Another Marshall Plan?
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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. 14, ISSUE 715 June 25 - July 1, 2011 $1.50 The World Puts the Squeeze on Greece – Another Marshall Plan? The Troika Tells Papandreou to Cut Valiotis’ Workers Wages, Big Bet on Raise Taxes Again ATHENS – A year after a $155 Paterson’s bailout of rescue loans failed to save Greece’s economy from falling into an abyss, the so- Downtown called Troika of international creditors said a second bailout of nearly the same amount de - By Alexander MacInnes pends on Greek Prime Minister Herald News Staff Writer George Papandreou ushering in another round of pay cuts for PATERSON, N.J. - The man public workers and tax hikes. who put up $100 million to de - That pressure came as U.S. Fed - velop Paterson’s largest shop - eral Reserve Bank Chairman ping and entertainment center Ben Bernanke said the Greek six years ago is raising his stakes sovereign debt crisis could in the struggling Silk City, bet - threaten the stability of the ting he can succeed where other global financial system if a so - developers have not. Efstathios lution is not found, and as Eu - “Steve” Valiotis, a Greek-born ropean Commission Chairman furniture maker who oversees a Jose Manuel Barroso, who was real estate domain through his a Maoist Communist in college, development company Alma Re - squeezed Papandrou to ram alty Corp., is the largest private through the new austerity mea - landowner in Paterson. He has sures that have largely hurt the spent nearly $200 million over working class, pensioners and the last six years on his vision poor while leaving the rich to revive the downtown district nearly untouched. Bernanke — marketing high-end, market- said, “If there were a failure to rate apartments to those who resolve that situation, it would can’t afford the gentrified pose threats to the European fi - refuges of Jersey City or Hobo - EUROKINISSI nancial systems, the global fi - ken. Leading Another Greek Revolution nancial system and to European “I believe in Paterson,” he political unity,” he said. “I think said recently from his office in The protests and nightly sit-ins across the street from the Greek leader of the Greek War of Independence from the Ottoman the Europeans appreciate the in - Queens. “We can make money Parliament have brought out all sorts of demonstrators and Empire. Now their enemy is the Greek government, which has credible importance of resolving there.” No outsider has bet so characters, including Those Who Would be Kolokotronis, the cut workers wages, raised taxes and caused turmoil. the Greek situation,” he said. much on Paterson, hometown “It’s a very difficult situation,” of comedian Lou Costello, Beat he said. Bernanke stressed that Generation poet Allen Ginsberg the Fed is not part of the nego - and Teresa Giudice of The Real tiations to resolve the crisis, but Housewives of New Jersey. Greek Women Try to Soften the Blow of Austerity has been “kept well-informed,” When Valiotis buys, he buys big, citing a conference call over the acquiring mostly vacant, histor - weekend with the G7 (Group of ically significant buildings that By Niki Kitsantonis sor of Economics at Panteion year-old architect who speaks mortgage repayments. With vir - Seven) rich countries on the is - can be converted for residential The New York Times University who briefs the Euro - three languages, never expected tually no money coming in, find - sue. development. He has been able pean Commission on gender to apply for work as a cashier at ing work has become a pressing to grow his investment through ATHENS - As the debt crisis in equality issues. “As joblessness her local supermarket in Athens. concern. “I’m willing to do any - the recession, mainly because Greece hits male-dominated sec - rises among men, a growing But five months after losing her thing,” said Mrs. Papapetrou, he does not rely on financing tors like construction and thou - pool of women are seeking to job as an administrative assis - who has applied for dozens of from banks. In Paterson, Valiotis sands of men lose their jobs or offset losses in household in - tant to a state-run organization, positions in stores and offices, owns 2.6 million square feet of suffer from salary cuts, Greek come,” said Ms. Karamesini, 51, and 18 months after her hus - but has yet to get a single offer. real estate, according to his women are making a brave ef - who has been supporting her band lost his, the responsibility Government statistics show daughter, Ekaterina Valiotis, Di - fort to become the breadwin - husband since early 2009 when of feeding two children weighed that unemployment among rector of Management for Alma ners. Few are finding any joy. he lost his job as an architect. heavily. The couple moved their Greek women rose 4% in the Realty in New Jersey. That in - “It’s an attempted defense “Most aren’t finding work, of elder daughter from a private last quarter of 2010, reaching against the crisis,” said Maria course.” school to a state school, and Continued on page 4 Karamesini, an Associate Profes - Natalia Papapetrou, a 36- their parents are helping with Continued on page 7 Spartan Spirit Secret Diner Ingredient By Diana Louise Carter Greek key design popularized For many immigrant groups, Democrat and Chronicle in the 1960’s has become an restaurant work is a first step icon of New York eateries. Here in becoming American. “They ROCHESTER, N.Y. - The gyro in Rochester those cups aren’t couldn’t speak English. It was gives them away as Greek. The common currency, but Greeks an easy industry to get a job business names might be simple and Greek-Americans own what back then,” said James Pappas, like Tom’s or Sam’s or Jay’s or is undoubtedly a majority of the co-owner of Parkside Diner in AP PHOTO the “Such and Such” Family diners. They run the gamut from Irondequoit. And, Polopolus Once a fierce rival of Prime Restaurant. Their menus are bare-bones places where you noted, entry-level restaurant Minister George Papandreou, filled with American classics - can get an after-school or post- jobs don’t require capital. After Evangelos Venizelos is now burgers, pancakes, blue plate pub hot dog, tonier establish - U.S. immigration laws changed his Finance Minister. specials such as pot roast or a ments with elaborate brunch of - to allow migration from south - hot turkey sandwich - and some - ferings and dinner specials ern Europe around the turn of “We are mostly just following times Italian or Mexican dishes, including wine suggestions. Be - the 20th Century, Greeks left the situation closely and making too. But look closely at the hind them all are family stories hardscrabble farms in droves. sure as best we can that our own menu of any local diner and of immigration from an impov - “Most of the immigrants who institutions are well-positioned you’ll almost always find a gyro, erished Mediterranean country, came were (at) low levels of for - relative to sovereign debt in the a uniquely Greek sandwich con - a sturdy work ethic in their mal education and low skill lev - so-called peripheral countries,” sisting of roasted, pressed meat, adopted country and a fierce els but high IQ,” said Polopolus. he said, referring to the smaller, lettuce, onions, tomatoes and love of self-employment. “That’s “So what do you do? You be - ailing Eurozone economies such AP PHOTO/THANASSIS STAVRAKIS yogurt dressing. The dish alone a very Greek characteristic — come a food peddler, you have as Greece, Ireland and Portugal. Another Greek Soccer Scandal or in the company of avgole - being the boss, being the per - a hot dog stand, you go into the “A disorderly default in one of mono, moussaka and souvlaki son who gives the orders rather restaurant business.” The dev - those countries would no doubt Achilleas Beos, owner of the Greek Superleague soccer team reveals the restaurant owners’ than takes the orders,” said astation of Greece caused by roil financial markets globally. It Olympiakos Volos, escorted by police, arrives at a court in heritage.Greek-owned diners Leonidas Polopolus, a retired World War II and the civil war would have a big impact on Athens, June 23, 2011. Police said 10 people were arrested as are so predominant in the New professor and former director of that followed prompted another credit spreads, on stock prices, part of a match-fixing probe based on irregular betting patterns York City area that a blue-and- the Center for Hellenic Studies identified by European football’s ruling body UEFA. white cup with the traditional at the University of Florida. Continued on page 4 Continued on page 7 The Happy Day for Andrea Everyone Catsimatidis and Chris Cox Still Comes to By Cara Buckley B. Maloney, the New York De - The Terrace The New York Times mocrat. Later, Ms. Maloney had a Hewitt senior that she knew, NEW YORK - Richard Nixon Andrea Catsimatidis, ushered to By George P. Embiricos could never have scripted it — the stage. Ms. Maloney and Mr. Special to The National Herald that it would take a Democrat Cox were chatting when Ms. to help his avowedly Republican Catsimatidis arrived, so Ms. NEW YORK - When George oldest grandson fall head over Maloney introduced them. Makkos accompanied his family heels in love. Yet that is what “Chris went on talking to An - from Athens to New York in fate had in store in April 2008 drea,” Ms.