Cruising The Past Cruise News 
Social History – Spies and the Middle East proves rich background for films – Zero Dark Thirty carries on tradition. Early 1900 spies in Middle East- The Director of Military Intelligence (UK), Colonel Sir Francis Wingate, talking to an Arab civilian on leaving a train on the Sudan Military Railway, ... Read More »
HISTORY OF THE AMERICAN PRESIDENT LINES
HISTORY OF AMERICAN PRESIDENT LINES… Early History of Oldest Continuously Operating U.S. Steamship Company The Pacific Mail Steamship Company, predecessor of the American President Companies Ltd., was founded in 1848, two years before the transcontinental railroad was completed; its founding at this time provides American President Companies its claim as ... Read More »
FILM REVIEW: LINCOLN
Steven Spielberg’s LINCOLN: Abe is as Wooden as Washington’s Teeth – But Daniel Day-Lewis delivers a presidential performance, and Tommy Lee Jones steals the show The film is like watching a blade of grass grow. For all its good intentions and spurts of innovation, though, LINCOLN never really comes alive ... Read More »
THE SUPER CHIEF – JANET LEIGH (STAR OF HITCHCOCK’S PSYCHO) DOES FASHION ON “THE TRAIN OF THE STARS”
SOCIAL HISTORY – – JANET LEIGH, STAR OF ALFRED HITCHCOCK’S PSYCHO, IS READY TO BOARD AND VIRGINIA LEITH, STAR OF “A KISS BEFORE DYING, SHOWS US THE ALL-PULLMAN TRAIN. EVEN THE CHARACTERS FROM “MAD MEN” COULD HAVE BEEN SEEN ON THIS TRAIN IN THE EARLY 1960S. Virginia Leith, 20th Century ... Read More »
Book Review: ELSA MAXWELL – Gilded Gatekeeper – Pianist, gossip columnist, TV star, and above all a giver of great parties, Elsa Maxwell was famous for being herself.
Maxwell and host Garry Moore enjoy stuffed pheasant under glass, whereas the panel have been served food appropriated from each other’s refrigerators. ELSA MAXWELL – Gilded Gatekeeper – Pianist, gossip columnist, TV star, and above all a giver of great parties, Elsa Maxwell was famous for being herself. Elsa Maxwell, ... Read More »
CUNARD LINE’S RMS QUEEN ELIZABETH… when getting there was half the fun!
Excellent video on Cunard Line’s RMS QUEEN ELIZABETH… Cruise History – The RMS Queen Elizabeth was the second of the two ocean-liners which Cunard had built for the New York service. After lengthy negotiations between Sir Percy Bates, chairman of Cunard, and the Government a formal contract for what was ... Read More »
PRESIDENT TRUMAN’S “WHISTLE-STOP” CAMPAIGN AND THE END OF A TRADITION IN AMERICAN POLITICS.
Social History: Excellent home footage of President Truman on his campaign train “whistle-stop”… Rear of train and Sam Wah cafe during during Harry Truman’s Whistle Stop tour. Austin, Texas. – 1948 The “whistle-stop” tour has been a tradition in American politics since the mid-1800s. Politicians travelled the nation by train, ... Read More »
THE 20th CENTURY LIMITED – HISTORY OF THE “RED CARPET” AND A GREAT TRAIN –
RED CARPET TREATMENT STARTED WITH THE 20TH CENTURY LIMITED –TRAIN OF TYCOONS AND STARS THAT RAN NIGHTLY BETWEEN NEW YORK AND CHICAGO Have you wondered where the much-overused phrase “the red carpet treatment” originated? It all started with the 20th Century Limited. It was a “Magic Carpet” high speed overnight ... Read More »
STEVE JOBS’ YACHT “VENUS” PREMIERES
SOCIAL HISTORY – Steve Jobs’ Yacht “Venus” Premiers… Steve Jobs’ yacht “Venus” is launched… You couldn’t expect Apple founder Steve Jobs to cruise the world in an off-the-shelf yacht. Sadly, he died before the launch on Sunday of the custom yacht that Dutch shipbuilder Koninklijke De Vries was building for him. The ... Read More »
U.S.S. WILLIAMSBURG – PRESIDENT HARRY TRUMAN’S PRESIDENTIAL YACHT IS STILL FOR SALE…
The Presidential Yacht Williamsburg at the Naval Station Key West during a visit by President Truman. CRUISE AND SOCIAL HISTORY U.S.S. WILLIAMSBURG – PRESIDENT HARRY TRUMAN’S PRESIDENTIAL YACHT… Excellent video of Truman aboard the yacht on vacation. President Harry Truman’s presidential yacht, the vessel once known as the U.S.S. Williamsburg ... Read More »