…iazza del Campidoglio, a space designed by Michaelangelo. There are three palazzi on its edges: this one, the Palazzo Senatorio, is Rome’s town hall. It was built in the 13th century, though the facade is from the late 16th (and the twin staircases are by Michaelangelo). The resting place for the birds is a replica of an equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius which stood here for several centuries (see below). The other two palazzi are occupied by t…
…escued. Five of the nuns were killed in the raid; ‘three day girls in our class alone are missing’ (though obviously they weren’t at the school when the raid took place). The school is ruined, though two rooms might be used to teach classes in turns. The boarders have been sent home: ‘Mummy was very surprised to see me, as she didn’t know York had had a blitz’. There was no blitz on Saturday night, by the way, yet German radio reported in Russian…
…d as well as all those who died. Having travelled in the UK, Canada, New Zealand and Australia, Canada seems the odd one out in not having so many physical public memorials as the others – but that might just be my impression. Certainly there are plenty of other acts of memory there! And, as far as I know, only Australia has a museum cum memorial; all the others have museums and separate memorials. Regards, ErrolC And, as far as I know, only Austr…
…l sides the instruments of destruction, the piling up of arms are becoming larger and larger, the powers of concentration are becoming greater, the instruments of death more active and more numerous and are improved with every year, and each nation is bound for its own safety’s sake to take part in this competition. These are the things which are done, so to speak, on the side of war. The one hope that we have to prevent this competition from endi…
…ormed circles in Washington’ suggests that it may include ‘Army and Navy ‘planes, flying fortresses, and patrol bombers’ as well as ‘ships, tanks, and machine-guns’. And Roosevelt is asking Congress for another $7 billion to buy more weapons for Britain after that. This is certainly timely news (though that would probably have been true whenever it came), for the Air Minister, Sir Archibald Sinclair, announced yesterday that while the RAF is alrea…
…918. Darlington: Naval & Military Press, 1993 [1925]. Unlike the above, a classic account! Winston G. Ramsey. The Blitz Then and Now. Volume 2. London: Battle of Britain Prints International, 1988. I have volume 1; this covers the Blitz proper, September 1940 to May 1941. Massively detailed; a geek’s delight. Barbara Stoney. Twentieth Century Maverick: The Life of Noel Pemberton Billing. East Grinstead: Bank House Books, 2004. P-B is a fascinating…
…‘rt’ is short for ‘retweet’, which reposting the tweets of other users.) I also talk about other interests or pop culture from time to time. Of course, I could do that here if I wanted, but I don’t want to change the focus of the blog. The informality of Twitter makes it easier to play around. Even more than blogging, Twitter is about who is following you and who you are following. (In round numbers, about 140 and about 100 people, respectively.)…
…troduction to the concepts of deterrence, mutually assured destruction, escalation, and so on. A very timely one, too, in the era of the Reagan military buildup, a succession of ailing Soviet leaders, and potential flashpoints all around the world. And it’s with respect to the geopolitical instability of the time that I end with the following list of all the scenarios played by Joshua in the last few scenes of the film (as far as I can make out an…
…nover Terrace, Regents Park, N.W.1, T.: Paddington 6204. Clubs: Reform, Royal Automobile, University of London, Garrick. Who’s Who 1937. London: A & C Black, 1937. H. G. Wells (1866-1946) remains enduringly famous, though mostly for his fiction (and in particular his science fiction) than for the many non-fictional works he wrote. The above is not a complete listing of his publications (and obviously shows nothing after 1937). While only a small f…
…ever existed. Sources for the other cities are unclear; Hereford, like Chester, was frequently under attack from Wales during the medieval period. Unlawful killings are today covered by the criminal law; see also Art. 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights on the right to life. Typical nanny state, trampling all over the traditional rights of Englishmen…….
