-
Archives
- January 2010
- November 2009
- October 2009
- September 2009
- August 2009
- July 2009
- June 2009
- May 2009
- April 2009
- March 2009
- February 2009
- January 2009
- December 2008
- November 2008
- October 2008
- September 2008
- August 2008
- July 2008
- June 2008
- May 2008
- April 2008
- March 2008
- February 2008
- January 2008
- December 2007
- November 2007
- October 2007
- September 2007
- August 2007
- July 2007
- June 2007
- May 2007
- April 2007
- March 2007
- February 2007
- January 2007
- December 2006
- November 2006
- October 2006
- September 2006
- August 2006
- July 2006
-
Meta
Category Archives: History
Deep Political Time
When James Hutton, the father of modern geology, took his friend John Playfair to look at some stratified sedimentary rock, and Playfair realized that he was gazing into a chemical abyss recording the passage of hundreds of millions of years, … Continue reading
Athens into Persepolis
Rasmussen has polled the public on whether they agreed with President Bush’s characterization of capitalism as the “highway to the American Dream.” Only 44% voiced support for capitalism, 33% were undecided and 22% expressed opposition. A grim finding. Only Republicans … Continue reading
Posted in Domestic Politics, History
Tagged American Dream, Athens, Bush, capitalism, Carthage, Democrats, Economics, enemy, free market, History, Persepolis, poll, Rasmussen, Republicans, Rome
1 Comment
The Voice of Murder
The subject of the bloody 1965 Indonesian mass murder of suspected communists is not often openly discussed history even in today’s Indonesia. Given the pervasive silence, estimates vary on the actual number of people killed, but it’s generally accepted as … Continue reading
Posted in Foreign affairs, History
Tagged 1965, antidemocratic, Asian communism, Associated Press, Autocracy, banyan tree, Cambodia, China, CIA, clove cigarettes, communism, communist, Darmo, death tool, decapitation, democracy, freedom, Hamid, History, Indonesia, Indonesian, Indonesian massacre, islam, Islamic clerics, Javanese sarong, mass graves, mass murder, murder, Nahdlatul Ulama, nationalism, PKI, pogrom, preemptive murder, prisoners, purge, Quran, religion, sledgehammer, Suharto, Sukarno, Sulchan, US, Vietnam
1 Comment
A Republican Atavism
John Podhoretz thinks the Palin speech might be among the most dazzling debuts in American political history. I don’t know about that, but I do know it was the most powerful, important, and effective speech by a vice presidential candidate … Continue reading
Posted in Domestic Politics, Election 2008, History, Media
Tagged American, Checkers, Democrats, Eisenhower, History, John Podhoretz, Macleans, Media, Nixon, Palin, Pearl Harbor, Richard Nixon, Sarah Palin, speech, Yamamoto
2 Comments
Life Under Stalinism
Video clip of victims of the Terror recounting their experiences at the hands of the secret police. The levity that many exhibit in revisiting the systematic decimation of human dignity they experienced, is the ageless strength of Russia as a … Continue reading
Posted in History, Lee's Page
Tagged documentary, Eric Bogosian, Great Terror, History, secret police, Soviet Union, Stalin, stalinism, victims, video, youtube, Zareh Tjeknavorian
Leave a comment
Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn R.I.P.
The impact of this man on the world is not part of the memory of many today. I’ll be breaking out a few of his books this week in his memory. A true Giant has passed away. Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, whose … Continue reading
Posted in Culture, History, Lance's Page, Religion and theology
Tagged Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, communism, Russia, Soviet Union
1 Comment
A Paranoid on Paranoia-Last updated 1:06 CST
After 9/11 itself, the anthrax attacks were probably the most consequential event of the Bush presidency. One could make a persuasive case that they were actually more consequential. You could? The 9/11 attacks were obviously traumatic for the country, but … Continue reading
Defending the Second World War
Here’s a five part Uncommon Knowledge segment featuring a superb pairing of Christopher Hitchens and Victor Davis Hanson, to discuss the new World War II revisionism led by Pat Buchanan. While it’s an entertaining exercise for a Saturday, I’ll warn … Continue reading
Posted in History
Tagged Christopher Hitchens, fascism, History, Pat Buchanan, Peter Robinson, revisionism, Uncommon Knowledge, Victor Davis Hanson, video, World War II, youtube
Leave a comment
Ellas Otha Bates, R.I.P.
Rock & Roll lost one of it’s brightest and most penetrating stars yesterday, even if one of the least well known. The founder of the jungle beat heard in too many songs to count over the last 50 years succumbed … Continue reading
Posted in History, MichaelW's Page, Music
Tagged Bo Diddley, death, Ellas Otha Bates, guitar, Music, pioneer, rock & roll
2 Comments
Why the Taliban Cease Fire Won’t Matter
Published first at Registan.net, this is the culmination of some research I’ve been doing into the nature and history of Pashtun tribal militancy. It draws from a mixture of out-of-print ethnocgraphic and geographic surveys, as well as contemporary news accounts, … Continue reading
Posted in Foreign affairs, History
Tagged Afghanistan, British, History, military, Pakistan, Pashtunistan, Taliban
Leave a comment
The Victims of Communism Day
Let us remember what May Day has really represented RJ Rummell gives us the toll of The Red Plague: As you can see, the total mid-estimate is about 110,286,000, an incredible total. It is around 65 percent of all democide … Continue reading
Patriots Day!
Dale Franks honors the story of how the fight for our Independence began on April 19th, 1775. McQ ponders how we got to where we are today, drawing from the great T Harry Williams, and Jules Crittenden has a roundup … Continue reading
Posted in History, Lance's Page, Libertarianism
Tagged American Revolution, Lexington and Concord, Patriots Day
Leave a comment
William F. Buckley Jr. (1925-2008)
I remember him most for his debates on the Firing Line in the 70′s. His style, full of respect and grace are what I’ll remember him by. http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=MTE4NGRlOGM1NmYxYjdmNjk1MjliOTE2MTYxOWZkZjc= I’m devastated to report that our dear friend, mentor, leader, and founder … Continue reading
Do Not Stay Silent
Please read this, and then pass it on and post it yourself. We cannot stay silent.
Posted in Foreign affairs, History, Peg's Page, Religion and theology
Tagged anti-semitism, France, jews
Leave a comment
Perhaps we’re turning into Victorians
Or: What I Learned About the World from Reading Historical Romances. I learned that sometimes people get *more* uptight over time rather than less. Victorians, according to custom and any number of novels, were concerned with propriety above all. Certain … Continue reading
Posted in Culture, History, Society, Synova's Page
Tagged Culture, Domestic Politics, Historical romance, History
Leave a comment
Visit the People’s Paradise
Communist documents promoting North Korea, which were seized from Cuban personnel during the invasion of Grenada in 1983. Not your ordinary tourist brochures. Click to enlarge: photo: Department of Defense
Posted in History, Lee's Page
Tagged 1983, brochures, communism, communist, Cuba, Grenada, North Korea, paradise, propaganda, tourist
Leave a comment
Just Imagine
(Cross posted at Whatif?) George Santayana told us: “Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” What on earth do you do, though, with those who never learned any history in the first place? A fifth of … Continue reading
Posted in Culture, Education, History, Peg's Page
Tagged Education, Florence Nightengale, History, Richard the Lionheart, Santayana, Sherlock Holmes, Winston Churchill
7 Comments
The Terrible Human Toll
In the annals of excruciating misery during wartime, few events can compare with what befell Napoleon’s troops during his campaign in Russia. From Strange Maps we see the suffering and tragedy in graphic statistical form. (click image to enlarge) “The … Continue reading
Posted in History, Lance's Page
Tagged geography, Grande Armée, History, Napoleon, Russia, scorched earth, Statistics
Leave a comment
Capitalism Primer
Courtesy of Bookwork Room comes this 1948 classic “Fun and Facts about American Business.” It’s a cartoon short that portrays the birth of an entrepreneur, and how bringing his idea to fruition through hard work pays off not just for … Continue reading
Posted in Economics, History, MichaelW's Page
Tagged capitalism, Economics, entrepreneur, job creation, Searcy College, wealth
Leave a comment
Globalization: By Don Boudreaux
(Cross posted at Risk and Return) Cafe Hayek fans take note, it is finally out. Short review from Tyler Cowen: This is the best popular book explaining the benefits of international trade. Imagine Bastiat for 2008, or a Cajun updating … Continue reading
Posted in Books, Developmental economics, Economics, History, Lance's Page
Tagged Bastiat, Books, Don Boudreaux, Economics, globalization, trade, Tyler Cowen
Leave a comment
Soviet Disney World Reborn
With the red stars back on the MiGs, criticism of the government illegal and dissident arrests again in fashion, Soviet reversion is all the rage in Russia. Jim Hill revealed a couple of days ago that apparently Disney is in … Continue reading
Posted in Foreign affairs, History, Lee's Page, Uncategorized
Tagged authoritarianism, communism, Disney, Epcot, Putin, Russia, Soviet Union
Leave a comment
Rain for the Ruins
(photo: Michael Deeble) With heavy rains flooding Southern Africa and displacing thousands, surely saving graces must be found in parched and dying Swaziland, a country long thirsting for a drop of rain. But somewhat typically, that oppressed country’s autocrat King … Continue reading
Posted in Foreign affairs, History, Lee's Page, Uncategorized
Tagged Africa, agriculture, biofuels, dictatorship, drought, economic development, economy, ethanol, foreign aid, George Ayittey, HIV, King, Media, monarchy, Mswati, rain, South Africa, Swaziland
2 Comments
Liberal Fascism: The Secret History of the American Left, From Mussolini to the Politics of Meaning
Echoing a wonderful discussion we had in the fall of 2006 on the nature of Fascism (see here, here and here) Jonah Goldberg writes a book which bristles at the use of the term by the contemporary left. I would … Continue reading
Posted in Books, Culture, Domestic Politics, History, Lance's Page
Tagged capitalism, Domestic Politics, fascism, FDR, Germany, History, Hitler, Italy, left, liberalism, Mussolini, National Socialism, right, Roosevelt, socialism
15 Comments
“XMas” Origins
Jon Henke posts an interesting history lesson concerning the origins of the well-known abbreviation for Christmas: Growing up, I sometimes heard – in church and from various religious scolds – that XMas was a secular attempt to “take Christ out … Continue reading
Posted in Culture, History, MichaelW's Page, Religion and theology, Society
Tagged Bible, Book of Kells, Chi Rho, Christmas, Xmas
6 Comments
Blast From The Fashion Past
The linked post is a couple of months old, but the thoughts are yours to treasure for a lifetime. Remembering the ’70′s: Last weekend I put an exhaust fan in the ceiling for my wife’s grandfather. After a bunch of … Continue reading
Posted in Culture, History, Humor, MichaelW's Page
Leave a comment
Happy Repeal Day!
For information on Repeal Day you can visit www.repealday.org: The turn of the twentieth century was a dark time in America. The Women’s Christian Temperance Union, which had been promoting Prohibition for many years, believed alcohol was the cause of … Continue reading
Posted in Culture, History, Lance's Page, Law, Libertarianism, Society
2 Comments
Ron Paul on Racism
I don’t think Ron Paul is a racist, or rather I don’t claim to have any evidence he is, and that is enough to hold from suggesting he is. However, his view of racism and its history is rather bizarre … Continue reading
Posted in Culture, Domestic Politics, Election 2008, History, Lance's Page, Race
6 Comments
The Key To US-French Relations
Newly elected French President Nicolas Sarkozy just completed a diplomacy visit with President Bush to much critical acclaim. As part of his playing host, Bush escorted Sarkozy to Mt. Vernon, the estate of Pres. George Washington, which is located about … Continue reading
Posted in Foreign affairs, History, MichaelW's Page
2 Comments
Powerful Imagery
Michael Yon captures a moment on film that in a world with a meritocratic media would surely garner a Pulitzer: A Muslim man had invited the American soldiers from “Chosen” Company 2-12 Infantry to the church, where I videotaped as … Continue reading
Shift Happens
Sometimes information like this makes me sit back and think “whoa” (sounding to much like neo in the matrix.) Not only is this a small world (which we often forget,) but it is becoming an exponentially complex and interconnected one. … Continue reading
Posted in Culture, Economics, Education, History, Keith's Page, Religion and theology, Society, Technology
4 Comments
Che-canery
It is a sad commentary upon the state of the world that anniversary of a bloodthirsty tyrant’s death is celebrated around the world, and here in the United States, not with glee that his anti-freedom rampage was cut short, but … Continue reading
Posted in Domestic Politics, Foreign affairs, History, Hugo Chavez, Media, MichaelW's Page
15 Comments
News Brief, À Cause Des Garçons Edition
Cross-posted on The Conjecturer. Defense & The War Dear God. The USAF thinks it will win counterinsurgencies by copying the Viet Cong? These guys are almost as bad as the PMFs. In a must-read analysis, Abu Muqawama concludes, “This, America, … Continue reading
News Brief, Tales of Taboo Edition
Cross-posted on The Conjecturer. Defense & The War Finally, after years of occupying their country, we’ve liberated Iraq from the burden of living in fear for collaborating with us. P.W. Singer (again) on the devil’s bargain of PMCs. I like … Continue reading
Good News, Bad News and The Big Idea
This is good news (via Insty): The U.S. military is eliminating Al Qaida’s chain of command in Iraq. Officials said several leading aides to Al Qaida network chief Abu Ayoub Al Masri have been killed by the U.S.-led coalition. They … Continue reading
News Brief, Lover’s Spit Edition
Three kinds of busy over at The Conjecturer. Good News I was ambushed by the Anonymous Lobbyist of Wonkette fame, and asked a lot of questions about Central Asia for Jezebel, a sister publication in the Gawker blog family. The … Continue reading
Towards A New Peace
Glenn Reynolds points to some interesting remarks regarding a plan for US withdrawal from Iraq: In a report to be released Sunday, a panel of experts assembled by the U.S. Institute of Peace calls for a 50 percent reduction in … Continue reading
Living History
Does the blogosphere make history more relevant? Is it possible that Santayana’s famous admonishment is made less likely by bloggers routinely wielding history as a foil to those arguments favoring actions proven desultory in the past? And that’s not to … Continue reading
Posted in Domestic Politics, Economics, History, Investing, Libertarianism, MichaelW's Page
1 Comment
Constitutional Matters at the New York Times
So, when you spend a great deal of time touting your authority based on the unique advantages of editors, the question must be asked, who reviews the views and claims of the editors? From the editorial board of the New … Continue reading
Posted in History, Lance's Page, Law, Media
56 Comments
Just how close to economic fascism did we come?
We may have been closer than we think in 1935, though Nate Oman believes the threat would have receded in the light of political reality. Whatever the case, the discussion of the case of Schechter Poultry Corp. v. United States … Continue reading
Posted in Economics, History, Lance's Page, Law, Libertarianism
1 Comment
Capitalist Genes (Updated)
Is it possible that a proclivity for capitalism is genetic, and therefore hereditary? At first blush the idea seems preposterous. How can an idea be hereditary? And how can capitalism, which rewards innovation, risk-taking, and creativity, no matter who you … Continue reading
Niall Ferguson asks if the Marshall Plan Mattered
To sum it up he gives us this: In all likelihood, then, Western Europe could have pulled through without the Marshall Plan. But it certainly could not have pulled through without the United States. At the time that Marshall made … Continue reading
Posted in Economics, History, Lance's Page
Leave a comment
How High to set the Bar
Instapundit today revisits a theme I have touched on a few times over the last year. I have maintained a pretty standard reply to claims about the awfulness of this administration. When I hear about how incompetent, dangerous, uninterested in … Continue reading
Posted in Domestic Politics, History, Lance's Page, Law, Libertarianism, Notes on the war
Leave a comment
Stunningly morally and intellectually obtuse
Senator and former presidential flop John Kerry astounds us with his ability for self deception. From Don Surber I find this: Breitbart TV has video of Democratic Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts telling a whopper on C-Span. Sen. John Kerry … Continue reading
Posted in Domestic Politics, History, Lance's Page
1 Comment
Trust Us, We’re From the Govt – II
Yep, there were valid reasons for investigating the CIA in the 70′s. I think the direction the agency went after those investigations and the resulting oversight and laws put on them, was overly reliant on technology, and less on getting … Continue reading
Posted in Domestic Politics, History, Keith's Page
1 Comment
Once More Into The Abyss
Probably the most confounding thing about the majority of modern journalists is their unsupportable claim to objectivity. They hold themselves out as above the fray, elusively detached from the world around them except as impartial observers designated to convey the … Continue reading
Posted in Domestic Politics, Foreign affairs, History, Media, MichaelW's Page
3 Comments
The Trouble With Harry
Is it really any mystery? The Senate Majority Leader is nothing more than a partisan hack who is solely interested in keeping power firmly in the hands of the Democrats. (Supposedly for the wonderful perks.) He is the spearhead for … Continue reading