Freedom to Rebuild 9/11 Church

Transcript

1 PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID PERMIT No 43 UPPER DARBY, PA Conscious of and Responsive to Community Pride and Spirit $96 for two years Subscription $4 per copy ª π NEA THN Y HPE IA TOY E HNI M OY TH AMEPIKH * MEMBER OF PE NNSYLVANIA PUBLISHERS ASSOCIATION & PHILA - DELCO PRESS CLUB AN INDEPENDENT BILINGUAL PUBLICATION SERVING THE GREEK AMERICAN COMMUNITY SINCE 1987 Vol.24, No WEST CHESTER PIKE, HAVERTOWN, PA Tel.: (610) Fax: (610) info@hellenicnews.com New direct flight from Athens to NY from June 24 Hellenic Imperial Airways inaugurated a new direct flight linking Athens to New York on June 24. The airline said the ticket price will be between 150 dollars and 300 dollars cheaper than those currently on offer, starting at 890 dollars return. New direct flight from Athens to NY from June 24. Continued on page 16 Hellenic Professional Women Host Networking Dinner IN NEW YORK May 24, 2011, New Hyde Park, NY - As part of its ongoing speaker series, Hellenic Professional Women, Inc. (HPW), a membership-based nonprofit organization, recently hosted a networking dinner where over 50 women attended to meet and hear Continued on page 23 IMF Says Greece Will Pull It Through Greece will make it and it will gain the trust of markets again as long as it is committed to implementing the reforms, IMF official Poul Thomsen told Dow Jones Newswires. The pessimism in Greece in misplaced because by 2012 the country will have a primary surplus and a Continued on page17 Interview with Kosta Demopoulos: 2011 Hellenic Times Scholarship Recipient By: Markos Papadatos, Staff Reporter Creative icon Walt Disney once said: all our dreams come true, if we have the courage to pursue them. An individual who embodies this Continued on page17 N.Y., March 15-18, 2012 AC Freedom to Rebuild 9/11 Church Remarks at the rally to rebuild the Church at Ground Zero held this on Sunday June 26, The rally was organized by AHEPA, the largest Greek American Organization. Sadly, the Port Authority continues its shameful conduct in blocking the rebuilding of the only house of worship destroyed on September 11, With Independence Day approaching, let us remember that it was on July 4th that we gained our freedom and it was on September 11th that this very freedom was attacked. Now the Port Authority refuses to stand up for our freedom to rebuild the 9/11 Church. Our nation was founded on the principles of free- dom and it would have been unfathomable to our founding fathers that the nation they fought, bled, and died to establish would ever thwart its own citizens attempt to rebuild a Church destroyed by a foreign enemy. As we approach the 10th anniversary of the evil attacks on our freedom, I remain committed to this most significant cause. We must unite and rally people of all faiths from across America and around the world to ensure that the 9/11 Church is rebuilt in honor of America, said George Demos, who is a former candidate for United States Congress in New York s First District. Doctors Prescribe Bedroom, Not Pharmacy, In Their 10 Proven Steps to Ultimate Health Southlake, Texas, June 1, 2011 They aren t suggesting you cajole your spouse into bed with the plaintive wail, But honey, it s doctor s orders! Some might try that approach, of course, but the physicians who wrote Stay Young: Continued on page 18 AHEPA held a rally at Ground Zero in support of rebuilding St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church on Sun., June 26, More than 200 persons attended the rally at which Supreme President Nicholas Karacostas, members of the Supreme Lodge, and local politicians called for the bureaucratic red tape to be cut and the Church, which was destroyed in the September 11 attacks, to be rebuilt at its agreed upon location-130 Liberty Street. We will not rest until we have this church rebuilt, right on this corner here, 130 Liberty Street, said Karacostas. The rally received media coverage from the CBS, NBC, and FOX affiliates as well as NY1. AHEPA sincerely thanks all the participants who attended the rally. Supreme President Karakostas far Right with Members of the Supreme Lodge Special Olympics opens in Athens with spectacular ceremony ATHENS -- Greek President Karolos Papoulias officially declared open the Athens 2011 World Summer Special Olympics on Saturday evening in a spectacular ceremony staged at the Panathinaikon Stadium, the venue of the first modern 1896 Olympic Games. Continued on page 22 Nicholas Karakostas to hand over Presidency in Miami By Dimitri G. Soultogiannis Special to the Hellenic News of America During the AHEPA District 4 Convention, the Hellenic News of America had the chance to talk to Supreme President Nicholas Karakostas who was getting ready to hand over the AHEPA Presidency to the future President of the organization, to be elected during AHEPA s national convention in Miami, FL in late July. The past two years consisted of hard work on Karakostas part who always tried to take the organization to the next level. When asked whether the members approved his work, Karakostas said he Continued on page 5 GREECE: An Outline Geography Greece, formally known as the Hellenic Republic, is located in southeastern Europe and is distinguished by one of the most unique geographic formations in Europe. The country totals 50,959 square miles, in The Modern Olympic Games The Continued on page 28 Where Everyone Finds What They Love To Read!

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5 Continued from page one Make your first decision the right decision Aivazoglou & Mikropoulos Attorneys at Law Hellenic News of America Nicholas Karakostas to hand over Presidency in Miami hopes to have met most members expectations. Certainly the expectations were very high and some of the good work was created and started by my predecessors including the two immediate presidents, Gus James and Ike Gulas, who both served two terms and have done an excellent job, he said. According to Karakostas there was a need to reestablish a connection with the Chapter members. Much of the focus over the last years has been Washington DC and our lobbying efforts, which is very important. However we cannot forget, the reason that the AHEPA is the largest and oldest Greek-American Organization was because of the grass roots membership in the various Chapters around the United States and Canada. And as you know we are slightly older organization in terms of age and we have started to make a youth movement. I tried to continue that and also to reenergize and revitalize the base, he said. So first on the agenda was membership, local membership. In order to facilitate that instead of having one banquette in Washington DC as Ahepa has always done, as has been their tradition, these past two years we tried to have four local, regional banquettes, in New York, in Houston Texas, in Los Angeles California and in Chicago Illinois, to attract the local, regional Chapters to participate. At those banquettes we honored politicians, philanthropists, humanitarians etc. and that created more excitement and more participation from the local level. In addition to the membership we wanted to continue the good work my predecessors did, on behalf of Greece and Cyprus, we wanted to continue the good work that we did on the Hill with our Congressmen and - Senators, we want to continue the good work that we did with our educational foundation and of course last but not least the housing for elderly and the Coolidge Anemia Foundation, he added. When asked about how Ahepa s mission has changed over the years Karakostas said initially our mission was to fight racism and ethnic persecution like organizations such as the Ku-Klux-Klan, it was initially to help the Greek immigrants assimilate in the United States environment and culture but now that has changed and our mission statement of course is to promote family, education, civic responsibility and individual excellence. Our focus over the years has been to continue and promote our culture, our heritage, our language and we do that through the educational scholarships that we give the cultural programs that we have, we raised awareness over AHEPA s name and the traditions that it holds through our housing, we are the largest organization that has senior residents housing around the United States and also through our philanthropic programs where we donate money to charity such as Coolidge Anemia Foundation which is very important to us, Karakostas also spoke about the younger Greek-Americans and the reasons why they are not willing as much to join Ahepa or similar organizations. Because of computers and video games today it does not challenge the children to get out the way they did when I was growing up, there was no computers back then, there was no video games and there was no internet cafes and there was no Kafeneio where you sit there with your computer or your blackberry. I mean the responsibility is on us and when I say us I mean the older generation and not just AHEPA but the responsibility is on all of us to educate our youth and certainly, one of the things that AHEPA has done in the last two years is become more technologically advanced. Members can join online, they don t have to belong to a Chapter, members can get our press releases and our magazine online, they don t have to belong to a Chapter, and they can participate in our events without being members, he said. So we try to make it more comfortable to them and more attractive to them and we try to spread the word through media such as yours so that they understand.that there is this wonderful organization that offers so many different aspects that they can perhaps identify with one of the programs of the many that AHEPA has, he added. Nicholas Karakostas is senior vice president of Arch Insurance Group, New York City. Nick is responsible for the Customer Claim Center, which encompasses the Alternative Markets, Construction, Programs and National Accounts Claims groups, who utilize Third Party Administrators to handle their claims. Prior to this position, Nick was serving as Vice President of Litigation Management and Vendor Services since October 2002 when he joined Arch. Prior to joining Arch, Nick worked at Zurich North America in various capacities from May 1996 October His positions included Director of Claims Marketing and Customer Service, Director of Staff Counsel Customer Service, and Senior Trial Counsel. Before joining Zurich, Nick served four years as Trial Attorney for General Accident Insurance, Co., and two years as Special Assistant Corporation Counsel for the City of New York. Nick holds a J.D. degree from the City University of New York Law School and a B.A. degree from New York University. Nick played soccer with the Pancyprian Association of America, Inc. with their Junior teams from He has served as their Legal advisor since 1991 till present. He is a member of the Board of HANAC, Inc., and Chairman of its subsidiary Home Services Systems, Inc., as well as Member of the Board of St. Michael s Home. He has served for six years on the Parish Council member of the St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church of Flushing N.Y. Nick Resides in Bayside, N.Y. with wife Anna and daughters Georgia and Andreana. Nick was born in Kyrenia, Cyprus and immigrated to the United States in Free legal advice with no obligations u u u u u Work injuries Auto accident cases Business law Criminal defence Divorce u u u u Fax: Chester Pike, Eddystone, PA Εργατικά Ατυχήματα Εμπορικό Δίκαιο Εγκληματολογικά Χρεωκοπήσεις 1930 Rt. 70 East # L59, Cherry Hill, NJ CATHERINE TSOUNIS Associate Broker ctsounis@aol.com North Fork Real Estate Experts for Three Generations! 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6 6 Hellenic News of America WHO OWES TO WHOM... A British journalist on Greek contribution to Modern History Five hundred years of foreign rule, followed by a century of war and atrocities... is it any surprise that the Greek economy today is in crisis? WHAT DOES HERMES EXPO DO FOR US AND WHY WE SHOULD ATTEND *BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES, COMMUNICA- TIONS, EDUCATION, CULTURE: By Michael Hanlon DAILY MAIL 21/06/2011 Greece, everyone increasingly seems to agree, is a basket case. As its economic crisis deepens, politicians and pundits are queuing up to demand its expulsion from the Euro, even the EU itself, and let this nation of work-shy orientalist scroungers, whingers and layabouts go to the third-world hell where it belongs. There is an alternative view. Greece is not perfect. Its politicians have indeed been corrupt, useless and lazy. But having lived in the country for a short time in the 1980s and having got to know a little of its people and history, I can see another side of Greece that needs to be taken into account one which makes the current wave of hostility seem laughably unfair. First, some history not ancient history, of which Greece has aplenty, but the more recent, relevant stuff of which it has, sadly, rather too much as well. By early 1941 only one major nation still stood free, shoulder to shoulder with the British Empire and actively fighting against the Nazis. That country was not America, which was still sitting on the fence, nor the USSR, which was still on the wrong side, but Greece a country parts of which, remember, had only won their independence from the Turks in the 1920s. When Mussolini invaded in 1940 his large, organised and hi-tech Italian army was soundly thrashed by the Greeks, whose soldiers may have been poorly equipped (they actually had no tanks at all and only a few ancient aircraft) but fought like dragons. This was the first Allied victory in the War, and was hugely damaging to Axis morale so much so that some historians argue that the Greeks gave Hitler pause for thought in his plans to invade the USSR. Nobody derided Greece as a nation of feckless layabouts then; as Churchill said, Hence we will not say that Greeks fight like heroes, but that heroes fight like Greeks. Greece was, in the end, invaded by the Wehrmacht. And this is where things get really nasty. The behaviour of occupied nations and their peoples during WW2 remains hugely controversial. Who collaborated and to what degree, who protected their Jews, whose resistance was most effective these are questions that are open sores in the European psyche to this day and will keep historians busy for centuries. What is not controversial is that Greece put up fiercer resistance to Nazi occupation than just about anywhere else, and paid a terrible price. Throughout the War, groups of Andartes (resistance fighters) ambushed German supply lines, killed and captured senior Nazi and Italian commanders and generally made life hell for the occupiers. When they could, the Germans exacted a terrible revenge go to the village of Kandanos in western Crete and you can see the plaque in memory of the massacre that took place after one well-executed resistance operation. Greek resistance, notably matched by that put up by anti-fascist partisans from Bulgaria and Yugoslavia to the north, was fierce, unrelenting and well-organised across all classes of society from the clergy to the aristocracy to the humblest peasants. Greek collaboration certainly existed, but to a far lesser extent than was seen in just about any other occupied European country. Some 300,000 civilians died in Athens alone during the years ; in the occupation, between 5 per cent and 10 per cent of the entire Greek civilian population perished, with the bulk of the casualties among the young, economically active classes. More than 80 per cent of Greek Jews were murdered by the Nazis and again these people formed a substantial part of the Greek professional, intellectual and entrepreneurial class. By 1944, Greek industry was in ruins, the nation s wealth looted, its fields untilled and its livestock starving; a million people homeless and the economy plundered. Along with Poland and parts of the occupied Soviet Union, Greece can lay claim to have suffered more than any other nation during the conflict. Then, after Liberation, came a ghastly civil war, which killed another 50,000 and made a million more homeless. Then a brief period of democracy followed by a US-backed military coup and finally, in the 1970s, a democracy again. That s a lot of history in a short time. Many individual people will have lived through it all; indeed, a handful may be still alive today. Five hundred years of Turkish rule, followed by a century of war, occupation, atrocities, superpower meddling, self-inflicted misery and coups. So it is not surprising that the Greek economy today is not in the best of shape. Last year, two German MPs suggested helpfully that Greece might consider selling a couple of its islands to help pay off its debt. I can only imagine how this advice was received by the ancient widows of Crete who, to this day, can remember all too well what happened the last time northern Europeans thought it might be a good idea to grab the Greek archipelago. You may not buy the line that Greece is the birthplace of Western Civilisation or democracy. You may go there on holiday or business and be struck by the contract between the supposed ordered meritocracy of Classical Athens and the shambolic, corrupt chaos of today s Hellenes. World War Two was a long time ago and no one can hark back to past glories or injustices forever. Greece has been borrowing money at German interest rates and not matching it with German productivity and you can hardly blame today s Germany, or anywhere else for that matter, for today s Greek woes. All fair enough. But do not forget that this tiny, relatively poor, rural nation of argumentative monks, shepherds, fishermen and a few intellectuals kept fascism at bay along Europe s southern flank for a few precious months and, if this really did stop Hitler invading Russia until it was too late for him to win, we may have the Greeks as much as anyone to thank for the fact that we are not speaking German. We owe them more than they us, and let us not forget that. Read more at: view/1895/79/lang,el/ * Brings people together, people who you recognize and people you want to know. * Gives exposure to products you know or you wish to knew * Provides a platform for your ideas, your concerns about various products or services. * Provides you with opportunities for your networking capabilities. * Put you squarely in the middle of a tasting and sampling festival. * Gathers enough intelligence on behalf of your business. * Involves ourselves in educational and cultural endeavors just so that we all can advance our Hellenic Heritage. * Advances US - South Eastern European countries Trade relations for identification of profitable opportunities. * Hermes was instrumental in formalizing the Thessaloniki- Philadelphia trade pact April 2004 and the Thessaloniki - Philadelphia Port Authorities pact on April 2-3, * Hermes was the key to the ties that now link Greece, the Balkans and the US Market through HELEXPO in Thessaloniki, Greece. See you at the Expo on March 31 in New York and on April 2-3, 2011 at the TROPICANA Hotel in Atlantic City, NJ Have we convinced you? tell others! If still NOT call us. Thank you March 15-18, st Hermes Expo International

7 Hellenic News of America 7 Hellenic News of America LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Προς την Α. Ε. τον Πρόεδρο της Ελληνικής Δημοκρατίας Κύριο Κάρολο Παπούλια 26 West Chester Pike P.O. BOX 1246, HAVERTOWN, PA Tel:(610) * Fax info@ hellenicnews.com Published in Philadelphia, PA since 1987 Pavlos Kotrotsios Founder & Publisher Editorial Advisory Board Rev. D. Constantelos, PhD. Professor Chris Evangeliou Rev. Nektarios Kotrotsios Professor Panos Yannakogiorgos Aurelia Smeltz Dr. Nikos Mezitis Nikos Kolovos, Esq. George Zapantis, Esq. Dean Lomis,PhD. Dr. James Melis Froso Manakos Constantine O. Stephanou Demetri Monos, PhD. Dr. Robert Zaller Contributing Science Editors: Professor Christos Evangeliou, Nicholas C. Georgantzas, Ph.D. Senior Editor: Lambis Christou Editorial Consultant: Nicholas Kolovos, Esq. Legal Representative: Harry J. Karapalides, Esq Photographers: Eleftherios Kostans, Gloria Kins,NY, Bill Petros, Washington,DC, Maria Tolios, NY, George Tsavalas, DE Circulation: Linda Kozompolis & Iliada Karp Art & Design: Natalie Foxhill Correspondents & Contributing Editors: Washington, DC: Yiorgos (George) Papageorgiou Gene Rossides, Nick Larigakis, Bill Petros Baltimore, Metro: Georgia Vavas, Jason Filippou, Professor Christos Evangeliou, Kosta Metallinos Philadelphia, PA: Jerry Bloom, Gilda Morigi, Lily Bita, Linda Kotrotsios, Nick Catsis California: Dr. Michael Geokas Chicago, IL: Sot. Rekoumis, Maria Hatzinakou Connecticut: Elias Tomazos, Simeon Mavridis New York: Professor Katherine Tsounis, Gloria Kins, Markos Papadatos, Contributing Journalist New Jersey: Professor Panos Yannakogeorgos, Margarita Actipis-Bowden, Panos Stavrianidis, Stelios Maroulis Wilmington,DE: Dr. Dean Lomis,Dr. Pete Yiannos, George Tsavalas Germany: Angeliki Ioannou, Savvas Ioannou Brussels, EU: Christos Angelis Greece, Athens: Alex Rigas Greekinsight.gr, Yorgo Tahtsidis Thessaloniki: Harry Apostolidis, Esq., Chris Nikolaides, Chrysa Samou, Dinos Kostopoulos ADVERTISING: Linda Kozompolis, or vist Copyright 2011, Ethno Communications, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction or use of any material including advertising art, without written permission is prohibited. The Hellenic News of America encourages contributions from local organizations, business and government agencies in keeping with the space available in each issue. Articles must be typewritten on one side only. 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Συνέχιση της ίδιας πολιτικής, με την οικονομική ύφεση και την περαιτέρω αύξηση του δημοσίου χρέους που προκαλεί, θα οδηγήσει στο ξεπούλημα της δημόσιας περιουσίας (ίδε Αποκρατικοποιήσεις και Αξιοποίηση Δημόσιας Περιουσίας στο προταθέν Μεσοπρόθεσμο Δημοσιονομικό Πλαίσιο), μεγαλύτερη εξαθλίωση του λαού λόγω περαιτέρω αύξησης του ποσοστού ανεργίας, ενώ οι Ελληνικές πόλεις θα καταστούν αβίωτες εξ αιτίας της αναπότρεπτης κοινωνικής έκρηξης. Αν καταλήξουμε σε αναδιαπραγμάτευση/αναδιάρθρωση του χρέους μας υπό παρόμοιες συνθήκες, θα πρόκειται για ελεγχόμενη πτώχευση υπό δυσμενέστατους όρους, υπαγορευμένους από άλλους. Για να προληφθούν αυτές οι δυσμενείς εξελίξεις, η Κυβέρνηση πρέπει χωρίς καθυστέρηση να πάρει την πρωτοβουλία και με αποφασιστικότητα να χαράξει ένα νέο δρόμο για την Ελλάδα. Συγκεκριμένα, Κύριε Πρόεδρε, προτείνουμε: Να καταγγελθεί πάραυτα το Μνημόνιο, προβάλλοντας νομικούς όρους και ατέλειες κατά την υπογραφή του, την αντισυνταγματικότητα όρων του, και την απουσία αλληλεγγύης των πλουσίων/ανεπτυγμένων χωρών της ΕΕ προς την Ελλάδα. Επικαλούμενη το επαχθές-απεχθές βάρος του χρέους για τον Ελληνικό λαό, η Κυβέρνηση να προχωρήσει σε προσδιορισμό των όρων της Ελλάδος γιά μία αναδιάρθρωσή του, η οποία απαραίτητα να περιλαμβάνει και ένα «κούρεμα» ύψους 30-40%, επιδιώκοντας τη σύμφωνη γνώμη των εταίρων μας στην ΕΕ. Το εναπομένον ποσό του χρέους πρέπει να εξυπηρετείται από τον κρατικό προϋπολογισμό, χωρίς τη δημιουργία νέων ελλειμμάτων. Να κηρυχθεί στάση εξωτερικών πληρωμών μέχρι να υπάρξει συμφωνία με τους δανειστές μας και την ΕΕ για τους ανωτέρω όρους της αναδιάρθρωσης. Η Κυβέρνηση να νομοθετήσει άμεσα την εσαεί λειτουργία του κράτους υπό καθεστώς μηδενικού ελλείμματος. Επί πλέον, εκφράζοντας τη γενικευμένη λαϊκή απαίτηση, να λάβει τα ακόλουθα μέτρα χρηστής και δίκαιης διακυβέρνησης: δίκαιη φορολόγηση εισοδημάτων και περιουσίας - συμπεριλαμβανομένων των καταθέσεων στο εξωτερικό, δήμευση της περιουσίας καταχραστών δημόσιας περιουσίας, δήμευση περιουσίας που δεν δικαιολογείται από δήλωση πόθεν έσχες του ιδιοκτήτη, και δραστική περιστολή των δαπανών, αρχίζοντας με περικοπή σε βαθμό τουλάχιστον 50% των δαπανών προς όφελος των εκλεγμένων αντιπροσώπων του λαού, βουλευτών, δημάρχων, αντιδημάρχων, κλπ. Η Κυβέρνηση να απαιτήσει άμεσα από την Γερμανική Κυβέρνηση την πληρωμή του κατοχικού δανείου και των πολεμικών επανορθώσεων που η Γερμανία οφείλει στην Ελλάδα από τον Β Παγκόσμιο Πόλεμο, η οποία πληρωμή θα κάλυπτε ένα πολύ υψηλό ποσοστό του Ελληνικού χρέους. Κύριε Πρόεδρε, δεν παραβλέπουμε τον κίνδυνο η αναδιάρθρωσηεπαναδιαπραγμάτευση, με πρωτοβουλία της Ελλάδος, από κοινού με το «κούρεμα» και με την προσωρινή στάση πληρωμών, να μας θέσει εκτός της Ευρωζώνης. Η πιθανότητα μιας τέτοιας εξέλιξης εκτιμάται πολύ μικρή, πρώτον διότι δεν πιστεύουμε ότι προβλέπεται αποβολή μέλους από την Ευρωζώνη, αλλά κυρίως γιατί κάτι τέτοιο θα σήμαινε σημαντικά προβλήματα για το ευρώ και τους χρηματοπιστωτικούς οργανισμούς της ΕΕ, ενώ θα αύξανε και το ρίσκο των δανειστών μας να απωλέσουν πολύ μεγαλύτερο ποσοστό των κεφαλαίων τους. Ωστόσο, τίποτε δεν μπορεί να αποκλειστεί. Μια έξοδος, λοιπόν, από την Ευρωζώνη, αν και δεν έχει προηγούμενο, μπορεί να μας επιβληθεί και να έχει δυσάρεστες συνέπειες. Υπάρχει σοβαρός κίνδυνος να προκληθεί πανικός στις τράπεζες και προσωρινή απομόνωσή μας από τις αγορές. Όμως, όλες οι αρνητικές συνέπειες μπορούν να ελεγχθούν σε ικανοποιητικό βαθμό και βαθμηδόν να εξουδετερωθούν, χάρη στις δυνατότητες αντίδρασης που εξασφαλίζει ένα εθνικό νόμισμα ελεγχόμενο 100% από την Ελληνική Κυβέρνηση. Τέλος, θα υπενθυμίσουμε την ανάγκη επαγρύπνησης στα εθνικά μας θέματα, των οποίων πολυάριθμες εξελίξεις μας ανησυχούν στο έπακρον, καθώς είναι αδύνατον να αντιμετωπισθούν μέσα στο καθεστώς οικονομικής εξαθλίωσης που οδηγείται η χώρα από το Μνημόνιο. Συνεπώς, κι αν ακόμη υπήρχαν κυρίαρχοι παράγοντες που θα μας επέβαλλαν παραμονή υπό το καθεστώς του Μνημονίου, αυτό θα έπρεπε να αποκλεισθεί με κάθε τρόπο και κάθε θυσία, από τη στιγμή που θέτει σε σοβαρό κίνδυνο την εθνική μας υπόσταση και κυριαρχία. Οι Έλληνες αυτή τη στιγμή αισθάνονται ταπεινωμένοι και ανίσχυροι. Η έξοδος από την πολιτική των Μνημονίων θα ανυψώσει το ηθικό του λαού, απαραίτητη προϋπόθεση γιά την επαναφορά της χώρας σε τροχιά ανάπτυξης και για την περιφρούρηση των εθνικών μας συμφερόντων. Εξοχότατε Κύριε Πρόεδρε, μαζί με την αποδοχή και άμεση εφαρμογή των ανωτέρω προτάσεων, κορυφαίο ζητούμενο γιά τη σωτηρία της χώρας είναι η ένωση των πολιτικών δυνάμεων, οι οποίες παρά τις πανθομολογούμενες ευθύνες τους συνεχίζουν να τραβούν το σχοινί της αδιαλλαξίας και να δρούν σύμφωνα με τα ιδιαίτερα πολιτικά τους συμφέροντα. Με το προσωπικό σας κύρος και την ηθική δύναμη της θέσης σας, προχωρήσετε άμεσα στις απαιτούμενες ενέργειες γιά την επιτυχία αυτών των στόχων, ώστε η Ελλάδα να ξαναγίνει κυρίαρχος του οίκου της και ο λαός μας να αποκτήσει πάλι αυτοπεποίθηση για το μέλλον του. Οι Υπογράφοντες ειναι ακαδημαϊκοί και επιστήμονες, η πλειοψηφία των οποίων είναι μέλη του Hellenic Electronic Center/Professors and Ph.D. s forum. 1. Αθανασάκης Απόστολος, PhD, Professor of Classics, Argyropoulos Chair in Hellenic Studies, University of California, Santa Barbara, USA. 2. Αναγνωστόπουλος Σταύρος Α., PhD, Καθηγητής Πολιτικών Μηχανικών, Διευθυντής Τομέα Κατασκευών, Πανεπιστήμιο Πατρών, ΕΛΛΑΣ. 3. Αναστασοπούλου Ιωάννα, PhD, Καθηγήτρια, Εθνικό Μετσόβιο Πολυτεχνείο, ΕΛΛΑΣ. 4. Ανδρεάτος Αντώνιος, PhD, Καθηγητής, Τομέας Πληροφορικής και Υπολογιστών, Σχολή Ικάρων, ΕΛΛΑΣ. SUBSCRIBE TO THE HELLENIC NEWS OF AMERICA SEND A GIFT SUBSCRIPTION!

8 8 Hellenic News of America Rayna Aivazoglou: Women Sex Trafficking What is human trafficking exactly? Human trafficking, simply put, is the transferring or receiving of a person for the purpose of exploiting her It is also easily defined as the new era of slavery. Approximately 160 years ago, slavery was abolished in many countries around the world. So one would think that in present day, civilized society, these inhumane acts of slavery would be forgotten. In reality, this activity has not been suppressed but actually continues to flourish exponentially. Every year, hundreds of thousands of women are abducted, deceived, seduced or sold into forced prostitutions and coerced to serve thousands of men before being discarded. These sex slaves create the most profitable illicit enterprises, generating huge profits for their exploiters. Unlike narcotics, which must be grown, harvested, refined and packaged, sex slaves require no such processing and can be continually consumed. The convoluted process of human trafficking can be explained through a simple equation. First, the traffickers, known as the pimps or madams, travel to source regions such as Central America and Eastern Europe which are typically very poor with unstable governments. There, the traffickers obtain their victims who appear defenseless, poor, uneducated and young. These women are lured with a promise of some kind of job but end up in the clutches of an unscrupulous sex mafia. Once abducted by the mafia, their paperwork and passports are confiscated and then they are taken to a brothel or slave camp; thus, the girls cannot runaway, they do not know the language nor law and they have ultimately nowhere to turn. Unfortunately during their time with the mafia, many of the victims or young women pick up heavy alcohol and drug habits, leading them to a life dependent on their masters. Perhaps personal anecdotes from human trafficking survivors would help to further expose the perverseness and tragedy behind this phenomenon. Dai, a survivor of human trafficking, shared her traumatic experience with the New York Anti-Trafficking Coalition to bring awareness to the United States. After escaping her abusive husband who, in fact, beat her as she was handcuffs to doors, Dai resorted to traveling from one homeless shelter to the next. One day, a middle-age woman, who had been watching Dai very closely, approached her, feeling sympathetic to her situation and convinced Dai to join the woman s supposed Escort Service, ensuring her a better life. Because of Dai s desperate state she accepted the offer and indeed, became a victim of human trafficking. In describing these brothels Dai recounts, most of us were incarcerated in basements, underneath casinos and in abandoned warehouses. Our desperate cries for help were silenced by the walls, which separated us from the rest of the world. Dai explains how she felt similar to cattle on a cart as truck drivers carried the women on cross-country trips, stopping at warehouses where two or three women at a time would be summoned out. We were given shoes and clothing so we would not appear as homeless refugees. We had to walk a block down to a near by truck stop, given fifteen minutes to bathe ourselves, then return to the truck quickly for our rendezvous with the gentlemen who requested us, Dai recounted. Multiple times she attempted to cry out to policemen on the street; however, having swore to remain silent to the sex mafia, said nothing as she feared of jeopardizing her life and those of the other women. Years later, Dai was able to escape from her master when she was bought by an affluent gentleman who in turn convinced Dai to become a female pimp herself. Many women like Dai, even when they can run away, ultimately return to this profession because they either have become dependent on their drugs or need money to buy them or they have become so distorted that they cannot reenter the real world. Where had Dai s story taken place? Not in any far flung part of the world but instead, in our own country right here in Nevada. relatable to us is about Debbie, a fifteen-year-old straight A student, raised in an affluent family. As Debbie left her house in the safe suburbs of Phoenix to meet her friend, she at no time expected this close friend to betray her by handing her over to a sex mafia. So I went and I started to go give her a hug, Debbie tells Primetime And that s when she pushed me in the car. Debbie s body was tied, her mouth was tightly taped and she was told that if she made a sound, the man fiddling with the gun, in the backseat, would shoot her in the head. After being abducted and raped, the men asked her if she was hungry and upon her refusal of food, Debbie recounts, That s when they put a dog biscuit in my mouth, trying to get me to eat it. Debbie ended up living in a dog kennel where she was forced to eat and sleep in a dog crate with other women in between her encounters with men. For more than 40 days, she was held captive, forced to have sex with over 50 different men who often were married and went home to their families. If she spoke out to the police, Debbie was threatened that the pimps would go after her family or throw battery acid on her 19 year old niece. Today according to the Polaris Project Statistics, 800,000 individuals are trafficked across international borders every year; 80 percent of these victims are women and young girls. Globally, 32 billion dollars of yearly profits are generated by the human trafficking industry ( Human Trafficking Statistics ). Given these statistics, awareness must be raised and efforts must be made to suppress this tragic industry. Countries around the world are taking initiatives to help end human trafficking through many campaigns and corporations. One of the principle organizations, UNODC or the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, is constantly drafting laws to create antitrafficking strategies. Their approach to suppressing trafficking rests in the three P s, prevention of trafficking in persons, protection of victims, and prosecution of traffickers ( Human Trafficking ). What is the United States doing? In 2000, the US Senate under George W. Bush passed legislation against sex trafficking through its Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act or the TVPA. This bill strengthened services to victims, education against human trafficking and established a mandate in order to collect funds for shelter, education, food etc. for targeted victims. It also protects the women who have been brought to the US as prostitutes, allowing them three years from being deported after turning themselves in with a specific non-immigrant visa ( U.S. Attorney General on Trafficking Victims Protection Act ). Today, the State Department publishes reports on trafficking annually, which account for the arrested mafias and rescued victims. Additionally, Restore NYC is just one example of the infinite number of organizations established for helping human trafficking survivors. The facility offers a nurturing environment, counseling, financial assistants and court advocacy to heal traumatized victims and empower themselves to continue better lives ( Freedom, Safety, Identity ). We as women are flourishing into strong and successful beings on the basis of the strong education that many of these victimized women were unable to receive. So I advise you to be smart, to never be too comfortable wherever you are in the world because those who deceive us like these sex mafias may be right around the corner ready to lure us into the devastating tragedy. Victims are not necessarily desperate and vulnerable women but can also be individuals, randomly abducted at any time. The next chilling story, more

9 Hellenic News of America 9 Pictured with the physicians of the Crozer-Keystone Sleep Centers is patient Joe Falato. An overnight success. For 30 years. For decades we ve helped the people of Delaware County get back their nights not to mention their lives. Because the symptoms of a chronic sleep disorder can go far beyond overuse of caffeine. It can also lead to restlessness, fatigue, dozing and irritability. A feeling that you re never at your best. Sound familiar? What you may not realize is a failure to sleep soundly can lead to more serious health problems if left ignored. The good news is that most sleep disorders are easily diagnosed and treated. You just have to make a change. Why not ask for help today? After all, the area s most experienced sleep specialists are right in your backyard at the Crozer-Keystone Sleep Centers. For 30 years, we ve helped people just like you put their sleep disorders to rest. Call SLEEP03 today to schedule an appointment. SLEEP APNEA RESTLESS LEG SYNDROME INSOMNIA SLEEPINESS & NARCOLEPSY SLEEP WALKING NIGHT TERRORS & DREAM PROBLEMS HOTEL AMENITIES MULTIPLE LOCATIONS ACCREDITED Crozer-Keystone Sleep Centers. Rest Assured. We can help. CROZER- KEYSTONE SLEEP C E N T E R S YEARS C ROZER-KEYSTONE SLEEP CENTERS Brinton Lake ~ Delaware County Memorial Hospital ~ Taylor Hospital call SLEEP03 ( ) or visit to learn more. Crozer-Keystone physicians are those doctors who hold staff privileges at CKHS-owned hospitals. They may not be employees of CKHS or its subsidiaries.

10 10 Hellenic News of America 21, 22, 23, 24 & 25

11 Hellenic News of America 11 NIKITIADIS ADDRESSES THE PAN GREGORIANS AT THE GRAY CLIFF IN NJ During his visit in the United States in early June, Greek Deputy Secretary of Tourism George Nikitiadis thanked the Greek-American community for its support. Nikitiadis and his team worked hard to increase the number of tourists traveling from the U.S to Greece this summer and said the George Papandreou administration will never forget the efforts made by Greek-Americans to put Greece back on the world-traveling map, especially after the financial turmoil that Greece has been dealing with over that past couple of months. Visitors from America are very important to us and they belong in a special category, Nikitiadis said. We want to see even higher numbers of American tourists in Greece in the years to come, he added. When asked about the expensive airfares as well as the expensive services in Greece Nikitiadis said we hope to see lower airfares to Greece in the months to come, everyday more and more airlines offer service to Greece and that creates a competitive market which eventually will bring down the prices, we also want to see charter services to and from Greece resume (those were available in the past) in the years to come,. At the initiative of the Pan Gregorian Enterprises of New Jersey called a special meeting with Deputy Minister Nikitiadis and his team from Greece and discussed avenues of working together getting the products and services to the Greek owned restaurants in the USA. Place mats case was introduced to the gathering. Above: L-R George Siamboulis, President of the Pan Gregorians, Deputy Minister Nikitiadis, John Sakellaris, Chairman of the Pan Gregorians and Ambassador Agi Balta, Consul general of Greece at the Dinner in honor of the ΑΒΓΔΕ Ω ABCDE Z Minister and in the presence of all the Pan Gregorian groups. As for the expensive services upon arrival to Greece, Nikitiadis said there are many good deals out there for the world traveler who wants to visit Greece: package deals as well as internet discounts, my acolleagues and I are working very hard so we can make sure that Foreign visitors get the value for their money, ST. GEORGE BILINGUAL PRESCHOOL 1200 Klockner Road, Hamilton, NJ Call: (609) AGES OF CHILDREN: 3 and 4-year-old children (two groups) HOURS: Monday-Friday, 7 a.m. - 6 p.m., Second week of September, 2011 Second week of June, See also partial attendance below. OUR ADVANTAGE: Bilingual Education : English and Greek Learn Greek, the universal language of science and the original language of the Gospels Greek Mythology adventurous, uplifting stories Excellent nurturing teachers Rich curriculum : Language, Mathematics, Science, Nature, Discovery, Creativity Warm and vibrant Greek Orthodox Community of St. George Cultural Events (Dances, Theme Parties, Field trips, etc.) For 17 years we are constantly striving to provide an Excellent sevice to all our clients and friends. Thank you for choosing Elenis Tours all those years! We specialize in Greece and trips Around The World in a more affordable way. Call Eleni today! TUITION: Full day /5 days a week (7 am-6 pm): $ 740 per month. Full day / 3 days a week (7 am-6 pm): $550 per month. Preschool only / 5 days a week (9:15 am-12:15 pm): $480 per month. Preschool /3 days a week (9:15 am-12:15 pm): $350 Other schedules possible.

12 12 Hellenic News of America The 21st Annual Hermes Expo International is scheduled to take place from March , in both New York City, as well as the Tropicana Casino at Atlantic City, New Jersey. European nations. Following the exhibits, trade shows, seminars, and business conferences, its exhibitors, participants and attendees alike are afforded the privileged opportunity to enjoy dinner, Greek arts, dancing and entertainment. The Hermes Expo is one of the biggest assets the Greek-American community has to offer. It is an annual event that should not be missed! For more information about the upcoming 21st Annual Hermes Expo International, its participants, seminars and mentor fairs, as well as other business-tobusiness events and correspondences, please call (001) , or or be sure to visit its official website: Taki Economou takes the podium presenting his Company and the Electricity deregulation to the Hermes Expo in Atlantic City, NJ George Drogaris of Richmont Wholesalers tries his products to Mr. & Mrs. Dimitris Kafhichas of the Pan Gregorians in Metro, NY The Hermes Expo International is one of North America s largest Hellenic business conferences. The purpose of this conference is to promote and develop Greek and Greek-American businesses. Its exhibitors come from a variety of industries, and are known to attract a diverse group of participants from all over the world, including Greece, Canada, the United States, and even South America, in an effort to help foster and sharpen trade relations between America and Greece. Greg Karamitopoulos greg@gmefestos.com Most importantly, the Hermes Expo also serves as a forum for international business owners, and offers many educational seminars on various thoughtprovoking topics. According to Mr. Paul Kotrotsios, the founder and president of the Hermes Expo International, he remarks, the Hermes Expo is an event that all Greek- Americans, and business-people from Greece, and American friends can participate to network with each other, to expose their products and services, and promote their business, as well as taste and sample the Greek cuisine and network with fellow Greek-Americans and philhellenes and members of the

13 Miriam Martinez, Mercer County Sheriff Candidate is offering some techniques on Security and Safety tips for Women A violent act against a woman can occur statistically every minute so let s prepared ourselves so we do not become a victim! Educating women on how to protect themselves from predators using advance tactics in personal security while they are home or out in the community is one of the plans I champion. Taking the first step towards preventing a crime before it happens is the best solution. We know only too well the sense of feeling like we are targets for whatever danger may be lurking around the corner. So knowing how to protect ourselves will empower us. So let s get started: Hellenic News of America UPGRADING PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICE 13 Mrs Margarita Vartholomeou will undertake the Public Relations office of European Reliance for the better service of its clients, collaborators, and associates. Mrs Margarita Vartholomeou has studied Public Relations in the American College of Greece, is coming from the insurance sector and has dealt, among others, with the Public Relations and Marketing of the Greek-American magazine Neo, which is distributed monthly in New York. The Public Relations office will be in charge for general issues of correspondence, will deal with the organization of educational seminars, congresses, as well as with the promotion and launching of the new activities of the company. Safety and Security plans for women: * When you are home secure/lock your doors and windows so predators cannot make entry. *Don t forget to lock your sliding glass doors. * When you re at home alone pull shades and drapes after dark. * Installing peep holes in the front and back door so you can see who is at your door before you open it. Or insulting video surveillance is another great method. * When you are home and someone knocks never open the door unit you are certain who it is. Remember reputable police; salespersons, repairmen and survey takers carry identification. So ask them to show you their credentials then call the company to verity if you have any questions. * If someone you don t know wants to use your phone, make that call for him or her never allow that person into your home. * Make sure exterior lighting is well lit after dusk. * Never loan your home key out. Keys can be duplicated. * List only last name and initials on your mailbox and door. Consider not listing your address in the phone book. * If you come home and see a door or window open or broken DO NOT GO INTO THE HOUSE! Call police 911 from your cell, a neighbor s home, or public phone. * Avoid giving out your personal information about yourself or making appointments with strangers over the phone. * Your home telephone answering machine should say a brief recorded message stating We cannot come to the phone now. * Remember be wary of isolated spots if you live in an apartment or condopredators stalk laundry rooms, underground garages, parking lots, schools, campus, business and offices after business hours. Walk with a friend, coworker or security guard particularly at night. * Have you key ready before you reach your car, home, business or office. Also have points of the keys facing out of your hand; it can be used as a weapon if needed. * Never leave the registration, checkbook, or any personal forms in your car. Business Lending Commercial Real Estate Business Loans Business Lines of Credit Member FDIC A helping hand for your business As a business owner, you should be able to spend your time running your business not worrying about your banking. Visit our bank and experience banking at the speed of your business Banking at the speed of business

14 14 Hellenic News of America An Afternoon of Greek Music at East Flushing Library By Catherine Tsounis The beauty of Smyrna was not the houses or streets. The beauty of Smyrna was us, the Greeks, the Romans, and the Smyrneoi. The beauty of the Greeks was not the locations or the marbles. It was the bravery (Leventia) they had in their souls, said author Angela Papazoglou. The Greek soul, that has one foot in the East and the other in the West, was heard at the East Flushing Library. GRIGORIS MANINAKIS & THE MIKROKOSMOS ENSEMBLE presented an An Afternoon of Greek Music on Thursday evening, June 27th.The Ensemble features: Grigoris Maninakis, leader/lead vocalist; Glafkos Kontemeniotis, keyboards; Kostas Psarros, bouzouki and Megan Gould, violin. The free concert attracted over 100 persons. One person From the St. Nicholas Church community came one hour early to reserve seats. I see the whole St. Nicholas Church choir here today, said Maninakis. Mrs. Chris Arlis, former Principal of William Spyropoulos School, said I would not have known of this wonderful event if I didn t receive a flier on my . My Mother was from Evia and husband from Chios. Listening to this music is enriching. Very Rev. Paul Palesty is the Protopresbyter of St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Shrine Church of Flushing, New York. Memories and a deep psychological peace were evoked by music of Theodorakis, Hatzidakis, Loizos, and Kilaidonis. Maninakis concluded this trip into the Greek soul with Pantelis Thalassinos Ta Smyrneika Tragoudia. Rebetiko originated in the music of the larger Greek Cities, most of them coastal, in today s Greece and Asia Minor, said Maninakis. In the wake of the population exchange of 1923, huge numbers of refugees settled. They brought with them both European and Anatolian musical elements and musical instruments. These Greek musicians from Asia Minor were highly competent, educated musicians. The 1930s-1950 was the classical period of Rebetika, fusing Asia Minor, Greek folk and Byzantine music. Manos Hatzidakis and Mikis Theodorakis were the prime movers of the Éntekhno song. Éntekhno (art song) is music from Greek folk rhythm and melody. Its lyrical themes are often political or based on the work of famous Greek poets. Modern Laïko or Laïko-pop is currently Greece s mainstream Persons of all ages with GRIGORIS MANINAKIS and the MIKROKOSMOS ENSEMBLE. music in today s nightlife. Over the years, the aim of Greek music scene is to have musicians and expressive singers to entertain the Greek audience. The Greek music culture is a part of Greek culture in Greece and the Diaspora. Grigoris Maninakis has appeared at Carnegie Recital Hall, Alice Tully and Merken Halls of Lincoln Center, the Continued onto the next page

15 Continued from previous page Maliotis Cultural Center, among others. He currently chairs the Arts Committee of the Hellenic Cultural Center of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of New York. My mother was born in Tseme (Asia Minor coast opposite Chios) and father from Crete, said Maninakis. Smyrna, prior to the 1922 holocaust, was a preeminent international center of business in Europe. Its beauty and intellectual centers were celebrated through the world. My parents would sing songs to the early hours of the day. Rebetika (Greek Blues) is not about jail and misery. They are more of a singalong. Maninakis has close ties with the island of Limnos, where he spent his youth. Greek music is beautiful and similar to Chinese music, said President Irene Cheung of the Chinese American Voters Association of USA Inc., (CAVA). The Maninakis music is calm and serene. We have just sent a student to participate in the 2011 DIAS International Academic Studies Summer Program stationed at the University of Crete. We, as the founders of Eastern Civilization have a unity with Greece, the basis of western Civilization. East Flushing Library Branch Manager Florence Leung organized the event. His music is calming, cheerful and happy, Mrs. Leung. Without the talent of Maninakis Ensemble, one hundred persons would not have come into my library. Programs bring people into the library. Live culture programs show the support of the community. The Greek-American community came out in force on Thursday evening. We will invite GRIGORIS MANINAKIS and the MIKROKOSMOS ENSEMBLE next year. That will be his fourth year at East Flushing library. In this time of economic crisis, the middle class is forgotten. East Flushing Library did something special June 23rd evening. The East Flushing Community Library is located at Northern Blvd. Flushing, NY For more information on events at the East Flushing Community Library, Florence.Leung@queenslibrary. org or call Links: east+flushing+library+hours- East Flushing Library lwc-displaylibrary.pl?rc= East Flushing Library Grigoris-Maninakis/ Facebook Hellenic News of America Welcome.html - website watch?v=kgn35sk8jv4 rebetiko, Maninakis watch?v=9ibn9nkhtlm&nr=1 -Pantelis Thalassinos, Ta Smyrneika Tragoudia. East Flushing Library Branch Manager Florence Leung organized the event (standing, left), saying his music is calming, cheerful and happy, as invite GRIGORIS MANINAKIS and the MIK- ROKOSMOS ENSEMBLE listen.

16 16 Continued from page one Hellenic News of America New direct flight from Athens to NY from June 24 A new direct flight linking Athens and New York will be launched by airline company Hellenic Imperial Airways as of June 24. Initially, there will be four flights a week, flying out on Mondays, Wednesday, Fridays and Saturdays. The inaugural flight will depart from Athens on Friday, June 24 and land at the JFK international airport in New York while the return flight will depart from New York the same day and arrive back in Athens on the following day. The route will be served by four Airbus 340 planes built between 2001 and 2003 and each flight will offer eight first-class seats that can also be converted to beds and 24 business-class seats. Another perk for economy-class passengers is the greater leg-room compared with competing airlines, with HIA representatives noting that their planes have 217 seats in the same space that Olympic Airways formerly fit 263. Each passenger will also have their own video screen, while the crews are mostly experienced pilots formerly employed by OA. Passengers will also benefit from HIA s much cheaper tickets, which the airline said will be between 150 dollars and 300 dollars cheaper than the ticket prices currently on offer, starting at 890 dollars return. Hellenic Imperial Airways is pleased to announce the commencement of its new weekly and direct scheduled flights, Athens (ATH) - New York (JFK) - Athens (ATH), as of Friday 24th of June Flights will depart from Athens every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday at 17:30 (local time), arriving in New York at 21:30 (local time). Return flights will depart from New York on the same days, at 23:30 (local time), arriving in Athens at 17:00 (local time) the next day. By the end of this week, you will be able to book your flight or obtain any additional information directly through our booking engine at or through your preferred travel agent. In case you would like to communicate with one of our representatives, you can call our Head office tollfree at or for the USA call toll-free, HELLAS1 ( ) We look forward to welcoming you soon on board of our aircraft Airbus The Workers Compensation and Social Security Disability Law Firm Announces... Alexander Sioutis Alexander Sioutis, Esq. will begin practicing i as an Attorney with the Social Security Disability department of Pond Lehocky Stern Giordano. Mr. Sioutis obtained his Juris Doctorate from the Earl Mack School of Law at Drexel University and has spent the last five years working exclusively with Social Security Disability matters. Η Ηεταιρεία εταιρειαpond PondLehocky Stern SternGiordano καλοσωρίζει καλωσοριζειτον Ελληνα τον Έλληνα δικηγόρο δικηγόρο Αλέξανδρο Αλέξανδρο Σιούτη. Σιουτη. Είναι στη Είναι διάθεσή στην σας για διάθεση όλες τις σας Νομικές για όλες συμβουλές της δικηγορικες και Νομική σας ανάγκες προστασία και και υποστήριξη ιδιαίτερα για σε τις ότιανάγκες αφυρα την σας, κοινωνική ιδιαίτερα ασφάλεια σε ότι αφορά σαςτην και κοινωνική της αποζημίωσης ασφάλειά σας. σας και τις αποζημιώσεις σας. To schedule your FREE CONSULTATION, Call (215) Center City Office: 30 S. 17th St., 17th FL Philadelphia, PA Northeast Office: 2981 Grant Ave. Philadelphia, PA New Jersey Office: 5434 King Ave. at Rt. 38 E. Pennsauken, NJ (215) pondlehocky.com

17 Hellenic News of America Interview with Kosta Demopoulos: 2011 Hellenic Times Scholarship Recipient Continued from page one quotation is Kosta Demopoulos, an outstanding student, 2011 Hellenic Times Scholarship Fund recipient, and overall, an inspirational Greek-American youth. A senior at Randolph High School, New Jersery, Kosta Demopoulos will be graduating this year with his high school diploma, and will be enrolling at the Fordham University Rose Hill campus in pursuit of a degree in business, with a concentration in accounting and marketing. Serving in the capacity of senior class president in his high school, Demopoulos has sharpened his interpersonal skills, as well as gained a substantial amount of experience in event planning, organization and leadership. Demopoulos greatest influences in life are his supportive parents, especially his father. My father has taught me a range of values and how to apply them in my life, which goes back to his childhood, says Demopoulos. Both of his parents were born in Greece, making him a first generation Greek-American. My father s sense of hard work is instilled in myself and my siblings, which has played a vital role in all of my accomplishments today. My father s motto was to always work hard in everything you do in life, as well as to stay humble, Demopoulos adds. Demopoulos maternal grandparents are from Volos and the Greek island of Kos, meanwhile his paternal grandparents are from the mountain villages of Krokilio and Alpohori, which is situated an hour and a half northeast from Nafpaktos. In addition to his academic endeavors, Demopoulos enrolled in Greek school for six years, as well as took Greek dancing classes. On Greek culture, I love the food and the family aspect to it, remarks Demopoulos. They usually go together, which is why I appreciate them even more. I love the fact that I have a big family that genuinely loves each other, and they are so close together. I am a big fan of my yiayia s traditional Greek cooking, he adds. On pursuing a career in the field of business and marketing, Demopoulos states: I have a lot of interests namely politics, communications, business, and law. In anything that I do in life, business is a medium of social control that truly affects us all, so I would like to be involved in it, in one way or another. One of the challenges that Demopoulos faces often involves dealing with a lot of negative forces. In an effort to overcome this obstacle, he looks for support in his family and God. I always stay true to myself. At the end of the day, I cannot let others to sway me away from my goals and my path of desire. One of Demopoulos proudest accomplishments was receiving the rank of eagle in Boys Scouts after twelve years of dedication. In order to achieve the rank of eagle, I had to do an eagle project. Every Greek-American in my community had their input on it. My project was to beautify the Social Hall of my church. I was responsible for organizing, planning and carrying out the project. This project took 26 days, 50 volunteers and approximately 550 hours to fulfill. On being the recipient of the coveted 2011 Hellenic Times scholarship, Demopoulos remarks not only was it an honor to receive this very competitive scholarship, but to have the confidence and support of the Hellenic Times is truly remarkable; furthermore, it has given me the motivation to do bigger and better things. Demopoulos shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon! He is planning his high school s Prom which is slated to take place on a boat, making it the first boat prom in his high school s history. We will take fifteen party buses from my high school to the Hoboken port and tour Manhattan, and return the same night, he reveals. His future plans are to someday enroll in law school, and perhaps enter the field of politics. I would like to run for president of the United States in 2036, when I will be eligible to do so [age-wise]. If that fails, I could pursue my other interests such as communications, acting, business, entrepreneurship, among others, says Demopoulos. For the Greek-American youth who wish to pursue a career in business, Demopoulos recommends they stay connected with the other Greek-Americans, and other people that wish to help you; moreover, take advantage of every opportunity that presents itself to you! In regard to the Greek-American community, Kosta Demopoulos concludes I live in a very-close knit Greek- American community in New Jersey. The friends that I created in church, I ll have for the rest of my life. The community has done so much for me, which is why I decided to do my eagle project for Boy Scouts, in order to give something back. It s a dynamic community that I ll always stay connected in, as well my family, and my future family. The Greek-American community truly embraced me this past weekend at the Hellenic Times Scholarship Fund (HTSF) GALA, which was a real heartwarming experience IMF Says Greece Will Pull It Through Continued from page one deregulated economy with viable social systems. But the caveat is that the program is implemented properly, Thomsen told Dow Jones Newswires in an interview. This program in its design is ambitious and impressive and it is off to a good start. It is a very front-loaded fiscal-adjustment program with an important structural-reform component to create opportunities for growth through structural reforms. There are risks and pressure points but June targets have been met so the program appears on track for the year, said Thomsen. From talking to a lot of people inside and outside government, social partners, and average Greek on the street, they understand that this is a defining moment for the country and systemic change is necessary to compete in the euro zone, said Thomsen. The government needs to act more vigilantly on tax administration because wage earners and pensioners have paid their share but the wealthy have not. But this can t be achieved overnight--it s a process. There are obviously challenges and it will not be an easy process so the government has to work smart. It must be a priority to restart growth focusing on reforms to create real growth, employment and higher incomes, and many of these structural issues have short-term payoffs for society, said Thomsen.

18 18 Hellenic News of America Doctors Prescribe Bedroom, Not Pharmacy, In Their 10 Proven Steps to Ultimate Health continued from page one 10 Proven Steps to Ultimate Health are simply saying that sex is good for you. It s all there in Chapter 8 by far the most talked-about pages of Stay Young (George House Publishing, 2010), a hot-selling book from authors Mark Anderson, MD; Walter Gaman, MD; and Judith Gaman, health expert and public speaker. The book s cover depicts an attractive, naked couple cuddling under the sheets, so you know right away this isn t your typical health and wellness guide. But don t go looking for pure titillation in Chapter 8. The doctors present their case in a straightforward, convincing manner and support it with case studies and facts. But there s no denying they have turned health into an ahem exciting topic, and when s the last time you saw the word sexy next to healthcare? The fountain of youth can be found between the sheets, said Dr. Anderson, who, along with the Gamans, runs Executive Medicine of Texas in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Frequent intercourse causes the brain to release human growth hormone, which helps maintain youth. Dr. Gaman points out that middleaged men who have sex five times a week can lower the risk for prostate cancer by 33 percent, compared to those that have sex only five times a month. Judy Gaman adds another startling fact: Vigorous sex three times a week for a year is the equivalent caloric burn as walking 75 miles. Staying Young: 10 Proven Steps to Ultimate Health is the first health book to include a weekly orgasm chart so readers can log their number of orgasms and how long they engaged in sex each day. Is more always better? Whether or not a point of diminishing returns exists, Dr. Anderson is convinced that having sex can increase your immunity. A recent study showed that sexual intercourse at least three times a week can increase IGA, a protein that acts as an antibody by binding to pathogens that enter the body. For more information, contact Executive Medicine of Texas at or see their website at com. TIP SHEET: QUOTES on Stay Young: 10 Proven Steps to Ultimate Health (George House Publishing, 2010) by Mark Anderson, Walter Gaman and Judith Gaman: Forward Reviews: An invaluable resource Stay Young excels in presenting the necessary first steps and beyond that can lead to long-term counter-measures against stress, disease, and the effects of aging. Lynne Palmeiro, wife of four-time Major League Baseball All-Star Rafael Palmeiro: These guys have been keeping me healthy for years. I am thrilled about this book! Michael Landauer, Dallas Morning News: This book meets readers where they are. The authors have a rare talent for connecting with people and helping them improve their lives by giving them the tools to do so. Larry North, health and fitness expert, author of Living Lean: A must read! If everyone followed these 10 steps, we would have a much healthier America. NRCC Welcomes Pat Meehan to Patriot Program, Will Aid Meehan in Developing Winning Re-election Campaign Washington National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Pete Sessions (R-TX) and Deputy Chairman Greg Walden (R-OR), the co-chairs of the Patriot Program, today announced that Congressman Pat Meehan (R-PA) is included in the first round of Patriot Program Members for the 2012 election cycle. The program is a rigorous, goal-oriented initiative that enables Members to stay on offense as they build winning re-election campaigns. The Patriot program is about staying on offense by building strong and winning campaigns against Democrats and their agenda that bankrupts our nation, said Chairman Sessions. Pat Meehan has demonstrated the leadership and ability to wage an aggressive campaign based on rigorous goals and proven strategies for victory. I m very proud of Pat Meehan and these Patriot Members who are leading the fight for victory in Established in 2009, the Patriot Program empowers incumbent Members to build strong campaigns through measured benchmarks and accountability, including for fundraising, communications and grassroots organization. Patriot Program Members can define strengths, address challenges early and build iron-clad campaigns for re-election. Every Member prepared for victory next election will strengthen a House Republican Majority that is committed to the American people s priorities of cutting spending, reducing debt and creating jobs, said Deputy Chairman Walden. An iron-clad campaign spells defeat for Democrats vying to return Nancy Pelosi as Speaker, and I applaud Pat Meehan for taking on the challenge of controlling the competitiveness of his race through the strength of his own campaign. In 2010, 40 Members successfully completed the Patriot Program, enabling the NRCC to focus 98.5 percent of Independent Expenditure resources on defeating Democrats to win the majority in the House of Representatives. ΕΛΛΗΝΟΑΜΕΡΙΚΑΝΟΣ ΔΙΚΗΓΟΡΟΣ ANTONY J. BELDECOS, Esq. 450 NORTH NARBERTH AVENUE NARBERTH, PA TEL: (610) FAX: (610) BELDECOS@LFBB.COM FIVE GREENTREE CENTRE SUITE 302 MARLTON, NJ TEL: (856) FAX: (856) tions

19 CRIME AND PUNISHMENT One wonders how and when the wave of angry reaction, indignation and revolt, which characterizes some of today s world societies, will come to a halt. In totalitarian regimes the clash has been violent. A lot of blood has been shed in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Yemen and Syria. The people, particularly the youth, cannot tolerate the situation any more. The march has begun, the road however is long and bumpy. Nobody knows what the result will be at the end of the day. In other countries, even under the roof of democracy, social justice does not exist. Pain and wrath are spreading all over. Europe is rife with «Indignados». Greece, with unemployed and state liabilities of 340 billion resembles a small shop unable to meet its huge liabilities. In order to pay even part of its debt, its employees must reach the point of starvation, which is already happening. But even so, unfortunately, starvation by itself cannot produce the desired result of settling 340 billion and the high interest rates. So, where is Greece driving at? The abyss? It is obvious that some leaders in the international community must go through a certain type of Purgatory, through catharsis. The way Aristotle described it in his «Piitiki» (Poetry book) in regard to the ancient Greek tragedy. Catharsis causes the purging of sins and leads to punishment of the guilty ones through «pity and compassion». There are leaderships which have committed crimes against their people. Many of these crimes remain unpunished. Fyodor Dostoevsky in his work «Crime and punishment» describes that through feelings of guilt, a confession of a crime followed and at the end there was punishment by imprisonment in Siberia of the Czars (which preceded the Soviet Gulags). However, in public life is there no punishment? Is it only Aristotle, Dostoevsky and other philosophers and writers who remind us of its existence? And I am referring in particular to the cases of Greece and Cyprus. In the case of Greece the main crime is of a financial nature. It was craftily concealed over the past thirty years under the carpet of continuous borrowing, which brought liquidity into the country and kept people smiling and happy. Logic was ostracised. Until recently, when the tap was closed, there was no flow of money and tragedy ensued. In the case of Cyprus the main crime is of a national nature. It was craftily concealed over the past fifty years under the carpet of pseudo-patriotism, which bolstered hope and kept people happy. Logic was ostracised. Until recently when the masks started falling and the frightful face of partition or even possible future catastrophe appeared. As it was revealed in the past year, Greece started squandering her wealth NICOS A. ROLANDIS since the days she acceded to the European Union. The various administrations bloated the governmental machine with unnecessary staff to satisfy party demands. They created dozens of governmental organisations with almost non-existent control over their expenses. They gave away bonuses, special allowances and various fringe benefits, of which I became aware when I served as a Cyprus cabinet minister neither myself nor my associates in the Government ever realised how such benefits and expenses were justified. They built gradually a side economy which was almost as important as the economy of the country itself. Moreover, as admitted recently by Government Vice President Th. Pangalos, «all of us participated in the «eating» bonanza». Until the country was eventually stripped of its resources. Now the stern faces of the lenders are around. Interest rates have rocketed. The credit rating firms are downgrading the Greek economy. The troika has appeared with such demands (Memoranda 1 & 2) that 2/3 of the Greeks will have to go on their knees. The gates of the markets are condoned off. Furthermore the possibility of a large or a soft «haircut» of the Greek debt has entered the lives of the Greeks. And the question, which does not seem to have an easy answer, arises. If there is no «haircut», in other words if, through excruciating pain and suffering, the settlement of the 340 billion or of a large part of it, plus interest is endeavoured, how, on earth, will this be achieved, once there are no (and there will not be) sufficient funds ever for such a colossal feat? On the other hand, if there is a «haircut» and the creditors do not receive all their money, which according to Pangalos were cannibalized during the days of the great «eating» bonanza, will this not cause a further deterioration and even collapse of the Greek and possibly some other European economies, through the decline and fall of some banks or other institutions? Furthermore will the banks and the markets not place an embargo on Greek bonds in the future? Will they not isolate Greece, for many years from the sources of money supply? Greece goes through the above odyssey these days. The people are furious, indignant. They do know that for thirty years the wealth of the country was devoured by others and today the youth have to foot the bill. Unfortunately however indignation in the squares by itself does not generate any money and does not bring about a solution to the problem. Cyprus has unfortunately followed the footsteps of Greece but in another field, the national issue. The first 14 years of the Republic of Cyprus do not constitute an example to follow but an example to eschew. Greek and Turkish Cypriots gradually «assassinated» the state which they had built in Hellenic News of America Institutions were ignored and the agreed objectives were overlooked and dumped. Through wrong assessments, confused ideas and pursuits incompatible with the constitution (EOKA B was fighting for union with Greece, whilst TMT was fighting for partition) the country was led in 1974 to the Greek coup d etat and the Turkish invasion. After 1974, the Greek and Turkish Cypriots oblivious of the historical record, as usual, committed an additional grave blunder. Each side considered itself as sinless and attributed all wrongdoing to the other side. So, the political positions of each side were formulated in such an absolute way, that no solution is possible. Each side considers that it possesses the title deed to «justice». So, we gradually reached the present impasse. In the process we have gone through all sorts of political stupidity, a lot of hypocrisy, intrigue, empty rhetoric. We never managed to build political alliances which might be conducive to a solution of our problem we did exactly the opposite. And we baptised our interests as «matters of principle». We have rejected all U.N. initiatives and all Plans of other mighty countries for a solution to our problem. So, who, how and when will ever resolve it? As a result, the people are gradually distancing themselves, with disgust, from politics and from the politicians. The non-participation in the recent electoral process was much higher than at any time in the recent past. And what is even worse, many people started being indifferent and unconcerned in regard to the future is their country. So, will public crimes be punished in Greece and Cyprus of the 21st century? Would today s societies espouse Aristotle s and Dostoevsky s philosophical approach on the subject? Is there punishment after the crime? Is there catharsis in the modern tragedy of Greece and Cyprus? Or is it that the carpet of pseudo-patriotism and non-transparency will cover the sins and crimes of modern History? If the latter will apply, then both us and the Greeks deserve whatever may befall on us in the years to come. Subscribe! 19 Rayna Aivazoglou : I AM A DANCER I am a dancer. It s as if someone hits the pause on the television. Every figure is frozen still, but I am a blur of constant motion. I am prepared for another fall to the ground, turning my peachy flesh into yet another shade of black and blue. I feel my hamstrings throbbing and my toenails bleeding, as I strive to rise on the box of my fresh satin point shoe. I am a ballerina and am determined to create beautiful movement. As soon as I could walk, I learned to dance and so I am unable to find the very first memory of my existence as a dancer. From my very first step into the bleak, white, cold and empty dance studio of the Rock School, I knew I was at home. When I was very young, I danced for four hours every day after school. My teachers built me as if I were an inanimate object or a robot. Every limb and tiny part of my body was corrected, polished and trained to work in a perfect fashion. My toes and the arches in my feet were cracked and overworked and my spine was pushed and pressed so that it was as straight as a board. As the years rolled by and high school approached, my academic workload piled up. The time consuming and painful dance classes became so tiresome that I considered quitting. However, I was unable to do so because of the passion and love that was hidden beneath the belaboring hours and physical pain in my limbs. Every day, immediately after my high school classes ended, I would travel to my second home, the dance studio, where I spent an average of six hours a day on grueling barre and floor work. I came to realize that I am unable to identify myself without the art. The movements I am able to create with my body allow me to express my emotions without speaking. Even during summer breaks, while other students chose to relax, I preferred to continue my routine, attending daily classes of this demanding activity. This agony is ultimately worth it, because dancing liberates me from gravity and from the other mundane details of my life. It is truly a paradox that following such stringent and rigid rules frees me from the constraints of my daily habits. I am not a quitter. The strenuous hours of dancing and competing six days a week have truly prepared me for my future. Dance has helped me discover myself, transforming me from a robot to an individual. The years of performing in front of crowds, both miniature and massive have built my confidence. The hours I have spent frozen in a fixed position for long periods of time, or spinning my body in five complete rotations around just one foot, have established my ability to balance not only my figure but also my life decisions. The routine of coming home at ten thirty every night in time to begin my homework has challenged me to learn how to work under pressure and limited time. The remote button on the television is pushed again; this time on fast forward. My years are flying by. My achievements are skyrocketing and my experiences as a dancer have prepared me for anything. I am now ready to deal with struggles, pain and falling face forward to the ground. I am trained for this and determined enough to know that I will get right back up and keep fighting.

20 20 Hellenic News of America Save The Dates for The 21st Annual Hermes Expo International March 15-18, 2012 Great Coverage and Interest by the AMERICAN MEDIA Of the Hermes Expo Young Professionals Mentorship Fair Hermes Expo International And SAE USA Hold Seminar For Young Professionals Queens Gazette 4/29/11 7:52 AM The 21st Annual Hermes Expo International is scheduled to take place from March , in both New York City, as well as the Tropicana Casino at Atlantic City, New Jersey. The Hermes Expo International is one of North America s largest Hellenic business conferences. The purpose of this conference is to promote and develop Greek and Greek-American businesses. Its exhibitors come from a variety of industries, and are known to attract a diverse group of participants from all over the world, including Greece, Canada, the United States, and even South America, in an effort to help foster and sharpen trade relations between America and Greece. Login Profile Get News Updates Print Edition Most importantly, the Hermes Expo also serves as a forum for international business owners, and offers many educational seminars on various thoughtprovoking topics. General Health Going Out Finance Real Estate Schools Classifieds News 25th Anniversary Issue Front Page Community Calendar Political Page Restaurant of the Week Dining Reviews Seniors Editorials Features Archives Video Index Contact Us Advertising Classifieds Classified Order Subscription Advertise Queens Shopping Page Services Advertisers Index Neighborhoods Links Copyright The Service Advertising Group Inc. All Rights Reserved Us Newspaper web site content management software and services Front Page April 20, 2011 Search Archives Search Hermes Expo International And SAE USA Hold Seminar For Young Professionals By Catherine Tsounis A packed seminar room listened to the speakers. suggesting to, find something you care about and make it your life s work. Take success and give back to others. Create space. Do something. Go out into the community and give back. We have a powerful Greek heritage. Greek-Americans are at the very top of society. One must have a sense of responsibility and engage in public service. Join us on Facebook and share what you are doing. Melissaratos, host of Hermes Expo International said, When I was in Greece, I read 30,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne. I Mr. Ari Melissaratos explains the details of his job. Leaders spoke at the 2011 Hermes Expo International SAE / World Council of Hellenes Abroad, USA event, Professional Growth & Youth Mentor Fair Seminar. The event was held April 2 at the Tropicana Hotel in Atlantic City. Speakers included Congressmember John Sarbanes, Sigmapharm Laboratories Dr. Spiros Spireas, American Hellenic Institute President Nick Larigakis, Enterprise Development of Johns Hopkins University s Special Advisor To The President Aris Melissaratos and Calamos Global Investment Management s Yannis Sianis, at a standing room only seminar attended by young professionals and college students. I came to the USA for opportunity, Spireas said. I had finished pharmacy in Greece and continued my studies here. My work transformed the generic industry. I have created my own company in producing generics. In this life, there are winners or losers. You decide what you want to do. Work hard and be a winner. Sarbanes contributed by Dr. Spiros Spireas of Sigmapharm Laboratories addresses the seminar as speaker and participants listen. was born in Romania to Cephalonian and Chian parents. The communist regime confiscated our property. We fled to Greece. I immigrated at the age of thirteen years old to the U.S.A. I studied at John Hopkins College, working eight days a week. Later I worked for Westinghouse, seeing all of Jules Verne s dreams become a reality. My job is basically managing people. Listening to what they want to be. I pay close attention to a person s goals, advise and redirect them. Melissaratos continued, Believe in yourself. Work hard with passion. Do not care about money. Do not let anyone tell you, you cannot be anything. I went to a state college. No one helped me. I decided anyone who asked me for help, would not be turned away. I would try to assist them, even if it is encouragement. I am that middle of the road guy. Larigakis said. Youth must be involved in Greek American issues. We are American first. But, our youth must be involved in grass roots efforts. I have been working in this field for twenty-four years. According to Mr. Paul Kotrotsios, the founder and president of the Hermes Expo International, he remarks, the Hermes Expo is an event that all Greek- Americans, and business-people from Greece, and American friends can participate to network with each other, to expose their products and services, and promote their business, as well as taste and sample the Greek cuisine and network with fellow Greek-Americans and philhellenes and members of the European nations. Following the exhibits, trade shows, seminars, and business conferences, its exhibitors, participants and attendees alike are afforded the privileged opportunity to enjoy dinner, Greek arts, dancing and entertainment. The Hermes Expo is one of the biggest assets the Greek-American community has to offer. It is an annual event that should not be missed! For more information about the upcoming 21st Annual Hermes Expo International, its participants, seminars and mentor fairs, as well as other business-tobusiness events and correspondences, please call (001) , or info@hermesexpo.com, or be sure to visit its official website: Page 1 of 2