Category Archives: History

D-Day Movie Recommendations

Posted on 2017-06-06 by

Always on 6 June, I have a feeling of gratitude to the more than 160,000 Allied troops that landed in Normandy on 6 June 1944 (D-Day) and marked the beginning of the second phase of the liberation of Europe (after … Continue reading →

Posted in Films, History, Military, World War II | Tagged , | 7 Comments

Germany 1945-1949

Posted on 2017-04-29 by

These two films illustrate – with quite drastic footage, you are warned – what the Allied powers thought of Germany immediately after the end of World War II. They did see, correctly in my view, a continuity of German militarism … Continue reading →

Posted in Cold War, Films, Germany, History, Holocaust, Military, USA, World War II | Tagged , , | 6 Comments

Thoughts of the Day 12

Posted on 2017-04-27 by

If you have doubts about humanity, listen to this podcast about a hospital in Israel treating wounded and sick Syrians. I wouldn’t have thought that many people read articles as long as the one about my decision to return to … Continue reading →

Posted in Albania, Cold War, Education, Films, Health, History, Israel, Military, Syria, USA | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

The Miners’ Cemetery

Posted on 2017-04-14 by

In my article about Chacaltaya, I mentioned the cemetery I found at the foot of Huayna Potosí and made the offhand remark that the whole village of Milluni had died. It turns out that this was right, but that the true story … Continue reading →

Posted in Bolivia, Death, History, Military, Photography, Politics, Travel | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Thoughts of the Day 11

Posted on 2017-04-13 by

Mohammad Mostafaei, the lawyer with whom I was arrested in Iran, has written a book. He says I am in it too, but I can’t read Norwegian, so I have to wait for a translation. Does anyone still remember José Echegaray … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Elections, France, Health, History, Human Rights, Iran, Language, Law, Mexico, Military, Politics, Sports, Statistics, Travel, World War II | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Sean Spicer explains Gas Chambers

Posted on 2017-04-12 by

Pro tip: if you want to make historical comparisons, read a bit about history before you do so. Saying about Hitler that “he was not using the gas on his own people the same way that Assad is doing” displays … Continue reading →

Posted in France, History, Holocaust, Military, Politics, Syria, US election 2016, USA, World War II | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Career or Love – You can’t have both

Posted on 2017-04-07 by

From a 1953 edition of The Girl Friend comes a test for women who need to choose between pursuing a “career” (which probably meant being a secretary) and “love” (meaning a boring life as a housewife). Interesting that you couldn’t have both. … Continue reading →

Posted in Feminism, History, Life | Tagged , | 8 Comments