My friend is dead

Just after midnight on Sunday my friend, Chris finally succumb to the effects of a failing liver. After slipping into a coma last week he died without gaining consciousness while in hospital in London. I know this because I heard the words from a friend on the phone, saw the SMS he'd been sent and read the messages on Facebook.

Of course, none of this is true, it can't be true. I spent most of yesterday deciding that all this was just an electronic illusion, a meta - data mix up. I was sure that he was not in a coma but rather had his nose in a Penguin classic, preferably something from one of the classical ancient Roman writers, or perhaps he had decided to wade through the third volume of Gibbon's Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire. He can't be dead, he's no older than me. It's just a mix up, somebody's idea of a prank.

Denial has its charms, it allows you to operate even in the face of the most terrible of news, to function even when your heart wants to break. So my friend isn't entombed in frozen vault in an antiseptic, lifeless room, he's flirting with some nurse, chatting away to her in that easy, charming way that women found so endearing, which I so envied him for.

While I am angry that such a rich life has been cut short I am trying to give meaning to what has happened and remember the person I was proud to call a friend for almost two decades, who packed more into his time on the planet than a dozen men who measure their lives in coffee spoons. I am sure he'd recognise the literary reference, just as I''m sure he'd find some witty way to dismiss its source.

New Greek PM continues family tradition

With just half the vote counted US president, Barack Obama became the first world leader to congratulate Giorgos Papandreou on his landslide victory in Greece's national elections yesterday.

In many respects the two have much in common, as much in terms of their their political outlook as their personal background. Both were born outside the mother country to parents of mixed heritage and grew up in foreign cultures. However, whereas Obama was the very epitome of a political outsider, Giorgos Papandreou's family background meant that he was, from the beginning given insider status as the son and grandson of previous Greek prime ministers, Andreas and Giorgos Papandreou.

Born in Minnesota in 1952 to socialist firebrand Andreas Papandreou and his American born wife Margaret Chant, Greece's newest prime minister followed his father's career as it took the family from America to Sweden and subsequently Greece. Like his American counterpart, Papandreou's international outlook and childhood has garnered both admiration and criticism at home where right wing critics are quick to point out any deficiencies in his Greek language skills as evidence that Papandreou is not 100% Greek.

As leader of the left of centre PASOK party which now has a comfortable majority in parliament Papandreou has announced a 100 day action plan to drag Greece's ailing economy out of recession by increasing public spending.

Critics, however, claim the country's massive public debt and crippling interest payment mean that money for such a strategy does not exist and the government will be forced to implement an austerity package to bring down public borrowing to 3% of GNP from its present 8% high.

In addition a widespread culture of corruption, lack of transparency in the state's dealings with big business, a chronically underfunded education and health system and a pension scheme on the verge of collapse means that Papandreou will not be short of difficult choices for the foreseeable future.

For more pictures check out my Demotix page.

PASOK victory rally

PASOK victory rally, originally uploaded by Teacher Dude's BBQ.

With just over half the vote counted Greece's ruling conservatives, New Democracy seem to have suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of the opposition socialist, PASOK party which has won the majority of the 300 seats in the country's parliament.

Prime minister Costas Karamanlis announced his decision to stand down as the leader of New Democracy in the wake of the elections results.

It appears that the Greek electorate have decided to lost faith in the present government whoσε re-election in 2007 was quickly followed by a series of dozens of corruption and influence peddling scandals, many involving top government officials. In addition the riots which rocked Athens and many other cities following the death of a 15 year old at the hands the police also damaged Karamanlis's public image.

However, the death knell for New Democracy was sounded by the recent forest fires which destroyed much of the area around Athens, almost two years to the day after the previous round of fires which cost the lives of 84 Greeks.

US president Barack Obama was the first foreign leader to congratulate head of PASOK, Giorgos Papandreou on his election as the country's next prime minister.

Οικολογόγοι Πράσινοι - Greece's Ecogreens party rally in Thessaloniki

Οικολογόγοι Πράσινοι - Greece's Ecogreens party, originally uploaded by Teacher Dude's BBQ.

Taken during the Ecogreens' party parliamentary campaign rally in Thessaloniki last night.

New Democracy election rally - Thessaloniki 2009

New Democracy election rally - Thessaloniki 2009, originally uploaded by Teacher Dude's BBQ.

Greek neo nazis given prime time TV slot

As I speak ET1 the Greek equivalent of BBC1 is showing a speech by members of the neo - nazi Crysi Aygi (Golden Dawn) party. So far the speaker as announced an economic program that comes right out of Mein Kampf, celled for the ethnic cleansing of the northern province of Thrace and claimed that the only people who can call themselves Greek are those who have a direct blood line. How on Earth is this nazi filth being broadcast on prime time TV by a state run television channel?

Chysi Aygi supporters have a rich history of violent attacks on immigrants, political opponents and anyone they suspect of opposing their twisted views. Yesterday singer, Sofia Papazoglou was attacked by their thugs for throwing away a leaflet she had been handed while at an Athens tube station. Last november American film maker, Ray Pride was beaten by Chysi Aygi members in the centre of Thessaloniki during a party rally.

As you can see this is not a group that can be trusted with even the slightest form of power. The more they get the more violent they become.

Recently the Greek government testified to the United Nations Human Rights Commission that no such groups exist in the country. Now they are promoting their sick program.

I'm a Mac, I'm a PC - Some EFL/ESL teaching ideas

Over the last few days I've been watching the series of ads Apple has put out to show the difference between Macs and PC's running Windows. The clips are short, witty and visually straight forward which got me thinking abut how I could use them in lessons.



One idea would be to compare the ads from US and UK and ask students what would need to be changed to make the spots more suitable for their own countries.

Another idea which I am currently trying out is students making their own videos using the same format but instead of talking about other pairs such football teams, sports, fashion brands etc. The format, however, would be the same i.e. 30 second clip using two people against a neutral background. Video cameras, digital cameras, mobile phones or webcams could all be used to create this. The editing could be done with Windows Movie Maker which comes as standard with every copies of Windows.

The benefits of doing this include students trying to write a script which sounds like natural spoken English, practicing speaking skills and getting instant feedback on their performance. And it's fun, by the way.

Κώστας Καραμανλής - Costas Karamanlis

Κώστας Καραμανλής - Costas Karamanlis , originally uploaded by Teacher Dude's BBQ.

Last night I attended the party rally held by the ruling conservative New Democracy party in the centre of Thessaloniki. With just days to go before the national elections on Sunday Prime minister Costas Karamanlis tried to fire up the troops and claw back some of the party's crumbling support. However, even traditional safe seats such as A Thessaloniki seem to slipping from New Democracy's grasp as voters sick of the government's handling of the economy and tired of their constant stream of scandals and cock ups turn their back on them.

Karamanlis went on about the opposition PASOK party's lack of responsibility, strange for a guy who turned up over an hour late for his own gig.

Although Greek law now says that I am not allowed to publish the results of the most recent opinion polls (a piece of legislation quickly cooked up by New Democracy when its polling figures started heading south) those outlaws at the Wall Street Journal appear to have no such qualms. But you didn't hear there here, did you?

Yo! Dude. Is that you?

Yo! Dude. Is that you?, originally uploaded by Teacher Dude's BBQ.

Greek prime minister Costas Karamanlis greets Teacher Dude after a party rally in Thessaloniki.