Fell at the first hurdle, well, second actually. Did the Buzz entry straight forward and immediate, tried to sign up to Facebook and was told I was ineligible! Guess why?
Wednesday, February 10
Turned down again!
Here we go! School IT project on Social Networking. I suggested I should use our school as a case study, as it must qualify as social networking, but I was turned down, with derision, if I may say so. So now I am doing a comparison with Buzz and Facebook. Am going to post this to Facebook, and also on my blog (herewith!)
Saturday, February 6
Beachcombing.....
Came across this on the beach and it started me wondering. For a start, it would have been more serendipitous if it had been St Valentine's Day, but where did it come from? Has it washed ashore from somewhere across the Mediterranean, has it fallen from a bride's bouquet, or been thrown overboard in remembrance or mourning. Was it yours?
Thursday, February 4
Saturday, January 30
I've had a revelation!
As one does, Lexie said when I was relaying the information to her (relaying, rather than telling, texting, emailing, for good reason!) We (school) were having a debate on global warming / climate change, man made or not and I had to be for, which rather annoyed me. And lots of the research I did bore out my own feelings, rather than those I had to convey in the debate.
Well, that wasn't the revelation, the revelation was, in the light of reports like this "NEW evidence has cast doubt on claims that the world’s ice-caps are melting, it has emerged. Satellite data shows that concerns over the levels of sea ice may have been premature. It was feared that the polar caps were vanishing because of the effects of global warming. But figures from the respected US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration show that almost all the “lost” ice has come back. Ice levels which had shrunk from 13million sq km in January 2007 to just four million in October, are almost back to their original levels. Figures show that there is nearly a third more ice in Antarctica than is usual for the time of year. The data flies in the face of many current thinkers and will be seized on by climate change sceptics who deny that the world is undergoing global warming." [The Express] and many more like it.
I was rather proud of myself, well, on two counts really. I managed to turn it around to say that we shouldn't castigate ourselves for having caused it (because we obviously haven't, climate change has been going on for aeons; I would have loved to go to a frost fair on the Thames, but they only occurred during a mini ice age. There were vineyards in England in the Middle Ages - see how useful research is) po, po, po - to get back to what I was saying. We shouldn't castigate ourselves, but that is no reason why we shouldn't aim for a green footprint, conserve water, energy etc. where possible. Loipon, that was the first count, and the second count was, well, maybe I blinded them with science (it's seems to be a common occurrence!) but I won the debate! Well done me!
Well, that wasn't the revelation, the revelation was, in the light of reports like this "NEW evidence has cast doubt on claims that the world’s ice-caps are melting, it has emerged. Satellite data shows that concerns over the levels of sea ice may have been premature. It was feared that the polar caps were vanishing because of the effects of global warming. But figures from the respected US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration show that almost all the “lost” ice has come back. Ice levels which had shrunk from 13million sq km in January 2007 to just four million in October, are almost back to their original levels. Figures show that there is nearly a third more ice in Antarctica than is usual for the time of year. The data flies in the face of many current thinkers and will be seized on by climate change sceptics who deny that the world is undergoing global warming." [The Express] and many more like it.
Could it be perhaps, that the summons stones effect in slowing the earth spinning, not only slowed time but also affected the speed of climate change. Makes sense to me.
Tuesday, January 26
Oh yeah! Summons Stone not nuclear!
Only nukes can stop planetsmash asteroids, say US boffins
Nix on the 'world free of nuclear weapons', Mr President
Thursday, January 7
Deja vu for Sandy in Tasmania - New Year's Day sky spectacular!
She sent me this link, and said it sent chills down her spine and she wished she still had her Summons stone!
Monday, December 28
My friend sent me this photo of a fishing boat decorated for Christmas, quite unaware that as part of a school wide project we have all been researching and writing about Christmas traditions and customs in our own countries. (And before the thought police get busy - most countries of other faiths have Christian communities and hence Christmas traditions have grown up around them.)
Anyway, the significance as far as Greece is concerned can be gleaned from this article (one of many I explored, please note, concerned tutors!)
ekathimerini.com | Boat vs tree: A conflict of Christmas cultures ...
15 Dec 2004 ... A Christmas tree (left) and a Christmas boat, part of an old Greek custom, are seen in this picture taken in a central square in ...
Monday, November 16
The Summons Stone still putting the stars to flight?
Clusters are streaming at up to 1000 kilometres per second towards one particular part of the cosmos (The Astrophysical Journal Letters, vol 686, p L49).
1400 clusters are part of the flow, and it continues to around 3 billion light years from Earth, a sizeable fraction of the distance to the edge of the observable universe (arxiv.org/abs/0910.4958).
The dark flow appears to have been caused shortly after the big bang (that's what they think!) by something no longer in the observable universe.
Scientists say one explanation for the flow would be the gravity of a huge concentration of matter, but this is very unlikely. Not sure how big they mean, but I reckon the comet we decimated has probably collected to itself a lot of space debris and may well constitute a huge concentration.
Can't help hoping that our stones have somehow returned to this earth - or maybe the Lightbringers have garnered them, ready to use again - for us?
Wednesday, October 14
Waves!
Grigor,a Russian schoolmate, just told me on Facebook I was wrong about the seventh wave. (Also blogged here - Today's Find (Actually it was the day before I started the new blog, but I wanted to be dramatic.)
He had been to an art exhibition in St. Petersburg of this painter (of whom I have to confess, I have never heard) called Aivazovsky. There was a painting called the Ninth Wave and on the notes it said " In nautical lore, the ninth wave is the deadliest."
So I decided to do a bit of online exploring and found this painter has also done a painting called "Tenth Wave" (At the moment I am finding it difficult to see the difference between them, but perhaps they are a series?)
And then I came across Sir Thomas Browne's Vulgar Errors VII.xvii: - Of some others No. 2. " That fluctus Decumanus, or the tenth wave is greater and more dangerous then any other, some no doubt will be offended if we deny; and hereby we shall seem to contradict antiquity........ "and he goes on "Which notwithstanding is evidently false; nor can it be made out by observation either upon the shore or the Ocean, as we have with diligence explored in both. And surely in vain we expect a regularity in the waves of the Sea, or in the particular motions thereof..."
So no answers - another one for Bang goes the Theory to ignore?
Wednesday, September 30
Message in a bottle
Well, the Big Bang people seem to be a blowout (or a bleve, as Lexie might say!) I'm disappointed that they are apparently so lacking in initiative, or whatever it takes to get them interested.
Lexie has moved to Hastings and she has just told me that this morning, on the beach (having followed my example and taken up beachcombing) she found a bottle with a note inside.
She took it home and it took her some time to extract the note, which said "If you read this, smile!" So she smiled! But she says she thinks it was probably thrown into the sea from near where she picked it up, so not madly exciting. She will recommit it to the deep at high tide tomorrow, she says. The other somewhat bizarre aspect is that the bottle, a bottled water by 'belu' says all profits go to clean water projects, and we don't feel that throwing bottles into the sea really supports this idea. Still, it is glass.
Thursday, September 10
Bibs & Bobs
- I have removed the link to the competition that I ran a while ago, but you can still view the entries here.
- No response from the Bang goes the Theory Team- myabe if you come across this you might like to prompt them as well, see what happens. http://www.bbc.co.uk/bang/
Tuesday, August 25
Bang goes the Theory! BBC
I am about to ask the BBC programme Bang goes the Theory to see if they can test my hypothesis. Of course, we know it works - see Epilogue links above!
Maths Plays a Part - excerpts
………………………………….“That’s all very well” Alex complained, as Artemis sank gracefully back onto a rock, “but you still haven’t really explained what and how we are to be the answer too.”
“Grammar, dear boy, grammar. Though I suppose that in the modern form of Greek in which you are used to conversing, it is parsed correctly. The essence of the matter is this. The Darksiders have enmeshed a comet, which draws off power from the vortices, from evil doers and evil thinkers. At a point when Earth and Mars are in conjunction, which I believe I mentioned before, the power of the comet will be at such a point that its magnetic fields and the magnetic fields of the earth will clash, causing the earth to implode. If the linear alignment is right, Mars will receive the energy output, and once again a big bang will have made a planet habitable.”
“And we are supposed to stop that!” Sandy almost wailed, as Lexie said “Big Bang? It sounds a bit weak to call it a big bang, something of such significance. Bleve, that sounds better. Sorry, my Mother works at the Fire Service College, so I know some funny words, although I admit I’m not sure what you are describing really is a bleve.”
Alex was drawing with a stick in the sand. “What do you know, my maths lessons are actually of some use. All that mugging up on speed, velocity, angles, immoveable objects and irresistible force.” He beamed at them.
“Alex, we’re delighted for you” Lexie said, sounding, Sandy thought, not unlike Artemis “but maths is not my strong point and you’ve lost me.” She glanced at Artemis, who didn’t look in the least lost. She looked, it occurred to Lexie, smug.
“I think I’ve got it right “Alex said slowly “I’ve got the theory, anyway and that’s a start. If we can use a force from the earth, here” he pointed to his drawings in the sand, “and send it up against this comet, it should slow the spinning of the earth, irresistible force meets immovable object. I assume the comet is immoveable, you said they had enmeshed it?” He looked at Artemis.
“It’s dangerous to assume, it makes an ass out of you and me, get it?” Sandy declared. You took the stick from Alex’s hand and in her turn, demonstrated in the sand.
“No, I think we can, must assume, that the comet has been fixed in its present location by the Darksiders. If it was following its own trajectory it would be impossible to use it as a storehouse or to ensure that the mathematics of the, erm, what was it Lexie, the bleve are functional.”
“But the comet will still be there” complained Sandy “they’ll be able to start all over again, collecting power, speeding up the earth. And we might be dead by then, who’ll there be to stop it next time?”
“No, Sandy,” Alex explained “because, and this isn’t Maths, it is something I read, might have been on that Vortex theory website, we’re going to be altering the physical states, the magnetic fields and the forces. The comet will probably be attracted to another planet, or even the sun, and will be taken out of earth’s orbit.”
Lexie sounded doubtful “I’m not sure that ‘probably will be attracted etc. is really very reassuring. Don’t we need to be able to guarantee that this can’t happen again?”……………………………………………….
……………………………………………………..
Before Artemis could answer Alex broke in excitedly “See Sandy, you worked that out. Mind you, I did too. But what I thought” he started drawing in the sand again, “near where I live there’s something called a hotspot. Its something I think the Darksiders use to help them. A couple of times I think they’ve used this particular one to scare me. Anyway, my brother told me about them. Sometimes, when they erupt, like a volcano, or an earthquake, they create waterspouts, which are a sort of tornado, a vortex,” He drew a vortex, spinning, in the sand. “I thought maybe, if we could, we could summon up vortices, each of us, and project them towards the comet. The spinning effect will increase the power, or the force, which will help in slowing down the spin of the earth.”
………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………
“Meanwhile, to get back to what Alex was saying” Lexie changed the subject “what happens if we slow the earth down too much….”
“We’ll all fall off” Sandy suggested.
“No, I guess what I mean is, how do we tell when we’ve got it right, how to get it right?”
”There must be a Lighbringer who can work out how long we need to hold it in place for it to have the right effect. Of course, they will have to do it at the time, because I don’t think there is a way for us to calculate exactly how much force we can produce.”
“I’m sure there’s more than one amongst the pantheon who can work out the answers to both those questions. I just hope they all come up with the same answer.”
“The thing is” Alex clearly hadn’t finished, “the things is, I found a map of the world on which someone had plotted suspected hotspots. You probably wont believe this, I know I thought I had spots in front of my eyes” Alex eyed them to make sure they had appreciated his joke “there are three hotspots in conjunction, the one I’ve already mentioned, one off Tasmania’s south coast…”
“Tasmania may not look very big on the map” interrupted Sandy, “but it is roughly the same size as England and I can’t see . . “
“Look” Alex drew what looked like an apple in the sand “this is Tasmania, sort of, and the hotspot I’m talking about is about here. There is another one…”
“No,” said Sandy, “that looks like it could even be about where I live, off Surf Beach even.”
“That’s the thing “Alex said “I bet it is. If all this is meant to be, it would be, wouldn’t it.”
“Err,” Lexie ventured, “I don’t want to spoil things, but I don’t live anywhere near the sea.”
“I know” Alex agreed “that’s been puzzling me. The hotspot off England is near a place called, oh what was it, I had a mnemonic for it, ‘as things go’, asthings…”
“Hastings?” Lexie was amazed.
“Yes, Hastings, that’s it.”
“My Gran lives in Hastings” said a confounded Lexie.
“Then that has to be it. Look, look at the trajectory.” He drew again in the sand.
“That’s fine” objected Lexie “if the comet happens to be sitting there” she pointed to the apex of the three lines” but what if it is over here!” Pointing again.
“But it won’t be, will it?” said Alex firmly, “not if it’s meant to be.”
http://marijsak.googlepages.com/thestonesummons
The Stone Summons (ID #1063661)
http://www.lulu.com/content/1063661
Friday, August 21
Climate change could change Earth's tilt BUT otoh, Changes in Earth's Tilt Control When Glacial Cycles End
"And climate change can also affect the Earth's spin. Previously, Landerer and colleagues showed that global warming would cause Earth's mass to be redistributed towards higher latitudes. Since that pulls mass closer to the planet's spin axis, it causes the planet to rotate faster..." New Scientist
Changes in Earth's Tilt Control When Glacial Cycles End - Tilt is a 100,000-year Planetary Pacemaker [from Nature]
and then of course,
there is the effect of interfering with the earth's rate of spin as I well know (Please! - Παρακαλώ!)
Changes in Earth's Tilt Control When Glacial Cycles End - Tilt is a 100,000-year Planetary Pacemaker [from Nature]
and then of course,
there is the effect of interfering with the earth's rate of spin as I well know
Saturday, June 6
The Winner!
1st
Guido Fawkes, Malaga, Spain[We chose this one as the winner because it turned the competition on it's head. Here it is the stone itself that is being summoned, rather than doing the summoning.]
Saturday, May 2
New entries!
Sorry, I've fallen a bit behind on this - and I still have more to do. If you wanted to see the entries full-size, sort of, you could have a look here
I really like Nemo and the cat, I wouldn't have understood the Dr. Who one, but luckily it came with a lengthy explanation.
Monday, April 20
Stone faces galore!
This wasn't supposed to be a competition for stone faces, per se!
But see today's (above in slide show) from Spain for a slightly different take and I really like both the Malaysian and Norwegian entries - see if you can work out which is which!
In case you can't see it, details on entering the Competuition can be found HERE!
Friday, April 3
Aussie Competition entry
Do watchfor this one in the slideshow above. I am almost tempted to post it here because I think it might be my favourite so far!
It uses a stone, but almost it looks as if it could be a koala - meant or coincidence?
It uses a stone, but almost it looks as if it could be a koala - meant or coincidence?
Friday, March 20
Competition Update
I've removed the competiton entries I'd posted here, and put them into a slide show - see above.
So I will just acknowledge that Barney was the first to enter. People haven't on the whole, made a clear indication of their origin, so you can try and match them up from the following list (no prizes for this!)
So I will just acknowledge that Barney was the first to enter. People haven't on the whole, made a clear indication of their origin, so you can try and match them up from the following list (no prizes for this!)
- Canada
- Italy
- Greece
- England
- Wales
- New Zealand
It's interesting how similar some of the entries are - makes it harder to judge. (Hint!)
Tuesday, February 3
Competition! Competition! Competition!
Lexie sent me some photos (taken on the Malvern Hills, near where she lives) and it gave me an idea for a new project; you've probably heard or read of travelling dwarves, whoops, no, wrong word, travelling gnomes, if not see here:
http://www.museumofhoaxes.com/hoax/weblog/comments/3859/
http://www.museumofhoaxes.com/hoax/weblog/comments/3859/
This is not exactly the same but it made me think of it - my idea is to have a competition along the lines of Lexie's photos below. Hopefully we'll get entries from all over the world, and the competition will end when 50 individuals have entered. You can enter more than once and you will score higher if it is obvious where your photo was taken. Me and my panel ("one in three and three in one") will judge it. And no, we can't be part of the competition.
Email emtries to atheothoros@gmail.com
Monday, February 2
Hektomori! Also Wow!
Sandy has just pointed out this, and whilst I realise you can all see it when you click on the map, I'd missed it, so maybe you did too. Iam well impressed, if that doesn't sound pig-headed (that's what Barney called me after I got a distinction for this blog)
Current Country Totals
From 20 Mar 2008 to 23 Jan 2009
From 20 Mar 2008 to 23 Jan 2009
| United States (US) | 224 |
| United Kingdom (GB) | 83 |
| Australia (AU) | 58 |
| Greece (GR) | 37 |
| Canada (CA) | 19 |
| France (FR) | 12 |
| New Zealand (NZ) | 10 |
| Germany (DE) | 8 |
| Cyprus (CY) | 8 |
| Turkey (TR) | 8 |
| India (IN) | 7 |
| Europe (EU) | 7 |
| Malaysia (MY) | 7 |
| Singapore (SG) | 7 |
| Netherlands (NL) | 6 |
| Switzerland (CH) | 6 |
| Italy (IT) | 6 |
| Brazil (BR) | 4 |
| Thailand (TH) | 4 |
| Sweden (SE) | 4 |
| Chile (CL) | 3 |
| Hungary (HU) | 3 |
| Ireland (IE) | 3 |
| Spain (ES) | 2 |
| Czech Republic (CZ) | 2 |
| Finland (FI) | 2 |
| Denmark (DK) | 2 |
| Poland (PL) | 2 |
| Belgium (BE) | 2 |
| Korea, Republic of (KR) | 2 |
| Japan (JP) | 2 |
| Colombia (CO) | 2 |
| Indonesia (ID) | 2 |
| South Africa (ZA) | 2 |
| Pakistan (PK) | 2 |
| Philippines (PH) | 2 |
| Egypt (EG) | 2 |
| French Polynesia (PF) | 1 |
| Peru (PE) | 1 |
| Mauritius (MU) | 1 |
| Reunion (RE) | 1 |
| Argentina (AR) | 1 |
| Norway (NO) | 1 |
| Gibraltar (GI) | 1 |
| Mexico (MX) | 1 |
| Israel (IL) | 1 |
| Qatar (QA) | 1 |
| Slovenia (SI) | 1 |
| United Arab Emirates (AE) | 1 |
| Serbia (RS) | 1 |
| Slovakia (SK) | 1 |
| Algeria (DZ) | 1 |
| Romania (RO) | 1 |
Monday, October 20
One year on!
I was doing a Google search, because it just seems so incredible, what happened a year ago, and yet no-one seems aware, or even to realise that now the earth doesn't spins so fast, time has slowed. I found this, which amused me, because of headlines last year:
Thousands enjoy brilliant Hastings bonfire
Sussex Express, UK -18 Oct 2008
The fire was lit by the Mayor on Hastings seafront making it the only bonfire in the UK to have the fire on a beach. Click on the gallery button to view all ...
and here is last year's:
This year’s display, watched by record crowds along The Esplanade, was truly breathtaking – it was as if the sky itself was taking part, with darting lights and what may have been thunder and lightning. The Hastings Meteorological Station says there was no indication of a storm but there was unusual meteorological action.........................................
Sussex Express, UK -
The fire was lit by the Mayor on Hastings seafront making it the only bonfire in the UK to have the fire on a beach. Click on the gallery button to view all ...
and here is last year's:
Thousands watch spectacular fireworks display (breathtaking!) – The Hastings Observer, 15th October
Hastings - Thousands of onlookers packed the the seafront on Saturday night to watch the Hastings Week annual fireworks display.This year’s display, watched by record crowds along The Esplanade, was truly breathtaking – it was as if the sky itself was taking part, with darting lights and what may have been thunder and lightning. The Hastings Meteorological Station says there was no indication of a storm but there was unusual meteorological action.........................................
Order online Paperback book or download
Monday, September 15
WOW! Room to read!
This project, my blogging for an IT credit, is over, officially. I received a distinction, but I am disappointed because I didn't reach the 1,000 mark in visitors yet, though if you look at the small map, it looks like many visitors - and I thank you all, especially now I have some from Africa also now. (Yes, I know it is a continent!)
But now our Academy (remember, faithful readers, we are a virtual school, with students and tutors from all across the world, coming together via technology) has started a new project and I am so excited about it the first thing that occurred to me was to put it on my blog!
It is about an organisation called "Room to Read"; the person who set it up has written a book, which is to be one of our set texts this year, but I have already read it because Stefan gave it to me for my birthday in August. It is called "Leaving Microsoft to Change the World", isn't that a groovy (Addendum 1: Barney says 'groovy' is so totally passe - bet he just wants to show off his French!) title but Bill Gates might be a bit miffed (thank you Giagia for that word!), he probably thinks he changed the world already!
Anyway, these people raise money and set up schools and libraries and computer rooms and give girls scholarships, in really poor countries, and I think it is a megaliterous idea. I hoped we might be able to do something for Greec e (we are a very poor country!) but it doesn't seem to be happening here.
But, as I was saying, there's a section called Students helping Students, set up after the Tsunami, and we are to come up with bright ideas to raise money and contribute - so if you have any, please let me know. And you can find out more about the student bit at http://www.roomtoread.org/involvement/shs.html
Friday, August 22
Seems only Fair!
Having given thanks to my NZ visitors it seems only fair to say the same to my welcome visitors from various areas of Africa - so many thanks.
Lexie has been holidaying in Hastings with her Gran and has sent me a link to some photos - http://picasaweb.google.com/marijsak/Hastings2008?pli=1
Lexie has been holidaying in Hastings with her Gran and has sent me a link to some photos - http://picasaweb.google.com/marijsak/Hastings2008?pli=1
Tuesday, February 19
Oh Happy Day! Welcome NZ visitor.
A bit over the top, maybe, but I was so pleased when Sandy emailed me to point out that at long last I had a visitor from New Zealand. You can see on the cluster map. Africa (yes, the whole of Africa) still looks disappointingly bare.
Sunday, October 21
Summons stones lost!
I found my stone on the beach, Sandy found hers on the bottom of the sea off the southern Tasmanian coast (well, the D'Entrecasteaux Channel) and Lexie found hers on the top of the Malvern Hills.And now we have all lost them, well, not lost exactly, but we don't have them anymore.
Please, is you find a stone like this, email me and tell me where and when.
Many, many thanks.
Find out more at
The Stone Summons (ID #1063661): http://www.lulu.com/content/1063661
Order online Paperback book or download
Wednesday, October 17
Aurora Australis unleashes southern spectacle – The Mercury, 16 October
Hobart - An explosion on the Sun's surface wowed Tasmanians with a spectacular night sky .
The Aurora Australis, also known as the Southern Lights, was visible from most of the southern half of Tasmania, and it was a truly stunning spectacle.
Astronomer at University of Tasmania Mt Pleasant Observatory at Cambridge, Dr. Kit Saklat, said the lights, which were unusually active, dancing across the night sky, were caused by activity on the Sun that sent gases towards Earth.
"It's basically an explosion on the Sun which throws a cloud of gas outwards. Earth's magnetic field channels it to the north and south poles," he said.
However, some experts have cast doubt on this explanation for the fireworks show, and believe there to be some other cause. At the moment, they are not committing themselves to further explanation.
Find out more at: http://marijsak.googlepages.com/thestonesummons
The Stone Summons (ID #1063661): http://www.lulu.com/content/1063661
The Aurora Australis, also known as the Southern Lights, was visible from most of the southern half of Tasmania, and it was a truly stunning spectacle.
Astronomer at University of Tasmania Mt Pleasant Observatory at Cambridge, Dr. Kit Saklat, said the lights, which were unusually active, dancing across the night sky, were caused by activity on the Sun that sent gases towards Earth.
"It's basically an explosion on the Sun which throws a cloud of gas outwards. Earth's magnetic field channels it to the north and south poles," he said.
However, some experts have cast doubt on this explanation for the fireworks show, and believe there to be some other cause. At the moment, they are not committing themselves to further explanation.
Find out more at: http://marijsak.googlepages.com/thestonesummons
The Stone Summons (ID #1063661): http://www.lulu.com/content/1063661
Tuesday, October 16
Thousands watch spectacular fireworks display (breathtaking!) – The Hastings Observer, 15th October
Hastings - Thousands of onlookers packed the the seafront on Saturday night to watch the Hastings Week annual fireworks display.
This year’s display, watched by record crowds along The Esplanade, was truly breathtaking – it was as if the sky itself was taking part, with darting lights and what may have been thunder and lightning. The Hastings Meteorological Station says there was no indication of a storm but there was unusual meteorological action.
One onlooker told The Observer: "It was a fantastic display – surely the best ever. We did wonder if it was the Northern Lights in the sky."
(Our reporter respectfully pointed out that this was unlikely, but to be sure he checked with Hastings Meteorological Station, who confirmed his opinion, but conceded there was definitely some meteorological activity going on, and they had fielded hundreds of phone calls reporting an unusually large waterspout.)
This year’s display, watched by record crowds along The Esplanade, was truly breathtaking – it was as if the sky itself was taking part, with darting lights and what may have been thunder and lightning. The Hastings Meteorological Station says there was no indication of a storm but there was unusual meteorological action.
One onlooker told The Observer: "It was a fantastic display – surely the best ever. We did wonder if it was the Northern Lights in the sky."
(Our reporter respectfully pointed out that this was unlikely, but to be sure he checked with Hastings Meteorological Station, who confirmed his opinion, but conceded there was definitely some meteorological activity going on, and they had fielded hundreds of phone calls reporting an unusually large waterspout.)
Find out more at http://marijsak.googlepages.com/thestonesummons
Order online Paperback book or download
Heavenly Firework Display may have been result of activity in Europe's most destructive seismic hotspot. – Kaθημερινη, 16 Οκτωβρίου
Athens - Skies lit up over Southern Greece and the islands, giving rise to the rumour that the Aurora Borealis was once again playing in our skies.
But meteorologist, Christos Nikolaidis, of National Observatory of Athens, Institute of Geodynamics, said that while certainly something unusual was going on, he understood the authorities were awaiting confirmation from The Seismological Laboratory, University of Athens, that in fact the display related to a localised hothouse of seismic activity.
Aurora Borealis is named after the Roman goddess of the dawn, Aurora, and the Greek name. for the north wind, Boreas.
Plutarch gave a description of the northern lights in 467 BC but it may have been a quotation from missing writings of Anaxagoras rather than his own observation: "During seventy days there was an enormous and furious figure in the sky. It was like a flaming cloud, which did not stay at its position but moved windingly and regularly, so that the glowing fragments were flying in all directions and fire was blazing as the comets do. Those fragments came loose during rushing and unexpected movements."
The northern lights occurred one to three times per decade on the horizon of ancient Greece. Altogether dozens of reliable observations of the northern lights are known from the years BC.
There are very few references to the northern lights in the Middle Ages in Europe. Every written text is more or less superstitious and often they are embellished with warlike predictions. The northern lights seen on the 3rd of March, 451 were connected to the historic defeat of Attila at Chalons-sur-Marne, in what is now France.
Often, the blood of martyrs flowing up into the sky was seen in the northern lights. Such was the case when Thomas Becket died in 1177.
Some observations of the aurora borealis in Greece found that the appearances of the phenomenon aurora borealis are not exceptionally rare. These appearances coincide with the years of maximum solar activity and especially 1–2 years after it. Except of two appearances of this phenomenon all the others were observed in Spring and Autumn or near these seasons. The most southerly geographical latitude at which at least hints of the aurora borealis have been observed in Greece is the latitude of 35 N.
But meteorologist, Christos Nikolaidis, of National Observatory of Athens, Institute of Geodynamics, said that while certainly something unusual was going on, he understood the authorities were awaiting confirmation from The Seismological Laboratory, University of Athens, that in fact the display related to a localised hothouse of seismic activity.
Aurora Borealis is named after the Roman goddess of the dawn, Aurora, and the Greek name. for the north wind, Boreas.
Plutarch gave a description of the northern lights in 467 BC but it may have been a quotation from missing writings of Anaxagoras rather than his own observation: "During seventy days there was an enormous and furious figure in the sky. It was like a flaming cloud, which did not stay at its position but moved windingly and regularly, so that the glowing fragments were flying in all directions and fire was blazing as the comets do. Those fragments came loose during rushing and unexpected movements."
The northern lights occurred one to three times per decade on the horizon of ancient Greece. Altogether dozens of reliable observations of the northern lights are known from the years BC.
There are very few references to the northern lights in the Middle Ages in Europe. Every written text is more or less superstitious and often they are embellished with warlike predictions. The northern lights seen on the 3rd of March, 451 were connected to the historic defeat of Attila at Chalons-sur-Marne, in what is now France.
Often, the blood of martyrs flowing up into the sky was seen in the northern lights. Such was the case when Thomas Becket died in 1177.
Some observations of the aurora borealis in Greece found that the appearances of the phenomenon aurora borealis are not exceptionally rare. These appearances coincide with the years of maximum solar activity and especially 1–2 years after it. Except of two appearances of this phenomenon all the others were observed in Spring and Autumn or near these seasons. The most southerly geographical latitude at which at least hints of the aurora borealis have been observed in Greece is the latitude of 35 N.
For more information on this see
The Stone Summons (ID #1063661): http://www.lulu.com/content/1063661
Order online Paperback book or download
Monday, October 15
Slideshow Updated!
Heading says it all really, have added some new photos, including one of a sea urchin, under water!
Still no-one has visited from New Zealand, at least, nothing that shows, it is very strange! And no one from the whole continent of Africa.
Haven't had a lot of time lately to add much, such a lot going on, but it will soon be over.
On the other hand, the project (both projects, really) is coming to an end. I would just like to get a visitor from every continent in the world.
If you're reading this and know someone from a country not yet marked on the map of visitors, please email them, and ask them to take a peek. I will record the results here, no matter what else happens. - Σας ευχαριστούμε πάρα πολύ
Still no-one has visited from New Zealand, at least, nothing that shows, it is very strange! And no one from the whole continent of Africa.
Haven't had a lot of time lately to add much, such a lot going on, but it will soon be over.
On the other hand, the project (both projects, really) is coming to an end. I would just like to get a visitor from every continent in the world.
If you're reading this and know someone from a country not yet marked on the map of visitors, please email them, and ask them to take a peek. I will record the results here, no matter what else happens. - Σας ευχαριστούμε πάρα πολύ
Monday, September 10
Sorry, really busy!
Things have been going on, remember on my birthday, my brother Stefan and I saw this tornado. He described it to me and said something about a vortex. I had been meaning to check out this word for ages, because I had heard it earlier. I went online and I found some fascinating sites and information.
Apparently in the US (and in the old USSR) the scientists are experimenting with using weather to fight wars, and change the economy and things like that, really frightening if it is true, but I do know that a lot of what is on the Internet is based on false rumour and conspiracy theories (my brother, lots of our tutors, and my Yiayia, keep on going on about it) so I don't know whether to believe it.
But when I tried to blog some of the information I found out about vortices a couple of days ago, I got hit by a lightning ball! (Well, my PC did) Honestly, and the computer died on me. So I am not blogging about that (please note Artemis, if it was you) but just a few interesting sites I found, which might count towards a science credit - he said hopefully.
Like it says in the Business Week article "There's no shortage of such conspiracy theories on the Internet. Search for "weather warfare" on Google, and you'll get 68,000 hits." [So I just did that search, because this is a 2005 article and I wanted to see how it had grown. If you use the inverted commas to search it as a phrase, you only get 29,200 English hits - but if you just use the terms - 1,940,000 English hits - and a lot less in Greek!]
Κλιματολογικός πόλεμος
Θα ήταν δηλαδή ένα κανονικό Κλιματολογικό Όπλο (Weather Warfare), που θα προκαλούσε απότομη και μεγάλη άνοδο της θερμοκρασίας του πλανήτη μας! ...
New look for ball lightning (September 2003) - News - PhysicsWeb
Ball lightning - a slow-moving ball of light that is occasionally seen at ground level during thunderstorms - has puzzled scientists for centuries. ...physicsweb.org/articles/news/7/9/13 -
Ball lightning - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ball lightning is an atmospheric phenomenon, the physical nature of which is still controversial. The term refers to reports of a glowing, floating object ...en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ball_lightning - 69k - 30 Jul 2007
The Vortex Theory (wasn't sure if that one was going to work for reasons mentioned above)
And this one didn't work - www.weatherwars.info but I've looked at it before; you can tell what it was about! I have found a link to at least one of the items, posted elsewhere - The Tsumami Called Katrina
http://www.gaiaguys.net/weatherwar.htm
NASA Funds Weather Modification Technology
WEATHER AS A FORCE MULTIPLIER: OWNING THE WEATHER IN 2025MILITARY APPLICATIONS OF WEATHER MODIFICATION
This site has a lot of other links - http://www.freedomdomain.com/weather.html
Who Controls the Weather? - BusinessWeek
Theories about Russian agents steering Hurricane Katrina may be off base, but research into weather manipulation has been going on for decades
Weather Engineering Over North America
Apparently in the US (and in the old USSR) the scientists are experimenting with using weather to fight wars, and change the economy and things like that, really frightening if it is true, but I do know that a lot of what is on the Internet is based on false rumour and conspiracy theories (my brother, lots of our tutors, and my Yiayia, keep on going on about it) so I don't know whether to believe it.
But when I tried to blog some of the information I found out about vortices a couple of days ago, I got hit by a lightning ball! (Well, my PC did) Honestly, and the computer died on me. So I am not blogging about that (please note Artemis, if it was you) but just a few interesting sites I found, which might count towards a science credit - he said hopefully.
Like it says in the Business Week article "There's no shortage of such conspiracy theories on the Internet. Search for "weather warfare" on Google, and you'll get 68,000 hits." [So I just did that search, because this is a 2005 article and I wanted to see how it had grown. If you use the inverted commas to search it as a phrase, you only get 29,200 English hits - but if you just use the terms - 1,940,000 English hits - and a lot less in Greek!]
Κλιματολογικός πόλεμος
Θα ήταν δηλαδή ένα κανονικό Κλιματολογικό Όπλο (Weather Warfare), που θα προκαλούσε απότομη και μεγάλη άνοδο της θερμοκρασίας του πλανήτη μας! ...
New look for ball lightning (September 2003) - News - PhysicsWeb
Ball lightning - a slow-moving ball of light that is occasionally seen at ground level during thunderstorms - has puzzled scientists for centuries. ...physicsweb.org/articles/news/7/9/13 -
Ball lightning - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ball lightning is an atmospheric phenomenon, the physical nature of which is still controversial. The term refers to reports of a glowing, floating object ...en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ball_lightning - 69k - 30 Jul 2007
The Vortex Theory (wasn't sure if that one was going to work for reasons mentioned above)
And this one didn't work - www.weatherwars.info but I've looked at it before; you can tell what it was about! I have found a link to at least one of the items, posted elsewhere - The Tsumami Called Katrina
http://www.gaiaguys.net/weatherwar.htm
NASA Funds Weather Modification Technology
WEATHER AS A FORCE MULTIPLIER: OWNING THE WEATHER IN 2025MILITARY APPLICATIONS OF WEATHER MODIFICATION
This site has a lot of other links - http://www.freedomdomain.com/weather.html
Who Controls the Weather? - BusinessWeek
Theories about Russian agents steering Hurricane Katrina may be off base, but research into weather manipulation has been going on for decades
Weather Engineering Over North America
Wednesday, September 5
12th Birthday
When I blogged before about my birthday I was still thinking about the other things I found out, and forgot to tell you about my birthday, which was really great. I woke really early and it was already hot. I went for a swim and my Pateras came too. After breakfast at the hotel we met Stefan off the ferry, and there were friends and family all day coming with presents and food and eating all day long.
In the evening we went to the taverna. There was this huge thunderstorm and Stefan and I saw a waterspout, tornado sort of thing out in the middle of the water.
The next day we went beachcombing; it was good fun to do it with Stefan, although I like to do it on my own as well. We found sponges that looked as if they had been ripped from the floor of the ocean, loads of driftwood, mis-shapen glass, bits of china, makes you wonder where it all comes from. No treasure though, or bits of galley or other shipwrecks.
I will try and find time to post some photos - but I don't know when!
In the evening we went to the taverna. There was this huge thunderstorm and Stefan and I saw a waterspout, tornado sort of thing out in the middle of the water.
The next day we went beachcombing; it was good fun to do it with Stefan, although I like to do it on my own as well. We found sponges that looked as if they had been ripped from the floor of the ocean, loads of driftwood, mis-shapen glass, bits of china, makes you wonder where it all comes from. No treasure though, or bits of galley or other shipwrecks.
I will try and find time to post some photos - but I don't know when!
Friday, August 31
Maybe not so amazing!
First, I entitled this blog 'Just so amazing!' but I have been thinking about it and now realise it is not so amazing at all, just part of the greater scheme of things, or whatever.
I was chatting online with two friends (e-friends?) one in Tasmania and one in England, and it turned out that we all share the same birthday and we all turned 12 yesterday. (Ευτυχή γενέθλια σε μας / Happy Birthday to us). But it was even weirder than that. You'll be able to read all about it soon, but not until it is over, and I don't know when that will be.
I was chatting online with two friends (e-friends?) one in Tasmania and one in England, and it turned out that we all share the same birthday and we all turned 12 yesterday. (Ευτυχή γενέθλια σε μας / Happy Birthday to us). But it was even weirder than that. You'll be able to read all about it soon, but not until it is over, and I don't know when that will be.
Wednesday, August 29
Name Day, Birthday - all in one
Sorry for the lack of blogging but the fires on the mainland made it seem vainglorious to rabbit on about nothing, or mostly nothing. Thank goodness, and all the foreign firefighters who have helped, as well as our own brave firefighters, it all now seems to be under control. So I think it is alright to blog about tomorrow.
Tomorrow is my name day and tomorrow is my birthday. Stefan is coming, but not Yiayia, she says she can't afford it this year, but is saving up for next. I am so looking forward to tomorrow - I feel all jiggly, so I think I will go for a swim.
It is over two weeks now since I mentioned no New Zealand visitors registering on the map, or anyone from Africa - I had hoped that that would stir some activity, but alas no.
For my birthday I would like some people from New Zealand and some from at least one country in Africa to visit my blog. Please.
Tomorrow is my name day and tomorrow is my birthday. Stefan is coming, but not Yiayia, she says she can't afford it this year, but is saving up for next. I am so looking forward to tomorrow - I feel all jiggly, so I think I will go for a swim.
It is over two weeks now since I mentioned no New Zealand visitors registering on the map, or anyone from Africa - I had hoped that that would stir some activity, but alas no.
For my birthday I would like some people from New Zealand and some from at least one country in Africa to visit my blog. Please.
Monday, August 13
New Zealand, New Zealand wherefore art thou?
Just had an email from Sandy. (I've put her subject line in the title.) She says this all started when her Dad's cousin emailed her from New Zealand about the blog.
(That's not quite true - it all started with the stones, really, but it was that email that was responsible for our making contact at that point. Interesting to know how it might have happened, because it would have had to have happened, if I hadn't put the picture on the blog)
Anyway, Sandy emailed me and says she was checking the cluster map and it doesn't show anyone from New Zealand. So he didn't even bother to look at the blog! Just passed it to Sandy as she was 'about the same age'. Yet he played a big part! I've suggested she email him and tell him! Well, some of it anyway, she'll have to be careful.
Meanwhile, it would be nice if someone from New Zealand logged on, please!
And I'm a bit short on visitors from Africa, South Africa, Numibia, Tanzania, Malawi, Egypt, Israel, Palestine, Morroco, Tunisia, to mention just a view.
(That's not quite true - it all started with the stones, really, but it was that email that was responsible for our making contact at that point. Interesting to know how it might have happened, because it would have had to have happened, if I hadn't put the picture on the blog)
Anyway, Sandy emailed me and says she was checking the cluster map and it doesn't show anyone from New Zealand. So he didn't even bother to look at the blog! Just passed it to Sandy as she was 'about the same age'. Yet he played a big part! I've suggested she email him and tell him! Well, some of it anyway, she'll have to be careful.
Meanwhile, it would be nice if someone from New Zealand logged on, please!
And I'm a bit short on visitors from Africa, South Africa, Numibia, Tanzania, Malawi, Egypt, Israel, Palestine, Morroco, Tunisia, to mention just a view.
Saturday, August 11
From Sandy (who wasn't flooded)
Floods, landslides hit Tasmania
WILD weather and huge downpours have seen three major valleys flooded in Tasmania, triggering evacuations, car crashes, fires and a dangerous landslide.
Crisis: Tasmanians count losses as floods subside
Damage assessments: Floods ease in Tasmania's northeast
Rivers break: Forty homes evacuated in Tasmania floods
Wild weather: Evacuations as Tasmania flood waters rise
From Lexie (ditto!)
Rail services disrupted
Malvern Gazette, UK - 25 Jul 2007THE torrential rain and floods has had a serious effect on rail services on the line through Malvern, Colwall and Ledbury. Services between Malvern and ...
News Item
Many towns and villages in Malvern Hills district were severely affected by the worst flooding in living memory over the weekend. ...
Tales From The Flood Front Line Sky News, United Kingdom - 22 Jul 2007
Brian Waite, from Malvern, said: "The volume of water that has come down is quite unbelievable. I have been driving for 45 years and I have never, ...
Residents cling on as the flood turns their town into an island Times Online, UK - 22 Jul 2007
The medieval town, which nestles between the Cotswolds and Malvern Hills and holds an annual Water Festival and Mop Fair, is renowned for its timber-framed, ...
Farmers Face Ruin In Flood Disaster (from Malvern Gazette)
Malvern, Worcestershire, news, sport, what's on, leisure, property, jobs, cars and local information, - All from The Malvern Gazette.
Floods, landslides hit Tasmania
WILD weather and huge downpours have seen three major valleys flooded in Tasmania, triggering evacuations, car crashes, fires and a dangerous landslide.
Crisis: Tasmanians count losses as floods subside
Damage assessments: Floods ease in Tasmania's northeast
Rivers break: Forty homes evacuated in Tasmania floods
Wild weather: Evacuations as Tasmania flood waters rise
From Lexie (ditto!)
Rail services disrupted
Malvern Gazette, UK - 25 Jul 2007THE torrential rain and floods has had a serious effect on rail services on the line through Malvern, Colwall and Ledbury. Services between Malvern and ...
News Item
Many towns and villages in Malvern Hills district were severely affected by the worst flooding in living memory over the weekend. ...
Tales From The Flood Front Line Sky News, United Kingdom - 22 Jul 2007
Brian Waite, from Malvern, said: "The volume of water that has come down is quite unbelievable. I have been driving for 45 years and I have never, ...
Residents cling on as the flood turns their town into an island Times Online, UK - 22 Jul 2007
The medieval town, which nestles between the Cotswolds and Malvern Hills and holds an annual Water Festival and Mop Fair, is renowned for its timber-framed, ...
Farmers Face Ruin In Flood Disaster (from Malvern Gazette)
Malvern, Worcestershire, news, sport, what's on, leisure, property, jobs, cars and local information, - All from The Malvern Gazette.
Friday, August 10
Tasmania's Turn!
You may remember, back in July I blogged this:
Calamity!
England drowns and Greece burns! So far, Tasmania appears to be alright.So is it just coincidence.
And now my friend Sandy has sent me this! (from her local paper, The Mercury)
Warnings of more wild weather
THE Bureau of Meteorology has issued a series of weather alerts for the state, which remain valid until midnight on Saturday. Visit our weather site Pics: Huonville under flood
Flooding brings a tide of woe
FLOODING and high winds cut power and flooded homes and businesses across Tasmania yesterday.
Calamity!
England drowns and Greece burns! So far, Tasmania appears to be alright.So is it just coincidence.
And now my friend Sandy has sent me this! (from her local paper, The Mercury)
Warnings of more wild weather
THE Bureau of Meteorology has issued a series of weather alerts for the state, which remain valid until midnight on Saturday. Visit our weather site Pics: Huonville under flood
Flooding brings a tide of woe
FLOODING and high winds cut power and flooded homes and businesses across Tasmania yesterday.
Tuesday, July 31
Page turning on history book (Kathimerini)
This item amused me.
http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_politics_100010_31/07/2007_86310
"Changes to a controversial primary school textbook, whose content had been deemed to give pupils an inaccurate insight into Greek history, are to be made public in the next few days."
http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_politics_100010_31/07/2007_86310
"Changes to a controversial primary school textbook, whose content had been deemed to give pupils an inaccurate insight into Greek history, are to be made public in the next few days."
Monday, July 30
Two things, totally unrelated!
I was doing a search for something, and my blog was in the results!
Alex's Beachcomber Blog: April 2007
ekathimerini.com Lack of trust wipes smile from Greeks .... he had more than a million fireworks. Police think he was going to sell the fireworks ready for ...beachcomber-alex.blogspot.com/2007_04_01_archive.html - 108k - Supplemental Result
- Cached - Similar pages - Note this
I was just scrolling down, checking, and there it was. this is the first time that has happened, so I was quite pleased. (I was g-talking with Barney, my friend in Canada, and he says I am pathetic! He also keeps suggesting unethical tactics for me to increase traffic to my site - like mentioning Harry Potter! - Happy, Barney? But I am not putting it in the keywords.)
The other thing (and I just realised, they are related, in a way, as they were part of the same research) I came across this quotation:
“combines history with technology, earth with fire and water”.
That is what is going on in our lives at the moment, it seems quite spooky!
Alex's Beachcomber Blog: April 2007
ekathimerini.com Lack of trust wipes smile from Greeks .... he had more than a million fireworks. Police think he was going to sell the fireworks ready for ...beachcomber-alex.blogspot.com/2007_04_01_archive.html - 108k - Supplemental Result
- Cached - Similar pages - Note this
I was just scrolling down, checking, and there it was. this is the first time that has happened, so I was quite pleased. (I was g-talking with Barney, my friend in Canada, and he says I am pathetic! He also keeps suggesting unethical tactics for me to increase traffic to my site - like mentioning Harry Potter! - Happy, Barney? But I am not putting it in the keywords.)
The other thing (and I just realised, they are related, in a way, as they were part of the same research) I came across this quotation:
“combines history with technology, earth with fire and water”.
That is what is going on in our lives at the moment, it seems quite spooky!
Friday, July 27
Calamity!
England drowns and Greece burns!
So far, Tasmania appears to be alright.
So is it just coincidence.
Was talking about it with Laki (he doesn't know the background, at least, I don't think he does, thought sometimes I wonder) and he says there is no such thing as coincidence.
I find that very frightening; what do you think?
So far, Tasmania appears to be alright.
So is it just coincidence.
Was talking about it with Laki (he doesn't know the background, at least, I don't think he does, thought sometimes I wonder) and he says there is no such thing as coincidence.
I find that very frightening; what do you think?
Wednesday, July 18
Very Interesting!
- You may (or may not!) remember that I was confused, bemused, but interested, to note that even though I knew I had at least one visitor from Tasmania, it didn't show on the map on my site. [ See here ]
- I checked it as late as yesterday, and there was a dot in Western Australia, but not on Tasmania. Today, Tasmania is obliterated by a red dot! And the one in Western Australia has disappeared. None-the-less, I am most pleased.
Of course, you can have a look in the left hand column, and click on it to go to an enlargement, but I am preserving the evidence. (Pity I didn't think to do it before!)
Tuesday, July 17
Could be quite interesting?
Turns out my lat post has made me unpopular with my classmates. (virtual!) The head of college saw it and thought it a good idea - so we have a project to create a newswiki (under the collar banner, (Φυσικά!) with similar items for each of our home countries. Of course, there are more than one person from some countries (including from Greece) so we must make it more local, but ensure that national items are included as well.
Please Barney, no more complaining emails, texts, GoogleTalk or FaceBook postings! I've got the message, but it is a fait accompli, so live with it. Same goes for the rest of you Int studs.
Please Barney, no more complaining emails, texts, GoogleTalk or FaceBook postings! I've got the message, but it is a fait accompli, so live with it. Same goes for the rest of you Int studs.
Sunday, July 15
My poor country is not in a very good state at the moment!
Greek forest fire close to Athens 29 Jun 07
Heatwave fuels Greek forest fires 28 Jun 07
Tourists flee Greek island fires 12 Jul 07
Hundreds of holidaymakers have been evacuated from hotels on the Greek island of Skiathos to escape raging forest fires.
Rescue operation : Fifteen people were safely rescued early yesterday when the sailing boat they were traveling on ran aground off the island of Aegean island of Patmos, authorities said.
Passengers unharmed after vessel en route to Aegina catches fire : A hydrofoil full of passengers caught fire yesterday...
Fire threatens homes on Skiathos : A fire that broke out on the island of Skiathos yesterday morning ravaged forestland and forced the evacuation...
Strike shuts down the Acropolis for six days : A strike by archaeological site guards will shut down the Acropolis, the country's most visited monument...
Heatwave fuels Greek forest fires 28 Jun 07
Tourists flee Greek island fires 12 Jul 07
Hundreds of holidaymakers have been evacuated from hotels on the Greek island of Skiathos to escape raging forest fires.
Rescue operation : Fifteen people were safely rescued early yesterday when the sailing boat they were traveling on ran aground off the island of Aegean island of Patmos, authorities said.
Passengers unharmed after vessel en route to Aegina catches fire : A hydrofoil full of passengers caught fire yesterday...
Fire threatens homes on Skiathos : A fire that broke out on the island of Skiathos yesterday morning ravaged forestland and forced the evacuation...
Strike shuts down the Acropolis for six days : A strike by archaeological site guards will shut down the Acropolis, the country's most visited monument...
See also Link at the bottom of the page!
Friday, July 13
Two upmanship?
Lexie, another of my Blog friends, has sent me this photo, she says she may not live by the sea, but she does live in the landscape that inspired Tolkien, C. S. Lewis, Elgar, Mari J Sak, William Langland (Piers Plowman) and many others.
"C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien used to walk on the Malvern Hills. The story goes that, after drinking in a Malvern pub one winter evening, they were walking home when it started to snow. They saw a lamp post shining out through the snow and Lewis turned to his friends and said "that would make a very nice opening line to a book". And so it did. (Wikipedia)
Lexie (without knowing the above) took the photo below last winter.
"C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien used to walk on the Malvern Hills. The story goes that, after drinking in a Malvern pub one winter evening, they were walking home when it started to snow. They saw a lamp post shining out through the snow and Lewis turned to his friends and said "that would make a very nice opening line to a book". And so it did. (Wikipedia)
Lexie (without knowing the above) took the photo below last winter.
Wednesday, July 11
One upmanship!
There has been so much going on lately which I can't really write about, so I apologise for not doing anything on the blog. Just thought I would take a moment to mention that through my blog I have made a number of new friends; I was talking to two of them about going out looking for some sea urchins, because I wanted my mitera to prepare them for supper - and I couldn't find any. So one of them, Sandy in Tasmania, has emailed me a photo of a sea urchin shell she found while on a walk on the East Coast of Tasmania. It is interesting, but our shells are a lovely deep purplish blue - and of course, I can't eat the contents of this one. (Sandy, don't bother telling me there were no contents, I do realise!)
Friday, June 1
Uncanny? Coincidence?
This is the kind of thing that keeps happening, and I find it quite scary.
I had been working on the Internet for school, and as I went to close the browser I found behind it this window open which was offering demos of free screensavers, and the one highlighted was a tornado at sea!
Is it a warning, or a clue, or simply a coincidence? It seems too uncanny to be a coincidence. I need to check with the others.
I had been working on the Internet for school, and as I went to close the browser I found behind it this window open which was offering demos of free screensavers, and the one highlighted was a tornado at sea!
Is it a warning, or a clue, or simply a coincidence? It seems too uncanny to be a coincidence. I need to check with the others.
Tuesday, May 22
Weather woes may be due to natural change
http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_politics_100019_22/05/2007_83672
A report in Ekatathimerini says volatile weather conditions across Greece in the last few weeks, including some of the highest May temperatures recorded in the last 47 years, could be due to abrupt seasonal changes rather than the greenhouse effect, according to a leading weather expert.
Since 47 years ago higher temperatures were recorded, either he is right, or global warming started long before the governments jumped on the band-wagon. (My brother Stefan says "global - globalisation, may be some sort of Freudian clue here"; probably he knows what he means!)
But then there is the other question, which I have already referred to several times. Those who know, will know what I am referring to.
A report in Ekatathimerini says volatile weather conditions across Greece in the last few weeks, including some of the highest May temperatures recorded in the last 47 years, could be due to abrupt seasonal changes rather than the greenhouse effect, according to a leading weather expert.
Since 47 years ago higher temperatures were recorded, either he is right, or global warming started long before the governments jumped on the band-wagon. (My brother Stefan says "global - globalisation, may be some sort of Freudian clue here"; probably he knows what he means!)
But then there is the other question, which I have already referred to several times. Those who know, will know what I am referring to.
Thursday, May 17
Freaky Weather
I am sitting here thinking about what to say. Things seem to be getting serious. I have had another email from my friend who sent me a link. To both of us, it seems too much of a coincidence, not global warming or climate change, but 'them'. I don't even dare name them, in case it draws their attention. I did think about putting it in code, or maybe in Greek, but whileI was thinking about it, my stone, which was (and is) in my shorts pocket, turned so cold my leg is still aching. So now I will just call them - 'them'. Luckily my friend wasn't hurt or anything (this time!) but she is finding it quite freaky, though it could turn out to be useful.
Wednesday, May 9
Hippocampus Zebra
Someone from Tasmania has sent me an aerogramma with a picture of a rare seahorse, so I don't think I am likely to find one around here, but I thought I would share it with you.
Seahorses are chameleons (not the lizards, like the lizards!) and can change colour to avoid detection.
Tuesday, May 8
Earthquake excitement
Very tired today, as we didn't get much sleep last night. I was hunting about down among the rocks near the beach yesterday afternoon when there was this odd wave, or anyway, movement of water, right out in the bay, then last night we had these tremors. Nobody was hurt, according to our newspaper, but Baba had to go to work to check out the IT system (and help calm the grockles - alright, I know I said I was going to call them barbarians but that doesn't seem very nice, and Baba was reading my blog and he liked grockles, so, to spiti mas, they are grockles.)
I was looking on the web and remembered this site I'd seen before; it took me a while to find it, but I checked and yesterday there were 8 recorded earthquakes in Greece. Couldn't tell which one was ours looking quickly, will check them all out later. (You have to click on the Richter scale to get to the information.)
You might have to be quick if you want to look at this site, well, unless you want to register:
"We kindly inform you that the AlertMap, RSS, CAP, Google Earth, email and WAP services provided by RSOE EDIS are only accessible with registration after 15th May 2007. Without the registration only the graphical map with icons will be available without detailed information. Please register at the REGISTRATION page, due to the fact that access rights are being authorized manually. "
I was looking on the web and remembered this site I'd seen before; it took me a while to find it, but I checked and yesterday there were 8 recorded earthquakes in Greece. Couldn't tell which one was ours looking quickly, will check them all out later. (You have to click on the Richter scale to get to the information.)
You might have to be quick if you want to look at this site, well, unless you want to register:
"We kindly inform you that the AlertMap, RSS, CAP, Google Earth, email and WAP services provided by RSOE EDIS are only accessible with registration after 15th May 2007. Without the registration only the graphical map with icons will be available without detailed information. Please register at the REGISTRATION page, due to the fact that access rights are being authorized manually. "
Saturday, May 5
May already!
May 5th already, and I haven't written anything since April 30th. There are reasons for this, walks, parades and picnics for May Day, school work, and a slowdown in people contacting me re the blog.
I think anyway, I have almost completed the assignment, I just need to write the final report, so if anyone would like to add comments or email me, especially with something I could use in the final report, I would be very grateful.
I will add bits and pieces if and when I can find time, it just seems to be flying past so fast at the moment, it is difficult to keep up.
Speaking of time flying, I was checking that newspaper for the earth's rotation article and found a generic address, with other articles on weather; I imagine the earth's rotation one will be added in due course. (Probably Monday!)
I think anyway, I have almost completed the assignment, I just need to write the final report, so if anyone would like to add comments or email me, especially with something I could use in the final report, I would be very grateful.
I will add bits and pieces if and when I can find time, it just seems to be flying past so fast at the moment, it is difficult to keep up.
Speaking of time flying, I was checking that newspaper for the earth's rotation article and found a generic address, with other articles on weather; I imagine the earth's rotation one will be added in due course. (Probably Monday!)
Monday, April 30
Weather
I meant to go beachcombing after the thunderstorm and gather some items so I could add them to the blog but there has been so much happening I didn't manage it, and when I did go quickly there didn't seem to be anything of interest.
But someone I know (well, not really know, am in touch with) sent me some interesting links to do with weather after she saw my post. (It is a photo, and I used software to change it into a painting; I was working on it for Art & Design but I think it has lost something along the way.)
Anywhichway (my Yia-yia says that) this someone is one of the people who has a stone like mine.
Here are the links:
Whirlwinds, Tornadoes, Water Spouts and Dust Devils
By Paul Damari
But someone I know (well, not really know, am in touch with) sent me some interesting links to do with weather after she saw my post. (It is a photo, and I used software to change it into a painting; I was working on it for Art & Design but I think it has lost something along the way.)
Anywhichway (my Yia-yia says that) this someone is one of the people who has a stone like mine.
Here are the links:
Whirlwinds, Tornadoes, Water Spouts and Dust Devils
By Paul Damari
I have just seen that next week they are looking at the Earth's Rotation - this is getting scary!
Wednesday, April 25
Monday, April 23
Greek politics forty years on
ekathimerini.com Greek politics forty years on
I am emailing again; because I am reading this, and I have posted this Lack of trust wipes smile from Greeks last Saturday and didn't even realise that it was the anniversary!
And so I thought also I include a bit more onTheodorakis. (Sorry to all the tutors who don'tlike Wikipedia but you can correct it, if you find something wrong, at least, I think you can.)
Μίκης Θεοδωράκης - Mikis Theodorakis (b. July 29, 1925, Greek island of Chios)
"He has consistently opposed oppressive regimes and was a key voice against the Greek Junta 1967 - 1974."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikis_Theodorakis
I am emailing again; because I am reading this, and I have posted this Lack of trust wipes smile from Greeks last Saturday and didn't even realise that it was the anniversary!
And so I thought also I include a bit more onTheodorakis. (Sorry to all the tutors who don'tlike Wikipedia but you can correct it, if you find something wrong, at least, I think you can.)
Μίκης Θεοδωράκης - Mikis Theodorakis (b. July 29, 1925, Greek island of Chios)
"He has consistently opposed oppressive regimes and was a key voice against the Greek Junta 1967 - 1974."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikis_Theodorakis
Friday, April 20
Karaghiozi
Did I mention I thought my stone (sorry, Stone) looked more like Karaghiozi - he is a shadow puppet, he is on the radio (how can that be, you wonder) and travelling shows come to the island (and other others, of course). (Not E.T.)
You can find more information here if you are interested.
Some people (and websites!) say we got Karaghiozi from Turkey, duing the reign of the Ottoman Empire, but I think it is the other way round and the reason I think this is because there are shadow puppets in India, as well. Also in India they have a lot of food like ours, which some people again say is from Turkey, but it makes more sense that when we were the underlings and doing the cooking and entertaining, we introduced our own culture, just as Alexandros O Megalos (Αλέξανδρος ο μεγάλος) and his men took our traditions to India.
Well, that's what I think, anyway! (To be honest, I have to tell you that some people called Alexander "the terrible" - we just did that in History but I think he did lots of good things as well, have a look at http://www.mpt.org/programsinterests/mpt/alexander/overview/ )
You can find more information here if you are interested.
Some people (and websites!) say we got Karaghiozi from Turkey, duing the reign of the Ottoman Empire, but I think it is the other way round and the reason I think this is because there are shadow puppets in India, as well. Also in India they have a lot of food like ours, which some people again say is from Turkey, but it makes more sense that when we were the underlings and doing the cooking and entertaining, we introduced our own culture, just as Alexandros O Megalos (Αλέξανδρος ο μεγάλος) and his men took our traditions to India.
Well, that's what I think, anyway! (To be honest, I have to tell you that some people called Alexander "the terrible" - we just did that in History but I think he did lots of good things as well, have a look at http://www.mpt.org/programsinterests/mpt/alexander/overview/ )
Apologies!
I was thinking about my blog while I was doing other things and I realised that although it is called 'Beachcomber Blog', because that is what the first one was called, I haven't really included any beachcomber items in it - apart from the story of the kounboloi, and the finding of the stone (somehow, I feel I ought to write 'The Stone').
Then I thought, although it isn't a beachcombing collection, it is a collection, a collection of various IT experiments. But I will try and do something about the beachcombing side - if I can find time with everything else that seems to be going on.
Then I thought, although it isn't a beachcombing collection, it is a collection, a collection of various IT experiments. But I will try and do something about the beachcombing side - if I can find time with everything else that seems to be going on.
Thursday, April 19
Lack of trust wipes smile from Greeks
ekathimerini.com Lack of trust wipes smile from Greeks
Hi-ho! I don't believe this, but I thought I would do another email blog for the fun of it. Well, maybe I believe it a little, about the government, and about the television being lousy (the reception, as well as the content - luckily we don't watch it much in our house!)
Just think, if I had posted this during the Junta I might have been arrested! Laki knows people who were, just for saying they liked Mikis Theodorakis' music.
Not sure about this, until I publish it, but think if I want keywords will have to edit and add them later.
Well, it's all a
Hi-ho! I don't believe this, but I thought I would do another email blog for the fun of it. Well, maybe I believe it a little, about the government, and about the television being lousy (the reception, as well as the content - luckily we don't watch it much in our house!)
Just think, if I had posted this during the Junta I might have been arrested! Laki knows people who were, just for saying they liked Mikis Theodorakis' music.
Not sure about this, until I publish it, but think if I want keywords will have to edit and add them later.
Well, it's all a
Okay, Εντάξει! I can't show off above until I have posted, and saved. (If then!) But I am going to try.
Hooray! done it!
Tuesday, April 17
I had an email from someone in America asking if my Mana would do bed and breakfast - so for this person, and anyone else, here are some sites where you can find that kind of information. [Attention Int.K.vi - I used 2 different search engines - who knows which two?]
Greece Travel Information Lonely Planet Destination Guide
Of all the ancient sites in Greece, Delphi is perhaps the fairest of them all - the one with the most potent 'spirit of place'.
Greek National Tourism Organization - GNTO
Official site offering a travel guide, directory of licensed travel agencies, and photo gallery. Also offers details on tourism policy, events, ...
Greece Travel and the Greek Islands: Greece Hotels guide - Greek ...
Greece Travel and the islands of the Greek seas: Complete Greek islands and Greece Guide with ... Greece, Greek islands, Travel Greek Islands, ...
Around Greece Travel Greek Islands Holidays Greece Hotels Athens ...
Around Greece - Travel Guide to Holidays in Greece and Greek Islands. Around Greece has tourist ... clips added to our Greece Videos section.
Greece Travel Information Lonely Planet Destination Guide
Of all the ancient sites in Greece, Delphi is perhaps the fairest of them all - the one with the most potent 'spirit of place'.
Greek National Tourism Organization - GNTO
Official site offering a travel guide, directory of licensed travel agencies, and photo gallery. Also offers details on tourism policy, events, ...
Greece Travel and the Greek Islands: Greece Hotels guide - Greek ...
Greece Travel and the islands of the Greek seas: Complete Greek islands and Greece Guide with ... Greece, Greek islands, Travel Greek Islands, ...
Around Greece Travel Greek Islands Holidays Greece Hotels Athens ...
Around Greece - Travel Guide to Holidays in Greece and Greek Islands. Around Greece has tourist ... clips added to our Greece Videos section.
Monday, April 16
Weird, weird & weirder!
Someone else, in England, has a stone the same as mine, and the one in Tasmania; I know it is true, but I don't understand what it is all about. Other strange things have been happening as well.
Today's Find (Actually it was the day before I started the new blog, but I wanted to be dramatic.)
Weirder & more weirder
Twin stones?
Today's Find (Actually it was the day before I started the new blog, but I wanted to be dramatic.)
Weirder & more weirder
Twin stones?
Saturday, April 14
Realisation strikes -
I've just realised, when I was playing with changing the dates of posting etc., I was originally blogging to tell you about the 6 degrees.
- I sent an email to Yia-Yia
- She sent one to some neighbours
- They sent one to their son in Malaysia,
- He sent it it to an ex-workmate colleague in New Zealand
- Who sent it to his relative in Tasmania (the one that that has a stone the same as mine)
- Who emailed me back
QED!
Wednesday, April 11
Theories of Relativity
I've had another email from my Tasmanian correspondent, and have been told how my email reached them. It really looks like six degrees of separation, but when I was telling Stefan about it before he went back to University, he said the six degrees was to do with being related, a sort of genetic thing, two strangers will have a relative in common, six generations back.
So I showed him my blog on Six degrees of Separation - he wanted to know why no one had emailed him about it! I said I had left him out on purpose, to see if someone else emailed him, to help prove my theory - but that wasn't quite true! I had forgotten to include him.
But it could be interesting, because people like Yia-yia probably didn't email him, because they would think I had, so if he does get an email it will come from someone unrelated and we can track it back to its source, and see if it is within six emails.
(I've only just added the heading for this blog, it just came to me as I was finishing. good, yes?)
So I showed him my blog on Six degrees of Separation - he wanted to know why no one had emailed him about it! I said I had left him out on purpose, to see if someone else emailed him, to help prove my theory - but that wasn't quite true! I had forgotten to include him.
But it could be interesting, because people like Yia-yia probably didn't email him, because they would think I had, so if he does get an email it will come from someone unrelated and we can track it back to its source, and see if it is within six emails.
(I've only just added the heading for this blog, it just came to me as I was finishing. good, yes?)
Tuesday, April 10
Καλό Πάσχα - Happy Easter
Yia-yia from York and Stefan have been home for Easter, so I have been very busy. Have just got back from the ferry, after seeing them off.
The hotel puts on big celebrations for the tourists but there are always some people who think they are being original and like to troop across to the village and join in our local celebrations. My Yia-yia says they call the tourists 'grockles', she said lots of people think it is a West Country (in England, Somerset, Devon etc.) expression, but it has been used in Yorkshire as well for as long as she can remember.
So all those people who tried to claim my koumboloi are 'grockles', and so are the people who came to our Good Friday Mass. Laki said that wasn't very nice, when I told him, and then he said "we always call them ξένοι, or strangers anyway, if we don't call them βάρβαροι" - he laughed when he said that, so perhaps I won't call them grockles, just barbarians.
Laki also told me a good trick for the Αυγό Πάσχας, the eggs we decorate red at Easter
time and use like children in England play conkers. (Yia-yia told me that a long time ago, when I was little). Anyway, Laki said I should use boat varnish and mix it with the red dye. I wanted to put a pattern on it, but he said it would take too long, as we would have to let the varnish dry, and then do it again, otherwise the pattern could create fault lines along which it would crack. As it was, we had to cheat and do it early to give the varnish time to dry. Laki put it in his boat shed for me. After I had used it for a bit, it made its own pattern! And it worked, mine cracked everyone else's eggs, so I get all the good luck!
Yia-yia says she loves Easter here best, all the church bells ringing (they don't ring really, not like in England, they clang) and the candles and incense and then firecrackers and bonfires. She says there is a greater sense of joy here. In Skouthaki we have a candlelit procession, and the saint is blessed and then there are bonfires and picnics, and feasts on the beach.
Καλό Πάσχα στην αλήθεια!
The hotel puts on big celebrations for the tourists but there are always some people who think they are being original and like to troop across to the village and join in our local celebrations. My Yia-yia says they call the tourists 'grockles', she said lots of people think it is a West Country (in England, Somerset, Devon etc.) expression, but it has been used in Yorkshire as well for as long as she can remember.
So all those people who tried to claim my koumboloi are 'grockles', and so are the people who came to our Good Friday Mass. Laki said that wasn't very nice, when I told him, and then he said "we always call them ξένοι, or strangers anyway, if we don't call them βάρβαροι" - he laughed when he said that, so perhaps I won't call them grockles, just barbarians.
Laki also told me a good trick for the Αυγό Πάσχας, the eggs we decorate red at Easter
time and use like children in England play conkers. (Yia-yia told me that a long time ago, when I was little). Anyway, Laki said I should use boat varnish and mix it with the red dye. I wanted to put a pattern on it, but he said it would take too long, as we would have to let the varnish dry, and then do it again, otherwise the pattern could create fault lines along which it would crack. As it was, we had to cheat and do it early to give the varnish time to dry. Laki put it in his boat shed for me. After I had used it for a bit, it made its own pattern! And it worked, mine cracked everyone else's eggs, so I get all the good luck!Yia-yia says she loves Easter here best, all the church bells ringing (they don't ring really, not like in England, they clang) and the candles and incense and then firecrackers and bonfires. She says there is a greater sense of joy here. In Skouthaki we have a candlelit procession, and the saint is blessed and then there are bonfires and picnics, and feasts on the beach.
Καλό Πάσχα στην αλήθεια!
Monday, April 9
Greek investigators probe allegations against crew of sunken cruise ship - International Herald Tribune
Greek investigators probe allegations against crew of sunken cruise ship - International Herald Tribune
So alright, I know this may not be that relevant or interesting; ephemera, as Yia-yia said. I wasn't going to post anything over Easter, because Stefan & Yia-yia are here, but I was showing Yia-yia the blog and something she mentioned made me remember that I hadn't yet tried posting by emailing, which I ought to do if I am to demonstrate the full gamut of IT applications available. (Yia-yia told me to how say that)
We found the headline from the search results that run on the bottom of the page of the blog (in case you haven't noticed them yet!)
So alright, I know this may not be that relevant or interesting; ephemera, as Yia-yia said. I wasn't going to post anything over Easter, because Stefan & Yia-yia are here, but I was showing Yia-yia the blog and something she mentioned made me remember that I hadn't yet tried posting by emailing, which I ought to do if I am to demonstrate the full gamut of IT applications available. (Yia-yia told me to how say that)
We found the headline from the search results that run on the bottom of the page of the blog (in case you haven't noticed them yet!)
Tuesday, April 3
Whoops! I've been rumbled!
Don't you think that is a great word - rumbled? I read it in one of my Baba's books when I was staying with Yia-yia in York and I slept in his old bedroom, he has loads of his old children's books still there. I like to read them.
So there I was this afternoon online for an IT Design Session (we do sessions, not lessons) it was a joint one, not a one-to-one, and the tutor had a go at me. After he had emailed me about being relevant and contemporaneous (he said) he was keeping an eye on my blog for the next day or so (he's in the US somewhere) and I hadn't added anything, then suddenly, on the 3rd, there was a blog dated the 1st of April. He actually asked me if I was trying to make an April Fool out of him, but I pointed out that it was past 12 so if I had it would rebound on me, but he said, but it wouldn't have been in his time zone.
Then Barney said but he thought the complaint was that it hadn't been there on the first of April. Saskia said I was just demonstrating the technology, by showing that I could manipulate the date it was posted, and wasn't that part of the idea of my technology. (All our project briefs have been posted to the Intranet.)
Sir wasn't too pleased (and he was quite right) and said that if that was so, I should have included a paragraph to explain what I had done. (Only since that wasn't why I had done it, of course, I didn't think to include said paragraph. - so Sir, you can take this as a kind of apology if you like, and Barney & Saskia, many thanks, truly, for the support!)
So there I was this afternoon online for an IT Design Session (we do sessions, not lessons) it was a joint one, not a one-to-one, and the tutor had a go at me. After he had emailed me about being relevant and contemporaneous (he said) he was keeping an eye on my blog for the next day or so (he's in the US somewhere) and I hadn't added anything, then suddenly, on the 3rd, there was a blog dated the 1st of April. He actually asked me if I was trying to make an April Fool out of him, but I pointed out that it was past 12 so if I had it would rebound on me, but he said, but it wouldn't have been in his time zone.
Then Barney said but he thought the complaint was that it hadn't been there on the first of April. Saskia said I was just demonstrating the technology, by showing that I could manipulate the date it was posted, and wasn't that part of the idea of my technology. (All our project briefs have been posted to the Intranet.)
Sir wasn't too pleased (and he was quite right) and said that if that was so, I should have included a paragraph to explain what I had done. (Only since that wasn't why I had done it, of course, I didn't think to include said paragraph. - so Sir, you can take this as a kind of apology if you like, and Barney & Saskia, many thanks, truly, for the support!)
Monday, April 2
Twin stones?
The person in Tasmania sent me another email - I believe now they really do have a stone just like mine. It is sort of frightening.
Sunday, April 1
April Fool's Day
Had an email from my IT tutor, says I have left too long a gap in posting and the art of the blog is in posting everyday and being "relevant and contemporaneous". He also pointed out a typing error - well, I have corrected that! But he did say he liked my use of technology, and had noted that I wasn't 'stagnating' I was adding features to the blog all the time.
So here's contemporaneous, if not relevant:
"A 68-year-old man has been arrested after it was found (by police, but someone must have told them!) he had more than a million fireworks. Police think he was going to sell the fireworks ready for Easter."
Everyone lets of firecrackers after Church, and all through Easter, very noisy, Easter in Greece!
And, since it is 1st April - #94: Tomb of Socrates Found In 1995
the Greek Ministry of Culture announced that during excavation for the Athens metro system, archaeologists had uncovered what they believed to be the tomb of Socrates near the base of the Acropolis. A vase containing traces of hemlock (the poison used to kill socrates) and a piece of leather dating from between 400 and 390 BC were found in the tomb. The news agency Agence France-Presse immediately issued a release about the story. What it didn't realize was that the Greek Ministry was joking, forcing the news agency to issue an embarrassed retraction a few hours later.
[Note for tutor - if I had hyperlinked this to the main article I would have had to include instructions to scroll down, or use ^f to do a search for relevant terminology, by experimenting I found that looking at the comments included the article with a unique url.]
Later - I tried to check out that story of Socrates' tomb, because I find it hard to imagine the Ministry of Culture doing that, but all the accounts I could find are obviously from the same source.
So here's contemporaneous, if not relevant:
"A 68-year-old man has been arrested after it was found (by police, but someone must have told them!) he had more than a million fireworks. Police think he was going to sell the fireworks ready for Easter."
Everyone lets of firecrackers after Church, and all through Easter, very noisy, Easter in Greece!
And, since it is 1st April - #94: Tomb of Socrates Found In 1995
the Greek Ministry of Culture announced that during excavation for the Athens metro system, archaeologists had uncovered what they believed to be the tomb of Socrates near the base of the Acropolis. A vase containing traces of hemlock (the poison used to kill socrates) and a piece of leather dating from between 400 and 390 BC were found in the tomb. The news agency Agence France-Presse immediately issued a release about the story. What it didn't realize was that the Greek Ministry was joking, forcing the news agency to issue an embarrassed retraction a few hours later.
[Note for tutor - if I had hyperlinked this to the main article I would have had to include instructions to scroll down, or use ^f to do a search for relevant terminology, by experimenting I found that looking at the comments included the article with a unique url.]
Later - I tried to check out that story of Socrates' tomb, because I find it hard to imagine the Ministry of Culture doing that, but all the accounts I could find are obviously from the same source.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)