Lebanon: Not Blown Away

RCS Posts history:

                    A look at Lebanon. Long a seat of world culture has passed through enormous changes and is now nearer than every to being blown away.

                    Divided, dominated, and blown up. Is that a way to describe Lebanon? Is that what we know of this Mediterranean country?

                    Lebanese are the people of Lebanon. The Lebanese deserve to be honored for who they have and for who they are. They merit our moral support for the building the nation they can be on the world stage and for the beauty and goodness they may provide us.They can also be profitable people with whom to do business.

                This tiny and durable country has a history of contributions to our world. Its people have been for their cosmopolitan diversity of culture, including religion. They are a modern republic and the smallest recognized sovereign state on the mainland of of the Asian continent. And I thought it was in North Africa. I have much to learn.

                    There is strong evidence of a rich, well developed culture going back to 6,000 BC. More recently Lebanon was a seat of Phoenician culture. That maritime culture was active there from about 3,200 BC to539 BC and shared that culture from Lebanon, around the Mediterranean, and beyond the Pillars of Hercules to as far as Ireland. In 64 BC, the region of Lebanon came under the rule of the Roman Empire, where it became a leading center of Christianity.

                    Mount Lebanon was home to the early Maronite Christian Church and maintained its identity through the Arab conquest. The Druze took over the Maronite homeland. The Druz are, to this day, a small but important presence in Lebanon. Druze are considered to be an Abrahamic religion which is neither Muslim nor Jew; not Christian either. Maronite Catholics and the Druze are considered by many to be the founders of modern Lebanon. Druze are only about 6% of the population today and are not Jew, Christian or Muslim. Still they may be more important to their country then their number suggests.

                    Lebanon was conquered by Ottoman Turks in the 1600th century and remained under their dominion for 400 years. At the end of WWI, they came under the French Mandates. Under that mandate, Lebanon grew a bit but it did not grow more united.

                    From 1975 to 1990 there was a bloody civil war in Lebanon, which led to the country being occupied by Syria and Israel.

                    Despite all the divisions and dominations, this 4,000 sq mi republic lives. There has never been a republic like it. It is accepted within international law as a “unitary, parliamentary, multi-confessionalist republic.” It seems that “multi-confessionalist” refers to the countries acceptance of many religions, but that is not completely correct.

                    Others have called Lebanon “a parliamentary, democratic, republic,” but add “within the overall framework of confessionalism.” This is beginning to look like a discussion in political philosophy! It seems that “confessionalism is a form of consociationalism in which the highest offices are proportionally reserved for representatives of certain religious communities. “Confessionalism, it appears, is a mix of politics and religion which usually entails distributing political and institutional power proportionately among confessional communities. We begin to get the picture. “Constitutionalism” is a form of power sharing sharing in a democracy. The goals of consociationalism are: stable government, the survival of democracy, and the avoidance of violence. Seems “tough row to hoe.” It has worked.

                    Lebanese are respected in Europe, the Arab world, and around the world for their culture and there continued existence as a nation. Lebanon has also been known for its large and influential diaspora. When it has had less need to struggle against foreign intervention, it has promptly become a stable financial power. It has profited from tourism and had busy agricultural production. Its people would appreciate the opportunity to do more. Left to guide itself it came to rank high on the U.N. human development index. It was a founding member of our United Nations.

                    I like to look at the depth of our cultures. Lebanon has been around for a long time. It is mentioned in written history from about, at least, 5,600 BP. It is mentioned in Sumerian tablets and in the Epic of Gilgamesh. It was the center of the Canaanite City States. Byblos kept records of dealings with Lebanon. The Bible contains references to to Canaan Lebanon. This little country can be called a source of cultural influence on Greek, Jew, and Phoenician, and to much of Western culture as well. And, as I am beginning to understand, a home for the Christian, Muslim, Druze, and more.

                    I have mentioned that the capital city of Lebanon is Beirut, haven’t I? When France was a diplomatic center of the world and the people of Paris were called the most cosmopolitan, those people of Paris call the people of Beirut cosmopolitan.

                    I know we can let Lebanon be, if we will. Maybe there is even an approriate way we could be supportive.

 

                                                                                                                RCS

Boulder Dam Memories

 RCS Posts history: Memories of an early visit to the great Hoover Dam in the desert.

            They begin with times during WWII. You may know WWII as The Second World War. I knew it as The War. But this is not exactly about that war.

            My father was driving us around the U.S. Southwest. It was a big deal, with gas, oil, tires, and tubes being rationed as a part of the war effort. That brings back a lot of memories. Many things were rationed and lines to get them were long. We stood in lines for meat butter, and nylons. My father may have been combining touring with looking into new work. However, I will try to stick with the "Boulder Dam" story.

            Soon we were at that new dam and parked right on it. Then we were going down on an elevator to below water level. I was wide eyed, looking, and listening, perhaps with my heart beating faster than usual. On the elevator were some workmen who were still working on the dam. My father was talking with them. I think they were talking more about the war, the depression, and the president, than about the dam. For the times, a great dam.

            We saw some plaques telling about the great Hoover Dam, the great desert lake that it formed and the electricity that it was providing. The workmen on the elevator were telling my my father that they called the dam Boulder Dam, in part because of the great boulders moved while building it. But mostly the did not like to call it Hoover Dam, because Hoover had been such a bad president that he didn't deserve to have the dam named after him. They did not want the dam to be named after him.

            President Hoover had been of the Republican party. The President at the time was FDR, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, of the Democratic Party. Most people liked President Roosevelt and so did the workmen. Both parties were different then from now. FDR is the first president of which I have living memories. I am back in memories of more than 70 years ago, damn.

            I have just looked at an old newspaper online. It was dared March 4th 1929 and in it I read "Herbert Clark Hoover is inaugurated as President of the United States." A bit father along it goes on. "He announces tht the government should assist and encourage these movements of of collective self-help." That announcement makes me think that he may deserve to have the dam named after him. 

            I do not remember those "movements of collective self help." They were before my time. Still, they have a pleasant ring to them.

            But, I acknowledge that I have liked the name Boulder Dam since that family visit there.

            FDR was our president then and he was OK.

            President Hoover may have died in 1964, I think. If so he live long and prospered. The year 1964 felt like a turning point in US history. The country felt different after that, especially the politics. About that time everyone seemed to have begun to use the word "them" when speaking of the government. Before then I remembered everyone using "us" and "we" when speaking of the government. We didn't say "the government" we said "our government."

            Anyway President Hoover was a Progressive Republican and raised a Quaker. All to the good. He was interested in getting rid of inefficiency in business and government. Sounds good to me. He was president  as our country fell into economic depression. Tough on him and nearly everyone else. He lost some points and votes because he supported the unpopular Prohibition of the drinking of alcohol.

            Hoover Dam was part of a good public works program designed as a practical method to get wealth flowing and put people to work. The dam is still a useful part of our national infrastructure. Hoover deserves some credit for that program.

            I might find incentive to write about FDR later.

            Writing this little piece has brought many memories to me. I remembered much of the dramatic beauty of the American Southwest, our awareness of economics and politics, the World War, the high hopes, the memories of a child

            We have a lot to learn as we continue to interpret the doings and happenings of our not so distant past. We will need all of our experience, good sense, and cooperative skills as we move into our future. 

            Thank you to those who use our comment section.

            How far back do your early memories go? The 1990s? The 80s, '70s? "60s? Tell us a bit? 

            I appreciate your visit and reading.

            RCS

 

Your Vocabulary and the Irish Land Wars

RCS Posts vocabulary and governance: The Irish Land Wars are the sources of the introduction of this powerfully useful word into the English language. 

 

                The Irish Land wars are an example of cause and effect in action. In 1850 Irish persons formed the Tenant Right League to demand reform to the land law of Ireland; a law not of democratic origin. This organization and demand was followed by about 40 years of unrest in Ireland and to some learning and reform.

                      Check the Home Rule League of Ireland online. Doing so could contribute to your political education. Check out Gandhi on the use of resistance and organization. Well reasoned and presented protests have been a powerful social power. The Irish National League may be interesting to check out, but may prove complicated.

                One thing to learn is that you are responsible for ruling yourself. In Ireland self-rule has been called Home Rule. It does seem best to begin at home. You can blame your father, wife, mayor, or President, but that is a waste of energy and undemocratic. Where you are concerned you are

                The word in question was the name of a landlord so disliked by his tenants that he was denied labor to harvest crops, as well as refusal of services to shops, laundries, and other facilities. The social excommunication of Mr. Boycott, led to his name being used to describe it. Boycotts have worked well as a nonviolent protest measure.

                Please don't boycott these blogs.

 

Test questions:

* What is an example of a nonviolent protest measure that you know of?

*  Is refusing your labour violent?

* What's democratic?

* Why has often been said that it is best to begin at home?

* Why haven't you checked "responsibility" online?

                When you have really tried to answer all these questions you have passed this test.

                                                                    RCS

Using Herbs

RCS Posts:using Herbs You can benefit by using herbs and condiments to enhance the flavor of fruits, cheeses, and meats.

 

                Use herbs to provide new, interesting, and delicious flavors to foods. When you find yourself in position to do so, do give it a try. Herbs add rare and valuable nutrients to your dining. The savor they add can amaze. Below are some ways some herbs have been successfully matched with specific foods. also below are suggestions to help you get started.

Experiment with the following combinations:

Beef: basil leaves, mustard, black pepper, bay leaves, chives, garlic, red chilies, cumin, marjoram, savory, horseradish with fatty roasts .....

Lamb: rosemary, garlic, marjoram, oregano, mint .....

Pork: coriander, cumin, garlic, ginger, savory, thyme, cloves with ham .....

Cheese: basil, chervil, curry, dill, fennel, garlic, marjoram, parsley .....

Fruit: anise, cinnamon, coriander, cloves, verbena, mint, rose, geranium, sweet cicely, fennel .....

 

Suggestions:

~ It is often good to begin with a recipe.

~ Herbs are often potent, they can be costly; use them sparingly, at first.

~Experiment with one herb at a time and on yourself before offering your creation to a friend.

~ Buy herbs one at a time and try them one at a time.

~ Make little, or big, slits in your roast and put selected herbs into those slits to cook.

~ Start with herbs mentioned most often here and elsewhere.

Bon appetit!

                                                            RCS

Woman and Girl

RCS Posts:Understanding a Memory

 

                 She was young, about his age. She was speaking with an older woman she obviously cared for, but she was saying with some vehemence, "You just don't care."

                The older woman seemed truly fond of the girl. Though she may have felt some hurt at the girl's words, she answered in kindly tones. He remembered what she said. She had said, "I have come to see that  many things do not matter much, and that most things don't matter at all."

 

                The girl answered, still with some feeling, "You don't care about anything."

                The woman answered, a bit as though she were she were speaking to herself as much as to the girl, "I once knew an old gentleman who did not believe in"things."

                After a few seconds the older woman continued,"Your feelings matter to me very much, but I am not responsible for them."

                                                        

                                                            RCS