AcharyaChanakya/simple-wikipedia huggingface dataset:
Non-financial capital accumulation is an essential factor for economic growth, since additional investment is essential to enlarge the scale of production and increase employment opportunities.
Rosa Luxemburg insisted that capital accumulation is the cause of the imperialism on her essay ""The Accumulation of Capital".
Investment or investing means that an asset is bought, or that money is put into a bank to get a future interest from it. Investment is total amount of money spent by a shareholder in buying shares of a company. In economic management sciences, investments means longer-term savings.
It is a term used in business management, finance and economics, related to saving or deferring consumption. Literally, the word means the "action of putting something in to somewhere else" (perhaps originally related to a person's garment or 'vestment').
There are two major uses of the term investment between the economics field and the finance field. Economists refer to a real investment (such as a machine or a house), while financial economists refer to a financial asset, such as money that is put into a bank or the market which may then be used to buy a real asset. Advisors, who tell people how to manage their investments, might say that even when an investment is losing money because of bad times, not to give up and withdraw it. Instead, wait for the situation to improve. This is a risk for each person to decide.
The investment decision (also known as "capital budgeting") is one of the fundamental decisions of business management.
Battle of Bannockburn
The Battle of Bannockburn, fought on 23 and 24 June 1314, was an important Scottish victory in the Wars of Scottish Independence. A smaller Scottish army defeated a much larger and better armed English army.
When King Alexander III of Scotland died in 1286, his heir was his granddaughter Margaret, Maid of Norway. King Edward I of England arranged to have his son, Edward II of England, become her husband and share the crown of Scotland in 1289. But Margaret died on her way from Norway to Scotland in 1290. This began a period in Scotland called the First Interregnum (1290–1292). Scotland was without a monarch. Edward I was invited to choose who would be king from among the candidates who had any claim to be king. He chose John of Scotland. But Edward now claimed power over the Scottish king. Balliol could do nothing without Edward's approval. In July 1295 the Scottish Parliament met and took most of the power away from John Balliol and gave it to a group of men they elected called the "Council of Twelve." This group made an agreement with King Philip IV of France called the Auld Alliance. King Edward gathered his army at Newcastle and prepared to invade Scotland. He brought his army to Berwick and captured the town and castle. John Balliol sent King Edward letters refusing to recognize Edward's right to rule Scotland. After Edward had captured all the castles in Scotland, John Balliol surrendered to him. John Balliol was sent to prison in London, then later Edward allowed him to live in France. In 1296 Edward made every man in Scotland who owned land promise to be loyal to him. Scotland remained without a king of their own until 1306 when Robert the Bruce declared himself king of Scotland defying Edward I. Just before doing this Robert the Bruce had been involved in a dispute with John Comyn. The two met before the altar in Greyfriars Church in Dumfries in 1306 and in a fight John Comyn was killed. Robert the Bruce was crowned king three weeks later at Scone. Accused of murdering Comyn, Bruce was excommunicated by the Pope. Edward sent his men after Bruce but was unable to capture Him. A series of border skirmishes and wars went on. In 1310 Edward again invaded Scotland but with little effect. Between 1310 and 1314 a large number of castles were captured from the occupying English soldiers by Bruce and his followers.
In the Spring of 1313 Edward Bruce, brother of the Scottish King began a siege of Stirling Castle, which was held by Sir Philip Mowbray for the English king. By the middle of summer the Scots were still not able to defeat the castle. Edward Bruce made an agreement with the castle commander, Mowbray. It said that if the castle was not relieved by the English by 24 June the following year it would be surrendered to Bruce. Edward Bruce went to his brother to tell him the good news. But the Robert Bruce saw this as a mistake. It gave King Edward II of England a year to get ready an army to march into Scotland. Up to this point the king of Scotland had avoided pitched battles with the English army. All King Robert could do is prepare for what was sure to come. In October 1313 King Robert made everyone in Scotland take an oath of loyalty to him or lose their lands. The English king was now in danger of losing everything in Scotland. On 28 November 1313 Edward II announced he would assemble an army to be in Scotland before 24 June 1314.
Edward's first aim was to bring needed food, weapons, and fresh soldiers to Sterling Castle before they had to surrender. He began gathering the largest army a king of England had ever led. He had 2,500 heavy cavalry each followed by one or more mounted squires. Edward brought 3,000 of his best Welsh longbowmen. Finally he had 15,000 foot soldiers each with a sword, shield and spear. His army numbered over 20,000 and began marching from Berwick on 17 June 1314 and formed ten divisions. He had reached Edinburgh on 21 June where the army was re-supplied by Edward's ships. By 22 June the army made an exhausting march to Falkirk, only 10 miles from Sterling Castle. Edward's army moved on the old Roman road, which ran through an ancient forest known as the Tor Wood, over the Bannock burn and into the New Park, a hunting preserve enclosed at the time of Alexander III.
Bruce's army, like William Wallace's before him, was chiefly composed of infantry armed with 18-foot long pikes. It was divided into three main (infantry) battalions, and a fourth larger battalion commanded by the king himself serving as the reserve unit. The second battalion was commanded by Thomas Randolph, 1st Earl of Moray. The third was led by Edward Bruce, the king's brother. The fourth division was commanded by Sir James Douglas and his cousin Walter the Steward. The light cavalry of 500 strong was commanded by Robert Keith, Marischal of Scotland. Each infantry division formed into a Schiltron formation. Each man carried the pike upright and the outside ranks would lower theirs to form a lethal wall of sharp metal points. The schiltron could withstand an attack by knights on horses. But Bruce also trained them to attack.
Bruce's army had been gathering in the Tor Wood, an area that gave good natural cover. Bruce then moved his army just to the north to the New Park. This was more heavily wooded area where his movements could be concealed. It could also provide cover for a retreat if needed. The Scottish king chose his ground very carefully. The Bannock burn (or stream), which the English army had to cross on the way to Stirling was a natural obstacle. Parts of it were too deep for infantry or cavalry to cross. The area was also covered with marshy boggy ground difficult to ride over. Sir Thomas Gray called it "an evil, deep, wet marsh". On the east side was a sharp drop of 50 feet or more. The trees of the New Park were on the west side. Also, pits were dug as traps to break a cavalry charge. No matter which way the English cavalry tried to go they would be tangled up and be easy targets for the Scottish infantry.
The only approach was over the old road from Falkirk to Sterling. This route was the only solid ground on which heavy cavalry could be moved.
Bruce's three main divisions numbered about 1,000 strong each. His own reserve division was at double strength or about 2,000 strong. The Marischal's light cavalry was about 500 horse and there was a small group of archers. Together the Scottish army numbered between 5,000 and 6,000 men. This was about one-fourth the size of Edward's force.
The English army reached Tor Wood on June 23rd and stopped. They were met by Sir Philip Mowbray, the English commander of Stirling Castle. He told the king there was no need for battle. Edward had fulfilled his obligation to relieve the castle by coming within three leagues. Also he had seen Bruce's preparations and warned of trying to attack the Scots with heavy cavalry. Like Edward II and his commanders, Mowbray thought the Scots would retreat when they saw the size of Edward's great army. The vanguard of Edward's forces under Gloucester had already crossed the ford over the Bannockburn towards the Scottish lines. An English knight Henry de Bohun was riding ahead of his companions when he caught sight of
the Scottish king inspecting some of his lines. De Bohun lowered his lance and charged. Robert the Bruce was mounted on a small palfrey and armed with a battle-axe He could have simply moved behind his men and let them repel the charging warhorse and rider. Instead he turned his horse and rode towards de Bohun. At the last moment Bruce swerved his horse to one side, missing de Bohun's lance. He then rose in his stirrups and brought down his axe with such force he cut through de Bohun's helmet killing him instantly. There was a stunned silence by both armies then a great cheer rose among the Scottish soldiers. Then the highlanders of Bruce's own division charged the English cavalry who were still lining up. The horses of the Earl of Gloucester and several others stumbled as they fell into the hidden pits. The earl was rescued but the English cavalry fled from the charging Scots. King Robert stopped their charge and they returned to their lines. This showed how well-disciplined the Scottish soldiers had become.
When King Robert returned his brother and his commanders criticized the king (as much as they dared) for risking his life that way. Robert the Bruce did not answer them. He only stared at his now broken battle-axe. Looking around the king saw English cavalry moving around their left. He pointed out the cavalry and said to Thomas Randolph "a rose has fallen from your chaplet". Immediately Randolph rode to his men and moved the schildton onto the open ground in the path of the English knights. When their leader Sir Henry Beaumont saw the Scots approaching he said "let us wait a little; let them come on; give them room." Sir Thomas Gray replied "I doubt that whatever you give them now, they will have all too soon." Sir Henry said to Thomas Gray, "if you are afraid then be off!" Sir Thomas replied "it is not from fear that I shall fly this day" and along with several other knights charged the Scottish schiltron. Many were killed, being impaled on the spears. Sir Thomas himself was captured. The remainder of the English knights surrounded the schiltron and attacked the Scots from every angle. But the schiltron held and the English in frustration began throwing their weapons at the Scots. When Sir James Douglas, commanding the left schiltron saw his friend in trouble and begged Bruce to go to his rescue. But by the time he returned to his man Randolph was winning the day. Moving forward Randolph's schiltron split the English cavalry in two. Half of the remaining English fled back to the English lines while half fled to Sterling Castle. After losing just one Yeoman, the Scots took off their helmets to rest from the heat of the day.
Sir Alexander de Seton had secretly left the King of England's Army and came to Robert the Bruce that night. He wished to no longer serve the king of England and offered to join the Bruce. He pledged on his life that the English were discouraged and if Bruce attacked them tomorrow, he would win the battle.
The English moved from the bogs south and east of the burn to harder ground. They had to water all the warhorses, draft horses and oxen. By the time the move was finished it was nearly dawn. But the tidal rivers around them had risen and they could not cross them as they did earlier. The English were now cramped into a small space where they could not move freely.
Robert the Bruce saw where the English spent the night. Their narrow front gave the Scottish army an advantage if the English did not move before morning. Morning found the English had not moved. Not long after daybreak on 24 June, three Scots divisions came out of the woods and began moving towards the English. The English mounted their horses in great confusion. When the Scots schiltrons began attacking the English lines the knights and soldiers could not maneuver. They were so crowded men were being pushed into the Bannock burn behind them.
Overnight the Earl of Gloucester and Edward II had been in an argument. Gloucester thought the English soldiers should rest another day before doing battle. The king accused him of being disloyal. Gloucester was still angry when the trumpets sounded the signal to assemble. So without putting on his surcoat he mounted his horse and charged into the schiltron commanded by Edward Bruce. The Scots did not recognize him without his surcoat and so did not spare him. The Earl and several of those with him were killed trying to break through the wall of spears.
The other two Scottish divisions moved up to join Edward Bruce. Randolph moved up on Bruce's left side. James Douglas came up next to Randolph. Together all three schiltrons filled the narrow . They pushed forward into the confused English. Wounded horses without their knights were running back into the English lines. Edward's army was now so crowded they could hardly move. The Scots were pushing into them from the front. The back ranks were being pushed into the water and marshes.
Up to this point in the battle the English and Welsh longbowmen (archers) had not been used to their full advantage. They were moved to the right side of the English lines. From here they could fire arrows into the Scottish army with great effect. But Robert the Bruce had provided for this event. His 500 light horsemen led by Keith, the Marischal, quickly scattered the English and Welsh archers. many of the English and Welsh archers ran back to the English lines. This caused more confusion and the infantry also begin to run away. The Scottish king now sent in his reserve division behind Douglas. When the English saw another large force of Scots joining the battle they began . Everywhere King Edward looked his forces were losing the battle.
The Earl of Pembroke and sir Giles d'Argentan were guarding the English King. As the battle was now lost they needed to get the king to safety. They led him off the battlefield and towards Sterling Castle. At the same time several Scots recognized the king and tried to capture him. The king fought them off with his . He broke free and rode to Sterling Castle a short distance away. At the castle Sir Philip Mowbray did not allow King Edward to enter. He told the king he now had to surrender the castle and the king would be taken prisoner. But Mowbray gave Edward II a knight to guide the king and his party to safety. Edward, with 500 of his cavalry turned towards Linlithgow. Sir James Douglas got permission from Robert the Bruce to pursue the English king. With a group of Keith's Douglas kept close behind Edward as he fled south. As he pursued the English king, Douglas and his men encountered Sir Lawrence de Abernethy who with 80 men was on his way to join Edward at Bannockburn. On finding out the king had lost the battle he and his men joined Douglas in trying to capture Edward. The English tried to bait them into a fight at Winchburg but Douglas stayed on their flank (side).Even with Abernethy's men the Scots were not strong enough to take on Edward's knights. The chase continued all the way to Dunbar Castle. Loyalties on the border were very uncertain at this time. The local earl had sided with Edward. So the king was allowed to escape in a boat back to England with only a few of his closest followers. The rest of his 500 horsemen were left to find their way back to England as best they could.
Another large group of Edward's knights escaped to Bothwell Castle. There they were welcomed by the castle commander, Walter Gilbertson. But Gilbertson soon changed sides and took all the English prisoners. The remainder of Edward's large army scattered in every direction. In trying to escape the Scottish schildrons, many were drowned in the Bannockburn and the River Forth. A large number were taken prisoner and later ransomed. The English baggage train was left behind. It's silver, gold, and luxuries the noblemen brought with them was worth a fortune alone. Along with the ransoms paid for their prisoners this brought sudden wealth to Scotland.
The wars with England were still not over. It would be another 14 years until Scotland was free of English rule. But to the Scots the Battle of Bannockburn was a major victory. Before the battle Robert the Bruce was considered by many a usurper (pretender). He only had limited support in Scotland. After Bannockburn Robert the Bruce became a national hero. He had the support of most of Scotland. However his political rivals in Scotland suffered. Perhaps no one more than the Comyn family and supporters. Both John Comyn of Badenoch and Edward Comyn of Kilbride were killed at Bannockburn. With them died any hope of an English victory returning this family to power.
The English dead at Bannockburn were buried with honors according to their rank. There were over 500 returned to England in exchange for ransom. And Scottish prisoners in England were returned in exchange. Robert the Bruce's wife, daughter and sister were returned. The border wars continued but from 1314 to 1328 the focus shifted to the north of England. The purpose of all the raids was to get Edward II to recognize Robert the Bruce as king of Scotland. Also for England to give up their claims to Scotland and recognize their independence. The English learned their lesson from Bannockburn. The Scots apparently didn't. In the later Battle of Dupplin Moor and Halidon Hill the same tactics that brought victory at Bannockburn brought them defeat. William Mackenzie wrote: "Never did the arms of England suffer so complete a disaster; never did the arms of Scotland repeat so remarkable a performance."
The Wars of the Roses (1455–1487) were a series of civil wars fought over the throne of England between supporters of the House of Lancaster, the Lancastrians, and supporters of the House of York, the Yorkists. Both houses were branches of the Plantagenet royal house and were related through King Edward III.
The wars began for several reasons, and historians have debated the one that was most important. King Henry VI was seen as a poor ruler by many of his people because of his lack of interest in politics and his mental illness (his French queen, Margaret of Anjou, often made key decisions instead). Also, England's defeat in the Hundred Years' War in France, money problems after the war and problems with the feudal system of government were other causes.
The name of the Wars of the Roses, which was first used only in the 19th century, comes from the white rose symbol for the House of York and the red rose symbol for the House of Lancaster. However, the red rose symbol was not used until after the wars had ended, and most soldiers fought under the symbol of their local nobleman. At the time, they were called the "Civil Wars". The houses were named after the cities of Lancaster and York, but neither city played a big role during the war, and both houses owned land all over England and Wales.
King Edward III had many sons, as is shown in the family tree below. His oldest son, known by his nickname "The Black Prince" died first, and the throne passed to the Black Prince's son, Richard, who became King Richard II of England in 1377 although he was only ten. He grew up to be a weak and unpopular king, and one of his actions was to send his cousin Henry into exile.
Henry later returned while Richard was away in Ireland and took over the country. When Richard returned, Henry tricked him into giving himself up. Richard was put into prison, where he died, and Henry became King Henry IV of England.
Henry IV reigned until his death and was followed by his son, King Henry V (in 1413). Henry V died in 1422 and was followed by his son King Henry VI, who was only a baby. Henry VI did not run the government until 1437. He then ruled until 1461, six years after the Wars of the Roses began.
Henry VI was considered a poor ruler by some of his people for several reasons. He was not interested in politics. He was shy and did not like war. He was easily led by a small number of friends, such as his French queen Margaret of Anjou and his advisor Edmund Beaufort, Duke of Somerset.
Henry VI's reign also saw England's defeat in the Hundred Year's War. England had done well in the war while he was still a child, and by 1428, they English appeared to be close to defeating their House of Valois enemies. However, Joan of Arc's rebellions in 1429-1430 was one reason for Burgundy's decision to switch sides in 1435. Several other problems made England's control in France to be already weakened when Henry VI started to run the government in 1437.
Henry VI tried to end the war by agreeing negotiating peace, but his French enemies realised thar they could win a complete victory. In 1453, England had lost its last lands in France outside Calais.
Also in 1453, Henry VI was for the first time overcome with mental illness and could not run the country. A powerful nobleman called Richard, Duke of York persuaded the other nobles to make him "Lord Protector". That meant that he would run the country until the king recovered.
While York ran the country, he locked his enemy Somerset in the Tower of London. Henry recovered in 1454 and began to run the country again. He let Somerset out and gave him back his position. York and his supporters then became afraid that the king and Somerset would have them executed.
York decided that he could protect himself was only by defeating the king in battle. He raised an army of many people who were unhappy with Henry and Margaret, which led to the First Battle of St Albans in 1455. That was the first to be fought between the Yorkists, who supported York, and the Lancastrians (who supported Henry). York won with the help of the Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick. Henry was found hiding in a leather shop, taken prisoner and was again overcome with mental illness. Somerset and some of the king's other key supporters were killed in the battle. York was again made Lord Protector.
The next year, Henry recovered. York let him go back to running the country and was put in charge of running Ireland. Henry and Margaret knew that they could not get rid of Richard easily. For the next few years, both sides wanted to stop a war from breaking out but could could not agree on several things. York wanted to be the next king after Henry died, rather than Henry and Margaret's newborn son, Edward. Margaret would not allow that and so Henry moved to Coventry, where he had more support.
A more serious war broke out in 1459 and started because Warwick had attacked other country's ships during his time in charge of Calais. Henry asked Warwick to meet to explain what he doing, but Warwick refused. Soon enough, York and Warwick started putting together an army. They were stopped at the Battle of Ludford Bridge and fled England. Henry and the Lancastrians now had control. They ordered that York and Warwick were to be executed if they were found.
The peace did not last long. York and Warwick returned and raised an army and won the Battle of Northampton. For the second time, Henry was captured after he was overcome with mental illness. York was made Lord Protector for the third time.
York then announced that he wanted to take the throne for himself. Many of his supporters thought that was a step too far and so thet agreed that Henry would still be king, but York, not Henry's son, would be the next king.
York then travelled to the north of England to attack the remaining Lancastrians. That led to a disaster, and York lost the Battle of Wakefield at the end of 1460 and was killed. His son Edward the became leader of the Yorkists. The next year saw mixed results for both sides. Edward defeated a Lancastrian army at the Battle of Mortimer's Cross, but the Lancastrians won the Second Battle of St Albans where Henry escaped. In London, Edward was met with a lot of support, announced that he wanted to take the throne ans defeated the Lancastrians at the Battle of Towton. That was the bloodiest battle that was ever fought on British soil.
After Towton, Edward was in control of England and was crowned as Edward IV in June 1461. Over the next few years, he and his allies put down small Lancastrian rebellions. Henry was again captured in 1465.
Fighting broke out again in 1469 when Edward's most powerful supporter, the Earl of Warwick, switched sides. Warwick was furious that Edward had married Elizabeth Woodville, a common woman. Many people also thought that was wrong since kings were then expected to marry the daughters of noblemen or other kings. Warwick led a rebellion against the king. The country was left in confusion. At one point Warwick captured Edward and so he had captured two kings.
Warwick soon let Edward go and then supported making Henry king again. Warwick believed that he could run the country while Henry was on the throne. He also arranged for Henry's son to marry Warwick's daughter Anne Neville. Edward could not raise an army to fight and so he fled the country in 1470. Henry VI then became the ruler again. Warwick's role in bringing Edward and then Henry to power led to him being nicknamed "Kingmaker".
Henry's return did not last long. Warwick planned to help France invade Burgundy, which helped Edward find soldiers. Edward returned in 1471 and won two grear victories over the Lancastrians. The first was the Battle of Barnet in which Warwick was killed. The second was the Battle of Tewksbury in which Margaret was taken prisoner and her son was killed.
Edward IV took the throne again and Henry VI was imprisoned in the Tower of London. He died one month later, and historians think Edward had him murdered since that left the Lancastrians without a leader.
There was little fighting for the next 12 years. Margaret was released in 1475, went back to France and died in 1482.
Edward IV ruled until his sudden death in 1483. Just before dying, Edward had said that his 12-year old son should become king as Edward V, and Edward's brother Richard would be "Lord Protector". Richard would run the country until Edward V became an adult.
Edward V was the king for 78 days before Richard took the throne for himself. He was crowned as Richard III. The young Edward and his brother disappeared a few months later while they were living in the Tower of London. Many people thought Richard had ordered the boys to be killed, and some historians agree. That caused many Yorkists to turn against Richard III.
Richard managed to win against a rebellion by his old friend, the Duke of Buckingham. Henry Tudor, a distant relative of Henry VI who returned to England, became the leader of the rebellions and created a new Lancastrian army. In the Battle of Bosworth Field, Richard III was killed, and his army was defeated. Henry took the throne as King Henry VII, the first king of the House of Tudor.
The Battle of Bosworth Field is often seen as the end of the war. However, there was another great battle two years later, but Henry VII stopped a rebellion and brought peace to the country.
Henry told people that he was bringing the two houses together. Thar made him marry Edward IV's daughter Elizabeth of York. He also started the Tudor rose symbol, with a red rose and white rose joined together.
A matchbook is a small cardboard container that holds a quantity of matches inside and has a coarse striking surface on the exterior.
A flap on the front is lifted to access the matches, which are attached to the interior base in a comb-like pattern and must be torn away before use. (In the matchbox, by contrast, the matches are arranged loosely in the interior tray.)
Matchbooks are often covered with advertising logos or various artistic decorations, and they have served as collector's items and free souvenirs.
Friedrich Kellner Diary
The Diary of Friedrich Kellner is a journal written during the Second World War. The author, August Friedrich Kellner, was a justice inspector in the courthouse in Mainz. He was also a political activist for the Social Democratic Party of Germany between 1918 and 1933. After Hitler banned the party, the family moved to Laubach.
When Hitler ordered the invasion of Poland in September 1939, Kellner began his secret diary. He named his diary "Mein Widerstand," which means "My Opposition." In the diary, he wrote down what he saw and heard about what happened in Nazi Germany. He wrote it so that people later would know about it.
The diary has ten volumes, with a total of 861 pages. There are 676 dated entries. Included in the diary are more than 500 newspaper clippings.
The English translation of the diary was published in 2018 by Cambridge University Press under the title, "My Opposition: The Diary of Friedrich Kellner -- A German against the Third Reich".
At the end of World War Two, most Germans said they knew nothing about the mass murders of the Jews. But as early as October 28, 1941, Kellner wrote the following entry in his diary:
A soldier on vacation here said he witnessed a terrible atrocity in the occupied parts of Poland. He watched as naked Jewish men and women were placed in front of a long deep ditch and upon the order of the SS were shot by Ukrainians in the back of their heads and they fell into the ditch. Then the ditch was filled with dirt even as he could still hear screams coming from people still alive in the ditch. These inhuman atrocities were so terrible that some of the Ukrainians, who were used as tools, suffered nervous breakdowns. All the soldiers who had knowledge of these bestial actions of these Nazi sub-humans were of the opinion that the German people should be shaking in their shoes because of the coming retribution. There is no punishment that would be hard enough to be applied to these Nazi beasts. Of course, when the retribution comes, the innocent will have to suffer along with them. But because ninety percent of the German population is guilty, directly or indirectly, for the present situation, we can only say that those who travel together will hang together.
There is not much in the diary about the Kellners’ personal lives. Instead, Friedrich Kellner wrote about the political atmosphere of a country run by terrorists. He also wrote about the leaders and people in other nations who remained indifferent to what Hitler and Mussolini were planning. Kellner was very angry that millions of people had to die because a few politicians in the democracies failed to confront Hitler and his allies. Kellner was also angry at the famous aviator Charles Lindbergh, and the car manufacturer Henry Ford, and at others who blindly expressed admiration for Adolf Hitler. “The whole world let themselves be fooled by this man,” Kellner wrote on May 3, 1942.
Friedrich Kellner expected America and England to come to the rescue. On June 25, 1941, he wrote:
When will this insanity be brought to an end? When will the intoxication of victory turn into a terrible hangover? Now is a unique chance for England and America to take the initiative, but not only with empty promises and insufficient measures. If America had the will to throw its entire might into the fray, it could tip the balance for a return of peace. Only a tremendous force and the commitment of all war material can bring the German wild steer to reason. Up until now the statesmen–through unbelievable shortsightedness–have neglected or failed their duty. Mankind awake! Attack together with all your might against the destroyers of peace! No reflections, no resolutions, no speeches, no neutrality. Advance against the enemy of mankind!
Friedrich Kellner wrote the diary to expose the crimes of the Third Reich. He believed his diary could serve as a warning for future generations to oppose dictatorships and their totalitarian ideology.
After the war, Friedrich Kellner helped to reestablish the Social Democratic Party. He became chairman of the Laubach branch. He retired from politics in 1960, at the age of seventy-five.
In 1968, he gave his diary to his American grandson, Professor Robert Scott Kellner , to take to America for safekeeping. He told him:
The day will come when the same kind of anti-democratic and anti-Semitic hatred will bring intense misery to the world. Use the diary as a weapon against dictatorships and terrorism. There will always be people of bad will, therefore people of good will must be prepared to oppose them.
My Opposition: The Diaries of Friedrich Kellner
My Opposition: the Diaries of Friedrich Kellner is a 2007 documentary movie by Abella Entertainment Ltd. of Toronto, Canada. It is produced and directed by Fern Levitt and Arnie Zipursky. Leonard Asper is an executive producer. The movie is distributed by CCI Entertainment.
The documentary tells the story of Chief Justice Inspector Friedrich Kellner ( ) who wrote a secret diary during World War II. The diary records the crimes of the Nazis. The movie uses interviews, historical footage, and re-enactments of events to tell how Friedrich Kellner risked his life to write the diary. The story is also about Kellner’s American grandson, Robert Scott Kellner, who was abandoned as a child but later found his grandfather in Germany. Part of the movie is about the grandson’s attempt to bring the Friedrich Kellner diary to the attention of the public.
The movie begins with Friedrich Kellner as a political activist for the Social Democratic Party of Germany before the war. He campaigns against Adolf Hitler and the Nazis. The re-enactments show Kellner trying to stop the riots against the Jews during Kristallnacht. Kellner is brought before a tribunal, and he is threatened with imprisonment in a concentration camp. The movie shows Kellner’s active and passive resistance against the Third Reich. One scene shows him distributing leaflets that had been dropped from American planes. When World War II comes to an end, Kellner helps to restore the SPD. He becomes the chairman of the party in his region. Interwoven in the story about Friedrich Kellner is the story of his grandson.
The documentary was filmed on location in Mainz and in Laubach, Germany, and in Texas.
List of Nobel Prize winners in Economics
The Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel, informally called the Nobel Prize in Economics, is a prize awarded each year for outstanding contributions in the field of economics. The prize was not one of the awards set out in the will of Alfred Nobel. The winners of the prize receive their diploma and gold medal from the Swedish monarch at the same December 10 ceremony in Stockholm as the Nobel laureates in physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine, and literature. The amount of money awarded to the economics laureates is also equal to that of the other prizes.
Lindsey Jacobellis
Axis of Evil is a term first used by US President George W. Bush in his State of the Union speech on January 29, 2002 to describe the governments of Iraq, Iran, and North Korea and later Cuba, Libya, and Syria. He used this term because he believed that they backed terrorism and were trying to buy weapons of mass destruction.
The State of the Union Address is a speech the president of the United States of America gives every year, usually in January. In the speech the president talks about how the country is doing and what plans he will be proposing for that year.
According to tradition, president speaks with its appeal annual. The US Constitution it does not set clear terms such appeals. Article II, Section 3 of the US Constitution reads «He shall from time to time give to the Congress Information of the State of the Union, and recommend to their Consideration such Measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient».
Before the president enters the congressional chamber of the United States Capitol, the Sergeant at Arms always yells: "Mister/Madam Speaker, the President of the United States".
A ninja is a kind of spy or assassin who lived in Japan beginning in the 14th century.
Ninja (or shinobi) were a mystery in the History of Japan. The correct Japanese word for these warriors was shinobi-no-mono, which literally means "people who survive/endure". Ninja is easier to say; this is why it is more widely used. Shinobi-no-mono is the native Japanese word for ninja, while ninja is the Sino-Japanese word. Ninja warriors created secret associations and took part in many political killings. Their mystery comes from two ideas: 1) they always participated in secret spy operations and political killings; 2) ninja were hired by heads of armies as paid warriors (mercenaries). The art of fighting which was used by ninja was called ninjitsu, which was a combination of shinobi-no-jitsu and shinobi-jitsu.
Many people though ninja were not normal people. People thought they could fly and had supernatural skills. Ninja existed during the entire history of Japan, but ninja only became specially trained people at the beginning of the 15th century. They mainly trained in the regions of Iga and Koga.
Ninja were involved in samurai wars and were hired by samurai for different missions, but at the same time samurai did not accept them as noble warriors because most of the ninja came from lower social classes. They were dangerous and could not be controlled. Their methods of fighting did not fit the samurai code. The samurai code was a code of honor. For example, the samurai warrior would show his rank and would only fight a samurai of equal or higher rank. Japanese land lords (daimyo) widely used the services of the Iga and Koga ninja in the period of 1485-1581. But in 1581, one of the three daimyo who united Japan – Oda Nobunaga attacked ninja from Iga province. The ninja remained alive and ran to the provinces Kii and Mikawa, where Tokugawa Ieyasu protected them. Later, Oda Nobunaga was killed by a samurai named Akechi Mitsuhide, who later became an enemy to Tokugawa Ieyasu.
The art of ninja fighting was passed down from father to son, or from master ("sensei") to their best students. But in the middle of 17th century, Nakagawa Sosuntzin created a ninja school in the Mutsu Province. It was called Nakagawa-ryu and taught the ninjitsu method of fighting. Nakagawa Sosuntzin himself trained a group of 10 men, which he called Hayamiti-no-mono (men of the short hit). Ninja were taught many more things than a samurai. They had to be skilled at handling swords, spears, bows and many other weapons; but also they had to know about explosive and poisonous substances, to be a good path finder and to survive in different situations. Usually they were trained from young age and had to keep a very specific physical shape. Ninja were not allowed to be too light or too heavy. A ninja who could read and write was very appreciated.
It tends to be thought that a ninja usually wore black clothes which helped him to hide in the dark, however, they wore dark blue, red, or brown clothes, which are more quiet than black at night. In usual days, a ninja never wore showy dress and pretended to be another job, for example, a merchant, a traveling monk, a monkey showman and so on. If they had to fight on the battlefield, they put on a light armor, which protected them, but also allowed easy movement. On their feet they wore Japanese socks which separated the big toe (the socks were called tabi). The ninja outfit had many pockets for helpful gear. Chain armor was normally beneath their cloak in-case danger came their way like an ambush.
The diversity of ninja weapons and attributes is much wider than that of the samurai. The main weapon of ninja was the sword. Ninja swords were usually shorter than samurai katana and had a straight blade. When they climbed, the sword was put on the left shoulder, putting the handle of the sword was close to the left ear. Ninja also used different types of throwing knives, and a weapon for their fists called tagaki. They used metallic claws on their feet which helped them to climb and made their kicks more dangerous.
They are also very close to the other form of Japanese killer, a samurai.
As with Robin Hood or King Arthur, the ongoing presence of ninja in pop culture movies and manga often differs widely from their true origins.
USS Arizona Memorial
USS Arizona (BB-39)
The USS "Arizona" (BB-39) was an American battleship from the Pennsylvania Class. The building of the ship was started in 1913 and it was commissioned in 1916. It fought in World War I. The USS "Arizona" is best known for its sinking during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. The attack was the event that caused the United States to join the fighting in World War II. The wreck is still at the floor of the harbor. It is the site of a memorial to those who died that day.
USS "Arizona" (BB-39) was one of three ships in the history of the United States Navy to be named USS "Arizona". It was the only one of the three to be named that after Arizona became a U.S. state.
War crime
A war crime is a crime that happens in context of or associated with war. There are international laws of war that say what people can do during wars and what they cannot do. A war crime breaks these rules.
Today, these rules are international laws called the Geneva Conventions and the Hague Convention.
To be a war crime, a crime must be part of a plan, or the crime has to be committed against many people.
The idea of what a "war crime" is has changed over time. For example, during World War I, using poison gas in combat was not thought of as a war crime. Now it is.
In 2002, the International Criminal Court (ICC) was created. Its goal is to look into and, if possible, punish people for war crimes. When the ICC was created, it came up with a longer list of war crimes. For example, its list was the first one to include types of sexual abuse like forcing women into sexual slavery.
Here are some examples of crimes that the ICC lists as war crimes.
These are war crimes whether they are committed against enemy soldiers or civilians or neutral persons.
War crimes against civilians include:
War crimes against enemy soldiers include:
War crimes against neutral persons include:
This table shows some examples of war crimes.
In a modern democracy, a senate is a group of people who are part of a legislature. A legislature passes or changes laws for their country, state, or other area. Members of a senate are called senators. Some legislatures are bicameral, meaning they have two groups of people (working in separate places) called "houses". A senate can be called a "House of Senators".
The senate of some such legislatures is weaker than the other house. The other house is called a "House of Representatives", House of Commons, or Assembly. In bicameral legislatures, both houses must pass the same bill to make it a law. Modern democratic systems having legislatures with senates include the United States of America (U. S.), Canada, Australia and many states in the United States.
The first ever senate was the Roman Senate. The name comes from their word for "elder".
Senate is also the name of the ruling body of some universities.
Kano is a city in Nigeria. It is the center of the Kano State. Kano is the third largest city in Nigeria, after Ibadan and Lagos. About 3,626,204 people live in Kano.
It has long been the economic centre of northern Nigeria, and a centre for the sale of groundnuts. Kano is known for the Bayero University and a railway station with trains to Lagos, moving through Kaduna, while Kano International Airport can be found nearby. Kano has long been a centre for Nigeria's Islamic culture; one of the country's finest mosques lies in the city.
It is also the site where the Kano river project was developed. This is a large irrigation scheme.
The city of Kano was founded around A.D. 1000 as an Hausa city of its own. Kano remained a big emirate, or Muslim kingdom, until the making of the country, Nigeria, in 1903. Kano became known for its trade in gold, leather, ivory, salt and slaves within the area. This perhaps is the reason for the city's wealth and power in the 14th century, when Islam gained a growing following. By the 15th century, the first Central Mosque had been built in the city.
Battle of Bosworth Field
The Battle of Bosworth or Bosworth Field was an important battle during the Wars of the Roses in 15th century England. It was fought on 22 August 1485 between the Yorkist King Richard III, the last of the Plantagenet dynasty, and the Lancastrian Henry Tudor, 2nd Earl of Richmond, who wanted to become king. It ended in the defeat and death of Richard and the beginning of the Tudor dynasty. Historically, the battle is thought to have marked the end of the Wars of the Roses, although smaller battles were fought in the years that followed as Yorkists unsuccessfully tried to become king again.
The place of the battle is not precisely known. Memorials have been built in some of the possible locations.
The Battle of Bosworth is an important part of William Shakespeare's play "Richard III". The action of the play ends with this battle.
Escherichia coli or E. coli is a bacterium that lives in the intestines of people and other warm-blooded animals. Scientists have studied "E. coli" a lot, and know more about how "E. coli" cells work than any other organism. "E. coli" is usually not harmful. In fact, the only known harmful strain is O157. E.coli is a prokaryotic organism.
"E. coli" normally grow in soil and in the large intestines of many mammals, including humans. Most strains of "E. coli" do not cause disease, but instead help animals get vitamins and digest food. Some strains of "E. coli" cause sickness in people. "E. coli" are not usually in food or water. When food has not been prepared with clean equipment, "E. coli" can grow in the food. When "E. coli" are found in water, this may mean that the water has touched sewage.
It is named after Theodor Escherich, who discovered it in 1885. It was officially named after him in 1919.
The following signs and symptoms of an "E. coli" infection normally happen within three days; however, some people may carry the infection and show no signs at all.
The best treatment for "E. coli" is plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration.
Borg (Star Trek)
The Borg are a fictional race of cyborgs in the Star Trek universe. The Borg use nanoprobes to assimilate others, like humans or vulcans, into their group consciousness. The Borg's group consciousness is led by the Borg queen, who's role is similar to that of a queen bee in a bee hive.
House of Plantagenet
The House of Plantagenet ruled England in some form or another from the reign of Henry II, beginning in 1154, until the House of Tudor came to power when Richard III fell at the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485.
It goes back to the Angevin counts (from 1360, dukes) of the western French province of Anjou. Three dynasties belong to it: Angevins, House of Lancaster (Lancastrians) and House of York (Yorkists). Lancastrians and Yorkists fought against each other the Wars of the Roses to get the crown for their dynasty alone.
Angevin
Angevin is the name of the residents of Anjou, a former province of the Kingdom of France, as well as to the residents of Angers. It is also used for three different medieval dynasties which go back to counts (from 1360, dukes) of the western French province of Anjou (of which "angevin" is the adjectival form), but later came to rule far greater areas including England, Ireland, Hungary, Croatia, Poland, "Kingdom of Naples and Sicily", and Kingdom of Jerusalem ("see Angevin Empire").
The first of these Angevin dynasties, the House of Plantagenet, ruled England in some form or another from the reign of Henry II, beginning in 1154, until the House of Tudor came to power when Richard III fell at the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485.
A count is a nobleman in most of European countries, equivalent in rank to a British earl, whose wife is also still a "countess" (for lack of an Anglo-Saxon term). The word "count" comes from French "comte" which in turn comes from the Latin "comitas", "companion" (of the emperor). In feudalism the territory ruled by a count was a county.
A woman having this title or the wife of a count is called countess.