Jul 31, 2009


Jul 26, 2009

Reforestation of Parnitha?

Two years ago, Parnitha, a Greek national park, was devastated by fires. I came across this Greek news snippet today:
"More than 885 cannabis plants were spotted by the police helicopter at Parnitha. The men of the police also found in packets of hashish and tools. The height of seedlings was up to 2.5 meters." [via]

Hey, reforestation is all about making the forest green again, right?
I can't stop laughing.


Aναδάσωση της Πάρνηθας;
Περισσότερα από 885 δενδρύλλια χασίς εντόπισε το ελικόπτερο της αστυνομίας στην Πάρνηθα στη θέση Πηγής Κιθάρα. Οι άνδρες της αστυνομίας εντόπισαν επίσης στην περιοχή πακέτα με χασίς και εργαλεία. Το ύψος των δενδρυλλίων έφθανε μέχρι και τα 2,5 μέτρα. [πηγή]

Αναδάσωση με ότι πρασινάδα μας βρίσκεται πρόχειρη. 'ντάξει;
Ακόμα γελάω.


Jul 25, 2009


Jul 14, 2009

Italian bloggers: We do not want to be gagged!

This blog raises it's voice
Today, July 14, 2009, Italian bloggers are on strike against legislation to gag the italian Internet.

The following English statement of the first ever blogosphere strike from dirittoallarete.ning.com



It will be the first strike of bloggers ever.

On July 14, 2009, Italian bloggers will muzzle themselves in the Web as well as in Piazza Navona in Rome, at 7PM where they will meet to protest against an Italian government bill (the Alfano decree) introducing a number of new rules which will limit the freedom of expression in Italian internet.

The so-called "obligation to rectify" imposed to the manager of an information site (blogs, social networks such as Facebook, Twitter etc) clearly appears to be a pretext. In fact such imposition, in terms of bureaucratization of the network and of very heavy penalties for users, shall make of the new decree an internet-killer.

The practical effects shall be to cause the independent sites and blogs to cease or materially reduce their publications. The apparent intent of introducing criteria of responsibility hides the attempt to make life difficult or impossible for bloggers and users of shared sites (for example: You Tube...)

The fact is that bloggers are already entirely liable, from a penal standpoint, in the event of crimes such as insults, defamation etc: there is no need to introduce unbearable penalties for "citizen-journalists" who do not intend to submit themselves to the bureaucracy and the burdens contemplated in the Alfano decree.

The plurality of information, regardless of the media, internet, newspapers, radio and tv networks etc, is a fundamental right of men and citizens, on which democracy and freedom are based. The Alfano decree is an attack to the freedom of all media, from the major newspapers to the smallest blog.

For this reason we invite all Italian blogs and sites to a day of silence, in the day in which newspapers and tv networks will also remain silent. It is a message of all operators in the media world, who jointly shout to the political world: "we don not want to be gagged". We therefore invite all citizens with a blog or a site to publish this logo and maintain it for the entire day of July 14 next.

Defending the press, the tv and radio networks, the journalists and the Web, we firmly defend the basic freedom of information and the future of our democracy.

Alessandro Gilioli
Guido Scorza
Enzo Di Frenna

Jul 11, 2009


Jul 8, 2009


Jul 7, 2009

In Memoriam Michael Jackson

In a 2003 interview, Michael Jackson said his most honest and autobiographical song was "Childhood".

Childhood
Written and Composed by Michael Jackson.
Produced by Michael Jackson.
Have you seen my Childhood?
I'm searching for the world that I come from
'Cause I've been looking around
In the lost and found of my heart...
No one understands me
They view it as such strange eccentricities...
'Cause I keep kidding around
Like a child, but pardon me...

People say I'm not okay
'Cause I love such elementary things...
It's been my fate to compensate,
for the Childhood
I've never known...

Have you seen my Childhood?
I'm searching for that wonder in my youth
Like pirates in adventurous dreams,
Of conquest and kings on the throne...

Before you judge me, try hard to love me,
Look within your heart then ask,
Have you seen my Childhood?

People say I'm strange that way
'Cause I love such elementary things,
It's been my fate to compensate,
for the Childhood (Childhood) I've never known...

Have you seen my Childhood?
I'm searching for that wonder in my youth
Like fantastical stories to share
But the dreams I would dare, watch me fly...

Before you judge me, try hard to love me.
The painful youth I've had

Have you seen my Childhood....



Thank you for the music Michael.

Jul 2, 2009


Jul 1, 2009

And so it's begun. Or has it?

Greece has officially prohibited smoking in all enclosed spaces and public services starting today the 1st of July 2009.

We Greeks are stubborn SOBs. The fact that someone tells us to NOT smoke doesn't mean we won't.
"What do we care if you are bothered by our smoke? Huh?"
"I don't like your face but I put up with it, do the same with my smoke... "
"Turn away and suck clean air from the other side... "
"Go enjoy your drink/coffee/beverage where people don't smoke..."
"I don't see a no smoking sign anywhere..."
"Make me... "

Embarrassingly, these are some of the excuses I HAVE heard and witnessed over the years if a non-smoker dared to complain to a smoker.

Non-compliance to common sense is the rule in Greece. And rules don't change very quickly here.

We will need about 20 years of conditioning to get the public non-smoking ban through our thick skulls.

Same thing happened with the seat belt law. Drivers in Greece wearing seat belts used to be a very rare sight. Any fellow/gal donning a seat belt was thought of by other drivers as "frightened", ergo a bad driver. It wasn't until the Traffic Police went on fining sprees, writing up non-buckled drivers and passengers. Finally, after many years, drivers and passengers wear their seat belts for fear of being caught without them.

We eventually learn.
At pain of death of our income.

So, until smoking fines commence, I don't expect too much to change.