From Dorset Echo - "THE FIRST of a series of benches dedicated to one of Dorset's literary greats has been unveiled near the county town".
William Barnes, Lammas Festival
Friday, 31 July 2015
William Barnes, Bench at Whitcombe
From Dorset Echo - "THE FIRST of a series of benches dedicated to one of Dorset's literary greats has been unveiled near the county town".
Oxford University Press, USA (Special Offer): "The Ionian Islands and Epirus, A Cultural History"
From Oxford University Press (USA) - some reviews of my book; currently available in the USA on special offer (NB, unsure when this special offer ends):
"He examines perceptions and preconceived ideas (as well as their historical development up until the present day), Greek Nationalism as well as the chauvinism of foreigners. This presentation makes the book more interesting than a strictly historical narrative. The style is fluent, compact, enjoyable and understandable, and the author exhibits a subtle sense of humour. The author's love for the place and the people is obvious, but he also has an honest, open and evenly directed critical attitude." -- To Zagori Mas
"An important book that will kindle new research and thinking on the political and literary history of the region." --Times Literary Supplement
"If evidence is required that Greece can enchant, enthral and engage, then Briton Jim Potts' book is just that... This little gem of a book will provide the discerning traveller with something grossly lacking from other tourist guides: a real cultural history with which he or she can contextualise the wonderful experience that is the Ionian Islands and Epirus." --Athens News
Dorchester, Dorset: Food and Arts Festival 2015; 1st August, Three Festivals in Dorchester On Same Day; One World Festival; Lammas Festival
Soon after opening time (9.15am), August 1st
At the end of the day - The Mill Street Jazz Band
At the end of the day - The Mill Street Jazz Band
"The annual event is being held on Saturday from 9am to 9pm with a vast array of local food, drink, creative arts and music on offer". After the event
Competing events on 1st August:
Lammas Festival at St. Peter's Church (11am - 3pm)
"The ancient harvest-time festival of Lammas is being celebrated in Dorchester on Saturday, 1st August, at St Peter's Church Hall. The free event features music and entertainment from performers including folk musician Tim Laycock who will perform traditional songs and poetry" (Blackmore Vale Magazine)
More information
One World Festival, Borough Gardens, Dorchester, 11am
DORSET ONE WORLD FESTIVAL 2015
Latvian Song and Dance
Travelling Moon Celtic Gypsy
Kulu - World Music
Polonez Dance - Polish
People of all cultures together!
"Fantastic cultural day with a Global Food Village, World music stage, dance demonstrations, exhibitions and cultural displays, kids and youth activities and the annual tug-of-war competition".
• Live music, dance and cultural activities spans the globe including Ukraine, China, Africa, India, Latvia and Nepal.
•Wide selection of cuisines from the expanded Global Food Village
•Kids and youth area has been expanded this year with sports, crafts activities and bouncy castle.
Highlights:
-Tug of War - Ghurkas Compete against local teams
- Celebrity Chinese Master Chef - Andy Chu - Cook off competition
- Nepal Art Project Exhibition to mark the 200 years of friendship between Britain and Nepal.
VISIT ALL THREE FESTIVALS!
Also - at Milton Abbas - Milton Abbey International Music Festival
Saturday 1 August: FESTIVAL GALA CONCERT WITH PAUL MCCREESH AND THE GABRIELI CONSORT
4pm - Tickets £25 / £20 / £15 / £10 (restricted view)
The Festival Gala Concert provides the week with a rousing finale and an opportunity to listen to some of the world’s finest Baroque musicians. Featuring VOCES8 and The Festival Chorus, this concert will be conducted by internationally-renowned maestro Paul McCreesh and accompanied by the incredible Gabrieli Consort. Coronation Anthems – H Purcell. Dixit Dominus – GF Handel.
*MUSIC FESTIVAL TICKETS HOTLINE - 01258 881804 / 01258 882322*
Thursday, 30 July 2015
Greece: The IMF, The Crisis and the Third Bailout
FT: To ΔΝΤ δεν μπορεί προς το παρόν να συμμετάσχει σε τρίτο πακέτο
From Kathimerini - Εισήγηση προς το Συμβούλιο του Διεθνούς Νομισματικού Ταμείου ότι η Ελλάδα δεν πληροί τις προδιαγραφές για ένα τρίτο πακέτο στήριξης πραγματοποίησαν υπηρεσιακά στελέχη του Ταμείου, σύμφωνα με δημοσίευμα των Financial Times. Όπως αναφέρεται, το υψηλό ελληνικό χρέος αλλά και οι «χαμηλές επιδόσεις» της Αθήνας στην εφαρμογή διαρθρωτικών μεταρρυθμίσεων καθιστούν απαγορευτική την συμμετοχή του ΔΝΤ σε ένα τρίτο πακέτο διάσωσης...
Watch video with Christine Lagarde
From FT - IMF cannot join Greek rescue - Greece disqualified from new IMF bailout, board told:
"The International Monetary Fund’s board has been told Athens’ high debt levels and poor record of implementing reforms disqualify Greece from a third IMF bailout of the country, raising new questions over whether it will join the EU’s latest financial rescue".
New York Times - "Bailout Money Goes to Greece, Only to Flow Out Again", Jack Ewing and Liz Aldereman
Washington Post - "How olive oil explains Greece’s problems", Ana Swanson
James Pettifer, The Making of the Greek Crisis (Penguin, new revised edition 2015)
Available as a digital e-book - "The financial and social crisis in Greece has deep roots in the country's society and history. In this new Penguin Short, the leading Balkan commentator and Oxford University historian James Pettifer explores the reasons for Greece's current situation, tracing the deep fissures caused by unresolved issues dating back to the Second World War, Greece's often difficult relationships with Turkey and the Balkan neighbours to the north, and its problematic position in the European Union. In 1981, Greece became the tenth member of what was then the European Economic Community, and for a time seemed to be making good progress in democratisation and economic development. Now that achievement is at serious risk".
Prime Minister Tsipras on Corfu (Erikousa) - Corfu Press - Ο Τσίπρας στην Κέρκυρα κι ο Ερημίτης στο σφυρί...Να συνεχίσει από εκεί που σταμάτησε το ξεπούλημα της δημόσιας περιουσίας αποφάσισε το ΤΑΙΠΕΔ στην τελευταία συνεδρίασή του. Στην πρώτη γραμμή εκποίησης ο Ερημίτης, ακολουθεί το αεροδρόμιο. Κι ο Πρωθυπουργός κάνει διακοπές λίγα βήματα παρακάτω, στην Ερείκουσα.
More on the PM and Erikousa
Old Epirot songs by Σαββας Σιατρας - Σταύρος Καψάλης on klarino - Five Days Married; Paidia tis Samarinas
The great Savvas Siatras (Σαββας Σιατρας) from Karitsa near Zitsa, Epirus.
"He comes from Karitsa, a village in the Ioannina Prefecture. He studied for two years at the Zosimaia School in Zitsa, Ioannina, and six years at the Rizarios School".
Five songs from his 1979 vinyl LP (ΆΪΝΤΕ ΜΑΡΩ ΣΤΟ ΠΗΓΑΔΙ) with the outstanding Stavros Kapsalis on klarino. Στο κλαρίνο ο Σταύρος Καψάλης.
About Stavros Kapsalis (information from my good friend Demetrios Dallas): "Stavros Kapsalis comes from Kato Pedhina (Kato Soudhena), but his father -- also a musician, I believe -- left the village at a young age through marriage for Zitsa or Karitsa, the village next door to it. Stavros made his name in Pogoni. He is a rather distant relative of Gregoris Kapsalis, but certainly a closer relative of the late Spyros and Kostas Kapsalis of the Takoutsia band. A very good klarinist, characterised by his softer sound".
Ta Kleftopoula (Paidia tis Samarinas) - the best interpretation ever recorded?
την αμμο αμμο πηγαινα
Five days married - Πέντε μέρες παντρεμένη - Σ Σιάτρας, Στ Καψάλης - an amazing version with beautiful klarino playing. Is this isn't the essence of the deep blues, what is? A miroloi-like young widow's lament about her dead husband, after they have been married for only five days. The klarino pours out its grief, as if imitating the sobbing waves of the young widow's grief and tears.
ΆΪΝΤΕ ΜΑΡΩ ΣΤΟ ΠΗΓΑΔΙ
Στης πικροδάφνης τον ανθό
Γιάννη μου το μαντήλι σου (Πωγώνι) - Ηπειρώτικα τραγούδια
*****
A later live recording - Σ.ΣΙΑΤΡΑΣ ΜΕ ΧΑΛΙΛΟΠΟΥΛΟ - Πέντε μέρες παντρεμένη
More songs from Epirus
Μια ωραία Βοσκοπούλα
ΜΑΡΙΟΛΑ
Ξενιτεμένο μου πουλί (Πωγώνι)
Γιάννη μου το μαντήλι σου (Πωγώνι) - "Ερμηνεύει ένας από τους καλύτερους Ηπειρώτες τραγουδιστές ο Σάββας Σιάτρας, με χαρακτηριστικό ηχόχρωμα και αυθεντική φωνή".
Κλαρίνο: Σταύρος Καψάλης
Αχιλλέας Χαλκιάς: Βιολί
Χριστόδουλος Ζούμπας: Λαούτο
Νίκος Κοντός: Ντέφι
Wednesday, 29 July 2015
Greece: Varoufakis, The Never-Ending Interview (usw...)
Like Bob Dylan's "never-ending tour", the latest instalment from Yanis Varoufakis (in Stern)
"Meine Mutter war Mitglied einer rechtsradikalen Terrororganisation"
usw - und so weiter
The New Yorker - The Greek Warrior - How a radical finance minister took on Europe—and failed.
Mignatiou
Tsiolkas-Varoufakis
Is there a newspaper or magazine to which Yanis Varoufakis hasn't given an interview? It's all beginning to seem a little obsessive.
The never-ending blog: A most peculiar friendship
In favour of Varoufakis’ Plan B – by Paul Tyson
Yanis Varoufakis is being pilloried for doing what had to be done – by Philippe Legrain in The Guardian
How British universities spread misery around the world, The Spectator
Professor James Galbraith and Yanis Varoufakis (video interview with Prof. Galbraith), Bloomberg
The Telegraph report
Europe's Conumdrum, The Economist
Yanis Varoufakis: Annotates the 3rd Memorandum
The Guardian comments
Observer update - Yanis Varoufakis: ‘If I’m convicted of high treason, it would be interesting
On speaking fees - Yanis Varoufakis
He's back, April 2016
In The Economist, May 2016 - Greece’s former finance minister talks Greece, Europe, the Labour Party and the future of social democracy...
Update, March 27, 2018, EU Observer, Varoufakis Launches Political Party
"Economist and Greek former finance minister Yanis Varoufakis launched a new party on Monday, to run in future national elections. Named MeRA25, for European Realistic Disobedience Front, the party is part of DiEM25, the pan-European party launched by Varoufakis in 2016. Varoufakis pledges to free Greece from its debt and to "disobey the incompetent pseudo-technocrats who, on the altar of narrow oligarchic interests, are sacrificing Greece while de-legitimising Europe."
*****
Recommended reading for all politicians:
Andreas Embirikos: Νεοπτόλεμος Α΄, Βασιλεύς των Ελλήνων (Neoptolemos A, King of the Hellenes)
USA: Jamestown Excavation - English colony leaders' bodies discovered
From BBC News - Remains of English Jamestown colony leaders discovered
By Jane O'Brien
Washington Post - Jamestown excavation unearths four bodies — and a mystery in a small box
By Michael E Ruane
New York Times - Unearthing Jamestown’s Leaders, and a Mystery
By Nicholas Fandos
Tuesday, 28 July 2015
Corfu Promotion - and Photographic Art: Old Fortress, New Fortress
Terrible text from Aegean Air, but a good photo of the Old Town and Old Fortress
I don't buy the blurb: "The fabled island of the ancient Phaeacians, the location chosen by Poseidon to indulge his passion for Amphitrite, continues to welcome and inspire the contemporary traveller. A place that seems plucked from a child’s fairy tale, with castles, knights and princesses".
The New Fortress with Blue Moon - Bill Metallinos ("Blue Family Moon")
Monday, 27 July 2015
Dorset, UK: Lammas Festival, Dorchester, August 1
From Blackmore Vale Magazine
"The ancient harvest-time festival of Lammas is being celebrated in Dorchester on Saturday, 1st August, at St Peter's Church Hall. The free event features music and entertainment from performers including folk musician Tim Laycock who will perform traditional songs and poetry".
Celebrating Lammas
About Lammas
Sunday, 26 July 2015
Corfu: Kavos in the news again; Man stabbed by gang
From MailOnline - "Kavos WAS ready for you! Fed-up locals in the Greek resort post photos online in attempt to shame drunken Brits... but idiot tourists see it as a badge of honour and tag themselves in pictures"
From Mirror - Man stabbed eight times on holiday in Kavos by 'local gang targeting Brits abroad'
Hull Daily Mail - Hull man stabbed eight times on holiday to Kavos, Corfu
Saturday, 25 July 2015
UK: Shellfish Farms Closed in South West; Pollution
BBC News - Shellfish farms in Devon, Jersey, Dorset and Somerset are closed -
Shellfish beds in Devon and the Channel Islands have been closed after tests showed high levels of pollution. Shellfish beds in Weymouth in Dorset and Porlock in Somerset have also been closed.
Some Greek Words of Turkish Origin
From Greek Reporter - Common Words in the Greek and Turkish Language
Two-direction borrowing (A Case of a two- direction Borrowing between two languages Greek and Turkish, as a way of enriching languages).
Greece: Bailout Talks: "Security" Delays?
"The Greek parliament has already approved two packages of reform measures, a prerequisite for starting the formal negotiations to hammer out details of the new bailout. However, another source close to the talks said Greece had been asked to do more on reforms before top international officials could come to Athens".
Bild report - Nach BILD-Informationen kann die griechische Regierung aus Sicht der Gläubiger die Sicherheit der Experten von Troika und ESM (zusammen: „Troika+“, „Quadriga“) nicht gewährleisten. „Das Sicherheitskonzept ist noch nicht schlüssig“, erfuhr BILD in Athen aus Diplomatenkreisen. Offiziell hieß es, es gebe noch „organisatorische Dinge zu klären“.
FT report: Greek bailout talks hit early snags - Athens restricts negotiators and delays start of discussions
FT: Ετσι σχεδίαζε την επιστροφή στη δραχμή η Αριστερή Πλατφόρμα (MSN/Ethnos)
Bailout talks pushed back
Varoufakis claims he had approval to plan parallel banking system (eKathimerini)
Varoufakis (The Telegraph) - "Varoufakis reveals cloak and dagger 'Plan B' for Greece -
Former Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis claims he was authorised by Alexis Tsipras to look into a parallel payment system".
The Plan B audio recording (MSN/imerisia)
New York Times report - Greece Made Preparations to Exit Euro
The Independent, Patrick Cockburn: The Greek debt crisis threatens 70 years of peace - "We forget that wars in Europe were the norm before the EU"
Friday, 24 July 2015
Greece and Creditor Governments: Too Much Transparency?
From International New York Times print edition, Greece (24 July, 2015):
Timothy W. Guinnane, a professor of economic history at Yale University:
"Things today are far too transparent for politicians to take tough decisions".
New York Times, Greece, the Sacrificial Lamb, JOSEPH E. STIGLITZ (opinion piece)
Perhaps things are not transparent enough, even to economists.
New York Times, Greece, the Sacrificial Lamb, JOSEPH E. STIGLITZ (opinion piece)
Perhaps things are not transparent enough, even to economists.
Thursday, 23 July 2015
Greece: VAT ( ΦΠΑ) -13% or 23%? The price of beef and a pork souvlaki (with or without peppers); Σε ποια προϊόντα αλλάζει ο ΦΠΑ
Με 13% το χοιρινό σουβλάκι, με 23% αν έχει και πιπεριές! Proto Thema
Σε ποια προϊόντα αλλάζει ο ΦΠΑ
Τι αλλάζει στο ΦΠΑ προϊόντων (ERT)
Τι κρύβει η αύξηση του ΦΠΑ στο 23% για το μοσχαρίσιο κρέας
Κρέας χοιρινό, κοτόπουλο, γαλοπούλα, αρνί, πρόβατο, κατσίκι, κουνέλι ακόμη και τα ψάρια θα παραμείνουν με 13% φπα, ενώ το κρέας από μοσχάρι, σε οποιαδήποτε μορφή θα αυξηθεί στα 23%.
Πολλοί από τους καταναλωτές κρέατος και ιδιαίτερα εκείνοι που καταναλώνουν μοσχάρι, θα αναρωτιούνται για ποιό λόγο το ξεχωρίζουν και ανεβάζουν το φπα 10% παραπάνω από τα υπόλοιπα κρέατα;
Με την οικονομία μας σε κακή κατάσταση και τη δυνατότητα μιας περαιτέρω ύφεσης, το μνημόνιο για το οποίο σχεδόν κανένας δεν γνωρίζει τι κρύβεται πίσω από αυτό έχει επιβάλλει νέους φόρους αυξάνοντας τους από το 13% στο 23% σε πολλά τρόφιμα.
Ο 10% φόρος στο κρέας του μοσχαριού δεν είναι απλά τμήμα του μνημονίου αλλά ενός ευρύτερου σχεδίου από την Ατζέντα 21 για τη ρύθμιση των αερίων του θερμοκηπίου.
Οπως προβλέπει η Ατζέντα 21 θα πρέπει να καταργηθεί η κτηνοτροφία γιατί μία αγελάδα, παράγει τόσα αέρια θερμοκηπίου σε ετήσια βάση, όσα και ένα τζιπ 4Χ4 (difer news).
ΠΡΟΣΟΧΗ στον ΦΠΑ: Το σουβλάκι με σκέτο κρέας στο 13%- Αν έχει μέσα πιπεριές στο 23%!
Wednesday, 22 July 2015
Betty Ryan: An American Painter at Patouria on Andros; Άνδρος - Το Χρώμα της Σιωπής
View some of Betty Ryan's paintings here
"Ryan, who spent the last twenty five years of her life in Andros, humbly came to identify herself with the island".
"It was a matter of time to find a place that suits my idea of where I should live. And I found it. Andros for me was love at first sight. And this love was growing during those twenty five years that I had been married to this house up on a high hill in Andros... Those last years were the best",
The first page of Henry Miller's "The Colossus of Maroussi"
"I would never have gone to Greece had it not been for a girl named Betty Ryan who lived in the same house with me in Paris".
From Henry Miller, "First Impressions of Greece", Village Press, London, 1973:
Some screen-shots (from a Powerpoint presentation) of her early circle of friends and acquaintances in Paris, from the talk by Demosthenis Konaris at the Andros Summer University:
Henry Miller
Anaïs Nin
Lawrence Durrell
Betty Ryan (poor focus)
According to Ian MacNiven, "Lawrence Durrell, A Biography", London 1998, in his chapter on Henry Miller and the Villa Seurat (p. 174), "Betty was very much a member of Henry's circle...It would have surprised Nancy (Durrell) to know that Betty and Henry were talking of getting married - after Anaïs was no longer on the scene....(Betty) had a regular allowance from her father, enough to sustain her at the Villa Seurat and to pay the salary of a maid, and she gave small, elegant dinner parties for the hungry gang that pounded up the stairs to Henry's studio". MacNiven has more about Betty Ryan, Chaim Soutine, Alfred Perlès, Hans Reichel and Anaïs Nin - and their complicated relationships. Fred Perlès said that Betty Ryan had 'the face and bearing of a Madonna'.
See also Bertrand Mathieu, "Betty Ryan, la dame d'Andros: La personne, l'oeuvre, le silence", 1983.
Greece: Tsipras, Lafazanis, Varoufakis
From Kathimerini (English) - As deputies brace for vote on second set of prior actions, Tsipras lashes out at critics
Greek edition
Then a surprise Yes vote by Yanis Varoufakis (Mignatiou) -
«Στόχος μου είναι, παρά την θεμελιώδη διαφωνία μου όσον αφορά τους μετά το Δημοψήφισμα χειρισμούς μας, η διατήρηση της ενότητας του ΣΥΡΙΖΑ, η υποστήριξη του Αλέξη Τσίπρα, κι η στήριξη του Ευκλείδη Τσακαλώτου. Σήμερα λοιπόν ψηφίζω ΝΑΙ σε δύο μέτρα τα οποία τα είχα προτείνει ο ίδιος, αν και υπό ριζοσπαστικά διαφορετικές συνθήκες και προϋποθέσεις».
More detail on in.gr
Kostas Karyotakis (Κώστας Καρυωτάκης, October 30, 1896 – July 21, 1928); Preveza, Epirus
Yesterday, 21 July, was the anniversary of the death of the Greek poet Kostas Karyotakis.
He committed suicide in Preveza, Epirus.
21 Ιουλίου: Αφού προσπάθησε να πνιγεί στη θάλασσα, αυτοκτονεί με πιστόλι.
Video clip from ERT series
Three of his last poems
ΤΑ ΚΕΙΜΕΝΑ ΤΟΥ ΤΕΛΟΥΣ
ΑΙΣΙΟΔΟΞΙΑ
Ἂς ὑποθέσουμε πὼς δὲν ἔχουμε φτάσει
στὸ μαῦρο ἀδιέξοδο, στὴν ἄβυσσο τοῦ νοῦ.
Ἂς ὑποθέσουμε πὼς ἤρθανε τὰ δάση
μ᾿ αὐτοκρατορικὴν ἐξάρτηση πρωινοῦ
θριάμβου, μὲ πουλιά, μὲ τὸ φῶς τ᾿ οὐρανοῦ,
καὶ μὲ τὸν ἥλιο ὅπου θὰ τὰ διαπεράσῃ.
Ἂς ὑποθέσουμε πὼς εἴμαστε κεῖ πέρα,
σὲ χῶρες ἄγνωστες, τῆς δύσης, τοῦ βορρᾶ,
ἐνῷ πετοῦμε τὸ παλτό μας στὸν ἀέρα,
οἱ ξένοι βλέπουνε περίεργα, σοβαρά.
Γιὰ νὰ μᾶς δεχθῆ κάποια λαίδη τρυφερά,
ἔδιωξε τοὺς ὑπηρέτες της ὁλημέρα.
Ἂς ὑποθέσουμε πὼς τοῦ καπέλου ὁ γῦρος
ἄξαφνα ἐφάρδυνε, μὰ ἐστένεψαν, κολλοῦν,
τὰ παντελόνια μας καί, μὲ τοῦ πτερνιστῆρος
τὸ πρόσταγμα, χιλιάδες ἄλογα κινοῦν.
Πηγαίνουμε -- σημαῖες στὸν ἄνεμο χτυποῦν --
ἥρωες σταυροφόροι, σωτῆρες τοῦ Σωτῆρος.
Ἂς ὑποθέσουμε πὼς δὲν ἔχουμε φτάσει
ἀπὸ ἑκατὸ δρόμους, στὰ ὅρια τῆς σιγῆς,
κι ἂς τραγουδήσουμε, -- τὸ τραγούδι νὰ μοιάσῃ
νικητήριο σάλπισμα, ξέσπασμα κραυγῆς --
τοὺς πυρροὺς δαίμονες, στὰ ἔγκατα τῆς γῆς,
καί, ψηλά, τοὺς ἀνθρώπους νὰ διασκεδάση.
ΠΡΕΒΕΖΑ
Θάνατος εἶναι οἱ κάργες ποὺ χτυπιοῦνται
στοὺς μαύρους τοίχους καὶ τὰ κεραμύδια,
θάνατος οἱ γυναῖκες, ποὺ ἀγαπιοῦνται
καθὼς νὰ καθαρίζουνε κρεμμύδια.
Θάνατος οἱ λεροί, ἀσήμαντοι δρόμοι
μὲ τὰ λαμπρά, μεγάλα ὀνόματά τους,
ὁ ἐλαιῶνας, γύρω ἡ θάλασσα, κι ἀκόμη
ὁ ἥλιος, θάνατος μὲς στοὺς θανάτους.
Θάνατος ὁ ἀστυνόμος ποὺ διπλώνει
γιὰ νὰ ζυγίσῃ μία «ἐλλειπὴ» μερίδα,
θάνατος τὰ ζουμπούλια στὸ μπαλκόνι,
κι ὁ δάσκαλος μὲ τὴν ἐφημερίδα.
Βάσις, Φρουρά, Ἐξηκονταρχία Πρεβέζης.
Τὴν Κυριακὴ θ᾿ ἀκούσουμε τὴν μπάντα.
Ἐπῆρα ἕνα βιβλιάριο Τραπέζης
πρώτη κατάθεσις δραχμαὶ τριάντα.
Περπατώντας ἀργὰ στὴν προκυμαία,
«Ὑπάρχω;» λές, κ᾿ ὕστερα «δὲν ὑπάρχεις!»
Φτάνει τὸ πλοῖο. Ὑψωμένη σημαία.
Ἴσως ἔρχεται ὁ Κύριος Νομάρχης.
Ἂν τουλάχιστον, μέσα στοὺς ἀνθρώπους
αὐτούς, ἕνας ἐπέθαινε ἀπὸ ἀηδία...
Σιωπηλοί, θλιμμένοι, μὲ σεμνοὺς τρόπους,
θὰ διασκεδάζαμε ὅλοι στὴν κηδεία.
Prevesa, setting by Dimos Moutsis - Η Πρέβεζα - Δήμος Μούτσης-Χρήστος Λεττονός
[ΟΤΑΝ ΚΑΤΕΒΟΥΜΕ ΤΗ ΣΚΑΛΑ...]
Ὅταν κατέβουμε τὴ σκάλα τί θὰ ποῦμε
στοὺς ἴσκιους ποὺ θὰ μᾶς ὑποδεχτοῦνε,
αὐστηροί, γνώριμοι, ἀόριστοι φίλοι,
μ᾿ ἕνα χαμόγελο στ᾿ ἀνύπαρκτά τους χείλη;
Τουλάχιστον δωπέρα εἴμαστε μόνοι.
Περνάει ἡ μέρα μας, ἡ ἄλλη ξημερώνει,
καὶ μὲς στὰ μάτια μας διατηροῦμε ἀκόμα
κάτι ποὺ δίνει στὸ πρᾶγμα χρῶμα.
Ἀλλὰ ἐκεῖ κάτου τί νὰ ποῦμε, ποῦ νὰ πᾶμε;
Ἀναγκαστικὰ ἕνας τὸν ἄλλον θὰ κοιτᾶμε,
μὲ κομμένα τὰ χέρια στοὺς ἀγκῶνες,
ἀσάλευτοι σὰν πρόσωπα σὲ εἰκόνες.
Ἂν ἔρθη κανεὶς τὴν πλάκα μας νὰ χτυπήση,
θὰ φαντάζεται πὼς ἔχουμε ζήσει.
Ἂν πάρη ἕνα τριαντάφυλλο ἢ ἀφίση χάμου,
τὸ τριαντάφυλλο θά ῾ναι τῆς ἄμμου.
Κι ἂν ποτὲ στὰ νύχια μας ἀνασηκωθοῦμε,
τὶς βίλλες τοῦ Posillipo θὰ ἰδοῦμε,
Κύριε, Κύριε, καὶ τὸ τερραὶν τοῦ Παραδείσου
ὅπου θὰ παίζουν cricket οἱ ὀπαδοί σου.—
UK: The Renting Generation - and Care Fees for the Elderly; Social Care, Failing System
From The Guardian - The housing ladder starts to collapse for the under-40s - "Report predicts house price rises of 5% a year and shortage of affordable homes, as cost of deposit locks people out of property market".
From MailOnline - Betrayal on care fees forces thousands of families to take crippling council loans and surrender a large chunk of their inheritance
- Manifesto pledge to cap care costs at £72,000 will be delayed until 2020
- Critics say it makes the vow to raise the inheritance tax threshold useless
- Many are forced to take council loans until the house is sold after death
- Councils charge interest and admin costs which some dubbed 'death tax'
The Observer (update) - Social care chief savages failing system for elderly
The Observer - Cash-starved, demoralised and sometimes cruel: how England’s social care system fails the most vulnerable
Tuesday, 21 July 2015
Nikos Houliaras (1940-2015); Νίκος Χουλιαράς
Sad news - "Nikos Houliaras, a noted painter, novelist and poet, has died. He was 75 years old. Born in Ioannina, in northwestern Greece, Houliaras studied sculpture and scenography at the Athens School of Fine Arts".
More information - Μουσικό Έργο
Μεγάλη υπήρξε η ενασχόλησή του με την μουσική. Δικές του επιτυχίες είναι Το τσιμεντένιο δάσος, Θα σου το πω με Α, Ο νοτιάς της ξενιτιάς και η διασκευή του Γιάννη μου το μαντήλι σου. Τραγούδια του έχουν τραγουδήσει πολλοί καλλιτέχνες του Νέου Κύματος όπως η Αρλέτα, από το πρώτο κιόλας δίσκο της το 1966, (Η μέρα τελείωσε, Τα πελαγίσια όνειρα) μέχρι και την μετέπειτα επιτυχία της (Το πέτρινο χαμόγελο), η Πόπη Αστεριάδη μόνη της (Η μικρή Νανώ) ή σε ντουέτο με τον Χουλιαρά (Το σπαθί, Χαλασιά μου, Ζαλιάρικο), η Μαρίζα Κωχ (Άναψα κλωνί δαδί) και άλλοι. Σημαντικές στιγμές στη δισκογραφία του είναι οι Μεγάλες επιτυχίες (Lyra 0115) και H νύχτα που μας ξέρει (Lyra 4727) με την συμμετοχή της Δήμητρας Γαλάνη και της Αφροδίτης Μάνου. Το 2006 εμφανίζεται ως στιχουργός στο Τραγούδι του συγκροτήματος «Μικρές Περιπλανήσεις» από τον δίσκο ...και με οδηγό μου ένα παιδί ενώ η πιο πρόσφατη δουλειά του είναι το cd Τα νησιά τ' ουρανού (Lyra 5202483765554) όπου ερμηνεύει η Αλίκη Καγιαλόγλου, ενώ υπάρχει και ένα κομμάτι (Της τρέλλας η ζητιανιά) που το τραγουδά ο ίδιος ο Νίκος Χουλιαράς.
Της τρέλλας η ζητιανιά
Another song from the CD "Ta nisia t'ouranou" (lyrics Nikos Houliaras, singer Aliki Kayaloglou)
Ο ΆΝΤΡΑΣ ΠΟΥ ΦΕΥΓΕΙ (hear an extract here, from an outstanding album and collaboration)
Another song - "ΘΑ ΣΟΥ ΤΟ ΠΩ ΜΕ 'Α' - Τραγούδι Νίκος Χουλιαράς
About his books