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. 15, ISSUE 740 December 17-23, 2011 $1.50 Greek Return of the Drachma: Is the Improbable Now Inevitable? Surgeon Leaving the Euro May Ignite Restores Tourism Boom Eyesight By Landon Thomas, Jr. The New York Times Cutting Edge LONDON, ENGLAND – One study done in France says a re - Methods Give turn to the drachma would mean a paradise of bargains for Gift of Sight tourists in Greece Instead of business as usual By Constantine S. Sirigos on Monday morning, lines of TNH Staff Writer angry Greeks form at the shut - tered doors of the country’s NEW YORK – The gift of sight, banks, trying to get at their or health, or extended life, frozen deposits. The drachma’s whether it ultimately comes value plummets more than 60 from God or from science, also percent against the euro, and passes through the hands of prices soar at the few shops will - physicians like Dr. George Flo - ing to open. rakis. But great doctors don’t Soon, the country’s interna - emerge by accident. One family tional credit lines are cut after pattern comes up often: a driven Greece, as part of the prime father and a compassionate minister’s move, defaults on its mother. That is the case with debt. Florakis, an ophthalmologist in As the country descends into private practice and Clinical chaos, the military seizes control Professor of Ophthalmology at of the government. Columbia University Medical This scary chain of events Center. might never come to pass. But Florakis recalls being im - AP Photo/Petros KArAdjiAs the danger that Greece or some pressed with TV shows like Dr. Following In Greece's Footsteps: Closed Airports, Government Shutdowns, And Strikes In Cyprus other deeply damaged country Kildare and Marcus Welby, MD, in the euro zone could leave the so the wider environment also A passenger use her laptop as she waits for her flight at Larnaca protest a wage freeze and other spending cuts affecting them. single-currency union can no contributes to career choice. The international airport, Cyprus, December 15, 2011. Cyprus' air - The rare work stoppage has forced the cancellation of 79 flights longer be ruled out. And it was Perry Mason show did nothing ports and government offices have shut down in a daylong to and from the East Mediterranean island. More strikes this to stir any law school aspirations strike by a civil servants' union and air traffic controllers to weekend are threatening to disrupt municipal elections. Continued on page 10 within him, so the path was clear to medical school for the student who graduated third in his high school class. Florakis is not only an oph - Congressman John Sarbanes Leads Human Rights Initiative thalmologist but also a corneal transplant specialist. He had a radically different conception of By Constantine Sirigos Sarbanes told TNH that the each year it can be grown and Bilirakis, Carolyn Maloney, and ence were able to speak with her. the kind of medicine he would TNH Starr Writer people involved recognized that broadened so ever more mem - John Sarbanes of The Hellenic One of the highlights was the be practicing, however. “I really the feast of St. Andrew presents bers of Congress can be sensi - Caucus. presentation of The Apostle of pictured myself riding around WASHINGTON, DC – Congress - a great opportunity to bring at - tized. Opening remarks on the his - Love, Hope and Reconciliation , a in a jeep in the country with a man John Sarbanes organized tention to its plight by placing it The reception was hosted by tory of the Ecumenical Patriar - short documentary film about dog in the back in the middle of the first annual St. Andrew’s Hu - in the context of international re - Senator Ben Cardin and Chris chate were offered by Peter the mission of Ecumenical Patri - the night delivering babies,” as man Rights and Religious Free - ligious freedom and human Smith of The Helsinki Commis - Marudas. The State Department’s arch Bartholomew. a general practitioner. As a sub- dom Reception, which was held rights. sion, Representatives Frank Wolf Ambassador at Large for Reli - Sarbanes said the inaugural sub specialist, he has chosen an on November 30 at the Capitol The intention is to have a re - and James P. McGovern of The gious Freedom, Suzan Johnson event was very successful and opposite way of life. Visitor Center. St. Andrew is the ception every November 30 and Tom Lantos Human Rights Com - Cook, spoke about Obama Ad - they hope that November 30 be - He liked every subject in patron saint of the Ecumenical to focus on a salient issue of hu - mission, Representatives Trent ministration’s support for the Ec - comes known as St. Andrew’s Re - medical school, including psy - Patriarchate and on November man rights and religious freedom Franks and Heath Shuler of The umenical Patriarchate and Con - ligious Freedom Day. He was chiatry and general surgery. 30 he is venerated in both the in addition to the Patriarchate of International Religious Freedom gressman Sarbanes was very “The one thing I didn’t like was Western and Eastern Churches. Constantinople. They hope that Caucus, and Representatives Gus pleased that many in the audi - Continued on page 6 sitting around and saying ‘let’s give this person some medica - tion and see what happens in a couple of weeks,’” he said. He knew he wanted to pursue a Greek-American Power Broker Stelios Zavvos Concert surgical subspecialty. At one point he realized how amazing the human eye is, and what a By Demetrios Tsakas Honors great feeling comes from en - TNH Staff Writer abling a child to see. Florakis obtained a work- NEW YORK – Greek-American Maestro study job in college as a junior. Stelios Zavvos, founder of the Having to pick between working private equity fund Zeus Capital in the cafeteria and delivering Partners, is a well-known in - Anagnost boxes at the eye institute, he vestor and power broker on chose the latter. He asked doc - both sides of the Atlantic. Funded by major financial insti - By Constantine S. Sirigos Continued on page 3 tutions, sovereign wealth funds, TNH Staff Writer world-famous investors and Greek shipowners, Zeus suc - NEW YORK – The Little Orches - ceeded in developing residential tra Society’s Annual Christmas communities and acquiring in - concert at the Archdiocesan University come-producing offices in Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, Southeastern Europe – the this year titled “Making a Joyful Balkans. That fund, based in Sound,” filled the Upper East Greek Clubs Athens, plays a major invest - Side church with holiday spirit ment role in countries like Bul - on December 11. The 35th an - garia, Romania, Serbia and nual concert in the series which Are Active Greece. is billed as “Great Music under Concurrently, Mr. Zavvos a Byzantine Dome” had a spe - By Chris Papastefanou founded the Harvard Business cial subtitle this year: “A Holi - TNH Staff School Club of Greece, which day Celebration of the Life and has evolved into one of the lead - Legacy of Maestro Dino Anag - NEW YORK – The Intercollegiate ing economics, business, and nost,” in honor of the man who Hellenic Society (IHS) held a public policy forums in Greece made the concert a holiday tra - meeting on November 20, its first and the greater Southeastern dition in New York. since many of the affiliated European region. As always, the Cathedral - schools traveled to Boston, MA As the president of the Club, packed with a holiday audience for the Fall Convention held by The famous Guru of Wall Street, NYU Professor Nouriel Roubini, with Stelios Zavvos, a noted and with Archbishop Demetrios the National Hellenic Society As - Continued on page 9 investor and power broker, and founder of the private equity fund Zeus Capital Partners. present - looked magnificent in sociation (NHSA) of America just in blue, white, and gold with a few weeks earlier. glinting marbles and mosaics The NHSA is the recognized spiced with red Christmas rib - network of Hellenic student as - bons and lamps. The Orchestra sociations (HSAs) across the To Kafeneio: Chian Org. Honors General Pagonis was smartly dressed in black United States, much to the cha - and the singers from the Or - grin of IHS President Costas pheon Chorale and Metropoli - Gurlakis, whose envisions IHS A Greek By Demetris Tsakas Josephine Foundation Vice tan singers/The Greek Choral under his leadership in a healthy TNH Staff Writer President John Shea warmly in - Society were adorned in festive coexistence with NHSA and an troduced Pagonis and said he colors. equal share of national recogni - Institution NEW YORK – The Highlight of considered himself lucky to have The orchestra and the Or - tion. the Chian Federation’s 32nd An - served under his command. De - pheon Chorale began on a sub - The meeting focused on the nual Gala at the Hellenic Amer - spite being heralded as the “ge - lime note with I Parthenos biannual Convention for the most by Peter Misthos ican Cultural Center in Astoria nius of the first Gulf War” for Simeron , which begins “Today part. Mihalis Giannou of the NJ on December 3 was the presen - having served as General Nor - the Virgin gives birth to the Institute of Technology took the We’d close the restaurant at tation of its Homeric Award to man Schwarzkopf’s logistics Transcendent One.” The hymn podium first and informed the 4PM and drive past it on the retired US Lieutenant General commander during operation was part of an arrangement by audience of 15 about the various way home.