Flame will now begin 70-day, 5,000 mile relay around the UK

The torchbearers have been taking it from Olympia to the Panathenaic Stadium. The Olympic flame was "laid to rest" at the Acropolis overnight before being taken on the eighth and final day of its Greek relay - taking it to the Acropolis Museum, the centre of Athens, Zappeio and to the handover ceremony.

A trio of world champions brought the flame safely to the stadium. It arrived in the hands of rower Christina Giazitzidou and was carried by gymnast Vasilis Tsolakidis and rower Alexandra Tsiavou.

Chinese gymnast Li Ning, who lit the cauldron at the opening ceremony for the 2008 Beijing Games, and Greek weightlifter Pyrros Dimas were the last torchbearers in Greece.

The ceremony also included priestesses in a performance choreographed by Artemis Ignatiou.

The British delegates fly back tomorrow evening, landing at RNAS Culdrose in Cornwall, where they will attend a special ceremony welcoming the flame.

The flame has been given special clearance to travel onboard a plane. It will rest in a special cradle and be secured into its seat by a secure holding device.

When it arrives on British soil, a 70-day relay, involving 8,000 torchbearers covering 8,000 miles, will take the flame to east London's Olympic Stadium and the opening of the Games on July 27.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2145955/London-2012-Olympics-Princess-Anne-Boris-Becks-torch-Athens.html#ixzz1vGw29E5q

2012 Non Stop Greek Music

Emeina edo na min sou lipi tipota - Rokkos

Paola Foka 2012

The real cause of heart disease

http://www.sott.net/articles/show/242516-Heart-Surgeon-Speaks-Out-On-What-Really-Causes-Heart-Disease


The long-established dietary recommendations have created epidemics of obesity and diabetes, the consequences of which dwarf any historical plague in terms of mortality, human suffering and dire economic consequences. 

Despite the fact that 25% of the population takes expensive statin medications and despite the fact we have reduced the fat content of our diets, more Americans will die this year of heart disease than ever before. 

Statistics from the American Heart Association show that 75 million Americans currently suffer from heart disease, 20 million have diabetes and 57 million have pre-diabetes. These disorders are affecting younger and younger people in greater numbers every year. 

Simply stated, without inflammation being present in the body, there is no way that cholesterol would accumulate in the wall of the blood vessel and cause heart disease and strokes. Without inflammation, cholesterol would move freely throughout the body as nature intended. It is inflammation that causes cholesterol to become trapped. 

Inflammation is not complicated -- it is quite simply your body's natural defence to a foreign invader such as a bacteria, toxin or virus. The cycle of inflammation is perfect in how it protects your body from these bacterial and viral invaders. However, if we chronically expose the body to injury by toxins or foods the human body was never designed to process,a condition occurs called chronic inflammation. Chronic inflammation is just as harmful as acute inflammation is beneficial. 

IOU OR PROXY DRACHMA?

The political vacuum in Greece after May 6's inconclusive elections seems to have hastened a showdown where no government in Athens can deliver more budget cuts, so no more bailout funds are forthcoming and public money drains away, leading to mass defaults and a euro exit with all its wider ramifications. And if that's the will of the Greek people, then it may be tempting for all sides to try and manage the outcome as best they could. But nothing's that simple. Even though Greek voters rejected austerity in favor of anti-bailout parties, opinion polls show more than 75 percent want to stay in the euro. What happens when the cash runs out is the crux question. Greece will most likely need more outside funds from its bailout program before any new elections in June establishes a fresh mandate to secure further tranches of foreign money. So what analysts are homing in on is whether Greece can bridge any gap while still staying in the euro. 


http://www.reuters.com

2012 Haifa Wehbe HD

Starovas Comedy

woooooooooooooow - Zouganelis

The Comedy of Marios Seferlis

Kourkoulis - 2012 - xaxaxaxaxaxaxa

Merkel's conservatives suffered a crushing defeat

SINGAPORE, May 14 (Reuters) - The euro hit its lowest level in nearly four months on Monday after Greek political leaders failed in their latest efforts to form a ruling coalition, keeping investors on edge over the risk of the country exiting the euro zone. Coalition talks in Greece hit an impasse on Sunday and Greece's radical leftist leader spurned an invitation from the president for a final round of talks on Monday, all but ensuring a new election. Adding to the negative tone, German Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives suffered a crushing defeat on Sunday in an election in Germany's most populous state, a result which could embolden the left opposition to step up attacks on her European austerity policies. The euro seems likely to head lower in coming weeks, especially since the European Central Bank may eventually adopt further monetary easing steps to support the region's economy, said Akira Hoshino, chief manager for Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ's foreign exchange trading department in Tokyo. "I think they will steer the rudder that way, even if that leads to costs on the inflation front. If that is the case, the direction would be toward weakness in the currency," he said. The euro dipped to $1.2878 at one point on trading platform EBS, its lowest level since Jan. 23. It last stood at $1.2891, down 0.2 percent from late U.S. trade on Friday. The euro has come under pressure after Greece's two main pro-bailout parties failed to win a majority in elections earlier in May, leaving questions over the country's ability to avert bankruptcy and stay in the euro. Underscoring increasingly bearish market sentiment toward the euro, data from the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission showed currency speculators increased their net short positions in the euro in the week ended May 8 to the highest level since mid-February. Traders and analysts say the speed of the euro's fall versus the dollar is likely to remain relatively slow. "Corporates based in the euro zone are still strong buyers of the euro (versus the dollar)," said Gareth Berry, G10 FX strategist for UBS in Singapore. "They see the euro's current level as quite attractive. In some cases they see it as a bargain, and that's one thing that has helped minimise or at least cushion the blow to the euro," he said, adding that analysts at UBS expect the euro to dip to $1.25 in three months' time. REUTERS

Happy Mothers Day