Democracy’s arm late. Much later than regimes run by strongmen. Because the rate of development of new war fighting aircraft in the 1930’s was a lot like the development of software in the last few decades; pre-war Britain saw lots of entrants to the market, few successes and a whole lot of loss due to … More Albatross of the Battle of Britain
800 years ago this month King John was cornered by his barons in a field at Runnymede and made to place his seal on this document, the Great Charter, that limited his power. It was likely the first of its kind. He and the other chief executives have been fighting the issue ever since. Ab initio this … More Magna Carta
I reported this experience 10 years ago, now according to the Wall Street Journal it is even worse. https://www.wsj.com/world/the-london-tube-feels-like-hell-efforts-to-cool-it-just-make-it-hotter-35b7a94a?st=wBziWS&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink Today is supposed to reach 90 degrees in Seattle. Cool compared to the tubs under London. If there is a place closer to hell than the Central Line of London’s Underground I have yet to find … More London Underground
Its been a 100 years but the sting of it still rings through the telling. A German U-boat was able to approach and sink the Cunard liner off the coast of Ireland on this date 100 years ago because she had no destroyer escort, despite wartime conditions. There were not supposed to be any Americans on … More The Sinking of RMS Lusitania – May 7th 1915
Under heavy escort and in complete secrecy, Prime Minister Winston Churchill is driven to the offices of his therapist. “Good afternoon Mr. Churchill, it is good to see you again.” Thank you doctor Freud, although I might say it is not always good to see you. “How have things been going since I saw you … More Winston Churchill Gets Some Counseling
We like to think of the Battle of Britain, now 75 years ago, as all sort of Spitfires and Hurricanes, but the truth is several other aircraft designs had been in production during the interwar period. The crews of these far less than adequate machines, as Churchill called them, faced certain death, but no one … More Not all Spitfires and Tweed Jackets
My stepdaughter has recently received her Ph.d from the University of Nottingham and has been hired there as a lecturer. Her boyfriend, a Mr. Higgins, yes that is his real name, has posed to me the seemingly trite question many educated Britons ask, “Why can’t the English speak English?” as if we are in the … More Why Can’t the English Speak English?
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