‘In politics one should be guided by the calculation of forces.’ (Stalin at Potsdam)
Alliance is a thorough, insightful and gripping account of the wartime meetings between ‘the Big Three’ Allied leaders – Roosevelt and Churchill and Stalin – which determined the course of the Second World War and set the stage for the Cold War which followed it.
In actual fact the three leaders in question only met face to face on two occasions:
Tehran 28 November-1 December 1943
Yalta, 4-11 February 1945
The third great power conference, Potsdam July 1945, took place after Roosevelt’s death (12 April 1945) and with his successor, former vice-president Harry Truman
There were quite a few meetings between just Roosevelt and Churchill:
Placentia Bay, Canada – 8 to 11 August 1941 – resulting in the Atlantic Charter
First Washington Conference (codename: Arcadia), Washington DC, 22 December 1941 – 14 January 1942
I don’t often tell readers about articles that they simply have to read, but this pair qualifies. Together they’re not terribly short (about 7000 words in toto), but I like to think that my readers have decent attention spans—and the interest in science and politics that makes this Scientific American essay, “Antiscience beliefs jeopardize U.S. democracy” by Shawn Lawrence Otto, mandatory reading. When you finish Otto’s piece, go read the related Sci. Am. piece: “Science in an election year,” which summarizes and rates the Presidential candidates’ stands on 14 critical scientific and technological issues.
In fact, go read them now before you read any other posts on this website.
Otto’s piece not only summarizes the current anti-science strain in American politics, but traces its origins back to the time of the Founding Fathers, who were clearly pro-science (Jefferson and Franklin come to mind). From those…
One of the big mysteries of paleobiology is where complex life (i.e., animals) came from, and what the earliest animals looked like. The first traces of life that we have go back about 3.7 billion years ago, but those are cyanobacteria (the so-called “blue green algae”). The first animals with “true cells”—the eukaryotes, go back to about 1.8 billion years. But then there’s a huge gap of 1.2 billion years before we have the first traces of more complex multicellular life (putative sponges, jellyfish, and ctenophores) near the beginning of the Ediacaran period (571-541 million years ago). That fauna contained a number of bizarre and enigmatic forms.
Many of those forms went extinct without issue at the beginning of the Cambrian (about 545 million years ago). But since there was not a separate and later creation that led to modern animals (we know this from molecular data), some of the…
I’ve been kvetching about the unavailability of commercial products that you can use to kill coronavirus on packages, countertops, steering wheels, and so on. For of what use are recommendations to sterilize everything if you can’t buy the disinfectant?
In response, my doctor, Alex Lickerman, sent me a list of 287 commercial products, recommended by the Environmental Protection Agency, that you can use as sanitizers to kill coronavirus. Some of these must surely be available. I for one would like to use isopropyl alcohol and/or Lysol, but neither seems to be available (I can’t order the former via lab channels as the University is shut down for that.) But if you click on the screenshot below you’ll find an extensive list that surely cannot all be sold out.
If you know of some products that are available in pharmacies and grocery stores, and are not sold out or hoarded, by…
A group at Oxford produces a website called “Our World in Data“, and they have excellent coronavirus coverage, including not just data compilations but also information of practical use. They have good to great visualizations, with very good explainers.
The data are updated daily based on WHO figures. It has a single set of authors and vetted data source. Their “Growth of cases” (third set of charts in) I find particularly useful, as it is able to show changes in the dynamics– the fact that in China and South Korea they have passed the peak. (This, of course, does not rule out a second wave of exponential growth later, as has happened with flu pandemics.)
Screen shot of growth of confirmed cases from Our World in Data, 2020 03 17 1146 GMT -5. (The “+0 new” for the United States is probably due to…
Elizabeth Warren’s withdrawal from the Democratic Presidential race wasn’t surprising. After all, she hadn’t won a single state after Super Tuesday, and she finished third even in her own home state of Massachusetts—a real embarrassment. It’s clear why she withdrew, as by Thursday she didn’t have a snowball’s chance in hell of getting the nomination, so why waste the money and effort?
But there’s no shortage of theories about why she didn’t succeed. I know why I bailed on her when I voted on Wednesday, even though she was once my favorite candidate. As I said a few days ago, I lost some enthusiasm for her as the campaign proceeded as she seemed slippery (as did Bernie, at least about his healthcare funding!). Still, I would have voted for her in the Illinois primaries, but that became a moot point after Super Tuesday and the race narrowed to Sanders vs…
Warning: This blog post contains strong and sometimes challenging imagery, including depictions of slavery, violence and suffering.
Baroque Britain
When I visited the Baroque Britain exhibition at Tate Britain I was surprised that there was a Content Warning at the entrance to the second room. This warned us that some of the images were disturbing and might upset visitors. Specifically, a massive painting by Benedetto Gennari the Younger which shows black people in collars and chains. Slaves, in other words.
Portrait of Hortense Mancini, Duchess of Mazarin by Benedetto Gennari the Younger (1674)
A handful of other paintings show rich people – men and women – being served or accompanied by black servants, but this is the only one where the black people (all boys, I think) are wearing very obvious metal slave collars round their throats.
William Blake
This is the second warning notice I’m aware of Tate putting…
By Jill Hosken, Celebrant (with contributions from Tim, Stephen and John Harding)
Being born in 1924, Raie Harding grew up in very different times and throughout her long life she has witnessed more technological, political, economic and social changes than are ever likely to be experienced in one lifetime.
Raie was an only daughter born to Tom and Ruby Purvis and the family initially lived in South Caulfield before moving to Middle Brighton. With her Dad being an engineer and in regular work, despite the depression years Raie had a happy and settled childhood – nevertheless it is unlikely she could ever have envisaged the wonderful, rich experiences life had in store.
Raie aged about 20
Her secondary years were at the prestigious MacRobertson Girls’ High, a selective entry school but with the unfolding of WW2 she left early and after completing business studies attained work at the Victoria Hotel in Little Collins St. In addition to her office duties, Raie helped organise events and tours to entertain the visiting US military officers (including swing bandleader Artie Shaw), many of whom were based in Melbourne – organisational skills which came to the fore later in life.
She’d known Bruce Harding, a local Brighton lad, since her early teens and when he returned from war service, they reconnected and ultimately married in the Melbourne Grammar School Chapel in 1948. The newlyweds bought a double block opposite Rickett’s Point, on the corner of Lang St and Point Ave surrounded by dirt tracks and ti-tree for the princely sum of £182/10. Despite the shortage of building materials, with Bruce being a qualified builder, he was able to construct what was to become the family home.
Bruce and Raie’s wedding day, 1948
Over the ensuing eight years, they were blessed with three sons Tim, Stephen and John and even though they were pretty good as boys go, Raie still had her hands full!! Nevertheless, she relished her role as a mother and nurturer and always supported her three sons in their endeavours ensuring they had the best of opportunities and many wonderful experiences.
With four active males under her roof, Raie craved some girl time and was known to occasionally “borrow” a neighbour’s daughter, Sue McGregor who shared on hearing of Raie’s passing, how as a young girl, she loved opportunities to be in Raie’s company, learning to cook and sew.
Beaumaris back then was very isolated – there were no local shops and before getting a car, Raie would catch a bus to Black Rock to do the weekly shop. However, she was one of the first women in the neighbourhood to have a car, a Land Rover – probably the first SUV to be seen in the area!
The neighbours were like extended family – the boys related how each afternoon, the Point Avenue mothers would gather at one another’s home on rotation, vegies in hand and join together over a sherry as they prepared their respective evening meals. The neighbourhood kids enjoyed the freedom of playing in the bush or riding their bikes or going to the beach – the only condition being they were home by 6 for dinner.
Raie aged about 30
Her sons appreciate the long leash they were given but also knew there were expectations such as good manners, respect and ethics which stood them all in good stead for the future.
In 1956, the year John was born, Bruce and Raie purchased “Shady Acres” in Macclesfield – a farm at which they spent many a weekend or school holidays getting back to basics with no power and no mod cons. Here they grew Angus beef cattle, Angora goats, pine trees and later on wine grapes – they also had horses which all the boys rode – a skill that Raie never quite mastered, despite having lessons and so when friends visited, often after enjoying a BBQ lunch they’d all head off for a ride, Raie was very unimpressed to be left cleaning up!
Raie holding Bruce’s horse at ‘Shady Acres’ in 1967
Later Raie and Bruce purchased a holiday home at Metung where sailing on the lakes and many happy times were enjoyed by all. When “Shady Acres” underwent some remodelling in the 80’s, Raie, being a very gifted seamstress sewed all the drapes, bedspreads and even the new upholstery for the lounge suite.
Raie rode a bicycle instead of a horse on the family farm
At home she also sewed, enjoyed creating a welcoming garden and for a time, having a neighbour who was a very talented artist and potter, Raie took up pottery. Raie also was a wonderful support to Bruce in his business and many a dinner party was enjoyed at their Beaumaris home by colleagues and friends alike. She was the consummate hostess and a gifted cook – she embraced cordon bleu cooking (very in vogue in the 70’s) and had all the fancy cookbooks of the era.
The boys recalled how their Mum would do a practice dinner party dinner on a Tuesday – always a new taste sensation. Raie also gave dedicated support in Bruce’s community work with the Beaumaris RSL and Legacy to which they gave a great deal of time supporting war widows and their children.
Perhaps it was through this that piqued Raie’s interest in Social Work – this together with her desire to prove, in the very male dominant world of the time, that despite limited education opportunities, women had a brain. So, aged 46, Raie enrolled in an Arts Degree at Melbourne Uni and Tim related how he enjoyed sitting in Politics lectures next to his Mum. In 1978 Raie proudly graduated with a Bachelor of Arts and Social Work.
Raie at her BSW graduation, March 1978
Over the years she and Bruce enjoyed a number of overseas trips and a well-remembered one was when she visited Steve whilst he was in London during the 70’s and they then toured Europe together.
After completing some extensive renovations (including electricity), Bruce and Raie moved to “Shady Acres” living there until Bruce died after a short illness in 1996. After coming to terms with this new reality, Raie moved back to Middle Brighton where she enjoyed a full and active life. She could often be found at Victoria Golf Club where through her 40 years of membership many strong friendships were forged
Playing golf into her early 80’s Raie then moved on to Bridge and enjoyed lunches and gatherings at Victoria with friends. She loved any opportunity to go to the movies, enjoyed shopping – was always on the hunt for a bargain and loved hopping on the train to visit Steve, Susie and the girls in Adelaide!
Raie had a very loving relationship not only with her three sons Tim, Steve and John, but also with her daughters-in-law Lisa and Susie. She was very grateful for the help they gave her, especially towards the end of her long life.
Three years ago, acknowledging she needed support and after doing her own research Raie made the decision to move to Karinya Grove Aged Care in Sandringham where she has been well cared for.
As she always had in the past, Raie continued to participate in and enjoy all the family gatherings and celebrations – birthdays, Christmases and retirements along with Carl and Jayne’s wedding. Raie particularly enjoyed visits from her beloved grandchildren – Georgia and Kate all the way from England, as well as from William and Angus. She loved hearing about their lives and various achievements.
She especially enjoyed celebrating her 95th birthday last October at Karinya with family and friends in attendance. All would agree, even with her decline in acuity in these past years Raie always made the best of things and did what she could to ensure those around her felt loved, connected and cared for.
“Lastly I must say thank you for the great privilege and all the joy and pleasure that I have experienced as Mum to my three wonderful boys and and their families. I leave you with all my everlasting love and the wish that most of the hopes and aspirations you may have had for the great journey of life that we began together will be realised.’ – Raie Harding
The Logical Place 