An alternate source of maps

R.J. Henry, through diligent espionage efforts, has found a source of Soviet-era maps, including London, Dublin, Manchester, and Newcastle. Roger writes:

Which makes you wonder what their maps of the US of A looked like. Still, it worked both ways. Working in Moscow in 1980, the only street map of the city came from the US embassy and was obviously prepared from high altitude pictures or, maybe, satellite pics. Even the Russians used it as the attitude of the authorities in those days was "If you don't know where you are/going then you shouldn't be here".

Chris Taylor hob-nobs with the brass

Chris Taylor reports on the Rev. John Weir Foote, VC, CD Memorial Luncheon.

Recent military honours

John Donovan has a great post up about the most recent set of military medals awarded by the Governor-General:

Aside from my habit of honoring our allies, what's my point, in that it says something about the Canadian Forces? In this group of honorees at least, there is only one officer. Suggesting that not only are Canadian forces doing good combat planning, that doesn't require the officer leaders on the ground in the fight to do extraordinary things to retrieve a situation, they also are not just patting each other on the back a lot. Nor is there an indication of there being that kind of officer the soldiers dislike - the Glory Hound.

The honors are going to the group most involved in direct combat at the personal level, where ordinary operations can require extraordinary effort: the part of the junior participants and their direct leaders, the non-commissioned officers.

Excellent point, and thanks for bringing this to the attention of our American friends.