Performers during a performance at Filopapou hill in Athens
Picture: REUTERS
via www.telegraph.co.uk
Monday, December 28, 2009
WTF (The Fall of Athens by Swiss artist Dave)
Performers during a performance at Filopapou hill in Athens
Picture: REUTERS
via www.telegraph.co.uk
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Cool Spinning Light over Norway
via the Boston Globe's "The Big Picture"
!!!
Daily Mail Aricle
Tuesday, December 08, 2009
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
The Positive Ladies Soccer Club
Joanna (she recently came back from Zimbabwe where she was a Field Communications Officer for MSF), has directed a film.
It's called "The Positive Ladies Soccer Club" (link goes to the movie's site).
Joanna's film offers a message of hope.
It's about IHV positive women who, despite barely knowing how to play football, not only decided to form a team but set themselves the goal to win the local tournament's championship. They go on to the final ...
David Williams of Sky News Online has written an article about it (be sure to watch the video of her interview).
Excerpt:
"... The action plays out across a rich palette of colours and to a soundtrack of African communal singing performed by the women themselves.
'When I met them, the first thing they did was sing to me," Joanna recalled. "They sang a song about being strong and having hope.'
Filmed on a shoestring budget, the project was blessed by generosity: from the unpaid players whose heart-rendering interviews carry the film's emotional message, to the end of production when film giant Technicolor waived a fee for its services.
Joanna said the filming - which was welcomed by the country's authorities due to MSF's apolitical role - has had a dramatic effect on attitudes among the community.
"People would previously shout at our women. If they were on a bus they wouldn't sit next to them," she said.
"Now, after they saw them playing in this football team and winning, people would come up to the women as if they were movie stars..."
Trailer:
Screened on the 15th of November at the Bath Film Festival , it will be shown on World AIDS Day, 1st December 2009 in Athens, at the Hellenic American Union (22 Massalias st., Athens).
(Update: it was also featured on CNN)
It's called "The Positive Ladies Soccer Club" (link goes to the movie's site).
Joanna's film offers a message of hope.
It's about IHV positive women who, despite barely knowing how to play football, not only decided to form a team but set themselves the goal to win the local tournament's championship. They go on to the final ...
David Williams of Sky News Online has written an article about it (be sure to watch the video of her interview).
Excerpt:
"... The action plays out across a rich palette of colours and to a soundtrack of African communal singing performed by the women themselves.
'When I met them, the first thing they did was sing to me," Joanna recalled. "They sang a song about being strong and having hope.'
Filmed on a shoestring budget, the project was blessed by generosity: from the unpaid players whose heart-rendering interviews carry the film's emotional message, to the end of production when film giant Technicolor waived a fee for its services.
Joanna said the filming - which was welcomed by the country's authorities due to MSF's apolitical role - has had a dramatic effect on attitudes among the community.
"People would previously shout at our women. If they were on a bus they wouldn't sit next to them," she said.
"Now, after they saw them playing in this football team and winning, people would come up to the women as if they were movie stars..."
Trailer:
Screened on the 15th of November at the Bath Film Festival , it will be shown on World AIDS Day, 1st December 2009 in Athens, at the Hellenic American Union (22 Massalias st., Athens).
(Update: it was also featured on CNN)
Friday, November 06, 2009
Monday, October 26, 2009
Monday, September 07, 2009
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Friday, July 17, 2009
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Monday, June 22, 2009
Loic "Flying Dude" Jean-Albert Wingsuit Flying
"...so we play around!"
Loic Jean-Albert
www.loicjeanalbert.com
Sunday, June 07, 2009
Democracy: The European Parliament Elections
"From Strasbourg with indifference
Jun 4th 2009
From The Economist print edition
The European Parliament has failed to win legitimacy with voters. Look to Denmark for a solution
The rich world’s biggest election, with 375m potential voters, ought to be both exciting and uplifting. Yet campaigning ahead of this weekend’s election (June 07, 2009) to the European Parliament has been neither. Almost everywhere it has focused exclusively on national issues, not European ones. In several countries a ragbag of extremists, nutcases and xenophobes look set to win seats. And the turnout, which has fallen in every European election since 1979, may yet sink to a new low.
The fact is that Europe’s electors do not care about their parliament. Most do not bother to vote. Those who do take the excuse to cock a snook at their national governments and boost fringe parties. In so far as they have any view about the European Parliament, they see it as a talking-shop with no influence—a place that lavishes its unknown members with pay, pensions and expenses and wastes oodles of euros every month on a ludicrous commute from Brussels to Strasbourg.
Some (but not all) of this is either unfair or plain wrong. The European Parliament has real power—and will become still more powerful if the European Union’s Lisbon treaty is ratified (see article). In many ways MEPs have more say over legislation than do most of their national counterparts. "
Complete article at the Ecomomist.com
Jun 4th 2009
From The Economist print edition
The European Parliament has failed to win legitimacy with voters. Look to Denmark for a solution
The rich world’s biggest election, with 375m potential voters, ought to be both exciting and uplifting. Yet campaigning ahead of this weekend’s election (June 07, 2009) to the European Parliament has been neither. Almost everywhere it has focused exclusively on national issues, not European ones. In several countries a ragbag of extremists, nutcases and xenophobes look set to win seats. And the turnout, which has fallen in every European election since 1979, may yet sink to a new low.
The fact is that Europe’s electors do not care about their parliament. Most do not bother to vote. Those who do take the excuse to cock a snook at their national governments and boost fringe parties. In so far as they have any view about the European Parliament, they see it as a talking-shop with no influence—a place that lavishes its unknown members with pay, pensions and expenses and wastes oodles of euros every month on a ludicrous commute from Brussels to Strasbourg.
Some (but not all) of this is either unfair or plain wrong. The European Parliament has real power—and will become still more powerful if the European Union’s Lisbon treaty is ratified (see article). In many ways MEPs have more say over legislation than do most of their national counterparts. "
Complete article at the Ecomomist.com
Monday, May 18, 2009
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Monday, April 27, 2009
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Spring Swing Fever Party!
(Athens) Swing Riot !!!
4/25/2009 10:00 PM at Blue Fox
Asklipiou 91, Athens
Monday, March 30, 2009
Monday, March 23, 2009
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Joanna's MSF Blog from Zimbabwe
“Coléra, coléra!!” shout little Zimbabwean kids running after our MSF minivan as it splashes through sewage soaked muddy roads in the high density Harare township of Dzivaresekwa (or Dziva or just Dizzy as some expats have started calling it). Revayi our driver laughs and puts the music up higher. He usually works his minivan as a combi (privately owned transport for locals). “What’s your name mean Revayi?” I ask him as I try to hold on in the back seat — all Zimbabwean names mean something. He says it means bad gossip, because his mother-in-law talked bad about his mother while she was pregnant so in revenge she named her son like that. Dominique turns around and we look at each other, both rather stunned with the explanation and not really knowing how to respond.
I change the subject and ask Dominique to tell me about his field of water sanitation and the project of trying to get safe and clean water to Harare’s most vulnerable residents. Dominique, French-Canadian, young and crazy obsessed with water. Any kind of water, dirty, clean, sewage — with dark thick hair and intense brows he gets easily carried away about his favorite subject ...
Read her articles at MSF
Monday, February 16, 2009
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Tuesday, February 03, 2009
Friday, January 30, 2009
The first "ATHENS SWING RIOT!" party of the Year
Rendez-Vous at Asklepiou 91 in Exarheia (Ασκληπιού 91, Εξάρχεια) on this Saturday (the 31st of January '09)
If you come unfashionably early (22:00-23:00), you can follow "Stroll" Lessons. Later on you can order a Casablanca at the bar and go nuts dancing until morning listening to Miss Blitzkneg "Blue Lu" Baby, Mr. Manos K. & Mr. Le Mod. And before you leave, don't forget your gift CD.
If you come unfashionably early (22:00-23:00), you can follow "Stroll" Lessons. Later on you can order a Casablanca at the bar and go nuts dancing until morning listening to Miss Blitzkneg "Blue Lu" Baby, Mr. Manos K. & Mr. Le Mod. And before you leave, don't forget your gift CD.
Monday, December 15, 2008
Monday, December 01, 2008
This is not going to end well
They are going to make you a crepe you cannot refuse!Thanks to Alcibiades for that one!
Monday, November 10, 2008
Yatzer.com article about Yiannis Ghikas
"One of Greece's most important Industrial designers, Yiannis Ghikas will participate with his BASIC I & II side tables at "L'Europe des Designers" part of FLIGHT NUMBER TEN exhibition during the Saint–Étienne International Design Biennial in Saint–Étienne (FRANCE) from 15-30 November 2008. The FLIGHT NUMBER TEN is curated by Chloé Heyraud.
"L'Europe des Designers" highlights European designers through innovative ideas which could turn customs upside down. This presentation is put together in partnership with Culturesfrance as part of the European Cultural Season.
ABOUT YIANNIS GHIKAS
Yiannis Ghikas was born in 1969 in Greece, a few kilometers out of Athens and he was an 18-year-old student of informatics at the Athens University of Economics and Business, when he realized that he wanted to become an industrial designer. So It took him a long time to become a student again, this time in product design. His official website holds his name under the title"Concepts on a waiting list", because according to his words "most of my ideas are waiting to come to life".
YIANNIS GHIKAS answers yatzer's questionnaire
Describe yourself in five words.
Impatient, reliable, social, controversial, obsessed
If you could be a different nationality, what would it be?
I would keep the great Greek mother and I would add a Scandinavian father to balance the Mediterranean nature, so a mixed one.
What’s your favourite movie?
It couldn’t be just one. I’ll name a few that stayed in my mind for a long time: Lars von trier’s “breaking the waves”, Gus van sant’s: “Gerry” and Wang kar wai’s “In the mood for love”.
What kind of music you like to listen?
I like many completely different kinds of music. Quality is the key. An example of a timeless music I really love is R. Straus’s “Vier letzte lieder”.
What is your favorite design material?
I love natural oak and white porcelain.
What is the most expensive piece of furniture in your house?
A pair of Eames LCW chairs and a Citterio’s 6 drawer mobil box.
What inspires you?
Everything I have experienced.
You are going for a weekend “somewhere” and you have to invite seven famous people, dead or alive to join you. Where would you go and who would they be?
I would invite Manos Hadjidakis, Issey Miyake, Akira Kurosawa, Dawn Upshaw, Joep van Lieshout and the Bouroullec brothers at their floating house.
Are you afraid of the future?
Yes I am afraid of the future concerning the climatological changes and the consequences of people’s political inactivity.
Describe me the perfect day?
Exploring an unknown city, sharing the experience with people I love.
What does space mean to you?
A necessity
Luxury is?
Dissipation of resources
Design is?
Design is an applied art rich in cultural content"
via yatzer.com
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Athens Swing Riot!
Saturday the 25th of October at Trova (Athinas 24 & Vlahava, Psiri)
Dress Code: 20's to 50's.
Free Entrance.
Dress Code: 20's to 50's.
Free Entrance.
Thursday, October 09, 2008
Friday, September 19, 2008
Monday, September 08, 2008
The UberCool Ubiquity!
This is what the Prototype already does:Imagine that you have Ubiquity installed on your Mozilla browser. You select some text on a web site (say a good review of a restaurant) ... control-tab ... ubiquity side-tab/window appears ... you write "email to angelina" ... gmail opens with the address filled-in (angelina@jolie.fr) ... the text is already there in the body ... you then select the address of the restaurant (within the email or anywhere) ubiquit "map" and a map appears centred on the address ... you choose "insert" and the mail now includes a map of the area. Now you also ubiquit "add to (calendar) lunch with Angelina tomorrow at 2:00 pm" ("lunch with Angelina" appears on your g-calendar for 2:00 pm the next day). Now all you have to do is to have someone call Brad on an all day audition tomorrow for the next safari blockbuster ... in Timbuktu. You also send Muppet-theatre tickets for the nanny to take the children. You finally ubiquit "weather Paris" and before you're done writing ... you see the weather there ... so you know what to wear I guess. :)
I'm serious. You don't believe me? Check it out for yourself:
Introducing Ubiquity
User Tutorial
x-tra Ubiquity Verbs
Tuesday, September 02, 2008
Chrome!
Update 2008-09(September)-07(Sunday):
So far ... possibly because I tend to have tens of tabs opened at the same time, I've found that Firefox is much faster than Chrome, which seems to slow to a crawl and then stops working altogether after opening more than a few of them.
As excited as I was bout Chrome, it got on my nerves. And so I'm writing this in Firefox 3. As of today Chrome doesn't even come close to it.
Admittedly I have not explored Chrome's every feature. And given that it's open-source, it is certain to improve. It's still in beta in any case. And it's probably already much better than ie (which undoubtedly sucks). It's just that Firefox users are spoiled. It's an amazing browser. And our expectations are very high. Give Chrome some time I guess.
So far ... possibly because I tend to have tens of tabs opened at the same time, I've found that Firefox is much faster than Chrome, which seems to slow to a crawl and then stops working altogether after opening more than a few of them.
As excited as I was bout Chrome, it got on my nerves. And so I'm writing this in Firefox 3. As of today Chrome doesn't even come close to it.
Admittedly I have not explored Chrome's every feature. And given that it's open-source, it is certain to improve. It's still in beta in any case. And it's probably already much better than ie (which undoubtedly sucks). It's just that Firefox users are spoiled. It's an amazing browser. And our expectations are very high. Give Chrome some time I guess.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
The Amazing LHC at CERN
Use the Force, Luke!
View of the ATLAS detector during July 2007 (Claudia Marcelloni, © CERN)
"This is not only the largest particle accelerator ever built, it's the largest ... anything ... ever built ...". Besides creating mini Big-Bangs, deadly strangelets and micro-black-holes, the LHC also has things like a "Time Projection Chamber"!?! Say ... what exactly does that do? :) In any case it's amazing just to look at. It's all very sciencefictiony.
Via "The Big Picture" from the Boson Globe, where they have many quality pictures of it (besides the LHC, it also hosts many other stunning photos).
Some Info Links:
public.web.cern.ch
lhc.web.cern.ch
The LHC on the BBC
Einstein Papers
Concerns
PS) And just to show that we humans don't lack a sense of humour, there is also a hilarious article at Cracked magazine, in which the LHC features prominently, all about experiments that are likely to destroy the world.
And of course you just can't have doomsday without some kind of attempt at a soundtrack:
View of the ATLAS detector during July 2007 (Claudia Marcelloni, © CERN)
"This is not only the largest particle accelerator ever built, it's the largest ... anything ... ever built ...". Besides creating mini Big-Bangs, deadly strangelets and micro-black-holes, the LHC also has things like a "Time Projection Chamber"!?! Say ... what exactly does that do? :) In any case it's amazing just to look at. It's all very sciencefictiony.
Via "The Big Picture" from the Boson Globe, where they have many quality pictures of it (besides the LHC, it also hosts many other stunning photos).
Some Info Links:
public.web.cern.ch
lhc.web.cern.ch
The LHC on the BBC
Einstein Papers
Concerns
PS) And just to show that we humans don't lack a sense of humour, there is also a hilarious article at Cracked magazine, in which the LHC features prominently, all about experiments that are likely to destroy the world.
And of course you just can't have doomsday without some kind of attempt at a soundtrack:
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
The Scooter Dog
In Piraeus, a dog on the roof of a funny scooter-thing, feels like the king of dogs. :)
Tuesday, July 01, 2008
Blind Kid that Sees: Echolocation
An amazing ability, almost like a superpower. In its article on Human Echolocation Wikipedia tells us that ... "Some blind people have described the phenomenon not as a learned method of navigation, but as an inherent and intuitive extra sense. For example, a blind person could walk past a line of trees and feel a "pressure" at their side as they passed each tree"!!!
Blind Kid - Echo Location!
Blind Kid - Echo Location!
Thursday, May 29, 2008
The Caminito del Rey walkway
Right above is a video showing a walk-through of the "Caminito del Rey" on the way to one of the best climbing spots in Europe at El Chorro, Spain. Also known as the Camino del Rey (which means "the king's path"), this walkway is definitely not for the acrophobic. This guy seems to casually stroll through it. This place is like something out of Myst ... only for real. Yikes! And it's only after this that you start the actual climbing. Enjoy (from the safety of your armchair)! :)
Monday, May 12, 2008
Wednesday, April 02, 2008
The Hydroptere again ...
... as one fine day in 2007 ... it casually breaks its first world speed record ... to then dominate sailing for the decade to come.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
The Hipstairs at Soul Stereo
Programmer extraordinaire Theodore Demaras will be performing with his band The Hipstairs, who are teaming up once again with the Modtown crew to deliver some tasty soul food!
Tomorrow (21/2/2008) at Soul Stereo, Evripidou 65, Psiri, Athens, Greece Doors open at 22:00. Free entrance
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Monday, December 24, 2007
Musica Universalis
Musica Universalis (the movements of the celestial bodies as music)
Kepler wrote:
"The heavenly motions ... are a continuous song for several voices, perceived not by the ear but by the intellect, a figured music which sets landmarks in the immeasurable flow of time."
It is however possible to translate that which Kepler saw as only perceivable by the intellect to also be perceivable by the ear.
Whenever a soundwave is doubled or halved in frequency, it retains the 'flavour' of the original pitch. This can be applied to any periodic cycle, including the orbits of the planets (method explained:
http://homepages.tesco.net/gregskius/oe.html).
These are the duration in seconds of our star’s planets (and Pluto):
Mercury: 0.453028141, 0.906056282, 1.812112564, 3.624225128, 7.248450256, 14.49690051
Venus: 0.578586448, 1.157172895, 2.314345791, 4.628691582, 9.257383163, 18.51476633
Earth: 0.470244884, 0.940489769, 1.880979538, 3.761959076, 7.523918152, 15.0478363
Mars: 0.442216873, 0.884433746, 1.768867493, 3.537734985, 7.075469971, 14.15093994
Jupiter: 0.697366839, 1.394733678, 2.789467356, 5.578934712, 11.15786942, 22.31573885
Saturn: 0.432755629, 0.865511258, 1.731022516, 3.462045032, 6.924090064, 13.84818013
Uranus: 0.617729291, 1.235458581, 2.470917163, 4.941834326, 9.883668652, 19.7673373
Neptune: 0.605743574, 1.211487148, 2.422974297, 4.845948594, 9.691897187, 19.38379437
Pluto: 0.455707172, 0.911414343, 1.822828687, 3.645657373, 7.291314746, 14.58262949
And in hertz (cycles per second):
Mercury: 2260.345235, 1130.172618, 565.0863088, 282.5431544, 141.2715772, 70.6357886
Venus: 3539.6612, 1769.8306, 884.9153001, 442.45765, 221.228825, 110.6144125
Earth: 2177.588813, 1088.794407, 544.3972033, 272.1986017, 136.0993008, 68.04965042
Mars: 2315.605899, 1157.802949, 578.9014747, 289.4507373, 144.7253687, 72.36268433
Jupiter: 2936.761379, 1468.38069, 734.1903448, 367.0951724, 183.5475862, 91.7737931
Saturn: 2366.231498, 1183.115749, 591.5578744, 295.7789372, 147.8894686, 73.9447343
Uranus: 3315.368124, 1657.684062, 828.8420311, 414.4210156, 207.2105078, 103.6052539
Neptune: 3380.968593, 1690.484297, 845.2421483, 422.6210742, 211.3105371, 105.6552685
Pluto: 2247.057022, 1123.528511, 561.7642555, 280.8821277, 140.4410639, 70.22053193
In 2006, Greg Fox took the above orbital periods and divided them until their frequencies fell within the human acoustic range. This gave him six octaves of "planetary notes" for each planet. He called the resulting “music”: “Carmen of the Spheres”. It can be heard and downloaded at:
http://www.archive.org/details/GregFoxCarmenoftheSpheres
Thanks to Alcibiades for that one!
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Friday, November 16, 2007
Latest Photo of Europe at Night
Credits: ESA ©2007 MPS for OSIRIS Team MPS/UPD/LAM/IAA/RSSD/INTA/UPM/DASP/IDAThis image of Earth, targeted roughly at Greece, was taken with the OSIRIS Wide Angle Camera (WAC) during this month’s Earth swing-by, Rosetta’s third major step on its 10-year journey to Comet 67/P Churyumov-Gerasimenko:
|
Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko | |
|
Diameter of nucleus - estimated (km) |
3 x 5 |
|
Rotation period (hours) |
~12 |
|
Orbital period (years) |
6.57 |
|
Perihelion distance from Sun (million km) |
194 (1.29 AU) |
|
Aphelion distance from Sun (million km) |
858 (5.74 AU) |
|
Orbital eccentricity |
0.632 |
|
Orbital inclination (degrees) |
7.12 |
|
Year of discovery |
1969 |
|
Discoverers |
Klim Churyumov & Svetlana Gerasimenko |
Closest approach took place on 13 November 2007. Rosetta sped past at 45 000 km/h (about 12.5 km/s) relative to Earth. The increased energy from this Earth swing-by will help Rosetta cross the asteroid belt for a second time, observe Lutetia (its second target asteroid) and finally rendezvous with comet 67/P Churyumov-Gerasimenko. The rendezvous will take place about 4 astronomical units or 600 million km from the Sun, in 2014.
During this Earth swing-by, a few experiments both on the orbiter and the Philae lander were activated for calibration, scientific measurements and imaging. Rosetta first pointed to Earth and then to the Moon for the observations. ESAMonday, October 29, 2007
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Friday, October 12, 2007
Saturday, September 22, 2007
Who's ever heard of Stanislav Petrov?
The date is 1 September 1983 and the Cold War between the Soviet Union and USA is in full gear, when from the New York skies Korean Air Lines Flight 007 flies from JFK, destination Seoul, South Korea.
In the middle of the flight, while accidently passing through Soviet air space, Soviet fighter jets appear getting close the aircraft. The Soviets, who didn't know the plane contained civilians, warned the pilot that they will shoot down the aircraft if it doesn't identify itself, and the pilot, for some unknown reason, doesn't respond.
Reports say the pilot never actually received the information, although theories about this are still unclear. An hour passes as the fighter jets still accompany the aircraft, and the orders from Soviet military is to shoot down the aircraft just as the plane was leaving Soviet airspace.
The Soviet fighter jets shot down the plane, with the aircraft plunging 35,000 feet in less than 90 seconds, killing 269 civilians, including a US congressman.
Hell broke loose. As the Soviets tried to defend their 'mistake', US President Ronald Raegan described the Soviets actions as "barbaric" and "a crime against humanity that must never be forgotten".
The tension between the two mega-powers hit an all-time high, and on 15 September 1983 the US administration banned Soviet aircrafts from operating in US airspace. With the political climate in dangerous territory, both US and Soviet government were on high-alert believing an attack was imminent.
It was a cold night at the Serpukhov-15 bunker in Moscow on 26 September 1983 as Strategic Rocket Forces lieutenant colonel Stanislav Yevgrafovich Petrov resumed his duty, monitoring the skies of the Soviet Union, after taking a shift of someone else who couldn't go to work.
Just past midnight, Petrov received a computer report he'd dreaded all his military career to see, the computer captured a nuclear military missile being launched from the US, destination Moscow.
In the event of such an attack, the Soviet Union’s strategy protocol was to to launch an immediate all-out nuclear weapons counterattack against the United States with nuclear power, and immediately afterwards inform top political and military figures. From there, it would be taken a decision to further the military offensive on America.
The bunker was in full-alarm, with red lights all over the place as the missile was captured by the Soviet satellites via computers. Petrov wasn't convinced though. He believed that if the US attacked, they would have attacked all-out, not just sending one missile and giving a chance for them (the Soviets) to attack back.
Petrov figured something didn't make sense, as strategically, just one missile from the US would be a strategic disaster. He took some time to think and decided not to give the order a nuclear attack against America, since in his opinion, one missile didn't make sense strategically and it could easily have been a computer error.
But then, seconds later, the situation turned extremely serious. A second missile was spotted by the satellite. The pressure by the officers in the bunker to commence responsive actions against America started growing. A third missile was spotted, followed by a fourth. A couple of seconds later, a fifth one was spotted... everyone in the bunker was agitated as the USSR was under missile attack.
He had two options. Go with his instinct and dismiss the missiles as computer errors, breaking military protocol in the process or take responsive action and commence full-blown nuclear actions against America, potentially killing millions.
He decided it was a computer error, knowing deep down that if he was wrong, missiles would be raining down in Moscow in minutes.
Seconds turned to minutes, and as time passed it was clear Petrov was right, it was a computer error after all. Stanislav Petrov had prevented a worldwide nuclear war, a doomsday scenario that would have annihilated entire cities. He was a hero. Those around him congratulated him for his superb judgment.
Upon further investigation it resulted that the error came from a very rare sunlight alignment, which the computer read as missile.
Of course, top brass in the Kremlin didn't find it so heroic, as he broke military protocol and if he would have been wrong, risked millions of Russian lives. He was sent into early retirement, with a measly $200 a month pension, suffering a nervous breakdown in the process.
Due to military secrecy, nobody knew Petrov's heroic judgment until 1998, when a book written by a Russian officer present at the bunker revealed that World War 3 was closer than people thought, and a nuclear holocaust was avoided by a close shave.
Even though the Russian have little sympathy to the man who saved millions of American lives, the United Nations and a number of US agencies honoured the man who could have started a nuclear war, but didn't.
In 2008, a documentary film entitled 'The Man who saved the World' is set to be released, perhaps giving Petrov some financial help, thanking him for the incredible part he had in keeping the US and the USSR out of a full-blown war.
Without knowing on the cold Moscow night back in 1983, a badly paid 44 year old military officer saved the world, and made himself one of the most influential persons of the century in the process, saving more lives than anyone ever did.
Most of today's people don't know it, but today's world as we know it, is like it is because of Stanislav Petrov.
http://maltastar.com/pages/msfullart.asp?an=15214
In the middle of the flight, while accidently passing through Soviet air space, Soviet fighter jets appear getting close the aircraft. The Soviets, who didn't know the plane contained civilians, warned the pilot that they will shoot down the aircraft if it doesn't identify itself, and the pilot, for some unknown reason, doesn't respond.
Reports say the pilot never actually received the information, although theories about this are still unclear. An hour passes as the fighter jets still accompany the aircraft, and the orders from Soviet military is to shoot down the aircraft just as the plane was leaving Soviet airspace.
The Soviet fighter jets shot down the plane, with the aircraft plunging 35,000 feet in less than 90 seconds, killing 269 civilians, including a US congressman.
Hell broke loose. As the Soviets tried to defend their 'mistake', US President Ronald Raegan described the Soviets actions as "barbaric" and "a crime against humanity that must never be forgotten".
The tension between the two mega-powers hit an all-time high, and on 15 September 1983 the US administration banned Soviet aircrafts from operating in US airspace. With the political climate in dangerous territory, both US and Soviet government were on high-alert believing an attack was imminent.
It was a cold night at the Serpukhov-15 bunker in Moscow on 26 September 1983 as Strategic Rocket Forces lieutenant colonel Stanislav Yevgrafovich Petrov resumed his duty, monitoring the skies of the Soviet Union, after taking a shift of someone else who couldn't go to work.
Just past midnight, Petrov received a computer report he'd dreaded all his military career to see, the computer captured a nuclear military missile being launched from the US, destination Moscow.
In the event of such an attack, the Soviet Union’s strategy protocol was to to launch an immediate all-out nuclear weapons counterattack against the United States with nuclear power, and immediately afterwards inform top political and military figures. From there, it would be taken a decision to further the military offensive on America.
The bunker was in full-alarm, with red lights all over the place as the missile was captured by the Soviet satellites via computers. Petrov wasn't convinced though. He believed that if the US attacked, they would have attacked all-out, not just sending one missile and giving a chance for them (the Soviets) to attack back.
Petrov figured something didn't make sense, as strategically, just one missile from the US would be a strategic disaster. He took some time to think and decided not to give the order a nuclear attack against America, since in his opinion, one missile didn't make sense strategically and it could easily have been a computer error.
But then, seconds later, the situation turned extremely serious. A second missile was spotted by the satellite. The pressure by the officers in the bunker to commence responsive actions against America started growing. A third missile was spotted, followed by a fourth. A couple of seconds later, a fifth one was spotted... everyone in the bunker was agitated as the USSR was under missile attack.
He had two options. Go with his instinct and dismiss the missiles as computer errors, breaking military protocol in the process or take responsive action and commence full-blown nuclear actions against America, potentially killing millions.
He decided it was a computer error, knowing deep down that if he was wrong, missiles would be raining down in Moscow in minutes.
Seconds turned to minutes, and as time passed it was clear Petrov was right, it was a computer error after all. Stanislav Petrov had prevented a worldwide nuclear war, a doomsday scenario that would have annihilated entire cities. He was a hero. Those around him congratulated him for his superb judgment.
Upon further investigation it resulted that the error came from a very rare sunlight alignment, which the computer read as missile.
Of course, top brass in the Kremlin didn't find it so heroic, as he broke military protocol and if he would have been wrong, risked millions of Russian lives. He was sent into early retirement, with a measly $200 a month pension, suffering a nervous breakdown in the process.
Due to military secrecy, nobody knew Petrov's heroic judgment until 1998, when a book written by a Russian officer present at the bunker revealed that World War 3 was closer than people thought, and a nuclear holocaust was avoided by a close shave.
Even though the Russian have little sympathy to the man who saved millions of American lives, the United Nations and a number of US agencies honoured the man who could have started a nuclear war, but didn't.
In 2008, a documentary film entitled 'The Man who saved the World' is set to be released, perhaps giving Petrov some financial help, thanking him for the incredible part he had in keeping the US and the USSR out of a full-blown war.
Without knowing on the cold Moscow night back in 1983, a badly paid 44 year old military officer saved the world, and made himself one of the most influential persons of the century in the process, saving more lives than anyone ever did.
Most of today's people don't know it, but today's world as we know it, is like it is because of Stanislav Petrov.
http://maltastar.com/pages/msfullart.asp?an=15214
Thursday, September 06, 2007
Saturday, September 01, 2007
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
The Hydroptère
Alain Thebault does it again. He and his crew have already broken the 50-mph barrier, with a run that topped out at 54 mph (47.2 knots). We are not talking a windsurf here but a full-fledged D-class sailship!
That thing can average a speed of 41.69 knots/h for at least one nautical mile and reach speeds of 44,5 knots/h for at least 500 meters … beating thus two world speed records so far, including the one held since 1997 by the catamaran “Techniques Avancées”. It broke these records in 25-knot winds ... that’s right … meaning that it can speed considerably faster than the wind propelling it. The physics of that just have to be awesome!
It’s called the Hydroptère … a Greek name indicating water and wing … iow … the “WaterWing”.
And it's the fastest sailboat in the world.Monday, August 27, 2007
The NASA Photo of the Fires
The whole of Attica smells like a fireplace. Over 60 people have died. The few once-green parts of Southern-Greece have now also taken the cement-grey colour of Athens. Ashes spread everywhere ... beyond the centre of the city ... even to the beach-side community where I live. Only a few places were saved ... and this because the people there had figured soon enough that ... the lack of snows in the past winter, the lack of rains in May, the heat and the winds were just too dangerous. Some villages had thus organised themselves into 24 hour patrols in shifts: the women until midnight and the men after that. They also assigned some people to the top of mountains with binoculars. Where this was done, fires were extinguished before spreading ... but even then barely so.
You see ... these fires were arson ... as in ... they were started on purpose! The motivation behind this is still a mystery. One cannot even begin to imagine what kind of sick persons would do this ... but there you have it ... they did. In any case ... with the start of hunting season ... these patrols will now have the added factors of shotguns.
In the meantime, there is even talk of cancelling the upcoming elections. It won't happen of course. But it just goes to show you.
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Greece to Hold Early Elections
"Greece looks almost certain to hold a general election —officially not due until next March— in a matter of weeks. Despite setbacks for the centre-right New Democracy (ND) government under the prime minister, Costas Karamanlis, he is likely to be returned to power..."
That's how they used to do it. :)
Source: The Economist Article
That's how they used to do it. :)
Source: The Economist Article
Saturday, August 18, 2007
The reunion of men and lion
This video is about an awesome true story.
John Rendall and Ace Berg, brought this lion to Africa to be reintroduced to his natural habitat with the help of a great man, George Adamson (the guy the movie “Born Free” was about). They then returned a year later. The lion remembered them.
They had found the lion as a cub at Harrods' then (1969) exotic animals' department. As John Rendall recalled for the daily Mail, they went there out of curiosity after … :
"A friend had been to the 'exotic animals' department at Harrods and announced, rather grandly, that she wanted a camel," says Rendall.
"To which the manager very coolly replied: 'One hump or two, madam?'
"Ace and I thought this was the most sophisticated repartee we'd ever heard, so we went along to check it out - and there, in a small cage, was a gorgeous little lion cub.
We were shocked. We looked at each other and said something's got to be done about that." They took the lion-cub for a few months, by which time it already grew rather large, and soon realised that the best solution for this magnificent cat was to live in the African wild.
Reintroducing a lion to the wild is no small feat however. Lions need to live and hunt in prides. And introducing a new male on an existing pride is basically impossible. Even with the help of Lion-man Adamson, this made the project rather questionable.
Nonetheless, at one years old, after living in London for many months, “Christian the King’s Road lion” was taken to the Kora Reserve in Kenya ( about 350 kilometres to the north-east of Nairobi) to be reintroduced with other lions back into the wild. There were many trials, including when another semi-tamed lion, named “Boy” killed the chef ... who was startled by seeing the lion close-by and started running and screaming. Boy was shot through the heart by Adamson but it was too late to save the man.
For Christian, the concern was different. He had been so tamed that it was unlikely that he could survive the harsh conditions of the savannah. He was observed making terrible lion-world-blunders … like stalking (and almost getting killed by) a rhinoceros. But thanks to the brilliance of Adamson, adapt this lion finally did. He hunted, fed, and stoped returning to camp. He even had some lionesses and a litter of cubs. His mane not even fully grown, he had already become the head of self-sufficient pride.
The King’s Road lion had reverted to his wild state again … so much so that when about a year later … Rendall and Ace decided to travel to Kenya to possibly catch a glimpse of him … Adamson warned them against it: "Christian hasn't been here for nine months … and he may never come back". Rendall replied, "We appreciate that, but we'll come anyway and see you.” When they arrived however, Adamson told them: "Christian arrived last night. He's here with his lionesses and his cubs. He's outside the camp on his favourite rock. He's waiting for you."
And when John and Ace started approaching what was by now a wild lion … "Christian stared at us in a very intense way," says Rendall. "I knew his expressions and I could see he was interested. We called him and he stood up and started to walk towards us very slowly.
"Then, as if he had become convinced it was us, he ran towards us, threw himself on to us, knocked us over, knocked George over and hugged us, like he used to, with his paws on our shoulders.
"Everyone was crying. We were crying, George was crying, even the lion was nearly crying."
"The lionesses were far from pleased. There was a lot of growling and spitting," continues Rendall.
"'George said: 'This isn't safe - we'd better go.' So we each put a hand on Christian's back and he walked with us back to camp."
The reunion party went on all night and into the morning. Leaving his exhausted companions to go to their beds, Christian returned to his pride.”
The Daily Mail Interview
Friday, August 10, 2007
Music may finally become free of DRM!
Vivendi's Universal Music has said it is to test the digital sale of songs from artists without the customary copy-protection technology.It will allow the sale of thousands of albums and tracks available in MP3-form without the protection, known as digital rights management (DRM).
Most major recording studios insist music sellers use DRM technology to curb online piracy.
Universal artists include 50 Cent, the Black Eyed Peas, and Amy Winehouse.
Universal said: "The experiment will run from August to January and analyze such factors as consumer demand, price sensitivity and piracy in regards to the availability of open MP3s."
Retailers including Google, Wal-Mart, and Amazon.com, will participate in the DRM-free trial, Universal said.
But participants do not include Apple iTunes online music store, the third largest music retailer in the US.
Source: BBC News
Monday, August 06, 2007
Gotta Love Amy WineHouse's "You know I'm No Good"!
The Official (Plugged) Version of the Song is Awesome (you can listen to it at left) , but the Video of it Bites ... and so ... here is a Very Unplugged rendition of it ... Old-school-sailor-ink, heroin-chic-anorexia, po'-dangerous-lil'-baddd-grrrl, 60s/70s soul.
Thursday, August 02, 2007
More Zimbabwe News from Joanna: Jacques.
Dear family and friends,
Jacques is now VERY happily living in Zimbabwe!
He loves this country, everywhere he goes there is grass and trees and flowers. He is passionately sniffing all the new smells of this African country, he rolls around on all the lawns and has already tried sadza – the local food stipend made of mealie-flour.
It was quite an effort to bring him over and Jacques and I would both like to thank the efforts of my friend Tanya, Mary and wonderful Mr. Andreas (Jacques doc). I would also like to wholeheartedly thank many people who bought from my little Africa Shop, without whose contributions this would not have been possible. A big thank you to Diane and to Lambrini and all her friends. Finally, thank you to the people at CYA, whose financial contribution was also a big helping factor (special thanks to Nadia and Steve for lobbying on my behalf!).
Jacques’ days are filled with walks and gardens. He usually starts the morning with a brisk trot as I leisurely cycle down to the WWF offices where I am volunteering. Then he gets to loll around their huge gardens. We then usually do another sniff-filled walk over to the MSF offices and then he gets to loll around their gardens for a while. Then it is back home, dinner time and an evening walk around the enormous compound garden grounds. All the roads we take in the city hardly have any traffic and they all have grass and trees (see photos).
Everywhere he goes Jacques get compliments. He has made quite an impression on the local populace – “that’s a very nice dog you have!” Many people are also very afraid of him which unfortunately comes from when white colonialist use to train their dogs to attack black people. But despite their fear, once they get to know him they all remark what a friendly dog he is.
Food is an issue, since we humans have not had meat in the supermarkets for the past three weeks. Thankfully, I have found a local vet clinic where they have a supply of good quality dog food.
So, big WOOF WOOF from Jacques and hug from me!!
Joanna and Jacques
Jacques is now VERY happily living in Zimbabwe!
He loves this country, everywhere he goes there is grass and trees and flowers. He is passionately sniffing all the new smells of this African country, he rolls around on all the lawns and has already tried sadza – the local food stipend made of mealie-flour.
It was quite an effort to bring him over and Jacques and I would both like to thank the efforts of my friend Tanya, Mary and wonderful Mr. Andreas (Jacques doc). I would also like to wholeheartedly thank many people who bought from my little Africa Shop, without whose contributions this would not have been possible. A big thank you to Diane and to Lambrini and all her friends. Finally, thank you to the people at CYA, whose financial contribution was also a big helping factor (special thanks to Nadia and Steve for lobbying on my behalf!).
Jacques’ days are filled with walks and gardens. He usually starts the morning with a brisk trot as I leisurely cycle down to the WWF offices where I am volunteering. Then he gets to loll around their huge gardens. We then usually do another sniff-filled walk over to the MSF offices and then he gets to loll around their gardens for a while. Then it is back home, dinner time and an evening walk around the enormous compound garden grounds. All the roads we take in the city hardly have any traffic and they all have grass and trees (see photos).
Everywhere he goes Jacques get compliments. He has made quite an impression on the local populace – “that’s a very nice dog you have!” Many people are also very afraid of him which unfortunately comes from when white colonialist use to train their dogs to attack black people. But despite their fear, once they get to know him they all remark what a friendly dog he is.Food is an issue, since we humans have not had meat in the supermarkets for the past three weeks. Thankfully, I have found a local vet clinic where they have a supply of good quality dog food.
So, big WOOF WOOF from Jacques and hug from me!!
Joanna and Jacques
A New Blog from Newburyport
Why blog Evelyn asks? Well ... it's a good way to keep in touch between friends, an excellent way to share information between like-minded people ... and even, for some very popular ones, a fun way to make a living.
Now ... as to the significance (or lack of) of an individual among the billions of people on this planet. Yikes what a thought! Though I figure that our significance is determined by how much we ourselves (and those we find interesting) care about us. That means that ... if those who are insignificant to you do not consider you significant ... who cares(?) ... just as long as those whom you consider significant to you ... also think you are significant. :)
This all came about because some of the greatest people (Nike, Lexi, Evelyn etc and some people I'm not sure I recognise) ... all from one of the most wonderful places on Earth (the Brick House) are launching their first ever blog. I hope you have a digital camera ... that's all I have to say! Anyway ... Congratulations ... Welcome to the blogosphere ... and I'm of course adding a link to it.
Cheers!
That's a goood dog!
Now ... as to the significance (or lack of) of an individual among the billions of people on this planet. Yikes what a thought! Though I figure that our significance is determined by how much we ourselves (and those we find interesting) care about us. That means that ... if those who are insignificant to you do not consider you significant ... who cares(?) ... just as long as those whom you consider significant to you ... also think you are significant. :)
This all came about because some of the greatest people (Nike, Lexi, Evelyn etc and some people I'm not sure I recognise) ... all from one of the most wonderful places on Earth (the Brick House) are launching their first ever blog. I hope you have a digital camera ... that's all I have to say! Anyway ... Congratulations ... Welcome to the blogosphere ... and I'm of course adding a link to it.
Cheers!
That's a goood dog!
Friday, July 27, 2007
Iota's UnderWater Art Exhibit
Tomorrow (Saturday July 28, at 10:30 am 2007 on the Island of Kea a.k.a Tzia) my friend Iota Sotiropoulou will have an Art Exhibit ... underwater in the Sea... no seriously! It's called "Ιn 2 the Βlue". You have to wear a mask and everything. Here (for those of you who can read Greek) is all about it in an article from a local Paper: Article
My Friend Cyberella is getting Married
And she has created a little storyboard of her relationship so far with her future husband:
They first met at Club Panetarium
(Click on Image to see it all on her site)
They first met at Club Panetarium
(Click on Image to see it all on her site)
Monday, July 23, 2007
Saturday, July 21, 2007
A Greek TV Scam?
Is local "Channel 10" involved in conning needy people out of their money? I don't know, but it certainly looks like it. Can there be another explanation?The set up is an “Anagram Game” where you can "win up to several thousand Euros":
They give you for example … POU-RKA-ZIA.
The word to be found is the evident "KARPOUZIA" (watermelons).
They then have some “caller” who of course misses the idiotically obvious "KARPOUZIA" ... offers instead “KARPOUZI” and uses a second chance to say... “KARPOUZA” (Is that even a word?). :D
Could his person possibly be part of the set-up? No, you think? Of course not!:)
The "presenter" then goes through a whole routine: "WHAT A SHAME! ... though this answer is not right … it was very close etc". She then continues with the pitch: “CALL IF YOU KNOW THE SOLUTION!” while whistles and bells and meaningless countdowns and computer-game sound-effects and suspense-movie music are blasting in the background: 10 … 9 … 8 … 7 … etc
The trick for them is of course to get people to call (1,19 Euro each call, 1,52 Euros with a cell and 1,43 euro for each SMS). And they of course say that they only have some lines opened, like 5, 9, 12, 19, 20, 21, 30 … which the "red Button" will randomly choose from. Right!
So what do you think the chances are that a real person ever gets on the air? My take is that after they've milked enough money ... they might let one real caller on ... but then again ... they probably have a friend call even for that one.
Do people actually fall for this?
Probably yes, the weak-minded, the senile and children ... though "one needs to be over 18 to call"! :)
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