Anastasia

Η 9η Ιουλίου 1821 - 9th of July 1821

2009-07-09T14:54:39+03:00

Followed by the English Translation

Αντάν αρτζιέψαν οι κρυφοί ανέμοι τζι' εφυσούσαν

τζι' αρκίνησεν εις την Τουρτζιάν να κρυφοσυνεφκιάζη

τζιαι που τες τέσσερεις μερκές τα νέφη εκουβαλούσαν,

ώστι να κάμουν τον τζιαιρόν ν' αρτζιεύκη να στοιβάζη,

είσιεν σγιαν είχαν ούλοι τους τζι' η Τζιύπρου το κρυφόν της

μεσ' στους ανέμους τους κρυφούς είσιεν το μερτικόν της.

Τζι' αντάν εφάνην η στραπή εις του Μοριά τα μέρη

τζι' εξάπλωσεν τζι' ακούστηκεν παντού η πουμπουρκά της,

τζι' ούλα ξηλαμπρατζιήσασιν τζιαι θάλασσα τζιαι ξέρη

είσιεν σγιαν είχαν ούλοι τους τζι' η Τζιύπρου τα κακά της.

Μιαν νύχταν, νύχταν σιανήν, τζιαιρόν Δευτερογιούνην,

νύχταν Παρασιευκόνυχταν, που τ' άστρα μιλιούνια

ελάμπασιν που πανωθκιόν τζι' εν έυρισκες ρουθούνιν

μέσα στης Χώρας τα στενά, στης Χώρας τα καντούνια,

σιανεμιά, εν άκουες δεντρούιν να ταράξη

μήτε του σιύλλου λάξιμον, με πετεινόν να κράξη.

Ητουν μια νύχτα μουλλωτή, μια νύχτα μουρρωμένη,

που θάρειες πως χώνεται που του Θεού την κρίσην.

Σε τέδκοιαν νύχταν σιανήν οι Τούρτζιοι βαωμένοι

μεσ' στο Σαράγιον είχασιν μιάλον μετζιηλίσιν.

Εγείραν τα μεσάνυχτα τζι' επήρεν το ξιφώτιν,

τζι' ο Κκιόρ-ογλους πούτουν καλή, πολλά καλ' η ψυσιή του

εξέβην πώσσω του κρυφά τζι' επήεν στον Δεσπότην,

τζι' εξύπνησέν τον τζι' έκατσεν κοντά του τζιαι λαλεί του:

"Εν' έσσω μου, Τζιυπριανέ, τ' αμάξιν μου ζεμένον,

τ' αμάξιν μου, Τζιυπριανέ, εν' έσσω αντροσιασμένον,

τζι' αν θέλης για να ποσπαστής που σίουρην κρεμμάλλαν

τζι' αν θέλης που τον θάνατον να φύης να γλυτώσης,

να πας με το χαρέμιν μου κρυφά κρυφά στην Σκάλαν,

τα κουσουλάτα εν' αννοιχτά, να πάης να τρυπώσης.

Ηρτεν του Μουσελλίμ-αγά φερμάνιν που την Πόρταν

τζι' εψές άρπα τζι' ανόρπιστα εγίνην μετζιηλίσιν,

τζι' έσιει πκιον εις το σιέριν του την μαύρην σας την σόρταν,

στο σιέριν του τον θάνατον, στο σιέριν του την κρίσην.

Να μεν αρκής, Τζιυπριανέ, να χάννης τον τζιαιρόν σου,

να πάης να φαραντζιστής αν θέλης το καλόν σου.

Πρέπει να πας, ει δε τζι' αν ου, εχάθης δίχως άλλον,

αν σ' εύρ' η μέρα το πωρνόν δα μέσα δα, εν νάσαι

νεκρός εις την κρεμμασταρκάν είτε νεκρός στον πάλλον.

Ανου να πάμεν γλήορα, τ' αμάξιν καρτερά σε!

"Εσιυψεν ο Τζιυπριανός τζι' έμεινεν νάκκον ώραν

τζι' εδκιαλοίστην νακκουρίν τζι' αννοίει τζιαι λαλεί του:

"Δεν θέλω, Κκιόρ-ογλου, εγιώ να φύω που την Χώραν,

γιατί αν φύω, το κακόν εν' να γινή περίτου.

Θέλω να μείνω, Κκιόρ-ογλου, τζι' ας πα' να με σκοτώσουν,

ας με σκοτώσουσιν εμέν τζι' οι άλλοι να γλυτώσουν.

Δεν φεύκω, Κκιόρ-ογλου, γιατί, αν φύω, ο φευκός μου

εν' να γενή θανατικόν εις τους Ρωμιούς του τόπου.

Να βάλω την συρτοθηλειάν εις τον λαιμόν του κόσμου;

Παρά το γαίμαν τους πολλούς εν' κάλλιον του πισκόπου.

"Λαλεί του πάλ' ο Κκιόρ-ογλους: "Λυπούμαι σε, Δεσπότη,

να μεν σ' εύρη που το πωρνόν ο ήλιος μεσ' στην Χώραν,

γιατί ευτύς εν' να κοπή η τζιεφαλή σου πρώτη.

Ενας Μουρούζης τζι' έφυεν έσιει τωρά μιαν ώραν,

που κρεμαλλίστην του τεισιού τζι' εξέβην εις την στράταν,

τζιαι πα' κατά τον Λάρνακαν να μπη στα Κουσουλάτα.

Εφέραν του τζι' εφόρησεν μιαν αλλαήν, 'πο τζιείνες

τους Πίτσιλλους, συλλούριτζιην, λιμίν λιμίν, σαλάταν,

τζιαι σέρτουκα τζιαι μέρτουκα στα πόδκια του ποδίνες,

μεν τύσιη τζι' αγρωνίση τον κανένας εις την στράταν''.

"Ευκαριστώ σου, Κκιόρ-ογλου," λαλεί του ο Δεσπότης.

"Θωρώ σε με καλόν γάλαν πως είσαι βυζασμένος,

μα φύε, μεν σε δουν τζιαι πουν πως γένεσαι προδότης.

"Λαλεί τ': "αν μεν θέλης πολλά νάσαι ξωμακρυσμένος,

αμμάγγου πάμεν έσσω μου, να μεν μείνης δαπάνω.''

"Εγιώνη θέλω, Κκιόρ-ογλου, να μείνω τζι' ας πεθάνω."

Ο Κκιόρ-ογλους εμάσιετουν να κάμη καλωσύνην,

αμμά επήεν άδικα ο κόπος του χαμένος.

Περίτου ώραν δεν είσιεν τζι' εν έπρεπεν να μείνη,

τζι' έφυεν πκιον περίλυπος τζιαι παραπονημένος.

Η νύχτα πκιον αρκίνησεν περίτου ν' αναρκώνη,

εγίνην η ανατολή κροκότσιηνη περίτου,

άρτζιεψεν πκιον το Σάββατον να πικροξημερώννη

τζι' ακούστηκεν του ξύλενου σημάντρου η φωνή του.

Εξέβην ο Τζιυπριανός με τζιείνον τον καμόν του,

τζι' επήεν εις την εκκλησ'ιάν τζιαι βάλλει τον σταυρόν του

τζι' ήτουν όσον τζι' εκάμασιν αρκήν της λειτουργίας,

τζι' εστάθηκεν περίλυπος τζιαι σγιαν να δκιαλοίστην,

τζι' επήεν τζι' εγονάτισεν ομπρός της Παναίας

τζιαι κάτι εψουψούρισεν τζι' ευτύς εκλαμουρίστην.

Έμεινεν, δεν ετάραξεν, ούλα που να καρφώθην,

γονατιστός τζιαι πληξιμιός με σιέρκα σταυρωμένα,

αρτζιέψαν το κοινωνικόν τζιαι τότες εσηκώθην,

τζι' εστάθηκεν τζι' εφαίνουνταν ταμμάδκια του κλαμένα,

τζιαι προσκυνά τρεις τέσσερεις φορές την Παναίαν,

εθάρειες ποσιαιρετά τζιαι κόσμον τζι' εκκλησίαν.

Εσυχχωρήθην με τους λας τζι' έμπην μεσ' στ' άγιον Βήμαν,

εμπήκεν τζι' εκοινώνησε τζι' εξέβηκεν τζι' εστάθην,

τζι' έμοιαζεν ούλα τον νεκρόν που βάλλουν εις το μνήμαν,

εθάρειες που πάνω του το γαίμαν πως εχάθην.

Εξέβην που την εκκλησιάν με την συναπαρτζιάν του,

τζιαι Τούρτζ' ευτύς του Σαραγιού επλάστησαν ομπρός του.

Ευτύς έριψεν πάνω τους μιαν άρκαν αμμαδκιάν του

τζι' εδήθηκεν το βρύδιν του τζι' εφάνην ο θυμός του.

Εμειναν τζι' εθωρούσαν τον ομπρός τους θυμωμένον

τζι' εθάρειες το στόμαν τους πως ήτουν πουμωμένον.

Λαλεί τους: "Πκοιός σας έπεψεν πωρνόν-πωρνόν κοντά μου;

Πέτε μου το, συντύσιετε τζιαι μεν βαρυκωλιήτε,

αν εν τζι' ελυπηθήκετε, εν πέτρα η καρδκιά μου,

πέτε μου, είντα θέλετε χωρίς να μ' αντραπήτε.

"Ηρταμεν να σε πκιάσωμεν, είμαστον προσταμένοι

από τον Μουσελλίμ-αγάν τον άρκονταν της χώρας.

"Λαλεί τους: "Με καλόν γάλαν αν είστε βυζασμένοι,

σταθήτε, καρτεράτε με πέντε λεφτά της ώρας.

(τζιαι πκοιός ηξέρ' ειντά 'κρυφεν που μέσα στην καρδκιάν του!)

Εξέβην πάνω βκιαστικός τζι' ενέην στον νοτάν του

τζι' άψεν λαμπάδιν τζι' έκρουσεν κάτι χαρκιά γραμμένα

τζι' ύστερα στράφην τζι' είπεν τους: "Ελάτ', αντρειωμένοι,

τώρα πώχω τα πράγματα σγιαν θέλω τελειωμένα,

επάρτε με να πάμεντε σγιαν είστε προσταμένοι.

Επάρτε με να πάμεντε ν' αδικοθανατήσω,

επάρτε με, σκοτώστε με χωρίς καμμιάν αιτίαν.

"Τζι' άλλοι δεξιά τζι' άλλοι ζαβρά τζι' άλλοι ομπρός τζιαι πίσω

ευτύς ετριυρκάσαν τον τζι' επήραν τον τζι' επήαν.

Ο Μουσελλίμης κάθεται με ούλλους τους αγάδες

μεσ' στο Σαράγιον τζιαι λαλεί τους άλλους Δεσποτάδες:

"Ακουσα πως εσείς οι τρεις τζιαι ο μιλλέτ πασιής σας

τζι' οι προεστοί του τόπου σας, ταρκοντολόϊν ούλον,

ετάξετε εις τους Ρωμιούς το μάλιν της ζωής σας,

να μεν αφήκετε Ρωμιόν εις τον ντοβλέττιν δούλον.

"Είπεν τζιαι δεν ετέλειωσεν ο άρκοντας το πείν του

τζι' εφέραν τον Τζιυπριανόν οι Τούρτζιοι ομπροστά του.

Ένεψεν με το δίκλημαν, ένεψεν με το δείν του

'νού που τους ασκερλήες του τζι' επήρεν τον κοντά του,

τζι' έκλινεν τζι' είπεν του στο φτιν:"Σε δκυο λεφτά της ώρας

να βαωθούν, να κλειδωθούν τζι' οι τρεις πόρτες της Χώρας,

μεν πα τζιαι φύουν οι Ρωμιοί στα όρη τζιαι χωστούσιν.

Αππεξωθκιόν του Σαραγιού να μεν εν παναύριν,

μεσ' στο Σαράγιον ούλοι τους να διπλαρματωθούσιν,

τζιελλάτην τζιαι κρεμμασταρκάν να τάσιετε χαζίριν."

Τότες εστράφην τζιαι λαλεί του Αρχιεπισκόπου,

σιυφτός χαμαί δησόφρυδος τζιαι καραμουτσωμένος:

"Πασ' πίσκοπε Τζιυπριανέ, μιλλέτ πασιή του τόπου,

εγύρεψα σε να σου πω πως είμαι προσταμένος

απού την Πόρταν τζιαι κρατώ στο σιέριν μου φερμάνιν,

πως έχω μιάλην προσταήν που το ψηλόν Διβάνιν

ταρκοντολόϊν τους Ρωμιούς, τους μιάλους τούν' του τόπου

να τους συνάξω μονομιάς τζιαι να τους-ι-σκοτώσω,

να μεν χαρίσω μπροεστού ζωήν μήτε πισκόπου

τζιαι ό,τι λοής θάνατον θελήσω να τους δώσω.

"Λαλεί του: "Μουσελλίμ-αγά, πούσαι καλός ισλάμης,

αφώσιεις εις το σιέριν σου του Διβανιού φερμάνιν

τζι' αφώσιεις έτσι προσταήν, μπορείς αλλοιώς να κάμης;

Κάμε σγιαν σε προστάσσουσιν που το ψηλόν Διβάνιν

τζιαι κάψε μας, για κρέμμασ' μας, για κόψε το λαιμόν μας,

θέλομεν όμως να μας πης είντ' αν το φταίσιμόν μας."

"Εμάσιεστουν με τους Ρωμιούς τους άλλους να σμιχτήτε,

τους Τούρκους που τες τέσσερεις μερκές να πολεμάτε,

εμάσιεστουν εις τάρματα τζι' εσείς να σηκωθήτε,

για να σμιχτήτε ούλοι σας τζιαι την Τουρτζιάν να φάτε''.

"Εν τζι' ήρταν, Μουσελλίμ-αγά, πάνω στον τόπον άλλοι

τζι' εφέραν άρματα κρυφά τζι' έννα μας καταγνώσης.

Εδώκαμεν σου τάρματα ούλοι, μιτσιοί τζιαι μιάλοι

ευτύς ότι εγύρεψες να μας-ι-ξαρματώσης.

Είντα λοής εθέλαμεν εμείς ναρματωθούμεν

τζιαι να σμιχτούμεν μ' άλλους λας τζιαι να σας πολεμούμεν;

Τζιείνος που σου ψουψούρισεν τούτα τα λόγια ούλα,

αν εν τζιαι τζιείνος Χριστιανός όμως εμάς μισά μας:

πυρομασιεί τον πάντα του π' αππέσσω η αζούλα,

εμάς πο τούτα που λαλείς εν καθαρή η καρδκιά μας."

Να μεν αρνιέσαι, πίσκοπε, τζι' εσείς οι καλοήροι,

είσιετ' αθθρώπους στα χωρκά, χαρκιά να δκιαμοιράζουν,

ν' αρματωθούσιν οι Ρωμιοί ναν' ούλοι τους χαζίρι

τζιαι με τον πρώτον λόον σου ν' αρτζιέψουν να μας σφάζουν,

τζιαι δεν πιστεύκ' ό,τι μου πη του καθενού το στόμα,

τζι' έχω πο τζιείνα τα χαρκιά, έσιεις να πης ακόμα;

"Λαλεί του: "Μουσελλίμ-αγά, είπα σου τζιαι λαλώ σου:

πο τούτα ούλα που λαλείς εν καθαρή η καρδκιά μας,

τζιαι πίστεψε, ειδέ τζι' αν ου, το κρίμαν στον λαιμόν σου,

μπορεί τζιαι ναν καμμιά δουλειά που γίνηκεν κρυφά μας."

"Πίσκοπε, 'γιω την γνώμην μου ποττέ δεν την αλλάσσω,

τζι' όσα τζι' αν πης μεν θαρευτής πως εν να σου πιστέψω.

Εχω στον νουν μου, πίσκοπε, να σφάξω, να κρεμμάσω,

τζι' αν ημπορώ που τους Ρωμιούς την Τζιύπρον να παστρέψω,

τζι' ακόμα αν ημπόρεια τον κόσμον να γυρίσω,''

έθεν να σφάξω τους Ρωμιούς, ψυσιήν να μεν αφήσω.

"Η Ρωμιοσύνη εν φυλή συνότζιαιρη του κόσμου,

κανένας δεν εβρέθηκεν για να την-ι-ξηλείψη,

κανένας, γιατί σιέπει την που τάψη ο Θεός μου.

Η Ρωμιοσύνη εν να χαθή, όντας ο κόσμος λείψη!

Σφάξε μας ούλους τζι' ας γενή το γαίμαν μας αυλάτζιν,

κάμε τον κόσμον ματζιελλειόν τζιαι τους Ρωμιούς τραούλλια,

αμμά ξέρε πως ίλαντρον όντας κοπή καβάτζιν

τριγύρου του πετάσσουνται τρακόσια παραπούλια.

Το 'νιν αντάν να τρώ' την γην τρώει την γην θαρκέται,

μα πάντα τζιείνον τρώεται τζιαι τζιείνον καταλυέται.

Είσαι πολλά πικραντερός, όμως αν θεν να σφάξης,

σφάξε τους λας που πολεμούν αλλού αρματωμένοι.

Εμάς με σιέρκα όφκαιρα γιατί να μας πειράξης,

πούμαστον δίχως άρματα, τζι' είμαστον νεπαμένοι;

"Τότες ο Μουσελλίμ-αγάς εψήλωσεν το δειν του,

τζι' είδεν τον μ' έναν δειν γλυτζιύν, τζι' αννοίει τζιαι λαλεί του:

"Ο,τι παθθαίν' ο άθθρωπος εν που την τζιεφαλήν του,

του βρένιμου που το σπαθίν ποσπάζετ' η ζωή του,

τζιαι σου, αν είσαι βρένιμος, ποσπάζεις την ζωή σου.''

"Μούλλωσε τζιαι κατάλαβα πριχού να πης το πειν σου,

μεν μάσιεσαι την θάλασσαν να την-ι-ξηντιλήσης.

Αδικα λόγια μεν χάννης τζι' αρκείς εις την δουλειάν σου.

Τον ήλιον με φύσημαν μπορείς να τον-ισβήσης;

Φώναξε του τζιελλάττη σου, σάσ' την κρεμμασταρκάν σου!"

Βασίλη Μιχαηλίδη

Ένα τμήμα από το ποιήμα "Η 9η Ιουλίου του 1821"

http://kypros.org/Poetry/Enati/

When the secret winds began to blow

And the fog started to spread over Turkey

And the clouds rolled from four quarters

Until the air grew thick and heavy,

Like the others so did Cyprus have its secret,

In those secret winds, it had its lot.

And when lightning flashed over Morias

And its thunder roared and was heard all over,

And everything was lit up, the seas and the lands,

Like the others so did Cyprus have its woes.

One night, soundless night, in the month of July,

One Friday night, when millions of stars

Glowed from above, and no soul could be seen

In Lefkosia's alleys, at Lefkosia's streetcorners,

Stillness, you couldn't hear a tree rustle,

Neither a dog's bark, nor a cock's crow.

It was a muffled night, a wry night,

That seemed to be hiding from God's judgment.

On such a quiet night, the Turks shut themselves away

In the Sarayio holding a great council.

Vasilis Michaelidis

part of the poem "The 9 of July 1821 ''

Translated from Greek by Tefkros Symeonides - 1997

VASILIS MICHAELIDES

Vasilis Michaelides (Greek: Βασίλης Μιχαηλίδης) is considered by many and often referred to as the national poet of Cyprus.

He was born in Lefkoniko, a village in the Famagusta District of Cyprus, in 1849. His first contact with the arts came in the form of hagiography, in the archbishopric in Nicosia where he trained as an artist. In 1875 he moved to Naples, Italy for further training.

Michaelides wrote several poems in Katharevousa, Dhimotiki and the Cypriot Dialect. His first poetry collection was published in 1882. Arguably, his most famous work is "The 9th of July 1821" a poem in the Cypriot dialect detailing the events leading to the execution of the Greek Cypriot leadership, including Archbishop Kyprianos, by the Ottoman rulers of the time.

The latter part of his life was plagued by alcoholism. He died on the 18th of December 1917.

In 1978, his portrait was depicted on one of a series of stamps themed on Cypriot poets.

Archbishop Kyprianos of Cyprus was the head of the Eastern Orthodox Church in Cyprus at the time that the Greek War of Independence broke out.

Kyprianos was born in Strovolos in 1756. He served as a monk in the monastery of Machairas until 1783 when he left for Wallachia to further his theological studies. He returned to Cyprus in 1802.

In 1818, Kyprianos was initiated into the Friendly Society (Filiki Eteria) which was preparing the ground for war and liberation from the Ottoman Empire. In 1820, Alexander Ypsilantis sent word to the archbishop that he would like for Cyprus to join in the armed struggle. Kyprianos' reply was pragmatic: He suggested that Cyprus support the upcoming revolution with money and supplies as any armed struggle would surely end in disaster for an isolated island like Cyprus with no navy and tradition of Klepht warfare like the rest of the Greek world.

However, when the Greek War of Independence broke out on March 25, 1821, Cypriots left by the hundreds to fight on the Greek mainland while proclamations were distributed in every corner of the island. The local pasha, Kucuk Mehmet, reacted with fury, calling in reinforcements, confiscating weapons and arresting several important Cypriots. Archbishop Kyprianos was told to leave by his friends as the situation worsened but he refused to do so. Finally, on July 9, 1821 Kucuk Mehmet had the gates to the walled city of Lefkosia closed and executed, by beheading or hanging, 470 important Cypriots amongst them Metropolitans Chrysanthos of Paphos, Meletios of Kition and Lavrentios of Kyrenia. Archbishop Kyprianos was hanged on a tree across from the former palace of the Lusignan Kings of Cyprus.

The national poet of Cyprus, Vasilis Michailidis wrote, many years after the fact, a poem to capture the dignity and bravery of the Archbishop as he faced Kucuk Mehmet:

"Bishop, I never do change my mind,
and however much you say don't think that I'll believe you.
My mind is made up, Bishop, to slaughter, and to hang,
and, if I can, to clean Cyprus of the Greeks,
and even more, if I could rove the world,
I would slaughter all Greeks, not a soul would I leave alive."
"The Greeks are a race as old as the world,
noone has lived to annihilate it,
noone, because God shelters it from up high.
The Greek race will vanish, when the world ends!

Slaughter us all and let our blood gush like a river,
make the world a slaughterhouse and the Greeks herds of sheep,
but be warned that when the aging poplar is cut down
all around it three hundred new sprouts shoot up.
The share while ploughing the earth, thinks the earth is wasted,
but it is itself that's always wasted and itself that's worn out.
You are full of malice, and if you want to butcher,
butcher those who are fighting abroad and are armed.
Us who are empty handed, why should you harm us,
us who are unarmed and peaceful?"

Then Mousellim-Aga raised his eyes,
and looked at him with a winsome glance, and then began to say :
"Whatever man suffers it's because of his own head,
the prudent saves his life from the sword,
and you, if you are prudent, can also save your life."
"Say no more, for I've understood before you finished talking,
stop struggling to drain the sea.
Don't waste your words for you'll be late to your work.
Can you put out the sun with a puff?
Call your hangman, get your gallows ready!"

Translated from Greek by Tefkros Symeonides - 1997

To this day and while Cyprus has been an official member of the European Union since May 2004, more than 40% of our territory is illegally occupied by Turkish troops.

Tribute to The King

2009-07-07T12:54:18+03:00

American superstar Michael Jackson was born in Gary, Indiana on August 29, 1958 and entertained audiences nearly his entire life. His father, Joseph Jackson, had been a guitarist but was forced to give up his musical ambitions following his marriage to Katherine (Scruse). Together they prodded their growing family's musical interests at home. By the early 60s the older boys Jackie, Tito and Jermaine had begun performing around the city; by 1964 Michael and Marlon had joined in.

A musical prodigy, Michael's singing and dancing talents were amazingly mature and he soon became the dominant voice and focus of "The Jackson 5." An opening act for such soul groups as the O-Jays and James Brown, it was Gladys Knight (not Diana Ross) who officially brought the group to 'Berry Gordy''s attention, and by 1969 the boys were producing back-to-back chart-busting hits as Motown artists ("I Want You Back," "ABC," "Never Can Say Goodbye," "Got to Be There," etc.). As a product of the 70s, the boys emerged as one of the most accomplished black pop/soul vocal groups in music history, successfully evolving from a Temptations-like group act to a disco phenomenon.

Solo success for Michael was inevitable, and by the 80s he had become infinitely more popular than his brotherly group. Record sales consistently orbited, culminating in the biggest-selling album of all time, "Thriller" in 1982. A TV natural, he ventured rather uneasily into films, such as playing the Scarecrow in The Wiz (1978), but had much better luck with elaborate music videos.

In the 90s the down side as an 80s pop phenomenon began to rear itself. Michael grew terribly child-like and introverted by his peerless celebrity. A rather timorous, androgynous figure to begin with, his physical appearance began to change drastically and his behavior grew alarmingly bizarre, making him a consistent target for scandal-making, despite his numerous charitable acts. Two brief marriages -- one to Elvis Presley's daughter Lisa Marie Presley -- were forged and two children produced by his second wife during that time, but the purposes behind it appeared image oriented. Despite it all, Michael Jackson's passion and artistry as a singer, dancer, writer and businessman are unparalleled, and it is these prodigious talents that will ultimately prevail over the extremely negative aspects of his seriously troubled adult life.

For it all to end on June 25, 2009, with his sudden death at age 50 of a cardiac arrest just as he was just coming out of a four-year reclusive period and rehearsing for a sold-out London concert "comeback" in July seems uncommonly cruel and tragic. Millions upon millions of dedicated fans will remember where they were "the day Michael died".

IMDb Mini Biography By: Gary Brumburgh / gr-home@pacbell.net

I've never been a great fan of his songs but whenever I saw him perform on a TV show, I was really hooked and impressed by his talent and artistry. At one time or another, many of us danced to Beat It or hummed Thriller and Moonwalk. He was by far the greatest entertainer of modern times - the King of Pop. I sometimes wonder why great people like Michael Jackson, Maryline Monroe, Elvis Presley, Lady Diana had an unhappy life and a tragic death.

Michael, may God grant you always a sunbeam to warm you, a moonbeam to charm you and laughter to cheer you. May your soul rest in peace forever. ~ From Cyprus with love.

Greece Goes Smokeless: Human Rights for All?

2009-07-02T14:14:08+03:00

Since yesterday an official smoking ban has been imposed by the Greek Parliament in an effort to join many other EU countries that have already gone smokesless. The governments of these countries have decided to act as some kind of dictator with the USA giving the "good" example in the first place - thus forcing people to adopt the lifestyle their governments dictate! This reminds me of the basics of Communism - a regime which, as we all know, has miserably failed.

This said, anti-smoking centres and so- called anti-smoking campaigns have arbitrarily decided about the preferences and the lifestyle of quite a large part of their population. These citizens are labelled as "Smokers". They are treated as second-rate citizens and are often categorised as "drug-addicts" or simply "ghettos". How very ironic! The World has miserbaly failed to solve some vital problems such as:

1. Homeless people.

2. Obesity

3. Drugs (by the way smokers are not drug addicts!)

4. Pollution!

Yet, the governments of this world feel free to impose a law: smoking bans! Because, you see, they have solved all other problems.

I have learnt to respect all people - regardless of whether their habits are different from mine. I am a very heavy smoker yet I take my own risks.. MY problem! Yet, like most smokers, I respect non-smokers. I personally banned smoking everywhere in my school but I often sneak a cigarette outside. The smoking ban hasn't been voted in Cyprus yet but out of respect for the children I teach, I decided that no one will be allowed to smoke at my school. I want non-smokers to treat me with just as much respect. This is what I call equal rights as I live in a democratic country.

FIVE ARGUMENTS AGAINST SMOKING BANS IN RESTAURANTS, HOTELS AND BARS

1. I believe in what is fair and suggest 2 separate rooms in restaurants,bars,hotels,cafes - smokers and non-smokers. Not just areas - ROOMS

2. In open air restaurants, cafes or bars, there must be 2 separate areas at a distance - for smokers and non-smokers. That's what I call a democratic option.

3. Smoking should be totally banned in public transport, offices and workplace. As I said above, I respect non-smokers too much to allow them or their children to breathe my smoke.

4. My husband doesn\t smoke cigarettes. Ah right! He was strong enough to give it up 13 years ago. But he does enjoy the occasional cigar at a restaurant, after a good meal. I love the smell of a good-quality cigar and I think it is unreasonable to ban cigars from a smoking-area where cigarette smoking is allowed!

5. Passive smoking : in the open-air there is no such case! Yet, I understand that some people may not wish to smell someone's smoke: so - outdoors smoking areas should be kept at a reasonable distance from non-smokers and children. Indoors smoking and non-smoking areas should be in completely separate rooms. If this is not possible - I agree with the non smoking ban.

I don't often post such long posts as I also respect my readers' available time. I'd greatly appreciate your own views but ...please don't preach!

Monday's Greek Recipe: Taramosalata

2009-06-29T23:01:13+03:00

A. The Greek Dips

The Greeks love to have some dips for starters or even before starters such as taramosalata, meltzanosalata, tzatziki or tahini as they prepare the palate for what is to follow. Although most of these dips are available at supermarkets, they can't equal the homemade ones. Besides they are so easy to make as you can combine all ingredients together in the food processor.

B. Today's Recipe

Taramosalata - Fish-Roe Salad

for 5-6 servings

Ingredients

1 kilo (2 lbs 4 oz) peeled potatoes

300 gr fish-roe

1/2 teacup olive oil

the juice of two lemons

1 small onion finely chopped or grated

a few black olives

Directions

1. Boil and drain the potatoes.

2. When they are cold enough to handle peel them and mash them in the food processor.

3. While the food processor is working add the fish-roe,the grated onion and blend the ingredients for about 10 minutes gradually adding the olive oil and lemon juice altarnatively.

4. Decorate with some black olives, if you like, and serve the taramolasalata as a dip with starters and hot pita bread.

Celebrating 500 Posts on TypePad

2009-06-25T14:50:58+03:00

Saturday, September 11 2004

I'm brand new to blog and TypePad...Hope I'm doing fine . It's been a quiet day ....my last leisure Saturday before lessons start on Monday. And it's going to be hectic then ! I do hope I'm going to make time daily to drop a line in here ...Anyway, I'm not sure how it works and I'd greatly appreciate tips and advice from advanced users . I'm having an evening out tonight with my husband and some friends. Fine dining and then probably a bar or cafe....tragic day to start a weblog , isn't it ???

That was my first blog ever! New to TypePad and new to the blogsphere. I didn't post a photo because I didn't know how! TypePad was one year old then - just a baby! And I was looking for a safe place to blog from. My friend Jeff had suggested me trying TypePad. Well, first I took the 30-day free trial and was so excited! Then I registered and signed up for a relatively low cost - $89 yearly but I could have all the great tools offered exclusively by the baby TypePad in 2004.

But like all babies, TypePad grew up fast! Despite the fact that I joined Yahoo!360 one year later, I didn't have the heart to give up on.... toddler TypePad. As I have recently said on a recent post on My Blogging Experience, TypePad was something like my online hiding-place. As for the great TypePad team, they'd go out of their way to help within 24 hours!

While celebrating my 500th post on TypePad, please let me thnak from the bottom of my heart TypePad and Six Apart for this wonderful blogging experience, which is I think unique in the blogsphere and is great value for money.. But I would also like to thank the cool staff from Help Tickets who really did their very best to solve my problems.... within 24 hours!

Thanks a million !

Zalary

Brianna

Kymberlie

Melanie

Laura

Colleen

Melissa

...and please forgive me if I've forgotten someone....

I would also like to thank from the bottom of my heart Ginevra and everything she does to make this blogging experience even greater!

Last but not least, thanks all those of you who visit and /or comment. It's greatly appreciated.

The Coolest TypePad Feature (ah right! TypePad is 6 years old now!!!)

The auto-saved post! Did your computer freeze all of a sudden while typing a post? Did your computer crush? Did you need to leave your post box and search something..on google let's say? Believe me you haven't lost your post ...it's been autosaved while you were wandering online! Once back, you choose create a post and then you are asked whether you would like to recover your auto-saved post! As we say in French : Chapeau TypePad! The 6-year-old kid has turned into a brand new Harry Potter! Thank you TypePad and Six Apart for this unique online experience! Efcharisto!

Saturday Musings

2009-06-20T14:02:28+03:00

This is my first Saturday off work. I had promised myself that today I'd get up after 10:00 am, have a royal continental breakfast on the terrace - you know what I mean - 2 cups of French coffee, freshly baked croissants (no I did not bake them), a couple of brioches, orange jam , some gruyère and a big glass of freshly squeezed orange juice...no, actually it's a special cocktail : lemon, pink grapefruit and orange juice. I didn't even realise when hubby got up, had a shower, fixed breakfast, got dressed and went to work. He never wakes me up unless I forget to match suit / tie / shirt/ socks / shoes. Just between you and me , Alkis is unable to match colour schemes, so I always prepare his clothes as I wouldn;t like my husband to be the ...laughing stock of his staff when he goes to work - end of digression!

My biological clock , however, woke me up. at 9:04 am! Two hours later than usual, though! I slept like a log - from 2 am to 9 am - and felt as fit as a fiddle. I made coffee and enjoyed my royal continental breakfast on the terrace with the laptop next to the croissants. So I thought I'd change my blog design and make it more ...sunburnt! Thanks TypePad for the one-click. I love it. Then I previewed the new TypePad and loved most of the features but I switched back to the old because I couldn't find the button : "view weblog".

That was when I decided to create a new weblog - actually a photo blog - where I'll be posting my most favourite photos mostly taken by me. I've always been fascinated by photography. On my 9th birthday my parents gave me the best birthday present ever! A Kodak camera which I had for more than 20 years. In between I had a Nikon Lite-Touch Zoom 140 AF. I've still got it , although I never use it now. Five years ago, Alkis gave me a Nikon Coolpix 3700 for a Christmas present. It took me ages to figure out how it worked! Now I am very much into digital photography. I'd greatly appreciate your visit to my new photo blog :

http://cordelia.typepad.com/my_photo_blog

The Magic Spell of Protaras

2009-06-16T14:00:03+03:00

Crystal-clear turquoise waters changing into deep blue early in the morning and turning into an amazing azure just before dusk, sandy beaches against a ragged landscape, incredible sunsets, romantic tavernas just a breath away from the call of the sea. Boats restlessly come and go into the fishing shelter, loaded with fresh kalamari, sea bream, red mullet, red snapper, sorkos, fangri or tsipoura. You can either buy the fish from the fisherman's boat or taste them in one of the many fish tavernas. Protaras is located on the outskirts of Paralimni situated in free Famagusta, at about 50 km east of Larnaca. That's where I spent the weekend - a blissfully relaxing weekend - at the Golden Coast Hotel - the jewel of Protaras - situated on the best sandy bay in Cyprus just next to the fishing shelter.

The Golden Coast Hotel

Ayios Elias - a glorious sunset!

The Golden Coast Hotel

After a hectic school term loaded with extra lessons and exam reviews, this brief getaway to my favourite holiday resort in Cyprus was all I needed to relax and unwind before issuing exam results and final reports. All I wanted was to lie in the sun, swim in those amazingly divine waters of eastern Cyprus, read, listen to my favourite music on my ipod and look forward to meeting my hard-working husband at the end of the day.

The fishing shelter

However, Protaras caters for all tastes. For those of you who would like to sip your international cocktail instead of ouzo or zivania or taste your international food instead of fresh fish and souvla (barbecue), there is a great variety of excellent ethnic restaurants as well as the traditional British pubs. Late at night (just after 1:00 am ) , try one of the many clubs - many are situated right on the sandy beaches where you can dance barefoot on the sand, under the stars of the eastern Med and where the murmur of the sea mingles with the many decibels!!

The Windmills, Protaras

At Protaras you can simply indulge in anything - you can sing, dance, eat, drink, sunbathe, swim, practise absolutely all water sports and / or extreme sports and make merry to your heart's content...Or you can simply fall under its magic spell ! Just like me!

Britain's Got Talent 2009 and a Blogthing

2009-06-10T00:12:26+03:00

Your Taste in Music Says You're Philosophical

Your musical tastes are reflective and complex.
You are intellectual to the point of being cerebral.

You are very open to new experiences, and even more open to new ideas and theories.
Wisdom and personal accomplishment are important to you.

You are naturally sophisticated. You are drawn to art, especially art by independent artists.
You are likely to be financially well off... and not because you were born that way.

What Does Your Taste in Music Say About You?

Europe Votes

2009-06-06T12:32:18+03:00

Since Thursday the 27 countries of the European Union have been voting their MEPs who will represent them in the new European Parliament. The elections started on Thursday and will finish tomorrow. The vote is held as follows :

Thursday June 4 : UK and the Netherlands.

Friday June 5 : Ireland, Czech Rupublic

Saturday June 6: Latvia, Cyprus, Malta, Slovakia, Italy

Sunday June 7: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary,Lithuania, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden.

The election is not compulsory- unlike our national elections - but I decided to cast my vote for the party and the people who I think will best represent our interests in the European Union.

The 736 seats in the European parliament are up for grabs. Partial results of the Dutch vote indicate that the party led by right-wing MP Geert Wilders has made gains. Mr Wilders is facing prosecution over anti-Islamic statements. The results suggest that his Freedom Party (PVV) has come second in the polls and will get four of the 25 Dutch seats in the assembly. The European Commission has asked for an explanation from Dutch officials, who broke EU rules by releasing partial results early. Results are not supposed to be announced until polls close across Europe on Sunday night. Britain voted on Thursday. Elections there were also held in some areas for local councils. The results of both UK polls are keenly awaited to see how they might affect the national political scene, following weeks of turmoil over MPs' expenses claims. In Ireland, where the elections were held on Friday, the vote is seen as a key test ahead of a second referendum on the EU's controversial Lisbon Treaty, expected in October.

My Interactive Whiteboard

2009-06-01T23:11:36+03:00

For a long time now, I've been looking forward to having an interactive whiteboard in my classroom. Considering that I run a small language school of about 100 students where I am my own boss and the only teacher, having an interactive whitebord was what some people would call wishful thinking! But as Constantinos said in his last blog on Blogger, perseverance makes success. Finally, last Friday the dream came true.

An interactive whiteboard is a large, touch-sensitive panel that connects to a digital projector and a computer, displaying the information on the computer screen. It resembles a traditional whiteboard and is used similarly. The computer connected to the interactive white board can be controlled by touching the board directly or by using a special pen. Such actions (inputs) are transmitted to the computer instead of using a mouse or keyboard.

Interactive whiteboards present educational resources in a highly interactive way and are suitable for whole class and small group settings. They allow pupils to engage and interact with the technology to become active participants in learning. Pupils with special needs can particularly benefit from the presentation of multimedia content on a large screen as it can aid in both information processing and retention. Optimal use of an interactive whiteboard involves both the teacher and students using it in a classroom situation. It can, for example, be used to:

-Allow presentation of student work in a more interactive and collaborative model
-Show video clips that explain difficult concepts (in any curricular area)
-Demonstrate how an educational software program works, e.g., an art programme with students using their fingers and hands to draw rather than working with a mouse
-Cater more effectively for visually impaired students and other students with special needs
-Display Internet resources in a teacher-directed manner
-Create handwritten drawings, notes and concept maps during class time, all of which can be saved for future reference.

Also an interactive white board in a language class can be used to :

- save lessons for pupils who were absent and send them by email

- teach grammar and vocabulary in a fun way

- play interactive ...word games

- do quizes on either reading, grammar or vocabulary

- motivate the weaker students

- use internet sites, video clips or dvds to relate to the reading in the textbook

- use the textbook on the board to highlight text, check comprehension and vocabulary

- brainstorm ideas for compositions

- as an electronic word wall

- allow students to create group projects and even write a class book!

- end each day by having students write one thing they've learnt.

Interactive Whiteboards are phenomenal tools. . They provide ways to show students anything which can be presented on a computer's desktop (educational software, web sites, and others). In addition, interactive whiteboards allow teachers to record their instruction and post the material for review by students at a later time. This can be a very effective instructional strategy for students who benefit from repetition, who need to see the material presented again, for students who are absent from school, for struggling learners, and for review for examinations. Brief instructional blocks can be recorded for review by students—they will see the exact presentation that occurred in the classroom with the teacher's audio input. This can definitely help accelarate the process of learning.

Pets

2009-05-27T21:03:08+03:00

Most people do not doubt that pets are great companions and that they are good for everybody (young and old people). To many adults, especially those who live alone, animals are like family members. They fulfil your need for affection and attention like only animals can do. To children, in addition to being their companions all day, animals also serve to help them learn day-to-day things. Animals show the circle of life in an accelerated way compared to human beings (birth, youth, adulthood, old age and dying). They also show children other things related to life such as having an accident, getting ill and knowing how to take care of themselves. As these phases are more accelerated in animals than in human beings the children learn about them through the animals. Moreover, animals help the children to develop their sense of responsibility, since they need to be taken care of constantly. In a study performed by Robert Bierer it was concluded that children, aged ten to twelve who had animals had more empathy towards others and higher self-esteem. Pets also help children to reduce their anxiety, tediousness and fear and to develop a better capacity to integrate and to be more focused in school.

According to a study carried out in Paris, France, seventy-six percent of the people interviewed believed that the presence of a pet favoured the communication between family members. A group of sixty children was observed and sixty-three percent of them owned a pet such as: dog, cat, bird, fish or turtle. The results of the inquiry confirm the importance of these animals to the development of affection in children and adolescents. The fact that the animal is permanently available for sociability with its’ young owners appears in the study to be a key-factor for the relationship between family members and this also shows that the presence of pets in homes is of great importance.

I had my first pet on my first birthday in April 1959. My parents offered me a puppy which was then one year old just like me.

I practically grew up with Argos - he turned out to be my best friend during my childhood and teen years. It took me time to get over his death 12 years later. Then came Arodaphnousa the cat and Chérie the poodle. A kitten and a puppy. They used to share their food in the same dish - Chérie would leave the fish for Arodaphnousa and Arodaphnousa would eat all the meat PLUS the fish but would leave all the bones to Chérie. They also used to sleep together. Unfortunately, I lost all their beautiful photos in 1974 during the Turkish invasion. Somebody must have found them , though, in occupied Famagusta. I also lost both my pets during that time.

As a student in Geneva, Switzerland, I had a Swiss friend who wanted to find a home for her 2 year-old dog - the offspring of a german pointer and a labrador! I only had a room then with a bathroom and a kitchenette but I fell in love with Pupuce and brought her home. We had her for 5 years and when Alkis and I got married and decided to leave Switzerland, we wanted to take her with us. However, we learnt that in Greece and Cyprus imported dogs had to spend 6 months in quarantine, then. I couldn't do that to Pupuce. She'd have died! And she was only 6 years old in 1983! So, however hard it was, we decided to give her to a friend of ours whose parents were blind. With some training, Pupuce became their guide dog. Here she is with Alkis in my room in Geneva.

Next came Chap the naughty boy. I thought poodles behaved themselves!

And then in the 90s Michel the cat. Alkis and I had him for 3 years. Then one day, Alkis challenged him badly with his favourite toys - mouse and ball. As a result, Michel scratched him badly and we gave him away. But he was the cutest cat I've ever had!

He also loved my plants and flowers!

Finally my mother's labrador, Blanche. She was such a great dog - smart, intelligent, loving. My mother often brought her to Larnaca for a visit and , unlike Chap, she'd behave herself! She passed away a couple of years ago at the age of 18!

Since we gave Michel away, I haven't had a pet as both Alkis and I live in a flat and work long hours. So any pet would be very unhappy with us now!

Monday's Greek Recipe- Melitzanes Imambaildi

2009-05-25T21:07:04+03:00

Melitzanes Imambaildi - Baked Aubergines Stuffed with Tomato Sauce - is of Turkish origin and was brought to Greece by the Greeks of Asia Minor after the exodus in 1922. My grandfather was one of them. When he married my grandmother in 1934 he set a condition: "I love you dearly", he told her, "but you must learn to cook meltzanes imambaildi." And truly she did! I'll never forget her delicious meltzanes imam baildi. She then taught my mother how to do them. As you can see in the picture above, my mother followed the tradition and she now boasts her imam. Here is the original recipe as it was written down in my grandma's cookery notebook.

Ingredients (5-6 servings)

6 medium-sized aubergines

4-5 onions cut in round slices

2-3 ripe tomatoes skinned and finely chopped

2 tomatoes cut into slices

3 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

3-4 garlic cloves (sliced)

2 teacups olive oil

2 teaspoons sugar

salt - pepper

Directions

1. Remove the stem ends of the aubergines and slice them in half - lengthwise .

2. Drop them in a pot of salted water for about 1 hour to remove their bitter juices.

3. Strain them well and fry them in plenty of oil over a medium fire.

4. Now arrange the fried aubergines in a baking dish.

5. Using a teaspoon scoop half their pulp out, place it in a bowl and keep it aside.

6. In a saucepan, sauté the onions adding the chopped tomatoes, the garlic, the reserved pulp, the parsley, the sugar, salt and pepper. Let them cook for about 20 minutes.over a medium fire.

7. Fill the aubergines with the prepared stuffing, cover each stuffed aubergine with a tomato slice and bake in medium oven for about 45 minutes

Welcome to Larnaca - A Virtual Tour

2009-05-20T00:12:36+03:00

Larnaca is a small town of about 70,000 inhabitants situated on the southern coast of the island of Cyprus. When I first came to live here in November 1984, it looked like the middle of no where! People would stare at me as if I were an alien just because I I was different from them. Back to the 80s it was unheard of for a Greek Cypriot lady in her late 20s to have lunch BY HERSELF at one of the few tavernas at the time at Finikoudes Seafront. Most people thought I was from ...Iran . Here's what I looked like ! Long black hair and a very fair complexion!

I had once stopped at a petrol station and when the man filled up my car, I politely said : "That's very kind of you, thank you". He looked at me strangely and said: "Where on earth are you from?" That was then ...as Alexander Rybak from Norway sang to us at the 54th Eurovision Song Contest. 25 years later, I feel I belong to Larnaca. The proof? It's been a long time I haven't visited hometown Nicosia. Funnily enough, I feel I don't belong there any more.

So, let me show you around Larnaca tonight - a hidden jewel in the Eastern Med.

That was then ....

And this is now... Finikoudes (the Palm Tree Promenade) is the symbol of our town and the town centre.. The palm trees date back to bygone years but now the area boasts one of the cleanest beaches in the eastern Med which has won a Blue Flag. There are also many cafes , restaurants and bars - my favourite being Ve, and the new Hobos Restaurant with an amazing view to the sea. From Finikoudes let me take you to Saint Lazarus Church.

At the corner of Faneromenis and Agiou Lazarou Street is the church of Agiou Lazarou (Holy Lazarus), built in the 9th century by Byzantine Emperor Leo, on the site of St. Lazarus' tomb. According to legend, Lazarus travelled to Larnaca after his resurrection, and became the city's first bishop. His tomb is inside the church, under the main altar. The entrance is decorated with a number of icons. The church belltower was built in 1857. The church houses a small museum, containing beautiful samples of Byzantine religious art, including old wood carvings, icons and liturgical utensils.

From Saint Lazarus Church let me take you to the Salt Lake home of more than 12,000 pink flamingoes which choose to spend the winter in Larnaca.During the winter months the lake fills with water whilst in the summer the water evaporates, leaving a crust of salt and a haze of grey dust. According to legend, the lake's saltiness stems from St Lazarus' request of an old woman for food and drink. She refused, claiming her vines had dried up, to which Lazarus replied: "may your vines be dry and be a salt lake forever more." A more scientific explanation is that the salt water penetrates the porous rock between the lake and the sea, making the water very salty.

Aren't they beautiful? And how about an ice cold frappé - Greek iced coffee - at my place?

My blog today was inspired by my dear friend Stefania's blog on Blogger

Eurovision Song Contest 2009 - The Grand Final

2009-05-16T17:12:53+03:00

The Eurovision Song Contest has been by far Europe's most favourite TV show for 53 years now. It is also the world's longest TV show! After more than 5 decades, featuring some 1,100 songs, the contest has become a modern classic strongly embedded into Europe's collective mind. The 54th Eurovision Song Contest will be held at Olympisky Arena in Moscow , Russia who was last year's winner. After the two semi-finals, which took place last Tuesday and Thursday, here are the 25 finalists out of 42 in the order in which they will appear tonight at 9:00 pm CET

1. Lithuania - Love

2. Israel - There must be another way

3. France - Et s'il fallait le faire

4. Sweden - La Voix

5. Croatia - Lijepa Tena

6. Portugal - Todas as Ruas De Amor

7. Iceland - Is It True?

8. Greece - This is Our Night

9. Armenia - Yan Yan

10. Russia - Mamo

11. Azerbaijan - Always

12. Bosnia and Erzegovina - Bistra Voda

13. Moldova - Hora Din Moldova

14. Malta - What If We....

15. Estonia - Randjad

16. Denmark - Believe Again

17. Miss Kiss Kiss Bang

18. Turkey - Dum Tek Tek

19. Albania - Carry Me In Your Dreams

20. Norway - Fairy Tale

21. Ukraine - Be My Valentine

22. - Romania - The Balkan Girls

23. United Kingdom - It's My Time

24. Finland - Lose Control

25. Spain - La Noche Es Para Mi

Now here are my own predictions for the three top winners:

1. Turkey

2. Norway

3. Greece

What are your predictions and who would you give your 12 points? (Bearing in mind that this counts for only 50% this year). The other 50% will be the EBU committee's verdict!

Eurovision 2009 Countdown!

2009-05-14T00:11:01+03:00

The Eurovision Songcontest will be held in Russia following its victory in the 2008 contest in Belgrade, Serbia with Dima Bilan's "Believe". Despite the unwillingness of the Mayor of Moscow to hold the contest in the city,[4] Vladimir Putin, Prime Minister of Russia, eventually stated that the contest will be held in Moscow.

It was proposed by Channel One, that the contest be held in Moscow's Olympic Indoor Arena and this proposal was evaluated by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and confirmed on 13 September 2008. The Director-General of the venue, Vladimir Churilin refuted rumours of emergency reconstruction of the building, saying: "It will not be required for the Eurovision Song Contest. We now can take up to 25 thousand spectators."

Contest 2009 is the 54th Eurovision Song Contest, taking place between 12 and 16 May 2009 at the Olympic Indoor Arena in Moscow, Russia. Changes in the voting procedure will occur with the re-introduction of a national jury alongside televoting while the format of the semi-finals will remain the same. Forty-two will participate in the contest; Slovakia has announced it will return to the contest, while San Marino has withdrawn due to financial issues. Latvia and Georgia originally announced their intention to withdraw, but it was later stated by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) that both countries would indeed participate.However, Georgia decided to withdraw once again after the EBU rejected its selected song claiming a breach of contest rules.

Here are my 10 most favourite songs :

1. Greece

2. Montenegro

3. France

4. Ireland

5. Turkey

6. Island

7. Sweden

8. Portugal

9. Israel

10. Malta

What are your Eurovision 2009 top ten ?

Sarah The Robot on Facebook

2009-05-09T15:58:06+03:00

No, no - not Sarah Palin - don't worry.

Researchers are giving a robot its own Facebook profile page to help foster meaningful relationships with people. The page will be populated with interactions the robot has with people as well as photos of the time it spends in human company. Its creators hope that embedding it in a social web will demonstrate that a sustainable friendship can grow up between man and machine. The coupling of robot and social network is the idea of Dr Nikolaos Mavridis (of Greek origin! Ah right, I've always thought Macedonians are geniuses. That's why I married one!) and co-researchers as they look into ways of overcoming the reluctance of people to stay in touch with robots. While robots that can engage people have been produced before now, research suggests that humans lose interest - at most a few weeks after being introduced - as the behavioural repertoire of the machine is exhausted.

The researchers want to find out if this can be thwarted by giving humans and robots a pool of shared memories and if they are part of the same social circle of friends. The platform for exploring the problem is a robot that can recognise faces created by Dr Mavridis and colleagues from the Interactive Robots and Media Lab (IRML) at the University of the United Arab Emirates plus co-workers in Germany and Greece.

The prototype is based on a PeopleBot machine from ActivRobots to which they have added a range finder, touch screen and stereo camera. The current prototype is called “Sarah” but when the project begins this will be swapped for a machine with the face of Islamic scholar Ibn Sina, aka AvicennaUnder the hood the machine has three software modules to help it interact with people it meets at IRML. One module recognises the faces of real people or the images they place of themselves on Facebook. It also has a language module so the machine can carry on real-time conversations and it will maintain a database of its friends and their social relationships based on information in Facebook. This social database will also keep its own Facebook profile up to date!

Personally, I can't wait to talk to Sarah! Just imagine the fun !

Dear Diary .....

2009-05-06T00:40:56+03:00

I am too tired to listen to your neverending chatter or moaning about neglecting you - something which I have never done - despite the fact that you will never be a decent electronic diary, in my opinion, and in more ways than one!. What's really strange is that the TypePad team loves you as they have chosen YOU amongst all my categories to appear in full CAPS ! This means that you have made good progress by accepting your new electronic nature. See? I have chosen the best electronic site in the blogsphere for you. So don't you ever dare moan and groan!

I haven't been doing much online these days as I have been very busy lately both workwise and socially. But I was really glad to make time and get away with hubby even for a few hours on Labour's Day. Right now my priority number one is work - the end of yet another school year is just around the corner. Final exams at my school start on May 25 not to mention the IGCSE ( International General Certificate of Secondary Education) issued by the University of Cambridge, UK, International Examinations.. The IGCSE (extended) in English as L2 is on May 15 (Reading and Writing) and on May 22 (Listening) . The Mock Examination at my school - Reading and Writing - is tomorrow and their Listening exam on Wednesday 13. With the actual exam on May 15, I have only got 9 days to mark and assess 9 papers consisting of 25 pages each. So, dear diary, there's no way of talking to you again before some time in June! The good thing is that once back home , well after 9:00 pm, I am greeted by a loving husband who has already made dinner for 2 served at a candlelit dining table every single day of the week! That's when all the tension of the day goes away.

Lefkara

2009-05-01T22:53:21+03:00

Just after the Easter break, Labour's Day was a very pleasant day off in an otherwise hectic school term - the last term of 2008-2009 school year. For most people in Europe it is also a long weekend, not for me , though, as I start workearly in the morning tomorrow. So we couldn't get away for the weekend , as Alkis had suggested. Besides, I had a pile of IGCSE compositions to mark. I got up early in the morning and by 11:00 o'clock I had finished my marking and got ready for an outing. We went to the nearby village of Lefkara - home to the finest local embroidery - and had lunch at Iason's Restaurant. The fresh mountain air gve us a huge appetite and had a hearty meal, as per usual when we eat out in the countryside.

Lefkara is situated at an altitude of 750 metres, south west of the Troodos Mountains. You can say that Lefkara lies in the heart of Cyprus, because it is only 50km away from Nicosia, 35km from Larnaca and 55km from Limassol. The dry and healthy climate, the hospitality of the people of Lefkara, the beauty of the landscape and the art of embroidery are only a few reasons to come to Lefkara. Thousands of tourists from all over the world visit Lefkara each year.

And since I am a history lover, here is a very brief historical survey of Lefkara.

The village attributes its name to the surrounding mountains: Lefka Ori, White Mountains.
Historical sources show that the different conquerors of Cyprus have left their tracks behind in Lefkara. In the period of the Franks (the French Kings also known as The Lusignans), Lefkara became the seat of the bishop of Amathus.Under the authority of Venice, Lefkara became a sanctuary for women from Venice. According to the legend these women taught the local population to embroider.During this period the famous Leonardo da Vinci reputedly visited Lefkara and legend says he bought a big table-cloth for the altar of the Milanese cathedral.Around 1570, when the Turks invaded Cyprus, Lefkara offered lodging to a lot of refugees.

Euthanasia

2009-04-26T21:10:52+03:00

As we all know, the heart is the organ which supplies the body's tissues with blood. For a long time, the definition of death as the arrest of heart action and irreversible breakdown of respiration was considered a fact that did not require legal definition. With the advances in medical technology in the 20th century, however, the use of drugs and machines such as respirators enabled doctors to restore vital functions within minutes after they had stopped and, sometimes, to maintain them indefinitely. As a result, many medical authorities came to define death as the cessation of cerebral function (brain waves) as well as of respiratory and circulatory function.

Many hospitals today have adopted a definition of death that equates it with irreversible coma. According to this definition, a physician may assume that a person's brain is dead if it reads a flat electroencepholograph reading. The hospital then would consider that it could withdraw supportive medical measures on the assumption that nothing more could be done for the patient and the extraordinary measures are no longer required for the support of heart function and breathing. Such decisions, however, can raise importants questions of medical ethics.

Legal as well as ethical consideration may also be involved in such matters. By the late 1980s, in the USA most states had legally declared brain death to be an essential part of the definition of death. The need for this move had become evident with the growth of organ transplant operations, because organs must be removed as quickly as possible from a dead person before they begin to deteriorate.. Difficult legal questions were also created by those situations in which modern technology made possible the maintenance of life in otherwise irreversibly comatose or terminally ill patients.

As a result, various groups and individuals have for a number of years been pressing for the "legal right to die", declaring that extraordinary life-sustaining treatments only prolong suffering. They have sought to establish this right, in particular by means of so-called "living wills" that confer authority for withdrawal of such treatments upon family members, friends or legal figures. Many countries have recognised the legality of "living wills", but the question of euthanasia that they involve - that is the induction of gentle death by passive means - continues to be the centre of numerous ethical and legal controversies.

As far as I am concerned, I strongly believe that euthanasia is a crime which equals premeditated murder. Suffering is part of our lives and very often the advances in medicine successfully put an end to it. Hope dies last.

*** Many thanks to my friend Andreas for providing the medical info on euthanasia.

Typepad Vs Blogger

2009-04-23T15:36:11+03:00

Now that I'm off work due to our Easter break, I have some more free time to surf the Net and learn things. To my surprise, I found out about the dispute between Typepad and Blogger. When my friend Constantinos invited me to contribute to his blog on Blogger as a guest author, I had second thoughts as the site was completely unknown to me and , most importantly, I didn't know Constantinos' reading public. Finally, I decided to give it a try and accepted Constantinos' invitation. So, I started exploring Blogger and found it very similar to Typepad. Now don't ask me who copied who, I really do not know. All I know is that you can have a unique blog experience on Typepad for only $4,95 a month. No other blogging site has ever offered so many tools online and such a great service.

WHY BLOGGER

1. It's free!

2. You can still come across a lot of drama if that interests you!

3. You can follow a blog easily with userpics as well.

4. You can have all the benefits of Google Reader

5. You can have all the benefits of a super Google profile!

WHY TYPEPAD

1. For a very small fee ($4.95 monthly) you can have the blog of your dreams and great tools!

2. You can make money.

3. You can advertise your business...or just blog for pleasure!

4. No need to host your photos on sites such as Picasa, Flickr or Photobucket in order to post them on your blogs. Typepad provides a built-in image uploader so that you can upload photos directly from your computer. Same goes for audio files.

5. No other site has such a cool comment section like Typepad Connect which is free! I hesitated a lot to join Typepad Connect because it's still beta but so far there has been NO PROBLEM ! I can reply to my friends' comments individually whenever I am online. Threaded comments are great on Typepad.

6. People can subscribe to comments and follow the thread through their mobile phone, I can post through my email anytime, anywhere- no need to log in.

So, tell me , what's your most or least favourite blogging site ?

Easter Monday's Greek Recipes

2009-04-20T10:33:20+03:00

For the Greeks, Easter is regarded as the greatest celebration of the year. The festive pascal menu includes a wide variety of traditional foods such as magiritsa (the midnight soup), ovelias (seasoned lamb or goat on the skew), kokoretsi (seasoned lamb offal wrapped in chopped indestines), tsoureki (a kind of brioche-fluffy easter bread) and flaounes in Cyprus (easter cheese pies) and, of course, the easter eggs. They are mostly painted red on Holy Thursday and symbolise Christ's blood. However, other colours can be used such as green, blue and yellow to symbolise springtime and the fertility of nature. During the Midnight Easter Supper and the Easter Lunch each person chooses an egg and raps it against another's egg. The one whose egg survives and remains uncracked is considered lucky.

A. GREEK EASTER EGGS

You will need
1 package of easter eggs dye
1/2 cup white vinegar
12 eggs, at room temperature
olive oil for glazing

Procedure
1.Wash eggs carefully to remove any dirt.

2.Place the eggs in a large stainless steel pot, preferably in a single layer, cover with water, add some white vinegar and bring to a boil for about 10 minutes. Turn off heat.

3. Dilute the dye powder in a cup of warm water and add it to the eggs stirring lightly.

5.Check for colour after 10-15 minutes, remove eggs that have reached the desired colour and cool slightly on a rack.

6.Rub each egg with an oiled cloth to glaze the surface and polish with kitchen paper.

7.Keep dyed eggs in the fridge until ready to use.

Tips
1. The eggs must be left at room temperature for about an hour before boiling them.

.2. A natural red dye can be made from yellow onion skins. Just simmer the skins of 15 yellow onions with 2 Tbs white vinegar and 4 ½ cups water for 30 minutes. Strain and let cool until it reaches room temperature. The result will be an orange colored liquid. Simmer eggs, covered, in this liquid, and they will turn a lovely red color. Turn heat off after 20 minutes and leave to cool with the eggs that have not attained the desired depth of colour yet.

B. MAGIRITSA - Easter Midnight Soup

INGREDIENTS

a lamb's liver

heart lights and intestines

juice of 3 lemons

salt

6 spring onions, trimmed, rinsed and finely sliced

25 gr. butter (about 1/2 cup)

2 cos lettuces, trimmed, shredded and rinsed carefully (use only their young leaves and hearts)

a cup of fresh dill or fennel, rinsed and finely chopped

a cup of finely chopped parsley

1.2 lt hot water

salt and black pepper

60 gr. rice (about 1 cup)

avgolemono sauce (egg and lemon sauce)

2 eggs

juice of 2 lemons

METHOD
Rinse all the meat. Turn the intestines inside out with the help of a thin stick and rinse them thoroughly. Rub them with salt and lemon juice and rinse them again. Cube them into small portions. In a large saucepan, sautee the onions in the butter, until they start to change colour. Add the chopped intestines, liver, lights and heart, fry together for a few minutes, stirring. Add the shredded lettuces and all the fresh herbs and sautee for a few more minutes. Add the hot water, and seasoning, cover and cook for 30 minutes. Then add the rice and cook for a further 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and let it stand for 10 minutes, before proceeding with the avgolemono sauce. Add the Avgolemono Sauce* to the soup, stirring. Return to a very gentle heat for 2 minutes, stirring at the same time. It should be by now a relatively thick soup.

*Avgolemono Sauce

Lightly beat 2 eggs. Add the lemon juice and beat again. Add 3-4 spoonfuls from the soup and stir to mix. Then add the avgolemono to the soup stirring well.

C. FLAOUNES - Easter Cheese Pies

Makes about 12.

Ingredients
Yeast dough
1 ½ lbs (750gr) strong plain flour,
1 sachet easy bake yeast,
1 teaspoon salt,
2 teaspoons sugar,
2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil, water to mix.

Cheese filling
8oz (250gr) cheddar cheese ot 12oz flaouna cheese if available,
4oz (100gr) halloumi,
1 tablespoon flour,
1 teaspoon baking powder,
1 tablespoon crushed dried Mint,
4 eggs, lightly beaten.

To finish
1 egg, beaten,
sesame seeds.

Method
Sift flour into a large bowl. Stir in the yeast, salt and sugar. Add the oil and enough water to make a firm dough. Knead for at least 5 minutes until smooth and elastic. Put the dough in a plastic bag and leave in a warm place for an hour to rise.
For the filling, coarsely grate the cheeses, add the flour and baking powder then gradually stir in the beaten egg and seasonings until you have a stiffish paste ( keep some of the beaten egg back if the mixture becomes too runny).
Divide the dough into egg sized pieces and roll these into 4'' (10cm) discs.
Place a generous tablespoon of filling in the centre of each pastry disc, spreading it slightly. Pull dough up at 3 points to make a triangle, or 4 points to make a square. You should stilll be able to see the filling in the middle.
Press corners together to seal and leave to rise. Just before baking, brush with beaten egg and sprinkle some sesame seeds over the finished flaounes.
Bake in a hot oven gas 8, 450'C, 230'C for 12-15 minutes until cheese filling is puffed and flaounes are golden.
Serve warm or cold.

ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ ΑΝΕΣΤΗ. ΧΡΟΝΙΑ ΠΟΛΛΑ.

The Passion : Epitaphios

2009-04-17T20:24:45+03:00

Holy Friday is a day of mourning, fasting and prayer. Friday morning services retell the story of Christ's passion with the addition of prophecies, psalms and hymns. These services or "Royal Hours" help us keep vigil at the side of the crucified Christ, and relate Jesus' suffering to our redemption. Friday morning service (The Apokathilosis) marks the beginning of Holy Saturday: During this service, the minister takes Christ's body from the Cross, wraps it in a white cloth and places it on the Altar as a sign of His burial by Joseph of Armiathea and Nikodimos. A cloth icon or shroud depicting Christ's sacred body, called the Epitaphios, is carried in procession and placed in a flowered bier that represents Christ's tomb. On Holy Friday evening, the Martins of Holy Saturday are chanted. At this service we chant: The Hymns Of The lamentations "Engomia"We lament Jesus' undeserved death for our salvation. With both sorrow and joy we chant the Lamentations (Praises) to Him who is symbolically buried, yet whom we already know is the risen Lord and Giver of Life. This service, the Epitaphios is taken in a candlelight procession around the church, "In a tomb they lay Thee O Christ the life. By Thy Death Thou has cast down the might of death and become the font of life for all the world"

The Value of Learning a Foreign Language

2009-04-15T14:50:55+03:00

Learning a foreign language takes time and dedication. The reasons below may help to convince you to take the plunge, if such persuasion is needed. Some reasons are practical, some aspirational, some intellectual and others sentimental, but whatever your reasons, having a clear idea of why you're learning a language can help to motivate you in your studies.

Kolik jazyků znáš, tolikrát jsi člověkem.

You live a new life for every new language you speak.

If you know only one language, you live only once.

(Czech proverb)

"I speak English, so I don't have to learn a foreign language...."

Everyone speaks English, right? Well, certainly not everyone speaks English. According to the CIA World Fact Book, only 5.6 % of the world's total population speaks English as a first language. That number doubles when people who speak English as a second or third language are counted. By conservative estimates, that means that well over four-fifths of the world's population does not speak English.

It's true that English has become a global lingua franca over the past several decades; this fact, however, really should have little effect on your decision to learn a foreign language. The attitude that English alone is enough, in fact, creates self-imposed limitations. To remain monolingual is to stunt your educational development, to restrict your communication and thinking abilities, and to deny yourself the ability to fully appreciate and understand the world in which you live. Learning another language opens up new opportunities and gives you perspectives that you might never have encountered otherwise. Personal, professional, social, and economic considerations all point to the advantages of learning foreign languages. Still not convinced? Here are 10 very good reasons why you should be learning a foreign language:

1.Emigration

When you move to a different country or region, learning the local language will help you to communicate and integrate with the local community. Even if many of the locals speak your language, for example if your L1 is English and you move to the Netherlands, it's still worth your while learning the local language. Doing so will demonstrate your interest in and commitment to the new country.

2.Family and friends

If your partner, in-laws, relatives or friends speak a different language, learning that language will help you to communicate with them. It will also give you a better understanding of their culture and way of thinking.

3.Work

If your work involves regular contact with speakers of foreign languages, being able to talk to them in their own languages will help you to communicate with them. It may also help you to make sales and to negotiate and secure contracts. Knowledge of foreign languages may also increase your chances of finding a new job, getting a promotion or a transfer overseas, or of going on foreign business trips.

Many English-speaking business people don't bother to learn other languages because they believe that most of the people they do business with in foreign countries can speak English, and if they don't speak English, interpreters can be used. The lack of foreign language knowledge puts the English speakers at a disadvantage. In meetings for example, the people on the other side can discuss things amongst themselves in their own language without the English speakers understanding, and using interpreters slows everything down. In any socialising after the meetings, the locals will probably feel more comfortable using their own language rather than English.

4. Study or research

You may find that information about subjects you're interested in is published mainly in a foreign language. Learning that language will give you access to the material and enable you to communicate with fellow students and researchers in the field.

Language is the archives of history.

(Ralph Waldo Emerson)

5. Travel

Many English speakers seem to believe that wherever you go on holiday you can get by speaking English, so there's no point in learning any other languages. If people don't understand you all you have to do is speak slowly and turn up the volume. You can more or less get away with this, as long as you stick to popular tourist resorts and hotels where you can usually find someone who speaks English. However, if you want to venture beyond such places, to get to know the locals, to read signs, menus, etc, knowing the local language is necessary.

A basic ability in a foreign language will help you to 'get by', i.e. to order food and drink, find your way around, buy tickets, etc. If you have a more advanced knowledge of the language, you can have real conversations with the people you meet, which can be very interesting and will add a new dimension to your holiday.

Die Grenzen meiner Sprache bedeuten die Grenzen meiner Welt.

The limits of my language are the limits of my universe.

(Ludwig Wittgenstein)

6. Studying abroad

If you plan to study at a foreign university, college or school, you'll need a good knowledge of the local language, unless the course you want to study is taught through the medium of your L1. Your institution will probably provide preparatory courses to improve your language skills and continuing support throughout your main course.

7. Secret communication

If you and some of your relatives, friends or colleagues speak a language that few people understand, you can talk freely in public without fear of anyone eavesdropping, and/or you can keep any written material secret. Speakers of such Native American languages as Navajo, Choctaw and Cheyenne

served as radio operators, know as Code Talkers, to keep communications secret during both World Wars. Welsh speakers played a similar role during the Bosnian War.

8. Required course

You may be required to study a particular language at school, college or university.

9. Getting in touch with your roots

If your family spoke a particular language in the past you might want to learn it and possibly teach it to your children. It could also be useful if you research your family tree and some of the documents you find are written in a language foreign to you.

10. Revitalising or reviving your language

If you speak an endangered language, or your parents or grandparents do/did, learning that language and passing it on to your children could help to revitalise or revive it.

Finally, just one question:

What languages do you speak?

Finally let me ask you a question:

What languages do you speak?

Easter Break

2009-04-12T22:01:39+03:00

Here I am back after a hectic week which I thought it would never end! I had to finish typing the Second Term Reports, then fill them in and proof read. In addition, I had to finish marking homework so that I could give it back before the Easter break. The good thing is that I never work under stress and, as a result, I managed to finish everything on time.... which means that for the next two weeks I'll enjoy my Easter break without having any marking to do! I don't think I'll have the energy to bake flaounes and tsourekia for Easter, but I promise to give you the recipes. However, I will dye my easter eggs on Thursday. I will also try to cook Magiritsa - our traditional Easter soup- for the first time! It happens to be Alkis' favourite soup and we eat it just after midnight on Easter Sunday. I know it is Easter Sunday today for many of you. I hope you are enjoying it with you and yours. How did the egg hunt go? Any Easter traditions you would like to share?

Weekend Away

2009-04-05T22:07:14+03:00

I have the impression that since Christmas, time has just flown by. The second school term has just come to an end and then it's Easter before you know it. It was a long and difficult term with hardly any breaks requiring long working hours in my effort to improve my students' performance as exams are just around the corner. For Alkis, it was also a very busy time of year at work as he had scheduled various business trips all around Europe apart from running one of the finest hotels on the island. As a result of our busy schedules, we haven't spent much time together since practically New Year's Day! So, it was high time we got away somewhere nice and quiet and romantic. I had been looking forward to this weekend away for weeks. I rescheduled my Saturday classes and took the day off on Saturday . After a stormy and rainy March, April greeted us with clear blue skies and the temperature rising to 25*C! . The ideal weather for a weekend getaway in spring. Our destination : Latsi fishing port situated at about 3 km from Polis Chrysochous.

Polis Chrysochous is a small town at the north-west end of the island of Cyprus, at the centre of Chrysochous Bay, and on the edge of the Akamas peninsula nature reserve. It is a quiet tourist resort, at about 165 km from Larnaca. Apart from tourism, the inhabitants' income is supplemented by agriculture and fishing. Polis is served by the fishing port of Latsi—a pole of attraction all year round and reputed for its fish taverns, its sea-sport facilities and boat rides up to Akamas- a must for all Polis visitors. I only wish we had the time to go on one of these boat trips. It's years we haven't been on one! Some other time surely. However, the great advantage of Polis is its close vicinity to beautiful Akamas peninsula, a nature reserve area destined to become a National Park,with its renowned Baths of Aphrodite. Α walk along its nature trails accompanied by the panoramic view of the bay of Polis is a unique experience. Unfortunateley the Baths of Aphrodite were closed this morning when we went to visit! Bad luck!

After a short coffee break at Stroubi village we headed northwest to Latsi port where we had lunch at Porto Latsi - red mullet, red snapper and calamari from the fisherman's basket. Then we went to the hotel - Anassa (meaning breath in Greek) - a breath of fresh air, discrete luxury and tranquility. We took some photos, enjoyed the brethtaking view from the spacious balcony of our room, had a short nap and then had dinner at Helios Restaurant - it was , indeed, an ode to the palate!

After a huge breakfast this morning, we set off to Larnaca. On our way, we stopped at Pahos harbour for double espressos and frappe (iced greek coffee) and then Alkis drove through to Larnaca ...or almost! On the way, he had a bright idea! Have lunch at Ladas Fish Taverna situated between Mazotos and Zygi - just about 20 km from Larnaca! Then we went for a walk on the beach and by 5 pm we were back home.

Workwise, the week ahead is going to be hectic for me. It's the last week of term and time for second term reports. I need to double check, proof read and / or make changes. Then fill them in. This means that from Monday to Friday, I'll be working from 7:30 am to 9:30 pm. As a result, I won't have much time online to reply to comments or visit your blogs. But I promise that I'll make it up for you during my Easter Break starting on Saturday 11.