Πολιτική; Μπλιαχ!!!!

Τελικά με όσους μιλάω από τους φίλους μου δεν θέλει κανείς να “γυρίσει”… Κι όταν λέω να γυρίσει, όλοι έχουν επιστρέψει από διακοπές…Αλλά κανείς δεν θέλει να “γυρίσει” πραγματικά!!! Δεν θέλει να σκεφτεί ούτε τα αδιέξοδα, ούτε τα προβλήματα, ούτε τους πολιτικούς, ούτε τα κόμματα….

Δεν θέλει να διαβάσει εφημερίδες, μια τηλεόραση κι αυτήν με το ζόρι….πιο καλό σίγουρα το ραδιόφωνο και όσοι με διαβάζετε ξέρετε πια ότι μόνο το διαδίκτυο μας ικανοποιεί….

Είναι σαν να ζούμε σε μια χώρα που δεν μας αρέσει, παρά μόνο στα “καλά” της. Όταν κάνει Ολυμπιακούς, όταν έχει καλοκαίρι και νησάκια, όταν οικονομικά αναπνέουμε όλοι λίγο….

Μια χώρα που δεν την θέλει κανείς τον χειμώνα…Γιατί τον χειμώνα έχει την πραγματικότητα και μόνο προβλήματα. Έχει μόν τηλεφωνήματα από τράπεζες και εταιρίες κινητής τηλεφωνίας, έχει μοναξιές και άγχη. Τα περισσότερα από αυτά; Μάλλον ανούσια αφού αφορούν μικρές λεπτομέρειες…Τη δόση του στεγαστικού, τα κοινόχρηστα που ανεβαίνουν, πως θα την βγάλουμε καθαρή με σχολεία και παιδιά…

Ε ποιός να θέλει να γυρίσει; Ποιός να θέλει να δει την μαύρη πραγματικότητα και να την φάει στη μάπα; Και τι να ακούει για παρηγοριά; Τα κόμματα; Το γράφω και γελάω μόνος μου; Πως κατάφεραν να μας στείλουν όλους σπίτι; Δεν είναι καταπληκτικό; Κι όταν ακούς ειδήσεις σαν να μιλάνε όλοι μεταξύ τους!!! Και οι υπόλοιποι στην γωνία τιμωρία! Να περιμένουν κανά Μάκη και τον Αυτιά, την Κοινωνία Ώρα Μηδέν….

Μεδέν που λέγανε παλιά και οι τσογαδόροι στο καζίνο… Λες και η ζωή μας έγινε αυτό. Μια ζαριά! Κι αν έρθει καλώς…την “βγάλαμε” και τώρα. Αν όχι; κακώς, πολύ κακώς…Είμαστε μόνοι σε ένα κράτος με μεδέν κοινωνική προστασία. Μια κοινωνία που τα έπαιξε όλα στο ζερό και δεν της βγήκε. Μια κοινωνία που χρειάζεται γκλαμουριές για να κερδίσει έστω και μια φορά στις 10. Και ας έχει χάσει τα μαλλιοκεφαλά της στις υπόλοιπες 9. Φτάνει που μια φορά ήταν καλά!

Για αυτό και ο ΟΠΑΠ έχει κέρδη, για αυτό και φεσωθήκανε όλοι με τα καταναλωτικά. Μόνο ένα καλοκαίρι μας έμεινε. Και με οποιοδήποτε κόστος, περνάμε καλά… Σε πείσμα όλων την σπάμε στον έχθρο μας… Που έφτασε να είναι αυτός που θεωρητικά μας “προστατεύει”… Το πολιτικό και “δημοκρατικό” μας σύστημα!!!

Στον εχθρό λοιπόν εύχομαι καλό χειμώνα. Καλή χειμερία νάρκη καλύτερα. Και με το καλό να μας γράφετε συχνά να σας θυμόμαστε…

Α και να μην το ξεχάσω!!! Όλοι την στήριξή μας στην Ολυμπιακή!!! Ετοιμάζω ένα κειμενάκι στα αγγλικά για αυτό. επειδή το πάνε έτσι, ε την διεθνή ξεφτίλα την τραβάει η όρεξή τους. Και κάτι επιστολές στο Ευρωκοινοβούλιο ετοιμάζω. Ας βάλουμε όλοι λίγο πλάτη σε κάτι που είναι πραγματικά εθνική υπόθεση!!!

My hope is with London….

London

Finally Beijing’s Olympics finished. King is dead….long live the King!!! London is taking over and for the next 4 years probably most of s we would forget China’s puppet show. They were not even close to Athens in terms of passion and excitement.

Yes Bold took 3 gold medals with unbelievable world records. Yes Phelps broke down Spitz’s record of seven god medals, by making them 8. But was the first time that people didnt really liked the games. Especially in Greece, due to our disappointment by doping scandals, spectators turned their back to the games.

So what London could bring more? I’m thinking that UK has two main options :

1. To make the whole games a spectacular show, with more sponsors, dope and huge budgets.

2. To cooperate with Greece and move the games back to its roots. To be the games of friendship, humanity and sport’s noble spirit.

If they choose the first, the discussion would be on a doubtful budget’s balance sheet. If they choose the latter, a new perception on globalization could be demonstrated. Athletes not fighting for any national pride, but cooperating for a global spirit of solidarity and peace. I would suggest to adapt even the former Greek Inititive for Olympic Truce. British diplomacy has the means and skills to succeed on that. Or at least to motivate countries to be engaged for two weeks in a different image of our world.

If their priority would be a just world, giving equal chances of participation, focusing on each athlete as a human being, approaching the ancient value of equal development of soul and physical health, then we could enjoy the games as a big celebration of humanity.

Apart of that, Olympic games could be the event to attract attention on global problems and to be a paradigm to the rest of us. Climate change and environmentally friendly technologies, anti-poverty struggle and world peace and equality could be in the agenda and cross-cutting the games.

I have high hopes for London Games. And that is due to the strong Citizen’s Movement in UK. In comparison with a non democratic China, censored and eliminate any different voice, London’s games could be the opposite :

The celebration of tolerance, interculutral co-existence, democratic expression. Lets give them the chance to amaze us. Beijing is over, Long live London.

I will remind you a song, that created a modern tradition on solidarity and social responsibility :

Final curtain in Beijing….No Love No Glory No Happy Ending

Olympics of 2008 reaching the end. And soon lights would go off and cameras would be turned away. And what would be left back? In my view Beijing proved :

the real motivation power in Beijing

1. Olympics is a pure bussiness event. Something which is not fair for all those athletes, working hard, for years, with the dream of BEING THERE….the dream of the major athletic experience. And is like stealing their glory, their love for the sport whe you are giving the advantage in multinationals, political propaganda and diplomatic media tricks. If i have a logo for the future is : Leave Athletes Alone!!!!!

the real Olympic Star

2. How billions of dollars and years of preparation could be destroyed by a small number of protesters and a religious leader. Dalai Lama is the real figure of the games. Was everywhere in our minds, in every home of this planet. And the fight of Chinese propaganda against him justified his cause. Now that Olympics finished i hope that all of us we wouldnt forget Tibet and a just cause of freedom. Lets not cover some thousands of depressed under the blanket of contracts of Chinese state with western multinationals.

the real closing ceremony...a candle protest

3. The feeling of a superpower. if i compare Athens 2004 with Beijing 2008, i would like to see British mainly journalists apologizing for efforts of defamation of Athens. I think our Olympics was about human and his efforts to go Altius, Fortius, Citius…In Beijing it was about China to go Fortius… If we Greeks have seen our Olympics as our contribution to the world, China was trying to prove its supremacy. And as a result nobody would ever believe that China became a better democratic country. The opposite!!! I was amazed by their pure propaganda…..

So i would conclude my post with what else ? With a song …the real song of closing ceremony in Beijing. Lsten carefully to the lyrics :

Greece…Olympic’s champion in doping

I was watching as the rest of the world Bejing 2008 Olympic Games. And i was sure -even before games opening ceremony- that Greece would go very low. Why? Because before and during the games 15 Greek athletes were banned on dopping accusations. Blood samples failed anti dopping tests. And each of them were giving press conference excusing themselves by inventing conspiracy theories!!!

There is no other country with such massive doping phenomenon. There are many reasons for that : From Atlanta’s Olympic Games Greece gradually was scaling up on medal’s table in Olympic games. Syndney was our major succcess in 2000 and finally Athens itself in 2004. Beijing as i was expected is a mjor failure. Or isnt?

I think in Beijing Greece came back to the normal results as a small country never really developed massive popular sport’s structure. A country that gives away all investment in Football (Soccer) and Basketball and leaves rest of the sports just surviving. The results of the three last Olympic games were abnormal. And as we are seeing now, mostly based on “external” interventions. In other words a castle on the sand, demolished by the tide. Why ? Because according to sports administrator;s minds, country was in need of medals in Atlanta for getting the Olympics in 2004, was in need of medals in 2000 for attracting people in the games and in 2004 for demonstrating a wrong image of a modern and powerful country to the rest of the world.

Nowdays there is no need for that dream. Greece became again the small touristic country of eastern mediterranean with many political problems with its neighbours!!! The image of a modern miracle in economy, society and politics was dropped as an idea when lights were turned off after the Olympics of 2004 and the country had to pay the bills left. Then politicans found the bill enormous compare it to serving the illusion. And turned their back to promises for a better international image.

So now they are more focused on other ways of promoting the country : The old fashion holywood way of Zorba the Greek, Korreli’s madoline and lately Mamma Mia!!! Instead of investing in athletes now we are investing on screen plays and tax deductions to executive producers… And what about the athletes? They have to start survivng with less….less bonuses for each olympic medal, less privileges on being licenced to open a gambling store (under state’s auspices), less taxi ownership licences, less positions in the army forces!!!

I’m keeping just the face of the last female athlete giving a press conference after she was caught for violating dopping regulations. She stated : “Doesnt make sense” and i agree Ms Halkia….doesnt make sense at all !!!!

I’m dedicating a song to my country. The famous theme of Zorba the Greek

Sleepless in Athens…Part I

August of 2008. Athens empty by its inhabitants running to escape from their urban cage and to enjoy vacations in one of the islands or small villages or mountains of the country. I escaped also my self by June…living up north to Alexandroupolis, the last eastern city, before Greek Turkish borders.

But after discussing a whole night with a friend being sleepless in Athens, i have recalled my previous years, staying myself sleepless in a deserted city. And i was thinking why? What kept me sleepless there and now sleepless here in Alexandroupolis.

Some people might say that is a feeling of loneliness keeping me like that. I dont think so!!! I didnt lose anyone or anything keep me woken every night. And even if that was my case, from the people i’m chatting with over face book every night, for sure thats not the reason.

I think that our main problem is that during the day is not enough time. No time to relax and think. No time for being ourselves as persons and not the employees or the employers, the parents, the executives, the fashion victims, the champions, the hasbands or wifes, the citizens or tax payers, the consumers of civil liberties fighters.

But during those sleepless nights we are presented with our first names. We are just human seeking a nice conversation, a company to share jokes, or discussing on variou ssilly things. Horoscopes, music, movies, games, flirting or even cybering. Trying to make us feel ignorant and innocent. Away from social, economic or political roles. Away from our responsibilities. Making our confessions, talking on non politically correct issues, loving our companion even for one night.

I have heard many accusations on online social networking, on internet and its bad effect, on the potential danger to be isolated. And i disagree with all of them. The opposite! Here new forms of networking are build, new forms of informal communications and a total break of isolation is arising. So i enjoy those sleepless nights of August. Discussing with new friends, worries, political views or ideas. Making fun of ourselves as we are during daylight. But still have a few more ideas on that…..

The sociology of romance…achieving the impossible?

I was discussing the other day with my friend Lia. And she thought that one of my next posts has to be on “Our right to be Fatal..”!!! I thought immediately about it and the potential of such article. But after a long trip and being little tired, i came up with the idea of analyzing “Romance”…

Romance in teh Monsoon

Romance as i have wonder before, along with you, is not possible today. Some scientists say is due to societal swift of women’s role within our society. Some others say that is due to male’s confusion and gradual change of their sexual attitude. But deep down statistical analysis of your comments, of the function of thousands dating sites, the agony of so many people to meet the right one, shows that still stereotype is strong and in place. A woman is seeking for a man to “romance her…”.

By “romance her”, i mean the right of a man to feel Erol Flyn or James Dean in his micro-world and the right of a woman to feel like Ingrid Bergmann in Casablanca. I dont know if cinema created the stereotypes or were existing before. And i do agree that Tele today bombarding us with a new variety of sexual behaviour within society… In what i disagree is TV is not creating a myth. Is the most stupid media among all. Is reprodusing reality and interferes more with symbolisms atttached to it.

According to my opinion, romance is still valid as a value in human relations between people of same or different sex. Homosexualism didnt hurt the hard core of stereotype. The opposite gave new projections of it. “So what is going wrong?”  someone might ask.

I would tell you what is going wrong. 1. we work too much. 2. When financial situation goes bad and people fell more and more insecure, surviving instead of living, that makes us pessimists and lonely…3. We have created a political model that “romance” and “passion” are irrelevant and administration of human relations is linked more with the tax system than any other social value. (By the way, how many times states are telling us that need us to have sex in order to strengthen economic system- and supposinlgy a national character? No thanks i want to have sex with the person i love without thinking my duty to public administration and political regime…-. 4. We live in a western world full of speed. A world that we value people with as many possessions as possible. In other words in a society full of micro power systems. Is quite often that I’m facing women or men obssessed with the idea of possessing someone, like their pets, cars, houses and …I would suggest to all of you to see one more time “American Beauty”, an excellent movie of our middle class’ dead ends and isolation.

“Romance” demands the opposite of all that : 1. Revolutionary spirit and passion for moving forward. 2. A feeling of sharing and deliberately giving away the feeling of property. 3. Optimism for the future. Against all odds i might say. 4. A feeling of self sacrifice within a general mood of protecting the others. 5. A relatively high percentage of social responsibility (not in the form of a fight for power but quite the contrary in Mahatma’s Ghandi’s sense).

So I’m still falling in love, because I still believe that people, my fellow citizens and the world itself could be better. Is there anyone out there, ready to share all that? Then all of us we have a chance for a better future..

The Knight with the shining armor….

After discussing with many of my female friends, i have discovered that still the idea of the Knight with Shining Armor is pretty much alive within a woman’s heart. But when i was putting the question how they would define this special someone answers are quite vague… Aliki offered me a conversation that is the base of my post today. I’m thanking her!!!

So i think would be nice to debate on this concept in order to find out if girls are really waiting for a person with certain qualities or character, or is just another urban legend and a good excuse to avoid commitment to reality…

more real knights....would you like to be one?

Question 1 : The Knight must be handsome? I dont really think so. Because beauty is quite subjective to the person referring to. So as a general principle i think when a woman today says handsome, means someone socially presentable or fitting to her own social context. A lady heavy metal’s fan, finds handsome could find as handsome a bass player with long hair and 4-5 tatoos. On the other hand a lawyer would find handsome a guy with George Clooney’s look and an equal in prestige profession. So we dont have really a concept of who could be considered handsome. Is like lottery….

Question 2: Must be a gentleman? … In my opinion this is more specific. Women they think that a guy is a gentleman when : a. Doesnt jump immediately to a conversation on sexual fantasies and demonstrates from the first minute what he is after!!!….b. Opening the door for a lady to pass first…c. pays the bill of the first dinner (afterwards that would be changed…but first dinner is crucial)…d. He is respecting a lady’s wishes….e. He is flattering her and is good with words…g. Repeats the stereotype of Pears Brosnan in James Bond movies!!! So if you guys playing safe and follow some lines or acts by James Bond’s movies.. success guaranteed!!!

Question 3 : Promises the stars and the moon for the future? Definitely you have to exaggerate in your first date. A little bit of myth doesn’t hurt. And ladies are ready to believe in a myth, equal to “Titanic” love story. Because when we are in love we would like to live our fairy tale. A story with castles, dragons and a noble knight saving the beauty of the castle the last minute. That short of thing. So in your first date speak on heroes (and please dont try guys to present heroic the fact that you got sloshed with the guys and then you have managed to drive back home..this is simply stupid!!!) and at least show your passion for being one of them!!!

hold my hand...

Question 4 : Has to be willing to get married? Whatever women are telling you, marriage is always there!!! Seems like female brain translates whatever you say in a form of answering a dilemma : Would he be a good father/husband?  So be careful how you would speak on children’s issue. Show that you are sensitive (at the same time that you have to fulfil the difficult task that you are strong enough to be a family leader…), and speak politely on dogs. cats, human suffering in Africa. Say the typical lie that you like opera or classic music (always works….lol). But before that, be sure that you know at least beethoven or mozart. And that Maria Callas is the most famous opera singer ever and not a Colombian pop star….

As you have seen above my post turned to be a guide for potential male lovers…Would you excuse me girls?