Category Archives: History

Lovers in Auschwitz, Reunited 72 Years Later. He Had One Question.

Posted on December 9, 2019 by Jim deMaine

From the NYT: The first time he spoke to her, in 1943, by the Auschwitz crematory, David Wisnia realized that Helen Spitzer was no regular inmate. Zippi, as she was known, was clean, always neat. She wore a jacket and … Continue reading →

Posted in end of life, History, Social justice, War | Comments Off on Lovers in Auschwitz, Reunited 72 Years Later. He Had One Question.

Why is the Republican Party represented by an elephant and the Democratic a donkey?

Posted on December 4, 2019 by Jim deMaine

From the Smithsonian and Ann M — Anonymous | Washington, D.C. President Andrew Jackson, who was supported by the Democrats in 1828, earned the nickname “Jackass” for his stubbornness, says Jon Grinspan, curator of political history at the National Museum … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Humor | 1 Comment

15th Century Flemish Style Portraits Recreated In Airplane Lavatory

Posted on December 4, 2019 by Jim deMaine

Thanks to Don and Sue P for send this along. While on a long-haul flight, when most people would sleep, read a book or chew on complimentary snacks, Nina Katchadourian spends her time locked in the airplane’s lavatory taking selfies … Continue reading →

Posted in Entertainment, History, Humor, Photography, Transportation | 1 Comment

An son’s hemophilia leads to a career of research and writing

Posted on December 3, 2019 by Jim deMaine

By Douglas Martin in the New York Times Robert K. Massie, a Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer who wrote gripping, tautly narrated and immensely popular books on giants of Russian history, died on Monday at his home in Irvington, N.Y. He was 90. The cause was complications … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, History, Obituaries | Comments Off on An son’s hemophilia leads to a career of research and writing

The growth in population over time

Posted on November 7, 2019 by Jim deMaine

Thanks to Gordon G for finding this. Just how many people can our planet support given the variables of climate change, birth control, fertility and consumption. What will be our quality of life with the projections of growth?

Posted in Climate, environment, Health, History, Nature | Comments Off on The growth in population over time

UW seeks $13M to renovate the ‘Boys in the Boat’ shell house

Posted on October 11, 2019 by Jim deMaine

The first city-sanctioned historic landmark on campus is going for a gold-medal makeover.by  Knute Berger hile Seattle has struggled to save The Showbox on First Avenue, another even more storied landmark is being singled out for revival. Boosted by a bestselling book … Continue reading →

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This amazing, animated chart shows the aging of America

Posted on October 4, 2019 by Jim deMaine

From the Washington Post: This is a mesmerizing little animation created by Bill McBride of Calculated Risk. It shows the distribution of the U.S. population by age over time, starting at 1900 and ending with Census Bureau forecasts between now and 2060. … Continue reading →

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Everything about the Pacific Northwest is on display at the new Burke Museum. Even the scientists.

Posted on October 1, 2019 by Jim deMaine

The museum’s new home brings its researchers out of the basement, and delivers a love letter of fossils and artifacts to our region. Click here for the full article from Crosscut.

Posted in Art, Education, environment, History, Nature | Comments Off on Everything about the Pacific Northwest is on display at the new Burke Museum. Even the scientists.

Reconstructing ancient faces

Posted on September 29, 2019 by Jim deMaine

Thanks to Gordon G for finding this. The reconstruction of likenesses of long-dead humans has made remarkable progress. With detailed computer programs, DNA studies, and advanced technologies like 3D printing — the margin of error in scientifically reconstructed faces has … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Science and Technology | Comments Off on Reconstructing ancient faces

Why are some people left handed

Posted on September 18, 2019 by Jim deMaine

I’m a pure rightie but in my family there are lefties and some with traits of both. One of my sons throws right in baseball, bats left and in soccer, kicks left. Gordon G sends along this interesting video essay. … Continue reading →

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How to dress like a gentleman in the 18th century

Posted on September 11, 2019 by Jim deMaine
Posted in History | Comments Off on How to dress like a gentleman in the 18th century

The story of Medic 1 – Skyline presentation

Posted on August 13, 2019 by Jim deMaine

Dr. Rick Rapport, UW Harborview Neurosurgeon, has written the story of Medic One (Seattle’s Medic One: How We Don’t Die). How fortunate we are to have Dr. Leonard Cobb here at Skyline and to now have this history documented. Nick … Continue reading →

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Wolfgang Mack at Skyline

Posted on August 11, 2019 by Jim deMaine
Posted in History, War | Comments Off on Wolfgang Mack at Skyline

Manet’s Last Years: A Radical Embrace of Beauty

Posted on August 5, 2019 by Jim deMaine

From the NYT: CHICAGO — I wonder how often he thought back on it: the outrage, the reproaches, the shame, the folly. In 1865, two years after they rejected his “Déjeuner sur l’herbe,” the gatekeepers of the Paris Salon accepted two … Continue reading →

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The Library of Congress Needs Your Help Transcribing Suffragist Papers

Posted on August 2, 2019 by Jim deMaine

Thanks to Pam P for sending this in! n 1922, the American suffrage leader Carrie Chapman Catt traveled to Italy to help prepare for the upcoming Congress of the International Woman Suffrage Alliance in Rome. Back home, Catt was a towering figure of the … Continue reading →

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Hedge Fund Legend Ray Dalio On The Economy

Posted on July 30, 2019 by Jim deMaine

Ed note: Ray Dalio talks about the wealth and opportunity gap that he considers a major problem in our country. He compares the rise of populism to the 1930’s. Conflict is predicted unless conditions improve. From Wikipedia: Raymond Dalio (born August … Continue reading →

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Our “last generation”

Posted on July 7, 2019 by Jim deMaine

I think this is one of the best nostalgia + essays I’ve received. If you were Born in the 1930’s to the mid 1940’s, You exist as a very special age group. You are the smallest group of children born … Continue reading →

Posted in History, Remembrances | Comments Off on Our “last generation”

July 4th – a bit of history

Posted on July 4, 2019 by Jim deMaine

From History.com: “The Fourth of July—also known as Independence Day or July 4th—has been a federal holiday in the United States since 1941, but the tradition of Independence Day celebrations goes back to the 18th century and the American Revolution. … Continue reading →

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Making a house call

Posted on May 26, 2019 by Jim deMaine

In order to be with my Dad, after dinner I’d go on house calls with him.  We’d drive to parts of town I’d never seen, and using the car’s spotlight we’d search out the right house number, often with no … Continue reading →

Posted in Health, History, Retirement | Comments Off on Making a house call

A view and noise of the viaduct teardown

Posted on May 15, 2019 by Jim deMaine

This view shows the progress of the viaduct teardown from a friend.s condo at the corner of Western and Madison. What a great improvement in the development of a world class waterfront.

Posted in environment, History, Parks, Transportation | 1 Comment

Van Gogh’s use of color to depict emotions

Posted on March 26, 2019 by Jim deMaine
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David Domke: The Right to Vote, Lecture 3

Posted on March 17, 2019 by Jim deMaine
Posted in Advocacy, Education, History, Politics | Comments Off on David Domke: The Right to Vote, Lecture 3

Dissecting the Dreams of Brexit Britain

Posted on March 16, 2019 by Jim deMaine

Ed Note: Could anyone please enlighten us as to what’s really going on in the existential crises called Brexit. Are they really dreaming of a lost empire? Is it white nationalism? Is it mainly reflecting the long simmering differences between … Continue reading →

Posted in Essays, History, Politics, Race | Comments Off on Dissecting the Dreams of Brexit Britain

Build we must, build we should, and hopefully build we will.

Posted on February 19, 2019 by Jim deMaine

Ed Note: It seems so obvious. Why not rebuild our crumbling infrastructure. Reconnect our people, create dazzling bridges, show what our country is capable of once more. But alas, nothing is being done at the Federal level. Krugman, the Yale … Continue reading →

Posted in Business, environment, Finance, History, Politics, Transportation | Comments Off on Build we must, build we should, and hopefully build we will.

What would Lincoln do?

Posted on February 18, 2019 by Jim deMaine

By David BlankenhornSpecial to The Los Angeles Times Abraham Lincoln, who was born 210 years ago this month, was president during an era even more rancorous and polarized than our own. Yet he managed to navigate it — not in a … Continue reading →

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