THE REAL ATLANTIS
Here we are at the real Atlantis in Knossos, Crete. More nonsense has been invented about Plato’s myth of Atlantis – mentioned briefly in his Timaeus and Critias and not by anyone else in antiquity – than any other legend you care to name.
Yet like many myths, it was constructed out of something that really existed. Atlantis is the Minoan Civilization of Crete, Europe’s oldest. By 2,000 BC, the Minoans had created the world’s first peaceful capitalist empire, based not on military might and conquest but on trade, with trade routes across the entire Mediterranean. They became immensely wealthy, building fabulous palaces and villas – but their cities were not fortified. Europe’s original civilization was the most peaceful in European history.
Around 1450 BC, the Minoan island of Santorini 60 miles north of Crete – known to the Greeks as Thera – suffered a colossal volcanic explosion with the resultant mega-tsunami wiping the Minoans out on Crete. It was “The wave that destroyed Atlantis.” Yet you can see for Atlantis for yourself, its excavated villas with fabulous preserved frescoes, and step back into a period of inspiring history. (Glimpses of Our Breathtaking World #68 photo ©Jack Wheeler)
ARISTOTLE, EINSTEIN, AND AYN RAND
[This Monday’s Archive was first published on February 2, 2005, the centennial of Ayn Rand’s birthday. It was too optimistic 19 years ago to soon expect a greater appreciation of objective reality in our culture, for our current cultural curse is the pathological rejection of it, typified by the insane fanaticism that pretends a man by sheer mystical incantation can change himself into a woman and destroy women’s sports or their privacy in public bathrooms thereby. Subjectivism and moral relativism must be replaced by acknowledgement of reality for our culture to survive. This tragedy begins by Einstein mistakenly calling his theory one of relativity.]
TTP, February 2, 2005
Ever played the Ultimate Dinner Party parlor game – where you get to imagine inviting people from history to converse over dinner and explain why them? At such a party, one conversation I’d most like to hear would be between Aristotle and Einstein.
Einstein would first have to bring Aristotle up to speed with what science had learned since the 4th century B.C. In particular, he would blow Aristotle’s mind about inertia.
But once he digested this, Aristotle would ask him – “So, all of us here at dinner are famous – what are you famous for?” When Einstein answered, “The Theory of Relativity,” Aristotle would respond: “What is it that’s relative?”
FLASHBACK FRIDAY: THE ONLY CAR I EVER LOVED
My 1952 K2 Allard
When you get to be as old as I am, you’ve had a number of cars. I’ve had many over the years – but only one I really loved was this 1952 K2 Allard.
Sydney Allard (1910-1966) was a famous English race car driver in 1930s, and founded the Allard Motor Car company in London in 1945. His most famous race car was the J2 which finished third in Le Mans in 1950. The K2 was the roadster version of the J2 with those amazing swooping fenders.
Allards were always powered by an American V-8 – mine had a big block Chevy. I had drag races in it right out of American Graffitti or the Beach Boys’ Shut Down, and once hit 160 on a long empty stretch of highway out in the California desert racing a supercharged Porsche.
I asked Rebel to marry me in my K2 driving along the Pacific Coast Highway – best decision I ever made. So many memories in this car. But that was long ago. A car like that won’t last in East Coast winters, so I sold it when we moved to Washington long ago. Have I ever thought of getting another K2? Sure – but I know at my age driving a car like that (and knowing how I’d drive it!) is not wise. Better stick with the memories. (Glimpses of Our Breathtaking World #258 photo ©Jack Wheeler)
THE SHADOW KNOWS
HALF-FULL REPORT 02/02/24
First, it’s an unapologetic masculinity-as-heroism movie, completely anti-woke, starring Superman Henry Cavill, Reacher Alan Ritchson et al.
Second, the story is true, based on military historian Damien Lewis’ chronicle, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare: The Mavericks Who Plotted Hitler's Downfall, Giving Birth to Modern-Day Black Ops. As a Commander in British Naval Intelligence, Ian Fleming directed much of the activities and based his character of James Bond on the operatives (actor Freddie Fox plays Fleming in the movie).
Third, a sustained campaign of ungentlemanly political warfare is precisely what we need now waged against the hate-America fascists of the Woke Left. We already have the most ungentlemanly gentleman of all to lead it: PDJT. What are we waiting for?
There’s a lot here so let’s go. We end with a recent interview of me with Erik Prince, which I hope you enjoy.
THE REMOTEST SWIMMING POOL
This is St. Paul’s Natural Pool on Pitcairn Island, where in 1790 Fletcher Christian and his mutineers of the Mutiny on the Bounty settled, and where their descendants live to this day. They were awed by the uninhabited island’s lush beauty, with huge banyan trees rising above them like giant cathedrals, and thought it a Garden of Eden where anything grew, coconuts, bananas, taro, breadfruit, mangoes, guavas, passion fruit, yams and sweet potatoes in the rich volcanic soil.
Pitcairn has no beaches, though, so this was their swimming hole – and still is for Pitcairners today. They are happy to take you here, and to the island’s colorfully named spots, like Where Dick Fall, Oh Dear, Break Im Hip, Down the Hole – and to Fletcher Christian’s Cave, his lookout for British warships hunting them (they failed for 25 years) .
It’s not easy to get here – fly to Tahiti, then remote Mangareva from where you sail for two days on a supply ship. But you’ll be so welcome upon arrival. You stay in one of their homes in Adamstown and be treated like family. It’s a travel experience like none other. (Glimpses of Our Breathtaking World #63 photo ©Jack Wheeler)
SKYE’S LINKS 02/01/24
Wow – Big News. In Jack’s 12/14 HFR, we learned about 327 Jan6 protestors charged with “obstruction” and another 57 on a related charge, with the Supreme Court agreeing to take their case against the charge – and it’s the same charge Jack Smith is prosecuting President Trump on. Now two jailed Jan6ers have successfully petitioned to be set free – quite possibly opening the doors of the American Gulag to freedom for hundreds more.
Jan. 6 Convicts Released After Supreme Court Takes Up Challenge To Feds’ Use Of Obstruction Charge
Just what Skye’s Links has been predicting to crush the hopes of rising stock market Pollyannas. Powell knows his most critical job is to preserve the dollar as the world’s reserve currency, not to preserve the Biden presidency with rate cuts in an election year. He has chosen wisely.
The Fed Fights Back – Says No to Imminent Rate Cuts
Here we go – jump on board!
FLOWER HIGHWAYS, FLOWER TRAILS
For miles and miles, the roads in the Azores Islands are lined with flowers on both sides. Even the foot paths and trails are strewn with flowers.
As you know, I’ve been to every country in the world. I know of no place on earth more beautiful, more flower strewn, more peaceful, serene, and safe than Portugal’s island paradises of Madeira and the Azores in the Atlantic.
So plan on joining me, Rebel, and your fellow TTPers on our exploration of Atlantic Paradises, June 28 to July 8. Enjoy the overabundance of fabulous photos in the link. You may find it irresistible to make this beauty and serenity a part of your life. (Glimpses of Our Breathtaking World #196 photo ©Jack Wheeler)
IT’S THE HANGMAN, CHARLIE BROWN
The state of Alabama just performed America’s first execution by nitrogen gas, and this latest attempt to find a “nice way” to end a human life already has detractors, with condemned convict Kenneth Smith’s spiritual adviser claiming it was the “most horrible thing I’ve ever seen”, as reported by CNN.
Unsurprisingly, the condemned struggled a bit and didn’t appear to want to breathe normally. The White House opinion? “Troubling.”
His Royal Senescence will have to go to the great state of Mississippi and lecture them. Or perhaps the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights will take time out from criticizing Iran, the Taliban, and China to weigh in. Sarcasm off, but we aren’t holding our breath.
We should have predicted this. I will show my age and examine the strange case of Peanuts characters Charlie Brown and Lucy, and her infamous football, regarding the controversy.
Charlie Brown never learns. Neither do we. It’s time we did, for unless we do, it’s the hangman for Charlie and all the rest of us.
BREAKING THE WOKE STRANGLEHOLD ON CANADA
And just like that, Canada’s storied Liberal Party, in power for one hundred years, the country's self-described "natural governing party," is done.
Before the ruling this week, Pierre Poilievre’s Conservatives were projected to win 222 seats, according to Angus Reid's January 21st poll, with the Liberals at 53 seats. Trudeau’s partner-in-crime, the fetching champagne socialist Jagmeet Singh, he of the mauve headwraps and Rolex watch? Twenty-five seats.
With the decision, handed down by a federal judge, that Trudeau invoked the Emergencies Act illegally, to end the truckers’ protest in Ottawa and at border crossings in Ontario and Alberta, Canada’s ruling elite has given up. They cannot continue the fiction any longer.
To illustrate how ridiculous Canada’s public life is, the findings by the RCMP and government were entirely driven by a government-funded Non-Governmental Organization, the Canadian Anti-Hate Network, or CAHN.
The group was used in a perfect illustration of the Iron Triangle of government and bureaucratic action. The government funds an anti-hate group, which immediately identifies opposition to the government, labels it as hate, feeds it to the federal police which proceeds to investigate.
Sound familiar, Americans?