Queen Elizabeth must juggle her duties with her family responsibilities. But in her case, the stakes are higher and the scrutiny is intense
The House of Windsor is making headlines around the world for all the wrong reasons. “The Firm,” as Prince Philip is fond of calling the British Royal Family, doesn’t look kindly on bad publicity. Ringing in my ears is a line from William Shakespeare’s play Henry IV: “uneasy lies the head that wears a crown.”…
Effective this year, the Greek government will give Greeks living abroad the right to vote in national elections
On March 25, 2021, Greece will commemorate the 200th anniversary of its national day. This bicentenary will be marked with great pomp and ceremony in Greece and in Greek communities of the diaspora around the world. Most countries celebrate their national day at the end of a revolution or the termination of hostilities after a…
A recent discovery links ancient Greece with the contemporary computer, the IT revolution and our digital lifestyle
Ancient Greece has endowed us with many significant accomplishments of human endeavour. It has created a monumental footprint and an inspiring legacy in a diverse range of human accomplishments. The ancient Greeks are widely acclaimed for their path-breaking contributions to science, mathematics, democracy, architecture and literature. What’s especially remarkable about these contributions is their lasting…
In this new religion, heroes speak the truth and model the behaviours, values and norms of an increasingly diverse society
The movie Captain Marvel is a stunning box office success. Finally, it seems, an historic wrong has been arrested. Females have broken the male hegemony on physical violence and taken their rightful place in the annals of warrior gods. Females aren’t the only new members of this celebrated superhero club. There’s Black Panther, Moon Girl,…
The Greeks believe that supporting the arts and culture is not a luxury but an investment in human progress
Throughout the ages, Greece has created a significant footprint and an inspiring legacy in the arts and culture. Hardly a day goes by when we don’t recognize the foundational endowments to the modern arts and culture made by ancient Greece. Renowned Greek philosophers, architects, sculptors, poets and playwrights have left their mark for future generations.…
Fiscal constraint and placing public budgets on a forced weight watchers diet is only half of a sound economic plan
Summer 2016 marks a dubious anniversary. One year after the near collapse of the Greek economy last summer, the economic indicators reveal that it continues its downward spiral. In fact, during the past 12 months, Greece’s modern economic tragedy has exacerbated. Unemployment has soared above 30 per cent and disposable income has plummeted by more…
Despite the severe economic recession that has gripped Greece for several years, this city's cultural and artistic vibrancy has not waned
The European Union will soon select a Greek city to be the cultural capital of Europe for 2021. This prestigious designation will last for one year. The three finalists are Kalamata, Elefsina and Rhodes, but my favourite for several compelling reasons is Rhodes. Rhodes is one of the larger Greek islands nestled in the Aegean…
The intellectual divorce between economics and political science led to the Greek crisis
Economics is a subject with a long and distinguished pedigree, featuring such towering intellectuals and philosophers as Plato and Aristotle to economists like Sir James Steuart and Francois Quesnay, the Frenchman who gave the study its modern foundations. Unfortunately, the discipline split into two distinctive subject areas in the 20th century – economics and political…
As July dwindles down into August, here are a few personal reflections on three of the month’s big stories – Greece, Iran, and the brouhaha about Atticus Finch. It was obvious from the get-go that Greece was placing all its chips on the belief that the Northern Europeans, particularly the Germans, would ultimately agree to…
Absent its own currency and the ability to conduct an independent monetary policy, no country can be really sovereign
As I write this, the Greek drama is at its umpteenth crisis point. Will it go over the brink this time? If it does, could it conceivably take the euro with it? And what in heaven’s name is going on in Europe – purportedly the world’s most sophisticated polity. Theoretically, the 1648 Peace of Westphalia…