all+all=1

Feels like love...

2010-12-18T18:24:00.003+02:00

In the beginning you don't know about it...

Then you listen to it and you fall in love...

Then you search for it...

In days of borebom or ones of immense creativity...

Then you listen to it again and you stick your ear to the radio wishing for the title...

You don't sleep without whispering its sounds or lyrics...

Then you commit for a good, really good search...

Then you find it...

You sense a feeling of having lost something...

That is the appetite for discovery...

Or the magic of it...

But then, it stays within you...

And more delicate feelings grow about it...

It's yours and you can share it with the world...

Or share it with yourself at times you may have forgotten about it...

And then you set off for new discoveries through reminding yourself what a good treasure-hunter you have been!

Enjoy...after you find it!

Sapphirecut feat dPen - Losing hope (Brusca Acoustic mix)

Interesting findings

2010-12-14T17:12:00.001+02:00

Being silent for a good while didn't mean I've been inactive. On the contrary...

Too much to say and squeeze into a blog post, so I just thought of sharing some interesting findings!

# Do you want to know what drives us? Why do we do the things we do and we don't the things we don't? Watch this interestingly done video -->> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6XAPnuFjJc&feature=channel

# Do schools kill creativity? Sir Ken Robinson has a say on that! Watch the legendary video from 2006 here -->> http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity.html and also it's recent follow up "Bring on the learning revolution", here -->> http://www.ted.com/talks/sir_ken_robinson_bring_on_the_revolution.html

# Are you more genius than the genius? Play... but don't get angry at him...or don't get him angry! :) http://en.akinator.com/#

# The web site of my main occupation for the last 18 months and for the next 12 -->> http://enter.opencontent.it/eng

# Make your voice heard and bring non-formal education/learning closer into the recognition it deserves! -->> http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/education_culture/consult/learning_en.html

Gasoline costs 0,5 euros in Azerbaijan...

:)

S.

Go...east!

2010-12-14T16:46:00.003+02:00

...never been further to the east of the world! Not that it actually matters... But me being a geographer by education and a traveler by profession, I keep the 4 cardinal points as a "strong" reference framework!

What do you know about Azerbaijan? I didn't know much and by the time I went, I had only met a few people from there.

Now I know a bit more, although my 2 days staying there was definitely not enough.

The Caspian sea, the high quality caviar, the gas and oil companies, the huge constructions and re-constructions and more.

Above all nice people, really nice people...(well, maybe not some of the ones at the airport)... that made me feel at home.

I had some wonderful moments in an orphanage school where there was a "European night" organized. I'll be really happy to see some of these children taking advantage of European opportunities in the future. Trust me, there were very eager to know about Europe and what it offers!

As they were greatly interested in the "yoyo" I offered to them...this thingie never goes out of interest!

If any wind takes you to that side of the world, a walk on the seaside, or up to the hills and definitely some wandering around the market (bazzaar) will supply you with good memories to share later!

Until next time,

S.

P.S Thank you Akshin, your organization "Human Rights in the 21st Century" and the Council of Europe that made this possible.

Mountains are...

2010-03-11T15:32:00.006+02:00

...the beginning and the end of all natural scenery

John Ruskin (1819 - 1900)

Photo taken between 28/02 - 06/03/2010 in Flachau, Austria.

It takes two...

2010-03-11T13:01:00.005+02:00

Try saying:

"Y E G Llllllllllll"!

You do it and then you get the sense of a waterfall in your throat!

You read it, and then you are ready to Go YEGLing!

When a multitude of youth leadership experiences are coming together, the result is a MUST READ!

But saying "Creativity in Motion" is easier, isn't it?

Easier for everyone will also be organizing it!

Organizing what?

"Creativity"!

So poetic... a publication that seeks to illustrate the past of Creativity and pave the way for its future!

Enjoy reading & please, feed us with your thoughts!

S.

The beginning of the end...

2010-02-01T23:53:00.008+02:00

Well...

the time has come...or, if speaking that cosmos' language, when time comes or goes, it is difficult to say.

But Lost's final season, in the real (?) world we live is about to start...and I can't wait!

Though, a minute or so ago, when I came across the clip below, I said to my self "already the 2nd of February at the corner!hmmmm...why not delaying it a little bit more...". Longing emerging from waiting of your loved one is what probably makes the much desired beginning (of the end) the most ambiguous thing in one's Lost soul!

Enjoy, nonetheless!

Lullabies in the dark...

2009-12-15T21:10:00.003+02:00

Listen with care...

S.

FaceBoom!

2009-12-09T18:05:00.005+02:00

That's a surprise! My first post in Greek is reality! Just check a few lines below.

There are two questions remaining though!

Why in Greek?

Simply because this post is about an article I wrote in 2001 for the magazine "Citizen K"; published by the local government in the place where I have been residing for the last 23 years.

This article is about flirting and falling in love through the Internet. It has occurred to me recently that several of my friends are strongly experiencing what I was thinking or speculating back then. So, listening to their stories, I usually turn back to them saying... "Oh, I wrote an article about that 9 years ago!" And here I am publishing it in a newer medium, after going after it for some time.

Is it going to be a translation?

Of course! I'll do it, soon...Promise!

The article follows...

e-ΡΩΤΕΥΜΕΝΟΙ & ΣΧΙΖΟΦΡΕΝΕΙΣ

- ASL?

- 3 μηνών (περίπου), n (neutral), Καλαμαριά !

Η απάντηση, όπως ίσως και να φανταστήκατε, αφορά το περιοδικό μας, ασχέτως αν το μυαλό σας δεν "πήγε" καθόλου στο ποια ακριβώς είναι η ερώτηση. Η ερώτηση προέρχεται από την πιο σύγχρονη γλώσσα, αυτήν του Internet (Διαδίκτυο, για να μην ξεχνιόμαστε) και πιο συγκεκριμένα από τον χώρο των chat rooms (Δωματίων κουβέντας, ας πούμε). Πως ακριβώς μεταφράζονται τα τρία αυτά αρχικά, θα το ανακαλύψετε στις "αταξίες" (κάπου εδώ γύρω τις βάλανε!)*. Το Internet, είναι μια σύγχρονη πραγματικότητα όπως κάποτε ήταν η τυπογραφία. Και ως σύγχρονη πραγματικότητα που σέβεται τον εαυτό της, έπρεπε να εμπνευστεί και να δημιουργήσει όλες εκείνες τις παραμέτρους που την προσδιορίζουν. Μέσα σε όλα τα άλλα έπρεπε να δημιουργήσει φλερτ και έρωτα! Ένα σύγχρονο, long distance, καλωδιακό φλερτ και εν συνεχεία, έναν ψηφιακό, γεμάτο λησμονιά και όνειρα "καυτής" καλοκαιρινής νύχτας, έρωτα. Και τα κατάφερε (εκ πείρας μιλάω)!

Ο τρόπος; Chat rooms. Οι συμμετέχοντες; Όλοι αυτοί που αναζητούσαν "σταγόνες" επικοινωνίας με τον συνάνθρώπο τους και καθημερινά ανακάλυπταν ότι πιο εύκολα βρίσκεις RED BULL (νε-υρ-οέλληνες ενωθείτε!) στην έρημο! Το αποτέλεσμα;

Μια μικρομέγαλη, "φορτισμένη" συναισθηματικά, υγροψηφιακή κοινωνία
e-ρωτοαγύρτηδων!

Αν κάποιος δεν έχει βρεθεί ποτέ μπροστά από μια οθόνη υπολογιστή που δείχνει μηνύματα να περνάνε και να "σκαρφαλώνουν" προς την δυνατή μας μνήμη, τότε είμαι σίγουρος πως δεν πολυκαταλαβαίνει για τι πράγμα μιλάμε.

Αν, πάλι, καταλαβαίνει, τότε ήδη έχει απορρίψει το άρθρο και μαζί με αυτό την ιδέα να αρχίσει να φλερτάρει μέσω καλωδίων.

Με λίγα λόγια, αυτά που γράφω (μυστικό, σσσ), θέλουν διακριτικά να συμπαρασταθούν στους σύγχρονους αυτούς Ρωμαίους και Ιουλιέτες, που προσπαθούν να διαφυλάξουν λίγο ρομαντισμό μέσα στα chips του υπολογιστή.

Ρομαντισμό;;;

Ναι, ρομαντισμό! Υπάρχει πιο ρομαντικό συναίσθημα από το να χτυπάει η καρδιά σου δυνατά για κάποιον που δεν έχεις δει ποτέ; Για κάποιον που η μόνη επαφή που έχετε είναι η αλληλοδιαδοχή των μηνυμάτων σας; Και όταν μετά από αρκετά e-ραντεβού, το μόνο που σκέφτεστε είναι πως αυτή η κακούργα η τύχη θα χαμογελάσει και σε σας για να ταξιδέψετε στην αγκαλιά της (;;;) αγαπημένης σας ή του αγαπημένου σας;

Και άλλα πολλά... Κάποιοι έχετε απογοητευτεί από αυτήν την κατάσταση. "Όλα καλά και ρομαντικά (όπως μας λες και εσύ ρε Σάκη), μέχρι που είδα τη φωτογραφία της/του" ή "μέχρι που την/τον συνάντησα και δεν ήξερα από πού να φύγω!" Ναι, ναι καταλαβαίνω. Το Internet θα μπορούσε να χαρακτηριστεί και ως μια τεράστια θεατρική σκηνή στην οποία ο καθένας υποδύεται αυτό που θέλει, λεει αυτό που θέλει, ντύνεται όπως θέλει κ.ο.κ.

Πλήρης ελευθερία!

Πρέπει να είμαστε προσεκτικοί, όχι βιαστικές κινήσεις. Καλή μνήμη και υπομονή μέχρι να γνωριστείτε καλύτερα. Το ρίσκο, όμως, παραμένει μεγάλο!

Αλλά, για κάτσε...Ρομαντικοί, ελεύθεροι, ριψοκίνδυνοι...Η τέλεια συνταγή για ένα διαδικτυακό ερωτικό δείπνο!

Πριν 3 χρόνια, σε κάποιο σεμινάριο, πασίγνωστη δημοσιογράφος είχε ερωτηθεί από εμένα αν το Internet είναι ένας "υγιής" τρόπος επικοινωνίας. Η απάντηση που πήρα ήταν ότι φυσικά είναι υγιής τρόπος, αρκεί η οθόνη να είναι στο σωστό ύψος, η πλάτη ίσια και οι ώρες μετρημένες!!!

Είχε βάθος στη σκέψη η κυρία...

Mexican Moon από Concrete Blond, για καλή συντροφιά στα ταξίδια σας...

Σημ. Ερωτευμένους σχιζοφρενείς μας είπαν οι "Τρύπες" πριν μερικά χρόνια...

* Οι "αταξίες" του τεύχους Νο2, του Πολίτη Κ αφορούσαν στο "λεξιλόγιο" της διαδικτυακής επικοινωνίας (πχ. :) = χαμόγελο, :( Στεναχωρέθηκα κτλ)

Facebook + baby boom = FaceBoom!

S.

EURubik's cube solved!

2009-12-01T13:22:00.006+02:00

Not that I have seen or attended many, but this must've been of the "lightest" ones!

Barroso (European Commission President) giving Reinfeldt (Swedish Prime Minister) the Rubik's cube as a present symbolizing his efforts to push the Council into selecting and appointing the 2 (+1) persons to take over the 2(+1) roles created by the Lisbon Treaty.

Van Rompuy (President of the European Council, starting from today) being several times, and rather impromptu, called as the President of Europe...

Reinfeldt calling him self "thorough as a Swedish" referring to the long consultations that took place in advance of the Council.

Van Rompuy promising that his "negative qualifications" will be revealed to the journalists, after the press conference!

And more...

For the press conference announcing the 1st President of the European Council and High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy someone would have expected something more rigid. I personally watched the video of the press conference rather smoothly and with a substantial interest while only seldom being trapped in eloquences and "heavy words".

Additionally, it was great to watch (although I couldn't understand 2/3 of it) Van Rompuy making his first speech as a President of the European Council in 3 languages, that is: English, Dutch and French. That's another difference the BBC should have added when compiling this comparative list...Would Obama (and his likes) ever make his inauguration speech in a language other than (American) English?

Long ago should I have commented on the processes led to the ratification of the Lisbon Treaty, especially because I promised so in a post 18 months ago.

But today it seems the right day to do so, once it's the "beginning of a new era"... Where this will lead, no one knows. But change is inevitable. Let's try and live with it.

More and more curious I am getting about the details of the "Citizens' initiative"... And other elements stipulated in the Treaty, such as the Charter of Fundamental Rights.

Besides all, a trip to Lisbon today, not so much for the celebrations but because it is just a beautiful city, would be great! Free transfer to everyone should have been my proposal some weeks ago!

Let's make it happen...

S.

Out, on the streets...

2009-10-23T21:22:00.002+03:00

We know of young people going out on the streets, claiming more support for education...

We know of retirees going out on the streets, asking for more decent benefits...

We know of unemployed people going out on the streets, demanding their works back...

But...

I, personally, never knew that this will ever happen...

Rich Germans, out on the streets, asking the government to put more taxes on them! More taxes because the money they have is more than enough...they don't need it!!! And because society needs it, education needs it...

I still find it hard to believe...

As I still find it hard to believe it's so hard to believe what's logical nowadays...

S.

Summer nights

2009-06-17T21:04:00.003+03:00

Suffering from a terrible cold in the middle of the summer while I have realized that it has been more than 3 months since my last blog post....

Shame on me...

But blogging should look more like one of the "OST" rules... When it starts, it's the right time... When posting it is the right time for posting...

So many things happened lately...

To intrigue you about where my thoughts lie at the moment (cause my body lies at my bed, non stop), take a look at this : Twitter: US confirms it made request to keep Iran tweeting | World news | guardian.co.uk

If Internet is not the way to a new Democracy, then what it is, what could it be???

In pain...

S.

Non-formal learning on screen!

2009-03-10T22:04:00.004+02:00

It has arrived! Finally! I'd dare to say the first of its kind. The first ever visual material that approaches non-formal learning from this angle!

A guy, called Romanos, living in Greece and coming originally from Uzbekistan explores life concepts - love prevailing - through non-formal learning activities and makes sure that the learning occured is meaningful for his future life.

More, on screen!

Visit www.my-learning.gr and go to the menu titled "Publications". You can find the documentary there (among some other "goodies").

Or skip the web site (nnoooo, you don't wanna do that!) and visit the video directly at:

http://www.vimeo.com/3557129

Feedback always appreciated and much desired.

Well done Romanos, well done Miki, well done myself ;)

S.

2:25 - 3:30

2008-11-19T00:25:00.001+02:00

I am nothing but a "LOST" fun...

No comments

2008-11-08T11:14:00.001+02:00

Get informed...

Get despaired...

Get angry...

Get active...

http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=28809&Cr=somali&Cr1=

MyBook

2008-11-07T23:09:00.005+02:00

Well, the title seems to refer to a new "web" thingie, that follows the "My" onomatology...but actually is my book :) I dare to say "the 1st one of those I will write during my life"...

In cooperation with Miki, here is the fruit of our work.

Another step towards recognition of non-formal learning? Time will show... For the time being, we are proud to have it finished...without a single penny of support...And this is not an allusion of complain towards those institutions that for years have been supporting our ideas-turn into-projects, but a statement and a belief about achieving a lot without money being necessarily a precondition.

My gratitude and respect to all those that supported and still support our work and its promotion.

Enjoy reading and feed us with comments and stories! Let's breath life into it!

S.

Online consultation

2008-11-07T22:30:00.005+02:00

Politicians ask for our opinion and input....................................................................................................................

Yes, they do!

Well, what do they do with it is the case...

But still, without contributing to the online consultation you miss the one opportunity that those politicians might actually do something with it.

Let action take over skepticism, let commitment take over complains.

http://ec.europa.eu/youth/youth-policies/doc1220_en.htm

S.

European information goes on TV!

2008-11-07T22:23:00.004+02:00

I greatly support (and I am deeply surprised by)
http://www.eurodesk.tv

"European information" for young people gets more accessible than ever...and most of all, nicely illustrated and expressed!

Thousands of thumbs up!

S.

European Youth Week

2008-10-30T12:58:00.003+02:00

Visit:

http://youthweek.magusine.net/

and take a glimpse on what happened during the "WebLab" of the European Youth Week 2008, Brussels event.

S.

True or not???

2008-09-22T23:49:00.004+03:00

Now that's really interesting!

Taken from http://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/expert/infopress_page/008-37657-266-09-39-901-20080919IPR37656-22-09-2008-2008-false/default_en.htm

Questions over the funding of the No campaign in Ireland on the Lisbon Treaty referendum

Raising a point of order, Co-President Daniel Cohn Bendit (Greens/EFA , DE) said: "Last weekend, the Irish press revealed that there possibly exists a link between the financers of the no-campaign in Ireland and the Pentagon as well as the CIA. This was a very interesting story and the explanation given was that Europe should not become too strong. I would ask the President to please clarify this matter and suggest that we also ask the Council as well as the Commission to inform us next time, because if this story turns out to be true it would be an interesting fact indeed, confirming what lies behind the €1.2 million which was used to finance the no-campaign in Ireland. I therefore would like to ask the President to please look into the matter so that we receive information and achieve transparency."

In response, EP President Hans-Gert Pöttering said: "I have been following this whole matter very attentively for some time. We do indeed need absolute transparency on this (matter) because this is exactly what those who are attacking us demand. However, they must of course comply with these standards themselves, i.e. they must provide total transparency on what funds this organisation.

We have learned from the Irish media - and I am quoting what we read in Ireland during the past week - that in the past Mr Ganley claimed that the donations come from ordinary citizens, and that they are small donations. According to the reports, he now has admitted that he himself has donated €200 000 of his personal assets to his organisation, and it has also been confirmed in the meantime that Mr Ganley has signed contracts with the Pentagon over the execution of military orders amounting to about 200 million - I believe - dollars. Other estimates are much higher. We must continue to follow this affair very closely. The facts must be put on the table. We cannot allow Europe to be harmed by people who demand transparency but do not provide it themselves.

I would like to emphasise my high regard for the Irish Minister of European Affairs, Dick Roche, who has made it his personal cause to shed light on this issue and I explicitly support him in his uncompromising approach. Ladies and gentlemen, I deduce from your applause that we stand on the side of those who strive for absolute transparency in all of these questions in order to keep Europe from suffering harm. "

Let's wait and see...

I didn't plan to bring this previously blogged issue forward, at least not before any update in the Irish referendum. Well, the update has arrived so here we are.

It's very interesting, for the world in general but for this blog as well, to see who has raised this issue within the European Parliament! If you look some articles before you'll see what I mean!

On hold.

S.

In between 2 posts

2008-08-26T23:36:00.005+03:00

I have just noticed that in between my two latest posts... there has been a war.

I didn't write anything about it...Maybe because I found it difficult to believe it happened. Maybe because I just wanted it finishes faster than my blogging reflexiveness can grasp. Maybe because I had nothing to say.

And still, I have nothing to say... I am kind of speechless when thinking wars still happen nowadays. Actually, it was the first time that something like that is so close to me; I had to cancel/postpone a training course in Georgia because of the post-war situation. But that's the least in my line of thinking and most of all, in the overall situation during and after the war.

What fears me the most is that I don't personally see an easy, fast and effective healing in the wound made in the body of the Caucasian mountains...

But I wish.

S.

I have a dream...team

2008-08-26T22:06:00.006+03:00

I have never imagined my self waking up so early on a Sunday morning to watch a basketball game. But it happened. Actually, I woke up much earlier than the game once I had to drive 2 and a 1/2 hours back home from a seaside place where a party took place the previous night. But this is another story.

The final of the Olympics. USA against Spain. The end of the game found me locked in my thoughts and emotions. It was far beyond a sports activity. It was dramatically more than just athletics. It had all these elements of an act that you see one and imagine thousands. Some (I repeat, just some) of the ingredients were: the ever changing leadership in the score, the come-backs of Spain (the moment you were thinking the match is lost they were finding the courage to come back), the fact that a 17 year old boy was playing against multi-millionaires (and multi - musclers!), the fear of losing the match in the faces of the US players, the way US players were celebrating each and every point (Spanish players were doing it as well, but it's not worth mentioning it in the flow of my unfolding thoughts...they do it anyway), the ever repeating proof and unfortunately, life principle, that the "strongs" always get the "extra little" support from related factors (the referees in this case)...and more.

The climax was at the end; a group of 11-12 black people, were celebrating the victory for a national team (most of them showing its flag in the crowd and kissing it) representing a country where their not so far in time ancestors have suffered some of the worst types of segregation and humiliation. Of course and fortunately for all humanity, this is history now and things have radically changed since then, but still this picture (added up to the fact that each of these players is paid in one year the same amount of money that all readers of this post will not get if they live 3 lifes working in hours as much as probably the grandparents of those players have been working daily) shook me a lot. And it came after all what happened and described in the previous paragraph.

I still haven't given an answer to my self to the question "why", but indeed it was a morning full of life; thoughts and emotions, images and words, love and hate, wondering and wandering, changing and evolving, eyes and ears stimulated... while not moving an inch away from my sofa! :)

Congratulations to both by the way. That's the basketball of the new millenium. I used to play basketball my self when I was young(er) so I am happy to see this sport evolving. Well done!

S.

Future

2008-07-30T18:23:00.003+03:00

Stopping my holidays temporarily for DJing in a place 2 hours driving away from my tent was not so desirable but it proved to be an interesting experience.

First of all, it was great fun. People dancing, lucid moon, iodine smell from the sea, cold beer, twisted beats and more.

Fortunately, the darkness of the night, covered the disgust that images like the one on the left was causing the moment you were letting your eyesight to enjoy the sea view (in the daylight).

Tones of garbage over tones of garbage...on the beach of the camping site for university students of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece.

In an age that action for the support of the environmental resuscitation is needed more than ever, the future doctors, mechanics, lawyers, teachers...(nothing against the professions and to those that possess and practice them with respect) have decided that an act of faith to this end (or maybe the best their brains can think) was to create a dump in a place that offers them invaluable relaxing moments and healthy living...and also hosts them the next day, amongst plastic bottles, cans, food left-overs...Quality in life.

Shitheads...

S.

That's what sports is all about

2008-06-23T15:07:00.002+03:00

Spain won over Italy last night in a match that didn't satisfy me but still I feel the "football bliss" of the Saturday night's match during which two of my favorite teams kept me away from the beach bar for 2 hours...which is anyway not the easiest thing in the world to be done!
But I am far from being a sports' reporter. I just know that the Italian guy being interviewed by a Greek channel, made me stop my lunch and try not to become so emotionally charged when he said "Italy lost and that sorrows me...but my girlfriend is happy - and he smoothly drugs her closer to him so the camera catches her - because she is Spanish...and I am happy she is happy!!!" Even the most distant dualities - like sorrow and happiness - collide creatively...and generate life...when people meet.

S.

What's next?

2008-06-23T13:26:00.005+03:00

In the following web links you can find things very much related to the previous article.

http://www.consilium.europa.eu/ueDocs/cms_Data/docs/pressData/en/ec/101346.pdf
http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/flash/fl_245_en.pdf

The former is about the Presidency Conclusions of the recent Council and the latter regards a survey that was conducted in Ireland after the referendum for the Lisbon Treaty.

Although the Lisbon Treaty was on the top of the Agenda, the "real" discussion was actually postponed for the October Council. Logically, so to say. It was too early to act and EU's modest, gradual and meticulous approach to things is the prevalent operational attitude so far, although admittedly (and logically) people tend to condemn this approach. Call it not brave enough, for the time being, this is the way it is.

Results of the survey will make us all think and this is precisely the reason why I have included this web link here. Lack of information and protection of the Irish identity were the main reasons for voting "No". Reasonable reasons? I am still wondering.

S.

Treating a Treaty

2008-06-19T12:11:00.000+03:00

Some say I am not a normal person. Maybe, they are right.
I spent the last weekend in an amazing seaside place. The picture on the right, although not so relevant in the first glimpse with the content of this post, was taken there. It was the "peak" moment; the one that I liked the most during those days. What I liked the least was to get to know (from the late arriving newspapers) that the Irish people - precisely, 53,1% of the population entitled to voting - voted "NO" for the Treaty of Lisbon. "Why do you care" was the question of many. Rightly wondered. Ireland is so far anyway.

It's been a while since I posted a link to the official web site of the Treaty of Lisbon. I can not not know. Especially for something that is going to affect my life so deeply in the years to come. The same I thought for the kind visitors of this blog. To be honest, I haven't read the 388 pages of the Consolidated Version of the Treaty. Very few have, even less understood. I am reading a comment by an Irish MEP "Of the three things that led to the NO result, one was that the Irish Prime Minister hasn't read the Treaty". At the same time, I consider my self quite informed: I have followed on TV the procedures of the Greek Parliament and the dedicated Commission about the Treaty, I have visited the web site and wandered and pondered for hours, read newspapers and more.

And I am wondering, what was the "NO" vote for?

Was it for the adherence of the EU to the Charter of Fundamental Rights and the explicit reference that it "shall have the same legal value as the Treaties" (9/5/2008, C 115/19)?

Was it for the so called European Citizens' Initiative "whereby one million citizens, from any number of member countries, will be able to ask the Commission to present a proposal in any of the EU's areas of responsibility"?

Was it for the reduction of the Commissioners' number to the 2/3 of the number of Member States, simply because there aren't tasks for everyone (something that at the same time means less money for the payments and more efficiency)?

Was it because the European Parliament, the only EU institution that is directly elected by the citizens will have advanced powers and a strengthened voice?

Was it because the National Parliaments will have an improved role with regards to European Law and decision making?

Was it because of the President of the European Council (falsely, mistakenly, impromptu and sometimes provocatively named by the media "The President of Europe")? Was it because of the High representative for foreign and security policy? The explicit reference to "promoting measures at international level to deal with regional or worldwide environmental problems, and in particular combating climate change" (9/5/2008, C 115/132).

What was it for?

I don't personally think that the NO vote was related to any of the key points above. Reading around I get to know that the people of Ireland voted what they vote having in mind issues such as abortion, European Army, taxation etc. Whatever they voted for, the mandate should be respected. A democratic society can not do otherwise, although it is disputable how much democracy exists without sufficient information and in the case of the Irish referendum (or the referendums wherever they would have taken place) information was insufficient, blurred, not pursued and sometimes (modestly), misleading.

To my belief, a big amount of information (with all the adjectives seen above) was transmitted by people, entities, institutions, collectivities and associations that have little or no faith to European integration, so "their problem" is not the Treaty of Lisbon but it would have been any kind of treaty, decision or act that aims at changing something that they don't favor anyway. As well, like anything new in the political life, it inevitably suffered opportunistic attitudes.

The Treaty of Lisbon is not a magic stick that will change the world at once. It is not the perfect treaty. There is space for improvement. There might be mistakes, omissions and unclarity. It won't be the device that all alone will respond to "hot" issues such as unemployment, oil prices, environmental catastrophe, high food prices etc. But certainly, the NO vote will not give, suggest, propose solutions to the problems that the Treaty was designed to deal with and resolve.

The European Council is now taking place in Brussels (19 - 20/06/2008) and the Treaty is on the top of the Agenda.

I personally stay tuned.

S.

North does it better!

2008-06-03T00:38:00.000+03:00

I couldn't but make a brief reference to the wonderful hosting of the Estonian National Agency of the Youth in Action programme during the works of the "NFL goes WWW" seminar (ideas evoked will be processed soon).
It has been such a fruitful experience that proved results do not take time; they take shape through commitment, insistence and vision.
The Agency resides in a country that is as much connected to the Internet as to the practice and promotion of non formal learning (only in Estonian so far). So much, that very few countries in the continent are.
Besides the above, it resides in a beautiful country that it's edge of attractiveness is sharped particularly during May! Go on, visit and, literally, forget what it means to sleep!
I've just noticed that in a month, it is the second time I refer to this "northy". I stop here or I am going to be accused for partiality!
Well done for everything!

Naqemiseni!

S.

A shift of mind

2008-05-08T15:02:00.000+03:00

Chatting recently with my dearest friend Maris from Estonia, I discovered a very interesting action that took place last week in this lovely country. So interesting, that in my mind it was translated and accommodated as a "light of hope". BBC has a video reportage about it: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/7382489.stm.
It's not only the collection of tones of garbage, which as indisputably a noble act. It's not only the overall coordination which included Google maps, photos uploading, GPS and more, which can not be imitated even from the most sophisticated management systems in large corporations. It's not only that more than 50000 people came together as one, which is a revolution in its own. It's a shift in the minds of the people; a realization of their power and of their responsibility; a deep comprehension that change is possible and an understanding that we, people, are the carriers and purveyors of it!
With the hope that more minds will shift.
A European/World spring cleaning day is what comes to my mind now; may the organizers have the strength, the will and the courage to go about it. I am with them.

Start from your self.

S.

"Societies will start to self organize themselves once nobody can do it better for them".

Has something changed?

2008-05-07T21:55:00.000+03:00

It was the best present for my birthday. A book, very delicate and carefully illustrated, highly readable and attractive. I made this present to my self, simply by buying the newspaper that included it!
In its pages I read about this incident dated back in January 1968: The Minister of Education of France was visiting a university. On his way out, he was stopped by a red haired student just to be said "I read the White Paper on Youth, Mr. Minister. In 300 pages there is not even a single word mentioned about the sexual problems of young people"...
This recurring thought in my mind pushed me to read our "generation's" White Paper on Youth. I did it long ago. Good time for refreshment. I am quite informed about its contents. Actually, it's part of my work. But I would read 100 pages simply to see if any of the words and phrases such as sexual, sex, sexuality, sexual health, sexual problems are anywhere mentioned; moreover if they are meaningfully mentioned.
100 pages read...
Yes, they are! Happily, they are!
The same guy, in his most recent book, mentions an anecdote: "As a vice mayor, I was promoting social integration for immigrants. A man, deeply religious, Catholic, right winked and very sympathetic turns back to me and tells me that I am excellent but I don't understand one thing: the problem is not migration, the problem is that some religions do not recognize equality between men and women and that's the basis for democracy". Something has changed; back in the sixties no person sharing characteristics such as his would even think about this value, the value of equality. Something has changed and yes, May '68 was successful...
Sexual and all its derivatives are included in "our" White Paper on Youth. In my humble opinion, this is another indicator that May '68 was successful. But the main success of those events with regards to this Paper is far beyond the inclusion of sexuality; it is that it was young people that shaped it; that young people was consulted, asked and questioned; that young people suggested, proposed and highlighted. A document that "leads" and informs youth policies around EU since 2001. Nothing is criticism - free, but its importance to our lives as young people is indisputable.
Something has changed, indeed.

S.

PS. The stories above and the translation is quite "free style" given. I was not interested in having a detailed reproduction but to give the essence of it. I hope I managed. I don't specify names and places, deliberately. Hint: the "student" is alive and kicking, member of the European Parliament nowadays. A weekend in my summer tent for free for those who guess!

Hiatus

2008-05-07T17:25:00.000+03:00

It's been a long time since I last posted something. Well, I want to believe that this "silence" has helped me to clarify things about how I would like that my blog looks like, what it should contain and how I can make it more meaningful. It's for sure that from now on the posts will be more related to my "professional" rather than my "personal" one; although the former involves and includes a lot of the latter. Posts will be short, brief, concise, up-to-date and informative; longer posts, "deep" ideas unfolding and analysis, will have their place too, but not too often. The content will most usually be around the triptych Europe - Youth - Training. But whenever I feel that these or any other sort of restrictions, block me, I will break them! I am also working on techniques to improve readability and to have the blog enhanced with more media and interesting "web programming" stuff. Ideas, are more than welcome.
Thanks a million to some people whose wish to read my writings has been the main push to start blogging again. It is from those and beyond that their comments are expected!

Long live the alphabet!

S.

For some encouragement

2007-12-02T02:56:00.001+02:00

...and inspiration; and empowerment; and hope...I recently heard that bloggers of Greece committed a noble act. Some days ago, a man drove his car over a young person and he left him wounded without offering a helping hand as he ought to...The brother of the wounded person, shortly after the accident, publicized this story to the internet. Soon after, bloggers from all over the web - o - sphere started to reproduce this announcement; as the information was being multiplied, the first responses started to arrive; someone saw something, heard something, lived something...The "popularity" that this incident gained among the society, created such a pressure to the person, that he finally revealed himself; and justice is being given...
Once nobody can do it more effectively for them, societies will eventually start to self - organize themselves...Words taken by a person whose personal pathway I would like to explore and his future steps I would like to intriguingly follow...

Nice...

S.

Time for some refreshment

2007-11-19T23:51:00.000+02:00

Obviously, if I continue posting one article per month my few but lovely readers will prefer a ride on the waves of moving fun of youtube than coming here to check if anything is posted!
Additionally, this is not going to be a "normal" post, if such expression exists; it is just a reference on what's in my mind and what I would like to see it posted the next weeks when my time will be less occupied by work.
For sure, I would like to dedicate some lines for my experience in Turkey (already been there previous week and I' ll go back again in a couple of weeks). These would be my first visits in this country although historically and geographically so near. Added up to that, the training there is about democracy and participation, so I presume lots of inspiration while carrying it out.
As well, with a great friend of mine and a brilliant brain and character that I so much admire and I really owe to him a great deal of my today's professional and personal capacities we have started an email correspondence on a quite radical topic; or to say it better, the topic is the topic but our approach and "thinking over it" seems to be quite radical...The topic, the topic, the topic (like Ben Stiller responds to his girlfriends telling him "I love you"..."love, love, love!!!"). When I have a good pile of digital information in my mail box, I' ll do my best to make it available in a coherent manner (although coherence in writing is not my vision)...
Certainly I want to comment on the "Freakonomics" book I recently read; rather inspiring, USA at the core but still examples are not far from my reality, absolutely mind-opening with the fear to become way too open-minded, enriching with some practical mathematics one's own vision to the world surrounding him/her. I am not good in writing book reviews, so I would rather bullet point some inspiring aspects of it. I ll see. What I definitely support is the "no unifying theme" approach in their writing and practice (which they somehow parallelize it with the way people write in blogs).
Maybe I ll write something about the festivities time...it depends how inspiring the weather will be.
I want to write something about the situation in Kossovo as well; by the time I come back from Turkey, the deadline from UN is expiring and the developments until the day will profoundly influence the stability in the wider Balkan area.
I want to write about all and everything...but for the moment, I need to keep my eyes open the whole night cause I am catching a red eye flight to Prague and then to Lithuania...
Until next time...

S.

Posting for the environment

2007-10-15T22:37:00.000+03:00

That's a great story! A brilliant initiative! A democratic act! A global "chorus"! I am supporting it with all my powers and deep inside of me I am wishing that as thinking leads to typing, reading will lead to acting...
So, here I am posting something related to the environment; every blogger, his/her own points of view, approaches, concerns and ideas. It's been a month more or less that I got to know about this Action Day and since then, with different intensity, I was thinking of what to post. When I stopped thinking, the topics appeared! Magic :) Reading Sunday's newspapers and magazines and preparing my self for the next training course that I am in involved in, starting in 2 days, was enough for me to say "well, that is what I want the world to know from me"...

Army. I am hating it, I always did...It's the worst thing that happened in my life although I had, at most points, an easy time there; what made it shit was boredom, meaninglessnesses, extended money spending, surrounding of immense stupidity settled on non-operating brains...And the article I read came just in time to make me hate it more. Let me explain in brief. OK, you all probably know about the fires that took place at the end of the summer, right? You can all understand the extend of destruction that took place, right? You all feel a pain in your soul seeing all these burning trees, right? (if no, I kindly ask you to get the fuck out of these pages). You all probably assume that it was less than little that the governments did in advance in order to ensure non-destruction, right? Well, a couple of prominent figures (I am throwing up in between), with such brilliant brains (throwing up continues) are thinking of and investigating the possibility, citizens to join the army in cases of emergency and high danger for the state and the well being of its people, such as fires, extreme weather conditions and more. So practically, Sakis, who has been washing dishes and guarding empty storerooms for 18 months, will be asked to save the planet called Greece in cases and places where even highly trained and specialized forces have little possibilities to do so. Moreover, no attention from the state is actually being paid to all these non governmental environmental organizations that are doing incredible job in awareness raising, sensitization and even protection of the forests and the environments. No specific measures and mechanisms towards the support of volunteers are actually implemented; it was enough to squish them during the Olympics, Greece will be asking for their "helping hands" in 100 years, when we will probably again claim our historical rights to host this show. In few words, either these people are completely stupid and brainless, or they want to support an ill, almost dying, factor of today's reality in Greece (and all gold-figures-filled-collars entities) expecting to be supported in return...in the next elections. The message: the environmental crisis should not be the excuse for wars, terrorism, financial profit, vote-hunting and most of all, should not be left in the hands of bold, tie-wearing, over aged "burnt" politicians; or at least, not exclusively to them...Should I say now, that WE must take the situation in our hands or is it too obvious?

Outdoors. There is a session, in the training course that I designed and I will be "delivering" the next days, on the future challenges for outdoor education. Climate change and environmental crisis! There you go. Non profit organizations and educational institutions must invest on that before profit-making corporations get the whole of the pie. Because certainly, this "global effort" towards the saving of our planet will trigger an amazingly diverse amount of action, activities, mechanisms, processes, meetings over meetings, papers over papers and so on. The so called "outdoor education", I believe it will be one of these fields that will go through a "golden era" now that our planet's dooms day is approaching rapidly. Cause indeed, I found out, after going through different researches and documentation, outdoor education is not as popular as it used to be 20 years ago. A main reason for that is related to schools and budget cutting from the states; whenever there was needed a budget cutting in education in highly developed countries the last years, the first sections that were suffering from that were the outdoor education programs and field trips! Meaning that for a child's education, environmental awareness, harmony with the nature, wise use of resources, personal integrity and development (among countless others) count less than math, history and bla bla bla...I am almost forced to think in the radical and multidimensional connect-the-unconnected way that the author of "Freakonomics" thinks by saying that it is of no surprise why forest fires and environmental damage are greater than ever before...because some passing-by, stiff and brainless, superficially human, anorgasmic (we use it in Greece...) politician decided some years ago to cut budgets for education; and consequently he/she decided for the fate of this planet that belongs to everyone...grrrrrrrrr, if I ever find this butterfly... So, yeah, outdoor education, but in the hands of people and communities of practice, of groups and organizations, not - only - profit makers. The last lines was the message.

Keep the lights off tonight, light up a candle...And if you are in for some meaningful melancholy, go through the pictures of burnt trees while listening to Graig Armstrong's "As if to nothing" album...

S.

Technical stuff

2007-09-26T15:13:00.000+03:00

Not interesting at all but I will try to be fast so that the harm is minimized.

1) Anonymous comments. I decided not to publish comments posted by Anonymous users. I have just noticed that I have published one but there are more waiting to be published and they will be not. No offense my friends, it is just that I am compiling this blog so that I support practically my belief and principle to stand for what I speak and to speak for what I stand, and this can not be anonymously. I am not saying you did it on purpose (of course not), I just grab the opportunity to underline a philosophical dimension of this activity of mine. Send your comments with a name (it might even be a nick name leading to another blog or web site or whatever) and your comments will be published.

2) Google advertisements. Internet offers hell of a lot of opportunities for gaining money. I am not interested in that at all, at least at the moment; anyway, I am satisfied with what I have although many times some "brilliant" ideas have popped up in my mind and I was like "why don't you jump into it Sakis?". Google gives the chance to bloggers to gain some money through advertisements. These are placed in some parts of the blog and provide links to web sites with - usually - relevant material to that of the blog. Anyway, it might be good for me to make some money that I can invest in my blog and exclusively in that (like buying a new camera for photos, purchasing interesting books, renting extra space or whatever) and also it's a way to feel less stupid when comparing my never-born-just-conceived ideas to projects like F****** or M****** through which its creators have made billions over billions. So, why not? But you will be the ones to decide anyway, so please feed me with your comments for the next month, and then decision will be taken; wise person said "there is time for discussion and there is time for decision"...

Promise a more interesting post soon.

Cheers.

Pieces...

2007-09-17T23:53:00.000+03:00

This is a post I have been thinking about for a long time. It's called "Pieces" as you can see and I have, simply, gathered pieces of interesting texts, either from books, lyrics, jokes or whatever that I just want to share with you cause they are inspiring, thought provoking and can even create a laughter...or maybe not. Hit it!

Piece No1. If seriousness means compromising in a way of life in which joy consists a luxury, the answer to the question that we often hear "When are you going to become serious" (or "when are you going to grow" in a way) is "Never"!
Life is too short to go through it being gloomy and full of agonies. We have given to seriousness attributes that it doesn't actually have and certainly doesn't deserve to have. The world of laugh, the spirit of play, not only they don't go against seriousness but highlight some of its specific characteristics. Seriousness means accountability and focus on a purpose with dignity. It doesn't mean stiffness, depression, ill-humored and gloomy style. We could say that seriousness constitutes a guide of behavior in life, in the tangible reality that every one of us lives within. Laughter, the comic, the hilarious are the elements that give to our daily life some other dimension and deduct something from the "weight in our shoulders".

Comments. That piece is from the latest book I read called "Laughing; the best cure". It's been a while that like a bee I have this thought in my mind "Sakis, page 144, 144, 144"...So, I went to this page and found this piece and then I realized why "page 144" stuck in my brain. The guy put things in their place, to say it simply. We (may I add, western civilized people, with some tone of irony) have forgotten to laugh; maybe we never knew how. If the latter is the case, then it is about time to give it a go and laid back a bit, take it easy and show our well preserved "colgated" white teeth to the world. Our seriousness will not be harmed; on the contrary, it will be enriched and delicate. I am sure that I will get back here with more fragments from this book.

Piece No2. Out of respect for Johnny Walker, Paul Oakenfold, Nikki Halloway, Dannie Rampling and all the people who gave us these times; and to the government I stick my middle finger up with regards to the Criminal Justice Bill; for all the heroes who came along the way...

Comments. This is a part from the "Weak become heroes" song from The Streets. It was out in 2002. I was listening to it back at that time; in fact I still remember this funny situation when my ex-boss at the time I was Djing was telling me "Sakis, this song sounds weird"; he was expecting softer stuff, more commercial and I wanted to give my history to the world...what a conflict! Anyway, I found this song again recently and I have it in my mp3 player since then. A perfect sound to wake me up in the morning and a great memory - refresher for these times, unforgettable ones. Don't really know if I want them to come back, but I hope with this little piece of text, I can pay the tribute they deserve...

Piece No3. Sportscaster 1 - "What is the name of the coach of the Spanish basketball team"
Sportscaster 2 - "Well, I don't actually know"
Sportcaster 3 - "It is Pedro Almodovar"!!!

Comments. How mean of me to put this joke here! Apologies in advance from all of my Spanish friends. But yeah, at some points during the games of the recent Eurocup the players of Spain were floating on the spectrum of playing drama to comedy! Admittedly though, at some points they were playing p****, hard stuff :) Congratulations to them, it's a great team. But honestly, and I still don't know why, I was so touched because the Greek team lost and even I was so furious that at the final match I was supporting Russia; needless to say that I didn't care at all about the fact that Greece lost from Lithuania. I was against Spain (in basketball, to repeat so I avoid misunderstandings) and only this. And I am worried now and wondering why I reached this state of emotional involvement; it was some basketball games, they should only be there for me to enjoy with my self not to drift (or sentimentalize, nice word :) ) into emotional streams part of them consisted of a sort of nationalistic waves; at that moment, honestly it was out of my powers, but now that I am thinking, it was just another incident to make me reconsider my attitude towards sports, especially in international level...

It seems that I will get back with a "Pieces - the return :) " post...Cause what is waiting to start is "Lost"...and it happens that from all series, I like it the most; and I could fly now to the place at any cost; just to save Jack and Kate and Soyer from the sinister host; don't get lost, come back and read my next post :) I stop now, or I make it worst!!!

G'night!

S.

I hate...

2007-09-08T22:23:00.000+03:00

Elections. They are here, everywhere, all around us. Politicians are wearing again their bright smiles; some are not so good at pretending so watching them trying to laugh and be cool guarantees laughter! Millions of tones of paper for their silly, unnatural faces; while at the same time they are deeply touched by the wide ecological devastation that happened in the South of Greece...bla bla bla. Telephones ringing and polite voices invite you to join the next meeting of the "next" Perikles...How the f**k have they found my number? Meaningless speeches, empty statements, repetitive promises, "polemic" atmosphere (that's so silly to read in news feeds...grrrr), great expectations, dizzy faces, living their own delirium of contemporary political madness; elections are the time where actually freedom of expression is lost, not exercised...
Distances. Hard to go deeper in this; my blog would be transformed in a novel and I don't really want this. But the existence of a specific "distance" influences my life in a variety of ways the last weeks. It even makes my mind think weirdly "e.g. why teleportation hasn't been brought to the public so far" and stuff like that! Imagine...grrrr
Ithan. Ooooo, he took Claire away and he caused a great shock to the other guy, hmmmmmm what is his name, he was also playing one of the hobbits in the Lord of the Rings...But the team joined forces, and with the help of the guns found in the well protected case of Kate's guard (dead by that time...), they captured sinister Ithan...Ohhh, Charlie, yeah Charlie is his name, he appeared all of a sudden and jammed a bullet in the evil flesh of Ithan...It will take some more time for the castaways to learn where was Ithan coming from and what he really wanted from Claire...And by the way, the French lady's face creates absolutely no sense of trust; of course you will tell me, after 16 years of loneliness in this wicked island...
(Note. I know I know, it took me sometime to discover it, but now, I am really lost in it...

Inquisitor. His words made me sick; he was poisoning people's minds and hearts and with the blood of the tortured and killed innocent people, he was covering the places in the map of Spain he was willing to conquer... I don't know why, but I think he played a role to the death of the nice girl, the writer...Hmmm, I would say that the old lady also got into my nerves a couple of times...The man, devoted and committed to his task, overcoming all sorts of scientific rigidness and typicality, fighting to find or create the substance that would have saved his love and the rest of the world maybe...and this old lady, goshhhhhh, she was grouching even more than me, she couldn't see beyond her nose...Go get it, "The fountain".
Limits of language...or of our ability to use it. So many "juices" the brain produces, so little tongue - capacity to bring them out; and a general feeling of laziness time by time to externalize brilliant ideas, simply because of this gap... Ask an Eskimo to describe a whole summer day in the seaside or a Bedouin, the techniques of polar bear hunting...pfffff, hard! And it's not only about ideas, just to make my self clear; it is also about feelings and that's, ohhh, that's a big trouble. Feelings are expressed, you would correctly say, but in these little moments that need to be talked out, is like asking the Control Tower to give air space directions to a butterfly...Yeah, to a butterfly! They say that we become smarter and also better language users, the more languages we learn...Hit the road Sakis, come on...
Wires. Longing for the day, that all peripheral connections in my laptop will be wireless, internet in my little office will be wireless (soon, ufff...), electricity will be wireless (yeap, MIT is doing experiments already)...perfect perfect!
USB ports. Simply because I only have 3 and they are not enough; but this point is also connected to what I said above...
So I stop before I become boring; but hate session has surely not finished....aaaa, what was this thought in my mind...relax, it will come.

Hate but hate lovingly.

S.

2007-08-30T16:57:00.000+03:00

There are 2 really difficult, sometimes discouraging aspects of blogging;or to say it better, of creating new posts in blogs; the one is to find a concise and smart title and the other is to find a meaningful photo...
Major issue of the last days in Greece is the destructive fires that burnt hundreds of square miles of woodlands, fields and inhabited places. For days I was thinking about writing something relevant. But it would have been way too boring and meaningless at the same time; media all over the world have extensive references/reportages about the fires and the pain and damage they have caused.
But today, I could not stand anymore the temptation to write something related to this unfortunate incident. And the inspiration came from the radio...So, along with this story connected to what I heard on the radio I will write something additionally, which is related to the fires as well but also, in a way, to the previous post of mine (see below the current article)

Story No 1. Some minutes after I got back from the camp; no TV there, no radio, no news...Just some pieces of information occassionally arriving to our ears profoundly amplified. I was at my home, doing nothing but watching TV. Things were already bad. Fires had already covered extensive parts of land;villages damaged with people running away in panic;the first information for deaths; unidentified; shocking; I've started to be really emotionally involved (physically not possible;fires were far...and anyway, not an intrinsic will, a real one, cause in my imagination I was already there and fighting against the "monster"). I got into a mood that the country where I live is attacked by unknown enemies/terrorists/conspirators...I got the feeling that we are left alone by the international community;the situation was really bad;the deaths' rate of the first days was equivalent to the ones of a civil war;irritation for me;where is Europe? my first question...I even didn't ask my self "where is the state?" cause maybe it's been a long time since I stopped counting at my state for situations like these and others...Where is Europe; sadness for me; no news about support; how is it possible, I kept wondering...aren't we one? At least, one formation for advanced cooperation in different fields...Angerness for me; where is Europe? People crying on TV, having lost what they have been creating for their whole lives; dead animals, sun was dissapeared as if someone has painted it black; the story of the mother that was found dead in her car, embracing her 4 children......................................
Where is fucking Europe? No logic at that moment to tell my brain that "maybe they are where they are because nobody actually informed them..." Indeed a naive thought, but possible...Or even to understand that "sending whatever type of support to a country, and especially a region, that is so far from "main Europe" takes some time and process...But logic can not prevail in moments like that.Well, moments...Hmmm, I was just lying on my sofa and following the news; but admittedly, in an emotional level, I was fully involved ...
And Europe arrived...Couldn't say it differently at that moment...Mr Sarkozy was the first to call the Greek Government (it's not a clear information if he called or the Greeks did, but this is what I know) and send support. A sense of relief for me..."Europe exists, I said". A simple incident, was enough to regain my belief in Europe. Naive I am again; it was maybe an action that someone can say it moves to the spectrum of "being human" until the "being the new President of France"...Which is no Europe-related in anyway...
Shit, why only France; why only Sarkozy...No no, I am not comfortable with that...It is not Europe ...pffff; there is no Europe...
Cyprus responded...well, our cultural links couldn't initiate any different action...
Israel responded...well, Israel is not Europe but who cares if it is or not at the end of the day. And anyway, in all European sport activities, Israel is involved...
Serbia responded...It seems that a country that has been devastated from war was more sensitive to incidents of disaster than our non-50-years-of-war "European colleagues"... Logically thinking, it is, geographically, closer to Greece.
Italy, Spain, Finland, Portugal, Netherlands, Norway, Romania, Germany, Switzerland (can't recall others at the moment) responded and I was relieved...It was really touching to hear that in a dialogue between 2 Ministers, from Greece and Turkey respectively it was heard "My brother, do you want our help?"...
Europe arrived; structural and institutional support has been already promised; European officials are visiting the dead lands; some hundreds of European fire fighters almost sacrified their lives to save the lands that should have been protected by the state and its people where they belonged...and that's for me and indication that the real union will only be achieved if the focus will be switched from politics and economy to people and their lives...
Australia, Kanada and dozens of other countries have initiated mechanisms of support; I couldn't but at least mention this here, cause it touches me, honestly...

Story No 2. Heard on the radio, a couple of hours ago. 12 people from Afganistan, living in a settlement for "illegal immigrants" and probably have arrived in Greece through the worst conditions a mind can think of, left their tents in the settlement and visited a branch of the Red Cross. They offered their services (better, their hands, heads and hearts) stating clearly "We don't want food! We don't want a house! We don't want money of course! We just want a car to take us to the fires....We can help in eliminating the fires, in building houses for the people that lost them... We can do whatever is needed as a sign of gratitude to these lands and its people that has offered to us a safe shelter"...For me, this is a reason to believe in a better future...this is a reason to keep hope alive...this is a reason to live my life...

May the people that lost their lives in this curse never be forgotten;may their souls rest in peace...

Dead Cities by Future Sound of London has been my Muse...

Europe is our playground...

2007-06-22T01:11:00.000+03:00

It took some time, but it was needed. A lot of things happened since my previous announcement; things inspiring enough to be added to my post.

Stupid to speak about the weather, I hate it when people do, but weather is really not helpful at all for the mind, my mind, to be productive.

But now it's OK, I am in my balcony and there is some fresh air crossing my nose occassionally. And some good, trippy music in my ears...

And Suede's "Europe is our playground" is finally downloaded...

Honest as I am with you, the idea for this article came after my participation as a trainer in the European Youth Week held in Brussels, beginning of June.

Now that I am looking back it seems like it was a naive feeling; a feeling that I am "European"...Well, maybe this was the reason why we were all there; and it seemed to have worked on me...no, no past tense, it works even now. I am just trying to scrutinize if it is just a naive feeling. There were many things to make you feel "European" there; the big buildings, the celebrations, the "officials"...Artificial or superficial, you would correctly respond.

And there were people; many people; different people; again, different people. And the outcome was explosive; I mean the cognitive flow within my brain, was explosive. So many ideas and thoughts about us, people. About our role in Europe. About our voice in Europe. About our responsibilities and rights in and for Europe. All in all, I had a wonderful time there, because of people. And this is what made me feel "European" at the end. Or it simply made me feel a human being with a geographically (and a bit, politically) defined label, useful enough to the extend of being adequately general for my brain not to explode.

Practically speaking, I worked there with a wonderful group, participants and trainers/organizers. We made music. We discussed. And we blended music with what we discussed in a unique and creative way. Despite the outcome - that was impressive and incisive, at least - the process was the real achievement. And the people was the "chaotic" force; the creative determinants. Great great great to have been there...

Don't still know why I have chosen this particular song and although it is played for 4th time in a row, can't really get it's meaning. Another "chaos"; be patient Sakis, it will come...

Writing these lines now, my brain is more or less stuck to the memories of the near past but also to what is happening in Brussels today and tomorrow. Talking about the Summit. So many things going on there; or they better go on because it takes a lot of effort and work from everyone involved there for something good to occur; otherwise we are heading to a failure. At least, this is how I see it. Or, as I recently learnt, IMO.

And the contradiction; I have seen "Europe" working great and has a reason for existence (Youth Week but also all of my related experience) and at the same time there are forces (see Summit) trying somehow to dismantle "Europe" as if it was an atomic bomb. Because no one can convince me that what is demanded by those demanding it, is for the good of "Europe" and its people; no loves, it is for their own fucking good, or what they believe it's good for them...or they are just misleaded, confused, what to say...

"Europe is our playground" because, yeah, let's just play...let's just open up a little bit, and be curious, and let's just be scratched as well; we will never know if we don't try...

Pufff, it's getting late and I am gonna be camping tomorrow :)

Spent a day in the mountains recently. It was also somehow related to "Europe" (and somehow everyday I discover for my self how related I am to "Europe"). Organizing a training there soon and went to explore a bit. Wonderful places and an amazing discovery in the middle of the forest (seen in the photo) and one in the end of the forest (unfortunately no photo yet); six puppies. Abandoned puppies. In the size of the palm. Cruelty at its worst. Someone left them there. But destiny can not be avoided; so we caught up with the puppies. We took them away from cruelty and did our best to ensure a safe life for them in the future.

The singer just said "Europe, with my baby now"...Wise words...Practically, it's the only way to build a real "Europe"...to find our "babies" there...Think!

Another great way to build "Europe" is the so called couch surfing but this is a term coming from the States. Take a look at cafebabel.com and you will know what I am talking about.

Naive feeling I said in the beginning; maybe naive should be to be real and worthy...

Great to see many of my new friends blogging. New Democracy I would call it. Need to work on this thought a bit more to explain adequately...Or maybe Democracy 2.0 :)

7th time listening to the same song...

DON’T KNOW WHY I’M SAYING THIS
DON’T KNOW IF YOU DARE
JUST EMBRACE EACH OTHER
SHOW THAT YOU CARE

a piece from the song produced during our creative times in Youth Week...

Goodnight.

Europe is our playground...

2007-06-07T01:14:00.000+03:00

This would be the title of my next article...And the question is: Why don't you write it now Sakis? Well, simply, because of 3 things: over tiredness (almost no sleep last night, long train traveling etc.) , not having the song with the same title with me (somewhere in my oooooold CDs, lyrically not something special but back in time, rather inspiring for some naive thoughts) and last but not least, being in Gouda in the Netherlands and still facing the "stupidly smart" ability of blogger.com to recognize the languages of the countries where my IP comes from...
Well, I ll be back home in few days...huhhhhhhh

Silly

2007-06-03T00:27:00.000+03:00

My silly photo on the right doesn't match at all with the atmosphere created by my last texts and I would love to change it...but the stupid blogger.com (well, it is a great tool and I am thankful to its people for giving me this space, but at the moment it is stupid...) is smart enough to track my Belgian IP and change all of the menus into dutch/flemish language...So I don't really know how to do it and I felt like making this comment...
G'night...

For Amalia

2007-06-02T23:56:00.000+03:00

...I never got to know this person; neither did the thousands of thousands of the people that have taken a mass, organized and "online" initiative to support her struggle against a Health system which for once more has proved to be more than a system and much less than health...Amalia is dead now and I am personally very touched by her story; sitting now in my room in Brussels and feeling an inner force to make a reference to it in my "own world", shaped partly by this blog. It's the second death I make reference to the last days; simply because I am touched and I am inspired. She didn't stop fighting for her right to life, even at the very end, even if she has been suffering for many years...Her blog (in Greek) http://fakellaki.blogspot.com/ has become a reference point for legitimate and justified angerness, among others, towards bloody doctors that besides their incompetence that sometimes is annoyingly obvious, they ask money from people in need just because...just because they have been given (by whom?) the legitimacy to do it...or simply because they are fucking bastards...

Friends and people inspired by Amalia's story have created a blog where texts in different languages, other than Greek, can be found http://giatinamalia-blog.blogspot.com/; videos in Youtube can be watched also; the movement is growing rapidly...There are so many side effects of this action that maybe it is not appropriate to comment now...

The death of Amalia (may she rests in peace unlike the monsters that made her suffering) is proving that there are human beings still left; and that they have power to bring about change. It is really sad that such stances are nourished and developed mainly after unfortunate events but at the same time we need to focus on the positive aspect of it; which is that people are not indifferent or better, that there are still people that are not indifferent...

Even a moment of reflection about her, can constitute an important part of the overall change that we, all of us, need to go through...

...you will be happy, wherever you are now; thank you for reminding me my human side...

In a rush...

2007-05-31T12:42:00.000+03:00

...well, I'm not sure that there is inspiration flowing through by brain cells at the moment but still I feel like putting down a couple of ideas tickling my brain and being eager to be shared!

One of them, which is a little bit sad but that's life unfortunately, is that one great figure of the European youth world died on Tuesday...Mr Peter Lauritzen...Never got to know him in person but I got to know him through his writings...May he rests in peace and his loving ones live long to remember him...His legacy can only be of inspiration for all of us that want to bring about change in Europe...and responsibility.

Responsibility, what a concept! I made a deal with my self; to become more responsible. And I made a deal with my self as a trainer; to focus more on the development of the self responsibility of the people I am working with; this is the fertile ground where everything else will grow; unfortunately this is what life, to most of us, have taught us not to be; responsible. We are always expecting things to come from outside (knowledge, wisdom, support...) - which is OK, but can't be the only way - and there is always someone or something else except ourselves whose fault was...on anything. There are exceptions in this "rule" that I can only tell them "thank you for being here and inspiring us"...

Being very inspired at the moment and I am sure it will last a lot, by all the wonderful people I met the last month; some made me angry, some made me laugh, some made me happy, some made me turn by back and think why, some made me feel so unique and some others made me feel I am nothing...You see, I am already placing the reason of my angerness, happiness etc. outside! Heck no, I just proved what I said above. But maybe I said it cause what I think and believe at the end of the day, is that nature is a circle not a line...and everything someone feels or does is stimulated by both worlds...the inner and the outer. I could say so much about these ideas now, but I am in a rush...

In a rush to catch the plane to Brussels where I'll have the chance to drink my favorite Chimay blue beer; well I just got to know that I can drink it also in my city, but it's a different thing to drink it in Belgium...In between beers ;) More wonderful moments and/with people are waiting to show up!

Until next time, put some music in your troubles...at least this is what I do...and troubles dissapear, puuuuuuuum!

If you still wonder why I have put this photo for this text, the reason is because creating this "metaphor" was my most creative moment of the last month...imagine :)

Nagemiseni... (lovely Estonia, once more you proved to be an amazing country!)

It could be "make love not war"...

2007-05-03T18:18:00.000+03:00

...indeed the overall headline of the last days could be "make love not war". But before I let you know why, thank you primo for your encouragement, thank you Andrea for the wonderful photo, thank you New Order for the Perfect Kiss and thank you Bulgaria for the wonderful selection on your Eurovision song!!!

So, the first part of the headline, "make love" is shaped by the following little stories...

Brighton (where I was from 27/4 to 1/5) is the city of love - in a way - in England. Despite what the people say, it is a city that I would like to spend a couple of days with my future love...

It's been a while since I've last seen such a lovely, lovable and loving group in a training course...Well, in fact I don't want to categorize or to compare the groups I am working with once every group is unique, special and wonderful...But this one, hmmm...still I can't answer why but it, at least, offered me a lot of stimuli for reflection...

Connected to the previous paragraph, last night in this training course, party night, was love-overflow...Pfffff, so much love in the air, we could share with half of the world!

And Perfect Kiss is a lot about love...It was late in the night, dancing and singing with lovely people (see above) and suddenly someone (I think it was Marion...) selected it; and it did so from my laptop. I have this song since ages ago but never listened to it before...My reaction was, f*********************ck...Coelho was so right to let us know that the things that value the most are very close to us; it just takes a whole trip to the universe to make our eyes able to see them...

And the 1st of May was a lot about love and unity. The farm of "Daskalos" offered the necessary space for nice young people we are, to discuss, to play, to dring, to eat, to share and to enjoy the wonderful day and the atmosphere.

Fuuuu, the flow inside my brain is so smooth and tender that I find no reason to switch it to the second, "not war" part... But our friends need support and will to support starts from awareness...

I was shocked to hear my friend Maris from Estonia telling me about the situation the last days there; in fact my friend Stelios had already told me a couple of things about it (and he will be happy to know now that I made a reference to him :) ). I hadn't been so emotionally charged since....I can't recall. I looked for and at the news, I watched at videos (cafebabel.com) and to be honest I am worried a lot about the situation there. Fortunately, the days now are very peaceful, and I hope that both sides will take the necessary measures and make the necessary steps towards harmony before the 9th of May, a day planned for a demonstration...Not sure who is right or wrong, but in fact I don't care...I only care about the safety of the people and the peace among them and for this I am determined to do anything...Anyway, the 18th of May I'll be there for another training, so I will have a "first hand" look at the situation... And above all, I will be with my friends that I love so much.

It doesn't smell like war, but still situation in Turkey is totally unstable, at least this is what I can pump out of the news...With the wish that things will get better for our Turkish friends...

Just please, wherever you are and whatever you do, think of the fact that some people, friends, are suffering (yes, suffering...it is even much more than suffering not to be able to approach your home...) at the moment and they need support; our support. So give!

Indeed, a week with lots of emotions; and lots of clothes in my wardrobe (another "war" :) ) waiting to be packed; Poland here I come!

Love ***

2007-04-07T01:25:00.000+03:00

Not yet finished but a promising cold all over my body doesn't let me enjoy the last night with the people; well I have already pushed my self and frankly speaking, I had a very good time tonight, for the last 2 hours. But can't stand it any more...

It's been a wonderful experience; in a wonderful place; woody and muddy; green and grey; cold and warm. All in one.

The wooden houses and the fireplace; the green fields and the river; the dark clouds and the starry sky; the burning wood smell and the cold mornings. All as one.

My body surrenders...

It's so weird, and magic at the same time, how a bunch of "strange" people, never met before, become so close in just a few days. Well, this was not the first time to think about it but let me say that this idea was really reinforced during this course. How deep or how artificial is this "close"? Anyway, don't really know if this is the right moment to bother my mind, cause it really is tired. And it needs relax, rest and refreshment.

My body's failing...

Almost 15 days on the road around Europe...Running in the underground city of the airport of Frankfurt, arriving at Brussels straight to a "organized by friends, surprise birthday party" and then enjoying a fast "13.00 - 14.00" Brussels lunch, running to and being the last to arrive at the European Youth Week meeting, being through an interesting process of investigation on "what are we going to do?"...Ufff, more meeting, more Brussels, more airport, more skies...Since 10 days ago, in beautiful Estonia; developing and being developed.

My body's detached from my mind...

It seems like an endless discussion taking place...

Indeed, no end in mind from the beginning; but maybe now it's the time.

Anywayzzzzzzzzzzzzz...

Brighter than ever

2007-03-18T22:05:00.000+02:00

A weekend in Ano Skotina seemed like a good idea last week. Now that I am back from it, I say it was not just a good idea, but a brilliant one; a "nothing better than this" idea.

Every time I go there I realize that I am deeply connected with this place. Since the very first day that I have stepped my feet on its ground, muddy and gently fed by the rain, I have been hearing voices calling me there...Sounds mystic eh? Well, indeed, cause, among others, it's a very mystical place; in all its senses.

And beautiful; oh yeah beautiful! With a magnificent view, capturing your eyes in an endless trip to aesthetically perfect...Brightness sent by the sun or the stars somehow adjust the "screen" in front of you and no fucking TFT can be compared with that...

This time it was brighter than ever! With a spring sun lovingly hitting our faces, but with our continuous questioning, linked to environmental crisis "wow, how is it possible to have a summer in the middle of March"...

Numerous of inspiring facts and incidents that created a "pack of experience" so disproportional with its cost (not talking about money here) that makes me wonder "why should I deserve this?"...Maybe I do...

The participants' pictures from my last training course there, 5 months ago, still decorating a wall of the hostel; a very emotionally charged moment for me when I saw them...

Now, I turn my computer's screen into a mirror and I speak out "You have plans for this place Sakis, don't forget, you have plans...dreams no plans"

Until next time, my endless and immense respect to mother nature for supplying us with reasons to live and desires to change, even if, for thousands of years, is violently raped by, us, irresponsible dipeds...But I love human beings as much as I adore mother nature (in any way, they are its part) so please consider the angerness lying behind my very last words as a trigger to transformation.

There is hope; I have found one...

The Corporation

2007-03-04T13:40:00.000+02:00

It was a month ago when I sat in front of my TV to fill my head with some crap; I very seldom do it, don't worry! It turned out to be very fruitful what I did. Although I was in time to watch less than half of it, I concluded that this documentary is a "must have" and "must watch several times" piece of inspiration. The Corporation, has a web site that I visited a couple of times after watching it on TV (www.thecorporation.com) trying to get info on how I can have it on a DVD or whatever. Then the time went by, I landed back to my daily life, being occupied with everything else than a whole world around me that is being continuously destroyed, fooled and used for the sake of money; exactly as it is depicted in "The corporation"...
Mass media have developed a great relationship with crap the last years and newspapers couldn't be different. So, the 3 DVD's that a sunday newspaper offer are moved directly to the garbage bin. It happens sometimes though that nice things included. I was lucky to find "The corporation" in one newspaper. In fact, I was "wwwooooooooow...f**k, I stopped looking for it, and it managed to find me!"
Put it on the DVD player, take a comfortable seat (144 minutes), empty your mind from nothingness and REALIZE we are nothing more than PUPPETS, MANNEQUINS, helpless antelopes in the teeth of cruel, rabid hyeanas that tear apart our already violated being/existence.
BUT, the film finishes with a breeze of hope; hope sourced in the souls of indignated people; hope visualized through actions that have already managed to bring changes, even slight; actions undertaken by daily people; sometimes even alone...yes alone.
Reading "Banners & Draggons" an incredibly creative book made by Amnesty International and given to me by a group of wonderful friends of AI, Greek Branch, "If you think you are too small to be effective then you have never been in bed with a mosquito"...
Find the film, watch it, watch it again, reflect on it but keep in mind that there is a fear of getting sick of yourself; well it might then be a shock strong enough to lead to action.

Well well done to Mark Acbar, Jennifer Abbott and Joel Bakan for creating this masterpiece.

Visit the site and support; its needed.

On the surface

2007-02-27T19:21:00.000+02:00

If you are wondering what's the meaning of my blog's title, then maybe I heard your voice and here I am with a short analysis about it. Lucky you ;) "All+All=1" (allandallequals1) visualizes a series of underlying life theories of mine:

The simultaneous use of text and maths depicts the need for different parts of the brain to be stimulated and at the same time to work together in order people to learn to leave with inner peace and with respect to the surrounding environment.
The formula as such is calling for synthesis through antithesis, for unity through diversity, for harmony through confusion, for order through chaos, for simplicity through complexity...
Another possible meaning is that all and all (like, at the end of day, or, notwithstanding), all (meaning everyone; of course, all is this case needs to be used one extra time, but then it would be no mystery), equals (meaning is equal), 1 (like 1 is representing a criterion to which all human beings are equal to, with no exception). "All equal" in other terms...

So I've chosen this name and this place to put down thoughts and ideas related (most of the times) to the above elements.

What am I doing here?

2007-02-23T18:58:00.000+02:00

Putting down ones' own brain bubbles is not an easy task. Personally, it took me several days, many thinking hours and lots of inquiry for motivation, in order to be here and now writing whatever I want and whatever is possible to be written. I think it is a curse and a gift at the same time; people are never able to write down (or speak out) exactly what their brains produce. Never. The more mediums they use the most possible it becomes for them to depict their cerebral products.

So, despite the extend that my ideas are able to be understood, I am benefiting this relatively new medium, blogging, to achieve a variety of goals; a good place to enhance and practice my English (pfffff), a platform to communicate and be communicated, a way-out-of-boredom, a proof for my self that I am young enough to follow trends and Internet advancements and lastly, the ever -lasting, -existing, -prevailing need to freely and limitless express my ideas. Read a couple of very annoying anti-blogging acts today; one took place in Greece and one in Egypt. Don't fool yourself, freedom doesn't really exist.

I still can't understand how this is happening with my self; everytime I sit down to write, initially, I want to be really light but always ending up putting out pieces of thought that eventually lead to deeper and deeper analysis, synthesis, divergence, convergence...And it is about to start now...almost...it starts...oooo it starts...Publish publish.