October 2022

  • Originally posted on History of Sorts: Although Westerbork wasn’t an extermination camp but transit camp, it didn’t mean that no one was murdered there. It is often referred to as a ‘humane’ camp, but there was nothing humane about it. Only 751 people were murdered there, now some will say that some died and were…

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  • I think it is safe to say that Eddie van Halen changed the concept of a guitar solo forever, when he first played “Eruption”. Not only guitar solos, rock guitar in general. Eruption” solo popularized the tapping style of guitar playing, and in doing so revolutionized the sound of rock. Not bad for a tune

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  • We are less than a month away from the Fifa Worldcup. The selection of Qatar as the host nation is, to use an understatement, controversial. But I hope it will do some good. I was wondering though about the history of Dutch football and especially the World War II years, the national competition didn’t halt.

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  • Warning: These Warnings Warn About Worrying Warnings

    Commonplace Fun Facts In an earlier article, we discussed the reason for the lengthy warnings that always show up at the end of pharmaceutical commercials. That did not answer the question, however, about why some odd and seemingly-unnecessary warnings appear on everyday products. Is it really necessary for an automobile’s full-window sunshield to carry the

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  • Bob Dole on Doling Out the Housework

    Commonplace Fun Facts Bob Dole was accustomed to being the big name in his family. As long-time U.S. Senator from Kansas, Senate Republican Leader, 1976 Vice Presidential nominee, and 1996 Presidential nominee, he was recognized wherever he went. His wife, Elizabeth, was no shrinking violet, however. An accomplished politician in her own right, she served

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  • How Did Pepsi End Up With the 6th Largest Navy in the World?

    Commonplace Fun Facts In the never-ending battle for market share, Pepsi has consistently taken second place against its rival, Coca-Cola. Fortunately, the rivalry between the companies has been limited to commerce. Had it broken out into an actual shooting war, there’s no question Pepsi would have emerged as the industry’s lone superpower. Its victory would

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  • The birth of a baby is a joyous occasion, even in war time. I don’t know if it is a specific Jewish tradition, but I know it is a Dutch one, that the birth of a child is announced in the newspapers. As did Harry’s parents, Willy and Rose, when he was born on October

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  • They Thought They Were Safe

    Approximately 25,000 Jews from Germany and Austria sought refuge in the Netherlands in the 1930s after the Nazis came to power. They were welcomed in the Netherlands because many Dutch were appalled by the treatment of the Jews in Germany. The photograph above shows a large protest meeting in the Amsterdam R.A.I. in 1938 against

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  • I moved to Ireland in 1997 and have not regretted it one day. I love the place and the people. Does that mean it is a perfect place? Of course not. I would be lying if I said there is no antisemitism in Ireland, because there is. But compared to most other European countries, it

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  • horror.

    Originally posted on I didn't have my glasses on….: ? at the haunted house while waiting to enter the performances began  fire dancers monsters pumpkin head evil clowns lasers, smoke even a bad dj – (‘diablo -international dj’) like being caught up in a campy carnie rave party and then we went in for…

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