but they don't understand, they say something like,"you
say you've been influenced by Celine?"
"no," I hold the cat up,"by what happens, by
things like this, by this, by this!"
I shake the cat, hold him up in
the smoky and drunken light, he's relaxed he knows...
it's then that the interviews end
although I am proud sometimes when I see the pictures
later and there I am and there is the cat and we are photo-
graphed together.
he too knows it's bullshit but that somehow it all helps.

absence

I haven't been here in two weeks. It has been a busy time, the end of the semester and all that that entails, followed by visits from two of my children who live in California. But those are not the true reasons why I have stayed away. It has become painful for me to stop and visit in this cyber taverna, when where I really want so very badly to be is in Greece. I began this blog as a way of coping with the difficult circumstances of the past year and a half. I always thought that once we got through the difficult days, and then the cold bleak months of winter, we would be packing up to once again return to Greece. But it does not appear to be possible this year, and my heart is heavy at the thought of one more season without my dear friends and beloved island. I am going to continue this blog, but I will be posting more writings that are not direct links to Greece.This is a taverna, all topics of discussion are welcomed, so as I am trying to write this summer, I will be posting more of my own works in progress, musings, whatever comes to mind...
and of course I will not ever forget the music, recipes, news arts and people of Greece.

European Prize for Dora Bakoyannis

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA) Foreign Minister and former Mayor of Athens Dora Bakoyannis, was awarded yesterday the European prize for regional and local politics- Emperor Maximilian Prize 2008. The Land of Tyrol and the city of Innsbruck award the prize to personalities and institutions for their achievements in the field of regional and local politics. Prize winner 2008 Dora Bakoyannis was unanimously elected by the jury for her work as Athens’ mayor.

Grigoris Bithikotsis sings Seferis: Sto Periyiali to Krifo (Theodrakis)

It seems that this video has been removed from Youtube. What a shame! So I am replacing Bithikotsis does Theodrakis with Mikis Theodrakis doing Theodrakis.

Denial by Yiorgos Seferis

Denial a poem by Yiorgos Seferis

[English translation by Edmund Keeley
and Phillip Sherrard]

On the secret seashore
white like a pigeon
we thirsted at noon;
but the water was brackish.

On the golden sand
we wrote her name;
but the sea-breeze blew
and the writing vanished.

With what spirit, what heart,
what desire and passion
we lived our life: a mistake!
So we changed our life..

ΑΡΝΗΣΗ

Στο περιγιάλι το κρυφό
κι άσπρο σαν περιστέρι
διψάσαμε το μεσημέρι·
μα το νερό γλυφό.

Πάνω στην άμμο την ξανθή
γράψαμε τ' όνομά της·
ωραία που φύσηξεν ο μπάτης
και σβύστηκε η γραφή.

Mε τι καρδιά, με τι πνοή,
τι πόθους και τι πάθος,
πήραμε τη ζωή μας· λάθος!
κι αλλάξαμε ζωή.


Written on May Fourth

Yes, it is my birthday, and yes, I have been shamelessly indulging myself. And I I hope that each of you will do the same for yourself when your special day rolls around.
Why not? It is our one day in 365 that is our very own and is always special. I know people who go through their birthdays pretending that they are no different from any other day. Of course it is possible to do this- but why?

When I was a little girl I always wanted a horse, desperately. I collected pictures and figurines- Appaloosas, Palominos, Clydesdales, every horse and all horses I loved, and I devoured stories of the Black stallion, I envied cowboys for their lives on horseback. I would cry for a horse every birthday and Christmas. It was a totally unrealistic desire, we had neither space nor money to keep an animal, or even for me to take regular horseback riding lessons. My mother, always wanting to make me happy, went to visit a local farmer and stable keeper. Then she told me that I had to get over wanting a horse so badly, it just wasn?t possible. But, she said, what she could do was arrange for me to have a horse one day each year. Together we decided that that day would be my birthday. On the morning of my birthday I would wake up early and wait and wait for the sound of the truck with the pony trailer, and from that moment when the horse arrived- usually it was a pony, but a few times it was a gentle chestnut mare-I was in heaven. The owner showed me simple things, how to mount and dismount gracefully, how to use a curry comb, how to feed the horse a carrot or sugar cube, and I felt very special to have this knowledge. Then, in the afternoon, my friends would come for a party. Each child was given the opportunity to ride the horse around the yard, led by the owner. And, given that there was a real hose to ride, that would be a great party. But that was just the beginning. As many of you know, my father is a magician, that is how he made his living for 50 years. So after the pony rides ?my? horse would be tethered and we would gather around my father, while he did magic tricks and made balloon animals, one for each of us. Each year my parties got larger and larger, because no one could be left out of such a good time. This went on for six or seven years. I don?t even remember the last one,or if a part of me knew at the time that a marker of childhood had passed.
But I do know that every year, when I wake up on my birthday, a part of me still waits for the sound of the truck that will bring magic to the day.

And that is what I am thinking about today, and why I am telling you this. I truly believe that our own special day, celebrating our entering this world, should be a time when we celebrate our own self, who we are and who we are perpetually in process of becoming..

And if on that day we know, sure as sunrise, that the truck that holds the magic will appear-well, it usually does. OK, we may not get a balloon animal every year, but each birthday brings a bit of magic.