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TheCollector
Commodore Matthew Perry: The Man Who Forced Japan to Open Its Doors For 220 years, Japan was isolated from the outside world due to years of internal conflict and fear...
a month ago
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a month ago
For 220 years, Japan was isolated from the outside world due to years of internal conflict and fear of colonization by European powers. When Commodore Matthew Perry sailed into Edo Bay in 1853, he changed the course of history in the Pacific. The opening of Japan would have...
Hundred Rabbits
an island to oneself Traveling to New Zealand, after a year of unknown, was a great comfort to us. There are a few things...
over a year ago
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over a year ago
Traveling to New Zealand, after a year of unknown, was a great comfort to us. There are a few things Devine and I were really looking forward to, like a good latte, craft beer, a fresh food market and a bulk food store. I found a city that checked all of the boxes. Many of the...
Classical Wisdom
What Happens When We Die? And Does That Impact How We Live? Homer’s Hell: The Afterlife in Greek Mythology
7 months ago
CrimethInc.
Cop City Is Everywhere : Learning from the Movement to Defend the Forest The movement to stop Cop City and defend Weelaunee Forest was one of the most important social...
3 months ago
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3 months ago
The movement to stop Cop City and defend Weelaunee Forest was one of the most important social struggles of the Biden era. Its trajectory tells us a lot about the challenges we confront today under Donald Trump. In the final chapter of our chronology, we trace the movement’s...
TheCollector
5 Quotes by Aristotle Explained The ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle, one of antiquity’s greatest thinkers, was a student of...
2 months ago
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2 months ago
The ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle, one of antiquity’s greatest thinkers, was a student of Plato and a tutor to Alexander the Great. Aristotle had insights far ahead of his time; his understanding of human psychology wasn’t much worse than modern scientists. Only a quarter...
Classical Wisdom
How Can We Handle Anxiety? Practicing the Stoic Skill: Premeditatio Malorum
a year ago
TheCollector
What Is the Relationship Between the Old and New Testaments? For many years, Bible versions that contain only the New Testament and Psalms have been available on...
3 weeks ago
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3 weeks ago
For many years, Bible versions that contain only the New Testament and Psalms have been available on the market. Understanding what the Bible is all about would be impossible if readers only have access to this limited version of it. The relationship between the Old and New...
TheCollector
Who Was Flavius Josephus? The Problematic Chronicler of the Jewish War Flavius Josephus was a Jewish aristocrat who was initially a general in the Jewish rebellion of...
2 months ago
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2 months ago
Flavius Josephus was a Jewish aristocrat who was initially a general in the Jewish rebellion of 66-71 CE, but soon surrendered to the Romans and became a collaborator during the destruction of the Second Temple of Jerusalem. He famously ingratiated himself with the Romans by...
Open Culture
Coursera Offers $200 Off of Coursera Plus (Until January 27), Giving You Unlimited Access to Courses... A new deal to start a new year: Coursera is offering a $200 discount on its annual subscription plan...
5 months ago
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5 months ago
A new deal to start a new year: Coursera is offering a $200 discount on its annual subscription plan called “Coursera Plus.” Normally priced at $399, Coursera Plus (now available for $199) gives you access to 90% of Coursera’s courses, Guided Projects, Specializations, and...
TheCollector
The 9 Largest Cities of the Medieval World The Medieval Period, which lasted roughly 1,000 years between the 470s CE and 1400- 1450 CE was a...
a week ago
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a week ago
The Medieval Period, which lasted roughly 1,000 years between the 470s CE and 1400- 1450 CE was a period of cultural evolution and religious power. Growing populations gave way to major urban developments and became symbols of power that benefited the ruling class through the...
Classical Wisdom
Beyond Stoicism New Event: January 7th, 2025
6 months ago
Global Inequality...
The ideology of Donald J. Trump Does Donald J.
7 months ago
Overcoming Bias
Betrayed By Culture Like most humans ever, I love my culture.
8 months ago
Classical Wisdom
The Mother Goddess of Rome And Her Controversial Religion
a year ago
A Collection of...
Fireside Friday, August 16, 2024 Fireside this week! I find I have my thoughts more or less together for the last part of the...
10 months ago
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10 months ago
Fireside this week! I find I have my thoughts more or less together for the last part of the Imperator series, but I have not yet gotten them into a satisfying order – a common hazard of writing – so they will have to wait for next week. It’s not yet clear to me if … Continue...
Flashbak
Glasgow 1978 – An Erotic Odyssey On The Way To The Job Centre Architect James Miller designed an entertainment complex in Glasgow’s Renfield Street for Miss...
3 months ago
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3 months ago
Architect James Miller designed an entertainment complex in Glasgow’s Renfield Street for Miss Catherine Cranston (1849–1934), better known as the owner of famous tea rooms, in 1916. Cranston’s Cinema De Luxe occupied the third floor of the six storey building. The cinema was...
Flashbak
Omega: The Last Days of the World – Camille Flammarion’s Visions of A Dying Planet (1883) ‘The most deadly pestilence would have carried far less terror to the heart than the astronomical...
a year ago
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a year ago
‘The most deadly pestilence would have carried far less terror to the heart than the astronomical prediction on every tongue; it would have made fewer victims, for already, from some unknown cause, the death-rate was increasing. At every instant one felt the electric shock of a...
Classical Wisdom
Going LIVE with Armand D’Angour Love Isn’t Only for the 14th
4 months ago
Trying to Understand...
Bringing It All Back Home If we can't patronise them over there, we'll do it over here.
a year ago
TheCollector
Why Was Sicily Known as the Crossroads of the Mediterranean? Intersection. Junction. Link. These words aptly describe Sicily’s crossroad role in the...
a month ago
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a month ago
Intersection. Junction. Link. These words aptly describe Sicily’s crossroad role in the Mediterranean Sea. Given Sicily’s location, empires, cultures, and trade routes crisscrossed this strategically located island.   Why Was Sicily a Strategic Hub in the Mediterranean?  ...
TheCollector
What Was the Role of Prophets in Ancient Israelite Politics? Prophets were by no means unique to ancient Israel. Indeed, non-Israelite prophets are mentioned in...
3 months ago
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3 months ago
Prophets were by no means unique to ancient Israel. Indeed, non-Israelite prophets are mentioned in the Bible itself. But the Bible provides the most extensive trove of stories about prophets available from the ancient Mediterranean world. Unlike kings and priests, whose lineage...
TheCollector
Neanderthals May Have Made Art, New Research Suggests Centering on one “peculiar pebble,” a new research paper offers evidence that Neanderthals were...
4 weeks ago
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4 weeks ago
Centering on one “peculiar pebble,” a new research paper offers evidence that Neanderthals were actually capable of creating art. Excavated from a rock shelter in Segovia, the pebble challenges the assumption that art did not emerge until later, after more modern humans evolved....
TheCollector
The Great Seljuk Empire: History, Culture, Facts In the late 10th century, a nomadic chief named Seljuk broke away from his Khazar overlords in the...
2 months ago
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2 months ago
In the late 10th century, a nomadic chief named Seljuk broke away from his Khazar overlords in the north of the Caspian Sea. Thus began his tribe’s migration from the lands of modern-day Kazakhstan down to Iran and Azerbaijan.   The Great Seljuks (ca. 1038-1194), a nomadic people...
TheCollector
9 Must-Visit World Heritage Sites in the Netherlands From medieval storms like the St. Lucia’s Flood in 1287 and the catastrophic All Saints’ Flood of...
2 weeks ago
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2 weeks ago
From medieval storms like the St. Lucia’s Flood in 1287 and the catastrophic All Saints’ Flood of 1570 to the brutal Siege of Haarlem during the Eighty Years’ War and the 1953 North Sea Flood that reshaped flood policy, the Netherlands has repeatedly faced existential threats....
Classical Wisdom
Weekend Roundup Ancient Podcasts
a year ago
Open Culture
Bertrand Russell’s Message to People Living in the Year 2959: “Love is Wise, Hatred is Foolish” Bertrand Russell, the great British philosopher and social critic, appeared on the BBC program...
5 months ago
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5 months ago
Bertrand Russell, the great British philosopher and social critic, appeared on the BBC program Face-to-Face in 1959 and was asked a closing question: What would you tell a generation living 1,000 years from now about the life you’ve lived and the lessons you’ve learned? His...
Flashbak
New York City In Color – Garry Winogrand’s Street Shots “I photograph to find out what something will look like photographed” – Gary Winogrand   In Garry...
a year ago
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a year ago
“I photograph to find out what something will look like photographed” – Gary Winogrand   In Garry Winogrand: Winogrand Color we look at some of the New York-born photographer’s 45,000 early colour street photographs in 1950s and 1960s America.   In 1970 and Winogrand visited the...
Classical Wisdom
6 Ancient Greek and Roman Classics Everyone Should Read What is missing?
5 months ago
Classical Wisdom
Weekend Roundup What if Aristotle ran Amazon?
a year ago
TheCollector
10 Must-See Historic Sites in Maine Maine’s history is a rich blend of Indigenous heritage, colonial conflict, maritime industry, and...
a month ago
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a month ago
Maine’s history is a rich blend of Indigenous heritage, colonial conflict, maritime industry, and cultural resilience. Once part of Massachusetts, Maine played a pivotal role in early American warfare, from French and Indian battles to Revolutionary outposts like Fort Western and...
The Universe of...
Hangeul sign-engraving machine Last summer I was privileged to visit the glorious Letterpress Museum in Paju Book City, where I...
6 months ago
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6 months ago
Last summer I was privileged to visit the glorious Letterpress Museum in Paju Book City, where I spent several hours and took a collection of photos that are probably not of interest to anyone but letterpress geeks, and perhaps not even to them. Looking back at the photos it's...
TheCollector
Lost Magna Carta Discovered in Harvard Law Library A document that Harvard University purchased for less than $30 might actually be worth millions....
a month ago
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a month ago
A document that Harvard University purchased for less than $30 might actually be worth millions. According to new research, the document is not a replica, as was previously believed. Rather, it has now been authenticated as an original Magna Carta issued by King Edward I in 1300....
Classical Wisdom
What’s the Role of Education? For the Individual... and for Society?
3 months ago
Classical Wisdom
Secrets of the Sibyls Ancient Prophetesses
a year ago
History Today Feed
England’s Prison Population Problems England’s Prison Population Problems JamesHoare Thu, 06/26/2025 - 08:58
18 hours ago
Classical Wisdom
Weekend Roundup Does Marcus Matter?
a year ago
Flashbak
Strange And Terrible: Hunter S. Thompson And The Hell’s Angels (1965) In my own country I am in a far-off land I am strong but have no force or power I win all yet remain...
a year ago
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a year ago
In my own country I am in a far-off land I am strong but have no force or power I win all yet remain a loser At break of day I say goodnight When I lie down I have a great fear Of falling. – Ballade du concours de Blois by François Villon     … Continue reading "Strange And...
Trying to Understand...
Another Of My Essays in French Le choc des symboles; ils sont vraiment sérieux.
a year ago
Open Culture
Watch Bob Dylan Make His Debut at the Newport Folk Festival in Colorized 1963 Footage ?si=l7KWVf9NZBUkPyM6 In July 1963, Bob Dylan made his first appearance at the Newport Folk Festival....
2 months ago
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2 months ago
?si=l7KWVf9NZBUkPyM6 In July 1963, Bob Dylan made his first appearance at the Newport Folk Festival. On opening night, he captivated a crowd of 13,000 with a performance of “Blowin’ in the Wind,” accompanied by Joan Baez, Pete Seeger, and Peter, Paul, and Mary. Then, the...
Hidden History
Pennsylvania Dutch Shoofly Pie (A diary in honor of my native state of Pennsylvania, which may or may not decide the outcome of one...
7 months ago
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7 months ago
(A diary in honor of my native state of Pennsylvania, which may or may not decide the outcome of one of the most consequential US elections in modern history.) The story of a Pennsylvania Dutch classic dessert is as colorful as its unusual name… In 1517, Martin Luther began a...
Classical Wisdom
The First Philosopher? And the Boundless Universe
a year ago
Trying to Understand...
The Threat of Back to Normal Global power has always been distributed.
over a year ago
Flashbak
Show Us Your Knickers: Vintage Snapshots Of People And Their Underwear Underwear. Comfy apple catchers, snaggy thongs or reassuring Y-fronts? In this gallery from Robert...
a month ago
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a month ago
Underwear. Comfy apple catchers, snaggy thongs or reassuring Y-fronts? In this gallery from Robert E. Jackson’s photograph collection, we see some of the vast range of undies – those designed to be seen and other ‘unmentionables’ Victoria really should keep secret.    “Made you...
TheCollector
5 Ways White Russian Émigrés Influenced French Culture After the Russian Empire’s collapse, the USSR hemorrhaged aristocrats, artists, and intellectuals....
3 weeks ago
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3 weeks ago
After the Russian Empire’s collapse, the USSR hemorrhaged aristocrats, artists, and intellectuals. The first refugee wave came during the Russian Civil War. These exiles became known as “White émigrés” due to their association with the White armies that fought the Red Army. As...
African History...
a brief note on the intellectual contributions of African scholars in the diaspora the biography of a West African mathematician in Cairo.
a year ago
TheCollector
La Tène Period: The Flourishing of Celtic Art When people think of the historical “Celts,” they are really thinking of the various peoples that...
2 months ago
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2 months ago
When people think of the historical “Celts,” they are really thinking of the various peoples that lived across the European continent adjacent to the ancient Greeks and Romans and in Britain during the Iron Age who belonged to the La Tène culture. “La Tène” refers to the last...
TheCollector
How Was King Louis XIV Involved in the “Affair of the Poisons?” Magic, poison, executions and King Louis XIV came together to create what is now known as the...
2 months ago
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2 months ago
Magic, poison, executions and King Louis XIV came together to create what is now known as the ‘Affair of the Poisons’. How did one woman’s crime lead to a hunt to root out corruption at the heart of the royal court, and what role did the king come to play?   Who Was King […]
The Universe of...
David McShane's mural with 18 Franks, revealed Yesterday I offered Gentle Readers a chance to identify the 18 famous Franks in David McShane's...
7 months ago
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7 months ago
Yesterday I offered Gentle Readers a chance to identify the 18 famous Franks in David McShane's mural. Benjamin Franklin Frankie Avalon Detail of ornament from the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts building, designed by architect Frank Furness A frankfurter Aretha...
Classical Wisdom
Weekend Roundup Tolkien and Plato
a year ago
TheCollector
10 Oldest Museums in the U.S. Museums have long been places of curiosity and wonder, housing objects that tell the stories of...
3 months ago
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3 months ago
Museums have long been places of curiosity and wonder, housing objects that tell the stories of civilizations past. The idea of collecting and displaying artifacts for public study dates back centuries. Consider the Mouseion of Alexandria, an ancient Greek institution devoted to...
Flashbak
A Day In The Life Of C.S. Lewis – Author of The Chronicle of Narnia “I am a product of long corridors, empty sunlit rooms, upstairs indoor silences, attics explored in...
a year ago
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a year ago
“I am a product of long corridors, empty sunlit rooms, upstairs indoor silences, attics explored in solitude, distant noises of gurgling cisterns and pipes, and the noise of wind under the tiles. Also, of endless books.” ― C.S. Lewis     In his 1955 book Surprised by joy : the...
A Collection of...
Collections: Phalanx’s Twilight, Legion’s Triumph, Part IVb: Antiochus III This is the second part of the fourth part of our four(ish) part (Ia, Ib, IIa, IIb, IIIa, IIIb, IVa)...
a year ago
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a year ago
This is the second part of the fourth part of our four(ish) part (Ia, Ib, IIa, IIb, IIIa, IIIb, IVa) look at the context between the Roman military system based on the manipular legion and the Hellenistic military system structured around the Macedonian sarisa phalanx in the...
Hundred Rabbits
Summary of changes for August 2024 Hey everyone! This is the list of all the changes we've done to our projects during the month of...
9 months ago
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9 months ago
Hey everyone! This is the list of all the changes we've done to our projects during the month of August. Summary Of Changes 100r.co, added new pages: Sointula, Johnstone Strait anchorages, and Central coast anchorages. Updated existing pages: added Yuculta and Dent rapids with...
Open Culture
How Erik Satie’s ‘Furniture Music’ Was Designed to Be Ignored and Paved the Way for Ambient Music Imagine how many times someone born in the eighteen-sixties could ever expect to hear music. The...
5 months ago
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5 months ago
Imagine how many times someone born in the eighteen-sixties could ever expect to hear music. The number would vary, of course, depending on the individual’s class and family inclinations. Suffice it to say that each chance would have been more precious than those of us in the...
Flashbak
The Boston Years: On The Streets 1972-75 In 1972, Philip Flip Collier was in Boston. Philip, who has previously shared his terrific...
10 months ago
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10 months ago
In 1972, Philip Flip Collier was in Boston. Philip, who has previously shared his terrific photographs of 1970s NYC, enrolled at the city’s New England School of Photography where he studied for the next two years with the hope of becoming a commercial photographer, but I could...
Classical Wisdom
Virgil and the Aeneid Rome's Greatest Epic
6 months ago
TheCollector
6 Famous Land Artists You Should Know Land Art, also known as Earth Art, is a name applied to artworks that operate within the natural...
2 months ago
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2 months ago
Land Art, also known as Earth Art, is a name applied to artworks that operate within the natural realm rather than in artistic studios, using earth, stones, and other natural materials. In some ways, Land Art was a category of art rather than a coherent movement. Artists who...
TheCollector
Is Lying Always Wrong? Exploring Different Ethical Routes Have you ever felt that telling the truth is morally overrated? There are certainly many situations...
4 months ago
20
4 months ago
Have you ever felt that telling the truth is morally overrated? There are certainly many situations where total transparency could trigger disastrous outcomes for all parties involved. Wouldn’t lying then be a moral duty in order to mitigate such negative consequences?  These...
Open Culture
Benedict Cumberbatch Reads a Letter to a Man Blow-Drying His Balls at the Gym We have featured Benedict Cumberbatch reading letters by Kurt Vonnegut, Alan Turing, Albert Camus,...
4 months ago
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4 months ago
We have featured Benedict Cumberbatch reading letters by Kurt Vonnegut, Alan Turing, Albert Camus, and Nick Cave, along with passages from Kafka’s Metamorphosis and Melville’s Moby Dick. It’s all pretty heady stuff. And now it’s time for something completely different. Above, we...
Res Obscura
Why Early Modern Books Are So Beautiful Three theories
a year ago
Classical Wisdom
Weekly Wisdom Quiz Homer, Heroes, and Hesiod
2 months ago
CrimethInc.
“This Hotel Is a Detention Center” : An Account from the Front Lines of the Fight against... This account picks up where our previous article about the Anti-Deportation Collective left off,...
2 months ago
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2 months ago
This account picks up where our previous article about the Anti-Deportation Collective left off, chronicling scenes from the movement against deportations in Paris in the late 1990s. As Donald Trump attempts to put $45 billion towards expanding the gulag system of immigrant...
Classical Wisdom
Who cares about Homer, anyway? What the legendary blind bard tells us about ourselves in the here and now
6 months ago
Hundred Rabbits
goji no chaimu After a long 21-day passage, seeing the shape of the island of Chichijima in the distance was...
over a year ago
15
over a year ago
After a long 21-day passage, seeing the shape of the island of Chichijima in the distance was unreal; this was our prize, our first step onto Japanese soil. We used to make many trips to Japan by plane, but getting there by our own efforts — by sailboat — is a lot slower and...
CrimethInc.
“They Can’t Beat All of Us” : A Reportback from the Florida Abolitionist Gathering The banner at the Civic Media Center welcoming participants to the 2025 Florida Abolitionist...
3 months ago
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3 months ago
The banner at the Civic Media Center welcoming participants to the 2025 Florida Abolitionist Gathering. From February 28 to March 2, hundreds of abolitionists and anarchists from across the country converged in Gainesville for the first Florida Abolitionist Gathering...
TheCollector
Understanding Picasso’s Cubism: An In-Depth Guide In the early twentieth century, Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque revolutionized modern painting by...
a month ago
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a month ago
In the early twentieth century, Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque revolutionized modern painting by inventing the art movement of Cubism. Cubism relied on intellect rather than on emotions and dissected physical spaces and objects into collections of overlapping flat planes....
TheCollector
Augustine vs Baudrillard: Are Words Signs of Reality or Hyperreality? To say that the famous pessimist Augustine wrote prolifically because of his hope in the power of...
3 months ago
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3 months ago
To say that the famous pessimist Augustine wrote prolifically because of his hope in the power of the word is not to speak rashly. Words, Augustine thought, illuminate the ontology of human existence. Contrastingly, the French postmodern philosopher and cultural theorist, Jean...
Open Culture
William Faulkner’s Review of Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea (1952) Images via Wikimedia Commons In the mid-20th century, the two big dogs in the American literary...
2 months ago
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2 months ago
Images via Wikimedia Commons In the mid-20th century, the two big dogs in the American literary scene were William Faulkner and Ernest Hemingway. Both were internationally revered, both were masters of the novel and the short story, and both won Nobel Prizes. Born in Mississippi,...
TheCollector
What Happened to Olympias, Mother of Alexander the Great? By the time Alexander the Great died in the summer of 323 BCE Olympias had over three decades of...
a week ago
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a week ago
By the time Alexander the Great died in the summer of 323 BCE Olympias had over three decades of experience at the forefront of Macedonian politics, first as a wife and then as a mother of kings. She was one of the first ancient Greek women to have a significant impact on...
Flashbak
Before And After: Polaroids then Magic from Richard Avedon, In the American West “Sometimes I think all my pictures are just pictures of me. My concern is… the human predicament;...
2 weeks ago
8
2 weeks ago
“Sometimes I think all my pictures are just pictures of me. My concern is… the human predicament; only what I consider the human predicament may simply be my own. ” – Richard Avedon, photographer of In The American West     During the making his opus In The American West (1979 –...
Overcoming Bias
Respect The Social Wild While most foragers had great respect for nature, our farmer-era ancestors had less resepct.
3 months ago
TheCollector
How Did Nubia Shape Ancient Egypt? The ancient Egyptians were known for disliking, or even despising, foreigners. In art and texts,...
a week ago
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a week ago
The ancient Egyptians were known for disliking, or even despising, foreigners. In art and texts, they often depicted their closest neighbors—the Libyans, Asiatics/Canaanites, and the Nubians. Of those, they perhaps had the most complex relationship with the Nubians. The Egyptians...
TheCollector
Everything You Need to Know About Hieronymus Bosch: Life, Art, Legacy For most who hear the name “Hieronymus Bosch,” their thoughts go to The Garden of Earthly Delights...
a month ago
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a month ago
For most who hear the name “Hieronymus Bosch,” their thoughts go to The Garden of Earthly Delights or the fantastical figures birthed from the artist’s imagination. When considering the number of works cataloged in museums around the world, it stands to reason that viewers often...
Flashbak
Der Struwwelpeter: Heinrich Hoffmann’s Deadly Book For Naughty Children Just look at him! There he stands, With his nasty hair and hands. See! His nails are never cut; They...
5 months ago
50
5 months ago
Just look at him! There he stands, With his nasty hair and hands. See! His nails are never cut; They are grim’d as black as soot; And the sloven, I declare, Never once has combed his hair; Anything to me is sweeter Than to see this Struwwelpeter. – Der Struwwelpeter (Shaggy-Peter...
Classical Wisdom
No Women Allowed? Greek Theater and Gender
9 months ago
Hundred Rabbits
internet in paradise Huahine, one of the many grouped islands in French Polynesia. Our plans for future ocean voyaging...
over a year ago
11
over a year ago
Huahine, one of the many grouped islands in French Polynesia. Our plans for future ocean voyaging could have ended here, because we almost crashed onto a reef. Because we always time our arrival with the morning sun, I always get the first look of every island. Huahine stood in...
Classical Wisdom
Weekend Roundup Aristotle's Politics
9 months ago
Open Culture
The Scene That Reveals the Beauty of Classic Hollywood Cinema 1939 is widely considered the greatest year in Hollywood history. Back then, writes 1939: The Year...
5 months ago
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5 months ago
1939 is widely considered the greatest year in Hollywood history. Back then, writes 1939: The Year in Movies author Tom Flannery, the so-called “Big Eight” major American studios “had a combined 590 actors, 114 directors and 340 writers under contract, each of whom worked an...
Flashbak
Rare Photographs of Siouxsie and the Banshees in Japan, 1982 Siouxsie and the Banshees toured Japan playing three gigs in Tokyo late-March, early-April 1982. The...
a year ago
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a year ago
Siouxsie and the Banshees toured Japan playing three gigs in Tokyo late-March, early-April 1982. The band had recently released their fourth album Juju (1981) and were working on their fifth A Kiss in the Dreamhouse (1982). While other punk bands had imploded, Siouxsie and the...
Trying to Understand...
NATO's Phantom Armies. And the ghost of Carl von Clausewitz.
a year ago
TheCollector
10 Must-Visit Historic Small Towns in the UK From the Norman Conquest to the Tudor wool boom, from monastic power to the Industrial Age, the UK’s...
2 months ago
12
2 months ago
From the Norman Conquest to the Tudor wool boom, from monastic power to the Industrial Age, the UK’s most defining moments have left their imprint on landscapes far beyond the major cities. Historic castles, abbey ruins, medieval marketplaces, and literary landmarks can all be...
History Today Feed
Sex Workers and Salvation in the Renaissance Sex Workers and Salvation in the Renaissance JamesHoare Tue, 04/22/2025 - 08:02
2 months ago
TheCollector
10 Must-See Historic Sites in Spain Spain’s past is layered with conquest, coexistence, and creativity. From the ancient Iberians and...
3 weeks ago
7
3 weeks ago
Spain’s past is layered with conquest, coexistence, and creativity. From the ancient Iberians and Roman rule to Islamic dynasties and the Catholic Monarchs, each era left behind enduring landmarks that speak to shifting powers and cultural fusion. Visitors today don’t just come...
Classical Wisdom
Can Any Good Come From War? The Tragedy of the Trenches
a year ago
Flashbak
The Horny Monkey And A Nose Pick: Humorous Japanese Postcards by Kokkei Shinbun Sha – 1907-1909 The postcard above is over an ‘Amorous Monkey (Iroke zaru)’ attempting to undress a Japanese woman...
7 months ago
40
7 months ago
The postcard above is over an ‘Amorous Monkey (Iroke zaru)’ attempting to undress a Japanese woman against her will. It’s an unusual tableaux. But then a lot about Japanese portrayals of sex is unfamiliar to all but the most adventurous Westerner (this Japanese sex guide and rope...
Flashbak
‘Goldfish Are Wankers’: London Graffiti, 1984-1994 In 1994, the graffiti on the wall that ran along the Riverside Path in London’s Thamesmead told...
2 months ago
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2 months ago
In 1994, the graffiti on the wall that ran along the Riverside Path in London’s Thamesmead told everyone that “GOLDFISH ARE WANKERS”.  We’ve seen “LESBIAN TURDS“, learned that “Cats like plain Crisps” and that you can “FREE KUWAIT WITH TIGER TOKENS“, but this is the first...
Dreams of Space -...
My Weekly Reader and Gemini (1965,1966) As I got through boxes I found a couple of My Weekly Readers that I had not shared before. My Weekly...
4 months ago
19
4 months ago
As I got through boxes I found a couple of My Weekly Readers that I had not shared before. My Weekly Reader posts seem to be popular for their nostalgia effect and because as ephemera no one saved them from their youth. These particular ones are about the Gemini missions. At the...
TheCollector
The Top 10 Open-Air Museums in the World From the ceilings of Renaissance churches to the white cube, the spaces where art is exhibited have...
3 weeks ago
5
3 weeks ago
From the ceilings of Renaissance churches to the white cube, the spaces where art is exhibited have changed and evolved alongside the artworks they hold inside. Outdoor art sites have developed a devoted crowd in public and artists, connecting art and nature and allowing greater...
Flashbak
The Talking Parrot Tells All: When Madame Tussaud’s Caught Fire, 1925 “Criminals represented in the Chamber of Horrors, however, will have no feelings in the matter, as...
4 months ago
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4 months ago
“Criminals represented in the Chamber of Horrors, however, will have no feelings in the matter, as they are all dead” – Report on the fire as Madame Tussaud’s, London 18 March 1925   The fire that tore threw London attraction Madame Tussaud’s on 18 March 1925 melted the famous...
TheCollector
Baths of Caracalla: Public Baths in Imperial Rome Much of what we know about individual Roman emperors comes from what they chose to build. In the 1st...
a month ago
5
a month ago
Much of what we know about individual Roman emperors comes from what they chose to build. In the 1st century CE, Nero was vilified for his greed, hoovering up great tracts of the city to turn into a private palace, the infamous Domus Aurea. A decade later, Vespasian was lauded...
Open Culture
Meet Jesse Welles, the Folk Singer Who Turns News into Folk Music, Writing Songs on Elections, Plane... At first glance, Jesse Welles resembles nothing so much as a time traveler from the year 1968....
4 months ago
41
4 months ago
At first glance, Jesse Welles resembles nothing so much as a time traveler from the year 1968. That’s how I would open a profile about him, but The New York Times’ David Peisner takes a different approach, describing him recording a song in his home studio. “Welles, a...
Wrong Side of...
Our philanthropists and their oligarchs Some foreign billionaires seem to be welcome in British politics
5 months ago
Flashbak
The Lives of Stray Cats In Gay Talese’s New York: A Serendipiter’s Journey, 1961 “When street traffic dwindles and most people are sleeping, some New York neighborhoods begin to...
3 days ago
3
3 days ago
“When street traffic dwindles and most people are sleeping, some New York neighborhoods begin to crawl with cats.” – Gay Talese, Serendipiter’s Journey   Written in 1961 when he was 29 and working for Esquire magazine, Gay Talese’s New York: A Serendipiter’s Journey.is an...
TheCollector
What Was the Diamond Necklace Affair? Of the many scandals associated with the notorious French Queen Marie Antoniette in the buildup to...
3 months ago
14
3 months ago
Of the many scandals associated with the notorious French Queen Marie Antoniette in the buildup to her catastrophic downfall, the Diamond Necklace Affair was one of the more insidious and toxic, embroiling the queen in a sordid tale of theft, deception and corruption. We take a...
Open Culture
Man Ray’s Surrealist Cinema: Watch Four Pioneering Films From the 1920s Man Ray was one of the leading artists of the avant-garde of 1920s and 1930s Paris. A key figure in...
3 months ago
32
3 months ago
Man Ray was one of the leading artists of the avant-garde of 1920s and 1930s Paris. A key figure in the Dada and Surrealist movements, his works spanned various media, including film. He was a leading exponent of the Cinéma Pur, or “Pure Cinema,” which rejected such “bourgeois”...
Flashbak
Cars of Britain in the 1970s In the 1970s, David Rostance was photographing life in the UK. Inevitably, his pictures of...
7 months ago
38
7 months ago
In the 1970s, David Rostance was photographing life in the UK. Inevitably, his pictures of Birmingham, The Black Country, London and Wolverhampton included cars. He took the above picture of the Ford Cortina Mk.1 parked on the roadside on 5th February 1978. It could be seen a...
Flashbak
Teenagers at Home In the 1980s and 90s In 38 Photos “As a teenager you are at the last stage in your life when you will be happy to hear that the phone...
a year ago
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a year ago
“As a teenager you are at the last stage in your life when you will be happy to hear that the phone is for you.” ― Fran Lebowitz     We’re back looking at teenagers at home and in their bedrooms in the 1980 an 1990s. We’ve been back there before, checking our the snapshot …...
TheCollector
6 Facts About Freyr, the Norse God of Virility & Fertility The Norse god Freyr, with his shining golden boar, was associated with virility, fertility, and good...
a week ago
4
a week ago
The Norse god Freyr, with his shining golden boar, was associated with virility, fertility, and good fortune. He was one of the most popular gods in the Viking Age. He was widely worshiped in a trinity along with Odin and Thor. Claimed as a divine ancestor by the Swedish kings,...
Overcoming Bias
Prioritizing Concrete Proposals I think often about the non-immediate future, and wonder how to best allocate effort to make that...
8 months ago
13
8 months ago
I think often about the non-immediate future, and wonder how to best allocate effort to make that future better. And the first steps in this process are often to identify interesting classes of scenarios, and then estimate their desirability, chances, and ease of influence.
Open Culture
How Japanese Masters Turn Sand Into Swords: The Art of Traditional Sword Making from Start to Finish We made sand think: this phrase is used from time to time to evoke the particular technological...
4 months ago
36
4 months ago
We made sand think: this phrase is used from time to time to evoke the particular technological wonders of our age, especially since artificial intelligence seems to be back on the slate of possibilities. While there would be no Silicon Valley without silica sand, semiconductors...
Wrong Side of...
Why we need an insufferable liberal elite The Great Migration to Bluesky
7 months ago
Trying to Understand...
We Are All Civilisational States It's just that some people don't realise it.
over a year ago
Trying to Understand...
Being Non-Transactional. Beyond "What's in it for me?"
2 months ago
Flashbak
Nights at The Fabulous Cabaret Fledermaus by the Wiener Werkstätte, 1907-1913 The Wiener Werkstätte (Vienna Workshop). saw the Cabaret Fledermaus as a place where the “boredom”...
a month ago
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a month ago
The Wiener Werkstätte (Vienna Workshop). saw the Cabaret Fledermaus as a place where the “boredom” of contemporary life would be replaced by “ease, art and culture”. Opening on October 1907, on the corner of Kärntner Straße 33 and Johannesgasse 1 in Vienna, the club was housed in...
TheCollector
Roman-Era Hermes Statue Found in Ancient City of Aspendos Turkish archaeologists unearthed an ancient statue of Hermes, the winged messenger of the gods, in...
3 months ago
19
3 months ago
Turkish archaeologists unearthed an ancient statue of Hermes, the winged messenger of the gods, in the Greco-Roman city of Aspendos. It was found alongside objects associated with other major deities in Greek mythology.   Turkish Archaeologists Uncover Fragmented Hermes Statue  ...
TheCollector
Brazil in World War II: The Forgotten Ally In the 1930s, Brazilian dictator Getúlio Vargas pushed to expand and industrialize his country’s...
4 months ago
23
4 months ago
In the 1930s, Brazilian dictator Getúlio Vargas pushed to expand and industrialize his country’s economy—until the outbreak of World War II upended his plans. In response to repeated Axis attacks on Brazilian shipping, Brazil joined the Allies in 1942 and made significant, though...
Flashbak
Got Live If You Want It: John Scott’s Concert Photographs of Alice Cooper, Bryan Ferry, John Lydon... Never let go of your dreams because nobody else is going to make them happen. When John Scott was a...
a year ago
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a year ago
Never let go of your dreams because nobody else is going to make them happen. When John Scott was a child he harboured dreams of becoming a photographer. He roamed around his parents’ home and snapped pictures in his head. He had a talent for it which he thought of turning into a...
A Collection of...
Collections: The Problem with Sci-Fi Body Armor This week we’re covering the winning topic from the latest ACOUP Senate poll, which is a look at...
6 months ago
53
6 months ago
This week we’re covering the winning topic from the latest ACOUP Senate poll, which is a look at some of the odd designs and mechanics for futuristic science fiction body armor, particularly rigid ‘hardsuits.’ Naturally, this post isn’t going to cover every variety of armor that...
TheCollector
These 7 United States Presidents Served in WWII During one of the most turbulent periods in global history, seven future United States presidents...
a month ago
8
a month ago
During one of the most turbulent periods in global history, seven future United States presidents answered the call to serve in World War II. From commanding world-defining operations to behind-the-scenes support, these leaders personally witnessed the harrowing realities of war....
Flashbak
A Woman I Once Knew: A Photographer Records Her Changing Body Over Five Decades “For old people, beauty doesn’t come free with the hormones, the way it does for the young… It has...
8 months ago
43
8 months ago
“For old people, beauty doesn’t come free with the hormones, the way it does for the young… It has to do with who the person is” – Ursula K. Le Guin, The Wave in the Mind: Talks and Essays on the Writer, the Reader, and the Imagination      Rosalind Fox Solomon got old. In …...
A Collection of...
Collections: The Logistics of Road War in the Wasteland This week, we’re doing another ‘silly’ topic, but this being me, it is a silly logistics topic,...
a month ago
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a month ago
This week, we’re doing another ‘silly’ topic, but this being me, it is a silly logistics topic, because – as the saying goes – amateurs talk tactics, professionals talk logistics. So we’re going to be professionally silly this week and talk about the logistics of vehicle warfare...
The Universe of...
Claude and Merle Miller let me down Claude My relationship with Claude has its ups and downs, and I'm still trying to figure out what to...
6 months ago
17
6 months ago
Claude My relationship with Claude has its ups and downs, and I'm still trying to figure out what to use it for and what not. It's great at rewriting my job application cover letters to sound less like an awkward nerd. Last week I was in the supermarket and decided to try asking...
Classical Wisdom
James Joyce's Ulysses Retelling of the Odyssey
over a year ago
weird medieval guys
Why medieval artists drew ancient Romans in medieval clothes Or, how the French stole Julius Caesar in 1200 AD
over a year ago
TheCollector
Embalming Lenin: Why Was the Soviet Founder Permanently Preserved? At the edge of Moscow’s Red Square, by the walls of the Kremlin, stands a stone mausoleum that is...
2 months ago
21
2 months ago
At the edge of Moscow’s Red Square, by the walls of the Kremlin, stands a stone mausoleum that is home to the preserved body of Vladimir Lenin, the founding father of the Soviet Union. While other world leaders throughout history were embalmed and later buried, Lenin’s remains...
TheCollector
How Did The Spanish Civil War Affect Surrealism? In 1936, the eruption of the Spanish Civil War forced thousands of Spaniards to flee their country,...
2 months ago
17
2 months ago
In 1936, the eruption of the Spanish Civil War forced thousands of Spaniards to flee their country, unsure if they ever could come back. Back home, the troops of Francisco Franco murdered tens of thousands and imposed conservative oppressive laws. Surrealist artists, usually...
Open Culture
How the Moving Image Has Become the Medium of Record: Part 1 Image via Wikimedia Commons How did we get to the point where we’ve come to believe so many lies...
3 months ago
26
3 months ago
Image via Wikimedia Commons How did we get to the point where we’ve come to believe so many lies that 77 million Americans voted into the White House a criminal reality TV star from NBC, one groomed by a reality TV producer from CBS, who then appointed his Cabinet from Fox and X...
Hundred Rabbits
Summary of changes for November Hey everyone! This is the list of all the changes we've done to our projects and apps during the...
over a year ago
11
over a year ago
Hey everyone! This is the list of all the changes we've done to our projects and apps during the month of November. We'll also be reporting in our on position in the world, and on our future plans. Summary Of Changes GrimGrains, added a quick grilled cheese recipe. Noodle,...
Open Culture
When William Faulkner Set the World Record for Writing the Longest Sentence in Literature: Read the... Image by Carl Van Vechten, via Wikimedia Commons “How did Faulkner pull it off?” is a question many...
4 months ago
53
4 months ago
Image by Carl Van Vechten, via Wikimedia Commons “How did Faulkner pull it off?” is a question many a fledgling writer has asked themselves while struggling through a period of apprenticeship like that novelist John Barth describes in his 1999 talk “My Faulkner.”...
Flashbak
Miners Strike, Bob Dylan Acts and ‘Iran Kills Children’: Posters in 1980s London Back to the 1980s now, to look at some of the posters stuck on walls in London captured by Peter...
a month ago
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a month ago
Back to the 1980s now, to look at some of the posters stuck on walls in London captured by Peter Marshall as he walked around the city. There are posters calling for Iran and the country’s leader Ayatollah Khomeini (1900-1989) to ‘stop killing children’. Another tells passersby...
Global Inequality...
Sodom and Gomorrah Le hasard is a capricious master. When I recently travelled to China, I knew that I would read there...
a year ago
16
a year ago
Le hasard is a capricious master. When I recently travelled to China, I knew that I would read there books printed in China and about China. So I took none of them with me. The only book that I took there was a book that has nothing to do with China: Proust’s
TheCollector
How Were Mycenaean Tombs Built? The Mycenaean civilization emerged during the Late Bronze Age that spanned from approximately 1750...
2 months ago
9
2 months ago
The Mycenaean civilization emerged during the Late Bronze Age that spanned from approximately 1750 BCE to 1050 BCE. The civilization derived its name from Mycenae, its main city in the Argolid region of the Peloponnese. When the society reached its apex between 1500 BCE and 1200...
A Collection of...
Fireside Friday, February 14, 2025 (On Grant Funding) Hey folks! Happy Valentine’s Day. Fireside this week and then hopefully next week we’ll start into...
4 months ago
40
4 months ago
Hey folks! Happy Valentine’s Day. Fireside this week and then hopefully next week we’ll start into our look at the Siege of Eregion in Season 2 of Rings of Power and also the larger Tolkien legendarium. I confess, watching the show, my suspension of disbelief fell much faster...
TheCollector
Who Is Jesus in Islam? According to a well-known hadith (a term for authoritative Islamic traditions about Muhammad),...
3 months ago
14
3 months ago
According to a well-known hadith (a term for authoritative Islamic traditions about Muhammad), Muhammad saw Jesus as the closest of all the prophets to himself, both in this life and hereafter. Jesus is also honored in Islam with several titles given to no other prophet—including...
Res Obscura
AI makes the humanities more important, but also a lot weirder Historians are finally having their AI debate
a month ago
Classical Wisdom
The Essential Greeks ***Now Enrolling: Starting July 1st, 2024
a year ago
Global Inequality...
Why is the Serbia-Kosovo situation globally serious? I learned about the newest dispute between Serbia and Kosovo in a New York café when I overheard a...
a year ago
18
a year ago
I learned about the newest dispute between Serbia and Kosovo in a New York café when I overheard a very animated conversation between a lady who seemed to blame Serbia for World War I (and perhaps World War III?) and the well-dressed maitre d’ who was so excited that he kept on...
African History...
a brief note on the origin of African civilizations plus, the Nok Neolithic culture.
a year ago
TheCollector
5 Māori Leaders Who Shaped Aotearoa’s/New Zealand’s History The opposition between the Māori, the original inhabitants of Aotearoa/New Zealand, and the Pākehā,...
a month ago
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a month ago
The opposition between the Māori, the original inhabitants of Aotearoa/New Zealand, and the Pākehā, the European newcomers, has been central to New Zealand’s recent history. Some Māori chiefs were open to dialogue with the Europeans and even fought alongside them. However,...
TheCollector
American Civil War: Maps, Battlefields, and Generals The fighting of the American Civil War ultimately reached nearly every state in the Northern and...
3 months ago
35
3 months ago
The fighting of the American Civil War ultimately reached nearly every state in the Northern and Southern territories, with key battles fought in places like Pennsylvania, Virginia, and South Carolina. While Generals Robert E. Lee and Ulysses S. Grant led their respective armies,...
African History...
The currencies and monetary systems of pre-colonial Africa A bewildering variety of currencies circulated freely in the various states and societies of Africa...
2 months ago
14
2 months ago
A bewildering variety of currencies circulated freely in the various states and societies of Africa during the pre-colonial period.
Flashbak
Denim: The Fabric That Built America Denim was G.I. in wartime America. Originally used as heavy industry, utility workwear, these images...
6 months ago
43
6 months ago
Denim was G.I. in wartime America. Originally used as heavy industry, utility workwear, these images mostly from the 1940s, show how the fabric became synonymous with American grit and productivity. The look was born in 18th Century Europe. Bleu de Gênes was the rough fabric...
TheCollector
How Did the Small Kingdom of Georgia Beat the Mighty Seljuks in 1121? Decades of conflict between the Kingdom of Georgia and the Seljuk Turks culminated in a decisive...
a week ago
5
a week ago
Decades of conflict between the Kingdom of Georgia and the Seljuk Turks culminated in a decisive battle fought in 1121 CE in the Didgori mountain ranges, 40 km west of Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia. King David IV (reigned 1089-1125) longed to put an end to the Seljuk raids and...
Classical Wisdom
How to Be Happy, According to Aristotle A recording from Classical Wisdom and Evan Amato's live video
3 months ago
Trying to Understand...
Macron is Safe for the Moment But the future worries me.
over a year ago
Flashbak
People of London’s Maida Vale the 1970s and early 1980s Bristol Gardens runs between Formosa Street and Clifton Villas and in London’s Maida Vale. Artist...
5 months ago
41
5 months ago
Bristol Gardens runs between Formosa Street and Clifton Villas and in London’s Maida Vale. Artist and photographer Sheila Burnett has not longed moved to the area when she began to take pictures of the people who lived and worked there.     In the 1970s, Sheila arrived in London...
TheCollector
James II vs. William of Orange (Williamite War in Ireland) The Glorious Revolution of 1688 that brought Prince William of Orange to the throne of England at...
2 weeks ago
6
2 weeks ago
The Glorious Revolution of 1688 that brought Prince William of Orange to the throne of England at the expense of King James II soon caused Ireland to be dragged into a European war as part of a contest involving Britain, the Netherlands, France, Spain, and the Holy Roman Empire....
Classical Wisdom
Weekend Roundup Blindspots and Biographies
over a year ago
African History...
Empire building and Government in the Yorubaland: a history of Oyo (1600-1836) Why Africa's internal political processes explain African history better than external actors.
over a year ago
Classical Wisdom
The Bacchae Ebook
3 weeks ago
Dreams of Space -...
Some Day I'll Be an Aerospace Engineer (1967) A "career book' today to inspire young people to pursue engineering. This is a little later in the...
a year ago
12
a year ago
A "career book' today to inspire young people to pursue engineering. This is a little later in the space race but they did have a clear plan laid out for creating the engineers they might need. The school library was usually full of these career books to inspire academic...
Classical Wisdom
Weekend Roundup The Secrets of Crete
a year ago
TheCollector
What Is Sin in Christianity? What is sin in Christianity? Sin was the reason for the separation between man and God. The only way...
a month ago
9
a month ago
What is sin in Christianity? Sin was the reason for the separation between man and God. The only way to restore the relationship was for the Son of God to become a man and die, paying the penalty for the sins of humanity. Therefore, sin is serious! Most Christians can easily...
Patterns in Humanity
Race, economics and homicide Can economic disparities account for racial homicide disparities?
a year ago
Flashbak
Edmund Dulac’s American Weekly Covers – 1924-1951 Edmund Dulac is remembered today as one of the founding fathers of the Golden Age of Illustration,...
12 months ago
67
12 months ago
Edmund Dulac is remembered today as one of the founding fathers of the Golden Age of Illustration, roughly from 1875-1925, writes Albert Seligman. His luxurious Gift Books of the early 20th century were covered in vellum and issued in signed limited editions with tipped-in color...
Classical Wisdom
The American Cincinnatus Washington's Great Inspiration
4 months ago
Trying to Understand...
What We Talk About, When We Talk About Talks. The End may be further away than you think.
4 months ago
TheCollector
How Did the Crusades Reintroduce the Classical Tradition to the West? Intellectual life in the modern West traces its origins to the ancient Greeks and Romans. However,...
2 months ago
21
2 months ago
Intellectual life in the modern West traces its origins to the ancient Greeks and Romans. However, by the launch of the First Crusade, Latin Christendom had lost touch with large parts of the classical tradition. During the crusading period, Western Christian nations came into...
TheCollector
5 Pioneering Women in Music The talents, experiences, and storied backgrounds of women have played a pivotal role in shaping the...
2 months ago
6
2 months ago
The talents, experiences, and storied backgrounds of women have played a pivotal role in shaping the landscape of modern popular music. From breaking barriers traditionally dominated by men to pioneering new sounds and technologies, these trailblazing women have left their mark...
Flashbak
Édouard Manet’s Illustrations of Edgar Allan Poe’s ‘The Raven’, 1875 The French poet and essayist Charles Baudelaire (1821-67) introduced Edgar Allan Poe to French...
7 months ago
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7 months ago
The French poet and essayist Charles Baudelaire (1821-67) introduced Edgar Allan Poe to French readers in 1847. Baudelaire, who saw Poe as a  “sacred soul” and something of a kindred spirit, translated many of the American writer’s words into French, including Poe’s poem The...
TheCollector
Beyond Human: Supernatural Beings in Medieval England In our secular age, most of us scoff at the supernatural. Consequently, it is difficult to put...
2 months ago
19
2 months ago
In our secular age, most of us scoff at the supernatural. Consequently, it is difficult to put ourselves in the mindsets of our medieval counterparts who still lived in a world of unexplored wilderness and unexplained phenomena. God’s natural creation was potentially infinite,...
Open Culture
Bob Dylan Explains Why Music Has Been Getting Worse One often hears that there’s no money to be made in music anymore. But then, there was no money to...
3 months ago
28
3 months ago
One often hears that there’s no money to be made in music anymore. But then, there was no money to be made in music when Bob Dylan started his career either—at least according to Bob Dylan. “If you could just support yourself, you were doin’ good,” he says in an interview clip...
Flashbak
Photographer’s Lost Photos of Punk and New Wave Stars of the 1970s “I came up with the genius ideas of being a rockstar photographer. I could still feel important and...
2 months ago
18
2 months ago
“I came up with the genius ideas of being a rockstar photographer. I could still feel important and literally hide behind a sexy camera. I dropped out of school. I was going to be the next David Bailey, Helmut Newton, or Irving Penn, or even better, a combination of all of them.”...
Open Culture
Bob Dylan Reads “ ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas” On His Holiday Radio Show (2006) Allow me to name just a few of the people I want to hear hosting and curating radio shows—former Sex...
6 months ago
69
6 months ago
Allow me to name just a few of the people I want to hear hosting and curating radio shows—former Sex Pistols’ singer John Lydon, former Clash frontman Joe Strummer, former Woody Guthrie impersonator Bob Dylan.… Luckily for me, this ain’t just fantasy baseball; at various times,...
Hidden History
Cloud Gate, Chicago’s “Bean” This futuristic sculpture in Millennium Park has become an icon of Chicago. In 1997, the city of...
4 months ago
42
4 months ago
This futuristic sculpture in Millennium Park has become an icon of Chicago. In 1997, the city of Chicago was making plans for a patch of land near Grant Park on the shore of Lake Michigan that had previously been a parking lot and a railroad yard. At first, there was talk of...
Classical Wisdom
At What Cost Should We Have Great Works? Does unearthing the history take away from the grandeur?
3 weeks ago
History Today Feed
‘The Soldier’s Reward’ and ‘Matchmaking and the Marriage Market...’ review ‘The Soldier’s Reward’ and ‘Matchmaking and the Marriage Market...’ review JamesHoare Tue,...
3 months ago
Flashbak
Jean And Rose – A Paris Photo Love Story From 1929 In 1929, Jean, 20, was living on rue Clairault, Paris. He worked at a brokerage house on rue de la...
5 months ago
45
5 months ago
In 1929, Jean, 20, was living on rue Clairault, Paris. He worked at a brokerage house on rue de la Grange Batelière. On December 11, Jean met Rose, 18, at the city’s Saint-Lazare metro station. She lived in the 15th arrondissement, and took classes in hairdressing at the École...
TheCollector
Quantum Physicist: Who Was Niels Bohr? Quantum physics began in 1900 when the German physicist Max Planck determined the scale of quantum...
a month ago
4
a month ago
Quantum physics began in 1900 when the German physicist Max Planck determined the scale of quantum phenomena. In 1905, Albert Einstein extended this idea by proposing that light itself is made up of discrete packets of energy, or “quanta.” Building on these ideas, in the first...
Wrong Side of...
They work for you Do MPs speak for England?
2 months ago
Trying to Understand...
Round Two? There Is No Round Two. Game pretty much over in Ukraine.
over a year ago
Wrong Side of...
Team Islam and Team France Reflections on ‘Reflections on the Revolution in Europe’, Part Five
3 months ago
TheCollector
What Were the Economic Effects of the Iran-Iraq War? In September 1980, fearful of the fiery Islamic revolution in neighboring Iran and taking advantage...
2 months ago
27
2 months ago
In September 1980, fearful of the fiery Islamic revolution in neighboring Iran and taking advantage of the resulting chaos (including Western sanctions), Iraq invaded. At the time, Iraq was flush with cash thanks to high oil prices resulting from the 1973 OPEC oil embargo. Taking...
TheCollector
The Nine Years’ War: The End of Gaelic Ireland Ireland had been under nominal English control since the 1100s but across much of the island local...
3 weeks ago
8
3 weeks ago
Ireland had been under nominal English control since the 1100s but across much of the island local Gaelic lords continued to enjoy great autonomy, similar to the highlands of Scotland. The English Crown’s efforts to extend its political control over the island during the 16th...
TheCollector
When Did the Mongols Launch Their Invasions of Japan? By the 1260s, the Mongols controlled most of China, except for the Song Dynasty in southern China....
a month ago
4
a month ago
By the 1260s, the Mongols controlled most of China, except for the Song Dynasty in southern China. Korea (Goryeo) remained independent but as a vassal state. Now Kublai Khan looked to Imperial Japan which lay not far. Kublai sent six diplomatic missions between 1268 and 1273,...
Dreams of Space -...
Our Defenders (1976) Even if a bit inappropriate, given politics, here is a cool Russian pop-up book. Not really space...
4 months ago
21
4 months ago
Even if a bit inappropriate, given politics, here is a cool Russian pop-up book. Not really space flight oriented but still interesting. Our Defenders was a book illustrating the Russian military including battlefield rockets. The images are stereotypical of Soviet times and an...
TheCollector
Idunn: The Norse Goddess of Eternal Youth & Her Magical Apples The Norse goddess Idunn was charged with the special task of tending to the orchards of golden...
2 months ago
5
2 months ago
The Norse goddess Idunn was charged with the special task of tending to the orchards of golden apples in Asgard. It was these magical fruits that gave the gods their eternal youth and vigor. When she was kidnapped by the giant Thjazi, the gods began to suffer and age. While the...
TheCollector
Magritte Drawing Bought on eBay Heads to Auction Last year, a Surrealist drawing by René Magritte sold on eBay for the bargain price of $1,580. Next...
2 months ago
10
2 months ago
Last year, a Surrealist drawing by René Magritte sold on eBay for the bargain price of $1,580. Next month, the pen-on-paper work is heading to auction with a much larger price tag.   Magritte Drawing Predicted to Sell for Six Figures   New Jersey auctioneer Rago/Wright will offer...
Open Culture
What Is Kafkaesque?: The Philosophy of Franz Kafka It’s difficult to imagine that there was ever a time without the word “Kafkaesque.” Yet the term...
2 months ago
25
2 months ago
It’s difficult to imagine that there was ever a time without the word “Kafkaesque.” Yet the term would have meant nothing at all to anyone alive at the same time as Franz Kafka — including, in all probability, Kafka himself. Born in Prague in 1883, he grew up under a stern,...
Flashbak
The Beautiful Ludlow Typography Specimen Books c. 1958 Letters are beautiful. From specimens of chromatic woodtype to the groovy letter people and 16th...
7 months ago
42
7 months ago
Letters are beautiful. From specimens of chromatic woodtype to the groovy letter people and 16th Century writing templates typography and calligraphy turn visual language into something beautiful. Beginning in the early 20th Century, the Ludlow Typograph Company (1906 to late...
TheCollector
Remains of Ancient Roman Wall Paintings Found in Spain Spanish archaeologists unearthed over 4,000 fragments of wall paintings that once decorated the...
2 months ago
18
2 months ago
Spanish archaeologists unearthed over 4,000 fragments of wall paintings that once decorated the Roman villa of Barberes Sud in the town of Villajoyosa. By restoring and reassembling the painted pieces, conservators are beginning to reveal the rich decoration of the stately Roman...
Wrong Side of...
The Transition The Great Awokening and the end of the cultural revolution
2 months ago
Classical Wisdom
Ancient Egypt Classical Wisdom Litterae
a month ago
Flashbak
Photos Found In Croton on Hudson from the 1970s These found photos and negatives date from the 1970s and 80s and were taken by James Mc Intyre,...
2 months ago
18
2 months ago
These found photos and negatives date from the 1970s and 80s and were taken by James Mc Intyre, Croton on Hudson in Westchester County, New York. Some of the subjects have been named. So we’ll add them here, and if you see yourself or someone you know, we’d love to hear from you....
TheCollector
Who Are the Philistines That Appear in the Bible? The Bible presents the Philistines as notable enemies of Israel and they are involved in some iconic...
2 months ago
17
2 months ago
The Bible presents the Philistines as notable enemies of Israel and they are involved in some iconic scenes from the Old Testament. Among these are the narratives of David and Goliath, the Philistine giant warrior who was defeated by a shepherd boy, and the time when the Ark of...
Overcoming Bias
Futarchy And Self-Dealing Governance Compared to divided government, a more central government has stronger incentives to help the polity...
4 months ago
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4 months ago
Compared to divided government, a more central government has stronger incentives to help the polity as a whole.
African History...
a brief note on European pirates and African states during the 'golden age of piracy.' a pirate stronghold and kingdom in 18th century Madagascar.
a year ago
TheCollector
8 Facts About Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec was a famous French artist and illustrator, celebrated for his images of...
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14
a month ago
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec was a famous French artist and illustrator, celebrated for his images of cafes and posters advertising performances of famous dancers. However, he was also a skilled painter, who had a profound interest in Japanese art, and an aspiring chef....
Wrong Side of...
The seed of Elon Khan Ultra-prolific men are not like the rest of us
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TheCollector
What Does the Bible Say about Human Sacrifice? Several passages from the Torah and the prophetic books in the Hebrew Bible strongly condemn human...
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a month ago
Several passages from the Torah and the prophetic books in the Hebrew Bible strongly condemn human sacrifice. There is no debate about the Bible’s stance on the practice. However, the very fact that the Bible condemns it suggests that the temptation to sacrifice humans was real...
Dreams of Space -...
World's First Intra-Space Stamp Album (1953) A re-scan of an old favorite. This may be the oddest piece of space ephemera I have ever found. It...
a year ago
14
a year ago
A re-scan of an old favorite. This may be the oddest piece of space ephemera I have ever found. It is a stamp album of imaginary space stamps commemorating the planets and the atomic powered intra-solar rocket service that serves those planets. It was intended for "space...
TheCollector
Three Ancient Egyptian Tombs Unearthed in Luxor Three more tombs have been discovered at an ancient Egyptian burial complex in Luxor. The excavation...
a month ago
7
a month ago
Three more tombs have been discovered at an ancient Egyptian burial complex in Luxor. The excavation site, located near the famed Karnak Temple and the Valley of the Kings, has revealed hieroglyphs and artifacts that point to three senior statesmen from the New Kingdom period.  ...
TheCollector
Julia Domna, Syrian Empress of Ancient Rome (Wife of Septimius Severus) Julia Domna can stake a claim to being one of the most influential women of the Roman Empire. Aside...
3 weeks ago
5
3 weeks ago
Julia Domna can stake a claim to being one of the most influential women of the Roman Empire. Aside from perhaps the indomitable Livia or the calculating Agrippina the Younger, there were few women who were so important in Rome’s history. Domna’s ideological importance—as...
Flashbak
How Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat Met And Created Their Two-Heads, Four-Hands Art ”It was like some crazy-art world marriage and they were the odd couple. The relationship was...
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16
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”It was like some crazy-art world marriage and they were the odd couple. The relationship was symbiotic. Jean-Michel thought he needed Andy’s fame, and Andy thought he needed Jean-Michel’s new blood. Jean Michel gave Andy a rebellious image again.” — Andy Warhol’s longtime studio...
TheCollector
17 Logical Fallacies Everyone Should Know Fallacies are so pervasive in human processes that this reality can make us pessimistic regarding...
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10
a month ago
Fallacies are so pervasive in human processes that this reality can make us pessimistic regarding our rationality. There are so many errors we make in logical reasoning. However, the fact that we recognize these should lead us back to optimism since we can be better at avoiding...
Hundred Rabbits
Summary of changes for January 2024 Hey everyone! This is the list of all the changes we've done to our projects during the month of...
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a year ago
Hey everyone! This is the list of all the changes we've done to our projects during the month of January. Summary Of Changes 100r.co, added galley refit, updated lifelines, seamed box cushions, and moisture prevention underliner. Permacomputing, revamped the page. Flappy Bird,...
Classical Wisdom
Xenophon Hemingway of the Ancient World?
a month ago
TheCollector
What Were the Cities Paul’s Letters Reached? The Apostle Paul, following his conversion to Christianity, became not only a literary champion for...
2 months ago
12
2 months ago
The Apostle Paul, following his conversion to Christianity, became not only a literary champion for the defense of the faith, but an evangelist who travelled throughout the Roman Empire establishing and encouraging churches in major cities.  According to Acts and Paul’s writings,...
Flashbak
Notes on the Sexual Habits of the ‘Astonishingly Depraved’ Adélie Penguin, 1911 “There seems to be no crime too low for these Penguins” – Dr. George Murray Levick, notes on the...
4 months ago
24
4 months ago
“There seems to be no crime too low for these Penguins” – Dr. George Murray Levick, notes on the sexual habits of the Adélie penguin, Antarctica, 1911     Back in 1911, a select group of readers learned of the “astonishing depravity” and “hooligan males” of the Adélie penguins...
Open Culture
Watch an Avant-Garde Bauhaus Ballet in Brilliant Color, First Staged in 1922 We credit the Bauhaus school, founded by German architect Walter Gropius in 1919, for the aesthetic...
5 months ago
37
5 months ago
We credit the Bauhaus school, founded by German architect Walter Gropius in 1919, for the aesthetic principles that have guided so much modern design and architecture in the 20th and 21st centuries. The school’s relationships with artists like Paul Klee, Wassily Kandinsky, Laszlo...
Flashbak
Harold Lloyd’s Amazing Christmas Tree For American actor Harold Lloyd (April 20, 1893 – March 8, 1971) Christmas was the time to...
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67
6 months ago
For American actor Harold Lloyd (April 20, 1893 – March 8, 1971) Christmas was the time to illuminate his home in Beverly Hills, California, with a magnificent tree. His granddaughter Suzanne says preparation began around Thanksgiving (the fourth Thursday in November), when her...
African History...
A history of the Rozvi kingdom (1680-1830) From Changamire's expulsion of the Portuguese to the ruined cities of Zimbabwe.
over a year ago
TheCollector
How Did the Minoan Octopus Vase Get Cracked? Valuable ancient artefacts provide a direct connection to human history by revealing details such as...
3 months ago
18
3 months ago
Valuable ancient artefacts provide a direct connection to human history by revealing details such as the old ways of life and the tools used at that time. They also provide valuable evolutionary insights that reveal how certain groups of people evolved from bygone eras. This is...
TheCollector
10 Best Places to Visit in Mexico for History Buffs Mexico might be renowned as a beach lover’s ideal destination, yet the allure for history lovers is...
2 months ago
20
2 months ago
Mexico might be renowned as a beach lover’s ideal destination, yet the allure for history lovers is even greater. With a capital city built atop the ruins of ancient empires, a head-spinning array of sensational pre-Columbian ruins, world-famous pyramids, enchanting colonial...
Classical Wisdom
What’s in a name? Is Re-labeling a distraction or disruption?
4 months ago
Flashbak
Shopping The Puces de Paris Saint-Ouen Flea Market in 1990 We’re browsing the stalls at Puces de Paris Saint-Ouen, the wold’s largest antiques and second-hand...
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55
11 months ago
We’re browsing the stalls at Puces de Paris Saint-Ouen, the wold’s largest antiques and second-hand goods market, in Paris, France. Peter Marshall was staying in Noisy-le-Grand in the city’s eastern suburbs when he mooched to the market. Taken on walks around the area and...
Wrong Side of...
The Indian-American century On the Anglo-Indo-sphere
5 months ago
TheCollector
Bodhidharma: The Legendary Founder of Kung Fu & Zen (Myth vs Facts) Zen Buddhism’s enigmatic teachings and its masters have influenced East Asian art, philosophy, and...
4 months ago
19
4 months ago
Zen Buddhism’s enigmatic teachings and its masters have influenced East Asian art, philosophy, and poetry for over a thousand years. However, the entire tradition traces itself back to one legendary man, credited not only with bringing Zen to China but also with the development...
TheCollector
What Is the Smallest Country in Africa? The African continent is a big place. It is the second-largest continent and contains 54 countries,...
2 weeks ago
6
2 weeks ago
The African continent is a big place. It is the second-largest continent and contains 54 countries, including the island nations that dot the coastline. While some countries, like Algeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Libya, and Sudan, are huge, there are many others...
Patterns in Humanity
Constructing Missing Crime Tables Here I take the raw data from the National Crime Victimization Surveys and construct summary results...
over a year ago
14
over a year ago
Here I take the raw data from the National Crime Victimization Surveys and construct summary results missing from recent reports.
Wrong Side of...
The Tears of Strangers are only water On the limits of empathy
8 months ago
TheCollector
10 Beautiful Places in Florida Tourists Tend to Overlook Florida is filled with loads of activities to do ranging from the world class amusement parks down...
2 months ago
21
2 months ago
Florida is filled with loads of activities to do ranging from the world class amusement parks down to local springs. If you are planning a visit to the Sunshine State don’t fret, we’re here to help. If you want to take a journey off the beaten path there is still an abundance of...
weird medieval guys
Why is medieval art so weird? Listen now (73 min) | In this inaugural episode of the Weird Medieval Guys podcast, Olivia and Aran...
over a year ago
74
over a year ago
Listen now (73 min) | In this inaugural episode of the Weird Medieval Guys podcast, Olivia and Aran discuss why medieval art is so intriguing to modern viewers and what makes so much of it so weird. Also discussed are Galaxy Quest, Mel Gibson's crimes against the Middle Ages, and...
Classical Wisdom
Should We Try to Control Nature? Thoughts from the edge of a hurricane
10 months ago
A Collection of...
Collections: How Gandalf Proved Mightiest: Spiritual Power in Tolkien This week, I want to keep unloading my Tolkien-related thoughts, turning from last week’s character...
2 months ago
13
2 months ago
This week, I want to keep unloading my Tolkien-related thoughts, turning from last week’s character study to a look at the way ‘magic’ and spiritual power work in Tolkien’s legendarium and in particular to how contests between fundamentally magical beings in Middle-earth are...
TheCollector
8 Myths About the Greek God Ares Ares was the Greek god of war and battle frenzy. He numbered among the twelve Olympian gods who...
2 days ago
1
2 days ago
Ares was the Greek god of war and battle frenzy. He numbered among the twelve Olympian gods who ruled over the cosmos. While his sister Athena was a goddess of war, representing strategy and temperance, Ares represented battle lust and the horrors of war. He was often followed...
TheCollector
Science in Ancient Egypt: Mathematics, Astronomy, Engineering, and Medicine There is a common perception that science is a modern invention with roots in the ancient Greek...
a month ago
11
a month ago
There is a common perception that science is a modern invention with roots in the ancient Greek world. While the Greeks pioneered the kind of theoretical thinking that characterizes modern science, before the Greeks, people used practical science. The ancient Egyptians developed...
TheCollector
Tyr: The Original Norse God of War (Overshadowed by Odin) Tyr was an important Germanic and Norse god of war, similar to the god Mars worshiped by the ancient...
a month ago
6
a month ago
Tyr was an important Germanic and Norse god of war, similar to the god Mars worshiped by the ancient Romans. But we know very little about Tyr from the Viking Age as he was largely overshadowed by Odin, the principal Norse god of war and chief of the Aesir gods.   The evidence...
Classical Wisdom
The Furies Vengeance or Justice?
10 months ago
Classical Wisdom
Greece's Forgotten Legacy Ancient Mixed Martial Arts?
a year ago
Hundred Rabbits
Summary of changes for March Hey everyone! This is the list of all the changes we've done to our projects and apps during the...
over a year ago
11
over a year ago
Hey everyone! This is the list of all the changes we've done to our projects and apps during the month of March. We'll also be reporting in our on position in the world, and on our future plans. Summary Of Changes Uxn, lots of progress on Uxn, started documenting the assembly...
Flashbak
Robert Mallet-Stevens Creates the Ideal City in 32 Visions, 1922 “A new civilization, a new science, new needs, new materials required new forms.” – Robert...
a year ago
27
a year ago
“A new civilization, a new science, new needs, new materials required new forms.” – Robert Mallet-Stevens     In 1924, French architect and designer Robert Mallet-Stevens (March 24, 1886 – February 8, 1945) published La Gazette Des 7 Arts magazine and founded the Club des amis du...
TheCollector
Everything You Need to Know About Orthodox Christian Art Orthodox Christian art has almost nothing in common with its Catholic and Protestant counterparts...
2 weeks ago
5
2 weeks ago
Orthodox Christian art has almost nothing in common with its Catholic and Protestant counterparts despite the shared foundation found in the Holy Scripture. It was initially based on the Byzantine tradition of painting and mosaic-making. Highly stylized, dark, and strict toward...
TheCollector
Henry VII: The Forgotten Tudor Founder The Tudors (1485-1603) were one of the most successful, and arguably the most colorful, dynasties to...
3 months ago
7
3 months ago
The Tudors (1485-1603) were one of the most successful, and arguably the most colorful, dynasties to rule England, Wales, and Ireland before the union with Scotland that later produced the UK. The exploits of Henry VIII, Mary, and Elizabeth I still fascinate historians and the...
Trying to Understand...
The Wrong Stuff Don't even think about rebuilding western militaries.
a year ago
Classical Wisdom
Ancient Greece's Master Sculptor The Life and Work of Pheidias
over a year ago
Hidden History
The Great Horse Flu Epidemic of 1872 An epidemic of “Horse Flu” in 1872 virtually shut down the US economy and paralyzed the entire...
6 months ago
63
6 months ago
An epidemic of “Horse Flu” in 1872 virtually shut down the US economy and paralyzed the entire country. By the 1870s, the once-rural agrarian United States was beginning to emerge as an industrial power. The Civil War had spurred the rapid development of industry such as iron...
African History...
The 'hidden founders' of African studies in Europe: African intellectuals in the Holy Roman Empire... In June 1652, the Ethiopian scholar Abba Gorgoryos reached the city of Nuremburg in what was then...
7 months ago
53
7 months ago
In June 1652, the Ethiopian scholar Abba Gorgoryos reached the city of Nuremburg in what was then the Holy Roman Empire (modern Germany) where he met Hiob Ludolf, an envoy and linguist whom later generations of ‘Ethiopists’ would regard as the founder of Ethiopian studies in...
Classical Wisdom
How To Beat Brain Rot Combat the Word of the Year
5 months ago
Flashbak
A Walk Around Leeds in The 1970s We’re shopping in 1970s Leeds as Eric Miles shows us around the city centre. We mooch past Austicks’...
5 months ago
53
5 months ago
We’re shopping in 1970s Leeds as Eric Miles shows us around the city centre. We mooch past Austicks’ Bookshop, where as a teenager writer Alan Bennett worked part-time job. We pop into the County Arcade, walking amid the mahogany shop fronts, pink marble columns, and cast iron...
TheCollector
How the Song of Roland Shaped the Way We (Still) Think of Charlemagne The Song of Roland, one of the earliest pieces of French literature, started as a verbally shared...
3 months ago
22
3 months ago
The Song of Roland, one of the earliest pieces of French literature, started as a verbally shared poem that was eventually written down. Several manuscripts of it exist, but Digby 23 has had the most influence. Because The Song of Roland sings the praise of Charlemagne, it is...
Classical Wisdom
The Darker Side of Dionysus Understanding the Bacchae
3 weeks ago
African History...
A complete history of Dogon country: Bandiagara from 1900BC to 1900AD demystifying an ancient African society
over a year ago
Classical Wisdom
Weekend Roundup Banned Book Week Begins...
9 months ago
Classical Wisdom
[Video] Roundtable Discussion with Mary Naples Watch now (60 min) | Cult of the Capture Bride: How Ancient Women Took Power
over a year ago
Classical Wisdom
Weekend Roundup The Nature of Love
a year ago
TheCollector
Baroque Music: Contrast and Drama The Baroque Era’s genesis lay in Italy, established during the Council of Trent between 1545 and...
3 months ago
23
3 months ago
The Baroque Era’s genesis lay in Italy, established during the Council of Trent between 1545 and 1653. The Council’s mission was simple: How could they inspire people to follow the Catholic faith and come back to the Church’s fold? Where the Protestants opted for simplicity, the...
Flashbak
Arrows – Love And Punishment in Vintage Snapshots The latest submission for collector supreme Robert E. Jackson focuses on arrows in snapshots. Some...
11 months ago
37
11 months ago
The latest submission for collector supreme Robert E. Jackson focuses on arrows in snapshots. Some have been drawn on the printed photo with pen, others form part of the image itself.     The use of bows and arrows by humans predates recorded history and is common to most...
Classical Wisdom
Centaurs and Snake-Kings A Halloween event for the Mythologically inclined...
8 months ago
Classical Wisdom
Aristotle's Poetics The Science of Art
a year ago
TheCollector
Live Slower: What is the Slow Movement? Speed has long been synonymous with efficiency, productivity, and success. Bewitched by the promises...
a month ago
6
a month ago
Speed has long been synonymous with efficiency, productivity, and success. Bewitched by the promises of speed, we now collectively find ourselves caught in a constant dizzying rush. No matter how much we hurry up, we never seem fast enough to catch up with our endless...
Classical Wisdom
How to Save Democracy The Importance of the Civic Bargain
a year ago
Flashbak
Max Thalmann: Passion, Cathedrals And America In Woodcuts Max Thalmann was a German Expressionist (1890 – 1944) who produced three main portfolios of black...
8 months ago
36
8 months ago
Max Thalmann was a German Expressionist (1890 – 1944) who produced three main portfolios of black and white woodcut prints: Cathedral (Der Dom), Passion, and America in Woodcuts (Amerika im Holzschnitt). A bookbinder by trade having been trained as such under Henry Van De Velde...
Dreams of Space -...
Space Explorer (1960) A promotional comic from 1960 called Space Explorer. It was part of the comic series Boys’ and...
2 months ago
21
2 months ago
A promotional comic from 1960 called Space Explorer. It was part of the comic series Boys’ and Girls’ March of Comics, #202. These promotional comics were distributer to retailers who would brand them with their name and give them away to customers to attract them to shop at that...
Classical Wisdom
Macedonia Before Alexander the Great Were the Macedonians Greek?
2 weeks ago
African History...
The desert town of Southern Africa: A history of Khauxanas 1780-1906 A view of pre-colonial Namibia from the khoisan town of ||Khauxa!nas.
over a year ago
Flashbak
The Sun by Frans Masereel, A Story Without Words – 1919 “One discovers the light in darkness, that is what darkness is for; but everything in our lives...
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5 months ago
“One discovers the light in darkness, that is what darkness is for; but everything in our lives depends on how we bear the light,” – James Baldwin, Nothing Personal      The Sun (1919) by Frans Masereel (1889–1972) opens with an artist resting his head on his desk beneath an open...
Hundred Rabbits
Summary of changes for June Hey everyone! This is the list of all the changes we've done to our projects and apps during the...
over a year ago
14
over a year ago
Hey everyone! This is the list of all the changes we've done to our projects and apps during the month of June. We'll also be reporting in our on position in the world, and on our future plans. Summary Of Changes Nasu, released a nasu guide, and updated the look of the icon. We...
Hundred Rabbits
Dry Toilet Installation The work is done. Building a dry toilet was more work than we had anticipated, but we still prefer...
over a year ago
12
over a year ago
The work is done. Building a dry toilet was more work than we had anticipated, but we still prefer it over the ready-made models. We learned tons doing it, and now our toilet is perfectly suited to our space. The pandemic has pushed more people into boat and van living (to travel...
Dreams of Space -...
Santa and The Space Men It has been a while but here is a strange Christmas post for you.  Something about Santa and Flying...
6 months ago
16
6 months ago
It has been a while but here is a strange Christmas post for you.  Something about Santa and Flying Saucers seems to go together like White wine and Cracker Jack. Sort of sweet and tangy and gets your attention. Santa and the Space Men is a play for children about how Santa is...
Flashbak
Maurice Sendak Illustrates William Blake’s Songs of Innocence In 1967, Maurice Sendak (June 10, 1928–May 8, 2012) created eight illustrations for William Blake’s...
a year ago
43
a year ago
In 1967, Maurice Sendak (June 10, 1928–May 8, 2012) created eight illustrations for William Blake’s Songs of Innocence (1789). The booklet’s 275 copies were given to friends of the publisher, The Bodley Head, as Christmas gifts to mark the company’s 80th anniversary.   The idea...
Classical Wisdom
Aristotle on Luck Do You Feel Lucky?
over a year ago
TheCollector
The Valley of the Kings: Ancient Egypt’s Royal Necropolis Egypt is known the world over for its archaeological wonders—impressive tombs that froze dynasties...
2 weeks ago
6
2 weeks ago
Egypt is known the world over for its archaeological wonders—impressive tombs that froze dynasties in time, complete with massive treasures and wonders of history. The Valley of the Kings is one of the most incredible locations in the country, home to dozens of tombs that...
TheCollector
Snorri Sturluson: Our Most Important Source for Norse Myth? Most of the surviving information we have about Norse mythology and legendary Viking history was...
3 months ago
20
3 months ago
Most of the surviving information we have about Norse mythology and legendary Viking history was written by Snorri Sturluson, a Christian historian and politician living in Iceland in the 13th century. Consequently, much of what we know about Norse mythology and Viking religion...
TheCollector
Philosopher & Poet? A New Translation of Simone Weil’s La Porte Living during the early to mid-20th century, Simone Weil, a French philosopher, activist, and...
3 months ago
11
3 months ago
Living during the early to mid-20th century, Simone Weil, a French philosopher, activist, and writer, was a religious mystic. Her work is at once intellectual and personal, striking the mind and soul. Almost exclusively a non-fiction writer, her anthology does include one poem....
Classical Wisdom
Sophocles' Swansong Oedipus at Colonus
a year ago
Classical Wisdom
What is the “Mind”? And How Do We Learn?
a year ago
Dr Alun Withey
Medicine on the Move: Early Modern Travel and Remedies As my new project on the history of travel, health risk and preparation begins to get underway, one...
a year ago
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a year ago
As my new project on the history of travel, health risk and preparation begins to get underway, one of the things that I am thinking about is the place of travel within early modern medical remedy culture. What kinds of conditions could befall travellers? What did early modern...
TheCollector
5 Events That Characterized Cold War Détente Following the Cuban Missile Crisis, when the world stood on the brink of nuclear war, the two...
3 months ago
20
3 months ago
Following the Cuban Missile Crisis, when the world stood on the brink of nuclear war, the two ideologically opposed superpowers—the United States and the Soviet Union—looked for diplomatic solutions to ease the tension. Historians refer to this period with the French term...
Classical Wisdom
A Book 100 Years in the Making Dear Classical Wisdom Reader,
6 months ago
Flashbak
The Mystical Drawings of William Thomas Horton (1864-1919) William Thomas Horton (1864–1919) was one of the Smithers People, a number of artists sponsored by...
a year ago
10
a year ago
William Thomas Horton (1864–1919) was one of the Smithers People, a number of artists sponsored by Leonard Smithers (1861–1907),a leading light of the Decadent movement and publisher of upscale pornography. Some starry names were in his orbit, including Max Beerbohm, Aleister...
TheCollector
How to Keep Your Head in King Henry VIII’s Court Treason, tyranny, and terror are fabled words of King Henry VIII, one of history’s most...
3 months ago
23
3 months ago
Treason, tyranny, and terror are fabled words of King Henry VIII, one of history’s most controversial autocrats and matrimonial monsters. During his reign, King Henry VIII would marry six times, beheading two of his queens and two of his trusted ministers.   Historians concur...
TheCollector
9 Isms of Art You Should Know All major movements in the history of art are inherently interconnected. Even the most dated styles...
3 months ago
13
3 months ago
All major movements in the history of art are inherently interconnected. Even the most dated styles of art rarely die off without a trace and often make surprising comebacks. The 19th and 20th centuries in the West were filled with ideas, inventions, and styles, resulting in an...
TheCollector
Is Capitalism Reliant on Fossil Fuels? Energy-dense ‘fossil fuels’ – such as coal, oil, and natural gas – are derived from fossilized...
3 months ago
23
3 months ago
Energy-dense ‘fossil fuels’ – such as coal, oil, and natural gas – are derived from fossilized organic matter. However, their combustion releases large amounts of carbon dioxide, fuelling global warming on an industrial scale. Indeed, since the Industrial Revolution, the...
TheCollector
Understanding Beethoven in 5 Compositions Ludwig van Beethoven is labeled as an innovator and a rebel in the world of music. To paraphrase Bob...
3 months ago
26
3 months ago
Ludwig van Beethoven is labeled as an innovator and a rebel in the world of music. To paraphrase Bob Marley’s song, No Woman No Cry, “No Beethoven, no modern music.” Despite his growing and eventual deafness, he composed some of the world’s most memorable music. His association...
TheCollector
3 Dark Age Kings of Britain Confirmed by Archaeology Early Dark Age Britain is notorious for being poorly recorded. Most of our information about the era...
6 days ago
4
6 days ago
Early Dark Age Britain is notorious for being poorly recorded. Most of our information about the era comes from much later records, written centuries after the events they allegedly describe. There is endless debate among scholars, based on the literary evidence, surrounding the...
Flashbak
One Last Look at the Hotel where ‘Trainspotting’, ‘The Big Man’, ‘Taggart’ and Other Shows Were... You may have never heard of the George Hotel, which once sat at the top of Buchanan Street in...
a year ago
23
a year ago
You may have never heard of the George Hotel, which once sat at the top of Buchanan Street in Glasgow like a ‘great carbuncle’, but you have probably seen parts of its interiors from films like Trainspotting (the circular room used as a backdrop for the drug scene with Keith...
A Collection of...
Fireside Friday, August 4, 2023 Hey all, Fireside this week, as I look to take a bit of time to focus on getting some writing done...
a year ago
24
a year ago
Hey all, Fireside this week, as I look to take a bit of time to focus on getting some writing done and some syllabi written before the semester begins in earnest later this week. Also before we dive in I want to note that it appears that Patreon has been having some trouble...
A Collection of...
Collections: On the Reign of Alexander III of Macedon, the Great? This week, in part as a follow-on to our series on the contest between Hellenistic armies and Roman...
a year ago
96
a year ago
This week, in part as a follow-on to our series on the contest between Hellenistic armies and Roman legions, I wanted to take the opportunity to talk about Alexander III, who you almost certainly know as Alexander the Great. But I want to discuss his reign with that title, ‘the...
TheCollector
What Is the History of Maritime Trade in the Indian Ocean? (Pre-European) To understand the history of the Indian Ocean trade, it is important to firstly understand its...
2 months ago
7
2 months ago
To understand the history of the Indian Ocean trade, it is important to firstly understand its location and geographical coverage. The Indian Ocean derives its name from India. The water body got its name from early European explorers who named it so due to its close proximity to...
African History...
The Knights of ancient Nubia: horsemen and charioteers from the kingdom of Kush (ca. 1600BC-400CE) Among the groups of foreigners present in the Assyrian capital of Nimrud in 732 BC, was a community...
3 months ago
25
3 months ago
Among the groups of foreigners present in the Assyrian capital of Nimrud in 732 BC, was a community of horse experts from the kingdom of Kush led by an official who supplied horses to the armies of Tiglath-Pileser III.
TheCollector
How the Nopal Cactus Bridges Culture and Climate in Mexico Nopal cactus grows where others wouldn’t dare. Resilient, versatile, and adaptive, it is one of the...
a month ago
17
a month ago
Nopal cactus grows where others wouldn’t dare. Resilient, versatile, and adaptive, it is one of the most widely recognized endemic plants of the Americas. Yet the cactus’s symbolism is especially deep-seated in Mexico, where its importance to national identity is reflected in...
Classical Wisdom
What Makes a Hero a HERO? Both in the ancient world... and today?
a year ago
Dreams of Space -...
New Treasury for Young Readers (1963) More or less a "housekeeping" post today. I wanted to scan this book after finding the other one...
a year ago
12
a year ago
More or less a "housekeeping" post today. I wanted to scan this book after finding the other one just for balance. Some fine illustration is a lost bit of space flight for children. New Treasury for Young Readers. Reader’s Digest. Pleasantville, NY. Reader’s Digest Association....
TheCollector
Why Were Germany’s Blitzkrieg Tactics So Effective in WWII? In 1940, French historian Marc Bloch witnessed the swift invasion of France by the Wehrmacht. He...
3 months ago
14
3 months ago
In 1940, French historian Marc Bloch witnessed the swift invasion of France by the Wehrmacht. He noted the Germans’ “embarrassing skill in appearing where they ought not to have appeared.” In 1939, the German army had similarly overcome Polish forces. During World War II, the...
TheCollector
When Is Juneteenth and What Does It Celebrate? Also known as “Juneteenth Independence Day” or “Emancipation Day,” Juneteenth is a federal holiday...
a week ago
4
a week ago
Also known as “Juneteenth Independence Day” or “Emancipation Day,” Juneteenth is a federal holiday marking the day when enslaved African Americans living in Galveston, Texas, learned of their freedom. While President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, it would...
TheCollector
How Did People Survive the Little Ice Age? Human resilience shines during the Little Ice Age, a period of intense cooling from the 14th to 19th...
2 weeks ago
5
2 weeks ago
Human resilience shines during the Little Ice Age, a period of intense cooling from the 14th to 19th centuries. Europe, Alaska, and the North Atlantic battled severely low temperatures. While the exact cause is unclear, theories range from volcanic activity to changes in Earth’s...
Trying to Understand...
The Newer World Order. But can they get their heads round it?
a year ago
TheCollector
Director of Dreams: Who Is Akira Kurosawa? Today, the world knows Japanese cinema. Whether anime, 1950s Godzilla movies, or rogue samurai,...
4 months ago
19
4 months ago
Today, the world knows Japanese cinema. Whether anime, 1950s Godzilla movies, or rogue samurai, Japanese movies have undoubtedly caused a splash the international realm of modern and contemporary film. Master Director, Akira Kurosawa, etched his mark deeply in his home country of...
TheCollector
The Twelve Labors of Heracles: List of Tasks, Meaning, and Facts The story of the twelve labors tells the tale of Heracles’s journey from a sinful pariah to the...
a month ago
11
a month ago
The story of the twelve labors tells the tale of Heracles’s journey from a sinful pariah to the ancient world’s most revered hero. To atone for a crime he committed while under the curse of his stepmother Hera, Heracles undertook twelve seemingly impossible tasks from his cousin...
TheCollector
What Is Lev Vygotsky’s Revolutionary Educational Philosophy? Lev Vygotsky has totally changed our understanding of how we learn and grow through his pioneering...
a month ago
13
a month ago
Lev Vygotsky has totally changed our understanding of how we learn and grow through his pioneering educational philosophy. The cognitive abilities of people are shaped by socializing, language, and culture. In looking into things like the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) in...
TheCollector
The Metaphysics of Stoicism: 4 Key Tenets One of the most fundamental questions examined by most philosophical schools of thought is the...
2 days ago
1
2 days ago
One of the most fundamental questions examined by most philosophical schools of thought is the nature of existence. According to Stoicism, everything in the universe is matter, created, animated, destroyed, and recreated by divine fire, logos. Consequently, everything is...
Open Culture
How Wearing Ridiculously Long Pointed Shoes Became a Medieval Fashion Trend We can all remember seeing images of medieval Europeans wearing pointy shoes, but most of us have...
4 months ago
30
4 months ago
We can all remember seeing images of medieval Europeans wearing pointy shoes, but most of us have paid scant attention to the shoes themselves. That may be for the best, since the more we dwell on one fact of life in the Middle Ages or another, the more we imagine how...
Classical Wisdom
Weekend Roundup Variety is the Spice of Ancient Life
8 months ago
Trying to Understand...
No Way Out Some of the world's problems have no solution.
a year ago
TheCollector
Archaeologists Find Ancient Tomb of Egyptian Military Commander The ancient tomb of a military commander has been uncovered in Egypt, reported the country’s...
2 months ago
19
2 months ago
The ancient tomb of a military commander has been uncovered in Egypt, reported the country’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities. The burial site belonged to a high-ranking leader who served under King Ramesses III, who is considered to be the last pharaoh of Egypt’s New Kingdom...
TheCollector
7 Must-See Paintings by Edvard Munch The most famous of all Norwegian painters, Edvard Munch, is well-known for his dark and often...
2 weeks ago
2
2 weeks ago
The most famous of all Norwegian painters, Edvard Munch, is well-known for his dark and often disturbing Expressionist works painted in screaming bold colors. He was a nervous man with poor health, prone to sudden disturbances and exaggerated emotional responses. Illness, both...
Flashbak
‘F*ck You, Philadelphia’ – When Blondie Opened For Rush In 1979 When on January 21st, 1979, Rush needed an opening act for the Philadelphia leg of their Hemispheres...
a year ago
22
a year ago
When on January 21st, 1979, Rush needed an opening act for the Philadelphia leg of their Hemispheres tour, Blondie got the call. Georgia-based southern rockers Stillwater couldn’t play. So would the New Yorkers deliver what 18,000 fans of the Canadian rockers packed into the...
TheCollector
Trove of Ancient Gold Jewelry Found in Egypt’s Karnak Temple Ongoing excavations at Egypt’s Karnak Temple Complex revealed a cache of ancient gold artifacts....
3 months ago
26
3 months ago
Ongoing excavations at Egypt’s Karnak Temple Complex revealed a cache of ancient gold artifacts. Stashed for centuries inside a ceramic vessel, the collection of jewelry, amulets, and statuettes remains remarkably well-preserved.   Karnak Temple Jewelry Dates Back to Egypt’s 26th...
Flashbak
Dear Dead Heads: Vintage Skull Postcards Ever since we happened upon L’amour de Pierrot (above), an anonymous artwork made in 1905, we’ve...
a year ago
35
a year ago
Ever since we happened upon L’amour de Pierrot (above), an anonymous artwork made in 1905, we’ve been on the look out for more of these type of memento mori optical illusions. And now we’ve an entire set of skull postcards – many of which are available as postcards in the shop.  ...
African History...
a brief note on the role of Africans in the early Islamic expansion an African kingdom in southern Italy.
a year ago
Trying to Understand...
Books To Help Us Understand The World? Well, a few, anyway. And a bit.
a year ago
Open Culture
Every Hidden Detail of New York’s Classic Skyscrapers: The Chrysler, Empire State & Woolworth... Currently, the tallest buildings in New York City are One World Trade Center, Central Park Tower,...
3 months ago
28
3 months ago
Currently, the tallest buildings in New York City are One World Trade Center, Central Park Tower, and 111 West 57th Street. All of them were completed in the twenty-twenties, and all of them have attracted comment, sometimes admiring, sometimes bewildered. But none of them, fair...
Res Obscura
Happy Lupercalia A special discount on subscriptions in honor of the Roman wolf holiday
4 months ago
Hidden History
The Marco Polo Bridge Incident For Europeans, the Second World War started on September 1, 1939, when Germany invaded Poland. For...
5 months ago
48
5 months ago
For Europeans, the Second World War started on September 1, 1939, when Germany invaded Poland. For the United States, it began with the December 7, 1941, Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. But for Asians, the war began on June 7, 1937, at the Marco Polo Bridge in China. The Second...
TheCollector
Did a Real Woman Inspire Caravaggio’s Judith? Caravaggio’s depiction of Judith is unlike many of his contemporaries’ depictions of her. Could...
6 days ago
4
6 days ago
Caravaggio’s depiction of Judith is unlike many of his contemporaries’ depictions of her. Could Caravaggio have known a real-life Judith to inspire him in 16th-century Rome?   The Biblical Judith   Judith was a woman described in the Bible as a savior for her village and people....
Classical Wisdom
Io Saturnalia! Celebrate the “Best of Days”
a year ago
Hundred Rabbits
Summary of changes for July 2023 Hey everyone! This is the list of all the changes we've done to our projects and apps during the...
a year ago
12
a year ago
Hey everyone! This is the list of all the changes we've done to our projects and apps during the month of July. We'll also be reporting in our on position in the world, and on our future plans. Summary Of Changes Slide Rule, released a little slide rule toy(Mastodon). 100r.co,...
Wrong Side of...
Against Critical Trade Theory He’s given the word populism a bad name
2 months ago
TheCollector
What Is the Difference Between Sunni and Shia Islam? According to Muslim tradition, Muhammad’s prophetic status was well-established among his followers...
4 months ago
20
4 months ago
According to Muslim tradition, Muhammad’s prophetic status was well-established among his followers before his death. However, a disagreement emerged soon afterward about the prophet’s death regarding his intent for the leadership structure of the fledgling Muslim community. The...
Wrong Side of...
Inside the Catholic State The world that created Caravaggio
8 months ago
TheCollector
Justinian I’s Surprising Recapture of Rome: What Happened? The Byzantine Emperor Justinian I came close to uniting the former Roman Empire less than a century...
2 months ago
21
2 months ago
The Byzantine Emperor Justinian I came close to uniting the former Roman Empire less than a century after its fall. However, popular discontent, foreign war, and a plague all combined to bring his dream of reestablishing Roman glory to an end, despite remarkable successes.   Rome...
TheCollector
The Arch of Titus in Rome: Iconography and Ideology The Arch of Titus is one of the most magnificent ancient monuments surviving in Rome and offers a...
2 months ago
25
2 months ago
The Arch of Titus is one of the most magnificent ancient monuments surviving in Rome and offers a fascinating insight into one of the most volatile periods in Roman imperial history. The Flavians bridged the end of Augustus’s Julio-Claudian Dynasty, when the Romans still...
TheCollector
How Hermes Became a God: The Mischievous Tale of the Homeric Hymn Hermes, known by his Roman name Mercury, is one of the most unconventional Olympian gods. As the god...
2 weeks ago
6
2 weeks ago
Hermes, known by his Roman name Mercury, is one of the most unconventional Olympian gods. As the god of shepherds, thieves, lies, commerce, and boundaries, he embodies a diverse range of human experiences. Considered a close friend to humanity, Hermes is credited with inventing...
Flashbak
A Book of Dreams: 25 Vintage Visions To Awaken Your Mind We’re dreaming today with collector Robert E Jackson. Triggered by the undertow of memory and fed by...
a year ago
74
a year ago
We’re dreaming today with collector Robert E Jackson. Triggered by the undertow of memory and fed by desire, our dreams are visions of other lives, possible clues to the future. “The interpretation of dreams is the royal road to a knowledge of the unconscious activities of the...
TheCollector
Picasso’s 12 Most Famous Works: Iconic Pieces to Know Pablo Picasso had a long and prolific career that lasted more than seventy years. He manipulated...
a month ago
21
a month ago
Pablo Picasso had a long and prolific career that lasted more than seventy years. He manipulated mediums, forms, and genres, never seizing his experimentations and never settling in one style for too long. From traditional realistic painting, he moved to Post-Impressionism and...
Classical Wisdom
Can you REALLY be offended on behalf of someone else?? Lessons from Borat
a year ago
Classical Wisdom
Gods Vs Titans ...and the Origins of the Universe
a year ago
African History...
State and society in southern Ethiopia: the Oromo kingdom of Jimma (ca. 1830-1932) Modern Ethiopia is a diverse country comprised of many communities and languages, each with its...
a year ago
46
a year ago
Modern Ethiopia is a diverse country comprised of many communities and languages, each with its history and contribution to the country's cultural heritage. While Ethiopian historiography is often focused on the historical developments in the northern regions of the country, some...
Classical Wisdom
12 Ancient Greek Terms that Should Totally Make a Comeback Eudaimonia, Arete, and much more...
over a year ago