Anthony Eden and Memorable Writing
On the 20th of February 1938 Anthony Eden resigned as Foreign Secretary because of the appeasement policy of Neville Chamberlain’s government. As a writer I’m interested in what makes writing memorable. There is one page of writing that I have read once, and that must...
Happy Parliament
The Happy Parliament of 1624 was the last Parliament of King James I of England and earned its name because it convened in a period of rare agreement between the king, his son Prince Charles, and Parliament. It was opened on the 19th of February and marked a...
Quantum Mechanics and Detctive Fiction
I have posted about quantum mechanics previously in my post on Schroedinger’s Cat. My introduction to quantum mechanics was at Oxford whilst studying Engineering Science. The mysteries of the quantum world involve the dual nature of light in which it can behave as...
Malmsey Wine
On 18th of February 1478, George, Duke of Clarence was executed. He was the brother of King Edward IV. It is said that to avoid bloodshed he was drowned in a vat of malmsey wine, supposedly George’s favourite tipple. George, Duke of Clarence (1449 - 1478), was a...
Submarine
On the 17th of February 1864, during the American Civil War, the H.L. Hunley became the first submarine to engage and sink a warship, the USS Housatonic. Having been commissioned in the Royal Naval Resrerve, I have immense respect for submariners. I posted very...
Triennial Act
There have been several Triennial Acts, but the first one received Royal Assent on 16th February 1641. The purpose of the act was to require that Parliament meet for at least a fifty day session, once every three years. It doesn’t sound much, does it. But this was...
Socrates
On the 15th February 399 B.C. Socrates was sentenced to death by the city of Athens. I thought I had already posted about Socrates, but I appear to mistaken. I have posted on philosophy, but Socrates did not get the attention he deserves. Socrates (469 - 399 B.C.) was...
The Battle of Cape St. Vincent
The Battle of Cape St. Vincent was fought on 14th February 1797. By the late 18th century, Europe was engulfed in war following the French Revolution. Britain and Spain had been allies in earlier conflicts, but in 1796, Spain allied with France against Britain as part...
Galileo
On 13th February 1633, the polymath genius, Galileo Galilei, arrived in Rome to be tried by the inquisition for professing his belief that the Earth revolves around the Sun. I have posted about Galileo before, and he is a character in Fire and Earth, the second book...
Anthony Eden and Memorable Writing
On the 20th of February 1938 Anthony Eden resigned as Foreign Secretary because of the appeasement policy of Neville Chamberlain’s government. As a writer I’m interested in what makes writing memorable. There is one page of writing that I have read once, and that must...
Happy Parliament
The Happy Parliament of 1624 was the last Parliament of King James I of England and earned its name because it convened in a period of rare agreement between the king, his son Prince Charles, and Parliament. It was opened on the 19th of February and marked a...
Quantum Mechanics and Detctive Fiction
I have posted about quantum mechanics previously in my post on Schroedinger’s Cat. My introduction to quantum mechanics was at Oxford whilst studying Engineering Science. The mysteries of the quantum world involve the dual nature of light in which it can behave as...
Malmsey Wine
On 18th of February 1478, George, Duke of Clarence was executed. He was the brother of King Edward IV. It is said that to avoid bloodshed he was drowned in a vat of malmsey wine, supposedly George’s favourite tipple. George, Duke of Clarence (1449 - 1478), was a...
Submarine
On the 17th of February 1864, during the American Civil War, the H.L. Hunley became the first submarine to engage and sink a warship, the USS Housatonic. Having been commissioned in the Royal Naval Resrerve, I have immense respect for submariners. I posted very...
Triennial Act
There have been several Triennial Acts, but the first one received Royal Assent on 16th February 1641. The purpose of the act was to require that Parliament meet for at least a fifty day session, once every three years. It doesn’t sound much, does it. But this was...
Socrates
On the 15th February 399 B.C. Socrates was sentenced to death by the city of Athens. I thought I had already posted about Socrates, but I appear to mistaken. I have posted on philosophy, but Socrates did not get the attention he deserves. Socrates (469 - 399 B.C.) was...
The Battle of Cape St. Vincent
The Battle of Cape St. Vincent was fought on 14th February 1797. By the late 18th century, Europe was engulfed in war following the French Revolution. Britain and Spain had been allies in earlier conflicts, but in 1796, Spain allied with France against Britain as part...
Galileo
On 13th February 1633, the polymath genius, Galileo Galilei, arrived in Rome to be tried by the inquisition for professing his belief that the Earth revolves around the Sun. I have posted about Galileo before, and he is a character in Fire and Earth, the second book...