balkandave.bsky.social - Profile | ThreadSky | a Reddit-style client for Bluesky

Anyone ever made a great power deal with Russia to carve up the land of sovereign nations in Eastern Europe? I'm sure someone must have done it. I wonder who it was? And honestly, how bad could they be?

submitted 3 hours ago • 67 comments

My review of the Avro Heritage Museum, Woodford, near Stockport. This is a newish museum on the site of the former BAE (Avro) factory, which built some iconic aircraft including the Lancaster, Nimrod and Vulcan. Well worth a visit. balkandave.blogspot.com/2025/03/avro...

submitted 2 hours ago • 0 comments

Are the player making geese sounds at the end of this clip? #FFC www.bbc.co.uk/sport/footba...

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That’s enough history for one day, time for the footie. Mind you, as we haven’t won here in the cup since before WW1, you might say history is not on our side!

submitted 1 day ago • 1 comment

I do like the Matilda. Even if the camo is debatable. IWM North.

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A small display of WW1 Gallipoli and Middle East exhibits, including a miniature Qur'an the Ottoman’s issued to all Indian PoWs. Not sure the Sikh prisoners would have appreciated it! Imperial War Museum North, Manchester today.

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Never miss a chance to promote my Turkey in WW2 book😀. Displays at the Avro Heritage Museum cover the Avro York aircraft (Ascalon) that flew Churchill to his meeting with the Turkish President at Adana. The Germans heard about the meeting and tried to intercept the return journey.

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Hard to imagine today in what is a huge housing estate, but 4,400 Lancaster bombers were assembled here at Avro Woodford. 16 went to the Argentine Air Force. Avro Heritage Museum.

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Two Vulcans in two days. Avro Heritage Museum today.

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Hammerhead 2025 - my review of the Hammerhead show yesterday. An excellent range of games in a first rate show with a focus on participation games. balkandave.blogspot.com/2025/03/hamm...

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Castles in the sky: the fantastical drawings of author Victor Hugo. Although better known for his novels Victor Hugo spent much of his time drawing. A collection of about 70 of his sketches will soon be on display at the Royal Academy in London. www.theguardian.com/artanddesign...

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Barton Bendish detectorist finds Roman silver coin hoard. The denarii date from the late Roman Republic to the reign of Marcus Aurelius and his wife Faustina, and were found at Barton Bendish, Norfolk. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

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American political leaders claim to eulogise Winston Churchill. They never objected then or now to Churchill visiting the White House in wartime NOT wearing a suit. Below: Churchill at the White House, 1942.

submitted 2 days ago • 1 comment

A rare aircraft. The RS4 Bobsleigh trainer. The pilot was in the prone position.

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When at a Newark show it would be rude not to visit the air museum. Vulcan and a Shackleton just two of their finest.

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Defenders of Asgard. 28mm Midgard game in the snow. Hammerhead today.

submitted 2 days ago • 1 comment

Psycho Glory. You are in a town where there has been a mass prison break. Deranged killers lurk the streets and you have to find a car to escape. Hammerhead today.

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The Very British Civil War in Somerset. Anglican League v BUF. Hammerhead today.

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Battle of the Fords of Isen. Isengard v Rohan, War of the Ring. Hammerhead today.

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Battle of the Horn Gate. To the Strongest gone fantasy in the world of Runequest. Hammerhead today.

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A couple of very nice if crowded small participation games at Hammerhead.

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Italian Wars in 28mm using a version of Fire and Fury rules. Hammerhead show today.

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I can't stand bullies. President Zelensky is now trying to stand up against two of them. We should have his back. #SlavaUkraïni

submitted 3 days ago • 1041 comments

Well, there’s a relief. I thought this was going to be in Ottoman Turkish, which would have been a challenge for my Duolingo Turkish! Thank you Ethan Menchinger👏👏

submitted 3 days ago • 1 comment

The British Ambassador in Constantinople in 1768 reporting on the Ottoman practice of declaring war by locking up the Russian Ambassador. Not a happy chappy!

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This is a letter to Empress Elizabeth of Russia to notify her of the death of George II in 1760. It takes most of the page just to list her titles!

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A very pleasant stroll down the Thames this morning to another great British institution- The National Archives. Access to public records is a crucial element of democracy.

submitted 3 days ago • 1 comment

Trump says Putin would keep his word on an Ukraine peace deal. He hasn’t kept his word on one deal so far. US workers will just scuttle out of the way of his tanks as they have done in the past. He only recognises strength- not commerce. www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

submitted 3 days ago • 0 comments

The Golden Throne by Christopher de Bellaigue review – Suleyman returns. A new instalment of the extraordinary and brutal story of the greatest Ottoman sultan reads like a thrilling novel. www.theguardian.com/books/2025/f...

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I am in one of our finest institutions today - the British Library. One of my picks is on microfilm, something I haven’t seen for years. This could be interesting!

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A full-time, open-ended lectureship in Ancient History at Leeds! It's a different department to me but your duties will still include being asked interminable questions about ancient weirdos by me, your colleague with a healthy interest.

submitted 4 days ago • 0 comments

My first visit to the National Memorial Arboretum. A very special place. The main memorial is outstanding but it is worth the walk to find the smaller ones, like Gallipoli and the South Atlantic. And not just the armed forces - railway workers and miners are remembered.

submitted 5 days ago • 0 comments

A memorial to the officers and men of the 80th Foot who died in the Sutlej Campaign 1815, part of the British campaign in the Anglo-Nepalese War. Long forgotten by most but not in Lichfield Cathedral, which saw more than a bit of action in the Civil Wars.

submitted 5 days ago • 0 comments

The Elon Musk backed pro-Russian candidate in Romania, Calin Georgescu has been arrested. Authorities raided him like the crook he is and found at least $10 million in cash and tickets to Moscow. He may have also bumped his head a little bit too.

submitted 5 days ago • 430 comments

I am giving a couple of talks on the Cyprus conflict this week. This Ferret and an EOKA flag taken by 1st South Staffs in Nicosia, will come in handy. Staffordshire Regimental Museum.

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Something I haven’t seen before. A 20 round magazine for the SMLE. Made by Linley & Co. Rare, even though 120,000 were issued in 1918.

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A diorama of the Battle of Ulundi 1879, using flats. Staffordshire Regimental Museum.

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At the Staffordshire Regimental Museum. One of the best replica WW1 trench systems I have seen.

submitted 5 days ago • 3 comments

These are the remains of the Roman Town of Wall (Letocetum) on Watling Street in Staffordshire. I drove along the route of Watling Street to get here. They did build straight roads!

submitted 5 days ago • 0 comments

Why Edinburgh has a Confederate soldier memorial. Relative accepts monuments were to "intimidate" and to try and maintain racial divides. But she defends the memorial as "private monuments to grief" that don't express support for the Confederate cause. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

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We haven’t won at Molineux for 40 years so that is a result! My first visit. Decent ground and good away fan view. #FFC

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Molineux this evening. Lively start and one up. #FFC

submitted 6 days ago • 0 comments

This is one of the first images - published in 1488 - of the later called #Dracula. A short 🧵 of the media history of the legend.

submitted 107 days ago • 7 comments

Fossil footprints reveal what may be the oldest known handcarts. New research shows how people got stuff around before wheels. theconversation.com/fossil-footp...

submitted 6 days ago • 1 comment

Oxford University Press will be awarding as many as 10 ECRs the opportunity to publish their first book in fully open access as well as in hardback. Today the website was revised to make clear that independent/unaffiliated scholars are eligible. Deadline March 3. academic.oup.com/pages/early-...

submitted 45 days ago • 7 comments