Giving is one of many powerful insights from Christmas.  Let’s reflect on three ways to give this Christmas-in-July:

1.  Think about how you can improve on giving to others.  We know that the happiest people on the planet are the people who give to others unconditionally with the expectation of nothing in return.  So if you want to increase your happiness as well as others, increase your giving!  One of the most potent ways to give, is to give of your time.  Start by giving time to the most important people around you.  Time can be given powerfully by simply allocating time to be with and listen to your spouse, child or friend without interruption.   If you diarize time you won’t feel flustered with lines of attention being drawn to other things you need to get done.  It will help you to be fully present and the one you are with to feel happy or content because you truly are ‘fully’ present.

2.  Another powerful way to give is to spend a day giving your total attention to others.  Do this once a week.  Don’t talk about yourself whatsoever for a whole day.  Don’t give any opinions or add your story to anything said.  Always acknowledge the other person after they have finished speaking.  Honour them by saying back to them pertinent points to show you have listened and ask them to expand more on the subject or ask them questions to get them to continue speaking.  If they ask you a question and it can be a simple yes or no that’s ok but don’t add your ‘stuff’ your story and move onto a question back to them.  And remember to be fully present by listening with positive body language and good eye contact too.  You’ll soon find that most people are not really interested in your story, they are more interested in themselves and what they have to say.  They will walk away from you feeling great and will think you are a wonderful person, simply because you gave them space to be truly heard. 

3.  Give acknowledgement to the ones you love.  Acknowledgement is craved by most people.  Without acknowledgement many will tend to retract and will not give again as they feel unappreciated.   For example, you go out of your way to do more than what was expected at work and your boss doesn’t acknowledge you.  Do you feel inspired to do more next time?  Probably not.  Your partner spent time making you a meal.  Do you take it for granted or do you acknowledge them with love for their time and care preparing the meal for you?  Every time you don’t acknowledge someone for what they have done or given to you, and you take it for granted, you erase a little of their love or respect for you.   Another example, your child puts his/her dishes in the sink – acknowledge them with positive comments.  When you acknowledge the small things, it can create a snowball effect of more good behaviour.  It won’t happen overnight but it will happen.  This practice can powerfully transform relationships.  It is a gift to increase happiness for you and others around you.

This Christmas-in-July spend some quiet time thinking about and planning ways that you can give.  By giving of your time and your acknowledgment, you expand and create a more generous loving heart while creating more happiness in the world for you and others.

To expand further on my love for the French Independence Day, I have treated the topic on Squidoo with a lens titled unsurprisingly, Bastile Day Date

Bastille Day (Photo credit: Infrogmation)

I am hopeful that more and more people will enjoy that day in the US at least half as much as I do.

tilt your head back and show them a grin, something as mischievous as they’ve ever seen…

toss your hair back and dress in your best, this holiday season ain’t giving you rest… 

give them a smile and show them you’re fine…

that’s there’s nothing to worry, everything’s divine…

you stand by the tree smiling for all to see, giving out presents in all shapes and sizes…

you uncork the champagne, giving out cheers, wishing in your heart that you’re with someone dear…

the laughter ends there, its time to go home, you ride in the cab and sink on the leather padded foam…

you get to your house, you turn the key, there’s nobody there, no one waits for thee…

the cheer you felt then drains all out of you, you sink on the floor with nothing to do…

you take off your shoes and crawl into bed, trying in vain not to think of the pain…

you hear htem downstairs, all having fun, and now you realize, you are only one…

the cheer that you felt now coated in frost, you feel your tears coming out of the blue…

you glance to your side, there’s nobody there but an old teddy bear…

gently, gently you touch his face, as if doing so would end an embrace…

you roll to your side and grab the bear near, covering your face as it gets wet with tears…

you hug him so tight, as if letting him go would cost you your life then you whisper so gently, “Merry christmas my little boys… merry christmas…”

you close your eyes and try to sleep but deep in your heart you know the pain is too deep…

falling, falling, falling down into the abyss… the empty abyss of no end…

you try to conjure the glitz and the glamour, you try to conjure up all the laughter, you try to smile, the harder you cry, till you lie there spent with tears all dry…

the glitz and the glamour aint nothing to this, you wish in your heart that it just isnt so, that somehow your prayer would be heard and so you go to your knees and manage a smile, but now all you can do is cry…

’tis the season of joy, this holiday… but to some unlike most, tis a hollow day… a day of remembrance of all that they’ve lost…

So the message here is be creative and really put thought into gifts don’t blow money it IS the thought that counts!

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!

What are you most thankful for on this beautiful sunny day?  Well, maybe in some parts of the world the weather isn’t as nice, but it’s still a glorious day all the same.  We’re mothers and that is the greatest gift on earth.

To be able to have given birth to a miracle, multiple miracles, artificial insemination, adoption and others, it is the most amazing thing on this planet.  I have given birth to four children, Sean, Jake, Mollyanne and Julia and they are my most prized possessions.

I am so thankful for having wonderful children, a close knit family, great relations with my ex (their father) and his parents.  It was rocky during the separation, but now everything is as it should be.  Calm, civil and just plain good friends.  And I am also thankful for a wonderful new boyfriend that is added to my life.  I’m thankful to be having a fun job selling on EBay that allows me to be around my children every day.  And I am thankful for the quality time in between when the children aren’t here so I can do all my arts and crafts and hobbies that I love.  And most of all, I am thankful to be alive each new day, to smell the fresh air, drink coffee, eat good food and to know I have a perfect beating heart that keeps me going.

What are you thankful for?

And as Mother’s we are very patient, kind, nurturing loving people who want the best for our children.  We would take the shirts off our backs for them, we would do anything for them and some of us had died for them.  Our children are our number one priority in this life we call ours.  

What are we to them?  Their mother of course, chauffeur, the famous human napkin (yuck), nurse, maid, comedian, singer of crazy made up songs or old ones that stick in our heads, (mine is A Way Down South in The Land of Cotton.  Jake my downs child laughs every time I sing it.), teacher, caregiver, bearer of cool gifts, maker of yummy sweet treats, storyteller (the old days), art teacher, authority figure, best friend, the person most hated (we’re not parents if they’ve never said they hate us), mediator (when your two siblings start to pick a fight or argument), the person who gets rid of unwanted toys and junk, trash picker upper, grocery shopper (and don’t bring your kids with you if you can have someone watch them.  Sometimes you come back with extra snacks or a crying kid that can’t have something), and just about any other thing that we are to them.

And what is your day like so far today?  Relaxing I hope.  It has been mine so far.  Much better than yesterday.  I got to meet my boyfriend to get my van back finally.  It had been fixed, new engine and other crap.  I’ve been having problems with the old van since February, leaking anti freeze, blown gasket, got a new radiator and finally the engine.  I am so thankful that he paid for it to be fixed as I have been kind of on a budget and didn’t have the money to have all that done.

And he’s been travelling back and forth to Boston as his sister is in the hospital down there.  Her breastplate came apart and they put a new one in and she wasn’t taking to it, having infections, and now her heart isn’t doing very well.  He’s been down there for the last two to three weeks and I finally got to see him for a few minutes yesterday.  Next weekend is my weekend with the kids, so I will finally get to have Memorial Day Weekend to spend quality time with him.  And his other family members are going to trade off with him to be with his sister.  He has got to get back to his life.  His boss wants him to work cleaning up all his properties and he is way behind, and he just needs to get back to normal things and to see me again.  I’ve been missing him.

So, he showed me what got fixed with the car and left and I started driving back and going to yard sales on the way back.  A few minutes after I was driving the car started rattling in the back.  I didn’t think too much about it, but figured it was something.  So I did all my yard sales, got back to the kids house to grab my checkbook as I had seen an old vintage Toni doll at a sale and he only wanted five for her and I was down to one dollar.  So I drove quickly to the house grabbed the checkbook and when I got back, luckily Toni was still there waiting for me.  The vintage Barbie case and it’s contents was gone, which was just as well.  If I had bought it to sell on EBay it would have been a large thing to ship.  I like shipping smaller outfits that are easy to package and don’t break.  The dolls are usually easy to ship too.  But I’m not sure if I want to sell her.  I do like dolls and am thinking I might want to replenish a few at a later date when I may have some extra money.

So, I got back, settled down with the kids and a little while later, my ex came in and said, “You have a flat tire.”  I got so upset that afternoon and wasn’t sure what to do.  All I could think is I don’t have the money to get it fixed.  And what should I do?  Luckily my ex has an air compressor so he will be able to pump it up.  But at the time, I got my boyfriend on the phone, all upset and crying.  I’m certainly no mechanic.  He got angry that nobody up my way knew how to put on my spare tire.  My ex just takes his car to the garage and let them do everything, my teenage son, Sean, doesn’t know anything about changing a tire.  I was lucky three years ago when I broke down in New Hampshire with all the kids and a kind gentleman arrived and helped us.  Sean at least knew where the spare tire was.  I had no clue.  And this man knew how to put on a spare and had lots of tools in his car, put on the spare for us and helped us find a tire place.

I was all in tears on the phone with him last night and he helped calm me down.  And he said I have leverage and that Todd needs to help me get to a tire place to get it fixed.  He said, “No car?  I can’t watch the kids.”  Then he told me to just try not to think about it and have a good night.  

Luckily, my ex is going to let me borrow some of my alimony money early and I will get it tended to tomorrow morning.  He will pump up my tire so I will be able to make it a few miles away to the tire place and I will bring my knitting and get it fixed.

And then, my boyfriend said when we get together in a few weeks we will talk about how to get out of this hole we’ve been in with the whole car mess and all that nasty bill stuff and my high rent.  I wish I could just move from there and try to save some to get myself out of a rut.  

But today is Mother’s Day and a day to just try to wipe everything away for a little bit.  An R & R with the kids.  Everything else will fall into place as fate will have it.

So, last night I slept over the kids house and slept on their couch.  We had a late night, I finished listing my EBay items while the girls, Jake and Todd were at the Drive-Ins.  They saw that new pirate kids movie and Dark Shadows.  Mollyanne was much more interested in Dark Shadows.  The other day she was watching previews on her computer and asking me who and what everyone on the movie was.  I told her I didn’t know as I haven’t seen the movie.  I remember hearing about the original soap opera it’s loosely based from.  (Before my time).  And then, she was on some site that lets you do fun stuff.  I looked over and she had a photo of Julia dressed as one of the movie characters.  That was funny.

This morning I woke up early and looked over and Julia was still asleep.  She sleeps on the couch with me when I sleep over.  She won’t be doing it tonight as it’s a school night.  So, I wake up at 3AM, do my business and turn off the light that we forgot to shut off.  Julia woke up for five minutes after that.

Then I woke up at 6AM and decided to stay up and sew up one of my cool new reversible headbands.  I look over at Julia and she just looks so beautiful when she is sleeping.  

Aren’t they like angels when they are asleep.  I wanted to take a picture of her but all our cameras were needing to be charged up.  My camera battery died on me last night when I was ready to take pictures of two more sundresses that don’t fit me anymore.  It can wait.  I just listed a whole batch of things yesterday.

So I just simply treasured that small window of time to watch her sleep peacefully.  Beauty sleep as our mothers called it.

And I wish I could say Happy Mother’s Day to my mom today.  For the last eleven years I have been wishing I could say that.  Never again.  But she was the most wonderful mother.  I put her on a pedestal and idolized her.  She was the best. 

Aren’t all our mothers the best?  That is what all you mother’s out there that still have yours with you should be thanking your lucky stars that you still have them in your life, because suddenly you wake up one day and CANCER could take them away without you saying okay and they are gone and all you have is the most prized possession.  The memories of them and how they nurtured you and did the most important job in the world.  Raising you.   

There’s no other job in the world that can live up to that standard.  That is what being a parent is all about.  When you pop that child out, the two of you or whoever you have in your life exist for them.  

You get a little bit older and it’s all about them.  Then as they get older and become parents, it’s all about their kids and the train goes on and on.  There’s no end.

Those priceless miracles are yours.  And you know you can’t put a price on them.  There isn’t one.

And to all you moms out there that have had to bury a son (my cousin among them), just know that he or she is up there telling you “Happy Mother’s Day” today.  Their spirits are with you all the time.  Find comfort in that and know that they would want you to go on and be happy.

And then, today are the fun things.  Waiting for your children to realize today is Mother’s Day and say the words, (Julia took about a half hour before it dawning on her) bring you their cards, their handmade gifts and another little store bought gift that their father helped them get.

Mine was a cute little card with all my little mice leaving their footprints on the card with all their names on it.  Two cute little cans with button flowers that my girls made at Girl Scouts for me.  I love them.  One has sunflowers on the can and the other is peaches and they’ve got little heart buttons, stars, a phone and others on it.  If that camera was charged up I would have had a picture of it for my post today.  Bummer.  Will share another day.  I’ve got my sewing scissors in it too.

And then the little store bought item was one of those plastic coffee cups with the cover and straw and it says Love You Mom!  Love it and it has my coffee in it right now.  Which I might have to heat up soon.  Those cups are great.  I’ve got one more that I got for free at our local bank, so will probably leave one at my boyfriend’s house.

So, today we are just now relaxing and are on our computers.  My girls have decided to go back to playing on the Webkinz site.  They haven’t been there in a while.  They’ve been watching You Tube videos of The Littlest Pet Shop characters the older girls make.  Some of them are quite violent.  One Mollyanne had me watch was quite long and the pet shop character got adopted by a psycho mother who had already killed the father and there was lots of killing with ketchup on the innocent toys.  

And I pulled out an old photo of me this morning to show them.  It was a picture of me about their age sitting on my mom’s couch in my first nightgown creation I had sewn.  Crazy concoction, and the sleeves were made out of this funky striped fabric that my mother had also made marble bags for my sister and I.  It actually fit me at the time, and now is long gone.  Along with the crazy popsicle stick house I made for my Honey hill dolls when I was their age.  That thing took forever to make and was larger than a big Barbie doll Van.  I had glued the whole thing to a piece of wood and painted the outside a funky green.

The sun is gone now.  Oh well.  I did pull out my herb and flower seeds this morning in case the girls and I want to escape out into the garden for a short bit today.  I don’t feel like planting all of them, but maybe we will get a little start into it.  I’m going to grow lots of lavender, chamomile, mint, hyssop, eucalyptus, and the girls will plant the flower and carrot seeds.

But it will over all just be a quiet day, playing around and enjoying our time together.  And I will sleep over once more and worry about my car tomorrow.

So, once again, Happy Mother’s day!  Enjoy every minute (especially if your kids think to make breakfast in bed for you, clean up the house, be good and no fights, and tend to your every need.  Maybe paint your nails and do extra household chores.  Because you know that tomorrow or any day in the future their rates could go up and your in a nutshell floating down the shallow creek with no nail polish on your nails!  Ha ha!

Jennifer Jo Fay

Copyrighted May 13, 2012

The little Toni doll I got at the yard sale.  Brought her home, thinking I would sell her, cleaned her up, bleached her undergarment and those dirty socks and she is in really lovely condition.  I might end up keeping her and making some knitted outfits for her.  She can be a model for the outfits I might like to sell in the future.

Mexico is Culture, Geography and Political Frustration
Mexican Culture is Priceless and Timeless
Pre-17th Century Mexico
Mexico is Central American Geography
Mexicans are Americans
Post-17th Century History

Interweaving the Battle Players

Quiet, desperate hope for Ethic-less Aristocrats

CHARACTERS DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY INVOLVED IN BATTLE 5
French
The Marquis de Radepont
President Andrew Johnson
The “Civil War’s North
The “Civil War’s South
The Corwin Treaty #2
Mexican
Benito Juarez
Juarista General Ignacio Zaragoza:
The Mexican Aristocracy:
The Mexican peasantry
Santa Anna

EUGENIE, THE MARQUIS DE RADEPONT AND MAXIMILLIAN 7

Why Attack Mexico 7
a) It had a history of dictator 8
b) Previous Mexican Presidents had borrowed millions of dollars 8
c) The Mexican military forces 8
d) The United States 8

PEACE COMMISSIONERS 9

PRELUDE TO A BATTLE 11
SUCCESSFUL PUEBLA!! 11
“Poor France and the U. S.’s South” 12
A demonstration of Mexican honor! 13
Your author’s resume 15

CINCO DE MAYO

Many books have been written on Mexico, others on Napoleon III, one in Spanish about Cinco de Mayo, and others on battles throughout the world.

This booklet’s author is a business consultant, teacher and researcher. Upon subtle suggestion from Librarian Joseph Cajero, at Harmon Library, Phoenix, Az., “Since you like to research a lot [to write business books], we could use a booklet in English on the Cinco de Mayo.

At that time, (May 3, 1992) I knew only that Cinco de Mayo was celebrated as a Mexican national holiday; I knew nothing else about it. While researching this special day, May 5, 1862. I became acquainted with events and people related to this historic battle at Puebla, Mexico. To guide readers of this booklet, I have chosen to add in this preface, my intent, slant, reason for writing, et al.

I take the stance that many individuals and groups had a direct influence on the battle at Puebla. For historic perspective, a magazine article provided by Mr. Cajero prompted my further study as I examined books about Napoleon in Mexico.

Some readers, especially educators, might feel I stretch reasoning as I “tie together” people and events to this single day in Mexico’s history. Other readers, however, may feel certain people, events or consequences were not represented that should be. All authors must (and I do), hold themselves responsible for the slant, representations, suppositions and hypotheses reached in their books, magazine articles, et al. I therefore am solely responsible for the conclusions reached within this booklet.

It might be that a traveler (to 22 nations, [several visits to Mexico] and 36 states, and a teacher for a fair part of the past 25 years, would reasonably reach the conclusions discussed in this paper. Your author is this traveler and teacher.

As is listed in the POST SCRIPT, the author has other books on business and psychology being edited, that might also interest the reader. Your author is currently working with acquisitions and initiating businesses in Mexico during the writing of this booklet.

This capitalistic activity may color this booklet but it is unlikely. Your book’s author felt it necessary to divulge his slants and current interest in Mexico. Ref: Napoleon in Mexico, p.77, 5th para. (2) pg 16, 24, s5.

Pre-17th Century Mexico

Mexico’s founders, like other nations’ founders, include explorers. Unfortunately, many of these courageous men (few women were either permitted to do things on their own or were given credit for their discoveries) weren’t Mexican or pure Indian. Mexico’s heritage includes explorers and conquerors who were native Indians, Spaniards and others of inconclusive ancestry.

It is known that of the Indians who first populated the United States and then Mexico, some were involved in a natural earth-oriented (agrarian) existence while others were warmongers (pillagers). Nevertheless, these pillagers continued an Indian way of life, alien to the non-hedonistic cultures of the Anglos that arrived with the European boats that brought Spaniards and other Catholic heritage cultures and races.

These explorers included caravans of French, Spanish and Austrian “warlords.” Spain’s role in Mexico includes negative exploitation of Mexican natives. Spaniards so penetrated Mexico’s various regions that Mexico’s “native tongue” became an amalgamation of various Indian languages; Spanish, some English and tailings from other visitors-turned-residents.

Mexico is American Geography

Your author has met many people proudly calling themselves Mexicans who are not Spanish, as commonly thought, but are instead, proud Indians of Mayan or other tribal heritage who originated in Asia, tens of thousands of years ago (similar to the Indians who settled in the United States), came across Alaska and, after walking down through pre-Anglo United States, settled within Mexico before other explorers arrived by boat.

Mexicans are Americans

America is a geographical description; All citizens from Alaska to the southern tip of Peru are Americans! Some are South, some Central (Mexico is part of America) and the rest are North Americas (Canadians and citizens of the United States!)

It’s interesting that most Anglos from the United States fail to realize that Mexicans are more American than anyone who arrived from Europe with Columbus!

Post-17th Century History

Napoleon Bonaparte, Emperor and Commander-in-Chief of the French forces, lost the battle of Waterloo in Europe in 1812. As Commanders-in-Chief have many excuses for losing wars and battles (many battles make a war), outsiders, using the benefit of hindsight, often can pinpoint several reasons for the loss of a battle or war.

It is likely that arrogance and narrow attention to the environment (many separate things grouped together) played major roles in Napoleon Bonaparte’s loss at Waterloo. This arrogance and inaccurate narrow focusing seems to have been handed down from father to son to brother, throughout generations.

Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte had a brother, King Louis of Holland, who had a son (or so “conservative” historians say, though it is likely our Louis Napoleon III’s real father was [unofficially], Rene de Villeneuve, Eugene’s Chancellor, while Napoleon III’s mother’s was Hortense, Queen of Holland.

Louis’ birth name was Charles Louis Napoleon. His first name Charles, was rarely used, leaving the name most called him; Louis Napoleon III. As he matured, like his famous and powerful French uncle, Napoleon Bonaparte, Louis Napoleon III dreamed of power and, as a boy, of controlling a monarchy.

Nephew Louis Napoleon III, perhaps as powerful a monarch as his uncle, lost his “Waterloo” 50 years later, in 1862. This loss was crucial to the French, yet beneficial to Mexican farm workers!

Interweaving the Battle Players

Your author hopes that each reader can, without much stretching of the imagination, understand how each person and group depicted in this booklet became involved in their respective specified activities and how, by fitting all the players together, it becomes reasonable to believe the Battle of Puebla was inevitable. The Mexican farmer’s battle success at Pueblo, is now celebrated throughout Mexico and Mexican neighborhoods world-wide as Cinco de Mayo.

In the production of a movie, all sorts of people are involved: producer, director, writer, salesperson, advertiser, actor, sound technician, etc.

This book’s author feels there were, like the types of people that make a movie, all sorts of people directly or indirectly involved in causing the battle of Puebla to be fought. Also, individuals and groups gained or lost different things as a consequence of the results of the battle.

What is perplexing (but part of humanity’s heritage and habits), is that too often those who have acquired wealth or stature (Mexican Aristocratic Roman Catholics) would rather lose their Mexican heritage and become French or Austrian citizens, than the “toys” and power their wealth provided.

What really happened, as part of this true historical story, is that Napoleon’s French representatives, in talking with the Mexican Catholic Church and its aristocrats, found the aristocracy feared the United States would spread its democratic style to Mexico with Abraham Lincoln’s Latin American policies of protection. Lincoln’s policies attempted to assured (Black) people everywhere their own independence while also assuring that Mexican peasants who had long been exploited would no longer be victims (especially of invasion).

Rather than desire Lincoln’s democracy and fairness for all (or his successor, President Andrew Johnson), the Mexican aristocrats wanted the protection of the tripartite (France, Spain and England). The Mexican aristocracy felt sure that the United states was about to spread its political ideologies (the national vote and freedom for all races) and allow Mexico’s peasants a say in Mexico’s governance–something that would have intimidated the aristocracy. The wealthy Mexican and French aristocrats tried to keep Mexican peasants and farm workers from having a say in Mexico’s use of its economic power, or in owning any major businesses.

The Mexican peasantry had virtually been prohibited from owning anything but a donkey and the clothes on their respective backs! This control or limitation had existed for over a hundred years and aristocrats weren’t about to allow anyone to change the status quo favorable to themselves–the aristocrats had control over all property (that the Roman Catholic church didn’t itself own) and the aristocrats needed that constancy.

Some of the aristocratic land owners (known as conservative wealthy Mexicans), were willing to give up their voting rights to French leaders who could inject money and provide soldiers to assure the current wealthy supporters of the Mexican Catholic Church kept their way of life.

The Mexican president, Benito Juarez, wanted to make life desirable to the peasants but the wealthy Mexicans couldn’t allow the peasants to enjoy any of this power.

French
Austrian
English
Spanish
American
Mexican

The Marquis de Radepont; a French officer and diplomat for the French Emperor; the originator of the entire Battle of Pueblo fiasco.

The Marquis developed a plan to “take over” Mexico. This “taking over” required an invasion and a step-by-step sequence of victories. The Marquis, therefore, developed the plan for the invasion of Mexico and the battle at Puebla. He also developed plans for the occupation of Mexico after the French soldiersÕ presumed victory at Puebla.

Eugenie, wife of French Emperor Louis Napoleon III, Eugenie, helped push the Marquis de Radepont’s plan for the conquest of Mexico, because she wanted a way to stop America from expanding its democracy ideologies. Eugenie’s half brother, Morny, was influential and a positive aide to Eugenie since he owned thousands of Mexican bonds. If Eugenie’s and Morny’s venture into Mexico was successful, these bonds would increase their value substantially!

Himself, the Nephew of the first emperor, Napoleon Bonaparte, the loser at Waterloo. This Louis Napoleon III was no insignificant individual: he ruled much of Europe between 1840-70! This was significant because he was the commander of the sailors who brought the tripartite’s soldiers to Vera Cruz.

Comte de Lorencez, was commander of the regimental brigade that attacked Puebla, was Louis Napoleon III’s succeeding Commanding General of the French, after replacing Major General Lorencez, the loser at Puebla, Aide to Louis Napoleon III who wrote dispatches describing victories and failures of the Emperor’s forces.

Maximallian of Austria (about 24 years old, and younger brother of Emperor Franz-Joseph of Austria (small European nation below Germany) was to become the leader of Mexico, on invitation of the conservative Mexican Aristocracy and their Catholic Church. The aristocracy themselves followed Louis Napoleon III’s desires. (The French were powerful, cultured and economically alive–perhaps more so than the United States at this time in the history of the world.)

Princess Charlotte of Belgium, Maximillian’s wife, sought an empire for her husband and an extension of their Monarchy. (Charlotte actually lived in Austria with her husband, Maximillian.)

James Howard Harris (known as Lord Malmsbury) was the British Foreign Minister in Mexico representing Queen Victoria.

Genral Juan Prim was the military dictator of Spain who wanted to expand the idea of monarchies, from Spain (and France) to Mexico which would stop the spread of democracy from the United States.

President Lincoln; wanted to protect any neighbor who felt threatened by “enemies.”

President Andrew Johnson, Lincoln’s successor; chose to continue Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation policy designed to free all slaves.

The “Civil War North” was the United States’ national defense and charged by the President of the United States with both forcing the return of the “South” and protecting the United State’s borders while defending the President’s foreign policies.

The Civil War’s South” wanted self-rule. Upon its presumed victory in the U. S. Civil War, Jefferson Davis’ administration had offered to place 5,000,000 negro slaves on Mexico’s hot costal lands as security for mortgages on Mexico’s Northern mines and timber land-cheap mine labor for Mexican Aristocrats!

The Corwin Treaty, April 6, 1962, provided for loan guarantees or direct cash loans to the French victors- to-be in Mexico to enable Mexico to re-build itself and to help pay its multi-million dollar loans procured by earlier Mexican Presidents from various European powers over the previous 10 years.

Mexican:

Benito Juarez : the Mexican President wanted to return the land (which the peasantry cultivated for the aristocracy) to the peasants themselves.

Juarista General Ignacio Zaragoza: was the defender of Puebla, the city where this famous battle took place.

The Mexican Aristocracy: wanted a leader for their country that would assure they would be able to keep their power and land.

The Mexican Peasantry; wanted a leader to represent their needs and values–and Juarez appeared to be that leader–a native Indian that threatened the aristocracy and was prepared to take lands from the power elite (aristocracy) and give it to the peasants working it.

Santa Anna: On and off again leader of the Mexican people; more often then not, a federal general who became, like the aristocracy, greedy, thereby stealing from the Mexican peasantry and becoming an unwanted rebel.

Eugenie’s plan:
1) Spread monarchy during Mexico’s vulnerability
2) Take money owed tripartite

Eugenie Napoleon, wife of Louis Napoleon III, the French Emperor, wanted to both halt the spread of Democracy and expand her potent Monarchy. While Eugenie was determining how to spread her husband’s power and influence throughout the world, she felt the upheaval in Mexico was the ideal place to go to expand this monarchy. Mexico seemed vulnerable to attack as it held great dissention between the Mexican peasantry and the rich Catholic Church and its Aristocracy.

Eugenie felt, in order for her husband to gain and keep control of Mexico, she and her husband would need someone they could trust and still control; ideally, a close family member or friend. Eugenie Napoleon found just the trustworthy friend she and her Emperor husband had sought in Maximillian of Austria.

Maximillian qualified as a suitable candidate for the throne of Mexico since he was already an aristocrat and the Monarch’s (of Austria) younger brother. Eugenie and Louis Napoleon III felt Maximillian could force satisfactory payments of all debts Mexico owed England, Spain and France. Further, Eugenie wanted help keeping the peasant Mexicans (Indians) from overwhelming the French soldiers when the French soldiers invaded Mexico to expand the European Monarchy, all in one swoop!

The Marquis de Radepont, a major diplomat and advisor to Louis Napoleon III, had, on his own ambition, developed a plan to expand France’s power in Mexico, by converting Mexico into a French satellite Monarchy.

Mexico was, at the time, in political turmoil and a modified democracy. President Juarez was trying to appropriate land from the Aristocrats and give it to the peasant farmers. Mexico was also a prime candidate for invasion (and therefore) conversion to a Monarchy) for several reasons:

The Aristocracy thought Mexico was currently led by a democratic Indian (most native Mexicans are Indians) named Juarez. This democratic status/manner was a threat to the Aristocracy because, under a democratic governement led system, the embezzlement, patronage (giving favoritism in government jobs) and outright theft of personal property would be slowed and possibly stopped by previous inept and graft-oriented municipal and federal leaders.

Juarez brought hope and therefore opportunity to the indians because he was trying to gain control of land currently belonging to aristocrats and the church and turn it over to peasant farmers. Juarez’ confiscation of land from the rich and giving it to the poor (like Robin Hood did in Sherwood Forest in England) farm workers made him an ally of the United States and his Indian-peasant farmer constituents, but, at the same time, an enemy of conservative, wealthy Mexicans (who had been exploiting the peasants for hundreds of years) and Monarchs throughout Europe to finance previous Mexican wars.

Another legal problem Mexico faced was that its treasury was behind on loan payments due to European nations who had financed previous Mexican wars and illegal federal purchases.

President Juarez felt the native Mexican-Indians shouldn’t have to pay for wars in which they played no voluntary role and yet where they lost property. Upon receiving a demand for payments by England, Spain and France, Juarez indicated that, for an indefinite period of time, he would postpone payments to these nations.

The Mexican federal soldiers were considered to be insignificant and inadequate in comparison to the battle-hardened French soldiers, who were thought by the tripartite to be the best in the world.

Another reason Mexico was vulnerable to attack was because, its alley, the president of The United States, was in the middle of a Civil War of its own, with the North (the federal government), trying to force (which it did successfully in 4.5 years) re-bonding with the Southern states.

France, England and Spain had many talks about places where their respective monarchies could spread.

They came up with Mexico.

In the world community, France, Spain and England (the tripartite) felt the debt Mexican President Juarez owed them constituted reasonable reason for their invading Mexico. After many talks, Louis Napoleon III got Maximillian, upon its availability, to accept the Throne of Mexico. Now Louis Napoleon III needed only to get his man, Maximillian, to Mexico and have enough loyal tripartite troops available to capture any important cities that may resist while the tripartite troops marched to Mexico City to establish Maximillian’s throne.

While Louis Napoleon and Maximillian were doing their planning, they had to be careful about upsetting the United States’ North. The United States had always been in favor of Democracy (where people vote for their leader). The constitution and foreign policy of the United States specified the U.S. government must help any nation needing its protection if the troubled nation’s democracy was threatened by other nations or internally.

President Juarez figured he could get the U.S. to help defend his country if anyone invaded Mexico. This assurance was good as long as the U.S. was not at war with itself. (The Tripartite) France, England and Spain knew of these security measures and would not bother the U.S. as long as the U.S. had a secure government; no nation on earth could afford to challenge the U.S. in any way, for its might was equal to anyone’s (including the French).

Therefore, during the time the U.S. was stable, no government would be foolish enough to threaten it or its foreign protection policy. Until the war with the “South” began, England, Spain and France (the tripartite) hesitated to attack Mexico to force the re-payment of the loans that Mexico’s new liberal president, Juarez, renounced.

In 1860, the U.S.’s civil war (between its North and South) began, which lasted from 1860 through 1864. Louis Napoleon III and Spain and England’s leaders, now firmed up their plans to invade Mexico to forcibly take the money that Juarez’ government owed them.

General Juan Prim, the military dictator of Spain, and James Howard Harris (known as Lord Malmsbury–the British Foreign Minister in Mexico representing Queen Victoria of England and Louis Napoleon), sent a fleet of ships with 6,300 Spanish, 2,800 French and 800 British soldiers to Vera Cruz to begin the tripartite’s attack of the sea port on their way to Mexico City.

PEACE COMMISSIONERS

The invading nations had 5 commissioners with them to try and negotiate for the payment of the foreign debt. These commissioners were; from France; Admiral Jurien and Count Dubois de Saligny, from England; Sir Charles Lennox Wyke and Commodore Hugh Dunlop. The leader and Chair of these commissioners was Spanish General Prim. (He had two additional titles; Count of Reus and Marquis de los Castillejos).

It was the intent of the tripartites’ governments to negotiate with Mexico’s governmental representative in Vera Cruz and see if the money owed England, Spain and France, could be obtained peacefully. If the commissioners (negotiators) could not obtain these payments, the commissioners were empowered to begin occupying Mexico by attacking governmental structures and then replacing the local, state and federal officials wherever found, between Vera Cruz, Puebla and Mexico City.

The sea port,Vera Cruz, appeared docile when the tripartite army approached the local and federal tax collectors and demanded the revenue collections which would help pay back the $10,000,000 debt the Mexican government owed France, Spain and England.
RELUDE TO A BATTLE

The Mexican government officials and few soldiers stationed in Vera Cruz didn’t resist the tripartite’s troops, and gave what money existed in Vera Cruz’s treasury. With their mission complete, the Spanish and English had no further reason to continue to Puebla or Mexico City and so they returned home.

The French, however, were in Vera Cruz for two reasons; to get their part of the payment due the tripartite and prepare the way for Maximillian to take over the Throne of Mexico; so the French had to overthrow JuarezÕ Mexican government.

By combining the data from messages that the Mexican Aristocrats sent to Louis Napoleon III, along with the non-resistance of the Mexican soldiers in Vera Cruz, Lorencez, the French Commander of soldiers, felt the rest of his trip through Puebla and on to Mexico City would be quick and easy.

After saying goodby to his allies (the returning Spanish and British), Lorencez immediately set out for Puebla, the only defended city on his way to Mexico City, the federal government seat.

SUCCESSFUL PUEBLA

When the Mexican peasants realized their culture was being jeopardized and a restricted way of living was soon to be forced upon them, they were eager to fight alongside their Indian President, Juarez. These Mexicans had animo and wanted to continue living as proud Mexicans!

On the morning of May 5th, instead of a simple walk to the fortified city’s front door, the French Commander Lorencez’s emissary met the fort’s defender, Juarista General Ignacio Zaragoza. General Zaragoza refused entrance to these arrogant French troops.

French General Lorencez was caught of-guard by presuming he and his troops faced a passive Mexican fort. Realizing his obligation lay in capturing the city (Puebla), Lorencez hastily directed his brigade commander, Brigadier General Charles Latrille, to assault the Cerro de Guadalupe, the bridgeway guarding the access to the fortified garrisoned Puebla.

Both President Benito Juarez, the leader of Mexican people at the time, and his commanding general, General Ignacio Zaragoza, felt they had aces up their collective civilian and military sleeves; in addition to the armaments (rifles and cannons) they felt enough proud Mexican farmers (who were helping as militiamen) and loyal federalist troops would stand beside them because these two Mexican factors were defending their homes and way of life, whereas the French were just blindly following orders (which indicated a no-problem march was all that lay ahead for them) as the mighty French Commander Lorencez remained puzzled as to why this inadequately armed and manned Puebla would be so earnestly defended even when the French army challenged them, out numbering the Mexicans 2 to 1! There were 5,000 Mexicans and over 10, 000 French soldiers; the French army (the enemy) could not claim victory!

Many honorable Mexican farm workers died so that Mexico could remain independent!

Like the battle of 1776 for the independence of the United States, the Cinco de Mayo was Mexico’s battle for independence! The Mexican soldiers and citizenry had to fight for all they were worth–if they lost they knew they would became a part of Austria and therefore, a colony or a part of, France. –Something the farmers would not tolerate!

French Major General Lorencez had a problem not faced by the fort’s defenders; he had to hold enough French troops in reserve so that he could continue on to Mexico City. He had to fight conservatively!

The battle hardened French troops under brigade commander, Brigadier General Charles Latrille, met unbelievable resistance as they fought and, not having a formidable plan, lost to citizens of Puebla who stood alongside their leader President Juarez, General Zaragoza, and the nobel and courageous Mexican Federal soldiers. Soon thereafter, via dispatches from France, Major General Lorencez, failing at Puebla (though his brigade commander, Brigadier General Charles Latrille–was actually at fault, Major General Lorencez was held responsible by the French Emperor, and so Major General Lorencez was replaced by Major General Forey.

“Poor France and the U. S.’s South”

England and Spain quickly removed their backing because of the French failure at Puebla. With this backing now absent, Maximillian was rightfully hesitant to even come to take his throne!

The United States’ “South” realized that they now had no dependable ally; the South originally thought they could count on the Tripartite to help them win their war with the North (by having the French troops block any attack by the Union soldiers who were planning to attack the”South” from Arizona or Texas.

What might have happened if the French had beaten the Mexicans at Puebla on the 5th of May?

We know the Spanish and English partners in the tripartite left Vera Cruz when they were paid by the Mexican treasury. European support would have been much greater if the “cake walk” had occurred; if Lorencez had just taken over Puebla.

If the tripartite felt secure in knowing that all of Mexico lay totally vulnerable to foreign invasion, they might have brought over more soldiers, section/state governors and merchants from major European industries would have immediately gained greater “market share” from having these new factories in this new land.

The vacillating yet popular Mexican heritage would have been eradicated within 5 years and all of Mexico would have likely taken on the appearance of a distant Spain, England and Austria.

European Aristocratic influence would have been quickly felt in schools, churches and business as a new currency was minted, throwing all traditional Mexican activity into chaos and perhaps, would have led inevitably to an additional internal war between members of the tripartite over division of the “spoils”

–shall seaports become British, or tri-colored, shall education be in all three languages and shall one tri-colored paper bill become the standard currency?

Would the tripartite have, within the next 12 years, carved up Mexico to create a little Spain, England and France/Austria?

It is likely that the United States would have been ripe for invasion because the land to the north was itself under attack and the tripartite would have made the odds much more favorable for the South (who was doing rather well despite the battle participant’s ratios of 3 northerners to every southerner. If the tripartite came into Texas, California and Arizona at the same time and then had its armies pivot to the east, it is likely that Grant and Mc Clellan would have been overwhelmed and caved in to the firepower the tripartite added to the South’s battle wisdom!

Soon, the United State’s South would have overwhelmed the North and likely forced Grant and then Lincoln to capitulate and the Capital of the United States would have moved to Jefferson Davis’ Southern Headquarters in Dixie.

Canada would have been invaded next (it was partially French already) and soon, the tripartite would have become the strongest nation in the world! Whatever name the tripartite would have called itself, it could have challenged the rest of the world!
Thanks to the moral conviction of the 5,000 plus soldiers and citizenry of Puebla, the Mexican government was made stronger. The United States finally forced the South back into the democracy it previously had, and Canada was never the wiser about its own potent change! Viva Mexico!

Let me take you to another century, to tie the two Napoleons together.

In July, 1991, the entertainment director for the Starlite Cruise Ship Empress (which cruised between La Paz and Acapulco while headquartered in San Diego, California), conducted ocean cruises with an emphasis on the Mexican Riviera), guiding passenger’s questions about tours, city spots, fair prices and other valuable bits of information its passengers, of which I was one, desired!

This director taught us all an important word when visiting Mexico–Animo! Animo; electric, magnificent, powerful and super feelings about a wonderful place to be visiting–cities and their ports in Mexico (in this case, the Mexican Riviera).

This definition of Mexican life and its people is well earned!

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Tourism may be a buzz word within the economies of each developed and developing nations. It chips in to the expansion and development of the native lands where it’s being practiced. Its vitality is observed from the stastical knowledge of 2011: Direct contribution to GDP and employment generation was US $2 trillion and ninety eight million respectively across the planet. whereas talking concerning the indirect contribution within the same year it accounted for US $6.3 trillion GDP and 255 million jobs globally. This depicts the festering importance of tourism for any nation however the very fact is that a lot of components of the planet are still ignorant concerning the multifariousness of the sphere of tourism and that they take into account it solely as a leisure activity. truly Tourism is like an umbrella that encompasses the subsequent flourishing fields:

Discipline: Tourism may be a vast field of study that encapsulates the ideas of anthropology, sociology, history, psychology, archaeology, ethnography, geography , accounting, economics, marketing, leisure, management and varied alternative disciplines. it’s the systematic study of the strategies employed in tourism trade. It teaches a way to upset folks , their psyche and alternative necessary events going down within the domain of tourism. It keeps folks updated relating to the newest trends going down within the travel and tourism and provides them with the knack to upset cross cultural issues reducing the planet into one international village. It enhances our data relating to the prevailing and virgin tourist destinations. This know-how will equip the analysis students to come back up with novel topics, notions, ideas and explore them with the tools of this discipline which might ultimately cause new studies and raise the prevailing literature essential for thriving the tourism trade.Many personal and public tourism organizations have created a replacement job position for tourism analysis students where dextrous and competent researchers will build their mark and add colors to travel. Rural tourism in Italy

Entrepreneurship: Tourism trade is that the solely trade that includes a shoe for each foot. it’s immense scope for those that believe in ‘ Being your own boss’(YOB) approach. it’s commonly observed that those that are inventive, innovative, accountable and have the flexibility to influence others have an inherent dislike to figure below or for others. however attributable to lack of resources they’re guaranteed to work for the success of people. Tourism is that the field that one will decide on san entrepreneurial career with full investment of his caliber and fewer financial inputs. It permits one to figure and build profits even with virtual offices. Initially, the sole machine that a contemporary day tour entrepreneur needs may be a pc and an area of few feets. therefore so as to be an efficient entrepreneur in tourism one wants the competency to sense the chance and exploit it with the correct angle.

JOB: Tourism additionally provides the duty ‘Just obey your boss’ possibility for those that like a straightforward life, have poor risk taking capability, lack initiative and like to be directed. within the gift era, several national and multinational corporations like KUONI, SITA, TUI, COX & KINGS, SOTC etc are dealing in tourism and that they have vast job opportunities for the tour professionals. Most of the duty vacancies are solicited and may be simply noticed working portals. Handsome salaries , job security and smart prospects of growth are being offered as per the flexibility of the people. 

FOREIGN EARNING: Tourism has the potential to earn huge foreign currency and raise the strength of our economy. In 2011 ,India witnessed 6290319 foreign tourist arrivals and earned 77591 crores of foreign exchange that is self-convincing relating to the richness of tourism.

Thus, we will conclude that tourism may be a multi -dimensional and a multi- sectoral activity which might go an extended means in eradicating unemployment and earning huge profits. For this the requirement is to comprehend the importance of tourism and introduce it as a discipline and a field of study each at {the school|the varsity|the faculty} and college level. varied diploma and degree courses will prove handy in spreading the attention relating to the blossoming avenues of the tourism.

                Fred O’Hare, played by James Marsden, was out looking for a job when he ran into the Easter bunny, E.B.  E.B. voice is done by Russell Brand, (who did a good job).  Fred was trying to please his father by finding a job, but couldn’t find anything that suited him.

                E.B. didn’t want to follow in his father’s footsteps and runaways from home.  He tricks Fred into letting him stay with Fred and to help him become a drummer.  They have to fight of the evil chick, Carlos, voice done by Hank Azaria.

                Fred wants to be the Easter bunny and in the end, Fred and E.B. become co-Easter bunnies.  Fred becomes the first human Easter bunny.

                I believe that this was something different then what Russell Brand is used to, because it defiantly wasn’t the normal role that we usually see him in.

                Other casts are Jimmy Lee Carter, Billy Bowers, and Kaley Cuoco.  They all did a good job to make a good holiday movie.

Please check out my author website William Swafford

A milk chocolate Easter Bunny. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

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If you need some excuse to talk to people, just to develop warming feelings, remember – April 22nd is also National Jelly Bean Day! This is a day to celebrate your taste in gourmet jelly beans.

One jelly bean is enough to fertilize a small shrub, and they mix well with most drinks, alcoholic or not.

Jelly Bellys are the one brand of jelly beans that might be familiar to most of us, a brand of the Goelitz company, with factories in Fairfield, California and Chicagoland. Having been on the tour at the Fairfield plant, although, not on Earth Day, it can be stated that this is a pleasant way to while away an hour or so while learning more about candy manufacturing. Yes, free samples of jelly beans are also offered – and this is one of the holidays that April 22nd is about.

Yes, this Sunday isn’t just about Earth Day anymore, it is also about Jelly Beans! Hooray, it’s a chance to breaak out those leftover jelly eggs, and give monitor lizards something to swallow other than tiny skinks, frogs, or geckos.

Given the state of the economy, it might be the day to pick up candies from your local mass merchandiser dirt cheap, and leave them in a basket while having a quiet picnic and celebrating Earth Day.