As The World Churns

By Bob Nicolaides

“The student,” according the daily Demokratia, “asked of his school’s administration that the Greek flag be raised and the National Anthem be heard once a week in the school’s courtyard. His reward for this request was a three-day suspension and characterizations such as ‘anarchist’ and ‘fascist.’”….Does anyone know what Middle Eastern country has the United States nicknamed ‘Little Sparta?’ You can answer the question by emailing my electronic address…. 

Here we go again Dept.: A Turkish cosmetics company is red-faced after it was discovered that a cosmetics ad featured a former al-Qaeda leader in a hair removal product.! The ad shows Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, one of the “principal architects” of the 9/11 attack on the Twin Towers, alongside the slogan “The hair will not go away because you keep waiting!” The source of this information was the Turkish newspaper Hurriyet….One Sunday in November, Manhattan’s Upper East Side's Temple Emanu-El synagogue put biblical patriarch Abraham on "trial" for the attempted murder and endangerment of his son, Isaac. Famed defense attorney Alan Dershowitz represented Abraham, and former Gov. Eliot Spitzer will prosecuted. The synagogue used  the mock case to draw potential members at a time of declining attendance

The Mediterranean Sea's biodiversity is seriously endagered by exotic species that have invaded mostly via the Suez Canal and continue spreading and multiplying, according to a new European scientific research. The research stated that over 1,000 exotic species among them fish, algae, crustaceans have already become regular in the Mediterranean waters and depth. The Mediterranean Sea hosts at least 17,000 known species (some of them have not yet been catalogued). Over 20 percent of them do not exist in other seas of the Earth. The researchers sound alarm that this unique biodiversity is being threatened by the exotic species.

Port Said, Egypt-born George Skalenakis who died in Greece in September left Egypt for Prague in 1952 where he turned to journalism and eventually studied cinematography at that city’s famous Academy of Cinematography and Television with some elite classmates such as Coudera and Forman. During his stay in what then was known as Czechoslovakia he created a series of short films, four of which had been recognized in many Film Festivals of the time. His first regular length movie that he shot in 1963 was titled The Blues of Prague.   It is accepted that he established the musical review in the Czech Republic. He returned to Greece in 1966 where he began teaching in the Cinematography School L. Stavrakis and from 1981 devoted almost all his time on television. Some of the ten movies he made are Operation Apollo (1968,) Byzantine Rhapsody (1968, an Oscar nominee) and The Isle of Aphrodite (1969, with Katina Paxinou.)…

Petrakis

The Terry Poulos File: Harry Mark Petrakis honored by the Chicago Literary Society…..Anna Davlantes joins Andrea Darlas and Dean Richards Chicago at WGN radio…...Patricia Kara finds "puppy love" with Donnie Osmond…...Social media maven Zizi Papacharissi honored by University of Texas at 100th year celebration…..Andrea Hanis marks one year of gearing up Tribune "Innovation"…..Opa! Way author Alexandros Nicholas Pattakos and his wife appear at the Museum on December 4.. Katerina Sirouni, Founder and principal architect of K. Sirouni Architects invites you to a Greek Property Workshops on December '14 in Chicago on Greek Property Laws and Taxation

 

Myrto: Playing Musetta.

Soprano Myrto Papathanassiou will portray the role of Musetta in an upcoming performance at the Metropolitan Opera of New York…….They’ve been speculation recently that Lady Gaga and Taylor Kinney may have secretly tied the knot when a photo was posted to Instagram of the Chicago Fire wearing a ring on that finger. Now, the Daily Star claims to have inside knowledge that Gaga and Kinney hosted a devotion ceremony recently for their family and friends and that they will be headed down the aisle officially next year. The couple have been dating since 2011 and have kept their relationship largely out of the spotlight…Thanos Petrelis will be at the Melrose Ballroom(tixs at Nexus)on Friday, December 19 at 9 pm through Thursday, January 1 at 4 am.....Ioannis Lakis is the name of a Tenor, pianist-composer who soon is to hold a concert in New York…Hollywood make up artist Demetri Gianettos enjoyed a Halloween bash in LA along with actor Christo Vassilopoulos and singer-actor Panos Mouzourakis, the last two  made-up as ‘broad.’ while the first opted for a pirate’s costume and uploaded their shots on Instagram. Katerina Moutsatsou who happened to be at the same party got transformed into a China girl. Aside from being Maria Menounos’ make-up artist, Demetri works with several fashion mags, while Christo has appeared in many serials… …. Dancing with the stars 5 premiered with Doukissa Nomikou with the beginning of the show being an impressive chirography for the presentation of the guests by Galena Velikova.... It was three years ago that Zorzes Katris composed Ode To Alexander The Great….

Aniston: Neither pregnant not adopting.

Zach: Grills Jolie, Aniston.

Jennifer Aniston is neither pregnant nor considering adoption. The 45-year-old actress is often the subject of pregnancy rumors, and new reports claim she is also open to adoption. Life & Style magazine declared last week Aniston and fiancé Justin Theroux are thinking about adopting, but the star's publicist dismissed the rumor in a statement to Page Six. She recently revealed that it was 'so fabulous and so dreamy' to not have to wear any make-up on the set of her upcoming movie Cake…..…Zach Galifianakis ‘grills’ Brad Pitt about Angelina Jolie and Jen Aniston on Between two Ferns…Maria Menounos herself posted this snapshot you see of her Halloween get-up of a soldier. There was a caption too with thanks to those who helped with the costume, the make-up and all….George Drakoulias is the music supervisor in the flick the Secret Life of Walter Mitty starring and produced by Ben Stiller….

 

Mewnounos' Halloween

Porphyra

Greek version of 'Got Talent

Progress is finally being made on Matthew Stowell’s film project, Eleftheria - A Woman of Cyprus. This past weekend, Ioannis Christoforou, an award-winning filmmaker from Athens, came to Nicosia and made a video to be used in fundraising: on Kickstarter, local Cyprus TV, and in other media venues. Ioannis is a true professional (very demanding) and a consummate artist, and he gave it his all…..The second director in Wolverine is Debra Antoniou, Peter Lambropoulos did the sculptures and Nick Nicolaou the make-up effects….The Greek Cultural Center is looking for actors (male, 20-35 yrs old) for its next production, a caustic comedy by Helen Randou, Sara Ganoti and Nikos Stavrakoudis called My Convict. Call 718-726-7329 for interviews…And for one night only, Opa Productions  staged on November 20 at Chicago’s Pickwick Theater the hysterical comedy Oi Apelpismenoi.. Representing Greece, Porphyra's own “Shine” music video Angela Pandelis DJ-Aerialist, Won Third Place in the Amateur Silks Women’s Division “At The Aerial Performance Tournament 2014”!  Hong Kong’s Premier International Aerial Tournament.

Holiday Night at the Taverna, with live performance by 2010 "Greece Has Talent" winner Nikos Georgas was held Saturday November 22 at the National Hellenic Museum, by the Greek Media Club with input by Friends of the National Hellenic Museum, Hellenic Professional Society of Illinois, Hellenic Bar Association and Hellenic Medical Society. Event co-chairs were Marilyn Tzakis and Maria Brown

Word of the Month: Hilarious-Ιλαρός,cheerful, placid