Pasok leader George Papandreou met with representatives of Greek expatriates from Albania yesterday, telling them that the Greek state’s self-evident obligation was to assure full restitution for Northern Epirots in Greece. He made specific commitments in this direction, referring to immediate bestowing of Greek nationality on those eligible, examination of their social security issues, protection of their property ownership and measures to promote Greek education and culture.
We met Sid Ganis at his company’s office at the Sony studio. Ganis has been the president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and also owns “Out of the Blue”, a movie production company. Ganis’ family comes from a town in Greece called Yanena which explains why he is so passionate about Greek cinema and the LA Greek Film Festival.
Professional wrestler John Tolos whose dastardly antics in bouts with archrival Freddie Blassie attracted throngs to the Olympic Auditorium and one record-setting match at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum in 1971, died at age 78 from kidney failure in Los Angeles’ Woodland Hills neighborhood.
Tolos, was a professional wrestler, and professional wrestling manager who was nicknamed “The Golden Greek” because of his Greek heritage.
During the 1950s and 60s, he was part of the Canadian Wrecking Crew with his brother Chris Tolos. He also had a brief managerial career in Herb Abrams’ Universal Wrestling Federation, managing Bob Orton, Jr. and the Power Twins. On December 28, 1963, John and Chris captured the WWWF United States Tag Team Championship in Teaneck, New Jersey in two straight falls from Gorilla Monsoon and Killer Kowalski. While both teams were heels at the time, the Tolos Brothers did a television interview prior to the title match, “looking forward” to seeing all of their fans in Teaneck. That night, they were cheered throughout.
Tolos joined the World Wrestling Federation for a brief stint in 1991 as Coach (a classic coach, whistle and all), managing The Beverly Brothers and “Mr. Perfect” Curt Hennig, replacing Perfect’s former manager Bobby “The Brain”Heenan, who was then moving into a broadcaster’s role. Mr. Perfect lost his Intercontinental Title to Bret Hart at SummerSlam. Prior to this match, Hennig suffered a serious back injury, but he still showed up to drop the title to Hart. The injury would sideline Hennig from competition for more than a year afterward, as he did not return to active competition until the Survivor Series in 1992. With Hennig indefinitely out of action, along with The Beverly Brothers changing their manager to The Genius, “Coach” John Tolos disappeared quietly from the WWF.
Dr. Mike Lano, a California-based dentist and pro-wrestling historian who ran the John Tolos fan club in the early 1970s said “John just did everything well. He wasn’t flashy in his wrestling but he certainly was in his incredible, off-the-chart (interviews). No one could touch him — and I saw and heard everyone.”
The Los Angeles Greek Film Festival will present Beyond Borders: Greece on the International Film Stage, a special panel discussion sponsored by Greece’s Ministry of Tourism on Saturday, June 27, at the Linwood Dunn Theater. Greece’s Minister of Tourism Kostas Markopoulos will attend the event as guest of honor. Panelists include actor Nia Vardalos (MY LIFE IN RUINS), President of Fox International Productions Sanford Panitch, cinematographer/director, Phedon Papamichael (ARCADIA LOST), Director of the Hellenic Film Commission Markos Holevas, Top Cut Founder Stamatis Athanassoulas, to be moderated by producer Terry Dougas (BRIDES).
The panel will discuss recent productions in Greece and how the Greek culture and new infrastructure aided in the telling of their stories. In addition, advantages, challenges as well as future possibilities of foreign film production will be expanded on. “With the recent success of MAMMA MIA! and the soon-to-be-released MY LIFE IN RUINS, starring Nia Vardalos, the Greek culture is making its way to the mainstream through the art of filmmaking,” said Angeliki Giannakopoulos, Festival Co-Founder and Director. “Greece is experiencing a rise in tourism this summer which is being attributed to the success of last summer’s hit MAMMA MIA! Audiences enjoy seeing the images of Greece and the unique personality of the Greek people. The LA Greek Film Festival is delighted to encourage more productions there.” MY LIFE IN RUINS director Donald Petrie adds, “Greece was an amazing place to shoot a film from the breathtaking locations, to the warm and welcoming attitude of both the Greek government, and the people.”
Over the years, Greece has attracted the interest of various international producers who have taken advantage of the country’s old culture, unique light and beautiful landscape. See the Greek reporter’s list of movies filmed in Greece. Greece is an integral part of the European Union and has a visual wealth of natural landscapes in regions like Thrace, Epirus, Thessaly , the Greek mainland, the Peloponnese , Crete and the picturesque islands in the Aegean and the Ionian seas. Many of these locations are blessed with historical monuments and traditional architecture. There are no large studios in Greece, but the country now offers a modern infrastructure for handling international film productions, experienced crews and service companies.
Panelists include Nia Vardalos (writer/actor), who made filmmaking history with the success of her independent film MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING (2002). The movie was nominated for an Academy Award® for best original screenplay. Vardalos’ other credits include the television series My Big Fat Greek Life, CONNIE AND CARLA (2004) and the recent release MY LIFE IN RUINS, which was partly filmed in archaeological sites in Greece. Sanford Panitch is currently the President of Fox International Productions, a division of 20th Century Fox that produces and acquires local language films all over the world with strategic focus on markets with rapidly expanding local market share. He previously served as the President of Filmed Entertainment for New Regency Enterprises. He has supervised over 75 feature films such as JUMPER, DAREDEVIL, and the highest grossing movie in New Regency’s history MR. AND MRS. SMITH. Prior, Mr. Panitch was Executive Vice President of Production at 20th Century Fox where he worked on the highest grossing movie of all time TITANIC. Phedon Papamichael is a top Hollywood cinematographer and director. He has worked with directors such as Oliver Stone, Wim Wenders, Jon Turteltaub, Alexander Payne, Nick Cassavetes, and Diane Keaton. Some of his cinematography credits include W. (2008), 3:10 TO YUMA (2007), THE PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS (2006), WALK THE LINE (2005), THE WEATHER MAN (2005), SIDEWAYS (2005), IDENTITY (2003), MOONLIGHT MILE (2002), PATCH ADAMS (1998), MOUSEHUNT (1997), PHENOMENON (1996), and UNSTRUNG HEROES (1995). Papamichael recently completed his fourth feature as a director, ARCADIA LOST (2009), starring Haley Bennett, Nick Nolte and Carter Jenkins, which was filmed entirely in Greece.
From Greece, the panel includes Markos Holevas, a film director and scholar, is the Director of the Hellenic Film Commission Office and a Special Advisor to the Greek Film Centre; Stamatis Athanassoulas, founder of one of Greece’s leading production companies Top Cut, is a producer for feature films, documentaries and TV commercials. He is the Vice President of PACT (Producers’ Association for Cinema and TV). His latest credits include ARCADIA LOST (2008) HIP HOP RHYTHMS & RHYMES (2008) and KINETTA (2006).
The panel discussion will be moderated by producer Terry Dougas, who has made films in both Greece and the US. His credits, as producer and executive producer, include BRIDES (2004), the recently completed THE BOX and THE INVENTION OF LYING, VERONIKA DECIDES TO DIE (2009) and SWING VOTE (2008).
Beyond Borders: Greece on the International Film Stage will be held on Saturday, June 27, 2009, 9:00 am – 12:00 pm at the Linwood Dunn Theater located at 1313 Vine Street in Hollywood.
Summer in Greek means a whole lot more than it does in English. Naturally, everybody has the ability to take time off and enjoy one’s vacations, however, it’s hard for me to think of another group of any sort that maintains such a strong conviction about going on holiday or has such great expectations about it.
Before I go any further let me clarify this one thing: when talking about holidays I mean summer holidays. Nothing wrong with winter holidays, skiing, snowboarding and the like, but, no matter how trendy your ski gear, it will never measure up to a payette covered bikini. Holidays for Greeks means frozen frappes and tavli in an island beach. It brings the feel of the hot sand on your knees and the scent of jasmine in an outdoor cinema right in your nose. You can year the sound of the tennis ball hitting the raquet and then suddenly missing, hitting the water and splashing the poor old lady trying to have a quiet afternoon swim.Heck, I can even picture her swearing at you for it.
“Where are you going on holiday this year?” Asking the question begins an exploration into how Americans and Greeks view vacations. “Well, with the recession and all…” a colleage of mine started responding…Yep, I know…vacations in North America tend to mean a lot of money spent for very little actual vacation time. And it’s a hussle. A lot of traveling. Jet lag if you’re going on far away destination. It’s tough. Plus there’s always the threat of losing one’s job. If you’re away too long, that is.
The association of having fun with spending large sums of money is a preposterous advertising scam. Sure, everybody needs money. Yet it is not a misconception that the best things in life are free. Boasting about staying in the most outlandishly overpriced hotel in Cancun for two nights is hardly any fun. The lady with the big hair updo and the high pitched voice will hardly get any satisfaction out of her staying in the top floor of the hotel, which is the most exclusive area and costs twice what the rest of the overpriced rooms cost. Yes, she will get a weather report delivered to her room. And she will be interrupted a couple of time more by the disgrundled maids. Only to find that no amount of complaining renders the right result: fun.
“We go to the beach every weekend, but of course we will be taking a formal three week vacation in August.” says a Greek friend. Upon mentioning the recession, the response is quick and to the point “Η φτώχια θέλει καλοπέραση” (=”Poverty requires fun”). “Greeks know how to have fun” they say. If you think about all the wars and hard times Greece has gone through, this should sound strange. Yet, this is exactly the reason why Greeks know how to have fun. Going through the suffering makes one appreciate good times. Feeling pain requires having a damn good time just to balance things up. Once you know having fun is not to be taken for granted, the actual activity, whether that is going to a party or to the beach etc becomes an unprecedented mystical event when everything renders happiness and nothing can go wrong. Perhaps holidays is a state of mind, after all.
Marilynne Paspaley (R) with Deeta Colvin at the Veuve Cliquot Business Woman Award, 2008. Photo:AAP
Despite the massive evaporation of wealth in 2008 – 2009 due to the global financial crisis, the biggest since the Great Depression, six Greek Australians made the 200 rich list in BRW.
Those that made the BRW 200 list are:
Mining entrepreneur, Kerry Harmanis, whose personal fortune is valued at $500 million;
Owner of the National Leisure and Gaming Hotel Group, Theo Karydis, whose personal fortune is valued at $356 million;
Technology entrepreneur, George Koukis, whose personal fortune is valued at $270 million;
Shopping centre mogul Con Makris and his eldest son Ross, whose combined personal fortune is valued at $1.07 billion;
Pearliers, the Paspaley family, whose personal fortune is valued at $536 million;
The property developer, Harry Stamoulis and his family whose personal fortune is valued at $389 million.
Three other Greek Australians just missed out:
Con Constantine, the owner of
the Newcastle Jets;
Queensland developers, the Raptis Family, and,
the
fishing magnates, the Kailis family.
Their personal fortunes were valued at between
$130 million to $142 million, which was not enough to earn them a spot on the BRW Rich List.
(Source: BRW Rich 200)
The School Office of the Greek Orthodox Community of South Australia (GOCSA) is organising a Children’s Bilingual Story Book Competition.
Following last year’s successful outcome with the publishing of Kalyani Huilgol’s “Whatapotamus”, the Competition is open to all students attending afternoon and Saturday Greek Language Schools.
All interested students are invited to write an original story in both Greek and English, approximately 250 words, and to submit their entry in electronic format (on CD) as well as hard copy, to the Schools Office by Friday 3rd July 2009.
A panel of judges will select the winning story that will be professionally published and placed in the Greek Schools Resource Centre.
The winning book will be launched at a special ceremony during the Adelaide Hellenic Cultural Festival Odyssey 2009.
Students have the option of illustrating their stories although this will not be criteria on which they will be judged.
The selection criteria include:
Simple, concise and complete sentences;
Correct use of language (syntax and grammar);
Originality;
Interesting story line and/or content and
Contemporary moral message or conclusion.
Interested participants can send their stories to the Greek Language Schools at GOCSA.
(source: neos kosmos)
The American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association (AHEPA), a leading association for the nation’s three million American citizens of Greek ancestry, and countless Philhellenes, will hold its 87th Annual Supreme Convention, June 29 to July 5, 2009, in San Francisco, Calif. “We’re excited to return to the West Coast for our Supreme Convention,” said Supreme President Ike Gulas. “San Francisco is also a poignant location for the Daughters of Penelope which was founded there 80 years ago. We believe we have a wonderful program for the entire family to enjoy, including a gala affair honoring a distinguished group of Hellenes.” Honorees attending the 87th AHEPA Grand Banquet on Friday, July 3, include Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis who will receive the AHEPA Pericles Award. “I would like to wholeheartedly thank both you, personally, as well as members of the American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association (AHEPA) for your decision to honor me with the Pericles Award, which I gladly accept,” wrote Foreign Minister Bakoyannis in an acceptance letter to Supreme President Gulas.
In addition, the convention program will consist of: educational and policy symposia, athletic events, business sessions, and social affairs hosted by the San Francisco AHEPA Family. The Daughters of Penelope, an affiliate organization of AHEPA, will be celebrating its 80th anniversary in the city of its founding. “Everyone is welcome to attend the convention,” said Executive Director Basil Mossaidis. “One can register as a guest, or non-AHEPA family member; although a registration discount is offered to non-members who join.” This will be the third time San Francisco hosts a Supreme Convention. Previously, AHEPA held conventions there in 1931 and 1979.
The fourth case of the new H1N1 “swine flu” in Greece was confirmed by the Pasteur Institute in Athens on Friday.
According to the national Health Operations Centre, the new case involves a 23-year-old woman that arrived from New York on Thursday night having flu-like symptoms, such as a cough, aching muscles and a runny nose, while her fever was being kept in check by medication prescribed in the United States.
On arriving at Athens’ Eleftherios Venizelos airport, the young woman acted on briefing material available to passengers and herself contacted the Hellenic Centre for Infectious Diseases Control, where she was submitted to tests.
After doctors obtained a sample for testing, they gave the young woman treatment and advised her to remain home and meticulously observe all the necessary hygiene measures. When the test result came back positive, they immediately sent a specially equipped ambulance to take her to the ‘Sotiria’ hospital in Athens, where she will be admitted for treatment and an epidemiological investigation.
In the meantime, the second and third patients diagnosed with swine flu in Greece, two travellers arriving from Edinburgh, are still in hospital for treatment but are considered to be doing well and will soon be discharged.
(source: ana-mpa)
Greece is the runner-up to Spain, among 39 countries, in the number of ‘Blue Flags’ awarded for clean beaches, with 425 beaches and eight marinas this year receiving the prestigious awards, the Hellenic Society for the Protection of Nature announced yesterday.
Blue Flags were awarded to 430 beaches and 8 marinas in Greece last year. They are awarded on a basis of 29 criteria including cleanliness of the coast and the sea, organisation, information, safety, and protection of the coastal environment.
Pasok leader George Papandreou met with representatives of Greek expatriates from Albania yesterday, telling them that the Greek state’s self-evident obligation was to assure full restitution for Northern Epirots in Greece. He made specific commitments in this direction, referring to immediate bestowing of Greek nationality on those eligible, examination of their social security issues, protection of their property ownership and measures to promote Greek education and culture.
The Los Angeles Greek Film Festival will present Beyond Borders: 
The School Office of the Greek Orthodox Community of South Australia (GOCSA) is organising a Children’s Bilingual Story Book Competition.
The American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association (AHEPA), a leading association for the nation’s three million American citizens of Greek ancestry, and countless Philhellenes, will hold its 87th Annual Supreme Convention, June 29 to July 5, 2009, in San Francisco, Calif. “We’re excited to return to the West Coast for our Supreme Convention,” said Supreme President Ike Gulas. “San Francisco is also a poignant location for the Daughters of Penelope which was founded there 80 years ago. We believe we have a wonderful program for the entire family to enjoy, including a gala affair honoring a distinguished group of Hellenes.” Honorees attending the 87th AHEPA Grand Banquet on Friday, July 3, include Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis who will receive the AHEPA Pericles Award. “I would like to wholeheartedly thank both you, personally, as well as members of the American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association (AHEPA) for your decision to honor me with the Pericles Award, which I gladly accept,” wrote Foreign Minister Bakoyannis in an acceptance letter to Supreme President Gulas.
The fourth case of the new H1N1 “swine flu” in 