Nashville Parthenon Turns Blue for Greek Independence Day Commemoration

0
Nashville Parthenon in Blue lights, Greek Independence Day
Annual Greek Independence Day Illumination, Nashville Parthenon. Credit: Courtesy T. Dimopoulos 

In its fourth annual celebration of Greek Independence Day in Nashville, Tennessee, the US branch of the Hellenic Institute of Cultural Diplomacy and President DeeGee Lester welcomed Greek Consul-Atlanta Theodoros Dimopoulos in a ceremony at the Parthenon. The iconic structure was illuminated in blue, one of the two colors of the Greek flag, as a tribute to commemorate Greek Independence Day.

Celebrating Greek Independence Day at the Nashville Parthenon

Marking a dual celebration, Ms. Lester was joined by speakers in “honoring visionaries – those of ancient Greece who through their curiosity and genius inspired civilization; those Greeks who boldly re-dedicated themselves to the cause of liberty from the Ottoman Empire on this date (March 25) in 1821; and Nashville’s Dr Philip Lindsley whose 1824 vision for Nashville as a ‘New Athens’ created a legacy for the pursuit of excellency in culture and education.”

Now in it’s fourth year, Nashville is home to the US branch of the multi-nation HICD. Founded in Athens, Greece by President Peter Kapsaskis on March 25th, 2017, the organization says it is dedicated to building, through active and robust events and programming, bridges of mutual friendship and sharing between Greece and HICD’s growing member nations.

Annual Greek Independence Day Illumination, Nashville Parthenon.
Annual Greek Independence Day Illumination, Nashville Parthenon. Credit: Courtesy of T. Dimopoulos

Honoring Greek Independence, and on behalf of Mayor Freddie O’Connell and the city of Nashville, a mayoral proclamation was presented to Greek Consul Theodoros Dimopoulos by Metro Parks Director Monique Odom. In acceptance on behalf of Greece, Consul Dimopoulos offered his own message of friendship and understanding, honoring the tradition of Philhellenes who supported the cause of Greek Independence, and the unity of the two nations through generations.

The event also recognized the reputation of Nashville as the ‘Athens of the South’ through the Bicentennial presentation of the Hon. John Cooper (former Mayor of Nashville and a descendant of Philip Lindsley).

Consul T. Dimopoulos Nashville Parthenon
Consul Dimopoulos receiving Mayoral Proclamation, presented by Metro Parks Director Monique Odom. Credit: Mason Thorn Photography

1824 marked the arrival of classicist and college president Dr Philip Lindsley in Nashville and his stated vision for the city: “To create on the frontier a new Athens dedicated to education and the arts.”

Throughout the 19th century that vision for the city evolved from the Athens of the West into recognition as the “Athens of the South,” as home to world class universities and, by the 1897 Tennessee Centennial Exposition, as home to the Parthenon which has served for generations as the cultural anchor of the city.

The day’s Greek Independence Day events closed with the fourth annual illumination in Greek blue and white lighting of three iconic Nashville sites: the Parthenon, the Greek Revival Tennessee State Capitol, and the Metro Courthouse.

This Parthenon in Nashville is a full-scale, meticulously crafted replica of one of history’s most iconic Greek structures. The Nashville Parthenon lies at the heart of the city’s centennial park. It is a true testament to the city’s rich cultural heritage and the real proof of its nickname, “the Athens of the South.”

Nashville Parthenon

Originally constructed for the Tennessee Centennial Exposition in 1897, the replica of the Parthenon bridges the ancient with the modern world. However, it is more than that. It is an active link that connects the two sides of the Atlantic, attesting the friendship of the Americans and Greeks to this day. This is the reason why it is worth exploring the history, architectural elements, and cultural impact of this US landmark that brings a glimpse of Greece to the heart of Tennessee.

A full-scale replica of the Parthenon in Centennial Park, Nashville, under a partly cloudy sky.
The Nashville Parthenon, a tribute to classical Greek architecture in Centennial Park, Nashville. Credit: John LaGuardia, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

The monument was originally constructed as a temporary feature for the Tennessee Centennial Exposition. It was the time when Tennessee was celebrating the 100th anniversary of its entry to the Union. The purpose of this replica was to embody Nashville’s cultural identity as the “Athens of the South.”

This was a clear nod to the city’s commitment and dedication to education, art, and philosophy. The Parthenon of Nashville was initially built from plaster, wood, and brick. This Nashville replica, of course, comes as a stark contrast to the original Parthenon that dominates the Greek skyline in Athens.

The ancient Greeks built the original Parthenon at the top of the Acropolis using the finest Greek marble, and it has endured centuries of wear. Captivating the public’s imagination and soon becoming an iconic landmark of the city, it was decided that the structure would be reconstructed in concrete in Nashville, as so happened in the 1920s. This ensured that it would stay there as a monument to Classical beauty and an educational tool for future generations.

 

Secret NASCAR ‘Moonshine Cave’ Discovery May Confirm Conspiracy Theory

0
North Wilkesboro NASCAR Speedway, where officials may have found a secret moonshine store.
North Wilkesboro NASCAR Speedway, where officials may have found a secret moonshine cave. Credit: quiksilver_199. CC BY 2.0/flickr

legendary NASCAR North Wilkesboro speedway’s mythical secret moonshine cave, created during the prohibition era, may have been found, proving very dedicated conspiracy theorists right.

The history of NASCAR is said to have strong links with illegal moonshine throughout the prohibition era, and one local myth which surrounds one of the sport’s historic racetracks may have become fact this week.

North Wilkesboro speedway officials in North Carolina said that a long-rumored hidden moonshine storage space may have been discovered under one of the grandstands as a result of a sinkhole. In a press release, officials said staff found an area of about 700 square feet underneath the old concrete of section N of the track while in the middle of a cleaning operation.

Has the NASCAR Moonshine Cave Conspiracy Been proven?

“When we began renovating and restoring North Wilkesboro Speedway in 2022, we’d often hear stories of how an old moonshine still was operated here on the property under the grandstands,” Speedway Motorsports Vice President of Operations and Development Steve Swift told Fox News.

Adding, “Well, we haven’t found a still (yet), but we’ve found a small cave and an interior wall that would have been the perfect location to not only make illegal liquor, but to hide from the law as well. We don’t know how people would have gotten in and out, but as we uncover more, there’s no telling what we might find.”

Staff at the speedway stadium removed around 600 seats and are figuring out the next stages for repair ahead of the NASCAR All-Star Race set to take place on May 14-19, officials said. Swift added that there was a lot of work to be done before fans could come and sit for the race, as reported by Fox News.

Wilkes County, North Carolina, was at one time considered the capital of the moonshine industry in the state, according to Spectrum News. Moving the moonshine required fast and skilled drivers who could navigate the backroads at night, and resulted in competitive racing between drivers and eventually the beginning of NASCAR.

Moonshine is high-proof liquor, originally made and distributed illegally. Its secretive distribution is known as bootlegging. The name was derived from a tradition of creating the alcohol during the night time, thus avoiding being seen or caught.

In the first decades of the 21st century, commercial distilleries adopted the term for its outlaw connotations and began to produce their own legally sanctioned, novelty “moonshine”, including many flavored varieties, that in some way continue its tradition, typically having a similar method and location of production.

NASCAR is an American racing and operating company that is best known for stock car racing. it is considered one of the top ranked motorsports organizations in the world and is one of the largest spectator sports in the US.

Kinds of Kindness: Trailer of Lanthimos’ New Film With Emma Stone Released

Lanthimos Stone
After Poor Things, Lanthimos and Stone are set to release a new movie. Credits:   Anna HanksCC BY 2.0 and Nicholas R. Andrew, Public Domain Mark 1.0.

The first trailer for Kinds of Kindness, the next film helmed by Yorgos Lanthimos, starring Emma Stone, has been released. The movie will open in US theaters on June 21st.

The announcement was made by Searchlight, the indie studio that’s distributing the film.

Though the plot remains under wraps, Kinds of Kindness is an anthology film that reunites Stone with her Poor Things co-stars, Willem Dafoe and Margaret Qualley, as well as The Favourite actor Joe Alwyn. Jesse Plemons, Hong Chau, Hunter Schafer, and Mamoudou Athie will round out the cast.

Lanthimos penned the screenplay with Efthimis Filippou, with whom he co-wrote the dark thrillers and absurdist comedies, The Lobster, Killing of a Sacred Deer, and Dogtooth. The movie, originally titled And, was shot in New Orleans in late 2022.

The Athens-born director teased what audiences can expect from the new contemporary film set in the US, during a British Film Institute event in January.

“It’s three different stories, and we’re finishing the edit right now, and I still can’t tell you exactly what it is about,” he said at the time.

“But I also wouldn’t want to tell you what I thought the stories are about because it just makes it so small,” he added. “I try not to even think about it during the process because I’m afraid that it will make my choices more narrow.”

Kinds of Kindness comes after Lanthimos and Stone Oscars

The news comes as Lanthimos’ Poor Things won four Oscars from eleven nominations earlier this week, including Stone’s second Academy Award trophy for best actress following 2016’s La La Land. Poor Things also won best production design, costume design, and makeup and hairstyling.

The pair previously worked together on 2018’s The Favourite, which landed ten Oscar nominations, including best supporting actress for Stone, with the movie’s lone win going to Olivia Colman for lead actress.

In between the two highly praised films, the two worked together in Greece for Bleat, a surrealistic black-and-white short film about a grieving widow that’s only screened a handful of times, as it requires a live orchestra.

They are already in talks to arrange their sixth movie, a remake of the South Korean fantasy comedy Save the Green Planet.

Stone has spoken about her creative partnership with Lanthimos, saying: “Yorgos feels like a lot of his process of working with people or putting people in his films has to do with who they are as a person. It’s not just performance-based.”

African Dust Cloud Blankets Greece

African Dust Cloud
The dust cloud has severely impaired vision in Athens. File photo. Credit: AMNA

A dust cloud from the African continent blew over the eastern Mediterranean, shrouding large swathes of Greece in a haze. On Thursday, the phenomenon is anticipated to continue.

Much of the country, including the capital Athens, has severely impaired vision due to the dust cloud.

The southern island of Crete was particularly heavily struck. Airborne dust levels there have been above 50 mg/m³ in the western parts.

The elderly, small children and those with respiratory conditions have been recommended by the local health authorities to minimize their outside activities.

The most noteworthy repercussions of the African dust clouds in Greece will be:

  • an increase in temperatures in the next few days
  • restricted visibility in various places
  • muddy rain, mostly in western and northern parts of the country

Dust and sand are associated with health problems

The African dust is associated with health problems in the general population in Greece. It has been observed that on days with dust concentrations, hospital admissions increase.

Research conducted by Greek and foreign scientists has identified a whole list of hazardous heavy metals in the African dust. This is alarming to society, as the African dust has been “traveling” to Greece more and more frequently over recent years due to the increased desertification in the Sahara.

According to assessments, the dust and sand that travel from Africa to Greece transport poisonous substances, such as lead, zinc, chromium, vanadium, arsenic, and nickel in much higher quantities than previously thought.

Formation of African dust and sand clouds

In order for Saharan dust to impact systems around the globe, it must first become airborne and leave the Sahara Desert.

The Bodélé Depression is one of the most significant sites of Saharan dust and sand cloud formation. The depression is composed of dried lake beds which are now covered by dunes.

Winds moving at speeds between 6 and 16 m/s (13-35 mph) through this region pick up loose sediment and transport the dust away from the Sahara.

Naturally, higher wind speeds lead to the transport of greater amounts of dust in this region. The highest output of dust from this area occurs from spring through fall.

The Sahara is the largest source of aeolian dust in the world, with annual production rates of about 400-700 x 106 tons/year, which is almost half of all aeolian desert inputs to the ocean. Saharan dust is often produced by natural process such as wind storms and doesn’t appear to be heavily impacted by human activities.

What a Clinic Looked Like in Ancient Greece

Ancient Greek Clinic
The young physician is depicted in a sitting position using a small type of lancet to stimulate bloodletting from the patient. Public Domain

The first realistic depiction of an outpatient clinic in ancient Greece is on a drawing on a small vase created in Athens around 470 B.C. now on display at the Louvre Museum in France.

The drawing on the vase called aryvallos depicts a physician performing bloodletting on a patient. Another five males, four of them with injuries holding canes, are waiting their turn.

Among them, a dwarf holding a hare on his shoulder can be seen. Suction cups on the wall and a copper basin on the floor for blood collection are also included in the picture.

Ancient Greek clinic
The waiting patients at the clinic. Public Domain

The characters depicted in the clinic of ancient Greece

The young physician of light complexion is depicted in a sitting position using a small type of lancet, to cause bloodletting from a vein of the right arm of an almost nude, bearded man with dark hair who is standing and supporting himself with a cane which he holds in his left hand.

The painting includes another five male figures. On the right side of the patient, there is a male figure. That man is sitting and is unclothed above the waist. He has a beard and dark hair. A bandage can be seen covering his upper arm.

Another man who is dressed and also has a beard and dark hair is standing behind him, raising his right hand in a gesture, as if addressing the physician. A bandage covers part of his left arm. It can be assumed that the two latter men are awaiting their turn to be examined.

An additional bearded man with dark hair is standing behind the previous one. He stands and crosses his feet. He has his right hand on his waist and is leaning to the left, supported by a crunch.

This last figure is looking down at a bearded nude dwarf who carries a hare on his shoulder. Finally, there is another man, who is dressed and has no beard and a light complexion. He appears to be moving with the support of a cane towards the rear of the physician who is sitting. A bandage covers part of his left leg.

On the wall, above the physician who is sitting, three suction cups can be seen—two on his left and one on his right side.

Earliest known realistic scene of medical service

The vase (aryvallos) depicts the earliest known realistic scene of medical service in Western history, the authors of a recent study wrote in the Journal of Clinical Medicine.

“All previous Ancient Greek scenes which dealt with relevant themes, invariably included ‘holy’ and divine interventions,” says co-author Manolis Stefanakis, Professor of classical archeology at the Department of Mediterranean Studies of the University of the Aegean.

“Trauma management, as well as bloodletting seem to form part of the everyday medical practice of that time, while gifts to physicians (one of the possible explanations of the dwarf’s hare, which is depicted in the aryvallos scene) were common.

“Additionally, historical sources reveal that Ancient Greek physicians were well-paid and much respected,” the Greek professor adds. “Medicine has always been an honorable practice throughout the centuries.”

“Through the illustration of the vase, the painter approaches in a rudimentary, but clear way, issues such as the space and furniture of the doctor’s office, the doctor’s position and attitude, his morals and remuneration, the patient’s attitude, the dressing of a wound—with indirect reference to the practice of phlebotomy and the use of bloody suction cups-, as well as the special case of achondroplasia, a genetic disorder that is the most common form of dwarfism,” Stefanakis told the Athens Macedonia News Agency (AMNA).

The vessel stands out for its two particularities: its shape and the figurative decoration it bears on the belly band.

As for the shape, it is relatively rare to find a spherical aryvallus in Attica, a shape—and a vase in general—that is mostly assigned to Corinth during the 7th and 6th centuries BC.

As far as the figurative decoration is concerned, the vase stands out both for its red-figure technique and for its historical contribution to the daily life of the ancient Athenians, being the only figurative testimony to date of an active Athenian medical center,” Stefanakis told AMNA.

Greek Wines Command Higher Prices in World Export Markets

Greek wines
A 12.7 percent price jump in Greek wine exports to France and a 6.4 percent in the US was recorded last year. Credit: Facebook/Taverna Opa Restaurants

Greek wines are steadily commanding higher prices in overseas markets, underscoring the increasingly premium quality of the country’s vintages and helping to support the overall value of Greek exports.

Last year, the price of Greek wine increased between 3.6 percent and 5.8 percent on average across the country’s major export markets inside and outside the European Union.

That included a 12.7 percent price jump in Greek wine exports to France, one of Europe’s most sophisticated wine markets, and a 6.4 percent price increase in exports to the U.S., one of the world’s fastest-growing and most competitive wine markets.

The data, derived from official statistics by Greece’s Central Cooperative Union of Wine Products (KEOSOE) also show that exports to Germany, Greece’s single biggest export market that accounts for more than half of Greek exports, rose to €2.71 per kilogram last year, up 6.4 percent from €2.55 in 2022.

Overall, the rising prices commanded worldwide surpassed the average price increase over the previous five years, confirming the premium trend in Greek production.

Greece’s wine industry has been transforming with the entry of hundreds of new vintners and a growing appreciation for Greek wines abroad. Four Greek wineries are among the world’s top wineries listed by Wine & Spirits Magazine, while leading international media, like The New York Times, have favorably reviewed Greek wines in recent years.

Related: Top Ten Greek Wines

Drop in production of Greek wines

However, higher prices are also due to the fall in worldwide production, including in Greece.

In 2023, the International Organization of Vine and Wine (OIV) predicted world wine production would fall to its lowest level in sixty years and, in Greece, a significant decrease of 45 percent compared to 2022 was expected.

This was due to poor harvests in the Southern Hemisphere and in some major European producers, including Greece.

Based on the information collected on twenty-nine countries, which accounted for 94 percent of the global production in 2022, world wine production (excluding juices and musts) in 2023 was expected to have been between 241.7 mhl and 246.6 mhl, with a mid-range estimate at 244.1 mhl . This would represent a decrease of seven percent compared to the already below-average volume of 2022, OIV said.

Greece had an expected wine production in 2023 of 1.1 mhl. This volume represents a significant decrease not only from 2022 (-45 percent) but also from its last five-year average (-50 percent).

This can be attributed to the heavy rainfalls during spring which caused grape diseases (notably downy mildew) and to elevated temperatures and drought in summer months that strongly impacted the vines, OIV notes.

In early September 2023, the Greek Winemakers Association’s leader, Yiannis Voyatzis, said that wine production was expected to drop by 30 percent, primarily attributed to the prevalence of downy mildew.

Related: The Cretan Who Made Greek Wines Famous in Florida

 

Hypatia: The Female Greek Philosopher Killed for Her Beliefs

Hypatia
Death of the Greek philosopher Hypatia. Unknown artist. Public Domain

Hypatia, one of the greatest philosophers of Alexandria, was admired for her groundbreaking ideas but was brutally murdered for them by Christian fanatics in the fourth century AD.

Born around the year 360, Hypatia was a female Greek philosopher, astronomer and mathematician who went completely against the norms of the time, yet gained tremendous respect for her great mind and accomplishments.

Her father, Theon, was a mathematician and astronomer who never tried to curb his daughter’s thirst for knowledge.

Hypatia was a member of the Neoplatonic school of philosophy. She would appear draped in the robes of the academic elite — something that only men were allowed to do at the time.

One could safely say that by today’s standards she was a feminist, and definitely one of the first in recorded history.

Her love for astronomy led her to build astrolabes, which are used for examining and measuring celestial bodies in the night sky, and she charted the courses of stars and planets.

Hypatia studied philosophy in Athens and returned to Alexandria, where she taught philosophy, mathematics and astronomy to the young people of the city.

Among her students were the offspring of the most powerful families of Alexandria, who later progressed to assume high positions in Alexandrian society.

Loved and respected in Alexandria

In Alexandria, Hypatia taught Platonic philosophy, the Ptolemaic system of celestial movement, and the advanced mathematics of Euclid.

She was known as a gifted teacher, and was undoubtedly one of the greatest thinkers of the time.

Two of Hypatia’s students were the Bishop of Kyrenia, Synesius, and the Prefect of Alexandria, Orestes.

Hypatia kept up a continuous correspondence with Synesius, parts of which have miraculously survived and reveal the enormous admiration that the Bishop had for Hypatia.

“Even if Hades is a place of complete oblivion, even there I will remember you, dear Hypatia”, he wrote in one of his letters.

The brilliant woman would often head to the city center and give orations on her thoughts regarding Plato. Audiences were captivated, not just by her ideas but by her looks as well.

Hypatia was respected by the the city’s intellectuals and scholars. She was equally respected by Christians, who used her as an example of chastity.

An anecdote that survives about her chastity begins by stating that once a young man had expressed his love for her. In response, she showed him a handkerchief soiled with her menstrual blood to emphasize the impurity of carnal relationships.

Hypatia was celibate, and historians believe she remained a virgin until her death.

Her chastity made her very popular in Greek society, which prized celibacy as a virtue, and therefore she was acceptable and viewed as respectable to both men and women.

Hypatia
Portrait of Hypatia by Elbert Hubbard (1856-1915). Public Domain

Christian fanatics killed Hypatia

Hypatia practiced paganism at a time when Christianity was in its infancy and growing, and therefore some of its followers were more fanatical.

The female philosopher did not try to conceal her pagan beliefs and continued to practice paganism, something that infuriated the city’s Christians.

It was widely believed that Cyril, a notable Alexandrian bishop, made it his mission to eliminate the influence of the idol-worshipping female philosopher and astronomer.

The bishop accused Hypatia publicly as an idol-worshipper, then allegedly ordered a mob of fanatics to kidnap her.

The Christian fanatics indeed kidnapped the woman and dragged her through the streets while torturing her horribly.

It is said that the tortures were extremely cruel, including scraping Hypatia’s flesh with oyster shells.

Then the mob took her to a church where they stripped her naked, lashed her, and tore her limbs from her body.

Hypatia
Rachel Weisz as Hypatia of Alexandria n the motion picture Agora (2009). Credit: Focus Features, Newmarket Films/Telecinco Cinema

Was Hypatia a victim of politics?

According to historian Socrates the Scholastic, the death of Hypatia was the result of a political dispute between the Prefect of Alexandria, Orestes, and the Bishop of Alexandria, Cyril.

In 415 AD, Orestes issued a decree regulating the public feasts of the Jews, as they usually celebrated in large crowds and caused riots. The Jews opposed the regulations.

The decree was affixed to a wall, and a Christian named Hierax loudly supported the new arrangements.

Hierax was a very enthusiastic listener to bishop Cyril’s sermons, and made himself conspicuous by his forwardness in applauding the decree.

The Jews took the act of Hierax as an insult and a provocation to incite sedition, and addressed Prefect Orestes, urging him to order his arrest and have him tortured in public.

Orestes was angered that the Bishop was sending spies to his proceedings, and by his power to influence the Christians, and proceeded with the torture.

The cruel punishment of a Christian citizen angered Bishop Cyril — especially when Orestes acted this way to please the Jews — and in retaliation he launched an attack on the Jews of the city.

After a series of fights, during which both camps suffered heavy losses, Bishop Cyril exiled all the Jews from Alexandria and allowed the Christians to usurp their property.

The Prefect became furious with Cyril and the tension between them peaked. Then 500 fanatical monks arrived to fight on the side of Cyril.

One of them, Ammonius, threw a stone at Orestes, which wounded him in the head. Ammonius was arrested on the spot, then tortured and executed.

Hypatia was a close friend and advisor of the Prefect. According to Socrates Scholasticus, the female philosopher was actually a victim of political rivalries, as she was unfoundedly accused by Christians of turning Orestes against them.

The mob, led by the clergyman Petros, abducted her and took her to a church, where she was stripped naked and beaten. When she died, they dismembered her body and threw every limb into the fire.

Clearly, the fourth century was an era of great political and religious turmoil, with the two intermingling most of the time.

Religious doctrines were at times interpreted according to one’s best interests, and a crowd could be easily manipulated to turn into a mob.

Hypatia’s ideas about philosophy and astronomy were far ahead of her time, winning the admiration of academics and intellectuals, and her achievements will live forever.

Purchasing Power of Greeks Second From Bottom in the EU

Greeks Purchasing power
Greeks face European prices with Balkan purchasing power. Credit: AMNA

Greeks have the second to the bottom—just above Bulgaria—purchasing power in the EU according to Eurostat. These are statistics that put a dent in the Greek government’s triumphant claims about the rise in economic prosperity.

In 2023, substantial differences in GDP per capita, expressed in purchasing power standards, were recorded among EU countries.

Luxembourg and Ireland had the highest levels (140 percent and 112 percent above the EU average, respectively), well ahead of the Netherlands (30 percent above the EU average), Denmark (+28 percent), and Austria (+23 percent).

In contrast, Bulgaria registered the lowest GDP per capita, 36 percent below the EU average, while Greece (-33 percent) and Latvia (-29 percent) were just above that.

Greeks
Credit: Eurostat

Luxembourg has by far the highest GDP per capita among all the 27 countries included in this comparison at 140 percent above the EU average.

This is to some extent explained by the fact that a large number of foreign residents are employed in the country and thus contribute to its GDP, while they are not part of Luxembourg’s resident population. Their consumption expenditure is recorded in the national accounts of their country of residence.

Ireland comes out second among the EU Member States at 112 percent above the EU average followed by the Netherlands, Denmark, and Austria, each with a GDP per capita more than 20 percent above the average. The high level of GDP per capita in Ireland can be partly explained by the presence of large multinational companies holding intellectual property.

The associated contract manufacturing with these assets contributes to GDP, while a large part of the income earned from this production is returned to the companies’ ultimate owners abroad.

Greeks face European prices with low purchasing power

The countries of the European South that were also in the throes of the economic crisis in the previous decade, such as Portugal, Spain and Italy, are ranked much higher than Greece, with GDP per capita in purchasing power units set at 83 percent, 89 percent and 97 percent of the European average in 2023.

Greece is also ranked below many former Eastern Bloc countries, such as Romania, Croatia, Hungary, Slovakia, and even Latvia, ranked 25th, which has a GDP per capita in purchasing power units of 70.1 percent of the European average.

At the same time, the price level is at 88.2 percent of the average (these are figures for 2022, as other data is not yet available from Eurostat), reinforcing the sense of extravagant prices in Greece, causing widespread dissatisfaction as all opinion polls of recent months have shown.

GDP figures are affected by tax evasion, but the fact is that, unlike prices, incomes are below pre-crisis levels.

In the latest Metron Analysis poll for Mega TV, the participants ranked high prices and the state of the economy as the country’s most significant problems.

Santorini Is the Second Best Honeymoon Destination in the World

Santorini Honeymoon Destination
Santorini is the fourth most searched honeymoon destination worldwide with 120,600 Google searches. Credit: Greek Reporter

Research reveals that Santorini is the second-best honeymoon destination worldwide, considering factors such as affordability and romantic dining options.

Slingo’s team of experts examined various factors, including the most searched destinations, popular honeymoon spots, and areas boasting numerous romantic restaurants. These findings assigned each destination an overall score for couples’ vacations.

Santorini Honeymoon Destination
Credit: Slingo

Top three honeymoon destinations, including Santorini

Bali, Indonesia

Bali tops the charts for couples’ vacations, scoring 8.07 out of 10 and boasting 278,100 Google searches for honeymoons in the past year.

It ranks fifth on TikTok and Instagram with millions of posts under #Bali. It’s a budget-friendly paradise, offering affordable dining at just $22.17 (£17.38 | €20.36) for a three-course meal for two.

With an abundance of romantic restaurants and honeymoon activities, Bali is a top pick. One can experience authentic Indonesian cuisine like bakso and beef rendang while exploring adventurous spots such as Nusa Penida and the Ubud Monkey Forest.

Santorini, Greece

Santorini secures second place with a solid score of 6.83 out of 10. It is the fourth most searched honeymoon destination worldwide with 120,600 Google searches, and 49 percent of its restaurants are romantic.

It ranks high for honeymoon spots and is popular on social media platforms with millions of posts under #Santorini.

However, it’s noted for its high dining costs, averaging $90 (£70.57 | €82.67) for a three-course meal for two.

Those interested in history will appreciate Santorini’s rich heritage, shown in museums and archaeological sites. At the same time, adventurous couples can enjoy activities like horseback riding, scuba diving, and jet skiing along its beautiful beaches.

Cancún, Mexico

Cancún takes third place, with a score of 6.80 out of 10. It’s a popular choice for honeymoons, ranking sixth in Google searches. With romantic restaurants and honeymoon-friendly activities on TripAdvisor, it’s perfect for couples.

Cancún trends on social media with 1.2 million TikTok posts and 12.3 million on Instagram, ranking ninth and nineteenth, respectively. Enjoy diverse cuisine, especially seafood, along the Caribbean coast with the average cost of a three-course meal for two at just $43.29 (£33.94 | €39.76) and dive into vibrant nightlife with competitive drink prices.

Top honeymoon destinations in Greece beyond Santorini

Greece, with its six thousand islands and islets scattered in the Aegean and Ionian Seas, is full of honeymoon destinations.

Some destinations are ideal for honeymoon retreats. One has the option to explore the history, sunbathe on beautiful beaches, or wander out into the quiet of traditional villages.

There are many options for newlyweds to choose from in the land of the goddess Aphrodite and the love god Eros.

Discover the top 7 honeymoon destinations in Greece

 

 

Use of Twitter in US Fell by a Fifth Since Elon Musk Took Charge

X Twitter Elon Musk
The number of Americans using Elon Musk’s social network every day as of February 2024 has decreased by 23 percent from November 2022. Credit: Public Domain

Since Elon Musk acquired Twitter and relaunched it as X, its use in the US has decreased by more than a fifth, data from app-monitoring company Sensor Tower shows.

The number of Americans using the social network every day as of February 2024 has decreased by 23 percent from November 2022—shortly after Musk finished his takeover. In the same time frame, every other significant social network saw a decline in users, although none by nearly as much as X did.

Twitter, now X, loses more than other social media platforms

According to statistics, which were first published by NBC News, Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat all experienced user slumps of less than five percent, with TikTok experiencing the closest decline, coming in at just under ten percent.

According to Sensor Tower statistics, X performed marginally better globally, losing fifteen percent of its users, amounting to 174 million daily active app users. The app-monitoring company depends on several sources to maintain a reliable panel of people to sample and does not monitor users who use the social network via desktop programs or web browsers.

Social media platform X implicitly rebuffed Sensor Tower’s claims in a public post. In an unsigned message, it said that “250 million people use X every day” with 550 million visiting every month. It also said that “daily average time spent on platform” and “daily active user minutes” are both up year on year.

Fall in the value

The fall in the value of the company has been reflected in assessments by the fund manager Fidelity, one of the investors in Musk’s buyout of the previously publicly traded company.

Fidelity’s blue chip growth fund, which holds its stake, has continuously marked down the value it attributes to the company, hitting its latest low of a 71.5 percent reduction in value from November 2022 to November 2023.

Since Musk paid $44 billion for his stake, that brings Fidelity’s assessed value for the overall company to just over $12.5 billion.

On Monday, a judge in California dismissed Musk’s lawsuit against the Center for Countering Digital Hate, a non-profit that has published reports chronicling the rise of racist, antisemitic, and extremist content on the platform since Musk’s acquisition.

“Sometimes it is unclear what is driving a litigation, and only by reading between the lines of a complaint can one attempt to surmise a plaintiff’s true purpose,” wrote Charles Breyer, the US district judge, in the ruling.

“Other times, a complaint is so unabashedly and vociferously about one thing that there can be no mistaking that purpose,” he added. “This case represents the latter circumstance. This case is about punishing the defendants for their speech.”