Displaying post 1 to 50 of 258
He wrote the childrens book
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, a travel guide called
Thrilling Cities, a study of
Diamond Smugglers... and created
James Bond.
Ian Fleming, who died of a heart attack at 56, was born
a century ago this past May. He led a fascinating life. Born the
son of an MP, educated at
Eton and
Sandhurst, he served in the
Black Watch, and then in
Naval Intelligence. His time in naval intelligence
led to his most famous creation, and the writing of
Casino Royale.
An immediate best seller in the US when President Kennedy listed 1957's
From Russia With Love as one of his favorite books, Fleming
eventually wrote twelve novels and nine short stories
featuring 007, leading to
one of the most successful movies empires of all time. Fleming returned the favor, suggesting to Kennedy over a dinner ways in which
the CIA could work to discredit Fidel Castro. Not only a prolific writer, Fleming was also a talented bibliophile and collector,
amassing a collection of books
now held by the
Lilly Library at
Indiana University, Bloomington.
posted to MetaFilter by NotMyselfRightNow
at 7:49 AM on August 6, 2008
(36 comments)
In his new book, '
The Way of the World' "Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Ron Suskind claims that, after the Iraq war began, the White House ordered the CIA to forge a back-dated, handwritten letter from the head of Iraqi intelligence to Saddam Hussein, in an attempt to tie Hussein to the 9/11 attacks."
* Suskind
writes: "'It said that 9/11 ringleader Mohammad Atta had actually trained for his mission in Iraq' and that Iraq bought yellowcake uranium from Niger with the help of al Qaeda. Suskind also claims that the Bush administration had information from a top Iraqi intelligence official "that there were no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq – intelligence they received in plenty of time to stop an invasion." After the fake letter was released in late 2003, press outlets reported it as evidence of a Saddam/al Qaeda link. "Now, if this is true, that blows the lid off al Qaeda—Saddam," said Bill O’Reilly at the time.
posted to MetaFilter by ericb
at 8:04 AM on August 5, 2008
(127 comments)
Von Wernich signed the baptism certificate of a girl born in a clandestine prison, whose mother was murdered at his orders. He encouraged torture victims to "testify, for the sake of god and country," perverting the confession into an interrogation tactic. Under a Nazi flag, he witnessed the torture of Jewish journalist Jacobo Timerman [...] Von Wernich was convicted on nearly all counts "under the mark of genocide." The crowds inside and outside the courthouse broke into celebration, singing, lighting firecrackers, some burning effigies of the priest. After thirty years, the saga to bring Von Wernich to justice was over.
The Unending War — Argentina's quest for justice by Sam Ferguson is about how Argentine society is dealing with the legacy of the junta's Dirty War of 1976-83.
posted to MetaFilter by Kattullus
at 8:12 AM on July 30, 2008
(7 comments)
Coal.
Cheap, Abundant, Clean.
posted to MetaFilter by brownpau
at 3:51 PM on July 25, 2008
(44 comments)
Kristin's List.
There are plenty of events guides in Los Angeles, but none has as personal a voice, as finely honed an aesthetic (the
Neutra font is an inspired touch) or as discerning an eye as Kristin's. Her weekly emails and web listings are one woman's recommended sampling of the most interesting music, film, architecture, food, fashion, literary and unquantifiable events across the megalopolis. And so far, it's completely ad-free.
posted to MetaFilter by Scram
at 1:07 PM on July 21, 2008
(30 comments)
Tiled Background Designer
is just a small, useful tool to create patterns. Experiment with pictures, colors, textures and transparency to get best result.
posted to MetaFilter by Dave Faris
at 1:38 AM on July 17, 2008
(37 comments)
2 July 1863, second day of
Gettysburg. Sickles has pulled his III Corps -- without orders -- off of Cemetery Ridge and positioned it a half mile in front of the rest of the Union lines. Longstreet smashes the hapless III Corps and its men are in full flight. Hancock rides back and forth inside the gaping hole left by Sickles. Below him, almost 2000 men of Wilcox's brigade are charging up the slope. They will gain a foothold on the ridge and be reinforced by Lee. As Longstreet pins down the Union left, Lee will roll up the center and right of the Northern army and chase them from the field. He will then march on and take Washington before turning north along the eastern seaboard. Lee will capture and burn Philadelphia and Boston in his March Along the Sea, chasing the Northern government from city to city until Lincoln finally sues for peace and the union is no more.
Suddenly, a line of blue-coated soldiers comes into Hancock's view. "My God, is this all the men here? Who are you?" "
1st Minnesota, sir." "See those colors?", says Hancock, pointing at the flags of the oncoming Confederates, "Take them."
posted to MetaFilter by forrest
at 5:45 AM on July 2, 2008
(82 comments)
In 1930, Eric Sevareid and Walter Port
embarked on a wild adventure when they launched a canoe at Fort Snelling on the Minnesota River and paddled over 2200 miles north to Hudson Bay. Sevareid later documented their story in the book
Canoeing with the Cree. The book has since served as inspiration for young adventurers. Two such men, Colton Witte and Sean Bloomfield,
departed on their own trek on April 28, 2008. The pair
made it to Hudson Bay on June 17, 2008, in only 49 days. They aren’t the only ones to follow in Sevareid’s and Port’s footsteps – Scott Miller and Todd Foster
made the same journey in 2005.
posted to MetaFilter by cabingirl
at 2:24 PM on June 19, 2008
(7 comments)
The Meaning of Box 722. Letters to Senator
Paul Douglas of Illinois in reaction to the 1966 civil rights bill, particularly the federal ban on racial discrimination in the sale and rental of housing. At the time, Chicago was the most segregated city in the north, with boundaries enforced by mob violence. By
Rick Perlstein, author of
Nixonland.
When I started researching NIXONLAND I knew the congressional elections of 1966 would form a crucial part of the narrative. They'd never really been examined in-depth before, but by my reckoning they were the crucial hinge that formed the ideological alignment we live in now. Via Brad DeLong.
posted to MetaFilter by russilwvong
at 11:46 AM on June 5, 2008
(15 comments)
Vanity Fair has a typically excellent article out -- "How the Web Was Won,"
an oral history of the Web. Even if you're familiar with ARPANet, Metcalfe's Law, Pearl Harbor Day, the VC rush, whatever -- the story told by the often-animated people at the center of the whirlwind is an enlightening and entertaining experience. And for those of you don't know the history of the Internet, learn it! This is part of your heritage now.
posted to MetaFilter by spiderwire
at 9:02 PM on June 4, 2008
(21 comments)
FruitAndVeggieGuru
– everything you need to know about the delicious fruits and vegetables you enjoy. Answers about how to lower your cholesterol or how to prepare asparagus. You’ll find loads of background and variety information, nutrition specifics, serving sizes, preparation ideas and care and handling tips.
posted to MetaFilter by netbros
at 7:04 PM on June 2, 2008
(18 comments)
Come, take a
ride and
look at some of the
Islamic Art of the past. Or, you could call it
Art of the
Islamic World if you're so inclined. If not, then how about taking into account some of the
major milestones of
Islam throughout the
centuries, from
past till
present (
more examples here), including the
art of
Calligraphy and
Architecture. Not to mention the
Arab world's contribution to
music, both
old and
new. [
Previously mentioned,
here,
here,
here, and
here, with a
wonderful comment from
nickyskye as usual]
posted to MetaFilter by hadjiboy
at 10:03 PM on May 29, 2008
(29 comments)
Mehdi Kazemi is granted asylum in the UK.
Mehdi, now 20, was studying in the UK when Parham (his boyfriend) was arrested for the crime of homosexuality by the Iranian government. Mehdi was named by his boyfriend and warned he was liable to arrest on his planned return. The UK Home Office denied him asylum [
despite a thoughtful campaign by human rights campaigners] - because it was said he had overstayed his student visa and was therefore not seen as genuinely seeking asylum. So he escaped to the Netherlands. That's where it gets complicated.
posted to MetaFilter by dash_slot-
at 1:43 PM on May 20, 2008
(17 comments)
Gyminee
is a truly excellent web app that lets you track workouts, nutrition and fitness goals. Prints grocery lists, lets you find workout buddies, etc. Very aesthetically pleasing, too. Considerably easier to use than
Fitday, which a lot of people swear by.
posted to MetaFilter by jbickers
at 1:49 PM on May 19, 2008
(15 comments)
Among industrialized nations,
Japan has a pretty low rate of violent crime, a relatively high number of police, and a virtually non-existent acquittal rate. Yet, somehow
the Yakuza persists.
posted to MetaFilter by absalom
at 4:45 PM on May 12, 2008
(58 comments)
It hasn't been updated in a few months, but the
Cocteau Twins Podcast is a treasure trove of rare and never-before-heard recordings.
posted to MetaFilter by jbickers
at 4:17 AM on April 21, 2008
(17 comments)
Gormenghast, that is, the main massing of the original stone, taken by itself would have displayed a certain ponderous architectural quality were it possible to have ignored the circumfusion of those mean dwellings that swarmed like an epidemic around its outer walls.
posted to MetaFilter by steerpike
at 5:19 AM on April 16, 2008
(57 comments)
