As The World Churns

By Bob Nicolaides

To understand why Florida gubernatorial candidate Democrat Charlie Crist insisted on having a fan blowing on him during the latest debate with Republican Rick Scott, which almost stopped the whole show in its tracks, thus earning the hashtag #fangate, you need to know something about Crist and sweat. Charlie Crist, burdened with an almost pathological disdain for humanity’s untidiness, hates to sweat….Attendees at a ceremony and social gathering on October 4^th at the Hellenic Museum witnessed legend author Harry Mark Petrakis being inducted into the Chicago Literary Hall of Fame…. 

 

Greek Children's Fund celebrates International Children's Day and UNICEF's 68th birthday on Sunday, December 7 at 10 am at the Petros G. Patrides Cultural Center, St. Demetrios Community Center 30-03 30th Dr, Astoria, NY ….The Greek Media Club is once again co-sponsoring "Pan Hellenism Weekend 2014" that’s taking place November 6-9 in Washington, DC. …HABA, OR Hellenic American Bankers Association held a discussion event with Ted Mathas, Chairman & CEO of New York Life on Tuesday, October 7 at Marsh, Inc…The Hellenic orthodox Community of Astoria, St Demetrios Cathedral and the Hellenic Music Foundation presented on October 19 the 5th Annual Opera & Ballet Concert at the Petros Petrides Center….The Cyprus Society of Philadelphia, Makarios III presents a Cyprus Night honoring All Cypriot Dancers of Greater Phila, past and present on Saturday, November 29 at the Adelphia Restaurant Deptford, NJ, with the Cosmopolitans Orchestra and the Cypriot Dancers  as entertainment…….Thanassis Vembos’ book The Anniversary just got a reprint and is available for your reading pleasure. It’s a fictional theme where the Soviet Union defeats the US in the cold War… Saturday, November 8 takes place the Scholarship ball for Hellenic Bar Association, Chicago….

 

Aniston, Kudrow & Cox

Jennifer Aniston privately celebrated the 20th anniversary of Friends by having a nice dinner at an upscale restaurant in West Hollywood with Lisa Kudrow and Courteney Cox. A few weeks ago, Aniston and the two had a mini-reunion when they reprised their former roles for a parody skit on Jimmy Kimmel Live. Sources for US Weekly say Aniston and the girls had a “laughter-filled dinner” at Sunset Tower, and Jennifer’s dinner party with half the gang inevitably sparked an undying rumor. Was it a hint towards a possible Friends movie reunion? But as far as solid projects for now, Aniston is "Mickey" Dawson, the wife of Frank Dawson (Tim Robbins), a successful developer in A Life of Crime. Frank is a mean golfer and a meaner husband. Having won the major annual tournament, he introduces her as "my other trophy". Blonde and tense, Mickey suppresses a grimace for the sake of their son Bo (Charlie Tahan). Bo is the light in her life, a promising tennis player. He doesn't like his father either..... Adam Grimanis the Greek American entertainer, Music enthusiast , & Member of Chris & The Crew is on 94.5 PST. Listen to him on week-days 6am-10am. They are funny and awesome!

Blood thirsty Gaga   Kosta Ferris Lady Gaga finally made it to Greece in late September and was greeted by packs of fans looking for her autograph. Her stadium attendance was a little on the thin side. (She arrived in Greece dressed as Sandro Boticelli's Venus, carried by her staff.) But there were some charges against her from the London Hotel where she stayed that she engages in satanic rituals and that she bathes in blood, or at least in a red liquid that she left behind in the bathtub when she checked out. …The Beer Festival at the St. George Lycabettus’ Grand Balcon (Athens) was held with grand success from Saturday September 27 to October 2 with Adam Tsarouchis providing the musical treats… Kosta Ferris, playwright and director of many big movie hits such as Rebetiko, has been honored in Athens by the League of Egyptiot Hellenes in cooperation with the Association of Hellenes of Cairo on Monday, September 29 at the SAE Hall in Athens. There was a medley of songs sang by the choir of SAE executed by seven musicians and three singers under the direction of maestro Yianni Lazaridis….Demi Roussos returned to Egypt where he was born once again, giving two performances in Alaxandria late in October and repeating them in Cairo too.. A Thespian group called Theatron Inc, which is the Theater of the Hellenic Cultural Center,  presents from Friday October 24th  through Sunday, November 23rd My Crazy Wife (Τρελαθηκε  η Γυναίκα μου).... Panos Kiamos was at the Melrose Ballroom from October 24 through November 1….. Ellada Pandou, the Open Festival called Greece Everywhere was concluded with great success in Hamburg, Germany at the Trade Office with the support of the organization Circle of Friendship and Exposure of everything Greek of Dr. Thanassi Bagatzouni and many others…Christos Alexandrou invites you to his event in New York, which is an ongoing one every Friday at 6:30 pm at Cavo Café Lounge in Astoria. It’s a Greek Dinner show, an evening of eclectic acoustic music, which blends the Greek with the international…. Accomplished international musicians from Greece and the US came together in New York for a one-night-only performance at the BMCC Tribeca Performing Arts Center, on Tuesday, October 7. The occasion marked the CD release concert of “Aoratos,” a new work showcasing poetry by Greek literary legend Manos Eleftheriou and music penned by composer Pericles Kanaris. Greek vocalists Vasilis Papakonstantinou, Kostas Makedonas, Rita Antonopoulou, Lamprini Karakosta and cellist/Cretan lyra player Yiorgos Kaloudis joined forces in the album with artists from all over the world, among them Grammy award winners Neil Dorfsman, John Benitez and Shane Shanahan. Armenian-American percussionist Ara Dinkjian, who has collaborated with Greek music stars including Lina Nikolakopoulou and Eleftheria Arvanitaki, is also featured playing the oud. Pericles Kanaris co-produced the album with Canadian, NY-based producer/engineer Roman Klun. The album’s artwork was created by internationally acclaimed artist Lydia Venieri….., The Hellenic Medical Society of New York invites you to join them at their Seventy Eighth Annual Gala, celebrating "Horizons in Research", at the New York Palace Hotel in Manhattan. George D. Yanacopoulos and Nikos Mouyiaris will be the honorees of the night. RSVP to hellenicmed@gmail.com..……The Cyprus Society of Greater Philadelphia “Makarios III” presents A Cyprus Night Honoring All Cypriot Dancers of Greater Philadelphia (Past & Present) Saturday, November 29, 2014 at Adelphia Restaurant, 1750 Clements Bridge Road, Deptford, NJ 08096, featuring: The Cosmopolitans Orchestra & Cypriot Dancers of Greater Philadelphia…..

Food Network is releasing a Cutthroat Kitchen spin-off called Cutthroat Kitchen: Superstar Sabotage in October. According to the press release, Alton Brown will serve as host for the tournament series that pits "16 elite chefs" against each other in a cooking battle filled with, you guessed it, sabotages. Throughout the competition chefs will have to endure obstacles such as "cooking in a popcorn machine" and "swapping utensils and knives for tools made of cheese and banana leaves." Could Cutthroat Kitchen get any more ridiculous? Will someone please put Alton Brown's brain to better use? The five-part series features four chefs competing in each episode; the winners of each move on to the finale episode. The winner receives $75,000 for the charity of their choice. The competing chefs include Food Network personalities the likes of Michael Psilakis (Kefi, MP Taverna (3) NYC)). The show aired on Wednesday, October 8 at 9 p.m. E.T on Food Network… On Thursday October 16, Chicago's finest Greek chefs were all to be found under one roof at the Hellenic Museum, dishing up a multitude of cutting-edge culinary creations with a few new twists and exotic churns. … Celebrity chef Diane Kochilas was signing copies of her latest cookbook at the Chicago National Hellenic Museum's well-attended Kouzina

  

Word of the Month: Cosmetics: from Gr. Κοσμημα, however with a different meaning. Κόσμημα in Gr. would be interpreted as jewelry, baubles, but in English cosmetics is used to denote beauty aids, or καλλυντικά- διακοσμητικά (decorative) from the same root.