Published in New York City by EMG (Ellopia Media Group March 2014 - Issue 85
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F
E E R
Editorial
by Athina krikeli athinakrikeli@aol.com
Μιλούσα με έναν φίλο στην Ελλάδα – συντοπίτη αν θέλετε – προεκλογική περίοδος βλέπετε εκεί και όλοι έχουν άποψη για όλα. Κριτική για αυτά που έκαναν οι διοικούντες, αλλά και κριτική για αυτά που δεν έκαναν. Λεκτικές επιθέσεις, επιπλήξεις, εξυπνάδες, προτάσεις του στυλ “αν ήμουν εγώ θα έκανα έτσι, αλλιώς”. Θυμός και πάθος, κομματικοποιημένος ακόμα και τώρα που το καράβι δε θέλει κόμματα, αλλά το έθνος ενωμένο. Οι υπόλοιποι ακούν, άλλοι συμφωνούν άλλοι διαφωνούν, υπάρχει ένταση, όσοι έχουν συμφέροντα με τους παρόντες σιωπούν, οι άλλοι με τους καινούργιους φωνάζουν, διεκδικούν... “όταν έρθουμε στην εξουσία εμείς....” Τα θέματα είναι στο τραπέζι, όλα όμως, από τον χαλασμένο δρόμο, μέχρι τα σκουπίδια, από τις λάθος κινήσεις, μέχρι τα μοιράσματα της μίζας. Τα εικονικά κονδύλια και τα χρήματα που “διαρρέουν” σε τσέπες παραγόντων. Τους άνεργους και την ασφάλεια, το κυπριακό... Ξεμπροστιάσματα στο τραπέζι όλα με διαφάνεια, χαιρόμαστε για την δημοκρατική αντίληψη των Ελλήνων... Θα βγεί άκρη πού θα πάει, ο Ελληνας είναι άνθρωπος με πολιτική γνώση και αντίληψη, έτοιμος για διάλογο, κριτική, αυτοκριτική θέσεις και απόψεις. Αλλωστε κάθε μέρα αυτά συζητά.... Γιατί δεν αλλάζει τίποτα σε αυτόν
MONTHLY MAGAZINE PUBLISHED BY ELLOPIA MEDIA GROUP Ltd. Via Emai 17.000 copies Free of charge Publisher Editor in Chief USA Athina Krikeli Creative Art Director Hellas Costas Krikelis Advertising Director Lia Delkotzaki Senior Editor (English) Titos Christodoulou, (England) Music Editors Nikos Tatasopouls Petros Hatjopoulos Photo Director Fotis Papadakis Business Consultant Maria Papapetros Contributors S. Papathemelis (Greece), Arkas (Greece) G. Kalaras, (Chicago) Titos Christodoulou, (England) Writers G. Skabardonis (Greece) Costas Krikelis (Greece) Greg Michaelides (USA) Anita Diamantopoulou (USA) Kostas Mpliatkas (Hellas) Publishing coordinator HELLAS Lia Delkotzaki Gianni Sotiriou All opinions expressed in the articles are their authors’ own.
τον τόπο όμως; Ξέχασα να σας πω...… όλα αυτά γίνονται στο καφενείο....μέχρι εκεί φτάνει η συμμετοχή μας....Το δάχτυλο στον εαυτό μας δεν το γυρνάει κανείς για αυτοκριτική... Οσο είμαστε τέτοιοι... τέτοιοι ηγέτες θα μας κυβερνούν παντού...
COVER -Page by Brandon Jones - Iran protests eyes set on freedom woman photo. The Greek Flag: by Stefan Karlstrom
Ellopia Media Group Ltd. USA KAUFMAN ASTORIA STUDIOS 34-12 36th str NY 11106 Tel: (718) 720 4522 ellopia@aol.com www.ellopiatv.com Facebook: ellopia You Tube/ellopia
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Photo Credit NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC
Parallels to 1914? What History Teaches Us
About the Ukraine Crisis
By Christopher Clark
On the 100th anniversary of World War I, it is tempting to compare events in Ukraine to 1914. But the current crisis bears little resemblance to the geopolitical situation of the time. The answers history provides are anything but singular and absolute.
Armed men, believed to be Russian servicemen, march outside a Ukrainian military base in the village of Perevalnoye near the Crimean city of Simferopol.
The current emergency in Ukraine -- on this everyone seems to agree -- is rich in historical resonances. But which histories in particular are pertinent to the recent events? The complexity of the situation in the Ukraine arises precisely from the plurality of quite different historical narratives entangled in it. One thing is clear: the crisis can neither be understood nor solved using a single historic logic.
Differing Geopolitical Constellations
The specter of that war is useful as a reminder of how terrible the costs can be when politics fails, conversation stops and compromise becomes impossible. But in fact the alignments implicated in the Ukrainian emergency bear little relation to the geopolitical constellations of 1914. At that time, two central powers faced a trio of world empires on Europe’s eastern and western peripheries. Today, a broad coalition of Western and Central European states is united in protesting Russia’s interventions in Ukraine. And the restless, ambitious German Kaiserreich of 1914 scarcely resembles the European Union, a multi-state peace framework that finds it difficult to project power or to formulate external policy. The Crimean War of 1853-1856 might offer a better fit. Here, at least, we can speak of a coalition
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of “Western” states united in opposition to Russian imperial ventures. This war, which ultimately consumed well over half a million lives, began when Russia sent 80,000 troops into the Ottoman-controlled Danubian principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia. Russia argued that it had the right and obligation to act as the guardian of orthodox Christians within the Ottoman Empire, much as it today claims the right to safeguard the interests of ethnic Russians in eastern Ukraine. But here, too, it would be a mistake to push the analogy too far. In the 1850s, the Western powers feared that Russian predations against the Ottomans would destabilize the entire zone from the Middle East to Central Asia, undermining the security of the British and French world empires. Since the Ottoman Empire no longer exists, the mechanisms of transimperial destabilization are absent in the current crisis, which involves the relationship between Russia and one relatively isolated former client state on its periphery.
An Unruly Dynamic of Revolution Pushing back further into the past, we can discern more distant precedents: the Russian annexation of the Eastern half of Ukraine after 1654 and its evolution into Cossackdom over the next century and a half, followed by the push south into the Crimea from the reign of Peter the Great onwards. This is the long, slow story of Russian territorial expansion, a process lasting centuries in which Muscovy acquired on average every year an area equivalent in size to modern Holland. What none of these historical genealogies captures is the unruly dynamic of revolution and civil strife in Ukraine today, a phenomenon that evokes very different precedents. Following the news over the last few weeks, it has been difficult (for historians at least) to ignore the many parallels with the English Civil War of the 1640s. Then as now, an increasingly self-confident parliament confronted a controversial
head of state. It was not the office of the king or president as such whose legitimacy was in question, but the conduct of the person discharging it. And just as President Viktor Yanukovych fled to an undisclosed location after the breakdown of order in Kiev, so Charles I, having tried and failed to arrest the ringleaders of the parliamentary opposition, left London for Windsor in 1642, to return seven years later for his trial and execution. In both cases, news of a provincial tumult in support of the beleaguered sovereign (Irish Catholics in the English case, Ukrainian Russians in the Ukrainian) triggered a decisive escalation.
The Ultimate Psychodrama The Ukrainian uprising has naturally tended to monopolize the attention of the European media. For mature Western democracies, the spectacle of tens of thousands of citizens armed only with candles and posters asserting their rights against a corrupt and ruthless regime is the ultimate psychodrama. Nothing better replenishes the charisma of democracy than observing the violent convulsions of its birth. The difficulty of the current crisis lies precisely in the folding together of these very disparate narratives: civil strife, geopolitical tension and imperial expansion. The arrangements put in place since the collapse of the Soviet Union have added a further layer of complexity. Meanwhile, the EU has invested deeply in the process of democratization in the Ukraine. The Partnership and Cooperation Agreement signed in 1998 exists to sustain political and economic transformation within the partner state. Ratification of a new “Association Agreement” negotiated in 2007-2011 and incorporating a “deep and comprehensive free trade area” was made conditional upon the implementation of key domestic reform targets.
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Parallels to 1914? What History Teaches Us
About the Ukraine Crisis
By contrast, NATO, as the alliance formed to protect Western interests in the Cold War, is focused firmly on the global balance of power, just as the Crimean coalition was in the 1850s. NATO and the EU are not coextensive and not identical in their interests. When the Americans, the Poles and the Baltic states proposed the extension of NATO membership to Georgia and Ukraine in 2008, France and Germany objected, just as Prussia refused to join the anti-Russian Western coalition of 1854-5. Lastly, there is the complex political demography of Ukraine, itself the legacy of centuries of Russian penetration and settlement. The deep ethnic divisions in the country, the jigsaw of autonomous regional “republics” and the special constitutional and military status of the Crimean peninsula make no sense without this history. Any solution has to take into account the very different imperatives implied by these narratives. Using the Ukraine as a proxy to box the Russians in would be insensitive to the history of the region and will merely lead to further instability. Letting the Russians
do whatever they want would merely invite Moscow to use Ukraine as a proxy for pushing the West back -- the war for South Ossetia, which broke out shortly after the decision not to grant Georgia NATO membership -- showed how quick Moscow will be to capitalize on the irresolution of Ukraine’s Western partners. Betting the farm on the Ukrainian revolution is risky, given the unpredictability of all such tumults.
No ‘Balkan Inception Scenario’ Today What is needed is a composite solution that takes account of all the interests, each with its deep historical hinterland, engaged in the conflict. Are we in danger of “sleepwalking” into a major conflagration? There exists today no counterpart for the kind of “Balkan inception scenario” that fuelled escalation in 1914. In a recent statement for a news program, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier conceded that the EU foreign ministers (himself included) had been too quick during the early days of the crisis to engage
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Parallels to 1914? What History Teaches Us
About the Ukraine Crisis
with the Ukrainian opposition and too slow to take account of the larger geopolitical issues that are entangled with the crisis. This remark exhibited a level of selfcritical reflection and a readiness to adjust to new developments that would have been completely alien to his early twentieth-century counterparts. The statement issued by European Commission President José Manuel Barroso on March 5 following a meeting of the Commission to discuss the situation in Ukraine struck exactly the right note. It spoke of the overriding importance of political and economic stability and of respect for the rights of “all Ukrainian citizens and communities.” Caution has been a salient feature of US President Barack Obama’s
recent statements, and even the crude threats emanating from the Kremlin have been in marked contrast (so far!) with President Vladimir Putin’s circumspection in practice. The Ukrainian emergency is a reminder of how quickly events can undo the best-laid plans and produce unforeseen constellations. But all the key players in this drama appear to have grasped one thing: namely that the answers history gives to the questions of the present are multiple and conditional, not singular and absolute. Christopher Clark, 54, is a professor of Modern European History at the University of Cambridge. His latest book “The Sleepwalkers: How Europe Went to War in 1914,” about the outbreak of World War I and the scope of German culpability, is a bestseller.
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Can you image having to flee your home and not knowing when you will get your next meal? Can you image having to flee your home and not knowing when you will get your next meal?
schools destroyed and their futures placed in jeopardy. The situation for these children is dire.
This is the reality for more than 1 million Syrian chil- UNHCR has been on the ground these past three years dren. and continues to provide life-saving support including water, food, health services and education to chilIt has now been 3 full years since the con- dren in need. UNHCR believes these children deserve flict began in Syria. Well over 2.5 million a brighter future. Each smile we see on a child’s face is people have fled their homes for safety progress.
and become refugees. Over 4 million remain displaced inside Syria. The worst Don’t let these children become a lost generation – part? Half are children - an entire genera- please consider donating to USA for UNHCR today. tion is at risk of being lost. With your support, UNHCR can continue to ensure
safe education, care and protection for these vulnerYou can help prevent a lost generation of Syrian chil- able Syrian children. dren by donating to USA for UNHCR today. Thank you for your continued support, As a parent myself, I cannot imagine what this expe- Charles DeSantis rience is like for Syrian children. These children have Board Chair lost their homes, seen their loved ones killed, their USA for UNHCR
κάθε Σάββατο και Κυριακή ΤV 100 ΔΗΜΟΤΙΚΗ ΤΗΛΕΟΡΑΣΗ ΘΕΣΣΑΛΟΝΙΚΗΣ
THE world
A member of the Ansar Dimachk brigade uses an iPad during preparations to fire a homemade mortar (Picture: Reuters/ Mohamed Abdullah)
THE WORLD
by Dan Goodin
AP/ UNRWA Hundreds of Palestinians line up for food rations in the Yarmouk camp in the Syrian capital of Damascus. The photo was taken on January 31, but was just released by the UNRWA on Wednesday. Aid organizations have long been demanding that the Syrian regime of President Bashar al-Assad allow them to distribute food and medicine on a more regular basis.
WORLD NEWS
Missing jetliner creates legion of armchair sleuths By SCOTT MAYEROWITZ AP There aren't supposed to be any mysteries in the Digital Age. The answers to most questions, it seems, can be found using Google or Twitter. So, maybe that's why the world is captivated by the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 and why it has created a legion of armchair sleuths, spouting theories in some cases so strange they belong in sciencefiction films. Casual conversations in supermarket aisles, barbershop chairs and office building cafeterias have centered on the mystery and how much we don't know. With the search for the missing Boeing 777 entering its seventh day, the passengers' families are left without closure while the intrigue - and hypotheses - continue to grow for the rest of us. "We're fascinated by it. We don't know what happened and we hope for a miracle," says John DiScala, who runs the travel advice site JohnnyJet.com. "People want an answer and the suspense is killing them." Normally, travelers turn to DiScala for the latest deals on flights. But this week, he says, a page on his website dedicated to the latest news about the flight has received most of
the attention. The pros are just as perplexed. On TV and in online forums, aviation experts are more measured and analytical than the amateurs but in the end can't say with any certainty what happened. With no distress call, no sign of wreckage and very few answers, the disappearance of the Malaysia Airlines plane is turning into one of the biggest aviation mysteries since Amelia Earhart vanished over the Pacific Ocean in 1937. "Anybody who travels is intrigued with this story. How can a plane disappear? We've got satellites beaming down on everybody ..." says Andrea Richard, a French-American in Paris who travels widely, including to Asia. Theories abound. Some are serious: there was a catastrophic failure in the airframe or engines or there might have been a pilot error. Other ideas are the kinds to be found in science fiction movies: a new Bermuda Triangle, an alien abduction or something out of the Twilight Zone. Terrorism isn't suspected but hasn't been ruled out either. But some people have come up with elaborate plots worthy
of a James Bond villain where the plane is hijacked and lands on a remote island, undetected by radar. Others have sat in their homes or offices scouring new commercial satellite images of the ocean, looking for any debris from the plane. False leads and conflicting information have only added to the mystery, the speculation and the frustration. It's still unclear how far the plane may have flown after losing contact with civilian radar - and in which direction. On Thursday, planes were sent to search an area off the southern tip of Vietnam where Chinese satellite images released by the Chinese government reportedly showed floating objects believed to be part of the plane. Nothing turned up. Even if the plane is found soon, the speculation likely won't fade. It can take months, if not years, after a plane crash to learn definitively what happened. That's an anomaly in an age of instant answers. If something isn't known, we just Google it. If we are lost, we use the GPS on our smartphones to find our location. And if our flight is delayed, even five minutes, the airline sends us a text message. In this situation - to everybody's frustration - we still don't have a conclusion. Popular TV shows like "Lost," or movies like "Alive" or "Castaway," where people survive a plane crash only to have the rest of the world give up on them, just feed the curiosity. (Note: It was a Boeing 777 that disappeared over the Pacific in "Lost.") "This feeds into everyone's fear of flying. It's one thing for people to have a fear of dying in a plane crash. It's another one to die in a plane crash and never be found," says Phil Derner, founder of the aviation enthusiast website NYC Aviation. Those within the aviation industry are enthralled with the mystery too, but from a much more methodical, scientific viewpoint. "There's a lot of head scratching going on," says Daniel O. Rose, a partner with the aviation accident law firm Kreindler & Kreindler LLP, which is representing the survivors and vic-
tims' families of July's Asiana Airlines crash in San Francisco. "It becomes like a murder mystery almost, these clues that you're getting and trying to piece it together in a way that makes technical and logical sense." Airlines and their employees don't like to talk about crashes. It's not in their nature. Instead, they defer to the crash investigators. Part of it is that they have nothing to gain by speaking and part of it is superstition. Jason Rabinowitz, a self-proclaimed aviation geek whose hobby includes snapping photographs of airplanes taking off and landing, said those within the industry are bringing up previous incidents and previous searches "rather than clinging to straws." Normally, aviation experts have their theories and stick to their guns. This time, he said, people are throwing out theories left and right only to have other experts shoot them down. "The aviation community is more puzzled than the general population because we know more of what would cause an accident and we still have no clue," Rabinowitz says. "I keep going to sleep every night and hoping that I wake up with some shred of good news but it isn't happening." WASHINGTON (AP) -- A Malaysia Airlines plane was sending signals to a satellite for four hours after the aircraft went missing, an indication that it was still flying, said a U.S. official briefed on the search for the plane. The Boeing 777-200 wasn't transmitting data to the satellite, but was instead sending out a signal to establish contact, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to discuss the situation by name. Boeing offers a satellite service that can receive a stream of data during flight on how the aircraft is functioning and relay the information to the plane's home base. The idea is to provide information on whether maintenance work or repairs are needed before the plane lands so mechanics and parts can be ready, saving time and money.
teck talks
Is technology good or bad? By Selly Palmer
If we look at case law, such as Sony Corporation of America v. Universal City Studios, Inc., 464 U.S. 417 (1984) or, more recently, MGM Studios, Inc. v. Grokster, Ltd., 545 U.S. 913 (2005), the courts have consistently decided that technology is neither intrinsically good nor bad. However, the courts expressed the opinion that people must be responsible and held accountable for how it is used. The problem is that technology is almost always ahead of strategy, tactics and the law. Fast-forward to today and we have a new deadly technology: Distracted driving. Trying to Crack Down Everyone knows that texting while driving is a bad idea, illegal and very, very dangerous. But many of us still do it. New York has tried to cut down on its residents’ texting while driving—the state has issued taller, unmarked SUVs to undercover cops to catch texters in the act, and has also created “texting zones” where you can pull over and get in touch with family and friends. These measures still don’t seem like enough. A court in New Jersey recently made news when it decided that drivers alone aren’t responsible—if you send a text message to another person you know is behind the wheel, you can be held liable in the event of an accident. This stemmed from a civil case where a teenage driver
who was texting while driving severely injured motorcyclists David and Linda Kubert. The couple had reached a settlement with the driver, but also wanted to charge the girl he was texting with negligence. The court said that remote texters have only a “limited duty,” and it will be hard to prove someone knowingly texted a driver. However, many think this is a step in the right direction. A Need for New Legislation Cops are trying to apply existing laws to new situations, which may not be the best way to approach the problem. A driver in San Diego County was recently cited for driving while wearing Google Glass. After the police officer pulled the car over on suspicion of speeding, the officer saw the driver was wearing Google Glass and promptly ticketed her. Police said the ticket was issued as a violation of California Vehicle Code 27602, which makes it illegal to “drive a motor vehicle if a television receiver, a video monitor, or a television or video screen, or any other means of visually displaying a television broadcast or video signal that produces entertainment or business applications is operating and is located in the motor vehicle at a point forward of the back of the driver’s seat, or is operating and the monitor, screen, or display is visible to the driver while driving the motor vehicle.”
PICTURE THIS
The Namib Desert on the west coast of Africa is one of the world’s oldest. It has existed for around 80 million years. This satellite image shows the Tsauchab River, which only flows immediately following heavy rainfall, only to disappear again almost immediately. Despite appearances, this image is of the dry river bed. The white markings are salt deposits. The line running horizontally across the bottom third of the photo is a road connecting two settlements. The Namib is virtually uninhabited save for a handful of settlements and indigenous groups.
HELLENIC - TALKS
H KAΘΗΜΕΡΙΝΗ ΠΑΣΧΟΣ ΜΑΝΔΡΑΒΕΛΗΣ
Η «οίηση» της τρομολαγνείας
Περί ορέξεως, κολοκυθόπιτα κι επομένως ο προλογίζων το βιβλίο «Γεννήθηκα 17 Νοέμβρη» κ. Νίκος Γιαννόπουλος μπορεί να το βλέπει ως «φωτεινό δείγμα λαϊκότητας και λογιοσύνης». Ετσι κι αλλιώς σ’ αυτή τη χώρα οι λέξεις έχουν χάσει το νόημά τους. Το γεγονός ότι η Δημοκρατία δίνει το δικαίωμα σε όλους να λένε το κοντό και το μακρύ τους, πολλοί το βλέπουν ως υποχρέωση να λένε το κοντύτερο και το μακρύτερο. Συνεπώς ακόμη και ένα βιβλίο που εξιστορεί μια σειρά φόνων μπορεί να «αποπνέει μια σπάνια τρυφερότητα». Ναι, το γράφει κι αυτό στον πρόλογό του ο κ. Γιαννόπουλος... Υπάρχουν όμως κι άλλα ζητήματα με τον πρόλογο στο βιβλίο του κ. Κουφοντίνα. Πρώτον ενοχοποιεί την Αριστερά και όλως παραδόξως η Αριστερά δεν έβγαλε άχνα και γι’ αυτήν την ενοχοποίηση. Αν δηλαδή κάποιος δεξιός τολμούσε να πει ότι το βιβλίο «πραγματοποιεί μία από τις ενδελεχέστερες διεισδύσεις στις αντιφάσεις, τα μετέωρα, τις κακοδαιμονίες της Αριστεράς - όλης της Αριστεράς, των “άλλων”, της “δικής μας”, της δικής του...» θα μας είχε ζαλίσει τα αυτιά ο κ. Σκουρλέτης για την απόπειρα να αμαυρωθεί με αίμα η Αριστερά. Τώρα που ο κ. Γιαννόπουλος μιλάει για όλη την Αριστερά (συμπεριλαμβανόμενης εκείνης του κ. Κουφοντίνα, χωρίς, μάλιστα, να βάζει εισαγωγικά) - κανείς δεν λέει κουβέντα. Η Ν.Δ. τσακώνεται με τον ΣΥΡΙΖΑ αν ο κ. Γιαννόπουλος είναι μέλος του κόμματος της αξιωματικής αντιπολίτευσης ή όχι. Βεβαίως, για να πούμε και του κ. Γιαννόπουλου το δίκιο, αυτά που πρεσβεύει ο ίδιος και τα χειρότερα που πρεσβεύει ο κ. Κουφοντίνας είναι συνιστώσες της αριστερής σκέψης -έστω καρκινώματά της- κι ας σκούζουν όσο θέλουν περί ενοχοποίησης οι «της (εντός εισαγωγικών) Αριστεράς».
Αυτό δεν προκύπτει μόνο από τη σιωπή για όσα έγραψε ο προλογίζων το βιβλίο, προκύπτει κι από το newspeak που χρησιμοποιεί. Διαβάζουμε για παράδειγμα στον πρόλογο ότι «ο Κουφοντίνας είναι ένας απολύτως κανονικός και, παράλληλα, εντελώς διαφορετικός άνθρωπος...»! Ή ότι «διακατέχεται από τη λογική του “ταξικού μίσους... Ομως δεν μισεί...»! Ή ότι τον διακρίνει μια «οξεία συναισθηματική ευφυΐα»! Σ’ αυτόν τον πρόλογο ο κ. Γιαννόπουλος απαριθμεί 16 «ιδιαιτερότητες του βιβλίου». Η πρώτη είναι η πλέον οργουελιανή. «Ο Κουφοντίνας γράφει ένα βιβλίο από τη φυλακή, την εξοντωτική, εκδικητική φυλακή...» σημειώνει ο προλογίζων. «Εκδικητική» μια φυλακή που επέτρεπε σε ένα «σύντροφό του στα όπλα», δηλαδή τον κ. Χριστόδουλο Ξηρό, να μπαινοβγαίνει μέχρις ότου εξαφανίστηκε; «Εξοντωτική» μια φυλακή που η παλιά γενιά τρομοκρατών έκανε πρωτοχρονιάτικα πάρτι μαζί με τη νέα; «Εκδικητική και εξοντωτική» μια φυλακή που επιτρέπει σε ένα καθ’ ομολογία serial killer να εκδίδει τα απομνημονεύματά του, παρά το γεγονός ότι το βιβλίο δημιουργεί άφατο πόνο στις οικογένειες των θυμάτων του; Είπαμε ότι για την Αριστ ερά -«όλη την Αριστερά, των “άλλων”, της “δικής μας”, της δικής του...»- η τρομολαγνεία αφαιρεί από τις λέξεις το νόημά τους, αλλά ούτε η πραγματικότητα δεν έχει πλέον την παραμικρή σημασία; Ισως όχι, αν προσμετρήσουμε και το γεγονός ότι ο κ. Γιαννόπουλος διαπιστώνει ότι «τις σελίδες αυτού του βιβλίου δεν τις διακρίνει καμιά (κατανοητή) οίηση». Να έχει οίηση -και δη κατανοητή- ο κ. Κουφοντίνας; Για ποιον λόγο; Επειδή σκότωνε πισώπλατα άοπλους ανθρώπους;
Hellas Talks
Ο Έλληνας καταναλωτής απέναντι στην κρίση Νέβεν Μίμικα Συνέντευξη στον Κώστα Δ. Μπλιάτκα (Στον ΑΓΓΕΛΙΟΦΟΡΟ ΤΗΣ ΚΥΡΙΑΚΗΣ)
Το 25% των Ελλήνων καταναλωτών δεν έχουν δυνατότητα κάλυψης στοιχειωδών αναγκών’’ τονίζει ο επίτροπος για θέματα καταναλωτή Νέβεν Μίμικα. ‘’Πάνω από το ένα τέταρτο των ελλήνων καταναλωτών δεν μπορεί να ανταπεξέλθει σε βασικές καταναλωτικές ανάγκες όπως το ενοίκιο, το στεγαστικό δάνειο, δεν μπορεί να πληρώσει τους λογαριασμούς των οργανισμών κοινής ωφελείας, ένα γεύμα με κρέας, κοτόπουλο ή ψάρι μέρα παρά μέρα, την επαρκή θέρμανση της κατοικίας ή τον λογαριασμό τηλεφώνου. Η συνέντευξη με τον Κροάτη πολιτικό και διπλωμάτη έχει ως εξής: Σε καιρούς κρίσης υπάρχουν άραγε αποτελεσματικές διατάξεις της ευρωπαϊκής νομοθεσίας για την προστασία των καταναλωτών; Η νομοθεσία της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης παρέχει στους καταναλωτές σημαντικά δικαιώματα και προστασία: περιλαμβάνει από αυστηρούς κανόνες για την ασφάλεια των προϊόντων μέχρι προστασία κατά την αγορά προϊόντων και συστήματα επιβολής των κανόνων αυτών. Σε καιρούς οικονομικής δυσπραγίας τα δικαιώματα των καταναλωτών αποκτούν ιδιαίτερη σημασία. Οι κανόνες για τους ευρωπαίους καταναλωτές τους βοηθούν να παίρνουν τις καλύτερες δυνατές αποφάσεις έτσι ώστε κάθε ευρώ που ξοδεύουν να πιάνει τόπο. Πως μπορούμε να πετύχουμε κάτι τέτοιο; Πρώτα και κύρια ενημερώνοντας καλύτερα τους καταναλωτές. Αν δεν γνωρίζετε τα δικαιώματά σας δεν μπορείτε και να τα εξασκήσετε. Από τις έρευνές μας προκύπτει ότι οι έλληνες καταναλωτές συχνά δεν γνωρίζουν τα βασικά τους δικαιώματα. Αυτό τους εκθέτει σε αδίστακτους εμπόρους. Γι' αυτό αύριο στη Αθήνα θα εγκαινιάσω μια ενημερωτική εκστρατεία για τους έλληνες καταναλωτές σχετικά με τα δικαιώματά τους με βάση το ενωσιακό δίκαιο. Η αποτελεσματική προστασία των καταναλωτών απαιτεί όχι μόνο να γνωρίζουν οι καταναλωτές τα δικαιώματά τους αλλά και να είναι σε θέση να τα εξασκήσουν. Η επιβολή της νομοθεσία αποτελεί πρωταρχική αρμοδιότητα των κρατών μελών. Αλλά η Ευρωπαϊκή Επιτροπή υποστηρίζει ενεργά τα σχετικά μέτρα επιβολής έτσι ώστε να επιτευχθούν
τα καλύτερα αποτελέσματα για τους καταναλωτές σε ολόκληρη την Ένωση Τα κοινωνικά και οικονομικά αποτελέσματα της κρίσης είναι δραματικά. Ποίες είναι οι προϋποθέσεις ‘’κοινωνικής ένταξης’’ των καταναλωτών σε τέτοιες εποχές ; Ως σοσιαλιστής επίτροπος είμαι ιδιαίτερα ευαίσθητος στην κοινωνική πλευρά της κρίσης και στον τρόπο με τον οποίο η πολιτική προστασίας των καταναλωτών μπορεί να βοηθήσει όσους από αυτούς έχουν πληγεί από την κρίση. Αυτό είναι ιδιαίτερα σημαντικό για την Ελλάδα. Ως αποτέλεσμα της κρίσης πάνω από το ένα τέταρτο των ελλήνων καταναλωτών δεν μπορεί να ανταπεξέλθει σε βασικές καταναλωτικές ανάγκες όπως το ενοίκιο, το στεγαστικό δάνειο, δεν μπορεί να πληρώσει τους λογαριασμούς των οργανισμών κοινής ωφελείας, ένα γεύμα με κρέας, κοτόπουλο ή ψάρι μέρα παρά μέρα, την επαρκή θέρμανση της κατοικίας ή τον λογαριασμό τηλεφώνου. Η κατάσταση αυτή είναι απαράδεκτη. Απαιτεί αποφασιστική δράση στην Ελλάδα με ισχυρή στήριξη από την Ένωση. Φυσικά, τα αναγκαία μέτρα ξεπερνούν τα όρια της παραδοσιακής πολιτικής προστασίας των καταναλωτών, Απαιτούν πρώτα και κύρια να ξαναγυρίσουμε στην οικονομική ανάπτυξη. Είμαι ιδιαίτερα αισιόδοξος που χάρη στις εξαιρετικά σκληρές προσπάθειες της Ελλάδας, υπάρχουν τώρα θετικά σημεία οικονομικής ανάκαμψης στην Ελλάδα. Αναμένουμε ανάπτυξη ήδη από φέτος, η οποία θα επιταχυνθεί το 2015. Αυτό είναι το αποτέλεσμα των σημαντικών προσπαθειών του ελληνικού λαού για την εφαρμογή του προγράμματος οικονομικής προσαρμογής. Με την σταθεροποίηση των δημόσιων οικονομικών και την επιστροφή της ανταγωνιστικότητας το επόμενο βήμα θα είναι η επιστροφή στην βιώσιμη μεγέθυνση και η δημιουργία θέσεων εργασίας. Όσον αφορά την πολιτική προστασίας των καταναλωτών ενδιαφέρομαι ιδιαίτερα να εξασφαλιστεί ότι η κρίση δεν χρησιμοποιείται ως δικαιολογία για την μείωση του επιπέδου της προστασίας των καταναλωτών και ότι όλοι οι καταναλωτές – ακόμη και οι πλέον ευάλωτοι, μπορούν να επωφεληθούν πλήρως από τα δικαιώματά τους με βάση τη νομοθεσία της ΕΕ.
News - NEW YORK
Lou Martini Jr.
AN ACTOR WHO CARVED OUT BIG ROLES WITH AN EVEN BIGGER HEART
by Nick Christophers To some of the actors working on the film the “Godfather” was more than just a movie it was a bridge to better things. For actors like Al Pacino, Gianni Russo, Lenny Montana and Lou Martini Jr. it was the first real step into the film business. Unlike the others Lou Martini Jr. was not entirely a virgin to the business. He was practically bathed in it. His father Lou Martini Sr. already had his hooks in the industry. In 1968 when he was just a young boy he had a minor role playing a crying boy on the Mary Tyler Moore film “What’s So Bad About Feeling Good?”. It was an interesting experience he admits since his father was on the set. During the scene at City Hall Lou Jr. was suppose to run up and down the City Hall steps. But the scene was not coming out right and his father got annoyed and told the director unless he gets it right his son is not doing the scene anymore. Lou Martini Sr. was soon to be casted in the film the “Godfather” to play Luca Brasi but unfortunately he passed on before he could play the part. Lou Jr. would also get a part in the film as one of the young boys in the wedding scene running around the cake. The acting bug was planted in Lou but would not come to fruition till he graduated from the University of Houston. “My first speaking part was on that film “What’s So Bad About Feeling Good?” with George Peppard and Mary Tyler Moore. I worked a lot when I was young anywhere my father went I was there.”
While he was in College he studied Communications and almost became involved in radio broadcasting. He actually did some radio shows before he caught the acting bug again. Lou a big sports fan dedicated his knowledge into being a sportscaster. At first he was looking to purse it but acting called out to him. When he returned to New York he began taking acting classes and honing his skill. Lou would soon land the lead role in the Broadway smash hit “Tony & Tina’s Wedding”. He was apart of the show for three years straight. His exceptional performance began to open other doors. Lou was always interested in acting on stage so when he took a stab at stand-up comedy it came easy. He performed as a character called “Vic Green” and sometimes was just being himself. Lou was never swayed from working on Off-Broadway shows either. He appeared in productions like “Pleasant Avenue” by Edwin Torres, “Gangster Apparel” by Richard Vetere, the world premiere of “On the Waterfront” by Budd Schulberg and the current off-Broadway hit “Murdered by the Mob.” He moved into TV where he landed roles on “Law & Order” as well as its extended shows like Criminal Intent and Special Victims Unit. Lou also had the opportunity to play in Sydney Lumet’s “100 Centre Street”. His popularity began to grow as the favorite doorman on the “E” Network show the “Gastineau Girls.” The spotlight began to shine for Lou as he picked up guest spots on shows like “Rescue Me”, “Damages”, “White Collar”, “The Black Donnelly’s”, “Conviction”
Vinny Pastore, Lou Martini Jr., Richard Vetere, Federicio Castelluccio, Paul Borghese and Sean Patrick Reilly attend the celebration of Richard Vetere's 60th birthday with readings from his plays at Cherry Lane Theatre on January 15, 2012 in New York City.
and many more. One of his fellow actors called him “the hardest working actor in New York”. This was not to far from the truth. Lou is always on the go looking to devote his love of acting to any project. “I always enjoyed acting on stage more than film or TV. Like I recently worked on a play with Vinny Pastore called “Wild Children”. It has to be one of my favorites. It was not an easy play to work but I enjoyed it nonetheless. Preparation is everything. I approach every role as a challenge.” Lou’s success would soon lead into a role that only he could fill. He was casted to play the brother-in-law of a mob boss in the blockbuster HBO series “The Sopranos”. The role of Anthony Infante was a fun yet short lived character. Yet it bared fruit as he was nominated a SAG Award nominee in the “Best Ensemble Drama”. As we know now the passing of James (Tony Soprano) Gandolfini was a big blow for Lou. “I heard about it while I was at a charity event for St. Jude. When I saw the flurry of text messages from fellow colleges it took a minute to register. It was very sad to lose such a talented and great person so young. He treated everyone equally a very generous man.” His most recent works include a Sundance Festival indie film called “Lbs” which was a heartfelt story of a man battling his addiction to overeating. Lou also appeared opposite many other talented actors in films like “To Redemption” with James MaCaffrey, Debbie Rochon in “Billy’s Cult”, “West End” with Eric Roberts and many others. Lou also has offered his voice over skills to popular video games like Grand Theft Auto.
“I find the more challenging role you offer me the better. I once played a psycho which is not an easy part to play. I believe you have to remove yourself and become the character. It is the only way to portray it correctly. I also enjoy playing the bad guy to get to the “dark side” which is fun.” In addition to all the acting Lou has even managed to have been awarded the “Key To The City” in Steubenville, Ohio. It is the town where legend Dean Martin was born and raised and every year they host an event in his honor. He was asked for the past few years to host the event and it has been a great experience. Lou has made a name for him-self in the business and has worked with many talented individuals. Yet he wishes one day to have the opportunity to work side by side with actors like Christian Bale, Viggo Mortensen and the grand-daddy of them all, Al Pacino. He recently is shopping his own screenplay called “Dads” who he would love Al Pacino to play his father in the film. Lou is also producing his own Reality Show called “Whacked - Where Are They Now”. The show is based on actors who have been eliminated in a film and the shows cast tries to find out whatever happened to them. To add to his credits he recently won the Best Actor Award at the prestigious Houston Film Festival for the soon to be released “SUICIDE NOTES” and he just shot a TV pilot for Dennis Leary called “BRONX WARRANTS” that could wind up on TV this fall. Lou is always on the move to branch out into different roles and become apart of something big. He is character actor and one to keep an eye on in future projects.
CYPRUS
ΕΥΑΓΟΡΑΣ ΠΑΛΛΗΚΑΡΙΔΗΣ Πάντα Θυμάμαι με ιδιαίτερη συγκίνηση την ομιλία της Μαρούλλας Παλληκαρίδη Βρυωνίδη πριν λίγα χρόνια στην Λάρισα, για τον Ήρωομάρτυρα αδελφό της Ευαγόρα Παλληκαρίδη που αγωνίστηκε με πάθος και αμείωτη ένταση για την ΕΝΩΣΗ της Κύπρου ΜΕ ΤΗΝ ΜΑΝΑ ΕΛΛΑΔΑ, ενάντια στην αγγλική αποικιοκρατία και την τουρκική επιβουλή και απαγχονίστηκε στις 14 Μαρτίου του 1957, ποτίζοντας με το Άλκιμο αθώο αίμα του, το δένδρο της Πανώριας Λευτεριάς. Καλεσμένη του τοπικού Συλλόγου Κυπρίων ήρθε στην πόλη μας μαζί με την Ελευθερία, για την οποία ο Ευαγόρας έγραφε από τα κελιά των μελλοθανάτων απευθυνόμενος στην αδελφή του: «…Λυπάμαι πολύ, πού δεν πρόφθασα να την βαφτίσω, μα δεν πειράζει. Μπο¬ρείς να το κάνεις κι εσύ. Τ' όνομα πού θα της δώσεις, θέλω να είναι πεντασύλλαβο και να Θυμίζει εκείνην, για την οποίαν ήρθα έως εδώ, εκείνη για την οποία έγραψε ο ποιητής Σολωμός το πιο όμορφο τραγούδι του. ΕΚΕΙΝΗΝ την οποίαν κάθε άνθρωπος επιθυμεί πιο πολύ απ' όλα. Κατάλαβες, αδελφή μου». Κατασυγκινημένη η αδελφή του Βαγορή αναφέρθηκε στην σύντομη ζωή του και πιο πολύ στις τελευταίες δύσκολες ώρες πριν οι άγγλοι αποικιοκράτες τον οδηγήσουν στο ικρίωμα της αγχόνης. Έχεις τίποτε να πεις, για να μην καταδικασθείς σε θάνατο; ρώτησε ο φλεγματικός άγγλος δικαστής. «Γνωρίζω ότι θα καταδικασθώ σε θάνατο, είπε ο Ευαγόρας, θα με κρεμάσετε, το ξέρω. Ό,τι έκαμα, το έκαμα ως Έλλην Κύπριος, πού Ζητά τη Ελευθερία του. Εύχομαι να είμαι ο τελευταίος πού θ' αντικρίσει την αγχόνη. Τίποτε άλλο! ...Κλεισμένος μέσα το στενό και ανήλιαγο κελί ο Ευαγόρας. κι απ' έξω η μάνα, ο πατέρας, οι αδελφές... Το πυκνό συρμάτινο πλέγμα κάνει το τοπίο θολό και δεν επιτρέπει να δουν καθαρά το πρόσωπο του που παρά τα φρικτά βασανιστήρια έλαμπε από χαρά. Ο Ευαγόρας αστειεύεται και εμψυχώνει τους δικούς του. Ήρεμος και γαλήνιος ετοιμάζεται να περάσει στη αιωνιότητα. Το εφηβικό του πρόσωπο, άστραψε πιο πολύ καθώς περνούσε στο λαιμό του το σύμβολο της πίστεως. Τώρα θα βγει συντροφιά μαζί του. Θα βαδίσει άφοβα προς την αθανασία….
ποιήματα. Τριάντα πέντε σχεδόν χρόνια μετά την θυσία του ο αείμνηστος Μάριος Τόκας μελοποίησε στοίχους του Ήρωα. Στοίχους που ευωδιάζουν Ελλάδα και αγνό ανεπιτήδευτο έρωτα. Και πριν δύο περίπου χρόνια κυκλοφόρησαν τα δύο νέα βιβλία του Ευαγόρα: «Αν θες να μάθεις νέα μου» το ένα, το «Κόκκινο τετράδιο» το άλλο. Πρόκειται για τα ποιήματα και τα γράμματα που ο Ευαγόρας έγραφε για ένα και μοναδικό αποδέκτη. Γραμμένα στα περιθώρια των μαθητικών τετραδίων, στα αντάρτικα λημέρια, ακόμα και μέσα από τα κελιά των μελλοθανάτων. «Τα γράμματα και τα ποιήματα που κατέχω και για πρώτη φορά δίνω στην δημοσιότητα, απευθύνονταν σε μένα και γράφτηκαν για μένα από τον Ευαγόρα Παλληκαρίδη, ένα από τους νεότερους σε ηλικία ήρωες του κυπριακού απελευθερωτικού αγώνα. Την έκδοση επιμελήθηκαν η Βούλα Κόκκινου και ο Σάββας Κόκκινος, που γράφουν σχετικά στον πρόλογο του βιβλίου: «Δεν υπάρχει καμιά αμφιβολία ότι ο Ευαγόρας Παλληκαρίδης, παρά το μικρό της ηλικίας του, ήταν ένας φτασμένος και πολύ προχωρημένος, για την εποχή του, ποιητής, αλλά και ένας βαθιά καλλιεργημένος άνθρωπος. Πολύπλευρος και πολυδιάστατος, και ως λογοτέχνης και ως άνθρωπος, έκανε και θα συνεχίσει να κάνει αισθητή την παρουσία του ανάμεσα μας. Δεν θα πάψει να βρίσκεται αενάως στη μνήμη του λαού, καθιστώντας υπερήφανο τον καθένα από εμάς ξεχωριστά και όλους μαζί.
Έτσι πέρασε στην αιωνιότητα ο Ευαγόρας αφήνοντας πίσω του κληρονομιά ανεκτίμητη το πολυσύνθετο έργο του. Αθλητής και ποιητής έγραψε πολλά πλούσια σε λυρισμό
Δρ. Ντίνος Αυγουστή Εκπαιδευτικός στο ΤΕΙ Λάρισα Από το Μονάγρι Λεμεσού a.avgoustis@hotmail.com
Ο Ευαγόρας Παλληκαρίδης που δεν ήταν ένας συνηθισμένος άνθρωπος… Ήταν ένα ανυπέρβλητο μέγεθος, ήταν ο Ήρωας, ήταν ο ίδιος ο Χρηστός (συγνώμη αν θεωρηθεί βλάσφημο).. ήταν ένας τιτάνας βγαλμένος μέσα από τους διαιώνιους θρύλους της Ελληνικής μυθολογίας….. Και που θα είναι στους αιώνες των αιώνων Πρότυπο Εθνικής Αξιοπρέπειας, Ηθικής Ευαισθησίας, Δημοκρατικού Ήθους, Ασυμβίβαστος Αγωνιστής της Ελευθερίας κατέχοντας άξια περίοπτη θέση στο αέτωμα των μαρτύρων του Κυπριακού Ελληνισμού.
News - NEW YORK
Why We Have Daylight Saving Time; Ever wonder why clocks get moved up an hour in spring? The reasons may surprise you
by Accuweather
Spring is approaching and our days are continuing to get “longer.” Today, March 9, daylight hours for most of us will begin even earlier in the evening when we move our clocks ahead an hour to begin daylight saving time. Many people will change their clocks, but do they know why? Daylight saving time was primarily started in the United States for the sake of conserving energy. The Standard Time Act was passed in 1918, which officially established time zones and incorporated daylight saving months into federal law. This was during World War I, when national efforts were made to conserve materials for the war effort. It was believed that if daytime hours could correspond better with natural light, fewer tasks would need to be done at night. Homes would need to use less energy to stay lit.
After the war, daylight saving time was revoked. When food conservation became mandatory in the United Sates during World War II (rather than just being encouraged as it was in WWI), daylight saving time was once again instated. Referred to as “War Time,” it spanned from early February until the end of September.
After the war “Peace Time” was back in effect and the issue of daylight saving time was handled on a local level. This led to a great deal of confusion as different locations were constantly operating at different times. The Uniform Time Act was passed in 1966 to solve the problem. States were given the option to opt out of daylight saving time if they passed proper ordinances. With daylight saving no longer a federal mandate, some states have chosen not to observe it. Among the states that don’t currently participate in daylight saving are Arizona and Hawaii, with several U.S. territories choosing not to follow it as well. Arizona has such intense heat in daylight hours that it’s not considered a benefit for its residents to be out for as much of it as possible. As for Hawaii, its location closer to the equator gives them more consistent “days” year round. They wouldn’t be gaining, or losing, many daylight hours by observing the clock change. Daylight saving time (also called “summer time”) is observed in many countries all over the world, though the time frame for it varies. In the United States it ran from the last Sunday in April to the first Sunday in October until the Energy Policy Act was passed in 2005. As of 2007, daylight saving now runs from the second Sunday in March until the first Sunday in November. The argument continues over whether or not daylight saving time makes enough of an impact on energy costs to be worth observing.
Ellopia’s Photo of the month
CINEMA
The Greatest Unscripted Movie Scenes Gun vs. Sword Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) Director - Steven Spielberg While chasing Marion Ravenwood (Karen Allen) after she’s been kidnapped, archaeologist and adventurer Dr. Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) runs into a large sword-wielding bad guy dressed all in black. Instead of fighting him in what would surely be a losing whip versus sword battle, Indy simply pulls out his revolver, puts the man down with one shot and moves on. The original script called for a long sword fight but a day earlier Ford got a severe case of food poisoning and didn’t have the energy to film the scene as written. After a discussion with director Steven Spielberg, the scene was changed and became an iconic part of Indiana
Necklace Laugh
Pretty Woman (1990) Director - Garry Marshall In what became one of the most famous scenes from the film, Edward Lewis (Richard Gere) presents call girl Vivian Ward (Julia Roberts) with a gorgeous and rather expensive diamond necklace. As Roberts reaches out to touch the precious jewels, Gere - in an unscripted playful moment - quickly snaps the box shut genuinely surprising her. Her laugh was so honest, and the scene so good, that Marshall decided to leave it in the film as is.
THE CAT The Godfather (1972) Director - Francis Ford Coppola Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando) is more than the coldhearted head of a powerful Italian mob family. That trait shows when he sentences a man to be beaten as retaliation for the beating of another man’s daughter - all while gently stroking a cat. Thing is, the cat was never part of the original script. Some reports say that Coppola plopped the feline into Brando’s lap just before filming began. Other reports say Brando found “il gatto” roaming around the set, picked him and gave him an offer he couldn’t refuse (heh).
by Paul Young
Hellas information
What’s the Problem with Google Glass? By Anisse Gross
I remember listening to music on my iPhone one morning in the salty, rust-tinged gym at the Dolphin Club, one of the oldest swimming and boating clubs in San Francisco. An elderly man in a Speedo tapped me on the shoulder. “We don’t do that here,” he said, pointing to my headphones as I removed them. “The Walkman effect,” a term coined by the music scholar Shuhei Hosokawa in 1984, refers to the disconnection between a person using headphones to listen to music and her surroundings. It turned out that the man had been trying to tell me something important as I listened to Rihanna on the Stairmaster. In most places outside the Dolphin Club, headphone use hasn’t raised an eyebrow for nearly a quarter of a century. It seems normal that certain technologies let us immerse ourselves in a private environment while in the public sphere. Google Glass, the company’s new wearable computer built into glasses, promises to allow users to access their e-mails, texts, and the Internet via voice and physical commands, while keeping their eyes on the world. The social norms for the product have yet to be established; Google cautions wearers to be prepared for a reaction when wearing them in the real world. Those reactions are not always positive. Google Glass is a computer on your face, which has been a hard sell for many. Sarah Slocum, a technology and marketing consultant, was wearing Google Glass last week when she entered Molotov’s, a neighborhood dive bar with a punk vibe on Haight Street in San Francisco, around 1:30 A.M. on February 21st. “Molotov’s is not really Google Glass country,” Brian Parks, a thirty-two-year-old who patronizes the bar but wasn’t there that night, told a local news station. Slocum was at the end of a pub crawl when she entered Molotov’s, and patrons were less than pleased. A woman at the bar flipped her off, and another guy tore the glasses from her face and ran off with them. He eventually returned them, but, Slocum said, her purse and other belongings went missing amid the confusion. Slocum posted a YouTube video of part of the incident, recorded through her Google Glass, in which the woman who flipped
her off is shown telling her, “You’re killing the city.” That sentiment has been echoed in many other San Francisco dustups related to the area’s rapid influx of tech wealth. Some see Google Glass as the perfect symbol of the current struggle. I know the woman in the video—the one who flipped Slocum off and told her she was killing San Francisco—casually through a mutual friend. She hasn’t spoken to the press about what happened and talked to me only on the condition of anonymity. She told me that when she saw Slocum wearing Google Glass, she felt uncomfortable and assumed she was being recorded. “I couldn’t believe someone was wearing them in the bar,” she said. “It did not sit right with me. When she looked my way I flipped her off so she knew how I felt about her wearing them there.” The woman, an off-duty bartender employed at Molotov’s, said she was fired after the incident drew media attention. “People know I’m soft-spoken, so they were surprised that I said anything to her, but I felt like I needed to protect our town,” she told me. “When I saw her wearing the glasses, all I could think of was my friends who are being pushed out of the city. The only people who can afford to live here are techies. I was born and raised here, and for the first time in my life I want to leave.” Slocum, who was also raised in the Bay Area, acknowledged that the conflict stemmed partly from the perception among some that Google Glass is a symbol of privilege and the rising presence of affluent tech workers in the community. “I think this whole situation is very much about techies versus nontechies,” she said. “It’s rooted in the fact that Google Glass is seen as a new product that only certain people have access to.”Slocum received the glasses about a month ago from a developer friend who wasn’t using them on a regular basis. She wears them regularly, and was approved to join Google Glass’s tople get angry at Glass. They get angry at you for wearing Glass.” Photograph by Emiliano Granado.
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