“Wired is running a story on the 2005 Foot In Mouth Awards.” From the article: “Tech execs say the darndest things. And so do shuffling presidents, and disgraced scientists, and Wikipedia fakers. It’s time to relive 2005’s biggest spoken gaffes.”
Archive for the ‘History’ Category
2005 Foot In Mouth Awards
Wednesday, December 28th, 2005World Art Treasures
Saturday, December 24th, 2005World Art Treasures : “What is essential in my approach consists of not “letting the others profit,” as is too often thought, but to PROFIT ALONG WITH OTHERS from the dual experience of my studies and travel, sharing the emotions of my discoveries and encounters, to maintain faith in this miracle that is life. ” –
J-E Berger
Australia’s Earliest Footprints Found
Friday, December 23rd, 2005
The shifting sands of time have revealed Australia’s earliest human footprints, giving a glimpse of life at the height of the last ice age.
At tens of thousands of years old, the find is the largest group of human footprints from the Pleistocene era ever found.
Archaeologist Matthew Cupper of the University of Melbourne and colleagues reported their findings from the New South Wales Willandra Lakes World Heritage Area online ahead of print publication in the Journal of Human Evolution.
“It’s a little snapshot in time,” said Cupper. “The possibilities are endless in terms of getting a window into past Aboriginal society.”
Ancient Maya Mural Unveiled
Wednesday, December 21st, 2005
U.S. archaeologists have discovered the “Sistine Chapel” of the Maya civilization — a finely painted, well preserved mural depicting the Maya creation myth and the crowning of a king.
Unearthed inside a ruined pyramid in the Guatemalan jungle near the ancient Maya city of San Bartolo, the 100 B.C painting is the oldest intact mural ever found in Meso-America.
The 30- by three-foot painting stood on the western wall of a room attached to the pyramid, said archaeologist William Saturno, of the University of New Hampshire and the Harvard Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology.
Saturno made ” the discovery of a lifetime” in 2001 by chance. To seek refuge from the tropical heat, he ducked into a looters’ trench cut into a jungle-covered pyramid.
As he shone his flashlight on the walls, he was astonished.
Anton Webern
Sunday, September 18th, 2005‘A novel contained in a single sigh’ On Sept. 15, 1945, Anton Webern stepped out to smoke a cigar. An American soldier, seeing the glow of the cigar, panicked and shot Webern three times. Webern, along with Arnold Schoenberg and Alban Berg, is credited with — or blamed for — ushering in an era of composition emphasizing strict, mathematical order over all elements of music, a reaction against the suicidal excess of Romanticism. On the anniversary of his death, BBC Radio 3 hosts Webern Day, during which Webern’s complete works will be broadcast. The total time to perform his 31 works is about three hours.
Collect Britain: Accents & Dialects
Sunday, September 11th, 2005In England alone, an intrepid traveler may overhear hundreds of dialects and accents. What’s more extraordinary is how these brogues and drawls have evolved throughout the 20th century. Thanks to the British Library’s Sound Archive, you can eavesdrop on English people from across the country without packing your bags. For instance, meet Dick Gilbert. In 1958, when he was 79 years old, he spoke about his experience as a young farm hand. The Sound Archive offers the lexis, phonology, and grammar break-down of Dick’s commentary. But more importantly, it allows you to marvel at his voice. With recordings ranging from the 1950s to 1999, the site offers a wealth of samples. Some are downright incomprehensible, some are thoroughly entertaining,
but all are fascinating. So listen up; England is speaking to you
Threadbared
Wednesday, July 6th, 2005
We never considered vintage sewing patterns to be creepy or uproarious — until we stumbled upon Threadbared. It seems Mary and Kimberly, two nice girls from the South and the proud hosts of Threadbared, have this vast collection of old sewing patterns, and they like nothing better than to sit around and mock their acquisitions. For instance, they point out the modelesque woman from the 1940s who appears to have her hand trapped in a muff. Or the feather-haired couple in matching sweaters mugging happily in front of … the apocalypse. And while we’re willing to buy these three men hanging out in their pajamas, why is that guy brandishing a golf club? If you, like Mary and Kimberley, love all things vintage or all things snarky, this site may just leave you in stitches.
100 Milestone Documents
Monday, June 27th, 2005100 Milestone Documents. High-quality viewable and downloadable documents of American History, from 1776 to 1965. Of course the usual suspects are available, but you can also see \ items like the Patent for the Cotton Gin (1794) and the Check for the Purchase of Alaska (1868). Also downloadable PDFs, transcripts, and background information on each document.
Brazilian doctors uncover ‘Michelangelo code’
Sunday, June 26th, 2005Move over Da Vinci Code.
Two Brazilian doctors and amateur art lovers believe they have uncovered a secret lesson on human anatomy hidden by Renaissance artist Michelangelo in the Sistine Chapel’s ceiling.
Completed nearly 500 years ago, the brightly colored frescoes painted on the
Vatican’s famous sanctuary are considered some of the world’s greatest works of art. They depict Biblical scenes such as the “Creation of Adam” in which God reaches out to touch Adam’s finger.
A new twist on an old myth
Friday, June 24th, 2005Watch and hear Sita singing the blues, by Nina Paley in Sitayana.
Broadsword calling Danny Boy
Saturday, May 21st, 2005Channel 4’s 100 Greatest War Films as voted for by their (generally more clued-up than average) viewership has plenty for you to disagree with, but much to recommend. Filmsite.org has a history of war films (as does Berkeley) for the completists among you. There are more war films from and about Vietnam and Indochina than you can shake a bayonet at (see also the 1999 NYT article, Apocalypse Then: Vietnam Marketing War Films to learn a little about the Vietnamese government’s 1960s and 70s archive of war film). The [British] national archives have archived film from pre-WWI to the Cold War.
Seymour Topping
Friday, May 20th, 2005I am very pleased, as predicted in January, Seymour Topping and his book 
FATAL CROSSROADS: A Novel of Vietnam 1945 are making waves.
Magic Feathers by James W. Reid
Friday, April 29th, 2005
This lavishly illustrated large-format art book by James Reid - is the first major publication in the world devoted entirely to this magnificent ancient art form. It focuses on the aesthetic beauty of the feather textiles and three-dimensional objects, unparalleled in their artistry and sophistication, that were created for the elite of the ancient Andean world between approximately 500 BC and 1550 AD.
Son of a British Army Officer and UN diplomat, and of an American mother, James Reid was educated at England’s 600 year old Winchester College, at Princeton (BA), the Ecole de Sciences Politiques ( Paris), Stanford (MA), and with doctoral studies at the University of Buenos Aires.
The author, internationally recognised as one of the leading authors and scholars on the textile art of ancient America, focuses on:
- The characteristics and chronology of the major featherwork-producing cultures of ancient Peru, and the geographical features of the area.
- Technical facets of feather textile production, including: sources of the feathers; different types of feather objects; creation and construction; dating and cultural attribution.
- The religious, political, social, psychological, economic and communication roles of the feather textiles in ancient Peruvian life.
- Design concepts and the meaning and importance of the motifs and shapes employed.
- The parallels to be drawn between ancient Peruvian feather textiles and Modern Art.
He is the author of eleven major books, which contain introductions by HRH Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, Mario Vargas Llosa and such internationally renowned archaeologists as Federico Kauffmann-Doig. He has presented his books personally, in official ceremonies, to the Presidents of Brazil and Peru.
In addition to numerous other publications( scholarly articles and museum catalogues, et al.,), he has been guest lecturer at US universities ( Princeton, Yale, Syracuse), and such institutions as the Americas’ Society, New York; the Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto; the Israel Museum, Jerusalem , and numerous South American institutions. He was recently invited by Germain Viatte, Directeur du Musee du quai Branly – French President Chirac’s huge new museum, ten years in construction( due to open in 2006) – to lecture in Paris, and to author a 100 page catalogue.
A linguist in seven languages, Colonel Reid is an elected member of New York’s prestigious Explorers Club as the result of his expeditions to, and accounts of remote areas of the world. An artist who studied in Paris, he has exhibited his paintings internationally – primarily in France, the US and South America.
An excellent Feather book though not so feather-weight (11 pounds)
Cover-Ups
Monday, January 17th, 2005Exposing 
“The Man’s” cover-ups has long been an obsession of conspiracy theorists. Whether they’re insisting the Apollo moon landings were staged or agonizing over how Small Wonder ever got the green light, this is a group that definitely takes its media coverage with a grain (or two) of salt. Cover-Ups.com allows like-minded seekers of “truth” a chance to pull back the curtain on history’s more infamous conspiracies. All the classic questions are pondered: Was Big Foot a giant, furry beast or just a wandering woodsman with an aversion to photographers? Does Area 51 really house the bodies of little green men? And while we’re at it, who the heck killed JFK? The site even has a section dedicated to that friend of the working man, Jimmy Hoffa — a fella whose unsolved disappearance is still making news 28 years later. An ideal site for those who imagine they’re not getting the whole story, Cover-Ups.com encourages you to indulge your suspicious side.
FATAL CROSSROADS: A Novel of Vietnam 1945
Friday, January 14th, 2005
As a child in Bombay, India I enjoyed reading international newspapers at the library. Initially it was just a desire to know what is happening in the far away land. One name that kept coming over and over again was Seymour Topping. I must have read every article of his which I could find. To me New York Times became a great newspaper when Seymour Topping joined them.
Seymour Topping has devoted much of his fifty years in journalism to covering Vietnam and China as a correspondent and editor. He became the first American correspondent to be stationed in Vietnam after World War II when in 1950 after reporting the Chinese civil war for three years he opened the Associated Press bureau in Saigon. Following two years of roaming Indochina and traveling with the French Foreign Legion along the China border, he went to posts in London and Berlin. He joined the New York Times in 1959 and after three years in Moscow as chief correspondent became Chief Correspondent Southeast Asia. He was appointed Foreign Editor in 1969 serving later as Managing Editor for ten years. He was the Administrator of the Pulitzer Prizes and is now SanPaolo Professor Emeritus of International Journalism at Columbia University and lives with his wife, Audrey, a photojournalist, in Scarsdale, New York. He has written three fiction books so far.
Today I am lucky to know the Toppings personally and to be invited for his book party of “FATAL CROSSROADS: A Novel of Vietnam 1945”. It is an historical novel and except for the story characters is historically accurate. To me this book is especially interesting to read since I can draw similarities with the current situation in Iraq.
I can proudly say that like Walter Cronkite, U.S. Broadcast Journalist, Neil Sheehan, Pulitzer Prize author, A Bright Shining Lie: John Paul Vann and America in Vietnam, Henry F. Graff, Historian and editor, History of the Presidents, A.J. Langguth, author, Our Vietnam, David Phillips, Council on foreign relations, Dr. Andrew Economos, Chairman of RCS and many more; I know Seymour Topping and am a fan of his.
I wish the world would learn a lesson from history and from Mr. Seymour Topping!
Fatal Crossroads: A Novel of Vietnam 1945 by Seymour Topping
The Great Auto Race of 1908
Sunday, January 2nd, 2005
Imagine driving in an auto race from New York to Paris in 1908, when horses were considered more reliable than cars. The Great Auto Race began in the bitter cold of winter and traveled westward to Alaska, across the Pacific Ocean to Siberia, then on to Paris; traversing areas where roads were rare. Competing teams from around the globe included France, Germany, Italy, and the United States. George Schuster Sr. from Buffalo, N.Y., won the race and still holds the world record. Follow the American Thomas Flyer on its winning journey across more than 22,000 miles and three continents in 169 days. Learn about the restoration of the Flyer in 1964, with the
help of a 92-year-old George Schuster. Then sit back and enjoy the highlight of this site — its video collection. Stay tuned for the centennial celebration in 2008.
i love you
Tuesday, December 28th, 2004classic movie dialogues
The Color Of Bhutan
Wednesday, December 8th, 2004
Check out the third exhibition of Audrey Topping’s photo artwork of “Bhutan, The Kingdom Of The Thunder Dragon” in New York, capturing her impressions of Bhutanese life, religion and culture in a series a dramatic photographs.
A prize-winning photojournalist and author of six books, Audrey has exhibited her photographs and lectured in numerous galleries and universities, notably: The Metropolitan Museum, Hallmark Gallery, Overseas Press Club, Explorers Club, Harvard University, Katonah Gallery of Art, Royal Ontario Museum and Westchester Community College. Her articles and photographs have been printed in major publications in The United States and abroad. Including two cover stories as photographer and writer for National Geographic Magazine. The New York Times Magazine published 17 of her articles, including 10 cover stories from China and Russia. Her China photos were featured on the covers of Life and Newsweek. Other work has appeared in such publications as Time, Readers Digest, Science Digest, Art in America, GEO, Foreign Affairs Magazine, Toronto Star, Le Temp Strategic. 
Audrey attended the University of Nanking, China, UBC in British Columbia and studied art in Berlin and London, where she exhibited her sculptures at the Royal Academy of Art. She received an honorary Doctor of Arts from Rider College N.J. In 2000 Audrey and her husband, Seymour Topping, were awarded the first annual Greenway-Winship Award for their significant contribution to a better understanding of world affairs. She is a member of The Council of Foreign Affairs, Asia Society and the Society of Woman Geographers. Toppings have 5 daughters and live in Scarsdale NY.
The exhibit in the Bhutanese Mission on first Avenue is worth a trip to see. Audrey Topping’s photographic and photo-oneiric images, as brilliantly colorful as the Buddhist culture they represent, will utterly defeat the endless grey of December. They are full of motion and beauty and humor, and will tell you something about a happy and ancient culture that is worth knowing. All the two hundred images at the exhibit are for sale, and the proceeds go to aid in the Queen’s efforts to help Bhutanese children.
The exhibit is at the Permanent Mission of The Kingdom of Bhutan to The United Nations 763 First Avenue United Nations Plaza between 43th and 44th st. NY 10017. Open until December 14th 2004, Monday to Friday from 11AM to 4PM.
(click on the links to view images)
New York Changing
Tuesday, November 23rd, 2004
click the image to enter.
Bata Shoe Museum
Tuesday, November 16th, 2004
Next time you find yourself limping at the end of the day and cursing your Manolos or Jimmys, take a virtual step into the Bata Shoe Museum to see how much worse it could have been. The museum’s online collections chronicle the evolution of sandals, slippers, clogs, and boots from around the world over the past 4500 years. Check out the predecessors of super-trendy Ugg boots in the Circumpolar group, Syrian kabkabs with mother-of-pearl inlay in the Ethnologial collection, or Elton John’s silver and red platforms in the Walk of Fame. Think you know a thing or two about shoes through the ages? The fun facts quiz will help determine if you’re a true Imelda-in-training.
The Mongols in World History
Tuesday, October 26th, 2004
The Mongols have gotten an unfairly bad rap outside of Asia. You may have heard that Genghis Khan was a ruthless conqueror. But his real achievement was unifying the Mongolian tribes, so they honored him with the title “Chinggis Khan” (Khan of All Between the Oceans). Chinggis encouraged religious tolerance and created a legal code. OK, he did lead three invasions across China and central Asia. But Khan and his descendants made invaluable contributions to art, medicine, and architecture. They also forged a crucial trade link between Asia and Europe. This handsome site gives some respect to Mongol civilization and its legacy.
