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    • Brian Wolfe

      An Apology - of sorts

      By Brian Wolfe

      I often describe myself as slightly paranoid, which then seems to make others think I have some sort of philological issues.  I don’t believe I am being “watched” for example.  That would, in my opinion, suggest that I hold some degree of celebrity in my mind; this would also, if it were the case, indicate that I think that I am somehow a fellow of above average interest to others.  I must admit that if I were any less interesting people would fall asleep during a hand shake with me. Perhaps wha
      • 0 comments
      • 6,265 views

    The British and Their Tea

    The British and Their Tea.  History is not just about the dates of battles, there is the consideration of planning, tactics, and supply, as well as establishing objectives and the logistics in general to be considered. All of these factors and more could never take place or even be considered by the British Military of the Victorian era without the key ingredient; tea.  Some background:  Before we get out the Brown Betty let’s consider tea and the way different counties enjoy this
    Brian Wolfe

    Brian Wolfe

    15

    COVID 19 and how I am coping

    Today my Provincial Government has issued the list of essential services that will remain open with all those not on the list ordered closed “until further notice”. Contacts in the Regional Police Service (friends who still don’t have real jobs) have told me they are gearing up for a spike in the number of domestic disturbance calls due to the government policy of Social Distancing and Quarantining of those infected with COVID 19. It is somehow a little disturbing that two of the essential servi
    Brian Wolfe

    Brian Wolfe

    11

    It's the Gospel

    “It’s the Gospel”; a term meaning that something is beyond reproach, to be taken at face value, no questions asked. The Gospel also, of course, refers to a religious book and this is not the topic for debate today. We use the term, perhaps a bit liberally, to mean that any work, especially a work requiring research, is the definitive word on the subject.  Here we are interested in military history and or collecting artefacts of historical military importance, at least important to the indiv
    Brian Wolfe

    Brian Wolfe

    3

    I Hate Gardening!

    I Hate Gardening!   Today, early in morning, I decided to get some long overdue gardening done. Specifically the removal of yucca bloom stems and young smoke trees growing where they are unwanted; they are a plague and I would not recommend them to anyone but the most dedicated gardener. I had a half filled garden waste bag that is of the type to be picked up by the garbage men for composting and decided to top that one off before starting new ones. It turned out that the stems of the
    Brian Wolfe

    Brian Wolfe

    3

    And he wonders just in passing, how he ended up this way

    Those of you who were born in the 1950-60s in Canada may recognize the title as a line from Romping Ronnie Hawkins's 1970 song "Home From the Forest", written by Gordon Lightfoot, about the death of a forgotten veteran. I fall into that age group.  I've been a militaria collector for 45+ years now.  This Friday, I'm opening a year-long exhibition on Canadian Peacekeeping at the Oakville Ontario Museum.  Apart for occasional presentations to Cub Packs for Remembrance Day, it's about the only
    Michael Johnson

    Michael Johnson

    9

    Serious Problem Solved - For Now

    Serious Problem Solved – For Now.   It has been a while since I’ve written a blog and thought I should catch you up on News from the Home Office. I would like to first reference a couple of earlier blogs dealing with collecting, “Space: The Final Frontier” and “Why Collect – The Best Answer” as a lead-in to this entry. We discussed the problems of a collection outgrowing the space available and the reasons for collecting. Thanks goes out to Beau Newman for his comment under the blog, “
    Brian Wolfe

    Brian Wolfe

    0

    The Game of Thrones

    The Game of Thrones   The Game of Thrones or How I Wasted 8 Years worth of Sunday evenings – and Enjoyed Every Minute.   The television series “The Game of Thrones” (GOT) is ”all the buzz” at the moment, on the Internet and around office water coolers everywhere. I know as I constantly have to chase the staff back to their duties here at the Home Office. Just because I don’t pay them and they are not allowed outside...ever, should not give them the right to waste time. Ingrat
    Brian Wolfe

    Brian Wolfe

    4

    Guarantees in Life - Guaranteed

    Guarantees in Life – Guaranteed   “If you purchase our product we guarantee it will improve your life and you’ll be a happier person”. “Use this product and we guarantee you will be 150% more likely to stop smoking.” First off there are no guarantees in life; based on the theory of probability some external force with assert itself which changes the basis of the initial guarantee’s claim. Secondly, in the second example, 100% is the maximum of any given quantity. One could argue that g
    Brian Wolfe

    Brian Wolfe

    2

    Space : The Final Frontier

    Space: The Final Frontier   or the Confessions of a Addict   It starts out quite harmlessly, perhaps at the insistence of a friend, peer pressure as it has become to be known. It seemed harmless enough; after all it was just a “one off”, and not something you were intending to become a habit. Not like those others, all consumed by the drive for more. You know them, with their excuses of being able to stop at anytime, no one is getting hurt and staying well within their finan
    Brian Wolfe

    Brian Wolfe

    0

    On Writing With Clarity

    In this essay I would like to talk about writing in general as well as blogs themselves.  It seems odd to me how we say that we are going to “talk” about something when it is actually in print.  I suppose I should have written, “I would like to write about...”, it would have been more accurate. The other issue that comes to mind is audio books. You don’t read an audio book, you listen to them; this being the case should they even be called books, since you read a book and listen to a recording.
    Brian Wolfe

    Brian Wolfe

    18

    Why Collect? - The Best Answer.

    You might not have much of a life if you are working on compiling material for a book titled, My Most Memorable Games of Solitaire, or writing a blog titled.   Why Collect? – The Best Answer   In my ongoing quest to ascertain why things are they way they are and why people do what they do, I offer the following blog.   A question often asked on forums and by people we meet who are aware that we collect is “why do you collect”.  For the sake of this discussion I wil
    Brian Wolfe

    Brian Wolfe

    31

    Gift Ideas

    It’s that time of the year when being a cynic and more than slightly sarcastic becomes just too easy.  With the in mind I decided that I would leave the stating of the obvious hypocrisies of the season to younger cynics just starting out in their careers and make this blog more of a public service to the members.   It seems that all the yearlong we answer question after question solving problem after problem as they arise then that annual question that seems to have no answer is thrown
    Brian Wolfe

    Brian Wolfe

    0

    Get With the Program People

    It has been a week since Remembrance Day and I still see people wearing their poppy, the symbol of remembrance, on their jackets, coats, hats and even toques.  The poppy is to be worn from November 1st until 11:00 o’clock November 11th at which time it is to be left at the cenotaph or at least removed from your apparel. To be without a poppy from Nov. 1 to Nov. 11, for me, would be the same as being out of uniform for a service person.  Of course no RSM will ream you out and I’m not allowed to d
    Brian Wolfe

    Brian Wolfe

    5

    Present 100 Years Ago - 1918

    Hello and welcome to my blog which may start out insulting some and to that I will apologize in advance as insult is not my intention; a serendipitous plus perhaps...   Four years ago (2014) the Chairman suggested that starting with August and continuing to Nov. 11, 2018 might be an excellent time to run articles and content dealing with the First World War. From what I can see there has been little effort in that area, though I will admit to two factors.  First that I was away for som
    Brian Wolfe

    Brian Wolfe

    3

    Yes, I am an Expert.

    Yes, yes I am an Expert!   Or, Experts and other random things I rant about.   For years I have ranted and railed against the proliferation of so-called “experts”, especially on the internet; these people who seem to hold onto the idea that if they write something then that which they have written suddenly holds validation as the truth.  I am reminded of the old movies where the Pharaoh announces to the scribes and others in attendance, “As it is written so shall it be”. Well
    Brian Wolfe

    Brian Wolfe

    9

    All of My Heroes Are Dead

    All of My Heroes Are Dead   All of my heroes are dead and I have, for the most part, killed them.   I’ve never been one to hero worship sports figures, those over paid adolescent jocks who actually think their political, environmental and economic opinions matter.  I find it strange that someone who hits a small ball with a baseball stick sending it over a fence then running around a diamond shape track stepping on pillows laying in the dirt is paid more than someone who will
    Brian Wolfe

    Brian Wolfe

    7

    To The Point Part 2

    Staying Sharp.   Not too long ago I was attending a Gun Show in our area and had just completed a negotiation for the purchase of a Pattern 1908 British Cavalry Sabre.  The guard had “possibly” been repainted green in the same shade as the WWI models, though I see no indication that this is not the original paint job; some of these were green and some a khaki colour.  The seller stated that it had been issued to the Fort Gary Horse (Canadian) which to his mind warranted a slightly
    Brian Wolfe

    Brian Wolfe

    2

    To The Point, Part 1

    To the Point, Part 1 British Edged Weapons Problems. Getting Bent.   Yet another function where my attendance is somehow mandatory, seated at a round table with barely room for five couples none of whom I know; if I did get to know them I am confident I would not like their company. Men in suits that look like they originally belonged to their fathers with dress shirts that are so small that the top button can only dream of ever being reunited with its intended closu
    Brian Wolfe

    Brian Wolfe

    2

    I Hate Moving!

    I Hate Moving!   It has taken a while but the Home Office has moved two doors down the hall and the vacated room is now converted over to a second collection room.  My dear astute wife is starting to suspect a form of Lebensraum is taking place within our home.  She has countered my resent move, generated by the need to expand my territorial claims, with a policy of her own which states that she will concede the space but this is the last time appeasement will be offered before so
    Brian Wolfe

    Brian Wolfe

    4

    Battle of Marasesti

    The Romanian 2nd Army's success at Marasti forced the Central Powers to revise their plans. The offensive planned in the Namoloasa area was abandoned and the bulk of the forces were moved in the Focsani area. The new offensive was going to be launched west of the Siret River, on the Focsani – Marasesti – Adjud direction, with the German 9th Army (general Johannes von Eben) and on the Oituz Valley with the Austro-Hungarian 1st Army (Archduke Joseph). The objective was to encircle and destroy the
    Morar Andrei

    Morar Andrei

    0

    The Value of a Collection

    The Value of a Collection   A lot is said by collectors as to what their collection is worth. Last month I threw out a subject for dialogue regarding the use of avatar names on the Social Network sites and one of the comments was in regard to collection value; more specifically that there is a need for anonymity to help prevent theft.  This is a very valid point indeed and one that could generate much discussion on its own merit.  It has been pointed out that one may even discove
    Brian Wolfe

    Brian Wolfe

    5

    Avatar Names; Why?

    Avatar names; Why? What I would term as odd or bizarre human behaviour has always interested me and the search for why people act as they do has not only fascinated me but at times eluded my powers of comprehension. The person who said that there is nothing as funny as a barrel of monkeys obviously was not, at the time, situated in a room full of people. Since politics and religion are subjects non grata here on the GMIC, and rightfully so, I will resort to the plethora of other subjects
    Brian Wolfe

    Brian Wolfe

    12

    History of the Romanian Aviation - Part 1: First heroes

    Beginnings In 1818, during the reign of John Caradja, the prince of Wallachia, an unmanned hot air balloon was flown off Dealul Spirii in Bucharest. On July 7th, 1874, Colonel Nicolae Haralambie, together with Ion Ghica and a third person flew over Bucharest in a hydrogen balloon named "Mihai Bravul", which had made its first flight on June 9 of the same year. On November 20, 1909 the Chitila Piloting School was formed as a joint venture by Mihail Cerchez. The school, conducted by Fren
    Morar Andrei

    Morar Andrei

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