My new long-distance love

Photo of Greenwich foot tunnel, by Dave Gorman

Thanks to UK comedian Dave Gorman and the BBC Magazine’s Alternative tourist map of Britain, I’ve fallen in love with the Greenwich foot tunnel (pictured).

Look further! It has a dome at each end, almost infinite length and endless fascinating perspectives.

Opened in 1902, the tunnel runs 370m under the River Thames and is lined with white tiles — though the section in the photo has a thick steel and concrete inner lining to repair World War II bomb damage. You can see that more clearly in the Dave Gorman’s larger photo.

Perhaps it’s unpatriotic to lust after a very English tunnel on the 75th birthday of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, but somehow this tunnel intrigues me. I suspect that once I see it “in the flesh” I’ll love it as much as ’Pong loves the Newtown railway underpass.

Those Deadly Democrats

“Which presidents and political parties were responsible for America’s deadliest wars?” asks the cartographer. “Republicans, Democrats, or the Founding Fathers?” This animated view of America’s military history is from the guy who brought you the animated Imperial History of the Middle East.

It’s fascinating because it’s a fine example of political propaganda — released as it was shortly before the US mid-term Congressional elections, showing how (apparently) the Democrats have caused more death than the Republicans. Watch and learn…

Continue reading “Those Deadly Democrats”

“Gospel of Judas” Published

As reported in The New York Times, an early Christian manuscript including the only known text of what is known as the Gospel of Judas has surfaced after 1,700 years.

In this version, Jesus asked Judas, as a close friend, to sell him out to the authorities, telling Judas he will “exceed” the other disciples by doing so.

Though some theologians have hypothesized this, scholars who have studied the new-found text said, this is the first time an ancient document defends the idea.

They also link to a National Geographic feature where you can explore the document in Coptic and an English translation.