history Archives

Jul32022 by Paul LinusNo Comments

Alexandria, Virginia – Rich in American history

Travel

Alexandria, Virginia has so much to offer its visitors and residents on a year-round basis. The town is quaint, historic, and easy to traverse on foot or via car. The town is a perfect getaway for couples looking for a romantic weekend or families looking to stop on their way to Williamsburg, Atlanta, or Orlando when headed South or Philadelphia, New York, or Boston when headed North. King Street King Street is the heart and soul of Alexandria, Virginia. King Street is home to bars, pubs, stores, restaurants, lodging and coffee shops. King Street is accessible via car or foot, depending on where you are staying during your trip. Almost all of the hotels and bed and breakfasts are located within walking distance of King Street. It is a lengthy walk from the hotels, somewhere aroun...

May292020 by Paul LinusNo Comments

Brief history of Olympics for disabled people

Sports

Olympic ideals are not something that is attainable solely by the most athletically gifted amongst us. The Paralympic competitions have become an established and respected vehicle for people to compete in a variety of sports with various disabilities. Paralympic Criteria To participate in the Paralympics, competitors must possess one of the following disabilities: visual impairment (this included total blindness), impairment of movement or some degree of paralysis due to cerebral palsy, disease or natural defect of the spinal column or amputation of part of whole limb. Sir Ludwig Guttmann The Paralympics is a concept that can be attributed to Sir Ludwig Guttmann. Known as 'the father of sport for people with disabilities,' Ludwig Guttmann (1899-1980) was one of Germanys lea...

Jul272018 by Paul LinusNo Comments

Prague and the Czech Republic: The Velvet Revolution

General, Travel

There seems to be something almost ironic about communism. Years of repression for those caught in its cold grip and years of fighting against the spread of it by those who have eluded it, yet the fall of each Communist state has turned over a page in every history book that no-one has ever seen before. Books have been written, sold and read. Countries and cities have been opened up and tourists have flocked towards them. Prague's Communist History Prague is no exception to this. The Czech capital is home to a museum that depicts the mistakes made by their former rulers and cruelly recalls the hardships of life under a communist regime. The museum is within touching distance of Wenceslas Square, the scene of joy in November 1989 when thousands of Czechs played their part in the p...

Jul222018 by Paul LinusNo Comments

A Discourse on Africa’s Look East Policy

Featured, General

The Look East policy which Africa as a continent embraced so tightly at the beginning of the 21st Century has a long and winding history. It is also very significant in explaining Africa’s pivotal position in international politics, with the ability to swing from West to East as the tides of world politics change. The Look East Policy in Historical Perspective If much of history has to be kept away, then the most important starting point for any discussion on the history of Africa’s look east policy would be the Cold War. This would also involve ignoring the epic journey of China’s General Zheng He to the east coast of Africa in the 15th century. China refuses to ignore this piece of history when drumming its historical ties with Africa. Beijing has recently signed an agreement w...

May252018 by Paul LinusNo Comments

The First Academy Award Ceremony

Entertainment

Motion pictures – tainted by scandals, demands for censorship, union unrest, and in the midst of a transition to “talkies” – faced a turning point in 1927. It was during that year that producer Louis B. Mayer, director Fred Niblo, and actor Conrad Nagel suggested that an organization be formed to oversee the film industry. Responding to their idea, a group of thirty-two industry elites, including Douglas Fairbanks, Sr., Mary Pickford, Harold Lloyd, Jack L. Warner, Beth Meredyth, and Cecil B. DeMille, met and formed The International Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (International soon being dropped from the title). Academy Award and Oscar History Begins As part of their mission, the newly formed Academy, with Fairbanks as its head, sought to publicize and reward the mo...

Apr182018 by Paul LinusNo Comments

The US Civil War in August 1863

General

In August 1863, Charleston Harbor remained a primary target for Federal forces, but the Confederates held firm. In the East, the battered armies of George Meade and Robert E. Lee returned to Virginia and licked their many wounds following the horrific Battle of Gettysburg. In the West, Federal forces began moving toward Chattanooga, considered to be the gateway to the Deep South. Beyond the Mississippi, guerrilla warfare turned ugly as civilians were massacred in Kansas. The Charleston Campaign Throughout this month, Federal forces assaulted the forts and islands ringing Charleston Harbor, South Carolina. Battery Wagner was pummeled by Federal armaments while the Confederates strengthened their defenses in anticipation of a Federal invasion. On August 26, Federal troops captured ...