Supervolcano of Italy More Likely To Erupt Than Previously Thought

Campi Flegrei Italy suprvolcano volcano
Italy’s Campi Flegrei supervolcano is suggesting an increased likelihood of eruption compared to previous estimations. Credit: wikimedia commons / Donar Reiskoffer CC BY 3.0

A recent study conducted by scientists from University College London (UCL) and Italy’s National Research Institute for Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV) reveals that the chances of an eruption occurring in the Campi Flegrei area are higher than what was previously believed.

What is Italy’s Campi Flegrei supervolcano

The Campi Flegrei, also known as the Phlegrean fields, are part of a supervolcano that had a massive eruption around 37,000 years ago. This eruption was incredibly powerful, scoring a 7 on the Volcanic Explosivity Index, which is at least 100 times stronger than the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD.

It stands as one of the the largest eruptions to have occurred in the Mediterranean region over the past 1 million years, resulting in the formation of a 12-kilometer-wide caldera.

Approximately 15,000 years ago, the caldera experienced another eruption. Since these monumental volcanic events, there have been 56 smaller eruptions recorded, with the most recent one taking place in 1538.

In less than a month during that eruption, phreatomagmatic activities gave rise to a volcanic cone named Monte Nuovo, or the New Mountain, standing 133 meters tall.

Even in present times, the volcanic field of Campi Flegrei remains active, displaying episodes of increased seismic activity during the 1950s, 1970s, and 1980s. Over the past decade, there has been a more gradual phase of unrest observed. Throughout these periods, tens of thousands of small earthquakes have occurred in the region.

Notably, the coastal town of Pozzuoli has experienced a significant uplift of nearly 4 meters. This uplift is a result of the volcanic activity beneath the surface, causing the land to rise.

Potential rupture of Campi Flegrei

By analyzing the patterns of earthquakes and the rate at which the ground is uplifted, and considering the known values of rock strength, the researchers have reached a conclusion. They have found that certain areas of the supervolcano have been subjected to significant stretching, reaching a point very close to potential rupture.

The recent rise in seismic activity can be attributed to the infiltration of volcanic gases and fluids into fissures within the rock. These substances fill the crust, which is approximately three kilometers thick, above the magma chamber, resembling the absorption of a sponge.

The rocks comprising the crust can react to the increasing pressure in two distinct manners: elastically, by bending, or inelastically, by fracturing.

Based on the pattern of earthquakes observed since 2020, it appears that the rock is responding in an inelastic manner, giving rise to the formation of fractures below the Earth’s surface. These open fractures can serve as pathways for the magma to make its way to the surface, potentially leading to an eruption.

Predictions about eruptions

The research team emphasized that their model does not provide specific predictions regarding eruptions. However, it does indicate an increased likelihood of such an event occurring, as the strength of the rock gradually diminishes over time.

Dr. Stefano Carlino, a coauthor of the study from the Vesuvius Observatory, highlighted that “It’s the same for all volcanoes that have been quiet for generations. Campi Flegrei may settle into a new routine of gently rising and subsiding, as seen at similar volcanoes around the world, or simply return to rest. We can’t yet say for sure what will happen. The important point is to be prepared for all outcomes.”

Donald Trump Pleads Not Guilty to Classified Documents Charges

Donald Trump
Former President Donald Trump pleaded not guilty in arraignment over classified documents. Credit: Gage Skidmore / Wikimedia Commons CC BY 2.0

Former President Donald Trump has pleaded not guilty to 37 charges related to alleged mishandling of classified documents.

Trump has made history as the first-ever US president, current or former, to face a federal criminal indictment.

It marked the second occasion this year that Donald Trump had to appear before a court, yet the gravity of Tuesday’s proceedings surpassed the previous one.

Within the confines of a courtroom located on the 13th floor, an attorney representing Mr. Trump entered a plea of not guilty in response to 37 charges.

These charges include the alleged illegal retention of classified documents and deliberate acts of impeding the government’s efforts to recover them.

Addressing the judge, the attorney Todd Blanche stated, “We most certainly enter a plea of not guilty.”

Sitting alongside the former president at the defense table was Walt Nauta, his co-defendant and a trusted aide who faces six criminal charges related to the case.

During the proceedings, Mr. Trump did not directly address the judge but occasionally leaned over to confer with one of his attorneys, reported BBC.

On the other side of the courtroom, the entire prosecution team, which included special counsel Jack Smith, who unveiled the indictment last week, was seated.

No travel restrictions on Trump

Despite the serious nature of the charges, the 76-year-old former president was granted permission to leave the court without any travel restrictions, be it domestic or international.

The prosecution reassured Magistrate Judge Jonathan Goodman that there were no concerns about Mr. Trump attempting to flee.

However, Mr. Trump will not be permitted to discuss the case with Mr. Nauta, as per the court’s instructions.

Following the conclusion of the hearing, the Former President displayed a gesture of approval to his supporters by raising his thumb in an upward position as his motorcade departed from the courthouse.

Stops at the Cuban restaurant

Mr. Trump, accompanied by his security team, proceeded directly to Versailles, a renowned Cuban restaurant located in Miami’s Little Havana. Upon arrival, he was greeted by a large crowd of supporters eagerly awaiting the opportunity to have their pictures taken with the former president.

Inside the restaurant, Mr. Trump seemed to engage in a moment of prayer with some patrons, and he was serenaded with a heartfelt rendition of “Happy Birthday to You” in anticipation of his upcoming 77th birthday on Wednesday.

Prior to his arrival at the court, the leading contender for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination embarked on the journey from the Trump National Doral resort via motorcade. Accompanying him was his son, Eric Trump, reported BBC.

Throughout the drive, several messages were shared on his Truth Social social media account, including one written entirely in capital letters, Stating, “One of the saddest days in the history of our country. We are a nation in decline!!!”

Body Parts of Man Eaten Alive in Egypt Found Inside Shark’s Body

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Shark
Shark in the sea, representative photo. Credit: Pete Kontakos / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY 2.0

The remains of a Russian man who was attacked and eaten alive by a shark off the coast of an Egyptian resort have been discovered inside the shark.

On Thursday, in Hurghada, a young man named Vladimir Popov, aged 23, experienced a terrifying encounter with a tiger shark known as the “meat grinder.” The shark circled around him before pulling him beneath the water’s surface. In his distress, Vladimir cried out for his father, desperately to be  rescued.

Witnessing this horrifying scene, vacationers present at the beach quickly retreated from the water, alarmed and fearful for their own safety. Meanwhile, onlookers shouted out to Vladimir, urging him to swim away from the shark.

Remains of man eaten alive found in shark’s intestines

Following the incident, a boat brought the tiger shark ashore, where it was killed.

In a subsequent examination carried out by specialized experts, the shark’s body was dissected, leading to the discovery of the young man’s remains inside its intestines, according to the news outlet Al Arabiya.

Dr. Mahmoud Dar, a professor at the Egyptian National Institute of Marine Sciences, further revealed that the shark was female and that no other findings were made during the examination.

Vladimir’s father shared the incident

Yury, Vladimir’s grief-stricken father, shared the deeply disturbing account of witnessing his son being brutally attacked and killed by the shark while desperately calling out for help.

Speaking to the media outlet 112, Yury, originally from Russia, expressed his initial intentions of visiting the beach for a moment of relaxation. However, within a matter of seconds, his son fell victim to the sudden and unexpected shark attack.

Expressing his deep sorrow, the devastated father mentioned that no family members were present near his son at the time of the incident to offer help.

Mr. Popov further reflected on the tragic event, questioning what kind of help could have been provided under such circumstances.

He described the incident as a rapid and merciless attack by the “meat grinder,” lasting a mere 20 seconds, during which his son was forcibly pulled beneath the water’s surface.

Research on the shark’s attacking behavior in Egypt

The Egyptian authorities have officially announced that the shark involved in the incident has been delivered for research purposes.

The objective of this research is to ascertain the underlying reasons for its aggressive behavior and determine whether this particular animal is connected to previous incidences of shark attack.

Egypt, and especially the towns on the red sea, are popular tourist resorts that attract thousands of tourists every year.

Claudia Schiffer Enjoys Break in Greece

Claudia Schiffer Spetses
Claudia Schiffer and her friend on a boat off Spetses. Credit: Instagram/Claudia Schiffer

Claudia Schiffer, who in the 1990s attained supermodel status, has arrived in the cosmopolitan Greek island of Spetses.

The famous model posted two snapshots on her Instagram account, where she talks about the place where she enjoys her holidays. She is accompanied by her best friend and beautician, Uta Huesch, with whom she was photographed in a floating taxi and in the hotel where they are staying.

Captioning her post, Schiffer wrote, “Nothing like shopping with my best friend.”

Claudia Schiffer
Credit: Instagram/Claudia Schiffer

Spetses is an upscale affluent island of the Saronic Islands, where production for Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery took place in the summer of 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.

The Greek island, which has escaped mass tourism, is the perfect place to enjoy a wonderful walk, as the distinctive architecture, cobble streets, and fragrant gardens packed to the brim with jasmine and bougainvillaea make it a joy to discover on foot.

An unusual aspect of Spetses is that no private cars are allowed within the town limits. The most common modes of transport are walking, horse-drawn carriages, bicycles, mopeds, and motorcycles.

Claudia Schiffer was compared to Brigitte Bardot

53-year-old Claudia Schiffer has appeared on more than 1000 magazine covers and holds the record for the model with the most magazine covers, listed in the Guinness Book of World Records. In 2002, Forbes estimated her net worth to be around US$55 million.

In her early career, the German model was compared to Brigitte Bardot.

Claudia Schiffer
Claudia Schiffer in 1993. Credit: Georges Biard, CC BY-SA 3.0/Wikipedia

Named one of the most beautiful women in the world, her ability to appeal to a global audience assured an internationally successful career spanning over 25 years.

In addition to Elle and Vogue, Schiffer has appeared on the covers of numerous other magazines including Harper’s Bazaar, Cosmopolitan, and Time, and was the first model to be featured on the covers of Vanity Fair, Rolling Stone, and People.

She has appeared in advertising campaigns for Chanel, Versace, Balmain, Giorgio Armani, Karl Lagerfeld and other luxury brands. She also had acting roles including starring opposite Dennis Hopper and Matthew Modine in The Blackout (1997).

She then went on to appear in Friends & Lovers, Black and White (both 1999), In Pursuit, Life Without Dick (both 2001), and Love Actually (2003) in a semi-cameo role.

In 1993, at a Berlin celebrity gala, Schiffer met the American magician David Copperfield when he brought her on stage to participate in a mind-reading act and in his flying illusion, and they became engaged in January 1994.

During this engagement, Schiffer sometimes appeared on stage with Copperfield to act as his special guest assistant in illusions including being levitated, guillotined, and sawn in half. She also appeared alongside Copperfield in David Copperfield: 15 Years of Magic, a 1994 documentary. In September 1999, they announced they had ended their relationship, citing work schedules.

In 1997, Copperfield and Schiffer both sued Paris Match after the magazine claimed their relationship was a sham, that Schiffer “[was] paid for pretending to be Copperfield’s fiancée and [didn’t] even like him”. In 1999, Schiffer won an undisclosed sum and a retraction from Paris Match when a French court ruled that the magazine’s story was false.

Following her break-up with Copperfield, Schiffer had a short relationship with art dealer and Green Shield Stamps heir Tim Jefferies until 2000. On 25 May 2002, she married English film director Matthew Vaughn in Suffolk. Schiffer and Vaughn have a son and two daughters.

Jon Voight, Angelina Jolie’s Dad, Spotted in Athens

Jon Voight
Angelina Jolie is believed to have had a turbulent relationship with her father. Public Domain

Jon Voight, the veteran Hollywood star and father of Angelina Jolie was spotted on Monday having dinner in an Athens restaurant accompanied by a friend.

The 85-year-old American actor was seen eating the traditional souvlaki at Halepa Square. Although few recognized him, he was pleasant and polite with the restaurant staff.

It is now known whether Voight is in Athens for business or pleasure.

Jon Voight
Jon Voight settles the bill at an Athens restaurant. Public Domain

Angelina Jolie, who will play the legendary Greek-American soprano Maria Callas in the biopic Maria,  is believed to have had a turbulent relationship with her father. They were estranged for many years after he and Jolie’s mother, Marcheline Bertrand, split when she was two years old.

Bertrand, who passed away in 2007 from cancer, was Jolie’s primary caretaker, and the two were very close.

According to an article by E News, Jolie cut ties with Voight due to his actions during his divorce from Bertrand. The article alleged that Voight was unfaithful during his marriage.

Jon Voight has received numerous accolades

Voight is associated with the angst and unruliness that typified the late-1960s counterculture.

He has received numerous accolades including an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, and four Golden Globe Awards as well as nominations for four Primetime Emmy Awards. In 2019, he was awarded the National Medal of Arts.

Voight first came to prominence for his performance as Joe Buck, a would-be gigolo, in Midnight Cowboy (1969). The role earned him a BAFTA Award and Golden Globe Award.

During the 1970s, he played a businessman mixed up with murder in Deliverance (1972); a paraplegic Vietnam veteran in Coming Home (1978), for which he won an Academy Award for Best Actor; and a penniless ex–boxing champion in the remake of The Champ (1979). He received Golden Globe Award and was nominated for an Academy Award for his role in Runaway Train (1985).

For his portrayal as sportscaster Howard Cosell in Ali (2001), he earned nominations for the Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award. Other notable credits include roles in Heat (1995), Mission: Impossible (1996), The Rainmaker (1997), Enemy of the State (1998), Pearl Harbor (2001), Holes (2003), Glory Road (2006), and Transformers (2007). He is also known for his role in the National Treasure film series.

Voight is also known for his television roles including as Nazi officer Jürgen Stroop in Uprising (2001) and Pope John Paul II in the eponymous miniseries (2005).

His role as Mickey Donovan in the Showtime drama series Ray Donovan brought him newfound acclaim and attention among critics and audiences, as well as his fourth Golden Globe win in 2014. He also appeared in thriller series 24 in its seventh season.

Despite originally adopting liberal views, Voight has gained attention in his later years for his outspoken conservative and religious beliefs.

Greece Boasts Two of the Best Luxury Hotels in Europe, Per TripAdvisor

Luxury hotels Greece
Ikos Dassia, just 12 km from Corfu Town, is next to one of the most popular beaches in Corfu. Credit: TripAdvisor

Greece is boasting two of the ten best luxury hotels in Europe, according to a survey published by leading US travel site TripAdvisor.

The company says that it awards Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best to hotels with a high volume of above-and-beyond reviews and opinions from our community over a 12-month period.

“Each winner has passed our rigorous trust and safety standards. Fewer than 1% of TripAdvisor’s 8 million listings are awarded Best of the Best, signifying the highest level of excellence in hospitality,” it adds.

The luxury hotels of Greece that made it to the top 10 in Europe

According to the list, the best luxury hotel in Europe is Ikos Dassia, in Corfu.

Ikos Dassia is a new 5-star resort, built in a luxurious, contemporary Mediterranean style, located on the beachfront setting of Dassia Beach, on Corfu Island, with its own long sandy beach.

The hotel applies the highest standards of quality, service and entertainment, design and style- according to the award-winning ‘Infinite Lifestyle’ concept.

Luxury hotels Greece
The spa at Ikos Dassia. Credit: TripAdvisor

The resort includes 411 spacious rooms and suites, 2 main buildings with bedrooms and the resort’s main facilities as well as low rise bungalow-style rooms, 8 restaurants, 10 Bars, 2 Spa centers, indoor and outdoor pools, an open-air theatre, as well as a big range of sports and watersports facilities, fitness centers, mini clubs and children’s facilities.

Dassia, just 12 km from Corfu Town, is one of the most popular beaches on the island. It forms a long strip of sand and fine pebbles, with shallow waters.

Corfu has become a must-visit place for anyone looking to experience what the Greek Islands have to offer.

Its breathtaking scenery, mountain ranges and beaches are amongst the most unforgettable in the country, and its blend of cultural histories and influences –French, English, Venetian, and, of course, Greek — will leave you with a unique understanding of how the culture of the Ionian Islands developed.

At number 4 on TripAdvisor’s list is Ikos Aria on Kos Island.

Luxury Hotels Greece
Ikos Aria of Kos Island. Credit: TripAdvisor

Basking in the enticing Dodecanese sunshine on the southwest coast of Kos island, Ikos Aria offers a compelling mix of contemporary style and traditional hospitality.

Ikos Aria, where contemporary style is complemented by historic culture, is set within over 47 acres of white sands and clear azure waters. You can unwind with refined morning spa treatments, explore vibrant local towns, sip cocktails as the sun sets, and dine on fine cuisine long into the night.

Kos in Greece is the second most popular island of the Dodecanese after Rhodes. Famous for its beaches, the island offers many historic landmarks that are a result of various cultures that influenced it throughout the years.

Kos island has a 5,000 years long history and has been influenced by many cultures, such as the Ancient Greeks, the Romans, the Venetians, the medieval Knights, and the Ottomans.

Thanks to the remains of all these cultures, sightseeing is one of the best things to do on the island.

The most important historical site to visit is Asklepieion, one of the top holistic healing centers of the ancient world, which followed the medical guidelines of Hippocrates, the father of modern medicine.

Mediterranean Diet Could Help Prevent Depression

mediterranean diet depression
Following a Mediterranean diet could help prevent depression, groundbreaking research published in a scientific journal suggests. Credit: Greek Reporter

Following a Mediterranean diet could help prevent depression, groundbreaking research published in a scientific journal suggests.

Eating plenty of fruit, vegetables, nuts, plant-based foods and fish may cut the risk of developing the condition by approximately one third, according to a recent study published in the journal Molecular Psychiatry.

A diet high in saturated fats, sugar and processed foods was correspondingly associated with an increased likelihood of depression.

Lead author Dr. Camille Lassale, from the department of Epidemiology and Public Health at University College London, announced “There is compelling evidence to show that there is a relationship between the quality of your diet and your mental health.

“This relationship goes beyond the effect of diet on your body size or other aspects of health that can in turn affect your mood.

“We aggregated results from a large number of studies and there is a clear pattern that following a healthier, plant-rich, anti-inflammatory diet can help in the prevention of depression,” she stated.

The researchers analyzed data from 41 studies, including four which examined the link between a traditional Mediterranean diet and mental health among a total of 36,556 adults.

33% lower risk of developing depression with Mediterranean diet

They found that the subjects who most closely adhered to a Mediterranean diet had a 33% lower risk of developing depression over the next eight to twelve years compared to those whose diet least resembled this cuisine.

As a rule, the Mediterranean diet is mainly based around plants and seafood, as it is high in vegetables, fruits, legumes, unprocessed grains, and seafood while low in meat and meat products (only a few times per month).

Adherents to the diet also consume a reduced amount of dairy products.

These ingredients are bound together by olive oil, an essential ingredient when it comes to defining the basics of healthy Greek food and the Mediterranean diet.

Five of the studies looked at the impact of a so-called “inflammatory food” diet on mental health in 32,908 adults across the globe.

A diet low in saturated fats, sugars and processed food was linked with a 24% reduced risk of developing depression over the next five to twelve years.

Dr. Lassale noted that “A pro-inflammatory diet can induce systemic inflammation, and this can directly increase the risk for depression.”

She also made the striking claim that “There is also emerging evidence that shows that the relationship between the gut and brain plays a key role in mental health and that this axis is modulated by gastrointestinal bacteria, which can be modified by our diet.”

The results mean “there are now strong arguments” for diet to be considered as part of the treatment for mental health issues, said co-author Tasnime Akbaraly.

The researcher added “Our study findings support routine dietary counseling as part of a doctor’s office visit, especially with mental health practitioners.

“This is of importance at a patient’s level, but also at public health level, especially in a context where poor diet is now recognized to be the leading cause of early death across middle and high-income countries and at the same time mental disorders are the leading cause of disability,” she concluded.

AI-Generated John Lennon’s Voice to Feature on ‘Last Beatles Record’

John Lennon AI
The voice of John Lennon was “extricated” from a “ropey little bit of cassette.” Public Domain

Beatles singer-songwriter Paul McCartney told the BBC that artificial intelligence (AI) was used to “extricate” and clean up the vocals of former bandmate John Lennon from an old recording, allowing them to feature in an upcoming track.

“It’s a very interesting thing, you know. It’s something we’re all sort of tackling at the moment and trying to deal with,” McCartney told the BBC’s “Today” program when asked about AI.

McCartney said “Lord of the Rings” director Peter Jackson — who in 2021 released an eight-hour documentary called “The Beatles: Get Back” featuring colorized, cleaned-up archive footage of the band — was able to “extricate” Lennon’s voice “from a ropey little bit of cassette.”

AI was used to identify Lennon’s vocals as distinct from instrumentals and background interference.

“So when we came to make what will be the last Beatles record, it was a demo that John had that we worked on, and we just finished it up. It will be released this year,” McCartney said.

“We were able to take John’s voice and get it pure through this AI, so that then we could mix the record as you would normally do. It gives you some sort of leeway.”

AI recreates John Lennon’s song from 1978 called “Now And Then”

The BBC said it is expected to be a Lennon song from 1978 called “Now And Then,” which McCartney has in the past expressed a desire to “finish.”

It had already been considered as a possible “reunion song” for the Beatles in 1995, as they were compiling their career-spanning Anthology series.

On his recent tour, which included a headline slot at Glastonbury festival, McCartney performed songs with a cleaned-up Lennon vocal track, as well as a video of the artist on stage with him.

Industry experts have been reflecting on the potential for the latest technological advances within the music industry, along with the ethics of posthumously recreating artists.

ABBA’s Björn Ulvaeus, whose show “ABBA Voyage” uses motion capture and advanced real-time graphics to have the band perform as de-aged digital avatars, previously told CNBC he had concerns about the creation of “deep fakes.”

“There’s a good side to it and then a scary side, and we’ll just have to see where that leads,” McCartney told the BBC.

Lennon’s work was characterized by the rebellious nature and acerbic wit of his music, writing and drawings, on film, and in interviews. His songwriting partnership with Paul McCartney remains the most successful in history.

Following a five-year hiatus, Lennon returned to music in 1980 with the Yoko Ono collaboration Double Fantasy. He was murdered by a Beatles fan, Mark David Chapman, three weeks after the album’s release.

Growing Up Greek-American: 15 Things We All Experienced in Childhood

Growing Up Greek-American
Young Greek-Americans parade in Chicago in 2016. Credit: Facebook/Yiolanda Giannikoulis

Growing up Greek-American you are privy to a unique childhood, filled with some pretty strange customs (strange to those who are not Greek, anyway).

Once you reach adulthood, you have a good idea of how different your upbringing was from that of your non-Greek friends.

And the odds are that you have continued to pass along the traditions and experiences to your own children, like it or not! Let’s take a look at what sets a Greek-American childhood apart from the rest (and, let’s face it — makes it better than the rest!).

1. Independence Day is, and always will be, March 25th

Sure, the 4th of July was big in your family, but just not as big or important as the “real” Independence Day, March 25th. You dressed in your Sunday best and headed out to the parade, which you dreamed of being in one day (and probably were).

2. Your birthday played second fiddle to your name day

Birthdays are fun and you get some presents… but they’re nothing compared to how you made off like a bandit on your name day!

Let’s face it, celebrating your name and the saint who you are named after is more profitable and, in any Greek family, much more important than a birthday party.

3. An old lady in your family dresses all in black, from head to toe

Growing Up Greek-American
Traditional Greek women. (File Photo)

Whether it was your yiayia or a great-aunt, the odds are that you had a relative who was constantly dressed in mourning clothes. It might have scared the neighbors, and possibly your friends.

But to you, it was perfectly normal to have an old relative who dressed in black from head to toe!

4. Greek School was more important than regular school

For so many reasons, Greek School was more important to you than regular school. Perhaps mostly because your parents and grandparents told you it was the most important education you would get.

5. First day of school = trauma. The teacher never got your name, first or last, right

Every Greek-American child fears the first day of school. A new teacher could only mean one thing — the butchering of your names — both first and last!

6. Your friends thought it was weird that you ate goat, lamb and sometimes an entire pig

You were definitely not afraid to eat as a child, but whenever your friends came over for dinner, they were… well, afraid to eat. At least you didn’t have to fight them for the pig tail.

7. You were sent to school with a Tupperware container filled with pastitsio

Growing Up Greek-American
Pastitsio. Wikimedia Commons. Attribution: Katrin Morenz

Mom made you lunch — the Greek way. You were sent to school with Tupperware full of pastitsio, Greek salad and the whole kitchen sink, while your friends ate peanut butter and jelly sandwiches (and no one ever wanted to trade with you!).

8. Winning the coin in the vasilopita on New Year’s Day was a life-changing event!

Growing Up Greek-American
Vasilopita, file photo

You remember the first time you won the coin in your slice of vasilopita because it was like winning the lottery.

9. You learned from a young age each and every celebrity who is Greek — or half-Greek, or even one-third-Greek

Did you know that Betty White is part Greek? Ahh, yes! Of course you did! If you are Greek-American, as a child you family made a point to mention every single Greek celebrity in the known world.

After all, being Greek is like belonging to one big extended Greek family, kind of like “Full House”. Yes, we’re referencing John Stamos here!

And, when “Friends” came on, forget it! The whole family gathered around to watch Jennifer Aniston.

10. Your get-rich-quick scheme involved selling baklava at your church’s Greek Festival

Lemonade stands never really appealed to you because you had your eyes set on bigger sights: a booth at your church’s Greek Fest, selling baklava you made with yiayia. Much higher profit margin on baklava.

11. On your first day of school, your grandparents came by to spit on you

Greeks believe that by spitting on someone (“Ftou, ftou, ftou”) you ward away evil spirits and bad energy (including the evil eye). As you left the house for your first day of school or any big event in your childhood, yiayia and papou would come by to spit on you.

12. You had a gathering of your entire family every Sunday after church

You remember your backyard filling up with your entire extended family who came over to roast a lamb on Sunday afternoon after church.

13. You spent your summers in Greece, of course!

Your friends went to camp while you went to Greece each summer. You visited your family’s homeland and saw a million relatives you aren’t quite sure how you are related to.

14. You took Greek folk dance lessons and kept it a secret from your non-Greek friends at school

You understood the moves of “Hammer Time” better than your friends due to the extensive, secret, Greek folk dance lessons you took since the time you could walk. Sadly, the only place you were able to fully show off your folk dancing skills was in Greece on your summer vacations, at weddings and festivals.

15. You ate dessert after lunch and dinner

Your packed school lunch came with (at least) one dessert and after you went home and ate dinner in the evening, you had another dessert. It seemed normal at the time.

However, as an adult, you realize otherwise (and are probably a bit more diet-conscious!) But, as a child, it was just another part of your typical, sweet Greek-American childhood.

Manuscript Reveals Battle Between Greeks and Goths at Thermopylae

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The site of Thermopylae. Credit: Fkerasar/Wikimedia Commons/ CC BY-SA 3.0

An ancient manuscript that has recently come to light indicates that in 262 AD there was another battle at Thermopylae that essentially saved Greece from the Goths.

In 2007, Jana Grusková, PhD, of Masaryk University, discovered a manuscript fragment containing a piece of lost ancient Greek history.

The fragments, which date back to the 13th century, went unnoticed for centuries because the pages were palimpsests, or manuscripts where the original writing was washed or scraped away in order to write something new on the same page.

Technology now enables historians to read the fragments that pertain to a third century AD text, which describes a battle at the Thermopylae mountain pass, the place of the famous battle where Leonidas and his brave 300 forces fought against the mighty Persian army.

Battle occurred during period of Germanic invasions of Roman territory

The fragments are from a time period where there are few trustworthy historical sources—the decades following the beginning of the Germanic invasions of Roman territory in 238 AD.

The palimpsest fragments appear to be lost passages from a third-century historical work detailing wars between Rome and the Goths, a Germanic people known as the Scythica.

The author of this work, moreover, is seen to be Athenian historian Publius Herennius Dexippus, a reliable source according to today’s historians.

The fragment concerning the battle at Thermopylae details events that took place in 254 or 262 AD, according to a paper in the Journal of Roman Studies. The exact dating of the battle is unclear and scholars are still debating that issue. But the fragment, located in the Austrian National Library, clearly lays out the main players in the battle and how it was in some ways a reenactment of the original Battle of Thermopylae.

The fragment records that an army of Goths was making its way through Thrace and Macedonia, plundering the countryside of valuables as they went. However, when they attempted to pillage the capital of the Roman province of Macedonia, Thessalonica, (modern-day Thessaloniki), they were driven away.

The Goths then set their sights for Athens and Achaia, envisioning the many gold and silver votive offerings and the many processional goods in the Greek sanctuaries, according to Dexippus.

Greeks took on Goths at Thermopylae

The Greeks, however, caught wind of the plan, and chose to stop the Goths in the access point to Athens from the north—the mountain pass of Thermopylae. Fighting under Marianus, the Roman proconsul of Achaea, alongside the Athenian Philostratus, they stood where Leonidas had stood centuries before, at the “Hot Gates.”

“Some carried small spears, others axes, others wooden pikes overlaid with bronze and with iron tips, or whatever each man could arm himself with. And when they came together, they completely fortified the perimeter wall and devoted themselves to its protection with haste,” reads the fragment.

The Greek army was located on the site of one of the most famous battles in history, so the clever generals used this to their advantage: “It seemed that the most prudent course was to encourage the men with a speech, and to recall the memory of their ancestors’ valor so that they would undertake the entire war with greater heart and not give up…”

The fragment records part of the speech given by Marianus, the Roman leader of the Greek army:

“O Greeks, the occasion of our preservation for which you are assembled and the land in which you have been deployed are both truly fitting to evoke the memory of virtuous deeds. For your ancestors, fighting in this place in former times, did not let Greece down and deprive it of its free state…”

“So perhaps it may be good fortune,” reads the writing on the fragment, “in accordance with the daimonion [heavenly power], that it has been allotted to the Greeks to do battle against the barbarians in this region (indeed your own principles of fighting the wars have turned out to be valid in the past).”

According to historians, the Goths were turned back by Marianus and his army. “Thermopylae once more saved Athens from an even darker fate,” the story concludes.