13.2.2010 by Traveler.

Today in 1945 Dresden was destroyed in a military needless bombing raid.

Tragedies like this still repeat themselves today, not on this scale, but there are still too many innocent casualties in every war. Let’s also not forget that there is Nazi scum marching through Dresden as I write these lines, defiling the memory of the victims and twisting them for their own despicable ends.

Dresden, along with Coventry, Hiroshima and Nagasaki stands as a symbol for the evils of war. Dresden is also a symbol for recovery and for this matter, one photograph can say more than a thousand words:

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12.2.2010 by Traveler.

Today in 1935 USS Macon was lost to accident. She was the last of the giant airships like the Hindenburg to be used by the US Navy and the last flying aircraft carrier, with her complement of six Sparrowhawk biplanes.

Today we remember USS Macon.

And also the Sparrowhawk, the only parasite fighter to actually see regular service.

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11.2.2010 by Traveler.

Today in 1847 the most famous and iconic inventor of the industrial age was born, Thomas Alva Edison:

Although not the invenor of the light-bulb (a common misconception), he greatly improved its design. He is rightly credited with the invention of the phonograph and the carbon microphone amongst many other things. He is also one of the most beloved inventors ofthe Steampunk genre, possibly only eclipsed by Nikola Tesla.

Edison also features prominently in the backstory of the steampunk role playing game Space 1889 as the inventor of the Ætherflyer which made space exploration in this setting possible.

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10.2.2010 by Traveler.

170 years ago today, the wedding of the Victorian Age took place:

Queen Victoria married Albert of Saxe-Coburg.

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9.2.2010 by Traveler.

This years Salon de locomotion aerienne, the Paris Air Show, will mark its 100th anniversary, there will be a bigger blog article on the day it starts (if I don’t forget) but for now, here are two very nice images from the first show in 1909:

Ah! My little steampunk heart ticks faster!

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8.2.2010 by Traveler.

Official Steampunk Holiday!

Jules Verne is 182 years old today, if he would still be around. Happy Birthday, Grand Old Master!

PS: This entry was written on 10th February, although I put the event on my iCal…

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23.1.2010 by Traveler.

Special Steampunk Holiday for airship and zeppelin enthusiasts

On this day in 1911 the Siemens-Schuckert I took to air, it was semi-rigid and therefor something of a transitional form between previous airships and the zeppelins that have become so iconic in steampunk.

And it proves: Evolution works in fields other than nature.

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22.1.2010 by Traveler.

The Battle of Isandlwana

Today is one of those days when I look back at history and wonder: Why did something like this not happen more often? Why did not more native populations resist effectively and on a massive scale? Why were Europeans allowed to spread their culture and toxic memes all over the world?

Anyways: Today we commemorate the great victory of King Cetshwayo’s Zulus over the British under Lord Chelmsford at the Battle of Insandlwana. Both were the overall commanders and not actually present at the battle.

The victory was, alas, shortlived and the British actually managed to subdue the Zulu. Too bad. There should have been more victories against colonialists like this… Eventually, there would be moreresistance, but it would need the long-term effects of the Second World War to end global dominance by the “civilized west”.

Yes, I am quite cynical about the culture of my hemisphere.

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18.1.2010 by Traveler.

One image is worth a thousand words:

The first unified German nation-state since the Peace of Westphalia.

The good: Up to late 1888 there was very little tension with neighbouring states as Kaiser Friedrich Wilhelm, Kaiser Friedrich III (whose reign was far to short anyway) and Chancellor Bismarck did not pursue aggressive foreign policies after unification. The unification of Germany also lead to massive industrialisation and modernisation and gave us the Zeppelin.

The bad: Only one good, effective Emperor, his liberal son… I am repeating myself.

The ugly: We all know (we do, don’t we?) what happened in 1914.

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10.1.2010 by Traveler.

Slightly off-topic, but only slightly.

Today in 1835 Fukuzawa Yukichi (福澤 諭吉) was born. He is one of the most influential people of the Meiji period and is regarded as one of the founding fathers of modern Japan.

Since I hold him in high regard and the Meiji period coincides with the lifetime of Jules Verne, Queen Victoria and Kaiser Friedrich III, it is only fitting to include this Japanese notable on my blog.

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