Category: Cyprus

I live in Cyprus for many years now. It is a beautiful little island in Mediterranean Sea. It features warm weather for most of the year, sea, very kind and hospital people, plenty of jobs in IT industry, good food and plenty of alcohol, stable currency, and more. It’s really a nice place to live if you can handle small towns and villages. It’s also a great place to raise the kids.

Not much happens here. It is a quiet and simple place. Yet, when something happens or when I write about it, I post it to Cyprus category.

Racist archbishop

Cyprus Mail covers interesting commentary from the archbishop Chrysostomos II:

Asked if he would consider backing left-wing AKEL’s candidate Stavros Malas – the Archbishop has openly spoken out against the government’s communist approach – Chrysostomos said, “They have plenty of supporters; they don’t need me; although they may have reduced in numbers now”.

Pressed further if he would ever back a left-wing president, provided they had the same views, the Archbishop replied: “I would even back a black man, if we had the same views.“

I’d have to agree with AKEL here:

The statement was not well received by ruling party AKEL, which last night announced it was disappointed with the archbishop’s comments.

The party said it was of the impression that the head of the church should view all members of the flock equally, “whether they are right-wing, left-wing, black or white”.

That should be true for everyone, but especially so for the religious person, who’s lord created everyone equal.

Worst excuse ever

For the last few days, if you go to almost any Cyprus website, you get a warning like the one on the screenshot below.

This one in particular is from the Google Chrome browser, and here is how Google explains it:

This message appears if Google Chrome detects that the site you’re trying to visit may have malware.

And just in case you didn’t know what malware is, Wikipedia to the rescue:

Malware, short for malicious software, is software used or created to disrupt computer operation, gather sensitive information, or gain access to private computer systems. It can appear in the form of code, scripts, active content, and other software. ‘Malware’ is a general term used to refer to a variety of forms of hostile, intrusive, or annoying software.

Malware includes computer viruses, worms, trojan horses, spyware, adware, and other malicious programs.

Apparently, this time, CyTA had something to say:

CyTA said any computers receiving the message should clear their caches and cookies as the phenomenon was being caused by a virus, which was affecting connections. It said the sites were clean and did not contain malware. “It is a false message caused by a virus,” a CyTA technician said.

What?  Really? Make up your mind, sir!  Is it a false message or was it caused by a virus?  If it was, it’s not so false then, is it?  Oh, and I wish viruses were as easy to take care of as clearing browser cache and cookies…

Digitizing CyBC archives

Cyprus Mail reports some good news:

STATE broadcaster CyBC has been given some €1.2 million towards digitising its archives, as part of an EU programme for Greece and Cyprus.

Earlier this week it signed an agreement on a project called Digital Herodotus.

The project is worth €1.7 million in total, of which CyBC has been allocated €1,184,000 and organisations in the Greek island of Mytilene, including a public library and a university, have been allocated the rest, CyBC said in an announcement.

CyBC has been given funds to set up a system to store and manage digital data and to obtain the technology needed to convert analogue video content from 1990 onwards to digital format.

Russian for a president in Cyprus, really?

Cyprus Mail is a lot of fun today.

CHIEF Returning Officer Demetris Demetriou yesterday confirmed that a Russian businessman had shown an interest in running for February’s presidential elections.

“Yes, an interest has been shown, but we can’t release any details as the application for candidacy has not yet been made officially,” Demetriou told the Cyprus Mail.

He said the businessman’s lawyer contacted his department to enquire about how to apply. It was reported on Tuesday that the Russian in question had acquired Cypriot citizenship. Only Cypriot citizens over 35 years of age can stand in the presidential elections.

… because Russians are doing so well in Russia now, that they should be running for presidents all over the world.  WORLD DOMINATION!!! Mua-ha-ha-ha.