Daily Archives: September 1, 2014

Leandra Becerra Lumbreras, has reached the age of 127, making her the oldest person who has ever lived Photo: InterestingLatestNews/ YouTube

A Mexican woman has become the oldest human to have ever lived after reaching the grand old age of 127 – but she lost her birth certificate four decades ago, it was claimed.

Leandra Becerra Lumbreras was said to have been born on August 31, 1887 – the year Queen Victoria celebrated her Golden Jubilee.

She was 27 when the First World War broke out, already a pensioner at 66 when Queen Elizabeth II ascended the British throne and 82 when man first set foot on the moon.

And the birthday girl’s secret to a long life is eating well, sleeping for days on end and never getting married, according to her family.

Miss Lumbreras reportedly fought in the 1910-1917 Mexican Revolution as a leader of the ‘Adelitas’ – women who went with their husbands to the battle front.

The former seamstress, from the western Mexican city of Zapopan, has already buried her five children and several of her 20 grandchildren – the last died in 2013 aged 90.

She also has 73 great-grandchildren and 55 great-great-grandchildren. Mexican authorities are now trying to provide a new birth certificate after she lost the original 40 years ago while moving house.

Grandaughter Miriam Alvear, 43, told Mexico’s El Horizonte newspaper that although she is now deaf and suffering from cataracts, Ms Lumbreras still often entertains her family with stories from a time long confined to history books.

They include having to flee their homes and hide in caves to escape being forcibly recruited into the Mexican army.

Her only possessions help her remember years gone by – an old silver spoon made in 1847, a pair of gold earrings, a ring and an old pocket watch engraved with a steam train.

“She is entirely lucid. She blows your mind with her stories from the revolution,” her grand daughter said.

“She was always a woman who fought. She was still sewing and weaving until about two years ago. She never ceased to be active, that’s why we think she’s lived so long.”

According to Miss Alvear, she also talks about the three great loves of her life, one of which, Margarito Maldonado, was a famous revolutionary leader.

Another granddaughter, Celia Hernandez, said that she sometimes sleeps for three days on end, but when she’s awake likes to eat, talk and sing lullabies.

“Her parents were singers. She loves to entertain her grandchildren with the old songs they taught her.

“She’s always had a good tooth, even at her old age. She has no diabetes or hypertension so can eat as many chocolates and sweets as she likes.”

According to her family, she has already told them what she wants for her birthday party today – beans with tortillas, even though she isn’t allowed solid food on medical advice.

Miss Lumbreras is 12 years older than Japan’s Misao Okawa, currently the oldest documented living person in the world, according to Guinness World Records.

source: nz herald.co.nz

Greens leader Christine Milne is pushing for the Senate to debate Australia’s involvement in Iraq. Source: AAP

THE Greens have failed to force a parliamentary debate on Australia’s expanded military involvement in Iraq.

THE government and Labor combined to defeat the move when parliament resumed on Monday, a day after Prime Minister Tony Abbott announced Australia will take part in an international airlift of military equipment to Kurdish forces fighting Islamic extremists.

The government has ruled out deploying combat troops on the ground, saying there has been no formal request for that type of involvement.

Greens leader Christine Milne said the prime minister and parliament had no greater responsibility than to send the country’s armed service men and women into war.

“I believe that it is time that the Australian parliament was brought into this debate,” she told the Senate in moving a motion to suspend normal business. Defence Minister David Johnston warned a parliamentary debate on operational activities in Iraq would imperil lives.

What was occurring in Iraq had no comparison in recent history and only Kurdish forces had provided any significant resistance to the forces of the Islamic State, he said. “We would not want to see that resistance fail for want of ammunition or other supplies.”

Labor defence spokesman Stephen Conroy dismissed the Greens motion as “a stunt to score cheap political points” and rejected the view that parliament should approve international military operations.

However, the Greens won backing from the Palmer United Party’s Jacqui Lambie, Liberal Democrat David Leyonhjelm and independent Nick Xenophon.

Senator Lambie interrupted other senators while they spoke, at one stage yelling out “no more dead soldiers”.

Senator Leyonhjelm argued military deployment should be approved by at least two-thirds of both houses.

In the lower house, government and opposition MPs backed a motion by Labor frontbencher Chris Bowen that condemned Islamic State and called on the government, through its seat on the UN Security Council, to work to protect Christians and other minorities in Iraq.

Mr Bowen said a strong statement by an undivided Australia in support of minorities including Assyrians, Chaldeans, Mandaeans and Yezidi peoples was needed.

Greens MP Adam Bandt and independent Andrew Wilkie made separate and unsuccessful bids to have the house debate the use of Australian forces in Iraq.

source: news.com.au

Christa Dracopoulos with her parents and federal Liberal MP for Barton Nickolas Varvaris.

Nine-year-old Christa Dracopoulos was one of 12 children from Australia and New Zealand who took part in the Power of Speech Awards, held at federal parliament in Canberra last Tuesday.

Christa addressed and impressed more than 150 guests, including the Governor General of Australia Sir Peter Cosgrove and the Prime Minister Tony Abbott.

The public speaking event, staged by the philanthropic organisation the Shepherd’s Centre, is a celebration of the remarkable outcomes possible for children who are deaf or hearing impaired, thanks to the life changing technologies available to them, and the early intervention programs.

Nine year old Christa Dracopoulos, who also speaks Greek, is one of the children who have benefited from the technologies available to them in Australia, thanks to a cochlear implant.

The Power of Speech Event, where six to 12 year old kids participate, aims to prove that hearing loss is no barrier to education, social inclusion and community participation. It also aims to celebrate the outcomes possible thanks to the technology of the cochlear implant, and the world renowned Early
Intervention programs at First Voice, a national alliance of member organisations providing listening and spoken language for children who are deaf or hearing impaired.

source: Neos Kosmos

New feel-good movie set in Greece on its way to cinemas

Despite the bad buzz that has dogged the Hellenic Republic the last few years, another movie intended to make the world fall in love with Greece all over again is on its way to cinemas, with Greek Australian father and daughter duo Peter and Helene Paroulakis carrying the script writing credits.

The film, entitled As Greek as it Gets, is a comedy that aims to conquer the international film market.

“Since the financial crisis in Greece we have felt an even greater need, as have many others abroad, to do what we can to give confidence and international exposure to the long-suffering and courageous people,” Helene Paroulakis told Huffington Post.

As Greek as it Gets, a collaboration between a mother-daughter and a father-daughter team with Greek roots, filmed in Mykonos, intertwines elements from Mamma Mia, Shirley Valentine and My Big Fat Greek Wedding to showcase the country’s island charm.

The creators now hope that the movie will follow the international success of director Nia Vardalos’ box office hit My Big Fat Greek Wedding. That’s why they’ve injected all the quintessential elements of success into the work with an overriding feel of summer love, mistaken identity and a beautiful Mykonos larger-than-life island setting.

As the New York burger-flipping Mike Metaxas ‘declares’ himself to be a wealthy shipping tycoon from Mykonos to impress a girl, the plot is nothing new, but the glossy beauty of Mykonos and a few surprise twists give a sense of fun to the feel-good film concocted by screenwriters Paroulakis. Peter Paroulakis is the published author of The Greek War of Independence who left his interest in history and war to try his hand at writing about modern-day love.

source: Neos Kosmos

A Golden Dawn supporter raises his hand in a Nazi-style salute during a rally in Athens earlier this year. The far-right party made gains in European elections in May. Photo: Yannis Kolesidis.

After Golden Dawn activists in Australia announced the imminent arrival this week of two MEPs (Members of the European Parliament) of the far-right party, reaction from the Greek Australian community has been swift and strong to oppose the visit.

According to Golden Dawn’s Australian spokesman Mr Ignatius Gavrilidis, the parliamentarians Eleftherios Synadinos and Georgios Epitideios (both retired army officers) will visit Melbourne and Sydney to promote the party and fundraise in October.

In a rare interview, Mr Gavrilidis told the ABC this week that Golden Dawn had between 60 and 70 “activists” in Australia, and thousands more “supporters” in the wider Greek community, particularly among young Greek Australians.

Australia’s Golden Dawn supporters have established links with the anti-immigration Australia First Party, with whom they held a joint rally in Brisbane earlier this year.

Speaking to the ABC, Mr Gavrilidis said he shared Australia First’s concerns about Muslim immigration to Australia.

“One thing I am for is controlled immigration in the interests of Australia and in the interest of Australian citizens,” he said.

“We’ve got a serious threat from the east. If you cannot control immigration, you’re asking for trouble.”

Golden Dawn currently has 18 members in the Greek parliament and three seats in the European parliament.

Despite its leader Nikos Michaloliakos languishing in jail since September 2013, charged with forming a criminal organisation (charges he denies), the party made significant gains in May’s European elections, capturing 9.4 per cent of the popular vote.

Golden Dawn won 7 per cent of the vote in the 2012 national elections.

As speculation mounts over the MEPs’ visit, reaction from the Greek Australian community has been vociferous.

Former Victorian minister Nicholas Kotsiras told reporters that Golden Dawn’s “politics of hatred” were abhorrent.

“I am embarrassed by the existence of Golden Dawn. [It] does not represent me, it does not represent my family and does not represent the vast majority of Greeks living in Victoria,” Mr Kotsiras said.

“Also they are not representative of Greeks living in Greece.They are the antithesis of what the Hellenic spirit is all about.”

Entering Australia however may present obstacles for the MEPs.

To undertake political or cultural activities in Australia they will require temporary short-stay visas.

The visa assessment process investigates whether applicants “have, or have had, an association with an individual, group or organisation suspected of having been, or being, involved in criminal conduct”. If they have, such applicants are denied entry.

Where individuals have no criminal conviction, are not on an alert list and are not members of a proscribed terrorist organisation, Australia’s Immigration Department has few grounds to refuse entry.

Immigration also assesses whether a person wishing to enter Australia would be likely to “incite discord in the Australian community or in a segment of that community”.

In September 2012, a concerted campaign failed to prevent controversial anti-Islam campaigner Geert Wilders from carrying out a speaking tour in Australia.
Greek community leaders across Australia have expressed unanimous opposition to the visit.

President of the Greek Orthodox Community of Melbourne and Victoria Bill Papastergiadis said that “the visit by an anti-immigration party is incompatible with the pluralist and multicultural society within which we live.”

“GOCMV has consistently opposed discrimination on race and religion, hence its opposition to the Brandis proposed changes to the Racial Discrimination Act.

Mr Papastergiadis said “the Community’s position on these matters applies equally to Golden Dawn”.

In Sydney, the Greek Orthodox Community of NSW released a statement saying that it “condemns the presence of the Golden Dawn in Australia”.

”The Greek Orthodox Community of New South Wales, in response to recent reports on the ‘expected invasion’ of executives of the criminal Nazi organisation Golden Dawn in Australia, is deeply concerned and opposed to such a move.”

GOCNSW has urged the government to intervene to prevent the MEPs entering the country, a position shared by the Australian Macedonian Human Rights
Committee.

In Melbourne,Victoria’s Multicultural Affairs Minister Matthew Guy said “the proposed arrival of two Golden Dawn representatives [would] do nothing to improve the economic situation in Greece, and more importantly, will do nothing to enhance social cohesion in our dynamic and resilient multicultural society.”

Mr Guy added that “the words of Golden Dawn are cheap and simplistic and have no place in our great multicultural society, which is based on the values of tolerance and acceptance of all communities and faiths.”

Federal Labor MP Maria Vamvakinou told Neos Kosmos that if the MEPs are allowed to enter Australia, “they will find the vast majority of the community are not interested in what they have to peddle, and would be very adverse to it.”

“it’s a slur to say that young Greek Australians embrace the politics of the far-right.

“The Australian Government takes very seriously any suggestion of radicalisation of young people and is in fact taking measures to prevent and avoid such practices.”

Alex Kakafikas, an organiser with the Melbourne Anti-Fascist Initiative, said opponents of the visit were considering a blockade of any event involving the MEPs.

Mr Kakafikas told Neos Kosmos his group would make a non-violent but direct response.

“Many Greek Australians, trade unionists and activists have expressed support and wish to assist in planning a broad counter-demonstration.

“The visit of Golden Dawn isn’t merely the visit of a party we disagree with; they are a group that routinely attacks migrants, workers, women, gays and lesbians In Greece. It’s this reason that members of these groups in Australia wish to have an organised, militant response in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Greece.”

Meanwhile leftist activists in Athens who are in contact with the Melbourne-based “No to Golden Dawn” campaign have vowed to help prevent Golden Dawn widening its support among the diaspora.

Petros Constantinou – a campaigner with the Movement against Racism and the Fascist Threat (KEERFA), told The Guardian that Golden Dawn’s intention is “to set up Nazi cells of hate in the Greek diaspora that would strengthen far-right forces that already exist in Australia and the United States.”

“We will coordinate with our friends over there to stop them creating this black international of fascism. We will help and support their mobilisations in any way we can.

“Diaspora Greeks, immigrants themselves, have been very vociferous in rejecting Golden Dawn’s message of hate.”

While the planned visit has made headlines, uncertainty remains as to if and when they will arrive; it is likely the MEPs have yet to submit visa applications.

A spokesperson for Immigration Minister Scott Morrison told Neos Kosmos that “the Minister has been advised that the individuals currently have no matters before the Department.”

source: Neos Kosmos

Υπάρχουν αρχαιολόγοι που αμφισβητούν τη σπουδαιότητα του τύμβου της Αμφίπολης.

Η διένεξη σήμερα είναι πιο έντονη από ποτέ, καθώς εκτός από τις επιστημονικές θεωρίες είναι και πολλά τα χρήματα που συνδέονται με τις ανασκαφές στον Βορρά.

Με πρωτοβουλίες της η κυρία Κοτταρίδη κατάφερε να εξασφαλίσει τον προϋπολογισμό των 13 εκατ. ευρώ που χρειάζονται για την επέκταση των εργασιών από το ΕΣΠΑ, το Μουσείο των Αιγών αλλά και το Εικονικό Μουσείο “Μέγας Αλέξανδρος” σε αντίθεση με άλλους φορείς που δυσκολεύονται να βρουν χρήματα για τη συνέχεια του δικού τους έργου.

Η ΙΖ’ Εφορεία της οποίας προΐσταται και είναι υπεύθυνη για τις ανασκαφές στον χώρο έχει υπό την επίβλεψή της τρία μουσεία και άλλες συναφείς δραστηριότητες.

Η ίδια μάλιστα είχε φροντίσει να συνεργαστεί με το Πανεπιστήμιο της Οξφόρδης πριν από κάποια χρόνια για τη διοργάνωση σχετικής έκθεσης με τίτλο “Από τον Ηρακλή στον Μέγα Αλέξανδρο: Θησαυροί από τη βασιλική πρωτεύουσα της Μακεδονίας στο ελληνιστικό βασίλειο την εποχή της Δημοκρατίας”, παραχωρώντας κάποιους από τους θησαυρούς από τους ανακαλυπτόμενους τάφους.

Η αποσιώπηση ωστόσο του ρόλου που έπαιξε η παρουσία του ΑΠΘ στην περιοχή και των σχετικών αρχαιολόγων που συνεργάζονταν με αυτό έκανε έξαλλη την έτερη πλευρά, η οποία έσπευσε να διαμαρτυρηθεί με τον δικό της τρόπο μιλώντας για υπονόμευση από πλευράς Κοτταρίδη.

Κατά τη γνώμη τους, οι αρχαιολογικές εργασίες που ξεκίνησε το ΑΠΘ στην περιοχή υπό την επίβλεψη του Μανόλη Ανδρόνικου φέρουν τη σφραγίδα της συγκεκριμένης ομάδας πανεπιστημιακών, ο ρόλος των οποίων υποστηρίζουν πως αποσιωπήθηκε και πως σκόπιμα εξακολουθεί να αποσιωπάται μέχρι σήμερα.

Οι δύο επιστήμονες που είχαν συνεργαστεί με τον Ανδρόνικο μιλούν για εσκεμμένες κινήσεις και για τα πολλά χρήματα που έχει στα χέρια της η σχετική Εφορεία Προϊστορικών και Κλασικών Αρχαιοτήτων σε αντίθεση με το Αριστοτέλειο Πανεπιστήμιο που εξακολουθεί να πραγματοποιεί έρευνες στην περιοχή αλλά με πενιχρά οικονομικά μέσα.

Μια προσεκτικότερη ματιά δείχνει ότι πίσω από τη μακροχρόνια κόντρα που σοβεί ανάμεσα στο ΑΠΘ και την κεντρική ΙΖ’ Εφορεία δεν βρίσκονται μόνο οι επιστημονικές κόντρες και τα χρήματα αλλά και οι διαφορετικές κομματικές πεποιθήσεις.

Η επί χρόνια προϊσταμένη της Πανεπιστημιακής Ομάδας του Αριστοτελείου Πανεπιστημίου Χρυσούλα Παλιαδέλη και πολέμιος της κυρίας Κοτταρίδη, εκτός από καθηγήτρια και διακεκριμένη επιστήμων έχει υπάρξει και υποψήφια περιφερειάρχης στις προηγούμενες εκλογές και πρώην ευρωβουλευτής του ΠΑΣΟΚ.

Στο πλευρό της έχει συνταχθεί για την ώρα η κυρία Στέλλα Δρούγου, γνωστή πανεπιστημιακός, η οποία εμμέσως πλην σαφώς κάνει λόγο για κομματικά παιχνίδια στην περιοχή τα οποία προωθεί το υπουργείο Πολιτισμού σε συνεργασία με την κυβέρνηση τα τελευταία χρόνια.

Όχι τυχαία, εκτός από την κυρία Δρούγου, την κυρία Παλιαδέλλη και την επίσης αρχαιολόγο Αναστασία Λαζαρίδη, πολλοί ήταν εκείνοι που έκαναν λόγο για παρόμοιες κομματικές σκοπιμότητες.

“Κανείς δεν γνώριζε την Αμφίπολη μέχρι που, μεσούντος του Αυγούστου, ο πρωθυπουργός μας εμφανίστηκε, αυτή τη φορά σε ρόλο Ιντιάνα Τζόουνς.

Πρόκειται για ένα χωριό, το οποίο δύσκολα βρίσκεις, καθώς η ταμπέλα στην Εγνατία γράφει προς Πρώτη Σερρών, πατρίδα του εθνάρχη, άρα σημαντικότερη” δήλωσε με νόημα την περασμένη εβδομάδα στην Εφημερίδα των Συντακτών η γόνο του γνωστού αρχαιολόγου, ρίχνοντας και άλλο λάδι στη φωτιά.

Με την άποψή της συμπαρατάχθηκε και η κυρία Δρούγου, η οποία φρόντισε να θυμίσει πως η κυρία Περιστέρη υπήρξε φοιτήτριά της και πως δεν πρέπει να αφήσει το εύρημα απροστάτευτο και βορά στα κομματικά παιχνίδια.

Πηγή: news247.gr

Φαινόμενο μαθητής. Πώς έγραψε 0 και στα 6 πανελλαδικώς εξεταζόμενα μαθήματα, αλλά κατάφερε να περάσει σε ΑΕΙ και μάλιστα στην Αθήνα.

Ποιoς θα μπορούσε να φανταστεί ότι αν κάποιος παρέδιδε λευκή κόλλα στις Πανελλήνιες θα μπορούσε να περάσει σε Πανεπιστήμιο και μάλιστα στην Αθήνα!