From the BBC site, pertinent questions and interesting - I think - answers on the events in Burma: Q&A: Protests in Burma. As demonstrations in Burma continue to gather pace, the BBC looks at what triggered the protests, who is involved and what they could mean for the country's military leaders.What sparked the protests? On 15 August the government decided to increase the price of fuel. Both petrol and diesel doubled in price, while the cost of compressed gas - used to power buses - increased five-fold.The hikes hit Burma's people hard, forcing up the price of public transport and triggering a knock-on effect for staples such as rice and cooking oil.Burmese people are angry about the sudden fuel price increasePro-democracy activists led the initial demonstrations in Burma's main city, Rangoon. When about 400 people marched on 19 August, it was the largest demonstration in the military-ruled nation for several years.The authorities moved swiftly to quell the protests, rapidly arresting dozens of activists. Nonetheless, protests continued around the country. Numbers were small, but demonstrations were held in Rangoon, Sittwe and other towns. Why are monks involved? The monks started participating in large numbers after troops used force to break up a peaceful rally in the central town of Pakokku on 5 September.At least three monks were hurt. The next day, monks in Pakokku briefly took government officials hostage. They gave the government until 17 September to apologise, but no apology was forthcoming.When the deadline expired, the monks began to protest in much greater numbers and also withdrew their religious services from the military and their families.There have been protests every day since the deadline, both in Rangoon and elsewhere, and they are getting bigger by the day. Tens of thousands of monks are now involved.More and more Buddhist monks have been joining the marchesThe participation of the monks is significant because there are hundreds of thousands of them and they are highly revered. The clergy has historically been prominent in political protests in Burma.Because of the clergy's influence, the government has tried hard to woo many senior abbots. The fact that these abbots have chosen to remain silent is a sign for many people that they condone the protests.Analysts believe that any violence against the monks could trigger a national uprising. What has the government done about it? At first, the country's military leaders held back, letting the protests continue.But on Monday they said they were ready to "take action".By late Tuesday, troops and riot police began to arrive in Rangoon, and a dawn-to-dusk curfew was introduced.On Wednesday violence broke out at the Shwedagon Pagoda, Rangoon's holiest shrine, as police used baton charges and tear gas to try to stop monks embarking on a ninth day of protests.Further clases are being reported on Thursday. Are the protests still about an apology? For some of the monks, yes. But for others, it has now gone far beyond that.A group called the Alliance of All Burmese Buddhist Monks has emerged to co-ordinate the protests, and on 21 September it issued a statement describing the military government as "the enemy of the people".They pledged to continue their protests until they had "wiped the military dictatorship from the land of Burma", and they have called on people across Burma to join them.One rally marched past the house of detained pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, clearly linking the monks' movement with a desire for a change of government. Are others joining in? In the initial days of the protests, the public did not appear to be involved - commentators suggested that they were too scared of retaliation.But this has gradually changed as the demonstrations have grown in size.Footage of one protest showed people lining the route as the monks marched, forming a chain to protect them from any retaliation from soldiers.Aung San Suu Kyi was able to greet the monks over the weekendAnd on 24 September, thousands of people responded to a call from the monks and joined a massive protest in Rangoon.Key members of the opposition party, the National League for Democracy (NLD) are now said to be joining the protests, after initially distancing themselves from the action. When did Burma last see protests like these? The last time Burma saw anything on this scale was during the popular uprising of August 1988.These protests were triggered by the government's decision in 1987 to devalue the currency, wiping out many people's savings.Demonstrations began among students and then gradually spread to monks and the public. These culminated in a national uprising on 8 August 1988, when hundreds of thousands of people marched to demand a change of government.The government sent troops to brutally suppress the protests. At least 3,000 people are believed to have died.
Tuesday, 2 October 2007
What is happening in Burma?
From the BBC site, pertinent questions and interesting - I think - answers on the events in Burma: Q&A: Protests in Burma. As demonstrations in Burma continue to gather pace, the BBC looks at what triggered the protests, who is involved and what they could mean for the country's military leaders.What sparked the protests? On 15 August the government decided to increase the price of fuel. Both petrol and diesel doubled in price, while the cost of compressed gas - used to power buses - increased five-fold.The hikes hit Burma's people hard, forcing up the price of public transport and triggering a knock-on effect for staples such as rice and cooking oil.Burmese people are angry about the sudden fuel price increasePro-democracy activists led the initial demonstrations in Burma's main city, Rangoon. When about 400 people marched on 19 August, it was the largest demonstration in the military-ruled nation for several years.The authorities moved swiftly to quell the protests, rapidly arresting dozens of activists. Nonetheless, protests continued around the country. Numbers were small, but demonstrations were held in Rangoon, Sittwe and other towns. Why are monks involved? The monks started participating in large numbers after troops used force to break up a peaceful rally in the central town of Pakokku on 5 September.At least three monks were hurt. The next day, monks in Pakokku briefly took government officials hostage. They gave the government until 17 September to apologise, but no apology was forthcoming.When the deadline expired, the monks began to protest in much greater numbers and also withdrew their religious services from the military and their families.There have been protests every day since the deadline, both in Rangoon and elsewhere, and they are getting bigger by the day. Tens of thousands of monks are now involved.More and more Buddhist monks have been joining the marchesThe participation of the monks is significant because there are hundreds of thousands of them and they are highly revered. The clergy has historically been prominent in political protests in Burma.Because of the clergy's influence, the government has tried hard to woo many senior abbots. The fact that these abbots have chosen to remain silent is a sign for many people that they condone the protests.Analysts believe that any violence against the monks could trigger a national uprising. What has the government done about it? At first, the country's military leaders held back, letting the protests continue.But on Monday they said they were ready to "take action".By late Tuesday, troops and riot police began to arrive in Rangoon, and a dawn-to-dusk curfew was introduced.On Wednesday violence broke out at the Shwedagon Pagoda, Rangoon's holiest shrine, as police used baton charges and tear gas to try to stop monks embarking on a ninth day of protests.Further clases are being reported on Thursday. Are the protests still about an apology? For some of the monks, yes. But for others, it has now gone far beyond that.A group called the Alliance of All Burmese Buddhist Monks has emerged to co-ordinate the protests, and on 21 September it issued a statement describing the military government as "the enemy of the people".They pledged to continue their protests until they had "wiped the military dictatorship from the land of Burma", and they have called on people across Burma to join them.One rally marched past the house of detained pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, clearly linking the monks' movement with a desire for a change of government. Are others joining in? In the initial days of the protests, the public did not appear to be involved - commentators suggested that they were too scared of retaliation.But this has gradually changed as the demonstrations have grown in size.Footage of one protest showed people lining the route as the monks marched, forming a chain to protect them from any retaliation from soldiers.Aung San Suu Kyi was able to greet the monks over the weekendAnd on 24 September, thousands of people responded to a call from the monks and joined a massive protest in Rangoon.Key members of the opposition party, the National League for Democracy (NLD) are now said to be joining the protests, after initially distancing themselves from the action. When did Burma last see protests like these? The last time Burma saw anything on this scale was during the popular uprising of August 1988.These protests were triggered by the government's decision in 1987 to devalue the currency, wiping out many people's savings.Demonstrations began among students and then gradually spread to monks and the public. These culminated in a national uprising on 8 August 1988, when hundreds of thousands of people marched to demand a change of government.The government sent troops to brutally suppress the protests. At least 3,000 people are believed to have died.
Friday, 31 August 2007
Maria Callas December 2, 1923 - September 16, 1977
On the 16th of September the Greek general election will take place. On that same date Maria Callas died 30 years ago. So, I decided to run my own pre-election campaign: its aim is that this divine voice reaches as many people as possible from now until September the 16th.
Sunday, 19 August 2007
Vacations diary part II: Spain-Catalonia
Let me start with the positive things, that is with the people we met in the guest house we stayed: a lovely couple from Belgium, the German owners, a newly wed couple - the girl Irish, the boy German -, a very decent English family, but also not in the guest house a Dutch former circus clown that showed us around in a small winery we visited as their public relations man. We also liked a lot the local Penedès wines, even the whites, which until then Imust admit didn't hold in great esteem. In the positive things I must also include Gaudi's city: Barcelona, but in the negatives the thousands of tourists flooding it. We also didn't like the food, which we found overpriced, too - or perhaps we just went to the wrong places. The landscape was another thing we didn't like: destroyed by construction cranes, as the whole of Catalonia seemed to be under construction, cranes and lorries everywhere. Also, in comparison to Italy but also France, Catalonia didn't prove very hospitable, at least as regards the very poor number and variety of agritourist places on offer: we had a really hard time finding internet access and then a place to stay, after twenty long hours of driving from Italy through Southern France to Barcelona.
Sant Martí Sarroca, a village near our guest house.
A counrty house's garden door in Gaudi style, in a village that was a real work of art, near Figueras.
Garraf beach, near Barcelona: summer houses.
A church perched on a hilltop near the village.
Details from La Sagrada Família, the cathedral Gaudi didn't have time to finish, in Barcelona. I have a feeling that he wouldn't have liked the vending machines the Spanish put inside, which you have to also pay 8 euros to see. The interior generally seems to be under construction, with not much to see - except the vending machines, of course!
At the famous monastery of Montserrat, near Barcelona.
A small winery in Penedès. The Dutchman who showed us around spoke six languages, traveled through Europe for 2o years as a circus clown where (at a circus) he also met his Italian wife. He came to Spain to meet and train near a famous clown and started working in the Penedès wineries, ending up as the puclic relations man of this one.
Strolling through Barcelona.
At the Dali Museum in Figuears near the French border.
A counrty house's garden door in Gaudi style, in a village that was a real work of art, near Figueras.
Garraf beach, near Barcelona: summer houses.
Monday, 13 August 2007
Vacations diary part I: Italy
Having just returned home after three weeks of traveling with my wife through Europe, I thought of sharing with you some impressions and pictures from this unique experience. Our trip started in Italy, continued in Spaind and ended in France. Our means of transportation was our little jeep, and we used the internet to find agritourist places to stay. The itinerary simple: form Igoumenitsa by boat to Ancona and from there to Tuscany for one week. Then, via southern France we reached Spain for a stay of one week in Catalonia - after 20 hours of non-stop driving from Tuscany with Barcelona as our final destination - and in particular Penedès, a wine-producing area near Barcelona. After Spain our last week was spent in southern France, in the French Riviera. This as an introduction. Part I then: Italy - Tuscany. Let me start with the postitive things, which means the food - I loved the pizzas - and the excellent wine, especially in the Chianti region at the heart of Tuscany. Also, there was a great variety of agritourist places to stay. We stayed in a spacious old house with two bedrooms and a fully equipped kitchen, for the VERY reasonable price of 70 euros per night. Compared with Spain and France, Italy was by far the best in the number and variety of agritourist guest houses. The best part was of course the Tuscany countryside, with the vineyards and the characteristic sunflowers, the picturesque small villages and the old towns, some of which you can see in the pictures that follow. As regards the negative things, I must mention the fact that Italians seem to drive their cars to their limits like crazy, and with the lights turned on all day long - so I wouldn't dare drive in the fast lane in the autostrada, not with our little jeep. Also, unleaded petrol was very expensive compared to its price in Greece - around 1.30 euros per litre in Italy - and the tolls were so expensive - in France, too - that we started trying to find provincial roads in order to avoid paying what seemed like wasted money. Where we stayed: Castiglion Fiorentino near Arezzo. 
San Gimignano. Let me say here that even in the smallest Italian village parking was fully controlled, which I think is a good thing financially for the place and also saves it form the parking anarchy that one encounters in Greece. 
The Tuscany countryside: in the heart of the Chianti area. 
Tasting and buying wine in Castellina in Chianti. 
Palazzo del Campo in Siena. 
A beautiful house in the countryside. 
The sunflowers, plenty of them in Tuscany. 
Montepulciano, with the good red wine. 
Florence. 
Pienza, homeland of the best pecorino cheese.
The view from Cortona, a little after sunset.
Arezzo.
After all the driving in Italy I was leaning a bit, like the famous tower.
San Gimignano. Let me say here that even in the smallest Italian village parking was fully controlled, which I think is a good thing financially for the place and also saves it form the parking anarchy that one encounters in Greece. 
The Tuscany countryside: in the heart of the Chianti area. 
Tasting and buying wine in Castellina in Chianti. 
Palazzo del Campo in Siena. 
A beautiful house in the countryside. 
The sunflowers, plenty of them in Tuscany. 
Montepulciano, with the good red wine. 
Florence. 
Pienza, homeland of the best pecorino cheese. 
The view from Cortona, a little after sunset.
Arezzo. 
After all the driving in Italy I was leaning a bit, like the famous tower.
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