Saturday, December 30, 2006

Vegetable Oil Disappears In Vegetable Oil

From Empire to another


It was an era when Europe was trying to be just, remembering the glorious days of the Roman Empire. She first offered this overwhelming responsibility to Charlemagne and Otto. Chronic small portion of an empire to another.

Christmas 800. Rome. Charlemagne Capital in recent weeks. At 57, he is still in the prime of life.

Some time ago, Pope Leo III was cleared of any suspicion that weighed against him, suspicion of immorality among others. It is true that the support of his powerful friend, the king of the Franks and Lombards, Carolus Magnus, was not useless!

Charles attends mass. At the end of the ceremony, an event happens that we have seen since 476: Pope raises the crown on the head of the king and the emperor is pronouncing the following sentence: "A very pious Charles Augustus, by God crowned great and pacific emperor life and victory

Sources differ on the reaction of Charlemagne. According to Einhard (Vita Carolis), it is furious because he understands that the pope is also taking the initiative to appear in superior temporal. It is the papacy which the Emperor and not vice versa.

If you believe the biographers of the Vatican, the new ruler is absolutely delighted.

According to some historians, Charlemagne and Leo III had prepared the whole ceremony. Leo III was gaining legitimacy facing the Curia who challenged again. Charles got his support of the papacy, posing as a champion of Christianity.

matter: the Empire reborn. Empire, he was already in the territory without equal that of ancient Rome. Gaul, Germany, northern Italy, northern Spain, Slavic territories, Friesland (Holland), Belgium, Luxembourg, Austria .... Millions of people live under the rule of Charlemagne. The latter succeeded his father, Pepin the Short in 768, co-manager of the Frankish kingdom with his brother Carloman. Then as 771, he reigns alone, Carloman had disappeared.


It is the ideology that Christianity is needed throughout the territory, sometimes forcefully. In 782, Charlemagne had 4500 Saxons to run the example. A few years ago, he shot down their sacred tree. Paganism declined gradually and through Missi Dominici, Charlemagne's authority applies to everyone.

From 802, Charles is represented wearing a laurel wreath and adopted the following titular King of the Franks and Lombards, Emperor. But he conscious of being the heir of Augustus? Not so sure that some historians put forward his proposed division of territory between his three son. A marriage with a Byzantine princess fails. It would have brought together the Eastern Roman Empire with that of Charlemagne. A missed opportunity.

Charles died in 814. His son Louis the Pious was the heavy burden to succeed him. Charles has himself crowned in 813, passing the pope. Indeed, the old king refuses to accept the idea that to be the pope who should be the Emperor.

In 817, Louis takes an unprecedented decision: flouting the law Frankish Empire will not be divided and only his eldest Lothair succeed him as Emperor. His brothers, Pepin and Louis the German will have the title of king and will be subject to Lothair. You should know that if Louis the Pious became the sole Emperor, because he is the only living heir.

But the birth of Charles the Bald in 823 will ruin the Ordinatio Imperri (the name of the law 817). Jealous, the son going to rebel, to file their father, restore the throne: a long litany of conflicts (which I shall discuss in a future article). In 840, Louis died, but the war continues. In 843, the sharing of Verdun causes the end of the Carolingian Empire. First

parenthesis.

project a century later. Exactly in 955. Certainly, the unity of the empire was restored twice, but in very short-lived: in 877 by Charles the Bald in 887 by Charles the Fat. But each time, it was the result of chance, estates happy.

In 955, Otto crushed the Hungarians Lechfeld. Already master of Italy since 951, the German sovereign obtains considerable prestige comparable to that of Charles Martel in 732. For several decades, Hungarians ravaged Europe, is succeeded by the Normans. Burgundy and Berry had been plundered in 937.


In 962 he was crowned Emperor by John XII. And his first acts will be inspired by the great Charlemagne, which he repeats the titular.

Fifteen months later, he filed the pope in order to consolidate his authority over Rome (Louis the Pious had done the same in 824), Italians to back the feudal obedience and forced the Byzantine Empire to recognize it.

Otto III in 999 establish his court in Rome. Now we talk about the Roman Empire St. Compared to that of Charlemagne, the territory is smaller because it does not contain the western part, which since 987, is directed by the Capetian. But its prestige is enormous because it is the inheritor of the Roman Empire.

It lasted until 1800, when Napoleon destroy its own benefit.

But that's another story.

Friday, December 22, 2006

How Many Calories Has Bounty

Little Big Horn by David Cornut


The publication Book by David Cornut is an event in the French historiography as it relates to an area seldom explored: the history of the nineteenth century in the USA. Moreover, he dares to attack a character wholly discredited in France: General Custer! If you want to laugh, so type Custer in the search of Herodotus. Net. It is true that Herodotus, Greek historian was known since ancient times for its approximations, exaggerations or inventions, unlike a Thucydides, a total rigor and who invented the story by recounting the Peloponnesian War .
racist, killer Indian incompetent, arrogant, rebellious ... Here is the list of "qualities" that are generally given to Custer in France but also in the USA in the media called "progressive." Not only the book scans through all these ideas, but above all it gives a complete overview of the battle, alternating point of view of soldiers and the Indians. The amount of work on the evidence is staggering and we feel is the work of an enthusiast, not a vague argument out in a hurry to make money!
The first part is a sincere and passionate biography of Custer. We discover a young soldier, unwilling to any authority, but whose charisma and military qualities will quickly make it one of the heroes of young America. David Cornut the opportunity to portray the lives of U.S. soldiers from the cavalry. It is a far cry from John Ford (although I think his westerns are true masterpieces. Review therefore Stagecoach!) And we find a motley army, lacking everything but holding fast to protect any young democracy. The very special atmosphere of the 7th Cavalry is made. These early chapters also emphasize the role of Custer during the Civil War and we now understand better the aura which will then mark and despite his obvious lack of discipline. The glories (and failures one of which earned him one year without pay after an initial failed Indian countryside) of Custer, his sometimes brutal attitude towards the unlike him, refused to put themselves completely at the service of young democracy, make a character so unusual but representative of the legendary Wild West.

In a second part, the author also takes the opportunity to blast preconceptions about Indians and shows that beyond the romantic idealism, the tribes were composed of men, neither more nor less and that they were equally capable of exceptional cruelty as a limitless courage. And portraits of Crazy Horse or Sitting Bull describe the two Indian chiefs with all their ambiguities. We see Sitting Bull's become a real fantasy alive for the beautiful American. It also shows how these tribes were organized, as conveyed by the romance westerns new age is not really the full truth. Like Custer, Cornut not dodging the black faces and refused to write hagiographies. Written in a clear (the style is direct and never bombastic), this first act that the youth of Custer on the eve of battle passion through the psychology of the Plains Indians would be the basis of an excellent western. Finally, to understand the situation, Cornut explains the importance of the Black Hills, their openness to colonization, the failure of negotiations with the Indians .... Briefly, then all it takes to understand the significance of the battle.

The third part is about the battle itself: it then enters a narrative almost to the minute where the strategy, explained by several maps, allows us to understand how Custer was trapped and eventually found the death. Again, the author sweeps all the ideas (the thousands of Indians, the so-called incompetence of General ..) and does not hesitate to point out the real culprits of the disaster, General Reno in mind. Drawing on Archaeology, the testimony of survivors and American Indians, Little Big Horn is unfolding before our eyes, alternating viewpoints of both sides. Again, a writer would have no trouble making a good western. Cornut been talking all actors, sometimes even in different Indian languages. The work of scholarship is enormous and the imposing mass of notes (which we would have preferred to find the bottom of the page and not at the end of each chapter). Expressions in Indian languages and English are all obviously translated.
The fourth part deals with the repercussions of the massive defeat but also to attempts to smear Custer. That, of course, one that will do the most controversy, even if in France, it is clear that the subject does not passion. The author then re-trial, highlights the lies of Reno and Bentheen before the commission. Again, work on the evidence, paralleling reports and hearings are considerable. No line is really unnecessary and we understand even better the black legend that now surrounds the General Custer.

Then the author concludes his story: he is interested in the late Indian wars, restore the truth about the massacre at Wounded Knee, recounts through an impressive series of little biographies the end of life of the protagonists of Little survivors Big Horn.

Finally, an extensive glossary concludes the book with a flourish.
icing on the cake, the book is a beautiful thing, enhanced with previously unpublished photographs (some taken by the author on the site of the battle) and appear prominently in the library of any lover of history who respects himself. Little Big Horn, the younger guard university has not said its last word and more importantly, it means thinking outside the boundaries of political correctness. It was time!

Sunday, December 3, 2006

Can I Use Cortizone Cream For My Nair Burn?

(re) birth of Israel in 1948



At a time when the Middle East becomes a powder keg and where an Iranian leader dream of destroying Israel by nuclear fire, it is interesting to look at the birth of this country.

The birth of Israel goes back to 1917, the so-called Balfour Declaration. Go back a little time. The collapse of the Empire Ottoman gave England a foothold in the Middle East. She now manages Palestine. On November 2, 1917 the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Arthur J. Balfour wrote to Lord Lionel Rothschild said: "His Majesty's Government view with favor the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people and will make every effort to facilitate these objectives is, of course, that nothing will not prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine or the rights and political situation enjoyed by Jews in other countries. " But this statement will be very badly received (already!) by Arab bloodshed and unrest in the region regularly. And Jewish settlements are regularly attacked and the Palestinians (the generic name given to Muslims living in the region) also face a violent manner with the British authorities who quickly forget their promises of independence. In 1936, a national conference brings together more than 150 Palestinian delegates. Their claims relate to the cessation of Jewish immigration but also on access to independence.

In 1937, the royal commission calls for sharing Palestine into a Jewish state that would include 33% of the territory and an Arab state. But the Palestinians rejected the plan. In 139, a new conference will lead to a similar failure. Each time, the Arab side refused any share.

The rise of Nazism will strengthen the National Home, but, curiously, Great Britain will then significantly reduce Jewish immigration after 1940 and limit the right of Jews to acquire land.

During the war, the Jewish resistance to the English will become important and will culminate in 1946 with the attack against the British Staff housed in the King David Hotel bombing very bloody and shows that indiscriminate violence does not belong to any camp. Churchill will therefore appeal to the UN.

Meanwhile, The 2nd World War ended, two years ago. The world discovered the horrors of Nazi concentration camp system. The 6 million Jews exterminated haunt the conscience of Europe. The all-new United Nations must take the problem head on.

Work began May 26, 1947. On 31 August a report of 54 volumes was introduced to the General Assembly. He says roughly the following things:

Jews base their rights return on the historical ties of Jews with the Holy Land (that had already been confirmed by the Balfour Declaration). They also believe that the development of the country already settled by Jews in Palestine gives them a right. Finally, the creation of a state would solve the problem of 250,000 European Jewish survivors of death camps.

the Arab side, it argues inalienable character of the Muslim conquest of 637. They believe that the British mandate of 1920 was illegal. Finally, they lean on the creation of an independent Palestine that would take account of the Jewish minority. On 29

novembre1947, Resolution 181 is then passed:

It is to be granted to Jews 56% of the territory between the Jordan and the Mediterranean. It also created a Palestinian state. Jerusalem becomes an international zone under UN control. There were 33 votes for, 13 against and 10 abstentions.

But this resolution will not be seamless. The episode of the Exodus boat full of refugees, Jews deported from Palestine by the British is a good example.

May 14, 1948 the State of Israel was proclaimed in the borders defined by the UN. In Tel Aviv, David Ben Gurion reads the declaration of independence the new state. The next day the British left the country, leaving Israel in control of their military base. Transjordan, where the Palestinians will live, remains under the command of British General Glubb Pasha, who is head of the Arab Legion of Transjordan.

But the new state quickly arouses the hatred of his coalition voisins.Une Arabic (Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Egypt and Jordan) attack Israel. Arab Legion of Transjordan, supported by contingents from Saudi Arabia mingle with the attack.

Not a chance, the young democracy succeed to repel the attack and even conquer the territories west of the Jordan.

January 7, 1949, English and Americans impose a cease-fire. On February 24, 1949, Egypt and Israel signed an armistice agreement Rhodes.

This war will leave its mark. 800,000 Palestinian Arabs are leaving their land while 600,000 Jews to flee Arab countries. But these refugees will become full-fledged Israeli citizens while the Arabs will keep their status as refugees. Note that the Arab League itself asked them to leave Israel, believing that once the enemy turned back at sea, they could return to live on their land. This failure is called Nakba, the catastrophe.

We can see that from its inception, Israel has been under attack from its enemies.

I would return later to the wars of 67, 73, conflict between Israel and Lebanon and finally the intifada.