tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-172989862024-03-18T05:04:04.450+02:00Teacher Dude's Grill and BBQTalking about life in Greeceteacher dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17202858180246680798noreply@blogger.comBlogger3435125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17298986.post-14825062466392541192020-04-01T21:35:00.002+03:002020-04-01T21:36:42.210+03:00Reckoning<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-1qd0xha r-ad9z0x r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0" style="background-color: #f5f8fa; border: 0px solid black; box-sizing: border-box; color: #14171a; display: inline; font-family: , , "blinkmacsystemfont" , "segoe ui" , "roboto" , "ubuntu" , "helvetica neue" , sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.3125; margin: 0px; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;">After this is all over, there needs to be some kind of reckoning to ensure those who lead us like lambs to the slaughter during the </span><span class="r-18u37iz" style="background-color: #f5f8fa; color: #14171a; font-family: , , "blinkmacsystemfont" , "segoe ui" , "roboto" , "ubuntu" , "helvetica neue" , sans-serif; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a class="css-4rbku5 css-18t94o4 css-901oao css-16my406 r-1n1174f r-1loqt21 r-1qd0xha r-ad9z0x r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0" data-focusable="true" dir="ltr" href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVID19?src=hashtag_click" role="link" style="background-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0); border: 0px solid black; box-sizing: border-box; color: #1b95e0; cursor: pointer; display: inline; font-size: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.3125; list-style: none; margin: 0px; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; text-align: inherit; text-decoration-line: none; white-space: inherit;">#COVID19</a></span><span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-1qd0xha r-ad9z0x r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0" style="background-color: #f5f8fa; border: 0px solid black; box-sizing: border-box; color: #14171a; display: inline; font-family: , , "blinkmacsystemfont" , "segoe ui" , "roboto" , "ubuntu" , "helvetica neue" , sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.3125; margin: 0px; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;"> outbreak are called upon to account for their failures. Otherwise this whole debacle will be repeated. </span><br />
<span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-1qd0xha r-ad9z0x r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0" style="background-color: #f5f8fa; border: 0px solid black; box-sizing: border-box; color: #14171a; display: inline; font-family: , , "blinkmacsystemfont" , "segoe ui" , "roboto" , "ubuntu" , "helvetica neue" , sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.3125; margin: 0px; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-1qd0xha r-ad9z0x r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0" style="background-color: #f5f8fa; border: 0px solid black; box-sizing: border-box; color: #14171a; display: inline; font-family: , , "blinkmacsystemfont" , "segoe ui" , "roboto" , "ubuntu" , "helvetica neue" , sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.3125; margin: 0px; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;">The virus is an act of nature, the official response is not.</span><br />
<span class="css-901oao css-16my406 r-1qd0xha r-ad9z0x r-bcqeeo r-qvutc0" style="background-color: #f5f8fa; border: 0px solid black; box-sizing: border-box; color: #14171a; display: inline; font-family: , , "blinkmacsystemfont" , "segoe ui" , "roboto" , "ubuntu" , "helvetica neue" , sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 1.3125; margin: 0px; min-width: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
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teacher dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17202858180246680798noreply@blogger.com204tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17298986.post-62301625694498726522020-03-31T18:58:00.001+03:002020-03-31T18:58:47.093+03:00Are you staying home?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZPd7kTb8ASU/XoNoe-Q9ubI/AAAAAAAADVk/uW4KljZuND4s-Vz9zmG4Nzmwks0u3whWgCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/ARE%2BYOU%2BSTAYING%2BHOME.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1251" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZPd7kTb8ASU/XoNoe-Q9ubI/AAAAAAAADVk/uW4KljZuND4s-Vz9zmG4Nzmwks0u3whWgCNcBGAsYHQ/s640/ARE%2BYOU%2BSTAYING%2BHOME.JPG" width="499" /></a></div>
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teacher dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17202858180246680798noreply@blogger.com54tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17298986.post-45840328291096692132020-03-31T18:52:00.000+03:002020-03-31T18:52:08.617+03:00Manolis Glezos passed away yesterday<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Manolis Glezos, the legenadary anti-fascist resistance fighter who fought all his life against oppression all his life passed away yesterday. Here is a potrait I took of him in 2009.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/teacherdudebbq2/3356658293/in/photolist-9WWLyQ-9WWLnU-69goKh-67BKyR-6xDxS4-5UmW5e-4EZPLa-4DqhhQ" title="Manolis Glezos"><img alt="Manolis Glezos" height="428" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/3541/3356658293_9c8eacc65a_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></div>
teacher dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17202858180246680798noreply@blogger.com31tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17298986.post-4741605560459853282020-03-28T18:21:00.003+02:002020-03-28T19:53:52.643+02:00Cooking for the end of the world - Season one episode one<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Last night I had the choice of either watching Contagion (2011) and never sleeping again or cooking something from scratch. Luckily, I enjoy cooking and I find it helps calm me in stressful times. The problem is the output is outpacing my ability to consume it and storage space in my small refrigerator. However, here is a recipe which is a good way to use up stuff from your cupboards or fridge which might go to waste otherwise.</div>
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<b>Spinach, onion and feta corn bread</b></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cql3dJcqIAE/Xn95YuueugI/AAAAAAAADVE/gHPa5C39zaAYpktkxUV_JK5P5MqUjfmpQCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_20200328_122646.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cql3dJcqIAE/Xn95YuueugI/AAAAAAAADVE/gHPa5C39zaAYpktkxUV_JK5P5MqUjfmpQCNcBGAsYHQ/s400/IMG_20200328_122646.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<u>Ingredients</u></div>
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250 gr corn flour</div>
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250 gr plain flour (you can use this instead of 500 gr corn flour if you want it lighter)</div>
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2 large onions</div>
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3 cloves of garlic</div>
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250 gr spinach or any other cooked vegetable</div>
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200 gr feta cheese (optional)</div>
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Large glass of milk (water for vegan version)</div>
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large glass of vegetable oil</div>
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1 spoonful of baking powder</div>
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1 spoonful of baking soda</div>
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1 spoonful of paprika/cayenne/salt/black pepper/lemon juice</div>
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<u>Instructions</u></div>
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1 - Gently cook the sliced onions till soft, then add the chopped garlic for a minute<br />
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2 - Add the spinach and cook until wilts down.</div>
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3 - Mix the dry ingredients - flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices</div>
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4 - Add the oil and mix with the dry ingredients and then add the cooked onion and spinach.</div>
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5 - Add the lemon to the milk and then add the milk to the mix until its a thick, thick batter.</div>
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6 - Cook in a pre-heated oven at 160C for about 30-40 minutes</div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-et88Nse927g/Xn95JrNbVzI/AAAAAAAADVA/dYHGhg0X7fw_yvlaebJ_8nRQWD8M_Gg9QCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_20200328_121458.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-et88Nse927g/Xn95JrNbVzI/AAAAAAAADVA/dYHGhg0X7fw_yvlaebJ_8nRQWD8M_Gg9QCNcBGAsYHQ/s640/IMG_20200328_121458.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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teacher dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17202858180246680798noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17298986.post-77142585237109549042020-03-28T13:21:00.002+02:002020-03-28T18:31:55.315+02:00The dangerous role of machismo in COVID19 politics<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dROKMjiQR14/Xn8w9apzfII/AAAAAAAADUo/AdxBHgfTMHMYDXNyeYz_PqSiHNDs3KskQCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/corona%2Bvirus%2Bcruch%2Bcomic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="709" data-original-width="1432" height="313" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dROKMjiQR14/Xn8w9apzfII/AAAAAAAADUo/AdxBHgfTMHMYDXNyeYz_PqSiHNDs3KskQCNcBGAsYHQ/s640/corona%2Bvirus%2Bcruch%2Bcomic.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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On of the things the COVID19 crisis has exposed is the kind of macho, bullish politics practiced by many on the Right. We've all seen leaders such as US president, Donald Trump and UK prime minister, Boris Johnson play down the pandemic, dismiss experts' fears as overblown and even continue to deliberately flaunt advice on social distancing. during public appearances.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Jv2_7WdSH6g/Xn8xQ_w1lII/AAAAAAAADU0/_5-qxyh6jbQmnhsViW6kho2xuo9sRaevQCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/eurocommies%2Bcovid19%2Bcruch%2Bplague.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="1208" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Jv2_7WdSH6g/Xn8xQ_w1lII/AAAAAAAADU0/_5-qxyh6jbQmnhsViW6kho2xuo9sRaevQCNcBGAsYHQ/s640/eurocommies%2Bcovid19%2Bcruch%2Bplague.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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In addition we've seen how private health provision, which has been flaunted by economic conservatives, as a universal panacea for public health woes is in no better position to deal with these kind of mass public health issues. Indeed many of the base elements on which modern Conservative dogma is based; supremacy of the private sector, the advantages of a smaller state and the primacy of individual freedom over all other considerations, have proven to be catastrophic in dealing with a pandemic. Left unchecked the ideas of the free market ultras will literally end up wrecking the global economy and along with it, millions of people's lives.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Fue2HlzvHRc/Xn8xJg8RWZI/AAAAAAAADUs/H8kAAK5_mt4L0w11W4W1CUYwzPevbCt0QCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/trump%2Bat%2Bthe%2Bfuneral.%2Bcartoon%2Bshare%2Bholder%2Bvalue.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="902" data-original-width="1200" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Fue2HlzvHRc/Xn8xJg8RWZI/AAAAAAAADUs/H8kAAK5_mt4L0w11W4W1CUYwzPevbCt0QCNcBGAsYHQ/s400/trump%2Bat%2Bthe%2Bfuneral.%2Bcartoon%2Bshare%2Bholder%2Bvalue.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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In its most insidious form, this new political and ideological machismo is being expressed in the form of a return of the idea of Eugenics and the belief that the older and more vulnerable must be sacrificed in order for the global economy to survive. This is being expressed more bluntly in US conservative circles but there is a British version ,which although framed more delicately, is just as dangerous, We can see in the idea of 'herd immunity' which the ruling British Conservative Party was so happy to promote until they realised that it would end up crushing the nation's public health system</div>
teacher dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17202858180246680798noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17298986.post-29779343782504583362020-03-24T19:05:00.002+02:002020-03-24T19:13:20.698+02:00Latest Greek Corona virus lock down regulations<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/teacherdudebbq2/49683443252/in/dateposted/" title="Market stalls still open in the city of Thessaloniki despite Greek government's lock down"><img alt="Market stalls still open in the city of Thessaloniki despite Greek government's lock down" height="800" src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/49683443252_c8652267f3_c.jpg" width="533" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
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Greece has imposed a form of curfew in order to curb the spread of Covid19. From yesterday those outdoors need to have some reason for travelling and some form ID (passport/police ID etc). Those who are travelling to or from work need to fill in a Type A form from the Greek government site which they have to fill in. That form has to signed and their employer needs to stamp the paper There is a fine of 150 euros for those not heeding the news rules.<br />
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Type A form can be <a href="https://forma.gov.gr/docs/permit-work-commute-en.pdf" target="_blank">downloaded in English here.</a><br />
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For reasons other than work, people need a Type B form which can be <a href="https://forma.gov.gr/docs/permit-extraordinary-movement-en.pdf" target="_blank">downloaded in English here</a>.<br />
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Alternatively, y<span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">ou can send a free SMS to 13033 in the way.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">X (number listed below-space-name&address</span><br />
<br style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" />
<span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">eg 3 Giannis Papadopoulos 4 Agiou Dimitriou, Thessaloniki</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">1 Pharmacy/doctor</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">2 Supermarket etc</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">3 Banks</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">4 Giving help to member of a vulnerable group e.g shopping for an elderly neighbour.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">5 Traveling to a ceremony</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">6 Physical exercise or exercising/feeding pet</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Finally, you can </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 13px;">write out a handwritten version of this ahead of your journey. This </span></span>must contain the following information:<br />
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Full Name<br />
Home Address<br />
Reason for moving within the above permitted categories and destination address<br />
Date, Time, Signature<br />
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<span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">NOTE: Greek banks are no longer accepting payments in cash in branches and putting limits of the amount of money that can be withdrawn per day.via ATMs.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">For more info and latest development check out the <a href="https://www.keeptalkinggreece.com/" target="_blank">Keep Talking Greece blog.</a></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div>
teacher dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17202858180246680798noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17298986.post-6285208339561082152020-03-23T21:57:00.001+02:002020-03-23T22:00:07.087+02:00The Plague<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XuKm4qdGq9U/XnkSvIRHEUI/AAAAAAAADUI/AH88hYcVsa4nBXFTwbSICza66k7PUPjeQCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/%25CE%2586%2Bcamus%2Bquote%2Bthe%2Bplague%2B4%2Bsmall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1056" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XuKm4qdGq9U/XnkSvIRHEUI/AAAAAAAADUI/AH88hYcVsa4nBXFTwbSICza66k7PUPjeQCNcBGAsYHQ/s640/%25CE%2586%2Bcamus%2Bquote%2Bthe%2Bplague%2B4%2Bsmall.jpg" width="420" /></a></div>
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"There have been as many plagues as wars in history, yet always</div>
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plagues and wars take people equally by surprise."</div>
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQOfbObFOCw" target="_blank">Albert Camus </a>- The Plague (1947)</div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
You can hear the audio book <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OkbFA1GbWAY" target="_blank">here</a></div>
</div>
teacher dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17202858180246680798noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17298986.post-24238466725636737202020-03-23T09:27:00.001+02:002020-03-23T09:33:22.872+02:00Greece imposes curfew<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Yesterday the Greek government tightened up its rules concerning travel and movement. For now on people have to justify why they have left their home via some kind of official statement and carry with them either their passport or police ID. Otherwise there is a 150 euro fine.<br />
<b><br /></b>
<b>There are three ways to declare reason for travelling;</b><br />
<br />
1 Send a free text message to 13033 along with name, address and reason for travel (see below for details).<br />
<br />
2 Download, print out and fill in a form from t<a href="https://forma.gov.gr/docs/vevaiosi-kikloforias.pdf" target="_blank">his Greek government site</a>.<br />
<br />
3 Write by hand the same information - For people who are travellling to work this includes, name, home address, employer, times of travel. Full details (but only in Greek) are<a href="https://forma.gov.gr/#sms" target="_blank"> here</a><br />
<br />
Here are details for the SMS/text message option in Greek English and Arabic.<br />
<br />
Το SMS στο 13033 θα είναι της μορφής:<br />
<br />
X κενό ονοματεπώνυμο και διεύθυνση κατοικίας<br />
όπου Χ ο λόγος εξόδου με αριθμους:<br />
<br />
1. Φαρμακείο - γιατρός<br />
2. Super market κτλ<br />
3. Τράπεζα<br />
4. Παροχή βοήθειας<br />
5. Μετάβαση σε τελετή<br />
6. Σωματική άσκηση - κίνηση με κατοικίδιο - σίτιση αδέσποτων<br />
<br />
You can send a free SMS to 13033 in this way<br />
<br />
X (number listed below-space-name&address<br />
<br />
eg 3 Giannis Papadopoulos 4 Dimitriou<br />
<br />
1 Pharmacy/doctor<br />
2 Supermarket etc<br />
3 Banks<br />
4 Giving help<br />
5 Traveling to a ceremony<br />
6 Physical exercise or exercising/feeding pet<br />
<br />
بالنسبة للأشخاص الذين لا<br />
يتحدثون اليونانية<br />
إذا كنت بحاجة إلى التنقل داخل اليونان ، يمكنك إرسال رسالة قصيرة مجانية إلى 13033 بهذه الطريقة<br />
X (عدد الأسباب المذكورة أدناه) - مسافة - الاسم والعنوان<br />
على سبيل المثال 3 Giannis Papadopoulos 3 Agiou Dimitriou Thessaloniki<br />
1 صيدلية / طبيب<br />
2 سوبر ماركت الخ<br />
3 بنوك<br />
4 إعطاء المساعدة<br />
5 السفر لحفل<br />
6 ممارسة الرياضة البدنية أو ممارسة / تغذية الحيوانات الأليفة</div>
teacher dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17202858180246680798noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17298986.post-54683762492640275422020-03-20T09:59:00.001+02:002020-03-20T14:45:19.836+02:00The Corona Blog<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5edgX9T67XE/XnS53m8GwqI/AAAAAAAADTs/sMwHjLEgyj0aKAvWXwR3MMl4vZsNqtnDwCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/cwck2y.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="842" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5edgX9T67XE/XnS53m8GwqI/AAAAAAAADTs/sMwHjLEgyj0aKAvWXwR3MMl4vZsNqtnDwCNcBGAsYHQ/s400/cwck2y.jpg" width="210" /></a></div>
I'm not sleeping. Or rather I'm not sleeping enough. Every night this week I've woken up around 4 or 5 o'clock and been unable to get back to sleep. However, unlike this is no '4 AM of the soul' kind of insomnia, driven by existential questions about what will happen to me in the future. No, this is far more concrete and far scarier. The Corona virus outbreak has been in Greece for weeks now and the news just keeps on getting grimmer and grimmer with restrictions on movement becoming ever tighter. There's even talk of a possible curfew over the weekend, though what this depends on seems unclear.<br />
<br />
Officially the number of COVID-19 cases in Greece seems to be rising slowly, with just 30 or 40 new ones per day. The number of deaths is currently six, in both cases the figures are far lower than in many other places, yet it is very hard to get accurate, independent information. The current Greek government, like so many before it, always attempts to bury or ignore bad news. The fact that so much of the local mainstream media is willing to support the ruling conservatives New Democracy party, just adds to their ability to present whatever message they see fit.<br />
<br />
During the recent tensions on the Greek-Turkish border, example of extreme abuse of migrants and refugees by Greek security forces only came to light due to the work of foreign news crews. Even then, the government and their many supporters in domestic media were happy to decry all such incidents as 'fake news' without feeling the need to provide any kind of evidence to support their claims. I'm worried that this same pattern will be repeated, either in the name of national security or for less honourable reasons of party self-interest.<br />
<br />
Whatever the true picture is, the good news is that ordinary Greeks are taking the official instructions about self-isolation, social distancing and other preventive measures in deadly earnest. The streets are not empty yet, but the number of those out and about is far, far lower than before. The thing is we are having a gloriously mild spring and the weather seems perfect for going out and relaxing at a cafe or in park. Not that this is possible as all the cafes, bars, restaurants have been closed down for anything other than take away.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ey_FY8aDQ7k/XnS5LO_o9hI/AAAAAAAADTg/5SwQtwVxikwF4DknrOmQOwc0XJe2KohSQCNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_609jjj5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1150" height="640" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ey_FY8aDQ7k/XnS5LO_o9hI/AAAAAAAADTg/5SwQtwVxikwF4DknrOmQOwc0XJe2KohSQCNcBGAsYHQ/s640/IMG_609jjj5.JPG" width="459" /></a></div>
<br />
This morning, once again unable to sleep beyond 5 AM, I decided to stock up once again just in case the talks of a weekend curfew proves to true. The local supermarket security guard was carefully controlling the flow of people entering and there were gloves for customers who wanted them. The shelves are still full and there are few shortages, with the one exception of yeast. It turns out Greece is once again turning into a nation of home bakers, a folk reaction, perhaps, to previous crises and disaster the nation has been through in living memory.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3sQ0w58Ojhk/XnS5qyyOSoI/AAAAAAAADTo/kTugSS3oasYGbBVwjpO2oG6NyCn15K5iACNcBGAsYHQ/s1600/law%2Bof%2Bsupply%2Band%2Bdemand.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="899" data-original-width="1600" height="222" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3sQ0w58Ojhk/XnS5qyyOSoI/AAAAAAAADTo/kTugSS3oasYGbBVwjpO2oG6NyCn15K5iACNcBGAsYHQ/s400/law%2Bof%2Bsupply%2Band%2Bdemand.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
I remember when I first came to Greece, my then girlfriend, Athena had invited me to her place and I still remember vividly standing in her kitchen as she explained in an somewhat embarrassed way why all the cupboard space was full of bags of sugar, sacks of flour and large 5 litre metal containers with olive oil called 'teneke'. This was something her mother always insisted on having in the home, a relic of the difficult times she had lived as a young child during the German occupation of Greece in WWII. Then, a collapse in food production and distribution to the cities caused widespread famine which killed tens of thousands. Even so many years later, after most Greeks had achieved the kind of material comfort and prosperity undreamt of by previous generations, the memories of those difficult times still haunted Athena's mother and many other members of her generation.<br />
<br />
And not just her. The sudden spike in prices for things like surgical masks and hand gel was termed 'black marketing' by many and the urge by some, especially those who have the wealth and power to exploit a crisis reappeared. TV stations, owned by some of the richest <br />
men in Greece were full of their own ads for 25 euro packs of masks. A week ago those same six masks would have cost just a few euros from any pharmacy. The fact that these very same TV stations are the ones who are so happy to support the government and act as PR agents just add to my anxiety.<br />
<br />
The funny thing is that I stopped blogging regularly here just as another crisis was starting in 2015. Then I ended up heading a refugee solidarity group that worked in the camps on Greece's northern border for six months and I saw just how bad things can get when things fall apart. </div>
teacher dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17202858180246680798noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17298986.post-34198507023220619942018-05-21T14:06:00.001+03:002018-05-21T14:06:03.912+03:00WEIL SIE UNS BRAUCHEN <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US"><i>Liebe
Freundinnen und Freunde,</i></span></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<i><br /></i><span lang="en-US"><i></i></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zw5CRYwyS40/WwKn3flP8WI/AAAAAAAADNg/h0Jc0wfZbNcYMiPiA64_5zvvzGt8Ml7iwCLcBGAs/s1600/DSC_3742.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="370" data-original-width="555" height="266" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zw5CRYwyS40/WwKn3flP8WI/AAAAAAAADNg/h0Jc0wfZbNcYMiPiA64_5zvvzGt8Ml7iwCLcBGAs/s400/DSC_3742.JPG" width="400" /></a></i></div>
<br />
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a>
<span lang="en-US"><i>Wir sind uns eurer Einfühlungsvermögens und
eurer Aufmerksamkeit bewusst, sowie eurer außerordentlichen Arbeit
an allen die in Nöten sind, und wir wollen euch über die Situation
geflüchteter Menschen in Griechenland und speziell in Thessaloniki,
sowie der Umgebung in Nordgriechenland informieren</i></span></div>
<div class="western" lang="en-US" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">Dadurch
dass mehr und mehr Konflikte in Syrien und in den umgebenden Gebieten
entstehen, sind mehr Menschen auf der Flucht, verlassen ihr Zuhause
und suchen Zuflucht in Europa. Als Ergebnis gab es eine erhebliche
Zahl von geflüchteten Menschen in den vergangenen vier Monaten die
zu uns kamen. Die große Mehrheit der Ankömmlinge sind Familien mit
minderjährigen Kindern, ältere Menschen, aber auch alleinstehende
Personen.</span></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">In
Thessaloniki sind es im Moment täglich ca. vierzig bis zu ein paar
hundert Menschen, die neu ankommen. Nur wenige der in den vergangenen
zwei Jahren durch die Regierung eingerichteten Ankunftszentren sind
noch in Betrieb und sicherlich sind es nicht genug um all die
ankommenden Geflüchteten zu beherbergen. Die drei großen Camps rund
um Thessaloniki sind ca. 50-70 km entfernt von der Stadt. Zudem
können sie ausschließlich eine bloße Unterkunft für die
Neuankömmlinge sein.</span></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">Dadurch
dass diese Einrichtungen bereits überfüllt sind, müssen viele
Menschen in den Straßen bleiben. An vielen Orten in Thessaloniki
sind Familien gezwungen auf dem Gehweg zu schlafen, ohne jegliche
Unterstützung des Staates.</span></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">Wir,
die Menschen der Ökologischen Bewegung Thessaloniki und Oikopolis,
sehen es als unsere Pflicht, diese Menschen auf ihrem schwierigen Weg
ein Stück Sicherheit zu gewährleisten und wir arbeiten eng mit
allen Organisationen und Gruppen von Freiwilligen zusammen, die in
unserer Stadt engagiert sind.</span></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-o4uEQZ-HglY/WwKoDjnkwOI/AAAAAAAADNk/N--l4_Dj4ekTMKjb74QqQ1GfYP8YqBUBQCLcBGAs/s1600/DSC_3764.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="370" data-original-width="555" height="266" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-o4uEQZ-HglY/WwKoDjnkwOI/AAAAAAAADNk/N--l4_Dj4ekTMKjb74QqQ1GfYP8YqBUBQCLcBGAs/s400/DSC_3764.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="western" lang="en-US" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">Um
diesen Menschen zu helfen, versuchen wir dauerhaft</span></div>
<ul>
<li><div style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">zu
kochen und warme Mahlzeiten sowie Obst und Gemüse zu verteilen</span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">ihnen
unverderbliche Lebensmittel anzubieten, damit sie in ihren Wohnungen
und in den Camps kochen können</span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">sie
mit Hygieneartikeln für Erwachsene und für Kinder zu versorgen</span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">Babymilch
anzubieten, sowie die Möglichkeit, diese bei uns zuzubereiten</span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">sie
bei der medizinischen Versorgung zu unterstützen</span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">Kleider
zu sammeln und zu verteilen, ebenso Schuhe, Schlafsäcke, Zelte und
alles was den obdachlosen Menschen hilft</span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">Kostenlosen
Englisch- und Griechischunterricht anzubieten</span></div>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Wir
sammeln alle zur Verfügung stehenden Vorräte und wären dankbar,
wenn jemand etwas aus der folgenden Liste beitragen könnte:</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Babymilch
und Babynahrung</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Windeln
und Feuchttücher</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
Buggies,
Kinderwägen und Tragetücher</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">Hygieneprodukte,
Seife etc.</span></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">Reis
und Nudeln</span></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">Hülsenfrüchte</span></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">Öl
(Sonnenblumenöl, Olivenöl)</span></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">Obst
und Gemüse</span></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">Männerschuhe
und –kleidung</span></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">Kinderschuhe
und –kleidung</span></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">Socken
und Unterwäsche</span></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">Rucksäcke</span></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">Schlafsäcke</span></div>
<div class="western" lang="en-US" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US"><i>Jede
finanzielle Unterstützung ist ebenso sehr geschäzt!</i></span></div>
<div class="western" lang="en-US" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">Unsere
Kontaktdaten:</span></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">Tel:
0030 2310222503 - email: <a href="mailto:oikopolis.social.center@gmail.com">oikopolis.social.center@gmail.com</a></span></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">Oder
besucht uns:</span></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/oikopolis.social.center/" target="_blank">ΟΙΚΟΠΟΛΙΣ/ΕCOPOLIS</a>,
Ptolemeon 29a, 5th floor, Thessaloniki</span></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">Oder
schaut euch unsere Seite an:</span></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">https://www.facebook.com/oikopolis.social.center/</span></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">Oder
gebt eine Spende an folgende Bankverbindung:</span></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">ΕΘΝΙΚΗ
ΤΡΑΠΕΖΑ / NATIONAL BANK OF GREECE</span></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">IBAN
GR2301102170000021729602652</span></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">Swift
code: ETHNGRAAXXX</span></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">ΟΙΚΟΛΟΓΙΚΗ
ΚΙΝΗΣΗ Ν. ΘΕΣ/ΝΙΚΗΣ</span></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">ECOLOGICAL
MOVEMENT OF THESSALONIKI</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br />
</div>
<br /></div>
teacher dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17202858180246680798noreply@blogger.com301tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17298986.post-49723921177912431322018-05-17T13:36:00.000+03:002018-05-17T13:41:58.081+03:00Call for help and solidarity in support of refugees in northern Greece<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_a_HsD4X1Q0/Wv1awEpTxZI/AAAAAAAADNU/sPOi03ZjuqI4kJN9-hYFligywODohRn5ACLcBGAs/s1600/DSC_1651.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="370" data-original-width="555" height="266" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_a_HsD4X1Q0/Wv1awEpTxZI/AAAAAAAADNU/sPOi03ZjuqI4kJN9-hYFligywODohRn5ACLcBGAs/s400/DSC_1651.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US"><i>Dear
friends,</i></span></div>
<div class="western" lang="en-US" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US"><i> we would like to inform you about
the refugee situation in Greece and specifically in the city of
Thessaloniki and the surrounding Macedonia region in the hope you can help us con tend with the growing crisis.</i></span></div>
<div class="western" lang="en-US" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">As
more and more conflict arises in Syria and the surrounding areas,
more people are fleeing, leaving their homes behind to seek refuge in
Europe.</span></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">There
has been a considerably large incoming wave of refugees during the
past four months, as a result of the recent strikes. The vast
majority of the refugees arriving are families with underaged
children and elders, as well as individuals.</span></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">In
Thessaloniki, there are a few tens to a few hundreds of arrivals per
day. Only very few of the hospitality centers set up by the
government in the past two years are still working and they are
certainly not enough to host all the arriving refugees. The three
centers around Thessaloniki are about 50 to 70 km away from the city
and can only offer housing to the newly arrived.</span></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">But
since these facilities are already overcrowded, a lot of people have
to stay in the streets. In many places in Thessaloniki, families are
forced to sleep on the sidewalks, without any support from the state.</span></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US"><br /></span></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">We,
the people of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/oikopolis.social.center/" target="_blank">the Ecological Movement of Thessaloniki and Oikopolis</a>,
consider it our duty to support these people during their rough
journey towards safety and we collaborate closely with all the
organizations and volunteer groups that are engaged in our city. </span>
</div>
<div class="western" lang="en-US" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">In
order to help these people we constantly try to:</span></div>
<ul>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">Cook and
distribute hot meals and fruits - vegetables for people that don’t
have any access to cooked food.</span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">Provide them
with raw materials for cooking in their houses or in the camps.</span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">Supply them
with personal hygiene products for adults and children as well</span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">Offer baby milk
as well as the possibility to prepare it in our place</span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">Support them
with their medical expenses</span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">Collect and
distribute clothes , shoes, sleeping bags, tents and anything else
that will help them if they are homeless.</span></div>
</li>
<li><div style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">Have free
English and Greek language lessons</span></div>
</li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9gREC_LzrMY/Wv1aeHsUUjI/AAAAAAAADNM/E53V99uLjbYTjt1ShffBbYy8QI5LmwOeACLcBGAs/s1600/DSC_3742.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="370" data-original-width="555" height="265" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9gREC_LzrMY/Wv1aeHsUUjI/AAAAAAAADNM/E53V99uLjbYTjt1ShffBbYy8QI5LmwOeACLcBGAs/s400/DSC_3742.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="western" lang="en-US" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US"><i><b>We
are gathering all available supplies and we would be grateful if
anyone would like to contribute any of the following: </b></i></span>
</div>
<div class="western" lang="en-US" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">Baby
formula and baby food</span></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">Baby
diapers and wet wipes</span></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">Strollers
and baby carriers </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">Personal
hygiene and care goods, soaps etc.</span></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">Rice
and pasta </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="fr-FR">Legumes
(beans, chickpeas, lentils etc.) </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">Flour,
Oil (sunflower oil, olive oil) </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">Fruit
and vegetables</span></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">Men’s
clothes and shoes </span>
</div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">Children’s
clothes and shoes</span></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">Socks
and underwear</span></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">Backpacks</span></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">Sleeping
bags</span></div>
<div class="western" lang="en-US" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US"><i>Any
financial contribution will also be highly appreciated!</i></span></div>
<div class="western" lang="en-US" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US"><i>You
can contact us at:</i></span></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">Tel:
0030 2310222503 - email: oikopolis.social.center@gmail.com</span></div>
<div class="western" lang="en-US" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US"><i>Visit
us at:</i></span></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">ΟΙΚΟΠΟΛΙΣ/ΕCOPOLIS,
Ptolemeon 29a, 5th floor, Thessaloniki</span></div>
<div class="western" lang="en-US" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a>
<span lang="en-US"><i>Visit our pages:</i></span></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/oikopolis.social.center/"><span lang="en-US">https://www.facebook.com/oikopolis.social.center/</span></a></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/SupportRefugeesInGreece/"><span lang="en-US">https://www.facebook.com/SupportRefugeesInGreece/</span></a></div>
<div class="western" lang="en-US" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US"><i>Make
a donation at the following account:</i></span></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">ΕΘΝΙΚΗ
ΤΡΑΠΕΖΑ / NATIONAL BANK OF GREECE</span></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">IBAN
GR2301102170000021729602652</span></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">Swift
code: ETHNGRAAXXX</span></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">ΟΙΚΟΛΟΓΙΚΗ
ΚΙΝΗΣΗ Ν. ΘΕΣ/ΝΙΚΗΣ</span></div>
<div class="western" style="line-height: 0.53cm; margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<span lang="en-US">ECOLOGICAL
MOVEMENT OF THESSALONIKI</span></div>
<div class="western" style="margin-bottom: 0cm;">
<br /></div>
<br /></div>
teacher dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17202858180246680798noreply@blogger.com44tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17298986.post-81074111846888551082018-05-17T13:27:00.001+03:002018-05-17T13:27:13.936+03:00Back in the saddle again<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
It's been a long time since I last wrote a post here but I decided I would revive this platform as I have started to work with refugees once again here in Thessaloniki, northern Greece. Despite what much of the media say, the crisis has not gone away and indeed over the last few months has grown more intense in the parts of Greece such such as the islands of Lesbos, Chios and Samos, whilst here in the north the number of people fleeing war, persecution and poverty has doubled and doubled again.<br />
<br />
If you're curious about what I have been doing over the last year, check out my <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/teacherdudebbq2/" target="_blank">Flickr page here</a>.<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
teacher dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17202858180246680798noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17298986.post-75951309241569613122017-05-29T15:10:00.002+03:002017-05-29T15:10:48.702+03:00The Secret Diary Of The Best President Ever <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rwTw8YAFqcM/WSwPdBMQxUI/AAAAAAAADBM/ivms1gPSN2AJzT1YpJF4oDk3tjYw2_qZwCLcB/s1600/scret%2Bdiary%2Bof%2Bthe%2Bbest%2Bpresident%2BeverFemale%2Bwhite%2Btshirt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1000" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rwTw8YAFqcM/WSwPdBMQxUI/AAAAAAAADBM/ivms1gPSN2AJzT1YpJF4oDk3tjYw2_qZwCLcB/s640/scret%2Bdiary%2Bof%2Bthe%2Bbest%2Bpresident%2BeverFemale%2Bwhite%2Btshirt.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
For more from <a href="http://thebestpresidentever.blogspot.gr/" target="_blank">The Secret Diary Of The Best President Ever click here.</a></div>
teacher dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17202858180246680798noreply@blogger.com31tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17298986.post-53365346426758686382017-05-25T13:05:00.002+03:002017-05-29T15:08:16.744+03:00Don and Mike's Big Adventure<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
A short account of his first foreign visit by Donald J, Trump, President of The United Sates of America.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8-qwU27gpMQ/WSb7rj04cMI/AAAAAAAAC7w/_rqYbep_LeI-ixqQU4jdPaWLOQG2PZTiACLcB/s1600/donald%2Btrump%2Bholiday%2Bbreak%2Bpage%2B1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1169" data-original-width="826" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8-qwU27gpMQ/WSb7rj04cMI/AAAAAAAAC7w/_rqYbep_LeI-ixqQU4jdPaWLOQG2PZTiACLcB/s640/donald%2Btrump%2Bholiday%2Bbreak%2Bpage%2B1.jpg" width="451" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nlNOmj3Y0QQ/WSasOQkI3hI/AAAAAAAAC7c/Y5tDnFEnzoABF24WOB2ZgL9-z3LAOnpNgCLcB/s1600/donald%2Btrump%2Bholiday%2Bbreak%2Bpage%2B2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1169" data-original-width="826" height="640" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nlNOmj3Y0QQ/WSasOQkI3hI/AAAAAAAAC7c/Y5tDnFEnzoABF24WOB2ZgL9-z3LAOnpNgCLcB/s640/donald%2Btrump%2Bholiday%2Bbreak%2Bpage%2B2.jpg" width="451" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ax10fWaxoB8/WSasTHjWCqI/AAAAAAAAC7g/bCtIyeRTp30xl3UP5Hf-GpNC8TFhHQuIQCLcB/s1600/donald%2Btrump%2Bholiday%2Bbreak.%2Bpage%2B3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1169" data-original-width="826" height="640" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ax10fWaxoB8/WSasTHjWCqI/AAAAAAAAC7g/bCtIyeRTp30xl3UP5Hf-GpNC8TFhHQuIQCLcB/s640/donald%2Btrump%2Bholiday%2Bbreak.%2Bpage%2B3.jpg" width="451" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
For more from <a href="http://thebestpresidentever.blogspot.gr/" target="_blank">The Secret Diary Of The Best President Ever click here</a></div>
</div>
teacher dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17202858180246680798noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17298986.post-16840457203658685412017-04-23T12:25:00.001+03:002017-04-23T12:26:27.674+03:00Passing through - memories from the Western Balkan Route<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/teacherdudebbq2/33391978553" nbsp="" title="Batons Vs babies - Idomeni, On the Greek-Macedonian border in August 2015"><img alt="Batons Vs babies - Idomeni, On the Greek-Macedonian border in August 2015" height="333" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2848/33391978553_ba6ef3f845.jpg" width="500" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
<br />
I took this photograph in August, 2015 in the neutral zone that separates Greece from it's northern neighbour, Macedonia. Then, the village of Idomeni was unknown, even to the vast majority of Greeks. A tiny railway crossing that for some reason was fast becoming the focal point for refugees taking the Western Balkan Route from Turkey to the countries of northern Europe.<br />
<br />
However, this day was different, instead of tens or hundreds making their surreptitiously across the border to catch the north bound train in the town of Gevgeliji, thousands had been left stranded by the decision by the Macedonian government to close down the unofficial crossing point and deploy both riot police and border troops to enforce this decision.<br />
<br />
With summer temperatures reaching 35C+ these people were left to fend for themselves in the fields around the tiny railways station on the Greek side of the border, Drinking water was virtually non-existent and refugees were reduced to drinking water from the irrigation systems in nearby fields, and sanitary facilities were just a handful of portoloos that quickly became unusable due to the demands of so many people.<br />
<br />
The fact that the border had been closed came as no surprise as this had been a fairly regular occurrence all through the summer of 2015 as EU and Balkan governments vacillated over what to do with the ever increasing number of refugees and migrants fleeing the fighting in Syria and Afghanistan and poverty in other regions of the world.<br />
<br />
This confusion manifested itself as an endlessly changing policy on the part of the Greek authorities and in particular, the police who would turn a blind eye to refugees making their way from the Greek islands to Idomeni and then suddenly introduce bans of movement in the north. Not, that such moves made much of difference to the numbers of refugees moving north, if the trains were denied them, refugees took the local buses or taxis. In the worst cases when all other options were denied them , they simply walked, guided the 70 km from the nearest large city, Thessaloniki by Google maps.<br />
<br />
However, not only the Greek authorities but also their Macedonia counterparts had started to clamp down on refugee movement and not only were the borders more tightly guarded, the train that connected Gevgeliji with Belgrade had been suspended, the daily service completely overwhelmed by the scale of the passenger flow.<br />
<br />
Yet, the border was still relatively porous and the nothing to mark it out but a dusty series of paths and raggedy hedges that separated Macedonian and Greek fields. With nothing in the way of natural or man made barriers to deter them , many made the dash to the nearby town , chased down by Macedonia police or border units in the wheat fields.<br />
<br />
On the other hand while this was an option for healthy young people with a sense of adventure, it was really possible for the bulk of refugees who were travelling in family groups, often with older relatives or young children, Instead, they sweltered in the summer heat, waiting for the travel rules to change once again as they has so many times before.<br />
<br />
The local solidarity groups that had been helping those making the journey north since 2014 were overwhelmed by the sudden increase in the scale of the numbers of refugees suddenly amassed in Idomeni and so appeals groups across northern Greece to come and help out. I managed to wing a place on a convoy of cars and vans that had set out from Thessaloniki, carrying drinking water, cooked food, clothing and sanitary items. I had been doing this with my group since May and I thought my experience would help in this situation and in that I was completely and utterly wrong.<br />
<br />
Not only was the scale of the crisis much greater than I had previously experienced, the state of those in need was far more precarious. Instead of providing food and clothing to those who were tired and weary from their journey from Athens to Thessaloniki, these people were in need of far more and as a result more desperate. It was a combination that required all those providing help and required a degree of discipline and organisation that we had till then not obtained.It quickly became clear that if we were not to create more problems then we were solving then we would have to up our game.<br />
<br />
The experience and failures I witnessed that day would prove invaluable when our group started going up to Idomeni on a regular basis later on in September and till the route was finally shut down for good in March 2017.<br />
<br /></div>
teacher dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17202858180246680798noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17298986.post-10093995924337421522017-03-03T21:50:00.000+02:002017-03-03T21:50:12.828+02:00Preparing for Clean Monday<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
People shopping in the central market of Thessaloniki for <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clean_Monday" target="_blank">Clean Monday</a> public holiday in Greece.<br />
<br />
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/teacherdudebbq2/33057083371/in/dateposted-public/" nbsp="" title="Thessaloniki central market"><img alt="Thessaloniki central market" height="333" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/4/3842/33057083371_f067d011d1.jpg" width="500" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
<br />
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/teacherdudebbq2/32802557370/in/dateposted-public/" nbsp="" title="Market stall in Thessaloniki central market"><img alt="Market stall in Thessaloniki central market" height="333" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/4/3831/32802557370_b2032744a5.jpg" width="500" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></div>
teacher dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17202858180246680798noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17298986.post-72075257871607762992017-03-03T21:38:00.002+02:002017-03-03T21:38:35.198+02:00Moving north<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/teacherdudebbq2/31967658353/in/dateposted-public/" nbsp="" title="Five for Europe - Refugees at the Idomeni transit camp - 2015"><img alt="Five for Europe - Refugees at the Idomeni transit camp - 2015" height="333" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/495/31967658353_f42a3d5c80.jpg" width="500" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
<br />
A reminder of what I was doing last year in the refugee transit camp in Idomeni on the Greek border.</div>
teacher dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17202858180246680798noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17298986.post-19312488609729662382017-03-03T21:30:00.000+02:002017-03-03T21:34:52.984+02:00The traditional "bell ringers" from Greece and many other parts of the Balkans gathered in Thessaloniki<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/teacherdudebbq2/32817259986/in/dateposted-public/" nbsp="" title="Every year folk troupes from villages around Greece and other Balkan nations perform "bell dances""><img alt="Every year folk troupes from villages around Greece and other Balkan nations perform "bell dances"" height="333" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/607/32817259986_52dccacea9.jpg" width="500" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
<br />
<br />
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/teacherdudebbq2/32043524703/in/dateposted-public/" nbsp="" title="Bulgarian folk dancer"><img alt="Bulgarian folk dancer" height="333" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/720/32043524703_837c12d148.jpg" width="500" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
<br />
These dances were used to drive off evil spirits with the sound of their bells and so ensure health and prosperity for the whole community in the coming year.</div>
teacher dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17202858180246680798noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17298986.post-81092418462735864872017-01-30T22:41:00.001+02:002017-01-30T22:42:26.559+02:00Join the resistance<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SohIADoyIaw/WI-kuga4oCI/AAAAAAAAC54/aYVE97toY30GItvHKkLWDasf0k3W4LgIQCLcB/s1600/join%2Bthe%2Bresistance8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="282" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SohIADoyIaw/WI-kuga4oCI/AAAAAAAAC54/aYVE97toY30GItvHKkLWDasf0k3W4LgIQCLcB/s400/join%2Bthe%2Bresistance8.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
teacher dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17202858180246680798noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17298986.post-40252996198199644982017-01-27T19:29:00.000+02:002017-01-28T11:53:47.514+02:00Teaching language via story telling.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Story telling seems to be hard wired into us and tapping that deeply rooted need is a great way to get students to be more creative and expressive in the foreign language they wish to learn. Nowadays, with the advent of ever cheaper hardware and a ready supply of free-to-use applications, the cost of using such equipment in lessons has dropped significantly.<br />
<br />
Here is a teaching idea that utilises such opportunities. A number of different aspects of language can be practiced with this exercise and it encourages active production in written form while creating dialogues and via the recording section it encourages students to listen to themselves and change their performances in response.<br />
<br />
This is a long term project that will need multiple lessons and much will be best assigned for homework, also it requires the teacher to be comfortable with the software used and so is not for the technologically faint hearted. However, to simplify the procedure the video segment could be omitted and student could record themselves on their smart phones.<br />
<br />
<b>The level of the lesson depends very much on the source material chosen but could range from near beginner to advanced.</b><br />
<br />
<b>You'll need:</b><br />
<br />
-Access to PC with a microphone and speakers and ideally the internet (useful but not absolutely<br />
necessary).<br />
-<a href="https://thepiratebay.org/browse/602" target="_blank">Comics in digital form</a> or scanned pages from regular comics<br />
-Windows Movie Maker<br />
-An image processing app/program such as Windows Paint./Photoshop or <a href="https://www.gimp.org/downloads/" target="_blank">GIMP</a>.<br />
-<a href="http://www.audacityteam.org/download/" target="_blank">Audacity</a> a free audio editor and recorder program (Optional).<br />
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Many comics in digital form come in .CBR/CBZ and other similar formats which means you'll need a special program to read them on a PC e.g. <a href="http://www.cdisplayex.com/" target="_blank">Comic Book Reader</a>. However, this format cannot be read by image processing programs, To make them compatible you'll have to <a href="https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20061202174728AA462nb" target="_blank">decompress or "unzip"</a> them. which you can easily do by right clicking with your mouse or touch pad the file you need and decompressing it.The result will be that every page will become a jpg image file which you can then use with the other programs mentioned here.<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #767676; font-family: "lato" , sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">.</span><br />
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<b>Lesson Plan</b><br />
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There are three possible options for this stage of the lesson, you can use a comic strip with no dialogue e.g. Tiny Titan's Beast Boy or you could use a strip with dialogue and either let students read existing dialogue or blank out the speech bubbles and let students replace it with their own - see Star Wars Rebels example.<br />
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Once again the choice of comic strip also will reflect what kind of language structure, and/or vocabulary is being practiced/taught. Also whether the project will be best done by individual students or in groups is on best decided by the teacher. The exercise is very open ended and can be adapted for any number of language teaching items. This plan is a general introduction to the concepts rather than a step-by-step guide. Also the burden of much of the preparation will have to be taken up by the teacher unless you want to spend hours explaining several different programs to your students.<br />
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You will need to cut up the comic strip into sets of one, two or three using your image processing program and then add these images to the the Windows Movie Maker program (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hXTTA4INO8" target="_blank">Here is a video tutorial on how to use WWM)</a>. To add your dialogue to the video you can use the existing recorder function that WMM has or record them via <a href="http://www.audacityteam.org/download/" target="_blank">Audacity</a>, an excellent free to use studio recording program, in which case you'll need to add the audio files separately to your WMM project.</div>
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You'll then need to adjust the length of time the images stay on screen in order to fit images and dialogue (the video tutorial mentioned above explains how to do this)..</div>
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<b>BE WARNED</b>: Recording dialogue correctly is a time consuming process and your students will probably need multiple takes before you or they are happy with the final result. However, this is the heart of the exercise as it requires students to listen to themselves closely and correct any mistakes made in pronunciation. The time spent is well worth the results.</div>
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The downside is that older student often recoil from the sound of their own voice, the upside is that it makes them aware of long term issues and allows them to improve enormously.</div>
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Instead of using comics, you could also use children's books or pages from a school text book.</div>
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teacher dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17202858180246680798noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17298986.post-12987788483729346432017-01-22T12:07:00.002+02:002017-01-22T12:07:30.372+02:00Civics in the era of Trump is set for a shake up<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Ok, kids, what are the three branches on the US government?</div>
teacher dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17202858180246680798noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17298986.post-81083539181067642692017-01-20T13:05:00.003+02:002017-01-20T13:09:19.469+02:00Energy poverty and pollution in Greece<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/teacherdudebbq2/32331275545/in/dateposted-public/" nbsp="" title="A symptom of Greek economic crisis is air pollution as people switch to burning wood instead of more heavily taxed heating oil/electricity"><img alt="A symptom of Greek economic crisis is air pollution as people switch to burning wood instead of more heavily taxed heating oil/electricity" height="333" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/673/32331275545_0211290679.jpg" width="500" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/teacherdudebbq2/32331260755/in/dateposted-public/" nbsp="" title="Greece's economic crisis grinds on for yet another year"><img alt="Greece's economic crisis grinds on for yet another year" height="333" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/712/32331260755_b4ecd45896.jpg" width="500" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
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One of the symptom or perhaps better put, a victim of the economic crisis in Greece is air quality, especially in large cities such as Athens and Thessaloniki as people switch from using heating oil and electricity to burning wood in order to heat their homes.<br />
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The government's attempt to claw in revenue by massively increasing taxation on the heating oil that used to be the staple of central heating boilers in many urban apartment blocks has seen many residents abandon them, unable to pay for the oil that fuelled them. In addition, in Greece people are wary of running up massive electricity bills and so are loathed to rely just on it for heating.<br />
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In their place many people have returned to traditional wood burning stoves which produce far more air pollution than other forms of heating and in built up urban areas have led to a serious decline in air quality, especially when combined with other sources of smog such as car exhaust fumes.<br />
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The recent bitterly cold spell in Greece dramatically brought to the fore energy poverty, yet another entry in a long list of woes that Greeks have had to face since the start of the economic crisis in 2009. Even after years of supposed bail outs and mandated economic "adjustments" (Read cuts in health, educational spending, pensions etc) the economy continues to wither and die on the vine, starved on capital and the prospect of improvement any time soon.</div>
teacher dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17202858180246680798noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17298986.post-21344635831043490142017-01-20T12:48:00.000+02:002017-01-20T12:50:50.024+02:00Snow bound Thessaloniki<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/teacherdudebbq2/31405866844/in/dateposted-public/" nbsp="" title="Feeding pigeons in the park"><img alt="Feeding pigeons in the park" height="333" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/694/31405866844_f389a94da1.jpg" width="500" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/teacherdudebbq2/32233376425/in/dateposted-public/" nbsp="" title="Passengers waiting for buses in snow storm"><img alt="Passengers waiting for buses in snow storm" height="333" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/286/32233376425_85319832d8.jpg" width="500" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/teacherdudebbq2/32246924325/in/dateposted-public/" nbsp="" title="The church of Holy Wisdom - Thessaloniki, Greece"><img alt="The church of Holy Wisdom - Thessaloniki, Greece" height="333" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/262/32246924325_8244919a80.jpg" width="500" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
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Thankfully, the worst of the recent cold snap is over here in Thessaloniki. Last week temperatures nose dived far below zero and the city was blanketed with snow for the first time in years, According to some accounts it was coldest spell Thessaloniki has experienced since the 1930s. As result many were left without heating and water as gas and water pipes froze then cracked open. To add to people's woes electricity supplies were affected in many areas, making for a particularly miserable week for some.<br />
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teacher dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17202858180246680798noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17298986.post-52274691993944911182017-01-12T16:11:00.000+02:002017-01-12T21:14:42.902+02:00The winter crisis in Greece - refugees left in limbo as those in charge pass the buck<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/teacherdudebbq2/31857536340/in/dateposted-public/" nbsp="" title="Cold Kills Refugees"><img alt="Cold Kills Refugees" height="354" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/357/31857536340_29beb60064.jpg" width="500" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
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After days of anticipation, the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/January_2017_European_cold_wave" target="_blank">Ariadni cold wave</a> finally hit Greece a few days ago bring polar temperatures and heavy snowfall across across the country. Not only was this spate of bad weather predicted days in advance, it was the butt of many jokes and sarcastic comments on Facebook and Twitter as the full force of the front hit nearly two days later than had been originally forecast. So why the Greek authorities and the large international NGOs who help run many of the camps were taken so completely by surprise by the event is something of a surprise in itself. While many ordinary Greeks were left without water and electricity by the extreme cold, those worst hit were many of the <a href="http://www.ekathimerini.com/212049/article/ekathimerini/news/identified-refugees-migrants-exceed-60000-in-greece" target="_blank">60,000 refugees</a> still living in tents and abandoned industrial buildings in makeshift camps.<br />
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On the Greek islands of <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/11/world/europe/greece-refugees-crisis-winter-storms.html?mabReward=A1&recp=1&module=WelcomeBackModal&contentCollection=Politics&region=FixedCenter&action=click&src=recg&pgtype=article" target="_blank">Lesbos, Chios and Samos</a> some refugees were left to spend days in unheated tents enduring temperatures as low as -5C , Nor was it only the islands that saw such squalid neglect of people in dire need. Despite repeated assurances by Greece' Migration minister, Yannis Mouzalas that, with a few minor exceptions that those on the mainland were already in properly "winterised" accommodations (<a href="http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/greece-plans-migrant-detention-camps-on-islands.aspx?pageID=238&nID=107902&NewsCatID=351" target="_blank">see his interview in the Turkish daily Hurriyet)</a><a href="https://www.facebook.com/philippa.kempson.1/posts/10154513573704355" target="_blank"> photographs and video soon appeared on both Facebook</a> and Twitter from volunteers and aid workers on the ground showing freezing families in snow covered tents and freezing warehouses struggling to survive polar temperatures.<br />
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<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/11/world/europe/greece-refugees-crisis-winter-storms.html?mabReward=A1&recp=1&module=WelcomeBackModal&contentCollection=Politics&region=FixedCenter&action=click&src=recg&pgtype=article" target="_blank">Once the story was picked up by the international media</a> the Greek government's response was <a href="http://en.protothema.gr/greek-government-bans-media-from-moria-hotspot-shocking-video/" target="_blank">to first ban photography and filming</a> in the worst effected camps (refugee camps are under the control of either the Greek army or police force and access to them is strictly regulated) and then slowly place a minority (500 out of nearly 6,000) of the most vulnerable in more suitable housing, at least until the worst of the winter weather abated.<br />
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While the severity of the cold spell is unusual for Greece, it is not unprecedented, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate_of_Greece" target="_blank">Greek winters</a> especially in the north are shorter than those in northern Europe but are often quite severe due to the mountainous topography of the region, so much so that <a href="http://www.skiresort.info/ski-resorts/greece/" target="_blank">the nation has over 25 ski resorts </a>that people flock to every year. Even on the islands winter temperatures are often no more clement than those in some parts of northern Europe such as southern UK and Ireland, even in a mild winter. Forcing people to live in tents and abandoned buildings for months in such conditions is nothing short of criminal.<br />
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As is so often the case, finding the villain of the piece is a complicated, frustrating process with all the major players, <a href="http://www.keeptalkinggreece.com/2017/01/09/moria-blame-game-as-refugees-and-migrants-might-freeze-to-death-on-lesvos/" target="_blank">Greek central government, local authorities, EU and UNHCR Greece</a> busily blaming each other for this easily avoided fiasco. In the meantime many refugee still find themselves in cold, squalid camps waiting for a plan to improve the situation that no one in a position of authority seems willing to provide.</div>
teacher dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17202858180246680798noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17298986.post-63193107403441511042016-12-31T19:30:00.000+02:002016-12-31T19:30:15.520+02:00New Year's Eve in Thessaloniki, Greece<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TQ0X8GtferY/WGfqmOJG3LI/AAAAAAAAC4A/XFFWZKqho5oL56Bh6WD13nAzgUKRdifuQCLcB/s1600/IMG_0143.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TQ0X8GtferY/WGfqmOJG3LI/AAAAAAAAC4A/XFFWZKqho5oL56Bh6WD13nAzgUKRdifuQCLcB/s400/IMG_0143.JPG" width="400" /></a><br />
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teacher dudehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17202858180246680798noreply@blogger.com5