Author | Lightnews

Alex G @alexiterick.bsky.social · 1d

General Oku seems to be Oku Yasukata. I assume, given that he's famous enough to be the subject of a French cartoon, that this is the Russo-Japanese war.

1 8

Alex G @alexiterick.bsky.social · 1d

Catholic queen here seems to mean "queen of a Catholic country".

Queen Maxima of the Netherlands is still Catholic (though she had a Protestant wedding) but from what I can find she wore black to meet the Pope.

1

Alex G @alexiterick.bsky.social · 2d

I'm not a native Dutch speaker but could Tinus be a nickname for Martien?

1 2

Alex G @alexiterick.bsky.social · 2d

Though I also don't necessarily think that a speed pedelec should necessarily be treated the same as this, which is why I like the Dutch approach (allowing a helmet that looks more like a bicycle helmet than a motorcycle helmet, and not requiring riders to pass a separate motorbike test)

An Energica Ego electric motorcycle. It looks like a petrol-powered superbike, except for the lack of exhaust, and will do 0-60 in under three seconds and reach 150 mph.

1 1

Alex G @alexiterick.bsky.social · 2d

Some EU countries allow you to ride one with a car license, but you still need license plates and insurance.

1 2

Alex G @alexiterick.bsky.social · 2d

I don't know if that was the reason, but there was the true story of the British officer who escaped *in full uniform* by pretending to be a Bulgarian named I. Bugaroff.

He was caught at the last moment but escaped again, this time successfully, by pretending to be a (civilian?) Swedish sailor.

The following is an extract from a letter sent by the military attache in Stockholm to our Branch there. I pass it to you for your information.

"The other escaper of interest here I tell you about merely because it is a more than usually remarkable story. He is Lieut. David James RNVR and was captain of a motor boat sunk off Holland.

James, on his first unsuccessful attempt to get away from Germany, got clear of camp in *full British naval uniform* and circulated freely, travelling by train, being hospitably received, conducted by German officers, given lunch by them, and so on. This also must seem almost impossible! This is the background:

James had written himself a letter from "The Royal Bulgarian Legation, Berlin" explaining that the bearer was a Bulgarian Naval officer, a member of the Bulgarian Naval Mission visiting Germany on technical matters. The letter mentioned that he spoke little German, and asked that he should be accorded every facility and help, etc. The "Bulgarian" name selected by James for his new identity was Lieut. I. Bugaroff.

He actually got from his camp to a Swedish ship in British uniform, but was picked up by sheer hard luck just before the ship sailed.

On his second escape, James came out once more in uniform, but this time as a "Swedish sailor". He had an awkward moment when a German barman asked him his nationality, he replied "Swedish" and the man replied in Swedish "I have lived in Sweden for many years", etc. Fortunately James does speak Swedish, as he sailed to Australia in an Eriksson windjammer.

He is a resourceful young man, and well worth the £200 he looks like costing us for his passage"we

Alex G @alexiterick.bsky.social · 4d

Only if they think you can.

Which they probably don't.

1 2

Alex G @alexiterick.bsky.social · 6d

In which case he'd have Sir Francis Drake to deal with...

Alex G @alexiterick.bsky.social · 8d

One of the more spectacular bits of the British Museum's Roman collection does have doubtful provenance, but I think the idea it was looted from Italy is fringe at best.

(The Mildenhall treasure, officially turned up by a plough in Suffolk in 1942 and reported 4 years later)

4

Alex G @alexiterick.bsky.social · 10d

Chocolate hummus.

Why?

Alex G @alexiterick.bsky.social · 10d

I've wondered for a while what percentage of Americans (particularly Irish-Americans) think Cromwell was working for the British Crown in Ireland.

1 4

Alex G @alexiterick.bsky.social · 11d

Rajoelina's predecessor, Marc Ravalomanana, apparently once stopped a rival from running against him by closing the airports so he couldn't return to Madagascar to register his candidacy (which had to be done in person).

Alex G @alexiterick.bsky.social · 17d

And then there are the changes in how Luke and Vader, and Han and Leia, address each other through the movies.

8

Alex G @alexiterick.bsky.social · 17d

There was a great post on RPGNet about the translation of Star Wars into Vietnamese (which has a huge range of different forms of address depending on respective social positions). Apparently people address droids as animals, droids address people as "very high superiors" and each other as siblings.

2 2 11

Alex G @alexiterick.bsky.social · 18d

Not quite- there's more weirdness.

The Vatican City has territory and citizens but no foreign policy.

The Holy See conducts diplomacy (and is an observer at the UN) and rules the Vatican, but has no territory or citizens of its own.

1

Alex G @alexiterick.bsky.social · 18d

"Printers have persecuted me without a cause"
-Psalm 119:161, King James Version, 1612

5

Alex G @alexiterick.bsky.social · 18d

Every state-funded religious school in the country must accept all religions, though they can prioritize their own.

There is a Jewish state primary school in Birmingham with a majority Muslim student body who learn Hebrew and celebrate Jewish holidays (including IIRC Israeli Independence Day).

2 9

Alex G @alexiterick.bsky.social · 20d

Everyone speaks with an accent.

(Including some people who have a "foreign" coded accent in their native language for one reason or another)

5

Alex G @alexiterick.bsky.social · 23d

The Cam swans are the ones I have most experience of- I was rowing there during the whole "Mr. Asbo" thing.

1

Alex G @alexiterick.bsky.social · 23d

As someone who rowed in Europe for several years, European swans are also assholes.

1 1

Alex G @alexiterick.bsky.social · 25d

AIUI elephants have been successfully tamed for thousands of years but never domesticated.

The same is true for some animals used for hunting, like hawks and cheetahs.

Alex G @alexiterick.bsky.social · 26d

Has a very nice minor league ballpark (on an island in the middle of the Susquehanna, which at that point is a mile wide) and the State Capitol is impressive, but otherwise there doesn't seem to be much there.

1

Alex G @alexiterick.bsky.social · 27d

There are reasons why hospitals are on sites outside city centres. Even in the Netherlands, the main hospital in the city where I lived is on the outskirts, next to a motorway, surrounded by car parks.

Of course, it also has good bus links and bike paths and is 5 minutes walk from a station.

1 1

Alex G @alexiterick.bsky.social · 28d

That's also verifiably wrong as we know he was in Sydney, Australia in 2000 competing at the Olympics.

2

Alex G @alexiterick.bsky.social · Sep 25

I mean, the decision to readmit the Jews was probably Cromwell's most lasting impact on British society, and why many Anglo-Jews still have a fairly positive opinion of him.

Though given the status of Jews in Amsterdam, I imagine that William III might well have done it if Cromwell hadn't.

1 11