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Welcome, 77 artists, 40 different points of Attica welcomes you by singing Erotokritos an epic romance written at 1713 by Vitsentzos Kornaros

Monday, August 18, 2014

850,000 Workers Unpaid for a Year

The financial crisis has dramatically changed the lives of millions of Greek citizens whose wages have been cut while their purchasing power has gone 30 years back. According to the annual report of the Labor Institute of the General Confederation of Greek Workers (INE-GSEE), the purchasing power of the current minimum wage stands at 1980s levels. This means that with the current minimum wage, Greeks can buy the same goods and services they purchased in the early 1980s. The report also recorded an impressive number of workers who don’t get paid on time. The report shows that about 850,000 workers wait up to 12 months to receive their salary. The phenomenon of unpaid employment is widely spread, especially in retail stores with less than five employees. According to the report, the main characteristics of the labor market in Greece are: Low wages Uninsured work Flexible forms of employment. While in 2009 flexible employment represented 26% of new contracts, in 2013 flexible employment represented 51%. According to figures, the average real wage in the private sector is 750-800 euros compared to 1,100 euros at the beginning of the economic crisis, recording a 23% decrease. The crisis also had a dramatic impact on the minimum wage of workers over 25 years old: It dropped to 560 euros per month, while it used to be 751 euros (22% decrease). For workers under 24, minimum wage stands at 510 euros.


READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT greece.greekreporter.com

Tall Blacks humbled in pre-World Cup reality check

The Tall Blacks have been humbled 95-65 by Greece in a pre-World Cup reality check in Lithuania today. Coach Nenad Vucinic's Spain-bound New ...


READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.stuff.co.nz

Tall Blacks hammered by Greece

The Tall Blacks crashed to a 95-65 loss to world No.5 Greece to end what had been an encouraging display at a four-nation tournament in Kaunas, ...


READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.3news.co.nz

Greece give Tall Blacks big wake-up call

The Tall Blacks received a reminder of just what they will be up against at the FIBA World Cup in Spain in 11 days time when beaten this morning ...


READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT tvnz.co.nz

Tall Blacks outclassed by Greece

New Zealand have suffered a 30-point reality check against Greece less then two weeks out from the men's basketball World Cup. The Tall Blacks ...


READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT home.nzcity.co.nz

Greece's €1.8bn real estate sales far short of €25bn goal

Greece has so far sold €1.8bn in real estate in its privatisation program, far short of about €25bn targeted by the Hellenic Republic Asset Development ...


READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.pie-mag.com

New “Gastronomy Museum” in Downtown Athens

In June this year, a new “museum” joined the rich roster of cultural institutions in Athens, Greece, and is the first dedicated to Greek gastronomy. As culinarybackstreets.com reveals, the young founders of this unique center have chosen an unlikely subject for its debut exhibit: the products and cuisine of Greek monasteries and nunneries. “If you think religious communities subsist on bread and water, and devote their days to prayer and meditation, you’re in for a surprise. Across the country, from Mt. Athos to Crete, monks and nuns are increasingly involved in agriculture, often organic, and sell their honey, wine, olive oil and a host of other foods and condiments to support themselves. And although they rarely eat meat, they have a reputation for eating very well – despite the fact that piety prohibits them from relishing the pleasures of the table the way we do,” says one of the five founders, Constantinos Matsourdelis. The museum is housed in a restored late 19th-century mansion off Athinas Street, five minutes walk from the Central Market of downtown Athens and its adjacent to fruit and vegetable stalls, the spice emporiums of Evripidou Street, and the cafés and eateries of Psyrri. “Museum is perhaps a heavy word to describe it. The delicate paintings on the ceiling draw the eye upward, giving each room a different atmosphere, and there are only a few rooms, so don’t imagine you’ll get a backache. Apart from those showing scenes from monastic life with blown-up photographs as backdrops for, say, a wooden winepress, clay beehives, kitchen utensils – like a fascinating early macaroni machine – copper pots and ceramic bowls, there is one devoted to the products themselves. This is more than a display – it’s also a shop, so you can pick up a bottle of raki from Toplou monastery in eastern Crete, oil from Agia Triada near Chania or rose petal jam from a monastery outside Corinth, just to cite a few examples,” Matsourdelis says. In a sense, the Gastronomy Museum is a product of the economic crisis, because programs to help young people start their own business never existed before. As Matsourdelis says, young people stop by night and day, so he and his team hope the place will become a hangout for them as well as older Athenians interested in their culinary heritage. It can also become a tourist destination. The Gastronomy Museum serves coffee from 10 am, meals from noon to nine, and drinks until after midnight. It is closed on Mondays. Some of the activities planned include showings of films with a food theme, such as “Babette’s Feast” or “Politiki Kouzina” (“A Touch of Spice”), cooking lessons for adults, food-related events for kids, talks and book presentations. It is also planned to change exhibitions a couple of times a year, highlight cooking from different periods or regions — with Macedonia being next — while the menu will be changing accordingly. Though always traditional, it will incorporate occasional contemporary “tweaks” and variations from week to week.


READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT greece.greekreporter.com

Unified Property Tax Can Be Paid in 7 Installments

The Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT) has informed the Greek government that it can extend the period in which to collect Greece’s new unified property tax (ENFIA). After a number of errors were discovered earlier this month in the way the property tax had been calculated, the government has given taxpayers an extension to repay the first installment of the tax by the end of September, instead of August. The government has also asked ELSTAT if they could allow more time for taxpayers to make payments without affecting the coalition’s drive to meet fiscal targets. According to sources, ELSTAT – after consulting EUROSTAT – informed the government that any revenues collected by March 2015 will be recorded in this year’s budget. This means the government can allow taxpayers to pay in seven monthly instalments instead of four. It remains to be seen if the government will go ahead and increase the number of installments. The coalition is aiming to collect 2.4 billion euros from ENFIA, down from the 2.65 billion initially estimated.


READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT greece.greekreporter.com

For lease Mussolini’s long-abandoned Greek villa

A once-magnificent villa built for Benito Mussolini on the Mediterranean island of Rhodes is to be leased out by the Greek government as part of the country's plan to collect the billions of ...


READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.greekherald.com

Turkey's only Greek-language newspaper faces closure

I was shaken when I read the news that Turkey's only Greek-language newspaper, Apoyevmatini, had ceased publication. I knew it was inevitable, but ...


READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.al-monitor.com

What Tom Hanks is Up To Down in the Greek Islands

Tom and Rita are currently holed up in their vacation home on the Greek island of Antiparos. They've owned a place on the island, which is one of ...


READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.jaunted.com

Banks drag Athens bourse benchmark 2.51 pct lower

Bucking trends elsewhere in Europe, Greek equities came under strong pressure on Monday, following four straight winning sessions. The slide was led by banks, which accounted for more than half of turnover. Piraeus was down 2.11 percent to 1.39 euros, Nat... ...


READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.ekathimerini.com

Ergo to buy Piraeus Bank subsidiary ATE Insurance

Piraeus Bank, Greece’s second-largest lender by assets, has agreed to sell its ATE Insurance business to Ergo Insurance Group, a subsidiary of German reinsurer Munich Re, for 90.1 million euros in cash. “Piraeus Bank has made a significant step forward in... ...


READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.ekathimerini.com

Cultural tourism untapped, study says

Cultural tourism in Greece and research into related issues are in urgent need of comprehensive development, the Center of Economic Planning and Research (KEPE) said in its latest bulletin. “The potential is not simply there but there is a surplus and it’... ...


READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.ekathimerini.com

Greece to get third Royal Car Wash

It will cost the Daniele family hundreds of thousands of dollars just to get to the construction phase of the Royal Car Wash project in Greece, company ...


READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.democratandchronicle.com

Rheinmetall producing tank ammo for Greece

Richard Tomkins DUSSELDORF, Germany, Aug. 18 (UPI) -- The Greek Army has ordered 120mm ammunition for its Leopard 2 tanks from Rheinmetall of Germany under a $69.6 million contract.


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Discovering Greece's Splendors

When I told people I was going to Greece this summer, I received my share of odd looks. Didn't I know that there was a financial crisis going on there?


READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.terroirist.com

The 10 Biggest Mistakes You Can Make During Your First Semester Of College

There's no right way to go through your first year of college, and making mistakes can sometimes be a positive part of the experience. However, it's always good to hear some advice from people who have already been through it. We've discovered a few Reddit threads where people reflected on some of their biggest mistakes and regrets from college. A lot of the comments provide great guidance on the best way to navigate and balance the various changes that come with going away to school. Here are some of the best pieces of advice: 1) Don't stick with a major you hate just because of potential job prospects "Spending three years in a major I hated because everyone had told me it would ensure a steady job and good income (pharmacy). Dropped out, worked my ass off as an electrician's bitch for a couple years, paid my parents back for my mistake, reapplied to mechanical engineering and couldn't be happier." — Dstanding 2) Don't mix up your priorities — a social life is important, but so are classes "I wish I had been more responsible with my drinking, and been hungover in class less. I would have taken in and retained so much more information." — winewings 3) Don't say no to any extracurriculars, you might discover something you love "That i didn't get more involved early on. Im a just finishing my junior year and i just recently joined some clubs and made good friends at work. I think back to all the time i squandered my first two years. Finally im having some fun, right before i graduate." — The_Wac "Not involving myself in an acting group early. I joined them in my final year of university and had an amazing time, but not enough to make some proper friends. If you're handed a sheet and you go, 'Meh, I might try it,' I urge you. Do it. You won't know what you like until you do - and the people you meet will be enthusiastic." — Paladin_Girl 4) Don't waste your free time, because after graduation you'll have much less "I wish I used the extra time I had more productively. You never have the days off and 'spare' time you will have when you begin full time work, ever again. Start getting fit, learning an instrument or perfecting your literacy now!" — APLKonnect 5) Don't believe that college is just about studying — it's ok to cut loose every once in a while (or more than once in a while) "I wish I'd partied more. I had stellar grades the whole way through but it hampered my ability to meet new people. I only started getting out and meeting some really awesome folks in my third to last semester." — hunglikeanewok "I wish I had drank and partied more. I'm sitting on a couple of med school acceptances right now, and I'm honestly not sure how much that would have changed had a I spent a few more nights where I could barely stand, or in bed with someone slightly less than attractive." — soup--nazi 6) Don't ignore the resources around you, especially professors "My big regret is not getting to know my professors. 6 years later I'm looking at grad school, and it's going to be really hard without a stellar recommendation from one of them." — theshrewd 7) Don't write anything off immediately, college is a time for change "I'm currently a junior, but my one regret in college is not being a part of Greek life. I didn't join a house freshman year for various reasons, but my personality and values have since changed. Looking back, I believe that being in Greek life, especially at my university, would have been an awesome experience." — gat45 8) Don't forget about the people back home "I wish I found the time to maintain friendships from school with those who went to different universities." — eaz135 9) Don't feel pressured to find your lifelong partner — sometimes it's better to be single "Falling in love. University is a great time to experiment and practise your social/flirting skills. I ended up in a relationship within three months of starting and the relationship ended about 9 months after I graduated (making it a 4 1/2 year relationship). I'm now playing catch-up in (re)learning how to meet and date women." — Martman1989 10) Don't sit around at home — even mundane activities can have meaning "If you have the option to go out and do anything (grocery store, errands whatever) with your friends, go do it. Don't stay home. You won't always have time to talk to your friends later." — CakeofTruth Create your free online surveys with SurveyMonkey , the world's leading questionnaire tool.FOLLOW US! Check Out BI Colleges On Facebook SEE ALSO: The 20 Best College Campuses In The US Join the conversation about this story »


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HSBC poised for fully active role in the country’s recovery

In an interview with Kathimerini, HSBC’s CEO in Greece Steve Banner is upbeat about the prospects of a Greek recovery and says the bank is well positioned to assist local companies in the process. In contrast to other global banks, HSBC opted to remain in... ...


READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.ekathimerini.com

Wages and salaries drop more in 2013

The average salary at Greek enterprises fell a further 10.27 percent in 2013, while the earnings drop in the construction sector was even steeper, at 15.82 percent, according to data compiled by the Social Security Foundation (IKA). Average daily wages fe... ...


READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.ekathimerini.com

Live Review: Grouplove and Portugal. The Man at the Greek Theatre 8/16/14

Fortunately, Grouplove and Portugal. The Man were able to light up our hot summer night at the Greek Theatre and remind us we have plenty of time ...


READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.restlesscities.com

Meeting under Deputy FM Kourkoulas regarding Greek exports to Russia

At 10:30 on Tuesday, 19 August, a meeting will be held at the Foreign Ministry, under Deputy Foreign Minister Dimitris Kourkoulas, regarding the issue ...


READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.mfa.gr

Portugal. The Man & Grouplove @ The Greek Theatre

Looking up at the night sky while listening to live music should be the eighth Wonder of the World. As the setting sun painted The Greek Theatre in ...


READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT lamusicblog.com

For rent: Mussolini's Greek villa, needs work

Ed Adamczyk RHODES , Greece, Aug. 18 (UPI) -- An unused villa built on the Greek island of Rhodes for Italian dictator Benito Mussolini will be leased to help collect money Greece needs to repay loans.


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Greece Woman Dies After She Was Hit By Car Backing Down Driveway

GREECE, N.Y. -- Police in Greece identified the elderly woman who died after she was hit by a car Saturday in a neighborhood off English Road.


READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT rochester.twcnews.com

Preparations for troika talks in Paris gather pace

Deputy Prime Minister Evangelos Venizelos met with PASOK officials on Monday as the party decided who would represent it at the upcoming talks between Greece and the troika in Paris, a meeting for which the government is preparing intensively. The Sociali... ...


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Fest brings Greece to Palos Hills

Fest brings Greece to Palos Hills. August 18, 2014 1:44PM. A girl enjoys her ride down slide annual festival hosted by SS. Constantine Helen Greek.


READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT southtownstar.suntimes.com

Report Claims Greek Police Told To Let Golden Dawn Alone

Even as Greece is preparing for a November trial charging the ultra far-right Golden Dawn party leaders of running a criminal gang, a report from the U.S. group Human Rights First alleges police were told to go easy on the extremists even after attacks on immigrants. The post Report Claims Greek Police Told To Let Golden Dawn Alone appeared first on The National Herald.


READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.thenationalherald.com

WATCH: Rauner says he was close to 'punching someone' in race

He's running around chasing me ... he's never been to a Greek Parade in his life. He came to that parade because he said "uh-oh Rauner's taking my ...


READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT politics.suntimes.com

Fantastic Greek Food

21 Bateman Street: Fantastic Greek Food - Great Price - See 50 traveller reviews, 16 candid photos, and great deals for London, UK, at TripAdvisor.


READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.tripadvisor.co.uk

Confessions Of An Ivy League Frat Boy

The book is an expansion of a 2012 Rolling Stone feature, and, like the aforementioned piece, might make all you prospective college frosh out there think twice about campus Greek li...


READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.rollingstone.com

Tall Blacks suffer humiliating loss to Greece

The Tall Blacks have been humiliated 95-65 by Greece in their latest warm-up game in Lithuania ahead of the basketball World Cup. New Zealand ...


READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.newstalkzb.co.nz

DJ Consoul Trainin brings Greece to Dubai

... Buddha-Bar at Grosevnor House is one of many party spots set to re-open their doors for the season, and they're starting things off with Greece's DJ ...


READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT gulfnews.com

Greek animal welfare groups free brown bear from trap

A brown bear that became caught in a man-made trap in the area of Parakalamo, in the northwestern regional unit of Ioannina, was rescued on Monday by members of the animal welfare groups Arcturos and Callisto. There has been an increase recently in instan... ...


READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.ekathimerini.com

Zakynthos hotel worker dies after being pushed by tourist

A Greek hotel receptionist died late on Sunday after being severely injured in an altercation with a group of tourists in the resort of Laganas on Zakynthos. According to police, the 51-year-old victim was attacked in the early hours of Saturday when he a... ...


READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.ekathimerini.com

Whole Foods Market Sued Over Sugar in Greek Yogurt

Marlton, NJ—In July, Consumer Reports released an analysis that found the sugar content in Whole Foods Market's private label Greek yogurt is far ...


READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.wholefoodsmagazine.com

Cooperative enterprises gaining ground in Greece

If you're in Ano Petralona and thirsting for a refreshing cup of iced cinnamon tea and a watermelon salad while quietly enjoying a book of poetry, 6 is the place for you, just one of the many cooperative cafes that have been cropping up all over Athens in... ...


READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.ekathimerini.com

Designing a new park for the capital

“I cannot wait to tell my family and my friends in North Dakota that I will be working in Athens. The word 'Athens' means so much to an American. It brings magical stories to mind.” As Charles Anderson talks about the Greek capital, I am jealous of his en... ...


READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.ekathimerini.com

Greece and the triumvirate of power

Last Sunday’s Turkish presidential election confirmed Recep Tayyip Erdogan as the third most powerful political leader of the European system – in the broader sense of the word – after German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Russian President Vladimir Putin.


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Greece Prepares for Next Round of Troika Negotiations

Having the advantage of completing all prior necessary actions for the disbursement of the 1 billion euro loan tranche and being upgraded by Fitch, Greece will face the Troika in the next round of negotiations on September 3rd. Several Greek cabinet members, along with Finance Minister Gikas Hardouvelis, will travel to the French capital in September to seek a new agreement between Greece and the Troika of international lenders. All Ministers that have to work on Memorandum obligations are returning to their offices this week, to speed up actions necessary to meet targets. One of the main issues that has to be clarified by the end of the month is the details regarding the Unified Property Tax ENFIA. The corrections must be submitted to parliament for voting by August 26. The Greek government will try to get the green light to introduce measures to offset the impact of years of austerity such as tax breaks and lenientr repayment terms for individuals and businesses with non-performing loans. The government is already working on a new plan for the settlement of overdue tax payments in order to negotiate with the Troika, who do not agree with the adjustment of overdue payments. On August 30, Prime Minister Antonis Samaras will meet with the newly elected European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker to discuss the Greek debt and illegal immigration. They will also discuss the relations of Greece with the Troika and possible changes in the Greek tax system.


READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT greece.greekreporter.com

Opa! What to Expect at Fresno Greek Fest This Weekend

It's an event that many in the valley look forward to every year. Three days of Greek dancing, music and especially food take place this weekend. Peter Vallis was on Sunrise with more on the 54th Annual Fresno Greek Fest. PETER: "These are just a small portion of the 30,000 pastries we made this next weekend." CARINA: "Now you said you guys start cooking in June?" PETER: "In June, we start doing ...


READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.yourcentralvalley.com

North Cyprus farmers to profit from Russian sanctions on EU

Greek Cypriot Farmers' Union EKA general secretary Panicos Hambas said that the Russian sanctions on the Greek Cypriot export of citrus fruits ...


READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.worldbulletin.net

Coast guard detains migrants in Lesvos, Farmakonisi

Greek coast guard officers on Monday spotted and detained two groups of irregular migrants. A group of 15 migrants, including 11 men, two men and two children, were spotted and subsequently detained on the beach of Neapoli, on the island of eastern Aegean... ...


READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.ekathimerini.com

7 Greek Dinner Recipes to Try in Your Kitchen

Greek cuisine is a subset of Mediterranean cuisine, making particular use of ingredients native to the region such as olive oil, grains, wine, fish, vegetables, spices, cheese, yogurt, and herbs. Greek cuisine also tends to consist of meats such as lamb ...


READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT wallstcheatsheet.com

Pamella Jo Young

Funeral services will be 10 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 20 at St. George Greek Orthodox Church, Rock Island. Visitation will be 4-7 p.m. Tuesday at Rafferty ...


READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT qctimes.com

IOC Seeks New Method to Measure EVOO Phenolics

I have sought answers from Greek government officials and, specifically, the office of Afthanasios Tsaftaris, the Minister of Rural Development and ...


READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.oliveoiltimes.com

'I'll now be known as Sophia Monkiopolous': Sophie Monk takes new name in honour of Greek removalists who helped fold her underwear and drove her to the bottle shop

Actress and 2DayFM radio host Sophie Monk took to the airwaves on Monday morning to announce she wants to be known as 'Sophia Monkiopolous' from now on, after moving house brought out her inner Greek. The 34 year-old blonde bombshell explained the change ...


READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.dailymail.co.uk

Tourism: 19 million visitors expected in Greece this year

(ANSAmed) - ATHENS, AUGUST 18 - The 2014 arrival forecast for Greece is still set at 19 million tourists, despite a drop in arrivals of Russian and ...


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Rheinmetall To Supply Tank Ammunition To Greece

Greece bought the tanks back in 2009. Specifically, the contract calls for the supply of 120mm DM12A2 multipurpose ammunition as well as DM63 and ...


READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.defenseworld.net

Hotel Manager Contradicts Sick Tourists in Rhodes: “Virus Not Alarming”

The virus that has infected hundreds of tourists of a 5-star hotel in Rhodes is not worrisome, according to the ‘Lindos Imperial Resort & Spa’ manager who contradicted sick hotel-guests in his statement to Greek Reporter. “Yesterday I was very busy and I couldn’t respond to your calls,” said the hotel’s manager a day after we reported a massive virus spread. “First of all, I want to clarify that the number of victims is not 400, but no more than 100. Moreover, I have to add that they are all well today” Yesterday, an Israeli hotel guest who contracted the virus while at the hotel’s premises told Greek Reporter that “approximately 400 guests are feeling sick and they are in a sense kept in isolation inside the hotel” “The virus was of no major concern and the doctors that visited the hotel did not advise us to take them to the island’s hospital for treatment. Their claims are way off proportion and therefore the hotel, in cooperation with the national Center for Disease Control and Prevention (KEELPNO) is working to see how this virus was spread,” noted the manager of the 5-star hotel. “I doubt it however that it was due to salmonella or anything related to the water. The virus was not only in our hotel, but in other hotels of the region” he added. The hotel manager also said that the claims Greek Reporter published were not true and that the hotel is considering even taking legal action against the visitors that chose to “give our hotel a bad reputation and make this story bigger than it was.” Several international media have also reported on the incident. According to a Russian Diplomat who gave information regarding the incident at the Russian news agency RIA Novosti, there are 50-70 Russian citizens among the hotel guests that have suffered from the virus.


READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT greece.greekreporter.com