stoa

the end of the world is not nigh

2011-05-23T11:25:00.000-04:00

The Titans on Mt. Olympuss have spoken. We have saved the world from itself!!..meeeeeoooooooowwwwwwwww!!!!

22 May 2011 Last updated at 05:39 ET

Followers of an evangelical broadcaster who declared that Saturday would be Judgement Day are trying to make sense of the failed prediction.

Robert Fitzpatrick, a retired transportation agency worker in New York, said he had spent more than $140,000 (£85,000) of his savings on advertisements in the run-up to 21 May to publicise the prediction.

After 1800 passed and nothing had happened, he said: "I do not understand why... I do not understand why nothing has happened."

"I can't tell you what I feel right now. Obviously, I haven't understood it correctly because we're still here."'

2011Klassikal

2010-12-31T16:22:00.001-05:00

The year begins in a kold dark’s stumble
and plows through alektruaina’s heart.
Moustokouloura krumble in the afterward of Poseidon
no doubt bewailing the running moon.

Our eyes seep into the dawn’s low spektra
over the storm singing through the aspens
and 2011 draws our tongues through matted fur
waiting for ailouroses and kuons to chirp at the sun.

The ridge revolves around the klefted rock in watered dawn
in ice like slivers lighted into golden sighs
insisting on aknowledgments of forwards calling
advances to Hekatombion’s loves’ loved mornings.

© Anteros Outofaphrodite

Thank you...

2010-12-26T10:03:00.000-05:00

...to all in the Stoa who have helped me with my login information. I finally found it by lying in repose and twitching my tail. Sometimes, a bout of absent-mindedness can kull up hidden numbers, fakts and ideas.

Kristmas

2010-12-26T09:58:00.000-05:00

There has been a tale cirkulating that some time from now, an un-mated Queen will have a litter! It must be an allegory. This tale says that there will be a change in outlook, among more felines than now have, which is undoubtedly universal and deeply feline. It is that in giving of ourselves, not of mice, voles, birds and chipmunks, we aktively demonstrate the immeasurable generosity of love. And it is love and purring together that lights our world.

Teknology Breakthrough!

2010-04-01T07:49:00.006-04:00

Drakmae Sterling Kordeus has vouchsafed a breakthough in fiber teknology.
The kompanie is kalling it the ‘Anti-Statik’ rope. It is not really ekwivalent to dynamik rope, though it has properties of fleksibility. The kompanie guarantees an added measure of safety for R and X rated klimbs. When the rope has a sudden stress placed on it, as in a leader fall, it retrakts.
Iam Silver, of Drakmae, said that, not only will these properties reduce the number of injuries and fatalities in leader falls, but will also, as an ansillary effect, reduce the karbon footprint of the annual “Akksidents in North Hellenik Mountaineering.”
It will be offered in 1 and 1.5 stadia lengths, from .5 to .8 daktyloi, and should be in the market by Maimakterion Day in Athens, and 31 Maimakterion, worldwide.

konficker

2009-04-01T18:36:00.002-04:00

Is that a verb or a noun? I konficker, you konficker, he, she, it konfickers....or... the konficker; a konficker; several konfickers; too many konfickers....in any kase, these mice all have worms!

A Recent Symposium

2009-03-28T10:34:00.008-04:00

Plutarch deskribed the drinking party as “a passing of time over wine which, guided by gracious behavior, ends in friendship.”

Queens abounded. I am so glad that we've abolished that silly prejudice against them. They are so much fun; especially when they wear matching lingerie;-) ...and we have no need to hire hetairaia.

Our new feline member, from the Massachusetts Writers Publishing Symposiasts Group, was there to promote her latest book, French Felines Do Not Sleep Alone.

Our symposiarch, her dear friend, was a marvelous host. Although we are not fond of drinkers with good memories, we hoped this evening would be an exception.

Christopher Xenopoulos Janus could not attend, but we thank him for his permission to allow us to promote his skolarly kontributions to our philosophikal gatherings over the years.

Alexander has Won!!!

2008-11-29T11:07:00.003-05:00

Alexander's command of the language has made our tongue the lingua franka of the world!!! We are entering a new age of diskourse and art. Let us join all felines in celebration of this new civilizing faktor. Let us rejoice in our thankfulness this holiday season.

Didnai Telly'a, the Demosthenes party candidate of Zimbabwe, in a surprise, runaway win!

2008-04-01T14:54:00.007-04:00

The outline of a deal has almost been reached for Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe to step down, opposition sources have told the BBC.

The sources said Mr Mugabe made the announcement on television, but his aides have denied the reports.

Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai was ousted in a surprise runaway vote for a little known candidate, Ms Didnai Tellay'a, a 54 year old barrister from the Girivansi tribe in the country's Northwest frontier.

In her first public appearance since the election, Ms Tellay'a did not confirm the reported deal.

The leader of the Movement for Demosthenic Change told a news conference on Tuesday evening: "Robert Mugabe has said he's an honest man. I hope that when the results are announced it's a true reflection of the vote and that there's no reason to investigate in fraudulent activities."

Ms Tellay'a's Demosthenes Party says it won Saturday's general elections, but results have been slow to emerge.

ELECTION RESULTS SO FAR
Parliamentary constituencies
Demosthenes: 72
MDC-Tsvangirai: 61
Zanu-PF: 56
Breakaway MDC faction: 5
Yet to declare: 70

Results according to ZESN:
Didnai Tellay'a: 84%
Morgan Tsvangirai, MDC: 9%
Robert Mugabe, Zanu-PF: 5%
Simba Makoni, Independent: 2%

President Mugabe, 84, came to power 28 years ago at independence, but the economy has been in free fall in recent years.

The sources claim talks brokered by South Africa have been going on in Harare for the last few days, our correspondent says, although Johannesburg denies involvement.

The sources say Ms Tellay'a's victory was so overwhelming that Mr Mugabe would have no chance of victory, even in a run-off.

Our correspondent cautions it is in her interests to talk up Mr Mugabe's exit.

Bright Matonga, Zanu-PF's Deputy Information Minister, denied any talks were going on with the Demosthenes party.

"There are no discussions, no negotiations, and President Mugabe will not be going on state television to announce anything because there's nothing to announce."

Earlier, there had been increasing speculation that a second round vote would be needed, as no candidate had, at that point, yet passed the 50% threshold required for victory.

That was before Ms Tellay'a came in with 84% of the vote, against 5% for Mr Mugabe.

Parliamentary results released so far show that the Demosthenes party has 72 seats, including five for a breakaway faction of the party, against 56 for Zanu-PF, with 70 still to come.

As he cast his vote on Saturday, Mr Mugabe said:

"If you lose an election and are rejected by the people, it is time to leave politics."
Mr. Mugabe has not been seen in public since the election.

Hypnos's lament

2007-11-13T21:17:00.002-05:00

"O, Somnus,
divine repose of all things!
Gentlest of the deities!
Peace to the troubled mind,
from which you drive the kares of life.
Restorer of men's strength when wearied with the toils of day."
Ovid, Metamorphoses, Book XI (1 A.D.)

The inveterate sleeper awoke one day
to find the moon had passed away
and all the sun kome out to play
and the inveterate sleeper deigned to say,

"How bright the light of day from night;
how golden shines the moon’s usurper.
How kan I feign distaste, awake, for day
that brings me to a state of awe
of all light’s visions proved."

And though it lit the sleeper’s eyes,
and all their visions cirkumskribed by
a multi-kolored penumbral glow,
the sun itself could not prevent
the inveterate sleeper’s fickle lament:

"How dark the end of day
how like the night it seems
why kan I not eskape the wait
to end each night’s new dreams."

Official Loose Change Blog: Three media appearances for you

2006-09-13T19:54:00.000-04:00

Official Loose Change Blog: Three media appearances for you

Menelaos's Dismay

2006-09-03T20:01:00.000-04:00

Eros, do come home. This willy-nilly target praktis with others' hearts really should stop. Helen has run off with Alexandros, Menelaos has sworn his men to battle and Troy is preparing to withstand a siege predicted by the orakle at Delphi.

I know you like to shoot, but there are more benign ways to play with your quiver. The Titans are truly angry this time. History will not look upon this incident with kindness.

Your brother in peace.

Designed Objects

2006-09-01T23:25:00.000-04:00

Designed Objects

DarwinCatholic: Where Religion, Philosophy and Demographics Meet: The Oracle of Starbucks

2006-08-31T21:41:00.000-04:00

DarwinCatholic: Where Religion, Philosophy and Demographics Meet: The Oracle of Starbucks

The Green Man’s Hat

2006-08-29T21:33:00.000-04:00

The green man sang back and forth between
the line that ran from ear to ear.
He sang a song, soft and high,
between inner chords of winding notes.
He seldom heard his sphere of latent pain.
Fear blanketed the sound
and robbed it of its territorial claims.

Swinging back and forth between the line
drawn from ear to ear
came a song, soft and high,
between inner chords of winding notes
heard too seldom in his sphere of latent pain
(of latent pain and fear)
and fear blanketed the sound;
large in its territorial claims.

The green man laid his hat down,
down on the line that ran from ear to ear.
He sang a soft and high song;
a minor key in winding notes
that echoed in our sphere of pain.
Fear came
and swiftly blanketed its own territorial claims.

Swinging back and forth between the line
drawn from ear to ear,
came a song soft and high between minor chords
of winding notes we heard too seldom
in this sphere of latent pain and fear,
too swiftly in its blanketing of sound;
too large in its territorial claims.

A Daily Dose of Architecture

2006-08-24T22:13:00.000-04:00

A Daily Dose of Architecture

waterfordchocolate

2006-08-23T22:23:00.000-04:00

waterfordchocolate

The conflict in Sumer

2006-08-23T21:29:00.000-04:00

An extraordinary thing happened in Sumer this month. An army from Akkad faced a Sumerian army and did not defeat it -- did not render it incapable of continued resistance. That had always been the outcome in previous wars, but it did not happen this year. Should this outcome stand, it will represent a geopolitical earthquake in the region -- one that fundamentally shifts expectations and behaviors on all sides.

It is not that the Seleukeians defeated Ashurbanipal. They did not. By most measures, they got the worst of the battle. Nevertheless, they were left standing at the end of the battle. Their forces in the Ur Valley have been battered, though how severely is not yet clear. Their forces south of their river were badly hurt by Ashurbanipal's attack. Nevertheless, the correlation of forces was such that Ashurbanipal should have dealt the Seleukeians, at least in southern Sumer, a devastating blow, such that resistance would have crumbled. He did not strike such a blow -- so as the cease-fire took effect, Seleukeia continued to resist, continued to inflict casualties on Ashurbanipal's troops. The Seleukeians have not been rendered incapable of continued resistance, and that is unprecedented.

with homage to George Friedman

King Lugalzagesi

2006-08-20T08:25:00.000-04:00

Mimi, I have heard that you are over in Akkad, and that Sarkor is plotting to take over Lugalzagesi's lands in Sumer. That is no place for a Tex-Achaen feline! The King's defeat will come after great bloodshed. Why are you there!!!

Has moving your residence to Mt. Olympus given you excessive hubris?

Do come back. The Titans are especially concerned. Even our friend, Leander, who is on holiday over in Sestos at the moment, and has sent us our most current report, has expressed grave doubts about the cessation of conflict anytime soon.

Besides, Bellerophon has promised us a ride on Pegasus - and you know how much you like to ride.

Bellerophon and Pegasus

2006-08-19T21:14:00.000-04:00

Mimi, Bellerophon wants us to go riding with him tomorrow. He has a new horse; supposedly with the biggest heart in all the equine world. Sao is coming (you remember her; she's Nereus's daughter), Lakhesis, of the Moirai, and Rhadamanthus, Minos's brother, will be there as well. I know you are a bit preoccupied with the current strife on Mt. Olympus, but we're hoping you can take a little break and join us for some fun.

to Mimi

2006-08-05T11:07:00.000-04:00

stoa

Dear Mimi-on-Olympus-with-the-gods,

Would Annie and Nicky Blue Eyes be able to come to the stoa this weekend? Iason has returned from one of his voyages and we are having a little celebration for the Argonauts. They will be leaving for Lemnos next week.

Anteros

Anteros's introduction

2006-08-02T00:26:00.000-04:00

stoa