One of the most popular current television series produced in Spain must be the heist crime drama series Money Heist created by Álex Pina. A mastermind known as “The Professor” recruits a group of eight people who are each given a code names with a city. The group is to rob the Royal Mint of Spain, and somehow escape without anyone of them getting hurt or seized. Netflix acquired global streaming rights in late 2017. Continue reading

Bernard Baruch (1870-1965) the very same day the future president Donald Trump was born in Queens, New York, the so called Baruch Plan was proposed to the United Nations in that same city? The plan was a proposal by the United States government to the United Nations Atomic Energy Commission (UNAEC) during its first meeting. On June 14th, 1946. Written largely by Bernard Baruch but based on the Acheson–Lilienthal Report. Continue reading

Johnny Weismuller as Tarzan in 1932 Who of us hasn’t heard of Tarzan, the fictional character created by Edgar Rice Burroughs. The films and television series based on his 1914 book Tarzan of the Apes number quite a few. The most memorable actor portraying Tarzan is for many of us Johnny Weismuller, whereas the latest one is the Swedish actor Alexander Skarsgård in The Legend of Tarzan from 2016. Here below we have a list of all the actors that have portrayed this character throughout the years, both in films and in television series. Continue reading

Another one in our series First Names First! Your “task” – should you accept it – is to pick one of the names below, then follow the Wikipedia link to read about the person, and to see what if anything she could contribute your life with. Lives lived have all something to tell us – let them! This time it is all about Anna/Ana! Anna Maria Garthwaite* textile designer – Harston, Leicestershire, England (1688) Continue reading

This time in Streets & Squares, the city of Vancouver! The westernmost city of Canada, named after the British Navy officer and explorer George Vancouver. As always in Streets & Squares, clicking on the address links leads you to Google Maps, and clicking on the names to the person’s Wikipedia page. Many of the streets in Vancouver are named after colonial imperialists, omitting the fact that there is a lot of First Nations history in Vancouver. Continue reading

In the year 1627, the Dutch ship ’t Gulden Zeepaert makes the first recorded sighting of the coast of South Australia (Jan), England lands the first European settlers on Barbados (Feb 17), Ottoman pirates start raiding Iceland (Jun 20) and capture hundreds of Icelanders to be sold into slavery on the Barbary Coast (by Jul 19), rock blasting is invented - and all these fine people were born: 1627-0125 Robert Boyle* chemist/physicist/ inventor - Lismore Castle, County Waterford, Ireland (1691/64) Continue reading

Johnny Johnsson - May 0, 2020Now that there are too many people in the woods, and many not remembering to keep their distance! Is it so in Finland? You in Finland seem to appreciate the tranquility of the forest more than Swedes! As you know, I love the forests, and unfortunately I see as few people there now as before the outbreak of the pandemic. Yes, I do believe that Finns might love forests a bit more than the Swedes. Continue reading

Rush hour at a Path station. Photo credit Dan DeLuca I started writing this article before COVID-19 caused by the SARS-CoV-2 changed things for us all. Now at the time of publication, it takes of necessity another turn. Hopefully the corona pandemic too. The article concerned our healthy longing for that quiet place away from the constant crowdiness and noise in the streets, escalators, corridores, stores and wherever people need to be and go. Continue reading

In the year 1451, Murad II, Sultan of the Ottoman Empire is succeeded by his son, Mehmed II (Feb 18), the French capture Bayonne, the last English stronghold in Goyenne in Southern France (Aug 20), the University of Glasgow is founded, the Great Peacemaker along with Jigonhsasee and Hiawatha, found the Iroquois Confederacy, comprising the Mohawk, Onondaga, Oneida, Cayuga, and Seneca - and all these fine people were born: 1451-0114 Franchinus Gaffurius* music theorist/composer - Lodi, Italy (1522/71) Continue reading

Yet another piece in our series First Names First! This time about Andrew! Below is a chronological list of some of them. Pick one name and then follow the Wikipedia link to read about these men, and see what if anything they could contribute your life with. Give a couple of minutes of your life to this. Lives lived all have something to tell us – let them! Andrew Melville* scholar/ theologian/religious reformer – Baldovie, Scotland (1545-1622) Continue reading

Battle of Narva in 1700 Protestant Western Europe, except England, start using the Gregorian calendar (Jan 1), the Great Northern War begins (Feb 12), Protestant Germany and Denmark-Norway adopt the Gregorian calendar (Mar 1), Russian army invades Swedish Estonia in Narva (Aug), the militaristic Swedish King Charles XII defeats the Russian army at the Battle of Narva (Nov 30), this is the year when calendars get switched, at different times in different countries - and all these fine people were born: Continue reading

The Tuscarora War ends as the Tuscarora and their allies sign a peace treaty with the Province of Carolina (Feb 11), a total solar eclipse is seen across southern England, Sweden and Finland (the last total eclipse visible in London for almost 900 years (May 3), the first wet dock yard in the world opens in Liverpool (Aug 31), Swedish troops occupy Norway (Dec 24) – and all these fine people were born: Continue reading

This time in Language Day one simple but very current word, sadly to say - otherwise depicting something fine and majestic, rooted in history. We talk about the disease COVID-19, which is colloquially called Corona and here we go through what that word is in some languages, in its meaning as the royal headwear. It does have another meaning as well of course, as currency for some monarchies - also very current as it threatens to wreck the economy of both individuals and countries worldwide. Continue reading

Yet another piece in our series First Names First! This time about Grace! Below is a chronological list of some of them. Pick one name and then follow the Wikipedia link to read about these women, and see what if anything they could contribute your life with. Give a couple of minutes of your life to this. Lives lived all have something to tell us – let them! Grace Sherwood* (b White) farmer/ midwife//convicted of witchcraft – Pungo, Colony of Virginia (1660) Continue reading

Fort Caroline in Jacksonville, Florida In the year 1564, French settlers abandon Charlesfort, the first French attempt at colonizing what is now the United States, and establish Fort Caroline in Florida (Jun 22), the Ronneby Bloodbath takes place in Denmark (now in Sweden) (Sep 4), Spanish Conquistador Miguel López de Legazpi sails from Mexico, later to conquer the Philippine Islands (Nov 21) - and all these fine people were born: Continue reading

This time in Streets & Squares we won’t be dealing with any one city, but with any city in the world that is facing the serious threat of the COVID-19 virus, also known as the Corona virus. There actually is a city of Corona (crown in Spanish), or rather, several cities with that name. One in Riverside County in Southern California. There is also a town, city or community with that name in Minnesota, Missouri, New Mexico, South Dakota and Tennessee. Continue reading

Sweden gains new areas in 1617 (Ingria in yellow, Kexholm in gray) In the year 1617, with the Treaty of Stolbovo, Sweden gains Ingria and Kexholm from Russia (Feb 27), the Spanish navy defeats a Dutch fleet in the Philippines (Apr 24), a naval battle between the Sicilians and Venetians ends inconclusively (Nov 17), at least seven women are sentenced to death by burning for witchcraft in Sweden – and all these fine people were born: Continue reading

St. Patrick’s Day in New York City in 2013 In the year 1762, Britain declares war on Spain and Naples (Jan 4), thousands of Sikhs are slaughtered in the Great Holocaust in Punjab, India (Feb 2), the first Saint Patrick’s Day Parade in New York City takes place in lower Manhattan (Mar 17), the Treaty of Saint Petersburg ends the war between Russia and Prussia (May 15), Catherine II becomes empress of Russia (Jul 9), the British East India Company seizes Manila from the Spaniards (Aug 10), and make it an Open Port (Oct 5) – and all these fine people were born: Continue reading

Yet another piece in our series First Names First! This time about Gary! Below is a chronological list of some of them. Pick one name, then follow the Wikipedia link to read about the person, and see what if anything he could contribute your life with. Give a couple of minutes of your life to this. Lives lived all have something to tell us – let them! Gary Cooper* actor – Helena, MT USA (1901) Continue reading

If you have yet to see the multinational drama television series Vikings, created and written by Michael Hirst for the History channel, I recommend that you do! Filmed in Ireland, it premiered in Canada in 2013. The sixth and the last season came out in December 2019. There is also a sequel series titled Vikings: Valhalla. Vikings is a violent series, depicting times when there were no firearms yet, but only anything sharp to maim or kill your enemy with - mostly kill. Continue reading