The Hellenic Navy (HN) (Greek: Πολεμικό Ναυτικό, Polemikó Naftikó, abbreviated ΠΝ) is the naval force of Greece, part of the Greek Armed Forces. The modern Greek navy has its roots in the naval forces of various Aegean Islands, which fought in the Greek War of Independence. During the periods of monarchy (1833–1924 and 1936–1973) it was known as the Royal Navy (Βασιλικόν Ναυτικόν, Vasilikón Naftikón, abbreviated ΒΝ).The total displacement of all the navy's vessels is approximately 150,000 tons.The motto of the Hellenic Navy is "Μέγα το της Θαλάσσης Κράτος" from Thucydides' account of Pericles' oration on the eve of the Peloponnesian War. This has been roughly translated as "Great is the country that controls the sea". The Hellenic Navy's emblem consists of an anchor in front of a crossed Christian cross and trident, with the cross symbolizing Greek Orthodoxy, and the trident symbolizing Poseidon, the god of the sea in Greek mythology. Pericles' words are written across the top of the emblem. "The navy, as it represents a necessary weapon for Greece, should only be created for war and aim to victory."...............The Hellenic Merchant Marine refers to the Merchant Marine of Greece, engaged in commerce and transportation of goods and services universally. It consists of the merchant vessels owned by Greek civilians, flying either the Greek flag or a flag of convenience. Greece is a maritime nation by tradition, as shipping is arguably the oldest form of occupation of the Greeks and a key element of Greek economic activity since the ancient times. Nowadays, Greece has the largest merchant fleet in the world, which is the second largest contributor to the national economy after tourism and forms the backbone of world shipping. The Greek fleet flies a variety of flags, however some Greek shipowners gradually return to Greece following the changes to the legislative framework governing their operations and the improvement of infrastructure.Blogger Tips and Tricks
This is a bilingual blog in English and / or Greek and you can translate any post to any language by pressing on the appropriate flag....Note that there is provided below a scrolling text with the 30 recent posts...Αυτό είναι ένα δίγλωσσο blog στα Αγγλικά η/και στα Ελληνικά και μπορείτε να μεταφράσετε οποιοδήποτε ποστ σε οποιαδήποτε γλώσσα κάνοντας κλικ στη σχετική σημαία. Σημειωτέον ότι παρακάτω παρέχεται και ένα κινούμενο κείμενο με τα 30 πρόσφατα ποστς....This is a bilingual blog in English and / or Greek and you can translate any post to any language by pressing on the appropriate flag....Note that there is provided below a scrolling text with the 30 recent posts...Αυτό είναι ένα δίγλωσσο blog στα Αγγλικά η/και στα Ελληνικά και μπορείτε να μεταφράσετε οποιοδήποτε ποστ σε οποιαδήποτε γλώσσα κάνοντας κλικ στη σχετική σημαία. Σημειωτέον ότι παρακάτω παρέχεται και ένα κινούμενο κείμενο με τα 30 πρόσφατα ποστς.........

Sunday, May 16, 2010

A hard road for the disabled...[ 1267 ]

Kaleidoscope of the Heart: Job-hunting is a hard road for the disabled

Rika Kayama
Rika Kayama

(Mainichi Japan) May 16, 2010
I recently got the chance to interview former J-League soccer player and current member of Japan's national wheelchair basketball team Kazuyuki Kyoya. Kyoya suffered a spinal cord injury and lost the use of his legs in a car accident, and has been in a wheelchair ever since.

As well as being a professional athlete, Kyoya also serves as a recruiting advisor for personnel companies that specialize in finding jobs for the disabled, a role I was extremely interested in. Kyoya, however, turned the tables on me, as I found myself not asking but answering questions. Even so, I got to hear many an interesting story.

In the psychiatric world I am a part of, too, it is very difficult for people with chronic conditions to find or change jobs. Should a person try to hide their illness while looking for employment, or search out companies that show understanding of the drugs, trips to the hospital and all the other special circumstances involved in mental illness? Or should he or she get official disability certification and look for jobs with companies that have special employment openings for such workers? These are the kinds of questions I address in minute detail over and over again in strategy sessions with patients.
Some patients tell me, "I want to get a job through normal channels, but it would be pointless to try the impossible and end up relapsing, so I'm planning to use special employment openings offered for the disabled." However, many such patients head down to the employment office only to find a shocking dearth of openings for handicapped job seekers. Opportunities for people with mental disorders are especially rare.

I asked Kyoya, "There is a government financial support system set up for companies who hire the disabled, but even so there are no job openings. Does that mean there are limits to what subsidies can do?"

"First of all, many companies don't even know about the subsidies. And then the process for applying for them is quite troublesome, so firms steer clear," Kyoya replied. When I heard this, it was all suddenly clear to me. Back at my office, I had always wondered why employment for the disabled wasn't increasing even though companies could get money for it. But if companies and business owners aren't aware of it, then of course job opportunities aren't being created.

Kyoya is not just a wheelchair basketball player, but also a major figure on the front lines of the fight for employment for the disabled, and a nice guy with a good sense of humor to boot. I knew he was a wrestling fan, and invited him out to a pro wrestling sports bar for our next meeting, though I fully intend to pick his brains about his role as a recruiting adviser even there. (By Rika Kayama, psychiatrist)
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