Arne Naess was right...

Stupidity kills

2008-07-11T13:58:00.002+03:00

This ignorant motherf*&#@r cant even spell right...

Beautiful toilets

2008-07-02T14:09:00.002+03:00

I'm preparing for another trip down to Arkadia prefecture tomorrow, where we're doing some restoration actions in the burnt areas, and I came across this photo I took last time, nearby the old Lefktron train station.

Sticky & Sweet..after waiting in line for 4 hours!

2008-06-27T14:39:00.001+03:00

The long-awaited tickets are finally in MY hands!

Beautiful relics

2008-04-13T23:37:00.004+03:00

(bullet holes?)

Walking around my new neighbourhood - close to Proskopon sq., Pangrati.

The right spot...not!

2008-04-02T20:54:00.003+03:00

The City of Athens has recently launched a new campaign entitled "Find the right spot", aiming at informing and creating awareness among our very civilized fellow citizens with regard to waste...

...apparently some people in Kolonaki are still unaware....

Music Saves

2008-03-20T18:40:00.002+02:00

Tripping on a Fort today

2008-03-14T17:23:00.009+02:00

The small but glorious Castello del Molo (Koules) at the port of Heraklion in Crete.

In awe of the super snowed Mount Ida (or Psiloritis, Zeus' birthplace, which is the highest on the island at 2456 m) in the back, on a super hot -22 C - day...

...so hot that I started seeing double...

Norwegian Silence

2008-03-02T00:00:00.003+02:00

Happy Times!

2008-02-09T17:44:00.000+02:00

a traditional Greek restaurant close to Patras

Myrto discovering the boats hidden treasures

Myrto, Maria, Joseph..and Cortina in the background

Funky Italian kids

This is NOT a photo-montage

Classic Myrto pit-stop

Hmm..how did we manage to fit everyone & everything in the car?

Beautiful Lago di Olympia

No comment...

Maria and I being chased by the fog

The view from Rifugio di Averau (2410 m)

Joey hangin' out...

...at Cinque Torri

Last run deserves a bombardier (rum & egg!)

Had to pass the time somehow on the boat coming back...so bloody marys and biriba it is!

The End

Alpine Time

2008-01-25T08:46:00.000+02:00

Off to NE Italy & the Dolomites (by boat!) today.
Glacier time!

Stretching

2007-12-31T15:48:00.000+02:00

Chloe and I decided to take a mini-hike this morning on the trail around the rock, after all the booze and food we've had this past few days. It was nice and windy, with big waves and strange light. I love this country, I really do...

A fine, cold morning in Monemvasia

2007-12-30T14:05:00.000+02:00

The view from Chloes house

Easter time?

2007-12-27T19:28:00.000+02:00

Any ideas what this is? These dudes were parked at Kolonaki square these days...

Wet, wet, wet

2007-12-12T09:26:00.000+02:00

Rodia, an important eel-fishing place

Little Egrets on the way to Salaora Island

Some Dalmatian Pelicans chilling in Logarou lagoon

More beauty...

Just got back from Amvrakikos Gulf, another Natura 2000 and Important Bird Area site, where i had some work in the amazing wetlands. My friend Dimitris of the Rodia Wetland Center was kind enough to take me for a ride in his motorboat around the huge lagoon. Although there is a Management Agency, in which I partake, supervising and protecting these very important, massive, ecosystems of western Greece, the Ministry of Environment is still refusing to officially designate the protected area with proper legislation and funding. The area suffers from a lot of illegal activities such as poaching, hunting, dumping, building etc.

Memorabilia

2007-11-18T17:54:00.000+02:00

Was going through some of the pics I took during my work-related visits to the burnt villages of the Peloponnese and found these...

Winter skies

2007-11-12T08:46:00.000+02:00

View towards Thespiai and Lake Iliki, in Voiotia.

Porto Germeno, in the Corinth Gulf

Parnassos Mountain in the distance with lots of snow!

another Greek architectural masterpiece close to Vilia...

Climbed Kithaironas Mountain (close to Athens-Attica) yesterday, was super windy (thus the weird, out of focus pics-no way I could hold the cam steady!), cold and refreshing, with amazing 360 views.

Autumn skies

2007-11-05T09:18:00.001+02:00

Just as night was falling, outside the Benaki museum, after visiting the Fluxus movement exhibition which just finished, and the Topoi exhibition, from the collection of the Macedonian Museum of Contemporary Art

ΟΧΙ ΣΤΗΝ ΕΚΤΡΟΠΗ ΤΟΥ ΑΧΕΛΩΟΥ

2007-10-31T09:39:00.000+02:00

Παρασκευή 2 Νοεμβρίου, 12.00, ΟΛΟΙ θα είμαστε στα Προπύλαια, ενάντια στο μεγαλύτερο και πιο καταστροφικό τεχνικό έργο διαχείρισης υδατικών πόρων της χώρας μας.

Kos - history and more history

2007-10-28T23:14:00.000+02:00

the wetland at Psalidi, not so wet these days...

big, very big tree

super-wow

walking through the city's open archeological areas

the Asklipeion - the most amazing archeological site, after Delphi for me in Greece, very Mayan
-like steps and scale, with a gorgeous forest around it

I havent been blogging for quite a while, but have been travelling mucho for work mostly, Kos island, Peloponnese and the fire stricken areas, Skyros island blah blah. But I'll just be posting Kos, which despite the fact that its an island developed for mass tourism, it made quite an impression on me, beautiful old italian-era buildings, the city with all its historical layers that makes it such a joy to walk through and more...plus the images from the fires are just too damn depressing.

Blog Action Day

2007-10-15T09:54:00.000+03:00

The view of the burnt Elliniko Hill, behind the beautiful Kaiafas Lake, a Natura 2000 site (GR2330005) that was also heavily damaged by the Peloponnese fires.

Today, is Blog Action Day and bloggers around the web are uniting to put a single important issue on everyone's mind, posting an issue of their own choice pertaining to the environment.

So, following this summer's destructive forest fires in Greece which burned over 250,000 ha of pristine land (with over 30,000 ha being in protected areas - Sites of Community Importance), took more than 60 human lives, and left our economy and infrastructure shattered, I would like to raise the issue of what were the primarily causes of this massive destruction?

Putting aside all the recent "conspiracy theories", I believe the answer is quite simple (and shaming):

The Greek State’s chronic indifference and negligence to protect its forests, the inefficient and weak forest fire-fighting system and protection policy, plus the equally important mechanisms to monitor and conserve the environment.

Art art art

2007-09-23T14:26:00.000+03:00

Finally got a chance to visit ReMapKM (brava Chloe!), some of the stuff I dug:

Anastasia Douka@gazonrouge

Andrew Rogers@Peres Projects

Rita Ackerman@PP

...is this another exhibit?

The eerie-awesome Claire Woods@Rebecca Camhi

1st Athens Biennial - Destroy Athens

Kate Owens@Young Athenians

Tommy Grace@YA

...and a wonderful escape window

Island fires

2007-09-11T19:42:00.001+03:00

Went to Kea (Tzia) island this past weekend to relax and guess what...? Fire...again...this time near the archaeological site

Elections 2007 - Campaigning

2007-09-11T19:38:00.000+03:00

It's funny how politicians talk about their environmental consciousness and then all of a sudden you see flyers with their lovely face decorating the streets of the city (this politician in particular was also Mayor of Athens!)

Πυρκαγιές & Πολιτική (Burning down the house - Part 2)

2007-08-28T16:48:00.000+03:00

(source: NASA August 25th 2007)

Havent had a chance to blog these last few days, been super busy at work (and super depressed), due to the horror we've all been witnessing with the fires all over the country that are still out of control after so many days. We gave out a press release yesterday, published in allmost every newspaper, regarding the things the Hellenic Society for the Protection of Environment & Cultural Heritage is asking from the Greek government, here it is (unfortunately only in Greek - for now):

1. Την δημιουργία χωριστού Υπουργείου Περιβάλλοντος, ανεξάρτητου από τα Δημόσια Έργα, με ρόλο συντονιστή της κυβερνητικής πολιτικής για το περιβάλλον, με ευρείες αρμοδιότητες και με θέση στην Κυβερνητική Επιτροπή. Η σύζευξη με τα Δημόσια Έργα, που δεν υπάρχει σε καμιά άλλη χώρα-μέλος της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης, αποτελεί πλέον προσβολή και στο περιβάλλον και στη νοημοσύνη των πολιτών.
2. Άμεση απόσυρση της πρότασης τροποποίησης του δασοπροστατευτικού Άρθρου 24 του Συντάγματος, άρθρου που αρχικά υιοθετήθηκε το 1975 από τους αείμνηστους Κωνσταντίνο Καραμανλή και Κωνσταντίνο Τσάτσο και μόνο η παρατεταμένη συζήτηση για τροποποίηση του Άρθρου 24 έχει αναπόφευκτα αποστείλει τραγικά λανθασμένα μηνύματα σε κάθε άκρη της ελληνικής γης για την αποφασιστικότητα με την οποία η πολιτική ηγεσία θα προστατεύσει όλον τον δασικό πλούτο της χώρας (το ίδιο έκανε η εξαγγελία για την αναστολή κατεδάφισης αυθαιρέτων μέσα σε δάση, που ευτυχώς –προς το παρόν τουλάχιστον- ματαιώθηκε).
3. Την παραδειγματική τιμωρία οποιωνδήποτε αποδεδειγμένων εμπρηστών. Την πλήρη στελέχωση των Δασικών Υπηρεσιών και της Πυροσβεστικής Υπηρεσίας, την σημαντική αύξηση επένδυσης σε αποτελεσματικά μέτρα πυρόσβεσης, την εκπαίδευση και συμμετοχή του στρατού στην αντιμετώπιση των πυρκαγιών και την ενθάρρυνση της συνεισφοράς των ΜΚΟ και εθελοντών στην προστασία των δασών.
4. Την ταχύτατη κατάρτιση του Δασολογίου. Αποτελεί Συνταγματική Επιταγή που για πολλά χρόνια τώρα δεν εκπληρώθηκε από αμέλεια της διοίκησης και από έλλειψη της αναγκαίας πολιτικής βούλησης. Ζητούμε άμεση δέσμευση ότι το Δασολόγιο και οι Δασικοί Χάρτες, βασικά εργαλεία προστασίας του δασικού μας πλούτου, θα έχουν συμπληρωθεί μέσα στους επόμενους έξι μήνες.
5. Την κατάργηση οποιασδήποτε ευχέρειας της Διοίκησης να νομιμοποιεί, να αγνοεί και να αμελεί αυθαίρετα εντός ή εκτός σχεδίου ή εντός δασών. Να τηρηθεί και στην πράξη η αναμενόμενη κήρυξη όλων των καμένων εκτάσεων ως αναδασωτέων.
6. Την αύξηση ελεύθερων χώρων και του ποσοστού πρασίνου στις πόλεις που έχασαν γειτονικούς πνεύμονες πρασίνου, με στόχο την αναβάθμιση της ποιότητας του αέρα – η Αθήνα και η Θεσσαλονίκη θεωρούνται εν προκειμένω από τις πιο επιβαρημένες Ευρωπαϊκές πόλεις.

Άλλωστε η μείωση δασοκάλυψης έχει αρνητικές συνέπειες και για την ποιότητα του αέρα, οπότε πρέπει να μειωθούν οι εκπομπές αντίστοιχα από άλλες δραστηριότητες. Ως εκ τούτου ζητούμε:

7. Την επέκταση και ενίσχυση των μέσων μαζικής μεταφοράς – μετρό, τραμ, σιδηρόδρομοι – που δεν αυξάνουν τις εκπομπές, ως μερικό αντιστάθμισμα στην μείωση της δασοκάλυψης. Ζητούμε παράλληλα οικονομικά μέτρα ενθάρρυνσης της απόσυρσης των παλαιοτέρων αυτοκινήτων και την αποτελεσματικότερη φορολόγηση της κυκλοφορίας συμβατικών Ι.Χ. στα κέντρα των μεγαλουπόλεων.
8. Την τροποποίηση του Γενικού Οικοδομικού Κανονισμού ώστε να ενταχθούν σ’ αυτόν οι αρχές του βιοκλιματικού σχεδιασμού που πρέπει να εφαρμοσθούν και στην ανοικοδόμηση των τραγικά κατεστραμμένων χωριών. Ζητούμε επίσης να ενσωματωθεί στο Εθνικό Δίκαιο η Κοινοτική Οδηγία 2002/91 που αφορά την ενεργειακή απόδοση των κτιρίων και να εφαρμοσθεί πλήρως κατά την επόμενη τετραετία. Σημειωτέον ότι τα κτίρια είναι υπεύθυνα για το 40% των εκπομπών, η μείωση των οποίων αποτελεί πλέον επιτακτική ανάγκη.
9. Την άμεση εφαρμογή της Ευρωπαϊκής Οδηγίας για την ελάχιστη φορολόγηση καυσίμων με κριτήρια περιβαλλοντικού κόστους ώστε να επιβαρύνεται η χρήση των ορυκτών καυσίμων που αυξάνουν τις εκπομπές, όπως του λιγνίτη και του λιθάνθρακα.
10. Να μην επιτρέπεται, και πολύ περισσότερο να μην επιδοτείται, η κατασκευή συγκροτημάτων δευτέρων κατοικιών εάν προηγουμένως δεν έχουν μελετηθεί, αντιμετωπισθεί επιτυχώς και συζητηθεί δημόσια η αναπόφευκτη αύξηση κατανάλωσης νερού και ενέργειας που επιφέρουν. Οι επιστήμονες αναμένουν σοβαρή μείωση βροχοπτώσεων και αύξηση της μέσης θερμοκρασίας κατά τις επόμενες δεκαετίες, κάτι που όμως το πρόσφατο σχέδιο Κοινής Υπουργικής Απόφασης για το Χωροταξικό του τουρισμού δεν λαμβάνει υπόψη. Ζητούμε την απόσυρσή του για να επανεκτιμηθούν οι συνέπειες μιας πολιτικής που θα αύξανε την πίεση στους υδατικούς πόρους και στις εκπομπές, υποβαθμίζοντας συνάμα και για πάντα τις ακτές της χώρας.

Island hopping

2007-08-23T17:14:00.000+03:00

This summer's itinerary came to an end...

Part 1 - NE Aegean - Free camping on Ag. Efstratios...

...on the wonderful beach of Ag. Demetrios which we didnt leave for 10 days!

Early morning on Limnos' castle with some friends that escaped from Parnitha's fire.

What could I possibly have taken???

Silence of the lambs in Limnos...

...more weird stuff.

Road signs on Lesvos' NE coast.

The wonderful old baths at Thermes - Lesvos...

...replaced by the new ugly ones.

A 20 million year old Sequoia dude in the Fossilized Forest of Lesvos.

The coast of Turkey covered by a diet-cloud.

Part 2 - The Cyclades - gorgeous waters of Polyaigos.

A cute yard in Kimolos.

Canyoning

2007-07-23T18:42:00.000+03:00

Went canyoning this past weekend at Krikellopotamos river (think pink) in the Evritania prefecture, one of the most pristine places left in Greece

There were lots of gorgeous little pools to swim in

Some places to rest after a hard days hike

The "Panda Vrexei" (always raining) location down the river with many small waterfalls

View north from Kalliakouda peak (2000 m)

And another "rest" area after Tymfristos village

Apple island

2007-07-23T18:27:00.001+03:00

The rocks at Paleohori beach - Ireland or Ivory Coast?

Some thing on the beach...

Went to Milos island a few days ago for a work related conference...ended up at the beach...this place's geology never ceases to amaze me.

Gyro di Italia - part 1

2007-07-14T09:01:00.001+03:00

a room with a view - Lago Maggiore from Stresa

The view from Mottarone (1385m) towards the swiss Alps

Rocca di Angera (the castle) was FULL of these eerie looking dolls...(for you Stelios)

more trippy stuff at Rocca di Angera

the party venue

the "dance" hall

Haven't had much time to blog, was off to Milos island for work right upon return. But here are a few...more to come from the party at Grazzano.

Italia

2007-07-05T18:38:00.000+03:00

Off to Italy in a few hours: Milan - Lago Maggiore - Grazzano Visconti - Piacenza

Mountain high

2007-07-03T21:21:00.000+03:00

Was up at Parnassos Mountain all day for work, enjoying the beautiful scenery and taking a breath after the last hellish days in Athens (with the fires and all)...to have my buzz killed a little while later, seeing the logging going on just above Elatos Resort.

Burning down the house

2007-06-29T16:40:00.000+03:00

We are all watching as the last haven of our capital city is being burned to the ground. The fire began Wednesday afternoon 15 km away from the National Park of Parnitha (a NATURA 2000 site) and reached it yesterday afternoon. There is ash flying all over the city, and the smell is just so scary. There are way too many questions the government and the local authorities will have to answer to.
How timely this is, if one thinks of the Greek government's plan to amend article 24 of the constitution by inserting an innocuous passage which will allow development in order to meet "public needs", aka opening the door for uncontrolled development in forest areas. This along with the absence of a national cadastre, a forestry inventory and the recently proposed Spatial Planning Framework for Tourism, make all of us working in the environmental field all the more angry and suspicious of our country's "leaders".

The Street of the Tripods

2007-06-25T19:38:00.000+03:00

Lysikrates monument

The Hellenic Society's building at #28

The retaining wall

Original paved surface & drainage

The olive press

I didn’t have to go very far to find this one! I happen to be working on one of the oldest roads in Europe, Tripodon street in Plaka area, under the Acropolis.
The street of the tripods, was named after the 3-legged bronze cauldrons were awarded to the victorious choregoi (sponsors) of the dramatic contests that took place during festivals like the Dionysia.
One can see the Choragic Monument of Lysikrates (334 – 333 BC) at the beginning of the street, and a bit further down at number 28 is the neoclassical building in which my office is housed. It was built during King Othon’s reign (1833-1862) and it’s restoration works won a Europa Nostra award, along with revealing several antiquities: a 4m-high stone retaining wall of the Classical period (5th century BC), a part of the original paved surface of the street with its ceramic drainge channel, and part of an olive press of a later date.

Urban Contradictions

2007-06-10T12:44:00.000+03:00

Saw this (could be a Tracey Emin piece for all I know!) while walking back to the car last night, after the amazing Goran Bregovic concert in the open air theater in Vyronas...

...and after a few meters, saw this. It was the first time we all saw some kind of municipal initiative in this country concerning dog shit, which happens to be everywhere in the city, since Greek dog owners dont bother cleaning up!

Παγκόσμια Ημέρα Περιβάλλοντος - World Environment Day

2007-06-01T11:26:00.000+03:00

Με σύνθημα«Το κλίμα αλλάζει...αλλάζω ζωή!»

Οι δράσεις της ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΗΣ ΕΤΑΙΡΕΙΑΣ για το περιβάλλον, στα πλαίσια του εορτασμού της Παγκόσμιας Ημέρας Περιβάλλοντος, αρχίζουν την Κυριακή, 3 Ιουνίου στις 7 το απόγευμα στην Πύλη του Αδριανού.

The Volvo Diaries

2007-05-31T21:04:00.000+03:00

Long story...but I'll tell it anyway!
Chloe drives this super fast - super vintage Volvo, which has taken us practically everywhere over the years. But - it has always been a trip full of adventures, and last night, after the Art Athina opening, we had another one.

Great lakes

2007-05-23T21:52:00.000+03:00

the old stock market in Thessaloniki

a very "cool" building across

A & A outside one of the Biennale's buildings at the port wharehouses

Ag. Germanos village & Mt.Varnoundas

Mikri Prespa - view of Ag. Achillios island, towards Albania, from Mikrolimni

Megali Prespa to Mikri Prespa

Mikri Prespa - view towards its southern edge and the dam from Mikrolimni

old house in Ag.Germanos

on the way back from Prespa to Florina

one of the 5 (!) disgusting power plants on the way to Veria

Thermaikos Gulf from the plane before take-off

Went up to the northwestern edge of Greece for a few days, via Thessaloniki and Florina, where I had a work meeting at the Society for the Protection of Prespa, and visited parts of the gorgeous Transboundary Park (Greece, Albania and FYROM).

Island work

2007-05-03T19:37:00.000+03:00

just in case someone needs a rest on the way to Kymi

the Skyrian pony

lava pillows

one of the breathtaking views we had from the mountain

I just got back from Skyros Island, where I had some work to do, mainly with the Skyrian pony that we are trying to protect. But I also visited the mountain, in the south part of the island which is a Natura 2000 site, where the Greek church (that owns some of the most beautiful places in this country...) is trying to develop a terrible, huge, wind farm project (and you all know that I am in favor of wind energy) that will destroy the unique landscape but also disturb the ecosystem, including the horses and some bird populations.

Easter visions...

2007-04-09T17:16:00.000+03:00

the view from my uncle's yard

...anybody hungry?

had to take a walk after such a feast, to the Grand Canyon of Thessaly...

I was happy to see that some people still care...

Off to Easter Island (I wish)

2007-04-07T13:18:00.000+03:00

It seems as if I'm spending a lot of weekends lately around this part of the woods, I'm leaving in a bit again, riding the train this time, heading for my uncle's countryhouse just outside the tiny town of Nea Lefki, in the middle of the Thessaly Plain. I can just picture it, the sacrificial situation tomorrow morning, lambs and other delicacies roasting for hours on end...so, Happy Easter everyone!

4ο Πανόραμα Οικολογικών Ταινιών

2007-04-03T16:38:00.000+03:00

Σας περιμένουμε όλους εκεί! Για περισσότερες πληροφορίες επισκεφθείτε την ιστοσελίδα της ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΗΣ ΕΤΑΙΡΕΙΑΣ.

Homelands

2007-03-26T21:24:00.000+03:00

Views of the Pagasitikos Gulf from Mt.Pelion

En route to Trikala - the Thessaly Plain

Mt. Pertouli

Covered lots of kilometers this weekend, went to Mt. Pelion (east of Volos), where we did lots of hiking, and then travelled the Thessaly plain, a land that always makes me feel right at home, passed through gorgeous mountain scenery to reach my fathers snowed in village at Mt. Pertouli (east side of the Pindos range).

Maybe the best band you've never heard of

2007-03-08T23:24:00.000+02:00

Devotchka is the amazing quartet from Denver (yes Colorado, not Romania or Bulgaria) that's paired with composer Mychael Danna (along with Sufjan Stevens) on the Little Miss Sunshine soundtrack, and I just cannot stop listening...

IPY Launch Day

2007-03-01T22:48:00.000+02:00

tagzaniapaste

IPY tagged map - Tagzania

Today is the launch of the International Polar Year (IPY), a large scientific programme focused on the Arctic and the Antarctic from March 2007 to March 2009 (in order to have full coverage of the Arctic and Antarctic). IPY, organized through the International Council for Science (ICSU) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), is actually the 4th polar year (1882-3, 1932-3, and 1957-8). It will involve over 200 projects, with thousands of scientists from over 60 nations examining a wide range of physical, biological and social research topics. The priorities are:

Changing Snow and Ice
Global Linkages
Neighbours in the North
Discovery

For a detailed presentation of the research you can download the honeycomb chart here.
You can watch IPY launch events around the world live at the Arctic Portal.

New beginnings

2007-02-28T20:09:00.000+02:00

OK today was my last day at work at CRES, I am leaving the Environmental Policy Dept., after 6 very interesting years full of renewable energy, and tomorrow I'm starting at my new position, at the Hellenic Society for the Protection of the Environment and Cultural Heritage, a very active Greek NGO, where I'll be doing mostly conservation work, a long awaited dream, and some general energy/environmental framework stuff. So lots of biodiversity stuff coming up!

Heavy skies

2007-02-27T11:26:00.000+02:00

Finally some rain, so much heavy energy accumulating over the city all these days...let's see if we're gonna get a much needed northerly too...

Molina solo in Athens

2007-02-24T17:27:00.000+02:00

A truly beautiful evening last night with Jason Molina performing live for very few people in Athens, at Planet Music.

UK: Microgeneration is on!

2007-02-14T11:56:00.000+02:00

Swift 1.5kW Rooftop Wind Turbine - BowZED Housing Development, London

An array of 5 Swifts, atop TESCO, in Diss, Norfolk

Two Proven 2.5 kW turbnines, integrated with PV panels and signage for Sainsbury's, Greenwich, London.

The Iskra AT5-1, 5 kW, turbine in Worksop, Nottinghamshire

A pair of AT5-1s powering the new Environmental Education Centre in Rushcliffe Country Park, Ruddington, near Nottingham

Phase 2 of the DTI’s Low Carbon Buildings Programme (LCBP) opens, it is the successor to the old Clear Skies program. Grants are available for the supply and installation of any combination of the following technologies:

Solar photovoltaics
Solar thermal hot water
Wind turbines
Ground source heat pumps
Automated wood pellet stoves
Wood fuelled boiler system

So hurry up and order your own home wind turbine, while supplies last!

More Bush bull on ANWR

2007-02-06T13:49:00.000+02:00

The coastal plains of ANWR's 1002 area (photo: USGS)

Here we go again. Bush aims to open up ANWR, specifically area 1002 (see January 8th post), to oil and gas leasing by 2009, according to the administration's proposed 2008 Budget released yesterday. I wonder if he's ever even bothered to read the report "Cumulative Environmental Effects of Oil and Gas Activities on Alaska's North Slope", published by the National Research Council in 2003.

IPCC: The Physical Basis of Climate Change

2007-02-02T14:29:00.000+02:00

The IPCC Working Group I - Fourth Assessment Report Summary for Policymakers (SPM) is now approved and available for download here. The contribution describes progress in understanding of the human and natural drivers of climate change, observed climate change, climate processes and attribution, and estimates of projected future climate change. Read the British Antarctic Survey's (BAS) response here.

Via Gristmill: The hot story around this release is the conservative edge to the final product, which does not fully account for the melting of the Greenland and/or Antarctic ice sheets. The report is consensus-based, and as such carefully written and meticulously reviewed. The process is heavily bureaucratic, a maze of international political and scientific red tape, which is both its strength and weakness. While its level of international cooperation attests to its conclusions, scientists have struggled with how to model variables like melting ice sheets. Taking into consideration the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheet is likely to move measurements of the sea level rise from inches to feet or meters within this century. Uncertainties in the science need to be addressed with more research, certainly not the proposed cutback in funding for climate studies. That means public awareness needs to be raised about two things: the missing pieces, and future IPCC reports that include models of disintegrating ice sheets.

Wind speed at light speed

2007-02-02T10:47:00.000+02:00

This is ZephIR, a highly accurate wind velocity lidar measurement for wind turbine farms, that we just acquired here at the CRES demo wind farm. It's a very unique piece of technology that measures the Doppler shift of laser radiation scattered by atmospheric aerosols in order to provide the user with the wind speed and direction at multiple heights up to 150 m. It also quantifies wind behaviour in terms of both turbulence and wind shear. It's fast to deploy and redeploy, with no requirement for planning permission.

Confirmed decrease of the world’s glacier mass balance

2007-01-30T12:22:00.000+02:00

The evident Vernagtferner glacier melting, Tirol - Austria. Since the start of annual mass balance measurements in 1968, the ice loss cumulated to almost 12 metre w.e., with a thickness loss of about 0.5 metre w.e. during 2005.

Source: Commission for Glaciology of the Bavarian Academy of Sciences & Humanities

New data published by the World Glacier Monitoring Service (WGMS) confirms the trend in accelerated ice loss during the past two and a half decades and brings the average thickness loss since 1980 of the 30 reference glaciers of 9 mountain ranges (Cascades, Svalbard, Andes, Alaska, Scandinavia, Alps, Altai, Caucasus and Tien Shan) at about 9.6 m (water equiv.). Tentative figures indicate a further thickness reduction of 0.7 m and 0.6 m during 2004 and 2005, respectively.

Surf's up!

2007-01-28T23:49:00.000+02:00

Went to NW Peloponnisos today, with some surfing friends, the weather turned colder today all over Greece (finally!), and the waves were big and messy.

Spring came early...

2007-01-26T10:15:00.000+02:00

Prunus amygdalus (the almond tree) in full bloom, in Athens...and I thought it was just in the Middle East that the tree breaks into sudden bloom in January...

Athens - lack of imagination

2007-01-25T12:00:00.000+02:00

I woke up this morning feeling incredibly high on life. Part of my usual Thursday morning routine is to grab the 2 free press issues of "Athens Voice" and "LiFo", to read on the train. They are usually quite a fun read, but today I was struck by the fact that they both had the same main article, on "Athens Design" - (talk about originality huh?!), and as if that wasn't enough I realized that all the ads placed in the metro trains are also identical, not to mention that they are McDonald's (uuughhh!). What a buzzkill...

The natural wonders of Attica

2007-01-22T15:12:00.000+02:00

Trail map of Mt. Parnitha (source: Oreivatein)

Stalagmitic & stalactitic decor of the cave (photo: P. Matsouka)

This Saturday I went on an amazing hike with two friends at the southwest foot of Mt. Parnitha. We took the not-so beaten path (not the green one marked on map) and started off on the west side of the Kleiston Monastery, passed through forested areas, clearings, traversed west around Omali peak, made a small beautiful climb down the left side of Goura gorge and hit Giannoula's stream with it's gorgeous silver colored pools to climb up again and reach Panos Cave. This beautiful "alive" cave (770 m), was the site of worship of Pan, the ancient goat-legged god who protected mountains, forests, caves and the flocks. It amazes me every time how gorgeous Attica is, all these places just a few minutes away from the city center.

Useful mountaineering link: Oreivatein

Halcyon days aka Global Warming?

2007-01-15T12:28:00.000+02:00

The Kingfisher

It's 15 degrees here today and the sun is shining bright, and I am wondering whether this is normal or not?

Halcyon days have long been regarded as a rise in the temperature occuring towards the end of January in Greece. Universally, they are the two weeks around the Winter solstice.

However, the name was coined in ancient Greece and the association of the kingfisher with halcyon derives from a Greek myth about Alcyone, the god Aeolus' daughter. Alcyone married Ceyx, King of Thessaly, Ceyx died in stormy seas, and grief-stricken Alcyone threw herself into the ocean. But before hitting the water, she transforms into a bird, enfolding Ceyx's lifeless body with her wings. Feeling her deep grief, the gods changed the couple into kingfishers. Alcyone carries her love to his burial, builds a nest and launches it out to sea. There, she lays her eggs and hatches her chicks, brooding over her sea-borne nest for seven placid days before the Winter Solstice and seven calm days after. While she broods, Aeolus himself reins in the wind and sea, protecting his daughter and his grandchildren.

We were doing just fine all the while only the gods were able to manipulate the climate...

Terje Haakonsen's first decent

2007-01-11T11:18:00.000+02:00

Check out this incredible vertical snowboard drop on peak 7601

2007 wishes for ANWR and the bears

2007-01-08T13:50:00.000+02:00

ANWR map from http://arctic.fws.gov/shademap.htm

Finally the political momentum may be going the other way, at least ever since 2000 when Bush called for opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) during his presidential campaign and the House of Representatives repeatedly passed bills in favour.
Legislation introduced in the House last Friday by the Democratic Party, would make the oil-rich 1.2 million-acre coastal strip of the ANWR a permanently protected wilderness and end repeated efforts to open the area east of the Prudhoe oil field (1002 Area on map) to energy companies.
The efforts on ANWR are coinciding with the Department of the Interior’s decision, on December 27 2006, to propose listing polar bears as threatened under the Endangered Species Act, in response to a suit filed in 2005 by three green groups.
Retreating ice in the Arctic and how it affects polar bears has been described as the “canary in the coal mine” in terms of climate change. It has already led to starvation, cannibalism, and drowning among the world's 20,000 to 25,000 polar bears (4,700 of which live in Alaska and spend part of the year in Canada and Russia). Check out the PBI’s pages for more on the research carried out
It looks like 2007 may actually turn out to be the International Polar Year.

Off to the mountains

2006-12-24T00:07:00.000+02:00

I'm off to Pavliani village in the morning, one of 22 surrounding Mt. Iti (2152 m) and its gorgeous National Park. Mythology has it that this is the place where Hercules lived his last days before he died from Dianera's poisoned cloak.

Happy holidays!

The Tangled Bank X-Mas Special

2006-12-20T19:12:00.000+02:00

Anti-Santa Claus (aka Martin Rundkvist) holds wonderful gifts for us this year, the 69th Tangled Bank blog carnival: War on Christmas edition!

The London Array is OK!

2006-12-19T16:41:00.000+02:00

The UK government has finally approved Europe's largest off-shore windfarm to be developed off the coast of SE England. The London Array will consist of 341 turbines located 12 miles offshore. The DTI has also approved a second major scheme in the Thames estuary, to be built in Thanet. The 2 windfarms will deliver 1.3 GW of green electricity - enough to meet the needs of a third of homes in Greater London. The scheme currently depends on an onshore power substation being approved to be built in Swale, Kent, and an inquiry to discuss revised plans is due to start next month. It has to be noted that the estuary wind farm scheme has been altered to protect a little-known bird called the red-throated diver, even a conservation officer with the RSPB said that other developers they've worked with haven't always given the same priority to birds.

Other huge projects such as that of the Isle of Lewis have faced srong opposition by local communities and the RSPB is concerned that the wind farms would affect golden eagles and other birds, and damage sensitive peat land.

The perfect Christmas trip

2006-12-19T11:36:00.000+02:00

Pay a visit to the Exploratorium, this December, and take a trip to the field sites surrounding the North and South Poles. Its a celebration for the start of the upcoming 2007-2008 International Polar Year, featuring a special series of Webcasts highlighting the scientific work done at the Poles.

Athenian light

2006-12-17T17:01:00.000+02:00

My friend Ana Paola was visiting this weekend and we took the opportunity to walk up to the Acropolis on Saturday morning. It was a gorgeous day, and as usual the light was magnificent, especially in these surroundings. I was very impressed with the extensive restoration activities that are explained for each monument.

Joan As Policewoman - words are not enough

2006-12-17T01:34:00.000+02:00

Athens, December 16th 2006

Kolonaki vintage transport

2006-12-13T10:31:00.000+02:00

I know this is a TOTALLY irrelevant post but I couldn't keep myself from publishing, both vehicles passed before me withing 30 secs of each other.

Abrupt ice retreat there - Giant mosquitoes here

2006-12-12T14:58:00.000+02:00

Sea-ice 2000
Sea-ice 2040
Images: UCAR

The "inspiration" for today's post came to me after a terrible night of constant mosquito attacks. I don't know if anybody else in Athens has noticed lately. But it's been way to warm for December with mean daily temperatures of 14 degrees Celsius and relative humidity reaching almost 100%. Greece is turning into Puerto Rico - no doubt.

As if all that wasn't enough to stress me out, today I stumbled upon another freakish announcement from the the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), that the recent retreat of Arctic sea ice is likely to accelerate so rapidly, due to GHGs, that the Arctic Ocean could become nearly devoid of ice during summertime as early as 2040.

The Community Climate System Model was used for this analysis. The scientists conclude that different rates of GHG emissions can affect the probability of abrupt ice loss. After another 15 leading climate models were tested, they found that if emissions of CO2 and other GHGs were to slow, the likelihood of rapid ice loss would decrease and summer sea ice would probably retreat at a much slower rate.
"Our research indicates that society can still minimize the impacts on Arctic ice", Marika M. Holland, the study's lead author, said.

The study "Future Abrupt Reductions in the Summer Arctic Sea Ice", Authors: Marika M. Holland, Cecilia M. Bitz, and Bruno Tremblay, has been published in the December 12 issue of Geophysical Research Letters.

The year's coolest party!

2006-12-10T17:28:00.000+02:00

I guess they must have been playing for more than two hours but I was in such a trance from the music and the vibes that I didn't realize how much time had gone by...it was truly one of the best concerts/fiestas I've ever been to, everyone was ecstatic, dancing like mad, including Ojos. Suzie's flamenco was also incredible. They are music evolution itself.

Ojos de Brujo and the Greek concert ticket tragedy...

2006-12-09T19:30:00.000+02:00

I'm off to see Ojos in a little while playing live in Athens and I wanted to comment on the ticket situation. As with many other concerts organized in the last couple of years in Greece, the tickets are extremely expensive.And as if that wasn't enough the production usually sucks (bad choice of venues & sound systems, way too many people shoved into the venues etc). The price for seeing Ojos tonite is 45 euros (thank god Lily got invites) - and 35 euros for the concert in Thessaloniki - a difference which doesnt really make any sense. So this made me address the production company, On Stage, with a complaint letter (maybe more of us could send complaints), I attach it here - in Greek:

Αγαπητοί Κύριοι,
Θα ήθελα με αυτό το email να σας εκφράσω την απογοήτευση - όχι μόνο την δική μου αλλά και πολλών άλλων ανθρώπων - που δημιουργείτε βάζοντας μια τόσο υπερβολικά υψηλή τιμή στα εισιτήρια των Ojos de Brujo. Είναι πραγματικά κρίμα διότι αυτό είναι ένα απογορευτικό ποσό για πολλούς νέους. Επίσης δεν μπορώ να καταλάβω για ποιό λόγο η τόσο μεγάλη διαφορά μεταξύ των εισιτιρίων Αθήνας (45) και Θεσ/νίκης (35)?
Όπως θα καταλάβετε και οι ίδιοι απόψε, ο κόσμος που θα είναι παρών στη συναυλία δεν θα είναι αυτός που αρμόζει σε ένα σχήμα σαν τους Ojos - δεν μιλώ για το ποιοί θα είναι αλλά για το πόσος κόσμος θα μαζευτεί. Αλλά ακόμη και αυτοί που θα έρθουν πιστέψτε με δεν θα έχουν μια χαλαρότητα, ένα κέφι ας το πούμε, θα είναι ήδη αρκετά σφιγμένοι λόγω του ποσού που δώσαν.
Με εκτίμηση...

I'm curious to see whether they will grace me with a reply.

The Cape May & Nina

2006-12-09T19:00:00.000+02:00

Just some pics from the show the other day, the Cape May were great and Nina too...shame I cant say the same for the two Greek bands that opened the show.

Climate Truth in Chaos?

2006-12-08T12:55:00.000+02:00

Photos from the I Count - Stop Climate Chaos event where 25,000 packed into an unseasonably sunny Trafalgar Square.

I was reading today Mike Hulme’s article on BBC Online, where he talks about how the rhetoric of climate change catastrophe is in danger of tipping society onto a negative, depressive and reactionary trajectory.

He argues, on the occasion of the massive Stop Climate Chaos event last month in London, and I quote, that the increasing use of the word “catastrophic”, "chaotic", "irreversible", "rapid" - has altered the public discourse around climate change and that it is not is not the language of science. Its not just campaigners anymore, but politicians and scientists too, that are actively ignoring the careful hedging which surrounds science's predictions? Catastrophic language will not be visible in the next assessment by the IPCC and the current scenarios of future climate change are significant enough without having to invoke society into behavioral change.

But isn’t that what we scientists should try to invoke?

I mean, shouldn’t we try and convince people, by publicly presenting scientific evidence (because most people today, that have no climate scientific background for example will never read the IPCC report or visit the CRU or Tyndall Center’s websites), that they have to alter some of their daily behaviors? To try sustainable living, in order to contribute less to climate change from a household point of view – because everything starts from there.

For example, we can conserve energy at home via energy efficient appliances, or seek alternative means of transport (public transport, carpooling etc) - to go to work, or try recycling; composting; use of renewable electricity and so many other simple measures one can take and turn them into a habit for them and their kids.

Now the industrial sector is a whole different ballgame, simple arguments are not enough because there is serious money involved. They need either massive incentives or penalties in order to comply with emissions reductions legislation etc.

So don’t get me wrong, I’ve had the utmost respect for Mike Hulme and his work ever since I started studying climate change, but I think we do have to be militant to some degree about climate change, now the line where it turns into a soap-opera is thin, but maybe we shouldn’t be so judgmental of the climate campaigners or NGOs and join them instead.

Don't miss tonite at AN Club

2006-12-07T13:57:00.000+02:00

Nina Nastasia is performing tonite at AN Club in Athens, I'm definitely going especially since The Cape May are playing as well. I predict a great Americana - filled night...

Spring Fling

2006-12-05T14:25:00.000+02:00

(photo by Kate Kunch)

Jolie Holland is my latest obsession. With a voice often likened to Billie Holiday, she fulfills all of my americana, folk, blues needs and dreams all at the same time! I simply cannot stop listening to Old Fashion Morphine from the Escondida album and I am so anxious to go home after work and listen to her latest release, Springtime Can Kill You, again from ANT1 records. I was reading about her on American Songwriter and Filter Magazine and I was suprised to hear that she can neither read nor write music and is entirely self-taught. Check her out on MySpace too.

Futures of Cities (and Pasts)

2006-12-04T14:36:00.000+02:00

yr 2000 stats

The upcoming Futures of Cities World Congress - Impacts: Indicators: Implementations, has set up a cool website that you can check, it features a dynamically illustrated timeline regarding the transition from urban to rural living (1913-today & future projection). Some interesting architectural facts also provided.

Via: Sustainable Rotterdam

There is a light that never goes out

2006-11-30T11:52:00.000+02:00

The Sun-jar
The Glowbrick

On the occasion of Morissey’s gig the other day and since I've been thinking lately how much energy we are wasting almost every night that we leave on a small lamp for my girlfriend’s young daughter who doesn’t want to sleep in total darkness, low and behold today’s post!
An average lamp that’s on for about 45 mins consumes 6500 watts, which means we are wasting a lot every night. So this got me looking for eco-friendly lamps on the internet. I came up with these solar powered - cool looking gadgets, that feature an appropriately soft light for the little one to sleep with. The design is super simple, a solar cell, battery and LED lights.

Smog-eating chemical

2006-11-29T11:02:00.000+02:00

The unit cell of Anatase - one of the mineral forms of TiO2

Richard Meier's church in Tor Tre Teste, Rome, that features the TiO2 coating

The chemical industry (e.g. Italcementi Group, Millennium Chemicals) has come up with a revolutionary coating, of titanium dioxide (TiO2), that can be applied to the surface of buildings or as an ingredient in plastics, fabrics, ceramic tiles and road paving materials. TiO2, particularly in the anatase form, is a photocatalyst under UV light that allows the pollutants in the air to react with the oxygen in the air and coverts it to a form which then falls onto the ground and is washed away by the rain. So, in addition to keeping walls clean, it has the potential to cut breathing problems by cleaning the air around buildings. According to Italcementi, tests in urban settings determined that some pollutants could be reduced by 20 to 70 percent. The reduction of pollutants is greatest within about 8 ft. of a surface that has been treated, the company said. This means that a pedestrian on a street with traffic would inhale fewer pollutants while passing treated buildings. It has already been tested on Meier's church and more trials are under way on a pavement in Southampton Row in central London, and at Sir John Cass’s school in the City.

Sources: The Sunday Times, The New York Times

Unsafe is the new safe

2006-11-24T14:41:00.000+02:00

(photo by Alon Brik)

I've been reading today (via The Spiegel, Gristmill, CSMonitor) on this really cool (but kinda risky) idea, that some progressive cities and towns, like many Dutch towns, Ejby in Denmark, Ipswich in the UK and Ostende in Belgium, have been experimenting with as a cure for traffic chaos. Basically it all has to do with removing the conventional road signs - traffic lights, white lines, sidewalks etc- and create a single "shared space" for everyone, motorized or not!

The Dutch traffic guru Hans Monderman says "The many rules strip us of the most important thing: the ability to be considerate. We're losing our capacity for socially responsible behavior. The greater the number of prescriptions, the more people's sense of personal responsibility dwindles.".

You'd be suprised to hear that the number of accidents has declined dramatically and there's improved flow of traffic in these demo-cities. London is also entertaining this new idea of road anarchy, and its been currentlly tested in Kensington.

Hmm, this may very well work for the civilized parts of the world but just imagine if we tried this over here in Athens...fun times huh?!

Athens green spaces: degradation instead of regeneration

2006-11-23T15:09:00.000+02:00

For every citizen of Athens there are only 2-3 m2 of green space*, the lowest percentage in all of the EU Member States.
But how is this possible, in a beautiful city that has been endowed with quite a number of green areas?

The reason is that very simply the Greek State itself has decided in the recent years to irreversibly degrade them, either by transferring them to private individuals, or with land use changes, or even uncontrolled commercial exploitation by Local Authority Organizations etc. All this, with the pretence that this is happening for the common public good.

Some shocking examples:

The transfer of 5000 m2 from the Pedion tou Areos to the Panellinios gymnastics club (with very dodgy legal doings) that also entailed plans to cut down lots of trees and illegal building.
The siting of the Metro station and the Contemporary Art Museum in the Rizari Park area (original area 115000 m2 – now only 50000 m2), that was mysteriously handed over from the Greek State to the Goulandris family.
The expansion of the Athens Concert Hall (Megaron) at the expense of the Eleftherias Park.
The transfer of a large part of the Nea Philadelphia Park to the AEK football club.
Many illegal actions, like new buildings and destruction of existing greenhouses within the Syngrou Estate

And the list just goes on and on.
We are losing these priceless “lungs” of our city and apart from the local NGOs like the WWF and some, not many, concerned citizens, nobody else seems to give a damn.

*According to the Ministry of Environment, February 2004, there are 3,55 m2 for each citizen, that is the figure when adding the green on the traffic islands, the lawn on Attiki Odos and Ymittos Circular, but without considering the serious reductions in green space that occurred during their construction (e.g. Ymittos)

References/ useful links for further reading:

The WWFs assessment of Athens green spaces

Open Spaces Observatory

Greece slacking on Natura 2000

2006-11-22T11:34:00.000+02:00

The Greek Natura network consists of 239 Sites of Community Importance and 151 Special Protection Zones.

The map above is proof that our country is one of the richest in terms of biodiversity in the Mediterranean, but also on the whole continent. Approximately 1/4 of the country belongs to this network! However, the latest review of management practices, in terms of carrying out projects within the framework of the Natura 2000, places Greece second from last. The study carried out by the WWF and other NGOs, looked at all EU-25 Member States, and also Bulgaria, Croatia, Romania and Turkey. The assessment is very critical of Greece, stressing on the absence of management measures for realizing the targets of the Natura network, and the absence of government funding...once again, way to go Ministry of Environment...what a shame...

For more on this, read:
The full report: Natura 2000 in Europe - An NGO assessment
The related WWF Hellas article
Check the EC's Nature & Biodiversity pages.

The Cinematic Orchestra

2006-11-20T11:18:00.000+02:00

Clip from their live performance on the 18th Nov. 2006, in Athens. The place was ultra-packed, sold out show...

Word of the Year (2006)

2006-11-15T12:27:00.000+02:00

The New Oxford American Dictionary’s Word of the Year for 2006 is Carbon Neutral!

The reason for this choice, says editor in chief Erin McKean, is because "The increasing use of the word carbon neutral reflects not just the greening of our culture, but the greening of our language. When you see first graders trying to make their classrooms carbon neutral, you know the word has become mainstream."

As it seems the fun never ends for those crazy Oxford lexicographers!

Fashion Statements

2006-11-14T10:08:00.000+02:00

The models at last night's Hugo Boss opening

VERSUS

This very chic lady at the bus stop this morning...

Climate Change Denial Overload

2006-11-08T15:34:00.000+02:00

I'm in the process of putting together a presentation regarding paleoclimate evidence (proxy records etc.) for climate change and I've been reading for a few weeks now the various related blog posts and environmental news commentaries. In the beginning I was shocked at the mere stupidity of those leading the arguments (mostly in the US) on how invalid anthropogenic warming is and so on. I read so much stuff from so many different sources, with loads of great rebuttals (see the Gristmill's "How to talk to a climate skeptic" guide!) and even some name calling (!) (see Peiser vs Oreskes, Gray vs Trenberth etc).

But what's really making me furious instead of laughing at these guys anymore, is statements and manipulations by people like:

1) Mike Morano, communications director of Oklahoma Senator and Environment Committee Chair Jim Inhofe (hear the live audio recording of Morano vs Revkin, Blakemore and Fagin at the Society of Environmental Journalists Conference here - a very kind contribution of da lovely DeSmogBlog)

2) Tom Harris, leading the latest perversion by public discourse by public relations professionals - Canada's Natural Resources Stewardship Project (NRSP - or aka Not Really Science People or Not Really Serious People! once again brava SmogBlog!). I quote him: "Gore (talking about An Inconvenient Truth)repeatedly labels carbon dioxide (CO2) as “global warming pollution” when, in reality, it is no more pollution than is oxygen. CO2 is plant food, an ingredient essential for photosynthesis without which Earth would be a lifeless, frozen ice ball....The hypothesis that human release of CO2 is a major contributor to global warming is just that – an unproven hypothesis, against which evidence is increasingly mounting."

3) and the tip of the iceberg, Republican pollster Frank Luntz, a guy who has made a career of massaging language to his clients advantage. Check out his now infamous enviro-speak memo to the Republican party, where he advises the following:
"The three words Americans are looking for in an environmental policy, they are (sic) 'safer,' 'cleaner,' and 'healthier."
"If you must use the economic argument, stress that you are seeking 'a fair balance' between the environment and the economy."

Ouff, angry and tired as well...

Knight Riders Opening

2006-11-06T11:45:00.000+02:00

Marita & Lilly at the exhibition entrance, in front of Kaimax Creative Industries graphics

There were some technical difficulties at first but still I found these pixeled "wrong" images quite interesting

The "correct" images

Images and video from last Thursday's opening of the Knight Riders. Photographer - video engineer Maria Mitzali, artist Alexander Mistriotis and musician Spyros Moschoutis have created an audio-visual installation of the Greek landscape, from images and sounds they have gathered from their wanderings all over Greece. It's on until 18/11/2006 (19.00-23.00 pm) in a very cool industrial building, Kiriadon str. 16-22 Kato Petralona, Athens.

Every man's memory is his private literature (Aldous Huxley)

2006-11-04T23:11:00.000+02:00

Just got home after havin' watched one of the most interesting and moving documentaries ever, brought on loads of existential thoughts, the human condition blah blah. "Unknown white male", is the true story of 37 year old Douglas Bruce who for no apparent reason lost his entire memory one day (that is his "episodic" and "semantic" memory, not so much his "procedural"...from what I figured at least). Loved the way it was filmed, and directed by Rupert Murray. I am really curious to hear and watch how Douglas feels, reacts when he regains his memory one day (95% chance he does).

The proof is in the blogging? The insults as well...

2006-10-31T14:29:00.000+02:00

It all started on Oct. 5, when Woit started a new thread titled "Navier-Stokes Equations Progress?" on his "Not Even Wrong" blog. Penny Smith, a Lehigh University mathematician, posted a paper on arXiv, that attempted to solve a famous problem. In the abstract of her paper, Smith claimed to have proven the existence of a solution to the Navier-Stokes equations. The equations describe the behavior of liquids and gases in motion, and a solution would give scientists insight into the chaotic natural phenomenon of turbulence.

The Navier-Stokes problem, that has been unsolved for more than 150 years, was designated a Millennium Prize problem by the Clay Mathematics Institute in Cambridge, Mass. for $1 million.
People rushed to Woit's blog, excited to discuss Smith's paper. Some admirers congratulated her while cautioning each other against getting too excited until the work had been verified. But doubts about Smith's work started to emerge; then, on the morning of Oct. 8 Smith withdrew the paper from arXiv because it contained a "serious flaw".

However, serious drama had already been ignited. Some readers, physicists and mathematicians themselves, apparently had a lot to say to Smith, some reminded her that progress in math requires risks and failures, while others criticized her work. Some went so far as to even insult her personally.

The blog discussion it stirred up suggests that mathematicians must be more careful in the face of growing technology. I would just like to close this post with one of Smith's responses, that I liked, to an insult:

"Dear Truethseeker, I love doing math. I just hope people are still willing to read, referee and publish my papers. Thanks. As the example of Yau shows beware of journalists. Even well intentioned ones like mine. She just missed a point in what I said. All humans make errors –Journalists included – and the MOST important thing in life is not intellect but kindness to others".

For more details, read Seed's related article, "The proof is in the blogging", and Woit's commentary on the incident.

PS Another case of massive insults and art-drama appeared recently on my friend Angelo Plessa's blog, on his "Anathena tonight" post of October 19th 2006.

Just some more Athens street art

2006-10-28T08:37:00.000+03:00

ExxonMobil expose´ documentary

2006-10-26T15:39:00.000+03:00

Joe Public Films has released its 4th documentary, directed by Tom Jackson, “Out of Balance: ExxonMobil’s Impact on Climate Change”. The hour-long expose´ of the oil giant focuses primarily on ExxonMobil’s support of climate change “skeptics”, and its influence on the Bush administration.

In Spring 2006, mainstream media announced that the debate about the human impact on climate was over, however the debate among most climate scientists had ended long ago, unbeknownst to most Americans.

Out of Balance looks at how ExxonMobil spearheaded the misinformation campaign while making record profits. It also looks at the history of the company, showing a pattern of behavior that goes all the way back to Standard Oil days, through the response to the Exxon Valdez oil spill, to their current refusal to take action against climate change. The film features leading climate scientists such as Michael Oppenheimer and Robert Watson, environmentalists from Exxpose Exxon, Greenpeace and other organizations join with a former Exxon executive, US government whistle-blower Rick Piltz, and leading authors such as Bill McKibben, Elizabeth Kolbert, and Ross Gelbspan.

We're on African TV! Hooray!

2006-10-25T11:34:00.000+03:00


News coverage of the opening and closing ceremony of the Intelligent Energy for Sahel (IE4Sahel) First Workshop, 2-6 October 2006, Niamey, on Niger Television, also available on Google video if it isn't streaming here. Jeez, I can be such a nerd sometimes!

Another LOST morning...

2006-10-24T10:04:00.000+03:00

9 am - a very strange fog hits us just after we pass Stavros and head down Marathonos Ave towards work...kind of appropriate now that I think about it - esp. with the way things have been lately at the office :(

Anathena Rocks

2006-10-20T10:10:00.000+03:00

Angelo Plessas with the fantastic fanzines he made for the exhibition
Here with Andreas Angelidakis.

The opening of Anathena, was massive last night, nice works, soooo many cool people and great music. Unfortunately I didn't have my camera with me, just my phone's. Check Angelo's blog for more.

Knight Rider à la Grecque

2006-10-19T14:54:00.000+03:00

Don't miss it!

Never letting go of BPB...

2006-10-17T13:14:00.000+03:00

Listen to BPB sing along with the bewitching Dawn McCarthy (of Faun Fables), on the new album's 2nd track, Strange Form of Life...

Babel impressions

2006-10-15T10:53:00.000+03:00

Some Czech surrealism I liked...

Chichoni's rather striking drawings
Sperry showed lots of great anti-Bush/war stuff

The graffiti was pretty rad

Greek stencil arists seem to be everywhere these days...

11th International Comics Festival - BABEL

2006-10-13T14:28:00.000+03:00

Once again, at Texnopolis - Gazi
Don't miss Caccia's exhibit
...and Chuck Sperry's - the ever famous rock concert poster creator

Blogger Vs MySpace = 1 - 0

2006-10-13T13:40:00.000+03:00

I opened a MySpace account yesterday (dafnara), and I must say I'm seriously disappointed with it. I don't know whether the MySpace server is experiencing problems, but it is extremely slow, constantly causing errors while you are trying to upload something and in general is pissing me off! So, all in all I think I'm gonna stick with Blogger that's more user-friendly and efficient. I might log into MySpace every now and then just to check messages from friends but that's all. As for music, MySpace is cool, but Hype can also rock your world.

Diggin' The Oohlas today

2006-10-12T10:38:00.000+03:00

The Oohlas - Gone.mp3

Let's go Dutch?

2006-10-11T13:39:00.000+03:00

I was walking home yesterday when I noticed this strange-looking building on Irodotou street...what is it?

Niger - the place at the beginning of the end of the world.

2006-10-10T10:05:00.000+03:00

Flying over the Sahara desert - on the way to Niger from Paris
Camels walking the streets of Niamey, the capital of Niger
View of the river Niger, from the terasse of the Grand Hotel
Giraffes, in the savvanah, the loveliest animals I've ever come across
A lonely hippo, chilling on the river bank
Savvanah kids

A termite bog - they make really impressive structures, sometimes up to 2 meters tall!

River island life
Sunset on the pirogue, after the hippo quest down the river

Mama Africa here I come!

2006-09-28T09:48:00.000+03:00

OK after so many years I'm going back to the motherland! This time it's Niamey in Niger for the Energy-Poverty Workshop (see Sept. 11th's post).

His Majesty - Nick Cave

2006-09-23T15:44:00.000+03:00

Once again, a fu**ing amazing performance, last night at Lycabettus theatre in Athens.