O C V ΓΡΑΦΕΙ ΤΗΝ ΙΣΤΟΡΙΑ Bringing the news ΤΟΥ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΣΜΟΥ to generations of ΑΠΟ ΤΟ 1915 The National Herald Greek Americans c v A wEEKLy GREEK AmERIcAN PUbLIcATION www.thenationalherald.com VOL. 13, ISSUE 664 July 3-9 , 2010 $1.50 Greece Reeling in Wake of Protests and Strikes; Tourism Hit Hard Public Opposition to Cuts to Bonuses and Pensions Propels Nationwide Protests

By Andy Dabilis Minister George Papandreou’s TNH Staff Writer Draconian play to drastically overhaul the pension system, ATHENS – If ever there was a cutting benefits and making scene that captured the eco - workers stay in their posts until nomic and emotional gridlock at least 65 years old. It ran of Greece, it was the frightening counter to his campaign image of Communist union promises that got him elected members standing in front of a in October last year but he is ferry boat, wielding wooden forging on and has barely ac - staves in menacing gestures, knowledged the mood in the barring the way for Greeks and streets. “There has been talk foreign tourists to get to the fa - that some may revolt from bled islands, just as the summer within the government's parlia - season got underway. It was the mentary voting bloc because second time in two weeks the many of the reforms are con - workers blocked the boats, un - trary to ruling Socialist Party dercutting Greece’s hopes to ideology. But the Prime Minister bring tourists, who represent is determined to ram these re - 17% of the country’s $315 bil - forms through and he carries a lion economy. Frustrated and big stick because he can fuming tourists sat on their bags threaten to go to early elections, on the pier, helpless to do any - so he will eventually get his thing but wait, while Greek trav - way,” public commentator elers got in the faces of their George Sefertzis told The Wall countrymen, an ugly scene pit - Street Journal. ting the working class against About 44.6 percent of the each other. people surveyed said Papan - It came a few days after dreou was honest, hard working teachers and other public work - and efficient, while 51 percent ers found their summer bonus believed he was too yielding to AP PHOTO/ALKIS KONSTANTINIDIS – part of two months annual the country's foreign lenders. In Strikers block the entrance of a ferry at the port of Piraeus, the job in a nationwide general strike that disrupted transport, bonuses to subsidize low pay – June 29, as public services shut down and workers walked off and left hospitals operating on emergency staff. was cut 70% and some discov - Continued on page 9 ered their pensions could be cut more than 50%, starting a stam - pede of teachers rushing for early retirement to take advan - Church Jacks up Dues on New England Parishes tage of higher pensions now, Suicide which will be reduced in the fu - ture for those who can’t leave By Theodore Kalmoukos parishes were not reporting all for the 72 churches under its ju - ing to a list posted by the Me - now. Jumper’s TNH Staff Writer their annual income or keeping risdiction, an average hike of tropolis of Boston on its Internet It’s been a year of strikes that double sets of records in order about $2,012 per church. Most site under “administration.” have shut down public trans - BOSTON - The annual allocation to disclose how much money had sharper hikes, while some The issue was brought The portation, the ports, airport, Bitter End of the New England parishes has they were bringing in, short- were kept the same and a few National Herald’s attention by a public offices, blocked ferry been sharply increased for this changing the church. were lowered. number of priests, parish coun - boats and tankers too, and year over last year, with across- The demand has forced The amounts of the hikes cil presidents and members, mostly working class despera - By Theodore Kalmoukos the-board hikes jumping up the many parishes to scramble to vary from parish to parish, but, who provided the list to The tion and fear, as unemployment and Constantine S. Sirigos required 15% of annual ex - find contributors and conduct for example, Transfiguration Herald. has hit 10% and is rising. Last TNH Staff Writers penses contributions set in 2006 various fund-raising ideas, such Church in Lowell, Massachu - The 25% of the total amount week, a relatively limp protest at the Clergy Laity Congress in as bigger festivals, bingo games setts, which paid $38,000 in that the parishes contribute to of about 12,000 people passed NEW YORK – Late in the after - Nashville, Tennessee. That for - and bake sales. The increases 2009, now must pay $41,000, the Archdiocese returns to the by the Parliament but made no noon of Monday, June 21, 48- mula was changed from 15% of amount to $144,890 and would and St. George’s, in Lynn, Mass., Metropolis of Boston as is the attempt to storm the doors as year-old Steve Koufakis was income because the church hi - bring the required donations to which paid $78,000 in 2009 has happened in May, although law - alone with his thoughts and his erarchy believed that many the Metropolis to $1,900,280 been hiked to $88,000 accord - Continued on page 6 makers were debating Prime conscience, God, and his inner demons on the George Washing - ton Bridge. It’s where he wanted to be and he knew what he wanted to do. When police en - Justice for Stathis’ Killer? croached on a solitude riven by despair and lost hope, he jumped into the Hudson River below, and Her Godson Knows, but was killed. A snapshot of the for - mer Wall Street trader’s life showed a man wrestling with - Her Family Wonders and losing - a life that turned from picture book to horror show after losing his job, facing di - By Bob Nicolaides mother, Thalia Stathis, 28, a vorce, and, finally, court-ordered TNH Staff Writer waitress, was snatched away separation from his two sons, from him, killed in a senseless aged 5 and 9 years. At about 5 FT. LEE, N.J. - Eight-year-old act by someone who should p.m., he left a court hearing re - Jason John Nicolopoulos may have worshipped her for the lated to his pending divorce and not completely understand what kindness she’d shown him in headed for the bridge. His last causes people to become mur - their two years together. As words and thoughts were in a derously violent. Yet he does un - young as Jason is, he knows that text message to friends they derstand that his young god - he will never get to see her wouldn’t reveal. again, never have the cherished According to one, it was bad relationship that exists between enough to hear his wife Evie’s ex - a spiritual mother and the child she baptized while on a short Continued on page 5 Stavridis on journey to Greece, the land of her parents. Nicolopoulos, also Stathis’ youngest cousin, with Lessons of the limited knowledge of an el - ementary student, sat down and Students wrote a letter to Judge Harry Salamis Carroll, the man who on July 23, a little before 2 p.m. will be Meet Land handing down the sentence By Constantine S. Sirigos against Hughes Francois, the TNH Staff Writer Haitian man convicted of killing of Dreams his godmother, not of murder, EUROKINISSI SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. – When but of aggravated manslaughter, An early summer’s night’s dream By Andy Dabilis and students hear about the Battle which can bring a lesser sen - Antoni Kratsis of Salamis from his teacher, they tence, a lot less than her family Even in these troubled times, there are moments of beauty and grace in Greece and Athens, and TNH Staff takes notes so they can get a wants. He had also been con - a concert at the ageless Odeon of Herodes Atticus under the Acropolis is one of them, especially good grade. But when Admiral victed of another killing and on a summer night. On June 30, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam performed ATHENS- Some were agog at James G. Stavridis, NATO’s sexually assaulting a 14-year- Mahler’s Fifth Symphony on the stage where Greek plays have been performed for centuries. the sight of the Acropolis and Supreme Allied Commander in old girl, and was convicted of the Parthenon, an image in Europe, makes a presentation disturbing human remains by books and video for them, or of - about that famous ancient bat - dumping Thalia’s body on a ten described by their parents tle, they pay attention. All ears New York highway. or grandparents. Others were on deck. The letter Nicolopoulos Clergy-Laity Congress Déjà vu taken aback by the beauty of On the grounds of the church wrote is still under wraps and Mykonos or Delos, or the trea - of Kimisis tis Theotokou in will not be revealed until sures in the Benaki Museum. All Southampton, New York on Sat - handed to the judge to read, BOSTON - If Archbishop chate of Constantinople. Prepa - first day of conference proceed - loved meeting Greek students. urday, June 26, the highest moments before he passes sen - Demetrios’ address to the Greek rations were delayed as well, ings July 5. For most of 17 Greek American ranking Greek American in U.S. tence. But Thalia’s mother, Orthodox Archdiocese of Amer - with the registration packet hav - The conference will begin students visiting Greece as part military history shared his in - Joanne Stathis, allowed the Na - ica’s 40th Clergy-Laity Confer - ing been sent to parish commu - with Archbishop Demetrios’ of the Heritage Greece program sights with an audience that in - tional Herald a peek into what ence in Atlanta sounds familiar nities only a few weeks ago. opening keynote address, and sponsored by the National Hel - cluded Tricia Nixon Cox, daugh - the content is. Sitting in a booth this year, it’s because it has vir - Similar delays took place during delegates will then break up lenic Society (NHS,) this was ter of the late President Richard at one of the many Greek- tually the same title as what he the last three Clergy-Laity Con - into groups, with each group be - their first time seeing the coun - Nixon, who may go down in his - owned Diners in the Fort Lee, delivered in 2008, Gather My ferences, which did not have an ing led by a Metropolitan. The try of their heritage, and they tory as much for his strategic New Jersey area adjacent to the People to My Home, with the agenda, nor were there any dis - groups will be asked to develop soaked it up during a two-week thinking in international rela - George Washington Bridge, next addition of the phrase Come cussions of any proposals com - and analyze the Archbishop’s tour that also included enough tions as for the Watergate scan - to her husband Peter Panayotis, and See. So we’ll see who comes ing from parish communities opening address in greater de - studies at the American College dal. They were guests of busi - she revealed that the child’s to the conference in Atlanta July previously submitted to the local tail, which will serve to lay out of Greece to gain three credits. ness mogul John Catsimatidis, communication with the judge 4-7. Archbishop Ireneos of Crete Clergy-Laity Conferences of in - the theme and underlying spirit Vassiliki Fosses, 23, from whose daughter Andrea is en - who will decide Francois’ fate is will be in attendance represent - dividual Metropolises. The top - of the Clergy-Laity Conference. Chicago, an art education stu - ing Ecumenical Patriarch ics for discussion are expected Continued on page 4 Continued on page 4 Bartholomew and the Patriar - to be announced only on the Continued on page 4 Continued on page 9

For subscription: 718.784.5255 Online Print Edition (718) 784-5255 [email protected] % % www.thenationalherald.com & 50 Off 20 Off 2 COMMUNITY THE NATIONAL HERALD, JULY 3-9, 2010

GOINGS ON...

n JULY-SEPTEMBER 4 www.stpaulgoc.org/Festival. CHICAGO, Ill. – The National Hellenic Museum will be host - n JULY 19 ing the Percy Jackson and the NEW YORK, N.Y. - If you have a Olympians: A Look inside the passion for news and want to Lightning Thief from July hear how Soterios Johnson, lo - through September 4. In this cal host of Morning Edition on world-premiere exhibition, visi - WNYC Radio, got started in ra - tors will get an up-close and per - dio and became the host of sonal look at some of their fa - Morning Edition, come to the vorite props from the Fox 2000 next GAME event on July 19 at film, Percy Jackson and the the Perfect Pint. Soterios will Olympians: The Lightning Thief. give a little background on he In partnership with Twentieth got started in radio and pursued TNH/cOSTAS bEJ Century Fox, the National Hel - his desire to report the news How Much for Moussaka? lenic Museum and Curator and welcome everyone before TNH/c. SIRIGOS Bethany Fleming created the ex - the event. The event will be held As usual at a Greek festival, food was the draw, especially with Space Is Their Man hibition based on the film, Percy July 19 from 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 the goods at the Greek Orthodox Church Zoodohos Peghe Jackson & The Olympians: The p.m. The Perfect Pint is located Bronx festival on June 26, and helping serve them up were (L- Congressman Zach Space of Ohio (6th from left, next to his Lightning Thief. The film is the at 203 East 45th Street, between R) President John Korres, Chairman Jordan Siskos, Mike wife, Judge Mary Wade Space) thanks guests, including Con - big screen adaptation of author 2nd and 3rd avenues, New York, Ellinikos, Michael Feldman, Rachel Libretti, Costas Casvikes, gressman Michael McMahon (4th from left), at a fundraising Rick Riordan’s #1 New York NY 10017. For further informa - Scott Crain, Fotis Savidis, George Greenwood, George Ger - reception organized by a committee of friends and supporters Times bestseller, Percy Jackson tion, call: 212-867-8159 or manakos and Timmy Mamaes. at Kellari’s Parea in New York. & the Olympians: The Lightning RSVP to Dorie Klissas at Thief, the first of five books in [email protected]. Riordan’s series. Hours for the exhibition are: Tuesday through n JULY 31 Friday, 10 am - 4 pm; Saturday, CHICAGO, Ill. – The National In the Spotlight: Nassau’s Zefy Christopoulos 11 am - 4 pm. Closed Sunday, Hellenic Museum is hosting the Monday. Suggested general ad - Heritage Ride for Hellenic Pride mission: adults and seniors; $5, on July 31 at 10 a.m. “We will By Angelike Contis sent to Greek Afternoon School, erage of educational matters. I NHM members, children 12 and not say that Greeks ride like he - TNH Staff Writer however my mother thought that have always loved politics, under; Free. The National Hel - roes but that heroes ride like at the age of 16 it was a good which was the topic of conver - lenic Museum is located at: 801 Greeks.” The ride begins at the NEW YORK – “I am an island idea to have a nun come to the sation at the dinner table grow - W. Adams Street, 4th floor, at National Hellenic Museum and girl,” says Zefy Christopoulos, house to teach me spelling and ing up. My father made the the corner of Adams and Hal - ends at the Harley-Davidson Mu - whose pride in her Sifnos and grammar - in katharevousa! I evening news with Walter sted Streets Chicago, IL 60607. seum. Registration is $30 per Paros roots is as much a part of studied Business Management at Cronkite a mandatory activity. I For further information, call: rider, $45 with passenger. Reg - her as a love for politics. On New York University. loved it. 312-655-1234 or visit: www.na - istration includes: t-shits, break - May 6, she was honored by the I am married to Panagiotis, TNH: Do you have any role tionalhellenicmuseum.org. fast, tour of the Harley Davidson Nassau Board of Cooperative a civil engineer who was born models? Museum, Tailgate lunch with Educational Services (BOCES) and raised in Athens and came My parents, for having the n JULY 6-10 burgers, brats and beer, give - with an Education Partner to America to complete his edu - courage to emigrate to the NEW YORK, N.Y. - As part of aways and more. For further info award. She is a familiar name cation. We raised two children. United States – with a determi - ATT’s 2010 Euripides summer visit: www.nationalhellenicmu - in Nassau County, New York, not Our daughter, Sofia, will be a nation for their children to suc - series, the American Thymele seum.org. only for her decade as editor/re - sophomore in college. Our son, ceed. My Yiayias Zefy and Flora Theatre is presenting its New porter of the Glen Cove Record Andreas was 21 when, as a pas - and Papous Anthony and York Euripides Summer Festival n AUGUST 6-8 Pilot, but also her seven years senger, he was killed in a car ac - George, who each had stories to with five free, fully staged, con - TORONTO, CANADA – The as public relations officer for the cident in July of 2005. Both my tell about their struggles during secutive performances of Euripi - Greek town Taste of the Dan - City of Glen Cove – when she children speak and understand the Depression and wars. My des’ “Alcestis” in three different forth sponsored by Pilaros is one made sure the Greek flag always Greek and both love Greece Uncle Stefanos who, among so locations in New York City from of Toronto’s signature events flew on March 25th. She is the with every ounce of their being many things, brought the music July 6-10. This genre of the - showcasing the best of Hellenic press secretary to the Nassau ... especially Sifnos. of Greece and soccer, my pas - atrical expression encompasses food, culture and music the city County Legislature Democratic I have been a member of the sion, into my life. My Uncle areas such as ancient history, has to offer. There will be tradi - Caucus and an active member Parish Council of Holy Resurrec - Costas, the point person for pol - mythology, music, and dramatic tional Greek foods ranging from of the Holy Resurrection Greek tion Greek Orthodox Church for Zefy Christopoulos itics being important, who had poetry at its best, all interwoven souvlaki to an assortment of Orthodox Church of Brookville. 20 years, singing in the choir worked for a Greek minister and with marvelous lyricism, Greek mezes, authentic Greek music TNH: Tell us about yourself. and editing the newsletter. I am years, I was the is a great pottery craftsman who culture, education, and rarely- and interactive children’s games. I am the first one in my family exceptionally proud to have community/public relations of - was awarded, in his youth, a offered free entertainment, as The event will be held from to be born in the United States. been part of the team that ficer for the City of Glen Cove. prize by King Paul of Greece. presented in the quality, tradi - 12:00 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. each day. My younger siblings include bought the property and built During that time everyone knew And finally, I have to say that tional approach that has char - For further information, visit: Flora, George and Anthony. My our Byzantine domed church in there was a Greek woman in the late Father Emmanuel Grat - acterized American Thymele www.tasteofthedanforth.com/ta parents, Nick and Andriana, Brookville. City Hall who is very proud of sias, pastor of our church, has Theatre in its seventeen-year ex - steofthedanforth.php. came to America from Greece in TNH: How did you get to her heritage and faith, as the had a profound impact on me, istence. This American Thymele 1954 to begin their married life where you are today? Greek flag was raised in down - with his sense of community Theatre production of “Alcestis” n AUGUST 8-10 in Manhattan. I spoke only Greek I was appointed press secre - town Glen Cove every March and responsibility. He was also is directed by acclaimed director MONTREAL, CANADA – The upon entering the first grade. My tary to the Nassau County Leg - 25. Before that, for 10 years I my shoulder and guide during Lorca Peress. Original music for Hellenic Flame Festival in Mon - mother would stand over me at islature Democratic Caucus by was the editor/reporter for the the most tragic time in my fam - this ATT production of “Alcestis” treal will be held on August 8- the kitchen table and ask me to Legislator Diane Yatauro two Glen Cove Record Pilot, a local ily's life. My family and friends is composed by award-winning, 10 at the Park Jean Drapeau read my school books while she years ago. She is now the Mi - newspaper with almost 8,000 have been the best support sys - Athens-based composer Kostas from 1 p.m.-11 p.m. The event watched over my shoulder, learn - nority Leader. subscribers. The NY Press Asso - tem. Kouris. The five free consecutive is free and will feature a variety ing English. Thankfully, I wasn't Previously, for almost seven ciation awarded me for my cov - TNH: What are your greatest performances will be staged at of activities for the entire family, achievements thus far and goals the following locations: July 6- including food, dance, music for the future? 7 at 6:30 p.m. at the East River and cultural booths representing Keeping my family together Park Amphitheatre, FDR Drive artists and associations from as both my husband and I overpass at Cherry Street to East within the Greek Community. worked was a challenge. Being River Park/south of Delancey For further information, call: recognized by people and public Street; July 8 at 6:30 p.m. at the 514-738-2421 (ext. 107) or figures throughout the commu - Naumburg Bandshell, Central visit: www.hcm-flame.com. nity of Glen Clove, where I have Park Mall – Enter from 67th lived for 28 years, is also a St./Central Park West or 72nd AUGUST 28 source of pride. Attending Board St./5th Avenue; July 9 and 10 LOS ANGELES, Calif. – The Los of Education meetings for 23 at 8:00 p.m. at the Marilyn Mon - Angeles Greek Festival will be years and being active in the roe Theatre, Lee Strasberg The - held on August 28 from 11:00 PTA earned me the reputation atre and Film Institute – 115 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. For further in - of an advocate for children’s ed - East 15th St./Union Square East. formation, call: 213-915-8003. ucation. I have successfully Reservations are available fought for special education through: http://www.Smart - n SEPTEMBER 10-12 funding and alerted the police Tix.com/show.aspx?show - The Dormition of the Virgin department to misinformation code=EUR1 or by calling: 212- Mary Greek Orthodox Church on the registered sex offender 868-4444. For further info visit: will be held September 10-12. notification list that made a dif - http://www.American - Festival hours will be: Septem - ference. I hope to continue my ThymeleTheatre.yolasite.com or ber 10 from 12:00 p.m.-11:00 efforts in our school district and call: 212-781-3631. American p.m.; September 11 from 12:00- perhaps I will consider running Thymele Theatre -1202 Lexing - 11:00 p.m.; and September 12 for elected office. ton Ave, New York, N.Y. 10028. from 12:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m. For TNH: What is an issue re - further information, visit: garding the Greek community n JULY 9-11 www.dormitionchurch.org. that concerns you? MERRIVILLE, Ind. - St. Constan - The financial chaos and vio - tine and Helen Greek Cathedral CARMEL, Ind. – The Holy Trin - lence that has erupted in Grecian Festival will be held on ity Greek Orthodox Church is Greece, the ennui of the youth July 9-11. For info: www.sscon - hosting their 38th Annual Greek there and the lack of safeguard - stantineandhelen.org. Festival September 10-11 from ing of the natural environment. 4:00 p.m.-11:00 p.m. For fur - I will not presume to know the n JULY 12 ther information, visit: answer to Greece's financial sit - NEW YORK, N.Y. - The AHI www.holytrinityindy.org. uation, but I do know that if Business Network and The New measurable reform isn't under - York Chapter of AHI hosts its n SEPTEMBER 23-26 taken with regard to the afford - Monthly Informal Networking MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – St. John able, equitable education of Reception, Monday, July 12, the Baptist Church will be host - Greek students and if protecting 5:30 to 7:30 PM at Avra Restau - ing their Annual Greek Festival the environment doesn't become rant in Manhattan. Avra Restau - September 23-26 from 11:00 a serious priority, my beloved rant is located at: 141 East 48th a.m. – 10:00 p.m. For further second country will have a dis - Street. Complimentary hors information, visit: www.stjohn- mal future. Our Greek commu - d'oeuvres will be served and it mb.org/events/festival.htm. nity in the United States has to will be a cash bar. Please RSVP redouble its efforts to elect offi - by July 10 to Col. Andonios Ner - n NOTE TO OUR READERS cials who have the best interests oulias at [email protected]. For This calendar of events section of Greece at heart. We should further information on AHI ac - is a complimentary service to make voting more of a priority tivities and membership visit: the Greek American community. and cultivate more candidates www.ahiworld.org. All parishes, organizations and for elected office at any level. institutions are encouraged to Teaching youngsters Greek and n JULY 15-18 e-mail their information regard - bringing them to church should NORTH ROYALTON, Ohio – St. ing the event 3-4 weeks ahead be a greater priority. Paul’s Greek Orthodox Cathe - of time, and no later than Mon - TNH: What part of Greece is dral will be hosting their annual day of the week before the your family from? Greek Festival July 15-18. For event, to english.edition@then - My father was born and further information, visit: ationalherald.com. raised on Sifnos. My mother was born and raised in Maroussi, a suburb of Athens, however, her father was from Sifnos and her QUESTION OF THE WEEK mother was from Paros. As you can see, I am an island girl! I Vote on our website! am very fortunate to have been able to visit Maroussi and Sifnos You have the chance to express your opinion on our website very often since the first time I on an important question in the news. The results will be pub - flew to Greece at the age of 7, lished in our printed edition next week along with the question alone, wearing a sign with in - for that week. formation regarding who would The question this week is: Should the Ecumenical Patriar - pick me up from the airport and chate be moved from Istanbul to the United States? where I was staying: “Vasilis o Yes Sofias 52, Maroussi.” Since o No then, I have traveled to Greece o Maybe at the very least every two years. The results for last week’s question: Do you believe com - TNH: Share with us some munities of the Diaspora should have representation in the words of wisdom. Greek Parliament? Be patient and passionate 32 % voted "Yes" while making a difference, one 68 % voted "No" day at a time. 0% voted "Maybe"

[email protected] Please vote at: www.thenationalherald.com THE NATIONAL HERALD, JULY 3-9, 2010 COMMUNITY 3 The Greek Gods of Food Show Their Fancy Wares at N.Y.’s Javits Center

By Angelike Contis olive producers of Volos. He has HALOUMI AND BEYOND many years,” he noted. How - TNH Staff Writer been coming to the Fancy Food Meanwhile, at the pavilion of ever, it’s the first step that’s the Show for many years, finding it the Republic of Cyprus, two hardest, noted Constantine, NEW YORK – Amidst wedges of the key to maintaining ties with floors below, the Cyprus con - pointing to the rigorous USDA oozing French brie, piles of Ital - clients as well as finding new sulate’s Trade Commissioner approval requirements. ian pasta and stacks of Cajun ones. Feta was a product being Aristos Constantine noted, The Fancy Food Show also hot sauce, were Hellenic prod - pushed by several producers. “Haloumi is always a forerun - featured some Greek products ucts such as homemade Cretan The Thessaloniki region’s Kolios ner,” in reference to Cyprus’ made in the U.S.A., found out - cookies made with olive oil, and dairy representative pointed out most famous cheese. No less side of the official pavilions. Cypriot haloumi cheese, grilled that – unlike the fetas in other than eight companies exporting Sales rep Spiro Litsas provided on the spot. Manhattan’s Javits pavilions at the Fancy Food the product attended the Fancy samples of Greek Gods Greek Center was abuzz with profes - Show- Greek sheep milk feta Food Show. Some grilled the Yogurt, for one. He promised the sional foodies on June 27, the was real thing. “That’s some - cheese on the premises, attract - product whose packaging was first day of the three-day, 56th thing we are always trying to Summer Fancy Food Show, an fight,” he said, referring to other exhibit of 1,200 exhibits from countries’ use of the term feta, 81 countries. At the event was without the right to a P.D.O. la - a Greek pavilion of 21 ex - bel signifying its origin. Mean - hibitors, and one from Cyprus while, Panagiotis Tsekouras, of boasting 20 exporters. Epirus SA from Arta, boasted: THE CRETAN EDGE “Epirus feta is a top quality While some observed that product.” the Greek presence was smaller Among the exhibit newcom - than in past years – perhaps as TNH/cOSTAS bEJ ers was Apostolos Lykos, of the some crisis-pressed exporters The U.S. market appeals to Manolis Lantzanakis, whose olive family-run Lykos Winery in Evia were unable to fork out the $33 oil estate produces the organic extra virgin olive Krya Sitia island. He said that restaurant- per square foot fee - the region Olive Oil in a family grove maintained and expanded over owning friends in the U.S. en - of Crete was well represented three generations in the village of Krya, near Sitia, Crete. couraged him to bring his wines at the event, with nearly a to the show. “We export red dozen exhibitors. “It’s a philos - change the image that has hurt and 3,500 producers. “Every - wine to Canada and white and ophy of living,” explained Mano - us … and show the real image thing is done unanimously” he red wine to Germany. I don’t lis Lantzanakis of his aromatic of Greece.” said of the union’s decision- know exactly what Americans USDA-approved organic Kyra Beyond handsome packag - making. Though the cooperative will like,” he said. Looking extra virgin olive oil from Sitia, ing, U.S. buyers – from a chef already distributes their prod - abroad was natural, in his opin - Crete. As visitors dipped into his from New Jersey to a Greek gro - ucts in Atlanta, he was trying to ion, in a time of economic crisis family estate oil, he said: “I con - cer from Florida- were seduced rekindle a New York connection at home. “The US is a big mar - sume organic products and I by the taste of the products. A for Peza. Mediterranean diet sta - ket and we are trying to find want to sell organic products be - favorable dollar-euro exchange ple olive oil is a basic ingredient our path,” he added. He pro - (L-R) Heraklion Prefecture tourism/product Promotion Con - cause organic products are the rate is helping, Exporters’ Asso - of the golden biscuits offered by vided samples of wines includ - sultant Dimitris Chronakis, Greek Consulate Office of Economic future.” Kyra was among half a ciation of Crete President company Sitian Mill. Exhibit ing the Malaguzia, which uses and Commercial Affairs' Nicholas Belias, The Hellenic Foreign dozen Cretan olive oil compa - Alkiviadis Kalabokis pointed representative Eva Kalaboki a grape variety of the same Trade Board (HEPO) Director Nadia Rodogiannis, Anastasia nies. A strong Cretan presence- out, noting: “Our products are noted that the company was al - name native to Southern Evia. Garyfallou, George Economou. of some half of the Greek pavil - more competitive to the Ameri - ready exporting its organic and Nicholas Belias of the Greek ion - was spearheaded by the can consumer … It’s a difficult other biscuits to Europe, but Consulate’s Office of Economic ing those in the know. decorated with the Greek key Prefecture of Heraklion. With year for Greece and all of us are was now looking for a U.S. en - and Commercial Affairs noted Haloumi’s success has paved was made with traditional five representatives and glossy trying to show to the rest of the try. She was pleased with how that about a third of exhibitors the way for other Cypriot prod - methods; at the same time, the brochures and DVDs (including world that Greece is a very quickly the stacks of almond, were there for the first time and ucts, Constantine said, pointing Seattle-based companies’ a CD in both English and Chi - strong country, with good busi - fig-stuffed and other cookies that Greek food exports had not to the pavilion’s range of food smooth products come in flavors nese,) the prefecture subsidized ness and very good products.” were disappearing in the show’s suffered as much as other areas products, from multi-colored AA ranging from vanilla to pome - its participant’s entry fees and Cretan cooperatives made first few hours. of the Greek economy, due to Sea Salt Flakes and Bioplants granate. Leave it to a Greek. expenses. The show will help their presence felt. Marcos MED DIET BASICS the financial crisis. herbal teas, to the frozen foods Greece improve its image in a Mourtzanakis, export manager Greek olives, olive oil, wine Nadia Rodogiannis, the Di - and pasta of Cyprus giant Mit - *Additional reporting by time of crisis, explained Dimitris of the Peza Union of Crete, was and cheese from other regions rector of The Hellenic Foreign sides and the koulouria rusks of Stavros Marmarinos. For video Chronakis, the prefecture’s at the show offering samples of were also represented at the ex - Trade Board (HEPO), which or - Thamira Food (Bakandys.) coverage of the event, visit tourist development and prod - the wine and olive oil produced hibit. “U.S. consumers are very ganised the Greek pavilion, “There are many, many compa - www.thenationalherald.com/vi uct promotion consultant. He by a cooperative formed in 1933 familiar with Greek products,” pointed out that the first day nies that have been successfully deo/691 explained: “We are trying to that today includes 19 villages said Harry Siouras of Siouras proved positive. exporting to the U.S. for many, [email protected] Make Me Laugh, I’m A Liberal: Jim Mendrinos Takes Some GOP Shots

By Constantine S. Sirigos be better if Obama just gave us on the president is allowed to anything except ending up in a TNH Staff Writer each $13,000?” and he added, poke fun at police officers. restaurant kitchen.” He was only “in the U.S. do we say the Adding to the stereotype that head chef at a Manhattan NEW YORK – It was a top secret way to get out of debt is to all comedians are frustrated psy - restaurant for 30 years. “My GOP standup comedy show. spend money.” After that he too chologists and philosophers mother was less than happy be - GOP, for the politically chal - spared Obama, but he really (and vice versa) Mendrinos cause I was the only one in my lenged, stands for Grand Old ripped into the circus act in Al - shared some words of wisdom family to finish college, but she Party, a nickname for the Repub - bany. “I’m going to form a com - with his fans: “If you talk to a became happy when she real - lican Party. The word spread mittee called ‘slap your state person that you hate for a su - ized I made a good living and that there would be some out - senator committee.’” Once perficial reason for five minutes she saw me on TV a few times.” rageously funny material hurled again, no Democrat in the audi - you will find a good reason to Mendrinos performs mainly about, and liberals and their ence would have a problem with hate him.” He told The National in New York, which is what he friends should be prepared to that. Herald that the Greek American wanted - earlier in his career he duck if they managed to sneak COMEDY RULES community has been very sup - had to travel 40 – 50 weeks to into the Gotham Comedy club Soon it was self deprecation portive, bringing him gifts from pay his dues to make that pos - on Monday, June 21. This was time, which makes one wonder, Greece, sweets. sible. He will perform in the going to be a full-out attack on is it obligatory for comedians – “It feels like I am performing New York Underground Comedy Liberal Nation and two of the if you want to make fun of for family,” he said. His dad is Festival August 15-22. His full laugh commandos were Greek someone else, or their ethnic from the island of Syros and his length DVDs are Jim Mendinos American comedians Eleni Karis group, you must takes some sister lives there, he also has a Live and Jim Mendrinos Break - and Jim Mendrinos. He is seri - shots at yourself and your peo - half-brother, and half-sister who ing Curfew and his CD is called ous about the Republican brand ple. Some shots at Greece and owns the Blue Bay Diner in Uninterrupted. He is also on the of his comedy: there is a big red, Greekness were coming. “No Queens. Greek Gods of Comedy DVD white and blue Republican ele - matter what ethnicity you have, His family has accepted his with Basile and Karis. His web - phant on his business card. you have a better story than the comedy career. “Dad is o.k. with site is worldsbestcomic.com Friends must have told Mike Greek people,” said the comic, Dukakis not to bother to put on reminding the audience of the his helmet and to keep his tank Greek American comedian Jim Mendrinos and his friends fired Greek jokes we have endured in Massachusetts and to sit this away at Democrats and their party, but Obama was spared. since adolescence, which can’t war of words out because Men - be printed here. He did point drinos is a comedy veteran, hav - tration would have carried a mocked his assertiveness: out the glory that was Greece ing done stand up since age 19. stronger rating. They were sur - “Obama formed a committee of however, but noted that, “We He is also in demand as a writer prisingly nice to President all the great minds from col - peaked too early. 2500 Greece whose work has appeared on Barack Obama - but not to other leges. Not anybody who ever was the ‘sh—’, but then there Saturday Night Live, David Let - Democrats. Rombie told the did anything, but they studied was nothing until the gyro.” terman, and Dennis Miller Live, crowd to be on the lookout for it.” The other attacks were indi - Ethnic humor is unavoidable and he literally wrote the book Democrats who would be sure rect. Be nice to the president, in the most ethnically diverse on comedy writing, The Com - to jump up and shout, “I object.” his mother’s voice must have city on earth. “I grew up white plete Idiot's Guide to Comedy But the one or two Dems in the rung in his ears. “Is everyone in one non-white neighborhood, Writing, which was released in crowd seemed to appreciate here feeling properly economi - Coney Island, and now I live in presents 2004. some of the social commentary. cally stimulated,” he asked. “Are South Jamaica, another non- There were lots of laugh-out- Or maybe it was the sports fan you feeling it? I’m feeling it right white neighborhood. My nick - loud jokes that night, but poli - in them. Rombie threw out what here…” The rest was beyond the name is ‘officer’ – I haven’t paid Alcestis tics did not dominate after all. he must have thought was red bounds of this family newspa - for a Dunkin’ donut in nine There were lots of life jokes meat to the red end of the po - per, a rare bit of nastiness, but years,” the Democrats doubtless as part of its mixed with the political, along litical spectrum (paradoxically then he took a sharp turn to eco - pleased that a conservative Re - 2010 New York Euripides Summer Festival the lines of what Mendrinos’ called residents of blue states by nomic description: “Wouldn’t it publican who can’t be too hard web site describes as “observa - the media). He went after the tions, opinions and inspired lu - political correctness that threat - FIVE FREE PERFORMANCES nacy,” which were also proved ens the sacred tenets of Ameri - IN THREE DIFFERENT LOCATIONS IN N.Y.C. by his Republican colleagues, can sports, the “give everyone a but there were no Duke jokes, trophy” attitude. “If everybody by the Greeks or the non-Greek loses, everyone is special,” he POCKET-LESS Tuesday and Wednesday, July 6 th and 7th at 6:30 p.m. at the comedians. bleated. “There’s a great lesson EAST RIVER PARK AMPHITHEATRE Joe Rombie, the night’s MC, to teach kids about the way the (FDR Drive overpass at Cherry Street began with the quip: “Look, real world works.” PITA BREAD to East River Park, Exit 4, south of Delancey Street) every Republican who lives in Right on. There’s bipartisan

Manhattan is here.” The club support for that sentiment: ball th was that filled up, and the local games have scores because the Kontos Foods Thursday, July 8 at 6:30 p.m. at the Republican population is that point of the game is to win. And NAUMBURG BANDSHELL small. “It’s a rowdy crowd, you’d the point of children’s sports The Leading Company in Flat Breads (Central Park Mall - Enter from 67th St. & think I was the spokesman for programs is to teach kids to pick Central Park West or 72nd St. & 5th Avenue) BP.” The crowd roared, but that themselves up, work harder and Well known for the Pocket-Less Pita told you something about local try again to WIN after defeat. manufacturers of Authentic Ethnic Hand Stretched Flat Friday and Saturday, July 9 th and 10 th at 8:00 p.m. at the political and comedic realities. Robert Gage was the first co - bread. MARILYN MONROE THEATRE Toto was not in Kansas: except median. He works for the New Kontos the first family in fillo dough and fillo products. for Miss Karis’ more acerbic mo - York Post, owned by radical (The Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute ments, these seemed to be Right media monarch Rupert 115 East 15th St. at Union Square East) grand old moderate grandchil - Murdoch. Surely this African FILLO KATAIFI, bAKLAVA, SPANAKOPITA, TyROPITA dren of Rockefeller Republicans. American wit will fire some de - NUT ROLL, mELOmAKARONA RESERVATIONS ARE SUGGESTED FOR THE Either that, or they just could licious blasts at the president, and the TRADITIONAL mEDITERRANEAN DESSERTS. MARILYN MONROE THEATRE PERFORMANCES not bring themselves to be really the audience prepared for big, Excellent quality and service. BY CALLING S mart Tix AT: 1-212-868-4444 nasty about the nation’s presi - nasty laughs. It was there, it was dent. funny, but it was not nasty. “Yes We distribute in USA and Canada. BE NICE TO OBAMA the country is a mess, but as we Special prices for communities, schools, churches Their patriotic or respect-au - all know, B.P. is responsible, thority-at-all-cost genes over - B.P.” There was a pause and festivals and other events powered their joke genes. And then he blurted out: “B.P. – black these were all very funny and president.” The Democrats in often biting comedians. There the room laughed, but the Re - were apparently raised to be publicans were restrained. They very polite and the bit of rebel - were in New York. Kontos Foods, Inc

lion that is vital to every come - It was finally Mendrinos’ turn b dian’s economic well-being at bat and he did take a swing box 628, Paterson, NJ 07544 stopped short at the White at the president, but at B.P. too, Tel.: (973) 278-2800 Fax: (973) 278-7943 Kontos.com Detail of a painting from Pompei depicting Admetus and Alcestis listening to the oracle. National Archaeological Museum, Naples.

House gates. A liberal comedy Talking about Obama’s response a party during the Bush adminis - to the Gulf oil spill crisis he 4 COMMUNITY THE NATIONAL HERALD, JULY 3-9, 2010 Justice for Stathis’ Killer? Her Godson Knows, but Her Family Wonders

Continued from page 1 THERE’S NO JUSTICE less that Francois has been con - Nine months later, her remains her change her decision. An ar - To the question of whether victed. They got support from were found just off the Southern gument ensued, followed by a related to the pain the boy feels they feel if justice is being done, Mello and Susan Tanis of the State Parkway in Queens. struggle, during which the Hait - and the void created by Thalia’s Joanne shook her head in dis - Office of Victim’s Advocacy, She reportedly had bought ian strangled her, police said. death. It is also to let the judge appointment, laconically re - which they said has made life a her live-in boyfriend a new car Joanne told TNH that she know the youth’s feelings on the sponding that, “What we want little more bearable, although – the one he used to transport has been receiving support as sentencing and that he believes we cannot have in a million they said they would prefer a her body after he killed her, au - well from the families of murder Francois deserves the harshest years.” Naturally, as every par - harsher sentence than the law thorities said. The killing came victims. Thalia’s friends, of punishments. Thalia’s mother ent would have answered, the allows. Friends said Francois as her parents tried everything coworkers and customers say recalled an incident during the real justice they seek is to have convinced Stathis to move in to get her back. They suggested they still feel her loss. They said difficult days of the witnesses’ their child back, something be - with him, despite her parents’ vacations to Greece, to the there wasn’t anyone like her. testimony, when one of Thalia’s yond the power of any human. pleas to steer clear of a con - Caribbean, to Florida where her She was a hard worker, close to close friends, Janet Teller, a cus - “However,” she added, “We will victed killer and rapist. “You older brother lives with his fam - receiving her degree in Account - tomer in the Arena Diner where take whatever justice can be cannot trust anyone in this life” ily. Nothing worked. Joanne, be - ing. They said she never made Thalia worked, was giving a de - ours.” That’s a distant second sighed Panayotis. “No one is fore her daughter’s murder, had an error in math. Her boss at position that left jurors over - option, the only one realistically trustworthy.” never seen the inside of the the diner corroborated that and taken with emotion and crying. available to them because ag - BAD SIGNS apartment she lived in with him. said all her checks were “just Twice Thalia’s age, Teller said gravated manslaughter carries Friends said Thalia should Both her father and mother right.” She amazed her friends she felt such fondness for her a sentence of from 10 to 30 have seen that Francois, chron - could not see what attracted her and one sang at her funeral, as and told the court that she years in jail, while other charges ically unemployed, could not be to a man with a criminal record. she was eulogized at Fairview’s wanted to call her as her own of which Francois was con - rehabilitated and that his It was only towards the end, Ascension Church where she at - daughter. “My waitress” was victed, including theft in the use lifestyle was dangerous to her. when she asked her parents to tended Greek school as a child. Teller’s description of Thalia. of a forged check, carry addi - “She always saw the good in pick her up one morning from In her honor, her friends, getting Teller said Thalia, “was so good tional sentences of from five to people, even though, in this After the painful trial involv - the diner where she worked, together, selected a poem they and swift at what she was doing, 10 years. He is facing a maxi - case, it never existed,” a close ing waitress Thalia Stathis’ when she told them that she said best described her. It’s titled that it made me feel so close to mum sentence of 50 to 60 years friend, Anastasia said, according murder, friends and family was leaving him and that she The Angels Were Listening, and her, almost had she belonged to in jail, but could receive less, a to The Greek Reporter.com. pay tribute and call for justice was soon coming back to her says, “: As I sat here in Heaven, me. If I had a daughter,” she de - thought aggrieving her family “She believed she could change on July 23. home. Elated, her parents did With Angels listening in, The clared, “I would’ve wanted her and friends. people. Right before she went everything they could to speed- Angels heard me praying, they to be just like Thalia!” Another Prosecutor Wayne Mello had missing, she went home to her County Prosecutor’s Office up this decision. Francois called also heard me saying, Lord, let customer from the Arena was argued for a longer sentence parents where she was wel - found enough evidence to her on her cell phone that fate - your light shine brightly on my quoted as saying that, “Thalia and in an interview with The comed with open arms,” she charge Francois after Stathis ful night, the last call, Mello told parents left behind, Look after was such a gem and we had National Herald, explained that wrote. “He once again con - vanished after a late shift in Sep - the jurors, her cell phone re - my Family for me, grant them such a good time when she was Francois could be eligible for pa - vinced her to leave her parents’ tember 2007. It was a bold ceived. Authorities said he went Peace of Mind! That will proba - taking care of us, that it is hard role in as little as 27 years. home & go back with him. We move, based purely on circum - to pick her up from the Arena bly only come if the judge is lis - to encounter someone else of Her mother and Panayotis all know what happened next.” stantial proof, including blood - Diner early in the morning and tening to her too. And her god - her caliber in a lifetime.” said they are satisfied nonethe - Investigators from the Bergen stains found in his car trunk. apparently attempted to have son. Clergy-Laity Congress Deja Vu: Still Unprepared, Looks Like 2008

Continued from page 1 America, while emphatically of its immigrant members in a also been planned, as was done noting that “We are not a new country. New circum - in the previous two Clergy-Laity Neither the Metropolitans nor Church of immigrants.” Among stances have certainly been Conferences in Washington, the delegates will have any prior other issues in his speech, the formed.” D.C. and Nashville Tennessee. knowledge of the Archbishop’s Archbishop said that, “Despite For the moment, at least, the This year, the main emphasis of speech, so as to prepare. Copies the continuous but limited phe - only two topics on the agenda the Clergy-Laity Conference will of the speech are handed out nomenon of immigration that for the Clergy-Laity Conference revolve around the phrase Come only minutes before it is said, has occurred in recent years, our are the discussion and approval and See, which Archbishop or after it is delivered. Church is by no means a Church of the budget for 2011 and Demetrios will develop in his During his last speech at the of immigrants, or a church 2012, and a proposal from the opening address. The Archdio - Clergy-Laity Conference in group of the Diaspora, but a Metropolis of Denver for certain cese is still exercising a restrain - Washington, D.C., Archbishop Church that has natural, steady, amendments to the text of the ing order against former mem - Demetrios called upon the 60 and proud roots on American by-laws for the appointment bers of the Transfiguration of Americans who reportedly do soil.” He also added that, “This and operation of the Archdioce - Christ Church in Corona, N.Y., not attend church to convert to means that in our time the san Council. Seminars and train - barring them from entering the Orthodoxy and fill the Orthodox Church no longer is preoccupied ing sessions of a catechetical church, school, or setting foot churches located all around with the socioeconomic survival and instructional nature have on any other community prop - erty. The restraining order re - sulted from a violation of the Archdiocese’s Uniform Parish Regulations by these individuals and their decision not to heed an order by Archbishop Demetrios to refrain from pro - ceeding with elections for a parish council. TNH STAFF PHOTOS Metropolitan Methodios of Even the main gathering hall for the 2008 event showed a lot Boston also removed the entire of empty seats, a source of concern for church officials who parish council of the Transfigu - this year said they wanted to lure more people, but again the ration of Christ Church in Low - agenda was uncertain and the lead address much the same ell, Mass. in his attempt to sup - port the community’s former cil, administrative matters, in - years. parish priest Rev. Demetrios terfaith marriages, and steward - The National Philoptochos Kostarakis, who was embroiled ship. Society, the Clergy Syndesmos, in an argument with the council Registration costs are $550 and the Presvyteres Syndesmos members over his request for a per delegate and $600 for non- will also hold conferences on $12,000 raise to his already delegates, $400 for priest’s the sidelines of the Clergy-Laity high salary just six months into wives, and $100 for retired Conference. his assignment. Many families priests. Registration costs cover The National Herald has and young people have left the the expenses for printing the learned that youth delegates parish together with the ousted documents that are distributed, will be included in the regular council members. Some of the like the information kit on the Clergy-Laity Conference this committees that will be giving Archdiocese’s programs and fi - year, due to the low turnout of reports at the conference in - nances, as well as the entrance 150 members at the last confer - clude those examining commu - into the opening breakfast on ence, down from the average of nity fundraising methods, pro - July 5th and the formal dinner 1,200 to 1,500 who participated The 2008 Clergy-Laity Conference in Washington, D.C. showed signs of dwindling attendance moting local parishes in the on July 7th. This year, the in past conferences. and interest, especially in the seminars and meetings held to discuss church business, and the media, youth relations, redefin - Clergy-Laity Conference will be agenda was being set by the events. ing the role of the parish coun - one day shorter than in previous By Theodore Kalmoukos Supreme Allied Commander Stavridis: Lessons of the Battle of Salamis

Continued from page 1 wanted. The successful ruse re - said, technology matters. “The spirational Leadership. He has flected the overconfidence, even Greeks had better ships. Tech - served as a strategic and long- gaged to Tricia’s son Chris Cox, arrogance of Xerxes, who was nology can be a game changer,” range planner on the staffs of who is running for Congress so certain of victory he set up a he said. Fourth, one cannot un - the chief of naval operations against Greek American George pavilion of tents on Mount Aiga - derstand history without con - and the chairman of the Joint Demos, who was also present. leos overlooking the battle scene ceding a role to luck or chance. Chiefs of Staff. He earned a PhD Stavridis designed his talk in anticipation of an entertain - He said, however, that although and Master of Arts in Law and about the ancient battle, titled ing afternoon. Taking the bait, “You cannot control it – fate has Diplomacy from The Fletcher Lessons of the Battle of Salamis, Xerxes ships were forced to fight its way with all of us – but School of Law and Diplomacy to yield insights into today’s po - at a disadvantage in extremely knowing that makes us even at Tufts University in Interna - litical and military challenges narrow confines in the waters more motivated in our prepara - tional Relations in 1984, where and show that it was the most around the island of Salamis. tions,” and quoted the great he won the Gullion Prize as an important among the battles Stavrides described how the football coach Vince Lombardi, outstanding student. He is also with Persia in saving Greek, and, Greek triremes were able to re - who said, “Luck doesn’t favor a distinguished graduate of both ultimately western, civilization, peatedly pierce the lighter ships the lucky, but the prepared.” the Naval and National War Col - because it occurred at the “mo - manned by slaves who were ex - WHAT LEADERS lege and author or co-author of ment of maximum danger.” At hausted by having to row all ARE MADE OF several books on naval ship han - Salamis, the Athenians were night in response to the trick. Stavrides’ fifth point was that dling and leadership, including outnumbered, with only 300 Xerxes, sitting on his portable there is a tendency to believe Command at Sea and Destroyer triremes to 1200 ships for the throne, watched the destruction history’s results are inevitable, Captain. Persians, but Stavridis stressed of his fleet and the drowning of for example, that it was pre-or - The guests were welcomed two Athenian advantages that 40,000 of his sailors. That battle dained that the Greek achieve - by Nicholas Zoulas, who has un - closed the gap: the trireme rep - effectively marked both the end ments such as philosophy and derwritten a series of lectures resented more advanced tech - of Persia’s ambition to expand science and ideals such as free by distinguished individuals in nology and the Athenian sailors west, and the beginning of the speech and democracy would honor of his parents, Sophocles were free men defending their flowering of Greek cultural and have happened and anyway. He and Louisa Zoulas. Stavridis was homeland against ships rowed military power. It set the stage declared that in fact there are introduced by John Zonglis and by slaves. He said that the “fun - for the ultimate conquest of the “hinges, events of enormous after the lecture Fr. Mark Arey damental lesson was that free Persian empire by Alexander the value and importance,” and the said, “We are grateful to men and women will sacrifice Great, who spread Greek civi - Battle of Salamis was one of almighty God for leaders such for their nation in a way that lization to the east. The Admiral them. “We assume that what we as yourself.” He was speaking slaves never will,” and quoted noted that even the failure of have now will motor along for - on behalf of Protopresbyter Fr. Themistocles’ address to his Alexander’s successors to re - ever, like the Cold War.” He said Alex Karloutsos, the pastor at forces the night before the bat - main united and to turn back his final point was the most im - the Church of the Kimisis, who tle: “Today you must row for the attack of Rome was not a portant: people matter. “Individ - was unable to be present due to your parents … for your wife disaster for Hellenic civilization: ual leaders matter,” he said, and a trip to Greece. Jim Hatgis - and children … for your city … the Roman empire facilitated cited a number of people he has tavrou, the president of the and above all you must row for the spread of Greek culture all known and worked with to il - TNH/c. SIRIGOS Parish Council, said another im - your freedom.” the way west to the Atlantic and lustrate his point, including for - Admiral James G. Stavridis (R) NATO’s Supreme Allied Com - portant lesson, of great value to TRICKY THEMISTOCLES the British Isles. mer general Colin Powell and mander in Europe, with Jim Hatgistavrou, President of the Greeks today, is “the importance The final Greek advantage Stavridis said that by study - former secretary of state Made - Parish Council of Kimisis tis Theotokou in Southampton, N.Y. of unity – that’s the way to get was its leadership. The brilliant ing the events that led to the line Albright. Stavrides called it done.” After long delays, the and charismatic Themistocles battle and its aftermath, criti - her “a personal hero of mine,” of imperial overstretch, was a cial U.S. Navy biography, parish is preparing to build a rallied his troops, and deceived cally important lessons could be lauding her for having “extraor - warning to the USA today, and Stavridis, a native of South new church. Construction will Xerxes by sending his servant to learned. First, about the power dinary empathy but also ... steel whether the invasion of Iraq and Florida, is a 1976 distinguished take 18 months after the sched - persuade him that the Greeks of coalitions, and that while up and down her spine.” He said Afghanistan were examples of graduate of the U.S. Naval uled groundbreaking in October were badly divided and that his they are difficult to create and her role was “fundamental to converting temporary advan - Academy. In 1998, he com - 2010 according to the chairman lord wanted the Great King to hold together, “The only thing the success” of U.S. policy and tages into permanent strategic manded Destroyer Squadron 21 of the building committee, Paul win, urging him to rush his fleet worse is to fight without allies.” bringing peace to the Balkans. gains, but he responded that and deployed to the Arabian Moss. to Salamis to block the straits, The second lesson is the impor - TNH asked if Xerxes’ inva - question required a lot of time Gulf, winning the Navy League’s which is exactly what the Greeks tance of deception. Third, he sion of Greece, as an instance to answer. According to his offi - John Paul Jones Award for In - [email protected] THE NATIONAL HERALD, JULY 3-9, 2010 COMMUNITY 5 Wonder Years End for Students of Brooklyn’s Hellenic Classical Charter

By Stavros Marmarinos During her speech and sub - Dimitris Leonardos graduated TNH Staff Writer sequent statements to The Na - along with the other students. I tional Herald, Tettonis spoke am happy both as a school NEW YORK - Maria Myri - about her pride over the gradu - board members and as a parent. anthopoulos had to stop her ates’ progress, and thanked the Our school is continuously pro - graduation speech on several parents for sending their chil - gressing towards the better.” occasions as tears welled up in dren to the Hellenic Classical HCC Director of Operations her eyes on June 25, during an Charter School. “Our school is Joy Petrakos said that she is historic graduation ceremony only five years old, but it has proud over the school’s success, for the first-ever 8th Grade se - accomplished a lot up until but also feels a little sad at see - nior class at the Hellenic Classi - now,” she said. Tettonis also ing this year’s graduates go. cal Charter School in Brooklyn. praised her staff of dedicated “These children have learned a In an emotional speech, Myri - teachers. lot from their teachers, and I am anthopoulos, the class valedic - School Board Chairman and satisfied that their are leaving torian, spoke about her parents, local attorney Charles here with a lot of useful tools the beloved school she is leaving Capetanakis noted that what that they can use in their studies behind, her classmates, and her originally started as a dream has and in life. I feel like they are teachers. become a reality, filled with my own kids, since I know them The audience at Brooklyn many successes. “Today was a ever since I started working at Borough Hall held their breath great and historic day, since our the Koimisis tis Theotokou Com - ever time Myrianthopoulos School graduated its first class munity. Our school, led by its paused to regain her compo - of Greeks and Philhellenes.” Principal Ms. Tettonis, prepared sure, and responded with ap - Capetanakis also thanked the the students not only for high plause to cheer her on. She will - Greek government for dispatch - school, but for college as well. I ingly obliged. ing teachers from the education wish them all the best.” Saluta - She began by expressing her TNH/cOSTAS bEJ ministry, as well as the Koimisis torian Daniel Kozinsky also joy and deep emotion over her Above: The first-ever graduat - Church for all its support. spoke at the ceremony on behalf graduation, remarking at how ing class of Hellenic Classical School Board Treasurer Nick of the senior class, together with quickly the years went by and Charter School in Brooklyn, Leonardos, one of the founding senior class president Constan - how quickly the moment of NY, on June 25. The school forces behind HCC’s establish - tine Myziriotis, who had the truth arrived. “New roads lie be - has received praise for its cur - ment, said that he feels his ef - third highest GPA in his class, fore us, with big challenges, riculum, which includes both forts were justified and is en - and Lefteris Giasemis. Gradu - hopes, and lots of work ahead,” Greek and Latin. Right: Class thusiastic with the results. ates also received awards, in - she said. “We have begun our Valedictorian Maria Myri - “Through this graduation cere - cluding three from Marathon journey to Ithaca. May the road anthopoulos (L) is seen here mony, it seems that the dream Bank that were handed out by be long, full of adventure and together with her Principal that we started off with has not Vice-President Zoe Kout - knowledge, as C.P. Cavafy writes Christine Tettonis on the become reality. Today, my son soupakis. in his poem. We will come proud day. across difficulties, but we will face them struggling to success - them congratulations and words This students of this year’s graduating class are Nicole fully reach the end of our jour - of advice. Other speeches in - Amaxas, Tevin Arthur Clarke, Nicole Boudouris, Caitline ney, when we will complete our cluded those from the Consuls Cameron, Jonathan Dorsin, Daniel Garcia, Lefteris Giasemis, studies. We will work hard, be - General of Greece and Cyprus Constantine Grigos, Jeremy Christoforatos, Nicolette Kolo - cause we have received the nec - Aghi Balta and Koula Sophi - vadis, Daniel Kozinsky, Dimitris Leonardos, Constantine essary preparation from our anou, Brooklyn Borough Presi - Myziriotis, Maria Myrianthopoulos, Dominick Oliver, Ar - school.” dent Marty Markowitz’s repre - gyrios Papamichalakis, Faneromeni Pavlakis, Isaiah Ramos, The Pastor of the Koimisis Tis sentative Andrew Stein, sociation - who called HCC Prin - Charles Capetanakis, Principal Georgia Ross, John Samaklis, Tremaine Samuels, Steven Theotokou Parish V. Rev. Seymour Fliegel, President of cipal Christine Tettonis “the Christine Tettonis, PTA Presi - Santas, Victoria Sinopoulos, Janice Small, Shagwan Ward, Damaskinos Ganas addressed the Center for Educational In - finest school principal in New dent Demetra Sinopoulos, and and Zen Zhang. the graduates as well, offering novation-Public Education As - York” - School Board Chairman Teacher Maria Bonakis. Suicide Jumper’s Bitter End, the Last Sad Days of Steve Koufakis

Continued from page 1 added that, “The kid was going his wife were alienating his sons tical matters. Many of those who “Judge is out to get me,” saying Family members have pledged through a difficult divorce, and from him. tried to help him were people he that in her experience, orders of themselves to the wellbeing of the planation that she had fallen out he was experiencing a lot of pain Despite the advice of friends met at Greek American social and protection are not common in di - two boys who had become the of love with him, but when he re - and stress because he was barred to “follow the rules ... and you networking events during the vorce cases unless there are inci - battleground in a bitter divorce alized there would be permanent from seeing his children for a very will be able to be with your kids,” past two years, and he made es - dents, or some kind of instability war. Kaminis said he believes the restrictions on his ability to be long time. We tried to help him and to be patient with the legal pecially strong bonds with Greek that might pose a danger to the legal system makes people be - with his children, it was more as much as we could; not just me, process, he said he felt supervised Americans who were themselves children, such as a risk of kidnap - have this way. “The lawyers push than he could bear. There were but all his friends.” visits would cause his children to going through a divorce. He was ping. Friends of Koufakis ac - people to try to get bigger pieces symptoms and there were warn - Eva Pappas, a therapist prac - believe there was something reportedly offered a number of knowledged that there were of the pie because they will get ings as a crucible of pressure built, ticing in New York City, explained wrong with their dad. “I am not jobs, but was unable to focus on times that he was overly aggres - more money. They advise people leading him to make outbursts in that when someone is in deep a criminal! Why should I have su - anything but his children and the sive in defending himself before to harden their positions rather court, desperate pleas to the court emotional pain that is excruciat - pervised visits? If someone is al - dispute with his wife. Drager and that there were out - than compromise.” Tsiavos said that, despite arrests his family ing, “He needs to look for a way ways beside me it shows the chil - The circumstances that led to bursts in court. His failure to ap - that originally there was an agree - said was orchestrated by his wife, out and will grab on to whatever dren that I am a criminal.” Part the order of protection barring pear in court on one occasion due ment that each party would get that, “I’m not a criminal!” In a let - he can to get away from the of the tragedy of the final days of him from seeing his children, and to an illness or a bout of depres - one apartment – he said Koufakis ter to The New York Post that was pain.” Koufakis’ early references Koufakis was this inability to see the eviction, are in dispute. Anas - sion further undermined his case. was to retain the studio apart - copied to TNH, Koufakis’ mother to suicide were apparently vague. and think past this obsessive be - tasios Tsiavos, who knew Ko - When Drager finally ruled against ment he bought for his mother – wrote that before his death he When he made more explicit havior. It was ironic because ufakis, said his friend had some his request for unsupervised visits and that he would have the chil - was distraught because his wife statements on June 21, at least friends and family report that “he “anger issues,” and others noted with his sons, a family friend told dren two nights each week, “but had forced him from an apart - one of his friends contacted 911, was great at thinking outside the that he was a worrier who some - TNH that, “He was at the end, he something changed.” ment he had bought but had also but police did not arrive at the box” at work and helping others times had difficulty dealing with felt he just couldn’t win.” Koufakis In his last days, Koufakis put in her name – in the same bridge in time. solve their problems. Most of the stress. was said to have gone straight reached out to friends and clergy, building where she lived, and Kaminis echoed the thoughts people who agreed to speak with According to Koufakis’ mother, from the court to the bridge. but it is not clear that he was in what she described as a relentless of all who knew him when he TNH were his friends or those on March 15, she heard the chil - On June 11 at 6:55 p.m., Ko - any kind of long-term spiritual campaign to ruin his life. She said told TNH, “Steve was a good man sympathetic to him as his wife, dren and their mother outside her ufakis’ mother sent an e-mail to counseling or how far back he that her son “was evicted from apart from the comments asking apartment and opened the door, New York Post reporter Kieran had expressed suicidal thoughts. his home overnight, with his to be left alone, didn’t want to and the children ran in to see Crowley and sent TNH a copy on Rev. Moraitis said Koufakis “Did clothes on his back. Now he is talk and her friends said they their father. She told TNH that the fateful day he ended his life – not give indication of his inten - homeless.” It was the beginning wouldn’t speak on the record. his wife claimed Koufakis opened before he jumped. She told Crow - tions.” He wouldn’t divulge the of the end for him. Off the record though, friends the door, forced the children in, ley she had been moved by a names of the other text recipients His wife would not comment, and family said that the legal and closed the door in his wife’s story the reporter wrote about a whom Koufakis informed of his other than to tell TNH that, “I am process exacerbated the situation. face. The order of protection fol - similar case as her son’s, and intentions. When asked about the not his ex-wife. I am still his wife, His mother blamed the courts and lowed this incident, forbidding asked for help. His mother ex - nature of the message that he re - and there is no divorce. I am try - the judge in his case, Laura E. Koufakis from unsupervised in - plained her son’s dire straits and ceived, Moraitis said, “It was be - ing as hard as I can to protect my Drager, who she said supported teraction with the children. Later circumstances, again blaming fore court, and he asked me to children from the media, and I his wife and “emboldened and in March, after he violated the or - Drager, and insisting her son was pray for him; and I did.” He said: am not speaking to any newspa - empowered her to be abusive” der by appearing at his son’s base - an upstanding citizen and a vic - “Steven had his problems, but he pers.” When TNH asked her to at and that Drager believed all of ball game, he was arrested. He tim of the judicial system and an had a great heart.” What is clear least talk abut how she felt, she her daughter-in-law’s “horren - told friends that due to over - embittered wife, and that the re - is that by June he was in despair replied, “I have no comment. dous allegations.” His mother al - crowding at the jail were he was porter could help him get re - that things would change for the Honestly, at this point I am trying leged that his wife “was relent - held temporarily, he was terrified united with his sons by writing better, or that anyone could help to protect my children from the less, calling the police and that he would be sent to a prison about his plight and case. him.” He told one person near the press. This is a terrible tragedy continuously insulting him and with hardened criminals. After The greatest concerns of those end: “They are just standing by and I have to look after my kids Steve Koufakis harassing him in front of the chil - the devastating March court or - close to both he and his wife now, looking at me and nobody is do - right now.” dren. She did it to have police ders that cut him off from his chil - they said, are for the children. ing anything.” REACHING OUT whose fate befell difficult circum - cases on record against him in dren, Kaminis said Koufakis “was Those who knew Koufakis said stances that could befall any of court.” His mother insisted that wiped out by it emotionally and they cannot fathom his decison us, and I believe he deserved her son was subjected to verbal checked himself into a hospital.” to end his life. His decision is sur - none of the trouble that plagued and emotional abuse and said he Rev. Moraitis said Koufakis was rounded by mystery few can com - him. I wish it to be known that was seeing a psychiatrist and was in the hospital about three weeks. prehend. In his last two years, he was a good man. I witnessed on medication, driven over the He said, “What happened here George Delis, LLC and, more fervently in his final this guy who was desperately in edge. was a tragedy. He was a kid with months, he reached out to many need of help, offer to help many HARD ROAD DOWN a great heart, and he had a lot of who were anxious to help a man others. He volunteered with me After divorce proceedings be - love for his children. He grew up Consultant, Public Relations friends said was a dynamic and at the local soup kitchen on 74th gan more than two years ago, Ko - without a father, and his kids generous man with a great sense street on several occasions, in - ufakis lived in the studio apart - were the best thing that had hap - Land Use of humor. He reached for the cluding the Tuesday before his ment in the same building where pened to him in his life. He would wrong hands though, they said. death.” he and his family lived. The stu - always say that he wanted to be One friend, Markos Kaminis, who A MOTHER’S PAIN dio was in his wife’s name accord - the best father he could. When was out of town on June 21, the His mother, American-born ing to his mother, because when divorce proceeding started, he day of the court hearing, said that Mary Koufkis, was devastated. Af - he and his wife married, they was told that he could not see his Koufakis was in church the day ter learning of her son’s death, agreed that he would sell his children for four months.” He said 1-917-696-0975 before and said he “saw Jesus, she checked in to New York-Pres - house in Bayside, Queens and the verdict on June 21 keeping who told him ‘Raise up your arms byterian hospital. Rev. Moraitis move into her apartment on Cen - Koufakis from his children pushed to me and I will take your hands.’” spoke with her in the hospital. tral Park West. When a studio be - him off the bridge. “He lost all At least one person attempted to “She’s in a lot of pain. This is a came available, they bought it for hope,” Rev. Moraitis said. persuade him on the day he difficult situation,” he said. Al - his mother to live in, who said When asked if Koufakis had jumped that he either did not re - though there was a viewing on she was delighted to baby-sit her ever spoken of ending his life, ally see Christ or that he misun - June 27 at the Frank E. Campbell grandchildren. His mother said Rev. Moraitis said that, “He would derstood His meaning, suggesting funeral home in Manhattan, the Koufakis paid for the apartment ask me what kind of a life would Jesus meant he would guide Ko - funeral has been postponed until in cash, as he did for the studio he have if he could not have his ufakis out of his troubles, but by she is released. There was a spe - he previously bought and turned kids, and he would add ‘I think then Koufakis wasn’t listening cial service at her hospital room into the children’s’ bedroom. I’d rather die.’” He said Koufakis anymore. on June 28 and the following day Thus, the beaten-down Koufakis gave not indication of his inten - Rev. Demetrios Moraitis of St. she summarized Koufakis’ state was vulnerable to homelessness, tions the day he jumped, despite Paraskevi Church in Greenlawn, of mind, telling TNH: “His life his mother said, and she said his previous hints to his friends, and www.GreekKitchennyc.com N.Y. said he was one of Koufakis’ was his kids and his kids were his wife moved to evict him on March added that “On the day he de - closest friends, and that they had life,” hauntingly echoing reports 17 this year, after the funeral of cided to go through with it, he grown up together in Astoria. of his friends that she often told her brother, who was also Ko - spoke to a couple of friends after Moraitis told TNH that they wee her son, “You are my everything.” ufakis’ godfather. After being court. He sent me a text message, members of AHEPA and the youth She said that that Koufakis’ father, evicted from his building in but never mentioned that he was group Sons of Pericles and played who was born in Greece, aban - March, he found a room in a mid- going to commit suicide. He told basketball. “We were all one big doned the family when Koufakis town Manhattan run-down resi - the others, though, and men - group of friends at St. Demetrios was a child and that her son dential building where he report - tioned the George Washington Church in Astoria. We grew up would say, “My father turned edly paid $200 per week. Even Bridge. They immediately called there and played there. All of us away from me without looking there he had moments of clarity the police. The harbor police were got married, started our own back. I don’t want them to think and hope when he undertook there and they saw him when he lives, but we remained friends, that I deserted them.” One family some minor repairs, but towards jumped.” and would meet up at weddings friend said what TNH heard re - the end of his life friends and ac - DAYS OF DOWNFALL and baptisms.” He said he last peatedly “(His devotion) was be - quaintances reported some irra - As for the court rulings that saw Koufakis about three weeks yond belief. He was a very good tional and wishful thinking, to seemed to have led to Koufakis’ before his death, “But we spoke father,” but his mother said he which they responded by trying breakdown, Dr. Maria Nicolaides, every day on the phone or had come to believe that the di - to keep him grounded in reality a psychologist, raised questions through text messages.” He vorce process and the actions of by keeping him focused on prac - about Koufakis’ charges that the 6 COMMUNITY THE NATIONAL HERALD, JULY 3-9, 2010 End of the Line for the W and V Trains: Subway Cuts Shake up Astoria

By Constantine S. Sirigos more people to use their cars in munities like Astoria from cor - Nearby, a group of senior cit - TNH Staff Writer an area that has some worst air ruption and incompetence in Al - izens from the Hellenic Ameri - quality in the city. bany. can Neighborhood Action Com - NEW YORK – In Gringlish – the All the speakers said the de - “The MTA (which is a N.Y. mittee (HANAC) were chanting language of texting Greek mes - cision made no sense given the State authority) has been run - “Ho Ho, Hey Hey, the W Has sages with English letters – W population growth in Astoria ning the subways like a train go - Gotta Stay” while one told TNH, stands for Omega – the last let - and Long Island City and the ing off the tracks and its the “The middle class people need ter, the end of the alphabet’s negative impact it will have on middle class that has been get - a break and the cuts are disre - line. Say Omega and W for the Astoria’s vibrant nightlife, al - ting burned.” spectful to working people.” W train, the New York Metro - ready suffering from the Great She acknowledged that For Juliana Dobevsky, the politan Transit Authority (MTA) Recession. tough economic conditions de - cuts made no sense at all, “they line whose last stop is in Astoria. The Democratic district mand cuts, but she said they are ignoring supply and de - No more. leader, Costa Constantinides needed to be “measured, re - mand” by not taking the area’s The MTA eliminated the W asked, “How long can we afford sponsible and reasonable.” growth into account, she said. train, as well as the V train, the costs of the MTA’s misman - Vallone also blamed Albany Melana Georgiadis said the which also serves the fast grow - agement?” for underfunding the MTA, but cuts, which will engender over - ing, hard-working middle and Participants and passersby said the main culprit is the au - crowding and delays, will affect working class neighborhood. echoed the speakers, which in - thority itself, as he pointed out seniors disproportionately, caus - Astorians did not take their cluded transit advocate Peter structural imbalances in the ing physical pain and making it transit cuts lying down, at least Russianoff, blaming what they budget with expenses other more difficult for them to travel not on the tracks. said was the chaos on the state than the cost of subway and bus to senior centers like HANAC’s. Led by their City Councilor capitol, Albany, and what they service that can be cut. When some protesters were Peter Vallone, Jr. they staged a called incompetence in the He was especially angry that told that some of the impact of protest in the form of a mock MTA. that the MTA threatened, and losing the W and V would be funeral for the two trains, com - The cuts – which affected then backed off from, eliminat - mitigated by the extension of plete with signs shaped like Greek American homeowners ing metro cards for students, the M and Q trains to Astoria, tombstones which said “R.I.P. and business people dispropor - saying, “That was a smoke - they responded that it didn’t W” and “R.I.P. V” train. tionately – stirred up the Greek screen,” so people wouldn’t see make sense to make any cuts to Vallone noted the cuts have community, including attorney cuts like W and V’s come. TNH/cONSTANTINE S. SIRIGOS areas whose population is in - repercussions beyond making Aravella Simotas, who is run - He implied the MTA would Democrat Aravella Simotas (C), who is running for the New creasing. travel more inconvenient, be - ning for the N.Y. State Assembly have never risked the political York State Assembly, was one of the speakers at a protest over And that’s a W. cause the delays and overcrowd - and whose campaign has fo - firestorm that student cuts subway service cuts in Astoria, New York. The W train used to ing they will lead to will cause cused on the damage to com - would have provoked. run through the strongly Greek American neighborhood. [email protected] Sing Along with Grigori in Astoria, and Eternal be Our Grandparents’ Memories

By Constantine S. Sirigos took turns and for other songs Ein’i Zoi – That’s the Way Life pra Kokkina Kitrina Ble – White people to make a great song: a casionally blended elements of TNH Staff Writer sang together, at times in har - Is. They soon sang together for Red Yellow Blue. As is tradi - composer, a lyricist and a singer, swing and jazz with the witty mony and at times in unison. Allos Gia Chios Travixe – One tional at Mikrokosmos concerts, but noted the artistic injustice and sometimes biting Greek NEW YORK – Grigoris Mani - Toumaras in red sang S’Evlepa Departed for Chios. The first Maninakis provided some his - we commit when we only re - lyrics. Pappayannopoulou nakis and The Mikrokosmos En - Sta Matia – I Saw You In Your half of the concert was brought tory and commentary. He spoke member the singer. He also swayed in her black cocktail semble brought joy and perhaps Eyes, and Papayannopoulos, to a rousing close when Mani - passionately when he reminded added his physical energy to the dress as she sang, Afou to Thes some tears to the eyes of many dressed in black, presented Etsi nakis joined the women for As - the audience that it takes three evening as he occasionally – Since You Want It and Elena’s in the audience at the Arch - jumped offstage to urge every - Perasmenes Mou Agapes – Old diocesan Hellenic Cultural Cen - one to sing and clap along. Love Affairs was accented by the ter in Astoria when they per - The second half of the pro - red she dress wore. formed to glad acceptance gram was devoted to Hiotis. The Maninakis told The National recently. A musical tribute to music spoke for itself, but Man - Herald that his aim is to present great Greek composers Dimos inakis informed the group that “quality Greek music that is not Moutsos and Manolis Hiotis was Hiotis played a role in the prac - often offered in New York, the a night of nostalgia for the tical history of Greek music. Hi - songs people know and like but guests as the concert brought to otis was also a great instrumen - seldom hear.” He also hopes to, mind moments from their past talist, playing bouzouki and “awaken the interest of young and evoked memories of many guitar. When someone tried to people and motivate them,” to who are no longer with us. say to the legendary guitarist perform and listen to the best Some relived nights filled with Jimmy Hendrix that he was the of Greek music. laughter and great musicians greatest, his response was, “Not Sarahjeane Campbell first and singers whose voices still until you hear that Greek guy.” heard Maninakis and Mikrokos - resound in their heads but The two musicians heard each mos at the Metropolitan Greek whose faces are remembered other perform in Chicago and Chorale’s recent spring concert, through the haze of long-gone became friends. when she performed with the smoke-filled boites in Greece Hiotis was responsible for a latter group. “I was immediately and New York. The rest knew revolutionary musical change, impressed by his soothing voice the songs at a remove, through the bouzoukia with four double and the exceptional talent of his the 78 RMP and LP records of strings replacing the original ensemble,” she said, and added their parents and grandparents, three string tuning for the Greek that the concert was, “an excep - and they were brought to life by instrument. Maninakis said tionally moving and beautiful Mikrokosmos and the guest vo - there are “anti-Hiotization” web program.” The concert was pre - calists who joined Maninakis: sites that condemn the change. sented by the Hellenic Cultural Elena Toumaras and Tanya Pa - Hiotis’ songs, however, do not Center. Learn more about the payannopoulou. provoke debate, only joy. The Mikrokosmos Ensemble at The first half of the show fea - red and black outfits of gmaninakis.com. tured the songs of Dimos Mout - TNH/cONSTANTINE S. SIRIGOS Toumaras and Pa - sis. Strikingly dressed in rouge The Mikrokosmos Ensemble (L-R). Apostolos Sideris, Glafkos Kontemeniotis, Grigoria Maninakis, payannopoulou reflected the [email protected] et noir, the women sometimes Elena Toumaras, Tanya Papayannopoulou, Megan Gould, Kostas Psaros. hot music as Hiotis’ pieces oc - Church Jacks Up Dues on New England Parishes, Causing Hardship

Continued from page 1 New England and in other areas ions shows and other means of At that meeting it was said the problems and try to find uation and the phenomenon of in the United States are having fund raisers to satisfy the Me - that at least five parishes in ways to draw more money from the reduced contributions and case for all the Metropolises. Be - trouble meeting their financial tropolis demands. Greater Boston were facing dif - the faithful. donations. yond that, most of the Metrop - obligations to the Archdiocese A special meeting was orga - ficulties covering their expenses. Such a meeting took place at The most troubling issue is olises have established special and are forced to constantly go nized by the Metropolis at its Some of those parishes were the St. Athanasios parish in Ar - the view of the empty churches funds with various names and to their members asking for ad - biggest contributor, St. flourishing a few years ago. In lington, Massachusetts just be - on Sundays even in parishes collect extra funds from the ditional donations, to organize Demetrios in Weston, Massachu - some parishes, special meetings fore Easter this year. where just a year ago their av - parishes and individual faithful Greek Festivals, play bingo, hold setts on April 15, specifically for were called under the name Other parishes held regular erage Sunday congregation was to support their programs. lotteries, organize bake sales of the stewardship of the parishes Strategic Planning under the di - as well as special assemblies as 450 congregants and now they The National Herald has dis - Greek pastries, organize golf on ways how to convince mem - rection of trained officials of the recently as June 13, in which are down to 70, some parish of - covered that many parishes in tournaments, cook shows, fash - bers to give more. Archdiocese in order to examine they discussed the financial sit - ficials said.

Below is the list of parishes affected and their requirements • St. Luke, East Longmeadow, Mass. 31,550/23,066 • St. Vasilios, Newport, N.H. 4,000/5,650 this year compared to last. The first number is for 2010 and • St. Nicholas, Enfield, Conn. 4,100/3,500 • St. Spyridon, Newport, R.I. 27,400/25,909 the second for 2009 • St. Demetrios, Fall River, Mass. 15,000/15,00 • Holy Trinity, Norwich, Conn. 26,500/25,865 • Holy Trinity, Fitchburg, Mass. 16,500/14,000 • Assumption, Pawtucket, R.I. 35,725/35,725 • St. Constantine & Helen Andover Mass. $39,400/$36,500 • Holy Apostles Sts Peter & Paul, Haverhill, Mass. 33,100/31,096 • St. Vasilios, Peabody, Mass. 75,400/72,900 • St. Athanasios, Arlington, Mass. 36,000/$22,936 • Holy Trinity, Holyoke, Mass. 14,000/8,020 • St. George, Pittsfield, Mass. 3,100/12,680 • St. George, Bangor, Maine $8,600/$8,000 • The Assumption of Virgin Mary, Ipswich, Mass. 33,250/30,000 • Holy Trinity, Portland, Maine 28,000/26,300 • Hellenic Association of Boston, Brookline Mass. 75,000/$72,980 • St. George, Keene, N.H. 11,100/10,300 • St. Nicholas, Portsmouth, N.H. 29,000/27,100 • St. John The Baptist, Boston 31,300/29,500 • Taxiarchai, Laconia, N.H. 5,000/4,500 • St. Nectarios, Roslindale, Mass. 33,100/31,011 • St. Catherine, Braintree, Mass. 32,215/26,775 • Holy Trinity, Lewiston, Maine 12,900/13,600 • St. Nicholas, Rutland, Vt. 0.00 • Annunciation, Brockton Mass. 52,000/48,021 • St. Nicholas, Lexington, Mass. 19,902/17,100 • St. Demetrios, Saco, Maine 29,900/29,900 • Dormition of The Mother of God, Burlington, Vt. 6,500/6,500 • Holy Trinity Church (Day School) Lowell, Mass. 48,500/46,400 • Dormition of The Virgin Mary, Somersworth, N.H. 4,200/3,999 • Hellenic Orthodox, Cambridge, Mass. 9,600.00/9,600 • St. George, Lowell, Mass. 9,800/6,900 • Dormition of The Virgin Mary, Somerville, MA 34,500/32,308 • St. George, Centerville, Mass. 50,625/45,700 • Transfiguration, Lowell, Mass. 40,100/38,800 • St. George, Southbridge, MA 6,355/6,355 • Saint Constantine & Helen, Chicopee Mass. 4,000/3,600 • St. George, Lynn, Mass. 88,000/78,000 • St. George, Springfield, MA 61,200/59,200 • St. Nicholas, Clinton Mass. 3,600/3,200 • St. Anargyroi, Marlboro, Mass. 14,980/14,100 • Taxiarchae Archangels, Watertown, MA 82,600/79,00 • Panagia Church, Cohasset, Mass. 8,250/5,422 • Assumption, Manchester, N.H. 42,750/40,000 • Sts. Constantine & Helen, Webster, MA 20,500/19,125 • Holy Trinity, Concord, N.H. 29,500/27,500 • St. George Cathedral, Manchester, N.H. 70,200/67,900 • St. Demetrios, Weston, Mass. 105,800/94,700 • The Annunciation, Cranston, R.I. 62,500/47,500 • St. Nicholas, Manchester, N.H. 8,400/7,775 • Annunciation of the Virgin Mary, Woburn, MA 35,200/34,100 • Holy Trinity, Danielson, Conn. 5,750/7,000 • St. Gregory The Theolgian, Mansfield, Mass. 29,300/28,900 • St. Spyridon, Worcester, MA 86,250/84,225 • St. George, Dartmouth, Mass. 9,900/8,400 • St. Phillip, Nashua, N.H. 38,000/36,000 • Annunciation Church, Dover, N.H. 29,695.00/29,695 • St. Sophia, New London, Conn. 47,433/46,049 • Assumption of the Virgin Mary, Dracut, Mass. 14,250/11,312 • Annunciation, Newburyport, Mass. 19,000/17,400 TOTAL $1,900,280/1,755,390

Law Firm J O H N S P I R I D A K I S Stay informed all year round, anytime, anywhere The Law Firm the Community Trusts Become an online subscriber of The National Herald and get... * daily updates with news covering ACCIDENTS - MEDICAL MALPRACTICE the community, Greece and Cyprus. • Construction • Slip & Fall • All injuries ONLY* immediate access to our previous editions. • Car/Motor Vehicle • Wrongful death • Estates & Wills * • Head injuries • Divorces $34.95 * edification that every Greek American should have! Free consultations • Home & Hospital visits • 24 Hours • 7 Days a Year! Visit us online at Legal expenses are payable at Mr. Spiridakis the conclusion of the case only if you win www.thenationalherald.com and his colleagues or call us: 718-784-5255 ext.108 have successfully “To receive our special care” won over $50 million Call us at (212) 768-8088 or (718) 204-8600 b *The price indicated above is for current subscribers. Regular price is $45.95/year. for clients Toll-Free 1-888-SPIRIDA (774-7432) the past 24 years Alternative for current subscribers is per 3 months $14.95, per 6 months $23.95 a [email protected] • www.lawhelp1.com WR The National Herald OFFICES: Manhattan, Queens (Astoria), Brooklyn, Long Island, LICENSED: New York, New Jersey Από το 1915 για τον Ελληνισμό Bringing the news to generations of Greek Americans THE NATIONAL HERALD, JULY 3-9, 2010 FEATURE 7

GREEK MUSIC ...PLUS Composer Hatzidakis Wanted Fame Never on Any Day, but He Got It Anyway

NEW YORK- Sixteen years ago, and somewhat embarrassed, I land can take pride than his words and 23rd, 1925 in Xanthi, the au - in taxes. After I paid my debt I Manos Hatzidakis, considered now recognize that there were in having preserved style in his own thentically preserved city, not returned to Greece in 1972 and by many as the greatest overall some specific songs, which I this very basic Hel - personal biograph - the horribly vulgar one, built I founded the Cultural Café musical personality of Greece, knew and loved to sing with my lenic heritage? The ical narrative. Here later by the domestic inland im - Polytropon, which I duly closed passed away at the age of 68. friends and classmates at the Rebetiko song is are some telling migrants. after 1974, as the epoch of the As expected, in honor of his time, especially during our high both purely and excerpts I have se - • My mother was from An - soccer fields and of the great memory, there were tributes and school bus excursions, that were uniquely Hellenic.” lected and trans - drianoupolis and my father from celebratory-liberation activities commentaries about his life, his Hatzidakis’ - though we were Few perhaps know lated from Greek, Rethymno, Crete. I am the off - of the people began. I kept my personality and his musical not aware of it. that, such was the to the best of my spring of two people who, as far composure and took no part in legacy by most television and TELL IT LIKE IT IS shock and negative ability, as some as I know, never cooperated national and resistance dances radio programs in Greece and The ones that currently come reaction to Hatzi - Greek words are with each other, except for that in gymnasiums and full of in major cities of the Greek Di - to mind are To Pelago Ine Vathi, dakis’ daring lec - impossible to liter - one instant, when they decided young people soccer stadiums. aspora, including New York. Kourasmeno Pallikari and ture on Rebetika, by GRIGORIS ally translate to to create me. That is why I en - • And now the settling con - There was much-deserved Athina, all sung by the ever-pop - that the Athens po - MANINAKIS English. The se - close within me thousands of clusions from my life so far: praise and admiration, ex - ular Kazantzidis–Marinella duo. lice, discretely lected excerpt contrasts and all of God’s diffi - I have complete disregard for pressed by all who spoke about Later on, as I kept learning warned his mother Special to /quotations clearly culties. Despite it all I became fame, for it jails/restricts me in him, with many of the com - about the man and his music, to request of her The National Herald point out Hatzi - so normal that all around me its own margins, not mine. I be - ments coming from individuals listening and performing his son to avoid walk - dakis’ strong opin - seemed abnormal. lieve in the kind of song that re - fortunate to have known and songs, I came to conclude what ing around their neighborhood ions and uncompromising prin - • I was deeply affected by veals ourselves and expresses us been associated with him during everyone who associated and in Pagkrati for a while, until ciples, his devotion to the Erotokritos, General Makrygian - deeply. Not the one that flatters his life. Surely, we would be worked with him already knew. spirits from certain elitist parts Hellenic culture and language, nis, The “FIX” factory, the humid our superficial and violently ac - amiss if this Greek Music Plus Namely that Hatzidakis’ great - of the Athenian society had his astuteness and keen aware - climate of Thessaloniki, and all quired ways. column did not pay an appro - ness and legacy is not only in cooled off. Sixty years later, of ness of the world around him, the unknown individuals I met I despise those who do not priate tribute to his memory as his music, but also, and mainly, course, Hatzidakis’ view on Re - as well as his caustic humor and accidentally, who remained un - aim to constant reevaluation well. It is my position and strong in his ethos, his uncompromis - betika has been completely and satire about events. Please note known to me for all years that and to a spiritual youth, the go - belief, however that we should ing attitude towards his princi - undeniably justified. that the listed excerpts are not followed. ing-after-easy-recognition politi - not dwell on routine biographi - ples and beliefs, his sensitivity, IN HIS OWN WORDS necessarily consecutive state - • During the occupation cians and artists, the resigned- cal information, available and his contempt for the disillusion - Nothing could be more re - ments in Hatzidakis’ biographi - years (1941-1943) I realized from-creativity individuals of easily obtainable, from ing effects of fame, his unending vealing about Manos Hatzidakis’ cal self-narrative: how useless all the music my generation, dark and suspect Wikipedia and other similar caustic humor and his constant personality and character traits, • I was born on October lessons I had taken were, which journalism, and every kind of search sites on the Internet. In - devotion to always “Tell it like distanced me from my original arrogance and vulgarity. stead, what I want to bring to it is,” whatever the conse - goals, to communicate, to con - Manos Hatzidakis passed our readers are some anecdotal quences for himself and his ca - vey and to disappear. Thus I did away on June 15, 1994 from and not so well known aspects reer. It was this aspect of his not continue my studies in a heart and diabetes complica - about his life. Even more impor - personality that made him give music conservatory and as a re - tions. There is no doubt in my tantly, I want to concentrate on up the rights to his Academy sult I was spared any similarity mind that his overall life legacy those aspects, that point to the Award winning song Never On with the members of the Pan- will always provide a bright ex - personality of a uniquely sensi - Sunday, when he realized that Hellenic Musical Society. ample, guiding current and fu - tive, principled, uncompromis - it had lost its artistic value • I avoided with disgust any - ture generations of artists and ing and acutely intelligent indi - through the commercialization thing that wounded my erotic all of us as well. vidual, with a keen awareness he never intended for it, becom - feelings and my personal sensi - of the world around him, who ing a mere folkloric tune to at - tivities. (Grigoris Maninakis will be on also had a great sense of (caus - tract tourists. It was the same • I traveled extensively and vacation this summer on a tic-satirical) humor, when com - trait of his character that shook that helped me understand that Greek island and will return in menting about various themes the musical and high society stupidity was not an exclusive September, when his column and topics. I must admit that Athenian establishment, when product of our land (Greece), as will resume). growing up, on a small Aegean on January 31, 1949, at the age it is proudly asserted and con - island, during the late 1950’s of 24, he delivered his famous tinuously proven by Greek chau - He is a Professor of Engineer - and early 1960’s, I was neither lecture on Rebetika. vinists and lovers of national - ing Technology at SUNY a fan nor adequately aware of THE DEFINITION OF MUSIC ism. At the same time I Farmingdale. He has been ac - Hatzidakis’ music, much like In this lecture he declared, discovered that those who tive in Greek music since the most of my classmates and with enthusiasm and pathos and would be of interest to me, early 70s as a founding mem - friends at the time. The popu - in no uncertain terms that, Re - should necessarily speak Greek, ber and singer/soloist of the larity of Mikis Theodorakis’ mu - betiko is at the very core of the for communication in a foreign Greek Popular Chorus of N.Y. sic and the incredible voice of genesis of real Greek music, language was both painful and established by Mikis Theodor - Stelios Kazantzidis were so over - concluding: “Plain and concise, eliminating half of my person - akis. He has organized quality whelming and dominating over with an inherent emotions stir - ality. Greek music concerts all over the radio - luckily, television had ring internal power. Is this not, • In 1966 I came to America the U.S. and occasionally in not yet entered our homes on after all, the great attribute, where I lived for about six years, Greece. His column appear s the island - that we could characterizing our Hellenic race, during the period of the Greek twice a month in The National hardly be expected to be aware and even more so, the eternal dictatorship. It was for purely Herald. For comments and of many other songs, bar some greatness of our ancient tax related reasons, as it was suggestions email or visit: of Mitsakis’, Hiotis’ and Tsitsa - tragedies and sculptures? What Hatzidakis’ words reveal a nonconformist and an independent discovered that I owed three gkangm@ aol.com, nis’ popular hits. In retrospect, other form of Fine Art in our thinker who didn’t compromise when it came to his ideals. and one half million drachmas www.gmaninakis.com Strange Sounds of Xenakis Resonate through Central Park – over a Pond

By Angelike Contis tral Park’s Lake – by rowboat, soon - was a marionette version TNH Staff Writer departing from the boathouse. of the composer’s Oresteia in the There were surprisingly no cap - parks’ Swedish Marionette The - NEW YORK – Last year, the sizes (at least none that we saw) ater Cottage. most talked-about event of as more than 600 people – 300 Four performances of the Make Music New York was the per concert – took in the musical puppet version of Orestes and 89 trombones in the Guggen - experience. They were not family’s (abridged) plight were heim Museum. This year, the alone. Also on boats – and along choreographed by Luca Veggetti, show not to miss of the day-long the shore - were six percussion - who had choreographed a non- festival of 1,000 free concerts ists who filled Central Park with marionette version in 2008 of all over the city was a percus - the sweet and sour, surprising the same work. Veggetti’s work sion concert of eclectic Greek rhythms of Xenakis’ orchestra - featured one shadowed human composer Iannis Xenakis’ piece tion – which had originally been form and a collection of generic, Persephassa. The composer, designed to be played outdoors feature-less, wooden mari - who died in 2001, may have in a hexagon, with the audience onettes. “It was the only work he written the 1969 piece to be in the center. reworked,” said Veggetti of the performed outdoors in Iran’s “I think it went miracu - piece Xenakis first performaned Persopolis, but it really worked lously,” said one of the players, in New York in the 1960s, then in Central Park too. “I had this Doug Perkins, of the Xenakis kept adding too, resulting in a idea that we should do it on the Project of the Americas. It “very fragmentary and challeng - lake, because the sound is par - wasn’t easy for the players, he ing” work that reflected its cre - ticularly crisp and interesting,” underlined. There were no re - ator’s lack of “preoccupation said Aaron Friedman, who mod - hearsals and the 50-yard dis - with narrative.” The composer eled Make Music New York after tance between them required was haunted by Oresteia, Veg - France’s Fete de la musique. exaggerated gestures with their getti says, due to his experiences The Parks Department was sticks, just to let the other drum - in wartime Greece. During the ready and willing. The Stavros mers know what they were do - SI JIE LOO free Oresteia performance, some Niarchos Foundation covered ing. “It wasn’t showing off,” he Doug Perkins, of the Xenakis Project of the Americas, performs at Central Park's lake. He was people found Xenakis’ orches - costs. The new Xenakis Project explained. Also playing was one one of six performers on boats and on land who encircled an audience on rowboats with inno - trated cacophony and the chant - of the Americas helped orga - of the foremost Xenakis experts, vative late composer Iannis Xenakis' work Persephassa. It was part of Make Music New York. ing in ancient Greek too spooky, nize, with the help of 17 “Team Steven Schick. The half-hour scurrying out. Xenakis” volunteers. Mother Na - long piece was full of calls and tion student Arlene Dukao said black took their places behind a “Percussionists play a lot of Xe - WITH NIARCHOS’ HELP ture was bountiful with the sun - answers, unified pastiches and she initially didn’t care for Xe - gaggle of enormous drums and nakis.” The challenge of the of - Stavros Niarchos Foundation shine. So, on June 21, in two crazily chaotic collisions of nakis, but has embraced him improvised percussion instru - ten very loud works is, he said, Program Officer Stelios Vasilakis performances, audience mem - sounds. The percussionists wore since learning more about his ments at the Naumberg Band - “finding the places where the said his organization supported bers made their way to the con - headsets that fed them prere - work. “It was amazing,” she shell; the Yale Percussion Group music contrasts, where it light - all three Xenakis in Central Park cert – which was located in Cen - corded cues and metronome added, of the performance. Clar - gathered a lunchtime crowd. ens, where it’s a little more events because “it fits perfectly beats from a laptop. The audi - inetist Anthony McGill said: “It Under the tree-shaded area, sweet.” He pointed to the bulky with the mission of the Founda - ence members in boats paddled was a nice concert hall, actually, people of all ages seemed glued instruments on the bandshell tion to reach as many people as quietly nearer or away from the because you could feel the vibra - to their benches as they took in (from tomtoms to a frying pan possible through its grants.” performers. If at first the crowds tion of the percussion.” three loud Xenakis percussion and a big pipe) as evidence of As for the explanation for Xe - GREEK POETRY in boats were each visibly in Two other Xenakis events pieces – with their large silences Xenakis’ quest to transcend cul - nakis’ growing popularity, Make their own zone, by the end, they were held in Central Park as a punctuated by birds. ture-specific sounds. Music New York founder Fried - silently floated together, as part of the fourth annual day- Because of the Greek com - The third Xenakis event – man noted: “I think it’s such The Absentees much a unit as a flock of sun - long Make Music New York cel - poser’s many percussion works, and certainly one audiences unique music. It really doesn’t ning ducks. Hundreds of Central ebration. First six students in said group soloist Michael Zell, won’t be forgetting any time sound like anything else. So “She bent her pale head with a Park visitors, located all along people who are attracted to it sigh the periphery of the Lake, fell can only get their fix by listening and fell asleep into the percussion trance too. to more Xenakis. There is noth - for ever RAVE REVIEWS ing else that can substitute for Above her the sky mountainous The reviews, in a random it.” Percussionist Perkins recalls Barren landscape –dark- sampling of people returning the first time that his “mind was stones only and rocks not even their rowboats, was glowing. blown” by just seeing Xenakis’ rain… Anya Emerson bore a huge grin sheet music. He thinks Xenakis Bride you with the plastered as she left the dock. “It was so is popular now because he was mouth red awesome,” she said, noting: “The so ahead of his time when it Brocade hands melted handiwork sound was coming from every - came to his understanding of Offered pleadingly where.” Her companion Jonah electronic, computer-based mu - Some lilies Staw agreed, wowed by both the sic’s potential. “It’s almost like Around the fresh earth your girl - “cacophony of sound surround - his music was waiting for people friends ing us” and the euphoria of the to catch up to it,” he added. Sad and over-painted crowd. Both were new to Roma - Upcoming Xenakis concerts Making strange noises nia-born Xenakis, who made a include Veggetti’s staging of As craving attention name for himself in France, after Medea with the Perm Opera and In order to play in some film fleeing Greece because of his ac - Ballet in Russia and drummer Here this ring child poem tive engagement in Communist Schick’s Red Fish Blue Fish Word of Honour warfare during World War Two group’s video recordings of all This hour that the future-ones in Athens. Many musicians and of the Greek composer’s percus - Learn the eagle’s flight composers turned out for the sion pieces in California. This hour that your forehead show and row. Composer Yotam Reveals what is hidden Haber, who is the artistic director Visit www.thenational herald. - Always the same hour of the MATA composers’ non - com/video/641 for an exten - That the RED KNIVES profit organization, said the ANDREA KUSSAcK sive video report of Xenakis Kill the Different ones…” evening was magical, because of The Romania-born and France-based composer Iannis Xenakis' work Persephassa was performed in Central Park. “the way the sound travels on on water for the first time in Central Park. On the same day, there was another Xenakis concert Katerina Gogou, 1940-1993 water.” Former music composi - and a marionette version of his Oresteia as a part of a day of 1,000 free concerts in the city. [email protected] 8 OBITUARIES CLASSIFIEDS THE NATIONAL HERALD, JULY 3-9, 2010

DEATHS n ANAGNOSTIS, JOHN stantine and Helen Greek Ortho - thony T. Hahalis, 58, passed migrated to the United States in and Helen Flessor and her sib - Stella (Sam) Zervas, Chris STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. – The dox Cathedral and the Distimo away on June 6 at his home. 1970 and lived with her husband lings, Mary Flessor, Lee Flessor (Vicki) Sellas; his brothers and Staten Island Advocate reported Society. She was preceded in Tony was born in Fountain Hill John D. Papaliosas. She became and Dr. Aristotle (the late Helen) sisters-in-law, Gregory, Demos that John Anagnostis passed death by her husband, Mattheos. on May 8, 1952 son of the late a United States Citizen in 1999. Flessor. She is survived by her (Julia) Skoubis, Irene (the late away peacefully on June 23. He She is survived by her sons, John Stamatis and Alice (Rossos) Ha - She was predeceased by her beloved husband of 64 years, Angelo) Kyriazopoulos, and the is survived by his beloved wife, (Meg) and Tom (Shelia); her halis. He attended American Uni - other siblings, Nicholas Theo - Nicholas; her children, Susan late Nick (Nota) and Kosta Marianna; his children, Dennis, grandchildren, Michael (Court - versity and Penn State. Tony was dosiou and Flora Laskaris. She Kamberos, Dr. Andrew (Fran) (Maria) Skoubis; and many John and step-son, Trudy Burns; ney), Mark (Beth), Joshua, owner of We The People, a pop - is survived by her beloved hus - Sampalis, Elaine (James) nieces and nephews. Visitation and his grandson, Eric. Visitation Mattheos, Erik, Tom, Jessica, ular venue for local performing band; her sons, James D., Fotios Roupas, Thomas (Corinne) Sam - was held at Salerno’s Rosedale was held at the Casey Funeral Amanda, and Andrew; her broth - artists, in Center Valley from and Nicholas I. Papaliosas; her palis, and Cynthia (Michael) Chapels. Funeral services and Home and funeral services were ers, Jim (Thespina) and Louie 1976 to 1981. After which he brother, George Theodosiou; her Chmura; 13 adored grandchil - visitation were held at St. held at Holy Trinity Greek Ortho - (Denise); a brother and sister in was employed by Wedgewood sisters, Lefkothea Kidd, Sta - dren; eight great-grandchildren; Demetrios Greek Orthodox dox Church. Greece; her nieces and nephews, Golf Course as a manager, matina Vafiadis and Maria Little. her twin brother, Nicholas Church. In lieu of flowers, www.SILive.com/obits. Myra, Tommy, Tom, Basil, and OTooles Restaurant as a bar - Visitation was held at the Sta - (Gerri); and many nieces and memorial donations may be Miriam; and numerous nieces tender and various real estate of - pleton-Barry-Holdredge Funeral nephews. Visitation was held at made in care of his family to be n ANDREWS, HELEN and nephews in Greece. Visita - fices as a Realtor Associate until Home and funeral services were the Chapel Hill Gardens South distributed to his favorite chari - BOSTON, Mass. – The Boston tion was held at Pruzin Brothers leaving the Lehigh Valley in held at the Church of the Annun - Funeral Home and funeral ser - ties. For further information, call: Globe reported that Helen An - Funeral Service and funeral ser - 1990. Tony began his career with ciation. Visit vices were held at SS Constan - 630-889-1700. drews passed away peacefully on vices were held at SS. Constan - United Airlines at ABE airport in cranstonfunerals.com for further tine & Helen Greek Orthodox June 25. She was a former em - tine and Helen Greek Orthodox 1984 and continued working information. Church. In lieu of flowers, n TSAKOS, CHRIS ployee of Polaroid Corporation. Cathedral with Fr. Ted Poteres with United at Dallas-Ft Worth memorials will be appreciated to JERSEY CITY, N.J. - The Jersey She is survived by her beloved and Fr. Chris Margellos officiat - and Burbank airports before fi - n PAVORIS, SOPHIE the above Church or Philopto - Journal reported that Chris children, Stephanie (Robert) ing. For further information, visit: nally settling in Palm Springs, ST. PETERSBURG, Fl. – The St. chos. Nick A. Collias, Director. Tsakos, 81, passed away peace - DeVasto and George (Sherry) www.pruzinfuneralservice.com. falling in love with its climate Petersburg Times reported that For further information, call: fully on June 19. He was born in Chagaris; her grandchildren, and beauty, in 1998. He was an Sophie Pavoris, 83, passed away 630-655-1000 or 708-636-1200. Salonika, Greece, and immi - Alaina (Matthew) King, Alyssa n DEMETROPOULOS, avid golfer and bowler his entire on June 22 at her home in grated to the United States 40 DeVasto, Alexa (Matthew) DEMETRA life. He attended St. Nicholas Dunedin. She was an accountant n SELLAS, GUST years ago. Chris was a mechanic Rousseau and John and Mandy NEWARK, N.J. - The Star-Ledger Greek Orthodox Cathedral in at Ford Motor Company World CHICAGO, Ill. – The Chicago Tri - and loved fixing cars. He was Chagaris; her great-grandchil - reported that Demetra Bethlehem. He is survived by his Headquarters in Dearborn. She bune reported that Gust Sellas owner of Path Taxi in Jersey City. dren, Matthew and Kristia King, Demetropoulos passed away brother, George (Jamie) Hahalis; attended University of Michigan passed away peacefully. Gust He is survived by his beloved Ashley Davidson and Ava and peacefully on June 24. Funeral his nieces, Sara, Alexis and and Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox was a member of the Brother - wife, Sofia; his children, Alex, Veronique Rousseau; her brother, services were held at Sts. Chelsea; his nephew, Corey; and Church. She is survived by her hood of Achladokambiton St. Ellen Miridis, Paul Tsakos and Paul (Jasmine) Andrews; her Nicholas, Constantine and Helen great-niece, Taylor Hall. A Trisa - sister, Jenny Diamond and nieces, Demetrios. He was predeceased Maryann Romaniello; and 7 lov - brother-in-law George Kacos; and Greek Orthodox Church. Visita - gion Memorial service was held Georgette Hill and Pamela by his sister and brother-in-law, ing grandchildren. Visitation and many nieces and nephews. tion and a Trisagion prayer ser - at the John F. Herron Funeral Racine. Visitation was held at Eleni and George Sofantzopou - a Trisagion prayer service were Arrangements to be handled by vice were held at the Shook's Home. Contributions appreci - Curlew Hills Funeral Home and los. He is survived by his beloved held at the Riotto Funeral Home. Faggas Funeral Home. Visitation Cedar Grove Funeral Home. Ms. ated to the American Heart As - funeral services were held at wife, Maria; his children, Angelo, The Funeral Liturgy was held at and funeral services were held at Demetropoulos was born and sociation c/o the Funeral Home, Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Betty and John Sellas; his sib - St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox raised in Newark. She worked as 18018. Church. Curlew Hills Funeral lings, Jim (Anna), Ted (Mary), Church. Church. In lieu of flowers, dona - an executive secretary for AT&T Home, www.curlewhills.com. tions may be made in her mem - Bell Labs prior to her retirement. n IOSIPHIDOU, SOPHIE ory to either the Taxiarchae Demetra was a parishioner of Sts. RIVERSIDE, Calif. – The Press- n RAPTIS, JOHN Greek Orthodox Church, 25 Nicholas, Constantine and Helen Enterprise reported that Sophie CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Char - CLASSIFIEDS Bigelow Avenue, Watertown, MA Greek Orthodox Church and a Iosiphidou, 77, passed away lotte Observer reported that John 02472, or the American Cancer member of the Philoptochos So - peacefully on June 18 of natural K. Raptis, 75, passed away on Society. ciety. In her spare time, she was causes. Sophie was born on Sep - peacefully in Saronida, Greece. FOR RENT and ask for Veta. an avid gardener and decorator. tember 20, 1932 in Thessaloniki, He was born on February 15, n COLIAS, MARIA Demetra was predeceased by her Greece. She obtained her cosme - 1935 in Mouzilo, Evrytania, LONG ISLAND CITY FUNERAL HOMES WACO, Texas – The Waco Tri - parents, Constantine and Aristea tology license from Riverside City Greece, son of the late Konstan - Beautiful second floor OFFICE bune-Herald reported that Maria (Tzanis) Demetropoulos and her College in 1963 and launched tinos and Evanthia Raptis. A re - SPACE. for rent from July 1st. Has CONSTANTINIDES Colias, 93, passed away peace - brother Andrew. She is survived her career at the House of Ter - tired restaurateur, Mr. Raptis was 10 offices, 3 bathrooms, server room, lounge area, reception area FUNERAL PARLOR Co. fully on June 23. Maria was born by her sister, Elisa Demetropou - race in Riverside, where she a member of Holy Trinity Greek etc. Spacious, modern, freshly 405 91st Street Aug. 25, 1917, in Leonidion, los; her sister in-law, Patricia worked for over 30 years. Sophie Orthodox Cathedral. He immi - painted, close to all amenities. Bay Ridge - Brooklyn, Greece, to John and Eleni Demetropoulos; and niece and loved Greek cooking, dancing grated to the United States in Some offices are already furnished NY 11209 Kalantzis. She has been a long nephew, Constantine and and spending time with her fam - 1969 and on October 1, 1972 with custom desks and matching (718) 745-1010 time member of St. Nicholas Christina Demetropoulos. In lieu ily and friends. Her most recent married his beloved wife cabinet files. Easy move in. Great Services in all localities - Greek Orthodox Church in Waco. of flowers, donations can be passion was spending time with Hrisoula Raptis and was happily for Electrical contractors, Architects, Low cost shipping to Greece She was preceded in death by made in her memory to the her great-niece and great- married for 37 years. He was a Engineers, Lawyers, Accountants, etc. Call Demetrios at (646) 732- her parents; and her husband, Building Fund at Sts. Nicholas, nephew, Sophia and Evangelos. devoted husband and loving fa - ANTONOPOULOS Victor Nicholas Colias. She is sur - Constantine and Helen Greek Or - She was active in the Riverside ther and will be deeply missed 9572 or email: controller@ekirikas. com for a walk through. We are FUNERAL HOME, INC. vived by her daughter, Vivian thodox Church. community, enjoyed attending by all who knew him. Mr. Raptis offering a 1 to 5 year lease for the Konstantinos Antonopoulos - (Jeffery) Jones and her sons, lectures and other functions. So - was the proud owner of premises, 2 month security deposit Funeral Director Nick Colias and John (Antonia) n FAMAL, ZOIE phie had a wonderful spirit and Matthews Family House Restau - required once lease is signed. Premi 38-08 Ditmars Blvd., Colias. Funeral services were held DOVER, Ohio – The Times Re - smile that could light up a room. rant for 22 years. He was a mem - ses will be available July 1st 2010. Astoria, New York 11105 at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox porter reported that Zoie Famal, Sophie is survived by her siblings, ber of the Evrytanian Association Asking $7,000 per month. (718) 728-8500 Church with the Father Theodore 92, passed away peacefully on Virginia, Tasoula, and Lazaros; of America 'Velouchi' Elatos 467367/2/06-26 Not affiliated with any Tsitsilianos officiating. Pallbearers June 26 at her residence follow - her nephews: Panayiotis, Pan - Chapter. He is survived by his other funeral home. will be Vasilios Colias, Andrew ing a lengthy illness. She was telis, Michael, Peter, Tassos and beloved wife, Hrisoula; his chil - HELP WANTED Colias, Angelo Sermas, Evan born on December 25, 1917, in Theodore; and her niece: Lena. dren, Eva(John) Karagiannis and Klaras, Jeff Jones, Elias Kalantzis, Turkey. She was the daughter of Visitation was held at the Ache - Kiki Raptis; his siblings, Maria LEADING GREEK AMERICAN APOSTOLOPOULOS and Dimitri Antoniou. Memorials the late Theodore and Sophia son and Graham Mortuary and Modiatis, Katina Moka, Bill Rap - NEWSPAPER SEEKS Apostle Family - may be made to St Nicholas Or - Mourouzis. Zoie was employed funeral services were held at St. tis and George Raptis; and many Full-time AD sales representa - Gregory, Nicholas, Andrew - thodox Church. The family in - at the Hall Glove Factory for 43 Prophet Elias Greek Orthodox cousins and other relatives. A tives for both GREEK and ENG - Funeral Directors of vites you to leave a message or years and retired in 2003. She Church. Acheson & Graham Trisagion prayer service and fu - LISH language publications. Ap - RIVERDALE memory at www.wilkirsonhatch - was a member of the St. George Mortuary (951) 688-1221. neral services were held at Holy plicants should have some sales FUNERAL HOME Inc. bailey.com. Greek Orthodox Church in Mas - Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathe - and/or marketing experience. 5044 Broadway sillon. Her hobbies included cro - n MANES, CHRIST dral. Memorials should be made Fluency with computer use and New York, NY 10034 n COLOPISIS, ARYERO cheting and gardening. ORANGE COUNTY, Calif. – The to Holy Trinity Ministry Fund or knowledge of Internet a plus. Bi- (212) 942-4000 VANCOUVER, Canada – The Van - She was married to the late Gus Orange County Register reported the Holy Trinity Cemetery lingual command of both lan - Toll Free 1-888-GAPOSTLE couver Sun reported that Aryero Famal on January 9, 1937. Zoie that Christ S. Manes, 86, passed Chapel. Arrangements are in the guages preferred. This positions Colopisis, 81, passed away sud - is survived by her children, John away peacefully on June 23. care of Heritage Funeral Home, offers base salary, plus com - LITRAS FUNERAL HOME denly at her home in Petroupoli, (Linda) Famal and Harry Christ's life was filled with ad - Weddington Chapel. An online misand/or marketing experi - ARLINGTON Greece on June 23 with her (Joanne) Famal; four grandchil - venture and family. An American guestbook is available at ence. Fluency with computer use BENSON DOWD, INC beloved husband Micheal Colop - dren; seven great-grandchildren citizen born and raised in Greece, www.heritagefuneral.net. offers base salary, plus commis - FUNERAL HOME isis by her side. Aryero was born and one great-great-grandchild; he studied classical music in sions. E-mail resume and cover 83-15 Parsons Blvd., in Samos, Greece on October 23, her sister, Alexis (Wayne) Reese; Athens, his lifelong passion. n REVELAS, THEODORA letter to [email protected] or Jamaica, NY 11432 1928, and married Micheal on her brothers, George (Barbara) When the Nazis occupied Greece PALM BEACH, Fl. - The Palm fax to : (718) 472-0510 Attn. (718) 858-4434 May 16, 1946. In 1957 they im - Mourouzis and Nick (Marilyn) during WWII, he helped many Beach Post reported that Publisher or call (718) 784-5255 • (800) 245-4872 migrated to British Colombia to Mourouzis and numerous nieces Jews escape the country, while Theodora Revelas, 97, passed raise their young family. In 1988 and nephews. Funeral services constantly at risk of being discov - away peacefully on June 11. She the pair returned back to Greece were held at the Uhrich-Hostet - ered as an American and impris - was born in Megalopoli, Greece TO PLAcE yOUR cLASSIFIED AD, cALL: (718) 784-5255, for their retirement. She will be tler English Funeral Home Inc. oned. He fought in the Greek on August 1, 1912. She was a ExT. 106, E-mAIL: classifieds@ thenationalherald.com lovingly remembered and missed with the Father Constantine Civil War. After hostilities ended, founding member of St. Cather - greatly by her family and friends. Valantasis officiating. Memorial he tried to get to the United ine's Greek Orthodox Church in She is survived by her children, contributions may be made to States in a sailboat but only made West Palm Beach where she REAL ESTATE Sophie (Barry) Parsons, Madeline Hospice of Tuscarawas County, it as far as Italy. When he finally served on the Parish Council and (Christos) Postalis and George 201 W. 3rd St., Dover, O. 44622 came to America on the Liberty as a Sunday school teacher for (Charlotte) Colopisis; her grand - and St. George Greek Orthodox Ship, he settled in Chicago, mar - many years. She was also a children, Teresa, Shawn, Christal - Church, P.O. Box 438, Massillon, ried his wife Dorothy and started founding member and officer of enia, Michele, Aryero and O. 44648. Uhrich-Hostettler Eng - a family. Christ launched a num - St. Catherine's Ladies Philopto - Micheal; and seven great-grand - lish, 740-922-3153. ber of successful businesses dur - chos Society and the Daughters children. ing his life and his career of Penelope. In 1935, she married n GEORGE, JIMMY spanned from insurance sales - her husband, William Revelas, in n DELCOURT, BESSIE PORTLAND, Oregon - The Ore - man to car dealer to restaurateur. the first Greek Orthodox wedding CHICAGO, Ill. – The Chicago Tri - gonian reported that Jimmy W. Christ was an active member in ceremony officiated in Palm bune reported that Bessie Del - George, 86, passed away peace - AHEPA and served as president Beach County. She is survived by court, 80, passed away peace - fully on June 20. He was born of a local chapter and Supreme three nieces and one nephew, fully. She was predeceased by her in Portland to William and Julia Governor. Christ loved to travel, Georgia (John) Jacobs; Billie PRINTED EDITION OF THE NATIONAL HERALD beloved husband, Paul A. Del - George on July 30, 1923. Jimmy play piano, and entertain friends. (Arthur) Ackerman; Connie VIA THE POST-OFFICE: court, her parents, Evangeline attended Fernwood Grade Christ is survived by his children, Drosakis; and Jim Drosakis. She o1 month $11.00 o3 months $22.00 and Louis Kremizes and her sib - School, Grant High School and Christine Pappas, Andrea Manes, is also survived by two great o6 months $33.00 oOne year $66.00 lings, Spiro, Katherine the University of Oregon where Barbara Robinson, Christopher nieces and one great nephew: VIA HOME DELIVERY (NY, NJ & CT): Radakovich and Helen South - he was on the rally squad. A loyal Manes and James Manes; seven Jamie Jacobs; Jennifer (Brian) o1 month for $14.00 o3 months for $33.00 well. She is survived by her lov - Duck his entire life, he was also grandchildren and one great- Chrzanowski; and Jason (Katie) o6 months for $48.00 oOne year for $88.00 ing children, Paulette (Jeff) Sides a member of Kappa Sigma fra - grandchild. The Trisagion prayer Jacobs. A Trisagion prayer service and Andrea Delcourt; her cher - ternity. During World War II, service and funeral services were was held at the Mizell-Faville- VIA HOME DELIVERY ished grandchildren, Morgan and Jimmy served with distinction in held at St. John the Baptist Greek Zern Funeral Home with Father (New England, Pennsylvania, Jake Sides; two god-children and the U.S. Army paratroopers in the Orthodox Church. The Hilgenfeld Andrew Maginas officiating. Fu - Washington D.C., VIRGINIA & MARYLAND) numerous nieces and nephews. Pacific theater of operations. He Mortuary is in charge of arrange - neral services were held at St. o1 month for $18.00 o3 months for $41.00 Visitation was held at Hallowell received the Bronze Star and Pur - ments. Catherine's Greek Orthodox o6 months for $57.00 oOne year for $109.00 & James Funeral Home and fu - ple Heart. In the 1960s, Jimmy Church. In lieu of flowers, the ON LINE SUBSCRIPTION neral services were held at St. co-owned the Bali Hai Club in n NICHOLAUS, KATHERINE family asks that donations be e www.thenationalherald.com Nicholas Greek Orthodox downtown Portland with George BUFFALO, N.Y. – The Buffalo made in her name to the St. NON SUbScRIbERS: oOne year for $45.95 Church. Memorials may be given Dussin. He began his career in News reported that Katherine Catherine's Greek Orthodox o6 months for $29.95 to Vitas Hospice, 580 Waters the shipping business at Ameri - Nicholaus passed away peace - Church Memorial Fund. To ex - 3 months for $18.95 Edge, Suite 100, Lombard, IL, can Pacific Corporation and re - fully on June 23. She was pre - press condolences and/or make o

b SUbScRIbERS: One year for $34.95 60148. mained at the company for over deceased by her husband, John donations visit: o 6 months for $23.95 30 years. After retirement, he en - T. Nicholaus Jr. and her parents, PalmBeachPost.com/obituaries. o 3 months for $14.95

i o n DEMAKAS, MARIA joyed his passion for golf at Co - Michael and Mary Abraham CROWN POINT, Ind. – The Times lumbia Edgewater Country Club Joseph. She is survived by her SAMPALIS, BEATRICE n NAmE: ...... reported that Maria M. DeMakas, with lifelong friends. Jimmy was siblings, Mabel Issa, Richard CHICAGO, Ill. – The Chicago Tri - ADDRESS: ...... 90, passed away peacefully on a wonderful brother and was (Ann), George (Josephine), bune reported that Beatrice Sam - r June 23 at her home. She was very close to his sister, Sue Michael (Marie) Joseph Jr., Diane palis, 87, passed away peacefully. cITy: ...... STATE: ...... ZIP: ...... born April 30, 1920, in Distimo, George. He is also survived by (James) Khouri, and Dorothy Bea was a dedicated member of TEL.: ...... cELL: ...... Greece to Anastacios and Kalam - his lifelong companion, Chris De - (Gordon) Churchill; and many SS Constantine & Helen Church E-mAIL: ...... era (Papanikolou) Vasilarakos. mas, and many cousins. Jimmy nieces and nephews. Visitation and a loved and respected mem - c PLEASE SEND A GIFT SUBSCRIPTION TO: Maria survived a Nazi assault on was proud of his Greek heritage was held at the D. Lawrence Gin - ber of the St. Helen Women's NAmE: ...... her village in which hundreds and will be remembered for his nane Funeral Home and an Eu - Philoptochos. She was prede - ADDRESS: ......

were massacred one afternoon, sense of humor, integrity, and loy - charistic funeral service was held ceased by her parents, Thomas s cITy: ...... STATE: ...... ZIP: ...... as reported in Life magazine's alty to his friends. A Trisagion at the Church of the Advent Epis - TEL.: ...... cELL: ...... November 27, 1944 issue. She prayer service and funeral ser - copal. Memorials to Ken-Ton This is a service married Mattheos DeMakas on vices were held in Holy Trinity Meals on Wheels or Hospice Buf - to the community. E-mAIL: ...... Please specify method of payment February 3, 1945. She joined her Greek Orthodox Cathedral. falo Foundation preferred Announcements of deaths

b I enclose a check/money order for $ ...... husband in America with her Memorial contributions may be may be telephoned to the made payable to: The National Herald, Inc., first-born son, John, in 1949, tak - made to the Father Elias Memor - n PAPALIOSAS, VASILIKI classified Department of 37-10 30th Street, Long Island City, NY 11101 - 2614 ing the first transatlantic airplane ial Fund or Kids `n' Cancer Camp PROVIDENCE, R.I. – The Provi - The National Herald at or please debit my mastercard Visa flight. Maria was an excellent Agape, both in care of Holy Trin - dence Journal reported that Vasi - (718) 784-5255, o o wife, mother, homemaker, leg - ity Greek Orthodox Cathedral. liki Papaliosas passed away on o American Express monday through Friday, u endary cook to her family, and June 24 at RI Hospital. She was 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST cARD NUmbER: ...... two brothers and orphan girl n HAHALIS, ANTHONY born in Athens, Greece, a daugh - or e-mailed to: ExPIRATION DATE: ...... from Distimo, who she raised. ALLENTOWN, Penn. – The ter of the late Dimitrios and [email protected] SIGNATURE: ...... She was a member of SS. Con - Morning Call reported that An - Spyridoula Theodosiou. She im - s THE NATIONAL HERALD, JULY 3-9, 2010 GREECE CYPRUS 9 Greece Reeling in Wake of Protests and Strikes; Tourism Hit Hard

Continued from page 1 tourism is ... a big part of tourism compared to 2009. He Greece's economy,” Isabella Ca - said the Aegean island of Pat - March, as the austerity mea - bles, a stranded tourist from mos had already seen the num - sures were announced and im - North Carolina told Reuters. “It's ber of tourists drop by 35% and plemented, one union official only going to hurt the country.” those to the central Greek re - put it this way: “There is no Ron Donahue, an Australian gion of Laconia by 30% so far sense of social justice,” but Pa - tourist, said: “I appreciate the this year. Popular destinations pandreou was unyielding and situation that they are in, the such as the Dodecannese island said he had no choice, although workers, but it is a disruption of Rhodes and the northern pre - the fabric of society in the work - to everybody, a catch 22 I fecture of Halkidiki have also ing class has been fraying think.” There was also a railway reported tourist visits declining rapidly since. Still, Papandreou strike and Metro service has by 15-18%. Bookings have is still riding high in some opin - been intermittent, leaving dropped sharply because of ion polls, including one last tourists walking in circles with - protests and strikes and the week which showed 44.6% of out public transportation. scenes of chaos broadcast people said he was honest, hard- The day before the action, around the world all public ser - working and efficient, while Culture and Tourism Minister vices as workers try to rally sup - 51%. He’s not beloved on the Pavlos Geroulanos said Greece port for their cause. streets or in public offices would cover the costs of tourists The spillover effect of the though and the only talk in delayed in Greece, whether malaise has hit other industries town is how Greece will man - from strikes or even the Ice - as well. “Construction is dead, age, despite the everyday ap - landic volcanic ash plume from there is no work. Poor working pearances of normality. last month. As usual in Greece, folk cannot be paying for the Almost on cue from a Holly - there were no details supporting crisis caused by the rich and all wood script such as Percy Jack - the pledge, but it was believed those who stole state money,” son, the Lightning Thief, a to be picking up the tab for said Pavlos Koklas, 58, an un - Greek-myth based popular room and board, which could employed construction worker. movie this year, earlier last AP PHOTO/PETROS GIANNAKOURIS be unpopular among taxpayers, An opinion survey showed 70% week, a brief thunderstorm fell The Gods must be angry at what’s happening in Greece, or so it seems from this flash of lightning having some of their already-cut of Greeks Greeks expected their on the capital and bolts of light - that illuminated the sky over the 2,500-year-old Parthenon temple, on the Acropolis, during a benefits directed to help foreign household's finances to worsen ning would be seen behind the heavy rainfall in Athens, June 28, the start of another week of protests, strikes and turmoil. tourists at luxury hotels. in the next year, and while traf - Parthenon atop the Acropolis, a Greece is bracing for a 10% fic seems to be down in many special effect that perfectly cap - nesses are closing by the day The grief at the funeral of killing, no high-profile tax drop in tourists this year as re - restaurants, in the ritzier areas tured the angry mood of a pop - and a sure sign of fiscal hell – a Vassilakis mirrored that of the evaders charged or prosecuted, cent riots and images of flaming such as Kolonaki, where the ulace – workers that is, as the women’s hair salon closing – has three bank workers killed when or of anyone of note in a series buildings have taken a toll on government said rich, profes - rich and politically-connected been seen too. If women’s shoe police said anarchists threw a of scandals going back to the remain insulated against the stores start closing, turn out the firebomb into their office on 2004 start of the former admin - public sector pay cuts, pension lights and close the doors on the May 5 during the most violent istration of Costas Karamanlis reforms that will require work - country. of a series of demonstrations so and his conservative New ers to work 40 years for less TERRORISM RETURNS far. No group took claim for the Democracy party. money, and even the tax in - In the face of continued killing initially, but while daily SURVEY SAYS NO creases that businesses just pass strikes and protests, even though life is going on in Greece, there’s Most Greeks believe an over - on already beleaguered con - they are waning in numbers and an undercurrent of anger, al - haul of their pension system will sumers. It’s a volatile cocktail intensity and riot police are fir - though surveys show most not save the country's deficit- that some analysts say could be ing fewer tear gas canisters at Greeks believe the austerity stricken pension funds, an opin - counterproductive and push workers, pensioners, and measures are necessary and ion poll showed. At a cabinet Greece into a recession because hooded anarchists marching in they would support them – if meeting, the ruling Socialists workers aren’t spending, front of the Parliament, there the rich and politicians are in - agreed on the most radical tourists aren’t coming, and Sum - was the chilling return of a ter - cluded. People are angry that shake-up of the pension system mer 2010 in Greece could be re - rorist killing, when a package they are being forced to take in decades to avert debt default membered for the year of strikes disguised as a gift exploded in pay cuts and pay higher taxes and satisfy foreign lenders, de - and protests against Prime Min - an office of the Public Order to get the EU-IMF loans the gov - spite fierce opposition at home. ister George Papandreou’s aus - Ministry. It was said to be aimed ernment said were to keep from The reform cuts benefits, curbs terity measures he said were at counter-terrorism chief defaulting on its obligations, the widespread early retirement needed to get $146 million in Michalis Chrysoidis, who was in weight of a 13.7% deficit and and increases the number of emergency loans from the Eu - an office nearby, but it killed his $360 billion debt. While Papan - contribution years from 35-37 ropean Union and the Interna - security chief, George Vassilakis, dreou has said that he will also to 40. Women's retirement age tional Monetary Fund, which re - a 50-year-old father of two. He go after the rich and politically will be raised from 60 to 65, to quired deep spending cuts and was instrumental in rounding up well-connected, who evade match that of men. The poll by sacrifices from workers. the leaders of the feared terrorist taxes with impunity, investiga - Alco for Proto Thema newspa - AP PHOTO/DImITRI mESSINIS Papandreou, other analysts group Nov. 17 before the 2004 tors so far have raked in some per showed 64.8% of 800 re - Greeks know what this means as a silver-haired striker gestures said, was caught between the Olympic Games in Athens, but back taxes, but charged no one spondents believed the pension against the Parliament during a demonstration in central proverbial Scylla and Charybdis this year there has been a spate with tax evasion, even high pro - reforms would not make the Athens on June 29. Dozens of masked youths clashed with po - of Greek mythology: the Greece of renewed bombings, generally file celebrities said to have hid - country's pension funds viable lice at a union protest in Athens during the country's fifth gen - public sector workforce is directed at banks and symbols den millions of dollars in in - and that their sacrifices were fu - eral strike this year against the cash-strapped government's bloated by generations of pack - of government and power, al - come, further fueling public tile, while only 21.6% said the planned pension and labor reforms. ing payrolls with political pa - though one killed a 15-year-old anger and reinforcing the per - reforms would pay off. tronage hires – including the Afghan boy. And simmering un - ception the rich will keep skat - BYE, BYE TOURISM the country's vital tourism in - sional tax evaders are living former PASOK administration der the surface – reappearing ing without sacrifice. “This is going to be a disaster dustry. Hoteliers' Association high, the cafes charging $7 for which Papandreou served – and last week in posters plastered In tavernas, offices and street for our tourist season if this con - President Giorgos Tsakiris told a coffee remain packed, further the only way out besides cutting across the downtown of Athens corners, Greeks are grumbling tinues,” said Manos Patrakis, the German news agency iring workers and the middle spending, raising revenues, is – is the unresolved case of two that no one is accountable for who was scheduled to sail to Deutsche-Presse-Agentur (dpa) class, many of whom said they being undercut by the demon - police officers accused of killing anything: there have been no Crete but couldn’t in the first that he expected a 10% drop in won’t be taking vacations or be strations keeping tourists away 15-year-old Alexi Grigoropoulos arrests in the case of the bank worker blockade of ferryboats. the number of visitors and a a tourist anywhere. They won’t in droves. And now small busi - in December of 2008. worker killings, of Vassilakis’ “It's sad because honestly 15% decline in revenues from have plenty of company. Students Meet Land of Their Dreams, History and the Islands

Continued from page 1 joyed Mykonos. “I tried to imag - Greek culture. I visited a lot of ine people living there (in the places, both archaeological mon - dent at Northern Illinois Univer - past and ancient times) because uments as well as islands,” she sity, said her grandparents tried it’s so old, and what their daily pointed out and then stated her to prepare her for the thrill. lives were like. What pleased her preference for Myconos, but for “They said I would love Greece dad most, though, she said, was the Acropolis as well because she and I knew it would be different when she spoke with him on the came close to a monument of from the middle of the United phone and said, “Efkareesto,” to huge importance for humanity. States. It’s kind of still surreal,” thank him. “He said ‘You should As for the eventuality of revisit - she said. “It met all my expecta - see the smile on my face.’” She ing Greece, she said, “I will re - tions … everything was beauti - said the program left her more turn and this time bring my ful.” What impressed her, she connected to her heritage, its in - mother, too. She will like it very said – when it was running – tent, and that her family wasn’t much.” was the still gleaming Metro, too anxious about her coming, Colton Babladelis, 19, from now coming up on almost 10 despite all the bad publicity Manistique, Mich. and a student years old and still shiny. “We got Greece has gotten. “They said it at the University of Michigan, treated so well and the program wasn’t as bad as they make it said he had studied some Greek was great, and they showed us seem,” in the news, she said. curricula there, as there is a chair an amazing time,” she said. “We Chris Howell, 21, of Murietta, of Modern Greek Studies at the packed a lot of stuff in.” She was Calif., a history student at UCAL- school. He said he liked visiting so delighted, she decided to stay Riverside, who draws his Greek Delphi most. “It was truly won - an extra two weeks when the descent from his mother, had sat - derful,” he said. As for the bad formal program ended. isfaction written all over his face publicity the country has gotten “I liked the idea that we con - for everything he saw and because of its economic crisis temporary Greek-Americans learned in Greece. “I came here and the series of strikes and stood before all these old, an - because of the opportunity of protests, he said, “My professor cient monuments,” said Christina L-R Alexandra Yeatts, Amalia Charikiopoulou (DEREE student), Nicole Vournazos, Samantha this special program, since my is from Athens and was telling Kazazian, 19, from Merrimack, Klonaris, Melita Leoussis (Heritage Greece Program Coordinator, ACG-DEREE), Vassiliki Fosses grandparents too, are interested me before this too, that things N.H. and a student at the Uni - (back), Anthony Kanelidis, Adam Stathas, Charlie Jamieson (back), Zachary Lountzis, Chris in keeping the Greek heritage in aren’t the way the media de - versity of Connecticut. She said Howell (back), David G. Horner, PhD (President, ACG), Colton Babladelis, Noel Giglio, Christina the family,” he stressed, adding scribe them, which in many cases she attended Greek school for a Kazazian, Cynthia Tassopoulos, Demi Evangelatos (back) (DEREE student), Alexa Kaousias, that it was an amazing experi - exaggerate,” he said. He said he year. The program was created Sophia Topaloglou (back) (DEREE student), Ioanna Spyris, Andreas Aktoudianakis (DEREE ence for him. “There might be wants to visit again and attend a to connect hundreds of young student) (back), Errika Tzortzi (DEREE student). differences between Greece and special program of Greek and Ar - Greek adults with their Hellenic California, but there are similar - chaeology at the University of identity and heritage over the But it wasn’t just hitting the Peloponnese. She said she was lected after a national campaign, ities just as the temperature”, he Athens. next several years through an in - books. The students met Greek very excited to be chosen be - especially through churches, and stressed, singling out Mykonos Zaharias Lountzis, who stud - tegrated cultural, educational students at the school, laughed cause, “It’s my heritage and iden - that more than 30 applied. The and Delos, while making special ies Economy and Finances at the and recreational immersion trip, over the accents of the Americans tity. I’m proud to be Greek Amer - students were amongst the best reference to the night life of the University of Arizona, attended primarily for college students 18- who could speak Greek, and ican.” She said her family was a and brightest of Greek American country as well, which he would a Greek school in Reading, Penn - 26, although this year’s program toured the country, visiting tra - little hesitant about letting her youth, averaging a 3.7 in their like to revisit in the future. sylvania. His father’s parents are included Charles Jameson, 18, ditional villages and Greek is - go because of the scenes of college grades, a high A level. Noel Gilio, 21, of Waxhaw, from Greece and he was enthu - of Dimono High School, from lands, and met with members of protests and violence in the eco - “The whole aspiration of the pro - N.C., and a student at Univ. of siastic about what he saw, espe - Anchorage, Alaska. the government, Parliament, of - nomically wracked country, but gram is to create the next gener - North Carolina-Charlotte, also cially the Temple of Poseidon at The NHS and American Col - ficials of the US Embassy in they felt it would be safe. She ation of Greek American leaders Greek from her mother’s side, Sounion, as well as Delos and lege, through its Deree College Greece, and other leaders from said she most liked going to in whatever they field, and to said she knew a little Greek since Delphi. “Everybody in Greece is subsidiary, said they wanted to the areas of business, media and places such as the islands of De - promote Hellenism,” she said. she had studied for a brief period very friendly. Athens has a lot of create a bridge Greece and Greek culture. They were selected after los and Mykonos, and even “We want to give them a com - at a Greek school, and said she people and is a very lively city. American youth by offering more applying to the NHS, which eval - Athens, not an aesthetically- plete picture of what’s happening was excited by her experience in There are many places to see. I meaningful connections to the uated the students. charming city, but she said she now in Greece as well as the Greece. “It was a good opportu - hope this crisis will be over - country, its Greek people and WHY THEY CAME had previously spent most of her more traditional approach about nity to come in contact with the come,” he said. forge a deeper and more personal Ioanna T. Spyris, 25, from time in Greece in the smaller city what Greece is all about,” she appreciation of Hellenism. The West Islip, N.Y., a business stu - of Kalamata on the Peloponnese said. experience of other international dent at Hofstra University, said and liked the action of Athens. It Samantha Klonaras, 18, from The Students: homecoming programs has she came because, “I wanted to also helped her experience some Cleveland, Ohio, an engineering Noel Giglio, 21, UNC-Charlotte, Waxhaw, N.C. proven successful at building live the life of a college student of the daily frustrations Atheni - student at Carnegie-Mellon Uni - Samantha Klonaris, 18, Carnegie-Mellon Univ. Highland Hgts, OH stronger relationships between in Greece. Unlike many of her ans feel, because the students ran versity in Pittsburgh (“I’m good Cynthia Tassopoulos, 18, Harvard, Dallas, Texas Diaspora youth and the ancestral peers, she speaks fluent Greek, into a Metro strike as well. Like at math and science,”) said her Alexandra Yeatts, 18, Boston College, San Diego, Calif. country, the NHS said. The stu - although with a bit of a New York the others, she got three credits family goes to St. Constantine Christopher Howell, 21, U-Cal. Riverside, Murietta, Calif. dents were housed and studied accent that threw the Greek stu - for attending classes in Classical and Helen Church in Cleveland. Anthony Kanelidis, 18, U-Miami, Miami, Fla. at the American College in Aghia dents. “They were very impressed Athens, Modern Greek, and Con - Her mother is Italian, and she Zachary Lountzis, 22, Univ. Arizona, Reading, Pa. Paraskevi, an American-style I could speak Greek,” she temporary Art. And, she said, said her father’s mother was very Adam Stathas, Brandeis, Leominster, Mass. campus with trees, grass, a swim - laughed. Her family attends St. there was a bonus: she’s staying happy she was going. After learn - Charles Jameson, 18, Dimono High School, Anchorage, Alaska ming pool, full recreational facil - Nicholas Church in West Baby - for the summer in Kalamata. ing a little Greek, she said she Ioanna T. Spyris, 25, Hofstra, West Islip, N.Y. ities and dormitories, only six lon, N.Y. and instilled Greek life Melita Leoussis, an American spoke to her on the phone. “Yia- Colton Babladelis, 19, Univ. Michigan, Manistique, Mich. miles from the center of Athens. and heritage in her from an early born in California with a Master’s Yia was excited I could speak a Alexa Kaousias, 21, Montclair State, Clifton, N.J. They attended Deree courses tai - age, she said. Unlike most of the Degree in Political Science from few phrases,” she said. She said, Christina Kazazian, 19, Univ. Conn., Merrimack, N.H. lored for the program and ac - others, she’d come to Greece be - Georgetown, is the American Col - “I didn’t have expectations of Nicole Vournazos, 18, Emory Univ. Newton, Conn. credited by the New England As - fore, but primarily to her grand - lege’s coordinator of the pro - Greece … but it exceeded all of Vassiliki Fosses, 23, Northern Illinois, Westmont, Ill. sociation of Schools and Colleges. parent’s home in Kalamata on the gram, said the students were se - them.” She said she most en - 10 EDITORIALS LETTERS THE NATIONAL HERALD, JULY 3-9, 2010

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR The National Herald A weekly publication of the NATIONAL HERALD, INC. Keep Constantinople in able. Financially, the United the Greek Omogeneia to the to support the Patriarchate both (ΕΘΝΙΚΟΣ ΚΗΡΥΞ), Constantinople States, with all the newly estab - mere suggestion by the Patriarch financially and politically to en - reporting the news and addressing the issues of paramount interest lished Metropolises, is the bread - concerning donations of real es - dure, survive, and bask in the to the Greek American community of the United States of America. To the Editor: basket of the Patriarchate. tate to the Patriarchate? This glory of our Orthodox treasure. I was astounded to read Presently, another sponsor of the space does not allow for the vol - Dum Spiro Spero Ef' oso zo Publisher-Editor Antonis H. Diamataris Time for a New Polis - A New Patriarchate, Greece, is in dire ume of historical facts and elpizo. As long as I live, I hope Assistant to Publisher, Advertising Veta H. Diamataris Papadopoulos Constantinople - In America by financial straits. Does Mr. events against a New Constan - Yani Pavlidis R.A. Executive Editor Andy Dabilis Theodore Kalmoukos, in the Kalmoukos recall the reaction of tinople. Instead, we should look Smithtown, NY On Line Assistant Editor Christos Tripoulas June 12th edition of The Na - Production Manager Chrysoula Karametros tional Herald, a regurgitated Webmaster Alexandros Tsoukias idea of moving Constantinople out of Turkey. In his article, Mr. The National Herald (USPS 016864) is published weekly by Kalmoukos states his “fervent The National Herald Inc. at 37-10 30th Street, LIC, NY 11101-2614 belief in the principle of the 'un - Tel: (718)784-5255, Fax: (718)472-0510, movable things' according to the D L

e-mail: [email protected] Pauline expression.” CON - A R STANTINOPLE is the HOLIEST E H Democritou 1 and Academias Sts, Athens, 10671, Greece ground of the Christian Church, L A

Tel: 011.30.210.3614.598, Fax: 011.30.210.3643.776, e-mail: second only to Jerusalem, built N O [email protected] I by Divine Inspiration on virgin T A N soil clear of any other pagan Subscriptions by mail : 1 year $66.00, 6 months $33.00, 3 months $22.00, 1 month $11.00 E H

faith. Can you move Jerusalem? T Home delivery NY, NJ, CT: 1 year $88.00, 6 months $48.00, O

Even the Turks, when they T

3 months $33.00, 1 month $14.00 L

Home delivery New England States, Washington DC, Virginia and Maryland : wanted to change things, did A I

1 year $109.00, 6 months $57.00, 3 months $41.00, 1 month $18.00 c not dare change the name of E P

On line subscription : Subscribers to the print edition: 1 year $34.95, 6 months $23.95, S

Constantinople, calling it, as we / 3 months $14.95; Non subscribers : 1 year $45.95, 6 months $29.95, 3 months $18.95 S know, IS TIN POLI (Istanbul). I T S I

Religiously, throughout history, R I

Periodical postage paid at L.I.C., N.Y. and additional mailing offices. L

the holy sites of all major reli - I Postmaster send change of address to: H gions have not moved, (possibly T THE NATIONAL HERALD, 37-10 30th Street, LIC, NY 11101-2614 N A

destroyed, but never moved), S y

just like Jerusalem. R H Politically, to move Constan - c tinople as the seat of Orthodoxy is not practical. Sites such as Greece as an Afterthought Agio Oros and Meteora, which are grounds belonging to the Pa - Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has been having triarchate out of the reach of his own way a lot recently, badgering Israel after that country’s Turkey, have proven unaccept - disastrous raid on a so-called humanitarian aid flotilla to Palestine that turned out to be anything but when Israeli commandoes were attacked by Turkish thugs, although neither side won that public relations battle. Erdogan made a big splash in Athens too, meeting ΛΟΓΟΣ with Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou and saying all the right things about cooperation, closer ties, more business, blah, blah, blah, and signing some deals. Of course, when he returned to Ankara, he remembered his Deep State generals lurking in the It’s Time for a Return to Honor and Philotimo background and didn’t really change any policies, so ships and planes from Cyprus, a member of the European Union, will continue to be barred from Turkish territory at the same time as Turkey’s SANTA FE- I just returned from forced to crawl its hand, we have You may remember that bid to join the EU is getting a lot of support in Europe – including the 2010 Greek Festival spon - way back to a place Greece, the “cradle President Barack Obama made from Greece. So between that and the long-running history of sored by St. Elias the Prophet of pride and honor, of democracy” and reference to philotimo at a Greece and Turkey you might think that he would have been asked Greek Orthodox Church in cultural characteris - source of ageless White House reception in cele - a question or two about their relationship when he was interviewed Santa Fe, New Mexico. Always tics that date back wisdom; on the bration of Greek Independence by American public television’s Charlie Rose - but the words a special event when everyone to antiquity and, to other we have Day this year, an event attended “Greece” and “Cyprus” never came up. Maybe Rose doesn’t know can “be Greek for a day,” this be sure, reveal Canada, known for by Greek Prime Minister George where Greece is -even though he has interviewed Papandreou on year’s festival proved to be es - themselves at its peaceful de - Papandreou. Importantly, Presi - more than one occasion -but his indifference was indicative of the pecially meaningful. The City of Greek Festivals like meanor and pos - dent Obama described philo - attitude American elites have had toward Greece, especially the Santa Fe, known internationally what I have de - ture towards social timo as the spirit that defines government, saying all the right things and every so often throwing as The City Different, and the scribed in Santa Fe. justice. How can Greece and her people through Greece a bone. The only reason most Americans think about Greece oldest state capital city in the Of course, Greece is such special, the ages - that is, the very now is because of the economic crisis and scenes of protests and USA, takes pride in its tri-cul - not alone when it by Dr. ALEX unique places be essence of being Greek. As we strikes. tural history—Native American, comes to facing ad - PATTAKOS “home” to such de - witnessed what happened re - This kind of oversight makes us wonder why Rose didn’t connect Hispanic, and Anglo (that is, versity, be it politi - spicable, uncivil, cently in Toronto, and as we the dots between Ankara, Nicosia and Athens. Was it that he wanted everyone who is not either Na - cal, economic, Special to and inhumane be - ponder the complex situation to be like CNN’s fawning Larry King, playing nicey-nice with Erdo - tive American or Hispanic!) The and/or social-cul - The National Herald havior? Such feel - that continues to unfold in gan. Greek Americans will see more, of course, and properly point annual Greek Festival adds an - tural. Just yester - ings and thoughts Greece, we must ask ourselves: out that Erdogan is presenting himself as Mr. Peace, okaying the other dimension to the mix by day as of this writing, the City prompted me to reflect upon Where is philotimo? Instruc - continuing presence of the Turkish army in Cyprus, as the anniver - introducing both locals and of Toronto, Canada, experienced more admirable qualities of a tively, Christopher Tripoulas sary of Turkey’s invasion there approaches. tourists to Greek culture, most a shock of its own that rocked civil society. In particular, I was wrote in TNH after President Whatever the reason, Rose was a no-show on his own show, notably Greek food and tradi - the very foundation of its nor - drawn to the Greek word and Obama’s speech at the White turning it over to Turkey by the simple act of not acknowledging tional dancing, and giving them mally calm, composed, and col - highest of all Greek virtues, House Greek Independence Day Greece. It’s too bad, because he’s one of the smarter TV types, a chance to “feel” if not “be” lected Canadian existence. As “philotimo” roughly meaning celebration that philotimo is which isn’t saying a lot, of course, because those kind of commen - Greek for a short time. And yes, the host of the Group of 20 “friend or love of honor.” Where “Greece’s most valuable com - tators don't have time to research, what with all the time needed there are Greeks in Santa Fe and Summit, the city had to deal had the love of honor gone? I modity.” If this is the case, then to put on their makeup. You’d think that Greece was a taboo subject the State of New Mexico. A with what began as peaceful asked myself. The virtue of why don’t we see it? Not only on the show, but that’s not it. small but influential group, it is demonstrations and what even - philotimo, which to Greeks is es - in the streets but also in corpo - The problem is that Greece isn’t really verboten, it’s just ignored, quite amazing to see how the tually turned into violent and sentially a way of life (or should rate boardrooms, parliamentary although Ambassador Daniel Speckhard gets kudos for raising the magnetism of Greece and all disheartening protests. Not too be), is a highly complex and chambers, bureaucratic hall - country’s visibility on American radar screens that are usually look - things Greek brings people to - different from what Greece has powerful notion for which no ways, hospital corridors, school ing for bogeys. It was on Speckhard’s watch that Greeks were gether as a “community.” What - had to endure, Toronto was similar word in the English lan - classrooms, etc.? As a unique finally able to travel to the United States without visas, although ever differences may exist seem forced to act “non-Canadian” af - guage exists. And as a way of characteristic of the Greek they still need some annoying accompanying paperwork. Former to disappear at Greek Festival ter black-clad demonstrators life it encompasses so many val - mindset and spirit, philotimo is US Ambassador Nick Burns tried to get Greece some more notice time and everyone shares, albeit rampaged through the city’s ues for doing good and bettering a time-honored tradition that as well, but the trained diplomats keep bumping up against un - some more actively than others, downtown, smashing windows ourselves, both individually and needs, more now than ever, a trained politicians who think of Greece only at vacation time. Pres - in the experience of friendship and torching police cruisers. The collectively. Consider for a mo - renaissance. As Greece’s most ident Barack Obama is said now to be eyeing Crete for his family’s and having fun. Inspired by a police chief said that “that level ment the following ingredients valuable commodity, it’s time to holiday. (At least it’s not Northern Cyprus, where pop star Jennifer culture that looks like it doesn’t of wanton criminality and van - that, when taken together, help leverage its inherent value for Lopez is rumored to be traveling soon.) If Obama does travel to have a trouble in the world, the dalism and destruction on our to make up philotimo: friend - doing good and bettering the Greece, maybe someone can explain that, as Greek Prime Minister deeper meaning of being streets” had never been seen be - ship; respect; honesty; trust; em - Greek way of life, as well as ex - George Papandreou has been saying, it’s more than a country of “Greek” transcends the food, fore, and the country’s public pathy for others; pride; generos - port it to make a positive, mean - sun, sand and Opa! Of course, if Obama and the U.S. do start music, and the dancing. In this safety minister remarked that ity; moral character; keeping ingful difference in the world. taking Greece seriously, it’ll be time for a big Opa! way, the Greek Festival is like “these images are truly shocking your word; self-worth; personal And let me add that it’s time for no other; people feel like they to Canadians.” integrity; dignity; ethics; moral - a global Greek Festival too! Opa! each are part of a greater whole Because I have lived in ity; sacrifice; and unconditional and that the whole is greater Toronto, as well as have many love. Like “Extend Beyond Your - Dr. Pattakos, author of Pris - The dark side of the Greek than the sum of its parts. More - friends and family members in self,” the seventh meaning-cen - oners of Our Thoughts, is cur - over, it is as if the economic cri - the area, the images were shock - tered principle I describe in my rently working on a new busi - sis in Greece didn’t exist and ing to me as well. I will not hes - book, Prisoners of Our ness initiative and book on American Dream that life in America had reached itate to say that the entire situa - Thoughts, philotimo has a self- how to live a happy, healthy, new heights! tion saddened me, a very similar transcendent quality. In this re - meaningful life inspired by In this edition we tell the story of the death of Steve Koufakis. Of course, this is a far cry feeling to what I have when I gard, what we call random acts Greek culture. Readers may What was offered is only a snapshot of a life that ended in tragedy. from the violent and tragic see or hear about the demoral - of kindness come freely—the contact him with questions, Some might think that nothing captures objective truth like a pho - events that have taken place in izing goings-on in Greece. It honorable thing to do—and comments, and/or sugges - tograph, that a picture is eloquent in its thousand words, but com - Greece in recent months. Its im - even makes me wonder if the more satisfaction comes from tions for topics at: alex@pris - mon sense and philosophers say the same thing: a single moment age shaken, Greece has been world has gone mad! On the one giving rather than taking. onersofourthoughts.com. of someone’s life, especially at its most dramatic point, tells you nothing, but it can be a powerful message to others to take action, to prod our community to do a better job in helping people in COMMENTARY emotional distress. In this space we will make a prescription for the community to do more, beginning with a brief diagnosis. When a community teaches its children to keep score in life through bank accounts and salaries, and when its religious establishment Greece: We’re Just another Balkan Country Now inadvertently reinforces that message, some things are guaranteed: wealth and achievement, tragedy and pain. And when that community’s ethics rarely rise above the level of When I was an exchange stu - Serbian, I often source partner, tandem. With corruption indices nursery rhymes like “sticks and stones can break my bones but dent in 1990 at the Budapest Uni - traveled to various would become a re - every bit as high as her former names can never hurt me,” it ensures that wounds are constantly versity of Economics, in the Balkan countries, ality. Communist Balkan neighbors opened that can destroy families. And when the clergy fail to find course of a heated debate about and met major My romantic side and a history of official “book a way to convey to spouses that, in the words of one of Koufakis’ the future of Eastern Europe, I Greek subsidiaries got the better of me, cooking,” Greece has little moral friends: “Forgiveness and love thy neighbor and love thy enemy” postulated that Greece would there. We also of course, because it authority over its neighbors, and apply to ex spouses and soon-to-be ex spouses,” perhaps we are quickly build up investments and bought a home in ignored the sclerotic its reservoir of goodwill in Brus - not as sophisticated a group as we claim to be. business in the neighboring my Serbian-Ameri - state of the Greek sels, already critically low, is Our boasts about Greek American family values, which our po - Balkan states. My Hungarian pro - can wife’s home - state, and the other now pretty much empty. Then, litical friends toss back to us as flattery at fundraisers, ring hollow. fessors asked why, and I replied, town. Greek busi - states in question. In of course, there is Turkey. The Too many of our marriages, too many of our children are damaged “History and culture. Just as the nesses did very fact, I would argue magnetic pull of a huge market by emotional and verbal abuse, which can be as destructive as Germans and Austrians will dom - well, not necessarily that civic and bud - and workshop radiating from Is - physical violence. So we will repeat what was stated in these pages inate your market.” I felt that it due to better prod - by ALEX getary problems in tanbul is dragging the other months ago, that priests can heal families and save lives by an - was a golden opportunity for ucts and service, but BILLINIS Greece are worse Balkan states into Turkey’s eco - nouncing from the pulpit that one’s responsibility to one’s children Greece. Events proved me cor - because they under - than in the former nomic orbit. There is the Turkish includes learning how to behave humanely with our spouses, and rect, at least in part. By 1994, stood the market Special to Communist coun - army, the second largest in if sermons aren’t enough, to insist that members of their congrega - when I worked in Bulgaria, I and the mentality of The National Herald tries, because the NATO. A Greece economically tions have a spiritual responsibly to get help: anger management clearly saw that Greek businesses the people, which ex-Communists had bankrupt, bereft of goodwill classes, if not serious therapy and medication. And the judicial were the only ones with the guts was quite similar to Greece. Hun - to reform and to change, whereas from its European partners, is in system must change how it handles divorces, especially when chil - and the understanding of the lo - dreds of thousands of people the Greek state functioned much no position to resist the eco - dren are involved. The charge must be led by both mental health cal mentality to be successful in from neighboring Balkan coun - the same inefficient way as in the nomic and political machina - professionals and clergy, because both those groups are in the a very tough and corrupt market. tries worked in Greece, and many past, only now the European tions of this Neo-Ottoman Em - trenches and must testify what happens when children become The same was occurring in Ro - students from these countries Union funds and cheap euros en - pire. Greece’s neighbors will the battle grounds. mania, Albania, and in the Or - studied Greek and business in abled the binge. When the Greek follow suit. The debt crisis was And our organizations must take action. The Mental Health As - thodox successor states of Yu - Athens and Salonika, preparing bubble, filled with a toxic mix of not the only actor in this sad the - sociation of New York City runs a suicide prevention hotline in goslavia. Greek shipping and for careers with Greek compa - debt, corruption, and hot air, ater, but its supporting role is New York, 1-800 LIFENET and administers a national hotline 1- Russian resources renewed their nies. Cooperation extended be - burst, so did any pretenses to certain. History has returned 800-273 TALK, that connect callers with local services. Any orga - age-old alliance and created an - yond business to culture, religion, leadership of the Balkans. This I with a vengeance. nization that creates a program with trained paid professionals other boom for Greek shipping. and tourism. With the arrival of had not foreseen. Greek prod - and/or volunteers and attains the consortium’s standards can be - Greece had successfully lever - the euro and the entry of Bul - ucts, once competitive in price Alex Billinis is a Utah native, come a member. In other words, our metropolises, parishes and aged its strong cultural, religious, garia and Romania into the Eu - and quality, crumbled under graduate of Rowland Hall and each of our Greek regional associations can establish groups who and historical connections to cre - ropean Union in 2007, it seemed competition from Austria, Slove - co-owner of a Utah-based real can help Greek and Cypriot Americans even more than the generic ate a “Byzantine” economic space as if a unified Balkan market with nia, and (of course) Germany. estate company. He has groups because they know our culture and dynamics. In these chal - which was to the benefit of all. Greece as the heavyweight and Along with Greece’s eco - worked for 12 years in inter - lenging times, this is a project that should be added to our list of As a banking executive with a the Balkans’ key advocate in the nomic weight, its political national banking, much of that priorities. good facility in Bulgarian and EU, and with Russia as a key re - weight and clout has deflated in time in Europe. THE NATIONAL HERALD, JULY 3-9, 2010 VIEWPOINTS 11 LETTER FROM ATHENS (Insert Name Here) Won’t Defeat Barack Obama in 2012

Papandreou and Snowe President Obama has just than the bear, as port of the right-of- ranks. Neither, however, even about completed a year and a long as he could center masses. comes close to matching Obama half in office, and there are run faster than his Some of her follow - in terms of charisma. If only Don’t Feel People’s Pain many who have already written friend, whom the ers are quick to they could be injected with some him off as a one-hit wonder, bear would pre - point out that in of Palin’s passion, or she with about to suffer the same fate as sumably catch and some respects, she some of their ingenuity, then You’d think with won’t be enough to the last one-term Democratic have for lunch. has more executive Obama would be in serious trou - the hard childhood stop the death spi - president, Jimmy Carter. His ap - A harsh illustra - experience than ble. This brings us to the two she had, her ral, that anger is proval numbers consistently tion, for sure, but Obama had when candidates with the best chance mother dying when boiling and roiling, hover below 50%, which indi - when applied to he became Presi - of beating Obama, if only they she was only nine except for rich cates that more people view his politics, it means dent. Even so, she would run: Newt Gingrich and and her father not neighborhoods like job performance negatively that Obama does certainly won’t have Hillary Clinton. Gingrich was the long after, that the Kolonaki, which rather than positively. The eco - not have to do a by CONSTANTINOS E. as much experience architect of the famous Contract little Greek Ameri - Prime Minister nomic recovery appears tenuous good job over the SCAROS as Obama will have with America, which to a great can girl named George Papandreou and remains virtually jobless, next two years. He had after four years extent was the sequel to the Rea - Olympia Bouchles vowed to clean out threats loom that rogue nations merely needs to be Special to on the job. Besides, gan Revolution. But Gingrich would remember of its tax evaders, will obtain nuclear weapons, better than his op - The National Herald Palin’s populist ap - might be considered a liability the pain when, none of whom have and oil continues to gush into ponent at gaining peal is great for to the party because of his mul - many years later, by ANDY been charged with the Gulf of Mexico in startling votes. bringing out the loyalists in tiple marriages, previous ethical she became the first DABILIS tax evasion yet. amounts. Tea Party protesters Many pundits will dismiss droves but, at some point, the sanctions, and having been out of her ethnicity to They were proba - have mobilized coast to coast, that notion as nonsense, and will GOP’s powers-that-be are going of office for more than a decade. win a seat in the Special to bly surprised he and have handed mainstream claim Obama is so weak that any to insist upon a substantive mas - Since Obama’s victory over Clin - U.S. Congress and The National Herald even pretended to Democrats some stinging losses number of Republicans can de - tery of the issues. Granted, Palin ton in the Democratic primary then become a U.S. go after them over the past year, a sign of more feat him, and rather easily at has learned a lot about the way two years ago, his approval rat - Senator, where she doesn’t have (there’s been some lower-level political trouble to come in this that. That sounds plausible in the world works since John Mc - ing has dropped while hers has to worry anymore where her scapegoats forced to fork over November’s midterm elections. theory, but becomes more diffi - Cain plucked her from obscurity steadily climbed. But the only next meal is coming from be - back taxes but the high-rollers Yet, amidst all the turmoil, cult to prove as specific chal - two years ago. But she is not cause her base salary of roll on) because for all his soft Obama remains the odds-on fa - lengers are considered. To the learning quickly enough to make $174,000 takes care of a lot of talk and modesty, it turns out he vorite to win the presidential question: Will (Insert name a formidable run against “Palin’s populist appeal is souvlaki, even in Washington, and Snowe are just like them. race in 2012, at least for the time here) defeat Barack Obama in Obama, or to even capture her great for bringing out D.C. But Sen. Olympia Snowe, The rich and politicians are being.To understand why, con - 2012, with whose name can we party’s nomination. her married name and one that different than you and me, or, sider this classic anecdote: two fill in the blank? Sarah Palin? Paul is the other potential Re - loyalists … but … the should carry a further reminder as F. Scott Fitzgerald put it in guys who were camping in the Ron Paul? Scott Brown? Mitt publican candidate who draws GOP’s powers … are of deep hurt because her then his 1926 short story The Rich woods realized that a bear had Romney? Mike Huckabee? ear-ringing applause from the going to insist upon a husband, Peter Snowe, was Boy: “They possess and enjoy spotted their campsite and was Bobby Jindal? Tim Pawlenty? faithful who flock to his rallies. killed in an auto accident only early, and it does something to about to pounce upon them. As Newt Gingrich, Hillary Clinton? But the Texas Congressman will mastery of the issues.” a few years into their marriage, them, makes them soft, where one guy put on his new sneak - Examining each of these be 77 years old in 2012. And showed she cares more for her we are hard, cynical where we ers, the other one said: “You’re prospective candidates one-by- though Paul’s mind is still sharp way she could mount a plausible Republican Party increasingly- are trustful, in a way that, un - wasting your time, you can’t out - one reveals that, at this point, and he makes thought-provok - challenge to her boss, one within whacko line when she voted to less you were born rich, it is very run the bear, even with your unseating Obama is an uphill ing arguments on paper, he is the Democratic Party itself, deny extension of unemploy - difficult to understand.” Papan - sneakers.” The first guy said: “It’s climb. rather frail-looking and has a would be to quit as Secretary of ment insurance for millions of dreou, who’s had a privileged not the bear I’m trying to out - THE PALIN FACTOR high-pitched squeaky voice. All State over some heated issue, Americans, hoping that the life, and prefers power lunches run.” He knew that it didn’t mat - Palin gets the lion’s share of those factors render him unelec - about which a sizeable majority $300 or so a week they get with the rich, doesn’t under - ter whether he could run faster the media attention and the sup - table on a national level. of Americans would take her would feed their families. stand what his necessary but Brown, the newly-elected side against the president’s. Republicans said the benefits sometimes cruel austerity mea - Massachusetts Senator, famous That Obama appears to be fa - would have added $33 billion sures are doing to people who for returning the seat held for vored at the moment by no to the United States’ $13 trillion don’t deserve it. If he really decades by the liberal lion, Ted means guarantees him reelec - deficit, but Snowe’s party turned wants to cut government spend - Kennedy, to the Republicans, tion. Anything can happen be - $2 trillion over to their banker ing, he can start in the Parlia - was simply January’s flavor-of- tween now and Election Day in buddies before you could say ment and just get rid of political the-month. His appeal began to 2012, including the emergence “Let them eat cake,” and sup - hacks without cutting every - wane almost immediately after of, well, another Obama. Per - port the $2 trillion wars in Iraq one’s salary and telling teachers the election. Even if he manages haps Romney will find his foot - and Afghanistan, and don’t who work 40 years, pushed to recapture some of the mo - ing, Gingrich will make one last mind lining the pockets of cor - back to make them work longer, mentum that propelled him to grand stand on the national rupt and incompetent hacks like they can look forward to a pen - office, Brown is simply too stage, Huckabee can be coaxed Afghan President Hamid Karzai, sion of $552 a month, less than young and too new at this to be out of the studio and onto the who won’t have to stand in any half what they earned. The rest elected president. Granted, so campaign trail, or another true unemployment lines in America was squandered by successive was Obama, but lightning and tried Republican brand because people like Snowe will governments, including his PA - doesn’t strike twice. name we haven’t even men - make sure of it. She supported SOK party, which ruled from Romney might have the in - tioned might burst upon the spending $86 billion in 2003, 1993-2004 before winning re- side track on winning the nomi - scene in the months to come. On when it was real money, for mil - election last year. He served in nation, probably because the the other hand, if the Republi - itary operations in Iraq and that administration and was other favorite, Huckabee, is likely cans fumble the nomination Afghanistan, and two years later elected on a platform of helping to sit this one out and revel in process once again, and hand off voted not to investigate the the disadvantaged and disen - the low-stress, high employee the mantle to another guaran - awarding of contracts in those franchised, not creating more of satisfaction job of hosting his teed also-ran, then they had bet - countries where corruption is them, but he seems to like the own show on Fox, America’s top- ter get used to saying “President even more common than in the back-patting puff pieces from rated cable news network. As Obama” until 2017. the likes of The New York Times economics is reputably Romney’s and he won’t face any Greek strong suit, if all of our stocks Constantinos E. Scaros is a pub - American media longer than for fall, his will rise. If jobs make a lished author and expert in a photo opportunity, to hear comeback in the next two years, American presidential history, some real questions. however, Romney will have a with a background in Ancient Papandreou’s life has taken tough time convincing voters Greek history. He has taught him from the little Ivy League that they ought to change course. history, political science, and college of Amherst in Massachu - Bobby Jindal and Tim Paw - law at New York University, and setts, to Stockholm, the London AP PHOTO/cHARLES KRUPA, FILE lenty, Governors of Louisiana served as an Academic Dean at School of Economics and Har - You Betcha! Sarah Palin shows she still has an effect on people, and Minnesota, respectively, are two other colleges in New York. vard. He’s never had a real job but whether it’s enough to gain the Republican nomination in young, smart, and energetic ris - He welcomes comments at his for very long, the kind where if 2014 to challenge President Barack Obama is a different bet. ing stars within the Republican blog at scaros.blogspot.com you lose it you have to live on unemployment benefits, and neither has Snowe. He’s won numerous awards for his work for human rights, so you think Greece's Best Option is An Orderly Default he’d be sensitive to what is hap - pening to working class people in Greece, who can only get By Nouriel Roubini would hold out and sue to regain close enough to the Parliament The Financial Times their assets, as sovereign immu - Sen. Olympia Snowe to yell “Thieves!” and get tear nity is limited in foreign courts. gassed for it. So while there is It is time to recognise that But 95 per cent of Greek debt Congress. In 2006, she was se - no justification – none – no ra - Greece is not just suffering from was issued in Greece itself, where lected by Time magazine as one tionale, no excuse, no sympathy a liquidity crisis; it is facing an in - domestic sovereign immunity of America's 10 Best Senators, for the cowards who sent a solvency crisis too. Rating agen - laws greatly reduce the risk of and the only woman. She was bomb disguised as a gift to the cies have started to downgrade hold-outs and litigation. praised for her sensitivity to her Public Order Ministry, appar - its public debt to junk level, while Another advantage is that constituents, but maybe she’d ently aimed at its counter-ter - spreads on Greek sovereign bonds most of the banks holding Greek better not show her face outside rorism chief Michalis Chryso - last week spiked to new highs. debt are keeping it in their "to any unemployment offices in hoidis, but killed his head of The €110bn bail-out agreed by maturity" bucket rather than their Maine. Because of Snowe’s sta - security instead, what Papan - the European Union and the In - "trading book" bucket. So long as tus, she could have bolted from dreou doesn’t understand is ternational Monetary Fund in the face value of the debt is not the GOP stance and supported what drives people to be des - May only delays the inevitable de - reduced they can still pretend - giving Americans survival perate because he never has fault and risks making it disor - as they are doing now - that it is money, not just in Maine, but in been, except when he worried derly when it comes. Instead, an still worth 100 cents on the dollar the Greek American communi - whether the EU and IMF would orderly restructuring of Greece's when the actual market value is ties in New York, Chicago, cough up the dough to save him public debt is needed now. already lower. Florida, Boston, California and and Greece. No one envies his The austerity measures to Professor of economics at the Stern School at New York Uni - The bitter pill of debt restruc - wherever her people used to position and he’s doing what which Greece signed up as a con - versity, Nouriel Roubini. turing could be taken with ap - praise her name. has to be done in most cases, dition of its bail-out require a dra - propriate sweeteners, such as After her vote not to give except in not realizing that there conian fiscal adjustment of 10 ciating currencies helping to pay back. These agreements also credit enhancements supported food money to out-of-work are solutions apart from inflict - per cent of gross domestic prod - boost growth. capped the interest rates on the by the IMF and EU. Certainly, it Americans, she put out a limp ing pain on every person in uct. This would prolong the Others think a Greek restruc - new debt to sustainable and be - would be better to use a small statement urging Democrats to Greece who doesn’t make country's recession and still leave turing would see massive losses low-market levels. Importantly, amount of public money to tempt put forward a separate bill to enough money to count as hu - it with a public debt-to-GDP ratio for the European financial insti - the total face value of the debt creditors into a pre-emptive deal help people who’ve exhausted man. of 148 per cent by 2016. At this tutions that hold most of the was not reduced, as normally now than waste €110bn of it try - their jobless benefits, none of The anarchists have to wear level, even a small shock is likely country's public debt. Yet while a happens in abrupt defaults. ing to prevent an unavoidable re - whom will be found on Wall hoods because they are cow - to trigger a further debt crisis. pre-emptive restructuring could Of course, giving nations structuring later. Such public re - Street where the GOP gets its ards, while the working class Sharp austerity may be needed - limit this damage, postponing longer in which to pay and help - sources would be better used to slush fund cash and turns it people who take to the streets as agreed by the Group of 20 will only make it worse. As both ing with generous rates mean help ring-fence other embattled back in a way that some people show themselves, unlike the over the weekend - to stabilise Argentina and Russia's crisis in creditors experience losses. But eurozone economies - such as would call kickbacks. She used Members of Parliament who debt-to-GDP ratios by 2016 in ad - 1998 showed, support from the their loss is much less than under Spain - whose debt may come the usual circuitous political hide in their offices and still take vanced economies; but for IMF does not prevent an eventual an outright default. Since the under renewed pressure. babble to complain the bill was chauffeured cars two blocks to Greece such "stabilisation" would default. Indeed, it can actually market value of their existing In short, an orderly restruc - convoluted and had too many a meeting, the kind who, when be at levels that are unsustain - cause greater damage to the debt has already fallen sharply, turing of Greece's public debt is undesirable elements, words her they went to New York City for able. country and its creditors when there will be no additional mark- achievable and desirable for the party usually uses for unem - the annual Greek Independence Compare Greece today with the former is insolvent. to-market losses either, which is debtor and its creditors. If Europe ployed people, more than 1.2 Day parade left the reviewing Argentina in 1998-2001, a crisis When official money is used part of the reason why these or - wants to avoid a deepening crisis, million of whom have been out stand, apparently hoping to that culminated in a disorderly to keep a country afloat, those derly restructurings saw the vast it is unavoidable too. of work for six months, making make tea at the Plaza Hotel, default. Argentina's fiscal deficit lucky investors whose debt claims majority - more than 90 per cent them rookies in the unemploy - while young Greek American at the onset was 3 per cent of are about to come to maturity of - - of creditors sign up. The writer is professor of eco - ment line, and she said: “The kids who waited for this day GDP; Greece's is 13.6 per cent. ten exit scot-free as IMF/EU sup - Indeed, restructuring Greece's nomics at the Stern School at hundreds of thousands of un - walked past a nearly empty re - Argentina's public debt was 50 port allows them to be paid in debt should be even easier. In New York University and chair - employed Americans who are viewing stand. That’s the kind per cent of GDP; Greece's is 115 full. But when the eventual de - those three emerging market man of Roubini Global Eco - losing jobless benefits every of attitude the rich and politi - per cent and rising. Argentina fault comes, losses to the remain - economies, public debt was is - nomics. He is also co-author of week deserve our immediate at - cians have, and while no one had a current account deficit of ing creditors are more severe, be - sued in foreign jurisdictions - Crisis Economics: A Crash tention.” That’s what they were knows the real motivation for 2 per cent of GDP; Greece's is cause public creditors get the first namely London and New York - Course in the Future of Fi - asking for when she voted to the bombs and the bombers, now 10 per cent. If Argentina was slice of what remains. In short, creating a risk that creditors nance. starve them out. you can bet they’ll be more of insolvent, Greece is insolvent to orderly restructurings - as hap - Americans, though, won’t them, a mixture of loony ni - the power of two or three. pened in Pakistan and Ukraine in riot, even over this further in - hilists against everything and Those arguing that Greece can 1999 and Uruguay in 2002 - are justice. Greeks, however, take to everybody, but including people escape debt restructuring point better for most private creditors, GUEST EDITORIALS the streets and to starting fires, who hope they won’t lose their to previous sharp fiscal cutbacks the debtor nation and multilat - The National Herald welcomes manuscripts representing a variety of such as that set by the cowards jobs and have to stand in un - made by countries such as Bel - eral institutions than an Argen - views for publication in its View Points page. They should include who tossed a petrol bomb into a employment lines, where they’ll gium, Ireland and Sweden in the tine-style botched bail-out. the writer’s name, address, telephone number and be addressed to branch of the Marfin Bank on never meet people named 1990s. But such examples are ir - Pakistan, Ukraine and May 5, killing three workers. Snowe or Papandreou, although relevant, having occurred over Uruguay all restructured their the View Points Editor, The National Herald, 37-10 30th St., LIc, Ny With Greece drowning in debt a little girl named Bouchles longer periods and in times of debt by swapping old obligations 11101. They can also be e-mailed to english.edition@thenational- and deficits and begging the Eu - would have helped them. economic growth. They also took to creditors with new deals that herald.com. Due to considerations of space we enforce a strict 850- ropean Union and International place against a backdrop of extended for many years the time word upper limit. we reserve the right to edit. Monetary Fund for loans that [email protected] falling interest rates, with depre - over which the countries had to 12 SPORTS THE NATIONAL HERALD, JULY 3-9, 2010 Remembering The Golden Greek, Harry Agganis, the Greatest Ever

By Andy Dabilis lete. When the day ever comes various states of undress that and went to B.U., packing the TNH Staff Writer when there is a Greek American while the team had the hand - stands at Fenway Park where the Hall of Fame, all will be in it. But some Ted Williams, and another Red Sox played. Equally out - ATHENS - Who was the greatest they’ll have to be the supporting Golden Boy and All-American standing as a runner, passer, Greek American athlete? This be - cast for Harry Agganis, born Aris - football player, the blonde Jackie punter (46.5 yards average for ing 2010, there will be a lot of totle George Agganis, called Jensen, that Agganis made them three years) and defensive back support for Pete Sampras, who “Ari,” by his mother, which be - look like boys. (15 interceptions in one season) was one of the greatest tennis came Harry, the youngest child When he died, he was hitting he refused to enhance his per - players of all time, as he showed of George and Georgia Agganis .313 and beginning to show the sonal glory by padding his per - when, in retirement, he gave in family of Greek immigrants form that made him captain of sonal stats. He capped his col - Roger Federer all he could han - from Loganikos, near Sparta. You the All-Sports God team too. But lege career by playing 59 dle in exhibition matches, leav - can see his statue in the New it was his character that defined minutes in the Senior Bowl ing little doubt he would have England Sports Hall of Fame and him and made Greek Americans game, throwing for two touch - beaten the Swiss when Sampras outside Agganis Arena at Boston proud because Agganis was as downs intercepting two passes, was in his prime. But that’s ten - University, where he was the humble as he was great, earning and winning the Most Valuable nis. So then, who was Greek quarterback and defensive back, accolades for his poise and char - Player award as the North won, America’s best? and an All-American at both po - acter even while in high school, 20-14, but turned down a You could make a case for sitions (he was the punter to and he stuck to his friends, even $50,000 bonus from the Browns Alex Karras, one of the greatest boot and set records for inter - those who didn’t have the ability to sign with the Red Sox so he ever college football players ceptions.) He’s in the NCAA Hall to play sports. His funeral drew could be near his mother. while at the University of Iowa of Fame too, and was also an All- an estimated 30,000 mourners After his sophomore season at in the 1950s, a feared All-Pro de - American baseball player, who to St. George’s Church in Lynn. B.U. in 1949, where he set a fensive lineman, and a profes - turned down sure stardom in the “No longer are we foreigners. school record by tossing fifteen sional wrestler. Then there’s Fred National Football League to play Thanks to Harry we are the touchdown passes, he entered the Smerlas, another all-pro defen - for the Boston Red Sox, where Golden Greeks once more,” his Marine Corps where he played sive lineman with the Buffalo some said the first baseman was mother said. for the Camp Lejeune (N.C.) foot - Bills in the 1980s and a high the second coming of Lou ROAD TO GLORY ball and baseball teams. So great school All-American wrestler in Gehrig. He batted third, protect - Agganis was the Greek Amer - was the admiration for him that 1974 and 1975 at Waltham, ing cleanup hitter Ted Williams, ican version of Jack Armstrong, the athletic field there is named Massachusetts. You put Smerlas the greatest hitter the game has the All-American boy. At 14 he after him, an honor he won over and Karras next to each other in ever known, who said: “Harry had the body of a man and in Generals. He returned to B.U. to a defensive line and the other was one of the greatest.” high school stood out like King set records, some that still stand, team couldn’t get through with WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN Leonidas. He was also a magnif - and won the Bulger Lowe Award King Xerxes’ army. Like Karras, Agganis should be 81 years One of the statues of Harry Agganis outside Boston University’s icent basketball player, playing as New England’s outstanding Smerlas was regarded as one of old now, smiling that laser-beam Agganis Arena. It’s a replica of the original in the Sports Mu - against Lou Tsiropoulos, who football player. He was named the meanest, nastiest players in smile and still carrying that 6-2, seum of New England, sculpted after donations from hundreds played at Lynn English and New England’s best player but the game and nobody – but no - 200-lb. Greek God physique that of Greek Americans from New England and around the country. would go on to play for NCAA lost in the Heisman Trophy bal - body – wanted to face them. Kar - stopped women and made ad - college champions Kentucky, loting to Princeton’s Dick Kaz - ras was also a shot putter, al - mirers of fellow chiseled athletes. life of the man called The Golden a hard shot to the chest while and then with the world cham - maier. Prompting Donelli to quip, though both may have met their He should be sitting in a favorite Greek. He would have been the playing for B.U. against Mary - pion Boston Celtics in the NBA. “Kazmaier couldn’t carry Agganis’ match against only one other seat at Fenway Park, where he first athlete to play two profes - land in his senior season in 1952. At Lynn Classical, Agganis’ feats shoes.” man, Jim Londos, born in Argos, played for the Boston Red Sox, sional sports, because, after turn - The death deprived his family, as a left-handed quarterback, Agganis played only one sea - who came to the United States and talking to Greek American ing down a contract with the friends and admirers of seeing who made his peers look like son of minor league baseball, during the Great Depression and youth groups, not just about his Cleveland Browns in 1954 to re - what he would have become be - children, regularly drew crowds starting at Triple A for the team’s was a champion professional athletic prowess, but his dedica - place the legendary Otto Graham cause Agganis was only 26 years of 20,000 people. In three sea - Louisville club, where he tore up wrestler. tion to his heritage and family. at quarterback, he was negotiat - old. He began to make his mark sons at Classical, he completed the league with 23 home runs Chris Chelios is a legendary He’s not, sadly, because 55 years ing to sign with the Baltimore while a schoolboy in Lynn, Mass - 326 of 502 passes for 4,149 and 109 runs batted in and fin - professional hockey player and ago, on June 27, 1955, Agganis, Colts, who had obtained his achusetts, playing semi-pro base - yards and 48 touchdowns. He ished second in the MVP ballot - a man who feels his Greekness struck ill while playing for the rights after he didn’t sign with ball at 14 years old, then taking scored 24 touchdowns and ing. That got him promoted to to his roots and, like Karras and Red Sox in his second season, the Browns. None of that came Lynn Classical High School to the kicked 39 extra points. Yet per - the parent club. In his debut Smerlas, a man you’d want by choosing to play baseball instead to pass, so the world of sports mythical national championship sonal records were of little in - game at Fenway Park, in his first your side in a dark alley when a of football, died suddenly of a and the Greek American com - in football and being named an terest to him. He was offered at-bat, he lined a shot down the fight was brewing. Tom Pappas pulmonary embolism while be - munity lost its greatest athlete, All-American in baseball at the scholarships by more than 75 right field line that hit the is a four-time United States de - ing treated at a hospital in Cam - whose successes helped lift them same time. He commanded re - colleges around the country. bullpen wall and he was round - cathlon champion, but a foot in - bridge, Massachusetts. “Oh, I’ve out of the despised phrase of spect by his bearing and that Notre Dame’s Frank Leahy called ing third for an inside-the-park- jury in 2004 at the Athens got a terrific pain,” he said when “dirty Greeks,” to be as golden body that seemed to be Pentelic him, “The finest prospect I’ve home run when he had to slow Olympics deprived him of a doctors lowered a leg that had as he, because of the culture and marble, leading one Boston ever seen.” But Agganis believed down because he had caught up chance to make his mark in an been upraised while trying to fig - peoples he represented. No one sportswriter to write after walk - in family first, and his father to another runner who was on event that has come to be iden - ure out what was wrong with knows just what caused the em - ing through the Red Sox locker died when Agganis was 16, so first base when he socked the tified as the world’s greatest ath - him, and a blood clot stilled the bolism, although he had suffered room and seeing the players in he decided to stay close to home triple. Two months later, he hit a home run for the Red Sox to win a game and dashed up Com - monwealth Avenue to get his diploma from B.U. HOLLYWOOD GOOD True to character, he was un - selfish with his newfound base - ball wealth. When members of Lynn’s Greek community threw a benefit dinner in his honor, he refused to keep any of the money raised, sending it instead to Loggonike, the little village in Sparta, Greece where his par - ents had come from, to be spent on athletic equipment for its children. He offered to move his mother out of the second-floor flat in which she had raised her family, but when she refused to move, he instead made a size - able donation to Saint George’s Greek Orthodox Church in Lynn. Agganis was that rarest of men, a great athlete who cared for his friends, who never was filled with the kind of arrogance that pollutes today’s performers, who couldn’t carry his shoes. You can’t make this stuff up. So purely good was his story that Hollywood wasn’t interested be - cause they said it was a straight line of goodness and they pre - ferred some adversity, as if death wasn’t the greatest adversary of all. Agganis’ legacy has been kept alive by the Agganis Foundation, which has awarded more than $1.1 million in college scholar - ships to 780 student-athletes from Boston and the North Shore, including Lynn, his home - town. The Foundation annually stages a series of high school All- Star games - the Agganis All-Star Classics - which feature the top high school seniors in eastern Massachusetts competing in baseball, basketball, football, soccer and softball. Every spring there is also an annual Harry Ag - ganis Basketball tournament in his hometown of Lynn, at St. George’s Church, drawing teams from Massachusetts, New Hamp - shire, Chicago, New York and even Greece. The AHEPA’s top sports award is named for him. A disclaimer here. My best friend, Nick Tsiotos, a Boston schoolteacher, and I wrote the biography of Agganis, The Golden Greek: An All-American story, and in 1994 and 1995 drove thousands of miles trying to raise money for his statue. It was an arduous task that suc - ceeded because of the philan - thropy of a few good Greek Americans of wealth and too many others to be named here, along with the hundreds of peo - ple who donated $1, $5 and $10 so that he wouldn’t be forgotten. It was worth it, if only for the moment at a Greek Church in Pittsburgh, where we went to speak about his life, to young churchgoers who’d never heard of him, a sin. After the cere - monies, we went outside and saw boys with their white shirts pulled up tossing a football, try - ing to out-yell each other, screaming “I’m Agganis!” and “I’m Agganis!” None ever will be because none ever can, but now they have a real sports hero, and he’ll always be The Golden Greek.