By Royal Proclamation, it’s 2020 – the year of perfect vision!

by Demetrios Rhompotis

It’s 2020, the dream year of all …ophthalmologists! It’s also one day longer, as a leap year. May this one be happy, creative, healthy and beautiful because our world once more is turning uglier. Thanks for the support and the vote of confidence through your generous ads. For us it’s the mandate we need to go forward. This time, I won’t bother you with my New Year Resolutions since they are like the New Year fireworks: impressive but last little. Instead, I will leave you in peace to deal with your holiday bills and the IRS which lurks in the corner. Be strong, we’ve seen worse!

Tom Hanks officially Greek!

Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson

Hollywood superstar and philhellene Tom Hanks became officially a fellow Hellene on December 26, when President of the Hellenic Republic Prokopios Pavlopoulos signed the papers marking his honorary naturalization. The veteran actor is married to Rita Wilson who is of Greek descent on her mother Dorothea’s side.

Hanks is well-known for his longtime love for the nation of Greece and he and his family spend most of their summers in the Greek islands. They are seen especially often on the tiny island of Antiparos where Hanks also helps both financially and by digging himself in the archeological excavations.

The iconic American film star has also been among the faithful of the St. Sophia Greek Orthodox Church in Los Angeles for many years now, since he joined the Church when he married his wife in 1988.

This past December, Gabriel Nicolás Katopodis a fellow Lefkadian, was named Argentina’s minister of Public Works! He is a lawyer by profession and before his government appointment he served as mayor in the San Martin area of Buenos Aires since 2011. Both his parents’ families originate from Greece’s Lefkada Island. Congratulations!!!