Category Archives: History

Postcards from Chernobyl

Posted on November 30, 2014 by Brian D. Butler

Just yesterday I saw a story online about the return of brown bears to the Chernobyl region after an absence of more than a century. The 1986 nuclear disaster may have been a catastrophe for people, but may ironically be … Continue reading →

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Happy Thanksgiving

Posted on November 27, 2014 by Brian D. Butler
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Breaking Down Walls

Posted on November 8, 2014 by Brian D. Butler

Airbnb is celebrating the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall with a short animated film inspired by a true story. “Wall and Chain” recounts the story of two former border guards, one from each side of divided … Continue reading →

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London Obsessions

Posted on November 4, 2014 by Brian D. Butler

I’m a fanatical museum goer, and I’ve visited all of London’s important cultural institutions, but I’m a lazy slacker compared to Jo Hunt, Mary Rees and Linda Smither. These three Londoners share an obsession to visit every museum in London. … Continue reading →

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House of Wax

Posted on November 1, 2014 by Brian D. Butler

On London’s Southwark Street, just south of the River Thames, you’ll find Alex Chinneck’s unnerving, life-size project, A pound of flesh for 50p. Starting as a full-scale, two-story house made out of 8,000 wax bricks, the sculpture will eventually be … Continue reading →

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Vienna Waits For You

Posted on October 13, 2014 by Brian D. Butler

The last time that I visited Vienna I was disappointed (and a bit disoriented) to be deposited at the Wien Meidling station in the far southwest of the city. So I was pleased to hear that the new Wiener Hauptbahnhof … Continue reading →

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Poe Comes Home

Posted on October 4, 2014 by Brian D. Butler

Tomorrow afternoon, a new bronze statue “Poe Returns To Boston” will be unveiled at Edgar Allan Poe Square, close to the Boston Commons and the iconic author’s birthplace. Almost 165 years to the day after his death at age 40, … Continue reading →

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America’s Favorite Family

Posted on September 26, 2014 by Brian D. Butler

You’ve loved the Simpsons for years, but how well do you really know America’s favorite family ? Now their creator Matt Groening’s new book The Simpson Family (Abrams) reveals a quarter of a century of Simpson facts in a fun … Continue reading →

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Can You Trust Talking Statues

Posted on August 21, 2014 by Brian D. Butler

Talking Statues is a new project from the non-profit group Sing London, which aims to lift public spirits by giving famous statues a voice. For the next year, thirty-five prominent bronze or stone statues in London and Manchester will be … Continue reading →

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Some Tourist Advice Is Timeless

Posted on August 19, 2014 by Brian D. Butler

H/t to the Public Domain Review for this marvelous 19th century book of advice for visitors to London. Sadly, The London Guide to Stranger’s Safeguard against the Cheats, Swindlers and Pickpockets (1819) still offers some sage counsel for travelers today. … Continue reading →

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