When we report about crimes, courts, alleged
criminals and people found innocent in court,
we should be very careful. The truth concerning
a crime that has been committed is objective,
existing and undeniable. Whether an accused,
e.g., an alleged killer, is convicted in court or
someone who claims is innocent is exonerated
in court, is subjective and, oftentimes, in either
case, questionable and debatable. In the first
case, it is a matter of convincing a number of
judges and/or jurors of someone's guilt and,
in the second, of raising in the minds of that
same set of people enough doubts that they
cannot convict beyond the shadow of a doubt.
When someone is accused but has not yet been
found guilty, we are very careful to precede with,
e.g., "alleged killer". In the case someone has
been convicted or exonerated, we do not say
"convicted of a crime" or "acquitted of a crime
they claim they did not commit", but say "criminal"
or "accused of a crime they did not commit". The
latter expressions, unfortunately, confuse these
subjective decisions and verdicts with the
objective truth, which may be different. And
they lead one to believe, erroneously, that the
dispensation of "justice" is ideal, objective and
unerring, which is patently false.
Αν αυτό συμβαίνει, ως Κούλης (αυτός
που τουλάχιστον διαρρηγνύει τα ιμάτιά
του oτι είναι) δε θα το ανεχόμουνα. Θα
απαιτούσα απόλυση της κυράτσας ή
θα ζητούσα παραίτηση της υπουργάρας.
Ο άλλος ο γλύφτης τη δουλειά του κάνει.
Αν είναι ανήθικο, τότε η ΕΣΗΕΑ θα έπρεπε
να επιληφθεί του θέματος.
Ο Φάμελλος κάλεσε τον Ανδρουλάκη για
συνεργασία των προοδευτικών δυνάμεων
ώστε να "νικηθεί ο Μητσοτάκης". Η αλήθεια
είναι ότι το διακύβευμα αυτή τη στιγμή για
την Αριστερά στην Ελλάδα είναι πολύ
ταπεινότερο, απλά να επανακτίσει κάποιο
μέρος τουλάχιστον της αξιοπιστίας της.
Συμφωνώ απόλυτα ότι για να συμβεί αυτό
χρειάζεται συννενόηση και, ει δυνατόν,
επανένωση. Κατά τη γνώμη μου, θα ήταν
πάρα πολύ θετική εξέλιξη αν μία τέτοια
σύμπραξη γινόταν με καινοτομίες. Π.χ.:
1. Στη συμφωνία να μην παιχτεί ανταγω-
νισμός για πρωτοκαθεδρία και για
αρχηγιλίκια, ως συνήθως, αλλά να
συμφωνηθεί ότι τα πάντα θα απο-
φασίζονται από κοινού σε συμβούλιο
αρχηγών με τη μεγαλύτερη δυνατή
συναίνεση και διαπραγμάτευση.
2. Να συμφωνηθεί οτι κανένα από τα
στελέχη (και από τους δύο χώρους)
που συμμετείχε σε κυβερνητικό σχήμα
στο παρελθόν (και στο μέλλον) και δεν
άλλαξε τίποτα ή κρίθηκε αναποτελεσματικό
δεν θα ξανασυμμετέχει στην Κυβέρνηση
(πάλι με συννενόηση των αρχηγών).
Οι Έλληνες δεν είναι ηλίθιοι. Μπορεί να
ζητάμε να αποδοθούν ευθύνες από τον
Κούλη σε εκείνους που ήταν υπεύθυνοι
για τραγωδίες την ώρα που συνέβησαν
(και αυτό είναι σωστό και δίκαιο), αλλά
ξέρουμε ότι παρόμοια προβλήματα προ-
υπήρχαν και κάποιοι δεν έκαναν τίποτα
και δε βελτίωσαν τίποτα και, συνεπώς,
"ατυχήματα" μπορεί να είχαν συμβεί και
υπό τη δικιά τους εποπτεία. Τέτοια άτομα
που γνώριζαν παθογένειες και τις αγνοούσαν
δε μπορεί να γίνονται αποδεκτά σε μελλοντική
κυβέρνηση απ' όποιο χώρο κι αν προέρχονται.
If one makes serious mistakes, they must have
the decency to admit them and to apologize for
them. Equivocating and playing with terms and
with definitions (as in "it depends on what the
word "is" means") will not do. And if the errors
they made are fundamental and critical to this
Nation's security and safety and to the well-being
of its Armed Forces, they should be shown the
door and be told by any decent boss that they
should resign effective immediately.
The move was clearly misinterpreted. The guy
just wanted to leave Ms. Leavitt pregnant with
his next one and thought that she would be
very swiftly swept off her feet if he impressed
her during a dinner by performing his infantile
tricks and gimmicks and by showing off his
practical skills and dexterity.
Usha Vance is visiting Greenland to "celebrate
Greenlandic culture". How about Mali, Zimbabwe,
Greece, Vietnam, Indonesia,...? Are they too far
for you or you do not think their cultures are that
much worth celebrating anyway?
In Greece, we have a very big stake in the
political developments in Turkey. The most
important reason from our point of view is
the obvious fact that, in solidly democratic
regimes, democratically elected leaders are
truly accountable to the People and feel a
deep responsibility to abide by their call
for Peace, Fraternity and Stability, whereas,
as we have amply witnessed recently, auto-
crats, leaders with autocratic tendencies,
megalomaniacs and generalissimos tend
towards uncalled for and unjustifiable
adventurism and adventures, often in
contravention of International Law and in
defiance of the wishes and will of their own
electorates. So, even though who gets
elected in Turkey might not be directly
relevant to Greeks, that the election process
is open, transparent and free and fair and
that the person elected has legitimacy and
genuine popular support is of paramount
importance.
Είναι πάρα πολύ λυπηρό την ίδια στιγμή
που το Κράτος αναγνωρίζει ότι υπάρχει
μεγάλο πρόβλημα με τη μεταχείρηση και
την αντιμετώπιση των γυναικών στη χώρα
μας να έρχονται δικαστές και εισαγγελείς
και να μεταχειρίζονται ευνοϊκά γυναικο-
κτόνους. Καταλαβαίνω ότι, αν ο νόμος
το επιβάλλει, τότε βρίσκονται σε δύσκολη
θέση. Αυτό που δε μπορώ να καταλάβω
είναι πώς αποφασίζουν έτσι όταν, κατά
τα φαινόμενα, οι διατάξεις είναι σκιώδεις
και, κατ' ουσία, επαφίεται στη διακριτική
ευχέρειά τους να αποφασίσουν. Κρίμα...
και, κατά την άποψή μου, λάθος και αδικία.
Erdogan has decided to put the advice he
received on how to deal with the opposition
and on the most secure way to win elections
with overwhelming majorities into full effect.
On the one hand, you have a person that
grew up in ruthless, cutthroat politics, in
ruthless suppression, in ruthless domestic
and foreign espionage and, in general, in
ruthlessness and mercilessness all around.
On the other, you have a softy, who grew
in plushness and given everything ready
to eat on a golden plate, who, even in his
personal life, he could buy and enjoy,
instead of lifting a finger. So, for objective
observers at least, it is no surprise at all
that the second is a great admirer of the
first and that the first is ruthlessly and
unapologetically taking, and intending to
continue to take, the first, like a naive idiot,
along for a ride. Of course, needless to
add, this is beyond devastating, first for
our Nation and then for Ukrainians that,
in this instance, seem to have been caught
in the middle.
I bet it is a very joyful occasion when two
nations divide the assets of a third nation.
Then a "deal" is very easy to make. I am
just imagining myself and Donald sitting
on a table to divide up the trillions of Elon.
Maybe Donald can take everything but
10 millions and leave me with 10 millions.
I would be a very happy deal maker indeed,
and both him and I would be Masters in the
Art of a Deal. And all idiots around us would
be so very impressed!! "How on earth did
they make a deal!" will they all exclaim...
Ωραίο κι αυτό... Στην "περήφανη" Μάνη, οι
"περήφανοι" Μανιάτες σκύψαν το κεφάλι
και έγλυψαν τον δίμπαλλο αετό του Λάκη
Βασιλόπουλου. Δεν αναφέρθηκε κανένα
ίχνος έντονης αποδοκιμασίας ή κάποιου
γιουχαϊσματος μετά τις προσφωνήσεις.
Ελπίζω να υπήρξαν, αλλά ποιος ξέρει
πώς και τί σκέφτεται ο κάθε ανεγκέφαλος
γλύφτης στην πατρίδα μας...
Κοιτάξτε και τί έγινε με τον τύπο που παραιτήθηκε.
Η δικαιοσύνη σφύριζε κλέφτικα ότι κάτι έγινε, αλλά
ότι έγινε από κανέναν, και τον αφήσαν να ξεφύγει
κάτω από τη μύτη τους προφανώς με εισοδήματα
να χορτάσουν και τα παιδιά και τα εγγόνια του.
Και όταν το κουφάρι βρώμισε, τον πήρε ο Κούλης
τον αμπάλαρε ως πανάκριβη κολόνια Givenchy
και πήγε να μας τον υπουργοποιήσει, ανακυκλώ-
νοντάς τον ως αποσμητικό. Δυστυχώς έτσι γενικά
παίζουν τα πράγματα στον τόπο μας...
Ειναι ξεκάθαρο οτι οι βολευτές δε νοιώθουν
"άνετα" να παραπέμπονται και να εκδιώκονται
οι δικοί τους, ώστε να συνεχιστεί η κατάσταση
ασυδοσίας και ατιμωρισίας και να βαίνουν όλα
ως είχαν και την εποχή των πατερούληδων και
των θείων τους. Και αυτό το υποστηρίζει εμμέσως
πλην σαφώς με τς επιλογές του και με τις πράξεις
του και ο Κούλης παρά τα λεγόμενα του που είναι
μόνο για χάϊδεμα αυτιών και για καθωσπρεπισμό,
αλλά, χωρίς δράσεις, είναι τελικά χωρίς ουσία...
Unfortunately, when the sitting president
discusses "land" on behalf of a losing side,
what he has in mind is not a negotiation for
a fair solution, but a "winner takes all" deal,
like, e.g., in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
So, when I am hearing that he is going to
discuss "land" on behalf of Ukraine, I am
certain that Ukraine will get totally sc*ewed
and that Russia will gain beyond their most
optimistic, ambitious and wildest dreams.
With the developments at the U.N., Russian
aggressiveness and the new, radical shift
in U.S. policy towards international conflicts
and disagreements, we have already entered
an era of a Wild Wild West in international
politics in which the big fish is going to
be devouring the small. The only hope left is
that the remaining big players are not going
to plunge headlong in the game and start
demanding and devouring like never before.
I would ask the Secretary of State to review
his decision to proclaim the South-African
Ambassador to the U.S. an unwanted person.
Envoys are there to present their States'
views and to foster dialog and communication
between States. They are not there to always
agree with the views of the Host State or of
its Government. If that had been their role,
then they would have been more or less
useless. Dismissing an Envoy who has
presented his/her credentials should only
be done for very serious actions, deemed
to undermine the security of the Host State
and not for differences in views and opinions.
And our United States should be among one
of the strongest advocates of this right of
freedom of speech and against nefarious
and quirky dismissals. Such moves used
to be in character with absolutist and
totalitarian states and I hope that we are
not yet to be counted among one of those.
If a company stoops so low as to agree to pay
legal fees to someone charged with sexual
exploitation and prostitution charges, then it
certainly is a company unworthy of anyone's
patronage or business. I hope that all its
customers rethink where they shop and
which brands they support and, with the
power of their pockets, cause this awful
company to fold. For agreements like the
one they signed and for the sponsorship of
personalities like they one they had, there
is absolutely no excuse whatsoever.
The morph is the worst president in American
History by far, simply because he lacks the very
elementary and fundamental understanding that
States are not businesses and, even if one strives
for cuts and savings and downsizing, as in business,
at the State level, this cannot be done in the same
way. All his changes and measures cause severe
short term upset and turbulence, but will have
absolutely no long term benefits. When, either
under him or one of his successors, America
opens up again and those tariffs go, things will
just go back the way they were and everything
will be business and globalization as usual,
simply with the added burden and discomfort
of suffering the reverse shock once more, for
no gain and for no good reasons whatsoever.
JUST READ MY LIPS AND WAIT TO SEE...
At the beginning, the morph was giving some
reasons for tariffs that, even though questionable,
nefarious and difficult to verify, such as, e.g., that
the U.S. was treated unfairly and was flooded with
illegal imports, would, if true, maybe support some
trade sanctions in response. But now, it seems and
it sounds like, his decisions are not even based
on even superficially supportable arguments, and
that recklessness, delusion and megalomania, a
drive to control, annex and profit from everything
and from everyone, regardless of right or wrong
and of what anybody else thinks, are prevailing.
Maybe a country could get away with something
like that if it was by far the most populous and
the strongest, but is the U.S. right now in a
position to test the waters and to provoke both
enemies and allies? And how far can we go before
we feel a measurable backlash and regret these
moves? And will we be afterwards in a position
to mend things, or the damage incurred would be
rather irreparable and would need many years of
rebuilding confidence and trust to fix? I am very
worried, since what it takes ages to build, it just
takes very little time for one powerful, but
unintelligent and derailed, individual's hasty
and thoughtless actions to dismantle and destroy.
I am trying to organize in my mind what I am
hearing on proposals for a "deal" for bringing
an end to the Russia-Ukraine conflict. They say
Russia, which has started it all but has lost much
life, a lot of materiel and some lands, is going to
get all lands invaded by Ukraine back and is to
keep the territories it has invaded and occupied.
Ukraine, which was marginally responsible for
the invasion by playing with fire in the East, and
has lost much life and a lot of materiel as well,
is to cede all the territories lost and withdraw
from Kursk and, in addition, is going to give
the rights to its minerals to Western interests.
Europe is going to provide security guarantees
with, presumably, some form of compensation
and/or rewards (?) in exchange. Finally, the U.S.,
which has provided half a trillion dollars in support,
is going to get the rights to Ukraine's minerals
and facilitate negotiations with Russia, but will
not provide any additional security guarantees,
leaving all those to Europe. To me, it sounds
like some sides (especially the main culprit)
are getting a luxurious deal, some are fairing
OK, breaking even or a little ahead, and some
are left out in the cold, losing all and begging
for morsels. It is no wonder that Zelenskyy, who
is not really a very likable person, was incensed
and could not agree to anything sketchy that
was presented. And I do not think that any
other Ukrainian Leader in his place, no matter
how impossible his position, would be able to
agree with such hand-waving and vagueness,
without some written down details sweetening
the deal for Ukraine and balancing the scales.
Some people are shameless. Retire with
whatever little dignity you are left, if any.
I hope New Yorkers do the right thing and
say a resounding "NO THANKS; NOT ONE
CROOK FOR ANOTHER; JUST GO HOME
AND LEAVE US ALONE."
What I intensely dislike about this administration
is that they create an atmosphere of decadence
and of ridicule, even when the meetings are critical
and the matters to be discussed and negotiated
are, literally, those of life and death. In which other
capital and under which other leader's auspices
would a journalist be emboldened to have such
disrespect (not for the guest, but for the host) so
as to ask a leader whose state is at war and
fighting for survival and has come knowing the
weakness of his position and intending to ask
(again) for help, about the way and the why of
his dressing in a condescending way and with
a clearly rhetorical and uninteresting question
just for the heck of it. If the dressing had been
inappropriate or unacceptable, the White House
should have informed him beforehand about it,
especially since, for years now, it is well known
that that is the way he chooses to be dressed
in appearances, for better or for worse. This is
not serious and this is what diminishes Respect
for our Seat of Government and not the visitor's
behavior who, clearly, came to plea and argue.
He accused his predecessor of senility.
Now he says one (very serious) thing
and two days later he neither recalls
saying it nor does he believe himself
capable of having said it. The rest of
us cannot even believe who we elected,
what we were thinking by electing him
and what to expect, or where we are
heading or where we are being led
by those super-foxy, self-serving
manipulators, with conflicting interests,
who surround him and who have put,
in the past, company and personal well
being and profits above our national
resources and have not given a single
indication in the meantime as to why
or how this would now be different.
Gene Hackman and his wife are wih us no more...
Manolis Lidakis is with us no more...
We are deeply ashamed and unsettled.
The U.N. Security Council, with our own
support and blessings, organized a feast
day, full of celebrations, for aggressors
everywhere. Unfortunately, this move
signals that the Council has lost its
raison d'être, has been effectively
dismantled, that there is now a laissez
faire laissez passer regime for attacks
out of the blue by the powerful and that
every Nation should realize that they
are on their own, that they should be
prepared and that they should not rely
on, or allow the presence, of other
nations' armies and "allies" on their
territories. Moreover, Ukraine, under
its current regime, seems to have
agreed to lose all, give up its wealth
and cede its territory, with guarantees
to the aggressor that, should at some
point wish for more, they would be
welcome to go for it. I lament the status
and the situation this State finds itself,
suddenly, but, alas, predictably, in.
Α(η)δωνίτσα καλά κελαϊδάς και σκούζεις.
Όμως ένας "τίμιος άνθρωπος που μπαίνει
στην πολιτική με αρχές και αξίες" δε μιλά
με τον τρόπο που μίλησε στην καταστροφική
και ντροπιαστική συνέντευξη ο Κούλης, εκτός
και εάν καθ' οδόν κάπου έχασε αυτές τις αρχές
και τις αξίες καθούμενος στην πολυτελή,
αναπαυτική και εκθαμβωτική καρέκλα.
Ούτε είναι πρέπον για κάποιον που διατηρεί
τις "αρχές και αξίες" να είναι προϊστάμενος
κάποιου που, ενώ, προφανώς, αμελεί να
επενδύσει στην ασφάλεια και στον εκσυγ-
χρονισμό, εγκαλεί όσους τον καταδικάζουν
και διαβεβαιώνει από τη Βουλή, λίγες μέρες
πριν από πολύνεκρο "ατύχημα", ότι στο
χαρτοφυλάκιό του όλα καλώς έχουν. Και
μετά από το συμβάν, αποδεικτικότερο του
οποίου δεν υπάρχει για την ανικανότητα
και την αμέλεια κάποιου που προϊσταται,
όχι μόνο δεν τον αποπέμπει (ώστε να
στείλει ξεκάθαρο μήνυμα στην κοινωνία
και να καθησυχάσει ότι κάποιος νοιάζεται)
αλλά ξεδιάντροπα τον ξαναβάζει σε λίστες
και τον επιβραβεύει μόνο και μόνο για να
αποφύγει πολιτικό κόστος, καθότι ο εν λόγω
είναι (όπως εξάλλου και ο εαυτούλης του)
από πολιτικό τζάκι. Να μην θυμηθουμε
ότι το ίδιο συνέβει και με τον Αυγενάκη,
που, για απαράδεκτη συμπεριφορά σε
δημόσιο αξίωμα, τον έβαλε να σταθεί για
μισή ώρα όρθιο στο πίσω μέρος της τάξης.
Και να μην αναφέρουμε ότι στείλαμε και
επίτροπο για τις μεταφορές, που να μας
πάρει και να μας σηκώσει, για να βελτιώ-
σουμε και να ενισχύσουμε τις μεταφορές
στην Ένωση(!!), κι αυτόν από τζάκι, με
πατέρα υπουργάρα εποχών που η
ασυδοσία έλυνε και έδενε.. Α(η)δωνίτσα,
κάπου χάθηκε η μπάλα. Ψάξε την εκτός
τιμιότητας, αρχών και αξιών, πέρα από την
γραμμή του πλαγίου, διότι ο διαιτητής
Κούλης το τίναξε το παιχνίδι στον αέρα.
They are taking the American People as
idiots. As if we cannot understand that
what he is going to lose (if anything at
all) in EV subsidies, he will make sure
to get though the back door via some
other means and contracts, e.g., those
overpriced space endeavors and
accompanying humongous wastes,
the fact that he will be pushing for lifting
oversight and regulations relating to his
own enterprises and products, and other
similar advantages and favors to the
outfits he is invested in and controlling
which are on the public dole.
Contrary to what they expected and what they
had been told by their boss, the unprepared
bobble-heads did not have a great party in
meeting the ruthless, shameless and canniest
of foxes of foreign policy, and the bangles
signaled a full retreat. The new statements
reflect their turbulent landing, constitute an
admission of surprise and puzzlement and
are a preparation and warning to us all, not
only for the length of the road ahead, but,
also, unfortunately, for the possibility of our
inexperienced, impatient and hasty delegation
being caught with their pants down, as has
happened in the past with other complete
and unconditional surrenders.
We are under a bad spell in our United States
today. It used to be that, on a foreign visit, the
Secretary of State and Foreign Ministers would
be accompanied by various auxiliary delegations
to discuss particular issues, one among which
was business and trade ties. Unfortunately, one
of the main guiding principles, if not the only
one or the cornerstone, of the so-called "America
first" or "MAGA" movement is that foreign visits
and negotiations are to be made by business and
trade delegations, accompanied by bobble-heads
with ties who utter non-sequitur, peppered with
some buzzwords (that do not even make sense),
in an attempt to appear as foreign policy. The
problem with such an approach is that the
biggest strength and power of the United States
is not based on its being able to produce or
to gather wealth. It is based on several other
qualities whose promotion falls under the domain
and purview of traditional foreign policy.
1. Supporting ideas and ideals of freedom and
individual rights, which account for a better
life, free of oppression and fear.
2. Supporting, and advocating for, societies of
Law, as opposed to capriciousness and
arbitrariness of strongmen and generalissimos.
3. Stability of organization and continuity of State
and International structures and organizations
so that they can fulfill their mandates effectively
and efficiently.
4. Willingness to lead and to use part of one's wealth
to contribute to the global well-being and to help
less fortunate nations and those suffering or left
behind.
5. Pride in pioneering research and development for
the Global Good, as opposed towards accumulation
of staggering amounts of private wealth.
By deviating from these ideals, by belittling the
sacrifice of allies by telling them, in effect, that
the price they paid in life and blood is subordinate
to repayment of debts via subjugating their country
to western vs. eastern interests, and by supporting
the expulsion of populations and ethnic cleansing
of areas for real estate development, we are not
doing ourselves or our Country any favors. In that
way our "foreign policy" becomes a tool in the hands
of the very few that have the greed, the means, the
connections and the fortunes to go in and profit
aggressively from the plight and from the misfortunes
of others. If we have domestic laws and regulations
to sh
