Well done, we 've done it again!

This piece is just the translation of the one below. Forgive my English once more, but it is important to understand what this article is about.



Well done again that we managed to burn our entire country to the ground. That country that brought us up and created us. We cannot produce any excuses for that. We constanly underestimate our country and that's it. Few days ago, some people deliberately killed aproximately 64 people [death toll is not yet definite] whether that happened by negligence or on purpose chasing the green bucks and the re-definition of their properties.



For those who by acident set firtunes and lives in danger there is a chance of redemption. For those it is also our fault that as a country and as a its citizens we were unable to made them responsible towards nature and also how easy it is to lose that natural beauty that we have before our very eyes. We bare serious responsibilities that in school we didn't exhibit to them how they should behave in a wild forest and which things need to be avoided. But then who knows? Maybe physics and chemistry are more important. In addition, it's our fault that unless our own house is burnt to the ground we won't bother. Some people will watch tv from their safe homes and they will say "Oh dear God, what a dissaster that is?" and then after a couple of days they will forget about it and care only for predicting the winner of the footaball derby or the outcome of the upcoming elections. Despite that, it is a blessing for us that Greece has the highest percentage of wild, virgin forests in Europe. Unbelievable huh? Still I'm not quite sure if we are going to remain on top of that important rating after that summer we experience. The truth is that I read that a few years ago and it is only a statistic unless proven again.



But, who is going to pay the price for all these that are happenoing? The simple people the "popolo", you and I. Not the wealthy folks that care little about what is going on in the rest of the world. You see my friend, these people have the ability to plant a whole forest in their back yard if they want to, nevermind that most times their luxurious villas are actually among trees and forests. The price is going to be paid from those whose houses will be flooded in the winter and during next summer thay will not have enough drinkable water. Those who will die from the "extensive and unusual for the season heatwave hitting the country". That man who will not be able to take his kids for an excursion to the wild, unless of course we manage to sell the vast incinerated land as an attraction. That indeed would be a good idea. "Look here my son, here used to be many years ago a thick wild forest full of wild, blood seeking creatures as wolves and wild cats. Thanks to God now we have a full view of the dessert and the lovely sea lying at the bottom of the bold mountain. As for the wild animals, don't you worry my son, there is none left to be afraid of". The price will be literaly paid by the poorest fractions of Greek population as electricity bills are bound to reach first time levels, since all the A/C units will be working overtime. The poor sheppard whose flock if not baked will die of starvation. The old granma who lost the house in the flames. That very house that she spent her whole life living in. Who is not going to pay the price? That's really easy to answer; the political parties will definitely not pay the price. I can personally guarantee that the socialists will blame the government for its slow reactions and its incompetence to fight the wildfires. On the other hand, that concervative party will claim that they did everything possible to face the devastating fires. I have read already that the socialists' party granted a 30% of its campaign budget to the victims of that "natural disaster". To be honest with you my friend, I don't give a damn. What I really want and I am desparate to hear from them is to provide all their budger not for the relief of the victims but instead to make sure that something like that will never happen again, spending on preventive measures. What happened this summer must not be forgotten ever. It must be written in our scholl books and become an integral part of our history, because history is mostly about pain, grief and eventually relief.



That region of Greece had never seen anything similar to that since Ibrahim the Egyptian warlord tried (successfully) to burn the whole peninsula. What was striking was that wildfires developed also in areas that no fires were ever recorded whatsoever like the "Prespes". Things are not going well and we are doing everything we can to keep it this way. Temperature is rising year by year and Greece is becoming rapidly a dessert; an extention of the great Sahara dessert. We sould introduce camels then to create another beautiful tourist attraction for all the millions of tourists that choose Greece to spend their holidays.



Regarding the others, the arsonists what can someone possibly say? We are never going to see those people in a court room and no one will be charged and tried for deliberate manslaughter. Howvere, if there such a thing as "Divine justice" their punishment should only be to burn eternaly in the very depths of Hell. That is also my curse and my wish.



Iwrite all these because I need not to forget. I must not and I don't want to forget how I feel now. In winter time (past the big derby game and the elections) when I am going to be having a drink, I will remember the tragedy and I will drink to the nature, to the forests and to Greece, just byself, just for my own pleasure and selfish feelings. See you later, I'm moving on...

Ζήτω που καήκαμε!

Μπράβο μας και πάλι που καταφέραμε να κάψουμε ολοκληρωτικά τη χώρα μας. Αυτή που μας ανάθρεψε και μας έκανε ότι μας έκανε. Αυτή που αγαπάμε και υποτιμούμε διαρκώς. Είμαστε αξιοθρήνητοι απλά. Αυτό ισχύει για όσους μας καίνε και για όσους ανέχονται αυτούς. Προχτές κάποιοι σκότωσαν καμιά σαρανταριά ανθρώπους είτε από αδιαφορία, είτε ως πιο πιθανό με δόλο και στο βωμό του χρήματος και της αναπροσαρμογής της ακίνητης περιουσίας τους.

Για εκείνους που κατά λάθος θέτουν σε κίνδυνο περιουσίες και ζωές ίσως και να υπάρχει σωτηρία, τουλάχιστον κατόπιν μεταννοήσεως. Για κείνους φταίμε όλοι σαν χώρα και σαν πολίτες της που δεν τους δώσαμε να καταλάβουν πόσο πολύτιμο είναι το δάσος και πόσο εύκολο να το χάσουμε. Φέρουμε ευθύνες βαριές που δεν τους καλλιεργήσαμε στο σχολείο για το πώς τέλος πάντων πρέπει να συμπεριφέρεται κάποιος στο δάσος και τί πρέπει να αποφεύγει. Ποιός ξέρει, ίσως η φυσική και η χημεία να είναι πιο σημαντικά θέματα. Επίσης φταίμε που δεν κάνουμε τίποτε αν δεν καεί το δικό μας σπίτι. Κάποιοι θα πουν, πω πω κάηκε το δάσος στον Ταϋγετο και μετά από κανά δυο μέρες θα το ξεχάσουν και θα ασχοληθούν με το ντέρμι Παναθηναϊκού και Ολυμπιακού και με τις επερχόμενες εκλογές. Δε φταίμε όμως και δεν ευθυνόμαστε που είμαστε τυχεροί και έχουμε το μεγαλύτερο ποσοστό παρθένων δασών στην Ευρώπη. Απίστευτο ακούγεται και δε γνωρίζω πραγματικά αν κάτι τέτοιο εξακολουθεί να ισχύει μετά το καλοκαίρι αυτό. Η αλήθεια έιναι πως το στατιστικό στοιχείο αυτό το είχα διαβάσει χρόνια πριν.

Ποιός όμως θα την πληρώσει για όλα αυτά πέρα από τα ανυπεράσπιστα δάση; Ο απλός κοσμάκης, εσύ και εγώ. Όχι ο πλούσιος που έχει τη δυνατότητα να φυτέψει δικό του δάσος γύρω από τη βίλα του, η οποία παρεπιπτόντως σε πολλές περιπτώσεις είναι μέσα στο δάσος. Θα την πληρώσει αυτός που το χειμώνα θα πλημμυρίσει το σπίτι του. Αυτός που θα σκάσει από τις "υψηλές για την εποχή θερμοκρασίες σε ολόκληρη τη χώρα". Αυτός που δε θα μπορεί να πάρει τα παιδιά του να πάει μια βόλτα στην εξοχή, εκτός και κατά κάποιο μαγικό τρόπο κάνουμε τα καμμένα αξιοθέατο, πράγμα που δεν είναι και κακή ιδέα. "Κοίτα παιδί μου, εδώ που βλέπεις μια φορά και έναν καιρό ήταν ένα πολύυυ μεγάλο δάσος με αγριόγατες και άλλα άγρια ζώα, πολύυυ κακά και αιμοβόρρα, αλλά ευτυχώς τώρα δεν έμεινε τίποτα και έχουμε και ωραία θέα στη θάλασσα και έχουμε ακόμα και τούτο το υπόστεγο για σκιά. Και όσο για τα ζώα, τώρα δεν υπάρχει τίποτα να φοβάσαι γιε μου!". Θα την πληρώσουν και όλοι οι μεροκαματιάρηδες με τους φουσκωμένους λογαριασμούς της ΔΕΗ, αφού η θερμοκρασία νομοτελειακά θα αυξηθεί και τα ερκοντίσια θα βαράνε υπερωρίες. Θα την πληρώσει και ο βοσκός που το κοπάδι του αν δεν έχει γίνει ψητό ήδη θα λιμοκτονήσει. Θα την πληρώσει και η γιαγιά που έχασε το σπίτι της το πατρικό στο χωριό, που ήταν και η μόνη της κατοικία τα τελευταία 70 χρόνια. Ποιός δε θα την πληρώσει; Τα πολιτικά κόμματα μετά απολύτου βεβαιότητος. Με σιγουριά το λέω πως το ΠΑΣΟΚ θα προσπαθήσει να εκμεταλλευτεί τη φυσική αυτή καταστροφή και η Ν.Δ. να μας πείσει πως έκανε ό,τι μπορούσε για να αποτρέψει την καταστροφή. Σήμερα κιόλας διάβασα πως το ΠΑΣΟΚ θα διαθέσει 30% του προεκλογικού του προϋπολογισμού για την αποκατάσταση των ζημιών. Να σου πω την αλήθεια, χέστηκα και΄γω. Εμένα αυτό που κυριολεκτικά με καίει είναι να διαθέσει όλο το ποσό όχι για την αποκατάσταση, αλλά για την πρόληψη μιας αντίστοιχης συμφοράς και να μην ξεχάσει ποτέ τη φετινή καταστροφή. Και αν ανέβει στη εξουσία να κάνει τα πάντα για να γραφτεί και να διδάσκεται αυτό που έγινε φέτος στα σχολεία.

Ο Μοριάς δεν έχει ματαδεί τέτοια συμφορά από τότε που ο Ιμπαήμ τον κατέκαψε. Το τρομερό είναι φωτιές εκδηλώθηκαν και σε περιοχές που οι φλόγες δεν έχουν ξαναφτάσει όπως στις Πρέσπες. Είναι και γιαλός στραβός αλλά και εμείς στραβά αρμενίζουμε. Η θερμοκρασία ανεβαίνει κάθε χρόνο έτσι κι αλλιώς, βάζουμε κι' εμείς τα δυνατά μας να κάνουμε την Ελλάδα μας έρημο. Να φέρουμε και καμήλες να κάνουμε ατραξιόν με τους τουρίστες.

Για τους άλλους, τους εμπρηστές τί να πρωτοπεί κανείς; Δεν πρόκειται ποτέ να τους δούμε σε δικαστήριο και ποτέ δεν πρόκειται να κατηγορηθεί κανείς για τις ανθρωποκτονίες από πρόθεση. Αν όντως υπάρχει αυτό που λένε "Θεία δίκη" από 'κει και μόνο θα την πάθουν. Ευχή μου και κατάρα μου να τους φάνε οι τύψεις τα σωθηκά και το μυαλό.

Όλα τούτα τα γράφω κυρίως για να μην τα ξεχάσω εγώ. Δεν πρέπει και δε θέλω να τα ξεχάσω. Εκεί που το χειμώνα (μετά το ντέρμπι και τις εκλογές) θα πίνω το ποτάκι μου, να θυμηθώ έτσι ξαφνικά τη συμφορά του καλοκαιριού και να πιω στην υγεία της Ελλάδας, της φύσης και του δάσους, έτσι μόνος μου για να γουστάρω. Άντε γεια...

What makes us Greek (part 4 and final)

Well, for those who don't speak Greek the other 3 parts are insignificant. I was mainly focusing on the bad aspects of the so-called Greek mentality. You know... we like to complain a lot, to claim that we are the descedants of all the important ancient heroes, we have a unique oriental culture in Europe etc.

Some may even think of the movie character of Zorba the Greek as a visualization of all the Greeks. This of course is far from the truth. Zorba the Greek himself, I believe, is completely based on the extravagant figure of Karagiozis, the popular character of the traditional Greek shadow puppet theater. Zorba the Greek resembles Karagiozis in many ways. He is ugly, poor, oportunist and clever. He takes advantage of various situations causing discomfort to other people to benefit materially, but he also shows great sensitivity when it comes to peoples' personal problems, contradicting that way his opportunistic nature. Both figures become a representation of the whole Greek nation in one person. Even better they have become a male idol of the country called Greece. Although these two characters unify the Greek mentality do not allow exceptions. Not all Greeks are careless and crooks. Not all of them are sensitive towards the human suffering and not all of them of course are poor, a detail which may change all the other aspects too. On the other hand, if you take extreme behaviours of the vast majority of Greeks and blend them that would be the amalgam that you will produce. The pure soul of the Greek.

And that is something we are proud of. That no matter what when Greeks are supressed they will unite and they will care more. Historically is proven. From the ancient times, Athenians and Spartans united under a common threat. The same happened with all the clans of the Greek revolution back in the 19th century. Again we saw the same during WWII. According to me that is the secret for our survival. It is not our brains or our size. It is not the population or the technology. It is just the will to stay together in difficult times. We do not feel patriots, we are humanitarians. A nation of good Samaritans but only when threatened. Amazing huh? It worked though. By no means, don't think that we didn't have civil wars and internal clashes. We had everything and we survived. The will for power of some Greeks caused the problems and the will for survival solved them.

We are far from perfect and we enjoy that. Moreover, we make fun of the more soshisticated nations and those to appear to be close to perfection. We work hard and more than almost everyone (fact) and we discard this by saying we are lazy and sloppy. We complain that we don't have enough money to survive and we are partying every single day. We are corrupted but somehow chaos does not prevail. We face minor and major problems with a distinctive apathy. We keep postponing for tomorrow what we have to do today but in the end we produce a decent result. We laugh when the "Westerners" face tiny setbacks and they don't know what to do.

We live well in general. We complain a lot about everything because in reality we do not have any important issues to complain about. We make ourselves perfect through our imperfection. Can you imagine a world with 1.4 billion Greeks instead of Chinese? That would have been fun! Think about it...

regarding stress pt2

Some people claim that reasonable amounts of stress help them perform better in their proffesional lives. Such a claim can be medicaly justified. High stress levels mean high blood pressure. High blood pressure means that our blood circulates faster in our bodies and especially in our brains. Higher blood pressure in the brain means faster thinking and of course faster decision making. However, faster thinking does not necessarily means correct thinking. Some decisions made under extreme stress can be categorized as panic decisions, which may lead to unexpected plan failures. That phenomenon is not only observed within proffesions that require mostly mental labor, but also within those that require physical labor. You may have caught yourself dropping things while under stress even at home. The above is only a sign that stress effects not only our brains but our bodies as well.



Our body reaction to stress is not always obvious. As described above, stress is destined to increase blood pressure and heart rates. Chronic stress conditions are proven to lead to heart failures and strokes. These two types of illness are among the 3 most deadly in North America but not the only ones related to stress. Sometimes, emphasis is given to these two ignoring at the same time psychological disorders which come as a result of increased stress. Among the later, depression is the most common one. It is also the one that can be harder identified by the individuals. Some of the symptoms of depression could be sudden changes in mood with extreme behaviours, sleep disorders, lazyness, fatigue, absentism and many more. The patiens usually notice the symptoms and often seek medical help. That is a significant mistake because the real reason is not fought, while on the contrary heavy sedatives use and other types of drug abuse may lead to unwanted addictions and carry risks of dependancy adding to the original problem, if not properly diagnosed. Another side effect of stress could often be the overuse of tobacco, which in its turn can prove fatal or can accelerate the degeneration of the human biomechanisms. All these cases are often of the type "what came first? The chick or the egg?".

The only conclusion from all the above could be that at least biologicaly stress cannot do any good for anyone. It could be though good for productivity for short periods of time. Some people just need a bit of stress to go on with their tasks at work. One thing has to become clear though, that whatever stresses someone does not necessarily mean that it stresses everybody. Let's take for instance the typical hotel environment. Most people working in hotels hold a non managerial position. A managerial position has many predefined requirements, including personal skills and abilities. The rest of the positions can be filled with unskilled personell. It is commonly accepted also that positions with higher responsibilities such as the managerial positions carry more risk and with that more stress. That is a common belief among people of the hospitality world. It is not always true though. There are many people who have the skills to get promoted but they constantly reject their promotions. The most common reason is the increased level of stress coming with them. For some others, however, a lower position could include significantly more stress because these people are always under supervision. It becomes obvious that managers and their subordinates develop stress because of their fears. For the first the major fear is a decision's failure which could lead to financial disasters and for the second a failure to follow their manager's orders and directions leading to their dismissal.

Most people directly link their high stress levels to their working environment. Few blame their personal problems, including those of their relationships and family. People with whom we are co-existing may cause unbelievable stressful situtions even though they might not realise it. A parent has arguably higher stress amounts than someone without children.