fknose

Is the writing on the wall?

2012-01-04T08:38:00.000-08:00

The recent industrial relations unrest that we have witnessed in the public sector was bound to overflow into the private sector...whereas few would disagree that salaries and benefits are bloated in the former, this is far from true in the latter; however, government attempts to control the state payroll have become a precursor for employers' associations to begin their assault on private sector employees' salaries. No doubt I'll be accused of being a 'blind' trade unionist (and of course the negative conotations that accompany this), but I believe that the island risks turning back the industrial relations clock by several decades, if not centuries, as we (re)enter an era of feudalism and its accompanying ills.

http://www.cyprus-mail.com/cyprus/private-sector-seeks-two-year-wages-freeze/20120104

A Revolution on the horizon...

2011-12-22T05:54:00.000-08:00

Without wanting to go into too much detail, I'd like to air my deep concerns regarding the ominous direction of a number of what seem like unrelated events on our little plantation.

Strange as though it may seem, I humbly believe that the rot began to set in as far back as the mid-nineteen fifties, or rather, soon after the end of the so-called 'elegant struggle' to oust the British.

Having established the Republic of Cyprus, we then proceeded to carve up the spoils of ‘victory’ by sharing our recently-acquired ‘wealth’ among those whom we considered worthy. This newly established ‘aristocracy’ took hold of the establishment via privileged position and dominance of the soon-to-be-bloated and inefficient civil service, which would become the stage for successive governments’ manipulation in order to maintain power. The late President Makarios unwittingly signed the demise of his infant state with the dissolution of the power-sharing constitution in 1963. The coup of 1974, a heinous crime for which, in essence, none of the perpetrators were brought to justice, and which became the precedent for later misdemeanors set the tone where the guilty would pay on one condition. That is, they were/are more likely to be adjudged to be guilty if they were outside the aristocracy circle, or had no access to the corridors where the said aristocracy would be found in order to ‘brown-nose’.

Other examples are, and not limited to, the S-300 fiasco during the presidential term of Glafcos Clerides, where once again the tax-payer had to foot the bill for governmental/state incompetence. Witness the July 11 explosion which devastated over 50% of our power supplies, and for which nobody in power has been accountable; the recent spate of public protests over proposed austerity measures, another symptom of the state machinery’s ineptitude (irrespective of political hue); socio-cultural impacts in the form of racial discrimination (including violence) have become ever more common; and last but not least, today we are hearing the usual suspects’ denouncements regarding the court’s decision to exonerate Helios Airlines and their role in the tragic accident of August 2005.

There is a groundswell of discontent and if left unfettered, not with state-condoned violence, is likely to transpire and escalate into events unprecedented among the Greek Cypriot community. We are likely to witness vigilante-type incidents as folk, disenfranchised and disillusioned, take the law into their own hands in their quest for ‘justice’, or at least, in their perception of what justice should be.

Does President Christofias speak English?

2011-11-08T08:05:00.000-08:00

There has been a lot of speculation around the issue of our President's language skills...specifically he has been accused of making an ass of himself at international events whenever he has addressed his audience in English.

Recently he was at an EU meeting when a motion was tabled regarding Turkey; apparently he was heard to say 'I agree' when in fact he was saying 'I angry', meaning of course 'I am angry'...some red diplomatic faces there...no doubt.

Just the other week during an official visit from Shimon Peres of Israel, our esteemed leader was caught on camera explaining the use of 'cooper' for the manufacture of a piece of sculpture that was on display...after some deliberation I figured that he was saying 'copper'.

Is embarassment the opportune word here or is there a more suitable epithet?

'Work-to-Rule'

2011-10-12T23:11:00.000-07:00

Some interesting developments in Cyprus following the tragic events of 7/11 (to paraphrase the US anniversary), as well as the prospect of austerity measures to bring us all into line with the realities (whatever they may be) of living within our means. On the one hand the leader of the opposition, Mr. Anastasiades allowed his new facade to slip as he lashed out the 'leadership' of the sinking ship...the media was aghast as the normally reserved and level-headed politician espoused a tirade of emotion-laden adjectives...

http://www.cyprus-mail.com/politics/our-view-anastassiades-outburst-reveals-selective-support-institutions/20111011

Meanwhile, secondary school pupils were out in the streets in protest at their teachers' work-to-rule action, the latter protesting at the state's plans to reduce some of their, what many call 'handsome benefits'...work-to-rule implies refusing to take part in any extra-curricula activities. The pupils feel let down, not because they had missed classes following the teachers' 2-hour stoppage last week, but because their extracurricula activities were under threat...some of these activities include such inspiring events as parades on national days and excursions to the mountains or the seaside...

http://www.cyprus-mail.com/cyprus/students-take-teachers-task/20111011

What a shame Mr. Obama.

2011-10-02T09:50:00.000-07:00

The indignant have arrived in New York at last but Mr Obama's police force (or is the mayor of New York to blame...?) are being just as heavy handed as forces during previous administrations...what a shame Mr Obama. Another disappointing performance from the president who promised so much...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/oct/02/occupy-wall-street-protesters-brooklyn-bridge

Tarnished Reputations

2011-09-27T07:18:00.000-07:00

Naturally the people, the media, and of course politicians from the opposition are calling for a comprehensive and transparent inquiry into the tragic events of July 11 which saw the annihilation of the largest power station in Cyprus...sadly those same politicians vociferously opposed a similarly transparent approach to 'The Cyprus File', which had been tentatively opened a couple of years ago.
http://www.cyprusweekly.com.cy/main/92,1,283,0,18086-CYPRUS.aspx
The main opposition party (DISY) claimed that certain individuals would have their reputations tarnished if this were indeed the case.

Further proof (if it were needed) that those charged with leading us from the wilderness have only their own interests at heart...

The New Order according to...

2011-09-11T00:05:00.000-07:00

The mainstream 'western' media has been looking on with glee while Middle-Eastern leaders fall like dominoes...how 'joyful' was there posturing and pontificating about people breaking out of their chains in order to overthrow their respective 'tyrants.' The aftermath is likely to be very complicated and cold-blooded, as western euphoria melts into disbelief, bordering on condemnation of the latest (likely) mob-lead executions and ad hoc justice meated out by the 'leaders' of the new order. Recent news articles are but a brief glimpse of what is likely to transpire in the region, e.g...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/sep/10/israel-egypt-embassy-crisis
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=26298

How would I know?

2011-09-04T23:16:00.000-07:00

Cyprus' proposed oil and gas exploration http://www.cyprus-mail.com/cyprus/it-s-our-sovereign-right/20110819 is cause for much pontificating and posturing by various parties...we of course view it is our sovereign right to go ahead with this; while Turkey, our nearest neighbours, have sought to make some sort of political capital of their own, by rattling sabres and generally making a lot of noise that is verging on paranoia. Meanwhile the local news media are regularly reporting on this issue in their usual partisan way...ie., Turkey is a bully and should be put in its place by the international community, in the first instance, and then of course, by the Cyprus authorities in the other.

This mad rush to discover (covet?) oil and gas deposits is a further illustration of how our dependency on fossil fuels is both foolish and unsustainable. The recent events in Mari are fuelling (pardon the pun) our urgency to ensure energy supplies for the future, and instead of teaching us that our reliance on fossil fuels should have been minimised decades ago, we have dug a hole which daily becomes deeper and more difficult from which to extracate ourselves.

Some of our more enlightened European partners (Denmark for instance) have managed to reduce their dependency on fossil fuels by investing heavily in alternative technologies, and yet we, with typical lethargy continue a 'business as usual' agenda. One is tempted to ask whether, had we been staunch advocates of alternative sources of energy many decades ago, would we now find ourselves in this precarious situation?
That is to say, would the aftermath of events at the powerstation in Mari have been so profound, and could the billions of dollars of potential investment in offshore drilling, be better spent in other development activities?
Would we still have to deal with the political and military conflicts both domestically and internationally that are inherent in our current strategy?

But then again, how would I know?

Who Killed Economic Growth?

2011-08-05T22:43:00.001-07:00

A five-minute lesson in real-world economics...

http://www.yesmagazine.org/new-economy/who-killed-economic-growth?utm_source=wkly20110805&utm_medium=yesemail&utm_campaign=mrVideo

President Christofias' Legacy

2011-07-23T00:04:00.000-07:00

When he came to power in 2008, many folk on the plantation expected substantial changes to the staid and worn-out policies that had plagued the island for decades. We had a president with a 'positive' disposition, while the Turkish Cypriot community had what many have called a relatively forward-looking leader (Mehmet Ali Talat). A great deal of hope had been invested in the two leaders with many expecting a speedy and mutually acceptable solution to the 'tired' Cyprus Problem (Cyprob)...alas this wasn't to be; instead we witnessed much of the same blaming and foot-dragging from both sides until Mr Talat was ousted from power last year to be replaced by the ultra-conservative Dervis Eroglu. Needless to say progress on the 'Cyprob' has been minimal, while on the domestic front Mr Christofias has had to weather several storms, not least of which has been the recent tragedy at Moni power station http://www.cyprus-mail.com/negligence/state-apathy-criminal-kind/20110717

Recent comments by President Erdogan have added fuel to the pyre, comments which are likely to impact the direction and momentum of the talks between the two Cyrpiot leaders. http://www.cyprus-mail.com/cyprus/turkey-dynamites-prospect-solution/20110720

It seems that time is quickly eroding any prospect of a viable solution, which would be acceptable to both sides, while on the home front, hope has become despair.

The irony has not gone unnoticed as President Christofias whirlwind election victory is soon forgotten as he is likely to be rememberd by historians, and commentators, as the leader whose strategy and tactics cemented the formal partition of Cyprus; while simultaneously driving a deep wedge within the Cypriot community.

Tragedies and Anniversaries

2011-07-14T23:44:00.000-07:00

It's an understatement to say that folk on the island have been overwhelmed with disbelief and anger at last Monday's tragic events in and around the Moni power station which resulted in it's comprehensive annihilation and, worst of all, the loss of at least 12 lives.

Recriminations, accusations and counter-accusations quickly followed as folk demanded action...some even calling for the heads of the perpetrators to roll. In my humble view, what we have witnessed is the culmination of gross negligence and mismanagement of the Republic of Cyprus since its inception in 1959/60. Successive governments, of all denominations, have used the state machinery in order to feather nests and build empires in order to maintain their grip on power, and power, as the research highlights, is a very addictive drug...

It's quite irrelevant whichever political leader, irrespective of political hue, had been president this week...the resulting catastrophe would have been inevitable.

Sadly, we are lacking the intellectual development that is currently needed if we are to resolve this issue soon. One is tempted to ask why a state of emergency has not been declared following a 'war-like' situation developing because of this, and yet we continue our day-to-day activities in the vain hope that the problem will soon go away...over 50% of the country's energy sources have been lost...and this at the height of the summer when demands for energy are at their peak.

A possible temporary measure would be the granting of summer leave to the majority of the civil service; many of whom might take their holidays abroad and thus help ease the demand for energy; the private sector could (should) be encouraged to do the same, while only emergency and vital services and industries continue working under more flexible conditions (evening and night as opposed to daytime shifts). There'd be less folk on the roads and of course minimal demand for all forms of energy.

A government of national unity (an oxymoron if ever there was one) where each of the party leaders takes a specific role with specific targets and goals, and transparent accountability so that the population can then see what has been achieved...the burden is too great for one party and one individual to carry. Cyprus used to be inhabited by people whose values included caring and sharing (re. following the tragic events of July 1974?)...(post)modernity has marginilsed those aspects of Cypriot life, and yet if we were to scratch the surface, I believe that we could rediscover those virtues...do we have the will-power, either at a personal level or at an institutional level, in order to do that?

'A GROUP of academics and intellectuals from across the divide have called on Turkey and the two communities in Cyprus to undertake the immediate demilitarisation of a 10km-wide area all along the buffer zone.'

2011-06-30T01:59:00.000-07:00

An initiative worthy of consideration (rather than the normal unconditional, outright condemnation)...grassroots change is usually the most sustainable and workable...extremists on both sides must learn to compromise for the benefit of the many instead of the few...it's not rocket science even though the politicians would have us believe that it is...

http://www.cyprus-mail.com/academics/academics-release-blueprint-solution/20110630

'Here I go again'

2011-06-03T00:28:00.000-07:00

Another self-indulgent post...after many months of healthy 'normality' anxiety reared its ugly face once again yesterday.

I developed prolonged bouts of chest pains not dissimilar to those that I'd had in the previous year which led to my medical misadventure, so reluctantly, I visited the outpatients' department of my local hospital, where the usual prods and examinations ensued. Turns out that the cardiograph was fine but hypertension was the order of the day...ironically, the doctor on call could recollect last April's incident in some detail. She, apparently, had been the one who had administered rescusitation for my heart...she added that it had been an unforgettable experience for her also, as she had not long been out of medical school...what a coincidence eh?

And how relieved I was to be told that I should not be overly concerned with these episodes...however, 'please don't hesitate to call us if it happens again, however trivial it might seem' were her final words as I left; I couldn't help feeling both elated and yet reflective.

Natural gas; the energy panacea of Cyprus

2011-05-29T00:13:00.000-07:00

So much hot air has and will continue to be expended on the plantation around the issue of off-shore natural gas and how it can solve all of our energy issues...this story has been played out so often around the globe, that maybe, just maybe, we could learn from previous errors and therefore follow a different route over here...how idealistic is that?

The Irish have had enough and are finding a voice; do the Cypriots have a voice? Are we able to find it and make it heard in the vast abyss of arrogance and self-interest?

The link to the Irish voice:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/may/29/shell-ireland-corrib-gas-project

'There is no heaven: it's a fairy story'

2011-05-15T23:01:00.000-07:00

A fascinating idea by an even more fascinating man..."In an exclusive interview with the Guardian, Stephen Hawking shares his thoughts on death, M-theory, human purpose and our chance existence."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2011/may/15/stephen-hawking-interview-there-is-no-heaven

Human Affection

2011-04-30T03:00:00.000-07:00

On the 20th of this month I 'celebrated' the first anniversary of my survival...my quality of life up 'til that point, had improved and I'd felt fine, with the odd bout of euphoria. The date coincided with the Easter Break. This has meant that I've been spending extended periods at home, alone and without much to pre-occupy the brain cells. Subsequently I began to experience feelings of depression and anxiety, not dissimilar to those that I'd had last year (post-operation).

I began to doubt that my recovery had been complete. Normally after dark, my pulse rate would quicken and my heart-rate began to race...deja vue was the order of the day as this vicious circle of idleness and anciety overwhelmed me.

What does one think about during this episode? Should I visit the cardiologist again; what do I tell him; should I try the acupuncture again; I found solace and empathy from my partner and my immediate family something which I probably should have sought out earlier. Knowing what I know now and having once lived through it should make the recovery a little more straightforward and less complicated...to paraphrase the Dalai Lama, 'we can live without religion and meditation, but we cannot live without human affection.'

Disengagement and Despair!

2011-04-17T03:27:00.000-07:00

History should have taught as a few things about public apathy, especially in the political arena, and how it allows extremism to flourish. Recent decisions and events which have been directly impacted by politicians, both globally and locally, provide fertile ground for extremist views and opinions grounded in myths and misinformation, intended to stoke the fires of fear in folk who are preoccupied with the treadmill of survival.. We are 'too busy' and somewhat unenlightened choosing to stay uninvolved in socio/communal affairs, preferring instead to defer to our learned politicos for that. Recent polls and surveys highlight our inertia/inability to engage with issues of substance http://www.easterncyprus.com/viewtopic.php?t=8695&start=0&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight .

Our politicians' behaviour turns us off the idea of executing our constitutional right to vote...

http://www.cyprus-mail.com/cybc/self-serving-behaviour-politicians-has-led-no-interest-politics/20110417

Government Bills awaiting to be approved by the house and which have a direct impact on civil servants' perks, are being delayed until after the parliamentary elections lest our 'fat cats' lose both their benefits and their popularity withn the voting public, of which one person in ten is a civil servant and who (God forbid) would see their benefits also getting axed.

However, a group of 'ex-pats' who are not prepared to sit on their hands have decided to do something about their plight...the powers that be have deferred the granting of property title deeds to their rightful owners (on paper at least) for years. http://www.cyprus-mail.com/cyprus/title-deeds-fight-heads-europe/20110417

If we continue to disengage with politics and, by default, what in effect amounts to our own plight, we pave the way for those who exploit issues such as immigration, patriotism, family values and god, while they simultaneously free speech under the mantle of 'saving us' from our currupt leaders. http://www.cyprus-mail.com/letters/nazi-elam-condemns-very-practices-once-helped-us/20110131

Even though I can understand and empathise with people's disenchantment with politicians in general and political leaders in particular it is vital that we begin to engage with the issues or risk being overrun by those extremists in our societies; those who perpetually toy with our emotions; and subsequently pursuing a strategy which has seen the rise of fascism - elements of which were evident in the events leading to the Cyprus Tragedy of July 1974 which saw the displacement of thousands and de facto partition...

'The Bigger Picture'

2011-03-28T21:48:00.000-07:00

Much has been written about the positive relarionship between a healthy workplace and effectiveness/productivity, and yet the prevailing philosophy espoused by numerous governments' attempts to alleviate the so-called economic crisis, contradicts this in the most harmful way imaginable. A clear example of this is the developments in the UK...in his People Management blog, John Philpott informs us that 'six weeks in and the coalition government has made such a stuttering start to the year...economic growth has stalled, inflation and tax rises are hitting living standards, and hardly a day goes by without an announcement of large-scale council job cuts,' http://www.peoplemanagement.co.uk/pm/blog-posts/2011/02/after-valentines-day-lets-have-a-workplace-charter.htm and yet the management/leadership literature is full of evidence suggesting that 'engaging' the workforce is good for business.

In another not unrelated piece, Peter Honey highlights the wide-reaching influence of bullying in the workplace...'How easy it is for bullying to become the norm. The story about the way Paul Maynard, the new MP who suffers from cerebral palsy, was openly mocked when he spoke in the House of Commons is typical'... http://www.peoplemanagement.co.uk/pm/blog-posts/2011/02/is-bullying-the-norm-at-your-work.htm. The paradox is the announcement that 'front-line police are to be moved to office jobs as part of the job cutting regime' shares the front page with the news of the fracas between the police and the 'protesters against austerity' in London a couple of days ago.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/mar/28/frontline-police-moved-into-office-jobs and http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/video/2011/mar/27/tuc-protests-march-for-the-alternative-london.

Once again in all of its glory the strategy (which some like to label 'divide and rule', a term with which I'm not too comfortable). The very same folk whose jobs are being threatened are out there doing capital's dirty work. The ruling classes have managed to drive a wedge between those being ruled...we are busy bashing each other in order to take our eye off the ball, or rather the bigger picture....

'US spy operation that manipulates social media'

2011-03-17T08:42:00.000-07:00

From today's Guardian...

'The US military is developing software that will let it secretly manipulate social media using fake online personas designed to influence internet conversations and spread pro-American propaganda.'

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2011/mar/17/us-spy-operation-social-networks

I thought that Facebook was already doing that.....

The Panacea that was Nuclear Power

2011-03-14T01:37:00.000-07:00

Many folk with green credentials have been espousing the more extensive use of nuclear power as a sustainable solution to the planet's energy needs...how convincing is that argument in the aftermath of the tragic events in Japan last Friday?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/blog/2011/mar/14/japan-tsunami-nuclear-alert-live

Eurocypria lawsuit against Cyprus Airways

2011-03-09T07:50:00.000-08:00

Beggars belief...one state-controlled organization suing another state-controlled organization...

unf#$%!&g believable...

http://www.cyprus-mail.com/cyprus/eurocypria-lawsuit-against-cy-be-heard-later-month/20110309?nocache=1#comment-71118

'The Corporation'

2011-03-06T03:43:00.000-08:00

If you've not already seen it, then I recommend that you do and maybe consider telling your friends...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EeCxNuUlUBk&feature=related

'Partnership for Peace' (PfP)

2011-03-05T22:13:00.000-08:00

Such a misnomer, perhaps PfW or 'Partnership for War' is more appropriate. A lot of political wind has been expended on the little plantation about whether Cyptus should or shouldn't join this elite 'Tea Party' and I've commented briefly on this issue in an earlier blog.

I'd like to just refer you to a couple of websites and allow you to draw your own conclusions...

http://www.ch-kiatipis.com/Culture-Politics_gr/postings/2011/2011-02-27_Partership.for.Peace.htm

http://www.nato.int/cps/en/natolive/topics_50349.htm

The following quote, in essence, is asking:

"How can the objectives of reunification and demilitarisation of Cyprus be in accordance with that of joining a Military Programme? How can we proceed with a military agreement without first consulting with our Turkish Cypriot partners? One is tempted to ask whether those who are so passionate about joining are, in essence, opposed to reunification?"

(Praxoulla Antoniadou Kyriakou)

«Πως μπορεί να συνάδει ο στόχος της επανένωσης και της αποστρατικοποίησης της πατρίδας μας με την ένταξη σε ένα στρατιωτικό πρόγραμμα; Και πώς μπορούμε να προχωρήσουμε σε μια στρατιωτική συμφωνία ως Κυπριακή Δημοκρατία χωρίς να ερωτήσουμε τους Τουρκοκύπριους συμπατριώτες μας; Μήπως αυτοί που προτείνουν την ένταξη στον Συνεταιρισμό δεν θα ήθελαν ουσιαστικά να δουν την πατρίδα μας να επανενώνεται;»

(Πραξούλλα Αντωνιάδου Κυριάκου)

(Adapted from http://www.ch-kiatipis.com/)

317 Days

2011-03-03T08:53:00.000-08:00

A little self-indulgent post today I'm afraid...it was 317 days ago since the little incident with my aorta. I recall discussing the issue of physical exercise with the famous cardiologist last May and his not so flattering views of long-distance walks and cycling as unnecessary past-times for one in my condition. To be fair, he did add that a half hour walk is adequate and that no-one could guarantee longevity by talking rigorous exercise...I recollect feeling a little down at the thought that perhaps I'd never be able to get on a bike again.

Well, today I ventured out and managed to complete a circuit of almost 10 km...I must admit that it was with a degree of trepidation, but here I am to tell the tale...48 days left before the first anniversary...hope I'll be able to blow out the candle on April 20th...watch this space:-)

'The Lunatics are on the Grass'

2011-02-27T00:38:00.000-08:00

Looks like the lunatics are out in full force in the UK...the time-bomb is fast approaching zero hour.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/feb/27/support-poll-support-far-right

Another day in Paradise

2011-02-24T07:33:00.000-08:00

Yet another normal day on the plantation...a bottomless pit of talent and ability that enables us to consistently outdo ourselves...quite remarkable...and too exceptional to be living on the same planet with mere mortals.

http://www.cyprus-mail.com/cyprus/state-prosecutor-forged-testimony-hit-and-run-case/20110224

http://www.cyprus-mail.com/cyprus/open-university-s-board-president-should-step-down-education-minister-says/20110224

http://www.cyprus-mail.com/cyprus/ag-s-pfp-warning-falling-deaf-ears/20110224

A little 'rant''

2011-02-17T01:34:00.000-08:00

A little reflection on recent events on this little island, which also happens to be at the centre of the universe. One of our chicken farmers recently suffered heavy losses among his brood resulting in the death of many chickens. He disposed of them (some of which were still alive) in the manner fitting an advanced European country; stuffing them into black polythene bags the said entrepreneur, proceeded to scatter them in what was pristene countryside...last week several Palestinian refugees set upon a local officer of the law after they were told that their financial support had been suspended; the local media had a field day with their usual anti-immigration rhetoric, culminating in a secondary school in Larnaca being invaded by Greek Cypriot pupils who then set upon a group of Islamic pupils, in order to 'defend' the honour of their (Greek) Cypriot brethren. Are the two events related?...once again our media had a field day.

A lot of wind has been expended in the media about 'zillions' of dollars of Qatari investment for property development, while in another economic development, more hot air has filled the airwaves - our expert politicos have blinded us with the science of natural gas as a panacea for our energy problems, quibbling about who/which country/organisation should be given the honour of supplying our energy needs...the issue of renewable forms of energy wasn't even on the media radar, unless I'm missing something. It's highly likely that someone on the plantation has a vested interest in the natural gas saga, why else would ALL of the politicos (a rare occurrence indeed) applaud the final decision to award the contract to the NOBLE GROUP of companies?

"The Noble 'Profession'"

2011-02-02T04:21:00.000-08:00

Teaching is a much maligned and, dare I say it, misunderstood discipline. I think that calling it a profession somehow demeans it and allows all and sundry to become self-professed experts on it, well, we have all been pupils and more and more of us are becoming students, which somehow allows us to believe that we are expert and can pass judgment on the foibles of teaching and learning. We just need to stand back and glance at the incessant attempts by a variety of stakeholders' interference in what is after all a 'public asset'.

Sure, there are some countries where public sector teachers are rewarded very handsomely, but there are many others where this isn't the case. Unfortunately we on the plantation defer to the first category and subsequently any rational argument tends to 'go out of the window' whenever education is the discourse of the day...which is why I like the following quotation (brought to my attention recently by a friend). It encapsulates for me what it means to be a teacher...

'If a doctor, lawyer, or dentist had 40 people in his office at one time, all of whom had different needs, and some of whom didn't want to be there and were causing trouble, and the doctor, lawyer, or dentist, without assistance, had to treat them all with professional excellence for nine months, then he might have some conception of the classroom teacher's job.' (Donald D. Quinn)

And what of the post-modern lecture theatre with 100+ students?

'Our View: Turkish Cypriot unions in no position to make demands on Ankara '

2011-01-28T08:08:00.000-08:00

This is one of the few occasions when I believe that the usually objective and thoughtful reporting of the Cyprus Mail is out of sync...

http://www.cyprus-mail.com/turkey/our-view-turkish-cypriot-unions-no-position-make-demands-ankara/20110128

I, for one, don't believe that it's really a swipe at the austerity measures per se...employee associations (trade union is a defunct expression) have gradually moved into other socio-economic-political-environmental activism in order to counter-balance the power of corporations. Corporations have begun to influence the legislative establishment who have, until recently, acted unilaterally and without any tangible opposition...the associations are filling that void, and regaining their voice...the 'little man', of which I assume many of us are, is beginning to get his voice back...I can't speak for the folk across the divide, but union activism on this side is primarily fuelled by inept and incompetent managerial processes and procedures.....

Business as usual in the Corporate World

2011-01-24T22:43:00.000-08:00

The 'little man' is asked to make sacrifices for the greater good by those who are supposed to be protecting him, and yet it's one rule for us and another for them...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/jan/24/curb-the-banks-government-propped-them-up

Time for the revolution?

To my ethno-centric compatriots in the public sector...

2011-01-22T23:15:00.000-08:00

An interesting and somewhat outside--the-box look at why Cyprus Airways should not be bailed out...I quite like the idea that we're setting a precedent regarding a solution to the 'Cyprob'...

http://www.cyprus-mail.com/cyprus-airways/why-compensating-cyprus-airways-political-mistake/20110122

'On reading the Koran'

2011-01-17T23:50:00.000-08:00

A delightful piece from a delightful lady...enjoy...

http://www.ted.com/talks/lesley_hazelton_on_reading_the_koran.html

'State-Mandated Molestation'

2010-12-30T23:19:00.000-08:00

No doubt many of you are aware of the latest infringements on our liberties in the name of 'security'...makes me wonder whether I'd really like to visit the 'land of the free.'

Here's the link:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica/2010/dec/29/air-transport-terrorism

God's Seasonal Message?

2010-12-29T00:26:00.000-08:00

I've been deliberating whether to comment on the recent noises coming out of the Archbishop's mouth here on the plantation; but I guess the seasonal flavour was too tempting to resist.

I've left my comments to a minimum, as I believe that his beatitude has succinctly and clearly laid out his stall regarding the issue, which is not unrelated to my previous post...his remarks are in reference to immigration in general and illegal immigration in particular...this is a man of the cloth who has been charged with delivering the message of God...should we remind the man that Joseph and Mary, Jesus' mum and dad were in fact immigrants, and dare I say, undesirable ones at that?

Here are his latest tirades...

http://www.cyprus-mail.com/church/cyprus-not-free-all-immigrants-says-church-leader/20101228
http://www.cyprus-mail.com/archbishop/archbishop-some-truths-no-matter-how-bitter-need-be-said/20101228

And just for good measure the great man is also a successful entrepreneur...

http://www.cyprus-mail.com/church/church-studying-eurocypria-plan/20101223

'Another nail in the coffin?'

2010-12-23T11:14:00.000-08:00

Once upon a time APOEL, a basketball team from Cyprus had to play a home game against an opponent from Turkey, Pinar Karasiyaka, within the FIBA Eurochallenge tournament. Violent scenes ensued after the game as some APOEL fans attacked the players and representatives of the opposition...apparently fans attacking fans is not an unusual occurance at various sporting fixtures in all parts of the globe.

However, what are we to make of this particular incident, bearing in mind the political sensitivities embedded within the Cypriot psyche? Our esteemed politicians (and not only) condemned the incidents with particular disdain for the perpetrators who were primarily APOEL supporters and, by default, Greek Cypriots.

The Greek Cypriot news media was heard pontificating about issues of potential Turkish propaganda, and how some folk across the divide and in Ankara would have a field day ostracising the Greeks/Cypriots...tonight our media hacks were quick to condemn the Turkish response as using 'hypocritical propaganda' in order to gain some points on the political stage...beggars belief that we didn't even take a moment to even consider the likelihood that these events would be inevitable, particularly with the recent surge in ultra-nationalistic rhetoric within the Greek Cypriot community...am I naive in asking what a Greek flag is doing being overtly displayed within the stadium?

With all due respect to national symbols, one doesn't need a degree in political science to assume that the flag's irrelevant presence at the game can be construed as both intimidating and provocative...are not the APOEL officials both culpable and guilty through their apathy in failing to restrain this 'minor' faction within the team's fan base?

One of the opposition's officials was gracious as he remarked that, “It would not be true or objective to say that this is a problem between the two sides. This is sports life, it sometimes happens. But at the moment we are happy that everybody is safe, and we’re healthy.”

No doubt there will be political fallout following this incident, and undoubtedly we're likely to witness further similar incidents at some future stage, why? Because that's who we are and sadly our politicos' belated platitudes sound as shallow as the actions of the perpetrators are cowardly...I recall thinking, as our President stated (among other things) that these 'mindless actions damage our cause and our nation.'

Sadly, the nation that he is referring to is not the same as the nation that these pusillanimous, pseudo-patriots use as a reference point.

For the complete article...

http://www.cyprus-mail.com/cyprus/huge-political-fallout-after-match-violence/20101223

'Wikileaks: A Big Dangerous US Government Con Job'

2010-12-12T10:24:00.000-08:00

This was recently forwarded to me by a learned colleague:

http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=22357

What are we to make of this?

The WikiLeaks conspiracy moves to another level?

Is WikiLeaks a CIA plot?

2010-12-09T03:10:00.000-08:00

Is WikiLeaks a CIA plot? It has been suggested by some folk that this is the case in order to hamper freedom of speech via the web, hence the recent noise surrouding Julian Assange; thoughts, anyone?

What's Wrong With Our Food System?

2010-12-04T02:39:00.000-08:00

From the mouth of an eleven-year old...

http://www.ted.com/talks/birke_baehr_what_s_wrong_with_our_food_system.html

"How lucky I am to have been born 'white'"

2010-11-21T23:23:00.000-08:00

The recent spate of racist-related attacks by youth clad in black (faces hidden, of course) has had me thinking and pondering (even) the plight of man (how very profound:-))...more specifically I've 'revisited' my 'Cypriots a.k.a Greeks were fortunate to have been born light-skinned' theory.

It seems that the target of these various factions calling themselves 'the Greek Liberation Front', or whatever, tends to be people of 'colour'. Interestingly, their violent forays are aimed against those who are either of Asian or African origin, does anyone reading this recall the chant 'foreigners out of Cyprus' being aimed at either European football coaches or ladies of a European hue who ply their trade in the locally controlled cabaret industry? There are many other examples I'm sure but I'm just illustrating the argument with two not insignificant examples...

Many of us have parents or grandparents who emigrated (legally or otherwise) in a quest for a 'better' life...my argument is that had our forefathers been any shade of non-white, they would have had a far more difficult time integrating and being integrated into the local culture...and yet here we see folk who are in essence 'grandchildren' of the Cypriot migrant behaving in what the majority of us would describe as unacceptable, to say the least.

Finally, what can one say of the youth who proudly display the swastika on their attire, as they happily wield their anti-immigration baseball bat at innocent passers-by, conveniently forgetting that, once again, their forefathers probably died fighting those whose aim was to 'enslave'.

The cost of health care

2010-10-24T02:03:00.000-07:00

The plantation has supposedly introduced a universal health care system, providing access to free health for all...is there something wrong with a system that entitles the Deputy Attorney-General (heaven knows what annual salary scale he is on), Mr Akis Papasavvas' 10 tooth implants costing 17000 Euros, at a private clinic, which is then reimbursed from the state's coffers; and yet I was presented with a bill in excess of 7000 Euros (apparently my household income excludes me from free health care) following my recent surgery which was undertaken by a team of surgeons in the public health sector?

Am I missing something here?

'Education programmes sacrificed for teachers’ wages'

2010-10-19T06:50:00.000-07:00

The island's strategy to become an educational centre of excellence in the region is given another boost...Am I missing something here?

http://www.cyprus-mail.com/cyprus/education-programmes-sacrificed-teachers-wages/20101019

...perhaps the church can help out with the millions it's receiving from Russian businessman Andrey Klishas...

'Church honours Russian businessman'

2010-10-19T06:43:00.000-07:00

The Greek Orthodox Church has come a long way from its humble beginnings of fighting for the rights of the 'little' man; and no doubt the 'Father', 'Son' and 'Holy Spirit' would be proud to read the article in today's Cyprus Mail...

http://www.cyprus-mail.com/cyprus/church-honours-russian-businessman/20101019

'A nation can be judged by how it treats its animals'

2010-10-05T22:08:00.000-07:00

Last week a group of activists were threatened by shotgun-wielding poachers. The former had been on a fact-finding visit in order to investigate the illegal capture of black-caps on the sunny plantation.

Recently a man was charged with mistreating a group of horses which were supposedly in his care...as Ghandi once so elegantly said, 'a nation can be judged by how it treats its animals'.

How apt...says it all about this sad little island.

'Why not try a little acupuncture?'

2010-09-19T23:34:00.000-07:00

I've reverted back to my self-indulgent role today in order to share with you my adventures in acupuncture...believing that I was getting nowhere fast via the traditional medicine route, I decided to try a little acupuncture. No doubt we've all either read about it or discussed it or just thought about the subject, some of us expressing skepticism, while others like to believe that they are more enlightened, and then there are those of us who prefer to take a 'safer' neutral stance.

My first foray was on Friday, September 3rd. I really had no idea of what to expect. I guess the overwhelming image I had was one where I'd be laying naked on a couch, while the practitioner inserts 'needles' into various parts of my body...well, after an introductory verbal exchange, the acupuncturist proceeded to insert twelve minute needles into my left ear. These were then covered over with a tiny elastoplast; I was then politely told to go on my way, and to return in a fortnight. If I were to experience any discomfort or if I believed that there was no improvement in my condition, then I should revisit the clinic..I must add that the initial treatment was purposely 'mild' and exploratory...I revisited the clinic a week later because I was still experiencing moments of, what seemed to me to be palpitations; a rather disconcerting feeling.

Anyway, on my subsequent visit, the original needles were removed and then twenty-six more were inserted into both ears...there have been moments when I've felt quite elated and 'normal', with a rare lapse into the palpitation/rapid heart-beat syndrome...the weekend was a pleasantly uneventful one; but I 'lost' one of the needles...the third visit is set for this morning in order to replace the lost one (and not only); I am quietly confident that my trauma will heal.

Perhaps the acupuncture will facilitate the long-term healing process, while moderating much of the angst that I have felt thus far...

Somebody worse off than us

2010-09-06T00:30:00.000-07:00

With all of the 'navel-gazing' in which we self-indulgently bury ourselves daily on the plantation, as we incessantly drone on about the CyProb and how unjust the great powers are who espouse pro-Turkish sentiments while pressurising the victims to make further concessions; the ruling elite on the island move from forum to forum in their chauffeur-driven luxury vehicles as they feebly attempt to convince the outside world that we live in constant fear and trepidation of the Turkish hordes over-running us, together with our refugee lifestyles...at the risk of offending some folk, we have somehow given a new meaning to the terms 'refugee' and 'underprivileged,' especially when describing our (mis)fortunes.

The recent floods in Pakistan could perhaps help us to reflect a little on our plight. At least we have options...
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/sep/05/pakistan-floods-photograph-children

The Saga continues

2010-08-20T05:05:00.000-07:00

How does one recover from major surgery and still keep their sanity?

I've commented previously on the issue of physical and mental recovery and the challenges involved. A little while ago I joined a support group (HealingWell.com - http://www.healingwell.com/) in the hope of getting some answers to perennial questions that were not forthcoming from surgeons and other physicians. I was experiencing anxiety at the time and felt that I wasn't receiving any tangible support and feedback from the 'traditional' sources. After making my request via HealingWell http://www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=42&m=1862702
I decided to 'change' my physician.

I therefore paid a visit to a private clinic in Nicosia specializing in heart-related problems. Armed with my medical history I sat in the cardiologist's office for almost ninety minutes (astonishingly) and was then given an extensive examination; this was then followed by (what I considered) sound and intelligible advice and counselling including, but not restricted to, adjusting the medication dosage...apparently one of the tablets that I'd been popping can cause anxiety; this in conjunction with varying the hypertension medication has seen the anxiety subsiding, as well as stabilizing my blood pressure to 'normal' levels...overall I'm beginning to feel more confident, being able as I am to wake up in the mornings without that anticipatory feeling which drove the anxiety...still early days, but I'm cautiously optimistic.

I recollect that in the days following the hospital discharge, I had no time for folk and was making plans to 'give up' the day job (the thought of standing in front of a group of students was not one that I relished)...this feeling has since been overwhelmed by thoughts of reducing my workload to a more manageable level in order to keep my mind active and less idle, thereby reducing the anxiety-inducing thoughts that 'idleness' tends to cause...

'In the hands of experts'

2010-07-29T21:35:00.000-07:00

How comforting it is to know that there are still some folk interested enough to stay with this thread; the Voltaire quote on my previous post is most apt as is the following thoughts sent to me by another very dear friend which affirms what many of us have experienced in the hands of 'experts.'

'Not a good start to your day it would appear! I think when we are visiting hospital consultants we expect them to be as concerned about our health and well being as we are, and generally speaking within the few few seconds of being in their company, we realise they are not! Sadly, though I have seen some changes in ‘bedside manner’ over the last few years during my various checks, there is still a distinct lack of interest as you say in the general welfare and psychological aspects.

'I also think from my own experience, when you have been poorly in hospital and have had people checking you every 20 minutes or so (and nothing in comparison to your recent circumstances), when it all stops…. you feel vulnerable, and suddenly unimportant, and the more post op visits you attend, you become less and less important, the checks reduce, the time they give you reduces! I have found in hospital experiences often take time to recover from in more ways than the obvious.

'I don’t know about you, but I have found that I don’t always address situations with consultants appropriately during a consultation, and reflect when I have left the room, wondering why I had not said certain things, especially when their manner has left much to be desired!'

What is wrong with doctors' bedside manner?

2010-07-28T04:41:00.000-07:00

Visited the hospital cardiologist this morning and after presenting her with my 24-hour blood pressure results which had been overseen by my private sector cardiologist, I got the distinct feeling that she was a little 'miffed' with me for visiting the private clinic (that's where I generally tended to gravitate bearing in mind that I don't qualify for what is affectionately know as the 'national health service' over here)...even though the results were good there wasn't much said about either that or my blood pressure issues (hypertension) in general; she took a reading today (which was a little high - 'white coat syndrome'?).

I also received a 'ticking off' for supposedly confusing my medication dosages....I left feeling not a little dejected wondering how this would impact the hypertension, while also reflecting (again) on doctors' 'bedside manner', or the lack of it, and why we are so focussed on the physical aspects of a patient's welfare and yet the spiritual/psychological aspects tend to be neglected....go figure.

The Cypriot Aristocracy

2010-07-19T02:39:00.000-07:00

The recent debate around the economic crisis has revolved around the issue of increasing revenues for the government coffers (and to a lesser degree the reduction of costs). Regarding the former, our ministers have mooted the idea of clamping down on tax evaders...apparently the very same folk charged with the role of resolving this contentious issue, are also guilty of tax evasion...how? Apparently as well as earning an annual income, at which most of us mortals can just ogle open-mouthed, our learned politicians are entitled to a generous helping of benefits including a 'representation allowance' (whatever that is) of anything between €18000 and €33000 (tax free); a tax free motor car; and a travel allowance of €8200.

Meanwhile, last week the Board of the Cyprus Telecommunications Authority (CYTA) resigned after media pressure because some of them were suspected of 'dirty' dealings, having declared publicly that they could not function effectively due to all of the 'biased' negative media reports. Not long after the resignations, the majority were soon reinstated...what change has transpired that makes their role more tenable now?

Austerity and the Economic Crisis

2010-07-10T02:49:00.000-07:00

There's a lot of noise on the plantation about tightenig of belts and austerity measures being introduced for us in order to cope with the economic crisis. This comment accompanied the article in the Cyprus Mail this week which is quite appropriate (I'm grateful to a dear friend for forwarding it to me and would like to share it with you):

'Kostas goes for a government job interview, applying for a job. The interviewer asks him, "Are you allergic to anything?" to which he replies "yes - coffee."

"Have you completed your military service?" the interviewer then asks, to which Kostas promptly replies, "Yes, I did complete my 2 year military service".

The interviewer then proceeds to ask Kostas if he has any disabilities, to which he replies "Yes, a grenade exploded near me during a training exercise and I lost both my testicles."

The interviewer grimaces and then says, "Having reviewed your application for employement I am pleased to announce that you have got the job. Your normal working hours are from 8am till 2pm, however you can start tomorrow from 10am every day.

Kostas is slightly puzzled by this and asks, "if work hours are from 8 till 2, why do I start at 10?"

The interviewer says, "Kostas, this is a government role you have applied for. For the first 2 hours we just stand around drinking coffee and scratching our balls. No point in you coming in for that!"'

For the full article:

http://www.cyprus-mail.com/cyprus/400-public-sector-jobs-slashed/20100708

'A Breath of Fresh Air'

2010-06-29T23:43:00.000-07:00

If anyone out there is still following my comments on this thread, you may like to know that I've had heaps of time to reflect on a diverse range of topics and issues, not least of which is the west's attitude towards war in general and the Iraqi and Afghan conflagrations in particular...you are also no doubt aware of my disdain for mainstream media reporting of issues that should make a difference to all of us, and yet somehow they don't. I was pleasantly surprised to read the essay by a senior high school student in the USA via what I believe is an excellent source of innovative and creating thinking...I'd like to share this with you...take a look at the essay and make up your own mind:

http://www.yesmagazine.org/for-teachers/essay-bank/fill-the-void?utm_source=ednews_summer10&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=essay_body_FillVoid

'Game Over'

2010-06-06T04:00:00.000-07:00

I guess there's no-one out there who hasn't been shocked by the BP oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico...it seems that the powers-that-be are lost for solutions. An interesting article in the summer edition of 'Yes' magazine provides an alternative view and which few of us would dispute. At one point the author of the piece writes “I was at a friend’s birthday party, and an oil company executive I’ve known for years whispered in my ear, "I've been in the deep water drilling business for years and none of us can figure out how this happened. Nothing that should have stopped it worked. And the damage is limitless. 25,000 barrels a day is the more realistic number. It will take months to stop it much less clean it up. Nobody knows how to do this." And I said, "Hurricane season is here." "Game over", he said.

Game over indeed.

Click here for the link to the full article - http://www.yesmagazine.org/blogs/margaret-wheatley/perseverance-lost-in-the-gulf-of-mexico?utm_source=wkly20100604&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=mrWheatley

'When the drugs won't work'

2010-05-28T22:43:00.000-07:00

You're discharged from the hospital with a basketful of pills, of which you understand very little of their actual purpose, and less of the likely side-effects (unless you read the gobbledegook in the box). These are meant to 'ease' the transition from post-operational trauma to what is an almost 'normal' state.

Initially, I was content with the fact that I had survived and thinking 'how good it is to be home.' However, I was totally unaware of the effects of the new drugs that I'd been subscribed and what would transpire over the next few weeks.

The road to physical recovery was straightforward enough as I could feel myself becoming stronger as the pain in the different parts of my body began to subside. Up until this moment, paracetamol (or its equivalent) had probably been the most 'extreme' medicinal remedy that I'd used. Now I was popping five pills per day. How does the body cope with this? Well, after about three weeks, anxiety was a regular visitor, manifesting itself in the form of high blood pressure...a rather unpleasant feeling of nausea, dizziness, hot flushes and a general state of discomfort and mental irritation...

This anxiety began to consume me, creating a rather vicious circle...Fear of an anxiety attack inevitably meant that I would expereince one...I'd approach every evening with a great deal of apprehension, due to the fact that these would occur during the night...anyway, I'm now popping a pill in order to control the bouts of high blood pressure, having readjusted the original basketful of pills accordingly...it's very likely that I'll have to continue indefinitely with the latest batch although no-one has yet to provide definitive evidence regarding continuity of any of the drugs in the basket.

And how comforting is that?

'Heart Condition: reflections'

2010-05-17T23:29:00.001-07:00

Grateful as I am to the surgeons for giving me a ‘second chance,’ I am still reeling (for how long?) from the fallout of the operation of exactly four weeks ago. The surgeons’ first priority is to save lives; consequently their demeanor is one of unemotional detachment and efficiency, not unlike any other technician or even a motor mechanic working on another vehicle. But we aren’t machines; we are complex folk with a brain, a conscience and a level of intellect that differentiates us from the rest of the animal kingdom…according to a counselor with whom I’d been talking recently, the ‘normal’ reaction for someone in my condition is ‘why me?’

That thought had never entered my mind; I’ve found myself repeatedly asking when will it happen again? In addition, I’ve been considering whether the whole incident is my penance for ‘sins’ committed throughout my 58-year existence…

Counseling…now there’s a function found wanting within the entire health system here. Of course, I’ve been told, the hospitals are not without their psychology departments and personnel. In my brief hospital stay, I was never ‘offered’ the opportunity to ‘see’ one of these folk, nor was I ever advised to meet with one once I’d resettled in familiar surroundings at home. And this also applies to my immediate family who had lived the trauma of imminent loss and tragedy…

So here I am, recuperating physically with the ‘help’ of various drugs, and having to improvise as regards the recuperative, spiritual dimension of me.

The first couple of weeks at home were accompanied with lengthy bouts of insomnia as I tried to acclimatize to the new ‘realities,’ which included having to sleep in an almost seated posture so as to avoid adding pressure to the chest and subsequently to the area that had recently undergone the operation…having ‘conquered’ that there was still the ‘anxiety’ of retiring to bed with subconscious thoughts, such as, ’will I wake up tomorrow?’ Well-meaning folk providing popular slogans urging me to avoid anxiety and to always think positively…well, with all due respect, ‘if you ain’t been there, you have no perception of the issues that the patient has had to endure.’

At around midnight last Saturday, and feeling a panic attack, I imposed on my family (once again), asking them to take me to the local hospital. Fortunately, the care I received from the competent medical staff helped it to subside…and for the first time I was able to exchange some thoughts with one of them, which brought a semblance of rationality to the whole affair. Normally, one is subjected to a barrage of tests and superficial dialogue consisting of a Q & A related to the current ailment, Gerry (the nurse) brought another dimension to the conversation, which has had quite a positive effect on me…better late than never, thought I.

I intend to continue the counseling sessions which primarily consist of a ‘cognitive psychology’ approach, with a local therapist…I’ve no idea what the outcome is likely to be, but I am hopeful!

"Heart Condition: the narrative"

2010-05-10T00:23:00.000-07:00

The whole incident seems so surreal right now, even though I'm beginning to understand what transpired and why; I don't know whether it's a normal reaction, or whether it's just my reaction, but it's taking me a while to fully comprehend the issue, though I'm often reminded that I should be grateful for surviving it and that I shouldn't 'dig' too deeply.

On Thursday April 15 while I was preparing to paint the garden fence, I felt some discomfort in my chest, which to me seemed like stabbing pains. I asked my wife to drive me to the hospital for a check-up. On arrival the staff began a series of prods and jabs as they began to diagnose the problem; blood tests; blood pressure; ECG's; ultra-sound and the like. After enduring this for several hours, I was then informed that I would be admitted to the hospital for further observation.

At this juncture, the seriousness of the problem had yet to surface; in fact the cardiac specialist had intimated that it may have nothing to do with the heart.

After the first night everything else is a blank until I 'awoke' at Nicosia General Hospital on Sunday April 25.

Apparently, according to my family, I was in relatively high spirits while at Famagusta General, with a regular stream of friends and family visiting me at various intervals. We even joked about my impending release (or so I've been informed), as nothing serious had been discovered....

On the morning of Tuesday, April 20 an ambulance delivered me to a local private clinic (apparently the state hospital doesn't have one) for an MRI (a complete body scan which gives a more comprehensive diagnosis). Apparently, upon my return to the hospital I was told that I would be transferred to Nicosia for further tests (this is very blurred - some folk tell me that I was informed that I'd be having an operation while others only mention the tests). Anyway, I passed out, in fact I'd had heart failure due to 'Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm' click on the link for further details http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.huntervascular.com/storage/heart.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.huntervascular.com/thoracic-aortic-aneurysm/&usg=__nws15rzErGl5Ni70bOXXuS2am0I=&h=236&w=444&sz=36&hl=en&start=4&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=Ariuu3mo6GQ8zM:&tbnh=68&tbnw=127&prev=/images%3Fq%3Drupture%2Bof%2Bthe%2Bthoracid%2Baorta%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26tbs%3Disch:1

Much activity then ensued in the ward as doctors and nurses struggled to revive me. Fortunately (?) an injection into the system was enough to revive me (folk who know better, have suggested that my heart in particular, and my metabolism in general, were robust and revival was more straight-forward than usual; since the operation the surgeons have affirmed this, commenting on my remarkable rate of recovery).

I had now become an emergency. A helicopter was ordered to take me to Nicosia (otherwise, survival could not be guaranteed). The statistics inform us that almost half of such cases don't make it to the hospital, while about half of the remainder don't survive the operation...

A lengthy operation then ensued (5-6 hours or so). My son Nik was first on the scene as he currently studies and lives in Nicosia. He was quickly and 'coldly' given the stark facts by the surgeons. "I remember thinking," according to Nik, "how much I hated the head surgeon for telling me that I'd be grateful if my dad were to survive."

As I mentioned earlier, my next recollection was waking in the ward on April 25. Apparently, folk came to see me while in the Intensive Care Unit; and we even joked about this being a 'sign of age' with my brother...I have no recollection of this or other visitors to the ICU.

On April 25 I saw some familiar faces as both friends and family came and went. I then began to reflect...there was a pipe attached to my penis and another protruding from my side to deal with the waste...I had no idea about what I had just been through...what was I doing in this hospital? Why wasn't I in Famagusta? My wife and family had informed me that I'd been told in the interim of all that had transpired...what was I doing in a ward full of heart patients? Only when I saw the signs of an incision on my chest and one to the right of my groin, did I begin to realize the magnitude of the operation...

"Heart Condition"

2010-05-05T22:57:00.000-07:00

I recently had to undergo an emergency heart operation at Nicosia General Hospital; and apparently I'm fortunate to be sitting here writing about it...I will be maintaining a diary of the events that unfolded, with the odd emotional outburst thrown in to help illustrate the issues I had to face (of what I remember), as well as the 'odd' quotation from those close to me (and not only) during the past month....

The Face of Modern Football

2010-04-06T07:27:00.000-07:00

A slight diversion from the normal tirades, but hey, how much of a diversion is it really (the photo is key here).

This was taken at an English (professional) football game yesterday.....

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sport/football/2921156/Watford-1-West-Brom-1.html

'Everyone's got one'

2010-04-03T09:32:00.000-07:00

Our self-opinionated politicians will always have an opinion on just about any issue. Never an evening goes by without the mainstream TV news bulletins broadcasting the same talking heads pontificating about everything and nothing, as though they have a god-given right to behave as they do. This is particularly so for those representing the smaller parties. There are so many examples that it’s hard to keep up with the drivel…the leader of the ‘socialists’ (a misnomer if ever there was one) jumped on the conspiracy bandwagon because a firecracker had exploded in the proximity of its offices, which had been erected illegally by the way (but that’s not the issue here). Apparently the Easter bonfire site was nearby and the said firecracker had emanated from there. Right on cue Yiannakis Omirou was vociferous in his tirade against those conspiring to silence freedom of speech with their indiscriminate use of fireworks. Those responsible, in Mr Omirou’s opinion, had set out to suppress and scare the opposing opinion to the manner in which the Cyprus Problem was being handled by the President of the Republic. Similar voices were heard following the assassination of the media tycoon earlier this year.

Several days ago the President had openly affirmed his wish that Mr Talat, the Turkish-Cypriot leader, be re-elected in order for the on-going negotiations to continue. Once again the little men were heard condemning this as it exposed our side’s tacit recognition of the ‘Pseudo-state.’ In the same week his beatitude, the Archbishop of Cyprus (who came into office having secured less the 10% of the popular vote!), visited the Turkish-controlled area of the island (another first) and wished Mr Talat’s opponent, Mr Eroglu who is considered by many to be a rejectionist, good luck in his campaign to oust Mr Talat. Our little politicians were absent; this time…the news media were unavailable. None were able to trace Mr Omirou et al in order to shove a microphone under their noses so as to record their condemnation this time around…the pusillanimous little people who occupy positions of influence…what a sad and sorry bunch we are…

To paraphrase Clint Eastwood (alias Dirty Harry): 'Opinions are like arseholes, everyone's got one.'

Aristotelean Ethics?

2010-03-18T10:46:00.000-07:00

On February 2nd I wrote about the likelihood of telephone surveillance being allowed on the plantation and yet the voices of dissent were conspicuous in their absence, particularly those of our students, pupils and other folk. This week the school pupils found their voice because they, mistakenly, believe that their god-given right to a public sector job is being threatened by the raising of the retirement age for teachers from 60 to 63 years. Similarly, the University of Cyprus students were out protesting the same issue a few months earlier...self-interest is what we are nurturing our youth to strive and fight for; the greater good is perpetually being neglected and way off the radar of the average citizen.

Aristotle would be proud of the Hellenic Spirit espoused by these very same folk!

Post-modern higher education

2010-03-04T10:28:00.000-08:00

In a recent poll, students at the University of Cyprus were asked to prioritise their most pressing concerns regarding their time at the university; apparently most important was the lack of parking space, while next on their list of priorities was the high cost of textbooks...driving around in a luxury car isn't an issue, but having to fork out 'good' money for what some might consider an essential study tool is...go figure.

'Ecological Intelligence'

2010-03-01T10:13:00.000-08:00

A friend recently sent me this link which gives an excerpt from Daniel Goleman's latest book; looks like a fascinating and somewhat apocaliptic observation of where we're going...

http://www.alternet.org/environment/145740

Coalition(s) and the aroma of power

2010-02-28T07:56:00.000-08:00

The only political party on the plantation to openly come out in favour of the Annan Plan in 2004 (DISY or Democratic Rally), has now started to make DIKO-like noises (DIKO is the coalition partner of the ruling AKEL party)...one or two of its deputies are beginning to question the wisdom of the proposal put forward by the Greek Cypriots for a rotating presidency in the newly-formed Federation...for the last two years DISY has overtly been 'supporting' the Christofias' Government and acting in essence as a coalition party...why the sudden(?) turnaround?

There are stories doing the rounds that DISY has one eye on the forthcoming elections (Presidential and Parliamentary) and therefore it has started to court the dissenters within DIKO...oh, the mysteries of politics...these folk are showing their true colours, after being described as a 'realistic' voice within the wilderness (at least that's how DISY would like to be known), the looming elections are taking precedence over the Cyprus Problem. The web that we weave for the sake of the 'throne' of power!

A Solution to the Cyprus Problem

2010-02-22T10:06:00.000-08:00

A group of enlightened, non-partizan citizens has created a movement to work towards a solution to the Cyprus problem...quite a daunting task, but at least it sidesteps all of the excess baggage that the mainstream continues to carry in this fray...there's also a blogspot dedicated to this; check it out:

http://www.epanenosi.com/

It is multilingual.

George Orwell and other stories

2010-02-12T06:40:00.000-08:00

Our esteemed politicians came up with a really bright idea yesterday. It seems that a law is likely to be passed within the Cypriot House of Representatives allowing the 'authorities' to monitor private telephone conversations in order to combat terrorism and a whole bunch of other 'isms'.

The newscasters announced this item without batting an eye-lid...not one dissenting voice was heard, either within the mainstream media or from any of the 'experts' in the house; indeed, DIKO's representative (son of the late President) Nicholas Papadopoulos, gave a press conference to make the announcement, managing to justify the unjustifiable...here is a guy who, at every opportunity, espouses quite vociferously about how our human rights are being violated by 'others' and yet fails to see the irony/violation of our human rights, of this whole shambles of a so-called policy to protect the innocent...

'The Spirit Level'

2010-02-04T06:07:00.000-08:00

My work obligations took me to England last week; a country that I'd last visited in December 2007; and the subtle changes that I'd observed left me wondering (more than usual) the direction we're taking as the supposedly most intelligent being on this little planet.

The folk over there appear to have lost their direction, moving around in some kind of stupor while talking into their mobile phones or glued to the sounds emanating from their iPods...shop 'til you drop is the order of the day as we try to bring some significance into our tiny and throroughly uninteresting lifestyle; how else can we live up to the expectations of the media-created role model that we have tacitly accepted as the ideal?

Recent research has highlighted that the gap between rich and poor, in England is at its highest for 40 years:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2010/jan/29/causes-of-wealth-gap.

For our elected leaders it's business as usual as they feather their own nests at the expense of the electorate; and yet a little book entitled 'The Spirit Level: why more equal societies almost always do better,' by Richard Wilkinson and Kate Pickett, is queitly and conveniently ignored by the ruling elite.

Not to be outdone I was astonished(?) to read that pilots of the ailing local airline (Cyprus Airways) are finding it hard to make ends meet on 117,000+ Euros per year...

'Dangerous Times'

2010-01-15T07:40:00.000-08:00

The recent assassination of Antis Hadjicostis (CEO of the Dias Group of media companies), provided another forum for folk to fill both the airwaves and the print media with myths surrounding the possible motive(s) for the execution.

Of course, we had the usual suspects (primarily the opposition parites, and others) spreading fear among the populace that the murder was politically motivated in order to (further?) destabilize and inflame the local emotions...now that it seems likely that the killers were motivated by economic and personal differences, the same voices are heard pontificating about the sense of insecurity gripping the 'man in the street'. Suddenly it seems that we should all be barricading our castle and staying indoors at night unless we have a bodyguard; I, for one, have been pondering on recent discourse in the media related to the excessive police protection offered to those in high places (at taxpayers' expense), the provision of which has been threatened with imminent cost-cutting measures by the state. Those who would have been directly impacted by this action can now rest easily with the knowledge that, rather than face a diminution of the police protection, they are likely to have their entourage increased; we are after all, according to these learned folk, living in dangerous times.

'Up, up and away!'

2010-01-11T09:39:00.000-08:00

An article in today's print media (Politis) reports that our air traffic controllers earn on average 50000 Euros/annum (excluding overtime which can pump this up to anything between 90000 and 150000). Apparently, these fine folk work a 6-hour shift (one hour on and one hour to rest), which is in effect a three-hour working day; in addition due to understaffing there is much overtime that needs to be undertaken (hence the inflated salaries) - the evening shift is compensated for 12 hours while actually putting in 4 hours; while the Sunday/Public Holiday shift worker is paid for a 24-hour stint while working four hours. In contrast, other international air traffic controllers do an 8-hour shift (two hours on and a half hour break); and have access to the more up-to-date technology.

Due to understaffing, it is impossible for the controllers to undergo training in order to properly utilise the technology that is available in order to improve efficiency, because there's no-one to cover their time while off-the-job!

The delays caused by this state of affairs means that the state has to compensate the airlines 80 Euros for each minute lost......another incident reminiscent of the Mickey Mouse Club, affectionately known as Cyprus...

"Bonus time as banks pay out £40bn"

2010-01-09T00:58:00.000-08:00

That was the headline in today's UK Guardian...but we still continue to demonise illegal immigrants, single mothers and other 'spongers' of the state (in whichever hemisphere) system...
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2010/jan/08/bonus-time-city-banks .

Cypriot Logic

2009-12-30T06:17:00.000-08:00

The Ministry of Defence announced yesterday that its plans to reduce military service from its current 26-month stint to whatever, is being delayed due to the economic recession...another bout of Cypriot logic?

New Heights

2009-12-26T00:51:00.000-08:00

The new Larnaca Airport was unveiled to the unsuspecting public last month with the usual fanfare, and accompanied by mainstream media hype trying desperately to convince all and sundry that this techonological achievement was the 'jewel' of the island.

The jewel soon lost its glean when the first heavy rainfall caused flooding in the arrivals area.

Several nights ago the runway lights failed causing the jewel to be closed down by the authorities for safety reasons...both incidents enabled us to reach new heights of mediocrity, for which we have become renowned...

The 'New Order'

2009-12-19T06:08:00.000-08:00

In the 'new order', where we have become the spectators of life, the 'little man' is supposed to know his place in the world. I was following the mainstream news reporting of the events in Copenhagen last week and witnessed the 'usual' police-keeping by man-handling the protestors and in some instances using excessive force by clubbing the odd 'resistor'...and then it struck me (no pun intended); here we have a peaceful protest by folk who pay their taxes, which then go on to fund the public services, eg. the police force, who in their turn are called on to protect the hierarchy from the 'riff-raff'...there we have it, "tax-payers funding the police force in order to protect the hierarchy from those paying the taxes", a paradox of our age?

Back on the plantation we witness similar shenanegans...unless you've been living in a cave, you have no doubt had the financial crisis rammed down your throat on a daily basis for the last few weeks. Consequently, the shopping districts are distraught because we're not out there shopping 'til we drop. Our learned cabinet ministers inform us that the civil servants are to receive their 13th salary (a practice unique to the plantation), earlier this year in order to stimulate the economy, ie. as a motivator for them to go out and spend. Meanwhile, those less fortunate, such as the unemployed, have to wait anything between 3 and six months before they receive their (measely?) benefits, for which they have contributed faithfully on a regular basis...why the delay? So, we have another paradox; the taxpayer funding the (generous) compensation package of those who are paid to serve them, and yet, are rarely served in a decorous and civilized manner...

Mickey Mouse and Coco the Clown

2009-12-12T23:59:00.000-08:00

A rather peculiar thing happened yesterday afternoon to mark the Copenhagen Climate Summit; but more of that later...perhaps we need to put it into perspective, a Cypriot Perspective.

Ever since the tragic events of 1974 both sides have been in perennial negotiations to resolve what has come to be known as the 'Cyprob', and by 1977 the late President Makarios (a clergyman!!!) had agreed with his counterpart, Rauf Denktash, that the solution would see the 'creation' of a bi-zonal federation. Since that time, none of our esteemed leaders (in the Republic at least) had bothered to enlighten its citizens what constitutes this 'new' fruit. When the current President (Dimitris Christofias) announced that the state is launching an 'Enlightenment Campaign' in order to address this issue, the patriots came out of the woodwork once again to warn the unsuspecting populace that it will be subject to a barrage of misinformation, at best, and heaps of propaganda, at worst. It was the start of a 'no-holds-barred' assault on the senses...three of the political parties, who broke out in a rash, are coalition partners in the current government. Of course the electronic media (and not only) were out in full force vociferously supporting this populist view.

Last Friday we awoke to be told that the body of the late President Papadopoulos had been stolen from the grave...much posturing from the usual quarters transpired, with some folk suggesting that it's another 'foreign' conspiracy...I don't recall anyone even suggesting that the perpetrators could have been Cypriots...

How are these (and other events) linked to the Copenhagen Summit? Fundamentally it's the mindset that we have managed to imprison ourselves in, making the peak of salvation almost insurmountable. We have probably the greatest number of degree holders (per head of population) and yet we persist in behaving as though we are ignorant and oblivious of the events that surround us...in a feeble effort to make some kind of impact on the climate change summit...a minute's silence (as a friend suggested), or even a motor-car-free day (I'm sure that there are many other innovative ideas) would have sufficed, what did we, on the Plantation do?

At midday we heard the sirens sounding around the island; a sound that the Cypriots normally associate with war and invasion, and this at a most sensitive political time....which bright spark thought up this preposterous idea? An overpaid and bloated (educated?) civil servant, no doubt...

Mickey Mouse and Coco the Clown would feel quite at home here with the rest of the cartoon characters and clowns.

'Eureka!'

2009-12-01T11:17:00.000-08:00

The plantation has been the scene of much vexation and outrage about the rising costs of fresh fruit and vegetables; cucumbers costing between 1.50 and 2.50 Euros/kilo (for example)...less than 2% of our GDP is earned from agriculture (is there a connection there?); and yet we drive around in luxury 4x4's and Hummers...meanwhile the local TV news announcers inform us that (today is 'World Aids Day') the stigma of having the disease can actually cause more pain and hardship to the victim than having the virus...our learned journalists have discovered the wheel; eureka!

Senior Citizens Exposed

2009-11-26T05:44:00.000-08:00

According to Tuesday's Cyprus Mail, 'QUESTIONS have been raised over an out-of-court settlement between Attorney-general Petros Clerides and his deputy Akis Papasavvas in a dispute concerning a compensation claim filed by the latter.
In 2005, Papasavvas, then senior counsel, had sued the state seeking compensation for his forced early retirement from the service in November 2001.'

Apparently the Supreme Court had ruled that this termination was illegal...imagine that, those who are supposed to know better acted in violation of labour law...what chance is there then for us mortals to get any semblance of justice, if God forbid, we had a similar claim?

The fact that Papasavvas has been rewarded very handsomely (thanks very much) is another issue...

Meanwhile a couple of days ago 40 'grannies' were 'arrested' for gambling, following a police raid on the home of the 'ring-leader.' And all of this for the sake of 100 Euros...beggars belief, does it not, how our legal authorities behave...one law for the few and another for the majority...the banana republic continues to thrive; long live the republic, and we'll fight tooth and nail to ensure that neither the Brits nor the Turks (or anyone else) usurp our democratic institutions and replace them with horrendous and 'barbaric' effigies.

Post-Modern Cyprus

2009-11-22T04:21:00.000-08:00

The post-modern Cypriot family consists of a ‘home-help’ from a third country whose sole responsibility is to ‘look after’ the children of the ever-busy parents who dash from the day-job to the second shift in order to be able to provide the material gifts as a substitute for the ‘spiritual’ enlightenment and support that they are unable to give to their kids. Subsequently, we’re creating an emotionally and intellectually handicapped generation which is ego-centric and bitter.
The media fills air-time and newsprint with the latest violent and hooligan activity witnessed both inside and outside of the football arenas; the authorities make knee-jerk attempts and flatulent comments aimed at curbing this ‘disturbing’ phenomenon; Antenna TV (one of the local independent channels) announces that it is ceasing to broadcast text messages with inflammatory and hate-filled content from fans, that normally accompanies the weekend sports programmes…this is its effort to stamp out hooliganism and division among the populace; meanwhile the same channel continues to broadcast rejectionist, divisive and emotionally-charged reporting connected to the Cyprus issue…
The two issues are not unrelated, as any Cypriot will testify if asked…every activity on the plantation has been contaminated by divisive and sectarian interference at the expense of any unifying philosophy that would provide the basis for any rational and merit-based decision-making.
Meanwhile, the ten police officers charged with beating two youths in 2005 (caught on video) were acquitted last week because ‘The court raised questions over the reliability of video evidence of the beating.’ Are we still living with the illusion that we’ll eradicate football violence?
In another surreal development the EU has, among others, “warned Cyprus over its failure to designate a sufficient number of protected areas for birds.”

In addition, (according to the Sunday Mail today):
“The European Commission has also sent Cyprus a reasoned opinion in relation to certain provisions of the law regulating the establishment and operation of institutions of tertiary education.
Under this law private institutions of tertiary education in Cyprus are prohibited to ‘allow, by any means, to foreign educational institutions the possibility to award their own degrees in the Republic’.
This prohibition renders impossible the provision of services entailing the award of foreign degrees by educational institutions in Cyprus where recipients of such services are private institutions of tertiary education in Cyprus…a process that could lead to Cyprus being brought before the European Court of Justice. The Member State has to comply within a specified period, normally two months.”

Never mind, we’ll continue to live a fairy-tale lifestyle where the major topic of conversation centres around the latest reality TV series or the new luxury car we’re planning on buying…occasionally we’ll give a fleeting nod to the Cyprus Problem as we search for another foreign dignitary (scapegoat?) to smother with s**t…how about castigating the ‘home-help?’

And then what?

2009-11-11T22:48:00.000-08:00

I don't pretend to be either a historian or a futurologist, and perhaps it's easy to be wise after the fact; however, let's review several developments that have unfolded on the plantation ever since it has been partitioned following the tragic events of the summer of 1974:

In 1983 we had the declaration of the TRNC ("Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus"), this was intended to be the driver for the new state within the global sphere of geo-politics - recognition was sought as a means to put the 'marginalised' population who were living in the occupied areas on the map.

In addition, we have seen the continued exploitation of properties usurped by the 'aristocracy' now in charge of affairs in the north, and the change in demographics via the settlers who were motivated to leave Turkey and find a 'better life' within the new state.

Most recently we have witnessed the wreath-laying memorial service for the fallen British forces during the EOKA 'adventure'. The memorial, which was carried out in the British cemetary in Kyrenia, was attended by the British High Commissioner, last weekend.

Yesterday we read that GM crops are likely to be introduced in the north, to the consternation of folk in the Cyprus Republic who have campaigned for years to keep them as far away as possible from the island....where am I going with all of this?

As each day passes without any kind of settlement, we will all become victims to our ideas and values which will only become more entrenched as events, such as those I have mentioned (I'm sure there are more...please enlighten me of those that have elluded me), are likely to continue to become 'givens' in any settlement proposal that we will be asked to decide upon...and then what?

What a coincidence!

2009-11-05T10:11:00.000-08:00

More misdemeanours from the APOELites...taken from today's Cyprus Mail:

"CYPRUS champions APOEL could be in hot water again after fans hurled bottles during a Champions League game with Porto on Tuesday night.

APOEL is already awaiting its punishment from the European football governing board UEFA for racist behaviour during the game against Chelsea last month.

On Tuesday night, APOEL fans fell out with the club’s administration after they forbade them from raising thousands of banners on the south stand that would have created a mosaic depicting the Greek flag with Cyprus in the middle.

Fans in the other stands raised thousands of small Greek and APOEL flags.

Unknown individuals, believed to be disgruntled fans, also caused damages to the club’s offices in Nicosia and spray-painted abuse on the walls.

Club chairman Fivos Erotocritou said he no longer recognised the fan club, describing its members as mindless.

And all this because “we did not allow them express their patriotic feelings in a game, which should have been a celebration of football,” the APOEL chairman said.

“Unfortunately these mindless individuals wanted to use it (football) to express their patriotic feelings,” Erotocritou said.

The chairman said he believed the hurling of bottles on the 40th minute was deliberate so that the team is punished.

“When we were patriots these (people) were not even born yet,” Erotocritou said. “They have no right to say they are Greek and we are not.”

“But these slogans have no place in football,” he added.

Since its early days, football in Cyprus has been heavily politicised, with many clubs also having political affiliations.

Most clubs in Cyprus are either described as belonging to the right or the left – as are their fans."

Federation; Confederation; Partition; Abomination

2009-11-04T21:58:00.000-08:00

During last month's annual parades to mark the historic 'Ochi Day' (Greece's refusal to submit to the fascists during WW2), a group of APOELites who were taking part, chanted the slogan 'No to Federation' as they strode past the President and other dignitaries. The APOELites remind us and the rest of the world at every opportunity that 'Cyprus is Greek.'

All of the major politicos were quick to condemn the sloganeering during the march...how short our memories are! These very same folk are perpetually standing in front of a microphone passionately espousing the virtues of 'hellenic philosophies and practices' and how these are being eroded on the plantation by the 'others.' And yet they are open-mouthed when they witness episodes of this type (which are becoming all too common)...perhaps they need reminding of another (non-Hellenic?) saying: "We reap what we sow."

350.org

2009-10-25T01:26:00.000-07:00

Hats off to the "Cans-For-Kids" 350 Challenge for managing to sort and bail cans yesterday as part of the global initiative to create awareness to the fact that we have passed the optimum 350 parts/million of CO2 globally which basically means we are on a downward slope to oblivion. The only race on earth that consciously destroys its own habitat. Apart from the odd dignitary (the mayor of Nicosia) our astute leaders and experts in f**kall were conspicuous in their absence; I guess there were no opportunities there for our elected officials to espouse the evils of the Annan Plan...

We're finally the leaders in something

2009-10-24T01:21:00.000-07:00

With so much activity going on over here, it's difficult to know where to begin; how about the monks from Stavrovouni Monastery who have been scuffling with the police. According to the news media "The protestors, who began demonstrating on Saturday, oppose dialogue between the Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church, and claim that the aim of the dialogue between the two churches is the submission of the Orthodox Church to the Pope." Not wishing to condone the boys in blue, last Thursday a couple of our gendarmes arrested and handcuffed a fifteen-year-old because he failed to show up at a court hearing against his father...last night we were told by our insightful TV news hacks that Cyprus has the highest level of carbon emissions in Europe...well done our side (again)...

'Leaders, Early Adopters, Followers'

2009-10-17T01:30:00.000-07:00

The newly elected Prime Minister of Greece (George Papandreou), apart from continuing the family dynasty, on the heels of the Karamanlis Dynasty, has taken a brave and 'innovative' eco-sensitive decision. He has announced that all governmental luxury vehicles are to be replaced by smaller-engined hybrid vehicles. All of our esteemed leaders on the plantation have warmly welcomed this move; yet only recently the powers that be, declared that they and their cronies will be able to upgrade to less environmentally friendly 3.4 litre-engine vehicles.

Guess we can't be accused of blindly following the 'Motherland' on this one...

Those 'damned Brits'

2009-10-10T08:46:00.000-07:00

You may have heard about the recent episodes during the Apoel (Nicosia) championship tie against Chelsea where the Cypriot side is awaiting EUFA's decision regarding the racist chants, from a section of the crowd, and aimed at one of their officials during the game.

In todays' Cyprus Mail...According to one of the spectators “The cameraman was filming the stands and some fans called on him to film them so they could be on TV. He turned around and gave us the finger – the way the Brits do when they stick two fingers up – and said: ‘F*** you, you f***ing c****’. And the abuse started; they [the fans] insulted everything from his origin to where he was going. There were two ladies next to the cameraman, but the abuse wasn’t aimed at them.”

Those 'damned Brits' yet again...provoking our vulnerable youth with their loutish behaviour...if the local team is fortunate it'll have to pay a hefty fine; the alternatives include an exclusion from its home grounds for the rest of the tournament or the next home game being played without fans....makes one proud to be 'Greek.'

'Good course, bad lecturer'

2009-10-03T23:55:00.000-07:00

That’s like saying 'Good meal, crap chef.' I am of course referring to the (so-called) class evaluations. Education managers have totally embraced the supermarket paradigm and embedded it within higher education when they treat students as though they are waiting at the check-out counter, who are then asked to offer an opinion about something of which they know nothing about...gaining an insight into the minds(?) of our students (sorry, customers) about the tutor's performance as though she/he was on some reality TV show, shouldn't be what education is all about...with the 'shoe on the other foot,' I wonder how many of our enlightened managers would have the courage to expel students who cheat - a growing phenomenon - if the research is to be believed where, even Oxbridge isn't immune to this 'disease.' Recently, 50% of students polled at Cambridge admitted to cheating...at least 75% of the students in my summer class had plagiarised someone else's work...the very same ‘hard-working’, ‘insightful’ folk who wrote 'Not a fair lecturer' on the 'smiley forms' that we call 'class evaluations.'

'Student Protest'

2009-10-01T00:43:00.000-07:00

Next Wednesday the student body is set to demostrate against high tuition fees charged by the private universities. Apparently their gripe isn't so much against the universities as it is against the education ministry which has delayed the introduction of a new bill regarding private universities. Looking closer at the issue we find that the high school teachers' union and the civil servants' union (among others) are in full support of the students' actions...these fine folk who are the privileged members of a bloated section of our society have yet to voice any concern over the state controlled Cyprus University of Technology's plan of expansion - which will mean evicting a one-of-a-kind educational centre for children with special needs (see the Cyprus Mail, 30/09/09) - the latter has neither the funds nor the clout to find alternative accommodation...where are the caring, dissenting, public sector voices now?

Conspicuous by their absence because, dare one suggest that in this case their own narrow, self-opinionated interests are not being threatened...

'Here we go again'

2009-09-26T23:18:00.000-07:00

Part I:

The police force has come under fire recently for its ineptitude and its inability to 'enforce' the law...so how do our boys in blue respond - last Friday they 'invaded' the old part of Nicosia in order to flush out the illegal immigrants whom as we all know are undesirable elements whose main aim is to create mayhem in our streets; perform criminal acts and to generally put the fear of god among the local population...apparently our boys entered homes without warrants and arrested folk indiscriminantly; many of the so-called illegals were not; in any case why the over-the-top tactics on what is primarily the weaker portion of society, when, as I'm sure many of us suspect, there are other more vicious and organized criminals (of the white collar variety) who go about their business unfettered. Is this the democratic, human rights-sensitive society that we have nurtured since gaining our independence? A society which loves to honour the 'fallen' heroes with a plethora of statues and monuments; a society which is obsessed with power and position; and a society which bestows so much faith on its leadership and which at every opportunity decides that a street or public building be named after a deceased leader?

Part II:

Speaking of renaming streets, the members of Strovolos Council (those belonging to the Democratic Party - DIKO- and supported by the Democratic Rally Party - DISY) voted to rename Athalassa Avenue. These fine folk have chosen to honour the late president by giving it the name Tassos Papadopoulos Avenue, irrespective of all of the issues that this raises regarding postal services (and not only). We already have in almost every corner of the island so many streets and buildings named after past presidents and other heroes that this anachronistic and almost totalitarian practice has become embedded in the Cypriot psyche. Rumour has it that DISY gave its support to DIKO so as to preempt the decision when the time is right for DISY to demand that ex-President Glafkos Clerides is honoured in a similar fashion with the support of DIKO.

@#*&%$

2009-09-25T10:27:00.000-07:00

I'm overwhelmed with the recent imbecilic goings-on here in 'wonderland.' Today's Cyprus Mail had an article about the non-EU national who is likely to be sued by the Makarios Hospital:
'MAKARIOS hospital yesterday confirmed that a housemaid earning €340 a month could be sued if she does not pay the bill for her premature baby’s intensive care. Milagrin Lopes holds a valid work permit and has paid taxes for nine years. She received a €5,583 bill from the hospital for two months of intensive care after she went into early labour. Androulla Karaiskou, an officer in the Makarios Hospital’s billing department, said yesterday “If you want to have a baby, you have to pay for it."'

Perhaps Androulla should talk to the primary school teachers about raising the cash from the kids' deposit fund to assist the housemaid, or failing this they could reach into the EAC coffers for the outstanding bill...then again those financial resources are reserved for the worthy.

"What's mine is mine, and what's yours is also mine"

2009-09-24T05:38:00.000-07:00

It was revealed several weeks ago (though many had already suspected) that the primary school children's savings fund had been pilfered (and continues to be) by the 'impoverished' primary school teachers. Briefly, the kids are 'encouraged' to save and on a weekly basis make a deposit (amounts per pupil vary) in their personal account. Somehow the school teachers' association has access to these accounts and is also able to make 'withdrawals' without the account-holders' consent...

Dipping into others' accounts seems to be the normal thing to do on the plantation...the Electricity Authority of Cyprus (EAC) has a serious deficit in its accounts and has been seeking permission from the state to raise the tariff on kilowatt usage...the reason for this deficit - successive governments have delved into the EAC coffers in order to 'patch up' deficits in other utilities/services...

Human Rights Violations

2009-09-08T07:02:00.001-07:00

Whenever the issue of human rights is raised on the plantation our local reporters and harbingers of the truth and sanctity of all that is Cypriot (sic Hellenic) bring to the fore the violations perpertrated by others (anyone who doesn't support or agree with us on anything) against us. The article in today's Cyprus Mail comes as a shock to the Cypriot psyche which isn't used to hearing that we violated anyone's human rights.
Apparently the European Court of Human Rights has chastised Cyprus over the length of legal proceedings. Two owners of a souvenir shop in Paphos had filed an application at the Rent Control Tribunal (RCT), challenging the amount of rent they were being charged on the premises of their shop.
According to the report, "the legal proceedings that ensued lasted from March 2, 2001 until October 19, 2006. The case therefore lasted five years and seven months. According to article 52 of the Court judgment, during the first set of proceedings before the RCT the case had been listed for directions several times. There had been long intervals between hearing dates set by the RCT.

"Furthermore, the judge of the RCT only sat in Paphos on Thursdays. There had also been substantial delays in the appeal proceedings. In particular, the hearing of the appeal had begun more than one year and eleven months after it had been lodged.

"The European court of Human Rights accused the Cyprus Government of not providing the relevant records to explain the delays in the case.

"The Court assessed the length of proceedings 'in the light of the circumstances of the case and with reference to the following criteria: the complexity of the case, the conduct of the applicants and the relevant authorities and what was at stake for the applicants in the dispute.'

"They judged that 'the questions before the RCT were relatively simple' and that the 'total length of proceedings at three instances, two of them at the same level, was excessive. In particular, the delay which occurred at the appeal stage contributed significantly to the prolonging of the proceedings and was unwarranted.'

"The Court stated that Article 6 paragraph 1 'imposes on the Contracting States the duty to organise their judicial system in such a way that their courts can meet each of its requirements.' They ruled that Cyprus had failed in this duty.

"This is not the first time that Cyprus has been reprimanded over the length of its legal processes. A law has been drafted to remedy this problem which is due to be discussed by the House of Representatives. It is likely that Cyprus will put under Council of Europe supervision should further problems occur.

"Representatives of the Supreme Court were not available for comment."

Oh, dear! Yet another Anglo-European Conspiracy?

The 'Silly Season' continues unabated

2009-09-01T21:16:00.000-07:00

As December rapidly approaches and we find ourselves sliding further into oblivion, the 'patriots' are out in full force.

At a recent Euro-football match involving local champions Apoel FC, a large and conspicuous banner was displayed within the stadium informing the world that 'Cyprus is Greek.'

It would seem that every opportunity is being exploited by a faction of the populace whose perception of the 'Cyprus Problem' has a meagre following. The 'Mickey Mouse' political parties who represent less than 5% of the popular vote are becoming vociferous, taking a 'we told you so' stance as they remind us once again of the beligerent, intransigent posturings of the 'other side.'

On a regular basis, newspaper reports in the Turkish-Cypriot press, quoting the Turkish and Turkish-Cypriot elite, are used as evidence to support messrs Koutsou and Syllouris (to name just a couple of our landed gentry), in their eternal struggle to free us of the shackles of Turkish occupation.

Joining the fray is his beatitude the Archbishop of Cyprus. Astonishingly (but not for the plantation) the gentleman in question had the support of less than 10% of the Greek Orthodox Synod, but still managed to maneouvre into what is probably the second most powerful position on the island. Commenting on the efforts to open up another military blockade in the north-west region of Limnitis, his holiness, wanting to emphasize Turkish intransigence came up with a highly original, and dare I say, Godly remark that the Turks are not to be trusted, because after all, 'Turks are Turks.'

Where Pneumatic Tubes Rule

2009-08-25T04:53:00.000-07:00

I am grateful to a friend (forever on the alert) for the link to the story of a town in Sweden that has found the political will to practise what many of us can only dream about when it comes to an alternative, ecological lifestyle...without going back into caves, as many mainstream observers would like us to believe...

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1917732,00.html?artId=1917732?contType=article?chn=us

Red flags on the beach

2009-08-13T05:45:00.001-07:00

Not so long ago a CTO official named Glafkos Kariolou, rightly, commented on the state of our beaches. His overall observation was that we have an embedded cultural issue which effects our behaviour when we visit the beach (and other parts of the island)...in a nutshell we are 'slobs' who leave our garbage anywhere as long is it's not in our 'own backyard.'

There was an item on today's lunch-time CyBC news about the sewage turning up on Governor's Beach (east of Limassol), an area which comes under the auspices of the British Sovereign Bases. Our learned CyBC journalist (Paris Potamitis) seized the opportunity to 'have a go' at the terrible Brits who were polluting our magnificent beaches with their crap. Mr Kariolou told of how the CTO had asked the British authorities for an explanation in late July only to be told that the said pollution is likely to have been caused by the passing shipping that disposed of their waste in the sea. The CTO insists that the waste is more likely to have been carried down the coast from the shore....whoever caused the problem isn't really the issue; it was primarily a God-given opportunity to re-focus the microscope on the others, yet again, while ignoring our culpability. If in doubt take a look at the link below for an overview of Cyprus garbage...

http://dailytrash.fotopic.net/

2009 Predictions

2009-08-12T08:57:00.000-07:00

At the start of the new year I made some predictions for this year (some were light-hearted, others, not so)...take a look at the latest rumblings in the USA from today's Guardian:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/aug/12/barack-obama-new-hampshire-gun

The Cyprus (un)civil service

2009-08-04T22:40:00.000-07:00

In the real world, if caught fighting at work you're likely to be dismissed on the spot...not so in our civil service; witness the incident at Limassol General Hospital the other day. According to yesterday's Cyprus Mail...

"At around 10 am yesterday, a senior doctor at the hospital noticed that one of his colleagues, who was supposed to be conducting medical examinations, was in fact in the hospital cafeteria having a coffee.

Having picked up on the older doctor’s disapproving tone, the junior doctor refused his superior’s request for a private chat, and after a verbal exchange, the senior doctor exited the scene. He then noticed that there were a significant number of patients waiting outside the coffee-drinking doctor’s office, prompting him to go back to the cafeteria, where he was met by his colleague who had finished his coffee and was on his way out. An interlocution followed, with a barrage of insults, shoves and tussles resulting in the senior doctor being lightly injured.

It was also reported on state news that the junior doctor in question has been involved in disciplinary infractions with his superiors in the past."

How likely is it that the doctor in question will lose his job?

Answers on a postcard please to the Health Ministry...

Symbols, artefacts and other misdemeanors II

2009-07-28T05:29:00.000-07:00

What does the Greek Orthodox Synod have to fear?
They complained about Costa Gavras' little animation about christians destroying statues (and other symbols) on the Parthenon, and managed to have the clip censored. The full story and the original clip is here:
http://www.elginism.com/tag/kostas-gavras/

Symbols, artefacts and other misdemeanors

2009-07-25T22:30:00.000-07:00

Every summer we don our patriotic clothing and either pontificate, or listen to others' pontifications of what transpired in 1974...as a learned colleague said the other day 'So many people for example could tell you when World War Two ended, and how important it was for humanity but no one celebrates when it began,' and yet we continue to regurgitate rhetoric which would normally be confined to the annals of history (whose history?). Then we wonder why fresh conscripts to the national guard are asked to chant slogans such as 'A good Turk is a dead Turk,' or witness scenes similar to those at the anti-occupation rally last week, where (mis)guided folk come out in full force to cast abuse at the 'other' point of view because they consider it unpatriotic...'summer madness'?

A famous politician (whose name escapes me) was reported as making the following remark to the late Archbishop Makarios all of those years ago...'God help your people'. The words resonate even today...is anyone listening?

Dodging the Draft in Cyprus

2009-07-18T06:58:00.000-07:00

"The root of the problem is a much deeper failure of the state to 'invest in the youth'...resulting in a society 'devoid of any sense of purpose, except that of money and materials'…"

(Quoted by the President of the Psychiatric Association of Cyprus, Dr Neofytos Papaneofytou)

Ain't that the truth?

'Meetings, Bloody Meetings'

2009-07-10T01:26:00.000-07:00

Our honourable members of the house ('vouli') had a marathon session yesterday with an agenda covering a staggering 80+ items.....any management guru will inform us that effective meetings should be properly structured and brief. The honourable members might learn a thing or two by (at least) watching John Cleese and his crew in 'Meetings Bloody Meetings' (see the link):

mms://wm.interoute.com/{04b893a6-ffe1-42b7-b4eb-df11d84003f0}/{18adb948-db1e-4e05-a44b-504a6b676093}/MBM1 FULL HIGH_1000000132_NoDRM.WMV

...but then again several of our learned brethren would claim another conspiracy theory was being hatched by the AngloAmericans (yet again)....an 80+ item bloody agenda; unbelievable.

Two (in)famous females

2009-07-03T23:02:00.000-07:00

A couple of recent events on the plantation have brought two females into the limelight...one is a new addition but the other has become a legend in her own 'lunchtime'...the former is called Efrosyni Parparinou who recently made the headlines because, in her capacity as State Archivist, she threatened Makarios Droushiotis with a jail sentence and a fine for being in possession of public documents that rightfully belonged to the state body. Droushiotis had quoted them in his latest book, 'Two Attempts and a Murder: the Greek Junta and Cyprus, 1967-1970.' Among other things, the book deals with the 1970 murder of former EOKA fighter and Interior Minister Polycarpos Yiorkadjis. The documents published by Droushiotis came from the personal archive of Yiorgos Tombazos, who served as head of Cyprus’ secret service under President Makarios. Droushiotis said that after Tombazos died, his archive passed to his son, who made it available to the writer as part of his research.
In his defence, the Cyprus Journalists' Union issued a challenge to Parparinou: "If your warnings and threats had a correct and just legal and constitutional basis, then dozens of public figures should have been sacked and sent to jail some time ago – including people who have served as Presidents of the Republic, Ministers, leaders or national officers of political parties, members of parliament, etc., who have all published either in books or in other ways and means a plethora of public records-archives that might have been found in or belonged to the State Archive."
The second event involves Migration Director Anny Shakalli who told a 60-year-old man to leave Cyprus 'at once' or else face deportation after spending the last 26 years living on the island.
According to the Cyprus Mail, Mohamed Yousry arrived in Cyprus from Egypt in 1983, after working as an electrician on Greek merchant ships. He has lived here ever since. In 1985, he married a Cypriot woman and the two opened up a tavern in Nicosia. He also helped out his wife’s family in the fields, where he had an accident on a tractor, requiring three operations on his leg.
The two lived together as a married couple for ten years before he applied at the Migration Department for citizenship in 1995.
Before being labelled a misogynist, I'd like to add that the injustices portrayed within these incidents simply reflect the 'sick' society that we have allowed ourselves to become.

Folk such as the aforementioned have taken a stranglehold on practically every institution and activity on the island, irrespective of gender...

University of Cyprus entrance criteria

2009-06-28T08:41:00.000-07:00

Universities are meant to have an autonomous structure with procedures and processes free from outside interferences...this subtle factor seems to have gone unnoticed on the lil'ol plantation...the self-opinionated high school teachers are threatening (again) with some kind of industrial action that most likely will impact the pupils, because they oppose the university's decision to admit students who have internationally recognized high school qualifications. Our learned brethren who label themselves keepers and promoters of free thinking, democratic ideals somehow believe that this decision will undermine education...meanwhile the results of the Pancyprian high school exams have highlighted our young people's failure to reach an acceptable level of achievement in Modern Greek; the average grade is 9.54 (out of 20)...perhaps God's chosen few, who have been charged with educating the youth, should take a closer look inside their own little complacent institutions before preaching to us mere mortals...

The one about the road

2009-06-24T21:46:00.000-07:00

Yesterday's Cyprus Mail front page story about the Polis to Paphos highway, reminded me of the story about the road...

When tenders were announced, three construction companies made a bid and each contractor was invited before the transport ministry committee to make their case. The first of these was the Polish contractor whose original bid was for 300 million euro; 100 for labour costs, 100 for materials and 100 net profit; the Greek contractor's bid was for 600 million; 200 for labour, 200 for materials and 200 n.p. The Cypriot contractor was asking for 900 million euro; his reasoning, "300 million for you guys, 300 for me and 300 million for the Polish contractor."

Which was the successful bid?