text:
<!DOCTYPE html>

    <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />
    <title>jquery.mb.miniAudioPlayer</title>

    <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="css/miniplayer.css" title="style"  media="screen"/>
    <link href='http://fonts.googleapis.com/css?family=Lekton' rel='stylesheet' type='text/css'>

mb.miniAudioPlayer.demo

 Customize the player skin

    This is a GUI implementation of Happyworm jPlayer plugin, an HTML5 audio engine, developed on jQuery framework, that let you listen mp3 and ogg file over the html5 audio tag where supported or using an invisible flash player where not supported.
    For more informations about html5 browsers' support go to jPlayer documentation site.

    Airport Gate (Boarding)

    miaowmusic - Stirring of a Fool (mp3)

change track:

        <button onclick="$('#m5').mb_miniPlayer_changeFile('http://www.miaowmusic.com/mp3/Miaow-04-Lismore.mp3',false,'Lismore (mp3)')">miaowmusic - Lismore</button>
        <button onclick="$('#m5').mb_miniPlayer_changeFile('http://www.miaowmusic.com/mp3/Miaow-02-Hidden.mp3',false,'Hidden (mp3)')">miaowmusic - Hidden</button>


Your employees make up the main driving force behind your business, and, studies show that happy employees make your business more productive. With this in mind, making sure they are happy and satisfied at their workplace should be one of the highest priorities within your business. Luckily, there are some sure-fire ideas you can use in order to show your employees just how much you care about them.
Gifts have always been a great way to show someone you care about them, and to make sure they feel appreciated. They can function as a great reward for someone who has finished a demanding project, or has been working for your business for a long time. The choice of what you are going to give is an important one, as the gifts will be a lot more appreciated if they are personalized and have a deeper meaning to the recipient. However, going above and beyond to find the right gift can be somewhat counterproductive, which is why opting for something universal like a handy prepaid visaor added time-off that most people can appreciate, is a great choice as well.
Celebrating an employee's birthday is another great way to show, both them, and everyone around the office that their hard work is appreciated. And, while there may be people who would prefer to stay low, which is why you should always ask first, most people like having their birthdays recognized and celebrated within the office. The best part is that it's quite inexpensive, as the only things you will be required to do is order a cake, some food and some drinks.
Whether it's group lunches, after-work drinks or holiday parties, organizing non-work related activities such as these can be a great way to show everyone that their work is appreciated. At the same time, it can also function as a great way for your employees to get to know eachother better and further increase their team spirit. For example, taking them out for lunch can help you get to know them better, but also help them relax and move into their comfort zone.
While a large part of employee appreciation is rewarding them for their hard work by giving them gifts or taking them out, a much more substantial reward will be the one which gives them a real voice, and makes sure their opinions and suggestions are heard and understood. Giving them the ability to choose what projects to work on or voice their opinions on how an issue should be dealt with, will have a much deeper and lasting effect on them, by making them feel as if though they are an integral part of something bigger.
Employee appreciation is a key aspect to any truly successful business; however, it's important to keep in mind that employee appreciation is something that should be relegated to a few events or birthdays each year, it instead requires an everyday contribution. It also doesn't have to mean spending a large amount of money either. At the end of the day, it's the little things, such as saying thank you, or listening to one of your employees when they are having trouble, and helping them out the best you can, that really makes a difference.
Carolin Petterson is a Business Lady/Content Marketer and contributor for number of high-class business and marketing websites.


Dr. Calderone studies postsecondary access and opportunity. Her research focuses on the impact of trust, risk, and stress on students' and families' college-going and retention/persistence decisions. This work includes research on the role of social and relational trust in the creation of postsecondary options for families, financial literacy as a tool for leveling the college-going playing field, as well as perceptions of risk and the related financial stressors associated with college affordability.
Calderone, S.M. & Fosnacht, K. (Eds) (Under Review). Sources of Stress and Forms of Coping on the Contemporary College Campus. Information Age Publishing.
Kruse, S.D., Rakha, S., & Calderone, S.M. (2018). Developing Cultural Competency in Higher Education: An Agenda for Practice. Teaching in Higher Education, https://doi.org/10.1080/13562517.2017.1414790.
Fosnacht, K., & Calderone, S. M. (2017). Undergraduate Financial Stress, Financial Self-Efficacy, and Major Choice: A Multi-Institutional Study. Journal of Financial Therapy, 8 (1) 7.
Huerta, A.H, Calderone, S.M., and McDonough, P.M. (2017). School Discipline Policies and the Undermining of College Aspirations for Latino Male Students. In Policy Goes to School: Case Studies on the Possiblities and Limitations of Educational Innovation (Routledge Research in Educational Equality and Diversity), edited by Gilberto Q. Conchas & Michael Gottfried.
McDonough, P.M., Calderone, S.M., & Venegas, K.M. (2015). The Role of Social Trust in Low-Income Latino College Financing Decisions. Journal of Latino/Latin American Studies, 7(2), pp. 133-148.
McDonough, P.M & Calderone, S.M (2013). "College Admissions in the United States." In Oxford Bibliographies in Education. Ed. Luanna Meyer. New York: Oxford University Press.
Institute for Higher Education Policy. (Spring 2010). Cost Perceptions and College Going for Low Income Students. Washington, D.C.: Shannon Calderone.
McDonough, P.M. & Calderone, S.M. (2006). The Meaning of Money: Perceptual Differences between College Counselors and Low-Income Families about College Costs and Financial Aid. American Behavioral Scientist, 49(12).


text:
Capital Manchester
Sun Comes Up Rudimental feat. James Arthur Download 'Sun Comes Up' on iTunes
Manchester United Charged over Late Bus
3 October 2018, 14:02 | Updated: 3 October 2018, 14:07
Manchester United are facing UEFA disciplinary proceedings after their late arrival for Tuesday's Champions League encounter against Valencia saw kick-off delayed.
Jose Mourinho's men arrived at Old Trafford at 7.15pm on Tuesday night due to traffic in the city, leading kick-off to be put back by five minutes.
UEFA has subsequently opened disciplinary proceedings against United for "late team arrival" and "late kick-off" in the Group H match that ended 0-0.
Valencia have also been charged over the late kick-off and face others for the "setting off of fireworks" and "kit infringement". The case will go before the UEFA Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body on October 18.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


S.T. Game 2. Loaisiga, Wade and Voit spark Yanks to 8-5 win.
No offense to guys trying to make the team or even to stay in the majors or even AAA like a Nestor Cortes (who took the loss yesterday), Drew Hutchinson or Danny Colombe, but I was more interested in two pitchers who pitched TODAY.
One was Jonathan Loaisiga, who started a few games for the Yanks in 2018 and who I was very impressed with. Loaisiga is probably their sixth starter right now, someone to be used in case of injury/emergency, and someone who is being groomed now to take CC's spot in the rotation in 2020.
Loaisiga pitched two no-run, no-hit innings today. Just what I wanted to see.
The other guy I was interested in was Stephen Tarpley, who came up at the end of 2018 and who posted a 3.00 ERA after a successful minor league season. He had a nice inning of work today as well.
Other pitchers I didn't concern myself too much with. Call me when the regulars pitch.
As for position players, a GREAT day for Tyler Wade and for Luke Voit.
So far, the first base battle is interesting. Bird had a double and single yesterday. Today, Voit rose to the challenge with a RBI single and a 3-run HR.
As for Wade, a double yesterday, and 3 hits today, including two doubles. He has not hit a lick in 2017 or 2018 for the Yankees but the Yanks are still high on him with his speed, versatility and his lefty bat. He needs to prove himself this year, however, since time is running out.
Matt Lipka also had a 2-run HR for the Yanks today.
Hale was with the Yanks last year, released, went to the Twins, released, back to the Yanks, I think went to Korea ….bounced around a a lot.
Loaisiga 2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 2 K.
Hale 2 IP, 0 r, 1 H, 0 w,. 3 K.
Stephan 2/3 Ip, 3 R, 4 H, 0 W, 1 K. Gave up 3 HR.
Lail 1 1/3 IP, 2 R, 2 H, 0 W, 0 K. Gave up 1 HR.
Tarpley 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 W, 0 K.
Trevor Stephan was terrible, giving up 3 HR and not even lasting an inning. Brady Lail gave up a HR too.
But I was most interested in Loaisiga (who we nicknamed Johnny Lasagna last year) and Tarpley.
Not everyone makes the team, and some guys you just know are years away.
It's why I target certain players in spring training to see how they do and the most important ones, Loaisiga, Tarpley, Wade, Voit, all passed with flying colors today.


Tattoo was done by Eric Catalano. Shop is called Eternal Ink in Illinois. Also does amazing work tattoing areolas for breast cancer survivors. Not my tattoo. Saw his work and decided to share it. EDIT: thanks for my first staff pick and first viral! Send me whatever you'd like!


The Chicago Bulls reached out to 6 local artists to design hats for a series of promotional giveaways during the 2017-2018 NBA season.
I visited the United Center to design the hat alongside Bulls Creative Director Jon Shoemaker. I also created an illustration that was printed beneath the visor.
The hat I designed was given away to fans at a December home game against the Cleveland Cavaliers.


text:
(function () {

    $(window).on("load", function () {
        console.log("reloaded");
        appManager.toggleUserState();
    });

    var sammyApp = Sammy("#main-content", function () {

        // this.get('#/', {controller.method});
        this.get("#/home", homeController.startUp);
        this.get("#/categories", categoriesController.all);
        this.get("#/about", homeController.about);
        this.get("#/contact", homeController.contact);
        this.get("#/category/:categoryId/sections/:sectionId/topics/:topicId", topicsController.byId);
        this.get("#/category/:categoryId", categoriesController.current);
        this.get("#/category/:categoryId/sections/:sectionId", sectionsController.byId);
        this.get("#/add/category", categoriesController.add);
        this.get("#/add/section", sectionsController.add);
        this.get("#/add/topic", topicsController.add);
        this.get("#/login", userController.login);
        this.get("#/register", userController.register);
        this.get("#/logout", userController.logout);
        this.get("#/test", uploadController.upload);
        this.get("#/topic/edit/:id", topicsController.edit);
    });

    $(function () {
        sammyApp.run("#/");
    });
}())

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


We have had affirmative action for 60 years now. Since that is not working, they are asking for reparations as well. If reparations do not work, what else will they ask ?
Affirmative action is systematic racism institutionalized against white Americans and Asian Americans. More and more Asian Americans are beginning to realize it these days and siding with Republicans on this issue. AA affects Asian Americans very badly.
Also, how is it fair that RECENT black immigrants from Africa countries take advantage of AA? Their ancestors were never discriminated in America. It is unfair such recent black immigrants get advantage due to AA when there is a qualified white/Asian American whose ancestors have lived in America for centuries loses that opportunity.
AA does NOT work in country like America that has high level of immigration from all over the world every year.
Affirmative action gives unqualified people positions they shouldn't be entitled to. You can't justify a system where a child of an African American millionaire (like the Obama's daughters) get admission on a diversity quota ahead of a poor white coal miner's child from west Virginia.
Equal opportunity is better but thats not possible in a racist society. Bigots and racists created Affirmative Action. Get rid of all bigotry and then we dont need it. Until then its here to stay.
Affirmative Action: Created by the black racist Federal Justices within our nation's legal system. AA is pretty much legalized "reverse" racial discrimination, that also hails DIVERSITY as Utopian.
No matter what, if you are Caucasian you are screwed big time. They either tell you don not fill out the application because it's going in the circular file or the refuse to give you an application. The results are the same.
AA is what put Obama in the White House and we can see that was a mistake. Equal opportunity would be fair, if everyone was on an equal level and there were no "government mandated numbers" that give unqualified people a leg up when they don't deserve one.
affirmative action cause it gives the women, the poor, the non educated or the lazy people a chance.
civil rights act of 64,,got it covered,what else do you want to flog the dead horse for?


Nursing homes are extremely important institutions that many elderly people rely upon. A person may entrust an elderly parent to the care of a nursing home facility with the expectation that he or she will receive better care than at home. Unfortunately, some residents of nursing homes experience abuse and neglect.
A person who has been abused or neglected in a nursing home may strongly benefit from meeting with a determined personal injury attorney. A family member often may act as an advocate for an elderly person who has received the abuse and could potentially pursue a lawsuit on his or her behalf. Contact a Dalton nursing home abuse lawyer to learn about potential legal options.
Georgia statute §31-8-81, outlaws the abuse of elders who remain in long-term care facilities including nursing homes, assisted living communities, and at-home care. Typically, abuse of an elder means any intentionally or grossly negligent act or lack of action that caused injury to a resident. Examples of these acts include assault, battery, the failure to provide treatment, care, or sexual harassment.
Additionally, it is also generally considered illegal to exploit elders within a nursing home. Exploitation could include any effort to coerce, harass, or deceive the elder for the caretaker's profit or advantage. A Dalton nursing home abuse lawyer can provide an explanation of what actions committed upon an elder constitute either negligence or exploitation.
The initial notification of the suspected abuse can be reported to the Department either in person or on the telephone. The duty to notify the Department often requires that a written report be submitted to the Department no later than 24 hours after the initial notification. The report must typically contain the name and address of the person making the report, the elder involved, contact information for the nursing home, and the nature and cause of the injury.
Who Could be Immune to a Liability Claim in Dalton?
In most cases, an abused elder or their legal representative has the right to obtain in-depth information about who specifically was involved in the abuse from the Department. This is generally helpful when bringing a lawsuit against a nursing home for monetary damages, especially when facing a potentially aggressive immunity defense from a nursing home facility.
Additionally, Georgia statute § 31-8-85 stipulates that if an agent of the nursing home reported abuse they committed to an elder to the Department, they may be exempt from liability for their actions. The services of a Dalton nursing home abuse lawyer can be instrumental in preserving an elder's claim of abuse if immunity defenses are ever posed.
Learning about the abuse of an elderly family member or loved one can be incredibly difficult. A person may not know how to proceed or if he or she should file a claim against the nursing home facility. Often, the court system may seem quite confusing and could frustrate a person if he or she attempts to file a claim alone. Schedule an appointment with a Dalton nursing home abuse lawyer. A dedicated attorney could review the case and help you determine your next steps. Call today to get started.


text:
Whirlpool contributes $358 million to its U.S. DB plans in 2018
James Comtois
Whirlpool Corp., Benton Harbor, Mich., contributed $358 million in cash to the pension trust for its U.S. defined benefit plans on Sept. 15, said the company's 10-K filed Tuesday. This included $350 million in discretionary contributions.
The company had a total of $3.19 billion in DB plan assets as of Dec. 31 — $2.68 billion in its U.S. plans and $518 million in its international plans. Its benefit obligations for its U.S. plans as of Dec. 31 totaled $3.03 billion, for a funding ratio of 88.2%. Its international plans had benefit obligations of $834 million, for a funding ratio of 62.1%.
The discount rate for its U.S. plans was 3.65% in 2018, down from 4.15% in 2017. The discount rate for its overseas plans was 2.57% in 2018, down from 2.64%.
Whirlpool does not expect to contribute to its U.S. DB plans in 2019 but expects to contribute $17 million to its international plans, according to its 10-K.
Compare expected U.S. company pension contributions with P&I's Corporate Pension Contribution Tracker
Whirlpool to pour $140 million into U.S. pension plans in 2013
CMS Energy reports $240 million pension plan contribution
General Motors to steer $670 million in contributions to pension plans in 2019
DowDuPont to pump $430 million into pension plans in 2019
General Dynamics to contribute at least $190 million to pensions in 2019
CDPQ names new head of risk management
Ontario Municipal Employees appoints new CIO
New Jersey pays $422 million in performance fees to alts managers in FY 2022


So, that being said, I know you will want to hear all about how my writing day went yesterday. You may develop doubts but knitting does get involved here - this is me we're talking about, after all.
Sit down at freshly-running computer to write down the piece that started unwinding itself in my head around 11pm the night before.
About a page in, realize that I have forgotten all the character names for the stories of which this new one is to be a part (it has after all been three years - how time flies! I thought it was two - and also, I am chronically remembering everything about people except their names, even in person, which is SO distressing); decide to revisit the earlier pieces for refresher.
Have saved latest edits of all six previous pieces in one new folder and am about to open them.
Back from the posh grocer's, having acquired many and varied healthy, brain-boosting foods I can grab without prep, and am sitting at my desk again. With a rainbow of purse-sized chocolates spread out in front of me and Spider Solitaire back on the screen.
Still playing Spider Solitaire but thinking seriously about having a nap.
Super loud knocking at door = delivery of some sort. And now you know why I love to shop online: built-in procrastination opportunities!
Have just paid $50 in customs fees for delivery from US. Don't ask, I'll explain in due time.
Definitely need the nap, but must at least print the stories to get the names out. Compile all six into one document with narrow margins and columns to save paper, then print. Check printout and realize the first story - several years older than the rest - really doesn't fit and must be tossed. Dutifully cut those pages into notepaper and ignore reading the rest.
You have GOT to be kidding. Already??? Guh. Up and scrounging in kitchen for travel accessories, since I am about to leave for a/ errands then b/ knitting date with Trish. Reach for portable socks, then think: portable socklets instead? It is after all hot out, and I do need them first, but they are much closer to being finished. Decide to gamble and shove them in purse.
Knitting on subway in new train. If you live in Toronto, and you disagree with me, please be kind: I strongly dislike the new subway trains. I couldn't wait for them to be released they look so beautiful from the outside, and I have tried and tried to love them since they were, but my love has steadily diminished over time until now, when I have moved past even 'dislike'. They may take more passengers than the old trains but they accommodate them in infinitely greater discomfort. After about 4 stops I have finally been able to grab one of the tiny narrow seats, go me.
Errands complete, arrive at Trish's, where she is putting chairs out so we can knit in the lovely warm shade of her porch. We are both knitting socks even though she is still not loving hers, and chatting about the day. One of us mentions 'parcel' and I say, "I had a parcel today that cost me $50 in customs charges" and she is horrified.
Really the questions go on for quite a long time before she twigs that customs charges are directly connected to the dollar value of the merchandise shipped.
"Wait a minute," she says finally, "Just how much did you buy from Twisted???"
This box of 8 skeins plus 1 bump of roving is the reason I still haven't posted the piece I started writing for Hugs a while ago, called "How To Keep Your Stash Under Control." And the worst is - I planned this particular purchase very carefully for two weeks, right down to the projects, and can't for the life of me remember what they were let alone find my notes on same.
I have finished my socklet. I have nothing left to knit! I must now just sit and enjoy the breeze and the conversation and not beat myself up for packing the wrong sock. Or for maybe having messed up the size of the socklet and not having the fortitude to spend this peaceful time ripping it out.
Writing up proposal for sewing tutorial I suddenly realize I can't live without doing.
... and back to Spider Solitaire.
Now I remember why I stopped writing to knit: with knitting, you have something to show for your time. And isn't that a great gift?
Have a wonderful weekend - see you back here sometime around Sunday!
Love it! This could be any number of my days, if you substitute Pittsburgh Port Authority buses for Toronto subways. :) I think it's no coincidence I took up knitting in a serious way while writing my manuscript for my MFA.
I LOVE spider solitaire! I believe we all have days like this! I hope you are enjoying your twisted sister yarn!
Please note - the 'how much did you buy' question was asked out of straight jealousy, not a whiff of censure there. I'm still trying to justify joining Indigodragonfly's monthly club, even though I'm really, really not loving my sock process. I want to get yarny packages in the mail!


text:
Orban, Soros; Hungary, Poland, from Peter Myers
(1) Soros mercenaries: Orban blacklists 200 critics who, he says, are funded by Soros
(2) Soros-funded foundations plan to leave Hungary
(3) Soros' Central European University may move to Vienna after Orbán victory
(4) Investigative Journalists side with Soros against Hungary
http://www.dw.com/en/hungarys-viktor-orban-targets-critics-with-soros-mercenaries-blacklist/a-43381963
Hungary's Viktor Orban targets critics with 'Soros mercenaries' blacklist
A pro-government magazine has published the names of hundreds of Viktor Orban critics, including academics, civil rights activists and journalists. Does the news mark a new step in Hungary's ongoing political escalation?
On March 15, Hungary's national holiday, Prime Minister Viktor Orban declared in a speech before tens of thousands of supporters that "after the elections we will take revenge — moral, political and legal revenge." Now, mere days after his overwhelming electoral victory, Orban is apparently about to make good on his threat.
On Thursday, pro-government magazine Figyelo published a blacklist with the names of 200 Orban critics. The list, dubbed "the investors' people" and spanning two whole pages, includes academics, journalists and nongovernmental organization workers, labeling them "mercenaries" of US-Hungarian billionaire investor George Soros. The accompanying article claims that one hundred individuals have been identified who work for and belong to Soros' Hungarian network.
The list includes the names of:
- Numerous academics who teach at the Central European University (CEU) in Budapest, which is largely financed by Soros' Open Society Foundation.
- The entire staff of several NGOs, among them the Hungarian Helsinki Committee, the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union and Amnesty International's Hungarian section.
- Several journalists, including the editorial staff of investigative platform Direkt36, which over the previous three years reported on many corruption cases involving individuals close to Orban and his Fidesz party, leading to a range of investigations by the European Anti-Fraud Office.
- A number of formerly liberal-leaning and conservative politicians and economists who once were sympathetic to Fidesz policies, including Attila Chikan, who served as minister of economic affairs in Orban's first government during the 1990s.
Intimidation tactics
The blacklist immediately made headlines throughout Hungary and sparked condemnation from many of those named. Major news platform index.hu criticized that drawing up lists with names of alleged enemies of the government was reminiscent of the "darkest days of Nazi and Communist times." In a statement, CEU President and Rector Michael Ignatieff said that publishing the list was "contemptible" and "a flagrant attempt at intimidation that is dangerous for academic freedom and therefore for all of Hungarian academic life."
Many NGO workers who have been named also expressed their consternation. Marta Pardavi, co-chair at the Hungarian Helsinki Committee, told DW the publication was "shocking" and an "extreme and primitive way of vilifying individuals."
Indeed, the appearance of the list alone — featuring white lettering on a black background — leaves little doubt that its purpose is to intimidate all those named. And the wider political context shows that it was not the coincidental product of some zealous Fidesz supporters. For years, Orban has singled out Soros, directly targeting him with campaigns and political attacks. Orban himself, incidentally, once was the recipient of a Soros-funded scholarship, as were several other government and Fidesz party members.
Today, Orban claims Soros is attempting to destroy the Hungarian nation and Europe's Christian identity by promoting the settlement of millions of Muslim migrants. He alleges Soros employs paid "mercenaries" and in March claimed in a video message that his government knows the names of 2,000 such "Soros mercenaries," hinting that they are being kept under surveillance.
'Enemies of the nation'
Figyelo is owned by Orban ally Maria Schmidt, a historian and intellectual progenitor of the politics of Fidesz. The name of her publication translates to "observer" which, in light of the recent blacklist, acquires a particularly cynical connotation. Figyelo often functions as a organ to pave the way for Orban's contentious campaigns. In early 2017, for instance, an article in the magazine first introduced the notion of a "Lex CEU," a controversial bill that changed the laws regarding higher education, as a way of shutting down Hungary's "Soros university."
Pro-CEU Protese in Budapest (picture-alliance/AP Photo/MTI/J. Marjai) Thousands of people in Hungary have protested against the Orban government's attempts to shutter the CEU
Accordingly, Attila Tibor Nagy from the Budapest-based Centre for Fair Political Analysis thinks that the recently published blacklist is meant to pave the way for passage of the so-called "Stop Soros" package of laws in early May. The legislation aims to empower the government to limit the activities of NGOs "illegally promoting immigration." Nagy says that by "publishing this list of names, all of which are government critics, they are being cast as enemies." And so, he believes, "this seems to be not all that surprisingly a continuation of the anti-Soros campaign."
Orban's European allies
Nagy insists Hungary is far from the kind of democratic erosion comparable to what has happened in Russia or Turkey. But he, like many other observers, nevertheless regards this as a new low in a process of ongoing political escalation. The latest developments could stir debate within the European Union and the European People's Party (EPP), of which Fidesz is a member, over how to deal with Orban. On Thursday, Judith Sargentini, a Dutch member of the European Green Party in the European Parliament, presented a critical report on the status of Hungary's democracy.
After Orban's re-election, fierce debate has once again ensued in the EPP about whether or not Fidesz should be expelled from the political group. Manfred Weber, member of Germany's conservative Christian Social Union (CSU) and chair of the EPP, vehemently rejects the idea, arguing that Orban could be dealt with better if Fidesz remains in the political group. The Helsinki Committee's Pardavi, in turn, is critical of this approach. "All Western politicians who are still in some way or form defending Orban should now realize in what political direction Hungary is headed," she says.
Figyelo has meanwhile announced it will continue publishing names. And while it has apologized for previously also listing the names of already deceased individuals, the magazine dismissed the "hysteria" and "tsunami of concerns" following the initial publication of the blacklist as unwarranted and unnecessary. It said that anybody wishing to be taken off or added to the list should simply send an email.
https://www.politico.eu/article/george-soros-funded-foundation-questions-future-in-hungary-viktor-orban/
Soros-funded foundation questions future in Hungary - Government crackdown on NGOs prompts review.
By Lili Bayer
April 20, 2018, 12:05 PM CET Updated April 24, 8:47 AM CET
The Open Society Foundations, a nonprofit founded by American-Hungarian financier George Soros, said it is considering the future of its operations in Hungary in the face of a government-led campaign against its work.
Its statement came after a report in Austria's Die Presse newspaper that the organization has informed its Budapest staff they will soon be moving to Berlin.
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's government has publicly campaigned against Soros, as well as NGOs and journalists, accusing them of meddling in domestic politics. Rights activists and other critics, including members of the European Parliament, have alleged Orbán is putting the country on a path to autocracy.
Next month, Hungary's parliament is expected to approve a package of laws the government has dubbed "Stop Soros," which would in effect allow the government to ban some NGOs from operating in the country.
"The Open Society Foundations are closely watching developments around the draft legislation that would dramatically restrict the activities of civil society in Hungary," the group said in a statement. "We are considering various options, as the security of our staff in Budapest and the integrity of our work is of paramount importance."
Under the new legislation, any groups working on migration-related issues would need to obtain a permit from the interior ministry.
Orbán, who won reelection with a landslide victory earlier this month, continued his criticism of Soros and NGOs in a radio interview on Friday morning.
"I know that they won't accept the election's outcome, they will organize all kinds of things, they have limitless financial tools," he said.
Last week a pro-government magazine published a list of approximately 200 NGO employees and reporters it described as "Soros' mercenaries." In his Friday interview, Orbán defended the creation of the list of civil society members, saying that he trusts the media to uncover "networks."
Under the new legislation, any groups working on migration-related issues — including advocacy — would need to obtain a permit from the interior ministry. The state would also levy a tax of 25 percent on foreign donations to groups that work on migration, even if the funding came from bodies like the European Commission or United Nations.
OSF, which functions primarily as a grant-making institution supporting civil society and human rights, was previously banned from Russia in 2015.
Orbán's big win in Hungary's April 8 parliamentary election prompted several of the country's few remaining critical media outlets to shut down and raised fears of a new crackdown on the judiciary.
NGOs are not the only ones preparing for the possibility that working in Hungary would no longer be viable.
The Soros-founded, Budapest-based Central European University, which has faced legal trouble under Orbán, is planning on opening a new campus in Vienna, a move many observers have interpreted as a first step in downsizing its presence in Hungary.
http://www.universityworldnews.com/article.php?story=20180411141119286
CEU president resists move to Vienna after Orbán victory
Yojana Sharma
11 April 2018 Issue No:501
The president of the embattled Central European University, Michael Ignatieff, said last week: "I don't want to move the entire operation to Vienna." This in the wake of a landslide election victory last Sunday by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's Fidesz party, delivering him a third successive term in power.
The international Central European University or CEU has been at loggerheads with the Hungarian government since last year, when a law was passed restricting the ability of foreign universities to set up in the country.
In particular the government stipulated that institutions had to be established via an agreement between Hungary and the state where the university originates, "which out of the blue required a bilateral agreement with the government", Ignatieff noted.
He was delivering the keynote speech on the topic of academic freedom at the Centre for Global Higher Education's 2018 annual conference held at the UCL Institute of Education, University College London, on 11 April.
Ignatieff said the university, which was founded by Hungarian-born financier George Soros after the collapse of communism in Europe, has signed an agreement with the City of Vienna to open a new secondary campus there from 2019, in addition to its main campus in Budapest and its site in the United States at Bard College in New York state.
He vowed to do his level best to keep CEU in the Hungarian capital. But new restrictions brought in by the government last year would not allow CEU to exist in Hungary as a stand-alone institution – it has to be a branch. The 2017 restrictions "dropped on us without warning, without consultation, without precedent", he said.
"We decided that we needed a satellite campus in Vienna because there are things we can do in Vienna, which is a great international city, which we cannot do in Budapest.
"I don't want to move the entire [CEU] operation to Vienna," he stressed. It would not only be a logistical nightmare, but also "a university that is there to defend free minds and freedom of institutions should not be pushed out of a country by a regime. So we are trying to find a way to stay."
Publicly the Hungarian government has stated that it is not trying to close CEU down, but is merely ensuring all institutions "play by the same rules".
CEU would continue to offer "programmes and activities in Budapest", Ignatieff said. The need to go to Vienna was to "hedge the political risk" and would also give CEU students opportunities that they might not have in Budapest.
Truth to power
Ignatieff noted that standing up to a regime was unusual for a university. "One of the institutional dispositions of universities is to be very quiet, thoughtful, avoid conflict, avoid standing up. Our lesson is that sometimes you've got to fight."
However, if the other side would not talk or engage in dialogue, then "you've got to put some troops on the ground".
He said CEU had rallied its extensive network of alumni and networks of colleagues in universities in Europe. This led to huge demonstrations in Budapest in support of the institution's freedom to exist.
"Universities should not underestimate their public support," Ignatieff said. "And there are occasions where standing up can raise the price for the other side. You sometimes have to fight political battles."
As a consequence, the Hungarian government reluctantly agreed to negotiate with the state of New York in the United States, where CEU is accredited. "At the end of last summer, we got a deal which allowed us to remain in Budapest. In return we would establish educational activities in the United States – it made sense to compromise, so we compromised."
"For nine months we have been waiting for the government of Hungary to sign this agreement," he added.
With Orbán winning a "thumping majority" in election results announced last Monday, "he now holds all the cards. I am not able to tell you whether he will or will not sign the agreement that will allow us to stay in Budapest."
"If we can't remain in Budapest I will have to move an entire university across a European frontier to a European state."
Defend academic freedom
Ignatieff admitted: "Until we got into this jam I did not think that hard about academic freedom" as a key freedom "that protects us all. We are not just fighting for a corporate privilege for ourselves, we are defending a counter-majoritarian institution whose function is to serve and protect and defend whole societies' capacity to know anything at all."
He appealed to British and other academic institutions to say "loud and clear that an attack on academic freedom anywhere in Europe is an attack on our academic freedom. Please speak [out] if the government of Hungary decides to close us down."
What the Hungarian government's decision will turn on, Ignatieff said, is whether pushing out CEU "turns out to be so popular inside [Orbán's] own party that he will turn back at the last moment".
https://www.icij.org/blog/2018/05/meet-funders-hollywood-supporting-investigative-journalism/
Meet The Funders: How Hollywood is supporting investigative journalism
At the 75th Golden Globes Award ceremony, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association announce it would donate $1 million to the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists and the Committee to Protect Journalists. ICIJ relies on big donations like this, as well as smaller individual donations, to support our investigative journalism. ...
https://www.icij.org/blog/2018/05/heart-hungarys-battle-democracy-journalism/
International Consortium of Investigative Journalists investigating important global issues.running in-depth investigative stories.uncovering the world's illicit tax networks.unmasking the dark side of the global financial system.
REPORTING BY Dean Starkman
At the heart of Hungary's battle for democracy: journalism
A couple of weeks before Hungary's recent, fateful national election last month, one of the nation's leading public intellectuals, Miklós Haraszti, had a message for an audience of journalists and their supporters: "The media are the ultimate frontiers in defending freedom in society."
As if to prove Haraszti's point, days after the election, the largest opposition paper, Magyar Nemzet, abruptly shut down, as did the English-language opposition site, Budapest Beacon. Meanwhile a government-allied magazine, Figyelo˝, published – dramatically, on black paper in white ink – a blacklist of supposed "mercenaries" of financier George Soros.
On it were prominent journalists, including András Petho˝, co-founder of the investigative site Direkt36 and a member of the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, along with the rest of the organization's staff and board, and about 200 other intellectuals and activists.
"It's kind of a strange feeling when you see your name on a list in such a context," Petho˝ says. "You just accept that is the reality."
Government-allied magazine, Figyelo˝, published a backlist, including ICIJ member Andras Petho.
Hungarian democracy – once characterized by competing, autonomous centers of intellectual production – is hanging by the thinnest of threads.
That was underscored by recent elections that left the government of Viktor Orbán, which won less than 50 percent of the vote, in control of two-thirds of parliament and the constitution itself. Where the country goes from here – whether the government makes good on its threats against civil society organizations or succeeds in forcing the departure of Central European University, the American-Hungarian institution with which I am affiliated – remains an open question.
To understand the rise of the anti-democratic right that began with Orbán's election eight years ago, it is important to realize the extent to which media – and even more to the point, journalism – rests at the center of the story.
The Orbán story is a media story. His rise was built on it. His consolidated power rests on it.
Orbán, 54, grew up in the small village of Felcsút about 40 kilometers from Budapest and has long been at odds with those perceived as Budapest's liberal elites, including members of the city's once vibrant and diverse media.
Trained in law, Orbán helped to found Fidesz in the late 1980s as a movement of youthful, idealistic liberals. He made a name for himself with a 1989 speech in Budapest's Heroes' Square at a demonstration recalling the failed 1956 Revolution, which had boldly called for free elections and the removal of Soviet troops.
The following year, he received a scholarship from the Soros Foundation, established by his future nemesis, to study at Oxford. But he cut his studies short to run in Hungary's first post-communist parliamentary election in 1990. His shift to the right a few years later was as abrupt as it was absolute, purging the party of its liberal founders and leaving Orbán firmly in control.
In 1998, he became one of Hungary's youngest-ever prime ministers at the age of 35, leading a coalition government through a tumultuous term that ended in defeat – one shocking to Orbán personally – four years later.
Even before the defeat, Orbán and his allies had considered the need for "media balancing" to counter a perceived left-leaning bias in Budapest media. This had been a government priority, and, with his then-main business ally, Lajos Simicska and other allies, he began shoring up Fidesz-allied media assets, which then included the major daily, Magyar Nemzet, and a conservative weekly.
After the defeat, the party's media empire-building began in earnest. "This was the first time Fidesz realized it needed a stronger and wider media portfolio," media scholar and analyst Attila Bátorfy wrote in 2015. Fidesz-allied and sympathetic business leaders created a news cable channel, Hir Television; a current affairs channel, Echo TV and then acquired another major daily, Magyar Hirlap. As the left-liberal coalition wobbled after the 2008 financial crisis, business leaders close to Fidesz acquired two billboard companies, then one of the country's two main radio frequencies, Class FM.
But it was only upon assuming power after a stunning victory in 2010 that Orbán and Fidesz brought to bear the full extent of their media strategy.
The new government's first major piece of legislation was the landmark Media Law, enacted in 2010. The meticulously prepared law (an English translation, including rebuttals to criticism, runs 189 pages) centralized licensing and regulation under a new panel made up entirely of government allies. It also required media outlets to register with the government, removed legal protection against the disclosure of journalists' sources and threatened significant fines for a range of vaguely worded infractions (e.g. "imbalanced news coverage" and material considered "insulting" to a particular group or "the majority").
The new Media Council would also have definitive say over media mergers, a key element in driving out foreign (and independent) media ownership. While some provisions were rolled back or overturned, most remain in place. The law served as a symbolic marker of the government's determination to dominate the Hungarian media market and served as a powerful tool to do so.
Public broadcasting became a second front in the war on independent media, with the government obliterating any semblance of independence and more than doubling the state broadcasting budget.
Public TV and radio stations were turned into a "propaganda machine" reminiscent of the communist era, according to the respected public interest media research organization, Mérték Media Monitor. "It is very telling that colloquially the term 'state media" is increasingly widely used, even though in the past two decades one was tempted to believe that we would only encounter this notion in history books," the organization observed in a 2015 report.
In a market the size of Hungary, with a population less than 10 million, the government exerts enormous power over the media market. It succeeds both because large companies are reluctant to support news organizations viewed as problematic by the government and through massive direct advertising through various government agencies, such as the lottery and the public transit company.
A business news site, Napi.hu, found that the government was the country's largest media advertiser in 2016, after a 80 percent jump in spending from the previous year. And numerous studies have shown that agencies pumped money to the government allied press as though through a firehose.
Batorfy has illustrated how money flowed to the government-allied press.
The orange area shows public advertising flowing to an Orban ally, then plummeting after the ally and Orbán had a bitter public falling out in early 2015. Afterwards, the funds shifted to other
At its height, the Fidesz-allied media portfolio included five billboard companies, one national and one Budapest-based commercial radio station, three major daily papers, two weekly magazines, two cable channels and the sprawling public media system with several television and radio channels. Other media outlets fell into line, including TV2, one of two main commercial broadcasters, Batorfy said.
The pro-government press, both state-owned and ostensibly private, has pumped out a relentlessly anti-immigrant message, in line with the government's policies, and has uniformly attacked Soros with an essentially made-up conspiracy theory that he controls European immigration policy and is trying to destroy the Hungarian way of life.
Posters in Hungary attacking George Soros have been likened to Nazi propaganda featuring "laughing Jews"
https://t.co/jDN7h79xUI pic.twitter.com/DtwWyM3M45
— The Times of London (@thetimes) July 10, 2017
If the campaign were only about ballooning pro-government media, that would be one thing. But alas, it is not. A third prong of attack has been to eliminate, through market and regulatory means, the most potent institutions of independent journalism.
When, in 2014, one of the largest news sites, Origo.hu, reported that Orbán's undersecretary in the office of the prime minister had racked up lavish expenses on business trips abroad, the site's editor-in-chief, Gergo˝ Sáling, was abruptly ousted. His firing prompted a mass walkout of the editorial staff, including Petho˝, who had authored the original stories.
The same year, the government introduced an advertising tax which would have overwhelmingly impacted a single network, RTL Klub, owned by German media giant Bertelsmann, and then a reliable source of hard-hitting reporting. RTL Klub protested: "The objective of the introduction of this tax is nothing less than an aggressive attempt by the government to undermine the biggest media company of the country, which has proved its independence from the political parties and the government over the past 17 years.
— Márton Éder (@martoneder) October 8, 2016
Perhaps the most significant blow to an independent press in 2016, was when the country's largest daily, Népszabadság, after a string of hard-hitting stories that had exposed corruption at the highest levels of Hungarian society and government, including Orbán's family, was abruptly shuttered.
Its publisher, Mediaworks, was owned by a Viennese private equity firm whose principal had close ties to Hungarian oligarchs. At the same time, the publisher sold its portfolio of a dozen local papers, which had a combined circulation exceeding even Népszabadság's, to an ally of the government, bringing virtually every local paper in the country into government-friendly hands.
Critics noted that every paper began to run the same pro-government stories, as this screenshot of several different local papers illustrates:
Screenshots of a variety of local papers in Hungary.
And while some had hoped that Hungarians would be able to see through the relentless and crude anti-immigrant messaging, there were early signs that it was having an effect. A widely watched video in October 2017 by Index.hu, one one of the few remaining independent digital sites, chillingly depicted the fears of residents of a small lakeside town, where an local innkeeper had invited a couple dozen refugee women and children to visit.
The signs were confirmed by the election results of April 8, which, while hotly disputed as the result of rigging and manipulation, nonetheless showed substantial support for the government.
Now, in many ways, hopes for Hungarian democracy rests on the work of journalists like Petho˝, who formed Direkt36 with Sáling in 2015, and Tamás Bodoky, who founded Atlatszo.hu in 2011. Both sites have relentlessly exposed corruption among Orbán's family members and cronies.
Earlier this year, the European Union's Anti-Fraud Office rocked Hungary's political establishment with a scathing report that found "seriously irregularities" in the Orbán government's handling of important EU-funded public contracts. The bulk of the findings of the report had been previously reported by Direkt36 and Atlatszo.
And now, Petho˝ and the other journalists are government targets.
If nothing else, the Hungarian media experience of the last eight years settles one question: for anyone doubting whether journalism matters, Viktor Orbán knows it does.
Peter Myers
website: http://mailstar.net/index.html


text:
John Fante
Ask the Dust
This book is another sterling recommendation from the Saltzman workshop. The under-appreciated Fante's second outing details the adventures of his alterego, Arturo Bandini, as the struggling young writer tackles Los Angeles in the late 1930s. And take it from personal experience, tackling L.A. as a destitute young …
Wait Until Spring, Bandini
He came along, kicking the snow. Here was a disgusted man. His name was Svevo Bandini, and he lived three blocks down that street. He was cold and there were holes in his shoes. That morning he had patched the holes on the inside with pieces of cardboard from a macaroni box. The macaroni in that box was not paid for. …
The Road to Los Angeles
The Road to Los Angeles is a novel by the American writer John Fante. It was written in 1936, but was published posthumously in 1985 by Black Sparrow Press. The novel is one of four featuring Fante's alter ego Arturo Bandini. In the Bandini chronology, it is set after Wait Until Spring, Bandini and before Ask the Dust.
Dreams from Bunker Hill
The Brotherhood of the Grape
Henry Molise, a 50 year old, successful writer, returns to the family home to help with the latest drama; his aging parents want to divorce. Henry's tyrannical, brick laying father, Nick, though weak and alcoholic, can still strike fear into the hearts of his sons. His mother, though ill and devout to her …
1933 Was a Bad Year
West of Rome
West of Rome's two novellas, "My Dog Stupid" and "The Orgy," fulfill the promise of their rousing titles. The latter novella opens with virtuoso description: "His name was Frank Gagliano, and he did not believe in God. He was that most singular and startling craftsman of the building trade-a left-handed bricklayer. …
The wine of youth
Stories tell of secret family photographs, an idle bricklayer, a first communion, a boy's mischief, a confirmed bachelor, Catholic school, a cousin's funeral, and the arrival of a new parish priest
The big hunger


text:
OPINION: Heavy schedule of games doing few favours to some of Offaly's brightest young talent
Cormac Egan had a fine game in the Offaly attack.
The Man Behind the Wire
IT was with bitter disappointment that supporters across the county learnt that flying Tullamore attacker, Cormac Egan could not play in Saturday's Senior Football Championship semi-final against Ferbane and that it looks like his year is now over.
Another brilliant young Tullamore forward John Furlong couldn't start because of injury, though he did come on as a sub while exciting Ferbane forward, Cathal Flynn sported a heavy bandage on his leg and was clearly not firing on all cylinders.
Egan's injury is causing the most concern. He has had a bad hamstring tear and while he is still being examined by medical personnel, it looks like his season is at an end. That is a devastating blow to the young player, whose performances for Offaly U-20 footballers brought him to national attention this year.
With his distinctive mullet style haircut, his lightening pace and his audacity in chipping balls into the hand while running at full pace, he created a buzz of excitement for football lovers everywhere this year.
These injuries are a symptom of the very heavy games programme they have had to go through in Offaly this year. After Offaly's incredible All-Ireland U-20 football title win, they haven't had time to catch their breath. They were straight into the club scene with the 2020 minor football final to be completed first – Egan and Furlong were outstanding as Tullamore won this.
Since then it has been almost non stop with a brutally punishing schedule of two games almost every week for Egan and Cathal Flynn in particular.
Firstly, the 2020 U-20 championships had to be completed and then it was into the 2021 campaigns. Both Egan and Flynn are dual players, playing both senior and U-20 football and hurling for their clubs – Furlong also hurls but isn't on the Tullamore senior "B" hurling team and the club have a duty to limit the amount of junior hurling games he plays, even if he would be good enough for them.
It is a very delicate balancing act and the Offaly GAA Competitions Control Committee deserve plaudits for the very efficient manner in which they have ran fixtures this year.
They have had a huge volume of games to get through and have found themselves in extraordinary territory because of Covid-19 lockdowns and restrictions. They had a large number of outstanding competitions from 2020 to get completed this year before they could tear into the 2021 schedule.
The Senior, Senior "B" and Intermediate Hurling Championship finals from 2020 all had to be completed along with most of the underage finals. And most of these couldn't take place until August, after the completion of Offaly's inter-county season.
The 2021 programme has ran like clock work since it started in August, with a hurling weekend followed by a football weekend. There has been a massive schedule of games and the CCC have scarcely put a foot wrong. Clubs and players knew where they stood, they knew postponements wouldn't be granted for internal events or weddings and the only time a game has been called off is because of funerals – and in one unfortunate situation, when a referee couldn't be secured for a junior hurling fixture.
We are now down to finals in most of the football championships and the hurling ones will be coming on stream in the next two weeks – hurling is a bit further behind as there were bigger groups and more games to be played in the Senior, Senior "B" and Junior championships.
It is an absolutely fantastic achievement to have the competitions run on schedule but there has been downsides and one has been the volume of games inflicted on some players.
The GAA of course is not and cannot be all about the elite players but the schedule has been very hard on some of the most promising players in the county. It would be an absolute tragedy if Cormac Egan's injury ended up being a career threatening one. Hopefully it isn't but it has happened promising young players in the past and Offaly has an onus to protect players like this.
It has also placed their clubs in an invidious position as they balance their own duty of protecting players with their need to win games and championships. Tullamore have taken players off in games, not started them when there were doubts and there will always be questions about if they have done enough in this regard.
They didn't use John Furlong at all in the 2020 U-20 final against Durrow, though they probably should have taken off Cormac Egan once the game was in the bag – and they were out of sight early in the second half. It is very tricky territory for Tullamore and Ferbane footballers and Belmont hurlers. Clara have also found themselves in a similar boat with U-20 players Ed Cullen and Cormac Delaney getting a large volume of football and hurling games.
It is easy to see why the Competitions Control Committee ploughed ahead with the 2021 U-20 championships. The U-20 grades are popular among clubs and players, they mean something to everyone involved and playing them in the worse weather at the tail end of the year is far from an ideal situation. There are a lot of players involved in this level but the competitions should have been put on the long finger until the county adult club championships were completed.
There would have been little criticism of them for doing so and it would have been the right thing to do. Not one club or manager could augur with a decision made to protect young players from too many games. And you would have been depriving very few footballers or hurlers of action – the best U-20 players will always make their club's senior or first team and almost every player with get adult action at some level.
If Tullamore win the Senior Football Championship, they will be into a Leinster club campaign and it wouldn't be right to push the U-20 competitions out for this but their adult hurling season will be over in the next few weeks and that would at least alleviate the strain.
U-20 competitions aren't simple ones to get completed and it is a fact of life that players at this level receive more games and demands than at any other stage in their life. They are in school or college, most are getting games there as well and Offaly GAA should have erred on the side of caution by holding off on these competitions for the duration of their adult championships. It is a shame for players to miss out on big games because of overload and it is also a shame for supporters to miss out on seeing them in action during what is an unexpectedly exciting time for Offaly football.
Trivia corner
Last week's answers were:
1 – Name the club that lost three successive junior football finals and won on their fourth final in a row?
Answer: Doon (Lost 1967, '68 and '69, won 1970).
2 – Offaly played Antrim in the 1985 All-Ireland senior hurling semi-final. All but three of the starting fifteen appeared in the 1984 All-Ireland final in Thurles. Name the three?
Answer: Jim Troy, Danny Owens and Pat Cleary.
3 – The Furlong family of Tullamore have represented Offaly in how many successive decades?
Answer: Seven – 1940s, '50s, '60s, '70s, '80s, '90s and 2000s.
This week's questions are:
How many All-Ireland senior hurling semi-finals did Martin Hanamy play before he won one?
2 – No club can claim to have won three junior football titles in a row? One parish did win three in successive years. When and name the clubs?
3 – Offaly's first victory over Louth in the Leinster SFC was at the ninth attempt. When?
Answers in the next column. With thanks to former referee Carthage Buckley for supplying the questions.


text:
Home›European Tours›Greece Vacations
The Ultimate Luxury Greece Vacation
Athens, Crete, Heraklion, Santorini
Experience the quintessential luxuries of Greece on this 10-day tour meant to show you the thrills and frills of antiquity, from the mainland to the islands, where Western Civilization began. Let the wonders of the modern world collide with the sensations of a rich and cultured history reflected in the stellar ruins and opulent beaches, whitewashed houses and stunning panoramas. The extravagance of Greece isn't just in its grandiose modernity but within the country's elegant past and lavish nature....
Athens - Luxurious Dreaming
Step into the luxuries of history with your arrival in Athens, the capital of Greece and the cradle of Western Civilization. Olive trees climb along the golden hills that surround the capital. As you journey to Athens's center you can see the pillars of the Acropolis rise above the city, the blue and white of the Greek flag flowing in the breeze. The streets begin to narrow and the passing cars start to dissipate. Remnants of ancient history stand tall around the city, from the pillars and arches to busts and writings, all prominently displaying their proud cultural identity and connection to modern Athens. Discover the gems of Athens at your leisure as you stroll through the historic city as if in a dream.
Pass the Panathenaic Stadium; the marble seats and around the stretch of field that runs along the main Athenian road which was used when Athens hosted the first modern Olympic Games in 1896. Taste the candied baklava: flaky puff pastry stuffed with rich almonds and drizzled with the natural sweetness of honey. The scent of roast lamb floats along the cobblestone streets of the Plaka, the pedestrian road of Old Athens. For a perfect introduction to the luxurious life of Greece enjoy dinner over the cobblestone streets with the vibrancy of Athenian life pulsating around you at Kalamaki. The grilled saganaki cheese gives a rich taste and buoyant texture and a truly luxurious body to bite into. The fairy lights float over the walkway, the city life passes you by, and you settle into the treat of contemporary flavors and the splendor of history wrapped up in present Athens.
Athens - An Affluent History
Today you will journey deep into the past with a tour of the historic city of Athens, including the new Acropolis Museum. With a narrative that has shaped the entirety of Western Civilization spanning a period well over 2,000 years, you will be surrounded by wonder, awe, and inspiration, knowing that the art and ruins of Athens predate even that of ancient Rome. Begin with your visit to Syntagma, also known as Constitution Square. Displayed within the metro station below are remnants of Athens, from the pipelines to old roads, from pre-Christian homes to a Byzantine burial ground. The glass display prominently shows the layers of the evolution of the city, beneath the plush modernity of Parliament, which was once King Otto the I's palace. At the hour you can watch the changing of the guard. The soldiers that stand before parliament are dressed in standard cultural uniforms on Sundays: loose white shirts, large sashes, and shoes that resemble soccer cleats, complete with tacks positioned beneath the soles, once valued as a weapon during hand-to-hand combat.
Climb the old stairs of Acropolis Hill on your way to the base of the collected architectural masterpieces of the city, constructed during the Golden Age of Athens. There is a distinct scent of marble and earth; the sheen of the polished rock mirrors the sunlight. The sound of the crowd is replaced with the silent awe of the historic structures that have persevered through time and over occupation. Walk through the Propylaea, the monumental gateway that welcomes you into the collective temples that overlook the ancient streets and existing sprawl. Stroll through the walkway, beneath the towering pillars that stand proudly around you, the off-white color giving you another sense of the stained history that fills each crevice of the city. The pillars open up and you step onto the top of Acropolis Hill where several temples decorate the plateau including the eminent Parthenon dedicated to the goddess Athena, from whom the city of Athens was named. The open air of the plateau is almost taken away leaving you breathless as you sight the extravagant pillars of the Parthenon, the engraved triangular pediment displaying horses, people, and daily life dedicated to serving Athena. The affluence of Ancient Greece is written on the walls of the ancient hill, standing on the central mountain of the city that gave Athens a panorama of oncoming villages and peoples.
Crete - The Grecian Urn in a Venetian Town
Today you will depart from Athens waving goodbye to the statues and pillars of ancient history. Fly from the mainland to Greece's largest island, Crete where you will experience the blissful wonders of the food, people, sites, and towns of the western part of this unique island. Arrive in Rethymnon, a picturesque Venetian port city with the inviting stretch of the largest warm, sandy beach in Crete. The old port sits colorfully along the water's edge. The buildings shine reds and blues meant to guide fisherman home from a long outing at sea. The lighthouse stands tall at the edge of a jetty, both to provide guidance to ships in the evening darkness and once used as a barrier to keep unwanted ships from entering the port. The water within the harbor is crystal clear giving you a view to the deepest rock formations below making it look as though the ground swirls in the gentle wake of the water.
Stroll through the seaside city to see the evolution of Rethymnon, from the Venetians to the Ottomans, where the thin cobblestone streets meander like alleyways between the stone buildings. The Neratzes Mosque has arrow-like archways, quintessential to the Moorish influence, the golden bricks raising the interior into a dome. The mosque was originally constructed as the Holy Virgin Church; however, now a minaret towers over the three domes of the structure in an impressive display of dominance and grace. The Fortezza overshadows the edges of the city overlooking the water and on guard for pirates and Turks. The sweet sea laps at the ends of the harbor as a plethora of boats, from large yachts to individual fishing vessels, bob along the walkway. Tables mark the vibrant café and restaurant life that encircle the port. Relax next to the water with a glass of Rakomelo, a distilled spirit made and loved by Cretans. Every family is said to have their own recipe boasted to be the best, and is made from grapes and infused with the delightful candied flavor of honey giving you a proper and comfortable taste of the island.
Crete - Greece's Venice and the Wealth of Wandering Waters
Today you will continue your exploration of Western Crete. With all of Crete at your whim today you can venture through the hills of Rethymnon province, along the quaint villages that speckle the hillsides, and into the Venetian port town of Chania. Similar to Rethymnon, the buildings of Chania are colorful along the harbor with lively restaurants. People call to you offering all day cruises on the sea or a free glass of wine which you can enjoy while you sit along the water's edge and watch the passersby. The glassy water gives you a cinematic view into the lives of the minnows that linger in the nearby waters in hopes of breadcrumbs. The lighthouse stretches out into the center of the harbor opposite the Venetian fortress. The narrow passageways of the city give you a change to get lost amongst the beautiful stone buildings, manicured vines wrapping up and around the antique structures, where tables are set in the most random and tight places giving every possible corner a secluded and unique essence; the island of Crete, after all, is known for its sensational food.
While wandering through the cobblestoned alleyways you can see the connection with Venice, the rich architecture, the hidden stores, the tight spaces opening to bright sky and vast area. Within the stretch of streets you feel like you've been transported to Morocco. The minaret towers over the street and each store fills a tiny space, and each alleyway is dedicated to a particular trade, from shoes to jewelry, kitchen supplies to purses. The streets blossom with a mixture of the hidden sea and sweet Greek coffee. You can hear the horse carriages clopping through the avenues giving the old city the feeling of a fairytale and you the blissful protagonist.
Crete - Pink Sand like Gemstones
Another day on the sensational island of Crete brings ample opportunity to discover the breathtaking wonders of the island. Why not spend some time within the island's natural beauty, stretched out on the pink sand of Elafonissi Beach. The water is as clear as air, slowly fading to turquoise in the distance. The reflection of the light on the water adds a special rose color along the shoreline, making the sand look like gemstones twinkling and winking at you. The water is cool on your toes giving you reprieve from the hot sand. You can watch your feet sink slowly beneath the powder as the water surrounds you. The gentle wash of the sea drifts through the air. Whether sitting comfortably in on the shores or delighting in a cooking class learning to prepare and indulge in traditional Cretan dishes, take advantage of the day to ensure the best sense of Grecian gratification.
Crete - Past Palace Extravagances
Your final day in Crete should be spent luxuriating in the variety of life that the island offers to locals and visitors alike. Whether in the mountain villages, where traditional dress and dialect continues to thrive, or within the not-to-be-missed Minoan Palace of Knossos, spend your day strolling along the harbor of Rethymnon or beyond the steps of time and the ages in Herkalion. Knossos Minoan Palace is known notably as the site of the Minotaur, the half man, half bull born to Queen Pasiphae. The air is filled with stone and history while colorful murals continue to decorate the remaining walls of the palace, including the mural of a bull, deep red on a background of blue, rushing through the surrounding mountains. The palace itself was the ceremonial and political center of the Minoan civilization that dates to around 1900 BC. Large pots line the confines of the palace, situated in corners and stretching beneath halls, chiseled with geometric shapes and some standing almost six-feet tall. The structures grow over a long area eventually giving way to shallow steps, connoting a royal entryway where horses and people would stroll into the opulence of the welcome gate. Although the labyrinth of the Minotaur may not be present, the mystique and affluence of the palace remains.
Santorini - The Opulent Myth of Whitewashed Homes Comes True
Today you will board the hydrofoil at Heraklion leaving behind the island of Crete and making your way along the gorgeous water to the illustrious island of Santorini. As the ferry pulls closer to the cliffs you can see the glow of the famous whitewashed buildings lingering over the sea, their bright blue crowns imitating the water below. The terrain looks rugged and russet. You board your transfer from the port and meander up the cliff and into the highland watching the whitewater brush against the rocks. The scent of tanned earth and rich volcanic soil fills the island. You traverse the winding, narrow roads of the capital Fira until you arrive at the charming and small town of Oia, pronounced "Ee-ah." Look out over the cliff side and you can see the caldera sitting in the center of the crescent shape of the island. The whitewash makes the mountainside radiant.
Wander through Oia, the fresh and rich grilled seafood makes your mouth water. The marble pathway extends from the road to the edges of the village where hotels and homes climb down the mountains. Sit at the casteli, the once giant fortress that stands at the top corner overlooking the water below. On the opposite side of the island you can see the silhouette of the lighthouse. The twisting pathway beneath you guides the famous donkeys from the small harbor to the lower tiers of Oia. Infinity pools stretch over empty air. The breeze brings with it the fresh sea; sailboats glide along the water in almost every direction. Look behind you and you can see the images that grace the postcards that you have stared at for most of your life: classic Santorini with its glow of the whitewalls and blue roofs standing in contrast to the mountains beyond.
Santorini - The Golden Sunset
Leisure is at its finest on the cliff side of Santorini where the pools are as cool as a cucumber and the view is unparalleled. The quiet of the morning reaches a pinnacle of a noiseless breeze giving you nothing but the private currency of relaxation. The gleam of the sun off of the white facades gives the day an extra warmth. The rocky cliff spices the air before you are taken to the opposite end of the island for the stunning sunset cruise to come. The yacht shines in the afternoon along the aquamarine water. The crew is friendly and kind. The wind swoops against the bluffs and over the sea. The sail catches the breeze taking you out along the island's outskirts. Look up and see the pillar of the lighthouse standing at the edge of the precipice. The red beach is marked with oxidized sand climbing the rock face giving a stellar intensity to the shore. The white beach blushes with limestone that travels down onto the black bank.
Dive into the water, the refreshing and calming cool of the sea is the most comfortable you have been in the ocean. Look down and notice the sensational clarity of the sea. Feel the warmth of the hot springs drifting from the active volcano beneath the caldera. Pass the hermit that lives on a tiny island where the remnants of the previous eruption jut from the water in pitch-black rugged stones as if reaching from the ocean floor to the sky. The ocean air becomes redolent with grilled seafood: fresh squid and tuna; roasted vegetables, zucchini, bell pepper, and eggplant. The salty and velvety aroma of grilled feta fills the boat as you dine amidst the serene water and looming islands. The sun begins to set and casts an orange luminescence along the horizon. The light doesn't drift but sinks leaving a trail of color in its wake before the night pulls its shade over the sky and you return to shore.
Santorini - Luxurious Findings of the Ancients
The island is yours to explore on your final day in Santorini, which gives you the unfettered beauty of choice. From a hike along the island's meandering cliffs to an exploration of the far to reach towns, there is no limit to what you can see or do within the border of the stellar crescent. A visit to Akrotiri, known as the Pompeii of Greece, is always a favorable idea. The Minoan settlement was smothered in volcanic ash during the Theran eruption around 1600BC, keeping the city in remarkable shape, and is also said to be the inspiration for Plato's myth of Atlantis. The city grid remains in place with pottery and intact archways, drainage systems and even three-story buildings. Frescos continue to document the art of everyday life, with boats and farmers, boxing youths and women at work. Traversing the streets of the city gives the spine chilling sensation of the well-preserved life. The rich display of the decorative pottery, spiraled with geometric shapes and shades, gives one last opulent look at the ashen city before the museum site comes to a daily end.
Santorini - The Quality of Life
Today brings with it the end of your luxurious exploration of Greece; you will make your way to the Santorini airport and into the skies for your journey home. The white and blue buildings of the island wink in the sunlight as you glide higher over the sea. Your time has brought you through the beauty of antiquity, onto the settlements of Venice, within the natural splendor of the terrain, and to the luminescence of whitewashed homes that turn orange in the fading daylight. Greece has provided you with all of its splendors and the opportunity to appreciate the ideal luxuries of living, the joy of food, the majesty of history, and slowing down enough to revel in a remarkable sunset.
Walk in the footsteps of history with a visit to the distinguished Acropolis
Pay a visit to the wondrous Knossos Minoan Palace known to be the home of the infamous Minotaur
Relax along the clear waters of Crete and marvel at its Venetian influences
Stand along the beach of Elafonissi where the sand glitters pink as if it were paved in gemstones
Experience the postcard perfection of the white and blue buildings of Santorini
Luxuriate in a sunset cruise around the crescent island and hot spring caldera of Santorini
Traverse the ashen-preserved ruins of the Grecian Pompeii, Akrotiri, said to be the basis for Plato's story of Atlantis
Indulge in the quintessential luxuries of Greece on this 10-day vacation in Greece tailored to show you the opulent history, rich modernity, and lavish landscapes of Athens, Crete, and Santorini. Open the door to the cradle of Western Civilization where the most sought after temples adorn the central hill of Athens within the Acropolis. Venetian ports continue to decorate the Cretan Sea. Beaches sparkle with pink sand, some with red walls, others with white cliffs. Swim in the natural hot springs of an active caldera. In Greece it's about the essential luxuries of living: the beauty of food, the sensations of history, and taking the time to enjoy a spectacular sunset.
Begin your exploration of Greece's exquisite luxury with your arrival in Athens. The Acropolis stands tall, which lingers over the city on one of the oldest inhabited areas of the Greece and overlooks what was once the entirety of ancient Athens. Be guided through the city's past, from modernity to ancient history, where the open air is as much of a museum as the New Acropolis Museum nearby. Explore the opulent remnants of the temples that glorified and celebrated the gods held most dear by the collective city of Athens.
Transfer to Western Crete where the largest of the Greek Islands brings with it the majestic blend of Greek culture, with Venetian city planning and Moorish styling. Immerse yourself in your surroundings where the Venetian influence is well received and easily viewed along the meandering alleyways. Visit Elafonissi Beach and experience the pink glow of the sand along the shore. Enjoy your time discovering the lavish remains of the Knossos Minoan Palace, home of the Minotaur, and exploring a large stretch of fantastic ruins from centuries before the Athenian civilization flourished.
Hydrofoil to Santorini where you can watch the sun reflect off of the classic whitewashed homes that decorate the cliff side. The cool breeze blows along the crescent shape of the island. Traverse the outer expanse of Santorini on a sunset cruise where the crystal blue water brings the mist to your face and the bountiful grill on the boat brings fresh seafood to the plate. Your final day on the island is at your leisure to roam the beauty of the terrain as you see fit; a gorgeous experience is a visit to the ancient city of Akrotiri, known to be Greece's Pompeii. The ash covered city remains intact and a spectacular site to see, filled with luxurious history, rich tapestries, and a magnificent story to tell.
Your journey through Greece is fully customizable and is meant to share with you the essential luxuries of Athens, Crete, and Santorini. The best time to visit is in the fall, between the months of April through October. Read reviews for travel agents for Santorini and Greece to see what other travelers enjoyed while on their customized vacations in Greece.
Luxury Greece Trip Review: Crete, Santorini, Athens, Catamaran...
"Dimitrios was very helpful and responsive to my emails...
Reviewed By Randy K.
Greece Travel Review: Athens, Naxos, Crete, Santorini, Caldera...
"Thodoris put together the perfect itinerary based on our...
Reviewed By Kimberly S.
Luxury Greece Trip Review: Crete, Santorini, Mykonos, Athens,...
"We'd like to give special thanks to Dimitrios and Effie...
Reviewed By SANDRA M.
Luxury Greece Family Travel Review: Athens, Santorini, Crete,...
"I would highly recommend Zicasso as well as our travel...
Reviewed By Jesse M.
Luxury Greece Travel Review: Athens, Mykonos, Santorini,...
"Irene and team were the ultimate professionals from start...
Reviewed By Michael M.
Greece Vacation Review: Athens, Crete, Santorini, Monastery,...
"Rebecca did an amazing job planning out our trip!"
Reviewed By Bhairavi K.
Romantic Greece Getaway: Athens, Santorini & Crete
Best Greece Family Vacation: Athens, Santorini, Crete
Custom Greece Vacation: Santorini, Crete, Rhodes & Athens
Greece Vacation for Seniors: Athens & Santorini Adventure
Amazing Greece Vacation: Antiquity, Greek Islands & Venetian Cities...
Greece Island Explorer: Crete, Naxos, Mykonos & More