Greek Australian stand-up comedian and actor Steen Raskopoulos will be one of many larrikins providing a night of laughs at the Sydney Comedy Festival 2021.
Born in Sydney, Raskopoulos debuted his first solo sketch show Bruce springSTEEN LIVE IN CONCERT at the 2013 Melbourne International Comedy Festival. He was nominated for Best Newcomer, and won the same award at the Sydney Comedy Festival later that year.
Steen’s father, Peter Raskopoulos, is a former Sydney Olympic FC and Australian national team player. An Olympic Hall of Fame Member, Peter also became C.E.O in 2001, winning the 2001–02 NSL championship.
Steen is known as a “triple threat” of performance, material and charisma. He was personally chosen to support Conan O’Brien in Sydney 2019 and in won the Directors Choice Award at the Sydney Comedy Festival 2018.
Also performing at the festival will be Mary Coustas, performing her new stage show, ‘Better Out, Than In.’ Coutsas said right now, “we need a good laugh more than anything”.
After a year’s hiatus, the comedy festival will run from April 19 to May 16 with more than 180 stand-up, sketch, circus, family and musical comedy acts. Other acts include Adam Hills, Gen Fricker, Nina Oyama, Arj Barker, Joel Creasey, Fiona O’Loughlin, Tom Gleeson and Ross Noble.
Australian broadcaster ABC reported that after thorough investigation, it found that the taxpayer-funded aged care homes of “St Basil’s” had returned to the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia about $22 million in the last eight years – out of the total $73 million they received from the Federal Government – at a time when some of these institutions were posting operating losses.
The ABC’s detailed report highlights that Melbourne’s “St Basil’s” – where 45 residents died in Australia’s deadliest COVID outbreak – is alleged to have paid the Archdiocese $22 million over the past 8 years.
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation published a statement by Jason Ward, an expert in aged care, from the Centre for International Corporate Tax Accountability and Research, who conducted an investigation on behalf of ABC into the finances of “St Basil’s.” Mr Ward argues that Melbourne’s “St Basil’s” was paying the Archdiocese double the rental market rate.
The ABC report further highlighted how the Greek Orthodox Church pays to make a “good and comfortable life,” for Archbishop of Australia Makarios and stands in particular to the $6.5 million apartment bought late last year at Millers Point, Sydney, where Archbishop Makarios now lives, as revealed by the ABC. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation also reports that the apartment in question, was renovated after the purchase at a cost of about $3 million.
The ABC’s report also published complaints of residents of the Melbourne aged care home who died in the deadliest Covid-19 outbreak and who argue that there was no proper protection for the residents. A coroner’s investigation into the deaths is carried out, while some relatives have filed a lawsuit against the institution.
The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia released a statement on Sunday afternoon following the ABC report:
It is with considerable sadness that the Holy Archdiocese of Australia has been made aware of an ‘investigation’ by the ABC, the supposed ‘conclusions’ of which were broadcast recently in a biased and unfair manner regarding both the Archdiocese and His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia.
The broadcast in question (‘Background Briefing’), which carries the sensationalist and provocative title ’The Archbishop, the luxury residence and the nursing home which was ravaged by the coronavirus’, seeks to connect the tragic circumstances that prevailed at St Basil’s Aged Care in Melbourne during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic with the financial affairs of the Archdiocese.
According to the broadcast, the outbreak of the pandemic in Melbourne’s St Basil’s Aged Care is somehow linked to the finances of the Archdiocese and, thereby, to the Archbishop himself. In publishing such comments, the ABC defames the Archbishop by suggesting that the Archdiocese has been the recipient of substantial sums from St Basil’s in Melbourne (over a period of 8 years, a period before His Eminence Archbishop Makarios’ arrival to Australia), and by inferring that these same monies have funded the allegedly luxurious lifestyle of the Archbishop.
Such allegations are utterly false. In citing the Archbishop’s personal affairs, the ABC has resorted to the most tenuous of evidence, none of which justifies the conclusions it seeks to draw; for example, the motor vehicle used by Him (a motor vehicle over 7 years old, which the Archbishop inherited from His predecessor), the vestments He wears when carrying out His ceremonial duties (vestments worn by all bishops of the Orthodox Church across the world, none which have costed Him $30 000.00) and the apartment in which He resides, which is an asset of the Archdiocese.
It is difficult to understand why the ABC chose to ignore reliable information provided to them; for example, that the purchase of the apartment in Sydney was not made with funds drawn from St Basil’s Aged Care (or any other agency of the Archdiocese), but with special funds of the Archdiocese, and that its modest renovation was made possible by a private donation, and certainly did not cost anywhere near $3 million, as alleged.
The Archdiocese calls upon the ABC to present all the evidence it relies upon that suggests that the Archbishop has profited personally from St Basil’s Aged Care in Melbourne, as the broadcast claims, or that even one dollar of public funding has been misapplied.The Archdiocese stresses again that much of the information in the ABC’s broadcast has its source in a few aggrieved, but unnamed, individuals. These persons have been actively lobbying the media in Greece and Australia for some time to publish material critical of the Archdiocese, its Institutions, the Archbishop, the Bishops, and other Church officials, disseminating in the process various malicious untruths.
It is unfortunate that the ABC did not check the veracity of the information these ‘sources’ provided.
Archbishop Makarios, the Clergy and the people of the Archdiocese will not be distracted by such false and damaging allegations but will continue to work for the good of the Church, the faithful and the broader Australian nation. Truly, an apology to the Archbishop, and the faithful of the Holy Archdiocese is called for from the ABC.
The history of the name Kogias begins in 1910. The founder was Antonios Kogias who, thanks to his excellent art, became known beyond the borders of Thessaly. He manufactured pigskin tsarouchia and other traditional footwear.
Today the art of making tsarouchia is continued by his grandchildren Pavlos and Elias in Kastania, Karditsa, where grandfather Antonios once founded the first workshop.
With the help of Mr Pavlos Kogias, we will… take a walk into history, learn about the origins of tsarouchia, the types that exist and how they began to be a hallmark of the presidential guard.
“On the occasion of the Greek National Day of the 25th of March we must inform your readers that in 1821 they wore no tsarouchia. The word tsarouchi comes from the Turkish word “tsarik”, which means shoe.
Photo: Supplied
“Back then, people wore shoes made of pigskin, the ‘gourounotsaroucha’ as we call them, or shoes made of calf skin, which they tied with straps. This kind of shoe was pointy. The Greeks put a tassel on it and made it Greek. This tassel was for purely aesthetic reasons.
“Tsarouchi as we know it was glorified in the Balkan wars.
“The shoe also has a sexuality. Women wear them for rocking. It denotes a masculinity or a femininity and this has existed naturally since then”, Pavlos Koyias tells The Greek Herald.
TGH: Are tsarouchia in demand in today’s market?
“Yes, the tsarouchia are in demand. They do not appeal to a lot of people, but there is demand. The main interest exists from clubs and associations engaged in traditional dances.
“Dances preserve our tradition. There is a new world that loves traditional dances. I think we’re on track. Tradition is the last stronghold against anthellinism that we see existing.
Photo: Supplied
“It brings us closer with our history, dances, songs, traditions, customs, food. It reminds us of our presence as a nation and our roots. You agree, too, I imagine…
“We distance ourselves from this “modernity” that existed and tradition is the refuge for many. And the events held by many clubs and associations help to keep our traditions alive”, says Pavlos Koyias in The Greek Herald.
TGH: What are the types of tsarouchia you manufacture?
” There are two kinds: the Sarakatsanika with nails. Here we see that there are timber nails on the soles. Then there was no technology and so they would take a piece of leather, soak it and nail it. When it dried, it became very strong.
“The second kind is Gianniotika or tailormade. Here we have a clever technique, with the seam line done on the side. As a result, the seam did not come into contact with the ground and so there was no friction, and therefore the tsarouchi lasted longer”.
Photo: Supplied
TGH: What technique do you follow today?
“This technique is not followed. Sewing has changed, today we also have technology in our lives, and there is evolution in the making of tsarouchia. Also, in this way tsarouchi is cheaper, while the time of their manufacture is shorter.
If the Gianniotiko was handmade today, we could manufacture from one to five tsarouchia a day.”
TGH: You mentioned there was a demand from clubs and associations. Was there interest from abroad?
“Yes, of course. We have sent tsarouchia to Australia, Canada, Germany and especially America.
“In Australia, we sent a pair to a man named John who lives in Sydney. I can not remember his surname.
“From Germany they asked us for a theatrical, but we can say that the country we have sent most of the tsarouchia is America, where there is a shop owner who sells traditional costumes and asks us for plenty of merchandise.”
Photo: Supplied
TGH: Do you supply the presidential guard with tsarouchia?
“The Presidential Guard has a craftsman of its own. We make tsarouchia that meet the standards of the tsarouchia of the presidential guard, but they are very expensive. They can cost even three times the cost of ordinary tsarouchia. That is, if the common tsarouchia cost 80 euros, these will cost 250 euros”.
TGH: What is the usefulness of nails?
“Today they do not have any usefulness other than the sound they make and it has become characteristic of them, especially when tsoliades hit the tsarouchia on the ground.
“They used to put nails on them in so they wouldn’t deface quickly. Back then people had no shoes. They wore tsarouchia and put nails or pedals on them to last longer. Later when the car tires came out, they cut tires and sewed them with a special technique on the soles. Their role was utilitarian, that is.”
TGH: Is there a future in the art of making tsarouchia?
“This sector has sounded the alarm. We are one of the last workshops in Greece. There are no craftsmen. Unfortunately, we have nowhere to pass on our knowledge and experience. My brother and I are nearly 60 years old, we have some years ahead of us and we are optimistic that this art will not fade.”
…………
A tsarouchi (Greek: τσαρούχι; plural: τσαρούχια; from Turkish çarık) is a type of shoe, which is typically known nowadays as part of the traditional uniform worn by the Evzones of the Greek Presidential Guard.
Ancient Greek philosophers provided the foundations for environmentalism and environmental ethics. These ethics are inherent in the history of Western philosophy. The Greek Herald has five facts you should know about environmental ethics in ancient Greek philosophy.
Anthropocentric views | They regarded humans as most important.
Ancient Greek philosophers, particularly pre-Socratic philosophy, suggested a hierarchical structure of nature which placed humankind as central and most important. Plato and Aristotle prominently held this opinion in their respective dialogues Timaeus (360 B.C.) and Generation of Animals (mid-300 B.C.).
Hylozoistic views | They believed all matter has life.
Many ancient Greek philosophers held hylozoistic worldviews. That is, that all matter has life.
Thales, Anaximander, and Anaximenes, in particular, attempted to explain the basic form of substance from a naturalistic perspective, that nature is ‘ensouled’ as an intelligent, living organism.
Holistic interconnectedness | They believed “the whole is more than the sum of its parts.”
Ancient Greek philosophers held a holistic perspective. That is, as Aristotle famously explains in Metaphysics (350 B.C.), that “the whole is more than the sum of its parts.”
Aristotle and Plato particularly viewed the world and each being as mutually interrelated and part of a teleologically organised whole of God’s creation. The holistic perspective is also found in organicism, system theory, and semantic holism.
Human intervention | They didn’t believe human intervention was necessary.
It was in the view of ancient Greek philosophers that human intervention wasn’t considered or needed. Human beings weren’t believed to have a responsibility in preserving or reordering nature. In fact, ancient Greek philosophers commonly put nature at the disposal of humans.
While these views can be interpreted today as “anti-environmental” or “counterproductive”, ancient Greek philosophy emphasises a deep respect for the intrinsic value of nature and Plato’s Laws (from around 300-400 B.C.)tells us that we must respect the environment.
Religious rather than scientific | Religion played an important role.
Ancient Greek attitudes towards the environment were largely religious rather than scientific. For example, Plato considered nature to be planned or designed by a higher power and his Socratic dialogue The Republic (375 B.C.) considered planetary rotation as an instructional image for the human soul.
The recipe and Greek treat we’ve all been waiting for! Nobody can forget the sweet, puffy texture of loukoumades and now, in the lead up to Greek easter, is the time to indulge in the traditional treat.
They’re considered the oldest recorded Greek dessert and can be traced back to the first Olympic Games of 776 B.C. They’re traditional eaten during the Greek Easter period.
The perfect Greek honey puffs are crispy and golden on the outside and fluffy and airy in the inside. Here’s how to create the best recipe at home.
Ingredients
200g self rising flour (7 oz.)
50g corn starch (1.7 oz.)
280g water (9.8 oz.)
9g dry active yeast (1 1/2 tbsp)
1 tbsp honey
1 tsp salt
150g honey for garnish (5 oz.)
1/4 cups chopped walnuts for garnish
Method
To prepare this delicious Greek honey puffs recipe, start by dissolving the yeast in the water. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise for about 5 minutes, until it starts bubbling.
In a separate bowl add the flour, corn starch and salt and blend to combine. Add the flour mixture in the yeast mixture and pour in the honey. Whisk all the ingredients together, until the batter is smooth. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rise for about 30 minutes.
Into a medium sized frying pan pour enough vegetable oil to deep fry the loukoumades. Heat the oil to high heat until hot. Test if the oil is hot enough by dipping in some of the dough. If it sizzles the oil is ready or check its temperature. It should read 160C or 320F.
Take a handful of the dough in your palm and squeeze it out, between your thumb and index finger, onto a tablespoon dipped in water. Then drop it in the oil and fry until golden. Repeat this procedure until the surface off the pan is comfortably filled. It is important to dip the spoon in a glass of water every time, so that the batter doesn’t stick on it. You want the spoon to be covered in water but not filled with it.
While being fried, use a slotted spoon to push the honey puffs into the oil and turn them around, until golden brown on all sides. Place the loukoumades on some kitchen paper to drain and repeat with the rest of the dough.
When done, place these delicious golden Greek honey puffs on a large platter, drizzle with (heated) honey and sprinkle with cinnamon and chopped walnuts. Enjoy!
Greek Australian Mitch Georgiades played a critical role in Port Adelaide’s dominating win against Carlton on Saturday, combining for three goals and being named by AFL.com.au as one of the best performing players in the match.
This was the first time Port Adelaide played at the MCG in 637 days, and their 28-point victory over Carlton showed their ruthlessness and determination to defeat Carlton at their home field.
The Power were helped strongly by forwards Robbie Gray and Mitch Georgiades, who bagged three goals apiece. Georgiades was found in the air for most of the match, landing crucial marks and kicking three goals from 15 disposals.
One of his best games for the Power, the Greek Australian was praised by Melbourne champion Garry Lyon for his great score involvements, as well as hits points on the board.
“He takes his opportunities … it’s a really good body of work for a second key forward,” Lyon said on Fox Footy.
“As important for me is he‘s playing on Liam Jones, who’s been in absolutely incredible form as a defender. Liam Jones has had two possessions.
“He‘s been having 15 and 13 intercepts over the last couple of weeks; he’s got his hands full with Georgiades, which speaks to me of a player who’s moving really well, who’s moving his defender around, he’s not static or an easy target.
A slight anti-climax after a bit of Robbie Gray magic 🤣
From the midfield, Ollie Wines led all comers with 32 disposals, while Sam Walsh (29 disposals, eight clearances) battled hard to keep the Power in front.
Carlton’s problems were compounded when key defender Jacob Weitering was forced off for an extended period in the third term with a head knock, allowing Georgiades and Dixon to continue having their way with an outgunned Blues backline.
Weitering eventually returned, but four straight Port Adelaide goals to finish the third quarter had put Carlton out of touch.
Robbie Gray came out in a blistering heat in the first half at the MCG, with his fire unable to be extinguished. The most influential player on the field, Gray finished with three goals from 16 disposals on another impactful night.
Port Adelaide’s win saw them re-enter the top-four of the competition.
A study conducted in 2019 has revealed that one in two men and one in five women in Greece are believed to have sleep apnea syndrome, with that number expected to increase in the next 30 years.
According to Health Direct Australia, sleep apnea occurs when a person’s throat is partly or completely blocked while they are asleep, causing them to stop breathing. Their breathing can stop for anywhere between a few and 90 seconds, and they wake briefly. The sufferer is often unaware of it happening, but will wake feeling tired.
Constantin Soldatos, professor of psychiatry and honorary president of the Hellenic Sleep Research Society, and Anastasia Amfilochiou, pulmonologist and director of the Sleep Study Unit at the Sismanogleio Hospital in Athens, presented on Wednesday an online lecture showing relevant data on the commonness of sleep apnea in Greece.
The lecture, presented by the American College of Greece and titled “Sleep Apnea Syndrome: A Clinical Entity Underestimated and Underdiagnosed,” pointed to evidence from a 2008 epidemiological study in Greece, which showed that up to 7% of men and up to 5% of women suffered from this syndrome.
The professor and pulmonologist also pointed to a study conducted more recently in 2019, which showed more alarming percentages of 50% for men and 18% and women. The syndrome was described as reaching a “pandemic” by 2050 in men aged 40 to 60 from Amfilochiou, who said it is related to an increase in obesity, but also other factors.
Sleep apnoea can affect anyone, but is more common in people who are middle aged or older, who snore, who are above a healthy weight and who have sleep apnoea in the family. Evidence shows that people with untreated moderate to severe sleep apnoea are more likely to have high blood pressure and other cardiovascular disease.
Queen Elizabeth bade farewell to Prince Philip at a funeral on Saturday that celebrated his seven decades of service and gave grandsons William and Harry the chance to talk in public for the first time since claims of racism threw the family into crisis.
Elizabeth, dressed in black and in a white trimmed black face mask, stood alone, head bowed as her husband of 73 years was lowered into the Royal Vault of St George’s Chapel in a service attended by senior royals including heir Prince Charles.
Prince Harry, who flew from the United States to attend the funeral, walked and talked with his brother William and wife Kate at the end of the service – the first time they have spoken in public since Harry and his wife Meghan gave an explosive interview to Oprah Winfrey last month.
Yui Mok/PA Wire (Press Association via AP Images)
That crisis came as Philip lay in hospital. Officially known as the Duke of Edinburgh, Philip died aged 99 on April 9.
“We have been inspired by his unwavering loyalty to our Queen, by his service to the Nation and the Commonwealth, by his courage, fortitude and faith,” Dean of Windsor David Conner said.
Philip, who married Elizabeth in 1947, helped the young queen adapt the monarchy to the changing times of the post-World War Two era as the loss of empire and the decline of deference challenged the world’s most prominent royal family.
Yui Mok/PA Wire (Press Association via AP Images)
In 1997, the queen described Philip as her “strength and stay” over their decades of marriage. Now 94, she has reigned for 69 years.
Family members were not dressed in military uniform, in a break with tradition, instead donning morning coats with medals or day dresses.
Her husband’s coffin was borne to the chapel on a bespoke Land Rover Defender TD 130 in military green that Philip himself helped to design, as a minute gun fired eight times.
Duke of Edinburgh funeral. Queen Elizabeth II during the funeral of the Duke of Edinburgh in St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, Berkshire. Picture date: Saturday April 17, 2021. Yui Mok/PA Wire (Press Association via AP Images)
His naval cap and sword lay on top of the coffin, which was covered with the Duke of Edinburgh’s personal standard featuring the Danish coat of arms, the Greek cross, Edinburgh Castle and the stripes of the Mountbatten family.
There were just 30 mourners inside the chapel because of continuing coronavirus restrictions in Britain. As the service began, Prime Minister Boris Johnson observed a minute’s silence, along with millions of Britons.
People around Britain paid their respects, including at Piccadilly Circus, London.
Stefanos Tsitsipas has defeated Englishman Dan Evans 6-2 6-1 in the semi-final of the Monte-Carlo Masters as the Greek prepares for his third career ATP Masters 1000 final.
At age 30, Dan Evans had a dream run in the Monte-Carlo Masters, defeating World No. 1 Novak Djokovic in the Round of 16. The British tennis player was unfortunately paired up with Tsitsipas, who continues his incredible form and is yet to drop a set in Monte Carlo.
Tsitsipas played pitch-perfect tennis off the ground, striking 21 winners to just 13 unforced errors and converted five of 11 break point opportunities, while allowing the Brit just one break of his own serve in the first set.
MONTE-CARLO, MONACO – APRIL 13: Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece celebrates winning a game in his mens singles match against Aslan Karatsev of Russia during the second round on day three of the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters at Monte-Carlo Country Club on April 13, 2021 in Monte-Carlo, Monaco. (Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)
“I think I found ways to play my best and I couldn’t even think of the score because it was really difficult to maintain that level of consistency,” said Tsitsipas after the match.
“…But I’m really pleased I managed to deal with all the difficult moments that presented themselves in the match.”
It was a battle of the backhands as Tsitsipas and Evans entered multiple standoffs in the match, with the most notable of these being a trio of service breaks in the opening set which saw Tsitsipas gain a 4-2 lead.
Dan Evans on his way to a straight-sets defeat against Stefanos Tsitsipas. Photograph: Jean-François Badias/AP
While powerful shots forced the two to keep to their baseline, Tsitsipas came to the net on 17 occasions throughout the match, proving to be the difference in the second set. The Greek capitalised on Evans’ aggressive hits and sent a backhand volley to break for 3-1. From there, Tsitsipas went on to win the semi-final match.
To claim his first Masters 1000 title, Tsitsipas will need to defeat either Casper Ruud or Andrey Rublev in Sunday’s final, with the latter dethroning 11-time Monte Carlo winner Rafael Nadal on Friday.
“It’s great to be in the final of such prestigious, high-class event. I don’t know who I’ll get in the final, but either would definitely be a difficult opponent to face, and to fight for a title this week.”
Peter Papathanasiou, author of the memoir ‘Little One’which was greenlighted late last year to be adapted as a TV drama series, announced he will be releasing a new book, in October 2021.
“It’s a crime novel. The detective is Greek Australian. It explores themes like culture, race and migration,” Papathanasiou revealed of his new book titled ‘The Stoning’ during an interview with Canberra’s ABC Book Club show on Thursday.
“Chris Hammer, another well-known crime story writer will be launching my book in late September in Sydney and it will then be published in October. It’s also been picked up by a publisher in the UK,” said Papathanasiou also revealing that the series might not be reaching the small screen until 2024-25 dur to covid restrictions.
About the author’s first book:
‘Little One’ is the story of Peter’s discovery that he was adopted. But it is not a stock-standard adoption story.
Peter was 24, and about to embark on a PhD in genetics at the Australian National University when his mum Elizabeth sat him down and revealed an extraordinary secret that she and her husband Bill had been keeping from Peter all his life: they weren’t his parents at all, and were actually his aunt and uncle.
As it turned out, Elizabeth’s brother Savvas and his wife Anna, who lived in a small town in northern Greece, had given Peter to Elizabeth and Bill when he was just a baby in 1974—a gift because the couple were unable to conceive, which was a huge sorrow (and shame) for them among both Australia’s Greek community and their own family.
Peter began the book in 2008, with the writing process taking four years. After a few major revisions the book was published by Allen & Unwin in 2019.
Only a year later, it was green-lighted for development funding by Screen Canberra as a major TV drama series adaptation and was picked up by award-winning Greek Australian film and television director and producer Peter Andrikidis.
“The story also has a strong Canberra flavour,” said the author.
“There’s a whole history that hasn’t really been explored about how Canberra was built and grew up, and the role that migrants had after WWII in building the city.”
