Category Archives: Views

Travel: A Guided Tour Of Castle Howard, England

House & Garden Films (May 19, 2023) – House & Garden presents Houses with History from Castle Howard, home to Netflix’s hit series ‘Bridgerton’.

Join interior designer Remy Renzullo as we tour Castle Howard, designed by Sir John Vanbrugh and home to the Carlisle branch of the Howard family for over 300 years. Remy takes us on a tour of the castle that is featured in popular TV shows — most notably as Clyvedon castle in Bridgerton — showing us private spaces usually unseen by the public, including the beautiful Temple of the Four Winds, as well as giving us his take on the spectacular 18th-century state rooms.

Travel: An Aerial Tour Of Algeria In North Africa

Clairmont Films (May 19, 2023) – Algeria is a North African country with a Mediterranean coastline and a Saharan desert interior. Many empires have left legacies here, such as the ancient Roman ruins in seaside Tipaza.

In the capital, Algiers, Ottoman landmarks like circa-1612 Ketchaoua Mosque line the hillside Casbah quarter, with its narrow alleys and stairways. The city’s Neo-Byzantine basilica Notre Dame d’Afrique dates to French colonial rule. 

Front Page: The New York Times —- May 19, 2023

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As Biden Weighs Paring Public Assistance in Debt Limit Talks, Liberals Balk

“We cannot be blackmailed into balancing the budget on the backs of the most vulnerable and leaving the most affluent alone,” said Senator Bernie Sanders, independent of Vermont.

A G.O.P. demand to impose stricter work requirements on recipients of food stamps and other public benefits has drawn a Democratic backlash, underscoring the tricky politics at play in the negotiations.

Feinstein Suffered More Complications From Illness Than Were Publicly Disclosed

Senator Dianne Feinstein, Democrat of California, suffered a decline in health after being hospitalized for shingles in February.
CREDITKENNY HOLSTON/THE NEW YORK TIMES

Senator Dianne Feinstein, 89, whose recent bout with shingles included contracting encephalitis, is frailer than ever. But she remains unwilling to entertain discussions about leaving the Senate.

Supreme Court Won’t Hold Tech Companies Liable for User Posts

The justices ruled in one case that a law allowing suits for aiding terrorism did not apply to the ordinary activities of social media companies.

Another Casualty in Ukraine: Teenage Years

In a battered Ukrainian city, the war has stolen the normal experiences of teenage life. The youths mostly use humor to deal with the ferocity of the fighting around them.

California Tours: Mission San Juan Capistrano (2023)

ERIC MINH SWENSON ART FILMS (May 18, 2023) – Mission San Juan Capistrano, historic landmark and museum, is the Birthplace of Orange County. It was founded more than two hundred years ago as the 7th of 21 missions statewide and features a chapel still standing where Saint Serra once celebrated Mass.

Today, it is a monument to California’s multi-cultural history, embracing its Native American, Spanish, Mexican and European heritage. Originally built as a self sufficient community by Spanish Padres and Native Americans, the Mission was a center for agriculture, industry, education and religion. Famous for the Annual Return of the Swallows, Mission San Juan Capistrano is the “Jewel of the California Missions” and welcomes over 300,000 visitors each year.

Front Page: The New York Times —- May 18, 2023

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The Latest Rift Among Ukraine’s Allies Is Whether to Send F-16s

A Dutch F-16 jet fighter landing at Volkel air base in the Netherlands. Britain and the Netherlands are leading a European push to send the jets to Ukraine.

The United States is resisting a European push for the powerful fighters. But will it relent, as it did before with tanks, rocket launchers and air defense missiles?

Gains Near Bakhmut Raise Ukraine’s Hopes of a Turning Tide

The 28th Mechanized Brigade of the Ukrainian Army in a BMP armored vehicle during an operation to fire on a Russian target in the direction of Bakhmut, in eastern Ukraine, in May.

The advances have been small, and Russians still hold most of the city, but Ukrainians say they see a meaningful shift in momentum.

After Historic Primary in Philadelphia, a New Mayor Will Face Old Problems

Cherelle Parker’s win in the Democratic primary is a sign of how the city has changed. But Philadelphia’s challenges remain deep and daunting.

They Watched Jordan Neely Die. Did They Have a Duty to Intervene?

New York does not require bystanders to act when someone is in danger, but the killing on the F train has residents debating when they should step in.

Travel Tour: Šibenik In Western Croatia (4K)

Massimo Nalli (May 18, 2023) – Šibenik, historically known as Sebenico, is a historic city in Croatia and is also the third-largest city in the Dalmatian region. Unlike other cities along the Adriatic coast, which were established by Greeks, Illyrians and Romans,

Šibenik was founded by Croats.Between the 11th and 12th centuries, Šibenik was tossed back and forth among Venice, Byzantium, and Hungary. The city, like the rest of Dalmatia, initially resisted the Venetian Republic, but it was taken over after a three-year war in 1412. The fall of the Republic of Venice in 1797 brought Sebenico under the authority of the Habsburg monarchy. The Italian name Sebenico only was used until around 1871. After the WW1 Šibenik was occupied by the Kingdom of Italy until 12 June 1921. As a result of the Treaty of Rapallo, the Italians gave up their claim to the city and it became a part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes.

During World War II, Šibenik was annexed by Italy and was part of the Italian Governorate of Dalmatia from 1941 to 1943 being part of the province of Zara. Communist partisans liberated Šibenik on 3 November 1944. After World War II it became a part of the SFR Yugoslavia until Croatia declared independence in 1991. The central church in Šibenik, the Šibenik Cathedral of St James, is on the UNESCO World Heritage list. In the city of Šibenik there are four fortresses, each of which has views of the city, sea and nearby islands. The fortresses are now tourist sightseeing destinations.

Village Walks: Grimaud In The South Of France (4K)

Tourist Channel (May 17, 2023) – Nestling between the Gulf of Saint-Tropez and the Maures Massif, Grimaud is a charming village whose medieval character is still very much in evidence. Perched on a hill, the first thing you see when you arrive is its castle. Built in the 11th century, this feudal structure (of which some imposing ruins remain) offers a stunning view of the coast and the wooded hills of the Maures Massif.

Boasting some well-preserved heritage, Grimaud contains a plethora of pretty little cobbled streets in bloom, village squares, archways and restored period homes. In the old village, you can also see the beautiful Church of St. Michael, built in the late 12th century in the Provençal Romanesque style. It houses a fresco from 1850 depicting St. Michael, St. Peter and St. Bartholomew, as well as contemporary stained glass windows made in 1975 by the jeweller Jacques Gautier.

Travel In France: Secrets Of Mont-Saint-Michel

DW Travel (May 17, 2023) – Mont-Saint-Michel is steeped in mystery: Its construction alone is perplexing – a monastery built atop a steep crag in the middle of a bay.

Video timeline: Intro 01:01 How to get there and when is the best time? 01:34 How they built it 02:21 Dangerous surrounding 03:08 The architecture of Mont-Saint-Michel 04:39 Inhabitants: monks and nuns 05:19 The darkest secret of the abbey 06:07 A deeply mysterious place

Surrounded by water at high tide, at low tide you can walk across the tidal flats to visit it. Mont-Saint-Michel is one of France’s most visited locations, and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Have you ever been there?

Front Page: The New York Times —- May 17, 2023

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Biden and McCarthy Show Signs of Optimism, but Remain Far Apart on Debt Deal

Speaker Kevin McCarthy said after negotiations on Tuesday that he could see a deal reached “by the end of the week” — a marked change in tone.

The negotiations at the White House came a day after the Treasury Department said the government could run out of money to pay its bills by June 1.

Drug Shortages Near an All-Time High, Leading to Rationing

A worrisome scarcity of cancer drugs has heightened concerns about the troubled generic drug industry. Congress and the White House are seeking ways to address widespread supply problems.

As Ukrainian Attack Looms, Putin Faces Setbacks and Disunity in Russian Forces

The problems that have hindered Russia’s 15-month war are still festering: stretched resources and disunity in the ranks. Still, Mr. Putin’s resolve augurs a willingness to prosecute a long war.

Fleeing Generals at War and Violent Militias, Many Say ‘We’re Not Coming Back’

The war in Sudan has unleashed a new wave of violence in the western region of Darfur, sending tens of thousands into neighboring Chad, where a new humanitarian crisis is looming.

Travel Tour: A Bicycle Ride Through Leipzig, Germany

BicycleDutch Films (May 16, 2023) – A ride from the Leipzig Congress Center to the city center. 7.5km long. The international cycling conference Velo-City 2023 took place in Leipzig in May 2023.

Leipzig is the most populous city in the German state of Saxony. Leipzig’s population of 624,689 inhabitants as of 2022 places the city as Germany’s eighth most populous, as well as the second most populous city in the area of the former East Germany after Berlin.