The Best 'Cheap Eats' In San Francisco

Eating amazing food doesn't have to break the bank.  In San Francisco, there are some amazing restaurants that you can enjoy on any budget.  We asked our friends at The Infatuation, a restaurant review site, to compile a list of the best "cheap eats" in San Francisco.  From super burritos to pho, there's plenty of delicious stuff you can get on the cheap.Ike's Place has an incredible menu of 200 sandwiches. 3489 16th Street Each of the sandwiches has a funny name, like "Pastrami-Charmed Life," "Nacho Girl," and "Going Home For Thanksgiving." The original Ike's opened in the Castro in 2007, but they've since expanded to locations in Oakland, Santa Rosa, Salinas, Cupertino, San Jose, Walnut Creek, Monterey, Danville, Santa Clara, Los Angeles, Tempe, and Mesa, Arizona. Read The Infatuation's review of Ike's Place here »  Arinell Pizza is as close to New York-style pizza as you'll get in San Francisco. 509 Valencia Street The restaurant itself is nothing fancy, and it's cash-only, but Mission locals love the pizza's thin, crispy crust. Plus, the $3-a-slice price tag makes it the perfect late-night indulgence. Try some amazing pita wraps at Souvla in Hayes Valley. 517 Hayes Street Pair soft and chewy pita with your choice of either pork, chicken, lamb, or veggie. There's also four types of frozen Greek yogurt, with unconventional flavors like olive oil topped with sea salt and another served with baklava crumbles and honey. The food is affordable, too, with entrees that range from $9 to $12.  Read The Infatuation's review of Souvla here » See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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Observer: Return the Parthenon Marbles

Greece found another ally on its rally to bring the Parthenon Marbles back home, in the face of Guardian correspondent in Greece, Turkey and Cyprus, Helena Smith. In an impassioned article on Sunday’s Observer, entitled “As a Briton, I hang my head in shame. We must return the Parthenon marbles,” Smith explained why there must be an end to the ongoing dispute over the Parthenon Marbles and why they should return home, while pointing out the time is right now for Britain to rectify a historic wrong. “Though hacked and fragmented, a haunting shadow of the masterpiece hewn 2,500 years ago, it takes your breath away. A gift to behold under the Attic skies. But something more: the best riposte to any doubt that the Parthenon – or Elgin – marbles, the artworks that once adorned this magisterial edifice – but which have spent the last 200 years displayed in the badly lit British Museum – should be reunited with the place where they were created,” she wrote. “I will not hide. In the immortal words of Lord Byron: ‘I am with Greece.’ And so naturally enthused that a squabble that should have been resolved long ago, if logic and common decency had prevailed, has re-erupted with such vigour following Amal Clooney’s visit to Athens last week,” Smith added, criticizing the fact that the debate was only reanimated after Alamuddin’s public support over the Greek request. Continuing, she recalled the efforts of late Greek actress and Culture Minister Melina Mercouri to repatriate the 88 plundered slabs that ended up at the other end of Europe during the Ottoman rule. “Fifteen months ago, Athens requested that the row be mediated through the offices of Unesco, the United Nations cultural arm, after the organisation changed its rules dealing with stolen cultural property. Fifteen months later, it is still awaiting a response. There is some merit in the argument that as the most significant surviving ancient artworks – and representations of the achievement of classical Athens – this masterwork of narrative in stone is not Greek but universal and, as such, belongs to the world. But the claim, postulated by the British Museum, that they are better positioned in London to ‘serve world audiences’ is to make a nonsense of a lie. The Greeks first asked for the marbles under King Otto, their first king shortly after the nation won independence in 1830, long before Mercouri put the dispute on the map. To brush off that demand as Greek cultural nationalism is patronising in the extreme,” Smith argued, blaming London for hiding behind laws to avoid what would be perceived as a “defeat.” “Every country, after all, has a right to the heritage that is an inherent part of its cultural identity. And Greece, underlining the importance it attaches to the marbles, has offered all manner of treasure in return. This is not about opening the floodgates (that other fear so often voiced by those who claim the antiquities are better off in London). Athens wants nothing else back – including that other pillaged masterpiece, the Bassae frieze, which in high relief depicts the Greeks fighting the Amazons and is also on display at the British Museum, but on account of staff shortages rarely available for viewing.” Indeed, Greece has gone as far as to propose joint curatorship of the marbles through the establishment of a British Museum branch, within sight of the Parthenon, on the new Acropolis Museum’s top floor. “As a Briton, I hang my head in shame but take heart in what the poet Titos Patrikios, an old friend, calls Greece’s ‘unbeatable weapon'; the common sense of ordinary Britons who for almost two decades have overwhelmingly endorsed repatriation in successive opinion polls. It was another poet, Yannis Ritsos, who summed up the marbles’ predicament best. ‘These stones don’t feel at ease with less sky’, he wrote. They needed the luminosity of Attica to be appreciated most… Greece has gone through its darkest hour in recent years. The reunification of the sculptures would be a huge shot in the arm for a nation that in times of difficulty has always stood by Britain. Rarely do we have such opportunities to right a wrong. That opportunity is here now and in the name of everything it stands for, Great Britain should seize the moment. It would, as Stephen Fry put it, be the classiest of acts,” Smith concluded.

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Hong Kong's Unique Opportunity to Forge a Middle Way

As the leaders of the umbrella movement sit down to negotiate with Hong Kong authorities after weeks of street protests, the big question is whether the two sides can find a compromise that meets both Beijing's concerns about stable and efficient governance on the one hand, and citizens' concerns about genuine, instead of sham, democracy on the other. Under the current plan authored in Beijing, which has led to the protests, Hong Kong citizens can vote for a chief executive in 2017 through universal suffrage -- one person, one vote. But they are only allowed to vote for nominees from a 1,200 member Nominating Committee that, in its composition, favors Beijing-blessed candidates and the powerful local business establishment. The protesting students want a greater say in who is nominated. Because of its unusual status as a territory under a "one country, two systems" arrangement, Hong Kong is uniquely positioned to fashion a new model of governance that is a middle way between West and East. What might that look like? CHINA'S "INSTITUTIONAL CIVILIZATION" VS. WESTERN DEMOCRACY A middle way would seek to combine the strengths of China's system and Western democracy while minimizing their weaknesses. The strength of China's political system is its ability to forge consensus and unity of purpose within one party through wide consultation and debate instead of dividing the body politic through competitive multi-party elections. When cronyism is under control, leaders are promoted based on experience and capability. That in turn allows the development of policies with the long-term and common good in mind and enables sustained implementation of those policies over the long haul. In this way, China's government has been able to lift hundreds of millions of its people out of poverty in only three decades, build 8,000 miles of high-speed rail that will ultimately link to 80 percent of its cities and rise to the top ranks of the global economy. After more than half a century of democracy, India, by contrast, still can't provide toilets for half of its population. Though nominally Communist, the present system in China is heir -- in its ideal form -- to China's 2,000 year-old "institutional civilization," where selection of leaders based on meritocratic competition has played the same central role historically as competitive elections in the West. The downside of such a system, of course, it that it can too easily become hidebound and corrupt, turning the meritocratic ideal into rule by a self-interested, insular and self-perpetuating autocracy. For it to work properly, there must be robust feedback loops -- relatively free expression -- and judicial independence. (Hong Kong at present has these attributes. And, in this context, the internet crackdown in mainland China on the internet is misconceived and counterproductive). The strength of a democracy like the U.S. is that everyone has a voice and can contend for power. But lacking the capacity to forge consensus out of the cacophony of voices and multitude of interests, it has become paralyzed with gridlock. Its adversarial democracy has decayed into partisan rancor and divided the public against itself. In short, there are more checks than balances as the deliberative functions of governance have withered. The formal mechanism of consent and accountability -- one person, one vote elections -- has become beholden to both the short-term mentality of voters and what Frank Fukuyama calls the "vetocracy" of special interests from the financial industry to teacher's unions that seek to preserve their spoils by protecting the status quo. It is little wonder that the present dysfunction of Western democracy gives pause to those who want an effective form of governance for their societies. To restore its capacity for self-correction, Western democracy needs more consensus-building practices and institutions to balance the short-term horizons of voters and interest group politics that dominate the electoral process. HONG KONG'S NOMINATING COMMITTEE IS LIKE THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE OF EARLY U.S. DEMOCRACY In its structure of combining selection and election, the emergent Hong Kong system is a kind of middle way. In fact, the Nominating Committee mechanism proposed to choose a chief executive is not so different from the Electoral College designed by American democracy's Founding Fathers. The idea of an Electoral College spelled out in Federalist Paper #68 was to "refine and enlarge the public views by passing them through the medium of a chosen body of citizens." The members of the College were chosen by state legislatures. John Hamilton, James Madison and the others wanted to filter the choices of average voters through "enlightened government" by those they believed had a greater stake and broader perspective in governance -- in those days, primarily landowners. Madison, in particular, always argued that constitutional democracy in the American republic should not mean direct rule by the electorate as it had, for example, in ancient Greece. GETTING THE BALANCE RIGHT Good governance in Hong Kong, or elsewhere, requires getting the balance right between selection and election. The current plan for Hong Kong errs on the side of selection. This can be remedied in several ways during the second round of consultations that are slated to take place in the wake of the meetings between protestors and authorities in Hong Kong. Here are three alternative proposals that would preserve the consensus-forming attribute of the ideal of meritocratic selection with the consent-granting attribute of elections. The current Hong Kong Legislative Council (LegCo) has 70 members, half of whom are directly elected by the general public in geographic districts and the other half by small groups representing functional constituencies in business and the professions. Unlike the process of choosing the chief executive, the LegCo election arrangements are totally within the authority of Hong Kongers to determine and need not be approved by Beijing. The LegCo is scheduled to revamp its system of representation by 2016 to prepare for full universal suffrage by 2020. The current debate is over how the functional seats should themselves by chosen by more democratic means so that they don't carry more weight than the general electorate, or even if they should ultimately be eliminated altogether and replaced by all geographic districts where representatives are directly elected. Either way, the LegCo could become a truly representative body of Hong Kong citizens. If the revamped LegCo was guaranteed one nominee for chief executive along with the others proposed by the Nominating Committee, then the election for chief executive would be truly competitive. The 1200 member Nominating Committee that is slated to select the chief executive candidates in 2017 is divided into three functional sectors and a "fourth sector" comprised of LegCo, the district councils, representatives to the National People's Congress and other bodies representing the general electorate. If, as has been proposed by some moderate reform groups such as Hong Kong 2020, the corporate voting in the functional sectors is replaced by individual voting and the fourth sector could be expanded by 500 seats, the general electorate would have a more proportional say in the final nominations for chief executive. A further alternative might be a so-called "negative election" -- giving Hong Kong voters the right to a "recall" or "a no confidence referendum" that can remove a chief executive if a majority of voters are dissatisfied with his or her performance. No doubt there are other possible arrangements that would also create a better balance between selection and election in Hong Kong's system. In the end, the controversy in Hong Kong should not be cast as yet another round of the emotional and ideological battle between the "pro-democracy" West and "anti-democracy" Beijing, but as an opportunity to create something new in governance -- a middle way between West and East. Both China and democracies everywhere would stand to learn important lessons from Hong Kong's experience about how to perfect a more intelligent form of governance for the 21st century.

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Greek PM to visit Cyprus on November 7

Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras has scheduled an official visit to Cyprus on November 7, ahead of the trilateral summit in Cairo, Egypt, Cypriot government spokesman Nikos Christodoulides confirmed. Asked whether the trilateral summit in Egypt ...

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MARKETS RALLY, IBM TANKS: Here's What You Need To Know (DIA, SPY, QQQ, TLT, IWM, IBM, AAPL, EBAY, CMG)

Stocks finished the day higher on Monday as the Dow closed with the smallest gains as a more than 7% decline in shares of tech giant IBM dragged down the index. Both the S&P 500 and Nasdaq opened the week with gains. First, the scoreboard: Dow: 16,386.80, +6.4, (+0.04%) S&P 500: 1,903.21, +16.4, (+0.8%) Nasdaq: 4,313.85, +55.9, (+1.3%) And now, the top stories on Monday: 1. IBM had a big earnings miss on Monday morning and the stock finished the day down more than 7%. IBM reported earnings per share of $3.68, missing expectations for $4.32, on revenue of $22.4 billion, which also missed expectations and was a 4% decline over last year. IBM shares were down about 7% in pre-market trade and stayed there for most all of the trading session on Monday, and the decline in IBM weighed on the Dow, which falls 6.42195 for every 1-point move in one of the index's stocks. 2. The IBM decline wasn't just about the numbers, which were disappointing, but also about the commentary from IBM CEO Ginni Rometty, who said in the company's earnings press release that the company, "saw a marked slowdown in September in client buying behavior, and our results also point to the unprecedented pace of change in our industry." Back in July, hedge fund manager Stanley Druckenmiller said that IBM was the "poster child" for poor corporate behavior that engaged in financial engineering rather than investing in their business. 3. The Robin Hood Investor Conference was held Monday in New York, and among the big hedge fund names who gave some investment thoughts were David Einhorn, who recommended SunEdison, as well as going long Greek banks Alpha Bank and Piraeus Bank, according to Business Insider's Julia LaRoche. Einhorn also said being short French debt. 4. In an interview with New York Magazine, noted tech investor Marc Andreessen said that the American middle class is an accident of history, as it was the only major industrial country that wasn't bombed during World War II. You can Andreessen's full comments from Business Insider's Shane Ferro here.  5. Apple is set to report earnings after the market close on Monday, and per Business Insider's Jay Yarow, expectations are for earnings per share of $1.31, revenue of $39.85 billion, iPhone sales of 38 million units, iPad sales of 13 million units, with expectations for the company's fourth quarter currently at $63.52 billion. BI will have full live coverage of the report after the market close.  6. In a note to clients over the weekend, Goldman Sachs' David Kostin said that a potential pause in the pace of corporate buybacks could explain the recent pullback in the S&P 500. "Most companies are precluded from engaging in open-market stock repurchases during the five weeks before releasing earnings," Kostin wrote. "For many firms, the beginning of the blackout period coincided with the S&P 500 peak on September 18. So the sell-off occurred during a time when the single largest source of equity demand was absent." Kostin still sees the S&P 500 finishing the year at 2,050 as buybacks pick up into year-end.  7. Monday marks the 27-year anniversary of Black Monday, the day the Dow fell more than 22% in the worst single day drop in its history. Here are some memories of the event from Gluskin Sheff's David Rosenberg, who said it was the scariest thing he's seen in his time on Wall Street, and a quick recap of how Nightly Business Report covered the crash.  Don't Miss: Goldman Sachs Now Has A Stock-Picking Model Inspired By The Stats Behind 'Moneyball' »Join the conversation about this story »

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Greek Family of Four Spends Two Weeks in Car After Eviction

A shocking story emerges from Athens‘ northern suburb Neo Iraklio in Greece, where a family of four was forced to turn their car into a home after they were forced out of their apartment, as they could no longer afford the rent. The old Rover is currently their only asset and they are spending the night literary on the street, while the family’s 14 and 16-year-old daughters are even doing their homework in the four wheeler’s cramped space they call home. Not a while ago, the family of middle-aged Nikos and Maria enjoyed a normal life with dignity and respect, but the crisis that drove to despair and destroyed the dreams of millions of Greeks, made them experience a life they could never imagine. They may never lived the high life but they both had a job and that was enough to bring food to the family table. Nikos was working in a bakery, while Maria was a part-time school traffic warden. In the blink of an eye, they saw their lifetime efforts turning into ruins when they both lost their jobs in a relatively short period of time. The once normal life of a middle class family was destroyed, along with all their future plans. Their second-hand car seemed as the only solution when their house owner demanded their eviction, leaving them homeless. The family’s tragedy, though, mobilized the local authorities and two weeks after their odyssey began, the family has moved to an Athens hotel today, until a permanent solution is found to their problem.

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37% of YouGov Respondents Want the Parthenon Marbles Returned to Greece

Parthenon-marbles New research by YouGov appears to support George Clooney's claims about public opinion. 37% think the classical Greek ...

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Parkway Theater project secures $5 million from a Greek charity

A rendering of the Parkway Theater's renovation, scheduled to open in late 2016 The building will be named the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Film ...

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Doctors’ disiplinary panel needs surgery

The man who is responsible for targeting corruption in Greece’s public administration has raised serious concerns about the effectiveness of the panel meant to discipline public hospital doctors. Speaking to Kathimerini, the general inspector of public ad... ...

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Stavros Niarchos Foundation Announces New Wave of Grants

Stavros Niarchos Foundation has announced a new wave of grants to support non-profit organizations that operate in Greek sectors critical for growth and development. A total of 88 grants, amounting to 26.8 million euros, will be given to organizations who are expected to have a positive and lasting impact, both in Greece and internationally. Many of the new grants are part of the Foundation’s three-year €100 million initiative against the crisis in Greece, which has been completed, as well as part of the additional €100 million initiative aimed at addressing the high rate of youth unemployment and creating new opportunities for the country’s younger generations. Andreas Dracopoulos, Co-President of The Board of Directors of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation, stated: “Through this new cycle of grants, the Stavros Niarchos Foundation bolsters its efforts in support of our fellow citizens who are trying to cope with today’s challenges, while at the same time supports the new generation, whose achievements will lead us all to a better tomorrow. We hope that these new grants, targeted yet multifaceted, will contribute, to the extent that they can, to the next firm and optimistic step.” The 88 approved grants pertain to the Foundation’s four basic program areas: Arts and Culture, Education, Health and Sports, and Social Welfare. Here is the full list of approved grants: Arts & Culture: •ASSOCIATION OF FRIENDS – MUSEUM OF GREEK FOLK MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS F. ANOGIANAKIS – CENTRE OF ETHNOMUSICOLOGY | Athens, Greece The grant supports the Museum’s traveling exhibit on folk instruments. •ATHENS STATE ORCHESTRA | Athens, Greece & THESSALONIKI STATE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA | Thessaloniki, Greece The grant supports music workshops for children and educational programs, ran collaboratively by both orchestras. •B & M THEOCHARAKIS FOUNDATION FOR THE FINE ARTS AND MUSIC | Athens, Greece The grant supports the organization of an exhibition on Theophil Hansen celebrating 200 years from his birth. •BENAKI MUSEUM | Athens, Greece The grant supports general operating expenses and provides free access to the Museum’s four buildings, one day a week. •CONGRÉGATION DES CISTERCIENS DE L’IMMACULÉE CONCEPTION | Saint Honorat, France The grant supports the restoration of the Chapel Saint-Sauveur. •ECOLE NATIONALE SUPÉRIEURE DES BEAUX-ARTS | Paris, France The grant supports the creation of a new multimedia space and a Greek-French educational project. •HELLENIC AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE | New York, NY, USA The grant supports the NYC Greek Film Festival in Atlanta and Boston. •HELLENIC INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTURE | Athens, Greece The grant supports the 8th Biennale for Young Greek Architects. •INTERNATIONAL CENTER OF PHOTOGRAPHY | New York, NY, USA The grant supports the photography exhibit Sebastiao Salgado: Genesis. •LEMNOS IN ACTION | Lemnos, Greece The grant supports the organization of the Junior Lemnos Festival 2014. •LONDON ACADEMY OF MUSIC AND DRAMATIC ART – LAMDA | London, UK The grant supports the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Scholarship for Greek students. •LOWER EAST SIDE TENEMENT MUSEUM | New York, NY, USA The grant supports the development of the Victoria Confino exhibit’s interactive programs. •MANCHESTER INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL | Manchester, UK The grant supports a learning program, an access initiative and the International Philanthropic Network. •NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AMERICAN HISTORY, SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION | Washington, DC, USA The grant supports the exhibition Many Voices, One Nation. •NATIONAL THEATRE | London, UK The grant supports the National Theatre Digital Schools Channel. •THE JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY | Baltimore, MD, USA The grant supports the renovation of the Parkway Theater in Baltimore. •TRÄGERVEREIN LUZERNER SINFONIEORCHESTER LSO | Luzern, Switzerland The grant supports the development of the educational program Horizonte/Horizons. •UNIVERSITÉ DE FRIBOURG | Fribourg, Switzerland The grant supports the Fragmentarium, a scholarly online network for medieval manuscript fragments. •VERY SPECIAL ARTS HELLAS | Athens, Greece The grant supports the organization’s art programs for people with special needs. Education: •7th LABORATORY CENTRE OF PIRAEUS | Perama, Greece The grant supports the purchase of equipment in order to upgrade the Center’s laboratories. •CENTER FOR STRATEGIC AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES | Washington, DC, USA The grant supports The Schieffer Series. •CHARLES H. REVSON FOUNDATION | New York, NY, USA The grant supports the annual NYC Neighborhood Library Awards. •CHATHAM HOUSE | London, UK The grant supports the research and analysis of perceptions of the US in the Middle East and the former Soviet Republics, and the US Election 2016 note series. •CONCERN WORLDWIDE UK | London, UK The grant supports a pilot program using video technology to improve teaching practices and learning outcomes in Niger. •CONTEMPORARY SOCIAL HISTORY ARCHIVES | Athens, Greece The grant supports the upgrade of the organization’s technological infrastructure. •DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE & PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION (NKUA) | Athens, Greece The grant supports the continuation of an inter-departmental Master’s course on the history of philanthropy, the effective management of NGOs and the operation of grant-making Foundations. •EDUCATION FOR EMPLOYMENT | New York, NY, USA The grant supports training programs for youth in Africa and the Middle East. •ETH ZURICH FOUNDATION | Zurich, Switzerland The grant supports the continuation of the SNF-ETH Excellence Scholarships Program to Greek students. •GREEK CONSULATE GENERAL | New York, NY, USA The grant supports the development of a strategic 10-year plan to improve the competitiveness of Greek tourism and a targeted communications campaign in North America. •HANDICRAFT-INDUSTRIAL EDUCATIONAL MUSEUM | Lavrio, Greece The grants supports the educational program “The port and the human life.” •HELLENIC FOUNDATION FOR EUROPEAN AND FOREIGN POLICY | Athens, Greece The grant supports general operating expenses of the Observatory for the Crisis. •IMPACT HUB ATHENS | Athens, Greece The grant supports the Impact Hub Academy. •JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT GREECE | Athens, Greece The grant supports the implementation of the entrepreneurial educational program “Company Program in public schools across Greece.” •MANPOWER EMPLOYMENT ORGANIZATION | Athens, Greece The grant supports apprenticeship curriculum development in the area of Agriculture. •ORANGE GROVE | Athens, Greece The grant supports general operating expenses. •PARENTS & GUARDIANS ASSOCIATION OF THE 2nd ELEMENTARY SCHOOL & OF THE 2nd & 3rd KINDERGARTEN OF VOUTES | Iraklio, Greece The grant supports renovation work. •PEN AMERICAN CENTER | New York, NY, USA The grant supports programs for underserved groups. •PRINCETON UNIVERSITY | Princeton, NJ, USA The grant supports the Paul Sarbanes ’54 Fund for Hellenism and Public Service. •PYRNA | Athens, Greece The grant supports the Books on Wheels educational program. •RAMAPO FOR CHILDREN | New York, NY, USA The grant supports their program evaluation. •SALZBURG GLOBAL SEMINAR | Washington, DC, USA The grant supports the participation of cultural entrepreneurs from Attica in the Salzburg Global Forum for Cultural Innovators and an internship scheme. •SIVITANIDIOS PUBLIC SCHOOL OF TRADES & VOCATIONS | Athens, Greece The grant supports the purchase of IT equipment for the school’s 12 laboratories. •TÄLLBERG FOUNDATION | Stockholm, Sweden The grant supports seminars/workshops and a Leadership Prize for Principled Pragmatism. •THE DALTON SCHOOL | New York, NY, USA The grant supports their diversity initiative. •THE ROYAL PARKS FOUNDATION | London, UK The grant supports the education and community program “Horizon.” •VOLOS NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM | Volos, Greece The grant supports the educational program “The evolution of living species in Magnesia.” •WASHINGTON OXI DAY FOUNDATION | Washington, DC, USA The grant supports the fourth annual Washington Oxi Day Foundation celebration. Health & Sports: •REGENERATION & PROGRESS | Athens, Greece •The grant supports summer sports camps for children on remote Greek islands, public sports events at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center and a study for the establishment of a center that will provide scientific support for athletes, with a special focus on children and adolescents. •ASSOCIATION PALLIA AIDE | Nice, France The grant supports artistic activities and the creation of a therapeutic garden for patients in the Palliative Care Unit of L’Archet Hospital in Nice. •BORN FREE | New York, NY, USA The grant supports efforts to eliminate mother-to-child HIV transmission in Kenya and Tanzania. •CENTER FOR STUDY OF HEALTH SERVICES (NATIONAL AND KAPODISTRIAN UNIVERSITY OF ATHENS MEDICAL SCHOOL) | Athens, Greece The grant supports the Health Allies program. •CENTER TO ADVANCE PALLIATIVE CARE (CAPC) | New York, NY, USA The grant supports the launch of CAPC’s membership model and online education initiative. •CHILDREN’S SOCCER TRAINING | Athens, Greece The grant supports general operating expenses. •CLIC SARGENT | London, UK The grant supports the development of the Specialist Nursing outreach program for children with cancer. •DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS USA | New York, NY, USA The grant supports emergency relief efforts for the Ebola outbreak and the flooded refugee camps in Ethiopia. •GENERAL HOSPITAL OF ATHENS “ALEXANDRA” | Athens, Greece The grant supports the renovation of the Breast department of the 1st Maternity and Gynecological clinic, and the Emergency, Outpatient and Day clinic departments. •GENERAL HOSPITAL OF PIRAEUS “TZANEIO” | Piraeus, Greece The grant supports the purchase of an ultrasound machine. •GREAT ORMOND STREET HOSPITAL CHARITY | London, UK The grant supports the creation of a Play service for hospitalized children. •MEDICAL LIBRARY OF UNIVERSITY GENERAL HOSPITAL OF THESSALONIKI “AHEPA” | Thessaloniki, Greece The grant supports the purchase of IT equipment for the medical library. •NEW YORK ROAD RUNNERS | New York, NY, USA The grant supports the 2014 TCS New York City Marathon Team for Kids. •NEW YORK ROAD RUNNERS | New York, NY, USA The grant supports the Youth Running Series. •PNOE – FRIENDS OF CHILDREN IN INTENSIVE CARE| Athens, Greece The grant supports general operating expenses. •RETHYMNO ASSIST | Rethymno, Greece The grant supports their sports and community service program. Social Welfare: •ANNOUSAKEIO HOSPITAL FOR CHRONIC DISEASES – REHABILITATION CENTER “AGIOS SPYRIDON” | Chania, Greece The grant supports renovation work at the physiotherapy department, including the construction of a hydrotherapy rehabilitation pool and the purchase of physiotherapy equipment. •ASSOCIATION DES PARALYSÉS DE FRANCE | Paris, France The grant supports integration of people with motor disabilities in the mainstream workplace. •CENTRE FOR SPECIAL CHILDREN – SAINT SPYRIDON | Iraklio, Greece The grant supports the purchase of a bus for transferring children from and to the center. •CEREBRAL PALSY GREECE | Athens, Greece The grant supports part of the general operating expenses for the “Open Door” Short Stay hostel. •CHARITABLE SISTERHOOD IN VERIA| Veria, Greece The grant supports the poverty assistance program. •CHIANG MAI HOME FOR BOYS | Chiang Mai, Thailand The grant supports various programs and the purchase of computer equipment. •CHILDREN AND FUTURE | Monaco •The grant supports the No Finish Line 2014. •COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS | New York, NY, USA The grant supports Camp Homeward Bound’s Culinary Program. •COMMUNITY SOLUTIONS | New York, NY, USA The grant supports the Greg Jackson Center for Brownsville, a community hub. •DESMOS | Athens, Greece The grant supports general operating expenses and the “Volunteerism in Schools” program. •ECUMENICAL FEDERATION OF CONSTANTINOPOLITANS | Athens, Greece The grant supports their poverty alleviation program. •FÉDÉRATION NATIONALE POUR LA PROMOTION, PRÉVENTION DE LA SANTÉ PSYCHIQUE | Nantes, France The grant supports the creation of “Les Pâtes au Beurre” in other French cities. •FRIENDS ASSOCIATION OF PEOPLE WITH SPECIAL NEEDS OF MESSINIA | Kalamata, Greece The grant supports general operating expenses. •FUNDACION LEALTAD | Madrid, Spain The grant supports the evaluation and capacity building of organizations affected by the crisis. •GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH OF THE HAMPTONS KIMISIS TIS THEOTOKOU | Southampton, NY, USA The grant supports the 4th Annual Blue Dream Gala. •KIDS COMPANY | London, UK The grant supports the expansion of the Flourish Program targeting vulnerable children. •L’ACADÉMIE DES RUCHES | Paris, France The grant supports the creation of La Ruche in Bordeaux. •MAHACHULALONGKORNRAJAVIDYALAYA UNIVERSITY | Chiang Mai, Thailand The grant supports volunteer training and various building projects at the University and surrounding areas. •POPULATION AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION | Chiang Rai, Thailand The grant supports medical services, water and sanitation projects, and supplies for the Hill Tribe populations. •PROLEPSIS – INSTITUTE OF PREVENTIVE MEDICINE ENVIRONMENTAL AND OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH | Athens, Greece The grant supports the continuation of the Food Aid & Promotion of Healthy Nutrition Program for the school year 2014 – 2015. •SOCIAL CO-OPERATIVE ALLEGROMODERATO | Milan, Italy The grant supports music therapy courses for people with disabilities and purchase of equipment. •SOS CHILDREN’S VILLAGES GREECE | Athens, Greece The grant supports seven Child and Family Support Centers across Greece. •THE HELLENIC INITIATIVE | New York, NY, USA The grant supports the 2nd Annual Banquet.

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Underwater Exploration of Spanish Shipwreck in Zakynthos

The Spanish shipwreck that lies in the sea bottom just off the coast of Zakynthos, Greece, continues to amaze archaeologists with its hidden treasures. The ship dates back to the end of the 15th century and archaeologists have brought to light numerous discoveries that show the greatness of the Spanish navy during that era. This year’s systematic underwater exploration, conducted by the General Directorate of Antiquities and Cultural Heritage, focused on the central part of the shipwreck and was completed on October 6 under the direction of archaeologist Katerina Dellaporta. The operation revealed the frames on the west and east sides of the keelson, and part of the tween deck (the intermediate deck). The ship’s wooden frame has been preserved, allowing the study of the transitional art of shipbuilding during the 15th and 16th centuries. The ship dates to the era shortly after the Battle of Naupactus and it is the only remaining shipwreck of the Spanish navy during the reign of Philip II of Spain, according to several silver coins found on board, as well as the initials engraved on a pistol grip. Given that the lifting, maintenance and exhibition of wooden shipwrecks are not always financially feasible, UNESCO has requested the ‘in situ’ protection and management of shipwrecks.

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At loggerheads over role of the IMF

The Greek coalition government’s plan for a clean exit from the European Union / International Monetary Fund program was dealt a deadly blow by the markets last week on the back of rising political risk and repeated government mistakes, undermining market... ...

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Hong Kong telecom group buys out Greek start-up

Hong Kong-based telecommunications multinational PCCW Global has announced it has bought out Greek start-up Crypteia Networks, aiming to incorporate its products into the group’s portfolio. Founded in 2011, Crypteia develops innovative solutions for secur... ...

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Troika exerts pressure using return date

Confirmation of the troika’s return date to Greece is still pending, as the country’s creditors are expecting the government to submit proposals concerning the issues that remain open. If this does not happen they are expected to announce that there has n... ...

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Most Britons want to see Parthenon Marbles back in Athens, poll shows

The majority of Britons think that their country should return the Parthenon Marbles to Greece, a new poll has found. According to the survey, which was conducted by the YouGov international market research agency, 37 percent of respondents said that the ... ...

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Greek Deputy Foreign Minister to Visit Romania

Greek Deputy Foreign Minister Kyriakos Gerontopoulos will visit Romania on Tuesday, October 20. During his two-day stay in the country, Gerontopoulos will attend the opening ceremony for the new building of Greek school “Athena” in Bucharest.

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Greece To Hire 4,000 Health Workers

Greece's Health Ministry said it plans to hire 4,000 permanent staff, including 1,500 state hospital doctors, next year. The post Greece To Hire 4,000 Health Workers appeared first on The National Herald.

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Greek medical staff on the ready against Ebola

Greek health authorities and facilities are preparing for the possibility of an Ebola outbreak in the country, with experts from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (KEELPNO) constantly updating their directives. Staff at KEELPNO are focusing on... ...

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Health Ministry looking to hire 4,000 new staff

The Health Ministry wants to hire 4,000 permanent staff, including 1,500 state hospital doctors, next year. It made a written request to the Administrative Reform Ministry on Monday as approval is needed before the hirings can be made. Greece is yet to me... ...

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Greek banks may soon breathe sigh of relief on capital needs

ATHENS | By Manos Giakoumis via MacroPolis | Greek banks are always at the forefront of domestic market developments. Despite the strong ...

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Olympiacos v Juventus: Allegri´s men face stern Greek test

The Greek side welcome Massimiliano Allegri's men to Piraeus having suffered a surprise 2-0 reverse at Malmo in their last European outing.

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Greenlight's Einhorn bets on Greek banks, still likes Sunedison

BOSTON, Oct 20 (Reuters) - Shares in Alpha Bank surged more than 13 percent on Monday after hedge fund manager David Einhorn recommended ...

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Greek Freak showing brotherly love or did the Knicks get a steal?

Giannis Antetokounmpo, “The Greek Freak” of the Bucks, had a splendid rookie season and sees no reason why his older brother – Thanasis – can't ...

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Greek-American Model to Participate in Hermes Expo

Greek-American Margaret Skourlis won the title of 2014 Ms. Supermodel USA-Petite in Fargo, North Dakota, in September and plans to participate in the Hermes Young Professionals Initiative (HYPI) on March 24, 2015, in Pennsylvania and March 26 in NYC.

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Fresh growth for banks buoys Athens benchmark higher

Greek stocks continued along the path toward recovery on Monday after the big sell-off observed last week, as banks appear increasingly confident ahead of the announcement of the stress tests by the European Central Bank later this week. The Athens Exchan... ...

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Greek 5-year yields rise 55 bps to 7.62 pct

German bunds advanced and Greek securities declined on Monday, extending losses that sparked a sell-off in the periphery last week. Greek five-year yields rose 55 basis points to 7.62 percent, after touching 7.94 percent on Friday, the highest since April... ...

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Greek-Australian Businessmen Donate to Greek Cultural Centre

Greek-Australian businessmen and members of the Greek community Steven and Harry Tsalikidis and Athanasios Salahas donated several hundred thousand dollars to the new Greek Cultural Centre in Melbourne, according to evrytanika.gr. The Cultural Centre was ...

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DAVID EINHORN: Long Greece, Short France

David Einhorn just finished presenting at the...

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Religion, War and Atrocity

The grisly deeds of IS in Iraq and Syria evoke once again the question as to the connection between religion and organized violence. Its companion question asks if Islam has a special affinity to such acts. Since the militants of IS, like their al-Qaeda counterparts, proclaim themselves to be Salafists, or devout fundamentalists, whose duty is to restore the purity of the Islam community of believers, the ummah, by destroying both false believers and the infidels with whom they are allied (as well as heretics), the claim is made that something about the religion is conducive to violence -- or even promotes it. The latter is today's burning issue due to headline events. It is a specious formulation of the issue, though. A cursory review of history reminds us that militants of all religions have committed atrocities in the name of their faith. The Crusaders celebrated their taking of Jerusalem by massacring its Muslim and Jewish citizens - after an arduous winter that included a bit of cannibalism. Then there were the auto-da-fe burnings, the mass slaughter of the Cathars, and on and on. The Israelites killed every man, woman, child (and beast) in Jericho at the command of their god Yahweh and performed other gruesome deeds in the confident belief that they were privileged by being His Chosen People. (Deuteronomy 6:21) Judaism's great tradition of universal humanism did not emerge until much later, taking full expression with the Pharisees at Jesus' time. Jesus was the epitome of a radical strain in Pharisee theology -- he was, after all, a Jew addressing a universalist message to other Jews. Even Buddhists have been comfortable on occasion gripping the bloody sword -- as witness Myanmar, Sri Lanka and, in the eighteenth century, the (Buddhist) Burmese razing of the great Thai Buddhist capital of Ayutthaya. Hindus, too, committed their share of atrocities during the Partition of 1947 and in subsequent communal riots as recently as 2002 in Gujarat. We also should recall that suicide bombing as a trademark of modern terrorism was inaugurated by the Tamil Tigers who committed hundreds of suicide attacks -- including that by the woman who targeted Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi -- because of India's intervention in support of the Sri Lankan Buddhist government's suppression of the Hindu Tamil rebellion. * It is tempting to play the game of debating which religion is more or less violent than another. In truth, that exercise beggars the bigger and more important question. Namely, is it religious doctrine and loyalty that can motivate some persons to abuse non-believers OR are all dogmatic, doctrinal ideologies prone to do so? Religion can be viewed as a sub-category of those aggressive ideologies which can take secular forms. The twentieth century has witnessed the lethal effects of imbuing societies with the avowedly secular (indeed, anti-religious) ideologies of Nazism and Communism of the Leninist-Maoist-Pol Pot variety. Nationalism, too, is an ideology which has demonstrated great propensities for violence. They all stress the fundamental distinction between "we" and "they" conducive to the atrocious treatment of others. An ideology that embraces the two dualities of 'we/they" and "good/evil" produces the combustible brew that is fatal to a sense of shared humanity. These non-religious movements share certain traits. · They evoke passionate loyalty to a community of believers/communitarians. · They subsume the individual in a collective movement that dictates behavior and sets tests of loyalty. · They arouse feelings of sacredness without calling upon the supernatural. · They promote bellicosity in dealing with others. Fascism was a political ideology that transcended religious and cultural boundaries. The Ba'ath parties of Iraq and Syria were of this order -- wholly secular and explicitly anti-religious. None of Saddam's crimes was committed in the name of Islam; he and Osama bin-Laden hated each other (Dick Cheney's self-serving fantasies notwithstanding.) Then there are the hybrids that meld nationalism, Fascism and religion. The Spanish Falange stands out. World War II saw atrocities committed by the Hungarian Arrow Cross, the Romanian Iron Guard, the Croatian Ustashi and the Slovakian Hlinka Guard. The Iron Guard was Orthodox. The others were all fiercely Catholic -- the Slovak President was a Catholic Priest, Jozef Tiso, who defied the Pope in his eagerness to deport Jews to the death camps. So, too, for the Lebanese Falangists. Intense nationalist identities thereby took on a sacred quality while identifying as the evil "other" persons within reach of different faiths who were brutally sacrificed to the tribal gods. Religious ideologies and secular ones (with the exception of Nazism/Fascism) share another noteworthy trait. They hold out the promise of a glorious future for their adherents. In the case of the great universalist religions, the promise is offered to all of mankind. So does Communism. The former emphasize a blissful Afterlife, the latter Heaven on Earth. Most religions also convey a message of benevolence, peace and good works that can alleviate suffering in this life even if the ultimate reward is in the next. That entails a code of ethical conduct, i.e. ethical conduct counts along with faith and belief. Those codes condemn individual violence among other forms of abusive conduct. The contrast of a strict moral code abjuring violence with a clearly etched line of differentiation between the community of believers and non-believers generates contradictions that never have been satisfactorily resolved. For Christians, the teachings of Jesus would seem to stigmatize war and violence of any kind. That is not the way it worked out. Political compulsions overcame the imperatives of individual ethics. "Rendering" unto Caesar involved much more than dutifully paying taxes. Moreover, the institutionalization of Christianity in the hierarchical and highly disciplined Church mixed the temporal and the sacred irrevocably. At the theological level, Christians' acceptance of the Old Testament as divinely inspired meant incorporating the spirit of Yahweh into the religion of Jesus the pacifist. If "vengeance is mine, saith the Lord" (ROMANS 12:18), the Church saw itself as properly His prime subcontractor. The spirit of domination and suppression was brought literally into the New Testament with the official inclusion of the Book of Revelations in the canon early in the 5th century. Written by the Jewish exile John of Patmos, it gave Gospel status to the ghastly Apocalyptic visions of the Hebrew prophets. In a bizarre closing of the circle, End Times evangelicals in the heart of America, like Ted Cruz the Dominionist, celebrate the Israeli assault on Muslim Palestinians, Operation Protective Edge, as a sign that the cataclysmic Armageddon -- as prophesized by a Jew of antiquity -- will soon announce the return of Christ the Redeemer for the Day of Judgment and the Eternal Salvation of Christians while recalcitrant Jews and other rejectionists of Christ are damned to fire and brimstone. Jesus, after all, is the Latinized Greek name for Joshua who "fit the battle of Jericho." (John argued that Jesus was the long-awaited messiah who would return to bring Salvation to the Hebrew people -- destroying their oppressor Rome and all the unrighteous. On Judgment Day, all those who "overcome" will be granted the ultimate blessing of sitting beside the Son of God on His throne). (3:14-22). Islamic holy texts contain these contradictions inherited from the Peoples of the Book along with the contradictory passages of the Koran, and the Hadith. There, one can find justification for a wide range of actions concerning violence and the treatment of believers as well as non-believers -- from the most benign to the pernicious. *** Some perspective on our times. Looking back over the history of the twentieth century, non-religious ideologies have killed tens of millions. The total dwarfs all those killed in religious violence over the centuries. In fact, religion overall was a minor contributor to the mayhem and murder that has marked the modern era. The current sense that we are living in an age of violent religious fanaticism stems from two causes. One is the emergence of radical fundamentalist groups in the Islamic world who use terror as an instrument to advance their cause. The other is the sharp difference between that phenomenon and the peacefully prosaic world of the Western democracies which have freed themselves from atavistic conflicts and war -- at least among themselves. They also are secular societies; thereby, they are inclined to indict those societies that remain infused with religion, especially the Muslim world. The religious mindset itself is difficult for them to comprehend. Many Europeans find salafists , their own ancestors and the extreme American evangelicals equally incomprehensible. Nor do they exert themselves unduly in trying to figure them out. Post-war Western Europe has sanitized itself of all ideologies -- religious, nationalist, political. Never have there been societies with so little passion in their politics. If America in the late eighteenth century was born against others' history, Western Europe in the mid-twentieth century succeeded in liberating itself from its own history. The shattering events of the first half of the century opened a way for the European peoples to change profoundly their ways of interacting. Liberation entailed an emotional, philosophical and intellectual distancing from ingredients of political life that had been the hallmarks of public affairs. Internationally, it was the lethal rivalries of power politics. Domestically, it was ideologically driven factional conflict. The 'civilian societies' of today's Europe (especially at its western end) have transmuted themselves. The polities of this new Europe were made possible more by a process of political subtraction than political addition. That is to say, the domination of public affairs by prosaic concerns and tame ambitions is effect and reinforced cause of the Europeans shedding those parts of their make-up that could impede the process of integration. Nationalist passion, ideological inspiration, the impulse to draw lines of all kinds between 'us' and 'them' -- all have dried up. The peoples of these "civilian" societies see their peaceable, materialistic ways as the desirable norm. Hence, their great difficulty in coming to terms with passionate nationalism (as in the Balkans) or passionate religion. The contrast with the United States is instructive. America shares some of these traits. It differs, though, in other cardinal respects. Americans on the whole are more religious, some of the religious are Christian Salafists in the fundamentalist sense; it is more overtly nationalistic; and it is more comfortable with violence - whether domestically or in the fighting of wars. These characteristics are in the nature of correlations. They do not establish a causal connection. The United States' engagement in military action has more to do with geostrategic realities, and history, than it does church attendance or the omnipresent stars-and-stripes lapel pin. The tolerance for the resulting effects of war (casualties of Americans and casualties of foreigners both) derives as well from the unique American experience: never having had the homeland ravaged by other states (1813 aside); accustomed to victory; and the distinctive sense of mission that at once ascribes selfless virtue to its actions and promotes the idea of the United States as the agent as well as beacon of Progress. This unique mix of national characteristics generates a constant tension in American foreign policy between the idealistic strain and the realist strain. In the "war on terror" era they have managed to reinforce each other so as to justify and generate domestic support for the audacious strategy of hyper-active, multiform engagements in alien societies. Concretely, the United States simultaneously plays the roles of social worker, policeman, law giver and judge. In the process, it has killed a lot of people -- most of them innocents. It also has committed atrocities -- calculatingly as in its torture programs. Yet none of these baneful effects cuts very deep into the American psyche. Nothing basic is scrutinized. Self-image, sense of moral superiority, belief in the rightness of American actions -- all remain intact. This phenomenon cannot be explained in terms of ideological conviction impervious to evidence. The distinctive American civil religion, as political doctrine, is too abstract and enlightened. Neither instruction from the Deity nor solemn vows dictate the dubious actions mentioned above. Nationalism does exercise an influence but Manifest Destiny is no longer a potent motivator. Still, the combination of American attributes has produced a collective psyche that is reconciled with some types of conduct that we would and do denounce in others. The contradictory elements in the American attitudes toward its use of organized violence are kept down to a tolerable level by two features of how we conduct wars, in particular the "war on terror." First, by replacing the draft with a professional army, war and its consequences can be kept at a distance. Indeed, one can opt out entirely simply by not volunteering. Second, the growing reliance on high-tech weapons is changing the experience of killing. "Flying" a drone from an air-conditioned room in Nevada is not the same as cutting the throat of a suspected Taliban on the outskirts of some Afghan village. The psychological difference for the one doing the killing is enormous. The public at large also is affected differently. Some of this is visual. During the "war on terror" we have been shown very few graphic pictures or video of the dead and dying -- on either side. The contrast with Vietnam coverage is striking. No pictures of torture have been revealed -- other than the most mild variety as occurred at Abu Ghraib. The CIA destroyed most of the rest. Hence, the vivid pictures of beheadings by IS, publicized for their own propaganda purposes, make a dramatic emotional impact. One effect is to associate the gruesome acts with the Salafist doctrine (correctly) and with Islam generally (incorrectly). We are told that "Muslims do this kind of thing, things that we would never do." Yet, we Christians and other non-Muslim Americans killed hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians at Hiroshima and Nagasaki. What might the reaction among Muslims, and devotees of other religions, have been were there photographers on the spot able to record the suffocated, the fried, the irradiated, the cremated? We did in fact see graphic images of many dead and maimed innocents in Gaza killed by the Israeli military, with these acts being excused by nearly the entire American political class of diverse religious affiliations. Does the nature of the cause in whose name these actions were taken make a crucial moral difference? Islam, Christianity, Judaism and every other religion can influence our behavior -- in varying ways, to varying degrees. So religion does count. But indictment for criminal acts should not be directed at one particular religion. The ultimate culprit is our human natures -- individual and social. Or, if you prefer, the Heavenly Father who created such conflicted and flawed creatures. __________ * According to the International Institute for Strategic Studies, LTTE was the first insurgent organisation to use concealed Explosive belts and vests. The specialized unit that carried out suicide attacks was named the Black Tigers. According to the information published by the LTTE, the Black Tigers carried out 378 suicide attacks between 5 July 1987, and 20 November 2008. Out of these, 274 were male and 104 were female.

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David Einhorn Pitched SunEdison At A Conference And The Stock's Going Gangbusters

Billionaire hedge fund manager David Einhorn, who runs Greenlight Capital, just pitched his best ideas at the Robin Hood Investors Conference—one of the most stacked investing events of the year. It's closed to the media, but we have a source inside the conference.  According to our source, Einhorn pitched SunEdison (SUNE) as a long. The solar power semi-conductor's stock has jumped about 5%, and has been the best performing solar stock of the year.  According to our source, Einhorn said the stock's mispriced now.  Einhorn also mentioned Terrform Power (TERP) as a long. That stock's up about 10% today. We're told that Einhorn also talked about Greece. He mentioned Alpha Bank and Piraeus Bank. Einhorn said get long with warrants, our source says. He said to short French debt.  Here's a chart of SunEdison:  Here's a chart of TerraForm:  Join the conversation about this story »

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Cretan Village Hosts Museum of Greek Rural History

Arolithos is a unique, traditional Cretan village. It lies just 11 kilometers away from Heraklion, along the old national road connecting it with Rethymnon. Built on a mountain slope, in the wild Cretan landscape, the village is a feast for the eyes, evoking memories from the past for older generations, regarding their way of living, while revealing the simplicity and beauty of old times to younger generations. The Museum of Rural History and Popular Art in the Greek village of Arolithos includes two old traditional houses which represent rural life, architecture and decoration of people in areas around Crete during the 19th century. The first house is made of stone and consists of two main chambers that are divided into individual rooms suitable for different daily activities. One chamber includes a loom and a sofa, for example, as well as a kitchen. The second chamber includes a wine press that can be turned into a bed, a space for children, an underpass that can be used as storage space and a place where animals can rest and feed. The home also includes a fireplace, jars for oil and cereal, dowry chests, farm tools and other decorative items. The second house could be the house of a noble villager. The walls have been plastered and there is no place for animals or storage within the house. The bed is made of wood and the room is decorated with photographs and linens are hanged on the walls, a sign of nobility.

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As Greek life reaches record numbers, UO works to keep members safe

“What we've done is shown the campus that women in Greek Life particularly are really affected by sexual violence compared to the rest of campus,” ...

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Greek Airports Project

Rhodes International Airport LGRP contains also a detailed modeling of the wider area of the Greek island, featuring the old medieval castle, and the ...

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Greek Toy Company Shows Increase in Sales

Jumbo, a leading Greek toy retail company, operating 53 stores in Greece and 14 stores in Cyprus, Bulgaria and Romania, has announced that its turnover for the first quarter showed an 11% increase. Jumbo stated that its strong growth in Bulgaria and Cyprus yielded an overall turnover of 145.5 million euros, a significant increase compared to the 131.2 million euros during the same period last year. According to the company’s trading update that was released on Monday, the turnover in Cyprus and Bulgaria showed a significant growth, while the successful Greek tourist season helped the company boost its sales. Jumbo stated that it is expecting a net profit of 90-95 million euros and a 4-6% increase in sales over the next year, while the company will have more information after the second quarter that includes the Christmas season. Furthermore, Jumbo is planning to open three more stores in Romania, one in Cyprus and one in Greece by June 2015.

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Greek Org of Football Prognostics : Health services boosted by diagnostic machine

AN ANGIOGRAPHY machine worth €550,000 has been donated to the Nicosia General Hospital by betting firm OPAP. According to Health Minister Philippos Patsalis, who was at the hospital to officially receive the machine, said it will drastically decrease ...

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Cyprus eyes legal, diplomatic options in Turkey gas row after halting peace talks

by  Associated Press Cyprus eyes legal options in gas row with Turkey Associated Press - 20 October 2014 09:59-04:00 NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — Cyprus says it's considering additional ways to respond to Turkey's planned gas search in waters where it has already licensed companies to drill. Cyprus government spokesman Nicos Christodoulides said Monday that further "political, diplomatic and legal" steps are being weighed after a warship-escorted Turkish research vessel sailed into waters off the island's south coast. The steps will be announced Tuesday after President Nicos Anastasiades completes consultations with party leaders. Cyprus was split along ethnic lines in 1974 when Turkey invaded after a coup by supporters of union with Greece. Turkey doesn't recognize Cyprus as a state and opposes its offshore energy search. Anastasiades suspended reunification talks earlier this month after Turkey announced its gas search plans. Cyprus condemned the move as a breach of its sovereign rights and international law. News Topics: Business, General news, Peace process, Diplomacy, International relations, Government and politics People, Places and Companies: Nicos Anastasiades, Cyprus, Turkey, Western Europe, Europe, Middle East Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Divers use super-suit to recover ancient Greek treasures

Archaeologists hope that this mission will lead to more excavations of ancient shipwrecks. After all, the Greek sea is the largest unexplored museum in ...

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TRNC: Greek Cypriot hydrocarbon activities 'unacceptable'

Greek Cypriots' hydrocarbon exploration activities are not commiserate with the peace process, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus said in their website statement Friday. TRNC, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus ...

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Today's Hot List : National Bank of Greece (ADR) (NYSE:NBG), Accelerate Diagnostics, Inc ...

The shares of National Bank of Greece (ADR) (NYSE:NBG) decreased 53% in the last one year. The company is a Greece-based financial institution.

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Greece Autos Report Q4 2014

Passenger car sales in Greece increased 22.5% year-on-year in the first seven months of 2014, to 45.101 units. BMI attributes this growth over the ...

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Five Things the Synod Just Did

This article first appeared in America: The National Catholic Review What does the final report of the Synod on the Family mean for the church? Essentially, the "relatio" (or report) published today, at the close of the Synod, will serve as a starting point for future discussion. It was also presented with great transparency, including even sections that did not win the necessary votes for complete approval. Before we look at five things the synod did, it's important to understand the unique "form" of this unusual final document. Pope Francis asked to have all of the paragraphs presented in the "final" report, even those that failed to win the majority needed for full passage (a two-thirds majority). Two of those three dealt with LGBT Catholics, and one addressed divorced and remarried Catholics. What's more, the Pope asked that the voting results be shown alongside all the paragraphs, which were voted on separately. Gerard O'Connell called this a break with 49 years of tradition. In other words, if the final document was published with only the fully approved texts, those three paragraphs would not appear. Why might the Pope have chosen to do this? One the one hand, this could be seen as a smart move by Pope Francis, who by insisting on not only retaining those paragraphs but also showing the vote tallies, ensures two things. First, that those topics--LGBT issues and the reception of Communion for divorce and remarried Catholics--will be discussed at the next session of the Synod. Second, that the church will know that these votes, both of which he himself has addressed, were close. This may give encouragement to those in favor of more openness on these issues to rally support and fight more vigorously next time. (Conversely, it may perhaps strengthen the resolve of those bishops opposed to greater openness.) Some said that the reason that the three paragraphs on those hot-button issues did not pass was not that the some bishops did not like them, but because they did not go far enough for others. In other words, those three paragraphs were seen as too timid, so some bishops chose not to vote for them. For example, Archbishop Paul-André Durocher, a Canadian bishop, on his blog today writes, "Why did some Bishops choose not to approve a text which only repeated the Church's received teaching? I have the impression many would have preferred a more open, positive language. Not finding it in this paragraph, they might have chosen to indicate their disapproval of it. However, it has also been published, and the reflection will have to continue." Archbishop Durocher believes that the overall tone of the "relatio" was more pastoral than could have been expected. So it represents a win for the church. I agree. Also, finally talking about some things that had been largely taboo--new approaches to gays and lesbians, divorced and remarried Catholics, cohabitation--is another win. (As an aside, a bishop is writing his reflections on his blog the day of the close of the synod should also be seen as something new.) So what might be the "takeaway" from the Synod? Here are five things the Synod did: Dialogue: The synod was an "authentic" synod, as Cardinal Christoph Schoenborn said the other day, in that it included actual dialogue. No one can doubt that. For many years Vaticanologists had speculated that such synods had been overly "managed," that is, participants knew what they could and could not talk about, what they could and could not vote on, and more or less what the final outcome would be. This was clearly not the case at Synod on the Family. In his opening address to the participants, Pope Francis specifically asked the participants to speak freely, and prayed for the gift of parresia (a Greek term meaning, roughly, "openness"). Dialogue is now a part of the church, at the very highest levels, and this is to the good. To me, this seems a rather "Jesuit" model of decision-making. Jesuit superiors know, and explicitly say, that the Holy Spirit can work through everyone--both the superior and those men in his care. It is not simply a "top-down" method of governance. So in Jesuit decision-making there is always great deal of discussion and dialogue, which can often continue for a considerable length of time. At times, it's uncomfortable. Pope Francis mentioned this kind of discernment explicitly today in his final talk to the Synod, and referred to his Jesuit ideals: "Personally I would be very worried and saddened if it were not for these temptations and these animated discussions; this movement of the spirits, as St Ignatius called it (Spiritual Exercises, 6), if all were in a state of agreement, or silent in a false and quietist peace. Instead, I have seen and I have heard - with joy and appreciation - speeches and interventions full of faith, of pastoral and doctrinal zeal, of wisdom, of frankness and of courage: and of parresia [openness] Division: There are fairly clear divisions in the church on many of issues related to the family (and sexuality), between what one cardinal termed those who focus on doctrine and those who focus on mercy. Of course one could say that our doctrine is merciful and that mercy is part of our doctrine. But you know what I mean: certain bishops favor a firmer application of laws already in existence (or a clearer explanation of them), and others prefer the "medicine of mercy," as John XXIII had said at the opening of Vatican II. (I also wrote earlier this week of two different models of welcoming people into the church: The "John the Baptist" model of conversion and then communion, and the "Jesus of Nazareth" model of communion and then conversion. These are complementary, not competing models, but they give rise to disagreement over how the church will best live out its mission.) These divisions spilled into the public forum, and then those divisions were taken up by various Catholics worldwide. Frankly, I was shocked at how vitriolic things became, particularly on social media. (For my part, I've never received more "hate tweets" than in the last two weeks.) At times even prelates moved beyond the usual politesse of the Roman "bella figura" that one associates with Vatican affairs. On the other hand, this is what the Pope invited, and probably expected, when he called for openness. Transparency: This synod brought us the following: lively daily press briefings with vigorous questioning from reporters, extremely candid comments from many bishops (Remember Cardinal Wilfrid Napier's terming the interim report as "irredeemable," and Cardinal Reinhard Marx noting that "obviously" church practice could change), an interim document that was made public, as well published notes from the working groups, and a final document published almost immediately after the voting--with the votes attached. All this shows the Pope's desire for transparency. And all this is good. It helps to clear the air of the scent of secrecy that attends many of these gatherings, increases the sense of accountability, and, also shows that the church is less afraid of openness. LGBT: One of the biggest issues in the media's coverage was the emergence of LGBT issues at the Synod--which was, in the run-up to the synod, anything but a sure thing. That is, the synod participants could have avoided it. But from the day that a married couple spoke of their experience with another couple they knew who had a gay son, it was on the table. And to my mind, the media's focus on the change in tone in the interim "relatio," on these and other topics, released earlier this week, was entirely justified. The first "relatio" included language about gays and lesbians that was new--dramatically new. ("Welcoming," "gifts and qualities," mutual support, "precious" "partners," etc.) In addition, some bishops, like Cardinal Schoenborn, who spoke of an "exemplary" couple he knew, went out of their way to praise gays and lesbians. So it was indeed newsworthy. The final document (in paragraphs that, again, weren't fully approved, but will remain topics of discussion) removed those words and, in essence, went back to the Catechism, which asks us to treat gays and lesbians with "respect, sensitivity and compassion." (Oddly, the "relatio" speaks of "respect and sensitivity," rispetto e delicatezza, but omits compassion.) Some will see that as a loss and may be disappointed. It's easy to understand why: the interim "relatio," which garnered so much attention earlier in the week, and which moved me deeply, spoke of "Welcoming Homosexual Persons." Just the word "welcome" was refreshing. (By the middle of the week, the new English translation had "Providing for.") Now the synod speaks of "Pastoral Care of the Homosexual Person." That is quite different. (Would you rather be welcomed or cared for?) Moreover, there is no mention of any "gifts or qualities" at all. But again, the topic of LGBT Catholics is now part of the discussion, and by insisting that those paragraphs were retained (even though they were not approved) Pope Francis is keeping them on the table. Beginning: Lost in some discussions of the Synod was that the last two weeks represented only Part One. After this, the bishops and participants will return to their home dioceses and the worldwide church will reflect on these proceedings until the next session, in October 2015. In the interim, the "World Meeting of Families" will take place in Philadelphia (with Pope Francis most likely attending) with similar topics being raised in talks, articles, homilies and the like. So there will be further reflection. Next October, the synod will meet again in Rome. (With some different bishops, by the way, for example, Archbishop Cupich, now of Chicago.) And, finally, Pope Francis will issue his "apostolic exhortation" on the Synod, a document which enjoys a high level of teaching authority. Thus, while the synod is an important consultative body and Francis is very much in favor of "synodality," his is the final word on all these issues. At times, when I was getting too involved in the daily press conferences, I reminded myself that, while these discussions are important and show the temperature of the church on certain issues, the apostolic exhortation will be the most important document. When I read the documents of the Second Vatican Council, for example, I'm not that concerned about what Cardinals Ottaviani and Bea thought at the time, as much as I am with the final product. I'm more interested in "Lumen Gentium" and "Gaudium et Spes" than one cardinal's particular "intervention" during one session of the Council. All in all, the last two weeks have proven a very Jesuit "way of proceeding," as St. Ignatius Loyola would say. It's what we call "discernment," which includes prayer, as well as much discussion, some division and even some debates. But in the end one person makes the decisions, and in this case it's the Pope. At one point during his concluding speech to the bishops he said, playfully, "I am here and I'm the pope!" Or as we say in the Jesuits, when it comes to the superior it's: "You discern, we discern, but I decide."

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Cyprus says Turkish vessel encroaching on its offshore gas areas

* Turkey doesn't recognise Greek Cypriot claim in area NICOSIA, Oct 20 (Reuters) - Cyprus said on Monday a Turkish research vessel had encroached on an area off its southern coast where it is searching for gas, and it was preparing counter-measures in an escalating row over rights to hydrocarbons in the eastern Mediterranean. Cyprus, a member of the European Union, has become particularly keen ...

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What's for dinner tonight? Creamy Greek Noodle Soup

Weeknight dinners need to be fast, nutritious, cheap and delicious. It's hard to find recipes that fit all those categories, but we are trying.

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PCCW Global acquires Greek security firm Crypteia Networks

PCCW Global, the international operating division of Hong Kong provider HKT, has acquired Crypteia Networks, a security provider headquartered in ...

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Greek Cyprus cries foul as Turkish vessel enters waters

Greek Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades addresses the 69th United Nations General Assembly at UN Headquarters in New York. Earlier this ...

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GREEK CYPRUS REACTS AS TURKEY SENDS SURVEY BOAT

ISTANBUL — Greek Cyprus on Monday accused Turkey of taking "provocative and illegal" action by sending a survey boat to an area where the ...

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Dig site identifies complete prehistoric Greek pottery workshop

A University of Kansas professor is part of a research team in eastern Crete that has identified the most complete existing record of a prehistoric Greek ...

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Greek Orthodox launch rebuilding of St. Nicholas, the only church destroyed on 9/11

NEW YORK (RNS) Leaders of a Greek Orthodox church that was destroyed during the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center broke ground on a new St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church that will overlook the 9/11 Memorial. The new domed building is scheduled to ...

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Athens calls on Ankara to ‘reverse course’ over Cyprus EEZ

The Greek Foreign Ministry on Monday called on Turkey to “reverse course” after a Turkish seismic exploration vessel reportedly entered Cyprus's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) earlier in the day. In a terse statement, Greece's Foreign Ministry urged Ankara... ...

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Greece’s Futile Pursuit of the Parthenon Marbles

Greece has lost its most prominent voices in the fruitless hope for the return of the stolen Parthenon Marbles from the British Museum. The post Greece’s Futile Pursuit of the Parthenon Marbles appeared first on The National Herald.

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