Lower phone bills, via Microsoft

Big news of the day, in my opinion, is that Microsoft have bought Teleo, a small internet telephony company. Now this may not seem earth-shattering news at the moment but I think it might just mean that a lot of people will be able to save a lot of money on their telephone bills… just have to see if we can use it in Greece.

And staying with telephones, a report out today says that mobile (cell) phones don’t cause brain tumours.

Just 16 days after the Helios crash, a Czech charter flight which did not respond to air-traffic controllers when it entered Greek air space yesterday led to fighter jets being scrambled.

Arrest warrants have been issued for several machete-wielding monks and novices who brawled over a woman.

Welsh expatriates missing the sweet smell of home can now buy it over the internet - air from the hills of Wales, at just £24 a bottle.

More news on these stories in the ELSOKAI forums – you’ll need to register to read the pc section. Click on links on the right >

Rare bear killed

Little Greek news of really great interest today, while the UK news is dominated by hurricane Katrina, the arrest of two teenagers who shot a woman holding a baby, and the death of a baby in an arson attack in Newcastle.

A few things I did think might be of interest, although not widely reported: Engineers say that economy drives on European aircraft maintenance are putting passengers' lives at risk and contributing to an increasing number of ‘incidents’. "The financial wizards are running the show, to the detriment of safety."

And airline passengers will have to accept longer journey times on board a new generation of aircraft that will fly more slowly to save fuel. Trips within Europe will take about ten minutes longer but aircraft will burn up to 20 per cent less fuel.

One of Greece’s rare bears has been killed.

More news in the ELSOKAI Forums, links on right >

And going back to Newcastle, England striker Michael Owen has agreed to join Newcastle United on a four-year deal.

Rescuing the island economy

It is late August and the Greek islands have suddenly found themselves swamped by hypocrisy. Every summer young British tourists — slappers and meatheads and imbeciles one and all — are decanted from cut-price jets into the nightclubs of Laganas, Ayia Napa and Faliraki, where they set about rescuing the local economy.

This arguably altruistic act ensures that the grumpy black-clad locals are able to enjoy affluence instead of struggling by with only an emaciated goat or a small weekly catch of mercury-laden sardines for income.

You’d think the locals would be happy then, wouldn’t you? And in May and early June they seem to be. But by midsummer the resentment kicks in and by August they have begun to carp, long and loud.

That’s from an article by Rod Liddle at The Times, which Will found and posted. I think Mr Liddle will be even less popular in Laganas than the slappers and meatheads.

And if your cure for a hangover is coffee, well, despair not – you might be keeping cancer at bay, too - coffee might soon be considered a health drink following a study showing it is a surprisingly rich source of anti-cancer agents.

Staying with health, or safety, anyway, France has published a blacklist of five airlines banned from its territory on safety grounds.

And tourists in Spain are being woo-ed with a new Gem – the ‘blobject’.

More details in the ELSOKAI forums – click on the links on the right >

The Shakespeare Code / no "F" in 'postcards'

Move over, Dan Brown, here comes The Shakespeare Code. Seems Shakespeare was a dangerous political subversive who wrote in code understandable only to his followers (well, at least that explains why I could never make any sense of Shakespeare).

Talking of Will, ‘our’ Will has posted a follow up re orgies in Laganas – oh, to be young again! (Or maybe not).

And talking of F***ing, Gerry had me rolling on the floor, unfortunately not with a lively young female, but in fits of laughter – seems he can’t get a F***ing postcard!

Also news about TV over the internet – seems to be coming nearer (well, to the rest of Europe, still struggling to get broadband here).

A bumper bundle of fun at the ELSOKAI forums, click on the links on the right >

Busy behind bars

Last year’s successful Olympic Games along with a promotional campaign of the country abroad have led to a bumper tourism season this summer, with extra arrivals expected to carry on in the next few months, according to industry officials.

Oh dear, why do I still feel we’ll be hearing the hoteliers, bar owners, etc, etc, bemoaning what a terrible summer it’s been for them… as they always do…

Crime author Patricia Cornwell has taken out full-page ads in two national newspapers to deny she is obsessed with Jack the Ripper.

And a senior mammal keeper had good reason to be wary of the latest arrivals in the large-mammal section of London Zoo yesterday. Since evolving from primordial slime, the species they represent has been responsible for destroying 844 other species, and some 800 million of its own kind.

I’ve managed to put down the book I’m reading (hmmm… maybe that says something about it?) and write a few reviews of the books I’ve read so far this summer.

All in the ELSOKAI forums – click on the link on the right >

Something in the air

There’s something in the air and it could be the balloon going up – news today that Cyrpiot-registered aircraft didn’t have mandatory safety checks for 10 months.

Olympic staff may be on strike next week (so I guess that's something not in the air?)

And Greece “is safe from bird flu” (yeah, right).

A recent decision by the country’s privacy watchdog refusing to allow security forces to use CCTV cameras installed during the Athens Olympics to monitor anything but the city’s congested roads was blasted yesterday by Public Order Minister Giorgos Voulgarakis. (Good on him).

And the Athens prefecture slapped 11 fines totalling 188,000 euros on gasoline companies for selling diluted fuel products.

More news in the ELSOKAI forums, click on link on right >

Update - 100% net security

Just a quickie - I found time to update the info on 100% net security, it's posted in the Asklepion pc section and includes a link to the previous articles in the series. Registered users can log on and gen up, new readers can register at ELSOKAI. Looks like we've picked up a few interesting posts, too - can't wait to read the one from Will...

just click on the ELSOKAI links for more info >

Bikini Beach / 'bra wars'

The government is weighing its options regarding the location of Greece’s first Formula 1 racing track. The move is seen as aiming to duplicate the success of last weekend’s inaugural Formula 1 race in Istanbul.

Bikini Beach in South Korea boasts inviting blue shallows, two kilometres of soft sand and a cooling fringe of pine trees. What you'll struggle to find is bikinis.

What is bird flu and why is it a threat?

A public library in Holland has been swamped with queries after unveiling plans to "lend out" living people, including homosexuals, drug addicts, asylum seekers, gipsies and the physically handicapped.

Shoppers face rising prices if the European Union's "bra wars" with China is not quickly resolved.

More news in the ELSOKAI forums >

The Sting, 2005

Latest theory on the Helios crash which cost 121 lives is that a flip-switch was left in the wrong position after a safety check.

In Crete, an elderly man has killed his wife with a shotgun.

Google is set to launch an instant messaging service.

Michael Owen may be set to sign for Newcastle.

The FBI carried out a stunning sting operation that netted hundreds of big crooks (this one cracked me up!)

And who murdered Marlowe?

All in the ELSOKAI forums >

Under pressure

Pilots spoke out this week about the commercial pressures they were under to fly even when their planes have technical faults. Their comments came in the wake of three major air crashes this month.

The Cypriot airliner which crashed north of Athens, killing all 121 passengers and crew, suffered a loss of cabin pressure before the plane ran out of fuel and slammed into a mountainside, the head of the accident investigation team said yesterday.

The fears of nervous airlines and anxious passengers, in the wake of the Helios Airways crash that killed 121 people, were heightened yesterday after another round of delays and cancellations of flights in Greece and Cyprus.

Police in Crete have been fired upon.

Electricity prices are to rise from 1 September.

The €uro has been declared a failure.

The Greek Renault dealer is recalling certain models for safety reasons.

Thousands of computer users have been caught out by a huge ID theft ring.

More details in the ELSOKAI forums, click on link on right >

The beautiful game - a virtual reality

IT SOUNDS like the stuff of science fiction, but the Japanese Government is quietly throwing huge financial and technical weight into the development of three-dimensional, virtual reality television.

If the Communications Ministry succeeds in its ambitions, sports fans throughout the nation will be able to enjoy the 2018 World Cup final as if they were on the pitch itself, surrounded by the sights, smells and sounds of the real action.

Greece has grounded three planes and there’s more news on the Helios air crash.

A 63 year-old British bullfighter has retired from the Spanish ring (thanks for finding that one, Will).

As fires rage through Portugal, news of serious flooding in Romania which has claimed lives.

All in the ELSOKAI forums – some articles may require registration to be viewed. Click on link on right >

Flight tickets to cost more?

Airlines may have to purchase "pollution permits" that help pay for the CO2, nitrates, water vapours and soot created by every flight. This could add €8 to the cost of short-haul flights and increase the cost of long-haul holidays by €70 (£100) per person.

A fourth-century BC gold wreath, decorated with an image of the Greek goddess Nike, a gold ring featuring an ancient initiation ritual, a gold cup, and a solid gold face mask have all been unearthed in ancient Thrace.

More news at the ELSOKAI forums – link on right >

Crete, the 'wild west' of Greece?

Police on Crete came under fire from Albanians wielding Kalashnikov-rifles earlier this week in the “Devil’s Triangle” area of Crete, notorious for its drug cultivation.

Carbon monoxide has been ruled out as the cause of the Helios Airways crash and the coroner is doing tests for other gases, poisons, drugs and alcohol.

In the future, the public may be able to see a list of airlines on a European ‘blacklist’.

And another tragedy has hit Cyrpus, and Sharm-al-Sheikh, as seven Cypriots are killed in a mini-bus accident.

More details in the ELSOKAI forums, click on the link on the right >

Feel free to add your own news or views – registration is free and easy and there’s no catches – we don’t infect your pc with crap, nor do we spam you or sell your details on to advertisers.

News flash

Summer storms have swept across southern England causing flooding and at least one fire due to lightning. More in the International section at the ELSOKAI forums >

Internet security updates

A leading internet security company claims it has discovered a huge identity theft operation involving potentially millions of PCs infected with a keylogger. The program invisibly records confidential information such as bank account passwords typed into infected machines and transmits the collected information to a hacker at a remote web site. Fortunately, there’s a free scanner available.

And news also on how a HOSTS file can prevent your pc from being ‘hijacked’ and taken to malicious sites which will infect your pc with crap (such as keyloggers).

More details in the Asklepion pc section at the ELSOKAI forums (requires registration) – click on link on right >

Coming soon at ELSOKAI - 100% net security, part 2

Tour rep avoids gaol

Latest news re the Helios jet crash rules out a theory that the plane was shot down by Greek fighters and two men have appeared in court after making hoax calls.

It seems that the Zotob 'virus' has caused problems for many very big companies (mainly in the USA) - pity they didn't read ELSOKAI, they could have patched their systems before the event as Microsoft released a security patch before the worm struck.

Some Kawasaki's have been recalled for safety reasons.

There's a festival tomorrow evening in Tzanata village, Kefalonia and, staying with Kefalonia, a rep for one of the big tour companies has avoided a spell in gaol after crashing his car after a night out.

More news in the ELSOKAI forums, click on link on right >

Brits abroad

Britons are the biggest boozers on holiday and the most likely to get into trouble with police. They are also the worst at staying in the sun too long and the first to run out of money, a survey of holidaymakers from 16 countries has found. But there’s a more positive side to Brits abroad, as well.

I’ve found a good definition of ‘pharming’, and how to avoid it.

A British Airways flight to Germany has overshot the runway and interesting news on who owns Helios Airways.

All in the ELSOKAI forums – click on link on right >

2000 dolphins

The worst plane crash in Greece’s history continues to be a mystery. Although the pilots of the F-16’s scrambled to intercept the doomed plane report seeing two mystery figures trying to take control of the plane, it’s likely most of the occupants froze to death before impact.

Greece may introduce a flat tax band.

Superfast broadband - the norm in Japan – may be introduced in to the UK… meanwhile, Greece struggles to provide broadband access.

And a pod of 2000 dolphins have been sighted!

All the news in ELSOKAI >

Plane crash near Athens, 121 feared dead

A Cypriot plane carrying 121 people has crashed near Athens, terrorism hasn’t been ruled out at this stage.

Poisonous jellyfish are invading Mediterranean beaches and Shoalin monks are preparing to do battle.

All in ELSOKAI – click on link on right >

Safety net

There are so many malicious programs prowling the web that there is a 50% chance that a vulnerable Windows p.c. will be found and infected after just 12 minutes online.

What people need to protect themselves against has grown too – no longer is an anti-virus program alone sufficient, with spyware, spam and phishing attacks joining the list of hi-tech threats.

At the most basic, home PCs need to have a firewall, anti-virus and anti-spyware software in place. These programs need to be regularly updated and the machine should be scanned at least once a week to ensure no nasties have crept on to it.

Registered users of ELSOKAI can log on and discover how to achieve (just about) 100% security on the net for free. More details in the Asklepion pc Health Centre at ELSOKAI.

If you haven’t registered yet, click on the ELSOKAI forums link (right) for info on how to register.

Wake up, Greece

Two new members registered at ELSOKAI yesterday, a very warm welcome to Gerry and Andrew The Pump. Hope you’ll join in and post any news or views, or maybe some ‘good’ jokes.

A few days ago I posted an article from Kathimerini about Greece lagging behind the rest of Europe in the internet stakes. Today I came across an article in The Times which is quite astonishing – Ethiopia has seized the bull by the horns and plans to connect every village in its remote, poverty-stricken country to the net!

OK, it’s a long (hot) weekend ahead and news is a bit thin on the ground at the moment, but a few interesting snippets I came across:

Tourism in Greece is up this year! Well, I’m sure all the taverna and bar owners, hoteliers, tour-agency owners, etc, etc, etc, will still cry the poor tale about what a bad season they’ve had and how they can’t increase wages. When they roll up in their new cars. Yup, heard it all before.

Another Brit has been arrested in Greece, this time for masterminding a smuggling ring.

And police on Zakynthos are cracking down on tacky British tourists indulging in sex in the street.

More news at ELSOKAI – click on the link on the right >

Safe... for 12 minutes

From an article on the BBC online:

If your house was burgled only 12 minutes after you moved in, you would probably think about selling up and moving on pretty quickly.

While this may not happen to your home, it will happen to the PC you use to browse the web if you do not have anti-virus software or a firewall installed.

There are so many malicious programs prowling the web that there is a 50% chance that a vulnerable Windows machine will be found and compromised after just 12 minutes online.

What people need to protect themselves against has grown too with spyware, spam and phishing attacks joining the list of hi-tech threats.

At the most basic, home PCs need to have a firewall, anti-virus and anti-spyware software in place. These programs need to be regularly updated and the machine should be scanned at least once a week to ensure no nasties have crept on to it.

Part of the reason for this poor protection is cost. To be safe, every computer in a home network needs to have a full suite of security software installed. The quickly multiplying cost can make many balk and cut corners.

Full BBC article here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4745053.stm

OK, but most people don’t have a home network, just a single pc, and it’s very easy to give that virtually 100% protection – for FREE. More details in the Asklepion at ELSOKAI (registration required)

Kitten BBQ'd alive

Not much in today’s news but some interesting posts from Will: a private island for sale; how travelling all the way to India for an operation can work out far less expensive than having the same op in the UK (and quicker than waiting for the NHS); an amusing true story about how a bigamist was caught out and a sad story about a kitten being barbecued alive. All in the International News section.

In the Greek news today: airfares are set to rise; Athenians will be deserting the city and heading out to holiday this long weekend and there’s also news of a freebie!

All at ELSOKAI

And if you haven’t seen the Times article on internet safety, I’ve posted it in the Asklepion pc section, with news about a school for ‘hackers’ – amazing how easy it is for someone to hack in to your pc – here’s a quote:

“A few clicks and the software I have at my disposal, all of it freely available for download, has burrowed its way in… I can do anything I want now: steal confidential information, damage networks and - most insidious of all - install tiny programs to tell me what my target machines are doing, every minute of every day.”

Registered users can log in and read more in the Asklepion, in the ELSOKAI forums - click on link on right >

If you look thru the previous posts you find an article about 99% net security. That’s now up to 100% - if you use the correct software (all freely available) – I’ll try to post more on that one tonight.

Feel free to add your own posts, or comment on the news posted. We've also got a bar, online games arcade and some wicked humour! Have a great holiday weekend!

Siga, siga...

Read an interesting commentary in Kathimerini on why Greece is last in Europe on broadband take-up (which I think is pretty scandalous).

Eighty turtles have been found slaughtered on a beach in Mexico.

And Microsoft are urging users to download the latest security patches, to keep pc's safe(r) on the 'net.

All in ELSOKAI

Short blog today, so now I'm off to update all my security software - see you tomorrow!

Santa's arrived (a little bit early?)

Lots of news today! Although some of it belongs to yesterday’s topic, ‘Mental Health’:

Swimmers on a popular beach ran in to the sea, past lifeguards trying to get people out. As a result, many nearly drowned.

Santa has arrived in London, 137 days before Christmas.

And in a move against terrorism, new passport centres will be opened in Greece, staffed by police officers.

A Britsh e-blackmailer has been arrested in Crete and a spammer has been fined €6,000,000

Bank workers are set to strike again next week.

Ant there’s news of the world’s best beer – no ‘probably’ about it!

All this, and more, in the ELSOKAI forums – click on link on right .

Mental health

More than 30 mental health centres have sprung up all over Greece in the last seven months and a mother of four was beaten to death in Patras by a man she’d met in a bar just a few hours earlier.

The British woman who abandoned her 15 year-old daughter to be with her Turkish toy-boy has been interviewed on Turkish t.v. (She’s had an awful life and just wants to be happy).

The relatives of two British tourists who died in a Benidorm bed are to sue the hotel. The pair had lain undiscovered for four days, despite the daughter of one of the women being on holiday with them.

All this, and more, in the ELSOKAI forums – click on link on right.

Serial killer on the loose

A staggering 500 people a day leave the UK in search of a new beginning abroad.

But while much attention is focused on terrorism and security abroad, little is done to warn against "one of the biggest killers of our generation".

Click on the ELSOKAI forums link (right) for more news >

Olympia Games

Ancient Olympia will again stage international athletic events, tho this may be limited to certain field events.

Ahead of the next elections, the government is promising to recruit additional staff for hospitals.

Aegina island had to have emergency supplies of water delivered by the Greek navy.

Two sisters from the UK have been suffocated when a bed collapsed on them while they were on holiday in Benidorm.

The woman who abandoned her 15 year old daughter to run away with her Turkish toy-boy has vowed not to return to the UK.

And Microsoft says the virus which ‘may possibly’ affect it’s new operating system, won’t.

All at ELSOKAI

'The Times': how to protect your pc

There’s a very informative article from The Times newspaper today about protecting your pc online and an interesting real-life (or death) murder mystery.

Plus how the wrong type of petrol in the Chelski yacht cost millions. (Bet the air was well blue!)

Click on the ELSOKAI forums link for more news >

Killer flip-flops, killer jet-skis

Hot on the heels, so to speak, of the killer flip-flops are killer jet-skis. A young Britsh tourist in Cyrpus was accidentally killed by a jet-ski driven by her boyfriend earlier this week and, today, news that a man in the UK has been sentenced after almost killing someone with a jet-ski.

As olive production in Spain is threatened by a drought and parts of Portugal are being ravaged by forest fires, pharmacists are complaining the supplies of drugs and medicine is also drying up. However, not on Crete, it seems, where police report that cannabis production is increasing rapidly.

More news also on the woman who dumped her daughter and her boyfriend and took another daughter off to Turkey to shack up with a couple of men they met on holiday.

All in the ELSOKAI forums. Feel free to add your news or comments there.

Home alone

A British teenager is to appear in a Cyprus court today to face charges over the death of his 16-year-old girlfriend in a jet-ski crash.

The European Commission said yesterday that it had written to Turkey complaining about legislation on religious foundations that did not meet EU standards for the rights of non-Muslim communities.

And police in North Yorkshire are trying to trace a mother who abandoned her fifteen year-old daughter and moved to Turkey.

Virus writers are working on ways of hacking Microsoft's new operating system known as Windows Vista, the hi-tech replacement for Windows XP.

More news at the ELSOKAI forums.

Lower pc prices?

There’s been another explosion in Turkey, this time in the capital and not a tourist resort. A scheduled airport strike has been called off after being deemed illegal and Greece has banned the advertising of cigarettes.

In the members section, news that computer prices may come down in Europe and an article about criminals targeting your pc.

Plus an interesting article about Bavarian beer-maids – seems the EU has made (yet another) boob!

Click on the link to the ELSOKAI forums for more information, or for details on how to register.

Civil liberties 1, anti-terrorism 0

Civil liberties take precedence over anti-terrorism in Athens, as it seems that the anarchists who destroy security cameras aren’t allowed to be filmed doing so.

A new police computer information system is desperately behind schedule – it can sometimes take months for information about stolen car registration plates to reach police on the border from their peers in the capital. (Hm, they’ve never heard of a fax machine?)

Property prices may rocket due to a new re-evaluation by the government.

The national power grid survived hugs demand yesterday as electricity was imported from neighbouring nations.

Spam is decreasing but viruses are increasing, and ‘spear-phishing’ is the latest rage among hackers.

More details in the ELSOKAI forums.

New explosions rock Turkish tourism

Six people have been injured in two separate explosions in the southern Turkish city of Antalya, a popular tourist hub.

A British schoolgirl on holiday in Cyprus has died after being hit by a jet-ski driven by her boyfriend.

More news at ELSOKAI.

According to the Telegraph, “Overheated Greeks have been told to turn off their air-conditioning and avoid using the washing machine amid concern that the power network will not be able to cope.”

Uh, what I read was, “In a bid to ease the system, the Public Power Corporation has launched a campaign calling for residents to reduce their electricity use between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.” – Kathimerini. Not quite the same thing, I think.

Quickie divorce, Cretan-style

Found an interesting article about quickie-divorce, Cretan-style, which I’ve posted in the National news section.

There also news of a new, bargain-basement pc at an amazingly low price (tho you may have trouble getting hold of one) and also the dangers of installing counterfeit software – registered users can log on for more info, posted in the Asklepion at the ELSOKAI forums – click on link on right >

Greeks invade Turkey

Read how Greeks are going to Turkey in increasing numbers and Mikis Theodorakis’ views on terrorism. In the National News section, click on the link to the ELSOKAI forums, on the right >

Your news and comments welcome.