Category Archives: History

HOW BANKS PREPARED FOR A U.S. DEFAULT.

Posted on January 31, 2012 by Philip

HOW BANKS PREPARED FOR A U.S. DEFAULT. Gillian Tett describes how large banks in the United States made preparations in 2001 for a possible United States technical default which might have resulted from the Congressional impasse over whether to raise … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, History | 2 Comments

A 25 % CHANCE OF A EURO DEFAULT?

Posted on January 30, 2012 by Philip

A 25% CHANCE OF A EURO DEFAULT? In the Financial Times for January 27, Gillian Tett had the kind of article that I would like to see more of. She apparently talked to a number of senior bankers in Davos … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, History, Journalism | 1 Comment

ADELA ROGERS ST. JOHNS.

Posted on January 27, 2012 by Philip

ADELA ROGERS ST. JOHNS. I posted here that Bill James believes that Clarence Darrow was guilty of bribing a juror and added that Earl Rogers, Darrow’s defense lawyer at Darrow’s trial for bribing the juror, also believed he was guilty. … Continue reading →

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WAS CLARENCE DARROW A JURY TAMPERER?

Posted on January 26, 2012 by Philip

WAS CLARENCE DARROW A JURY TAMPERER? John Farrell had an article in the Smithsonian (December 2011) which asked that question. Farrell has written a book which concludes that he did. Darrow was defending two unionists who were charged with setting … Continue reading →

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A VOTE FOR THE INVENTION OF AGRICULTURE BEING A GOOD THING.

Posted on January 18, 2012 by Philip

A VOTE FOR THE INVENTION OF AGRICULTURE BEING A GOOD THING. In her article, Elif Batumen raises the argument Jared Diamond makes that the invention of agriculture was “the worst mistake in the history of the human race”—responsible for “the … Continue reading →

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DID BEER LEAD TO THE INVENTION OF AGRICULTURE?

Posted on January 17, 2012 by Philip

DID BEER LEAD TO THE INVENTION OF AGRICULTURE? I had a conversation recently with my friend Don Warfield in which he told me about the archaeological theory that hunter gatherers turned to agriculture because of beer. This article describes the … Continue reading →

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DID RELIGIOUS MONUMENTS LEAD TO THE INVENTION OF AGRICULTURE?

Posted on January 16, 2012 by Philip

DID RELIGIOUS MONUMENTS LEAD TO THE INVENTION OF AGRICULTURE? Elif Batuman had an article (abstract here) in the New Yorker (December 19 and 26) about Gobekli Tepe, an archaeological site which is estimated to be over 11,000 years old. There … Continue reading →

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VICTORIAN HARPOONS IN TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY WHALES.

Posted on January 14, 2012 by Philip

VICTORIAN HARPOONS IN TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY WHALES. Nick and his friend Jane went to the whaling museum in New Bedford recently and were struck by the fact that whales are being found today that are carrying harpoons that were fired in … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Literature, Science | 1 Comment

THE LAKE BELOW THE OPERA.

Posted on January 7, 2012 by Philip

THE LAKE BELOW THE OPERA. The audience watching The Phantom of the Opera may well think that there are elements of fantasy in the story. However, as Neil Shea points out: “Beneath the Paris Opera House, for example, sits a … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Theater | 1 Comment

MAPS OF THE UNDERGROUND QUARRIES OF PARIS.

Posted on January 7, 2012 by Philip

MAPS OF THE UNDERGROUND QUARRIES OF PARIS. Here is a website with maps of the underground quarries of Paris from the year 1200 on. “Quarries being exploited (gypsum and limestone) are colored in orange, and the abandonned [sic] quarries are … Continue reading →

Posted in History | 1 Comment