A Saturday Miscellany

A few items around the internet caught my attention so I thought I'd share these on this fine (so far) summer day.

History & Politics

The Nazis continue to horrify and fascinate with equal measure and the following article from the Daily Telegraph sheds some light on the "Bride schools" set up by the regime to induct women into the perfect National Socialist wife and mother. 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/history/world-war-two/10247550/Nazi-Bride-Schools-These-girls-were-the-nucleus-of-the-Reich.html

In a slightly related article, Andrew Coates on his blog Tendance Coatsey gives an interesting account of the so-called "devils-advocate French lawyer Jacques Verges who recently died. He was infamous for his defence of the indefensible  and his most famous trial involved the Nazi war criminal Klaus Barbie:

http://tendancecoatesy.wordpress.com/2013/08/16/jacques-verges-the-renegade-dies/

Religion

With arguments raging about atheism as Richard Dawkins continue to cause controversy the following articles caught my interest this week. They are both from the Left Foot Forward site.

The first is an article by Nahla Mahmoud about the continued use of the "Apostasy Laws in the 21st Century. You may also wish to refer to the article on stoning that I cross posted here a short while back this month:

http://www.leftfootforward.org/2013/08/opinion-islamic-apostasy-laws-a-big-disgrace-in-the-21st-century/

Meanwhile Ben Mackay looks at the former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams comments on the non-persecution of Christians in the UK, but warns of the dangers faced by those living elsewhere, particularly in Muslim countries like Egypt where the ancient Coptic community is currently under siege by the Muslim Brotherhood. I'd add that Iran is also a dangerous place for people of other faiths as its' not just Christians but Baha'i that face brutal persecution by the Clerical Fascists.

http://www.leftfootforward.org/2013/08/christians-in-britain-are-not-persecuted-but-they-are-around-the-world/

Entertainment

One of my favourite films in recent years was 300, the story of King Leonidas and his men at the Battle of Thermopylae, albeit stylised by adapting the excellent graphic novel by Frank Miller.

Warner Brothers is now releasing a sequel which follows on and in particular from the trailer looks at the less well known battle at sea with the Greek fleet led by the Athenians

Can't wait to see this!!!