THE GREEK AUSTRALIAN The oldest circulating Greek newspaper outside Greece email: VEMA [email protected] NOVEMBER 2002 Tel. (02) 9559 7022 Fax: (02) 9559 7033 Today... Our Primate’s View COMMENT A Triple Symbolism PAGE 5/25 WORLD-FIRST Does Bush covet CONCEPTS Saddam’s oil? GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH LAUNCHES IN SYDNEY PAGE 2/22 THE ‘ATHENS 2004 OLYMPIC GAMES INFORMATION CENTRE’ AND ‘THE GREEK AUSTRALIAN SPORTS HALL OF FAME’ VENUE PAGE 9/29 OPINION WHAT’S NEW Will the real Santa Claus TRAVEL please step Paros: forward? Guy Freeland, lecturer in Peaceful Liturgiacal Studies at St Andrew’s Greek Orthodox The 2002 Ethnic Business and gentle! Theological College, Sydney, Amazing Awards brought to light reveals who the real Father wonderful tales of rags to Christmas is... success stories riches and the strength of the PAGE 19/39 inspire all human spirit in overcoming PAGE 15/35 adversity. (PAGE 12/32) WHAT’S NEW “Remembering Greece’s Occupation” FEATURE A newly published book, titled “Remembering Greece’s Occupa- tion” by the Greek Orthodox Ladies Group, was launched on 5th Novem- “The Martial Art ber by His Eminence Archbishop Stylianos. The book, written in Greek and English, contains interviews of of Empty more than thirty women who lived during World War II and the occupa- Hands” tion of Greece by Italy and Germany between 1940 -1945. PAGE 17/37 PAGE 14/34 The Greek Australian VEMA NOVEMBER 2002 2/22 TO BHMA DID YOU KNOW? The first animal in space was the female Samoyed husky named Laika, launched by the Soviets in 1957. In 1958 the US sent two mice called Laska and Benjy into Today in history space and in 1969 launched a male chimpanzee called Ham into space. Your comments Does Bush covet Saddam’s oil? NEIL CHATTERJEE DOES the United States want to oust Saddam Hussein to seize his oil? To the conspiracy theorists, it looks obvious. Oilman President George W. Bush’s goal of removing the Iraqi leader to save the world from weapons of mass destruction is just a pretext for the United States getting its hands On 22nd November 1963, President on Baghdad’s oil. of USA John Fitzgerald Kennedy, Ranked second only to Saudi Arabia, Iraqi was assassinated in Dallas, Texas. reserves of crude oil would provide rich pickings for US oil companies increasingly reliant on Middle East energy imports. The 19 NOVEMBER United States, the argument goes, could wean itself from oil dependence on Saudi 1969 - Pele scores 1,000th goal Arabia, out of favour since the September 11 Brazilian soccer great Pelé scores his 1,000th attacks, committed mostly by Saudi nation- professional goal in a game, against Vasco als. “I think the real objective is long term, in da Gama in Rio de Janeiro’s Maracana putting a friendly government in Baghdad - stadium. It was a major milestone in an as Iraq is the only country that can replace illustrious career that included three Saudi Arabia,” said Mustafa Alani, a World Cup championships. London-based Iraqi analyst. “From the 1960s the US supported the Shah 22 NOVEMBER of Iran, then the weight of the partnership moved to Saudi Arabia. Following 1963 - John F. Kennedy assassinated September 11 there is a strong feeling that John Fitzgerald Kennedy, the 35th Saudi is not a strong partner - they believe president of the United States, is Iraq is a strategic necessity,” Alani said. But assassinated while traveling through a cornered Saddam could lash out at oil facil- Dallas, Texas, in an open-top convertible. ities in neighbouring countries, send oil prices skyrocketing and damage the US 3 DECEMBER economy. Surely the risks for energy securi- ty could outweigh the potential rewards? “A 1967 - First human heart transplant more likely scenario is one in which the mil- Ranked second only to Saudi Arabia, Iraqi reserves of crude would provide rich pickings for On December 3, 1967, 53-year-old itary intervention causes domestic political US oil companies increasingly reliant on Middle East energy imports. Lewis Washkansky receives the first chaos in Iraq, inaugurating a long period of human heart transplant at Groote instability,” said Robert Mabro, director of Schuur Hospital in Cape Town, South Africa. the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies. “In that case there will be no growth in oil out- 7 DECEMBER put; even worse Iraqi oil production may fall below current levels.” 1941 - Pearl Harbor bombed Anthony Sampson, author of the award-win- At 7:55 a.m. Hawaii time, a Japanese ning 1970s analysis of the oil majors, The dive bomber bearing the red symbol of Seven Sisters, argues the intervention could the Rising Sun of Japan on its lead to an era where US big business is the wings appears out of the clouds above greatest loser. Oil companies have reaped the island of Oahu. A swarm of extra profits from this year’s 40 percent rise 360 Japanese warplanes followed, in oil prices to $30 a barrel, caused by the descending on the U.S. naval base at fear of war in Iraq. “But their long-term Pearl Harbor in a ferocious assault. The prospects depend on operating in a stable Does George Bush (left) want to oust Saddam Hussein (right) to seize his oil? surprise attack struck a critical blow environment, where investments and con- against the U.S. Pacific fleet and drew tracts will be secure,” Sampson wrote recently. doubt the prospects in Iraq after Saddam Lukoil and TotalFinaElf, which already have the United States irrevocably into look very promising. exclusive rights on the biggest prospects. World War II. The notion that US foreign policy is driven by commercial interests also is not borne out But many think Baghdad’s gameplan could US cash and cutting-edge technology could change after a war, and probably in favour of 8 DECEMBER, 1980 by long-standing and unilateral US sanctions on oil nations Iran and Libya. Much to the be put to swift use to get the wells pumping US firms. “Everything will be up for grabs at 11 of Iraq’s most lucrative oilfields fea- once Saddam or the sanctions regime goes,” 1980- John Lennon shot chagrin of the oil companies eager to join their European rivals in those countries, tured in Baghdad’s existing $20 billion said a Gulf-based industry analyst. John Lennon, a former member of development programme. So innocent, or guilty of coveting Saddam’s the Beatles, the rock group that transformed domestic US political considerations have kept those doors closed. Meanwhile there And Iraqi technocrats - having built up their oil? popular music in the 1960s, is shot and pre-Gulf War infrastructure with equipment Speaking in Poland this week, US killed by an obsessed fan in New York City. are no plans to be found that would indicate a US strategy for Iraqi oil post-Saddam. from the US, Britain and Germany - have Commerce Department Undersecretary The 40-year-old artist was entering his made no secret of their preference for Grant Aldonas admitted the potential bene- luxury Manhattan apartment building Though US oil companies are happy to Western firms. Under sanctions, Baghdad fits that would come from “opening up the when Mark David Chapman shot him admit that, given half a chance, they would has deals in principle with companies from spigot” on Iraqi oil. four times at close range with be in Iraq, leading oil consultancies and the countries demonstrating some political sup- “That obviously isn’t the point of any action a .38-caliber revolver. Lennon, bleeding Iraqi opposition deny being asked by port - Russia, China and France. In Iraq after taken against Saddam Hussein and Iraq but profusely, was rushed to the hospital Washington to chart post-war oil scenarios. Saddam, Moscow and Paris would fight certainly it would be one of the results eco- but died en route. If stability could be guaranteed, there is no hard to protect the commercial interests of nomically,” he said. THE GREEK AUSTRALIAN VEMA The oldest circulating Greek newspaper outside Greece Tel: (02) 9559 7022 Fax: (02) 9559 7033 E-mail: [email protected] NOVEMBER 2002 The Greek Australian VEMA TO BHMA 3/23 DID YOU KNOW? David "Screaming Lord Sutch", as leader of the Monster Raving Loony Party, was Britain's longest serving party leader until he hung himself in June Editorial 1999. CREATING THE CLIMATE OF CREATIVITY The month that has passed has been a creative one in many ways. Not so much because of reflected in the fact that there is no attempt to promote the names of any individual contribu- purely individual creativity (which has existed from time immemorial anyway) but primarily tors - nor even editors! This issue of the Vema presents a very brief excerpt of these amazing because of the collective efforts that reflect new - creative - relationships between entire groups stories, and having a personal copy in each home is, needless to say, highly recommended. of people. Wherever we look today, creative means are being explored to do old things in new ways. One example of this was the unanimous decision of Rockdale City Council only days ago to Many of these ideas stem from marketing whizzes who have developed mergers and collabo- give our Church the green light to set up an official information centre for the Athens 2004 rations in ways that were previously inconceivable (eg. Pizza that is now sold with petrol at the Olympic Games. To be designed, outfitted and supplied with the full co-operation of the Athens service station, CDs that come wrapped with magazines, and so on), purely for economic rea- 2004 Organising Committee, the permission to use the existing pavilion on Sydney’s historic sons of course.