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Charmian Clift, George Johnston and Leonard Cohen, 1960s trailblazers on a...
Hydra HarbourCharmian Clift (1923–69) was born & raised near Sydney while George Johnston (1912-70) was born & raised in Melbourne. They married in 1947 and soon were on the well-worn trek of...
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Olympic torch started in ancient Greece; torch relay started in Nazi Germany
What the ancient Olympic Flame lighting ceremony in Olympiamight have looked like, NBC SportsThe Olympic flame was born in an ancient Greek temple to honour Hera, queen of the gods. Her shrine was...
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Best medical journalist in Australia: Dr Norman Swan .......... guest post
As a boy, Norman Swirsky was raised in relative poverty (dad was a musician) in a Jewish family living in Glasgow. When he was 10 years old, his dad changed the family's surname to Swan in a response...
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The Gershwins - when American music found a voice of its own
From left: Oscar Fried, conductor; Eva Gauthier, singer; Maurice Ravel at piano; Manoah Leide-Tedesco, composer-conductor; George GershwinNew York, 1928. WikiIsrael Ira Gershowitz (1896-1983) and...
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Growing and strengthening the British Empire via ...sport!
Sport was a key branch of British Cultural Imperialism, like trade, English and Protestantism. The most popular sports, including cricket, football and tennis, were organised & codified in...
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Brilliant Boy: Doc Evatt, Great Australian Experiment
How can an author frame the life of a paradoxical historical character, particularly one who has almost slipped out of Australian public consciousness? Author Gideon Haigh noted the issue in the...
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see an amazing Arcimboldo Exhibition in France (till Nov 2021)
Giuseppe Arcimboldo (1526-93) was born in Milan, son of an artist. Dad worked for Fabbrica Office in the Milan Duomo, that oversaw the development of the city’s cathedral architecture and art. Some...
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Adoption in a time of family catastrophe in Italy and Israel
Amit and Tal Biranwith children Tom (L), and sole survivor Eitan (R)Times of IsraelMy late father Les was adopted. He was very happy to live with his aunt Sarah whose house was just around the corner...
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China’s stunning export porcelain & France’s metallic mounts
I was very interested in the golden age of Dutch art and trade as impacted by Asia. Now it's time to examine fine Jingdezhen porcelain as it was adapted by the French. Chinese potters identified the...
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Quisling, Norwegian prime minister and Norwegian traitor
L] Quisling and R] Reichskommissar Terboven, 1940partnership of the paramilitary organisation, Hirden,during Nazi occupation of Norway, WikiwandVidkun Quisling (1887-1945) was born in Telemark, S.E...
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bushranger Captain Thunderbolt and Cockatoo Island penal colony
There were many famous bushrangers during the Gold Rush Australia eg Mad Dog Morgan (1830–65), Captain Moonlight (1842–80), Capt Thunderbolt (1835-70), Capt Midnight (1855-78), Ben Hall (1837-65) and...
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Madame Pompadour revolutionised French society? or slept her way to the top?
I have referred for half my post to Chloe Govan’s paper on the controversial life of King Louis XV’s mistress, Madame de Pompadour. Jeanne-Antoinette Poisson (1721–1764) was the daughter of a grotty...
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U.S silent film star Fatty Arbuckle was wrongly charged with murder in 1921!
Fatty Arbuckle and the beautiful Virginia RappeRoscoe Fatty Arbuckle (1887–1933) was a hugely successful silent film star and director. In 1917, Arbuckle...
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The day the world came to Gander, Canada. Thank you, Newfoundland.
Thank you to CNN. From Gander Newfoundland, British aviators Alcock and Brown boarded the world's first nonstop transatlantic flight and Amelia Earhart began her pioneering journeys there.Map of...
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Vladivostok - history, culture, landscape
The first Europeans to visit the Golden Horn Bay came off two British warships in 1855. Russian and German merchants from across Europe, plus the Japanese, settled in what later became...
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Scotland's best athlete (and missionary) ever - Eric Liddell
Eric Liddell (1902–45) was born in Tientsin/Tianjin in China, son of Rev & Mrs James Liddell, Scottish missionaries with the London Mission Society. Eric and brother Rob were left at Eltham...
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How did the British mass murderer, Frederick Deeming, continue murdering in...
Read a newsworthy Age article by Carolyn Webb called “Was he Jack the Ripper", reviewing a book on British serial killer Frederick Deeming (1853–92). Then I will pose my own questions and comments. In...
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Charles Darwin adored his first cousin - love Vs scientific fear of inherited...
As I discussed, Charles Darwin (1809-82) was sick all his life, but he had no idea why. It wasn’t until 2013 that John Hayman solved the problem in Charles Darwin’s Mitochondria. Charles’ illness, his...
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Timișoara Romania - European Capital of Culture, initially 2021 and now 2023
Serbian Orthodox Church and Union Squareunique facade, small towers, beautiful bells and icons.Built in C18th in the Baroque style.Timisoara is in Western Romania, near the borders with Hungary and...
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Queen Christina of Sweden: why did this cultured, powerful leader abdicate?
King Gustavus Adolphusfighting in Battle of Breitenfeld, 1631Christina of Sweden (1626-89) was born in Tre Kronor castle, only surviving child of King Gustavus Adolphus and Maria Eleonora of...
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