First Greek American in NY City Council Onassis Insider Paul
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S o C V ΓΡΑΦΕΙ ΤΗΝ ΙΣΤΟΡΙΑ Bringing the news W ΤΟΥ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΣΜΟΥ to generations of E ΑΠΟ ΤΟ 1915 The National Herald Greek- Americans N c v A weekly greek-AmericAn PublicAtion www.thenationalherald.com VOL. 17, ISSUE 839 November 9-15, 2013 $1.50 First Greek Onassis Insider Paul American Ioannidis Tells TNH In NY City About Greek Tycoon Council By Antonis H. Diamataris My interview with him fol - lows: NEW YORK – When Paul J. Ioan - TNH: “Destiny Prevails” is the Constantinides nidis wrote a book in Greek translation of the title in the Eng - about his life with the legendary lish translation of your book. In Wins Election Aristotle Onassis and his chil - your case, not only did destiny dren, “ Κι αν δεν είσαι, θα γίνεις ” prevail in that you became a pi - In Astoria (2008), he surprised many peo - lot, but that you met Aristotle ple. Not only by the wealth of Onasis, one of the great business - By Constantine S. Sirigos information it contained – some men of the 20th Century, and be - TNH Staff Writer of it about Greek history – but came one of his closest assistants. also by how well the book was Yet, destiny can only take a per - ASTORIA – Costas Constanti - written. It came to prove once son so far. What other personal - nides won a landslide victory in again that some of the best books ity characteristics does one need the 22nd district of the New on history are written by non- in order to maintain the trust of York City Council on November historians. someone like Onassis? 5 and will join New York State Many of us felt that it had to PI: Aristotle Onassis’ motto Senator Michael Gianaris and be translated in the English lan - was: “You can buy capability but Assemblywoman Aravella Simo - guage too, so that it would be you can’t buy honesty and loy - tas as Greek-American represen - read even more widely than the alty. Either you have them or tatives of Astoria. Greek edition. And now, the not.” The other characteristics With 100 percent of precincts book is available in English, in - one needed in order to maintain reporting Constantinides de - deed: Destiny Prevails: My Life the trust of someone like Onassis feated his closest rival, the with Aristotle, Alexander, were courage, capability to cope Green Party’s Lynn Serpe, by AP Photo/thAnAssis stAvrAkis Christina and Her Daughter, with difficult situations, consis - 65.6 to 15 percent. Channel Surfing? Police Oust ERT Workers to Make Way for NERIT Athina (2003, Livani Publishing). tency, and the necessary profes - Constantinides, a passionate And it is every bit as captivating sional knowledge. and energetic campaigner, Police enter ERT's headquarters to change shifts as their colleagues guard the main entrance as the Greek version. TNH: They say that non-his - thanked his supporters, cam - next to workers and supporters in the northern Athens suburb of Agia Paraskevi, Thursday, Nov. The author recently spoke torians write the best history paign team, and family at the 7, 2013. In a pre-dawn swoop, Greek riot police ended a nearly 5-month protest by sacked with us to discuss his book and, books. I say history books be - Raven’s Head Public House on workers broadcasting from what was once the headquarters of the defunct state broadcaster, re - more broadly, some of his expe - Tuesday night. He said he tried moving a few dozen people occupying the complex. See related story on page 11. riences with the Onassis Family. Continued on page 6 to find a different word than the one he’ s used since his Democ - ratic Primary victory, but did not discover one better than “hum - bling” to describe the experi - Global Expert Tziampiris, on Greece ence. “The people have spoken,” he said, but guests noted that By Constantine S. Sirigos loniki, he is currently a Visiting drain that undercuts Greece’s fu - the electorate responded to a TNH Staff Writer Fellow at NYU’s Remarque In - ture. man whom they trusted because stitute. “Maybe 100,000 Greeks have he listened to them. Constanti - NEW YORK – During the Greek Tziampiris spoke to TNH left, and they tend to be nides pledged to work hard for crisis, the concerns of Hellenes about the recent dramatic de - younger, more educated, ambi - the workers and the middle and Philhellenes around the velopments in Greece’s interna - tious and talented,” he said. class and the small businesses world have extended beyond tional relations. His op-ed pieces Tziampiris began to talk that form the backbone of the the economic dimension. There have appeared in various pres - about Greece’s foreign policy by neighborhood he grew up in is a clear link between domestic tigious publications, including noting it current frailties. It has and loves. realities and foreign policy, and the New York Times, Jerusalem been forced to shut down em - Constantinides also ex - generally, the stronger a nation’s Post, Washington Times and Na - bassies and consulates – ambi - pressed pride in his Greek her - economy the greater its military tional Interest, and the fellow - tious countries are opening itage and his Cypriot roots – his power and international influ - ship will facilitate the comple - more – and in the Balkans, father, Andrew, was born on ence. tion of a book titled “The where once Greek firms and Cyprus. Economic weakness under - Emergence of Israeli-Greek Co - banks had been expanding their Gianaris and Simotas con - mines national security, but operation.” country’s presence, they are gratulated Constantinides, who Greece has taken aggressive and Before Tziampiris offered an now in retreat. in turn expressed thanks for the impressive steps to protect its overview of Greek foreign pol - And, naturally, there is fiscal support of two community lead - interests and territorial integrity icy, he emphasized what for him pressure on the military. ers who could not considers according to Dr. Aristotle Tzi - are the two most disturbing el - States can also deploy soft Archangel Michael’s Hellenic Thread Gala themselves successes unless ampiris, Associate Professor of ements of the crisis: the devas - power – which includes general they helped open paths for their International Relations at the tating 25 percent decline in attractiveness, credibility, pres - The nameday and Hellenic Thread Award Gala the Archangel fellow Greeks to follow them. University of Piraeus and direc - Greece’s GDP and the 27 per - tige – in support of their inter - Michael Church was held at the North Hempstead Country Club. But Gianaris acknowledged tor of its Center for Interna - cent unemployment rate that ests abroad, but he noted (L-R) Peter Strouzas, Maria Strouzas, Presbytera Paula Strouzas, the role that another Greek- tional and European Affairs. threatens destabilization in the and Fr. Dennis Strouzas, who was honored for the 40th an - American public servant played Born and raised in Thessa - present, and a massive brain Continued on page 8 niversary of ordination and PC President Chris Neocleous. in his life. For many members of the community, Michael Dukakis’ visit to Astoria in October 1977 was the greatest day in their Sts. Constantine and Helen Centennial Nov 9 Two Queens lives. When Dukakis’ supporters pounded in the windows of the TNH Staff invocation and Parish Council Vlitas said the gala is the cul - Examples of thousands of his - Guys’ Drug Crystal Palace, the noise re - President Elias Seremetis will mination of a number of years toric photographs will be placed sounded deep into Astoria. Little BROOKLYN – A year-long cele - welcome the guests. of hard work and is “the last big throughout the venue and there did they know that the heroic bration of an historic parish and The gala, which will be held event of amazing year high - will also be a four hour slide Innovations campaign would reverberate for those created it, maintained it at Stage 6 at Steiner Studios in lighted by the visit of Arch - show – not a single photo will decades in the hearts and minds and love it is drawing to a Brooklyn, will feature a wonder - bishop Ieronymos of Greece.” be repeated. of the young men and women thrilling close. On November 9, ful dinner prepared by chef Abi - He pointed out that it is Tampakis, who has roots in By Matthew Herper he inspired to dedicate them - the Cathedral of Sts. Constan - gail Kirsch and guests can dance planned as “a throwback to the Peloponnesos and was born and Forbes tine and Helen in Brooklyn will the night away to music by 1950s when Sts. Constantine raised in the parish and has Continued on page 5 host its anniversary Gala mark - Yianni Papastefanou and with and Helen used to throw huge been a PC member for 30 years, There is a 40-something aer - ing Fifty Years of "Tradition of orchestra and special guest balls with top name entertain - told TNH “We want to remem - obics instructor in a Dallas sub - Excellence" of The A. Fantis artists Stelios Dionisiou and ment.” ber all the people who started urb whose cholesterol level is so Parochial School and 100 years Kalomira. “We should have gotten a the community, and those who low–a sixth that of a normal per - of the historic parish. Fr. Lardas is “very happy for bigger hall. The event sold out struggled to maintain the place son–that scientists think she is The Nisyrians And there will be no the community and the faithful in 10 days and there will be through good times and bad.” nearly certain to be spared heart speeches. “This is a celebration who have persevered over many more than 600 people there,” The Church has recovered disease, no matter what she and a party,” Peter Vlitas, the challenges through the he said.