CHATTER: Say What?

From a letter to the editor commenting on recent temperance activities in Malaysia:

Contrary to popular belief, intoxication is as old as the earth itself. In fact, the great philosopher Socrates died of intoxication.

Source ... I guess he drank too much ouzo then tripped over the hemlock or something ...

::Tuesday, January 06, 2004 9:03:17 PM::
Comment on this post @ Classics Central

FOLLOWUP: Julie and Cleo at the NYSE

Interesting ...

Source

::Tuesday, January 06, 2004 8:59:50 PM::
Comment on this post @ Classics Central

CHATTER: Seen in Passing

A semi-random tidbit from the Guardian:

The mayors of 17 villages in three remote valleys of the High Pyrenees have threatened to go on strike unless somebody rids them of a rare mountain bear that has killed more than 100 sheep over the past year.

Sounds like Hercules has another labour on his hands ... slaying the Pyrenean Bear.

::Tuesday, January 06, 2004 6:00:15 AM::
Comment on this post @ Classics Central

THIS DAY IN ANCIENT HISTORY

ante diem viii idus januarias

• 1822 -- birth of Heinrich Schliemann (excavator of Troy, Mycenae)

::Tuesday, January 06, 2004 5:54:00 AM::
Comment on this post @ Classics Central

CHATTER: Fidel Classicus

Seems everyone wants to drop some ClassCon into their latest speech, clearly desiring to get mentioned in the prestigious rogueclassicism! The latest is Fidel Castro, who, in his speech marking the the 45th anniversary of the Revolution was heard to say (albeit in translation):

A small group of countries that have a monopoly over such weapons have taken upon themselves the exclusive right to produce and improve them. Meanwhile the contradictions and interests of its members change and humanity develops under a web of nuclear weapons that threaten its very existence. Someone could say something similar to what that Persian emperor said as he and his huge army closed in on the 300 Spartans defending the pass at Thermopiles: "Our nuclear weapons shall hide the sun".

Text of the whole speech ...

::Tuesday, January 06, 2004 5:43:38 AM::
Comment on this post @ Classics Central

CHATTER: More Roman Media

Reuters reports in longish piece on upcoming movies that A&E is working on a film based on Edward 'dark-and-stormy-night' Bulwer-Lytton's Last Days of Pompeii.

::Tuesday, January 06, 2004 5:05:47 AM::
Comment on this post @ Classics Central

AWOTV: On TV Today

8.00 p.m. |HINT| The Colosseum
Nothing symbolizes the Roman Empire at its height or Rome in
magnificent ruins more than the Colosseum. Built in 70 AD, it seated
80,000 people, boasted a retractable roof, underground staging
devices, marble seating, and lavish decorations. It still serves as
the prototype for the modern stadium. The complexity of its
construction, the beauty of its architecture, and the functionality
of its design made it the perfect place for massive crowds to
congregate for the bloody spectacles it contained.

8.30 p.m. |DCIVC| Meet The Ancestors: A Roman Plot
dna

9.00 p.m.|HISTC| Unearthing Ancient Civilizations: Pakistan
dna

HISTC = History Television (Canada)

DCIVC = Discovery Civilization (Canada)

HINT = History International

::Tuesday, January 06, 2004 4:41:41 AM::
Comment on this post @ Classics Central