Beyond the Box Promo: 2 is Better than 1 on iPhone 4/4S and iPod Touch 4th Gen Cases

Here's another SALE from Beyond the Box, this time it's a buy 1 take 1 sale of ALL of their cases for the iPhone 4/4S, iPod Nano 6th generation and the iPod Touch 4th generation. 

If you are on the look for new case, why not try to browse at Beyond the Box and you might get yourself a brand-new Case with free another case for spare. 

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Microsoft Unveils Windows Phone 8, New Features and New Phones

It's official folks! Windows Phone 8 was launched last October 29 in San Fransisco, its latest version of the company’s smartphone operating system. Windows Phone 8 offers a truly personal phone experience, connecting you to the people and things that matter most.

Live Tiles are the heart and soul of Windows Phone, and no other phone has them. People can arrange the iconic Start screen however they want by pinning their favorite people, apps, music, games, photos and more.

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Happy Halloween!

All Aboard!... Taking a slight detour from our usual culinary journey to wish you a Happy Halloween! Hope it was a delicious one!

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Developers ON: IRRI and SMART present: BIGAS Hackathon

Head's up developers! here's another challenge for you, it's another hackathon but this time it will focus on helping our IRRI(International Rice Research Institute).

What it is:

BIGAS Hackathon is a two-day developer event and hackathon hosted by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and Smart Communications, Inc.(Smart) and powered by SMART Developer Network (SMART DevNet), the developer community for Smart's technology platform. We're inviting existing and aspiring developers to create a web and/or mobile app that can be used to further enhance the impact of IRRI technologies especially in their delivery to farmers.

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Devfest for Visayas: Globe Labs foster tech ecosystem in Visayas with Google Developers Group DevFest

Globe Labs, the dynamic and innovative developer community of Globe Telecom, is bringing the latest technologies to Cebu and Bacolod through the first ever GDG DevFest in the region with the help of the Google Developers Group - Philippines (GDG-PH).

GDG DevFest is a community-organized event that provides the opportunity for tech enthusiasts to learn about Google technologies and products and interact with local product developers. Tech experts will also be around to answer questions, discuss the latest from Google, and share industry practices on how to improve web quality.
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Medicare for Autism Now: Shelley Davis Behavioural Consultant and Attorney

From the Medicare for Autism Now web site and the film Medicare's Orphans: A Film About the Fight to Get Healthcare for Children with Autism in Canada an interview with Shelley Davis:

Shelley Davis is a US based Behavioural Consultant who has consulted to BC families for the last 15 years. She is also a practicing attorney. She reviews two US laws – the IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) and the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) and how determined parent advocacy attained both. She describes the stark contrast in approach and delivery of autism treatment between California and BC. In her experience the only reason for improvements in BC was the result of the work and advocacy done by the original FEAT of BC (Families for Early Autism Treatment) parents. However, in her view, we’re still at the very beginning of the process. We need to continue to work together and have high expectations because it so too easy for children with autism to be pushed aside.

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Baked Ziti with Italian Sausage

This is the time of year where I find myself indulging in comfort foods. Perhaps its the cooler weather, but I've been craving {gluten free}pasta lately. With lots of cheese. The most recent pasta dish I made was this Baked Ziti with Italian Sausage. Pasta is tossed with a flavorful tomato sauce and zesty Italian sausage before being layered with mozarella and Parmesan cheese. This glorious dish is baked until the flavors have blended and the cheese melts ever so perfectly...

Joel loves his macaroni and generally likes pasta dishes. This was a dish he really enjoyed and was a nice change of pace from his favorite macaroni and cheese. I used pork Italian sausage links in place of the turkey used in the original recipe. I also added a little red wine {Merlot} for some bite in the sauce. Another change I made was using sliced mozzarella cheese in place of shredded used in the original recipe. The sliced mozzarella cheese - which you can pick up from the deli counter at the store - allows a nice, even layer as you assemble this dish.

Baked Ziti with Italian Sausage
recipe adapted from Cooking Light

1 (1-pound) package uncooked ziti {or gluten free ziti}
1 pound hot turkey or pork Italian sausage links
1 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 (14.5-ounce) cans petite-diced tomatoes, undrained
1/2 cup red wine {I used Merlot}
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
Cooking spray
1 cup (4 ounces) sliced mozzarella cheese
1 cup (4 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese


Preheat oven to 350°.

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain the pasta, and set aside.

Remove casings from sausage. Cook sausage, onion, and garlic in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until browned, stirring to crumble. Add the tomato paste, salt, pepper, tomatoes and wine, and bring to a boil.

Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Combine cooked pasta, sausage mixture, and basil. Place half of the pasta mixture in a 4-quart casserole coated with cooking spray. Top with half of mozzarella and half of Parmesan. Repeat layers.

Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until bubbly.

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La sbrisolona al cacao

Ancora un'ottimo dolce tratto dal libro "A scuola di Cioccolato" Food Editore, un'edizione che non deve mancare nella biblioteca di tutti gli amanti del cioccolato!

Per realizzare 20 piccole sbrisolone al cioccolato (oppure una grande) vi occorreranno 200g di farina bianca 00, 100g di farina di granoturco, 100g di farina di mandorle, 170g di zucchero a velo, 220g di burro, 70g d cacao amaro in polvere, 50g di tuorli, 5g di lievito in polvere, 1 baccello di vaniglia, 3-5g di sale.

Cominciate con l'impastare nella planeteria il burro freddo tagliato a pezzetti, con la farina di mandorle, lo zucchero a velo ed i semi estratti dal baccello di vaniglia con l'aiuto di un coltello a lama liscia.
Aggiungete quindi i tuorli, il sale e lavorate fino ad ottenere un composto piuttosto omogeneo. Versate quindi le due farine, il cacao ed il lievito ed impastate ancora, fino ad ottenere un composto di consistenza piuttosto sabbiosa, non perfettamente omogeneo.
Stendetelo a questo punto in una teglia da torta oppure negli stampi per tortine Pavonidea e cuocete in forno dapprima a 180°C per 6', poi ulteriori 20' a 120°C.

Omar Busi, autore della ricetta, consiglia a chi voglia preparare l'impasto senza l'ausilio di planetaria o fruste elettriche, di unire gli ingredienti su una spianatoia nell'ordine descritto e lavorarli velocemente per evitare di sciogliere il burro. Il composto dovrà risultare abbastanza granuloso.

Nella mia cucina
Grattugia Microplane®

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SMART DevNet presents Foursquare Hack Day Philippines 2012

Calling all developers! Build the next great SoLoMo app in our hackathon! Hooray for all the developers! If you are one of us, why not test your skills on creating the next big app. Join the SMART DevNet presents Foursquare Hack Day Philippines 2012 #4SQHackPH

Here's what you need to do first;

• Get your awesome team organized and do a brainstorming on what awesome app you can come up with.
• Make sure the team have chemistry, communication is the name of the game so that you can all have the same goal.
• Get those goals, and come with a winning attitude on the dat of the event.
• Have Fun!!!
• Mark your calendar Saturday, December 1, 2012

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Gear4 StreetParty Wireless Portable Speaker

I'm always on the look for a quality speakers with wireless capability that is portable and with affordable price tag, I was one of the attendees in Astroplus BlogConnect event last October 27 and one the the products presented was the Gear4 StreetParty Wireless.


The Astroplus BlogConnect is an event where bloggers get a chance to see the newest products of Speakers, Docks, Headsets and accessories from different brands, and one of the presenter was Gear4.

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Product Review: Philips Saeco Syntia Espresso Machine

If there's one thing The Baron doesn't care for, it's coffee. He's just not into the taste or flavor of coffee at all... but that just means there's more coffee for me to enjoy! I'm all about having my cup of coffee to start my day, an espresso drink for an afternoon pick me up and on occassion, a coffee inspired nightcap to end the night. Yes, I love my coffee/espresso and will go to great lengths to get my daily fix! As a result of my coffee addiction, I collaborated with the lovely folks of Philips Saeco to check out their Syntia Focus Automatic Espresso Machine. This is one serious piece of espresso making equipment and I immediately fell in love with it.

Years ago, I worked part-time at Starbucks as a barista. Even before my Starbucks days, I managed an espresso bar in college. I know my coffee/espresso drinks and I've worked with some hardcore machines. After I left my barista jobs, I figured getting the same quality of espresso drinks at home would be hard to do. The machines I've purchased to replicate what I used on the job fell pretty short in terms of power, speed and quality. I then resorted to purchasing my coffee/espresso drinks instead so I could continue enjoying espresso with the same expectations.

When I tried out the Syntia Focus for the first time, I was impressed. It really yielded a great quality with perfect 'crema' {or espresso foam}which is telling of a good machine. Crema is achieved when everything from the water temperature, pressure, tamping and timing is perfect and where it needs to be to put out the best espresso. Who would have thought a home espresso machine would really deliver like this?! I was hooked and I liked the product so much I taught a 'Barista Basics' class to a handful of coffee/espresso loving students.

Using the Syntia Focus Automatic Espresso Machine, I taught folks how to create the perfect cup of espresso and a myriad of espresso drinks from cappuccinos, lattés, mochas, breves, mistos, etc. Needless to say, we were all pretty wired by the end of the class! Since the holidays are just around the corner, if you're looking for a great gift to give a fellow coffee/espresso lover, I highly recommend this espresso machine. But honestly, don't wait until the holidays to purchase one. This is great even for yourself so you can have fun making your favorite coffeehouse drinks and be a master barista in your own kitchen!

If you're a coffee fan like me, here's a collection of recipes that uses either brewed espresso or coffee to play with!

Chocolate Raspberry Mousse

Classic Tiramisu

Kahlua Cheesecake Bar 

Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting

Chocolate Mousse

Coffee Flan

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Lenovo K860 an Android 5-Inch QuadCore at only Php 19,999

Lenovo is busy releasing Android Phones left and right, and now their newest offering is another first affordable quad-core Phone the K860.

This new Lenovo K860 is the updated brother of the Lenovo K880 the first 5-inch powered by 1Ghz processor and a Dual-SIM Phone.

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DSM5 Autism's Targeted Exclusion Of Intellectually Disabled Is NOT Based on Research Evidence

Dr. Catherine Lord has attempted to sell her DSM5 New Autism Spectrum Disorder in a comment at the Huffington Post by telling the ignorant, unwashed public that we have nothing to fear from the DSM5 Autism changes. Dr. Lord is trying to paint those who disagree with the DSM5 Autism Do-Over as irrational  thereby deflecting legitimate criticism which she and her DSM5 colleagues have not been able to credibly answer.  My criticism of the new DSM5 is two fold. 1. It expressly targets for exclusion the intellectually disabled who are also autistic and 2. It oversimplifies a complex disorder.  

I have commented for the past 2 1/2 years on the DSM5's  targeted exclusion of the intellectually disabled. The new definition excludes persons with profound intellectual disability from an autism diagnosis even if they display ALL of the diagnostic criteria.  This exclusion is derived from the convenience of researchers and clinicians who find the challenge of working with severely autistic, profoundly intellectually disabled persons too overwhelming.   Dr. Lord herself pointed out the tendency of autism researchers to exclude those with multiple disabilities and moderate and severe intellectual disability in  Social Policy Report, Autism Spectrum Disorders Diagnosis, Prevalence, and Services for Children and Families:

""However, research in ASD has tended to use overwhelmingly White, middle to upper middle class samples, and has often excluded children with multiple disabilities and/or severe to profound intellectual disabilities". [underlining added - HLD]

Parents of children with severe autism and intellectual disabilities can not simply abandon our children. Unlike parents, autism researchers and DSM5 autism committee members do not have to find ways to work with the most challenged autism cases.  They simply exclude them by redefining them out of the spectrum.  They do so by ignoring the evidence of those diagnosed with autism and ID by existing criteria.

The express exclusion, "not accounted for by general developmental delays"  occurs in the introductory paragraph to mandatory criterion A of the DSM5 ASD definition:

"Autism Spectrum Disorder

Must meet criteria A, B, C, and D:

A. Persistent deficits in social communication and social interaction across contexts, not accounted for by general developmental delays, and manifest by all 3 of the following:"

Lynn Waterhouse in her newly released book "Rethinking Autism" Variation and Complexity, pages 382-385, references this express exclusion and argues that the exclusion of those with intellectual disability is NOT evidence based.  She points out that the exclusion is based on a faulty, non evidence based assumption that a  person's intellectual or cognitive disability causes the social communication deficits. Waterhouse argues that the exclusion of the intellectually disabled IGNORES evidence of published, credible,  studies indicating that 55-70% of those diagnosed with autism by prior criteria experienced intellectual disability based developmental delays.  The exclusion also ignores  genetic, chromosomal and neuroscience studies showing substantial overlap between cognitive disability and social communication deficits. 

Dr. Lord confessed in the NYT Amy Harmon interview that the DSM5 team targeted intellectually disabled for exclusion from the new Autism Spectrum Disorder.  That targeted exclusion of the intellectually disabled is not evidence based. It is not helpful to understanding autism disorders generally and will cause harm to the most severely affected by autism, the ones who are, apparently, too much of a challenge for Lord and the DSM5 Autism Do-Over team. The exclusion of the intellectually disabled from the new autism disorder, while not evidence based, serves the interests of researchers, clinicians and services providers who lack the good conscience and the intestinal fortitude to work with the most severely affected by autism disorders: those with  general developmental delays, those with intellectual disability.

I don't know if the DSM5 Autism team has a motto. An accurate, honest one might be:

"DSM5, simplifying autism complexity by ignoring the evidence; helping those with autism disorders, except those who are too challenging and inconvenient."

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Acer Unveiled new Aspire Series PC’s with Iconia Tab Series Tablet PC’s with Windows 8 Pre-Installed

Acer Philippines unveiled their newest Windows 8 PC and Tablets in the market, the Event was themed “I’m Ready for the GR8 Change” last October 23.

Acer Introduced the new Aspire U Series an All in One PC,  the new Aspire S7 Ultrabook, Iconia Tab W510 tablet PC and the Iconia Tab W700 table PC, which will include the new Windows 8 Operating systems from Microsoft.

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Stuffed Pumpkin Pie Mini Cakes

Halloween festivities will be happening this weekend - will you be participating in anything fun? Joel and I will be paying a visit to a pumpkin patch near by and maybe a visit to a local theme park. He's dressing up as a Train Conductor this year since he loves Thomas the Train so much. As for me, no dress up for me. Well, unless I walk around in a chef's jacket lol. So in the spirit of this fun holiday, here's a sweet treat! These Stuffed Pumpkin Pie Mini Cakes make use of a fun baking pan but you can use any cake pan or even a 9x13 baking pan to make a cake. A sweet cake batter made with pumpkin pie filling is baked into mini pumpkin cake pan while cream cheese frosting is sandwiched in between...

This was a delicious treat and pretty easy to make. If you're a pumpkin fan, you will want to try this recipe since pumpkin pie filling is readily available this time of year. As much as I like making cakes, it can be a lot of work. These were a cinch because of the mini pumpkin cake pan I used. And rather than frosting the outside of each pumpkin cake, I decided to take the fun and easy route by frosting the middles of each mini cake pumpkin to "stuff" them. It makes it easy to eat and it's much more portable too... which is helpful if you want to bring a cake along as you walk through the neighborhood trick or treating!

Stuffed Pumpkin Pie Mini Cakes
recipe adapted from Cooking Light Magazine

Cake:
2 1/4 cups flour or 315grams gluten free flour blend
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin pie filling

Cream Cheese Frosting:
2 tablespoon butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese
2 cups sifted powdered sugar


Preheat oven to 350°. Coat a 13x9" baking pan or mini pumpkin cake pan with cooking spray, set aside.

Combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl with a whisk. Set aside.

Stir sugar, butter, and vanilla together in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed til well combined.

Add in eggs, 1 at a time, to sugar mixture; beating well after each addition. Stir in pumpkin; mix well. Fold in flour mixture.

Place batter into prepared baking pan. Bake 25 minutes or til a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.

For the frosting, combine butter, vanilla and cream cheese in a medium bowl; mix with a mixer at medium speed til combined. Gradually add the powdered sugar, beating til well combined and smooth.

Spread frosting evenly over top of cooled cake or if using mini pumpkin cake pan, spread frosting in between each half and serve dusted with powdered sugar (optional).

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Is All Genetic Autism Research Fundamentally Flawed?

The assumption in traditional genetic expression analysis that mRNA content is similar between cells (represented by orange and black dots) does not affect the final results when the cells in fact do have equivalent mRNA content, as in Figure A. In Figure B, the cell represented by the orange dots has a significantly higher mRNA content, but when the data is normalized with the assumption that their contents are equal, the perceived response is skewed and inaccurately indicates that some of the genes are repressed (green bars). Using a standardized control, as in Figure C, eliminates the assumptions about mRNA content and presents accurate results.

Whitehead Scientists Identify Major Flaw in Standard Approach To Global Gene Expression Analysis, Nicole Giese Rura, October 25, 2012 

Autism research has been dominated for many years by the "it's gotta be genetic" mindset that has seen autism research dollars flow overwhelming toward genetic research at the expense of substantial research of environmental factors.  This dominance has been maintained despite the failure of the autism research community to find specific genes which could be said to cause autism disorders.  Much of the recent discussion has focused on gene expression.  Now a team of researchers led by Richard Young of the Whitehead Institute has identified a major flaw in traditional genetic expression analysis.  Will this flawed analysis undermine existing autism gene expression research?

The Whitehead article by Nicole Giese Rura indicates that the flaw is serious, even shocking,  that it affects a wide range of current biological research and that it may render previous research based on the flawed assumption questionable:

“The different results we saw from different methods of gene expression analysis were shocking, and led us to reinvestigate the whole process on several platforms,” says Jakob Lovén, postdoctoral reseacher in Young’s lab and co-author of the Cell paper. “We then realized that the common assumption that cells contain similar levels of mRNA is badly flawed and can lead to serious misinterpretations, particularly with cancer cells that can have very different amounts of RNA.” 

 In addition to delineating this problem, the Whitehead scientists also describe a remedy. By using synthetically produced mRNAs, called RNA spike-ins, as standardized controls, researchers can compare experimental data and eliminate assumptions about total cell RNA amounts. The remedy applies to all three gene expression analysis platforms they studied. 

Although the researchers believe the use of RNA spike-ins should become the new standard for global gene expression analyses, questions are likely to persist about the interpretations of much prior research. 

“There are over 750,000 expression datasets in public databases, and because they generally lack information about the cell numbers used in the analysis, it is unclear whether they can be re-examined in order to validate the original interpretation” says David Orlando, a scientist in the Young lab. “It may be necessary to reinvestigate some important concepts.”

Hopefully credible professionals involved in autism research will address this development promptly, indicating whether they agree with the Young Lab study, to what extent genetic autism research is affected and whether it will be necessary to reinvestigate conclusions reached by prior genetic autism research.  

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Οχι στην υποτέλεια και την εξαθλίωση

 

 

Οι επιζώντες με τους πεσόντες μέσα τους...

Πρώτη καταχώρηση: 23/10/2012

 

Την 28η Οκτωβρίου το έθνος και ο λαός γιορτάζουν.
Γιορτάζουν το έπος εκείνων των πολλών και των απλών, το πλήθος των πληβείων και των ολίγων -δυστυχώς- ευγενών που έβαλαν πλάτη και στήθος, που
πρόσθεσαν ραχοκοκκαλιά στο ύψος της ύπαρξής μας.
Γιορτάζει ο λαός εν χορδαίς και οργάνω τη μεγαλοσύνη του, στεφανώνει τον τρόπο του και προσφέρει χοές στα προτάγματα εκείνα και τα προστάγματα που συνθέτουν την ιδιοπροσωπία και την αυτογνωσία του. Μεγάλη γιορτή!
Τιμάμε τους νέους με τα «πρησμένα γόνατα που τους έλεγαν αλήτες», που πορεύθηκαν προς το Μέτωπο,
προς τους όλμους και τα πολυβόλα, προς το κρυοπάγημα, τις ψείρες, τα ακρωτηριασμένα πόδια, τον θάνατο του φίλου, του αδελφού, του συντρόφου, προς τον δικόν τους θάνατο,

τιμάμε εκείνους τους νέους, χωριάτες και φοιτητές, εργάτες και γιατρούς που ξεκίνησαν με το χαμόγελο στα χείλη για να συναντήσουν τον τρόμο, το αίμα, την αγωνία, την πείνα, αυτούς
που το χαμόγελό τους πάγωσε μπροστά στο βόλι, μέσα στο χιόνι, αυτούς που νίκησαν τον φόβο κι εκείνους που δεν τον νίκησαν.

Ηχούσαν οι σειρήνες, πολλά απ’ τα πλουσιόπαιδα έτρεχαν στο Φρουραρχείο να πάρουν αναβολή, «χαρτιά» να φύγουν στο εξωτερικό, ο πολύς λαός παρουσιαζόταν στα έμπεδα και τα στρατόπεδα να πάρει φύλλο πορείας για τις μονάδες του κι ύστερα για το Μέτωπο,
μια πομπή των Παναθηναίων από βοσκούς και ποιητές, διότι αυτό έγινε! με την επιστράτευση, με το προσκλητήριο της Ελλάδας στα παιδιά της, μέσα απ’ τη δικτατορία αναδύθηκε η Δημοκρατία - των «στρατιωτών οι τάξεις που πήγαιναν να πολεμήσουν τον Δάτι και τον Αρταφέρνη», οι πολίτες οπλίτες,

οι ήρωες και τα θύματα, οι άγιοι και οι αμαρτωλοί, σφάγιο όλοι στον βωμό ενός δίκαιου αμυντικού πολέμου, όλοι οι Ελληνες (πλην ολίγων ριψάσπιδων που αργότερα θα γίνονταν δωσίλογοι) κάτω απ’ το πρόσταγμα του Εκτορα, αμύνεσθαι περί πάτρης - «θα πολεμήσουμε από σπίτι σε σπίτι κι από αυλή σε αυλή», έγραφε στο γράμμα του ο Ζαχαριάδης, κι έφευγαν
οι πατέρες μας του σκοτωμού, όμως εορταστικοί, ως άλλη πομπή των Παναθηναίων, για εκεί που η ψείρα δεν θα τους άφηνε να λούζονται όπως οι Σπαρτιάτες πριν τη μάχη, αλλά απλώς να πεθαίνουν όπως ο Διάκος και ο Καραϊσκάκης· για να νικήσουν και να μη χαθούμε.
Οι περισσότεροι δεν ήξεραν να λένε μεγάλες κουβέντες σαν αυτές που γράφει τώρα η αφεντιά μου - αν τους ρωτούσες μετά τον πόλεμο
τους επιζώντες που επέστρεψαν έχοντας μέσα στην καρδιά τους τους πεσόντες «γιατί πολεμήσατε;», σου απαντούσαν κάτι πράγματα απλά: «γιατί μας το ζήτησαν», σαν να ήθελαν να πουν: «για την ελευθερία».

Ή «γιατί έτσι έπρεπε», σαν να ήθελαν να πουν: «έτσι μας έτυχε». Ή πάλι, δεν μιλούσαν καθόλου και σε κοίταζαν με τα μεγάλα μάτια τους, μάτια σαν της Αθηνάς ή της Μεγαλόχαρης, αφήνοντας αυτά τα μάτια να σου αφηγηθούν την ιστορία,
μάτια κι αυτά ίδια με τα φαγιούμ - μάτια των πεσόντων που μας κοιτούν απ’ τις οικογενειακές φωτογραφίες.
Μεγάλη λοιπόν η γιορτή και η Δημοκρατία έχει πάντα ανάγκη τις τελετές της για να υπενθυμίζει στους πολίτες ποιοι πραγματικά είναι ή ποιοι οφείλουν να είναι, να γίνονται και να μένουν.
Ακόμα και αν σε φθηνούς δεκάρικους ή ρηχές υποκρισίες έχει συχνά εκπέσει η γιορτή, και πάλι απαραίτητη είναι - διότι πάντοτε έρχεται κάποτε η στιγμή που η τελετή ανακτά το νόημά της
και, όταν ο λαός το έχει ανάγκη, το ανακτά.

Βάζει λοιπόν κάθε τέτοια ιερή ημέρα η Ιστορία τα καλά της, χτενίζει ίσια τη χωρίστρα στα παιδιά της κι έρχεται στη γιορτή

σαν αρχαίος ραψωδός να αφηγηθεί, σαν Σουλιώτισσα να χορέψει, σαν βυζαντινός καλόγερος να ψάλει, σαν Αρβανίτης γλεντοκόπος να φάει τα κοψίδια της, να πιει το κρασί της και σαν τον Τσώρτσιλ να μας πει ότι «οι ήρωες πολεμούν σαν Ελληνες» (κι ας τους άλλαξα ύστερα τον αδόξαστο στα Δεκεμβριανά). Πλην όμως,
πρώτα απ’ όλα, εσείς οι Ελληνες ξέρετε να γιορτάζετε τα πένθη σας. Οι νίκες (που θα γίνουν ήττες) και οι ήττες (που θα γίνουν νίκες) δεν έχουν καμμιά σημασία χωρίς τα πένθη που είναι η μνήμη τους.
«Ποια εξαγορά να υπάρχει μιας και το αίμα στο χώμα χυθεί;», ρωτούσε ο Αισχύλος - φοβάμαι, καμμία. Τίποτα δεν μπορεί να αναστήσει αυτόν που πέφτει και ουδέν άλλο αφήνει πίσω του παρά μόνον την αξία του σκοπού για τον οποίον έπεσε, εν προκειμένω αυτό
το «πνεύμα του Μετώπου» που γέννησε ύστερα, αμέσως μετά, την εποποιία της Εθνικής Αντίστασης - «αυτή η πεζούλα είναι η πατρίδα μας», έλεγε ο Αρης Βελουχιώτης, «αυτά τα μάρμαρα», έλεγε ο Μακρυγιάννης, η λάσπη και τα γουρνοτσάρουχα που έμαθαν στον Μπάυρον ότι η εξιδανικευμένη αρχαιότης δεν έπιανε μία μπροστά στη λαχτάρα του κλεφτοκοτά για λίγη αξιοπρέπεια. Διότι αυτή είναι η μεγάλη αξία της θυσίας του Λόρδου Βύρωνος: ότι ήρθε, είδε, άρχισε να αμφιβάλλει κι όμως εννόησε.
Μεγάλη λοιπόν η γιορτή ανήμερα 28 Οκτώβρη κάθε χρονιάς. Οι Γυναίκες της Πίνδου, οι μάνες, οι αδελφές, οι σύζυγοι, οι νοσοκόμες επικεφαλής στην πομπή των Παναθηναίων με τσάμικα, γέλια και κλάματα, με το πέπλο της Προμάχου στα χέρια και να τις ακολουθεί από κοντά ο λαμπρός λαός,
διότι, μην ξεχνάμε, ο λαός είναι που κάνει τη διαφορά, ο λαός είναι που δίνει νόημα στη γιορτή,

αυτός που κρατάει τη σημαία είναι που της δίνει το νόημά της, άλλο η σημαία στα χέρια του Παπαφλέσσα κι άλλο στα χέρια ταγματασφαλίτη συνεργάτη των Ναζί. Αλλο η σημαία στα χέρια του αντάρτη παπά και του ελεύθερου πολιορκημένου στο Πολυτεχνείο κι άλλο στα χέρια του αληταρά που χαιρετά φασιστικά.
Σε αυτήν τη γιορτή του έθνους και του λαού δεν υπάρχει χώρος για προδότες και για επιγόνους των προδοτών - ας λουφάξουν.
Τέτοια μέρα γιορτάζουν οι Αθηναίοι Εφηβοι και ο Ιερός Λόχος των Θηβαίων. Γιορτάζουν οι Θεσπιείς, οι Αλεξανδρινοί γραμματικοί και οι μάρτυρες της Τουρκοκρατίας - στη

γιορτή την εξουσία την έχει ο λαός και στεφανώνει Κάλβο, Σολωμό, Καβάφη, Ρίτσο, Ελύτη και στέφεται ίδιος γράμματα και θρύλους, παλιές επιστολές και εικονίσματα, παρακαταθήκες και κληρονομιές, στη γιορτή αυτή μυρίζει μπαρούτι και κατορθώματα, γιαγιάδες που αφηγούνται ιστορίες για διωγμούς και καταστροφές, έρωτες που έσπασαν στα δυο, φοίνικες που ξαναγεννήθηκαν -παραμύθια ελαφροΐσκιωτα, φυλαχτά, που εξ απαλών ονύχων στρατεύουν σε στράτες καλές κι αγαθές τους ανθρώπους- χιλιοειπωμένα πράγματα, τα λέω κι εγώ άλλη μια φορά κι όσο ζω θα τα λέω.

Αλλωστε, αυτό είναι η γιορτή: μια επανάληψη του καλού που το διδάσκει απ’ την αρχή...


email: stathis@enikos.gr
23-10-2012


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