Random Learnings #51
Though evidence is inconclusive and reasoning disputed, Khrushchev may have proposed that the Kaliningrad enclave become part of the Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic. The Lithuanian leader Sniečkus declined because over…
Berlin Never Forgets
Berlin obviously is a city steeped in history: everywhere you look you'll see a marker, monument, building, or something else that's meaningful. I doubt anyone is surprised. However, this street…
Paternoster Failure II
Twice I've attempted to ride a paternoster lift (elevator); twice I've failed. My first attempt was Stuttgart, Germany City Hall which has a working paternoster. Unfortunately, our arrival corresponded to…
Random Learnings #50
Sovetsk, Russia is part of the Kalingrad enclave, physically separated from mainland Russia. It's even further separated from mainland Russia as planes can no longer fly over the Baltics but…
From Here I Can See Russia!
Sarah Palin is often misquoted as saying I can see Russia from my house! - thank you, Tina Fey - but I can say I saw Russia from my rental…
Does Anyone Know What Floor This Is?
On left, elevator buttons in my hotel in Kaunus; on right, Vilnius. See any difference? Universally - until my visit to Kaunus - ground floors are Floor 0 in Europe…
Pods That Don’t Encourage Sleeping!
I'm currently at Schipol Airport in Amsterdam, waiting for my connecting flight to Vilnius, Lithuania where I'll be speaking at BuildStuff 2024. Upon arrival in Vilnius, I'm driving to Kaunus,…
Random Learnings #47
Czechoslovakia first came into existence at the conclusion of World War I and the collapse of the Austria-Hungarian Empire. The new country immediately needed to create a working government, establish…
Random Learnings #46
"A Peasant Leaving His Landlord on Yuriev Day" by Sergei V. Ivanov I thought that Russian serfs were essentially slaves - a belief supported by many English-language references - but…
Random Learnings #45
"United Nations" by japedi is licensed under CC BY 2.0. I knew that China joined the United Nations at Taiwan's expense - China also getting the permanent seat on the…