Elon Musk prevented Starlink satellites from helping Ukraine to launch and attack against Russian ships. Credit: Official SpaceX Photos / CC0 / Wikimedia Commons
Ukraine has accused Elon Musk of “committing evil” after a new biography revealed that the business magnate ordered his Starlink satellite communications network to be turned off last year to thwart a drone attack on Russian warships.
Starlink is SpaceX’s global network of more than four thousand satellites that provide service to more than fifty countries. In Ukraine, Starlink has worked as the connective tissue for crucial battlefield communications.
According to a new biography of Musk, in an interview with author Walter Isaacson, the South African-born billionaire asked, “How am I in this war?”
In the early days of Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, as Western governments worked to supply Kyiv with artillery and air defense systems, the first of Musk’s Starlink terminals arrived in the country. The billionaire eventually soured on the arrangement.
Ukraine blasts Elon Musk’s decision
“Starlink was not meant to be involved in wars,” Musk said, according to the book. “It was so people can watch Netflix and chill and get online for school and do good peaceful things, not drone strikes.”
He told Isaacson that he was worried the Ukrainian attack on Russian vessels would provoke the Kremlin into launching a nuclear war. The book, titled Elon Musk, will be released Tuesday.
A top aide to Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky lashed out at Musk over the revelation. “By not allowing Ukrainian drones to destroy part of the Russian military fleet via Starlink interference, Elon Musk allowed this fleet to fire Kalibr missiles at Ukrainian cities,” Mykhailo Podolyak said.
“As a result, civilians, children are being killed, he added on X, which was formerly known as Twitter. “This is the price of a cocktail of ignorance and big ego.”
“Why do some people so desperately want to defend war criminals and their desire to commit murder?” he wrote. “And do they now [realize] that they are committing evil and encouraging evil?”
Sometimes a mistake is much more than just a mistake. By not allowing Ukrainian drones to destroy part of the Russian military (!) fleet via #Starlink interference, @elonmusk allowed this fleet to fire Kalibr missiles at Ukrainian cities. As a result, civilians, children are…
“The Starlink regions in question were not activated,” Musk said Thursday night in an X thread about the revelation. “SpaceX did not deactivate anything.”
He added: “Both sides should agree to a truce. Every day that passes, more Ukrainian and Russian youth die to gain and lose small pieces of land, with borders barely changing. This is not worth their lives.”
Isaacson added that Musk’s decision was discussed in a phone call with President Joe Biden’s national security advisor, Jake Sullivan, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff U.S. Army Gen. Mark Milley.
Musk, according to Isaacson, was also engaged in a texting conversation with Ukraine’s digital minister, Mykhailo Fedorov. The official pleaded with Musk to restore Starlink’s connectivity so that Ukrainian submarine drones could carry out the attack on Russia’s warship fleet.
Musk replied that he thought Ukraine was “going too far and inviting strategic defeat,” according to Isaacson’s book.
“I think if the Ukrainian attacks had succeeded in sinking the Russian fleet, it would have been like a mini Pearl Harbor and led to a major escalation,” he said, according to Isaacson. “We did not want to be a part of that.”
The attack on the World Trade Center in New York on September 11, 2001. Many conspiracy theories surrounding 9/11 have emerged. Credit: Robert J Fisch/Wikimedia Commons/ CC BY-SA 2.0
Countless conspiracy theories have circulated in the wake of 9/11, the day when terrorists hijacked planes and attacked the World Trade Center in New York twenty two years ago.
By David Oswald, RMIT University; Erica Kuligowski, RMIT University, and Kate Nguyen, RMIT University
The collapse of the World Trade Center has been subject to intense public scrutiny over the twenty years since the center’s Twin Towers were struck by aircraft hijacked by terrorists. Both collapsed within two hours of impact, prompting several investigations and spawning a variety of conspiracy theories.
Construction on the World Trade Center 1 (the North Tower) and World Trade Center 2 (the South Tower) began in the 1960s. They were constructed from steel and concrete, using a design that was groundbreaking at the time. Most high-rise buildings since have used a similar structure.
FEMA’s report was published in 2002. This was followed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s three-year investigation, funded by the US Federal Government and published in 2005.
Some conspiracy theorists seized on the fact the NIST investigation was funded by the federal government, believing the government itself had caused the twin towers’ collapse or was aware it would happen and deliberately didn’t act.
While there have been critics of both reports (and the investigations behind them weren’t flawless), their explanation for the buildings’ collapse is widely accepted. They conclude it was not caused by direct impact by the aircraft or the use of explosives but by fires that burned inside the buildings after impact.
Why did the towers collapse as they did on 9/11?
Some have questioned why the buildings did not “topple over” after being struck side-on by aircraft. But the answer becomes clear once you consider the details.
Aircraft are made of lightweight materials, such as aluminium. If you compare the mass of an aircraft with that of a skyscraper more than four hundred meters tall and built from steel and concrete, it makes sense the building would not topple over.
The towers would have been more than one thousand times the mass of the aircraft and designed to resist steady wind loads more than thirty times the aircrafts’ weight.
That said, the aircraft did dislodge fireproofing material within the towers, which was coated on the steel columns and on the steel floor trusses (underneath the concrete slab). The lack of fireproofing left the steel unprotected.
As such, the impact also structurally damaged the supporting steel columns. When a few columns become damaged, the load they carry is transferred to other columns. This is why both towers withstood the initial impacts and didn’t collapse immediately.
Progressive collapse vs 9/11 conspiracy theories
This fact also spawned one of the most common conspiracy theories surrounding 9/11: that a bomb or explosives must have been detonated somewhere within the buildings.
These theories have developed from video footage showing the towers rapidly collapsing downwards some time after impact, similar to a controlled demolition. But it is possible for them to have collapsed this way without explosives.
It was fire that caused this, and this fire is believed to have stemmed from the burning of remaining aircraft fuel.
According to the FEMA report, fire within the buildings caused thermal expansion of the floors in a horizontal and outwards direction, pushing against the rigid steel columns, which then deflected to an extent but resisted further movement.
This figure shows the expansion of floor slabs and framing which likely happened as a result of the fires. Credit: FEMA
With the columns resisting movement, there was nowhere else for the concrete floors to expand. This led to an increased buildup of stress in the sagging floors until the floor framing and connections gave in.
The floors’ failure pulled the columns back inwards, eventually leading to their buckling and the floors collapsing. The collapsing floors then fell on more floors below, leading to a progressive collapse.
The buckling of columns initiated by floor failure. Credit: FEMA
This explanation, documented in the official reports, is widely accepted by experts as the cause of the Twin Towers’ collapse. It is understood the South Tower collapsed sooner because it suffered more damage from the initial aircraft impact, which also dislodged more fireproofing material.
The debris from the collapse of the North Tower set at least ten floors alight in the nearby World Trade Center 7, or “Building 7,” which also collapsed about seven hours later.
While there are different theories regarding how the progressive collapse of Building 7 was initiated, there is consensus among investigators that fire was the primary cause of failure.
Both official reports made a range of fire safety recommendations for other high-rise buildings, including the improvement of evacuation and emergency response. In 2007, the National Institute of Standards and Technology also published a best practice guide recommending risk-reducing solutions for progressive collapse.
What does this mean for high-rise buildings?
Before 9/11, progressive collapse was not well understood by engineers. The disaster highlighted the importance of having a “global view” of fire safety for a building, as opposed to focusing on individual elements.
There have since been changes to building codes and standards on improving the structural performance of buildings on fire, as well as opportunities to escape (such as added stairwell requirements).
At the same time, the collapse of the Twin Towers demonstrated the very real dangers of fire in high-rise buildings. In the decades since the World Trade Center was designed, buildings have become taller and more complex, as societies demand sustainable and cost-effective housing in large cities.
Some eighty-six of the current one hundred tallest buildings in the world were built since 9/11. This has coincided with a significant increase in building façade fires globally, which have gone up sevenfold over the past three decades.
This increase can be partly attributed to the wide use of flammable cladding. It is marketed as an innovative, cost-effective, and sustainable material; yet, it has shown significant shortcomings in terms of fire safety, as witnessed in the 2017 Grenfell Disaster.
The Grenfell fire (and similar cladding fires) are proof fire safety in tall buildings is still a problem, and as structures get taller and more complex with new and innovative designs and materials, questions around fire safety will only become more difficult to answer.
The events of 9/11 may have been challenging to foresee, but the fires that led to the towers’ collapse could have been better prepared for.
The ancient Greek Temple of Aphaea on the Greek island of Aegina is one of the most impressive archaeological sites in the country.
The goddess Aphaea, who was associated with agriculture and fertility, is thought to be a local deity, because the sanctuary complex on Aegina is the only place where the goddess was worshiped.
Aegina is located in the Saronic Gulf just 27 kilometers (16 miles) away from the Greek capital of Athens.
The impressive temple, which was built in the Doric style, is located atop a hill that is covered in pine trees. The hill is about 160 meters (524 feet) high and is found on the eastern side of the island just 13 kilometers (8 miles) away from the main town and its port.
The Temple of Aphaea was a prominent sanctuary site in the sixth century BC, but, when Athens took control of Aegina in the fifth century, its importance began to decline, and it was abandoned in the second century BC.
Ancient Greek Temple of Aphaea on Aegina
The site itself is thought to have first been used for worship in the Mycenaean period, which ran from c. 1750 BC to 1050 BC. A large number of Bronze-age figurines have been found at the site, some of which may be Minoan in origin.
Archaeologists have discovered the remnants of an older temple, built around 570 BC, underneath the current structure, which was constructed around 500 BC.
The original temple structure likely burned down in a fire, but the newer, extant temple contains undamaged elements of the older temple in its foundation, which kept them well-preserved.
Analysis of the site first began in the early 20th century by German archaeologists from the German school in Athens, but excavations could not be carried out then, as they risked damaging the temple itself.
Extensive excavations at the site started in the 1960s, when German archaeologists were able to study the site without damaging the temple. During their digs at the Temple of Aphaea, they discovered the remains of the older temple at the monument’s foundations.
The stunning beauty of the Temple of Aphaea, which is highlighted by its beautiful surroundings, has inspired travelers for centuries. The famed British landscape painter J.M.W. Turner was particularly fond of the site and drew it many times. The ancient Greek travel writer Pausanias also visited the site during his sojourn across the ancient world.
The Temple of Aphaea on Aegina is perhaps most famous for its unique pedimentary sculptures, which were once brightly painted.
Both sculptural arrangements depict scenes from the Trojan War in which warriors from Aegina were said to have fought bravely.
One pediment shows the hero Herakles and other Greek soldiers fighting against a Trojan king, Laomedon, while the other depicts a battle between the Greek King Agamemnon against the Trojan ruler Priam in which the famed fighters Ajax and Achilles took part.
This year’s Acropolis Rally lived up to its reputation as an extremely tough competition due to difficult weather conditions. Credit: Nickgleris / Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
After navigating through the fifteen special stages of this year’s Acropolis Rally, Kalle Rovanpera emerged as the triumphant winner. The 22-year-old Finnish driver already won the Rally in 2021.
This year’s Acropolis Rally lived up to its reputation as an exceedingly tough and demanding competition. The persistent heavy rains added another layer of complexity, with mixed conditions on several special stages and the tire choice becoming a challenging puzzle.
Despite the disadvantage of starting first on the road and encountering tough conditions, Rovanpera minimized his time loss, with his only near-mishap occurring on stage three due to extreme weather conditions. Saturday’s drier stages saw Rovanpera trailing Hyundai’s Thierry Neuville, who was in a fierce battle with Toyota’s Sebastien Ogier.
Rovanpera surged back into contention with four consecutive stage wins, ultimately seizing the lead when both Neuville and Ogier faced setbacks. Neuville’s suspension damage and Ogier’s punctures and suspension issues allowed Rovanpera to secure a substantial two-minute lead.
Avoiding punctures and mechanical problems, Rovanpera clinched victory and boosted his championship lead over Evans by winning the Power Stage. Evans, who battled mechanical issues on Saturday, displayed an impressive comeback to finish second. A suspected overheating problem on his GR Yaris temporarily dropped him to fifth, but a roadside repair and retirements by Neuville and Ogier propelled him to second place, narrowly edging out Hyundai’s Daniel Sordo.
Sordo, who avoided troubles throughout the rally, secured third place, although he couldn’t fend off Evans, ultimately finishing 4.2 seconds behind him.
In the informal ranking of Greek crews, Jourdan Serderidis emerged as the leader, steering clear of mistakes throughout the race.
This year, the iconic Rally took place from September 7th to 10th.
Challenging Weather Conditions
The EKO Acropolis Rally 2023 encountered unexpected weather challenges due to Storm Daniel. Adverse conditions prompted organizers to make adjustments, shortening the “Grammeni” Special Route and canceling the shakedown.
Despite this, the race proceeded with a ceremonial start beneath the Holy Rock of the Acropolis in Athens. Organizers monitored conditions closely and ensured spectator convenience with mass transportation recommendations. Drivers were urged to cooperate with traffic controllers to prevent congestion and ensure a safe rally experience.
As a result of Storm Daniel, fourteen individuals lost their lives. In response to the disaster, a total of 4,250 rescue and evacuation operations have taken place since September 5th, relocating individuals to safer areas. Since September 7th, 767 rescue missions have been conducted using various aircraft. Larissa remains on high alert as the Pinios River has overflowed, leading to evacuations and challenging road conditions, which have required boat operations for rescues.
The auditors raided bars and restaurants, scrutinizing the issuance of receipts for tax compliance and inspecting the drinks served for authenticity and legality. Credit: DARIUSzpre / CC-BY-3.0 / Wikimedia Commons
Greek authorities have uncovered a concerning practice in some bars on Corfu island, a popular tourist destination. During an operation aimed at identifying tax evasion and the sale of illegal beverages, auditors, led by the Independent Public Revenue Authorities with assistance from local police, conducted raids on bars and restaurants in the village area of Kavos.
Inspections took place from August 30th to September 1st and were coordinated by the AADE operations center.
Their focus was on Kavos, a renowned party hub for English and other foreign tourists. Kavos is located at the island’s southernmost point. This area, often regarded as uninhabited, had seen no regulatory oversight for many years.
Auditors simultaneously raided numerous bars and restaurants, scrutinizing the issuance of receipts for tax compliance and inspecting drinks served for authenticity and legality.
Tax Evasion and Resale of Unfinished Drinks
The inspection revealed numerous violations. Twenty-six catering businesses failed to issue at least 40,578 receipts, amounting to 267,418 euros. Seven catering establishments served drinks lacking lot number markings, indicating contraband or potentially hazardous products. Eight samples were collected and sent for analysis by the State General Chemistry.
Authorities thereby stumbled upon a different problem as well. They found that some establishments were collecting leftover drinks from patrons’ glasses in a barrel and subsequently serving them as shots to unsuspecting tourists.
As a result of these findings, affected businesses faced 48-hour closures and monetary fines. Ongoing inspections are being conducted in other tourist areas.
This incident on Corfu coincides with a surge in tourism across Europe this summer, as reported by The New York Times.
Receipt-Checking App for Consumers
Due to numerous violations, the Greek Tax Administration introduced a receipt verification app called Appodixi in 2022, which allows consumers to identify counterfeit cash receipts.
This official application, managed by the Independent Authority of Public Revenue of Greece (IAPR), is available in English or Greek on the Google Play Store and AppStore. It scans receipts containing QR codes, allowing users to anonymously report discrepancies or unsent receipts to IAPR for further investigation.
Within three days of its release, more than thirty thousand users had downloaded the app, resulting in more than three thousand complaints, more than half of which were filed anonymously. Users who spot fake receipts can receive a cash reward of two thousand euros, which is significantly more than the value of the fake receipt.
VAT evasion costs the Greek state around five to six million euros annually, prompting efforts to combat it, including campaigns targeting tourists.
Old town of Corfu island
Old Town of Corfu: metrogogo/Flickr CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
The Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage site and a must-visit attraction. Wander through its narrow, winding streets lined with Venetian-style buildings, visit the impressive fortresses, and discover charming squares filled with cafes and shops.
Visit historical landmarks like the Old Fortress, New Fortress, and the Liston promenade. Don’t miss the impressive Spianada Square, the largest square in the Balkans.
An ancient shipwreck proves the Greek historian Herodotus was correct about the observations he made in relation to Egyptian vessels.. Credit: Wikimedia Commons/CC BY 1.0
An ancient shipwreck proves the Greek historian Herodotus was correct about the observations he made about Egyptian vessels nearly twenty-five centuries ago, archaeologists said recently.
This exact type of vessel was described in great detail by Herodotus in his text “Histories” (Greek: ἹΣΤΟΡΙΑΙ) after a visit he made to the port city of Thonis-Heracleionin Egypt.
Herodotus was amazed by the way people were constructing the ship, which was used to sail across the Nile River.
For centuries, scholars and archaeologists believed that the type of ship Herodotus described never actually existed because such ships had never once been discovered by anyone on Earth.
Shipwreck confirms ancient Greek historian Herodotus’ claims about Egyptian vessels
This theory was recently blown up when a group of archaeologists found a well-preserved shipwreck off the coast of Egypt in the Canopic mouth of the Nile near the Mediterranean Sea.
What the archaeologists saw when they dove into the waters was exactly the kind of vessel Herodotus had perfectly described in his book nearly 2,500 years ago.
The 28-meter-long vessel was one of the first ships used by the Egyptians to trade during ancient times. The vessels Herodotus described in his book must have been the exact same type of ship but were just slightly smaller.
Dr. Damian Robinson, the director of Oxford University’s center for maritime archaeology, explains that “where planks are joined together to form the hull, they are usually joined by mortise and tenon joints which fasten one plank to the next.”
“Here we have a completely unique form of construction, which is not seen anywhere else,” Robinson told interviewers from Great Britain’s The Guardian newspaper.
Most likely, this unique method of construction was the reason why Herodotus was so amazed when he saw this type of ship. The renowned historian was also astonished by the peculiar types of wood they were using to construct the ships, which had been completely unknown to him.
Archaeologists believe that what Herodotus saw could have even been constructed in the very same shipyard as the vessel they discovered since a word-by-word analysis of Herodotus’ text very closely matches the appearance of the ship.
He took it upon himself to record the history of the Greco-Persian Wars and other notable events of the time not as a dry, rote list of occurrences that were all caused by the gods— as had been done up until that time—but in a systematic way in which eyewitness accounts of those who were present were collated and analyzed, using reason.
It seems beyond obvious that that is the methodology and the goal—at least—of all historians today.
Two bodies of missing persons were discovered in Metamorfosi, Karditsa, bringing the total number of officially missing individuals to three. Credit: Amna / Achilleas Chiras
The death toll from Greece’s devastating flooding has risen to fourteen, following the discovery of two more bodies. The severe weather conditions in Thessaly were caused by the storm Daniel.
Earlier it was reported that a twelfth dead person had been found. The man’s body was discovered between the settlements of Agios Dimitrios and Petrinos in Karditsa.
Another flood victim, a 56-year-old man, had been on the official list of missing persons since September 9th, when he was found by a drone between the settlements of Agios Dimitrios and Petrino in Karditsa.
In the wake of the natural disaster, a total of 4,250 rescue and evacuation operations have been conducted since September 5th, with people being relocated to safer areas.
The region of Thessalia in Greece has been totally devastated by unprecedented floods. pic.twitter.com/c5VEg7186V
Since September 7th, 767 rescue operations have been carried out using aircraft from various organizations.
The city of Larissa remains on high alert due to the Pinios River overflowing in some areas. This necessitated evacuations. Much of the road network is still not navigable due to the extensive flooding. Boat operations have become essential to reach and evacuate those trapped by the flood.
Flood Situation in Volos: Water Shortage and Risk of Gastroenteritis
Meanwhile, Volos residents are facing a dire water shortage, which has persisted for six days. Mayor Achilleas Beos estimates that it will take fifteen to twenty days to fully restore the water supply due to extensive damage. Beos has urged citizens to remain patient, emphasizing that restoration efforts are underway.
#StormDaniel caused devastating flooding across central and eastern #Greece🇬🇷
Some regions received up to 800mm of rain in recent days – more than normally recorded in a whole year #Sentinel1🇪🇺🛰️ captured this image showing flooded areas near #Volos ⬇️#EMSR692pic.twitter.com/BF4yo9UzXj
Currently, less than ten percent of the city’s water needs are being met by limited water from four pumping stations. To alleviate the situation, the Municipality of Volos is distributing thousands of bottles of water free of charge throughout the city.
Efforts are also being made to pump out water from the basements of buildings, particularly in TEE Magnesia, where a PPC substation has been shut down, leaving the area without electricity.
The Medical Association of Volos has expressed concerns about potential outbreaks of diseases such as gastroenteritis. Additionally, the city is grappling with a significant presence of dust in the air due to drying mud scattered by moving vehicles.
Despite these challenges, the Greek Army swiftly restored the road connection between Volos and South Pelion by erecting a Belley-type bridge in place of the collapsed bridge over the Pellegrino stream between Kalai Nera and Boufas. However, many areas in South Pelion remain cut off, and the road network in East Pelion has been severely damaged, allowing no access.
The situation is particularly dire for the village of Zagora, which has been isolated for six days. This also includes villages such as Puri, Anilio, Horefto, Mouresi, Makrirachi, Xurihti, and Tsagarada.
Stone Spheres Found in Greece Could Be From Ancient Board Game. Credit: Konstantinos Trimmis / University of Bristol
Archaeologists from the University of Bristol have recently discovered that mysterious stone spheres found at various ancient settlements across the Aegean in Greece could be playing pieces from an ancient board game.
There has been quite a lot of speculation around these spheres found at ancient sites across Cyprus, Santorini, Crete, and other Greek islands with theories suggesting that they could have been used as ancient sling stones, tossing balls, or counters / pawns. Alternatively, they could have been used for counting or record-keeping purposes.
Previous research conducted by the same team of archaeologists from the University of Bristol indicated that there was variability in sphere size within specific clusters and collections of spheres. The team expressed the need to explore potential patterning within sphere concentrations in future studies in order to attain further insight into potential usage.
An interpretation of how the spheres could be associated. Credit: Konstantinos Trimmis / University of Bristol
Stone spheres in the Aegean, Greece
The recent study, which was published this week in the Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports contains reports by Dr. Christianne Fernée and Dr. Konstantinos Trimmis from the University of Bristol’s Department of Anthropology and Archaeology. The two researchers examined common features in a total of seven hundred stones that are believed to be around 3,600 to 4,500 years old. These were found at the Bronze Age town of Akrotiri on the island of Santorini.
The stones, which are smaller than golf balls, consist of various colors and are made from a variety of materials. The stones were categorized into two groups of large and small stones. In addition, in Akrotiri and in other settlements across the Aegean, there are stone slabs with shallow cup marks where the spheres could have been placed.
Aegean spheres could be part of an ancient board game
According to Ferneé, “The most important finding of the study is that the speres fit two major clusters (one of smaller and one of larger stones). This supports the hypothesis that they were used as counters for a board game with the spheres most possibly have been collected to fit these clusters rather than a counting system for which you would expect more groupings.”
If it is proven that these mysterious spheres found in the Aegean are in fact part of an ancient board game, they will be one of the earliest examples of such artifacts—along with similar examples from the Levant and Egypt, such as the Egyptian Mehen and Senet.
If their research proves that these mysterious spheres are in fact part of a board game, they will be one of the earliest examples of such artifacts. Credit: Konstantinos Trimmis / University of Bristol
Trimmis added that “the social importance of the spheres, as indicated by the way they were deposited in specific cavities, further supports the idea of the spheres being part of a game that was played for social interaction.”
“This gives…new insight into…social interaction in the Bronze Age Aegean,” Trimmis concluded.
In order for analysis to be concluded, the cup marks must be examined to determine whether there is a potential association between the spheres and the slabs. The team hopes to use state of the art artificial intelligence techniques to determine how the game was actually played.
The potential demolition of Marylin Monroe’s house has caused concern and outrage among preservationists and the local community. Photo: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons
Marilyn Monroe’s last home, where the Hollywood icon was found dead more than sixty years ago, is now under looming threat of demolition. The owner of this historic property, located in the upscale Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, has applied for a demolition permit, causing alarm among preservationists and Monroe enthusiasts.
This single-story, hacienda-style estate sits on almost three thousand square feet and recently changed hands for approximately $8.35 million. Although the city’s Department of Building and Safety initially approved a “plan review” on September 5th, formal demolition approval has not yet been received.
Despite being an iconic piece of Hollywood history, the house has undergone various changes over the years, with the kitchen and bathrooms now almost unrecognizable from Monroe’s days.
Marliyn Monroe's house could be on the chopping block. The city has received the demolition permits and it could be the end of this iconic residence. #Hollywoodpic.twitter.com/jvGRBbMK3a
Monroe purchased the property in 1962 for about $77,500, equivalent to about $790,000 today, following the dissolution of her third marriage to playwright Arthur Miller. Sadly, just six months later, on August 4, 1962, the world lost its beloved actress when she was found lifeless in her bedroom at the age of 36. The cause of the actress’s death was an overdose of barbiturates.
Public Concern Over Marylin Monroe’s House Demolition
The potential demolition of this historic site has caused concern and outrage among preservationists and the local community. News of the impending demolition spread quickly, prompting hundreds of calls from Los Angeles Councilwoman Traci Park urging action. In response, Park submitted a council motion asking the city’s Cultural Heritage Commission (CHC) to evaluate the house for listing as a Los Angeles Historic Landmark. The proposal received unanimous approval, giving CHC 75 days to evaluate and approve the home as a landmark.
In a major turn of events, the Los Angeles City Council voted unanimously to initiate the process of designating Marilyn Monroe’s former home as a historical and cultural landmark, effectively halting demolition plans. The city council’s quick action resulted in the immediate revocation of the demolition permit previously issued by the city’s Board of Building and Safety Commissioners. In addition, the City Council’s proposal prohibits any major changes to the property during the landmark status evaluation period.
As different media reported, earlier this year, the owners of the Brentwood residence were listed as Glory of the Snow LLC. In August, it sold the property to Glory of the Snow Trust for $8.35 million.
The significance of this house in the life of Marilyn Monroe cannot be overestimated. It was the only property the iconic actress ever owned independently. Known for her roles in films such as Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and Some Like It Hot, the star named the house “Cursum Perficio,” a Latin phrase meaning “My journey ends here,” which adorns the tiles on the home’s front porch.
As the fate of Marilyn Monroe’s former home remains unknown, preservationists and neighbors are rallying to protect this iconic piece of Hollywood history from demolition. The Los Angeles City Council’s unanimous approval to designate the home as a historic and cultural landmark provides hope that Monroe’s legacy will continue in the heart of Brentwood.
Greek-Australians marching in the Australia Day parade in Melbourne. Credit: Chris Phutully, CC BY 2.0
Scottish-Australian physician Norman Swan has made a complex discovery recently. Swan found that Greek-Australians, despite subscribing to potentially life-threatening practices and diets, have the second highest life expectancy behind the Japanese.
Swan dubbed this situation “the Greek Paradox” in his new book So You Think You Know What’s Good for You?
Greek-Australians are two to three times more likely to be obese, have high cholesterol, diabetes, and high blood pressure than Anglo-Australians. Despite this, they are thirty-five percent less likely to succumb to heart disease. Their risk of developing cancer is lower, as well.
Greek-Australian’s Mediterranean lifestyle explains “The Greek Paradox”
Swan says the explanation for these figures has a lot to do with Greek-Australian heritage. When Greek migrants came to Australia, their diets and lifestyles adjusted, and they began to eat high calorie and high saturated fats.
But as they got older, this group came back to their Greek Orthodox roots, and started to eat according to the “Mediterranean diet.” But Swan says that’s only one aspect of why these members of the Greek diaspora live longer. There are other key factors listed by Swan.
Eating and cooking at home
Swan notes that home cooking is a staple of the Mediterranean diet, especially with fresh ingredients. These meals traditionally take place with a group around the dinner table rather than individually in separate rooms. Swan says that these factors allow one to consider their ingredients and portions more wisely.
Flavorful, slow cooking
The skillful use of garlic, onions, spice, herbs, and extra virgin olive oil in one’s diet helps your body fight long-term cancer as well as mitigate inflammation.
Chop your vegetables and don’t be afraid of olive oil and vinegar
Breaking down vegetables into smaller chunks and saturating them with dressings like olive oil and vinegar help to free micronutrients called polyphenols. Red vegetables are an especially fecund source of antioxidants such as beta carotene and lycopene.
Use plenty of garlic, shallots, chives, and onions
These ingredients hail from the Allium family and are packed with sulphur compounds, a key defense against cancer.
Take the time to nap after meals
Research has found that short naps after meals contribute to lower blood pressure and decreased heart disease. These small breaks are known as ‘siestas’ and originate from Spanish culture but have become widespread across the Mediterranean.
Religious Fasting
A crucial factor of the research Swan is citing has found that Greek-Australians pivot back to their traditional Greek Orthodox faith as they get older. Greek Orthodoxy has a large amount of fasting periods in its calendar, many of which do not allow meat, fish, or dairy, effectively being a vegan diet. Cutting these out of your diet twice a week on Monday and Thursday could be a healthy boost to your routine.
