Pwn Palace

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“Tank in zur Siegfried Stellung links von Riencourt vor Bullecourt”


Image by drakegoodman
Nothing on reverse but the title is derived from an identical photograph in my collection.

"Tank in the Siegfried Line to the left of Riencourt before Bullecourt". The original Siegfried line (German: Siegfriedstellung) was a line of defensive forts and tank defences built by Germany as a section of the Hindenburg Line 1916–1917 in northern France during World War I.

Bullecourt was the first Australian attack on the Hindenburg Line in April 1917. This action was part of a wider British offensive, known as the Battle of Arras, which began the capture of Vimy Ridge by the Canadian Corps between 9 and 12 April. At Bullecourt the Australian infantry attack was to be led by twelve British tanks in place of the usual preliminary bombardment to cut the enemy’s barbed wire defences. The assault was timed for 4.30 am on 10 April 1917 but, due to the non-arrival of the tanks, was postponed for 24 hours.

The next day, 11 April 1917, the 4th and 12th Brigade 1of the 4th Australian Division were back in position east of the village of Bullecourt. By 4.30 am, however, only three tanks had taken their positions in front of the 4th Brigade and none had reached the 12th Brigade. The 4th Brigade advanced but the 12th Brigade waited for their tanks before advancing at 5.15 am. These early tanks were slower than a walking man and their steel was thin. Accurate shooting by the German artillery meant none reached the wire before the infantry and only one tank reached the German trenches at all.

Both the German front line and support trenches were captured, but the Australians were held up as they advanced towards Riencourt village, and all the tanks were knocked out by 7 am. Seeing German troops in motion at Riencourt, Lieutenant Colonel ‘Harry’ Murray fired the SOS signal for artillery support. The signal was repeated seventeen times during the morning, but there was no answering barrage. This was due to exaggerated reports of Australian success, mainly from the air and artillery observers, causing headquarters staff in the rear to believe that the advance was proceeding. Consequently, the guns were not allowed to fire. German machine guns freely swept the open ground, not only in front but also to the rear of the Australians.

As the morning wore on, the Australian position worsened. Grenades ran out and the attempt to link the trenches held by the 4th and 12th Brigades was abandoned. Gradually the Germans drove the Australians back, and at 11.30 am it was clear that the position could not be held. With German fire sweeping the escape route, Harry Murray told his men, ‘It is either capture or go into that’. Many tried, but Murray was among the few who returned.

At 12.30 pm, the last of the Australians withdrew, helped by the artillery, which had finally been allowed to fire in support. The 48th Battalion (South Australia and Western Australia) troops in the Hindenburg Line were commanded by Captain Allan Edwin Leane, a nephew of the unit’s Commanding Officer Lieutenant Colonel Ray Leane. Many of this battalion’s leaders were from his family, and it became known as the ‘Joan of Arc’ Battalion (‘Made of all Leanes’ 2). Captain Allen Leane went missing near the wire and Private John Robert Knight later reported that he saw Leane dead in a shell hole with a bullet in his head. Leane’s body was never recovered and he is commemorated at the Australian National Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux.

The losses of the 4th Brigade on 11 April 1917 were the heaviest ever suffered in any one action by an Australian brigade: 2,339 casualties out of 3,000 men engaged. The 12th Brigade losses were 950. For more than a year afterwards few Australian soldiers had any faith in tanks.

Source: www.dva.gov.au/

Howard Ave Row


Image by fauxto_digit
Howard Ave near Barlow’s Knoll, looking back toward 34.You have to turn around to get this view because the road is now one way East.
Explore 496 3/28/08!

Pickett’s men at Bloody Angle (LOC)


Image by The Library of Congress
Bain News Service,, publisher.

Pickett’s men at Bloody Angle

[1913 July]

1 negative : glass ; 5 x 7 in. or smaller.

Notes:
Title from data provided by the Bain News Service on the negative.
Photo shows the Gettysburg Reunion (the Great Reunion) of July 1913, which commemorated the 50th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg. (Source: Flickr Commons project, 2009)
Forms part of: George Grantham Bain Collection (Library of Congress).

Format: Glass negatives.

Rights Info: No known restrictions on publication.

Repository: Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division, Washington, D.C. 20540 USA, hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/pp.print

General information about the Bain Collection is available at hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/pp.ggbain

Persistent URL: hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/ggbain.13842

Call Number: LC-B2- 2789-11

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the last best hope of earth


Image by Runner Jenny
"The fiery trial through which we pass, will light us down, in honor or dishonor, to the latest generation. We shall nobly save, or meanly lose, the last best hope of earth." – Abraham Lincoln

On July 3, 1863, Confederate troops from Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia launched an assault against this location. After crossing almost a mile of mostly open ground, the remaining survivors came across the stonewall here, known as the Angle, where they were repulsed by the Union Army of the Potomac. The area became known as the High Water Mark of the Confederacy — Lee’s army was compelled to retreat and began on the road that ultimately led to Appomattox.

When you view the field from the spot where Pickett, Pettigrew, and Trimble’s men charged, the landmark you can find to mark the location of the Angle is the "umbrella tree." Although not a witness tree, the so-called Umbrella Tree has a unique shape and stands on one of the most hallowed spots in American history.

This shot is almost straight out of the camera — it was an awesome sunset needing very little in the ways of editing (just to correct the camera exposure a tad). I think of all my Gettysburg sunset photos, this one might just be my favorite.

Heavy Soviet Tank KV-2. 1941. Советский тяжелый танк КВ-2. 1941 год.


Image by Peer.Gynt
Digitally Composed Graphics.

On December 19, 1939, KV-1(Kliment Voroshilov) Heavy Tank was accepted for the service. At that time, KV-1 took part in combat tests on the Russian-Finnish War (so-called « Winter War»). During those battles, the Soviet High Command come to conclusion that the heavy tank with more powerful armament is highly needed to combat with enemy bunkers, pillboxes and other fortifications.

The North-Western Front HQ ordered first four KV-1 tanks from experimental party must been armed with 152 mm howitzers. To do this, the best engineers from KTZ’s design bureau were summoned. After two weeks a new project was completed. In a first time engineers decided use the 152 mm mod.1909/1930 Howitzer, but later it was replaced with more modern 152 mm M-10 Howitzer Model 1938/1940. A new, bigger turret was designed to accept such heavy cannon. That turret was named «MT-1».

At the beginning of 1941, the this tank was renamed to KV-2. Before this, the KV-1 called as «The Tank With a Small Turret» while KV-2 called as «The Tank With a Big Turret». The MT-1 turret was placed on the chassis of a twin-turret experimental tank instead of small turret (a large turret was also removed from the hull). On February 10, 1940, first trials were conducted. At the time, Soviet tank designers weren’t very experienced in vehicles of such a heavy weight. They added a small lid on the the howitzer’s barrel. That lid was intended to prevent a gun from the dust, shell’s fragments and bullets. However, after the first shot this lid was torn away, after that it was never used.

In 1940, a pair of KV-2 were sent to the battlefront on the Karelian isthmus. In spite of some rumors, KV-2s didn’t take part in battles before the Great Patriotic War. The pair of KV-2 fired on already captured pillboxes. The results of those tests were excellent and later, in 1940, a KV-2 Heavy Tank was accepted for service. Soviet tankers often nicknamed those tanks as «Dreadnoughts».

During the production, the tank’s turret was slightly improved and additional DT Machine-Gun was mounted in it. The shortened M-10 Howitzer was able to fire a 52-kg high-explosive projectile with muzzle velocity of 436 m/s.

Please notice, only high-explosive shells with reduced propellant charge were used for KV-2′s gun! No armor-piercing and concrete-piercing ammo used! It was allowed to use Naval Semi-AP Round M.1915/28. However that ammo used only in Red Navies, it was absent in Red Army’s warehouses. Despite some modern sources, the usage of armor-piercing and concrete-piercing ammunition was prohibited; it was specially highlighted in the KV-2′s Operational Manual. The problem was with its big recoil; it definitely jammed KV’s turret. Untill the middle of 1941 Soviet engineed tried to develop a special concrete-piercing projectile for KV-2, but unsuccessful and then Germany invades to the USSR so all further works were stopped at all.

KV-2 had 36 rounds for its main gun and 3087 rounds for its bow and rear machine-guns. The crew of six crewmembers: tank commander, gun commander, second gun commander (loader), gunner, driver, and radio operator.

Besides of the 152-mm howtzer, there were some other guns which were either tested or intended to be mount on the KV-2. One of that was an attempt to mount a long barreled 106.7 mm Gun ZIS-6 (initially, this gun was proposed for the perspective KV-3 and KV-5 tanks). From May to June of 1941, the KV-2 with the ZIS-6 was tested on factory’s trials, after that it was sent to the ANIOP’s trials which it failed. Main problem was with gun’s ammunition: the gun had single-loading rounds. Such a lond and heavy shells were wery hard to handle and operate by a single loader.

Additionaly, the KV-2 armed with the 85 mm Gun F-39. Ordered by the NKO, in March 1941, a KV-2 with this gun was tested but I was unable to find results of those tests.

Unfortunately, the new tank had same drawbacks in transmission and chassis as the KV-1. Besides, most of KV-2 tanks didn’t have a proper number of ammunition. Nevertheless, the appearance of KV-2 became a shock for German tankers. There wasn’t any weapon, with the exception of the 88 mm AA-Gun, that could successfully defeat this beast.

Up north, the 6-Panzer-Division under Panzer-Gruppe 4 had encountered Russian heavy tanks. As related in the war diary of Panzer-Regiment 11 on 25 June 1941 (cited from T. Jentz «Panzertruppen»):

«During the morning, the II.Abteilung/Panzer-Regiment 11 together with Kampfgruppe von Seckendorff advanced along the right-hand march route. Throughout the day both units fought off repeated attacks from the Russian 2nd Armored Division. Unfortunately, the Russian 52 ton heavy tanks showed that it was almost insensitive to hits from the 10.5-cm. Several hits from a 15-cm gun were ineffective and bounced off. However, continuous attacks by several Pz Kpfw lV managed to knock out a large number of tanks throughout the day, which allowed our own attack to again drive forward to about three kilometers west of Dubysa.

The bridgehead of Kampfgruppe Raus was held. During the afternoon, as a reserve, a reinforced company and the headquarters of Panzer-Abteilung 65 were pulled back along the left attack route to the crossroads northeast of Rossienie. In the meantime a Russian heavy tank had blocked the communications route to Kampfgruppe Raus, so that contact with Kampfgruppe Raus was broken for the entire afternoon and during the night. An 8.8-cm Flak battery was sent by the commander to fight this tank. It was just as unsuccessful as a 10.5-cm battery whose fire was directed by a forward observer. In addition, an attempt by a Pioneer assault troop using balled explosives failed. It was impossible to get close to the tank because of heavy machine gun fire».

The most of KV-2 tanks were lost because of breakdowns. For example, 41st Tank Division lost 22 KV-2 tanks of 33 tanks total. The only 5 tanks were destroyed by the enemy, other 17 tanks were abandoned because of breakdowns or run out of fuel.

In October 1941, the KV-2′s manufacture was cancelled. Totally 334 KV-2 tanks were produced.

Article is written by Valeri Potapov
www.battlefield.ru/index.php?option=com_content&task=…

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#58 – Stand Together


Image by JohnONolan
My first full shoot with the D700. It makes me unbelievably happy!

This is the second shot in the series of toy soldiers (here’s the first shot), they’ve made their way out of the fire and up to a vantage point. I guess they’re surveying the battlefield or something.

[Explored - #3]

Strobist:
YN460II on 1/4 power with diffuser, camera left.

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tribune Chávez & monarch of Spain indict each other of default ►media coverage◄


Image by quapan
Six subtitled captures: Cumbre Iberoamericana XVII: Santiago de Chile: Nov.10, 2007
1-2 The Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez replies to the Spanish President Zapatero : "Podra ser español, el presidente Aznar, pero es un fascista, y eso es una falta de respeto." ("Maybe he is spanish, the president Aznar, but he is a fascist, and that’s a default(er) of respect.")
3 Spanish subtitle: "Dígale a el que respete la dignidad de nuestro pueblo." – Chávez had just interrupted the lecture which Zapatero was giving him by the subtitled english words: "Tell him {Aznar} that he shall respect the dignity of our people." – Having heard this tribulation the monarch abruptly bows forward to put his arm out shaking his fist showing his index-finger pointing a(gains)t Chávez while exclaiming the brusque admonition: “¡Tú!” – ("And you ! " … as well are in default on respecting the dignity of the spanish people …—> confer: Caesar’s last words: "Et tu, Brute!" (William Shakespeare, Julius Caesar) / "καὶ σὺ τέκνον"}
4 In excess of ten seconds later the monarch is flaring up again phrasing his famed exclamation: “¡¡por qué no te callas!!”. (Dubbed by the spanish TV with: "Why don’t you shut up ?" Conjectured by me: To that five-word-sentence was given an incorrect punctuation by our European Media Outlets: It is not meant interrogative, – not even rhetorically. Therefore it must not have any question marks. It sounds like a last admonition. Indeed it is an exclamatory imperative: "Shut up eventually !!")
5 With an irate face the monarch turns to arise. English subtitle: "It was at that point when King Juan Carlos rose from his seat and left the meeting."
6 English subtitle: "Even after the incident the criticism against the spanish government continued."
I have captured and collated each of the six images with their multicoloured, bilingual subtitles from a footage provided by TVCi "Televisió de Catalunya".
▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▐► V O C A B U L A R Y ◄▌ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼ ▼
|_ … ὁρῶν ὅτι_|_τραχὺς μόναρχος οὐδ’ ὑπεύθυνος κρατεῖ_|
|_… viendo que_|_áspero monarca como si a ningún responsable tiene poder_|
{Prometeo encadenado de Esquilo, 325|6}.
For publically declaring the monarch to be a tyrant {|_τὸν τοῦ τυράννου τοῦ νέου διάκονον_| (942)} Prometheus gets imprisoned in the Hades for 30.000 years.
During the Great times of Greek Tragedy (temporarily halted in -432.) and French Revolution (temporarily halted in +1815.) some words that possess nowadays different meanings, were apparently applied absolutely synonymously. For instance: monarch and tyrant had just a stylistic difference, – but the connotations released by the twin-words were equally horrendous at those times. More specimens of this history-induced linguistic phenomenon:
│monarch.≡.tyrant│god.≡.demon│word.≡.myth│imitation.≡.counterfeit│
│μόναρχος.≡.τύραννος│θεός.≡.δαίμων│λόγος.≡.μῦθος│μίμησις.≡.ὑπόκρισις│
monarch a sovereign head of state, especially a king, queen or emperor ORIGIN late Middle English; from Greek μόναρχος ‘sole ruler’, gr:μόναρχος=dictator:lt,confer: Plutarchus in Camillus v18.
monarchism: support for the principle of having monarchs. ORIGIN: mid 19th cent.: from french monarchisme
tribune: noun (also tribune of the people) an official in ancient Rome chosen by the plebeians to protect their interests. also military tribune: a Roman legionary colonel. figurative: a popular leader; a champion of the people. DERIVATES: tribunate, tribuneship. ORIGIN: Latin tribûnus, literally ‘head of tribe’. In ancient Rome there were 4 city-tribes (‘urbanae tribûs’), and 26 rural tribes (‘rusticae tribûs’). These numbers (4, 26: 4×26 = 8×13 = 104) remind of mexican arithmology: Tenochtitlan was divided into four districts. The number 13 divided the age groups (13,26,52,104).
default: failure to fulfil an obligation, especially to repay a loan or appear in a law court.
borborygmus: noun: a rumbling or gurgling noise by the movement of fluid and gas in the intestines. DERIVATES: borborygmic ORIGIN: Early 18th cent. modern Latin, from Greek borborygmós: intestinal rumbling (Hippocrates Prognostikón II); belching (Suidas Lexicographus).
frame-up informal, a conspiracy to falsely incriminate someone
——————————– M E D I A – C O V E R A G E ————————————————–
Chávez gives olé to Mr.King and gets «brusquement» lectured & heckled on Ibero-American Summit XVII.
►Nov 9,10,11, …◄
"… el Rey será Rey, pero no me puede hacer callar"
Chavez acusa Espanya de "genocidio" a Llatinomèrica
"El Rey es tan jefe de Estado como yo, con la diferencia de que yo soy electo. He sido electo tres veces, con el 63%; son tan jefes de Estado el índio Evo Morales como el rey Juan Carlos de Borbón", ha deixat clar Chávez. El president veneçolà ha deixat clar que "la verdad la diré delante de reyes, de imperialistas, de Bush. Allá los que se molesten".
"creo que se debe revisar la participación del rey" Alejandro Navarro (PS)
SANTIAGO, noviembre 13.- Navarro desestimó que haya sido Hugo Chávez el que incomodó a la Presidenta Bachelet, como moderadora de la sesión plenaria de mandatarios en Espacio Riesco, donde una acalorada discusión con el jefe del gobierno español, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, terminó sacando de quicio al rey, quien le espetó al presidente venezolano un airado “¡por qué no te callas!”.
Al respecto, el senador PS estimó que “el exabrupto lo ha cometido el rey de España, es él el que ha increpado a un jefe de Estado y lo ha hecho callar. Quien conducía la reunión era la Presidenta Bachelet y lo que hace el rey Juan Carlos es pasar por encima de la Presidenta”.
"… es un verdadero fascista" EFE. 09.11.2007 – 19:33h
El mandatario venezolano citó a Aznar al denunciar el ALCA, el aérea de Libre Comercio impulsada por Estados Unidos. Le tildó de "fascista, es un verdadero fascista".
Chávez, tras calificar de "proyecto imperialista" esta iniciativa, señaló que fue en una "cumbre de esas, la primera" a la que asistió, hace casi 10 años, en que se presentaron las tesis en reuniones iberoamericanas de entonces que llamó de "canto general al neoliberalismo".
Público.es: "Aznar es un fascista a toda carta" Atlas 2007-11-10
El presidente venezolano, Hugo Chávez, calificó tres veces de "fascista" al ex presidente del Gobierno español, José María Aznar, en el discurso que pronunció en la Cumbre Iberoamericana en Santiago de Chile. Chávez dijo: "El entonces presidente de España, que es un fascista a toda carta," era quien "venía a vendernos aquí aquellas tesis".El presidente venezolano, Hugo Chávez, calificó tres veces de "fascista" al ex presidente del Gobierno español, José María Aznar, en el discurso que pronunció en la Cumbre Iberoamericana en Santiago de Chile. Chávez dijo: "El entonces presidente de España, que es un fascista a toda carta," era quien "venía a vendernos aquí aquellas tesis". (menos)

SRIPPS-News has a translation (2002): "A snake is more human than a fascist or a racist; a tiger is more human than a fascist or a racist."
el país – 10/11/2007 Desvelando algunas conversaciones que tuvo con él en la visita de Aznar a Venezuela en 2002, Chávez ha rematado su discurso diciendo que "una serpiente es más humana que un fascista o un racista; un tigre es más humano que un fascista o un racista".

ESCAMBRAY Digital, Periódico de la provincia de Sancti Spíritus.
Reflexiones del Comandante en Jefe
El silencio de Aznar
Le pido al señor Aznar que diga si es o no cierto que aconsejó al presidente Clinton el 13 de abril de 1999 bombardear la radio y la televisión serbias. 29 de septiembre del 2007
La respuesta de Milosevic
Hubo en realidad dos guerras, una de las cuales no ha concluido, y dos fatídicos encuentros de Aznar, uno con Clinton y otro con Bush. Dos recorridos idénticos del primero vía Ciudad México-Washington y vía Ciudad México-Texas con el mismo objetivo e igual falta de principios éticos, en los que Aznar se autoasigna el papel de coordinador bélico de los mutables presidentes de Estados Unidos. 2 de octubre del 2007

REUTERS-Madrid: Spanish king visits troops in Afghanistan Dec 31, 2007.
Spain’s King Juan Carlos paid a surprise New Year’s Eve visit to Spanish troops based in Afghanistan on Monday. The monarch, who will turn 70 on Saturday, posed with soldiers in his military uniform and was set to stay for lunch at the base in Herat in western Afghanistan, which he visited along with Defence Minister Jose Antonio Alonso, a spokeswoman for the royal household said.
The king, …. , spoke by radio from the base to troops who were elsewhere in the country: "I only want to wish you all the best for the New Year and I’m sorry I can’t greet you," said Juan Carlos, who was due to return to Spain after his meal.
The king, …. , also paid a similar visit to Spanish troops in Bosnia around the date of his 60th birthday. Spain has around 700 troops based in Afghanistan, where at least 23 have been killed.

BBC: Chavez says: Spain’s king is arrogant, impotent and imprudent
" disrespected me, and he was laid bare before the world in his arrogance and also his impotence," Mr Chavez told a news conference on Tuesday … 14 Nov 2007
BBC: Chavez refuses to be silenced By Martin Murphy BBC Americas analyst
For a president whose role model is the Latin American independence hero Simon Bolivar it was particularly ignominious that a Spanish king treated him like a schoolboy.
Not only has Mr Chavez now told the king to shut up in return, he
suggested that perhaps he knew about the 2002 coup that briefly toppled him – the same accusation he threw at Mr Aznar.
In 2006, more than 50% of the foreign investment in Venezuela came from Spanish firms.

Summit on Track to Protect Migrants’ Social Rights
The Multilateral Convention on Social Security, to be signed at the 17th Ibero-American Summit in Chile, is an important step toward improving the quality of life of poor people in this community of nations, according to its governments.
Chávez was singing a "ranchera" song as he arrived, with lyrics saying that, unlike a gold coin, he would not be liked by everyone.

Chávez “leveled devastating criticisms at Europe” Fidel Castro broke two weeks of silence to applaud his close friend Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez for having “leveled devastating criticisms at Europe” during a summit of leaders from Latin America, Spain and Portugal. In a brief essay published yesterday on the front pages of state newspapers, he also praised speeches by the leftist presidents of Nicaragua of Bolivia during the Ibero-American summit. Castro blasted conservative leaders at the meeting, singling out El Salvador’s President Tony Saca, a U.S. ally.

"If President Hugo Chavez says Aznar is a fascist, I’m with him all the way!" by Oscar Heck, Nov 13, 2007
Chavez had called Aznar a fascist, which Chavez says is true.
I don’t know much about Aznar … but I know that he did openly support the USA in its criminal invasion of Iraq … and later, the Spanish people suffered attacks on their transport system which left lots of people dead and injured … and, then Aznar had to basically step down from power.
However, having listened to Chavez speak many times, if he says that Aznar is a fascist, I’m with him all the way!
Now Chavez is saying, paraphrased, "Wait a minute. What I said about Aznar is true … and they tell me to shut up? Why? What … are we now going to stop talking against Hitler, because the German people might want us to shut up?" Chavez continues, reiterating that he has great respect for Zapatero and that he hopes this incident will not cause some kind of diplomatic or political dilemma.
Paraphrased: "There was a debate between Heads of State … and the King stepped in to tell me to shut up … but I did not hear him. We have to remind the King that we are free to speak, we are free, we are no longer under domination by Spain. Him telling me to shut up was certainly a show of frustration and desperation … because we are free."
I just looked up Aznar and found the following: "Aznar’s government posthumously granted a medal of Civil Merit to Meliton Manzanas, the head of the secret police in San Sebastian and the first high-profile member of the Franco-ist government killed by ETA in 1968. He was widely considered a torturer, and Amnesty International condemned the awarding … After the 2004 elections it was revealed that Aznar and his government secretly channeled public funds to a US legal firm to lobby for the bestowment of the Congressional Gold Medal on Aznar … Aznar also announced the sale early in 1997 of the nation’s remaining minority stake (golden shares) in the Telefonica telecommunications company and the petroleum group Repsol. These golden shares in Telefonica and Repsol YPF, as well as in Endesa, Argentaria and Tabacalera, all presided over by people close to Aznar, have since been declared illegal by the European Union. This marked the beginning of a period of privatizations after the previous PSOE government had nationalized parts of the economy."
Chavez says that, even in college and university debates, when people are debating, someone doesn’t just butt in to tell someone else to shut up … but that is what the King did.

"Zapatero is wrong trying to denigrate Chavez for speaking the truth" Commentary by Oscar Heck, Nov 13, 2007
If Aznar did back the coup against Chavez … or if he did openly back any attempt at ousting Chavez from power, Chavez should also be allowed to speak his mind against someone who so openly promoted his ousting … without the opinion of the Spanish King … and especially without the King telling Chavez to "shut up." What business is it of the King to tell someone to shut up because another (Chavez) says something that he (the King) doesn’t like to hear? Like the truth! Who is this King anyway? What gives him the right to be superior to others? Is it because he is a King? A descendant of the same kingdom that invaded Latin America, killed, plundered, raped and enslaved millions of innocent people? Does that make him superior and more important that Chavez … more important than the hundreds of millions of Latin Americans who have suffered mass abuses and exploitation at the hands of the Kings and Queens of Spain … genocide? Sorry … the King is wrong. Zapatero is wrong in trying to denigrate Chavez for speaking the truth. Chavez should not shut up because these Spaniards want him to … Chavez speaks the truth … something the Spaniards do not want the world to know. Genocide. Do we want to know the truth … or lies and disinformation? Chavez speaks the truth. Aznar did support all efforts to oust Chavez from power. The Spaniards did in fact invade Latin America (like the USA is invading Iraq) and they did in fact plunder and rape and kill and enslave millions of innocent people. These are facts that can no longer be hidden behind false history books, diplomacy or royalty. The time has come to set things straight … and only few world leaders, like Chavez, have the courage to speak up. I wonder if the King of Spain smells like cotton candy or fine wine when he sits at the toilet to do number two?

►Nov 15◄
The Monarchy’s clash with Socialism by Pablo Ouziel
This scene from the Ibero-American Summit has now travelled the globe through every mainstream news media channel, however it has been used once again as an opportunity to attack Hugo Chavez for his rudeness and out of line commentary, when in fact not only is it a fairly accurate statement, but it also should be used as an opportunity by political analysts worldwide to bring out the extent to which fascist factions are still very much alive in Spain’s political reality.
Already earlier this year, Chavez called Aznar "a fascist who supported the coup (of April 2002) and who is of the same kind as Adolf Hitler, a disgusting and despicable person who you feel sorry for, a true servant of George W. Bush". This statement was made shortly after Aznar made a call "on the United States, Europe and the Latin American democracies, to close ranks and defeat Hugo Chavez’s 21st century socialism."
In order for the whole incident to be put into perspective, it is also important to understand, first, Aznar’s background as a supporter of fascism and second, the fact that the King only has his crown thanks to the father of fascism in Spain, Francisco Franco.

The winner in this controversy is NOT the King of Spain! Commentarist Kenneth T. Tellis writes:
If criticism of former Spanish Prime Minister Aznar by Hugo Chavez Frias, President of Venezuela, evoked such anger from Spanish king Juan Carlos at the Ibero-American Summit on November 9, 2007, what would have happened if the criticism had been of some other Spaniard?
One can only imagine what would have happened if someone had condemned Spain’s Inquisitor General Tomas de Torquemada, Hernan Cortez, King Ferdinand or Queen Isabella of Spain?
If the King was so foolish to let the world in on his weaknesses, then we must treat him like a court jester. If King Juan Carlos apologizes, then he may make up for his indiscretion at the XVII Ibero-American Summit in Santiago, Chile.
On the other hand if the King did this to ingratiate him to US president George W. Bush, by attempting to publicly humiliate President Hugo Chavez Frias of Venezuela, then no attempt of coaxing him will make a bit of difference now.
We must fully understand the power behind these attempts to humiliate President Hugo Chavez Frias, is not in Spain but in North America.
The King of Spain has made himself a patsy in carrying out this assignment, to make himself popular with the US and its allies, but given the North American press something to gloat about, which is not worth a damn.
Yes! It may be something that the US press wanted to make a big story out of, but it has now fizzled and there is egg spattered all over their own faces.
The winner in this controversy is NOT the King of Spain … or the US-controlled world press.

Hugo Chavez lets off steam by Jose de la Isla, author of "The Rise of Hispanic Political Power," Writer of a weekly commentary for Hispanic Link News Service.
In 2003, Chavez had deemed Aznar imperious for saying Chavez ought to not duplicate Cuba’s experience in Venezuela.
Then in May 2005, Aznar, who was out of office and visiting Brazil, criticized Venezuela’s relationship with Cuba. Chavez compared Aznar to Hitler and called him a fascist and an "imbecile."
Two years ago, because of the Venezuelan’s close association with Castro, Aznar called Chavez a threat to democracy in Latin America. He also attributed Chavez’s brashness to domestic failures softened by -a-barrel oil revenues padding Venezuela’s coffers.
In October 2006, Aznar again called Chavez-brand populism and radicalism a threat to Latin America. In April of this year, Chavez remarked that it’s better to have nothing to do with people like Aznar, telling a group of students that Aznar had supported the attempted coup against him in 2002 and supported the U.S. invasion of Iraq.
Throughout the 1990s and to the present, Spanish corporations have been the leading European investors in Latin America. So much so their commercial interests are sometimes referred to as the re-conquest.
While he was at it, Chavez included Mexico’s Vicente Fox and Peru’s Alejandro Toledo as "lackeys and puppy dogs of the empire."
While Chavez was making his final remarks at the closing ceremony at the National Stadium in Santiago, Lage handed him his cell phone. Castro was calling.
Castro, Chavez told the audience, was remembering the Chilean combat volunteers who died fighting Nicaraguan dictator Anastasio Somoza. Chavez called on the crowd to send out a cheer to Castro. "Fidel, Fidel! What is it he has the imperialists can’t handle."
Maybe it was their last hoorah.
But the multitudes — the nerve endings of economic statistics and commercial strategies, the consumers and workers talked about at forums — they are the ones just now finding a voice and who won’t shut up.

Can Venezuela’s elite and the CIA contain their fury over Chavez, asks ALEXANDER COCKBURN
Castro saw the Spanish king’s intervention as an instant when the ‘hearts of all Latin America quivered’.
Chavez is trying to level the playing field in Venezuela, long dominated by a small, corrupt elite. So long as the Central Bank enjoyed independence, Venezuela’s sovereignty was leased out to the international money markets.
Now ex-Minister of Defence Raul Baduel has launched a violent attack on the referendum, on Chavez and the Congress. Back in 2002, Baduel, an army general, refused the invitation to launch a Pinochet-type bloodbath. But he is a right-winger and at a press conference on November 5 he appeared to favour a military coup.
The Venezuelan elites and the US government see the next few weeks as the last opportunity they may have to reverse the tide. We may see a ‘strategy of tension’ script unwind, as it has done in the past with coups in which the CIA has had a role: bombs in public places, assassinations, dramatic marches. On the other hand, Chavez is popular, canny and a survivor. The stakes are very high.

Chavez seeks apology from Spanish king Copyright EL PAÍS, SL. 2007
"The king blew his top and the least he should do is to offer an apology and tell the world the truth," Chavez said Wednesday in an interview with a radio station in the southwestern city of Barquisimeto.
Exasperated by Chavez’s attacks on a former Spanish premier during Saturday’s final session of the meeting, King Juan Carlos at one point told Chavez to "shut up," though the latter said he did not hear the king shout.
The Venezuelan president accused the international press for "motivated" reporting on the incident and denounced "the existence of a campaign on the world level … to make it appear that I was the aggressor, when I didn’t say anything to him (the king)."
Chávez to take "hard look" at ties with Spain
Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez announced Wednesday that he plans to "take a hard look at" relations with Spain and will also watch more closely the activities of Spanish businesses in his country.
"They’re going to be called to account and I’m going to watch them to find out what they’re doing here," Chávez warned.

Spain hopes spat with Venezuela will blow over Reuters Thursday Nov 15 2007, By Jason Webb.
"I think we have already made our point with great force, thanks to the head of state, which is what irritated the president of Venezuela," Moratinos said.
"Unless something else happens which forces us to revise our position, our attitude at the moment is to keep diplomatic channels open," he said.
The incident comes as Chavez campaigns for a referendum on Dec. 2, which he hopes will expand his powers and end presidential term limits.
Under Zapatero, a socialist, ties between Madrid and Caracas have been friendly. In 2006, Washington forced Madrid to call off a multi-million sale of military aircraft to Venezuela after banning a Spanish aerospace firm from using U.S. components.

US Ambassador hails Spain attitude before Chávez
US Ambassador to Spain Eduardo Aguirre Thursday hailed Spanish King Juan Carlos I’s and the head of the Spanish government José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero’s attitude during a verbal clash with Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez in the Ibero-American Summit in Chile, DPA reported.
The diplomat -whose country is a usual target of Chávez’s criticisms- said "Spain has covered itself with glory in this issue," given its firm reply to the Venezuelan ruler’s attacks.
"Spain has a de luxe king and a president who, in this case, was speaking up for Spanish institutions, including José María Aznar, who is also magnificent former president and had the courtesy of thanking Rodríguez Zapatero for his comments," said Aguirre following a meeting the Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs Miguel Ángel Moratinos held Thursday with some 60 diplomats in Madrid.

Negotiating over Betancourt
Ingrid Betancourt, the Colombian-French citizen and former Colombian presidential candidate held hostage by the Colombian rebel group FARC for more than five years, will dominate a meeting between Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and French President Nicolas Sarkozy on Tuesday.
The irrepressible Chavez, who wants play a major international role at a moment when his country is facing tensions due to constitutional reform, meets with Sarkozy as part of a "rapid but productive" tour, including the OPEC heads of state summit in Saudi Arabia at the weekend, Iran and Portugal.
On November 8, it was reported that Chavez had held the first of what may be a series of meetings with representatives of the FARC, after offering to mediate in order to gain the release of hostages. The FARC delegation involved in the talks may also meet a representative of Sarkozy. Chavez has said that, before arriving in Paris next week, he hopes to have evidence that Betancourt is alive — something that has been promised by FARC ‘foreign minister’ Rodrigo Granda.

►Nov 16◄
Reuters | Friday, 16 November 2007
‘Hurricane Hugo’ Chavez won’t shut up on tour Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez will not keep quiet on a tour this week of the Middle East and Europe despite being deep into a diplomatic dispute with Spain after his diatribes against the ex-colonial power. "Nobody can expect us not to say who we are, not to say what we feel and not to say what we want," Chavez said. Chavez’s hero is Simon Bolivar, the Venezuelan who ejected Spain from South America in the 19th century. A socialist who calls Cuban leader Fidel Castro his mentor, Chavez sees himself as a modern-day liberator ridding the region and beyond of "imperialism" and capitalism. Political analysts say his bark is worse than his bite.
"Mixing bilateral political issues with the local operations of private companies. . . establishes a very negative precedent," Alberto Ramos of Goldman Sachs said. "This contributes to deteriorate even further the already-challenging business environment," he added.

►Nov 19◄
‘Shut up’ ringtone a hit in Spain Associate Press
About half a million people have downloaded a cellphone ringtone featuring the phrase "Por que no te callas?" or "Why don’t you shut up?" leading Madrid daily El Pais reported on its Web site Monday.
T-shirts and mugs featuring the words are also becoming a profitable business, and videos of the confrontation have been a hit on YouTube.
Chavez’s opponents in Venezuela are no less obsessed. Pirated copies of the quote have been popping up in the South American country. In Venezuela, T-shirts with the slogan in Spanish have the "NO" in uppercase — a call for voting against constitutional reforms that would significantly expand Chavez’s power. The Venezuelan leader says the changes would empower neighborhood-based assemblies and advance the country’s transition to socialism.
"The king said what Venezuelans have wanted to say to Chavez’s face for a long time," said Jenny Romero, 21, a student sporting one of the T-shirts in Caracas. "I’m wearing this T-shirt to protest everything bad that has happened in the country."

Kenya: There And About – Chavez’s Insults Know No Bounds The Nation (Nairobi), Chege Mbitiru Nairobi, Posted to the web 19 November 2007
Mr Chavez’s insults of leaders are legendary. Some examples: In Mr Chavez’s language, Mr Bush mutates – the Devil, terrorist, unholy, drunk, Hitler, ignoramus, coward, liar, immoral, Mr Danger, a donkey – ironically a very useful animal – et cetera.
Really, other words to describe Mr Bush and his policies accurately, convincingly and persuasively, exist. Similarly, Mexican President Vicente Fox deserves a more apt description than a US "puppy." Calling US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, a "little girl," even contemptuously, is silly; so is labelling the Organisation of American States Secretary General Jose Miguel Insulza "a true idiot."
Mr Chavez reserves best attributes to himself and friends. He has compared himself with Christ, referring to the latter’s speech in the Book of Luke. If he stops talking, he has said, "All stones in South America would cry." He considers himself a latter day Simon Bolivar, a liberator of South Americans and beyond. He bestowed the honour to his friend, Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe, presumably for Africa. Luckily, Mr Mugabe’s language benefits from occasional linguistic laundry.
The Venezuelan has some good ideas. He validly stands up to the United States and wealthy nations. At the summit, he hated its theme. He also suggested South American nations stop investing heavily in US Treasury bonds and put that cash in a proposed Bank of the South.
Mid-week, he said he planned to ask members of the Organization of Oil Exporting Countries, OPEC, to sell oil at reduced prices to poverty-stricken countries, which would help.

►Nov 20◄
Latin America Does Not Shut Up Madrid, Nov 20 (Prensa Latina)
About 2,500 intellectuals from Latin America and Europe added their support to the campaign Latin America Does Not Shut Up, in defense of the sovereignty of the region, a support that grows at a constant rhythm.
Among new adhesion of intellectuals are the Brazilian poet, Thiago de Mello, the writer and journalist, Stella Calloni, the singer, Piero and lawyer, Beinusz Szmukler from Argentina as well as the Paraguayan Martin Almada and Spanish academic Carlos Fernandez Liria.
Released on November 15, the text criticizes the position of King Juan Carlos of Spain against Venezuelan president, Hugo Chavez during the recent Ibero American Summit in Santiago de Chile.
What happened there, the text points out, is proof that times have changed in Latin America. The Indians, the oppressed and forgotten have definitively entered the political scenario of Ibero America and neither monarchs or neo liberals cloaked as left wingers will shut them up.
The organizers of the campaign noted how the Summit intended to claim that poverty, exclusion and marginalization of the majority in Latin America are not the responsibility of the old colonial metropolises, nor of the continuity of that domination through European and US transnationals.
Personalities such as the Brazilians Fernando Morais and Emir Sadir, the Chilean Manuel Cabieses, the Venezuelan Andres Bizarra, Colombians Hernando Calvo Ospina and Fernando Rendon, the Ecuadorian Pablo Guayasamin and Puerto Rican Danny Rivera came out in support of the document.
The document critiques representatives of petty interests of bankers and stock holders and not the honor of the Spaniards.
It deplores that the leader of a party called "socialist and worker" and a non-elected monarch shared "in the defense of the war criminal, Jose Maria Aznar."

►Nov 22◄
FACTBOX:Venezuela Chavez’s loose lips spark diplomatic spats
* In 2005, Venezuela and Mexico withdrew their ambassadors after Chavez called Mexico’s then president, Vicente Fox, a "lap dog of the empire," in reference to the conservative president’s close ties to the Bush administration. The two countries only sent ambassadors back to each other’s capitals earlier this year.
* Colombia’s government on Wednesday ended Chavez’s role as a mediator with leftist rebels aimed at freeing hostages after Colombian President Alvaro Uribe complained the Venezuelan overstepped his mandate. Colombia said Chavez had talked by telephone with a military chief about the hostages despite an agreement with Uribe not to do so. The Uribe government also said Chavez had publicly disclosed information he had learned in private conversations.
Comment by niko1605, Nov 22, 2007 2:56 PM
Colombia’s president Uribe accusations against Chavez are probably under George Bush’s request to undercut Chavez’s political influence in Latin America. Uribe is Bush’s close ally, and Colombia gets about 10 billion a year from the U.S., so Uribe is in a bind to oblige.
Chavez’s calling the former Spanish prime minister Jose Maria Aznar, a "fascist" was justified. He used the Spanish navy to stop and inspect a foreign ship in the Arabian Sea on behalf of the U.S., and the Spanish ambassador in Venezuela was with the military officers who overthrew Chavez. And the commander of the Armored Division who refused to join the coup, send helicopters with commandos to free Chavez and restore him to power, told CBS "60 minutes" that he was offered a huge bribe to join the plotters – but he refused. There should be no doubt that the bribe was U.S. money, and the Spanish ambassador and the Spanish banks in Venezuela were probably the disbursing agents.
The current Spanish prime minister’s, Louis Zapatero, argument that Jose Maria Aznar was an elected leader and deserved "respect" [not a "fascist" slur], was hypocritical. Mr. Chavez was elected by 63% of Venezuelans, and he deserved "respect" to serve his people. Hitler and Mussolini were proud fascists, and all they did was overthrowing governments and establishing puppet regimes.
As for King Juan Carlos, he was a hapless aristocratic youth until the Spanish fascist dictator, Francisco Franco, decided at his death-bed to make him a King of Spain and thus assure that Spain stays with a right wing government – no chance for Socialism, and no more "international brigades" supporting socialist causes around the globe.
There is no precedent in history in which any king told another head of state publicly to "shut up." It was certainly a bonanza for the comedians, and it will probably hurt more Juan Carlos than Chavez… – Nikos Retsos

►Nov 23◄
France urges Colombia to reconsider on Chávez Hilversum, Friday 23 Nov 2007 11:34 UTC
Paris – France has urged Colombia to reconsider its decision to end Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez’s efforts to negotiate with the FARC rebel movement. French president Nicolas Sarkozy said he believes President Chávez is the best man to secure the release of hostages being held by FARC. They include French-Colombian politician Ingrid Bétancourt, who was kidnapped over five years ago.
Colombia’s President Alvaro Uribe withdrew his support for the Venezuelan president after he contacted a Colombian general in spite of agreements not to. President Chávez also revealed details about the progress of negotiations with the FARC, which focused on the exchange of rebel prisoners for FARC hostages.
The family of Ingrid Bétancourt is upset by the news. They say President Chávez had made a lot of progress. The Venezuelan president says he accepts Colombia’s decision and has called on FARC to show that the hostages are still alive.

Keith Olberman’s Jaundiced Rant, Trashing Chavez By CLIFTON ROSS
———————-> Clifton Ross represented the U.S. in Venezuela’s World Poetry Festival in 2005. From 2005-2006 he reported from Mérida, Venezuela. His movie, "Venezuela: Revolution from the Inside Out" is now available from www.freedomvoices.org and www.progressivefilms.org. He is the co-editor of Voice of Fire: Communiques and Interviews of the Zapatista National Liberation Army (1994, New Earth Publications) and his book, Fables for an Open Field (1994, Trombone Press, New Earth Publications), has just been released in Spanish by La Casa Tomada of Venezuela. His forthcoming book of poems in translation, Traducir el Silencio, will be published later this year by Venezuela´s Ministry of Culture editorial, Perro y Rana. Ross teaches English at Berkeley City College, Berkeley, California. He can be reached at clifross1_at_yahoo.com

Whose Waterloo is it? The Washington Times, Nov 23, 2007, By Barry Casselman
The biggest political story recently in the Spanish-speaking world has been a recent confrontation in Chile between the king of Spain and President Hugo Chavez, a democratically-elected Venezuelan demagogue who will soon try to circumvent his country’s constitution to become dictator for life.
Mr. Chavez also has become the mouthpiece of a small axis of Latin American leaders, including President Fidel Castro of Cuba and President Evo Morales of Bolivia, who advocate Marxist socialism and virulent anti-Americanism.
..
Fidel Castro issued a dictum … , praising Mr. Chavez, criticizing Mr. Zapatero and declaring the incident a "Waterloo ideology" moment of triumph for the far left.
Juan Carlos defended Spanish democracy when his Spanish right-wing staged a coup in Madrid in 1981, trying to restore a falangist dictatorship in the style of the late dictator Francisco Franco and since that time has remained a steadfast champion of his nation’s new democracy. Has helped Spain restore itself not only in Europe but also among its former colonies in South and Central America.
There is no dispute that Spain and Juan Carlos’ Bourbon and Hapsburgo forbears were brutal colonial overlords in the New World up to more than 100 years ago. This is another irony of this incident. As Spain has prospered during the past 30 years and become an important part of the European Union, it has also reached out to its former colonies with vital investment and other economic assistance.
.. Usually Mr. Castro turns our history upside-down: What the terp calls "Waterloo" is the famous battlefield in which Mumbo-Jumbo I. spent 20 years bringing war and death over the incontinents. Mr. Chavez is a pretty dictator who has faced and lived through much worse …
The Juan Carlos-Chavez Spat Royal Incident Signals Arrival of Latin America’s ‘Underdog’ Class. By Marcela Sanchez, Special to washingtonpost.com, November 23, 2007
Chile´s Bachelet Says Bothered by Chavez Meddling November 23, 2007 16:00h
In an interview with local television late on Thursday, Bachelet said she was bothered by Chavez’s statements at the summit in Santiago, when he backed Bolivia’s demands for sea access through Chilean territory.
Bolivia lost its maritime ties in a sea war with Chile more than a century ago, and the issue has dominated and stressed relations between the two countries ever since.
"I indicated to him that the Bolivia issue was a bilateral one and, as such, his comments were not appropriate and I asked him not to make further statements along those lines, and he didn’t," Bachelet told Channel 13 television.

Is money more important than any of Mr. Sanz’ principles? Carlos M. Pietri
Although, VHeadline.com readers are probably not familiar with Spanish singers, I’ll share with you two situations created by Spanish singers, who have involved themselves in the domestic political affairs of my country and its repercussions on some "Venezuelans." …. .

Chavez on track to win referendum Reuters
Love him or loathe him — on Dec. 2 Hugo Chavez is expected to win a national referendum that could launch a full-fledged socialist state.
Venezuelans will vote on a raft of constitutional changes. If passed, the workday will be slashed to six hours. The country will be reorganized into "communal cities". And President Chavez could be re-elected for the rest of his life.

►Nov 26◄
Chavez to Freeze Relations With Colombia AP, Sandra Sierra
President Hugo Chavez said Sunday he is putting relations with Colombia "in the freezer" after its president ended the Venezuelan leader’s role mediating with leftist rebels in the neighboring country.
Chavez said economic relations will be hurt, blaming actions by Colombia’s U.S.-allied President Alvaro Uribe that he said were "a spit in the face."
"I declare before the world that I’m putting relations with Colombia in the freezer because I’ve completely lost confidence with everyone in the Colombian government," Chavez said during a televised speech.
Addressing Cabinet ministers and military officials, Chavez said: "Everyone should be alert in relation to Colombia — economic relations — the businesses Colombians have here and the businesses we have there. Commercial relations, all of that is going to be harmed. It’s lamentable."
Chavez was responding to Uribe’s decision to cancel his mediation with Colombian rebels, preliminary talks aimed at a prisoner swap that would free rebel-held hostages, including three Americans. Uribe’s spokesman said Chavez had defied the Colombian president by directly contacting his army chief to discuss the issue.
The Venezuelan leader said a statement issued by Uribe’s government giving its reasons for ending his mediation was "filled with lies."
"I really, truly believe that the Colombian government doesn’t want peace," Chavez said.
Chavez said he was particularly irked that Uribe had his officials issue statements instead of contacting the Venezuelan leader directly.
"Why don’t do you show your face?" Chavez said. "President Uribe is lying … in a shameless, horrible, ugly way. I think Colombia deserves another president, it deserves a better president."
Chavez in August joined Colombian lawmakers in a new push to free hostages held by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, better known as FARC. Prisoners include three U.S. military contractors and Ingrid Betancourt, a French-Colombian seized in 2002 while campaigning for Colombia’s presidency.
….
Chavez said the situation with Colombia is similar.
"It’s like the case of Spain: Until the king of Spain apologizes, I’m freezing relations with Spain," he said.
Chavez and Uribe are polar opposites politically.
Since taking office in 2002, the conservative Uribe has fought to crush Colombia’s peasant-based rebel army with billion in U.S. military aid.
The socialist Chavez has meanwhile railed against U.S. involvement in the region and called for Uribe to negotiate peace with Colombian guerrillas.

Chavez orchestrating communism’s comeback Steve Chapman
Chávez calls on the people and armed forces to be alert Caracas
The changes to 69 of the Constitution’s 350 articles that voters will consider propose the granting of constitutional authority to community power and establish new political/administrative concepts to reinforce popular participation.
The president warned that there are attempts to manipulate surveys in order to create confusion among the Venezuelan people. He said that there are also plans, in the face of a “Yes” victory, to claim fraud and to take to the streets and generate violence and destabilization in the country, and that is why the people, armed forces and organized communities must be on the alert and very attentive.
Chávez accused bishops of participating in a plan to try to scare the population with statements like that of Cardinal Jorge Urosa, who said that with socialist-leaning reforms, religious freedoms would be eliminated. – Translated by Granma International

►Nov 28◄
Venezuela’s Chavez Remains Magnet for Controversy By Michael Bowman, Washington
Mr. Chavez went on to accuse his Colombian counterpart of being a pawn of U.S. imperialism.
"You, with your insults and lack of valid arguments, are hurting the dignity of the Venezuelans you represent," Mr. Uribe said. He said Colombia needs a mediator with terrorists, "not one who legitimizes terrorism.".
Mr. Uribe accused Mr. Chavez of manufacturing diplomatic rows for his own purposes, of labeling other leaders as agents of imperialism while pursuing his own expansionist policies through heavy-handed use of oil revenue.
Such highly-personalized attacks between heads of state are rare on the world stage, except where Mr. Chavez is concerned.
Analyst Michael Shifter says there is no doubt that Mr. Chavez’ influence in the region has grown.
"Most other governments in Latin America indulge Chavez because he has resources and he is prepared to spend them," he said.
Venezuelans flee Chavez Reuters
In a Cuban-style exodus, thousands of wealthy and middle class …
Venezuelan leader’s power play has echoes of Castro USA today

►Dec 12◄
Chavez Calls For a Battle of Ideas to Combat U.S. Interference in Latin America Kiraz Janicke
"They bombard us without clemency, the minds of children, young people, men and women to try to convert us into human beings without a past, disconnected from reality, and into people without a future."
However, he argued, "We have the right to a future, to have a homeland, to create the great homeland. I believe that the next 500 years will depend on what happens in these years, as the panorama of the Conquest changed our map, imposed on us a curse, as what happened 200 years ago marked the course of the last two centuries, now we are again in a definitive epoch."

►Dec 13◄
Chavez denies meeting Spain’s Prince Felipe (earthtimes.org)
‘I, in the first place, didn’t meet the Prince of Asturias,’ he said Tuesday, adding that he only waved to him at an official dinner at the San Martin Palace Sunday evening.
Chavez further said that Venezuela’s differences with Spain would deteriorate further if the monarch does not apologize for telling him to shut up during the final session of the Ibero-American Summit, held in November in Santiago.
‘I repeat, if the king of Spain does not apologize, we are not ready to turn the page. He has to apologize, in some way. I’m not going to ask the king to get down on his knees, no. We are human beings and I respect Juan Carlos,’ Chavez told reporters in Buenos Aires Tuesday.
‘We have nothing against Spain, we really don’t, we have good feelings with Spain,’ Chavez said.
Chavez had travelled to Buenos Aires to attend Monday’s inauguration of Cristina Fernandez as Argentina’s president and Sunday’s founding ceremony of the Bank of the South, conceived as an alternative to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank.
An official Spanish source said earlier this week that Crown Prince Felipe and Chavez had greeted each other cordially at the gala dinner hosted by the Argentine government for dignitaries attending Fernandez’s inauguration and it was Chavez who approached the prince.

Spain advocates discrete response to Chávez’s criticism eluniversal
The Spanish Secretary of State for Ibero-America Trinidad Jiménez said to television network Telemadrid on Thursday that the Spanish government’s stance in this connection has been in compliance with "the canons of diplomacy," adding that at every time she has conveyed the messages she was supposed to convey, either messages "of respect" or messages that "this is not admissible."
"Some people want us to do this in a public manner, and the Spanish government believes the steps that are taken in a discrete manner and within the framework of diplomacy are much more efficient," she underscored, as quoted by Efe.

►Dec 14◄
Pancarta en el centro de Caracas
EL UNICO REY ES DIOS
EL UNICO LIDER ES CHAVEZ
VENEZUELA JAMAS SE CALLARA
Apareció poco después … (tomada el 12/12/07 … por una típica estudiante)

►Dec 22◄
Betancourt’s children appeal for Colombian leader’s help in securing mother’s release Associated Press
During a vigil Saturday outside Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, Betancourt’s son Lorenzo asked Colombian President Alvaro Uribe to consider offering the release of imprisoned leftist guerrillas in exchange for his mother’s freedom.
Cardinal Andre Vingt-Trois, president of the Conference of Bishops in France, attended the vigil and urged church officials in Colombia to add their weight to the campaign, which has become an affair of state in France.

►Dec 27◄
Déclaration de M. David Martinon, Porte parole de l’Elysée sur la situation en Colombie FRANCE diplomatie
Le Président de la République réaffirme son espoir que la libération de ces trois otages sera suivie rapidement d’autres libérations. Dans la continuité de ce premier geste positif, il réitère son appel au chef des FARC, Manuel Marulanda, pour que soit désormais libérée Ingrid Betancourt et tout autre otage dont l’état de santé justifierait ce geste humanitaire immédiat.
Au-delà, le Président de la République estime que ces libérations créeront un contexte favorable pour agir sans délai en vue d’une solution humanitaire d’ensemble à la question des otages. Il demande ainsi à chacun de redoubler d’efforts, avec pour préoccupation première le sort des otages et pour objectif leur libération, en ne négligeant aucun concours utile.

►Dec 28◄
Colombia hostage rescue mission underway amid uncertainty AFP (~22:00 CET)
"I hope there will be good weather tomorrow, that we can fill in some small details that are missing and I hope that tomorrow we can complete the operation," he said.
He said FARC commander Ivan Marquez had reported US-made military surveillance planes flying over the area. "I hope this does not interfere," he said.
"If there were any problem finding the spot, for some military or weather reason, we would be ready to conduct ground operations, but for that we would need permission" from Colombian President Alvaro Uribe, he said.
The handover could take place place anywhere within a 310,000-square-kilometer (120,000-square-mile) wilderness in central and eastern Colombia, where there are few roads but numerous landing strips used by drug traffickers. ..
The operation had earlier been put on hold after the Red Cross ruled out an after-dark handover due to security concerns.
Oliver Stone in Colombia hostage mission
IPSNEWS: Hostages Release Goes Far Beyond Personal Ordeal Ana Carrigan
Yet on Thursday night, the Colombian government, apparently without prior warning to the Venezuelan government, posted a communiqué on the website of the Colombian president’s office unilaterally setting a deadline for the complex rescue operation.
The statement said that Colombia’s permission for Venezuelan aircraft to operate within Colombian airspace was set to expire at 1900 local time on Sunday.
But on Friday, Colombian President Álvaro Uribe reportedly received a call from his counterpart in France, Nicolas Sarkozy. Apparently, the deadline had been lifted by Friday afternoon. ..
On Thursday, Brazilian delegate Marco Aurelio García, … on his arrival in Caracas. "We have firm hopes," he said, "that this will be the first step in a long process, aimed first at resolving the hostage crisis and secondly at finding a peaceful solution to the conflict that has gripped Colombia for more than 40 years."

►Jan 10◄
Chávez: Colombian Rebels Free Two Hostages Washington Post
The women are Clara Rojas, who was kidnapped in 2002 along with the French-Colombian politician Ingrid Betancourt, and Consuelo González de Perdomo, a former Colombian member of congress taken hostage in 2001.
Two Venezuelan helicopters carrying Venezuelan Interior Minister Ramón Rodríguez Chacín flew into a southern swath of jungle this morning after Chávez’s government received the exact coordinates from rebel commanders … The aircraft then flew back east toward Venezuela, where they were expected by mid-afternoon, Chávez said in a radio message broadcast across Latin America.
… at first denied that they had turned the boy over to a poor farmer, DNA tests last week showed that the boy is likely Rojas’s son. On Wednesday, Colombian authorities said that a second DNA analysis by the University of Compostela in Spain confirmed that the boy, who had been living in foster care in Bogota, was indeed Emmanuel.
►Jan 11◄
Freed hostages in Venezuela Two hostages freed by Colombian rebels have landed in the Venezuelan capital, Caracas, where dozens of their friends and family carrying flowers clapped and embraced them.

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►Nov 4, 2005◄
BBC: Basque convicted for king insult
Arnaldo Otegi has been sentenced to a year in prison for saying the King of Spain was "in charge of torturers". The spokesman for the banned Basque nationalist party Batasuna, was charged with slandering King Juan Carlos during a 2003 news conference: … the King was "chief of the Spanish army, that’s to say, the person responsible for the torturers, who favour torture and impose his monarchic regime on our people through torture and violence".
►Oct 2, 2007◄
BBC: Spain’s king defends monarchy’s role
… the parliamentary monarchy was a pillar of Spain’s constitution that had given the nation its longest period of democratic stability since 1975.
The debate started after two Catalan separatists publicly burnt pictures of the king in September. It has now extended beyond the north-eastern region of Spain and on to the pages of national papers.
►April 2009◄
José Antonio Barroso En un acto de conmemoración del 77 aniversario de la Segunda República celebrado el pasado 14 de abril en la localidad gaditana de Los Barrios, Barroso, de Izquierda Unida, calificó a Juan Carlos I de "hijo de un crápula", "deleznable" y "de condición corrupta", entre otros términos, y aseguró que España no es aún un país democrático ya que el Rey no es imputable y se mostró dispuesto a dar nombres y apellidos para demostrar esa "naturaleza corrupta". El alcalde de Puerto Real en la Audiencia por injurias al Rey
JAQUE AL REY: EL PRINCIPIO DEL FIN – El Proyecto Matriz

red poppy still life standing out against an industrial landscape


Image by quapan
A brightly shining red poppy still life is standing out in contrast to a solarized evening sky filled up with shadowy symbols of the Industrial Revolution: A huge pylon decked with three power lines, a GDR-chimney, a double-barrelled street lamp and the gas main pipeline from Russia.

In its small area of DOF the macro landscape contains three hairy poppy stalks. One of these stems has hanging down a green seed capsule whose shape reminds of an unblown WWI hand grenade:

—-► In Flanders Fields @warmuseum.ca

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders Fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders Fields.

Author: John McCrae (1872-1918): poet, surgeon, soldier
A native of Guelph, Ontario, and a veteran of the South African War (1899-1902), John McCrae began the First World War as a surgeon attached to the 1st Brigade, Canadian Field Artillery, 1st Canadian Division. After undergoing a baptism by fire at Neuve Chapelle, France, in March 1915, the Canadians moved to Flanders in mid-April, taking up position in the salient around the Belgian town of Ypres.
On April 22-23, in their first major battle, they distinguished themselves by holding out against the first German gas attack of the war while others around them fled. John McCrae was the officer in charge of a medical aid post in a dugout cut into the bank of the Yser canal, a few miles to the northeast of Ypres. Here, on May 2, McCrae’s good friend, 22-year old Lieutenant Alexis Helmer of Ottawa, was blown apart by enemy artillery fire. With the parts of Helmer’s body collected in a blanket, McCrae himself read the funeral service.
The next day, McCrae, who had been publishing poetry for many years, completed In Flanders Fields. Eyewitness accounts vary in detail, but agree that he worked on the poem while sitting on the back step of an ambulance near his medical aid post. In the field around him crosses marked the graves of dead soldiers, including those of Helmer and other Canadians killed the previous day. Accounts also agree that poppies grew in the area at the time and McCrae’s own notes refer to birds singing despite the noise of battle.
John McCrae set the poem aside to concentrate on caring for the wounded at Ypres. He took it up again that fall after leaving the Ypres salient to serve in the relatively quieter circumstances of No. 3 Canadian General Hospital at Boulogne. When at last he had worked it to a satisfactory state he sent it to the British publication the Spectator, only to see his work rejected. He resubmitted it to Punch magazine, which published it anonymously, in its issue of December 8, 1915. [warmuseum.ca]

YouTube-Clips
—-►In Flanders Fields with images and heroic music (Gods and Generals soundtrack by John Frizzel and Randy Edelman & The Man In The Iron Mask soundtrack by Nick Glennie-Smith)
—-►Green Fields of France – antiheroic WW1 Memorial by John Mc.Dermott

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WWI – Poetry – Archive Wilfred Owen, Isaac Rosenberg, Robert Graves, Vera Brittain, Edward Thomas, …… online repository of over 4000 items of text, images, audio, and video for teaching, learning, and research.
—-► Friends of the Project Organisations and Societies
——► However, there is a kind of war memorial that is unique to the Germans.
——► This is the Nagelfiguren = Figure of nails.
WWI Red Cross Archive will be digitized Dick Eastman reported about the amazing Geneva WWI Red Cross Archive this morning … these records have been kept in file drawers in the dusty basement of the Red Cross Museum in Geneva, Switzerland for the last 90 years.
The collection is made up of cards, as well as battlefield reports that were initially compiled by the German Army. These records most likely had a British counterpart that now seems to have been lost. But the original German documents remain in the Red Cross Archives.
About 20 Million WWI casualties are dealt with in the collection – many detailing the dead found on the battlefield, complete with the soldier’s name, number, rank, unit, and exactly where the person was found and buried.
The Red Cross now plans to preserve and then digitize the collection, making the cards accessible to researchers worldwide
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Red poppy, Field Poppy, Flanders Poppy, or Corn Poppy is the wild poppy of agricultural cultivation—Papaver rhoeas. It is a variable annual plant. The four petals are vivid red, most commonly with a black spot at their base. In the northern hemisphere it generally flowers in late spring, but if the weather is warm enough other flowers frequently appear at the beginning of autumn …
It is known to have been associated with agriculture in the Old World since early times. It has most of the characteristics of a successful weed of agriculture. These include an annual lifecycle that fits into that of most cereals, a tolerance of simple weed control methods, the ability to flower and seed itself before the crop is harvested. Like many such weeds, it also shows the tendency to become a crop in its own right; its seed is a moderately useful commodity, and its flower is edible. ….
It has had an old symbolism and association with agricultural fertility.
It has become associated with wartime remembrance in the 20th century, especially during Remembrance Day in Commonwealth countries. As poppies bloomed in much of the western front in World War I, poppies are a symbol of military veterans, especially of that war.

Klatschmohn (Papaver rhoeas), auch Mohnblume oder Klatschrose genannt, eine Pflanzenart aus der Familie der Mohngewächse (Papaveraceae). … Er ist ein Altbürger (Archäophyt) und seit dem Neolithikum Kulturbegleiter. Durch übermäßigen Herbizideinsatz ist er in Getreidefeldern oft sehr zurückgegangen, tritt aber dafür oft in Mengen z. B. an ungespritzten, offenerdigen Straßenböschungen auf.

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NODE – Entries [remembrance]
Remembrance Day (‘Gedenktag’) ►noun
✪ another term for Remembrance Sunday
✪✪ [historical] another term for Armistice Day
✪Remembrance Sunday ►noun (in the UK) the Sunday nearest 11 November when those who were killed in the first and second World Wars and later conflicts are commemorated. Also called Poppy Day.
✪✪Armistice Day ►noun the anniversary of the armistice of 11 November 1918, now replaced by Remembrance Sunday in the UK and Veterans Day in the US.

NODE – Entries [poppy]
poppy¹ a herbaceous plant with showy flowers, milky sap, and rounded seed capsules. Many poppies contain alcaloids and are a source of drugs such as morphine and codeine.
poppy head ►noun the seed capsule of a poppy
Poppy Day ►noun Brit. another name for Remembrance Sunday
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poppycock ►noun [mass noun] [informal] nonsense (—>: dutch pappekak | german Papperlapapp)
poppy² ►adjective (of popular music) tuneful and immediately appealing:catchy, poppy tunes.
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November 2008@nowpublic