Category: History

A Moment of Silence

A poem for 9-11 By Emmanuel Ortiz, September 11, 2002   Before I begin this poem, I’d like to ask you to join me in a moment of silence in honor of those who died in the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on September 11th, 2001. I would also like to ask you to …

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Permanent link to this article: https://levantium.com/2007/09/11/a-moment-of-silence/

Trans-Siberian Highway

 It was too good to be true… I found out that the short curved section in the middle of the Trans-Siberian Highway is just an urban legend, probably based on a similar tale about the Moscow-Saint Petersburg Railway.  Here’s the real story: Nicholas I is involved in a common misconception about the railroad from Moscow …

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Permanent link to this article: https://levantium.com/2007/09/06/trans-siberian-highway/

Out of Egypt

 Ms. Rice, Thank you.  I just finished reading the paperback version of your novel [Christ the Lord – Out of Egypt].  I immediately detected a Catholic flavor to your tale, which is OK.  I saw it in Mel Gibson’s movie as well.  What I didn’t understand was the insertion of “Arabian” mercenaries on at least …

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Permanent link to this article: https://levantium.com/2007/09/02/out-of-egypt/

Matthew 24

 Mr. Turner was interesting, but he disappointed me with his “spin” on Matthew 24.  Seems like the gist of his message was that, when he’s really challenged by alternate/competing philosophies or moments of doubt, he rests his faith in the prophecies of the Bible.  Funny how Jesus could be clearly explaining things that would come …

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Permanent link to this article: https://levantium.com/2007/07/17/matthew-24/

Beyond Iraq?

 Gov. Huckabee,  Thank you for taking time to respond to my concerns re. your position on the war in Iraq.  I saw you this morning on MSNBC and when asked what you are currently reading, you mentioned “Beyond Iraq” by Mike Evans. Very disappointing. An excerpt from Publishers Weekly says this: With the Bible’s various …

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Permanent link to this article: https://levantium.com/2007/06/20/beyond-iraq/

Amazing Grace

 Thanks for sending the review, it was very interesting.  To me, it sounds like the biggest beef the writer has is that the movie isn’t the one he wanted it to be.  He reminds me of someone who knows so much about the subject matter that he nitpicks every deviation from absolute historical accuracy.  Amazing Grace …

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Permanent link to this article: https://levantium.com/2007/06/09/amazing-grace/

For whom do I write?

 …by Lebanese poet, Musa Shu`ayb, about the 1967 defeat.  Written in 1967 and translated/posted by As’ad at http://angryarab.blogspot.com/:   “For whom do I write? Do I wrote about you, o my homeland Do I write my sadness and bitterness and the hopes of millions that were buried without coffins? Do I write about our history which is mixed …

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Permanent link to this article: https://levantium.com/2007/06/05/for-whom-do-i-write/