From A Grand Complication: The Race to Build the World’s Most Legendary Watch by Stacy Perman. Think about the daily pollution, filth, and disease that existed on city streets prior to the advent of the automobile. A nod to Dr. Boudreaux…
Tag Archive for History
Book Review: Exploding The Phone by Phil Lapsley
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This book (official site) just came out early February 2013. There was a good review in the WSJ on it so I ordered it. Exploding The Phone is the story of phone “phreaking”/hacking form the early days right up through the birth…
Scary 1950s Nuke Test Story
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This guy was apparently a test pilot. They would fly near nuke explosions (Operation Redwing) to see the effects on aircraft and pilots. This recollection is scary as hell. Nuke the Pilot – Military Aviation – Air & Space Magazine:…
Amazing Private Library
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This is fantastic. Definitely click through and see the pics. Browse the Artifacts of Geek History in Jay Walker’s Library: Nothing quite prepares you for the culture shock of Jay Walker’s library. You exit the austere parlor of his New…
Rare 1796 Half-Cent Coin Fetches $357,000 At Auction
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Not bad, but it’s not quite a $1-Trillion Coin. (pic via HuffPo) Rare 1796 U.S. Half-Cent Coin Belonging To Deceased Mountain Climber Fetches $357,000 At Auction: A rare U.S. half-cent coin from 1796 fetched $357,000 at auction this week. The piece…
Quick Book Review: Citadel: The Battle of Kursk by Robin Cross
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The title is: Citadel: The Battle of Kursk by Robin Cross. I didn’t really plan it this way, but I guess I’ve been on a bit of a WWII Eastern Front thing lately with books. Maybe it’s from too much Hogan’s…
Quick Book Review: Blood Red Snow: The Memoirs of a German Soldier on the Eastern Front
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The book is Blood Red Snow: The Memoirs of a German Soldier on the Eastern Front by Gunter K. Koschorrek. Saw this title while checking another in recent months. The book is very anti-war in tone. The brief synopis from Amazon reads:…
Quick Book Review: The Face of Battle: A Study of Agincourt, Waterloo, and the Somme
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I recently wrapped-up The Face of Battle: A Study of Agincourt, Waterloo, and the Somme by John Keegan in paperback. I didn’t realize this until fairly recently but apparently it’s considered a classic look (the many reviews at Amazon are overwhelmingly positive) at…
To Be A “Lifelong Pigeon Fancier”
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Fascinating, and fun, story. (pic via WSJ) But I do hope never to be known as a “lifelong pigeon fancier.” Pigeon Defeats U.K. Code Breakers – WSJ.com: LONDON—Britain’s world-renowned code-cracking intelligence experts have admitted they’ve met their match—in a dead…
Two Inside Looks At NASA …
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These are fun. Going boldly: Behind the scenes at NASA’s hallowed Mission Control Center – Ars Technica: HOUSTON, TEXAS—Astronauts have been saying “Houston” into their radios since 1965. The callsign refers in general to the Johnson Space Center in Texas,…